“Let me ask you one last time. Do you truly wish to return to your original world?”
“Yes.”
In front of the foundation that worships the gods, a man and a woman faced each other in a vast space.
“Please stop and send me back now. I’ve done enough for you.”
The man, who had been kneeling respectfully, suddenly stood up.
In this world, this was the Korean man called Minold. Back on Earth, he was Kim Minjun.
“Ha…”
The woman, known as the Saintess, sighed as if she was used to this scene.
“I must remind you once again that I did not give you the job of dark mage because I hated you.”
“I hate you to death, Saintess.”
“Your foul mouth is a bit of a problem, but I’m really grateful for your quiet support for our empire.”
The Saintess continued to speak in a tone like she was soothing a child in order to persuade Kim Minjun.
“Although being a dark mage has a bad reputation in this world, we have a chance to change that perception thanks to you. Your achievements during this time are innumerable.”
“So what? People here stared at me like I was a monster.”
“About that… I apologize.”
Kim Minjun firmly rejected the Saintess’s entreaties.
Despite being slighted in this other world, he had reached the pinnacle of dark magic.
Power, honor, and wealth.
He was in a position where he could have as many women as he wanted if he wished.
Why…
However, Kim Minjun seemed to have no regrets about giving all of that up.
“You have power, honor, and immense wealth at your disposal. Why would you choose to throw all of that away?”
“Let’s stop this pitiful act now.”
“What?”
“It makes me want to puke.”
Kim Minjun glared at the Saintess.
It was a gaze that seemed like he would kill her at any moment.
The Saintess, taken aback by his gaze, stepped back one step.
“You dragged me here against my will and made me work like a maniac. And now what? You want me to serve you guys loyally behind the scenes?”
He then raised his right arm as if to show it to the Saintess.
“Did you know? If I could just get rid of this mark, you would have been the first to die.”
Kim Minjun’s hand currently bore the mark of the Saintess’s protection.
It was a mark that was practically no different from a collar, rather than actual protection.
“I’m sorry for the way you’ve been treated so far. If you would only stay in this world, I’ll do anything you want. Minold! Our empire would be…”
“Bring me some fried chicken.”
“What?”
“And some jokbal.”
The Saintess’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar words.
“Do you know? The food here is so disgusting. They feed me high-calorie snacks. What kind of pleasure can I get from living like this?”
“I-I’ll try to improve from now on!”
“Fine. Let’s say that’s settled. Next, bring me a computer with a super-fast internet connection and monster-like specs.”
“…”
The Saintess remained silent.
Of course, it was impossible.
This was the reason why I wanted to return to my original world.
Of course, the fact that the Saintess gave me a job to become a dark mage, a job with a trash-like reputation and performance, also played a part.
“…If that’s really your wish, Minold, I understand. Let’s begin the return ritual.”
In the end, the Saintess nodded as if resigned and headed toward the mana circle on her right.
“Hurry up. When I return, Dungeon Power Fighter‘s 4th awakening will be waiting for me. Maybe even the 5th awakening is out by now.”
“Du-Dungeon Power Fighter? What is that?”
“It’s a god-tier game among god-tier games. When I get back, I’ll start with the attendance check and then receive the rewards for returning users.”
“…Haah. Alright.”
She couldn’t understand what fried chicken and Dungeon Power Fighter meant.
In the end, the Saintess gave up on Minold completely.
She didn’t know what kind of trouble he would become if she provoked him further.
A moment later, the return ritual began on the mana circle.
“Don’t you need to call a knight? When you remove the mark, I might kill you.”
“I willingly accept it. It’s all my fault.”
“What a bore.”
Kim Minjun silently waited until the Saintess’ protection disappeared.
“Now, I’ll begin the next ritual.”
“From now on, I’ll do it, so you can leave.”
“Whack!”
As soon as Kim Minjun confirmed that the mark on his hand had disappeared, he grabbed the Saintess and threw her far away.
Of course, he gentlemanly threw her toward a place covered with soft fabrics.
“Why would I leave the power I’ve built up here? It’s obvious that I’m not giving up my power.”
Ssssshhh.
Black mana swirled around both of Kim Minjun’s hands and began emitting fiercely.
The mana instantly created a portal large enough for a person to go through.
“I’ve had a shitty time meeting you, and if we meet again, you better know that I’ll break your earthenware.”
“Minold! You shouldn’t hastily use dimensional travel like that…”
“I know.”
That’s why I’ve practiced it over a thousand times.
I was at the peak of dark magic.
Kim Minjun raised his middle finger toward the saint, then flew into the portal.
“May your mom and dad live long and healthy, you dog-like bitch!”
Eek!
The black portal disappeared with a loud noise as soon as Kim Minjun entered.
“Ah…”
The Saintess, left alone, closed her eyes as if she had a headache.
“Who do you think enjoys this? Crazy kid.”
Zap!
A portal opened in a small one-room apartment of about 2 pyeong[1].
“Gack!”
It spat out a man and then scattered into small particles.
“Phew… I thought I was going to be crushed while traveling between dimensions.”
Kim Minjun got up and looked around slowly.
Although he had been polishing his dark magic for his eventual return, this was the first time he actually went inside.
“I don’t mind if it’s not Korea; please let it be Earth. I beg you.”
It would be a headache if he had traveled to another dimension instead of Earth.
In that case, he would have to review the coordinates he had experimented with so far.
He picked up the smartphone on the desk first.
“Ah… this familiar touch.”
He clumsily operated it, and the screen displayed the Korean time and the background he had set.
[January 25, 2020]
[5:01 AM]
“Definitely my phone.”
Kim Minjun grinned contentedly, confirming the Dungeon Power Fighter illustration set as the background.
He had personally commissioned this picture with his own money from a webtoon artist.
“And this is my one-room apartment where I used to live.”
Moldy walls and ceiling.
And a single gaming laptop on the desk.
“I’m back… I’m finally back!”
Kim Minjun screamed with joy at his return to his hometown.
“Ah, look at my mind. There are only 50 minutes left until my Dungeon Power Fighter fatigue resets!”
Kim Minjun quickly turned on the laptop and launched the game.
Surprisingly, he was quite skilled at operating the game for someone who had lived in another world for over 20 years.
“As I expected, they released the 4th awakening. I wonder if I can get any resting rewards.”
Kim Minjun.
As of 2020, he is a 21-year-old young man.
In 2018, as a high school senior preparing for the college entrance exam, he was summoned to another world called Isgard by the Saintess’ call.
Isgard was a world where monsters that could only be seen in games roamed.
It would have been nice if he had become an unstoppable force after receiving special powers from the Saintess, like a typical overpowered character, but that was not the case.
Kim Minjun received the job of a dark mage from the Saintess, and without revealing his name, he worked behind the scenes.
Because dark mages were such a despised profession.
“Damn it. I never intended to help them in the first place.”
Kim Minjun fought like crazy with the surrounding monsters and sometimes the soldiers of the enemy nation to become stronger, no—
To return to Earth.
He thought that if he became stronger, he might acquire a skill allowing him to travel to different dimensions.
Of course, he only realized later that his actions had greatly benefited the empire that had summoned him.
“Why would I give back the power I worked so hard for? That’s crazy.”
His current mana was completely empty, and his physical abilities were not as good as before, but it didn’t matter.
There wouldn’t be much need for this power in the future.
Just like this, for 100 years, even if Dungeon Power Fighter goes bankrupt, he would enjoy his life by acquiring the company.
Kim Minjun hummed a tune and waited for the game screen to load.
“Ah, shit. Why is the internet so slow here? Is the 200 kb download speed for real?”
“Creack!”
A monster’s scream came from outside while he was complaining about the slow internet speed.
Bang! Bang!
And then, the sound of gunfire followed.
“Could it be noisy because a hound has appeared nearby?”
He didn’t care much and carefully read the game patch notes.
I’m sure the dungeon phenomenon first appeared when I was 7.
Even then, monsters appeared, and I remember soldiers beating them.
“Growl!”
“Ah, these dog-like bastards! So noisy!”
The never-ending gunfire and the scream of the monster.
Kim Minjun opened the window to see what they were up to.
“Wait a minute.”
Seeing the sight outside the window, he quickly went outside the house.
Something was strange.
This was not the Korea he knew.
“What’s going on? Why is this happening?”
At a distance of about 100 meters, hounds and soldiers dressed in hunter’s uniforms were fighting.
Of course, that could be possible.
Occasionally, monsters would form a pack and come out of the dungeon.
“Is there a dungeon around here?”
As he looked around, all he saw were monster corpses.
The smell of rotting monster corpses and blood.
On top of that, there were collapsed buildings.
It looked like a battlefield?
No, it resembled a scene from an apocalypse.
“Ugh! Did a dungeon break happen here? Why are there so many hounds!”
“How would I, a mere corporal, know! One is heading your way!”
About ten soldiers swiftly divided their roles and skillfully dealt with the hounds.
“I should ask those men something. This doesn’t seem like the Korea I know.”
Kim Minjun leisurely stretched and decided to wait until the soldiers’ battle was over.
“Huh? Corporal Choi Inho!”
“Why, when I’m about to die from exhaustion!”
“Sir, there’s a civilian over there!”
“What?”
Choi Inho, who was stabbing a knife into a hound’s side in the front row, turned his gaze upon hearing his junior’s urgent words.
As the guy said, a student looked at them as if they were fascinating.
“Damn! This is a restricted area for civilians! He looks like a high school student, but what were the guards doing?!”
Choi Inho immediately left the formation.
He followed the Hunter Army’s manual to prioritize civilian protection.
“Why? Why is that man coming towards me?”
Kim Minjun tilted his head as he saw one of the soldiers gesturing him.
On top of that, the soldier’s expression looked urgent.
Did he need to use the bathroom so urgently?
“Student! Come over here quickly!”
“Corporal Choi Inho! There’s one more hound on the right! It’s dangerous!”
“Damn!”
Upon hearing those words, the soldier quickly took out a mana gun from his waist.
He then fired warning shots toward the hound coming from Kim Minjun’s right side.
“Grr! Grr!”
But as if it didn’t matter, the hound kicked off the ground with its four legs and jumped toward Kim Minjun.
“Young one!”
Choi Inho closed his eyes momentarily, sensing the tragedy that was about to unfold.
Now, that hound would mercilessly bite the helpless civilian’s neck.
And he had to witness that scene.
“…Huh?”
But what he imagined didn’t happen.
[1] Pyeong is a traditional Korean unit of area, equivalent to approximately 3.3 square meters.
