Chapter 89: Deciding One''s Own Path


    As it was pretty rare for her to be able to talk freely with other people, Nana had been enjoying the opportunity to catch up with Hitomi. Thetter was her former guard, and, in many ways, the two of them could be considered best friends.


    "Sen-chan is still just as protective as always. I''m hoping he''ll be able to calm down now that Nobu-chan has returned. Hais~."


    Amused by Nana''s grumbling, a light chuckle emanated from Hitomi''s throat as she mused, "It''s because he can''t even imagine living without you. That boy has always been the sentimental type. It''s a trait he and Waka-chan have inmon."


    Beaming the moment she heard Hitomipare Senken and Nobu, Nana practically pounced on Hitomi, asking, "What else can you tell me about Nobu-chan!?" in an overly excited tone. She was actually afraid of inadvertently offending her eldest son, so, while she wanted nothing more than to spend time with him, Nana wasn''t sure how to go about it. If Hitomi could provide her with a bit of insight into his character, she would at least have something to work with.


    Though it would have earned her usatory and disdainful looks from many within the Oda n, Hitomi gently caressed Nana''s head as she exined, "I know it can be a little scary, but these are things best discovered on your own. Just like when you conquered Senken''s heart, you need only show him a bit of sincerity topletely break down Waka-chan''s walls. Isn''t that right, Yui-chan?"


    Not expecting to suddenly be brought into the conversation, Yui''s body tensed as she averted her eyes and sheepishly replied, "So it would seem..."


    While it wouldn''t have been abnormal for someone in her position to be upset that her eldest son had an intimate rtionship with a kunoichi, Nana beamed when she heard Hitomi''s words and saw Yui''s reaction. She was well aware of the former rtionship between Senken and Hitomi. Rather, if not for the fact it was strictly prohibited, she would have happily shared her darling with Hitomi and whoever else Senken wanted to marry. If she didn''t have her children to dote upon, she would have been unfathomably lonely in the Oda n estate with nothing but servants to keep herpany...


    Tilting her head to the side, Nana adopted a mischievous smile that sent shudders through Yui''s body as she yfully inquired, "Yui-chan~? Did you fall in love with my Nobu-chan~?"


    Feeling more nervous under Nana''s gaze than when she faced her first Aura Beast, Yui began to fidget until she noticed her Grandmother''s slight nod. It didn''t help all that much but it was more than enough to give her the strength to nod her head, answering, "Yes..." in an uncharacteristically meek tone.


    If not for the fact she had noticed Senken walking over, Nana would have pounced on Yui to give the adorable girl a hug. She could still vividly recall the innocence and excitement in Yui''s eyes the first time they met. She also knew how devasted the young girl had been when she learned about her son''s supposed death, so, while it would invariablyplicate things if Yui and Nobu wanted to be together, Nana was more than happy to support them.


    "Nana...Hitomi...we need to talk..."


    Furrowing her brows the moment she saw the hesitation in Senken''s pale golden eyes, Nana''s body began to tremble as she shakily inquired, "Sen-chan...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though it wasn''t easy, Senken managed to convince Nana that it was in their son''s best interest to stay on the mountain to train. The Oda n wasn''t exactly unified, so, the moment Nobu made his appearance, countless people would either try to exploit or dispose of him.


    Nana didn''t want to admit it, but even her own sons had been pitted against each other as a result of the n''s internal politics. She couldn''t deny her own fault in this matter, so, while she wanted to argue that they could protect Nobu, Nana understood things were never that simple.


    In the end, Nana agreed on the grounds that arrangements would be made so that Nobu would, at the very least, be able to spend time with his little sister. She had been born on the exact same day as his awakening and Nana refused to believe it was a mere coincidence. Since Nobu could use his Heavenly Treasure to identify the unique traits of infants, there had to be a reason she was born on the same day as his return to their world.


    As the same thought had crossed both Senken''s and Hitomi''s minds, neither had any problem with making the necessary arrangements. Thetter was even willing to allow Nana and Nobuhime, her first-born daughter, to spend the next year on the mountain. This would undoubtedly be opposed by many within the Oda n, but, so long as they were living on the mountain, there was very little anyone could do to harm them.


    Unfortunately, while the thought of spending an entire year alongside her son and daughter made her feel giddy, Nana didn''t want to leave Senken alone. She was also afraid that her other children would be led even further astray by the machinations of the other factions, so, after spending the better part of an hour hugging her biggest baby, she elected to return to the Oda n alongside Senken, Hiashi, and several of their most trusted retainers...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "What did you think of Lady Suzuki and Lord Senken...?"


    Hearing Hitomi''s question, Nobu awoke from his twenty-minute stupor tozily reply, "If I''m being honest...they''re amazing..."


    Nodding her head in response, Hitomi''s expression rxed as she said, "Indeed. Lord Senken used to be a very passionate and hot-blooded individual. He''s calmed down over the years, but there is still a perpetual me burning in his eyes. As for Lady Suzuki...well, it''s best you learn about her on your own terms. Let''s just say she isn''t as simple as she appears..."


    Realizing that Hitomi was basically calling his mom an idiot, Nobu was about toin when the realization that he actually viewed Nana as his mother hit him like a ton of bricks. This didn''t escape the heterochromatic beauty''s notice, but, instead of drawing attention to it, she asked, "I know your father already asked, but what are your ns moving forward? You may not have realized this, but, now that he has given you his consent, you can basically do whatever you want. Even if you choose to leave the mountain, it is beyond my authority to stop you..."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu''s expression briefly disyed his disbelief before returning to normal as he shook his head and said, "Nah, I''ve already made my choice. Even if it''s only for a year, I want to focus on my education and growing stronger. If I venture out now, I would just be an illiterate idiot fumbling around in a world I know nothing about. I''m not going to jeopardize my life and the lives of the people around me just to y at being free..."


    After everything he had experienced thus far, Nobu knew that he was far too weak to venture out and do his own thing. If he were to leave now, he would just be distracting himself and relying on the influence of his family and the Yoshitsune n just to preserve his life. Thus, until he was strong enough to body anyone who tried seeking trouble with him, he intended to focus on his education and training.


    Nodding her head in approval, Hitomi adopted the most sincere smile Nobu had seen on her face as she mused, "That is the correct decision. It would appear your aura isn''t the only thing increasing at an exponential rate. Ufufufufu~."


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu resisted the temptation to point out just how creepy Hitomi''sugh was with a sincere smile on her face. Instead, he returned his attention to the tiny swirl in his palm, the result of nearly half an hour of condensing his aura. This earned him an amused chuckle from the ''elderly'' woman, but, rather than paying her any mind, a smile developed across his face as he mused, ("This shit is basically airbending...")


    Though he may have hated anime in his previous life, Nobu hadn''t been incapable of appreciating animated movies and cartoons. He was quite fond of Pixar films and he got a real kick out of shows such as Venture Bros, Rick and Morty, and, when he was younger, cartoons such as Spongebob and Avatar, the Last Airbender. The writers had done Aang dirty when they scripted Legend of Korra but the original Avatar was legit as fuck.


    While his abilities were child''s ypared to Aang''s airbending, it was the first thing that came to mind when Nobu realized he could manipte the air. He wasn''t going to be shaving his head any time soon, hell fucking no, but that wouldn''t stop him from trying to incorporate some of the bald monk''s move into his own skillset. Thus, under the watchful eyes of Yui, Kumiko, and Onihime, Nobu continued to create a swirl in his palm until his aura had be dense enough to appear as a pale, greenish-blue sphere...(A/N: Rasengan!? xD...)


    ...


    ..


    .


    After waiting impatiently for several hours, the tensions eased from Inami''s body as she sensed the activation of the gate connecting Yumegakure to the outside world. When she saw Nobu appear, a breath she didn''t know she was holding escaped her throat. After all, after everything he had been through, the odds of Nobu returning to the Oda n weren''t exactly small...


    Demonstrating a degree of sincerity that took even Hitomi by surprise, a relieved smile developed across Inami''s face as she practically pounced over to Nobu and said, "Wee back, Waka-danna. I was a little worried you wouldn''t return..."


    Though he was a little taken aback by Inami''s behavior, Nobu quickly recovered, saying, "I might be an asshole, but I do my best to keep my promises. Besides, I''m not going anywhere without the rest of my entourage. Those three brats would probably cry if I disappeared on them..."


    Issuing a rare giggle in response to Nobu''s words, Inami made a mental note to try and befriend a few of the girls closest to him. Nobu seemed to be the type of person who cherished those close to him, so, even if she wasn''t particrly fond of the idea of making friends with a bunch of children, it was a small price to pay if it meant swaying his heart in her favor.


    As that thought crossed her mind, Inami briefly cast her gaze over Yui, Kumiko, and Onihime before meeting Hitomi''s prating stare. This caused the hairs on her tails to bristle slightly. Fortunately, as perceptive as she was, even Hitomi wouldn''t be able to take notice of such a thing when she was staring someone directly in the eyes. Thus, after a couple of tense moments that actuallysted less than a second, Inami returned her attention to Nobu and asked, "Shall we return~?"


    Smelling what he believed to be the pheromones wafting from Inami''s body, Nobu''s nose began to itch as he resisted the temptation to cover it with his hand. Fortunately for the vulpine woman, he had every intention of confirming whether or not she could continuously provide him a 10x boost to his aura gains. If so, they would probably be fucking like rabbits over the next year, or, at the very least, until she no longer provided him with a bonus...


    Thanks to her own enhanced senses, Inami easily able to detect Nobu''s growing arousal. She had no idea what he was actually thinking about, but, knowing it had something to do with having sex, a gentle glow appeared in the depths of her peculiar pink eyes. At the same time, the perpetual fire in her body increased in intensity, and, were it not for the fact there were numerous people present, she might have legitimately pounced on him when he said, "Let''s go."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Is it just me or does it feel like Inami is slowly being tamed...?)