Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 113

Surviving in the Dungeon

“Huh.”
A small exclamation escaped my lips. Energy surged through my entire body. It felt like I had transformed overnight from a scrawny weakling into a muscle-bound powerhouse capable of lifting 600 pounds with ease.
I had effortlessly reached a level that some people might never achieve despite a lifetime of relentless effort. This feeling of using a cheat code all by myself was not just satisfying—it was exhilarating.
‘I didn’t expect this.’
My body instinctively operated the technique’s incantations to their extreme. This meant that I no longer needed any elixirs to help break through my limits.
When my spiritual essence hit the wall of its limits, it seemed to have been shattered by the overwhelming pressure of mana.
“How much time has passed?”
“A day. Precisely 20 hours, 21 minutes, and 30 seconds.”
“What?”
That’s surprising. It only took a minute to draw out the spiritual power within my body, but stabilizing that energy took over 20 hours.
From now on, I’ll need to pay more attention to accepting spiritual power in moderation and stabilizing it.
‘Gojeok implanting a spiritual root in me was an incredible opportunity.’
The Five Primordial Spirit Engraving Technique requires at least a 6-star Ethereal to perform such a grand technique.
If I had safely arrived back on Earth by now, I would be binge-playing new games and watching countless videos from my favorite YouTubers. However, an Ethereal capable of using spiritual root engraving techniques is a rare genius, even in the small world.
Being kidnapped and gaining such an opportunity—life truly is full of unexpected twists and turns.
“I should reach 5-star quickly.”
“At this rate, you will reach the 5-star realm within a fortnight.”
“Is that so?”
Let’s think this through. It will take about two weeks to reach 5-star. There are still two months left until those damn kidnappers return.
‘What if I reach 5-star and set up numerous defensive mechanisms?’
I have the excellent defensive skill, Tempering. If I equip all eight of the base cores with options for defense, damage reduction, and damage absorption…
‘I might be able to withstand three or four attacks from a 6-star Ethereal.’
Combat gauge fills up faster when taking damage rather than dealing it. Isaac would be no exception to this.
‘If that happens…’
I might be able to face a 6-star adversary that I can’t defeat in one strike with Final Finish. The key would be how much damage I can endure until my combat gauge fills back up to 100%.
‘First, I need to focus on strengthening my cultivation level.’
A vague idea of how to escape this dangerous ship began to form. I would survive and return from this place. I had to.
“Let’s go again.”
[Used Final Finish.]
[The next attack is enhanced with the power of a ‘Finishing Blow’.]
As the torrent of mana surged like a volcanic eruption, I focused my mind and operated the technique.
– Rumble. –
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***
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In the vast tropical rainforest, sunlight poured through the towering trees. The dense layers of the forest harbored deep, eerie shadows.
As the wind rustled the leaves, the sound mingled with the bizarre wing flapping of insect monsters. Beneath the crushed soil, snakes slithered, and large avian monsters cast shadows over the ground.
– Swoosh. –
In the midst of this rainforest stood a man in a black suit. He was a stranger, an outsider. A monster resembling a gorilla watched his movements intently.
‘He is strong. But not now.’
The gorilla monster’s system made that assessment. The gorilla monster was actually a magical machine soldier in the form of a gorilla, and its ancient AI was confident in its judgment based on various data.
– Whoosh. –
– Thud! –
The gorilla’s massive fist slammed into the man’s abdomen.
‘Hard.’
The outer layer of the fist crumbled under the pressure. The small human took only three steps back. He wasn’t strong, but he was incredibly tough.
A fierce follow-up attack ensued.
– Boom! –
The human took five steps back. It wasn’t enough. The gorilla needed to unleash even more powerful attacks. To kill him, it had to strike now, while the human was weakened. Such an opportunity would never come again.
– Flash! –
Suddenly, purple smoke billowed from the side, and a black tiger with glowing red eyes leaped out, aiming for the man’s neck.
‘Dodge. Counterattack.’
– Swoosh. –
– Thud! –
A fist imbued with immense mana struck the black tiger’s side, causing it to grimace in pain. Unlike the human, it wasn’t as tough.
– Flash! –
The nuisance, the soft black tiger, vanished.
‘Target. Kill.’
Savage mana surged into the man’s waist and shoulders. He threw a punch, utilizing the rotational force of his overextended waist and shoulders.
– Whoosh. –
– Screeeech! –
The air tore apart as the punch connected with the man’s chest. However…
– Clang! –
‘Even tougher. Target. Can’t kill. Escape. Escape. Es…’
– Thud! –
The man in the black suit, who had approached like a ghost, extended his index finger and gently tapped the forehead of the gorilla magical machine soldier. The AI of the magical machine soldier ceased functioning.
– Boom! –
A massive shockwave engulfed the jungle. The magical machine soldiers, who had been silently observing the battle, began to scatter in all directions.
The human was strong. They couldn’t kill him. Therefore, they had to flee. The AI’s judgment was clear.
The human, whom the magical machine soldiers feared, quickly gathered the spoils and the magical core, which was akin to the heart of the magical machine soldier, and stored them in an invisible space.
“Even the damage taken by summoned creatures affects it.”
Muttering something with a vacant look in his eyes, the man in the black suit was none other than Hero Isaac.
It had already been a month since he started his cultivation in the cave. Isaac had reached 5-star within a fortnight and, with his knowledge of magical engineering, the ancient memories he had inherited, and Ifrit’s assistance, he had successfully crafted eight cores specialized in defense over the next ten days.
He had various grades of materials, a magical engineering workbench, and a complete set of blueprint design programs at his disposal.
“Screeech…”
The young form of Gunggi rubbed its face against Isaac’s leg, its round eyes glistening with tears as it looked up at its master.
“Don’t pretend to be hurt.”
“Roar!”
Gunggi, as if feeling wronged, bit Isaac’s shin. Resigned, Isaac hugged Gunggi and patted its bottom. Only then did Gunggi seem satisfied, transforming into a spirit and settling on Isaac’s crown.
– Whoosh. –
As soon as Gunggi became a spirit, blue flames erupted from Isaac’s body. It was Ifrit, transformed into a bird of blue flames.
“Master, how about returning to the coast and confronting Sea Oblivion?”
“I was planning to. It seems there are no creatures in the jungle surpassing the Emperor.”
When alone with Ifrit, Isaac used a familiar tone, but he had become noticeably more cynical. This change in demeanor was something Isaac himself was aware of.
‘I’m bored again.’
This was likely due to the diminishing survival instinct that had been suppressing the penalty of his charisma, ‘Boredom Genius’. After consecutively defeating 20 Emperor-class magical machine soldiers, his mental state had stabilized, leading him to believe, ‘I probably won’t die easily.’
The delicate balance between his survival instinct and the dissatisfaction of a genius had always been a concern for him.
In this state, even if he met the trio of kidnappers again, he might act on impulse rather than showing them any courtesy.
“Let’s go.”
“Roar!”
Gunggi, resting on Isaac’s crown, materialized into a full-grown black tiger. With Isaac on its back, Gunggi leaped forward, heading east. Enhancing their speed with long-distance spatial leaps, they reached the cave where Isaac had been trapped in less than 20 minutes.
Isaac checked his combat gauge, which was around 26%. He then sat cross-legged on the cliff to cultivate. Time flew by as he recited the technique’s incantations.
When he opened his eyes again, 13 hours had passed, and his combat gauge had reached 100%.
– Splash! –
With Isaac on its back, Gunggi dove into the sea. The depths were dark and deep, with faint vibrations and the occasional roar of a massive creature echoing from afar.
– Whoosh—Flash! –
– Whoosh—Flash! –
After two spatial leaps into the deep sea, Isaac finally saw the colossal form of a sea monster looming ahead.
It was Sea Oblivion, a second-tier aquatic magical machine soldier. With Final Finish activated, Isaac drew the Karna Blade and slashed diagonally without hesitation.
– Swoosh. –
─────────!
– Shhhhaaaa! –
In the deep darkness, a blue line split the vast depths of the ocean.
Sea Oblivion, struck by the tremendous sword attack, writhed in pain, wary of the mysterious assailant. Despite being hit by Final Finish, it did not die in a single strike.
However, the massive creature’s body bore a deep, long sword wound, continuously bleeding and leaking oil. Trembling in fear, Sea Oblivion began to retreat into the deeper ocean.
Isaac, who had intended to strengthen his body with Tempering, instead utilized Spirit Art to its fullest extent, using Gunggi’s spatial leap to pursue the creature.
– Flash! Flash! Flash! –
After three consecutive spatial leaps, Isaac finally caught up with Sea Oblivion. Realizing the futility of further escape, Sea Oblivion ceased its retreat.
“Biiiiii.”
A sharp sonic wave emanated from Sea Oblivion’s massive form. The wave traveled through the water, striking Isaac and Gunggi’s bodies.
Isaac quickly deployed Tempering, covering his entire body with a layer of mineral to counter the sonic wave.
– Rumble. –
Isaac’s entire body trembled violently under the intense sonic wave. Meanwhile, Gunggi, in agony, shook its head wildly before losing consciousness. The materialized Gunggi naturally reverted to its spirit form and returned to Isaac’s body.
Having suffered severe damage, the summoning was canceled.
– Whoosh! –
Isaac summoned a giant bird of blue flames, Ifrit. Even in the deep ocean, Ifrit’s flames burned brightly.
“Biiiiiiiii!”
Sea Oblivion unleashed another sonic wave. The wave spread in all directions, shattering the mineral barrier around Isaac’s body. Ifrit, however, generated a fierce flame, creating a temporary vacuum around them.
The sonic wave couldn’t reach Ifrit, but strangely, Ifrit suddenly withdrew its flames and intentionally exposed itself to part of the sonic attack.
– Buzzzzzzz. –
Sea Oblivion’s AI, which had been driving the attackers into a corner with its sonic waves, was momentarily paralyzed by the mysterious energy that suddenly emerged.
‘Escape. Escape. Escape.’
Sea Oblivion’s AI immediately followed its extreme situation protocol, controlling the body to flee. Escape was the only way to survive.
However…
────────!
A sword strike that pierced through the deep sea once again targeted Sea Oblivion.
– Boom! –
A massive explosion occurred deep underwater. The shockwave created large air bubbles that extended hundreds of meters in all directions, only to be quickly crushed by the water pressure.
Isaac confirmed that the second-tier Sea Oblivion had been destroyed by the two Final Finish attacks. He gathered the remnants and the magical core left behind by the creature.
Then, he summoned the now revitalized Gunggi and used spatial leaps to swiftly escape the eerie depths of the ocean.
‘Fascinating.’
This was Isaac’s first proper underwater battle. Surprisingly, despite the intense combat, he didn’t feel out of breath at all. His 5-star body could withstand the deep sea pressure and breathe without any underwater magical engineering equipment.
This phenomenon was likely due to the Deep Pool Tranquility Technique, his primary cultivation method, which was a water attribute technique.