Reject Humanity, Return to Monke

(-y… -e up… -nni.. -ake up…)

I groaned as my head pounded. My eyes refused to open no matter what I did.

(-ey… Wake up… -ionni… Wake up…)

Words continued to enter my ears. The longer my eyes stayed closed, the more complete the words sounded.

(Hey… Wake up… Jionni… Wake up…)

My eyes twitched, my eyelids finally opening after what felt like an eternity. Once they were open, I was greeted by a scene I would never expect to see again in a few more decades…

"The… Void…?" I felt my body floating within the vast expanse of darkness, my limbs flailing about as gravity held no sway in this area.

(Jionni… Finally awake, I see…)

I perked my head at the words, the voice now clear in my mind. Looking around the dark void, I saw nothing but the familiar darkness encompassing my vision.

That is, until I saw something shimmer in the distance.

(Follow the light… It will guide you to me…)

As if hypnotized by the voice, I willed my body to float forward, the shimmering in the distance slowly growing larger as I neared the object.

(Follow the light… It will guide you to me…)

The words continued to enter my ears on repeat, each syllable uttered hypnotizing me further as all I could focus on was the shimmering in the distance.

I didn't know how long I was floating for… Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks?

Time was a long-forgotten concept in the void. No amount of questioning and theorizing would solve the reason why the void had no concept.

(You're close… Just continue…)

The words changed once the shimmering in the distance showed me its figure.

A human, one whose body looked like it was chained to the spot.

(You're close… Just continue…)

I followed the voice, his words once again hypnotizing me as I continued forward in a daze.

(Almost there…)

I hastened my approach, its words giving me a surge of power as I swam quickly in the vast expanse of darkness.

Finally… After who knows how long… I finally reached my destination…

(Jionni… It's great to see you...)

I snapped out of my daze and realized the voice inside my head was coming from the man in front of me. His eyes were blindfolded, his arms trapped in chains, his body and legs restricted with iron, and his mouth stitched with thread.

"Wha… What the fuck…?" I could do nothing but stare in abject horror at the being before me. The sheer pain and discomfort the man was going through was probably something I could never imagine in my entire life.

(Heh… A sensible reaction…)

The man spoke, his words resonating inside my head rather than entering my ears, I realized.

"Telepathy…?"

(Correct…)

My question was answered, and the man in front of me made no sort of movement, his chest not even rising up and down as if I was standing before a corpse.

(I assure you… I am no corpse…)

The bound man's head twitched ever so slightly, his face tilting directly in my direction. My body froze at that, fear gripping my heart as the pressure hidden within his blindfold caused me to tremble.

(Now then, Jionni… I assume you are curious… As to why you're currently here…)

Due to the daze I experienced earlier, I realized once again that I was currently stuck once more inside the void.

Terror gripped my mind as I thought of the implications. Did I die? Did someone kill me? Why can't I remember…?

I gripped my head as I tried to remember. My mind refused to recollect the memories in my brain. I was beginning to hyperventilate, but was snapped out of it by the man's voice entering my head once again.

(Calm down Jionni… You aren't dead… You're just dreaming…)

'A… Dream…? Yes… It has to be… Just a dream… Just a… dream…'

I closed my eyes, taking in deep breaths as I willed my body to calm down. The man in front of me refused to speak up as I continued on trying to calm myself.

A few moments later, I was finally calm. My breathing steady, I opened my eyes and stared directly at the bound man in front of me.

(Calm already…? That's great...)

The chains that bound his hands like a prisoner shook as the man moved his hands. I was going to assume that the chains would break, but I was wrong.

(These chains that bind me are inderstructible… The Gods that wanted me dead but couldn't kill me trapping me here in the void for eternity… You, Jionni… Are my only hope at escaping this eternal prison…)

I looked at the man as he continued to stare at me with his blindfold on.

"… Why should I trust you…?"

The man chuckled, even though his mouth uttered no sound.

(Why…? Because I'm the one who gave you your System… The Gods that trapped me here are the ones that, in your terms, nerfed you… The messenger that told you of your nerf is just a spirit… Easily controlled by higher beings… I was also the man who gave your precious Dungeon Helper…)

My jaw dropped as his words entered my mind.

"… What…? How do I know what you're saying is true…?"

The man chuckled once more, and lifted his chin up.

(This…)

My Status Menu opened automatically; my commands were ignored as he rummaged through every window of my System.

(Hmm… Your stats are not half-bad… However, when pitted against Praeccathae's heavy hitters, you falls short. Your skills are also average, but sorely lacking in levels… Your perks are okay, but still less than average…)

He listed my skills one by one, each word causing my jaw to drop even lower.

(But I can see why… Your Quest feature is being blocked by the Gods... The only quests I was able to send you were the first you received and the hidden quest you completed… Let's fix that, shall we…)

[Quest Generated!]

[Learn about the mysterious figure in front of you!]

[Learn name: 0/1]

"… What…?"