The Second Life of Adam Cosmos

The dueling scroll pulsed with a soft, ethereal glow as it absorbed the wagers, sealing the terms in shimmering magic. The air around the arena thickened with anticipation, and a crackle of energy signaled the conjuring of the battleground, ready for the clash that was about to unfold.

With a sudden burst of magic, the arena was conjured to give Adam and Sarah’s team the arena they needed for the match.

For the third time that morning, Adam faced off against other players.

Standing at her team's head, Sarah immediately took charge, her voice sharp and authoritative.

"David, hold the front! Keep Adam pinned! Kyle, range fire- find your shot! Jack, circle wide- hit him from the shadows. Alex, don’t let up- pressure him with spells! I’ll keep us alive- move!"

Her teammates sprang into action, moving with a practiced coordination.

David, the Shield Warrior, raised his shield and charged toward Adam with a grunt.

Kyle notched an arrow, his eyes scanning for openings.

Jack melted into the shadows, his footsteps silent as he maneuvered for a critical strike.

And Alex began casting, the air around him crackling with energy.

"Don't let him dictate the fight!" Sarah commanded, raising her staff. "We take him together- stick to the plan!"

Adam, however, remained calm, his longsword still sheathed at his side. Instead of reacting urgently, he analyzed their movements with a detached eye. He watched Sarah’s team emerge with a practiced yet flawed strategy.

Their movements were coordinated but not optimal. Adam’s eyes flicked between them, dissecting their formation. Their strategy was flawed, but the real weakness lay in their composition- a missing warrior, a reckless frontliner, and a leader too exposed. They were decent but not good enough.

'They need another warrior instead of an extra assassin. And David should be protecting the cleric, not charging ahead.'

As he observed, an arrow from Kyle and a spell from Alex came flying toward him.

With almost effortless grace, Adam dodged both, shaking his head slightly at their attempts.

And without a word, he consumed an invisibility potion directly from his inventory. The world shimmered around him as he vanished from sight.

At the same time, a spear materialized in both of his hands, conjured with a flick of his wrist.

While invisible, he moved closer to his target.

Then, Adam drew back and hurled the first spear with precision toward Sarah, the cleric and leader of the team. While the second spear was aimed directly at Alex, the sorcerer.

The instant Adam vanished, chaos rippled through Sarah’s team. Panic set in, eyes darting wildly, the weight of his unseen presence suffocating them. "Where did he go?" Sarah’s voice cracked, trying to command a team suddenly on edge.

"Where did he go?" Sarah shouted, trying to maintain control of her team, her voice tinged with alarm.

Kyle’s eyes glowed as he activated his tracking ability. "I can sense him! Give me a second!"

Jack, the assassin, quickly activated his enhanced senses. "I’ve got him- he’s moving fast! He's over- "

But it was too late when Kyle and Jack pinpointed Adam’s location; Adam reappeared in a flash of movement, his spears already finding their marks.

The first spear struck true, piercing Sarah’s heart with deadly precision. Her eyes widened in disbelief; her voice was lost in a silent gasp as the system registered the fatal blow. In an instant, her form dissolved into a burst of light, her presence erased from the battlefield.

At almost the same instant, the second spear pierced Alex’s chest, landing squarely in his heart. The sorcerer let out a choked gasp as the system declared another critical hit, removing him from the battle as well.

Adam's invisibility was broken as they vanished, showing himself again.

With two key members of Sarah’s team down in seconds, the remaining three stared at Adam in stunned silence.

The crowd outside the arena was equally stunned, realizing how outclassed the challengers were.

Next, Adam unleashed Fire Bullets, a skill he had used sparingly in his previous fights. But this time, he didn't hold back. His mastery of the spell had reached a point where he could cast two bullets per second, and that’s exactly what he did.

He turned his attention to Kyle, the ranger archer.

Adam unleashed a barrage of Fire Bullets, each one blazing through the air with deadly accuracy. The rapid onslaught left no room for defense, each fiery projectile a relentless reminder of his overwhelming power. Kyle barely had time to gasp before the bullets pierced him, ending his fight in a flash of light.

The fiery projectiles shot through the air, and Kyle barely had time to react before the first one hit him in the chest. Two more followed, and within seconds, Kyle was eliminated, his body dissolving into particles as the system declared his defeat.

Jack, the assassin, stared in shock. "No way... Kyle’s down already?" he muttered, panic creeping into his voice.

David, the Shield Warrior, raised his shield defensively, his face paling as he saw Adam’s merciless attack.

"We’re getting slaughtered! I can’t believe this!" he said, his voice wavering. "He’s not even breaking a sweat."

Adam then shifted his focus to Jack. The assassin tried to move, relying on his agility to dodge the incoming Fire Bullets, but Adam’s precise aim and ability to predict his movements proved too much. In a matter of moments, Jack was hit, each bullet landing with unnerving accuracy. With a final bullet to the chest, Jack was knocked out of the fight, his body collapsing into light particles.

Now, only David remained.

David’s shield shook, his heart pounding as Adam’s footsteps echoed ominously across the arena. Each step brought him closer, a calm predator closing in on his prey. David’s breath hitched, his grip faltering as Adam drew his longsword, the cold steel gleaming in the harsh arena light.

Adam slowly approached him, his presence menacing, his footsteps echoing in the arena. For the first time since the battle began, Adam drew his longsword.

David’s heart raced in fear.

"You- you didn't fight like this in the previous duels," he stammered, his hands shaking.

A brief moment of tension passed as Adam closed the gap, and their weapons clashed. David swung his sword desperately, but Adam's movements were fluid and efficient. Adam dodged David's strike and positioned himself perfectly.

With a sharp slice, Adam’s blade cut through the air, slashing across David’s throat. The system registered a critical hit, and David fell, his body dissipating into light as he was eliminated.

The fight was over.

Adam stood victorious, defeating Sarah’s team in 20 seconds- the shortest battle of the three fights. And, as it would soon become apparent, the match would be talked about the most for quite some time.

The audience fell into stunned silence, gasps of disbelief rippling through the crowd. The courtyard, once alive with anticipation, now felt eerily still. Twenty seconds- just twenty seconds had passed, and Sarah’s entire team lay defeated. They hadn’t just lost- they’d been utterly dismantled.

None of them had even had the chance to process what was happening before it was over. In just 20 seconds, Adam had dismantled the five-member team with ruthless efficiency.

Murmurs spread through the crowd, disbelief hanging in the air. "Did that just happen?" someone muttered, still trying to comprehend the sheer speed of the fight.

"I didn’t even blink, and it was done," another said, their eyes wide with shock.

It wasn't just the fact that Adam won- it was how he won.

Without breaking a sweat, he had completely outclassed his opponents, leaving no room for them to even put up a fight. What had started as a seemingly lopsided challenge against Adam had ended in a humiliating defeat for Sarah’s team.

Even if they are rookies, being defeated in such a way would still haunt them for a very long time.

The spectators could hardly believe it. In the minds of many, Adam had just solidified his reputation as an unstoppable force.

As the crowd slowly recovered from the shock of the swift fight, a few voices of skepticism emerged amidst the awe.

"Well, of course, he won. Did you see the level difference?" one onlooker muttered. "He’s way above them. They were all Level 110s."

"Yeah, no wonder they didn’t stand a chance," another chimed in. "It’s probably less about skill and more about raw power."

But not everyone was convinced. "Wait, does anyone even know what level Adam is?" someone else questioned. "He’s never actually shown his level, has he?"

There was a pause as people considered the possibility. "He’s gotta be up there, though," a more informed spectator argued. "Tyler Evergreen of Maxima Guild is the top ranker right now, and he just hit Level 158. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to guess Adam’s somewhere in the 140-150 range, right? No one of that caliber is that far behind Tyler."

Adam's current level does not accurately reflect his true strength, as his actual capabilities are far beyond what the numbers suggest. This discrepancy is largely due to the fact that he has consumed multiple elixirs, granting him a significant boost in extra stat points. Additionally, his exceptional combat skills, honed through countless battles, further elevate his power, making him much more formidable than his current level implies. If those elixirs were taken into consideration, then Adam would be 20 levels higher!

"Yeah, that makes sense. Whatever his exact level is, it’s gotta be pretty close to the top. No way a low-level player could’ve taken down five people like that in twenty seconds."

The crowd was buzzing with speculation now. While Adam’s exact level remained a mystery, most agreed that he had to be in the elite ranks, just a few steps below the top.

On another side of the courtyard, a different conversation occurred among a group of more seasoned onlookers. They weren’t focused on Adam’s level but rather on how he fought this match.

“Did you see how different his style was compared to when he fought Ryan Blake or Friedrich Klein?” one of them remarked. “I mean, sure, he showed some spectacular skills in those matches, but this- this 20-second fight? It’s going to be the one everyone remembers.”

"Yeah, it wasn’t just his power," another added. "It was the sheer brutality and efficiency. He didn’t just fight them- he dismantled them. That’s what it means to have excellent judgment in combat. He knew exactly when and where to strike without wasting any time."

Some of them were still processing the skill Adam had used to become invisible. "What was that? He just vanished without a trace, like he wasn't even there," one mused. "It’s not like a normal stealth ability. It had to be something higher level."

"And those Fire Bullets," another chimed in. "He was casting them so fast- two per second! He didn’t do that against either Ryan or Friedrich. The guy’s packing serious firepower, but he held back in the first two fights."

"Exactly," a more experienced player concluded. "He was holding back the entire time. He didn’t need to go all out with Ryan or Friedrich, but he showed a glimpse of his true abilities here. We’ve all been underestimating him."

While the crowd buzzed with discussions about the astonishing fight unfolding, Adam, the victor, was far too engrossed in his status window to pay them any attention. His focus was entirely on the system notifications flashing before him.

[Adam had won the duel.]

[Due to the disparity in bets, Essence will be used in place of gold and transferred from the loser to the victor.]

[Due to the disparity in the number of participants, extra Essence will be used and transferred from the loser to the victor.]

[80,000 Essence will be transferred to Adam.]

[80,000 Essence will be transferred to Adam.]

[80,000 Essence will be transferred to Adam.]

[80,000 Essence will be transferred to Adam.]

[80,000 Essence will be transferred to Adam.]

Adam blinked at the total, his mind already calculating. In less than a minute, he had earned 400,000 Essence. The temptation to level up surged briefly, but he dismissed it. Essence like this wasn’t just for power- it was a resource, a tool to be saved for the right moment. And Adam always played the long game.

His risky decision to wager 20,000 Gold had clearly paid off, yielding a return far beyond what anyone else could have imagined.

Despite the huge payout, Adam knew the level disparity between him and Sarah’s team had significantly reduced the Essence transfer. If they had been higher-level challengers- closer to his own Level 147- the rewards would have been far greater.

Glancing at his status window, with this much Essence in hand, he could easily choose to level up at least four times if he wanted to. The temptation was there, but Adam, always calculating and strategic, decided to hold back for now.

'Essence of this amount could be invaluable for rune casting,' he thought. 'There might be situations soon where I’ll need it for more than just leveling up.'

Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard, Sarah’s team was still reeling from the humiliating defeat. The reality of their loss hit hard as each member realized they had lost two levels in the process, a steep price to pay for such a short fight.

Kyle was the first to snap, his voice sharp with frustration. "Two levels! Gone just like that! Sarah, what the hell were you thinking?" His glare cut through the team as blame shifted like a storm.

Jack’s tone dripped with venom, "We never stood a chance. You dragged us into this mess!"

The weight of their loss settled in, the bitterness in their voices reflecting the steep price they now had to pay.

Sarah, visibly shaken, tried to defend herself. "It wasn’t just my decision! We all agreed to this fight-"

David, the Shield Warrior, cut her off. "No, you pushed for it! You said we could take him, that it would be easy gold! And now look at us- we lost two levels! Do you know how long it took me to grind those?!"

Alex, the sorcerer, shook his head in disbelief, muttering under his breath. "This was a disaster from the start. We didn’t even have a proper strategy. We’re a bunch of rookies compared to him, and you dragged us into a fight we had no business being in."

Her face flushed with embarrassment and anger, Sarah snapped back, "How was I supposed to know he was that strong? I didn’t think he’d fight like that!"

Kyle scoffed, folding his arms. "You didn’t think at all, Sarah. That’s the problem."

The group fell into silence, the weight of their defeat settling in. They had gambled everything on a fight they couldn’t win, and now they were paying the price- not just in gold, but in precious levels they would have to grind again.

As Adam quietly relished his victory and Sarah's Team descended into bitter arguments, the noise in the courtyard reached a crescendo. But then, cutting through the clamor, Amelia Banks’ voice echoed with authority, silencing the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this match- in just 20 seconds- is none other than Adam, the 1st Class Auxiliary!" she declared, her voice resonating throughout the courtyard.

The murmurs of the spectators stopped as they turned their attention back to the center of the arena.

Her tone was firm, commanding attention as she raised her arm toward Adam. "In a duel that lasted only 20 seconds, Adam once again proved his skill and dominance. He remains undefeated!"

The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and hushed disbelief as they fully processed the fact that Adam had just obliterated an entire team so quickly. Some were in awe, others still shocked, but all eyes were now firmly fixed on the player who had, without a doubt, cemented his reputation as a force to be reckoned with.

This time, sensing the possibility that someone else might step forward to challenge Adam, Amelia decided to seize the moment. With a confident smile, she raised her voice once again, addressing the crowd directly.

"Is there anyone else who dares to challenge Adam?" she called out, her words hanging in the air like a challenge in itself.

The courtyard fell into a hush. Silence. No one stepped forward; no voice rose to meet the call. The crowd, still processing the spectacle they had just witnessed, exchanged uneasy glances. Adam’s swift and ruthless victory had clearly left its mark.

Amelia’s eyes scanned the crowd, but it was clear that no one else was willing to challenge Adam after witnessing the sheer gap in strength.

Seeing no further challenges coming his way, Adam glanced around and spoke calmly, "I guess that’s it for today, then. I’ll be on my way."

He politely bowed to the crowd before leaving the arena.

As he passed by Amelia, he paused and smiled, offering her a small pouch.

"Thanks again for facilitating the fight. Here, take these as a token of my appreciation." He handed her three bottles of Superb-Grade Healing Potions and two bottles of Notable-Grade Cleansing Potions.

Amelia looked at the potions in surprise as Adam continued, "The healing potions are all yours. As for the Cleansing Potions, could you give them to Friedrich for me? From what I have heard, I believe you two are guildmates. Just tell him it’s my way of showing appreciation for his sportsmanship."

Of Adam's three fights that day, Friedrich Klein had shown the most respect during and after their duel. His behavior stood out, and Adam always acknowledged fairness and judged that Friedrich deserved a small recognition.

Grateful for the thoughtful gesture, Amelia accepted the potions with a nod and a warm smile.

"Thank you, Adam. I’ll make sure Friedrich receives your comment and gift."