Cursed Spirits and a Neighbor

Takashi wandered through the bustling city, keeping his senses alert for any signs of cursed spirits. Takashi decided to keep the Heavenly Restriction placed on his body, as he was already getting used to it.

He could sense a faint malevolent energy emanating from a nearby alleyway. Takashi followed his instincts and cautiously approached the source. There, he found a group of cursed spirits, their twisted forms lurking in the shadows.

'Ugh, they're so ugly,' he thought with mix of disgust and anticipation on his face. 'But I'll have to get used to it, I'll see a lot of them in the future.'

With his staff, the Playful Cloud, in hand, Takashi assumed a combat stance, although it was very awkward. He channeled his cursed energy into the weapon, enhancing its strength and power, while the staff amplified Takashi with its cursed energy.

The cursed spirits lunged at him with eerie speed, their claws extended to strike. Takashi deftly sidestepped their attacks, evading their strikes with agility.

Using the staff's enhanced strength, he swung it in a wide arc, sending out a shockwave of cursed energy that repelled the spirits momentarily. Takashi used this opportunity to assess his opponents and their movements.

'They rely on speed and surprise attacks, but they're dumb.'

Takashi decided to exploit this weakness, using his Cursed Spirit Communication ability to get into their minds and read their actions.

As the cursed spirits closed in again, Takashi leaped into the air, evading their attacks and landing a precise strike with the staff on one of them. The cursed spirit was instantly crushed under the Playful Cloud's overwhelming strength, and died.

The death of one of their own seemed to enrage the remaining cursed spirits further, and they intensified their assault on Takashi. Undeterred, he continued to exploit his advantage, using his Cursed Spirit Communication ability to predict their movements and counter their attacks.

Takashi danced around the alleyway, his movements becoming more fluid and confident with each passing moment. He tapped into the staff's cursed energy, allowing it to guide his strikes and enhance his speed and strength. With each swing, he sent out shockwaves of cursed energy, keeping the cursed spirits at bay.

The spirits attempted to surround him, hoping to overwhelm him with their combined force, but Takashi was one step ahead. He concentrated his energy and executed a spinning attack, creating a whirlwind of cursed energy that knocked the spirits back and sent them crashing into the walls of the alley.

As the dust settled, Takashi could see that some of the spirits were weakened, but they were far from defeated. Their malevolent energy seethed with renewed determination, and they lunged at him again.

With the staff in hand, Takashi entered a state of focused tranquility. He allowed his instincts to take over completely. He shifted between offensive and defensive maneuvers, dodging their attacks and countering with swift and powerful strikes.

Time seemed to slow as the battle intensified. Takashi's mind was fully immersed in the fight, and every fiber of his being was attuned to the cursed energy coursing through him and the Playful Cloud.

He noticed that the remaining spirits were growing more coordinated, attempting to overwhelm him with synchronized attacks. But Takashi wasn't fazed; he welcomed the challenge. As they lunged at him simultaneously, he twirled the staff above his head, creating a swirling vortex of cursed energy that repelled their advances.

Then, with a sudden burst of speed, Takashi charged towards them, his staff striking like a bolt of lightning. He unleashed a series of precise blows, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy. The cursed spirits dissolved into dark energy, dissipating into the air.

Panting slightly from the exertion, Takashi took a moment to catch his breath. The alleyway was now eerily silent, the malevolent energy that once filled it now gone.

'Phew... I did it.'

As Takashi was catching his breath, it seemed like the system also came alive and issued a new task.

[New task assigned]

[Task: Find a suitable place to establish the academy]

[Objective: Find a suitable place for cursed spirits, where you will estabilish the Curse Academy]

[Time Limit: 1 week]

[Rewards:

Cursed Tool Enhancement: Allows the user to increase a Cursed Tool's durability or unlock a special ability.

Reverse Cursed Energy Earrings: Earrings that allows the user to temporarily reverse the flow of cursed energy.

Innate Cursed Technique: Grants the user the ability to create a Cursed Technique. The technique cannot be a replicate, or anything that grants the user control over a concept. Since the user is more aligned with Cursed Spirits, the balance will bend to their side if the technique is powerful enough, and will strengthen sorcerers in order to maintain balance.

Immense Cursed Energy Amount: The user will receive a boost in cursed energy amount.]

Takashi stood there, his heart beating fast as he read the rewards with astonished eyes.

'Holy sh*t. What a shame I can only choose one, but it's clear which one it will be.'

His system had mentioned that he could buy a Slot-ticket from the shop to choose more rewards, however, that function was still locked unfortunately.

And he also saw that there was a time limit on this task, albeit it was a week, so he had time. With that concluded, he hurriedly placed himself together, and quickly left the alleyway. He knew that there was a possibility that he would be discovered if he stayed for a prolonged amount of time, which wasn't really appealing.

Takashi also decided that the next time he meets a cursed spirit, he'll make it his ally. When he was fighting those cursed spirits, he noticed that individually they were very weak, but when teamed up, they proved quite formidable.

Takashi's mind raced with excitement as he recalled the rewards offered by the system. Each of them held significant value, but he knew which one he wanted the most—the Innate Cursed Technique. The ability to create his own unique Cursed Technique was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

With his mind made up, he decided to focus on the task at hand—finding a suitable place to establish the Curse Academy. He knew that this endeavor would take time and careful consideration. Takashi wandered through the city, exploring different neighborhoods and areas, all the while keeping his senses alert for any location that resonated with what he sought.

And, just as expected, he didn't find a place that aligned with his personal and the system's desires. But this adventure wasn't exactly wasted, as he enjoyed himself when exploring beautiful places, and he also familiarized himself with his new home city, Tokyo.

As Takashi was practicing Cursed Energy Manipulation, he heard a knock on the door of his apartment, which caused the blue energy that was coating him to dissipate because he was startled.

'Tch, my control is still bad, I'll have to work harder,' thought Takashi, as he was wondering who could be knocking on his door, considering it was the evening.

He already sensed that the individual was a normal human, but he still decided to have his guard up.

With caution in mind, Takashi approached the door and asked, "Who is it?"

A muffled voice came from the other side, "I apologize for the late visit. My name is Hiroki, and I'm a neighbor from the apartment next to yours. I noticed you moving in recently and thought I'd come over to say hello."

'Recently moving in? If so, where did this body live before?'

Takashi relaxed slightly, realizing there was no threat whatsoever. He opened the door to find a middle-aged man with a warm smile standing there. Hiroki seemed genuinely friendly, and Takashi could sense no malevolence coming from him.

"Nice to meet you, Hiroki-san. I'm Takashi. Sorry if I startled you with the delay in opening the door. I was just practicing some personal exercises," Takashi replied, offering a polite nod.

Hiroki chuckled warmly. "No need to apologize, Takashi. Just call me by my name, no need for honorifics. It's great to see new faces around here. Mind if I come in? I brought some snacks as a little welcome gift."

Takashi smiled and nodded at Hiroki's friendly gesture. "Of course, Hiroki. Please come in, and thank you for the snacks."

As Hiroki entered the apartment, Takashi could sense a genuine warmth and kindness from him. He appreciated the neighborly welcome, especially in a new city where he was still getting accustomed to everything.

They settled down in the living room, and Hiroki shared more about the neighborhood, local events, and places to visit. Takashi found himself enjoying the conversation, feeling at ease with Hiroki's friendly demeanor.

As they chatted, Hiroki noticed a staff, the Playful Cloud, that was thrown on the ground. "That's an interesting staff you have there, Takashi. Is it a memento or something more?"

'Damn, how the hell did that get there?'

Takashi quickly picked up the Playful Cloud, slightly embarrassed by the careless act. "Ah, this is just a memento from my travels," he said, trying to downplay its significance. "It's something I hold dear, a reminder of my past experiences."

Hiroki nodded understandingly. "Ah, I see. Well, it looks like it holds some sentimental value. Traveling can be quite an enriching experience."

Takashi smiled, relieved that Hiroki didn't press further about the staff's true nature. "Indeed, traveling opens one's eyes to new cultures, places, and experiences. It's something I treasure deeply."

Hiroki's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "You must have quite a few interesting stories to tell. I'd love to hear more about your adventures sometime, but I must go now. My wife will scold me if I stay any longer, haha."

Takashi chuckled. "Sure thing, Hiroki. It was great meeting you, and I look forward to sharing some stories with you next time. Have a wonderful evening with your wife, and thank you again for the warm welcome and snacks."

Hiroki nodded with a smile. "You're welcome, Takashi. Take care, and don't hesitate to knock on my door if you need anything or just want to chat. See you around!"

As Hiroki left, Takashi left the encounter behind him, and refocused on his training.

(A/N: I'm still not sure on what Cursed Technique should I give to Takashi, so if you have one on your mind, do share it if you want to)