Part 1: Summoned to the Demon King's Castle to Defeat the Hero
A piercing chill snaking up his spine from the stone floor jolted Minwoo awake. Had the heating system broken down? He cursed under his breath at the dismal state of his on-duty room. The school where he worked was one of the most modern in the area, packed with top-tier facilities—so why was this spot alone such a dump? Pulling his work parka tighter around him like a makeshift blanket, Minwoo pushed himself upright.
But the sight that greeted his bleary eyes wasn't the familiar clutter of his janitor's quarters. He was in a vast chamber, smack in the middle of it. Calling it a "room," though, felt like a stretch. Its barren expanse screamed cavern more than anything cozy. The dim ceiling, faintly visible, was hewn from smooth stone blocks—at least that much ruled out a natural cave.
Minwoo was utterly baffled. He'd definitely fallen asleep in his on-duty room. Yet here he was, dumped alone in this alien place. He couldn't wrap his head around how or why.
Kidnapped? The word flashed through his mind, but he shook it off. He wasn't worth kidnapping. Sure, the students at his school might be prime targets, but he was just your average mid-thirties bachelor—thoroughly ordinary.
To piece it together, Minwoo racked his brain for yesterday's events. As the custodian at a prestigious academy, his routine had been the same as always. Every morning started in his room-slash-home, sweeping the school gates. Once students arrived, he'd tend the flower beds or fix busted fixtures. He wasn't bursting with pride about the job, but he had a certain attachment to it. Besides, this gig was a hard-won favor from the school chairman; slacking off meant getting canned.
Perks came with the territory too. His school was elite—top grades, cutting-edge facilities, and above all, stunning students. The fresh-faced girls in their fluttering skirts offered plenty of accidental upskirt views on breezy days. Those glimpses could make his whole day. He'd even divine his fortune by whether he scored one.
Yesterday had been nothing special—no omens of waking up in some unknown hellhole.
Snapping back to the present, Minwoo checked himself over: no injuries, no restraints. He was still in his navy work uniform. Exhausted last night, he'd crashed without even washing up.
He patted his pockets for his phone to check the time, but no dice. Instead, his fingers closed around something in the parka's inner pocket: a mini LED glow stick. More cheer stick than police baton—concert-sized, the kind for idol shows. He'd brought it on a few night patrols lately. Useless here, probably.
Minwoo flicked it on and off idly, sighing. First things first: figure out where he was. Knowledge meant options—calling for help or whatever.
He stood and scanned for an exit. The space was half a soccer field wide, all directions blending into monotonous gray. He picked a wall and headed toward it.
As he neared, details emerged: rectangular openings like windows, no glass, letting in icy drafts. Beyond them, swirling motes of light in pitch blackness. The night sky.
Only then did the height hit him. Peering out, Minwoo gaped, speechless.
"What the hell..."
He was inside a towering spire, dizzyingly high. The view was otherworldly: massive battlements encircling the tower, less medieval castle from a history book and more Demon King's fortress from a fantasy game. Similar spires jutted haphazardly between them, all vertigo-inducing heights. Fog shrouded the horizon, but the visible madness was proof enough—this wasn't Earth.
Dizziness hit; Minwoo gripped the stone, breathing deep. In his not-so-short life, nothing like this had ever happened.
Movie set? Prank cam? VR? None fit perfectly. But sitting tight wasn't an option. Find stairs down.
He circled the wall. "Huh?"
A chill prickled his neck. Glancing out the window—
"..."
A monster stared back, then roared wide its maw.
"SKREEEEEE!"
"Gahhh!"
Minwoo screamed, stumbling back and crashing on his ass. Dinosaur? Something like it. Pure monster—jaws bristling fangs, head alone big enough to swallow him whole. How it scaled this height was a mystery; terror left no room for questions.
Luckily, the hole was too small for its head. It strained, shoving only its pointed snout through. Terrifying, but he was safe from being eaten.
As the standoff dragged, Minwoo regained some composure, scooting back on his butt. Legs jelly, but distance was key.
Then—thud. Something blocked his back. Walls were far off still. Craning his neck—
"..."
Jackpot. Best damn luck ever.
Even amid panic, that thought hit. Behind him stood a woman. Skin like pale amethyst—not any Earth race, straight from myth. Flawless curves gleamed against that jewel tone. Armor plated her sparingly, baring model-esque lines. From his low angle, Minwoo's eyes traced upward greedily, forgetting the monster.
Her thighs pressed his back—toned muscle under healthy purple sheen. A skimpy high-leg one-piece barely covered her privates. Taut waist crowned by a gem-like navel; bust straining armor, cleavage threatening overflow.
Her face hid behind those mounds, but goat horns sprouted from her hair—peak cosplay quality, normally.
Ignoring his stare, she extended a hand toward the beast, murmuring indistinctly. "--- ---- ---."
A deafening boom—explosion. Dust flew; Minwoo stared blankly.
When it cleared, the hole gaped wider, but no monster. Just gore and blood.
Her doing, no doubt. Reality frayed since the beast; maybe this wasn't his world anymore. Jaw chattering, he pondered it.
"Ghk!"
Air cut off; he floated up. She gripped his collar one-handed. Towering like him, arm extended—he dangled, feet kicking air. Superhuman strength, but choking left no awe.
She eyed his flailing form, disappointed. "No power, no mana. Not even a hero's aura... A failure, it seems. Humans make it look easy."
Her voice was beautiful. And comprehensible, unlike her spell. Hope surged; gasping, he begged, "P-please... spare me...!"
No mercy. She kept inspecting, gaze landing on—
"What's this for?"
His right hand: the glow stick. Her whip-like tail snagged it.
Bzzzzt!
"Whoa!?"
Dropped unceremoniously, Minwoo tumbled. Rubbing his sore butt, he groaned. "...Huh?"
She lay sprawled—purple-skinned beauty, out cold.
"H-hey... you okay?"
Recent foe, but no response worried him. He crept closer. Face-up on cold stone, breathing steady—fainted.
Gaze drifted to her hips. Tail coiled around his glow stick.
Electrocuted? Weird buzz when she touched it, but no power, no shock strong enough.
Retrieving it, Minwoo flicked the light on and off habitually, debating whether to wake her.