A monster

"Please give us food, my children are starving...!"

"Izanagi-Sama, please save us...!"

"I can't go any longer, Mama. I need food...!"

"I will do anything for food! Please feed my children...!"

The Yowa famine of the Heian era signified the end of one era and the beginning of another. During this time, many starved to death mainly in more western regions of Japan such as Honshu and the Kyushu islands.

This era is where jujutsu sorcerers reigned at the top of the ladder. Using their abilities, many curse users and sorcerers alike got food no matter what.

This era gave birth to numerous monsters in the jujutsu sorcerers. In an era that is truly survival of the fittest, many were forced to become strong.

To compensate for sorcerers becoming more and more powerful, the world had to tip the balance to even things out between sorcerers and spirits.

This gives birth to a Special-grade spirit known as Famis

******

"Gah. Can't believe the higher-ups are sending us to destroy some wayward cursed womb." A tall black-haired man with deep brown eyes sighs lazily. This is grade 2 sorcerer Akari Yami.

"Give it a rest, Akari. This isn't some typical cursed womb. The cursed energy radiating off this place is about half of that monster's reserves." A shorter bald man says with a shiver. This is Yaga Ohta, a Semi-grade 1 sorcerer.

"Yaga is right, Akari. This can't be good. If we don't seal or destroy this cursed womb, who knows what type of spirit this place may birth? Especially with the recent famine." The tallest of the three men says. His name is Shinji Yagami, a grade 1 sorcerer. One of the strongest grade ones the jujutsu higher-ups could deploy.

On cue, numerous spirits emerge from corners. Varying in sizes and colors. The three sorcerers waste no time.

"MomMy!"

"FOood"

"RicEee?"

The sorcerers scowl. In a whirlwind of speed, they move. Akari draws his sword, slicing the air as numerous blades of wind shoot out. Tearing the limbs off weaker spirits.

"Fodder," Shinji says as his hands take on a green glow.

Two small beams shoot from his hands. The beams merge and collide with a larger 5-meter-tall spirit. Exploding in a dazzling light.

Yaga just punches through the spirits. His fist gets faster the more he jabs.

The trio of sorcerers slaughter hundreds of grade 4 and 3 spirits in 30 minutes. Fatigue is clear on the two weaker sorcerers, and the deeper they travel into the cursed womb, the more spirits they encounter.

"Shit, it's like these guys keep spawning. We need to end this now!" Akari yells. His face shows visible exertion.

"Say Shinji. You notice the rapid feeling of hunger?" Yaga asks. His face also showed fatigue but to a lesser degree.

"This isn't good," Shinji responds, his eyes looking straight ahead as the two other sorcerers look.

In front of the three sorcerers is a human-sized cocoon. The air itself seems to taste of cursed energy as the sorcerers move without a word. Charging to destroy the cocoon.

When a cursed spirit is born, the cursed energy in the area takes a physical form. These births are usually minor occurrences that happen anywhere.

But when a special grade spirit is born, the cursed energy in the area gains sentience. This varies depending on how strong the special grade spirit will be. Typically, a grade one sorcerer could beat a special grade curse in a 1 on 1. But this scenario is different.

In the very air, cursed energy can be seen being absorbed by the cursed cocoon rapidly. This is the sign that the spirit will be a powerhouse.

The last time a spirit showed these signs, pre-birth was back in the Nara period. Where 4 special-grade sorcerers had to join forces to exorcise the spirit.

Being experienced sorcerers, the trio of Akari, Yaga, and Shinji waste no time. If this spirit is born and allowed to gain experience, the jujutsu world may be doomed.

"Shit!" Yaga yells as the ground beneath them cracks, and the cocoon explodes. Waves of cursed energy shoot out in waves.

Shinji, being a grade one sorcerer, reaches the slowly opening cocoon first. His hand glows. If he can interrupt the birth of the spirit, he may be able to disfigure it and lower its grade. A cursed spirit's birth is a delicate process.

Just as Shinji aims to shoot his cursed technique (Star plasma), a small spirit rams into his chest. This inadvertently breaks the fate of the emerging spirit. That was destined to die on the same day of its birth.

This is the day the jujutsu world changed. Changed by a spirit as small as a fly head.

******

Consciousness. Something every living thing holds. Something that was just given to me. Stepping out of my cocoon, I feel my eyes slowly open as I take in the environment.

It appears that I am in some sort of forest. What's a forest? I honestly don't know. It's some subconscious knowledge I was born with.

"Damnit. We have to kill it before it gains its wits!"

Looking at the voice, I spot a bald human. Near his feet are numerous of my kin burning in flames of purple. Signaling their end.

My eyes narrow. What are humans doing here? This is my birthplace. This is where I will have greeted my fellow spirits.

"Squee!"

My head jolts to the right as I spot another human ripping the head off one of my kin. My heart roars in fury as I watch my kin being brutally exorcised.

"You..." With a thought, my legs push me 20 meters in an instant. My palm finds its way to the bald one's chest immediately he loses all muscle definition. His body slims before he leaps back desperately.

I follow. Anger clouds my vision. How dare this human invade my home and then slaughter my kin?

I'm interrupted in my charge by a beam of cursed energy exploding in front of me. With my subconscious understanding of things, I leap backward without a thought.

My body is made of cursed energy itself. But I still need to reinforce it. Any damage is tolerable as long as it doesn't instantly kill me, as I hold more than enough reserves.

"*Pant* Shinji! Akari! Don't let this thing touch you! I think he drains life force or something!" The bald one yells as I remain silent.

My cursed technique is a little stronger than just taking away life force. I can devour life force and use it to strengthen myself. For instance.

Moving to the weakest human here, I punch out before he can react. His sword hand rises as he subconsciously attempts to defend himself, but my fist lands.

The dark-haired human is blown away into a wall as I avoid another beam. Leaping, I block a punch from the strongest human here. His face shows fury as he begins to trade blows with me.

Fighting, I rely purely on my instinct as I trade blows with the human. He aims to avoid being touched but fails to account for my legs.

Before I can use them, though, I get punched and kicked away. Blood sprays from my nose as I stumble backward.

My nose heals instantly as I flip over a sneak attack from behind. The three men now work in tandem as I'm slowly overwhelmed.

Feeling my arm get dismembered from my body by a blade of wind, I take note of the three humans' fighting styles. The weakest is playing support in the back while the two heavy hitters remain medium-length away from me.

Pain is something I'm unfazed by. Being born from negative emotions, pain is merely more power.

Catching a fist far too fast for me to track to the face, I note the bald one's technique empowers his attacks after every swing.

Before I can gain distance, a beam of cursed energy hits me in the stomach. Or at least the hole in my stomach, and blows me away.

Crashing through numerous trees, I feel my first emotions. Fear. Exhilaration.

"Is this... death?" I question no one as I gaze into the beautiful blue sky. A mad grin finds its way into my face as I regenerate my missing limbs and numerous scars.

"The best motivation! I see! It's fear!" I flip to my feet just in time to intercept the bald human. My face now shows a wide, toothy smile as I catch his fist.

"Wrong move." With a slight twitch, I drain the man of all his remaining vitality. His face sucks in as he yells in pure agony.

"Bastard!" The weakest human yells. Charging at me blindly. Another reason humans remain so inferior.

Instead of acknowledging his weakness and staying back, the sword-wielding human decides to let his anger win him over and charge a superior opponent.

"Foolish." I move my hand into the human's sword arm. Gripping his forearm as I use his momentum against him, slamming him back first into the dirt. I immediately go for another absorption, but I get kicked away.

This time I don't stumble. My face shifts to a frown as I engage the strongest human in another bout of hand-to-hand.

Mimicking the now-dead-bald human's style, I match the strongest human and biggest threat in close combat. His eyes widen as I slip into his guard after an overextension.

Leaping up, I knee the human in the nose. Then I kick him backward. Just in time to duck under a blade of wind as I turn towards the sword-wielding human.

"You're getting quite annoying!" I yell gleefully. Engaging in another close combat fight with the weakest human.

His every move is with surprising precision. The wind itself seems to be guiding his attacks. Looks like he isn't as inferior as I thought.

"I'm going to kill you, bastard! You killed Yaga!" The sword wielder breaks my guard and stabs me through the chest. Reacting instantly, I kick him away as he takes his sword with him.

The large gash in my chest heals visibly as I follow after the sword wielder. It's time I end this.

Ignoring twin beams of Cursed energy aiming to halt my progress. I move in a blur. Ducking under a sword swing, I lift my left arm and move the sword user's sword out of range.

"You humans invade my home and then get mad when I kill one of your own!?" I yell. My fist is coated in a deep black cursed energy as I punch out.

-KUSHIIIII!

My fist lands in an explosion of black and red. I feel the world itself shift as I punch the sword user away. His body flew through 5 trees before coming to a halt on a large rock.

Noting his chest still rising and falling, I feel my grin widen. This guy used some form of vow to reduce the damage in turn for cursed energy.

Looking at my hands, I feel a rush of exhilaration. Whatever just happened put me on a new level. I'm only about 10 minutes old now.

"Ha! Hahaha!" I laugh as I slam my palms into the ground. My cursed energy spreads. Absorbing energy from nearby plants and the two sorcerers slowly.

"This is your end." I say. My voice is sickly sweet as I note the sword user slowly stand with the aid of his sword.

My eyes widen though as I feel the air behind my whisp. With my new refined control over my cursed energy, my hand shoots out and catches something. An arrow.

"Tsk. This is troublesome. Shinji, Akari. Where's Yaga? What's the situation?" I hear a deeply masculine voice say as I turn slowly.

In front of me is a large burly man. A bow and arrow in his hand as he stares at me with a scowl.

"Aki! Don't hold back! This curse is a monster!" Shinji yells, his face showing fury.

"Those are harsh words, don't you think?" I ask sarcastically. Clapping my hands together, I higher the output of my absorption, making every sorcerer gasp in pain as I sap 1/4th their remaining reserves.

"I'm full of vitality!" I yell with glee, moving towards the swordsman first. I want to break them mentally.