Naruto - A Cursed System

It didn't take long before another opportunity came along. A couple of days after Dango read the book, his siblings had an errand to run and promised to come back in a few days. With the training Dango had gone through, they knew that he could take care of himself.

Using this opportunity, Dango prepared his gear just in case his theory about constructing a dungeon out of raw negativity. He also didn't bring Hex for the same reason. Dango strapped a bow to his back along with a quiver filled with around a dozen arrows. He also brought a couple of kunai and shurikens.

Once he was ready, Dango distanced himself away from the hut and used his innate cursed technique, Dungeon Formation.

The process of constructing a dungeon out of raw negativity was a bit different from using his cursed energy. He manipulated his cursed energy towards his heart while he opened his hand as if he was about to grab hold of something. The moment the negative energy reached his black heart, a key appeared in his hand as a door appeared in front of him.

'At least I didn't automatically enter it.'

The first thing Dango did was examine the key that he was holding. It resembled a simple key that a person would draw. It had a charcoal gray color scheme. The head of the key looked like a two-dimensional skeleton head.

'Skeleton key? That sounds familiar, where have I heard it? My previous life?'

As for the door, it was just a single wooden door with a wooden frame. It was weird looking at it as it wasn't connected to any building, it was just there.

Dango walked around to see the other side but it was still a door. He tried to knock on it but all he got in return was silence.

From the information contained, Dango knew that a door and key would pop up. To open the door, all he needed to do was to unlock the door.

Dango placed the skeleton key into the door's keyhole. The moment it was placed in, he felt a connection form between him, the key, and the door.

With this connection, he could 'hear' them as if they were alive. Although he didn't hear actual words, he could sense what they wanted, what they were asking.

<hOW mUCH?> They asked.

Dango knew what they were referring to; how much negativity should they absorb. He transmitted his instructions to the key and door, 'The minimum.'

Immediately, he felt his skin crawl as a rush of negativity flew past him and was absorbed by the door. Once the phenomenon ended, Dango saw that the door now had small cracks on its surface.

<mORE?>

Dango shook his head as this was exactly what he wanted. He twisted the key which immediately dissipated into flames once he heard a click. Dango was momentarily stunned by the key's disappearance but quickly focused his attention back on the door.

Now that it was unlocked, Dango pushed open the door, revealing pitch-black darkness. He narrowed his eyes a bit and began to prepare himself mentally. He wasn't sure if there was danger in it.

When he was ready, he entered the door. Once the darkness fully consumed him, the door closed by itself and dissipated away as if it was an exorcised cursed spirit.

=====

After Dango entered the door constructed by his cursed technique, he immediately found himself in a completely different environment than he expected. It was different than the darkness he initially saw before entering.

Dango found himself on the surface of a lake. However, he didn't need to use chakra to walk on the surface. He could feel a layer of ground or something just an inch below the water. He also saw muddy walls that surrounded the lake off in the distance. The scenery reminded Dango of a giant puddle.

Above the lake was a pale brown moon that reflected off the lake's surface. There were no other stars, leaving the sky empty and the moon lonely.

It was a pretty place. It even had local fauna! Dango could see several Fly Heads that resembled dragonflies just zooming around aimlessly.

=====

[Mission: Grade Four Cursed Dungeon]

Description: By using your innate cursed technique, Dungeon Formation, you have formed a cursed dungeon, a pocket realm constructed out of negative emotions. It only houses a single grade four cursed spirit, along with a few gradeless cursed spirits, due to the low amount of negativity used in the construction. Exorcise the boss and defeat this dungeon!

Progression: 0/1 Exorcise the grade four cursed spirit

Reward: ??

=====

His brows furrowed as he read the mission's description, 'I was right. The second function of the technique can create cursed spirits. I... should be content with what I have. Now, let's become a grade four sorcerer.'

Dango scanned the dungeon and easily found the grade four cursed. It looked like a human except it was green and emaciated as a mummy. Surprisingly, it was standing on the surface with ease. As Dango got closer, he could hear the spirit mumble distortedly, "Rain... rain... go... away..."

He continued getting closer as he pulled out an arrow and started to reinforce it. Once he was 10 yards away from it, the spirit turned around and looked at him.

They stared at each other for a short moment before the spirit screamed, "Rain! Rain! Go! Aw-"

Before it could finish, Dango shot an arrow through the spirit's mouth. That wasn't all, he shot several more that pierced the spirit's head and body.

Despite having the bow skill at a basic rank, Dango was still skilled enough to shoot arrows rapidly while being highly accurate with it.

All in all, Dango shot six arrows at the spirit, with only one arrow missing it. Each arrow was imbued with cursed energy. Dango didn't want to fool around with a potentially dangerous creature and decided to exorcise it without it fighting back.

Only when he saw the spirit dissipating - a sign of a successful exorcism - and a window popping up in front of him did he lower his bow.

=====

[Mission: Grade Four Dungeon]

Description: ...

Reward: 1 CC, 10% of the spirit's total cursed energy or chakra

=====

[Mission: Grade Four Exorcism]

Description: As a jujutsu sorcerer, you should be skilled enough to exorcise a grade four cursed spirit.

Progression: 1/1 Exorcise the grade four cursed spirit

Reward: 5 CC

=====

'That was easier than I expected. A bit anti-climatic. Hmm... those rewards are unexpected. Didn't think I would get 10% of my choosing. My chakra is lower, so I'd rather increase my chakra.'

[Chakra: 1,638] >> [Chakra: 1,682]

'Oh... That's at least a 40 point increase. Would I have gotten more if I chose cursed energy? Anyways, at least it was easy. Maybe it was just a weak grade four.'

Dango arrived at the spot where the spirit had been exorcised. When he got there, he could bȧrėly sense the residuals of cursed energy, presumably originating from the exorcised spirit.

'It's similar to Hex's. Does that mean Hex is a grade four? Maybe the residuals are just weaker than usual, hm... If not, would that mean cursed spirits can increase their grade? A book about cursed topics would be a good reward someday.'

Asides from that, Dango also saw a couple of arrows and a seed laying on the water as if it was a solid floor. He retrieved five arrows, but couldn't find the sixth. He picked up the seed and found it very similar to Hex's cursed seed.

This seed had three slender blue lines that ran down from the top of the seed. The lines didn't run straight down, instead, they curved into what looked like a vortex or cyclone.

=====

[Rain-Starved Cursed Seed (1)]

Grade: None

Description: A cursed object in the form of a seed that holds the negativity directed towards rainfall and starvation. The seed grows by absorbing negativity that is directed towards rainfall and starvation for seven days. At the end of the growing period, it will produce a gradeless cursed spirit with the theme of rainfall and starvation. The growth period may increase if there are low amounts of similarly-directed negativity nearby.

=====

'Huh, this is neat. But would that mean it will grow into a mummy? Yuck. Hmm, should I also exorcise the dragonfly Fly Heads? I got a mission for exorcising a grade four, but would there be one for a gradeless cursed spirit?'

He was about to go kill one when his surroundings changed and he was now back in the real world.

[Cursed Dungeon has been deconstructed.]

'There a time limit for the dungeon after I defeated the boss? Huh.'

He started walking back to the hut as he checked his rank-up mission to be a grade four sorcerer.

=====

[Rank-Up Mission: Part One - Grade Four]

Description: You're five years old, you should have manifested your very own innate cursed technique. Now, are you strong enough to qualify as a grade four sorcerer?

Progression: 1/1 Manifest Innate Cursed Technique

1/1 Exorcise a Grade Four Cursed Spirit

4,622/1,000 Possess 1,000 units of Cursed energy

Reward: [Rank Up Mission: Part Two - Grade Four]

=====

[Rank Up Mission: Part Two - Grade Four]

Description: The second mission required to become a grade four sorcerer. To become one, you must see what a sorcerer really is! Prepare yourself for a one-year journey to the modern world. When you are ready, all you need to do is to declare your admission! Hint: Extra rewards will be calculated based on your experience!

Progression: 0/1 Survive one year

0/1 See a jujutsu sorcerer

0/1 See a naturally formed cursed spirit

Reward: [Sorcerer Grade: Grade Four], ??

=====

He stopped moving as his eyes widened as he read the second part's description.

'A one-year journey to the modern world? Is this JJK?! The progression requirements make it sound like it! I can't wait! Gotta prepare for it. I wonder if I can persuade them to let me go on a one-year trip by myself? I should get them souvenirs while I'm at it.'

Dango was excited about the rank-up mission.. He quickly returned home and snuggled with Hex.