Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 164

The Great War of Humans and Demons (2)

South Korea’s military forces were deployed to the front lines in preparation for the demonic army.
Tanks encased in steel armor were lined up in an orderly fashion facing the sea, while state-of-the-art fighter jets circled above, ready to execute their missions at any moment.
Marines and special forces equipped with magitech weaponry infiltrated the foliage and cities, coldly observing the enemy’s movements.
Fifty naval vessels were prepared to strike the enemy with artillery and missiles, while firefighters and relief units were stationed in the rear, ready to engage in rescue operations at any time, maintaining a flawless combat posture.
Meanwhile, A-rank and higher heroes boarded ships, watching the slowly approaching demonic army from the front lines.
B-rank and lower heroes were stationed on land, operating large and medium-sized magitech equipment units for the battle against the colossal monsters.
All of South Korea’s available forces were concentrated on the East Sea.
“This is truly an apocalyptic disaster.”
On the deck of the 166-meter-long Sejong the Great-class destroyer Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, the white-haired swordsman Hero Sword Emperor muttered grimly.
Standing beside him, the middle-aged man in uniform, the new chairman of the Hero Association, Mechanical Commander, nodded in agreement.
“The surveyors’ report just came in. The enemy forces include two Emperor-class monsters and fifty Lord-class. Additionally, there are ten thousand Champion-class, and a combined total of twenty million rare and common types.”
“…That’s absurd. We have a few trump cards ourselves, but this will be an incredibly tough battle. Even if Isaac steps in, how can we possibly annihilate such a vast army? Yet, we must fight. We must kill those monsters and honor the spirits of our fallen comrades.”
Flash!
At that moment, a beam of light pierced through the thick dark clouds, descending into the midst of the enemy ranks.
Mechanical Commander’s eyes lit up, and he shouted as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Deploy the multi-layered wide-area protective barrier.”
Buzz!
In an instant, radiant waves of light spread out in the vast sky, merging into a colossal protective barrier that encompassed the entire nation.
Buzz—
Not stopping there, additional protective barriers of purple and crimson hues were deployed behind the radiant barrier, forming a thick shield.
As the wide-area protective barrier was being deployed, three more beams of light descended onto the East Sea.
──────────!
Soon, intense light erupted, illuminating the darkened East Sea area as if it were broad daylight. Multiple nuclear bombs had been dropped on the demonic army’s camp.
Boom!
The shockwaves slashed through the protective barrier, accompanied by deafening explosions that seemed to tear eardrums apart.
The three-layered wide-area protective barrier barely withstood the shockwaves of the nuclear explosions.
A black cloud of dust completely enveloped the barrier, shrouding the surroundings in darkness once again.
Buzz.
The explosive sounds subsided after a few minutes. In the distant East Sea, where the dark clouds had evaporated, the demonic army was surrounded by a shroud of dark red light.
The ships, warships, and even the large monsters and distant common and rare demons suffered massive casualties, with countless demonic corpses floating in the sea.
However, the aerial warships and fleet, cloaked in the dark red shroud, continued their advance, indifferent to their own losses.
Swoosh—
Boom!
Boom!
The advanced missiles, main cannons, and dark red beams of the demonic army struck the wide-area protective barrier.
Their long-range attacks persisted for thirty minutes.
Despite being exposed to various elemental attacks and demonic energy, the three-layered wide-area protective barrier held firm, withstanding all attacks without even a scratch on its surface.
Swoosh.
Swoosh!
A colossal monster at the rear of the demonic army advanced, causing shallow tidal waves.
The gigantic monster, nearly 1 km in height, had the horn and face of a rhinoceros and a sleek body resembling that of a sea lion.
As the grotesque giant monster neared the wide-area protective barrier, the A-rank heroes on the ship’s deck soared into the air on small levers.
They swiftly passed through the barrier, targeting the monster’s neck and face with their unique abilities.
Enraged, the colossal monster let out a thunderous roar and rammed its head into the barrier.
Boom!
A crack appeared in the seemingly unbreakable barrier.
The demonic army rallied, sending out hundreds of Champion-class elite soldiers. The A-rank heroes attacking the giant monster became entangled in a chaotic melee with them.
Roar…!
After two hours of fierce battle, the giant monster began to topple, its massive body collapsing to the side. The sea surged, shaking the area as if an earthquake had struck.
Thud! Thud!
As heavy drumbeats echoed from the demonic camp, the Champion-class elite demonic soldiers fighting the A-rank heroes spread their demonic wings and retreated to their base.
The injured A-rank heroes, avoiding unnecessary risks, returned inside the protective barrier with minimal casualties, while fifty elite demonic soldiers lost their lives, disregarding their own safety.
Moments later, sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, and the day gradually brightened. Although the weather remained gloomy, the morale of South Korea, having won the first battle, was soaring.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Half a day after the skirmish ended, the sound of drums echoed again from the demonic camp.
A solitary dark red light emerged among them, approaching the wide-area protective barrier. Following the first light, fifty demons spread their wings and flew up, trailing behind.
Flash!
Roar…!
The dark red light split open, revealing a high-ranking demon with jet-black skin and red eyes.
The demon stood well over 2 meters tall, with bulging muscles and sharp spikes protruding from its elbows and heels.
Sensing the formidable presence of the high-ranking demon, the heroes wore grim expressions.
The fifty demons following him shed their human forms, reverting to their true appearances.
Each of the demons had sharp teeth in their mouths, and their forms varied, resembling birds, centipedes, beetles, tigers, and other demonic entities.
Roar—!
“Stop!”
As the high-ranking demon gathered dark energy in his palm, the Hero Sword Emperor, who had been quietly watching them, flew up on his celestial steed.
Following him, South Korea’s S-rank heroes—Fox Spirit, Electric Guy, and Poker Boy—soared on simplified levers, channeling their magical energy.
The high-ranking demon, who had been about to pierce through the three-layered protective barrier, sighed and spoke.
“Oh! You have a delightful scent. Are you an awakened one? Is there no other awakened being in this country? Those behind you don’t seem very appetizing.”
The high-ranking demon’s words flowed into Sword Emperor’s mind, translated so he could understand.
Using the method of conveying meaning directly rather than words, Sword Emperor employed the technique of Hyegwang mind language.
“You seem like someone I can communicate with. I won’t repeat myself. Attacking South Korea is not a wise decision. Your forces and ours are evenly matched, leading only to mutual destruction. It’s not too late to withdraw your troops.”
“Evenly matched? What makes you so confident? Aside from you and the 5-star spiritual beings behind you, I don’t sense any elite forces. Not to mention the disparity in magitech capabilities. Your country doesn’t even seem to have the technology to produce aerial warships. If you’re relying on those noisy bombs from earlier, I suggest surrendering immediately. That level of technology won’t stand a chance against us.”
Despite the high-ranking demon’s relaxed demeanor, Sword Emperor maintained a poker face, continuing the first negotiation with the demonic forces.
“That’s a hasty judgment. This country, and our Earth civilization, has irregulars who have surpassed the realm of awakening. If they step in, even you won’t last beyond three seconds.”
“Ah! I’ve heard from the Great Demon Lord. There’s a 6-star spiritual being in this small adjacent realm. Was that person the father of your nation?”
The Emperor-class high-ranking demon, despite his rough appearance, seemed to possess a cautious nature. Upon hearing mention of the irregular, he retracted the demonic energy he had unleashed.
“That’s correct. Engaging in a war where both sides only incur losses is pointless. I hear you’ve simultaneously invaded major countries on Earth. It’s better to find a compromise through dialogue now.”
“Hmm. For starters, do you realize we don’t even know each other’s names? Please, tell me your real name and origin.”
“I am the Hero Sword Emperor of South Korea. My real name is Baek Mu-seong.”
“I am Mu Mang, Demon Lord of the Northern Demons of the Eight Desolate Worlds. Well, now that we’ve introduced ourselves, it’s time to fulfill our respective duties. Unfortunately, I must destroy your country to harvest a large amount of spiritual energy.”
Roar…!
The once calm atmosphere began to stir again as Demon Lord Mu Mang unleashed his pitch-black demonic energy.
A bitter sigh of emotion filled Sword Emperor’s eyes.
“In the end, war is the fate of animals that form groups.”
Clang.
Buzz—
Raising his sword, Sword Emperor assumed the stance for the second form of the Harmony Heart Sword, becoming as sharp as a keen blade that could cut through anything.
Demon Lord Mu Mang, seemingly pleased with Sword Emperor’s bold demeanor, burst into hearty laughter.
“Haha! Excellent. Whether seeking the enhancement of spiritual energy or pursuing endless mutations, spiritual beings and monsters both strive for infinite martial prowess! We are each other’s prey and teachers. Let’s withdraw our subordinates and engage in a life-and-death duel.”
“That is what I wished for.”
Buzz!
Sword Emperor’s blade gleamed, and 32 sword lights unfolded around him, slowly rotating.
In response, Demon Lord Mu Mang infused his claws with demonic energy, sharpening and hardening them like blades.
Harmony Heart Sword
Second Form
Heavenly Edge Flowing Moon
The sword, imbued with a silvery glow, hummed.
The moonlight-like flash extended as the most ideal choice among infinite possibilities, clashing with the demon lord’s claws, fully embodying the essence of unity between heaven and earth.
The wind was his friend, and the sea was his home.
As the seamless combination of Heavenly Edge Flowing Moon began, the previously confident Demon Lord showed signs of alarm.
Slash!
Flash!
The silvery flashes continued to surge, sometimes vertically, sometimes horizontally, and sometimes diagonally. Sword Emperor’s relentless sword strikes left no gaps.
“Impressive!
The Demon Lord’s right arm twitched and ignited with dark flames. His fist, brimming with dense black demonic energy, aimed to strike Sword Emperor’s abdomen.
Harmony Heart Sword
First Form
Pressing Sword to Ward Off Evil
Boom!
With his extensive combat experience, Sword Emperor countered the attack using the first form of the Harmony Heart Sword, the only defensive technique of the style.
Rumble.
Crash!
The clash between the two titans caused the heavens and earth to tremble.
South Korean heroes and soldiers watched the duel with bated breath, while the demons eagerly anticipated devouring the humans.
Clang—!
Crack! Thud—!
In just thirty seconds, Sword Emperor and the Demon Lord exchanged hundreds of blows. Each clash between blade and claw seemed to distort space itself.
As Sword Emperor continued to deflect or counter with his exquisite swordsmanship, the Demon Lord suddenly opened his mouth wide and fired a dark red beam.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Caught off guard, Sword Emperor was grazed by the beam, sustaining an injury to his side.
With renewed determination, 32 swords rose in a fan shape above Sword Emperor’s head.
Harmony Heart Sword
Fifth Form (Secret Technique)
Nine Heavens’ Perfection
The ultimate swordsmanship, achieving unity of heaven and earth, was unleashed towards the Demon Lord. Each of the 32 beams of light was a razor-sharp sword.
Panicked, the Demon Lord hastily retrieved a purple shield from his demonic space, raising it in front of him. The shield rapidly expanded, completely enveloping him.