15 Multiply

[You leveled up Multiply…]

[Generating another Dimensional Clone…]

As soon as the Dimensional Clone gathered 100 points or 105 points, to be exact, after killing 35 Worker Ants, Aldrin immediately opened the Equipment and Skills tab to get the first Skill.

He deliberated whether to upgrade the Dimensional Clone's equipment or more specifically, its weapon first. However, after seeing how it was already easy for the Dimensional Clone to hunt down even a group of Worker Ants, he held back from spending anything before amassing the needed 100 points.

Following those notifications, Aldrin watched closely as the Dimensional Clone who was just running and looking for its next prey abruptly stopped its feet.

Along with a smoke-like aura that was being exuded by the Dimensional Clone, it creaked a few times as if its skeleton was being broken apart. A few moments later, Aldrin witnessed how the Dimensional Clone split in half before the two halves grew the missing half of their bodies.

It truly multiplied just like the name of the skill suggested.

"I am ready for another bald spot… but I guess this is better." Aldrin couldn't help but blurt out as he scratched his head while heaving a sigh of relief.

The spitting of the Dimensional Clone was so quick that it didn't even take a minute to complete. It was quick and seemingly a natural thing for the Dimensional Clone to do.

With the two Dimensional Clones standing side by side, Aldrin noticed how there's a new feature that suddenly appeared at the Equipment side of the Equipment and Skills tab.

Between the standing image of the Dimensional Clone where the eight square boxes for equipment are located and the list of equipment upgrades, two small squares were now visible that were numbered 1 and 2.

One was currently white while the other one was grey.

Upon seeing that, Aldrin instantly understood its purpose.

They're used to switch between the two Dimensional Clones status or equipment pages.

The two Dimensional Clones' equipment was separate from each other. They're two separate entities that possessed a set of equipment that he needed to upgrade separately.

Moreover, on top of the standing image of the Dimensional Clone, there's now a name box with a small pencil icon at the right.

And that meant one thing, he could now give them a name…

Without delay, Aldrin renamed the first one as Striker and the second one as Tank.

For now, naming them with their intended role was the best.

He planned on letting the first one to dual wield weapons, while the other one would bear a shield. If he got a third Dimensional Clone, that one would be the Long-range Hitter or in short, Hitter.

After that initial 100 IDLE Points to get the Multiply skill, he now needed 1000 IDLE Points to upgrade it again.

In Aldrin's mind, he deemed that the high spiking of the cost would probably persist in every feature.

As he progressed with the IDLE Database or the features it would unlock in the future, he would be expecting the inflating cost to upgrade. And that's why every IDLE Point gathered was too valuable.

After observing the Equipment and Skills tab for a little longer, apart from the separate equipment, there's nothing else that could be considered new.

The Skills side remained the same. Aldrin guessed that the Dimensional Clone would end up possessing the same Skills. However, they probably needed to reach the required equipment level for it.

To test that theory, he minimized the tab and began to watch as the two Dimensional Clones moved side by side to hunt for prey.

After a while, Aldrin opened the options menu to change the parameter of the Target settings. From Easy-Easy, he switched it to Easy-Normal.

This way, Normal difficulty insects would now be targeted by the Dimensional Clones rather than look for more Worker Ants.

From his seven runs in this Small Insect Colony, he already saw that there's not just ants and caterpillars here, there were also the other types of bugs but their levels were too high.

There was Grasshopper, Mantis, Beetle, Spider, Bee and Butterfly. Their Levels were all at two digits.

Nonetheless, considering ants live in a colony, their threat was still higher than them, except for Bees… That would be another tough opponent for the Dimensional Clones in the future.

-

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[Idle Adventure Mode Run Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, 50 seconds]

[Total Creatures killed: 178(13 Hard, 100 Easy, 64 Normal)]

[Total IDLE Points gained: 750]

[Total IDLE Points used: 600]

[Total IDLE Points to be stored: 150]

[Lower Dimension Conquest progress: 7%]

[Remaining Chances: 2 (will reset at 0:00 local time)]

[Evaluation: D+ Rating]

The planet's nearby sun was already hanging up in the sky when the 3rd run for the day ended.

Upon seeing the statistics shown in the IDLE Database's interface, Aldrin couldn't tell if he should be happy or not.

"I got too confident… I thought they would be able to deal with the Soldiers…"

Actually, the two Dimensional Clones truly became able to deal with a higher-difficulty insect. However, the reinforcements that swiftly backed up the Soldier Ants almost killed the two.

Fortunately, they managed to run.

During that run, Aldrin almost used up everything his Dimensional Clones earned. Starting from the 100 Points for the Multiply Skill, 60 Points for the 3 Power-ups at the first tab, 340 for leveling up all pieces of the Dimensional Clones' equipment to 1 and an additional 100 for leveling up Striker's main weapon and Tank's shield to level 2.

With only 150 Points left, Aldrin contemplated his next step.

However, after remembering the mental note he made earlier and the fact that he had two more runs left for the day, he swiftly clicked on the shopping cart icon of the Idle Shopping and exchanged the 100 Points for 10,000 Federation Credits.

Bzzzzt!

As soon as he clicked it and the 100 IDLE Points were deducted on his remaining 150, Aldrin noticed his phone vibrating. It's an indication of a notification.

With shaky hands, Aldrin grabbed his phone and turned it on.

[Federation Bank Express

You have received 10,000 Federation Credits.

Your current balance is now 10520 Federation Credits.

Sender: ID]

"It's real… Everything this IDLE Database showed me is real…"

Although it sounded unmanly for tears to form at the corner of his eyes, Aldrin couldn't help it. How long has he been living a frugal life? It's probably more than two years. Even when he was still working, he's only spending enough to keep himself alive…

But now… he got an instant 10,000 Federation Credits from a game he was playing… Although that's not the most mystical thing it gave him, money is money.

He can now treat himself to a hearty meal!

However, as soon as that thought passed by his mind, Aldrin's attention went back to his phone that had started ringing.

Upon seeing the name registered on the screen, Aldrin answered it.

"Aldrin! Come to my restaurant now! Quickly!" Bert's hurried and somewhat agitated voice instantly filled his ears. The slight sleepiness he was feeling from not having a wink of sleep somehow flew out of his mind.

"Hey wait… I haven't gotten a wink of sleep yet, what's wrong?"

"Again? Sleep later, I'll pay for your hotel expenses, just come."

"What has gotten into you that you're this hurried?"

"Idiot, you're the one who suggested it to me. Have you forgotten?"

"Huh? The reunion?"

'Bert. This guy needs at least a week to prepare for that, why is he talking about that now?' Aldrin thought.

"That's right! I contacted Renissa immediately yesterday after our call. I got her message just now… She's only available today. So… I'm going to contact everyone else for an unannounced reunion party. Those who can come will come. I called you first so you better be thankful to me… Come now, my staff will guide you in the private room we always use for our reunion parties." Bert quickly answered as he explained the situation.

After digesting what his friend said, Aldrin found that this abrupt reunion made some sense.

Renissa was already an Energy Refiner. She's not an ordinary civilian anymore. Most likely, she was about to undergo training to hone her abilities. That's why… time was now tight for her.

Her acceptance of the invitation was already generous given that their class was only meeting a few times each year. Although some were friends with each other, most of them were just… classmates, and nothing else.

"Sure, sure. Thanks for the heads up, oh Great Bert Daymon. I'll be there soon." Aldrin sarcastically answered that he knew his friend wouldn't take offense from it.

"Don't be late!"

After that final reminder, the other party ended the call.

And seconds after it, Aldrin murmured to himself, "… I still have two runs but… this is also important. The IDLE Database is also inside my phone. Perhaps I can let it run by itself. It's a chance to meet a true Energy Refiner… I better learn something from her!"

Following that, Aldrin put down his phone and immediately purchased 7 Small Merchants to start their production of IDLE Points and that immediately cut away more than half of what he exchanged leaving him with 2470 Federation Credits.

Aldrin endured the slight heartache he felt after seeing how the five digits in his bank balance went back to four as he closed the Idle Shopping Interface and waited for the 50 IDLE Points to be converted to Dimensional Energy.

He first planned to store it but given the current circumstances, he felt that the soothing effect of the basking in Dimensional Energy would wake him up better than any type of coffee.

And sure enough, Aldrin felt refreshed after the quick flood of Dimensional Energy was absorbed and refined in his body.

After turning up his PC, he wore a rather casual pair of clothes and pants before picking up his phone.

While on the elevator, Aldrin opened the IDLE Database application installed in it and began his 4th Idle Adventure run for the day.