The Second Life of Adam Cosmos

Instead of chasing the mysterious intruder, the Cloaked Man decided to bide his time rather than pursue his opponent.

The Cloaked Man slashed through the Flame Pillar as Adam retreated into the dungeon. He first turned his attention to the poisonous room he was in.

He gathered his Inner Energy and focused it on his dao. Then he unleashed a powerful slash through the air, sending a wave of energy crashing into the windows. The glass shattered violently, and the toxic fog dissipated as fresh air rushed in.

As the volume of poison lessened, the Cloaked Man showed relief that his consumed antidote was still working; he was worried that if he had been exposed to the poison for much longer, he might have succumbed to its effects.

Next, he turned his attention to the Blazing Barrier that blocked the door. With a decisive swing of his weapon, he sliced through the barrier, effortlessly dispersing the wall of flames.

“Be cautious!” the Cloaked Man called out to the bandits waiting outside. “The room is poisoned. Wait until I’ve cleared it before entering.”

This is why he hadn’t pursued the intruder into the dungeon. If the intruder had set additional poison traps, he wasn’t certain if the antidote would be enough to protect him. He needed the bandits as expendable assets to test for traps and absorb any potential dangers, ensuring his safety as he continued his pursuit.

After confirming that the main floor was clear of poison, the Cloaked Man signaled the bandits to enter. As they moved in, the atmosphere was thick with tension and grief.

“Damn it, they’ve killed our comrades!” one bandit shouted angrily. “Some of them were like brothers to me!” His voice cracked with rage.

Another bandit, his face pale with shock, muttered, “This is a massacre. What do we do now?”

The Cloaked Man raised a hand to quiet them, his expression grim. “Everyone in this building is likely dead. The intruder who caused this is hiding in the dungeon and has taken the nobles as his captives.”

He anticipated the horror and anger that would follow his announcement and prepared to act on it.

In truth, the Cloaked Man had no clear idea of the intruder’s exact motives.

Was he here to eliminate the bandits for personal reasons, or was he a bounty hunter?

After all, many of the bandit boss's crew had bounties on their heads.

Alternatively, could the intruder be here to rescue the nobles?

The Cloaked Man considered this unlikely, given that the bandits had only received instruction to come to this place a few hours earlier when he told them of its location. If even the bandits didn’t know they would hide here, how would a would-be rescuer know of it?

Though it seemed remote, he also entertained the possibility that the intruder was targeting him specifically. Perhaps the fire-wielding swordsman had been sent to disrupt his mission?

Either way, pondering these questions is a waste of time. For now, the Cloaked Man focused on rallying his remaining forces and preparing for the confrontation.

The Cloaked Man took a quick count of the remaining bandits. Around seventy of them had been spared from the poison gas that had filled the building.

He cleared his throat and addressed the assembled group, conveying authority and urgency.

“Listen up! We must act quickly and decisively if we want justice for our fallen comrades. We’re facing a dangerous intruder who has killed many of your own. But we have the numbers and the strength to deal with him.”

Murmurs of agreement and anger rippled through the bandits. One called out, “We’re with you! We want to avenge our brothers!”

The Cloaked Man raised his hand to command silence. “Good. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll honor the gold promise made to the bandit boss but with an added incentive. I’m willing to double the amount previously promised to anyone who participates in the mission to retrieve the nobles and capture the intruder- dead or alive.”

The bandits exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with renewed resolve. “Double the gold?!” one of them exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement. “Count me in!”

Another bandit nodded greedily. “With that kind of reward, we can’t afford to miss this opportunity!”

The Cloaked Man nodded approvingly as the bandits rallied to his call. The prospect of increased gold motivated them further, and their anger at the loss of their comrades turned into a focused determination to succeed.

The Cloaked Man addressed the bandits with a calm yet commanding tone. “The intruder is skilled. He’s using fire spells, rune traps, bombs, and poison. He’s set traps throughout the building to kill without engaging directly. On top of that, he is also a proficient swordsman.”

He continued.

“He’s most likely a lone bounty hunter, considering how he operates. He aimed to take down everyone inside, including your boss, to collect on the bounties.”

The bandits exchanged grim looks, a few cursing under their breath.

“There’s only one path in and out of the dungeon,” the Cloaked Man continued. “It’s an advantage because we can funnel him into a kill zone. But it’s also a disadvantage- if he’s prepared traps down there, we’ll walk straight into them. We need to be smart about this.”

One of the former legionnaires nodded, rubbing his chin. “We should split into teams and take turns advancing. We can’t just charge in blindly. Some scouts can move ahead, check for traps, and signal back when it’s safe.”

A ranger added, “We must block the exit if he tries to flee. With only one path, we could corner him, but we need to control the dungeon’s entry point first.”

A mage commented, “He’ll probably rely on fire spells again. I can prepare counter-spells and defensive wards. If he tries to throw anything at us, I’ll be ready to neutralize it.”

Though angry over their comrades’ deaths, the bandits were calculating. Despite their appearance, they weren’t just a group of thugs but former soldiers, assassins, rangers, and mages. They understood the tactical advantages and disadvantages of the single path in the dungeon and began preparing countermeasures.

They organized into groups, some checking weapons while others prepared their traps. The trained and experienced scouts moved forward cautiously while the mages readied their defensive spells. The bandits were determined to hunt the intruder.

The Cloaked Man stood quietly, observing the bandits as they methodically prepared to storm the dungeon. He could see their anger and hunger for revenge, but he knew better than to let emotions rush the plan.

“No need to hurry,” he said, his cold eyes scanning the scene. “The intruder is cornered, and he knows it. He’ll realize soon enough that there’s no escape. He’ll try to use the nobles as hostages, hoping to bargain his way out when he’s got no options left. When he comes begging for his life, we’ll have him.”

The bandits nodded in understanding. Although they are enraged at losing their comrades, the fact remains that the Cloaked Man had just hired them for a job; the mission comes first over revenge.

The Cloaked Man allowed a faint smirk to creep across his lips.

‘It’s a shame, really,' he mused internally. 'It was an entertaining fight. The man has skills, no doubt about that. If the circumstances were different, I might’ve considered hiring him instead. But no, he picked a bad time and an even worse target.'

His hand rested on the hilt of his dao as the bandits finished their preparations. There was a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

'Too bad for him.' the Cloaked Man thought.

***

While the Cloaked Man and the bandits meticulously planned their assault, Adam was just as busy preparing his next move. His mind raced as he activated the final Search Presence scroll, allowing him to see the outlines of the bandits through the walls.

He could detect several bandits from the dungeon’s entrance, preparing for the inevitable raid.

Adam smirked. "They're preparing to raid the dungeon," he remarked quietly. "Probably cautious of traps and poison like the ones I used earlier."

He grinned. "As they should be."

Approaching the doorway leading deeper into the dungeon, Adam began his work. His hand moved precisely as he carved two runes into the door and stone floor.

Rune of Sealing!

This would delay the bandits once they began their assault, buying him precious time.

But Adam wasn’t done. Reaching into his Spatial Ring, he pulled out several acidic flasks and carefully scattered them around the floor.

Then, he inscribed another rune.

Rune of Detonation!

The explosive rune acted like a proximity mine, ready to detonate when anyone stepped on it. The force would cause a partial collapse in the dungeon, but that wasn't the end of it. When the room collapsed, the acidic flasks would shatter, releasing a harmful mist that would seep through the rubble. The acidic vapor would linger, corroding anything it touched.

Rune of Detonation

Tracing Cost: 5000 Essence

Activation Cost: 5000-???? Essence

Description: Detonates when stepped upon. The blast yield depends on how much Essence is used by the user.

These combined would give Adam at least 30 minutes- possibly more. More than enough time to allow the magical bindings that restrict the nobles from teleporting to fade.

Adam paused, considering the Cloaked Man. He had noticed the man had some sort of antidote to counter the poison earlier, but this time, he thought with grim satisfaction, "There's no antidote for acid- it just melts whatever it touches."

Satisfied, Adam nodded to himself. "Good. This should be enough to give me enough time."

With his defenses set, he needed to check on the hostages. Normally, it would take him five minutes to reach the room where the nobles were held, but Adam didn’t waste time. He activated the Tethered Port, instantly transporting himself to the chamber.

The moment he appeared, the nobles yelped in surprise.

Panic flashed across their faces, but relief quickly followed when they realized it was their rescuer; the nobles were visibly relieved to see Adam return.

Lucius was the first to speak, stepping forward. "How did it go? What happened out there?"

Adam gave a brief rundown of events.

"There was a complication, and I had no choice but to activate the traps to kill every bandit on the main floor. There’s also a mysterious figure- the bandits seem to follow him. He’s still out there with the rest, and now they’re preparing to invade the dungeon."

Aurelia's eyes showed concern as she took in Adam’s ragged appearance, noticing the wounds on his face and arms. Her voice was concerned as she asked, "You’re hurt. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Adam shook his head. "No, I’ll heal in time. Nothing serious."

Despite the intensity of their duel, neither he nor the Cloaked Man had sustained significant damage, and Adam hadn’t even felt the need to drink a potion. Also, his new armor took most of the brunt of the Cloaked Man's assault.

Lucius, turning his gaze toward the fading glyphs on the nobles' arms, asked,

"What’s the plan now? Looks like we have around ten minutes before we can teleport again."

To lighten the mood, Adam grinned and quipped, "Well, we could always just cut off their arms, and those bindings would disappear immediately."

Lucius and Aurelia chuckled, though the other nobles reacted with horror or offense at the grim joke.

Adam quickly waved his hand. "Relax, I’m just joking. No need to cut anything off. I’ve already bought us time."

He briefly explained his preparations to slow them down, and the nobles seemed noticeably relieved upon hearing of it. Lucius nodded thoughtfully while Aurelia gave a small sigh of relief. The other nobles seemed reassured, though still somewhat offended by Adam's earlier joke.

Now, all they had to do was wait- ten of the longest minutes of their lives.

***

After several minutes of preparation, the bandits declared to the Cloaked Man that they were ready. The first to raid the dungeon was a ranger and a mage tasked with determining the traps they would face.

The mage began to scan the area. "I’m detecting faint traces of magic," he announced. "This encryption is impressive- no one would know to check for it unless they were specifically alerted to its presence."

The ranger, checking his surroundings, added, "That’s probably how he got everyone in the room. Even a seasoned ranger and mage like us could barely detect it while actively searching. Anyone unaware would have stood no chance."

The mage and ranger relayed their findings to the Cloaked Man and the rest of the bandits. "For now, the best course of action is to trigger the traps," the mage suggested. "Let the Rune of Sealing run its course so we can proceed."

The Cloaked Man nodded in agreement. "Proceed with caution."

With a determined nod, the Mage Bandit fired a spell toward the Rune of Sealing.

Arcane Arrow!

The spell struck the door leading to the dungeons. As expected, the Rune of Sealing was activated, and the door was sealed shut. The mage continued to fire more Arcane Arrow spells at the door.

Arcane Arrow! Arcane Arrow! Arcane Arrow!

"The Rune of Sealing's effect will weaken the more you attempt to counteract it," the mage explained. "That's why I’m using multiple spells."

The Cloaked Man nodded in agreement, internally noting that this was similar to how he had freed himself from the binding effect earlier.

Sure enough, the Rune of Sealing was destroyed in less than 30 seconds due to the mage’s Arcane Arrow barrage. The ranger and mage, now prepared for any surprises, cautiously advanced into the dungeon entrance.

Unfortunately, their caution is not enough.

Suddenly, the ranger shouted in alarm, "Watch out!"

Boom!

The walls collapsed with a deafening crash, sending rubble crashing down. The ranger was killed instantly, while the mage barely survived, successfully casting a barrier to shield himself.

But before they can recover from the surprise, a nasty hiss emanate from the debris shortly after the explosion.

"It’s acid!" another bandit shouted, panic evident in his voice.

The Cloaked Man, now visibly frustrated, demanded answers.

The mage's voice, tinged with regret, said, "We were tricked. The Rune of Sealing was meant to conceal the true trap: a Rune of Detonation right beneath it. With the bombardment, I failed to notice the faint energy from the second rune."

He continued, "And now, with the rubble complicating things, there's no telling how long it will take to clear."

The Cloaked Man’s frustration grew. “How long will it take to clear this mess?”

Some of the bandits answered grimly, "At least an hour. The acidic mist complicates matters."

The Cloaked Man, annoyed by this unforeseen delay, considered his options. He could attempt to slice through the rubble, which might cause further collapse and risk spreading the acid deeper.

Just then, another mage stepped forward. "I specialize in air magic. I can cast a spell to draw out and drain the acidic mist."

The Cloaked Man asked, "How long will it take?"

The mage replied cautiously, "It depends on the mist volume. The rubble makes it hard to estimate."

The Cloaked Man, losing patience, roared, "Do what you need to do!"

The nervous but determined bandits scrambled to clear the rubble and neutralize the acid. They worked frantically, trying to make up for lost time.

Despite their efforts, it took them over an hour to safely remove every obstacle. However, the room was empty when they reached the final room in the dungeon- where the nobles had originally been held captive.

“Search the entire dungeon! They could be hiding!” the Cloaked Man bellowed in frustration.

The bandits dispersed to scour every corner of the dungeon, their previous confidence replaced by urgency and dread.

The Cloaked Man surveyed the scene calmly as his band of determined outlaws prepared to storm the dungeon. He had been through battles like this before and knew that the key to victory lay in strategy and careful planning. The traps were formidable, but his forces were organized, motivated, and ready.

The bandits were forming ranks, scouts moving ahead to check for traps, mages preparing counter-spells, and warriors arming themselves with weapons. The plan was set. They would corner the intruder in the dungeon and finish this once and for all.

But unbeknownst to the Cloaked Man and his band, a far greater danger was brewing outside the building, something they hadn't anticipated, something that threatened to unravel everything.