Endless Journey: Infinite Realms

Chapter 552 Training and Calamity Start of Arc II

2 MONTHS LATER.

The passage of the seasons on the Traveler’s World can be said to be fickle at best, as it changes randomly without any warning.

Earlier this morning, the sun was blazing like a hot charcoal all over the Traveler’s World. But now, this heat was replaced by a repressive cold, one that was enough to make the residents shiver inside their homes.

This extreme cold led to the land starting to get covered by snow at this point, with massive lumps of snow and hail pouring down from the sky.

Such change was enough to make the residents of the Traveler’s World adjsut their schedule for today, as the cold was just too much for them.

But while these residents were busy hunkering on their homes and warming themselves, there were still some groups of people that has remained outside.

One of those groups were currently doing an intense training, right under the harsh pelting of snow.

"Hey! I already hired you all for two months, and you’re still this weak? Tsk, did you not even follow my instructions?" A young man, who was wearing a thick coat over his body, shouted these words angrily while brandishing his arms. "Come on, I expected a lot from you, so you better do this right!"

This young man was part of the group having an intensive training under the snow, although the way that he acted made it obvious that he was not here to just train.

"Come on, you all! I already told you how to do this exercise multiple times! But even with these instructions, you still can’t finish it? Argh, what the hell is wrong with you all!"

This young man was shouting these words towards a conglomeration of people in front of him, all who wore an expression of fatigue on their faces. Their bodies were also hunched down from the weight of the snow, with the cold temperature slowing their bodies down.

These people seem to be extremely gassed out right now, and the young man’s insults to them appeared to have made it worse.

"Hey, how the hell are we supposed to get stronger from this? You’re just torturing us for god’s sake!" A woman from the fatigued people replied, with her eyes blazing with fury. She was also glaring at the young man as she spoke, with her hands miming a choking motion. "If you want us to join your Combat Task Force, then why are you making us suffer like this? You... you’re just a sadist!"

"Hoho, so you dare complain again, Traveler Audrey? Didn’t you say 2 months ago that you can complete this exercise on time? Look at you now. You can’t even barely finish the halfway mark!" The young man quickly responded, with a sneer suddenly present of his face. "if you want to complain, then complete the exercise first!"

"What? But Leader Alex, this exercise is impossi-"

"Hmph, look at Traveler Marcus. Even if he’s weaker than you, he has still managed to finish this exercise! If he can do it, so you can too!" The young man continued to say, barring Traveler’s Audrey attempt to complain. "Heh, if you can’t really do it, then just say so, Traveler Audrey. I can relegate you to the Cleaning Task Force if you want. With your power, maybe not getting into the Combat Task Force will be better for you..."

"Hmph, who said that I am going to quit! I-I can do this!" Traveler Audrey replied with a fluster, as if the young man’s words had managed to make her feel embarrassed. "J-just you wait, Leader Alex! I will finish this exercise and be part of your Combat Task Force! Once that happens, I will make that damned Traveler Marcus part of my Harem!"

"...Yeah, good luck with that, Traveler Audrey." The young man, who was no other than Alex himself, let out a strained smile as he continued talking to Traveler Audrey. "I hope to see you in the Combat Task Force within this month."

"Hmph, that will definitely happen, Leader Alex!" Traveler Audrey seemed to have received a boost from Alex’s words, as she forced herself to continue her laborious exercise.

She looked like she was in pain, but she still pushed on, which made her body move in all sorts of strange manner. Such sight made Alex nod his head in approval, as if what she did were enough to satisfy him.

As for the other Travelers who were also stuck in the snow with Traveler Audrey, they only looked at Traveler Audrey with shock, as if they did not expect her to even move. These looks then turned into stares of determination, as these Travelers gritted their teeth before they forced their bodies to move again.

"Ha ha ha!"

In no time at all, all the 20 Travelers in front of Alex has resumed their live exercise, with their tear-stricken faces and pale skin turning red from all the strenuous things that they did.

Some of them began to wail at this point, as the pain that they were experiencing were just too much for them. The other Travelers however has managed to repress their emotions, although their teary eyes and trembling bodies showed that even they were suffering too.

In face of these 20 people who were in pain, Alex only clapped his hands, as if he was not worried for them. Instead, he began to actually goad them on.

"Come on, you little pipsqueaks! This is a live exercise that was created by the Head Doctor Professor Frances! If you can’t finish this, then you won’t have any hopes of breaking into the Third or Fourth Stage quickly!" Alex shouted out, with his mocking smile replaced by a disappointed frown. "You know how much dangerous this world is for people like you, so you better get stronger already! Do you all understand that?"

[YES, WE UNDERSTAND, LEADER ALEX!]

"Ehem, ehem. Your voices sound so weak! Is this how weak you all are? Repeat what you said!"

[YES WE UNDERSTAND, LEADER ALEX!!!!]

"There! Just shout like that everytime!"

[NOTED, LEADER ALEX!!!]

"Good. Now, resume your exercise. Make sure that all of you can reach at least 70% of this exercise today. That’s the minimum threshold right now. If you don’t pass it, then you will be relegated to the trash duties" Alex added as he turned his back on the training Travelers. "Do you all understand that?"

[Y-YES, WE DO, LEADER ALEX!]

"Good!" Like a man who was walking away from an epic explosion scene, Alex began to leave the training Travelers. "There’s still 6 Hours left before the day ends, so I hope that all of you can succeed. If you don’t, then have fun with Professor Frances’ toxic wastes."

"...." The training Travelers had no reply to this, as all of them showed fearful looks at the mention of ’toxic wastes’. They then began to hasten their actions, as if their fear was spurning them to move.

Such reaction made Alex shake his head inwardly, as he also knew the dreadful effects of Professor France’s toxic wastes.

"Sigh, I hired all of you to be my followers, but that does not mean that I will be using you to fight already. You’re all still weak, that even Professor Frances can kill you easily! If you want to be of more use to my group, then you should improve first." Alex thought as he tried to ignore the continuous moans of pain from the training Travelers.

"If you can’t even finish Professor Frances’ Hell Body Diagram, then you’re not fit to fight alongside me." Alex added, with his mind suddenly remembering all the sufferings that his hired Travelers had experienced for the past 2 months. "The real nature of this world is something that is cruel to weak Travelers, so I hope that all of you will cherish the training that I gave you. If you don’t, then don’t blame at the end."

After reaching this line of thought, Alex let out a sigh as he stopped himself from thinking anything else. He made himself silent as he distanced himself away from the training Travelers.

"Hehehe, Traveler Marcus. I hope that you’re still alive today. Once I meet you in the Combat Task Force, I will make you mine!" Traveler Audrey could be heard chanting these words as she ploughed on, with her creepy voice managing to scare the other Travelers with her.

Even Alex was not spared by this, as he only suppressed a shiver from Traveler Audrey’s manic actions.

"Ugh, I really pity you, Marcus. Not only did you get ’tortured’ by Delia’s intense training this day, you still have to endure Traveler Audrey’s attempt to seduce you. Sigh, if this is just a reverse harem show, then you will be fine. But it’s not, so I wish you all the luck that you need...." Alex shook his head while thinking this, with his pity for Marcus now increased.

"Well, you’re the head of my Combat Task Force, so maybe all your pain is worth it?"

***********************

2 MINUTES LATER

INSIDE ALEX’S HOUSE.

"So, how did those Travelers fare today? Did somebody faint again?" Alina, who was currently busy on chowing a large cob of corn, asked these questions at the exact moment that Alex has entered his house. "Oh, and how about Crazy Audrey? Did she do something manic again?’"

"Ugh, please don’t call that girl Crazy Audrey. That might make her more excited." Alex replied as he removed his thick coat. He then hung it on the back of the door, along with his hat. "That b**ch is crazy as f**, so don’t say anything that might rile her up."

"Uh huh. Well at least she’s not interested in you, Alex." Alina’s speed did not decrease as she chowed down the corn, making even Alex feel impressed by it. "If she was, then it will be over for her."

"H-hey Alina, even if she aims for me, there’s no need for you to throw her away." Alex replied with a strained smile. "I am strong enough to deal with her, even if she has that special power of hers..."

"Alex, that Traveler has a hidden calamity inside her body, and you still think that you can tame her? My goodness Alex, I don’t know why you still accepted Traveler Audrey in your group. You know what will happen if she goes out of control, right?"

"Of course I know, Alina. That’s exactly the reason why I hired her. After all, her existence here can also serve as training for me...." Alex averted his gaze at this point, as he saw Alina glaring daggers at him again. "B-besides, out of all the Travelers that we had hired, only Traveler Audrey and Traveler Marcus has the highest chance of making our shortlist. So it will be waste to not hire her, when she has an extremely high potential to be useful..."

"Sigh, you better hope that Traveler Audrey can improve without any problems. Because if she does mess up, it will be you who will be in the line of fire. Just remember that, Alex." Alina looked like she was not happy with Alex’s words, but nonetheless, she still accepted his explanation.

"Alina, I have ways to deal with that thing inside Traveler Audrey, so you don’t need to worry about me..."

"Hmph, if you say so..."

"Ehem, why don’t we stop talking about that woman already? Let’s talk about you, Alina!" Alex said as he began hastily changing the topic. "So, how is your progress on Dark Magic and Chronomancy going? Any signs of breakthrough?"

"...I have the feeling that as long as I continue sparring with Delia, my Dark Magic could reach the Sixth Stage too." Alina faintly answered as she stared down at her hands. She clenched them alternately, as if she was trying to feel something from them. "In fact, I can feel my breakthrough coming today."

"Today?

"Yes, do you want to watch it?" Alina asked as she swiveled her head towards Alex. Such action made her look like a cute owl, which made Alex smile a little.

"Hell yes, I am." Alex replied as she shot up from his seat. He looked slightly excited right now, but this excited look was quickly replaced by a wary one, as he suddenly remembered something.

"Wait, do you have to fight with Delia again for the breakthrough to happen?" Alex asked as he tried his best to look as nonchalant as possible. "Because if it does, then maybe I won’t watch anymore."

"What? But it’s my breakthrough! Shouldn’t you be there guarding for me?"

"Well yes, I can do that. But you know... I really can’t get close to you and Delia once you two start fighting..."

"Hah? What do you mean by that?"

"Ehem, I just received a message from Traveler Marcus today. He says he needs my help to decipher some runes. I’m really sorry Alina, but I have to go now. Bye!"

"Hey!"