NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 12 Solo Leveling is the Best
“No, this isn’t a good match for me.”
Adam placed the Necromancy Class Tome into his bag. After careful consideration, he decided to sell it instead. Although necromancy was undeniably a powerful class, particularly in-game, Adam had bigger plans beyond Pangea. He knew from his prior life that his natural racial affinity would play a crucial role in the real world when the apocalypse hit.
In the World of Pangea, there were several types of affinity: Divine, Elemental, Nature, Physical, Spiritual, and Darkness. Elemental affinity was further subdivided into fire, water, earth, metal, and wind. Each race had natural strengths and weaknesses based on these affinities. Adam, aware of his own elemental strengths, recognized that he did not possess high compatibility with Dark-type skills, such as those used by necromancers.
Had he not been a regressor with knowledge of the future, he might have chosen to follow the necromancy path without a second thought. But now, with his knowledge of the apocalypse, he knew necromancy was not the right path for him.
With that decision made, he tucked the Necromancy Tome away and moved on to his next task. Walking over to the charred remains of the necromancers, he carefully sliced open their chests, reaching into the space where their hearts should have been. His hand closed around something solid, and he pulled out five dark, pulsating objects.
Necromancer’s Heart (Rare) x5
Description: ????
The hearts were a valuable resource, though their use would come much later in the game. Adam knew from his past experiences that these items were one of the reasons why players would continue to revisit the Catacombs, even after completing the first questline. He safely tucked them away in his bag, knowing they would be critical for future crafting and rituals.
Now that his preparations were complete, it was time to use the enormous amount of Essence he had accumulated. With his total essence sitting at 245,770, Adam could easily level himself up to 50. But first, there was a more immediate upgrade he wanted to focus on—his Ignition Gloves.
The gloves were already at level 4, giving him a respectable 18% damage increase and casting cost reduction for his pyromancy spells. However, Adam knew they could be pushed even further. Investing in the gloves now would pay off greatly in the long run, especially since he wasn’t planning to dump stat points into his magic-related attributes until he reached level 60.
He set himself a ceiling of 40,000 Essence to spend on upgrading the gloves, figuring that would leave him with more than enough for leveling up afterward.
“I wonder how powerful these will get after a few upgrades?” Adam mused aloud as he began the process.
To his surprise, the first upgrade only cost 4,000 Essence. “Not bad,” he thought. For many players, this amount of Essence would represent two or three precious level-ups. But for Adam, it was a small price to pay for enhanced pyromancy.
He upgraded the gloves again, this time spending 5,500 Essence. Still tolerable. After a few more upgrades, the Ignition Gloves had reached level 9, costing him a total of 35,000 Essence. The result was far more satisfying than he had anticipated.
Ignition Gloves Lvl. 9 (Unique)
Restriction: Adam
Description: A medium designed to enhance fire magic abilities. Can be upgraded, but the user must at least be an Adept Pyromancer to continue further upgrades.
Details: Damage increased by 25%. Cost reduced by 25%.
Adam smiled in satisfaction. While the gloves could still be upgraded further, he would need to advance to the rank of Adept Pyromancer before that could happen. In World of Pangea, one’s rank in their occupation or skills couldn’t be improved just by leveling up. Proficiency was measured by percentage, and the only way to increase it was by actively using the skill in appropriate contexts.
The game’s class progression was simple but demanding. Players started as Novices and could progress through ranks—Apprentice, Intermediate, Adept, Expert, Master, and eventually Grandmaster. Though, in Adam’s previous life, no one had ever reached a rank beyond Grandmaster.
Curious about his own progression, Adam checked the proficiency of his skills:
Novice Alchemist 36.02%
Novice Pyromancer 33.78%
Thanks to the one-man raid he had just completed, his pyromancy had grown considerably. He was certain that he had the highest pyromancy proficiency in the world at this point. Even the most dedicated professional players were likely still hovering around the 20% mark.
His alchemy skill was also impressive, given that he hadn’t crafted a single potion yet. His consistent use of Purify on all the items he looted boosted his progression to 36.02%, a growth unheard of at this stage of the game.
With his skills steadily advancing, Adam felt content for the moment. He now turned his attention to the remaining Essence, deciding to invest the bulk of it in leveling up. He went through the leveling process systematically, spending the Essence with purpose.
His fire magic, already enhanced by the Ignition Gloves, didn’t require additional investment in Harmony for now. Instead, he funneled points into physical stats, creating a balanced build that would allow him to fight on the front lines while still casting powerful pyromancy spells.
Typically, a pyromancer would build stats similar to a mage, prioritizing intelligence and clarity. But with his gloves providing such a significant boost to his fire spells, Adam saw no need to follow that conventional path. Instead, he focused on endurance and strength, ensuring he wouldn’t be a fragile glass cannon reliant only on magic.
His stat build, as it stood, was closer to that of a warrior than a traditional mage. This made him highly versatile, and with the power of his upgraded Ignition Gloves, his fire magic was already more potent than most other pyromancers in the game.
By the time Adam finished allocating his points, his stats looked like this:
NAME: Adam
LEVEL: 47
ESSENCE: 10,307 (13,436 Essence required to reach Level 48)
HP: 160/160 (+100)
MP: 300/300 (+200)
STATS
Vitality: 20
Endurance: 28
Willpower: 10
Strength: 28
Dexterity: 14
Perception: 10
Intelligence: 8
Clarity: 6
Harmony: 5
Mystery: 6
SKILLS
(Novice Alchemist 36.02%) Purify
(Novice Pyromancer 33.78%) Firebolt 4
TRAITS
Botanist, Toxic Resistance, Flame Resistance, Frost Resistance
MP Regen: +15% (Necklace)
HP Regen: +10% (Ring)
After reviewing his stats, Adam couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. In just two in-game days, he had achieved what most professional players would take a week or more to accomplish.
“Solo leveling is the best,” he chuckled to himself.
Satisfied that nothing was left to loot or discover in the boss room, Adam retraced his steps, heading for the deeper sections of the catacombs. There was little benefit in clearing out the rest of the outer areas now, especially since many players would soon flock here to try and catch up to his level. Leaving some enemies behind would slow their progress, giving him more time to gain an even larger lead.
Adam’s next goal was to venture deeper into the catacombs, into the complex and labyrinthine maze known to exist within. He remembered the path an independent team had taken in his previous life. They had live-streamed their exploration of this section and discovered a hidden secret within the maze—an entity of immense power. Adam was determined to find it.
As he moved through the increasingly complex tunnels, he encountered stronger undead. These enemies were noticeably more formidable than those in the outer sections, with levels ranging from 15 to 25.
“It should be around here somewhere…” Adam muttered, glancing down one of the passageways.
[You have slain Ghoul Lvl. 19…]
“No, this isn’t the right way. Let’s try this direction.”
[You have slain Revenant Lvl 23...]
He continued to fight his way through the maze, encountering enemies with each wrong turn.
“Then they took a left here—wait, no. I think I’ve gone in a circle.”
[You have slain Zombie Lvl. 21…]
[You have slain Zombie Lvl. 20…]
[You have slain Zombie Lvl. 23…]
After several hours of exploration, Adam finally recognized something—a faint landmark he had seen in the livestream video. He was close.
“Ah! I knew it was right, not left.”
Adam pressed on, confident that he was nearing his destination. He hadn’t found the hidden entity yet, but the essence he had gained from fighting along the way more than made up for the long search. Though the journey had been tedious, he knew the reward would be worth it.
Diligently, he continued exploring, certain that he was about to find what he was looking for.
***
Meanwhile, across the game’s many servers, players buzzed with disbelief and excitement over the latest development. The number one ranked player had just made a massive level leap, jumping far beyond anyone else’s progress.
"Did you see that? Level 47? That guy’s gotta be cheating," one player remarked in disbelief.
"Cheating? Lemme guess you're one of those who call someone a hacker when they beat you at games," another shot back, clearly irritated by the accusation.
"No, I'm just saying, being that good has to be a cheat. There's no way someone’s that far ahead in just two days."
"Come on, this guy definitely found some secret grinding spot. No way, he's just been fighting giant rats like the rest of us."
Across various forums and chatrooms, the debate continued to rage. While many players struggled to push past level 10, this mysterious figure—simply named "Adam"—was soaring through the ranks at a speed no one had expected. His rapid advancement had players both in awe and deeply suspicious.
"Whoever this guy is, he's making the pro gamers look terrible," one user posted on the game’s public forum.
"Could be a pro gamer himself," another suggested.
"Probably not. Look at the name. Most pro gamers would’ve used their full handle or something recognizable."
The speculation around Adam’s identity grew with each passing moment, but no one could conclude. Was he a professional gamer who had found a secret exploit? An unknown solo player with remarkable skills? Or was he simply someone who had stumbled upon a highly efficient way to grind levels?
As the conversations escalated, the next wave of players began logging in. In the real world, 12 hours had passed since the game’s servers first launched, and now the second batch of players was flooding the game. The player population had tripled, bringing with it a renewed rush for resources and grinding spots.
Many of the newcomers quickly realized that the low-level grinding areas—infested with giant rats and mutated spiders—were no longer worth their time. By this point, players reaching level 10 were already looking for higher-level areas to explore. With the initial surge of players now familiar with the temple’s layout, attention was beginning to shift to more challenging parts of the game.
Pro gamers, independent teams, and seasoned solo players knew that the temple’s catacombs were key to mid-to-high-level progression. Word had started to spread that the catacombs were the place to go for those looking to level up quickly. With their strategic minds at work, these players knew that whoever cleared the catacombs first would have a significant edge over the rest of the player base.
"This place is crawling with noobs," one experienced player grumbled as they made their way through the early temple grounds. "We need to head to the catacombs before they start swarming it too."
Already, whispers of Adam’s progress had made their way to the top guilds and professional teams. His extraordinary advancement pressured them to catch up or risk being left behind. The temptation of quicker leveling and the chance to discover whatever secrets the catacombs held were too great to ignore.
"Get your team ready," one pro guild leader instructed his squad. "We’re moving to the catacombs. There’s no more time to waste on these low-level mobs."
And so, the exodus began. Groups of players, both large and small, started migrating toward the catacombs, eager to seize the opportunity before others could get there first. The outer sections of the temple, once teeming with players fighting for low-level grinding spots, were beginning to empty as attention shifted to the deeper and more dangerous areas.
As more players approached the catacombs, the tension in the air grew. Independent players and guilds alike knew that this area would be fiercely contested. Not only was the catacombs an excellent spot for leveling up, but it was also rumored to contain rare loot, hidden quests, and bosses that had yet to be discovered.
"Everyone’s heading there now," one player said to their team. "If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss out."
"It’s going to get crowded real fast. We need to stick together and secure a spot in the catacombs before the mobs are overrun," their team leader replied.
Slowly but surely, the catacombs became the focal point for the continent’s top players. What had once been a quiet, hidden section of the temple was now on the verge of being swarmed by adventurers hoping to match Adam’s unprecedented progress.
However, despite the growing number of players heading in that direction, no one knew what awaited them in the depths. For many, the catacombs were still an unexplored and dangerous mystery, filled with powerful enemies and, likely, fierce competition.
And somewhere deep within that labyrinth, Adam continued his journey, blissfully unaware of the gathering storm outside.
***
In the earliest days of the Lorik Kingdom, there lived a man named Vetius, who reluctantly dedicated his life to serving his country as a soldier. Military service hadn’t been his first choice—his heart had always yearned to become a blacksmith, to feel the weight of a hammer in his hands and the heat of the forge on his face. But as the youngest son of a prominent family, his father had already chosen his path for him.
Vetius didn’t have a say in his fate. His father, a man of influence and authority, had a clear vision for each of his children. The sons and daughters who showed promise in political or intellectual arenas were groomed for positions of power, holding sway over city councils or serving in royal courts. But for those like Vetius, whom his father deemed of little value, the army became their fate. Vetius was sent to join the ranks of the Lorik Army, a decision made without his input, and thus began his life as a soldier.
Despite his lack of choice, Vetius proved himself to be a capable and resourceful warrior. Against all odds, he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a Centurion, a leader of men. His strength, determination, and tactical mind earned him respect from his peers. But even with his success, his heart still yearned for the forge.
At this point in Lorik's history, the kingdom was young and vulnerable, constantly threatened by the undead that plagued its borders. The undead had been a persistent threat, rising from unknown depths and attacking the kingdom's defenses. To combat this menace, the king ordered an elite force of one hundred soldiers to raid the supposed origin of the undead—a mission meant to cripple the enemy at its source.
Vetius was chosen to lead this mission, an honor many would have cherished. But as with much in his life, the choice was not his own. He accepted the responsibility and marched toward the heart of the undead’s domain with his men.
Unfortunately, the mission was a disaster. The raid failed spectacularly, and not a single soldier returned. Vetius met his doom in the very place he was sent to destroy.
With the kingdom embroiled in a war against its rival, New Camelot, there was no time to spare more soldiers for a rescue mission. Lorik’s rulers decided to cut their losses. Instead of sending reinforcements, the king ordered elite mages to seal off the area where Vetius and his men had fallen, hoping to trap the undead deep underground. The mages buried the entire region, sacrificing land to contain the threat.
The undead menace ceased for a time, and the kingdom moved on. Vetius, his men, and their mission were soon forgotten—an afterthought in the annals of Lorik’s history. Even Vetius’ family, who had dictated his life’s path, moved on without a second thought, as if he had never existed.
But deep underground, something was happening to Vetius’ body. Vetius transformed differently from his comrades, who had turned to dust and bone. Over time, he was reborn—not as the man he had once been, but as a revenant, a being somewhere between life and death.
Unlike most of the undead, who became mindless creatures driven by hunger and rage, Vetius retained a part of his humanity. His consciousness slowly reformed, piece by piece, and with it came memories of the man he had been—his family, his duty as a soldier, and, most painfully, his long-forgotten dream of becoming a blacksmith.
The passage of time meant little to Vetius in his new state. He had lost track of how long he had been entombed underground. Above him, the world changed drastically. Lorik, the small kingdom he once served, grew into a powerful empire. Wars were fought and won. Civil unrest tore the kingdom apart, only for it to be rebuilt time and time again. Eventually, the empire crumbled, and a republic rose from its ashes.
Vetius knew none of this. All that mattered to him was the sense of freedom he now felt. No longer bound by his family’s expectations or his role as a soldier, he was finally free to pursue the one thing he had always desired. The forge.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The metal being hammered echoed through the ancient, forgotten corridors beneath the catacombs. Vetius had turned the underground ruins into his own workshop, scavenging whatever materials he could find. Over the centuries, he had discovered that beneath the catacombs lay the remnants of an even older city, a place older than Lorik itself.
If the catacombs were considered ancient, the city beneath them was primordial. Here, Vetius had set up his forge, using the old city’s remains as his resource. With his hammer and anvil, he worked the metal he found, turning it into weapons, armor, and tools. It was his own form of solace, the fulfillment of a dream that had once seemed so distant.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
But while Vetius had regained his sense of self, many of the undead around him had not. They had become little more than mindless monsters, driven only by their primal urges. They sensed something different about Vetius, something that set him apart, and so they attacked him whenever they crossed his path.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Vetius defended himself from these undead attackers, but not out of hatred. He simply wanted to exist. He had no malice toward the living or the dead, but neither did he have any desire to be destroyed. Occasionally, adventurers from the surface would wander into his domain. These living beings, seeing only an undead creature before them, would attack him on sight. Vetius would also defend himself against them, leaving their bodies to join the ever-growing ranks of the catacombs’ undead residents.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Though he often found himself alone, Vetius had noticed the presence of other entities in the maze-like ruins. They seemed to pay him no mind, and he, in turn, left them alone. Content in his solitude, Vetius continued his work, hammering away at the forge that had become his life’s purpose.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Today, however, something different was happening. Another living soul had entered his domain. Vetius could sense the intruder moving through the maze, and as always, he prepared himself for a confrontation. The living always attacked the dead. It was a cycle he had long grown used to.
But something felt different about this one. The presence was singular, not a party of adventurers as he had encountered before. The person seemed to be moving with purpose as if searching for something—or someone.
Vetius continued working, waiting for the inevitable moment when the living being would find him. He had no desire to start a fight, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before the intruder would attack him, as they all did.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Eventually, the footsteps drew closer. The person had found his way to Vetius’ forge. Vetius set down his hammer and reached for a weapon—one of the many he had been crafting over the centuries. He turned to face the intruder, ready for the battle that was surely coming.
But no attack came.
Instead, the figure waved at him. Vetius paused, confused. Was the man… talking to him?
“Greetings, Master Smith. I am Adam, an Otherworlder. I hope I am not disturbing you.”
Vetius, weapon still in hand, stared at the living man before him. An Outworlder? It was a term he hadn’t heard before. And why was this man addressing him respectfully, as if he were no mere undead?
For the first time in centuries, Vetius felt something stir within him. Not the anger or hunger of the undead, but curiosity. He had no idea who this “Adam” was or his intentions, but something about him was different.
Vetius slowly lowered his weapon, unsure of what to say. It had been so long since he had spoken to anyone—living or dead.
"Otherworlder...? "What... brings you... to my... forge...?"
His voice was rough, and the sound of it was strange even to his own ears.
Adam smiled. "I’ve come seeking knowledge, Master Smith. And perhaps, if you’ll allow it, your guidance."