Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Powerful Instructor Chapter 40: Powerful Instructor The morning sun filtered through the training arena, and I caught a glimpse of Lyra and Freya giving their all in the magic strength test with Professor Alden.

Lyra was in her element, weaving together support magic with [High Support Magic: Sanctuary], which creates a protective barrier around its area, protecting against dark magic attacks and increasing mental strength.

Then, she transitioned into a combat spell, summoning a swirling [High Water Magic: Water Prison]-a technique Rosan had personally taught her.

Professor Alden is surprised to learn Lyra can use a level of High Magic equivalent to a Rank A Magic Knight.

Freya, on the other hand, was all fire and ferocity.

Her magical sword, which had grown noticeably larger and more powerful, hummed with energy as she unleashed a flurry of strikes [Magic Sword Release: Burning Strike, Maximum Output].

When she followed up with a new fire spell that engulfed her blade in roaring flames, even Professor Alden seemed impressed.

Both of them were clearly progressing rapidly, and their determined efforts paid off when the professor hinted, they might reach Rank A soon.

Their success filled me with admiration, but my attention was quickly drawn to the swordsmanship test taking place on the other side of the training grounds.

It was my turn soon, and I had no time to relax.

Standing at the center of the arena was Instructor Morgan.

He cut an imposing figure with his sleek black hair tied just above his shoulders, his dark sunglasses obscuring his eyes, and a long, flowing coat concealing an array of weapons.

Every movement he made radiated precision and confidence, like a predator calmly observing its prey.

One by one, the other students faced him, and one by one, they fell.

Kael, with his signature flaming sword and shiny bald head, charged at Morgan with all his strength, but it wasn’t enough.

The instructor parried each of his strikes effortlessly, delivering a swift counterattack that knocked him out of the ring.

Then came Marius, who put up a spirited fight but was ultimately overwhelmed by Morgan’s superior skill and unrelenting pressure.

“He’s a monster…” Marius muttered as he trudged back to the sidelines.

Now, it was Luna’s turn.

Luna stepped forward, her twin swords gleaming in the sunlight.

Her expression was calm and focused as she entered her stance.

She didn’t waste any time, launching into a series of swift, precise attacks that forced Morgan to defend himself.

Her movements were graceful yet deadly, a testament to her mastery of Solarblade Swordsmanship, a technique passed down in her family.

Each swing of her blades left a shimmering trail of light as if the sun itself guided her strikes.

For a moment, it looked like Luna might break through Morgan’s defenses.

But the instructor remained composed, deflecting her attacks with a calculated ease that was almost infuriating.

When he finally retaliated, Luna was forced onto the defensive, struggling to keep up with his overwhelming speed and power.

In the end, she was disarmed, her swords clattering to the ground.

She sighed and stepped back, accepting her defeat with grace.

“You fought well,” Morgan said, his tone unusually respectful.

Now it was my turn.

As I stepped into the ring, I could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me.

Morgan, who had been calm and professional during the other matches, suddenly seemed different.

His posture tensed ever so slightly, and I could sense an intensity in his gaze, even behind his sunglasses.

It was as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Naoki von Blackmore,” he said, his voice steady but with a hint of challenge.

“Let’s see what you’re made of.” The moment the match began, Morgan didn’t hold back.

He closed the distance between us in an instant, his strikes precise and relentless.

I barely had time to draw my katana before I was forced to defend against a barrage of attacks that felt more like a storm than a sparring match.

Using every technique from the Blackmore Katana Style, I managed to hold my ground.

I unleashed [Blackmore Katana Style: Inazuma], a quick iai slash aimed at Morgan.

But he easily deflected it.

I was certain that this man was at a high Rank A level, possibly even close to Rank S.

His reflexes, strength, speed, and aura were exceptional.

I couldn’t help but wonder why he ended up as an instructor instead of a knight in the royal army.

Seeing my attack fail, I decided to increase my speed with [Blackmore Katana Style: Kasoseki].

Morgan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise as my speed intensified, his composure showing the slightest hint of pressure as I pressed my strikes faster and faster.

But soon enough, he adjusted, raising his own aura and speed to match mine.

I didn’t want him to adapt too quickly to my style, so I shifted tactics immediately, activating [Blackmore Katana Style: Tsurugi no Mai].

I transformed my attack pattern into a more unpredictable one, striking from all directions.

Each technique flowed seamlessly into the next, a fluid dance of offense and defense.

Yet, no matter what I tried, I couldn’t gain the upper hand.

Morgan was faster, stronger, and more experienced.

“Not bad,” he said as our blades collided.

“But not enough.” There was a sudden shift in his demeanor.

The air around us thickened, and a wave of killing intent washed over me.

My instincts screamed at me to be cautious.

Morgan’s aura darkened as he drew a sleek black longsword from inside his coat-a weapon humming with latent power.

“Isn’t this a bit much for a test?” I muttered, trying to steady my nerves.

“Fight me seriously, or you’ll regret it,” Morgan said sharply.

His attacks grew even more aggressive, forcing me to dodge and parry with [Blackmore Katana Style: Yanagi Uke].

For a brief moment, it felt less like a class evaluation and more like a life-or-death battle.

Suddenly, Instructor Morgan used a completely different technique.

He aligned his sword with his face and uttered the words, “[Dark Serpent Swordsmanship: Eclips Fang Barrage].” A flurry of rapid strikes, each engulfed in massive serpent energy, came at me with overwhelming force.

“Be careful, Nao!

I sense something strange about that sword!” Envi’s warning echoed in my mind.

I tried to block Morgan’s strikes, but when our blades clashed, his aura pierced through my katana.

It felt as though the skill itself was cutting at me, even when his sword didn’t touch me.

“Ughh!” I winced in pain as the aura slashed at my arm.

Struggling to keep up, a thought crossed my mind.

If I couldn’t win with conventional techniques, I would have to rely on my unique power.

Summoning my [Power of Incarnation], I poured every ounce of my will into creating a new technique.

Looking at Morgan’s skill, I realized his aura was overpowering mine.

His sword seemed to channel its aura directly through mine, making it hard for me to land any strikes.

“I see… I know how to counter this, Envi!” I said, determination flashing in my eyes.

“If I can’t touch him, I’ll strike from a distance!

[Kazekiri] won’t be enough.

I’ll make a new skill!”  Focusing on my katana, I enveloped it with a stronger, wider aura using my [Power of Incarnation].

“Here it comes!

[Blackmore Katana Style: Tenshō Kōsen / Heavenly Radiant Flash]!” I released a dark purple aura, wrapping it around my katana and extending its reach like a beam of heavenly light.

Morgan was caught off guard by my attack, but he quickly countered, deflecting my strike with his sword, which was now shaped like a serpent.

As my attack continued, I dashed toward him, attempting to strike at the opening I had created.

Just as my katana was about to hit him, he twisted the direction of my [Tenshō Kōsen], sending it into the sky.

In that split second, he read my movement and counterattacked.

Our blades met in the air, the sound of our clash ringing through the arena.

Morgan’s strike grazed my cheek, while mine left a cut on his and cracked his sunglasses.

The arena fell silent.

The judges huddled together before announcing their decision.

“The match is… a draw!” A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.

No one had managed to last more than a few moments against Morgan, let alone force a tie.

Morgan sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses.

“Impressive,” he said, his voice carrying a grudging respect.

“You’re stronger than you look.

My apologies if I went overboard.

It’s rare to find someone who can keep up with me.” He turned to the judges.

“With skills like that, Naoki von Blackmore could easily reach Rank Knight A before long.” The crowd erupted into excited chatter.

I could feel their astonished gazes on me, but all I could focus on was catching my breath.

My body ached from the intense duel, but I couldn’t deny the rush of pride that came with Morgan’s recognition.

After the match, I checked the notification screen.

—- [!!!NOTIFICATION!!!] Mini Quest Complete: K.O.

Instructor Morgan.

Result: FAILED Penalty: NONE.

—- “Well, that’s a relief,” I muttered.

“At least I didn’t get penalized.” Envi chimed in, his voice laced with suspicion.

“Naoki, keep an eye on Instructor Morgan.

He’s not normal.” “I noticed that too,” I replied, thinking back to his unnervingly sharp aura.

“In anime or manhwa, people like him are usually secret spies or power-obsessed maniacs.” “You’ve been reading too much manhwa,” Envi retorted flatly.

“Hey, it’s a valid theory!” I argued, but Envi simply sighed, clearly unimpressed.

Feeling quite exhausted, Lyra, Freya, and Marius approached me.

They asked if I was alright.

I reassured them that I was fine and told them not to worry.

As the day came to an end, word began to spread around the academy.

Apparently, a very important guest was scheduled to visit Braveheart Knight Academy next week.

The news left me curious-and slightly uneasy.

…