The Eternal Stat

Two employees from Mason guided me to the living room. The space contained only a TV, a sofa, and the old Dimension Gate I tucked away in the corner.

"Wow. You still have this."

It was one of my proudest collectibles. The longer Mason thrived, the more valuable it would become. I had even covered it in plastic to preserve its condition.

"Yes. As I mentioned in the email, Primal Dimension is the game of my life."

Given how rude my original message had been, showing basic courtesy to their company was the least I could do.

"Thank you, Mr. Lee Seo-jun. Primal Dimension is a precious world ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to us as well. We're truly grateful you reached out."

Fortunately, their response was positive, and I even received an employee's business card.

"My name is Yoon Ah-yeon. I'm in charge of the customer management team. If any issues arise, please contact me here."

I examined the card with a strange sense of emotion. Yoon Ah-yeon was the team leader of customer management. After struggling for so long just to get a reply from that department, this level of treatment felt surreal.

"Of course. I'll definitely reach out. Please install the device over there."

The installation spot for Dimension Gate II was right beside the sofa. With the current global phenomenon, information exchange between players was thriving, and related TV programs aired every hour. Strategically, it made sense.

The real question was how long I could keep playing this game.

'Unlike the previous title, the time ratio here is 1:1.'

In Primal Dimension, the time ratio had been 10:1, allowing for deep, immersive play. Ten days in-game equaled one day in reality, and the death penalty lasted a full week in-game. That ratio had been perfect for analyzing causes of death and gathering focused information.

'If the previous game had also been 1:1, it would've been absolute hell.'

The installation was complete before I knew it. Yoon Ah-yeon once again took the lead in explaining the device.

"I'll assist with biometric authentication. Could you place your hand on the right scanner?"

"Here?"

"That's correct. It might sting a little. Since it's an older model, the authentication method is somewhat outdated."

Just like the previous device, a needle would emerge to draw a blood sample. It was a method no one used anymore, but I had no right to complain. After all, I had been the difficult customer who clung to them while drunk.

"It's fine. No problem at all."

-Beep.

"Authentication complete. Because Dimension Gate II skips many procedures and is only provided to special customers, transfer of ownership to others is not permitted."

"Understood."

"Also, if the device moves beyond 100 meters, an alarm will sound. If you plan to move, you must contact customer support. If you reach out to me directly, I can assist immediately, so please do so."

"I'll make sure to do that."

"Lastly, Mr. Lee Seo-jun will be granted beta tester privileges. You'll need to experience this part yourself to understand it. It's not difficult. The only thing you need to remember is this: if it becomes known that you are a beta tester, the device will be reclaimed and your character deleted. Beta testing ended long ago, so this is clearly a special privilege. This rule exists because similar cases to yours have already occurred, so you must follow it."

Her firm tone left no room for negotiation. I was used to this kind of notification. It had been daily life at the company.

"Of course. If anything, I should be thanking Mason for granting such an unreasonable request. I'll enjoy the game quietly."

"Thank you for your cooperation. All other precautions are the same as the previous title. That concludes the explanation."

"I've noted everything. You must be tired from coming all this way. Please have this at least."

"Oh my. I'll enjoy it. Mr. Lee Seo-jun, we'll be on our way then."

"Yes. Take care."

Once installation and biometric authentication were finished, the rest of the employees left. There were still some uneasy parts, but one thing was now certain: the owner of Dimension Gate II was Lee Seo-jun. Even if it came with conditions, that fact remained unchanged.

"Phew. I never thought I'd feel this way again."

I was going back into the game. The excitement I hadn't felt in a long time returned. This time, it was a popular title. Unlike the previous game, I could interact with hundreds of thousands of users. Depending on how I played, they could become either competitors or customers. Some might even become precious connections.

"Current time: 2:30 PM. If I finish dinner within thirty minutes, I can play for about ten hours."

The time ratio was disappointing, but that was exactly why in-game currency traded at such high prices. Even after ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two years, the official announcement that less than 10% of the world had been explored still stirred people's sense of adventure. It meant trading prices would likely keep rising.

"In a way, it's a more reliable investment than coins. Even with all these conditions attached."

Just days ago, I had believed that steady effort would naturally bring wealth and honor. After all, sticking with the company guaranteed real wealth, if not honor. Everything else had seemed like an uncertain future.

-Fwoosh.

The Dimension Gate opened. I took a deep breath and felt my mind clear. The air purification system was working properly. As I settled in and felt the close fit, the door automatically closed, the attachments equipped themselves, and my vision shifted.

"Oh. The waiting screen is the same cosmic view this time too. I really missed this sight."

While admiring the endlessly unfolding mysterious universe, a familiar voice spoke.

-This is Dimension Gate II. It is a pleasure to see you again, Hero.

It was Yoon Ah-yeon's voice from earlier. This seemed to be part of a small service. Setting the voice aside, the respectful tone toward the partner who had shared my dark times was satisfying.

Now it was time to create an account. With AI voice recognition at 100%, everything could be handled through conversation.

"Create character."

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

"Huh."

Kael was the character name I had used in Primal Dimension. The mention of "beta tester" kept me from feeling confused. Besides, the mental damage I suffered was close to zero compared to the trouble I had caused. I had planned to enjoy Another Dimension as Kael anyway.

"……Ah. Customization is also impossible, right?"

-Correct. This is also part of the price I must pay.

Logically, anyone using Dimension Gate II would be the only one in the entire world. Even if other beta testers existed, anyone playing normally would naturally use the superior new model.

"Understood. Kael has the same appearance as in the previous game, correct?"

-Yes. More precisely, elements like combat tattoos have been removed, so the appearance is identical to Kael on the first day of Primal Dimension.

The image of the character I had played with in the previous game appeared before my eyes. The intimidating presence filled with scars and the frighteningly angry muscles were gone. This was Kael on the first day of Primal Dimension.

"I never thought I'd see this character again."

I had put so much effort into customization back then that there was no need for plastic surgery now. I had only wanted to add a touch of refinement since the number of users had increased. Still, the current appearance without the tattoos and muscles wasn't bad at all.

"Good. Let's begin."

-Hero Kael. Entering Another Dimension.

Along with the guidance message, my vision flickered.

A fountain vigorously spraying water. Brilliant sunlight, scattered droplets, and a faint, unrealistically beautiful rainbow spreading with them. Only then did I truly feel that I had entered the game.

This was Liam, the beginner village that Korean players encountered first.

"Status window."

A voice came from beside me. It was a new ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠player wearing the same tunic as me. Proving the popularity of this title, more new players kept appearing in front of the fountain afterward.

"Free fresh bread from AndyTV channel! We also have beginner guides, so please subscribe!"

"Free potato bread distribution from the Phil! Win! Guild! Marine veterans preferred!"

I received bread from one of the soliciting players. I avoided the dangerous-looking marine player and took it from the one who seemed relatively normal. The bread still held warmth, and the savory smell of butter was excellent.

"Smells good. Thank you."

"Right? When I was a beginner, I survived on stone-hard bread and fountain water. That memory was so painful that I wanted to do this."

"I see. I'll subscribe to AndyTV as soon as I log out."

"Oh! Thank you. Have a great time!"

The veteran player's face was filled with satisfaction as he handed over the bread. I could fully empathize with that feeling. Nothing was as rewarding as helping new players.

"Mason really hit it big with this one."

I had also done countless acts of kindness in the previous game. The results just hadn't been good.

-No! This is a caterpillar!

-It is a caterpillar, but a delicious one.

It hadn't been an ordinary caterpillar. It was the larva of a long-lived monster that only lived in harsh lands, a medicinal item that granted luxurious buffs to newbies.

-Forget it. How can I eat a caterpillar? There are delicious-looking fruits everywhere.

In the end, the newbie who rejected my help ate a tempting poisonous fruit and met a horrific end.

"That was a shame. Well."

Now the positions were reversed. I would never refuse a gift from a veteran. Items carefully selected by veterans out of affection for newbies were always helpful.

"I should eat it before it gets cold."

I sat in a suitable spot at the corner of the fountain and took a bite of the bread I had received. As expected, it was savory and delicious. But what I was anticipating was something else. Games made by this company granted all sorts of buffs through meals.

"……Hmm?"

It had a prefix and was of masterpiece quality. I realized the buff exceeded my expectations.

'Infinite duration? Did I eat a bugged item?'

The player who had given me the bread was still smiling brightly while distributing food to new players. Judging from the situation, he didn't seem to be distributing bugged items.

'In that case, the problem is most likely on my end.'

There were many suspicious points. After all, the device I was using was meant for beta testers. First, I needed to check my status window.

'Status window.'

Besides the basic stats of Another Dimension—Strength, Agility, Stamina, Wisdom, and Luck—I confirmed the existence of a new stat I had never seen before: Eternal. Only then could I understand what Mason employee Yoon Ah-yeon had meant.

-Lastly, Mr. Lee Seo-jun possesses beta tester privileges. You'll need to experience this part yourself to understand it.

I had beta tester privileges. And—

-If it becomes known that Mr. Lee Seo-jun is a beta tester, the device will be reclaimed and the character deleted.

The Eternal stat was likely the privilege Yoon Ah-yeon had mentioned. I placed my index finger on the word "Eternal" as it appeared.