A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 2

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 2

I guided the Mason employees into my living room.
The space held only a television, a sofa, and tucked away in the corner—the Dimension Gate I, the access device from the previous generation.
“Wow. You still have this.”
It was one of my prized collections.
The more Mason thrived, the more time passed, the more valuable this artifact would become.
I’d even wrapped it in plastic to preserve its condition.
“Yes. As I mentioned in my email, the Primal Dimension is the game of my life.”
Given how poorly my email had been written, showing sincerity to the other company was the bare minimum.
“Thank you so much, Lee Seo-jun. The Primal Dimension is a precious world to us as well. We’re truly grateful you reached out.”
Fortunately, the response was positive, and I even received a business card from one of the employees.
“I’m Yoon Ah-yeon. I oversee the customer management team. Please contact me directly if any issues arise.”
I examined the card with a peculiar sense of emotion. Yoon Ah-yeon was the team lead for customer management—a remarkable courtesy, considering how difficult it had been to receive responses from that department in the past.
“Of course. I’ll definitely reach out. Please install the device over there.”
The Dimension Gate II was installed beside the sofa.
Thanks to this recent global phenomenon, information exchange among users was thriving, and related television programs aired hourly—a strategically sound choice on my part.
The real challenge would be how long I could sustain engagement with this game.
‘Unlike the previous version, the time ratio is 1 to 1.’
The Primal Dimension operated on a 10-to-1 time ratio, allowing for incredibly immersive gameplay.
Ten days in-game equaled one day in reality, and the death penalty was a week of in-game time.
Each death allowed me to analyze its cause and concentrate on gathering relevant information—an ideal time ratio that I appreciated.
‘If the previous version had also been 1 to 1, it would have been absolute hell.’
The device installation was soon complete.
Yoon Ah-yeon took the lead again, explaining the device’s specifications.
“Let me help you with biometric authentication. Please place your hand on the scanner on the right.”
“Yes. Here?”
“That’s correct. It will sting a bit. Since this is an older model, the authentication method is somewhat outdated.”
Like the previous device, it appeared to use a needle that would retract to collect a blood sample for authentication.
It was a method no longer used in modern times, but I had absolutely no grounds for complaint.
Who was I, a troublesome customer who’d clung to them while drunk, to object?
“It’s fine. No problem at all.”
—Beep.
“Authentication confirmed. The Dimension Gate II is a device we provide only to select customers after omitting many procedures, so authority transfer to others is not permitted.”
“Understood.”
“Additionally, if the device’s coordinates exceed 100 meters, an alarm will sound. You’ll need to contact our customer center before moving, but if you reach out to me directly, I can assist immediately. Please be sure to contact me, yes?”
“I absolutely will.”
“Finally, Lee Seo-jun, you’ve been granted beta tester privileges. You’ll understand this better through direct experience—it’s not complicated. Just remember this one thing: if your status as a beta tester is discovered, the device will be confiscated and your character deleted. Beta testing ended long ago, so this constitutes special treatment. Similar cases have already occurred, which is why this rule exists. You must comply with this condition.”
His resolute demeanor left no room for objection—the atmosphere itself forbade it.
I’d grown accustomed to notifications delivered in this manner.
It was routine at the company, after all.
“Of course. If anything, I’m grateful to Mason for indulging such an unreasonable request. I’ll enjoy this quietly.”
“Thank you for your cooperation. All other precautions remain identical to the previous iteration. That concludes the briefing.”
“I’ve committed everything to memory. You must be exhausted from the trip—please, have this.”
“Oh my, how thoughtful. Thank you. Lee Seo-jun, we’ll be taking our leave now.”
“Yes. Please be careful on your way out.”
After completing the installation and biometric authentication, the remaining staff filed out through the door.
There remained a nagging sense of unease, but now it was certain.
I was the owner of Dimension Gate II.
It was an immutable fact, conditional though it might be.
“Phew. I never thought I’d feel this again.”
I was gaming once more.
It was an exhilaration I hadn’t experienced in ages.
And this time, it was a blockbuster title.
Unlike my previous venture, I could now interact with hundreds of millions of users.
Depending on how I played, they could become my rivals or my patrons.
Some of them might even become cherished connections.
“It’s currently 2:30 PM. If I finish dinner in thirty minutes, I should have roughly ten hours to play.”
The time multiplier was disappointing, but that’s precisely why the in-game currency commanded such premium exchange rates.
Moreover, the official announcement that less than 10% of the world’s regions had been explored despite two years of play ignited the adventurous spirit in everyone.
It meant the exchange rates would likely continue climbing indefinitely.
“In a way, it’s a more reliable investment than cryptocurrency. Restrictive conditions notwithstanding.”
Just days ago, I’d held the conviction that steady effort alone would naturally bring wealth and prestige.
Working consistently at the company guaranteed financial security, if not fame—unlike gaming’s uncertain prospects.
Everything else was merely speculation.
-Whoosh.
The Dimension Gate opened.
As I drew in a deep breath, my mind sharpened.
I confirmed the air purification system was functioning properly.
As I settled into position and felt the snug fit, the door sealed automatically, the auxiliary devices engaged, and my vision shifted.
“Ah. The waiting area in this iteration is the same cosmic vista. I’ve genuinely missed this sight.”
As I admired the infinitely sprawling, wondrous cosmos, a familiar voice resonated.

-Welcome to Dimension Gate II. What a joy to see you again, Hero.

It was the voice of Yoon Ah-yeon, whom I’d met earlier.
This seemed to be part of a small service offering.
Beyond the voice itself, I was satisfied by the remark that conveyed respect for a partner who’d weathered those dark times alongside me.
Now came the turn to create an account.
In a world where AI voice recognition had reached 100% accuracy, everything could be resolved through conversation.
“Create character.”

-A character named ‘Kael’ already exists. Beta tester characters cannot be deleted or modified.

“Ah.”
Kael was the character name I’d used in the Primal Dimension.
The explanation about being a beta tester prevented any confusion.
Besides, the mental damage I’d suffered hardly qualified as compensation for causing trouble.
I intended to enjoy Another Dimension as Kael once more anyway.
“…Ah. Character customization isn’t possible either?”

-That is correct.

This too would be a price I’d have to pay.
Logically speaking, I was probably the only person across the entire world accessing through Dimension Gate II.
Even if other beta testers existed, anyone progressing normally through the game would naturally gravitate toward the functionally superior new-model device.
“Understood. Kael’s appearance is identical to the previous version, correct?”

-Yes, that’s correct. To be precise, since elements requiring correction such as combat tattoos have been excluded, you can understand that in terms of appearance, Kael is identical to the version freshly created on the first day of the Primal Dimension.

The image of the character who’d accompanied me through the previous game materialized before my eyes.
It was Kael from the first day of the Primal Dimension—stripped of the oppressive atmosphere that had been brimming with scars and the menacingly taut musculature.
“Never thought I’d see this character again.”
Given how much effort I’d invested in customization back then, there was no need for cosmetic surgery.
I simply wanted to add a touch of refinement now that the user base had grown.
Still, the current appearance without the tattoos and excessive muscle mass wasn’t bad at all.
“Very well. Let’s begin now.”

-Hero Kael. Entering Another Dimension.

My vision flickered with the guidance message.

* * *

A fountain surged with powerful jets of water.
Brilliant sunlight, water droplets cascading upward, and a faint, ethereally beautiful rainbow spreading across the spray.
Only then did I truly realize I had entered the game.
This was Liam—the beginner village where South Korean players first arrived.
“Status window.”
A voice from beside me.
A new player dressed in the same tunic as I was.
As if proving this game’s popularity, more new players continued to materialize before the fountain.
“Andy TV Channel is giving away fresh bread for free! We have beginner guides too, so please subscribe!”
“Phil! Seung! Guild is distributing free potato bread! Former Marines get priority!”
I accepted bread from one of the recruiters.
I avoided the intimidating Marine player and took it from the one who looked more ordinary.
The bread still retained considerable warmth, and the rich, buttery aroma was exquisite.
“It smells wonderful. Thank you.”
“Doesn’t it? When I was a newbie, I survived on stale bread and fountain water, and that memory was so painful.”
“I see. I’ll subscribe to Andy TV Channel as soon as I log out.”
“Oh my! Thank you so much. Have a great time!”
The veteran player’s expression was brimming with satisfaction.
And I could genuinely empathize with that feeling.
Nothing was as rewarding as helping others.
“Mason really did strike gold with this one.”
I too had helped countless newbies in the previous game.
The results just hadn’t been good.

-Wait! That’s a caterpillar!
-It is a caterpillar, but it’s a delicious one.

It wasn’t just any ordinary caterpillar I’d given.
It was the larva of a long-lived species monster that inhabited only treacherous terrain—a tonic that bestowed buffs luxurious enough for a newbie.

-That’s enough. How could anyone eat a caterpillar? There are delicious-looking fruits everywhere.

In the end, the newbie who’d rejected my outstretched hand consumed that luscious forbidden fruit and met a gruesome demise.
“What a shame, really.”
Now the positions had reversed.
I never refuse gifts from veterans.
After all, items carefully selected by a veteran for a newbie’s benefit are bound to prove invaluable.
“I should eat it before it gets cold.”
I settled into a quiet corner by the fountain and took a bite of the bread I’d received.
It was exactly as delicious as I’d anticipated—fragrant and perfectly baked.
But what I truly anticipated lay elsewhere.
In this company’s game, meals granted all manner of buffs through consumption.

[Active Buffs]

[Satisfyingly Baked Bread with Substance (Masterpiece)]
[Strength +5 Stamina +5]
[Wound Recovery Speed Slightly Increased]
[Duration: ∞]

“…Huh?”
A bread with a prefix modifier, masterpiece quality no less.
And I realized the buff applied exceeded my expectations.
‘Infinite duration? Did I just consume a bugged item?’
The user who’d handed me the bread continued distributing items with a bright smile to the other newcomers.
From the circumstances, it didn’t appear they were intentionally distributing buggy items.
‘If anything, the problem likely lies on my end.’
There were many suspicious elements to consider.
After all, the access device I’d been using was originally designated for beta testers.
First, I should check my status window.
‘Status window.’

[Name: Kael]
[Level: 1]
[Strength: 10 Agility: 5 Stamina: 10 Wisdom: 5 Luck: 5 Eternity: 1]

I confirmed the presence of an unfamiliar stat—Eternity—alongside the standard Eternal Dimension attributes of Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Wisdom.
Only then could I comprehend what Yoon Ah-yeon, an employee at Mason, had told me.

-Lastly, customer Lee Seo-jun, you possess beta tester privileges, but you’ll need to experience that aspect firsthand to truly understand it.

I possessed beta tester privileges.
And.

-If it’s discovered that Lee Seo-jun is a beta tester, the device will be confiscated and your character will be deleted.

The status “Eternity” appeared to be the special privilege Yoon Ah-yeon had mentioned.
I placed my index finger directly over the word “Eternity.”

[Eternity: 1]
[A secret blessing bestowed upon the hero Kael, who has accumulated great Achievements.]
[You can manage buffs equivalent to this value.]
[Buffs equivalent to this value persist permanently.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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