Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 118

– Swoosh. Shoo! –
Blue orbs shot out from Master Hyunrim’s palm and landed in the hands of the other party members.
Jeong So-hwa and Baek Pung-young examined the blue orbs closely and nodded in satisfaction.
“These are indeed the Taeguk Spirits. We have a long way to go, so let’s begin the climb. I’ll head out first. Brother Baek, you’ll join me again this time.”
“If Miss Jeong insists, I shall follow. See you all at the top.”
The monk couple, who had met through their shared beliefs, dashed towards the holy city. They seemed to have their own method for maintaining stealth.
As soon as they disappeared, the old man’s eyes turned sly.
“Lady, as you know, those two are quite close. We must be prepared for any eventuality. If they reveal any sinister plans, how about we join forces to overcome the obstacles?”
The most untrustworthy person was proposing a secret alliance. It was clear he was trying to manipulate the naive girl for his own gain.
“Alright. Master Hyunrim, you are well-versed in strategies. I always trust and rely on you.”
Ophelia accepted his proposal with a smile. Whether she genuinely trusted him or had her own plans, I couldn’t tell.
“But what should we do about this boy?”
“We can’t take someone like him up the high sacred tree. With his 5-star concealment skills, he’ll be easily detected by mid-tier common species and even lower-tier emperor-level monsters. Let’s confine him nearby and proceed.”
I didn’t want to waste my energy unnecessarily. If they confined me and left, it would be perfect. No matter what sealing technique an early 6-star Ethereal used, I could break it with a single Final Finish.
“What? What if something happens to him? He’s a valuable key, we need to take good care of him.”
“Are you saying you want to take him along? That would be quite troublesome.”
“It’s fine. I happen to have a few concealment scrolls that can be shared with others.”
“If you have such scrolls, I won’t object. However, if you are excessively delayed, we might not be able to share the sap equally. Are you okay with that?”
“What? That…”
Ophelia’s eyes wavered as she looked at me, suddenly feeling guilty.
‘We’ll part ways soon anyway.’
I just wanted them both to disappear quickly. I needed to get rid of the troublesome old man first.
I spoke curtly to the ill-tempered old man.
“Go ahead. We’ll manage on our own.”
“Ha! You have some nerve. Since the Lady has decided to take responsibility for you, do as you please—whether you knock him out and confine him or take him along.”
– Flash. –
The old man joined the others in climbing the sacred tree. Watching him run off and then suddenly disappear, it was clear he had mastered some special concealment technique. That’s likely why he insisted on climbing alone.
‘Not my concern.’
Whether they backstab each other or hoard the treasure, my primary objective in the ‘Abandoned Holy City, Dorothenian’ was the unique magic stone hidden underground.
With the unwelcome guests gone, I just needed to shake off this lady.
“I need to take care of something for a moment.”
“Huh? Take care of something? Are you going to eat while cultivating?”
“Yes. I’ve been holding it in for a long time.”
Using the excuse, I headed into the dense bushes. Once I was far enough, I summoned Gunggi and leaped through space to escape.
– Flash! Flash! Flash! –
Before I knew it, I was close to the entrance of the holy city. I operated my spirit art at full power, passing by the tree mound where the roots of the sacred tree sloped like a hill, and sprinted along the vast golden road spread out above.
‘It should be around here somewhere.’
– Wooooong! –
I expanded my senses to scan the surroundings. The terrain within several kilometers appeared in my mind like a 3D map. Although the image wasn’t detailed, it was sufficient to locate the entrance to the underground.
– Flash! –
As soon as I recognized the path, Gunggi cut through space. Like a racer navigating a perilous course filled with obstacles, I recklessly ride Gunggi to enter the underground of the holy city.
– Slash. –
After slicing through a few large monsters that foolishly attacked me in the maze-like sewers, I reached a damp and unpleasant place with water pooling on the floor.
– Crackle. Crackle. –
Sewer monsters scurried away. Somewhere around here, there should be a ‘well’—a very deep and dark well that connected to the ‘World of Shadows.’
‘Do I have a GPS on me or something?’
Just as I was about to scan the underground space, a powerful presence rapidly approached. It was heading straight for my location.
Despite my efforts to conceal my presence, it seemed futile.
– Swoosh. –
A dark figure landed beside me. It was none other than Ophelia.
“Ugh, you said you needed to take care of something. Did you really have to come all the way here?”
“…”
As Ophelia cast a spell to dispel the sewer stench, my mind began to run simulations on how best to handle her.
‘There’s no need to antagonize a friendly NPC.’
While I couldn’t exactly build rapport right now, hitting her with a Final Finish would only send the already tangled story spiraling into chaos.
‘Having a 6-star party member could be quite advantageous.’
Rather than setting up a confrontation to shake her off, it might be better to explore the underground of the holy city as a two-person party. But if I simply asked her to join me, she’d likely drag me out by the collar. I needed to earn her trust and offer a reward more valuable than the sap of the Dawn Tree.
“It’s embarrassing. Why did you follow me all the way here?”
“I was worried something might happen to our little Monet~?”
She ruffled my hair with a smile, clearly seeing me as nothing more than a child due to my 5-star level.
In reality, despite her high school appearance, Ophelia was an archmage who had lived for nearly 800 years. Compared to her, I, not even thirty years old, was indeed a newborn chick.
‘Let’s throw out the first thing that comes to mind.’
This won’t do. I need to change the dynamic gently, making her believe in me. I looked around as if surveying the area, then lowered my voice seriously.
“Finally, we are alone in a quiet place. Ophelia Grace, saintess who follows the will of the heavens.”
“…What are you talking about? Kid, you shouldn’t joke like that.”
Bingo.
Her reaction was intense. Her voice quivered, and her pupils wavered anxiously. She looked ready to shoot an arrow at any moment.
Not wanting to become a pincushion, I quickly added more context.
“Just as you act according to the will of the heavens, I too have been led here by destiny. We were meant to meet soon under the guidance of the ‘voice,’ but it seems the timing has been accelerated for some reason.”
“H-Hoho. What are you talking about? Why is our cute Isaac being so scary?”
– Swoosh. –
Uh-oh. Ophelia’s left hand slowly moved towards the bow slung across her back. It seemed her wariness had only increased.
If I spouted more nonsense, an arrow would fly my way. I needed to give her a keyword that would assure her I was an ally…
‘No, let’s shake things up a bit.’
Her mind was likely already in turmoil. Forcing her to follow me wouldn’t work. I needed to give her a choice. A bit of mystery would make me seem intriguing, but pushing too far would only instill fear.
“Ophelia, I understand this is sudden and confusing. But trust me, there’s more at stake here than just the sap of the Dawn Tree. There’s a hidden treasure underground that could change everything. If you choose to believe in me, we can uncover it together. If not, you can leave, and I’ll manage on my own.”
I paused, letting my words sink in, hoping the choice and the hint of mystery would be enough to sway her.
“Hmm, my apologies. I must have mistaken you for someone else. Forget what I said. It seems you aren’t the true saintess after all.”
“……”
Whether she followed or not, I decided to continue my search for the well. As long as she didn’t interfere with my plans, there was no need to convince her further.
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– Goooooo…! –
The sky, filled with shadows, appeared as if it was collapsing under a heavy weight. In the distance, a black tower stood tall, surrounded by the chaotic remnants of buildings.
However, the debris wasn’t ordinary bricks and steel. They were distorted as if they had escaped from someone’s nightmare, with hues of red and black.
‘This is quite eerie.’
The buildings in the village had lost their material form, appearing like twisted shadows. The desolate wind that blew irregularly was unbearably dry.
It felt like a scene from a broken backlit TV. The overall atmosphere was apocalyptic.
[You have been swept into the Rift.]
[This is the World of Shadows.]
Even someone like me, who usually skipped through the story, remembered the hidden lore of this place. Here lay a being who dreamt of becoming a king but was ultimately abandoned.
Today, I would purify the forsaken monarch. And of course, I would do it with the dependable lady by my side.
“To think such a place existed beneath the holy city!”
Was it just my imagination, or did she seem excited about this new adventure despite the bizarre scenery?
Well, her enthusiasm was reassuring in its own way. Her reaction seemed immune to fear.
‘Coming here alone would have been a disaster.’
This place wasn’t supposed to be a horror-themed Rift, but the visuals were certainly unsettling.
“Oh! For the record, I am the true saintess. I don’t know who you are, but don’t even think about trying anything funny! I’m quite strong.”
Even when she spoke formally, her tone was subtly infuriating. It was almost more comfortable when she spoke casually. In any case, calling her a ‘fake saintess’ had been an effective provocation.
She followed me, huffing and puffing.
“I have a duty to retrieve the ‘unique magic stone’ from this place. You can have the other spoils, so don’t complain.”
After some thought, I decided to adopt a tone of ‘authoritative casual speech’ when addressing her. It seemed like the best way to get her to follow my lead.
Ophelia looked at me with a face that seemed sad to lose a cute younger sibling, but then she quickly changed her expression to one of fierce determination.
“Fine. But don’t think for a second that I’ll let you take all the glory. If you need my help, you better ask nicely.”
Her defiance was almost endearing. I couldn’t help but smirk as we continued deeper into the World of Shadows, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
“Don’t speak to me in a commanding tone! You’re only at the 5-star level.”
“Judging people by their level makes you no different from other monks.”
“Ah…! That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s fine. Strength is everything. The dichotomous thinking of dividing people into the strong and the weak is the fundamental ideology of the vast Terraria, isn’t it?”
“Um… That’s a misunderstanding. I’m not that kind of person…”
Why did she suddenly look so dejected? I was just trying to establish some authority, and now I felt guilty.
Of course, I didn’t show any of this on the surface.
“Let’s get moving.”
“Yes! Let’s go. But you, don’t go ahead! You’ll get yourself killed.”
I suddenly found myself with a rather excellent bodyguard.
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– Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish! –
– Thud. Thud, thud! –
– Thwack, thwack, thwack! –
Monsters fell one after another, struck by arrows imbued with a white glow. Even champion or lord-level monsters couldn’t withstand a single shot from Ophelia, who was at the early 6-star level.
‘Her attack speed is insane.’
If Gil-seong reaches 6-star after awakening, she might look like this. With such a powerful ranged attacker, the monsters couldn’t even get close. The combat genre felt like it had shifted from souls-like to hack and slash.
“Graaaah!”
As if to challenge this, a massive beast made entirely of black shadows lunged at us with a mysterious movement technique.
– Wooooong. –
– Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! –
In the end, the beast withstood three of Ophelia’s sparkling, giant arrows before it finally fell.
The lady who carried us through the early stages of the Rift flicked her long hair with pride.
“Hmph! How about that? The power of the ‘true saintess.'”
So, she had been holding onto that one remark I made to shake her confidence.
I had no choice but to give her a thumbs-up.
Well done.