Chapter 151
Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 151
The surprise birthday party for the director marked the successful conclusion of the “Clumsy and Skilled Hands’ New York Adventure” filming. Although the YouTube source filming was complete, our schedule in the U.S. wasn’t entirely over.
“We need test records to engage in official activities.”
There was a legal requirement that foreign heroes had to obtain separate certification to operate as heroes in the U.S. Because of this, even though Yeo Jin-soo had purified a Lord-level evil spirit, it wasn’t officially recognized as an achievement.
The certification process was relatively straightforward. At a training center, with a supervisor present, one had to pass individual and squad performance tests by achieving a certain score. However, booking a slot at a high-tech training center with excellent facilities could take anywhere from three months to over six months.
“Luckily, the timing worked out. So, I booked it right away. Hehe.”
But fortune smiled upon the Harmony Clan. The PD, who had been refreshing the reservation app every chance he got for the past three days, found an available slot and immediately booked it. And it was for the prime time of 4 PM on a weekend. As expected from an experienced PD, his scheduling skills were top-notch.
“There will be quite a crowd.”
“That’s actually a good thing. The Association has been covering up the incident, so Americans don’t really know who the director is. This is a chance to show the difference in class.”
Indeed, visiting the training center was the final item on our agenda in the U.S.
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On a sunny and shadowy weekend afternoon, the Metropolis Hero Training Center in Brooklyn was bustling with people. The entrance was a sea of humanity.
As people moved into the center, their eyes were greeted by various medium-to-large facilities incorporating cutting-edge magical engineering technology. The training areas were divided by building, each tailored to the innate talents of different hero positions.
Building A housed training facilities for physical, mutation, and enhancement-type heroes. Occasionally, harsh mechanical sounds and ear-splitting explosions emanated from this building.
In contrast, Building B was dominated by natural, summoning, and manipulation-type heroes. Some were disassembling objects in an instant, while others floated in mid-air, meditating and attuning to the surrounding magical energy.
The highly anticipated Building C featured state-of-the-art holographic training rooms. Heroes in this building honed their crisis management skills through various simulations. Scenarios such as bombings, hostage situations, and battles against major villains were recreated with holographic graphics indistinguishable from reality, allowing heroes to immerse themselves in realistic training.
The largest public training room in Building C, visible through reinforced glass, attracted the most spectators. The Metropolis Training Center spanned approximately 980,000 square meters, making it the largest facility on the East Coast of the United States. Despite being frequented mainly by specialized personnel, it had a daily foot traffic of around 5,000 people.
Murmurs filled the air.
The bustling atmosphere of the Metropolis Center suddenly grew more chaotic. A muscular black man, peeking his head out from the crowd, exclaimed in awe.
“Oh, Volcano!”
America’s S-rank hero, Volcano, was a man as formidable as his name suggested. As he strode confidently, the crowd parted like the Red Sea.
“Oh, wow! Those must be the new recruits of the Guardians. They’re all so beautiful.”
“Man, being an S-rank hero means you get to hang out with goddesses like them.”
The crowd cheered for Volcano’s arrival, but their admiration quickly shifted to the three stunning female heroes following him.
The mixed-race woman with blue hair flaunted her sleek figure in a hero suit as dark as the night sky. The white woman with a radiant, floral appearance seemed to spread a floral fragrance with every smile. Trailing behind them, a girl who hadn’t yet reached adulthood exuded a cute and charming allure.
Except for the girl, Volcano and the women basked in the attention as they walked towards the hologram center in Building C. Naturally, the center’s visitors trailed behind them.
“Fury, isn’t this the power of a large clan? It feels like everyone is looking up to us.”
“Hohoho, let’s enjoy this moment. Honestly, we’re all beautiful, aren’t we?”
The heroes, reminiscent of high school movie protagonists, complimented each other and shared laughter. The crowd, already captivated by their charm, followed them with smiles.
“Hero suits are the best outfits. How can they look so sexy without any exposure?”
“No wonder Volcano takes care of them. Is he dating one of them?”
“I’m so jealous… I wish I had talents as fiery as Volcano’s.”
Whether industry professionals or heroes, everyone was abuzz with the appearance of Volcano and the rookie heroes. There were only 80 S-rank heroes across the entire United States. How could B-rank or lower heroes not admire someone like Volcano?
“What did you say? I can’t hear you well.”
“Uh, the reservation…”
“What? Surely you’re not telling me that I, Volcano, can’t use the facilities? Oh, friend, please tell me that’s not the case.”
Meanwhile, at Building C, Volcano was having a minor dispute with the facility manager. The staff member, sweating profusely under the intense gaze of the S-rank hero, was at a loss.
“N-no, sir! We’ll prepare it immediately.”
“Hahaha! That’s what you should’ve said from the start. See those kids behind me? They’re the new recruits of our clan, the Guardians. You just tried to embarrass me in front of them. What do you think that does to me? It makes me very, very angry, right?”
Rumble—
“H-hik! S-s-sorry!”
The staff member’s breathing grew ragged, exposed to Volcano’s intense magical energy waves. In front of an S-rank hero, all the staff could do was quickly hand over the training room.
Heroes observing from a distance shook their heads and clicked their tongues.
“Tsk tsk. How clueless can you be? How will he survive in this harsh world?”
“Exactly. Who can stop an S-rank hero from using the facilities?”
The heroes, who had been excited by the arrival of Volcano and the beautiful female heroes, were now busy watching the large circular training room through the glass. Volcano wasn’t starting the hologram program immediately; instead, he was giving advice to the beautiful rookie heroes.
At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from the lounge and, upon seeing the scene, tilted his head in confusion.
“Hmm? Isn’t that Volcano? Hey, Cain, what happened to the 4 PM test reservation? You said a supervisor was needed?”
“Uh… well, Volcano just barged in. You might as well take a break.”
“Goodness, you’ll need to explain this well to the reservation holders. They might not understand the situation, especially since they’re foreigners. Ah! It looks like they’re coming now.”
As the supervisor had mentioned, a group of distinct-looking Asians was entering the lobby of Building C. Though they lacked the heroic aura of Volcano and his companions, they possessed a certain mysterious charm.
‘Where have I seen them before?’
The supervisor felt a sense of familiarity with the hero in the center, who had blue eyes, but couldn’t quite place him.
Step. Step.
One of the more ordinary-looking Asians approached. He was a civilian with no magical energy.
“We have a 4 PM reservation. It was made under the Harmony Clan.”
“Ah, I see. Unfortunately, it seems today’s test won’t be possible.”
“What? Why?”
“You might not know, but the man inside is S-rank hero Volcano. He’s a fiery character. He’s using the training room with his rookies, and he won’t be budging anytime soon.”
The supervisor believed he had explained the situation well enough for the foreigners to understand. However, the Asian man questioned him as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“What do you mean he won’t budge? It’s almost 4 PM, the time we reserved.”
“Hahaha, let me explain again. S-rank hero Volcano is currently using the training room. I don’t know how things work in your country, but this is America. Who can stop an S-rank hero? Anyone would have given way, not just you. Please don’t misunderstand this as discrimination against foreigners.”
“Ah, I see.”
The Asian man nodded as if he finally understood the supervisor’s words. However, he showed no intention of backing down and persisted.
“I thought we might have mistaken the reservation time. If that’s the case, it’s fine. We’ll handle it ourselves.”
“What? Hahaha! Hmm, let me give you some sincere advice. This is my last warning. Whatever you’re planning, you should stop immediately. Even if you get beaten to death, Volcano will only receive a light punishment and resume his hero activities. In other words, it would be a pointless death.”
The supervisor genuinely worried about these seemingly clueless Asians. The notion that heroes were inherently just was outdated. Over time, the American hero spirit had become rougher and more intense. Even Vanguard, the second-ranked hero in the U.S., continued his activities despite behavior that sometimes bordered on villainous.
If Volcano burned them to death, the Association wouldn’t impose severe penalties. They couldn’t risk upsetting him, as he might leave the country. S-rank heroes were invaluable national assets.
“That’s not something you need to worry about.”
“Hahaha.”
The supervisor let out a hollow laugh. These people were like moths to a flame.
“Are they insane?”
“They must have a death wish. There are many ways to commit suicide.”
People who overheard the conversation clicked their tongues at the arrogance of the Asian heroes. Challenging America’s S-rank hero Volcano? They must have multiple lives to spare.
“…So that’s how it is.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Bzzzz—
The blue-eyed hero, having received the report from his subordinate, finally opened the door to the hologram training room. Inside, Volcano, who had been delivering an impressive speech, frowned deeply.
“Who said you could just walk in?”
“And who gave you permission to be here?”
“Oh? Haha, hahahaha! Hahahahaha!”
It was absurd. It had been nearly ten years since someone had spoken to him like that.
“I won’t waste words. Get out. It’s our time to use this space.”
“Hahaha! Wow, so… huh?!”
Volcano’s eyes widened in surprise. It turned out that his opponent was a 5-star hero, and their magical energy seemed to surpass his own.
‘Who on earth is this?’
The blue-eyed hero was none other than Hero Isaac. However, to Volcano, he was an unfamiliar face.
‘Is he an S-rank who recently transferred to an American clan?’
Volcano made a reasonable assumption. America was a country that attracted talent from all over the world. With its groundbreaking immigration policies, it boasted a staggering 80 S-rank heroes.
‘But still, how could I not know about him?’
The reason Volcano didn’t recognize Isaac was due to the control exerted by the U.S. government and the Association. If it became known that Vanguard, the second-ranked hero in America, had been easily defeated by Isaac, it would negatively impact America’s prestige and credibility.
Thus, the media was tightly controlled, and American society had yet to acknowledge the existence of this irregular hero, Isaac.
Of course, the fact that he was a rising star who had defeated the Sword Emperor in a duel had become an international sensation. However, that news had not reached Volcano, who was generally not well-versed in foreign affairs.
‘So, this guy is just a foreign hero visiting America.’
America was Volcano’s home turf. Moreover, he was in front of his beautiful junior heroes. The option of stepping aside was not something his pride would allow.
Beep—
He discreetly manipulated his wrist device. Soon, a signal would summon his colleague to this location. Without knowing the newcomer’s abilities, it wouldn’t be wise to recklessly unleash his lava.
‘But if there are two of us, it’s a different story.’
He needed to stall for time without appearing cowardly. He had to do it naturally… but then…
“I’ll count to ten. One.”
The newcomer folded one finger.