2 Idle Adventure Mode

Aldrin watched as his monitor, which showed the bogus dimsite, automatically minimized and a software suddenly opened an unknown program.

At the same time as that, he felt an itch that he couldn't scratch as something left his body; a small shadowy figure ran down from his head and dashed towards the monitor.

He couldn't react fast enough to catch it and by the time his mind jolted him to do something, the small shadowy figure appeared to pass through his monitor's screen.

Although unbelievable, Aldrin could see that it was now existing inside his monitor. It ran along his taskbar and jumped to climb up to the opened software which was only showing a black screen.

As soon as he entered, a glowing spiral appeared from that black screen which sucked the small shadowy figure as if it was a whirlpool.

Aldrin rubbed his eyes to see if he was hallucinating, however, what was being shown in front of him remained the same.

When the spiral, along with the shadowy figure, disappeared from his monitor, a windowed program with the title IDLE Database suddenly opened and ran by itself.

On its interface, there's only a huge line of texts that reads, 'Travelling to a Lower Dimension: Small Insect Colony #111222'

He hurriedly tried opening his Task Manager but the 'IDLE Database' was not listed as an ongoing task.

He thought of restarting his computer but decided against it in the end. The antivirus programs installed in his desktop computer weren't being triggered which means it's safe.

Or he only believed that it's safe because of his curiosity about this IDLE Database.

After waiting for five minutes, the IDLE Database program was still showing the same text but now with an added small font line at the bottom right. 'Loading 5%'

Scratching the back of his head, Aldrin decided to turn his attention somewhere first while he waited for that IDLE Database to load. He clicked for the browser which was minimized from his task bar and saw that the bogus dimsite had already closed. The dimsite returned to the same page where he saw the clickbaity ad.

There was no more ad but only an error message that was prompting him to reload the page.

He did reload it but what appeared wasn't the same clickbait ad anymore but just an insurance company ad that enticed its customers by saying 'You can die anytime. Insure now!'

After blowing a long exhalation, Aldrin shook his head and closed the browser.

And as soon as he did, he noticed that the IDLE Database which already created a small icon on his desktop was soon to finish its loading phase.

"Let's see. If this one's not real then I better go back to sleep. I still need to grind on Ranga Online tomorrow. I better reach Level 99 to rebirth and catch up with those fools." Aldrin yawned and scratched his itchy head again.

As if remembering something, he hurriedly pulled open a drawer from his table and picked the small mirror he was using to remove eye boogers in his eyes.

Facing the mirror on the part of his head where he was feeling the itch, Aldrin's face suddenly became filled with horror.

"What the f*ck?! Why do I have a hairless spot here?" He wondered.

He tried touching that spot and another itchy sensation engulfed his mind.

After scratching it for a while, he finally remembered the small shadowy figure that jumped out from him.

"That thing… is a clump of my hair? This IDLE Database asked for my DNA and now it used my hair to create that freaky shadow to send to a Lower Dimension? What will happen if it dies? Will my hair gradually thin because of it? Will I go bald eventually?!"

His thoughts immediately went haywire as they turned in the wrong direction.

However, before he could delve deeply into his despair of being bald while still young, the monitor that was showing the program called IDLE Database finally finished its loading.

The text shown in it was once again replaced and became the same font as what was in that bogus dimsite earlier.

[Commencing Idle Adventure Mode]

[Your Dimensional Clone has arrived at the destination]

[Your Dimensional Clone will be possessing your current strength]

[Do you want to control your Clone?]

Following the fourth line, two rectangular boxes appeared below it, giving the choices of Yes or No.

"Let's see. It's called IDLE Database with an emphasis on 'Idle'. Let's skip controlling it then and watch how this will unfold."

Aldrin was still unconvinced that this unnatural program that installed itself and made his hair move on its own could change his life. He's pessimistic that way after living his life as a worthless and useless guy.

Moving the cursor to the rectangular box that says 'No', Aldrin drew a deep breath before clicking it.

Click!

[Choice acknowledged]

[IDLE Database - Idle Adventure Mode will now commence]

After briefly showing that text, the black background disappeared and was replaced with a graphically beautiful rendered image.

It showed a wide open space that featured tall green lush grass. From afar, human-sized insects such as ants, grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars move about.

"This is what it means as a Small Insect Colony? I thought it would be somewhat fearsome but these insects… they seemed to be living peacefully."

Aldrin couldn't help but comment. Nonetheless, he kept his eyes glued to the screen.

A few seconds later, the white spiral appeared above the sky before the little shadowy figure that was engulfed by it dropped down to the ground.

As soon as its feet firmly grasped the soft earth beneath, Aldrin saw the Dimensional Clone of his set its sight onto the nearest caterpillar.

[Level 3 Caterpillar (Difficulty: High)]

With the difficulty highlighted in red-colored font, the Dimensional Clone then switched its gaze to the second insect nearest to it.

[Level 1 Worker Ant (Difficulty: Normal)]

[This Worker Ant is part of a nearby ant colony, killing it while other ants from the same colony are nearby will turn all of them hostile to you]

Reading everything that was being shown to him, Aldrin nodded his head.

However, since he chose not to control the Dimensional Clone, it moved by itself.

Aldrin then saw the status log update of the Dimensional Clone in an opaque rectangular text box at the lower left side of the program's interface.

[Found a target: Level 3 Caterpillar]

[Difficulty higher than the default setting]

[Switching target]

[Found a target: Level 1 Worker Ant]

[Difficulty matched the default setting]

[Attacking Level 1 Worker Ant]

Before he could finish reading the status log of the Dimensional Clone, his eyes became fixed and wide-eyed when it immediately ran towards the targeted Worker Ant.

As it waded through the tall grass, the Dimensional Clone raised its leg and viciously kicked the Worker Ant.

"Eekk!"

The Worker Ant shrieked in pain and stood up immediately. However, the Dimensional Clone followed up its initial kick by chasing after the Worker Ant.

After another kick, a punch and lastly pulling the ant's head off of its body, the battle ended with Dimensional Clone's victory. But it didn't come out unscathed. Before pulling its head off, the Dimensional Clone was stabbed on its abdomen causing black blood to leak out of its body.

Below, the status log was continuously being updated in real-time as the Dimensional Clone was fighting the Worker Ant.

[Dimensional Clone kicked the Worker Ant and dealt 5 damage]

[Dimensional Clone chased after the Worker Ant, sent another kick and dealt 7 damage]

[Dimensional Clone punched the Worker Ant, breaking open its thin carapace and dealt 10 damage]

[Dimensional Clone killed the Worker Ant by pulling its head off]

[Dimensional Clone was stabbed by the Worker Ant's fangs and received 10 damage and Bleeding status]

[You received 5 IDLE points]

[A Worker Ant has witnessed the fight and was now on its way to report its finding to the colony]

[Dimensional Clone decided to retreat and hide to recuperate]

While he was reading the status log, Aldrin was also watching his Dimensional Clone move from where it killed the Worker Ant to leave the immediate vicinity and hide behind a gigantic leaf.

"In the end, this is just an intricate Idle Game. How will this change my life, I wonder?" He murmured but his eyes never left the screen and the Dimensional Clone that was holding onto its abdomen to stop the bleeding.

[Dimensional Clone has entered a critical stage. It will die in thirty seconds if not treated immediately]

Treated? There's a hole on its stomach! What kind of Idle Game will punish a player like this…

While he was complaining about the game, he noticed a few more rectangular boxes below its interface.

There were at least five tabs that were locked behind a padlock icon earlier but when the Dimensional Clone killed the Worker Ant and received IDLE points, one of the tabs was unlocked.

There were only thirty seconds, Aldrin didn't think twice as he moved his cursor and clicked onto it.

To his surprise and joy, Aldrin was presented with what he needed at the moment.

The first tab was named 'Player Menu' and there were functions that popped up when he clicked it.

[Restore the Dimensional Clone's Health: 5 IDLE points]

[Double the Dimensional Clone's Damage: 20 IDLE points]

[Double the Dimensional Clone's Speed: 20 IDLE points]

[Double the Dimensional Clone's Armor: 20 IDLE points]

[Leave the Lower Dimension]