Powerless

*Ba-dum*

*Ba-dum*

The veins were cordially beating in rhythm.

It wasn't clear wether blood was flowing through those veins, but they were definitely beating.

When Iono realized the book is alive he almost dropped it.

Thankfully, he caught the time-worn book before it fell on the ground.

He carefully inspected the book a bit more, trying to find anything else about it.

"These two books... Are full of mysteries!"

There were no words to explain Iono's excitement.

He lived for a long time in his previous life and had accumulated a great amount of knowledge.

Although his life was mostly focused around combat, he had no lack of great techniques and weapon arts.

But the two books in front of him exceeded his scope of understanding. He was utterly clueless on what laws governed those books.

They seemed different, almost inexplicable.

A book that's alive? Now, that's a first!

He carefully placed the second book inside the Pouch of Avarice as well.

He then moved on to examine the key.

A simple key, made of unknown material, but full of rust, making it seem impossibly old.

He inspected the key for a bit, only to come to the conclusion that it's a simple key.

He even let his Mana and Prana run through it, hopefully activating some kind of energy rings, but nothing happened.

Aura was an energy rarely used when creating energy rings. It was mostly focused around combat, and that's why most Sorcerers usually referred to Brawlers as mindless brutes.

Although concluding the key is ordinary, he still kept it.

Who knows what mysteries that key was hiding? After all, it was placed together with those books.

Before he placed the key inside his Pouch of Avarice, he noticed a hole on the podium the books and key were displayed.

A keyhole.

"Is it like the key out of here? Eh, not as mysterious as I thought...", he thought.

With no further ado, he placed the key in the hole and turned it.

The key fit perfectly.

The moment it turned, the whole cavern started shaking, as a part of the wall started coming down.

Behind it, a staircase appeared, leading upwards.

Iono decided to keep the key with him, just in case.

Step after step, he climbed the staircase.

The only sound was his footsteps.

For every step he took, a new torch would light up on the walls next to him.

After a while, the top was finally visible.

He took the last step and found himself in another narrow cavern.

He walked straight, hoping it would lead him outside.

Suddenly-

*Stomp*

"What the-"

*Stomp*

*Clink*

The sound of some heavy footsteps echoed through the cave.

A clinking of metal was also heard, as if a metallic object clashed with the walls of the cave.

*Stomp*

The stomping got louder and louder, signalling the enemy getting closer and closer.

Iono was unsure.

He didn't know what kind of creature he would be facing.

He was still incredibly weak, and for a creature to be inside this place, a place build by a being that left even Gods in awe, it had to possess considerable strength.

*Stomp*

He hurriedly pulled out his scythe.

*Stomp*

*Clink*

The stomping got louder.

*Stomp*

From inside the darkness, a white-furred leg appeared, creating dust as it stomped on the ground.

A hoove.

*Stomp*

A white-furred arm, with bulging muscles, veins popping.

A chain wrapped itself around the arm.

*Stomp*

A black snout.

*Stomp*

The cave must have been about 4 meters high, and the monsters black horns scrapped the ceiling.

What appeared in front of Iono was a white-furred bull, that walked on two legs.

Strong muscles covered it's whole body, as well as chains.

Chains as if trying to restrict this monstrosity.

His left hand wrapped around a gigantic, double-headed axe.

The axe was pitch-black and rough looking.

As if it had been through countless slaughter.

The moment Iono laid eyes upon the monstrosity, his eyes went as wide as two full moons.

The minimal hair his pubescent body possessed all stood straight like soldiers.

His feral instincts screamed one word.

Run.

Run.

If you don't... You'll die.

The monster stood tall in front of the tiny goblin.

*Ding*

[Warning!

The system has detected that the user has encountered an existence far above his current level.

Analyzing the situation...

Recommended course of action: Escape.

Probability of success: 0.7%

Analyzing the situation...

No other possible course of action has been found.

The system preys for the user's safety.]

Iono glanced at the blue screen that popped up in front of him.

Then he glanced at the beast.

It had been only a few seconds since it appeared but the beast remained silent.

Iono closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

After opening them, he put his mind into full throttle.

A narrow cave.

A monster that is as big as the cave, blocking the way ahead.

Underground?

Depth?

Hardness of the walls?

Agility of the monster?

Possiblity of aggression?

Everything that he could see, smell, hear, every possible sensation that would allow a safe escape, entered his mind.

Iono was definitely arrogant, but not enough to go up against a monster like this.

He had never fought such a creature.

He had never seen such a creature.

The situation seemed hopeless from the start.

The monster remained unmoving.

Its heavy breathing echoed through the cave.

Other than that,

Silence.

Iono, finding himself in this hopeless situation, decided to rise his head, and stare the enemy in the eyes.

They locked eyes.

*BOOM*

Pressure came surging out of the monsters body like a tide.

Pressure so thick and strong it was almost visible...

Tangible.

Iono's body was smashed on the ground.

He struggled to get up but couldn't.

Absolute suppression.

"What the-, I can't pull myself up!

This is only the pressure of his presence?

What do I do? WHAT DO I DO? Think man, THINK!

That's right! Kyomu!"

Iono closed his eyes and tried to communicate with the dagger.

There was no reply.

His eyes, wide as full moons, couldn't comprehend what was happening.

The being that once tussled with Gods, was slumped, head first, to the ground, by nothing but the presence of this beast.

Every instinct Iono had, feral or human, was screaming at him.

Run.

With much struggle, he raised his head to look at the monstrosity.

Indifference.

Arrogance.

Feelings that Iono was familiar with.

Usually he was the one feeling them.

But this time, he was the prey.

"WHERE THE HELL DID THIS THING COME FROM!?

THIS STRENGTH IS UNREAL!

THIS ISN'T...supposed to be here...", he frivolously complained.

His neck lost the strength to support his head, making the pressure slam it once again to the floor.

"This is it...? This is how this life is going to end? This is how I'm going to lose again? Chasing after treasure?"

His eyes started losing their colour.

He was close. Close to giving up. Close to just abandoning this life.

After all, he had millions of other lifes.

Why care about this one?

"This monster is unbeatable. I haven't seen anything like it.

Escaping is also impossible. He hasn't even moved a finger and he pinned me to the ground.

This life, after all, is nothing but a lucid dream.

A fake reality.

One easily discarded.

One of man-...", his thoughts were interrupted by a picture.

A picture of his parents that suddenly came to mind.

Their deaths the first time around.

Them disintegrating in front of his eyes.

The love they showed to him in both of his lives.

The love he had for them in both of his lives.

Weirdly, a little, brunette girl also appeared. One that he didn't really like or appreciate.

One that actually got on his nerves quite a lot, but strangely he didn't mind...

"No...

This isn't just some life.

This isn't a dream.

This is something precious.

Something I am not supposed to lose."

Iono's heart started beating profusely.

His heart rate skyrocketed as his eyes obtained the fighting spirit he had previously lost.

His core started rotating, faster than it ever had.

Mana and Aura clashed in his core with Randell's Ether, creating Prana.

The invisible Prana escaped his core and seeped inside his muscles.

Strength seemed to fill up his body, as the pressure he was feeling, became easier to oppose.

The Prana seeped inside his bones, activating the [True Serpentine Body]. His bones now had a cyan tint to them.

Iono's eyes changed from deep blue, to deep crimson. His pupils disappeared.

Bloodlust, so thick that it became tangible, came surging out like a tide.

The atmosphere around him had a hint of red. It opposed the pressure that was weighing on him.

Iono's body underwent some changes. His skin turned to a deeper green. His fangs grew in size, appearing outside of his mouth.

His nose grew a few cm, and his ears became pointy.

Strangely, a few cyan scales had appeared under his eyes. His tongue turned slim and long, serpentine one might say.

Iono had turned into a feral monster.

The strength bursting from within him started opposing the pressure pushing down on him.

Slowly, he managed to stand on one knee.

After a few seconds, he managed to stand completely.

He was now facing the almost 4 meter tall monstrosity , standing tall.

The look in the monster's eyes had not changed since the beginning.

Indifference.

Seeing Iono stand up, it took a step forward.

*Stomp*

With every step the pressure increased.

*Stomp*

With every step his momentum increased.

*Stomp*

With every step, Iono's morale fell.

*Stomp*

The monster was now right in front of Iono.

It lowered it's head, placing it right next to his.

It opened its snout.

Iono was giving it his all, just trying to stand tall.

Whatever the monster did, he had no way of stopping it.

The monster spoke.

It's voice deep and bass, but also, weirdly wise.

"I like your courage.

But, you're not ready for me yet..."

Iono was left stupified.

What happened next though, left him shaking in fear.

The monster slammed it's axe on the ground, and pulled his right hand back.

A punch was coming.

A punch unlike any he had received before.

Iono hurriedly put his arms in front of him, trying to resist it.

As the monsters punch travelled through space, it compressed the air in front of it.

There was no energy in that punch.

This was pure, physical strength.

All sound and colour seemed to disappear around Iono.

His eyes, wide open, stared at the incoming punch.

Iono felt the world around him disappear, the only thing remaining was the gigantic fist coming towards him.

Just before it landed, out of nowhere, a portal appeared behind Iono. On the other side of the portal, a deep forest.

Finally, the fist landed on his arms.

*Crack*

His arms broke like twigs.

His tungsten reinforced skeleton, was broken like an eggshell.

The white-furred fist pushed through, and landed on his body.

Iono's insides contorted in unimaginable ways.

Blood.

He vomited so much blood.

His feet were raised off the ground, as his body folded it half.

*BOOM*

Iono was sent flying through the portal, so fast, he broke past the sound barrier.

His body collapsed upon itself, unable to handle the pressure of such speeds.

Thankfully, his tungsten-hard skeleton could handle the pressure.

His flesh on the other hand, couldn't.

Iono blasted through countless trees, breaking all of them.

Finally he landed on a boulder.

The speed with which he landed, embedded him inside the rock.

He felt his spine cracking.

He once again spit blood.

The bones in his hand broken to smithereens.

His insides were rearranged.

His flesh was barely hanging from his bones.

Torn muscles everywhere.

Every part of his body was covered with blood.

Iono had long since passed out from the pain.

Now he simply stood embedded in the boulder...