Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Goddess of Protection’s Blessing?
I still couldn’t move. Miranda held my hand tightly and gently pulled me back into her embrace. Her warmth surrounded me once more as she whispered softly,

“It’s not over yet… I’m not finished healing you.”

Her voice was soothing, yet firm.

“You’re in a state where [High Heal] is no longer effective. That’s because your exhaustion isn’t just physical, but also mental. I have to use [High Recovery] to heal you properly… This magic requires direct contact with the recipient, which is why I’m holding you like this.”

She smiled at me as she explained.

I was taken aback by her kindness. I knew she was the Goddess of Protection, but why was she so protective of me? Why did she care this much?

I couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you doing this?”

Her expression remained gentle as she replied, “There’s no hidden reason… I just help those in need. That’s my duty as the Goddess of Protection. Besides, I can sense that you’ve been healed before by someone who uses my magic. That means you’re important to them… and I don’t want them to be sad if they see you suffering here.”

Her words struck a chord within me.

The person she was referring to—it had to be Lyra. She was the one who always healed me with her magic, the one who stayed by my side whenever I was injured. I owed her so much…

I sighed and finally gave in. “Alright, Miranda… I’ll accept your healing. Thank you. But—” I hesitated before continuing, “I don’t have much time for this. I need to return to the Spire of the Fire God and complete Flareth’s trial. I can’t afford to waste any more time… I have to find a way to pass.”

Miranda nodded in understanding, then tilted her head slightly as she mused, “Hmm… I don’t think you can defeat Flareth at your current level. But then again, do you have to defeat him? Did he ever say that was a requirement?”

I froze.

She was right.

Flareth had attacked me out of nowhere, but he never actually stated that victory was the condition for passing his trial.

“That… that’s true. He never said anything about having to defeat him.” I recalled our battle.

Miranda smirked. “That hotheaded fool… He probably just wants to see your true power. Maybe you need to impress him instead of beating him.”

“Impress him, huh…?” I murmured. “I thought that when I tried absorbing his attack, that was enough to surprise him.”

“Wait, what?!” Miranda’s eyes widened. “You tried absorbing his attack? No wonder you were half-dead when I found you! You’re insane. A normal person would’ve been reduced to ash in an instant. But… now that I think about it…”

She fell into deep thought.

“Maybe… just maybe, you can do it,” she muttered.

“Do what?”

“Absorb his attack,” she said firmly. “But your skill, [Resonance], couldn’t absorb both elements at once, right? That’s why you got hurt instead?”

“Yeah,” I admitted. “My skill lets me absorb magic and return it, but Flareth’s fire contains divine energy as well. Because of that, my ability failed and ended up backfiring on me.”

“[Resonance], huh? That’s a rare skill… If you could control it better, you might actually be able to use it against him.”

She suddenly gasped, her eyes lighting up with realization. “Wait! I know how you can do it!”

I raised an eyebrow as she practically jumped in excitement. “You do?”

Miranda nodded eagerly. “Yes! But first, I need to finish healing you.”

I sighed, but there was no point in arguing. “Alright… Just hurry up, okay?”

For the next three hours, she continued using [High Recovery] on me.

It was agonizing.

Not because of the pain—no, my injuries were gradually fading. The real problem was that I had to stay in her embrace the entire time.

Her warmth. Her scent. The way she absentmindedly whispered healing incantations while holding me so close—

It was torture.

I nearly passed out from embarrassment multiple times. This goddess was far too innocent for her own good.

When she finally finished, I let out a deep breath of relief.

“Thanks, Miranda. Really.”

She simply smiled and stood up. “Come with me. There’s something I need to show you.”

She led me through the Spire of the Goddess of Protection, taking me to a grand chamber where an altar stood. I suddenly realized something—

I had been unconscious in her personal chambers this whole time.

That realization only made my face grow even redder.

As I tried to push that thought aside, Miranda took a seat at the altar.

The moment she did, divine energy surged through the room. The air grew thick with power as celestial beings—her angels—appeared and kneeled before her.

Then, she spoke.

“My beloved angels, hear me.”

Her voice rang through the chamber with authority.

“I, Miranda, Goddess of Protection, hereby bestow my Divine Blessing upon this human.”

Silence.

Then—whispers.

Gasps.

The angels exchanged stunned looks, clearly taken aback by her declaration.

And so was I.

Wait.

She’s giving me a divine blessing?!

Just like that?!

I had expected some kind of long ritual or another trial, but… she was just going to give it to me?!

Even among gods, divine blessings weren’t handed out so easily. The fact that Miranda was doing this so suddenly—it meant she saw something in me.

Or maybe… she simply believed in me.

I swallowed hard.

This power—this opportunity…

I couldn’t waste it.

…

The grand chamber of the Spire of the Goddess of Protection was filled with an overwhelming divine radiance. Miranda stood before me, her emerald-green halo glowing with a sacred brilliance as she looked down upon me with an expectant smile.

“O child of fate, human warrior… What is your name?”

I straightened my back, summoning all the resolve I had left.

“My name is Naoki von Blackmore. And with honor, I will accept your blessing.”I decided to use the name Naoki, because perhaps he is actually the one destined to be this world’s hero.

Miranda’s expression softened. “Naoki, huh? Such a cute name. I’ll be sure to remember it.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. A goddess just called my name “cute,” but I decided to ignore the way my face heated up.

“And you are a descendant of the Blackmore family…what a coincidence hehe.” She said that with a smile.

“Now,” she continued, “receive the Blessing of the Goddess of Protection.”

At her words, a powerful light engulfed the Spire. The walls shimmered, the air vibrated, and a divine presence pressed down upon everything like an invisible force. The green light from Miranda’s halo intensified, its brilliance reflecting in her golden eyes as she raised her hands.

A magic circle formed around my body, intricate symbols weaving together into a complex spell. Then—

Pain.

A sharp, searing pain spread across my right shoulder. It was like my flesh was being branded by fire. I clenched my teeth, my fingers digging into my palms as I bore through the sensation.

Then, just as suddenly as it came, the pain dulled. A warm, soothing energy replaced it. I looked down to see a glowing shield emblem imprinted on my right shoulder—a symbol of her divine protection.

“Naoki von Blackmore,” Miranda declared, her voice filled with certainty, “I bestow upon you a blessing that will shield you from fire-based damage. In addition, this blessing will allow your body to temporarily seal Dark Magic and be able to use Divine Magic—this allows me to use divine magic without receiving any damage penalty from your basic body as a Dark Magic user. You will be able to absorb Flareth’s attacks.”

My eyes widened.

—

[CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE BLESSING OF THE GODDESS OF PROTECTION MIRANDA!]

[BLESSING OF FIRE DAMAGE] increases fire magic resistance by 50% and can continue to increase depending on the owner’s development.

[BLESSING OF SEALING MAGIC] grants the body the ability to seal one magic.

—

This… This was exactly what I needed.

I clenched my fist, feeling the divine energy flowing through me.

“Thank you, Miranda.” I bowed deeply. “I swear to use this power well.”

Then, I straightened and met her gaze with determination.

“I will use this to become the greatest hero—to defeat the Demon King and protect this world.”

For a moment, Miranda simply stared at me. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face. It was a smile of warmth, of encouragement, and perhaps even… pride.

“I believe in you, Naoki,” she said.

With that, my path was set.

It was time.

…

I took a steady breath, bracing myself against the intense heat radiating from Flareth’s presence. The battlefield was just as I remembered—charred stone, molten cracks glowing like veins of lava, and the ever-present waves of oppressive fire magic suffocating the air. But this time, something felt different.

Maybe it was because I had returned with a newfound power, or maybe it was the divine blessing Miranda had granted me, but the heat—while still overwhelming—no longer felt unbearable. My body adjusted faster, and the burning sensation that had nearly crushed me before was now something I could endure.

And Flareth noticed.

“Hah! Looks like that little healing session did more than just patch you up,” Flareth mused, cracking his neck. “You don’t look like you’re about to collapse just from standing here anymore.”

I smirked. “Maybe you weren’t as strong as I thought, after all.”

Flareth let out a roaring laugh. “Bold words! I like that!” His grip tightened around his sword, and the flames around him surged in response. “It’s been ages since I last had a fight this fun! But let’s make something clear—”

With a single step forward, an explosion of fire erupted around him, the sheer force nearly knocking me off my feet.

“—previous battle was nothing. This is where the real battle begins!”

His golden eyes blazed, filled with the pure thrill of combat.