Awakening

Awoken by that shout of Bert, Aldrin hurriedly put his phone back in his pocket and followed them down to the Paradise Hall's basement or more specifically, the Emergency Shelter.

As part of the building standards in every part of the city in regards to the possibility of Dimensional Rift appearing nearby or inside the city itself, Bert's restaurant had an Emergency Shelter built below his restaurant's cellar.

Although it wouldn't be able to guard against massive explosions, it was the safest room for the staff and customers as long as there's no Rift Monsters that could dig underground.

Compared to being exposed aboveground, normal people truly had no other choice but to rely on the Emergency Shelters to hide and wait for rescue or the situation to die down.

Furthermore, they're positive that sooner or later, the City Hall would send rescuers and combatants to close the Rift.

Given that they already heard the Alert Status announced through the holographic projection above the city's skylines as well as a message on their phones, most people in the restaurant had mostly calmed down as they lined up to enter the Emergency Shelter.

By the time Aldrin and his group reached the cellar, they were welcomed by the six lady guards of the restaurant. Taking in the injured first, those inside the shelter had already prepared beds and first aid kits to treat them.

"What's the situation, Salyn?"

After being relieved from carrying Jacob, Bert asked the most beautiful lady guard who's holding onto a plasma sub-machine gun.

"Some customers left the establishment when the chaos ensued while some were unfortunately hit by something while dining at the outdoor tables from the 1st and 2nd floors. It's too late for them. Other than that, all the staff and customers had already been granted entry to the shelter." Salyn answered respectfully while still being vigilant towards the stairs leading to the ground floor.

The other five lady guards were doing the same while all holding the same make of plasma sub-machine guns.

They were prepared to fire and defend the place if a Rift Monster appeared.

Even if that kind of weapon wasn't something that integrated Dimensional Energy, it could at least hold back a Rift Monster.

Furthermore, they're only standing guard here since not everyone, especially their boss, hasn't entered the shelter yet.

"I see. It's unfortunate for the victims that were dining outside. I have to revise the plan for that. Provide protection in case the same thing happens… Anyway, great job all of you. Come on, let's go in." Bert patted Salyn's shoulder which made the woman smile despite the current situation as he urged all of them to also climb down the Emergency Shelter.

However, when Bert turned towards the entrance, he saw Alisa still standing there, frozen as she was looking at something or someone.

"Bert… What's happening to Aldrin?" With a layer of worry in her voice, Alisa pointed at Aldrin who was standing still while holding his phone.

When Bert followed her gaze and saw his friend frozen there while staring at his phone that had its screen turned off, he was somewhat appalled. 'What's this idiot doing? Is he waiting for a call from someone? During this crisis?'

However, unbeknownst to them, Aldrin who got relieved of carrying the complaining Oliver was now staring seriously at the IDLE Database interface.

[470 IDLE Points has been credited to Host and sent to IDLE Points Storage]

The IDLE Points Storage was located at the top right of the IDLE Database's interface. Upon seeing the earlier 0 changed to 470, Aldrin couldn't help but smile despite the clear feeling of fear like crawling ants on his skin.

In less than two hours, Aldrin's two Dimensional Clones had earned him 470 IDLE Points or 530 if he included the 60 points used to double their attack, armor and speed.

Moreover, the Idle Adventure mode was only paused and it could be resumed later. Perhaps after the current situation was resolved or he moved far away from the existing Dimensional Rift.

Being near the Dimensional Rift, the IDLE Database's advice for him to flee was still glowing in a bright-colored font, urging him to leave its vicinity.

But given that it was filled with Rift Monsters outside, Aldrin had no way to leave its vicinity yet. In contrast to that, this sudden harvest of IDLE Points made him think of other possibilities when his eyes went down the current statistics of the IDLE Database.

[Current Lower Dimension Information

-Small Insect Colony#111222 : 8% Conquest progress]

[Creatures killed : 410+(146)]

[IDLE Points gained : 1908+(530)]

[IDLE Points spent : 830+(60)]

[IDLE Points converted : 978]

[IDLE Points used: 100]

[IDLE Points stored : (470)]

[Conquered Dimension: 0]

'There's an additional line, huh? If 100 then it's about the IDLE Points I used in Idle Shopping. The 100 IDLE Points I exchanged for 10,000 Federation Credits… Moreover, the stats in parentheses are most likely because of how the 4th run of the Idle Adventure Mode is only paused and hasn't ended yet.' After understanding the changes in the statistics of the mysterious program, Aldrin's eyes then focused on the number of IDLE Points converted. 'Although I have no proof, I know I am already close to awakening. Renissa saw something earlier. If not for the sudden appearance of the Dimensional Rift, she was about to ask me about it… She must've seen my body filled with Dimensional Energy.'

With that kind of suspicion, Aldrin then intently stared at the number 978. 'What if I needed an exact 1000? Well, it's better to be sure than waste time at this moment.'

Having decided that, he tapped on the top right, bringing up the IDLE Points Storage interface.

After selecting 170 IDLE Points, he nervously tapped the glowing blue rectangle that says 'Convert to Dimensional Energy'.

Aldrin wasn't deaf. He could clearly hear the clamor being made by his friend, Bert and Alisa who was calling out to him earlier to go down the shelter.

However, he had to try.

No. He needed to try.

If by chance his suspicion was correct then his chances of surviving this predicament were high.

Moreover, although Aldrin had no idea how strong he would become or if he would be able to act as a proper Energy Refiner once he awakened, he at least wanted to help that Energy Refiner classmate of theirs who, without thinking twice, saved them.

Aldrin had no heroic thoughts at the moment. He just wanted to return the favor shown to him.

At any moment, those real experts in Dimensional Rifts in the form of City Hall Guards and the Refiner sent by Refiner's Association would soon come. That's why the situation outside wasn't his problem at the moment.

A few seconds later, just like with his PC, his phone screen shone brightly as it basked him with Dimensional Energy, filling his whole body and gathering on that spot where a sphere was being formed.

However, in Bert, Alisa and the six ladyguards' eyes that were looking at his stationary self, Aldrin only remained standing as if he was frozen at his spot.

"This guy… Is his head hit by a stone earlier?!" With a slightly annoyed tone, Bert stomped his feet as he decided to take it into his hands to drag his crazy friend inside the shelter.

Every second they spent outside the Emergency Shelter was a second closer they were to facing danger.

Much to his surprise, when Bert arrived behind Aldrin, he suddenly felt a startling feeling run across his whole body before he was pushed back by an unexplainable force.

And right after that, before the eight people's eyes, Aldrin who was just frozen earlier with his phone in his hand floated slightly as a surging wind seemingly formed around him.

"A-awakening!" Alisa exclaimed upon seeing the strange phenomenon happening to their classmate. "He's undergoing Awakening… Aldrin is about to become an Energy Refiner!"

With her clear melodic voice filling the whole Cellar and traveling down the opened shelter door, not only them, those who heard it, especially their former classmates were surprised.

Contrary to the reaction of those witnessing what's happening to him, Aldrin actually felt his whole body to be in severe pain. If not for enduring it, Aldrin would probably scream already. His gamble or guess was right but he was not prepared for this.

Unlike the soothing sensation that he already got used to whenever he was being basked by Dimensional Energy, once he sensed that the sphere successfully formed from that place below his navel, a violent burst of energy spread across his entire body.

'Is this what Renissa felt when she awakened? Is this the level of pain those artificially-made Energy Refiners were feeling? I don't know…' Amidst the pain that was as if he was being hit by numerous blunt paddles, pricked by countless needles and slashed by sharp swords, Aldrin held on as he focused on tiding through this pain.

The IDLE Database asked him if he wanted to change his life. And at this moment, that was already about to happen. Would he succumb to the pain and give up? Obviously not!

After an indeterminable amount of time for Aldrin, the pain soon subsided as he felt himself falling down on the floor.

Between the state of consciousness and unconsciousness, Aldrin heard the worried shouts around him but he had no energy to respond to them. At the moment, he only wanted to rest his body after experiencing that extreme pain that was probably close to what torture feels like.

If only he could open his eyes and look… On his phone screen, a new set of messages from the IDLE Database filled it.

[Host has successfully Awakened and became able to sense the mystical Dimensional Energy everpresent in the wide Universe.]

[As a congratulatory gift, a Concept Book has been bestowed to Host.]

[You received Concept Book: Shadow Clone]

[Due to becoming an Energy Refiner a special Skill has been generated by the IDLE Database]

[Summon Dimensional Clone: Spend 100 IDLE points along with Host's Dimensional Energy to summon one or more Dimensional Clones from the Idle Adventure Mode. (Shadow Clone Concept Enlightenment required)]