The Second Life of Adam Cosmos

Adam and the nobles waited anxiously for the time when the bindings preventing them from teleporting were lifted.

Tick-tock

Tick-tock

Tick-tock

Lucius broke the silence as they were waiting. “Adam,” he said, his voice earnest, “I want you to know that once we’re safely back at the Sanctus Lux Fortress, you will be well rewarded for your bravery and assistance. Our families are indebted to you for everything you’ve done.”

Adam noted that out of everyone among the nobles, he was the only one who could leave, as the magical binding did not mark him. Yet, he chose to stay, showing his commitment to his fellow nobles, especially his fiancée.

With Lucius’s declaration, the other nobles also voiced their gratitude.

Titus Mercator spoke next, his voice warm with appreciation. “Thank you, Adam. The Mercator family will ensure you are well compensated for your heroism.”

Appius Agricola nodded in agreement. “Indeed, the Agricola family is grateful. You have our deepest thanks.”

Vopiscus Aedificator added, “The Aedificator family will not forget your actions today. You have our profound gratitude.”

With his granddaughter Aurelia by his side, Gaius Valerius also extended his thanks. “We are truly grateful, Adam. While the Valerius family may not be as wealthy as we used to be, your efforts have not gone unnoticed.”

Aurelia Valerius spoke up, her tone sincere. “Though we are invited to teach by Imperatrix Demetra at the Sanctus Lux Fortress, our family isn’t as affluent. Nonetheless, we will do our best to ensure you are rewarded.”

Adam politely acknowledged their pledges of compensation. “Thank you all for your kind words. I appreciate the gesture, but my main concern is ensuring you all get out of here safely.”

As they waited for the bindings to disperse, Aurelia attempted to engage Adam in small talk to pass the time.

"So, Adam," she began hesitantly, "how long have you been an adventurer?"

She nervously adjusted her dress, hoping for a more extended conversation.

Adam responded with a concise answer, "A few months."

Aurelia fidgeted, searching for another topic. "And, um, do you enjoy your adventures?" she asked softly.

"Yes, I do,"

Adam's brief reply left little room for further dialogue.

Octavia and the other female nobles watched with amusement and understanding. They recognized Aurelia's attempts at conversation and knew she was trying to connect with Adam.

However, Adam seemed too dense to notice her efforts or was simply uninterested.

His short answers did little to encourage a more engaging discussion, leaving Aurelia's attempts to spark a meaningful conversation largely unmet.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the markings finally disappeared, signaling that the binding spell had worn off. It was time for the nobles to use Adam's teleportation scrolls.

The nobles, now visibly relieved, began preparing to activate their scrolls.

Lucius turned to Adam with a grateful smile. “Adam, I can’t thank you enough. Your bravery and skill have made all the difference.”

Titus Mercator, holding his scroll, added, “Indeed. We owe you a great deal. I look forward to properly expressing our gratitude at the Fortress.”

Appius Agricola nodded, “Safe travels, Adam. We’ll make sure to properly repay you.”

Vopiscus Aedificator chimed in, “Thank you once again. Your actions have been nothing short of heroic.”

Gaius Valerius and Aurelia Valerius were next. With a graceful bow, Aurelia said, “I hope to see you at the Fortress so I can thank you properly.”

Adam acknowledged their thanks with a nod. “I’m glad I could help. Stay safe on your way back.”

One by one, the nobles and their guards activated their scrolls and vanished from the room, leaving only Lucius behind.

Adam turned to Lucius. “You can teleport now, Lord Lucius. The others have already left.”

Lucius shrugged casually. “I’ll be along shortly. I just want to speak with you privately for a moment.”

Adam is puzzled but nods, letting Lucius say what he has in his mind.

Lucius leaned forward, his sharp eyes studying Adam momentarily before speaking. “My family’s main business,” he began, his voice calm yet calculated, “is not in lands or goods like most of the other nobles. We trade in information.”

Adam remained silent, his expression unreadable as he listened.

Lucius continued, his tone growing more serious. “We know things others do not- secrets, movements, alliances, betrayals. Knowledge is power, and we make it our business to know what others prefer to keep hidden.”

Adam's gaze never wavered. He waited, knowing there was more Lucius wanted to say.

Lucius continued and said, “As we were traveling, our group was ambushed by a horde of trolls.”

Adam feigned surprise, though he was already aware of this part of the story.

Lucius nodded, seemingly satisfied with Adam’s reaction. “But what if I told you that these trolls were under the control of someone? Someone who belongs to a certain faction?”

Adam’s surprise was genuine this time. This was new information for him. He knew the nobles' rescue mission and the troll eradication quest, but he hadn't connected the two or heard of this additional layer to the story.

Lucius continued, “The Sanctus Lux Fortress intends to reoccupy the entire Undead Region with the help of Otherworlders. A specific world fragment must be explored and cleared to eradicate the powerful dark mana increasing the undead number. For this, the Antikythera Device is required.”

Adam's eyes widened. He had not known that these events were interconnected and that there was more at stake than simply rescuing the nobles.

Lucius went on, “The trolls have taken the device. I suspect that those controlling the trolls are also behind the abductions. A certain faction is trying to take over the Undead Regions or at least gain a foothold here. They will benefit if the Sanctus Lux Fortress is weakened or unable to expand.”

Upon hearing this, Adam relayed his encounter with the Cloaked Man in more detail. “The Cloaked Man can use Sword Aura and wields a dao, an Eastern sword. His fighting style is similar to that of a Murim martial artist.”

Lucius was impressed. “You know about Murim martial arts?”

Adam shrugged slightly. “I like to learn more about this world.”

Lucius’s tone shifted to a more business-like demeanor. “Given what you’ve shared and what you’ve done so far, I think you’re the right person for the job I have in mind. If you’re willing, I could use your help…”

Adam nodded, considering the implications of Lucius’s offer, and listened to what the lord had to say.

After their discussion, they shook hands, and Lucius handed Adam a small artifact hidden in his armor. With that, Lucius activated the scroll, disappearing in a shimmer of light as he teleported to Sanctus Lux Fortress.

Adam, who had initially planned to teleport to Sanctus Lux to claim the reward from the Fortress, changed his plan.

'It's not just Dark Sun who will lose out on the main quests,' thought Adam. 'But everyone else, as well.'

Adam pulled another scroll from his Spatial Ring- a Tethered Port he had set on the rooftop of the Fort Vindomora building. Originally intended as an emergency escape option if the mission to rescue the nobles went awry, it now served as a secondary exit for him.

With Lucius's new information, Adam added the mission to retrieve the stolen Antikythera Device to his task list. He had planned to participate in the Troll Hunting Quest to gain some much-needed Essence, but now he saw a greater opportunity. From his previous experience, Adam remembered that the Maxima Guild had once live-streamed their troll-hunting efforts.

Unlike the nobles' rescue, where he had a head start to work discreetly, the troll-hunting quest was more competitive. Troll tracks were easy to follow, and players were already tracking them, engaging in both monster hunts and fights among themselves to reduce competition.

But now, Adam's combat capabilities have reached new heights, thanks to the scrolls he had acquired from the Howling Cave. He had been reservations about using it so soon as it would gain the interest and envy of many other players. However, he judged that the potential rewards and benefits from gaining the favor of several nobles and the fortress might make it worthwhile.

Feeling ready to take on these new tasks, Adam activated the Tethered Port, and he appeared at the rooftop of the Fort Vindomora building once more.

***

"Okay, here goes the first task."

Adam returned to the topmost room where he had assassinated the Bandit Boss. His next objective was simple: secure either the head or the body of the Bandit Boss, as Lucius had requested.

Lucius explained there was a way to extract information from the dead, provided the body had recently been slain. While the head would be sufficient, having the entire body intact would greatly improve the spell’s success.

When the nobles saw Adam using his Spatial Ring to store items seemingly out of thin air, they assumed it was the Spatial Crest service offered by the Sanctus Lux Fortress. For 20 Gold a month, the Spatial Crest allowed players to store a limited number of items in a chest-sized space, which could be accessed anytime, anywhere. It was a popular service for those who could afford it, as it provided a convenient way to carry inventory.

Of course, Adam had no use for the Spatial Crest. His Spatial Ring was superior, offering unlimited storage, making it far more versatile and powerful- though at the cost of Essence rather than mana. While Lucius believed Adam’s storage space was limited, Adam faced no such restrictions.

Lucius had asked for the head of the Bandit Boss, thinking Adam’s storage capacity might be constrained. But, knowing better, Adam intended to recover not just the Bandit Boss's body but also the mage and any other valuable corpses he could collect.

'I might as well retrieve all these bodies,' Adam thought as he added the mage’s body, along with the Bandit Boss and his guards, into his Spatial Ring.

There was a strong chance there would be extra rewards for bringing in the whole group.

Since using the Spatial Ring only cost minimal Essence, Adam had no reason not to take every bandit’s remains he could.

After retrieving the bodies on the topmost floor, Adam left the way he entered, slipping through the window and down the side of the building.

"Time for the next task," he muttered to himself.

He scanned the area and noted that it was mostly cleared. The bandits were likely still focused on clearing the rubble from the dungeon, unaware that the hostages had long since escaped. This played perfectly into Adam’s hands.

His next objective was to head towards the Fort Vindomora teleportation array. Lucius had tasked him with reactivating and synchronizing it with the Sanctus Lux Fortress.

Fort Vindomora had been desynchronized years ago when the fortress was abandoned, a security measure to prevent anyone from using the array to invade Sanctus Lux through an unguarded outpost.

Now, however, there was a need to re-establish that connection.

This task required knowledge of rune encryption- something Adam had already demonstrated to the nobles when he skillfully used Rune Tracing to rescue and protect them earlier. Synchronizing the teleportation array would allow the Lorikan Legionnaires to teleport directly into Fort Vindomora without using scrolls. Lucius had assured Adam that he would inform Imperatrix Demetra of his efforts, ensuring that a Legion would soon be dispatched to eliminate the bandits and deal with their mysterious leader.

With the Cloaked Man and his remaining forces still preoccupied with their futile search in the dungeons, Adam moved towards the teleportation array without incident. His route was clear.

Reaching the teleportation array, Adam began working swiftly, following the encrypted instructions Lucius had provided. His hands moved with precision, tracing the necessary runes and inputting the coordinates of the Sanctus Lux Fortress into the array.

"That should do it," Adam said, satisfied as the teleportation array glowed subtly.

The faint hum of magic coursed through the circle, confirming that the once-abandoned array was fully synchronized with Sanctus Lux's primary array.