Idle Life Ends
The sound of my toothbrush scraping against my teeth fills the cramped bathroom, the only noise breaking the silence of my one-bedroom apartment. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, watching the same tired, unshaven face stare back. Dirty blonde hair, unkempt and falling just above my eyes. Blue-green eyes that used to hold some spark but now just looked dull, drained.
I spit into the sink and rinse my mouth, letting out a sigh. Six-foot-four, two-hundred-thirty pounds of muscle, and yet I feel as useless as a twig floating down a stream. I don't play sports. I don't fight. I don't even work out anymore. What's the point? Strength means nothing if you never have a reason to use it.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I'm greeted by the dim, artificial glow of my apartment's LED lights. A cheap couch, a cluttered coffee table, a desk stacked with takeout containers and unopened mail—it's all I have. My world condensed into these four walls.
I check my phone. No messages. No missed calls. No plans.
Figures.
With a sigh, I flop onto the couch, grabbing my phone and unlocking the screen. Instantly, the idle game I've been playing for months greets me, its numbers ticking upward in the background. Gold accumulating. Resources stockpiling. Progress being made—without me lifting a damn finger.
"If only real life worked like this," I mutter, watching my kingdom expand on its own.
I used to have ambitions. College was supposed to lead to something great. A good job, a fulfilling life, maybe even a relationship. Instead, I got stuck in the grind—waking up for a job I hated, going home to an empty apartment, and wasting hours on mindless entertainment to distract myself from the fact that my life was going nowhere.
Work. Eat. Sleep. Game. Repeat.
And the worst part? I wasn't even miserable. Just… numb.
A dull throb pulses in my head. I wince, rubbing my temple. Probably just stress. Or dehydration. Or maybe I need an actual meal instead of surviving on frozen dinners.
Whatever.
I turn my attention back to my game, watching the numbers tick higher. Another milestone notification pops up.
+1,000,000 Gold Earned. New Upgrades Available!
A sharper pain lances through my head, making me suck in a breath. My vision wobbles.
The phone slips from my fingers.
My body feels heavy. Too heavy. My arms won't respond, my legs numb.
What the hell?
Panic wells up, but even that feels distant, dulled by an overwhelming exhaustion pulling me under. My chest tightens, breath hitching. My vision darkens at the edges, the room spinning.
I need to move. I need to—
Everything stops.
Silence.
A void of nothingness swallows me whole.
For a moment, there is no pain. No thoughts. No existence.
Then—
Light.
Blinding, overwhelming light floods my vision, forcing my eyes shut. My lungs burn as air rushes in, my body jerking upright with a sharp inhale.
The first thing I notice is warmth. The kind that sinks into your skin, not too hot, not too cold—perfect. The second thing is the air, crisp and clean, carrying a faint, unfamiliar scent. Like fresh grass and something… electric.
I open my eyes.
And my breath catches in my throat.
Above me, the sky stretches wide, a deep, almost unnatural shade of blue, streaked with swirling veins of silver and violet. Massive floating landmasses drift in the distance, waterfalls spilling from their edges into endless mist below.
I push myself up, hands pressing against the ground—only, it's not dirt. It's grass, but smoother, softer, almost like silk. Strange, glowing flowers dot the field around me, pulsing faintly with light.
This… this isn't Earth.
A cool breeze sweeps past, carrying distant sounds—birdsong, rustling leaves, the faint echo of something large moving far away. The air itself hums, charged with an energy I can feel under my skin.
I stand slowly, my body responding with an ease that feels unnatural. No stiffness, no lingering aches from sitting on my couch for hours. I feel… good. Better than I ever have.
Then—
DING!
A chime echoes in my mind, sharp and distinct, followed by a glowing interface appearing before me.
---
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Welcome, Outworlder. You have been granted a Unique System.
Initializing…
---
I blink. A system? Like in a game?
Before I can process that thought, another notification appears.
---
[Idle System Detected]
Passive Accumulation Activated.
Resources: 0
Units: 0
Territory: 0
---
I stare, my pulse pounding.
This is real.
And I'm not on Earth anymore.
---
I turn slowly, scanning my surroundings. Rolling green hills stretch into the distance, broken up by scattered groves of those glowing trees. In the far distance, jagged mountains rise into the sky, their peaks hidden behind wisps of golden clouds.
No buildings. No roads. No signs of civilization.
I'm alone.
The system screen hovers in my vision, semi-transparent, waiting.
I take a slow breath.
Alright. Let's think.
I died. Or at least, I'm pretty damn sure I did. That stroke—or whatever it was—should've been the end. But now I'm here, in a world that looks like it was ripped straight out of a fantasy novel, and I have some kind of Idle System.
The words pulse faintly, drawing my attention. Curious, I reach out mentally, focusing on them.
A new prompt appears.
---
[Idle System Overview]
Your system passively accumulates resources, units, and influence over time, even while inactive. Strength is determined by growth rate and expansion.
Current Growth Rate: 0 (Requires Activation)
---
I exhale.
So… I don't fight? I don't grind for levels or swing a sword? My system works like an idle game?
The idea is so absurd, I almost laugh.
Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. My whole damn life revolved around idle games. Hell, I literally died playing one.
Now, I apparently am one.
The thought sends a strange thrill through me. This is different. New. A second chance.
I square my shoulders and glance around. First step? Figure out where the hell I am.
Second step? Figure out how to activate this system.
Because if I really do have an idle system in a world like this…
I might just have the greatest advantage of all.