AFK System: Level Up By Doing Nothing!

Chapter 2: The First Nap, The First Kill

The neon-blue glow of the holographic panel reflected in Austin's widening eyes. The silence of the academy's infirmary felt heavier now, contrasting sharply with his sudden, wildly racing heartbeat. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, hoping that this was merely a hallucination from the anesthetics or a lingering nightmare from fainting on the stage earlier.

However, the text in front of him refused to disappear.

[Status Panel]

[Host: Austin Carter]

[Realm: Mortal (Level 1)]

[Class: The Ultimate Slacker]

[Mana: 0/0 (100% Blocked)]

[Current State: Awake (0% AFK Efficiency)]

[Current Location: Safe Zone - Academy Infirmary]

"An... AFK System?" Austin whispered under his breath, staring at the words floating above his white blanket. "Is this some kind of joke? I don't even have mana, how can a system bind to my soul?"

[Ding! Responding to Host's inquiry: The Cosmic AFK System is a high-level conceptual blessing. This system does not require conventional mana circulation from the Host. Instead, it detects the Host's level of physical and mental fatigue as its primary fuel source.]

Austin knitted his brows. "Primary fuel? You mean, the more tired and less willing to move I am, the better it is for you?"

[Precisely. Core System Protocol: Whenever the Host enters an 'Idle' state (stationary, no physical activity, sitting lazily) or 'Sleep' state (deep slumber), the 'Mirror Dimension' will activate. A Shadow Avatar, identical to the Host's potential strength, will be deployed into this mirror dimension to automatically hunt monsters 24/7 without pause.]

Reading that explanation, Austin's mouth opened slightly. Growing up in the era of the Tower, he knew all too well how hunters from great guilds like Pantheon or Vanguard risked their lives. They had to train for dozens of hours a day, trek through poisonous forests, and shed blood just to raise a single level. Even Selena Vance, the S-Rank genius, reportedly hadn't slept for three full days to prepare for the academy's entrance exam.

And now, a voice in his head had just told him that he could do the exact same thing even better simply by lying down?

"Wait," Austin narrowed his eyes, his skeptical instincts flaring. "You said the Shadow Avatar shares my potential strength. I suffer from Chronic Mana Deficiency Syndrome. My level is one, my mana is zero, and my body is incredibly weak. If your avatar is just as weak as I am, how can it kill monsters in the mirror dimension? Won't it just get eaten in one bite?"

[Ding! The Host's physical body is indeed at its lowest point, but the Host's soul possesses an infinite 'Void Capacity' due to the chronic rejection of mana. Within the Mirror Dimension, the Shadow Avatar does not utilize Earth's mana, but instead manipulates 'Cosmic Void Energy'. The level of the monsters in the Mirror Dimension will adapt to the Host's current level, but hunting efficiency will double if the Host is in a state of deep sleep.]

[System Note: The Host is currently in an 'Awake' state. Reward accumulation efficiency is at 0%. It is highly recommended for the Host to quickly find a comfortable spot and begin the first rest session.]

Austin was stunned for a moment, and then a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his pale face. For the first time in his life, the condition that had made him the laughingstock of the world the condition labeled as a curse, was actually the master key to something extraordinary.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

A loud knock on the door shattered Austin's train of thought. The blue holographic panel in front of him instantly faded and vanished into thin air, as if aware of an approaching presence.

The infirmary door swung open, and a figure in a disheveled academy uniform rushed in frantically. It was Leo. His friend's face was drenched in sweat, and he was panting heavily as if he had just run around the entire academy grounds.

"Austin! You're awake?!" Leo pushed straight through the medical curtains and grabbed Austin's shoulders, staring at him with intense worry. "How do you feel? Does your chest still hurt? Damn it, the doctor said your mana dropped to a critical point earlier!"

Austin smiled faintly at his friend's panic. "I'm fine, Leo. Just... a little thirsty."

Leo quickly grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table and handed it to Austin. "Drink this first. You gave me a heart attack, you know! When you collapsed on stage, Jaxon and his lackeys just kept laughing. Thank goodness the Medical Instructor brought you straight here."

Austin drank the water slowly, feeling the coolness rush down his throat. "So, what about my registration results? Am I completely expelled?"

At that question, Leo's face immediately darkened. He shifted his gaze to the floor, biting his lower lip before answering in a low voice. "Technically... you didn't pass the hunter selection. But because our orphanage has a guarantee contract with the academy for the working class, they placed you in the 'Support Faction'. You won't be deported to the outer zone, but..."

"But I'll be a manual laborer on the academy grounds?" Austin cut him off casually.

Leo looked at Austin with deep guilt. "I'm sorry, Austin. I tried to protest, but my own rank is only a D-Rank Warrior. I have absolutely no influence before the evaluation board. They said a Mana Deficiency patient like you would only end up as monster bait if they forced you into the tower."

Instead of being upset, Austin let out a sigh of relief. Being a manual laborer or part of the support faction meant he didn't have to carry the weight of any expectations. No mandatory, exhausting missions from guilds, no brutal physical training under the scorching sun, and no one would pay attention to him.

"It's fine, Leo. This is actually a good thing," Austin said, patting Leo's arm. "The support faction usually has a lot of free time, right?"

"Eh? Free time?" Leo blinked in confusion, completely unexpected of Austin's optimistic or rather, incredibly lazy, reaction. "Well, yeah, I guess. The support faction's duty for the first week is just cleaning the outer area of the tower and maintaining the academy gardens. But still, they treat the support class like servants!"

"Servants who get long afternoon nap times," Austin corrected with a smirk. "Don't worry about it. Where do I report for my first duty?"

An hour later, Austin was already in the outer area of the Tower Academy. In accordance with his new status as a member of the support faction, he was given a long bamboo broom and a loose, grey uniform that signified the lowest caste of this place.

The area he had to clean was the Academy's Backyard, a massive area with a sweeping expanse of soft green grass, surrounded by lush, shady trees. A gentle breeze blew past, carrying the sweet scent of magical flowers growing around the outer pillars of 'The World Tree'. To other students, this place might just be a pathway, but to Austin, it was paradise on earth.

"Perfect," Austin muttered, eyeing a giant oak tree that cast a wide, inviting shadow beneath its branches.

He looked left and right. There were no instructors watching, and the other genius students were busy in the theory halls or combat training arenas.

Austin walked toward the oak tree, dropping his broom casually onto the grass. He sat down against the sturdy trunk, stretched his legs out, and folded his arms across his chest. The texture of the grass beneath him felt incredibly soft, far better than the thin mattress at his old orphanage.

"Let's see if this system actually works," Austin whispered to himself.

He closed his eyes slowly. As the darkness of sleep began to overtake his mind and his breathing turned steady, a familiar warm sensation enveloped his consciousness once more.

[Ding! Detecting Host's condition... Status: 'Sleeping'. AFK efficiency increased to 100%.]

[Activating Mirror Dimension. Summoning Tier 1 Shadow Avatar.]

In the real world, Austin's physical body appeared fast asleep, his head tilted slightly to the side, snoring softly under the shade of the oak tree. However, within the deepest recesses of his mind, a massive cinema screen seemed to open, displaying a visualization of what was happening in the Mirror Dimension.

On that screen, a dark shadow silhouette that looked exactly like Austin stood in a silent replica of the academy gardens. However, the sky in this dimension was blood-red, and the atmosphere was thick with an eerie, ominous fog.

Rustle... Rustle...

From behind the bushes of the mirror dimension, a small, green-skinned creature with wrinkled skin and long, pointed ears crawled out. It held a rusty dagger, its eyes glowing red with bloodlust. It was an F-Rank Goblin.

In the real world, if the real Austin faced this monster, he would have been killed within seconds due to his weak physique. However, within the Mirror Dimension, Austin's Shadow Avatar showed absolutely no fear. As the Goblin lunged forward to pounce, the Shadow Avatar moved with absurd speed.

Without holding any weapon, the Shadow Avatar simply raised its right hand. A dense, cold black energy 'Cosmic Void Energy' gathered at its palm, forming a small, sharp whirlwind.

BOOM!

With one lazy flick of the Shadow Avatar's wrist, the whirlwind blasted forward, slamming into the Goblin's chest. The green creature instantly exploded into shards of black light, without even having the chance to scream.

At that exact second, in the real world, a rapid string of mechanical notifications began to ring in the deepest layer of Austin's sleeping mind.

[Ding! Your Shadow Avatar has slain F-Rank Goblin. Exp +10. Gold +5.]

[Dropped Item: Iron Dagger (F-Rank). The loot has been automatically transferred to the System Inventory.]

[Ding! Monster death detected. Absorbing the monster's residual life essence... Transferring pure energy directly into the Host's physical body in the real world.]

Wuuush!

Along with the last notification, a bizarre phenomenon occurred within Austin's body resting against the oak tree. A wave of warm energy, as soft as silk yet as dense as molten metal, suddenly exploded from the center of his heart. The energy did not flow through his blocked mana pathways; instead, it seeped directly into his bone marrow, muscle tissues, and every cell of his physical body.

Austin's pale face gradually began to flush with a healthy, vibrant color. His usually shallow, heavy breaths became incredibly deep, steady, and powerful. The chronic fatigue that had tormented him for eighteen years seemed to evaporate entirely, replaced by a sensation of physical strength he had never felt in his entire life.

[Warning: Host's physical body is experiencing rapid strengthening. Current progress to Level 2: 10/100 Exp.]

Austin was still sound asleep, but within his dream, he could feel his body becoming as light as a feather, ready to unleash immense strength the moment he woke up. Meanwhile, inside the Mirror Dimension, his Shadow Avatar continued to walk forward with lazy steps, seeking its next prey beneath the blood-red sky.