"I am here because of that," Cha Hye-Mi said. She pointed behind Tae-Sung and added, "That thing is too old, you see."
"Oh… that one…" Tae-Sung nodded in agreement when he saw what she was pointing at.
Cha Hye-Mi was pointing at none other than Tae-Sung's VR capsule—Virtual Sports 3. The VR capsule Tae-Sung was using was an old model that came out nearly ten years ago, and Cha Hye-Mi was right when she said that his capsule was too dated.
"It is quite old like you said, but it is still—" Tae-Sung started.
However, Cha Hye-Mi cut him off. "It's trash."
"Who uses a 3rd generation capsule these days? I have never imagined someone is still using that piece of junk in this day and age. It has already been a year since the 6th generation capsule was released," she added.
"It's still usable… it's not really broken as well. I'm aware that it is an old model. I'm just using it because I cannot afford to buy a new one," Tae-Sung explained with a hint of bitterness in his voice.
It was exactly as he said. Tae-Sung did not have the luxury of purchasing a new capsule.
"But what business do you have with my capsule? Is there something wrong with it by any chance?" he asked.
"Of course, there is," Cha Hye-Mi replied.
"Huh? What is the issue with it? It's still running and lets me connect to the game." Tae-Sung grumbled.
Cha Hye-Mi shook her head and said, "When you obtained the Epic Code 007, we, Hive, decided that we cannot let you use such an old VR capsule any longer."
"Huh…?" Tae-Sung muttered in confusion.
"Let us go together," Cha Hye-Mi said.
.
"Where…?" he asked in response while tilting his head.
"Our company, Hive, will sponsor you with a new VR capsule," she explained before dragging him out of the house.
***
"Get in," Cha Hye-Mi said while pointing at the Benz S-Class parked in front of Tae-Sung's house.
"What do you mean, get in?" Tae-Sung asked.
"Please hurry up," Cha Hye-Mi urged.
"Ah, yes," Tae-Sung obediently replied and hopped into the car.
Cha Hye-Mi hopped into the backseat of the car along with Tae-Sung.
The car had no driver. Instead, it was being driven by the AI navigation system equipped in the car.
「Welcome, Manager Cha Hye-Mi-nim. Where is your destination?」
"To V-Lounge, Gangnam branch," she replied.
「We will depart at once. Please fasten your seatbelt.」
The car started moving as soon as Cha Hye-Mi gave the destination.
"Are we going to V-Lounge?" Tae-Sung asked, seemingly surprised.
His surprise was understandable since the Gangnam branch of V-Lounge was where the latest VR capsules were displayed.
"That is correct," Cha Hye-Mi replied.
"But that place is…" he muttered, seemingly burdened.
"Are you going to say that we cannot enter without a reservation?" Cha Hye-Mi asked.
"Yes…" Tae-Sung replied with a nod.
"Do you know who owns and operates V-Lounge?" Cha Hye-Mi asked in return.
"Ah…!" Tae-Sung exclaimed. He finally understood why they were going there.
V-Lounge was the flagship store of Hive Games Entertainment, which was also the developer of Brave New World. As such, Cha Hye-Mi, who was a manager at Hive, would not need a reservation to enter the shop.
"But… Why does Hive want to sponsor me with a VR capsule…?" Tae-Sung asked cautiously.
"I told you a while ago…" Cha Hye-Mi paused. She smiled before continuing, "You inherited the codename 007 after becoming the disciple of the Hidden NPC, Deus."
"So, what exactly is 007?" Tae-Sung asked.
"A player that has the potential to become the protagonist," Cha Hye-Mi replied.
"The protagonist…?" Tae-Sung mumbled in confusion.
"Yes." Cha Hye-Mi nodded and said, "The players who have inherited the 00 codenames have the potential to become the protagonist of the main storyline of BNW, the Nürburg Saga."
A thought suddenly flashed across Tae-Sung's head upon hearing that.
'The players who have inherited the 00 codenames…? Doesn't that mean I'm not the only one?'
He realized from Cha Hye-Mi's words that there were other players who had inherited the 00 codenames.
"The Nürburg Saga, which is the main storyline of BNW, is an event that with the potential to impact the entire progression of the game greatly. With that said, isn't it just natural for us to gift a new VR capsule to someone with the potential to become the protagonist of such a grand event? It is in Hive's desire to let the inheritors of codenames play in a good environment if it were possible," Cha Hye-Mi explained.
"I see…" Tae-Sung muttered in response, seemingly trying to process her words.
"We were able to confirm that the VR capsule you have been using is an old model—a very old one at that. Our head office sent a memo asking us to sponsor you with a new VR capsule," Cha Hye-Mi said.
This was the reason Cha Hye-Mi visited Tae-Sung.
「You have arrived at your destination.」
The AI navigation announced their arrival at their destination.
"Let's go." Cha Hye-Mi urged.
"Alright," Tae-Sung replied and followed her out of the car.
***
"Welcome, Manager Cha Hye-Mi-nim," a man greeted.
A middle-aged man wearing formal attire greeted Cha Hye-Mi the moment she stepped into the store.
"Hello, Branch Manager-nim," Cha Hye-Mi replied.
Surprisingly, the middle-aged man turned out to be the branch manager of V-Lounge's Gangnam branch.
"What brings you here?" asked the middle-aged man.
"We received a memo from head office to sponsor this person with a VR capsule," Cha Hye-Mi replied before pointing at Tae-Sung.
"F-From the head office?" the branch manager muttered in surprise.
"Yes," Cha Hye-Mi replied.
"Oh my god…" the branch manager gasped in surprise and looked at Tae-Sung. "N-Nice to meet you. My name is Oh Jun-Hwan, and I am the branch manager of V-Lounge's Gangnam branch."
He bowed toward Tae-Sung and extended his business card with both hands as if Tae-Sung were a VIP customer.
"Nice to meet you, too. My name is Han Tae-Sung," Tae-Sung replied.
"Ah! Han Tae-Sung-nim! It is my honor to meet you!" Oh Jun-Hwan exclaimed.
"I don't think it's an honor…" Tae-Sung muttered.
"No! Please don't say that. It is truly an honor to meet you! It is rare for the head office to sponsor an individual with a VR capsule!" Oh Jun-Hwan excitedly added.
"Haha…" Tae-Sung let out an awkward laugh.
"Please, come this way. I will show you only the best capsules we have!" Oh Jun-Hwan said while politely guiding Tae-Sung.
"Don't mind me. Feel free to take your time. I'll stay here in the meantime and enjoy a cup of coffee. Don't feel too pressured and just choose whichever you like," Cha Hye-Mi said before sitting down on an expensive leather sofa in the shop.
'How can I not feel pressured?! These things are worth a fortune!'?Tae-Sung inwardly exclaimed.
Tae-Sung could feel himself shrinking back from the luxurious interior of the V-Lounge.
V-Lounge's Gangnam branch boasted a modern, antique, and luxurious interior design befitting of their title as a flagship store, and Tae-Sung could tell that more than a billion won had to have been spent in the interior alone. However, what really intimidated him were the rows and rows of premium VR capsules lining up the shop.
It was inevitable for Tae-Sung to be intimidated by the premium atmosphere since he had been living a life that was anything but premium.
At that moment, Deus' words flashed through his mind.
"My disciple…"
"I might have taught you how to walk like a strong person, but you are still lacking in many ways. However, you will be able to compensate for it as long as you keep your composure. Do you understand?"
Tae-Sung's movement slowly changed when he remembered Deus' teachings. His steps became lighter, his eyes no longer darted around nervously, and his face relaxed.
'I'm not here to beg for a capsule. I'm here to be served. Let's not shrink back. I should take my time to look around and find the VR capsule that suits me the best…' Tae-Sung thought as he calmed down.
Tae-Sung was initially unable to properly check the specifications of the premium VR capsules because he was intimidated by the expensive machines. But after calming down, he could finally gauge the VR capsules properly.
"What model is this?" Tae-Sung asked while pointing at a red VR capsule.
***
"That is the V-Iron 6th Generation Model," Oh Jun-Hwan replied before he politely explained the capsule's specification, "The interior seat is made out of Napa Leather so your body will be less burdened despite sitting for an extended period of time inside. It is also pretty good at regulating its temperature as well. Would you like to take a seat and test it out?"
"Sure, why not," Tae-Sung nonchalantly replied.
After Oh Jun-Hwan opened the unit for him, Tae-Sung stepped into the V-Iron 6th Generation Model capsule and ran a simple VR game.
However, a problem occurred.
Beep!
A warning suddenly flashed when Tae-Sung was about to log in to the VR game.
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 67%]
The compatibility showed how much the players would synchronize and adapt to virtual reality, and the average figure for most players was 74% to 78%. A premium capsule provided 80% compatibility to the player even if they had absolutely atrocious talent.
However, Tae-Sung's compatibility was at 67%, which meant that his compatibility with the V-Iron 6th Generation Model was terrible, even when compared to his VR capsule, the old Virtual Sports 3, as he had 77% compatibility with it.
"Oh…" Oh Jun-Hwan muttered with an awkward look on his face before politely saying, "It seems that your compatibility with the V-Iron range of products is not that good, customer-nim."
This was a frequent occurrence since VR capsules worked by analyzing the brain waves of their users, and people's brains had a different affinity with different models.
"Let us try a different model," Oh Jun-Hwan said and politely showed the way.
"Sure," Tae-Sung calmly replied.
It did not really bother Tae-Sung that much since he was aware of the compatibility issues players had with certain models.
"What do you think of this? This is the model that I usually recommend to the customers who are not compatible with the V-Iron model," Oh Jun-Hwan said while showing another capsule.
"Ooh…" Tae-Sung was in awe at the capsule the branch manager had shown him.
"This looks cool," Tae-Sung remarked.
"This capsule was built with the concept of a stone casket, and each and every one of these engravings that you can see here was engraved by hand by Italian master craftsmen. In addition to being a VR capsule, it is also a work of art," Oh Jun-Hwan explained.
"What about its specifications?" Tae-Sung asked.
"All our premium models have pretty high specs, so there is not that much difference between them. Any differences will be a minuscule one percent difference. However—" Oh Jun-Hwan paused.
Tae-Sung finished the branch manager's sentence. "I only have to consider the exterior design and the comfort it offers. Is that what you were going to say?"
"You are correct," Oh Jun-Hwan replied with a smile.
He opened the VR capsule and said, "Then, shall we give it a test?"
Tae-Sung stepped into the stone casket-like VR capsule.
***
"What's taking so long…?" Cha Hye-Mi grumbled.
She grimaced after checking the time and grumbled once again. "He just has to choose a design that he likes…"
Cha Hye-Mi was aware that the difference in specs among premium VR capsule models was less than one percent, so Tae-Sung only had to choose a capsule with a design he liked.
However, it had already been two hours since he left to see the VR capsules.
"Hmm… did a problem occur?" Cha Hye-Mi wondered.
She decided to put down the coffee cup she had been fiddling with for the past two hours and stood up. She felt nervous that an unexpected issue might have occurred, so she made her way into the shop to look for Tae-Sung and Oh Jun-Hwan.
It was then…
"W-What the hell…?" Cha Hye-Mi was stupefied.
Cha Hye-Mi was looking at a sight she would never expect to see, even at the V-Lounge's Platinum Boutique, which was a place where only the best models were displayed.
"M-Mr. Tae-Sung!" she exclaimed.
Cha Hye-Mi was stupefied because Tae-Sung and another guy, more specifically, the scoundrel grandson of a large corporation's chairman, were glaring at each other with their hands on each other's collars.
2 more chapter will be uploaded in few minutes.!!Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE for me!Like it ? Add to library!
Tae-Sung's abysmal compatibility with the premium VR capsules caused the issue.
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 61%]
His compatibility with the stone coffin-like VR capsule, which was called the Requiem 6, was 61%. His compatibility with the capsule was lower than his compatibility with the V-Iron 6, which was the capsule he tried just a while ago.
"Ah…" Oh Jun-Hwan muttered. He looked taken aback by the compatibility.
"It seems that you are not compatible with the Requiem 6 model as well… haha…" he said while laughing awkwardly.
"It seems so," Tae-Sung replied while exiting the Requiem 6 model.
"Hmm… then I shall show you the other models," Oh Jun-Hwan politely said.
"Sure," Tae-Sung nonchalantly replied.
"What do you think of this model? You might be aware of it as well, but this is the model that is now the norm for pro gamers. Haha!" Oh Jun-Hwan proudly said.
The next model he recommended was the H6 model, which was a model personally developed and created by Hive.
However…
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 71%]
Even the H6 model, which boasted the best specification among the premier VR capsules, was not compatible with Tae-Sung.
However, the real problem started from there…
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 54%]
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 69%]
[The compatibility of the user and the capsule is low.]
[It is advised to use another capsule.]
[Compatibility: 71%]
They tested more than 20 capsules after the H6 model, but none of them was compatible with Tae-Sung.
"I-Is there a chance that customer-nim is innately picky when it comes to VR capsules…?" Oh Jun-Hwan nervously asked while profusely sweating.
There were a few people like him who were innately sensitive when it came to their compatibility with VR capsules. In fact, there were rare cases where some people possessed a pretty unique brain wave pattern that they could not log in to any virtual reality games at all.
"I don't think so. I did not have any issues during the past year with a premium capsule, even though it was a secondhand one," Tae-Sung replied. He was telling the truth because the VR capsule he had been using right before he lost it all was the previous generation model of the H6, the H5.
"Hmm… How is your compatibility with your current capsule?" Oh Jun-Hwan asked.
"It is at 77%," Tae-Sung replied.
"And which model are you currently using?" Oh Jun-Hwan asked.
"I am using the Virtual Sports 3 model," Tae-Sung replied.
"Huh?" Oh Jun-Hwan muttered in surprise as he doubted his ears for a moment.
"I said I'm currently using the Virtual Sports 3 model," Tae-Sung said once again.
"Are you serious?" Oh Jun-Hwan asked in disbelief.
"Yes, is there a problem?" Tae-Sung asked.
"N-No! There is no problem at all!" Oh Jun-Hwan exclaimed while waving his hands before adding, "It is just that the model you are using is quite old…"
"…"
"I never imagined that I will meet someone still using the Virtual Sports 3 model in this day and age…" Oh Jun-Hwan said.
Tae-Sung did not reply to the branch manager's comments. Instead, he grumbled inwardly with discontent. 'What? Have you contributed anything to me so I can buy it? What can I do when I don't have the money to buy a good one?'
"Customer-nim," Oh Jun-Hwan called out.
"What?" Tae-Sung grumbled in response.
"I am sure you are aware, but a user would not necessarily be compatible with a VR capsule just because the capsule is a premium one. The abilities and talent of the user along with their compatibility are the most crucial factors when it comes to playing virtual reality games," Oh Jun-Hwan explained.
"I know that much," Tae-Sung replied.
The premium capsules only provided a slight increase to one's compatibility, but it did not do anything else after that since the brain capacity of the user was the most important factor.
"With that in mind… I think customer-nim's compatibility with premium VR capsules is not that good or…" Oh Jun-Hwan trailed off.
It seemed he was hesitating whether to say the next part or not because he had a troubled look on his face. But eventually, he said, "It could only mean that customer-nim's abilities are so atrocious, even these premium machines cannot work with you."
"…"
"However, I strongly believe that a customer being sponsored a new VR capsule by our head office is not someone ordinary," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
"What are you trying to say?" Tae-Sung asked with a hint of hostility in his voice.
"I shall guide you to the Platinum Boutique," Oh Jun-Hwan declared.
"P-Platinum Boutique…? What is that?" Tae-Sung asked, seemingly taken aback.
"It is a special place where only our top 0.1% VIP customers are allowed access," Oh Jun-Hwan proudly said.
"The top 0.1%...." Tae-Sung muttered.
"Now, please come this way," Oh Jun-Hwan said as he guided Tae-Sung to a secret corridor hidden within V-Lounge.
***
The Platinum Boutique was a place unknown to the public, and it was an area only reserved for the true VIPs of V-Lounge.
Why?
It was all because the VR capsules displayed at the Platinum Boutique weren't the 6th Generation models. Rather, they were the cream of the crop capsules equipped with the best specification possible that they would at least be the 7th or the 8th Generation models in their respective categories. The prices of those capsules started from a staggering 1 billion won that even those who had struck it rich in recent years would not dare to even shop in this place.
Moreover, the Platinum Boutique was a place only those with both money and social status could access.
"Please take a look," Oh Jun-Hwan said as he showed the VR capsules in the Platinum Boutique.
There were only four VR capsules displayed in the place.
"These are the capsules with the highest specification possible, and they are equipped with the best next-generation software. As such, these can truly be considered as the pinnacle of virtual reality gaming equipment," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
Then, he haughtily shrugged his shoulders before proudly saying, "These four models guarantee a compatibility of at least 85%!"
"Did you just say 85%?!" Tae-Sung exclaimed.
He could not help but be surprised at the branch manager's words since 85% compatibility was an amazing number only 4% of those playing virtual reality games possessed, yet these machines guaranteed that figure.
"Are you saying that these machines guarantee the same compatibility as pro gamers…?" Tae-Sung had to ask and confirm it.
"That is correct," Oh Jun-Hwan replied while nodding.
The 85% compatibility these machines guaranteed was an astounding number when the 83% to 88% compatibility that pro gamers possessed was taken into consideration.
"If the VR capsules at the V-Lounge were considered to be BMW or Audi in motor vehicle terms, then the VR capsules here at the Platinum Boutique are the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of VR capsules. In fact, these capsules have coined the term 'Super Capsules'," Oh Jun-Hwan proudly said.
"Wow…" Tae-Sung muttered in awe.
"Of course, it can only guarantee compatibility since even these machines cannot do anything more for someone without the innate talent to operate it further than that," Oh Jun-Hwan clarified.
It seemed that even these 'Super Capsules' were not an exemption from the basic logic that the 'pilot' was the most important part of operating a machine.
The VR capsules were just like motor vehicles, and an ordinary person would not be able to unleash the full potential of a supercar.
"Please try this capsule first," Oh Jun-Hwan said as he pointed at a golden VR capsule before explaining, "This model is called the 'Steel Kreuz.' As for the price… I think it will be better for me not to mention it. Haha!"
"Haha…" Tae-Sung let out an awkward laugh since he could tell from its exterior alone that it would cost more than a billion won.
"Please come and try it." Oh Jun-Hwan urged.
Tae-Sung entered the Steel Kreuz VR capsule with expectations about how compatible he would be with the capsule.
[The compatibility of the user is 85.1%]
He got a compatibility that was 0.1% higher than the one guaranteed by the capsule.
"Oh!" Oh Jun-Hwan exclaimed and said, "You do have the talent as expected."
"Huh? Is that so?" Tae-Sung asked in response while seemingly confused.
"The fact that you got 0.1% more than the guaranteed figure is proof that you are indeed talented. It is pretty rare for people to have a compatibility that is higher than the guaranteed figure unless they are talented," Oh Jun-Hwan explained.
"Hmm…" Tae-Sung muttered as he processed the branch manager's words.
"Let us keep the Steel Kreuz model aside for now. Please try this one as well," Oh Jun-Hwan said while pointing at a red VR capsule.
"This is the Ishuka model, and it is designed to have a superior interior that will alleviate the user's fatigue even more compared to the Steel Kreuz. It was masterfully designed and crafted so that the user would not feel tired even after using it for fourteen hours!" Oh Jun-Hwan proudly explained.
"Ah, is that so?" Tae-Sung said, seemingly impressed.
He tested the Ishuka model as well.
[The compatibility of the user is 85.1%]
His compatibility with the Ishuka model was the same as the Steel Kreuz model he tested earlier.
"Hmm… I think customer-nim's abilities are more suitable for super capsules compared to the premium capsules," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
"I-Is that so?" Tae-Sung replied while awkwardly scratching his cheek.
"Please try this as well," Oh Jun-Hwan said as he pointed at a black capsule this time.
The black capsule was called the 'Raptor' model.
[The compatibility of the user is 85.1%]
The result was the same as the Steel Kreuz and Ishuka he tested earlier.
"Hmm… 85.1%... and three in a row at that. I think we have found what we are looking for. I think customer-nim is truly more compatible with super capsules," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
"Haha… Maybe I'm more suitable for expensive things? Haha…!" Tae-Sung awkwardly laughed.
He was at a loss whether he should be happy about it or not.
His compatibility with an old secondhand VR capsule was 77% while his compatibility with premium VR capsules was below average. However, his compatibility with super capsules was pretty high at 85.1%.
He could not make heads or tails on how his compatibility worked.
'Well… I guess it doesn't matter as long as I can get 85.1%. That's a figure on par with the pro gamers after all,' Tae-Sung thought.
He decided not to think about it too much and be content with the fact that he would get a free super capsule he was highly compatible with.
"Then, shall we test the final model?" Oh Jun-Hwan asked while pointing at a purple VR capsule, which was the last remaining super capsule among the four super capsules.
"Do I have to? I think it's going to be the same 85.1% anyway?" Tae-Sung asked.
"I do not think so." Oh Jun-Hwan shook his head.
"Why so?" Tae-Sung asked.
"The model name of this VR capsule is 'Ogre'," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
"Ogre? Isn't that name a bit too vicious?" Tae-Sung said with a frown.
"Its specifications are vicious, too," Oh Jun-Hwan added.
"…?"
"The Ogre supports a minimum compatibility of 90% and can go up to 99%!" Oh Jun-Hwan exclaimed.
"Heok…!" Tae-Sung gasped in surprise.
"However, the compatibility will be zero if the user does not possess the abilities the Ogre demands from its user," Oh Jun-Hwan explained.
"Hmm… that's a picky one…" Tae-Sung muttered.
"That is because it is a hyper capsule," Oh Jun-Hwan proudly responded.
"Haha…" Tae-Sung awkwardly laughed.
It seemed the Ogre was a VR capsule that possessed specifications better than super capsules.
"Then, I guess it's going to come out as either 90% or 0%," Tae-Sung said.
"That's what I think as well…" Oh Jun-Hwan nodded in agreement.
The 85.1% compatibility was already an astounding number, but it was way below what the Ogre demanded from its user.
"Still, I suggest that you try it just in case," Oh Jun-Hwan said.
"Sure…" Tae-Sung replied.
Since he wouldn't lose anything even if he were to test it out, he decided to get a feel of what the best available VR capsule had to offer.
Tak!
Tae-Sung closed the Ogre's cover and booted it up to check his compatibility with it.
"Hmm…" Oh Jun-Hwan muttered while looking at Tae-Sung and the Ogre.
"it shouldn't be zero, right? Hmm… this customer is a really picky one. It had been pretty difficult to recommend him a model," Oh Jun-Hwan muttered to himself.
While he was busy in his own thought, a beep rang from the capsule.
Beep!
The Hyper Capsule Ogre let out a beep to signal the reveal of Tae-Sung's compatibility.
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