Min-ho's eyes locked onto the Goblin King. Something about its towering frame, its glowing eyes, stirred an old memory raw and painful.
Before the fear could take hold, Min-ho dashed forward. His fist swung with everything he had.
Clang!
The Goblin King blocked it with ease, its massive wooden sword crashing against his arm like steel. The impact sent a jolt of pain through him.
Min-ho gritted his teeth and pressed on, throwing punch after punch, kick after kick. But the King was faster, heavier, relentless. Each swing of its sword forced Min-ho back, the weight behind it far greater than anything he'd faced before.
Step by step, he was losing ground.
The Goblin King swung again, the wooden blade tearing through the air with brutal force. Min-ho barely slipped past it, the wind of the strike grazing his cheek. His arms ached, his breathing grew heavy.
I can't win… not now.
The truth hit him hard. Every strike he threw was met with twice the power. Every dodge only bought him a second more. He was being pushed back, cornered.
He forced himself forward one last time, landing a desperate punch against the King's chest. It barely staggered the monster. The King roared, raising its sword high.
Min-ho's instincts screamed. He didn't hesitate he turned and bolted, sprinting toward the gate.
The moment before the blade could fall, he slipped through the portal.
And just like that, the endless white vanished.
Min-ho collapsed onto his room floor, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving. His knuckles throbbed, his body screamed in pain but he was alive.
Too strong… I can't beat it. Not yet.
The white dungeon faded, and Min-ho collapsed onto his floor, gasping for air. A second later, the gate behind him flickered and vanished.
He sat there, staring at his trembling hands.
Why me? Why can I summon this place? I've never heard of anyone else with this kind of power…
His thoughts raced.
If I can call it whenever I want… if I can summon monsters I imagine… this could be my way to grow stronger.
The idea lit a fire inside him. Still sore, he reached for his weapon and gripped it tight.
"Let's try again."
The gate shimmered back into existence at his will. Without hesitation, Min-ho stepped inside.
The white void welcomed him once more. His mind sharpened, focusing on the memory of the Goblin King.
And just like before, the ground rippled summoning it before him.
The Goblin King appeared with a roar, its wooden blade raised high.
Min-ho gritted his teeth and rushed forward. Steel clashed against wood, the impact shaking his arms.
The king swung hard. Min-ho barely blocked, his knees buckling under the force. He slid back, breath ragged.
It pressed forward, relentless. Each strike was heavier than the last.
Min-ho ducked under a wide slash and countered, his blade cutting across its arm. The king roared, staggering, but didn't stop.
They traded blows—slash, block, dodge. His body screamed in pain, but he pushed on.
Finally, with a desperate thrust, Min-ho's sword pierced its chest.
The Goblin King froze. Then, slowly, its body dissolved into white fragments.
Min-ho dropped to his knees, drenched in sweat, clutching his weapon.
"I… I actually did it."
Min-ho lay flat on the dungeon floor, chest still rising and falling from the fight.
His mind wandered.
Time doesn't move here… I could stay as long as I want.
He let the thought sink in before testing something new.
"Red Dragon," he muttered, focusing.
Nothing.
He frowned and tried again, this time picturing the Red Tiger.
Still nothing.
Min-ho clenched his fists.
So it only works with monsters I can actually fight? Or ones I've already seen?
The silence pressed in, giving no answer. He stood there, breathing hard, staring into the endless white. The idea of summoning something beyond him made his skin crawl—maybe it was better this way.
With a long exhale, he let the tension leave his body.
"Fine. I'll figure you out later."
And with that, he stepped out of the dungeon. The gate faded behind him.
Later, at dinner, Min-ho sat across from his mother, lost in thought. He pushed food around his plate, weighing his options.
"Min-ho," his mom said softly, watching him. "What's on your mind?"
He hesitated, then looked up.
"I was just… wondering if I should go on a raid tomorrow."
She paused, then gave a small smile.
"Do what feels right. Do what's best for you."
Her words settled over him. Simple, but grounding.
Min-ho's eyes locked onto the Goblin King. Something about its towering frame, its glowing eyes, stirred an old memory raw and painful.
Before the fear could take hold, Min-ho dashed forward. His fist swung with everything he had.
Clang!
The Goblin King blocked it with ease, its massive wooden sword crashing against his arm like steel. The impact sent a jolt of pain through him.
Min-ho gritted his teeth and pressed on, throwing punch after punch, kick after kick. But the King was faster, heavier, relentless. Each swing of its sword forced Min-ho back, the weight behind it far greater than anything he'd faced before.
Step by step, he was losing ground.
The Goblin King swung again, the wooden blade tearing through the air with brutal force. Min-ho barely slipped past it, the wind of the strike grazing his cheek. His arms ached, his breathing grew heavy.
I can't win… not now.
The truth hit him hard. Every strike he threw was met with twice the power. Every dodge only bought him a second more. He was being pushed back, cornered.
He forced himself forward one last time, landing a desperate punch against the King's chest. It barely staggered the monster. The King roared, raising its sword high.
Min-ho's instincts screamed. He didn't hesitate he turned and bolted, sprinting toward the gate.
The moment before the blade could fall, he slipped through the portal.
And just like that, the endless white vanished.
Min-ho collapsed onto his room floor, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving. His knuckles throbbed, his body screamed in pain but he was alive.
Too strong… I can't beat it. Not yet.
The white dungeon faded, and Min-ho collapsed onto his floor, gasping for air. A second later, the gate behind him flickered and vanished.
He sat there, staring at his trembling hands.
Why me? Why can I summon this place? I've never heard of anyone else with this kind of power…
His thoughts raced.
If I can call it whenever I want… if I can summon monsters I imagine… this could be my way to grow stronger.
The idea lit a fire inside him. Still sore, he reached for his weapon and gripped it tight.
"Let's try again."
The gate shimmered back into existence at his will. Without hesitation, Min-ho stepped inside.
The white void welcomed him once more. His mind sharpened, focusing on the memory of the Goblin King.
And just like before, the ground rippled summoning it before him.
The Goblin King appeared with a roar, its wooden blade raised high.
Min-ho gritted his teeth and rushed forward. Steel clashed against wood, the impact shaking his arms.
The king swung hard. Min-ho barely blocked, his knees buckling under the force. He slid back, breath ragged.
It pressed forward, relentless. Each strike was heavier than the last.
Min-ho ducked under a wide slash and countered, his blade cutting across its arm. The king roared, staggering, but didn't stop.
They traded blows—slash, block, dodge. His body screamed in pain, but he pushed on.
Finally, with a desperate thrust, Min-ho's sword pierced its chest.
The Goblin King froze. Then, slowly, its body dissolved into white fragments.
Min-ho dropped to his knees, drenched in sweat, clutching his weapon.
"I… I actually did it."
Min-ho lay flat on the dungeon floor, chest still rising and falling from the fight.
His mind wandered.
Time doesn't move here… I could stay as long as I want.
He let the thought sink in before testing something new.
"Red Dragon," he muttered, focusing.
Nothing.
He frowned and tried again, this time picturing the Red Tiger.
Still nothing.
Min-ho clenched his fists.
So it only works with monsters I can actually fight? Or ones I've already seen?
The silence pressed in, giving no answer. He stood there, breathing hard, staring into the endless white. The idea of summoning something beyond him made his skin crawl—maybe it was better this way.
With a long exhale, he let the tension leave his body.
"Fine. I'll figure you out later."
And with that, he stepped out of the dungeon. The gate faded behind him.
Later, at dinner, Min-ho sat across from his mother, lost in thought. He pushed food around his plate, weighing his options.
"Min-ho," his mom said softly, watching him. "What's on your mind?"
He hesitated, then looked up.
"I was just… wondering if I should go on a raid tomorrow."
She paused, then gave a small smile.
"Do what feels right. Do what's best for you."
Her words settled over him. Simple, but grounding.
——End of Chapter 7——