Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 196

Chapter 196: Return of the Dark Hero: Light and Darkness
Nao’s POV:

The true [Trial of Sacrifice] had finally commenced. Envi and I had divided our duties—he was to rescue Nana, my sister on Earth, while I faced the daunting task of confronting two Unique Monsters wreaking havoc in Cosmoria, the realm of the gods.

As I stepped into the transport portal leading to Cosmoria, my mind was anything but calm.

“Master Nao, your thoughts are restless,” Runa’s voice echoed within me, her presence manifesting as mana through telepathy.

“I’m…worried about my sister, Nana. The Outer God is attempting to alter fate and kill her. I’m also concerned for my comrades battling demons in Aetheria,” I confessed, clenching my fists.

“Please, master, trust in Envi—that foolish system seems reliable,” Runa replied with conviction.

“Moreover, we will defeat the monster in Cosmoria swiftly and proceed to Aetheria!” Her optimism was infectious.

Her words brought a smile to my face.

“You’re right, Runa…thank you.”

Upon exiting the portal, I was met with chaos. The sky had turned crimson, and the ground was fractured, spewing rivers of lava. Amidst this devastation stood a colossal monster, ensnared by magic of light, earth, and nature. I recognized it as the fusion of Kraytheon and Gur’mundr—had they merged into a single entity?

Runa confirmed my suspicions, sensing the presence of a Unique Monster akin to herself.

“Without a doubt, master…they’ve performed [Disaster Fusion], combining their immense powers. This is the work of the Outer God!”

I examined its status:

—-

Name: Kray’mundr, The One Who Conquers Sky and Earth!

Level: 105

—-

“How is this possible? I’ve never seen a level exceed 100!” I exclaimed in shock.

“It’s possible, master…this monster has surpassed the world’s standard level ‘Limit,’ achieving an awakening and gaining immense power. However, the gods should have been able to defeat it easily—why hasn’t it fallen?” Runa pondered, perplexed.

“The Outer God must have granted them additional troublesome powers…we’ll understand more once we meet the gods.”

“Master, I will aid you in battling this monster! It’s my resolve to defeat a fellow Unique Monster and atone for my past sins,” Runa declared with determination.

She had truly changed. It was hard to imagine she was once Canis, the ruthless slayer of gods.

“Are you sure, Runa? The gods will recognize you as Canis.” I expressed my concern.

“It’s alright, master…I’ll accept any consequences,” she affirmed, her resolve unwavering.

I smiled at her determination and agreed.

Now, we descended into the battlefield to confront the Unique Monster.

….

I descended from the sky, landing right in front of Solis and Miranda. Meanwhile, Terra and Gaia were holding back Kray’mundr. Flareth, Zarion, Zephyra, and Aquila were also preparing to confront the monster as it broke free from its magical restraints.

All the gods and goddesses here were shocked to see me, having emerged from the [Trial of the Blessing] given by the God of Darkness. But only Solis, the Goddess of Light, remained calm, as if she had already foreseen my return.

“I knew you would succeed, oh Child of Fate. You obtained the [Blessing of the Darkness]. Well done,” she said, smiling happily at me.

I was surprised—she usually had a cold and expressionless demeanor, but this time, she openly showed her joy.

“You did it, Naoki!” Miranda, the Goddess of Protection, hugged me tightly. My face was buried in her large chest…

I panicked and nearly had a nosebleed.

“Master… pfftt… I can feel how happy you are,” Runa said, trying to stifle her laughter.

“Ughh… enough, Runa. This is normal for a man!” I protested.

Suddenly, a bright light burst from Solis. She looked displeased and glared sharply at Miranda. Miranda finally released me from her hug and stepped back.

“Haha, impressive that you managed to obtain that rare [Blessing of the Darkness],” Miranda said stiffly.

“That’s right, Miranda, Solis. I’ve completed the [Trial of Blessing] and obtained this power… But it’s not over yet. I must defeat Kray’mundr to complete the final trial, the [Trial of Sacrifice].”

Hearing that, they nodded and said that the gods and goddesses had fought this monster many times and defeated him repeatedly.

But Kray’mundr kept coming back. He couldn’t be killed. That was because the power of the Outer God continuously flowed into him.

Learning this confirmed what Runa and I had suspected.

In my mind, Runa suddenly said that when Nox, the God of Darkness, fought the Outer God, he never lost and kept rising again—until finally, the only solution was to seal him away.

“I see… and the one who sealed him was the Goddess of Benevolence. So maybe the [Power of Incarnation] will be effective against him!” I finally realized.

“That’s right, Master… I’ll also use my [Shadow Devourer] magic to support and strengthen your attack.”

At last, I understood how to defeat him. I quickly told Miranda and Solis to give me time to prepare my ultimate attack that could bring down Kray’mundr.

They agreed and instructed all the gods and goddesses present to prepare for a coordinated assault.

Soon after, the binding magic from Solis, Terra, and Gaia shattered, and Kray’mundr was freed once again. The monster rampaged, having lost its consciousness. This was unusual—I suspected it was due to the overwhelming power of the Outer God that he had absorbed, causing him to lose his mind.

This was a perfect opportunity, as he would be unable to think clearly.

I immediately moved to the front lines and joined Flareth, Zarion, Aqualia, and Zephyra.

“You damn bug! You made us wait too long!” Flareth said, slapping my back hard.

“Ow! I thought you would’ve burned him to ashes before I got here, oh mighty Flareth, haha,” I teased her a little.

“What did you say?! I did burn him to the core, but he kept coming back! It’s totally unfair, you know!” Flareth looked annoyed.

“That’s true, Naoki. That damned monster—my lightning charred him, Aqualia’s ice imprisoned him, Zephyra’s wind cut him up, but he still revived,” Zarion said calmly, brushing aside Flareth’s angry face from mine.

“He couldn’t even escape from my ice prison before… now he’s totally different. He’s gotten incredibly strong,” Aquila said, clearly frustrated.

“This is so annoying,” Zephyra grumbled.

“I understand… this is all because of the Outer God’s power. He’s continuously channeling his immortal energy into Kray’mundr. But don’t worry—I know how to defeat him,” I said with an optimistic smile.

“You better not be bluffing or I’ll torch your butt!” Flareth said with a fiery grin.

“Alright… I, Flareth, Aqualia, and Zephyra will clear a path for you. When the time comes, unleash your attack,” Zarion said as he began to summon his lightning again.

I nodded. At last, all of us were ready to face the rampaging Kray’mundr.

Terra and Gaia, who had been restraining Kray’mundr earlier, finally released their spells.

The monster began unleashing a wide-scale magic attack. Small meteors rained down from the sky, and the ground shook again, spewing lava like a tsunami.

It looked like a true apocalypse. But the gods and goddesses managed to hold it back. Miranda used her barrier magic to protect Cosmoria from the meteors.

I had begun gathering my power and activated [Power of Incarnation]. My body glowed brightly. I still needed a few more minutes to release my strongest attack.

Then the trait [The Godkiller Hour] activated by itself, it was because I was fighting a Unique Monster. The trait gave me a buff that boosted my AGI by 20% and my VIT by 30%. When fighting a divine or unique monster, the trait granted me the skill [Temporal Rift]—a powerful ability that allowed me to stop time for five seconds.

“I just remembered this trait… this will be useful!” I grumbled happily.

Solis destroyed the meteors with hundreds of light swords. Flareth and Zarion attacked the monster again, but it still wouldn’t fall.

Aqualia froze the lava flooding the battlefield and encased Kray’mundr’s legs in ice. Zephyra swiftly cut off his legs with her wind magic, causing him to collapse.

But he regrew his legs instantly and resumed his rampage.

I sent Runa forth to confront the raging monster.

“Please, Runa… I’m counting on you.”

“Understood, Master!” she replied with unwavering resolve.

Summoning the Grimoire of Darkness, I called Runa from its depths. In an instant, the small black cat emerged—but she didn’t stay small for long. Her form began to shift and expand, her fur dark as the void itself, until she stood as a majestic, twin-tailed feline—a true Nekomata. Her eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom and lethal intent.

She looked like a creature pulled from the heart of myth—just like the yokai of Japanese legend, mysterious and powerful.

Gasps erupted from the gods and goddesses around us. Their expressions turned wary, even hostile. Flareth raised her flames, and Zarion’s hands sparked with lightning.

But before they could act, I shouted, “Stop! She’s with us!”

And in a blur of golden light—Solis appeared.

She landed between them like a falling star and, without hesitation, smacked both Flareth and Zarion on the head.

“You idiotic duo! Focus on the real threat—Kray’mundr, damn it!” she scolded, clearly exasperated.

“B-but Solis… that cat…” Flareth muttered, confused and stunned.

Solis glanced at me with a knowing smile. “Naoki will explain everything later… won’t you?”

I nodded. “Yes… I promise I will. But for now—let’s finish this monster!”

With that, everyone returned to the battle. Kray’mundr roared, his grotesque form twitching with corrupted power—but now, he was being pushed back.

Runa sprang into action, her eyes glowing. She unleashed her spell—[Shadow Devour]—and the battlefield around Kray’mundr was suddenly consumed in writhing darkness. Shadows coiled like serpents, wrapping around the beast, pulling at his limbs, draining his strength. He was trapped in a whirlpool of shadow that fed on his power.

Seizing the moment, Flareth, Zarion, Aqualia, and Zephyra unleashed their elemental fury—flames, thunder, ice, and slicing wind—all striking in perfect harmony.

“Just a little more…”

[Power of Incarnation – Fully Activated!]

My katana ignited with blinding brilliance, its blade glowing like the soul of a star. I stepped forward, the air around me trembling.

At that moment, I invoked another power—[Blessing of the Darkness]. I spread my shadow under the Kray’mundr. Within this dark zone, I felt my strength surge:

+30% STR.+50% AGI.+30% movement speed in darkness.

+30% evasion and critical rate.

[Dark Affinity] activated passively, empowering all my shadow and dark-element attacks by an additional 25%. The sheer force of my dark magic now surged within me like a rising tide.

“Activate [Darkness Union]!” I roared.

All shadows—mine, Runa’s, even those lingering from Kray’mundr’s own chaos—rushed into my blade. I absorbed them all, my katana now a fusion of darkness incarnate.

And with [Power of Incarnation], my attack was no longer just powerful—it was transcendent. It now carried an anti-Outer God attribute, forged specifically to destroy beings like Kray’mundr.

I prepared for the final strike.

But then—Solis approached.

She looked at me with gentle eyes and said, “So… you truly met my brother, didn’t you? I can feel it—his power lingers within you. The [Blessing of the Darkness]… it carries his essence.”

I exhaled slowly, not even trying to hide it anymore. “I figured I couldn’t keep it from you, Solis. Yes… Nox entrusted me with his power.”

As I spoke, dark magic radiated from me like a storm unleashed. Solis stared in awe, but then her expression softened.

“That’s incredible… With this, we can defeat him. Let’s end this—together, brother. I-I mean… Naoki,” she said, flustered but smiling.

I gave a firm nod.

Light began to gather in her hands, brilliant and warm. Her light magic intertwined with my dark power, the two forces harmonizing instead of clashing—light and shadow, side by side.

Our magic danced together in perfect balance.

And in that moment, I knew—this would be the strike that ended it all.

…