Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan

Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 036

– Splat! –

– Splat!! –

The ferocious tree monster relentlessly unleashed a storm of leaves, striking the shield continuously. The canopy of the tree monster was still abundant, seemingly regenerating leaves as it continued to shoot them.

‘Let’s try this.’

Feeling like I was just consuming useless Magic Stone Fragments, I took out the music box I had carefully stored in the inventory. It was the powerful weapon I received from the Assistant on the third floor. Additionally, I pulled out the toy microphone I grabbed on the second floor and turned them both on, placing them near the music box.

– DJ ~ DDJ–

The decorations resembling happy parents and a child began to spin, and a melodic tune that seemed almost audible resonated through the microphone.

The musical scale of the music box matched the song sung by the girl on the second floor since I had played the accompaniment. I could immediately recognize the similarity.

‘The mind control is coming.’

Initially, there was no apparent change in the tree monster. However, after about twenty seconds, the onslaught of leaves significantly decreased.

The music box’s sound had influenced the corrupted mind of the monster. As the members noticed the abnormality, their expressions changed immediately.

“Unleash the radiance.”

– Wooong.

–

In response to my signal, seo Eun-ha’s radiance enveloped the members once again. Following that, hwang Man-deuk and Yeo Jin-soo rushed out aggressively.

– Kdd, Paddadd –

The lower part of the monster’s trunk opened as if in convulsions, revealing a glimpse of the purple sphere. It seemed that the once family-oriented Lee Duman, driven by the sound of the music box, voluntarily exposed the weakness.

‘It’s a bit fishy.’

For a moment, the animosity toward the Seonhwa Group and the Black Cloak that made him like that surged. Even though I had turned my head and shook off the feeling, it lingered.

‘Control your temper, focus!’

– Swoosh! –

– Splash! –

Hwang Man-deuk’s punches and Yeo Jin-soo’s swordsmanship disrupted the tree branches. The purple sphere that had appeared like internal organs had writing engraved on it, and the members focused their attacks on that spot.

– Groooan…! –

The face of the tree monster elongated with a long moan. Lee Duman inside the purple sphere seemed to be suffering, tearing at his own head. The music box sound had successfully penetrated the monster’s corrupted mind, putting it in a state of stupor.

Lee Duman, in agony, looked pitiful to the point where even my dry sensitivity felt a twinge.

‘I hope his mental state is okay.’

I briefly observed Gil-seong, who was sitting and shooting with a precise posture. Lips sealed, firing bullets diligently, she seemed unaffected, showing no particular change in emotions. ‘Pity, can’t let him die.’ It seemed like any unnecessary emotions had been completely excluded.

Still, if someone asked if her state was normal, it wasn’t.

– Tang! Tang! –

“Hah, hah.”

Her face was pale. Breathing was irregular, and it seemed like an effect of excessive magic usage.

“Her body couldn’t keep up with her mind.”

The state of increased willpower turned out to bring anger instead. How ironic.

I decided to use the magic recovery potion I had generously stored in the inventory on Gil-seong.

The usage was simple. I just needed to touch the potion, press the use button while looking at Gil-seong.

– Zzim.

–

A blue light formed at my fingertips and extended towards Gil-seong.

‘I didn’t expect this kind of effect.’

It seemed like I was somehow pulling and pushing her magic.

I concealed my surprised feelings and directed the blue light, condensed at my fingertips, towards Gil-seong.

“… Huh!”

Gil-seong, who had shrugged once, turned her gaze following the blue light. Then, looking at me, she grinned.

I’m not sure how to react to this.

– Swoosh.

–

At that moment, a gold line was drawn across the purple sphere. It seemed on the verge of shattering.

– Goooo…! –

As soon as I activated the happiness circuit, the tree monster vigorously shook its branches. In an instant, a crimson energy burst forth, enveloping both the purple sphere and the entire tree.

The monster! Hwang Man-deuk and Yeo Jin-soo, who were close to the monster, hastily retreated.

– Hwarurur! –

Flames of negative energy clung to the front paw of the large Werebear, hwang Man-deuk.

“Kwaaargh!”

Hwang Man-deuk’s agonizing roar seemed fitting, and it wouldn’t be strange if his mind collapsed at that moment.

‘This!’

‘Ugh!’

Just as I was about to use the saved Holy Water in the inventory, a golden wave rose, enveloping the flames.

The golden light stretch out from Seo Eun-ha, who raised her hands forward. Apparently, the brilliance of Eun-ha’s light had the upper hand against the negative energy, causing the flames to subside, leaving only faint embers.

[The monster’s roots are being pulled out.]

[This is its last struggle.]

‘What’s next?’

Before I could even catch my breath, a message announcing the final phase of the tree monster appeared. In the blink of an eye, only about 5 minutes remained.

In response to the monster’s struggle, a grey whirlwind surrounded the sky, emitting a thunderous roar.

– Boom! Boom! Boom! –

‘This is insane.’

With a trembling sound, the trees grew. The weakness that was originally located at the base of the stem also shot up. The height reached was higher than most 5-story buildings.

– Gooooo! –

– Swoosh! –

The tree monster shook its head wildly as if possessed, and the leaf storm that tormented us throughout the battle swept over us again.

“Yeo Jin-soo, attack the weakness decisively.”

Not wanting to be held back by the monster’s momentum, I commanded Yeo Jin-soo to strike at its weakness. Jin-soo’s movements were swift, as if defying gravity, and the tree branches shot up vertically.

– Swoosh. –

– Clatter, clatter, clatter! –

However, just before reaching the weak point, branches sprouting from the stem blocked Jin-soo’s path. They were much faster and more numerous than before, making it impossible for her to advance, even when she slashed through them.

‘If it continues like this.’

At this distance, the only one who could attack the weak point was the main damage dealer, Gil-seong. The problem was that it seemed almost impossible for Gil-seong alone to break through the branches and destroy the purple sphere inside within 5 minutes.

‘Darn it. My leader skill isn’t ready yet.’

The battle gauge had now just crossed 70%. It was filling up slower than I expected. In terms of gauge efficiency, it seemed that the members taking damage from the monster were contributing less to filling the gauge than they were taking damage.

In the previous Bidam Art Hall, the members didn’t accumulate a massive gauge instantly when they were pierced by the beams of light.

‘First, let’s charge.’

Calling out Hwang Man-deuk and Yeo Jin-soo to the main force, I once again consumed a magic fragment to charge the shield to 100%.

I was bleeding money in real-time as I charged the shield.

– Re-re-re-re-re! –

The rain of leaves struck the shield noisily. The tree monster also unleashed its full power, and the force of the leaves became even stronger, causing the shield gauge to decrease more rapidly.

‘Think, think.’

It was unclear how long this onslaught would continue. The melody of the music box also seemed to have lost its effectiveness.

A few seconds later, a pain as if my head was splitting emerged. A somewhat realistic solution came to mind.

‘… I guess there’s no other way.’

If the members were to fly and receive fatal damage, a massive amount of battle gauge would instantly fill up, and then using Final Finish immediately might prevent anyone from dying.

If the monster’s momentum didn’t subside until 1 minute before Time Attack, it seemed like there was no other choice.

‘But it’s too risky.’

Would it be better if I just let myself get pierced by the leaves here? Commanding the members to extend their arms outside the shield seemed a bit unreasonable, and if I made up any random reason for them to do it…

“I can do it!”

While I was seriously contemplating, Gil-seong came in cheerfully.

I understand that you’re under the influence of a status ailment, and you’re full of determination. However, Gil-seong’s magic circuit had already reached its limit…

“Because I’m a Hero!”

– Thud! Boom! Time! Woosh! –

Gil-seong fired two explosive shots.

Some of the branches surrounding the monster’s weak point were destroyed, revealing a gap in the air.

“Cough! In, in this situation… the carry has to be done by the main damage dealer!”

Isn’t it inappropriate to say such things with black dried blood streaming down from your mouth? The magic circuit should have been damaged as much as it could be.

– Wooong –

Eun-ha’s radiance enveloped the team. When it seemed like chaos was about to ensue, she was stopping them, but now she was cheering them on. It was confusing.

Could this girl sincerely fight, willing to sacrifice herself to protect others? How was that even possible? Was it just because she was a hero?

– Wooong.

–

In response to Gil-seong’s shout, Jin-soo’s sword surged with blue magic power. Hwang Man-deuk, resembling a bear, pounded his chest and roared, while Eun-ha, despite frowning, continued to raise her radiance.

Suddenly, I felt like I had forgotten something important.

‘Is that so?’

Now, a nostalgic sentiment surfaced.

The romance of conquering the heavens as a seasoned player, raiding in Season 1 of Clan of Heroes, and forgetting about it.

The reason why I couldn’t help but immerse myself in this game.

‘Right. They were like this.’

The noble mission of a hero overcoming a desperate crisis. A dream of becoming someone special, which I often dreamed of but always remained ordinary. Clan of Heroes made me feel like a special person, even if it was just in a mobile game.

‘These kids and I are different.’

I, who only tried to rely on the leader skill, might not understand something unknown that these kids possess.

Thinking about using these heroes as a source of battle gauge supply was a disqualification for the leader qualification.

– J-DD-♬…..

–

The music box stopped. A special move that an ordinary leader could do for these heroes suddenly came to mind.

‘I recorded a song.’

Let’s see how far we can go with this.

I took out my smartphone, placed it in front of the toy microphone, and played the recorded song of the little girl from the 2nd floor.

– DJ-D-A –

A passage passed. It was a piano sound I played. Through a simple melody line, the innocent voice of the child recited the cute lyrics.

– Wooong….

–

Even amid the monster’s screams and the storm of leaves, the child’s song resonated like a warm spring breeze on the rooftop of a department store where dark clouds were swirling.

– Re-re-re-re-re! –

– Thud! Thud! Bam! –

As the memorized leaves spread throughout, dozens of tendrils of branches shot up from the surrounding ground. In the moment they attempted to strike the shield, Yeo Jin-soo darted out like an arrow, wielding her sword.

– Shazajajak! –

The child’s song couldn’t calm the tree monster. Instead, it violently shook its branches as if rejecting memories of its past.

– Woooww…

–

However, the painful child’s song, which was also the agony of the tree monster, brought a stirring resonance that could touch the soul of another.

[Gil-seong attempts a breakthrough.]

[Gil-seong’s breakthrough probability: 3%]

“……!”

A breakthrough. It’s when a hero surpasses the limits of their talent and reaches a higher level.

‘Stars,’ also known as spirituality, create another powerful spec-up means.

‘I don’t know why. But if it happens like this………….’

Whether her past overlapped with the little girl or her pure hero’s pride boiled up, it was time to push Gil-seong forward.

‘Maybe it will fail. Still, I’ll invest.’

I opened the inventory and used one phantom Stone to adjust the probability of the hero’s rapid reinforcement and four Breakthrough Stones on Gil-seong.

They were absorbed into Gil-seong from my right hand with a clear white energy wave.

[Gil-seong’s soul is stirring!]

[Gil-seong’s breakthrough probability: 13%]

“My, my power is rising.”

“What are you doing? Didn’t you learn how to handle a laser gun in your dreams? Bring that out at least.”

“……!”

[Gil-seong’s soul is stirring!]

[Gil-seong’s breakthrough probability: 14%]

‘What’s this?’

With such a casual suggestion, the reinforcement probability increased by 1%.

‘What did I touch?’

Perhaps she was moved by the trust in her dream story. I just mentioned the skills she could use when she becomes 2-star…

‘Just stop looking.’

I’ll have holes in my face.

Despite my sulky expression, Gil-seong didn’t care and remained true to her emotions.

“Leader is a good person.”

“… Don’t whine.”

– Zing – Whoosh! –

– Clunk. Whee-ting. Dung! –

The sniper rifle’s complex structure rearranged itself into a futuristic, long-blaster gun design that looked like it could come out of a future background FPS game.

Gil-seong, who became serious as if saying, “When did I smirk?”, rotated the barrel. A thick, rumbling energy gathered as she did.

‘Not flashy, but…’

It might be due to the added excitement and nostalgia correction. The current Gil-seong looked very cool.

– Zing-!-

[Gil-seong used ‘Creation Beam’!]

[You feel proud of the member’s growth.]

… Don’t judge my emotions arbitrarily. Well, it’s true that I feel proud. Besides that, there are various complex and subtle emotions going on.

– Shoo-! –

– Crack! Crackle! –

The thick red trajectory pierced through the monster’s weakness. When the laser beam’s powerful output caused the aim to deviate, hwang Man-deuk supported Gil-seong’s back and held her shaking arm.

– Zazajajak! Zyaak! –

As Jun-su’s sword cut through the tentacle branches and sharp leaves, a red dotted line completely penetrated the weakness of the tree monster, leaving a long trace.

[The monster is withering away.]

– Hwaaaah…! –

The tree monster quickly withered away. With thin screams, the branches split, and the broken wood slowly turned into dust carried away by the wind.

[VICTORY!]

[The Rift has been purified.]

[You have gained 100 points.]

The swirling vortex of clouds mysteriously dispersed. The sky, heavily tinted with sunset, unfolded, and the surroundings, once consumed by negative energy, returned to reveal the familiar urban landscape of Seoul.

However, the city that should be peaceful was no longer a safe place.

– Kukugwagwag! –

… It felt like I was dreaming.

Before I could fully enjoy the rare feeling of relief, something strange appeared on the eight-lane road just two blocks away.

– Keeeeeek! –

– Sluggish. Sluggish.

–

Dozens of large monsters. Among them, a large monster that seemed to weigh tens of tons…

It was in the 70-level range.

“Darn it.”