[April 15th, 2024]
Rey thought sleep would finally bring him peace.
Instead, horror greeted him.
He opened his eyes to find himself back in that cursed place—his personal nightmare, the Hell Torture Room.
The air reeked of blood. Once again, he was forced to watch his loved ones die at the hands of faceless assassins. Their screams echoed in his chest like knives twisting into his soul.
"No… not again."
He reached out, but before he could move, something shot through the air—an object, blazing toward him at insane speed. His instincts screamed to dodge, yet before he could even react, it swallowed him whole.
The world dissolved.
When it reformed, Rey stood inside a familiar chamber. His breath hitched. This was the same place Aiden had once trapped him in.
Except now, it wasn't empty.
On one side, Aiden lounged on a chair with his usual smug grin. Victor sprawled lazily across a sofa, eyes glued to his game. Zero drifted through the room like liquid silver, her form shimmering in the pale light.
"Oh, hey Rey," Aiden greeted as if nothing was wrong. "Didn't expect you so soon."
Rey pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right. So why am I not asleep in my bed right now?"
"Don't look at me," Victor muttered, not lifting his eyes from the screen. "He dragged you here."
Rey's gaze sharpened at Aiden.
Aiden coughed into his fist. "Well… you're here for training."
Rey blinked. "Training? In my dreams?"
"Mind training," Aiden corrected quickly, scrambling to make it sound grand.
Rey gave him a flat look. "That's actually… not a bad idea."
Aiden twitched. He hated how the kid made him feel like the clown of the group.
Victor chuckled. "It's simple, Rey. Fighting us won't help you grow. You'd just get crushed. But fighting enemies you've already faced? That'll sharpen you. You'll learn what you missed before."
Rey's eyes lit up. "Oh. So it's like fighting ghosts of my past?"
"Exactly," Victor said.
Before Rey could ask more, the ground vanished beneath him. He plummeted through the dark void, screaming bloody murder.
"Aiden, you son of—!"
"Bye-bye~," Aiden sang, peering into the hole and waving.
Rey slammed into solid ground. Surprisingly, no pain followed.
He exhaled shakily. "Figures. All in my head, huh?"
A voice echoed inside his skull. "Rey, can you hear me?"
Rey flinched. "Aiden! Warn me next time, damn it! Do you want me to have a heart attack?"
"Focus, kid. The stage is ready. Don't embarrass yourself."
The darkness peeled away. Light exploded across the arena, revealing a vast white plain. The ground hummed with unstable energy, and puddles of black liquid began to bubble nearby.
Shapes rose from them.
Rey's blood ran cold as two identical figures stepped forward. Same smirk. Same killing intent. Same aura.
"Jacob…"
The man who had beaten him in both worlds.
Not one. Two.
Rey clenched his fists. "You couldn't just give me one, huh?"
Aiden's laughter rang from above. "One's too easy. Three's too much. Two's perfect. Now fight, brat."
"Fine by me," Rey muttered, lowering into a stance.
The Jacobs moved instantly, lunging with lethal precision. Blades of condensed energy hissed in their hands.
Rey pivoted and drove his fist into one's jaw. The impact cracked the air—yet the figure didn't budge.
"What the—?!"
"Did you boost them, Aiden?!" Rey shouted, barely twisting aside as the second Jacob blurred behind him.
"Of course. Without buffs, even five wouldn't last against you." Aiden's tone turned mocking. "But standing there like it's a picnic? You're just asking to be smashed."
Too late.
A kick slammed into Rey's spine, launching him like a ragdoll. He skidded across the ground, gasping.
"ARGHH! This hurts! I thought it was fake?!"
Aiden facepalmed. "It's training, kid. Pain is the point."
"You sadistic fraud! I'll get you for this!" Rey snarled, dodging desperately as the two Jacobs pressed their assault. Their movements were seamless, like predators circling prey.
Sweat poured down his face. He was fast, but not fast enough to find an opening. Every dodge brought him closer to the wall.
"I need a weapon!" Rey shouted. "Give me something, anything!"
"Now you're talking," Victor finally said, lifting his head with a grin. Aiden opened his mouth to refuse, but Victor raised a hand to silence him.
"Alright, kid. Let's see how you handle this."
The ground beneath Rey cracked. Shadows twisted upward, taking shape beside him. Slowly, the black mist solidified… into a weapon.
Its edge gleamed with an aura that pulsed like a heartbeat.
Rey's eyes widened as he reached for it.
To Be Continued…
What weapon did Victor grant him—and why?
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