Spin, Spin, Spinning Wheel
Spin, Spin, Spinning Wheel
There is a proverb called sujeokcheonseok (water drops pierce stone).
It means that water drops pierce rock.
It means that even small efforts, if continued persistently, will eventually see the light of day.
If I were to compare it to a Souls-like game, it means you shouldn't ignore chip damage.
Even if you wonder when you'll ever beat that boss with such pathetic damage, if you keep dodging and hitting, you'll eventually take it down.
My plan was simple.
Dodge, and relentlessly gouge out its eyes to destroy its brain.
And it actually worked.
Usually, if you focus your attacks on one spot, I'd expect it to block or stall for time.
'Yeah, at the end of the day, it's just an Orc.'
The concept of defense didn't exist for that guy.
Truly the epitome of a blockhead.
They say if your body is strong, your head doesn't suffer...
But in this case, the body was so good that the brain must have atrophied.
Of course, it's easier said than done; the time limit was only 10 minutes, so it actually took me two months.
'Even a single mistake meant I wouldn't have enough damage.'
I'm not joking; if I blinked at the wrong time, I wouldn't have enough damage.
Anyway, the important thing is that I finally cleared it!
After the settlement message popped up, I shivered with the overwhelming ecstasy that clearing brings.
"Ughhh."
Yeah, this sensation I had forgotten.
This fulfillment you can only feel when you clear a grueling trial.
It's like the feeling of chugging a can of beer after intentionally holding back your thirst!
I walked the path of a pro gamer because I was addicted to this feeling.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
After enjoying this pleasant sensation for a moment, the alarm sounds brought me back to my senses, and I checked what the tutorial reward was.
And I almost fell over in shock.
[Settlement complete.]
[You have cleared the Infinity Difficulty tutorial.]
[Infinity Difficulty does not grant clear points.]
[Infinity Difficulty resets the Doomsday Timer immediately upon clearing.]
[You can toggle the Infinity Difficulty proof badge ON/OFF.]
[Announcement to all players nationwide!]
[A Korean player has cleared the Infinity Difficulty tutorial!]
[The Doomsday Timer has been reset.]
[In one week, the Doomsday Timer will start running again.]
"What?"
The clear rewards didn't even end there.
Ding!
This time, an alarm went off from the IR Gallery.
[Special benefit unlocked!]
[Inter-dimensional trading function unlocked!]
As the message said, when I entered the IR Gallery, the menu indeed had a red dot sparkling on it.
I immediately went in and checked the menu first.
└Private Message
└Screenshot
└Capture
└Inter-dimensional trading function (NEW!)
└Locked (Padlock emoji)
└Locked (Padlock emoji)
└Locked (Padlock emoji)
"Holy shit."
My head heated up the moment I saw it.
I'm excited.
Inter-dimensional trading function?
I guarantee, there has never been a feature like this in the IR Gallery.
"This is... the real deal."
This is a nuclear bomb that will blow up the IR Gallery the moment I post it.
In my life, my only motivation was that sense of fulfillment that comes after a grueling trial.
Now there are two.
The dopamine I can get from browsing the gallery.
Without even clicking the menu, I took a screenshot of the tutorial clear reward message and the gallery menu, posted it to the IR Gallery, and tapped my feet while waiting for a reaction.
'Hurry up, someone read it and react!'
Did I write too long of a post for no reason?
It seemed to take a while to read.
Let's wait, Han-gyeol.
An oasis found while crossing the desert is always sweet.
As I waited for comments, staying calm (while tapping my feet like an attention seeker), a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"Come to think of it, why is the tutorial reward like this?"
I looked at the Tower message.
Infinity Difficulty reward?
Anyone can see this reward makes no sense.
Every player has to struggle to collect points just to barely delay the apocalypse, but I can reset the Doomsday Timer with a single click.
'I don't know what the badge feature that came as a bonus is used for, though.'
Anyway, behind the translucent window, the corpse of the Orc Chieftain lying spread-eagled on the grassland came into view.
"Hmm, maybe not."
Actually, if you only consider the difficulty, is this reward reasonable?
In the first place, with the ability of Infinite Regression, and without the gallery's help, the structure made it impossible to clear.
To make me fight the 10th-floor boss that drove humanity to despair with my bare hands.
"Yeah. This is a reasonable reward."
I accepted the Infinity Difficulty reward itself for now.
The problem is the next one.
"Inter-dimensional trading function."
This is the main dish.
I haven't been an Infinite Regressor for long, but I knew immediately how broken this feature was.
"To think such an absurd feature was unlocked?"
It's a feature that can't even be compared to the instant Doomsday Timer reset.
Even if the world is destroyed, I can just regress.
In other words, as an Infinite Regressor, I was free from the responsibilities that players have to bear from the start.
Of course, just because I don't have the responsibility doesn't mean I won't keep climbing the Tower, but anyway.
"This is a feature that truly changes the landscape of the IR Gallery itself."
Let's give an example.
I have an item called a Teleportation Scroll.
If I give that to Dungeon Thief?
"Isn't that just game over?"
Dungeon Thief can escape the curse of the 5-minute regression.
"Hmm."
But what happens to the traded item when I regress?
Is it a one-time use, so it's gone after one use?
I don't know yet.
I think I need to read the menu myself.
Just as I thought that and my patience reached its limit.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
The IR Gallery comment notifications started going off like crazy.
"It's here! My second drug!"
I immediately started reading the comments.
└Solo Hero*) What is this? Is this real? The trading function is unlocked? Does that make sense? Newbie, click that thing, hurry.
└Heresy Purger) Br-brother!!!!!!!! This is truly a miracle, brother!!!!!!!!!!
└Vampire Princess) Newbie!! Trade with me right now!!
└Archmage) This... to think that dimensional travel magic, which hasn't been solved even after two thousand years of research, is actually possible? Newbie-gun, you are truly...
└PoisonCoated) It works. This works. It really works. Hey, what do you need? Just say it. This hyung will send you everything.
└Martial God) Hahahaha!!! As expected of my disciple!! Newbie! You are the hope of the IR Gallery!!!
└Dungeon Thief) Ah.......
└Puppet Master) Head Admin, immediately temporary block everyone except me and Archmage.
└Solo Hero*) Did you go into the trading function? How does the structure work? What's the cooldown?
└Heresy Purger) Ah, it has been such a long time! Brother! May Sola-Estella watch over you...
└Archmage) The absolute law has been broken twice in a row. Inter-dimensional trading? What, what am I supposed to say, and where do I even start? I have to revise the regression routine from the beginning...
└Vampire Princess) Waaaaah! Newbie! Please trade with me! It's an urgent matter!
└Dungeon Thief) You fcking shameless btch, logically shouldn't you give me the chance first?
└Vampire Princess) I don't know! I don't know anything like that! Go away! You 5-minute regressor human b*tch!
└Dungeon Thief) What? You btch who should be fried to death in the sunlight, you selfish btch.
"Wow."
The reaction was truly beyond my imagination.
How are comments increasing by 50 per second?
I can't even read them with my own eyes.
If I blink once, the comment section gets pushed back completely.
'Ah, this shouldn't be happening.'
My mouth keeps twitching.
I know.
I know it too.
What the inter-dimensional trading function means to those exhausted by infinite regression.
I know I shouldn't be like this out of decency.
'I'm a normal human too, what can I do!'
Let's just be honest.
Being obsessed over like this.
It feels amazing.
For real.
"Ha!"
Just then.
Amidst the chaotic comment section, Puppet Master's comment, which felt chilling, stood out particularly.
└Puppet Master) Head Admin. Temporary block. Immediately.
└Solo Hero*) Ah, right. It's too chaotic. Hold on.
"Oh."
Is it because it's a gallery written with mental strength?
Or is it because the tone is unusually stiff?
Puppet Master's comment was ordinary, but it had a strange magic that caught my eye.
└Solo Hero*) For now, I've temporary blocked everyone except you and Archmage.
└Puppet Master) Newbie. Listen carefully.
└Amor Fati) Yeah?
└Puppet Master) The perk you just unlocked, I trust you know the value of it without me having to tell you.
└Amor Fati) Of course. Actually, I was going to write a clickbait post, but I felt like that wasn't right, so I just posted it.
└Amor Fati) Gasp.
└Puppet Master) Newbie, it's fine if you write any clickbait posts, so don't worry about it.
└Amor Fati) Gasp.
└Puppet Master) The important thing is this. Newbie, you've broken two absolute laws that we thought would never be broken.
└Amor Fati) I'm pretty awesome, lol.
└Puppet Master) It's genuinely amazing. I think so too.
"No, Puppet Master."
I threw in a joke to lighten the mood, but how can you respond like it's a documentary...
└Archmage) Puppet Master is right. Newbie-gun. You are the only hope for our IR Gallery right now.
└Amor Fati) No, I know the trading function is broken, but is it to that extent?
└Archmage) It is to that extent. Let me explain.
└Archmage) The trading function itself is an absurd miracle, but those three locked functions. Those locked functions are what hold infinite possibilities.
└Archmage) If the first function is inter-dimensional trading, I highly suspect they are related functions. Where did Puppet Master go?
└Puppet Master) 78% chance it's a function related to dimensional travel.
└Archmage) That's exactly it. First trading, then what?
└Amor Fati) Don't tell me?
└Archmage) If items can cross the dimensional wall, couldn't we do it too?
"Gasp!"
A realization struck my head in an instant.
I am an irregular.
The laws of infinite regression that couldn't be broken don't apply to me.
That's why I can use the inter-dimensional trading function, and furthermore, it means dimensional travel is possible!
What if Martial God crosses over to my world?
"I feel like he'd actually destroy the Tower."
That's not all.
If Solo Hero crosses over to Martial God's world right now, couldn't he easily kill that guy called the Heavenly Demon?
I've got a bit of an eye for things now, that's what I'm saying.
Because the Head Admin is beyond the heavens even by IR Gallery standards.
Anyway, the trading function I opened is broken, but the remaining locked functions are the real hope for the IR Gallery members.
I returned to the IR Gallery and finished reading Archmage's comment.
└Archmage) Two Infinite Regressors in one dimension. What do you think would happen? If the entangled time axes collide?
└Amor Fati) What happens?
└Archmage) It's theoretical, but.
└Archmage) The Regression Point itself would be reset.
"!!!"
Resetting Regression Points.
"Holy crap."
That's an insanely broken perk that makes the inter-dimensional trading function look like peanuts, isn't it?
Puppet Master's attitude finally made sense.
└Archmage) Newbie-gun, do you understand your position now?
└Puppet Master) Newbie. You are the only hope for the IR Gallery.
└Amor Fati) I understand, I finally understand!!
└Archmage) I hope you truly understand. It's not something to laugh off.
└Amor Fati) Eh...
└Archmage) Newbie-gun. Do you know what my regression routine is?
└Amor Fati) Monopolizing fortuitous encounters as soon as you wake up at the academy?
└Archmage) It's burying the bodies of my disciples one by one in my subspace under the ruins of the Magic Tower destroyed by a dragon.
"Oh..."
Archmage, I thought you were just a funny old man whose daily routine was getting worked up over martial arts vs. magic factions.
"You had a past like this?"
I became solemn for a moment.
This is an incident that would make even a psychopath show empathy.
└Archmage) I didn't know. That my regression point save trigger would be killing the dragon.
└Archmage) I still regret that moment. That day, if I had been a little calmer. If I had returned immediately without killing the dragon. I wonder if I could have seen my beloved disciples again.
"......Whoa."
They say real painful wounds don't show on the outside.
To think Archmage's genre was an infinite regression, depressing revenge story.
This is a fact I truly didn't know.
"I will learn magic even harder."
I'm not lying this time.
└Puppet Master) Not all IR Gallery members had their Regression Points messed up and failed to reach a happy ending, but most are like this.
└Puppet Master) So, Newbie. It's the lifelong wish of us Infinite Regressors.
└Puppet Master) We will spare no support we can give you.
└Puppet Master) Get stronger, and give us all a happy ending.
"......"
After Puppet Master's comment, no more comments were posted.
The biggest reason might be Head Admin's temporary blocking, though.
Because the solemn atmosphere played a part.
I felt a tingling sensation at the tip of my nose.
This sensation, this feeling.
If I don't shout right now, I feel like I'll regret it for the rest of my life!
I shouted toward the vast grassland (with the Orc Chieftain's corpse).
"Of course!!"
It's not like I got swept up in the atmosphere.
Of course I'll help.
I should naturally help.
Yep, absolutely.
"We're all family!"
In the first place, the IR Gallery members were desperate to help me from the start, and if you receive something, you have to pay it back.
└Amor Fati) I will get stronger.
└Solo Hero*) Newbie. I feel like I'm going to cry.
└Amor Fati) I will get stronger and give everyone a happy ending!!
└Archmage) That's it! That's the attitude!
└Amor Fati) Until I become a national power-level? No? A dimensional power-level player, I won't stop!!!!!
└Solo Hero*) Your voice is too quiet, Newbie!!!
"I will get stronger!!!"
└Amor Fati) The goal is a happy ending!!!!!
└Solo Hero*) Happy ending!!!!
└Archmage) A happy ending!!!
"Phew!"
Ah, I understood it.
Why protagonists are so obsessed with grand goals like being Pirate King or Hokage.
Long-term goals are important.
At this very moment, I held a star in my heart that would shine across all dimensions.
"Sniff."
I wiped my snot and posted a comment.
└Amor Fati) In that sense, I'm going to check the Newbie dimensional trading function.
└Solo Hero*) (Character icon wiping nose)
└Archmage) (Character icon with a dog dancing like crazy and clapping next to it)
└Puppet Master) ......I'm never writing a serious post again.
After confirming Puppet Master's human side and laughing for a moment.
"Let's see."
I went into the IR Gallery menu and clicked the inter-dimensional trading function.
└Inter-dimensional trading function (NEW!)
-The trading function opens once every time you clear a floor.
-It is not affected by regression and applies only upon the first clear.
-It does not accumulate even if you clear consecutively, and the trading function locks again when you leave, so please make sure to use it once on the floor you cleared.
-Trade items can be purchased with points at the trade-exclusive shop.
-Trade targets are selected randomly.
-Points held (5)
-Would you like to activate the trading function? (Y/N)
"Huh?"
There are more restrictions than I thought.
First, you can only trade once per floor cleared.
Furthermore, I can't choose the items available for trade; it says a separate shop opens.
When I clicked on points, it said they are given when clearing a floor or achieving an achievement.
Clearing a floor is easy to understand, but achievements?
I think I'll have to dive in to find out.
"Well, I can accept that."
The most important restriction is this.
Trade target is random.
"No, this is too unfair."
If you're unlucky, aren't there gallery members who will never get picked?
Of course, the main dish isn't this trading function, but the functions to be unlocked later, but anyway.
I took a screenshot and exited the menu.
The temporary block was lifted, and the gallery had been in chaos since earlier, but the first post I saw was Dungeon Thief's post.
[Newbie, it's true you can reset Regression Points, right?]
[Author: Dungeon Thief]
Please.
"Oh boy."
This is a post that makes me solemn in a different way from Archmage's.
└Vampire Princess) Ah, I was sorry earlier.
└Solo Hero*) Just believe, don't doubt.
└Heresy Purger) Sister, I see the light!
I immediately posted a comment.
I've even done a 3-minute regression, after all.
"Honestly, it's not something a human should have to do."
Let alone Dungeon Thief, who has been in that mess for over a thousand years.
If dimensional travel is really possible, I decided I would save him as the number one priority.
└Amor Fati) For now, the possibility is high, right? If it works, I'll save you first, haha.
└Dungeon Thief) You said it?
└Dungeon Thief) You know there are no take-backs, right?
└Dungeon Thief) I took a screenshot of this.
└Vampire Princess) You damn b*tch!
└Amor Fati) Lololololol
└Dungeon Thief) N e w b i e t h a n k y o u h a h a
I chuckled while looking at Dungeon Thief's post.
"This guy is definitely not sane."
But it's a relief.
Because he seems to be living his life somewhat happily.
I kindly replied to the posts desperately looking for me and uploaded my own post.
[For now, the essence of the trading function is this]
[Author: Amor Fati]
(Screenshot of the detailed explanation of the inter-dimensional trading function)
(Photo of the Tower message saying 10 minutes left in the tutorial stage)
If I go to the next floor, it locks again, and I'll be forced out in 10 minutes anyway, so I'm just using it, okay?
└Solo Hero*) Yeah, let's use it. I have plenty to give anyway. My subspace ring is piled with famous swords and artifacts.
└Archmage) Same here. Elixirs are overflowing!
└Heresy Purger) Ugh, in our church, we don't have anything appropriate to give right now. Still, I can give you a few holy relics...
└Vampire Princess) I will bestow my blood!
└Puppet Master) My auto-combat doll is on standby.
└Martial God) Ah, I was going to give an elixir, but it overlaps with the old man's. Then I'll give you some useful hidden weapons or deadly poison.
└PoisonCoated) You're not an assassin.
└Martial God) There are circumstances, man.
└PoisonCoated) For now, I can also give you a simple augmentation procedure kit and high-grade artificial organs.
└Dungeon Thief) I only have my dagger to give ㅠ
└Amor Fati) Thanks everyone.
└Amor Fati) I don't have many points anyway, and it's the first trade, so don't be too nervous.
└PoisonCoated) Got it. Be nervous?
└Amor Fati) That's it, lol.
With PoisonCoated's comment, who understood perfectly, as the last one, I activated the trading function in the menu.
Of course, taking screenshots is now practically a passive skill.
"Inter-dimensional trading function open!"
The winners are Solo Hero, Archmage, and Puppet Master!
When I pressed the Y button, the gallery screen instantly changed into a round disc shape.
Ta-da-dan, tan, ta-da-dan, tan!
The round disc was divided like pizza slices.
And on the crust part of those pizza slices, the nicknames of the IR Gallery members were written.
"It's a roulette, isn't it?"
A traditional gambling machine with a classic flavor.
While I was smiling at the crude design, the roulette started spinning automatically.
Whirrrrrrrrr-!
The colorful pizza slices mixed up in an instant.
"Oh, oh! Ohhh!"
As expected, is the classic eternal?
The suspense is no joke.
What is this really, why is it making my hands sweat?
My eyes are spinning.
Of course, as an enhanced human strengthened by a Core, if I gathered and fixed mana in my eye circuits, I could see the roulette spinning clearly.
"But then it wouldn't be fun."
I clenched my fists and fixed my gaze on the roulette.
Whirrrrr-!
While the red arrow at the top center shone brightly, the disc began to lose speed.
Whirrr, whirr, whir...
Maybe about 10 seconds passed like that.
The disc stopped.
Ta-da, ta-da-da-da!!
"Gasp!"
I looked at the nickname the red arrow was pointing at.
The first winner of the inter-dimensional trade in the IR Gallery is-