Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate! - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Mother: Takahiro Ayase Chapter 26: Mother: Takahiro Ayase I can’t see anything right now…

It feels so empty and cold…

Am I dead again?

I’m sorry, Lyra, Freya, Vivin, Elan… I’m sorry, Rosan… I’m sorry, Milly… Patriarch.

I’m sorry, Mom… Suddenly, scenes from my life on Earth began flashing before my eyes.

It felt like a replay of everything, a farewell reel shown before death claims me.

It was as if I were sitting in a dimly lit theater, watching a film about my past life.

The title of the movie?

Takahiro Ayase.

A story about my days with my mother and my two siblings.

….

….

Ever since I was a child, I rarely saw my father.

His job kept him out of town most of the time, but it also gave him the freedom to betray my mother.

When I was just six years old and starting elementary school, it was always Mom who walked me to and from school.

The same was true for my older siblings, Nana and Naki.

We would walk together every morning, and in the afternoons, we’d return home as a group.  Whenever there were issues at school-whether it was a disciplinary matter or a simple misunderstanding-Mom was the one who came to resolve them.

Parent-teacher meetings?

She never missed a single one, even when it meant facing sneers and whispers from other parents and sometimes even the teachers.

They called her names-“a poor, unlucky woman”-but she bore it all with unshakable patience and grace.  Looking back, my childhood memories are filled with her.

She was always there, our constant source of strength and stability.

Dad, on the other hand, was a shadow in our lives.

He didn’t care about raising us, only sending a small monthly allowance that barely covered the essentials for a family of four.

Because of that, Mom had to work twice as hard, doing everything she could to keep us afloat.

Yet even her tireless efforts often weren’t enough.  My mother, Takahiro Ayase, was the most patient and resilient person I had ever known.

Life threw endless challenges her way, but she never gave up.

Even after my father divorced her, and his family cut ties with her completely, she stood tall.

She had only one reason to endure: her three children.

We were her driving force, her reason to keep moving forward.  Mom always put us first.

She didn’t hesitate to take out loans from the bank, even though the weight of those debts grew heavier with each passing year.

By the time she reached retirement age, those loans were still hanging over her, unpaid.  Her debts weren’t entirely her fault.

A so-called “friend” tricked her, convincing her to take loans with high-interest rates under the pretense that they were low.

Mom had no choice but to keep borrowing and working.

Even after she officially retired, she started selling food and snacks on the streets, refusing to stop or rest.  She sold every piece of jewelry she owned, including her wedding ring.

That simple, 10-gram gold ring was her most treasured possession, but she sold it to keep us fed and housed.

At the time, my siblings and I were too young to truly understand what she had sacrificed for us.  When Nana, my oldest sibling, graduated from high school and wanted to go to college, Mom sold our house.

She moved us into a tiny, cramped rented apartment so she could use the money to pay for Nana’s tuition.  Naki, my second sibling, had a harder time.

His hikikomori lifestyle kept him isolated, and he refused to continue his education.

But even then, Mom never gave up on him.

She encouraged him to take online classes and supported him as much as she could, even though it meant pushing herself to the brink.  By the time it was my turn to attend college, Mom had no choice but to sell our grandfather’s land-the last piece of property our family owned.

It was the only way she could pay for my tuition until I graduated.  Eventually, though, Mom’s health began to fail.

Her body couldn’t keep up with the years of overwork and stress.

She fell ill, and her condition worsened.

I begged her to rest, to stop working entirely and focus on recovering.

I started taking part-time jobs while balancing my studies, determined to ease her burden.  By then, Nana had graduated and found a job, but his struggles with mental health and trauma forced him to quit soon after.

With both Mom and Nana unable to work, the weight of supporting our family fell squarely on my shoulders.  Even in her weakest moments, Mom’s spirit never wavered.

She was a fighter, someone who endured the impossible for the sake of her children.

To me, she wasn’t just my mother-she was my hero.  Mom never gave up on her children.

Not once.

She was my greatest inspiration, my hero.

Mom, you are the most incredible person I’ve ever known.

I miss you, Mom.

I love you so much.

I’m sorry I couldn’t save you…

I failed as your son…

Slowly, the film playing in this dark space came to an end, and the room returned to utter darkness.

…

…

In the silent void of my mind, a notification suddenly appeared before me.

“Goddess Vision activated.” I was then transported to a pure white room.

In the center was a massive screen, glowing faintly, and on it, a vision began to unfold.

I saw Mom, her face etched with sorrow, mourning my loss.

She couldn’t sleep, crying endlessly through the nights.

My brothers tried their best to comfort her, but their attempts only ended with all three of them sobbing together.

I realized this was a vision of the present-a glimpse of what was happening on Earth after my reincarnation.

Mom, despite her grief, eventually forced herself to work again, selling homemade food in the neighborhood.

My brothers, too, made their own efforts to support her.

To my surprise, Nana managed to secure a job at a private company-the very office where I used to work.

It wasn’t easy for her, given her panic attacks and lingering trauma, but she endured.

Meanwhile, my hikikomori brother, Naki, surprised me even more.

He stepped outside, carrying his CV, searching for a job.

The countless walks he took caused him to shed some weight, and by sheer luck, he landed a position at the same convenience store where I had once worked.

Little by little, my family was clawing their way back from despair.

But just when things seemed to be looking up… Mom suddenly collapsed while selling her food.

My siblings rushed her to the emergency room.

The doctor’s words were grave-her condition had taken a turn for the worse.

Tests revealed she was in the terminal stage of cancer.

Terminal.

That single word echoed in my mind like a death sentence.

Her chances of survival were almost nonexistent.

My brothers never left her side, crying uncontrollably as they watched her struggle even in a coma.

She looked to be in so much pain, fighting desperately to hold on to life.

And all I could do was watch.

Powerless.

Helpless.

Trapped behind the lens of the Goddess Vision, unable to touch them, to comfort them.

I could do nothing but wait, knowing what was coming.

“Goddess Vision ended.” …

“No… I won’t let this happen.

I can’t lose my mother-not again.” I clenched my fists as my mind spiraled.

I had already lost Rosan.

I couldn’t lose my mother too.

Then, I heard a familiar voice-a voice I hadn’t expected to hear again.

Warm arms embraced me, and I turned to see a glowing figure, faintly shimmering as she began to fade into specks of light.

“Don’t give up, Master Naoki-or rather, Master Nao.” Her voice was gentle yet resolute.

“In this form, I finally understand.

Thank you… for taking Master Naoki’s role and burden in this world.” I froze in shock.

It was Rosan.

“Rosan…” My voice trembled.

“I’m sorry.

I couldn’t save you.

And now… I can’t save my mother either.” Tears streamed down my face as I knelt before her.

Rosan gently lifted my chin, making me look into her eyes.

“Master Nao, I know you can defeat that enemy.

Because I know how strong you are.” She smiled, radiating a calm reassurance, and pulled me into a final embrace.

“Become the greatest hero in this world, Master Nao,” she whispered.

“For the Blackmore family… and for your family on Earth.

I will always be watching over you.” Her light enveloped me, and with one last smile, she disappeared into countless fragments of light.

“Thank you, Rosan…” I whispered.

“I won’t give up.

Just like you and Mom never gave up on me!” I rose to my feet, newfound determination surging through me.

Then, another voice rang out-one I recognized immediately.

“That’s right, my Hero.

Rise.

This isn’t over yet.” The voice of the Goddess of Benevolence echoed with strength and resolve.

A surge of power flooded through me, igniting my soul.

[!!!NOTIFICATION!!!] has surpassed its limits!

has leveled up to LVL 2!

A miracle has occurred!

…

…

I regained consciousness.

I opened my eyes to find myself back in the battle with Canis, his jaws still locked around me.

My HP was dangerously low, rapidly draining.

So that’s it… The vision of my mother’s death had been an illusion-a cruel trick created by Canis.

But I wasn’t finished yet.

In that moment, activated.

My body began to radiate an intense light.

Canis roared in pain, his grip loosening as he backed away, blinded and disoriented.

I stood tall, determination burning brighter than ever.

This wasn’t the end.

Not yet.

“I will defeat you!” I shouted, charging forward to face Canis once more.

…

…