Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: The Trial of Sacrifice
I have now entered a new realm. This place is vastly different from the realm of the God of Darkness earlier.

I’m in a space-like place, surrounded by darkness filled with the light of countless stars. It looks beautiful and awe-inspiring, but gradually, I begin to feel an intense cold piercing through my body.

It feels like the sensation of death. But slowly, I also sense an overwhelming divine power. What is actually happening? What truly is the Trial of Sacrifice? This is nothing like what Miranda or the other gods and goddesses described.

Normally, the gods and goddesses are the ones who give me this final trial. They would ask me about my purpose in becoming a hero, and what I am willing to sacrifice to gain the strength to reach that goal.

Simply put, I have to convince the gods to appoint me as a hero.

But this… this is very different. I can’t hear the voices of the gods like before. I’m also worried about how their battle against the two Unique Monsters invading Cosmoria is going. Are they still fighting? Did they win the battle? Or… did they lose?

No! There’s no way they would lose. I believe they will win. After all, they’ve defeated those Unique Monsters before. I shouldn’t worry too much.

Now I’m drifting in this realm. I look around to check my surroundings, but Envi and Runa, whom I was holding onto earlier, are no longer here. I shout their names and search everywhere for them, but I can’t find them.

Then suddenly, a voice speaks in my head, “Hey, stupid Nao, I’m right here! You’re panicking too much, damn it—Runa and I are fine. Somehow, the [Dark Magic Manifestation — Second Body] spell was forcibly canceled, and I got pulled back into your body.” Envi said that, clearly annoyed.

“The same thing happened to me, Master Nao. My [Transform] skill was deactivated and I was forced back into the Grimoire of the Darkness, where I rest in the form of mana,” Runa added, sounding surprised.

“Thank goodness… I thought I was going to be separated from you both.” I felt relieved knowing they were okay—at least we hadn’t been torn apart.

Not long after that, a notification appeared in front of me. Strangely, this one was golden and radiant, luxurious-looking—very different from the ones I usually receive.

It was clearly not from the Goddess of Benevolence, nor any of the gods, and definitely not from Envi. The notification read:

[Trial of Sacrifice begins]

[The Child of Fate will determine their own destiny]

[A wrong choice will prevent you from completing this trial]

[Granting a vision to the Child of Fate]

Upon reading that, the space around me was suddenly surrounded by four massive screens, each displaying a different scene.

At first, I couldn’t clearly see what they were showing, but then it hit me.

“This… can’t be…”

….

I looked at the screen on the far left, which displayed a glimpse of the battle between the gods in Cosmoria and the two Unique Monsters that had invaded their divine realm.

Flareth, Zarion, Aqualia, and Solis appeared to be the main attackers, with the other gods assisting them while also defending Cosmoria from destruction.

Miranda played a major role in holding off the attacks of the two Unique Monsters. They seemed intent on destroying Cosmoria, but the gods wouldn’t allow them to run rampant.

The angels also aided in attacking the two monsters, but they were no match for them. So instead, they focused on fighting the minions summoned by the monsters.

Both Gor’mundr and Kraytheon used summoning magic. Gor’mundr called forth giants, while Kraytheon summoned dragons.

The situation truly resembled a great war from the past returning once more.

Zarion and Aqualia were seen battling Kraytheon, while Flareth and Solis fought against Gor’mundr. I could see that they were able to corner the Unique Monsters.

But even so, I found it strange. The gods shouldn’t be taking this long to defeat them. Is something going on? The Unique Monsters seemed to come back to life even after being defeated.

What is really happening?!

I want to help them as soon as possible!

…

Then I turned to the next monitor, which showed the state of the battlefield where the Braveheart Kingdom was fighting against the demons from the Doomspire Kingdom.

I could see Braveheart’s heroes like Cain, the Patriarch of the Blackmore family—my father. I couldn’t clearly Lucius the Hero from Starlight family, but they were all united, fighting against the high-level demons trying to breach the defense lines.

I was quite surprised to see Marius fighting alongside the Patriarch. I also saw Julius and Luna from the Starlight family participating in the battle. Weren’t they just undergoing training to enter the royal knight division? Could it be that an emergency situation had arisen and they were deployed there?

I didn’t know anything. I also didn’t know how long I had been undergoing this hero’s trial. It could have taken quite a long time.

Honestly, I was worried about the Patriarch’s condition, but I believed they would be able to handle it. Still, I was anxious about the possible traitor among the heroes—perhaps they were already making an unexpected move.

Then I was shown the state of the war on the western border, the conflict between Braveheart Kingdom and the Mercenary Kingdom of Gildoria.

The battle was bigger than I expected. Braveheart’s forces had pushed Gildoria’s troops back, forcing them to retreat into their fortress. Braveheart’s forces were led by Serena and Theresia. Serena led the Winterfell hero family’s forces, while Theresia commanded the Stormheim hero family’s troops. They both led their respective armies as heroes and war commanders.

Seeing Serena made me miss her deeply. I had promised to help her on the battlefield. I clenched my fists and strengthened my resolve to assist her as soon as I could.

Still part of the same war, I also saw Lyra and Termina participating in the battle. They were doing their best to support the heroes in fighting Gildoria’s forces.

Serena and Theresia were engaged in fierce combat against Gildoria’s leader. I didn’t know who he was, but he was a man clad in large black and red armor, wielding a shield and a massive sword. He looked like a Vanguard—boasting high defense and powerful counterattacks.

The heroes were struggling to break through his defenses, which seemed like Gildoria’s unshakable fortress.

I was curious about that man—his face looked familiar to me.

But suddenly, something shocking happened. In both of those wars, a Gate of Gehenna appeared. I had a bad feeling, because every time I encountered a Gate of Gehenna, the demons would unleash something insane.

Sure enough, in the battle against Gildoria, the Gate of Gehenna opened in front of their fortress. It released hundreds of mid-to-high-level demons, and also someone I recognized. It was Norx, the 5th-ranked Demon Warlord whom I had defeated in the magical kingdom of Solara.

How could he be resurrected?! But I noticed something strange… he seemed like a hollow shell, rampaging wildly. When I fought him before, he had expressed deep hatred and spread terror.

What happened?

Besides Norx, there was also Gorx, the 4th-ranked Demon Warlord, who had been defeated by Headmistress Arsene. He too looked like an empty husk, releasing magic uncontrollably in all directions.

I was worried about Serena and the Braveheart troops there, including Lyra. However, I saw that Serena remained fearless and continued to fight the demons head-on without hesitation.

I steeled myself and chose to trust Serena and the others.

The same thing happened in the battle between Braveheart Kingdom and the demons at the Archanis mountain border. Another Gate of Gehenna opened and released two more Demon Warlords who had already been defeated.

I remembered them clearly—they were Vorx and Zorx. But they no longer seemed like themselves. It appeared that only their bodies and powers had been resurrected, not their souls.

Those damned demons were toying with Zorx and Vorx, who had already repented for their past sins. That made my blood boil.

I saw the Patriarch, Cain, Lucius, and the other Braveheart forces swiftly engage them. They were still holding on to hope for victory.

I desperately hoped to complete this trial as soon as possible and join them on the battlefield.

…

On the third screen, I saw the Braveheart Kingdom—my home, a symbol of hope and strength. It should have been safe. It was protected by an impenetrable barrier… or so I believed.

But that belief crumbled in an instant.

The barrier had been shattered.

Demons poured in like a plague, consuming everything in their path. Half of the kingdom now lay in ruins—burning, broken, lost. My heart clenched at the sight.

King Braveheart himself was on the battlefield, his blade a blur as he cut down high-ranking demons with unmatched might. His power was awe-inspiring—each swing of his sword a message to the darkness: You will not take this land.Even amidst the chaos, he shielded his people, protecting every last soul that fled behind him.

But then I saw it… and it was like a dagger to my chest.

The demons were headed for the Hall of Ascension—the sacred place where my true body was undergoing the Trial of the Hero. It was supposed to be the most secure location in the kingdom. Guarded by Headmistress Arsene. By Sir Godfrey. By Amelia. Trusted allies… dear friends.

And yet—what I saw was devastation.

The grand cathedral was gone. Reduced to rubble. Only the Hall of Ascension still stood, barely—its walls crumbling, its sanctity violated.

There they were—Arsene, Godfrey, and Amelia—fighting with everything they had. Bloodied. Wounded. Unyielding.

Facing them was a demon so powerful, so monstrous, I couldn’t believe my eyes. He wasn’t like the others. This wasn’t just another Warlord. No… this had to be the Demon Warlord—Rank 1. His power radiated like a black sun, suffocating and vile. And yet… somehow, they were holding their ground.

“Please…” I whispered, my fists clenched, nails digging into my palms.”Please… stay alive… just a little longer.”

Even Envi screamed in rage beside me, his voice cracking with fury and fear.

…

Then the last screen came to life.

It was Earth. My original world.Nana—my sister—was on the rooftop of her office. I saw her surrounded by coworkers, their faces twisted with cruelty. They were bullying her again… like before. But this time—this time she fought back.

She didn’t cower. She didn’t run.She stood tall—shaking, defiant, furious. Senior Kai was there too, trying to shield her. But they were being driven back—step by step—until they were trapped against the edge of the rooftop railing.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! STOP MESSING WITH ME!” I roared, my voice raw, shaking with anger and helplessness.

Every screen around me demanded an impossible choice.A kingdom in ruin. Allies on the brink of death. My sister… about to fall.

I stood there, surrounded by pain, by fire, by fear.My soul screamed, and I knew this wasn’t just a trial of sacrifice.

This was a trial of the heart.