Because of how limited the information about Energy Refiners to the public, Aldrin had no idea about Concept. He wondered about it when he saw that he could purchase a Concept Book through Idle Shopping, but without any other explanation, he skipped it.
And this time, although the whole book about it was etched in his mind, Aldrin had to focus on what he's reading to become enlightened with it.
Fortunately, there's a brief explanation about Concept. What it is and what it is used for.
If Energy Refiners could refine the everpresent Dimensional Energy to transform it into something uniquely connected to them, Concept was the application to which refined Dimensional Energy could be used.
Taken by the literal meaning of it, Concept was the thought of an Energy Refiner how he or she would transform his or her refined Dimensional Energy.
In reality, although there were countless things to conceptualize into a Concept as an Energy Refiner, realizing and using it was a different story. That's why there were books written to guide Energy Refiners to realize the Concept they chose or what they had in hand.
Consequently, Concept had different levels or categories. The strongest concepts were those in their purest essence like Light or Darkness. As for the Shadow Clone Concept that Aldrin was trying to be enlightened with, it wasn't as pure as the two examples.
There was a line in the concept book that explained the essence of the Shadow Clone Concept.
'There can be no Shadow without Light and Darkness.'
Although it only explained the Shadow Concept, the second word 'Clone' most likely further diluted it.
To check it, Aldrin went to the Idle Shopping interface and searched for 'Shadow' Concept Books.
And as he expected, there were numerous Shadow + Word Concepts but no Shadow Concept alone.
There were also no Light, Darkness, Fire, Water and any other word that Aldrin thought would be a purest essence.
Most likely, he couldn't buy those strongest Concepts or they just needed to be unlocked.
Either way, with just that few lines, Aldrin was gradually becoming enlightened with the Shadow Clone Concept as he continued reading the contents of the Concept Book.
By the time he reached the second floor and before the stairs going to the third, Aldrin achieved complete enlightenment about the Shadow Clone Concept.
'Shadow Clone.' Aldrin silently murmured and from inside him, he could clearly feel his Energy Quintessence and the refined Dimensional Energy churning about.
Although unbelievable at first, Aldrin watched as his stretched shadow on the ground materialized into a semi-transparent Shadow Clone possessing his own figure.
After ordering it to go upstairs to help Renissa, it instantly moved without making any sound. And surprisingly, he was aware of its every movement as if he now possessed another set of eyes.
'Should I be amazed at myself or not?'
In the end, it wasn't as hard as he thought at first. Or perhaps, it was just a low-level Concept that anyone could be enlightened with.
There was a bit of a problem though. Even if he was enlightened before he reached the third floor where Renissa was currently fighting and he even sent a Shadow Clone to help her, he didn't leave a spare of 100 IDLE Points to use the 'Summon Dimensional Clone' because of how pessimistic he was for his chances earlier.
'If I survive this day, I will start leaving a spare of 100 IDLE Points in the storage…' Aldrin vowed as he began ascending the last flight of stairs.
The Dimensional Clone should be different from a Shadow Clone. And that's the reason why it was a feature from the IDLE Database.
'It will be superior due to how my Dimensional Clones can become stronger than my own self through the upgrades and enhancements in the Idle Adventure mode.' Aldrin concluded.
Following that, Aldrin shook his head to clear his mind and follow behind his Shadow Clone.
He actually tried to materialize another one. Unfortunately, the refined Dimensional Energy was not enough or his further understanding of the Shadow Clone was still not enough.
-
-
At the same time as Aldrin was ascending the stairs, Renissa, who was locked in a fight against one Rift Monster, began to feel the fatigue.
She was inexperienced and on top of that, she expended a great part of her refined Dimensional Energy to save her classmates.
Renissa told the truth earlier when Aldrin asked her about her hair and the breeze of icy cold wind that immediately formed beads of ice. It was because of her still being a novice resulting in the Concept she got enlightened with being out of her complete control.
Fortunately, she brought her Equipment Case with her. If not for that, she would be as helpless as them.
"Die!" Renissa brandished her katana and made an upward diagonal slash as soon as he saw the chance.
The white katana that was covered with her Icy Breeze Concept issued a sizzling sound and produced an almost suffocating stream when it drew a line from the quadrupedal flame beast's body.
A dying howl immediately echoed across the whole VIP Room where they had just been drinking earlier.
Following that, the slightly huge body of the beast fell down from above and crashed onto the thin ice film breaking it into pieces before finally landing on the ground, lifeless.
Upon seeing that, Renissa softly landed on the ground and swung her katana clean before sheathing it back.
Thinking back to the training that she had undergone ever since awakening as an Energy Refiner, Renissa aimed to end this fight and… find somewhere to hide.
She's already exhausted. Moreover, she didn't possess a Metadome slug it out against these Rift Monsters.
However, before she could even think of leaving the room, another chill ran down her spine.
Without taking the time to check where it was coming from, Renissa hurriedly rolled out of the way.
BLAZE!
A few seconds later, a fireball landed from her previous position bursting into the floor, burning in it.
Had she failed to dodge, she would've been burnt and scorched black by that fire.
From above the destroyed roof, another flying flame beast could be seen descending.
"Another one… I have no mo—" Before Renissa could finish her despairing sentence, she was astounded to see a shadowy figure suddenly appearing in front of her. And without any indication, it seemingly wanted to protect her from the beast.
A few seconds later, the shadowy figure leaped from the ground to meet the flying beast mid-air.
"Have the City Hall Guards arrived?"
That's the first possibility she thought of. However, she instantly rejected it.
If they arrived, she would've heard the loud engines of the Metadomes and the explosion caused by the soldiers' weapons.
"Am I late?!"
And while she was thinking of another possibility, another figure appeared from the opened door of the room.
Turning her gaze towards the newcomer, Renissa's eyes widened. "Aldrin, what are you doing here?! I told you to escape!"
"Thankfully, I'm not late." Instead of answering that slightly agitated question, Aldrin approached Renissa with a relieved expression as he tried to help her stand up. "I'm sorry. It's not that I didn't follow your words. You see…"
Aldrin trailed his voice and pointed above which Renissa's gaze followed after.
At the moment, the Shadow Clone that jumped upwards had finally met the Rift Monster.
Before their eyes, the Shadow Clone faced the flaming claws of the beast with its semi-transparent fist.
And to Renissa's utter surprise, the result was even! The beast was pushed back while the Shadow Clone dropped to the ground.
As if something clicked in her mind, Renissa looked at the man next to her. "You… You awakened."
"Yes. Fortunately or unfortunately." Aldrin answered with a wry smile. In his mind, he was also surprised that the clone withstood that.
"No… Is that your Concept? How?!"
Before everything went down earlier, she already noticed that the man in front of her was brimming with Dimensional Energy in his body. However, the thing she was truly baffled at was the fact that he now had a Concept!
"Something like that? I don't know how to explain it but can we skip the questions for later? My Shadow Clone isn't invincible. Let's escape."
Although it appeared as if that clash was even, the clone was actually damaged to the point that it was already on the verge of disappearing.
And until this point, the Weapons and Armor he was waiting for still hadn't arrived.
That's why instead of staying, running together was the most plausible choice given that he already noticed the exhaustion from the woman.
"You… Alright." Holding back the curiosity building up in her mind, Renissa sighed and answered.
Before the second clash between the Shadow Clone and the Rift Monster happened, the two of them dashed out of the room.