[15th April 2024]
After sleeping, Rey thought he would finally rest, but horror struck when he found himself in the same space where his hellish cycle of days began, a place he dubbed the 'Hell Torture Room.'
There, he was forced to watch his loved ones perish at the hands of worthless assassins.
He hoped nothing like that would occur again, but to his dismay, an object, similar to the one before, hurtled towards him at an insane speed.
He wanted to scream and act, but he was swallowed by it once more, and like before, he was transported to another realm or something within his mind.
He found himself in a familiar room, the same one where Aiden had trapped him {in chapter 20}.
Looking around, he saw all three of his relic spirits relaxing in this space.
"Oh, hey Rey, didn't expect to meet you here," Aiden remarked, standing up from his chair.
"Hi, but can you tell me why you guys are here and why I'm not sleeping in my bed?" Rey inquired, noting that everything seemed normal except for his presence.
"Oh, nothing, just brought you here to our resting area inside you. Don't expect me to tell you why you're here; he's the one responsible for this," Victor said from a comfy sofa, engrossed in his games.
"So, why am I here? Can you tell me, Aiden?"
"Yes, you're here for... ah, the training, bro. I brought you here for training purposes," Aiden said, concocting a reason on the spot.
"Mind training, huh? Good, I didn't expect such a clever plan from you," Rey remarked, leaving Aiden feeling as if the kid saw him as a clown.
"So, who will I be training with? You, Victor, or Zero?" Rey inquired, while Aiden, lost in thought, took a step back.
"It's not like that, kid. We brought you here to confront the enemies you've faced before. Let me tell you, if you try to fight us, you won't learn anything. To truly learn from your enemy, you must either be in a similar realm to them or be somewhat of a learning maniac, but you're neither. So, it's best to face the enemy you've encountered before," Victor interjected, observing the squabble between Aiden and Rey.
"I see, that way, huh? Good, I don't mind. So where will I fight him? Here or somewhere else?" Rey asked, surveying the area, which was cluttered with items unsuitable for battle. He didn't but his mind was getting turned into a battle warrior who can train every time for battle like those in novels.
"Oh, it's easy, Rey, just like this," Aiden said as the ground beneath Rey gave way, and he began to fall.
"Aiden, you fool, I will see you later," Rey exclaimed while descending into the darkness, understandably angry at being thrown into a hole.
"Well, bye-bye," Aiden remarked, peeking and waving at him.
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Then, a screen appeared before them, showing Rey still in freefall. Moments later, he landed on solid ground, yet, to his astonishment, he felt no pain.
"So, it's all in the imagination, huh?" Rey mused, becoming somewhat carefree.
"Rey, can you hear us?" Aiden's voice interrupted his thoughts, startling him slightly.
"Ah... yes, don't scare me like that. I could have had a heart attack, you know. Can't you just tell me nicely?" Rey complained, rubbing his chest.
"Oh, sorry, but your battle stage is ready, so be prepared, okay?" Aiden instructed as Rey began to survey his surroundings.
"Where— Oh, okay," Rey started to question, but then the land beneath him expanded, and the entire area was illuminated in white.
"So, it's like VR, huh," he concluded to himself.
"Oh yes, but it's not quite as close since it's higher, and I can do something like this~~~," Aiden said. In front of Rey, puddles began forming at a distance, and two figures started emerging. Within seconds, the figures became visible to Rey, and he recognized them easily as they were identical.
They were none other than Jacob, the first person to defeat him in both worlds.
"Oh, so you're my opponent, huh? But why two? Can't there be more?" Rey inquired.
"Yes, I can increase or decrease the number, but one is not enough for you, and three would be too many. So just adjust for now, and if needed, I will increase their number as time goes on," Aiden replied as Rey nodded and readied himself for the match.
"Ready," Rey announced, and Aiden signaled the two Jacobs to attack.
They both lunged at him with the intent to kill, expressions identical to those from the past.
It felt to Rey as if he was facing two opponents back then, or as if the one in front had a mirror beside him.
He moved swiftly to attack and punched one of them straight in the face, but the figure didn't recoil as before, suggesting an increase in power.
"Hey, Aiden, did you boost their power levels?" he asked while standing there as if nothing was happening, which was his biggest mistake.
"Yes, I do. Without an increase, do you think even five of them can handle it, you know? But is it safe to stand as if you're walking in a park like that?" Aiden said, just as Rey, who was standing, realized this. But before he could react, the second Jacob came up behind him and kicked with all his force, sending Rey flying like a broken kite. However, his body sustained no damage except for the pain in his back.
"Ahhhh~~~~~~~. Aiden, why does this hurt so much? Isn't it supposed to be fake?" Rey asked to which Aiden facepalmed at his own foolishness.
"Good grief, kid. We're training, not playing, so pain is part of the training," he said plainly.
"You old, fake master, I will get you for this," Rey retorted as he backed away to evade the duo's attacks, which were too coordinated to block.
"Well, before you try to kill me, try getting away from them, kid. HaHaHa~~~~~," Aiden laughed, watching Rey's predicament.
Rey was dodging attacks but still getting pushed back by their teamwork, unable to find an opening.
"Hey, can't you give me some weapons? I need them," Rey said, struck by an idea.
"Okay, let's see what you want, kid," Victor, who was observing the fight, said, stopping Aiden who was about to refuse.
"Ah, just give me anything. I need it right now," Rey said, thinking fast when his leg slipped, and one of them slammed both hands straight into his body, smashing him into the ground. Fortunately, he fell back after the hit to avoid getting entangled with them.
"Okay, here we go, kid. Enjoy," Victor said as he conjured a weapon that rose from the ground beside Rey.
-- To be continued--
What weapon did Victor gave him and why. Comment in if you can suggest it.
And what did you think of this training thing tell me OKAY.