11 Dungeon

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Whistling to himself, Horyu walked home with a spring in his step. The day had brought more triumph than he'd dared to hope for. Two new skills had been added to his arsenal. True, he'd missed the reward for the speed contest, but he knew better than to be greedy. And as he'd predicted, even standing a millimeter further from Sasuke had counted in the distance contest. The world he found himself in might be harsh and unforgiving, but it certainly had its quirks.

"Define," he commanded mentally, focusing on his newly acquired skills.

"'Precision Master' Level 1: Increases accuracy in all forms of attacks, particularly those involving projectiles. 'Long Shot': Enhances the range of thrown or fired objects."

A smile spread across Horyu's face. They were simple skills, yes, but they held great potential. He just needed to hone them, level them up. And who knew? Perhaps, one day, he could be more than just the 'mediocre' Uchiha that everyone loved to ignore or outright insult.

His thoughts drifted back to the training ground, to the stunned silence that had greeted his final throw, to the shock on Sasuke's face. It was a moment he wouldn't forget anytime soon.

He was still lost in his thoughts when he arrived at his house. The building was unassuming, even modest by the Uchiha standards. But it was home, and for Horyu, it was a sanctuary. A place where he could be himself without fear of scorn or ridicule.

Entering the house, he made his way to his room, his mind brimming with ideas. He needed to strategize, to plan his next move. This triumph was just the beginning. He had a long way to go.

His recent awakening of skills made Horyu think. What other skill could he acquire by repeating the same action over again? The concept was common enough in the books and games from his past life. Grinding, they called it. Repeating a task over and over until one mastered it. It was a tedious process, often frustrating, but it had its rewards.

With a sigh, he got up from his desk, intending to start his grind with the three academy jutsu that had always given him trouble. But a sudden groan from his stomach stopped him in his tracks.

"Right, I had yet to eat anything whole day," Horyu mumbled, placing a hand over his stomach. He had been so consumed with his training, he had forgotten to eat. It was a mistake he couldn't afford. Physical exertion demanded fuel, after all.

Walking into his kitchen, Horyu was met with a depressingly familiar sight. Empty cupboards, a refrigerator devoid of food. The Uchiha clan gave him nothing. The small savings his parents had left behind was all he had, and it was dwindling rapidly. He had hoped it would last until he made Genin, but at this rate, he would be lucky if it lasted the month.

A soft ping echoed in his mind, snapping him from his gloomy thoughts. "Dungeon located," the system prompt read. An intrigued smile spread across his face. Dungeons meant rewards, and right now, he could use some.

"Dungeons are not for the weak-hearted," Horyu said to himself. His voice echoed in the empty house, serving as a reminder of his solitude. "But then again, when have I ever been known to do things the easy way?"

Looking at the minimap at the corner of his vision, Horyu noted a new mark appearing at the entrance of the clan. His heart quickened as he recognized the symbol, indicating the presence of a dungeon.

"One in the clan? I wonder what its theme is? I bet it's zombies. It's always zombies with the Uchiha," he murmured to himself, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He enjoyed these little surprises, and a dungeon presented the chance for more skills, and, most importantly, potential rewards.

Stepping out of his house, he walked with renewed energy towards the mark on the map. His eyes darted back and forth, taking in the familiar Uchiha landscape but finding nothing unusual. Just as he was about to question the system, a prompt materialized in his vision. "Uchiha Dungeon-Repeatable. Enter?"

"Smart system," he mumbled, amusement sparking in his eyes. He was grateful for its perceptiveness, and as he accepted the prompt, his vision shifted. The familiar landscape blurred, replaced by a world engulfed in darkness.

Just before his surroundings changed, he made a mental note of the time. He had read enough from his past life to know that time in dungeons often flowed differently. It was an important detail to keep in mind, especially if he wanted to maintain a low profile.

Drawing his kunai, Horyu tensed as he found himself standing in pitch darkness. His eyes struggled to adjust, straining to make sense of the shadows. He took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever lay ahead.

Slowly, the darkened environment became clear, revealing its first surprise – the enemies. The sight that met him was familiar but unsettling. There, amidst the obsidian shadows, stood figures he recognized – his clanmates, academy student level clanmates to be exact. Not the actual ones, but perfectly mimicked projections with predatory gazes fixed on him.

"So, it's a battle against my peers, huh? Of course, it's Uchiha Academy Students," he muttered, sarcasm dripping from his words.

Horyu's eyes hardened, focusing on the shadowy figures now standing before him. "Well, isn't this a familiar sight?" He murmured, his voice low and dripping with sarcasm. "Good to know the system thinks my clanmates are just as terrifying as actual monsters."

He pulled out a kunai, his fingers curling around the cold metal. It was familiar, reassuring in its weight. He moved forward, silent as a shadow, his gaze trained on the faux academy students. They were still, eerily so, their expressions blank as they watched him.

As he was about to make a move, all the mob monsters disappeared, blending perfectly into the shadows. "Ah, that explains the 'Stealth Dungeon' moniker," Horyu murmured under his breath. It seemed the system's idea of a challenge was to pit him against silent, invisible opponents. His grin widened. This was turning out to be far more interesting than he'd anticipated.

The dungeon was a maze of corridors, shadowy and devoid of any distinctive landmarks. Every step Horyu took was echoed by oppressive silence, the only sound being his soft footfalls. He navigated the labyrinthine darkness with caution, his hand gripped tightly around his kunai. Despite the eeriness of his surroundings, there was an underlying thrill - a sense of adventure he'd missed ever since he'd reincarnated into this world.

He could neither see nor hear his opponents, which made the anticipation all the more nerve-wracking. "Good job, system. What's next, a blindfold?" he mumbled, a wry smile playing on his lips. He had a fondness for his solitude, for the quiet, and this was solitude in its purest form. But this was a different kind of silence - the unsettling quiet before a storm.

Suddenly, a chilling breeze swept past him, leaving goosebumps trailing down his skin. His senses spiked, alert to the subtle change. In a swift movement, he spun around, his kunai slicing through the air, and just in time. There was a low grunt, and a shadowy figure materialized out of thin air, stumbling backwards with a kunai embedded in its side.

"Hmm, your stealth could use some work, kiddo," Horyu mocked, pulling out another kunai. Before the figure could recover, he closed the distance and slit its throat. The shadow clone dissolved into smoke, leaving behind a few objects that clattered onto the ground.

Horyu bent down to collect his spoils: a handful of ryo, a couple of shurikens, and... "A scroll shard? Well, isn't my lucky day," he smirked, pocketing the fragment. These victories might be small, but they were victories nonetheless.

An hour later, after dispatching tens of shadowy mob monsters, Horyu was grinning from ear to ear. His muscles ached from constant movement, but the thrill of victory ran hot in his veins, drowning out the discomfort. The shadows that had seemed ominous at the beginning now felt more like a playground, and he relished the challenge they presented.

He opened his system inventory, his gaze sweeping over the items he'd amassed. Piles of ryo, dozens of kunai and shurikens, a few smoke bombs, and what had him the most excited — seven scroll shards. He needed only three more to complete a full scroll. Not bad for his first dungeon run.

But that wasn't all. He switched to his Skill List, eyes glinting with anticipation. During the intense fights, he had relied heavily on his 'Precision Master' and 'Long Shot' skills, but he also repeated several movements, in hopes of gaining new ones.

And it seemed the grinding had paid off. Two new skills shone in his system.

"'Shadow Walker' Level 1: Allows you to move silently and blend with the shadows, increasing stealth," he read, a smirk stretching across his face. "And 'Genjutsu Resistance' Level 1: Offers a certain degree of resistance against genjutsu."

"Hmm, quite fitting for a stealth dungeon, don't you think?" Horyu mused, a note of satisfaction in his voice. As the 'mediocre' Uchiha, he had always struggled with genjutsu, so this was a welcome addition. And the 'Shadow Walker' — that could open a whole new world of opportunities.

Brushing off the dust from his clothes, Horyu moved deeper into the dungeon, his mind buzzing with excitement. He had a newfound appreciation for these eerily silent corridors. Sure, they were filled with murderous doppelgangers of his classmates, but they also offered a treasure trove of skills and items.

His senses were heightened, body poised for attack. Each shadow seemed to whisper threats, yet promised potential rewards. The dichotomy was as thrilling as it was eerie. A challenge lurked around every corner, and he welcomed it with open arms.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled his hair. Instinctively, he spun around, his hand moving in a fluid motion. A kunai whistled through the air, embedding itself into a shadowy figure that had appeared behind him. His 'Precision Master' skill was already proving to be an invaluable asset.

With a swift movement, Horyu closed the distance, landing a powerful punch that sent the projection sprawling onto the floor. As the figure dissolved into smoke, it left behind a small pile of ryo and a shuriken. He collected his winnings, the sense of accomplishment warming his insides.

Rummaging through his inventory, he noticed a considerable accumulation of items, primarily kunai and shurikens. A thought struck him — perhaps he could sell the surplus, supplement his dwindling savings.

With renewed energy, Horyu continued his dungeon exploration, dispatching shadowy figures with practiced ease. The thrill of battle, the unpredictability of his opponents, the sweet victory — it was all intoxicating.

As he roamed the shadow-filled corridors, an idea started to form in his mind. He was no genius like Sasuke, but he wasn't a fool either. The key to survival was to make the best of what one had, and he had a game-like system at his disposal.

"Just need to exploit it the right way," he muttered, a spark of determination flashing in his eyes. The Uchiha clan might look down on him, but he would rise, one dungeon run at a time.

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