Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 137

Step. Step.
The blue-eyed young man, Hero Isaac, crossed the grand gates of the Sword Emperor Family. Beside him was the rising star, Hero Seo Eun-ha.
“Welcome, Isaac.”
“Welcome, Isaac!”
As the Sword Emperor led the greeting, hundreds of martial artists behind him placed their fists over their left chests.
This was the salute of heroes who fought for justice until their hearts stopped beating.
The elite heroes representing the family, from White Tiger Hall, Blue Dragon Hall, and Black Turtle Hall, exuded an aura as sharp as fine swords.
Behind them, members of the smaller groups—Waryongdan, Eungnyongdan, and Jamnyongdan—held flags bearing the symbols of their respective organizations. At the back of the ranks, trainees from Jiryongdang, Gyoryongdang, Banryongdang, Hoeryongdang, and Okryongdang, who aspired to become professional heroes, swallowed nervously.
“Sigh.”
Isaac let out a faint sigh at the grandiose lineup of the Sword Emperor Family. He hadn’t wished for such a cumbersome welcoming ceremony.
However, Grand Elder Baek Mu-hyul, who already didn’t have a favorable view of him, furrowed his brows deeply.
‘How dare he sigh?’
The Sword Emperor Family was a great family that had rebuilt Korea.
The family head, Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong, was akin to a king, and the existence of a democratic government was possible because of the Baek family.
Even if an individual’s power surpassed that of an awakened being, they should still show respect before the history and achievements of the Sword Emperor Family.
This was the belief of Grand Elder Baek Mu-hyul, who had protected the family for the past century.
“Indeed, this is the Sword Emperor Family. You have good eyes.”
“Thank you. Was your journey here comfortable?”
“It was manageable. But it seems there are many people you want to introduce.”
“Haha, we have all been eagerly awaiting your arrival, Sir Isaac. This is my father and the Grand Elder of our family.”
The Sword Emperor began by introducing his father, the great elder of the family. However, Grand Elder did not bow his head or extend his hand despite his son’s introduction.
“Father?”
“Ahem.”
The elder, visibly displeased, brushed off the Sword Emperor’s puzzled look with a cough.
“SIr Isaac, I believe you are well aware of the illustrious reputation of our Sword Emperor Family. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I expect you to follow our family’s customs.”
At Grand Elder’s words, the heads of the elite halls and the Sword Emperor’s children in the front row turned pale.
They vividly remembered how the demons and magical soldiers that had cornered the Sword Emperor met their end.
It was not something that could be achieved by mere luck. Most importantly, the Sword Emperor himself treated Isaac with the utmost respect, akin to a senior mentor.
For the first time in a long while, the family head and the Grand Elder were at odds.
“I am Elder Heo Jang-saeng, serving in the elder council. You must not take Grand Elder’s words lightly. Sir, please show proper respect.”
“I am Elder Baek Yu-seok. First, you should address the family head with respect. He is the sky of the Sword Emperor Family. No one in this world addresses the family head so informally.”
The two elders supported Grand Elder Baek Mu-hyul.
The Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong was the symbol of the Sword Emperor Family and the pillar of Korea. Even the president of a powerful nation would not commit a diplomatic faux pas in their first meeting with the leader of a developing country.
Isaac’s casual attitude, speaking informally to the family head in front of all the household members, was problematic.
And the elders’ arguments were not entirely wrong. The heads of the elite halls and the Sword Emperor’s children straightened their previously hunched shoulders.
This was the upright and righteous Baek family. And they were the proud martial artists of the Sword Emperor Family.
“Yes. Well, it’s not a difficult request. Sword Emperor, I will use honorifics here.”
“No, the elders’ words are….”
“It’s fine. I will heed the elders’ advice.”
Finally, he understood his place. No matter how exceptional an awakened being might be, the Sword Emperor Family was the greatest in the world. A single word from the Baek family could make his clan disappear without a trace.
‘He’s a young man who knows how to bow.’
At that moment, Grand Elder’s perception of the hero Isaac shifted slightly towards the positive.
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The incident during the lineup ignited the hearts of the martial artists who had felt intimidated by the mysterious hero Isaac.
Even if Isaac was a being beyond human standards, the Sword Emperor Family remained the Sword Emperor Family.
They were invincible heroes who fought against their enemies with their honed weapons until their hearts nearly stopped.
‘As expected of Grandfather. He corrected Father’s difficult position.’
Baek Pung-young, the eldest child of Baek Mu-seong and a strong candidate to lead the Sword Emperor Family in the future, admired the collaboration between his father and grandfather.
No one could speak informally to the family head in the main house.
However, Isaac had disrespected his father. He thought it was the natural order. In the hero industry, seniority was determined by strength.
The young S-rank hero Pokerboy commanded A-rank heroes regardless of their years of experience, and the A-rank heroes respected Pokerboy as their senior.
This was to establish a clear command structure in the field.
‘But this is the land of the Baek family.’
Even if Hero Isaac was intimidating, they had to stand tall. He was the eldest son of Baek Mu-seong, the family head and Sword Emperor.
Grandfather had reminded the household of this fact.
Everyone had been overawed by Hero Isaac, but Grandfather and the elders were different.
They possessed the wisdom to uphold the foundation of the Sword Emperor Family. Today, he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
‘I, Baek Pung-young, am the son of Baek Mu-seong, the Sword Emperor, and a righteous and upright martial artist.’
Therefore, he must not be discouraged by the towering figure of Isaac but must strive continuously. One day, he might reach even the midway point of that great mountain.
Clink.
Hero Isaac set down his teacup.
The faint curiosity in his blue eyes had now turned into a distant, unfocused look.
He quickly read through the book containing information about Baek Hwa-ran, the Sword Emperor’s youngest daughter, and handed it to Seo Eun-ha.
“Memorize it thoroughly. Essentially, the mental world is similar to the Rift. The demon would have exploited her trauma to subdue her.”
“Yes! I’ll memorize everything.”
“A report from the support team will arrive today. Study that as well. While I’ll handle the demon’s resistance, connecting with her is entirely your responsibility.”
Isaac seemed to have extensive knowledge and experience regarding entering the mental world, known as ‘Dream Dive.’
Listening to their conversation, Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong felt a surge of hope that this time, they might finally be able to save his youngest daughter from her nightmares.
“That’s correct. A person’s mental world often resembles the Rift of monsters. The demon attached to my daughter is a type of nightmare demon that traps its cursed target in a nightmare, aiming to break their spirit. Ultimately, its goal is to completely dominate the host.”
“She has endured for ten years. The God Hand must have had a tough time.”
“If it weren’t for that friend, she would have been consumed long ago.”
They had an open conversation about the patient, Baek Hwa-ran. However, unlike the Sword Emperor, Grand Elder Baek Mu-hyul remained skeptical about the success of this purification process.
‘Where exactly is the aura of an awakened being?’
Hero Isaac’s energy level seemed to be only at 5-star.
Although he had retired decades ago, Grand Elder Baek Mu-hyul had once led the Baek family. Even though he had not reached the level of awakening, his ability to sense the magnitude of an opponent’s magical power had not dulled.
His instincts were screaming that his son could not possibly lose to someone like Isaac. Therefore, he should quickly reclaim the lost title of ‘the strongest.’
“Since you’re here, would you like to take a tour of the training grounds? The martial artists of the Baek family would be delighted to hear your advice.”
“I’m curious.”
The opportunity presented itself swiftly.
Grand Elder spoke with a friendly smile.
“Why not have a friendly spar with the family head? It would be a great opportunity for both sides.”
“Father!”
“Family head, it’s not a bad idea. Sir Isaac seems proficient in hand-to-hand combat and summoning techniques, but he doesn’t appear to have specialized in swordsmanship. Even when he uses a blade, it’s more like swinging than cutting. He could learn a lot from observing our Baek family’s sword techniques.”
Isaac was an enigmatic hero whose innate talent was difficult to gauge.
He possessed transcendent physical strength and controlled powerful summoned creatures. In the Hero Wars, he expanded vast shadows across the battlefield. During combat, he even shot blue tendrils to his subordinates, restoring their vitality and magic.
‘Versatility is a double-edged sword. Someday, he might be overtaken by someone who has dug deeper into a single well.’
The Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong, who had long stood at the pinnacle, felt a premature fear. It was not a stance befitting the name of the Sword Emperor.
Even if he was surpassed, he could always catch up again.
If the heavens themselves were to block his path, he would invent the ultimate sword technique to split the heavens, as the Sword Emperor he knew would have done.
‘We must confront it. We need to show that there are no heavens that cannot be split.’
And the only one who could shamelessly arrange their duel here was himself, Grand Elder of the Sword Emperor Family.
“A duel, you say? I’m not very good at controlling my strength.”
“Ha ha ha! Controlling strength, indeed. Looking back, you, Sir Isaac, might be the only one in the world who can withstand my full power. It’s embarrassing but thrilling to respond to my father’s rudeness.”
It wasn’t just the Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong whose heart was stirred.
The Sword Emperor’s children and the three heads gathered in the reception room, as well as the previously indifferent elders, clenched their fists.
The duel between Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong and Hero Isaac.
This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness such a matchup up close.
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A large circular arena, elevated about 1 meter from the ground.
The dark gray stone floor was covered in complex protective spells, seemingly impervious to any ordinary impact.
Indeed, it was typical of the Sword Emperor Family. An astronomical sum must have been spent just to construct this dueling arena.
‘It seemed it would come to this.’
From the beginning, his gaze was extraordinary. The blazing eyes of Sword Emperor Baek Mu-seong.
‘He must have wanted to be pushed.’
True to a man obsessed with the sword, he had used his father, Grand Elder, to set the stage. He probably wanted to clash, even if it meant being slightly rude.
Perhaps it was a conspiracy between father and son, playing a game together.
Gulp.
Isaac felt numerous gazes from one side of the spacious dueling arena.
Among the people filling the spectator seats, the only one cheering for him was likely Hero Seo Eun-ha.
‘I didn’t intend for this to happen. But if they insist.’
Honestly, he had only good feelings towards the Sword Emperor. The same went for the Sword Emperor Family he led.
This family had pulled the country out of the abyss of destruction. They were people worthy of respect.
Their old-fashioned ways didn’t particularly stress him out, and he didn’t care whether they spoke informally or formally.
‘It’ll be easier once the hierarchy is officially sorted out.’
The global media had yet to define Hero Isaac as an absolute being beyond awakened ones. Nevertheless, he had become quite famous.
He had effortlessly defeated opponents who had given the Sword Emperor a hard time.
As a result, his name had gained fame, but it also led to endless jealousy and baseless criticism in overseas communities.
South Korea was no different.
There were trolls everywhere.
Some claimed that Isaac had only delivered the final blow to enemies the Sword Emperor had almost defeated. Others argued that if Isaac and the Sword Emperor fought at full strength, the Sword Emperor would still have the upper hand.
While he ignored the minority causing trouble, Isaac was still human. It would be a lie to say it didn’t bother him at all.
“It’s an honor to spar with you, Sir.”
“The feeling is mutual. I look forward to seeing how sharp the family head’s sword is.”