The Second Life of Adam Cosmos

The players had finished selecting their paradigms and equipping themselves with the best gear they could find among the piles of decrepit weapons and armor. As the last of the preparations were made, Imperatrix Demetra's voice echoed through the vast chamber again, filling the space with a palpable sense of urgency.

“Very good, Otherworlders. Your chances of escaping this place have improved significantly,” her calm yet commanding tone stated.

[Quest: Escape from the Forgotten Temple]

Details: Imperatrix Demetra has provided you with the means to escape your predicament. Make your way out of the temple.

“The temple is sealed from the inside with powerful magic," Demetra continued, "And I cannot provide additional support beyond what I have already given.”

She proceeded to explain more about the temple. The players were currently in the lowest section of a vast, ancient structure, long abandoned but once used for dark sacrificial rituals. There were nine floors in total, but the players could only progress by locating the exit and meeting the conditions to unlock the magical seal that bound them inside.

While the exact requirements of the seal remained unclear, Imperatrix Demetra hinted at something ominous. “Given the nature of this temple and its history of sacrificial rites, it is likely that a sacrifice of some kind will be needed.”

The mention of sacrifice caused murmurs among the players. What kind of sacrifice? How many would be required? Where would it need to be performed? These were questions racing through everyone's minds—except Adam's.

Adam already knew the answers to these questions. He had lived this moment once before, in his first life. The rest would need to explore, experiment, and likely fail before they figured it out. For Adam, though, it was nothing more than a puzzle he had already solved—a piece of a dungeon crawler game where the answers were already etched into his memory. He knew precisely what was required to escape the Forgotten Temple.

As players began to fan out in various groups, the excitement of discovery took hold. Whether professional gamers, independent streamers, or amateur adventurers, they all surged forward, eager to uncover clues and make sense of the challenges ahead.

***

Meanwhile, within one of the most organized teams, Tyler Evergreen, captain of the Maxima Guild, was busy orchestrating his team with military precision.

“Alright, team,” Tyler called out to his group. “Divide yourselves into four and check each of the totems.”

Maxima was one of the most successful and well-known professional guilds, and Tyler had been entrusted with leading a group of 100 top players, each one handpicked for their skills and teamwork. When the quest to choose a paradigm was issued, Tyler had his team move quickly. Efficiency was their hallmark.

While other teams debated their options, Tyler’s team was already deep into their analysis. They’d sent members to review the paradigms, classes, and available gear, organizing the information for future use. Maxima’s speed and cohesion put them ahead of most others.

His younger brother, Max Evergreen, and also the vice-captain, moved to his side and whispered, “So far, so good. The intel we got from our guild manager has been spot on.”

Tyler shot him a stern glance. “True, but don’t jinx it. There’s still a lot we need to figure out. Also, don’t say that out loud. You never know who’s listening.”

“Right, sorry,” Max muttered. “Still, I hope we can find some better gear soon. This stuff is trash—I’d rather fight naked.”

“Just bear with it for now.”

Weeks before the game’s launch, Tyler had been briefed by Maxima’s top-level management on their scouts' findings about the World of Pangea. So far, much of what they had learned was proving accurate. The start of the quest, the details about the paradigms, and even some of the map layouts. They knew they were in the right place.

There was just one remaining mystery—the secret room.

“Let’s find that hidden room,” Tyler ordered.

“Are we sure it’s here?” Max asked, his voice carrying a tinge of doubt.

Tyler nodded, his eyes scanning the chamber. “Most likely. The intel from Manager Parker has been solid. No reason to doubt it now. Even if it isn’t, we must search just to be sure.”

Tyler gathered the rest of his team around him, and they awaited his instructions like soldiers standing at attention.

“Listen up. We’re looking for a secret room in this chamber. Before we leave, we must find it. According to our information, it requires blood to activate. Everyone wound yourselves—palm or hand should work—and systematically search the area. Touch everything.”

One of the players raised a concern. “What if someone sees us doing it?”

Tyler smirked. “Move in groups. Cover each other’s actions and keep it discreet. We’re a hundred strong. Split into teams of ten and search the walls first. Once we’ve covered that, work your way inward.”

The team nodded in unison and immediately went to work, moving in coordinated silence. Tyler’s intel was correct: there was a secret room. In Adam’s previous life, Tyler’s group had taken nearly two hours to find it. Still, the loot they uncovered gave the Maxima Guild an enormous advantage in the early game, allowing them to dominate the rankings for months.

However, things were different this time.

As the Maxima Guild fanned out and began their meticulous search, one player moved swiftly and unnoticed through the chamber, heading straight for the center. That player was Adam.

***

Adam remembered vividly the countless videos that flooded NewTube after the game’s initial release. Every professional and amateur guild had uploaded their adventures, including footage of the Forgotten Temple. It was a spectacle, a mad rush for fame and glory. He recalled watching those videos with a growing sense of frustration, knowing what he had missed the first time around.

But this time was different. This time, he knew.

As the players began to search for the exit, Adam quietly increased his pace, making his way toward the chamber's center. He drew his rusty sword and nicked his palm without breaking his stride.

[You took -1 HP damage.]

The pain flashed briefly before vanishing, just as the game’s AI intended. It was enough to be noticeable but not debilitating—a perfect balance to immerse players without turning them away.

Suddenly, pillars of light burst from the chamber’s walls, illuminating new passageways. Players began to rush toward them, eager to explore the newly unlocked areas. The pile of old weapons remained a clear sign that players could return to swap gear if needed.

Adam paid none of this any mind. His focus was singular. He reached the approximate center of the chamber and, with his bloodied hand, pressed his palm against the stone floor. He smiled slightly. The activation radius was generous—close enough.

[You have activated the teleportation array 'The Hidden Room' of The Forgotten Temple.]

[Would you like to activate the teleportation array?]

“Yes.”

The world around him shimmered, and before anyone could notice, Adam disappeared from the summoning chamber.

The next thing he knew, he stood in a well-lit room surrounded by a treasure trove of items. And it was abundant. Far more than what the Maxima Guild had shown in their videos.

“The loot is a lot more than what they revealed,” Adam whispered to himself.

The video Maxima had uploaded showed enough gear to outfit about fifty players. What Adam saw before him now could arm two to three hundred. It was no wonder they had such an overwhelming edge during the early stages of the game.

As the saying goes, knowing is half the battle. And the other half is looting a secret room.

Adam’s eyes glinted with satisfaction. “No wonder they dominated. Even an average player could become exceptional with gear like this.”

He wasted no time. First, he approached the teleportation array’s center and removed the mana crystal embedded in the floor. Without the crystal, the array was deactivated, ensuring no one else could follow him here. He knew Maxima had found this room in his first life, and there was always a chance someone might replicate his actions. But now, with the crystal in his possession, the room was his alone.

He placed the crystal carefully on a nearby desk. The mana crystal itself was valuable, functioning like a portable battery for MP regeneration. Unfortunately, it would need to be placed back to teleport out of the room, but for now, Adam was in no rush to leave.

The World of Pangea lacked conveniences like a traditional inventory system. Everything had to be carried manually or stored in a spatial inventory, which was only available through rare items or skills. It was designed to simulate real-life adventuring, forcing players to consider the weight of every item they chose to carry.

Adam began sorting through the treasure. The room held high-quality potions, armor, and weapons—items that could be useful for up to level fifty. He carefully examined each item, grouping them into piles. Some were for his immediate use, others for later, and many for selling to players once they reached higher levels.

His gaze eventually landed on the two large iron chests in the corner of the room.

“Two Chest Mimics,” he muttered.

Anyone unfamiliar with the game would rush toward the chests, eager to claim what they thought were more treasures. But Adam knew better. He estimated the mimics to be around level 10 to 12—far too strong for him to fight at his current level.

“Not yet,” Adam decided. He turned his attention back to the rest of the loot. There were safer, easier ways to deal with the mimics; for now, he was content to gather everything else.

His strategy was simple: organize, equip, and prepare. Adam grinned. He was already far ahead of where he had been in his first life. And this time, he was determined to stay ahead.

Adam scanned the room, his eyes lingering on the Chest Mimics. Though he lacked specific skills like Monster Identify or Enemy Scan, his experience as a regressor gave him a good sense of what he was facing. He estimated the mimics to be around levels 10 to 12, which at his current state was well beyond his ability to handle head-on. If he had tried to fight them now, he would undoubtedly have lost.

But Adam had lived through this once before, and he knew there were multiple ways to deal with Chest Mimics. One option stood out above the rest, simple and effective.

“Stun Powder,” Adam muttered to himself, remembering exactly where to find it among the scattered items in the room.

For now, he averted his gaze from the tempting treasure chests. Patience was key. He turned his attention to the rest of the room’s spoils. All around him were weapons, armor sets, individual pieces, and a vast array of items—each waiting to be claimed. There were books on the lore of Pangea, skill and class tomes, potions of varying kinds, scrolls with mystical inscriptions, and much more. The variety and quality were staggering.

Most notably, the weapons and armor in the room were powerful enough to be used well into the game’s mid-level range. Some items could serve a player until around level 50. Adam knew that in his first life, many players completed the temple quest and leveled to the high 30s or low 40s. Having gear of this caliber early on would be a monumental advantage.

“Nearly all of these items have stat requirements,” Adam observed. He couldn’t use most of them yet, but he knew they would be invaluable once he leveled up.

Surprisingly, Adam found a small pile of coins among the loot. It wasn’t a fortune, but it would be more than enough to get by in a small town for a week, should he need it. He made a mental note of its usefulness.

The Maxima Guild’s famous video about this secret room showed glimpses of the treasure they found, but they were selective about what they revealed to the public. Adam hadn’t known in his first life just how good the loot was. That was why he still needed the starter gear Demetra provided when he left the summoning chamber. Had he skipped over it, he would’ve been unarmed now.

Satisfied, Adam began organizing the room’s contents. Many of the items had stat requirements that he hadn’t yet met. Others, while useful, didn’t align with his planned build. He separated the items into two main groups: those for immediate use and those for later sale.

The majority of weapons and armor went into the “sale” pile. They were valuable but required stats he didn’t have yet. Besides, once the rest of the players leveled up and reached higher stat levels, these items would fetch a good price on the market. Adam saw no reason to hoard gear he couldn’t use, not when it could be a lucrative investment.

For the items he intended to use, Adam had no plans to sell. These were practical tools—potions, scrolls, oil flasks, fire grenades, throwing daggers, and most importantly, Stun Powder. He was pleased to see the room stocked with more than enough of the powder to deal with the mimics when the time came.

Adam selected his personal equipment carefully. He kept a longsword, a ranger’s set of light leather armor, and a cloak. The longsword had a strength requirement of 10, which he didn’t quite meet yet but soon would. The armor and cloak, while usable, were not something he planned to wear immediately. If he walked out of the secret room fully decked out, he’d draw too much attention from the other players.

Among the weapons, two crossbows caught his eye. One was a specialized crossbow that would be crucial for a particular part of the temple quest later. The other was a semi-automatic crossbow, a rare find. Adam smirked to himself. Both would serve him well once he gained enough levels to wield them.

For now, his task was simple: prepare and wait. The means to level up and increase his stats lay ahead, and soon enough, he would be ready to unlock the full potential of the treasures surrounding him. Adam’s second life was already becoming far more advantageous than his first.

Patience, preparation, and timing—those were his weapons now. And with the knowledge of what was to come, he was ready to carve his path through the World of Pangea.