Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 123

“Ugh, ugh, ugh…!”
Sensing the faint aura of a level 200 second-awakening being, the old man trembled as if having a seizure.
‘Stay still, will you?’
His reaction was making me even more anxious.
I had stumbled into a tiger’s den. I needed to stay sharp. Whether I groveled or bluffed, I had to survive by any means necessary.
“I’ll deal with the uninvited guests first.”
The young man on the wooden throne flicked his fingers.
Almost simultaneously, Master Hyunrim, Jeong So-hwa, and Baek Pung-youngtried tried to flee without looking back.
– Wooooong―! –
– Crack! –
“…!”
Green branches shot up, piercing and breaking the three monks who were attempting to escape through the passage.
Their bodies, unable to leave even a single thought-form behind, sank beneath the wooden floor as if swallowed by a swamp.
Monks who had cultivated for over a thousand years lost their lives in vain.
“Ah, ah…”
Instinctively, I grabbed Ophelia’s shoulder as she stepped back. Running away out of fear would only increase the chances of death.
A level 200 being stood at the pinnacle of the second tier. This was not a situation where running was an option.
“You wouldn’t understand. How long I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day.”
– Whoooosh…! –
The surroundings, which had resembled outer space, shifted like a mirage.
A beautiful woman appeared in the air, smiling softly, and an unfamiliar voice echoed in my ears.
“Long ago, I had a woman I loved. She was…”
The level 200 young man began his confession abruptly.
Long ago, he had desired a woman so much that he had the people who served the Sacred Tree kidnap her. He then killed her and absorbed her blood and remains as fertilizer.
‘Shocking.’
The young man was actually a persona formed by the Sacred Tree, which had grown for tens of thousands of years. In Terraria, it wasn’t uncommon for wild animals or plants to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth over a long period, eventually gaining spirituality and intelligence.
It seemed this Sacred Tree was one such case.
‘Is it because it’s a tree?’
Regardless, the idea was beyond psychopathic. A tree that absorbs a human woman it loves as fertilizer.
I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
“…She was a saint who followed the will of the heavens. Much like the girl beside you.”
“Mmmp!”
I quickly clamped my hand over Ophelia’s mouth to stifle her scream. Her tear-filled eyes seemed to be shouting, ‘I don’t want to become fertilizer!’
The persona of the Sacred Tree continued speaking like a game NPC reciting predetermined lines, and the surroundings changed with each statement, like a cutscene in a game.
“As punishment for harming the saint, I was confined here, spending meaningless years. I awaited an indefinite future, where I would meet the savior mentioned in the scriptures and guide him. But now that I have met you and paid for my sins, I can finally ascend to the heavens.”
A white figure holding a sword appeared over a scripture stained with foreign words.
The savior in the scripture referred to the players.
In a game where each user was the protagonist, who else would be in the position of nurturing heroes to protect the world?
It was the players who overcame the story of adversity and trials and the newbie-killing sections with their gaming skills and cash.
The game company provided enjoyable content for the players, and the players spent money, generating revenue for the company. Naturally, in the game industry, players were treated as heroes, saviors, or champions.
‘Let’s think of it as an expansion pack story.’
That seemed like the only way to keep my sanity.
This was a game-like reality. As a player who had been transported here, I could survive by staying calm and saying the right things.
“…But why do you look like that? How can you save the world with such a shabby appearance? Surely you must be hiding your true power.”
A chilling thought crossed my mind.
A cliché where the entity tests my skills by forcing a battle, and even if I barely manage to win, I would only hear something like, ‘You’re somewhat skilled.’
‘This doesn’t feel good.’
The persona of the Sacred Tree mentioned that it had been punished by the heavens to guide the savior. Surely it wouldn’t beat up a savior who was already struggling.
“I have exhausted my strength purifying the ‘King of Shadows’ in the depths of the castle. I apologize for disappointing you.”
“No, I can see the flow of fate, albeit faintly. You are strong. And I must see it. The true worth of the savior I have waited for so long.”
From the start, it seemed intent on beating me down.
This insane, psychopathic tree wasn’t someone I could reason with.
– Rumble… –
– RUMBLE───! –
“Ugh!”
An unimaginable spiritual pressure crushed us.
Ophelia fainted on the spot, and I had no choice but to use Final Finish.
[Used Final Finish.]
[The next attack is enhanced with the power of a ‘Finishing Blow’.]
– Wooooong──! –
“Only a late-stage 6-star? Don’t joke with me.”
The persona of the Sacred Tree pointed a finger at me. I quickly hardened my body with tempering.
– Thunk! –
“Gah!”
A fist-sized hole was punched through my abdomen.
It hurt. It hurt so much. Why was it like this? Was this not just an NPC skill test but another boss battle?
‘This is a fatal wound.’
I could tell instinctively. The blue light had shot through me, completely penetrating.
This was an attack I couldn’t evade or block even if I had been prepared.
‘How do I survive this?’
My mind raced. In a very short time, I ran through dozens of simulations.
Summoning Gunggi to escape. Using Final Finish to put it in a groggy state temporarily. Utilizing the ‘Shadow Stealth’ ability from the King of Shadows to flee. Using Ophelia as a shield and threatening it with divine retribution. Begging for my life just once. And more, and more… Damn it.
[You sense impending death.]
My anxiety materialized in the form of text. There was no way out. No matter what scenario I considered, I couldn’t handle this level 200, morally bankrupt Sacred Tree.
[You are certain of your death.]
‘Was I really going to die so meaninglessly? After surviving this far? If I died, what would happen to Earth? To my comrades?’
“Is that it? Are you saying this isn’t enough to draw out your true power?”
– Wooooong―. –
– Flash! –
A beam of light, imbued with the dawn, shot through me.
My body began to disintegrate. Arms, legs, and torso broke apart and scattered.
‘Don’t mess with me.’
This is a game world. Surely, I have more lives, right? This can’t be the end. It just can’t be.
The idea that everything up until now was just a dream, or that I would fall into an eternal sleep… No, that can’t be the conclusion.
[You have suffered irreparable damage.]
[You have died.]
I felt nothing.
In a void resembling outer space, only a fragment of my consciousness remained, drifting aimlessly.
‘No.’
I didn’t want to die like this. I wanted the story to continue. I wanted to see my comrades again. I wanted to hear the voices of those who cheered for me.
‘I can’t end it like this.’
I had been scared. It had been tiresome, embarrassing, and filled with many humiliating moments.
Yet, people called me a hero. They praised me as a champion.
It felt like a dream. The days when I, who had longed to be special without any talent or effort, actually became someone special.
[You have had a long dream.]
[It’s time to wake up.]
A dream? Was it really just a dream?
All those memories of meeting my comrades, managing the clan, defeating monsters and villains to protect the citizens?
Don’t be ridiculous. Seriously… stop spouting nonsense.
[Compared to this place, reality is a very peaceful and comfortable place.]
[You can return to a stable life.]
…Reality? Yes, that’s right. Reality!
Waking up from a dream meant returning to reality. It meant going back to a normal life.
In the first place, I was… a coward. And everyone is a coward in some way. People dislike scary things and avoid dangerous places. It’s a fundamental human instinct, a survival mechanism honed through evolution.
Just because I wanted to remain special didn’t mean I wanted to stay exposed to danger.
Now I understood. The responsibility and effort required to be someone special were overwhelming. Whether one is ordinary or special, each has their own happiness and struggles.
[Do you want to return to reality?]
[Yes / No]
So then… The answer to this question was almost predetermined. Being a hero, being a commander—those were roles that didn’t suit me. I wasn’t cut out for them.
‘Just make a choice. There’s no need to hesitate.’
Liberation from this perilous world. It was what I had desperately longed for.
My hand reached out towards ‘No.’ All I had to do was touch it lightly. Just a little more… a little more…!
– Srrrk. –
Finally.
My finger touched the system button. But not ‘No’—it touched the opposite side.
[You have chosen ‘Yes.’]
…There are times like this.
Times when your mind screams ‘no,’ but your heart insists otherwise.
‘I went and did it.’
It felt like I could hear a voice. Someone calling me back home, desperately, from far away. It was just a feeling, perhaps a desperate wish that tricked my brain into hearing things.
[The shell has been broken.]
[Office worker ‘Lee Geon-ha’ has become a hero.]
Lee Geon-ha.
My real name, never once called in this place.
I had been living as ‘Isaac,’ a person possessed by ‘Lee Geon-ha.’ I was both ‘Lee Geon-ha’ and ‘Isaac.’
I was a commander in name only, hiding behind my comrades and scheming.
‘From now on…’
[Progress has been fulfilled.]
[Final Finish─Unlimited Mode has been activated.]
I would live as a proud hero.
====
***
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A dungeon was a place filled with danger.
It wasn’t unusual for someone to die at any moment, yet adventurers took the risk and ventured into these perilous places.
Because that’s how they could become stronger. By obtaining treasures, breaking through their limits, and advancing upwards.
In life, sometimes you meet truly strong people.
People who don’t falter in the face of any danger, who overcome and make the impossible possible.
And such people invariably become heroes celebrated by everyone. When you’re with such people, you somehow gain the confidence that you can achieve something too.
Hero Isaac was one such person. Though his personality was peculiar, he was incredibly strong. Both in body and in spirit.
If time allowed, I wanted to invite him to my family. I wanted to introduce him as a future hero and boast about his exploits.
– Flash! –
– Swoosh… –
That hero vanished before my eyes. Dissolved into blue light, leaving no trace behind.
– Beeeeeeep. –
It didn’t feel real.
A deep ringing in my ears stole my hearing.
Saint Ophelia screamed her heart out.
“Noooo!”
It felt like her chest was being torn apart.
The hero wasn’t someone who would go like this. He was a person with as much mental strength and strategy as he had physical power. Just as he had purified the King of Shadows, he was someone who would illuminate a world filled with evil and sorrow.
“Aaaah!”
she pulled the bowstring until her fingers ached.
– Swoosh! –
– Thud. –
The arrow, imbued with white light, was shot but didn’t reach its target. The persona of the Sacred Tree erased it with a mere flick of a finger.
“How ridiculous. Did I waste all those years just to meet someone like that?”
Despite having killed the hero, the persona of the Sacred Tree continued to spew its vile complaints.
She was filled with anger and frustration. Despite losing a comrade, she couldn’t do anything. Not even a single arrow could reach it.
“What are you doing! Didn’t you say you were waiting to guide us?”
She was furious. As a saint, she wanted to die right there and bring down heaven’s punishment on the Sacred Tree once more.
“I have a bad record, so I’ll spare you. But if you dare speak out of turn again, I’ll curse you with Salarotse’s curse, making you wish for death. And he was not worthy. The punishment given to me was merely to wait for the savior. Now that he is dead, I am already free.”
“Shut up!”
– Swoosh! –
– Thud. Boom. –
Multiple arrows were shot, exploding in mid-air. The persona of the Sacred Tree, expressionless, stirred blue mana.
“Do you wish to taste Salarotse’s curse that badly? The savior has already perished. Young saint, return and carry out heaven’s errands.”
“No! The hero isn’t someone who would just disappear like that. He’ll come back, unharmed, and save this land filled with darkness!”
“If you desire pain, I shall grant it.”
– Rumble… –
A blue orb materialized in Salarotse’s right hand.
“I will close your eyes and ears, making you neither see nor hear. Since you dared to defy me, even the heavens cannot protect you.”
– Flash! –
The blue orb shot forward, transforming into a thick beam of light that surged towards her.
‘I’m sorry.’
She had been happy to become a saint. She was overjoyed to hear the voice of the heavens. She wanted to do righteous deeds for the world.
Now, it seemed like everything was ending.
But then…
– Swoosh! –
The blue light couldn’t reach her. A black veil blocked it, swallowing the blue light.
– Swoosh… –
From the tangled, solid ground of tree roots, something black began to surge.
It flowed like liquid, soon engulfing the surroundings in darkness. The sanctuary of the Sacred Tree, which had resembled the Milky Way, turned into a void without a single star.
– Srrrk. –
Something emerged from the darkness. The writhing mass of shadows soon took the shape of a person.
A black cloak draped over its back, and long black hair reminded her of someone they had last met in the underground world.
“The King of Shadows?”
The figure turned its head.
The profile resembled that of Hero Isaac.
“Remarkable. So, you are indeed the savior. It seems a late-stage 6-star was not your limit. The current you… Hmm?!”
For the first time, Salarotse’s calm expression twisted into a frown.
‘What kind of sorcery is this?’
He couldn’t sense any spiritual energy from the transformed savior. It was as if he had become an entirely different entity.