becoming a dungeon explorer (1)

Kang Min was my name, of course. Kang was my family name and Min was my given name. My father chose my name, saying that single syllable names seemed strong. My mother had also agreed that it was a good name.

I also had little brother called kang shin and a little sister.

My father was the direct heir of a clan known for its spearmanship. There were other ancient martial art clans scattered throughout Korea, but my father was strong even amongst the heirs. While growing up, shin and I watched him combat other martial artists but never once did he lose. but even so he always complained every day he would complain of his ill fortune which I didn't understand because whats bad about being strong?

"Tsk, what use is there being strong on the outside? With no qi, it's all looks and no substance."

"Key? Shin has a key!"

"Haha, not key, but qi"

"dad what's qi?" I asked

taking note to my interest dad explained

"qi is an energy you build up inside your body"

As me and my brother were young we had little interest in this thing called qi. Instead we had more interest in seeing dad smash boulders with it bare fists or drilling holes into concrete floors with spears. Me being more interested in smashing boulders with your fists instead of a spear.

"Dad how do you smash boulders with your fist?"

"shin also wanna know how to stab spear in wall!"

"You can do it too."

"Really? I can smash boulders with my fists too?"

"Of course! You both just have to train hard."

""Okay!""

A decision my little brother would later come to regret.

At the time, dad left out that it would take dozens of years training to achieve the same level he had.

He forced me and shin to to scale mountains and even abandoned us in a forest all alone once. And did we follow and obediently do whatever he said? well I kinda did but shin didn't.

At first I was nervous at the prospect of climbing a mountain and while my little brother was bling his eyes out I actually managed to get to the top of the mountain

when I first looked down I was surprised when I heard the following conversation below

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

"Shut up! There won't be dinner until you climb that mountain like your brother!"

"I hate you Dad! and I hate this stupid mountain! Uwaaaaah!"

his cries went ignored as dad forced him to climb the mountain.

Our first ever summer break,was filled with grueling training and it seemed to last forever. It was the same for that year's winter break, the following summer break, and the following winter break…

For two years, I learned the basics of martial arts. At twelve, I was able to take up an offensive stance.Dad also tried teaching me spearmanship but I refused saying punching things with your fist is cooler which ended up making him mad and beating me up.I also realized that my body became large, unlike others my age, and my once-tender arms had turned more muscular, even more then my little brother.

Although the boys my age said that I looked cool an I was like a real man, following me around, the girls distanced themselves from me, saying that the cute Min had turned into a monster.

I was perfectly fine with this and seeing my body keep changing made me feel even more motivated to keep training. Shin on the other hand whined to my dad to bring his arms back. He later beat him up. He had long since stopped treating him like a cute son.

and then finally, on my 12th birthday finally started telling me about the "dungeon"