Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Into the Dungeon’s Depths Chapter 82: Into the Dungeon’s Depths Morning had arrived.

By the time I woke up, the Patriarch had already returned to the battlefield.

Julius, Marius, and Mark seemed relieved to hear this, as it meant they wouldn’t have to endure training with him again.

Today, I decided to take Marius and Julius on a tour of the Blackmore territory.

They had been pestering me about it since yesterday, eager to see what my homeland was like.

So, I finally gave in and agreed to guide them.

“This place is so dull.

It’s just fields, farms, and more fields.

It feels like the middle of nowhere.

Totally different from the bustling Braveheart kingdom or the vibrant territories of other noble families,” Julius remarked, his tone dripping with disappointment.

“Yeah, you’re right.

It’s nothing like the crowded and entertainment-packed Starlight territory,” Julius added, clearly drawing comparisons between our homes.

“Well, I know that already.

Honestly, I don’t get why the Blackmore family was stationed so close to the war zone in the first place,” I replied, shrugging in resignation.

“Hm, I actually like the atmosphere here, Naoki.

It feels peaceful.

Besides, I’m used to it-I come from a family of farmers myself,” Marius chimed in, sharing a bit about his past.

“Really?

Even so, you’ve got the makings of a true knight.

You should be proud of that, Marius!” I encouraged him, noticing he looked a little down.

“Naoki’s right.

I acknowledge your skills, Marius, and so does the Patriarch of the Blackmore family.

You’re proof that an ordinary person can break through the racial stigma in this kingdom,” Julius said, his tone unexpectedly serious.

“That’s rich coming from a former racist like you, Julius,” I teased, a sly grin on my face.

“H-Hey!

I’ve turned over a new leaf, okay?

I’m a good guy now!” Julius protested, his indignant tone only making me laugh.

The three of us bantered like that as we strolled down the road.

But then, Julius abruptly changed the subject.

“Hey, Naoki, Marius, have you guys heard about the rumors surrounding the final exam for graduation at the Braveheart Knight Academy?” His tone grew serious.

“Not really.

What about it?” Marius and I exchanged confused glances, equally clueless about where this was going.

“I heard that this year’s graduation exam for third-years will be a dungeon raid.

I don’t know the full details, but it’s definitely different from previous years, where you only had to defeat an A-Rank monster,” Julius explained, his expression tense.

“A dungeon raid…” I muttered, my thoughts drifting to something the Patriarch had mentioned the night before.

He had spoken about dungeons, saying they were appearing more frequently around the Braveheart kingdom.

While most knights dismissed this as normal, the Patriarch thought otherwise.

He said it was unusual-dungeons weren’t supposed to materialize all at once like this.

Before he left, the Patriarch had entrusted me with a task: to protect the Blackmore territory by clearing out these dungeons.

At that moment, a notification suddenly appeared in front of me: — [QUEST ALERT!] Clear the Dungeon that has appeared in the northern forest.

Reward: 30 Goddess Points Penalty: If a Dungeon Break occurs, the Blackmore territory will be reduced to rubble.

— Reading that notification, I couldn’t help but feel like this was a fortunate coincidence.

It was the perfect opportunity to fulfill the Patriarch’s request while testing the strength of the Aura Force techniques we’d trained so hard for.

I said to Julius and Marius that we can try to clear the dungeon that Patriarch mentioned to be our practice for clearing the dungeon during the academy graduation exam later.

“You’re right!

Let’s do this!” Julius and Marius agree with me, they are looked excited, their enthusiasm contagious.

But I knew better than to rush headlong into danger without preparation.

“Before that, we need to head back home first,” I said, keeping a level head.

“We’ll need to gather our equipment and prepare ourselves for exploring the dungeon.

That means packing supplies for a potentially long stay underground.” The three of us returned to the Blackmore mansion.

There, I explained to Mark that tomorrow, Marius, Julius, and I would set out to explore the dungeon that had suddenly appeared on the edge of our territory.

Mark’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A dungeon appeared?

Near our territory?” His concern was clear, but I nodded calmly.

“Yes, which is why we have to act quickly.

If we leave it unchecked, it could result in a Dungeon Break.

The monsters could overrun the area.” Mark was visibly surprised but eventually nodded in agreement.

His expression then changed to one of determination as he said, “I’ll allow it, Brother Naoki, but only if you take me with you!” “Mark-” I began, but he cut me off, his tone insistent.

“I want to become stronger too… to protect this family.” I froze.

His words hit me harder than I expected, stirring memories of my younger self.

I, too, had once sought power for the same reason.

Seeing him like that, I felt as though I was looking at my past self-fighting for the sake of family.

Reluctantly, I gave him permission to join us.

With that decided, we all got to work preparing for the journey.

Julius gathered the equipment we’d need for dungeon exploration, while Marius brewed a stock of HP recovery potions.

I, on the other hand, sorted through my own gear.

Thankfully, I’d stopped by Edwin’s place before returning home and picked up several katanas he had forged for me.

Their balance and craftsmanship were impeccable-exactly what I’d expect from a blacksmith of his caliber.

I stored them in the dimensional space created by my Dark Magic, a handy little trick that made transporting weapons a breeze.

I also informed Milly and Aisha to stay in the mansion, cautioning them about the dangers lurking outside.

Milly looked worried about me and Mark heading to the dungeon, but Aisha reassured her, helping to ease her anxiety.

I was relieved to have Aisha there to watch over Milly while we were away.

The next morning, we gathered at the front gate, ready to depart.

Or so I thought-until I saw an unexpected sight.

“What’s going on here?!

Why are the battle maids all gathered here?

And why do you have your combat gear?!

Don’t tell me you’re planning to come with us!” I shouted, bewildered by the presence of Elan, Vivin, and Mia, all fully armed.

“Hehe, we’re coming with you, Master Naoki!

We promised to Rosan we’d always protect you,” Vivin said, her voice tinged with sadness.

“That’s right, Master Naoki.

Don’t worry about us-we’ve grown much stronger since before,” Elan added, brimming with confidence.

“I’ll prove my worth here, Master Naoki!” Mia declared, her voice filled with unwavering resolve.

“Fine, I understand.

But what I don’t understand is… why is Nyssa here?!” I turned to Mark in exasperation.

“Well… she’s my personal maid, and she insisted on coming with me even though I refused at first.

She said she could be useful in battle, so I allowed her to join,” Mark admitted, looking resigned.

“Nyssa, is that true?

But how can you fight?

The Norx within you is gone, and so is your Dark Magic…” Before I could finish, Nyssa suddenly summoned a massive scythe using Dark Magic-the very weapon she once used against me.

“What?!

How is this even possible?!” I exclaimed, completely stunned.

“Hehe, I’m not sure myself,” Nyssa replied shyly.

“Even though Norx is gone, it seems his power left an imprint on me.

I can still use Dark Magic, though not as strongly as before.” Mark’s face lit up with admiration.

“Nyssa, that’s amazing!” he cheered, making her blush.

“Fine,” I sighed, “but don’t push yourself too hard!” I ordered her firmly.

Nyssa nodded in understanding.

With that, our team was ready, and we set off for the dungeon in the northern forest.

The forest was a familiar place-a monster-infested area where I once trained, and also the place where I lost Rosan after our battle against Canis.

The memories weighed on me as we made our way through the dense foliage, but I shook them off.

This wasn’t the time to get lost in the past.

As we searched for the dungeon, an uneasy feeling crept over me.

Activating my skill [Eclipse Eyes], I quickly pinpointed the dungeon’s location.

My suspicions were confirmed-it was in the shadow wolf den, the very place where we had fought Canis.

“What are the odds…” I muttered under my breath.

The area had transformed into a dungeon, resembling a rocky hill with a massive gate leading underground.

The ominous aura it exuded sent chills down my spine.

“Stay on guard,” I said, turning to the group.

They all nodded, their faces serious.

Taking a deep breath, I led the group forward.

Together, we stepped into the dungeon’s depths, where the air grew colder with every step.

The dark corridor stretched endlessly, illuminated only by the faint glow of magic crystals embedded in the walls.

Strange noises echoed around us-low growls, faint whispers, and the occasional screech that made my hair stand on end.

The tension was palpable, but we pressed on.

Our formation was tight, with me, Julius, Marius, and Vivin at the front, Mark and Nyssa in the middle, and Elan and Mia covering the rear.  It didn’t take long for the first wave of monsters to appear-shadow wolves, just like the ones we’d fought in the past.

But these were no ordinary wolves.

Their bodies were darker, their eyes glowed an eerie red light, and their movements were highly coordinated.

Me, Julius, and Marius immediately activated their Aura Forces, their weapons glowing with energy.

The maids moved into position, their own skills and training evident in their precision.

The battle began.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS NAVIRUNAVIII If you like it please leave a comment XD I want to say thank you to my readers, fans, and friends: -Aurimas Pazikaz -Daoist_Global_Fire -Bruno_Andrade_9372 -Elijah Moreno -Aiden Sookraj -DaoistuzosNa -Muhammad Yafiq -Chona Diaz -Riddler 23 -TheKindSadist Without your support i think i’ll give up to continue this novel.

I appreciate your support for me.

Love you all!

I wish u all the best!