The Second Life of Adam Cosmos

Adam found himself once again back at the familiar cavern. Before diving into the task of potion-making, he paused to examine the pages he had recently acquired at the auction. It only took a quick glance for him to realize what a good deal he had gotten.

“Nice! Two pages of the same set!” he muttered, satisfaction evident in his voice.

The auction house had purposefully blurred the pages, making it impossible for anyone but the buyer to discern their value. It was only after his purchase that Adam could confirm what set the pages belonged to. The two new pages were from a set he had already begun to collect—the very same set he obtained from the necromancer he defeated in the maze. He didn't mind the overlap, though. At this point, he held 4 out of 10 pages from the first set, 3 out of 10 from the second, and 2 out of 10 from the third.

With more exploration, particularly within the inner catacombs, Adam was confident he would find additional pages. The inner section would remain untouched by players until they reached at least level 150, meaning he still had ample time to gather more. There was no rush.

Next on his agenda was setting up his potion-crafting tools.

Summoning the Field Alchemist Toolset he had purchased, a portable-looking bag appeared before him, seemingly from thin air. Adam gently placed it on the ground and began to unpack. The toolset was essentially designed for preparing and boiling ingredients over a stable flame, equipped with a large cauldron. As he continued to unpack, he noted the various items:

A 3-burner oil stove

Three large cauldrons

A set of mortar and pestles in three sizes: small, medium, and large

Several ladles

A set of knives and chopping boards

Multi-purpose containers

Several dozen glass powders

The more items he pulled from the bag, the more impressed he became. Although it wasn’t an enchanted bag of holding, its organization was impeccable. Despite the number of tools, the bag remained surprisingly compact. Adam made a mental note of how everything was arranged so he could repack it all in the same manner later.

His attention then shifted to the small heap of ingredients he had amassed. He felt secure in this part of the cavern, having long since deemed it safe from crystal beasts or any lurking predators. Content with his surroundings, Adam decided it was time to begin crafting potions.

Though initially drawn to the cavern by a blacksmithing quest, alchemy had captivated him enough to stay. Fortunately, the quest given to him by Vetius had no time limit.

"Let’s start with a simple recipe," Adam said aloud, a nostalgic tone creeping into his voice.

Potion crafting was divided into seven grades: poor, average, notable, superb, exquisite, pristine, and ultimate. Naturally, the higher the grade, the more complex the process and ingredients required. When the game first launched, novice alchemists could only craft potions of poor or average quality. Adam, however, had once been able to regularly produce superb and even exquisite-grade potions, both in-game and in the real world.

This was because, in his first life, Adam had been a Master Alchemist.

Crafting low-tier potions now would pose no challenge to him. In fact, he viewed it as a waste of materials, knowing he could easily create notable-grade potions with little effort. Even a novice, given the right recipe and precise adherence to procedure, could potentially brew a notable-grade potion. But the smallest mistake could ruin the entire mixture.

The true divide between a novice and a more experienced alchemist often came down to recipes—an alchemist's most guarded treasure. Many alchemists, be they individuals or part of a guild, closely protected their recipes, which often became a crucial source of income, both in the game and outside of it.

Fortunately for Adam, he knew dozens of recipes by heart. As a master alchemist in his previous life, he had accumulated a vast repertoire: some simple, some slightly tricky, and others highly complex. He had learned these through personal discovery, purchases from other alchemists, ancient texts found in remote locations, and rewards granted by various factions in Pangea.

High-tier potions typically require a combination of high stats, the appropriate alchemy rank, and special procedures. Adam was confident, however, that with his knowledge, basic equipment, and simple ingredients, he could still craft a notable-grade potion.

Just as a skilled blacksmith like Vetius could forge top-quality weapons from ordinary ores, Adam had the ability to create high-quality potions from basic ingredients.

There was another reason for Adam’s determination to craft potions of the highest possible grade: Essence. As a player in the Crafting Paradigm, he could earn Essence from successful creations. For players outside the Crafting Paradigm, this was not an option. This gave Adam an added advantage. Even if he postponed traditional grinding by focusing on potion-making, he could still gain Essence depending on the quality of the potions he produced. The higher the grade, the more Essence he stood to gain. There was, however, an additional perk he sought beyond Essence.

There were special rewards—titles and achievements—granted to players who accomplished certain feats. Some titles were relatively common, like those earned by killing a set number of monsters. Others were far rarer and could only be claimed by a single person.

Discovering or creating a new alchemical recipe fell into the latter category. Successfully crafting a potion from a recipe no one else had used before could earn Adam not just Essence but exclusive titles and achievements.

"Two, maybe three titles? I think I can get at least that much with my materials," Adam mused, calculating how far his resources could take him.

After analyzing his stockpile, he concluded that he could create twelve different potion recipes from the ingredients he had on hand. But before he jumped into crafting the more complex mixtures, he wanted to test something.

‘I might as well start with the simplest recipes,’ Adam thought.

His plan was to see if there would be any additional rewards for beginning with a poor-grade potion. It was a small gamble, but in the world of alchemy, even the smallest experiments could yield unexpected outcomes.

Adam gathered the necessary ingredients for his first potion, aiming for something simple yet functional: a basic health brew. He began by selecting half a kilogram of Bleedwort Mushroom, a staple ingredient in low-grade healing potions. The process itself was straightforward—boiling the mushroom in water until the liquid thickened. From this mixture, Adam expected to create around twelve flasks, each roughly the size of a test tube, filled with a potion that could provide minor health recovery.

However, even as Adam prepared the ingredients, he was fully aware of the limitations of such a simple mixture. A Basic Health Potion, while easy to make, offered only the most minimal healing benefits. Moreover, like any low-grade concoction, its frequent use comes with risks. Continued reliance on these potions could lead to toxic side effects. Ingesting more than three potions in an hour could result in symptoms ranging from mild poisoning and health deterioration to sudden fatigue. The lower a person’s vitality, the more vulnerable they are to these adverse effects.

In the world of alchemy and adventuring, potions were not the miraculous cure-all many newcomers believed them to be. Just like medicine in the real world, they had to be used cautiously. Drinking a health potion was not as simple as gulping down water—it required careful timing and judgment. Adventurers needed to balance potion use with natural healing or the aid of clerics, or else risk exacerbating their injuries. Fortunately, some individuals, particularly alchemists, could acquire traits that helped them resist the harmful effects of repeated potion use. For Adam, the Toxic Resistance trait had always been invaluable during his time as a Master Alchemist.

Even so, Adam couldn’t help but feel a tinge of dissatisfaction at the thought of crafting such a basic potion. Once, he had created some of the most powerful elixirs in the world. Now, he was reduced to boiling Bleedwort Mushroom for a weak health potion. Yet, despite his reluctance, he knew that if he wanted to unlock achievements and titles, he had to start somewhere, even if that meant performing the most mindless of tasks.

With a sigh, he placed 0.25 kilograms of the Bleedwort Mushroom into a medium-sized cauldron, poured in ten liters of water, and set it to boil over a steady flame. The process was mundane. All he had to do was stir occasionally to ensure the mixture thickened evenly, avoiding the formation of any unsightly lumps. The entire procedure would take at least an hour, perhaps two.

As the health potion simmered, Adam shifted his focus to the next task: crafting a stamina potion. For this, he selected 0.25 kilograms of Bulb Roots, a common ingredient used to restore stamina. He chopped the roots into fine pieces before placing them in another medium-sized cauldron, adding another ten liters of water. Much like the health potion, this mixture required regular stirring to prevent clumping.

Many novice alchemists struggled with these simple recipes, as the art of potion-making wasn’t just about throwing ingredients into a pot. Timing and technique were crucial. One had to know how long to stir, how vigorously, and how much heat to apply. To Adam, however, this was second nature. These tasks felt as trivial as cooking instant noodles, a far cry from the complex brews he had once mastered.

With a third burner available on his stove, Adam decided to brew one final potion—a Tier 1 Health/Stamina Restoration Potion. He combined one liter of the Bleedwort mixture with two liters from the Bulb Root cauldron, creating a basic potion to restore health and stamina. Although stamina didn’t have an explicit bar like health or magic, players could feel its effects. Low stamina led to slower movements, extended cooldowns, and weaker attacks. For warriors and hunters, a stamina potion was often more valuable than a health potion, especially in prolonged battles.

Despite the importance of these potions, Adam found himself growing bored. The process was too easy and too repetitive. He stirred the mixtures at the required intervals, using the Purify skill to ensure no contaminants found their way into the potions. His proficiency in alchemy crept up with each use of Purify, but the progress was minimal—barely worth noting.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the three potions were ready. As Adam bottled the mixtures, a series of notifications popped up in his field of vision, one after the other:

Ding!

Health Potion (Poor Quality)

Description: A basic concoction that restores a small portion of health. Overuse may result in negative side effects.

Details: Restores 30 HP.

Stamina Potion (Poor Quality)

Description: A simple mixture that restores a small portion of stamina. Overuse may result in negative side effects.

Details: Stamina recovery is minimal.

Vitality Potion (Average Quality)

Description: A basic mixture that restores both health and stamina. Overuse may result in negative side effects.

Details: Restores 20 HP and a small amount of stamina.

The real surprise came not from the potion stats but from the unexpected rewards that followed:

[You have created a Health Potion for the first time! You have gained 1000 Essence.]

[You are the first player to create a potion. The title ‘First Potioneer’ has been added.]

[You have created a Stamina Potion for the first time! You have gained 1000 Essence.]

[Novice Alchemy has reached 100%.]

[You are now an Apprentice Alchemist (22.01%).]

[You have created a Vitality Potion for the first time! You have gained 1500 Essence.]

[You are the first player to create a potion with two effects. The achievement ‘Potion with Two Effects’ has been added.]

[You are the first player to reach Apprentice rank. The title and achievement ‘First Apprentice’ has been added.]

Adam blinked in surprise, staring at the barrage of notifications. He had expected to earn some rewards, but the sheer amount left him momentarily stunned. He had heard of the "First Potioneer" title before, but the additional achievements caught him off guard. Titles and achievements might not hold any immediate benefits, but he knew from experience that their value would reveal itself in time.

[Titles and Achievements have been added to your Personal Information.]

Adam took a moment to process everything he had gained from just these three basic potions. Not only had he unlocked several titles, but he had also jumped straight from Novice to Apprentice Alchemist, with over 22% proficiency in the new rank. This progress was far faster than he had anticipated.

‘I guess these mixtures would take a novice several tries to master,’ Adam thought. ‘But for me, it’s like second nature.’

Indeed, for a novice alchemist, even these simple recipes would have involved trial and error. The Botany trait, which gave basic knowledge of common plants and herbs, was only marginally helpful. It didn’t teach players how to properly prepare ingredients, nor did it specify the ratios needed to ensure a successful potion. Adam’s knowledge from his first life gave him an overwhelming advantage.

Even more impressive was that one of the potions he crafted had come out as ‘Average Quality’—despite his intent to make a low-tier mixture. It was further proof that his skill surpassed that of any novice alchemist.

Though he had gained much from these simple potions, Adam had little use for them. He tossed the poor-quality potions aside, uninterested in selling them on the auction house. His next goal was to create potions that were both effective and valuable—potions that required more than one ingredient.

“Let’s create a better health potion,” Adam muttered.

This time, he selected two ingredients known for their healing properties: Bleedwort Mushroom and Jealous Rose. He measured out 0.5 kilograms of the mushroom and 0.25 kilograms of the rose, setting a new cauldron of water to boil with eight liters of water.

First, Adam chopped the Bleedwort Mushroom into fine pieces and placed them in a pan. He lit the fire beneath it, intending to burn the mushroom until it turned to ash. While the Bleedwort cooked, he took the Jealous Rose petals and placed them into the largest mortar and pestle set he had. He crushed the delicate petals into a thick paste, applying Purify regularly to ensure the ingredients remained uncontaminated.

When the Bleedwort had burned to a crisp, and the Jealous Rose was a lump of processed matter, Adam set the rose aside. He ground the burnt mushroom remains into a fine powder, applying Purify to the powder as well, ensuring its purity at every stage.

Once ready, he added the powder to the boiling water and let it simmer without stirring for precisely thirty minutes. As the solution boiled, Adam extracted the oil from the crushed Jealous Rose petals, collecting about two tablespoons of the fragrant liquid.

When the mushroom solution had finished boiling, Adam turned off the heat and began stirring the mixture slowly. He added the rose oil, drop by drop, carefully watching for the telltale signs of a successful reaction. By the time the last drop had been added, the liquid had taken on a deep red hue—a clear indication that he had done everything correctly.

Adam smiled as the familiar sound of notifications rang out:

Ding!

Health Potion (Notable Quality)

Description: A mixture that restores a decent portion of health. Users can drink up to three flasks before side effects begin to manifest.

Details: Restores 50 HP.

Cooldown: 1 Hour.

Adam’s grin widened. “Yes! That’s more like it.”

The potion’s description reflected its quality, specifying the number of flasks a player could safely consume and the cooldown time before it was safe to drink another. In contrast, his earlier mixtures had been so basic that they didn’t even offer a cooldown indicator.

In the future, these details—dosage limits and cooldown times—will become critical factors in determining the value and usefulness of potions. While three flasks per hour was a good benchmark for now, Adam knew that more advanced potions would have far greater health restoration and increased frequency of usage.

He checked the rest of his notifications:

[You have created a Health Potion (Notable Quality) for the first time! You have gained 1500 Essence.]

[Apprentice Alchemist proficiency has increased to (42.01%).]

[You are the first player to craft a potion of notable quality. The title ‘First Notable Alchemist’ has been added.]

[You are the first player to craft a potion of notable quality. The title ‘First Notable Crafter’ has been added.]

Adam was impressed by the 20% increase in his proficiency. In his first life, crafting the highest-quality potions had barely moved his proficiency by a fraction of a percent. Now, his growth was remarkable.

“Let’s craft some more,” he whispered, his excitement rekindled.