Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 92

Chapter 92: The Reason Behind it Chapter 92: The Reason Behind it As the afternoon classes began, Freya returned to the room without uttering a single word to me or Lyra.

Her demeanor was unusually quiet, as if she were hiding something after her meeting with Cain von Flamemore.

I instinctively wanted to approach her, but Lyra grabbed my arm, stopping me.

“I don’t think this is the right time, Naoki-sama.

Freya doesn’t look like she’s going to tell us anything,” Lyra said, her voice tinged with concern.

“You’re right, Lyra.

Maybe I should wait for the right moment.

Thanks for stopping me,” I replied with a nod.

Returning to my seat, I flashed Lyra a small smile, hoping to ease her worries.

She returned it, albeit faintly, her concern for Freya still evident.

The class soon began, but to my surprise, Cain von Flamemore himself walked into the room.

He’s back?

What is he doing here?

It didn’t take long for the answer to become clear-he was here to teach advanced swordsmanship.

As one of the temporary instructors at the academy, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Despite being a kingdom hero assigned to protect Braveheart’s capital, he somehow secured permission to teach at Braveheart Knight Academy.

Is he doing this to get closer to Freya?

Or is it truly to train the next generation?

I couldn’t decide which.

Shaking the thought away, I refocused on the class.

The moment Cain stepped into the room, the female students erupted in cheers.

“Of course,” I muttered under my breath.

Cain von Flamemore wasn’t just a hero-he was a living legend.

His unmatched swordsmanship, strong and masculine aura, and rugged appearance made him a magnet for attention.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” Cain said with enthusiasm, his deep voice commanding the room.

“I am Cain von Flamemore, your temporary swordsmanship instructor.

Let’s make the most of our time together!” The girls squealed in delight, chanting his name like fans at a concert.

Lyra glanced at me nervously.

“Are you okay with this, Naoki-sama?” “Yeah.

Sooner or later, I’ll have to face him anyway,” I said, giving her a reassuring nod.

Cain wasted no time and led the class to the training grounds.

Once there, we were each given practice swords.

He wielded a similar one, though his grip made it look like a weapon forged for war.

“Listen closely, everyone,” he began, his tone turning serious.

“High-level swordsmanship is the peak you must strive for if you wish to become a commander of Braveheart’s knights or a hero like me.” He wasn’t shy about his own achievements-if anything, he seemed to enjoy basking in them.

“The key to mastering these techniques lies in aura control.

Without it, even the most aggressive strikes will lack precision and power.

Uncontrolled aura is nothing more than wasted energy.” The students hung onto his every word, but Cain soon interrupted his own explanation.

“Enough theory.

Let’s move to practice!

Swordsmen, come at me.

All of you at once!” He activated his battle aura, the intensity palpable even from a distance, and motioned for the students to attack.

What happened next was chaos.

One by one, the students lunged at him, but Cain’s movements were almost predatory.

He cut through their attempts like a beast toying with its prey.

Despite using only a practice sword, his strikes sent opponents sprawling across the ground.

“He’s insane!” I muttered under my breath, watching as he took down another student effortlessly.

“You’re right, Nao.

We can’t let him run wild like this!” Envi’s voice echoed in my mind.

I gritted my teeth and charged forward, activating my Aura Force.

Our swords clashed, the shockwave rippling through the training ground.

“You’re a madman, Cain!

If all you want is to fight, go back to the frontlines where you belong!” I shouted, locking blades with him.

Cain smirked, backing off slightly.

“Aura Force, huh?

Looks like Patriarch Blackmore has finally taught you something useful.

Interesting.

Very interesting, Naoki von Blackmore!” His aura flared even stronger, and he lunged at me again.

What followed was an intense exchange of strikes, our practice swords crashing against each other in rapid succession.

The other students could only stand in stunned silence, watching what had now turned into a duel.

I switched to Blackmore Swordsmanship techniques, despite being handicapped with a practice blade instead of my katana.

“Kazekiri!” I shouted, unleashing five diagonal aura slashes in quick succession.

Cain deflected them effortlessly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Impressive, but not enough!” he declared, raising his aura to an overwhelming level.

That aura… it felt familiar.

Could it be?

“That’s right,” Cain said, as if reading my thoughts.

“This is master-level Aura Force.

I mastered it back when I was still in the academy.

But don’t think this is my limit!” The ground seemed to tremble under his power.

His aura was suffocating, pressing down on everyone present.

I steeled myself and charged in, using [Kazoseki] for enhanced speed and following up with [Tsurugi no Mai], a flurry of unpredictable strikes.

But Cain stood firm, countering effortlessly.

Before I knew it, his aura had knocked me back.

“This…

this can’t be!

Supreme-level Aura Force?!” I gasped.

Cain’s smirk widened.

“Exactly.

This is the pinnacle of swordsmanship-a level only a hero like me can reach.

Let me show you the difference in our power!” He unleashed [Flamemore Swordsmanship: Flame Slash], an aura-infused attack blazing with fire magic.

I responded with [Blackmore Swordsmanship: Dark Aura Blade], channeling a powerful vertical slash.

Our attacks collided, sending shockwaves throughout the training ground.

For a moment, it seemed I had matched him.

But then, he vanished.

“Too slow,” his voice came from behind me.

Before I could react, his strike shattered my aura blade and reduced my practice sword to splinters.

“This is the difference between a master-level Aura Force user and someone at the supreme level.

You’ll never surpass me at this rate,” Cain whispered, his words cutting deeper than his blade.

As he turned to address the class, he raised his voice.

“This is the pinnacle of swordsmanship!

Learn from it, and strive to reach greater heights!” I clenched my fists in frustration, my pride wounded.

Envi broke the silence in my mind.

“Why didn’t you use your Dark Magic?

You could’ve evened the odds!” “No, Envi.

He used only aura, so I had to do the same.

A knight fights with honor.

I’ll only use Dark Magic when it’s absolutely necessary.

For now, I’ll accept this loss-and grow stronger,” I said resolutely.

Envi sighed.

“You and your stubborn sense of honor… Fine.

I’m taking a nap.

Good luck, loser!” As Cain’s lesson ended, I was left with no opportunity to ask Freya about her earlier behavior.

All I could do was prepare for what lay ahead.

…

As the school day came to an end, I found myself heading toward Class 3-A.

I had one goal in mind: to speak with Leopold von Flamemore, the younger stepbrother of Cain and Kael.

Since talking to Cain was out of the question and Kael seemed reluctant to share anything, Leopold was my best bet.

Among the Flamemore siblings, he was the most approachable.

Finally, I found him standing by the classroom window, gazing outside.

Gathering my courage, I stepped forward and asked if he knew anything about Freya’s situation.

To my surprise, he smiled as though he had been expecting me.

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask, Naoki,” Leopold said, crossing his arms thoughtfully.

“Here’s the truth about Freya.” I swallowed hard, bracing myself for what was to come.

“Freya was promised training in Flamemore Swordsmanship by Cain.

Initially, it was Freya herself who made the request.

Kael couldn’t teach her the techniques, so he introduced her to Cain.

Cain saw her potential and became intrigued by her hidden talent.

In the end, he not only agreed to take her as his student but also decided to make her his fiancée.” His words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Freya…

engaged to Cain?

I struggled to process what I was hearing.

Deep down, I wanted to believe Freya had been forced into this, but Leopold’s explanation made me question everything.

“As for Cain…” Leopold hesitated, his eyes darkening slightly.

“I suppose I should tell you what kind of person he truly is.

Maybe Kael wanted to explain this to you himself, but…

well, he can’t.

He’s too tied to Cain’s side.” I leaned in, my fists tightening at my sides.

“What do you mean?” “Cain has an obsession with power,” Leopold said bluntly.

“He’s only interested in strong people-and that applies to women as well.

From what I’ve heard, when Kael brought Freya to train, she displayed her [Magic Sword Release]-fire element.

Cain was captivated.

Not just by her technique, but by the sheer potential of her strength.

That’s when he decided he wanted her.” I felt my jaw clench.

A burning frustration boiled inside me, though I wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Cain recognized Freya’s determination to grow stronger,” Leopold continued.

“So, he offered to teach her Flamemore Swordsmanship.

It’s a rare privilege, even for someone from a branch family like Flamestone.

But he attached a condition: Freya had to agree to become his fiancée.

For reasons only she knows, she accepted.” Leopold sighed, his expression softening as he noticed my tightly clenched fists.

“I’m telling you this because you deserve to know.

I can see how much Freya means to you.” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

“So that’s the reason…

why she’s doing all of this.

Thank you, Leopold.

I owe you one.” My voice was heavy, but I managed to nod gratefully before turning to leave.

“Naoki,” Leopold called after me.

“Stay strong.

You’ll need it.” I didn’t look back, but his words stayed with me as I walked away.

Later, as I headed back to the dorm to clear my thoughts, I accidentally passed by the academy garden.

There, in the distance, I saw them-Freya and Cain, walking side by side.

I froze.

My heart tightened when I saw Cain suddenly wrap his arms around Freya.

The sight pierced me like a blade.

What is this feeling?

Is it…

jealousy?

I couldn’t tell.

Ever since I reincarnated into this world, Freya and Lyra had been by my side.

I had formed a special bond with them, or so I thought.

And now, seeing Freya drift away-seeing her with Cain-felt like I was being torn apart.

But then, I noticed something.

Freya wasn’t hugging him back.

Instead, her face was clouded with sorrow, her eyes shimmering as if she were holding back tears.

“She…

she isn’t doing this willingly,” I whispered to myself.

“I thought Freya had accepted Cain, but looking at her now, it’s clear she’s being forced.

I won’t let this continue!” My resolve solidified, the fire in my chest burning brighter than ever.

“That’s the spirit, Nao!” Envi’s voice rang out in my mind, brimming with energy.

“Don’t let Freya slip away!

Let’s take her back from that maniac Cain!” I clenched my fists, determination surging through me.

Cain von Flamemore-hero or not-this wasn’t over.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS NAVIRUNAVIII Hello my readers, thank you for reading this chapter.

I wrote this chapter by venting my frustration on my ex who got engaged to another man, even though we just broke up a month ago.

I wanted to propose to her in December but she rejected me and ended up choosing another man.

I hope I can keep strong and continue writing this novel until the end.