Inner World
If you came across a starving child overcome with hunger, what would you do? Every single person would feel compassion and want to give the kid some food—they couldn't just ignore it.
Sung-tae had been an utterly ordinary guy back on Earth, too. Sure, he had a bit more lustful thoughts than average, but otherwise, he was completely normal.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah... I'm hungry..."
He wanted to get some food for the kid. But this was a demon kings' gathering, and none of them needed to eat to survive—so unfortunately, there was no food laid out.
"You got a home around here?"
"No... no home..."
"What about your parents?"
"Gone... too..."
He'd asked just in case, but the kid was an orphan? Why was an orphan here, of all places? At a demon kings' meeting, no less. Hadn't any of the other demon kings noticed?
Well, makes sense. The kid's kinda see-through. I barely spotted him myself...
He didn't know the reason, but it was clear this wasn't a normal child. Fantasy world and all—could be some other race that just looked human. But whatever it was, a kid was a kid. A starving kid.
Sung-tae decided to take the child back to the Demon King Castle. Feed him up good—stuffed to the brim. Skeletons made up most of the residents, but there were minotaurs and other living monsters too, so the castle had plenty of food stocked away.
With that in mind, Sung-tae reached out to take the child's hand. But the kid weakly pushed it away.
"No... don't grab me."
"Why not? Come to my place. I'll make you all kinds of tasty stuff."
"Can't eat food... can't eat rice..."
"What're you talking about?"
"I only eat... stuff like this..."
The child struggled to his feet. He wobbled like he might topple over any second, but somehow kept his balance and staggered toward the demon kings, who were moping in defeat.
"Stuff like this..."
The kid reached out and grasped at empty air. Where there'd been nothing, a small black glow now shimmered in his hand.
It was the mana the demon kings were unconsciously emitting.
"This stuff... but it's too little... doesn't fill me up even if I eat it..."
"Hmm. What the hell is that?"
"Dunno. But everyone has it. Humans too... you uncles too... Humans keep it inside, so you gotta go in to get it... but eating what's inside kills 'em..."
"What?"
Anyone with a shred of insight would realize the kid was talking about life force and mana. Sung-tae got it too. He narrowed his eyes, studying the child closely.
Eats life force and mana? A demon king? Or some monster?
Two possibilities sprang to mind, but Sung-tae shook his head. This tiny, hunger-ravaged kid didn't look like either.
That left just one option: some unknown race, like he'd first thought. A species that fed on life force and mana. What the hell kind of creature was that?
"You eat what's inside people?"
"No... not anymore... did once before... they died... so I stopped... but I'm so hungry..."
"Ahem. I see."
He'd pegged the kid for a monster, but nope—this little guy had a good heart and didn't want to kill anyone.
"Can you tell how much of that 'food' is inside someone?"
"If I touch 'em, yeah... but I might eat it without thinking 'cause I'm hungry..."
"Then touch me. See how much I've got."
Sung-tae recalled the Administrator's words. He didn't remember it perfectly, but the key part stuck: Earth was a higher dimension, superior to this lower one in every way. If his guess was right, his life force had to outstrip anyone in this world.
"No... dangerous... might eat it right away..."
"It's fine."
A kid enduring brutal hunger just to avoid killing? With that kind of self-control, he'd hold back even seeing Sung-tae's life force.
Hunger was agony that drove people mad. Nothing worse than starving to death—and this kid was powering through it.
"O-okay... just a peek then..."
The child's tiny hand grasped Sung-tae's finger. Closing her eyes to peer into his inner world, she let out a gasp, her little mouth gaping wide.
"Whoa..."
She saw it: an endless wave of life force stretching before her. A vast inner world broader than any she'd glimpsed, capped by a golden sea that reached the horizon.
This much? She could eat forever and it wouldn't dwindle.
"Well? Lots?"
The kid nodded vigorously.
"Tons! More than you could eat in a lifetime!"
His guess was spot-on. Grinning with relief and joy at finding a way to feed the kid properly, Sung-tae beamed.
"Then eat up. Not all of it, though. Just enough to get full, got it?"
"Yeah!"
With that, the child vanished. Sung-tae felt a slight weight settle in his chest—he realized she'd entered his body.
Weird. Fantasy world's full of surprises.
"Garba, let's head back."
"Yes, my lord!"
＊＊＊
That night, too excited about the next demon kings' meeting to sleep, Sung-tae felt the heavy presence in his chest tugging at him. Not a rough pull—a polite knock, like it was asking permission.
"Huh? What the...?"
He closed his eyes, focusing on the call. His consciousness faded, and a new world unfolded before him.
A world of golden seas. Desks, chairs, books, and a computer scattered across the beach like driftwood.
"Where the hell am I?"
"This is... inside you... your inner world..."
Recognizing the voice, Sung-tae turned. There stood a golden-haired child, slumping with hunger.
Still starving—her tummy rumbled faintly amid the waves, clear as day.
"You haven't eaten yet?"
"Yeah... all that stuff over there... that's your life force... but there's too much..."
"Isn't more better?"
"Scared I'll eat too much... wanted permission first... so I called you..."
What an angelic heart! Food everywhere, piled like an ocean—and she still asked twice because it was his? What integrity!
Ugh!
Sung-tae suddenly felt pathetic by comparison. If it were him, he'd dive in headfirst, gorge till he burst. Hell, he'd probably rob someone else first, then justify it as survival of the fittest.
Hunger was that terrifying—a torment that broke minds. History books told of famines in Joseon or medieval times where people ate each other, parents devouring kids.
Overcoming that to call him again? Sung-tae went from admiring the kid to straight-up respecting her.
"Eat as much as you want... wait. How much to get full?"
"Hmm. Lemme try a little... never tasted life force this rich before..."
The child wobbled toward the golden sea. Looking ready to collapse, Sung-tae scooped her up.
"Th-thanks..."
Waves lapped at his knees as he gently set her down. Submerged to her waist, she scooped up a handful and sipped.
As the golden life force slid down her throat, a clear, fizzy gasp of delight burst out—like chugging soda on a hot day.
"Ahh! So good! Just a bit more and I'll be stuffed!"
"How much?"
"Hmm. Two more sips?"
"Huh? Just two sips?"
"Yeah! Super dense! A little goes a long way!"
Seeing her happy face, Sung-tae flashed a dad-smile.
Guess kids don't eat much. The one who died before must've been sick or something. Anyway, if this fills her up, I can feed her plenty from now on.
But Sung-tae didn't know: the healthy bandit she'd drained on that mountain path. Or that a single drop of his golden sea held the life force of a hundred grown men.
"Dig in then."
Time to head back. But since he was here, might as well look around. Sung-tae surveyed his inner world.
Clear skies, endless mountains and fields. Everything but the beach was pristine wilderness—no animals, not even birdsong.
Earth stuff littered the sand: school desks, home bookshelves, random junk like trash.
Spotting the computer, he hurried over like an alarm had blared.
"Damn. No dice."
He nudged the power button with his toe—nothing. Books and junk were fine, but no electricity meant no boot-up.
Inner world my ass. Why follow physics?
"A sea, though. Wild."
Gazing at his golden sea, Sung-tae marveled at the brilliance, staring deep. A cool breeze ruffled his hair. No insane strength or armor here—he savored the chill fully.
"But the beach is weird."
Beaches sloped naturally into the sea. His? A jagged cliff dropped right off the shallows, like someone scooped out the land with a giant shovel—or it just sheared away unnaturally.
"No sun or moon either."
He'd heard theories of Pacific trenches from fallen moons. Scanning the sky—nada. Without being an inner world, it'd be pitch black; some unknown light from above lit everything instead.
"Eh, probably just how it is."
Shrugging it off, he kept exploring.
"What's that?"
Far off, a massive round mountain loomed—with a sturdy iron door like a dungeon entrance.
"A dungeon in my inner world?"
Up close, engraved Hangul letters read:
『Lust.』
…Sung-tae snuck a glance at the kid. She'd just finished eating, sprawled on the sand with a blissful grin.
"Lust, huh. Locked behind a door like this..."
What lay beyond? All the lust that'd tormented him, sealed away?
Alone, he'd barge right in. But with the pure kid watching? No way.
"Lust... lust... if this is every dirty dream I've got..."
His imagination revved like an engine. All the forbidden stuff from reality, 2D fantasies, wildest delusions...
"Men's dream! Utopia!"
Thrilled, he shoved the door. It swung open easily, like it'd been waiting.
"What's inside? Please, God—let it be what I crave..."
"Whatcha doing?"
"Gah!"
The kid had snuck up, peering past him. Sung-tae blocked her view with his body.
"You living in me's cool, but stay outta here."
"Why?"
"Scary monster inside."
"Monster?"
Monsters were monsters. Lust—the beast every human harbored. Adults only beyond this point.
"Go play over there. Gotta secure the door. Whew—close call."
"Okay!"
Waiting till she wandered off with his lame acting, Sung-tae peeked in.
First thing: red light. Sticky, like a red-light district or butcher shop glow.
"Nothing here."
Just an empty cave bathed in red. No fantasies.
Then—a brilliant idea.
This is my inner world. Maybe it manifests what I imagine?
Think carefully. Act fast.
Focusing, he conjured naughty thoughts: women he'd longed to meet in this fantasy world. Elves topped the list.
"Oh yeah! Something's happening!"
The red glow deepened, coalescing into a huge crimson orb.
Turning into a person? His elf?
"Huff... huff..."
Eyes locked in anticipation, he watched the orb float toward him—then past, out the door.
"What? Why no change?"
Then, an ominous twinge. Inner world or not, he felt his body's senses.
"Wh-what?"
Very important. Super important.
"What the—!?"
His other self. Junior. Eternal bro. Treasure #1.
The little guy down south.
Man's symbol.
It was waking up.
"N-no!"
With enough force to shatter his precious armor.
In the Demon King Castle.
Where loyal subordinates swarmed at the slightest noise.
Right there!
#dark