《Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience》


 Chapter 1: Moderate Obsession

    Chapter 1: Moderate Obsession


    Nobunaga Oda was just your average, everyday, ordinary neen-year-old. Sure, his parents were both irredeemable Otaku who decided to ruin his life by naming him, a white guy, after a famous figure from Japan, but he wasn''t going to let that dictate how he lived his life.


    Though it had earned him a fair amount of teasing in his youth, Nobunaga, Nobu to his friends and Nob to his tmates, had eventually grown rather fond of his name. All he needed to do was set aside his shame and spend a few years in the gym. After that, the only people brave enough to make fun of him were a handful of jocks, and, perhaps as a result of theirck of sense, a few of his parents'' Otaku buddies.


    Fortunately, now that he had left home, Nobu no longer had to put up with such things. He was a free man, and, though his mother forced him to call at least twice a week, she had doted on him quite a bit due to the bullying his name had caused.


    Though he would only admit it while drunk, Nobu loved his mother quite a bit, and, were it not for the fact she was married to that ''thing'' he called a father, he might have be an Otaku himself. Unfortunately, that route had been closed to him from the start, as, despite being a man, his father had made a name for himself by dressing up as a cute girl and promoting ''trap'' merchandise at various anime conventions.


    Nobu could still remember the first he invited a friend over in his youth. At the time, he hadn''t even considered that there might be something wrong with what his father was doing. It was only after his best friend, the brat that would eventually be his first bully, told the rest of the ss that Nabu finally realized just how strange his family dynamic was.


    Recalling the shame he experienced when the Principle of his elementary school called child services to question him, a pained grimace appeared across Nobu''s face as he silently muttered, "The fuck is wrong with me? I''ve never been this sentimental before..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu looked up to see that his Professor was more focused on a blonde with big tits than actually starting the ss. Thus, without a moment''s hesitation, he whipped out his phone and opened up a rtively popr Clicker App.


    Clicker Apps were a type of game where the main focus was clicking, or in his case, tapping various icons to increase your point total torge, often ludicrous, numbers.


    Though it wasn''t something he discussed openly, Nobu had developed a strange sense of pride after his original Cookie Clicker ytime exceeded 2000 hours. He had also set a world record with the most clicks recorded in a single session, so while others busied themselves with MOBAs, FPSs, RPGs, MMOs, and even Pokemon, Nobu had always enjoyed Idle Games, specifically Clicker Apps.


    Since Cookie Clicker had eventually stopped releasing any substantial content updates, at least during the time he was active, Nobu ultimately had little choice but to get his fix elsewhere. The first was a game known as Klicker Heroes. Unfortunately, the publisher became greedy soon after the game gained traction, and, as a result, even someone as diehard as Nobu abandoned it after only six-hundred-hours of ying.


    After this little incident, Nobu tended to avoid games that were only about taking advantage of the genre''s niche poprity. As a result, he ultimately settled on a game called Eastern Fantasy.


    Eastern Fantasy was a rtively unique Clicker App as it took advantage of the growing poprity of Wuxia and Cultivation Novels to allow yers to cultivate their avatar to the status of an Immortal. It stood out among the rest due to the implementation of PvE, PvP, cksmithing, Alchemy, Dual Cultivation, and pretty much everything else that allowed the Wuxia genre to thrive both in and outside of China.


    While these were the elements that kept most people ying, Nobu had a much simpler reason. The developers had gone out of their way to include all the popr tropes, so, while it took thousands of hours, a determined yer could reach the pinnacle of cultivation without contributing a single penny to the game.


    Though the method had now be widely known, Nobu was one of the first yers to discover the hidden bonus awaiting yers who had spent a cumtive one-hundred-hours of active clicking. This had yielded him a mere 10% increase to cultivation efficacy, but, after an additional thirteen-hundred-hours, he had be the only free-to-y cultivator earning a bonus 140% increase to all cultivation experience he received.


    Thanks to his efforts, Nobu had eventually wed his way to the coveted rank of Immortal Sage King. His persistence had earned him something of a cult following on his server, so immediately after logging on, most of the active yers in the chat proceeded to greet him.


    Even if they were ultimately roleying, Nobu enjoyed being treated with respect and admiration by other yers on the server. His only regret was that he had set his original name to Lord Cookie. Because of this, people in the chat had taken to referring to him as Venerable Cookie, and, every time he conversed with the NPCs in his Sect, they unironically addressed him as Senior Lord Cookie.


    Were it not for the fact name changes cost money, Nobu would have done so long ago. He had even petitioned the publishingpany to afford him a free name change. Unfortunately, their only response was an automated message that made little sense even after running it through a trantor.


    After that little incident, Nobu had given up on trying to use his implicitly non-existent influence to get free stuff from a Chinesepany. Instead, he took sce in the fact that he was well on his way to being the first to reach the 150% experience modifier.


    Noticing his click count was less than ten-thousand away from the one-billion milestone, Nobu''s rxed expression promptly morphed into azy yet noticeably excited smile. This earned him the attention of a rtively cute girl seated two seats away, but, once she saw him furiously tapping the screen of his phone, she quickly lost interest in making conversation.


    Unaware of the opportunity he had just missed, Nobu continued clicking with the intent of reaching one-billion before the day''s end. Fortunately, he would have ample time to achieve this, as, shortly after his click fiesta had begun, the Professor eyed him like a venomous snake, saying, "Mister Oda...I believe I informed everyone that phones would not be tolerated in my ss. Since you clearly have better things to do, please leave. Others have-"


    Without waiting for the middle-aged predator to finish, Nobu rose from his seat and promptly departed the lecture hall. This earned him a withering re from his Professor, but, despite knowing the old man for less than a month, Nobu was rtively certain he only recalled the names and faces of his female students...


    ---


    With his schedule clear for the afternoon, Nobu allowed his body to enter auto-pilot as he made his way back to the freshmen dorms. This required him to cross numerous roads along the way, but, like most of the students cursed to spend the next decade paying off student loans, he often joked that he wanted to be hit.


    Amused by his own thoughts, a smile spread across Nobu''s face as he, very briefly, raised his head to look for oing traffic. What he didn''t expect to see was a young girl, perhaps four or five years old, in a white dress chasing after one of thoserge balls used in yoga. There were also a group of fairly attractive women nearby, but that was thest thing on Nobu''s mind as he shouted, "Hey! Look both ways before you cross the street...!"


    Though the girl was startled by the sudden shout, her shock was second to Nobu''s as a sudden and intense honking resonated in his ears. Then, as every nerve in his body tensed up, a loud crashing sound, followed by the screaming of the little girl, pierced the air.


    Ignoring the brat''s bellowing, Nobu shifted his attention to the moving van that had veered into a parked car after swerving away from him. He could have sworn there weren''t any vehicles approaching when he first stepped out onto the road, but, ignoring this incongruency, he quickly ran over to the truck to see if the driver was okay.


    As if today was the day fate had decreed he would die, Nobu only made it a few steps before the driver of the truck stepped out, face beet-crimson and shotgun in hand.


    Though some would assume the man was simply furious, his unnaturally mmy skin, dted eyes, and the foam around his mouth demonstrated that he was under the influence of something illegal. He was being fueled by a lot more than simple road rage, so, before things could escte any further, Nobu immediately raised his arms, shouting, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, man! Let''s not do-"


    *Krapow...!*


    Unable to finish his words, Nobu''splexion paled as a sudden, intense, and fiery pain radiated from his left hand. It hurt so much that, for a brief moment, he turned statuesque as the man shouted, "You fucking kids and your god-damned phones! I''m sick and tired of seeing you dumb shits-"


    As if the theme of the day was interrupting people before they had the chance to finish speaking, a rather burly individual wearing the workout attire of the college''s ROTC program mmed into the drugged man with the force of a human-sized freight train. Then, as if he was on something even stronger than the trucker, he began wailing on the man in a manner reminiscent of Thor striking frost giants with Mjolnir.


    While most people would feel relieved by such a turn of events, Nobu''s expression paled even further as he turned his head to inspect his hand, and, more importantly, his phone. The tips of his index and middle finger had been obliterated, but, seeing the upper half of his phone missing, the first thought that crossed Nobu''s mind was whether or not his insurance covered bullet damage. Then, before the reality of his situation could set in, the little girl from before screamed bloody murder as a group of men wearing ski masks emerged from the moving truck''spartment with guns in hand...


    ---


    With pain emanating from virtually every part of his body, particrly his face, Nobu awoke to find himself in a strange white space. Even stranger than this, however, was the fact that a wooden desk sat just a few meters away from him, and, across from it, an inordinately beautiful woman with golden hair.


    Though his physique had earned himself a bit of fanfare in High School, Nobu found himself unable to fully process just how beautiful the woman seated across the desk was. Her hair glittered with golden light, and, the moment he managed to take his eyes off her iprehensiblyrge and perfectly sculpted breasts, Nobu noticed her ears were long and pointed.


    Considering what he had just experienced, a peculiar giddiness began to swell within Nobu''s chest as he restlessly stated, "Please tell me you''re the Goddess of Reincarnation..."


    Against every expectation Nobu had formed, a sigh immediately escaped the god-like woman''s throat as she rolled her eyes andzily droned, "I''m sick and tired of these perverted and power-hungry monkeys...". Then, as if she hadn''t insulted his entire ancestry, the woman immediately adopted a radiant smile as she answered, "While that isn''t entirely on the mark, the fact you sincerely believed in reincarnation your entire life allows me to fill that purpose. Now, choose your words carefully, mortal. There is a limit to the number of questions and requests you can ask of me..."


    Feeling his excitement boiling over, Nobu needed to muster willpower he didn''t even know he possessed to stop himself from jumping into the air and dancing like a fool. His unique heritage had afforded him quite a bit of knowledge regarding tropes such as this, and, though he had given up on watching anime when he was still a kid, his love for web and light novels was second only to his obsession with Clicker Apps.


    Seeing the human across from her fidgeting like a toddler trying to hold in their pee, the Goddess, Imina, felt a sudden and intense urge to send him flying into the void. People like this had been showing up with increasing frequency as ofte, and, more often than not, they badgered her with all kinds of irrational, selfish, and sometimes perverse demands. The few she had humored went on tomit all manner of crimes, and, in a select few cases, there were even asshats who thought they could stand against her using the very same power she had granted them.


    Unfortunately, as loathed as she was to admit it, Imina had been the one to propose the idea of allowing humans the freedom to believe whatever they wanted. It wasn''t her ce to pass judgment, only to send them on their way to whatever afterlife they deemed themselves qualified for. This included allowing self-centered brats like the man fidgeting before her to transfer to different worlds, so, after forcibly calming herself, she ''politely'' inquired, "How much longer do you intend to waste my time...?"

 Chapter 2: Fight and Flight

    Chapter 2: Fight and Flight


    Not expecting the Goddess to be so ''hostile'', Nobu''s train of thought crashed into the station of his mind like a subway car braking toote to prevent a suicide.


    "What''s your problem?" he asked despite his expression set in a nervous frown.


    Having already lost interest in the conversation, Imina leaned forward in a rather careless manner, hand supporting her head as shezily replied, "I''m tired of dealing with unrealistic, opportunistic, and selfish people. Let me guess; you want to reincarnate into a fantasy world with some kind of overpowered cheat that will allow you to do whatever you want without having to face any real consequences or repercussions, right? It''s either that or you''re expecting some absurd system that will allow you to rise to the pinnacle with little to no effort. Seriously, you reincarnation nutjobs are all the same..."


    Taken aback by the Goddess''s words, Nobu wasn''t entirely sure how to respond. In the end, the only thing he could manage was to awkwardly ask, "Does that mean I don''t get any wishes...?"


    Rolling her eyes, Imina waved her hand in the air, and, as a result, arge wheel manifested into existence.


    ncing at the massive wheel, Nobu couldn''t helpparing it to a pie chart separated into several uneven slices. However, as he continued observing it, he noticed that most of the slices were actively shrinking, seemingly consumed by the others.


    Since thergest slice had the phrase ''Purgatory'' written on it, it didn''t take long for Nobu to figure out this was the wheel that would determine his afterlife. This tempted him to ask why some of the slices were rapidly shrinking, but, even without confirming it, he could already make a few guesses.


    Fearing that further dys might royally screw him over, Nobu grabbed one of the pegs sticking out from the board, eyes ame as he looked at the Goddess and asked, "Do I spin it...!?"


    Without bothering to reply, Imina just waved dismissively before picking up her angel feather quill to record the results. Before that, however, she checked off a few boxes rted to the deceased person''s character. This was a spreadsheet given to them by the God of Creation to evaluate souls aspiring to reincarnate.


    There had been far too many disasters wrought by selfish individuals who treated the worlds they wound up in as little more than a sandbox to fulfill their every desire. It allowed them to drastically affect a person''s luck, so, with Nobu radiating the same air of entitlement as most reincarnators, Imina ticked off a few boxes that were bound to make certain aspects of his life a living hell. Most of these would onlye into effect if he became a despot, but, as was often the case with humans who had received excessive power, this was far more likely than not.


    Unaware that a precedent set by others had alreadypromised his future, Nobu''s eyes zed as he attempted to will the massive wheel into stopping on a beneficial category. Instead, the wheel seemed to speed up rather dramatically before stopping, nigh-instantaneously, on a slice resembling the surface of a mirror.


    Surprised by the oue, an amused smile spread across Imina''s face as she mused, "It seems your reincarnation will reflect the life you have lived up till now...how interesting..."


    Hearing the Goddess''s musing, Nobu was about to ask what she meant when a sudden hole, almost like a trap door, appeared beneath his feet. This caught himpletely by surprise, but, by instinct, he managed to cling to the edge for dear life.


    Seeing Nobu clinging to the edge of the trap door as if it were a lifeline, the smile on Imina''s face became slightly more prominent as she asked, "What is it? Depending on your request, I might humor you."


    Since she had alreadypromised his future, assuming he would be just another tyrant, Imina didn''t mind hearing what he had to say. She already had a few suspicions, so, when she heard him ask, "Can...can I keep my body and stay around the same age...?", she replied with the most radiant smile Nobu had ever seen before answering, "Of course~!"


    Though he was significantly relieved by the Goddess''s words, the feeling he had somehow screwed up was thest thought that crossed Nobu''s mind before an irresistible force sucked him into the abyss below. Shortly following this, a bell-likeugh emanated through the void, courtesy of a golden-haired Goddess...


    ---


    After what felt like a month of falling through an endless ck void, Nobu awoke to find huddled, shivering, in an alleyway. Then, reminding him of the time he had been jumped by a group of six boys, intense pain began to emanate from every fiber.


    Though the pain was the first thing he noticed, it quickly gave way to a far more unbearable sensation, almost like his stomach was locked in a vice.


    Having never experienced real hunger before, Nobu entered a brief period of shock as his mind struggled to process everything happening to him. It was one of the most intense feelings he had ever suffered, and, for a brief moment, he thought he might die a second time.


    Seeing one of their ''fellows'' keel over and begin seizing, a few old men dressed in rags and a crone-like woman observed Nobu with predatory eyes until thergest of the group threatened, "His jacket belongs to me. If anyone tries to touch it, I''ll gut you."


    Though a few of the healthier-looking men appeared as though they had something to say, the size disparity between them and the muchrger man kept them silent. None of them wanted to risk injury, as, with more than three weeks of winter remaining, even a small bruise could turn into a life-threatening infection.


    With most of the group wandering away, albeit not too far, therger man grunted through his nose before approaching Nobu''s body and tentatively inspecting him for signs of disease. A single extra rag would provide a bit of warmth, but it wasn''t worth the risk if the person he was stealing from had an infectious disease.


    Feeling his body being manhandled, Nobu tried to resist only to have the left side of his face unceremoniously smashed as the man threatened, "I''ll kill you myself if you don''t stop squirming."


    While others might have been cowed into obedience, Nobu''s experience with bullies had taught him to never, ever, give an inch. Thus, the moment he heard the man''s words, his tightly shut eyes snapped open, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he rammed his forehead into the face of the man attempting to steal the linen tunic covering his body.


    Not expecting a sudden counter, the homeless quickly found himself lying backward on the cold cobblestone lining the road. Then, before he could fully grasp what had happened, Nobu, having studied mixed martial arts in an effort to deter his bullies, quickly straddled his stomach and began to pound on his face.


    Though he had yet to grasp his situation fully, the one thing Nobu knew for sure was that the man had been intending to both rob and leave him for dead. The man might not have had the intention to kill him, but, with nothing to repel the cold, it wouldn''t be long before the elements imed him.


    Unfortunately, despite possessing the element of surprise, Nobu''s heart sank as a reddish-brown aura spread across the man''s body.


    Part of the pain he had been experiencing resulted from an influx of information and memories. The sensation was akin to liquid metal being pumped into his skull, but, thanks to that, he at least had a basic understanding of what the dingy bronze aura represented. It was the mysterious energy that certain people in this world could wield to enhance their physical bodies and provide them a variety of superpower-like abilities...


    Unable to retract his fist in time, Nobu ended up punching the aura with his already swollen and bloodied fist. This produced a sound simr to a gong. At the same time, an agonizingly sharp pain shot through Nobu''s right arm, his fist visibly splitting between his middle and ring fingers due to striking a surface that harder than bronze.


    Were it not for the adrenaline pumping through his veins, Nobu might have cried out in pain. Instead, a far more guttural sound escaped his throat as he reached for the only thing he could use as a weapon, a strangely warm stone tablet that his ''counterpart'' had been clinging to.


    Though its dimensions were only 16x8cm, roughly the size of an iPhoni 12, the most important thing was that it was significantly harder than his fist. Thus, before the man could recover his senses, Nobu used the corner of the stone tablet to try and gouge one of his eyes.


    Realizing what his attacker was up to, the homeless man covered his eyes with his right arm before trying to buck Nobu away by rolling sideways. To his surprise, Nobu sprang away up when he did this, but, before he could celebrate or recover his footing, a series of dull thuds began to impact the side and back of his head.


    Understanding how royally screwed he was if he allowed the man to find his footing, Nobu began kicking the man in whatever direction he tried to move. It was fortunate his opponent seemed tock even basicbat training, as, rather than attempting to sweep the legs or go for a tackle, he kept rolling around with one arm covering his face.


    Unfortunately, no matter how much he kicked the man around, it wasn''t enough to break through the aura covering his body. The pain emanating from his stomach also siphoned away his stamina at a ridiculous rate, so, after kicking the man in the back with enough force that Leonitus would be proud, Nobu promptly turned around and ran as fast as his feet could carry him.


    Under normal circumstances, the other homeless people would have tried to hinder Nobu''s escape. However, after seeing him assault someone with a Rank 3 Bronze aura, none of them were eager to move. He wouldn''tst long after that level of exertion anyway, so, as long as they followed him at a distance, it wouldn''t be long before they could loot his corpse.


    After inheriting his current body''s memories, Nobu''s thoughts weren''t all that different from the other homeless dredges. It had been nearly three weeks since hisst meal, and, though he managed to stay hydrated by melting snow with the stone tablet, this was likely to be hisst winter if he failed to find food.


    As that thought crossed his mind, moisture began to build in Nobu''s eyes as he recalled the relief he experienced after the Goddess permitted him to reincarnate with the same age and body. This caused his current body to live the first neen-years of its life as if he were on auto-pilot.


    While this was troublesome in and of itself, Nobu had actually been born into a rtively well-off family known as the Oda n. They had invested a substantial amount of resources into trying to free him from the ''curse'' that had been ced upon him; but, having exhausted every other option, they eventually had no choice but to exile him.


    While it was possible to witness various fantasy races walking around, the world Nobu had found himself mirrored the society structure observed in a number of cultivation novels. This included a strength-based hierarchy, so while it might seem cruel of the Oda n to abandon him, the majority would have killed him merely to protect their pride.


    In this world, pride was often regarded with even greater reverence than strength. If a person were determined tock talent, the highest position they could ever aspire to was that of a servant, serf, or farmer. This was the way things had been for thousands of years, so, for those born in one of the major sects or established ns, weakness was tantamount to sin.


    Though the starting age varied, training within this world typically started around the age of four. From there, you would spend four years working on your foundation before being split into two distinct groups. Those with talent would be given an additional four years to improve their foundation. As for the rest, they were fated to be the working ss.


    While there were a number of historical precedences demonstrating that even a simple farmer could reach the pinnacle of cultivation, this required an extreme amount of luck and numerous heaven-sent opportunities. The likelihood of this wasparable to encountering a docile Qilin while you were trying to relieve yourself. It was the type of thing that only urred in legend, so, after reaching the age of eight without showing any signs of progress, it seemed only natural that his family would toss him out...

 Chapter 3: On the Edge of Despair

    Chapter 3: On the Edge of Despair


    Though they were not thergest, the Oda n was one of the most powerful factions exercising its influence over the archipgo of Nian. They had a lineage of producing powerful heroes that dated back more than six-thousand-years.


    Were it not for his request to keep his age and body, Nobu would have been the first-born son of the current Patriarch of the Oda n, Oda Senken. Instead, his father was left with no choice but to throw him out as pressure from his political enemies mounted against his First Wife, Suzuki Nana.


    Had Nobu remained in the family, Nana''s position as Head Wife would have been threatened as usations mounted regarding her ability to produce a viable heir. Nobody would dare use Senken, a Rank 7 Mithril Lord, of being the problem, so, when it came to choosing between his crippled son and the woman he loved, Senken chose thetter.


    While the people back on Earth would undoubtedly use Senken of being a terrible father, the majority of Nobu''s memories regarding the man was seeing him grieve over his inability to remove his curse. Senken had apologized to him nearly every single day, and, until the Elders pressured him to stop wasting n resources, the man had spent a fortune searching for a cure.


    Understanding his fault in the matter, Nobu made no attempt to flee back to the Oda n. It had already been eleven years since his exile, and, in that time, his parents had produced two more sons and a daughter. He knew this because the entire province of Owari, the geographical location of the city he was currently living in, was forced to celebrate the birth of every Young Lord and Lady of the main branch of the Oda n.


    Fortunately, while his family had tossed him aside, Nobu wasn''tpletely without options. Prior to his exile, his father had entrusted him to the care of an elderly retainer. They had died around three years ago, but, prior to that, he had been well cared for. As for how he ended up on the streets, you ask? Well, the answer to that was rtively straightforward: human greed.


    Since the elder responsible for his care couldn''t exactly advertise that he was a member of the Oda n, a number of small yet influential families, specifically the Imagawa and Abe ns teamed up to take advantage of him. From their perspective, he was a mysterious outsider with deep pockets, so, after confirming his cultivation base wasn''t a threat, they began levying all kinds of taxes against him in order to drain his wealth. Then, once he couldn''t pay, they sent various lending organizations and thugs to force him into even direr straits.


    In the end, the old man was killed when one of the lending organizations attempted to take Nobu hostage. They found it odd that he had been able to hold out for several years, so, assuming he had a treasure hidden away, they broke into his house and attempted to pressure him for answers. After that, they simply left Nobu to die, but, due to the wealth of treasures he had consumed in his youth, he managed to survive until the present day.


    Nobu knew his survival must have had something to do with the Goddess as it didn''t really make sense to him that they would just leave him be for two years. Fortunately, the old man charged to take care of him had carried on his father''s legacy of talking to him, so, while the thugs had never been able to ascertain the source of his funds, Nobu knew he had been stockpiling funds with the intention of relocating them to a more ''hospitable'' region.


    The only issue with this was that Nobu was currently on the verge of death, so, even if he knew where the man had been stowing away their savings, that didn''t prevent him from crashing face-first into the pavement after running eight of the rural city''s massive blocks. This earned him the attention of several pedestrians, but, the moment they saw how he was dressed, theypletely ignored him.


    Following a few of the closer passersby with his eyes, a pained yet wry smile spread across Nobu''s face as he saw each and every one of him stare with a mixture of pity, disgust, and outright disdain. Despite this, none of them even bothered to ask if he were okay, as, in this particr world, helping others was, more often than not, inviting trouble into your life.


    Crawling to the side of the road, Nobu curled up into a fetal position in a desperate attempt to hold on to the heat his sprint had generated. At the same time, his body habitually hugged the strangely warm stone tablet to his chest, a curious quirk he had apparently had ever since he was a child.


    If his memories could be relied upon, other people didn''t seem to be able to see and interact with the mysterious tablet. This indicated it had something to do with his reincarnation, but, due to the condition of his body, Nobu wasn''t particrly in the mood to experiment. The pain in his stomach had be even worse, and, though he hadn''t taken any hits, he found himself periodically being forced to swallow due to blood and bile rising from his throat.


    Were it not for the fact the frigid temperatures caused the moisture to umte as ice particles on hisshes, passersby would have been privy to seeing Nobu crying for the first time in close to ten years. Thest time was when he heard a heavy crash, and, after going to investigate, he found his mother sprawled out at the base of the stairs with blood pooling near her temple. That singr moment had eclipsed all the pain he had received from being bullied, as, in the weeks leading up to the fall, he had actually been giving his mother the silent treatment.


    Recalling this incident with crystal rity, yet another wry smile developed across Nobu''s lips as he dryly mused, "I wonder if this is what it means to see your life shing before your eyes? I hope the next world...is a little...less...extreme..."


    With memories of his mother waking up at the hospital serving as his shepherd, Nobu allowed his mind to gradually descend into darkness. His vision quickly receded from the periphery, and, for a brief moment, he felt some kind of nauseous ''swelling'' in his mind as a sensation simr to vertigo spread through his entire body. This forced him to remain awake for a while longer, but, with each passing moment, the desire to simply ''let go'' became exponentially more powerful.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu briefly recalled his father, mascara streaming down his face as he wept at his mother''s side. For most, this would have been a rather touching scene, but, due to flying back on the earliest flight from an anime convention, he was still in costume. This earned him the attention of everyone in the hospital, and, though he apologized several yearster, Nobu had never truly forgiven the man for showing up a magical girl during the time he needed his father the most.


    Feeling a tremendous amount of pain and pressure surging from the very core of his being, Nobu''s body lurched as he vomited forth a considerable amount of blood and bile. This frightened a young girl that had been walking by, a startled shriek emanating from her throat as she jumped back more than six meters in an instant.


    Seeing the girl adopt a defensive posture, glowing golden daggers in hand, Nobu forced a smile as he said, "Sorry about that...". Then, with thest of his strength, he did his best to avoid falling face-first into his own blood and bile. He knew someone would have toe by and clean up his body, so, while a part of him wanted others to suffer as much as possible, basic human decent prevented him from being aplete ass in his final moments...


    ---


    Though most people would have simply gone about their business, the young woman, Yoshitsune Yui, had her focus drawn to the eerie ck blood syed out across the ground. Others might not recognize it, but, as one of the few Golden Warriors of her generation, it wasn''t her first time seeing someone expel impurities from their body.


    Noticing the young man hadpletely lost consciousness, the daggers in Yui''s hands gradually melded back into her aura as she walked forward to check his pulse. To her surprise, his pulse was steady and strong despite appearing to be little more than an emaciated beggar. She could even make out the joints of his elbows, knees, and ankles through his clothes, tell-tale signs of extreme malnourishment...


    Furrowing her brows, Yui briefly considered whether or not she should try and help the youth when the words of her Grandmother, the woman responsible for bestowing her name, entered her mind.


    "Listen closely, Yui. Though I don''t expect you to go out of your way to help everyone, it is my hope that you will remain a kind and courageous girl throughout your entire life. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are questioning whether or not you should help someone...trust me when I say you will regret it far more if you did nothing at all..."


    Though the meaning of some words had been lost to time, Yui''s name had always meant ''Helpful Fountain''. It was a name primarily given to second or third daughters of wealthy families with the intention of seeding the mentality that they should be willing to sacrifice themselves for the family. Yui had convinced herself that her talent made her an exception to this rule, so, after staring down at Nobu''s unconscious form for nearly a full minute, she ultimately extended her hand to produce a pale golden aura.


    In the world Nobu had reincarnated to, Cultivation Ranks were derived from various types of metal. The very bottom, unable to produce an aura, was known as the Lead Rank. After that, increasing in power and prestige, were the Copper, Iron, Silver, Gold, tinum, Mithril, Orichalcum, Adamantine, and Jadeite Ranks. These were named as such due to the requirement that breaking through into said rank required a tremendous amount of the respective ore.


    While it was possible to increase your Cultivation Base without advancing to the next Rank, the ability of ''Aura'' to adopt the properties of different metals was too great a benefit to ignore. As one of the only sub-twenty Golden Warriors in all of Nian, Yui had mastered the basics of manipting and even shaping her aura to produce remarkably versatile weapons. In this particr instance, she used it to fashion a solid gold yet extremely flexible rope, tying it around Nobu''s chest and arms so that she could drag him away. Thetter currently smelled like he hadn''t taken a bath in years, so, while she might have decided to help him, there was no way in hell she was going to carry him on her back...


    Though the sight of a young woman dragging an unconscious man through the streets garnered a lot of attention, it wasn''t to the point that anyone would attempt to stop her. The color of the rope was more than enough justification to steer clear of the beauty, as, more often than not, young and highly skilled people were secretly escorted by the Elders of their Sect. They couldn''t even imagine a girl as young and attractive as Yui would be conducting her ''Warrior''s Pilgrimage'' on her own, so, the moment she came anywhere near them, most people made sure to give her a very wide berth...

 Chapter 4: Golden Spoon?

    Chapter 4: Golden Spoon?


    Feeling a strange tingle pervading his entire body, much like a limb falling asleep, Nobu awoke to find himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. This was amon trope in novels where the MC had been transported to a different world. Unfortunately, unlike his predecessors in countless fictional worlds, Nobu''s situation was rather ''unique''.


    Wiggling his arms a bit, Nobu confirmed that the shining golden ropes binding his body weren''t an illusion. To make matters even worse, he waspletely naked. Either of these things, alone, would have been more than a little disconcerting. Experiencing both, simultaneously, made Nobu question whether or not it was a good thing he had survived...


    Doing his best to stay positive, a forced smile developed across Nobu''s face as he noted, "Well...at least my stomach doesn''t hurt. As long as a beefy old man doesn''t walk through that door, I should be able to tolerate whateveres next..."


    Despite his words, Nobu had no intention of simply sticking around to discover why he was being held captive. Instead, he closed his eyes for a few moments, ears straining to ascertain whether or not he could hear anyone nearby.


    With nothing but the distant sound of a hammer striking against metal to break the silence, Nobu decided it was in his best interest to try and escape. To this end, he did his best to remain silent as he awkwardly rolled from the bed. Then, once he had his feet under him, he searched for anything that might be useful for cutting himself free.


    Based on the avable furnishings, Nobu assumed he was currently within some kind of Inn, Hotel, or Hostel. The only things present, other than the bed, were a dingy old nightstand, a massive chest resembling the type seen in RPGs, and, though he hadn''t noticed it at first, an eerie mechanical owl perched atop what he assumed to be a rack for hanging swords and other kinds of equipment.


    Seeing the owl staring directly at him, Nobu''s body immediately tensed. He normally would have ignored it, treating it as mere decoration, but, much like the ropes keeping his arms bound, the owl wasprised of a pale, slightly luminescent, gold. In other words, he was being watched.


    "Why am I not surprised...?" muttered Nobu before shifting his attention to the only window in the room.


    Judging by the height of the building across the screen, he was most likely only on the second floor. Unfortunately, even if he could break through the window, venturing outside without any clothes on was practically a death sentence.


    Shaking his head, Nobu returned his attention to the owl, asking, "Can you get your Master for me? I don''t think I''ve done anything wrong so I''d like to know why I''m being tied up..."


    Though he could vaguely remember seeing a young woman before he passed out, Nobu''s mental acuity hadn''t exactly been at its sharpest. Seeing his life sh before his eyes had been more than a little distracting, and, were it not for the golden rope binding him, he could easily be convinced she had been nothing more than an illusion. His experiences thus far made him ''extremely'' skeptical of the notion he had been fortunate enough to have a fateful encounter. After all, even if he had been given the opportunity to reincarnate, the words of the Goddess made it very clear he wasn''t exactly special...


    Feeling a little depressed by his train of thought, Nobu plopped down on the side of the bed before lying back and epting his fate. If escape wasn''t an option, he might as well take advantage of the fact he had a bed to sleep in. It had been two years since his body rested properly, so, with nothing better to do-


    Opening his eyes, Nobu recalled the strange stone tablet his body had instinctually clung to even in hisst moments. He knew it had something to do with his reincarnation so it would be aplete and utter disaster for him to lose it immediately after gaining control over his body.


    Fortunately, the moment he sat up to begin searching a sh of grey appeared at the periphery of Nobu''s vision. When he turned his head, he found the 18x9cm tablet just lying there, almost like a phone that had slipped out of someone''s pocket and fallen onto their bed.


    Though it might have been smarter to act when the mechanical owl wasn''t observing his every action, Nobu immediately rolled to a seated position before using his feet to finagle the tablet a little closer.


    Prior to his reincarnation, the Goddess had beenining about people running rampant in the worlds they had been sent to. With this in mind, there was a real possibility he could quickly rise to the top if his cheat was strong enough. At the very least, it might be able to save his life in a pinch...


    Without his hands to work with, Nobu did his best to examine the phone using nothing but his feet. This was more than a little awkward, but, after a minute or two, he had managed to scrutinize both sides numerous times. Unfortunately, even after calling out various key phrases such as Status and System Activate, nothing happened. In the end, the only thing he was able to ascertain was that one side was marginally smoother than the other. It also generated a bit of warmth, but, other than that, he couldn''t ascertain any of its functions.


    "Come on...couldn''t you have included some kind of instruction manual? What are you, some kind of H20 Goddess...?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu ignored the remarkably uneasy feeling that had suddenly descended upon him as he considered his options. Since he was in a cultivation world, there was a chance the tablet needed something like a ''key'' to unlock it. In most novels, this would be the energy from the user, or, more often than not, their blood. After that, the MC would then discover that the simple-looking heirloom granted to them by their family was actually the treasure of some ancient or ridiculously powerful Cultivator that had lost their body and needed the protagonist''s help in order to return...


    Though the notion of having some ghostly old man telling him what to do wasn''t exactly pleasant, that didn''t stop Nobu from positioning himself so that he was on his knees. Then, after a very brief moment of hesitation, he lurched his body forward like a hammer striking an anvil, nose impacting the tablet with the intent to bloody it.


    Despite his best effort, Nobu had failed to ount for the fact that both he and the tablet were on the bed. As a result, he managed to strike it directly, but, in the end, the only thing he experienced was a bit of awkwardness as his face squashed the phone into the padded bedding, ass in the air...


    Maintaining his best poker face, Nobu quickly fixed his posture before noticing that something had changed with the tablet. The smooth face now radiated a pale blue light, and, after several seconds had passed, a logo for apany called Seraphic Industries ICC. This caused a number of questions to pop into his head, but, before he could get distracted by them, a childlike giddiness swelled from the depths of his soul as the tabletpleted booting up like a genuine smartphone.


    Having read quite a number of reincarnation stories where the main character is transmigrated with a smartphone, Nobu''s expectations immediately shot through the roof. Such cheats often had map functions, GPS, call functions, and, depending on the circumstances, he might even be able to use it to y some kind of Gacha. This phrase would have terrified him in his previous life, but, even if he had to pit himself against dangerous beasts to earn points, that was a given if he wanted to survive and prosper in a cultivation world.


    With his attention fully focused on his ''phone'', various thoughts racing through his mind, Nobu waspletely oblivious to the sound of the door being opened. It was only when the interloper asked, "Oh? You''re awake...?" that he instinctually covered the tablet with his feet, expression paling as he looked towards the person that had addressed him.


    A stark contrast to the beauty vaguely recollected in his memories, the person addressing him was an old crone wearing threadbare clothing and carrying a bucket. Using the standards of Earth, most people would have assumed she was around seventy to eighty years old. Unfortunately, this wasn''t Earth, so, if she was the Golden Warrior holding him captive, her actual age should be several times that. After all, one of the perks of being in a cultivation world was that you could drastically increase your lifespan by strengthening your base.


    Forcing a smile to his face, Nobu squeezed his legs together in a vain attempt to conceal his not-so-little brother from view. This was one of the reasons he had wanted to keep his original body, as, not only would he be morefortable in his own flesh, but, despite his father''s many failings, the man had ''potent'' genes. Though this made the notion of him walking around as a ''trap'' even more terrifying, a lot of Nobu''s confidence throughout Middle and High School hade from the fact he was ''gifted'' where it mattered most.


    Amused by Nobu''s reaction, the elderly woman man of a show of both closing and locking the door behind her before adopting a grin of her own and teasing, "Come now, boy. Is that any way for a man to react? This isn''t my first time seeing such a thing. Don''t worry. I know exactly what I''m doing..."


    Feeling what he could only describe as existential dread, Nobu did his best to maintain his smile as he said, "Listen...I appreciate you rescuing me, but, if you try anything, don''t expect me to go down without a fight..."


    Though his words were intended to sound intimidating, it was only after he had spoken that Nobu realized how they could be misinterpreted. Theughter of the old crone didn''t help any, and, were it not for the fact his arms and torso were still bound, he might have made a break for the window out of sheer embarrassment.


    Fortunately, just as he was mentally preparing himself for the two-story drop, extreme relief washed over Nobu''s body as the old woman wiped away a tear and revealed, "I haven''tughed like that in years. Thanks for that, kid. Oh, and you''ll be pleased to learn I''m not the one who saved you. I was simply hired to wash your body and outfit you with something more substantial than the rags you were wearing when you came in. Now,y back and behave. I promise I won''t bite."


    Seeing the woman punctuate her statement with a wink, Nobu''s urge to escape the room suddenly increased by a factor of ten. The only thing that prevented him from trying was the knowledge that his ''savior'' could track him so long as he was bound in her aura. Since it was impossible for him, a mere ''g'', to break free from the bindings of a Golden Warrior, he ultimately had little choice but to bide his time and see how things y out. Fortunately, he had been hospitalized quite a number of times in his youth, so, while it was impossible to associate the old woman with the nurses he had encountered in his past, it wasn''t his first time receiving a sponge bath...


    (A/N: Since the Cultivation in this world is derived from various metals, those deemed tock talent are known as g by society. g is basically the useless byproduct of forging, and, while it wasn''t impossible to recycle, most people simply scrape it off to the side for disposal.)

 Chapter 5: Realization

    Chapter 5: Realization


    After one of the most awkward twenty minutes of his life, Nobu, once again, found himself alone in his room. In hindsight, he realized he could have asked the old woman for answers, but, at the time, the only thing he was thinking about was how much longer the bath was going to take...


    "I swear, once I get out of these bindings, I''m never letting anyone tie me up again...there must be something seriously wrong with people who enjoy this..."


    Forming that resolve in his heart, Nobu adopted a seated position before awkwardly retrieving the tablet with his toes. His greatest frustration at the moment was that his arms were firmly bound. He had never even thought about trying to operate a touch screen with his toes. He was also the exact opposite of limber, not because he was unfamiliar with stretching, but because his current body was little more than skin and bones.


    All of the muscles he had spent the better part of a decade sculpting were nowhere to be seen. His joints even creaked and popped every time he fully extended his arms and legs, so, while he wanted nothing more than to learn more about the strange tablet, his situation made doing so remarkably difficult. This didn''t deter him, of course, but,pared to the ease in which he could navigate his previous phone, handling the tablet was a nightmare.


    From what Nobu had been able to ascertain so far, there were only three apps avable on the strange device. Based on the icons alone, he could assume that the first was a camera function. It looked like one of those canon cameras that hipsters made use of, but, unlike the devices from his homeworld, this one had runes engraved around the lens. As for the other icons, the second looked like a message bubble while the final icon appeared to be a ss sphere.


    Though the camera had failed to excite him, the message bubble caused Nobu to feel giddy. One of the tropes that had been gaining poprity on Earth were novels that had the MC gain ess to some kind of interdimensional chat room. This allowed them to chat with people from other realms, and, in some instances, they could even travel to the worlds of various fictional characters.


    Eager to confirm his suspicions, Nobu attempted to use his big toe to press the pale-golden bubble that vaguely resembled the flying nimbus from the anime Dragon Ball Z. Unfortunately, trying to hit a specific icon with his big toe while hunched over was easier said than done. As a result, he ended up inadvertently tapping the ss sphere. This caused the screen to momentarily grow dark until a series of logos, much like what you would see after booting up a game, cycled on screen.


    Since the stone tabletcked the three navigation buttons present on most modern smartphones, Nobu had no idea how to navigate back to the main menu or close the app he had just opened. All he could do was wait patiently as nearly twenty different logos shed on the screen. Then, just as his tensions reached an all-time high, the app loaded to reveal the same ss sphere that had been present on the tablet''s home screen.


    Suppressing his disappointment as much as possible, Nobu scrutinized the ss sphere for any tell-tale signs of its purpose. He noticed that, while it resembled an empty ss container set against a grey backdrop, there was an almost indiscernible aura surrounding its edges. This reminded him of the giant cookie yers would first encounter when starting a new game of Cookie Clicker, so, after a very brief moment of hesitation, Nobu did what he had always done best and started tapping the screen with his toe.


    Immediately after the first tap, Nobu''s heart began beating rapidly as a 0.001 appeared along with the words: Achievement Unlocked: The First Click. At the same time, an icon appeared near the top of the screen with a tiny exmation mark, clearly indicating it was an Achievement Tab.


    Unable to contain his excitement, an almost perverse grin spread across Nobu''s face as he softly eximed, "No fucking way! My cheat is a Clicker App!? Is this for real...!?"


    Though he had yet to verify the app was anything more than a time sink, Nobu''s instincts told him the app was special. There was even a chance it was directly linked to his cultivation base, so, after recovering from his momentary stupor, his eyes resembled those of a gambling addict as he began to furiously tap the screen with his toe. This caused the number above the sphere to increase from 0.001 to 0.037. Unfortunately, just as he was about to press it again, the ss sphere momentarily darkened as a ''1s'' indicator appeared in the center.


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu moved his foot to the side as he muttered, "Don''t tell me there is a limit on the number of clicks I can do...that defeats the entire fucking purpose of having a clicker app...!"


    Fortunately, long before Nobu had finished cursing, the 1s icon vanished. It was only then that he noticed a tiny indicator near the bottom right of the sphere. It had been red during the period of time in which the sphere was greyed out. Now, however, it was counting up at a rate of roughly 1 per second.


    Though he still wanted toin, Nobu felt greatly relieved by this turn of events. Sure, it might prevent him from spamming clicks until he reached the absolute pinnacle of the world, but, at the same time, it meant he could stockpile clicks while he was busy with other things. There was even a chance he could upgrade the umtion rate, so, with high hopes for the future, he began to tap the screen at a rate of one click per second...


    ....


    ...


    .


    After roughly forty minutes of rhythmic tapping, Nobu''s point total had only increased to a mere 2.4. Were it not for the subtle tingling sensation spreading through his abdomen, he might have already given up for the day. He was also afraid there might be an upper limit to the number of clicks that could be stockpiled. If he awoke after a full night''s rest to discover he had only saved up something along the lines of 100, the odds of him throwing the tablet against the wall were higher than he would like to admit.


    Undoubtedly as a result of the bullying he had endured in his childhood, Nobu had never been the most level-headed individual. He appeared borderline apathetic to most people, but, the moment anyone tried to push his buttons, they would quickly discover he wasn''t someone just anyone could mess around with. This led to him spending several nights in prison, and, had it not been his mom pleading for a more lenient sentence, he might have spent thetter half of his High School career in a juvenile detention facility.


    Thinking of his mother, Nobu recalled that it had been a few days since theirst conversation. He would need to call her pretty soon...or...


    As the notion of calling his mother entered his mind, Nobu''s movements gradually ceased until he was frozen in ce atop his bed. The realization that he would never be able to talk with her again had just hit him like a ton of bricks. His heart began to beat faster, and, though he did his best to suppress it, an extremely sour sensation spread through his nose as tears began to swell within his eyes.


    Unsure of how to put what he was feeling into words, Nobu began to mutter, "Fuck...fuck...fuck...!" with increasing intensity. His sudden encounter with the Goddess,bined with his reincarnation into a fantasy world, had momentarily suppressed his acknowledgment of the truth. He had, in fact, died. Everyone he ever knew and loved was now an impossible distance from him. Even if he did his best to reach the absolute pinnacle of this world, the odds of him ever seeing them again were slim to none. Instead, he was alone in a foreign world, and, due to his selfish decision to keep his former age and appearance, hepromised his chances of adjusting to a new family and making friends in his youth...


    Unable to suppress the rage and indignation building in his heart, Nobu raised his face towards the ceiling and screamed, "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK...!" at the top of his lungs. This caused the owl that had been observing him to emanate a luminous glow, but, with his attention focused on other things, Nobu failed to take notice of this. Instead, he began to thrash around on the bed, desperate to free himself from his bindings so that he might punch something, anything, to relieve the anguish he was currently feeling...


    ---


    Contrary to Nobu''s expectations, the owl watching over him hadn''t been active the entire time. The ability to link senses with a construct was something that typically only existed above the Rank of a tinum Hero. The few people that could use it at lower levels needed to focus their minds to the extreme, so, more often than not, they needed to enter a deep meditative state just to maintain the connection.


    Yui, despite being one of the most exceptional practitioners of her generation, was no exception to this rule. Thus, shortly after dropping Nobu, she departed the Inn toplete the business that had brought her to the city.


    Despite having just turned eighteen, Yui belonged to one of the most prestigious warrior families supporting the Oda n. Her Great Great Great Grandfather had fought alongside the founder of the Oda n as his sworn brother. Since then, the Yoshitsune had dutifully served as the retainers of the Oda n, a rtionship that had persisted nearly six-thousand-years.


    At present, Yui waspleting the task that would ensure her position as an official warrior of the Yoshitsune n. This was generally very difficult for females, but, thanks to her talent and strength of will, Yui had been spared the fate of bing a Concubine to one of the Young Masters of the Oda n.


    Though she wasn''t particrly against the idea of fulfilling her ancestral duty, Yui had lost interest in marrying into the Oda n after her original spouse sumbed to a serious illness. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say she had been bred for this purpose, so, after learning of his death, she avoided the fate of being married off to an older member of the family by dedicating herself wholeheartedly to her training. This was the only way she could choose her own fate, so, while many within her own family had opposed it, Yui was determined to go down in history as one of Nian''s strongest female warriors.


    With this ambition guiding her, Yui soon found herself outside a hut located a short distance away from the city proper. Her duty was to investigate the disappearance of one of the Oda n''s former retainers, an elderly gentleman named Nanamori Natsu. He had been missing for nearly two years, but, ording to rumors, his grandson was still alive and well. Her task was to track him down, and, if possible, ascertain the truth rted to Nanamori''s disappearance.


    Unfortunately, just as she had arrived outside the ruins of Nanamori''s cottage, Yui''s eyes began to release a pale glow as her sight linked up with the Scouting Owl she left back in the city. She hadn''t been expecting this, so, while she normally had wless bnce, Yui narrowly avoided an intimate reunion with the ground after twisting her ankle on a rock.


    Hissing in response to the pain, Yui instinctually grasped her ankle, pale golden light emanating from her palms as she attempted to prevent swelling. At the same time, she found herself cursing her decision to pick up a random person from the streets, but, seeing said man thrashing around on the bed as if he were in extreme pain, the curse fell short of reaching her lips...

 Chapter 6: Acceptance

    Chapter 6: eptance


    After throwing a tantrum for the better part of an hour, Nobu found himselfpletely and utterly exhausted. Even his resentment towards his bindings was beginning to fade away as a sudden and intense feeling of helplessness joined the grief that had overwhelmed him.


    It was in the midst of this despair that Nobu''s eyes fell the phone-like stone tablet. If he were to have any chance of returning home, he would need to be stronger. The tablet was his key to reaching the very pinnacle of the world, and, depending on how the messenger and camera apps functioned, traveling between worlds might be possible. The fact he here at all was proof evidence that a path existed between this world and Earth. He just needed to find it.


    Seekingfort in this idea, Nobu forced himself to a seated position before methodically pressing the surface of the tablet with his toe. If the number above the ss sphere reflected his cultivation base, he would need a lot more than 2.4 Aura just to survive. There was also a chance that, like any other Clicker App, he would need to spend points to purchase various upgrades. In other words, his Aura was both his lifeline and his currency, a dual-edged sword with unlimited potential for growth.


    Determined to both master his cheat and, one day, return home, Nobu focused all his attention on clicking. He calcted that he would be able to click around 60,000 times a day if he invested a full sixteen hours towards it. This would earn him approximately 60 Aura per day, and, while he wasn''t sure how thispared to other people, even a marginal amount of Aura was better than nothing.


    What Nobu was unaware of, at least for the time being, was that 60 Aura per day was a monstrous amount for someone at the beginning stages of cultivation. Children undergoing ''Tempering'', the name ascribed to Foundation Training, would spend between four and eight years increasing their cultivation base to 1000. This was the requirement for bing a Rank 1 Bronze Soldier, so, were he to focus his efforts for an entire month, Nobu would already be well on his way to reaching Rank 2. If he persisted for an entire year, even reaching Rank 2 Silver Adept(20,000AU) was well within his grasp.


    On the Nian Archipgo, reaching Silver Adept before the age of twenty was considered quite the achievement. This was significantly impressive from the perspective of the noble families, but, were they to discover he had reached Silver after a single year of training, even the most powerful sect in the country, the Orochi Sect, wouldn''t be able to ignore him...


    ---


    Though she felt as though her trip to the outskirts of the city had beenpletely wasted, Yui did her best to appear calm and unflustered as she made her way into the Inn. There, standing behind a rather ornate reception desk, a middle-aged woman with raven ck hair and umon red eyes waved her over, asking, "How''d your search go?" before immediately following up by asking, "Want me to have the kitchen prepare something to warm you up?"


    Electing to ignore the first question, Yui nodded her head, answering, "That would be appreciated. Thank you."


    With an approving smile developing across her face, the Proprietress dinged one of the many silver bells hidden behind the desk. Shortly thereafter, a young girl, no older than ten or twelve, hurriedly emerged from the backroom before lowering her head and saying, "Thank you for summoning this little one. Please tell me how I might be of service."


    While gesturing towards Yui, the middle-aged woman exined, "Inform Nana to prepare a meal. After that, begin heating the bath. I believe our guest is fatigued after a long day of searching...?"


    Though she didn''t appreciate how the woman was trying to coerce her into paying for additional services, Yui had always been quite fond of baths. Thus, rather than refuse the service, she nodded her head and said, "Thank you." before producing a golden coin from the purse in her sleeve. This caused the Proprietress'' eyes to shimmer, but, with Yui being a Golden Warrior, it wasn''t surprising that she would have gold coins on her. After all, it was well known that advancing from Silver Adept to Golden Warrior required a practitioner to absorb the energies contained within 100kg of purified gold.


    Quickly pocketing the golden piece, a courteous smile developed across the face of the Proprietress as she casually mentioned, "The clothes you asked us to obtain have been prepared. Would you like me to send someone up, or...?"


    Shaking her head, Yui stated, "I am not afraid of seeing a man naked. I will carry them up on my own."


    As someone who had been educated on the matters between men and women from a very young age, Yui''s aversion to the opposite sex was virtually non-existent. She had also steeled her mind for the possibility that she might be attacked in the bath at some point, so, while she wasn''t impervious to feelings of shame, she would never allow herself to have such an easily exploited weakness.


    Squinting her eyes in acknowledgment of Yui''s confidence, the Proprietress forcibly suppressed her curiosity as it was very clear the young woman across from her wasn''t an easy target. Her demeanor was reminiscent of a warrior belonging to one of the Noble ns. Thus, rather than risk offending the powers backing her, the Proprietress retrieved a linen parcel and a pair of fur-lined boots from beneath the desk before handing it over with a smile.


    epting the parcel with apletely neutral expression, Yui turned her back on the Proprietress before immediately making her way up the stairs to the second floor. This was where the majority of guest rooms were located. As for her own, she had purchased the suite on the top floor, as, prior to departing home, her Grandmother had exined that it was better to be high profile than trying toy low.


    While this might seem a little contrary, the truth of the matter was that people were far less likely to target a young yet wealthy person traveling alone than someone willfully attempting toy low. The former implied they not only had a powerful backer but the skill to defend themselves from normal threats. Inversely, those who attempted to travel incognito were often fugitives or weaklingscking in confidence. Such individuals made easy targets, so, as a young woman traveling alone, disying her wealth was a better deterrent than keeping it concealed...


    ---


    After his previous experience with the old woman, Nobu''s body instinctually reacted when he heard a subtle knock at the door. Every muscle in his body tensed up, and, were it not for the fact his arms were still bound, he would have adopted his characteristic southpaw stance. (A/N: Southpaw means he uses a left-handedbat stance.)


    Fortunately, the person that came through the door wasn''t the old hag from before. Instead, it was a petite woman with raven-ck hair, part of which was styled into two distinct ponytails. Her eyes were also ck, but, much like her hair, they reflected a blue sheen when reflected in this light. This was a rather mysterious phenomenon, and, were it not for the fact she was as t as anding strip, she would have been among the most beautiful women Nobu had ever met. Her outfit didn''t help in this regard, as, rather than wearing something cute or fashionable, the young woman looked like someone trying to cosy a samurai from their favorite anime...


    Noticing Nobu''s gaze, Yui immediately adopted a frown as she uttered, "Brazen..." in a disapproving tone.


    Tilting his head in confusion, Nobu asked, "Huh? What do you mean, ''brazen''? Don''t tell me you''re one of those girls who gets offended just by people looking at them..."


    Though he wasn''t as bad as some of his peers, Nobu was, much to his annoyance, lumped into the generation known as Millennials. His sensibilities were drastically different from the native residents of Nian, and, while he had never gone as far as pressuring someone to sleep with him, he had been sneaking into Night Clubs since he was seventeen. Thus, the moment he observed the raven-haired woman''s reaction, he couldn''t help feeling she was stuck up for someone wearing a skirt that didn''t even cover a full third of her milky white thighs.


    Seeing Nobu''s ''lecherous gaze'' drift towards her legs, Yui''s body turned into a hazy golden blur as the parcel she had been holding lingered in ce for a tenth of a second. Her movement had been so swift that it was only after her hand was firmly wrapped around his neck that Nobu''s realized she had moved.


    Using a single hand, Yui lifted Nobu up until his face was only a few centimeters away from her own as she asked, "I pulled you from the streets and this is how you express your gratitude? Don''t think for a moment that, just because I saved you, I won''t kill you with my own two hands."


    Finished with her warning, Yui threw Nobu so that his back collided against the wall of the Inn. The constructions in Nian were built to amodate people who could easily crush boulders with their bare hands, so, while a heavy crashing sound could be heard throughout the Inn, the only thing to receive damage was Nobu''s bound arms.


    Having fallen face-first onto the bed, Nobu did his best to suppress a pained groan by gritting his teeth hard enough to draw blood. He wanted nothing more than to curse the woman for resorting to violence over such a small matter, but, understanding there was nothing he could do against her, he kept his face lowered for several seconds. From the perspective of Yui, this showed that he was reflecting on his actions. In reality, the pain emanating from Nobu''s broken right hand was causing him to seriously consider headbutting her in the gut...


    Using her aura in a manner reminiscent of Telekinesis, Yui manipted the parcel and boots over to her side before alighting from the bed and exining, "I have some questions. Answer honestly and I will release you from your bindings and reward you with these clothes. Attempt to deceive me and you can spend the rest of the evening contemting your life choices. You''ve already exhausted my goodwill. Do not y games with me."


    After taking a number of deep breaths, Nobu rolled to his side, rage and indignation visible in his grey-blue eyes as he asked, "What do you want to know?"


    Though she wasn''t fond of the hateful glimmer present in the man''s eyes, it was infinitely better than the casual way he had been regarding her before. Thus, after a brief moment of silence, Yui asked, "How long have you been living in Owari-Asai City?"


    Resisting the urge to say he had only just arrived, Nobu remained silent for several seconds before answering, "Eleven years..." in a subdued yet aggressive tone.


    Nodding her head in approval, Yui manifested a solid gold chair out of thin air, taking a seat before proceeding to ask, "Tell me, have you ever heard of a man named Nanamori Natsu? He should have been living on the outskirts of the city until two years ago. I have been given a mission to search for his grandson. If the information you provide leads to his discovery, I will be sure topensate you handsomely."


    Though she currently held Nobu''s life in her hands, Yui''s sess in cultivation could be attributed to her righteous character and forgiving heart. Those who harbored resentment in their heart had a harder time extracting the essence from minerals, so, for the sake of her dream, she wasn''t above forgiving people who had slighted her. What she never expected was for Nobu to look at her like she had lost her mind before proceeding tough in one of the most annoying and grating voices she had ever heard...

 Chapter 7: Courting Death

    Chapter 7: Courting Death


    Unamused by Nobu''s persistentughter, Yui waited for several seconds before promptly giving him a crisp p with the back of her hand.


    "You have three seconds to exin yourself."


    Tasting blood in his mouth, Nobu licked his teeth before disying a bloody smile that caused Yui to adopt a serious expression. Before she could strike him a second time, however, Nobu''s turned into a vicious grin as he said, "I know exactly where the person you''re looking for is. I can even tell you what happened to Old Man Natsu."


    Blinking in surprise, Yui rxed her posture, a nascent smile on her face as she said, "Go on. Tell me what you know and I''ll make it more than worth-"


    Though it probably wasn''t the wisest thing to do, Nobu didn''t wait for Yui to finish before promptly replying, "Noooooope~!''


    With the pupils of her obsidian-blue eyes retracting to the size of pinholes, it was easy to see that Yui was unamused by Nobu''s ill-advised yfulness. A pale glow immediately manifested around her right hand, but, rather than shy away, Nobu adopted his widest smile yet as he said, "If you hit me again, I promise you''ll regret it."


    Glowering in response to Nobu''s ''threat'', Yui formed her aura into ws as she struck the former''s chest with her palm. The tips of her nails sank nearly half a centimeter into his chest, and, as a result of her aura prating his body, the resultant bleed was far more intense than it should have been.


    Though he was reeling from the strike, Nobu was far more concerned about the injuries sustained to his right hand than the puncture wounds on his chest. It would undoubtedly hurt like hellter on, but, for the time being, it simply burned. His hand, however, had been fractured during his fight in the alleyway. His bindings had caused it to swell to more than twice its usual size, so, when he fell back on it, a truly unfathomable amount of pain shot through his body.


    "AAAAAAAAH! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! YOU STUPID FUCKING CUNT! ARE YOU GETTING OFF ON THIS SHIT...!?"


    Before his reincarnation, Nobu had always thought his pain tolerance was above average. Now, he was realizing that he had simply never experienced true pain before. He wanted so badly to punch something, but, thanks to bindings keeping his arms firmly held in ce, the only thing he could do was writhe about before hitting his head against the floor in a vain attempt to, at the very least, dull the pain.


    Seeing Nobu thrashing about, blood spattering across every surface, Yui''s cold expression gradually morphed into a slightly anxious glower. The only person she had ever killed was a brigand captured by her family for the sole purpose of allowing the younger generation to experience taking a life. At the time, she had felt very little remorse. The man''s fate had already been set in stone, and, had she failed, her path as a warrior would have been severed.


    A stark contrast to the situation back then, the man before her, at least to her knowledge, hadn''t actually done anything wrong. He had even apologized after nearly spitting blood on her, yet, for her own convenience, she was now tormenting him for information. As a result, she was beginning to feel a little nauseous, so, after several seconds of stunned silence, she harshlymanded, "Stop thrashing about! If you keep this up, you''re going to die...!"


    Hearing the slight panic in the woman''s voice, equal parts rage and vindication erupted from the depths of Nobu''s soul as he shouted, "Good! I would rather die than spend a single moment longer in this god-forsaken world! My only regret is that I won''t get to see your face when you realize what you''ve done!"


    Nobu didn''t know if it was because he had already reincarnated or because he felt helpless thinking about never being able to see his mother again. Either way, he didn''t fear death in the slightest. Thest couple of hours had been a living hell, so, even if this was his only chance to reincarnate, he no longer cared. Dying early on was a lot better than wasting hundreds of years only to discover there was no method for him to return home...


    Taken aback by the fear, anguish, rage, and indignation in Nobu''s eyes, Yui found herself unable to move from her spot. His eyescked the resignation that others would show when it dawned upon them that they were going to die. Instead, there was an unnatural ''conviction'' contained within his pale, ashen-blue, eyes. It was as if death meant nothing to him, and, due to his words from before, she felt as though she truly might regret it if she allowed him to die...


    Fortunately, for the both of them, Nobu''s malnourished state had made him slightly anemic. As a result, it didn''t take long for him to copse, face-first, onto the floor. This rmed Yui quite a bit, but, after checking for a pulse, a sigh of relief parted her pale-pink lips as she detected the weak yet remarkably stable beating of his heart...


    "I''m not sure if I shouldpare your tenaciousness to a King or a cockroach..."


    ---


    Waking after god knows how many hours, Nobu was both relieved and annoyed to find his body wrapped in bandages and his right arm set in a splint. He had seriously intended to die, and, while it wasn''t exactly her fault, a part of him was looking forward to speaking his mind the next time he encountered the Goddess. Instead, it looked like this world wasn''t yet done with him.


    "At least you had the good senses to untie those stupid fucking ropes..."


    Frowning in response to Nobu''s words, Yui, who had been sitting patiently at the side of his bed, remarked, "You have a sharp tongue. It''s a wonder you''ve been able to survive this long, especially with that cultivation base. It''s like you''ve never trained a day in your life."


    Snorting through his nose, Nobu closed his eyes before silently muttering, "You have no idea what you''re talking about..."


    Maintaining her frown, Yui held up her right hand to disy her golden aura as she said, "I''m a lot more knowledgeable than you, that''s for sure."


    Opening his eyes half-way, Nobu stared directly at Yui''s golden aura before shaking his head and saying, "It''s easy to say things like that when you don''t know the other person''s circumstances..."


    Rxing her expression somewhat, Yui tried to appear understanding as she asked, "Did something happen to your cultivation base? I didn''t find anything particrly wrong with your body. If there is anything unusual, it''s the fact you''re healthy despite exhibiting the signs of extreme malnutrition. If you can exin to me what happened, I might be able to help."


    Not expecting the woman who had tormented him to suddenly offer her assistance, Nobu stared at Yui as if she were some kind of alien creature. He wasn''t sure if she was just arrogant or extremely naive. Either way, it was obvious there were some pretty drastic differences in the ways they viewed the world.


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu sank into his pillow, eyes closed as he asked, "Tell me...does my great savior have a name?"


    Lowering her hand, Yui adopted a slightly hostile tone as she grumbled, "It''s customary for one to give their own name before asking for someone else''s..."


    Taking advantage of the fact they were still closed, Nobu rolled his eyes in response to Yui''s remark before saying, "My name is Nanamori Nobu. I would say it''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but it really isn''t."


    "Eh?"


    Demonstrating that she did, in fact, have a cute side, Yui''s expression showed a mixture of extreme confusion and disbelief as she sheepishly asked, "Can you...repeat that...?"


    Opening his eyes, Nobu stared directly at Yui before saying, "You heard me the first time. And yes, I am the person you''re looking for. Congrattions. You found me."


    Though one of his arms was wrapped in a splint, Nobu performed jazz hands in mock celebration of Yui''s ''aplishment''. This caused the bewildered look on the young woman''s face to immediately transition into an usatory glower as she said, "You''re lying. How could it be that the person I pull from the streets just so happens to be the same person I''m searching for? Don''t think I''ll be fooled with such a tant lie."


    Snorting for a second time, Nobu shrugged his shoulders in a dismissive manner before saying, "I honestly don''t give a fuck. Given the shitty treatment so far, I''m honestly happy you don''t believe me. The less I have to associate with your psycho ass, the better."


    Gritting her teeth in frustration, Yui resisted the urge to reward Nobu''s callous remark with a punch. It was clear such methods didn''t work on him, and, despite his apparent disregard, the sweat on his brow showed that his condition was just as serious as she knew it to be. If she struck him now, there was a very real chance that he might die.


    Forcibly calming her rage, Yui was about to ask for proof when Nobu interrupted her, repeating, "As I said before. I honestly don''t give a fuck. Believe me or don''t believe me. It''s your choice. Just make sure you cough up the reward you promised when you figure things out on your own."


    Recalling her previous promise, Yui found herself at a loss for words, The way Nobu spoke was as if he was absolutely certain he would receive a reward. This would mean he was telling the truth, but, if that were the case, it would also indicate she had assaulted the very person she had been tasked to both locate and escort back to the Yoshitsune n Estate.


    Suppressing the panic she was experiencing, Yui maintained an usatory tone as she said, "From what I was told, the grandson of Nanamori Natsu was dull-witted and unable to move around on his own. There is clearly something wrong with your head but it''s not to the extent people would ssify you as having a deficiency of the mind..."


    Understanding that Yui was basically calling him retarded, Nobu''s expression formed into a wless deadpan as he replied, "I really don''t want to hear something like that from a psycho who resorts to violence against people who are clearly weaker than her. If you''re looking for someone with a screw loose, try looking in a mirror."


    Confused by Nobu''s words, Yui remained silent for several seconds as she wondered what a mirror had to do with her search. It was rumored that some irvoyants were able to use them to view a target from thousands of kilometers away but that didn''t really apply to the present situation.


    Seeing Yui seriously considering his words, it was Nobu''s turn to feel at a loss. His meaning would have been obvious to anyone back on Earth, but, here in this foreign world, that clearly wasn''t the case. Fortunately, or perhaps not, it seemed like she eventually understood what he was trying to convey as her confused looked very quickly morphed into an expression of scorn.


    If he had both hands avable to him, Nobu would have pped. Instead, he adopted a look of mock surprise as he said, "Wow! It only took you twenty seconds to understand something even a toddler would have-"


    Before he could finish his words, Nobu''s worked faded to ck as Yui''s fist promptly reunited with his face. It wasn''t like the normal unconsciousness either. In fact, were a Doctor to be present, they would have quickly diagnosed him as being in aa. Despite this, Nobu didn''t regret his decision in the slightest. After all, moments before his brain had simply shut down, he got to see what it was like when someone blushed like an anime character in real life...

 Chapter 8: Freedom?

    Chapter 8: Freedom?


    Opening his eyes, Nobu found himself staring up at a now-familiar ceiling. Based on the amount of light shining in through the window, he assumed he had been out for the entire night. Since he was currently alone, he used that as an opportunity to pick up the stone tablet with his left hand, finally able to make use of it like a normal person.


    "What the fuck...?"


    Seeing that his stockpiled clicks were nearing 300,000, Nobu wished he had a calctor function in order to help him figure out just how long he had been asleep. Unfortunately, he didn''t even know how to navigate back to the home screen, so, for the time being, he focused on tapping the screen as quickly as he could.


    Back on Earth, he had been able to manage upwards of fourteen clicks per second. Since the world record was only sixteen clicks, this demonstrated just how ''seriously'' he took his admittedly unusual hobby.


    "Damn...if I only I wasn''t right-handed..."


    Though he typically made use of a southpaw fighting style, the only reason for this was because it was more useful when fighting against the majority of opponents. Most people were right-handed, so, by focusing on the more unorthodox style, he managed to secure himself an advantage against most bullies and thugs.


    Fortunately, as his wrist would sometimes ache after long sessions of clicking, Nobu wasn''t too unfamiliar with using his left hand. He could still manage around eleven clicks per second, and, as a result, he managed to earn himself two new achievements.


    *Achievement Unlocked: Furious Clicker*


    *Achievement Unlocked: The Stranger*


    Understanding the innuendo contained within the second achievement, a dryugh emanated from Nobu''s remarkably sore throat. It felt like he hadn''t had anything to drink in days, and, based on the number of clicks he had stockpiled, that was very likely the case.


    Ignoring his body''s demands for both water and sustenance, Nobu thumbed the Achievements Tab to see if it contained anything useful. In many Clicker Apps, achievements would stack to provide a number of useful bonuses.


    As if it were bing his catchphrase, Nobu muttered, "What the fuck..." in response to seeing a functionally endless wall of question marks. He understood these were achievements he had yet to unlock. What surprised him was the fact that, even after scrolling for the better part of a minute, he was nowhere near the bottom of the list.


    Shaking his head, Nobu gave up trying to reach the bottom and instead scrolled back to the top of the page. The three achievements he had unlocked could be found among the first hundred or so lines of question marks. This indicated they were rtively simple to unlock, but, considering one of them required that he click a single time, even ayman could have figured that out.


    "Here''s hoping this shitty game doesn''tpletely fuck me over..."


    Having reached the top of the list, Nobu promptly pressed on his ''The First Click'' achievement. This caused a small information window to pop up, and, for a brief moment, a smile crept onto his face as he saw the words ''Bonus'' beneath the description.


    ----------------------------------------------


    *The First Click*


    Acquisition Requirements: Click a single time. Good for you.


    Bonus: 0.0000001% increase to the efficacy of clicks. What? Did you expect something more?


    ----------------------------------------------


    Reading the lines of text associated with the achievement, the smile on Nobu''s face turned into a deep frown. If there were a way to file aint, he wouldn''t hesitate to give the developers of the App a piece of his mind. After all, while the bonus was somewhat disappointing, the addendum at the end was both unnecessary and infuriating.


    Suppressing his desire to curse a certain golden-haired Goddess, Nobu clicked on his other two achievements to confirm they afforded him marginally better but ultimately useless bonuses. If the rest rewarded him with simr boons, he would need to unlock hundreds, if not thousands, of other achievements just to notice their effect on his clicks.


    "Well...whatever...at least now I can understand why the list was so long..."


    Since it wasn''t something he could affect, Nobu decided not to focus on it. Instead, he tried a few simple experiments to see if he could unlock a few additional achievements. This included using his nose and each of his fingers to press the screen as fast as he could.


    Though he felt like aplete asshat, Nobu took sce in the fact his actions weren''t aplete waste of time. Pressing with his nose had earned him the Woodpecker achievement. Using each of his fingers, in turn, had also unlocked the, ''I Can Count to Five'' achievement, so, at the very least, he was now earning an additional 0.0000005% bonus experience per click.


    Nobu''s only regret was that he had attempted to use his broken hand in order to ascertain whether or not he could acquire an achievement from his injuries. Instead, he just ended up causing himself unnecessary pain while undermining his click efficiency. Thus, at least for the time being, he decided it was for the best he gives up on self-destructive methods of experimentation...


    As that thought crossed his mind, a glimmer appeared at the corner of Nobu''s eyes as he moved aside the covers to confirm he was still naked. This gave him a rather devious thought, so, after a very brief moment of hesitation, he attempted to ascertain whether or not his little brother could lend his support.


    Though it was easily one of the more awkward experiences of his life, a massive grin spread across Nobu''s face when he pulled back his phone and discovered he had unlocked, not one, but thirteen separate achievements. While he would have liked to brag this was an achievement for every single inch he had been endowed with, his father''s gics weren''t ''that'' monstrous. Instead, most of the achievements were called things like, ''Oh How Low You''ll Go'', ''Love Has No Boundaries'', and, ''This Isn''t Even My Final Form''.


    After his initial frustration regarding the achievement descriptions, Nobu no longer cared whether or not the developers of the App were going to heckle him. The only thing that mattered was that he had confirmed his suspicions, and, so long as he made an ''earnest effort'', he should be able to unlock a variety of achievements by performing unique and misceneous acts. Unfortunately, it was only in hindsight that it urred to him to use his tongue...something that would now have to wait until he had conducted an exhaustive cleaning...


    ---


    With Nobu entering a deep slumber that even physicians could not wake him from, Yui decided to upy herself with ascertaining the truth. If he was truly Nanamori''s grandson, she would have no choice but to apologize. This was something her pride wouldn''t easily allow, as, like most warriors, the only people she would voluntarily lower her head to were her Lord, her Ancestors, her parents, and her husband.


    Nobu was none of these things, so, unless it came down to defending her honor, it was impossible for her to simply lower her head and say sorry. Rather, if it turned out he had been lying to her, she was fully prepared to kill him the next time he awoke.


    Unfortunately, after talking with a few local officials and a number of residents living near the edge of the city, every eye-witness ount lent credibility to Nobu''s im. It would seem he was actually quite famous within the city, as, against all odds, he managed to survive for months on end without so much as a single grain of rice. His tenacity and perpetually fasting had earned him the nickname Ascetic Idiot, as, not only did he rarely eat, he spent most of his time rocking back and forth whilst holding his hands in prayer...(A/N: More like clutching the tablet for dear life...)


    The only thing Yui didn''t understand was how Nobu could go from being a dull-witted cripple to an irredeemably uncouth, borderline barbaric, lecher. His personality was nothing like what the rumors made him out to be, almost like he was apletely different person.


    Though possession wasn''t particrly umon, especially if you ventured to the far north, there were a number of tell-tale signs that gave it away. There would be a spiritual imprint somewhere on the body, and, more importantly, the cultivation base of the possessor would be present within the new host. They would also exude a chill from their body, as, more often than not, practitioners who possessed others relied on extremely profane, yin elemental, techniques.


    Nobu possessed none of the tell-tale signs of someone who had been possessed. His cultivation, in particr, was closer to that of a newborn child than someone who had lived for tens of thousands of years. While abilities to hide a person''s cultivation certainly existed, maintaining such a technique whilepletely unconscious was next to impossible. Nobu had also failed to liberate himself from her bindings even after several hours, so, unless he was an unbelievable actor, he was likely as weak as he appeared.


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui stared at a simple charcoal drawing that had been sketched up by one of the people who had both seen and interacted with Nobu. The sketch wasn''t something that would be ced on exhibit, but, even at a nce, she could discern the simrities between the person in the image and the person she had knocked unconscious more than three days prior.


    "Grandmother is going to kill me..."


    Though her official mission was merely to ascertain what had happened to Nanamori Natsu, the task Yui''s Grandmother had assigned centered around locating Nobu and escorting him back to the n. Her Grandmother was one of the most influential Elders in the entire Yoshitune n, so, while her official duty took precedence, failing to aplish her additional assignment without a proper justification was grounds for immediate exile. She doubted her Grandmother would follow through on this, but that actually presented a number of issues that Yui would much rather not even think about.


    Fortunately, while she had been a bit ''rough'' with him, Nobu''s life wasn''t in any danger. The Doctor she had hired to take a look at him said he should wake up once the swelling in his brain subsided. Hisck of fluids and recent blood loss should speed up this process quite a bit, so, as long as she kept feeding him a mouthful of Elixir each morning, he should awaken after a few days. Until then, Yui was determined to do everything in her power to prove he wasn''t the man he imed to be...


    ---


    Unaware of thement he had caused, Nobu continued to experiment with the stone tablet for a full three hours before realizing that he could, in fact, get up and leave. His arm might be broken, but, unless she had locked it from the outside, there was nothing stopping him from simply getting up and walking out. Even the mechanical owl from before was nowhere to be seen, almost as if he had been abandoned where hey.


    Considering this might actually be the case, Nobu took advantage of the fact there was a change of clothes on the nightstand to awkwardly dress himself. His previous experiences with broken bones made this a little easier, but, due to the condition of his body, moving too quickly caused his joints to protest with a series of cracks and pops. This made walking especially difficult, but, with a desire to free himself from the hell he had found himself in, Nobu pressed forward until he had reached the door.


    Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, Nobu attempted to turn the knob only to find that it wouldn''t budge a single inch. This caused his brow to twitch, as, upon further inspection, he noticed a golden lighting from the keyhole.


    "This motherfucking yandere..."

 Chapter 9: Plot Armor...?

    Chapter 9: Plot Armor...?


    With the door fastened securely, Nobu''s only option to escape was through the second-story window. Unfortunately, this would require him to jump down to the ground.


    While it wasn''t a great distance, Nobu could barely walk, much less perform something as strenuous as parkour roll. Breaking a leg would be a lot worse than being down a hand, so, at least for the time being, he dragged himself back to bed, muttering, "Whatever...at least I got a change of clothes. As long as that airstrip bitch doesn''t try and meddle with me when all this is over, I don''t give a damn..."


    Though he suspected the woman might try and drag him away, Nobu had no intentions of following her. He might have been thankful if she had simply saved him. Instead, she burnt any bridges between them by tying him up and assaulting him three times over. Even if this was ultimately the result of a misunderstanding, he didn''t want to be associated with anyone unhinged enough to resort to violence before they even had a grasp of the situation.


    Ignoring the hypocrisy contained within this sentiment, Nobu passed the time by continuing his grind. His stockpiled clicked had allowed him to increase his point value by more than 100 over thest three hours. This caused the subtle tingling in his abdomen to gradually develop into a pleasant warmth, and, as a result, the chill within the room was no longer affecting him.


    All things considered, Nobu''s felt as though his situation was improving with each and every click. His onlyint, ignoring all the other things he wanted toin about, was that he had no idea how to actually manipte his aura. He had tried several of the mostmon methods he read about in his previous world, but, as someone who had lived their entire life as a normal human being, manipting energy wasn''t exactly a part of his skill set.


    "Those novels where the MC taps into their energy after only a few hours is bullshit...seriously, what kind of cheat is that? You expect me to believe a bunch of anti-social otakus who haven''t worked out a single day in their life can suddenly focus their minds to the point of being able to manipte ki and shit? Bullshit."


    While his frustrations werergely due to the fact he was unable to emte said result, Nobu still felt it was strange how most stories just glossed over the issue by having their MC simply meditate and, vo, they were suddenly able to tap into an energy that the original natives spent years trying to awaken. He doubted most of them had ever even meditated before so it didn''t make a lick of sense for them to be able to achieve that state of mind immediately after being reincarnated. When he tried, his thoughts were all over the ce. His broken hand and the lingering pain in his stomach also didn''t help, so, while it wasn''t exactly fair to the Otakus, Nobu had never been particrly fond of the unique subset of society.


    "Fucking plot armor..."


    ---


    After an annoying fruitful day of gathering information, Yui attempted to return to the Inn only to find her path blocked by a group of several men. This included two thug-like individuals, a man with delicate, almost feminine features, and, most troublingly, an elderly man with a thick mustache, deep wrinkles, and a tinum-colored chainmail glittering beneath his tunic...


    Without waiting for the group to exin their intentions, Yui immediately manifested a set of katanas, one long and one short, before demanding, "Move. Only scoundrels and scumbags block a woman''s path in the streets. Have you no honor?"


    Glowering in response to Yui''s remark, the feminine-looking man, a textbook definition of a ''Young Master'', coldly muttered, "Impudent...it would seem you cultivation base had made you arrogant..." before gesturing to the two men nking his sides.


    Though she didn''t particrly care about the man''s words, Yui sprang into action the moment he gestured to his cronies. She was guessing he either had something to do with Nanamori''s disappearance or they had already investigated her to determine she didn''t actually have any backup. Either way, they weren''t the kind of people she could simply talk things through with, so, even if it cost her life, she had no intention of letting them have their way.


    "Secret Technique - Sword Chases Sparrow...!"


    Combining extreme speed and flexibility, Yui''s swords traced an unnatural arc reminiscent of a pair of sparrows in flight. This caught the men approaching her by surprise, but, before her attacks could connect, golden auras covered their bodies as the sound of metal striking metal echoed through the surroundings.


    Clicking her tongue, Yui used the face of the man attempting to grab her as a springboard to somersault backward. She wasn''t surprised by the fact both men were Golden Warriors. After all, she hadn''t exactly been keeping her cultivation base a secret.


    "Grandmother wasn''t lying when she said gold is the most difficult rank to ovee...it feels like my attacks don''t do any damage..."


    Though her aura had be significantly heavier and exponentially more malleable, gold wasn''t particrly known for its efficacy in holding an edge. Swordsmen transition between Silver Adept and Golden Warrior would find their speed drastically reduced, and, while their aura would be iparably versatile, it wasn''t umon for their weapons to deform whilst striking. Yui was no exception to this, and, though she had managed to leave a sizeable dent in the two mens'' auras, her longer katana now looked more like a question mark than a sword.


    Believing his prey was trying to flee, the feminine man shouted, "Don''t let her escape! If she isn''t kneeling before me in the next five minutes, somebody is going to pay with-"


    *CLANG*


    With a sh of cold and the sound of metal striking metal, the boisterous man found himself paling as the elderly man behind him grasped a crossbow bolt intended for his face.


    "Activate your aura and remain silent. If I hadn''t been here, your hubris would have just cost you your life."


    Swallowing the knot in his throat, the feminine man nodded his head before directing a re in the direction Yui had fled. At the same time, a silvery glow covered his body, but, were you to look closely, it was possible to make out a few darker strands within his aura. This indicated he had either just broken through to the Rank of Silver Adept, or, far more likely, he had used unrefined silver ore toplete the process.


    "I don''t care what family you belong to...you will tell me the secret to obtaining gold quickly or you will suffer the same fate as a flower that blooms quicker than the rest..."


    ---


    If there was anything Yui was confident about, it was her speed. Women, at least among the vast majority of tribes, were physically weaker than men. As a result, they had to rely on skill, flexibility, and raw speed to contend against physically superior foes.


    Though her speed had drastically decreased ever since she ascended to the rank of Golden Warrior, Yui was confident she could outpace people a full five ranks higher than her so long as they didn''t specialize in speed. Thus, after several minutes of jumping between buildings and dodging through alleyways, Yui had managed to sessfully give her pursuers the slip.


    Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of her troubles. After all, if they had investigated her enough to know she didn''t have someone supporting her from the shadow, they would obviously know where she was staying. To that end, there was even a chance they had taken Nobu hostage. If that were the case, this mission hadn''t simply be exponentially more difficult, it had be impossible toplete. After all, while Owari-Asai might not be thergest city in the Owari Province, the forces governing it were far stronger than what a single Golden Warrior could contend against.


    Releasing a sigh, Yui extracted a bamboo chute with seals covering one end and a pull cord extending from the other. This was the emergency re given to candidates undergoing their warrior''s trial. In the Yoshitsune n, it was customary for aspiring warriors toplete their first mission without the support of the family. Those who were forced to use the signal were considered failures, and, while there had been numerous exceptions in the past, Yui doubted she would be one of them. She had already earned the dissatisfaction of several Elders when she refused to marry the Sixth Elder of the Oda n, a man more than a hundred-and-twenty year her senior. Ever since then, she had beenbeled as egotistical and self-serving, so, with the exception of her Grandmother and her elder sister, many within the Yoshitsune n had been eagerly awaiting the day she would make a mistake.


    "Is it so wrong to want to choose my own path...?"


    Shaking that thought from her mind, Yui aimed the bamboo shoot towards the sky before hesitantly grasping the pull cord. Countless people who hade before her had given up their lives for the sake of the Yoshitsune n so it was pure selfishness on her part to desire something more. She could have done something had she possessed the strength to sweep aside all obstacles, but, with only her Grandmother to support her, bing the strongest was a mere pipe dream.


    As that thought crossed her mind, a fair amount of moisture gathered within Yui''s obsidian-ck eyes before she closed them and pulled the cord with all her strength. There was very clearly some foul y involved in the disappearance of Nanamori Natsu. She could not let his death go unanswered, so, for the sake of carrying out justice, she was willing to sacrifice even her dream...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Confused by theck of an explosive pop, Yui opened her eyes to see that she had, somehow, managed to yank out the cord without setting off the re. More specifically, her full-force tug had snapped the cord near the base.


    Blinking several times in surprise, Yui didn''t know whether she shouldugh or cry as a mix of emotions, predominately relief, washed over her. For a brief moment, she even felt as though she had suddenly been given a new lease on life. Unfortunately, she wasn''t so delusional as to believe that a misfire would afford her an ounce of clemency should she return home withoutpleting her mission.


    Inhaling a deep breath, Yui waited until she could feel a subtle tingle in her temples before exhaling. This caused a cold sensation to spread through her mind, and, though it did little to calm her nerves, it provided some much-needed rity.


    "I need to hurry back. If they haven''t already captured him, I can stillplete my objectives by escorting Nobu out of the city. So long as he is who he says he is, he should know exactly what happened to Nanamori-san..."


    As these words departed her lips, Yui realized her current predicament was entirely the result of her unwillingness to believe him. Had she taken his words at face value, she wouldn''t have had to waste three days gathering information.


    Exhaling yet another sigh, Yui attempted to psyche herself up by pping her cheeks with the palms of her hands. Doubt and self-me wouldn''t free her from her current predicament. All she could do at this point was her best. Besides, she would much rather die here, fighting like a warrior, than return home only to be a pawn for the main family. Her Grandmother had taught her there were far more terrifying things in life than death, so, even if it was easier to just turn around and run, Yui pressed forward with the conviction of someone who aspired to be a hero...


    (A/N: Feel free to let me know what you think by posting ament or leaving a review. Every bit of feedback helps(so long as you aren''t aplete asshat about it xD...))

 Chapter 10: Escaping from Plot-sama? I think not...

    Chapter 10: Escaping from Plot-sama? I think not...


    As much as he enjoyed just shutting his brain off and clicking, Nobu''s patience was beginning to wear thin. His throat waspletely parched, and, while it wasn''t nearly as bad as when he first arrived, there was a deep, aching, feeling in his stomach.


    "Haaaaa...I swear, if I ever be stronger than that washboard brat, I''m going to lock her in a room for an entire month..."


    Though there was a chance she was much older than him, Nobu got the impression that the raven-haired woman was a few years younger. She gave off the impression of someone incredibly naive, and, were it not for her ridiculous strength, he could easily imagine her being taken advantage of by someone skilled at manipting women.


    "It''s too bad she''s about as t as a nk of wood...I wonder if I could line up the bubble if I ced a level on her chest..."


    Amused by the notion, a dry chuckle emanated from Nobu''s throat as he set aside the stone tablet and rolled out of bed. Even lying down was beginning to cause him some difort so he needed to get up and walk around just to ease some of the tension in his back and joints.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t have told her I was Nananamori''s grandson...nah...as shitty as this situation is, it''s better than freezing to death and getting stripped naked by a bunch of homeless people..."


    Since he had also gotten a free change of clothes and some surprisinglyfortable boots out of the deal, Nobu decided that, so long as she left him the hell alone, he would be magnanimous and forgive the tchested psycho for her slights. Besides, he got the impression her very existence was some kind of g.


    As the woman herself had pointed out, meeting randomly was way too convenient to be a mere coincidence. In other words, this was the so-called ''fateful encounter''. Thus, before he could get wrapped up in whatever plot that psycho Goddess had contrived, Nobu was determined to get the hell out of dodge.


    While some might take advantage of this situation to do something along the lines of ''reiming'' their birthright, the simple fact of the matter was that the Oda n were basically strangers to him. They had already invested a shit ton of resources into trying to cure his ''curse'' so he would need to be an irredeemable asshat to believe something as asinine as birthright entitled him to even more. Things might have been different if he had reincarnated properly but that was now water under the bridge.


    Just as he had been preparing to do back on Earth, Nobu was determined to venture out into the world on his own. He already had a cheat, so, even if he just holed himself up in a cheap Inn and survived off of bread, it was only a matter of time before he became strong. After that, he would travel a bit, but, unlike the vast majority of cultivators, he had absolutely no intentions of traveling around for the sole purpose of ying monsters and battling against evil sects. Just the thought of this made him feel exhausted, so, even if the Goddess had machinated some grand plot for him to y a part in, Nobu would be happy if he could just find a nice girl with big tits to settle down and start a family with.


    Though it didn''t really matter at this point, Nobu had actually been studying Civil Engineering. He was only in his first year of college, but, judging by the bucket located in the corner of the room, it was fair to say this world would benefit from some modernization. The buildings outside looked like something straight out of an eastern fantasy flick, and, as far as he could recall, even the Oda n''s castlecked proper plumbing. In other words, so long as he scouted a few eggheads and pointed them in the right direction, he could basically be the Thomas Edison of this world without any real effort.


    With such thoughts running through his mind, Nobu walked over to the window to stare out at the surprisingly busy streets below. This was one of only three port cities in the Owari Province, so, if he yed his cards right, he might be able to secure passage on a trading vessel. This would probably put him at risk against pirates, but, considering most of the feudal lords stayed within their territory, it would be a lot easier to avoid the Oda n if he traveled abroad. The only time he had ever been on a boat was when he went on a school field trip to Lake Erie so, seeing the multi-masted Galleons mored in the distance, Nobu couldn''t deny the thought was tempting...


    "Now I just need to wait for little miss BDSM to make good on her promise..."


    As if his words had somehow manifested her into existence, Nobu''s mind nked as he noticed the sadist in question sticking close to the side of an adjacent building. She seemed to be on high alert, but, due to it being broad daylight, the only way her actions could have drawn even more attention was if she werepletely nude.


    "If you''re dressed like a samurai, don''t try to skulk around like a ninja...seriously, this girl..."


    Almost as if she had heard his remark, the raven-haired girl shifted her attention to the window, eyes squinting as she ced her palm against the ground and began to exude a golden aura from her body.


    "Now what are you-!?"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, Nobu instinctually blocked his eyes with his right arm as ss shards and splintered wooden shards peppered his body like rain. At the same time, the girl who had just leaped more than thirty meters to both cross the street and leap through the window intoned a confused, "Eh?" before following it up with a startled, "Why were you standing there...!?"


    Feeling an increasingly familiar heat from various parts of his body, Nobu lowered his bloody arm, face grimmer than a demon as he replied, "I needed to stretch my body. A certain twin-tailed brat thought it would be a good idea to lock me in a room without food or water. Now, mind telling me why the fuck you just jumped in through the window?"


    Not expecting Nobu to even be awake, Yui found herself at a loss for words, mouth agape as she stared at the rather sizeable shard of ss sticking out of the man''s chest. Most people would have, at the very least, flinched after receiving such an injury. The man across from her, however, seemedpletely impervious to pain...


    A stark contrast to the glowering yet calm expression on his face, Nobu was screaming, ("She did it again! This fucking bitch! It''s like she exists to torment me! Seriously, what the actual fuck is wrong with her!?")


    With Nobu''s gaze piercing through her, almost as if he were shooting beams from his eyes, Yui began to feel slightly ufortable. Despite this, she managed to regain her icy cold visage as she exined, "The people who killed you Grandfather just attempted to capture me. Once I''m finished bandaging your wounds, we''ll need to leave the city. There is a safehouse located a few kilometers north of the city. We''ll hold out there for a few days before venturing north. Don''t worry, so long as you stay close to me, I won''t let anything happen to you. You have my word."


    Though darkness had started to creep into his vision, Nobu''s fury allowed his mind to remain clear as he shouted, "Protect me!? With the exception of my right hand, every single one of my fucking injuries was inflicted by you! Hell, even that was made worse thanks to your stupid fucking ropes! Do you seriously expect me to trust you!? You''re batshit insane...!"


    Furrowing her brows in response to Nobu''s usations, Yui wanted to refute them, but, the more she thought about it, the more she realized he was telling the truth. Even now, thanks to the seals ced on windows to prevent people from peering inside, Nobu had sustained numerous injuries as a direct result of her actions. As far as she knew, he had only recently awoken, yet, the moment he got up to walk around, her actions had ensured he would be spending at least a few more days in bed.


    Noticing the uncertainty contained within the woman''s eyes, Nobu''s thought processes seemed to speed up as he seriously considered telling her to fuck off. This wouldn''t have been a problem if it were a few days ago, but, now that she had earned the attention of the assholes who had killed his ''Grandfather'', there was a fair chance they would target him in order to get to her. In other words, thanks to whatever scheme the Goddess had cooked up, he was basically fucked no matter which option he chose.


    Since fleeing with the psycho was probably his only option if he wanted to avoid being tortured to death, Nobu flexed the muscles of his jaw several times before growling, "Whatever. Let''s go. Just know that I hate you more with each passing second. Once this bullshit blows over, it would be the greatest fortune of my life if I never have to see you again..."


    With strength draining from his body before he had even finished speaking, Nobu stumbled to the ground immediately following his statement. He knew his words were a little harsh, but, considering all the shit she had put him through, she was lucky he didn''t try to hold her down until her pursuers arrived. If he turned her over to them, there was a chance they would let him walk away. They might even give him a reward, but, as much as he hated this embodiment of misfortune, Nobu wasn''t the kind of guy who could simply toss a woman to the wolves without batting an eye...


    Though her training mandated that she immediately check Nobu''s condition, the former''s words left Yui feeling an indescribable feeling in her chest. His indignation reminded her of all the times she had felt weak and powerless in the past. Back then, every aspect of her life had been decided by other people, and, were it not for the fact her fiance had died, she would have spent the remainder of her days ying the part of an obedient servant and concubine. Since her husband was destined to be the next leader of the Oda n, she wouldn''t even be allowed to have children since it might result in a power struggle between the two ns. Thus, better than most, she could understand the feelings of indignation people felt when they were forced to ept a situation beyond their power to change...


    "Grandmother was right...I wasn''t ready for this. I''ve even be the very thing I hate the most...a selfish and egotistical person who forces others to obey simply because I have the power to force them toply...how pathetic..."


    Scowling, not at Nobu but because of her own self-loathing, Yui bent down to check the former''s pulse before skillfully cutting away the fabric of his tunic. Carrying him while there were ss shards in his body was a recipe for disaster, so, while she was pressed for time, treating his injuries was her highest priority. If he died, the only way she would be able to repent for her actions was to offer her own life in turn. Thus, for both of their sakes, she would make sure he survived...even if it cost both her dream and her life...


    (A/N: Man, Nobu is a little firecracker...I kind of feel bad for Yui, but, considering the former is the one lying on the ground with a piece of ss piercing his chest, it''s hard to me him for being a little upset. Either way, this is an oof moment.)

 Chapter 11: Tale as Old as Time...

    Chapter 11: Tale as Old as Time...


    Between moments of rity and unconsciousness, Nobu had the distinct impression he was being tossed around like a ragdoll. It was an extremely annoying, and, at times, agonizing experience, as, every time he awoke, he would feel a range of pain, heat, cold, and moisture. He felt like someone had sent him through a powerwash before subsequently throwing him into a drier on its maximum setting.


    By the time he managed to stay awake for more than a few seconds at a time, Nobu couldn''t move so much as a single muscle in his body. All he could do was stare at the ceiling above, a rocky dome set with green gemstones that emitted a faint glow.


    Though it took his mind a moment to process it, Nobu actually recognized the peculiar pattern. His ''Grandfather'', Nanananamori, had brought him here several times. It was his hope that he would be able to remember this ce, and, if something were to happen to him, he wanted his catatonic self to somehow seek refuge within.


    "How the hell did I end up here...?"


    Thest thing Nobu could clearly recollect was the quarrel he had been having with the infuriating woman who had yet to give him her name. Everything after that had been a blur of lights, sounds, and, of course, pain. Now, he had somehow ended up in the exact spot he had intended to retreat to once he parted ways with the woman. After all, this was the location where his Grandfather had hidden most of their savings...


    With things gradually clicking into ce, much like the pieces of an extremely cliche puzzle, Nobu began to suspect that the unnamed woman was either a branch member of the Oda n or one of its many vassal families. The fact she had been searching for him, in the first ce, was a pretty big giveaway. He just hadn''t thought about it previously since every time he saw the woman, he was in extreme pain...


    "Urrrrrrgh...!"


    Gritting his teeth, Nobu forced himself to, at the very least, roll to his side. He had learned basic CPR and First Aid during his Senior Year in High School, so, while he didn''t remember much, one of the things he recalled was the Recovery Position. This supposed made it easier to breathe, so, with every rise of his chest causing him pain and difort, he was hoping to alleviate the symptoms by adopting what was, essentially, just a fetal position.


    "Haaa, haaa, huuuh? Oh, for fuck''s sake..."


    Though he managed toplete the maneuver, part of Nobu wished he had just remained lying on his back, as, situated with her back to the wall was a very beaten and bloodied young woman. Who else could this be if not the raven-haired nightmare that had unceremoniously entered his life a few days prior? Fate seemed to be forcing them together using various cliches, so, if he followed the logic present in most novels, he was, against all rhyme and reason, expected to save her.


    "Let me guess...I save her here...and then she pledges to follow me until she can repay her debt...is that the shitty plot you bastards came up with? Next thing you know, we''ll find out we were actually engaged to be married or some stupid shit like that. Right...!?"


    Seemingly powered by his frustration, the tingling warmth in Nobu''s stomach began to spread to the rest of his body. The pain he had been experiencing was gradually beginning to fade away, and, though he made no effort to move, he got the distinct impression he could make it to the woman''s side if he really pushed himself.


    "This...is...such...bullshit...!!"


    Using the strength his rage gave him, Nobu rolled off the thatch mat he had been lying on and began crawling towards the unconscious woman. Don''t misunderstand. He might not possess a heroic bone in his body, but, if he didn''t at least try to save her, he would never be able to forgive himself. Thest thing he needed was the vengeful ghost of his presumed fiancee haunting him in her afterlife.


    After what felt like a marathon, Nobu copsed near the side of the unconscious woman before muttering, "Okay...genius...you made it here...now what...?"


    Though he has resolved himself to save the woman, there was a difference between wanting to do something and possessing the ability to actually follow through with it. His medical knowledge was limited to what could be crammed into a few hour-long lectures over the course of half a semester in High School. As for healing scrolls, precious treasures, and miracle elixirs, where the hell was he, a person who had just reincarnated, supposed to find such things?


    With a bit of effort, Nobu managed to position himself so that he was sitting to the immediate left of the woman. In hindsight, this was a rather foolish decision as his right arm, while no longer in a cast, had swollen to the point it had ck, purple, and yellow spots. While he didn''t feel any actual pain, the small alone was enough to inform him there was something ''very'' wrong.


    "Well isn''t this just fucking fantastic? How am I supposed to save this nameless bitch when I can''t even stop my fucking hand from rotting!?"


    Contributing to the many poor decisions he had made since his initial death, Nobu felt as though all the strength was fading from his body. Shouting at the top of his lungs had not only strained his throat, but it had also drained thest vestiges of what he presumed to be his Aura. He suddenly felt an extreme and overwhelming sense of helplessness, and, for a brief moment, darkness began to invade his senses until he instinctually used his left hand to smack the dark red area between his rotting right hand and the rest of his forearm.


    "......!!!!"


    For the umpteenth time since his arrival in this world, Nobu felt such intense pain that it was simply impossible to describe with words. He couldn''t even scream. Instead, the only sound that came out of his mouth was an unnatural silence followed by a pained croaking sound, the result of his lungs trying, and failing, to exhale the vacuum that had formed within.


    Fortunately, Nobu was so dehydrated that he couldn''t cry even if he wanted to. He also managed to retain his consciousness, so, after trembling for the better part of three minutes, he began to shakily fumble around his pockets in search of the stone tablet. His efforts were rewarded by the sensation of a sudden weight in his left trouser pocket. This effectively confirmed his suspicions that the tablet could be called to his side whenever he needed it, but, putting that aside for the moment, Nobu did his best to stop shaking so that he could properly navigate the strange yet familiar device.


    Though it might have been smarter to look around the grotto for treasures his Grandfather might have left behind, Nobu''s instincts told him he could pass out at any moment. Thus, in the hopes of replenishing his reserves, he used the fact his left hand was trembling like an Eskimo in the buff to rapidly tap the screen. This was much slower than his normal pace, but, considering the state of his body, 5-7 clicks per second wasn''t terrible.


    "..."


    Seeing several Achievements pop up in quick session, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face despite the pain visible in his eyes. He was especially ''amused'' by the one called ''Till Death Do Us Part''. He didn''t know if it was alluding to his ''rtionship'' with the Clicker App or if it was because he was currently seated next to a half-dead, if not fully dead, beauty. Either way, it added insult to his many injuries, and, were it not for the fact this was his one and only lifeline, he might have used thest of his strength to smash the tablet against the wall...


    .....


    ....


    ...


    ..


    .


    Stopping only to ascertain whether or not the woman had a pulse, Nobu continued to mindlessly click for the better part of five-hours. His gradual recovery had allowed him to up his pace, and, as a result, he had managed to umte an additional 119 Aura. He wasn''t sure if this was a small orrge amount, but, at the very least, it was enough to allow him to painstakingly force himself to his feet.


    Making the most of his limited and likely temporary mobility, Nobu lumbered over to a small pool located near the far wall. His Grandfather had hidden his stash in a small chest located beneath a t stone half-buried in soot. It was made to be watertight on its own, but, as an extra precaution, the content had been wrapped in severalyers of wax paper and linens.


    "Why does gold have to be so fucking heavy...?"


    Though it was a little surreal to bementing the weight of gold, Nobu managed to extricate the shoebox-sized chest after a considerable amount of effort. His Grandfather had, fortunately, left the box unsecured, so, after fumbling around with the six metal sps keeping it shut, Nobu extracted a few individually wrapped packages and parcels from the interior.


    It might be because of his status as the first son, but Nobu''s father had neverpletely given up hope that he would one day break free from his ''curse''. As a result, he had been sneaking a few rare herbs into the bi-annual care packages intended to ensure he was, at the very least, healthy.


    "Of course I would get a BAMF for a father in the life where I waste neen years of my life as a fucking vegetable..."


    Finding the herb he was looking for, a nt that resembled an emerald-green variant of cannabis, Nobu hobbled over to the unconscious woman''s side before reiterating his words from five hours prior, "Okay genius...Now what...?"


    Though his zombie self had seen the process a number of times, Nobu had no idea how to process medicinal herbs. Nananananamori had been an Apprentice Alchemist in his youth, so, while he was a far cry from the monsters who could exchange pills for entire countries, he might as well be a Pill Godpared to the inexperienced Nobu...


    After considering his options for the better part of ten minutes, Nobupletely dismissed the notion of transferring the herb''s ''essence'' via mouth-to-mouth. It had never really made sense to him why some people believed this was necessary. Unless they were using their tongues to literally force the medicine down their victim''s throat, it made a lot more sense to create something like a funnel.


    With this in mind, Nobu crushed the herb using a pestle and mortar before filling arge basin with water. He knew the final product needed to be both boiled and diluted, but, even if he understood the theory behind producing a fire, attempting to do so with a single hand was a waste of time. He had no idea how long the woman had been unconscious, but, if this situation were anything like the novels he read back on Earth, her time had ''conveniently'' begun running out the moment he began his preparations.


    As if responding to his words, a crashing sound could be heard as the woman slumped over and began to seize. This caused the already apathetic expression on Nobu''s face to turn into a wless deadpan, as, if she continued to thrash about, it would be impossible to use the funnel he spent a full ten minutes folding from wax paper. In other words, fate, or, far more like, an extremely bored Goddess, was doing everything in her power to make sure he stuck to conventions. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, Nobu ''diluted'' the contents of the medicine by promptly emptying the basin into the pool. Then, after throwing in all the other herbs for good measure, he walked over, picked up the unconscious woman, and tossed her into the pool...


    "Fuck your cliches..."


    (A/N: The MC ain''t no Prince Charming, that''s for sure...)

 Chapter 12: Flags, Fears, and the Fuckery Associated with Fate

    Chapter 12: gs, Fears, and the Fuckery Associated with Fate


    Though his mother had taught him that women should be treated with delicacy and respect, he imagined she would be the first to pick up a weapon if she saw his state over thest couple of days. He also had no intention of getting wrapped up in any cliches, so, using his knowledge of dozens, if not hundreds, of novels, he was intending to dodge as many ''gs'' as possible.


    While the phrase had been coopted by Otaku and Weeb culture, gs were a programming term that indicated a variable, either local or global, that was triggered by specific inputs of the user. In pop culture, triggering a person''s g basically implied you had been locked into a specific route that would either end in you bing a couple or facing a ''bad end''.


    Nobu didn''t consider himself an Otaku but that didn''t mean he wasn''t intimately familiar with the concepts and terminology associated with it. A child of two Graphics Designers or Architects would probably have a decent understanding of what their parents'' jobs entailed, so, with his father being involved with merchandising and his mother belonging to a localization firm, Nobu knew a lot more about the subject than he would like to admit.


    With this world attempting to shoe-horn him into a tantly obvious plot, Nobu had reached the conclusion that various other cliches and stereotypes must exist. This included character archetypes, so, with the unnamed woman having all the tell-tale signs of a violent Tsundere, he wasn''t going to let something as abstract as ''fate'' force him into a rtionship. He might have cared if he had spent thest neen years in this world, but, as someone who had only recently arrived, the politics and traditions of Nian were more of an inconvenience than anything else.


    Fortunately for the unnamed woman, Nobu wasn''t aplete asshole. After dropping her into the pool, he immediately plopped in alongside her. His efforts over thest five hours would be wasted if she drowned, so, after supporting her surprisingly heavy body with his own, he used his left hand to guide her mouth beneath the surface. Even an unconscious person would voluntarily swallow if a liquid reached the back of their throat. Without it, even something as simple as a runny nose might be fatal to an unconscious patient, so, by regting the amount of water entering at any one time, Nobu was able to make sure the woman was swallowing the water instead of inhaling it.


    "If you get diarrhea or a tapeworm, don''t me me..."


    Though the pool seemed to be fed from an underground source, the stillness of its surface and theck of a discernible current indicated it might be stagnant. It might be some of the clearest water he had ever seen but that didn''t mean it wasn''t filled to the brim with bacteria, microbes, and other nasty parasites. As for how he knew things existed...well, his arm wouldn''t be rotting if there weren''t bacteria eating away at his flesh. At this rate, he might even need to have it amputated just to keep the dead cells from feeding back into his bloodstream and attacking the rest of his immune system.


    Nobu could still recall an episode of House, a hit medical drama, where one of the patients nearly died due to gangrene setting in her frostbitten toe. She had basically just stubbed it, but, as a result of a small fracture, bone marrow and dead cells entered into her bloodstream and began shutting down all of her organs. The body had a way of overreacting at times, so, the moment the trillions of bacteria within your system identified dead cells, they essentially went to war against your immune system since they assumed you were already dead.


    Fearful that he might lose the entire limb, Nobu waited until the woman had consumed severalrge mouthfuls of water before leaning her on the bank of the pool. Then, using a piece of cloth he had fashioned from strips of his tunic, he tied a makeshift tourniquet around his arm before gritting his teeth and literally scraping away the dead tissue.


    With his teeth and jaw ttering loudly, Nobu began hyperventting as a sensation simr to his gut dropping down to his colon overwhelmed him. Contrary to expectations, there actually wasn''t any pain associated with the procedure. This brought him no relief, however, as his body and mind vehemently rejected everything he was doing. It was like an instinctual objection to the act of self-muttion, and, the moment he saw bone, his knees immediately gave out, his view spinning due to a sudden onset of vertigo.


    Fortunately, even after sinking beneath the surface of the water, Nobu didn''t lose consciousness. He knew he would most likely die if he allowed the darkness to overtake him, so, channeling willpower he didn''t know he possessed, he kept the majority of his body submerged as he continued gouging away at his flesh. It was only when he had removed every visible speck of gangrenous flesh that he began grasping various herbs and sticking them to the wound. He wasn''t sure they would actually do anything, but, considering the alternative was abandoning the limb, he decided to ce his trust in the mystical medical properties of this world''s nts.


    When everything was said and done, Nobu had managed to fashion a sling from waterproof linens to wrap both his wound and the herbs covering it. Then, for what felt like the umpteenth time since he arrived in this world, he cked out after dragging the unconscious woman from the pool and covering her with the thatch mat that had previously served as his bed...


    --------


    -------


    ------


    -----


    ----


    ---


    --


    -


    Feeling a fiery heat spreading through her body, Yui awoke with a start. Herst vivid memory was using one of her n''s forbidden techniques to seriously wound the tinum Ranked bodyguard that had pursued them into the forest near the base of the mountain. Said technique had not only cost her a cultivation rank, but, from the moment she resolved herself for death, she began burning her life force to empower each of her strikes.


    Though she could only guess at how many years she had burned, Yui doubted she would live more than a hundred years even if she managed to reach the Rank of Mithril Lord. Despite this, she didn''t regret her decision. She also held no resentment towards her pursuers, as, with the exception of the Rank 3 tinum King, the rest were dead. Her n would be able to take care of the rest, as, even without Nobu''s testimony, they now had ample reason to investigate the factions governing Owari-Asai.


    "Hnnngh..."


    With a pained groan, Yui forced herself to a seated position, right hand massaging her temples as she looked around to get a better grasp of the situation. When she saw Nobu copsed less than a meter from her position, any questions or concerns she had regarding her wet clothing and armor faded from her mind as she instantly appeared at his side.


    Sensing that his pulse was much faster than it should be, Yui rolled Nobu over to discover that his face, neck, and ears had turned an unnatural shade of red. There was also sweat covering his body, but, more noticeable than anything else was therge bulge in his trousers. This normally wouldn''t have bothered her, but, with her own body gradually heating, a foreboding tremble ran through her body as she shed over to the side of the pool with a serious expression on her face.


    Though it took her a moment to find what she was searching for, seeing dozens of herbs floating in the pool had already confirmed her suspicions. Nobu had clearly attempted to save her, but, due to his inexperience, he had mixed in, not one, but three lengths of a dark-red perennial herb known as Dragon''s Vigor.


    Dragon''s Vigor was a remarkably powerful aphrodisiac used by Lords with a substantial number of wives and concubines. The effects were negligible when consumed by women, but, when ingested by men, a mere gram of the inordinately expensive rootstock was enough to allow them to indulge in carnal pleasures for upwards of eight hours. This wasn''t an overstatement either, as, due to the herb containing a tremendous amount of Yang Energy, they needed to willfully ''release'' it in order to avoid potentially serious side effects...


    Gritting her teeth, Yui looked towards the unconscious body of Nobu with a vexed expression on her face. She didn''t know how bad her condition was, but it was apparent he had gone to extreme lengths to try and save her. While some might im this made them even, her decision to protect him was merely the fulfillment of her duty. As for her act of pulling him from the streets, that was aplete and utter coincidence. It could even be argued that she owed him an apology, as, due to her ignorance regarding his identity, she had inconvenienced, aggravated, and even assaulted him...


    Seeing Nobu''s face turn a progressively deeper shade of crimson, Yui took a deep breath in a vain attempt to steel her resolve and calm her mind. Had the former been awake to see this, he would have immediately called into question her intellect before promptly telling her to ''fuck off'', but, as he was currently in the middle of a fever dream, nothing stood in the way of Yui slowly removing the individual pieces of her clothing and armor.


    With little more than a silk fundoshi to cover thest remaining vestiges of her dignity as a woman, Yui made her way over to Nobu before kneeling down at his side. Nervousness, unlike anything she had experienced before, caused her body to tremble, but, due to the education she had received in her youth, her understanding of the rtions between men and women was actually more on the ''advanced'' side of things.


    Were it not for the death of her fiance, Yui would have been expected to both serve and pleasure him to the best of her ability. She had been instructed in a total of 1250 different techniques, and, though it was somewhat shameful to admit, her family hadpiled more than thirty texts rted to the subject. This,bined with their assassination techniques, made the Yoshitsune n one of the most feared in ancient times. As for why they needed to resort to such methods, it was because their family had been cursed by the Goddess Inari to produce predominately female descendants.


    Yui had strayed away from the teachings of her family but that didn''t mean she was unfamiliar with them. Her Grandmother had only agreed to support her on the premise that she would master the basics of their hereditary arts alongside polishing her skills as a warrior. If she couldn''t do both, she would have lost her only backer in the family, so, for the sake of achieving her dream, Yui had done her best to master skills in both categories.


    Focusing on her training rather than what was actually happening before her very eyes, Yui quickly stripped away the tattered remains of Nobu''s clothes. The size of his member had given her reason to pause, but, by repeating the mantras and steps within her mind, she was able to guide her body through the motions as if she were controlling a puppet. This was actually a technique developed to protect their minds in the event they were captured by an enemy, but, having convinced herself this was a medical procedure, Yui did her best to distance herself as much as possible from the reality of what she was about to do...


    (A/N: Escaping the machinations of fate is easier said than done...(O _ O)...)

 Chapter 13: Passion, Indifference, and Intrigue

    Chapter 13: Passion, Indifference, and Intrigue


    Feeling a familiar, pleasant, and wholly unexpected sensation, Nobu''s awareness was dragged away from the darkness and forced to face reality. He could feel intense pressure and heat coiling around his member like a living creature desperate to wring everyst drop of fluid from his body. It was an extremely pleasurable sensation that caused him to seriously consider going with the flow and just pretending to be asleep.


    Unfortunately, now that he had gained consciousness, Nobu quickly became aware of the ridiculous heat that had permeated his entire body. He felt like he was being cooked from the inside out, and, to make matters even worse, it was like someone was pumping a tremendous amount of adrenaline and caffeine into his veins. As a result, his body was trembling from more than just pleasure, almost as if it was ''demanding'' he move.


    "Fuck...!"


    Snapping his eyes open, Nobu took no time to appreciate the captivating sight of a raven-haired beauty skillfully straddling his hips in a Reverse Cowgirl position. Instead, he lunged forward, eyes bloodshot as he forced the woman to her hands and knees. Then, suppressing his urge to grab her twin-tails, his hands instinctually grabbed her hips, palms resting on her surprisingly pliant yet firm bottom. From there, things escted ''very'' quickly, yet, no matter how intense his movements, the girl who had tormented him since his arrival in this world made no effort to resist...


    ---


    --


    -


    After god knows how many hours, Nobu''s body trembled in ecstasy as he released himself for the umpteenth time into the woman pressed beneath him. He had attempted to pull out at one point, but, the moment he tried, the raven-haired beauty screamed, "If you don''t want to die, do it inside!"


    Though he wasn''t fond of being threatened in such a manner, Nobu had already been on the verge of ejaction at that point, so, without any real hesitation, he released his baby batter to cover her insides. This introduced him to apletely new sensation, as, rather than a singlerge discharge, followed by a few secondary releases, he felt like his penis had turned into a hose. Something other than semen was flowing from his body, and, along with it, the fire burning him from the insides had be noticeably weaker.


    From that moment onward, Nobu didn''t hesitate. He released his seed into the unnamed woman''s body an inhuman number of times, as, no matter how much he discharged, his balls never seemed to deplete. Instead, they tingled something fierce, and, from what he could tell, they had swollen to an almost unnerving amount.


    Fortunately, with this final release, the mes in Nobu''s body hadpletely extinguished. This was followed by feelings of extreme relief and exhaustion, but, before he could even consider sprawling out on the cold stone floor, the woman who had been cooperating with him for the past few hours promptly pulled shoved him away, saying, "Don''t misunderstand...I did this to save your life. We are not lovers. Consider my debts repaid..."


    With that said, Yui made her way over to the pool with the intent to wash her body. Nobu followed this movement with his eyes, a bewildered expression on his face as he found himself at aplete loss for words. He knew she was the cold and temperamental type, but, seeing her behave this way after they had effectively fucked like rabbits just felt ''wrong''. Sure, he might not love her, but, after their almost unworldly session of love-making, he would be lying if he said he felt nothing.


    Frowning, Nobu resisted the urge to ask what the woman''s problem was. Instead, he picked up his tired body before making his way over to the pool. This earned him a re from the raven-haired beauty, but, without paying her any mind, he entered the crystal clear waters and reclined against the embankment. The water was surprisingly warm, so, after gettingfortable, he shut his eyes in an effort to rx.


    "You''re an idiot..."


    Opening his eyes, Nobu shifted his attention towards the woman, azy expression on his face as he replied, "Pot, meet kettle..."


    Blinking in confusion, Yui attempted to make sense of Nobu''s words before quickly dismissing them to exin, "Though I''ve removed the source, this water still contains the medicinal properties of the Dragon''s Vigor. Do you expect me to help you if you experience another overdose?"


    Though he had no idea what Dragon''s Vigor was, the name, alone, was enough to give Nobu an idea of what it did. After all, even if he pushed himself, he would only be able to cum twice, maybe three times, back on Earth. Here, a nt gave him the vigor of an eroge protagonist, and, though he hadn''t been keeping count, he knew he had ejacted somewhere between ten and fifty times. He honestly didn''t know where his body got the resources to produce the volume of semen he had used to redecorate the woman''s insides...


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s expression turned into a deadpan as he answered, "After thesest couple of days, I honestly couldn''t care less. I now have enough scars to make a map of the constetions and my right arm is basically fucked beyond repair...?


    With his words trailing off, Nobu raised his right hand and began to flex his fingers. It had escaped his attention previously, but, now that he looked back on it, he recalled he had no issues using his hand whilst having sex. Thus, after a moment of hesitation, he removed the linen around his arm to inspect its condition.


    "Holy shit..."


    Though it was far from fully healed, evident by the many sunken patches where he had previously gouged away his own flesh, even a toddler would be able to see that it was regenerating extremely rapidly.


    Unable to contain his excitement, Nobu channeled energy he didn''t know he had, jumping up as he shouted, "Hell yeah! This is awesome! Hahahaha-!?"


    Interrupting his celebration, Yui tackled Nobu like an onci pouncing on a baby mouse, a serious expression on her face as she covered his mouth and softly yet sharply hissed, "Are you trying to get us killed!? The formation on this ce might conceal our presence, but it''s far from perfect! If you attract the attention of an Aura Beast while I''m in my weakened state, we''re as good as dead! Do you understand, you iparable oaf...!?"


    Though he was briefly distracted by his anger and the familiar heat spreading through his body, Nobu managed a slow and deliberate nod. This caused her to release her hold on his mouth, but, instead of moving away, she continued to straddle his hips, a venomous expression on her face as she inly stated, "You''re hard..."


    Like a child who had just gotten caught in the midst of a prank, Nobu averted his eyes to the side without answering the usation. His body had reacted naturally the moment she pounced on him, and, though she was far from his type, she was still a remarkably beautiful woman. She didn''t even wear makeup, yet, in spite of this, her skin was fair, unblemished, and smooth to the touch. Her hair also possessed the kind of sheen you would only expect after years of care and conditioning, yet, as far as he knew, shampoo and soap were luxury goods. As for conditioner, it simply didn''t exist...


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui''s cold expression turned into one resembling apathy as she extended her hand beneath the surface of the water and said, "This is thest time. However, don''t think I''m doing this for you. Yang Energy is a powerful supplement for female cultivators. My Yin Energy is equally good for your body so this is merely a medical procedure. Nothing more."


    Finished with her exnation, Yui guided Nobu''s member into her depths without so much as a single change in expression. In reality, his size caused her to feel a tremendous amount of pressure, but, even if she were to be violently tortured as part of an interrogation, she would never reveal her emotions. Such things were reserved for the person she loved. Towards Nobu, the only sentiments she experienced were disdain, exasperation, helplessness, and, most importantly, duty...


    Sensing what he could only describe as contempt within the woman''s obsidian-blue eyes, Nobu''s expression gradually morphed into a severe deadpan. He was still feeling a tremendous amount of pleasure, especially when she began twisting her hips in a figure-eight motion, after her words, any affections he might have begun harboring towards the woman vanished into thin air. As a result, he decided to just leave everything to her, reclining backward as he pulled out his invisible stone tablet and began tapping...


    ---


    --


    -


    After a session of lovemaking that could have easily shattered the records back on Earth, Nobu and Yui spent the better part of two days effectively ignoring each other. The former passed this period bypletely clearing out his stockpile, and, as a result, his point total had increased to 713. As for Yui, who still hadn''t revealed her name, she would venture out during the day to gather fruit, herbs, and berries. When asked why she didn''t bring back any meat, she, once again, designated him as an idiot before exining that the smell of cooked meat would attract Aura Beasts.


    Since she would insult him virtually every time he tried making conversation, Nobu eventually gave up trying. Instead, he just let Yui take care of his needs while the woman in question, unbeknownst to Nobu, closely observed his absolutely ridiculous progress. She wasn''t a particrly skilled sensor, but, whenever Nobu fell asleep, she could channel her Aura into his body to get a crude estimate of his growth.


    While Nobu''s growth might notpare to her own, the simple fact of the matter was that she was a Rank 2 Golden Warrior. By schrly estimates, this ced her Aura between 200-300,000. So long as she was healthy, this number would increase by a few hundred every day. If she trained hard, ate three meals a day, mediated, and got plenty of rest, she could even exceed a thousand. This was the benefit of having a high cultivation base, and, the stronger your foundation, the faster your growth.


    Nobu, as far as she could tell, had very little cultivation base to work with. He was still working on his foundation even after neen years so it didn''t make sense for him to be able to increase his Aura by several hundred in a short period of time. He didn''t even seem to train. Instead, he spent most of his day just lounging about, fidgeting like an undisciplined child.


    This phenomenon could have been exined if they were Dual Cultivating, but, as that required an emotional connection, Yui could confidently dismiss that as the cause. Most of his growth seemed to urred during the day, as, even after watching him for an entire night, the density of his Aura hadn''t changed in the slightest. This waspletely abnormal, as, alongside meditation, sleep was the period in which a person''s Aura converged and solidified.


    Simply put, Nobu was aplete and utter anomaly as far as cultivation was concerned. His growth defiedmon sense, and, ording to her mission briefing, he was supposed to be a cripple who relied on others just to survive. Instead, he spoke without any difficulty, and, while his behavior was certainly crude, it was a far cry from the catatonia reported in the mission briefing. There were times when he even radiated an aura of confidence, almost like he had absolutely no concerns...


    "Just what the hell are you, Nanamori Nobu...?"


    ---


    --


    -


    (A/N: Well, this certainly escted quickly. Poor Nobu has no idea that his body is being inspected as he sleeps. Now, it seems like his clicking habit and his desire to grow stronger are about to bite him in the ass...)

 Chapter 14: Important Lesson

    Chapter 14: Important Lesson


    With his right arm having mostly recovered, a feat that would have left Doctors in his old worldpletely stunned, Nobu waited until Yui had been gone for around an hour before making his way to the entrance of the cave. Thest couple of days had reinforced his decision to venture out on his own, so, before she returned from her daily scavenging, he intended to make his way back to the city.


    While it might not be the smartest decision, returning to a ce where people might be searching for him, Nobu felt it would be exponentially more troublesome if he allowed himself to be dragged back to the Oda n, Owari-Shuto.


    At this point, Nobu was absolutely certain that the washboard samurai had something to do with his family. People didn''t simply give up their virginity to save the life of aplete stranger, and, based on her previous statements, he could assume she had been sent, specifically, to retrieve him. This implied that someone had arbitrarily decided, without his consent, that he would be useful for some scheme or ploy they had cooked up. Sure, it was equally just as likely that his father had sent someone to search for him, but, even if that were the case, Nobu wanted to avoid getting mixed up in the politics of a so-called Nobles.


    Fortunately, while it was dangerous to venture beyond the fortress-like walls encircling most cities in Nian, the majority of Aura Beasts lived far away from fixed settlements. Nian was also a rtively small country with a long history, so, while there were some monstrously powerful creatures located to the far north, most of the maind had been purged of serious threats long ago.


    Nobu''s n was to use a part of his Grandfather''s treasure to secure safe passage to the nation''s capital, Kyoto. This was where the current Emperor, Go-Koji, had enshrined himself while the rest of the country slowly tore itself apart due to infighting and pressure from external forces.


    As anyone even remotely familiar with Japanese culture would have realized, the world Nobu had found himself in was uncannily simr to the Sengoku Period of Japan. The names of the cities were the same, and, though he had yet to see a map, he assumed that the Nian Archipgo was, quite literally, this world''s version of Feudal Japan. This made a lot of sense, as, prior to his reincarnation, the golden-haired Goddess had said this life would reflect his previous one.


    Though neither of his parents had been Japanese, the fact he was named Nobunaga Oda seemed to have put him in a situation where he was expected to follow a simr path as his namesake. This meant leading a rebellion, and, depending on the decisions he made along the way, he might even be able to unify the entirety of Nian under the banner of the Oda n.


    While back assward NEETs and Otaku''s might have been thrilled by this premise, Nobu''s situation had forced him to be a realist. He also grew up in an age where it was possible to see examples of corruption on a daily basis, yet, no matter how much people bitched and moaned, politicians and one-percenters were practically immune to consequence. Thus, now that he had found himself in a world without electricity, the inte, or any other modern conveniences, Nobu just wanted to find a way to make his life easier.


    "Let''s just hope fate doesn''t literally fuck me a second time..."


    ---


    With her senses briefly linking with the Scouting Owl she left outside the cave, a frown marred Yui''s face as she muttered, "Where is this fool off to...?"


    cing the satsuma oranges she had just plucked in a bag, a pale aura covered Yui''s body as she bolted in the direction of Nobu''s departure. Her mission was to bring him back to the Yoshitsune n, so, even if he hated her for it, she would drag him the entire way if necessary. The forest near the base of the mountain was also extremely dangerous in winter since people tended to remain in their homes. This allowed Aura Beasts to roam freely, and, while his cultivation had been increasing at an unnatural rate, Nobu was unprepared to fight them with a weapon, much less without one...


    "This idiot is going to get himself killed..."


    ---


    As if decreed by providence, Nobu hadn''t even traveled half a mile down the slope of the mountain before the sound of crunching snow caused him to freeze in ce. Turning his head, he saw a ck shadow moving slowly behind a foreground of trees. Momentster, the massive shadow revealed itself to be giant boar, but, unlike its equivalent back on Earth, the version made a grizzly bear look like a puppy dog.


    "You''ve got to be fucking kidding me...what is this, Monster Hunter?"


    Though some might have pointed out how foolish it was for him to speak in such a situation, the simple fact of the matter was that the massive boar was already looking directly at Nobu. The only reason it hadn''t charged was because it could sense that Nobu wasn''t a threat. Thus, with an almost casual gait, it approached him with its head down, eyes fully focused as if it were waiting for him to run just so it could enjoy a chase.


    "This Bulldrome-looking motherfucker..."


    Squaring up his feet so that he could dodge in either direction, Nobu gripped the stone tablet with his right hand before throwing it full-force at the approaching creature. It wouldn''t be of much use if he was going to die, so, hoping it had some kind of hidden attack function, he did his best to aim for the boar''s softball-sized eye.


    Demonstrating why Nobu had never been a part of any sports teams, the stone tabletnded more than a few feet to the creature''s left. This was enough to get it to turn its head, but, seeing nothing in the spot where the snow had been disturbed, it returned its gaze towards Nobu before releasing arge plume of steamy condensation from its nose.


    "Did this bitch justugh at me...?"


    Raising his right hand, Nobu was intending to throw the magically recovered stone tablet a second time when the pattern on the boar''s body, vaguely resembling tiger stripes, began to emit a radiant blue glow. The same phenomenon was happening to the mane extending from its head to the back of its ribcage, but, rather than focusing on that, Nobu was staring stupefied at the arcs of electricity shing between its massive, glowing, tusks.


    "Well, isn''t this just fucking fan-"


    Before he could even finish his retort, an explosion of ice and snow erupted at the starting location of the boar as it charged forward with the momentum of a freight car. It managed to cover most of the distance between itself and Nobu in an instant, but, before it could run through him like A-Train liquefying an innocent bystander, an arrow made from pure gold mmed into the side of its face, piercing its right eye and causing it to promptly stumble.


    With the boar crashing into the snow and sending a miniature avnche his way, Nobu sent back several meters before beingpletely buried beneath the surface. As for the boar, it attempted to gain its bearings, but, despite its rather fierce-looking aura, it was only an Intermediate Rank 2 Aura Beast. This was the equivalent of a cultivator halfway between the ranks of Silver Adept and Golden Warrior so its base was only around 50,000 units of Aura. Since very few Aura Beasts could cultivate using the Metal Infusion technique, the mostmon method of cultivation in Nian, it also relied a lot more on its natural durability than the defense provided by its aura. Thus, in the face of a skilled Golden Warrior, it was little more than prey waiting to be ughtered.


    Demonstrating the vast disparity between them, Yui appeared next to the giant boar with a massive spiked hammer formed from pale gold. Boar-like creatures typically had hard heads and ridiculously strong spines, but, so long as you impacted the area between their eyes, specifically the connecting point between their foreheads and snout, you couldpletely disable them with a single decisive blow or a well-ced arrow. Yui had chosen the former, and, as a result, the monster boar dropped like a marite the moment her hammer pierced its weak point.


    Exhaling a slightly exhausted sigh, Yui retracted the massive hammer into her aura before turning towards the mound of snow that had buried Nobu. She felt an overwhelming urge to massage her temples, but, fearing the fool would suffocate or freeze to death, she quickly rushed over to begin digging him out. Fortunately, his recent increase in aura made it a lot easier to sense his location so it didn''t take long for her to both find and free him from the snow...


    ---


    Though the proper thing to do would have been to thank the raven-haired woman for saying him, Nobu remained absolutely silent even as she chided and escorted him back to the cave like a small child. His encounter with the Aura Beast had taught him an important lesson about the world. Even the act of walking around was dangerous without the necessary strength to protect yourself.


    While this was unbelievably important, some might say life-changing, the most important thing Nobu had learned that day was that fate and karma were bitches. He also realized that the raven-haired woman had been spying on him, but, rather than me her for invading his privacy, he just epted it. Had she arrived a momentter, he would have been meat paste within the snow, so, at least for the time being, he decided to remain patient and focus on increasing his strength.


    With this in mind, Nobu waited until the following day before stopping the raven-haired woman and asking, "Can you teach me how to cultivate...?" before she could venture out to gather more food and supplies.


    Not expecting such a question, especially with all of Nobu''s peculiarities, Yui didn''t immediately answer. Instead, she considered the pros and cons of the situation before saying, "Those who pass on the knowledge of the Ancestors are personally responsible for the people they teach. Because of this, there is a saying, ''A Teacher for a day is a Master for life''. If you are willing to lower your head and ept me as your Master, I am willing to guide you down the path of a cultivator and warrior. However, from that moment onward, you will follow my orders without question. If you disobey, I will be forced to punish you in ordance with your disobedience. If you betray my trust and pass on my teachings without permission, I will have no choice but to kill you."


    Though he nodded his head a few times as if to imply he understood, Nobu surprised Yui quite a bit when he answered, "Yeah, you can fuck right off with all that tradition and bullshit. If you''re not going to teach me, I''ll just have to figure it out on my own. I mean, seriously, who the hell came up with that? You teach someone a few tricks and they suddenly have to obey you for the rest of their life? Ridiculous."


    Taken aback by Nobu''s words, Yui stared at him as if he were aplete fool before adopting a severe tone as she said, "These traditions are necessary for keeping the peace. If someone went around teaching secret and forbidden arts without holding people ountable, unbridled chaos would ensue. Just as it is the responsibility of a parent to discipline their children, it is the duty of a Master to prevent their Disciples from misusing their power and affecting the lives of normal men and women. It is for this reason that Cultivators found using their abilities against the citizenry are put to death. A world withoutw, order, and ountability would lead humanity to ruin."


    Surprised by the raven-haired woman''s fervor, Nobu gave her a quick once-over, brows raised as he said, "You really are just as serious as you look..."


    Snorting through her nose, Yui turned her back with the intention to depart the cave and gather resources. Before that, however, she looked over her shoulder and said, "With great poweres great responsibility. If you attempt to gain power without epting the responsibilities associated with it, the world will reject you. Those at the top will do everything in their power to suppress you while those at the bottom will attempt you pull you down to their level. Do not pursue power if you want to live a normal life..."


    Finished with her warning, Yui promptly departed the cave without waiting for Nobu''s response. As a result, she was unable to hear him when he mumbled, "Whatever you say, Uncle Ben..."

 Chapter 15: Baby Steps

    Chapter 15: Baby Steps


    With his first attempt nearly resulting in a bad end, Nobu temporarily gave up on escaping and focused all his attention on the stone tablet. Using up his stockpile brought his total score to just under 880, so, using the conversion method he had figured out on day one, he estimated that 10 days had passed since his reincarnation.


    At the present moment, Nobu''s main focus was figuring out how to navigate to the Home screen and ess the other two Apps he had seen. There was a chance he could only open a single App for his entire reincarnation but he wanted to believe this wasn''t the case. After all, while he enjoyed Clicker Apps quite a bit, it wasn''t like he stared at the screen all day without doing anything else. It was basically something he did to upy his hands when he had nothing better to do, much like a fidget spinner or a Rubix cube.


    Simply put, Nobu was bored out of his mind, so, while the raven-haired woman was out gathering food and supplies, he was hunched over the stone tablet, mumbling, "Come on you bastard...there has to be a way to navigate back to the Home screen..."


    Turning the tablet over, sideways, and upside down, Nobu traced the tips of his fingers along every visible surface. He tried pressing the area where the volume and power buttons would normally be located, tapping the bottom of the ''screen'', and, when all else had failed, he even booped it with his nose after recalling the events of his first day. When that failed, he tried voicemands, and, after turning over his mind to find a solution, he even tried giving it orders by referring to it as Alexa and Cortana.


    Unfortunately, each of Nobu''s efforts ended in vain, so, after thumbing through the Achievement Tab for the better part of an hour, he eventually set it aside, dropped to his chest, and started doing push-ups. He literally had nothing better to do, so, much like a prison inmate, he decided he might as well get swole.


    Though the notion of building them from scratch was profoundly annoying, Nobu was someone who had spent the better part of ten years exercising. It had helped him deal with his bully problem, and, once he began sneaking into clubs, his physique became instrumental in helping him hunt for a ce to crash. He didn''t like staying at home, so, while it had worried his mother to no end, there were more than a few asions where he had spent the night with women he had just met.


    In hindsight, Nobu knew he was lucky he hadn''t received an STD. This was also the reason he hadn''t panicked when he awoke to find the raven-haired woman straddling his hips. He had experienced a bit of misfortune during his second-ever visit to a nightclub. He made the mistake of believing that only lone girls were the target of getting roofied, but, after ingesting what he thought was MDMA, he awoke to find himself in a hotel with two women more than twice his age. They ended up giving him around $300 to keep his mouth shut, but, from that moment on, he did his best to avoid taking drugs and drinking from sses that weren''t given to him by the barkeep...


    Finding himself unable to do even twenty pushups without needing to bend the knee, a frustrated sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he instantly switched to abdominal crunches. His Aura only seemed to activate when he was on the verge of death, unbelievably angry, or extremely excited. This meant it was either directly rted to or empowered by emotions. Thus, at least for the time being, he had nothing but his twig-like arms and scrawny ass legs to aid in his exercising.


    "Tsst...tsst...tsst...tsst...!"


    Determined to regain his six-pack abs, Nobu managed to pump out a solid fifty crunches before he felt like something might tear in his lower abdomen. This wasn''t enough to deter him, however, so he immediately rolled to his side and began doing nks using his elbow as support. After that, he switched to leg lifts, butterfly kicks, mountain climbers, squat thrusts, and, once everything else was said and done, he wrapped up his first set with eight-counter bodybuilders and star jumps.


    Using the system he had adopted back on Earth, Nobu took the opportunity to get some clicking in as he rested. When he was in his prime, he would exercise for thirty minutes before spending ten to twenty letting his body cool down. He would repeat this for upwards of four hours every single day, and, though he had never gone pro, he had managed to dominate people in the same weight ss when he took up MMA. If his mom didn''t have a panic attack every time he came home with even a minor cut or bruise, he might have made a career out of knocking heads.


    "Haaa...haaa...haaa....this fucking sucks..."


    Remembering his mother, Nobu ced his forearm over his eyes, not because he was crying but because it just felt like the right thing to do. The pressure against his eyelids was strangely rxing, and, with his eyes closed, it was a lot easier to forget he was trapped in a world far from the home he had once avoided...


    "Fuck..."


    ---


    Returning from her gathering, Yui found Nobu sprawled out on the ground, a robust aroma tickling her nostrils as she stared at his shirtless, gaunt, and, sweatden body. She could tell he had been training, and, while his methods were likely inefficient, it was refreshing to see him making an effort after watching him spend thest weekzing about like a wastrel.


    "I can''t teach you my techniques but I can offer advice regarding the imperfections in your training method. Show me what you''vee up with."


    Though he was tempted to give the woman the finger and tell her to fuck off, seeing her set down a satchel filled with fruits, nuts, and berries caused Nobu to remain silent. She had been taking care of him for the past couple of days, and, ever since they left the inn, she had stopped injuring him at every avable opportunity. They had also fucked for the better part of a full day, so, while he had no reason to do what she told him, he didn''t have to be a dick about it.


    In the end, Nobu just shook his head, answering, "I''m in no condition to continue pushing myself. I just spent thest two hours working every major muscle group of my body. If you''re that eager to see me working out, you can wait till tomorrow."


    "Eager....? Me...?"


    Pointing towards herself, Yui adopted the most offended look Nobu had seen on her face thus far. She wasn''t angry or anything. Instead, she appeared baffled, almost like a teacher who had heard their student confidently state they were wrong regarding the subject they were most familiar with.


    Amused by the reaction, a smile spread across Nobu''s face as he answered, "Don''t think I didn''t see you checking me out when you walked in. For someone who assaults a person for simply looking at them, it''s somewhat ironic that you let your own eyes wander. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Snorting through her nose, Yui elected not to respond to Nobu''s obvious taunt. The concept of tact seemedpletely foreign to him, and, ever since she had discovered his true identity, she lost the ability to harm him. Rather, she was still looking for an opportunity to apologize, as, the moment they reached the Yoshitsune n, it would be a problem if he went around telling people she assaulted him.


    "Very well...I will wait until tomorrow..."


    Seeing the woman assume an ufortable seiza position, promptly ignoring him, Nobu adopted a slight frown. It was still early in the morning and he was honestly tired of spending the entire day in absolute silence. Thus, with a grunt, he rolled to a seated position, elbows resting on his knees as he asked, "How can you sit like that? Doesn''t it hurt your knees?"


    Without shifting her attention from the Yuzu she was peeling, Yui tly answered, "This is the basic sitting posture of a warrior. It might be ufortable in the beginning, but, so long as you remain steadfast, your body will adapt. It also helps to improve posture and respond to surprise attacks, so, to answer your questions...easily and not anymore..."


    Nodding his head, Nobu appeared as if he understood what Yui was trying to covey. Thetter had already be wise to this, however, so she immediately followed up by adding, "Don''t...if you say something stupid or insensitive you''ll be going hungry the rest of the day. Nutrition is important for maintaining good health and recovering from injuries. Don''t do something you''ll regret."


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu resisted the temptation to point out that she would undoubtedly give him something to eat if he threatened to go out and get it himself. Unfortunately, there was a very real chance she might just tie him up and force him to remain put. She had all the makings of a Yandere with BDSM tendencies, so, rather than risk being tied up, gagged, and forced to shit in a bucket on demand, he rolled onto his back and grumbled, "You''re such a hardass..."


    Though she frowned in response to Nobu''s remark, Yui decided to just ignore it. She didn''t want to waste time arguing with him, and, after eating, she still needed to meditate for at least ten hours. If she arrived at the n with a lower cultivation base than the one she left with, her detractors would surely notice. There were no real penalties for using a forbidden technique, ignoring the actual side-effects, but that wouldn''t stop them from using it as a justification for why she shouldn''t be allowed to be a warrior. The Sixth Elder of the Oda n was still eager to ept her as his seventeenth Concubine, so, in order to curry favor with the ambitious old man, her family would readily offer her as a tribute.


    As this notion crossed her mind, Yui was surprised to realize she actually felt relieved to have given her virginity to save Nobu''s life. This would significantly reduce her value as a Concubine, as, due to their high pride, Nobles rarely epted ''impure'' women into the ranks of their harem. They would be worried that the woman would betray them or that their sexual prowess would bepared to another. This was uneptable, so, unless they had personally killed the other man and stolen his wife, amon urrence between rival families, it was rare for a Noble to ept ''spoiled goods''.


    Restraining a smile, Yui continued peeling fruits until she had readied enough for both herself and Nobu. There was a non-negligible chance her actions had inadvertently endangered his life, but, considering the alternative had been guaranteed death, he didn''t really have ground to stand on if he wanted toin. It was his own ignorance that led to him overdosing on the Dragon''s Vigor, and, while he had done it to save her, she had returned the favor by saving him. In that regard, they were equally culpable, and, depending on the situation, they would both be put to death as a result of their carelessness...


    Comforted by this notion, a hint of a smile appeared on Yui''s face until she noticed that Nobu was staring directly at her. This caused the rare phenomenon to instantaneously disappear, but, perhaps as a result of her previous warning, he didn''t say anything callous to infuriate, annoy, or exacerbate the situation. Instead, he just closed his eyes, arms supporting his head as he pretended he hadn''t seen a thing...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Cohabitate long enough and, even if you hate each other, you can learn to live together...)

 Chapter 16: Death Seeking Disease: The Bane of Young Masters

    Chapter 16: Death Seeking Disease: The Bane of Young Masters


    Waking an hour or so before the dawn, Nobu was unsurprised to see the raven-haired woman near the pool of water, the low light of the cave glistening on her fair skin as she used arge sponge to carefully clean herself.


    Had he not awoken in the middle of the night to find her snoozing at the side of the cave, Nobu might have thought she never slept. She was always awake when he went to bed, and, no matter how early he awoke, she was already in the middle of her morning routine.


    After staring a little longer than he should have, Nobu rolled to a seated position and asked, "Is it normal for a girl to expose themselves like this? Shouldn''t be like...I don''t know...more reserved?"


    Without bothering to look back, Yui shook her head, voice as frigid as the outside temperature as she exined, "Though I have yet to earn the qualification, it is my dream to be a respected and highly dignified warrior. If something as base as nudity bothered me, a clever enemy would be able to easily exploit such a weakness..."


    As this was his first time hearing about her ''dream'', Nobu''s brows perked up as he leaned forward and asked, "Is that what''s popr this day and age? Bing a warrior? I can understand why you would want to be strong, but shouldn''t your dream be something...bigger? I''m not really sure how to put it..."


    Rather than respond to the questions asked, Yui half-turned to face Nobu, a serious expression on her face as she said, "You truly are an irredeemably arrogant man...tell me, what is your dream? For you to judge mine as ''small'', yours must be something substantial, correct?"


    Contrary to Yui''s expectations, Nobu gestured in a dismissive manner as he unhesitantly answered, "Nah. I don''t really have something like a dream. I''d be happy so long as I have a good woman to warm my bed, a roof over my head, and plenty of food to put on the table. If I did have a dream...I guess it would be to return home? I would also like to get out of this cave and get...eh, whatever..."


    Though he was going to say he wanted to get as far away from her as possible, Nobu felt it was a little too early in the day to be aplete ass. Instead, he rose to his feet, stretching his body as he said, "Well...to each their own. I just think a dream should be something difficult to obtain. As far as I can tell, you''re pretty strong. Unless there are some assholes trying to prevent you from bing one, I don''t see what would stop you from bing a warrior. Even there are, you should just tell them to fuck off. I sure as hell wouldn''t let some old farts tell me what I can and can''t be..."


    Even without asking her for the details, Nobu could make a few guesses regarding the raven-haired woman''s situation. This world seemed to be filled with cliches, and, based on how she behaved till now, it wasn''t difficult to imagine her belonging to a conservative family that opposed her decision to be a warrior. At the very least, this would exin why she was so ''intense'' all the god damn time.


    Not expecting to hear such words from Nobu, of all people, Yui found herself at a momentary loss for words. Soon after, however, she shook her head, resignation audible in her tone as she said, "It isn''t that simple...a warrior who has abandoned their family and values is no better than a beast..."


    Disagreeing vehemently with this sentiment, Nobu found himself scoffing as he said, "That kind of thinking is just retarded. People don''t get to choose their family. Saying shit like that is like saying a newborn is fated to be a killer just because their parents were killers. That kind of ''convenient'' thinking is the type of shit corrupt politicians and criminals use to cling to power. If you''re seriously surrounded by people telling you to give up on your dream, they aren''t family, they''re self-serving cunts."


    Glowering in response to Nobu''s words, a golden dagger manifested in Yui''s hand as she warned, "I will not tolerate such callous words. If you continue to speak without regard for the consequences, I will be forced to defend the honor of my family..."


    Though he knew she was being ''very'' serious, Nobu was beginning to feel a little fed up. As a result, he shrugged in a ''do something'' kind of gesture before sarcastically stating, "Yeah, because proud and honorable families teach their descendants to kill anyone who dares to speak out against them. That isn''t the behavior of a tyrannical or extremely petty family. Nope. Not at all."


    Gritting her teeth, the re on Yui''s face became progressively more intense with each word that left Nobu''s mouth. When he was finally finished, she could barely hold herself back as she asked, "Are those yourst words...?"


    Feeling a sudden and intense urge tough, an incredulous chuckle emanated from Nobu''s throat as he stared directly into the woman''s eyes and answered, "If you''re looking for something to put on my tombstone, write "I told you so" in bold letters. That way you can clearly recall it whenever your family forces you to do something you don''t really want to do...you fucking hypocrite..."


    With her eyes widening from rage and indignation, Yui charged forward, left hand grasping Nobu''s neck as she mmed into the wall and hissed, "Why must you force my hand like this!? Can''t you at least pretend to be sensible!?"


    ring back at the woman with resolute eyes, Nobu squeezed her wrist as hard as he could before answering, "Look at the positions we''re in...I''m not forcing you to do shit...you''re the one in control. Don''t try to shift the me to me...just because you are too afraid to live your own life..."


    Punctuating his words, Nobu attempted to knee the woman in her non-existent chest but the only thing he managed to aplish was sending a sharp pain through the entire limb. In response, Yui pulled him forward before mming him into the wall a total of three times. Then, with a frustrated noise that might have sounded cute under different circumstances, she dropped him to the ground before grabbing her clothes and storming out of the cave in a huff...


    ---


    --


    -


    Though he was lying face-down on the ground, Nobu made no attempt to move. The chill present within the ground made the pain radiating through his body feel a little less extreme. Thus, for the better part of ten minutes, he justy there thinking about how things had devolved to this point in such a short period of time.


    When he first heard the woman mention her dream, Nobu had been genuinely curious. He was also sick and tired of just sitting in silence most of the day, so, in the hope of increasing their familiarity, he decided to make small talk. Instead, things quickly devolved into an argument, and, as a result of a sudden onset of ''death seeking disease'', he, once again, found himself nursing various injuries...


    "Seriously...what is it about that woman that gets me so riled up? If I find out this was some bullshit plot to force us to fall in love, I''m seriously going to punch that Goddess in the face..."


    As those words left his mouth, Nobu was surprised to hear a pinging sound simr to a phone that had just received a text. Immediately thereafter, the stone tablet plopped down next to his hand, so, after staring at it for several seconds, he picked it up to see the words ''You Have 1 New Message'' at the top of the screen.


    Swiping down out of habit, Nobu''s expression froze as he realized he hadn''t attempted this during his experimentation. This was actually amon action when operating a smartphone, but, due to theck of any indicators or notifications, it hadpletely slipped his mind. Now, not only could he see the message notification, he could also check the date, time, and, most importantly, ess the Home screen...


    "Fuck my life..."


    Though he had a lot more to say, Nobu decided to save his self-deprecating remarks forter. For now, he had more important things to do, so, after a very brief moment of hesitation, he clicked on the notification informing him he had received a new message. This caused the app that resembled a golden thought bubble to open, but, instead of showing him the message, it took him to a screen that resembled an ount/profile creation window.


    "Private name, public alias, age, sex, cultivation base, likes, dislikes, and preferences...what is this, a fucking dating app?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu rolled onto his back and began filling in his information using the onscreen keyboard. In the end, it didn''t matter if it was a Cultivation Chat Group, a Dating App, or somethingpletely mundane. It was a part of his golden spoon, and, more importantly, something he could use to pass the time when he wasn''t clicking, exercising, or sleeping.


    Since it wouldn''t let him falsify his information, Nobu entered his real information before choosing the name Lord Cookie as his public alias. He might haveined about it in his previous life but the notion of having genuine cultivators refer to him as Lord or Venerable Cookie was too amusing to ignore. Unfortunately, the button he thought was supposed to lock in his selection turned out to be a ''randomizer'' function. This changed his public alias to ''Demon King of Sixth Heaven'', the name ascribed to the original Oda Nobunaga due to the atrocities hemitted against Buddhist monks.


    "Are you for real? Seriously, whoever keeps messing with me, you need to get a life. Sure, I might not have been a Saint in my previous life, but this is bullshit..."


    While saying that, Nobu attempted to change his public alias back to Lord Cookie only to find that the name had been taken. Every other name he input gave a simr message, and, as a result, a line of text appeared beneath the input window, saying: ''Having trouble? Try one of these suggestions!'' before proceeding to suggest ''Demon King of Sixth Heaven'' a total of ten times.


    "..."


    Closing the app, Nobu returned to the Home screen with the intention of trying out his camera app. He didn''t enjoy being fucked with, so, even if the messenger app turned out to be his most valuable cheat, he didn''t give a damn. If he had a field of fucks to give, anyone who happened upon it would find it barren and lifeless.


    Content to let the messenger app remain closed till the heat death of the universe, Nobu thumbed the camera app. Shortly thereafter, he felt a strange feeling on his fingertips, and, after turning the tablet over, he noticed there were now three cameras present near the top left.


    "Nice..."


    Flipping the phone back over, Nobu noticed that the screen was now disying everything visible through the cameras. This made it seem like a normal camera app, but, the moment he pressed the capture button, a message asking, ''Would you like to spend 10AU to scan this scene?'' appeared on the screen.


    Though 10AU was the equivalent of four hours of clicking, Nobu''s curiosity ended up getting the better of him. Thus, after a moment of consideration, he ended up pressing confirm. Immediately thereafter, a strange pulse erupted from the camera like a sh. This caught Nobu by surprise, but, after calming down, he looked at the disy to find several tiny boxes denoting various parts of the cave. Clicking them caused the boxes to expand, and, as a result, Nobu could feel his pulse begin to race as he muttered, "Holy shit..."

 Chapter 17: A Moment to Reflect

    Chapter 17: A Moment to Reflect


    Tapping each of the squares, Nobu was over the moon to see information rted to various objects appear on the screen. Most of it wasplete gibberish, filled with question marks, but, so long as he spent additional Aura, he could even analyze theposition of the surrounding rock strata.


    Simply put, Nobu''s Camera functioned simrly to the Appraisal abilitymonly found in novels with RPG and System elements. What distinguished his Camera from the norm was that every new object he scanned had a rted Achievement. Formon items, there were even Achievements pertaining to the number of objects he had analyzed.


    "This exins why the Achievement Tab continues on forever...it''s almost like it wants me to scan every object in existence..."


    Though he could really use it effectively at the moment, Nobu was looking forward the spamming the camera function in the future. He had already confirmed it possessed the ability to scan living creatures by targeting a few pill bugs. It didn''t show values for things like health, but, so long as he was careful, he could use it to discover somethings strengths, weaknesses, rank, and total Aura.


    "If this works on humans, I bet I could make a fortune as an information broker..."


    Since the ''premium'' version of the scan even included a basic biography of the target, there was a very real chance he could use it to ascertain a person''s deepest, darkest, secrets. The only downside was that it seemed to require additional Aura depending on the size and rarity of an object.


    After investing an additional 3 Aura, Nobu had been able to determine things like itsposition, purity, and printing date of a gold coin. When he tried the same with an expensive herb, the cost of aprehensive analysis shot up to 18,492 Aura. This was far beyond his means, so, at least for the time being, he had to settle on identifying pebbles, handfuls of snow, and parts of his body.


    Though some might consider it a waste, Nobu hadughed his ass off after giving in to his curiosity and taking a ''dick pic''. It cost him an additional 20 Aura to analyze, but, in exchange, he got to learn its exact length, health, and, somewhat amusingly, the name and number of times he had slept with a woman. There was even a value ounting for the number of times he had jerked off, but, thanks to his reincarnation, he could now proudly proim he had had more sex than the number of times he had masturbated: 0.


    "Just call me Chad Thundercock from now on..."


    Amused by his own meta-humor, Nobu chuckled before gettingfortable on the thatch mat that had served as his bedding for the past five days. Now that he had calmed down and learned how broken his Camera App was, he was seriously considering revisiting the Messenger App. The alias ''Demon King of Sixth Heaven'', while extremely cringe, was also pretty cool. He just needed to get strong enough to smack the shit out of anyone who daredugh at him.


    "Well...it''s whatever..."


    On that dismissive note, Nobu opened the Messenger App to find that he was no longer in the profile creation menu. Whatever asshole was in charge of moderating the App seemed to have taken the liberty toplete it for him. As a result, he found himself in an interface that greatly resembled Discord, a popr instant-messaging tform back on Earth. The only real difference was that there was only a single server, and, other than himself, the member list waspletely empty.


    Though it was a relief to discover he was the Admin of the server, Nobu felt it was kind of useless if he was the only member. Fortunately, or perhaps not, there was a tiny (1) beneath the golden cloud icon in the upper left of the app. Clicking on it revealed hispletely empty Friend''s List and a tab for Direct Messages. This was a method for people to send private messages to other users, and, as his notification had made apparent, there was a single message sitting in his Inbox.


    "Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths? Don''t tell me my first contact is a fucking Narutard..."


    Before he had even finished speaking, a chill ran through Nobu''s body as a (2) popped up next to the unnecessarily wordy username. This gave him an overwhelming urge to simply ignore the two messages, but, having already formed his resolve to make the most of his golden spoon, he ended up clicking the name after the message count reached (5).


    ------------------------------------


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: I dare you to try. (Sent at: 06:42am)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You''re really pushing your luck. (Sent 43s ago.)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Do you dare to ignore me? (Sent 18s ago.)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: If you don''t respond in the next three seconds, your next incarnation will be a mollusk. (Sent 5s ago)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You''ve sessfully pissed me off. Congrattions. (Sent: Just now.)


    ------------------------------------


    Though he normally wouldn''t care, Nobu felt a heavy sensation against his chest as he read each of the messages. It was like someone was piling massive weights on his body, and, after a few seconds had passed, even breathing became difficult.


    Gritting his teeth, Nobu began rapidly typing a reply of his own. It might have been easier to just speak out loud, but, thanks to the pressure on his chest, speaking freely would be impossible.


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Are you the one doing this? What''s your problem?


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Oh? You finally replied? I guess you haven''t given up on life just yet.


    Demon King of Sixth Heaven: You didn''t answer my question. Seriously, cut it out. What did I ever do to you? Don''t you have anything better to do than making my life more difficult?


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: ...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Are you seriously this dense?


    ------------------------------------


    Reading thest message, Nobu''s doubts regarding the Goddess'' identity were all but resolved. She was clearly the Goddess who had reincarnated him. What he couldn''t understand was why she was tormenting him. Sure, he had said some brash remarks but she was a literal fucking Goddess. It wasn''t like he could actually do anything to her.


    Shaking his head, Nobu decided to try and nip the problem in the bud. His life was already stressful enough without an unhinged and clearly bored Goddess interfering with his affairs.


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Look, I''m sorry. I was pissed off and you were the only person I could think of to assign me. Had I known you could actually hear me, I wouldn''t have said anything at all. Can we just drop this? Please?


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: It seems you aren''t aplete fool...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths:: Very well. We will be magnanimous and let you off the hook just this once. Be grateful, human. This is thest mercy you will ever receive from us.


    ------------------------------------


    Feeling his temples pulsing, almost as if he were about to have an aneurysm, Nobu took advantage of the fact the pressure had disappeared to take a number of deep breaths. Then, doing his best to not even think bad thoughts about the ostensibly petty Goddess, he typed:


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Thanks. I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: *thumbs up emoji*


    -Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths has gone offline-


    ------------------------------------


    Releasing a sigh of relief, Nobu set down his tablet before habitually covering his eyes using his forearm. As frustrating as this experience had been, it taught him that the Gods could not only see what he was doing, they could even interfere with him. The pressure he had experienced had been very real, so, despite feeling a deep, seething, rage, he did his best to remain calm as he considered his options.


    Thinking back to the day he reincarnated, Nobu could clearly recall the Goddessining about other Reincarnators thinking they could oppose the Gods. Since she was able to interact with him, it was highly likely that a way to transition between the ''mortal'' world and ''heaven'' existed. He had no intention of confronting the Gods, but, if he yed his cards right, there was a chance he could find a way to enter their realm and return.


    Based on his dealings with the Goddess, the Gods were a lot more human than most people would have expected. They clearly had their own personalities, wants, and needs, so, if he could obtain the favor of a reasonable powerful God, he might be able to secure passage back to Earth. This would undoubtedly require him to give up his cheat, but, even if it were only for a moment, Nobu would give up everything just to speak with his mother and tell her he was okay...


    As that thought crossed his mind, a solemn expression appeared on Nobu''s face as he resisted the urge to swear. Then, after brooding in silence for the better part of twenty minutes, he rolled to his feet, stretched his body, and started to exercise...


    ---


    Though it had been more than an hour since she finished gathering food and supplies, Yui found herself unable, or, more urately, unwilling to return to the cave. Her anger had settled long ago, and, ever since then, she had been shifting between thinking about Nobu''s words and agonizing over what kind of reaction her Grandmother might have should she arrived without him.


    Even an infant would be able to understand that Nobu didn''t want to apany her back to the Yoshitsune n. She could probably convince him by exining the situation to him, but, in reality, even she didn''t know why her Grandmother wanted him brought back to the n.


    ording to the mission briefing, Nobu was supposed to be a mentally handicapped individual without the means to care for himself. This was a stark contrast to the reality right in front of her eyes, but, based on her findings, it wasn''t long ago that he was exactly as the report described. In fact, now that she thought about it, there was a very real chance that he had somehow ovee his disability moments before their initial meeting.


    "Could he have consumed some sort of heavenly treasure? That would help to exin his abnormal growth but how would Grandmother know about this? More than a month had passed by the time I arrived in Owari-Asai. If Grandmother had somehow learned that he woulde into possession of a heavenly treasure, she would havee to retrieve it herself..."


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui realized there were a number of incongruencies with her current situation. This,bined with Nobu''s words, filled her with doubts. She found herself questioning everything, and, for the first time in her life, she was seriously considering escaping across the sea. Belonging to the Yoshitsune n had never brought her happiness. Instead, it had forced innumerable burdens upon her, and, no matter how much she excelledpared to her peers, she was always a single mistake from being forced to sacrifice herself for the n''s benefit.


    "I really am a hypocrite...I lecture people on honor and pride yet here I am, seriously considering turning my back on six-thousand-years of history. Maybe the Elders were right about me...I''m just a coward who only thinks about themself..."


    Smiling in a self-deprecating manner, Yui manifested a short golden dagger from her aura, obsidian blue eyes fixated on its blinding, razor-sharp, edge as she mumbled, "Maybe it would be better if I just put an end to everything...I wonder if ritual suicide can restore the honor of someone who has seriously considered betraying their family? At the very least, I can avoid beingbeled a coward..."


    Though it was only a single crystalline droplet, a tear managed to liberate itself from Yui''s eyes, urately striking the de''s edge. This was followed by a sniffle, but, after wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, all evidence of her passing despair had been erased. Then, for reasons she wouldn''t be able to put into words, Yui looked in the direction of the cave and muttered, "I wonder if that man wouldugh if he saw me like this..."


    (A/N: Stay strong, Yui...)

 Chapter 18: Unyielding Spirits: Compromise

    Chapter 18: Unyielding Spirits: Compromise


    With time gradually marching forward, Nobu found himself wondering if something had happened to the raven-haired woman. She would normally return between 3-4 hours after departing. By now, more than six hours had passed, so, unless something had transpired outside, it was safe to say she was either abandoning or avoiding him.


    "Well...no skin off my teeth. It''ll be a pain in the ass but I can probably scrounge something up if I''m careful..."


    A stark contrast to his words, Nobu was currently lingering around the mouth of the cave, his gaze periodically scanning the snow-coveredndscape for signs of movement. Humans were, after all, social creatures. He could tell himself a thousand times he didn''t care, but, when it came down to it, he would rather put up with someone giving him the silent treatment than spend the rest of winter cooped up in a cave all by himself.


    What Nobu didn''t know was that his scouting potential was truly abysmal. In reality, the person he had been keeping an eye out for had been observing him for the better part of two hours. He was like a farmer-turned-mountain-bandit,pletely unaware of the presence observing him from a mere forty meters away.


    "..."


    When she had first arrived, Yui had thought that Nobu might have approached the mouth of the cave in order to get some fresh air. The barrier inside was designed to keep scents trapped, so, after living inside for a prolonged period of time, it had started to be noticeably ''musky''.


    "Could he be waiting for me to arrive? No...it''s more likely that he''s just hungry. That must be it..."


    Having convinced herself this was the case, Yui emerged from her hiding spot, and, after brushing herself off, approached the cave with apletely neutral expression on her face. She didn''t even bother to greet Nobu as she passed him. Instead, she just looked towards him for a brief moment before making her way deeper into the cave.


    Simr to the raven-haired woman, Nobu pretended to pay her no mind as he focused most of his attention on the invisible tablet in his hand. It was only a few minutes after she had passed him that he turned around, shaking his head as he returned to theparably steamy depths of the cave...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After an extremely awkward meal, Nobu waited until the raven-haired woman was in the middle of her meditation before sneakily taking a picture of her with his Camera App. This caused him to feel like a voyeur or amon pervert but that wasn''t enough to inhibit him from taking full advantage of his perks. Unfortunately, just as he had anticipated, acquiring detailed information on the woman would cost an additional 22,419 Aura.


    ("Well...at least it wasn''t aplete waste of time...")


    ------------------------------------


    Name: ?????????? Yui


    Age: ??


    Gender: Female, H: 149.7cm, W: ??kg, B: ??cm, W: ??cm, H: ??cm


    Blood Type: ??


    Cultivation: Rank 2 Golden Warrior(Purity: ??%)


    Aura Units: ?,???,???/?,???,???


    Status: Cursed, Life Essence Fatigue, Mental Exhaustion, Confusion, ????????, ????


    Main Hand: Left, Ambidextrous


    Preferred Weapon: Katana, ????????, Bow, ????????, ????


    Strengths: ????


    Weaknesses: ????


    Orientation: Heterosexual


    Preferred Position: Reverse Cowgirl, ?????????, ??????????, ???????...


    Favorite Food: ?????, ????, ???????, ?????, ????...


    ....


    ...


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though there was a bunch of useless and missing information, just being able to use his Camera on people was enough to bring a smile to Nobu''s face. He had also, finally, learned the woman''s name. This was something that had been bothering him since the time he introduced himself, but, due to the perennial awkwardness that existed between them, he simply refused to ask.


    ("Those Status Effects though...seems like she''s been putting up a front. If you''re injured, you should be resting...stupid bint...")


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s eyes around the cave before eventually staring down at the thatch mat he had been sleeping on. The woman, Yui, had been allowing him to make use of it ever since they arrived in the cave. As for herself, she either meditated the entire night or curled up near the back of the cave, back facing away from him as she used stacked armor ting as a pillow.


    If she really wanted to, there was nothing to prevent Yui from taking the thatch bedding for herself. She was exponentially stronger than him, yet, in spite of this, she had allowed him to continue using it. This realization caused Nobu to frown, but, even if it was the ''right thing to do'', there was no way in hell he was going to give up theparatively cozy mat and sleep on the cold, hard, ground.


    While this might have made him sound like an ass, Nobu didn''t particrly care. The facts of the matter were that the woman was a lot more durable than he was. She could also use her Aura to protect herself, so, if anything, he would rather share the bedding than yield it because of some archaic sense of pride or chivalry. He wasn''t a simp who treated women like the very ground they walked on was sacred. Thus, once the sun had started to go down, he inly asserted, "We should bunk up together. You''ve hidden it well, but I can tell you''re still recovering. Besides, we''ve already fucked. Might as well help each other stay warm."


    With nary a peeping from him since their previous confrontation, Yui was both surprised and taken aback by Nobu''s sudden proposal. It actually wasn''t umon for groups traveling during winter to share the same tent or findfort in close proximity to their fellows. It was a natural and cost-effective way to preserve body heat, as, not only did it require no additional resources, it made making and breaking camp much faster.


    Believing he might be trying to proposition her, Yui''s expression visibly darkened as she said, "Very well...I will share your bed. However, you will need to have your hands and feet bound..."


    Adopting a frown, Nobu practically scoffed as he said, "You can fuck right off with those bindings. I was just trying to be nice. Damn. You act like I''m going to pounce on you in the middle of the night. Do you really think I''m so desperate that I''ll pounce on a washboard brat just because she''s next to me? Get over yourself."


    Finished with his rebuttal, Nobu immediately turned away from Yui before lying with his back facing her. He made sure to leave a bit of space for her on the mat but he no longer cared whether or not she actually took it. He was just trying to be nice but she had to go and react like he was some kind of sexual predator. Considering she was the one who initiated their previous sexual encounters, this kind of reaction was uncalled for. After all, even if he did try something, she could literally smash his head with a single punch.


    Seeing Nobu turn away from her, almost like he was brooding, Yui, once again, found herself at a loss for words. For a brief moment, she even felt like she had wronged him, but, considering they were neither a couple nor legitimate travelpanions, she didn''t think it was excessive to bind his hands. After all, he was an adult man and she was an unmarried woman. It simply wasn''t proper for them to share a bed without some form of restraint...


    ("It''s like he ispletely ignorant of our customs and traditions...no...it''s more like he lives in direct opposition to them...")


    Recalling how he had spoken ill of her family without a single shred of fear, Yui couldn''t help staring at Nobu''s back with a curious yet pensive look on her face. He was unlike anyone she had ever met, and, for reasons she couldn''t put into words, she didn''t feel that his way of life was ''wrong''. Most of the individuals living in opposition to established norms and traditions were bandits, robbers, and other forms of petty criminals. In other words, they were generally viins who preyed upon people for their own personal gain.


    Though his behavior and way of speaking were extremely brash, Yui didn''t get the impression that Nobu was a bad person. He wasn''tining about the existing system or calling into question any particr governmental policy. He also wasn''t looking for a way to take advantage of others or manipte them into doing his bidding. Instead, he was like an extremely confident child who had noticed that something was wrong and wasn''t afraid to question it...


    ("It''s strange...this man may very well be the greatest fool in Owari. Yet, for some strange reason, I can''t help feeling as though he is right to question things. It''s a shame he wasn''t born into one of the Noble ns. Then again, had he grown up alongside other Nobles, he likely would have turned out the same as everyone else...")


    Realizing the dangerous direction her thoughts were headed, a soft yet exasperated sigh escaped Yui''s lips as she shook her head in self-admonition. It was fine for ''normal'' people to think like this but she was a member of a Minor Noble n. She was honor-bound to dedicate her life in service of the Oda n, who, despite having a few bad apples, worked tirelessly to maintain the peace and stability of the region. They were infinitely better than ns like the Ashikaga, who, after purchasing the Shogun position from the Imperial Family, had slowly been leading Nian towards its ruin.


    Though a full-scale war had yet to break out, tensions between the various provinces had been on the rise in recent years. To make matters even worse, the demons of Onigashima had been pushing south after forming a marriage-alliance with the Date n. Were it not for the efforts of the Uesugi n, specifically their leader, Uesugi Kenshin, the Ashina and Satake ns might have been wiped out as progressively more powerful demons felt emboldened enough to venture south.


    Simply put, Yui wasn''t in a position to have doubts. If war were to erupt between the provinces, she would be required to dutifully follow orders until death. She could not show fear, hesitation, doubt, or any other kind of weakness. After all, while their most important duties were to fight and protect theirnd, one of the many Noble Burdens forced upon warriors was maintaining the morale of the citizens and troops. They were the Heroes of their respective provinces, so, even if they believed no one was looking, warriors were expected to present themselves as honorable, dignified, and fearless beings. Thus, even if she was beginning to have serious doubts about the path she was walking, Yui couldn''t afford to show even a hint of fear or hesitation...


    Forming her resolve, Yui removed her armor, and, after performing the necessary maintenance, set it off to the side. Once that was finished, she removed the bindings from her hair before spending the better part of an hourbing through it with ab soaked in camellia oil. Her Grandmother had taught her that a woman, even a warrior, needed to appear presentable, so, even though it was an arduous process, Yui made sure to clean and maintain her inordinately long and silky ck hair every night before bed.


    With that out of the way, Yui bound her hair using a linen wrap that was intended to soak up excess oil and keep loose dirt out of her hair. Then, when everything was said and done, she made her way over to where Nobu was already fast asleep before lying with her back facing his. This caused her to be aware of his body heat, but, after a few minutes of regting her breathing, she fell asleep without any notable issues...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I''m not sure if the MC is a Chad or just damaged in the head...as for Yui...well, it can''t be easy growing up in that kind of environment...)

 Chapter 19: Decisions, Decisions...

    Chapter 19: Decisions, Decisions...


    Though he didn''t wake to find her sleeping next to him, Yui''s stirring caused Nobu to awaken two hours earlier than usual. He could have easily gone back to sleep, but, after lying in silence for a few minutes, he ultimately rolled to a seated position, suppressing a yawn as he asked, "Do you get up this early every morning?"


    Hearing the question, a tired sigh escaped Yui''s mouth as she momentarily set aside herb and answered, "A structured routine serves as the foundation for a disciplined mind. It also takes a long time tob my hair. If I don''t care for it properly, it would only take a few days for it to be a hindrance and a liability..."


    Having heard something simr in his previous life, Nobu nodded his head without pressing for a more detailed exnation. He had about two year''s worth of growth on his own head, and, due to the way he had been living, it wasn''t exactly pleasant. As for Yui, her hair was longer than any of the women he had encountered in his past life. The longest strands were only an inch or two away from touching her ankles. Had they been back on Earth, she could have easily made a career modeling various hair care products...


    Feeling Nobu''s unabashed gaze linger on her for far longer than most would consider appropriate, a slight frown marred Yui''s face as she asked, "Was there something else...?"


    Though he shook his head, Nobu, without averting his eyes, casually answered, "I was just thinking that I''ve never seen someone with such long and healthy-looking hair. I bet you make a lot of other girls envious, right?"


    Unsure of what to make of his pliment'', Yui stared at Nobu in contemtive silence for several seconds before asking, "You really have no idea, do you...?"


    With a slightly annoyed look on his face, Nobu asked, "About what?" in an audibly defensive tone. If she intended to insult him, he wasn''t just going to take it lying down.


    Taking note of the sudden ''resolution'' contained within Nobu''s eyes, Yui''s feelings of exasperation began to increase. Nothing good ever came from arguing with him, so, after carefully considering her words, she patiently exined, "Tradition dictates that an unmarried woman should not cut her hair before the even of her twentieth year. In this way, we pay our respects to hirume-no-Muchi-no-Kami, the Great Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu-sama..."


    Though she wanted to follow up by saying she shouldn''t be the first woman he had seen with hair of this length, Yui allowed her words to trail off as she observed Nobu''s reaction. He reacted like a child learning something new for the first time, his face and bodynguage utterly devoid of deceit or subterfuge...


    Realizing she hadn''t been trying to insult him, the tensions in Nobu''s body gradually rxed as he replied, "Cool. I''m not fond of traditions and all that otherplicated bullshit, but this is one I can get behind. Chicks with long hair are pretty cool. I bet you could even weaponize it if you attached a weight or something to the end."


    Blinking in surprise, Yui was about toment about the foolishness of such an idea, but, realizing it wasn''t a ''serious'' suggestion, she chose to remain silent. It was gradually bing apparent that Nobu didn''t actually mean anything when he spoke. He was just making conversation, and, so long as she didn''t take his words at face value, she could spare herself a number of headaches.


    ("He really is just like a child...")


    As that sentiment became stronger within her mind, Yui shook her head before promptly resuming the long and arduous process ofbing her hair. This time, shepletely ignored Nobu''s gaze, as, despite her initial impression of him, he didn''t seem to have any ill intent. His eyes were devoid of the possessiveness present in the gazes of the many men who had covered her. Instead, the way he looked at her was filled with genuine intrigue, and, though she didn''t want to admit it, boredom. In other words, he wasn''t looking at her because he desired her body...he simply had nothing better to do...


    After watching Yui for the better part of twenty minutes, Nobu''s boredom eventually got the better of him. He alleviated this by pulling out the stone tablet and proceeding to make some headway on his stockpile. From Yui''s perspective, however, he appeared to be fidgeting like an unruly child who had grown impatient waiting for their mother to prepare breakfast...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While they weren''t exactly on good terms, the tensions between Nobu and Yui gradually waned from the moment they started sharing a bed. They still didn''t talk very often, but, after a few days had passed, Yui began dying her trips to the outside in order to oversee Nobu''s training.


    Though the advice she offered sounded extremely archaic, Nobu was unsurprised to discover that her methods were remarkably effective. This was, after all, a fantasy world with a cultivation-based power system. Unlike the self-proimed and consistently ridiculed Grandmasters of his world, this was a ce where children as young as four could gather Aura into their hands before shooting it off like a character in DBZ. Thus, while it made him feel like aplete tool, Nobu closely followed Yui''s instructions even when she forced him to pose and hold a squat for a full thirty minutes.


    Unfortunately, even after several days had passed, she vehemently refused to teach him anything rted to Aura. This was pretty annoying, but, so long as he had the stone tablet, Nobu knew it was only a matter of time before his familiarity with the Ki-like energy increased. This sentiment became even stronger when his total Aura increased to 1000 points...


    "Rank Progression Tab...?"


    Though he had also unlocked an Achievement, Nobu had grown weary of thumbing through the seemingly endless list in search of specific achievements. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, he opened up the brand new tab to find what could best be described as a Skill Tree.


    "Holy shit...and here I thought Path of Exile had a massive fucking skill tree. Are each of these a different cultivation method...?"


    While the path of Metal Infusion was the default method listed, there was a total of 108 different empty nodes branching from the point at the exact center of the screen. Clicking on these nodes caused a metric shit ton of other nodes to pop out, each branching into a mind-boggling number of cultivation paths. The only real limit seemed to be that you could only upgrade to a major realm, each possessing ten Ranks, a total of ten times before the branches disappeared into a mysterious fog...


    "What''s the point of being so mysterious? It''s obvious that fog is the realm beyond what mortals are able to achieve...how dumb..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu decided to pointless to think about the various cliches he had encountered in this world. Every time he attempted to dodge a g, he ended up being beaten into a near-death state or having his ass handed to him by fate. He needed to get a lot stronger if he wanted to avoid being the plot''s bitch, so, after a bit of deliberation, he clicked on the node representing the Copper Metal Infusion Technique.


    Though he had already noticed it while clicking through random nodes, Nobu was surprised to see there were more than a dozen different methods to advance to something as mundane as Copper Rank 1. The simplest method required absorbing the essence contained within 100kg of unrefined Copper Ore. As for the most difficult, one tasked him with obtaining the Reverse Scale of a Copper Dragon while another required him to find a material known as ''Essence of the Mountain God''.


    Based on this information, Nobu could infer that there were drastic differences between cultivators even at Bronze Rank 1. After all, there was no way someone who had obtained the Reverse Scale of a dragon would be weaker than someone who had used unrefined ore to advance their cultivation. If that were the case, there would be no need for Heavenly Treasures as everyone could be the strongest in the world by sucking stone...


    Unfortunately, even if he wanted to pick the best possible route, Nobu wasn''t exactly in a position to be picky. His savings were probably enough to purchase the requisite amount of copper ore, but, without connections, it was unlikely anyone would be willing to sell him the refined material.


    Even without Yui''s behavior to serve as a foundation to derive conclusions, Nobu could guess that mines and refined materials were heavily regted. There was no way the government would allow peasants, farmers, and othermon-folk to freely trade materials that could be used to produce weapons or empower loose cultivators. Commoners weren''t even allowed to carry weapons without a permit, so, with the exception of talented youths, conscripted as early as eight years old, everyday citizens were forced to rely on the Feudal Lords and their forces for protection.


    Shaking his head, Nobu backed out of the Metal Infusion Path and began cycling through the other 107 basic paths. Aura seemed to be able to acquire the properties of anything it had been exposed to. The only reason people adhered to the Metal Infusion Path was because they simply didn''t know the proper route to follow a different path. After all, you couldn''t simply start off with Orichalcum as your first infusion. Every path had a specific set of requirements for ascending to the next Realm, so, unless you belonged to a lineage that had developed their own method over thousands of years, it was utterly impossible to pursue an unorthodox route.


    "If Ipiled a few of these methods into a book, I''d probably go down in history as a Great Sage or some shit..."


    Shelving that idea for a time when he could actually defend himself, Nobu continued to filter out cultivation methods until he was left with only three options. From what he could tell, these were the easiest, and, as a result, the best options avable to him. He would probably be a little weaker than cultivators of the same Rank, but, unless his hand was forced, it wasn''t like he was intending to go around picking fights. Only idiots, fools, self-righteous prick, and bloodthirsty psychopaths went around starting fights with ns, Sects, and other organizations. Since the thought of killing people didn''t exactly give him a raging boner, Nobu would rather just stick to bing a merchant or an advisor to some rich asshole willing to pay for the ''knowledge'' he could provide.


    "So my options are to basically be a Priest, a Bard, or a Hippie..."


    Though the methods were known as the ''Nine Divine Sacraments'', ''Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment'', and ''Breath Progression Technique'', Nobu believed his own descriptions were spot on. As for what made them easy, well, the first simply required him to pray and offer donations to a God known as the Divine Dragon, Albion. As for the other two, the Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment required him to have fun while the Breath Progression Technique, as the name implied, literally only required him to breathe a specific way for a set period of time.


    While others might find it difficult to be stronger using such methods, Nobu could circumvent the more annoying aspects of cultivation thanks to his stone tablet. He could literally justze about all day, and, so long as he continued to click its surface, his strength would gradually increase. Sure, he could probably benefit from some actual training, but, even after pushing himself for thest five days, his points hadn''t increased in the slightest. Since his parents had also shoved hundreds of rare and expensive herbs down his throat, many of which were supposed to help increase his cultivation base, there was a very real chance that his Aura could only be increased using the stone tablet...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Which path will our beloved asshole choose? Let me know what you think in thements section~)

 Chapter 20: Karmas a Bitch, but Fate-chans a Sadist...

    Chapter 20: Karma''s a Bitch, but Fate-chan''s a Sadist...


    After considering the positives and negatives for the better part of five hours, Nobu had separated the three paths as such...


    ------------------------------------


    [Nine Divine Sacraments]


    Pros: Free heals, Divine Protection, Maces are pretty cool, potential favor of a God


    Cons: Healers are incredibly rare in Nian, costs a shit ton of money, the God might be an asshole


    [Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment]


    Pros: Fuck lots of women, get hammered, shit ton of buffs, extremely liberal


    Cons: The ''need'' to fuck lots of women, alcohol is expensive, support specialist, extremely liberal


    [Breath Progression Technique]


    Pros: Breathing is easy, Low threshold for entry, doesn''t require resources


    Cons: Requires traveling to numerous, potentially dangerous, locations.


    ------------------------------------


    Though thest one might not sound like much of a con, the requirement for advancing to the Fifth Realm, Breath of the Mountain, forced him to scale numerous mountains without the use of tools or external support. As for the Ninth Realm, Breath of the Heavens, he was required to spend an entire year at an altitude of 40,000m. This was practically space, so, unless he learned how to fly, there was a chance he would be stuck at the Eighth Realm, Breath of Transcendence, for the rest of his life.


    Fortunately, even if a person were stuck at a specific Realm, there didn''t seem to be any cap to their Aura reserves. One of the cultivation paths, Mandate of Heaven, literally required him to umte 1,000,000,000 Aura just to attain Rank 1 of the First Realm. Using the Metal Infusion Technique as a standard, this was equivalent to reaching Adamantine, the Eighth Realm.


    As tempting as it was to select the most powerful cultivation method, Nobu needed strength now, not a hundred years from now. His father, one of the most powerful Feudal Lords in the present era, was a mere Mithril Lord after more than sixty years of cultivation. This was considered a monstrous achievement, but, from the perspective of someone who wanted to return home in the next couple of years, Nobu couldn''t afford to follow convention.


    "Ah, fuck it..."


    In the end, Nobu decided to just leave things to fate. It had been pretty keen on dictating his path thus far, so, using a coin, he pitted each option against each other, round-robin style, to determine his path moving forward. This resulted in the Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment losing out to the other two, and, once everything was said and done, fate had decreed he would be a Hippie.


    "Well, that takes care of that. Guess I''ll need to invent a hot air balloon or some shit..."


    Shelving that idea for the future, Nobu adopted a halfhearted lotus position before doing his best to follow the instructions listed for obtaining Rank 1 ''Breath of the Mortal''. It told him he needed to take a single breath in a single minute, so, assuming a breathing technique wouldn''t require him to hold his breath, he did his best to take a single, slow, and steady breath...


    After a mere neen seconds, Nobu felt as though his lungs were about to burst. His follow-up attempt clocked in around twenty-five seconds, but, no matter how many times he tried after, he could not exceed twenty-three. Even taking a series of deep breaths to try and oxygenate his body didn''t help. Instead, his vision began to turn ck around the edges, almost as if his mind had been primed to continue taking in more oxygen and was now panicking due to its sudden absence...


    Exhaling a frustrated sigh, Nobu was about to try lying on his back when the silence of the cave was broken by a soft, "What are you doing...?"


    Starling to a sitting position, Nobu eximed, "Holy shit! What are you, a fucking ninja!? At least say something when youe in!"


    Furrowing her brows, Yui''s voice became stern and somewhat defiant as she tly retorted, "Did I not just say something...?"


    Though he was highly tempted to shout a rebuttal of his own, Nobu just massaged his temples for a few seconds before answering, "A certain someone won''t teach me any cultivation techniques so I''m trying to create my own. Now, if you don''t mind, I''m busy training."


    Contrary to his words, at least from Yui''s perspective, Nobu promptly rolled onto his back, crossed his feet, and folded his hands behind his head. From an outsider''s point of view, he was justzing about, but, in reality, he was doing his best to regte his breathing.


    To her credit, Yui was actually able to perceive what Nobu was doing, but, thinking nothing woulde of it, she just shook her head before taking a seat and preparing their meal. Aura Breathing Techniques were quitemon, so much so that she knew thirteen different variants, but, as far as she could tell, Nobu was breathing normally. His ability to control Aura was around the same level as a child throwing a tantrum, as, without being extremely angry, he couldn''t muster even a fraction of the ever-growing reserves in his body. Thus, without some kind of miracle, he would forever be stuck at the Foundation Building Realm...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Matching Yui''s expectations, days passed without Nobu making any observable progress. The only things that kept him going were the knowledge that he could perpetually increase his aura through clicking, and, more importantly, the notion that he was tantalizingly close to sess.


    Staring at the time on his tablet, Nobu''s eyes were on the verge of bing bloodshot as he did his best to force additional oxygen into his lungs. He had been able to consistently clock in around 55 seconds, so, with a bit of effort, he was sure he could reach a minute. The key, strangely enough, had been exhausting his body before attempting the breathing technique. This was the opposite of what he would have thought, but, after working out for three hours and lying on the cold floor for around two, he felt as though he could naturally draw out each and every breath.


    ("Tick faster you stupid motherfucker...!")


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s body seemed like it was about to force him to breathe out, but, just as he was about to smash the seemingly indestructible tablet against the ground, he suddenly felt as though he could keep breathing. At the same time, a powerful aroma assaulted his senses with such intensity that he could have been convinced that someone invisible asshole had just smacked him in the face.


    "What the actual fuck...!?"


    Covering his nose in an effort to block out the extremely pungent smell, Nobu''s eyes widened as he quickly realized where it wasing from.


    "Holy shit! Is this me!? And...oh god! My fucking breath! Did that bitch feed dog shit to me in my sleep!?"


    Feeling a sudden and intense urge to vomit, Nobu ran to the isted area at the back of the cave that served as atrine. It was basically just a massive hole that Yui had dug out using her aura, but, as it was far more dangerous to venture outside, it was the only option he had to relieve himself.


    Before he got anywhere near said hole, Nobu felt as though he had walked into a physical wall of shit and piss due to how powerful the aroma was. It existed outside the barrier intended to conceal their presence, so, while the aroma was prevented from invading their living space, it was effectively confined to a much smaller space.


    Overtaking by an indescribable feeling of nausea, Nobu emptied the contents of his stomach onto the cave floor. This caused an even more pungent aroma to spread through the air, and, much like a person who had just gotten a whiff of someone else''s vomit, Nobu couldn''t prevent himself from heaving even as stomach acid began to burn the interior of his mouth and throat.


    ("Oh god...! This can''t be happening...! Shit...! Fuck...!")


    Unable to voice his thoughts, Nobu was left with little choice but to scream out in his mind as tears and mucus began to pour from his eyes and nose. He felt like a drug addict that had been forced to ingest a spoonful of ipecac, as, no matter how desperately he resisted the urge, he continued to dry heave with such intensity that every muscle in his body was beginning to seize...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Returning with the day''s harvest, Yui was about to announce her presence when she noticed that the cave was empty. This caused her to momentarily freeze in ce, but, after confirming that her Scouting Owl was still stationed outside, she quickly calmed down, muttering, "He must be using the bathroom..."


    Convinced this was the case, Yui sat down in her usual spot and began peeling various fruits. One of the downsides to an all-fruit and berry diet was that it could cause gastrointestinal difort if you ate too much all at once. Thus, with the intention of bncing out his diet, Yui pulled out a handful of wild chestnuts and began carefully extracting the oil-rich nuts within. It was only after a half-hour had passed that she began to seriously worry, muttering, "Don''t tell me he fell in..."


    Though she typically would avoid walking in on someone trying to relieve themselves, the hole Yui had dug was nearly five meters deep. If Nobu really had fallen in, there was a very real chance that he might have injured himself. Even a minor wound, once infected, could be a life-threatening injury, so, without any discernible hesitation, she rounded the slight bend leading to the back of the cave.


    "...!"


    Seeing Nobu copsed on the ground, Yui immediately shed to his side without any regard for the putrid vomit covering the ground and staining his clothes. When she turned him over, his face waspletely pale, sweat staining his face as his heavily dted eyes darted around sightlessly in their sockets.


    Feeling more panic than she would have anticipated, Yui smacking the unconscious Nobu before shouting, "Wake up! I need you to tell me what happened! Did something bite you!? Did you eat anything strange...!?"


    Rather than responding to her calls, Nobu''s eyes promptly rolled upward and towards the back of his head. This caused Yui''s already racing heart to beat loudly in her chest and ears as she borrowed a page out of Nobu''s book, shouting, "Fuck...!"


    Looking around, Yui''s eyes turned to the vomit on the ground before setting Nobu on his side and rummaging through the foul-smelling contents without any hesitation. She was looking for any sign of poisonous herbs, nts, or mushrooms that might have been mixed in. She would need to know what he had eaten if she were going to carry him back to the city for treatment. If she failed to find the cause, even amon toxin could be fatal.


    Failing to find anything out of the norm, she would know, Yui''s next course of action was to quickly strip away Nobu''s clothes. Though slim, there was a chance a poisonous snake or spider had been able to prate a gap in the barrier. There were a number of insects smaller than a fingernail who could even drop experienced warriors with their venom. If Nobu got bitten by one of those, he was almost guaranteed to die. The most she could do at that point was put an end to his suffering, but, as such creatures were typically bred in captivity, she held out hope.


    Finding no traces of any injuries or puncture wounds anywhere on his body, Yui was starting to feel incredulous as she quickly yet methodicallybed through Nobu''s hair for the third time. She was checking him for ticks, fleas, lice, or any other type of insect that might have attached itself near the base of his hair or scalp. Unfortunately, even after searching every nook and cranny of his body with aparable degree of scrutiny, the only abnormality she discovered was that an inordinatelyrge volume of snot was trickling from his nose...


    "Nobu...what the fuck..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: It seems our boy is slowly corrupting our naive young heroine...)

 Chapter 21: Breathing is Hard

    Chapter 21: Breathing is Hard


    After one of the most hellish experiences he had suffered across two lives, Nobu awoke to find the lower half of his face wrapped with a damp cloth, a minty aroma assaulting his senses.


    Compelled by instinct, Nobu attempted to remove the cloth from his face only to find his hand grasped in another, followed by a stern, "Leave it. Whatever you were doing managed to open your Nasal Acupoint. Without using your Aura to block it out, even something as mundane as body odor will overwhelm your olfactory senses."


    Following the sound to its source, Nobu found Yui staring down at him with the kind of usatory re that was typically associated with mothers who had learned of their child''s bad behavior. This caused him to feel more than a little annoyed, but, after several seconds of tense silence, he forced himself to mutter, "Thanks..." before closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing.


    Restraining a sigh, Yui''s expression noticeably rxed as she stated, "You don''t have to exin right this instant, but it would help if I knew what happened. Opening your Nasal Acupoint typically takes a considerable amount of effort. It isn''t the type of thing that just happens without cause..."


    Though he was tempted to tell her he could only exin if she lowered her head and began calling him Master, the thought of anyone actually doing that was extremely cringe. He had heard girls call him Daddy, but, even if he were to apany his parents on a trip to Japan, he would avoid ces like Akihabara and Maid Cafes at any cost...


    "I was just breathing in and out like I''ve been doing for the past week. Then, all of a sudden, it was like someone smacked me in the face with a brick. After that....uggghhh...."


    Recalling his experience in the rocky corridor leading to the bathroom, an expression of profound disgust manifested upon Nobu''s face as extreme nausea surged forward like a predator pouncing on unsuspecting prey. Before he could lurch forward and find a ce to vomit, however, a golden needle manifested in Yui''s left hand as she used her right to pin him down. Then, with the precision of someone who had been practicing acupuncture for decades, she deftly inserted the inordinately thin needle at a point in between his eyebrows.


    Feeling a sensation simr to warm water flowing over his forehead, a relieved sigh escaped Nobu''s mouth as he repeated, "Thanks..." in a sincere tone. This actually earned him a slight frown from Yui, as, for the past two weeks, most of the wordsing from his mouth had been harsh, abrasive, and outright callous. She even thought her ears might be ying tricks on her, but, observing the pure and unadulterated relief in Nobu''s countenance, she could tell he was being sincere.


    "Think nothing of it...I was just doing my duty..."


    A stark contrast to Nobu''s straightforward gratitude, Yui found her own words to be hollow and insincere. Despite this, the former just chuckled in a light-hearted manner before replying, "Well, thanks for doing your duty. If not for you, my ass would have been grass a long time ago. Since I didn''t get to say it before, I''ll say it now. Thanks for saving me..."


    Though he nearly called her by name, Nobu managed to restrain himself thanks to the pout-like frown on Yui''s face. He had clearly caught her off guard, but, after what he had just gone through, he wasn''t really in the mood to tease anyone. His body felt like it had endured several marathons, so, more than anything else, he just wanted to sleep...


    Seeing Nobu close his eyes, Yui''s frustrated expression immediately became one of concern as she hastily leaned forward to check his pulse. When she detected the usual strong and steady rhythm, a sigh of relief escaped her lips, followed by the shaking of her head as sheined, "This man is going to be the death of me..." (A/N: *heavy sweating*)


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though it was a little annoying with Yui constantly watching over him, it didn''t take long for Nobu to discover the ups and downs of the Breath Progression Technique. It turned out to be a lot moreplex than he expected, but, considering it was a technique that would allow a normal person to be a superhero, he wasn''t all that surprised.


    The thing Nobu had difficultly wrapping his head around was his sudden and unexpected ability to inhale continuously. It quickly consumed his Aura, but, so long as he had the reserves to sustain its activation, he basically had an unlimited supply of oxygen to his body. This caused his mind to buzz in a manner simr to a runner''s high, and, as a result, his mind would be crystal clear as every muscle in his body cried out in subline exaltation.


    Simply put, while his Aura wasn''t nearly as durable as a cultivator of the Metal Infusion Technique, Nobu''s five senses, stamina, and reaction time were drastically improved with the consumption of his Aura. He would most likely need to rely on the use of external tools, but, so long as they weren''t exponentially more powerful than him, he should be able to overwhelm most opponents solely due to the fact he no longer needed to take a break.


    Other people had to regte their breathing, and, the more they exerted themselves, the harder it would be to supply their body with the oxygen it needed to continue functioning. This limitation no longer applied to Nobu. Rather, he could inhale so quickly that it would only take a few seconds for him to pass out due to the sheer amount of oxygen entering his system. In other words, so long as he had the Aura to sustain it, he had functionally unlimited stamina.


    Though this ability came with the extreme detriment that he would pass out the moment his Aura had depleted, such side effects weremon among cultivators. After all, Aura was effectively the amount of energy a person could pull from their own vital essence, spirit, and willpower. Thus, the moment you ran out, your body would naturally shut down in order to preserve itself and prevent permanent damage. There were techniques that would allow you to overdraft these reserves, but, in exchange, you would literally be burning away your life. As for how Nobu had learned of this, well, it was only natural that Yui would discover the irregrities within his Aura when he was constantly exhausting it...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Keep your back straight. Even if you can inhale continuously, your posture and the way you move your body are important. The more you exert yourself, the quicker your Aura will deplete. A skilled opponent will be able to exploit this. Never give them any openings, or..."


    Trailing her words, Yui sidestepped Nobu''s attempt to tackle her before manifesting a pale golden crossbow and firing a blunted bolt into his back, adding, "...you will most certainly die."


    Though the bolt had been blunted, the force behind it was still enough to break the skin and leave arge bruise at the point of contact. Since she had urately targeted a nerve near Nobu''s spine, thetter was forced to inhale sharply due to the sudden and intense pain. This wouldn''t have been an issue for a normal person, but, thanks to his breathing technique, Nobu''s brain began to buzz as he copsed forward into the snow.


    Converting the crossbow back into pure Aura, Yui approached Nobu''s side, kneeling next to him as she inly remarked, "The most important lesson any cultivator can learn is humility. Never assume you are the strongest. Prove it by defeating every opponent who stands in your way. If you can''t do that, such sentiments are pure hubris...now, get up. I know you''re not unconscious."


    Crushing a bit of snow in the process, Nobu balled his hands into fists before attempting a sneak attack. Unfortunately, Yui had seen through his intentions from the very beginning so the only thing he managed was eliciting a monotone, "Pathetic..." as she instantaneously stepped out of his range. Then, taking advantage of the fact he was basically on all-fours, she kicked him directly in the chin, knocking away the partially frozen cloth covering the lower half of his face.


    Though the attack was only enough to enrage him, Nobu''s offensive capabilities were effectively crippled as he instinctually covered his mouth and nose. Unfortunately, even the aroma of the soil on his palms waspletely overwhelming. As a result, he could only grimace in fury and disgust as Yui kicked him away and dangled his make-shift facemask between her thumb and index finger, saying, "In your present state, you have too many weaknesses to count. If your sense of smell gets stronger with each Rank, you may even need to order a custom mask from the Iga n. They use a special technique that gives them a stronger sense of smell than most canines so theymonly wear masks to conceal their identity and inhibit their sense of smell. If you save up a few hundred Koushukin(golden coins used during the Sengoku Period), you might be able tomission their craftsmen to produce one..."


    Using the upper-half of his tunic in a vain attempt to filter out some of the smells, Nobu red at Yui as he growled, "Give it back..."


    Before she heard Nobu''s threatening tone, Yui had every intention of returning the face mask. Now, hoping to instill just a marginal amount of discipline into him, she adopted a serious expression and said, "If you can''t ask respectfully, the only way you''re getting this back is if you snatch it away from me. Without power, bravado and threats are meaningless."


    With Nobu ring with even greater intensity than before, Yui''s body tensed in anticipation of the attack that woulde. What she didn''t expect was for Nobu, through clenched teeth, to promptly reply, "May I please have my mask back?"


    Though it made him feel like he was back in kindergarten, Nobu would rather swallow his pride than put up with the odors assaulting his senses. He also knew he wasn''t Yui''s match, so, rather than suffer in vain, his only focus was on recovering the face mask. Everything else, even his rage and indignation, could wait.


    Furrowing her brows, Yui was tempted to refuse Nobu''s request since the look on his face didn''t even remotely match his words. Unfortunately, he had a habit of resorting to extreme measures if pushed too far, so, after a moment of consideration, she tossed over partially frozen cloth, saying, "We''re done for the day. Your Aura density is already approaching a dangerous level. Go inside and warm yourself up. I''ll be back in an hour or two with something to eat."


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, a golden aura shrouded Yui''s body as her figure shed into the distance. She knew he needed time to calm down, so, before he did something they would both regret, she took it upon herself to vanish beyond the tree line...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he told himself he wasn''t following her instructions, merely seeking warmth, Nobu dragged his exhausted body into the cave before falling, face-first, onto the thatch bedding. This prompted his muscles to scream out in protest, but, ignoring thempletely, he justy in silence for several minutes before groaning, "That bitch really is a sadist..."


    (A/N: Let me know what you guys and gals think about the MC''s cultivation method. I have quite a number of ideas in mind regarding its progression but I''m more than willing to change things up if any of you have interesting ideas. For now, I want the MC to focus on the aspects that make him unique rather than having him follow a generic path of cultivation. He will be strong, sure, but, as he has mentioned several times till now, strength is just a means to an end. If you expect him to suddenly start behaving like the psychopathic and murderous MCs found in most cultivation novels, you''re probably going to be severely disappointed. He might kill someone who is trying to kill him, but, no matter how you look at it, it isn''t ''normal'' to believe that wiping out entire ns and stuff is ''necessary'' for survival. If you had that kind of power, you could literally just walk away and there is nothing anyone could do to stop you xD...)

 Chapter 22: Caged Bird

    Chapter 22: Caged Bird


    With a gradual increase in the temperature outside, it wasn''t long before the snow covering the mountain and forest began to fade away. The sounds of birdsongs could be heard with increasing frequency, and, in certain regions, the first flowers of spring had already started to bloom.


    By this point, more than a month had passed since Nobu''s reincarnation. He had yet to fully adapt to his current situation, but, like most humans, the numerous traumas he had experienced since his arrival had gradually shaped his character into something ''more'' than his previous self.


    Most people would call this maturing. Humans were surprisingly adaptable, and, so long as they weren''t killed, they could eventually ovee, or, at the very least, ept the circumstances they had found themselves in.


    A stark contrast to the precedent that had been established by his fellow humans across countless generations, most of Nobu''s development thus far had been the antithesis of maturation. He felt as though this world was proactively trying to break him, so, rather than epting his circumstances, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say he was bing increasingly childish, temperamental, and jaded...


    "Get up, Nobu! I know you can keep going! Show some backbone! You''re a man, aren''t you...!?"


    Ignoring Yui''s words, Nobu continued to lie with his half-veiled faced pressed to the emerald green grass she had previously nted him into. They had been ''training'' every day since he advanced to Rank 1 Breath of the Mortal. In the beginning, he thought this would help him improve his control and teach him how to protect his nose. Instead, it had resulted in him receiving an ever-increasing number of bruises, and, in one instance, he had even broken a finger when he stubbed it in a badnding.


    Though Yui had helped him to both set the bone and recover from the injury using the tried and true method of ''Yin Transference'' method, Nobu''s frustrations towards training had been mounting with each passing day. No amount of sex could convince him to let someone torture and treat his body like a ragdoll, so, even though Yui had called out to him numerous times, he just continued to lie there in silence.


    Realizing that Nobu was effectively throwing a tantrum, an exasperated sigh escaped Yui''s mouth. Her impression that he was essentially a child in the body of an adult had beenpounding with each passing day. This had caused her to seriously consider enticing him with nightly ''rewards'', but, while he certainly appeared to enjoy it, hecked the ''zeal'' expected of a young man who had only recently learned the pleasures of the flesh. Rather, he was frustratingly casual about it, so much so that she thought her techniques were somehow wed...


    After waiting for a full three minutes, Yui approached Nobu''s side before squatting down next to him and saying, "You really are making a lot of progress, Nobu. I''m only being hard on you because you''re far weaker than other cultivators your age. This wouldn''t have been an issue if you remained a normal person, but, now that you have awakened this strange ability, a lot of people are going to target you. As difficult as it might be for you to believe, trust me when I say I''ve been rtively kind to you these past few weeks..."


    Since chastizing and taunting him didn''t seem to work, at least not in the manner she would have hoped, Yui decided to try a gentler approach. Nobu had mentioned his mother numerous times in their conversations, so, while shecked certain ''maternal traits'', Yui wanted to see if you would try harder if she approached him as a mother worried about her son''s future...


    Had he known what Yui was thinking, Nobu would have reacted with extreme hostility. Instead, he thought she was just trying to be nice. Thus, after remaining silent for several seconds, he exhaled a sigh of his own before rolling onto his back and saying, "All I need is time...if you really want to help me, find a way to get me as far away from Owari as possible. I don''t know what the people who put you up to this are nning, but it can''t be for my benefit. If they were that eager to help, I wouldn''t have spent thest two years as a catatonic cripple relying on the mercy ofplete strangers just to survive..."


    As this was the first time he had broached the subject of his past, Yui was extremely tempted to ask Nobu about his sudden change. There had to be some kind of impetus behind it, and, based on his words, he should be able to shed some light on things. If he really had consumed something along the lines of a Heavenly Treasure, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say he could be one of the most significant people in all of Owari. Inversely, he could also be a threat to the entire archipgo, so, while she wanted to help, Yui''s sense of duty and responsibility prevented her from making any rash decisions.


    With a conflicted look on her face, Yui sat on her bottom for the first time since she and Nobu had met, softly replying, "I can''t pretend to understand what you had gone through. However, I can say with some degree of certainty that the person who sent me to retrieve you harbors no ill will. I can''t say the same for the rest of my family, but, so long as I draw breath, I swear to do everything in my power to protect you from their influence..."


    Though he could tell she was being serious, Nobu couldn''t help snorting in response to Yui''s words, his tone crass and defiant as he retorted, "Everything except letting me go free..."


    On that note, Nobu climbed to his feet with a grunt before awkwardly hobbling towards the cave in the distance. There was a sharp pain in his lower back, and, though she had controlled her strength, Yui had struck the side of his knee with a makeshift golden baton. Even the corrupt policemen back on Earth had the good sense to use rubber batons, yet, here in this world, it was apparently normal to unhesitantly beat the shit out of people with exponentially harder and heavier weapons. He was honestly sick of it, so, after hearing Yui''s words, he was fed up and done for the day.


    Following Nobu''s departure with her eyes, a conflicted look appeared on Yui''s face as she silently muttered to herself, "It''s for the best...even if I did let him go, it wouldn''t be long before someone with a wicked heart set their sights on him. He is far too naive to survive in this world on his own..."


    Though she would have liked to exin these things to him, Yui knew Nobu wouldn''t want to hear her excuses. In his mind, she was keeping him against his will. They had been able to cohabitate for the better part of a month, but, were it not for their extreme difference in strength, she could easily imagine him leaving the first chance he got. To that end, there was a very real chance that the only reason he even bothered listening to her at all was because he didn''t really have a choice...


    "I really am bing the very thing I detest more than anything else...forcing someone against their will just because I have the power to do so. Right or wrong, it doesn''t change the fact I am making decisions for another person without their consent..."


    Exhaling a tired sigh, Yui was tempted to follow Nobu''s example by lying down on the grass and just staring up at the heavens above. Thesest couple of weeks had caused her to doubt things she had never even questioned previously. Nobu''s words also possessed a certain ''surety'' to them that made them hard to outright refute. Thus, even after resolving herself to do carry out her duty countless times, she, once again, found herself considering other alternatives...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After dragging himself all the way back to the cave, Nobu plopped down near the edge of the pool of water before mentally preparing himself to remove his face mask. He was no longer able to hold his breath like a normal person as his pores seemed to exhale everything through his Aura. Thus, at least for the time being, the only way he could tolerate removing his mask was by shoving crushed mint up his nose and slowing his breathing to the point it was indiscernible to onlookers.


    ("This technique is a serious pain in the ass...if it doesn''t get better over the next few Ranks, I might lose my shitpletely...")


    With 32 days having passed since his reincarnation, Nobu had managed to umte a little more than 1800 Aura. His actual earnings were closer to 1900, but, every now and then, he found himself using his Camera App to analyze various objects he had taken an interest in. It was going to be one of his most important tools in the future, so, while it might be smarter to preserve as much Aura as possible, Nobu didn''t want to develop the mentality that it was untouchable.


    After investing thousands of hours on numerous Clicker Apps, Nobu was well acquainted with the facy that points should be hoarded. It was through umting Achievements and purchasing various upgrades that your clicks reached truly ludicrous levels, so, even if a ''reincarnation'' function was unlocked in the future, effectively resetting his cultivation back to 0, he would only hesitate for a moment before making use of it. After all, in virtually every Clicker game, things like reincarnation, ascension, or whatever the developers wanted to call it, were essential if you wanted to unlock end game content and drastically increasing the efficacy of your clicks.


    ("Let''s just hope it doesn''t force me to reach the Ninth Realm before giving me the option...")


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu removed his face mask before carefully setting it to the side so that he could wash his face. The cool water helped to calm his nerves quite a bit, but, even though weeks had passed since the time he awoke to find Yui severely injured, a herbal aroma was still present within the crystal clear water. This caused a frown to develop across Nobu''s face, but, having grown ustomed to subtler aromas, he didn''t overreact as he had done several times in the past.


    ("If even the water of a mountain spring smells this bad, I can''t even imagine how bad things will be once I reach a city. I really shot myself in the foot on this one. I''ll need to look into acquiring one of those masks Yui mentioned previously. If my sense of smell really does get stronger with each Rank, I''m fucked in a backwater ce like feudal Japan. Most people only clean their bodies once a week and only Nobles can actually afford baths. Things might be a little better if I move somece with a hot spring resort but then I''ll have to contend with the smell of sulfur...")


    "This fucking sucks..."


    Unable to express himself adequately with thought alone, Nobu couldn''t help speaking them aloud. Everything about this world had been a kick in the dick, and, thanks to his decision to reincarnate as an adult, he had missed out on the adaptation period afforded to most children. Now, he was being dragged off to god knows where, and, depending on the decisions of people exponentially stronger than him, he might be royally fucked the moment he arrived. As for Yui''s promise, he was actually a little grateful, but, based on their previous conversation, it was pretty fucking obvious she wasn''t in a position to protect others. She wasn''t even allowed to pursue her dream freely yet, in spite of this, she believed she could protect him?


    "Ridiculous..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I feel like Nobu just needs to man up and convince Yui to elope. If you can''t defeat a Tsundere with raw power, your only choice is to tame them...!)

 Chapter 23: Circumstances

    Chapter 23: Circumstances


    Though her cultivation base hadn''t fully recovered, the onset of Spring mandated that Yui seriously consider returning to the Yoshitsune n. If she dyed things any further, someone from the n would invariably be sent to retrieve her. That would be an absolute worst-case scenario, as, not only would she fail her mission, but the person sent to retrieve her would undoubtedly belong to one of the factions attempting to suppress her.


    As much as she would like to pretend Nobu''s words had no basis in reality, Yui was the most aware of her current situation. After all, it was her fear of being treated as a sacrificial pawn that led to her pursuing the path of a warrior in the first ce. She hadn''t minded it when she was born to serve a specific lord, but, from the moment her fiance died, effectively invalidating the very meaning of her existence, any desire she had to marry into the Oda n faded away.


    It would be one thing if she was asked to serve the current Daimyo, Oda Senken. She could have epted this, as, when deconstructed to its most basic form, her purpose in life had been serving the leader of the Oda n. Lord Senken was also a righteous and dignified ruler who cared deeply for his people. He had garnered the respect of every family serving under the Oda, and, were it not for hisck of ambition, many in the surrounding provinces would have enthusiastically weed his rule.


    Unfortunately, despite a considerable amount of censure from members of his n, Senken''s heart had always belonged to his First Wife, Suzuki Nana. The only reason he had multiple wives was due to the traditions that had been passed down through the Oda n for generations. This included a member of the Yoshitsune Family, but, ording to rumors, he had never onceid a hand on her, even in his youth.


    Since Lord Senken had no intention of taking in any additional wives or Concubines, Yui''s best bet would have been pledging herself to one of his two sons. Unfortunately, just as she had been born to serve the first son of the Oda n, two other members of the Yoshitsune n had been sired to serve alongside the second and third sons. They were reared together from a young age, so, even if she wanted to pledge herself to them, neither the Oda nor the Yoshitsune n would ept it. She was simply too old, and, like many things in Nian, tradition dictated that the female in a rtionship be younger than the men they served.


    Simply put, the status and position she had literally been birthed to bear had been stripped away from her before she ever had a chance to fulfill her duty. This put the Elders into a difficult situation, as, prior to this development, they had showered her with praise and affection while affording her a number of privileges that other members could only covet. After all, once her husband matured and became the next leader of the Oda n, Yui''s status and authority within the Yoshitsune n would have been second to none.


    With the death of her fiance, Yui became a massive liability in the eyes of the senior members of the Yoshitsune n. Her previous status had also earned her a considerable amount of envy, so, on the very day her fiance was dered dead, virtually every member of the family turned against her. This included Elders who had doted on her ever since she was an infant, so, for a while, Yui had suffered from an extreme case of depression. It was only when she found out that the Elders were conspiring to marry her off the Sixth Elder of the Oda n that she bounced back and resolved herself to take control of her own destiny...


    Recalling these memories, Yui found herself dying their departure much longer than she should have. Nobu''s words had resonated with something slumbering deep within her subconscious, and, the more she thought about it, the less it seemed that taking him back to the Yoshitsune n was the best option. It just didn''t seem right to take him against his will, and, even if he had consumed some kind of Heavenly Treasure, that was an opportunity afforded to him by the Heavens. Who was she, or anyone else for that matter, to decide how his gift should be used?


    It would be different if Nobu had some grand ambitions like unifying the archipgo, seizing the throne, or taking over the world. Instead, he just wanted to be left alone. As for his ambitions, the closest thing he had to a dream was reuniting with his family. Beyond that, his only desire seemed to be settling down, living afortable life, and starting a family. He was basically the antithesis of everyone aspiring to reach the pinnacle of cultivation, as, based on his words and behavior, the only reason he desired strength was to avoid trouble, not cause it.


    Were it not for the face her Grandmother was the one who had assigned her the task of escorting Nobu back to the Yoshitsune n, Yui wouldn''t be having these doubts. Her actual mission didn''t have anything to do with him. Instead, her official task was merely to ascertain what had happened to Nanananananananamori Natsu, and, if she couldn''t handle it herself, she was supposed to report back so that her n could send a team to conduct an official audit of the ns governing Owari-Asai. In other words, the only reason she had for forcing Nobu to return was that her Grandmother had asked her to.


    While this might make things seem rtively straightforward, the fact of the matter was that Yui''s Grandmother was none other than the current Matriarch of the Yoshitsune n. She was also the Concubine of the former Daimyo, so, while her status and authority had been reduced significantly over the past couple of years, her words still carried tremendous weight in the family. Were this not the case, she never would have been able to protect Yui from the other Elders'' machinations.


    Yui, quite literally, owed her life to her Grandmother. She never would have been able to pursue the path of a warrior without her support. Instead, she would have been forced to either marry the Sixth Elder or take her own life. Thus, while a part of her wanted to support Nobu''s pursuit of freedom, a muchrger part didn''t want to betray one of the only two people who had consistently supported her throughout every hardship she had ever faced...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "It''s time for us to leave. The period betweente Winter and early Spring is the best time to travel. I''ve already secured passage with a merchant caravan so we''ll be spending the evening in a lodge near the city exit. Gather your things."


    Though he had been anticipating this for several days, Nobu didn''t immediately respond to Yui''s words. Instead, he allowed his body to be limp where hey, groaning, "Don''t wanna..." with a disinterested and defiant look on his face.


    With her brow twitching ever-so-slightly, Yui manifested a golden rope in her right hand, saying, "I told them we were traveling to the capital in order to receive the blessings of the Lord. However, if you would rather spend the journey bound like amon criminal, that could be arranged..."


    Craning his head to the side, Nobu asked, "Blessing? I don''t recall hearing anything about the Lord of Owari bing a Priest..."


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui resisted the urge to rub her temples as she exined, "Though it isn''t necessary formoners, marriages can only be officiated by the Lord of the region. As such, it has be a custom among young and married couples to conduct a pilgrimage to the capital near the onset of Spring. Confessing your love beneath the capital''s blossoming sakura trees is said to strengthen the bonds between men and women, and, so long as you can afford the fee, it is possible to have your union officially recognized by Lord Senken himself."


    Though he was tempted to call it another bullshit tradition designed to make the rich even richer, Nobu rolled to a seated position, a mocking smile on his face as he asked, "So you''re going around and telling people we''re engaged? And here I thought you were just a cold and heartless sadist. If you fell in love with my dick, you could have just fessed up and told me. I prefer women with bigger tits but I don''t mind keeping youpany."


    Glowering in response to Nobu''s unbelievably crass usation, Yui had to forcibly restrain herself from attacking him. She knew he was just trying to egg her on, not because he didn''t fear pain, but because he had graduallye to realize she felt guilty about forcing him to apany her. Since then, he had been taunting her at every avable opportunity, confident that she would either give up or, at the very least, feel guilty about striking him.


    Understanding this, Yui forced herself to remain calm as she adopted a cold and judgmental gaze, stating, "Only a fool would fall in love with you. Not only are you pathetically weak, but, even with a sizeable member at your disposal, your prowess is nonexistent. Even a prostitute would have a hard time pretending you provide anything more than pain..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees before replying, "As if a mosquito bite brat like you has any idea what the fuck she''s talking about. You were a virgin just a few weeks ago. If I actually got serious, you wouldn''t even be able to walk properly. Instead, you''d be hobbling around like a cat in heat, begging for more."


    Though his words were more than a little braggadocious, nobody liked hearing someone tell them they were inadequate in the bedroom. As someone who had received a number ofpliments in his past life, Nobu wasn''t going to just take Yui''s words lying down. Rather, if it came down to it, he wouldn''t mind dropping his trousers and proving his ims right there and then.


    Meeting Nobu''s gaze with her own, Yui maintained her cold look despite not actually knowing how to move forward from their current situation. She had basically challenged his capabilities as a man, and, as could be expected, he had reacted with equal parts hostility and resolution. Her only viable options moving forward seemed to be epting his challenge, ultimately shattering his confidence, or retracting her statement and implicitly admitting she was wrong.


    As much as she believed Nobu could benefit from some disciplining, Yui didn''t believe he had done anything that merited having his ego irreversibly damaged. He was only in this situation due to her selfishness and unwillingness to fail the mission her Grandmother had assigned. If she took things a step further and ''broke'' him, she would effectively be crushing a man who had never truly wronged her. Rather, despite the severe injuries she had inflicted upon him during their first encounter, Nobu had actually gone out of his way to save her when she had copsed. She had already returned this favor by helping him deal with the excess Yang Energy in his body, but, in the end, the simple truth of the matter was that Nobu hadn''t done anything to merit being forced into his present situation...


    Realizing this, Yui took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her anger before meeting his gaze and saying, "I apologize. I shouldn''t have said something so insensitive. I''m certain that, once you find a woman you love, you will be more than capable of satisfying her needs. Until then, I implore you to remain patient. Once we have reached Owari-Shuto and met with my Grandmother, I swear I will do everything in my power to guarantee your freedom. I know you might find it difficult to believe me, but, as someone who aspires to be a warrior, I will stake my life on my promises..."


    Feeling as though the wind had just been taken out of his sails, an exhausted sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he habitually shook his head. This made Yui think he was refusing to cooperate, but, in the very next moment, he surprised her by casually replying, "Whatever...let''s just get this over with so I can see what other bullshit fate has in store..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Yui is caught between her feeling of loyalty and her sense of right and wrong. Not an enviable position to be in. That''s for sure...)

 Chapter 24: Forced

    Chapter 24: Forced


    Demonstrating just how shitty his luck had been, Nobu saw neither hide nor hair of an Aura Beast while apanying Yui back to the city. Such encounters were extremely umon this close to the center of the Archipgo, and, thanks to the tenacity of the provincial army, most of the more dangerous beasts were eliminated long before they became a threat to the popce.


    Simply put, Nobu''s encounter with the Lightning Boar had been a freak ident. A person would need to travel much further north or receive permission from the local Daimyo to venture into one of the various training grounds prepared for young cultivators. There were exceptions to every rule, but, more often than not, the greatest danger on the road was other people...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Shortly after departing the forest near the base of the mountain, Nobu and Yui found themselves surrounded by a group of bandit-like individuals dressed in tattered rags. Make no mistake, these people were bandits, but, unlike the more seasoned variant found loitering on paths frequented by merchant caravans, this particr group clearly had no idea what they were doing. They were even carrying the types of hemp baskets frequently used when gathering herbs and harvesting crops, an obvious indication of their actual profession...


    "Listen up, brats. We ain''t after yer bodies or yer lives. So long as ye drop yer purses on the groun'', you''re free ta go. In tha future, make sure to avoid venturin'' out into the woods, ye'' hear? Tha forest ain''t no ces for kids to be loiterin''."


    Despite the man''s threatening words, neither he nor the seven individuals forming the encirclement made any attempt to draw closer. The biggest among them couldn''t have weighed more than 54kg, and, despite her petite frame and youthful figure, Yui''s samurai-like armor gave the men more than enough reason for pause. The only reason they even thought to block her path was because of the distinctck of a sword at her hip. Only warriors and specifically authorized individuals were allowed to carry weapons, so, taking into consideration Yui''s young age and the rtively pristine nature of her armor, they were hoping and praying she was either the daughter of a well-to-do merchant or a trainee belonging to a lesser n.


    Furrowing her brows in response to the man''s words, Yui adopted a stern tone as she stated, "You dishonor yourselves and your families by resorting to methods such as this. Even if the harvest was especially poor this year, the Lord of Owari is a good man. So long as you request the assistance of the local governor, you should be able to avoid having to pay taxes. There are also systems in ce to support the families of farmers who are in need of assistance. All you will aplish with this course of action is throwing away your lives. As men, it is your duty to protect and provide for your families. If you lose your livesmitting banditry, they will be the ones to pay the price..."


    Though six of the eight men were cowed by Yui''s words, the leader of the group managed to keep them in line, gesturing for them to remain calm as he said, "We wouldn''t hafta resort ta this kind of thin'' if it weren''t for that bastard of a gov''ner. Them bastards ''er keepin'' all the funds issued by the Lord an'' still milkin'' us pay taxes. Anyone who spoke out against ''em wasbeled a criminal before havin'' their heads, hands, or feet lopped off. Yer a goodss. Yer words make that apparen''. We just ain''t got no options left."


    With that said, the haggard man gestured for the men at the back to use thesso-like ropes and fishings they were carrying. They weren''t foolish enough to carry actual weapons with them, as, the moment a warrior or a member of the provincial army found them, they would immediately be put to death. Even farming tools were kept in a locked warehouse and routinely inspected to make sure people weren''t trying to melt them down into weapons or cultivation resources. Thus, unless they were supremely confident or remarkably desperate, most people dared not get caught with an unregistered weapon and no permit.


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui produced a paper-thin wall of gold to block the cast by the duo standing at her back. This both stunned and terrified the would-be bandits, as, from the moment they attacked, it became her duty to either apprehend or execute them. Banditry could not be tolerated under any circumstances. They might have their reasons, but, the moment they decided to take advantage of the innocent, they became just as guilty as the people oppressing them.


    shing next to one of the men who had turned to flee, Yui smacked the side of his knee with a far scarier version of the truncheon she had used against Nobu. Then, before the others could do the same same, she manifested a crossbow and began firing bolts into their lower backs and legs until Nobu suddenly shouted, "What the fuck are you doing...!?"


    Though she looked towards Nobu with a confused and slightly annoyed expression on her face, Yui still managed to urately impale the final man near the base of his spine. A sound reminiscent of a pig being ughtered emanated from his throat, but, without so much as flinching, Yui asked, "Do you find fault with my methods? I issued a warning and even gave them the chance to change their minds. They acted with full knowledge of the consequences of their actions. If they were allowed to go away unpunished, they would resort to even more extreme acts in the future. When people form the conviction to force their burdens on the innocent, they have already deviated, irreversibly, from the path of righteousness."


    "Bullshit...!"


    Ignoring the fact Yui had a loaded crossbow in her hands, Nobu approached close enough to grip the cor of her leather overcoat before adding, "If you actually believed that self-righteous bullshit, you wouldn''t be forcing me to apany you! This is why I keep calling you a hypocrite! You only follow your code of honor when it''s fucking convenient! Tell me, how is crippling these dumbasses and leaving them unable to work not punishing the innocent!? You''re the one who pointed out that they have families to take care of!"


    Though she waited for Nobu to finish speaking, Yui immediately followed up by grabbing his wrist, twisting his arm, and forcing him to take a knee as she exined, "There is an order to everything. If a Lord, Governor, or Civil Official were punished every time someone used them ofmitting a crime, the government would disappear in a week. Their allegations against the Governor of Owari-Asai will be investigated. If he is found guilty, he will be punished. As for these men, they are guilty of the crime of banditry, an offense that is punishable by death. They knew this before they decided on this course of action. I have already shown them considerable mercy by sparing their lives. Now, unless you have a more dependable solution locked away in the block of cork you call a brain...shut your fucking mouth...!"


    Punctuating her words, Yui pulled Nobu to his feet before leveraging his arm and flipping him onto his back. She was already frustrated by the fact she had been forced to take action. She didn''t need him throwing around usations and attempting to make her feel guilty every time she performed her duty. His persistent reminders that she was forcing him against his will were already skirting the line on what she could tolerate while they were alone. Now that they were about to venture in front of other people, she wouldn''t just let him say whatever he wanted...


    Not expecting Yui to suddenly flip him onto his back, Nobu''s mind momentarily nked. This was quickly ovee by feelings of rage and indignation, but, before he could recover andmbast her with the righteous fury of a white girl who had just been denied a pumpkin spicette in the middle of June, Yui covered his mouth with her hand, warning, "If the next words out of your mouth aren''t a solution, don''t me me for what happens next..."


    Finished with her warning, Yui retracted her hand to hear what Nobu had to say. In response, thetter remained silent for several seconds, resentment visible in his eyes as he slowly mouthed the words fuck and you. This caused her right brow to twitch violently, but, as he hadn''t actually said anything, she felt that using her aura to gag him would be a little excessive. Instead, she focused on treating the wounds of the would-be bandits so they would be able to walk back to the city of their own ord. Nian had long employed a criminal very system, so, while their futures weren''t very bright, there was still a chance they could redeem themselves. She could also petition to have their sentences reduced if it turned out their words were true, but, until then, they were every ounce the criminals they had chosen to be...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though their journey was dyed due to the injuries sustained by the would-be bandits, it was still early in the afternoon when Nobu and Yui reached the city. This soured the former''s already terrible mood. The city smelled just as foul as he had anticipated. The poor hygiene of its inhabitants was a contributing factor to this, but, more than anything else, it was the refuse that could be found lining streets and stacked within alleys that overloaded his senses. There was also a powerful aroma of salt and fish wafting ind from the nearby so, so, even though he was tempted to make a break for it, Nobu had effectively locked himself in his room the moment they checked in.


    While it wasn''t a drastic increase, Nobu''s sense of smell had improved ever since he exceeded the 2,000 Aura mark. This had officially elevated him to Rank 2 Breath of the Mortal, and, based on this information, he could reasonably assume that he would reach the pinnacle of the First Realm once his clicks reached 10,000. From there, it seemed to require 10,000 Aura per increase in Rank, and, if the question marks of Yui''s status were any indicator, the Third Realm required 100,000.


    Fortunately, ever since he had advanced to Rank 1, the value of Nobu''s clicks had increased from a meager 0.001 to a mendable'' 0.002. When he reached Rank 2, this number increased to 0.003, so, while the values seemed negligible, his clicking efficiency had basically increased by 200%. This was a marked improvement, as, rather than 60 Aura per day, he could now rue upwards of 260.


    Assuming this trend continued, Nobu would be earning upwards of 864 Aura per day once he had managed to ascend to the Second Realm. He was hoping that higher Realms would provide a more substantial increase per Rank, but, even if they didn''t, he would still be able to earn more than 1600 Aura a day once he reached the Third Realm. This was roughly 600,000 Aura per year, so, using Yui as a basis, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say his cultivation speed was monstrous.


    At his current pace, it would only take a few years before Nobu reached a Realm that most people could only dream of achieving. His cultivation base would also never stagnate, so, unless he one day decided to stop clicking, it was only a matter of time before he became strong enough to tell the vast majority of people to fuck off. The only problem was reaching that point before someone either killed him or his sense of smell caused him tomit suicide...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This is a difficult situation. On one hand, Yui isn''t exactly wrong. Unfortunately, she isn''t quite right either...)

 Chapter 25: Compromise

    Chapter 25: Compromise


    After some of the worst sleep of his life, Nobu emerged from his room with the kind of expression typically reserved for mothers with quadruplets, code monkeys, and game developers adding the finishing touches on a project that had been dyed by several years. There were dark bags under his bloodshot eyes, as, even with a mask covering the lower half of his face, the putrid smell of piss and shit wafting in from the city streets was enough to drive lesser men insane.


    Surprised by the aura of gloom exuding from Nobu''s entire being, Yui, despite having spent thest ten minutes knocking on his door, promptly decided against lecturing him. Instead, she pulled out a bottle of mint oil she had extracted during their stay in the mountains, asking, "Is it really that bad?" while applying the substance to a fresh cloth.


    Since even speaking allowed a foul aroma to rise up through the back of his throat, Nobu simply nodded in response to Yui''s words. It was only after she had handed over the moderately cleaner cloth, the smell of fresh menthol invading his senses, that he deigned to speak, answering, "We''re going to be traveling with a merchant caravan, right?"


    Nodding her head, Yui ced the old cloth into her satchel before exining, "Due to the number of people traveling to the capital around this time of year, the merchant guilds and za traders have reached an agreement with the provincial army to act as escorts. Though travelers are expected to work, gather materials, and carry supplies, it is the safest way to travel without a permit."


    Noticing the confusion in Nobu''s eyes, Yui restrained a sigh before gesturing towards the stairs and appending, "Nian has be increasingly unstable ever since the Ashikawa n acquired the title of Shogun from the dishonored Kamakura n. Though there have yet to be anyrge-scale wars, tensions between the various provinces and prefectures are at an all-time high. This has contributed to a growing number of people fleeing poor and impoverished territories in order to seek shelter in neighboring provinces. Tobat this, the Ashikawa Shogunate introduced aw prohibiting travel between prefectures without a warrior, merchant, or travel permit. Very few Daimyo actually uphold thisw, but, to prevent denunciations and usations of treason, they have implemented policies simr to this one so that people can travel freely at certain times throughout the year."


    "Mmm..."


    Since he didn''t really have anything to say, Nobu just hummed a simple response before stepping out of the rtively warm lodge and into the cold. Winter might have ended, but, due to its close proximity to the sea, a frigid and biting wind assailed Owari-Asai in the early mornings. It would get warmer as the sun emerged from over the horizon, but, as that was still more than three hours out, an icy sensation washed across the lower-half of Nobu''s face due to the minty oil suffused through his makeshift mask...


    Though she was a little annoyed by Nobu''s curt response, Yui managed to rein in her emotions as she gestured towards the distant city gate, exining, "We need to hurry. The caravan is scheduled to depart the moment the sky begins to illuminate. If we''re not checked in before the first call, our seats will go to someone else. It is a three-week journey if we end up having to walk. Traveling with a caravan isn''t much faster but it allows us to rest in a carriage and seek shelter from the rain. Let''s hurry."


    Without waiting for Nobu to answer in the affirmative, Yui grabbed his hand and began pulling him along at a running-jog. This gave the former the urge to pull his hand away but Yui had preempted this by manifesting a golden manacle around his wrist and fastening it to her own. Thus, even if he wanted to escape, doing so was easier said than done...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Thanks to his Breath Progression Technique, Nobu wasn''t even remotely winded by the time he and Yui reached the gate. There, Yui signed both of their names in a migration registrar before dragging him to the bustling merchant caravan located a few hundred meters away.


    As one of the few caravans that benefitted from a military escort, more than a thousand people had gathered with the intention of purchasing inexpensive fare. This was farrger than the usual group that would gather at the beginning of the year, and, as a result, a dispute seemed to be taking ce between a small group of uniformed people and a muchrger group of soldiers.


    Though quite a number of people were drawn closer to this conflict, Yui ended up dragging Nobu towards one of therger supply wagons located near the very front of the convoy. There, a middle-aged man with off-color blue hair could be seen barking orders at various younger men and women. His hair color, alone, would have been more than enough to draw attention back on Earth, but, as if he wasn''t content with simply standing out, the backs of the man''s ears were lined with ayer of fur that came to a point near the tips...


    "So beast-human hybrids really are a thing in this world..."


    Hearing Nobu mumble under his breath, Yui turned her head, asking, "Did you say something...?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu was about to say it was nothing before remembering they were still cuffed together. He also recalled the ''cover story'' Yui hade up with, so, before she could drag him any further, he stopped his feet and said, "We''re supposed to be a married couple. What are you going to say when people ask why we''re handcuffed together?"


    Furrowing her brows, Yui began searching for an answer until Nobu exhaled an annoyed sigh and said, "Just take it off. I''m not going to run away. Besides, even if I tried, you would just catch up to me."


    While she was more than confident in her ability to track him down, Yui didn''t immediately release the shackle around Nobu''s wrist. There was a very real chance he would alert the provincial army or ask for help from someone with a higher cultivation base if she allowed him to wander freely. From that moment onward, the only option she would have is revealing her identity or using him of a crime he didn''tmit. Neither of these oues would be ideal, so, before removing the golden manacle, she adopted the most serious expression he had ever seen before saying, "I will remove it if you promise to stay close and not make a scene. There are far greater dangers in this world-"


    Before Yui could finish her mixed warning/threat, Nobu adopted a serious expression of his own, saying, "I already said I wasn''t going to run away. Seriously, woman. You need to stop stressing out over everything. Nobody likes a clinger."


    Though she squinted her eyes in response to the unfamiliar expression, Yui knew better than to fret over everything that came out of Nobu''s mouth. He was the type of person that could call someone every insult under the heavens without actually meaning any of them. This would lead most people to believe he was disingenuous, but, after spending nearly a month observing him, Yui hade to realize that he rarely deviated from the things he said he would or wouldn''t do.


    Hoping she hadn''t been wrong about him, Yui maintained a serious expression as she said, "I trust you..." in a delicate yet somber tone. This caused a deep frown to appear on Nobu''s face, but, while others might interpret this as an expression of dissent, Yui interpreted it as something positive. He would never admit it, but, despite behaving as if everything was troublesome, Nobu had a rtively straight-forward and surprisingly earnest personality. If he cared as little as he pretended to, there''s no way he would offer advice and question the ws present in the existing system...


    Clicking his tongue, Nobu tore his gaze away from Yui''s crystal clear eyes, muttering, "Whatever..." in an aloof tone.


    Had she been the more expressive type, Yui might have smiled in response to this. Instead, she replied with an approving nod before dissipating the shackle and saying, "I used the rest of my savings to secure our passage on one of the main supply coaches. They are transferring tea and spice to the capital so the smell shouldn''t be unbearable unless you dislike the aroma of herbs. As for our individual duties: I exined that you sustained an injury that left you unable to speak and act normally. I''ll have to defend the cargo during the evenings, but, so long as you don''t draw too much attention to yourself, you should be able to rx until we reach the capital."


    Though he got the sinking suspicion he was somehow being looked down upon or manipted, Nobu just grunted in response to Yui''s exnation. They were still a fair distance from the actual convoy and he was alreadymenting the journey toe. Animals and livestock weren''t exactly fragrant, so, with a number of horses, oxen, and a few animals he didn''t recognize making up the convoy''s beasts of burden; the less he had to work, the better.


    Thinking Nobu was already beginning to y his part, Yui nodded in approval, saying, "Let''s go." before leading the way to the dog-eared man. When he noticed them approaching, an even fiercer expression than the one he was already wearing developed across his face as he shouted, "Well! It''s about damn time! A few minutes longer and I''d have sold yer spots off to some of those migrant bastards!"


    Crossing her right hand over her heart, Yui performed a curt yet respectful bow as she said, "You have my most sincere gratitude, Atarashi-dono. I will do everything in my power to ensure I do not inconvenience you a second time."


    Snorting through his nose, the furry-eared man, Atarashi Tsuneo, shifted his gaze from Yui to Nobu, asking, "This is the man you mentioned previously? Nanamori Nobu, was it? Quite the difference in your appearance..."


    Without missing a beat, Yui calmly and confidently exined, "My husband is a former Yamabushi Monk''s Apprentice. He lost most of his faculties and cultivation after being attacked by a Demonic Spirit. Please do not draw attention to it a second time."


    Though his cover would be blown the moment Nobu opened his mouth, his appearance wasn''t all that different from a Yamabushi Monk. They were ascetic mountain hermits who lived outdoors and spent most of their timemuning with nature. Most wore little more than rags, and, due to their ascetic practices, they were inordinately thin andnky. The only thing that distinguished Nobu and a conventional Yamabushi was his hairstyle, as, the moment they took their vows, most shaved their heads...


    Without tearing his eyes away from Nobu, Tsuneo issued a grunt of acknowledgment before saying, "Well, so long as he doesn''t cause trouble for me and my men, I couldn''t care less. Just keep him in line. If he wanders off into the woods, we ain''t sending out a search party."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Yui pulled Nobu a little closer, naturally linking her arm with his as she said, "Worry not, Atarashi-dono. As a Golden Warrior, my words carry a simr weight. I promised we would not inconvenience you. If something happens, I will resolve it on my own."


    Since he couldn''t really afford to just stand around and make idle chatter, Tsuneo just waved Yui off, saying, "Yeah, yeah. I hear ya. Just stow him away in coach three. We''ll be departin'' the moment the Governor''s forces finish their pissing contest with the provincial army. Seriously, those louts have no sense of self-preservation..."


    Rather than responding to thement, Yui performed another quick salute before guiding Nobu towards a massive cart pulled by a total of six inordinatelyrge oxen. Her gentle behavior caught him by surprise, but, rather than appearing even remotely appreciative, Nobu''s expression gradually darkened as the smell of cow feces grew stronger the closer they got to the coach...


    "Fucking bullshit..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Yes. Quite literally o_o...)

 Chapter 26: Subtle Changes: Intuition

    Chapter 26: Subtle Changes: Intuition


    ("This settles it. Anyone who thinks it''s fun to get reincarnated into a fantasy setting is fucking retarded...")


    Though he was previously among this exact group of people, Nobu had failed to consider what a lifecking modern conveniences would be like. Camping out in the cave hadn''t been that bad. At times, it was even enjoyable. Now, however, he had to spend upwards of fourteen hours a day in an overburdened wooden carriage without any cushioning or suspension. This,bined with the fact most roads were just dirt or mountain paths, meant he was getting his ass pounded throughout the day, and, even if he wanted to, sleep was hard toe by due to the putrid aromas that constantly assaulted his senses.


    The only things that brought sce to Nobu during these times were the stone tablet, and, though he would never admit it, Yui. The former provided a much-needed distraction whilst simultaneously allowing him to increase his strength. As for thetter, she had fallen into the role of a dutiful young wife with surprising ease, almost as if she had been practicing how to care for others her entire life.


    Since most of the people in the caravan either gave him a wide berth or outright scorned him for just sitting around all day, the only person Nobu had to interact with was Yui. She would bring him food, peel fruits for him, ask how he was feeling, and, at times, she would even snuggle up next to him as if they were an actual married couple. This earned him an extreme amount of envy from the predominately male group of caravaners, as, despite herck in the breast department, Yui was an exceptionally beautiful young woman. Since she was also a Golden Warrior, so, even if they didn''t know her background, they knew she was backed by a group that could invest 100kgs of gold, an amount most people wouldn''t even be able to collect in their entire life.


    Simply put, everyone envied the position Nobu was in, and, were it not for Yui watching over him like a hawk, the more opportunistic among the group would have taken their anger and frustrations out on him. Instead, they talked behind his back, used him of hiding behind a woman, and, in at least one instance, someone had tried to poison him by mixing herbs and fecal matter into a bottle of sake and offering him a swig.


    Though the man ended up losing his left hand as penance, the incident earned Nobu even greater scorn from the rest of the caravan. The only reason he hadn''t been ousted or outright lynched was because the caravan leader, Atarashi Tsuneo, was the one to carry out the punishment. At first, the man was going to be killed by Yui, but, after learning what had happened, Tsuneo settled things by creating a silvery-green wire around the man''s wrist and severing it in an instant.


    As the leader of a caravan organized by the Za Trading Company, Tsuneo had cultivated to the Realm of Rank 4 tinum Hero. This ced him squarely among the top 1% of cultivators in Nian, as, even among the Noble ns, tinum was very near the pinnacle of what most people could aspire to. Even the current Patriarch of the Oda n was only a Rank 7 Mithril Lord, so, while there were certainly stronger individuals living within the archipgo, the tinum Realm wasn''t referred to as the Realm of Heroes for no reason.


    Out of recognition for Tsuneo''s status and authority, Yui decided not to press the matter further once punishment had already been meted out. Instead, like a mother hen protecting its chick, she began watching over Nobu with even greater scrutiny. She personally checked all of his food and water for signs of tampering, and, in many cases, sampled it directly just to make sure the taste and aroma were ptable. He would vomit anything too gamey or poorly seasoned, so, using the skills that had been ingrained into her ever since she was an infant, Yui dutifully prepared each of Nobu''s meals with an attention to detail that could only be emted by others who had spent the entirety of their youth preparing to be an attendant, concubine, bodyguard, and assassin...


    ...


    ..


    .


    epting the wooden bowl offered to him by Yui, Nobu lowered his face to the point tiny beads of condensation built upon his nose as he deeply inhaled the rich, fragrant, and savory aroma. Though he couldin about virtually anything, the one thing he appreciated about the culture of Nian was its food. The people might have distinctly ''western'' appearances, but, as could be expected of a nation inspired by Japan; rice, soy sauce, miso soup, and umami-rich dishes were both popr and tremendously delicious.


    Thanks to his ability to inhale continuously, Nobu was able to appreciate the aroma of food unlike any other. This was also one of the only times throughout the day when he could tolerate removing his face mask, so, after allowing the rich fragrance to pervade the entirety of his senses, he exhaled a sigh of relief before silently whispering, "Thanks..." in a sincerely grateful tone.


    Offering a practiced yet discernibly genuine smile, Yui packed a few scoops of steamed white rice into a second wooden cup before replying, "You''re wee." in an equally soft tone. She had alsoe to enjoy moments like this, as, unlike the brash man he had presented himself as during their stay in the cave, this version of Nobu wasn''t simply ''tolerable'', he was also polite and sincere.


    Though she would never admit it, Yui also found it surprisingly refreshing to be able to use the skills her Grandmother had forced her to refine over the past eighteen years. Before now, she considered them a waste of time and a constant reminder that she might, one day, be forced to marry the Sixth Elder of the Oda n. After all, these were skills that were originally intended to serve her husband. Thus, prior to meeting Nobu, Yui had always harbored the hope that she would never be forced to use them. Now, seeing Nobu slurp her soup as if it was the most delicious food in the entire world, it was surprisingly difficult not to feel a subtle sense of gratification...


    Waiting until Nobu had finished, quite literally, licking his bowl clean, Yui passed him the cup of rice before exining, "At this point, we are only three days away from the capital. If you''d like, we can travel the remaining distance on foot. This area is heavily patrolled by both the provincial army and warriors serving the Oda n. My permit allows me to travel with upwards of three people, so, even if we are stopped along the way, it shouldn''t be an issue."


    Hearing Yui''s exnation, a frown immediately developed across Nobu''s face. He wasn''t annoyed by the suggestion. Quite the opposite, actually. What bothered him was the fact that his ''plot sense'' had triggered the moment Yui asked if he wanted to walk the rest of the way to the capital. He had failed to dodge every g thus far, but, perhaps as a result of reincarnating into a fantasy world, he could generally sense when ''something'' was about to happen.


    Misinterpreting Nobu''s expression as dissatisfaction, the nascent smile on Yui''s face faded away as she whispered, "It was just a suggestion. If my words somehow offended you, I apologize. I just-"


    With a silencing gesture and a dismissive shake of the head, Nobu prevented Yui from finishing what she intending to say before rifying, "Rx. I''m not upset. In fact, once this is all over, I''m going to be avoiding wooden carts and carriages like the fucking gue. Seriously, haven''t these fuckers ever heard of cushions...?"


    Shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and annoyance, Nobu set aside the half-finished cup of rice before donning his face mask and adding, "This might sound dumb, but I get this weird feeling whenever something bad is going to happen. That feeling triggered when you mentioned walking the rest of the way, so, even though I''d like to get my ass off this shitty wagon, I''m not sure it''s the best idea."


    Not expecting Nobu to reveal his thoughts in such a straightforward manner, Yui found herself at a loss for words. He had also inadvertently revealed that he might possess some kind of precognitive ability. These were exceptionally rare but not unheard of, and, more often than not, individuals who possessed such abilities went on to be famous merchants,petent tacticians, or even great generals. After all, while individual strength was important for duels, few things triumphed intuition on the battlefield.


    Though she would have been skeptical if someone else had imed to possess such an ability, Yui knew Nobu wasn''t the type to exaggerate or mislead people with his words. He was straightforward to a fault, and, more importantly, there wasn''t even a hint of deceit or falsehood in his eyes. He was simply informing her of his gut feeling,pletely ignorant of the value such statements possessed if they were proven true...


    With an inordinately serious expression on her face, Yui said, "Tell me more. What, exactly, does this instinct of yours tell you? Does it only inform you of impending danger to yourself? How long have you been having these feelings?"


    Annoyed by the sudden interrogation, a frown developed behind Nobu''s mask, brows furrowing as he asked, "Why are you overreacting? It''s just a gut feeling. Seriously. You''re going to get wrinkles if you continue harping over every little thing. It''s also really annoying so cut it out..."


    Noticing the hostility and suspicion that had appeared in Nobu''s eyes, the serious expression on Yui''s face instantaneously faded away as she released a sigh and said, "Forgive me. It''s just that, if you truly do possess such an ability, it is of paramount importance to ascertain how it functions. I have sworn to protect you, so, even if you wish to keep it a secret from others, it would help me to perform my duty if you reveal such important details as soon as possible."


    With Yui punctuating her words with a polite bow, the expression on Nobu''s face became awkward as he muttered, "Yeah...okay..." before proceeding to exin, "I never really thought about it before. I''m guessing it only applies to me since it only ever seems to trigger when I''m about to get my shit kicked in. Hell, I don''t even know if it''s an actual ability. It could just be ''experience''. I don''t fucking know..."


    Having regained her serious expression, Yui nodded her head in understanding before surprising Nobu by asking, "When I told you I was taking you to meet with my Grandmother, did this ''feeling'' of yours trigger? Do you feel as though your life is endangered by heading to the capital?"


    Resisting the urge to ask what the hell she was talking about, Nobu was surprised to find he didn''t actually feel anything ''strange'' about meeting with her Grandmother. If anything, he just felt like he was going to be forced to deal with some cliche andpletely bullshit plot. However, now that he actually reflected on it, he didn''t feel like he was in any danger. Instead, his ''intuition'' just told him it was going to be unbelievably troublesome...


    Figuring he had already cast the die on this matter, Nobu adopted a serious expression of his own as he exined, "I don''t really feel danger...if anything, my intuition is telling me your Grandmother is going to say some dumb shit about duty and fate...I don''t really know how to put it. All I know is it''s going to be really fucking annoying..."


    Blinking in surprise, Yui felt a mixture of relief, and, for reasons she couldn''t quite put her finger on, anxiety. If Nobu''s words were true, it meant her Grandmother didn''t intend to harm him. This would remove a heavy burden from her shoulders, as, even now, she found herself questioning whether or not her actions were just. After all, she had always hated people who used their power and status to force people against her will. Despite this, she was forcing Nobu to apany her against his will, and, were it not for the feelings of trust and loyalty she held towards her Grandmother, there was a very real chance she might have escorted him elsewhere before ultimately fleeing the province...


    As this thought crossed her mind, a sigh of profound relief escaped Yui''s throat. At the same time, however, the ufortable feeling in Nobu''s became increasingly stronger. This caused a frown to develop across his face, but, before he could ask what she was thinking, Yui beat him to the punch, saying, "We''re going to walk the rest of the way to the capital. While it might be dangerous, it is of paramount importance that we verify whether or not your intuition is urate. Prepare your things. We will be departing once the caravan makes camp..."


    With that said, Yui stood up and promptly departed from the coach to inform the caravan leader of their intent to depart. As for Nobu, he was left to gawk with an incredulous look on his face, various emotions contending for dominance within his mind. For a brief moment, he was tempted to shout out and ask what the hell was wrong with her. Instead, he just shook his head before massaging his temples and groaning, "Women..." in an exasperated, griping, tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Does Nobu actually possess the ability to sense the plot? Find out in the next exciting chapter of Drag- I mean, NOICE~!)

 Chapter 27: Intuition, Suspicion, Pursuit

    Chapter 27: Intuition, Suspicion, Pursuit


    Since it was marginally better than having his ass tenderized an additional three days, Nobu ended up apanying Yui without much of a fuss. He was also curious to learn whether or not he had a special ability, so, having already resolved himself to die several times in the past, he decided to go with the flow.


    "At least I don''t have to smell literal bullshit any longer..."


    Hearing Nobu mutter something under his breath, Yui''s ears twitched as she looked back and said, "It would be best to remain silent. Aura Beasts be more active in the evening. The Provisional Army would have eliminated most of them, but it''s better to be safe than sorry."


    Deadpanning in response to Yui''s warning, Nobu didn''t hesitate to reply, "Your argument would sound more convincing if you hadn''t just dragged me away from safety..."


    Furrowing her brows, Yui was about to retort her own when the sound of a distant twig snapping reached her ears. As a result, she held up her left hand in the ssical ''stop'' gesture seen in movies where a team of elite soldiers skulk through a forest or attempt to sneak into a top-secret facility.


    Though his cultivation base had increased to Rank 4 after more than two weeks on the road, Nobu knew he was nowhere near the level of being about to fend for himself. Thus, while he was tempted to continue with his snide remarks, his body naturally tensed up as he purposefully moved to stand behind the petite yet heroic woman. She might have been more than a head shorter than him, but when it came to strength andbat potential, they were leagues apart...


    After several tense seconds of silene, Yui''s brows slowly morphed into a furrow as she softly uttered, "It must have been a rabbit...or maybe a rat..."


    With the meaning of Yui''s words flyingpletely over his head, Nobu casually retorted, "A rat that can break a twig? That must be one fat ass rat..."


    "Indeed..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    "I can''t believe you stepped on a twig..."


    "Shut it! I''m already frustrated enough as is! I don''t need your reminder...!"


    "Both of you need to be quiet. If we''re to have any hope ofpleting this mission, we''ll have to coordinate as a team. Yui isn''t called a once-in-a-thousand-years prodigy for no reason..."


    Annoyed by the two childish voices arguing within the darkness, a moderately more mature voice had spoken out to get them back on task. This was enough to silence the youngest of the duo, but, seemingly unconvinced by what the eldest had said, the middle voice retorted, "Tch! She isn''t anything special. If I had ess to half the resource-"


    Before the immature voice could finish speaking, the eldest adopted a harsh tone as it said, "If you had half her talent, you might have received half her resources. Now, cease this childish thering and focus on the mission. If they cross the border or link up with one of the Provincial Army''s patrol units, this mission is bound to fail. We''ll only have one chance. Don''t waste it."


    "..."


    "..."


    With neither of the voices responding, the owner of the mature set of vocals turned around with a serious expression, asking, "Do I make myself clear...?"


    Withering under their leader''s gaze, two girls, one with raven-ck hair and another with peculiar pink locks replied, "Understood." and "Yes, Aneue..." in turn. Then, as if the shadows around them possessed depth, all three figures melted away, absolute silence descending in their wake...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With the evening passing without incident, Yui was beginning to believe she had made some kind of mistake. There was a chance the sound had been something like an owl attempting tond on a perch, and, due to the silent nature of their wings, she hadn''t heard it flying away.


    While most people would have overlooked the sound of a single twig snapping, merely tensing for a few moments, Yui''s training had taught her to be skeptical of such abnormalities. If a creature wasrge enough to snap a twig with its movements,mon sense dictated that it would make some kind of additional sound as it either fled or approached. In other words, for there to be no sound at all, the only answer was that the creature had either paused in its tracks or disappeared into thin air.


    Though there were a handful of Aura Beasts with an intellect that rivaled humans, most were little more than animals that had, somehow, managed to increase their cultivation base. They lived life by adhering to their instincts, and while there were innumerable exceptions, most animals reacted in one of two ways: fight or flight.


    Yui had never heard of an animal that would move about when a predator is nearby only to freeze after it had already made its presence known. This was a behavior typically associated with humans, so, after a short and silent breakfast, she broke the silence between her and Nobu by asking, "What do I smell like to you?"


    "Pfft...!"


    Not expecting such a question while he was in the middle of engorging himself on a neatly-packed ball of rice, a wayward grain ended up slipping into Nobu''s esophagus. This resulted in a painful coughing fit, and, though Yui''s gentle patting helped, it didn''t prevent him from eximing, "What kind of stupid fucking question is that!?" the moment he recovered.


    Without showing any change in expression, Yui calmly exined, "There is a chance we are being followed. I want to ascertain how sensitive your nose is. If you can distinguish between people and animals, your current weakness might be one of your most powerful strengths."


    Though he was tempted to tell her he wasn''t a bloodhound, Nobu wasn''t so daft that he couldn''t understand where she wasing from. It was a prettymon trope in fiction that people with an enhanced sense of smell could track targets vast distances. This sentiment had been exacerbated by the existence of real-world animals with this ability, so, while it might sound like utter nonsense, it would be remiss of him to simply dismiss it.


    As this thought danced across his mind, Nobu managed to elicit a rare blush from his raven-hairedpanion by leaning forward and inhaling deeply through his nose. However, it wasn''t the fact he had smelled her that caused the reaction. It was the fact he had reacted with an expression of utter disgust, unabashedly covering his nose as he rebuffed, "Dear God, woman! You seriously need to-"


    Interrupting Nobu''s brash remark with a left hook that would make a Boxer blush, Yui''s expression darkened as she growled in a threatening tone, "We just spent two and a half weeks apanying a caravan. It''s hard enough taking care of my hair. Where am I supposed to find the time to sponge my body? If you want toin about aromas...try smelling yourself...!"


    Hissing from the pain in his cheek, Nobu licked the outside of his teeth to discover that his gums were bleeding. As for Yui''s remark, he didn''t pay it any mind. He wasn''t dumb enough to carelessly sniff his armpits under these circumstances. Instead, he just spat a mouthful of blood off to the side before climbing to his feet and asking, "What now? This thing isn''t as convenient as something like a Witcher Sense. Even if we double back, I don''t think I''ll be able to detect anything unless I put my nose to the ground."


    Cocking her head to the side, Yui asked, "Witcher Sense? I''ve never heard of such a thing..." in an uncertain tone. If the answer had anything to do with actual Witches, she might seriously need to reconsider how she interacted with Nobu in the future. After all, Witches weren''t exactly beings of benevolence and righteousness. There were cases where ''good witches'' appeared, but, more often than not, they were vile creatures who had formed pacts with dark gods or demons for power.


    Noticing the caution in Yui''s face and bodynguage, Nobu just shook his head before saying, "It''s nothing serious. If I had to describe it, it''s the ability to ''see'' smells directly. It''s super convenient for tracking targets and searching for clues. In other words, it''s nothing like my shitty sense of smell."


    Though she was tempted to ask where he had learned about this ''Witcher Sense'', Yui just nodded her head before scanning the horizon at his back and saying, "There''s no sense in doubling back if youck confidence. We''ll press forward and try to rendezvous with a group of patrolling soldiers. If we don''t encounter any before the sun reaches its highest point, we''ll begin searching for a ce to rest. Seeking shelter when you''re being tracked is dangerous, but it will be even more problematic if we suffer a sneak attack while exhausted..."


    Returning her gaze to Nobu, Yui was honestly surprised by how energetic he appeared. He had put on a bit of weight since their first encounter, but he was still extremely thin. It would likely take him a year, if not several, to return to a healthy weight. Thus, ever since they had separated from the caravan, she had been waiting for him to demand they stop and take a rest. Instead, he managed to press forward with an annoyed yet determined expression on his face, seemingly unwilling to show any form of weakness...


    ("His strange cultivation technique probably helps. Even so, it''s impressive he''s managed tost this long. His willpower isn''t as lousy as I previously concluded...")


    Noticing Yui''s pause as she stared at his face, Nobu presented a blood-stained smile as he cockily inquired, "What? Did you fall for my roguish good looks? Just wait until I cut my hair and put on a few muscles. You''ll need to wear extra padding in your panties just to avoid a scene."


    Punctuating his words with a wink, Nobu earned a deadpan stare from Yui before she promptly turned away and said, "We should hurry. The longer we rest, the more time we give our enemies to recover. A pursuit where the enemy isn''t confident in being able to attack directly is basically a war of attrition. So long as we can drain their stamina at a faster rate than ours is spent, we''ll be able to maintain an advantage."


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, Yui looked toward the sky to determine the sun''s position before pulling out apass and choosing their heading. Detailed maps were considered a military and state secret in Nian, so most people were limited to following establish paths and trade routes. Yui, however, had been receiving navigational and survival training ever since she was four-years-old, so, as long as she could get her bearings, she could navigate the forests of Owari without fear of getting lost.


    Confident they were going the right way, Yui stowed away herpass before gesturing for Nobu to follow. This caused thetter to roll his eyes, but, the moment she began moving forward, he did his best to remain within arm''s reach of the raven-haired beauty''s backside...


    ...


    ..


    .


    From atop a distant tree, a woman with inky ck hair that reflected an unusual green hue could be seen observing Yui''s and Nobu''s departure like a hawk. This wasn''t an exaggeration either, as, ever since she was a child, the woman''s most striking feature had been her amber-colored eyes.


    While Nobu would have undoubtedly pointed out that her most striking feature was the fact she was half-naked, her athletic figure veiled in little more than a cloth binding and loose green pants, the odd-eyed woman had always taken pride in her hereditary trait. They allowed her to see clearly even on moonless nights, so, while most of her sistersmented night hunts, she was one of the few who favored them.


    Waiting until Yui''s and Nobu''s figures had vanished entirely, the woman flipped from her perch, a silvery-white aura veiling her feet moments before she struck the ground. This allowed her tond silently even atop theyer of leafy mulch that covered the forest floor. Such skills were extremely important for people in her profession, as, much like the majority of Yoshitsune n members, her specialties were scouting, pursuit, and assassination...


    "Let''s go. Shizune, Rynka."


    Responding to the woman''s silent yet barking tone, two discernibly younger women emerged from their own hiding ces, answering, "Understood..." and "Yes, Aneue..." in concert...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: When scantily-d kunoichis start appearing, you know the ''plot'' is beginning to thicken...)

 Chapter 28: Honesty

    Chapter 28: Honesty


    After failing to rendezvous with any patrol groups, Yui began guiding Nobu along animal trails until they found arge burrow. Everything from rabbits, shrews, minks, and foxes could evolve into Aura Beasts if they consumed arge quantify of medicinal herbs, so, if you knew where and how to look, it was surprisingly easy to find burrowsrge enough for human upants.


    Though it had resulted in a number of tragic events, it was hard toe across a group of children who hadn''t converted at least one burrow into something like a secret hideout. Others became the dens of homeless vagabonds attempting to survive on the bounty of thend or elude capture by the Provincial Army. Thus, while it wasn''t an ideal solution, seeking shelter in a burrow that already had numerous exits was a viable alternative to setting camp when traversing the wilderness.


    Unfortunately, despite thinking it was pretty cool to have a secret bunker underground, the interior was so pungent that Nobu literally had to be dragged back inside after attempting to escape to theparably fragrant forest air. This put him in a particrly foul mood, but, after Yui spontaneously asked if he would feel better if she gave him a blowjob, he bounced back pretty quickly.


    Though he would probably vomit if he went down on a woman in his current condition, Nobu was surprised by Yui''s ability to basically ignore his odor. He knew he had to smell bad after spending a total of sixteen days in a carriage without so much as rinsing his face, but, as if it didn''t hinder her in the slightest, Yui managed to stupefy him with her intensity as technique. If she hadn''t told him her dream was to be a warrior, he could have easily been convinced that her purpose in life was to suck dick...


    Seeing the raven-haired beauty swallow his seed without even a hint of hesitation or disgust on her face, Nobu was able to ignore the burrow''s odor long enough to remark, "Don''t misunderstand me. I''m not trying to insult you when I ask this. I''m just genuinely curious how a virgin like you managed to get so good at...well...you know..."


    After swallowing several more times, Yui produced a waterskin to clear her throat before exining in a disturbingly s tone, "Since we''re already nearing our destination, I suppose there''s no harm in making you aware of a few things. My true name is Yoshitsune Yui, a daughter of the Yoshitsune n that has served the Oda for more than six-thousand-years. Due to a curse inflicted upon us by the Goddess Inari, we''re a nprised almost entirely of females and hermaphroditic males. As a result, we have had to adopt a unique set of skills to help us survive in a world that is traditionally unforgiving to females..."


    Though she wouldn''t have been affected by this statement in the past, Yui was surprised to find her thoughts wandering to the times Nobu had expressed outrage regarding the state and traditions of Nian. Despite this, she managed to appear calm and unflustered on the surface, adding, "My family specializes in the rearing and training of female assassins known as kunoichi. We are taught how to seduce men, satisfy their sexual urges, gather information, and, once everything is said and done, it is our duty to kill the enemies of the Oda n. Though there are other reasons, it was my desire to avoid this fate that led to me pursuing the path of a warrior. Unfortunately, while my selfishness has always been supported by my Grandmother, the only way I could pursue the path of a warrior was to simultaneously master the skills expected of a kunoichi..."


    Without noticing it, Yui''s voice became gradually lower as she neared the end of her exnation. Her gaze had also wandered away from Nobu, her obsidian-blue eyes reflecting a mncholy that managed to go unnoticed thanks to the low-light of the burrow. Even without this, however, Nobu was able to tell she was upset. He just didn''t know what to say, as, prior toing to this world, he had never had to deal with this kind of situation.


    In the end, the only thing Nobu could think of was trying to cheer her up, his expression and tone awkward as he said, "That...really sucks. Now I know why you''re so eager toplete this mission. You''ll be an official warrior once this is over with, right?"


    Seeing Yui turn towards him and nod, a wry smile spread across Nobu''s face as he said, "Then it''s pretty much settled. We just need to hurry back and you''ll finally be able to live your life the way you want. Don''t worry. So long as they don''t try to string me up and turn me into a blood bag, I''ll tell them you did a good job. I''m pretty good at bullshitting when I need to."


    Surprised by Nobu''s attempts to ''console'' her, Yui found herself at aplete loss for words. She knew he wasn''t a bad person but this was a level of ''benevolence'' she hadn''t expected. If she were to say these same words to another person, most women would express pity or envy while the vast majority of men would outright disdain or fear her. After all, with the exception of other cultivators, kunoichis were the leading cause of death for young and inexperienced Nobles. Each of the major Noble ns had a branch that specialized in the rearing of Kunoichis, but, despite the role they had yed throughout the entire history of Nian, they were despised by Nobles andmoners alike...


    Though she didn''t tear up, Yui''s impression of Nobu had increased by leaps and bounds in a matter of seconds. He was unlike anyone she had ever met, and, rather than resent her for being a vile and despicable woman without any morals, he was more upset by the fact she had been forced against her will to be something she, like most sensible people, detested. In this regard, he was much stronger than her, as, despite understanding they didn''t actually have a choice, Yui had grown to resent her ''sisters'' for following the path that had been decided for them by fate and circumstance...


    As that thought crossed her mind, a seedling of guilt had begun to sprout within Yui''s heart. On the outside, however, she actually managed a sincere smile before bowing her head and saying, "You''re a good man, Nanamori Nobu. Thank you..."


    Unustomed to receiving gratitude, especially with his dick out, Nobu''s skin began to crawl as he quickly pulled up his trousers and said, "Yeah...don''t mention it..." in an awkward tone. A part of him even began to regret the fact he had let her suck his dick, but, having encountered a few prostitutes in equally shitty circumstances, he managed to get over it pretty quickly. His own life hadn''t exactly been filled with fortune and favor, so, while he could empathize with her plight, Nobu had learned a long time ago that it was a waste of time to worry about things he couldn''t change.


    Amused by Nobu''s surprisingly cute reaction, a marginally more prominent smile developed across Yui''s face. She was even tempted to dedicate her sword to him once she officially became a warrior, but, until she understood what her Grandmother wanted with him, she couldn''t make any promises. A warrior''s vow wasn''t to be taken for granted, and, while there were examples of capable warriors serving multiple Lords throughout the course of their inordinately long lives, most ended up serving the same Lord until death. Many evenmitted suicide after failing to protect their Lords against assassination, one of the many reasons kunoichi were universally hated.


    For the first time in her life, Yui was tempted to tease someone, but, almost as soon as the urge had manifested, she quickly suppressed it. Nobu didn''t exactly have a track record for reacting calmly in situations where he had been slighted, so, rather than risk ruining the moment, she whispered, "I''m going to get some sleep. You should try and do the same. If we continue at our current pace, there is a chance we''ll reach Owari-Shuto by tomorrow evening. You''ve greatly exceeded my expectations since we separated from the caravan. I''m genuinely impressed by the resolve you have shown..."


    Snorting in response to Yui''splimentary words, Nobu proceeded to recline against the burrow wall before muttering, "Whatever..." in a dismissive tone. This very nearly caused Yui to issue a light chuckle. Instead, she settled on moving next to him, unabashedly leaning against his shoulder with an amused yet contented smile on her face...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though a more inexperienced kunoichi might attack the moment her quarry had cornered itself, the amber-eyed woman, Yoshitsune Yuriko, loosely tranting to ''lily'' and ''perfect at birth'', honored her namesake by never underestimating her opponents. She had also sparred against Yui, quite literally, hundreds of times without securing a single victory. Thus, while her sisters hade to resent the former heiress quite a bit, Yuriko deeply respected Yui''s strength.


    Despite the fact they were born a mere three months apart, Yui had already reached Rank 3 Golden Warrior at the ripe age of eighteen. Yuriko, considered by many to be a genius, had only managed to achieve Rank 9 Silver Adept in that same amount of time. On paper, this implied that Yui was, at the very least, three times stronger than her. Her only advantage was that Golden Warriors, at least in the earlier stages, were actually weaker than high-ranking Silver Adepts. They struggled to adapt to the weight and malleability of their aura, so, as long as they yed their cards right, it wasn''t too difficult for a skilled Silver Adept to take out a low-ranking Golden Warrior.


    Unfortunately, Yui wasn''t just any Golden Warrior. She was a monster who had managed to secure her status before the age of twenty. Even talented individuals only achieved Golden Warrior around the age of twenty. Most were actually between the ages of 22-24, so, while ''logic'' dictated they had the advantage in speed, offensive, and defensive capability; personal experience had taught Yuriko that Yui was a monster that defiedmon sense.


    With this in mind, Yuriko turned towards the youthful duo patiently awaiting her orders, dering, "We''ll rest for the next four hours. The two of you will focus on recovering your reserves while I set traps in the surrounding area. There is a high possibility she is trying to bait us into attacking so we will focus on recuperating until the sun begins to set upon the horizon. If we fail to aplish our mission before tomorrow morning, we''ll have no choice but to retreat. Golden Warriors are stronger during the day."


    Though it wasmon knowledge that Gold and Silver were more or less reactive depending on the cycles of the sun and moon, Shizune and Rynka weren''t exactly the brightest among the current generation of Yoshitsune kunoichi. Their cultivation base wasn''t terrible, Silver 4 and 5 respectively, but, like many of the girls riding the bandwagon of hate aimed at Yui, they were excuse-prone andzy. This was a cause for concern among the older generation as it would jeopardize the survival of the Yoshitsune n if their kunoichi suddenly became inept, ipetent, and petty...


    Demonstrating why there was cause for concern, Rynka adopted a defiant expression as she asked, "Why don''t we just burn them out? Yui might be able to escape on her own but there''s no way she can protect a normal civilian while fending off three kunoichi. Why are you so afraid of that useless wench? Her cultivation base might be decent but she would be nothing without the support of the Matriarch."


    Since the ''older generation was prevented from sparring with the younger members of the n, primarily to prevent bullying and a breakdown of the existing hierarchy, most of the girls beneath the age of sixteen had never fought against Yui. This had allowed them to gossip without fear of retribution, as, due to her dual training, Yui simply didn''t have the time to worry about what others had to say.


    Suppressing a tired sigh, Yuriko adopted a threatening glower as she asked, "Are you refusing to obey your superior''s order, Trainee Rynka? I don''t believe I asked you for your opinion so why are you speaking?"


    Paling under the pressure releasing by her senior, Rynka hastily lowered her head, saying, "I meant no offense..." in an apologetic and slightly reverent tone. This was the mission to determine whether or not she and Shizune would be officially recognized as kunoichi. Yurko wasn''t merely their senior, she was the proctor evaluating their worth. All it took was a single disparaging report from the ink-haired beauty and her official duty would be seducing some no-name merchant. After that, it would be nigh-impossible to obtain any high-priority missions, so, while she resented every fiber of Yui''s existence, Rynka understood it would be ill-advised to allow her personal feelings to interfere with her mission.


    Though she wasn''t particrly fond of the brash trainee, Yuriko still nodded her head in approval of Rynka''s response. One of the most essential qualities of a kunoichi was the ability to quickly assume a servile posture. They needed to be able to convincingly dupe their target into believing they were in a powerless position. This was paramount to lowering the guard of powerful cultivators, so, while Rynka wascking in other departments, Yuriko couldn''t help but admit she had mastered the art of groveling...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I''m starting to like this Yuriko chick...)

 Chapter 29: Trigger

    Chapter 29: Trigger


    With the low-light of the burrow gradually faded, giving way to absolute darkness, a tired sigh escaped Yui''s throat. This would have normally gone unnoticed by a heavy sleeper, but, due to the aroma trapped within the humid underground chamber, Nobu had only been able to rest his eyes for a few minutes at a time before stirring awake.


    "What''s up...?"


    Creating a tiny globule of pale-gold to light the interior of the burrow, Yui exined, "We haven''t been attacked. Though there is still a chance I was wrong about us being pursued, we''re in trouble if I guessed correctly. By now, I imagine there are more than a hundred traps surrounding us. These types of things aren''t particrly effective against someone with a powerful Aura but they pose an extreme danger to those without the ability to protect themselves..."


    Seeing the concern visible in Yui''s eyes as she looked toward him, Nobu couldn''t resist the urge to roll his own before saying, "It''s whatever. If I die, I die. I''m not going to let myself get taken hostage so don''t give me any of that crap about putting your life on the line to protect me. If they try to use me against you, I don''t want you to hesitate. Even if they did offer you the chance to trade your life for my own, how long do you think I''ll survive in the middle of these woods by myself? Besides, if they''re the type of asshats willing to take hostages and shit, they''ll most likely gut me the moment they''re finished with you. Instead of getting us both killed, focus on fucking them up. Understood?"


    Finding herself, once again, at a loss for words, Yui just stared into Nobu''s eyes for the better part of a full minute before responding with a slow and solemn nod. She could understand the logic in his words, and, as he had described, it wasn''t umon for bandits and thugs to dispose of their leverage the moment it was no longer of use.


    "I understand. If ites to that, I will not hesitate. I will cut them down without mercy. And then..."


    Having spent a fair amount of time with Nobu by now, Yui understood he probably wouldn''t take kindly to her suggesting she wouldmit ritual suicide. Others would interpret this as a show of trust and solidarity in the face of adversity. As for Nobu, he would probably just call her an idiot and several other names before proceeding to do something drastic the moment he got caught...


    "And then...?"


    Expecting Yui to say some stupid shit about pride and honor, a deep furrow had already set upon Nobu''s face. What he never expected was for her to confidently say, "I will force their dead bodies to lower their heads towards your grave before proceeding to take on your name as I travel around Nian as a vagrant warrior. I will make sure the name Nanamori Nobu goes down in history as one of the greatest warriors of all time. I will not allow you to be forgotten."


    Unable to find words to describe how he was feeling, Nobu stared at Yui as if she had gone batshit crazy. He knew she had the makings of a ''yandere'' but he never imagined things would develop to the point she was promising to make corpses bow and shit. Nanamori Nobu wasn''t his actual name either, so, even if she did keep her promise, she would be making the wrong person famous...


    Believing he was about to try and dissuade her against taking such a course of action, Yui adopted a serious expression as she asserted, "It is my choice how I spend my life. Weren''t you the one who told me that? If you die here, I will make sure all of Nian knows your name before I follow you into the afterlife. If you don''t like this then make sure you do everything in your power to preserve your life...it''s that simple..."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu found himself muttering, "Yui, you...." with a conflicted look on his face. Before he could speak any further, however, Yui just shook her head and said, "It''s time to go. The longer we stay here, the more difficult it will be to escape. They''ll never give me the chance to wait till sunrise. We should move while there is still a bit of light left."


    With Yui quickly moving to investigate the exits for any signs of foul y, Nobu''s only options were to stay inside the foul-smelling burrow or crawl after the overzealous beauty. Luckily, at least for the aforementioned beauty, the interior of the burrow literally smelled like a rotting animal cadaver; so, even if he did want to be obstinate, Nobu knew he only had a single option avable to him.


    "This is what I get for sticking my dick in crazy..."


    Though his decision had very little to do with the fact he and Yui had fucked, Nobu needed some kind of excuse to propel himself forward. He didn''t know if it was some kind of plot sense, but, the moment Yui mentioned the possibility of traps existing, his brain was abuzz with the sound of rm bells. This wasn''t literal, of course, but it was the best description he could up with to represent the level of anxiety he was feeling. After all, there would have to be something seriously fucked with his head if the notion of entering a trap-filled forward near sunset didn''t affect him...


    Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any traps near the entrance of the burrow as Yui quickly waved for him to emerge. For a brief moment, this tricked him into thinking his anxiety was pointless, but, almost as soon as that thought crossed his mind, Yui eximed, "Fuck...!" before leaping away from the burrow''s entrance.


    At nearly the exact same moment that Yui''s voice reached his ears, unbridled panic spread through Nobu''s body as an explosion erupted near the mouth of the burrow. Dirt and gravel began to rain down on him with the intensity of a shower, and, were it not for the fact he had still been near the base of the exit tunnel, he might have been buried alive for a second time...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Seeing the explosion ripple outward near the mouth of the burrow, Yui''s pupils shrank to the size of pinholes as fear and anxiety, not for herself, swelled within her heart. Unfortunately, she didn''t have the time to think about Nobu''s safety, as, the moment she jumped away, her path was impeded by a series of razor-thin wires. Her aura managed to protect her, but, for a very brief moment, she was a sitting duck suspended in the air.


    "Ha! I told you she was worthless! Eat this, you traitorous sow...!"


    Though she was marginally surprised by the fact she recognized the voice, it wasn''t enough to distract Yui from what needed to be done. She instantly manipted her aura to produce a series of sweeping des to cut her free, but, rather than fall to the ground, she manifested a grappling crossbow with her left hand, firing it at a distant tree before pulling herself to safety.


    Thanks to her quick thinking, Yui managed to evade a shimmering silver cloud of aura that cut through the area she had been suspended with the force of a tempest. It also emitted a blinding light that could dazzle anyone looking directly at it, but, having experienced more than her fair share of battles against Silver Adepts, Yui knew better. Instead, she shot out a number of golden threads into the nearby trees before charging in the direction of the attack''s origin, a young girl with ck hair tied into a ponytail.


    "Rynka..."


    Seeing Yui charging towards her in a very un-warrior-like fashion, Rynka''s face immediately paled as she shouted, "Don''te this way, you damn hypocrite...!"


    Controlling the length of the golden threads, Yui managed to instantaneously change direction mid-flight, not because of Rynka, but because a silvery light had shed in the periphery of her vision. Immediately thereafter, a series of silvery kunai flew whistled through the area she would have been if she continued her original trajectory.


    By retracting certain threads and producing countless others, Yui was able to glide through the dense trees like a phantom. As for Rynka, she ended up clicking her tongue before disappearing along a nned route. Had Yui continued toward her, several more wires would have been waiting. Unlike the previous set, however, these were attached to a series of explosives. This wouldn''t have been enough to take her out, but, more often than not, battles between cultivators of the Metal Infusion Technique were more about reducing the enemy''s aura than quickly ending the fight. In terms even Nobu would have been able to understand, Aura was essentially a person''s HP(Health Points), and, so long as their opponent was unable to pierce their defenses, cultivators of the Metal Infusion Technique were, basically, immortal.


    Though she would have liked to give chase, Yui knew better than to follow after a kunoichi that had been given adequate time to prepare. Instead, she shifted her focus to the person who had thrown the kunai, her expression darkening as she stopped on the branch of a tree and muttered, "Yuriko..."


    Using wires of her own to recover the kunai she had previously thrown, Yuriko turned to meet Yui''s gaze before raising her hand and casually greeting, "Yo. Haven''t seen you in a few months. Enjoying life on the road?"


    Furrowing her brows, Yui extended her right hand to the side, asking, "Why are members of the Yoshitsune n attacking one of their own?" while slowly and deliberately molding her Aura into the shape of an inordinately long katana known as an odachi.


    Shaking her head, Yuriko crossed her arms, ''inadvertently'' enting her breasts as she answered, "You know I can''t reveal the details of a mission in progress. If you want answers, live long enough to obtain them..."


    As those final words left her mouth, Yuriko stepped back, a glittering silver aura exploding at her previous location like a cloud of smoke. In the next instant, she appeared beneath the shimmering cloud, her feet clinging to the branch she had been standing on as if her soles were maic.


    Though she didn''t expect Yui to be blinded by such an obvious feint, that didn''t stop Yuriko from throwing out a series of kunai with silver wires attached. This was, somewhat ironically, a technique she had copied from Yui. It allowed the user to both attack and reposition themselves at the same time, and, while it consumed a tremendous amount of Aura, you could mitigate the cost so long as you recovered the projectiles and retracted the wires.


    Understanding that Yuriko would be able to reposition herself if her kunai connected with a hard surface, Yui leaped towards the attack without fear or hesitation. The restriction of Yuriko''s ability was that she couldn''t manipte her aura at will. She needed to create the kunai and wires ahead of time, and, even if she wanted to reabsorb them, it would take time. This was one of the distinct advantages a Golden Warrior had over a Silver Adept, and, while she undoubtedly pursued the path of a warrior, Yui''s concern for Nobu allowed her to set aside her pride and make use of all her skills.


    By manipting the lengths of several wires, Yui was able to add a spin to her charge, and, as a result, she managed to cut through the vast majority of Yuriko''s silver threads. This caused thetter''s amber-eyes to glisten in the waning darkness, a smile developing across her face as she muttered, "I was wondering why you chose such a cumbersome weapon..."


    Making use of one of the few genuine advantages she had against her opponent, Yuriko kicked away from her inverted perch with extreme speed. She was currently the fastest in her generation, as, the moment Yui ascended to the Realm of Golden Warrior, her speed had drastically decreased. In fights between cultivators, the ability tond and evade attacks was often more important than the volume of a person''s aura, so, while Yui was undoubtedly more skilled, Yuriko was confident she could outmaneuver her...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While a climactic battle between kunoichi was urring outside, Nobu was currentlymenting his entire existence. He had managed to avoid being buried alive, but, due to the tremendous volume of dirt and debris, his mask resembled an oil rag that had been thrown into a dust bin. This made itpletely unusable, and, thanks to the adrenaline coursing through his veins, he was powerless to restrain the urge to breathe deeply.


    Though his instincts were screaming at him to return to the surface, Nobu''s progress was inhibited by the convulsions of his body, the pitch-ck interior of the burrow, and an overwhelming sense of panic that he could only attribute to his newly awakened ustrophobia. It prevented him from thinking clearly, and, were it not for the fact he was constantly on the verge of passing out, Nobu might have thought to use the stone tablet as a light source...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Not gonna lie. The thought of being buried alive is pretty terrifying.)

 Chapter 30: Recklessness

    Chapter 30: Recklessness


    Under normal circumstances, Yui would have dealt with this situation by breaking through her foes'' encirclement and forcing them to pursue until she found an advantageous position or managed to give them the slip. With Nobu''s fate unknown, however, she couldn''t simply leave the area, so, even if she knew it was a mistake, she allowed herself to be led around by Yuriko while Rynka provided support from the shadows.


    Realizing that Yui had no intention of leaving the area, Yuriko continued to reposition around trees in an effort to bait the former into exhausting her Aura. She knew where all the traps were located. All she needed to do was lure Yui to their location.


    "This is the penultimate weakness of a warrior. Concerning yourself with the safety of others makes you weak..."


    As those words left her mouth, Yurko rolled forward to evade the glistening golden de that had cleanly bifurcated the tree she had been hiding behind. At the same time, she tossed a handful of marble-sized paper balls towards the periphery. These immediately erupted into a cloud of bright-red powder, abination of ground-up chili peppers, skin irritants, and poison.


    Noticing the paper balls the moment she darted around the tree, Yui spun on her heels, a golden te manifesting behind her as she backed through the cloud without a moment''s hesitation. This was an incredibly foolish maneuver, but, fearing Nobu''s time might be running out, Yui abandoned caution in favor of results.


    With the exception of the golden te and the sword in her hand, Yui hadpletely deactivated her aura. She needed speed more than defense at the moment, so, even when Yuriko performed a backward flip, slinging a handful of kunai in the process, Yui charged through them with bloodshot eyes, shouting, "You''re really starting to piss me off...!"


    Though she was more than a little surprised by Yui''s ''suicide charge'', Yuriko found herself at a loss for words when she heard the former''s outburst. Yui was the type of person who kept her emotions bottled up, refusing to let others see her weakness. She wasn''t the type of person tosh out at her opponent in the middle of a battle, and, even if she sustained heavy injuries, she wouldn''t so much as flinch.


    Blocking Yui''s heavy blow with a luminous silver sickle known as a kamaitachi, the color in Yuriko''s face drained away as she forced a smile and said, "This isn''t like you, Yui...you''re not this reckless..."


    Ignoring Yuriko''s remark, Yui''s pressed forward, her golden aura igniting like a me that quickly produced a number of spear-like protrusions. Several of these impacted near Yurko''s vital points, but, thanks to her silver aura, she was only sent stumbling backward by the momentum contained within the blows.


    Regretting her earlier musings, Yuriko attempted to take advantage of the distance Yui''s attack had sent her by darting to the side. Before she could even get three steps, however, Yui appeared right in front of her, aura nowhere to be seen and an expression simr to an enraged Asura.


    "If I make it through this, I''m tanning that Rynka''s hide until it''s purple..."


    With Yui performing a cyclone-like sweep with a golden naginata, Yuriko attempted to leap over it only to discover a familiar silver kunai aimed at the center of her forehead. This caused the pupils of her hawk-like eyes to contract, not because she was fearful of receiving the attack, but because the kunai was one of her own.


    As that thought crossed her mind, Yuriko was forced to involuntarily blink when the kunai impacted her aura. At that exact moment, a forceparable to a Lightning Boar''s charge mmed into the left side of her body, just below her armpit. Her aura managed to hold out, but, due to the weight behind the blow, her left shoulder ended up getting dislocated before her body was sent crashing through a nearby tree.


    Seeing Yuriko get sent flying, Rynka, who had spent thest couple of minutes looking for a chance to attack, immediately paled. She felt as though a bucket of icy-cold water had been poured across her body, as, despite being hidden, Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes snapped towards her the moment she had sent Yuriko flying.


    Though one of the punishments for abandoning a mission was death, Rynka''s instincts told her that she would surely die if she tried to fight against Yui. Unfortunately, the moment she turned around, a figure d in pale-gold descended to block her path.


    Forcing a smile, Rynka looked up with the intention of trying to ingratiate herself to the monstrous woman standing in front of her. This effort promptly hindered by Yui''s vice-like grip closing around her face, forcing her to remain silent as the demonic woman asked, "Use your fingers. Tell me, how many people did you bring?"


    Had Yui merely blocked her path, Rynka wouldn''t have put up much of a struggle. Being lifted by her face, however, caused her fight or flight instinct to kick in. Thus, without even processing the words that had just left Yui''s mouth, Rynka began punching, kicking, and throwing every tool she had in her possession. This ended up being a surprisingly effective strategy, as, among the many items she had thrown, several explosives had been mixed in.


    With a massive explosion forcibly separating them, Yui smashed into a nearby tree while Rynka was sent tumbling head over heel through a series of shrubs. Their respective auras had protected them from any serious injuries, but, due to the unexpected nature of the attack, even Yui was left cradling her head, ears ringing as a wave of disorientation forced her to lean against the tree for support. As for Rynka, she managed to climb to her feet, but, the moment she tried to walk forward, she ended up moving in a diagonal line before crashing into a tree of her own...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After slipping in and out of consciousness more than a dozen times, Nobu finally reached what he believed to be an exit. He couldn''t actually see the end, but, feeling a cold breeze flow from further ahead, he managed to wiggle his way through a tunnel that was only essible due to his severely malnourished figure.


    "If I get out of this...I''m never going underground again..."


    Since these words were intended for himself, Nobu''s body instantaneously froze when he heard a delicate voice reply, "That''s probably for the best. The only time people should stay underground is when they''re dead. Now,e on out. If you surrender obediently, I promise I won''t harm you..."


    Hearing the voiceing from an unseen source beyond the bend a few meters up the tunnel, the expression on Nobu''s face darkened as he contemted wiggling back the way he came. His newly acquired phobia was rapidly nearing debilitating levels, but, far more than being buried alive, Nobu feared being used to harm the people he cared about. Yui wasn''t quite at that level, but, as the only person he had really spent time with since his reincarnation, she was the closest approximation to a person he genuinely cared about...


    Just as Nobu was forming the resolve to move backward, a piercing pain radiated from his ankle as the same voice from before calmly exined, "I have already spread my familiars through the entire burrow. If you refuse toe out, they will continue biting your legs until you eithere forward or pass out from blood loss..."


    With his jaw trembling from anxiety and pain, Nobu''s eyes became progressively more bloodshot as he forced the chattering to stop by tightly clenching his teeth. He felt like he was being made to experience all of the most deeply ingrained fears humans had developed since their ancestors were still living in caves. Not only was he trapped in an extremely ustrophobic tunnel, but, somece he couldn''t see, unknown creatures were nipping at his feet, heels, and legs as if he were a fucking buffet.


    "God fucking damnit! I''m sick and tired of this bullshit! If you want me,e and get me you little shit! You think I''m going to make things easy for you!? Go fuck yourself...!"


    Though the confines of the tunnel didn''t allow him to move around much, Nobu still managed to kick at whatever was biting him. Even the copsing of the tunnel didn''t deter him, as, much like he had told Yui, he would rather die than be something like a hostage. At least this way he could give that damned Goddess a piece of his mind before being sent off to god knows where...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Hearing the sounds of a struggle from within the tunnel, the owner of the voice, a young girl with shoulder-length pink hair tied up into a short ponytail, fringe-bangs framing a face with amethyst eyes, muttered, "I''m not sure if I should call him brave or suicidal..."


    Shaking her head, the youthful-looking girl slipped her hand into the slit of her kimono before reaching deep into her cleavage and producing a series of paper talismans that vaguely resembled human. Then, after cing these between her index and middle fingers, she whispered, "Try not to hurt him too much..." before throwing the talismans into the tunnel.


    After an inordinate number of expletives and enough thrashing to cause the entrance of the tunnel to emit a cloud of dust, several child-sized paper figures resembling macaques emerged from the burrow with an extremely tall yet gaunt man in tow. The average height of females in Nian was only around 148cm when fully grown, and, while their men were markedly taller, most averaged between 160-165cm. Nobu, not that she knew his name, was just over 177cm, so, while he wasn''t particrly tall back on Earth, he was practically a giant in Nian.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever seen a man this big...is he a foreigner? He has Nianese features though..."


    Since Nobu had been strangled unconscious by a paper snake coiled around his neck, the woman, Yoshitsune Shizune, could only specte who he was and where he came from. Their mission only required them to hinder Yui and prevent thetter from returning before the official deadline of her mission. This would be impossible under normal circumstances, but, thanks to the strange man she was escorting, they weren''t helplessly outmatched.


    Poking Nobu''s cheek with her finger, a smile developed across the pink-haired girl''s face as she softly mused, "I''ve never seen a man from this close before...I wonder if his height is the only thing big about him..."


    Though she really shouldn''t be taking her time like this, Shizune''s eyes crawled over Nobu''s body before lingering on the hemp cord holding his trousers in ce. She found it a little strange that he wasn''t wearing a traditional kimono or hitatare with hakama-style trousers. Instead, he was wearing a type of linen pantsmon among farmers, a twoyered tunic, and a pair of leather boots that appeared to be imported from overseas. He dressed nothing like a typical Nianese, yet, even with a veritable bird''s nest of hair, his facial features could easily pass for a member of the Noble ns...


    "Hmmm...?"


    As that thought crossed her mind, Shizune noticed that Nobu actually shared several key features with the current Lord of the Oda n. Everything from the shape of his brow, the thickness of his nose, and the angle of his jaw were a perfect match for a younger version of Owari''s Lord.


    Were it not for the fact that Lord Senken wasn''t famous for loving a single woman, Shizune could have been convinced that the man lying before her was the Lord''s illegitimate child. The simrities were frightening, so much so that Shizune actually began to feel as though she wasmitting a grave mistake by not bowing her head.


    Fortunately, like every other member of the Yoshitsune n, Shizune hadmitted the names and faces of the Oda n to memory. The man before her didn''t match any of these people, so, after a brief moment of hesitation, a mischievous smile developed across her face as she lifted the hem of Nobu''s trousers and softly eximed, "Oh my...you might be a dirtymoner, but you''re quite the little Lord where it counts..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Oh my...)

 Chapter 31: Troublesome Character

    Chapter 31: Troublesome Character


    By circting her aura internally, Yui managed to recover from her disorientation after a few deep breaths. This was exponentially faster than Rynka, so, while the aforementioned was still struggling to stand, Yui grabbed her by the cor of her kimono before mming her to the ground using an overhead throw.


    With her usually invisible aura shing a vibrant silver, Rynka coughed up a small amount of blood, cursing, "You wench...!" before attempting to grab something from one of the many pouches lining her body. This was rewarded with a stomp to the face before Yui used a bident-like weapon to pin the hostile kunoichi''s neck to the ground.


    Though a person''s aura could protect them from harm, it wasn''t an absolute defense. A sufficiently powerful blow would cause it to deform, so, taking advantage of her aura''s inherent characteristics, Yui raised her left foot, an inordinately thick golden greave manifesting around her calf and foot as she dropped it with meteoric might against Rynka''s diaphragm.


    With her neck pinned to the ground, Rynka''s offensive and defensive options had been significantly reduced. Thus, when Yui''s foot came crashing down, an audible crack resounded through the forest as an intense pain radiated through her entire chest. Her aura, which had manifested to protect her, now had a foot-shaped imprint just beneath her breasts, and, as a result, all the air had been forced from her lungs.


    As Rynka had been the one to set off the explosion that had potentially buried Nobu, Yui felt very little remorse about the internal injuries she had inflicted upon her younger nswoman. The only reason she didn''t outright kill her was that she didn''t believe the Elders of the Yoshitsune n, not even the ones who hated her, would arbitrarily issue a mission to kill her. If that were the case, they would have sent a team of elites, not a trainee and someone she had defeated well over a hundred times in training.


    Using several other bident-like weapons, colloquially known as sasumata, Yui systematically pinned each of Rynka''s joints before leaving her to writhe painfully on the ground. Immediately after that, she leaped to the branch of a nearby tree to get a better vantage point on Yuriko''s position.


    "As expected...Yuriko wouldn''t be taken out so easily..."


    Lamenting the time she had wasted on Rynka, Yui shook her head before shooting a golden line into a distant tree. Then, with the assistance of several other cables, she was able to navigate the densely packed forward with a finesse that could have rivaled a certain spider-themed hero from Brooklyn...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After retreating a safe distance and painstakingly setting her dislocated arm, Yuriko showed no hesitation regarding the decision to leave Rynka to her fate. She seriously doubted that Yui would kill a member of her own n. Rather, if she was truly as coldhearted as people made her out to be, she wouldn''t have insisted on pursuing the path of an ''honorable warrior''.


    Confident in her assessment of Yui''s character, Yuriko raced back to the location of the burrow. Her highest priority at the moment was securing the man Yui had been escorting. The brief skirmish had made it exceedingly clear they couldn''t defeat Yui in a direct confrontation, so, now that their initial n had gone south, they had little choice but to rely on their contingencies.


    "It''s fortunate I left Shizune in charge of his capture. That personality of hers could use some work but she shouldn''t have had any difficulties capturing amoner..."


    Despite the apparent confidence in her tone, Yuriko ignored the pain radiating from her left ribs in order to reach her destination as quickly as possible. Shizune might have been able to capture their quarry with rtive ease, but, should Yui get to her first, the pinkettecked the mental fortitude to issue and follow through with threats.


    Shizune was someone who abhorred unnecessary violence, and, were it not for the fact she couldmand Shikigami, an exceptionally rare ability, she most likely would have ended up working in a brothel to gather information. Such was the fate of ipetent kunoichi, as, even with the Oda n''s backing, they still needed to earn additional ie in order to purchase the equipment and resources required to nurture the more talented members of their n.


    Fortunately, while Shizune had earned a poor evaluation regarding her ughter and assassination techniques, her actualbat prowess wasn''t bad. She could also infiltrate manors and businesses with her Shikigami, so, while most trainees would immediately be regarded as a failure for refusing to kill, the Elders had made an exception in regards to the peculiar pinkette. After all, when it came to conducting operations in foreign territories, the ability to covertly gather information was often more important than individual lethality.


    The biggest problem with Shizune was that she had developed the mentality that she was already an important asset to the Yoshitsune n. She didn''t particrly care about earning the official title of kunoichi, as, from her perspective, she would never be assigned the tasks that led some kunoichi tomit suicide. Simply put, she had developed something of a Princess mentality, and, while she would generally follow orders, she rarely put in more than a middling amount of effort.


    Fearing that her young protege might simply ''give up'' if she deemed the task too annoying, Yuriko reached the site of the burrow in just under a minute. To her relief, she immediately noticed Shizune crouching next to their unconscious target. What Yuriko didn''t expect was to find the troublesome pinkette in the middle of fiddling around with the target''s genitalia...


    "Trainee Shizune...what the hell are you doing...?"


    Though she startled upon hearing Yuriko''s voice, Shizune quickly regained herposure, smiling as she exined, "You should see it for yourself. Look. Isn''t this one muchrger than the toys used in our lectures? It isn''t even hard and it''s already as long as my hand."


    Despite sneaking a quick peek,rgely due to disbelief, Yuriko still struck the top of Shizune''s head with her fist, asking, "What the hell is wrong with you!? At least tie him and secure him somece safe before you start fooling around...!"


    With her aura protecting her, Shizune felt no pain from Yuriko''s strike. Instead, she offered a half-eyed smile before bringing the tips of her fingers together and replying, "That''s a wonderful idea. It''s no wonder everyone calls you a genius, Yuriko-san."


    Ignoring the insincerepliment, Yuriko quickly bound Nobu''s hands and feet before tying a rope around his body and throwing him over her shoulder. This caused her ribs to scream out in protest, but, without so much as a single change in expression, she turned towards Shizune and said, "Yui is a lot stronger than we anticipated. We need to move quickly before she finishes dealing with Rynka and follows suit. The way she is behaving is very abnormal so we might not be able to use this man as a hostage. Our best bet is to split up and find somece to hunker down. So long as we can buy enough time, this is our victory."


    Though she didn''t disagree with Yuriko''s words, the former''s casual mention of Rynka being dealt with caused Shizune to adopt a wry smile and ask, "Ano...what should I do if Yui-sama catches up with me...?"


    cing her hand on Shizune''s shoulder, Yuriko adopted a thoroughly heartless expression as she said, "Just do your best. Don''t worry. Even if she tortures you, your life shouldn''t be in any danger..."


    Paling in response to the rtively straightforward answer, Shizune was about to suggest they stick together when Yuriko gave her shoulder another pat and said, "This is an order, trainee. Flee as far as you can. If you are captured, do not give up any information. Your ability to use shikigami might be invaluable to the n, but, if it is discovered you will readily part with the information you have collected, you will be a liability. Do you believe your mother will be able to protect you if the other Elders learn you gave information to the ''enemy'' just to avoid a bit of pain?"


    With her smile quickly morphing into a pretentious glower, Shizune surprised Yuriko quite a bit by saying, "Leave the man with me. I don''t want to get tortured just to buy you some time. So long as I have him, Yui shouldn''t do anything extreme. You know I hate violence. If anyone is going to act as bait, it should be the person with the highest speed and maneuverability. It''s also highly likely that Yui-sama will also assume you''re the one with the hostage so there''s no sense in forcing me to take unnecessary risks. Hand him over."


    Like a spoiled child demanding candy, Shizune extended her hand towards Yuriko, her milky white and callus-free palm facing upward. Even more surprising was the fact that a moderately murderous aura was emanating from her body, clearly indicating that she would rather fight for ownership over the unconscious man than face off against an enraged Yui.


    Disapproving of Shizune''s behavior, Yuriko''s expression immediately morphed into a scowl. She was generally a prettyid-back person, but, sensing the malice contained in Shizune''s tone as thetter unabashedlymitted insubordination, her fury quickly increased to dangerous levels. Were it not for the fact this was merely a training mission, she would have immediately cut Shizune''s throat for such an egregious breach of the chain ofmand.


    Inhaling a deep breath, enough to cause her ribs to throb in pain, Yuriko did her best to calm down and assess the situation. If she analyzed things objectively, Shizune''s words weren''t incorrect. It was highly likely that Yui would first pursue her as she was very clearly the team leader. She was also the only one ruthless enough to slit a hostage''s throat when push came to shove, so, after realizing that the other person was Shizune, the first person Yui would try to eliminate is her.


    Though the actual odds were something along the lines of 70:30, Yuriko ultimately decided to just go with the flow. This was, after all, a mission to assess Rynka''s and Shizune''s potential as kunoichi. She wasn''t supposed to bepleting the mission for them. Her primary responsibility was making sure they didn''t lose their lives. Thus, even if the mission ended in failure, Shizune and Rynka would receive a far more severe punishment than the one meted out to her.


    "Very well. However, if I learn that you just hid somewhere and yed around while I did my best to buy time, don''t expect the Elders to protect you. It might not be today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now. At some point, I will get even with you for today''s slights."


    Releasing a far more powerful bloodlust than the insignificant aura exuding from Shizune''s body, Yuriko was hoping to scare the troublesome pinkette into obedience. Instead, the only thing she managed was forcing Shizune to pale slightly before thetter adopted an annoyingly triumphant smile and said, "Understood." in an audibly excited tone of voice.


    Restraining a sigh, Yuriko basically threw Nobu''s unconscious body towards Shizune before bolting up a tree and darting in the opposite direction. This caused the pinkette to adopt an offended look, but, having ultimately gotten her way, it didn''t take long for her smile to return. Then, with a slightly mischievous look on her face, she eyed the unconscious Nobu and said, "Knowing Yuriko, she really will do her best to buy time. So long as that monster doesn''t immediately pursue us, that gives you and I plenty of time to get to know each other. Ufufufufufu~"


    Though it was true that her nature was somewhat terrible, Shizune''s interest in Nobu was primarily the result of his appearance. There had to be a reason for his uncanny resemnce to the current Lord of the Oda n, so, as someone whose primary skills revolved around information gathering and seduction, Shizune was determined to get the answers she sought...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: What''s this!? Is our main boyo in danger!? Will FBI-sama save him from the clutches of a predatory loli or will he be the one to put behind bars!? Find out in the next ''surprisingly pink'' episode of Nobunaga Oda''s Isekai Cultivation Experience...!!!)

 Chapter 32: Obstinance: Forcing

    Chapter 32: Obstinance: Forcing


    Smelling a fragrant yet suffocating aroma simr tovender mixed with fruit, an annoyed groan emanated from Nobu''s throat as he instinctually attempted to turn away from the smell''s source. Unfortunately, the only thing he managed to turn away was his head. He was vaguely aware of a weight pressing him down, and, after a few disorienting seconds had passed, he realized that his hands were, once again, bound.


    "Fuck my life..."


    As those words left his mouth, Nobu opened his remarkably heavy eyelids with the intent to assess his situation. He almost wished he hadn''t, as, the moment he opened his eyes, he came face to face with the thing, scratch that, the person weighing him down.


    "Well hello there. My name''s Shizune. What''s yours~?"


    Rather than answering the abnormally heavy woman''s question, Nobu''s eyes briefly focused on her pink hair before naturally gravitating towards the two ginormous melons partially peeking out from the sides of her pale-pink, nearly white, kimono. She reminded him of the damaged girls that would cosy as their favorite characters at anime conventions, but, unlike the aforementioned attention-seekers, this girl''s hair appeared to be pink to its roots. She also had bright purple eyes, a color that was rumored to exist in his previous world, but, even after neen years of living, Nobu had never met a single person with the inordinately rare pigmentation...


    Though she was tempted to say something when Nobu''s eyes focused on her breasts, Shizune was marginally surprised when he, very naturally, transitioned to meet her gaze. It was like he had been merely confirming their existence, and, based on the disgruntled and slightly hostile expression on his face, he wasn''t particrly captivated by her beauty.


    Puffing out her cheeks ever so slightly, Shizuneined, "I already told you my name. I''ll be sad if you don''t tell me yours..."


    Frowning in response to the woman''s words, Nobu surprised Shizune a second time by unhesitantly replying, "Fuck off." in a no-nonsense tone. Then, having recovered a bit of his strength and mental faculties, he attempted to force the woman off of him by bucking his hips and twisting to the side.


    Ultimately failing in this endeavor, Nobu immediatelymented, "Holy fuck, you''re heavy..." with a slightly pained expression on his face. It was like someone had suddenly stacked several weights on his legs, and, due to how far up she was on his thighs, he could barely twist his body, much less buck her off.


    Though she had been maintaining a smile up until this point, Shizune immediately frowned when she heard Nobu say she was heavy. Sure, she was circting her aura through her body to increase her weight but that didn''t mean he could just say whatever he wanted. She was also quite confident in her beauty, so, rather thanining, he should be delighted that such a beautiful woman was straddling his waist.


    Pinching the virtually nonexistent fat around Nobu''s waist, Shizune adopted a genuine pout as she said, "It''s rude toment on a woman''s weight. Besides, I''m using my aura to hold you down. My actual weight is less than thirty-seven-kilograms. Take it back...!"


    Despite wincing due to the pain at his waist, Nobu managed an incredulous look on his face as he asked, "Why the fuck are you trying to act cute? I don''t even know you and here you are sitting in myp while my hands and feet tied. You''re not being cute. You''re being creepy as fuck."


    Furrowing her brows even further, enough to appear legitimately angry, Shizune ceased pinching Nobu''s waist before remarking, "You''re weird. It''s like you have no sense of self-preservation. You do realize I could kill you whenever I want, right? If you had yed along, we could have enjoyed ourselves while getting to know each other. Why go out of your way to escte things?"


    Snorting through his nose, Nobu lurched forward in a vain attempt to headbutt Shizune in the face, thoroughly incensing her before shouting, "I told you to fuck off! I ain''t no pansy-ass bitch who will start talking just because some pink-haired bitch is grinding my dick...!"


    With a visibleyer of moisture building in her eyes, Shizune pped Nobu with such intensity that his chin briefly extended past his shoulder. His vision had alsopletely nked, and, were it not for the taste of blood in his mouth and a pulsating pain emanating from his left ear, he might have thought he had been knocked unconscious.


    "Fwuckin...bwit..."


    Though she wasn''t entirely sure what he was trying to say, that didn''t prevent Shizune from giving Nobu another crisp smack, this time on his right cheek. This caused Nobu to immediately fall silent, head dangling forward and blood dripping from his mouth. Some of thisnded on Shizune''s pale-pink kimono, but, thanks to her aura, the beads flowed away from her without staining her clothes.


    "Mou...look what you made me do! I really abhor violence, you know!?"


    "..."


    "Ara~? I made sure to hold back the second time. Did that really cause you really pass out...?"


    With Nobu failing to answer her, Shizune lifted his head with both hands to make sure she hadn''t identally broken his neck. She didn''t feel anything out of ce, so, after a cursory check of his bleeding ear, she opened his eyes to find that one of his pupils was slightly bigger than the other.


    "Oh my...that''s going to smart when you wake up. I didn''t think such a light p would give you a concussion. How strange. Even if your aura is extremely weak, it should have protected you..."


    Since there was no way her quarry could answer her while he was knocked unconscious, Shizune decided to continue where she had left off prior to his awakening. This included aprehensive examination of his body, and, though she had already checked it previously, his aura.


    "Hmmm...?"


    Now that she was paying closer attention to it, Shizune noticed that Nobu''s aura didn''t fluctuate in the same manner as a normal cultivator. Instead, it appeared to remain constant despite the fact he was both unconscious and injured.


    Under normal circumstances, a person''s aura would either recover or increased during periods of rest or rxation. Inversely, the moment they sustained even minor injuries, their aura would slowly deplete as their body''s natural recovery processes were gradually elerated. Though there were a number of methods to take advantage of these two states, neither was a voluntary response.


    "Well, if his aura isn''t behaving naturally, the obvious answer is that something unnatural is going on. It''s no wonder Yui-sama took an interest in him. There''s clearly something extraordinary taking ce in this barbaric man''s body. It''s a shame his character is so dreadful. I was looking forward to being able to try out the skills those old bats keep forcing me to learn..."


    Raising Nobu''s face with her left hand, Shizune used a pale-pink handkerchief to wipe away the blood staining the left side of his face and flowing from his lips. Throughout this entire process, a practiced smile remained perpetually affixed to her face. It was only when she attempted to wipe the blood away from Nobu''s mouth that a glimmer of curiosity returned to her amethyst eyes, as, even while unconscious, he seemed to be avoiding anything nearing his nose...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After failing to find any traces of Nobu within the burrow, Yui immediately doubled back to secure Rynka before following what she believed to be Yuriko''s trail. The only other trail had been sloppy, at best, so, despite consuming a tremendous volume of aura, she followed the virtually non-existent path left by Yuriko until it spontaneously ended at a river.


    Fueled by a rage she had never experienced before, Yui screamed, "Fuck...!" at the top of her voice before immediately tossing the barely conscious Rynka into the freezing cold water. Winter might have ended, but, due to the river being fed by a distant mountain, the water was still as frigid as it had been during the coldest night in Shimotsuki(Month of Frost/November).


    Were it not for the fact Yui had held onto her using a golden rope, Rynka would have immediately been swept away by the powerful current. Instead, she emerged gasping from the water, her body shivering madly despite the aura remaining in her reserves. This was one of the primary downsides to the Metal Infusion Technique, as, despite offering ample protection against physical and magical attacks, it was extremely susceptible to changes in temperature.


    With the type of expression frequently reserved for demons guarding the gates of hell, Yui sank her fingernails into the shivering Rynka''s baby-faced cheeks before screaming, "If you don''t tell me the details of your mission, you''re spending the rest of the night in this river! I might be unwilling to kill you but that doesn''t mean I won''t let nature do it for me...!"


    Opening her almond-shaped eyes, Rynka''s pitch-ck irises reflected a resolute as she groaned, "If you think I''ll squeal or beg for my life, you''re a bigger idiot than I thought...even we kunoichis...have our pride..."


    Punctuating her words, Rynka spat foamy white spittle into Yui''s face. She would have liked to see a slug-like glob of phlegm roll down thetter''s face, but, thanks to a severe case of dehydration and blood loss, froth was the best she could manage.


    Though she couldn''t help but grit her teeth in fury and frustration, Yui''s time with Nobu had given her a certain appreciation for obstinate fools. Thus, rather than throwing Rynka back into the river, Yui flung the petite trainee to the side before throwing her overcoat over the girl''s trembling body. Then, despite understanding how futile it was, she began to search up and down the banks of the river for any signs that Yuriko had passed through the area...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With several hours passing since the time she knocked Nobu unconscious, Shizune had managed to learn quite a few things about him. First and foremost among these discoveries was his remarkable sense of smell, so, while she concluded his physical examination, her Shikigami spread out to gather several nts and flowers with deodorizing and fumigation properties.


    "Okay, sleepyhead. Time to wake up~."


    Since she had already prepared everything she needed, Shizune used a small vial of smelling salts to jolt Nobu awake.


    "Holy fucking shit fuck! Did you fucking piss on your fingers!?"


    With the active ingredient in smelling salts being ammonia carbonate, it was easily one of the most foul-smelling aromas most people would ever experience. It also had the effect of elerating the heart rate and forcing the body to take in additional oxygen topensate, so, the moment Nobu awoke, an extreme case of vertigo caused his right eye to briefly deviate from its natural focal point.


    Though his reaction was far more extreme than she expected, Shizune was more than satisfied with the result. If he was this susceptible to aromas, she could leverage it against him for information, so, after watching him silently for several seconds, a perpetual smile on her face, she exined, "I really don''t want to hurt you. So long as you answer my questions obediently, I''ll even provide you a face mask to filter out ambient aromas. If you''re especially cooperative, I might even give you a reward."


    Having punctuated her final statement with a genuinely expectant smile, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Shizune was both disappointed and frustrated when Nobu red at her and repeated, "Fuck...off...!" betweenbored breaths. This ced her in a difficult position, as, while it might not sound very convincing from the perspective of her captive, she was serious when she said she didn''t want to hurt him. Unfortunately, as he would soon find out, there was a very big difference between not wanting to do something and being incapable of doing it...


    "You''re really leaving me with no choice..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Damn...and here I thought Rynka was bad. Compared to Shizune, she might as well be a kind and benevolent Goddess...)

 Chapter 33: Contrary

    Chapter 33: Contrary


    While others might have been deterred by Shizune''s casual threat, Nobu, having already formed the resolve to die, simply red at her. He had learned a long time ago never to show weakness in front of someone who thought they had the upper hand. Attempting to cooperate with them only fed this sentiment. The act of acquiescing also left you mentally vulnerable, so, even if it guaranteed him additional pain, Nobu forced himself to stay in fight mode so that the anxiety and helplessness he was feeling remained hidden beneath a veil of rage and ferocity...


    Cupping her cheek with a pretend helpless expression on her face, Shizune attempted to shake Nobu''s resolve by asking, "Could it be...you''re actually a masochist...?"


    Without losing even a minuscule amount of his edge, Nobu managed a taunting sneer as he said, "I bet you would enjoy that, wouldn''t you? You sadistic cunt."


    Just as it had been back in Nobu''s homeworld, the word ''cunt'' was particrly effective when used as an insult against females. It caused Shizune''s mask to immediately fall away, reced by a look of revulsion as she remarked, "How uncouth...I don''t think I''ve met anyone with such a distasteful way of speaking. Do you really want me to hurt you that badly?"


    Restraining a fit of darkughter, Nobu maintained the venomous sneer on his face as he said, "I already told you what I want. If you just fucked off as I suggested, we wouldn''t be in this situation. It''s your psychopathic ass that''s choosing to stay behind and y these stupid games."


    Inhaling deeply through her nose, Shizune resisted the urge to give Nobu''s face another p and instead held up the vial of smelling salts between her thumb and index finger, saying, "I''ve already discovered your weakness. If you''re going to keep talking like that, I''ll have no choice but to shove this tiny vial up your nose. You only got a whiff of it previously. Do you want every breath you take from this moment onward to smell like ammonia?"


    Though hisplexion paled the moment Shizune held up the vial, Nobu only hesitated for a brief moment before repeating the words that were quickly bing his catchphrase, "Fuck. Off."


    Squinting her eyes, Shizune didn''t immediately respond to Nobu''s words. She didn''t actually want to follow through on her threats. After all, she wasn''t lying when she said she abhorred violence. If Nobu just refused to speak altogether, she might have simply ignored him. Instead, he was doing everything in his power to annoy her, almost as if he wanted to be tortured...


    Adopting her characteristic pout, Shizune promptly returned the vial of smelling salts to her first aid kit before meeting Nobu''s gaze and saying, "I''m not going to torture you. As I said previously, I just want to know more about you. If you promise to behave, I''m even willing to remove your bindings. Contrary to what you might think, I''m not actually the person who tied you up."


    Since intimidation didn''t seem to work, Shizune tried switching back to the bread and butter of her skills as a kunoichi, yful seduction. This was the method she was originally intending to use, but, due to the abrasive nature of her captive, she had been ''forced'' to use methods she neither enjoyed nor had any real practice executing. She couldn''t even slice the throat of a critically injured rabbit to put it out its misery, and, when it came time to execute a captive bandit, she just evaded his attacks until he bled out on his own. She genuinely abhorred violence, so, even if her actionspromised everything she had been building up to, she was willing to try and start over from scratch.


    Though he had originally been nning to tell the woman to fuck off, Nobu fell silent the moment she offered to remove his bindings. His previous experience with ropes had led to him swearing to never let himself be bound again. That, very clearly, hadn''t panned out the way he would have liked, but, now that he had the option, he only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding his head and saying, "Fine. I''m not going to roll over and suddenly start listening to everything you tell me to do, but, so long as you remove these shitty ropes, I don''t mind having a chat."


    pping her hands together with a radiant smile on her face, Shizune seemed genuinely enthused by Nobu''s response. She suspected he might try something the moment he was released, but, with a full Realm separating them, it would be like an unarmed child trying to beat up a warrior wearing full armor. She had even managed to knock him out with two ps, so, while there was a chance he was hiding something, Shizune was confident she could restrain him using a single Shikigami.


    With this in mind, Shizune struggled for a very brief moment to cut the silvery bindings retraining Nobu''s ankles before leaning her body against him, smiling as she reached around behind his back to sever the ones keeping his arms in ce. Her breasts were nearly two cup sizesrger than every other girl in her generation, so, while most of her efforts went into caring for her skin and hair, she was most confident in the size of her bust.


    Like any guy, Nobu couldn''t help but take note of the ridiculously soft sensation pressing against him. Despite this, he maintained a rtively calm expression on his face, asking, "How old are you?" while shaking out the tension from his wrists.


    Without leaning away from his body, Shizune cocked her head to the side in an effort to appear adorable before answering, "A woman''s age is one of her most cherished secrets. However, if you answer two of my questions, I wouldn''t mind giving you a hint..."


    Seeing Shizune yfully lick her lips towards the end of her statement, the frown on Nobu''s face deepened as he asked, "What do you want to know?"


    Now that her target was beginning to cooperate, the smile on Shizune''s face became noticeably more alluring as she began to gently move her hips in a circle. Then, before he couldin or protest, she answered, "I want to know your name and where you came from..." in a seductive purr.


    With his frown deepening even further, the result of Shizune''s actions and the smell of what he assumed to be her perfume, Nobu tly answered, "My name is Nanamori Nobu. I grew up in Owari-Asai alongside my Grandfather."


    After quickly recalling the specifics of the aforementioned city, Shizune nodded her head as if to approve of his response before linking her arms around his neck and whispering, "Old enough..." in the most inviting tone Nobu had ever heard.


    Contrary to Shizune''s expectations, Nobu quickly turned away from her approaching lips, saying, "Bullshit." while trying to remove her arms from around his neck. This ultimately ended in failure, primarily due to the fact that a silver membrane appeared wherever he touched, so, with a serious expression on his face, Nobu stated, "You might have big tits but real women don''t have baby fat in their cheeks. Besides, you''re even shorter than Yui. There''s no way you''re eighteen."


    Though she was initially annoyed by Nobu''s response, Shizune became legitimately confused when Nobu mentioned the age of eighteen. It was customary in Nian for girls as young as 8 to be married off, and, while the official rites between a man and woman couldn''t be conducted until she reached physical maturity, humans were generally considered adults at the age of fifteen. In some provinces, specifically those with higher mortality rates, some people were considered adults the moment they slew their first Demon.


    "I don''t understand. As far as I know, the age of consent in Owari-Asai is thirteen. I recently turned fifteen-years-old, and, if my garb didn''t make it clear, I''m also a kunoichi. Well, I''m technically still a trainee but that isn''t really important right now. Tell me, what does being eighteen have to do with anything?"


    Frowning in response to Shizune''s words, Nobu was about to tell her off for trying to seduce grown men when she was still a brat, but, even back on Earth, the age of consent in Japan was infamously 13. As for his home state of Michigan, you could sleep with girls as young as sixteen, but, due to the recent trends of Political Correctness and several other cancerous movements, sleeping with anyone younger than the age of eighteen was equivalent to begging for a statutory **** conviction. There had even been an incident on campus where a guy ended up getting five years for having sex with a sixteen-year-old girl who snuck into a frat party. Thus, while it might be eptable in this world, his brain was hardcoded to avoid younger women as if they carried the gue.


    Realizing he didn''t actually have an answer to Shizune''s question, Nobu decided to give a different yet equally legitimate excuse, stating, "My beliefs don''t allow me to lie with a woman younger than eighteen. Besides, you reek of a virgin whose more curious than anything. You might be a kunoichi or whatever, but I guarantee you''ll regret it if your first time is with a guy you just met. If you''re that desperate for a fucking, go and find a group of homeless people. If you''re specifically targeting me,e back in a few years. You''re pretty cute so I wouldn''t mind sharing a few drinks and smashing you a few times."


    With how obstinate Nobu was before, Shizune was genuinely taken aback by how straightforward he was behaving in the present. His words were still extremely abrasive but he somehow managed to string together advice, insults, andpliments as if it werepletely normal. He was nothing like what the Elders and her mother had taught her to expect. Instead, he was simultaneously more genuine and less dignified than anyone she had ever met.


    Though she couldn''t fully wrap her head around the reasons why, Shizune found herself giggling in response to Nobu''s words. At the same time, however, a sudden desire to break his inhibitions had cemented itself within her mind. There were fewer things more exciting than profaning a taboo, so, now that she had learned that Nobu''s reasons were spiritual in nature, she was tempted to see how long he could hold out before surrendering to the desirous impulses that had allowed humans to be the most populous among the Eight Sovereign Species...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After failing to locate any additional traces of Yuriko, Yui returned to find Rynka in the process of sawing through her bindings using a serrated kunai sped between bloody teeth. She had such a look of determination on her face that, were it not for the fact they were enemies, Yui might havemended her effort. Instead, she surprised Rynka by spontaneously picking her up by the scruff and asking, "Do I need to gag you...?"


    Opening her mouth, and subsequently dropping the serrated kunai, Rynka adopted a hostile yet visibly fatigued re as she dryly answered, "Do your worst...no matter what...I won''t give up..."


    Noticing the girl''s dry and cracked lips, a frustrated sigh escaped Yui''s throat as she pulled out her waterskin and said, "Drink. You''re no use to me if you''re dead..."


    Though Yui''s words had tempted her not to drink, Rynka''s thirst ultimately won out. She might be willing to sacrifice her life in order toplete her mission but that didn''t mean she wanted to die. Eating food and drinking water would also help replenish her aura reserves, so, telling herself it was necessary for her escape, Rynka eagerly consumed the water proferred forth by Yui until the leather pouch waspletely empty.


    Watching Rynka suckle the mouth of the waterskin as if her life depended on it, Yui found herself restraining a second sigh as a feeling of helplessness suddenly washed over her. At this point, she was pretty confident that the only reason Yuriko and Rynka had shown up was to dy her arrival. Their mission was basically to prevent her sess, and, while this usually went against the code of their family, there were countless loopholes when it came to conducting their rites of passage. She had dyed her own by three years, so, while it was incredibly frustrating, Yui wasn''t surprised that the Elders had upped the difficulty of her mission at thest moment. The only concern she had was whether or not this was a ploy of her Grandmother or one of the other Elders...


    "This is bullshit..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I kind of feel bad for Yui...she really deserves better than this (T ^ T)...)

 Chapter 34: Frustration

    Chapter 34: Frustration


    "You''re starting to get on my nerves..."


    "Ufufufu~."


    Though he had tried to get her to move numerous times during their ''conversation'', Shizune was still firmly nted in Nobu''sp. She could increase her weight a lot faster than he could buck her away, and, despite the excuse he had given regarding his faith, she seemed intent on getting a rise out of him by wiggling her hips and leaning into him whenever he wasn''t answering her questions.


    "I''m serious...if you don''t stop, I''m going to start swinging. I don''t care if you''re stronger than me. I''m not a fucking toy for you to get off on."


    Leaning forward and turning her eyes up at him, Shizune adopting a reproving smile as she gently chided, "There''s no need to be so antagonistic. It''s not like we''re having sex. We''re just sitting here and getting to know each other. Unless your God is extremely petty, they won''t punish you for a bit of skinship. Besides, didn''t you say I was beautiful? Who knows, if you treat me well, I might actually save myself for you~."


    Though some people might be happy that a younger girl was saving herself for them, Nobu wasn''t the type to harbor fantasies of grooming young women into future brides. Yui''s situation was already bad enough yet here he had a fifteen-year-old girl actively trying to seduce him. To make matters even worse, she had more than enough strength to take him by force, as, even after reaching Rank 4, he was weak enough that children between the ages of 4-8 might be able to defeat him.


    Deciding to reveal his final card, Nobu''s expression became serious as he said, "Surface beauty is meaningless if you have a terrible personality. Even if you were a thousand times more beautiful, I would never ept someone clingy and maniptive as a partner. Even if we did fuck, I wouldn''t feel anything for you after the fact. You''re just a woman desperate for a dicking. The only reason you want my dick, in particr, is because I refuse to let a shitty brat like you seduce me."


    Puffing out her cheeks, Shizune tightened her hold on Nobu''s neck, drawing his closer as she said, "You can be really hateful, you know that?" before nting a kiss on his lips. This was greeted with a clenched jaw by thetter, but, thanks to her hold on his head, Shizune was able to suckle his lips and lick the outside of his teeth at her leisure.


    After several seconds of this, Shizune loosened her hold on Nobu''s head before seductively licking her lips and saying, "I''m not going to, but I could always force you. Instead of saying hateful things and goading me into tormenting you, why not just enjoy yourself? Don''t worry. I won''t force you to have sex. I just want to have a bit of fun and get to know you better. Is that such a bad thing?"


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, Nobu clearly answered, "Yes. It doesn''t matter if it''s a man or woman. Forcing people against their will is fucked up. If our positions were reversed, people would use me of being a monster and a rapist. Do you think you can just get away with this kind of shit because you''re a little cute? You''re out of your fucking mind."


    Unamused by the fact that Nobu had basically lumped her in with the most despicable subset of society, a genuine pout appeared on Shizune''s face. These were the ways she had been taught to seduce a difficult target. She refused to corrte her behavior with the actions of men who used their power to force women toply with their demands. They would never give their target the option of not having sex so she couldn''t help feeling a little resentful of Nobu''s words. After all, if any action dedicated to seducing a member of the opposite sex was considered rapacious behavior, what wasn''t?


    "You really are hateful, Nanamori Nobu! Your words don''t even make sense! Wuuuuu, you make me so angry...!"


    Without using her aura, Shizune pounded Nobu''s chest a few times with her fists before bouncing to her feet and saying, "Fine then! Just sit there like an idiot and do nothing! Don''t even talk! And if you try to escape, I''m tying you up! You hear me!?"


    Though he was taken aback by Shizune''s reaction, Nobu ultimately nodded his head in response to her words, saying, "Whatever..." before manifesting his stone tablet and thumbing open the Clicker App. This caused Shizune to stamp her foot a few times, not because she could see the stone tablet, but because she correctly assumed he was intending to ignore her.


    As she had seriously been considering performing a striptease or trying to pleasure herself in front of him, Shizune''s frustrations immediately shot through the roof when she saw Nobu lean backward and begin fidgeting with his fingers.


    ("So you''d rather y with your thumbs than pay attention to me!? Is that it!?")


    Following her internalint, Shizune stormed out of the rocky hollow she had been keeping Nobu in. It wasn''t quite a cave, but, after Nobu''s previous experience, she had assumed he would react more amenably if he didn''t wake up to find himself underground. Instead, everything he said seemed designed to frustrate her, so, at least for the time being, she needed to get some fresh air and cool her head.


    Seeing Shizune depart the cave in a huff, a fatigued expression developed across Nobu''s face as he grumbled, "How the fuck do I keep getting confined to caves with psychotic kunoichi watching over me? And this one is even more touched in the head than Yui. Whoever trained her is a real piece of shit. Seriously, it''s like fate is trying to piss me off to the point where I start training just to unfuck all the bullshit in this world..."


    Understanding that this was a very real possibility, especially with the whole fiasco regarding his public alias, Nobu''s clicking gradually increased until he was pretty sure he had broken his previous world''s record. He would genuinely rather mind his own business, but, if shit like this was going to keep happening, he would need as much strength as possible just to avoid bing some spoiled brat''s ything. At the very least, he needed to be strong enough to be able to travel without depending on little girls to guard him...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With the sun gradually peering over the horizon, a mncholic light reflected in Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes. She could still make it back to the n if she moved at her own pace, but, even if Nobu wasn''t particrly heavy, his size would make running difficult. In other words, she could stillplete her mission. The only caveat was that she would need to leave Nobu behind.


    "I''ve failed as a warrior...Nobu might not have been my Lord but he was still my responsibility. Was this Grandmother''s way of ascertaining whether or not I qualify as a warrior...?"


    Though it might have seemed like she was speaking to empty air, Yui was actually addressing the presence that had appeared nearby. In response, Yuriko emerged from the shadows of a nearby oak tree, a slightly apologetic look on her face as she said, "I honestly don''t know how to answer that question. We received this mission from the counter, just like any other. We don''t know who issued it or their reasons for doing so. If we were made aware of such things, it might lead to some kunoichi attempting to seek revenge against specific Elders after being given difficult or distasteful tasks...you know how it is..."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Yui slowly rose to her feet, fatigue visible in her countenance as she asked, "So? What now? If I really wanted to, I could still make it back to the n on time..."


    Punctuating her words, Yui began to slowly manifest a katana in her left hand. Despite this, Yuriko maintained a defenseless posture, shaking her head before saying, "No. You''ve been acting strange ever since we reunited but you''re still the same Yui I grew up with. You would never simply abandon someone you were charged with protecting. I don''t know why you''re escorting that man but he is clearly important to you given your reaction following Rynka''s sneak attack. You were fighting like a warrior who had just lost their Lord. It was honestly a little terrifying..."


    Raising her left arm, Yuriko disyed the massive bruise that ran from her armpit to the middle of her ribs. This was how it looked even after she had been circting her aura for an entire evening. Previously, tiny beads of blood had been appearing on the surface of her skin as the entire region swelled to resemble a pitch-ck mushroom cap.


    Seeing the bruise, a slightly apologetic look appeared on Yui''s face as she exhaled a weary sigh and absorbed the katana back into her aura. Yuriko was actually the closest thing to a friend she had in the entirety of the Yoshitsune n. She was the only person who could evene close to rivaling her in a fight, so, whenever it came time to spar, the two of them invariably ended up being forced to face each other.


    "Sorry...I should have held back..."


    Shaking her head, Yuriko adopted a rare smile and said, "Don''t worry about it. It was actually pretty interesting to see you get all worked up. For a while there, I was starting to think you were one of those freaky automatons from Granus. Seriously. Even if you want to be a warrior, you should really learn to smile."


    Seemingly with the intent to demonstrate, Yuriko pushed up the sides of her mouth using her index fingers. Unfortunately, her eyes were almost perpetually half-lidded during the day, and, much like every other member of their generation, she had effectively lost her purpose when the first son of the Oda n kicked the bucket. They had literally been birthed to serve as his hands, feet, eyes, and ears in the outside world, yet, long before they could ever fulfill their duty, he up and died on them. Since then, they had spent thest ten or so years idling about in the n Compound, training, and babysitting the members of the younger generation.


    Surprising both Yuriko and Rynka, Yui actually giggled in response to the kunoichi''s attempt at a smile. Yuriko, in particr, had apletely stupefied expression on her face as it had easily been more than a decade since she saw anything but a resolute glower on Yui''s face.


    Since there had only been a single major change since theirst meeting, Yuriko couldn''t help but ask, "Just who is that man you were escorting? Based on his appearance and cultivation, I assumed he was just some farmer you were tasked with protecting. Could he be...don''t tell me he is actually someone important?"


    As their mission had only been to hinder Yui, not harm the person she was escorting, Yuriko was genuinely afraid they hadmitted a grave error by nearly burying him. She also knew Shizune wouldn''t be able to restrain her curiosity, so, depending on how things had developed, there was a very real chance she had used him as a guinea pig for her seduction techniques.


    Alleviating the vast majority of Yuriko''s concerns, Yui waved her hand in a dismissive manner before exining, "He has a unique viewpoint and the potential to be someone incredibly important in the future. For now, he is merely the Grandson of a former vassal of the Oda n. I was escorting him back because the Matriarch requested it. He isn''t officially a part of my mission."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Yuriko began to approach Yui before stopping a few meters away and asking, "Just to be clear...we''re not fighting any longer, are we?"


    Surprising both girls, yet again, an amused chuckle emanated from Yui''s throat before she quickly adopted a more serious expression and said, "To be honest, there are very few things I would enjoy more than beating everyone involved in this mission. However, as that would be more than a little petty, I''ll let you off so long as you return Nobu. He is someone the Matriarch has taken an interest in. If anything happens to him, it is not my wrath you need concern yourselves with..."


    Having been under the ''guidance'' of the Matriarch several times, an involuntary shiver ran through Yuriko''s body as she forced a smile and said, "I...don''t have him..."


    Though she didn''t notice it herself, Yui immediately clenched her hands into fists the moment she heard Yuriko''s words. Then, with a severe expression on her face, she asked, "Where is he? Who has him?"


    With her smile bing increasingly wry, Yuriko barely resisted the urge to take a few steps back in response to the pressure radiating from Yui''s body. She kind of wished she had, as, the moment she answered, "Shizune..." Yui''s aura erupted into a violent tempest as she shouted, "That flowery bitch...!" in a surprisingly feminine expression of outrage...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: It''s official. Yui has been corrupted by our boy.)

 Chapter 35: Indignant Fury

    Chapter 35: Indignant Fury


    -one hour before the dawn-


    After spending more than two hours searching for a specific herb, Shizune rushed back to the cave with an extremely anxious expression on her face. In her anger and frustration, she hadpletely forgotten to set up Shikigamis to keep watch over Nobu. If he ended up escaping, she would never hear the end of it, so, despite abhorring physicalbor, she sprinted back as fast as her milky white legs could carry her.


    "Haa...haaa...haaaaa..."


    Hearing the sounds of animalistic breathing, Nobu''s body immediately tensed as he looked towards the entrance of the cave. Fortunately, or perhaps not, the source ended up being none other than his captive, the annoying pinkette.


    "What''s the matter with you? Did you get chased by a bear or something...?"


    Offering a genuine smile in response to Nobu''s words, Shizunebed aside a few strands of hair sticking to her face before answering, "Oh, it''s nothing. I just did some light training before running back to see you. How do I look? Does the sweat beading upon my pearl-white skin make your heart go dokun-dokun~?"


    With the horizon already beginning to brighten, heralding the rising sun, Nobu had little trouble making out Shizune''s features. He couldn''t deny she was a remarkably beautiful woman. She had an immactely sculpted face, fair features, peculiar pink hair, and a pair of breasts that no girl her age had any right to possess. The only problems were her age and her shitty personality, so, after a brief moment of silence, Nobu answered, "Just make sure to keep your distance. You might be a girl but your sweat stinks like any other person."


    Having said his piece, Nobu immediately shifted his attention back to the stone tablet. Because of this, he missed seeing the smile on Shizune''s face freeze. This was quickly followed by an incredibly determined expression, and, momentster, the same practiced smile she had worn throughout the vast majority of their interactions.


    "While I was out, I picked some fruits and refilled my canteen at a nearby mountain stream. Once the sunes up, I''m nning to escort you back to your little hidey-hole. Our primary objective was only to dy Yui so I''ll be returning you to her once everything has been settled. Eat up and make sure you''re properly hydrated. I have no intention of carrying you."


    Though he was pleasantly surprised by the woman''s words, Nobu''s past-life experiences made him skeptical of anyone who was encouraging him to eat and drink with a practiced smile on their face. Shizune was exactly like the predatory woman he had encountered previously, so, with apletely serious expression on his face, he said, "Nah, I''m good. If you''re not bullshitting, I''d bet my right nut that Yui will being to get me. I can''t imagine that hardass just sitting still and waiting for you to bring me over."


    With that said, Nobu immediately returned to ignoring Shizune. This left the pinkette with one of the dourest looks she had ever possessed, the upper half of her face turning dark as a result of her hanging bangs. This made her usually beautiful amethyst eyes appear scary. Unfortunately, unless she wanted to prove Nobu''s previous assessment of her character correct, there wasn''t really much she could do to force him.


    Resisting the urge to stamp her feet in frustration, Shizune returned her spiked canteen to her bag before walking over and shamelessly sitting to Nobu''s left. This earned her an annoyed re, but, as it was better than having her straddle hisp, Nobu was simply intending to ignore her until she suddenly adopted a serious expression of her own and asked, "Huh? How did your cultivation base increase this much in such a short period of time?"


    Freezing the moment he heard Shizune''s question, Nobu attempted to move away from her when the girl suddenly pounced on him, drastically increasing her weight as she eximed, "I knew there was something strange about you! Your reserves didn''t fluctuate even a little while you were injured and unconscious. Now, after only two hours, you''re suddenly on the verge of breaking through to the next Rank! Tell me what you did...!"


    Since Yui had never really exined anything regarding her suspicions, Nobu was thoroughly taken aback by the fervor, excitement, and seriousness radiating from the tyrannical pinkette. She looked like a kid who had just found the most interesting toy in the world, and, depending on his response, she might very well follow through on the threats she had made in the past. At least, that''s what the look on her face was telling him.


    Though there was a chance Shizune had been lying to him, Nobu decided to gamble on the fact that Yui would being to ''save'' him. Their association also provided him with a bit of leverage, so, with a genuinely annoyed expression on his face, he said, "I don''t fucking know. Try asking Yui, or, better yet, her Grandmother. She seems to have some idea of what''s going on considering she asked Yui to escort me against my will. I''ve never even met the old hag so how am I supposed to know what she''s thinking?"


    Blinking her eyes in surprise, Shizune instantaneously reduced her weight back to normal as she asked, "You''re someone the Matriarch has taken an interest in?"


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, Shizune unmounted his body before adopting a wless seiza and saying, "You should have mentioned this earlier. Had I known you were someone the Matriarch wanted to meet..."


    Thinking the woman was beginning to regret her actions, a taunting sneer began to develop across Nobu''s face. Before he could say any snide remarks, however, she adopted the scariest smile he had seen thus far, adding, "I wouldn''t have hesitated~."


    Before Nobu could ask what the hell she was talking about, several snake-like Shikigami, seemingly manifesting out of thin air, coiled around his body. Then, once he opened his mouth to speak, she plugged his mouth with her waterskin, a devilish smile on her face as she exined, "There are only three types of men who are brought back to the n. Bandits, enemies of the Oda n, and, most importantly...people with unique skills and bloodlines. Yui wouldn''t have resisted so desperately if you were amon criminal or an enemy, so, by process of elimination, you must possess a unique skill or bloodline..."


    Though he tried to resist swallowing whatever Shizune was forcing down his throat, Nobu''s pupils shrank at the realization he was paralyzed. One of the snakes had bit him near the base of his neck, and, as a result, his entire body had be numb after only a few seconds. The only thing working properly was his autonomic nervous system, the extension of the brain that regtes sub-conscious bodily functions and involuntary responses. This included things like swallowing, so, despite his best efforts, Nobu gulped down the entire canteen as Shizune watched on with ascivious smile.


    With the canteen emptied, Shizune returned it to her pouch before dangling a familiar red root in front of his face and asking, "Do you know what this is~?"


    Unable to even re properly, Nobu had no way of responding to Shizune''s question. This caused the smile on her face to grow even wider, and, after licking her lips, she graciously exined, "It''s a rare herb known as Dragon''s Vigor. Nobles use it when they need a bit of extra oomph. I won''t bore you with the details. Let''s just say your little brother is about to grow up. Ufufufufufu~."


    As there was already a sizeable tent hidden beneath the band of Nobu''s trousers, Shizune began to run her finger around the tip as she tilted her head coquettishly to the side and revealed the reason behind her actions, voice heavy with passion and slight mncholy as she muttered, "I''m not sure if Yui has exined it to you but the Yoshitsune Family has been cursed by the Goddess Inari. Because of this, we have a difficult time producing male offspring and have been forced to adapt to a world that is very unforgiving to women. Since no rational man wants to be with a woman cursed to bear only daughters, we have been forced to take a number of ''extreme measures'' to ensure the survival of our n..."


    Taking advantage of Nobu''s inability to offer any meaningful resistance, Shizune untied the knot of his hempen belt before unabashedly pulling down his trousers. This caused her to pause for a brief moment, but, after recovering from her stupor, she began to experimentally run her fingers up and down his shaft as she continued, exining, "Every three or four years, the Yoshitsune n gathers capable and unique men from across Nian in order to pass on their genes to the next generation of kunoichi. This most recently urred four years ago, but, more important than that, the Lady of the Oda n recently gave birth to a daughter. She will need kunoichi of her own to serve as her hands and feet outside the capital, so, if it''s true that the Matriarch has taken an interest in you...there can really only be one reason..."


    As those words departed her lips, Shizune began to stroke Nobu with remarkable finesse as leaned forward close enough to nibble his earlobe before whispering, "I''m looking forward to giving birth to a healthy baby...Pa-pa-sa-ma~."


    Despite his paralysis, a violent tremble managed to run through Nobu''s body the moment he heard Shizune''s heated words echo through his ear before invading his brain. He even managed to twitch his thumbs, but, considering he wasn''t a match for her even when he had full control over his body, this wasn''t very useful.


    Fortunately, not that Nobu had felt particrly lucky ever since his arrival in this world, there were quite a number of things Shizune wanted to try before moving on to sex. She still hadn''t given up on seducing him, so, now that he couldn''t really look away, she took a few steps back and said, "If you close your eyes, the next time you open them will be with your penis inside me. Who knows, if you''re right about Yui, she might even arrive before we move on to the main course~?"


    Now confident that he wouldn''t look away, Shizune lifted the hem of her skirt to reveal surprisingly ''modern'' panties. They even had an stic band, frills, and all the trimmings expected of something out of a Victoria''s Secret Catalog. Had he not been thoroughly infuriated, Nobu might have wanted to know where she had obtained such a garment. Instead, he just watched nkly as Shizune slowly peeled away eachyer of her outfit, a seductive smile on her face as she looked down at him with a strangely ''possessive'' glimmer in her amethyst eyes...


    Seeing these eyes, Nobu, unable to speak, internally groaned the sentiment at the very forefront of his mind, specifically, ("Okay, fate. You''ve sessfully pissed me off...").


    ...


    ..


    .


    Compared to tracking Yuriko''s, following after Shizune was like trying to catch up to someone on a paved path. The only thing she had done to make things marginally more difficult was sending off her Shikigami in random directions, but, due to their small size, only someone inexperienced would fall for such a simple ply. Thus, despite only a few minutes passing since their conversation, Yui and Yuriko found themselves breathing heavily at the bottom of a rocky outcrop covered with trees and heavy foliage.


    Though she wasn''t particrly gifted at sensing the aura of other people, it didn''t take long for Yui to detect the presence of two people hidden amongst the rocky outcrop. This caused her pupils to contract, and, though Yuriko had attempted to stop her, calling out, "Yui! Wait...!" she did no such thing. Instead, she leaped up only to find Shizune near the very end of her striptease, nothing but her pale pink panties baring her fromplete nakedness. She also noticed Nobu copsed on the ground with a painful-looking erection, so, without requiring an exnation, she charged toward the paling pinkette, shouting, "Shizune...!" with a pair of katanas in hand.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Ah...I finally understand. The MC is actually the heroine of this story. *nods sagely while stroking beard*)

 Chapter 36: Nearing the Breaking Point...

    Chapter 36: Nearing the Breaking Point...


    Seeing Shizune get one-sidedly thrashed by Yui was easily one of the most cathartic things Nobu had ever experienced. She hadn''t even stopped when the pinkette began to apologize, and, were it not for the interference of a scantily d woman with a tight body and big tits, she might have kept going.


    "Please ept my sincerest apologies..."


    When everything was said and done, Yui had Shizune performing a naked dogeza right in front of him. Unfortunately, Nobu was still paralyzed, so, other than staring at her with azy expression on his face, he couldn''t really say or do anything to rub it in.


    As if she could read his thoughts, Yui used her aura to produce a two-pronged spear covered in rounded spikes. Then, before Shizune could raise her head, Yui used the spear to pin the pinkette to the ground by her neck, saying, "You will stay like that until this matter has been resolved. If you try and break free, don''t think Yuriko will be able to save you."


    Though she had one of the most aggrieved expressions Nobu had ever seen, even from his poor vantage point, Shizune made no effort to free herself of argue against her punishment. From her perspective, Yui had a much higher position within the n than Yuriko. After all, she was directly supported by the Matriarch, and, more importantly, possessed skills she couldn''t hope to contend against at her current level...


    With Shizune momentarily dealt with, Yui adopted an apologetic expression as she turned to face Nobu. She was intending to perform a dogeza of her own, but, just like Yuriko, she found her eyes maically pulled downward the moment she looked directly at Nobu. His penis was out for the entire world to see, and, thanks to the medicine Shizune had forced him to ingest, it was practically demanding attention.


    "Ah..."


    For a brief moment, Yui''s exasperation nearly caused her to reprimand Nobu and ask how he kept finding himself in situations like this. Fortunately, she managed to restrain this urge. After all, while Shizune was undoubtedly to me, it was her inability to protect him that led to this situation. She was also the reason he had ingested Dragon''s Vigor the first time, so, while it wasn''t wrong for her to feel a bit of exasperation, she couldn''t really me Nobu for getting caught up in circumstances beyond his control.


    Feeling even more apologetic than before, Yui was preparing to take responsibility for Nobu''s not-so-little problem when Yuriko suddenly stated, "Let me handle this. Shizune is my responsibility and It will be a serious issue if the Elders learn you had sex with amoner. Even if your husband is already dead, they will use you of dishonoring the nobility if you lie with another man. Besides, this is a kunoichi matter...not something a proud warrior should let themselves get caught up in..."


    Without waiting for Yui''s response, Yuriko pulled the knot securing the piece of fabric around her breasts. This allowed her shapely C-cups to spill forth, but, unlike the women he had met back on Earth, her breasts managed to hold their shape without sagging. From Nobu''s perspective, this was something straight out of fiction, but, in reality, female cultivators simply had more resilient muscle fibers than normal women.


    Though Yui was about to argue that she had already had sex, Yuriko''s words caused her own to get stuck in her throat. She had, in fact, considered that the Elders might use her having sex with Nobu as an excuse to put her in a more difficult situation. What she didn''t consider was how this might be interpreted by the Oda n, or, more specifically, Lord Oda and Lady Suzuki. She wanted to believe they would be understanding, but, even if that was the case, their detractors in the main and branch houses would not be.


    Thanks to Yui''s hesitation, Yuriko was able to remove the inordinately thick rope from around her waist before slipping out of her baggy pants. This left her in little more than her leg wrappings and a pair of ninja tabi, as, like most kunoichi, she forwent the use of underwear. Their nakedness was a weapon that could be used to catch their opponents off guard, so, more often than not, she simply wentmando.


    Since Yui had already righted him prior to making Shizune perform a dogeza, Yuriko squat in front of Nobu''s face without making any attempts to conceal her body. If thetter could move his head freely, he would have tried to check her out, as, despite having a number of scars and a veryrge bruise on the left side, she was easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Her body appeared extremely athletic, but, unlike the Olympians and MMA fights of his past life, she hadn''t lost an ounce of her womanly charm despite possessing visible abs andplex tattoos covering most of her body. She had even shaven her pubic hair into a neat little strip that perfectly matched the inky-ck hair atop her head.


    Of course, the thing that stood out more than anything else was the woman''s eyes. Purple might be a rare pigmentation, but, even if you traveled the entire world, you would never find a woman with amber eyes adorned with concentric circles. Even contacts wouldn''t be able to reproduce this effect, as, every time her pupils expanded or contracted, so too would the rings surrounding them.


    Having followed Nobu''s gaze with her own, a far more convincing smile that the one presented by Shizune appeared across Yuriko''s face. It was very casual in appearance but it suited her half-lidded eyes to perfection. There was also a very slight blush beneath her eyes, and, while this was primarily due to the fact she had sprinted her at her fastest speed, it allowed her to emte the kind of allure that only ''extremely experienced'' girls could pull off.


    "Though your eyes are telling me you don''t really need one. I''d like to apologize for the way my subordinate treated you. Once all of this is over, I promise to find some way to repay you. For now, let me help you with this. I might not be your type, but I can at least serve you ways most other girls would be too afraid to even consider...just leave everything to me..."


    If he were being honest, Nobu found the woman squatting in front of him infinitely more attractive than someone like Shizune. She radiated the type of aura very few girls possessed, the type that let you befriend and even fuck them without things like emotions and sentiments getting in the way. In other words, she would make a perfect fuck buddy, and, had they been back on Earth, he imagined they would be able to chill on a sofa, ying video games, in nothing but t-shirts and underwear without immediately devolving into animals.


    Unfortunately, despite appearing far more mature than Shizune, Nobu found it hard to ce the woman''s age. Cultivation slowed the aging process, so, going by the color of her aura, he believed she was younger than Yui. Thetter had told him she only recently turned eighteen, so, while it was easy to imagine himself motorboating her shapely tits, he wasn''t particrly looking forward to the fact that a potential minor was basically about to **** him...even if it was to save his life...


    As the paralyzing agent used on Nobu was potent enough to disable cultivators of a much higher level, Yuriko remained wholly unaware of the thoughts guing his mind. From her perspective, he was basically catatonic, and, though his eyes could move around, he could barely even blink, much lessmunicate. Thus, without any hesitation, she positioned herself so she was squatting over his hips before pulling his head towards her breasts and using her left hand to guide the tip of his penis to part her presently dry vulva.


    Though kunoichi were trained in a diverse range of foreys, Nobu''s condition couldn''t be treated by merely ''ying around''. For reasons that Schrs had been trying to work out for millennia, the transference of Yin and Yang could only be reliably performed during raw sex. She could make him shoot off any number of times with her hands or mouth, but, as if to protest, his balls would begin to swell until they eventually turned purple. This was actually a form of torture they were educated in, so, after sufficiently lubricating herself using abination of her vaginal secretions and Nobu''s precum, Yuriko bit her bottom lip and began to slowly drop her hips...


    "Oh...this actually hurts a hell of a lot more than they said it would..."


    Despite the air of maturity that exuded from her body, Yuriko, like every other kunoichi from her particr generation, was still a virgin. She had practiced with the tools provided by the n, but, for the sake of luring her first target into a false sense of security, it was important that a kunoichi maintain their purity. Men let their guard down a lot more around women whose chastity they had taken, and, no matter how kind or noble they pretended to be, they would forever feel a sense of conquest and possessiveness towards women whose virginity they had ''imed''...


    Since it was impossible to adapt to Nobu''s size in a short period of time, Yuriko simply took a deep breath before proceeding to grind her hips in a figure-eight pattern. This caused her a tremendous amount of pain, but, pretending it didn''t, she began to release sensual moans into Nobu''s ear while extending her chin to rest on his shoulders. His penis wasn''t the only thing big about him. She was actually rtively tall for a Nianese woman at 154.4cm, yet, with Nobu as a partner, Yuriko couldn''t help feeling like a little girl being embraced by her father.


    This might not make a lot of sense from the perspective of others, but, like the vast majority of kunoichi, she had never even met hers. Thus, even if it was only for a brief moment, Yuriko leaned her head against Nobu''s shoulder, her arms wrapping around his body as a hot sigh escaped her lips. Then, before she could let sentiment begin guiding her actions, she began to gently nibble his neck and corbone before moving down to a much easier target, his nipple...


    Though he could still feel the echoes of a distant pleasure, the numbness in Nobu''s body left him staring off into space with a dull and listless look in his eyes. He could tell the ck-haired woman was definitely trying her best but all he felt was a feeling of emptiness that made it impossible for him not to corrte the current situation with the time he had been roofied. This caused his anger and resentment towards Shizune topound, and, were it not for the fact she was being forced to dogeza less than three meters away from him, he would probably be thinking of ways to kill her. Instead, he found himself thinking of ways to thoroughly destroy the system the created girls like her, as, no matter how bad she might be, the system and people who made her this way were the fundamental problems that needed to be addressed...


    ("So this is how fate intends to send me down the path of my predecessor...it will probably continue forcing me to endure humiliation and resentment until I either break or do everything in my power to break the people responsible...this is...such...fucking...bullshit...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    As she had been sitting in seiza and watching the scene y out with a simr expression to Nobu, Yui didn''t miss the moment when tears began to well in his eyes. This caused a frustrating sourness to spread through her nose, as, for the umpteenth time since her initial encounter with Nobu, a feeling of powerlessness welled from the depths of her soul as she silently whimpered, "This is such fucking bullshit..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I''m sad now...)

 Chapter 37: Stealing the Spotlight

    Chapter 37: Stealing the Spotlight


    With even a moderate amount of Dragon''s Vigorsting a full eight hours, Nobu''s paralysis began to wear off a lot sooner than the herb. The first thing to recover feeling, as could be expected in this kind of situation, was his penis. This made the experience marginally more pleasurable, but, the moment he regained the ability to speak, the first thing he asked was, "How...old...are you...?"


    After more than three hours of persistent effort, Yuriko was beginning to lose a bit of focus. As a result, she didn''t immediately respond to Nobu''s words, confusion visible in her amber eyes as she peered into his peculiar grey-blues and asked, "Did you...say something...?" between heated,borious, breaths.


    Having recovered a few of his other faculties, Nobu lifted his hands to grasp the woman''s hips as he weakly replied, "I...asked...how old...you were..."


    Though he had already ejacted several times at this point, Nobu had no intention of letting things continue if the girl was underage. To his considerable relief, she just looked at him with an even more confused expression on her face, answering, "Eighteen...?" in an uncertain tone.


    Exhaling the most relieved sigh of his entire life, Nobu leaned his head back, painfully hitting the cave wall but not caring in the slightest. This world might not persecute him for sleeping with younger women but it was a considerable relief to know the woman currently straddling his hips wasn''t one of them.


    Confused by Nobu''s reaction, Yuriko briefly tilted her head to the side before shaking it and asking, "How are you feeling? Also, now that you can talk, I''m willing to take requests. This is supposed to be my apology so I''m fine with pretty much anything..."


    After lowering his head to meet the woman''s gaze, Nobu briefly looked towards Yui before closing his eyes for several moments in contemtion. He had heard the woman in front of him mention how it would be a problem if people learned that he and Yui had had sex. This wouldn''t have mattered if they were back on Earth, but, now that he had found himself in a feudalistic society, there was a very real chance that she might be executed if his suspicions proved incorrect...


    Inhaling a deep breath, Nobu resisted the urge to gag as he promptly decided to bite the bullet. He had been intending to wait until someone else brought it up, but, now that things had developed to this extent, he silenced the already quiet room by confessing, "I''ve been lying this entire time. My name isn''t Nanamori Nobu..."


    After letting those words hang in the air for a moment, Nobu opened his eyes, staring directly at Yui as he added, "My true name is Oda Nobunaga..."


    Though he wasn''t quite sure what kind of reaction he was expecting, Nobu never anticipated that Yui would immediately answer, "Bullshit. That''s impossible..." with a hostile yet noticeably concerned look on her face. As for Yuriko, her movements had instantaneously ceased as she responded with a profoundly confused, "Huh...?"


    Realizing that neither of the girls believed him, Nobu rolled his eyes before proceeding to exin, "I was born without the ability to speak or move around so everyone thought I had been cursed. My old man spent a fortune trying to treat me before those old farts in the Oda n attempted to pressure him into getting rid of me around my eighth birthday. After that, I was entrusted to Gramps until he was killed around two years ago. Since you knew about that cave in the mountains, I''m guessing the people responsible for sending funds and stuff were members of the Yoshitsune n. If I were just the normal grandson of a former vassal, do you really think they would be sending all kinds of treasures and shit to help us out...?"


    Recalling the surplus of gold and herbs present within the cave she and Nobu were staying in, Yui''s expression immediately paled. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that they could have lived in a mansion or a castle with that degree of wealth stockpiled. Instead, Nananananananamori-san had lived in a small cottage on the outskirts of the city, and, when he died, Nobu became a homeless person due to his inability to care for himself...


    Feeling as if her entire world was crashing down around her, Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes dulled as she muttered, "Impossible..." in a weak, borderline sobbing, tone.


    Both annoyed and troubled by Yui''s reaction, Nobu adopted a serious expression on his face as he said, "It''s true. You were bound to find out when we met with your Grandmother so I figured I might as well spill the beans myself. Based on your reaction, the words of that pink-haired psycho, and the warnings issued by this chick, I''m guessing you were supposed to be my fiance or something. If that bullshit about ''generations'' is true, that makes this chick one of the kunoichi expected to serve as my hands and feet. By the way, now that we''re having this chat, mind telling me your name, dragon tits?"


    Since Yuriko hadrge breasts and several tattoos resembling eastern dragons covering her arms, back, and shoulders, Nobu felt the nickname was well suited to the athletic beauty. As for the woman in question, she had turned momentarily turned statuesque beforeing back to her senses and replying, "Yuriko...my name is Yoshitsune Yuriko...?"


    Raising his brows with a slightly incredulous look on his face, Nobu asked, "Are you asking me or telling me? Well, whatever. Nice to meet you, Yuriko...oh, and before I forget. Thanks for the assist. You''re ridiculously hot, by the way. Just thought I should let you know..."


    Blinking several times in surprise, Yuriko was genuinely confused about how she should be responding to the current situation. If what Nobu said was true, he was the Lord she had been intended to serve since before her birth. She would need to show him the utmost respect, yet, due to his current condition; she had spent thest three hours grinding him to the point that her lower body had be numb.


    In the end, the only thing Yuriko could think to say was, "Umm...thanks...?" in response to the remark about her being ''ridiculously hot''. She had never heard the phrase before, but, based on the way he had said it, she assumed Nobu was paying her apliment.


    Responding with a curt nod, Nobu returned his attention to the dead-eyed Yui and called out, "Hey. You still with us?"


    Realizing he was addressing her, Yui adopted a somewhat scary smile, her eyes once vibrant eyes dull and lifeless as she asked, "Are you truly Oda Nobunaga...?"


    Ignoring the chill that had just spread throughout his entire body, Nobu nodded his head and answered, "Yeah. Sorry about keeping it from you. I just didn''t want to deal with the politics of this shitty nation and its Nobility. I also didn''t want to make things more difficult for my parents after they went through all that trouble to save me. I figured I could pay them back by living a quiet life in the countryside somewhere. Besides, my little brother has probably spent thest fifteen years preparing to be the next Daimyo. I''m not going to go back and ruin that for him just because I can suddenly wipe my ass without assistance..."


    With each of Nobu''s words making him seem more and more like the person he attested to being, the fear and anxiety swelling within Yui''s heart quickly reached a critical level. At the same time, each of their interactions over thest two months, starting from the moment she had smacked him for daring to even look at her, reyed in her mind...


    Seized by a sudden impulse, dirt and a fair number of rocks dislodged themselves from the cave ceiling as Yui suddenly smashed her forehead into the ground, shouting, "Please forgive me, Nobunaga-dono! Had I-"


    Without waiting for her to finish, Nobu summoned strength he didn''t know his current body possessed, interjecting with a furious, "Don''t even think about starting with that bullshit! I''m nobody''s Lord, Master, fianc, or whatever. I''m just me. Nothing more. Nothing less. If you''re going to start with that pretentious shit, you can just fuck right off. Or, better yet, you can take me back to Owari-Asai and let me figure things out on my own. I honestly don''t care what that old bat in the Yoshitsune n wants with me. The only reason I''ve put up with this shit so far is because I didn''t want to fuck over your chances of bing a warrior."


    Though he hadn''t intended to say thest part out loud, the Dragon''s Vigor in Nobu''s body made him a lot more excitable than usual. In fact, he was actually beginning to grow annoyed with the fact that Yuriko had stopped moving, so, after his outburst, he surprised both women by grabbing the befuddled beauty''s hips and rocking them back and forth.


    "Ah...! Wait! Let me do it. You shouldn''t force yourself in your current state...!"


    Since it was bing increasingly apparent that Nobu was who he imed to be, Yuriko was feeling uncharacteristically flustered. It wasn''t unheard of for kunoichi other than the prepared concubine to be preyed upon by their Lords but she had never even once imagined herself in a situation like this. To make matters worse, she had been the one to take the initiative. Yui was also watching them from less than six meters away, so, for the first time in her life, Yuriko''s face was red from shame and embarrassment.


    In spite of these things, discovering that Nobu was her Lord filled Yuriko with a tremendous amount of excitement. She didn''t actually think she would care, but, now that they were in the heat of the moment, a ticklish sensation swelled within her chest as a deeply ingrained desire to serve her Lord overwrote her characteristically rxed nature. There was even a bit of heat spreading through her lower body as she became overly conscious of the fact that her Lord''s semen was currently coating her insides with his ''powerful'' genes.


    Though he noticed the somewhat intoxicated look in Yuriko''s amber eyes, Nobu allowed the woman to do as she was trained. He had learned from Yui that the effects of Dragon''s Vigor couldn''t be dealt with on his own, so, even if he wanted her to stop, the only alternative was to fuck his former fiance or the trembling pink mass pinned to the ground. Since it wasn''t in his nature to force people or ce his hands on little girls, Yuriko was really his only option unless Yui seized the initiative on her own.


    Fortunately, shortly after he had shouted at her, Yui raised her face to reveal a fair amount of blood dripping from her forehead and running down her face. There was still a considerable amount of conflict and trepidation visible in her gaze, but,pared to her previously lifeless eyes, this was a substantial improvement.


    "Yuriko. Move aside. Let me take care of this."


    Biting her lips in response to Yui''s words, Yuriko appeared reluctant to stop. She was just now beginning to get in the grove of things, so, while she could understand Yui''s concerns, it''s not like they could go back in time and undo the fact she and Nobu were already having sex. That bridge had been burned. Thus, after a brief moment of hesitation, she said, "We''ll swap out in a moment. With the amount of Dragon''s Vigor our Lor- I mean, Nobu has ingested, it would be difficult for a single woman to deal with. There is also a-"


    Interrupting before Yuriko could finish making excuses, Yui exined, "This isn''t the first time he has been poisoned with Dragon''s Vigor. I was too cowardly to speak out before, but the truth of the matter is that we''ve already had sex. I appreciate your concerns, Yuriko, but you need to move. Now."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu just took the wind out of Granny''s sails xD...)

 Chapter 38: Taking Control of the Situation

    Chapter 38: Taking Control of the Situation


    Though Yuriko was more than a little reluctant to discontinue her service, the tone in Yui''s voice made it clear she wasn''t fooling around. Nobu was also her intended, so, after exhaling a hot sigh, she prepared to rise when the aforementioned suddenly said, "Yui. You need to rx. Don''t get me wrong. I''m more than happy to resolve this little issue with you, but it''s a littlete toin about Yuriko''s involvement. She just spent thest three hours grinding my dick without you saying a dam thing. At least let her finish."


    Now that he had revealed his identity, all of the anger and resentment that had been building up over thest two months had surged to the very forefront of Nobu''s mind. This wasn''t anger directed at Yui. Rather, he was frustrated at the world itself. He felt like he had been getting fucked over by fate and other unseen forces ever since his reincarnation, so, now that he had a chance to be in control, he wasn''t going to let it be taken from him over a petty dispute.


    Taken aback by Nobu''s words and the resolution visible in his countenance, Yui found herself unable to utter so much as a single syble. As for Yuriko, a far more genuine smile than the one she had originally disyed blossomed across her face. She didn''t think Nobu had fallen in love with her, but, remembering his remark about her being ridiculously hot, she very nearly kissed him. This would be a little too forward, so, instead of seizing the initiative herself, she linked her arms around Nobu''s neck before licking her lips in a seductive manner. This made her desires pretty clear, but, in the end, the decision regarding whether or not they would kiss was ultimately left to him.


    Raising his brows at the very obvious attempt to seduce him, a crooked smile developed across Nobu''s face as he said, "Damn, girl. And here I thought you were on the chill side of the spectrum. Now you''re looking like you''re about to devour me down to the bones"


    Though she had never heard anyone speak with Nobu''s particr ''dialect'', Yuriko could mostly make out what he was trying to say. Despite this, a healthy shade of red colored her cheeks since she wasn''t entirely sure whether or not he wanted her to y it cool or be more assertive. Fortunately, she didn''t actually have to search for an answer as Nobu followed up his remark by saying, "Well. It''s whatever. For now, I want to try and move my legs so I need you to get off, lie down, or turn your ass around. You''re not exactly heavy, but it''s a little annoying how my legs are still asleep despite the rest of my body waking up."


    With a somewhat wry smile of her own, Yuriko replied, "Rightsorry about that" before pulling herself up and away with a surprisingly loud ''pop'' echoing through the cave. They had been connected for so long that the interior of her vagina had effectively formed a vacuum as it gradually adapted to the size and shape of his penis.


    ""


    "''


    ""


    ""


    Resisting the urge to make a snide or teasing remark, Nobu took it upon himself to alleviate the awkward silence by trying, in vain, to climb to his feet. Thispelled Yuriko and Yui to rush to his sides, and, though it increased his own feelings of awkwardness by a factor of ten, he couldn''t help thinking, ("This isn''t so bad") as the duo helped him to his feet.


    After being treated like shit ever since his reincarnation, Nobu felt understandably refreshed to be treated with care and consideration. He had no intention of returning to the Oda n and bing something like a sessor, but, now that he was thinking about it, having a few women to look after him until he managed to grow strong enough to take care of himself wasn''t so bad. Monogamy didn''t really seem to be a thing in this world, and, though he wasn''t one of those degenerate weebs who dreamed of excessivelyrge harems, he wouldn''t mind have a girl or five to fool around with. It was a hell of a lot better than getting anchored to the same chick your entire life...


    As he had anticipated, feeling began to return to Nobu''s legs the moment he was able to stand upright. This caused a prickly sensation simr to a billion needles being pressed to his skin, but,pared to being paralyzed, it was infinitely more tolerable.


    "Hahahahahahaha..."


    Unable to contain hisughter, Nobu earned concerned stares from both Yui and Yuriko as all the tensions that had been building in his body subsided along with the prickling sensation in his legs. He was in such a good mood that he even felt like forgiving Shizune, so, after calming down, he ignored the fact he was naked from the waist down and sporting a massive erection as he said, "Let her go. Being pinned to the ground for three hours is a little extreme. If it were me, I would probably get more pissed off with each passing minute. If you want to teach her a lesson, have her wait outside while the three of us have a bit of fun. That''s a fitting punishment for a horned-up brat like her."


    Though he was far from truly forgiving her, the three hours Nobu had spent silently tolerating Yuriko''s ''treatment'' allowed him to put a lot of things into perspective. He knew Shizune was fucked in the head but it wasn''t entirely her fault. She was the byproduct of a fucked up set of traditions and a system that shat upon the concepts of inalienable rights and gender equality. If he were a girl in her situation, he would have probably ended up the same way, so, while he was fully intending to get even with her in the near future, he was willing to wait until he had a better understanding of just how fucked up their childhoods had been...


    Despite frowning in response to Nobu''s words, Yui still reached out to the sasumata pinning Shizune to the ground, absorbing it back into her aura. This allowed thetter to lift her head for the first time in more than three hours, a practiced smile appearing on her face before she bowed politely and said, "Thank you for your clemency, Nobunaga-sama. Shizune will cherish the memory of your kindness for the rest of her life..."


    Resisting the urge to snort in response to the pinkette''s false gratitude, Nobu said, "Yeah, I''m one-hundred percent convinced you''re being sincere. Now get out of here before you say or do something that is guaranteed to piss me off."


    Responding with another courteous bow, Shizune attempted to grab her clothes when Nobu interjected, asking, "What the fuck do you think you''re doing? I don''t remember telling you to put on your clothes. As far as I''m concerned, you''re more beast than human. The only animals I recall wearing clothes are pets and carnival attractions. No. You can sit outside naked. Maybe use it as an opportunity to tan or something. Others might say you have porcin white skin, but, in my opinion, you''re ridiculously fucking pale. Borrow a page out of Yuriko''s book. The only type of people who like women like you are pedophiles and doll fanatics."


    Unprepared for Nobu''s barrage of insults, Shizune turnedpletely statuesque as her mind failed to process everything he had just said. It was only when Yuriko, nearly as naked as she was, said, "You heard him, Shizune. Unless you want to go back to kneeling on the ground, it''s probably for the best you wait outside. If the Oda n found out you tried to **** a member of the main family, you and your mother would both be executed. It isn''t an exaggeration to say your fates are currently in Nobunaga-dono''s hands. You shouldn''t offend him any further than you already have..."


    Trembling in response to Yuriko''s words, Shizune turned her eyes up at Nobu with a look of genuine fear and trepidation. She knew Yuriko''s words weren''t an idle threat. If Nobu really was who he imed to be, the n would not hesitate to sacrifice both her and her mother. In fact, depending on how things yed out, her mother would personallye forward to suggest ritual suicide in the hopes of preserving her life. Even that wouldn''t guarantee her a path of survival, however, as, when it came to matters of honor and pride among Nobles, her fatey in the hands of the person she had offended.


    Though he could be a real asshole at times, Nobu wasn''t apletely heartless bastard. He hadn''t even thought about pressing the matter to the point of having the girl executed, so, seeing the genuine fear in Shizune''s gaze, he ultimately shook his head and said, "Rx. I''m not going to run around telling people I nearly got raped by a brat. Just go outside and think about how unbelievably fucking hypocritical your actions were. Then, once you''ve figured out how to be legitimately sincere, you can try asking for my forgiveness. Just keep this in mind. If you try and bullshit me, I won''t spare you a single fucking ounce of mercy. Now, as I told you a thousand fucking times before. Fuck. Off."


    With her body trembling with even greater intensity than before, Shizune lowered her head until it was touching the ground before whimpering, "Thank you..." in a sobbing tone. Then, like the animal she had been used of being, she crawled out of the cave on all fours, tears dotting the ground as she fought back the almost overwhelming urge to wail at the top of her lungs.


    If he were beingpletely honest, Nobu felt like an irredeemable asshole as he watched the naked teen crawl out of the cave. He would literally be thrown into prison if he did something like this back on Earth. Hell, with her appearance, she could easily convince a jury that he was the one who attempted to assault her. Instead, thanks to his status as the first son of the Oda n, everyone, including her own family, would turn on her the moment he decided to make a big deal out of things...


    ("This world is fucked to shit...")


    Shaking his head, Nobu decided to leave Shizune be. If she could learn something from this, it would be a hell of a lot better than anything her family had taught her. He also had a pretty big problem of his own to deal with, so, after inadvertently staring at the girl''s exposed ass a little longer than he should have, he turned to Yui and asked, "Are you gonna stay clothed or what...?"


    "Eh...?"


    Surprised by Nobu''s sudden address, Yui''s mindpletely nked despite the fact both he and Yuriko were practically naked right in front of her. It was only after Nobu shook his head and said, "Well...whatever..." that she came back to her senses and answered, "No. I just got a little distracted. Just give me a moment and I''ll-"


    Despite knocking it would hurt him a hell of a lot more than it would hurt her, Nobu decided to give the trope of chopping a girl''s head a try. To his surprise, Yui didn''t actually defend with her aura. Instead, she allowed his hand to make contact with her head before looking up with a confused and surprisingly cute expression on her face, asking, "Did I do something wrong?" in a serious yet audibly apologetic tone.


    Shaking his head, Nobu retracted his hand from Yui''s before answering, "Nah. I just thought it might help clear your head. You''re way too uptight, and, to be honest, it''s a little offputting. As I said in the past, I really don''t mind fucking you. You''re not exactly my type but you''re far from ugly. On a scale of 1-10, you''re easily a solid 8 due to your hair and tight body. If you weren''t so pissy all the time, you''d probably be around a 9."


    Though she was a little taken aback by his words, Nobu''s quantification of her beauty stirred Yui''s intrigue. His valuation of her was a lot higher than she would have expected, so, after a brief period of silence, she curiously inquired, "What...what would it take for me to be a 10...?"


    Surprised by Yui''s unexpectedly cute inquiry, an amused smile found its way to Nobu''s face. Unfortunately, she would immediately regret asking, as, without any hesitation whatsoever, he pointed towards Yuriko''s and unabashedly answered, "Ain''t a man alive who can''t appreciate a rockin'' pair of tits and a fine piece of ass..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Seeing Nobu in control is very refreshing (UwU)...)

 Chapter 39: Echoes of the Old World

    Chapter 39: Echoes of the Old World


    By the time the effects of the Dragon''s Vigor had worn off, the sun had already started its descent towards the horizon. Were it not for the mystical properties of the herb, Nobu was pretty sure the two girls would have fucked him to death. This was infinitely better than getting isekai''d via school shooting, however, and, once everything was said and done, Nobu felt as though he had achieved a form of enlightenment as he cradled the two naked beauties resting their heads on his shoulders.


    Unfortunately, just as he was thinking about dozing off, a peaceful smile on his face, Nobu''s body betrayed him. He hadn''t eaten anything in almost twenty-four-hours, so, shortly after the Dragon''s Vigor wore off, his stomach released an audible rumble that immediately alerted the duo resting at his sides.


    Before he could say anything to stop them, Yui and Yuriko both sat up at the same time, the former saying, "I''ll fetch something immediately." while thetter added, "It''s alreadyte in the day so we might as well set camp. Traveling at night is ill-advised while fatigued."


    As the duo immediately set out to retrieve their clothes, Nobu forced himself to a seated position, saying, "Yo, hold up. You girls need to chill out. We just spent the whole day fucking. Let those two brats spying on us set camp and grab something to eat. I might not be the sentimental type, but I like to rx for a bit after having sex. You can''t tell me you''re not tired."


    Since the Yang Energy contained within the herb had helped them recover the majority of their aura reserves, indiscernibly wry smiles appeared on the girls'' faces as they exchanged nces. Then, as if they were suddenly in sync with each other, they shifted their attention towards the entrance of the cave, Yuriko being the one to call out, "Shizune. Rynka. Get in here."


    Responding to themand, Rynka, now having mostly recovered from the beating Yui had given her, entered the cave with a ruddy hue coloring her cheeks. She had arrived sometime around noon after Yui and Yuriko failed to return. Since then, she had been spying on the trio as they engaged in their carnal act while Shizune, following Nobu''s advice, spent most of the day sunbathing atop the rocky outcrop. This caused her to appear shortly after Rynka, but, rather than a red face, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say her entire body was colored with a ruddy hue...


    Hissing in pain at the mere sight of Shizune, Nobu couldn''t help saying, "Holy shit." before asking, "Are you okay? You look like a fucking lobster..."


    Staring at Nobu with dull and lifeless eyes, Shizune reacted with a courteous bow before replying, "Thank you for your concern. Once I apply the ointment in my bag, I''ll be fine..."


    "Right..."


    Though he was intending to have Shizune go out and search for their food, Nobu shifted his gaze to the chibi with pitch-ck hair, asking, "Your name was Rynka, right?"


    Startling to attention the moment Nobu asked her a question, Rynka eximed, "Yes! This little one is known as Yoshitsune Rynka! It is my life''s greatest honor to make your acquaintance, Nobunaga-dono...!"


    Punctuating her words, Rynka bowed forward at an angle that would have been impossible were it not for the fact she was keeping herself rooted to the ground with her aura. As for how she learned of his identity, well, Yuriko, in particr, hadn''t exactly been quiet.


    With a moderately incredulous expression on his face, Nobu was about to tell Rynka to go off and procure them some food when Yuriko suddenly stated, "Our Lor-I mean-Nobu does not believe in lying with girls under the age of eighteen. You need not worry that he will attempt toy his hands on you. Now, go and fetch us some food. As for you, Shizune,e over here. I''ll help you apply an ointment. After that, we''ll begin setting camp."


    Raising her head in response to Yuriko''s words, a practiced smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes appeared on Shizune''s face as she replied, "Understood, Yuriko-sama. I thank you in advance for your kindness.". As for Rynka, she had vanished in a sh of bright silver almost immediately after being told to go fetch some food.


    With Yui having already taken a seat at his side, Nobu didn''t feel the need to talk over or change Yuriko''s directions. He was still adapting to the whole being in charge thing, so, instead of making things unnecessarilyplicated, he just wrapped his arm around Yui''s body and enjoyed the sight of one naked woman rubbing some kind of lotion onto another. They even began setting camp in this state, so, for the better part of twenty minutes, Nobu just absentmindedly caressed Yui''s belly while observing the two busty beauties pitch a tent and scrawl a bunch of strange patterns in their birthday suits...


    Though she was tempted to ask what he was thinking, Yui didn''t want to interrupt Nobu''s thoughts. He had said he wanted to rx, so, for the time being, she just rested her head against his shoulder with her eyes closed. It was only when Yuriko and Shizune had finished erecting the barrier that she opened her eyes and asked, "Would you prefer it if we stay disrobed?" as if it was a pressing matter that needed to be discussed.


    With Yuriko and Shizune suddenly turning to stare directly at him, a feeling of awkwardness washed over Nobu''s body as he released Yui''s waist and answered, "Nah. As much as I enjoy seeing naked women roaming around, I ain''t desperate enough to force it. Go ahead and get dressed if you want. I''ll probably wash up and do the same."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Yui rose to her feet and said, "After I get dressed, I''ll go and fetch some water. When I return, please allow me to clean your body. Even if you don''t wish to be treated like a Lord, it is easier for Yuriko and me to regard you as such. You might disagree with the teachings of the Yoshitsune n but we have spent our entire lives preparing to attend you. Please don''t take that away from us..."


    Taken aback by Yui''s words, Nobu was going to ask about her dream of bing a warrior. When he noticed the sincere plea in her eyes, however, the words immediately got stuck in his throat. This made him feel extremely ufortable, but, after several seconds of inordinately tense silence, he ultimately just released an exasperated sigh and muttered, "Whatever...do what you want..."


    Disying a rare smile that legitimately caused Nobu''s heart to skip a beat, Yui offered a courteous bow before stating in a sincere tone, "Thank you for tolerating this one''s selfish request, Nobunaga-sama..."


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu turned his face away without bothering to reply. This caused even Shizune to adopt a slight smile, but, thanks to his vision being directed away from the naked trio, Nobu didn''t see it. Instead, he was internally cursing, ("Fuck. I really did it this time. Now, even if I wanted to get away, these bitches will probably follow me to the ends of the earth...")


    Despite his internal griping and the fact he had crossed his arms in defiance, Nobu''s expression and bodynguage showed that he wasn''t actually all that upset. Yui had been a tremendous pain in his ass, sure, but she was still a good girl. As for Yuriko, well, Nobu would be lying if he said she didn''t have one of the most rockin'' bodies he had ever seen. She gave off the impression of a clinger, but, in this kind of world, that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. After all, it was better to have people who wanted to be with you than forcing yourself to remain alone in a world you knew nothing about...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Since he had made it ''optional'', Yuriko spent most of the eveningpletely naked. Nobu''s words had left a deep impression on her, so, believing he appreciated her body, she wanted to disy it as much as possible.


    Simr to Yuriko, albeit for ''very'' different reasons, Shizune remained predominately naked until the red coloration of her skin began to fade away. The only garment she chose to wear before that was her inordinately expensive panties. When Nobu finally got around to asking about their origins, she exined they were an import from a remote overseas country known as Granus. When pressed for further details, she went on to exin that the founders of Granus had uncovered numerous ruins dating all the back to the Age of Gods, an Era roughly 40,000 years in the past. Many of these ruins included advanced production facilities, so, despite being rtively young as a country, Granus had already secured its position as a world power thanks to its Automatons, unequaled industrial might, and one of the greatest Navies in the entire world.


    Hearing all of this, Nobu asked if Granus was located overseas and to the East. Unsurprisingly, the answer was a resounding yes, so, even without seeing a world map, it was safe to assume that this world was geographically simr to the Earth he hade from. He could also surmise that Granus was this world''s version of the United States. This might have incited some semnce offort in other Reincarnators, but, considering how abysmal his home country''s gun policies had been, Nobu was genuinely horrified by the notion of a US filled with cultivators and backed by ancient weapons of war...


    Fortunately, at least for the time being, Granus was more focused on developing infrastructure and tightening its borders than meddling in the affairs of other countries. It was also nowhere near the most powerful nation in the world. That was a title ordinarily associated with the Heavenly Kingdom of Tai and The Holy Empire, nations that Nobu suspected to be this world''s versions of China and Europe. As for other threats, there was the Dark Continent, and purported to be overflowing with Demons, the Frozen North, ruled by Ice Giants, and, most notably, the Savage Lands located to the South of Granus.


    Using the same reasoning that had led to him associating the Heavenly Kingdom with China and the Holy Empire with Europe, Nobu assumed that the Dark Continent was basically Africa while the other two were Russia and South America. As for what made them dangerous, the Dark Continent was apparently ruled by a Demon King named Solomon who looked down upon the world from a tower that pierced the Heavens. The others were governed by two of the Eight Sovereign Species, specifically Ice Giants and Amazons. As for what made them dangerous, the former''s very existence caused an endless winter to sweep across thends while thetter, as could be expected, was filled with ''savage women'' who executed weak men while taking those that suited their fancy as breeding stock.


    Though Amazons were known to be quite beautiful, it was rumored that they possessed an ability to drain the life force and cultivation of men. The men they captured would never be seen again, and, after thousands of years of observation, it was all but confirmed that Amazons only gave birth to female descendants. This was, ironically, one of the traits that protected them, as, in nearly every other country, women were effectively regarded as broodmares. Between 5~20% of their cultivation base was inherited by their offspring as raw potential. Thus, while most of the world considered the Amazons to be savages, Nobu couldn''t help feeling that the entire world was fucked in the head...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Oho. A little bit of world-building to spice things up. I''m liking where this is going...)

 Chapter 40: Close to Home

    Chapter 40: Close to Home


    With the dawn of a new day, Nobu was anticipating they would be setting out for the Yoshitsune n when Yui blindsided him by asking, "What do you want to do?"


    Though he was pretty sure he knew what she meant, Nobu still cocked his head to the side, asking, "What do you mean?"


    After exchanging nces with Yuriko and receiving a slight nod in response, Yui exined, "Though there is a chance you are deceiving us, my heart tells me you are the person you im to be. Yuriko and I have already discussed it. She will go back and learn the truth-"


    Raising his hand, Nobu brought a sudden and instantaneous stop to Yui''s exnation, saying, "That serious nature of yours really needs some working on. Seriously..."


    Adopting a slight pout, Yui wanted to exin herself, but, before she could, Nobu shook his head, adding, "I already said I''d go with you. After the shit I put up with thesest two months, I won''t be able to rest unless I can give that old bat in the Yoshitsune n a piece of my mind. We can worry about other stuffter. Besides, I don''t appreciate that little remark about me deceiving you...I''m a lot of things, but a liar isn''t one of them. Well...so long as you ignore that part about me pretending to be Nananananananananananamori''s grandchild..."


    With Yui''s pout quickly turning into a wry yet coquettish smile, Nobu could swear his heart had, once again, skipped a beat. She didn''t seem to be aware of it herself, but, ever since he had told her the truth, Yui was behaving a lot more girly than before. It was honestly creeping him out a bit, but, considering how she used to treat him, it was a qualitative improvement...


    Noticing the rose-colored atmosphere between Yui and Nobu, Yuriko audibly cleared her throat, drawing the attention of everyone in the cave before asserting, "Well, that settles it. I don''t get the impression he''s suicidal so it''s safe to say this man truly is our Lord. Should we cut to the chase or do you want to wait until the Matriarch has confirmed it...?"


    Shaking her head in response to thetter suggestion, Yui took the initiative to sit in seiza while Yuriko promptly filed in behind and slightly to her left. Then, much to Nobu''s chagrin, they both lowered their heads until their foreheads were pressed to the cold floor, the tips of their fingers touching just above their lowered bodies as they said, "Yoshitsune Yui/Yuriko greets her Lord and Master, Oda Nobunaga-sama. We pledge to serve you until our dying breath."


    Feeling an ufortable chill run through his body, Nobu wanted to tell them to stop messing around until he noticed Shizune and Rynka sitting at the sides with expressions of genuine envy on their faces. The former even became hopeful the moment he looked over, almost as if she was just waiting for him to give her permission to lower her head alongside them...


    Unable to resist the urge, Nobu took a moment to massage his forehead before noticing the duo still had their heads pressed to the ground. He really didn''t know what to say to this, so, after a long period of silence, he just shook his head and said, "Well, whatever...just raise your heads. This shit is he cringe. I''m literally getting goosebumps over here..."


    Though it was far from the dignified response they would have liked, Yui and Yuriko immediately raised their heads in response to Nobu''s order. This caught thetter by surprise, as, despite their appearances suggesting they were the cool-headed or apathetic type, both had radiant smiles on their faces. From their perspective, albeit using terms from Nobu''s world, it was like they had just graduated from High School after eighteen long years. They felt as though they had aplished something great, and, regardless of what the future held, they were happy to have experienced this particr moment in time.


    Feeling a kind of helplessness he had never experienced before, Nobu looked away from the duo''s expectant gaze, his own briefly settling on the horizon as the light of the rising sun hit his face. This caused Yuriko to swallow audibly, but, with his rtively normal sense of hearing, Nobu was spared any additional feelings of embarrassment as he muttered, "Well...this isn''t so bad..." in a whispering tone that was easily picked up by all four girls...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though their pace was a little slow due to Nobu refusing to ride on the girls'' backs, it only took an additional two days for the group to reach the agricultural zone surrounding Owari-Shuto.


    Unlike Owari-Asai, which primarily focused on fishing and sea trade, the seemingly endless fields surrounding Owari-Shuto were encircled by a stone wall more than ten-meters high and roughly six thick. This was the agricultural center of the province, and, though he had already started to suspect this was the case, seeing the endless fields all but confirmed that Nian was ''significantly''rger than the Japan Nobu had visited in his previous life.


    Seeing Nobu staring nkly at the fields of radish and lotus nts, a moderately affectionate smile developed across Yui''s face as she recalled their discussion pertaining to dreams. He had been very dismissive about the subject, but, even now, Yui could clearly remember the wistful look in his eyes as he spoke of one day returning home and reuniting with his mother. She liked his almost reverent silence to the reaction soldiers would have after returning from a long and arduous campaign. Thus, after observing him from the side for several seconds, she decided to be the first to say, "Wee home, Nobu..." in a gentle tone.


    Blinking back to awareness, Nobu turned towards Yui only to pause the moment he saw her smiling up at him. This stopped him from asking what the hell she was talking about and instead prompted him to say, "Thanks..." in an equally soft tone. Not because he was feeling sentimental, but because Yui had practically whispered her words. It was pretty much an instinct to respond to a whisper with one of your own, but, from the kunoichi quartet''s perspective, he appeared to be at a loss for words due to the emotions he was concealing beneath the surface.


    Though he got the distinct impression some kind of mimunication had urred, Nobu just shook his head before asking, "Where to? I don''t see anything like a city or a castle..."


    Believing Nobu was trying to deflect, as he was prone to doing, Yui restrained a light chuckle before pointing towards a mountain in the distance and exining, "The capital is on the other side of that mountain, bordering the Mino Province. As for the Yoshitsune npound, it is located atop the mountain itself. You can''t see it from here but there is a powerful barrier surrounding the mountain. As part of the equivalent exchange mandated by the Heavens, the Goddess Inari was forced to give our Ancestor one of her tails. Its divine protection is said to extend across the entirety of Owari but its effects are concentrated around the mountain."


    Since this was prettymon lore associated with thend of Owari, Yui wasn''t revealing any n secrets by exining a bit about their history. Rather, the Yoshitsune n was among the top three most notorious and prolific kunoichi ns as a direct result of their curse. They really owed the Oda n in this respect, as, without their protection, various ns and Sects from throughout thend would constantly be trying to capture, imprison, or kill them...


    Seeing the mountain Yui was pointing to, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as it was barely even the size of a fingernail upon the horizon. He couldn''t be certain but it was at least a half, if not a full, day''s walk. Yui seemed to understand what he was thinking, but, rather than suggest taking a break, she pulled out a silver flute and said, "Don''t worry. Now that we''ve crossed the wall, I can use this..."


    Without exining what the flute actually did, Yui brought it to her lips and began ying a silent song. This prompted Shizune and Rynka to back away. As for Yuriko, she promptly approached his side, gently pulling his sleeve as she suggested, "My Lord, we should back away..."


    Nodding his head, Nobu was prepared to follow Yuriko''s suggestion when the woman in question suddenly wrapped her aura around him and leaped away. This caused his brows to twitch, but, the moment he saw storm clouds gathering in the sky, Nobu swallowed the words of indignation that had been forming at the tip of his tongue.


    Looking up at the storm, Nobu noticed that, instead of normal thunder and lightning, the bands gathering near the center of the darkening clouds were green. There were also a number of strange symbols appearing, and, he been closer to Yui, he might have noticed that the miniature flute in her hands was covered in identical markings. Each time she yed a different note, an additional band of lightning would connect to the gathering mass until a small explosion rippled out, followed by the sound of a bird''s cry.


    Though he knew he was in a fantasy-esque world, Nobu became ck-jawed even as Yuriko carried him to a safe distance and stood in front of him. As for the reason, well, a massive fucking bird had just appeared out of thin air ''blinking'' to the ground in a streak of green lightning that generated a vibrant green electrical field that expanded radially like an EMP. This caused every hair on his body to stand on end, but, thanks to Yuriko shielding him, he didn''t feel a thing from the shockwave that briefly passed through his body.


    When the electricity and dust began to fade away, Nobu remained in a stupor as he witnessed Yui resting her forehead against the crown? of a massive ass owl. He wasn''t particrly savvy with the metric system but he estimated it to be roughly ten meters in length. This, alone, would have made it stand out, but, unlike a normal owl, this monstrosity possessed wings and feathers made of stone. It also had vibrant green crystals forming a crown-like protrusion on its head while spikes formed of the same material ran along its back. It actually looked pretty badass, but, perhaps as a result of his low cultivation base, Nobu felt like the owl was growing increasinglyrger as his body regressed to that of a helpless child...


    Feeling a slight pinch, Nobu blinked back to awareness to find that he had been staring up at the sky. When he looked down, he found Yuriko looking up at him with an apologetic smile on her face as she pulled out a silver needle from his palm and exined, "This is a Tier 4 Aura Beast known as a Jadite Guardian Owl. It is rumored to be one of the few Aura Beasts capable of reaching the Jadite Realm, but, for thest twenty or so thousand years, nobody, man or beast, has been able to reach that level. At least, not in Nian..."


    Having learned that a Tier 4 beast wasparable to a weaker Mithril Lord, Nobu wasn''t surprised that he would feel an almost instinctual fear in front of it. Back on Earth, the biggestnd predator, a pr bear, would be lucky to exceed nine feet, roughly three meters, in height. That seemed like aplete fucking joke in front of this owl, so, after assuring himself he wasn''t a bitch, Nobu did his best to appear calm as he said, "Cool..."


    Pretending not to notice the cold sweat covering her Lord''s forehead and body, Yuriko turned away from him before nodding and saying, "Indeed..." with a marginally amused smile on her face.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: To be honest, I''d probably shit myself if lightning struck a few dozen meters away from me. If that same lightning turned into a massive ass owl...well...RIP me xD...)

 Chapter 41: Yumegakure

    Chapter 41: Yumegakure


    "Lord Nobunaga-sama. Allow me to introduce you to my Grandmother''s partner, Hisui-sama. With his help, we''ll be able to make it back to the n Compound in no time."


    Though he remained behind Yuriko until the veryst moment, Nobu managed to approach Hisui without too much fear and trepidation visible in his countenance. The fact the creature''s eyes wererger than his head was a little unnerving, but, following Yui''s example, he ultimately managed to rest his palm on its crystalline, surprisingly warm, beak.


    "Coooo~."


    Despite being rtively young, Hisui was remarkably intelligent for her age. Thus, upon hearing Yui address Nobu with honorifics, she did her best to appear humble and cute. She didn''t want to make any trouble for her Master and her Granddaughter, so, even if she didn''t like the way Nobu smelled, she tolerated having her beak caressed by his palm.


    "You''re not so bad, are ya? Just keep those scary-ass talons away from me...hahahahaha..."


    Cocking her head to the side, so much so that she was nearly staring at Nobu upside down, Hisui raised her left foot before promptly extending her three crystalline talons to their full length. She had never heard anyone refer to them as ''scary-ass talons'' before so she was genuinely confused by his words. As for Nobu, well, he immediately turned statuesque the moment her talons made a *shinking* sound simr to what you might hear when a de is unsheathed in a movie.


    "Mou...Hisui-sama, please retract your ws. Lord Nobunaga-sama is fatigued after a long journey. Please deliver us to the n so we can meet with Grandmother."


    "Coo~!"


    Responding with an affirmative coo, Hisui tucked her legs beneath her body before squatting down and spreading her wings to their maximum length. This was quite a sight to behold as her wingspan was easily more than twenty meters in length. There were also three crystalline protrusions mixed in among the flight feathers of each wing, which, when fully extended, radiated a luminous jade-green light.


    Extending her hand to Nobu, Yui adopted a slightly apologetic smile as she noticed how drastically hisplexion had paled. Despite this, she still extended her left hand towards him, gently asking, "Shall we go, Nobunaga-sama...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    After the most terrifying and exhrating twenty minutes of his entire life, Nobu was grateful to be on solid ground once again. The view from atop Hisui had been unbelievably breathtaking but that did little to alleviate the fear that he might slip off and plummet to his death. There wasn''t anything like a harness on the inordinatelyrge owl''s back, so, throughout the flight, Nobu clung to Yui as if his life, quite literally, depended on it.


    Fortunately, though it did little to distract him from his potential peril, Nobu also had Yuriko sitting right behind him. She not only wrapped her arms around his waist, gently massaging his abdomen with the tips of her fingers, but, throughout the flight, her breasts had been pressed up against his back as she rested her head against his shoulders. This helped him rx quite a bit, but, more than anything else, it was the crisp and fresh air,pletely overriding any smells, that allowed Nobu to remain calm.


    Since he was genuinely curious, Nobu waited until Hisui disappeared into the sky before asking, "Is it possible to reach a level where you can fall from any height without being killed...?"


    Surprised by Nobu''s question, neither Yui nor Yuriko immediately answered. Instead, it was Shizune who chimed in, nervousness audible in her tone as she said, "Ano...N-Nobunaga-sama...I can answer that..."


    With Shizune having provided the vast majority of the information he had obtained since his arrival in this world, Nobu simply nodded in response to her statement before saying, "Go ahead." in a t yet casual tone.


    Offering her usual smile, Shizune seemed to regain a bit of her confidence as she exined, "While it is umon in Nian, predominately due to the poprity of the Metal Infusion Technique, there are a number of cultivation methods that allow skilled practitioners to fall from extreme heights. As for practitioners of the Metal Infusion Technique, you would need to achieve the pinnacle of Mithril Lord to manage such a feat. After that, thanks to the shock absorption properties of Adamantine, it is a simple matter to survive from otherwise fatal falls."


    Though a part of him still hated Shizune to the core, Nobu wasn''t an unforgiving asshole. He could appreciate when someone was trying to be useful, so, in response to the ingratiating smile Shizune had adopted towards the end of her exnation, he offered a curt nod before saying, "Thanks. You have a good head on your shoulders. If you weren''t hiding a sadistic and opportunistic bitch under that little mask of yours, you''d actually be pretty cute."


    Forcing herself tough despite the very clear insult, Shizune made a mental note to try and avoid upsetting Nobu in the future. She knew she had mistreated him, quite egregiously, but it was still a little hurtful to hear him mix insults into everypliment he gave her. Even the Elders didn''t scold her with any real venom in their tone. Thus, every time Nobu insulted her, Shizune felt an agonizing sensation near the center of her chest, almost like her heart was being squeezed...


    Furrowing his brows in response to Shizune''s reaction, Nobu decided to ignore her as he turned to Yui and asked, "What now? I''m guessing there''s a reason we stopped at the base of the mountain?"


    Nodding her head, Yui pulled out a jade talisman roughly shaped like half a yin-yang symbol. Then, while holding it up to the transparent dome that seemed to surround the entire mountain, she said, "Even Contracted Beasts will gradually begin to lose their life force if they enter a domain protected by a Human God. Though Inari Okami-sama possesses the characteristics of a fox, she is still one of the patron Goddesses of the Nianese people. She presides over Industriousness, Agriculture, Grains, and Fertility so she is quite an important figure. The Divine Power exuded by her tail is what allowed Owari to be one of the key grain producers in all thend. It isn''t an overstatement to say that Inari Okami-sama is the Guardian Goddess of Owari..."


    Though she couldn''t help adopting a mncholic smile as she praised the Goddess that had cursed her n, it couldn''t be denied that the rest of Owari had benefited greatly from their suffering. This was also one of the foundational pirs maintaining their alliance with the Oda n, so, while their situation was more than a little tragic, the curse had allowed them to survive thest six-thousand-years without any significant threats to their survival.


    By the time Yui had finished her exnation, a torii gate, one of those red gates found lining the paths to shrines in Japan, manifested out of thin air. The weirdest thing about this, at least from Nobu''s perspective, was that the gate almost resembled a door to another world. The mountain appeared untamed from the outside, but, peering through the luminescent gate, there was a set of stone steps leading up the mountain, several additional torii, and a number of residential structures hidden amongst the trees.


    Gesturing with her right hand, Yui adopted her increasingly radiant smile as she said, "Wee to Yumegakure, the Vige Hidden Within Dreams. Don''t worry. Despite its name, you''re not going to be spirited away the moment you step through the gate~."


    Unustomed to Yui''s teasing, not just Nobu, but everyone stared at the raven-haired warrior-in-training with varying degrees of stupefaction written across their faces. This caused a subtle shade of red to color her cheeks, but, having already resolved herself to change, Yui managed to maintain her smile as she cupped her hands together, one hand over her fist, and said, "Please allow me to guide you, Nobunaga-sama..."


    Resisting the urge to scratch the back of his head, Nobu adopted an ufortable expression on his face before ultimately saying, "Sure..." in an awkward tone. He really didn''t like these formalities, but, assuming it was for the best he y along, at least until he got a better grasp of the situation, he allowed Yui to lead the way while Yuriko led Shizune and Rynka towards a seven-tiered pagoda located rtively close to the edge of the barrier.


    Seeing several other unique structures built into the side and seemingly within the mountain itself, Nobu actually had quite a number of questions he wanted to ask. Despite this, he stayed absolutely silent as Yui led him further up the steps. He wasn''t a particrly timid human being, but, as could be expected, Yumegakure was filled to the brim with beautiful, attractive, and scantily d women. Not a single one of them appeared to be over the age of thirty, and, to make matters exponentially worse, there were naked little girls running around, seemingly without a care in the world...


    Noticing Nobu''s difort, a conflicted look marred Yui''s expression as she exined, "Kunoichi are taught to embrace their nakedness from a young age. Even a mild aversion to nudity can lead to death on the battlefield so even warriors conduct exposure training in order to curb their natural impulses. For the majority of warriors, this urs between the ages of 8-14. Due to our line of work, we start a little earlier..."


    Seeing two little girls, neither older than the age of ten, wrestling naked while an additional half-dozen cheered them on from the sides, Nobu''s expression remained remarkably sullen as he said, "Yeah...no shit..."


    Though they didn''t seem to care, Nobu did his best to avoid looking at anyone in particr. This didn''t prevent nearly everyone they passed along the way from looking at him, but, considering he was one of only seventeen males in a vige housing hundreds of Kunoichi, this wasn''t particrly surprising. His height wasn''t doing him any favors in this regard, as, even from afar, it was painfully easy to deduce he was a man from how he towered over literally everyone else...


    As if guided by fate to make his life as miserable as it could possibly be, a group of girls resembling naked primary schoolers invariably began to follow along, the boldest among them asking, "Ne, ne, Yui-sama. Where did you find this giant person? Is he going to help our older sisters make babies?" with excitement and curiosity exuding from her leaf-green eyes.


    Were it not for the fact they were strictly educated to never touch a man who wasn''t their target, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Nobu would be swarmed by curious little girls. He didn''t know this at the time, but it quickly became one of the only policies he approved of until he learned the reason behind it. The girls were intended to imprint upon their first target to make their act more convincing, so, prior to bing kunoichi, they were prohibited from having any physical contact with men.


    As a result of this policy, the twenty-odd girls surrounding Nobu and Yui followed along with their hands behinds their backs. This would have been an adorable sight if they were clothed, but, from his perspective, all Nobu saw was blue skies overhead. As for Yui, she did her best to get the girls to scatter. Unfortunately, despite many of the girls referring to her with the suffix -sama, none of them actually listened to her. She was disdained by a vast majority of the n, so, even though the oldest among the group was a mere eight years old, she had more prestige among the other children than the granddaughter of the current Matriarch. This caused Yui''s expression to gradually default to the one she had worn during her first meeting with Nobu, a cold and detached look that radiated just enough bloodlust topel the inexperienced girls to scatter...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Vige Hidden Within Dreams? More like Nobu''s nightmare...)

 Chapter 42: Hidden Dangers

    Chapter 42: Hidden Dangers


    Ignoring the protests of his body and the burning of his legs and thighs, Nobu followed after Yui until they reached a clearing near the top of the mountain. Here, a number of girls wearing Miko-like attire could be seen carefully tending to the area while others, seemingly taking a break, sat off to the sides with peaceful, almost emotionless, expressions on their faces.


    Though the sight of girls in Miko outfits was eye-catching on its own, the things that caught Nobu''s attention were the fox-like ears and tails protruding from the girls'' heads and lower backs. He could tell, even at a nce, that they were the real deal. They were nothing like the feeble imitations worn by men and women fishing for attention back in his previous world. Instead, they followed the girls'' movements naturally and, at times, even twitched when the wind managed to caress the finer hairs on the inside of their ears.


    Noticing Nobu''s slight stupefaction, Yui, who had been intending to suggest they take a break, took it upon herself to exin, "When a tremendous volume of Divine Power is concentrated in a single region, there is a chance that developing fetus will develop traits associated with the presiding God or Goddess. These are known as Blessed Children, and, as you can see here, a number of Yoshitsune n members who have inherited the vulpine features and Divine Power of Inari Okami-sama..."


    Seemingly drawn to the sound of Yui''s voice, the majority of Mikos in the area looked over to see who she was talking to. This caused Nobu''s body to instinctually tense, not because he was afraid of them, but because Divine Power had a suppressive effect on those without it. The girls had also inherited Inari''s ''fertility'' trait, so, the moment they saw a man, their pupils briefly contracted before they quickly dispersed.


    Expecting Nobu to ask why the girls were practically running away, Yui gestured towards a stone bench before exining, "In this region, foxes go into heat around the end of winter. As Priestesses serving Inari Okami-sama, the girls here are prohibited from having sex outside of certain rituals. If they were to stay here while a man was present, their instincts would gradually override their senses until they either copsed from fever or obtained the seed of a man. Once we depart, they will most likely congregate around this area and...well...I''m certain you can imagine..."


    Forcing a smile, Nobu sat down on the pleasantly cool stone bench before patting the spot next to him and saying, "Take a seat."


    Now that they were inside the n, Yui was apprehensive about deviating from the etiquette and decorum that had been drilled into her mind from birth. In the end, however, Nobu was her Lord, and, as such, she was honor-bound to obey. Thus, after a very brief moment of hesitation, she sat down next to him before immediately turning statuesque, face turning white as a sheet, when he abruptlyid his head on her thighs and noted, "I''ve always wanted to try this..." in azy tone of voice.


    After recovering from her shock, Yui''s expression became inordinately serious as she looked around for any signs they were being spied on. At the same time, her voice remained low as she said, "Lord Nobunaga-sama. This isn''t proper. If someone were to see us like this-"


    "Bruh..."


    Confused by Nobu''s exasperated expression, Yui fellpletely silent as he rolled onto his back, his face a wless deadpan as he remarked, "You have little girls running aroundpletely naked and a bunch of horned-up foxes that are going to be pleasuring themselves to my scent. Are you telling me that shit is perfectly eptable while something as tame as ap pillow is a problem? Come the fuck on..."


    Though she wanted to exin that they were two entirely separate matters, the one thing Yui had learned about Nobu''s character was that he viewed society in broad strokes. He didn''t care about things like traditions in the slightest. He only cared about whether or not something was right and wrong from a purely objective standpoint. This was an incredibly naive way to view the world, but, at the same time, she couldn''t really find the words to exin why he was wrong for thinking that society, as a whole, was filled with hypocrites and double-standards...


    Unable toe up with a reasonable argument for why this was bad and the other things weren''t, Yui ultimately chose to remain silent. Instead, she began to gently run her fingers through his hair, something her mother would do when she receivedp pillows as a young girl. Those were happier times, so, rather thanplicate the moment with politics and titudes, Yui decided to simply go with the flow and enjoy it while itsted...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After resting for approximately half an hour, Nobu and Yui continued their ascent until they reached arge templeplex at the very top of the mountain. The front looked like any normal Japanese shrine,plete with a pyre and a blessing box. What made it stand out from the two Nobu visited in his past life were the manor-likepound connected to the back and an annex that seemed to contain a hot-springs like bath if the rising steam was any indicator.


    Simr to the clearing below, this ce also had a few Mikos present, but, unlike the youthful girls situated further down the mountain, the women here were bonafide beauties with mature, overtly seductive, features. One was even wearing an outfit cut so low that Nobu was pretty sure he could make out part of her pale-pink nipples. She also took notice of him the moment he ascended the final step, so, for a brief moment, their eyes remained locked in frozen time until Yui stepped in the way and said, "Haruko-sama...this man is a guest of the Matriarch..."


    As if she had only just noticed Yui, the buxom fox woman shifted her attention away from Nobu, hand cupping her cheek as she mused, "Ara~? That''s too bad~." in a seductive tone that felt like warm water washing over the minds of any man ''fortunate'' enough to hear it.


    Blinking back to awareness the moment Haruko looked away from him, the fog that had shrouded Nobu''s mind quickly faded away as he held his head and asked, "What the fuck just happened? Did that bitch just charm me...?"


    "Oh my~."


    Answering before Yui could, the buxom beauty immediately appeared in front of Nobu, almost as if she had teleported, before saying in a seductive yet threatening tone, "Calling any woman a bitch is quite rude. Addressing a kitsune as such is just asking to be bullied~."


    As those words left her lips, pale pink hearts appeared in the depths of Haruko''s oceanic blue eyes. She had only passively charmed him the first time, but, now that Nobu had insulted her, she wanted to teach him a lesson about inadvertently offending others. After all, were it not for the fact he was a guest of the Matriarch, she, a Rank 3 tinum Lord, could have ttened him with a p.


    Unable to form any thoughts due to the icy fog that had pervaded his mind, Nobu could only gawk as Haruko grabbed the sides of his face and gingerly guided him to her breasts, whispering, "When I snap my fingers, you''re going to open your eyes and greet me like the good little puppy dog you are. Understood~?"


    As Nobu waszily nodding his head, drool leaking from his mouth, Yui manifested a pair of golden katanas and shouted, "Haruko-sama! That man is a son of the Oda n! If you force him tomit such an act, you will be betraying the trust of our Masters...!"


    Hearing Yui''s outburst, Haruko immediately deactivated her charm, confusion visible in her gaze as she tilted her head to the side and asked, "What are you talking about, Yui-chan? I have memorized the names and faces of every son and daughter of the Oda n. This man...is...ara?"


    Though Haruto was about to argue that Nobu didn''t resemble any of the known members of the Oda n, closer inspection revealed that he actually shared quite a number of features with the current Lord. She hadn''t noticed it at first,rgely due to the fact he was dressed like amoner, but, now that she looked past his disheveled bangs, realization gradually dawned upon her as she absentmindedly muttered, "Nobunaga-sama...?"


    Despite the drastic difference in their cultivation bases, Haruko suddenly felt as if she was hugging a bomb to her chest. At the same time, however, the tiny me that had been ignited in her lower abdomen quickly built into a veritable bonfire as a tremendous amount of saliva began to build in her mouth. Fortunately, she was no longer a young kit, so, while her body was burning up from the inside, she managed to appear rtively calm on the surface as she handed Nobu over to Yui and said, "He should recover in a few minutes...please express my deepest apologies once he wakes up."


    With that said, Haruko leaped several tens of meters into the sky, her destination the forest further down the mountain. The fire in her body was quickly turning into a zing inferno, so, while she would have liked to personally express her sincerity, staying around Nobu in her current state was simply too dangerous. She didn''t know what the Matriarch wanted with the abandoned son of the Oda n but it was clearly beyond her paygrade. If she intervened, there was a very real chance that she would be executed just to amend any perceived grievances between the Yoshitsune and Oda ns...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Nursing the kind of headache typically associated with hangovers, Nobu released a pained groan as he forced himself to a seated position and looked at his surroundings. He was in a moderately sized Japanese-style room,plete with tatami mats and a sliding bamboo door. There was also a small table in front of him, its surface lined with a number of different porcin containers that contained tea and other types of herbs.


    Ignoring this, Nobu continued to look around, one eye open and hand massaging his head as he grumbled, "Where the fuck did that fox bitch go? Yui...?"


    Forgetting everything that had happened after Haruko stepped in front of him, Nobu had carelessly insulted the woman a second time. This kind of behavior would very quicklye to bite him in the near future, but, for the time being, he remained blissfully ignorant to the ''rule of the strong''. Thus, like amb exploring a tiger''s den, utterly devoid of fear and hesitation, he climbed to his feet and attempted to leave the room by opening the sliding bamboo door.


    "Oh? I understand your desire to stretch your legs, but this isn''t a ce you should be wandering about. Are you searching for Yui...?"


    Looking down quite a bit, Nobu found a petite yet confident-looking woman with heterochromatic red and blue pupils staring up at him with a faint smile and sharp, intelligent, eyes. She was dressed in a loose red kimono that showed off a fair amount of skin despite being wrapped by a ck obi, but, rather than eyeing her virtually non-existent cleavage, he continued looking into the woman''s eyes, veiled by silvery-white hair, for several seconds.


    "Hmmmm...? You''re rather bold, aren''t you? It''s no wonder Yui was behaving so strangely. You must have left quite the impression on her..."


    Though the woman standing in front of him appeared no older than 25, the aura she exuded was something Nobu had only experienced with much older women. Thus, after hearing her speak, he asked the first thing that came to his mind, inquiring, "Are you...Yui''s Grandmother...?"


    Smiling in amusement, the woman promptly replied, "Minus thirty points. Even if you hit the nail on the head, it would have been more tactful to ask if I were her mother. It''s a shame. Had you tried to flirt with me, you would have been able to experience the techniques of the most skilled kunoichi in the Yoshitsune n. Now you''ll just have to settle for letting me pour you tea..."


    Punctuating her words, the ostensibly elderly woman took a step forward, and, though he had no intention of doing so, Nobu found himself taking a step back and to the side. This allowed her to casually slip past him, but, the moment he turned his head, Nobu''s pupils shrank when he noticed she was already seated on the other side of the table, eyes closed as if she were patiently awaiting someone''s arrival.


    Noticing the incredulity in Nobu''s gaze, the silver-haired woman adopted a slightly teasing smile as she stated, "It only took you thirty-seven seconds to recover. That''s not bad for someone at Rank 5 of the First Realm. Plus ten points..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: The Yoshitsune n is a dangerous ce...)

 Chapter 43: Entrapment

    Chapter 43: Entrapment


    After reluctantly taking the seat across from the heterochromatic woman, the first thing Nobu asked was, "Where''s Yui...?" with a hostile look on his face.


    "Mmm...it''s no wonder you almost got yed the fool by Haruko. Your way of speaking is unsuited to someone in your position. It would be fine if you possessed genuine power. However, unless you officially returned to the Oda n, your identity cannot protect you from everything."


    Furrowing his brows even deeper, Nobu unhesitantly replied, "I don''t care about things like that. If some random asshat wants to kill me, that''s their own problem. This world is already fucked three-ways from civility so why should I give a damn what some cunt with too much power decides to do with it? I''m not going to lower my head and y the part of a bitch just be some faggot with a godplex thinks I should worship the ground they walk on."


    "..."


    Rather than respond to Nobu''s words, the silver-haired woman started making tea using the items that had been arranged on the table. This left the former with a severe expression on his face, brow twitching as he balled his hands into fists. He knew he wasn''t a match for the surprisingly youthful-looking granny sitting in front of him but that didn''t mean he would tolerate being ignored.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu rose to his feet and said, "Fine. I''ll look for her myself..." in a tone inspired by a certain purple-faced Titan. To his confusion, the woman made no attempt to stop him. Instead, she continued to slowly and methodically prepare tea, her eyes focused on the task at hand as she stated, "Good luck, Waka-chan." before following it up with an inaudible, "You''re going to need it..."


    While wondering what the fuck a Waka-chan was, Nobu began roaming the curiously empty halls of the Japanese-style house. The aroma of wood originating from the immactely polished floors was surprisingly pleasant to his senses. He could also detect a hint of fruit and what he believed to be perfume, but, rather than seek out the source, he turned a few corners before silently muttering, "These halls look exactly the same..."


    Having observed this trope countless times in the fiction from his world, Nobu ripped off a piece of his already tattered tunic before tossing it to the side. He was intending to use this to confirm his suspicions, but, the moment the piece of cloth hit the ground, it disappearedpletely.


    "What the fuck...?"


    Squatting down, Nobu pat around the area a few times to see if he could find the discarded piece of cloth. At the exact same moment, unbeknownst to him, the figure of a beautiful woman wearing a flowery pink kimono appeared right behind him, silently scrutinizing him with her honey-colored eyes.


    Feeling a chill run through his body, Nobu rose to his feet, but, even after turning around, all he saw was endless corridors extending in both directions. There weren''t even any turns along the path any longer. Instead, it was a single, contiguous, hallway that ostensibly stretched into eternity.


    "Is this a genjutsu...?"


    Though Naruto was one of his top five most hated anime, Nobu didn''t hesitate to raise his left arm to his mouth and bite it. Unfortunately, like most rational human beings, it was very difficult to force himself to bite with enough force to draw blood. The average person''s bite strength was more than enough to tear away chunks of flesh from their fellow humans, but, due to mental blocks bordering on instinct, actually aplishing this was nigh-impossible.


    Fearing that he might inadvertently take a chunk out of his arm if he bit down with too much force, Nobu decided to do what''s called a pro-gamer move. More specifically, he channeled the unbridled fury gamers were able to achieve when faced with unfair circumstances and game crashes. This was such a powerful emotion that there had been examples of people punching through theirputer monitors, so, with that same mentality, Nobu reared back his hand and began striking the wall with the fury of an American that had just lost an international gamingpetition.


    With the surrounding walls being formed from little more than woven bamboo nked by ster, it was surprisingly easy to crack through them. Nobu even began to develop the notion that he might be able to smash his way out, but, the moment he retracted his hand, now sporting a tear between his middle and ring fingers, the wall immediately repaired itself.


    "Oh,e on! That''s some bullshit...!"


    Believing wholeheartedly that someone was fucking with him, Nobu confirmed that the corridor still went on forever before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting, "Yui! Yuriko..!" at the top of his lungs. He didn''t genuinely expect them to answer, but, seeing no other way out of his current predicament, it was worth a shot.


    Nearly giving him a heart attack, a soft voice immediately answered, "Even if you scream twice as loud, no one will hear you..."


    Spinning around as fast as he could, Nobu''s mind nked when he saw the same empty hallway as before. Then, as if taunting him, a bell-likeugh could be heard echoing from numerous directions before the same voice as before, now sounding in his left ear, whispered, "Wandering the halls of a kunoichi mansion without an escort...only the Lord of the Oda n is allowed to be so brazen. You might look like him, but you are most certainly not Lord Senken..."


    Feeling a fragrant breath tickle his ear, Nobu attempted to grab backward with his left hand while still looking ahead. He actually expected to catch empty air, so, when his palm suddenly smacked a remarkably soft surface, his body immediately tensed up as the voice whispered, "Naughty boy..." in a mind-numbing peal.


    Though others might have attempted to retract their hand, Nobu did the exact opposite by trying to grasp the fabric as he spun around. Unfortunately, at nearly that exact same moment, his hand felt as though it was trying to close around a solid piece of metal, and, by the time he managed to turn around, the person he was expecting was already long gone.


    Now inhaling quickly due to the anxiety and frustration he was feeling, a cold sensation began to gradually spread through Nobu''s mind as he backed against the wall. His brain was being flushed with excess oxygen, and, as a result of theck of CO2, he began to feel lightheaded to the point that his vision began to darken along the edges. At the same time, however, almost as if he was looking through a fish-eye lens, the darker regions of his vision revealed what appeared to be apletely unassuming corridor and a predominately pink woman standing just a few feet away...


    Without looking directly at the woman, Nobu covered his eyes and attempted to focus on his breathing. This caused the woman in question to sensually inquire, "Oh my...is the lostmb of the Oda n actually afraid? Ufufufufufufu~"


    Recognizing the woman''s speech pattern,bined with the predominately pink, Nobu began to gradually calm down as he asked, "Are you Shizune''s mother...?"


    Since she hadn''t revealed herself to him just yet, the mature pinkette found herself at a genuine loss for words. She was the Elder responsible for tabting information within the vige so she had already learned about what happened following Yuriko''s report. She hadn''t appreciated the fact that Nobu had bullied her daughter, so, even if it was just for a short while, she intended to return the favor before disappearing without a trace...


    Deciding to feign ignorance, the pink-haired beauty, now disguising her voice as several different people, asked, "Shizune? Isn''t that the daughter of the Information Elder? You think she and I are rted~?"


    Surprising the aforementioned beauty quite a bit, Nobu removed his hands from his eyes, staring directly at her as he asked, "Are you telling me it''s a coincidence youugh in the same manner and have the same fucking hair and face...?"


    Blinking several times in surprise, the pinkette took a few steps to the side in order to confirm that Nobu was, indeed, looking at her. Then, with a far more effective smile than the one her daughter had practiced, she took advantage of the fact he was standing against the wall, instantly reducing the distance between them before answering, "It''s no wonder my daughter took an interest in you. You truly are special..."


    Without any pause or hesitation in her movements, the pink-haired woman slipped her right hand under Nobu''s shirt before bringing it up to caress his chest. At the same time, her left leg slipped between his thighs, gingerly nuzzling his not-so-little brother as she added, "I can assure you that I''m over the age of eighteen...won''t you allow me to apologize on my daughter''s behalf? It''s been quite some time since I was active, but I can assure you I''m among the more talented members of the n..."


    Unlike Shizune, who practically drowned herself in perfumes and oils, Nobu noticed that the woman in front of him smelled, simply put, intoxicating. He didn''t really know how to describe it but it was like her aroma was invading his nose before soaking directly into his mind. Thus, despite intending to push her away, he found his hands cupping her butt, forcing the petite woman to the tips of her toes and drawing their faces close enough that she was able to surprise him with a yful lick...


    Taking advantage of Nobu''s momentary pause, the pinkette licked her own lips this time before asking, "I take it this is your way of saying yes? You''re not going to change your mindter on, are you~?"


    As if he had been liberated from some kind of spell, Nobu ceased fingering the woman through her kimono, his pupils shrinking as he asked, "Did you fucking drug me...?"


    Adopting a convincing pout, so much so that Nobu actually felt guilty for doubting her, the woman asked, "Do you think so little of my beauty? Such tricks are the sorts used by inexperienced kunoichi without the confidence to subdue their target using more...direct methods. No. What you''re feeling is the instinctual desire that drives men to try and subdue powerful women. Your body instinctually recognizes me as a suitable mate due to the difference in our cultivation bases and the quantity of Yin Elemental Energy circting in my aura. In other words...you''re in heat right now...desperate to impregnate a woman whose daughter is nearly as old as you are...ufufufufufu~"


    Regretting the fact he hadn''t interrupted her halfway through her unexpectedly long exnation, Nobu fought desperately against the fire raging in his body, stating, "Don''t fuck with me..." through gritted teeth. This earned him a confused yet undisguised look of intrigue from the mature beauty, who, surprisingly, obeyed hismand. Before Nobu could breathe a sigh of relief, however, she mused, "How fascinating..." before casually tugging the cord keeping her obi in ce.


    Like most women who wore kimonos, the pink-haired beauty forwent the use of undergarments beneath her flowery pink robes. As a result, Nobu''s brain buzzed as he stared nkly at her truly breathtaking figure. He had actually had a preference for older women ever since he was a kid, so, while Shizune had failed to shake his heart, her mother managed to deal a critical blow to both his heart and his psyche.


    "I won''t touch you. Instead, I will simply stand here and allow you to touch me at your leisure. Show me. I want to see if you can truly suppress the animalistic instincts that have driven men to be the bane of women worldwide..."


    Though he wanted little more than to ravish the half-naked beauty exposing herself to him without any intention of resisting, Nobu managed to remain in ce, supported by the wall behind him as he stated through gritted teeth, "Fuck...off..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Man, someone needs to build ake or something on this mountain...)

 Chapter 44: Harsh Reality

    Chapter 44: Harsh Reality


    Amused by Nobu''s attempts to get her to leave, the pink-haired beauty moved to ce her hands on her hips, pulling open her kimono in the process. Then, while eyeing the rather sizeable tent that was being pitched by her young quarry, she stated, "This is my home. It is perfectly eptable to be nude. If you don''t like it, you''re more than wee to leave~."


    Attempting to do just that, Nobu supported himself using the wall as he gradually made his way towards what appeared to be a window. Before he could get more than a few steps, however, the woman cheekily reminded him, "Be careful of the Kitsune covering the mountain. If they see you in your current state...well...you only have yourself to me..."


    With that said, the pink-haired woman leaned her shoulder against the wall, arms crossed as she watched Nobu freeze in ce. If he truly tried to escape through the window, she would need to stop him, as, once the Kitsune got going, there was a very real chance they would ravish him even after his death. One of the rituals mandated by Inari Okami was for her ''daughters'' to offer up the lives of men through ritualistic intercourse. Thus, with the exception of a few outliers, most Kitsune were ''extremely adept'' at sending men straight to Heaven.


    Though he couldn''t remember the details, Nobu could clearly recall the muddleheadedness he had experienced during his previous encounter with the buxom, white-haired, Kitsune. He didn''t know how strong she was, but, even if he mustered every ounce of willpower he possessed, he wouldn''t be able to offer any meaningful resistance against her charm. If the other Kitsune joined in, even a Dragon''s Vigor might not be able to save him from the animalistic girls.


    After thinking things through, Nobu turned his back to the wall and allowed himself to slide down, a n forming within his head. He could infer from the way the woman was behaving that she was trying to avoid directly offending him. She probably wouldn''t escort him back to Yui''s Grandmother but that didn''t mean he waspletely out of cards to y. Thus, after failing to soothe the fire in his body even after ten minutes, he surprised the pinkette quite a bit by simply exhaling as hard as he could...


    Surprised by Nobu''s lung capacity, the pink-haired kunoichi was about topliment him when he suddenly fell over, his body seizing for a few several seconds before bingpletely still.


    "..."


    Tilting her head to the side, the pink-haired kunoichi waited for nearly three minutes, absolutely silent as she watched the expansions and contractions of his chest.


    "Did you really just knock yourself out...?"


    As those words left her lips, the pink-haired kunoichi tentatively approached Nobu before squatting in a way that left nothing to the imagination. Even this didn''t cause the young man to stir, and, after a while, even the tent between his legs began to subside.


    Extending her fingers to check his pulse, the woman confirmed that Nobu''s condition was rapidly stabilizing. This caused a frown to mar her nearly perfect face. Her original intention had only been to bully him a bit without revealing her identity. She hadn''te here with the intention of trying to seduce him, but, since that''s the way things yed out, it was remarkably problematic that she had failed. If he harbored any resentment towards her when all of this was over, even ritual suicide might not be enough to appease the Oda n''s wrath...


    "Haaaa...how troublesome. All my problems would be removed if I could simply kill you...but that isn''t really an option...how vexing..."


    Thanks to the alliance between their two families, a cursed mark would appear on anyone, Oda or Yoshitsune, who had killed a member of the other family. It wouldn''t just affect the offender, either, but everyone with knowledge of the incident. This meant, even if she ground Nobu down to a paste and fed him to the koi fish in the pond, the entire Yoshitsune n would be implicated when the stigmata invariably appeared upon the Matriarch and several others.


    "Well...I can always try to seduce him again. Judging by his previous reaction, I doubt he would be able to hold out if I entered his roomte at night..."


    While thinking of numerous ways she could obtain Nobu''s ''forgiveness'', the pink-haired beauty wrapped her aura around his body before carrying him back to the room he had initially fled. She didn''t even bother to fix her kimono, as, much like the other members of the Yoshitsune n, she was actually morefortable naked than clothed...


    After reaching her destination, the pink-haired woman sat in a proper seiza technique outside the door before politely bowing her head and saying, "Hitomi-kacho...I have brought the Oda n''s lostmb..."


    Following an appropriate period of silence, a soft yet stern voice could be heard from inside the room, replying, "You have my gratitude, Suzune-dono. Please,e in, ce him atop the futon, and then immediately depart."


    Raising her head only after the Matriarch had finished speaking, Suzune slid aside the bamboo door before deliberately yet gracefully depositing Nobu''s unconscious body as instructed. Afterward, she folded her hands neatly over her exposed front before bowing in a courteous manner and promptly departing once Hitomi gestured for her to leave.


    Waiting until Suzune hadpletely departed, the silver-haired woman, Yoshitsune Hitomi, shifted her heterochromatic gaze over to the disheveled Nobu, a gentle smile appearing across her face as she mused, "You made me waste some good tea, Waka-chan. However, as I expected you to return much sooner, I suppose this is your win. Still, to think you could resist the curse of the first men with such a meager cultivation base...it makes me wonder what other curious qualities you picked up while your soul was wandering another world...eighty points..."


    Had he been awake to hear Hitomi''s musings, Nobu might have been surprised if not for the fact he had already anticipated this, and several other, tropes. He was even anticipating that some kind of global threat would ur the moment he was consolidating his power or trying to take a break. After all, it was far too ''convenient'' for this world to be directly inspired from Earth, and, based on the information provided by Shizune, there were ongoing tensions between every major nation. If ''nothing'' happened over the several-hundred-years he might spend as a Cultivator, that would be a hell of a lot more surprising than some cataclysmic threat appearing just as he wanted to rx...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Feeling less of a headache than before, Nobu opened his eyes to find that he was back in the room he had started in. This time, however, he wasn''t alone. Instead, the same silver-haired woman from before was sitting patiently at the table, eyes closed until she felt her gaze on him and asked, "Are we finished exploring...?" in an audibly teasing tone.


    Grimacing in response to the woman''s words, Nobu forced himself to a seated position, without approaching the table, and asked, "Just what do you want with me? I already told Yui, but I have no intention of returning to the Oda n and stirring up trouble. I just want to rx, write a few books, and focus on increasing my cultivation. I''d rather cut off both of my feet than willfully involve myself with all that political bullshit."


    Waiting until Nobu had finished speaking, Hitomi, without so much as a twitch of her brow, nodded her head and said, "I see..."


    Expecting her to say more, Nobu remained quiet for several seconds until he saw her close her eyes and continue drinking tea. This caused his left brow to twitch, but, rather than immediatelysh out, he took a slow yet steady breath before asking, "Where is Yui?"


    Opening her eyes, the smile on Hitomi''s face became marginally more prominent as she answered, "I do not believe that is any of your concern. If you choose to remain unaffiliated with the Oda n, there is no sense in allowing you to interact with our kunoichi. You might not care about politics but that doesn''t mean others hold them in simr regard. If we were to entrust our kunoichi to you and you ended up antagonizing an enemy state, there is a good chance you would ignite a war between provinces. Thousands, including yourself, would have to be sacrificed all because you''re too chicken shit to embrace the responsibilities thate with being born a member of the Oda n..."


    Taken aback by the woman''s words, Nobu found himself unable to speak. He wanted to say she was just talking out of her ass, but, as the Matriarch of a kunoichi n, her knowledge of this world and its politics made his own look like a joke. Hell, he could barely even ept what he had seen during the rtively short journey up the mountain. This clearly wasn''t his world, and, even if he genuinely believed everyone was touched in the head, the reality was that the vast majority of people would view him in a simr light...


    "I guess this is how I be the ''Fool of Owari''..."


    Though he had muttered the words to himself, Hitomi could both read lips and had exceptional hearing. She wouldn''t be the Matriarch of a kunoichi n if she wasn''t capable, so, the moment she heard Nobu''s musing, an expectant smile spread across her face before she, once again, closed her eyes and continued drinking tea. When dealing with hot-blooded people like Nobu, it was best to let them do most of the talking. The more you tried to reason with them, the more they would try to argue with you. Shere merely needed to exin the cold hard truth to him, and, so long as he wasn''tpletely hopeless, he should be able to reason his own conclusion without any additional guidance.


    Seeing Yui''s Grandmother return to drinking tea, an extremely frustrated expression appeared on Nobu''s face as he genuinely didn''t know what to do. The simplest answer seemed to be going off and doing his own thing, but, even if he changed his name and attempted toy low, people were bound to take notice of him as his cultivation increased. She had also mentioned enemy shinobi. If they were to discover his true identity, it wouldn''t matter if he imed he was unaffiliated with the Oda n. They would still attempt to capture him, and-


    Interrupting his own train of thought, Nobu''s brows furrowed even deeper as he asked, "What will happen to Yui and Yuriko if I choose to abandon my name...?"


    Maintaining her characteristically calm and confident smile, Hitomi met Nobu''s gaze before, once again, saying, "I do not believe that is any of your concern. We are a kunoichi n. It would be one thing if you were a member of the Oda n but you''ve already expressed your desire to abandon your duty and set out on your own. The less you know about our family and its affairs, the better..."


    Finished with her words, Hitomi was about to return to her tea when Nobu shouted, "That''s fucking bullshit! You''ve already ruined countless girls'' lives with your retarded ass traditions! Yui and Yuriko don''t need someone like you telling them what to do! Besides, they already pledged themselves to me! You have no right to keep them here...!"


    Waiting until Nobu had finished, Hitomi, without so much as a single change in expression, casually exined, "I have every right. I am the Matriarch of the Yoshitsune n. I am charged with ensuring the survival of my family and safeguarding the next generation of kunoichi until they have attained the skills necessary toplete their missions and return home alive. So, unless you can offer me a realistic alternative, you would do well to hold your tongue. I receive my orders from only one man, and you, Oda Nobunaga, are not him. You don''t even have the courage to ept who you are yet you believe you have the right to question others? Ridiculous. You don''t even have the strength to leave this ce of your own ord. Were it not for the pact we have made with the Oda n, you would be spending the rest of your days died up and drained of everyst drop of semen you ever produced. Ironic, isn''t it? You purport not to care about your identity yet it is quite literally the only thing protecting your menial little life..."


    Gnashing his teeth in response to the woman''s words, Nobu wanted nothing more than to scream out at the top of his lungs. The only problem was that he couldn''t actually think of anything to say. All of her words struck at the very heart of the matter, and, even if he wanted to refute them, what could he possibly aplish with his current power? Even the naked little girls that had swarmed him along the path could probably toss him out of the vige, yet here he was thinking about how to force the most powerful member of an ancient kunoichi n to listen to his demands...


    Feeling a powerful migraine swelling from the back of his mind, Nobu brought his left hand to his face and began massaging his temples. At the same time, he tried thinking about how he might be able to convince her to let Yui and Yuriko go, but, without anything to offer but his name...what else could he use as coteral...?


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: It doesn''t matter how right you think you are if society itself opposes you...)

 Chapter 45: Compromise

    Chapter 45: Compromise


    Though he didn''t want to admit it, Nobu was powerless so long as he remained, well, powerless. To make matters even worse, he had already used his name and the status that came with it in order to make things easier for himself. Yui and Yuriko never would have treated him so graciously if he was ''just'' Nanamori Natsu. It was also the only thing preventing him from being unabashedly yed to death or bing breeding stock for a bunch of thirsty kunoichi. In other words, without his name, he was nothing...


    Or was he...?"


    Thinking about what else he could provide, Nobu met the silver-haired woman''s gaze before calmly asking, "What do you want from me? You had to have brought me here for a reason..." in a resolute tone.


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Hitomi set down her tea and exined, "I want you to be the man you were meant to be. It''s as simple as that."


    Frowning in response to the straightforward answer, Nobu was about to ask what his other options were when the woman went on the exin, "I believe you might be overthinking this. Tell me, have you actually thought about what returning to the Oda n means? You im you don''t wish to be involved in politics, but is that actually true? If so, why are you so concerned with the management and affairs of my family? Is that not politics...?"


    Though he wanted to argue they were two separate issues, the only arguments Nobu could think of were simple titudes. He would arbitrarily be elevating himself to a moral high ground, but, unlike in his world, that actually had consequences here. There weren''t anyws guaranteeing freedom of speech, and, even if he was rightfully offended by something, he couldn''t take it to Twitter or spam thements sections of a news feed. In this world, the only things that mattered were power and status. He, technically, already had thetter, but, without the power to back it up, even status was meaningless to those who didn''t strictly observe it...


    Seeing Nobu seriously considering her words, Hitomi gave another small nod before returning to her tea. He might be unbelievably immature, but, considering he had very little experience with this world, she didn''t expect him to adapt immediately. She had no idea what kind of world his soul had wandered off to, only that it was drastically different from their own. Thus, while most people would have quickly lost patience with him, Hitomi wanted to believe that the Goddess who informed them of his condition and destiny hadn''t lied...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Far beyond the world where Nobu had reincarnated, a certain golden-haired Goddess with elven ears adopted a frown unsuited to her immactely sculpted face. Unfortunately, before she could check to see who was badmouthing her, a hole opened in the ceiling of her office. From within, an inordinately fat person with greasy skin, unkempt hair, and thick-rimmed sses dropped into her office like a bag of trash tossed down a chute. This immediately elicited a sigh from her throat, as, even before the man''s consciousness had returned, she could tell he was another sleazeball otaku that would either hit on her or make unreasonable demands...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After sitting in contemtive silence for the better part of twenty minutes, Nobu cautiously asked, "Can''t I be like a schr or something? I can''t really exin the details, but I possess a bit of knowledge pertaining to things like construction, infrastructure, and farming. If you agree to let me stay here, I can provide knowledge and information that might drastically improve the quality of life of people in the vige..."


    Since he really didn''t want to return to the Oda n, Nobu was seriously considering living among the Yoshitsune. He didn''t agree with their way of life, but, so long as they gave him room and board without involving him with their ''education system'', he could ignore them until he rued enough power. He also wouldn''t need to part with Yui and Yuriko, who, over thest three days, had grown on him more than he would ever admit.


    Though she was tempted to refuse him outright, Hitomi seriously considered Nobu''s proposal. So long as he didn''t cause any trouble, having him stay in the npound wasn''t a particrly bad idea. His mother and father were also likely to ept. They were well aware of the ''destiny'' that had been assigned to him, but, in spite of this, they were far more concerned with his safety and general well-being than any prophecy. Had she not vowed tomit ritual suicide if Nobu died during the two years he spent on the street, she never would have been able to convince them to let her stress test the potency of his destiny in regards to his survivability.


    Seeing no real downsides to the arrangement, Hitomi slowly nodded her head before saying, "I can agree to let you stay here, but there will be conditions. First and foremost, I will need to exin the situation to your parents. They will most likely wish to see you, so, if you''re serious about following through with this, you''ll need to control that temper of yours in order to alleviate any concerns they might have. As for the other conditions...well, that would depend on whether or not the information you can provide has any real value. This is neither a resort nor a vacation home. If you truly wish to stay here, you''ll need to earn your keep. Since you are a member of the Oda n, we can''t use you for breeding purposes. However, if you can''t find anything substantial to contribute, we can always have you and Yui assist in the education of kunoichi trainees. It''s pretty rare to have a willing male participant so it would undoubtedly provide some much-needed insight for the trainees preparing to undertake their first missions..."


    Despite his best efforts, Nobu was unable to prevent a shiver from passing through his body when he imagined being used as reference material by a bunch of scantily-d, if not naked, trainees. He wasn''t an exhibitionist, and, though he had willfully ignored Rynka''s peeping, the fact he was even aware of her said a lot about how attentive he was to being watched.


    Noticing Nobu''s difort, the smile on Hitomi''s face faded for the first time as she inly stated, "You are not in a position to have everything your way. If you want to speak concerning the matters of my n, be the next Lord and coordinate with the next Matriarch to reform things over the next hundred or so years. You might not like kunoichi, but ns like ours are the pirs supporting the nobility. Without eyes and ears in other countries, we would never know what our enemies are plotting. Without hands and feet working behind the scenes, the only way to settle disputes would be to go to war. You might have revisionist fantasies, Oda Nobunaga, but mere ideas don''t change a thing. Power, money, and time do."


    Though he couldn''t help frowning in response to the woman''s words, her final statement resonated deeply with Nobu''s personal views. Power, money, and time had also governed his previous world, and, were it not for the fact he had been born in the US, a ce where citizens often had an ample supply of all three, life would have been significantly more difficult. The living conditions of some second and third world countries were nightmare fuel for the people of his generation, and, though it had only been two months since his reincarnation, he was already nearing his wit''s end knowing that things like the inte simply didn''t exist.


    Believing he would have more freedoms here than in the Oda n, Nobu eventually took a deep breath before nodding his head and answering, "Fine. I''m confident that I can provide more than enough information to avoid having to participate in those kinds of bullsh...I mean, those kinds of lessons. Just promise me that, even if my knowledge isn''t up to snuff, you aren''t going to ask me to rub one out in front of a bunch of brats. I would, literally, rathermit suicide."


    Restraining the urge tough, Hitomi''s usual smile returned to her face as she mused, "I''m sure we can work out the specifics of your ''participation'' when the timees. For now, I''ll have someone guide you to an avable room. You will stay there until I send a missive to the Oda n and hear back from them. As for Yui, she will be along to attend you after gathering the other kunoichi from her generational group. Though a few of them might have trouble adapting to the sudden change, there are at least eleven girls who are quite eager to meet you..."


    Offering an awkward smile in response, Nobu resisted the temptation to say he didn''t need eleven kunoichi waiting on him hand and foot. This was tantamount to insulting their very existence, and, if they were anything like Yui and Yuriko, his eptance would mean a lot to them. There was also a high probability that all eleven were ridiculously beautiful girls, so, at the very least, he wouldn''t be bored during his stay in the Yoshitsune n...


    Noticing the tell-tale glimmer in Nobu''s eyes, the smile on Hitomi''s face became marginally more prominent as she said, "So long as you remain ''Oda Nobunaga'', I will not tell you what to do with your kunoichi. However, while you might not be concerned with such things in the present, there is a chance you will require their services in the future. I would suggest you leave at least half of them with their virginity intact. Our kunoichi are educated to imprint on the first man they sleep with so it will be a serious issue if they be too attached to you. It will be even worse if you be attached to them. There are few things more dangerous than a renegade kunoichi that has be infatuated with her Lord...it never, ever, ends well..."


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, Hitomi raised her index and middle fingers to produce a peculiar blue aura that flickered several times before evaporating into thin air. Almost immediately thereafter, a woman wearing the skimpiest outfit Nobu had seen thus far appeared out of thin air before promptly bending the knee, head lowered and her right fist touching the ground as she said, "Kunoichi Chikako greets the Matriarch! Please tell me how I can be of service!"


    Instead of looking down at Chikako, Hitomi''s heterochromatic gaze lingered on Nobu for a brief moment. This went unnoticed by the man in question, as, from the moment Chikako appeared, his gaze had wandered to herrgely exposed buttocks. It was only after several seconds had passed that he averted his eyes and noticed her watching. This resulted in him promptly averting his eyes, and, though he attempted to conceal it with a frown, Hitomi could see the embarrassment hidden beneath his mask of frustration.


    ("How cute. His personality suits Yui well...I''m actually a little envious...")


    As that thought crossed her mind, Hitomi looked down at the patiently waiting Chikako and said, "Chika-chan, there is someone I would like to introduce you to. Afterward, you will need to guide him to one of the spare bedrooms in the East Wing. Understood?"


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, Chikako immediately answered, "Understood!" before rising along with Hitomi''s gesture. Truth be told, she was actually quite nervous to be in the same room as a man. However, that was paltrypared to the rollercoaster of emotions she experienced when the Matriarch said, "This is Oda Nobunaga, First Son of Lord Senken. In other words, from this day forward, he is your Lord and Master. Fortunately, he has already encountered your little sister so I''m sure the two of you will have plenty to talk about. Now, be a dear and escort him to his room~."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This granny is pretty wicked...it''s no wonder Yui''s a closet Sadist (UwU)...)

 Chapter 46: Breaking the Ice

    Chapter 46: Breaking the Ice


    After following Chikako to his room, his eyes wandering to herrgely exposed ass more than a dozen times throughout the rtively short journey, Nobu found himself seated across from the red-eyes beauty who, like himself, had half her face was concealed with a mask. This was far from her most prominent feature, however. No, the thing that stood out the most, so much so that he genuinely had a hard time not staring, was the fact that the woman was garbed in little more than a ck loincloth with transparent meshes covering her breasts, arms, and thighs. Her breasts were on the smaller size, roughly around the transition point between an A and a B-cup, but, thanks to her peculiar garments, it was hard not to stare at them since he could clearly make out the shape and color of her nipples through the transparent mesh...


    Noticing her Lord''s eyes consistently deviate to her breasts, a not-so-subtle heat began spreading through Chikako''s body. She had felt anxious and confused when she first learned that the man in front of her was her Lord, but, now that he was ''sneakily'' eyeing her body, she actually felt relieved. After all, first impressions were extremely important, and, more often than not, even the Lords they served held kunoichi in contempt. The man sitting before her, however, showed no obvious signs of disdain or disgust. Rather, he almost seemed captivated by her body, his gaze tickling her skin and her heart every time he looked towards her...


    Noticing the outlines of a smile beneath Chikako''s facemask, Nobu''s expression became somewhat awkward as he scratched the back of his head and asked, "I''m guessing you''re Rynka''s sister, right? I can''t imagine you being rted to that pink-haired psycho..."


    Lowering her head, as was proper when addressing those with a higher status than oneself, Chikako dutifully replied, "My Lord is correct. Rynka is my half-sister. We share the same mother, Yoshitsune Miwa-sama. I hope she hasn''t done anything to offend you..."


    Though he was tempted to mention that Rynka had nearly buried him alive, Nobu got the feeling that Chikako would do something extreme if he did. She gave him a simr feeling to the one that Yuriko had been giving him ever since they had sex. It was like she was eager to prove herself, and, if he ordered her to, there was a very real chance she would head off to wring Rynka''s neck without hesitation.


    Recalling the warning given to him by Yui''s Grandmother, Nobu realized that it might not be such a good idea to regard the kunoichi around him as normal girls. The education they had received had turned them into somethingpletely different than the women he had dealt with in the past life. Thus, while he was more than a little tempted to have Chikako point her fat yet wlessly sculpted ass toward him, Nobu decided to take the Matriarch''s advice to heart until he got a better grasp of the situation. Besides, so long as he toughed it out for a bit, Yui and Yuriko would undoubtedly lend a hand...


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu decided to shift the topic away from Rynka, asking, "What can you tell me about the other girls in your generational group? I''ve already met Yui and Yuriko, so focus on the others and yourself. Shizune and Yuriko mentioned something about specialties so I''m assuming you have a few of your own?"


    Lowering her head a second time, Chikako didn''t hesitate to exin, "My Lord is correct. Though I am proficient in each of my n''s techniques, my specialties revolve around infiltration, stealth, and assassination. As for the others...I believe they would prefer to tell you themselves. Please ask again when they are present. I don''t want to steal away their opportunity to make a good impression on our Lord. Please forgive me..."


    Seeing Chikako press her forehead to the ground as a show of sincerity, an ufortable feeling spread through Nobu''s body as he furrowed his brows and said, "It''s fine...also, you don''t need to apologize for things like this. I''m pretty new to all this but that kind of over courteous behavior just makes me feel ufortable. When we''re alone like this, it''s fine to act casually."


    Raising her head, visible confusion could be seen in Chikako''s crimson-red irises as she cautiously inquired, "Is that my Lord''s order...?"


    Nodding his head, Nobu exined, "Yeah. We might be spending the next few years together so we might as well get to know each other. Besides, I''ve never been a fan of all that prim and proper shit. You can act like a proper kunoichi when you need to, but, when we''re alone like this, just rx. Your constant bowing and shit is making me tense..."


    With an even more confused expression on her face, Chikako remained silent for several seconds before replying, "I...see..." in an uncertain tone. Then, after an even longer period of contemtion, she tentatively asked, "When my Lord says to act casually...what does he mean...? I haven''t received any training like that...at least, not that I can remember..."


    Though she had been taught how to blend in with crowds, observe targets, and even emte their behavior, Chikako, like most kunoichi, didn''t know what it meant to act casually. She had only ever left Yumegakure a single time, and, even then, she hadn''t really interacted with anyone outside of slitting their throats. She had been taught how to observe a mark over an extended period of time so that she might ''borrow'' their identity, but, other than that, the only way she knew how to act was in strict adherence to the n''s teachings...


    Not expecting such a question, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words. He could tell from the serious and concerned look she was giving him that Chikako wasn''t attempting to pull his leg or bullshit him. She genuinely had no idea what he was talking about, so, after a while, he just shook his head and exined, "Well...the first thing you need to do is rx. Like, you don''t need to force yourself to sit in an ufortable position just because it''s considered proper. Also, when we talk like this, you don''t need to call me Lord. Just call me Nobu, Nobu-sama, or something simr. It sounds he weird to hear girls my own age referring to me as Lord and Master..."


    Furrowing her brows at the mere notion of referring to her Lord without honorifics, Chikako said, "If it is what my Lordmands, I will do my best. However, if acting casually is your onlymand, I don''t think I can refer to you without honorifics. The mere thought of such things fills my heart with an extreme feeling of difort. Are Yui-sama and Yuriko-dono able to refer to you as such...?"


    Recalling how both Yui and Yuriko began referring to him as Lord the moment he revealed his true name, an annoyed grimace developed across Nobu''s face. He might be bothered by honorifics, but, in a society built upon them, it was apparently even more ufortable for people to refer to him without them. This was yet another difference in his way of thinkingpared to the people of this world, so, after a brief moment of silence, he just muttered, "Whatever..." before following it up by saying, "Call me however you please. Just don''t be overly formal about it."


    Disying a visibly relieved smile, Chikako restrained the urge to bow as she softly replied, "My Lord is a very kind man..." before surprising him quite a bit by trying to emte the way he was sitting. This meant sitting on her ass with her legs crossed in a rxed lotus position that left very little to the imagination despite a ck cloth covering her front. After all, much like the rest of the clothes she was wearing, it was also transparent...


    ...


    ..


    .


    As Nobu was just beginning to grow ustomed to the presence of the nearly-naked Chikako, a soft thud could be heard outside his door prior to a mature woman''s voice softly stating, "Pardon our interruption. We were informed that our Lord, Oda Nobunaga-sama, was staying here. May we enter?"


    Before answering in the affirmative, Nobu uttered a confused, "We...?" while Chikako, seemingly recognizing the voice, quickly fixed her sitting posture. This caught Nobu''s attention, but, rather than overthink things, he just nodded his head and stated, "Enter." in what he believed to be an authoritative voice.


    Following hismand, a ridiculously attractive woman with silvery grey hair and honey-colored eyes opened the door before entering alongside a scary-looking chick with animalistic armor and a dirty woman with unkempt brown hair that extended down to her ass.


    Though the outfits and figures of the first two women caught Nobu''s attentions, the mere presence of the third caused him to frown. She seemed to take note of this, but, unlike the other kunoichi he had seen thus far, she just stretched the back of her head, ostensibly oblivious to the looks she was receiving from the other girls as she casually stated, "Sorry about the smell. I''m just a stable hand so I''m not really sure why Kumiko decided to pull me along. I mean, I''ll do what I can, but I doubt your Lordship needs someone who flunked out of the kunoichi program. The only things I''m good at are collecting shit and making manure..."


    Hearing the woman''s somewhat brash tone, Nobu was actually a little relieved to know that not all the kunoichi were as robotic as Chikako. Manure was actually extremely important in a society that was heavily reliant on agricultural goods, and, though he could only remember the basics, he knew it could be used to make things likepost, fertilizer, peat, paper, and even building materials. It was, quite literally, a shitty job to have but that didn''t mean it was useless.


    Unfortunately, the other two girls saw him covering his already masked face and interpreted it as if he was offended. The scarier-looking of the two beauties, a woman with ashen-grey hair tied into a loose ponytail, immediately motioned to unsheathe a ridiculously long katana from her back as she said, "Kazue. Apologize to Lord Nobunaga-sama."


    With ck and red body armor that gave her an almost demonic and bestial appearance,plete with a fang-toothed mask covering the lower half of her neck and face, it was readily apparent that the ashen-haired woman specialized inbat. She even possessed intense blue eyes that seemed to pierce through whatever she was looking at, and, were it not for the fact she still disyed a fair amount of skin around her back and thighs, she could have passed as a fierce warrior rather than a kunoichi.


    Showing a troubled yet unfrightened expression, the unkempt-looking woman, Kazue, was about to perform a dogeza when Nobu interrupted the tense atmosphere, saying, "Calm down. And you, put away that fucking massive ass meat cleaver. I don''t need you getting offended on my behalf."


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, the ashen-haired woman sheathed her sword before promptly falling to one knee, lowering her head, and saying, "I have been presumptuous. Please punish me, Master."


    Though she had yet to say or done anything, the other grey-haired beauty, Kumiko, also lowered her body as if she was prepared to receive a punishment. After all, she had been about to rebuke Kazue, and, even if she hadn''t followed through on it, the intention was still there. This forced an exasperated sigh from Nobu, but, in spite of this, he couldn''t help staring at the stressed fabric of Kumiko''s outfit, muttering, ("She has massive tits...") within his mind.


    Waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, Nobu surprised the duo by saying, "Whatever. Look. I''m not going to punish you or anything. Just chill out, take a seat, and introduce yourselves. If we''re going to be spending the next few years together, we might as well try to get along. Now, since I already heard your names, how about we start with you, the girl with the big tits. Kumiko, was it...?"


    Hearing the way her Lord had referred to her, Kumiko stared at her breasts for several seconds before looking up and offering a smile as she answered, "My Lord heard correctly. This one''s name is, indeed, Kumiko. It is my life''s greatest honor to finally meet you, Lord Nobunaga-sama. If there is ever anything I can do for you, anything at all, please let me know."


    Interpreting Nobu''sment as interest, Kumiko drew her arms a bit closer together in order to emphasize her already ample bosom. She was easily a D-Cup, and, though she was just as petite as every other girl he had encountered thus far, the people Nobu had met with evenrger breast thus far were Shizune and that white-haired vixen that attempted to charm him. Yui''s Grandmother was just as t as she was, and, despite her birthing a rapacious brat with ginormous breasts, Shizune''s had only been around a B-Cup, if that...


    Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Nobu tore his eyes away from Kumiko''s breasts with a bit of reluctance before shifting his attention to the armored girl kneeling next to her and saying, "You''re next...? Wait, now that I think about it, I didn''t actually hear your name...?"


    "Kiku. This one''s name is Yoshitsune Kiku. It is my life''s greatest honor to be in service to the Young Lord of the Oda n. It is my privilege to safeguard you and cut down your enemies. If there is ever anything you need to be killed, please do not hesitate to ask. I will seed or die trying."


    Taken aback by the woman''s fervor, Nobu didn''t even need to ask in order to understand what Kiku specialized in....


    "Wait...Kiku...as in Chrysanthemum?"


    Though he couldn''t see it due to her mask, a smile spread across Kiku''s face as she bowed her head and answered, "My Lord is well-versed in the Old Tongue. Yes, my name means Chrysanthemum." in an audibly gratified tone.


    Sensing the woman''s satisfaction, Nobu swallowed the words that nearly escaped his mouth before internally remarking, ("Well...that exins why she is such a tightass...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Chrysanthemum is ng for anus/asshole (UwU)...)

 Chapter 47: Rising Tensions

    Chapter 47: Rising Tensions


    With Kazue going on to exin that she had spent thest six years taking care of cows, chickens, and other livestock, Nobu was starting to get a basic idea of what everyone was good at. It seemed that Kumiko, the girl with the big tits, was meant to be the ''manager'' of the group. She specialized in gathering information, encrypting it, and decoding the messages of others. As for Kiku, the crazy sword-toting woman, she was supposed to be one of his public bodyguards, a duty shared by three other women.


    Originally, Nobu was intended to have four public bodyguards, four shadow operatives, a medic, and an information specialist. Unfortunately, due to his untimely demise, his medic, Kazue, fell into a deep state of depression that ultimately resulted in her being dered useless. As for the rest of his intended team, two couldn''t even meet with him at the present moment due to their animalistic traits and anger issues. He would need to visit them under the close scrutiny of several others just to give them a chance to adapt to his presence.


    As troublesome as that sounded, it was nothingpared to the helplessness Nobu felt when the girls began asking him what his intentions were. They were all eager to be of use to him, but, due to his original desire to set out on his own, he really didn''t have anything for them to do. Thus, for the time being, they just sat around making awkward conversation while awaiting the arrival of Yui and Yuriko.


    Fortunately, this didn''t take nearly as long as Nobu expected, as, prior to their arrival, Yui had been the one to inform Kumiko, Kiku, and Kazue about where he was staying. Thus, after one of the most awkward thirty minutes of his life, Nobu breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Yui''s familiar voice saying, "Pardon our interruption, Nobunaga-sama. Yui and four others have arrived. May we enter?"


    Though he would have preferred it if she just walked in, Nobu didn''t let it bother him too much as he answered, "Yeah, yeah. Come on in. Let''s get this meet and greet over with so I can take a bath and get some sleep."


    Waiting until he had finished speaking, Yui opened the door to reveal Yuriko, two girls with massive tits, and a ditzy-looking girl with a somewhat dazed expression on her face. What drew his attention the most, however, was the fact that Yui had changed out of her warrior attire, substituting it for an incredibly skimpy kimono that hugged her curves without leaving anything to the imagination.


    Though the ck garment suited her quite a bit, especially with a red flower pattern and crimson obi, Nobu couldn''t help frowning as he asked, "What happened to your previous outfit? Don''t get me wrong, this one isn''t bad. It''s just not you. If you have the option, I''d rather you switch back to your old outfit. I don''t care what that old bat has to say. Even if you didn''t earn your qualifications as a warrior, you''re more than qualified from my perspective."


    With the eyes of everyone in the room focusing on her, Yui found herself rooted to the spot. She hadn''t expected this to be the first thing he mentioned after their abrupt separation. She had even spent a bit of time thinking about how she should apologize, but, as if he didn''t me her for what happened; he focused on her change in apparel, intuited that it had something to do with her failed mission, and then immediately attempted to console her...


    Despite a sour feeling building in her nose, Yui''s expression remained unperturbed as she offered a smile and said, "Yui has received her Lord''s orders. Once we have been dismissed, I will immediately revert back to my previous apparel."


    Restraining the urge to tell her to loosen up, Nobu just nodded his head before matching Yuriko''s gaze and saying, "Hey...lookin'' good..." in an audibly awkward tone. He had noticed her squinting her eyes when he was talking to Yui, but, the moment he looked towards her, a smile developed across her face as an expectant glimmer appeared within her amber eyes.


    With the Matriarch''s words repeating in the back of his mind, Nobu made a mental note to ask for Yui''s opinion regarding his treatment of the other girls. She would know more about the quirks of Yoshitsune kunoichi than he did, so, rather than jump to any conclusions, he just returned a smile despite noticing Yuriko swallowing hungrily.


    Emting the same casual gesture used by Nobu, Yuriko raised her hand, a rxed smile on her face as she replied, "Thanks for thepliment. You''re lookin'' pretty good yourself..."


    Just as they had reacted to Yui, every eye in the room shifted to Yuriko the moment they heard her speak in such an ''uncouth'' manner to their Lord. Kiku even appeared as though she would draw her katana the moment he gave the signal. Instead, Nobu made a cating gesture with his hands, an annoyed frown on his face as he said, "Everyone just calm down and take a seat. Stop freaking out over everything. Seriously."


    Without so much as a single sign of hesitation or intent to argue, each of the five girls who had just entered quickly arranged themselves in the row that had formed in front of him. The only exception was Yui, who, as her position dictated, attempted to take a seat behind and to his left. This caused a visible twitch in Nobu''s brow, so, without hesitation of his own, he looked back and said, "Move up. I don''t want to turn my head every time you need to say something. Sit right here."


    Patting the spot immediately to his left, Nobu felt the atmosphere palpably tense as even Yui shook her head and said, "I mustn''t...only my Lord''s wife can take the seat at his side..."


    Deadpanning, Nobu answered, "I''m clearly not a normal Lord." before questioning, "Are you going to ignore my orders...?" in a dull monotone.


    Though she appeared remarkably nervous throughout the entire ordeal, Yui managed to swallow the knot in her throat before taking the seat to Nobu''s left. She had never imagined she would be in this position, but, much to her surprise, it didn''t actually feel wrong. Instead, it felt like any other seat until she looked over and saw Nobu smiling back at her. This caused her back to straighten, and, though she did her best to calm the beating of her heart, a ruddy red hue colored her cheeks as the eyes of nearly every girl present gazed upon her with envy...


    "Okay then..."


    Feeling the tensions increase even further, Nobu tried to guide the conversation back on track by pointing towards the oldest-looking girl in the group, a brte with bangs covering the right side of her face and a rack that even put Kumiko''s to shame. As for her outfit, she was dressed more so than the vast majority of kunoichi, and, if the des on her arms were any indicator, she was most likely one of the girls intended to protect him.


    "We''ll start with you. Skip all that stuff about this being the greatest honor of your life and just tell me your name and specialties."


    Reacting with a courteous bow, the inordinately buxom woman answered, "My name is Yoshitsune Aiko. I specialize in deflecting long-ranged projectiles and assassination. If there is anyone my Lord ever requires killing. Please call upon me."


    "Right..."


    Suppressing the difort he felt when hearing someone unhesitantly state they were willing to kill at his behest, Nobu pointed to the next girl in the line, a distinctly Japanese-looking girl with thergest tits in the entire group. She could even give Shizune a run for her money, and, thanks to her loose ck kimono, it seemed like they were just one quick turn from flopping out.


    Interpreting her Lord''s gaze and pointing as an indication she should introduce herself, the ck-haired beauty unhesitantly bowed forward, and, as a result, her breasts very nearly jumped out of her kimono. This caused Nobu''s eyes to widen quite a bit, a reaction that was noticed by virtually every woman present except the one bowing before him and stating, "My name is Yoshistune Cho. My specialties are cooking, poison tasting, poisons, and assassination. It has always been my dream to prepare a meal for my Lord so please let me know if you are ever feeling famished."


    Though he was more than a little put off by the idea of someone specializing in poisons preparing his meals, Nobu forced a smile when the woman raise her head and stared at him with an expectant look in her pitch-ck yet strangely luminescent eyes.


    "Yeah...sure...I''m actually pretty hungry so you can cook something once we''re finished here..."


    As if she had just been told her incurable cancer had miraculously disappeared, Cho adopted one of the most radiant smiles Nobu had ever witnessed as she brought her fingers together and happily chimed, "This is quickly bing the happiest day of my life~."


    "..."


    Finding himself at a loss for words, Nobu just maintained an awkward smile as he pointed towards the next girl, the most slender and oundish girl in the entire group. Her skin was even paler than Shizune''s, but, for some reason, it didn''t look bad on her at all. Instead, it suited her honey-colored hair, pale blue eyes, and slender figure perfectly. As for what made her odd, it was the fact she had no pupils in her eyes. Instead, she had faded grey rings that made it hard to tell where, or what, she was focused on.


    Demonstrating her oddities even further, the honey-haired girl performed a slow and graceful bow as she answered, "My name is...Yoshitsune...Ayane...my specialties...observation...memory...hunting...I like animals...and other things...it is a pleasure...to meet you...Nobunaga...sama..."


    Though Ayane''s introduction was rtively short, Nobu felt like his thought processes had slowed to a crawl just by listening to her speak. He was tempted to ask why she talked this way, but, fearing he might find himself in a real-life version of the Zootopia DMV scene, he promptly decided against it. Instead, he pped his hands together and said, "Great! Now, let''s see if I can actually remember everyone''s names..."


    Since some of the girls actually had very simr names, Nobu wasn''t entirely sure he would be able to avoid calling them incorrectly. Fortunately, Kiku''s name helped him out quite a bit in this regard, as, not only did she have a distinguishing appearance; it was difficult to forget a name that sounded like a slur. Thus, without too much difficulty, he went around the room and called out each person''s name before ending things off with the freebies, Yuriko and Yui.


    Though he hadn''t been trying to show off, an awkward smile developed across Nobu''s face when every girl present, sans Yui, began pping for him. He felt like some rich CEO whose ass everyone was eager to kiss, and, should he ask them to, Nobu harbored no delusions about the girls'' answer. They would even kill at his behest so things like sexual intimacy and service were aplete joke to them. He just had to be careful they didn''t ''imprint'' on him as the Matriarch had warned. After all, a harem might be the dream of some degenerate Otaku, but things became markedly more difficult when every member of the group was an assassin trained to kill the person they imprinted on...


    Fortunately, as much as his eyes wandered, Nobu didn''t consider himself a pervert. Rather, the girls around him were simply too beautiful. They also wore outfits specifically designed to draw attention to their bodies, so, in a way, he would be doing them a disservice by ignoring them. Regardless, the truth of the matter was that he wasn''t particrly desperate to get his dick wet, and, even if he was, Yui was more than enough to handle him without Dragon''s Vigor. Thus, after a surprisingly lengthy discussion regarding guard rotations, Nobu dismissed all but Yui and Yuriko before asking the duo if they would apany him to the bath...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Imagine being trapped in a room with people specifically trained to kill without batting an eye xD...)

 Chapter 48: Hindsight and Looking Forward

    Chapter 48: Hindsight and Looking Forward


    In hindsight, Nobu should have realized that a hot springs bath attached to a kunoichi den would be essible to said kunoichi. There were also no men living within the temple so it wouldn''t have made sense for them to have something like a men''s bath.


    Simply put, bathing in the temple estate meant sharing a bath with the people, more specifically, the kunoichi who lived there.


    Though he could have requested they allot him a specific time of day to bathe, that meant ''only'' being able to bathe at that specific time. Nobu had never been particrly schedule oriented, so, after the initial shock of stepping into a changing room filled with half a dozen naked women, he did his best to ignore their stares as Yui and Yuriko guided him to one of the smaller pools in the expansive, open-air, bath.


    Seeing her Lord walk with a wooden washbasin covering his crotch, a faint smile crept its way unto Yuriko''s face as she waited until he was seated in the water to remark, "You know, there''s no reason for you to feel shy. None of the girls here have any aversions to being seen naked, and, even if you get an erection, I''m sure they would appreciate it more than anything. Besides, don''t you think it''s a little silly that you''re the only one embarrassed in this situation? You should have more confidence."


    Staring back at the naked beauty sitting on the edge of the bath without making a single attempt to cover herself, Nobu found himself at a loss for words. Fortunately, Yui seemed perfectly happy to speak for him, her expression severe as she stated, "Yuriko. Even if our Lord has given us permission to speak freely, there is such a thing as too casual."


    Raising her brows in response to Yui''s rebuke, Yuriko leaned back, supported by her hands as she opened her muscr thighs to reveal the secret garden hidden within. She didn''t miss the flicker of Nobu''s eyes as he ''sneakily'' caught a glimpse, but, feigning ignorance, she nced back at Yui and asked, "Am I wrong though? Our Lord is at a disadvantage if nudity bothers him to this extent. He''s at an age where he should have built an immunity against this kind of thing. I''m just concerned that some strange woman or foreign kunoichi will seduce him when we''re not looking. Even here, at the very heart of our n''s territory, there is a chance he could be targetted..."


    Though it might sound like Yuriko was exaggerating, the truth of the matter was that there were a number of kunoichi serving other members of the Oda n gathered within Yumegakure and the main estate. They might not publicize it, for a variety of reasons, but they would quicklye to know of Nobu''s stay in the vige. Once that happened, the kunoichi serving the Sixth Elder and his children were bound to try something.


    Unable to deny Yuriko''s words, Yui, who had also forgone any attempts to conceal herself, looked towards Nobu, an apologetic smile on her face as she said, "I''m afraid Yuriko''s right. The eleven of us will do our best to protect you but there is only so much we can do on our own. I can help you, but we''ll need toe up with ways to make you a harder target. Other than that, our best option is to forge alliances with other kunoichi and seek the support of an Elder. Even just one Elder would provide greater protection than the eleven of us so it''s something my Lord ought to consider..."


    Exhaling a tired sigh, Nobu didn''t immediately respond to Yui''s words of advice. Instead, he let his body sink into the remarkably hot water until it had nearly reached his nose. This made him vaguely aware of the fact that the hot springs didn''t smell anything like sulfur, but, with other things on his mind, such observations were just passing notions.


    Feeling tired and annoyed, Nobu began to blow bubbles as Yui and Yuriko watched him with wry smiles on their faces. They couldn''t make decisions for him as that would be aplete reversal of their position as Lord and Retainers. He could ask them for advice, sure, but, in the end, the only person that had any say in the matter was Nobu himself...


    With his thoughts briefly shifting to a certain pink-haired Elder, Nobu gradually pulled his body from the water, surprising the two girls by sitting on the edge of the bath and allowing his not-so-little brother to proudly stand at attention. This caused the ambient soundsing from the other baths to fade away, but, doing his best to ignore the dozens of eyes that had immediately shifted toward him, Nobu asked, "How many Elders are there?" before following up with, "Wait, should we even be talking about this kind of thing in such a ''public'' ce...?"


    Tearing her eyes away from Nobu''s lower body, Yui met his gaze with a faint smile as she answered, "If my Lord continues to adapt this quickly, we might not have to worry for very long. For now, it''s probably for the best that we finish bathing as soon as possible. Cho would have already prepared a meal by now. Shall I wash your back?"


    Surprising the duo, Nobu shook his head and answered, "Nah. I kind of just want to rx. Besides, don''t the two of you need to wash your hair?"


    Shaking her own head this time, Yui regained her smile as she exined, "We''ll returnter in the evening. Our Lord need not concern himself with such things. Rather, even if we were to wash our hair now, it would only be messyter on. It''s pretty obvious that our Lord''s frustrations have been building ever since we reached the vige..."


    Staring down at Nobu''s almost painfully erect penis, Yui made it very clear what she was trying to insinuate. This caused Nobu to return to the water, a deadpan expression on his face as he fell into a contemtive silence thatsted more than a minute. He had actually been thinking about sex a lot more than usual ever since he scaled the mountain, not because he was a particrly horned-up individual, but because every woman he had met was ridiculously hot, scantily d, and more than willing to spread their legs and let him fuck the living daylights out of them...


    Though he might have fantasized about having a harem when he was still a virgin, such sentiments faded quickly once he actually experienced how troublesome and high maintenance some women could be. This led to him having far more one-night stands thanmitted rtionships, as, more often than not, it simply wasn''t worth it. Now that he was surrounded by women he could probably fuck at his leisure, Nobu actually felt physically exhausted rather than excited. Sure, his body might be reacting, but, with every woman in his surroundings being more than capable of killing him in an instant, he couldn''t help feeling a little suffocated...


    "Do you mind if we join you...?"


    Though Yui and Yuriko had noticed the girls approaching long before they asked their question, it was only after he heard their words that Nobu came back to his senses and looked over to find two girls. Both had ck hair with a strange blue tint to it but the woman who had spoken possessed a mature figure with shapely breasts, wide hips, thick thighs, a fat ass, and neatly trimmed pubes. As for the second girl, she couldn''t have been more than 12-13, and, based on their matching hair and eye color, they were either sisters or a mother/daughter pair.


    Since it was ultimately Nobu''s decision to make Yui and Yuriko remained silent as he sat up and asked, "Why? There''s plenty of space in the other baths and I''m not a carnival attraction. Can''t you see I''m trying to rx?"


    Folding her hands over her crotch, the older of the two girls offered an apologetic bow as she said, "My apologies. It was not my intent to trouble you. It''s just, my daughter is going to be attempting her graduation exam soon and I thought she might benefit from interacting with a man. Even if it is only for a short while, will you please converse with her?"


    Frowning in response to the woman''s words, Nobu was about to tell her to fuck off when Yui''s and Yuriko''s words came to mind. So long as they weren''t ''enemy'' kunoichi, there was merit in building positive rapport with the members of other generational groups. You never knew who might have a connection with a powerful figure, so, after a moment of consideration, he said, "Fine. However, I''m not exactly a normal person. I doubt I can be of any real help..."


    Returning a smile, the older woman mused, "I am well aware of that. If you were any normal man, you wouldn''t be attempting to rx in a bath filled with kunoichi. Most people wouldn''t have the courage to pass through our gate, much less expose themselves in this manner. Even the Lord of the Oda n only visits the main estate once throughout their entire life. Everyone else avoids this ce as if it''s infested with the ck Death. After all, Inari Okami-sama is both incredibly fond and extremely resentful of men..."


    As she was saying all of this, the ck-haired woman sat across from Nobu while her daughter took a seat barely a person''s distance to his left. He noticed she didn''t seem particrly nervous. Rather, much like Chikako, her expression was borderline apathetic as she stared back at him and said, "My name is Takao. Yoshitsune Takao. Might I ask what your name is?"


    Since news of Nobu''s stay in the n had yet to propagate throughout Yumegakure, his presence was more so a topic of intrigue than anything else. Everyone was curious about his identity, but, just as Yui had managed to remain rtively low-key by acting in a high-profile manner, Nobu was able to achieve a simr result by merely going with the flow. It was kind of like how a group of people dressed as movers could show up with a van and steal a bunch of stuff from a person''s house and nobody would even think to call the cops. The key was to act normal, and, so long as you didn''t do anything to stand out, the average person would simply assume you have the right to be there.


    Terrifying both mother and daughter, Nobu attempted to appear as rxed as possible as he casually replied, "My name is Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga. It''s nice to meet you, Takao and...?"


    Realizing she was addressing her, Takao''s mother nearly leaped out of the bath with the intent to perform a dogeza when Yui interjected, stating, "Our Lord hase here to rx. Please do not make a scene. If he was troubled by your behavior, he would not have allowed you to join him in the bath."


    Though her heart was racing a mile a minute, Takao''s mother appeared to regain her calm after hearing Yui''s words. Immediately after that, she turned her eyes up, her expression bing a perfect mask of a bashful beauty as she meekly replied, "Rukia. My name is Yoshitsune Rukia. It would be my life''s greatest honor if Nobunaga-sama refers to me by my first name..."


    Since Nobu had addressed her daughter without honorifics, Rukia was hoping he would do the same with her. She didn''t harbor any hopes of being able to seduce him, but, so long as she could make a positive impression, she could drastically decrease her daughter''s chances of losing her life in one of the more unsavory missions kunoichi were sent on. It was surprisingly difficult for average kunoichi to even meet a Noble, so, now that one was right in front of her, she wanted to do what she could to protect her daughter. She had already lost the other two. She couldn''t bear to lose herst...


    Frowning in response to Rukia''s sudden shift in behavior, Nobu, once again, resisted the temptation to just tell her to fuck off. He wasn''t sure how long he would be loitering within the Yoshitsune n but there was a chance it might be years. Since behaving hostilely had only gotten him fucked over god knows how many times, he needed to control his anger, at least until he had enough power to ''make'' people fuck off. Thus, just as Rukia was thinking about apologizing for her impertinence, he forced a smile and said, "It''s nice to meet you...Rukia...Takao..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Our boy is beginning to learn...)

 Chapter 49: Burdens, Responsibilities, and Faults

    Chapter 49: Burdens, Responsibilities, and Faults


    After a lengthy discussion with the mother-daughter duo, Nobu returned to his room feeling even more exhausted than when he left. Fortunately, as Yui had suggested, Cho was waiting outside his room with a tray filled with traditional Nianese cooking. When she saw them approaching, a radiant smile developed across her face, and, though it was probably just a cebo effect, Nobu felt a little less tired after seeing how happy she was to see him.


    As someone who had spent more than a decade learning how to cook various foods, Cho''s cooking was, as could be expected, remarkably tasty. Nobu had absolutely zeroints regarding the quantity or quality of the food, and, though it was more than a little awkward, he didn''t mind Cho watching him eat as if it was the most captivating thing she had ever witnessed. After all, while she was watching him, Nobu got quite the eye full as her loose ck kimono gradually slipped from her fair white shoulders...


    If there was anything Nobu found dissatisfying, it was the fact that Cho had only prepared enough food for him. This didn''t seem to bother Yui and Yuriko, who sat silently off to the side, but it was a little awkward having three women watching as he was the only one who ate. When he asked about it, they informed him that it was improper for a Lord''s attendants to eat alongside them, not due to hierarchal concerns, but because they needed to remain alert for any signs of danger.


    Though they were in the very heart of Yoshitsune n territory, saying Yumegakure was safe would be a gross overstatement. Things might be a little different if Nobu was powerful, but, at his current level, any random trainee would be able to take advantage of him. If he sauntered about without an escort and happened to cross paths with a group of kitsune, he would be lucky to get away with his life.


    It wasn''t that the girls would proactively try and kill him. Rather, the crux of the problem was that even young kitsune possessed inhuman physical strength. As a result, there was a very real chance they would rip Nobu apart byplete ident. Thus, at least for the time being, they couldn''t let Nobu walk around freely. Even a single moment''s negligence could spell his end, as, despite being rtively talented, the kunoichi serving him weren''t even among the top 100 in the n...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With the departure of Cho, Nobu was left alone with Yui and Yuriko. Thetter had volunteered to be the first watch, and, though she would take breaks while he was asleep, Yui had mentioned she would be following him pretty much wherever he went. She was his primary bodyguard, and, more importantly, the strongest among the eleven women serving him. The only times she would ever be away from him was when he ordered her to leave or when two or more of his bodyguards were at his side. Even then, however, she would always remain nearby, just in case...


    Seeing the fierce determination contained within the duo''s eyes, Nobu did his best to appear calm as he asked, "So? What do the two of you think we should do? All I really need is time and I should be able to increase my strength pretty quickly. Any suggestions...?"


    Though she was tempted to use this as an opportunity to ask her Lord about any secrets he might be keeping, Yui maintained a focused and serious expression on her face as she suggested, "If you exin things clearly to my Grandmother, I believe she would be willing to help. We can also try to ally ourselves with the Security and Information Elders. The former is in charge of the Custodians, a group of highly skilled kunoichi who are responsible for protecting the entirety of Yumegakure. As for thetter...she is Shizune''s mother and the person who oversees the flow of information in and out of the vige. Some say she is the most informed woman in all of Owari...though you might not like her, it would only benefit you to have her support..."


    Remembering the pink-haired woman who had attempted to y him before subsequently trying to seduce him, a tired and audibly annoyed sigh escaped Nobu''s throat. He had already reached a simr conclusion back in the bath, so, after hanging his head for a few moments, he shook it rather helplessly before looking up at the girls and saying, "Fine. Shizune actually provided a lot of helpful information. Her mother undoubtedly knows even more. As for your Grandmother...well, she seems like a tight ass but I can see how befriending her might be useful if I want to avoid future problems. Try arranging a meeting, requesting an audience, or whatever. That''s something you do, right?"


    Bowing her head on impulse, Yui dutifully answered, "I will make sure someone passes your words to them." before looking towards Yuriko. In response, thetter nodded her head in understanding before rising to her feet and saying, "I''ll be back in a few minutes. That okay with you?"


    Though he was about to tell her to take a chill pill, Nobu realized it would probably be best to get things like this out of the way as soon as possible. Nobody knew what the future held, and, based on the experiences he had umted since his reincarnation, it was fair to say this world didn''t forgive negligence.


    "Yeah...good luck..."


    Not really knowing what else to say, Nobu waved off Yuriko, a somewhat stupefied expression appearing on his face when she spontaneously disappeared.


    ("Is it a thing for ninjas to appear and disappear like this? I thought that shunshin or whatever was something that only appeared in anime...")


    Since he had someone who could actually answer such questions, Nobu looked toward Yui and asked, "How is everyone able to appear and disappear like that? I know kunoichi are supposed to be fast, but that shit is basically teleportation..."


    Not expecting such a question out of the blue, Yui paused for a brief moment, quickly organizing her thoughts before dutifully exining, "It has to do with themunication between the brain and the eyes. Though it is possible to drastically increase your perception along with your aura, the average person has a 0.2~0.5 second dy from the moment they see something and the moment their brain interprets that information. At close range, high-speed movements can resemble instant movement since the brain is unable to interpret the information picked up by the eyes fast enough. Because of this, the average person only sees a brief flicker while those with slightly more enhanced senses should be able to make out afterimages. From my perspective, I could see Yuriko leaping up to the ceiling, moving aside a tile, and vanishing into the attic..."


    Following Yui''s finger, Nobu looked up to see that the ceiling was covered with a bunch of woven bamboo tiles. He had seen something simr in the fiction of his previous world, but, imagining a bunch of kunoichi crawling around in the attic, he couldn''t help but furrow his brows as he asked, "Why didn''t she just exit through the door...?"


    Adopting a slightly apologetic smile, Yui went on to exin, "Though you wouldn''t notice them at first nce, there are quite a number of traps hidden throughout the estate. The Custodians switch these around every now and then so it''s actually a lot easier to travel through the roof than it is to walk around the premises. If you did, you might even think the estate ispletely empty due to the nts, paintings, and sculptures designed to induce people into a hypnotic trance..."


    Recalling his experience earlier in the day, a dryugh emanated from Nobu''s throat as he realized what must have happened. He hadn''t been put under anything like a genjutsu. Instead, the flowery smell that he had found rather pleasant had ced him in a trance. He had originally thought it was Shizune''s mother trying to ensnare him. Instead, he seemed to have yed himself by ignoring the words of the Matriarch as he attempted to leave the room...


    "Good luck, my ass...you cheeky fucking hag..."


    Though she knew he wasn''t talking about her, Yui still furrowed her brows, her voice lowered as she said, "Nobunaga-sama...you really shouldn''t speak like that. Not in this ce..."


    As it had been more than a month since Yui activelyined about his way of speaking, Nobu lowered his own voice, asking, "Are we being spied on...?"


    Smiling wryly this time, Yui resisted the urge to reply, "Obviously." and instead answered, "Well, we are in a kunoichi den. My sensory abilities aren''t advanced enough to say for certain. If Kiku or Kaia were here, they would have a better chance at detecting someone but even they would be helpless against kunoichi skilled in stealth and infiltration..."


    Hearing an unfamiliar name, Nobu''s brows raised as he inquired, "Kaia? Is that another one of my bodyguards...?"


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Yui exined, "Kaia is undoubtedly the most physically powerful among the eleven of us. Her cultivation is only around Silver 5 but even I wouldn''t be confident in facing off against her without a proper weapon. Her mother was afflicted with the Curse of the Full Moon while pregnant so Kaia was born as a Half-Lycan. Unlike normal Lycanthropes, she is always in a partially transformed state, effectively making her half-wolf. We''ll take you to meet her during the next New Moon but you''ll have to promise to stay several meters away from her cell. She''ll need to slowly adapt to being around you before we can entrust her with your protection..."


    Frowning at the mention of a cell, Nobu was about to ask why they had locked her away when Yui beat him to the punch, exining, "Lycanthropes are maneaters. They instinctually pursue humans with the intention of killing or converting them. Under normal circumstances, Kaia would have been killed the moment she was born. However, because she was born amidst the generation of kunoichi intended to serve you, my Grandmother ordered that her life be spared. Since then, Kaia has spent most of her life behind bars. She has received a specialized education and has been waiting for your arrival for thest eighteen years...we all have..."


    Though he knew she wasn''t ming him, Nobu couldn''t help feeling a pang of guilt when he saw the listless look in Yui''s eyes. His desire to keep his age and body hadn''t simply screwed over his own starting point, it had also made life difficult for the people who cared for him. He could me this on fate, the goddess, of whatever, but, in the end, it was his ignorance and selfishness that led to the current situation...


    "Fuuuuck me..."


    As those words slipped out as an exasperated sigh, Nobu began to massage his forehead until he noticed Yui fidgeting in front of him. When he looked up, he noticed a subtle blush had colored her cheeks. She was also still wearing the same skimpy kimono from before since she hadn''t really had the time to go back and get changed. If he looked closely, he could peer between her thighs and make out the exposed flesh hidden within, as, unlike when she dressed up as a warrior, Yui opted to gomando in her kunoichi attire...


    Misinterpreting Nobu''s gaze as unconcealed lust, Yui''s face became even redder as she averted her eyes to the side and whimpered, "My Lord...we mustn''t...if I dedicate myself to you right now, there won''t be anyone left to protect you..."


    Gawking in response to the surprisingly adorable disy, Nobu found himself at a genuine loss for words. This was a lot different from how she normally behaved, but, considering their situation had changed rather drastically over thest couple of days, it wasn''t difficult to understand why.


    Fortunately, or perhaps not, a soft sound could be heard outside the door before things got further out of hand. This caused Yui to go on full alert, but, hearing Yuriko''s voice, she quickly moved off to the side before sitting in a perfect seiza, her blush immediately fading away as a serious expression reced every trace of bashfulness in her countenance...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Kaia sounds very dangerous...)

 Chapter 50: Reaching an Accord

    Chapter 50: Reaching an ord


    Seeing how quickly Yui had gone from a bashful girl to a stoic-faced beauty, a contemtive frown appeared on Nobu''s face. In the end, however, he just shook his head and decided not to overthink things. Instead, in response to Yuriko announcing the arrival of herself and someone called Suzune-sama, his voice deepening as he said, "Come in."


    A stark contrast to how casually she had been behaving previously, Yuriko entered the room with a solemn and reverential expression on her face as she quickly made way for the pink-haired woman apanying her. This was the same woman Nobu had encountered during his attempt to search for Yui, but, unlike before, she radiated a strange aura that caused the hairs along his arms to stand on end.


    Before Nobu could think to say anything, Suzune offered a slight yet gracious bow before promptly raising her head and asking, "Yuriko-san has informed me you wished to speak with me. Please. Tell me. How might I be of assistance to the Young Lord of the Oda n?"


    Instead of lowering her head obsequiously or sitting in seiza as everyone else had done, Suzune remained standing near the entrance of the room. Her chin was also raised ever-so-slightly, and, though she wasn''t looking at him with scorn, the way her honey-colored eyes looked down at him gave Nobu the impression he was a tiny mouse that had just been cornered by a cat.


    Frowning in spite of this, Nobu''s tone remained heavy as he asked, "Did you always give off this creepy vibe?"


    "Ufufufufufufu~"


    Seemingly amused by his words, Suzune began tough while covering the lower half of her face with the inordinately long sleeve of her kimono. Then, with her eyes darting towards Yui for a brief moment, she mentioned, "As keen as I am to continue this conversation, I should inform you that it might create a substantial number of problems if we speak freely in front of your retainers. Personal feelings aside, I do have my dignity as an Elder to maintain. If you intend to say or do anything that might embarrass me in front of my juniors...well...every action has consequences..."


    Adopting an even deeper frown, Nobu asked, "Are you really trying to threaten us the shit you and your daughter pulled...?"


    Returning her gaze to Nobu, Suzune''s expression remained scarily calm as she answered, "I assure you, Waka-sama. I am not making threats...I am simply cautioning you against an ill-advised course of action. If you don''t want to take my word for it, feel free to ask your cute little retainers. They are well aware that every action, no matter how small, has consequences..."


    Shifting his attention to Yui, Nobu maintained his frown as the former bowed low and reverentially, stating, "Suzune-sama is correct." without raising her head.


    Resisting the urge to snort through his nose, Nobu internally muttered, ("How annoying...") before shaking his head and saying, "Fine. Whatever. The two of you can do whatever it is you think you''re supposed to be doing. Maybe change back into your armor while you''re at it. I don''t fucking know."


    Responding to Nobu''s words, Yui and Yuriko lowered their heads before synchronously answering, "Yes, Nobunaga-sama." in respectful tones. Then, with their hands folded over theirps and their backs ramrod straight, they slowly and gracefully departed the room before offering an additional bow and closing the door behind them.


    Hanging his head in his right hand, a tired sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he, once again, massaged his forehead. He knew it would be for the best if he just sucked it up or allowed himself to get used to these kinds of things. It just felt so...cringe...


    Now that Yui and Yuriko had departed the room, Suzune wasted no time in sitting a few meters to Nobu''s front and performing an impable dogeza. Her status as an Elder prohibited her from this type of performance in front of her juniors, but, now that they were gone, she unhesitantly lowered her head and politely stated, "I hope my actions have not inadvertently offended Waka-sama..."


    Though he knew he wasn''t doing himself any favors, Nobu snorted in response to Suzune''s words, grumbling, "You''re about as sincere as an apology letterced with Anthrax..."


    Raising her head, Suzune tilted her head towards the side with her ponytail, asking, "Anthrax...?" in an overtly cutesy and ostensibly curious tone.


    Ignoring the question, Nobu decided to get straight to the point, stating, "You can cut it with the cutesy act. I invited you here for three reasons. First, we need to settle the debts between us. After that, I want to know what you know about my situation. Depending on how these two things turn out, I may or may not have a favor to ask you..."


    Instead of immediately responding to Nobu''s words, Suzune just stared back at him for several tense moments, her honey-colored eyes closely observing everything from his facial expression to his bodynguage. She still owed him an apology. Two, in fact. Still, that didn''t mean she would just answer his questions without receiving any benefits of her own. He wasn''t her Lord, and, were it not for the fact her daughter had screwed up, quite severely, they wouldn''t be having this conversation right now.


    Now that she was thinking about it, Suzune realized that this was far too ''convenient'' to be a mere coincidence. There were numerous signs pointing to the possibility this was a plot by the Matriarch. Unfortunately, that didn''t change the fact that her daughter had nearly perpetrated an indefensible act against a descendent of the Oda n. If Nobu decided to raise this issue with his father...well, it wasn''t a lie when she said every action had its consequences.


    Adopting an overtly seductive smile, Suzune leaned forward ever so slightly as she said, "So long as it does not require me to betray my n or abdicate my position as Information Elder, I''m willing to do whatever it takes to make amends for mine and my daughter''s perceived slights. I may be out of practice, but I''m confident in my ability to satisfy Waka-sama''s every desire. I''m sure my daughter is more than willing to do the same..."


    Though the thought of fucking the pink-haired woman had crossed his mind numerous times by now, Nobu shook his head in response to Suzune''s offer, stating, "Nah. You and your daughter can both fuck off as far as fucking goes. All I want from you is information. Now, tell me what you know about me and my situation. After that, I want to know what kinds of issues are prominent within the vige as far as housing and infrastructure are concerned. My agreement with Yui''s Grandmother is to provide knowledge and information that might be of use. I can''t really do that without a proper understanding of the situation. Since you''re the Information Elder, you should have ess to all the things I need to know to make informed decisions. If you really want to express your sincerity, you and your daughter should stop worrying about my dick and start thinking about what you can do to help me unfuck some of the problems with your n."


    Surprised by the fervor underlying Nobu''s tone, Suzune sat up a little straighter before asking, "Is that all you desire? Though it mightpromise my position by saying this, you should know that I would have provided you information regardless of whether or not you asked for it. After all, I am ultimately a member of the Yoshitsune n. If you have reached an agreement with the Matriarch, it is only natural that I would do everything I can to support you. There isn''t much sense in making this into a personal matter unless there is something ''more'' you wish to obtain..."


    Snorting in response to the woman''s words, Nobu maintained a serious yet annoyed expression as he exined, "I honestly don''t give a fuck about things like this. I really just want to be left alone so I can figure shit out and do my own thing. Since that seems to be too much to ask, I have no choice but to involve myself with this bullshit. If you really want me toe up with something else. How''s about this? Be a better mother and unfuck your daughter. That brat is such a fucking hypocrite that it boggles the mind."


    Hearing Nobu unhesitantly insult her daughter, Suzune couldn''t help but furrow her brows. She felt he was being a little unfair, but, considering what Shizune had done, she couldn''t exactly me him for being upset. Had Yui not arrived when she did, Shizune would have done somethingpletely inexcusable. Thus, after a moment of consideration, she bowed her head low and said, "I will do my best to make sure she thoroughly reflects on this incident...I can also promise that nothing simr will ever happen again..."


    Snorting a second time, Nobu adopted a sardonic smile as he asked, "Oh? So you''re telling me that neither you nor your daughter is going to try and seduce me? Do you take me for a fool...?"


    Raising her head, Suzune adopted a slightly troubled look on her face as she muttered, "You''re not really leaving me with any room to breathe, Waka-sama. I can assure you that my words are sincere. Beyond that, I''m not sure what I can say or do to make you believe me..."


    Since he didn''t seem to show any interest in having sex, Suzune was genuinely troubled by the way Nobu was behaving. It was like he wanted her to convince him, but, at the same time, he cut off any avenues she might use to do so. If he wouldn''t believe her words, even when she was being sincere, what else did he expect her to do?


    In reality, even Nobu didn''t really know what he wanted from the pink-haired beauty sitting across from him. All he knew was that he was annoyed and that she was one of the primary reasons for his annoyance. The way Yui and Yuriko had been acting was also bothering him, so, even if she seemed sincere, he couldn''t allow himself to trust her. After all, she was a kunoichi, and, while he might not hate them in the same manner as everyone else, he was quicklying to realize why people didn''t like them. Everything they said and did just felt so...insincere...


    As that thought crossed his mind, a deep frown appeared on Nobu''s face. He normally wasn''t the judgmental type, at least as far as racism and bigotry were concerned. Even the thought of disliking a particr group of people just felt wrong to him, so, after a very long moment of silence, he just shook his head and muttered, "Whatever..." before looking at Suzune and answering, "Just provide me with any pertinent information you can think of regarding the vige and its infrastructure. You don''t really have to worry about me bbing to my parents about what happened so long as your daughter doesn''t do anything stupid. I''m not really the type of person to hold a grudge but you''re out of your fucking mind if you think I''ll tolerate additional incidents. Keep her in check and we shouldn''t have any problems. Capiche?"


    "Capiche...?"


    Though she could intuit its meaning, Suzune was unfamiliar with the phrase uttered by Nobu. This actually told him a lot about how much she knew regarding his situation, so, instead of pressing her for more information, he said, "This conversation has tired me out. We''ll talk more once you gather the information I requested..."


    Understanding he was trying to get rid of her, an awkward smile developed across Suzune''s face as she offered a courteous bow and said, "Very well. Please enjoy your rest, Waka-sama...". Then, in a manner reminiscent of the Matriarch, she raised her index and middle fingers and began ring her silvery-green, presumably tinum, aura. Immediately thereafter, Yuriko appeared out of thin air while Yui, now wearing her armor, slid open the bamboo door and said, "Pardon me..." before making her way inside and taking a seat off to the side.


    Gobsmacked by how quickly the duo had appeared, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words as Suzune rose to her feet and said, "It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Waka-chan. If there is ever anything you need, please let me know. I''m usually very busy, but, if it''s for the Young Lord of the Oda n, I can always make time..."


    Punctuating her words with a slight bow, Suzune didn''t wait for permission before leaving through the open door, hips swaying like a meandering river. This increased Nobu''s stupefaction, but, once the door was closed behind her, he quickly recovered his senses and muttered, "Damn...she might be a pain in the ass but I''ll be damned if she doesn''t have a fine one..."


    Though his words were hardly a whisper, both Yui and Yuriko tense in response to Nobu''s musings. Then, with a quick exchange of nces, the former nodded to thetter before saying, "If it pleases my Lord, I am more than willing to attend you..."


    Hearing Yui''s remark, Nobu looked towards her, intoning a confused, "Huh...?" until he noticed the ruddy hue spreading through her cheeks. This caused his heart to skip a beat, but, remembering his previous difort, a grimace immediately developed across his face as he internally muttered, ("I knew it...this dumbass is seriously trying to put on an act...")


    "This is turning into the longest fucking day of my life..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I half-expected Nobu to p Suzune''s cheeks. Damn, he must be more tired than I thought...)

 Chapter 51: Fatigue: Undercurrents

    Chapter 51: Fatigue: Undercurrents


    Confused by Nobu''s remark, Yui was about to ask if anything was wrong when he beat her to the punch, saying, "I''m too tired for this shit. Where am I supposed to sleep?"


    Not expecting Nobu to refuse sex, he hadn''t thus far, Yui found herself at a momentary loss for words before saying, "There are futons and other supplies hidden beneath the tatami mats. Allow me to grab one for you..."


    Ignoring Yui''s remark, Nobu began massaging his head with his left hand as the befuddled beauty quickly set about preparing a ce for him to sleep. It was around the time she was almost finished that Yuriko asked, "Mind if I sleep here tonight? I was originally going to stand guard but if the two of you aren''t going to have sex, I wouldn''t mind caressing your head until you fell asleep..."


    ring at Yuriko, Yui was about to tell her the Nianese form of fuck off, but, before she was able to, Nobu surprised her by saying, "Sure. Whatever. Just don''t try anything. I''m not in the mood for any of that pretentious seduction bullcrap..."


    With a massive grin on her face, Yuriko bypassed the grimacing Yui with the intent of joining Nobu in his futon. This prompted thetter to turn towards Nobu, a visibly anxious look in her eyes as she adopted a seiza position and asked, "Did I say or do anything to offend you? If so, I-"


    Seeing Yui attempt to perform a dogeza, Nobu''s frown deepened as he said, "You''re doing it right now. Seriously. Ever since we first met, I''ve been saying you need to loosen up. Now that you know who I am, you''ve be even more of a tightass than before. I actually preferred it when you were more of a bitch. At least then you were being sincere. Now? Pretty much everything you say and do feels fake. Do you really think I''m so pathetic that I need bitches to spread their legs and service me because of things like duty or obligation? Fuck off."


    Though it wasn''t even close to the first time he had told her to fuck off, Yui felt genuinely hurt by Nobu''s words. Unfortunately, he was currently in a state of mind where even legitimate tears came across as fake or forced. Thus, even when she lowered her head, apologized, and slowly made her way out into the hall, he made no attempt to stop her. Instead, he just rolled over in his futon, back turned as he did his best to force himself to sleep...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Observing the ''lover''s spat'' from within the privacy of a dark room illuminated by nothing but a few candles, a silver-haired woman, Hitomi, inhaled a long drag from a kiseru-style pipe before tapping the contents into a golden ashtray.


    Though she had recently turned 58-years-old, a remarkable age for a kunoichi, Hitomi appeared no older than a 25-year-old woman on the surface. The only tell was her silvery-grey hair, but, as silver and even white hair were rtivelymon among the people of Nian, only those who had known her for a long time were aware of her true age.


    At the present moment, Hitomi was still wearing her traditional red and gold kimono. Now that she no longer had to keep up appearances, however, the front was leftpletely open as she sat atop a thin padded pillow without a single garment to conceal her lithe and athletic body.


    Hitomi, like many other kunoichi, preferred being nude over wearing clothes. The crisp evening air helped to cool her perpetually feverish body, a side-effect of ingesting numerous poisons over the course of a fifty-year period.


    Under normal circumstances, a kunoichi would die somewhere between the ages of 25~30. This could be prolonged with special herbs and a sufficiently high cultivation base, but, more often than not, they weren''t allowed to live any longer than that. The Noble ns began to feel restless when ninja or kunoichi gathered too much influence or grew beyond a certain Rank, so, unless there were extenuating circumstances, the age of 50 and Mithril Rank 1 were the invible limits ced on the vast majority of shinobi.


    Exhaling a tremendous volume of smoke, adding to the haze that already existed within the room, Hitomi fondled the glowing crystal ball in herp with a contemtive look in her heterochromatic, blue and red, eyes. Nobu was, quite literally, the only reason she had been allowed to live this long, so, while she had no intention of ying the fool at fate''s behest, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say she had a vested interest in his sess.


    "He''s such an honest yet circuitous young man...he purports to speak his mind but never reveals his true feelings. It makes me wonder...who hurt you, Oda Nobunaga...?"


    Tracing her finger along the somewhat pouty visage of Nobu reflected in the crystal ball, the smile on Hitomi''s face became marginally more prominent as she mused, "Well...it''s no matter. Time heals all wounds. You might be left with a few scars, but, with proper care and attention, it''s only a matter of time before even those fade. The only question is...is Yui up to the task? You must have left quite the impression on that girl for her to mess up this badly..."


    Sweeping her hand across the surface of the crystal ball, Hitomi found her Granddaughter sitting in the hallway with a vexed and teary-eyed expression on her face. She was clearly struggling with her thoughts. Her training should have prepared her for this, but, much like the bestid ns, fate had a habit of humbling those who thought themselves ready for anything.


    "Eighteen years of exhaustive mental and emotional conditioningpromised in a single evening. You must have fallen quite hard, my naive little Granddaughter..."


    As those words left her lips, Hitomi began to think about what she could do to provide the young couple a bit of support. Before she could think of anythingprehensive, however, a faint sound emanated from the ceiling. This particr room didn''t actually have any doors so the only ways to reach it were through the roof or by following one of three underground tunnels. Even then, it was nearly impossible to reach, as, much like the fictional stories back in Nobu''s world, Hitomi had more than a dozen elite kunoichi constantly keeping watch over the room and its surroundings.


    Since there were only six people who could advance this far unannounced, Hitomi didn''t even need to spread her senses through the area before calling out, "Enter, Suzune." in a calm yet authoritative tone.


    Dropping in from the higher than average ceiling, Suzunended a few meters away from Hitomi before dropping to a knee, head lowered and fist ced against the ground as she said, "You were right, Hitomi-kacho. The first things he asked about were his identity and his situation. His behavior is also unlike anyone I have ever met. Were it not for the fact our kunoichi have been watching over him for the past eleven years, I would find it difficult to believe he is the son of Lord Senken..."


    Nodding her head, Hitomi allowed the crystal ball in her hands to turn dark before setting it aside and exining, "I have already informed Lord Senken of his arrival. However, I also exined that he is feeling fatigued from the journey. We have approximately two weeks to increase our rapport with the Young Lord before he meets with his parents. He doesn''t appear to be the type to hold a grudge but it will be a detriment to the entire n if his impression of us worsens in the days toe. I was originally thinking of having your daughter coordinate with Kumiko but it seems our Young Lord has developed a particr distaste for her presence..."


    Though it didn''t show on her face, Suzune couldn''t help feeling annoyed by Hitomi''s words. Even if the incident was ultimately Shizune''s fault, she still felt that the Matriarch had set her daughter up by sending her on a mission without adequate information. Her daughter was, after all, training to be an information specialist. She couldn''t resist the temptation to learn more, so, with someone as strange and interesting as Nobu around, she was bound to do something foolish without knowing who he was.


    Sensing Suzune''s dissatisfaction, the edges of Hitomi''s smile curled upward as she asked, "Is there something the Information Elder wishes to say? Please, speak freely."


    Raising her head, Suzune made her displeasure known with a grimace as she asked, "Why did you send Shizune on the mission to interfere with Yui? She could have been a tremendous asset to the Young Lord. Now, because of Waka-sama''s inhibitions towards women under the age of eighteen, it could take years for her to earn his favor. Had things yed out differently, I might have even been forced to sacrifice my life just to make amends for a mistake that could have easily been avoided..."


    Instead of denying Suzune''s ims, Hitomi nodded her head in a sagely manner before waving her hand over the crystal ball and exining, "I wanted to test Waka-chan''s fate. Shizune was a suitable candidate for this. Also...you understand better than anyone that your daughter isn''t suited to being a kunoichi. She doesn''t talk about it, but that girl''s dream is to leave the n and find a way to raise her children without the n''s influence. This time around, I believe she was trying to make sure her daughter was a part of the Young Lady''s private force. Do you sincerely believe this is the mentality a future Elder should possess...?"


    Clenching her teeth, Suzune lowered her head without responding to Hitomi''s question. She knew her daughter had once dreamed about being a Princess, but, after realizing this was impossible, she settled on trying to make sure her daughters wouldn''t have to suffer as all kunoichi do. Most would consider this a pure and innocent dream. However, as the Hitomi had pointed out, it wasn''t exactly a train of thought suitable for a kunoichi, much less a future Elder.


    Empathizing with Suzune''s struggles, Hitomi''s expression indiscernibly softened as she adopted an inaudibly gentler tone and said, "Worry not, Suzune. Contrary to what others might think, this is an opportunity for both you and your daughter. You have undoubtedly seen it for yourself, but Waka-chan''s personality and outlook are distinctly different from the people of Nian. He seems to cherish sincerity far more than matters of status, pride, and honor. I wasn''t privy to your conversation, but I can imagine him telling you exactly what you need to do to win his favor. So long as you stick with that, it won''t be long before you have more than just his ear. That boy is in a particrly vulnerable state right now. Treat him with care and he will doubtlessly respond in kind."


    Raising her head, Suzune tilted her head ever so slightly to the side as she asked, "Are you certain? I didn''t get that impression during our conversation...unless...ah, I see...he is confrontational as a self-defense mechanism. Shizune must not have been the first to hurt him..."


    Though she didn''t know what kind of life Nobu had experienced while his soul was wandering, his behavior made it pretty clear he hadn''t lived an easy life. He was far less mature than someone his age should be, but, more important than that was the fact he reacted hostilely even when he knew he was in a disadvantageous position. He wasn''t suicidal so this pointed towards the possibility that he had been unjustly persecuted or suppressed. He refused to let others see his weakness, so, even if it guaranteed him pain, he wouldsh out the moment he began feeling anxious, ufortable, or afraid. In other words, he was basically a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder.


    Understanding what the Matriarch was trying to tell her, a smile spread across Suzune''s face as she bowed her head and stated, "Suzune has received the Matriarch''s wisdom. Thank you for providing my daughter and me with this opportunity. We will not fail your expectations..."


    Smiling in response to Suzune''s obsequious words, Hitomi returned her attention to her crystal ball, now reflecting Nobu''s sleeping visage as she answered, "I''m well aware. That''s why I have allowed you to remain Information Elder despite your and your daughter''s natures. Now, go. I''m sure your work has been piling up ever since you began keeping watch over Waka-chan..."


    Offering a wry smile in response, Suzune bowed her head onest time before promptly departing the dimly lit room. As for Hitomi, she allowed her kimono to open again before resting on her side, right arm supporting her head as she caressed the glowing crystal ball with her free hand...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Hitomi and Aizen would get along...'')

 Chapter 52: Evening Woes and Acceptance

    Chapter 52: Evening Woes and eptance


    Waking in the dead of night, Nobu found himself as the little spoon in a cuddle. Yuriko had her arm wrapped around his body, and, as could be expected, the busty kunoichi had her breasts pressed to his back, her breath warming his neck as she nestled as close as possible to his body.


    "..."


    After briefly considering whether or not he wanted to disturb the sleeping beauty, Nobu''s need to pisspelled him to extricate himself from her embrace. This was immediately followed by a soft inquiry, concern tinging Yuriko''s voice as she opened her nearly luminescent amber eyes and asked, "My Lord...?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu whispered, "Go back to sleep. I just need to take a piss. I''ll be back in a bit."


    Rising to a seated position, Yuriko revealed that she had bepletely naked at some point, her tanned skin catching the light emitting from the room''s dimly litntern perfectly. This caused Nobu to momentarily freeze in ce, his eyes captivating by the sight of the smiling woman as she smoothly tied her long back hair into a ponytail and asked, "Do you even know where thetrine is located...?"


    Frowning in response, Nobu was about to suggest he would just take a piss outside when Yuriko sent a shiver through his body, saying, "I''ll check to see if there''s a bedpan underneath the tatami. If there isn''t, you can use my mouth. Afterward, I can give you a blowjob to help you fall back asleep."


    Though he understood exactly what she meant, Nobu still found himself tentatively inquiring, "Use your mouth...?" in an uncertain, moderately incredulous, tone.


    With an expression that seemed to imply it was no big deal, Yuriko nodded her head, saying, "Yeah. Kunoichi have iron stomachs after ingesting a ton of poi-specialized nts and herbs. I''ve actually wanted to try something like this for a while. Oh, and don''t worry. I won''t try to kiss you or anything until I''ve properly rinsed my mouth."


    Staring at the naked woman digging through various items hidden beneath the tatami in the corner of the room, Nobu''s expression remained incredulous as the image of Yuriko sucking his cock as he pissed down her throat briefly entered his mind. It was the kind of thing you only expected to find in some of the more fucked up pornos, yet, as if she was genuinely looking forward to it, the naked beauty in front of him mentioned drinking his piss with a fucking smile on her face...


    Shaking his head clear of such thoughts, Nobu rose to his feet and said, "Just show me where thevatory,trine, or whatever is. Even if you ask me to, I''m not going to piss in your mouth. You''re not a fucking toilet."


    Raising her brows, Yuriko maintained the smile on her face as she issued a light chuckle and replied, "Thanks...?" in a slightly amused tone. She was a little disappointed he had refused, but, at the same time, it made her heart tickle to hear him dere she wasn''t a toilet with a serious expression and a look of conviction in his eyes.


    Furrowing his brows in response to Yuriko''s reaction, Nobu was about to say something when the naked kunoichi beat him to the punch, exining, "The nearesttrine is a bit away from here, but Yui should be able to escort you. I''m gonna go ahead and swap with someone else. Don''t get me wrong, I wouldn''t mind staying here indefinitely, but the other girls mightin if I receive too much special treatment."


    Punctuating her words with a surprise kiss, an even more radiant smile appeared across Yuriko''s face as she moved away from him and attempted to pick up her clothes. This left Nobu feeling a little speechless, but, as he really did need to take a piss, he just watched her climb into the ceiling with a pensive look on his face before shaking his head and moving towards the room''s entrance.


    Opening the door, Nobu was unsurprised to find Yui sitting in a wless seiza, her back straight as she silently surveyed the area. When she noticed his presence, she habitually motioned to bow, but, before she couldplete it, her body paused for a brief moment before she ultimately just rose to her feet and asked, "Is there somece you wished to visit?"


    Rather than immediately respond, Nobu stared at Yui for several seconds with a simrly pensive look. He could see light bruising around her eyes, a tell-tale sign that she had been crying not all that long ago. This caused a frown to develop across his face, and, though he could have just let matters rest, he asked, "What''s wrong?" in a somber tone.


    Though her first instinct was to say that nothing was the matter, Yui paused for a short moment before hanging her head slightly and answering, "I wanted to apologize to you...not for what has happened recently, but for everything I did to you previously. I thought I could make up for it by performing my duty well, but the only thing I aplished was troubling you...I''m sorry..."


    With a sour expression on her face, Yui looked like she was on the verge of tears as she formed her hands into fists. It felt insincere to apologize while she was standing on her feet, but, after what had happened previously, she wasn''t sure how she should be acting. Fortunately, this seemed to be the correct choice, as, moments after her apology, an exasperated sigh escaped Nobu''s throat before he ced his hand on her head and muttered, "You really are an idiot..." in a soft, ostensibly gentle, tone.


    Despite the fact he had just called her an idiot, Yui felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart the moment she heard Nobu''s words. For a brief moment, she even considered hugging him, but, fearing she would inconvenience him due to her armor, she just trembled for a few seconds as he continued to caress her head. Then, as if he had read her thoughts, Nobu was the one who took the initiative to wrap her in his embrace, hisnky arms providing a strange sense offort as his body heat transmitted through her armor...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he wasn''t quite sure what he expected, Nobu never imagined that thevatory of the main estate was a stable-liketrine hanging precariously over an artificial stream. The toilets themselves were essentially just holes cut in the floor, and, rather than anything like stalls, the entire facility was open. As a result, anyone using the outhouse was fully exposed to everyone else that happened to visit around that same time. There was absolutely no privacy, and, due to the penchant of kunoichi to walk around without clothes on, Nobu nearly fell through the opening in the floor when a naked woman with dark hair and purple eyes entered thevatory and made use of the hole two spaces to his left. To make matters even worse, she even attempted to converse with him, a smile on her face as she eyed his penis and released a steamy golden stream of her own...


    Choosing to ignore the woman, for a substantial number of reasons, Nobu wrapped up his business before raising his hand in a casual gesture of farewell and departing the facility. There, he found Yui waiting outside, an apologetic expression on her face as she exined, "This is why I didn''t want to wait outside..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu just muttered, "Whatever..." before attempting to lead the way back to the room. It was extremely chilly near the top of the mountain, especially in the middle of the night, so he was eager to return to the rtive warmth of his room. The cotton yukata he had been given did very little to block out the cold, so, once the opportunity presented itself, he intended to draw up a few different designs for t-shirts, jackets, and trousers. The girls'' outfits were a lot moreplicated than anything he expected to encounter in this era so he was reasonably sure they would be able to procure or produce something better suited to his American sensibilities.


    Fortunately, Nobu had always been pretty talented when it came to things like art and design. The only reason he hadn''t gotten into architecture and design was that it took between 5-8 years to get a Master''s Degree. It was possible to get a decent job without one, but, when it came to careers, the higher-tiered degrees ensured much better pay and benefits.


    Noticing her Lord in deep thought, Yui wanted to ask what was on his mind but ultimately chose to remain silent. The only thing her Grandmother had told her after their return was that he was a very important existence to both the Oda and Yoshitsune ns. She wanted her to watch over him, and, as much as possible, support the decisions he made. This all but confirmed her suspicions regarding Nobu''s consumption of a Heavenly Treasure. What she didn''t understand was where his knowledge, memories, and personality originated from...


    With the sense of a normal human being, Nobu remained blissfully unaware of the fact that Yui was observing him with the intensity of a barred owl eyeing a field mouse. Instead, he remained focused on navigating the hallways until they reached the corridor containing his, and three other, rooms.


    Spotting not one, but two familiar figures sitting patiently outside his room, Nobu raised his brows slightly before calling out, "Aiko? Chikako...?" in a whispering tone.


    Without rising from her positions, Aiko and Chikako simultaneously bowed their heads, answering, "Wee back, Nobunaga-sama..." in soft tones. This caused Aiko''s massive breasts to stress the fabric of her kimono, and, though Chikako''s were rtively modest, the fact she was still wearing transparent mesh clothing made it difficult not to notice the two cherry-pink buds poking against the fabric...


    Tearing his eyes away from the two girls'' assets, Nobu questioned, "What are the two of you doing here...?" despite recollecting that Yuriko mentioned having someone rece her.


    Raising her head, Aiko adopted a mature and subtly seductive smile as she exined, "We changed positions with Yuriko and Ayane. Chikako will be keeping an eye on things from the shadows while I will guard the outside of your room."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu asked, "Wait? Ayane? The slow-talking girl with light brown hair? She was here...?"


    Nodding her head, Aiko exined, "It would be counterintuitive to only have one person guarding our Lord at any given moment. If something were to happen, there would be no one to protect you while the other dys, distracts, or eliminates the enemy."


    "Right...well...tell her she needs to check in with me when she goes on duty...I''d like to know who is watching over me and when..."


    Bowing her head in response, Aiko adopted an audibly reverential tone as she replied, "Understood, Nobunaga-sama. Once my shift has ended, I will be sure to inform Ayane and everyone else of your wisdom and intent."


    Though he couldn''t help feeling a little ufortable, Nobu resisted the urge to tell Aiko to cut it out and rx. He had spent nearly two hours organizing his thoughts before he finally fell asleep and the conclusion he hade to was that it was impossible to change their way of thinking in such a short period of time. They had spent eighteen years learning how to think and act in a very specific way, so, for the time being, he would just let them do their own thing while he focused on increasing his strength and getting his footing in a new world.


    In the end, Nobu decided to just nod in response to Aiko''s words before saying, "Thanks. You''re doing a good job..." in a somewhat nomittal tone. Then, before entering his room proper, he looked towards Yui and asked, "Youing inside or going to your own room? I might need you tomorrow so you need to get some rest..."


    Surprised by the sudden invitation, a faint yet genuine smile developed across Yui''s face as she resisted the urge to say it would be her honor and instead simply replied, "I''d like to stay here..." in a far more sincere tone than the one she had used prior to being booted out...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Yuriko is certainly...umm...adventurous...?)

 Chapter 53: Dawning Realization

    Chapter 53: Dawning Realization


    After a surprisingly peaceful night''s sleep, Nobu awoke to find himself holding, not being held by, Yui. He wouldn''t have been troubled by this under normal circumstances, but, due to her penchant for waking early, the first thing he saw was Yui staring off into space with a bored yet patient look on her face.


    "What are you thinking about...?"


    Not expecting the sudden question, Yui''s body briefly tensed as she turned her head to face Nobu, answering, ''Uh...I was thinking about training..."


    Raising his right brow, Nobu began to lightly tap Yui''s unsurprisingly exposed stomach as he asked, "Training...?".


    Though she was momentarily distracted by Nobu''s wayward hand, Yui still managed to nod her head, exining, "The time I spent on my mission was the longest period I''ve ever gone without training. Before that, I would have lessons as both a warrior and a kunoichi. At times, my training menu was so packed that it would even bleed into the following days..."


    Understanding what she was trying to say, Nobu ceased ying with Yui''s bellybutton before sitting up and asking, "So? You''re not going to train anymore? Isn''t that like super important if you want to be a warrior...?"


    Rising to sit alongside him, Yui made no effort to conceal her palm-sized, perfectly cuppable, breasts as she answered, "Well...it''s not that simple. The resources of a n are not unlimited. Once a member reaches a certain age, the only way they can receive additional resources is to contribute to the n''s prosperity. As for us contracted kunoichi like us...well, things are a bit different..."


    Frowning, Nobu asked, "How so...?" despite the ufortable feeling that was beginning to swell within his chest.


    With an apologetic smile on her face and a somewhat distant look in her eyes, Yui went on to exin, "Once the Lord of a contracted kunoichi reaches adulthood, they effectively be our sole proprietor. We''re training to take care of your every need, and, in exchange, you are expected to reward us for our efforts. In other words...now that you are here, our growth has be entirely dependent on the resources you can provide for us. We can still train, but, without pills, herbs, medicines, and other resources, our growth will be limited..."


    Expecting Nobu to furrow his brows and even curse, Yui was more than a little surprised to see him nod his head and muttered, "Ah...well, that makes more sense. If you all kept doing everything without expecting anything in return, I might have lost my shit..."


    Now that he understood that the girls weren''t entirely his ves, a bit of a weight had been removed from Nobu''s shoulders. It also helped him to justify why the girls were so eager to please him, as, from their perspective, their sess in life was entirely dependent on him.


    Fortunately, while he was currently very weak, Nobu was pretty confident in his ability to grow much stronger. He might only be earning 0.005 Aura per click, but that was still five times the amount he was earning in the beginning. Since the difference between Ranks was the same until you advanced to the next Realm, this meant his cultivation actually increased between Ranks rather than decreasing due to ack of effort and resources.


    Thinking of the stone tablet, Nobu habitually manifested it before looking towards the naked beauty silently observing him and saying, "Well, if you''re bored or feeling anxious, you''re free to continue training at your leisure. I''ll probably start my own exercise routine pretty soon. As for the other girls...well, let''s get together and talk about that kind of thing around lunchtime. I really don''t have anything for you guys to do so you''re free to make your own decisions. They can even loiter around here all day if they want to. Just make sure Kazue takes a bath first. That girl smells like ass."


    Though she probably shouldn''t have, Yui found herself chuckling in response to Nobu''s rude remark. She knew he wasn''t actually trying to be hurtful. He was just said whatever came to his mind without even trying to filter it. This made her think he was somewhat childish in the past, but, now that she was getting to know him, Yui was beginning to believe he was just honest to a fault.


    As that thought crossed her mind, Yui removed the covers before rising to reveal her naked form in all its petite and lithe glory. Then, while fixing her hair so that it wouldn''t get tangled, she said, "I''m going to move some of my stuff today. I''ll also talk to my Grandmother about knocking down the adjacent walls that we can use the space next door for training. I imagine you don''t want to exercise in front of a bunch of kunoichi so we''ll convert the room over into a private dojo. Is that okay with you...?"


    Taken aback by the drastic change in Yui''s behavior, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words before ultimately nodding his head and saying, "Yeah. Having to bathe with a bunch of horned-up kunoichi is already bad enough. Thest thing I need is a fucking peanut gallery sitting off to the side as I do basic training...


    With even the children of the n being more powerful than him, at least for the time being, Nobu wasn''t particrly enthused by the prospect of having them watch him like a strange animal. He also wanted to limit the number of people closely monitoring his growth. As shitty as the situation had been, the incident with Shizune had made him aware of the fact that even ''trainees'' could sense the changes in his Aura. He knew it was only a matter of time before his growth drew the attention of countless pains in the ass, but that didn''t mean he wanted to go around advertising it...


    Nodding her head in response to Nobu''s words, Yui quickly donned her armor before saying, "I will inform Cho to bring your breakfast. The sun has already risen beyond the horizon so she would have already prepared something by now. Kumiko should also be stopping by to help arrange your schedule so you should be well protected so long as you don''t wander too far. I should be back around noon, but you can send someone to retrieve me if anything important arises. I will never prioritize my own ns over yours."


    Cringing in response to Yui''s final statement, Nobu waved her off, saying, "Yeah, yeah, if you say so..." in a slightly annoyed tone. This caused an awkward smile to develop across her face, but, understanding it was probably for the best she remained silent, Yui just nodded her head before quickly departing the room.


    Exhaling a sigh shortly after Yui''s departure, Nobu sat back down and began to fiddle around with the stone tablet. He had stockpiled nearly four days worth of clicks at this point, so, while it was guaranteed to draw attention, he wanted to work through the more than 390,000 clicks he had umted. This was more than 1,700 Aura, so, if he worked hard, he could literally increase his base from Rank 5 to Rank 7 in a single day.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu noticed a tiny icon in the top left of his screen, much like the indicators that informed you when you had a missed call or text. This took a bit of the wind out of his sails, but, so long as he could continue stockpiling clicks, it wasn''t like he had to use them right this instant. After all, if he was serious and went on a fourteen-hour spree, he could easily click between 700,000~800,000 times in a single day. In other words, so long as he invested just a single day towards clicking, he could basically take the rest of the week off.


    Hoping for some kind of good news, Nobu''s pupils shrank to the size of pinholes the moment he thumbed the notification and saw it read: You have (13) new friend requests. His breathing became one long and steady breath that rapidly cooled his head, and, though he already had some suspicions regarding why the number was listed as eleven, his heart began beating had enough to make his throat pulse as he opened the messenger app and tapped on his friends list.


    ------------------------------------


    [Yoshitsune Yui] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Yuriko] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Hitomi] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Suzune] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Chikako] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Kiku] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Kazue] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Kumiko] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Aiko] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Cho] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Ayane] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Takao] would like to add you as a friend.


    [Yoshitsune Rukia] would like to add you as a friend.


    ------------------------------------


    "Note to self...make sure to check the tablet at least twice a day..."


    Since he hadn''t really touched the stone tablet ever since the incident with Shizune, Nobu didn''t know how much time had passed since he received the notifications. He also didn''t really know what triggered them, but, considering the mother-daughter duo of Takao and Rukie were listed, he assumed it was their desire to coordinate or work alongside him. The only alternative he could think of was them wanting to have sex, but, considering names like Shizune were missing, he doubted it.


    "Who the fuck is Hitomi...? Yui''s Grandmother...?"


    Though he had been speaking to himself, Nobu nearly jumped to his feet when he heard someone answer, "Yes." in a dull monotone. Fortunately, it was a voice he had recognized. Unfortunately, the owner of the voice wasn''t alone. Instead, he turned his head to find both Aiko and Chikako staring at him from a few meters away, both seated in a seiza position...


    "How long have the two of you been sitting there...?"


    Answering on behalf of them both, Aiko exined, "Yui-sama informed us that you had given us permission to enter the room and ''loiter about''. We did announce our presence when we first came in, but my Lord was distracted with his musing. We didn''t want to disturb you so we have been sitting here ever since."


    Recalling that he did tell Yui to inform the girls that they could loiter around in his room, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face. He should have expected that they would enter if given the option, so, while it had still scared the living bejesus out of him, he decided not to rebuke them for doing something he said they could do. He also didn''t question whether or not they would reveal his secrets to anyone, as, the moment he began worrying about shit like that, he would never be able to rest peacefully.


    "Well...whatever...it''s good that the two of you are here. Tell me if you notice anything strange when I do this..."


    Punctuating his words, Nobu attempted to confirm both Aiko and Chikako as friends. What he didn''t expect was for a notification to pop up, asking, "Would you like to spend 713,420 Aura to add [Yoshitsune Aiko] as a friend?" before immediately following up with a notification that stated, "Warning: Insufficient Aura toplete this transaction."


    Deadpanning in response to the ridiculous cost, Nobu left Aiko and Chikako feeling confused as he briefly hung his head in his hands. The cost to add someone as a friend was apparently the same as their cultivation base. This meant Aiko was a Rank 7 Silver Adept, as, every time you increased a Realm, the requirements for the next were ten times the base amount. This meant it required 10,000 to reach Iron, 100,000 to reach Silver, and 1,000,000 to reach Gold. As for what purpose befriending people served...well, he would apparently have to wait until he either recruited a child or increased his cultivation base to the point that he could willfully sacrifice hundreds-of-thousands without flinching...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: If something costs that much, it has to be good though...right...right!?)

 Chapter 54: A Special Brand of Anguish

    Chapter 54: A Special Brand of Anguish


    While Nobu was lost in thought regarding his future course of action, Aiko and Chikako kept silently observing him until Cho arrived with his breakfast.


    Smelling the delicious food even before Cho announced her presence, an expectant glimmer shed across Nobu''s eyes as he said, "Come in."


    Opening the door, Cho could be seen with a radiant smile on her face as she carried in a tray lined with various Nianese dishes. Her smile was so radiant, in fact, that it seemed to brighten up the room as she made her way over and gingerly ced the well-structured meal of miso soup, salmon, rice, tofu, and some kind of pickled vegetable that resembled cabbage.


    After savoring the aroma for several seconds, Nobu picked up the rather extravagant set of chopsticks lying to the side before saying, "Thanks. Your cooking is incredible."


    If her smile was bright before, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Cho was beaming once she heard Nobu''spliment. There was even a thinyer of moisture covering her eyes, but, due to his focus on savoring the food''s aroma, Nobu remained blissfully unaware of this...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With his belly full and nothing better to do, Nobuid in bed with his hands behind his head,zily staring at the ceiling.


    ("This world is starting to fuck with my head. I can''t believe I''m seriously considering trying to befriend one of those exhibitionist brats...")


    After thinking things through for a bit, Nobu came to the conclusion that he was supposed to add the girls to his Friends List when he was still just a kid. Had he been reborn into this world normally, he would have met them shortly after he began his training. At that time, they would just be starting their foundation training, so, even if there was some kind of bullshit restriction preventing him from essing the tablet, he would still be able to add them as friends shortly after gaining ess to it. Now, he was ying catchup due to his desire to keep his body and skip the hassles associated with childhood...


    "Fucking bullshit..."


    Following this exmation, Nobu sat up rather abruptly before looking over at the five girls who had now gathered within his room. The only people missing, sans Yui, were those who were resting in preparation for their future shifts. This included Kazue, who, after washing up and donning a proper kunoichi uniform, transformed from a rather in-looking woman into a surprisingly cute girl with a bright face and a double-bun hairstyle.


    Though he was tempted toment on Kazue''s metamorphosis, Nobu first directed his gaze towards Kumiko, the busty beauty with silver-grey hair that extended past her sizeable ass and neatly framed her face, asking, "Does the Yoshitsune n have any adult members who failed toplete their foundation training? You know, like servants and such...?"


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kumiko answered, "Impossible. It would be a serious problem if peoplecking talent were allowed to stay within the vige. Not only would it be a waste of resources; it would also encourage trainees to ck off knowing they could just stay in the n and leach off the hard work and sacrifice of others. Such individuals are cancerous enough in modern society. If people like that were allowed to survive within a n, we would slowly rot from the inside out."


    Surprised by the intensity of Kumiko''s words, a conflicted look appeared on Nobu''s face as he found himself unable to disagree with her. Even his own world had a mind-numbing amount of people who only cared about the benefits they could receive from the government without actually contributing anything to society. One of his former roommates, a man named Joshua, had even told him about how he made upwards of $300 a day after learning how to y the guitar and pretending to be homeless. This was during a time when Nobu had been working 40 hours a week for $8.25 an hour. His boss wouldn''t even allow him to work overtime, so, if he wanted to make enough money to get by, he would have literally needed to work two jobs while some asshat hipster with a guitar he beat up himself made nearly as much in one day as he did in an entire week...


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu did his best to appear calm as he asked, "Well, how old are the girls who have just finished their foundation training? There''s something I want to try out and I need someone around or below the level of Rank 1 Copper Trainee to lend me a hand. Any ideas?"


    After a brief pause to organize her thoughts, Kumiko nodded her head and exined, "Most members of the Yoshitsune nplete their foundation training by the age of five. Those that fail to do so by the age of eight are either sent overseas or sold off to brothels to receive training as future prostitutes and informants. My Lord returned with rather substantial savings so it is possible to purchase some of the girls that would have been sold off. Should I contact the Training Institute and have them prepare a lineup...?"


    Raising his hand in a stopping gesture, Nobu''s expression darkened as his mind processed what Kumiko had just said. He knew that very was totally a thing in this world but he had never even considered that ns would be selling off children. Sure, he understood the logic behind it, but, as someone with modern sensibilities, the nonchnce with which Kumiko had spoken made him sick to his stomach.


    Realizing she had made her Lord upset, Kumiko attempted to ay Nobu''s frustrations by adopting a gentle tone and saying, "My Lord is a kind man. I''m certain those girls would be extremely grateful to have such a kind Lord as their Master. Please consider it..."


    Though she didn''t think it was a good idea for her Nobu to waste what few resources he had on a bunch of talentless children, Kumiko would be lying if she said she didn''t empathize with his frustrations. The fear of being sent abroad or sold off to a brothel was something all young trainees feared. Many evenmitted suicide shortly after they were sent away, unable to cope with the notion that they would be spending the rest of their short lives servicing people at the very lowest rungs of society. Thus, even though she knew it was a bad idea, Kumiko still wanted Nobu to purchase a few of the girls ted for disposal. After all, they would be much happier serving him than spending the rest of their lives attending to pig farmers, sailors, and homeless people...


    Seeing Kumiko lower her head, halfway between a bow and a dogeza, Nobu turned his own away in deep thought. A part of him was tempted to convince the Matriarch to entrust all the failing members of her n to him. At the same time, however, he knew this wouldn''t be an extremely stupid thing to do. He didn''t even have the resources to support the people who currently depended on him for their growth, and, even if he did manage toe up with a convenient excuse, where would the girls stay? He was basically a guest in the main estate, and, unless he gave her a very good reason, he couldn''t imagine the Matriarch allowing him to effectively build his own faction from among girls the n had abandoned.


    "Fucking bullshit..."


    With Kumiko raising her head in response to his words, Nobu preempted any questions she might have by saying, "Fine. Go and tell whoever is in charge to get the girls ready. Oh, and make sure they''re actually clothed and shit. I swear, if I show up and there is a line of naked brats waiting for me, I''m going to lose my shit."


    Bowing her head low, Kumiko replied, "Understood." before promptly vanishing into thin air.


    Feeling the sudden onset of a headache, Nobu cast his gaze over the other four girls present before stopping on Kazue and asking, "You were supposed to be my doctor, right?"


    Smiling wryly in response, Kazue was prepared to apologize before Nobu shook his head and said, "Don''t worry about it. I was just thinking that you should know how to give massages and stuff. I''m getting a tension headache so it would help if you massage my scalp while someone else fetches some drinking water. My throat is beginning to feel a little sore."


    Exhaling a sigh of relief, Kazue rose to her feet before moving behind Nobu and saying, "Lean back and rest the back of your head on myp."


    Though the only authenticp pillow he had ever experienced was in this world, Nobu could still recall how soft Yui''s thighs had been. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, he reclined against Kazue''s and allowed her to massage his scalp and temples while Aiko quickly fetched a bamboo container filled with water. She even poured it into his mouth, so, while he couldn''t help feeling ufortable whenever they behaved overly courteous, moments like this kind of made up for it...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With Kumiko returning a lot sooner than he anticipated, it wasn''t long before Nobu was being led down the mountain with Kiku and Aiko acting as his bodyguards. Chikako and Ayane were also guarding him, but, instead of walking alongside him, they scouted the surrounding forest and stalked him from the shadows.


    A stark contrast to his journey up the mountain, Nobu''s path remained rtively unimpeded thanks to the presence of his escort. There were still a few precocious brats eying him from a distance but none of them tried to approach. As for Nobu, knowing what he knew now, he did his best to appear calm and unflustered even as Kumiko led him into a three-storypound that served as both a training facility and school for kunoichi trainees.


    Waiting for them near the entrance was a silver-haired woman who had introduced herself as Yoshitsune Kiara, but, from the moment he had entered the facility, Nobu wasn''t really paying attention. All of his efforts were focused on his breathing, as, despite doing his best to remain calm, the realization that he was about to purchase children made him sick to his stomach. He had even started to pale, and, though it was actually quite cool outside, a denseyer of sweat had broken out across his entire body.


    "My Lord...if you''re feeling unwell, we cane back another time..."


    Turning his head, Nobu noticed the concern visible in, not just Kumiko''s, but everyone else''s eyes. This made him feel a little pathetic, but, for other reasons entirely, he shook his head and said, "No. If I leave today, I doubt I would evere back. Let''s just get this over with..."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Kumiko asked the woman guiding them to continue leading the way until they had reached what could best be described as a dojo. There, a total of three little girls had been lined up, each looking equal parts frightened and hopeful. If not for the fact they had been informed to remain still and quiet, they would be doing everything in their power to appeal to the gigantic man that had just walked into the room. After all, he was, in many ways, theirst hope...


    Noticing the desperation visible in the girls'' gazes, Nobu''s expression darkened considerably as a sudden and intense urge to scream and shout at the woman guiding them began to swell within his heart. Instead, he forced himself to take a few steps forward, surprising everyone in the room as he asked, "Would any of you like to be my friend...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Man...and to think that novels like Death March can almost make purchasing little girls seem ''cute''. I can''t even imagine what I would do in Nobu''s shoes...)

 Chapter 55: Acceptance or Indignation?

    Chapter 55: eptance or Indignation?


    Noticing the reactions of everyone present, Nobu was seized by the sudden urge to punch himself in the face. Unfortunately, this was the only thing he could think of in this particr instance thanks to his brain basically shutting off.


    Taking advantage of the fact she was the closest person to Nobu''s current position, the little girl in the center of the group, possessing peculiar teal hair and pupilless orange eyes, immediately raised her hand and replied, "I''ll do it! I''ll be your friend! P-Please pick me...!"


    Though the girl had forced a radiant smile, she was unable to conceal the desperation in her tone as she fumbled her request. This caused her to pale considerably, and, though she did her best to restrain actual tears, a fairyer of moisture began to build across and at the corners of her eyes.


    Feeling a sensation akin to physical pain in his chest, Nobu inadvertently exacerbated the situation by wincing. This caused the little girl to begin sniffling, something the other two girls immediately attempted to capitalize on by volunteering their own friendship.


    Frightening all three girls, Nobu hung his head and began before massaging it with his left hand. At the same time, he quickly navigated to his Friends List using his right thumb, the pupils of his eyes contracting momentarily before dting quite a bit as a sensation he could only describe as relief washed over his buzzing mind.


    ------------------------------------


    [Yoshitsune Midori] would like to add you as a friend. (1493AU)


    [Yoshitsune Satchiko] would like to add you as a friend. (1362AU)


    [Yoshitsune Nariko] would like to add you as a friend. (1411AU)


    ------------------------------------


    Thinking a bit more clearly now, the frown on Nobu''s face turn to genuine annoyance as he noticed that the girls actually had enough Aura to advanced to the Realm of Copper Trainee. This conflicted with what Kumiko had told him, so, after a brief pause, Nobu looked towards the woman who had escorted them, asking, "Why haven''t these girls been promoted to Copper...?"


    Raising her brows ever so slightly, the woman, Yoshitsune Kiara, answered, "Each of these girls has been given numerous chances to advance to the Realm of Copper Trainee. Unfortunately, their base simply wasn''t high enough."


    Furrowing his brows even further, Nobu unhesitantly replied, "That''s bullshit. The girl with the green hair is almost halfway to the Second Rank. You''re telling me that isn''t enough to break into Copper? Are you fucking kidding me...?"


    Showing a slightly offended look, Kiara did her best to sound calm as she exined, "That is what we believed as well. However, even after absorbing the essence of more than 300kg of Copper ore, Midori was unable to advance. Her mother and elder sister didn''t have any issues and we''ve already investigated her father''s ancestry asprehensively as possible. She alsocks the Divine Energy of Inari Okami-sama so the most reasonable exnation is that she simplycks the aura necessary to advance..."


    Though he wanted to punch the woman in the face, Nobu managed to calm down after reminding himself that the only reason he knew the girls'' exact cultivations bases was thanks to his cheat. This was a boon otherscked so he couldn''t really me them for their inability to sense something he required a tool to detect.


    Ignoring the strange looks he received, Nobu held up the stone tablet and activated the camera function. He reasoned that it shouldn''t cost nearly as much to analyze them as it did someone like Yui, so, hoping to learn something useful, he took a photo of the green-haired girl and spend 308 Aura for aprehensive analysis...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Midori


    Age: 8


    Gender: Female, H:124.3cm, W: 24.9kg, B: 59.2cm, W: 46.4cm, H: 62.7cm


    Blood Type: O-


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 1375/1493


    Status: Cursed(+), Natural Jade Body(+), Confusion(+), Fear(+)


    -Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami: Probably of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced.


    -Natural Jade Body: A rare constitution that makes the user immune to most diseases by preventing the absorption of detrimental or impure materials.


    -Confusion: Has very little understanding of the current situation.


    -Fear: She thinks you are going to eat her.


    Main Hand: Right, Ambidextrous


    Preferred Weapon: Chain Sickle, Hoe, Fists


    Strengths: Increased Natural Regeneration, Immunity to Disease, Affinity with nts and Animals


    Weakness: Crybaby, Weak dder, Airheaded


    Orientation: No Preference


    Preferred Position: Enjoys Hugging


    Favorite Food: Chicken, Mapo Tofu, Onigiri, Manju, Dango


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though there was a fair amount of information he didn''t want or need to know, the (+) symbols next to Midori''s statuses provided the answer Nobu was looking for. To confirm this, he shifted his attention back to Kiara, asking, "You said you used copper ore? You didn''t try using anything with a higher purity?"


    Shaking her head, Kiara exined, "Only trainees who show considerable promise are provided with such valuable resources. The raw materials bepletely inert after the fact so we cannot risk wasting them on people who have shown little to no talent..."


    Resisting the almost overwhelming urge to throw the stone tablet at the woman''s face, Nobu just shook his head and said, "Whatever. I''m taking these three with me to meet the Matriarch. If there are no issues, I''ll have someone send the money overter this evening."


    Though her eyes widened when she heard Nobu mentioned the Matriarch, Kiara managed to bow her head the moment he finished speaking. She hadn''t been made aware of his identity but Kumiko hade to her with the Information Elder''s seal. This demonstrated he had a remarkable position, so, rather than press him to pay upfront, she had someone retrieve the trio''s personal effects before seeing the group off with a smile...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a return trip that was even more awkward than his first ascent up the mountain, Nobu was only made to wait twenty minutes before being granted an audience with Hitomi. This ended up taking ce in the same room as their first meeting. She also wore the exact same outfit, so, for a brief moment, Nobu felt as though he had stepped backward in time until the silver-haired woman offered him a cup of tea and asked, "So? What''s this about? I was told you had something of great importance to discuss. Tell me, what great matter have you uncovered in the neen hours since your arrival? Color me curious."


    Though he had been thinking about what he was going to say throughout his wait, Nobu hesitated when pressed for answers. He would be taking a big risk by revealing things like this early on, but, believing the Matriarch was already in on a number of his secrets, he exined, "You already know about my strange cultivation method, right?"


    Seeing Hitomi nod her head, Nobu went on to exin, "Well, I also possess the ability to analyze people, ces, and things at the expense of my aura. I''m still figuring out how it works, but I just confirmed I can use it to analyze people weaker than me when I went down the mountain."


    Raising her brows ever so slightly, Hitomi resisted the urge to silently sip her tea. Instead, she ced it down on the table, leaning forward slightly as she said, "Go on..." in an audibly intrigued tone.


    Though he didn''t realize he had done it, Nobu instinctually leaned away from Hitomi, a look of aversion on his face as he said, "The three girls I brought back with me possess more than enough Aura to advance to the First Realm. They just possess constitutions or affinities that make it difficult for them to practice the Metal Infusion Technique. I''ve only performed a detailed analysis on the girl named Midori, but she possesses something called the Natural Jade Body. It-"


    Stopping Nobu before he could finish speaking, Hitomi disyed an expression of genuine surprise as she asked, "Natural Jade Body? Are you absolutely certain...?"


    Nodding his head, Nobu was about to exin further when Hitomi promptly raised her fingers and began ring her aura. Momentster, a blonde-haired kunoichi garbed in brilliant orange clothing,pletely unsuited to stealth, appeared out of thin air. Before she could evenplete the usual formalities, Hitomi beat her to the punch, ordering, "Bring over the trainee named Midori and have someone retrieve 100kgs of our purest copper. Make haste."


    The moment Hitomi finished, the blonde-haired kunoichi disappeared in a yellow sh. It was only after this that Hitomi sat back, visibly pleased as she exined, "If what you stated is the truth, that girl called Midori will doubtlessly be one of the most important members of our n once she reaches maturity. The Natural Jade Body is an incredibly rare constitution that provides immunity to most poisons, toxins, and even diseases. It is one of the most highly sought-after bloodlines among both Noble and shinobi ns. After all, immunity to illnesses is quite an enviable trait to possess..."


    Frowning in response to Hitomi''s words, Nobu was starting to feel like he had just royally screwed over the young Midori. Fortunately, this didn''t seem to be the case as Hitomi promptly giggled and exined, "You have nothing to worry about, Waka-chan. Midori would have been discarded were it not for your sudden interest in investigating our n''s failed products. We can''t let her leave the vige but she will remain your property until you either discard her or sell her back to the n. As for the matter of her descendants...well, that is something we will discuss once she has matured. For now, it is more than enough knowing you possess such a unique ability. I believe we may have just discovered how you can best contribute to the n..."


    Though he wasn''t exactlyfortable with the idea of being granted ownership of an eight-year-old girl, Nobu ultimately nodded his head in response to Hitomi''s words. He didn''t really have any reason to support his ims, but he believed she was a hell of a lot safer in his hands than with the Yoshitsune n. Given what he had learned about them thus far, it wasn''t difficult to imagine them turning Midori into a broodmare the moment she had her first period. The only alternative he could think of was them selling her off to one of the Noble ns, a fate that was bound to reflect the one she would experience back in the vige...


    Seeing through Nobu''s thoughts, Hitomi adopted a discernibly t tone as she exined, "Waka-chan...I understand your apprehensions, but have you considered what might happen if you start concealing the information rted to the people you''ll be analyzing? If there isn''t a reason behind why the girls are unable to advance to the First Realm, I''m afraid they will have to be discarded...not all lives have the same value, Waka-chan. If everyone was provided with the same opportunities and resources as everyone else, the world will simply run out. Before that, excess and waste will result in the corruption and stagnation of society. This is the most important lesson we have inherited from the Progenitors who survived the Age of the Gods. Thus, while your thoughts are undeniably noble, history has proven, time and again, that such ideologies only lead to destruction..."


    Clenching both his hands and teeth, Nobu wanted to refute Hitomi''s words, but, no matter how he thought about it, she was right. His home country of The United States of America was perhaps one of the best examples of this truth. They were one of the wealthiest and most prosperous countries in the entire world yet the people were always dissatisfied and wanting more. Hell, they were even on the verge of an environmental crisis that threatened the very survival of humanity yet, as high up thedder as the United States Senate, there were still asshats denying the very existence of global warming...


    With thoughts like this waging war within his mind, Nobu found himself, once again, massaging his forehead. This was something he had rarely done back on Earth, yet, ever since his reincarnation, he found himself doing it upwards of ten times a day. He had never been this stressed out before, and, based on how things were going, it was only going to get worse until he began epting things at face value or became strong enough to force the change he wished to see in the world...


    "Fuck my life..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Power, wealth, and time...)

 Chapter 56: Status and Value

    Chapter 56: Status and Value


    Adhering to Hitomi''s orders, it took less than three minutes for a pair of kunoichi to arrive with both Midori and 100kgs of pure copper in tow.


    Though she did her best to appear calm, Midori required the assistance of the blonde-haired kunoichi just to enter the room. She was in a state where she could only follow orders, and, for a brief moment, she didn''t even register Nobu''s presence as her hazy orange eyes fixed firmly on the silver-haired woman seated across from him.


    Returning what could best be described as a grandmotherly smile, Hitomi surprised Midori by remarking, "Ah, Midori-chan. Your Master has reported that you possess quite the rare ability. I hope to confirm this by having you absorb the essence from this copper. Do your best, okay?"


    Confused by the Matriarch''s words, Midori meekly replied, "Master...?" before shifting her gaze towards Nobu.


    With the corners of her smile curling upward, Hitomi nodded her head in affirmation before saying, "Of course. I don''t believe you need a reminder regarding what might have happened if Nobunaga-sama hadn''te to your rescue. Do you mean to tell me you are apprehensive about serving him...?"


    Shaking her head with enough force to smack herself in the face with her fringe bangs, Midori nervously eximed, "O-Of course not! It would be my honor to serve N-Nobunaga-sama...!"


    Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Hitomi giggled in an ostensibly yful manner before adopting a marginally more serious expression and saying, "Good girl. Now, take a seat and prepare for the infusion process. Nobunaga-sama will be quite inconvenienced if you were to fail. Do not disappoint him."


    After nodding her head like a frenzied chicken, Midori began to strip away her clothes with a fervor akin to someone who had just been set ame. This caused Nobu''s expression to sour until Hitomi dutifully exined, "The infusion process requires the user to take in the essence of metal through the pores. It is possible to do so whilst clothed, but it is far more efficient to remove your clothes."


    "Whatever..."


    Though he would be lying if he said he wasn''t curious about the infusion process, Nobu had no desire to watch a little girl sit naked atop a b of copper. Instead, he shifted his attention to the stone tablet, an action that caused Hitomi to squint, the red of her heterochromatic eyes glistening for a brief moment as she attempted to ascertain if there was something in his hand...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After more than half an hour had passed, a subtle copper glow had begun to suffuse through Midori''s previously transparent aura. This was an extremely good sign, yet, in spite of this, the look on Nobu''s face had morphed into a discontent deadpan as the sound of the little girl''s panting moans continued to echo throughout the room. The infusion process was apparently quite painful yet paradoxically relieving, so, after the first few minutes had passed, Midori had begun to writhe about on top of the copper b, her face crimson as copper tendrils invaded her body through every avable entrance...


    Noticing Hitomi''s amused smile, Nobu''s expression morphed into a re as he said, "I didn''t need to be here for this..."


    With the corners of her smile curling upward, Hitomi nodded her head before musing, "That may be. However, this kind of experience has its merits. Waka-sama is far too easily flustered in his current state. If an enemy state learned of this particr weakness of yours, they would specifically trait a group of kunoichi to exploit it. You should be able to-"


    "You can take your advice and shove it up your ass..."


    Tensing in response to Nobu''s words, the two kunoichi watching over Midori motioned to grasp the hilts of their weapons before Hitomi raised her hand, stopping them mid-draw as she said, "This young man is our Lord Senken''s first son, Oda Nobunaga-sama. The moment you draw your weapons, I''ll be forced to either cut you down or punish you..."


    Sheathing their weapons in an instant, both kunoichi immediately dropped into a dogeza, but, before either could apologize, Nobu preempted them, saying, "Just hurry up and fuck off. You aren''t needed here."


    Raising their heads, the two kunoichi looked towards Hitomi only to see her nod in return. This situation made them feel more than a little ufortable, but, without any obvious hesitation in their gazes, they quickly departed the room through the ceiling.


    Waiting until she could no longer sense anyone, the obvious exception being Midori, Hitomi looked towards Nobu and said, "This is thest time I will show mercy. If you can''t control your words and actions-"


    Interrupting before Hitomi could finish, Nobu adopted a mocking smile as he asked, "What? You''ll kill me?"


    Without any change in expression whatsoever, Hitomi immediately replied, "No. I will kill the people around you. I''m sure Suzune-dono mentioned it, but hierarchies within the ns are regarded with the utmost importance. Behaving like that in front of my subordinates puts me in a position where the only solution is returning you to the Oda n and eliminating anyone who has been infected by your insubordinate behavior. That, however, is only ast resort. You have proven yourself to be invaluable to the n''s interests. Thus, for the time being, my only real option is to proactively eliminate those you have offended or been offended by..."


    Though he wanted to call Hitomi out and say she was bullshitting him, the serious look in the woman''s eyespelled Nobu to remain silent. Even Yui, Yuriko, and Suzune had warned him about saying or doing anything that mightpromise the existing status quo so it was pretty they were serious about adhering to their cultures and traditions...


    "Fine...I get it, okay? Jeez..."


    Shaking her head, Hitomi resisted the urge to say he clearly didn''t get it. Were that the case, he wouldn''t speak in such a roundabout or deflective manner. Now, she would either have to follow through on her threat or orchestrate a situation where a kunoichi who was already close to death was sacrificed to teach him a lesson...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a full hour of absorbing the copper''s metal essence, Midori could be seen panting atop a pale of inert ck ash that was once a metal b. This caused her to be dirty beyondpare, but, after several minutes of regting her breathing, tears began to pour from the teal-haired girl''s eyes as she happily exhaled, "I did it..." in an audibly relieved tone.


    Since Nobu kept his eyes firmly everywhere else, it was Hitomi who answered, "Indeed. Good job, Midori-chan. Now, put on your clothes and go wait outside. Your Master and I have a few things to discuss before you apany him back to his room. After that, you will obediently follow his orders until he has either dismissed or discarded you. Understood?"


    Though a fair amount of fear returned to her expression, Midori managed to push herself to a seated position before performing a naked dogeza and saying, "Yes. I understand. Thank you for this opportunity, Chjo-sama, Nobunaga-sama..."


    Waiting until Hitomi had given her permission, Midori gathered her clothes before dragging her feet towards the room''s entrance. The excitement from her sessful breakthrough was quickly wearing off, and, though she was sincerely grateful, she couldn''t help fearing for her future. She hadn''t heard Hitomi mentioning his true identity, so, from her perspective, he was a strange giant that had purchased her and two others after arbitrarily asking them to be his friends...


    After watching Midori''s departure with a ruminating gaze, Hitomi returned her attention to Nobu the moment the teal-haired girl had departed, asking, "What are your intentions with the girls you purchased? You don''t have to tell me, but the more I know about your situation and your abilities, the more I can help. You clearly didn''t know anything about them before heading down the mountain so there must have been some other reason behind your sudden interest in our n''s younger generation..."


    Recalling Nobu''s disgust from the previous day,bined with the fact he wouldn''t even look towards the naked Midori, Hitomi doubted he had spontaneously ovee his aversions and developed a taste for unripe flesh. He wouldn''t eveny hands on a girl as ripe for the picking as Shizune so he clearly had something else in mind when he decided to acquire the trio they were preparing to discard.


    Since he wouldn''t be able to keep it a secret once his cultivation base began fluctuating up and down, Nobu adopted a serious expression as he said, "Truth be told, I honestly have no fucking idea what''s going to happen. All I know is that I can invest my aura into people who are weaker than me. I''m not really sure what''ll happen after that, but I believe it will make me stronger in the long run. Other than that, I wanted to teach those girls something other than the Metal Infusion Technique. It isn''tplete, but I have knowledge pertaining to a number of different cultivation techniques. Since metals are so hard toe by, I figured I might be able to contribute to the n if I could teach cost-effective techniques to people who eitherck talent or are ipatible with the Metal Infusion Technique..."


    Genuinely surprised by Nobu''s words, Hitomi found herself reying his words in her mind for the better part of a minute before exhaling a sigh and muttering, "You really are cut from a different cloth than other people..."


    Raising his brows, Nobu was about to ask what she meant when Hitomi adopted a strangely affectionate smile and said, "I will need to convene with the other Elders but I believe we can make arrangements to convert one of our fallback facilities into a reeducation center. It would have caused problems if I gave Yui permission to expand your room so we''ll renovate one of our older facilities to serve as your private residence. A member of the Elder Council will need to watch over you, but, so long as you deliver the results you''ve promised, you''ll have free rein to act at your discretion."


    Contrary to Hitomi''s expectations, Nobu didn''t seem all that satisfied with the arrangement she was proposing. Fortunately, he was the type to speak his thoughts aloud so she didn''t need to ask before he revealed, "It''s going to be that Suzune woman, isn''t it...?"


    Understanding what he must be thinking, a light chuckle emanated from Hitomi''s throat as she nodded her head and answered, "Most likely. She is, after all, the Information Elder. The only alternative would be the Elder in charge of interrogation and torture. I can''t imagine you getting along particrly well with them so Suzune-dono is the best option."


    Restraining the urge to massage his forehead, Nobu just released a sigh before shaking his head and muttering, "Whatever..." in an exasperated tone.


    While giggling a second time, Hitomi began ring her aura with the intent of informing the other Elders of an emergency meeting. There were only thirteen days remaining until Nobu''s meeting with his parents so they needed to act quickly if they wanted to tie him to the n. If he changed his mind and decided to return home now, they would lose one of the greatest assets the Yoshitsune n had ever acquired. Thus, while it had always been her intention to support him, Hitomi was currently thinking of ways to convince Nobu to stay even a few days longer. After all, it was only a matter of time before he spread his wings and soared to greater heights. The only question now was whether or not he would remember them fondly when he came into power...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: At this rate, Hitomi is either going to give Yui a push or start targeting Nobu herself xD...)

 Chapter 57: Revelations

    Chapter 57: Revtions


    After answering a few questions regarding the facilities he would like included with his estate, Nobu had Chikako take Midori to the bath before gathering all three of the girls together in his room.


    Seeing the trio lined up in front of him, each demonstrating varying degrees of nervousness, Nobu honestly didn''t know what he was going to do. He had considered asking the Matriarch to let them back into the kunoichi program but that wasn''t exactly doing them any favors. They were already considered to be failures, so, even if they were to join their original generational group, they would undoubtedly find themselves ostracized while forced to undergo training that no girls their age should have to experience.


    As this and several other thoughts crossed his mind, Nobu passed his gaze over each of the girls in turn. The tallest, a girl named Yoshitsune Sachiko, possessed ruby-red eyes and raven ck hair that flowed past her shoulders. She still had chubby cheeks and an immature physique thatcked even a hint of feminine charm, yet, had they been back on Earth, Nobu could easily picture her in movies ormercials.


    Shifting his attention away from the ridiculously photogenic young girl, Nobu set his sights on the only person within the group that didn''t appear afraid, a tomboyish girl with pale-blonde hair and honey-colored eyes. Her name was Yoshitsune Nariko, and, though she was clearly nervous, there wasn''t even a hint of fear in her eyes. In fact, much like the girls who had swarmed him during his journey up the mountain, she appeared more excited and curious than anything else...


    After instinctually ssifying the pale-haired girl as the most troublesome among the trio, Nobu shifted his attention to the smallest girl within the group, the teal-haired Midori. He wasn''t quite sure, but Nobu believed Midori literally tranted to ''green''. As for the girl in question, she had darker skin than the other girls, natural green hair that could never be found back on Earth, and, most notably, pupilless orange eyes that resembled crystal clear amber.


    Tensing up the moment Nobu looked towards her, the only thing preventing Midori from looking away was the fear that she would be discarded. She, like the other girls, knew nothing about Nobu, so, the longer the awkward silence continued, the more nervous she felt.


    Noticing the teal-haired girl''s considerable fear, an exhausted sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he shook his head and said, "Just rx...I''m not going to do anything bad to you. I can''t really me you for having doubts, but I was serious when I asked the three of you to be my friends. For now, just pay attention and tell me if you notice anything strange..."


    Having said that, Nobu bit the bullet and invested 1362 Aura into adding Sachiko, the raven-haired girl, to his Friends List. To his surprise, the stone tablet briefly shed before an exact copy plopped down onto the ground. Nobody else seemed to notice this but Sachiko''s eyes immediately followed the device, confusion appearing in her ruby-red eyes as she tilted her head to the side.


    Picking up the second tablet, Nobu asked, "Can you see this...?" while tapping the screen with his thumb.


    Though everyone else present seemed more than a little confused, Sachiko invariably nodded her head before meekly replying, "Y-Yes...it looks like a thin piece of river rock that has been polished into the shape of a rectangle...?" while following the device with her eyes.


    Nodding his head, Nobu ignored the inquisitive looks he was receiving as he attempted to activate the secondary stone tablet. Truth be told, he wasn''t all thatfortable with handing out his cheat to others. This was undoubtedly selfish of him, but, considering it was the only thing that made him special in this world, he was reluctant to hand out copies...


    Unfortunately, even after several minutes of awkwardly fumbling around with something only he and Sachiko could see, Nobu was unable to awaken the second tablet. Thus, after a considerable amount of hesitation, he gestured for Sachiko toe closer, his tone audibly helpless as he said, "Take this tablet and press your thumb to the polished side..."


    Though she was nervous about approaching anywhere near Nobu, Sachiko swallowed hard before obeying his instructions. This caused her to feel a tremendous amount of pressure, not from Nobu himself, but the kunoichi closely monitoring her every movement.


    Noticing the tense atmosphere, Nobu adopted a serious expression as he said, "Y''all need to chill the fuck out. She is just an eight-year-old brat. Stop ring when she is literally just following my instructions..."


    As if someone had just opened several windows, the tense atmosphere in the room immediately vanished as the kunoichi present resisted the urge to lower their heads and apologize. Kumiko had advised them against overly formal behavior when they were alone with their Lord, so, while it was remarkably stressful, they did their best to appear calm.


    Shaking his head, Nobu gestured for Sachiko toe even closer, basically forcing her to sit right next to him so he could see what she was doing after receiving the tablet.


    Unsurprisingly, the surface of the tablet immediately lit up the moment Sachiko ced her thumb against the surface. This startled her quite a bit, but, believing the object was something invaluably precious, she held onto it with both hands so she wouldn''t drop it.


    After an annoyingly long boot process, a frown appeared on Nobu''s face as he saw the apps that had appeared on Sachiko''s tablet. They appeared functionally identical to his own, so, unless there was some kind of restriction in ce, this meant her tablet had the same functions as the original.


    "Click on the little icon that looks like a sphere..."


    Though she was mesmerized by the glowing screen and strange symbols, Sachiko immediately obeyed Nobu''s words. This caused the same series of logos Nobu had seen previously to sh across the screen, but, once the app had fully loaded, he immediately noticed a few differences in the UI andyout of Sachiko''s cultivation apppared to his own.


    While there was a slightly luminescent sphere showing her current cultivation base, the number representing stockpiled clicks had a maximum value of 100. The left side of the screen also had a blue silhouette that vaguely resembled a transparent Sachiko sitting in a lotus position. Inside of this were various nodes linked together, each representing one of the various meridians within a person''s body.


    Since it didn''t work when he tried to interact with the screen, Nobu had Sachiko navigate through each of her tabs. One showed a simr status to the one that had appeared when he performed aprehensive analysis of Midori while another included upgrades ranging from bone and muscle density to troubling values such as breast sensitivity. As for the final tab, it was functionally identical to his own cultivation tab, but, at the present moment, everything but the Metal Infusion Technique was locked.


    Seeing this, a feeling of dread swelled within Nobu''s heart as he picked up his own stone tablet and noticed a new tab called Units and Upgrades. When opened, it showed a chibi version of Sachiko in her current outfit striking a battle-ready pose. Next to this was a [+] sign, and, once clicked, each of the tabs that appeared on Sachiko''s tablet now appeared on his. In other words, she didn''t upgrade herself using her own Aura. He had to use his own to make her stronger...


    Taking an inordinately long and deep breath, Nobu ran his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to keep himself frompletely losing his shit. Then, in a voice that sounded more like a threat than the casual suggestion he intended it to be, Nobu stared at the trembling Sachiko and said, "Try tapping the glowing sphere on your screen..."


    After swallowing the lump in her throat, Sachiko nodded her head before proceeding to tap the screen with her tiny thumbs. This caused a 1.362 to appear on her screen, a value that made Nobu''s eye twitch since his high click thus far hadted him a whopping 0.006 Aura. If not for the fact her Aura value hadn''t increased in the slightest, he might have directly confiscated the tablet then and there.


    Returning his attention to his own tablet, Nobu''s expression visibly rxed as he muttered, "Keep going..." in a much gentler tone. Sachiko immediately obeyed this order, and, as could be expected, each of her clicks caused the value of his own Aura to increase by 1.362.


    As if his previous anger had been an illusion, a massive grin appeared on Nobu''s face as he began tough like a mental patient. He suspected that she would only be able to click a maximum of 100 times a day, but, even then, that was a free 136.2 Aura per day. In other words, he earned 1/1000th of Sachiko''s Aura each time she clicked. If this trend continued as she increased her base, she might very well be the primary source of his earnings in the near future.


    "So that''s how it''s going to be...I see...hahahahahahahaha~!"


    Though Sachiko was terrified by Nobu''s sudden behavior, she continued to click tirelessly until her stockpile hadpletely depleted. This caused the value to turn from white to red as a timer that disyed the remaining time until midnight appeared. From this, Nobu could extrapte that the stockpile of his "units" would reset every day at midnight, but, considering he could earn back his investment after a mere ten days, he didn''t care about such minor inconveniences in the slightest.


    Surprising the raven-haired girl quite a bit, Nobu ruffled her hair with the same massive grin on his face as he said, "Good job, kid. There are still a few things we need to test but you can''t even begin to imagine how fucking stoked I am about this development. Just make sure you continue to tap on the screen whenever that counter at the bottom turns white, okay? So long as you remember that, I promise to help you be super strong. Deal?"


    Despite her tremendous confusion, Sachiko nodded her head as an excited smile blossomed across her face. She wasn''t quite sure what was going on, but it felt good to be praised. It had been years since anyone told her she had done a good job, so, even if she was still concerned about her future, such thoughts seemed to evaporate the moment she had her head pat by her Lord...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a series of experiments, Nobu confirmed that Sachiko''s cultivation app was basically a human-powered auto-clicker. Her clicks increased his own Aura value, and, by investing in her growth, the value of her clicks would increase exponentially. As for her other two apps, the messenger app was basically just a chat room that allowed him to literally gift Aura while the camera app was just that, a camera. They could take as many pictures as they, but, if they wanted to know the specifics about any specific object, he would need to spend points to identify them.


    Simply put, the duplicate tablets served as extensions of the original, not standalone devices that would allow others to receive the same benefits. The only way they could benefit from them at all was if Nobu invested additional Aura into them. In exchange, they contributed to his strength and allowed him to passively stockpile Aura without needing to click. In other words, it was a mutualistic rtionship that prioritized his growth since he was singrly responsible for enhancing everything from their potential to their physical appearances...


    ("Things just got a whole lot more interesting...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That...that''s overpowered as fuck...! Someone call the Developers! They done fucked up big time with this shady ass harem-building system...!)

 Chapter 58: Investing in the Future

    Chapter 58: Investing in the Future


    Though it knocked him down to Rank 2 Mortal Breath, Nobu didn''t regret investing his Aura into Sachiko, Nariko, and Midori. The maximum amount of Aura he was able to umte in a single day was around 432 at Rank 5. With the trio of girls contributing to his base, he was earning approximately 427 without any additional effort. More importantly, the amount they could contribute wasn''t affected by his Rank, so, even if his system did have a ''reset'' function, he could drastically reduce the amount of time it took to recoup his losses.


    When broken down to its most fundamental level, the stone tablet basically allowed Nobu to grow exponentially stronger based on the number and strength of people following him. Had he allowed himself to be reincarnated naturally, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that he would be earning upwards of a million Aura every single day from Yui alone. Instead, he now had to y catch up by quite literally relying on children, but, seeing how happy the trio was as they familiarized themselves with their stone tablets, Nobu couldn''t help smiling until Kumiko took it upon herself to ask, "My Lord...it may be imprudent of me to ask, but can you please exin the current situation...?"


    Having just spent thest two hours watching her Lord advise the three trainees in the use of an invisible device, Kumiko could no longer restrain her curiosity. She was a kunoichi who had been specifically trained to collect information in order to help her Lord make more informed decisions so it made her feel indescribably ufortable having no idea what was going on.


    Shifting his attention away from the trio experimenting with their camera app, Nobu noticed the uncertainly visible in the face of Kumiko and several others. This caused his smile to turn slightly wry, but, having already decided there was no sense in doubting people who would readilyy down their lives to preserve his, he exined, "You''ll have to wait until I''m stronger to experience it for yourself, but I basically have the ability to duplicate a stone tablet that has a variety of useful functions. For now, I''m trusting you girls with watching over and protecting these three squirts. They might not look like it, but they''re the key to helping me grow strong in a short period of time."


    Hearing their Master''s remark, Sachiko and Midori appeared equal parts excited and nervous. Nariko, however, adopted a massive grin on her face as she enthusiastically eximed, "Just leave it to me, Nobunaga-sama! Nariko won''t let you down~!"


    Though it still felt awkward to hear a little girl address him with honorifics, Nobu managed to nod his head approvingly before returning his attention to Kumiko and saying, "If you can find me some paper and something to draw with, I''ll make a user manual for you and the others to memorize I also want to draw up some clothing designs. Based on howplex some of your outfits are, I assume the vige has its own tailors and artisans, correct?"


    Nodding her head, Kumiko answered, "Though most of our cold weapons are manufactured within the Oda n, the majority of our clothes and ninja tools are produced by specialists within the vige."


    "Nice..."


    Since it would be a pain in the ass to think about external trade at this point, Nobu was happy to hear he could rely on the n''s experts. He would still need to find a way to pay them, but, since Hitomi had basically gifted him the trio of Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko, he still had a fair amount of money. It would probably cost him an arm and a leg to have all his clothes custom tailored, but there was no way in hell he was going to spend the rest of his life walking around in traditional Nianese clothing...


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu looked down at hisnky frame with a frown. He was practically just skin and bones right now, and, were it not for his unique cultivation technique, his stamina would beplete shit. This was uneptable, so, while it would ultimately have to wait untilter, he began to think about methods to improve his physique as Kumiko sent Chikako off to retrieve the supplies he had requested...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After spending much of the morning uninstalling traps and gathering her things, Yui returned to Nobu''s room to find that there was a considerable amount of noise emanating from within. This made it difficult to announce her presence, so, after ring her aura, she waited until Aiko opened the door before peering inside to find three young girls gathered around her Lord as he hunched over a drawing table.


    Frowning slightly, Yui made her way over to Kumiko before asking, "What happened while I was gone? Where did these three childrene from...?" in a soft tone of voice.


    Handing over the ''manual'' their Lord had prepared, Kumiko began exining everything that had transpired since Yui''s departure. This left her feeling more than a little exasperated, but, at the very least, she had now confirmed that Nobu did, indeed, possess a Heavenly Treasure.


    Heavenly Treasures came in all shapes and sizes, but, no matter what form they took, the one thing they had inmon was that they allowed their users to achieve great things. It was the type of thing everyone coveted, but, unless you were chosen by the Heavens, even stealing a Heavenly Treasure was remarkably difficult. Their recipients were protected by fate, and, even if you did manage to kill or capture them, there was no guarantee you would be able to steal their treasure.


    Though Nobu''s was unlike anything she had ever seen or heard of, Yui was absolutely certain it was a Heavenly Treasure of the highest grade. The ability to empower themselves was quitemon among Heavenly Treasures. Nobu''s, however, allowed him to empower both himself and others. This made it exponentially more valuable than the majority of Heavenly Treasures, as, throughout history, nations had been built and brought to ruin by people possessing such objects.


    Noticing Yui approaching, Nobu raised his hand in a casual manner, saying, "Yo. Wee back." in a rxed tone of voice. This caused the trio crowding around him to startle slightly, as, even among the younger generations, Yui was quite famous as an ''outcast'' within the vige. It didn''t even cross their minds that they were technically outcasts themselves, but, fortunately for all parties involved, the trio had enough wherewithal to hold their tongues as Yui approached.


    After waving the girls away, Yui took a seat next to Nobu before looking down to see what he was working on. It wasn''t the best drawing she had ever seen but it was far from the worst. As for what the image contained, it appeared to depict a rather muscr man with a short-sleeved shirt, pants, greaves, gauntlets, and several other items of clothing that had been meticulously drawn to include details such as metal fasteners and how the pockets should be arranged.


    Surprised by the amount of detail present within the image, Yui''s brows perked up as she remarked, "This is remarkable. I don''t think I''ve ever seen a belt quite like this one. My Lord appears to possess a talent for tailoring..."


    Laughing dryly in response to Yui''s remark, Nobu resisted the urge to exin how his mother tried to ease the tensions between him and his father by teaching him how to design cosy props and costumes. He was remarkably bad at sewing and cutting fabrics but he enjoyed the design process more than he ever let on. He had even considered cosying as one of his favorite characters from a game called Drakengard, but, fearing it would be a gateway to bing an Otaku, he ultimately scrapped the idea after producing a replica of the main character''s sword from foam and acrylic.


    Though the notion was a bit cringe, Nobu couldn''t deny that the prospect of roaming around as a mysterious swordsman was a little enticing to him. He was a young man, and, while it was bound to bring him all kinds of troubles, who wouldn''t want to be a badass if given the chance? At the very least, he didn''t want to be some pansy-ass bitch who only sits around and gives orders. Sure, he would prefer a slow and easy life, but, knowing there were people whose lives depended on him, Nobu couldn''t tolerate being a burden.


    With that in mind, Nobu began to doodle the outline of an ax as he stated, "I don''t like how baggy the clothes of Nian are. They''re ufortable and they shift around too much when I''m trying to move around and exercise. Something more form-fitting and stic like this would be much better. Besides, I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again. I''m not particrly fond of the culture and traditions of Nian. This should make it pretty clear I''m not like other Nobles..."


    Seeing the ax her Lord was outlining, a thoughtful glimmer flickered across Yui''s eyes. The majority of Nobles used ceremonial swords such as katanas, and, though they were equally proficient in the use of polearms, spears, and bows, most duels were settled using the traditional Nianese weapon. It wouldn''t be a problem if he was a simple soldier, but, as someone with the potential to be the next Daimyo, Nobu was bound to receive substantial criticism if he endeavored to walk around with such a ''barbaric'' weapon in hand.


    Though she wanted to caution him against such a thing, Yui ultimately just nodded her head with a supportive smile on her face. She could tell he was genuinely enjoying himself, perhaps for the first time since they met. Thus, rather than risk upsetting him, she just continued silently observing from the side until Cho arrived with lunch...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Immediately following Nobu''s departure, Hitomi retreated to the innermost chamber of the main estate to find five inordinately beautiful women waiting for her. This included the perennially pink Suzune, a fierce-looking warrior with gold and ck horns protruding from her head, a woman with vaguely snake-like features, an overtly seductive beauty with tattoos covering much of her exposed flesh, and a deceptively youthful-looking girl with inordinatelyrge vulpine ears and six ck tails framing her petite figure.


    In order, the women were Suzune, the Information Elder, Fumetsu, the Security Elder, Yumie, the Poison Elder, Koharu, the Torture and Interrogation Elder, and,st but not least, Inami, the High Priestess, Guardian, and Elder representing Inari Okami-sama. Thetter was inarguably the oldest and most powerful member of the Yoshitsune n, but, due to her contract with the Goddess Inari, she was unable to be Matriarch and could never, ever, leave the mountain.


    Wearing her characteristic smile, Hitomi made her way to the seat at the very head of the assembly before sitting down and saying, "I''m d you were all able to attend on such short notice. I wonder if the arrival of our Young Lord has anything to do with your sudden avability~?"


    Before any of the other Elders could speak, Inami took it upon herself to state, "Hitomi-sama. Why did you agree to let the Young Lord of the Oda n stay within the main estate without conferring with us? Do you truly believe it wise to allow a man to live within a domain blessed by Inari Okami-sama? If any of our people were to fall in love with him, the Goddess will not remain just sit idly by. You should be well aware of this. The Yoshitsune n is not allowed to love freely."


    Though she wanted nothing more than to flick or pull Inami''s inordinatelyrge ears, Hitomi just nodded her head in understanding before proceeding to exin, "I have gathered everyone with the intent of informing you about certain truths regarding the Young Lord. Once you hear what I have to say, I believe most of your concerns will be ayed. Now, listen closely...the very survival of the Yoshitsune n may hinge upon the decisions we make today..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Massive ears and six tails...that''s a lot of fluff (O w O)...)

 Chapter 59: On the Edge of Despair

    Chapter 59: On the Edge of Despair


    -Reverse the Pendulum: Approximately Neen Years Ago-


    In an effort to prevent the younger generation from machinating against the old, the Oda n had embraced a tradition that prohibited the descendants of the current Lord from producing offspring until they had proven themselvespetent in regards to politics and provincial management.


    The number of ns that had been destroyed due to intergenerational conflicts, even in recent history, numbered in the dozens. Thus, it wasn''t until the twilight of his forty-forth year that Oda Senken, son of Oda Senichi, sired his first child...


    After waiting patiently for nine months, Senken, an inordinately tall man who resembled a bandit more than a Noble, could be seen impatiently pacing outside a sealed room. Everyone who saw this couldn''t help feeling extremely nervous, as, prior to his promotion to Daimyo, Senken had made a name for himself as a vicious warrior rather than a schr or a statesman. Many even assumed the position of Daimyo would be passed to his younger brother, but, surprising everyone, his father had designated the rather tyrannical youth to be his sessor.


    At this point in time, Senken was still a brash individual who only really cared about himself and the people closest to him. It would be more than a decade before he exceeded everyone''s expectations and earned recognition as a wise and benevolent Lord who cared deeply about his people. For now, he was the type of man who would unhesitantly draw his de against anyone who dared to annoy him. Even his siblings were not exempt from this, as, some months prior, Senken had surprised all of Nian by severing the arm of his younger brother when the two of them were drinking in private.


    Simply put, even Senken''s most trusted vassals feared the silver-haired man who had made a habit of walking around with his muscr chest and biceps exposed. They kept their heads lowered when he was near, and, unless called upon, they would do their best to blend into the background so as not to affect their Lord''s mood.


    "Dammit...it''s already been twelve hours...I swear, if anything happens to Nana...I...I''ll ughter every physician in this god-forsaken manor...!"


    Hearing their Lord''s remark, the kunoichi and warriors lining the hall couldn''t help producing a cold sweat. The only person unaffected by Senken''s anxiety-induced bloodlust was a burly middle-aged man wearing reddish-brown armor adorned with crimson and gold. His battle-hardened expression and mane-like brown hair made it clear he wasn''t someone to be trifled with, but his most notable features, excluding his golden eyes, were the white haori and crimson scarf adorning his body. Thetter might not matter to most people, but the former indicated that he was none other than Oda Senichi, the incumbent Lord of Owari until Senken could produce an heir.


    "Calm down, boy. It''s behavior like this that allows people to criticize you..."


    ring in response to his father''s words, the only thing preventing Senken from drawing his sword was the knowledge that he was no match for his father. He might be one of the youngest people in recent history to reach the pinnacle of tinum before the age of fifty but his father had reached a simr point before he was even born. As a result, thetter was currently sitting at Mithril 5, weaker than his prime but still several times stronger than anyone from Senken''s generation.


    While others might wince under Senken''s re, Senichi just leaned forward slightly, a challenging look on his face as he waited to see what his foolish son would do. Fortunately, just as the tensions increased to the point that they could be cut with a knife, the door behind Senken opened to reveal a young woman with raven ck hair and peculiar blue-red eyes.


    Before the woman could open her mouth to speak, Senken turned around on his heels, grasping her shoulders as he shouted, "Hitomi! What took so long!? Is Nana-chan okay...!?"


    Paling in the face of Senken''s fervor, Hitomi''s eyes briefly flickered towards Senichi, silently pleading for his intervention as she attempted to calmly exin, "Lady Suzuki is in good health. There were a fewplications with the delivery, but she will recover with a bit of rest..."


    Though he was considerably relieved to learn that his wife was okay, Senken''s expression hardened when Hitomi''s words trailed off. His grip on her shoulders tightened to the point that those closest could hear bones creaking as he asked, "And my child...?" in a somber tone of voice.


    Before Hitomi could answer, Senichi ced his hand on Senken''s shoulder, stating, "She is here to tell you exactly that. Stop threatening your subordinates when they will readily give you what you ask for..."


    Clicking his tongue in response to his father''s words, Senken reluctantly released Hitomi''s shoulders as the former urged her to continue with a serious nod. Under normal circumstances, Hitomi would have returned a smile and thanked him for his assistance, but, understanding better than most how temperamental Senken could be, she promptly yet stoically exined, "The child, a boy, appears to be in good health at approximately 4kgs. However, no matter what we try, the only stimuli he reacts to is nursing. Other than that, he ispletely unresponsive. He doesn''t cry out when pricked, and, no matter how many times we check his body, there isn''t a trace of Aura present within..."


    Were it not for the fact his father was holding his shoulder with a vice-like grip, Senken might have attacked Hitomi in spite of their long history. He felt like she was actively toying with his emotions by mentioning his son''s health only to immediately take the wind out of his sails by following it up with progressively worse news.


    "I want to see them. Take me to my wife and child. Now."


    Looking towards Senichi, Hitomi waited until the former nodded his head in consent before bowing low and answering, "Very well. Please, follow me..."


    Since the birth of a mainline descendant of the Oda n was such a significant event, it often took ce in the most secure location in the entire n, the Vault of the Ancestors. This was the location of the Oda n''s personal library, mausoleum, and armory. It was also where they stored all of their most precious minerals and resources, so, as could be expected, it was sanctified ground protected by countless traps, barriers, and, most importantly, spell formations that permitted ess to only a select few members of the Oda and Yoshitsune ns.


    With the deration of Senken as the next Daimyo, Hitomi''s position had recently been elevated from Information Elder to acting Matriarch. She was also the kunoichi who had been assigned to guard Nana when she first arrived at the Oda n, so, despite his antagonistic behavior towards her, Senken actually trusted Hitomi quite a bit. They had grown up together, and, though it wasn''t particrly well known, she was actually his first woman due to his reluctance to sleep with any of the kunoichi that had been assigned to him. She had effectively taught him everything he needed to know about pleasing a woman, and, though they hadn''t slept together ever since his marriage, she was still one of the few people he would sincerely trust with his life.


    "Sorry..."


    Without taking her eyes off the path, a delicate smile adorned Hitomi''s face as she answered, "It is understandable that my Lord would be perturbed by this situation. You''ve done nothing warranting an apology. Please, don''t mind it..."


    Crossing his arms, Senken decided to remain silent in response to Hitomi''s remark. This earned him a pat on the shoulder by Senichi, who, remembering his own anxiety prior to Senken''s birth, stated, "Thess is right. If you didn''t worry in situations like this, you wouldn''t be fit to call yourself a man. However, as a father, you must learn to conceal that worry behind a mask of stoicism. Your children wille to view you as the roof that shields them from storms and the mountain atop which their foundation is established. No matter how difficult it gets, you must appear steady and unshakeable. Only when those who follow after you have seeded can you consider your life well spent..."


    Looking towards his father, Senken''s expression became uncharacteristically serious as he nodded his head and answered, "I understand..." in a somber tone. He understood better than most that he wouldn''t even be here today if not for his father''s support. There had been times when they literally butted heads, but, every time he got in over his head or wandered too far from the beaten path, his father had always been there to either support or knock some sense into him...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After more than half an hour of roaming through aplexwork of tunnels, Hitomi, Senken, and Senichi finally reached the chamber containing the most precious treasures of the Oda n. It was here that Nana had given birth, as, despite substantial debate among Schrs, it was generally considered a blessing for children to be born next to precious materials such as Mithril, Orichalcum, and Adamantine. This was also where the most famous Lords and Heroes of the Oda n had been enshrined, so, even if they somehow managed to sneak their way past all the defenses, most people would find themselves cursed the moment they trespassed this sacred ce.


    Located within the depths of this hallowed ground, an extraordinarily beautiful woman with peculiar ck hair, tinged with crimson, could be seen shedding silent tears as she cradled an unresponsive infant in her arms. Her ruby-red eyes, usually vibrant and full of life, appeared to bepletely dull as she gently prodded the baby''s cheek, pleading, "Please cry...please..."


    Unfortunately, even after several hours had passed, the baby remainedpletely motionless. The only time he would react at all was when she attempted to breastfeed him. This filled her with hope in the beginning, but, with her baby bing unresponsive immediately following the all too short session of feeding, despair and helplessness became the only emotions visible in the woman''s eyes.


    Seeing his wife in such a state, Senken''s heart and body immediately tensed as he resisted the urge to simply turn around and depart the room. He couldn''t stand seeing the woman he loved like this. She was the light of his life, the very meaning of his existence. Now, however, she appeared just as dull and lifeless as the child in her arms. This terrified him far more than any enemy or beast he had ever encountered, but, recalling the words of his father, he forced himself to step forward.


    Feeling a warmth embrace her body, Nana raised her currently sightless eyes, unfathomable despair exuding from every fiber of her being as she meekly uttered, "I''m so sorry..." in a tone that pulled at the heartstrings of everyone present. It took everyst bit of Senken''s willpower to restrain the tears threatening the surge forward like an opportunistic army attempting to rout an enemy. Fortunately, despite feeling a painful twinge in his throat, threatening to choke the life out of him, he was able to sound calm and poised as he whispered, "You''ve done nothing wrong, Nana...you gave birth to a healthy baby boy...from here on, leave everything to me..."


    Though he had no idea what he was going to do, Senken resolved himself to do everything in his power to protect both Nana and their child. He didn''t care what it took. He would return the smile to her face and make sure his son could stand proudly above his peers. It didn''t matter if he had to experience great suffering ory down his life in the process. So long as he could protect the things that matter most to him, there was nothing he wouldn''t give...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This chapter hit me right in the kokoro...)

 Chapter 60: Prophecy

    Chapter 60: Prophecy


    Just as Senken had formed his resolve, a feminine voice echoed throughout the vault, surprising everyone within as it mused, "How tragic...it''s amazing how a single selfish decision can have such a drastic influence on the course of history..."


    With his son currently tending his wife and child, it was Senichi who manifested a gigantic katana formed from a deep blue metal, eximing, "Who goes there!?" in a booming voice that caused a neatly stacked pile of gold to capsize from the baritone vibrations.


    In response to Senichi''s outburst, a golden crack appeared out of thin air as a phenomenal aura, unlike anything the room''s upants had ever felt, descended upon them. From within the crack, an indescribably beautiful woman with golden hair, glowing blue eyes, and pointed ears emerged, answering, "You may address me as Imina Ataraxy, Goddess of the Six Paths. I havee bearing a message. More specifically, a prophecy. Now, I would advise you to kneel..."


    Without waiting for the people present to abide, Imina gestured with her hand, and, as a result, everyone present within the vault, sans Senken and Nana, was forced to bend a knee. Those that attempted to resist, Senichi included, found their knees impacting the ground with enough force to crack the marbled flooring.


    "Very good. Now, listen closely. I dislike having to repeat myself, and I am far too busy to answer questions..."


    Tapping the air with her right hand, Imina created a three-dimensional projection of Nobu from his previous life before proceeding to exin, "Due to a particr set of circumstances, the soul meant to dwell within your child has been dyed. The easiest way to exin this is that they are currently living in a tangential world, one with a simr yet decidedly different history to this one. Now, let''s move on to the prophecy..."


    Manifesting an antiquated scroll veiled in golden light, a smile developed across Imina''s face as she opened it and read, "The Beasts of Cmity will soon awaken, heralding the beginning of the end. If Nian is to survive, it will need to be unified under a single, solitary, banner. Though only the future knows what form it will take, the first son of the Oda n has been chosen as one of the candidates to guide the people from the current era into the next. Whether or not this new era is one of peace and prosperity...well, that will ultimately depend on the people guiding him..."


    Though thest part wasn''t part of the prophecy, Imina decided to give Nobu a hand by mixing in a vague warning. Time didn''t flow linearly from the perspective of the Gods so this event was actually taking ce after her little text conversation with Nobu. His straightforward apology had influenced her to take a look into his previous life. When she learned he wasn''t actually an Otaku, she even felt a little sorry for him, but, rather than admit she had made a rather severe mistake, Imina decided to pull a few strings to make sure he didn''t experience any bad ends before he had a chance to grow.


    To this end, a golden light shot from the ancient-looking scroll and into Nobu''s infant body as she said, "Well now. That takes care of that. Since I said I wouldn''t be answering questions, I trust there aren''t any? Good. Take care of yourselves. That brat should return to his body before his twentieth birthday. Till then, do your best."


    Finished with what she intended to say, Imina waved her hand towards the statuesque group of people before spontaneously copsing into a golden mote of light that subsequently exploded outward in a vibrant pulse that restored their movements and healed their wounds. This included the seque suffered by Nana during her delivery, so, while the light had yet to fully return to her eyes, she appeared marginally more hopeful as she asked, "My baby...he''s going to be okay...?"


    While he couldn''t even begin to describe how lost and confused he felt at the present moment, Senken immediately regained his senses when he heard his wife''s question. At the same time, the resolution he had previously formed came back in full force as he gently squeezed her hand and answered, "I''ll make sure of it..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she obviously left out the parts she wasn''t aware of, Hitomi gave a general summary of the events leading up to and urring after Nobu''s birth. This included the agreement that allowed her to ascend to Mithril and retain the position of Matriarch to the present day. After that, she detailed everything Nobu had revealed to her, spinning it in such a way that guaranteed they would want to support him rather than impede him.


    As the most senior member of the Yoshitsune n, it was Inami who followed Hitomi''s exnation by asking, "Are you suggesting we shift our allegiances to Oda Nobunaga rather than the Oda n as a whole? What if he decides not to be the next Daimyo? Or, even worse, what if the path he chooses leads to the destruction of Nian rather than its salvation?"


    Without flinching, even as ghostly purples mes began to manifest around Inami''s tails, Hitomi answered, "That Goddess was able to vite the restriction prohibiting Gods from manifesting in this world without a Grand Ritual and a designated Altar. If we ept her words at face value, the destruction of Nian is the least of our concerns. If these Beasts of Cmity are the same as those who brought an end to the Age of Gods, the entire world will be endangered, not just our homely little Archipgo..."


    Frowning in response to Hitomi''s words, Inami''s tails began to flicker and undte as she rose to her feet and said, "I will meet-"


    Before Inami could finish speaking, Hitomi''s aura erupted outward as she coldly eximed, "You will not!"


    Though Inami was inarguably the most powerful person in the entire Yoshitsune n, her authority was still lower than the Matriarch. She was also a Kitsune and the physical vessel of Inari Okami, so, until the Spring season hade to an end, Hitomi would never allow her to meet with Nobu.


    Baring her teeth, a violent aura began to surge from Inami''s body until every other Elder present promptly surrounded her. A few of them might not be particrly fond of Hitomi but she was still the acting Matriarch. Her word wasw within the Yoshitsune n, so, if Inami attempted to force the issue, they would have no choice but to restrain and temporarily seal her.


    Realizing she was out of line, Inami forcibly suppressed her bestial urges before lowering herself into a dogeza, inordinatelyrge vulpine ears touching the ground as she said, "Forgive me. I let my emotions get the better of me...it won''t happen again..."


    Confident that Inami wouldn''t actually attack her, Hitomi had remained seated despite her previous outburst. She also understood that Inami''s interest in Nobu was unquestionably exacerbated by her contract with Inari Okami, so, rather than taking the matter to heart, she simply stated, "If he is still living among us, you may meet with Nobunaga-sama towards the end of Summer. As for everyone else, you will need to confer with Suzune-dono. I intend to ce her in charge of watching over our Young Lord until his departure. I trust there are noints...?"


    Though they were more than a little interested in meeting with the man implied to have the ability to unify and lead the entire nation, none of the Elders spoke out against Hitomi''s decision. Rather, now that they knew why she had been allowed to remain Matriarch, most of the resentment they had built towards her rapidly faded away. After all, they were discussing matters rted to the fate of Nian, their n, and the world as a whole. Now wasn''t exactly the time for infighting...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After enjoying a delicious yet awkward meal, courtesy of Cho, Nobu looked around at the kunoichi present within his room before passing his gaze over the hungry-looking children that had recentlye into his ''possession''. Cho had only brought enough food for him to eat, and, now that he was thinking about it, he hadn''t actually thought about when the trio would eat or where they would be staying...


    Deciding to shift the burden to Yui, Nobu eyed the stoic beauty as he asked, "What should I do with these three? I don''t really have the time or patience to watch over a bunch of brats, but I don''t want them to grow up in the same way as you girls...no offense..."


    Appearing nervous the moment they heard their new Master''s remarks, Sachiko, Nariko, and Midori immediately shifted their rounded eyes to Yui, varying degrees of fear visible in their gazes. Things had been going rtively well for them until now, but there was still a chance they would be forced to suffer should their Master suddenly lose interest in them.


    Feeling uncharacteristically disconcerted by the trio''s gazes, Yui resisted the urge to fidget around in her seat as she looked towards Kumiko, Cho, and Kazue before saying, "The three of you will take them as disciples. You don''t have to confer all your skills to them, just enough to make them useful to our Lord. They will serve as his personal Maids and Attendants in the future."


    Though she understood that Nobu wouldn''t want the trio he saved to be standard kunoichi, it would cause all sorts of problems if they were allowed to benefit from his benevolence without cost orpensation. If they couldn''t be of use to their Lord, they would either need to be disposed of or supnted by people actually willing to work for the benefits they would receive.


    Nodding in response to Yui''s proposal, Kumiko pointed towards Sachiko, smiling as she said, "If my Lord wills it, I''ll take this little one under my wing. She appears to be the calmest and most collected among the three. At the very least, I can prepare her to be a courier."


    With Nobu, albeit reluctantly, nodding his head in response, Cho and Kazue each selected their new disciples in turn. Midori ended up being chosen by Cho, so, by process of elimination, Nariko would be learning the basics of medicine from Kazue.


    Upon learning their fates, Sachiko and Nariko appeared greatly relieved. Midori, however, paled the moment she heard she would be apprenticing under Cho. Nobu noticed this, but, before he could ask, Kumiko chimed in to say, "Well then, now that everything has been decided. Why don''t the six of us get to know each other over a meal?"


    Raising his hand before the girls could motion to leave the room, Nobu''s expression formed into a frown as he asked, "Is there something you''re keeping from me? I don''t mind you girls having a few secrets, but how am I supposed to trust you if you can''t be straight with me?"


    Smiling wryly in response to Nobu''s words, Kumiko shifted her gaze towards Cho only to find thetter smiling radiantly as she said, "Please, don''t mind me. I''ve already achieved my dream, so I''ve no qualms about the truth being exposed."


    Frowning even deeper, Nobu asked, "What truth...?" in a stern tone of voice.


    Though the atmosphere immediately became tense, Cho maintained a radiant smile on her face as she casually exined, "The life expectancy of a poison taster and chef is generally between 23~25 years. Midori is afraid that her lifespan will be reduced by studying under me, but I can-"


    "Wait, wait, wait. Hold the fuck up. You''re telling me you only have, what, six or seven years left to live? What kind of bullshit is that...!?"


    Rather than diminishing in the slightest, Cho''s smile became even more radiant as she pressed the tips of her fingers together and happily chimed, "My Lord is genuinely concerned about me. I just might be the happiest kunoichi in the world right now~."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Oof...)

 Chapter 61: Sustenance

    Chapter 61: Sustenance


    After forcing the girls to exin exactly what they meant, Nobu found himself sitting with his left hand cradling his head.


    Simply put, kunoichi were designed to have an ''expiration date'' from the moment they started their training. The poisons they ingested helped to strengthen their body and provide resistance against other forms of poison, but, at the same time, it drastically reduced their lifespan.


    ording to Kumiko, the life expectancy of most kunoichis was around thirty years. Most died long before that due to work-rted hazards, but, even if they were extremely careful, most would begin to lose their cultivation in theirte twenties.


    Unless they had a unique set of talents that the n wanted to preserve, most kunoichi would die between three and five years after their cultivation began decaying. They could lengthen this period of time by working hard or consuming various treasured herbs, but, more often than not, those that reached the age of ''retirement'' chose to spend their final few years guiding the younger generation and rxing.


    "That exins why everyone in the vige looks so young...this..."


    Though he thought he had something to say, Nobu found that he was still at a loss for words. This type of thing would never be allowed back on Earth, yet, as if it was perfectly normal, all the girls around him appearedpletely unperturbed by the notion they were already experiencing their twilight years. And what did they intend to spend those years on? Serving him to the best of their ability...


    "Fuck..."


    Feeling as though he might cry, Nobu covered his eyes with his left hand as he made a shooing gesture with his right, saying, "Leave...I need to think..."


    Though he felt a twinge of guilt telling the girls to leave, Nobu didn''t want to appear weak in front of a group of people who had dedicated their entire lives to him. He knew this was a little contrary, but, feeling a range of emotions he had never experienced before, he didn''t really know what else to do. He just wanted to be alone.


    A stark contrast to how Nobu was feeling, most of the girls present found it difficult to contain their smiles. It was rare to have a Lord that cared about their subordinates enough to genuinely grieve at their loss, much less the idea that they would eventually have to part. This drastically increased their desire to protect him, as, even in their wildest dreams, they never imagined that their Lord would be such a kind andpassionate man.


    If he knew what the girls were thinking, Nobu would have felt even guiltier. Fortunately, they quickly and silently filed out of the room. They had been so silent, in fact, that Nobu couldn''t even begin to guess how long they had been gone by the time he looked up.


    Exhaling an emotionally fatigued sigh, Nobu crawled over to his futon before pulling out the stone tablet. The Units and Upgrades tab allowed him to change everything from the girls'' size and shape to their various ''preferences'', so he was hoping it would allow him to deal with the toxicity issue as well.


    With this in mind, Nobu pressed on the tiny (+) icon next to Midori''s [Cursed] Status. She hadn''t been his ''friend'' thest time he looked at it so he was hoping there would be some kind of change now that she was listed in his Units and Upgrades tab. To his considerable relief, there was quite a bit of additional informationpared to before. This included a section rted to removing the curse, and, though he was far from being able to afford the 30,000,000 Aura price tag, the curse of a Goddess had to be more difficult to resolve than simple poison.


    "Fuckin'' a, man...I''m so d to have a cheat right now..."


    Though he didn''t rise from his futon, a smile developed across Nobu''s face as he covered his eyes using his forearm. It hadn''t even been two whole days since he met the kunoichi who had sworn to serve him, but, after everything that happened since his reincarnation, they were the closest thing he had to family and friends in this world. This might change once he met his actual family, but, for the time being, Yui and the rest were basically his people...he might be an incorrigible asshole, but he still looked after the people who looked out for him...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After lying in silence for the better part of half an hour, Nobu eventually rose to a seated position before pulling out his tablet for a second time. He was a little curious about the other (+) icons, so, now that he had calmed down a bit, he couldn''t resist the urge to check them out.


    Clicking on the (+) next to Midori''s [Fear] Status, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he saw the familiar, "She thinks you''re going to eat her." line. Below that, however, was an option to ''erase'' said Status for a mere 390 Aura. This filled his head with various thoughts, but, believing it was only a matter of time before her fear resolved itself, Nobu clicked on her [Natural Jade Body] next.


    Unsurprisingly, the description for Natural Jade Body remained the same. Now, however, a number of different options existed within the description. This included strengthening the effect, evolving it into something else entirely, or erasing itpletely. Fortunately, the interface showed exactly what it would evolve into, specifically the wless Jade Body and Immortal Jade Physique.


    "Nice..."


    Having confirmed his suspicions, Nobu decided to open Sachiko''s and Nariko''s Status in turn...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Sachiko


    Age: 8


    Gender: Female, H:129cm, W: 25.2kg, B: 61.1cm, W: 46.3cm, H: 63.2cm


    Blood Type: AB+


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 1301/1362


    Status: Cursed(+), Carmine Eyes(+), Confusion(+), Excitement(+)


    -Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami: Probably of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced. Removal Cost: 3,000,000AU


    -Carmine Eyes: A rare bloodline that drastically increases the user''s affinity with Yin and other negative energies.


    -Upgrade Cost: 30,000AU


    -Evolution(s): Scarlet Demon Eyes: 6,000,000AU -> Demon Goddess''s zing Eyes of Destruction: 9,000,000,000AU


    -Removal Cost: 500,000AU


    -Confusion: Worried about the future.


    -Excitement: She is eager to learn how to cook.


    Main Hand: Right, Ambidextrous


    Preferred Weapon: Ninjato, Naginata, Morningstar, Fists


    Strengths: Innately Beautiful, Intelligent, Perceptive, Good listener, Can see in the dark


    Weaknesses: Doesn''t like talking, Hates being alone, Frigthens easily


    Orientation: Heterosexual


    Preferred Position: She has considered shoving things up her butt


    Favorite Food: Shellfish, Sweets


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Nariko


    Age: 8


    Gender: Female, H:125.5cm, W: 25.3kg, B: 62.7cm, W: 45.9cm, H: 63.4cm


    Blood Type: A+


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 1293/1411


    Status: Cursed(+), Golden Boar''s Blessing(+), Excited(+), Curious(+)


    -Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami: Probably of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced. Removal Cost: 3,000,000AU


    -Golden Boar''s Blessing: Provides the user with an increased affinity towards nts, animals, and other natural things.


    -Upgrade Cost: 5,000AU


    -Evolution(s): Golden Boar''s Divine Protection: 1,000,000AU -> Golden Boar''s Avatar: 960,000,000AU


    -Removal Cost: 90,000AU


    -Excited: She really likes the stone tablet.


    -Curious: She wants to know more about you.


    Main Hand: Left, Ambidextrous


    Preferred Weapon: Fists


    Strengths: Confident, Iron Stomach, Strong Body, High Pain Tolerance


    Weakness: Enjoys Bullying the Weak, Slightly Perverted, Being on the Defensive


    Orientation: No Preference, Leaning Bi


    Preferred Position: She has kissed other girls


    Favorite Food: She likes eating


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though there were several pages of useless information, Nobu couldn''t help feeling a little excited by the prospect of upgrading and evolving his ''units''. It might not be polite to think of the girls in this regard, but, so long as he wasn''t aplete ass about it, he doubted they would mind.


    "It looks like there is still a bit of hope for Yui. So long as I can make her my friend, she won''t have to stay t as a board for the rest of her life..."


    Since there were options to both increase and decrease variables such as height, weight, and bust, Nobu could literally increase Yui from an A-Cup to a D-Cup if he wanted to. Unfortunately, the only parameters he could affect in the present belonged to a bunch of brats. Sure, he could theoretically give them even better bodies than Shizune. He just wasn''t a pedophile. Hell, just knowing the three girls'' sizes was already enough to make him feel like a creeper...


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu began navigating through the other tabs to see if there were options for additional bloodlines avable. If he could take them away, it stood to reason that he would also be able to add them. Unfortunately, perhaps as a result of the trio already possessing bloodlines, he couldn''t find any options that would allow them to possess another.


    "Guess I need to get serious about increasing my strength. I''m going to need a shit ton of Aura if I want to treat all the girls'' toxicity..."


    As that thought crossed his mind, so too did the notion of curing every kunoichi in the vige. This would work if there were no limitations on the number of people he could add as a friend, but that didn''t seem to be the case. His current Friends List seemed to be capped at 100, and, from what he could tell, there was no way to delete anyone. As a result, he was already down four slots due to the Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths basically forcing him to add her as a friend.


    Unfortunately, even though she was clearly at the top of his Friends List, Nobu couldn''t see any of the Goddess'' stats or parameters. This implied there was a distinction between the people listed on his Friends List and those who appeared in his Units and Upgrades Tab. Either that or she had gone out of her way to make sure he couldn''t see her Status or benefit from her clicks...


    Doing his best not to think any bad thoughts about the Goddess who had basically fucked over his reincarnation, Nobu upied himself with clicking until he began feeling peckish. This was quickly followed by a feeling of ravenous hunger, not because he was suffering from the effects of extreme and prolonged malnourishment, but because Cho''s food was that good.


    Suppressing the feelings of guilt that instantaneously reared their ugly head, Nobu set aside his stone tablet before calling out, "Is anyone listening? If you are, go ahead and reveal yourselves..."


    The moment Nobu finished speaking, Yui, Kiki, and Ayane appeared at the entrance to the room before entering like normal people. Their outfits made this a little strange, especially in the case of Kiku, but that just reminded Nobu of something he had been meaning to ask about ever since his arrival.


    Waiting until the girls had taken their seats, Nobu asked, "How long will it take to have the Iga n prepare a made-to-order mask? I''m nning to try and train my sense of smell in the future, but I''d rather have the option to block things out than suffer the consequences of not having one..."


    Though she was expecting Nobu to ask about dinner, Yui promptly replied, "The Iga n is located in the neighboring province. We''re not on the best terms, but the merchant branch of the Oda n has been trading with them for thest three hundred years. So long as we issue the order through them, it should only take around two months for the mask to bepleted. Until then, we can have our own craftsman begin experimenting with alternative solutions. If you''re going to be passing on your unique Cultivation technique to members of our n, we''re going to need them..."


    Since he was intending to just that, specifically with Sachiko, Nobu nodded his head in affirmation, muttering, "Good...good..." before proceeding to ask, "How soon do you think Cho can prepare a meal...?"


    Smiling wryly in response, Yui didn''t even have to say anything before a gentle tapping could be heard outside the room. Cho had been waiting outside with food and drinks ready to deliver, and, after everything that had happened earlier, she was more excited than ever to provide sustenance to her beloved Lord and Master...


    "I ced a bit of extra love into these dishes. Please let me know what you think~."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Cho is a good girl...)

 Chapter 62: Subtle Yet Drastic Changes

    Chapter 62: Subtle Yet Drastic Changes


    If he were being honest, Nobu was a little creeped out when Cho mentioned cing ''extra love'' into the dishes. Despite this, he still enjoyed the food quite a bit. After all, even if she did ce something ''extra'' inside, it didn''t really matter so long as he didn''t know what it was.


    "Thanks. It was delicious..."


    Amused by her Lord''s awkwardness, Cho covered her mouth with her sleeve, giggling before sending a yful wink his way and teasing, "Don''t worry. I would never befoul my Lord''s meal by adding anything strange. My happiness is your ability to eat without worry..."


    Punctuating her statement with one of the most radiant smiles Nobu had ever seen, thetter found himself seriously considering apologizing. Instead, he just watched as Cho bowed low enough that her breasts nearly spilled out, wholly unable to speak until she had departed with his empty tes in hand...


    "That woman is dangerous..."


    "My Lord...?"


    Hearing Yui''s voice, Nobu shifted his attention towards her, confusion visible in his face until his mind fully processed why she had called out to him.


    Waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, Nobu said, "Nah, it''s nothing bad. It''s hard to exin, but it was basically apliment."


    "Oh...I see..."


    Though she didn''t really understand Nobu''s way of speaking at times, Yui didn''t doubt he was telling the truth. Thus, rather than press the issue, she changed the topic of discussion, asking, "What are your ns for the rest of the evening? Should we prepare for a bath or are you still going to be meeting with Rukia-dono and Takao-san...?"


    Remembering his promise to the mother-daughter duo, Nobu''s face formed into a frown as he shook his head and said, "I''m not really in the mood to be gawked at like a circus freak. If they want to stop by, I don''t mind meeting them. I just don''t feel like taking a bath right now."


    Nodding her head, Yui''s gaze flickered towards Ayane for a brief moment. In response, thetter returned a nod of her own before promptly disappearing into the ceiling above. This time, however, she moved much slower than normal so that Nobu was able to perceive her departure.


    Following Ayane''s departure with his eyes, Nobu fell silent for a brief moment before shaking his head a second time and asking, "Where is Yuriko? I haven''t seen her ever since she left this morning. Don''t tell me she went on a mission or something..."


    Having anticipated this question for quite some time, a smile developed across Yui''s face as she exined, "Today was Rynka''s and Shizune''s final evaluation. As the kunoichi assigned to oversee their mission, Yuriko''s presence was requested. She should be returning shortly after the sun sets."


    Though he wasn''t particrly upset, Nobu couldn''t help wincing when he imagined Rynka and Shizune bing kunoichi. He didn''t really know much about the former, but thetter gave off a very spoiled, borderline intolerable vibe. She had clearly received special treatmentpared to other kunoichi, and, while he could understand the reasons why, Nobu was still far from truly forgiving her. He might never.


    Noticing the difort visible in her Lord''s expression, Yui was about to say something when he suddenly interjected, saying, "Don''t worry about it. I just get a little pissed whenever I think back to what happened in the forest..."


    Shaking his head clear of such thoughts, Nobu was seriously considering taking a nap when a muted sound emanated from outside his door. It hadn''t even been a few minutes since Ayane left, so, unless they had literally been waiting nearby for his invitation, it couldn''t be Rukia and her daughter.


    "Ie bearing a message for Nobunaga-dono. The Matriarch has requested his presence in the main hall. Please attend at your earliest convenience..."


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, the voice and presence from behind the door vanished without a trace.


    "Annoying..."


    Smiling wryly in response to Nobu''s grumbling, Yui attempted to defend her Grandmother by saying, "I''m certain this is a good thing. Your abilities are unlike anything I have ever seen or heard of. Grandmother wouldn''t let anything happen to you."


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu rose to his feet and said, "Whatever. Let''s just get this over with..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a quick journey through the main estate, Nobu found himself in a muchrger room than the one he had met Hitomi in previously. It was almost like a throne room, but, instead of anything more ornate, the most extravagant seat in the hall was basically just a cushion on top of a slightly elevated tform.


    Unsurprisingly, this centermost seat was upied by Hitomi. She wasn''t the only one present in the room, however. There were six other ornate seats in the wide and open chamber, three on each side of a central aisle. Four were upied by remarkably beautiful women while the other two, one appearing far more ornate than the other, were currently empty.


    "You arrived much sooner than I expected. For that, you have our gratitude..."


    Tearing his eyes away from the big-tittied woman smoking a pipe with a seductive look on her face, Nobu met Hitomi''s gaze and answered, "No problem. I didn''t really have anything going on right now..."


    Though his words were far more casual than the situation mandated, Nobu was doing his best to at least sound civil as he approached the final seat, a rtively simple-looking mat set in the center of the hall. There was also a small table with tea and snacks on it, but, other than taking a quick nce, Nobu didn''t bother himself with them as he sat down with a grunt and crossed his legs.


    Under normal circumstances, behavior like Nobu''s wouldn''t be tolerated. After what Hitomi had revealed, however, each of the Elders present were far more interested in his actions than offended by them. He was basically someone from a different world, and, while he was undoubtedly their Young Lord, he possessed powers and abilities that made him invaluable, not just to the Yoshitsune n, but the entire Archipgo.


    Feeling the eyes of everyone present focused on him, a slight frown marred Nobu''s face as he said, "I hope you didn''t invite me here just to be stared at..."


    Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Hitomi issued a light giggle before shaking her head and saying, "Worry not, Waka-chan. We did not call you here without reason. Rather, we wanted to inform you of some good news."


    Though he was briefly distracted by Suzune waving at him from the corner of his eyes, Nobu quickly regained his focus when he heard Hitomi''s words, brows raised slightly as he asked, "Okay? Lay it on me."


    Raising her own brows at the unfamiliar turn of phase, Hitomi resisted the urge to ask as she went on to exin, "We have discussed the matter in great detail ande to a consensus regarding our previous conversation. In summary, we have decided that, so long as you live among us, we will do our best to ensure that none of our younger generation are sent away on less desireable missions. Specifically, we would ask that you use your ability to ascertain whether or not certain members of our n possess unique abilities or bloodlines. For each new bloodline discovered, we will provide you with additional resources while also doing our best to facilitate any and all requests you might have."


    Frowning in response to Hitomi''s words, Nobu crossed his arms and asked, "What if I ask you to let them choose a different path? Something other than bing a kunoichi?"


    Having already anticipated this question, Hitomi maintained her characteristically confident smile as she answered, "Our n focuses on rearing kunoichi, not because we want to, but because it is necessary for our survival. If you can help our girls pursue additional paths, we will support that decision to the best of our ability. However, you must have a realistic n to achieve your goals. Sentiment can only take you so far and we cannot squander resources on those without the ambition or drive to make use of them..."


    Though he didn''t agree with everything Hitomi was saying, Nobu ultimately nodded his head in response, saying, "Yeah, sure. Just don''t go sending off children to be prostitutes and shit. That kind of thing makes me sick..."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Hitomi adopted a far more serious tone as she said, "I am a woman of my word. So long as you reside within the territories of the Yoshitsune n, we will not send our children away to receive that kind of training..."


    Punctuating her words, Hitomi performed a hand seal that resulted in a buxom kunoichi to appear with an infant bundled in her arms. Then, before Nobu could even think to ask, Hitomi exined, "A few of my fellow Elders still have doubts regarding the abilities you purport to possess. I know this is a bit sudden, but it would go a long way towards aying any concerns they might have if you can demonstrate your ability in front of them. To that end, I have asked that one of our recently born daughters be brought in. Please tell us everything you are able to ascertain from observing her..."


    Though he was tempted to refuse, Hitomi''s previous warnings were still fresh in Nobu''s mind. He was also doing his best to at least appear calmer and more confident, so, despite frowning quite a bit, he ultimately answered, "Fine. I don''t appreciate being put on the spot like this but I''ll make an exception this time. Just keep in mind that I''ll be charging you for each future use. This ability literally consumes my cultivation base so I''m not going to spam it just because you want to test me."


    Seeing, not just Hitomi, but all of the Elders nod their heads, Nobu shifted his attention to the buxom kunoichi, awkwardness swelling within him as she promptly proferred him the baby in her arms. He didn''t actually need to be in contact with the person he was scanning, but, now that he thought about it, Nobu realized there was quite a bit of merit to keeping the specifics of his ability a secret...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Jyubei


    Age: 19 days


    Gender: Female, H:49.3cm, W: 4.8kg, B: 42.2cm, W: 43.1cm, H: 41.9cm


    Blood Type: O+


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 8/10


    Status: Cursed(+), Hungry(+), Sleepy(+)


    -Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami: Probably of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced. Removal Cost: 3,000,000AU


    -Hungry: She is hungry. Removal Cost: 1AU


    -Sleepy: She is sleepy. Removal Cost: 1AU


    Main Hand: No Preference


    Preferred Weapon: No Preference


    Strengths: Cute


    Weakness: She is a baby


    Orientation: No Preference


    Preferences: Enjoys Being Held


    Favorite Food: Breast Milk


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though he could have gone the rest of his life without knowing the dimensions of a newborn infant, Nobu did his best to ignore the mild nausea he was experiencing, saying, "Her name is Yoshitsune Jyubei. She is 19 days old, weighs 4.8kg, and has a Blood Type of O+. Her current Aura amount is 10 and she is currently both sleepy and hungry. As for special bloodlines, she would be normal if not for the Curse affecting your entire n..."


    Hearing Nobu''s exnation, the Elders present, Suzune especially, felt varying degrees of excitement. His ability was a lot moreprehensive than they had anticipated. They even suspected he wasn''t telling them everything, but, rather than press him for more, they just nodded in approval when Hitomi passed her gaze over each of them in turn.


    Seeing each of the Elders nod, a smile developed across Hitomi''s face as she returned her attention to Nobu and said, "On behalf of the entire Yoshitsune n, let me be the first to say that I''m looking forward to a long and healthy cooperation with Waka-no, Nobunaga-sama..."


    To indicate her sincerity, Hitomi bowed forward, an action promptly repeated by everyone else in the hall. This made Nobu feel more than a little ufortable, but, understanding this was probably the ''ideal'' oue, he forced a smile and answered, "Yeah...sure thing..." in an audibly awkward tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu''s ability makes Information Elders moist (UwU)...)

 Chapter 63: Undertones: Recruitment

    Chapter 63: Undertones: Recruitment


    After discussing a few of the particrs rted to his move, Nobu returned to his room alongside Yui and Kiku. There, he found Ayane, Rukia, and Takao waiting for him outside.


    Before the three girls could bow in concert, Nobu preempted their courtesies by raising his hand and saying, "Yo. Let''s head inside."


    Though Rukia and Takao were a little slow to react, Ayane immediately rose to her feet before looking down at the duo and saying, "I told you so..." in her characteristically delicate yet cool monotone.


    Hearing Ayane''s remark, Nobu continued his approach, asking, "What did you tell them?" in a slightly curious tone.


    Without any shame whatsoever, Ayane looked back at him and exined, "I told them you didn''t like courtesies...should I not have...?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu answered, "Nah. It''s whatever." before opening the door and adding, "Let''s go."


    Though Takao seemed extremely ufortable by this turn of events, Rukia simply smiled as she pulled her daughter along. If she could help her daughter win the favor of someone like Nobu, she would be able to spend herst few years in peace. Thus, even if the chances were slim, she wanted to at least try...


    Unaware of Rukia''s thoughts, Nobu made himselffortable before gesturing for the rest to do the same. At the same time, a feeling of incongruency washed over him as he watched the mother-daughter duo take a seat. This was the first time he was meeting with a pair of women after initially seeing them naked. To make the situation even stranger, they were a pair of mother and daughter, so, while it was arguably more normal to encounter them like this, Nobu actually felt more awkward now than he had in the bath...


    Noticing Nobu''s gaze, an intelligent glimmer shed across Rukia''s eyes before she smiled and asked, "What do you think of Takao''s outfit? It''s simr to the one I used to wear back when I was still active."


    As a ''retired'' kunoichi, Rukia generally walked around in a rtively modest kimono. As for Takao, she was wearing a surprisinglyplex set of equipment, but, like most kunoichi, there was also a considerable amount of skin showing. This included most of her back and sides, so, if you looked at her from the right angle, it was possible to view the ''contents'' of her outfit without anything being concealed.


    Though he did briefly cast his gaze to Takao, Rukia''s words reminded Nobu of something, so, while it was generally considered rude to ask someone their age, he didn''t hesitate to ask, "How old are you...?" while staring directly at the older yet remarkably youthful-looking woman.


    Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Rukia giggled yfully before answering, "I just turned 33 this year." without any fear, doubt, or even mild trepidation in her voice. She could easily understand what Nobu was truly asking, but, rather than exhibit fear in front of her daughter, she maintained a perfectly calm and dignified demeanor.


    Furrowing his brows even further, Nobu remained silent for several seconds as he pulled out the stone tablet and checked the cost to befriend Rukia. His pupils contracted slightly when he saw the value was 13,892,311. Based on the maths he had performed previously, this would put her around Rank 1 tinum Hero. If what the girls exined was true, this indicated she still had a few years to live, but, at the same time, it showed that she had once been a powerhouse of the Yoshitsune n since women apparently lost upwards of 10% of their cultivation base during pregnancy.


    "It''s no wonder she gets to live in the main estate..."


    Though her eyes glistened with a curious light, Rukia didn''t ask for rification since she could feel the hostility radiating from virtually everyone else in the room. She was a kunoichi that specialized in infiltration and assassination so she was especially sensitive to the intentions of others.


    Deciding to continue the previous topic, Rukia''s expression became ostensibly yful as she asked, "Does Nobunaga-dono prefer older women~?"


    Raising his brows, Nobu met Rukia''s gaze, silence permeating the room for several seconds before he ultimately nodded his head and answered, "If I had to pick between brats and matures beauties, I would definitely lean towards thetter. Why do you ask...?"


    Giggling a second time, Rukia replied, "Oh, no reason. I was just a little curious. Most people would actually choose younger women unless the woman in question has a high cultivation base. After all, it''s a lot easier to shape the hearts and minds of younger women than it is to mold someone much older. Most women can''t even find a partner after the age of twenty so they end up spending a few years in a brothel just to find a husband."


    Though he knew she didn''t mean to offend him, Nobu couldn''t help furrowing his brows when he heard Rukia''s words. Twenty wasn''t even considered old back in his world. Rather, the average age that most women got married was pretty close to 31. As for men, they would generally wait until they were between 33-35 before settling down as it was considered financially irresponsible to even try to start a family before that...


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu reminded himself, once again, that this was no longer his world. Then, despite the mildly concerned looks he was receiving from virtually everyone, he looked towards Takao and asked, "When are you leaving on your mission? Do you know what you''ll be doing...?"


    Sitting a little straighter, Takao did her best to appear calm as she answered, "My specialtiesy in infiltration and assassination. I don''t know the specifics of my mission, but I should be paired with another member from my generational group. We will work together to eliminate a target from a Lesser Noble family. From what I have heard, there has been considerable unrest in the nearby city of Owari-Asai. Unless my duties are required elsewhere, I imagine I will be deployed there."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu shifted his attention towards Yui, but, before he could ask, thetter just shook her head ever-so-slightly as if to say, "We''ll talk about itter." or "I''m not really sure." Either way, it was clear she didn''t think it was a good idea to discuss such matters in front of guests.


    Though he couldn''t resist frowning, Nobu decided not to press the matter as he looked back at Takao and said, "Well...good luck? I''m not really sure what to say in situations like this. If it were up to me, girls your age wouldn''t be sent on missions like this. I mean, killing someone just because someone else ordered you to? That''s pretty fucked up..."


    Not expecting someone of Nobu''s status to say such a thing, Takao found herself at a momentary loss for words. It had never even urred to her that someone might consider it strange for her, a kunoichi trained in assassination, to kill onmand. Rather, if it were any other Noble, they would eithermend or fear her based on her willingness and efficiency...


    Stepping in before her daughter could be even more muddleheaded, Rukia issued a sonorous giggle before musing, "Nobunaga-dono is quite magnanimous. Not only are you willing to befriend kunoichi outside your personal entourage, but you even go so far as to show consideration towards your enemies. Though my own views differ due to my particr specializations, it''s a relief to know there are such kind and caring individuals among the nobility..."


    As he had never been particrly fond of praise, much less brown-nosing, Nobu had to fight the urge to wince in response to Rukia''s words. Even he could tell she wasying it on a little thick, but, after learning more about what it meant to be a kunoichi, her attempts to earn his favor weren''t a surprise. She might have other daughters, but Takao was probably thest one she would see grow into a woman...


    Looking towards the other kunoichi in the room, Nobu didn''t have the heart to ask whether or not their mothers were still alive. He was pretty sure that Yui''s was already dead based on the fact she had only ever mentioned her older sister and grandmother. As for the rest, well, he had no clue. It hadn''t even urred to him to ask, as, despite thest two days feeling like two whole years, very little time had passed since their introduction.


    Recalling that Hitomi had said he could interview and personally select staff to help him look after the girls that would invariably be sent his way, an exasperated sigh escaped Nobu''s throat before he shook his head and muttered, "Whatever..." before surprising both girls by asking, "How would the two of you like toe and work for me? The Matriarch has given me permission to basically open my own school. I need teachers and teachers'' assistants and you''re two of the only people I really know in the Yoshitsune n at this moment..."


    Smiling radiantly in response to Nobu''s words, Rukia didn''t hesitate to lower her head, but, before she could say anything, his voice interjected, saying, "Stop it. I hate all that formality crap. You can bow all you want when the situation calls for it. Just not right now."


    Though he knew he should be getting used to formalities, it had only been a few days since Nobu revealed his identity. He honestly preferred the way Yui had treated him before. Sure, his life had been a lot more miserable back then, but at least he didn''t have to put up with people treating him as though the ground he walked on was somehow sacred. In the end, they were all humans. Since he wouldn''t lower his head to others, it felt unbelievably insincere to have other people lower their heads to him.


    Raising her head, a smile developed across Rukia''s face as she answered, "It would be my honor to work alongside Nobunaga-sama. I''m not sure what I can teach outside of infiltration, assassination, and seduction techniques, but I''ll do my best."


    Following her words, Rukia looked towards Takao as if to encourage thetter to do the same. This left Takao feeling more than a little awkward, not because she didn''t want to work under Nobu, but because she didn''t really know how ''not'' to show proper courtesy. All of her training had taught her to revere the Nobility, especially the members of the Oda n. Nobu was the first son of their Lord so it just felt wrong not to bow her head...


    Fortunately, despite her taciturn nature, Takao wasn''t a fool. She had also discussed this matter at great length with her mother, so, fearing this was her only chance to improve her position and stay at Nobu''s side, she managed to appear unperturbed as she answered, "I won''t let you down. Thank you for this opportunity."


    Returning an awkward smile of his own, Nobu replied, "Don''t mention it. I needed people and the two of you just happened to be the first to introduce yourselves. I''ll let one of these girls fill you in on the specifics. I''m actually pretty tired so I don''t intend to stay up much longer."


    Realizing he was basically asking them to leave, Rukia and Takao nodded their heads at nearly the exact same time before rising to their feet alongside Kiku. Yui had sent a curt nod towards thetter the moment Nobu mentioned that someone would exin things so it was pretty obvious that she would be the one doing so.


    With the three girls'' departure, only Nobu, Yui, and Ayane were left in the room. This might have given others ideas, but, as he had stated, Nobu was more than a little tired after the surprisingly fruitful day. He also wanted to get a jump start on his personal training, so, after letting his mind wander for a brief moment, he ultimately shook his head and said, "Whatever. I''m going to bed..." in an audibly fatigued tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Guess Nobu doesn''t like the taste of Oyakodon...?)

 Chapter 64: Therapeutic

    Chapter 64: Therapeutic


    Despite feeling extremely fatigued, Nobu spent several hours just lying in silence, his mind refusing to rest as he habitually rubbed his feet together.


    Though his actions were a bit contrary, anyone who had spent time in a cancer ward or around terminally ill patients would be able to empathize with Nobu''s current state. He had just learned that everyone around him, specifically those around his age or slightly older than him, were already nearing their ends. This caused him to feel suffocated, but, what made matters even worse was how all the members of the Yoshitsune n simply epted it.


    As this, and countless other thoughts crossed his mind, Nobu opened his eyes to stare nkly at the ceiling. It was actually quite chilly in the room, yet, in spite of this, his body had produced a tremendous amount of sweat. Some of this could be attributed to Yui sleeping naked at his side, but, more than anything else, it was his restlessness and anxiety causing him to break out into a sweat.


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu attempted to silently extricate himself from the nkets, but, as could be expected, his actions hadn''t gone unnoticed. Rather, due to how much he had been moving about, Yui hadn''t actually gone to sleep yet. Thus, the moment she noticed him trying to exit the nkets, she asked, "Are you okay...?" in a soft tone of voice.


    Had they been on a normal bed, Nobu would have sat at the side with his back to Yui. Since they were sleeping on a futon, this wasn''t really an option, so, after remaining silent for several seconds, he ultimately shook his head and answered, "I don''t know..."


    Though there was a lot he wanted to say, Nobu found himself unable to voice his thoughts. He had never been good at talking about his problems. If he had been, he wouldn''t have caused his mother so much stress and anxiety by sneaking out almost every night.


    As thoughts of his mother once again surfaced in his mind, Nobu found himself hanging his head in his hands. He regretted not talking to her more when he still had the chance. Now that he couldn''t, he realized just how much he had been dependent on her. Despite this, he couldn''t even remember thest time he let the woman simply hold him. Instead, he would regrly shrug off her affections and tell her to stop treating him like a child...


    "Fuck..."


    Though he wasn''t crying, Nobu could feel moisture building in his eyes as he covered them with his palms. This caused him to feel even more pathetic and lost than before. Here he was, a grown man feeling homesick as he longed for his mommy. If his tmates were to see him like this, they would have busted his balls before dragging him off to get drunk and party. That was how the majority of young men in his society dealt with mental health issues. They pretended like they didn''t have any, made fun of those that did, and buried their problems beneath drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence...


    Nobu had never been particrly fond of the taste of sake, so, even if he did want to get wasted and just fuck his problems away, he was more likely to get a stomach ache than an erection. As for why he couldn''t just have sex without alcohol...well, it just felt too personal. He just wanted to feel good. He didn''t want to feel close to the person he was having sex with.


    From an objective point of view, this should have meant that Nobu could have sex with any of the girls in his entourage without worry. Unfortunately, despite only two days passing, he now knew too much about them to simply fuck them without feeling. There would have to be something seriously wrong with him if he could fuck a terminally ill patient and just pretend like it meant nothing the following day. Even he wasn''t that big an asshole...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Seeing her Lord sitting his head in his hands, Yui felt an emotion that could best be described as helplessness. She wanted to help him but she didn''t understand how. Nobu wasn''t like a normal person, and, depending on his mood, she risked making things exponentially worse by saying or doing the wrong thing.


    "Fuck..."


    Hearing Nobu mutter his favorite expletive under his breath, Yui''s expression became even more conflicted as a twinge of pain spread through her chest. She hated seeing him like this, and, while it might be a little selfish, she wished he could be stronger. Not for herself, but for all of them. He was the entire reason they had been given birth, so, if he was feeling down and mncholic, it affected each of them, not just himself.


    Shaking such thoughts from her mind, Yui tentatively approached Nobu before wrapping her arms around his back and resting her head between his shoulder des. She didn''t know what to do but doing nothing felt like the wrong answer. Thus, while thoughts regarding the inordinatelyrge size of his back and shoulders crossed her mind, she just nestled closer to him in the hope of alleviating what ailed him.


    To Yui''s considerable relief, she could feel the tensions in Nobu''s body gradually rx even though he kept his head in his hands. What she didn''t expect was for him to abruptly turn towards her after several minutes of silence, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face as he said, "I''m going to fuck you..." in a somewhat forceful tone of voice.


    Though she was more than a little taken aback by her Lord''s words and actions, a hint of a smile developed across Yui''s face as she intoned an affirmative, "Nn..." before allowing him to push her to the futon...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Witnessing the ostensibly impassioned love-making between Nobu and Yui, Yuriko couldn''t help clicking her tongue. She had originally timed her arrival so that she would show up just as Nobu was preparing for bed. She was hoping this would improve the odds of him choosing her as his eveningpanion, as, ever since their first time together, Nobu had demonstrated a particr fondness for both her and her body.


    Unfortunately, Yuriko had failed to ount for the fact that Nobu might go to sleep even before the sun had set over the horizon. As a result, she ended up having to take over Ayane''s position on overwatch, silently observing him from a pin-sized peephole in the ceiling. This wouldn''t have been that bad if nothing happened, but, now that she observed Nobu pushing Yui down with thetter''s ankles near her head, an impassioned me had spread through Yuriko''s body as feelings of envy swelled within her chest.


    Though it was considered highly inappropriate for a kunoichi on duty, Yuriko was unable to resist seekingfort from her own fingers. This did very little to quell the fire in her body, but, at the very least, she could imagine she was the one being pressed beneath her Lord as his inordinatelyrge member gouged out her insides.


    Finding her fingers inadequate, Yuriko''s hawk-like eyes focused on Nobu''s member as her silvery aura gradually shaped itself into a shimmering phallus. Her first instinct was to shove it inside the aching cavern concealed beneath her green pants, but, fearing she might ruin herself and lose her Lord''s favor, she opted to make use of the unused orifice nearby.


    Yuriko, like many kunoichi, had a bit of experience when it came to shoving things up her butt. They were trained in sexual matters from a very young age but they were forbidden from actually having sex. This resulted in many young kunoichi, especially those nurtured as seduction and assassination specialists, to be sexually frustrated.


    Topensate for this, it had be a tradition of sorts for young kunoichi to experiment with each other. Vaginal intercourse was forbidden but everything else was fair game. As a result, many young kunoichi had experience with pegging, the act of using a strap on against others or taking it up the butt. Others, specifically those who couldn''t find partners, experimented with the use of toys to satiate their sexual needs.


    Since Yuriko was the most talented of her generation, excluding Yui, she didn''t have a partner she could trust to do the deed with. Instead, she had experimented with shaping her aura into various shapes and sizes in order to pleasure herself. She could even automate the process if she focused, much like how a Golden Warrior could freely manipte their aura. This time, however, most of her focus was on the scene urring below, so, with her eye pressed to the peephole, Yuriko began to match her movements with those of her Lord. Fortunately, her aura could also be used to dampen or outright block sounds, so, while Yui was bound to notice something amiss, Yuriko was confident her voice wouldn''t leak out...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she made a mental note to reprimand Yuriko for dereliction of duty, Yui couldn''t actually me her. Even she had foregone the use of techniques to block out sexual stimtion, so, instead of feeling an unpleasant pressure pushing up her insides, a tititing sensation spread through her abdomen every time Nobu''s penis invaded her depths. At the same time, jolts of pleasure ran up her spine, and, instead of dispersing, they settled in her mind like steam condensation, gradually building towards something she both feared and looked forward to.


    Noticing the impassioned look on his partner''s face, Nobu took advantage of Yui''s almost ludicrous flexibility to spread her legs wide despite the fact they were already parallel with her head. He got the impression that he could push them even further back if her body and the futon hadn''t been in the way, almost as if she had unlimited flexibility.


    With Yui offering no real resistance, Nobu could freely contort her body in order to try angles that simply weren''t possible with the average woman from his world. They would need to be an Olympic gymnast to even have a chance ofpeting against Yui as she had spent her entire life practicing a form and techniques that allowed her attacks to flow like water. Nobu was, of course, unaware of this. All he knew was that Yui seemed to be enjoying herself a lot more than usual, so, even though each of his movements made his back tingle from the assault of her insides, he was doing his best not to cum before she did.


    Back in his previous world, Nobu never really cared about his partner''s pleasure. All he really cared about was getting off a few times before going to sleep. Yui was only the third girl he was actively trying to make cum as her current behavior was drastically different from the emotionless ''facade'' she had worn during the vast majority of their previous intercourses. There was a chance that she was just putting on an act, but, seeing her eyes tremble every time he gently prodded the entrance to her womb, he wanted to believe her reaction was sincere.


    What Nobu didn''t expect was for Yui to suddenly link her arms around his neck, pulling him closer so that she could kiss his lips. This caused all his actions to stop, both because he had been pulled off bnce and because this was their first kiss. He had gone out of his way not to kiss her when he was treating her injuries, and, even when they were having sex, there was always a certain ''distance'' between them. Now, however, Yui had been the one to initiate the kiss, surprising both of them as the realization of what she had done washed over her mind. Fortunately for them both, Nobu didn''t show any real aversion to this sudden disy of affection. Rather, after the initial shock wore off, he traced his tongue along the divide of her lips before taking the lead to initiate a much deeper kiss...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu needs a therapist o_o...)

 Chapter 65: Laying the Foundation

    Chapter 65: Laying the Foundation


    Though he woke up feeling more exhausted than the previous night, Nobu didn''t mind. It was the good kind of exhaustion, the kind you could brag about to your friends and homeboys with a smile on your face.


    More importantly, Nobu felt a lot better after passionately making love to Yui. All their sex up until that moment had felt as though they were simply going through the motions. Last night, however, waspletely different. They went at it like two people in love, and, while he wasn''t certain he felt that way about the petite warrior woman, Nobu felt a hell of a lot closer to her after making out for the better part of half an hour.


    "Hmmmngh..."


    Groaning as he raised his tired body from the futon, Nobu looked over to find Yui staring back at him with her obsidian blue eyes. To his considerable amusement, she quickly averted her eyes from his before rising alongside him and saying, "Aboutst night...I...I don''t know what came over me..."


    Resisting the urge to furrow his brows, Nobu asked, "What? Are you regretting it? I thought it was pretty awesome. You were hot as fuckst night."


    Remembering the greedy and somewhat troubled look on Yui''s face as she eagerly sought his lips, a smile returned to Nobu''s face. She has been the one to initiate their kiss, but, thanks to his ability to draw in a functionally unlimited amount of oxygen, he actually had the advantage when it came to kissing. Her panting and impassioned figure had been a hell of a lot sexier than the cold beauty she presented herself as during their previous encounters.


    Though his choice of words left a lot to be desired, a very subtle blush appeared on Yui''s face as shebed through her messy hair and said, "I need to go wash up..." in an uncharacteristically bashful tone.


    Since he also smelled like sex, Nobu was going to suggest they go together when Yui suddenly disappeared from the room in an instant. This left him feeling taken aback, but, after a few seconds had passed, an amused smile developed across Nobu''s face as he muttered, "If this isn''t an act, she just got a hell of a cuter..."


    As he was mainly just talking to himself, a startled jolt ran through Nobu''s body when he heard a feminine voice answer, "I''ve known Yui my entire life. If that''s an act, she''s a lot better at it than I remember."


    Furrowing his brows in a vain attempt to conceal how startled he had been, Nobu looked over to find Yuriko sitting a few feet away from him. She looked like someone emting the Russian squat meme, a peculiar glimmer in her hawk-like eyes as she stared at him with one hand supporting her chin.


    "You shouldn''t sneak up on me..."


    Against every expectation he had formed over thest forty-eight hours, Yuriko surprised him by rebutting, "Why not? It''s fun and also provides you the opportunity to hone your senses. Just think of it as training. I was told you were going to start today."


    Though he was momentarily taken aback, Nobu quickly recovered when he considered that Yuriko was abiding by his request to act casually. Sure, she had spooked the living daylights out of him but it was still a lot better than the overly formal behavior presented by the other kunoichi.


    Just as Nobu was considering just going with the flow, his mind received another blow when Yuriko suddenly lowered her gaze and asked, "Want me to clean you up? Your not-so-little brother seems pretty eager despite getting quite the workoutst night..."


    As was often the case after he had intense sex the night before, Nobu awoke with a raging boner that refused to go down easily. Yuriko had noticed this despite his attempts to keep it concealed beneath the covers. After all, her eyesight was easily among the best in the Yoshitsune n...


    After briefly considering it, Nobu realized there was no reason to actually refuse Yuriko''s offer. He also knew that a good blowjob could be even better than sex, so, after a moment of consideration, he nodded his head before kicking back and saying, "Sure, but only a blowjob. I''m still a little sore afterst night. Yui is like a fucking vice whenever she climaxes."


    Though she was a little annoyed that Nobu was talking about Yui under these circumstances, Yuriko hade to the conclusion that she shouldn''t take it to heart. Yui was, for all intents and purposes, Nobu''s Mistress and Concubine. The former had also let the matter of her pleasuring herselfy, so, while she couldn''t help feeling envious, Yuriko understood she was the one in the wrong.


    Setting these matters to the back of her mind, Yurikobed aside her bangs before unhesitantly lowering her head to envelop more than half of Nobu''s length. The taste wasn''t very pleasant, but, after hearing him grunt in satisfaction, a ticklish sensation spread through her chest as she began to skillfully bob her head while positioning her body at different angles. She also tried to give him a surprise by taking the full length of his penis into her throat, but, despite having practiced quite a bit the previous night, she nearly ended up choking due to the precum leaking into her esophagus. This was something her aura couldn''t emte, but, after several failed attempts, she managed to get it down without any major issues...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After Yuriko''s almost inhuman vacuum blowjob, Nobu was feeling a lot more enthusiastic about the day toe. The only thing he could reallyin about was the foul odor that had permeated his entire room, but, afterining about it, Yuriko, Chikako, Kazue, and even Nariko entered his room with the intent of airing it out.


    Though he had been caught off guard by the sudden kunoichi invasion, especially since he had still been naked, Nobu did his best not to mind it. The girls had continuously stressed the importance of not allowing exposure, his own or otherwise, to affect him. Not only would his enemies happily take advantage of such a weakness, but, so long as he stayed in Yumegakure, it was simply impossible to avoid. As for Nariko...well, she was training to be his personal doctor in the future. It would be weird if he was afraid of being seen naked by her...


    Fortunately, even without him saying anything, Kazue and the other girls stepped in chastize the precocious blonde whenever her eyes wandered. This allowed Nobu to focus on the task at hand, exercising his half-naked body until he was on the verge of copse.


    Nobu was sick and tired of being weak. He also didn''t want to be looked down upon by a bunch of brats, so, in preparation for his future interactions with the vige, he wanted to at least improve his physique.


    Though it was a bit of a strange sentiment, Nobu intended to take advantage of his malnourished body to at least regain his abs. His body fat percentage wasically low at the moment so it was already possible to make out their shape. His goal was to maintain these even as he put on weight, so, despite earning curious looks from all the girls present, he continued to do abdominal crunches, nks, and other core workouts from his previous world.


    When Nobu first began his exercise routine, Yuriko had offered to lend a hand, but, after his past experiences with Yui, he was determined to continue doing his own thing. He wasn''t at the level where he needed to concern himself with things like efficiency or practicality. The most important thing was that he developed a routine and stuck to it day in and day out.


    While this might sound a little counterintuitive to some, Nobu was taking into consideration his unique cultivation method. He had virtually unlimited stamina so long as his reserves held out, so, even if he began learningbat techniquester, it wouldn''t be toote. He had learned from his previous life''s experiences that learning how to fight before your body had been conditioned was a recipe for disaster. Besides, even if their techniques could be used by men, most of the Yoshitsune n''sbat styles had been developed to suit women.


    Nobu had always been the type of person who preferred brute-forcing things. He understood there was considerable merit in improving his flexibility but he simply didn''t care about such things. Even if he did go around picking fights at some point, he would rather take his opponents to the ground and beat the shit out of them rather than dancing around like some ballerina.


    With this in mind, Nobu built up a fair amount of sweat before looking towards the group of girls who had now lined up along the wall, each sitting on their knees as they silently observed his every movement. His attention caused everyone but Yuriko to sit a little straighter as he asked, "Does the Yoshitsune n have anything like a punching bag?"


    Though they didn''t know exactly what he meant by punching bag, it wasn''t difficult for the girls to imagine what Nobu was referring to due to the rtively simple name. Unfortunately, even in his own world, legitimate punching bags hadn''t been developed until thete 1800s. The Yoshitsune n also disavowed most forms of ''impractical'' training, so, rather than have their kunoichi be ustomed to hitting dummies, even their kunai training was against live opponents.


    Shaking her head, Yuriko answered, "We don''t have anything like that. Our auras keep us protected so we generally practice by striking each other rather than a stand-in. Your opponent won''t just wait for you to hit them so most of our training revolves around livebat. If you''d like-"


    Guessing what Yuriko was going to suggest, Nobu snorted through his nose, saying, "I''m not going to treat my women like punching bags. I''d rather just tie a futon around a wooden post."


    Even if Nobu didn''t mean anything by it, Yuriko felt a fluttery sensation in her chest when she heard him refer to her as one of his women. Truth be told, she was a little disappointed in his refusal since it would invariably bring them closer if they were to train together...


    Quickly recovering from her wayward thoughts, Yuriko nodded her head, answering, "We''ll do that then. Still, I think it would be better if you practiced striking against someone around the same level or slightly stronger than you. You''ll end up developing a fixed rhythm that makes you easy to read."


    Though Yuriko''s words were urate, Nobu was pretty sure that his cultivation method threw the concept of a natural biorhythm out the window. He could pressure his opponents without needing to stop and rest, so, more than anything else, the two things he needed were speed and durability. Power would also help, but, so long as he was able to move fast enough, he could easily generate more force.


    Shaking his head, Nobu said, "I''ll worry about things like that once I''ve improved my physique and reached the second or third realms. For now, I just want to focus on building muscle. Hitting a bag isn''t to build actualbat experience. It''s just a form of cardio. You know, like running around and shit."


    Understanding that Nobu was basically talking about building his stamina, Yuriko surprised him by suggesting, "Why not have sex? If you consume medicines that increase the amount of Yang energy in your body, you can drastically improve your condition through prolonged sexual intercourse. It''s a prettymon method employed by nobles attempting to recover from internal injuries."


    Had he not experienced the benefits first hand, quite literally, Nobu would have thought that Yuriko was just trying to get into, or, more specifically, get him out of his pants. He had recovered from an injury that would have taken weeks, if not months, to fully recover from. Now, other than a few light spots on his arm, there were no traces of the necrotic tissue he had been forced to gouge away...


    Remembering that experience, a potent shiver ran through Nobu''s body. This caused the smile on Yuriko''s face to instantaneously fade away. Fortunately, this was just her own misunderstanding as Nobu quickly recovered, a thoughtful look on his face as he muttered, "I''ll consider it..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu, three secondster, "I''m done. Spin that ass in a circle...!")

 Chapter 66: Familiarization

    Chapter 66: Familiarization


    Though the idea was tempting, Nobu doubted he would go with the path of fucking his way to the top. It was, honestly, a little too cringe. He had also basically abandoned that idea when he gave up the opportunity to be a glorified bard. Thus, while he hadn''t dismissed the ideapletely, it wasn''t really at the top of his list of ways to increase his strength.


    The most important factor behind Nobu''s decision was the fact that he actually enjoyed exercising. It was a good way to relieve stress, and, while sex was often better, it actually became a chore if you had too much. There were times when he had chafed and even bruised his dick back in his previous life. This was one of the downsides to having arge penis, as, more often than not, women simply weren''t prepared to deal with you.


    While it varied from person to person, it took an extreme amount of arousal for a girl''s vagina to expand to the point where it could amodate more than a few inches without causing both parties difort. Drunk women were notoriously badys because of this, so, more often than not, Nobu''s partners had been recreational drug users or highly experience women.


    A stark contrast to the women he had interacted with in his previous life, Yui and Yuriko had both been virgins. Yuriko was a little easier to deal with but Yui''s insides were basically like a vice when she climaxed. Her strength and stamina also eclipsed his by a considerable amount, so, while there was no way in hell he would never admit it, Nobu actually felt powerless even when he was the one pushing her down. It would only take one major convulsion for her to snap him like a twig, so, until his power, stamina, and durability could rival the women around him, Nobu''s desire to have sex was effectively suppressed...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After another delicious meal, this time prepared by Cho and Midori, Nobu allowed Kazue to give him a sponge bath before apanying Kumiko and Kiku down the mountain. It would take a few days before the renovations wereplete, but Hitomi had basically given them the go-ahead to move into his new estate if he was ufortable staying in the main estate.


    Nobu hadn''t decided whether or not he would be moving so soon, but, with nothing better to do, he decided he might as well check things out. After all, it would be much easier to make additional requests during the renovation process than after. There were quite a number of ideas he wanted to implement, first and foremost being a plumping system and a simple water heater.


    In present-day Nian, the only way to enjoy a hot bath was to live near a natural hot spring or heat up water using firewood and a stove. Nobu knew the basic structure of a water heater and how to regte steam within a high-pressure system. He might not be able to get it working on his own, but, so long as he coordinated with skilled artisans and metalworkers, they could probably fill in the nks after a bit of trial and error. Who knows? If he found the right people, he might even be able to guide Nian into the era of steam power and regted industrialization...


    With such thoughts on his mind, Nobu allowed Kumiko to lead him to a remarkably well-concealed set of buildings hidden on the northern face of the mountain. This was basically opposite to the rest of Yumegakure, and, even to the untrained eye, Nobu could tell it was essentially a secret hideout. If he hadn''t had Kumiko to guide the way, he doubted he would even be able to find it on his own.


    Believing she understood her Lord''s thoughts, Hitomi took it upon herself to exin, "This is one of the Yoshitsune n''s fallback facilities. In the event of a crisis, this, and several other facilities, would serve as ast line of defense against. ording to the information provided by Suzune-sama, this particr facility was designed to provide refuge to members of the Oda n should they need to flee the Capital."


    Seeing the five-petalled flower carved into the thick defensive walls surrounding the camouged facility, Nobu didn''t doubt Kumiko''s words. Only properties and businesses belonging to the main family were allowed to use this particr symbol, the Oda Mokko. He doubted the Yoshitsune n would appropriate it for their own uses so it was highly likely that Kumiko''s words were the truth.


    "That exins why it looks like a fortress...I wonder how far into the mountain it goes...?"


    Since thergest building was literally built into the side of the mountain, Nobu imagined all kinds of secret tunnels existing on the inside. After all, this was a safehouse intended to protect members of the Oda n. There had to be at least one escape tunnel built into it.


    "If I''m not mistaken, the main residential building has seventeen rooms, a library, an armory, a main chamber, a strategy room, and three baths. If you''d like, I can request the original building n and have it presented to you before the day''s end."


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu was about to tell Kumiko topile all the information rted to his new home when Yui, and, somewhat surprisingly, Hitomi emerged from the dojo-like building located on the west side of the estate.


    Before Nobu could so much as blink, Hitomi had already appeared right in front of him, a teasing smile on her face as the kunoichi around him half-lowered their heads.


    "I heard you wereing and thought I would stop by. Please, allow me to show you around. There are quite a number of secrets hidden within this ce. That includes a number of ces that only a select few members of the Oda and Yoshitsune ns can enter so I''ll need to show you around and register your auras to prevent any mishaps from urring."


    As one of thest bastions for the Oda n, the fallback facility being provided to Nobu was nearly as well protected as the aforementioned''s Vault of Ancestors. This was the true reason Hitomi had needed to consult with the other Elders as they would have never allowed this facility to be utilized under normal circumstances. In Hitomi''s eyes, Nobu, the kunoichi around him, and the students he would train were that important...


    Having no reason to refuse Hitomi''s proposition, Nobu only hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes wandering to Yui before answering, "Sure. Sounds good..."


    Noticing the momentary shift in Nobu''s line of sight, the outermost edges of Hitomi''s smile curled upward an imperceptible amount. She had viewed the passionate lovemaking between the duo the previous night, so, while she was a little disappointed by the notion that her services might not be required, she was proud of the progress Yui and Nobu had made. The more at home he felt in the Yoshitsune n, the better...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With Hitomi leading the way, Nobu quickly discovered that Kumiko''s knowledge of the estate was, quite literally, just surface material. There was a maze-likework of tunnels located beneath the main estate that connected every other building, and, so long as you knew the correct path, it was possible to follow them all the way to the base of the mountain.


    More surprising than the tunnel system was the artificial reservoir that existed within. It was almost like a sewer system, but, instead of wastewater, the channels were lined with rune-embossed silver that ensured that the water running through was pure and unpolluted. It was a remarkable feat of engineering that made Nobu question whether or not his knowledge would actually have any value. Fortunately, at least ording to Hitomi, the reservoir was actually a Relic from the Age of Gods. In other words, it was nearly impossible to replicate in the current era as the knowledge regarding its construction had been lost to time.


    Though countless schrs had attempted to reverse engineer Relics for mass production, the mostmon oue was irreversibly damaging the relic they were researching. Thus, rather than risk destroying a perfectly functional waterway, the Yoshitsune n had made the decision to build over and around it. This was remarkablymon whenrge-scale Relics were involved, and, more often than not, ruins and relics from the Age of Gods served as the foundation for major cities around the world.


    Prior to the incident in the forest, Nobu had always been fond of the idea of spelunking and cave crawling. He had even thought about visiting London and exploring their underground when he saw a documentary about it on Youtube. Now, being underground made him feel ustrophobic.


    Fortunately, unlike a natural cave system, the tunnels beneath the fallback facility were vast and spacious. It was rumored that even humans from the Age of Gods were more than three meters in height, so, as could be expected, their constructs were muchrger than modern iterations.


    With an average height of five meters, the tunnelsprising the waterway had a way of making those walking through them feel small. This feeling was exacerbated by the innumerable runes and fresco-like murals lining virtually every stretch of wall.


    Though it was a strangeparison to make, especially considering they were underground, Nobu likened the experience to walking through an airport terminal that had been decorated to advertise an exhibit on ancient civilizations. Some of the tunnels wererge enough for dozens of people to walk side-by-side without bumping into each other, and, much like an actual airport, their uniform structure made them a nightmare to navigate.


    Had he been on his own, Nobu was absolutely certain that he would have gotten irreversibly lost. The Yoshitsune n had gone to great lengths to ensure that anyone exploring carelessly would pay the price byying hundreds, if not thousands of traps. This included everything from dart traps within the walls to false floor panels beneath your feet. Thus, unless you knew the correct path to take, wandering the tunnels beneath the fallback facility was, for all intents and purposes, a death sentence.


    To make sure they knew the correct path, Hitomi guided Nobu, Yui, and Kumiko through the same route a total of ten times. Kumiko was the only person within Nobu''s entourage that was allowed to know the actual route as she was basically his informant and adviser. As for everyone else, the area was considered off-limits unless they were helping Nobu escape. Hitomi advised him to keep it this way. After all, the tunnels weren''t intended as a convenient way to get around. They were intended as ast resort to ensure his escape. The fewer the number of people who knew how to navigate them, the better.


    Nobu didn''t agree with Hitomi''s viewpoint. Fortunately, though he might not see it that way, all of the kunoichi in his employ did. This included those who weren''t allowed to know theyout. Some, particrly Kiku, believed it was better they didn''t even know about the tunnels. If word got around regarding their existence, enemy forces, including those within the Yoshitsune n, would spare no effort to map andpromise them. This would guarantee the death of whoever the tunnels were meant to protect, so, despite Nobu''s suggestion to have everyone memorize the path, the idea was unterally shot down by everyone present...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was busy exploring the underground on the northern face of the mountain, a youthful-looking woman with six tails and inordinately fluffy ears was offering up prayers to a shrine located beneath the main estate. This was none other than Inami, Guardian of the Yoshitsune n and one of the oldest beings presently within Nian. As for the shrine, who else could it be dedicated to but Inari Okami?


    "Lady Inari, please lend this humble servant your guidance..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: It''s not a secret tunnel if everyone knows about it...)

 Chapter 67: Lessons, Expectations, and Advice

    Chapter 67: Lessons, Expectations, and Advice


    After spending nearly half the day exploring his future estate, Nobu realized something important.


    It was too damn big.


    Though the main house only had seventeen rooms, their size was inordinatelyrge to ount for the fact they were intended as housing for Nobles.


    A stark contrast to the massive rooms present in the main house, the barracks that ran alongside the western wall had bunk spaces to amodate more than a thousand people. As for the dojo-like structure on the eastern wall, it served as both a training facility and the primary residence for members of the warrior ss.


    Simply put, the estate had far too much space for a mere 10~15 people to live in. To make matters even worse, the girls in his entourage weren''t allowed to live within the main house for a variety of cultural and hierarchal reasons. After all, it was a residential space intended to be used by members of the Oda n and other Nobles, not kunoichi.


    In other words, Nobu was expected to live in the main house all by himself. The others could visit and keep watch over him but even Yui was supposed to live within the confines of the barracks. He could make an exception and allow her to stay in his room, but, much like a genuine concubine, she was only allowed to be there with his permission.


    If he really wanted to, Nobu could change the rules and allow the girls to reside in the main house, but, as could be expected, that would cause quite a number of issues. After all, if he allowed even a dropout like Kazue to reside in the main house, it would an indirect p in the face to someone like Suzune.


    Despite being an Elder, even Suzune wasn''t allowed to reside in the main house. Instead, she would be staying in one of the nicer rooms intended for the warrior ss. If someone significantly beneath her status was allowed to reside in the main house, the entire hierarchal structure of the Yoshitsune n would be thrown out of whack once young trainees began to move in...


    "This is why hierarchies are bullshit..."


    Smiling in response to Nobu''s words, Hitomi, this time sitting across from Nobu as thetter sat in the superior position, stated, "Perhaps. However, without proper order, chaos would reign supreme. I''m sure even you can understand how it might be problematic if a beggar could trespass a Lord''s castle and sit on their throne."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu resisted the urge to click his tongue as he asked, "Why did you choose this ce as my residence? Like, I kind of get what you had in mind, but what am I supposed to do about personnel? I can''t clean and maintain this ce by myself and it doesn''t seem right to make Yui and the others clean it..."


    Maintaining her smile, Hitomi responded with a curt nod before musing, "It seems you are starting to understand. Without a servant ss, it would be impossible to maintainrge facilities. You could entrust the task to your retainers or the younger members of your family, but, in doing so, you risk injuring their pride. If there is any advice I can give you, Nobunaga-sama, it is that you should never underestimate the pride of people who believe themselves deserving of power and authority. There is no greater poison than ambition when ites to swaying the hearts and minds of men."


    Though his innate obstinance made him want to disagree with Hitomi, Nobu''s current predicament made it difficult to argue with her. After all, there was no way in hell he could keep the main house clean on his own. He also felt that it was wrong to force the task on people who had, quite literally, dedicated their entire lives to serving and protecting him. He doubted they wouldin. It just didn''t seem right.


    "So? What am I supposed to do? ept a bunch of random kunoichi as servants? If the warnings issued by Yui and the others are to be believed, that wouldn''t exactly be the smartest decision if I want to preserve my health..."


    Amused by Nobu''s words, Hitomi issued a giggleyered with seductive undertones before saying, "It ultimatelyes down to how long you intend to stay here. The simplest solution would be to entrust the matter to Suzune and the trainees who will be left in your care. Youck the resources to employ fully-fledged kunoichi so anyone who joins you at this juncture is either an opportunist or a mole. Even servants do not work for free, and, no matter how loyal they may seem, everyone has a price. I would encourage you to keep that in mind, Nobunaga-sama."


    As it was bing increasinglymon for Hitomi to offer him advice, Nobu just shook his head in moderate annoyance. There was actually a lot he wanted to say, but, understanding he wasn''t in a position to freely express himself, he opted to remain quiet as he reflected on her words.


    Nodding her head in approval, Hitomi prepared to rise, dering, "I have other matters to attend. If there is anything Nobunaga-sama requires, please send someone to inform me. I cannot guarantee my avability, but I will do my best to amodate any request within reason. Nobunaga-sama is someone of significant importance to the Yoshitsune n. I have great expectations for you and the kunoichi in your care..."


    Since she really did have a lot to attend, Hitomi didn''t wait for Nobu''s response before rising to her feet and departing through the door like a normal person. She would never have done this in front of someone like his father, but, understanding that Nobu disdained formalities to an illogical extent, she decided to respect his views.


    Nobu''sck of decorum actually benefitted Hitomi quite a bit. Not only did it reduce the perceived distance between them, but, more importantly, it filled her with excitement. She, much like Yui, had always been drawn to the idea of shattering conventions and viting taboos. Thus, even if she was well past her prime, Hitomi didn''t hesitate to sway her hips as she snaked her way toward the door. After all, even without looking back, she could feel Nobu''s gaze following her movements until she had closed the door behind her...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Waiting until Hitomi had fully departed, an exhausted sigh escaped Nobu''s mouth as he sprawled out on the ground and grumbled, "Is that bitch seriously trying to seduce me...?"


    Shaking his head in mild exasperation, Nobu performed his habit of resting an arm on his forehead as he thought about the best course of action. Hitomi might be annoying, but her advice was pretty sound in a world like this. Hell, even in his previous world, the only way to stay in power was to pay people off. Even Dictators weren''t exempt from this as the moment they failed topensate their most ''loyal'' supporters, the military would quickly find their recement.


    "What a pain in the ass..."


    As that sentiment parted his lips, Nobu briefly imagined a bunch of eight-year-old brats running around his manor in an attempt to keep it clean. He would need to talk to Suzune about making sure the girls that woulde to live in the estate wore clothes at all times except for when they were in the bath. Thest thing he needed was a bunch of naked kids running around just because they were morefortable in their birthday suits...


    Though he wished they hadn''t, Nobu''s idle thoughts manifested in the form of a bunch of little girls running around in maid outfits. This caused a powerful tremor to run through his body as he jerked his body to an upright position. He could feel a cold sweat breaking out across his body, so, before it could settle in, he hopped up to his feet and called out, "Anyone there?"


    Immediately following Nobu''s words, the door to his room opened to reveal Yui. He suspected the others were nearby, but, due to his meeting with Hitomi, they were currently on their best behavior.


    "How might I be of assistance...?"


    Doing his best to ignore Yui''s overly polite tone, Nobu exined, "We''re going to be staying here starting today. Let the others know. I''m going to take a bath."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Yui performed a hand seal to alert the others before asking, "Do you mind if I join you...?"


    Though it wasn''t the first time Yui had offered to apany him to the bath, Nobu felt a strange palpitation in his heart when she averted her eyes to the side.


    Without realizing it, a knot formed in Nobu''s throat as an uncharacteristically nervous feeling filled his chest and stomach. It was only for a fleeting moment, but he actually felt afraid to be alone with Yui in the bath...


    "Sure...do whatever you want..."


    Noticing Nobu''s nervousness, the ticklish sensation that had been guing Yui since the previous night became markedly more prominent. She felt like there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach, and, despite doing her best to appear calm, a very subtle shade of red spread through her cheeks as she asked, "What about the others...?"


    Blinking in confusion, Nobu looked directly at Yui, asking, "What do you mean?" before following it up with a frown as he asked, "Are you suggesting that everyone takes a bath together...?"


    Nodding her head, Yui carefully exined, "Now that we can no longer rely on the kunoichi in the main estate, it falls upon us to help you ovee your aversion to nudity. I do not wish to see you lose your life just because a naked woman appeared in front of you..."


    "..."


    Taken aback by Yui''s words, Nobu had none to describe his current thoughts. This was far from the first time she had broached this particr subject. Rather, most of the kunoichi around him, Yuriko included, seemed to think nakedness was a major weakness of his. Sure, it made him feel more than a little ufortable, especially if the naked party was a brat, but he didn''t think it was as extreme as they made it out to be...


    "What about the three brats...?"


    Understanding that Nobu was referencing Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko, Yui''s expression became solemn as she said, "They are my Lord''s servants...it is their duty to attend you...also-"


    Shaking his head, Nobu said, "Don''t say it...I already know. You''re going to say I have a weakness to children, right?"


    Nodding her head, Yui adopted an apologetic expression as she softly replied, "I''m...we''re worried about you..."


    Though she had been speaking softly, Nobu hadn''t missed the moment when Yui implied she was personally worried about him. This caused an exasperated sigh that was equal parts frustration and eptance to escape his throat. He didn''t doubt that she was actually looking out for him, so, after a long period of silence, he ultimately answered, "Whatever..." in a defeated tone.


    Understanding how difficult this was for Nobu, Yui''s expression softened as she said, "Thank you." in the most sincere tone she could manage. Then, just as she was preparing to leave, a ruddy hue spread through her cheeks as she looked back and said, "If you''re feeling frustrated after the fact, I''m confident in my durability..."


    For a very brief moment, Nobu had no idea what Yui was talking about. The color of her face should have made it pretty obvious, but, after learning that he was going to be sharing a bath with the trio he had purchased the previous day, he was feeling a little muddleheaded.


    Realizing that raven-haired beauty was basically inviting him to be rough with her, an indescribable feeling spread through Nobu''s chest as he responded with a bemused, "Uhh...okay...?"


    Misconstruing Nobu''s words as a promise, a faint smile spread across Yui''s face as she said, "I''ll be looking forward to it..." in an expectant tone.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: And here I thought Nobu was the one corrupting Yui. It was apparently gic xD...)

 Chapter 68: Planning for the Future

    Chapter 68: nning for the Future


    After one of the most exhausting bathing experiences of his life, Nobu was lying face-down in his room with a listless expression as Kazue demonstrated the Ashiatsu Technique for Nariko.


    Ashiatsu, meaning foot pressure, was a type of massage where the practitioner removed their foot coverings in order to walk barefoot on the client''s back. It was a deep tissue massage that helped relieve stress by targeting the joints.


    In the hands, or, more specifically, the feet of an inexperienced practitioner, ashiatsu was a dangerous technique that could cause permanent harm.


    Kazue, despite dropping out of the kunoichi program, had shown considerable promise in the therapeutic arts when she was still just a trainee. Now, while she might not be able topete with a genuine medical kunoichi, she could still demonstrate a reasonable degree of mastery in the basics.


    After having his back and body thoroughly cleansed by Midori and Sachiko, Nobu had lost all motivation. He didn''t even feel like talking right now, so, when Kazue suggested giving him a massage, he just nodded his head and allowed her to do whatever she wanted.


    "You have to carefully consider how you distribute your weight. If you put too much pressure on a single spot, you could end up cracking a rib or making it difficult to breathe."


    "I understand, Kazue-nee. Can I try?"


    Though she appreciated Nariko''s eagerness to learn, a tired sigh escaped Kazue''s lips as she said, "Not today. Our Lord is clearly fatigued after a long day. We''ll try-"


    "Just let her..."


    Hearing Nobu''s remark, Kazue quickly stepped from his back, asking, "Are you sure? I-"


    "And go back to the way you used to talk. This formal crap doesn''t suit you..."


    Smiling wryly in response to Nobu''s words, Kazue did her best not to take hisment personally. She had made a concerted effort to clean herself up after the absolute failure of their first meeting. Hearing him say formalities didn''t suit her was surprisingly painful...


    "Well, you heard ''em, brat. Try not to screw it up."


    Thumping her virtually non-existent chest, Nariko replied, "Just leave it to me! My cultivation base might not be that great, but I''m a lot smarter than most other girls my age. I''ll master ashiatsu in an instant...!"


    Though her words sounded like bravado, Kazue was pleasantly surprised to see Nariko emte her exact same procedure without any discernible difficulty. This made her believe she might have been better suited for Kumiko''s training. Fortunately, memorization was equally important if you wanted to be a skilled medical kunoichi.


    "Not bad..."


    Since there was a drastic difference between Kazue''s and Nariko''s weight, Nobu felt that having thetter walk on his back was marginally morefortable than the former. She also managed to hit a lot of the same spots so he couldn''t help offering ament.


    Smiling enthusiastically in response to her Lord''s words, Nariko attempted to dig her toes into one of the nerve clusters near his shoulder. She managed to find it without any particr difficulty, but, in the process, she ended up shifting most of her weight to her left foot.


    "Kuh..."


    The moment she heard Nobu groan, Kazue moved to support Nariko''s body so that she wouldn''t lose her bnce and make an even greater mistake. Thetter''s small size allowed her to stand with her feet nking Nobu''s sides, supporting Nariko''s body as she patiently advised, "Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Even if you''re treating a hemorrhage, it is most important to stay calm..."


    Smiling apologetically in turn, Nariko became uncharacteristically meek as she said, "Sorry..." in a slightly nervous tone of voice.


    Instead of responding to the young girl''s words, Nobu just closed his eyes as if it wasn''t a big deal. If anything, he was more surprised by the sudden pressure on his lung than anything else. It wasn''t like he was upset. Rather, it was unsurprisingly pleasant to receive a prologue massage...


    Interpreting Nobu''s silence as consent, Kazue walked Nariko through the rest of the procedure by guiding and supporting the young girl''s body directly. This reduced a lot of the risks as she could, quite literally, just pick Nariko up whenever it looked like she was about to make a mistake. It didn''t happen often, but it was better to be safe than sorry...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After nearly two hours of massaging, Nobu was feeling a lot better. Thus, after rising to a seated position, he looked around the room to see that Yui had gathered nearly everyone. The only person absent, excluding the people he had yet to meet, was Kiku. She had been guarding him throughout most of the day so she was currently resting in preparation for her next shift.


    "Good. I''m d everyone coulde. Now that we have our own ce, there are a few things we needed to discuss. First and foremost is the personnel issue..."


    Though most of the details would need to be sorted out by Kumiko and Yui, Nobu had spent a fair amount of time thinking about Hitomi''s advice. She suggested having 2-3 people in charge of each room so they could rotate duties and keep each other from cking off. If he went with this advice, he would need, at the very least, 34 people in charge of maintaining the main house.


    This was where the main issue arose, as, even if they did ept the dregs of the Yosthisune n, it would take years to fill their quota. Each generation had between 1-3 useless members who would either die during the training or be filtered out around the time of their graduation. This meant they could only recruit between 2-6 people per year. To furtherplicate things, the people they would be recruiting were children.


    Simply put, even though there were dangers involved with doing so, they had little choice but to recruit fully-fledged kunoichi. More specifically, they needed to recruit those like Rukia, people who were fully indoctrinated into the system but desired something ''more'' for the kunoichi they were in charge of training.


    Hitomi had mentioned that Suzune was going to help him pick and choose retired kunoichi to help look after the children. Unfortunately, even though the penultimate decision was his to make, this implied that Nobu would be surrounding himself with people who owed Suzune a favor. Even the thought of this made Nobu''s skin crawl, so, before screening any additional candidates, he wanted to know if the girls had anyone in mind for recruitment.


    Unsurprisingly, most of the girls rmended the mentors who had assisted in their training. The problem with this was that most of their instructors had a rtively high status within the n. The odds of them actually epting were slim.


    "Why not recruit Shizune and Rynka? They were originally from your younger brother''s generation, but they ended up being separated from the original group. You might not like her, but Shizune is being reared as the next Information Elder. As for Rynka, she is on pretty thin ice after getting into a spat with the Young Lord when they were around 8-9. She''s been pretty stressed out thinking she is going to be disposed of so I''m sure both she and Chikako would be at ease if you recruited her."


    Though Yuriko was the one to make the suggestion, Nobu shifted his gaze to the taciturn Chikako to hear what she thought on the matter. Unsurprisingly, the half-naked kunoichi simply nodded her head in response, saying, "I''ll look after her..." in a cool monotone.


    Since his impression of Rynka was infinitely better than his impression of Shizune, Nobu didn''t mind scouting her. The bigger issue was the hypocritical pinkette that had tried to assault him. He didn''t want to have anything to do with her, but, at the same time, he understood the benefits associated with scouting a future Elder.


    Shaking his head, Nobu said, "We''ll go ahead and scout Rynka. As for Shizune, she can go impale herself on a rocky outcrop for all I care. I don''t want that psycho bitch anywhere near me until my cultivation base has exceeded hers."


    Though she probably shouldn''t have, Yuriko found herself chuckling at Shizune''s expense. This earned her an usatory stare from Nobu, but, rather than shying away or apologizing, she just poked her tongue out at him and said, "I''mughing at Shizune''s misfortune. Once she finds out about your Heavenly Treasure, that brat is going to be pulling her hair out in frustration."


    "Hmmm..."


    Imagining the scene of Shizune begging for forgiveness as she secretly plotted to benefit from him, an ostensibly sadistic smile developed across Nobu''s face. He wasn''t an actual sadist. Hell, he even felt a little bad for the pink-haired psycho after forcing her to walk around on her hands and knees like an animal. In spite of this, he still felt it was some kind of karmic justice that a bitch like Shizune be made to experience a bit of suffering. She, sure as hell, deserved it...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Aftermuning with her Goddess for the better part of eight hours, most of Inami''s hair had temporarily turned white as she writhed about, naked, atop an altar.


    Ever since the end of the Age of Gods, the conditions for a God to manifest in the lower world had be increasinglyplex with the passage of time. Inami was more than six-thousand-years-old, nearly as old as the alliance between the Yoshitsune and Oda ns. She was among the first to bear Inari Okami''s curse, and, as a result, she was one of only three people who could tolerate the infamously envious Goddess''s possession.


    "The child of Oda Senken...the child of prophecy...bring him to us..."


    Though the words came from her own lips, Inami could scarcely believe what her Goddess was asking her to do. The pact with the Oda n forbade them from taking any action that would potentially endanger their main-line descendants. If she brought Nobu to meet with Inari, there were only two possible oues. He would either die or she would end up being impregnated when Inari Okami possessed her body.


    "Lady Inari...the covenant between our families..."


    "We don''t care...if that man is truly meant to unify Nian...we cannot allow him to escape our grasp..."


    With a fiery heat spreading through her body, Inami couldn''t help curling up into a ball with her six inordinately fluffy tails coiling around her. She felt like her insides were on fire, and, if she were to look closely, a strange pattern had manifested itself above the location of her womb. At the same time, her eyes glowed with a carmine light as she desperately resisted the urge to charge down the mountain and spirit Nobu away.


    "Please...be patient...if we move too early...everything we have worked for over thest six thousand years will be jeopardized..."


    "Hmmm...it''s rare for you to be this obstinate..."


    "I cannot break my vow...I must protect the Yoshitsune n...you promised..."


    "..."


    Though she wasn''t fond of Inami calling her out, Inari couldn''t refute the former''s words. She would need to pay a pretty steep price if she wanted to force the not-so-young kitsune to obey, so, after a moment of consideration, she used Inami''s mouth to say, "Very well. We will give you the chance to seduce him using your own charms. If he sires a child with someone else, the entire Yoshitsune n will pay the price. Do not fail us..."


    Realizing that Inami''s body was on the verge of breaking down, Inari gradually eased her hold over the petite kitsune. Inami was her most durable vessel in the modern era so she didn''t want to break her before she had fulfilled her purpose. She just needed Inami to persevere for an additional three thousand years, the time taken to produce three more tails. After that, Inami would be a single step away from Divinity, a perfect vessel.


    Inami was well aware of what fate had in store for her, but, for the sake of her n, she tolerated bing Inari''s puppet in order to protect the future generations of her family. There was very little she wouldn''t do to ensure their survival, so, after breathing heavily atop the altar for twenty minutes, she raised her tired body, muttering, "I won''t fail..." in a resolute tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: O - O...)

 Chapter 69: Awkwardness

    Chapter 69: Awkwardness


    After a rtively uneventful evening, Nobu decided to get a jump start on the day by running a fewps around his house. The interior had four interconnected hallways forming a perfect square so it was rtively easy to set goals and keep track of his progress. The only downside was that the halls were lined with wood so he created quite a bit of noise as he was running around.


    *sound of a single contiguous breath*


    Thanks to his unique cultivation method, Nobu could continue basically running for as long as his body held out. He never got winded, and, so long as he controlled his oxygen intake, he was able to maintain a runner''s high from start to finish.


    "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."


    Though it was unnecessary, Nobu found himself exhaling a long sigh after running for precisely one hour. He had timed himself using the stone tablet''s clock, and, in that time, he had managed to run a total of twenty-threeps.


    ording to Kumiko, each of the interior halls was approximately 150m in length. Crunching the numbers, this meant he had run around 14km. This wasn''t particrly great, but, considering he currently looked like a twig, it wasn''t bad. He wasn''t sure what the average was, but Nobu felt like he had maintained a pretty solid pace from start to finish.


    Sprawling out on the ground, Nobu didn''tin when Nariko, at the behest of Kazue, ced a coldpress on his head.


    "You shouldn''t push yourself so hard. Your body is still recovering from extreme malnourishment. It''s a miracle you''re even able to move around like this..."


    Looking over, Nobu found Kazue looking at him with a concerned expression on her face. He also noticed she had allowed her hair to hang freely rather than tying it up in double-buns. This made her appear less cute, but, at the same time, it looked a hell of a lot more natural on her.


    "I''m fine...I won''t say some cheesy shit about knowing my own limits, but I''m not an idiot. I know better than trying to push through the pain for the sake of small gains..."


    With that said, Nobu removed thepress from his head before rolling to his feet and adding, "Besides, I''m neen years behind my peers. I can''t afford to sit on my ass if I still have the energy to keep going."


    Though it was a bit awkward with an audience, Nobu alternated between ten-count body-builders and suicides from one side of the room to the other. Cardio was the foundation for all other forms of strength training. Since he seemed to recover after only a few hours of rest, he intended to take full advantage of the convenient properties of Aura in order to strengthen his physique as quickly as possible.


    Exhaling a sigh, Kazue pulled out a piece of paper before handing it to Nariko and saying, "Tell Cho to add these herbs to our Lord''s meal. If he wants to push himself, we have the duty of making sure he doesn''t break down."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Nariko gripped the paper before taking onest look at her Lord''s half-naked body. He had removed his shirt prior to exercising, and, though he wasn''t much to look at, he was the only man she had ever seen from this close.


    Shaking her head, Kazue gave Nariko a light push, saying, "Go." in an uncharacteristically firm tone. This contributed to Nariko scampering off, her feet creating a drumming pitter-patter as she bolted off towards the kitchen.


    Though he noticed Nariko departure, Nobu didn''t ask what she was up to or where she was going. Instead, hepleted his current set before taking a seat next to Kazue, the only person ''officially'' keeping tabs on him right now.


    "So? What''s your deal. Are you going to restart your training now that you''ve learned I''m alive and well?"


    Hanging her head, a tired sigh escaped Kazue''s throat as she answered, "Truth be told, I''d rather just entrust Nariko to the n''s experts and go back to shoveling shit. I know you don''t really care about this stuff, but I''m even less suited for this formal crap. If you didn''t give me permission to act casually, I would probably spend every day feeling suffocated."


    Understanding where she wasing from, Nobu nodded his head empathically, saying, "Yeah, I feel you on that one. That''s actually why I want to keep you around. You''re a lot more chill than the other girls. I thought Yuriko would be cool to hang around with but she turned into an overzealous pervert pretty quickly. I haven''t really said anything about it, but I can smell her musk whenever she gets close. I''m pretty sure she went to town on herself when I was having sex with Yui..."


    "Mmm...I can kind of empathize with her..."


    "Pardon...?"


    Raising her head, Kazue stared directly at Nobu as she said, "We were devasted by the news that your illness had taken your life. From that moment on, our training was the only real purpose we had, but, unlike other trainees, it didn''t really matter how skilled we became. We had been trained solely to serve you so the Matriarch forbade us from epting any missions. Until you came back, we were basically just waiting to die. To that end, I can''t really me Yuriko for losing her shit after you had sex. I can''t say for certain, but I''m pretty sure most of us would have."


    "..."


    Though he had already heard simr ounts before, Nobu was still left feeling at a loss for words after hearing what Kazue had to say. He felt like there was a tiny seedling of guilt in his heart, and, with each passing day, it grewrger. He wasn''t quite sure what would happen when the seedling blossomed into something else, but he was pretty sure he wasn''t prepared to deal with it.


    "What do you think I should do...?"


    Scratching the back of her head, Kazue''s expression becameplicated as she said, "You should really ask Kumiko about things like this. She has spent her entire life learning all kinds of things so that she could give you proper advice. All I really know is shit and some basic medical techniques. Other than that-"


    "Stop."


    Falling silent the moment she heard Nobu''smand, Kazue''s expression became progressively more awkward as she waited for him to continue.


    Adopting a conflicted look of his own, Nobu averted his eyes from Kazue''s as he said, "Just...stop saying shit like that. Stop demeaning yourself all the time. I don''t care how useful others think you are. Hell, I don''t care how useful YOU think you are. Even if you were just a normal girl, that would be enough for me. Seriously, you want to talk about suffocating? I might as well be an alien in this world. Your situation was pretty shitty. I know that. In fact, I''m really fucking sorry you girls had to go through that shit. However, you at least had the chance to grow up in this world. The only real memories I have of this ce are being pushed around in a wheelchair, lying in bed, and having mush shoved down my throat..."


    Feeling the seedling in his chest grow evenrger, Nobu''s expression morphed into anger as he balled his hands into fists and muttered, "Fuck..."


    Confused by her Lord''s reaction, Kazue was contemting asking what was wrong when he beat her to the punch, sighing as he muttered, "I really am sorry...I know this shit is my fault...just...just stop making things worse...please..."


    Though he wasn''t on the verge of tears, Nobu rested his face in his palms as feelings he didn''t know how to deal with washed over him. This ce wasn''t like Earth. He couldn''t just ignore his problems and keep running away. The lives of multiple people now revolved around him and if he couldn''t get his act together, they were all going to suffer because of his stupid mistakes.


    "Fuck..."


    Feeling more than a little awkward, Kazue looked towards the ceiling in the hopes that whoever was watching over them from above mighte down and lend a hand. She honestly didn''t know how to deal with whatever he was going through. If she did, she might be able to solve some of her own problems.


    With the only response to her silent plea being even more silence, Kazue scratched the back of her head before asking, "I''m guessing a quick fetio won''t really help, will it...?"


    Raising his face from his hands, Nobu stared directly at Kazue, an incredulous look on his face as he asked, "Is that the only thing you girls can think of at times like this...?"


    Shrugging her shoulders, Kazue answered, "You''re a man. I''m a woman. ording to what we''re taught, most guys in Nian refuse to confide in females. Even the Nobles only keep male confidants so I''m not really sure what else I can do. Don''t get me wrong. I want to help. I just don''t know how."


    Though Kazue''s words came off as brash and insensitive, Nobu understood she was simply being honest. He couldn''t really fault her for that, so, after sitting in silent contemtion for the better part of a minute, he asked, "Do you ''want'' to give me a blowjob...?"


    While the phrase ''blowjob'' was new to her, Kazue could intuit the meaning based on the context of their conversation. Thus, without the need for consideration, she answered, "I mean, kind of? Even if I didn''t qualify to be a kunoichi, I still received the same training as everyone else. Unless you send me off to be a prostitute or something, you''re really the only guy I can experience this kind of thing with. If you''re asking about personal preferences, I''d rather fete you a thousand times than put my face anywhere near another man''s penis."


    "..."


    As much as he appreciated how straightforward Kazue was, Nobu was still left feeling at a loss in the wake of her ''heartfelt'' statement. If he didn''t know Cho would be arriving with his breakfast in the next couple of minutes, he might have even taken her up on her offer. Instead, he fell silent for several seconds before gesturing for her toe closer, saying, "Come here..."


    Obeying Nobu''s orders without even a moment''s hesitation, Kazue was left feeling confused when thetter guided her head to rest on hisp. His aroma caused a stuffy feeling in her chest but the thing that left her feeling speechless was the fact he had started to caress her head. He didn''t offer any exnation or anything. He justid her head on hisp and began to run his fingers through her hair without a word to express his intentions.


    "..."


    "..."


    If Kazue was confused by his behavior, Nobu had no idea how to describe his own emotions. He just felt that the woman before him was pathetic. Not in a bad way but the kind of way that made her deserving of pity. He was equally as clueless as she was when it came toforting others, so, remembering how his mother used tofort him as a child, Nobu just went with the flow. He also noticed she scratched her head a lot, so, while he doubted she had anything like ticks or lice, he did his best to check her scalp as he ran his fingers through her surprisingly soft and puffy hair...


    "..."


    "..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu and Kazue both have a lot of issues they need to work out. Fortunately, just like in real life, they can make a lot of progress by working together. I know most people read novels with the intent of escaping real-world problems. However, at times like this, I can''t help but want to remind everyone that there are always people willing to help. If you have problems you''re working through, find someone to talk to. You''d be surprised to discover just how many people are going through simr shit...)

 Chapter 70: Flag?

    Chapter 70: g?


    "Eh? What''s this~?"


    Having delivered Kazue''s message, Nariko returned to Nobu''s room to find thetter caressing the former''s head. This was pretty much unheard of in Nian, and, the moment she saw the contented look on Kazue''s face, Nariko couldn''t help feeling as though she had just walked in on a scandal in the making.


    "..."


    Though she felt embarrassed, Kazue didn''t immediately move her head from her Lord''sp. He was the one to tell her toy down, so, unless he told her to move, she wasn''t going anywhere. Besides, it was surprisingly rxing to have someoneb through her hair...


    "You''re back. Where did you run off to...?"


    Tearing her honey-colored eyes away from Kazue, Nariko returned a vibrant smile as she answered, "I was delivering a message to Cho-sama. She said breakfast will be ready shortly."


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu gestured to his front, saying, "Take a seat. I was intending to teach you this earlier, but I got a little distracted."


    Though she cocked her head adorably to the side, Nariko ultimately obeyed Nobu''s orders by trotting over and plopping down in front of him. Instead of sitting in seiza, however, she sat on her bottom with her legs syed in a careless manner. Fortunately, she, along with everyone else, now wore simple cotton panties beneath her teal-colored kimono. This was one of the few mandates Nobu had made, not because of his aversion towards nudity, but because of the smell.


    "I''m going to exin a variety of different cultivation methods for you. I was originally going to teach you mine but there is an actual method suitable for your bloodline. In the end, however, it''s up to you. I might be your Lord, Master, or whatever, but I''m not going to tell you what path you need to walk. Everyone deserves at least that much freedom..."


    Beaming in response to Nobu''s words, Nariko leaned forward as if she might pounce on him at any moment. Fortunately, this was just an indication that she was excited and looking forward to what he was going to say next.


    After lightly tapping Kazue''s shoulder, Nobu asked her to grab him a piece of paper and a writing utensil before exining, "The method I''m going to teach you is called the Mountain God''s Divine Heritage. I can''t tell you what effects it will have, but, based on your bloodline, I''m guessing it will strengthen your body while providing an increase in your affinity towards natural things. As for the actual method, it requires you to increase your physical strength and consume a variety of different kinds of herbs."


    Using the materials Kazue had grabbed for him, Nobu wrote down the requirements for breaking through the First and Second Realms of the Mountain God''s Divine Heritage. Hitomi had advised him to never write down the full methods as there was a fair chance that people would attempt to kill him just to preserve the uniqueness of their own cultivation technique. She said he didn''t have to worry about this in the Yoshitsune n, but, the moment he ventured beyond the safety of the mountain, there would be no end to the number of people wanting to im his life for personal or political reasons...


    Reading the list of requirements her Master had prepared, Nariko''s eyes glistened as she asked, "I only need to be able to lift 100kg? I can do that. Easy."


    Though Nariko''s words might sound like bravado, especially considering she was just eight years old, the truth of the matter was that she had always been much stronger than her peers. She was also a lot more durable than most people her age, so much so that she could go toe to toe with people who had broken into Bronze without suffering one-sidedly...


    After recovering from his shock, Nobu just nodded his head before looking towards Kazue and saying, "When Kumiko gets back, ask her to put in a request for all the herbs I listed. If she can''t acquire them through normal channels, let me know. I''ll talk with the Matriarch."


    epting the piece of paper from Nariko, Kazue briefly scanned it before cing it into her inner breast pocket and saying, "Most of these are rtively simple to obtain. Cho should actually have most of them in bulk. The difficult part will be obtaining a Perennial Dewdrop Herb. They aren''t all that rare but they spoil hours after being removed from their natural habitat. They also only grow at the tops of mountains that are perpetually covered in snow. Owari doesn''t have anything like that."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to gripe when Kazue adopted a smile and said, "Don''t worry. So long as they are stored in high-quality jade slip, they canst for a couple of years without issue. The Matriarch''s Jadite Guardian can also fly above 8,000m without any issues. If Yui gets permission to use it, we could have the herb here before the day''s end."


    "Nice."


    Though he imagined there would be some danger involved, Nobu doubted it would be too serious based on Kazue''s casual tone. The Jadite Guardian Owl had also scared the shit out of him when he met it. He doubted there were many beasts that would be able to fight against it, so, as long as she was careful, Yui should be able to retrieve the herb without any issues.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s jubtion immediately turned to doubt as he raised his hand and said, "Hold up...I think I just triggered a g or some shit. Don''t send Yui to retrieve the herb. Even if it takes a few months to obtain, Nariko can still increase her cultivation base without advancing to the next Rank. So long as we have the requisite materials, she can achieve multiple breakthroughs at the same time. For now, let''s focus on shoring up our foundation..."


    Raising her brows, Kazue was tempted to ask what her Lord meant when he said he had triggered a g, but, assuming it had something to do with his Heavenly Treasure, she simply nodded her head and said, "I understand. As for the rest of the herbs, I''ll check them to make sure they''re the highest quality possible."


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu then cast his gaze on the slightly disappointed-looking Nariko, asking, "What''s with that face? Cultivation methods are only one part of strength. You''re getting to train a technique that most people haven''t even heard of. It''s better to take things nice and slow to avoid making any mistakes. Trust me. I have first-hand experience charging forward without proper consideration for the consequences..."


    Pointing towards his nose, currently veiled behind a thin cloth, Nobu made it very clear what he was talking about. His cultivation method had effectively crippled him, and, were it not for the fact he could stockpile his clicks, he might have fucked himself overpletely.


    Chuckling in response to her Lord''s self-deprecation, most of Nariko''s negative sentiments faded away. She was still young but she knew it was rare for any man to willfully demean themselves in front of their subordinates. Pride was the foundation upon which Nianese society was built upon. There were even instances of people fighting to the death over minor slights so she found it rather amusing to hear him talk about his failures as if were perfectly normal to make mistakes...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With nothing better to do after his breakfast, Nobu continued exercising until around noon. This was around the time when the girls changed shifts, so, with the arrival of Sachiko, he spent about an hour walking her through the specifics of his breathing technique before dismissing everyone when Kumiko informed him of Suzune''s arrival.


    "We meet again, Nobunaga-sama..."


    Seeing the inordinately beautiful pinkette bowing before him, Nobu had to admit she was one of the most alluring women he had ever seen. There was something about her pink hair and the aura that exuded from her body that gave him the impression of a highly intelligent Subus...


    Recalling Suzune''s previous attempts to seduce him, Nobu shook his head before saying, "Lift your head. Tell me, why have youe here? I was told the renovations wouldn''t start for another three days."


    Raising her head, Suzune adopted a sensual-looking pout as she inquired, "Is it so wrong for me to want to meet with you?"


    Without beating around the bush, Nobu answered, "Yes. I may have decided not to press the matter between me and your daughter, but that doesn''t mean I''ve forgiven either of you. I''ll work with you, but, other than that, I don''t really want to have anything to do with you..."


    Maintaining her smile, Suzune responded, "I suppose I can live with that." in an overly casual tone. At the same time, however, she gently tugged at the orange rope keeping her obi fastened around her flowery pink kimono. This wasn''t enough to cause the fabric to burst open but it was more than enough to show a bit of skin as she stared directly at him with her pale, honey-colored eyes.


    In spite of his best efforts, Nobu found his eyes wandering the moment Suzune''s kimono began to loosen. He could feel a knot forming in his throat, and, though she had yet to do anything, he got the same impression from her as a few of the older, more carnivorous women he had dealt with in his previous life.


    "Stop...if you''re going to keep taunting me like this, you can just leave..."


    Giggling in amusement, Suzune tightened the cord around her obi without making any efforts to fix her kimono. He wouldn''t be able toin if she was just showing a bit of skin. After all, many of the kunoichi in his entourage wore far more revealing outfits.


    "I came here to discuss the staffing issue that was brought to my attention. I also heard about your particr disdain towards my daughter. If possible, I would like to convince you to hire her in spite of your personal feelings towards her. She could be one of your greatest assets if you''ll allow her to demonstrate her worth..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu''s first instinct was to tell Suzune to fuck off. Instead, he remained silent for several seconds before asking, "You''re not going to give up, are you...?"


    Returning an ostensibly sincere smile, Suzune exined, "She''s the only daughter I have left. I know it might be frowned upon, but I intend to do everything in my power to protect her. You are right to have your suspicions about me. However, I can see the shadow of something great in you. I would not risk bing your enemy if I could work alongside you for our mutual benefit..."


    After learning the truth about Nobu from the Matriarch, Suzune''s desire to work alongside Nobu had increased exponentially. If it was true that he possessed the potential to unify the nation, she intended to do everything in her power to ensure her daughter was one of the people standing at his side. Nobu may very well be the Emperor in the future, and, if she yed her cards right, it wasn''t an impossible dream to install Shizune as his Empress. At the very least, she could be one of his Concubines...perhaps even a Minister...


    Though it might be an uphill battle, Suzune believed in her daughter''s capabilities. She was a bit spoiled, sure, but she was inarguably one of the most intelligent kunoichi in the n. She may even be one of the most intelligent women in all of Nian. She just needed the chance to mature. Thus, even if it meant lowering herself, Suzune intended to do everything in her power to make sure her daughter was given a second chance.


    "Please...Nobunaga-sama...do not condemn my daughter for being born into circumstances beyond her control. I swear on my status as an Elder. If you give her the chance, she will not disappoint you a second time..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Quite ambitious...)

 Chapter 71: Intuition

    Chapter 71: Intuition


    "..."


    Staring at the mature pinkette pressing her forehead to the floor, Nobu remained silent for several minutes. He was honestly tempted to see how long she could keep this up, but, understanding he was basically stuck here so long as she was, Nobu ultimately replied, "Fine. But I have conditions. If she vites even a single one of these, it will be your responsibility to pass judgment on her..."


    Raising her head, Suzune adopted one of the most beautiful smiles Nobu had ever seen as she said, "Worry not, Nobunaga-sama. I have already had a "very" long discussion with my daughter after the previous incident. So long as your conditions are not too extreme, I can promise she will obey them to the letter. I ask only that you take her future status into consideration when you interact with her around others..."


    Since Shizune had told her about Nobu making her behave like an animal, Suzune was seriously considering having her daughter spend the next couple of months as his pet. Given his nature, it was only a matter of time before he either softened up or got tired of seeing her behave that way. After that, it was rtively smooth sailing for them both.


    Unaware of the wily and marginally unhinged woman''s thoughts, Nobu replied, "Whatever. I''ll write up a list and give it to you in the next couple of days. For now, let''s talk about the personnel issue..."


    Nodding her head, Suzune produced a rather sizeable stack of files transcribed on hemp paper and bamboo roll before providing her personal opinion on each of the women within.


    Unsurprisingly, most of the women were in theirte twenties with very few surpassing their thirties. They were experts who had chosen to spend their remaining days educating the next generation in the hopes their experience might serve the n and decrease the mortality rate of young kunoichi in the field.


    What surprised Nobu was that quite a number of younger kunoichi and even a handful of trainees had been included among the stack of candidates. Some of these were the most talented members of their generation while others seemed to have been thrown in atpletely random.


    "What the hell? Is this girl a demon...?"


    Though the images in the files were just detailed ink drawings, it was still possible to make out the features of the people represented within. One of these showed a young girl but her proportions were slightly strange and there were horns sticking out of her forehead. Unfortunately, Nobu was unable to read anything recorded in the scroll so he could only rely on Suzune to trante.


    Seeing the scroll Nobu was referring to, Suzune nodded her head, exining, "Ah, Onihime. This is a special case as she isn''t actually a native descendent of the Yoshitsune n. She is the daughter of a deposed Lord from the Aizu-Ashina n who became an honorary member of the n around fifty years ago. The Matriarch thought she would be a good fit as an attendant since Oni, even half-breeds, possess inordinately long lifespans. She is also unique in the fact that her cultivation base was destroyed around the time of her capture. If you are able to restore it, she will be a powerful asset to you in the future."


    "What the fuck? You''re telling me this brat is more than fifty years old...?"


    Nodding her head, Suzune answered, "If I''m not mistaken, she should be turning sixty-eight years old by the end of Summer. As for her appearance, it is primarily the result of her heritage and her restricted cultivation. It''s hard to know, really. Even after tens of thousands of years, very few ns have any meaningful information on Oni and their unique physiology. They generally dissolve into nothingness once killed and efforts to observe living specimens have resulted in quite a number of tragedies..."


    "..."


    Though there was a lot he wanted to say, Nobu ultimately remained silent. He suspected that the only reason Onihime was being entrusted to him was because of his unique abilities. He could use the stone tablet to ascertain information that others simply weren''t privy to. In other words, there was a very real chance this was simply a test to measure the extent of his capabilities. This would exin why there were so many random girls mixed in among the more qualified candidates. They most likely had something unique or special about them that the n wanted to confirm...


    Shaking his head, Nobu asked, "You said this girl would be useful to me in the future. Does that mean the Yoshitsune n is giving her to me? What''s the catch?"


    Without missing a beat, Suzune answered, "She is too old to remain in the n. While we have epted her as an honorary member, her longevity has be something of an issue after most of the people responsible for her integration have died. Now, now, there''s no need for that face..."


    Seeing the frown forming on Nobu''s face, Suzune couldn''t resist covering her mouth with her sleeve and issuing an amused giggle before going on to exin, "The simple truth of the matter is that she has be progressively more apathetic towards life. It''s not easy watching all the people you care about dying from various causes while you continue to live on. I believe the Matriarch was hoping you would be able to rekindle her passion by having her assist with the education and care of the children. You also do not harbor the same biases as normal Nianese citizens. I''m positive that factored into her decision quite a bit..."


    Though he wasn''t going to simply ept Suzune''s words at face value, Nobu still nodded his head before having her reveal what she knew about the other candidates. He wanted to know as much as possible before the actual interviews as it would be incredibly awkward to have someone like Yui or Kumiko trante for him. Sure, he could always use the stone tablet to auto-trante text using the camera function. Unfortunately, this required a fair amount of Aura. Thus, for the sake of preserving both his dignity and his points, Nobu was intending to learn how to read and write properly. Until then, he was basically illiterate...


    ...


    ..


    .


    By the time Suzune finally departed, the sun was well on its way towards the horizon. This left Nobu feeling mentally and physically drained, but, before he could even think about resting, Yui surprised him by mentioning, "Tonight is the night of the New Moon. I know you''re tired, but please consider meeting with Kaia. She has already been informed of your arrival on the mountain so there''s a fair chance she will have a breakdown if we miss this window of opportunity. The next one won''t be for twenty-seven days..."


    Though he hadpletely forgotten about Kaia''s existence due to everything else that was on his te, Nobu quickly recalled her details after Yui''s reminder. Kaia was apparently a Half-Lycan who had spent most of her life locked away in a specialized cell since it was simply too dangerous to let her roam freely. In other words, she had basically spent thest eighteen years of her life in prison...


    "Fine. Let me rest for an hour or two and then we''ll head out. Also, next time, I would appreciate it if you reminded me about things like this sooner. I hate being blindsided like this..."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Yui promptly replied, "I understand. I''ll be sure to remember that." before falling silent and appearing somewhat hesitant. This was quickly noticed by Nobu as he had been sitting across from her. He had, more or less, forced her to eat together with him after asking Cho to prepare an additional portion during lunch. As for his reasoning, well, she was basically his fiancee. She might regard herself as more of a Mistress or a Concubine candidate but it wasn''t like he was engaged to anyone else...(A/N: Bruh...)


    "What is it...?"


    Inhaling through her nose, Yui appeared to form her resolve as she stared directly at Nobu and asked, "Would it be too impertinent of me to ask if I can feed you...?"


    Though he managed to remain upright, Nobu felt as if his body had tilted to the side the moment he heard Yui''s words. He also heard the sound of someone clicking their tongue in the background, but, with his attention focused on the front, he could only guess that it was Yuriko.


    "Uh...sure...?"


    Disying a relieved smile in response to Nobu''s words, Yui deftly sliced a piece of salmon with her chopsticks before picking it up and pausing mid-extension. She realized that it would be difficult to feed him from across the tray of food, so, after a brief moment of hesitation, she scootched to the side before trying again, this time with a noticeable blush on her face.


    Swallowing before he had even sampled the salmon, Nobu epted Yui''s offer while feeling a form of nervousness he had never experienced before. This was a stark contrast to her usual behavior so she had managed to catch himpletely by surprise.


    "H-How is it...?"


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu was ashamed to realize he couldn''t even remember the taste of the food. He had been staring at Yui''s blushing face the entire time so his mind had failed to process what he had just eaten. Despite this, he still managed to answer, "It was delicious..." in a slightly awkward yet audibly sincere tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    In hindsight, Nobu realized it was rather senseless of him to suggest traveling at night. There were no established paths on the Northern face of the mountain so it was a nightmare trying to navigate during the day. If not for Yuriko''s and Kiku''s ability to see in the dark, navigating through the dense forest would have been next to impossible.


    All in all, it took nearly three hours to reach the location where Kaia was being held. By then, Nobu was feeling both annoyed and exhausted. There were a ridiculous number of mosquitos inhabiting the mountain, and, unlike everyone else, he didn''t have a convenient metal aura to protect him.


    "What are the odds that we''ll be able to shelter in the main estate tonight...?"


    Since there were quite a number of preparations that needed to be made in order to prepare Kaia to receive guests, Nobu decided to make small talk as Yui applied ointment to his many mosquito bites.


    "Grandmother said that she would be preserving the state of your previous room. Should I send someone to make preparations for your arrival...?"


    As it was rumored to be harder to descend a mountain than it was to climb one, Nobu nodded his head without hesitation. There was no way in hell he was going to make another three-hour trek through a densely popted forest when even the Moon wasn''t out to guide them. He had literally needed Yuriko to guide him by hand. Thus, rather than force himself to suffer just so he could sleep in his bed, Nobu didn''t mind taking advantage of the Matriarch''s hospitality.


    "Nobunaga-sama, Yui-sama. Please, follow me."


    Rising to his feet the moment he heard the rather in-looking woman''s words, Nobu followed behind her as she led them down a rather ustrophobic spiral staircase. Fortunately, they only had to descend for a minute or two before reaching what appeared to be a refurbished dungeon. There, sitting with her back against the wall furthest from the cell bars was a remarkably beautiful woman with untamed white hair and eyes that glistened like moonlight.


    Though she wore what appeared to be a modified muzzle covering the lower half of her face, Nobu found himself stopping in ce the moment he met the woman''s pale-yellow eyes. Her gaze was so intense that he didn''t even notice the inordinatelyrge ears standing erect atop her head, the dense white fur covering her forearms and calves, or the fluffy white tail folded over herp. For a brief moment, the only things that seemed to exist in the entire world were the subtly glowing orbs staring at him from behind the wrist-thick bars...


    "Are you my Master...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Could this be the advent of the goodest girl...!?)

 Chapter 72: Conquering Fear with Kindness

    Chapter 72: Conquering Fear with Kindness


    Recovering from his initial shock, Nobu answered, "Uh...yeah...?" while scratching the back of his head.


    ("Did Kazue infect me...?")


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu nearly jumped out of his skin when Kaia smashed face-first into the iron bars. At the exact same time, Yui stepped out in front of him, shouting, "Kaia! Heel...!"


    Hearing Yui''smand, Kaia backed away from the slightly bent prison bars, blood dripping from her forehead as she plopped to the ground. Throughout this entire process, she continued staring directly at Nobu, her pupils rapidly expanding and contracting as she breathed heavily from behind the bars.


    Though she didn''t move from in front of Nobu, Yui nodded in approval, saying, "Good. Now, stay. If you lose your calm, we''ll have no choice but to leave."


    With her ws kneading the reinforced stone floor as if it was tofu, Kaia nodded her head and said, "I know...I just...I just wanted to be closer to him..." in a somewhat pain-filled tone.


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui was about to say something to try and pacify Kaia''s frustrations when Nobu surprised them both by remarking, "Holy shit. Are those ws? You even have paw pads on your palms. Talk about a furry''s wet dream..."


    "My Lord...?"


    Bypassing the confused Yui, Nobu forced himself to walk until he was just outside of Kaia''s range. The girls had already exined all the safety precautions to him. More importantly, they had told him that he shouldn''t exhibit fear in front of Kaia. This was pretty much impossible, but, fortunately for everyone involved, he was genuinely intrigued by the wolfish woman''s appearance.


    "Let me see your paws..."


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaia extended her hand through the bars as if she was trying to grab Nobu''s face. Fortunately, there was a line on the ground that denoted the maximum distance she could extend her ws. Nobu was several centimeters behind this line so there was still ample distance between his paling face and the shimmering ck ws extending towards him.


    "You really know how to give a guy a heart attack..."


    Furrowing her brows in response to Nobu''s words, Kaia asked, "D-Did I do something bad...?" while straining to squeeze her shoulder through the bars.


    Noticing Kaia''s attempt, Nobu did his best to appear stern as he said, "Stop trying to force your way out. You need to calm down. What did Yui just say? I don''t want to leave but you''re not leaving me with much of a choice..."


    Though she didn''t retract her hand, Kaia ceased trying to force her way through the cell bars. This somehow made her even scarier, almost like a grenade that had lost its pin or a massive firework that had run down its fuse without exploding...


    Resisting the urge to wipe away the sweat from his brow, Nobu stared at Kaia''s paws with a curious yet cautious gaze. Her hands were nothing like the hands of a person. Her digits were much thicker, and, despite being covered in silvery white fur, it was possible to make out the muscture hidden beneath. They gave off the impression she could crush metal with her grip strength...


    Ignoring the vicious ck ws extending and retracting from Kaia''s paws, seemingly in tune with the beating of her heart, Nobu ran his along the rest of her arm. Her forearm was entirely covered in the same silvery-white fur as her paws. As for her upper arm and bicep, it almost appeared dainty at a nce, but, every time her muscles tensed, they would swell noticeably...


    Following the path of Kaia''s body, Nobu''s eyes nearly descended towards her rather voluminous chest by pure instinct. Instead, he managed to shift his focus to the muzzle around her face, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as he saw the rather prominent canines concealed within. She also produced a fair amount of steamy condensation with every breath, and, when he finally returned his gaze to her eyes, Nobu had the distinct impression that she would devour him down to the bone if not for the cell bars separating them...


    "You''re pretty scary..."


    Though his words were intended more as an observation than an insult, Nobu was surprised to see the oversized ears atop Kaia''s head droop rather pathetically the moment he finished speaking. At the same time, the tensions in her body seemed to drain away, almost as if she were deting right in front of him.


    Since he was shit at apologizing, Nobu offered a wry smile as he extended his hand, surprising both Kaia and Yui as he poked the former''s paw pad and added, "Rx. I wasn''t trying to make you feel-"


    Before Nobu could finish his non-apology, he felt a sharp pain from his shoulder as Kaia pulled him against the prison bars with extreme force. This caused Yui to exim, "Kaia! Bad...!" in a remarkably panicked tone, her body tensing like a spring as she prepared herself to cut down the white-haired wolf girl.


    Fortunately, Nobu had be increasingly ustomed to pain ever since his arrival in this new world. As a result, he was able to hold up his hand, groaning, "Calm down..." even as Kaia strained her muzzle against the cell bars, eagerly inhaling his scent.


    With the power disparity between them, Nobu knew that Kaia could rip him apart without any real effort. Instead, she pulled him towards her with an inhuman yet tolerable amount of force. In other words, the thought of harming him hadn''t crossed her mind. Instead, as she had stated previously, she just wanted to be close to him...


    Though she didn''t retract the sword in her hands, Yui forced herself to nod as she stared directly at Kaia''s panicky but possessive expression. She could tell that thetter didn''t mean to do any harm, but, at the same time, there was an unwillingness in her eyes that made it clear she wasn''t going to cooperate as usual.


    As that thought crossed her mind, Yui was genuinely surprised to see Kaia obey when Nobu said, "I want to turn around and face you. Let go of my arm. I won''t run away..."


    After a very brief moment of hesitation, Kaia reluctantly released Nobu''s arm. She had been taught to trust and obey him her entire life. Thus, even though this was their first meeting, she felt a strongpulsion to do as he said.


    Drastically increasing the tensions in Yui''s body, Nobu ignored the pain in his shoulder as he turned to face Kaia. Then, before she could forcibly seize him a second time, he said, "Give me your hand..." while extending his own.


    Though it took a considerable amount of willpower not to draw Nobu towards her, Kaia ultimately presented her hand, palm facing upward. In response, Nobu grabbed her wrist with his right hand before gingerly cing his left hand overtop hers. He had encountered numerous tropes since his arrival in this world so he wanted to see if he couldn''t use ''gentleness'' to try and get through to the untamed woman. This was prettymon in movies and other forms of fiction, so, with Kaia having spent most of her life isted from others, Nobu feltpelled to treat her gently...


    "Your heart is beating quickly...are you afraid...?"


    Hearing Nobu''s question, the pupils in Kaia''s eyes contracted as she quickly retracted her paw from his grasp. To Yui''s surprise, she even took a few steps away from the cell bars as she said, "Kaia isn''t afraid of anything..." in a thoroughly unconvincing tone.


    Demonstrating considerable surprise of his own, Nobu stared nkly at Kaia''s retreating figure. He wasn''t sure what he had expected, but this certainly wasn''t it.


    "My Lord..."


    Since the time for casualness had long since passed, Yui defaulted to referring to Nobu as her Lord while restraining the urge to charge over and pull him away from the danger zone.


    Without removing his gaze from Kaia, Nobu left Yui feeling an inexplicable urge to ask what the hell was wrong with him as he said, "Yui...unlock the gate..."


    "..."


    "..."


    With even Kaia staring at him as if he had lost his mind, Nobu could feel his skin beginning to crawl as he rolled his injured shoulder and asked, "What? Are you thinking about hurting me...?"


    Responding without any hesitation, Kaia shouted, "No! Kaia would never hurt Master...!" as her eyes briefly flickered towards his shoulder.


    Though he noticed Kaia''s gaze, Nobu pretended not to as he said, "Then it''s fine." before turning to Yui and saying, "You know I don''t like repeating myself..."


    Clenching her teeth, Yui restrained the urge to smack Nobu on the head with the butt of her sword as she turned to the woman who had escorted them, saying, "Hand me the key..."


    "Yui-sama..."


    Adopting a serious expression on her face, Yui absorbed her sword back into her aura as she said, "The Matriarch and the Elders have ced their trust in Nobunaga-sama and his judgment. Are you questioning them...?"


    Shaking her head rapidly, the rather in-looking kunoichi immediately produced the key to Kaia''s cell, saying, "I would never...!" in a slightly panicked tone.


    "Wise choice."


    epting the key, Yui ignored her own inhibitions as she walked over and promptly utched the lock. She wanted to ask if Nobu was certain, but, fearing she might make things worse, she steeled her heart, suppressed her better judgment, and decided to trust in him.


    In truth, Nobu had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He was basically just winging things and making decisions based on the flow of events. He didn''t really view himself as anything like a ''main character'', but, after everything that had happened, he suspected that fate or whatever might be on his side. Besides, he had already died once. What was the worst that could happen?


    Ignoring the urge to punch himself in the face for having such thoughts, Nobu stepped into Kaia''s cell without any obvious hesitation. Then, despite feeling as though he had just entered a cage with a carnivorous animal, he took a knee and said, "Come here..." with his hand extended towards the wolfish beauty.


    To Nobu''s surprise, Kaia replied, "I shouldn''t..." despite staring at him with hungry eyes.


    Returning a smile, Nobu asked, "The person who told you that...are their words more important to you than mine?"


    With her pupils contracting, Kaia sped her paws together as if she were about to pray as she said, "Kaia doesn''t want to hurt Master..."


    Though the hairs on his forearms stood on end, Nobu did his best to maintain a calm smile as he said, "Then don''t. That doesn''t stop you froming near me..."


    Widening her eyes, Kaia began to fidget slightly as she said, "But Kaia is dangerous...she isn''t-"


    Without waiting for her to finish, Nobu said, "You were born to serve and protect me. I''ve made you wait eighteen years. Are you telling me I can''t trust you...?"


    Shaking her head with enough force to make her inordinatelyrge ears flop, Kaia eximed, "No! Master can trust Kaia...!" in a shrill yet resolute tone.


    Visibly rxing, Nobu''s smile became more genuine as he said, "Then it''s fine. So long as you keep that in mind, there isn''t any reason you can''te near me. Right?"


    Though she had been taught to stay away from others, Kaia found herself unable to refute Nobu''s logic. Thus, after a considerable amount of hesitation, she proceeded to hesitantly crawl towards him. This caused the smile on Nobu''s face to turn somewhat wry, but, from start to finish, he did his best to appear calm as Kaia extended her paw to ce in his hand.


    "Good girl..."


    Feeling a tingly sensation run through her body, Kaia managed a somewhat scary smile as her tail began to brush along the ground, gently sweeping from side to side. This gave Nobu the urge tough. Unfortunately, the moment he dropped his guard, Kaia literally pounced on him, shouting, "Master~!" in a surprisingly girly tone.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N:

 Chapter 73: Gradual Acceptance

    Chapter 73: Gradual eptance


    Though there were a number of reasons why it wasn''t okay for Kaia to pounce on him, one of the most factors for Nobu was how well developed she was. He wouldn''t be a man if he didn''t have any reaction at all when a buxom and mature woman was rubbing up against him. This wouldn''t have been a problem with other women, but, thanks to her enhanced senses, it wasn''t long before Kaia''s pupils dted as she asked, "Master wants to mate with Kaia...?"


    "Hold up. You need to calm-"


    Before he could finish his words, Nobu found himself at a loss as Kaia brought her face near his crotch and took a very prolonged whiff of his junk. Just one would have been awkward, but, as if it was the most intoxicating thing she had ever smelled, Kaia held firm to Nobu''s waist as she nuzzled her muzzle against the fabric of his yukata like a dog looking for a treat.


    ("Fuck! Not this shit again...!")


    Fearing that he would get assaulted in front of Yui and the chick that had escorted them, Nobu did one of the only things he could think to do at the moment, his hands firmly grasping the sides of Kaia''s head as he said, "Kaia! Bad girl...!"


    "...!?"


    Though he wasn''t quite sure what he expected, Nobu was both surprised and relieved when Kaia promptly jumped away from him with enough force to embed the nails of her hands and feet into the wall. This allowed her to literally cling to the wall upside down, an extremely stressed look on her face as she stared at him through the gaps in her hair.


    Patting himself on the chest, Nobu remained seated as he exhaled a sigh and said, "Come here. This time, try not to jump on me. I don''t mind if you want to get close, but there are limits to what you can and can''t do. And no. While you are certainly very attractive, I don''t want to mate with you. My body just reacted because you were rubbing up against me..."


    Rxing her ws, Kaia managed to dislodge herself from the wall before cautiously crawling over to Nobu''s side. She didn''t really understand most of his words but she knew enough not to repeat the same mistakes as before. This time, instead of pouncing on him immediately, she waited for him to extend his hand before rubbing her head and ears against it.


    As strange as the scene of a mature beauty behaving like a pet was, Nobu would be lying if he said he didn''t find it strangely endearing. He had never even considered pet y and he would probably beat the living shit out of anyone who dared to refer to him as a furry. Now, however, he could kind of understand why people were into that kind of shit...


    With his fingers digging into the base of Kaia''s inordinatelyrge and fluffy ears, Nobu repeated the same phrase that hadpelled the bestial beauty to pounce on him, his tone soft and ostensibly affectionate as he muttered, "Good girl..."


    Though her body tensed like a spring, Kaia managed to restrain the urge to pounce. Instead, she just moved closer to Nobu''s side, affectionately nestling against him with her paw clinging to the fabric of his yukata. She was quite a bitrger than most Nianese women at 169cm tall, but, the moment she beside her Master, Kaia felt like she was a tiny mouse seeking the warmth of a hearth in wintertime. She could feel his body heat flowing into her, and, though it wasn''t enough to fill the emptiness that had apanied her throughout her entire life, it helped a lot...


    "Master..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a much longer stay than anyone anticipated, Nobu managed to pacify Kaia after promising to prepare a ce for her at their new home. The thought of leaving her alone didn''t sit well with him. He also had no intention of trekking halfway over the mountain once a month just to see her. Thus, for both of their sakes, he intended to have Kaia moved to his personal estate on the Northern side of the mountain.


    "That went surprisingly well. I never imagined you would have such a way with Kaia. Nobody else has ever been able to get that close to her..."


    Though he knew Yui was trying topliment him, Nobu was still feeling a little annoyed about Kaia''s situation. He knew he was the main reason for her imprisonment, but he still feltpelled to ask, "Have you ever tried? It seems to me like everyone has been treating her like a wild animal..."


    Exhaling a tired sigh, Yui left Nobu feeling at a loss for words as she said, "You''re right. However, we treated her that way for a reason. Lycans are among the most dangerous and bloodthirsty creatures in all of Nian. What you saw tonight is the most stable version of Kaia. As the moon begins its cycle anew, she will begin to grow increasingly temperamental as her body experiences rapid changes. By the eve of the full moon, she will be indistinguishable from a pure-blooded Lycan whose animalistic instinctspel her to consume human flesh..."


    Remembering the time her grandmother had forced everyone in Nobu''s entourage to witness Kaia in her fully transformed state, a rare shudder ran through Yui''s body. She had faced off against Aura Beasts that were dozens of times her size, but, the moment she found herself being stared down by the 3m tall werewolf, her body had frozen up like a small animal that had just encountered an apex predator. It was like staring into the eyes of death. There was nothing any of them could do.


    Noticing the strange states of Yui and the other girls escorting him, Nobu opted to remain silent for the rest of the journey. Even Kiku seemed genuinely spooked and she was wearing a demonic mask that covered the lower half of her face. Thus, at least for the time being, he decided not to question their decision to detain the surprisingly adorable wolf woman...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "What do you think? He''s rather interesting, isn''t he~?"


    Having observed the encounter between Nobu and Kaia from start to finish, Hitomi''s impression of him had improved quite a bit. Sure, he was foolish and naive to the point of being a liability, but, at the same time, there was a certain charm to his behavior that made people want to support him.


    "His ability to suppress his fear is remarkable. Had he been born in a shinobi family, he would have be an excellent assassin..."


    Shifting her attention to the woman who had spoken, Hitomi adopted an amused smile as she said, "Fumetsu-dono. While I can appreciate your passion, your penchant for evaluating people based on their capacity as an assassin is ill-suited for this particr situation..."


    With a dark mask covering the lower half of her face, long bangs covering her eyes, and pitch-ck sclera framing her golden eyes, it was impossible to see even a modicum of change in Fumetsu, the Security Elder''s expression. The ornamental gold and ck horns protruding from her forehead also gave her a rather demonic impression, so, whenever people encountered her for the first time, they would typically freeze up, forfeiting their lives in the process.


    "..."


    Since she didn''t really have anything else to contribute, Fumetsu decided to remain silent so that others might have a chance to speak. This allowed Suzune, who was in high spirits after reaching apromise with Nobu, to remark, "I concur. His personality and character are markedly different from native-born Nianese. He presents himself as a harsh and abrasive person on the surface, but, deep down, he has a kind and forgiving heart. We''ll have to take extra precautions to prevent him from being taken advantage of. Ufufufufu~"


    Contributing her own giggle, Hitomi made a mental note to keep a close eye on Suzune in the near future as she shifted her heterochromatin gaze to the final Elder present, Yumie, the Poison Elder. In response, thetter returned a teasing smile as she noted, "He has inherited the temperament Lord Seken was known for in his youth. I''m looking forward to seeing how the two will interact with each other."


    Though she could have concealed it, Hitomi allowed a reminiscent smile to develop across her face as she mused, "You''re right. To that end, we must do everything in our power to protect Nobunaga-sama until he can mature. The fate of Nian may very well depend on it..."


    As those words left her lips, Hitomi caressed the glowing crystal ball with the palm of her hand. This earned her curious looks from the three Elders, but, understanding the former had a personal stake in their Young Lord''s fate, they elected not to question her intentions...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a surprisingly peaceful evening, Nobu awoke to find Yui nestled against him in all her naked glory. This was bing increasinglymon as ofte, so, without thinking about it, he nted a simple peck on her forehead before rising to stretch his back and body.


    Waiting until she heard Nobu''s groan, Yui resisted the urge to touch her head as she opened her eyes and emted his behavior. This earned her an amused chuckle from the former, who, at the same time, couldn''t help internally remarking, ("I guess yawning is as infectious here as it is in my previous world.")


    As that thought crossed his mind, the smile on Nobu''s face faded as the voice of Yuriko reached his ears, asking, "Need some help with that?"


    Even without following the direction of her gaze, Nobu knew Yuriko was asking about the rather sizeable tent he was pitching. His interactions with Kaia had left him a little high strung, but, due to how tired he had been, the notion of having sex had only briefly crossed his mind.


    Though he was tempted to say it would take care of itself, Nobu recalled that it had been a few days since he and Yurikost did anything together. He was gradually beginning toe to terms with the fact that he owed each of these girls quite a lot, so, after a moment of consideration, he surprised by Yui and Yuriko by lying back, hands crossed behind his head as he said, "Go for it." in an ostensibly casual tone.


    As her initial intention had been to tease him, Yuriko was pleasantly surprised by Nobu''s response. For a brief moment, she even had a triumphant look on her face until she noticed Yui staring at her with a pointed look in her eyes. This caused her smile to immediately vanish, but, deep down, deep enough that it tickled a certain spot beneath her navel, Yuriko was still feeling very excited.


    Fortunately, Yuriko almost always kept her hair in a ponytail. Thus, under the watchful eyes of quite a number of Kunoichi, she deftly loosened the belt of Nobu''s yukata before lowering her mouth to meet his ns. Then, for the better part of half an hour, she used every technique she could think of to keep him hard for as long as possible. A part of her hoped that he would get excited enough to ask for sex, but, with multiple people watching, she knew it wasn''t going to happen...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Taking advantage of the fact that Nobu and his entourage were away, Inami was skulking around the former''s bedroom with a serious expression on her face. As the Guardian of the n, she knew all the n''s secrets, so, while others would struggle to navigate the waterway hidden beneath the estate, it might as well be an open passage from her perspective.


    "Come on...there has to be something here. How can I possibly seduce that man if I don''t know anything about him?"


    With the intention of discovering some kind of weakness, Inami was crawling around on all fours with her nose pressed to the ground. There were a lot of different scents present within the room, but, as time passed, an idea of who she could target began to appear in the back of the kitsune''s mind...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: O_O...)

 Chapter 74: Accessions: Service

    Chapter 74: essions: Service


    In the days that followed his meeting with Kaia, Nobu made good on his promise by meeting with Hitomi and Suzune to discuss the viability of converting a part of his estate into a holding facility. This earned him a fair amount of teasing from the pinkette since he was basically asking to build a dungeon, but, when everything was said and done, they agreed to have the holding facility ced beneath the room adjacent to his own.


    Along with said dungeon, several other renovations were being made to Nobu''s personal estate as he split his time between training, clicking, and interviewing potential personnel and staff members. This included Rynka, who, after hearing about the situation from Chikako, presented herself as one of the first people to be interviewed.


    Though there had been a brief misunderstanding where Rynka mistakenly believed she was being asked to be Nobu''s personal ''service kunoichi'', it was resolved rtively quickly when he said he had no interest in brats. This left Rynka feeling vexed, but, as she was more than a little afraid of him after seeing how he dealt with Shizune, she never vocalized her thoughts.


    Regarding Shizune, Nobu actually interviewed her as well. In reality, this was basically just a private admonishment where heid down the ground rules he had discussed with Suzune while thetter silently observed. She would basically be serving under Kumiko with the penultimate responsibility of caring for and maintaining the estate.


    In simpler terms, Shizune had effectively be the Head Maid responsible for rearing trainees to be caretakers, attendants, servants, and informants. This was actually a rather coveted position, but, after discussing the matter at length with Kumiko and Yui, they managed to convince Nobu it was the most suitable position for someone with Shizune''s status and abilities.


    Despite the gaff she had made, Shizune was inarguably one of the most talented kunoichi when it came to gathering and supplying information. She wasn''t being groomed as the next Information Elder just because she was Suzune''s daughter. The Matriarch and Elders would have never allowed such favoritism at it might contribute to misconceptions and resentment spreading among current and future kunoichi. In other words, the favoritism Shizune received had little to do with her status as Suzune''s daughter. Instead, it was her talent and her potential as an Onmyoji that had afforded her the leeway to behave like a spoiled princess.


    Onmyoji were highly respected throughout Nian due to their ability tomand Shikigami, and, most importantly, deal with curses. They were effectively exorcists that traveled around the country sealing Youkai, cleansing evil spirits, and erecting barriers. Many were even personally hosted by the nobility of the provinces they visited so Shizune essentially had a perfect cover for traveling around and gathering information.


    When it came down to it, Nobu didn''t really care about Shizune''s qualifications. He only tolerated her because Yui and Kumiko vouched for her. In his mind, it was far more important to be able to trust the people around him than to surround himself with capable individuals. After all, even in his previous world, those considered the most capable were, more often than not, the most ambitious and opportunistic.


    Fortunately, while he had effectively been forced topromise on the matter regarding Shizune, Nobu had free rein concerning his other staff and personnel picks. This included employing Rukia, and, though she had yet to return, Takao. As for his other picks, he primarily relied on suggestions from Kumiko, Yui, and the other girls. The only real exception to this was the girl named Onihime, who, on the third day, arrived at Nobu''s doorstep wearing an inordinately short kimono with pink ents...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Even if you ultimately change your mind, thank you for considering someone as lowly as myself for the position of your personal attendant..."


    Seeing the inordinately petite girl bowing low enough that her horns were poking against the floor of his room, Nobu had to restrain a sigh as he said, "Raise your head."


    Though her actions were a little slow, Onihime obeyed Nobu''smand without any perceivable hesitation. This allowed him to stare into her dark-purple eyes, which, unlike a human, possessed thin ck slits in ce of circr pupils.


    "Are you really 68-years-old...?"


    Adopting a smile with mncholic undertones that even Nobu could perceive, Onihime remained silent for a few moments before shaking her head and answering, "I will be sixty-eight near the end of Satsuki(May)..."


    Never one for subtlety, Nobu''s expression morphed into a furrow as he asked, "Are you okay?" in an ostensibly concerned butrgely ufortable tone.


    Confused by her future Lord''s question, Onihime tentatively exined, "Oni do not suffer from the same illnesses as normal humans..."


    "Uh...okay?"


    Realizing his intentions weren''t getting across properly, Nobu fell silent for several seconds before asking, "What has the Matriarch told you? Also, do you even want to serve me? Like I''ve told all the others, I don''t need ves or servants who worship the ground I walk on. If you don''t want to be here, I''m not going to force you."


    Returning a marginally less mncholic smile, Onihime exined, "Hitomi-sama said you were a kind and caring person with different values than traditional Nianese men. She said you were the type of person who evaluated people based on their actions rather than their race, gender, status, or physical appearance. She also told me I could trust you...and that I would be able to experience greater freedom in your service than anywhere else..."


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, Nobu briefly stared off into space before shaking his head and saying, "That''s just her personal views. I personally view myself as a bit of an asshole. If you choose to follow me, there is a good chance you''ll get wrapped up in the politics and personal affairs of the Oda n. I''ll do my best, but I can''t promise to be able to protect you. I''m pretty new to all this Lordship stuff..."


    Leaving Nobu at a loss for words, Onihime used her sleeve to cover her mouth as she giggled in a manner reminiscent of a gentle bell chiming in the distance. When she was done, a far more radiant smile had appeared on her face as she mused, "Hitomi-sama was telling the truth. My Lord is unlike any other Noble. If it''s for someone as honest and straightforward as you, I believe I could dedicate my everything without regret..."


    Punctuating her words, Onihime pulled at the green cord keeping her yellow obi fastened around her waist. This caused the hairs on the back of Nobu''s neck to stand on end, but, before he could even think to admonish her, the words got stuck in his throat as he noticed the blood-red tattoo near the center of her chest. It looked like a scarlet eye surrounded by angr lines that radiated outward like the traces on a circuit board.


    Noticing the shock and confusion on her Lord''s face, Onihime asked, "Is this the first time my Lord has seen a ve Crest?"


    Frowning the moment he heard the words ve and crest, Nobu''s tone became firm as he said, "I already told you. I don''t need ves. Fix your clothes."


    Adopting a slightly apologetic expression on her face, Onihime exined, "Though I want nothing more than to respect my Lord''s decision, the people of Nian are significantly less...epting. If it is discovered that I have not been bound by a contract, I fear my Lord''s enemies will never ept my presence at your side. Oni, even halves such as myself, are considered to themon enemy of the Nianese people...we cannot be allowed to wander freely..."


    Maintaining his frown, Nobu softly muttered, "That''s some racist ass shit..." before shaking his head and asked, "So? What do I need to do?"


    Exhaling a soft yet profoundly relieved sigh, the smile returned to Onihime''s face as she exined, "There are two parts. The first part requires my Lord to drip his blood onto the eye at the center of the ve Crest. The second part...it is unique to Oni..."


    Though it was faint, a blush spread across Onihime''s face as she took a breath to calm herself. Then, with what could best be described as a resolute expression on her face, she exined, "The second part requires me to periodically ingest my Lord''s blood. When an Oni epts blood given of one''s own ord, they be bound to the person until death. We will not die if we don''t consume the blood of our Masters, but it helps suppress our more...animalistic desires."


    Blushing to the tips of her elf-like ears, Onihime averted her eyes out of shame and embarrassment. As for Nobu, he just stared at her with a mixture of incredulity and disbelief on his face. Part of him wanted to ask her to exin what she meant, but, fearing she might answer in ordance with his expectations, he ultimately remained mum. She was cute, sure, but thest thing Nobu needed was a ''legal loli'' pouncing on him like a bitch in heat.


    "How often do you need to consume blood...?"


    Keeping her eyes averted, Onihime answered, "Once a week is generally more than enough at my current level of cultivation. As I grow in strength, the frequency will depend on the difference in our respective bases..."


    After nodding his head in understanding, Nobu only hesitated for a moment before pulling out the dagger Yui had given him for protection. He wasn''t particrly fond of the idea of cutting the tip of his finger like some edgy anime character, but, considering the circumstances, he didn''t have much of a choice.


    Whilementing what would invariably follow, Nobu ced a shallow cut on the tips of his index and middle fingers. This caused the pupils of Onihime''s eyes to contract, and, though it was only a subtle change, her deep purple eyes became noticeably redder as he traced the tips of his fingers over the eerie-looking seal on her chest.


    Though she had a slightly dazed look in her eyes, Onihime managed a somewhat scary smile as she whispered, "Master''s blood is very potent..." in an audibly impassioned tone. Then, just as Nobu had anticipated, she guided his fingers to her lips, her darker-than-average tonguepping at the excess blood before suckling the digits with a fair amount of vigor...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Despite his best efforts, Nobu was unable to prevent a tent from mounting in his trousers due to Onihime''s actions. Fortunately, she was either oblivious to this or had enough sense not to draw attention to it as she dutifully fixed her kimono. What he didn''t know was that the only reason she had kept silent was that it was impossible for ves to make selfish requests or demands without the express permission of their Master...


    With her kimono fixed, Onihime sat across from Nobu with a smile on her face as she asked, "Are my Lord''s fingers okay?"


    "..."


    Rather than immediately replying to Onihime''s question, Nobu remained silent for several seconds, his eyes focused on the stone tablet in his hands. This caught Onihime''s attention, but, rather than interrupt him, she sat with her hands neatly folded across herp.


    "Holy shit..."


    Ignoring the legal loli seated across from him, Nobu''s excitement continued to increase with each passing second. As for the reason, well, it was because Onihime had been added to his friend''s list without him needing to pay a premium. She wouldn''t have cost much, but, if things worked the way Nobu expected, it meant he could ''befriend'' people for free so long as they were his ves...


    "Holy fucking shit..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That isn''t how you make friends, Nobu...)

 Chapter 75: Tensions

    Chapter 75: Tensions


    Though his excitement had just about boiled over, Nobu quickly calmed down when he noticed an incongruence between the present and past times he had managed to add someone to his Friend''s List.


    Onihime hadn''t generated a spare tablet.


    Noticing the rather drastic change in her Master''s behavior, Onihime''s expression morphed into one of concern as she asked, "My Lord...?"


    Meeting the petite girl''s purple gaze, Nobu forced a wry smile as he said, "Gimme a sec. I''m trying to figure something out..."


    Though she maintained a concerned expression, Onihime nodded her head in response to Nobu''s words before fixing her posture and doing her best to appear calm.


    Adopting a slightly more genuine smile, Nobu nodded his head before shifting his attention to the tablet. The biggest question he had at the moment was whether or not Onihime appeared among his list of Units. It was ''just'' his friend, he wouldn''t know what to do, as, without a tablet of her own, he couldn''t even message her through the Messenger App.


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Aizu-Ashina Onihime/Yoshitsune Onihime


    Age: 67


    Gender: Female, H:137.5cm, W: 34.8kg, B: 61.1cm, W: 46.9cm, H: 62.9cm


    Blood Type: ZX-


    Cultivation: *Sealed*


    Aura Units: 142/432,912


    Status: Suppressed Physiology(+), Sealed(+), ve Crest(+), Poisoned(+), Cursed(+), Lesser Vampiric Urge(+), Aroused(+), Sated(+)


    -Suppressed Physiology: Due to ingesting Sanctified Silver and the blood of animals, her growth has been severely restricted. Removal Cost: 117,000AU


    -Sealed: Has had her cultivation crippled and sealed using the Four-Beasts Seal. Weakening Cost: 60,000AU. Removal Cost: 6,000,000AU


    -ve Crest: Has had her will restricted by a high-quality ve Crest. Cannot refuse the orders of her Master without experiencing extreme pain. Current Master: Oda Nobunaga. Removal Cost: N/A


    -Poisoned: Has periodically ingested Sanctified Silver to suppress her Oni instincts. Prolonged consumption has drastically decreased her vitality. Current Toxicity: 47%. Reduction Cost: 11,000AU. Removal Cost: 1,100,000AU


    -Cursed: Cursed by the Goddess Inari: Being epted as an honorary member has provided her with a weakened version of the curse. The probability of bearing daughters has increased to 63.9%. Removal Cost: 1,300,000AU


    -Lesser Vampiric Urge: Must periodically consume blood or her own will begin to foul. Current Degeneration Rate: 4%. Suppression Cost: 300AU. Removal Cost: 11,600,000AU.


    -Aroused: Ingesting your blood has caused her to be aroused. Current Arousal: 77%. Reduction Cost: 600AU. Removal Cost: 46,200AU


    -Sated: Ingesting your blood has suppressed her Oni instincts. Current Suppression Rate: 100%. Suppression Cost: 190AU. Removal Cost: 19,000AU


    Main Hand: Left Hand


    Preferred Weapon: ws, Dagger


    Strengths: Oni Physiology, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Perception, Extreme Pain Tolerance, Resistance to Most Illnesses


    Weaknesses: Ony Physiology, Extremely Vulnerable to Holy Energy, Prolonged Exposure to Sunlight, Bound by a ve Crest, Gets Lonely Very Easily, Poisoned, Aroused


    Orientation: Oda Nobunaga


    Preferences: She prefers to be held gently but secretly desires her partner to be rough


    Favorite Food: The Blood of Oda Nobunaga, Raw Meat, Dango


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Seeing the chibi purple avatar among his list of Units, Nobu found himself clicking on Onihime''s profile without much consideration. The fact she had an aura capacity in the 400,000s had caught him by surprise, but, considering she must have been around 17 at the time she was taken prisoner, this wasn''t too surprising. After all, she was still the ''princess'' of a Noble n. It would make sense that her cultivation base has been fairly decent before having it sealed.


    Unfortunately, even after pressing each of the (+) marks in order, including the one showing her current arousal, Nobu wasn''t able to uncover the reason why she hadn''t been given a stone tablet. The only thing that came to mind was her sealed cultivation base, but, without 60,000 units of Aura, he couldn''t be sure.


    "Well...whatever..."


    Figuring he could always work it out when he had the Aura to spare, Nobu motioned to set aside the stone tablet only to notice that Onihime''s eyes had following the movement. She could have just been staring at his hand, but, even after he had retracted it, her eyes lingered for a very brief moment.


    Regaining a fair amount of his earlier excitement, Nobu picked up the stone tablet and asked, "Can you see this?"


    Though she appeared slightly confused by his question, Onihime didn''t hesitate to nod her head, answering, "Yes...?"


    Since there was no reason not to, Nobu''s smile widened as he gestured for her toe closer, saying, "Here. I want you to try pressing this icon that looks like a ss sphere..."


    With a ruddy glow spreading through her cheeks, Onihime moved close enough that Nobu could smell an aroma simr to high-quality wine before gingerly tapping the screen.


    In the past, Nobu had experimented with having Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko press the icon on his tablet. Unfortunately, just as he couldn''t do anything using their stone tablets, they were unable to make use of his. He expected this to be the case with Onihime as well, but, considering the strange circumstances that had led to her bing his ''friend'', it never hurt to try.


    Seeing a tiny 0.005 pop up the moment Onihime''s finger pressed his screen, a massive grin spread across Nobu''s face.


    Sensing her Master''s excitement, Onihime''s arousal increased to around 83% as she instinctually squeezed her inordinately plump thighs together. She might be remarkably petite for her age, but, were she to bepared to a human girl with a simr stature, even a fool could tell the difference between them. Her breasts might be small, but her body possessed curves that young human girls simply didn''t. This included strong, plump, and remarkably soft thighs that were about 30%rger than a human of simr height and build.


    "My Lord...?"


    Responding to Onihime''s voice, Nobu looked down at the petite woman to find her looking up at him with what could best be described as an intoxicated expression on her face. The hairs on the back of his neck immediately stood on end, and, though his face was covered with a cloth soaked in mint oil, the wine-like aroma was bing increasingly more fragrant with each passing moment.


    Feeling a familiar tightness in his throat, Nobu was about to tell Onihime to give him some space so he could exin his findings. Before the words could leave his mouth, however, she gently grasped the hem of his yukata, her voice tinged with an undertone of longing as she said, "It''s okay...even if I look like this...I can take it..."


    Though his nature nearlypelled him to ask what the hell she was talking about, Nobu found himself unable to speak as he internally inquired, ("What the fuck is wrong with me? Am I seriously considering this...?")


    Noticing the reluctance in her Master''s gaze, Onihime deted like a balloon as she withdrew her hand and muttered, "Forgive me...I did not mean to cause any offense..."


    Furrowing his brows, a conflicted look developed across Nobu''s face as he fixed his posture and said, "I''m not offended. It''s just...even if you''re like three-and-a-half times my age, you don''t exactly look it. It feels like I would bemitting a crime if Iid my hands on you..."


    While there was still a hint of mncholy in her expression, Onihime appeared more confused than anything else when she heard Nobu''s exnation. There were women with appearances even more youthful than her own working in public brothels so she really wasn''t quite sure what to make of his statement.


    Fortunately, in an effort to ease the awkward tensions that had built between them, Nobu did his best to exin a bit about himself and the stone tablet. His training and education had be a pretty major distraction as ofte so it was quite a significant boon to discover the Onihime could do it for him. She was going to be his personal attendant and ve in the future, so, while it might not be the smartest idea to let a girl he hardly knew mess around with his cheat, knowing she had no choice but to obey his orders alleviated the majority of Nobu''s concerns...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Ever since Nobu had forced her toy her head in hisp, Kazue had been feeling markedly more absentminded than usual. She would normally pass her time by reflecting on her uselessness and the many mistakes she had made in the past, but, ever since Nobu gently ran his fingers through her hair, it was one of the only things she could think about.


    "What the hell is wrong with me? Did I seriously fall in love with my own Lord...?"


    With her forearm resting on her forehead in a manner simr to Nobu, Kazue stared listlessly at the ceiling without a single strand of clothing anywhere on her body. She may have flunked out of the kunoichi program, but, much like every other member of the Yoshitsune n, she would rather be naked than fully clothed.


    The difference between her present and past states was that Kazue wasn''t simply naked. Instead, her body glistened with a freshyer of sweat after she had spent the better part of thirty minutes pleasuring herself to the memory of Nobu caressing her head. It was the feeling of release she felt after the fact that led to her current anguish, not because she had never masturbated, but because she felt like she had somehow defiled her Lord''s intentions...


    "Haaaa..."


    Raising her tired body, Kazue was about to grab a bucket of water to clean herself with when the pupils of her hazel eyes contracted to the size of pinholes.


    "If you scream, I will have no choice but to silence you...permanently..."


    Crouching less than three meters from where Kazue had been lying was a youthful-looking girl with obsidian-blue hair and hazy pink eyes. These weren''t particrly umon traits, but, seeing the ears atop her head six tails shifting about like mes behind her, Kazue didn''t have to ask. She knew exactly who the woman was.


    Under normal circumstances, Kazue would have bowed as low and reverentially as possible. In this particr set of circumstances, however, she felt like a field mouse that had just be discovered by a hungry fox. Her instincts told her that any movement whatsoever might lead to her end, yet, in spite of this, she inhaled a breath with the intention of shouting as loud as possible.


    "Foolish girl...!"


    Pouncing on Kazue in an instant, Inami mmed the former into the ground with her hand covering her mouth. She really didn''t want to hurt one of her own descendants, but, for the sake of the entire n, she would do whatever it took to ensure their continued survival.


    "Though you might be a failure, your loyalty towards your Lord ismendable. Not all kunoichi can remain steadfast when presented with circumstances such as this. For that, you have earned my respect. Now, sleep..."


    With her eyes releasing a hazy pink flow, Inami forced Kazue into a state of suggestiveness that made the one experienced by Nobu seem like a joke. She hadn''t lived for more than six thousand years without mastering the abilities associated with her race. This included a kitsune''s characteristic charm, and, most importantly, their ability to transform and create illusions.


    "I assure you. I harbor no ill will towards your Lord. If you really wish to protect him and your fellow nswomen, you will tell me everything you know about your Lord, his Heavenly Treasure, and your rtionship with him. Tell me everything..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I kind of feel bad for Onihime, but the situation with Kazue is just unfair. Inami has gone too far this time...!)

 Chapter 76: Hunger

    Chapter 76: Hunger


    Though there were a total of 83 candidates, Nobu ultimately only acquired six as teaching staff and caretakers.


    Generally speaking, there were six major disciplines that Kunoichi were divided into once they hadpleted their foundation training.


    On paper, the six major disciplines includedbat, assassination, tracking, infiltration, seduction, and poison. In reality, Kunoichi were also able to learn about seals, cooking, craftsmanship, hunting, and various other trade-rted abilities that would allow them to seamlessly blend into society.


    One of the things that made Yui so exceptional was that she had a basic mastery over each of the disciplines and advanced mastery overbat, assassination, and seduction techniques. She had alsopleted warrior training based on the standards of the Oda n, so, while she was a bit odd in the head at times, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say she was a prodigy among prodigies.


    At the present moment, said prodigy was currently tracing her index finger around Nobu''s exposed nipple as she reclined her head on his shoulder. She had a somewhat dazed look on her face, and, if you observed closely, it was possible to see the sides of her lips periodically curl upwards as various thoughts danced across her mind.


    Ever since their first night of passion, Nobu and Yui had made love nearly every single night. At first, this had terrified and confused both of them as neither had any real experience with such emotions. After a while, however, it feltpletely natural.


    ("Humans really can adapt to anything...")


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu rolled onto his side and positioned himself so that he was spooning the raven-haired beauty with his mouth near her ear. She had confessed that she enjoyed being held tenderly, so, with his hand caressing her smooth yet firm abdomen, Nobu sent a tremor through Yui''s body as he whispered as softly as possible, "I think I might love you..."


    "Nobu..."


    Not expecting to hear such words, a paradoxical feeling of exuberance and anguish spread through Yui''s body. ording to thews, customs, and traditions of their families, she had no right to be loved by Nobu. Love was a weakness that caused people to do foolish things. It was something that was easily exploited, and, depending on the circumstances, invariably led to tragedy.


    Had he confessed to her several weeks ago, Yui would have promptly reminded Nobu that she was merely his Mistress. It was more urate to say she was engaged to him rather than say they were engaged to each other. It was her duty to protect him, serve him, and carry out his will. Love wasn''t supposed to be a part of the equation.


    Perhaps as a result of Nobu''s peculiarities, Yui found herself unable, or, more urately, unwilling to ''correct'' him. She wasn''t quite sure of her own feelings, but she wanted to protect and nourish them rather than quash thempletely. Her Grandmother had also implied her support by giving a few not-so-subtle hints, so, after several seconds of silence, ayer of moisture spread across the surface of Yui''s eyes as she replied, "I think I feel the same way..."


    Though they had recently finished a rather passionate session of lovemaking, Nobu could feel the blood rushing to his little brother as he nted a kiss on Yui''s exposed shoulder. He was actually happier she responded in such a roundabout manner. If she had dered her feelings directly, he wasn''t sure he would be able to ept them. After all, back in his previous world, words like love were thrown around so often that it was more of a meme than anything else. It was merely a word to get women to open their legs and men to open their wallets...


    While his rtionship with Yui was anything but normal, Nobu felt closer to her with each passing day. There was something about knowing she would die for him that gave him a strange peace of mind. He wasn''t sure if he could do the same, but, if it came down to it, he was pretty confident he would go down swinging if someone tried to hurt her. Whether or not this was love, Nobu had no idea. All he knew was that he wanted to spend more time with her...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After sleeping in till around noon, Nobu awoke to find that he was alone in his bed. This caused a wry smile to develop across his face, but, understanding Yui had other duties to attend, he simply shook his head and called out, "Anyone there?"


    Somewhat surprisingly, only a single honey-haired girl entered his room when Nobu called out.


    "Ayane?"


    Perennially taciturn and soft-spoken, Ayane responded with a curt, "Yes..." while staring directly at him with her peculiar blue eyes.


    Recalling all the past times they had talked, Nobu could already feel his mental faculties slowing down as he asked, "Where is everyone else...?"


    Without so much as a single change in expression, Ayane continued to stare unblinkingly at Nobu for several increasingly tense moments before answering, "Yui...training...Yuriko...training...Kumiko..."


    Though he felt a little guilty about interrupting her, Nobu held up his hand, a wry smile on his face as he said, "Just tell me where Onihime is..."


    Tilting her head somewhat adorably to the side, Ayane contributed one of her characteristic silences before finally answering, "Kitchen..."


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to ask why it took so long for her to supply such a simple answer, Nobu just rose to his feet and said, "Let''s go. I feel like eating in the dining room today."


    Without offering a response, Ayane promptly fell into step behind Nobu. This always annoyed him, but, understanding it made the girls ufortable to walk directly at his side, he decided to ignore it. Besides, it wasn''t like he could have an actual conversation with Ayane. He was almost certain she had some form of autism, and, while he would never fault her for such a thing, it made conversing with her extremely difficult...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she would much rather prepare her Lord''s meals herself, Cho had learned to appreciate teaching others. Midori was a bashful girl on the surface, but, once you managed to get her to open up to you, her smile became as radiant as the sun.


    "Cho-sama, Cho-sama~! Please try my miso soup~."


    Giggling in amusement, Cho dutifully tasted Midori''s soup with a smile before unhesitantly stating, "Your dashi is too thick and you''ve used far too much salt. The savoriness has be little more than an undertone to the dish. If you were to feed this to Master as is, he would undoubtedly get a stomach ache."


    Deting like a balloon, Midori''s amber eyes became unfocused as she stared off into space. This earned amused chuckles from both Cho and Onihime, the most recent addition to the kitchen staff.


    "Don''t worry, Midori-chan. It''s only a matter of time before you master miso soup. After that, you can begin preparing other dishes."


    Hearing Onihime''s words, Midori instantaneously recovered, a broad and innocent smile on her face as she happily eximed, "Yosh! Midori will do her best! Thanks, Oni-nee~!"


    Though she was nearly sixty years the girl''s senior, Onihime didn''t mind Midori referring to her as an elder sister. It was infinitely better than being regarded as an olddy.


    As that thought crossed her mind, a delicate sigh emerged from Onihime''s throat as memories of meeting her Master for the first time resurfaced. She felt like she could have tried harder to change his impression and ovee his inhibitions. Now, her body yearned for him, but, due to the way he viewed her, she was more likely to receive a head pat than the intimacy she craved.


    Noticing the strange expression on Onihime''s face, Midori''s own became a little awkward as she asked, "Oni-nee? Does your tummy hurt...?"


    Shaking her head, Onihime extended her hand to caress Midori''s as she gently mused, "I was just thinking about our Master. He is a great man, isn''t he~?"


    Smiling radiantly in response, Midori chimed a happy, "Nn~!" before saying, "Master is awesome~!" in an enthusiastic tone.


    Though she was still a little scared of him due to his size, Nobu had quickly be one of Midori''s favorite people. He was nothing like what she had been taught to expect. He was super nice, and, if she was good, he would even give her candies, caress her head, and even y with her. It was also funny to see him squirm around or float face-down in the bath, so, while she couldn''t help feeling intimidated by his size, Midori was very fond of the Master that had saved her life.


    With such thoughts on her mind, Midori was ready to attempt another batch of miso soup when the person each of them was thinking about entered the room, saying, "Yo." in a casual manner.


    "Master~!"


    Under normal circumstances, Midori would be more cautious, but, as she had just been thinking about how awesome Nobu was, she didn''t hesitate to run over and hug his waist. This left Nobu feeling a little awkward, but, rather than admonish the young girl for her overfamiliarity, he began to pat her head, asking, "How''s it going? Have you already done your daily clicks?"


    Smiling wide enough to show off a few of her missing teeth, Midori happily chimed, "Of course! I did it as soon as I woke up~!"


    Though his voice sounded a bit dry, Nobu chuckled in response to Midori''s words, saying, "Good job." before casting a nce at Cho and asking, "Do you have any candy on you? I think Midori has deserved a treat."


    Having already anticipated such a request, Cho slipped her hand into the sleeve of her kimono before pulling out a string of neatly wrapped rock candy. This caused Midori''s eyes to light up, her expression literally beaming as she unhesitantly released Nobu''s waist and hurried over to retrieve her treat.


    Exhaling a sigh of relief, Nobu gave his own body a whiff to confirm that he did, indeed, smell like sex. He and Yui had been up until around 4 AM, and, thanks to his sleeping in, he hadn''t bathed at all.


    Fortunately, Midori was either too young to understand what the smell was or simply didn''t care about it. This allowed Nobu to rx until he noticed Onihime staring at him with a rather intense look on her face.


    Noticing her Master''s gaze, Onihime promptly bowed, her expression softening into a pleasantly surprised yet ostensibly subservient look as she said, "Good afternoon, Master. I apologize for not being at your side when you awoke."


    Though she didn''t mean anything by it, the tips of Onihime''s ears turned red when she realized how her words might be interpreted. Fortunately, or perhaps not, Nobu didn''t seem to realize this. Instead, he just waved dismissively, saying, "It''s not a problem. I can''t really do anything about your status right now, but, as I keep telling you, I don''t really need ves. If you want to help out in the kitchen, more power to you."


    Despite suppressing a sigh, a genuine smile developed across Onihime''s face as she replied, "Yes. I know. Master is a kind and benevolent man..."


    Feeling his skin crawl, Nobu forced a smile before shifting his attention to Cho and asking, "What''s for lunch? Also, sorry for missing breakfast. I didn''t get to sleep until prettyte..."


    After giggling in response to Nobu''s words, Cho gestured towards a number of trays covered in silver lids atop a nearby counter. These were designed to keep food warm, so, even though lunch had been prepared nearly thirty minutes prior, it was still piping hot beneath the insted cloches.


    Noticing the arrangement, a smile spread across Nobu''s face despite his stomach releasing a rather audible growl. He wasn''t the type to get embarrassed over such things, so, after removing the cloth from his face, he made casual conversation with the four girls, Ayane included, as he filled his belly with Cho''s perpetually delicious food...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: What a wholesome chapter (UwU)...)

 Chapter 77: Anguish

    Chapter 77: Anguish


    Since he had already missed the best time of the day for training, Nobu decided to walk around the estate to see how things were developing. It was a little surreal seeing a bunch of girls between the ages of 15-20 working on renovating the property, but, without paying it too much attention, Nobu headed towards the dojo to find Yui.


    Unless she needed to discuss something with her Grandmother, Yui spent most of her time either training or studying. Nobu knew he would most likely be getting in the way if he just showed up unannounced. However, after their confessions the previous night, he would be lying if he said he didn''t want to see her.


    What Nobu didn''t expect was that Yui would be sparring with Shizune while Chikako and Rynka sat off to the side, their brows and bodies covered in a glisteningyer of sweat as they observed the unsurprisingly one-sided match.


    Noticing Nobu''s presence, Yui briefly shifted her attention away from her opponent. This allowed Shizune to send out a ming paper talisman that resembled a fiery sparrow, but, before it could cover half the distance between them, Yui casually brandished the katana in her hand as though it were a whip, instantaneously destroying the shikigami.


    Though an ostensibly sincere smile appeared across her face, Yui quickly corrected her expression as she bent a knee and said, "My Lord. It''s good to see you."


    Understanding she was putting on an act for Shizune and Rynka, Nobu did his best to ignore the difort he felt when she suddenly bowed her head. Instead, he casually replied, "Rise." before waving away the other girls as he added, "Walk with me."


    Without question, Yui attempted to fall into step behind and slightly to the left of Nobu. Before he led her away, however, Nobu extended his hand towards her, a slight smoldering look in his eyes as he waited for her to grab his hand.


    Blushing ever so slightly, Yui eventually linked her fingers with Nobu before allowing him to guide her outside. This drew a considerable amount of attention from the kunoichi working on the estate, but, without paying them any mind, Nobu dragged Yui all the way to a small garden before having her sit down next to him.


    Feeling uncharacteristically nervous, Yui found herself unable to stare directly at Nobu. She had an idea of what he wanted to talk about, but, at the same time, she kept convincing herself there was no way he could love her. His mutterings the previous night must have been the result of transient sentiments and passion...they had to be...


    "Have you ever had a dream? You know, beyond being a just warrior or a member of your n...?"


    Blinking in surprise, Yui turned her face up at Nobu, confusion visible in her obsidian-blue eyes as she asked, "Why...?"


    Resisting the urge to scratch the back of his head, Nobu''s expression became somewhat awkward as he said, "It''s just...I don''t really have a goal. Like, there are tons of things I want to do, but, when ites down to it, I just want to avoid trouble and live the way I please. It''s a little toote for that at this point so I''ve been thinking about what I "should" be doing rather than what I want to do..."


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu surprised Yui quite a bit by wrapping his hand around her waist and drawing her a little closer to him. Then, despite feeling what could best be described as cringe tinged with a bit of anxiety, he looked her in the eyes and said, "I want to help. Not just you, but everyone in the Yoshitsune n. I don''t really have the power right now, but I want to try and change things for the better. After that...I want you to be my bride..."


    Though she felt an overwhelmingly fluttery feeling that made her want to jump up and down, Yui''s face became a mask of calm the moment she heard Nobu''s words. This caused a frown to develop across thetter''s face, not because he was upset by her reaction, but because he could guess why she had reacted in such a way.


    "Nobu...you can''t marry someone like me. Even if I weren''t the descendant of a kunoichi n, there are rules. Our ns would never allow it. Also...you...you already have a fiancee..."


    Frowning, Nobu''s voice sounded audibly shaky as he said, "You know I don''t give a damn about things like that...I''ll live life ording to the way I want to live. Do you think I would marry some random ass chick just because someone else told me to? Fuck. That."


    Forcing a smile in response to Nobu''s words, Yui tried to separate from him only for the former to strengthen his hold on her waist. The desperation in his eyes caused her heart to twist in her chest, but, for both their sakes, her expression morphed into a severe grimace as she said, "Nobu...we''ve discussed this previously. Unless you have power and authority, it doesn''t really matter what you, I, or any of us want. If we don''t act in ordance with establishedws and traditions, those in power will eliminate us. Do you really think I don''t want to marry you? Few things would make me happier. However, my highest priority is making sure you stay alive! Without you, the rest of us have nothing to live for...!"


    With the vast disparity in their strength, Nobu was unable to prevent Yui from breaking free from his grasp and ring at him with tears in her eyes. Then, before he could think of anything to say, she simply vanished into thin air. This caused every emotion he was experiencing to shift into pure and unadulterated rage, but, contrasting his usual behavior, Nobu allowed the feeling to pervade through his entire body as his expression slowly morphed into a mask of calm.


    Though he could feel a trembling throughout his entire body, Nobu''s movements were slow and casual as he rose to his feet and made his way back to his room as if he were on autopilot. It was only when he waspletely alone that he allowed the overwhelming emotions in his body to leak out in the form of a thunderous, "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK...!" that caused everyone in the vicinity of his estate to briefly stop what they were doing.


    ...


    ..


    .


    Despite having retreated a fair distance up the mountain, Yui felt as though she could hear Nobu''s shout within the depths of her soul. In reality, she couldn''t hear anything. It was simply a feeling she got. One that caused her to briefly pause as she looked back with tears streaming down her face.


    Yui felt as though she had turned what should have been the happiest moment of her life into one of the most painful experiences she and Nobu would ever have to endure. It was like someone had reached into her chest and grasped her heart like a vice. She could barely breathe, and, though she knew this was for the best, a tiny voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her to return...


    "Fuck...!"


    Punctuating her exmation, Yui punched a nearby tree with enough force to send the entire thing toppling over. She had never felt this level of frustration in her entire life. It made the pain she had to endure in the past seem inconsequential. Unfortunately, she still had a job to do, so, after taking a few breaths to calm herself, Yui looked in the direction of the estate onest time before shaking her head and continuing up the mountain. She needed her Grandmother''s advice now more than ever. Without it, she was afraid she might break...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After trashing nearly everything in his room, Nobu was lying on his futon with a listless expression on his face and unfocused eyes. He couldn''t even put his current feelings into words. All he knew was that he needed to do something to change the current situation. If the world wanted to keep him and Yui from being together, he would just have to change it...


    "So this is how my conquest beings, huh...?"


    Not expecting a response to his aimless mutterings, Nobu''s body tensed when a familiar voice asked, "Conquest...?"


    Turning his head, Nobu found Kazue sitting off to the side with a somewhat awkward expression on her face as she scratched the back of her head. There was nothing wrong with her being here, but, even if he was upset, he shouldn''t have missed her entry. After all, unlike the other kunoichi in his entourage, she always used the door like a normal person.


    "How long have you been there...?"


    Raising her brows, Kazue tilted her head slightly as if she were contemting her answer before saying, "A few of us were waiting outside while you were throwing a tantrum. I only came in after youid down. I''m surprised it took you this long to notice."


    Though her voice and actions matched the Kazue he knew, Nobu couldn''t help feeling a strange sense of congruency. Kazue was a pretty awkward girl, and, while this version of her gave off a very simr impression, it just felt...wrong.


    Following the advice Yui had given him in the past, Nobu closed his eyes so it was more difficult to read his expression. Then, while doing his best to appear casual, he exhaled an exhausted sigh as he pushed himself to a seated position and pulled out his stone tablet. He pretended to tap the screen in his usual manner, but, in reality, he was opening up the Camera App to discreetly take a photo.


    The moment the ''sh'' appeared from Nobu''s perspective, Kazue''s body tensed as she asked, "Did you just do something...?"


    Rather than respond to the woman''s words, Nobu''s eyes snapped open as he shouted, "Intrud-!"


    Before he couldplete his exmation, Nobu found himself pinned to the ground, his mouth covered by a very angry-looking Kazue.


    "You really are an anomaly. You can''t sense when an enemy is right next to you but you somehow have the ability to see through my disguise? Tell me, what gave it away? Even my aroma should be identical to the original..."


    ring at the person who had borrowed Kazue''s face, Nobu attempted to bite her hand only for a warm substance to immediately flow into his mouth. Immediately after that, a painful hot sensation began to spread through his body as the woman stared into his eyes, her own turning a hazy shade of pink as she said, "No matter. I can always learn more about you at ater date. For now, you have something I need. Be a good boy and I promise that, once this is over, it will be nothing more than a pleasant dream locked away in the deepest recesses of your subconsciousness..."


    Though it wasn''t really Nobu''s choice at this point,pliance was much easier to assure when the person influenced by a hypnotic charm believed everything would work out if they simply followed instructions. Doping them with narcotics and aphrodisiacs made things even easier, so, after a few seconds had passed, Nobu''s eyes zed over as his heavily sweating body became progressively limper. The only exception to this was the rather sizeable tent pitched in his trousers, startling the Kazue look-alike quite a bit.


    "Is this the effect of the medicine...?"


    Shaking such thoughts from her mind, the befuddled brte gave herself a light smack before removing Nobu''s trousers with a quick tug. She had already made her own preparations, so, after staring at it for the better part of ten seconds, she swallowed hard before straddling his hips and saying, "Just...rx...". Whether or not this was for Nobu or herself, neither of them knew...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This is so not cash money...)

 Chapter 78: Awareness

    Chapter 78: Awareness


    Feeling a tremendous amount of heat, pressure, and suction, Nobu gritted his teeth as he peered through half-opened eyes at the scene ying out before him.


    At first, Nobu had no idea what was happening. He wasn''t inexperienced when it came to sexual matters. Rather,pared to most people, he might as well be the male version of a slut.


    Though he didn''t know the exact number, another indicator of his promiscuity, Noby knew the total number of women he had slept with greatly exceeded a hundred. There were weeks when he slept with a different woman almost every night, so, while the average was about two per week, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Nobu got around.


    Because of his experience, Nobu was even more confused by the sensations being transmitted from his penis to his brain. It was almost like someone had strapped a mechanical apparatus to him. One that was designed to bestow almost torturous pleasure while simultaneously draining him dry.


    Adding to his incredulity, Nobu''s vision was obscured by a veritable nket of bluish-ck fur that writhed across and caressed his body. It was indescribably soft, but, due to his enhanced senses, he could detect a powerful yet strangely alluring musk that pierced through his olfactory senses before settling across his mind like a veil...


    Just as Nobu was about to mutter, "What the fuck?" through gritted teeth, the words got caught in his throat as a paradoxically pained yet impassioned voice meeklyined, "This doesn''t make any sense...haaaaaaaaa..."


    Feeling the vice-like pressure around his shaft be even more intense, a pained groan escaped Nobu''s throat as what could best be described as a vibration assaulted the full length of his penis. At the same time, he felt something envelop his ns, almost like someone was trying to force a condom that was several sizes too small and covered in something remarkably hot on the very tip of his dick.


    "Holy fuck...!"


    Unable to suppress his outburst, Nobu attempted to rise to a seated position only for the writhingyer of fur to immediately pin him to the ground. Then, after several seconds of silence, a feminine voice trembling with undertones of anger and disbelief asked, "How long have you been awake...?"


    Though his obstinate nature demanded he remain silent, Nobu got the distinct impression things wouldn''t end well if he pretended to be asleep. Thus, after a brief moment of silence, he honestly replied, "I don''t know..."


    In response to his words, Nobu saw an unnervingly slender frame between the veil of bluish-ck fur. This caused a shudder to run through his body, as, regardless of how old the woman actually was, her naked back more closely resembled someone like Sachiko than Yuriko...


    "...?"


    Noticing the strange reaction, Inami''s ears twitched as she looked back at Nobu with glowing pink eyes and said, "Go back to sleep..." in a voice that seemed to transmit from every direction at once.


    As if he had just inhaled powerful anesthesia, a feeling akin to falling backward briefly overwhelmed Nobu''s mind. In spite of this, he could still see, hear, and feel everything that was happening to him. It was almost like he had be a spectator trapped within his own body...


    Shifting around so that she could stare directly into Nobu''s eyes, Inami''s own disyed a moderate amount of confusion as she remarked, "You''re still in there...aren''t you...?"


    Though Nobu could hear the woman''s words, it was like they were being transmitted through a volume of water. He needed to focus in order to be able to make them out. As for his own, he was doing his best to shout, but, no matter how he forced himself, it was like both of his bodies werepletely paralyzed. He was screaming, but it was only in his mind.


    Furrowing her brows, Inami adopted a pensive look on her face as she said, "You''re not supposed to be awake right now. This was supposed to be something you only vaguely recollected. I didn''t want to hurt you..."


    Gritting her teeth, Inami reached for her discarded clothes before pulling out a triangr piece of paper containing a pale green powder. This was a powerful narcotic agent that effectively erased a person''s memory as far back as a week. The downside was that it also had the side-effect of short-term memory loss that couldst for years in some circumstances. In the worst-case scenario, those affected would exhibit dementia-like symptoms for the rest of their life...


    "Dammit..."


    After hesitating for the better part of a minute, Inami returned the triangr piece of paper to her clothes. She was already ying with fire by forcing Nobu into this situation. If she pushed him any further, there was a very real chance that she would vite the pact between their ns and earn a stigmata.


    Feeling indescribably frustrated, Inami left the paralyzed Nobus speechless by suddenly breaking down into tears. She was already going to have a difficult time exining where her child came from. After all, it wasn''t like she could just conceal the fact she was pregnant. Her child was bound to be male as well, so, the moment they were born, the truth was bound toe out. After all, she couldn''t exactly leave the mountain...


    Seeing the unnervingly youthful fox girl practically bawling while she still had his dick inside of her, Nobu couldn''t help thinking, ("What the fuck? Why''s this bitch acting like she''s the victim here? This is some bullshit.")


    Since he had no idea who the woman was, Nobu could only conclude that she was being forced to do this by someone rtively high up in the Yoshitsune n. He just didn''t know who ordered it or what they hoped to aplish. This could be Hitomi trying to teach him a lesson, but, recalling the girl mentioning he wasn''t supposed to remember, that didn''t seem likely.


    ("Maybe they''re trying to learn more about my Heavenly Treasure...?")


    With nothing else to go on, the only thing Nobu could think of was the stone tablet. Other than his identity as the first son of the Oda n, it was the only thing that made him even remotely special. There was a chance she was targeting him for the same reasons as Shizune but that wouldn''t really exin why she was currently crying like a little girl who had just been bullied...


    ("Fuck...")


    Though he was still pissed off, this wasn''t the first time Nobu had experienced a situation simr to this one. Thus, after the initial indignation wore off, he couldn''t help thinking about the situation of the entire Yoshitsune n. He has also told Yui that he wanted to help, so, after several excruciating minutes of frustration and awkwardness, he managed to mutter, "Stop...crying..."


    Hearing Nobu''s words, Inami stared down at him with confusion and disbelief in her eyes. Even a tinum Hero wouldn''t be able to recover from her Charm this quickly. Nobu was still in the First Realm so the only reason she could think of for his rapid recovery was the mysterious ''stone tablet'' mentioned in Kazue''s journal.


    Noticing the disbelief in the vulpine woman''s eyes, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he tried and failed to raise his hand. Unfortunately, other than the sensationsing from his dick, he couldn''t really feel the rest of his body.


    "Just...rx...it''s...going to be...okay..."


    Unable to believe her ears, Inami just stared back at Nobu with her mouth agape. She had no idea what was going through his mind but she knew he was trying to console her. This was far beyond her expectations. So much so that she began to seriously consider whether or not she was trapped in some kind of illusion.


    Forming a two-fingered half-ram seal, Inami sent a surge of aura through her body to make sure she wasn''t simply imagining things. This helped to clear some of the anxiety she had been feeling, but, other than that, everything else remained unchanged. This left her feeling even more confused, so, after several moments of silence, she asked, "Are you...pitying me...?"


    Though there was a chance he would hurt the woman''s pride, Nobu forced himself to nod almost imperceptibly as he answered, "Yes..." in a dull, slightly slurred tone.


    Gritting her teeth, the expression on Inami''s face became even moreplicated as she resisted the urge to ask Nobu what the hell was wrong with him. He was literally being raped by a woman he had never met, yet, instead of showing anger, incredulity, or even moderate indignation, he just epted the situation and even took pity on his assant. If she hadn''t witnessed it personally, she never would have believed anyone could be this foolish...


    Though this was the thought that crossed Inami''s mind, a sour sensation spread through her nose as she stared into Nobu''s grey-blue eyes. She didn''t want to acknowledge it, but she could almost make out a resolute light contained within their depths. It was like he was telling her everything was going to be okay in spite of the fact he was the one paralyzed and pinned beneath her...


    "..."


    Feeling Nobu''s penis twitch within her lower body, Inami''s expression morphed into a deadpan as she realized he was basically encouraging her to continue. If not for the hostility that had radiated from his body shortly after he woke up, she would have thought he was just a pervert. Instead, she got the distinct impression he was trying to rush her so she wouldn''t get caught...


    As that thought crossed her mind, Inami ced her hand against Nobu''s chest. Bluish-green light immediately flowed from her palm, and, shortly thereafter, Nobu''s torso chest began to glow as if a powerful light had been ced within. After a few seconds had passed, it was possible to make out the outline of his ribs, and, if you looked closely, it was possible to make out an oily ck substance emitting from some of his pores.


    Though he was subtly aware of a pulsating migraine building in the back of his head, Nobu felt as though he had just surfaced from a pool after lying against the bottom for several minutes. A foul aroma immediately assaulted his senses, but, due to the pleasant warmth that had spread through his body, he managed to suppress the urge to gag. Instead, he looked into the hazy pink eyes of the frowning fox girl, asking, "What gives? Are you letting me go...?"


    Exhaling a sigh, Inami''s expression became somewhat apologetic as she averted her eyes to the side and muttered, "I would like to...but..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu surprised Inami by extending his hands to gently pinch her nipples as he said, "It''s fine. Just pretend I didn''t ask..."


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to swat Nobu''s hands away, Inami grabbed his forearms for support as she began to roll her waist in a manner reminiscent of a belly dancer. For some reason, she hadn''t been able to make him cum even after forty minutes of concerted effort. Thus, even if she felt Nobu was an idiot, she was actually greatly relieved by this turn of events. She had no idea how things would develop in the future, but, at the very least, she should be able to secure his seed without incident...


    "Nn~!? W-Wait a moment...!"


    Unable to restrain his curiosity, Nobu''s hands gradually deviated away from the vulpine woman''s nipples until they had found themselves near the small of her back. He was genuinely curious about how her tails were attached to her body, so, without thinking about the consequences, he began to probe around the connecting point with his fingertips. This caused the subtle blush on the woman''s face to be markedly redder, and, were it not for the two audible snapping sounds that echoed through the room, Nobu would have been marginally amused by her reaction. Instead, a cold sweat spread across his entire body as he saw his forearms turn limp in the woman''s grasp...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Ouch...)

 Chapter 79: Compromise

    Chapter 79: Compromise


    Simr to when he was having sex with Yui back in the cave, the excess Yang Elemental Energy in Nobu''s body allowed his bones to mend in a ridiculously short period of time. The most awkward part was having them set and the events that directly followed.


    Feeling somewhat apologetic about the incident, Inami swallowed her pride and allowed Nobu to, as he would describe it, pound her from behind. The simplest way to avoid identally injuring him was to let Nobu take charge, so, with bluish-green casts on his arms, Nobu railed into the petite fox girl for the better part of four hours.


    Though he was a little confused that no one hade to check in with him, Nobu believed the fox girl when she told him that none of his kunoichi had been harmed. She had just given each of them suggestions that made them believe other people were on duty. Thus, until it was time for the usual change in shift, they didn''t have to worry about being interrupted.


    Taking advantage of this fact, Nobu released a lot of his pent-up frustrations on the unnamed fox girl. As for why he hadn''t asked her name, well, he wasn''t aplete idiot. The only other person he had seen with an aura simr to hers was Hitomi. This meant she was, at the very least, a Mithril Lord. If she really wanted, she could kill everyone in the estate without breaking a sweat. Thus, for the sake of himself and everyone he was growing to care about, Nobu suppressed all unnecessary thoughts as he focused on fucking the fox girl like a beast in heat.


    To her credit, Inami realized what Nobu was doing shortly after she had inadvertently broken his arms. She just didn''t say anything about it because it was somewhat understandable that he would be a little ''shaken'' after having his arms snapped like twigs.


    Of course, the main reason she remained silent was that it was surprisingly pleasant to be on the receiving end of someone else''s passion. It had been several hundred years since thest time she had sex. Even then, it was primarily for ritualistic purposes, and, more often than not, resulted in the death of her partner.


    Knowing that the man behind her was her future Lord, the father of her child, and the prophesied unifier of all Nian, Inami felt an emotion she could only describe as cation. She would normally feel disdain or outright disgust towards her partners. Nobu''s passion'' and ''understanding'' had left a deep impression on her, so, even after the seal on her womb had activated, Inami allowed him to continue ravishing her withoutint. Rather, she quite enjoyed it...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After firing what felt like his twentieth load, Nobu''s body trembled violently as thest few drops of Yang Elemental Energy were squeezed out of his balls. He was honestly bing addicted to this sensation of absorbing Yin Elemental Energy from his partner was almost like being hooked up to an IV filled with adrenaline. It not only healed his broken arms in record time, but, even though he had been going to town for several hours, Nobu felt like he could run up and down the mountain without needing to rest.


    "Your pussy is insane..."


    Sumbing to the afterglow of his own ejaction, Nobu wasn''t thinking clearly as he gave Inami''s bottom a light smack. This caused her tails to flicker, but, instead ofshing out at him for daring to strike her, she just trembled lightly before turning her body sideways and allowing his penis to free itself from her furnace-like insides.


    Exhaling a hot sigh, Inami observed the contented look on Nobu''s face with a conflicted look in her eyes. She honestly didn''t know what to do at the moment as this was the first time in thousands of years she hadn''t killed her partner outright. It was also the first time in her entire life she had let her partner take the lead, much less p her bottom. Thus, for a brief moment, she was at aplete loss until Nobu asked, "Are you okay? I doubt I actually hurt you, but it would be pretty dickish of me not to ask..."


    Though her ears twitched atop her head, Inami snorted in response to Nobu''s words before looking away and saying, "I''m fine. If someone at your level was able to injure me, I''d be theughing stock of everyone in Nian..."


    "Right..."


    Scratching the back of his head, Nobu looked around his room for a moment before saying, "Well, I guess you should be going? I wouldn''t want you to get in trouble with whoever you report to. Next time, try not to make such a big mess out of things. If it turns out you injured any of my people...I''ll never forgive you..."


    Furrowing her brows, Inami turned to face Nobu before asking, "Why do you care about those girls so much? They are kunoichi. Tools used for killing and gathering information. If this situation were repeated with any other Noble, it wouldn''t be strange for someone to need to apologize with their life. Why are you acting so nonchnt about everything?"


    Adopting a frown of his own, Nobu ignored the fox girl''s line of questioning and asked, "Did you have a choice ining here?"


    Tilting her head to the side, an action that caused her ears to flop in an unintentionally adorable manner, Inami asked, "What...?"


    Repeating himself, Nobu''s voice became firmer as he said, "I''m asking if you had a choice. Were you told toe here or did you choose to do so of your own ord?"


    Though she didn''t appreciate Nobu''s tone in the slightest, a look of conviction gradually developed across Inami''s face as she asserted, "I didn''t have a choice." in a growling tone.


    Shrugging his shoulders, Nobu asserted, "Then it doesn''t really matter, does it? In the end, none of us really had a say in how this event yed out. Why should anyone be punished if the end result is something beyond their control? That would be like razing a vige to the ground because you hit your toe on a rock in the forest. It''s nonsense."


    Shaking his head, Nobu left Inami feeling even more at a loss for words as he leaned back onto his now healed arms and added, "Besides, with the exception of Yui, you''re inarguably one of the bestys I''ve ever had. So long as you don''t drop a bombshell like telling me you''re actually fifteen years old, I''m not going toin. If you weren''t clearly trying to keep this a secret, I might have been tempted to talk to the Matriarch about letting you be a member of my staff."


    Though he was lying when he said he wasn''t going toin, Nobu got the impression that the fox girl in front of him wasn''t simple. Unless he was sure of his and everyone else''s safety, he wasn''t going to antagonize her. He was even willing to keep what happened today a secret so long as she didn''t try pulling a simr stunt in the future. As for sentiments like revenge, that could wait until he was much, much stronger.


    With her ears drooping slightly and her tails sying out on the ground, Inami''s expression became noticeably less tense as she asked, "You''re not going to tell anyone about what happened today? It may sound odding from me, but do you believe that to be wise?"


    Surprising Inami quite a bit, Nobu nodded his head before casually answering, "I mean, yeah? What kind of idiot would go around advertising they were basically raped? Besides, those girls would lose their shit if they learned they failed to this extent. I would rather avoid seeing them beat themselves up over something they had no control over. I also don''t need youshing out or trying to eliminate witnesses and shit. So yeah, I''d say it''s a pretty wise fucking decision."


    While she didn''tpletely agree with everything he had said, Inami was marginally impressed by Nobu''s paradoxically brash level-headedness. A normal Noble might be haunted by this incident for the rest of their lives. They would do virtually everything in their power to regain their honor, even if it meant bastardizing their beliefs andmitting irredeemable atrocities.


    A stark contrast to the typical Nianese Noble, Nobu seemedrgely unaffected by the events that had transpired. There was a chance he was just trying to deceive her, but, based on his pulse, facial expression, and bodynguage, that didn''t seem to be the case. It was like he waspletely used to things like this happening. Thus, instead of taking it to heart, he just pressed forward as if it was no big deal...


    ("Perhaps this is one of the qualities required to unify the provinces? The ability to ept failure in stride and continue moving forward...hmmm...")


    Though she was in deep thought, Inami''s expression remained rtively unperturbed as she stared at Nobu with her pale pink eyes. She had lived for more than six thousand years yet she had never encountered anyone even remotely simr to him. Since there was a very high probability she was now carrying his child, Inami couldn''t help wanting to know more about him.


    Unfortunately, fate had never been kind to Inami. Without Inari''s protection, there was a very high chance she would be executed the moment her crimes were brought to light. Truth be told, she was looking forward to this as she had long grown tired of acting as Inari''s vessel. Now, however, a very small part of her wanted to continue living. She wanted to see how far Nobu could go, and, even if he never loved their child, she could still take some small pride in the fact she would be bearing his first...


    As that thought crossed her mind, a glimmer of conviction appeared in the depths of Inami''s eyes as she suggested, "If you''re serious about keeping this a secret, I can pull a few strings to make sure I''m among the members of your staff. As you''ve no doubt guessed, my status within the n is not low. Out of respect for your character, I will do my best to train your entourage so incidents like this never ur. Also..."


    Since he might not ept her terms directly, Inami tapped into knowledge she hadn''t made use of in several hundred years. Her face immediately became beet red, and, though she pretended it was an involuntary reaction, she forced her ears and tails to fidget nervously as she swallowed audibly and said, "I wouldn''t mind if we continued...you were a lot more...talented than I expected..."


    Though he was gradually bing more cautious, Nobu, like most men, was still susceptible to having his ego stroked. Quite a number of men had performance anxiety so it was always a boost to their confidence to hear someone profess they were good at sex. It was a hell of a lot better than hearing they were shit at it, that''s for sure.


    With an awkward smile developing across his face, Nobu scratched the back of his head as the age-old adage "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" briefly crossed his mind. He knew that the inordinately petite woman sitting in front of him was remarkably powerful. She may even be on the level of someone like Hitomi, so, while there were considerable dangers involved, there was also a tremendous amount of merit to having someone like her on his side.


    Understanding this was a chance to learn more about the woman without inadvertently triggering her suspicion and ire, Nobu only hesitated for a brief moment before answering, "Uh...sure? I don''t really have a problem with it. I even reached an agreement with Suzune to have her daughter work for me. If someone as powerful as you is offering to help out, I would have to be an idiot to refuse."


    Despite sensing there was something amiss with Nobu''s statement, Inami didn''t call him out on it. This was one of the only ways she could reasonably conceive his child without drawing too much suspicion from the Elders. If she yed her cards right, Nobu might even take her side when it was discovered she was pregnant. He had an abrasive nature, but, at the same time, he showed genuine concern for the people around him. If he believed he knocked her up of his own ord, that would eliminate a lot of future problems. Thus, with a seductive glimmer in her eyes, Inami crawled toward with a practiced yet sincere smile on her face as she teased, "Wise choice..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Did Nobu grow a brain in thest ten chapters...?)

 Chapter 80: Beneath the Surface...

    Chapter 80: Beneath the Surface...


    Though Inami had helped him to "clean up", the first thing Nobu did following her departure was head to the bath.


    As frustrating as the situation was, the thing that upset Nobu most wasn''t the fact he had basically been raped. It was the fact he was powerless to really do anything about it. To make matters even worse, the girl that had snuck into his room looked like a brat. Sure, he had enjoyed himself, quite a bit actually, but, at the same time, he couldn''t help feeling as though he had crossed some kind of line he shouldn''t have. He felt dirty.


    Soaking in the hot water of the bath helped, but, even after staying in long enough that his skin had turned tender and numb, Nobu didn''t feel any cleaner.


    "I need to get stronger..."


    Though a shonen protagonist might have said such words with conviction and enthusiasm, Nobu spoke them with a dull,zy, almost apathetic monotone. After all, he was already well aware of the fact he needed power. More than that, however, he needed time to umte it...


    Allowing his body to sink into the murky water, Nobu allowed himself to sink to the bottom as an urge to simply take a deep breath welled within him. The only thing that prevented him from doing so was the knowledge that he would be taking a lot more than his own life if he seeded...


    Despite understanding this, Nobu still stayed submerged for well over a minute before raising his body and calling out, "Is anyone there...?" in azy tone.


    Unsurprisingly, no one answered Nobu''s call. They were undoubtedly still under the suggestion that had been ced on them, so, until Yui returned, Nobu was effectively alone unless he went seeking them personally.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu felt around until the stone tablet just magically appeared beneath his hand. He had already confirmed it was waterproof a long time ago, so, after leaning back against the side of the bath, he opened the Messenger App to see if Midori, Sachiko, or Nariko had typed anything. They were usually too distracted by their studies to freely use their tablets, but, once their training hade to an end, they would chatter away non-stop for hours on end.


    Though he rarely said anything himself, Nobu had always been something of a lurker when it came to discord and other kinds of chat apps. It was a lot easier to read other people''s discussions than it was to contribute anything himself.


    "Haaaaa...these little brats..."


    Despite his groaning, Nobu actually felt a little better after thumbing through a few hundred of the girls'' messages. The messenger app was somethingpletely new and interesting to them so they didn''t even think about filtering themselves. Thus, while most of their conversation revolved around their respective studies, there was a fair amount of discussion involving him. More specifically, they talked about how great he was and how fortunate they were to have been picked up by such a kind and caring Master...


    Feeling a bit of sourness in his nose, Nobu set aside the stone tablet before leaning back against the warm stone with his eyes closed...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she was feeling more optimistic after conversing with her Grandmother, a frown marred Yui''s face as she rushed down the mountain. She couldn''t understand the reason, but she felt as though something terrible had taken ce. Her Grandmother had always told her to trust in her instincts, so, despite nearly crashing through a tree, Yui still rushed back to the estate as fast as her feet could carry her.


    Finding Kiku sitting atop the gate with a bored expression on her face, Yui''s morphed into one of confusion as she asked, "What are you doing?"


    Tilting her head to the side, Kiku asked, "I''m sharpening my de in preparation for tonight''s shift. Since I had nothing better to do, I figured I may as well keep an eye on the entrance as well."


    Though her expression didn''t change, the pupils of Yui''s eyes shrank as she asked, "Did you swap shifts with someone else?"


    "Huh...?"


    Without bothering to continue the conversation, Yui bolted towards the main house like a golden blur. This sent Kiku into an alert state, but, momentster, the light in her zing blue eyes dulled as she returned to sharpening her sword...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After failing to find Nobu in his room, Yui felt a sensation simr to millions of ants crawling across her body as she punched the floor and screamed, "Fuck!" at the top of her voice.


    Though she had been trained never to panic, Yui shed through the estate like a phantom before bursting into Shizune''s room. This surprised thetter quite a bit, but, before she could even shout out, Yui grabbed her by the cor, shouting, "Spread out your Shikigami! Someone has invaded the estate! Our Lord is missing...!"


    "Y-Yui-sama...?"


    As someone who had been affected by Inami''s charm, Shizune''s mind failed to process Yui''s words. This prompted thetter to perform a hip throw, mming Shizune into the ground as she shouted, "Wake the fuck up and make yourself useful...!"


    Blinking back to awareness, Shizune''s pupils trembled as she instinctually attempted to crawl away. All the air had been forced from her lungs, so, even though she wanted to beg for leniency, all she could do was hold her hand up in fear that Yui would strike her a second time.


    Fortunately, Yui quickly noticed the change in Shizune''s expression. This allowed her to calm down a little as she repeated, "Nobu''s missing. Someone invaded the estate and ced everyone under a suggestion. Send your Shikigami to search the premises. I''ll gather the others."


    Though she wanted toin about Yui''s methods, Shizune just nodded her head rapidly before pulling out a dozen paper talismans and transforming them into mice. As for Yui, she had departed the moment Shizune nodded her head. She had no idea how long Nobu had been missing so they were already working against time.


    With this in mind, Yui''s next destination was the kitchen. Cho almost never left, but, more important than that was the fact that Midori possessed one of the strange stone tablets gifted to her by Nobu. The documents he had given them mentioned something called a Messenger App that enabled the wielders of the stone tablets to instantaneouslymunicate with each other. If this was true, there was a chance they could use it to, at the very least, confirm whether or not Nobu was safe.


    Sliding open the kitchen door with enough force to shatter the bamboo frame, Yui startled the trio inside before immediately appearing next to Midori and asking, "Do you have the stone tablet our Lord gifted you?"


    Unable to speak, Midori just frightfully nodded her head as Yui''s grip tightened on her shoulders. Ayer of moisture quickly built upon the surface of her eyes, but, fearing she would get in even more trouble, Midori did her best not to cry.


    Realizing she had terrified the teal-haired girl, Yui did her best to appear calm as she exhaled a sigh and said, "Use it to send a message to your Master. Ask about his location and whether or not he''s okay. Can you do that for me?"


    Nodding her head, Midori reached into her mesh-formed shorts before pulling out the stone tablet. If Nobu knew she was keeping it there, he would have undoubtedly facepalmed. He had told her to keep it somewhere safe, not to keep it in her britches...


    While Midori was nervously tapping away on her stone tablet, Cho voiced what she and Onihime were concerned about, asking, "Yui-sama...did something happen to our Lord?"


    Exhaling a second sigh, Yui shifted her attention to Onihime, asking, "Why are you here right now?"


    Tilting her head in confusion, Onihime was about to answer that she was helping to prepare her Master''s meal. However, now that she thought about it, she had basically just been standing around the entire day. She had helped to prepare Nobu''s lunch, but, after that, she had just been observing from the side.


    As that thought crossed her mind, Onihime''s eyes transitioned from an amethyst purple to a vibrant shade of red as her long brown hair began to spread outwards in defiance of gravity. Her fingernails began to grow at a visible rate, and, though her horns were covered in paper seals, their ivory white coloration became translucent as a red glow emanated from within.


    Fortunately, just as Onihime was about to go on a rampage in an effort to track down her Master, Midori surprised everyone by saying, "He''s in the bath."


    Though she had clearly heard what Midori said, Yui''s expression morphed into one of disbelief as she replied, "Pardon...?"


    Forgetting that other people couldn''t see the screen, Midori held it up as she said, "I sent Master a direct message. He said he''s in the bath and that he''s okay."


    Feeling as though her spirit had left her body, Yui copsed against the counter as a sigh mixed with relief and exasperation escaped her throat. Onihime, however, was still in an active state, so, the moment she heard Midori''s follow-up remark, she bolted from the kitchen with an inhuman speed that belied her cultivation base.


    Rising to her feet, Yui resisted the urge to immediately chase after Onihime. Instead, she emted Nobu''s act of patting Midori on her head, saying, "You did well..." before shifting her attention to Cho and saying, "Go and tell Shizune to stop searching. Instead, focus on making sure everyone is ounted for. If anyone is behaving strangely, feel free to knock some sense into them..."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Cho grabbed the confused Midori''s hand before departing the kitchen with her characteristic smile. In reality, she was just as frustrated as Onihime and Yui, but, for the sake of preserving her life for as long as possible, she did her best to remain calm. Even a mild outburst could exacerbate her symptoms and lead to catastrophic organ failure. Though a part of her was interested to see how her Lord would react, there were still quite a number of dishes she wanted to prepare for him before she even contemted dying.


    Inspired by Cho''s calm, Yui took a moment to collect herself before departing the kitchen with a tired look on her face. She still nned to get to the bottom of this, but, knowing Nobu was okay, most of her tensions had evaporated into thin air. As strange as it might sound, all she wanted to do at the moment was snuggle up next to him in bed. Unfortunately, after this afternoon''s incident, she wasn''t sure he would even want to talk to her, much less sleep together...


    "Haaaaa...."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he was a little surprised to get a DM from Midori, it was nothingpared to the surprise Nobu received when Onihime burst into the bath and practically pounced him at a full sprint. She hadn''t even bothered to remove her clothes so she ended up getting soaked from top to bottom as she hugged him tightly enough to prick his chest with her horn.


    "Holy shit woman! Calm the fuck down! I''m okay! I''m okay...!"


    Hearing her Master''s mand'', Onihime stopped holding on to him so tightly before staring up at him with her carmine eyes. She wasn''t crying but it was very clear she wanted to. This left Nobu feeling a little helpless as they hadn''t even known each other that long. He simply couldn''t fathom why she would be worried about him when he hadn''t even done anything to make that deep of an impression on her...


    "Listen...it''s going to be okay. Don''t cry..."


    Despite his words, Nobu felt the same sourness in his nose that had crept upon him previously. This made him feel pathetic, so, before Onihime could respond, he drew her into a hug, gently cradling her head so she couldn''t look up at him as he repeated, "It''s going to be okay..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Poor Nobu...)

 Chapter 81: Deceit and Self-Deception

    Chapter 81: Deceit and Self-Deception


    Though it felt weird calming someone else down right now, Nobu did his best to prevent Onihime from freaking out. In the middle of this, Yui made an appearance near the entrance of the bath.


    "Nobu..."


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu released his hold on Onihime, saying, "Go and get changed. We''ll talk more in my room."


    Nodding her head, Onihime quickly scampered from the room with a sad expression on her face. She had felt her Master''s body tense up the moment Yui arrived, and, despite his apparent calm, she could tell he was anything but. She just didn''t know what to say. All she knew was she didn''t want to make things even worse.


    Emerging from the bath shortly after Onihime''s departure, Nobu made his way over to Yui before surprising her with a hug. This caused a painful aching in her heart, and, for a brief moment, she couldn''t bring herself to return his embrace. It was only when Nobu''s grasp began to ease that she wrapped her arms around him, a choking sensation in her throat as she said, "You were in the bath for too long...your skin is as red as a lobster..."


    Whileughing dryly in response to Yui''s remark, Nobu hugged her with as much strength as he could manage. This resulted in the raven-haired beauty being lifted from the ground, but, instead of offering any resistance, Yui just nestled her face into the nook between his neck and shoulder...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he wanted to tell them the truth, Yui specifically, Nobu waited until everyone had gathered in his room before exining the cover story he and Inami hade up with.


    Inami was, unsurprisingly, one of the big shots in the Yoshitsune n. As a result, she was one of the few people that could trespass the underground waterway without consequence. Thus, as part of their cover story, Nobu mentioned how he had encountered her when he used the passageway in his room to venture into the subterranean tunnels for some peace, quiet, and reflection.


    Simply put, Nobu used the excuse that he was pissed off, something everyone in the estate knew, to be alone. During that time, he encountered Inami, who, seeing how frustrated he was, decided to lend him an ear. One thing led to another, and, after a considerable amount of preparation, the two of them ended up doing it like rabbits until the sun had set beyond the horizon.


    When they learned Nobu had not only encountered but had sex with their n''s Guardian, the girls were at aplete loss for words. Inami was famous for being as capricious as she was reclusive so it was difficult to imagine her willfully approaching someone, much less providing them council. If it was anyone other than Nobu telling them such a thing, they wouldn''t have believed it.


    Surprisingly, the part where Nobu mentioned he and Inami had sex was the easiest aspect for the girls to ept. Not because he was particrly handsome or charismatic, but because they were in the middle of Spring. Inami may have better control over her urges but she was still a kitsune. Until the end of Spring, they were effectively pitfalls for any man unfortunate enough to encounter them.


    The thing the girls found most suspicious was the fact that Inami was anywhere near the estate. She knew the characteristics of her race better than anyone in the entire n. Fortunately, Nobu had an answer for this, exining, "When I asked why she was here, she told me she and the Matriarch had a disagreement so she wanted to test the security measures we had in ce. If she wasn''t lying, she has been investigating the estate without anyone noticing for thest five days."


    "..."


    Hearing Nobu''s exnation, an awkward silence descended upon the room. With what they knew of Inami, it wasn''t difficult to imagine her butting heads with the Matriarch. There had even been a few instances in the past where Inami deposed Matriarchs who refused to step down or attempted to implement changes she believed were detrimental to the n. With that in mind, it wasn''t much of a stretch to imagine her wanting to test their security measures out of spite...


    Affirming the fears that had manifested in nearly everyone''s minds, Nobu went on to say, "After we finished fucking, she asked me if I wanted her help. I wasn''t really thinking at the time so I ended up agreeing. In hindsight, I realize it was pretty stupid to agree without discussing the matter with each of you. I just didn''t know what to say after learning who she was..."


    "You didn''t ask when you met in the tunnels...?"


    Shifting his attention to Yui, Nobu noticed the serious and analytical look in her eyes. She was one of the few that didn''t believe a thing he had said. Rather, after their argument in the afternoon, she refused to believe it. After all, if he was telling the truth, this entire incident could be med on her.


    Shaking his head, Nobu exhaled an exasperated sigh as he closed his eyes and answered, "I wasn''t thinking clearly at the time. All I knew for certain was that she was a hell of a lot stronger than me. If she was an enemy, I would have been killed in an instant. After we got to talking...well...I don''t really know what came over me. I guess she reminded me of Kaia? I don''t fucking know..."


    Hearing Nobu''s words, Yui couldn''t help feeling pain in her chest. After spending so much time with him, she was confident in her ability to ascertain whether or not he was lying. Despite this, she knew there had to be at least a grain of truth to what he was saying. He was clearly still hurting after their previous argument.


    "Everyone. Leave us. We will discuss this matter in detailter. Right now, there is something Nobu and I need to talk about..."


    "Yui...!"


    Clearly upset by Yui''s words, Yuriko red at her with a frustrated glower on her face. Before she could say anything further, however, Nobu raised his hand, saying, "Stop. Yui is right. Besides, it''s alreadyte and I''m super fucking tired. We''ll pick this up tomorrow. Sorry for worrying everyone."


    With her expression morphing into a look of fretful concern, it was pretty obvious that Yuriko had something she wanted to say. In response to this, Nobu adopted an awkwardly apologetic smile as he said, "Come here..." while gesturing to that effect.


    Though she was a little confused by Nobu''s words and actions, Yuriko still drew nearer to him. This allowed him to wrap his arms around her lithe and muscr body, his tone gentle and soothing as he repeated the same words he had said to Onihime, "It''s going to be okay..."


    In spite of Nobu''s words, Yuriko got the distinct impression everything was not going to be okay. It was clear to all of them that he was behaving strangely. At the very least, he was never this intimate. Not without a reason.


    Unfortunately, Yuriko wasn''t given the chance to voice her concerns. Nobu''s actions had effectively silenced her. As a result, she fell into a momentary daze that allowed Kiku and Kumiko to guide her away from the room. In the end, the only people left inside were Nobu, Yui, and, despite a deadpan stare from thetter, Onihime. Only Nobu could tell her what to do, so, unless he sent her away, she had no intention of going anywhere.


    "It''s fine..."


    Believing he understood the thoughts of both girls, Nobu gave Onihime permission to stay before urging Yui to continue with his eyes. He knew the half-oni wasn''t going to b on him. Rather, due to the ve Crest on her body, even Inami wouldn''t be able to force information from her.


    Exhaling a sigh, Yui ended up shaking her head before staring directly into Nobu''s eyes and saying, "I won''t ask what really happened. From my perspective, truth and lies don''t matter. If they are your words, I will abide them all the same. It is my duty to support you..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to say he didn''t need people to go so far for him. Before the words could reach his lips, however, Yui left him in a state of stupefaction as she added, "After all...I am your fiancee..."


    Though she was seized by the distinct impression her response was far toote, Yui wouldn''t have been able to rest peacefully if she didn''t get this off her chest. Her Grandmother had basically told her that she should follow her heart and that it was a blessing, not a curse, that her desires just so happened to coincide with Nobu''s. Suppressing her emotions and hiding from the truth would only make both of them unhappy, so, for the sake of Nobu''s future aspirations, Yui was willing to allow herself to love him.


    "..."


    Unable to find the words to express himself, Nobu surprised both Yui and Onihime by slumping backward and sprawling out on the ground. He felt happy, sad, angry, mncholic, and a whole host of other emotions all at the same time. Part of him even wanted to tell Yui to fuck off, but, at the same time, another part of him just wanted to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay...


    In the end, Nobu just ced his forearm over his eyes and remained silent. This left Yui feeling a remarkably painful sensation in her chest. It was like someone had gripped her heart, and, though she did her best to maintain a calm expression on her face, she couldn''t help sniffling as ayer of moisture rapidly spread across the surface of her obsidian-blue eyes.


    Hearing the unexpected sound, a part of Nobu wanted to shout, "Why the fuck are you the one crying!?". Instead, he just remained silent for several seconds beforezily asking, "How long are you going to keep me waiting...?"


    Blinking in surprise, Yui wiped away the tears building at the corners of her eyes as she intoned a confused, "Huh...?"


    Without opening his eyes, Nobu exhaled a fatigued sigh as he said, "I wasn''t lying when I said I was tired. If you''re my fiancee, shouldn''t you be sleeping next to me...?"


    For a brief moment, Yui couldn''t quite believe what she was hearing. It was only when Nobu rolled onto his side and muttered, "Whatever..." that she came back to her senses and eximed, "O-One moment! I just need to remove my armor...!"


    Though he heard Yui''s words, Nobu didn''t respond to them. He really was tired right now, and, due to his conflicting emotions, he didn''t feel like saying or doing anything. He just wanted to sleep and forget that today ever happened...


    "Master...?"


    Hearing Onihime''s concerned voice from behind, Nobu remained silent for several seconds before asking, "What is it...?"


    Handing her head, Onihime''s expression turned even more mncholic as she asked, "What do you want me to do...?"


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to tell her to fuck off, Nobu briefly recalled how worried Onihime had been when she charged into the bath. He didn''t understand why, but, ever since she had be his ve, she had always regarded him very highly. It apparently had something to do with the fact he didn''t care she was a half-oni, but, as someone with Earth''s sensibilities, he didn''t think it was anything to write home about...


    "Just do whatever you want..."


    Though she knew he was basically dismissing her, Onihime''s eyes widened slightly when she heard Nobu''s words. Yui was still removing her armor and neatly arranging it at the side, so, with a look of conviction on her face, Onihime moved around to the front of Nobu and said, "Pardon me..." before lying down with her back against his chest.


    "..."


    Had she tried this at any other point in time, Nobu might have asked if Onihime was touched in the head. After having sex with Inami, however, it was difficult for him to really care about anything. She was also remarkably warm, so, after an oppressive silence, Nobu just muttered, "Whatever..." before closing his eyes and immediately passing out...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This novel needs a drama tag...*heavy sweating*...)

 Chapter 82: Support

    Chapter 82: Support


    Feeling something poking him in the back, Nobu awoke to find himself cradling Yui. At the same time, however, Onihime was snuggled up to him from behind. As a result, the moment he shifted in his sleep, he ended up pricking himself on the tip of her horns.


    "Mnn? Master...?"


    Awakened by Nobu''s stirring, Onihime moved away from him before sitting up and rubbing her eyes. This allowed Nobu to sit up as well, his expression immediately morphing into a deadpan as he saw the inordinately petite woman in nothing but her birthday suit.


    ("That exins why it feels like I''ve been sleeping next to a furnace...")


    ording to what Onihime had told him, full-blooded Oni were able to bathe inva without any particr difficulty. This had allowed them to produce some of the greatest cksmiths throughout the history of Nian as they could work forges and handle red-hot metals without risk of injury.


    Though she was only a half, Onihime''s body temperature and resistance to heat were much higher than a normal person''s. She was far fromva-proof but she could rx in boiling water and resist natural mes.


    Feeling a wet stain on his back, the result of a tremendous amount of sweat, Nobu just shook his head before asking, "Why are you naked?"


    Tilting her head to the side, Onihime replied, "When sharing a bed with one''s Lord or Master, isn''t it normal to sleep naked?"


    Answering in Nobu''s stead, Yui revealed her own sweat-covered body before replying, "Indeed..." in a curt tone. She hadn''t been lying next to Onihime, but, with Nobu clinging to her for several hours, a lot of his body heat had transferred into her.


    "..."


    After the previous day''s experiences, Nobu didn''t have the willpower to question the duo''s logic. If this was consideredmon knowledge then so be it. At least he knew what to expect when and if he invited others to share his bed in the future.


    Combing his hand through his hair, Nobu pulled out the stone tablet to check the time. They had clocked in prettytest night but it was only 3:57 AM. He figured this was the result of waking up around noon the previous day, so, rather than mull over it, he surprised the two girls by saying, "I''m gonna go for a run."


    As she had been expecting him to continue brooding for several days, Yui was genuinely surprised by Nobu''s words. He didn''t seem nearly as affected as he was the previous day. Rather, despite the sweat covering his body and the fatigued look on his face, there was a fire in his eyes that had only been present during the moments when he had been willing to face his death...


    "Nobu..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu''s expression became serious as he said, "Rx. I just feel like moving my body a bit. After yesterday, it feels like I could run for days without rest. My mind might be tired, but my body is basically on fire."


    Though he had noticed it when he slept with Yui and Yuriko, Nobu''s body always felt as though it was filled with strength whenever he absorbed the Yin Elemental Energy of his partner. Suzune had also mentioned how men possessed an instinct that made them covet women with high cultivation bases. Thus, even though he felt a powerfulpulsion to justy around and bezy, his heart was pumping as though he had just finished his tenth cup of coffee.


    What Nobu didn''t notice was the fact that a bluish-green had surrounded the crystal orb disyed on his Clicker App. Beneath it, glistening in a simrly colored text was a shing icon that said 10x multiplier. Had he noticed it, Nobu might not have recovered fully but he would have felt a hell of a lot better about the situation...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After secretly observing Nobu for the remainder of the evening, Inami was both pleasantly surprised and considerably relieved that he had kept his word. She was fully prepared to erase the memories of everyone present. Fortunately, that didn''t seem to be necessary, as, despite his brash nature, Nobu seemed to be a man of his word.


    Considering herself to be a woman with simr qualities, Inami only hesitated for a few hours, just long enough to observe Nobu finishing his exercise routine, before requesting a private audience with Hitomi. When she saw the scowl on thetter''s face, she wasn''t even surprised. Rather, if she hadn''t noticed something was amiss based on Nobu''s behavior, Inami would have been severely disappointed in her former protege.


    "What have you done?"


    Maintaining a calm expression that belied the nervousness she was feeling, Inami provided a simr yet slightly altered story to the one Nobu had given his entourage. If two or more people provided the exact same information, it was infinitely more suspicious. Thus, while the key details were all the same, there were a number of variations ounting for her personal views and motivations leading up to and immediately following her liaison with their Young Lord.


    "You wily old fox. Do you take me for a fool!? I told you to stay away from him...!"


    Squinting her eyes, Inami appeared as cid as the surface of a cavernke as she answered, "On the contrary, Hitomi. I understand your personality and capabilities better than most. I know I can trust you to watch over and protect the Yoshitsune n and its interests. If not, I would have never allowed you to hold the position of Matriarch for as long as you have."


    Gritting her teeth, Hitomi''s aura began to re as she hissed, "You''ve jeopardized the survival of the entire n and now you expect me to just y along...?"


    Despite ring her own aura, Inami maintained her calm visage as she rebutted, "You know damn well I would never do such a thing! Have you forgotten who it is you''re talking to!? I have watched over the n for millennia! You haven''t even lived a hundredth of my lifespan yet you dare use me of putting my interests over those of the n!?"


    Tensing under the aura unleashed by her former Master, realization donned upon Hitomi before her expression darkened even further. She could intuit from Inami''s words that she was acting on behalf of Inari. In other words, neither she nor they really have a choice in the matter. If they dared to defy the petty and ill-tempered Goddess, their n would invariably pay an even greater price.


    Noticing the understanding glimmer in Hitomi''s eyes, Inami''s tensions rxed as an exasperated sigh escaped her throat. She was far more frustrated by their predicament than the much younger woman seated across from her. After all, she was among the first generation affected by the curse, and, thanks to her affinity with the Divine Energy saturating the mountain, she had borne witness to the suffering of her n for thousands of years.


    "Worry not. The Young Lord of the Oda n is far more promising than I ever anticipated. I have personally witnessed the qualities that will allow him to rule over Nian. That is the reason I am here today. I''ve noticed the effort you''ve put into nurturing and supporting Yui. However, she, alone, will not be able to support our Lord to the pinnacle. The rest of his entourage needs simr attention. If you haven''t noticed, he is quite a sentimental young man. If any of the people close to him were to die before their time, the consequences would be dire. If you''re serious about entrusting the fate of the Yoshitsune n to his and Yui''s hands, we should regard everyone in his entourage as someone important for his growth. Isn''t that why you entrusted Onihime to him and allowed Kaia to continue living?"


    As it had been quite some time since she and Inami had talked like this, Hitomi had forgotten how sly the deceptively old woman could be. She also couldn''t just expose what she believed to be the truth as that wouldpromise the n while simultaneously embarrassing Nobu. In other words, from the moment she agreed to meet with Inami in private, she had basically fallen into the ancient vixen''s trap. To make matters even worse, she couldn''t even ask what Inari Okami had tasked her to do as the petnt Goddess wasn''t fond of people prying into her personal affairs...


    "What, exactly, is Inami-sama suggesting...?"


    Nodding her head in approval, the tensions in Inami''s body rxed considerably as she said, "My intentions are in line with your own. Don''t think I haven''t noticed the way your eyes light up when you gaze upon our Young Lord. If Yui hadn''t been up for the task, there is no doubt in my mind that you would have attempted to seduce him. I will not censure you for this. Rather, in order to tie him and his trainees to the n, I am proposing to have the Elders assist in their education. We will help him expand his influence through the n before assisting in his takeover of the entire archipgo. Because of his sentimental nature, there is no way he would be able to ignore our plight when most of his confidants, advisors, and retainers are members of our n..."


    Furrowing her brows, Hitomi would be lying if she said Inami''s words weren''t tempting. They were, in fact, in line with her own reasoning. The only problem was that Inami had requested to be Nobu''s, Onihime''s, and Kaia''s personal instructor. In other words, she would be closer to him than any of the other Elders. While there was nothing intrinsically wrong with this, the crux of the matter was that she was the vessel of Inari.


    If she were allowed to bepletely honest, Hitomi absolutely abhorred Inari. Her n had been forced to suffer for thousands of years just because she was spurned by a man that had died more than 5700 years ago. She hadn''t even provided them a way to be free of the Curse. In other words, until theirst surviving member drew her final breath, the Yoshitsune n was effectively doomed to suffer for an eternity. All because their Ancestor had fallen in love with someone else...


    Unfortunately, even if she wanted to refuse Inami''s request, Hitomi didn''t really have a choice. She knew Inari was watching over them even as they sat in silence. The Gods in Heaven might not be omniscient, but time flowed differently between the two Realms. A day in Heaven was rumored to be a year in the mortal world, so, with nothing better to do, Inari was continuously spying on their every action.


    Realizing she had been backed into a corner, Hitomi found herself suppressing a sigh despite appearing calm and unflustered on the outside. It was unfortunate that they couldn''t contact the Goddess who had prophesied Nobu''s rise. She might have been able to do something about this situation. Unfortunately, the only person Hitomi could rely on in this particr instance was Yui, and, to a lesser extent, Nobu...


    Deciding to entrust the future to the younger generation, Hitomi''s gaze sharpened as she said, "Very well. Though will need to discuss this matter with the other Elders, I am in support of your idea. However, for the sake of our Young Lord''s future, we will need to take action to develop and promote his independence. If we begin treating him as a convenient tool to elevate the n, there is a very real probability all our ns wille back to bite us..."


    Since her impression of Nobu had improved quite a bit after their interaction, Inami was actually of a simr mind to Hitomi. She understood, better than most, how frustrating it was to be treated as someone else''s pawn. Thus, even if Hitomi hadn''t suggested it, she would have done everything in her power to support Nobu''s growth. Rather, now that there was a chance she had his baby in her belly, the notion of recing Yui as his guardian and fiancee had crossed her mind...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Our boy is surprisingly popr...)

 Chapter 83: Resolve

    Chapter 83: Resolve


    Despite exercising for the better part of three hours, Nobu still felt as though he was brimming with energy. The sweat covering his body had built up to the point it was dripping profusely, yet, in spite of this, he felt like he could keep going until his muscles tore and it still wouldn''t be enough to fully exhaust him.


    "What the fuck is wrong with me...?"


    Directing the question towards Yui and Onihime, both of which had been sitting silently in the hall, Nobu nearly lost his footing when the former exined, "Your body has absorbed an excess of Yin Elemental Energy. Inami-sama has been consolidating her cultivation base for thest six thousand years. If she were to venture beyond the mountain, countless people would spare no effort to seize her for themselves. Though I am reluctant to admit it, she may very well be the best dual cultivation partner in all of Nian..."


    Though he already had a basic understanding of dual cultivation from his previous world, Nobu had already learned the specifics from Yuriko. Suzune''s words were also fresh in his mind after what had transpired so it didn''t take long for him to recover and ept Yui''s words as a statement of fact. He just didn''t like it.


    "How annoying..."


    Plopping down between the two girls, Nobu was preparing to snatch the stone tablet from Onihime when thetter handed it to him with an exuberant smile, saying, "Congrattions, Master. It would appear you''ve reached the threshold for the Second Realm."


    "Huh...?"


    Since he was still waiting for his mask to arrive, Nobu had been hovering between the 4th and the 6th Rank thanks to Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko. He allowed Onihime to click at his behest, but, for the most part, he had been regting his growth by analyzing items, people, animals, and even the weather. He found it hard to believe that he would suddenly shoot from the 6th Rank to the 10th as he was exercising.


    With countless questions appearing within his mind, Nobu grabbed the stone tablet before closing his eyes, leaning his head against the wall, and muttering, "Fuck..." in an exasperated tone.


    "Nobu...?"


    "Master...?"


    Without opening his eyes, Nobu replied, "Just give me a moment..." as his mind desperately worked to sort through the information he had just obtained. He had seen the 10x multiplier listed beneath his aura value, and, based on the remaining time, he could assume that it directly corrted to the amount of time he and Inami had been fucking.


    Thanks to the medicine she had given him, Nobu ended up going to town on Inami from around 1 PM to just around 9 PM. Since then, roughly seven-and-a-half hours had passed. This left him with just under thirty minutes. As for why his cultivation had shot up so much, it was due to the fact that Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko had already awoken. They generally only contributed around 500 AU a day, but, thanks to the 10x bonus modifier, the amount they had contributed was a startling 5287.


    Simply put, having sex with Inami really had benefitted him a tremendous amount. This made him feel a little better, but, at the same time, it ignited a me within his heart. He had spent most of the previous night and much of this morning brooding over how he could increase his strength as quickly as possible.


    Though he had resisted the idea when Yuriko proposed it, Nobu''s desire for strength had been increasing with each passing day. He would need to be exponentially more powerful if he wanted to save Cho and the others. Thus, while a part of him vehemently resisted the idea, a muchrger part of him was willing to do whatever it took to increase his strength. Only then would he be able to protect the things he cared about.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu was startled to realize just how much he cared about Yui and the others. It was hard to say he was willing to die for them, but, at the same time, they were one of the reasons he had decided not to kill himself. He couldn''t remember who said it, but there had been a famous quote in his previous life. Something about the legacy of a hero being found in the ideas and people they dedicated their lives to protecting rather than the circumstances of their death...


    "Fuck me..."


    Feeling he was getting pulled even deeper into whatever narrative the world had in store for him, Nobu couldn''t help cursing under his breath. He knew he wasn''t a Hero. If anything, he would have be an anti-hero if he had been given power in his previous world. Heroes were full of shit and viins were often poorly written. Thus, rather than be thepdog of any particr nation, he had always envisioned himself as being a vignte passing judgment on pieces of shit the system couldn''t prosecute due to corruption and other foundational issues...


    Imagining himself in a Deadpool costume, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he jokingly muttered, "Maximum effort, eh...?"


    "You do you, big boy. Just make sure you give those assholes a few good ps for daddy, okay?"


    Opening his eyes, Nobu shifted his gaze left and right to find Yui and Onihime staring at him with varying degrees of concern on their face. This caused the smile on his face to transition into a grin as he internally mused, ("Guess I''ve finally lost it. Well, whatever. I haven''t exactly been ying with a full deck ever since I was a kid. Who knows? Maybe this is all some kind of fever dream. Might as well enjoy it while itsts.")


    With that thought in mind, Nobu pulled the rag from his face before standing up and saying, "I''m going to advance my Realm. Are there any ces on the mountain where the wind is particrly strong?"


    Though a few ces entered her mind, Yui couldn''t help asking, "Are you certain? Didn''t you want to wait until your mask arrived?"


    Nodding his head, Nobu replied, "You''re not wrong. However, I have no intention of just sitting on my ass for the next month or two. I wasn''t fucking around when I told you I wanted to help. I can''t do that while I''m still a weak and useless piece of shit. Besides, there are only like four or five days until I have to meet with my folks, right? I figure they would be a lot less stressed out if they learn I basically went from Level 0 to Level 10 in less than a month."


    Since the Realms were conveniently divided into Ten Realms, each with Ten Ranks, Nobu felt it was easier to regard it as a traditional RPG leveling system. The Cultivation Techniques were essentially just different sses, and, while he would invariably be able to spec into multiple different sses, he would need to level his current ss before the rest unlocked. Thus, for the sake of himself, the people he cared about, and just about everything else, he needed to grow stronger. Much stronger.


    Seeing the resolution in Nobu''s eyes, Yui was honestly a little taken aback. Fortunately, she was able to conceal this behind a mask of calm as she answered, "Very well. There is a small gorge located on the Eastern slope. The winds there are particrly strong due to the frigid waters and the rtively temperate climate. If you require elevation, I could ask Grandmother to lend us Hisui..."


    Though he was feeling fairly ambitious at the moment, Nobu wasn''t quite at the point where he was ready to meditate atop a massive bird made of jade and other forms of stone. He also had no idea how long it would take for him to advance to the next Realm, so, without needing to consider his response, he answered, "The gorge should be fine. I''ll need to meditate at a higher elevation in the future but the Second Realm only requires me to cultivate in a ce where I can feel the wind against my skin. There''s no need to trouble your Grandmother..."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Yui raised her left hand to form a seal as she stated, "Very well. I will defer to your judgment on this matter. The only advice I have to offer is that you should invite everyone to apany you. I believe it would bolster their morale quite a bit if they were given the opportunity to observe you breaking through to the next Realm..."


    Since he had no reason to refuse, Nobu returned a nod before saying, "Sounds good. I''m not sure how long it''ll take though. They should be prepared to camp out for a few days."


    Returning a smile, Yui confidently replied, "Not a problem. I''ll have Cho prepare a few garnishings, and, if necessary, we can always fish from the river."


    Having personally experienced Yui''s ability to survive and gather resources, Nobu had no doubt regarding the ability of everyone else to do the same. Thus, after supplying another curt nod, he said, "We''ll leave around noon. That should give everyone plenty of time to prepare. As for me, I''m gonna hit the bath. I smell like ass."


    Now that he had removed his face covering, Nobu was able to smell his own musk in all its glory. Advancing four Ranks hadn''t helped, so, despite appearing rtively calm, he was actually on the verge of gagging every time he inhaled through his nose.


    As Yui nodded and prepared to meet with the others, Onihime extended her hand to grasp Nobu''s sleeve, muttering, "Master...please allow me to apany you. I will wash your back..."


    Since it had be something of a routine for him to bathe with pretty much everyone, Onihime included, Nobu just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Whatever. Let''s go." before rising to his feet and heading towards the bath. In response, Onihime quickly fell into step behind him with a smile while Yui, feeling somewhat exasperated, exhaled an inaudible sigh before vanishing into thin air as she went to meet with the others...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though it had been troublesome and awkward in the past, Nobu would be lying if he said it wasn''t pleasant to have someone wash his back. He had always enjoyed getting his head rinsed whenever he got a haircut in his previous life. Now, thanks to the position he had been born into, there were more than a dozen girls who were ready and willing to wash his hair and back. Some of these were brats, but, so long as he ignored them, their nudity no longer affected him as much as it used to.


    "Humans really are capable of adapting to anything, aren''t they...?"


    Surprised by her Master''s statement, Onihime paused for a brief moment before replying, "Indeed. There are many who im that Humans are the most adaptive among the Eight Sovereign Species. It is this adaptability,bined with their ability to procreate, that has allowed Humans to conquer much of the known world..."


    "Mmm..."


    Recalling the species that Shizune and Kumiko had mentioned, Nobu couldn''t help thinking there was something fundamentally wrong with worlds such as this. Like, the Dragons were supposed to be so powerful that the individual members of their race could rival entire nations. In spite of this, they generally kept to themselves until some overpowered and egotistical assholes tracked them down in order to harvest their resources. They had basically been pushed to the brink of extinction, yet, even when their numbers had dwindled to the point that it was possible to name virtually every member of their species, they still acted as though they were untouchable.


    As someone with a burgeoning desire for power, Nobu felt there was a lot he could learn from the other Sovereign Species. He hadn''t been brainwashed by the propaganda that presented humans as the dominant species on the. After all, back in his previous world, people were retarded to the point that they literally viewed other humans as ''beneath'' them due to arbitrary bullshit such as race and ideology. In this world, even the Gods had nearly been wiped out as a result of their own hubris, so, now that he had decided to be as powerful as possible, Nobu was resolved to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors. At the very least, he wasn''t going to be a racist asshole that joined in on the circle-jerk of racial superiority purported by asshats across the world...


    With that in mind, Nobu surprised Onihime even more by saying, "Turn around. You''ve washed my back. Now let me wash yours..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Is this what they call growing from trauma or is Nobu just allowing himself to be consumed by something more...?)

 Chapter 84: Breaking Through

    Chapter 84: Breaking Through


    Though he hadn''t been much of an outdoorsman in his previous life, Nobu could still appreciate the beauty of nature. The gorge he had been taken to was easily one of the most serene ces he had ever visited, almost as if it had never been touched by human hands.


    "This river, Okurimono, flows from the mountain and empties out into the port of Owari-Asai. While it appears small at the source, it is one of the Owari Province''s three main rivers. What distinguishes it from the other two is the fact it carries with it the blessings of Inari Okami-sama. Rice, wheat, and other cereals grow rich and healthy when treated with the waters of Okurimono..."


    "Mmm..."


    Since he wasn''t particrly fond of the fox goddess, Nobu just hummed in response to Kumiko''s exnation. He was grateful, sure, but that wasn''t the reason he hade here. His goal was to break through to the next Realm before the meeting with his parents. He still had four days until then, but, recalling how frustratingly difficult it had been to enter the First Realm, he was already working against the clock.


    Fortunately, just as Yui had pointed out, there was a persistent wind flowing through the gorge. The problem was that the wind primarily flowed through the gorge rather than over it. It was also colder than a witch''s tits, so, despite finding the emerald green waters very beautiful, Nobu wasn''t looking forward to sitting on a cold, perpetually moist outcrop in nothing but his birthday suit...


    If he wasn''t absolutely certain she would be a distraction, Nobu would have invited Onihime to join him. Instead, he just shook his head before disrobing and doing his best to ignore the unblinking gazes of the thirteen girls encircling him. Then, despite numerous offers to assist him, he scaled the rtively sheer wall using a rope before sitting down on the frigid stone with his bare ass.


    Resisting the urge to curse the moment his balls touched the cold stone, Nobu adopted theziest-looking Lotus Position most of the girls had ever seen. After that, he did his best to "feel the wind flowing around him" as he drew in a slow, steady, and never-ending breath...


    ...


    ..


    .


    As someone who cultivated the exact same technique as her Master, Sachiko was among the group assigned to keep watch over him. She was joined by the Ayane and the perennially patient Onihime while the rest of the group, excluding Cho and Midori, discussed the events of the previous day.


    Though she felt like there was a certain distance between them as ofte, Yuriko genuinely believed she was the closest person to Nobu after Yui. Thus, the moment everyone had gathered, she took it upon herself to represent everyone else by asking, "What the hell is going on, Yui? You clearly know something we don''t."


    Shaking her head, Yui maintained a mask of tranquility as she inly stated, "It doesn''t matter what I believe or think I know. The fact of the matter is that we failed to protect our Lord. Other than that, the only things that matter are his version of events and what he wishes for us to know. It isn''t mine or anyone else''s ce to question or doubt him."


    Balling her hands into a fist, Yuriko was highly tempted to punch Yui in the face. At the same time, however, she knew that thetter''s words were correct. Even if Nobu told them the sky was red, it was their duty to back his ims. He might have given them permission to act casually around him, but that didn''t change their ''purpose''.


    Understanding Yuriko''s indication, Yui closed her eyes to conceal the anger and frustration she felt, adding, "Our best course of action is following the example set by our Lord. We must focus on the future and bing stronger. At the very least, we need to do everything in our power to conceal our weakness in front of our Lord. If he sees us brooding over yesterday''s events, it will invariably weigh heavily on his mind. I do not wish to add to his burden. Thus, until I am powerful enough to obtain the answers I seek, I will focus on the things that matter most...our Lord and his happiness..."


    Opening her eyes, Yui''s expression became one of unfettered conviction as she gazed around at her fellow nswomen. She met each of their gazes before settling on Yuriko, who, after several tense seconds of silence, exhaled a frustrated yet acquiescent sigh...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he knew it was going to take a while, Nobu was bored out of his mind as he wasted hours trying and failing to meditate. He simply couldn''t clear his mind, and, thanks to the frigid chill, his body has basically turned into a popsicle. This made it marginally easier to feel the wind, but, at the same time, he couldn''t help shivering violently as his little brother packed up their family jewels and retreated inward.


    cing his hands under his armpits, Nobu did his best to alleviate some of their numbness before pulling out the stone tablet to both check the time and re-read the conditions for advancement. A total of six hours had passed since he began. As for the requirements for breaking into the Second Realm, Breath of the Wind, it literally just told him to meditate until he could feel the wind flowing around him. He thought this meant he needed to meditate in a windy ce, but, now that he was freezing his balls off, Nobu was beginning to think the exact opposite.


    If the only requirement was that he feels the wind flowing around him, an empty room without a breeze might actually be better. After all, he was literally feeling the wind to his fucking bones right now and it hadn''t made the slightest difference.


    Unfortunately, Nobu''s pride didn''t allow him to simply give up and ask the girls to pull him up and carry him home. He was supposed to be their Lord and Master. He couldn''t remain the same weak and pathetic little shit Yui had picked up in an alleyway. He wanted to be strong, so, unless he caught a cold or passed out, Nobu had no intention of giving up.


    Exhaling for the first time in hours, Nobu was marginally surprised by how warm his breath felt. He was pretty sure he was borderline hypothermic at this point but his breath flowed outward like the heat of a radiator. Even stranger was the fact that his arms and legs rapidly cooled as he continued to exhale far beyond the capacity of his lungs...


    "What the fuck...?"


    Just as confusion washed over Nobu''s mind, Sachiko happily chimed, "Congrattions, Master~!" in an exuberant tune that alerted everyone nearby.


    "Huh...?"


    Though he hadn''t noticed it due to the rapid cooling of his body, a warm aura exuded from Nobu''s body the moment he exhaled. Both Ayane and Sachiko had noticed this, but, due to the quiet and taciturn nature of the former, thetter was the first to speak out. She wasn''t sure if her Master had actually broken through, but, due to their simr levels and her innate talent as a sensor, she could tell his aura had be much richer.


    Before Nobu could even think to correct what he believed to be a misunderstanding, everyone else came to the edge of the gorge to congratte him. Onihime even jumped down to the outcrop he was seated upon before wrapping her arms around him to provide warmth. This was something she had been asked to do by Yui, but, even if she hadn''t, Onihime would have happily provided warmth for her Master.


    Hissing due to the sudden and drastic change in temperature, Nobu was briefly tempted to throw Onihime into the frigid waters below. Instead, he remained seated, an annoyed but quickly rxing expression on his face as her warmth gradually spread from his back to the rest of his body...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After being pulled up the cliff by Kiki, Nobu wrapped his body in multipleyers of clothes before enjoying a warm meal prepared by Cho. At the same time, he did his best to answer the questions of the girls, first and foremost being whether or not he had broken through. There was such a thing as a ''false awakening'' where cultivators thought they had broken through to the next Realm only to discover they were stuck between the two. This was considered a ''dead end'' for most cultivators, as, more often than not, it implied their body had absorbed too many impurities or they simplycked the talent to advance further.


    Nobu was a little annoyed by the insinuation that he might have exhausted his potential between the First and Second Realms, but, understanding Kumiko was simply informing him of something he didn''t know, he didn''t harp over it. Instead, he experimented with the phenomenon of exhaling at a persistent rate, surprising virtually everyone by exuding a warm breeze through his aura. It was still invisible, but, even without being able to see it, everyone could feel that he was much stronger than before.


    Unfortunately, while his reserves actually seemed to replenish instead of decreasing, Nobu''s body rapidly chilled as he exhaled. It was like he was breathing in through each of his pores instead of exhaling through them. He knew this because the fabric of his clothes would immediately stick to him as he exhaled. This was followed by a sensation simr to being smothered, so, after a while of exhaling, Nobu had no choice but to breathe inward as if he were gasping for air.


    After quickly aying the girls'' concerns, Nobu exined this phenomenon so that they could offer him some advice. The consensus was that he would need to wear breathable clothes, or, at the very least, outfits that could quickly be adjusted so that he could expose his back and arms. Other than that, Kumiko began asking questions rted to the wind produced by his aura rather than focusing on the positives and negatives associated with generating it.


    Since the Second Realm was generally when people began training various aura-rtedbat techniques, Kumiko hypothesized that Nobu''s ''wind'' could be weaponized somehow. It wouldn''t make sense if it was just a method to improve his aura regeneration. Thus, after following Yui''s suggestion to set camp, everyone awoke at the crack of dawn to observe and assist Nobu in his experimentation.


    Based on preliminary findings, the warm breeze emanating from Nobu''s body was able to travel upwards of twenty meters if he focused to the point he appeared constipated. Unfortunately, while this was rather impressive, the wind he was able to produce felt like a gentle breeze rather than any kind of attack. He might be able to catch someone by surprise if they were rtively close to them, but, depending on their lung capacity, so could everyone else.


    Fortunately, while he was absolutely terrible at it, the girls managed to cheer Nobu up by pointing out that he could, in fact, control the force and direction of the wind. It might be weak right now, but, so long as he continued to train and increase his aura reserves, there was a chance he would be a walking tempest by the time he reached the Fifth or Sixth Realm. More importantly, his sense of smell hadn''t changed all that much despite his breakthrough. This implied it was either a quirk of the First Realm or an idental opening of a meridian. Since the stone tablet showed that the meridian in his nose was still inactive, however, Nobu could pretty much confirm it was rted to his cultivation technique. As for why it didn''t influence Sachiko nearly as much as it had affected him? It did. She just didn''tin about it.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is gradually bing an air bender o_o...)

 Chapter 85: Nerves

    Chapter 85: Nerves


    Since he wasn''t exactly in a hurry to return to his so-called estate, Nobu spent three of the four days he had remaining training with Yui and periodically watching over how Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko were being taught.


    As a result of his efforts, Nobu quickly discovered that he only really needed to expose his arms in order to breathe properly. More importantly, he realized he didn''t actually need to exhale in order to manipte the surrounding wind currents. Exhaling was just one of the simplest methods since it was an intuitive action that allowed all creatures to technically manipte air.


    Nobu''s eureka moment came when he was learning how to meditate alongside Sachiko. They had been sitting next to each other, and, thanks to her sensitivity towards the changes in other people''s auras, she quickly noticed a cool breeze blowing towards Nobu whenever he was breathing inward.


    After that important discovery, it only took a few hours of guided instruction before Nobu was able to generate a small breeze from his palms by drawing in air through the pores of his arms. It was a sensation simr to cold water flowing through his veins, but, in spite of this, a rare smile could be seen on Nobu''s face as he made grass and leaves rustle. He might not have been a weeb back in his previous life but it was understandably exhrating to be able to use supernatural abilities. A part of him was even tempted to try a Kamehameha...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Nobu...I believe it''s about time we return to the estate. We can''t stay out here indefinitely..."


    On the even of their third day of training, Nobu was lying in his tent between Yui and Yuriko. He had been attempting to ascertain whether or not it was possible to generate a bonus by absorbing the Yin Elemental Energy in their bodies, but, even after taking a small dose of Dragon''s Vigor and going at it for more than three hours, he felt more refreshed than empowered.


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu gave both girls'' breasts a gentle squeeze as he answered, "Yeah, I know. We''ll head back first thing tomorrow morning. I guess I just got caught up in the flow of things. Camping with arge group is surprisingly enjoyable. We should alle out again when Sachiko is ready to advance..."


    Though she knew there was another reason Nobu was reluctant to return to the estate, Yui just nestled closer to him without saying anything. She had been periodically heading up the mountain to report to her Grandmother while the others had been taking turns watching over the estate and making sure the renovations were going smoothly. As a result, everyone, including Nobu, had been made aware of the Elders'' decision. Since then, Nobu had been putting off their return for a variety of different reasons, but, with his family reunion scheduled for noon the following day, he no longer had the option to continue stalling...


    What Yui didn''t know what that Nobu hadrgely gotten over what had happened between him and Inami. Rather, after tonight''s experiment, he was determined to continue fucking her so long as she continued providing him with a bonus to his aura gains. This might sound super scummy, but, after learning Inami was basically the most powerful person in the entire n, it didn''t take a genius to understand that the person forcing her was none other than Inari.


    Since they were both being used by the fox goddess, Nobu was determined to be as strong as possible before the benefits of boning Inami ran out. At the very least, he wanted to be strong enough to befriend all the girls in his entourage. Then, once he reached a point where three-million aura was chump change, he intended to spite the bitch of a goddess by removing her curse from as many people as possible.


    In other words, Nobu''s reluctance had less to do with Inami than it did with his parents. He could still vividly recall the memories of his catatonic self, but, thanks to the selfish decision he had made prior to his reincarnation, Nobu found it difficult to regard the couple as his parents. As sappy as it sounded, he still missed his mother from his previous life. He couldn''t even describe how awkward it was to know he had a second mother who loved him to the point of bing ill the moment he was secretly exiled...


    If he were beingpletely honest, Nobu was afraid. He couldn''t quite put it into words, but the thought of meeting with his second life''s biological parents filled him with a sense of incongruency and existential dread that was impossible to fathom. He was literally experiencing it, yet, no matter how much he tried to wrap his head around the events that had led up to the present situation, his mind simply refused to ept it...


    Fortunately, no matter how terrible things went tomorrow, Nobu wasforted by the knowledge that he had more than a dozen people literally willing to die for him if necessary. If he asked them to, they would whisk him away from the mountain even if the entire Yoshitsune and Oda ns gave chase. They were ride-or-die for him, so, for their sakes, Nobu was willing to stand his ground and face whatever the future threw his way...


    "At least I''m not a simp..."


    Hearing Nobu''s remark, it was Yuriko who asked, "Simp? What''s that?" in a curious tone.


    "It''s a ng term used to describe subservient men who will do anything for a woman in the hope of receiving some kind of reward. When things don''t go their way, they whine, bitch, andin about how the females they serve don''t appreciate their efforts. It''s sad as fuck..."


    Furrowing her brows, Yuriko asked, "Are there actually men like that? I never read about anyone like that. The closest parallel I can think of are the Eunuchs of the Imperial Court but I''m pretty sure they would be put to death if they harbored such expectations..."


    Even if she didn''t intend it as an insult, Nobu couldn''t helpughing in response to Yuriko''s remark. She had basically corrted Simps with Eunuchs. Such words would havee across as incredibly mean-spirited in his previous life, but, considering neither Simps nor Eunuchs were able to have sex, it was a surprisingly aptparison...


    Believing Nobu wasughing at her, Yuriko adopted a slight pout as she reached down to grab his half-erect penis. This quickly silenced Nobu''sughter, not because he believed Yuriko was trying to threaten him, but because she immediately followed her actions by seductively whispering, "You''re definitely not a simp..."


    "Yuriko..."


    Since they had only recently finished having sex, Yui adopted a slight frown as she opened her eyes and stared at the ink-haired beauty sharing Nobu''s chest. She wasn''t going to chastise her in front of their Lord, but, depending on Nobu''s decision, they would need to have a serious discussion the next time they were alone together.


    Fortunately for Yui, Nobu wasn''t particrly tired. He also knew he wasn''t going to get much sleep if he continued thinking about tomorrow''s meeting, so, after the mischievous kunoichi had gotten him to full mast, a wolfish grin spread across his face as he replied, "You''re goddamn right..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he didn''t activelyin, Nobu regretted his decision to pack up and leave at dawn. It was nearly 2 AM by the time he actually fell asleep. In other words, he only got around two and a half hours of rest since the run rose rtively early this time of year.


    Thankfully, Owari was one of the only Provinces actively trading with Granus. As a result, they were one of only three regions, excluding the Capital, that had coffee beans. Cho had been taught how to process them, so, despite a distinctck of cream and sugar, both luxury goods, Nobu was able to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee as the girls broke down the camp and prepared for their return.


    Savoring the overwhelming yet nostalgic aroma, Nobu didn''t immediately notice Midori staring at him. She had helped Cho to prepare his breakfast so she generally apanied thetter while he was eating.


    Amused by the curious glimmer in Midori''s eyes, a teasing smile developed across Nobu''s face as he asked, "Want to try it?"


    Since coffee was an extreme luxury good, most people would never have the opportunity to try it. This included Midori, so, with an eager, innocent, and naive smile on her face, she leaned forward and eximed, "Can I really!?"


    Understanding that her Lord was pulling a prank, Cho covered her mouth with her sleeve in an attempt to suppress herughter. This wentpletely unnoticed by Midori, who, upon receiving Nobu''s permission, eagerly took arge gulp of the now lukewarm liquid.


    Though she had been warned by Cho that it was very bitter, the smile on Midori''s face immediately faded the moment the coffee reached her tastebuds. If her Master hadn''t been seated right in front of her, she might have spit it out without a second thought. Instead, she forced herself to swallow, a shiver running through her body as the liquid made its way down her throat. Then, with an equally forced smile, she handed back the cup and said, "It was delicious. Thank you..."


    Feeling somewhat apologetic, Nobu managed to hold in hisughter as he ruffled Midori''s hair and said, "Don''t worry. It''s an acquired taste. If anyone tells you it''s delicious, they''re lying through their teeth. Even I think it tastes terrible. No offense, Cho."


    Having tasted it quite a number of times herself, Cho was inplete agreement with Nobu. Thus, rather than taking offense to his words, she just giggled in amusement before repeating what she had told Midori, specifically, "It is quite bitter, isn''t it~?"


    Realizing she had been pranked, Midori puffed out her cheeks as she retracted her shoulders into a pouting posture. She knew he was just ying around but she couldn''t help feeling that Nobu had somehow betrayed her. He was usually very nice. Much nicer than she had anticipated during their first encounter. She never expected him to trick her like this...


    Taken aback by Midori''s reaction, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words. He had never been particrly fond of children so he didn''t really know how to deal with one that was throwing a tantrum or pouting. All he knew was that he was in the wrong, so, before Cho could reprimand her for her behavior, Nobu pointed his free hand towards Midori, a warm breeze flowing from his palm and disturbing her teal-green hair as he said, "Hey now...you''re the one who wanted to try it. I was just giving you the opportunity..."


    Though she was tempted to keep pouting, Midori wasn''t oblivious to the spine-chilling looks she was receiving from some of the older girls. This included Cho, so, upon being reminded that she was, in fact, the person who wanted to try it, an awkward smile developed across her face as she meekly replied, "I''m sorry..."


    Oblivious to the subtle bloodlust that had been directed towards the eight-year-old girl, Nobu just chuckled wryly in response to Midori''s words before asserting, "I should be the one apologizing. I didn''t mean to make you upset. Let''s just let bygones be bygones. Deal?"


    Despite having no idea what a bygone was, Midori''s smile became notably more sincere as she intoned a happy, "Nn~!". Her Master was still the kindest person she had ever met, so, even if he had pranked her, she was willing to forgive him. After all, he was also the only person protecting her from all the scary onee-sans that sometimes appeared as though they were ready to y her alive...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I would probably feel nervous as well...)

 Chapter 86: Return

    Chapter 86: Return


    After quickly packing up camp, Nobu and the girls spent the better part of two and a half hours transitioning from the Eastern base of the mountain to their estate on the Northern side.


    Fortunately, now that he had broken through the Second Realm and be increasingly familiar with his Aura, Nobu could now generate ayer of wind to keep most insects at bay. It caused his clothes to billow and rustle as if he were constantly being battered by the wind, but,pared to being swarmed by mosquitos, it was infinitely better.


    If there was anything Nobu couldin about, it was the fact that his cultivation method wasn''t suited for stealth in the slightest. He produced a shot ton of sound due to the rustling of grass and leaves that followed his every movement. This earned him more than a few amused looks from the girls, who, for the most part, produced little to no sound as they moved through the dense forest.


    Comforting his ego by reminding himself that he wasn''t a shinobi, Nobu enjoyed the two-and-a-half-hour hike quite a bit. It was only once the walls surrounding his estate came into view that his mood soured, as, standing near the entrance to the gate was none other than Inami.


    Restraining a sigh, Nobu missed the looks he received from several members of his entourage. Yui, Yuriko, and Onihime, in particr, were very concerned about him. What they didn''t know was that the primary reason for his frustration was Inami''s height. He already knew she was small, but, due to the circumstances of theirst encounter, he had been sitting on his ass or lying on his back most of the time they were talking. It was only now that he understood how truly short she was...


    "Wee back, Waka-danna. Congrattions on your breakthrough."


    Though the girls seemed to expect it somewhat, Nobu was slightly taken aback when Inami crossed her hands over herp and performed a polite yet reserved bow. She had also changed into a white kimono with a red obi and what he believed to be a modified haori. It was simr to the coats worn by the Captain-ss Shinigami in Bleach but it had been modified to allow her six bluish-ck tails to flow behind her as if they were unaffected by gravity.


    While his entire entourage bowed towards Inami, Nobu remained with his head high as he forced a smile and said, "Thanks..."


    Noticing the awkwardness in Nobu''s words and actions, Inami''s ears twitched slightly as she raised her head and asked, "Is something the matter, Waka-danna?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu caused everyone to tense as he honestly answered, "Not really. I was just a little surprised by how short you are. I knew you were tiny but I wasn''t really paying much attention thest time we met..."


    Though her expression didn''t change, the inordinately fluffy ears atop Inami''s head twitched as she asked, "Does Waka-danna...have a problem with my height?"


    Shaking his head a second time, Nobu answered, "Nah. Like I said before, it''s just a little surprising. I don''t really care how tall you are so long as you''re of age..."


    Perking up in response to her Master''s words, a visibly excited glimmer appeared in the depths of Onihime''s deep purple eyes. If she excluded Inami''srge, almost rabbit-like ears, she was only a centimeter or two shorter than the six-tailed kitsune. Their figures weren''t all that dissimr, either. Rather, thanks to her half-oni heritage, Onihime was pretty confident that her thighs, hips, and butt were bigger than Inami''s...


    While Onihime was allowing her thoughts to run wild, Inami just stared at Nobu for several seconds before nodding her head and saying, "I see. I had almost forgotten how brash and honest you were. I''ll have to keep that in mind during our training..."


    Though she was tempted to remind Nobu that his words and actions had consequences, Inami had already discussed the matter of his behavior with Hitomi and the Elders. They had effectively linked the fate of their n with Nobu, so, while they would do their best to correct his behavior, they hade to the conclusion it was best to let outsiders teach him the harder lessons in life. Their goal, at least in the interim period leading up to Nobu''s rise, was making sure that he felt more at home on the mountain than anywhere else in Nian...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With such sentiments in mind, Inami escorted Nobu, Yui, and Onihime to his room while everyone else split off to either rest or return to their respective duties.


    Upon entering the room, Nobu immediately became aware of the peculiar aroma that seemed to have permeated the entire area. His sense of smell hadn''t improved during his breakthrough, but, now that he no longer had a cloth covering his face, he was a lot more susceptible to even subtle changes in aroma and odor.


    "Have you been staying in my room while I was gone?"


    Though her expression didn''t change, the pupils of Inami''s eyes contracted slightly as she casually answered, "Very perceptive...however, to answer your question, I haven''t been staying here. I have just been visiting rather frequently. Though I am ashamed to admit it, my instincts have been acting up ever since our previous encounter..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to ask what she meant when Inami took it upon herself to exin, "You see, with few exceptions, intercourse between a kitsune and a male partner frequently results in thetter''s death. As you are well aware, I had to restrain myself considerably just to avoid identally injuring you. Because of that, the symptoms of my heat have yet to settle. They should diminish by the end of Spring, but, for the time being, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that my body craves you..."


    Surprising Nobu, Yui, and Onihime, Inami slowly sauntered over to the futon that Nobu frequently used when resting. Then, stopping just short of touching herself, she nestled face-first into the spot where he usuallyy, her tails flickering behind her as she audibly inhaled his aroma.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Exchanging looks, Nobu noticed equal parts confusion and concern in Yui''s gaze. This was clearly an abnormal situation so she couldn''t help fearing for everyone''s safety. After all, the most senior member of their entire n was basically behaving like an animal in heat right in front of them. If the other nswomen learned about this, it would be a scandal unlike any other.


    Almost as soon as that thought had crossed Yui''s mind, her body tensed as Inami rolledzily onto her side and said, "Don''t worry. After discussing the matter with the other Elders, we have decided to respect Waka-danna''s unique perspective. While it is certainly troublesome, we havee to the conclusion that it is not our ce to dictate how he should act and behave around others. I believe your Grandmother has told you something simr, yes?"


    Recalling the advice her Grandmother had given her, Yui reluctantly nodded her head in response to Inami''s words. This earned her a slight smile from the vulpine woman, who, rather shamelessly stated, "Then it''s fine. So long as you don''t go around spreading rumors, there''s nothing to worry about. All I care about right now is being close to Waka-danna..."


    Though her words were both carefully chosen and practiced, Inami wasn''t lying when she said she wanted to be close to Nobu. Rather, it would be a big problem for all of them if they weren''t close to each other. Thus, even though she felt indescribably embarrassed, she tightly squeezed Nobu''s pillow before curling up her tails, closing her eyes, and relishing in his aroma.


    Observing Inami''s actions, both Yui and Onihime were at aplete loss for words. Prior to this moment, they couldn''t even imagine their n''s legendary Guardian behaving in such a manner. It was almost like she was a maiden in love, and, were it not for the fact she held the highest position in the entire n, they might have even used her of going rogue...


    Fortunately, at least for Inami, Nobu''s thoughts were very different from the indoctrinated duo. He had been thinking a lot these past few days, so, while Inami''s behavior was stalker-level creepy, it was also extremely convenient for him. Thus, after a few seconds had passed, he surprised everyone by saying, "Whatever. So long as you don''t cause trouble or swagger around like a big shot, you''re free to stay here. If that''s too difficult, you''re free to stay in the room next to Suzune..."


    While Yui''s and Onihime''s conditioning caused them to break out in a cold sweat the moment they heard Nobu''s brash and overly casual words, Inami just returned an amused smile as she peered at him between the veil of her tails. Had he spoken this way before their previous liaison, she wouldn''t have hesitated to give him a tongueshing. Now that the fate of the Yoshitsune n rested on his shoulders, she actually felt that it was normal for him to speak and behave in such a brazen manner. Rather, if he was the type of person to lower his head and willfully follow someone else''s orders, he would never be able to unify the archipgo...


    As that thought crossed her mind, Inami briefly recalled the moment Nobu had carelessly smacked her bottom. She had never considered herself a masochist, but it had crossed her mind quite a few times these past couple of days. Each time it did, the perpetual fire in her body would be even more prominent, and, were it not for the fact Nobu had to meet with his parents in a few hours, she might not have been able to restrain herself...


    Exhaling a hot sigh, Inami''s tails unfurled like a blossoming flower before she forced herself to a seated position and asked, "Have you prepared yourself? You''ll be meeting with your Lord Father and Mother in less than five hours. We''ll need to set out within the next half an hour to avoid beingte."


    Raising his brows, Nobu asked, "You''reing with us? Weren''t you supposed to be trapped on the mountain or something?"


    Though she was a little annoyed by the reminder, Inami''s expression remained calm as she said, "I will be part of the group escorting you down the mountain. From then onward, you will be escorted by the Matriarch, Yui-chan, Kumiko, and your servant. The others will need to stay behind."


    "Hmm..."


    For a moment, Nobu considered asking if Yuriko coulde along. He noticed she had been pretty stressed outtely so he had tried to make it up to her by pounding the shit out of her the previous night. This had helped her calm down quite a bit, but, the moment they returned to the estate, her mood had noticeably soured.


    "Nobu..."


    Hearing Yui''s voice, Nobu shifted his direction to the raven-haired beauty with a questioning look in his eyes. To his surprise, she seemed to understand exactly what he was thinking, saying, "While it is ultimately your decision to make, it isn''t you who should be makingpromises. Even if you see us as equals, we live to serve you. The more exceptions you make for Yuriko, the more troublesome her behavior will be. It is fine if you want to make her your Concubine. However, she needs to break away from the mentality that she has an intrinsic right to be with you..."


    Nodding her head in approval of Yui''s words, Inami stated, "Yui-chan is correct. I noticed it during my investigation but that girl is steadily bing more and more unstable. If you continue along your current course, there is a chance she will go rogue. As someone who has witnessed hundreds of kunoichi going rogue, trust me when I say it is never pretty. Unless you want her to be killed or executed, you need to put your foot down and make your rtionship as Lord and Retainer clear."


    "..."


    Though he didn''t want to admit it, Nobu knew the two girls were right. He had been warned quite a number of times yet he has continued treating Yuriko differently than the rest of his entourage. This was because he truly did see her as someone special, but, at the same time, he had also noticed the tell-tale signs of her bing unhinged and clingy. Thus, even though he wanted to pretend there wasn''t an issue, Nobu ultimately exhaled a sigh, saying, "Fine...I''ll talk to her when we get back..."


    Understanding that he had a soft heart despite his brash nature, Yui grabbed Nobu''s hand with a supportive smile on her face. Truthfully, she didn''t mind if he and Yuriko became genuine lovers. It wasmon for Lords to have between three and ten wives. The thing she was most worried about was Yuriko going rogue and scarring Nobu for the rest of his life. She knew he would never be able to forgive himself if Yuriko had to be put down after going on a rampage, so, while it was ultimately herst resort, she was fully prepared to kill her former rival before things got too far out of hand...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Loyalty can be scary...)

 Chapter 87: Unexpected Encounter

    Chapter 87: Unexpected Encounter


    After a short rest that included tea and a light snack, Nobu found himself hiking down the Northern face of the mountain with a listless look on his face. Alongside him were Yui, Onihime, Kumiko, and, as could be expected, Hitomi and Inami. He could have brought more people with him, but, feeling it would onlyplicate things, he asked everyone else to patiently await his return.


    "I''m getting real tired of walking up and down mountains..."


    Chuckling at Nobu''s expense, Hitomi used her aura to casually sweep aside brush as she stated, "It''s good for you. If you want to strengthen your foundation quickly, scaling the mountain a few times a day is a step in the right direction."


    "Yeah, yeah..."


    Since he apparently no longer had to put a filter on the things he said, Nobu didn''t even pretend to be courteous towards Hitomi. This earned him a disproving look from the heterochromatic woman, but, instead of saying anything to correct him, she just continued smiling as a thin branch managed to slip through her hazy, bluish-green aura.


    Not expecting her Grandmother to perform such an act, Yui didn''t immediately react to the branch whizzing towards Nobu''s face. Fortunately for thetter, a remarkably thin blue line immediately cut the branch into tiny pieces as Inami inly stated, "Never drop your guard, even amongst allies."


    Furrowing her brows, Yui was about to thank Inami for the lesson when thetter simply stated, "No need. From this moment onward, the only person you lower your head to is your Lord. If he refuses to bow, you shall stand with him. If you can''t do that, you have no right to stand in that spot..."


    With Yui walking beside rather than behind Nobu, Inami intended to put as much pressure on the young woman as possible. After all, that position was supposed to be reserved for Nobu''s partner, or, more specifically, his wife. If Yui was going to upy such a position, she would need to adapt to the scorn and resentment directed her way. If she couldn''t, she needed to vacate the spot so that someone morepetent could whether the trials and tribtions that would invariably follow.


    Tensing up in response to Inami''s words, Yui was at a loss for words until Nobu grabbed her hand and said, "Rx..." in an awkward yet soothing tone. In truth, he wanted to say more, but, with the eyes of several people focusing on him, he refused to say anything cheesy or embarassing.


    Fortunately, the tensions in Yui''s body eased the moment Nobu grabbed her hand. His words also helped, but,pared to his actions, they were supplemental at best.


    Noticing her Granddaughter''s slight yet sincere smile, the corner''s of Hitomi''s curled upward as she softly mused, "How enviable it is to be young..."


    Since Hitomi''s words weren''t exactly discreet, even Nobu was able to hear them. This caused a look of mock disdain to appear on his face as he asked, "Aren''t you like fifty or something? Compared to the two chibis, you might as well be a brat. Don''t go talking like you''re about to kick the bucket..."


    Raising her brows, Hitomi''s smile became ostensibly more sincere as she asked, "Oh? Is Waka-chan worried about me~?"


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu elected to ignore Hitomi''s question since they were already nearing the base of the mountain. A few footpaths had started to appear, and, though it was still rough terrain, it was a lot easier to walkpared to the unmanaged terrain further up the forested slope.


    Clicking her tongue in a yful manner, Hitomi briefly exchanged nces with Inami before waving her hand to sweep aside anotheryer of the underbrush. This would leave an easy trail for anyone tracking them to follow, but, considering where they were, she wasn''t particrly concerned about the possibility of an ambush. Her own skills were nothing to scoff at, but, so long as she was on the mountain, Inami may as well be invincible...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "We''re here."


    After reaching the base of the mountain and separating from Inami, Hitomi led the group along the edge of a river until they reached a series of Jizo statues lining a rtively clean dirt road. It wasn''t umon for patrols to pass through the region, so, while there were no official roads, there were quite a number of paths present in the forests surrounding the walled city looming in the distance.


    Just as Nobu was about to ask, Hitomi casually twisted the heads of each Jizo statue. Immediately thereafter, a path that hadn''t been present before appeared off to the side. It stood out from the rest of the forest because it was almost like a tunnel formed from hundreds of trees that had been grown in such a way they block out most of the sun''s light.


    "One can never be too safe. Even if they were especially careful during their departure, the forces that oppose Lord Senken would invariably take notice of his absence. Though it isn''t too likely, you should always be prepared for a potential skirmish. That goes doubly for the three of you. There is no greater shame for a warrior or a kunoichi to outlive their Lord..."


    Though Nobu couldn''t help frowning, Yui, Kumiko, and Onihime nodded their heads with serious expressions on their faces.


    What none of the girls expected, Hitomi being the obvious exception, was for a raspy yet masculine voice to immediately respond, "Well said. It would appear your long life hasn''t been entirely wasted, Hitomi-kacho..."


    Appearing like a phantom, a muscr man with clothes that screamed ''samurai'' appeared with a tinum-hued aura lingering around his body. He was attired in a loose yukata, a pair of hakama-style pants, ck-ted tassets, and a blue haori with a dragon pattern and the symbol of the Oda n stered at numerous locations across his body. Even the guard of his white-handled katana resembled the flower-like pattern of the Oda n, and, based on the aura exuding from his body, he bore the symbol with tremendous pride.


    "Ara ara~? This isn''t a face I expected to see any time soon. Weren''t you protecting the Eastern border, Hiashi-dono~?"


    Snorting through his nose, Hiashi cast his gaze over everyone present before setting his pitch-ck eyes on Nobu. Then, with a loud ''pa'', he brought his hands together in a respectful yet unyielding manner as he firmly stated, "Hyuudou Hiashi greets the Young Lord of the Oda n."


    Taken aback by the short yet muscr man''s obeisance, Nobu''s expression hardened as he replied, "Yeah...nice to meet you..."


    Though he was briefly confused by Nobu''s excessively casual response, Hiashi just lowered his head even further before rising to cast a disdainful re at everyone else. Onihime, in particr, seemed to have earned his ire, as, for a brief moment, the thumb he had resting on the guard of his katana twitched. Half-Oni were considered abominations by most people, but, as a proud warrior of Nian, Hiashi was offended by her mere presence at Nobu''s side.


    Fortunately, Hitomi managed to adequately deter him by ring her aura and asking, "Hiashi-dono...are you disobeying our Lord? I cannot imagine Lord Senken asking you toe here to cause trouble..."


    After sending another quick re Hitomi''s way, Hiashi seemed to have reached the conclusion that he should simply ignore everyone else''s existence as he supplied another polite bow towards Nobu and stated, "Nobunaga-sama. Please, follow me. Your father, Lord Senken, has ordered that I escort you to your destination..."


    "..."


    Staring at the man''s bushy ponytail with a frown, Nobu waited until Hiashi raised his head before shaking his own and saying, "Yeah, that''s not gonna happen. We''ve never met before and I''m not going to just follow someone I just met to a destination I''ve never been to. These four areing with me. If you''ve got a problem with that, please inform my parents that I couldn''t meet with them because you decided to behave like a bigot towards your own allies."


    Not expecting such a response, Hiashi was at a genuine loss for words as he stared at Nobu with apletely nk expression on his face. Momentster, however, a slight smile developed across his face as he mused, "You really are Lord Senken''s child..."


    Leaving Nobu at a loss this time, Hitomi began to giggle into her sleeve as the tensions that had been building spontaneously rxed. Then, with a significantly less hostile expression on his face, Hiashi gestured behind him, stating, "You really should hurry. If you dy any longer, Lady Suzuki might not be able to restrain herself. She has been sick for a long time. It isn''t good for her to move around too much."


    Confused by the sudden change, Nobu blinked several times before looking towards Hitomi to find her staring back at him with an amused smile on her face. It was at that moment that he realized he had been yed, a hint of red bleeding into his cheeks as he cleared his throat and said, "Lead the way..."


    Nodding his head in affirmation, Hiashi turned to do just that when a silvery crimson blur pushed him aside, shouting, "My baby...!" in a feminine, audibly stressed tone. In the next moment, Nobu felt as though he had been hit by a truck as a petite woman wearing a crimson kimono tackled him with enough force to send them both crashing into the river.


    "Nobu...!"


    "Suzuki-sama...!"


    Fortunately, unlike the river Nobu had trained in, the one running adjacent to the forest path was shallow enough to cross without issue. Thus, while everyone else was panicking, Nobu had turned statuesque as a woman who had only appeared in his memories clung to him, tears pouring from the corners of her ruby-red eyes as she cupped his face and asked, "Am I imagining things? I have dreamt of this day for so long that it doesn''t feel real. You are my son, my beloved Nobu-chan, are you not...?"


    Not really sure what he should say, Nobu just swallowed hard before slowly nodding his head in affirmation. If he were being honest, his mother was a lot more beautiful than his memories gave credit. He was grateful for the frigid water, as, despite being rted by blood, he was genuinely afraid that his body might react due to her fragrant aroma and the warmth transmitting from her body...


    Further exacerbating Nobu''s difficulties, a loving smile developed across Nana''s face as she gently kneaded his cheeks with her thumbs. This was something mothers and old grannies did with young children. Combined with the fact she was currently lying on top of him, the awkwardness Nobu was experienced built to the point that a part of him wanted to throw her away from him. He just didn''t have the heart to actually do it...


    As if finally realizing how awkward of a position they were in, Nana took a moment to sweep aside Nobu''s bangs before moving away from him, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding water as she sat properly and said, "This is something I''ve wanted to do for a very long time..."


    Just as Nobu was on the verge of recovering some semnce of his mental faculties, Nana caused him to nearly allow the current to take him away as she suddenly performed a low dogeza, her nose touching the top of the water as she tearfully eximed, "I''m so sorry! Please forgive me! I know my actions were beyond reprehensible. I know I don''t deserve forgiveness, but...but...!"


    Though he would like to say he went forth to grab Nana to assure her that everything was okay, the truth of the matter was that Nobu''s brain had stalled the moment he saw the remarkably beautiful woman lower her head. Her words impacted his heart and mind like a hammer, but, despite hearing each and every word she said, the only thing his mind was currently able to process was the fact her kimono was gradually being pulled open by the river''s current...


    Fortunately, just as Nana''s obi was whisked away, Nobu recovered enough of his senses to grab her shoulders, forcing her to rise before promptly closing her kimono and saying, "I forgive you..." with aplexion simr to someone who had gone to the beach without sunscreen...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Spoiler alert: Nana is a bit of an idiot.)

 Chapter 88: Awkward

    Chapter 88: Awkward


    With Hitomi promptly recovering Nana''s obi, Nobu joined Hiashi at the side as Yui, Kumiko, and Onihime helped to fix her kimono. She was apparently incapable of dressing herself, so, despite a tinum 3 cultivation base, Nana waspletely dependent on others to get through her day-to-day living.


    "Has she always been like this...?"


    With his arms crossed and his gaze firmly fixed in the opposite direction of where Nana and the others were, Hiashi answered, "Lady Suzuki would be heartbroken to hear you refer to her as ''she''. Even if it''s only when the two of you are conversing, you should get in the habit of referring to her as your mother. As for the answer to your question...she has gotten better with age..."


    Forcing a smile, Nobu found it hard to imagine how Nana could be even worse. He had only truly known her for a few minutes and he already got the impression she waspletely airheaded. If he hadn''t met her himself, he wouldn''t have believed it was possible for someone to be as oblivious as she appeared to be...


    "Don''t worry. I don''t me her for what happened. It was my own selfishness that led to this set of circumstances. I''m not sure I can ever truly see her as my mother but I''ll do my best..."


    Though he felt a little ufortable hearing Nobu ''confiding'' in him like this, Hiashi just nodded his head in approval before closing his eyes and promptly meditating. Most skilled cultivators had mastered techniques to suppress or even erase certain memories that might prove detrimental to their growth. He also knew his Lord would kill him if it was discovered he briefly caught a glimpse of Nana''s sarashi, so, before things could get further out of hand, hepartmentalized everything that had transpired over thest couple of minutes...


    Thinking that Hiashi was simply ignoring him, Nobu just shook his head before staring up at the canopy overhead with a nk expression on his face. He really didn''t know what to think right now, so, while it wasn''t really a technique, he just shut off his brain as he listened to the sounds of nature as felt the cool Spring breeze washing over his quickly drying body...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a surprisingly long period of time, roughly forty minutes, Nana, now appearing as a properdy, appeared alongside her impromptu escort. This allowed Nobu to properly look at her for the first time, a parched feeling spreading through his throat as he internally cursed his father''s good fortune.


    Though she was still rather petite, Nana was considered tall among Nianese women at 163cm. She also possessed a lean and athletic figure that hadn''t lost a hint of its charm despite giving birth to four children and suffering nearly two decades of illness. This,bined with her crimson eyes and long ck hair, thetter of which was tinged with red highlights, gave her a unique and ephemeral charm that was rare even amongst the most beautiful and mature women.


    Despite being well in her fifties, Nana could have easily passed as Yui''s older sister. If she were to back on Earth, Nobu could easily imagine her getting carded if she attempting to purchase alcohol. Even he had trouble believing she was more than twenty even though his catatonic self had eight years of memories rted to her...


    Sensing Nobu''s gaze, a smile blossomed across Nana''s face as she stopped mid-conversation with Hitomi to walk over and embrace him. This caused the former to tense, but, after several seconds of extreme awkwardness, Nobu managed to sheepishly reciprocate her embrace with a wry smile.


    Rxing the moment she felt Nobu''s arms around her shoulders, Nana entrusted her weight to him as she looked up with the kind of smile that pierced through mental walls and emotional defenses as if they were wet paper. Then, in the most sincere tone Nobu had ever heard, she gently cupped his face with one of her hands and said, "I feel like a piece of my soul just returned. Thank you, my precious...my beloved Nobu..."


    Feeling an irresistible sourness building in his nasal cavity, Nobu clenched his teeth in ast-ditch effort to stymy his swelling emotions. He didn''t even know this woman, yet, the moment he heard her voice, a shudder passed through his body as something deep within him resonated with every word. For a brief moment, he thought this might be an echo of his catatonic self. The version of him that had been forced to suffer at his behest for neen years.


    Wiping away the tears from Nobu''s face, Nana''s expression, against all rhyme and reason, became even more loving, her voice carrying an unfathomable amount of tenderness as she said, "I''m d. I thought you were all grown up but it appears there is still room for me to be your mother..."


    Punctuating her words, Nana guided Nobu''s face to her chest. It was a little awkward due to their difference in height but that didn''t deter her in the slightest. Even if she had to stand on the tips of her toes or raise herself using her aura, she was determined tofort her baby boy, the child who had once refused to cry no matter how desperately she pleaded...


    "Let it all out...mommy is here..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Seeing Nana cradling Nobu in her bosom, a man with two-toned hair, ashen-grey on top and dark brown on the sides couldn''t help furrowing his brows. This was none other than Oda Senken, who, due to feeling too awkward to appear earlier, ended up watching the scene y out from behind a tree.


    Though he would never admit it, Senken had been dreading this day even more than Nobu. He had never been good at dealing with sentiments and emotions, so, despite rehearsing every day for thest eleven years, he couldn''t even bring himself to step out of the shadows. This caused him to feel pathetic at first, but, now that he was watching his beloved wife doting on someone else, a growing urge to give Nobu a few light smack was developing in the back of his mind.


    "People wouldugh if they heard about the Great Lord Senken brooding in the shadows like some kind of jealous lover..."


    Recognizing the voice in an instant, Senken just snorted through his nose before saying, "He might be my son, but he''s also a grown man. Crying into the bosom of his mother at this age is pathetic..."


    Giggling in response to Senken''s words, Hitomi casually approached until she was standing next to him before teasing, "He''s a lot like you in that regard. Rather, the longer I observe him, the more I see you and Nana reflected in his character. It''s quite jarring at times..."


    Tearing his eyes away from the scene, Senken looked at Hitomi with a slightly incredulous look on his face as he asked, "Huh? Have you gone senile on me you old bat? That snot-nosed brat and I have absolutely nothing inmon..."


    Rolling her eyes, Hitomi casually remarked, "Even the way you address people is the same..." before pulling out an inordinately thick scroll and saying, "This is all the information I kept out of the other reports. He has a few character ws, but your son is growing much faster than we ever anticipated. Based on my findings, there is a reasonably high probability that his growth will elerate with the passage of time rather than decreasing. By this time next year, he may even be stronger than you..."


    Knowing that Hitomi would never exaggerate such a thing, Senken''s expression hardened as the reality of what she had said settled within his mind. He knew Nobu''s potential would have to be exceptional if he were to be able to catch up and surpass his peers but it was hard to imagine him going from Foundation Building to the Sixth Realm in a single year. It was beyond monstrous.


    Since Hitomi hadpared Nobu''s character to his own, Senken briefly considered what he might do with the power to unify and rule over the entire archipgo. It seemed like a major hassle, but, at the same time, there were a significant number of issues with the current administration. This had been exacerbated by the current Emperor''s inability to produce an heir. If something didn''t change, and soon, it was only a matter of time before the forces of the Heavenly Kingdom both invaded and conquered Nian.


    Feeling a headache just thinking about local and international politics, Senken habituallybed through his hair. This earned him an amused chuckle from Hitomi, but, with his thoughts focused on other things, Senken was only vaguely aware that she was even standing next to him...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After forcefully suppressing what he had convinced himself to be the remnant emotions of his catatonic self, Nobu attempted to escape Nana''s embrace only to fail miserably. She did let his head go, but, instead of separating from him, she linked her arm around his with the kind of smile that left no room for argument. He could argue, sure, but his instincts told him that wouldn''t end well.


    Fortunately, Nana separated of her own volition after the group had made its way down the long and dark corridor leading to a small cottage in the middle of the woods. As for the reason, it was due to the presence of a man who, from memory, Nobu knew to be his father.


    Much to Nobu''s amusement, and Senken''s chagrin, Nanapletely shattered thetter''s facade of a Lord who had been patiently awaiting their arrival. She sauntered over to him without a care in the world before promptly pulling him by the arm as she asked, "Sen-chan, what are you being shy for~? Come and meet your son~!"


    Though he grumbled something under his breath, Senken didn''t resist as Nana pulled him over to within less than a meter of Nobu. She wanted to pull them all into a hug, but, the moment his feet impacted the ground, long spikes of Mithril-colored aura rooted him to the spot as he said, "Long time no see..." with the straightest expression he could manage given the circumstances.


    With a remarkably simr expression on his face, Nobu returned a curt, "Mmm..." before crossing his arms to match Senken. Under normal circumstances, this would have caused the atmosphere to quickly turn tense, but, having none of their shenanigans, Nana forcibly pulled Nobu the remaining distance before practically bonking his and Senken''s heads together as she hugged them both.


    After squeezing the duo tightly for several awkward moments, Nana released her hold on them but didn''t allow them to separate as she adopted a serious expression and said, "Don''t fight." in a stern tone. Then, despite wanting to stay near both of them, she joined the other girls at the side to give the father-son duo the chance to converse on their own terms...


    "..."


    "..."


    With neither knowing what to say, Senken and Nobu just stared at each other in absolute silence for the better part of a full minute. When they finally did speak, it was the Senken asking, "What do you want to do?" with a serious look on his face. He actually wanted to apologize for his failures as a father, but, no matter how he forced himself, the words simply wouldn''t form within his throat.


    Scratching the back of his head, Nobu forced a smile as he said, "I was thinking of staying on the mountain for a bit. There are some things I want to aplish before setting out to do my own thing..."


    "Mmm..."


    Having received daily reports from Hitomi, Senken was well aware of what Nobu had been doing since arriving in Yumegakure. He had originally wanted to tease Nobu for ying around all day, but, knowing how quickly he was progressing, Senken was afraid he might inadvertently offend the young man he had spent thest neen years thinking of but knew nothing about...


    "Very well. I have discussed the matter with Hitomi and agreed to let you stay on the mountain for the next year. Your mother won''t like it, but I should be able to convince her by saying it''s for your own good. When you''re ready to return, we''ll be there waiting for you..."


    Not really know what else to say, Senken extended his hand to give Nobu a path on the shoulder. He could still vividly recall the days when he toured the Province causing countless problems for its residents. His son deserved the same opportunity, so, much like his father before him, Senken just gave Nobu a few light pats before walking away with a smile on his face...


    "Nana is going to kill me..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu could have had such awesome parents...)

 Chapter 89: Deciding Ones Own Path

    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...?)

 Chapter 90: Acceptance

    Chapter 90: eptance


    Though there were numerous events in between, such as meeting with his entourage, discussing their future ns, and eating several meals, Nobu''s day ended pretty much the way he expected. He had Inami hugging a pillow, face down and with her ass in the air.


    Taking advantage of the fact she hadn''t said anything when he previously smacked her bottom, Nobu held Inami''s thin waist with one hand, rhythmically pistoning her otherwordly pussy while kneading and periodically smacking her ass cheeks. He noticed that her body would tense for a brief moment whenever he did so, and, while it could have just been his imagination, he felt as though her insides would be noticeably warmer whenever he got rough.


    Due to the rather drastic difference in their size, it could be said that simply moving was considered ''rough'' for someone as diminutive as Inami. Nobu genuinely had no idea how such a petite woman was able to swallow up his entire cock. Just looking at where they were connected inspired feelings of immorality, his penis stretching herbium like someone trying to fit into a glove that was several sizes too small. Despite this, he managed to fit rather snugly inside of her, almost as if her body hadpletely adapted to his size and shape...


    "Seriously...your pussy is ridiculous..."


    Giving Inami''s bottom another light smack, Nobu didn''t notice the subtle glowing in her eyes as she instinctually tensed the muscles of her lower body and remarked, "Waka-danna...is also...rather prodigious..."


    Though it was a strangepliment, Nobu couldn''t help chuckling as he grabbed Inami''s waist with both hands and began to increase his speed. Her body was ridiculously durable, so much so that he could probably stab at her with a katana without breaking the skin. Thus, without worrying about hurting her in the slightest, he raised her body until her knees were no longer touching the ground as he pounded her as hard as he could for a solid twenty or so seconds.


    Had someone else tried to handle her in such a manner, Inami probably would have killed them without a thought. When Nobu was doing it, however, she just dug her nails into the tatami mats, tightly closing her eyes as her ears and tail twitched madly each time his fiery hot ns impacted her cervix.


    Though Inami had noticed it the previous time they had sex, there was a certain sense offort that came from knowing she wouldn''t have to kill Nobu the moment they finished having sex. He was effectively the first man she had everid with twice, and, though she would never admit to it, she had been looking forward to today quite a bit. Rather, since she knew they could have as much sex as they wanted, Nobu was quickly gaining ground in Inami''s heart without her realizing it...


    Feeling a familiar warmth spread through her body, a hot sigh escaped Inami''s throat as she began to rhythmically undte her insides to effectively milk Nobu''s penis. In total, this was the fifty-third time he had ejacted inside of her. She wasn''t entirely sure why she was bothering to keep count but it was strangely mollifying to know how many times he had unhesitantly released his seed into her body...


    "Oh fuck..."


    Closing his eyes, tilting his head back, and holding Inami flush against the base of his penis, Nobu couldn''t help muttering an expletive as his jaw trembled from the excessive stimulus. It wasn''t fair topare her to Yui and Yuriko but her pussy could only be described as otherworldly. It was like she was trying to suck out his soul, and, thanks to the excess of Yang Elemental Energy in his body, the sensation was simr to getting a vacuum blowjob while simultaneously taking a piss.


    Fortunately, just as Nobu felt as though his soul was about to leave his body, the suction produced by Inami''s vagina spontaneously eased up. As a result, he ended up slipping out of her, and, despite feeling ridiculous energetic, he couldn''t help falling onto his ass before subsequently sprawling out on the ground and gasping for air.


    Though her stamina should have been inexhaustible against someone of Nobu''s level, Inami took a few moments to affectionately caress her abdomen, eyes staring nkly towards an empty point in space as her breathing quickly stabilized. Then, taking advantage of the fact Nobu was lying on his back, she crawled up his body before surprising both him and the other two people present in the room with a deep and passionate kiss.


    Resisting the almost instinctual urge to push her away, Nobu merely tensed for a second or two before guiding his hands to her ass and kneading them apart. This caused a fair amount of semen to spill out onto his lower abdomen, but, knowing there were quite a number of people who would readily clean it up for him, he continued to knead her small yet remarkably pliant butt until she had gotten her fill of kissing.


    Separating her lips from Nobu''s, Inami''s eyes glowed within the low light of the room as she licked a trace of saliva from her pale pink lips. She honestly didn''t know what hade over her, but, the moment she saw Nobu lying on his back and gasping for air, she couldn''t help herself. She wanted to kiss him, and, based on his quick reciprocation, he had been wanting to kiss her as well.


    "What do you want to do now? Want to keep going...?"


    Closing her thighs around Nobu''s still-erect penis, Inami made it clear she was more than willing to continue. If he were beingpletely honest with himself, Nobu wouldn''t haveined even if she had straddled his hips and took the lead without asking. Instead, he brought his hands from her bottom to just above where her tails connected with her body, gingerly cradling her petite frame as he adopted a wry smile and asked, "You''re pretty greedy, aren''t you...?"


    Clicking her tongue, Inami pretended to be annoyed as she briefly cast a nce towards Yui and Onihime. In truth, she was genuinely annoyed, but, as she was currently trying to endear herself to the young man caressing the small of her back, she lowered herself to behaving cutely in front of him.


    Proving the effectiveness of her act, a dry chuckle emanated from Nobu''s throat as he gave Inami''s bottom another light smack as he said, "Rx. It''s not like this is thest time we''ll be having sex. If you''re going to try to monopolize me, you won''t be allowed to stay in the main house..."


    Though it felt weird to be talking to the most powerful member of the Yoshitsune n as if he had some kind of authority over her, Nobu also felt an overwhelming sense of aplishment seeing the remarkably powerful woman dete in response to his words. She could casually ughter him with a simple wave of her hand, yet, as if his words had power over her, Inami''s ears drooped as she exhaled a mncholic sigh and replied, "I suppose..." in a somber tone.


    Following her words, Inami left Nobu at a loss for words as she brought her face closer to his and nuzzled against him like an affectionate kitten. Then, with a look of extreme reluctance on her face, she looked towards Yui and Onihime, saying, "I owe the two of you an apology. I guess I got a little carried away. I''ll let the two of you take things from here..."


    With that said, Inami rose to her feet, adding, "I''m going to take a bath..." before disappearing from the room without bothering to reim her clothes and undergarments. She, like most members of the Yoshitsune n, was far morefortable in the nude than in formal wear. Thus, now that she was basically living within Nobu''s estate, she had no reason to feign decency unless he, personally,ined.


    "..."


    Reacting several seconds after Inami''s departure, Nobu exhaled a sigh before sitting up and looking over at the two girls who had been watching him for the better part of three and a half hours. They had originally intended to excuse themselves, but, for reasons Nobu could only guess at, Inami had effectively convinced them to stay by mentioning bullshit about duty and the fact she was the one visiting.


    As could be expected, the atmosphere had be extremely awkward the moment Inami left the room. Fortunately, Nobu wasn''t exactlycking in shamelessness, so, after ten to fifteen seconds of awkwardness, he gestured towards his junk and said, "Well...it''s not gonna suck itself..." with a wry smile on his face. This was intended as a joke, but, understanding the two would take him literally, it ended up sounding even cringier than he expected.


    Though Yui seemed to understand Nobu''s intentions, an exasperated sigh escaping her throat as she shook her head and smiled, Onihime became visibly excited by the implication she was free to join in. She was actually perfectly content with watching from the side, but, now that she had the chance to get involved, an eager and resolute look developed across her face as she pumped her fists and said, "Leave it to me...!"


    Opening his mouth, Nobu nearly shot down Onihime''s proposal out of habit. The only reason he didn''t was because she had effectively discarded her clothes in less than a second, an excessively excited look on her face as she looked towards him with visibly glistening thighs. Three and a half hours of watching other people make love had done a number on her, and, due to her ve Crest, Onihime couldn''t touch herself without express permission from Nobu, her Master.


    Seeing Yui stay put, Nobu missed the opportunity to dismiss Onihime without making things even more awkward. He had also just been going to town on a girl roughly the same size as her, so, after a brief moment of internal conflict, he just muttered, "Fuck it..." beforeying back with his hands behind his head...


    ...


    ..


    .


    In the end, Nobu ended up staying up all night without getting a wink of sleep. Despite this, he was fully awake and filled with energy as he fiddled around with his phone and allowed Yui to wash his back. This would normally be left to Onihime, but, after participating in a seven-hour fuckathon, the half-oni waspletely spent and recovering in his bedroom.


    Fortunately, this had allowed Nobu to discover something pretty important. The multiplier he had umted by having sex with Inami either didn''t trigger until he opened the cultivation app or it could be offset by having sex with other girls. Since he had only gotten the normal amount of aura from Midori''s, Nariko''s, and Sachiko''s clicks, he was fairly sure it was the former.


    "This thing bes more and more convenient with each passing day..."


    Understanding that Nobu was talking about the stone tablet, Yui''s brows perked up slightly as she asked, "Did something good happen?"


    Nodding his head in affirmation, Nobu exined, "At my current rate of growth, I should be able to reach the Third Realm in the next two to three weeks if I n my schedule properly..."


    Though she had already discussed the matter of Nobu''s exponential growth with her Grandmother, Yui was genuinely surprised to hear him make such a im. She knew he wasn''t lying so that meant he would basically reach a realm that took most people upwards of a decade to reach in only three months. Her talent was considered monstrous among her peers, but,pared to Nobu, she might as well be stuck at the level of Foundation Building...


    "That''s...incredible..."


    Hearing Yui''s uncharacteristically uncertain tone, Nobu shifted his attention from the stone tablet to her face, asking, "You okay...?" in an audibly concerned tone. He might be an irredeemable asshole who shamelessly sleeps with other women but Yui was still the only person he had ever felt genuine affection for. He couldn''t do it right now, but, once they got hitched, he was intending to try and be loyal to her alone. This was likely wishful thinking on his part, but, understanding how disgusted he would be if she slept with other men, he wanted to at least try...


    Though she didn''t know what he was thinking about, Yui could feel Nobu''s concern through his words and actions. She was originally intending to bottle things up and bury them along with the rest of her doubts, but, feeling the care and affection exuding from Nobu''s body as he pulled her into his embrace, it was only a matter of seconds before she revealed everything...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is imba...)

 Chapter 91: Epiphany

    Chapter 91: Epiphany


    After listening to Yuiy out her concerns, Nobu earned a genuine pout from her when he couldn''t help chuckling.


    "What''s so funny...?"


    Though it earned him a re this time, Nobu extended his hand to yfully pinch Yui''s nose as he said, "No need to get upset. It''s just, you seem to have forgotten what kind of system, I mean, how my Heavenly Treasure performs."


    Tilting her head, Yui''s expression reflected the confusion she was feeling as she asked, "What do you mean...?"


    Resisting the urge to pat her on the head this time, Nobu just naked his hands around Yui''s waist as he exined, "My Heavenly Treasure helps me get stronger, sure, but..."


    As his words trailed, Nobu''s expression gradually morphed into a deadpan as the realization of his own ipetence dawned on him. He had been so distracted by everything that was happening as ofte that he hadn''t actually stopped to consider how iprehensibly broken the bonus aura award by Inami was...


    "Holy fuck..."


    Now appearing even more confused, Yui held Nobu with the intent to help him calm down as she asked, "What''s the matter? Did something happen...?"


    Before answering, Nobu''s mind performed a few mental gymnastics to make sure he wasn''t just jumping to conclusions. Fortunately, while he had never been particrly fond of math, he wasn''t aplete idiot. He knew enough to qualify for college and pass his sses, so, after several seconds of awkward silence, a rather eerieugh emanated from his throat before quickly morphing into a three-stage guffaw.


    Though this wasn''t the first time she had seen Nobu have a breakdown, it wasn''t long before Yui''s concern morphed into frustration as she sshed him in the face and eximed, "Will you just tell me already!?"


    Not expecting such a reaction from the raven-haired woman, Nobu just stared at Yui in disbelief until she gradually averted her eyes in an ostensibly bashful manner and said, "Sorry..." in a meek, remarkably adorable tone of voice.


    Unable to suppress his jubtion, a smile quickly developed across Nobu''s face as he gave Yui''s butt a gentle squeeze and exined, "My Heavenly Treasure requires me to empower others if I want to receive the greatest benefits. In other words, you never have to worry about falling behind or bing redundant because I intend to continue powering you up. No matter how powerful I be, you will always be my equal..."


    Though each word made him feel progressively more awkward, Nobu wanted Yui to believe in him. It might sound stupid, but, the moment he heard her say how much she trusted him, his heart had already been seized in the proud warrior woman''s grasp. Now, even if she wanted to get away from him, he wasn''t going to let her go easily...


    Noticing the intense glow in Nobu''s eyes as the steam from the bath began to coalesce and swirl around them, a slight fear began to develop in Yui''s heart. She wasn''t afraid of Nobu. Far from it. Instead, it was a genuine fear that she would never be able to disy the same amount of passion currently visible within his fiery and possessive gaze...


    Fortunately, Nobu didn''t seem to notice her fear. Instead, he held her firmly in his embrace as he leaned forward and ultimately imed her lips as his prize...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though things became a little awkward when Kazue, Nariko, Kumiko, and Sachiko walked in on him pounding Yui in the bath, Nobu was in too great a mood to let such a small matter affect him. Thus, after a mere three hours ofmentation, he managed to recover enough to exin his intentions to Yui.


    Simply put, Nobu realized that he could, theoretically, double the amount of Aura he was earning each day by investing the excess into the people on his Friends List.


    At the present moment, Midori afforded Nobu around 213 Aura per day. With the bonus provided by Inami, this increased to a startling 2,130.


    After his conversation with Yui, Nobu realized that he could basically give all his Aura to one of the girls, and, thanks to Inami, they would transfer all of it back to him after a single session of clicking.


    An example of what Nobu had in mind was investing 10,000 Aura into Midori. This would increase her total Aura to 12,130. So long as the conversion remained fixed, this meant she would go from providing 213 Aura per day to 1,213 Aura per day. With the bonus provided by Inami, this shot up to a startling 12,130 Aura, her literal cultivation base.


    By taking that 12,130 Aura and feeding it back into Midori, Nobu would not only increase her base to 24,260; but, so long as he timed Inami''s bonus properly, he would be earning that same amount each day. He expected there to be some kind of restriction, but, even if that was the case, it meant he could effectively double his Aura with each repetition of the process.


    After exining this in detail to Yui, Kumiko, and Midori herself, Nobu had thetter seated in front of him with a very nervous expression on her face. He didn''t want to force a shit ton of aura into her body without her consent. After all, even breaking through to the First Realm had been an...arduous experience. No one knew what would happen if her Aura suddenly increased from around 2,000 to more than 10,000 in an instant...


    "If you''re scared or uncertain, no one here will force you. You have my word..."


    Though he had been oblivious to the actual pressure Midori was experiencing, Nobu had the girls promise not to pressure Midori, Nariko, Sachiko, or any of the children that woulde to study under them. He wanted to get stronger but he wasn''t willing to exploit or endanger literal children to achieve his goals. Thus, unless the girls were willing to go through with the procedure, he wasn''t going to force them.


    Fortunately, though Nobu wasn''t entirely in agreement with it, the desire to be stronger had been firmly cemented into the hearts and minds of virtually every child born in Nian. Midori was a bit of a pacifist but she was still a descendant of a famous kunoichi n. She had also experienced the terrors of being weak, so, even before Nobu had asked for her consent, she had already made up her mind.


    "Nn! Midori will do her best for Master~!"


    Wincing at the perennially cringe form of address, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he extended his hand to caress Midori''s head, saying, "Thanks...I appreciate it..." in an audibly awkward tone.


    Smiling even more radiantly, Midori waited until Nobu had retracted his hand before hopping to her feet and attempting to remove her top. This left thetter with a stupefied look on his face, but, recalling how Midori had writhed around during her initial breakthrough, an image that refused to expunge itself from his mind, Nobu ultimately just exhaled a sigh as he focused his attention on the stone tablet.


    Once Midori was thoroughly naked and seated in an expectant seiza, Nobu navigated to her page in his Units and Upgrades tab before pressing his thumb on the circr crystal that represented her cultivation base. He had already familiarized himself with the process of transferring Aura when he first unlocked the option, so, under the watchful eyes of more than just the three people present, he held down his thumb and observed as his reserves began to deplete at an ever-increasing rate...


    At first, Midori seemed rtively unaffected by the sudden increase in her Aura. If anything, she felt a sudden urge to jump up and move around. Her stomach felt a little ticklish, but, other than that, it wasn''t too bad.


    Unfortunately, this had only been the case for the first few hundred. Once her reserves exceeded three-thousand and continued to climb, the ticklish sensation in her stomach quickly turned into a deep and pulsating heat. This caused the smile on her face to rapidly fade away, as, momentster, several beads of sweat began to appear across her body.


    Though she did her best to remain as still as possible, it wasn''t long before Midori began to fidget about atop the cushion she was seated upon. Her expression became progressively more strained, and, by the time her Aura had exceeded 4,000, it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to writhe about and seek relief.


    Noticing Midori''s reaction even though he was doing his best to keep all of his attention focused on the stone tablet, Nobu''s expression became progressively more awkward as she did her best to stifle the increasingly sonorous moans escaping her lips. He felt absolutely no attraction towards an eight-year-old brat, but, hearing her impassioned whimpers as her unique aroma quickly filled the room, it was impossible to remainpletely unaffected.


    Fortunately, Nobu quickly learned one of the limitations of the procedure as his Aura value hit ten thousand. This implied that, while it was possible to decrease his Rank, the stone tablet would not allow him to decrease his Realm. In other words, from the moment he broke through to the Second Realm, his minimum Aura had be fixed at 10,000.


    While this was a bit of a pain in the butt, Nobu wasn''t particrly disappointed. Every bit of Aura he invested into the girls would return to him the following day. Thus, while Midori''s Aura had stopped increasing at 7,394, he could easily increase it to more than 14,000 once she finishes her daily clicks.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s expression turned more conflicted than ever before as he briefly cast his gaze towards Midori. She had copsed by the time her Aura had surpassed the five thousand mark, and, shortly after that, her subdued whimpers had turned into spine-chilling moans. He refused to look directly at her, but, seeing the reddish-ck stain and the piss-soaked cushion she had been seated upon, it wasn''t difficult to imagine what had transpired less than a meter away from him...


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu resisted the almost overwhelming urge to just leave the room and let Kumiko deal with the aftermath. Midori''s present state was a direct result of his desire to grow stronger, so, after taking a deep breath and nearly choking due to the smell of ammonia, he surprised everyone by picking up the limp, heavily breathing girl andmanding, "Kumiko. Send for Kazue and have her meet us in the bath. Yui, you''lle with me. I can carry her there but I''ll need you to wash her for me..."


    Adopting one of the most charming smiles Nobu had ever seen on her face, Kumiko quickly rose to her feet before replying, "Leave it to me~!" in an uncharacteristically spirited tone. She was usually a very calm and collected woman, but, seeing Nobu tenderly cradling Midori in his arms, she couldn''t help feeling more motivated than usual. She was also excited by the prospect that her Lord''s power would increase exponentially from this point forward, so, while humming a happy tune, she quickly alighted from the room to retrieve Kazue.


    Though Kumiko''s behavior had left him feeling a little dumbfounded, Nobu quickly recovered when Midori opened her hazy and unfocused eyes. She seemed very confused at first, but, upon realizing who was carrying her, a tired smile blossomed across her face as she weakly inquired, "Master...did Midori do well...?"


    Returning an awkward smile, Nobu did his best to sound as sincere as possible as he softly replied, "You did great, kiddo...now go to sleep. When you wake up, you''ll be stronger than ever before..."


    Smiling so widely that it forced her to squint, Midori sounded far more sincere as she said, "That''s a relief...now I can be useful to Master..." before tucking in her arms and legs. Then, as her eyes slowly closed, she nestled as close to his chest as possible before promptly falling asleep...


    "..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This chapter was super awkward but Midori is he kawaii...)

 Chapter 92: Momentum

    Chapter 92: Momentum


    After the morning''s debacle, Cho gave Midori the rest of the day off while Kazue and Nariko looked after her. As for Nobu, he spent most of the early afternoon watching Yui basically kick Kiku''s ass in swordsmanship. Yui seemed a lot more motivated than usual, so, despite being rtively strong in her own right, there were instances where Kiku was forced one knee, denting the heavily varnished wooden floor every time she received an overhead strike.


    "It''s almost ridiculous how much raw power a golden aura provides..."


    "Indeed. Her speed may be reduced by more than half but her offensive power has increased by an entire order of magnitude. With her talent, she should be able to defeat weaker tinum Heroes if they''re in their twilight years..."


    Turning to face the person who had responded to him, a dauntless smile spread across Nobu''s face as he asked, "Speaking of which...what''s your deal? I''ve heard most cultivators only live to be a few hundred years old. Are you seriously more than six-thousand...?"


    Snorting through her nose, Inami sent Nobu a dirty look, her tails bristling enough to produce a kind of hissing sound as she replied, "I don''t believe that''s any of your concern..."


    "Isn''t it though? You''re usually facing away from me but I''ve seen the look on your face whenever I make you cum. y it off as being in heat all you want, but I can tell when a woman is addicted to my cock."


    Though Inami''s body and ears tensed up like she was about to jump up and smack him down, the only thing Nobu looked at was the flush on her face. Beyond that, he was staring into her pink eyes, a teasing look in his own as he added, "Hey now, no need to get your britches in a bunch. After all, I''m pretty fucking invested in that monstrous pussy of yours. Seriously, if it wasn''t attached to your body I would think it''s a living creature with how greedily it coils around my cock..."


    "Y-Y-You...! Absolutely shameless...!"


    Interrupting Yui''s and Kiku''s spar, Inami released a bit of her aura as she bounced to her feet, tails flicking behind her as she promptly turned to depart. She thought she had gotten used to Nobu''s way of speaking. It was only at this moment that she knew how truly brazen the Young Lord of the Oda n could be.


    Following Inami''s departure with his eyes, Nobu allowed his gaze to linger on her bottom. It might be due to the fact she had numerous tails, but, despite being rtively small, it was pert and perky. It was also exclusively his at the moment, so, while he generally preferred more mature women, that didn''t stop him from admiring the little nympho who had taken up residence in his estate.


    "Nobu...?"


    Turning his head to meet the stunned gazes of Yui and Kiku, Nobu''s smile became markedly more sincere as he asserted, "It''s nothing. Let''s just say I''m being an asshole. Nothing new there."


    On that note, Nobu rose to his feet before giving his back a satisfying pop as he added, "Speaking of which, I guess it''s about time I man up and have a chat with Yuriko. Know where I might-"


    Before he even finished speaking, a soft thump sounded next to Nobu as Yuriko appeared out of thin air. She had been on duty all day after Yui informed her that Nobu would eventually call out to her. Thus, despite feeling exceptionally nervous, she dutifully made her presence known.


    "Well, that''s convenient..."


    Punctuating his words, Nobu surprised all three girls by grabbing Yuriko''s hand and saying, "Come along. Let''s get this over with."


    Though her heart was racing faster than a rabbit''s, Yuriko offered no resistance as Nobu practically pulled her out of the room. This left Yui and Kiku with gobsmacked expressions on their face, thetter turning to the former to ask, "Did I miss something? Our Lord...I don''t think I''ve ever seen him behave fortably...?"


    Not really sure how to put it, Kiku''s silvery-white brows furrowed into a deeply troubled expression as she thought about what might have changed in thest twenty-four hours. The simplest answer was that Nobu was feeling significantly less pressure after meeting with his parents. The only reason she dismissed this was because he had been behaving perfectly normal the previous afternoon...


    Since they had yet to discuss the breakthrough Nobu had made in regards to his Heavenly Treasure, Yui wasn''t surprised by Kiku''s concern. She was personally still a bit shaken after how greedily Nobu had ''devoured'' her in the bath. If she hadn''t witnessed the changes first-hand, she would have been just as confused as everyone else was bound to be.


    "I believe our Lord...Nobu has finally found his path forward. Prior to this morning, he was still filled with all kinds of doubts. Now that he has figured out a method to achieve what he desires, his true nature is beginning to present itself..."


    Recalling how Nobu had behaved during their time in the cave, a wry yet nostalgic smile developed across Yui''s face. This caught Kiku by surprise, but, thanks to the toothy mask covering much of her face, it was nearly impossible to read her expression.


    Nearly being the key modifier.


    Noticing the subtle twitch of Kiku''s striking blue eyes, the smile on Yui''s face promptly faded as she asked, "Do you require a longer rest or are you ready to continue?"


    Though her instincts told her she had somehow offended the raven-haired beauty standing across from her, Kiku wouldn''t have taken up the odachi if she was easily daunted. Even a single mistake with such arge weapon could result in instant death, so, the moment Yui asked if she was ready to continue, a toothy grin developed beneath her mask...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Not really knowing where else to take her, Nobu ended up dragging Yuriko to the same ce he had effectively proposed to Yui. He didn''t know it but Yuriko was well aware of this, so, the closer they got to the spot, the ruddier herplexion became


    Unfortunately, Nobu hadn''t brought the busty and athletic kunoichi there to propose. Instead, he wanted to make things transparently clear for her, so, after stopping in the middle of the clearing, he turned around, ced his hands on her shoulders, and said, "Listen, you need to calm the fuck down with all this yandere psycho shit. I''m not gonna beat around the bush. I like you. You know I like you. However, that doesn''t give you leeway to act hostile and envious towards the other girls."


    Blinking in surprise, Yuriko wanted to say something to justify her actions but Nobu cut her off with a quick shake of his head, adding, "I''m serious, Yuriko. I intend to keep you at my side for as long as possible. I wasn''t just blowing hot air up your ass when I gave my impression of you during our first meeting. I thought you would be a woman I could just hang out with without having to worry about moreplicated shit. Instead, you''re turning into a creepy stalker who only thinks about herself. It needs to stop. I don''t want to lose you. I don''t want to lose any of you. Ever."


    Not sure what to say, Yuriko just deted like a balloon beneath Nobu''s admonishing words. She would never admit it but the thought of getting rid of Yui and some of the more troublesome girls had actually crossed her mind. She hated how her former rival was able to share Nobu''s bed, and, now that their n''s Guardian had somehow gotten involved, she was genuinely afraid he would just forget about her. After all, Nobu hadn''t exactly been tactful regarding his thoughts about their Ancestral Guardian''s "pussy"...


    Raising Yuriko''s chin, Nobu forced her to look directly at him as he said, "I don''t know if I ever told you this, but your eyes are fucking amazing..."


    "Huh...?"


    Not stopping at her eyes, Nobu shamelessly moved his hands to Yuriko''s breasts, ascivious look in his eyes as he added, "Your breasts are also incredible. Easily a ten out of ten..."


    Blinking in stupefaction, Yuriko''s anxiety gradually faded as Nobu proceeded to tell her what he thought about pretty much every part of her body. He evenmented on her tattoo, the visible lines of her abdominal muscles, and the tiny mole she had on the underside of her right arm. After that, he snaked his hands around her waist, tightly gripping her butt as he said, "Listen...neither of us chose this life. I had more say than others but I ended up shooting myself in the foot because of it..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu pulled Yuriko even closer as he said, "What I''m trying to say is...you belong to me. I''m not going to let you go and I sure as hell ain''t gonna toss you aside so cut it out with all this going rogue bullshit...okay...?"


    Though he had thought about what he wanted to say, Nobu hadn''t exactly rehearsed anything. The only advice Yui had given him was to be as honest and direct as possible. He needed to remove any doubts Yuriko had in his mind. So long as he could do that, she should, ording to what everyone had been telling him, calm the fuck down.


    While a more modern girl might have been offended by Nobu basically dering her a possession, Yuriko actually rxed. Nobu might never be able to understand it, but, by asking them to behave casually around him, he had inadvertently ced a tremendous amount of pressure on the kunoichi in his charge. They simply weren''t programmed to regard him as a friend, so, the more she tried to resist her conditioning, the more Yuriko''s mental state deteriorated.


    Now that Nobu had meticulouslyid everything out for her, a tremendous burden had been lifted from Yuriko''s heart and mind. She still wanted to be with him and spend more time together, but, knowing he would never abandon her, most of the anxiety that had been building within her over thest couple of days had faded into thin air. She could also tell he was genuinely concerned for her, so, after several seconds of silence, a teasing developed across her face as she asked, "So you think my eyes are fucking amazing, huh? Do you have any idea how dumb that sounds...?"


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu gave Yuriko''s butt a firm squeeze, effectively spreading her ass cheeks beneath her baggy green hakama. Unlike before, however, she didn''t immediately start behaving like a bitch in heat. Instead, she adopted a furrow of her own as she asked, "I''m notining, but how long are you going to keep holding me like this? Let me know so I can decide whether or not I''m going to wrap my legs around your waist. Standing on the tips of my toes is starting to get a little ufortable..."


    Since Nobucked the physical strength to raise her of his own ord, Yuriko had been helping him out by reducing her weight and standing on her toes. Unfortunately, she wasn''t quite at the level where she couldpletely negate the effects of her aura, so, while her actual weight was only 45kgs, anyone trying to lift her would be working against around 90kgs.


    Nobu had been busting his ass off to train, but, even with the benefits provided by Inami, he was still incrediblynky. His particr cultivation method also didn''t enhance his strength by forcing him to adapt against the rigidity and weight of various metals, so, while he wasn''t exactly weak, he was far from being able to pick up 200lbs casually. Thus, even if it was only for a short while, Yuriko felt like teasing him.


    "You cheeky little..."


    Resisting the urge to call Yuriko a bitch, Nobu ultimately swallowed his words before releasing his hold on her bottom. This gave Yuriko the impression he was about to dismiss her, but, before she could even think about what she was going to do from now on, he surprised her by saying, "Turn around and put your hands against the wall. I might not be able to lift your ass but I can sure as hell gouge you like a fucking drill press. I heard a lot of kunoichi are pretty into butt stuff. Let me see you spread those cheeks..."


    Though she didn''t think her idlement would earn her such a reward, Yuriko sure as hell wasn''t going toin. Rather, she had been looking forward to the day her Lord would do her in the butt, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, she motioned to unfastened the cord around her waist until Nobu said, "I didn''t say to take off your clothes. I told you to turn your ass around. I can''t fuck the pants off of you if you take them off at the start..."


    Feeling even giddier than before, Yuriko had to swallow a knot in her throat as she dutifully turned around and presented her butt to Nobu. She was a little frustrated by the fact he spent more than ten minutes just groping her, but, rather thanin, she just focused on the movements of his hands, excitement swelling within her as he dropped her trousers and plunged his muchrger than average penis into her well-developed anus...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Our boy just found his stride O_O...)

 Chapter 93: Going With the Flow

    Chapter 93: Going With the Flow


    In the days that followed his initial revtion, Nobu spent a fair amount of time organizing his schedule and learning about the limitations of his stone tablet.


    One of the first discoveries he made was that it was impossible to increase a person''s Aura beyond their current Realm until they had broken through. After that, there was a thirty-day period where he could invest Aura into them but not into their base.


    While this might sound like an inconvenience, it was actually a good thing as it gave Midori thirty days to stabilize her aura and familiarize herself with her current strength. It also incentivized Nobu to invest his Aura into others, so, while he had been looking forward to gaming the system a bit, he wasn''t particrly bothered by the development.


    By the time a week had passed, Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko all had more than enough cultivation base to break through into the next Realm. In other words, so long as he properly organized his schedule, Nobu could earn upwards of 30,000 Aura per day without needing to click.


    Unfortunately, there seemed to be a hard limit to the amount of Aura he could receive from others based on their Realm. By the time he had received 10,000 Aura from each of the three girls, they no longer had the option to click at his behest.


    Based on this discovery, Nobu came to the conclusion that the maximum amount of Aura he could receive from a person corrted to the threshold for breaking through to the next Realm. In other words, he would receive 10,000 from people in the First Realm, 100,000 from people in the Second Realm, and 1,000,000 from people in the Third Realm.


    Simply put, if he wanted to rely on others to elevate him to the Third Realm, Nobu would need the support of at least ten people at the Realm beneath him. The efforts of Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko had brought his total aura to 31,567. Thus, unless he recruited a few additional "friends", he would need to earn the remaining 68,433 on his own.


    While this discovery had taken a bit of the wind out of his sails, Nobu didn''t let it deter him. Rather, he saw it as an opportunity to strengthen his foundation and improve his physique. Increasing his Aura was great and all, but, evenpared to the three brats, his control wasplete shit. Thus, while Onihime dutifully clicked for him off to the side, Nobu had been training every morning under the watchful eye of Inami.


    At first, Nobu was annoyed by how Inami would persistently offer him advice, but, after realizing how effective some of her suggestions were, he decided to just go with the flow. She hadn''t lived for more than six thousand years without picking up a few tricks along the way, and, as a kitsune, she was exceptionally talented at manipting mes.


    Though most wouldn''t make a direct corrtion between fire and air, Nobu knew the two were intrinsically rted to each other. He also found it rather novel that Inami''s specific form of martial arts was effectively fire and waterbending on steroids. She could use her mes to directly turn her opponents to ash or drastically increase the malleability of her mithril-infused aura to the point it resembled a glowing, greenish-blue liquid.


    Truth be told, Nobu couldn''t imagine how anyone could pierce Inami''s defenses. The thought of being hit with a veritable deluge of superheated metal was also scary as fuck, so, while he couldn''t help teasing her, he made sure never to genuinely offend her. He wasn''t afraid that she would try to harm him, but, knowing she could surround him in a cacoon of superheated Mithril with a flick of her wrist, it was better to y it safe.


    Fortunately, even if he did piss her off, Nobu was pretty sure that Inami wouldn''t actually try to hurt him. Her status as the Guardian of the Yoshitsune n was one reason for this, but, more than that, it was the way the vulpine woman looked at him that gave him the confidence to tease her.


    She might be unwilling to admit it but even the trio of Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko had taken notice of the fact that Inami''s expression would light up the moment she entered the same room as Nobu. The movement of her ears and tails would change noticeably as well, so, even if he outright bullied her, Nobu couldn''t see Inami baring her fangs and ws at him. He was even beginning to suspect she was a bit of a masochist, or, at the very least, a closet sub.


    Simply put, Inami enjoyed being treated roughly. She had even allowed him to hold onto her ears and throat fuck her a few times. Sheined about it, sure, but, considering she woke him with a deepthraot the following morning, it was pretty obvious she didn''t actually mind. Rather, he was pretty fucking sure she wanted him to treat her roughly. Not that this was particrly umon among members of the Yoshitsune n...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Watching as his cock magically appeared and disappeared within the ass of the scantily d woman bouncing on his hips, Nobu couldn''t help wondering what the fuck had been wrong with him when he first arrived at the Yoshitsune n. Sure, it was super fucking cringe to be coddled and regarded as a Lord and shit, but, at the same time, he was surrounded by dozens of stupidly beautiful women who wouldn''t even hesitate to spread their legs if he asked them to.


    After his little encounter with Yuriko, Nobu ended up having simr discussions with each member of his entourage. He had basically decided to just man up and ept ownership of each and every single one of them. They already regarded themselves as his possessions, so, rather than continue forcing them to behave the way he wanted, Nobu decided to just go with the flow and treat them the way they expected to be treated.


    It was a little awkward at first, but, seeing the impassioned looked on Chikako''s face as she eagerly impaled herself on his cock, Nobu felt as though he had made the right decision. Hell, he was even seriously considering taking each of their virginities. Sure, this mightplicate things quite a bit if the warnings of Hitomi and Yui were to be believed, but, rather than sending them off to be fucked by some random piece of shit Noble, Nobu would rather im the girls for himself. After all, he had the ability to power them up to the point that espionage and subterfuge were pointless.


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu surprised Chikako by rising to a seated position. He didn''t mind letting her ride his cock until she was satisfied, but, feeling his pelvis beginning to ache due to her weight mming down into him like a machine press, he decided to take matters into his own hands.


    Fortunately, like pretty much every member of Nobu''s entourage, Chikako was more than happy to oblige the change in position. It had even started to circte among the girls that Nobu''s preferred positions were what their manuals referred to as animal style and mating press. Simply put, he liked to put them into positions where he could pound them as hard and as liberally as he liked...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After blowing his load into Chikako''s ass, Nobu gave the raven-haired beauty''s remarkably rounded bottom a light smack as Onihime approached him with a towel, arge sponge, and a bucket of hot water. He had been having a lot of sex as ofte so Onihime had proposed the idea of saving him a trip to the bath by carrying around everything she would need to personally see to his hygiene.


    Nobu had been against it at first, but, after showing him how she could heat the water by simply cing her hands inside, he eventually agreed on the grounds that Onihime would only carry the bucket when they were in the manor. After all, if the others were to see her following him around with all the materials she needed to give him a sponge bath, they might immediately assume he wanted to fuck.


    While he had been going to town after setting aside his inhibitions, Nobu didn''t consider himself a horndog. Sure, he liked to fuck, and, due to the presence of so many ridiculously beautiful women, it was easy to develop the urge to whip his dick out. The problem was, without the aid of medicinal herbs, he could only realistically blow his load two or three times before his balls began to protest. Thus, while he didn''t mind giving the girls a casual dicking, he didn''t want them to develop the idea that he only sought them when he wanted to bone.


    It might sound stupid and hypocritical, but Nobu was still determined to get the girls to mellow out and behave casually around him. At the very least, he wanted to reach a point where they were able to behave like Hitomi, Suzune, and, to a lesser extent, Inami. He may have epted ownership and responsibility for them, but, no matter how they viewed themselves, he still saw them as people. If it took promoting them to the pinnacle of Mithril, Orichalcum, or even Adamantine to convince them this was the case, he would do so...


    "Master...may I...?"


    Breaking free from the sage-like state that followed a good fucking, Nobu looked towards Onihime to find her eyeing his half-erect penis. She didn''t seem even remotely bothered by the fact he had just been plowing another woman in the ass. Instead, there was a hungry look in her eyes, and, so long as he gave her permission, Nobu knew she would greedily swallow his cock until her nose was tickling his pubes.


    Noticing a simr look directed at him by the always taciturn Chikako, Nobu just chuckled before nodding towards his junk and saying, "Go for it. My balls are pretty much running on empty but I can probably fire a nk or two if you work hard. Just wipe it down first. I don''t want you getting a stomach ache or an infection."


    Though she was tempted to remind Nobu that her heritage made it all but impossible for her to get sick, Onihime just smiled happily in response to his words. She was both a ve and a Half-Oni so it wouldn''t have been strange for her to scorn and abuse her. Instead, he often showed her more care than she showed herself. He seemed to think he was a terrible person, but, from each of their points of view, Nobu was one of the kindest and most benevolent Nobles in all of Nian.


    With this in mind, Onihime dutifully cleaned her Master''s privates while Chikako helped to tie up her hair even without her asking. Then, once he waspletely cleaned, she couldn''t help licking her lips for a brief moment as she lowered her head to gently kiss the tip of his now erect penis...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though it had only been a few weeks since the first time she and Nobu had sex, Inami was currently hunched over a bucket of her own, cold sweat covering her body as she emptied the contents of her already depleted stomach into the foul-smelling pail. This wasn''t her first time being pregnant, but, as thest time was well over five thousand years ago, she wasn''t exactly used to it.


    Borrowing a bit of Nobu''s vernacr, Inami hissed an aggrieved, "Dammit...!" as she tried and failed to alleviate the symptoms of her nausea by circting her Aura. Unfortunately, now that she had an additional life gestating in her womb, her control was exponentially worse than usual. This was one of the major downsides to being pregnant as a cultivator. By the time the delivery was approaching, you were basically as weak as someone without any cultivation base whatsoever.


    "I swear...if this one isn''t born a male, I''m going to wring that brats neck for making me have to go through this hellish exp-"


    Unable to finish her words, Inami gagged painfully as a bit of stomach acid forced its way up and out of her mouth...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: O_O...)

 Chapter 94: Intuition

    Chapter 94: Intuition


    Though it was a massive pain in the ass, both literally and figuratively, Nobu was kneeling in a pale imitation of a seiza as he attempted to extinguish specific candles among the hundreds that were encircling him.


    Nobu''s biggest weakness at this point was his inability to freely manipte his Aura. He was getting better at it, but,pared to people who had spent years refining their control when they had very limited reserves, he was terrible at it.


    When he had first started his control training, Nobu had elected to train alongside Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko. It was intended to be a bonding exercise, but, once he realized how far behind he was despite the fact they were only eight, he promptly decided to seek Inami''s assistance.


    Fortunately, one of the excuses Inami had given for staying in the estate was helping Nobu with his training. She also had a tremendous amount of experience, and, due to her specializing as a sensor, her insight was far beyond what Kumiko could provide. Nobu still entrusted thetter with his basic education, but, when it came to cultivation, Inami and Yui were his go-to sources for guidance and insight.


    The only problem was that Inami arbitrarily inted the difficulty based on her mood. She argued that this would allow him to maintain control under duress, but, from Nobu''s point of view, she was basically just horny...


    "I''m trying to focus..."


    Giggling in response to Nobu''s words, Inami continued to nuzzle him from behind, a teasing smile on her face as she said, "Then focus. Do you think your enemies will just stand still and wait for you to act? A true master is able to maintain control regardless of the situation..."


    As she was saying this, Inami traced her hands over the gradually developing muscles of Nobu''s body with a subtle pink glow in the depths of her eyes. Then, just as he was attempting to ignore her and focus on a specific candle, she promptly licked the back of his ear.


    Unable to maintain control, Nobu''s brow began to twitch as he ended up extinguishing most of the candles surrounding his target. Before he couldin, however, Inami suddenly reminded, "Kaia is going to be transported this evening. Do you want to go pick her up or would you rather wait for her here?"


    Recalling the wolfish woman he had met nearly a month prior, a smile developed across Nobu''s face as he said, "I''ll wait for her here. I''ve already talked with the others and they agreed it would be for the best if I left her transport to them. If I was present, there is a chance Kaia might lose her cool and make transporting her back problematic..."


    Though she had somewhat expected Nobu to insist that he help in Kaia''s transfer, Inami supplied a curt nod of approval in response to his words. There was such a thing as taking sentiments too far, and, while it was nice to show consideration towards your subordinates, doing so at the expense of your other retainers was rarely a good idea.


    "Then you should rest and make the necessary preparations. I imagine you''ll be wanting to spend some time with her once she arrives, correct?"


    Nodding his head, Nobu was about to exin his intentions when Inami interjected, adding, "Just make sure Yui and someone else is with you. I''m not going to tell you not to have sex with her but there is no-"


    "Wait, what...?"


    Blinking in surprise, Inami released her hold on Nobu before tilting her head to the side and asking, "Are you not intending to bed her? At this point, the only person you haven''tid a hand on are the final two members of your entourage. It would have been fine to ignore them if you only sunk your teeth into Yui and Yuriko. Now that you''ve crossed the line with the other ten, it is only natural that youplete the set. Leaving out just two people is bound to make them feel inadequate..."


    Changing the topic, albeit only slightly, Nobu adopted a frown as he said, "That reminds me. When am I going to meet the final member of my entourage? It''s weird that I''ve been here for more than a month and have yet to even see what she looks like..."


    "Mmm...there''s a pretty simple exnation for that. Though her tail had to be removed when she was an infant, Yufu-chan is still a kitsune. There are medicines to inhibit the effects, but, if she were to meet you in her present state, there is a very good chance she would inadvertently injure you. In the worst-case scenario, you may even end up impregnating her. Kitsune that have sex while they''re in heat are almost guaranteed to get pregnant."


    Though she spoke casually, Inami''s stomach felt indescribably fluttery as sheid the foundation for her own pregnancy. This became even worse when she saw the look of realization in Nobu''s eyes as he asked, "Aren''t you a kitsune...?"


    A stark contrast to how anxious she was feeling, Inami managed to appear calm as she issued an amused chuckle and exined, "At my age, it is nearly impossible for me to get pregnant. There is also the matter of your cultivation base, and, more importantly, the medicines I''ve been taking to prevent any mishaps. Even if we remained locked together throughout the entirety of Spring, the odds of you getting me pregnant are astronomically small."


    As her words were intended to lower his guard and open his mind to the possibility that there was, no matter how small, a chance, Inami was quite surprised when Nobu suddenly held his head with both hands. She could also hear him muttering something under his breath. Something about gs and the fact that she had just nted the biggest he''d ever seen.


    Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, the hairs across Inami''s body stood on end when Nobu looked at her with a dead look in his eyes, saying, "Let''s assume you did get pregnant...what are our options? Like, does this world have...you know..."


    Though he was about to ask if she could get an abortion, a shudder ran through Nobu''s body at the mere thought of such a thing. He was an irredeemable asshole, sure. He wasn''t afraid to admit that. However, while he wasn''t even remotely ready to be a father, the thought of yeeting his own children just felt fucked up. He had already fucked up quite a bit since his arrival in this world so it didn''t seem even remotely fair to just abort his own flesh and blood because he was too chicken-shit to take responsibility...


    Understanding what Nobu was going to suggest, Inami''s heart was beating faster than a rabbit''s as her entire body tensed like a spring. If he brought the matter to Hitomi, she would have no choice but to abort. It wouldn''t matter if she had acted at the behest of Inari Okami-sama. Without Nobu''s support of the idea, there was no way in hell she would be allowed to bring the child to term.


    What Inami didn''t expect was for Nobu to smack himself in the forehead a couple of times before staring directly at her and saying, "Fuck it...listen up. I''m not saying you should try, but, if by some fucking miracle you end up getting pregnant, these are the ground rules. First of all, you''ll be my woman from that moment forward. I don''t give a fuck what other people say. I''m not going to let the mother of my children piss off and spread her legs for someone else. Second, I don''t give a fuck about the Yoshitsune n''s or anyone else''s traditions. None of my children are going to be trained as kunoichi. Understood?"


    Though he might be overreacting, Inami''s words had convinced Nobu that she was pregnant. This world seemed to follow a lot of narrative tropes so there was no way in hell nothing would happen after she nted a g the size of fucking Mars. She was also the literal High Priestess representing the piece of shit Inari and the literal catalyst for his rapidly increasing strength. If she wasn''t carrying his baby, he would eat his fucking foot.


    Surprised by the fervor and resolution contained within Nobu''s words, Inami genuinely had no idea how she should respond. She should be feeling relief, but, hearing Nobu basically state that he was going to im her if she ever gave birth to his children, a feeling of giddiness began to swell within her chest.


    In the end, the only response Inami could muster was an uncharacteristically meek, "Okay..." as she averted her eyes to the side. This caused Nobu to issue an exhausted sigh, his body sprawling out on the ground as he asked, "Does the Yosthistune n have a method to tell if someones pregnant or do you just wait until your bellies to swell?"


    Answering truthfully, Inami exined, "When we are actively trying to get pregnant, we need only spread our Aura through our body and focus on the region around our navel. If there is a new life budding there, it isn''t particrly difficult to find..."


    Rising to a seated position, Nobu''s gaze became even more intense than before as he said, "I want you to check. Right here. Right now."


    Swallowing in response to Nobu''s words, Inami ced her palm on her stomach before closing her eyes and pretending to focus her Aura. She was already close to five weeks at this point, so, while it was only the size of a grain of rice, it wasn''t difficult to find the fetus-


    Though she was initially preparing herself to feign surprise, Inami was genuinely shocked to find, not one, but two fetuses developing in her womb. Her eyes widened to an almostical extent, words failing her as Nobu exhaled a sigh and muttered, "I fucking knew it..."


    Blushing furiously, Inami wasn''t lying when she stammered, "This...this shouldn''t be possible...!"


    Thinking she was just talking about the pregnancy, Nobu just muttered, "Yeah, yeah, good luck with that..." as he stared up at the ceiling. Now that he had confirmed his suspicions, he felt as though all the tensions in his body had drained away. He couldn''t even hear Inami''s follow-up remark, as, for a brief moment, his brain had basically shut down.


    Noticing Nobu''s state, Inami couldn''t help panicking. His previous words made it seem as though he had approved of her pregnancy. Now, however, it seemed like he was seriously contemting whether or not he should force her to have an abortion. She couldn''t risk this, so, after oveing the anxiety filling her entire being, she made her way over to him, tentatively caressing the left side of his face as she asked, "Are you okay...?" in a genuinely concerned tone.


    Though he didn''t shift his unfocused gaze from the ceiling, it wasn''t long before Nobu answered, "Yeah...I''m fine..." in a listless monotone. This caused Inami to feel even more concerned, but, before she could think of anything to say, Nobu surprised her by grabbing her hand and saying, "Let''s justy here for a moment...I need time to think..."


    Understanding that he was telling her toy next to him, Inami swallowed a second time before curling up next to Nobu with her head on his shoulder. This somehow felt more intimate than all the times they had sex, as, rather than aggressively assail her, Nobu just wrapped his arm around her body, absentmindedly caressing her shoulder as he stared nkly at the ceiling...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu''s ability to spot gs is still going strong. Now he just needs to learn how to break them before they''re nted too deeply xD...)

 Chapter 95: Taking a Stand

    Chapter 95: Taking a Stand


    After graduallying to terms with the fact that he was going to be a father, Nobu, still cradling the uncharacteristically obedient Inami, asked, "So? What now? I don''t really care about culture and traditions but I can''t imagine this being okay with either of ours ns..."


    Curling up into an even smaller ball than the one she was already in, Inami tucked her head closer to Nobu as she answered, "You''re right...if it bes known I''m pregnant with your children, there is a chance I will be forced to abort it. Depending on the circumstances, I may even be put to death. It is heavily frowned upon for-"


    "Wait a minute. Did you just say children? As in more than than one...?"


    Nodding her head, Inami slowly and deliberately moved her hand to her exposed abdomen as she exined, "There are currently two lives growing inside of me..."


    "Of course there are..."


    Punctuating his words with an incredulous chuckle, Nobu returned his gaze to the ceiling above. He hadn''t even considered the possibility of twins. ording to what he had learned from Kumiko and Yui, it was supposed to be impossible due to some convoluted bullshit rted to the bnce of Yin and Yang Elemental energy within the mother''s body.


    "Fate really is pulling all the stops to fuck with me..."


    Perking her ears, Inami was tempted to ask what Nobu meant, but, immediately after the utterance, Nobu pulled her closer, adding, "Well, it''s whatever. Like I said before, I don''t really care about shit like that. From now on, you''re my woman. Understood...?"


    Furrowing her brows, Inami briefly considered protesting. Sure, she might need Nobu''s support to carry her children to term but she was still the Guardian of the Yoshitsune n. She wasn''t going to just-


    Interrupting Inami''s train of thought, Nobu nted a kiss atop her head before pulling her deeper into his embrace, practically cuddling her as he absentmindedly mused, "Guess I''ll need to work a little harder to make this world a better ce for our children..."


    With Nobu''s words serving as a very prominent reminder of his destiny, Inami promptly suppressed her pride as she nestled against his chest. She had almost forgotten how truly special Nobu was. He was the man prophesied to, quite literally, unify all of Nian. Compared to that, what value was there in a title that designated her the Guardian of a single n...?


    "Waka-danna is already a great man...were to genuinely exert yourself, there would be nothing in this world that could stop you..."


    Though he got the distinct impression Inami was brownnosing him, a light chuckle still emanated from Nobu''s throat. It could be pretty awkward at times but it never felt bad to receive someone''s praise. Inami was also, at least for the time being, far beyond him in terms of skill, experience, and just about everything else that mattered in this world. Despite this, she still cuddled up next to him as if he were the one supporting her...


    "You''re pretty cute. Did I ever tell you that...?"


    Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Inami allowed her inordinatelyrge and fluffy ears to gently bat Nobu''s chin as he went on to add, "Also, stop calling me Waka-danna. My name is Nobunaga, not Young Master. If you''re going to be my woman, you need to get in the habit of calling me by name. If our kids start throwing around honorifics, you''re the one who''ll be receiving a spanking..."


    With her butt twitching involuntarily in response to Nobu''s words, a rather potent me began to spread through Inami''s body. She had already realized it, but, whenever Nobu behaved in a brutish or tyrannical manner, her instincts would go haywire. Her heat had actually subsided several weeks prior, yet, every time she was around him, her body would go crazy with the desire to breed.


    ("This must be how other kunoichi feel when they imprint on someone...how utterly ridiculous...")


    A stark contrast to her thoughts, Inami pulled herself up to nt a kiss on Nobu''s lips. Then, with a fiery glow in her eyes, ascivious smile spread across her face as she stated, "I''ve never been called cute before...I''m not sure whether I should punish or reward you..."


    Feeling Inami''s body temperature rapidly increasing, a crooked smile developed across Nobu''s face as he asked, "Are you okay to keep fucking...?"


    Borrowing a bit of Nobu''s vernacr, an amused chuckle emanated from Inami''s throat as she said, "How arrogant...your cock, while impressive, isn''t ''that'' big. If you''ll recall, I still have to let you lead just to avoid identally injuring you. Even if you were ten times rougher with me, it would feel no different than a child pestering me for attention..."


    "..."


    Though he got the impression that Inami was trying to talk dirty with him, Nobu wasn''t particrly fond of her choice of words. He understood this was basically her way of asking him to be rougher with her, but, at the same time, she had insulted his pride. He didn''t consider himself a vain person but he had asked the Goddess of the Six Paths to let him keep his body prior to reincarnating. This ended up being the biggest mistake he ever made so it actually hurt quite a bit to hear someone, even inadvertently, rub it in...


    Fortunately, Nobu was nothing if not shameless, so, just as Inami was beginning to feel as though she had erred, a smile developed across his face as she said, "Now I kind of want to push my luck. Lay down. It might seem a little redundant at this point but I''m going to put you in a mating press. Let''s see how you talk when you''re stomach is inted and your eyes are rolling into the back of your head..."


    Without waiting for Inami''s response, Nobu rolled over so that he was leaning over her ostensibly frail and petite body. He was intending to pin her tails beneath her, but, as if nothing in the world could stop them, they ended up sliding free as she linked her arms around his neck and yfully mused, "Show me what you''ve got, Wa-ka-cha-ma~."


    And so he did.


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he was originally nning to stay in the estate while Kaia was being transferred over, Nobu ultimately elected to go with them. Instead of traveling the entire way, however, he stopped over at the main house located atop the mountain with Yui, Onihime, and Inami in tow. He couldn''t exactly keep Inami''s pregnancy a secret, so, before things got even further out of hand, he was nning to make his stance known to Hitomi, and, if necessary, the rest of the Elders.


    Fortunately, or perhaps not, each of the aforementioned individuals had already gathered together. They were clearly awaiting the group''s arrival, and, considering there wasn''t even a trace of Hitomi''s usual smile, it was pretty obvious she knew exactly why they were visiting. When Inami took it upon herself to sit on Nobu''s opposite side, effectively nking him with Yui, her reddish-pink eye literally glowed with a malicious red light.


    Surprising everyone present, even the inexpressibly befuddled Yui, Nobu was actually the first to speak, dering, "Stop ring. I''ve already made up my mind. Even if there was some shady shit going on behind the scenes, it was my decision to fuck Inami every day for the past five weeks. If you want to me someone, me me. Leave Inami out of this."


    Though Hitomi didn''t stop ring, Inami found it hard to suppress a smile as her ears and tails twitched happily in response to Nobu''s words. It was at times like this that his brash nature seemed like a blessing rather than a curse. Most people, even Nobles, would cower if they found themselves in a simr position. Nobu was the exact opposite in this regard as he actually became increasingly more obstinate as the odds were stacked against him.


    "Waka-chan...I don''t think you understand the gravity of the current situation..."


    Instead of refuting Hitomi''s words, Nobu responded with a curt, "You''re right." before following it with a defiant, "I also don''t give a damn."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Realizing that Nobu wasn''t going to give ground on this issue, a tired sigh escaped Hitomi''s lips as she massaged her temples and said, "I''ll need to report this to your father, Lord Senken. Knowing him, he probably won''t mind all that much. However, you''ll need to be prepared. If either of Inami-sama''s children are born male-"


    Interrupting before Hitomi could finish nting her massive fucking red g, Nobu''s expression darkened as he said, "Don''t say shit like that. I''ve already discussed this with Yui but I can basically tell when shit''s about to hit the fan based on people''s words and actions. If you go around saying things like that, you''re basically tempting fate to fuck with you. Just drop it."


    Recalling quite a number of conversations rted to Nobu''s apparent precognitive ability, Hitomi just nodded her head, stating, "Very well. I will defer to your judgment on this matter. So long as your decisions do not jeopardize the survival of our n, you will continue to have our support..."


    Though he was tempted to point out that was also a g, Nobu knew he wouldn''t be able to avoid trouble once his cultivation base exceeded a certain threshold. His decision to save the Yoshitsune n would also ce him at odds with one of the Matron Goddesses of Nian, so, even if he would rathery low and avoid trouble, Nobu knew it would invariably find him. Running away was always an option, but, in a world filled with magic, monsters, and cultivation, his only real options were to give up, kill himself, or be strong enough to beat the ever-living shit out of anyone who stood in his way...


    Since his life and death were bing increasingly interconnected with the lives and deaths of others, Nobu had already chosen to pursue the path of power. There were things in this world he wanted to protect, and, based on this most recent development with Inami, it was pretty obvious that fate wanted to give him even more reasons to pursue the path of his predecessor. He didn''t care if other people viewed him as a fool. When everything was said and done, the world would both celebrate and fear the name Oda Nobunaga...


    "Don''t worry. With my support, the Yoshitsune n will be second only to the Oda in status and authority. By the time I make my debut a year from now, your n will have dozens of additional cultivators in the Fifth Realm, if not higher. I guaran-fucking-tee it."


    Understanding that Nobu was talking about the children who would be entrusted to him, Hitomi''s smile promptly returned to her face. She was well aware of the mutualistic exchange that had led to an exponential increase in his power while simultaneously empowering three trainee-level kunoichi to the pinnacle of the First Realm. If he could do the same with the others, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that the Yoshitsune n was about to experience a golden age. After all, the Fifth Realm was something that required decades of effort for even the most talented cultivators to achieve. If Nobu could help literal children achieve it in months, he wouldn''t just have the power to unify Nian. If his ambition spread beyond their borders, he might even be able to conquer the world...


    "How reliable..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: For those who are unaware, this novel is structured in such a way that it could be converted into an eroge. In other words, a lot of the heroic and legendary figures that will appear in the future will be female. Nobu will have male friends, but, as he expands his influence beyond Owari, many of his most powerful allies will be women. As for his actual harem, there are only going to be around 3-5 love interests. Will he fuck other women? Of course. Will they be his wives or give birth to his children? Very, very unlikely.)

 Chapter 96: Honesty

    Chapter 96: Honesty


    After a conversation that ended with Inami being assigned as Nobu''s personal Guardian, thetter asked for a moment alone with Yui as they waited for the arrival of Kaia and her escort.


    "Listen...I''m just gonnae out and say this..."


    Tearing her eyes away from where her hand was interlinked with Nobu''s, Yui''s expression revealed a substantial amount of confusion as he lowered his head and stated, "I''m sorry. It never even crossed my mind that something like this might happen..."


    "Eh...?"


    Not understanding why Nobu was apologizing to her, Yui began to feel a little fretful as she went on to assert, "You haven''t done anything meriting an apology. Please don''t lower your head over something like this..."


    Raising his head, Nobu''s expression revealed even more confusion than Yui as he asked, "You''re not mad...?"


    Blinking in confusion, Yui tilted her head ever so slightly to the side as she asked, "Why would I be mad?


    "..."


    Noticing the genuine confusion in Yui''s expression, Nobu was once again reminded that this wasn''t his original world. He expected her to be at least a little upset that he had knocked up another woman, but, as if it was perfectly natural, she seemed more troubled by his apology than anything else...


    Instead of focusing on why she should be upset, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he gently massaged Yui''s hand with his thumb. This caused a subtle blush to develop across her face. This was pretty cute, but,pared to her expression when he said, "I wanted you to be the first to bear my child..." it was rtively tame.


    If this were an anime world, Nobu imagined he would be able to see steam rising from Yui''s head as her reddening expression spontaneously froze over. It was like she had blue-screened, her brain shutting down for several seconds before rebooting and allowing her to exim, "M-My Lord...!" in a befuddled tone of voice. She even snatched her hand away from him, a paradoxically flustered yet happy expression on her face as she cupped her cheeks with both hands.


    "..."


    After quickly recovering from his own stupor, a light chuckle emanated from Nobu''s throat as he linked his left hand around Yui''s body and promptly pulled her close. This startled her quite a bit, but, even when he rested his cheek on her head and reached around to embrace her shoulder, she offered no meaningful resistance.


    "I''m serious. You saw how I dealt with your Grandmother and the Elders, right? I don''t care what other people say or think. I already decided you''re going to be my main wife. Isn''t it only natural you give birth to my children?"


    With her briefly widening to their maximum size, Yui looked up at Nobu with an incredulous yet visibly hopeful look as she asked, "You''re serious...?"


    Snorting through his nose, Nobu strengthened his hold on Yui as he leaned down to ask, "Do you need me to walk back inside and tell everyone we''re going to get married before you''ll believe me? Just how many times do I need to repeat the same thing before you realize I wasn''t fucking around when I told you I loved you!?"


    Though he wasn''t really angry, Nobu adopted a stern and slightly usatory tone towards the end of his statement. The way Yui was behaving was causing him to feel a little anxious. He wanted her to believe in him. If she couldn''t trust him when he was literally bearing his soul right in front of her, he might lose it.


    Surprised by Nobu''s outburst, Yui began to feel a fair amount of panic as she hastily replied, "Okay, okay, I get it! Calm down! You''re starting to scare me."


    Resisting the urge to shout that he was calm, Nobu forced himself to take an uncannily long breath before exhaling a sigh and saying, "Sorry...I just..."


    Shaking her head, Yui reached up to caress Nobu''s cheek, forcing him to look at her as she said, "I know. I was just surprised. This is all so new to me and I''ve never been good at socializing. Before I met you, the only person I actively talked to was my Grandmother..."


    Calming down much faster than usual, Nobu''s expression rxed as he cupped Yui''s hand with his own and replied, "Yeah...I can still remember when we first met. You literally tied me up and beat me just because I looked at you funny..."


    Blushing nearly as much as she had when Nobu admitted to wanting to impregnate her, Yui forced a smile as she averted her eyes and muttered, "I was kind of hoping you had forgotten about that..."


    "Not on your life..."


    Pulling the befuddled beauty onto hisp, Nobu hugged Yui from behind, his expression and tone serious as he said, "I want you to stop taking contraceptives..."


    Though her training and conditioning told her it was wrong, the incident with Inami had shown Yui just how flexible the rules could be when the situation called for it. Nobu had literally impregnated their n''s Ancestral Guardian without any immediate repercussions. Thus, while she was tempted to exin how improper his request was, the urge quickly faded as she replied with a meek. "Nn..."


    "That''s my girl..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Spying on the conversation between Nobu and Yui alongside Hitomi and the other Elders, a hint of concern bled into Inami''s expression. She had quite the head start considering she was already five weeks pregnant, but, depending on the machinations of fate, there was still a chance that Yui could give birth to Nobu''s first son...


    Unfortunately, even if she wanted to protest Yui''s developing rtionship with Nobu, Inami wasn''t exactly in a position to do so. She was already treading on thin ice after announcing her pregnancy, so, rather than voice her thoughts, she continued staring nkly into the crystal ball as Hitomi and the Elders discussed the events disyed within.


    "At this point, I believe it''s safe to say our Young Lord is thoroughly invested in the affairs of the n..."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Hitomi shifted her attention toward the woman who had spoken, Koharu, the Torture and Interrogation Elder. She could see a rather dangerous glint in the mature woman''s eyes, so, before anyone else could speak, she advised, "At this point, I believe it is for the best to allow Nobunaga-sama to make his own decisions. Do not go out of your way to approach or seduce him. If his abilities are as reported, it is only a matter of time before he extends each of you an offer of friendship. Focus on supporting the children and let him decide for himself whether or not he''ll approach you..."


    Though she briefly squinted her eyes, Koharu did not argue with Hitomi. She had already reached her own conclusions regarding Nobu''s character, so, while she didn''t wholeheartedly agree with the Matriarch''s methods, she understood her suggestion wasn''t far off the mark. Nobu was the type to return kindness with consideration. They just needed to treat the people around him well and it was only a matter of time before he approached them.


    With the exception of Fumetsu, whose every thought revolved around the integrity and security of the n, all of the other Elders had simr thoughts running through their minds. Even Hitomi was no exception as it had been many years since shest experienced the warmth of another. Twenty, to be exact...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After cuddling with Yui for the better part of an hour, Nobu''s expression lit up as he saw a ratherrge group rounding the bend leading up the mountain. Yui noticed this, so, while he waited for the group to arrive, she went to retrieve Onihime and inform her Grandmother of their imminent departure.


    Fortunately, while Kaia was clearly agitated even before she saw Nobu waiting at the top of the stairs, she didn''t attempt to break free from her encirclement. Instead, she allowed Kiku, Yuriko, Aiko, and Ayane to slowly escort her up the stairs, each holding the end of a very thick length of chain. Said chains connected to a metal cor around Kaia''s neck, and, though her legs were left free, her arms had been wrapped in belt-like bindings that started from her shoulders and ran the entire length of her arms. As for her rather fierce-looking paws, she had specialized manacles that pressed metal rods into each of her joints. This prevented her from so much as twitching her ws until the custom-made device had beenpletely removed.


    Noticing each of these things as the group moved closer, a frown briefly developed across Nobu''s face as he internally remarked, ("Talk about overkill...")


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu made his way down the stairs to intercept the group. This caused the four escorting Kaia to visibly tense, but, paying them no mind, Nobu unhesitantly approached the eager-looking wolf woman, a smile on his face as he extended his hand to caress the space between her ears.


    "Nobu/My Lord...!" x3


    Though it earned him incredulous looks from Yuriko, Aiko, and Kiku, Nobu''s expression was a mask of calm as he said, "Take these things off of her. She isn''t an animal. She''s ourpanion. Besides, I have the four of you here. You''re not going to tell me the four of you working together can''t handle a single person. Are you?"


    "..." x4


    Following a rather awkward silence, Aiko exhaled an inaudible sigh before reaching her fingers into her rather prominent cleavage. This caused Nobu''s brows to perk up, but, rather than ask why she kept the key there of all ces, he just nodded his head in approval before stepping away so she could more easily ess Kaia''s bindings.


    While everyone else was tensing up and focused on her, Kaia''s pale, moon-like eyes were wholly focused on Nobu. She had dreamed about him every night since theirst meeting, and, were it not for her caretakers sedating her on the night of the full moon, she might have tried to escape just to go and see him. Now that he was right in front of her, the only thing preventing her from pouncing on him were the words he had spoken to her during theirst encounter. Words that were repeated like a mantra within her mind.


    With a hissing sound, the pressure locking Kaia''s joints was gradually alleviated until the bindings on her arms fell away. After that, all four girls needed to insert keys to remove the cor around her neck. It also released a hissing sound, as, much like the manacles around her paws, there were rigid, screw-like protrusions on the inside of the cor.


    Now that she could both breathe and speak freely, Kaia''s expression morphed into a breathtaking disy of longing as she mewled a sonorous, "Master..."


    Ignoring the concerned looks of the other four girls, Nobu spread his arms, a wry smile on his face as he said, "Don''t forget to control your strength."


    Though she wanted nothing more than to pounce on him, pick him up, and run away, Kaia just nodded her head before sheepishly approaching Nobu with her arms spread wide. When she felt his arms wrap around her, her tail immediately began to waggle as she nestled against his chest and repeated, "Master~." as if it was the only thing she knew how to say.


    Chuckling lightly, Nobu used one hand to hug Kaia''s body while the other moved up to caress the back of her head. She was quite a bit taller than the other girls at 169cm, but, considering he had grown to about 185 since his arrival in Nian, Nobu still had a rather substantial height advantage. As for why his height had increased, it apparently had something to do with him ingesting a ton of herbs when he was younger. Now that he was able to cultivate, the residual effects of the herbs had been activated, so, despite only a couple of weeks passing since he started actively training, he was already beginning to bulk up quite a bit...


    As that and many other thoughts crossed his mind, Nobu was slightly startled when he felt the very tip of Kaia''s tongue lick his neck. Her muzzle prevented her from drawing her mouth anywhere near him, but, seemingly intoxicated by his aroma, she began to trace her tongue along his carotid artery with a hazy and unfocused look on her face...


    ("Well that''s fucking terrifying...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Terrifyingly adorable...!)

 Chapter 97: Foundation for Equality

    Chapter 97: Foundation for Equality


    Though the walk back to the estate was a bit awkward, the presence of Inami both cowed Kaia and made the other girls feel at ease. After all, despite how terrifyingly powerful she was, Kaia was only at Silver Rank 2 as far as cultivation was concerned. If Aura functioned simrly to power levels, this meant she was around 200,000 Aurapared to Inami''s 400,000,000. In other words, Inami was a little more than 2,000 times stronger than the ravenous wolf girl.


    Simply put, Inami''s presence caused Kaia to behave like a scared puppy. There was even a moment where she attempted to hide behind Nobu despite being his bodyguard and him being the weakest person present.


    Fortunately, despite being the most powerful member of the Yoshitsune n, Inami was, at least in Nobu''s opinion, a pushover. She put on a strong front, but, deep down, she was just as vulnerable as she appeared to be. He also suspected she was very lonely. Watching tens of thousands of your family members dying over the course of six thousand years would do that...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Paw..."


    Without showing even the slightest bit of offense or frustration, Kaia, now relocated to the holding cell beneath Nobu''s room, dutifully ced her hand into his outstretched palm. The special training she had been receiving since childhood was basically just obedience training. In other words, Nobu was now responsible for a mature, remarkably beautiful woman with the mentality of a trained wolf.


    "Good girl..."


    Beaming in response to her Master''s praise, Kaia''s tailed swept across the reinforced stone floor like a broom. She was currently squatting in what basic white girls back in his previous worlds would call a modified Msana Pose. The only thing protecting her dignity was a red and ck cloth, but, due to her careless movements and utterck of awareness, Nobu would periodically catch a glimpse of whaty beneath.


    Though he had briefly forgotten about it due to Inami''s pregnancy, it didn''t take long for Nobu to recall the conversation they had been having prior to that. She had basically told him that it would be dangerous to leave Kaia and the girl named Fuyu out since he had alreadyid his hands on all the other girls in his entourage.


    In actuality, Nobu had only had sex with Yui, Yuriko, Onihime, and, after a bit of back and forth regarding the fact she wasn''t useless, Kazue. As for the rest, Kiku, as if living up to her name, had allowed him to do her in the butt. Kumiko, Aiko, and Cho had all given him blowjobs. Chikako had let him do her in the butt, and, despite her taciturn nature, Ayane had given him a handjob.


    Simply put, Nobu hadn''t actually had sex with all the girls. He also felt a strange sense of guilt even thinking about fucking Kaia, so, despite the asional nce towards her milky white breasts and pale white thighs, he did his best to remain calm and collected as he bonded with the silvery-haired wolf woman.


    Fortunately, despite a growing heat in her body, Kaia still remembered what had happened during theirst encounter. Inami was also silently observing their interactions less than five meters away, so, even if she wanted to do something, she was too afraid to act. She also didn''t want to hurt her Master, so, no matter how much she craved his touch, she focused wholly on listening to his words and obeying hismands...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After spending the better part of three and a half hours interacting with Kaia, Nobu promised he woulde and visit her every day so long as she behaved. He was a little interested in observing her gradual transformation into a Lycan, but, most importantly, she now lived right underneath him. She was literally only a chute away so there would have to be something seriously wrong with him if he couldn''t spare a few minutes for her each day...


    "Haaaaa..."


    Exhaling an exhausted sigh the moment they emerged from the false wall connecting to Kaia''s holding cell, Nobu made his way over to his futon before plopping down face-first onto the thick, cushioned surface. Today had been one of the more exhausting in recent memory. He had trained his ass off, learned he was going to be a father, scaled the mountain, faced off against Hitomi and the Elders, descended the mountain, had a heart-to-heart with Yui, spent some time with Kaia, and, now that everything was beginning to wind down, there were at least three women looking forward to the prospect of a good fucking...


    Fortunately, while there were times when Inami overtly tried to seduce him, the decision regarding whether or not he would be having sex was ultimately Nobu''s to make. He could even kick the girls out of his room and rx if he really wanted to. Instead, he waited for a few moments before rolling onto his side and watching as Yui, Onihime, and Inami prepared for bed.


    Noticing Nobu''s gaze, Inami manipted her tails so that her bottom and legs werepletely visible. This allowed him to watch as she wiggled her small yet bubbly butt out of the tight shorts she had taken to wearing ever since she found his clothing designs. Prior to this, she would wear a rather skimpy kimono, but, like many things over thest few weeks, her outfit had gone through a number of changes until she eventually settled on a pair of short-shorts and a custom tube top that hugged her small yet remarkably pliant breasts.


    After removing her shorts, Inami allowed them to dangle from her index and middle fingers as she yfully inquired, "Enjoying the view~?"


    Though he was tempted to say that it would be infinitely better if even a single one of them had a pair of tits, Nobu just cracked a smile as he remarked, "Why wouldn''t I? Your cultivation base might make mine look like a joke, but, after that meeting with the Elders, you''re basically my property. I''m almost tempted to make you do a little dance for me since you seem to enjoy wiggling around your butt..."


    Inhaling a deep yet silent breath through her nose, Inami did her best to remain calm as Yui and Onihime looked toward her with rounded eyes. She knew Nobu was ying around, but, after six thousand years of wearing her pride on her sleeve, hearing someone refer to her as property made the hairs on her body stand on end. Even the fur on her tails bristled, yet, in spite of this, she forced herself to smile seductively, asking, "Should I call you Master from now on~?"


    Hearing Inami ce extra emphasis on the word Master, a shudder ran through Nobu''s body as he unhesitantly replied, "Hell no. It''s bad enough that Onihime and Kaia address me as Master. Don''t even joke around with that kind of shit. No offense, Hime."


    Though her smile stiffened when she heard Nobuin about her calling him Master, Onihime''s expression practically lit up when he addressed her with a pet name. She felt as though the distance between them had suddenly reduced, so, with a delighted glimmer in her deep amethyst eyes, she brought her fingers together and replied, "I wasn''t offended in the slightest..." before following up with a meek yet affectionate, "Nobu..."


    Hearing Onihime mutter his name, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face. He actually found her behavior kind of cute, but, knowing she was actually 67-years-old, it was weird to see her behaving like a shy maiden. She had also scratched the living shit out of his back when he plowed her like a machine press so she was far from the innocent little girl others might mistake her to be...


    Realizing how degenerate his way of thinking had be, Nobu shook his head rather violently before gesturing for Onihime toe closer. Her clothes were much easier to remove than Yui''s and Inami''s, but, due to her significantly lower status, she generally hung back to provide support and cleanup. Tonight, however, Nobu was in the mood forpletely fucking over the rules, so, in spite of her clear trepidation, he said, "Rx. The only reason you''re still a ve is because of your circumstances. When we''re together like this, the only thing that matters is that you''re my woman. That goes for all three of you..."


    Undoubtedly as a result ofying im various kunoichiprising his entourage, Nobu no longer felt any cringe when saying such words. This world kept trying to elevate him to a position of status and authority, so, rather than arbitrarilyplicating things for himself, he decided to just go with the flow. Besides, it made the women around him happy. It couldn''t be that bad, right?


    Though she briefly exchanged nces with Yui and Inami, Onihime didn''t ask for their permission before approaching Nobu with a forced smile that did little to conceal the eagerness surging within the depths of her eyes. It felt wrong to break free from conventions, but, at the same time, her body burned with desire at the thought of viting tradition that had dominated Nianese society for tens of thousands of years...


    With Onihime stepping within his range, Nobu extended his hands to draw her even closer to him. His head reached just beneath her navel while he was seated, so, before they moved on to far more intimate acts, he nted a kiss just above where her womb should be located. There was no greater meaning behind this, but, knowing it would cause her body to burn up, he didn''t mind giving her a bit of service. After all, she sure as hell didn''t hesitate to give him any...


    "M-Master...mnnn...it''s dirty..."


    Ignoring Onihime''s heated, gasping remark, Nobu proceeded to squeeze and massage her butt as he traced a line of kisses from beneath her navel to the short yet neatly trimmed pubes garnishing her already glistening vagina. Her aroma was distinctly different from most women, as, rather than smelling foul or fishy, it was simr to freshly heated sake. It wasn''t exactly pleasant but it was a hell of a lot more tolerable than most girls.


    Curious, Nobu earned a startled shriek from the fretful woman as his tongue divided her vulva and began top up the juices leaking from within. This caused her legs to tremble as her hands shot to his head, immediately grasping his hair. It was honestly a little annoying, but, as this wasn''t the first time he had his hair pulled, Nobu just ignored it as he held her hips firmly and proceeded to knead her rapidly swelling bean with his tongue.


    "Master~! Nnnnobu~! Please~! This isn''t right~!"


    Despite the wordsing from her mouth, Onihime held Nobu''s head firmly in her grasp as she practically ground her pussy against his lips and tongue. This wasn''t the first time she had received cunnilingus but all the other times had been with women. In Nian, even the most devout men were unwilling to service their partners in this manner. They were far too prideful to lower themselves in such a manner, so, feeling Nobu''s tongue probe her insides, waves of pleasure, unlike anything she had ever experienced, rocked Onihime''s body simr to a ship lost at sea. Her only anchor was her grip on Nobu, but, growing tired of having his hair wrenched from his scalp, Onihime experienced even greater pleasure when he forced her toy down before lifting her knees to his shoulders and going to town for the better part of twenty minutes...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: She ded...)

 Chapter 98: Overboard

    Chapter 98: Overboard


    Releasing thepletely red-faced and panting Onihime from his grasp, Nobu was going to tease her when a sudden very brief sensation of vertigo swept over him.


    ("What the fuck? Did I actually get tipsy from eating her out...?")


    After shaking his head and failing to clear the sluggishness in his mind, an amused chuckle escaped Nobu''s throat as he muttered, "Neat..."


    "Nobu...?"


    Shifting his attention to Yui, who, for thest twenty minutes had been sitting alongside Inami in a naked seiza, Nobu''s expression morphed into what some would refer to as a shit-eating grin as he asked, "Enjoy the show?"


    Blushing in response to Nobu''s teasing, Yui paused to consider how she would respond. As a result, she ended up creating an opportunity for Inami to chime in, answering, "It certainly was fascinating. You know, most men would never do what you just did. If the citizens of Nian were to learn about it, they might even use you of being a former ve."


    Deciding he didn''t give a damn, Nobu just snorted beforeying down and saying, "Whatever. Just get your ass over here..." in a slightly slurred tone. This was noticed by both Yui and Inami, who, for a very brief moment, seemed to be on the same wavelength as they perfectly mirrored each other''s actions.


    Shrugging her shoulders, a habit she had picked up from observing Nobu, Inami relented to Yui''s silent insistence before crawling over and attempting to straddle her moderately inebriated lover.


    "Ah-!?"


    Smacking Inami''s bottom the moment she grabbed his cock and attempted to position it between her visibly glistening thighs, Nobu said, "Turn around and sit on my face. I''m going to give you the same treatment as Hime."


    Though she felt indescribably offended to bepared to a ve, Inami managed to suppress her annoyance as she followed Nobu''s instructions. She already knew what he was going to do as it was one of the techniques kunoichis learned tofort their fellow nswomen. She never expected to be in this position with a man, but, after feeling Nobu tightly grip her butt, his tongue unhesitantly tracing the interior of her vulva, Inami, very quickly, stopped caring...


    "Oh my..."


    Hearing Inami''s remark, Nobu briefly ceased his actions, asking, "Did you just fucking ara ara me...?"


    Having no idea what Nobu was talking about, Inami''s expression disyed genuine confusion as she half turned to ask, "What''s an ara ara...?"


    Promptly deciding it was just an auditory hallucination, Nobu just shook his head, answering, "It''s nothing..." before pulling Inami''s hips closer to him. This left the vulpine woman feeling confused, but, just as before, most of her cares simply fluttered away as Nobu''s tongue invaded her depths.


    If she were beingpletely honest, Inami would have to fail Nobu on his technique. It had been quite some time but she got the distinct impression he was terrible at it. Fortunately, he more than made up for hisck of technique with sheer persistence. Thus, despite a lingering desire to tell him how to improve, Inami just bit her quivering lower lip as a growing wave of pleasure began to crash around within her tiny frame...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Coming to her senses a few minutes after she had effectively whited out, the first thing Onihime noticed was a sonorous yet suppressed whimpering. Immediately after that, memories of what had happened resurfaced within her mind, and, for a brief moment, her mind and body felt as though they had stepped backward in time. As a result, her body twitched from a residual climax as a freshyer of ze covering her moist purple eyes.


    Fortunately for Onihime, kunoichi weren''t ones to judge. They could maintain a straight face even if one of their fellows decided to masturbate in public so Yui merely cast a nce towards the heated half-oni, asking, "Are you okay?" in a curt yet ostensibly concerned tone.


    Nodding her head, Onihime rose to a seated position with the intent to answer before Nobu spoke up, asking, "You awake, Hime? Good. Go ahead and hop on. Tonight we''re going to be doing team-building exercises. You''re doing to ride my cock and kiss Inami. Understood?"


    Though he was still feeling tipsy, Nobu, like many recreational drunks, felt as though his mind was sharper than ever. He probably wouldn''t have thought of this if he was ying with a full deck, but, now that he had made up his mind, he was determined to break down the walls between the three girls. They could be all prim and proper when other people were around. He honestly didn''t give a flying fuck. When they were having sex, though? That kind of shit could just fuck right off.


    A stark contrast to Nobu''s casualness, all three girls had visibly tensed the moment they heard his words. Onihime, in particr, looked as though she had just been ordered to disrobe and trespass a den of mountain bandits. Unfortunately, the crest on her bodypelled her to obey, so, despite Inami staring directly at her, she dutifully straddled her Master''s hips, muttering, "I''m sorry..." as she slid his cock effortlessly into what Nobu had described as her oven-like pussy.


    "Nnnn~!"


    Despite her fear, Onihime''s climaxed the moment her Master''s ns pressed against her cervix. Her body wasn''t able to amodate all of him at first, but, after a few deep breaths and a fair amount of wiggling, her mons had fully enveloped the full length of Nobu''s penis.


    "Haaaaaaaaaaa~."


    Feeling a considerable amount of relief, Onihime allowed a sigh to escape her lips until she opened her eyes to find Inami staring a few centimeters away from her face. This caused her entire body to tense, and, as a result, mock tulence emanated from beneath Inami as Nobu snorted in response to Onihime''s vice-like pussy.


    Though she knew the sound hadn''te from Inami, Onihime''s eyes widened as the deceptively ancient kitsune''s face morphed into a deep furrow. For a brief moment, she sincerely believed that Inami was about to kill her, but, the moment she opened her mouth to apologize, her eyes widened even further as the aforementioned fox leaned in to give her a kiss.


    "Uu-uuhn....!!?"


    Surprised by the sudden act, Onihime''s first instinct was to try and pull away. Instead, she felt her body moving against her will, her hips shaking as Inami wrapped her hands around her body and invaded her mouth with her tongue.


    While Onihime had no idea what was happening, Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes shed as she noticed a number of extremely fine, thinner than hair strings flowing from Inami''s body and into the former''s petite frame. It was a little ridiculous to consider, but she was pretty sure this was one of their n''s forbidden techniques. It was supposed to be used to manipte recently deceased Aura Beasts the moment an enemy cultivator lowered their guard, but, due to the overwhelming difference in their cultivation base, Inami was able to freely manipte Onihime as if she were a marite...


    Unfortunately, while she wanted to respect Nobu''s wishes, Inami wasn''t quite at the level where she would allow herself to be on the receiving end of a ve''s kiss. Just the thought of it made most of the pleasure she was feeling from Nobu fade away, so, rather than sit still and let Onihime do as she pleased, she decided to take matters into her own hands. This would upset Nobu if he knew, but, trusting that neither Yui nor Onihime would tell on her, Inami continued to puppet the bewildered half-oni until the Young Lord released amendable amount of semen deep inside her quivering vagina...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Without the aid of Dragon''s Vigor, Nobu was unable to produce superhuman amounts of semen. Thus, after blowing a sizeable load inside Onihime''s furnace-like insides, a satisfied groan escaped his throat as he gave Inami''s bottom a few light smacks to indicate she stop smothering him with her ass and crotch.


    Fortunately, Inami was pretty perceptive when she needed to be, so, the moment Nobu smacked her bottom, she promptly moved to the side before remarking, "Not bad. A little rough around the edges but still pleasurable."


    Catching his breath, Nobu furrowed his brows as he nced towards Inami and asked, "Are you seriouslyining? This isn''t exactly a party for me, you know? I''m starting to get used to it, but you smell like a...no...nevermind..."


    Recalling that Inami was now carrying his children, Nobu promptly decided againstparing her aroma to a fish market at high noon on a sunny day. This was part of the reason his technique was so poor. It''s not that he had never gone down on a woman. Inami literally smelled like a wet dog in heat.


    Surprised that Nobu had stopped himself before insulting her, Inami''s tails flickered as a visibly pleased expression developed across her face. She was getting used to his brash nature and rude remarks but it was still nice to know he was at least trying to correct his behavior.


    "I suppose it''s my turn now? To be honest, I''d much rather have your ''cock'' inside me than your tongue..."


    Borrowing a bit of Nobu''s vernacr, Inami was hoping to rile him up. She might be pregnant but it was hard for her to calm down once he had triggered her body''s animalistic instincts. If he declined, she would no choice but to excuse herself for a couple of hours so she could finish the job herself.


    Fortunately, even without the assistance of drugs, Nobu could still shoot a couple of loaded if he paced himself. Inami''s love juices were also strangely invigorating, so much so that his buzz from before hadpletely faded away. Thus, after a moment of consideration, he nodded his head and said, "Yeah. I''m a little tired though, so, after I finish fucking you, I''m going to wrap things up with a 69. I''ll finish you off when we take our morning bath. That okay with you, Yui...?"


    Though he was tempted to force her into a mating press and knock her up as soon as possible, Yui had already exined that the contraceptive she took would need a few days to work its way out of her body. She also wasn''t ovting at the moment, so, even if they fucked like rabbits from sun up to sundown, her ovaries weren''t just going to magically produce an egg for his convenience.


    Having already anticipated this oue when Onihime went first, Yui just nodded before offering an understanding smile and saying, "I understand. I''m looking forward to it."


    While her words caused a slight frown to develop across Nobu''s face, the truth of the matter was that Yui was being sincere. Thus, the moment she noticed Nobu''s change in expression, a chuckle emanated from her throat before she exined, "Don''t give me that look...you might not believe me, but I''m actually sore after all the sex we''ve been having. I was hoping to keep this a secret but you were bound to find out when you tasted the ointment I''ve been using to alleviate the pain..."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu opened his mouth but was unable to say something. At the same time, a bit of guilt swelled within his chest, as, for a brief moment, he actually felt a smidgen of pride at the notion he had basically fucked her raw.


    ("This is probably why only a handful of women came back for seconds...")


    Shaking away the thoughts of his past life, Nobu adopted a conflicted yet visibly apologetic look on his face as he averted his eyes and muttered, "Sorry...it never urred to me that I might be hurting you..."


    Shifting his gaze towards Inami and Onihime, both quite a bit smaller than Yui, Nobu was about to apologize to them as well before the former chimed in to say, "That isn''t necessary. The bodies of kitsune and oni are built quite a bit differently from humans. My species is biologically designed to extract vital essence and seed from our prey. As for Onihime-chan, her body temperature should be a pretty big giveaway that she''s unique. If myself or Yui had a temperature even remotely close to hers, we would invariably fatose before subsequently dying."


    Nodding her head in affirmation, Onihime, now recovering from the shock of having her body manipted, exined, "Oni are also physically durable and have an innate healing factor. That is the reason for our inordinately high body temperature and why we don''t suffer any negative side effects from elevating it even further."


    Though he understood what they were trying to say, Nobu simply stared at the two petite women with a nk expression on his face. His instincts told him he would encounter others like them in the future, and, based on the way things were going, they would most likely be legal lolis. He was willing to make an exception for the two seated in front of him, but, the moment another ravenous woman with a petite figure, he might just yeet himself from this world to protect thest vestiges of his dignity...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Somewhere, far beyond the boundaries of Nobu''s world, a certain Sage Dragon Emperor felt a tickle in his nose...)

 Chapter 99: Start of Interviews

    Chapter 99: Start of Interviews


    True to his word, Nobu made sure to visit Kaia every single day. The only difference between his promise and reality was that he spent a lot more time with her than expected. It could be because of her rtive ''innocence''pared to most of the girls around him but her puppy-like behavior had really grown on him.


    To this end, Nobu was rxing with his back against a wall as Kaia, with a very content smile on her face, used hisp as a pillow. She wasn''t actually sleeping. She just enjoyed being as close to him as possible. As for Nobu? He enjoyed the feeling of her breasts pressed against him as he caressed her head and fiddled around with the stone tablet.


    After his eureka moment several weeks prior, Nobu had managed to increased his Aura to just over 50,000. It should have been much higher, but, for the sake of increasing his bonus modifier, he had been using the Camera and Messenger Apps to identify various objects. The increase per item was minuscule, but, trusting in the experience he had umted with several other clicker apps, Nobu believed they would be important in the te game''.


    *1 New Message*


    Spotting the notification the moment it appeared at the top of the screen, Nobu habitually tapped it to see who was messaging him. When he saw what it was, a frown immediately appeared on his face as it appeared Nariko had just learned how to attach images to her messages. To make matters even worse, she was uploading a bunch of selfie-like photos of herself. Most of these were rtively tame, but, perhaps as a result of this world''sck of a true mirror, quite a number of them depicted her naked body from various angles.


    Though he was gradually getting used to seeing the trio naked in the bath, a sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he quickly typed a few messages telling her not to spam the chat with pictures of herself. In response, she sent a row of bowing emojis before promptly deleting the selfies.


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu was about to close out of the app when a notification that he had received a DM appeared in the top left. This forced him to take a deep breath through his nose. Fortunately, while the message was from Nariko, it wasn''t a selfie. Instead, it was an apology with a picture of a Kazue sleeping with her head on the table, a silly smile on her face, and drool leaking from the corner of her mouth...


    "..."


    Tapping on the image, Nobu opened up the high-resolution preview before pressing the star icon in the top right. This added the photo to his growing list of favorites. Once Kazue received a stone tablet of her own, he intended to use it to tease her whenever she was feeling down. She was weak to things like that.


    After sending a quick message informing Nariko that she had done well, Nobu checked the time to see that it was already nearing 1 PM. He wasn''t allowed to be around when Kaia was feedings, so, after running his hand along the length of her long ck ear, his thumb tracing the interior, Nobu said, "It''s time for me to go. You need to eat and I have other duties to attend."


    Though she pretended to be asleep for a moment longer, Kaia eventually forced herself to a seated position after recalling her Master''s words about being a good girl. He was alreadying to visit a lot more than she ever dared to dream possible so thest thing she wanted was to jeopardize their future by being selfish in the present.


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu rose to his feet before gesturing for Kaia to do the same. She looked adorable while pouting, but, rather thanment on that, he gave her one final hug to help her calm down, promising, "I''ll see you tomorrow..." before releasing her with a sincerely apologetic smile...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With more than two months passing since his arrival in Yumegakure, it was finally time for Nobu to begin epting his first students. The renovations had finished a few days prior, and, thanks to the shift in the dynamic between him and the Elders, they would be taking on a lot more students than originally anticipated.


    Fortunately, while he wasn''t particrly enthused by the prospect of a few dozen trainees running around, Nobu took sce in the fact that he wouldn''t be the one teaching them. He was basically just the Headmaster. Hitomi had given him permission to personally groom any candidates he was interested in, but, for the most part, Nobu''s duties revolved around analyzing each trainee so their teachers would know how best to guide them.


    Nobu obviously didn''t have any intentions of ''grooming'' any of his future students, but, if he came across one with a unique skill or ability, he might recruit them just to keep them safe. He wanted to help the Yoshitsune n but that didn''t mean he trusted them. After all, while most of the younger generations were unaffiliated, arge portion of active kunoichi belonged to the various factions of the Oda n. This included his parents'' enemies, so, while his power might be hot garbage at the moment, Nobu believed the girls would be much safer living and working in his estate than outside.


    With this in mind, Nobu stared at the little girl withering beneath his gaze with a serious expression on his face. She had short, pale blue hair and sapphire blue eyes that screamed ''I''m the heroine'' but that wasn''t the thing that had caught his eye. Well, it did, but only until he saw her actual status...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Reina


    Age: 7


    Gender: Female, H:126.4cm, W: 24.8kg, B: 58.6cm, W: 44.4cm, H: 60.1cm


    Blood Type: O-


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 669/714


    Status: Cursed(+), Innate Yin Physique(+), Anxious(+), Excited(+)


    -Cursed: Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami. Probability of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced. Removal Cost: 3,000,000AU


    -Innate Yin Physique: An exceptionally rare constitution that allows the user''s body to absorb a functionally infinite amount of Yin Elemental Energy. Training at night drastically increases the rate at which Yin Elemental Energy umtes. Upgrade Cost: 90,000AU. Removal Cost: 1,500,000AU.


    -Evolution(s): Sacred Yin Physique: 18,000,000AU -> Immortal Frost Phoenix''s Divine Physique: 9,000,000,000AU.


    -Anxious: She is worried that she won''t be epted into the specialized training program.


    -Excited: She finds your existence as a man interesting. Knowing you are a member of the Oda n makes her tummy flutter.


    Main Hand: Right Hand


    Preferred Weapon: Wakizashi


    Strengths: Functionally Immune to Cold, Will Be Increasingly Attractive with the Passage of Time, World''s Greatest Cultivation Furnace


    Weaknesses: Weak Against the Heat, Naturally Drawn to People with Excess Yang Elemental Energy, World''s Greatest Cultivation Furnace


    Orientation: None


    Preferences: She has always dreamed of kissing a boy beneath the light of a full moon


    Favorite Food: Dango, Shaved Ice, Anything that can be served cold


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    After experiencing the innumerable benefits provided by Inami, Nobu understood exactly how this girl would be treated if her constitution was discovered by an enemy n. Hell, even the Oda n wouldn''t be a safe ce for her. Thus, after a moment of deliberation, he asked, "Would you like to be a student of the main house? If you ept, I will make arrangements for your mother and any siblings you might have to stay in the surrounding estate."


    Since there was a chance that Reina''s immediate family might possess a simr constitution, Nobu intended to shelter them as well. Unfortunately, Reina''s expression immediately turned mncholic as she hung her head and revealed, "My mother died three years ago. I had an older sister, but she died on a missionst year..."


    Inhaling a sharp breath, Nobu''s expression became awkward as he scratched the back of his head and said, "Sorry...I didn''t know..."


    Startled by Nobu''s sudden apology, Reina''s eyes widened as began to wave her hands from side to side, eximing, "P-Please don''t apologize!"


    Since they had already been told about Nobu''s status prior to their individual interviews, Reina was genuinely afraid that she would be punished if others found out he lowered his head in front of her. She was young but the basic etiquette of the Nobles was one of the first things they were taught so they wouldn''t inadvertently offend those they came across.


    Noticing the panic in Reina''s eyes, Nobu''s expression became even more awkward as he shook his head and said, "Don''t worry about it. It might be difficult at first, but you''ll soon learn that things are quite a bit different here in my estate. Now, how about your answer? Would you like to be a member of the main house or would you rather remain a normal student?"


    As the notion of refusing a member of the Oda n simply didn''t exist in her young mind, Reina didn''t have to mull over her choices before nodding her head rather enthusiastically. After all, she had heard countless cautionary tales about what happened to kunoichi who failed their missions. If she could learn more while studying under Nobu, there was no way she would refuse.


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu pulled out one of two circr stamps Hitomi had given him a couple of days prior. They functioned simrly to a family seal, and, unless he personally stamped a document with one of the two stamps, it would not be considered official.


    "Great. That makes you the fourth Gifted Student in the main house. As for your teacher, you will most likely be studying under Inami. Don''t worry. She may be the Yoshitsune n''s Guardian but she has already agreed to ept any students I send her way."


    Hearing that she would be studying under the legendary Guardian of their n, Reina''s sapphire blue eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. This caused a massive grin to develop across Nobu''s face as it was absolutely hrious to see such aical expression on such a young girl...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After sending off the statuesque Reina to introduce herself to Inami, Nobu processed more than a dozen additional students before finallying across another, clearly unique individual. Her hair and eye color made her seem rather in at a nce, but, topensate for this, she had chubby cheeks and had tied her hair up into a literal bow. This,bined with therge bells adorning her pigtails made her stand out nearly as much as Reina.


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Yoshitsune Chi-Chi


    Age: 7


    Gender: Female, H:122.5cm, W: 22.9kg, B: 58.5cm, W: 44.1cm, H: 59.2cm


    Blood Type: B+


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 311/608


    Status: Cursed(+), Ratatoskr''s Blessing(+), Curious(+), Excited(+)


    -Cursed: Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami. Probability of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced. Removal Cost: 3,000,000AU


    -Ratatoskr''s Blessing: A rare blessing passed down since the Age of Gods. Drastically increases the speed and agility of the user while also allowing them to blend in seamlessly with nature. Upgrade Cost: N/A. Removal Cost: 80,000,000AU


    -Curious: If she wasn''t worried she might get in trouble, she wouldn''t be able to stop asking you questions.


    -Excited: She thinks your stubble is a little weird but she is looking forward to being able to learn more about you.


    Main Hand: Ambidextrous


    Preferred Weapon: Weighted Shoes


    Strengths: Extremely Fleet of Foot, Silent as a Mouse, Excellent Hearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Hide and Seek Champion, Iron Stomach


    Weaknesses: Rarely Stops Talking, Can''t Keep Secrets, Extremely Precocious, Glutton


    Orientation: None


    Preferences: She wants to ride on your shoulders so she can experience what it''s like to be a giant


    Favorite Food: Walnuts, Chestnuts, Mapo Tofu


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though it was a little strange that her unique blessing didn''t have any evolutions, Nobu felt it was infinitely stranger for someone with a Nianese lineage to possess a blessing clearly rted to Norse Mythology. Its removal cost was also more than twenty times the cost of removing Inari''s Curse, so, while the description was rtively simple, Nobu suspected it had tremendous potential.


    Unfortunately, Nobu hardly knew anything about Nianese culture and its rted mythos. There was no way in hell he would know anything about the legends and myths rted to another country, so, rather than focusing on that, he focused on the various cuts and bruises on Chi-Chi''s body, asking, "What the hell happened to you? Did you fall down the mountain on your way here?"


    Opening her eyes wider than anyone Nobu had ever seen, Chi-Chi seemed iparably surprised as she half-covered her mouth and eximed, "How''d you know!? Are you some kind of genius...!?"


    "..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Chi-Chi be like, "I''m fast as fuck, boiiiiii~!")

 Chapter 100: Progress

    Chapter 100: Progress


    After calling Kazue and Nariko to bandage Chi-Chi''s wounds, Nobu decided to ask the question at the forefront of his mind, specifically, "So, you''re pretty fast, huh?"


    As she hadn''t mentioned a single thing about her speed, Chi-Chi''s hazel eyes lit up likenterns as she eximed, "Wow! Are all Noble-samas this smart!?"


    Smiling wryly, Nobu was about to answer Chi-Chi''s question when thetter went on to ask a series of rapid-fire questions regarding his height, his favorite food, his favorite game, and, most strangely of all, whether or not he popped.


    Had the others been present, Chi-Chi would have been admonished rather harshly. Nobu, however, just ignored her questions entirely, asking, "Would you like to be a student of the main house? You''ll receive personalized train-"


    Unable to restrain her excitement, Chi-Chi issued a high-pitched squeal as she balled her hands into tiny fists before subsequently jumping much higher than the average seven-year-old as she happily replied, "Of course~! Chi-Chi''s mama is going to be so happy~!"


    Though he wasn''t particrly fond of being interrupted, Nobu just smiled helplessly as Chi-Chi ran literal circles around him. He knew he should admonish her, but, seeing how happy she was, he just let her tire herself out while sipping the tea Cho had prepared for him prior to the interview.


    Realizing that Nobu wasn''t going to lecture her, Chi-Chi''s excitement continued to increase until a massive smile had developed across her face. Most of her teachers would get angry when she ran around. She had even been punished withshings a few times, so, despite having just met Nobu a half-hour prior, he was quickly bing one of her favorite people. He had even given her candy and called people to wrap her cuts.


    Stopping right in front of Nobu, an even bigger smile developed across Chi-Chi''s face as she said, "Nobunaga-sama, Nobunaga-sama, guess what~?"


    Returning a wry smile of his own, Nobu asked, "What''s up?" as he considered who her teacher was going to be. Her personality didn''t really match any of his kunoichi and he was pretty sure she had some form of ADHD.


    Leaning forward as if she were about to tell him a secret, Chi-Chi waited until Nobu humored her before whispering, "Chi-Chi loves Nobunaga-sama~."


    Seemingly riled up by her own words, Chi-Chi issued a high-pitched squeal before running around the room like she was afraid Nobu might try and catch her. Unfortunately for her, Nobu was far toozy for something like that. Instead, his expression became somewhat helpless as he pulled out his stone tablet and waited for her to calm down...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though it was selfish of him to view them in such a manner, Nobu regarded Reina and Chi-Chi as an additional 20,000 Aura to his reserves.


    Under ideal circumstances, Nobu would have been able to recruit enough people to increase his Aura reserves to 100,000. He wasn''t in a particr rush to reach the Third Realm but it was best to have the option to do so whenever he wanted. After all, his strength was still garbagepared to the true powerhouses of Nian so he couldn''t really afford to idle about at the lower Realms for too long.


    If he really wanted to, Nobu could recruit every single child thrown to him by the Elders. The only reason he didn''t was that he didn''t want his entire Friends List to be filled with brats. This wouldn''t have been a problem if he added them while he was growing up, but, now that he was nearing 20 years of age, the notion of building a literal army of children sent shivers through his body.


    Fortunately, unless things changed from one Realm to the next, Nobu only needed ten friends to increase his Aura without limit. He was able to earn 10,000 from each of the girls in the First Realm. At the Second Realm, this amount should increase to 100,000. In other words, so long as he had ten friends, he could theoretically jump from the Third to the Fourth Realm in days.


    Nobu wasn''t foolish enough to delude himself into believing things would be that straightforward but it never hurt to be optimistic. To this end, he spent the weeks following the interviews focusing on improving his control, training his body, fucking around, spending time with Kaia, and checking in to see how the training of his ''students'' were going.


    Though he had wanted to avoid fucking his way to power, Nobu couldn''t help smiling whenever he saw his reflection in the shitty, silver-backed mirror the girls had brought to his room. The average height of Nianese men was around 170cm so he was nearly a full head higher than most people at 190.5cm.


    As much as he enjoyed being 6''3, the thing that turned Nobu''s smile into a shit-eating grin was the fact his muscles had swelled in a remarkably short period of time. His dick had also grown to a solid 22cm when erect. This wasn''t a drastic change from the 19cm he was sporting previously but what kind of man would he be if he wasn''t proud of an extra inch? The girls certainly appreciated it.


    On that note, Nobu''s rtionships with each member of his entourage had improved tremendously ever since he started ''using'' them. They hadn''t known how to behave when he told them to just act casually. After all, it went against every lesson they had been given over the course of an eighteen-year period. Thus, as strange as it was to consider, they were a lot happier now that he treated them like kunoichi and allowed them to focus on their duties.


    Truth be told, Nobu was still having a few problems adapting to life within the manor. Sleeping on a futon was starting to annoy him, and, thanks to the recent additions of Reina and Chi-Chi, bath time was more chaotic than ever. Chi-Chi also had a habit of running around in the nude, and, no matter how many times Kumiko attempted to correct her, the rambunctious littledy generally ran around and did as she pleased.


    Nobu knew he was the one who needed to put his foot down, but, at the same time, he genuinely believed Chi-Chi''s behavior was rtively normal for a girl her age. Sure, the exhibitionist aspect of her character was troublesome but it was refreshing to see her more focused on ying and having fun than trying to grow stronger. As for her qualifications as a kunoichi? Nobu didn''t give a damn.


    Since it was ultimately his decision to make, Nobu made the executive decision to have the children training in his estate reared as kunoichi-warrior hybrids rather than standard kunoichi. There was no way in hell he was going to support a curriculum that focused on teaching 7-12-year-old brats how to seduce, please, and ultimately kill men more than twice their age. Sure, training them to be literal soldiers wasn''t much better, but, considering this was a world where the strong devoured the weak, he would be doing them a disservice by preventing them from bing stronger.


    Simply put, Nobu had ''modernized'' the curriculum based on his personal values and the future he envisioned for Nian. He was already being shoehorned into the path of a conqueror, so, rather than rear a bunch of assassins, he intended to create a retinue of powerful warrior women. The people of Nian might ridicule him for this but he''d like to see them talk shit when even the messengers in his army were stronger than their elites...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Nobu...are you certain about this?"


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu didn''t even bother looking towards Yui as hezily replied, "I''ve watched her turn from a thc wolf woman to a borderline furry and back. There''s no way in hell I''m missing her Lycan transformation a second time..."


    Since Kaia was apparently too unstable during the previous full moon, Nobu had been prevented from seeing her. Now that an additional month had passed since then, he was determined to, at the very least, see what she looked like. Besides, he had promised he would. If he failed to show up, she might literally exhaust herself trying to smash through the roof of her holding cell...


    Suppressing a sigh, Yui exchanged nces with the room''s upants. With the exception of Kazue and Fuyu, everyone else had been asked to assemble. Some might think this was to protect Nobu in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, even if they were tobine their efforts, the most they could hope to aplish was stalling for time. Even then, she would most likely rip through half of them within the first minute of something going wrong...


    There was a reason Lycans were feared throughout the entirety of Nian. Thus, while they would do everything in their power to ensure Nobu''s safety, the truth of the matter was that their only duty this time around was to observe.


    Simply put, this was a form of training to help them ovee the instinctual fear Lycans inspired in everyone they encountered...


    Nearly everyone...


    Showing none of the fear present on everyone else''s face, Nobu waited until half his entourage had entered before descending the chute into Kaia''s cell. There, he found most of the girls standing like statues as Inami, appearing even smaller than usual, faced down a bipedal wolf whose head nearly touched the ceiling...


    "Holy shit..."


    Starling everyone in the room, the three-and-a-half-meter tall wolf woman shifted her glowing red eyes from Inami to Nobu. This caused Kiku, Aiko, and Yuriko to immediately tense, hands shifting to their weapons, but, before they could even think to draw them, Kaia''s eyes shifted to a pale blue as she muttered, "Ma...ster..." in a deep yet feminine tone.


    Ignoring the stunned gazes of his faithful kunoichi, Nobu approached the cell until Inami extended a hand to stop him. She could ughter the transformed Kaia in an instant if necessary, but, should the wolf woman get her ws or teeth around Nobu, he was as good as dead.


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu tried and failed to push Inami''s hand aside as he said, "Stop treating her like some kind of monster. Look at her eyes and the ways she''s sitting. Do you seriously think she is going to hurt me?"


    Contrasting how she had been looming over everyone prior to Nobu''s arrival, Kaia had squat down like an obedient pup the moment her Master arrived. Even her massive tail had begun to sway from side to side, so, while everyone else was extremely tense, Nobu was far more curious than anything else. He had never seen a werewolf with tits, and, though her hands were currently covering it due to the way she was sitting, he was pretty sure she still had humanoiddy bits.


    Though he wasn''t attracted to the inordinatelyrge wolf, Nobu would be lying if he said she was ugly. In fact, she looked pretty fucking awesome from his point of view, so, after several seconds of staring into her eyes, his voice became firm as he said, "I''m going inside...move your hand..."


    With an expression that made it appear as though she had just swallowed a bug, Inami wanted to refuse, but, knowing Kaia''s training revolved around the notion that Nobu''s orders were absolute, she reluctantly lowered her hand and allowed him to pass. At the same time, however, she attached a few mithril threads to Nobu''s body so she could pull him back the moment something happened.


    To the surprise of literally everyone except Nobu, Kaia''s only response was to wag her tail with ever-increasing zeal even as the former entered her cell. Her mind wasn''t exactly clear, but, the moment her Master had arrived, she knew she needed to be on her best behavior or he might not be able to visit her in the future. This was an idea that had been firmly rooted in her mind, so, even though she was currently in her most feral state, she immediately rolled over, tongue hanging from her mouth the moment Nobu said, "y dead..."


    "Good girl..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That''s a big floofer o_o...)

 Chapter 101: Stride

    Chapter 101: Stride


    With four and a half months passing since his arrival in Terra, Nobu was finally beginning to feel as though he had hit his stride. His cultivation base had exploded, his physique now eclipsed the body he had been proud of in his previous life, and, after a considerable amount of effort, he had finally managed to knock up Yui.


    Fortunately, while his mother had sent a rather ''spirited'' letter advising him to be more considerate of his partners, Nobu''s actions hadn''t born any actual consequences. In fact, everything seemed to be going well for him. So much so that he was genuinely shaken when he received news that Takao, Rukia''s daughter, had died during her training mission...


    "What the fuck did you just say...?"


    Bowing her head, Kumiko appeared sincerely apologetic as she softly repeated, "Trainee Takao was discovered invading the estate of Owari-Asai''s Governor and publically executed..."


    "Bullshit...!"


    After throwing his cup with enough force to send it crashing through the bamboo walls, Nobu jumped to his feet and began to pace around his room with a thoroughly incensed expression on his face. He hadn''t gotten to know Takao all that well but she and her mother were two of the first people he had decided to save. She was supposed to start working for him the moment she came back from her mission. Now that he knew she had been executed, rage unlike anything he had ever experienced began to swell within his chest.


    "Calm down. You aplish nothing by throwing a tantrum."


    Nursing a small yet prominent baby bump, Inami''s expression became stern as she watched Nobu pacing around the room. He had recently broken through to the Fourth Realm, and, though he was quite a bit weaker than Yui, his power was rapidly increasing. All of their powers were.


    ring towards the petite kitsune, Nobu was about to shout until he noticed her gently caressing her swelling belly. He felt as though all the wind had been taken out of his sails, a sigh escaping his lips as he returned to his seat and muttered, "I refuse to let this matter lie..."


    Nodding her head in approval, a smile spread across Inami''s face as she said, "Good. So long as you possess that mentality, you''re on the path to bing amendable Lord. Now you just need to focus on gathering information. Acting without proper consideration will only jeopardize the lives of the people you care about. I doubt Rukia-dono and Takao-chan would want that..."


    Inhaling a deep breath that caused a powerful air current to flow towards him, a refreshing chill gradually spread through Nobu''s mind. When he exhaled, a much stronger flow exuded from his body, but, thanks to their glistening golden auras, the girls present werergely unaffected.


    "Can I entrust this matter to the Yoshitsune n or do I need to prepare my own forces...?"


    Amused by Nobu''s question, Inami''s smile became noticeably more prominent as she said, "After witnessing your heaven-defying growth and your ability to empower others, it isn''t an exaggeration to say that the Yoshitsune n is yours tomand. With the exception of your father, there isn''t a single person who can override your authority within the n."


    Though he was still unbelievably pissed, Nobu visibly perked up as he asked, "Does that mean I can change thews of the n?"


    Shaking her head, Inami had to resist the urge tough as she exined, "You can propose change. That much is certain. However, unless you have a n detailing what you hope to achieve, we can''t implement changes based on a single person''s whim. We could probably work something out if you elected to empower the entire n but that''s a discussion best left for after you be Lord..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu decided to shelve that idea for the future. Instead, he adopted a serious expression as he said, "Fine. For now, send someone to inform Suzune that I wish to speak with her. We''ll meet here around five. Until then, I''m nning to go and console Rukia. I can''t even begin to imagine how devasted she''s feeling right now..."


    Recalling Rukia''s expression when she learned she and her daughter could work for him, the urge to punch something began to swell in the back of Nobu''s mind. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect her daughter. Now, she was alone amongst a bunch of people who might not even care that herst remaining daughter had died...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Sensing a presence outside her door, followed by a gentle knock, Rukia hid the kunai she had been staring at listlessly for the past hour. There was only a single person who knocked to announce their presence, so, after drying her tears using her aura, she forced herself to appear calm as she adopted a proper seiza and replied, "Please,e in."


    Opening the sliding door, Nobu gestured for Onihime to wait outside before making his way inside. Then, without a word, he sat down next to Rukia, surprising the petite woman with a firm hug as he said, "It''s okay to cry..."


    Though she wanted to insist she was fine, it didn''t take long for Rukia''s emotions to burst forth like a broken dam. Empathy was a raremodity in Nian, and, even though she had experience with numerous partners, genuine care and affection were things she had never experienced. Thus, even though she knew it was wrong, she couldn''t help wailing the moment her Lord wrapped his strong, seemingly all-epassing arms around her body...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After cradling Rukia in his arms for the better part of two hours, Nobu gently caressed the bereaved woman''s head as he stated, "I''m going to avenge her. I may not have known your daughter all that well, but I will not rest until the people responsible for her death have been brought to justice. She might have been a kunoichi but she was still someone I wanted to protect. I won''t stand for this..."


    Feeling much better after crying her heart out for the first time in decades, a delicate smile spread across Rukia''s face as she removed her head from Nobu''s chest and answered, "Takao understood what she was getting into-"


    "Stop. Don''t give me that shit. You wouldn''t have approached me if she had truly resolved herself to life as a kunoichi. Besides, this was never your decision to make. I''m the one who decided to avenge her so just shut up and be sad. I don''t want to hear you lying to yourself on my behalf..."


    Without waiting for Rukia''s response, Nobu forced her head to rest against his chest. His raw power was iparable to a Cultivator of the Metal Infusion Technique but he was exponentially stronger than he had been months prior. He could casually lift more than 200kgs, and, when he ran at a full sprint, even Chi-Chi would struggle to keep up with him.


    Though her age and experience had allowed her to break free from most of the n''s conditioning, the notion of disobeying her Lord had never crossed Rukia''s mind. Thus, the moment Nobu told her to shut up and be sad, that is exactly what she did. Internally, however, she couldn''t help remarking, ("Oh Takao...why did you have to die when we had finally found an ideal Lord? Now, even if wanted to, I don''t think I cane and join you...")


    Unaware of Rukia''s thoughts, Nobu just continued to caress her head and back as he stared nkly at the ceiling above. He couldn''t shake the feeling this was an event engineered by fate to get him off the mountain and more involved in the world. After all, while resources were quickly bing an issue, his cultivation was increasing exponentially. The only things preventing him from breaking through to the Fifth Realm were his proximity to an active volcano and the fact he was currently in the process of adding everyone to his Friends List...


    Unsurprisingly, sleeping with Inami gave diminishing returns after Nobu''s Realm increased beyond a certain level. He had originally hoped this was a byproduct of her pregnancy, but, after reaching the Fourth Realm, the modified had decreased from 10 to 8 to 6. It was still worthwhile but it meant he would need progressively more friends if he wanted to maintain his current pace.


    The downside to befriending powerful people was that they cost their literal cultivation base to add. In other words, recruiting people in the Third Realm cost hundreds of thousands, recruiting people in the Fourth cost millions, and recruiting people in the Fifth Realm cost tens of millions.


    Simply put, every time he added one of the girls to his Friends List, Nobu would be Aura poor for a good 10-15 days. He also couldn''t expend Aura that would ce him into a lower Realm, so, if he wanted to recruit someone at Silver 3, he would need at least 400,000 Aura. This had allowed him to keep training without interruption but it was still annoying to have to wait around.


    While this mighte across as extremely whiny, the truth of the matter was that Nobu could now see the girls'' respective toxicity. In other words, he knew could literally see how close they were to dying. This ced a great deal of pressure on him, as, even at 0.172% toxicity, Cho had numerous health defects. Healing herpletely would cost more than 4.9 million Aura, an amount he would need in surplus if he wanted to treat each of her conditions.


    Fortunately, breaking into the Fifth Realm all but guaranteed Nobu would be able to treat each of the girls'' blood toxicity. He could even heal the entire Yoshitsune n once he reached the higher Ranks, so, while doing his best tofort Rukia, a n was forming in his mind. He would remain patient until the birth of his children. After that, even God couldn''t help the corrupt cunts who put Takao to death...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was contemting a literal purge of the people ruling over Owari-Asai, his father, Oda Senken, was humoring very simr thoughts.


    Though Takao had lost her life, that didn''t mean the Yoshitsune n had failed to gain information. They had proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the recently deposed Governor of Owari-Asai was organizing a rebellion with assistance from Granus.


    "This is what I get for trusting those god-forsaken monkeys from across the sea. I went out of my way to cooperate with them and this is how they thank me...!?"


    After reading through the report several times, Senken smashed the table beneath him with a look of fury in his eyes. He was literally the only Daimyo willing to give Granus the benefit of the doubt and open trade with them. He was even in the process of gaining approval from the Imperial Family to ship unrefined metals overseas. In spite of this, they were secretly working with his enemies in an effort to depose him. This was so utterly ridiculous that he was half-tempted to charge over to Asai and ughter the whole lot...


    "Calm down. You should have known something like this would happen the moment you opened trade with the outside world. Granus is still in the process of stabilizing as a nation. They have so many conflicts of interest that it wouldn''t surprise me if a civil war broke out in the next couple of years. Instead of getting riled up, you should be thinking about how to deal with this before things get too out of hand."


    Turning towards his father, Oda Senichi, a frown marred Senken''s face as he asked, "What can I do other than send troops? I cannot allow a rebellion to break out in my territory. Not when my son is so close to returning..."


    "Hmmm..."


    Though he wasn''t particrly fond of prophecies, Senichi''s impression of Nobu was pretty positive after reading the reports of Hitomi. His unique views were something Nian desperately right now as pressure from the Heavenly Kingdom had been increasing in recent years. If they didn''t unify under a single banner, and soon, there was a very real chance that forty thousand years of Nianese history would be erased in a single generation...


    "You''re not going to like this, but hear me out...what say we leave this matter to that prodigal son of yours? A rebellion might be disastrous for a province, but it''s also an opportunity for change. If our enemies think we are weakening, they may attempt to dere war on us. If your son is truly fated to unify the archipgo, he''ll need to start somewhere. Owari-Asai is just as good a ce if any..."


    Scowling in response to his father''s words, Senken''s first instinct was to call the man old and senile. His impression of Nobu was that thetter didn''t want to get involved in politics. It wouldn''t be fair to force this matter on him, but, at the same time, he knew that Nobu''s destiny was something far beyond his ability to control. Thus, rather than immediately refute his father''s suggestion, he picked up a brush and prepared to write a letter...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I feel like Nobu is going to isekai back to our world and punch me...)

 Chapter 102: Indignant Fury

    Chapter 102: Indignant Fury


    Afterforting Rukia, Nobu asked if she was willing to look after Reina. Thetter was basically an orphan so he thought they might be able to look after one another.


    Unfortunately, while she was grateful for the offer, Rukia wasn''t ready to ept responsibility for another person right now. She had even confided in him that she had thought about killing herself, so, for the time being, she just wanted to focus on her duties as a teacher.


    Since he couldn''t really force her to move into the main house and adopt someone she had only briefly interacted with, Nobu decided to respect Rukia''s decision. Before he left, however, he had her promise she wouldn''t attempt to harm herself or seek vengeance on her own terms.


    Fortunately, Rukia had already made the decision to continue living. More specifically, she wanted to see how far someone like Nobu was able to go. He was so different from other Nianese Nobles that she couldn''t help wanting to see what he might aplish in the future...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "This is all the information our kunoichi have been able to gather thus far. As per your request, I have also gathered all information pertaining to trainee Takao''s mission and the circumstances that led to her death..."


    Though the sound of Suzune''s voice was as pleasant as always, Nobu''s expression darkened as his eyes skimmed over one of the reports. It was written in code, but, thanks to his Camera App, he was able to trante the entire thing at the cost of a few hundred Aura.


    "Granus is trying to invade us? Are they stupid...?"


    Despite knowing very little about Nian, Nobu knew they were effectively closed country. Owari was one of the only provinces willing to trade with them. It didn''t make sense for Granus to antagonize one of the only administrations will to work for them. Even if they did manage to get a foothold in Owari, the surrounding Provinces would never let them establish a settlement. They would literally be wiped out the moment they tried.


    Restraining augh, an amused smile developed across Suzune''s face as she exined, "Granus is a nation founded by criminals and opportunists. Most countries outright refuse to trade with them so this kind of behavior isn''t particrly surprising. If they could establish a supply line, I imagine they would skip the pleasantries entirely."


    Shaking his head, Nobu elected to withhold furtherment. If he were beingpletely honest, even the politicians ruling back in his previous world were a bunch of asshats. Nianese society was fucked due to how strictly regted it was but it seemed like Granus was even worse. If they were able to find their footing as a nation, he had little doubt they would start waging wars all across the. The US certainly did.


    ("It seems politicians are touched in the head no matter which world it is...")


    As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu''s eyes widened as he found a strange document showing a hastily sketched drawing of a little girl wearing what appeared to be some kind of exoskeleton.


    "What''s this...?"


    Taking advantage of the situation, Suzune shifted from a wless seiza to her hands and knees as she peered at the document in Nobu''s hands. This allowed her aroma to tickle his nose, and, more importantly, gave him a clear view of her cleavage as she answered, "Hmmm...it appears to be one of the automatons excavated by Granus. Based on the detailing notes, I would assume it is one of their Amphibious Destroyers."


    Deadpanning even before Suzune finished speaking, Nobu earned a curious look from the pinkette as he lowered his face into his hand. He had learned about Granus''s automatons but he had never actually seen one. Prior to this, he had assumed they were some kind of futuristic golems or maybe a knock-off mech. Thest thing he expected was a bunch of fembots and gynoids that were clearly ripped from some shitty gacha game...


    "Fuck my life..."


    Misunderstanding Nobu''sment as concern regarding the automaton''s battle capabilities, Suzune adopted an assuring tone as she said, "You need not be so concerned. As strong as the automatons of Granus are, they require a tremendous amount of power. They also require a specialized handler tomand and are nearly impossible to repair outside of their original production facilities. This is one of the reasons no one takes Granus seriously. They like to openly unt the technology they''ve uncovered but they fundamentallyck the ability to make effective use of it."


    Though he nodded his head in response, Nobu couldn''t help asking the thing that was bothering him the most, specifically, "Why are they female?"


    After a moment of confusion, a look of realization shed across Suzune''s face as she fixed her posture and exined, "It''s because they are technology dating back to the previous era, the Age of the Gods. Back then, the method of cultivating Aura had yet to be developed. It was something given to humanity to strengthen their bodies and allow them to perform manualbor. The mostmon form of energy was Divine. The female form is far more suited to the umtion and storage of Divine Energy as it naturally collects within the womb to form a Nascent Soul. Thus, for the most part, the various automata of Granus are female in form."


    "..."


    When he asked his question, Nobu didn''t expect to hear Suzune confirm what he already expected to be true. The automata didn''t simply resemble females. They had artificial organs, a womb, and, even without asking, he could guess that the handlers mentioned by Suzune were exclusively men...


    "This ce really is an Otaku''s wet dream..."


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu ignored the inquisitive look on Suzune''s face as he muttered, "Whatever..." before following up by asking, "What are our options? I can''t imagine my father ignoring such an obvious invasion."


    Pausing to consider her words, Suzune''s expression became apologetic as she exined, "Truth be told, our hands are tied. As vassals of the Oda n, we cannot act without their permission. This is especially true when it concerns Government Officials and Nobles..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu could feel his blood beginning to boil as he asked, "So we''re just going to ignore the fact that enemies are infiltrating our province and executing our people...?"


    Closing her eyes, Suzune took a deep breath before calmly exining, "Nations and ns cannot be run on sentiment alone. We must reward our kunoichi for risking their lives and the majority of our fundse from the Oda n. There is also the matter of filing a report to the Imperial Family and requesting permission to install a new Governor. Owari-Asai is the most important port in all of Owari. Without a Governor, opportunists will quickly take advantage of the situation before cutting and running with their profits. Destabilizing the economy of the entire Province to avenge a trainee is not a wise course of action..."


    Though he couldn''t help grinding his teeth in response to Suzune''s words, Nobu didn''tsh out at her. He hated to admit it, but he knew she was right. This was one of the reasons he hated politics, as, no matter how fucking useless the people in charge seemed to be, they were still important for maintaining control over the markets. If the economy copsed, the citizens would be the ones to pay the price...


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu''s gaze sharpened as he said, "We might not be able to do anything about the Governor but there has to be something we can do about these perverted fuckwits from Granus..."


    Suppressing a sigh, Suzune forced a smile as she answered, "I''m afraid that is a decision for your father to make. Granus provides quite a number of high-quality goods to Owari. As a result, more than 20% of our annual revenuees from distributing their products to other Provinces. While their actions are reprehensible, ceasing trade and opening hostilities against them is not an ideal solution. If we''re taking the benefits of the Province into consideration, it would be better to use this incident as leverage to renegotiate terms in our favor..."


    Raising his hand, Nobu prevented Suzune from continuing. Once again, he knew she was right. He just didn''t like it. Not one bit. In fact, it was so fucking fucked up he wanted to punch a hole in the wall.


    "That''s enough for today. Thank you foring..."


    Understanding she was being dismissed, Suzune adopted an apologetic smile before offering a polite bow and promptly departing the room. She had wanted to use this as an opportunity to get closer to the Young Lord but it would seem she had underestimated just how sentimental he could be...


    Though he would have normally followed Suzune''s departure with his eyes, Nobu pretended to be focused on the documents littered around him. He wasn''t actually in charge but he was gradually beginning to understand just how difficult it was to govern a nation. Resources weren''t unlimited and every decision you made had to be weighed against the interests of the entire country.


    "I''m starting to wish I had reincarnated into one of those generic cultivation worlds. The MCs there get to behave likeplete asshats without any fucking consequences..."


    Oblivious to the fact he was starting to view himself as the ''Main Character'' of this world, Nobu just shook his head before rising to his feet and calling out, "Kumiko, you here?"


    Appearing the moment Nobu finished speaking, Kumiko resisted the urge to take a knee as she just smiled and asked, "How might I be of service, Nobunaga-sama?"


    Gesturing towards the scattered documents, Nobu asked, "Can you read through these and write up a summary for me? My hands might be tied at the moment but I refuse to let this matter lie. At that time, I''ll be relying on you to supply me with information and advice."


    Smiling radiantly, Kumiko pressed a hand to her chest as she performed a half-bow and said, "It would be my pleasure~!" in an audibly excited tone. She had enjoyed teaching Nobu these past few months but her actual responsibilities revolved around gathering information andpiling it. This was the first time Nobu had officially tasked her with performing her primary responsibility so she couldn''t help feeling excited.


    Seeing how happy the silver-haired woman was, much of Nobu''s frustrations simply faded away. It was hard to remain angry when other people were happy, so, while he would probably brood over this matter for quite a while, he would do his best to make sure it didn''t adversely affect the people around him.


    To this end, Nobu extended his hand to gently caress Kumiko''s head. This had be a habit of his after spending time with Kaia and warming up to the five brats who constantly pestered him. It also put a smile on the girls'' faces, so, while it was a little awkward to stroke the head of a grown woman, Nobu offered a smile of his own as Kumiko looked up at him with a happy expression on her face...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After departing Nobu''s estate, Suzune zipped up the mountain like a pink phantom. Upon reaching the massive manor located at the peak, she quickly arranged a meeting with the Matriarch as it was customary to report on their interactions with Nobu as soon as possible. This was a decision made by the entire Elder Council, so, while it was annoying to have to run up and down the mountain, she didn''t really have a choice in the matter.


    Fortunately, Hitomi was already waiting for her, so, after a number of formalities, she found herself seated across from the heterochromatic woman. What she didn''t expect was for Hitomi to open the conversation by producing a letter written by their Master, Lord Senken...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Governing a nation isn''t easy...)

 Chapter 103: Familiarization

    Chapter 103: Familiarization


    In an effort to rid himself of his frustrations, Nobu was currently standing across from an unarmed Kazue. Both had sweat dripping from their brows, but, despite abandoning her training years ago, Kazue was clearly the calmer and more rxed of the two.


    Though it waspletely unnecessary, Nobu released a loud warcry as he leaped a short distance forward, hands trailing next to his chest as hepressed the surrounding air to the point it was visible to the naked eye. The moment his feet touched the ground, he shot his hands forward like a pair of spears, each producing a swirl of energy that shot forth at tremendous speeds.


    Unable to evade, Kazue did the same thing most of the girls did when Nobu assaulted them with wind pressure. She leaned forward slightly, a golden aura manifesting around her body to produce a sloping dome that drastically reduced her drag coefficient. As a result, thepressed air flowed over and around her body as she flexed the muscles in her legs.


    Clicking his tongue, Nobu mmed his palms towards the ground before jumping up in an attempt to evade Kazue as she crashed through his previous position like a shimmering, golden freight train.


    Nobu''s wind maniption allowed him to be incredibly light on his feet. If he directed air currents from his hands and feet, he could even propel himself in a manner simr to iron man.


    Unfortunately, unlike Tony Stark, Nobu didn''t have multipleyers of conveniently shock absorbant and cinematically indestructible metal covering his body. Thus, if he wasn''t careful, he could easily injure himself by crashing into something ornding poorly.


    The icing on the cake was that Nobu always felt an extreme feeling of giddiness and vertigo when he leaped high into the air. It was almost like being on one of those bungee-cord carnival rides. It was an exhrating experience while you were strapped into the harness, but, the moment one of the cords snapped, you would feel a sinking feeling in your stomach as the chill of existential dread washed over you.


    Seeing the ground fast approaching, Nobu attempted to soften hisnding by generating streams of air from his hands and feet. He managed to seed, but, due to his fear of impacting the cold, hard ground, he ended up bobbing above it for several seconds. When he finally didnd, a sharp pain simr to jumping off a one-story building shot up both legs as hended on the ts of his feet.


    Fortunately, this was intentional, as, the moment Nobu''s feet impacted the earth, a wall ofpact soil rose to intercept Kazue''s charge. It was only around a meter thick but it was more than enough topletely arrest her momentum as she was slower and weaker than everyone else in the Realm of Golden Warrior. After all, while others spent years familiarizing themselves with the properties of their metallic Aura, Kazue had basically gone from Iron 7 to Gold 3 over the course of a few weeks.


    Exhaling a breath of relief, Nobu took advantage of Kazue''s momentary stupor to ce his palms against the earthen wall. It wasprised of highly fertile soil that resembled a rich ck mulch, but, the moment his hands pressed against it, the color began to fade to brown as a fair amount of water formed around his hands like a ferromaic liquid intent on climbing his arms.


    While the Metal Infusion Technique was basically hax due to the increased durability and power it provided, Nobu hadn''t given up on the Breath Progression Technique. Rather, with each sessive advancement, his excitement towards it increased by several orders of magnitude.


    Increasing your Aura over a short period of time provided a sense of euphoria even drugs couldn''t match. It was also unbelievably addicting, so much so that Nobu felt a genuine sense of depression whenever he investedrge sums of Aura into befriending people.


    More importantly, the Breath Progression Technique functioned exactly as Nobu had expected it would after discovering it allowed him to manipte air currents. More specifically, the Third and Fourth Realms were known as "Breath of Water" and "Breath of Earth", respectively. In other words, while his control was still shit, he could manipte air, water, and earth using his Aura. With the next Realm being referred to as "Breath of Fire", Nobu had very high hopes for the future.


    With more than enough water for his purposes, Nobu backed away from the crumbling wall of soil as he brought his hands together like a soothsayer peering into a crystal ball. The water clinging to his hands quickly came together to form a sphere. This was useless unless on its own, but, thanks to the guidance he had received from Inami, Nian''s preeminent me and ice controller, it only took a couple of days to learn how to freeze the interior by infusing it with trace amounts of Yin Elemental Energy.


    Seeing what Nobu was up to, Kazue ceased trying to break through the wall of dirt and instead focused all of her Aura to produce a defensive wall. This ended up being the correct decision, as, momentster, the sphere of condensed ice mmed into her shield like a cannonball. It shattered on contact, but the kic energy was more than enough to leave a massive dent in the barrier''s surface.


    "A little excessive, don''t you think...?"


    Feeling a cold shiver spread through her body as a result of the dissipating Yin Elemental Energy, Kazue released her Aura instead of allowing it to return. It would take some time for the energy to fully dissipate and she didn''t want to freeze her insides by trying to forcefully absorb it.


    Shaking his head, Nobu''s expression morphed into a wry smile as he retorted, "Speak for yourself. I don''t have a convenient barrier protecting my body. Getting hit by you is like being trampled by a bull."


    Scratching the back of her head, Kazue''s expression became somewhat awkward as she asked, "So, what now? I used up all of my Aura in that shield so we''d need to spar without them if you want to continue."


    Though he was tempted to ask if she wanted to do a very different kind of sparring, Nobu resisted the urge as he already had a prior engagement. He was supposed to apany Inami, Reina, and Onihime this evening so he needed to get at least some sleep before night fell.


    With this in mind, Nobu decided to settle for a bit of skinship. More specifically, he wrapped his arms around Kazue''s body, firmly grasping her ass cheeks as he thanks her for helping him train with a long and passionate kiss...


    ...


    ..


    .


    When Reina first became a student of the main house, she hadn''t known what to think. All of the teachers back at the Academy had been telling her ss how fortunate they were to be given the chance to attend a special course sponsored by a member of the Oda n.


    Like all the other girls her age, Reina had been excited by the prospect of serving a member of the Oda n. They were told it was the greatest of honors, and, if they were lucky, there was a chance they could avoid the inevitable fate of every kunoichi. There was even a chance they could be the personal vassals of the Oda n''s future Lord, so, during the weeks leading up to the interview, they had received numerous refreshers on etiquette and propriety.


    Since her constitution was a bit weaker than other girls, Reina had been afraid that her future Lord would take one look at her before promptly turning her away. Instead, shortly after she introduced herself, he surprised her by asking if she wanted to be a student of the main house. He even expressed concern for her after learning about her mother''s death, and, once everything was over, he caressed her head before sending her off to meet with their n''s Guardian.


    When she learned she was going to be studying under the most powerful member of their entire n, Reina was genuinely afraid she would be killed the moment she made a mistake. Instead, she learned that Inami-sama waspletely different from the rumors. She got annoyed easily, but, instead ofshing out and punishing anyone who offended her, she behaved a lot like their Lord.


    Needless to say, Reina was both frightened and confused by how drastically different everything in the main house was. She felt as though she had been lied to throughout her entire schooling, but, upon expressing her concerns to her new Master, she learned it was the opposite. Her teachers had been telling her the truth. The reason things were so different in the main house was because of the influence of their Lord, Oda Nobunaga-sama.


    Reina was a little confused at first, but, after learning about her Lord''s Heavenly Treasure, everything became clear. She didn''t really understand the specifics but she knew enough to know her Lord was far more amazing than the person her teachers had presented him to be.


    When she and Chi-Chi were first asked to be her Lord''s friend, Reina didn''t believe they were worthy of such an honor. She reluctantly agreed after a bit of convincing, and, ever since then, her life had changed in ways she never could have imagined.


    Though he seemed to believe he was something called an ''asshole'', Reina felt as though her Lord was the kindest person she had ever met. He never acted as though he was above anyone, treated everyone around him with care, and, even when she made mistakes, he would just encourage her to keep trying.


    Of course, the thing that left the deepest impression on Reina''s young mind was the experience of having her Lord''s Aura inserted into her body. He had the ability to permanently increase the Aura of another person and it was inarguably the most amazing thing she had ever experienced. Nothing else even came close.


    When Reina first heard Chi-Chi telling her and the other girls how much she loved their Lord, Reina had thought such remarks to be improper. Their Lord was allowed to love them, but, unless he had given them permission, they were supposed to focus on serving him to the best of their abilities.


    After receiving her Lord''s blessing, Reina''s mentalitypletely changed. It might sound silly, but, the moment she awoke to find herself cradled in his arms, concern visible in his silver-blue eyes, her heart began beating so quickly she felt like it would explode from her chest.


    Since then, Reina had gotten along much better with the other girls around her age as they all had simr thoughts toward their Lord. In fact, everyone around him seemed to love and respect him in a way Reina never thought possible. This included the pink-haired onee-san that taught them how to clean the house, their n''s most respected Elders, and even their Guardian.


    When Reina learned that her Master was pregnant with their Lord''s children, her mind had basically exploded. As far as she knew, this wasn''t something that was allowed. In fact, they had been taught in the Academy that anyone who became pregnant through intercourse with a member of the Oda n would be put to death.


    To Reina''s considerable relief, these rules didn''t seem to apply to her Lord. He was such a great man that he was allowed to change or outright ignore such things. This was a little scary to imagine, but, knowing how kind her Lord was, she wasn''t afraid he would ever do anything bad. Rather, much like the other girls her age, she was excited by the prospect that she might one day be allowed to carry her Lord''s child...


    With such thoughts filling her head, Reina was genuinely surprised when her Onihime-san, a girl not much bigger than herself, entered her room, saying, "Reina-chan, it''s time to go. Nobunaga-sama is calling for us."


    Smiling in a manner that would surprise any of her former ssmates, Reina practically bounded to her feet, eximing, "Yes~!" before scampering out of the room as fast as her feet could carry her...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: TFW you''re an asshole but reincarnate into a world where most of the people in power are irredeemable cunts xD...)

 Chapter 104: Frost and Fire

    Chapter 104: Frost and Fire


    Seeing Reina arrive alongside Onihime, a smile developed across Nobu''s face as he said, "Hey there, kiddo. You ready to break through to the next Realm?"


    With a fairly obvious blush developing across her face, Reina held her hands up in a bashful manner as she nodded her head furiously. This caused Nobu''s smile to turn wry, but, having already gotten used to shy blte''s behavior, he turned to Inami and said, "I guess we''re ready."


    Nodding her head, Inami wrapped her Aura around the entire group before leaping through the air as if the added weight of three people had no effect on her speed...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Ever since Nobu entered the Third Realm, Breath of Water, Inami had been forcing him to spend at least three days a week training at night. The Moon was the most readily avable source of Yin Elemental Energy, and, much like it had been in the Avatar universe, it had a significant influence on his ability to manipte water.


    Though he was still intending to get a bit of training in, tonight was special since Reina would be using the light of the full moon to break into the Third Realm. Her cultivation method, the Nine Phases Frost Phoenix Technique was among the most unique Nobu had ever given out. It required an Innate Yin Physique just to cultivate, and, unlike traditional methods, the Aura requirement for each Realm only increased by a factor of nine.


    Simply put, Reina was able to ascend to the First Realm at 900 Aura, the Second Realm at 8100 Aura, and the Third Realm at 72,900 Aura. This might make it sound like a detriment considering people at the same Rank would always be stronger her, but, contrary to what most people would believe, she was far more powerful due to the suppressive effect Yin and Ice Elemental Energy had against anyone who didn''t cultivate simr energies.


    While she might never be a powerhouse that can move around at supersonic speeds, Reina could literally freeze everything in her surroundings just by releasing her Aura. If she managed to get her hands on you, she could send her energy into your body and influence the energy channels in your body.


    Though she was far from the point of being able to instantaneously freeze a target, it only took a single touch for Reina to temporarily cripple her opponents. Yin Elemental Energy was especially difficult to resolve if it was inserted into your body forcefully. Thus, unless you were exponentially stronger than her, she could basically inhibit your ability to use Aura until the invasive energy had been removed.


    ording to Inami, this was a natural defense mechanism for women with excess Yin Elemental Energy. Their Auras naturally attracted people with strong Yang Elemental Energy, so, without the means to protect themselves, they would quickly be victims. She also spected that this was the reason the Nine Phases Frost Phoenix Technique required such minimal Aura to advance to the next Realm. Without the ability to increase their strength quickly, it wouldn''t be long before women with an Innate Yin Physique found themselves as a cultivation furnace.


    Fortunately for Reina, she had a benefit that no other possessor of an Innate Yin Physique had the fortune to possess: a kind Lord with an unbelievably powerful Heavenly Treasure.


    While most possessors of an Innate Yin Physique struggled throughout the entirety of their short lives, Reina was fortunate due to the fact she didn''t need to spend decades avoiding people and cultivating in private. She wasn''t even eight years old but she was already preparing to enter into the Third Realm. This would make her a highly coveted target for anyone looking for a cultivation furnace, but, so long as she followed Inami''s example and remained within the boundaries of the mountain, that wasn''t an issue.


    With thoughts of her Lord providing ample motivation, Reina followed Inami''s instructions to the letter as she meditated, naked, atop a white jade tform. As for Nobu, he sat off to the side with his back facing the young girl. He had removed his shirt to increase the efficacy of his meditation, so, every now and then, Reina would look over before quickly closing her eyes and regaining focus.


    Had she not been sneaking a number of peeks herself, Inami would have admonished Reina for herck of focus. Instead, she elected to simply ignore the young trainee''s behavior as this was actually a positive development. The stronger her feelings towards Nobu were, the better. After all, while he might have no intention of viewing her that way, Reina was still an ideal cultivation furnace. It would benefit all of them if she remained at his side.


    Unaware of the conclusion reached by Inami and the other Elders, Nobu took advantage of the Yin, Ice, and Water Elemental Energy surging towards Reina to produce several spheres of water. He was still getting used to the sensation but he could feel his connection with the spheres growing as they slowly orbited his body. It was almost like they were linked to him by an invisible yet rigid string. He could feel their weight, their temperature, and, whenever he moved around, they would follow each of his movements with a slight dy, almost as if he was using one of those stic toys shaped like a hand.


    Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, Nobu wasn''t able to do anything like blood bending. It might be possible in the future, but, for the time being, he still needed to bone Inami just to be able to turn water into ice. Men produced a very minuscule amount of Yin Elemental Energy, and, unless they cultivated a specific technique, retaining it for long periods of time was impossible. Thus, while he wanted to be able to fling around massive blocks of ice as if they were paperweights, Nobu still had a long way to go before he could even jokingly refer to himself as the Avatar.


    As that thought crossed his mind, each of the spheres of water around Nobu''s body copsed to the ground. He was running low on Aura, so, the moment his mind began to wander, his control over the elements slipped away.


    "Clear your mind. Don''t let impatience guide you. The main reason you are struggling to control your Aura is that you have too much. Most people spend decades to reach where you are. During that time, their primary focus in on spiritual development rather than physical conditioning. Your Heavenly Treasure provides numerous benefits, but, without adequate control, you will struggle to bring your power to bear. Like the elements themselves, you need to free your mind and simply be. Stop trying to force it."


    Opening his eyes, Nobu found Inami crouching right in front of him. The moment she was finished speaking, she ced her palm against the crown of his head, and, as a result, his depleted reserves rapidly filled. This was amon yet extremely difficult to master technique known as Conversion and Transference. It was typically used to preserve someone''s life when they were on the verge of Aura depletion, but, at times like this, it could be used to aid in the training of others.


    Once the process waspleted, Inamibed her fingers through Nobu''s hair, her expression softening as she said, "You have so much potential. More than anyone I''ve everid eyes on. You just need to learn how to control it before it controls you..."


    Understanding that Nobu wasn''t the type to enjoy being pampered or treated like a child, Inami quickly retracted her hand before returning to her position at Reina''s side. This had proven to be the most effective method to teaching him as his pride caused him to be increasingly more obstinant the more people tried to help him. Thus, rather than watch his every move, she offered affection and advice before effectively ignoring him.


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu followed Inami''s departure with his head before shaking his head and returning to his training. He hated being coddled so he was determined to prove to her that he was the one in control, not his power...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After seven and a half hours of meditation, an icy Aura erupted from Reina''s body. In its wake, an area approximately ten meters in diameter became covered in ayer of white frost as she exhaled arge plume of frigid condensation from her pale pink lips.


    Following her sigh of relief, Reina opened her eyes to find that even her body was covered in a thinyer of frost. Instead of feeling cold, however, she feltfortable. It was like the ice was a part of her, and, shortly after that thought crossed her mind, a blue and white kimono that glistened under the light of the moon appeared to cover her naked frame.


    "Oh? I never expected you to be able to form a raiment as early as the Third Realm. It appears the cultivation method given to you by our Lord is even more amazing than we initially believed. Make sure you thank him properly. Without it, you most likely would have died within the next four to six years..."


    Controlling her voice so that only Reina could hear it, Inami wanted to make sure the young girl knew exactly who to thank for her survival. Fortunately, Reina was as intelligent as she was docile. She was also highly impressionable due to the drastic change in her circumstances, so, the moment she heard Inami''s words, a resolute light shed across her icy-blue eyes as she nodded her head and answered, "I understand, Inami-sama. I will not waste the opportunity our Lord has given me!"


    Nodding her head in approval, Inami extended her hand to caress Reina''s hair only to feel the Yin Elemental Energy in her body surge from her palm. This was slightly startling, but, rather than resist the unexpected siphoning, Inami allowed Reina to absorb quite a bit before naturally retracting her hand.


    As the fundamental force representing the earth, darkness, and cold, Yin Elemental Energy could lead toplications during pregnancy so it was beneficial for both Inami and Reina to allow thetter to absorb as much as possible. Fortunately, Reina''s constitution made her a literal battery for Yin Elemental Energy. If she wasn''t afraid Nobu would have a breakdown and attack the young girl like a beast in heat, she might transfer every ounce of excess energy she had into the unsuspecting blute''s body...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Ceasing his training the moment Reina''s Aura surged outward, Nobu cast a nce in her direction before climbing to his feet and popping his back. In response, Onihime promptly supplied a warm and steamy towel, saying, "You''ve worked hard, Master."


    Nodding his head, Nobu epted the warm towel before cing it around his neck and shoulders and releasing a content sigh. Then, before approaching the frosty duo in the distance, he extended his hand to give the earnest oni a head pat. She was literally the perfect size for it so it had be the mostmon way in which he rewarded her outside the estate.


    Though she puffed out her cheeks ever so slightly, Onihime didn''t mind her Master''s caress. In fact, she was quite fond of it since she knew full well he didn''t actually regard her as a child. If he did, he wouldn''t force her down and gouge her insides nearly every other day of the week.


    As that thought crossed her mind, steam began to rise from Onihime''s body due to the humidity and the drastic difference in her temperaturepared to the surroundings. When Nobu burst outughing, the steam became even more prominent. Fortunately, he didn''t openly make fun of her. If he had, she might have be a wandering cloud with horns sticking out...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I wonder how upset Nobu would be if someonepared his control issues to Naruto xD...)

 Chapter 105: Excitement and Fatigue

    Chapter 105: Excitement and Fatigue


    After congratting Reina on her sessful breakthrough, the first thing Nobu did upon returning to the estate was going to visit Kaia. He had warned her in advance that he was going to be busy so she was more than a little happy to see him. As for Nobu, he had be fond of reclining against her belly as he fiddled around with the stone tablet.


    She was very fluffy...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With the dawn of a new day, Nobu felt Kaia''s body rapidly shrinking until his head was lying against her naked body. Her arms, legs, back, shoulders, and even her neck were still covered in silvery-grey fur, but, for the most part, she waspletely smooth from her corbone to her ass crack. It was a strange sight as he half-expected her to have a bush as thick as the fur covering her tail.


    Rising to a seated position, Nobu made no efforts to conceal his appreciation of Kaia''s figure as he remarked, "Nice. You''re even more beautiful without your muzzle."


    As he would normally be gone long before she transformed back into her human form, this was the first time Nobu was seeing Kaia without her muzzle on. She was actually more sexually aggressive in her human form, so, even though Nobu felt it wasn''t necessary, the others had insisted she remains muzzled at all times.


    While a normal woman might have blushed upon receiving such apliment, Kaia''s pupils visibly contracted as her ears and tail became noticeably rigid. She was happy, make no mistake, but she was also worried that she might do something bad without her muzzle on. She had been wearing it for as far back as she could remember. The only exceptions were just before her transformation and immediately after it.


    Noticing Kaia''s nervousness, Nobu just rolled his eyes before asking, "Why are you so nervous? Are you going to bite me?"


    Shaking her head rather violently, Kaia eximed, "Kaia would never bite Master...!" in a somewhat panicked tone.


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu gestured for her toe closer, saying, "Good. Then there''s no reason to be nervous. Come on."


    With her ears lying t against the top of her head, Kaia sent a brief nce towards Inami before cautiously approaching her Master. When he suddenly gave her a hug, her body briefly tensed before her ears quickly returned to their full height. Then, with her tail wagging behind her, she returned his embrace while nuzzled against his face and chin.


    "See? No problems. Kaia is a good girl."


    With her tail waggling with even greater force, Kaia chimed a happy, "Nn~!" while doing her best to suppress the growing me in her lower body...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After the others helped her get dressed, Nobu made a point to tell everyone Kaia no longer had to wear her muzzle. This made a few of them nervous, but, unlike before, they no longer questioned his decisions regarding the ostensibly feral woman. They had treated her as an untamable beast for years, yet, after a mere couple of weeks, Nobu had reached a point where he could eveny against her transformed state without showing fear. It was honestly a little ridiculous, but, considering some of the other things Nobu had aplished, taming a Half-Lycan seemed rtively normal.


    In reality, Nobu had been using the stone tablet to suppress Kaia''s animalistic instincts. Simr to Onihime, Kaia had various abnormal status effects pertaining to her Hunger, Bloodlust, and even her Mating Instinct. Nobu had secretly been using the stone tablet to gradually reduce these over time, so, while it was true he was ''taming'' her, the main reason Kaia was so stable was because of the stone tablet. After all, there was no way in hell he was going to enter a cell with a 373cm Lycan who desperately wanted to mate with him. He found her furry appendages appealing when she was in her human form but that was his limit.


    Fortunately, even when he would periodically remove the effects of Hunger or randomly increase the libido of girls in his entourage, none of them seemed to notice. The stone tablet''s influence was very subtle, and, unless they were paying close attention to their Status, they wouldn''t notice even if he made slight adjustments to their physical parameters.


    Though it was sus as hell, Nobu had been investing small amounts of Aura into tweaking things the girls had eitherined about or mentioned being interested in. Chikako was a good example of this as she had confided in him that she preferred anal over other forms of intercourse. Thus, for the sake of increasing her enjoyment even further, Nobu had been investing small amounts of Aura into a nifty little parameter called Anal Sensitivity. Now, whenever they went gold mining together, her eyes would literally roll towards the back of her head after just a few minutes of intense drilling.


    If he were beingpletely honest, Nobu was slightly addicted to the feeling of being able to subtly influence the people around him. The best part was that the girls had literally given him permission to do so. In other words, he didn''t have to feel guilty even if he was subtly increasing the size of their breasts and butts to suit his preferences.


    Unfortunately, Nobu only had about half his entourage added to his Friends List. This meant, even though she was clearly interested in it, he couldn''t increase the size of Yui''s breasts. He would be able to in the future, but, for the time being, she could only hope they would swell a bit during her pregnancy...


    "Why do I get the feeling you were thinking something very rude just now...?"


    Opening his eyes, Nobu stared up at Yui, who, by request, was currently offering her soft and pliant thighs as his pillow.


    "Not gonna lie. I was just thinking about how amazing you''ll look with a pair of knockers that would put even Aiko to shame."


    Averting her eyes, a faint blush colored Yui''s cheeks as she muttered, "How foolish..." in a soft tone. At the same time, however, a tell-tale aroma tickled Nobu''s nose as he pulled out his stone tablet to confirm that Yui was, in fact, beginning to feel horny.


    Though he couldn''t add her to his Friends List, Nobu had invested the 23,000 Aura necessary to be able to see Yui''s Status. He couldn''t stand not knowing if she were poisoned or not, so, once he had a bit of Aura to spare, he immediately invested it into analyzing her and each of the girls he had yet to add as friends.


    "You really are adorable, you know that? Like, seriously. You normally give off this cool and razor-sharp vibe. It''s such a stark contrast between your current self that I can''t help thinking you''re cute as fuck..."


    With a far more prominent blush coloring her face, Yui exhaled a resigned sigh as she muttered, "If you want to have sex, there''s no need to be so roundabout...you don''t need to dazzle me with such flowery words..."


    Resisting the urge to ask her what was so flowery about calling her cute as fuck, Nobu just smiled as he said, "I like seeing you like this. It''s a face you only show to me and the people we''re closest to..."


    On that note, Nobu made a point to show Yui he wasn''t aplete horndog by closing his eyes and simply enjoying the feeling of her thighs pressed against his head and neck. He didn''t think it was possible but he was actually feeling a little spent the past couple of days. He had been having sex a little too often. As a result, he was actually starting to enjoy moments like this even more than when the girls screamed out his name during sex...


    Seeing Nobu close his eyes, Yui''s expression reflected her confusion as she blinked several times in surprise. This was different from how things usually went. In the past, Nobu would always follow his flirtatious words with proactive action. Because of this, she had even primed herself to start getting wet the moment he began flirting. Now, her body was prepared to receive him but Nobu showed no signs of actually pushing her down...


    "Are you teasing me...?"


    Opening his eyes, Nobu had to restrain augh as he saw the serious look on Yui''s face. She looked like a woman who had been invited to a hotel after drinks only to discover that the man wanted to talk. It was honestly hrious, but, instead of saying that, he just shook his head and said, "Nah...I''m just a little tired. Don''t worry. Once I''m done rxing, I''ll be sure to pound that pussy of yours until your Grandmother can feel it through that little crystal ball of hers..."


    After learning about the crystal ball from Hitomi herself, Nobu knew the old bat had been using it to spy on him. She and the other MILFs had also been flirting with him every chance they got. If it wasn''t for the fact he had already knocked up the most senior of their group, he might have given them all a good dicking just to quench their thirst. After all, while her physique wasn''t much of an upgrade from Yui''s, Hitomi was an enchantingly beautiful woman.


    Though she wanted to knock Nobu''s head for saying such a thing about her Grandmother, Yui wasn''t oblivious. She knew her Grandmother would jump at the chance to sleep with Nobu. She had literally said as such during one of their private conversations. Thus, after a moment of silence, she just shook her head before gently caressing Nobu''s forehead and forcefully suppressing the fire in her loins...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "That cheeky little brat..."


    As she was, in fact, keeping an eye on the two lovebirds, Hitomi''s brow began to twitch after she read Nobu''s lips. Since she was already naked, it took quite a bit of willpower to suppress the urge to charge down the mountain and teach the foul-mouthed boy a lesson. Instead, she just continued to observe with a practiced yet visibly amused smile on her face...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Hitomi was humoring thoughts of educating a second generation of Oda n Lords, another Elder was humoring simr yet markedly more selfish thoughts.


    Suzune, after learning of Inami''s pregnancy, had begun to worry that her ns to pair Nobu with her daughter would end in failure. Unfortunately, even though numerous people had exined that it was perfectly eptable for girls even younger than Shizune''s to marry and have children, Nobu wouldn''t budge. To make matters even worse, he was readily empowering a bunch of trainees while her daughter, despite living under the same roof, wentrgely ignored...


    If she could, Suzune would happily go back in time to give her daughter a stern talking to. In fact, if she could, she would smack Shizune''s head until such thoughts were nowhere to be found. Instead, she was forced to live in a present where the daughter she cherished more than life itself attempted to **** their future Lord...the man prophesied to unify all of Nian...


    "Oh, Shizune...how can you be so intelligent yet so unbelievably stupid...?"


    Prior to the incident, Suzune never would have badmouthed her daughter. Now, however, she was full ofints about her pink-haired progeny. Shizune literally had everything handed to her on a silver tter yet she still managed to mess things up in a single moment. She had let her curiosity get the better of her, and, as a result, her entire future had beenpromised.


    Fortunately, Nobu, despite all his ims, was a kind and benevolent person. There was still a chance that Shizune could secure a ce at his side. Unfortunately, there were still around 26 months until she turned eighteen. Given Nobu''s current rate of growth, he would most likely be in the process of conquering the neighboring Provinces by then. Thus, with her daughter limited by her age and the fact Nobu currently hated her, Suzune had little choice but to take matters into her own hands. The only question was, how did she seduce him whilst Inami and Hitomi were watching over his every action...?


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Everyone wants a taste of Nobu...)

 Chapter 106: Keeping Busy

    Chapter 106: Keeping Busy


    In an effort to keep his anger over Takao''s death from fading, Nobu made sure to check in on Rukia at least once a day. The rest of his time was split between training, learning, listening to reports, andzing about. He would also stop by to check in on the neen students living within the barracks, but, after finding a group of them lounging about in the buff, he decided to restrict his visits to the dojo and during training time.


    Though he had actually gotten used to seeing Midori, Nariko, Sachiko, Reina, and Chi-Chi running around, Nobu was still ufortable around naked and sociable children. The girls were trying to help him ovee this particr ''weakness'', but, unless he encountered a situation where it was literally used against him, Nobu doubted he would be able to ovee it.


    Fortunately, nudity was a lot less ''prominent'' outside of the Yoshitsune n. Once he finally left the mountain, the only naked people Nobu would encounter would be his women.


    Nian was an extremely conservative nation that elevated men to a much higher status than women. As a result, women, even farmers, walked around in restrictive clothing that covered everything but their faces, hands, and ankles. This was one of the reasons Kunoichi could use their nakedness as a weapon as most people were simply unprepared to deal with such an overt expression of sexuality.


    Though Inami, Yui, and even Onihime had been advising him to ovee his ''weakness'' to the female form, Nobu struggled to see matters from their perspective. Sure, he could be distracted by a beautiful woman, but, with so many surrounding him on a daily basis, he wasn''t exactly thirsting for more. He wasn''t just going to stick his dick in some random thot he had never met, and, thanks to his Heavenly Treasure, he didn''t have to worry about his Kunoichi dying off.


    It was apparently a rite of passage for Nobles in the Oda n to mature through the loss of people they had known their entire lives. Nobu found this utterly ridiculous, so, even if an enemy state did try to honeytrap him, he had no reason to humor them. He was surrounded by beauties who were almost too eager to sleep with him. If some random chick, or, even worse, some random brat tried to approach him, he would simply tell them to fuck off...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "You''re starting to get a little chubby..."


    Snorting in response to Nobu''s words, Inami lightly smacked his head. She didn''t use any strength, however, so Nobu didn''t really pay it any mind. Instead, he continued to caress the growing bump on her belly with an absentminded smile on his face.


    Seeing Nobu''s expression, Inami''s annoyance promptly evaporated as she tentatively asked, "Are you looking forward to being a father?"


    Blinking back to awareness, Nobu stared directly into Inami''s glowing pink eyes as he answered, "To bepletely honest...not really. Hell, I still can''t believe I knocked you up. Seeing both you and Yui develop through the stages of pregnancy... it''s almost like I''m viewing the world through someone else''s eyes. It doesn''t feel real..."


    Furrowing her brows, a conflicted look shed across Inami''s face until Nobu, still smiling, added, "I just hope I don''t fuck up..."


    Though she was a little confused by Nobu''s contrary words, Inami understood he wasn''t upset. He might not be looking forward to being a father but it was obvious he was going to do his best. This was a good sign, and, knowing Nobu''s character, she was certain he would be a better father than most.


    "Have you thought of any names...?"


    After recovering from the momentary shut down of his mental faculties, Nobu shook his head and answered, "Not really...I''ve had a lot of other things on my mind..."


    Between all his other duties, Nobu had also been working on ns to develop the infrastructure of Yumegakure. The Yoshitsune n would undoubtedly be his most powerful ally in the future so he wanted to improve the quality of life for the inhabitants of Yumegakure. Thus, alongside his other studies, he had also been researching materials, construction methods, and Nianese architecture.


    Having personally observed Nobu''s progress since his arrival, Inami didn''t doubt his words in the slightest. He had gone fromzing about most of the day to sleeping fewer than five hours each night. On some days, he wouldn''t sleep at all. Instead, he would supplement sleep by making love to her first thing in the morning. If he was especially tired, he might even take her in the middle of the day...


    As that thought crossed her mind, Inami''s tails began to flow and undte at a noticeably faster rate. Fortunately, she wasing up on the end of her first trimester in the next couple of weeks so her libido had mellowed quite a bit. She would refuse if Nobu propositioned her but she no longer felt the need to pounce on him every time he made a lewd or flirtatious remark.


    In an effort to calm both herself and Nobu, Inami elected to remain silent as she leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She had noticed he was bing fond of such disys of affection, and, while she would never openly admit it, so was she. Thus, for the better part of ten minutes, she just remained silent until Nobu asked, "On the subject of children...wasn''t I supposed to meet my little sister? It''s been like two months since I met with my parents. It''s a little strange I haven''t heard back from them."


    Though she didn''t remove her head from his shoulder, Inami issued an "Nn..." of acknowledgment before proceeding to exin, "Your sister, Oda Nobuhime, is only five months old right now. While it is not impossible to move her, traveling with such a young infant is dangerous. If something were to happen, ensuring her safety would be difficult as even running could jeopardize her life..."


    Having experienced a rather extreme case of whish the first time Inami pulled him with her Aura, Nobu just uttered an understanding, "Ah..." before falling silent. Inami followed this example, but, at the same time, she made a mental note to discuss the matter with Hitomi. Nobu had a penchant for asking remarkably relevant questions. Now that he was inquiring about Nobuhime, there was a very high probability that something was going to happen to her in the near future...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she was depressed knowing she wouldn''t be able to spend time with her baby for another year, the entire Oda n had noticed the improvement in Nana''s health and mood.


    Prior to her reunion with Nobu, Nana only smiled when she was alone with her husband or looking after her children. Toward everyone else, she was a cold and emotionless woman, who, despite her poor health and fragile constitution, radiated an Aura reminiscent of having a de at your throat.


    Unlike most cultivators in Nian, Nana had inherited the now-defunct Suzuki n''s Sword Arts. Her cultivation method was simply a modified version of the Metal Infusion Technique, but, instead of generating an Aura to protect her body, most of her techniques revolved around strengthening the sword she had inherited from herte Grandfather. It was a heritage item that could rival even the sacred treasures of the Imperial Family so it had made a fine dowry when she was practically sold off to the Oda n.


    Fortunately, unlike other women in her situation, Nana had the fortune of falling in love with her would-be husband at first sight. They had very simr natures when they were young, and, when Senken was traipsing around the Province and causing all manner of mischief, she had been right beside him.


    Now, after giving birth to four children, Nana was a lot weaker than her past self. Her cultivation base had decreased from tinum 4 to tinum 1, and, due to her decade-long sickness, there were times when she struggled to even move her body. As for her n''s ancestral sword, it had been collecting dust within the golden band around her left hand. When he was ready, she was intending to gift it to Nobu, but, until then, she would keep it safe from prying eyes...


    "Hey, hey, Sen-chan. How much longer are we going to wait? Hime-hime is starting to get a little impatient."


    Shifting his attention from his wife to the adorable little girl sleeping peacefully in her arms, Senken resisted the urge to point out she didn''t seem particrly troubled by the dy. He knew his wife was just missing their son. Unfortunately, there were already a number of rumors spreading among the other factions regarding Nobu''s imminent return. He even suspected the uprising in Owari-Asai was due to the influence of his younger brother. Thus, for the past two months, he had simply been too busy to even consider an excursion beyond the city walls.


    "Rx. I''ve been in contact with Hitomi. If everything goes as nned, our son should be visiting in the next couple of days. He won''t being to the estate but we should be able to meet him as he is exploring the city."


    Perking up the moment she heard her husband''s words, the only thing preventing Nana from pouncing on him was the infant in her arms. She could have passed Hime off to someone else, but, unless she was severely ill, she did her best to take care of her children on her own. This used to be a way topensate for the anxiety she felt about her inability to care for Nobu, but, now that she knew he was safe, she kind of wanted to baby all of her children...


    As if sensing her mother''s giddiness, Nobuhime opened her silvery-blue eyes with an adorable yet visibly annoyed expression on her face. Unlike a normal infant, however, she didn''t cry out or wail the moment she woke up. Instead, she just stared silently at her mother until Senken noticed she was awake. This was one of the reasons they wanted Nobu and her to meet, as, with the exception of her birthing cry, Hime had never cried...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With the sun beginning to set upon the horizon, Nobu set aside the brush he had been using to write before exhaling a tired sigh. Caligraphy was one of the skills expected of a Noble, so, while it was a pain in the ass, he had to learn the basics. Fortunately, despite the fact that Nianese society was clearly based on Japan, Kanji was basically an ancientnguage. They knew the meanings of certain symbols, but, for the most part, even schrs struggled toprehend thenguage for reasons that could only be exined away as isekai bullshit.


    Though he had only studied it for two years in High School, Nobu actually knew a fair amount of Japanese due to his parents speaking it around him when he was young. As a result, he might be the most proficient Japanese speaker in all of Nian. This sounded pretty ridiculous, but,pared to reincarnating in a world with a fucking Clicker App, it wasn''t particrly abnormal.


    "Even though I''ve seen it numerous times, I can''t help feeling awed by my Lord''s mastery over the Ancient Script. It truly is remarkable..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu elected to simply ignore Kumiko''s praise as he said, "I''m gonna head to the bath. It''s been a long day and I want to rx before eating dinner. Youing?"


    With a beaming smile on her face, Kumiko promptly answered, "Of course~!" as if it was the most natural course of action. Unfortunately, even though they had gotten in earlier than usual, it didn''t take long for several others to arrive. This included the troublesome quintet, so, while Kumiko had been looking forward to a bit of fun, her ns were ruined by Nariko and Chi-Chi arguing over who gets to wash their Master''s back...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is the g master O w O...)

 Chapter 107: Intuition and Flags Galore

    Chapter 107: Intuition and gs Galore


    "You want me to visit the capital? Why...?"


    Though he had his suspicions, Nobu wanted to hear the reason from Hitomi herself. Unsurprisingly, she answered, "It is as you suspect. Your parents are unable to leave the capital due to the growing tensions between Shuto and Asai. You should know that your father''s position isn''t the most stable at the present moment. If his enemies have the chance, they will not hesitate to be rid of him."


    Resisting the urge to ask why his father didn''t simply eliminate the factions opposing him, Nobu just snorted through his nose before answering, "Whatever. So long as I''m not being used as bait, I don''t mind exploring the city. It beats sitting around, training, and studying every day."


    Since his only form of recreation these past couple of months had been having sex and messing with the stone tablet, Nobu didn''t mind taking a break. His memories of Owari-Asai weren''t very clear so he couldn''t deny he was interested in seeing what arge city was like. He would need to know how the people went about their daily lives if he wanted to introduce meaningful changes. If he just arbitrarily decided what was best for them, they were bound to get pissy.


    Nodding her head in approval, a yful glimmer shed across Hitomi''s heterochromatic eyes as she said, "Excellent. When you''re ready, you and Yui should head down the mountain and secure a ce to stay within the city. Inami and the rest will look after Kaia but you should probably let her know you''ll be gone for around three to five days."


    "Huh? Why would I stay for three to five days? It shouldn''t take that long to travel from the base of the mountain to the capital..."


    Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Hitomi supplied an overtly sensual-sounding giggle before going on to exin, "Shuto is the capital of Owari. The security there is far moreprehensive than the security of Asai. If you check into the city and attempt to leave on the same day, you will most likely be apprehended by the city guards. After all, the nearest city to Shuto is located in the neighboring Province. It would be extremely suspicious for an undocumented citizen to arrive and depart on the same day. Besides, your parents aren''t as free as you seem to think. They can''t just go out into the city and wait for you at your convenience..."


    Though he could understand Hitomi''s point, that didn''t mean Nobu was happy about it. He had made a lot of progress with Kaia these past few months. Three days might not be a long period of time but it might as well be an eternity for someone locked up in a cage all day. Unfortunately, even if he wanted to take her with him, there was no way the guards would allow her into the city...


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu shook his head and answered, "Fine, whatever..." before following it up by asking, "Do I have to leave today...?"


    Maintaining her usual smile, Hitomi promptly replied, "Your departure and return are ultimately up to you. Even your stay on the mountain is predicated by your desire to reside within. No one within the Yothistune n will stand in your way if you choose to leave..."


    Unamused by the mysterious and foreboding tone she used near the end of her statement, Nobu elected to roll his eyes before asking, "So, what now? I doubt you came all this way just to tell me these things. Yui goes up the mountain at least twice a day."


    Adopting a mock pout that did nothing to reduce the sharpness of her eyes, Hitomi mused, "Oh, my...if you keep talking like that, I''m going to start thinking you hate me. Is it so wrong for me to want to pay a visit to my future Lord and Master...?"


    Instead of answering her question, Nobu just stared pointedly at Hitomi until she shrugged in a helpless manner and exined, "As I said before, your father''s orders are absolute. Until you take up the mantle of Lord, we are contractually bound to obey him. His message asked me to convey this matter to you directly so I had no choice but toe in person."


    As this was not the first time he had heard about the contract between the Oda and Yoshitsune ns, Nobu just nodded his head before tactfully changing the topic by saying, "It''s a little early, but Cho should have already started on lunch. Since you''vee all this way, you might as well stay for lunch."


    Though she was very satisfied by the progress Nobu had made in his understanding of etiquette andmon courtesy, Hitomi couldn''t afford to stick around for long. If Nobu was going to visit the capital, she would need to assign additional forces to secure the route and keep an eye on him during his stay. She would normally entrust his safety to Yui, but, now that she was pregnant, there was a chance she could lose control of her Aura during a crisis. If either of them were to die at this critical junction, all of Nian would pay the price...


    Had Hitomi said these thoughts aloud, Nobu wouldn''t have been able to avoid facepalming. Even then, he could vaguely sense there was ''something'' wrong when Hitomi offered a polite bow before rising to her feet and answering, "While I am honored by Nobunaga-sama''s invitation, my schedule is quite full. I will, however, wish you the best of luck on your journey. The capital is quite beautiful this time of year. Make sure you take Yui to view the sakura trees during your stay. They might not be in blossom at this exact moment but I''m sure you''ll be able to witness a brilliantly pink disy if you confess your love beneath their canopy..."


    Punctuating her words with a yful wink, Hitomi was preparing to depart when Nobu rose to his feet, surprising her as he said, "I can at least see you to the exit..." in an awkward tone.


    Smiling radiantly in response, Hitomi''s already youthfulplexion seemed five years younger as she replied, "I would like that." in a cold yet sensual tone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After promising Kaia he would start taking her on walks when he returned, Nobu, apanied by Yui, Onihime, and Inami made his way down the mountain. Thetter duo was apparently going to stay in a concealed outpost near the base of the mountain so they would be able to escort him up upon his return. Nobu felt this waspletely senseless, but, at the same time, he understood that they wouldn''t really know what to do with themselves if he wasn''t in the estate. Nearly every aspect of Onihime''s existence revolved around him, and, while she would never admit it, Inami wasn''t veryfortable around the younger girls if he wasn''t there.


    "If anything happens, remember to summon Hisui and retreat. This isn''t a normal mission so you will not be penalized for returning if you sense something amiss. Trust in your instincts and remain aware of your surroundings..."


    Though her words were directed towards Yui, Inami made sure to shift her gaze towards Nobu during thetter half. The message his father came in two days after she had discussed the matter with Hitomi. Since they had wanted to confirm whether or not he truly possessed some form of precognitive ability, they had decided to wait a few days before sending a message of their own. Thus, while they had yet to ascertain the limits of Nobu''s ability, it was clear he had some kind of extrasensory perception rted to intuition.


    Understanding the meaning contained within Inami''s words, Yui adopted a serious expression as she answered, "Understood. Thank you for the advice."


    Nodding her head in approval, Inami focused all her attention on Nobu as she said, "Be safe. I will do my best to protect these children but-"


    Before Inami could finish speaking, Nobu held up his hands with an incredulous look on his face as he said, "Whoa, whoa, hold the fuck up. Don''t get me wrong, I can appreciate sentiments and well-wishing but saying that kind of thing at a time like this is a massive fucking red g. Like, seriously, we''re just traveling a few kilometers to the neighboring city. You''re sending us off like we''re about to go fight in a fucking war."


    Not expecting Nobu to interrupt her in the middle of their farewells, Inami just stared at him with her mouth agape before ultimately nodding her head. This wasn''t the first time he had mentioned gs. He had talked about them during the initial conversation rted to his precognitive ability so there was a very good chance they were directly rted. Unfortunately, she couldn''t perceive these ''gs'' of his so she could only take his word and trust he knew what he was talking about...


    Shaking his head, Nobu did his best to ignore the sudden sinking feeling in the back of his mind as he extended his hand to caress the space between Inami''srge and fluffy ears. He repeated this action with Onihime, but, instead of her ears, he rubbed the space between her ivory white horns as he said, "See ya around."


    Though she couldn''t conceal the sadness in her eyes, Onihime managed a smile as she nodded her head and replied, "Take care...Master...". Then, alongside Inami, she watched in silence as he and Yui passed through the illusory barrier surrounding the mountain. Momentster, they were gone...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Exhaling a sigh upon reaching the nearest forest path, Nobu cast a brief nce over his shoulder before shaking his head and saying, "We really should stay alert. I tried to stop it but Inami ended up nting a pretty massive g. Expect something to happen at some point during our stay..."


    Tensing up in response to Nobu''s words, Yui asked, "Are you certain you wish to continue? It isn''t toote to turn back."


    Shaking his head a second time, Nobu exined, "No. When ites to things like this, it''s almost always better to press forward. Though I can''t remember who said it, there is a famous saying when ites to gs and destiny. Something like, "one often meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it". If we back out now, we''re basically admitting we''re destiny''s bitches."


    While his words were far from eloquent, Yui understood what Nobu was trying to say. Thus, instead of insisting they return, she said, "I''m going to change into my armor. There is a chance it will draw unnecessary attention but I''d rather be prepared for anything. If anyone asks, we''ll tell them-"


    Though he was intending to keep his true identity a secret, Nobu wasn''t particrly fond of cover stories. It was a pain in the ass to maintain a lie for long periods of time, and, based on what he had learned from Hitomi, Kumiko, and Inami, the ability to distinguish truth from lies wasn''t even a rare ability. Thus, before Yui could finish developing their cover story, he interrupted her, saying, "We''re a young couple visiting from Asai. Also, I''m not as weak and powerless as I used to be. I might not be a match for a skilled cultivator of the same Realm but I''m pretty sure I can fuck up any assholes looking for trouble."


    Since truly powerful individuals weren''t the kind of people that went looking for trouble, Nobu wasn''t afraid of any "arrogant young masters" that might appear. After all, he was literally the Young Master of the Oda n. He wasn''t ready to reveal this but he would be damned if some asshat from his own n came looking for trouble when he was on a date or exploring the city...


    Seeing the ''resolute'' light in Nobu''s eyes, Yui couldn''t shake the feeling he had just nted a g of his own. Unfortunately, it wasn''t really her ce to speak out at times like this, so, rather than question Nobu''s decision, she simply nodded her head before stripping down and changing into her armor...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: The gs! They''re multiplying...!)

 Chapter 108: Entering the Capital

    Chapter 108: Entering the Capital


    Though he hadn''t expected the journey to be short, Nobu never expected it to take more than five hours just to reach the edge of the forest separating Shuto from Yumegakure. Even then, they still needed to travel more than two hours on foot just to traverse the massive clearing that surrounded the entire capital.


    As a precaution against invaders and Aura Beast stampedes, most capital cities were surrounded byrge swaths of open terrain. This allowed the people atop the wall to spot anyone approaching the city, and, during times of war, it served as the terrain in which armies shed.


    The current Emperor wasn''t particrly popr among the people of Nian so he had enacted aw that forbade the looting and razing of cities. If an enemy army happened to reach your capital and you were unable or unwilling to defend it, they could send a request to the Emperor to have your status as a Daimyo revoked. This would effectively lead to the annihtion of your entire family, so, more often than not, the ns of conquered territories would submit and be the lesser vassals of their conquerors.


    "When we get back, remind me to draw up a design for some hiking boots or something. These cavaliers ain''t gonna cut it."


    Since he spent most of his time indoors or walking around barefoot, Nobu had never really gotten used to the footwear of Nian. The boots Yui had purchased for him had worn out pretty quickly due to their shoddy materials. He also hadn''t expected to leave the mountain so soon so the notion of travel wear hadn''t even crossed his mind.


    As this wasn''t her first time hearing Nobuin, Yui simply nodded her head while keeping a close eye on their surroundings. They had reached the main road shortly after leaving the forest so there were a number of carriages and individuals passing by on horses as they rushed to reach the city before the outer gates were closed. Camping was forbidden in the expanse surrounding the city so failure to get inside before sunset meant turning around and seeking shelter in the forest till the following day.


    Casting a nce towards the ever-alert Yui, Nobu grumbled in his mind but ultimately kept silent. She had never been talkative, and, thanks to his previous warning, she was even more alert than usual. Thus, while the past few hours had been mind-bogglingly boring, he wasn''t going tosh out at her for doing her job.


    Fortunately, the gate was already visible in the distance so it would only take them another ten to fifteen minutes to reach the queue lined up outside. He also got to see the city wall from up close, and, if he were being honest, Nobu had no idea how such a backwards group of people were able to build such monstrous constructions.


    Though it was just the outer wall that protected the civilian residential area, the walls surrounding Shuto were easily twenty meters in height. There were also a number of massive balista-like objects spaced out along the wall, and, though it was currentlyte in the day, it was possible to make out hundreds of people patrolling around the base and the top of the wall.


    The thing that surprised Nobu most, even though he had already noticed then when he was back in the port city of Asai, was the sheer scale of everything. If the wall was any indicator, the dimensions of Shuto might actually dwarf some of the metropolises back home. There were even a few massive towers peeking out over the city walls, their height easily exceeding fifty meters despite resemblingrge pagodas.


    As silly as it might sound, Nobu was actually looking forward to entering the city. Before deciding to be a Civil Engineer, he had been fascinated by some of the architectural achievement of humanity. Now that he had found himself in a fantasy setting, his curiosity and intrigue had been piqued. This made others view him as a bumpkin, but, so long as they didn''t go out of their way to fuck with him, Nobu didn''t give a damn what they thought. Cool shit was cool.


    "Here, take this. There are fifty koushukin inside. Never reveal the content of the bag to anyone and always keep an eye on your money pouch. I will do my best to keep people away but a skilled thief could snatch your purse in an instant if you''re not paying attention."


    epting the heavy pouch, Nobu bobbed his hand a few times to test its weight before cing into the enchanted leather bag on his hip. He wasn''t wearing a yukata, but, even if he had been, there was no way he would ce such a heavy bag into his sleeve. He honestly had no idea how others were able to do so without getting annoyed.


    Fortunately, Nobu''s current outfit consisted of a form-fitting brown top that vaguely resembled a t-shirt, a pair of thick brown pants lined with the hide of an Aura Beast, a leather belt made from the same material, and arge square pouch with a hiddenpartment inside to stash his money. He also had a sling for the broad ax on his back and the basrd ced at his hip. Both of which were currently bound with cloth and a special white cord that were intended to prevent them from being drawn in the city.


    Though his clothes made him stand out like a sore thumb, Nobu had been told he would look a lot more suspicious if he tried to blend in. He was, after all, a cultivator in the Fourth Realm. For his age, that was pretty fucking monstrous. If he tried to dress like a farmer while Yui was wearing the armor of a warrior, it would be extremely suspicious...


    With such thoughts on his mind, Nobu stood in the queue with Yui until they had finally reached the customs checkpoint. He had actually expected someone in the crowd to mess with them, but, even though a number of people had cast rather nasty looks towards Yui, none of them spoke out. The Nianese were a very conservative people and anyone with the wherewithal to walk around with weapons near a capital city wasn''t someone they wanted to mess with.


    What Nobu didn''t know was that his height had a lot to do with the reason people kept clear of them. He was easily a head taller than the tallest people in the crowd, and, thanks to his constant infusions of Yin Elemental Energy, he had a lean yet muscr figure without any visible blemishes. This,bined with the fact he was armed and apanied by a remarkable beauty dressed like a warrior, were more than enough reason for them to give him a very wide berth...


    Seeing Nobu among the crowd waiting to enter the city, the guards manning the customs station actually called in a few extra men over just to be safe. Nobu was, of course,pletely unaware of this. Fortunately, that was actually a boon in this situation as his obliviousness and genuine intrigue matched perfectly with the cover story he and Yui hade up with.


    Approaching a desk manned by a piggish man with beady eyes and a t nose, Yui allowed Nobu to step forward as she kept an eye on the guards nking them. As for Nobu, he was looking down at the inordinately fat man, or, more specifically, the silver insignia on his ck leather armor. It was literally the roman numeral for four, so, for a brief moment, he was genuinely confused.


    Mistaking Nobu''s confusion as awe, the rotund official cracked a ck-toothed smile as any fear he had towards the ''giant'' promptly faded away. He was even tempted to knock Nobu down a peg or two, but, after someone had reported his previous misconduct to the Lord, he was already walking on eggshells. Thus, after fixing his sneer, he adopted a stern andmanding tone as he ordered, "State your name and hand over any identity tokens you may possess."


    Though he was annoyed by the arrogant sneer on the man''s face, Nobu did his best to remain calm as he answered, "Nanamori Nobu. My identity token was lost during an Aura Beast attack so I need to purchase a new one before entering the city."


    Snorting through his t and wide nose, the portly man muttered, "Presumptuous..." before writing a few notes on a piece of paper. Then, after quickly stamping said paper, he pushed it toward Nobu, saying, "Fill out your information. Recement identity tokens require currency corresponding with your Realm and Rank. If you''re Iron Rank 3, that''ll be 7 iron pieces. If you''re Iron Rank 7, the cost is discounted to 3 iron pieces. Since you are armed, you''ll also need to hand over ten koushukin as a security deposit. So long as you don''tmit any crimes prior to exiting the city, you will be able to reim part of your deposit upon departure. After ten days, it will no longer be returned."


    Since Nobu had been ''awed'' by his Silver 4 identity token, the portly official automatically assumed he was a hunter or a low-ranking mercenary from one of the surrounding viges. It would certainly exin why he had been looking around like a bumpkin prior to approaching the station.


    With such thoughts on his mind, the portly official''s eyes nearly popped out of his skull when Nobu casually produced 34 golden koushukin. This was not an amount some country bumpkin could pull out on a whim.


    Looking closer, the man noticed that the pouch on Nobu''s hip was of a much higher quality than he had initially thought. In fact, even the shirt covering his body seemed to be sewn from some kind of Aura Beast fiber. These would cost doznes, if not hundreds of golden koushukin on the market, so, after recovering from his momentary stupor, the protly man promptly stood up, politely cupping his hands as he asked, "Might I ask what this young lord''s Realm and Rank are?"


    Though it was customary to return a polite greeting, Nobu remained standing tall as he answered, "I recently broke through to the Third Rank of the Fourth Realm. My parter has a simr base so this should be the correct amount."


    Swallowing hard the moment he heard Nobu''s response, the official and many of the surrounding guards eyed the duo as if they were monsters. Neither looked a day older than twenty, yet, based on their rxed postures, it was easy to tell they weren''t afraid of being questioned.


    Fortunately, Yui realized the direction things were heading, so, before Nobu was asked to reveal his Aura, she promptly raised her hand to produce a golden dagger that hovered over her palm as if it were suspended in a maic field. This caused the portly official''s eyes to widen as any intention of questioning the veracity of Nobu''s im faded from his mind. Offending those of a higher Realm was borderline taboo, so, rather than risk his life by demanding Nobu disy his Aura, he promptly sat back down and processed their paperwork while one of the guards split off to go inform the on-duty Commander.


    Though Nobu noticed the man running off, he just crooked a brow before crossing his arms and waiting patiently. Yui had warned him that something like this was going to happen so he wasn''t too concerned that they would be chased away or thrown into a prison cell. Rather, the assumption most people would make after learning about their cultivation base was that they hade to the capital to join the army. With their power, they would quickly rise to the rank of Lesser Nobles, so, unless they specifically went looking for trouble, most people would pay them the obeisance their Ranks and Realms demanded...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Imagine the guards asking Nobu to prove his Realm and he just blows air at them xD...)

 Chapter 109: Surprise: Relaxation

    Chapter 109: Surprise: Rxation


    Just as their entry paperwork was being finalized, Nobu and Yui both noticed a middle-aged man with rugged features emerging from the direction of the gate. He had the look of a man that had seen too much bloodshed, yet, in spite of his war-weary expression, there was a certain confidence that radiated from every fiber of his being.


    While the surrounding guards immediately saluted the man, Nobu was too stunned to speak as he actually recognized who the man was. More urately, he knew someone with very simr features. It''s just, instead of a real person, he recognized the ashen-haired man as a fictional character...


    "Geralt...?"


    Understanding that Nobu was speaking towards him, the Geralt-lookalike gestured for the guards to stand down as he gruffly replied, "My name is Hayashi Hai, Guardian of the Southern Gate and Retainer of Oda Senken. Tell me, Nanamori-dono, what brings you to my Lord''s city?"


    Though he didn''t do it to threaten them, Hai casually rested his palm on the pommel of his katana. It was a little unorthodox but he had two equal-length katana resting on his hip. The emblem on his cor was also a silvery-green III, so, based on the avable evidence, it was safe to say the man was a master of the nitoryu(two-sword style).


    After recovering from his momentary stupor, an incredulous but disarming smile developed across Nobu''s face as he answered, "Sorry about that. You''re a dead ringer for a man named Geralt. As for why I''m here...well..."


    ncing towards Yui, Nobu''s smile turned wry as he moved a little closer to Hai and gestured for him to lean closer. This caused the man to furrow his brows, but, rather than take offense to Nobu''s stage behavior, he leaned in to hear thetter whisper, "I wanted to propose and have my marriage officiated by Lord Senken. I was originally intending toe near the beginning of Spring but I got dyed by a group of bandits and a trio of scantily d women I suspect to be kunoichi..."


    Since there weren''t any actual lies in his words, Nobu shamelessly med the group of farmers and the trio of Yuriko, Shizune, and Rynka for his dyed arrival. This earned him a visibly skeptical look from Hai, but, as there were no warrants or wanted posters demanding his arrest, the middle-aged man just hummed before saying, "I see. Well, so long as you don''t cause too much trouble, talents such as yourselves are always wee in Shuto..."


    On that note, Hai shifted his gaze to the guards, adding, "Let them through." before stepping to the side and gesturing in a casual, ''feel free to pass'' kind of manner.


    Though he felt the man''s reaction was a little odd, Nobu just nodded his head before looking back and extending his hand towards Yui, saying, "Let''s go." with a smile. In response, she quickly linked her hand with his, a ruddier than average blush developing across her face as she averted her eyes from Hai like a bashful maiden. This didn''t really match with the image of a warrior, but, considering their difference in status, realm, and rank, it was normal for her to ''cower'' in the presence of such a ''great man''.


    Following the duo with his faded golden eyes, Hai waited until Nobu and Yui had passed through the gate before gesturing towards a handsome young man wearing high-quality armor. The badge on his cor only showed a silver IX, but it was still impressive considering he was just under twenty years old.


    "Keep an eye on them. If they do anything suspicious, make sure to report it. If anyone tries to get in their way, arrest them. Our Lord is always looking for talented young warriors. Try and make their stay as pleasant as possible."


    Bowing respectfully but not submissively, the young man replied with a reverent, ''I understand, Hai-dono. I will not fail you."


    Nodding his head in approval, Hai remained silent as he saw the man run in the direction Nobu and Yui had disappeared moments prior. Then, as a silvery-green Aura began to manifest around his feet, he looked towards the surrounding guards and said, "Get back to work..." before disappearing in a sh of light...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "We''re being followed..."


    Hearing Yui''s whisper, Nobu resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he replied, "Well, duh. I mean, we''re two super prodigies. It would be strange if they didn''t send someone to keep an eye on us..."


    Though he didn''t actually consider himself a prodigy, Nobu knew others would regard him as one due to his cultivation base. It was kind of dumb, but, considering most people would need to invest decades of time and effort to reach his current level, it was understandable. Only those close to him knew how grossly ipetent he was...


    Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Nobu prevented Yui''s rebuttal by adopting a sincere smile and saying, "This ce is fucking incredible..."


    While the people were dressed in rtively tame, almost in clothing, the buildings that made up the Capital City of Shuto were truly breathtaking. There were a bunch of carpet stalls and pushcarts lining the streets, but, as you moved closer to the secondary wall separating the peasantry from the nobles, the buildings became grander and more majestic. It was almost like looking at a painting...


    "If only it didn''t smell like piss and shit..."


    As beautiful as the cityndscape was, Shuto still had many of the problems guing other cities in Nian. It had a waterway for transporting goods and several aqueducts running throughout the city, but, for the most part, human waste was collected in buckets, mixed with soil, and given topost merchants to be processed into various types of fertilizer. In poorer districts, these buckets were left outside to be collected, so, as much as he could appreciate its beauty, Nobu felt it would be more urate to call the city Shithole instead of Shuto...


    Suppressing a sigh, Yui looked up at Nobu with a visibly concerned look as she asked, "Why not wear your mask? You''ve hardly worn it since you requested a custom order from the Iga n. You will have to take it off if we encounter any Nobles but the onlyw against wearing face coverings states that you cannot cover your eyes."


    Though he understood she was trying to help, Nobu couldn''t help smiling wryly in response to Yui''s suggestion. The mask he had ordered was actually pretty badass. It vaguely resembled the head of a wolf, and, as per request, it had receable filters that could be swapped out like the canisters of a gas mask. The only problem was that it was ''too badass''. Wearing it made him feel like a kid with eighth-grader syndrome, and, while he had never particrly cared about fashion, it created such a stark contrast with his clothing that Nobu was embarrassed just thinking about it.


    "Nah...besides, if I walk around with a wolf mask on, people are gonna get suspicious. Let''s just find a ce to stay. I''ll be fine once we get inside."


    Since it was ultimately Nobu''s decision to make, Yui just nodded her head before falling into step beside him. He could be very prideful at times, so, rather than waste time trying to change his mind, she just focused on their surroundings as Nobu pulled her deeper into the city...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After another stressful day of listening to reports, signing paperwork, and managing the territory, Senken was preparing to seekfort in his wife''s embrace when a soft thud sounded outside his study. This caused his eyes to squint, but, hearing a familiar voice state, "Senken-sama, I bring an urgent message..." he quickly rxed and said, "Come in."


    Abiding by his Lord''s words, a young man with features remarkably simr to Hiashi slid open the door before falling to his knees and cing his forehead against the ground. At the same time, Senken pulled out a conch-like device from his inner robe. It has the unique ability to draw sound toward itself, so, after cing it on the table in front of him, a peculiar hum could be heard as the sounds of people moving about and speaking were drawn into the room. (A/N: It basically makes soundsing toward the room louder while drastically reducing sounds traveling away from it.)


    Though the sudden ringing in his ears was ufortable, the young man maintained his calm as he reported, "A prodigious young couple with the surnames Nanamori and Yoshie were reported entering the city several minutes ago. ording to their entry documents, both are Rank 3 Golden Warriors. Hai-dono has ced Shiratori-dono in charge of watching over them."


    Feeling his fatigue fading away, a somewhat feral grin spread across Senken''s face as he crossed his arms and mused, "You said they were both Rank 3 Golden Warriors? Sounds like I''ll need to pay this promising young couple a visit."


    Surprised by his Lord''s words, the young warrior wanted to protest, but, simr to how Yui couldn''t speak out against Nobu, he was powerless to change Senken''s mind. He could also understand why his Lord would want to personally secure such talents for himself, so, after quickly recovering from his surprise, he pressed his forehead to the ground and eximed, "Lord Senken is truly wise! If the Lord of Owari were to appear before them, they would be fools to refuse your request...!"


    Furrowing his brows, Senken resisted the urge to snort as he remarked, "You can go ahead and return home. When you get back, tell your father to send someone he trusts to watch over them."


    Bumping his head against the floor, the young warrior answered with a respectful, "Ha...!" before backing out of the room and closing the sliding door behind him. This caused Senken to roll his eyes, as, even after twenty years, he still wasn''t used to all the formalities associated with being a Daimyo. If Hitomi''s reports were urate, his son had inherited this trait.


    As that thought crossed his mind, a smile returned to Senken''s face as he promptly bounced to his feet and practically ran back to his room. If he didn''t immediately report this to his wife, she would put up a barrier between them in the bedroom. Others might scoff at such boundaries but Senken had always viewed Nana as his equal. She reminded him a lot of histe mother, so, while there had been rocky moments in their rtionship, he nevershed out or tried to force her.


    Unfortunately, Senken''s eagerness caused him to make a fatal mistake. Nana had just managed to get Nobuhime to fall asleep. His sudden arrival caused her to wake up, and, while she didn''t cry, a disapproving pout developed across the infant''s face as Nana sent a paradoxically icy yet fiery re his way...


    With a cold sweat spreading across his body, Senken held his hands up in a cating gesture as he said, "Listen...I can exin..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    Using some of the money Yui had given him, Nobu secured a ce for them at an upper-middle-ss ryokan, a type of inn with a bathhouse. It cost them a whopping three gold koushukin a night, but, as cultivators in the Fourth Realm, such extravagance was to be expected.


    Truth be told, Nobu just wanted to rx in a hot bath with Yui. The bath back home was constantly crowded with people, and, while he had gotten used to it, the presence of young girls vying for his attention made it hard to rx. Thus, now that it was just him and Yui, Nobu allowed the tensions in his body to drain away as he leaned back and allowed Yui to ride his dick at her own pace...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Toss a coin to your Witcher, O'' Valley of Plenty, O'' Valley of Plenty, oh~)

 Chapter 110: The Inevitability of Fate

    Chapter 110: The Inevitability of Fate


    One of the benefits of staying in an upper-middle-ss Ryokan was that the staff went above and beyond to make sure their guests had a pleasant stay. This included preparing meals on-demand, and, if guests were alone, they would even send by escorts to keep thempany.


    Though he had arrived alongside Yui, the Proprietress of the Ryokan, a beautiful woman with dark purple hair, still gave him the option of choosing some of the younger staff members to personally attend him for the night. He ultimately refused, but, after his encounter with the Geralt look-alike, Nobu still gave them a once-over to see if any of them resembled characters he might have known from his previous world.


    In the end, Nobu spent a peaceful night alone with Yui. After they got out of the bath, they, more or less, just cuddled for the rest of the evening. There weren''t any televisions, gaming systems, or even radios in Nian so there really wasn''t much else to do besides work, train, and meditate.


    With the technology present in their automata, Nobu suspected that Granus might have ess to televisions and such but it was hard to be sure. ording to what had learned from Suzune, most of their trade vessels were masted, iron-hulled tall ships. They generally brought 2-5 automata with them, but, unless it was an emergency, the bio-mechanical cyborgs stayed within coffin-like devices located in the ship''s hull.


    If Nobu''s guess was correct, Granus did have the technologies he coveted, but, fearing they might be stolen, the burgeoning nation kept most of their quality-of-life devices back home. Granus wascking in cultivation knowledge and resources, so, while there were a few powerhouses serving in their Navy, they predominately relied on firearms, cannons, and automata to fend off pirates and anyone else who might covet their technology.


    Nobu would be lying if he said he wasn''t among the crowd that coveted their tech. The problem was, even if he did eventually dere war on Granus, they would most likely just retreat overseas. After that, he was basically powerless to do anything because the supposed distance between the northern tip of Nian and Granus was a mind-boggling 79,492km.


    While he couldn''t recall the exact circumference, Nobu knew the Earth hade from was around 25,000mi or 50,000km. In other words, navigating the Eastern Abyss, the Nianese-given named for the Pacific Ocean, was the equivalent of circumnavigating his previous Earth more than 1.5 times.


    With modern sailing technology, the trip was anywhere between 2-5 years depending on whether or not you encountered rough seas, pirates, or literal sea monsters. In other words, even if Nobu were to build a Navy to invade Granus, it would take years to prepare the ships and years more toplete the journey. Even then, the defenses of Granus were known to be monstrous, and, unless you were flying the correct g, they would either raid or bombard you like a bunch of pirates. After all, what were you going to do? Turn around without resupplying?


    Simply put, Granus took advantage of their advanced technology to close off their country despite expecting other countries to open their borders for trade. When Nobu had first learned about this, he almost felt like he was back home because this was inarguably one of the most American things he had ever heard...


    With this and several other thoughts on his mind, Nobu stared up at the ceiling of his room with a listless look on his face as he remarked, "I''m bored..."


    "Mmm..."


    Instead of offering any advice, Yui just hummed her response without bothering to raise her head from Nobu''s chest. She had be rather fond of moments like this, so, even if they just spent the rest of the morning lounging about in their room, she wouldn''t mind.


    Resisting the urge to ask where his training junky of a fiancee had gone, Nobu continued to stare up at the ceiling for a good twenty minutes longer before saying, "Let''s go and explore the city. As much as I enjoy the peace and quiet, I didn''te all this way to remain indoors..."


    Nodding her head, Yui pushed herself to a seated position before rising to her feet without a single strand of clothing to cover her naked form. This gave Nobu an obscured view of her full and round ass, her pale white cheeks periodically peeking through the glossy strands of her inordinately long, raven-ck hair.


    Noticing her Lord''s gaze, Yui raised an eyebrow as she looked over her shoulders and asked, "Are you nning to walk around naked...?"


    Smiling wryly in response, Nobu hopped up to this feet before searching for his carelessly scattered clothes. This took a little longer than he would like to admit, but, due to the preparation required by females to look ''presentable'', he was still finished long before Yui. Thus, to speed things up a bit, he picked up a brush and lent a hand...


    ...


    ..


    .


    With a surface area of more than 6300 hectares, approximately 62km, Shuto was unreasonablyrge for a City with just over 100,000 permanent residents. It wasn''t really noticeable when you were in the poorer districts, but, as you moved closer to the massive wall separating the Nobles from the peasantry, the quieter things became.


    Since the capitals of each Province effectively served as emergency shelters and military Garrisons, the only people allowed to live there were the families of Nobles, their vassals, warriors, and a few prominent merchant families. Everyone else was a tourist, so, while the actual poption of the city was closer to 280,000, nearly two-thirds were just visiting.


    Due to the cost of goods in the middle and higher-ss districts, most people visiting Shuto simply couldn''t afford to venture deeper into the city. Instead, they spent their time on the outskirts where all the street vendors and hawkers had set up shop. As a result, most of the people walking around the upper-middle residential district were wayward Nobles, soldiers, merchants, and their families.


    Though the ambiance was a little strange, Nobu actually preferred this sort of arrangement as it let him explore the city in rtive peace. Yui hadn''t been lying when she said it was better to stand out and act as if you belonged rather than trying to blend in and lie low. Nian was a very conservative nation so most people tended to steer clear of people they didn''t know. This was especially true if said people were dressed as warriors and mercenaries, so, while they were stopped a few times by random patrols, their exploration wentrgely unobstructed.


    "This ce really is beautiful..."


    Nodding her head in approval, Yui continued to lean against Nobu''s shoulder as they stared out over the city from the highest vantage point avable to people living outside the inner walls. This wasn''t her first time visiting the capital, but, seeing Nobu gawk at things other people would findpletely normal, she couldn''t help seeing everything in a new light. It could be the result of her conditioning but his child-like wonderment was infectious to the point of making the whole world seem just a little brighter.


    Unfortunately, all good things invariably came to an end. Thus, just as Yui was about to suggest they move elsewhere, a brash and authoritative voice called out, "You there! What do you think you''re doing this close to the Inner city? This isn''t a ce peasants can trespass at their leisure."


    While Yui closed her eyes to suppress a sigh, Nobu turned back to find an arrogant-looking man with dirty-blond hair, amber eyes, and a cocky smile approaching them. The man was handsome enough to pass as a male model back in his previous world, but, due to the smug grin on his face, Nobu felt he was more punchable than attractive.


    Apanying the arrogant-looking blond was a slightly taller man withparable features, wild ck hair, and sharp, golden eyes. He stood behind the arrogant asshole like a servant, but, even at a nce, Nobu could tell he was strong. At the very least, he was the strongest among the group of servants following behind the man like a pack of dogs.


    Resisting the urge to simply tell the man to fuck off, Nobu forced a smile as he said, "There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding. The soldiers near the base of the stairs said we were allowed toe up here. If it''s truly off-limits, please ept my apology and let us be on our way. We will not trouble you further."


    Furrowing his brows, the arrogant-looking youth snorted before shifting his attention to Yui and saying, "You, wench, what makes you believe you have the right to walk around in the attire of a warrior? That sword on your hip is an insult to the proud warriors who have given their everything to protect thisnd and its people. Have you...no...shame?"


    Noticing the Golden III pinned to Yui''s cor, the man''s words gradually trailed off as his expression darkened. He was considered talented with a cultivation base of Silver VIII at the age of twenty. In his generation, the number of people more talented than him could be counted on one hand so he refused to ept that someone even younger, much less a peasant woman, could surpass them all in cultivation base.


    With a look even pointer than the naginata he carried with him, the blond-haired man red at Yui as he asked, "Where did you get that badge...?"


    Instead of responding with words, Yui raised her hand to demonstrate that her Aura was, in fact, golden. Impersonating someone with Higher Realm was punishable by death so very few people attempted to do so. Those who did would never appear near one of the Capital Cities so she found it pretty senseless that anyone, much less a Noble, would question her base.


    With an expression simr to someone that had swallowed a bug, the blond-haired man shifted his gaze from Yui before ring at the badge pinned to the belt crossing Nobu''s chest. He found this far more eptable given Nobu''s height and physique, but, at the same time, the notion that there wasn''t just one, but two peasants stronger than him made him sick to his stomach.


    Since there was a chance that Nobu and Yui were the children of dignitaries visiting from outside the city, the blond-haired man forced himself to remain calm as he asked, "What are your names?" and, "Why brings the two of you to Shuto?"


    Though his desire to tell the man to fuck off had increased exponentially, Nobu forced himself to continue smiling as he answered, "My name is Nanamori Nobu. This is my fiancee, Yoshie Yui. We havee to the capital because we heard it was the most beautiful city in Owar-"


    Interrupting before Nobu could finish speaking, the blond-haired man said, "I don''t care about that. What I want to know is the name of the family or business you are affiliated with. I have never heard of the Nanamori or Yoshie ns. Were you invited here as dignitaries from another Province?"


    Realizing the direction things were headed, Yui stepped forward to ce herself between the man and Nobu. This caused an ostensibly sadistic smile to develop across the man''s face as the darker-haired warrior at his side slowly drew his weapon.


    "I see. You have no backing yet thought you could wander around the capital with impunity? Even worse, you continue to stand proud despite being in the presence of a noble son of the Oda n. I don''t know where things are like where you''re from, but, here in Owari, there are rules. Refusing to pay respects to the ruling ns is more than enough justification to have you thrown into a prison cell or executed. Your status as Golden Warriors may have allowed you to act arrogantly among the peasantry, but, here, in Shuto, you are scum. If you refuse to lower your heads to the ground, don''t expect to keep them for long."


    Finished with his speech, the blond-haired man shifted his gaze from Nobu before adopting an even more sadistic smile as he asked, "You said this woman was your fiancee...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: And so it begins...)

 Chapter 111: Collision

    Chapter 111: Collision


    Deadpanning in response to the man''s question, Nobu didn''t even try to appear amenable as he said, "Yeah. What of it?"


    With the most shit-eating grin Nobu had ever seen, the man rubbed his chin with his free hand as he mused, "She''s a littlecking in feminine charm but her face isn''t too bad. How about this. The two of you will apany us to a nearby brothel. So long as you''re willing to show a bit of since-"


    Catching even Yui by surprise, Nobu stomped his foot on the ground with as much strength as he could manage. The peculiar thing about this was that his foot sank into the reinforced stone tiles as if they were made of some kind of stic material. At the same time, the earth beneath the blond''s foot erupted to former a three-meter pir in an instant.


    Though he wasn''t sent flying, the arrogant youth was still knocked off bnce. This was what Nobu had been aiming for from the start, so, as Yui moved to the side, he stepped forward with a fierce expression on his face as he swept his right hand in a scooping motion. Air quickly gathered in his palm, and, by the time he loosed it from his grasp, a visible column of wind smashed into the off-kilter cunt.


    With his entourage gathered right behind him, the blond was sent flying into his own people as the dark-haired swordsman at his side managed to cut through the tempest with a katana glistening in silvery-white light. A simr glow exuded from his body, his golden eyes shimmering in excitement as he charged forward with a battle-hungry expression on his face.


    Seeing how fast the man was, the hairs on the back of Nobu''s neck stood on end. He knew he was fucked if a trained swordsman managed to get him within their range. Fortunately, while the dark-haired man moved with the swiftness of a phantom, he wasn''t even able to close half the distance before Yui appeared in his periphery. By the time his brain had processed this, demanding he takes evasive action, a ck shadow had already obscured his vision.


    Were it not for the silvery aura protecting his body, the dark-haired man might have lost his life in an instant. Yui hadn''t drawn her weapon but the force behind the blow was more than enough to dent his aura and send him smashing into the nearby wall. When he emerged momentster, the bridge of his nose could be seen to have been smashed in, blood pouring from his nostril as he red at Yui, shouting, "You ignoble whore! You dare-"


    Though Nobu was tempted to send a column of wind in the man''s direction, Yui beat him to the punch. Rather, after sending the man flying, she hadn''t just been standing around. The moment the man emerged from the wall, she was on him like a cat trouncing a mouse. By now, her golden aura hadpletely covered her body, so, in a simr manner to Kazue, albeit far more controlled, she simply smashed into the incredulous man like a freight train.


    "Holy shit..."


    Seeing Yui''s shoulder-check fold the man like a burrito, a light tremor ran through Nobu''s body. He knew she was powerful but he didn''t expect her to take out someone at Silver IX in a grand total of five seconds. Sure, the man was looking down on them despite their clear cultivation advantage but it was still scary. At the very least, Nobud knew she wouldpletely destroy him in a spar.


    As that thought crossed his mind, an annoying high-pitched whirring simr to a firework beingunched reached Nobu''s ears. Turning his head, he saw a bright red re soaring into the sky like a rocket before exploding at the apex of its trajectory. Immediately following this, the sound of a bell could be heard as the blond-haired man climbed to his feet, a look of unfettered rage on his face as he spat, "Attempting to assassinate a member of the Oda n? I''ll have your head on a pike before sunset...!"


    Though there had been a number of instances where he had wanted to kill someone, this was the first time in two lives Nobu was actually considering it. The look in the man''s eyes made it clear he wasn''t going to take this matter lying down. He was clearly the type of shitbag that went out of his way to torment others so he clearly couldn''t tolerate having his face smacked like the little bitch he was.


    "Eat a dick, bitch."


    Before the man could make sense of Nobu''s insult, yet another column of wind was sent toward him. He was smart enough to put up his aura this time, but, due to Nobu''s fury, the wind was far more powerful than normal. This,bined with the fact his entourage had moved out of the way, resulted in the arrogant blond being sent tumbling backward until he reached disappeared down the flight of stairs Nobu and Yui had used to ascend to the previously scending.


    "Protect the Young Master...!"


    "Master Peng...!"


    "Guards...!"


    "Someone seize this scoundrel...!"


    Raising his brows, Nobu''s expression shifted from fury to incredulity as he asked, "Are you fucking serious? There''s no way that asshat''s name is Young Master Peng."


    "How dare you insult a member of the Oda n...!"


    "You''re courting death...!"


    Hearing lines he never thought he would encounter in real life, Nobu actually began to feel a little lightheaded. Fortunately, Yui was pretty reliable in situations such as this as she quickly enveloped him in her aura with the intention of running away.


    Having gotten used to ''riding along'' with Inami, Nobu allowed his body to go ck as she jumped from the nearby handrail. Falling a hundred and fifty meters was a little dangerous for someone at the Realm of Golden Warrior, but, with a golden cable acting as a repel line, Yui was able to control their fall to an extent where injuries could be avoided.


    Unfortunately, not everything went ording to n. Soldiers from all over the city were rushing towards their position. A number had even gathered on the streets below, clearly intent on cutting off their path of retreat.


    "I think I may have acted a little hastily..."


    Though there was an unrepentant smile on his face, Nobu understood this wasn''t an ideal situation to be in. He could try and reveal his identity but the odds anyone would actually believe him were slim. In the public''s eyes, he had died more than ten years ago. Thus, even if he allowed himself to be captured, he would most likely be executed on the spot. After all, the blond cunt was clearly one of his cousins. The information provided by Suzune made it pretty obvious his uncles were the ones leading the factions opposing his father, so, the moment he revealed his identity, there was a very good chance the blond cunt would rush to kill him...


    Seeing the smile on Nobu''s face and the calcting glimmer in his grey-blue eyes, Yui couldn''t help thinking, ("Grandmother was right. He might struggle with emotional turmoil but my Lord is clearly the type to thrive under pressure. I haven''t seen him this excited since he revealed his identity and learned he could manipte wind...it''s a good look on him...")


    Since there was a very good chance they would die uponnding, Yui stopped their descent long before they reached the streets below. Then, with spikes emerging from her heels, she attempted to run along the wall with the intent of catapulting them away from the gathering soldiers. If she could just reach the top of a building and summon Hisui, there was a chance they could escape.


    Unfortunately, the moment they noticed what Yui was up to, hundreds of arrows and crossbow bolts began to pepper her aura. To make matters worse, a beam of silvery-green light, shaped like a crescent, immediately cut towards the cables keeping them from falling.


    Borrowing a bit of Nobu''s vernacr, Yui muttered, "Fuck..." as she clung tightly to her Lord and prepared to cushion his fall. Nobu''s aura provided virtually no defense, so, if he were to impact the ground directly, broken bones and ruptured organs would be the least of his concerns.


    In her desire to protect her Lord, Yui failed to consider the possibility that Nobu could slow their fall using his ability to manipte air currents. At the same time, Nobu was learning the hard way that his abilities couldn''t be used while he was surrounded by someone else''s aura. He relied on being able to feel the elements around him to manipte them, so, with Yui''s aura blocking the wind, he could only brace himself for the impact. Had his control been more refined, he may have been able to transfer the force from their fall into an earth-based attack. Unfortunately, he was very, very far from such a level...


    (A/N: Happy birthday to the ground~)


    ...


    ..


    .


    Waking to one of the worst headaches of his entire lives, a pained groan escaped Nobu''s throat as he attempted to force himself to a seated position. Before he could, the voice of a man interrupted him, saying, "You shouldn''t move around. Several of your ribs were broken and you lost quite a lot of blood due to internal bleeding. I can understand your anxiety, but trust me when I say you''re in safe hands."


    Ignoring both the pain in his abdomen and the man''s advice, Nobu sat up with a severe grimace on his face as he looked toward the person who had spoken. His inordinately long and silky brown hair gave him a slightly feminine appearance but his sharp features, aquamarine eyes, and voice made it pretty obvious he was a man.


    "Who the fuck are you? Where''s Yui...?"


    Though his brows twitched when he heard Nobu''s way of speaking, the man maintained a casual smile as she politely lowered his head and calmly answered, "My name is Hirate Masahide, retainer to the Oda n and private tutor to Lord Senken''s heirs. Though it appears you have forgotten me, I once looked after Nobunaga-sama as a child. I cannot express how relieved I was to learn of your survival. As for the youngdy, she is currently being treated for aura exhaustion and a number of minor injuries. That girl wouldn''t even let me approach until she had passed out on her feet. It was quite the sight to behold."


    As someone who was intimately familiar with the life and legacy of Oda Nobunaga, Nobu was genuinely surprised to learn this man was named Hirate Masahide. Masahide was the personal mentor of the original Oda Nobunaga and had effectively raised him from birth to hising of age. After that, the elderly man apanied Nobunaga on several campaigns before ultimatelymitting seppuku just to startle him into behaving sensibly...


    "Are you really Hirate Masahide? Aren''t you supposed to be an old man...?"


    Though he didn''t lose his smile, the corner of Masahide''s lips began to twitch as he calmly replied, "As I have served since the time of your Grandfather, Oda Senichi, I can understand why you might think that. However, as I have only recently turned seventy-three years old, I like to believe I''m still in my prime..."


    Tapping the silvery-green IV attached to his cor, Masahide was attempting to insinuate he could live another hundred years with ease. Unfortunately, Nobu had already stopped caring about such an insignificant matter, answering, "Whatever. Take me to Yui. I''m not going to trust a damn thing anyone tells me until I see her safe and sound."


    Rather than taking offense to Nobu''s words, Masahide caressed his chin with a thoughtful look on his face. This creeped the former out quite a bit, but, before he could inform the man he wasn''t gay, Masahide beat him to the punch, saying, "Very well. I will have my servants fetch a norimono. They will carry you to the infirmary where Lady Yui is receiving treatment. Once you have confirmed her safety, we have much to discuss."


    On that note, Masahide pulled out a silver object reminiscent of a dog whistle. Since it didn''t make a sound, at least to Nobu''s ears, there was a very good chance this was the case. This left thetter visibly confused until, momentster, two muscr servants with handsome features, dog ears, and fluffy tails practically burst into the room...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Masahide is sus o_o...)

 Chapter 112: Fury

    Chapter 112: Fury


    After being hefted onto a vehicle that could best be described as a chair on a stretcher, Nobu was taken from arge manor to a much smaller residence located a good twenty minutes from where he had been staying. This caused him to be increasingly suspicious of the people who were supposedly helping him, but, once he saw Yui being treated by an elderly woman who smelled of medicine, most of his tensions gradually began to fade.


    In hindsight, Nobu realized he could have confirmed Yui''s condition using the stone tablet. One of the cheatier aspects of the Heavenly Treasure was that it allowed him to spend a small amount of Aura to update the information of any people, ces, or things he had scanned. This also allowed him to confirm that the doctors weren''t trying to poison Yui in her sleep, so, after spending a solid half-hour just staring at her, Nobu eventually agreed to hear what Masahide had to say...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "I was asked by a good friend of mine, Hyuudou Hiashi-dono, to look after a young man named Nanamori Nobu. While others may not recognize this name, Nananananananananamori-san and I go way back. Thus, the moment I received your father''s orders through his missive, I immediately set out to search for you. I never could have imagined our paths would cross in the middle of an invasion crisis. I wonder how the soldiers will react once ites to light they had attempted to apprehend and execute their future Lord~?"


    Snorting through his nose, Nobu surprised Masahide by stating, "Just drop it. If anyone should pay a price, it should be that asshat who came looking for trouble. He didn''t even give his name before he started rambling on about the Oda n and acting like a fuckwit. That stupid cunt even wanted me to fucking press my head to the ground and beg for forgiveness while he had his way with my fiancee. The next time I see him, that bitch is dead."


    Processing everything Nobu had just revealed, Masahide''s expression gradually turned serious as he said, "Please tell me you''re embellishing things..."


    With an incredulous look on his face, Nobu stared directly at Masahide as he asked, "Why the fuck would you think I''m exaggerating? What, you think I attacked that piece of shit because he stopped me to say hello? I even apologized to that fucker and attempted to deescte the situation but that pathetic piece of shit used it as an opportunity to force our hand just because he thought we didn''t have any backers. He''s lucky I didn''t fucking kill him on the spot."


    Though a part of him was hoping that Nobu was simply exaggerating, the resolution contained in thetter''s eyes made it pretty obvious he wasn''t. Most people who lied couldn''t keep eye contact, and, even if they did, their eyes would quiver as their minds raced toe up with a convincing lie. Nobu''s eyes were crystal clear, and, while his choice of words left a lot to be desired, there wasn''t even a trace of hesitation in his tone.


    Stroking his chin, Masahide''s eyes glistened with a pale glow as he soft mused, "I see...this would certainly exin why Peng-sama was so hell-bent on killing the two of you..."


    Hearing this, the wind currents within the room became increasingly turbulent as Nobu practically growled, "That petty piece of shit...!"


    Restraining the urge to chastise Nobu for his choice of words, Masahide simply nodded his head as a sly and calcting smile spread across his face. This caused Nobu''s skin to crawl as the man was just a few coats of makeup away from resembling a certain snake-inspired pedo.


    Noticing Nobu''s difort, a light chuckle emanated from Masahide''s throat before he lowered his head as an expression of politeness rather than servitude as he said, "I will need to inform your father of this development. If Senzo-sama chooses to act, there is only so much I can without your identity being known. I am willing to give my life to protect you but I would rather avoid sacrificing the lives of my people to protect someone they believe to be dead."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu preempted Masahide''s departure by asking, "Can''t you just help the two of us escape the city? At this rate, all of my efforts and nning are going to be wasted. I''m still not ready to be entangled in the politics of the n, much less the country."


    Returning a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes, Masahide exined, "If that is your wish, I will do everything in my power to grant it. However, know there is a very high probability that I will be held ountable for letting you escape. Unless Lord Senken chooses to reveal your identity, I will most likely be used of treason and executed. With that in mind, I must ask to be certain...are you sure you want to run away...?"


    Clenching the muscles of his jaw in indignation, Nobu red daggered at the smiling Masahide as he processed everything the man had said. Then, in a grim tone that made it transparently clear he wasn''t happy, he answered, "I don''t like being manipted..."


    Understanding the true meaning behind Nobu''s words, Masahide regained his amused smile as he rose to his feet and said, "Then be stronger...strong enough that no one, not even the Gods in Heaven, can oppose you..."


    Punctuating his words with another polite bow, Masahide turned away from the still-ring Nobu before promptly departing the room. Once he was outside, his figure immediately turned into a blur, as, contrary to his calm demeanor, he was actually quite nervous about how things were going to develop...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he had already heard about the incident in the city, obviously, it was only when he received Masahide''s message that Senken understood just how close his son had been to death. This caused the rage and indignation he had been suppressing for more than a decade to surge forth, his eyes zing like fiery suns as he growled, "You''ve really done it this time, Senzo! I ignored you thesest few years because I felt guilty about crippling your arm. Now, not only have you attempted to gain a hold over my other children, you sent your swine of a son to assassinate my eldest!? Let''s see how you scheme when I have your head on a pike...!"


    Unable to contain his fury, Senken''s mithril aura manifested around his body as he stormed through the halls of the Oda n''s main estate. If it wasn''t for his father appearing moments after he began releasing his aura, he might have zed a trail directly through the surrounding walls.


    "Calm yourself, Senken. Your brother has spent thest twenty years scheming against you. Do you really believe he had a hand in this? I understand why you''re upset but hasty action will only cause greater harm to the n. For now, the highest priority is recovering your son and guaranteeing his safety. Once his identity has been made known, Senzo will have no choice but to bide his time until an opportunity arises. By then, your son should be more than capable of protecting himself."


    In a manner remarkably simr to Nobu, Senken flexed the muscles of his jaw a few times before slowly retracting his aura. His younger brother, Oda Senzo, was the Elder responsible for overseeing the n''s businesses. He wasn''t in direct control of their finances but more than seventy percent of the n''s ie flowed in from the branch families. Eliminating Senzo wouldn''tpletely cripple them but it would make managing the territory a lot harder.


    "Fine...I will trust in your wisdom. However, if something like this happens in the near future, I will not hesitate to cut that man''s neck. The Oda n has never needed multiple factions. If Nobu is to unify the archipgo in the future, we must first start with the n."


    Surprised by Senken''s well-thought-out statement, a massive grin reced the gruff and battle-hardened expression of Senichi. It was pretty rare for Senken to reach such conclusions on his own so he was genuinely surprised that his brashest of children had managed to strike upon the heart of the matter without help. Fortunately for Senken, Senichi didn''t say this out loud. Instead, he just pped his eldest son on the shoulder and said, "We should prepare drinks. If your son is going to visit, there''s no way in hell we''re letting him leave sober."


    Amused by the thought of drinking his son into unconsciousness, an expectant grin spread across the face of Senken as he elbowed his father in the ribs and said, "Try not to embarrass yourself too much, old man."


    Snorting through his nose, Senichi attempted to hook his arm around Senken''s neck by thetter managed to dodge using one of the movement techniques passed down from their ancestors. This caused the smile on the middle-aged man''s face to fade, but, momentster, his figure red with a mithril aura as he proceeded to chase his son around thepound...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Senken and Senichi were engaged in an impromptu game of tag, Senzo, a dark-haired man with a perpetually grim yet handsome face was staring into the contents of his teacup. He had a long mane of hair that extended well past his shoulders, a lean yet muscr build, and the same shimmering golden eyes possessed by his two brothers. Most people who set their sights on him would immediately assume he was a warrior, but, ever since his elder brother severed the tendons of his left hand, Senzo''s path as a swordsman had ended.


    Ever since that faithful night, Senzo had done everything in his power to demonstrate he was a far more capable ruler than his brother. He had increased their profits by more than 400%, and, thanks to his efforts in the Imperial Court, the influence of the n had increased exponentially.


    Unfortunately, no matter how hard he worked, Senzo''s ambitions were limited by the traditions of their nation. To make matters even worse, many of his aplishments were directly attributed to his brother since thetter was the person who ced him in charge. This had be the primary source of Senzo''s frustration over the years, but, no matter how bad things got, he refused to act in the same barbaric fashion as his older brother. Thus, when he heard the report regarding what had taken ce in the city, his expression darkened to the point that everything around him seemed to dim along with it...


    "I want you to repeat everything you just said. This time, however, you will tell the truth. If you lie or embellish the facts in any way, I will sever the tips of your fingers..."


    Swallowing hard in response to his father''s words, a bead of sweat formed at the tip of Peng''s nose as he kept his head lowered to the point his forehead periodically touched the tatami mats beneath him. He had absolutely no doubts regarding the severity of his father''s threat, as, several years ago, the man had literally severed the hand of his younger sister after she stole the heirloom of a vassal family.


    "Father...please...everything I said was the truth. That man, Nanamori Nobu, was the first to attack. I had no choice but to pop the re after that wench defeated Yanfei. I thought they were going to kill me..."


    Without losing his re, Senzo replied, "If they wanted to kill you, you would be dead. You, a mere Silver Adept, attempted to take on two Golden Warriors. To make matters worse, you were the one to instigate the altercation. Now, despite being given the chance toe clean, you prioritize your pride over the truth. Put your hand forward."


    "Fath-"


    Fearing for the tips of his fingers, Peng raised his head with the intention to protest. The moment he did so, a silvery-green wave smashed into his body with the force of a charging Aura Beast. As a result, he was sent smashing through threeyers of walls as his father, showing no remorse, walked over with a sword in hand...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: O_O...)

 Chapter 113: Procession

    Chapter 113: Procession


    Though they had tried to get him to stay elsewhere, Nobu ended up staying in the infirmary until Yui awoke more than seven and a half hourster. It would take days for her to fully recover, but, seeing her Lordzing about atop a futon at her side, Yui was able to summon the strength to sit properly.


    Noticing the former''s movements, Nobu immediately tossed aside the stone tablet as he forced himself to a seated position and asked, "How are you feeling? The doctors said you exhausted your aura and copsed. Try not to move too much."


    Staring at Nobu with a look of incredulity on her face, Yui''s eyes briefly lingered on the bandages around his body before staring into his eyes and saying, "I should be the one asking you that...how bad are your injuries...?"


    Recalling that he was, in fact, injured, a somewhat silly smile developed across Nobu''s face as he scratched the back of his head and exined, "I asked the doctors for something to deal with the pain. They gave me a herbal tea made from a herb called Sage''s Ginseng. My mind is strangely clear but I''m higher than a kite right now."


    Recognizing the name of the herb, Yui''s eyes widened in disbelief before the realization that they must have uncovered Nobu''s identity set in. Sage''s Ginseng was several times more valuable than Dragon''s Vigor, and, more often than not, it was reserved for use on the battlefield. Generals would take a small dose before leading their armies into battle as it provided tremendous rity while also inhibiting pain and diminishing the effects of fatigue. It was an extremely rare and valuable herb.


    "It seems my eyes weren''t ying tricks on me...this must be Hirate-dono''s estate, yes...?"


    Before Nobu could answer, the door to the infirmary promptly slid open as Masahide, with a casual yet creepy smile on his face, replied, "That is correct. You always were a very astute youngdy, Yui-chan."


    Though she wasn''t naked, Yui pulled up the nkets to cover her body as she red at the smiling Masahide. This caused Nobu''s expression to darken, his tone severe as he asked, "What the fuck do you want?"


    Surprised by Nobu''s hostility, Masahide paused mid-step as he shifted his gaze between the duo. He was well aware of Yui''s status as a member of the Yoshitsune n as he was originally tasked with training both her and Nobu. She shouldn''t be the type of woman who was afraid to have her form observed by others. It would be one thing if she was naked, but, due to Nobu''s insistence, she was currently wearing a thin blue yukata...


    "Oho...I see how it is...you weren''t exaggerating when you referred to Yui-chan as your fiancee, were you? That''s going to make things ''very'' interesting in the future..."


    Caressing his chin, various thoughts crossed Masahide''s mind until Nobu forced himself to his feet, his form blocking Yui as he growled, "I asked you a question..."


    Returning a smile, Masahide half-turned so that he was facing away from Yui before exining, "I''m here to deliver a message. Your father, Lord Senken, hasmanded that I escort the two of you to the Oda n''s main estate..."


    Furrowing his brows even further, Nobu''s expression shifted from anger to frustration as he mulled over his choices. He still felt it was too early to get involved with the Oda n and its affairs, but, at the same time, he didn''t want to jeopardize both his and Yui''s life by being obstinate. If Masahide hadn''t shown up when he did, the best-case scenario would be their deaths. As for the worst-case scenario...he didn''t even want to think about it...


    Unclenching his fists, a feeling of exasperation washed over Nobu as he muttered, "Fine...when do we leave...?"


    Nodding his head in approval, Masahide risked offending Nobu by looking directly at him, smiling cheekily as he said, "As soon as Lady Yui has slipped into something more appropriate..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    With an escort consisting of seven warriors, more than a dozen skilled servants, and a toon of soldiers, Nobu and Yui were carried via pnquin to the massive Japanese-style castle located at the center of the city. It made the castles Nobu had toured in his previous life look pathetic, but, considering he was in a world where people could burst through reinforced walls, move around at supersonic speeds, and lift several thousand kilograms with ease, it wasn''t too surprising that their castles would be colossal and heavily guarded.


    "Holy shit..."


    Though she had visited the Oda n''s main estate numerous times in the past, Yui couldn''t help nodding in response to Nobu''s utterance. The castle, named Inuyama Shiro, could easily house the entire provincial army, and, based on rumors, had enough resources to sustain them for upwards of three years. It wasn''t the most impressive fortress in Nian, but, ever since its renovations nearly six thousand years ago, it had never fallen into enemy hands.


    "And I thought the estate atop the mountain was massive. Just how many people live here...?"


    Smiling wryly in response to Nobu''s question, Yui answered, "You would have to ask your parents, Lady Suzune, or my Grandmother. Details regarding the castle, its permanent residents, and its staff are a state secret. If such information was made public, the enemies of the Oda n would willfully take advantage of it."


    Nodding his head in understanding, Nobu ceased staring through the pnquin''s wooden blinders before looking directly at Yui and asking, "How are you feeling? You''re looking a little pale..."


    Restraining the urge to sigh, a slight smile developed across Yui''s face as she answered, "I''m fine. I was worried about the baby but you already confirmed there weren''t any issues. I just need a bit of rest...we both do..."


    As Pregnancy was, unsurprisingly, a status effect, Nobu was able to click the little (+) icon next to it to confirm the developmental state of the fetus and how far along Yui was in her pregnancy. At the present moment, the fetus was only around the size of a grain of rice, so, while she had suffered a number of minor injuries, Yui wasn''t at risk of a miscarriage.


    Offering what he hoped to be aforting smile, Nobu grasped Yui''s hand with his own. He had the distinct impression she was hiding something from him. Her Anxiety status made that pretty obvious, but, instead of pressing her for answers, he just massaged her hand with his thumb. He knew she wouldn''t keep something from him if it was important, so, while he was fully capable of clicking on the status to find out what was troubling her, Nobu decided he would simply trust her. She had literally passed out on her feet while trying to protect him...if he couldn''t trust her, who the fuck could he trust...?


    Though she was a little taken aback by Nobu''s sudden disy of affection, Yui didn''t resist. Instead, she offered a smile of her own before resting her head against his shoulder. As for what she was so worried about? It was the fact Nobu was going around telling everyone she was his fiancee. It made her happy, but, at the same time, she knew it was going to cause a lot of problems. After all, Nobu''s actual fiancee was one of the permanent residents of Inuyama Shiro...


    ...


    ..


    .


    By the time the procession reached Inuyama Shiro, it was already well past midnight. Despite this, there were still dozens of guards dutifully lined up outside the front gate, each outfitted in neatly maintained armor and armed to the teeth with pikes, swords, and crossbows.


    When the procession reached the tform at the base of the stairs leading into the castle, even more soldiers came out to surround the group escorting Nobu. In response, everyone except for Masahide and his fellow warriors dropped their weapons before kneeling on the ground. Then, for the better part of half an hour, they checked each and every person''s identity to confirm they were who they said they were.


    While this may have seemed a little excessive, this was standard protocol to prevent assassins from breaching the castle under the guise of an escort. The only people spared from the inspection were Nobu, Yui, Masahide, and his fellow warriors. Their inspection would take ce behind closed doors as the guards outside, despite their status, simply weren''t qualified to order around the registered warriors of the Oda n. If they tried, they could be used of publically shaming a member of the warrior ss, and, depending on the severity of their actions, execution was the lightest punishment they could expect.


    After praising the soldiers for their hard work, Masahide directed the procession up the final set of stairs leading into the massive castleplex. Then, after setting up a series of banner-like curtains along the path, Masahide personally opened the door of the pnquin before respectfully lowering his head and musing, "Wee home, Young Master..."


    Though he briefly scrunched his nose, Nobu resisted the urge to tell Masahide to fuck off. Instead, he stepped out of the pnquin, briefly eyeing the strange banners before helping Yui down. This earned him an amused chuckle from Masahide, who, noticing the look Nobu had given the purple banners, exined, "Though it iste in the evening, the number of people paying attention to this event is not small. These banners obstruct ocr devices and possess an effect that allows them to inhibit long-distance irvoyance. Your father, Lord Senken, ordered that I prepare them. He seems intent on protecting your identity for as long as possible~."


    Feeling strangely touched by the revtion, Nobu''s expression gradually rxed as a very slight smile developed across his face. The parents he had been blessed with in this world really were amazing. Sure, they might never be able to rece his original parents, especially his mother, but they were quickly growing on him. Senken seemed like a real bro, and, while Nana was a bit of an airhead, the concern she showed for him made it impossible to hate her...


    As that thought crossed his mind, a lot of the inhibitions Nobu felt toward the impending meeting simply faded away. Yeah, it might be a pain in the ass to get involved with the Oda n, but, at the very least, he wouldn''t be alone. He had two amazing parents, a busted cheat, and an entire n of voracious kunoichi who were more than willing to support his every action. He had essentially been born into this world with several golden spoons shoved in his mouth. The only thing standing in his way was his pride...


    "Looks like things are going to get pretty busy..."


    Raising his brows in response to Nobu''s utterance, Masahide briefly shifted his attention to Yui. In response, thetter just shrugged her shoulders, as, even after months at Nobu''s side, she was still confused by half the things that came out of his mouth...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she was doing her best to stay calm, Nana couldn''t help slowly pacing around her room with Nobuhime in her arms. The only thing preventing her from rushing over to meet Nobu at the gate was the fact that Senken and Senichi had basically confined her to quarters in order to prevent her from making a scene.


    "My darling Nobu-chan...won''t you please hurry? Your sister and I cannot bear this painful longing even a moment longer..."


    Hearing her mother''s remark, Nobuhime, despite being a mere three and a half months old, rolled her eyes. Nana''s concern for Nobu prevented her from taking notice of this, but, even if she had, she wouldn''t have been surprised. After all, Nobuhime''s peculiarities were one of the reasons she was so desperate to reunite with her most beloved, and biggest baby...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Will the secrets of Nobuhime finally be revealed? Find out in the next exciting episode of Nobunaga Oda''s Isekai Cultivation Experience~!)

 Chapter 114: Revelation: Incredulity

    Chapter 114: Revtion: Incredulity


    "I''ll never understand how it''s possible for buildings to appearrger on the inside than they do on the outside..."


    Though he knew full well that Nobu wasn''t expecting a response, Masahide issued a light chuckle before exining, "It''s because it''s easier to grasp the scope and size of an object from afar. When you are inside, much of the building is out of view. This creates a disparity in the mind because you have already rationalized that the space you are entering is expansive. As a result, everything within feels muchrger than it actually is."


    Hearing Masahide''s voice, Nobu ceased gawking at his surroundings, an annoyed look on his face as he remarked, "You like hearing the sound of your voice, don''t you?"


    Without missing a beat, Masahide issued a soft chuckle before countering, "A curious thing to hear from someone who was just talking to themselves..."


    "..."


    Deciding to simply ignore the man, Nobu continued observing his surroundings as Masahide led him and Yui through the estate. The interior of the castle really was massive, and, unlike the castles he had explored during his past life''s trips to Japan, Inugama wasrgelyprised of stone and marble rather than wood and bamboo. Thetter materials were still present, but, judging by how ''fresh'' everything looked, they were a more recent addition to a pre-existing structure. If he had to guess, Nobu would assume they were one of the many ruins mentioned by Kumiko...a relic from the Age of the Gods...


    "With this, my duty hase to an end. I wish you both the best of luck."


    Breaking Nobu from his thoughts, Masahide gestured towards an adjacent bamboo door before offering a deferential bow and standing off to the side. At the same time, Yui moved away from Nobu''s side, her head lowered in an uncharacteristically meek and servile manner that made him want to question her until the door spontaneously opened to reveal Senken.


    "You certainly took your time..."


    Restraining the urge to call Nobu a brat, Senken stared up at his eldest son with arms crossed. In response, Nobu furrowed his brows, but, rather than mirror the man''s actions, he cupped his hands in the way Kumiko had taught him, saying, "It''s good to see you...father..."


    Blinking in surprise, Senken opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but nothing came out. Fortunately, just as he was beginning to feel like a jackass for behaving haughtily in front of his son, a gruff voice immediately shattered the tensions, asking, "How long are the two of you going to keep pissing around at the threshold? Come inside or leave. Stop dawdling."


    Snorting through his nose, Senken stepped aside, saying, "Come in..." before shifting his gaze to Yui and adding, "Both of you..."


    Fully expecting to have to wait outside, Yui was genuinely surprised by Senken''s words. In spite of this, she managed to appear as calm and cid as the surface of ake as she cupper her hands as a sign of respect. Her Grandmother had stressed that she should never lower her head to anyone except Nobu. This included Senken, who, despite being the Lord and Master of the Yoshitsune n, had no authority over her.


    Rather than admonish Yui for her ostensibly rude behavior, Senken just nodded his head before following the duo with his eyes. Once they had passed himpletely, he directed his fiery golden eyes towards Masahide, saying, "You''ve done well, Masa. When things have settled down, let''s have a drink."


    A stark contrast to Yui, Masahide had no choice but to bow in the presence of his Lord. Thetter might not care about such formalities but it would be quite the scandal if people learned he didn''t afford their Lord the proper respect. Thus, while he ultimately smiled in response to his Lord''s offer, Masahide kept his head lowered as he replied, "It would be my honor."


    Nodding his head in approval, Senken uttered a curt, "You''re dismissed." before promptly closing the door. He understood better than most that there were eyes and ears even in the heart of the n, so, while Masahide''s behavior annoyed him, he didn''t me the man for following protocol. Instead, he waited for Masahide''s presence to disappear before shaking his head and saying, "I''m going to go and retrieve Nana. If we keep her waiting, she''s bound to cause a ruckus..."


    Snorting in response to his son''s words, Senichi waved his hand in a dismissive manner, stating, "Then go. What are you waiting for? Permission? You''re the Lord of Owari. Stop acting like a fool just because your son is visiting."


    With his brow twitching, Senken resisted the urge to shout as he replied, "Stop saying things that might cause a misunderstanding you damned geezer..."


    Grinning savagely in response to Senken''s remark, Senichi was about to tease him further when the bamboo partitions behind him were suddenly sted open by a burst of crimsonAura. This caused several of the surrounding oilmps to spill, but, unlike traditional tatami made from rice straw, the materials used in the castle''s were coated in a waxy residue to made them me retardant.


    "Where is my baby...!?"


    Demonstrating that they were, in fact, grandfather, father, and son, Senichi, Senken, and Nobu all smiled wryly as Nana zeroed in on thetter.


    "Nobu-chan~! Yui-chan~!"


    Seizing the momentum from everyone else in the room, Nana made her way over to where Nobu and Yui were seated before squatting down and presenting the bundle in her arm, a breathtaking smile on her face as she happily chimed, "Look, look~! Meet your sister~!"


    Returning an awkward smile, Nobu peered into the crimson bundle with the intention of offering a few polite words. What none of the people in the room expected was for the infant to immediately cry out, arms iling excitedly as a continuous string of enthusiastic baby sounds escaped her still-developing throat.


    "Hime-chan...?"


    Confused by her daughter''s extremely uncharacteristic response, Nana struggled to keep the infant in her embrace as Nobuhime wiggled about and iled her arms in the direction Nobu.


    ("Well that ain''t normal...")


    Remembering the reason he hade to the capital, Nobu promptly pulled out the stone tablet before snapping a pick of the admittedly adorably little girl in his mother''s arms. This ended up being a mistake, as, the moment he saw the information presented therein, regret unlike anything he had ever experienced washed over him...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Oda Nobuhime, Elizabeth Johnson


    Age: 97 days


    Gender: Female, H:51.9cm, W: 5.1kg, B: 42.4cm, W: 43.2cm, H: 42.3cm


    Blood Type: A+


    Cultivation: N/A


    Aura Units: 83/108


    Status: Divine Protection(+), Hungry(+), Sleepy(+), Excited(+)


    -Divine Protection: Blessed by the Goddess of the Six Paths. Drastically increases Luck so long as the recipient does not harm others. Removal Cost: Cannot be Removed


    -Hungry: She is hungry. Removal Cost: 1AU


    -Sleepy: She is sleepy. Removal Cost: 7AU


    -Excited: She is very, very excited. Removal Cost: Cannot be Removed


    Main Hand: Right


    Preferred Weapon: Social Media


    Strengths: Cute, Intelligent, Carnivorous, Reincarnator


    Weaknesses: She is a baby


    Orientation: Traps


    Preferences: Gap Moe, Big Dicks, Bareback, Softcore BDSM, Strangtion y


    Favorite Food: Friend Chicken, Cherry and Pistachio Ice Cream, Chicken Curry, Pickled Eggs


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    "No fucking way..."


    Though the name secondary name and Status were dead giveaways, Nobu nearly passed out when he read the rest of the infant''s information. If he hadn''t been sitting down, he very well might have.


    "Nobu-chan...?"


    Noticing how pale Nobu had be, a palpable anxiety spread through the room as Nana held Nobuhime in her arms and habitually looked towards Senken. He had been her emotional anchor for the past twenty years, so, whenever she felt worried or concerned, she always looked to him for support.


    Though he was just as confused and worried as his wife, Senken''s expression became resolute the moment Nana directed her gaze his way. Then, despite feeling that Nobu needed time to process whatever he had just learned, Senken''s tone became firm as he shouted, "Hey, kid! Snap out of it! Can''t you see you''re making your mother worried...!?"


    In response to Senken''s shout, Nobuhime released an ear-piercing scream, almost as if she were trying to protest what he had just said. This left Nana feeling more fretful than ever, anxiety visible in her countenance as she looked down at the iling infant and attempted to calm her down.


    "Would you stop shouting? You''re making a scene..."


    Furrowing his brows, Senken was about to chastise Nobu for speaking against him when a sudden silence descended upon the room. This was strange in and of itself, but, to make matters eve more inexplicable, an awkwardugh emanated from Nobuhime''s throat as the infant covered her mouth in embarrassment...


    Noticing everyone''s gazes shift from Nobuhime to himself, Nobu''s body tensed as he tried to think of what to say. Before he could, the middle-aged man that had been observing him like a hawk ever since he arrived broke the silence, saying, "Out with it, boy. Don''t even try to hide anything."


    Feeling a sudden pressure pressing down on him, a wave of panic washed of Nobu''s body as the rage he had been doing his best to restrain began to bubble up. Fortunately, just as he was about to tell the old fart to fuck off, Nana adopted a venomous look and tone as she red back at him and growled, "Senichi-sama..."


    Though he directed a stern gaze towards Nana, Senichi gradually retracted his aura. At the same time, however, his tone remained firm as he said, "Everyone in this room has an obligation towards the people of Nian and the world abroad. Our fates have been tied together since that fateful day more than neen years ago. If he can''t even trust us with the truth, who can he trust...?"


    Directing thest statement towards Nobu himself, Senichi made it very clear he wasn''t going to settle for a half-assed exnation. Prior to hearing the prophecy from Imina, he had never cared about such things. Now that everything she promised was slowlying to pass, he feared for the future of the entire world, not just the Oda n...


    Seeing his father and son having a staring match, Senken was about to try and pacify the growing tensions when Nobuhime garnered all of their attention with a few baby sounds and a gesture that resembled a okay sign. Thetter was clearly directed towards Nobu, who, after exhaling one of the most profound sighs any of them had ever heard, raised his head to exin, "I have no fucking clue how it happened but this baby seems to have inherited the soul of my previous life''s mother..."


    Expecting them to ask what the hell he was talking about, Nobu was surprised when Nana simply looked down at Nobuhime and asked, "Is that true? Hime-chan is Nobu-chan''s Okaa-chan...?"


    Demonstrating she knew exactly what they were talking about, Nobuhime nodded her head with a ''serious'' expression that didn''t match her childish appearance. In response, Nana adopted one of her characteristically breathtaking smiles as she practically sang, "How wonderful~! I can''t wait to hear all the stories about Nobu-chan''s previous life~!"


    Confused by his second mother''s response, Nobu''s mouth hung open for several seconds as he found himself at a loss for words. He wasn''t the only one in such a state. Senken and Senichi also had helpless expressions on their faces while Yui, unaware of the prophecy rted to her Lord and lover, just stared off into empty space as if the conversation had absolutely nothing to do with her...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I kind of feel bad for our boy. Learning the truth about Nobuhime isn''t that bad. Learning her previous life''s preferences is traumatizing xD...)

 Chapter 115: Intervention

    Chapter 115: Intervention


    With the words of Senichi and the reaction of Nana, even Nobu could understand that they must have been made aware of his reincarnation. He already suspected this to be the case, but, now that he had all but confirmed it, a wave of fatigue and helplessness washed over his body, sapping it of strength.


    Noticing the tensions leaving Nobu''s body, Yui, once again, moved to support him. This earned her an approving look from Nana, who, for Nobuhime''s sake, exined, "Look, look, Hime-chan. This is the girl I was telling you about before. She is one of Nobu-chan''s future wives. More importantly, she is already with child~."


    With Nana providing a vantage for her, Nobuhime was able to see the tiny frame of Yui supporting Nobu''s body. If she were capable of speech, she probably would haveined about how close they were. Instead, she just stared at Yui with an appraising look that didn''t suit most adults, much less a child of three months.


    Feeling a shiver pass through her body, Yui looked towards Nobuhime with a stunned expression on her face. She didn''t exactly what had happened but it felt like an invisible, slightly hostile force had prated her body. It was frighteningly simr to bloodlust, but, instead of causing her to feel pressured, it was like all her secrets had been exposed...


    As this and many other thoughts were crossing Yui''s mind, Nobuhime left her feeling at an even greater loss as thetter suddenly nodded her head before giving a thumbs-up gesture. She even went as far as to intone an adorable, "Ba-bun...!" as if to say, ''Not bad...!'' in baby speech...


    "Isn''t this just wonderful, Yui-chan? You''ve now received both of our blessings. Make sure you take proper care of Nobu-chan in the future, okay~?"


    Before Yui could even think to respond, Nobu, having recovered his sensibilities, held up his hand to interject, stating, "Okay...hold up...mind exining what the hell is going on here? I kind of have an idea but I just want to make sure..."


    Adopting a slight pout, Nana adopted a chiding tone as she said, "Nobu-chan..nguage..."


    With a somewhat incredulous look on his face, Nobu resisted the urge to ask what he had said. He was pretty sure he hadn''t said any curse words, but, with far more important matters at hand, he offered a curt, "Sorry..." before following it up with, "Can you please exin this situation? As far as I can tell, the three of you already know the truth about me. What, exactly, is going on...?"


    Returning a smile, Nana looked like she was about to respond to Nobu''s question when the world around him suddenly turned a peculiar shade of grey. It was almost like a thinyer of grey ash had covered the entire world, petrifying it in ce.


    "What the actual fuck...?"


    Looking around him, Nobu confirmed that everyone and everything in his surroundings had frozen in ce. At least, this was what he had thought until he noticed the bundle moving in Nana''s arms. Nobuhime was apparently unaffected by the strange phenomenon.


    Staring at the raven-haired infant with an usatory glimmer in his eyes, Nobu asked, "Did you do this...?" with a conflicted look on his face. In response, Nobuhime just waved her inordinately small hand in a dismissive, babbling, "Na~" in baby speech.


    Just as he was about to ask if she knew who did, a loud buzzing sound caught Nobu''s attention as the stone tablet on the ground vibrated with such intensity that it could not be ignored. This gave him a pretty good idea who had interfered, his expression darkening as he picked up the tablet to confirm what he already knew to be true.


    *You have 2 New Messages!*


    "Haaaaa...."


    ------------------------------------


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Hey, kid, pick up the phone! (Sent: 9s ago.)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Maintaining a stop like this isn''t easy. (Sent: 7s ago.)


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Did you just sigh...? (Sent: 3s ago.)


    ------------------------------------


    Feeling a cold sweat break out across his body, Nobu quickly tapped away a response before the unreasonable Goddess could lose her temper.


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of the Sixth Heaven: Sorry. This is just a lot to take in...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Hmmm...we can understand that. Very well, then. We shall, once again, forgive you. Be grateful.


    ------------------------------------


    Though a part of him wanted to tell her to take his gratitude and shove it up her ass, Nobu calmed himself by taking a deep and typing...


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of the Sixth Heaven: Thank you for your clemency...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: No problem~!


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Now, before you end up making a mess of things, let us give you a bit of advice...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: DON''T GO AROUND TELLING PEOPLE YOU''RE REINCARNATED!


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: I mean, seriously, have you lost your mind? We get that you want to trust your family but there are limits to what you should and shouldn''t say...!


    ------------------------------------


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu wanted to defend his actions by pointing out that the trio, very clearly, had some kind of foreknowledge regarding the situation. If it was just Nana, he might have ignored it. She was, after all, a little odd in the head. That didn''t exin why Senken and Senichi had simr reactions.


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of the Sixth Heaven: What was I supposed to do? It''s pretty fucking obvious they knew something was up. If I lied to them, it would have only made things worse.


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Hmmm...you do have a point. Still, you shouldn''t go around advertising your reincarnation. As you have no doubt realized, you are not the only person to have been reborn in that world. Rather, to reduce the number of worlds destroyed as a result of a single person''s selfishness, it has bemon to pit multiple reincarnators against each other...


    ------------------------------------


    "You''ve got to be shitting me..."


    ------------------------------------


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Hmph! What an uncouth turn of phrase...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Unfortunately for you, Gods such as myself are incapable of speaking falsehoods.


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You really should be grateful. Under normal circumstances, you would have needed to discover this on your own. Now, thanks to my warning, you have a slight edge over thepetition.


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You''re wee.


    ------------------------------------


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to smash the stone tablet into the ground, Nobu took a very deep breath as he processed everything he had just read...


    Though he had never been known for his intelligence, Nobu wasn''t an idiot. Based on her words, he was pretty sure the Goddess had made some kind of mistake when he was being reincarnated. Why else would she go through all this trouble to contact him?


    While he was pretty proud of his figure, Nobu understood he wasn''t the most attractive person to ever walk the Earth. His dick was also pretty averagepared to the more infamous porn stars, so, unless she had made a mistake, he couldn''t fathom why the Goddess would do him any favors after basically telling him to fuck off during his reincarnation...


    Understanding it was best to leave such matters lying, Nobu steeled his heart and mind before opening his eyes and typing away on the stone tablet...


    ------------------------------------


    Demon King of the Sixth Heaven: Thanks. I appreciate the heads up.


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: ...


    Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Good. You should. After all, it''s not every day a Goddess such as ourselves goes out of their way to help a mortal. If you didn''t show proper gratitude, we would have cursed you with Divine Punishment...!


    ------------------------------------


    Though he was beginning to doubt she possessed such power, Nobu expressed his gratitude a third time before asking the all-important question of why his mother had been reincarnated as his sister. In response, the Goddess informed him that she had died in a ne crash a couple of years after his death. When she died, her only wish was to be able to see him again, so, after confirming she didn''t want anything else, Elizabeth, now Nobuhime, was reborn into the world of Terra on the same day that his soul crossed over.


    Simply put, Nobu''s mother had given up the opportunity to obtain a cheat just so she could see him again. This caused a sour feeling to spread through Nobu''s nose, but, the moment he looked towards the blue-eyed infant to express his gratitude, his mind nked as he saw her averting her eyes with a blush.


    ("The fuck...?")


    For a brief moment, Nobu mistakenly believed that Nobuhime had, somehow, been following his conversation with the Goddess. Fortunately, this was not the case. Rather, despite her best efforts, Nobuhime could not prevent her body from performing one of the most notorious actions most infants were known for.


    She pooped.


    Smelling the foul odor just as he was about to voice his concerns, Nobu''s face scrunched up as he habitually replied, "Holy fucking shit! What the fuck have you been eating...!?"


    With an aggrieved look on her face, Nobuhime waved her tiny fist towards Nobu as if she wanted to smack him on the head. Unfortunately, she was far too young for this, so, for the first time in her life, she began to cry out of spite...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After promising the Goddess he wouldn''t arbitrarily reveal their identities in the future, Nobu''s eyes zed over as he watched the world around him slowly rewind to the point just before Senichi had asked him to reveal the truth. This time, he exined away his surprise by revealing that Nobuhime had been blessed by the Gods with tremendous intelligence and luck.


    Hearing about how special her daughter was, the only thing preventing Nana from spinning around and dancing was the fact she was seated. The resplendent smile she presented gave the impression it would never wane, but, the moment she moved closer to nuzzle Nobuhime''s cheek with her own, it promptly melted into a mask of stoicism as she remarked, "Ah...she pooped..."


    On that note, Nana promptly rose to her feet before offering a courteous nod towards Senken and Senichi before shifting her gaze to Yui and asking, "Yui-chan...have you ever changed a diaper...?"


    Surprised by the sudden address, Yui''s back straightened as she politely replied, "No, Lady Suzuki, I have not..."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Nana''s expression became somewhat mischievous as she said, "This is a good opportunity for us to get to know one another. Come, I will teach you."


    Shifting her gaze to Nobu, a wave of exasperation washed over Yui''s body as he promptly nodded his head in approval. This left her with no choice, so, after helping him sit straight, she rose to her feet and answered, "It would be a privilege to learn from Lady Suzuki..."


    Turning her eyes up at the young girl, Nana''s expression became yfully reproachful as she said, "Come now, Yui-chan. There is no need for such politeness when speaking with family. Now that you are Nobu''s intended, feel free to address me as Nana or Okaa-chan."


    Though she felt a cold sweat break out across her body, Yui managed to appear unflustered as she forced a smile and replied, "Very well, Nana...sama..."


    Pursing her lips at the unnecessary honorific, Nana was about to protest when Senken spoke out, asking, "Aren''t you going to change Hime-chan''s diaper? I''m starting to feel sorry for her..."


    Shifting her gaze to Senken, Nana''s eyes squinted into a slight re. Instead ofshing out at him or making a scene, however, she just nodded her head, answering, e along, Yui-chan." before spinning gracefully on her heels and departing the room.


    Unable to refuse, Yui offered a courteous bow towards the three men before quickly following after Nana''s retreating figure. This left Nobu alone with his father and grandfather, but, before he could even begin to feel nervous, thetter asked, "How''s yer alcohol tolerance, brat...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Imina over here casually revealing world-shattering information...)

 Chapter 116: Mens Sake

    Chapter 116: Men''s Sake


    Though he wouldn''t have considered it a benefit in his previous world, one of the things Nobu had learned about his cultivation method, the Breath Progression Technique, was that it helped keep his mind clear while drastically reducing the time it took foreign substances to filter out of his system.


    Simply put, the higher his cultivation became, the greater resistance Nobu had against things like poisons, toxins, and foreign aura. It was what had allowed him to resist Suzune''s initial seduction attempt, and, months prior, the reason he had awoken during Inami''s assault.


    Nobu''s base had increased exponentially these past few months, so, the moment he heard his grandfather''s question, a cheeky grin developed across his face as he replied, "Better than most."


    Returning a rather fierce-looking smile of his own, Senichi waved his hand to produce a massive crimson and ck gourd with the emblem of the Oda n embossed on the side. Before he could exin what it was, Senken beat him to the punch, shouting, "You hollow-hearted old fart! You lied to me...!"


    With a fierce look that didn''t lose out to his father''s, Senken''s golden eyes zed like mes as he red at the middle-aged man sitting in the middle of the room.


    Snorting through his nose, Senichi tly replied, "I hid it away to keep it safe. We both know what kind of man you used to be, Senken. You would have stumbled across it while drunk and consumed the entire bottle without a second thought. Don''t me me for performing a duty you would have neglected."


    Though he looked like he wanted to punch Senichi in the face, Senken ultimately unclenched his fists after ring at the man for the better part of a minute. Senken didn''t want to admit it but his father was right. Back then, he had been an irredeemable drunk. The stress of seeing his eldest son in a catatonic state hadn''t made things any easier, so, for a time, he soughtfort in a functionally endless supply of cheap liquor.


    Clicking his tongue, Senken''s expression gradually rxed as he plopped onto his seat with a thud. Then, after shaking his head, he gestured towards Nobu, saying, "Come and take a seat with your grandfather and me. This sake is something special. I''ll pour the first round."


    "As you should..."


    Handing over the massive gourd to his son, Senichi waited until Nobu had taken a seat before exining, "The Oda n has a number of traditions. This is one of our oldest, a ritual that starts at birth and ends when one bes an adult. Since the original name has been lost to time, we have taken to referring to it as Men''s Sake..."


    Resisting the urge to call the name retarded, Nobu just nodded his head as he epted the saucer poured by his father. He noticed the contents were, somehow, even clearer than water. If not for the pungent aroma unique to sake, he would have thought it was a high-quality, highly distilled vodka.


    "Hmmm...you don''t seem particrly interested in our traditions..."


    Noticing the disinterested look in Nobu''s eyes, Senichi squinted his own while holding out his hand to have his cup filled. His gaze caused Nobu''s mask of calm to waver, but, rather than pussyfooting around the issue, he answered, "It isn''t the traditions of the Oda n I have no interest in. I find the traditions of Nian, in general, to be back-asswards. I have recentlye to understand how things developed to this point, but, at the same time, I can''t help feeling that the entire world is stagnating because of the decisions made by a few asshats with unreasonable power..."


    Though he was well on his way to bing one of those asshats, Nobu didn''t care about ruling over the country, much less the world. He simply wanted the power to protect the things he wanted to protect. He was even thinking about supporting his brother or venturing to the capital to lend his support to the Imperial Family. The original Oda Nobunaga had marched his army upon the capital, but, instead of conquering it, he had gone to pay his respects to the declining Imperial Family.


    While it was heavily debated by historians, most people believed that Oda Nobunaga never had the intention of ruling over Japan. His goal was to unify the nation''s people and usher them into an era of progress rather than stagnation. Thus, even though he could have easily established himself as a dictator, he helped to centralize power for the Imperial Family while pressing them to enact policies that rewarded merit andpetency rather than bloodline.


    Simr to his historical predecessor, Nobu was of the mentality that a person''s race and lineage were inconsequential. He had nothing against families stockpiling funds and resources for their sessors, but, no matter how he looked at it, inheriting political power wasplete and utter nonsense. Being born a Noble didn''t automatically make you a great ruler...


    Seeing Nobu''s brows furrow into a pensive look, a slight grin developed across Senichi''s face as he held up his cup and stated, "If you don''t like it, be strong enough to bring about the changes you wish to see in the world. Others might call you selfish, but, in the end, who isn''t? The only thing people truly care about in this world is their personal happiness. Those that argue that they wish to protect the happiness of others are simply lying to themselves. The only reason they act that way is because seeing others happy makes them happy. If it didn''t, they wouldn''t even bother..."


    Throwing back his saucer, Senichi managed to down the contents of his cup in three inordinatelyrge gulps. When he was finished, an evenrger smile had appeared on his face as he exhaled a literal plume of steam before remarking, "I can''t say much for its vor but it has one hell of a kick to it."


    Though Nobu had no idea what to make of Senichi''s assessment, Senken''s eyes began to glisten as he emptied the contents of his own saucer. As his father had pointed out, there was no discernible vor to the crystal-clear liquid, but, the moment it flowed past his lips, it was like a fire had spread through his mouth before invading his throat and burning his insides. It was inarguably one of the strongest sakes he had ever tasted, and, even after exhaling a plume of steam, he could feel the fire lingering in his body like the feelings of anxiety that preceded a climactic battle.


    "Not bad at all..."


    Staring at the two gruff-looking individuals as if they had lost his mind, Nobu was tempted to set his saucer down when both men looked towards him with slight ridicule in their eyes. Senichi had even adopted a mocking sneer, so, after grinding his teeth for several seconds, Nobu followed their example by downing his saucer in a fewrge gulps.


    With the liquid sliding smoothly down his throat, a feeling of incongruency washed over Nobu''s body and mind as he lowered his empty saucer and incredulously remarked, "It tastes mellow..."


    Bursting outughing, Senichi and Senken smacked their knees and thighs while Nobu watched on with an increasingly cold expression on his face. If he hadn''t seen Senken fill his cup from the same gourd, he would have thought they had pulled a prank on him.


    Fortunately, just as Nobu was considering throwing his saucer at them, Senichi wiped away a tear from his eye before exining, "This is no ordinary sake, brat. In fact, when it first starts out, it is basically just water. You see, whenever an heir to the Oda n is born, we fill a special gourd with water from a spring nourished by spiritual energy. The only additional ingredient is a single drop of blood from the newborn infant..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu began to feel a little nauseous. Fortunately, Senichi wasn''t done with his exnation, adding, "A formation inscribed on the interior of the gourd converts any liquid ced within into a very special kind of sake. What makes it special, you might ask? Well, you see, its vor varies depending on the person who consumes it..."


    Adopting a missive grin, Senichi waited for Senken to fill his saucer a second time before taking a much smaller sip and stating, "To those who support you wholeheartedly, the sake tastes like the mes of passion. To those who conspire against you, it''s like drinking sake refined from dog shit. As for you...well, unless you are an extreme narcissist, it would taste like water. Since you described it as a mellow taste, I''m guessing you have a few self-esteem issues. We''ll need to work on that..."


    Though he was a little annoyed by Senichi''s final remark, it didn''t prevent Nobu from recognizing how valuable the sake was. If he periodically served it to his future retainers and servants, he could find out which of them harbored ill will towards him. It was basically a cheat item that allowed him to determine whether or not a person was loyal, so, seeing Senken and Senichi fill their saucers a third time, he couldn''t prevent his brow from twitching.


    Understanding his son''s thoughts, a teasing smile developed across Senken''s face as he gulped down arge mouthful of the fiery liquid before exhaling a sigh and stating, "Calm down, kid. I can tell what you''re thinking just by looking into your eyes. Unfortunately for you, this sake will lose its effects a few hours after its first uncorking. Under normal circumstances, we would have cracked it open during youring of age ceremony. You see, the convenient thing about this alcohol is that it is basically poison to anyone who wants to kill you. Anyone who gets ill or drops dead during the ceremony would have been expelled from the family or cremated without honors."


    Resisting the urge to ask why they didn''t prepare numerous batches of the cheat-like liquor, Nobu''s tensions gradually rxed as he asked, "I guess this means I''m not going to have aing of age ceremony...?


    Raising their brows, both Senken and Senichi stared at Nobu as if he was an idiot. This caused thetter''s brow to twitch, but, instead ofshing out, he just closed his eyes and took an inhumanly long and deep breath. He had be somewhat addicted to the pleasant tingle that washed over his mind like icy water whenever he inhaledrge quantities of oxygen. It made him feel rxed, and, more importantly, helped him to calm down whenever he was feeling frustrated or annoyed.


    Observing Nobu in silence, Senken, and Senichi waited until he had opened his eyes before the former exined, "Coming of age ceremonies take ce at fourteen or immediately following a person''s first battle. You''reing up on twenty in the next three months, and, if Hitomi''s reports are urate, you''ve already knocked up two different women. We could announce your return, but, unless we wanted to start a civil war, no one in their right mind would drink your Men''s Sake..."


    Nodding his head in affirmation, Senichi piggybacked Senken''s words, adding, "The Oda n is more divided now than it has been in the past six hundred years. Since we never gave up on the notion that you would one day return, your father and I have been forced to take a stance on a number of contentious issues. Depending on the choices you make moving forward, the first and most important matter we''ll need to resolve is unifying the family. A divided Oda n is a prime target for our enemies to exploit..."


    Though he had absolutely no intention of bing the Daimyo and governing the province on his own, Nobu had already made the decision to help unify Nian. It bothered him that he was walking a simr path to his predecessor, but, with a family on the way and countless dangers lurking in the shadows, he couldn''t afford to abandon his status as a member of the Oda n. Thus, rather than immediately shoot down Senichi''s proposal, his expression became uncharacteristically serious as he said, "I already have a n..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That sake really is a cheat item if used properly...)

 Chapter 117: Laying the Foundation

    Chapter 117: Laying the Foundation


    "How much do you know about my Heavenly Treasure...?"


    While he was fully aware of themunication between Hitomi and his father, Nobu had no idea how detailed her reports were. He knew they had discussed it during the previous reunion but a lot had changed since then. Thus, before he couldy out his n, he needed the two warlords on the same page.


    "ording to the information provided by Hitomi, it leaves you unable to cultivate using traditional methods. Instead, you have to stockpile Aura over time and unlock it by tapping into your Heavenly Treasure. Other than that, your Heavenly Treasure possesses the ability to analyze anything, ess information rted to cultivation methods,municate over vast distances, and empower others. I believe that''s everything...?"


    Though Senken had never been known for his intelligence, all experienced Cultivators had excellent memories. Cultivation, first and foremost, revolved around developing a person''s mental state and spirituality. Senken was currently at the midway point between Mithril 7 and 8, so, while he was far from the most learned individual in Nian, he possessed a mental acuity that matched his standing.


    "Uh...yeah? I mean, you kind of glossed over the finer details but that''s pretty on point."


    After downing another half-saucer of Men''s Sake, Senichi was the one to ask, "What do you mean? Since we''re finally together like this, you might as well exin things at length. I''m not saying you need to reveal all of your secrets, but, the more we know, the better we can help you."


    Raising a brow at the middle-aged man''s serious remark, Nobu replied, "Rx. I might slip up here and there but I know better than to reveal all my cards..."


    Willfully ignoring the fact he had recently received a chastising from the Goddess of the Six Paths, Nobu revealed the existence of his Friends List and how he could use it to empower both himself and others.


    Prior to Nobu''s exnation, Senken thought that Nobu''s ability worked by boosting the existing strength of others. After all, it was hard for most cultivators to wrap their heads around a treasure that could, quite literally, turn a normal person into a powerhouse in just a few short months.


    "My n, at least for the time being, is to continue consolidating my strength within the Yoshitsune n. Once this year hase to an end, everyone in my entourage should be around the pinnacle of the Sixth Realm. They will act as my elite forces while I begin scouting talent from the masses. I''m against the notion that being born a Noble somehow makes you inherently better than others. Just look at that piece of shit, Peng. Without the resources of the Oda n, how far would he be able to get in life? He''s a fucking bandit decked out in fancy clothing."


    Though he would also be screwed with adequate resources and the backing of the Oda n, Nobu didn''t think he was being a hypocrite. He would never swagger around like a fucking cuck with such shitty game that he needed to use the threat of death just to get his dick wet. There was seriously something wrong with people like that, and, now that he knew there were multiple reincarnators in this world, Nobu couldn''t help thinking Peng was being piloted by some forty-year-old virgin Otaku who didn''t even have the balls to hire a fucking prostitute.


    Seeing the hatred and disgust in Nobu''s eyes, Senken and Senichi briefly exchanged nces before nodding their heads in concert. Then, catching Nobu by surprise, the former stated, "You don''t have to worry about that Peng brat. I''m not really fond of how things turned out, but I received a parcel containing seven of his severed fingertips. I won''t stop you from pursuing the matter if you choose to be Daimyo, but, for the time being, you should focus on more important matters."


    Staring wide-eyed at his father, Nobu''s expression became slightly incredulous as he asked, "What the fuck? Someone cut the tips of his fingers off?"


    Nodding his head, Senken adopted a grim expression as he exined, "Peng is the second son of my younger brother, Senzo. While Senzo and I rarely see eye to eye, his intelligence and political mindedness far exceed mine. In the past, he even severed the hand of his fourth daughter after she forced one of her servants to hand over a family heirloom..."


    While manymended Senzo for holding his children ountable, Senken saw the matter in a different light. Sure, some people might call him soft, but he refused to rationalize cutting off the hand of an eight-year-old child just to set an example. It was beyond extreme...


    Unable to mentally reconcile everything his father had just revealed, Nobu fell into a contemtive silence. He had no idea what to make of this situation. A part of him wanted to pump his fist and say that Peng got what he deserved. The only problem with this sentiment was that, unless he had been reincarnated, Peng wasn''t born the person he is today. He became this way as a result of the environment he had grown up in. You didn''t throw your weight around like that unless you had a good reason to believe you could get away with it. In other words, the only reason Peng received a punishment was to deny them an excuse to seek rpense...


    "Fucking politicians..."


    Though Senken had never heard the term before, it wasn''t difficult to understand what Nobu was trying to convey. Thus, in response to his son''s remark, he nodded his head in agreement before downing an entire saucer of sake.


    Seeing the simrities in the father-son duo, a grin spread across Senichi''s face as various thoughts crossed his mind. The information Nobu had revealed was, simply put, earth-shattering. Thus, while the two younglings were fretting over internal affairs, he was already thinking about how they could use Nobu''s power to strengthen existing alliances.


    While Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure made others resemble simple trinkets, it didn''t provide them the means to conquer the surrounding provinces. Individual power was useful if you wanted to defeat your enemies but that had never been the purpose of war. Wars were fought to obtain resources, centralize power, and expand your territory. Any ideological excuses were a simple pretext used to justify the acquisition of these three things, so, while Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure was remarkable, it wouldn''t win them the war.


    Fortunately, while Nobu''s intentions were a bit off the mark, Senichi had tomend the young man for prioritizing the acquisition of capable and loyal retainers. The people on his Friends List would be instrumental in their goal of unifying the archipgo. The only problem was that Nobu wanted to recruit peasants.


    If he were beingpletely honest, Senichi agreed with his son''s and grandson''s assessments of the Nobility. The waning power of the Imperial Family had allowed the Noble ns to run rampant, and, as a result, they had be cancerous to the society they were sworn to protect.


    The problem was, despite all their ws, the Noble ns had centralized power in their individual Provinces thousands of years ago. Removing the people in power would cause more problems than it solved, so, more often than not, defeated ns would simply be the vassals and retainers of the n that conquered them. It was only when a full audit of the territory and its assets had been conducted that a transition could ur.


    This was where Nobu''s sentiments were bound to hit a wall. His people might be loyal to him but history had proven, time and again, that familial ties were necessary to centralize and secure power across multiple generations.


    The mostmon method to ensure a smooth transition of power was for the conquering party to absorb the defeated n into their own through marriage. In other words, Nobu would either need to ept the daughters of the defeated ns as his wives or pair them with his descendants.


    While it was possible for a peasant to be elevated to the status of Lesser Nobles via increasing their cultivation base and ruing merits, they still needed the recognition of the Imperial Family to ownnd and govern territory. If Nobu tried to ce peasant-born retainers in charge of his conquered territories, every n across Nian would protest. In the worst-case scenario, the legitimacy of their unification n would be called into question. After that, their only options would be to cede the territories they had conquered or risk war against the entire nation.


    Senichi knew that if Nobu was to have any chance of sess, he would need to curry favor with the Imperial Family. Without their support, expanding beyond their borders was virtually impossible, as, despite their waning power, the Imperial Family still had absolute authority. They possessed a bevy of Heavenly Treasures and were backed by four remarkably powerful Aura Beasts known as the Four Heavenly Guardians. This,bined with the fact they were protected by the Ancestral God of the Nianese people, ensured that the Imperial Family would never lose relevance.


    The current issues guing Nian were primarily the result of the Noble ns'' corruption and the Ashigake Shogunate''s gross ipetence. This had led to a drastic decline in the capabilities of individuals recognized by the Imperial Court as most of the people presently in power had simply purchased their position.


    If Nobu wanted to actualize his dream, he would need to consolidate power within the Oda n before currying favor with the Imperial Family. Fortunately, despite being more than three hundred years old, the current Emperor had failed to produce a male heir. This was the main reason so many people had lost faith in him, as, after the birth of the Fourth Princess, the Emperor had managed to effectively cripple his reproductive capabilities.


    Simply put, each of the Noble ns was essentially biding their time until the Emperor died so they could try to seize power for themselves. Modern Nianese society was strictly patriarchal, so, despite the founder of Nian being an Empress and their Ancestral God being female, a woman would never be allowed to reign...


    As that thought crossed his mind, a calcting smile appeared across Senichi''s face as he observed his grandson. Nobu wasn''t the most handsome man, but, if he could help consolidate power for the Imperial Family, there was a chance that he could be promoted to the position of Regent, or, at the very least, Senior First Rank of the Imperial Court.


    Fortunately, though Senichi didn''t agree with the sentiment, Nobu didn''t seem to care about ruling directly. This gave the youth a surprising amount of leverage, as, so long as he was willing to make an oath to the Imperial Family, he could effectively be Emperor in everything but name.


    Noticing the almost perverted look his grandfather was giving him, Nobu''s brows furrowed as he asked, "What are you looking at?"


    Adopting an even fiercer grin, Senichi replied, "You''ve quite the mouth on you, brat. Anyone ever tell you that you''re going to get yourself into trouble talking like that? I, personally, couldn''t give a damn. Just know that you''re bound to make a lot of enemies with such a crass way of speaking."


    Having already decided to try and pair Nobu with the future Empress, Senichi''s first priority was fixing the brat''s speech and mannerisms. Their cause was dead in the water without the support of the Imperial Family, so, even if Nobu ultimately refused the arrangement, he still needed to learn how to carry himself in the Imperial Court. The capital was filled to the brim with opportunists and corrupt fools who would spare no effort to drag the reputation of the entire Oda n through the mud. Thus, even if he didn''t like it, Nobu would need to learn how to behave like a proper Noble...


    Feeling a chill spread through his body, Nobu resisted the urge to snort through his nose as he averted his eyes from Senichi, grumbling, "Whatever..." before taking a swig of his tasteless sake...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Senichi the schemer o_o...)

 Chapter 118: Rising Tensions

    Chapter 118: Rising Tensions


    Located just under 1300km away from the Capital City of Owari-Shuto was the Ancestral Capital of the Nianese Archipgo, Kyoto.


    Founded approximately fourteen thousand years after the Age of Gods, Kyoto was among the most ancient and populous cities in all of Nian. It served as the seat of power for the Imperial Family, and, thanks to the protection of the Four Heavenly Guardians, it was considered the safest region in the Nianese Archipgo.


    While most major cities struggled to maintain a poption in the hundreds of thousands, Kyoto''s median poption generally hovered around 4.5 million people. With the secondrgest city being the nearby port of Osaka, poption 2.5 million, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Kyoto and its surrounding cities represented the very heart of Nianese society.


    Unfortunately, despite having thergest poption, the economy of Kyoto had been in shambles ever since the previous war between the people of Nian and the Onigashima in the North. The city had nearly been destroyed during the conflict, and, after exhausting the majority of their resources, the Imperial Family had little choice but to sell the surroundingnd and divvy up the Archipgo to their most loyal vassal in order to avoid a civil war. This was the start of Kyoto''s expansion, and, as a result of their mismanagement, the precursor to the Imperial Family''s decline.


    By establishing a system where individuals could be awarded merits and titles based on mary contributions, the Imperial Family had hoped to recoup some of their losses. This worked in their favor at the beginning, but, after selling countless court ranks to anyone who could afford them, the titles began to lose their meaning as anything more than trade permits.


    With the Imperial Court possessing more opportunistic merchants than statesmen and schrs, it wasn''t long before Kyoto became a veritable cesspool of corruption. It was a ce filled to the brim with individuals whose singr focus was increasing their wealth while the Imperial Family suffered due to limited resources, a distinctck ofpetent personnel, and an ever-increasing poption.


    Due to the current Emperor''s inability to produce a male heir, tensions within Kyoto were at an all-time high as everyone was biding their time in anticipation of the power struggle that would follow his death. The Emperor, fully aware of this, had spent thest sixty years closing off the country and restricting trade between Provinces. This had earned him an enormous amount of criticism, but, as a result of his controversial decision, most of the weaker merchant groups had fallen into ruin while the various Daimyos focused on consolidating their power.


    Though many thought the Emperor had gone mad, those with greater foresight understood what he was trying to do. He didn''t want Nian to fall into the hands of opportunistic individuals who had taken advantage of the Imperial Family''s waning strength to rue wealth at the country''s expense. By pitting the Noble ns against one another, he could reduce their strength while simultaneously weakening the various merchant groups and associations.


    Every time war broke out, trespassing the borders between Provinces became nigh-impossible. No Daimyo was foolish enough to let foreign merchants freely traverse theirnds. Instead, they relied on their own caravans to move resources around their territory while forcing merchants to part with their goods at heavily discounted prices.


    Since most merchant caravans relied on transporting goods between Provinces to turn a profit, war was their worst nightmare. It didn''t help that most Warriors viewed merchants as opportunists and despots without a conscience, so, the moment conflict broke out, any group unwilling to cooperate with the Provincial Army was quickly put to death or imprisoned.


    The only problem with Emperor Go-Nara''s n was that it didn''t change the fact he stillcked an heir. He could weaken the nation and reduce the authority of the merchants all he wanted, but, the moment he died, someone was bound to take advantage of the situation to seize power. The only question was whether or not it would be one of the families that had backed the Imperial Family for generations or one of the merchant families that had risen to power in the wake of their decline.


    In preparation for this inevitable conflict, Emperor Go-Nara had done something even his closest advisors couldn''t help criticizing. He invested a tremendous amount of resources into empowering his daughters, Princesses Shihori, Shimako, and Utahime.


    Though a number of powerful women had appeared throughout the history of Nian, Emperor Go-Nara''s actions all but assured that the resulting power struggle would be bloody. Even the weakest among them, Utahime, was currently sitting at Rank 9 tinum Hero. As for the eldest, Shihori, she had managed to reach Rank 6 Mithril Lord at the rtively young age of 57. This wasparable to Senken, who, at the age of 61, had managed to ascend to Rank 7 of the same Realm.


    The traditions of Nian mandated that the suitors of Imperial Princesses be of a higher cultivation Rank. By helping his daughters reach the Realm of Mithril Lord, Emperor Go-Nara had effectively guaranteed that no one outside the Noble ns would have the chance to pursue his daughters. To make matters exponentially worse, at least for those coveting the position of Emperor, he had given his daughtersplete autonomy regarding the matter of their marriage. The only restriction was that the Second and Third Princesses would need to wait until Shihori had produced an heir before selecting suitors of their own...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Standing at 165cm, Princess Shihori was considered tall for a Nianese woman. This wasn''t the trait that made her truly outstanding, however. Rather, it was her supple yet curvaceous figure, dazzling golden eyes, and reddish-brown hair that garnered her the attention of countless would-be suitors.


    Though tradition dictated she wear conservative clothing to conceal her face and figure from view, Princess Shihori elected to wear clothing more befitting of a warrior. Her favorite outfit consisted of a sleeveless white gown that was heavily adorned with essories crafted from gold and obsidian-ck jade. This included an enchanted golden pauldron, a matching bracer, and several talon-like essories that made her right hand resemble a dragon''s w.


    Were it not for her ceremonial headwear and the cloak only members of the Imperial Family were allowed to wear, Princess Shihori could have been mistaken for a powerful female warrior visiting from across the seas. This was due to the fact that, long ago, the first peoples of Nian had migrated over from the rtively nearby Heavenly Kingdom. The Imperial Family had reestablished ties with a few of the more prodigious ns several thousand years prior, so, while the appearances of most Nianese had changed drastically with the passage of time, the features of the Emperor, Shihori, and her sisters more closely resembled their Ancestors.


    Had Nobu been present, he would have described Shihori as half-Korean/half-European. She didn''t really resemble the Chinese the Heavenly Kingdom was clearly inspired from. Her face wasn''t nearly as t, and, despite possessing distinctly Asian features, her skin was creamy and smooth. With the right clothes, she could have easily passed as a K-Pop Idol or an Actress in a Korean Drama. Instead, the talons on her right hand,bined with herrgely expressionless face, gave off the impression of a ruthless, ice-cold beauty that wouldn''t hesitate to gut you with her bare hands.


    Demonstrating how urate this description was, Princess Shihori was currently in the process of beating down a bear-like Aura Beast using nothing but her Aura. The fact it was more than six times her size didn''t intimidate her in the slightest. Rather, after receiving a number of painful blows from itsparably small opponent, the massive, four-armed bear was backpedaling as it attempted to intimidate her with a roar.


    Without so much as a single change within her expression, Princess Shihori''s figure left behind a peculiar blue aura tinged with gold before manifesting near the four-armed bear''s left nk. It did its best to try and sweep its paws at her, but, with a casual sidestep, Princess Shihori managed to evade the attack before tracing her right hand in a graceful, sweeping arc from her hip to her left shoulder.


    Emanating from the talons covering her index, middle, and ring fingers, three glistening blue des of Aura cut into the Aura Beast''s remarkably durable body. Unlike a traditional attack, however, the des of energy did not immediately dissipate. Instead, the bluish Aura continued to bore into the wailing creature as if it had the properties of an extremely corrosive acid.


    "Weak..."


    Speaking for the first time since the start of the battle, Princess Shihori''s golden eyes glistened with an indiscernible glow as she deflected the inordinatelyrge bear''s frantic charge with a backhand to the snout. This sent its head smashing into the ground, but, due to its forward momentum, it was able to force Princess Shihori back in order to avoid a direct collision.


    Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Princess Shihori stepped forward before the creature could recover. This time, however, she didn''t attack using her Mithril Aura or ws. Instead, the visage of a majestic golden dragon manifested behind her as she swept her right hand forward in a thrusting motion. In response, the golden dragon opened its maw, a silent roar emanating from its throat as it charged forward to sink its teeth into the bear''s neck. The unfortunate beast attempted to break free, but, due to the serpentine nature of the dragon''s body, it was able to coil around the frantic creature like a snake that had captured its prey.


    Watching the final struggles of the massive creature, Princess Shihori''s cold expression gradually softened until she telepathicallymanded the dragon to finish it off. In response, a loud crunch could be heard echoing through the training space as the giant, four-armed bear broke down into a mass of blue and purple light. In its wake, a small totem resembling said bear could be seen on the ground, as, rather than an authentic Aura Beast, the creature was what people colloquially referred to as a Beast Spirit Token.


    Though they were quite a bit weaker than the beasts they were inspired from, Beast Spirit Tokens were extremely useful for training. The number of Aura Beasts inhabiting Nian had decreased with the passage of time so it was difficult to find any outside the various Spirit Lands managed by the Great Noble ns. The Imperial Family had one of its own but it was primarily used to cultivate a number of rare and valuable herbs. Any formidable Aura Beasts were quickly disposed of, so if she wanted to train against powerful opponents, Princess Shihori''s only options were sparring with her sisters or battling against Beast Spirit Tokens.


    "At this rate, my strength is bound to stagnate..."


    Understanding better than most how precarious her situation was, Princess Shihori was desperate to increase her power. Unfortunately, her cultivation speed had decreased sharply the moment she ascended to Rank 5 Mithril Lord. Reaching Rank 6 had taken her several years more than she would have liked, and, despite her best efforts, it was highly likely that Rank 7 would be her absolute limit.


    Since fewer than 1% of Nianese cultivators managed to reach the Realm of tinum Hero, it could be argued that Rank 7 Mithril Lord was remarkable. Even the current Emperor had stagnated at the pinnacle of Rank 9. In that regard, Princess Shihori was among the top one-hundred cultivators in the nation. Unfortunately, even if she was able to exceed her father and somehow enter the Realm of Adamantine, she would still fall short of the undisputed top 10.


    While some would consider her desire for even greater power nonsensical, Princess Shihori carried the burden of twenty-six thousand years of history on her shoulders. With eight of the top 10 being male, several of which were actively antagonistic towards the Imperial Family, Shihori was genuinely afraid that one of them would make a move the moment her father perished. She knew how much of a draw her cultivation base was, so, the moment she let her guard down, someone was bound to try and take advantage of her.


    Princess Shihori''s goal, ever since she had learned of her father''s ns, was to surpass the most powerful female warrior in Nianese history, Miyamoto Musashi. Thetter, using a method no one had been able to ascertain, managed to reach the Realm of Orichalcum Emperor at the remarkably young age of 44. Now, at the age of 79, she was the third most powerful cultivator in all of Nian at the heaven-defying level of Rank 7 Orichalcum Emperor. The only cultivators even stronger than her were the Ancestor of the Orochi Sect and the Demon Lord of Onigashima, both situated at Rank 9.


    When you considered that the Ancestor of the Orochi Sect and the Demon Lord of Onigashima were both several thousand years old, it was easy to regard Musashi as a monster. She had even been given the designation of a humanoid natural disaster due to the power she possessed, yet, in spite of this, she was the role model for every female cultivator in Nian. Everyone aspired to be like her, yet, even with all the resources of the Imperial Family, Princess Shihorigged far behind the legendary woman known as the Red Dragon of the East...


    "I must try harder..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I was feeling a little constipated so I decided to release a big old lore dump. Also, sorry about theck of a chapter yesterday. I was moving all my furniture and stuff to my new apartment.)

 Chapter 119: Surprise: Discovery

    Chapter 119: Surprise: Discovery


    "Mmnngh....what the fuck...?"


    Waking with one of the worst hangovers he had ever experienced, the only preventing Nobu from staying in bed was the absence of Yui at his side.


    Taking a few deep breaths, Nobu attempted to recall what happened the previous night. He could remember talking with his old man and grandfather, but, after that, everything was a blur.


    "I didn''t expect that watery shit to kick like a donkey..."


    As this was far from the first time he had gotten ckout drunk, the first thing Nobu checked was his bedding. One of the first things to go when you clocked out from excessive alcohol was dder control.


    "At least I didn''t piss myself..."


    Taking some smallfort in the fact his futon was dry, Nobu didn''t even bother to question how he had changed into the rtively thin yukata he was currently wearing. He was far more concerned with the absence of Yui, so, after massaging his temples for a bit, he called out, "Anyone there...?"


    Though it was a bit slower than he was used to, Nobu was unsurprised when a soft and feminine voice answered, "Excuse me..." before sliding open the door to his room.


    Squinting at the petite figure through slightly blurry eyes, Nobu was able to make out that she had dark-purple hair loosely tied up in a bun, rose-pink eyes, and a dainty frame wrapped in a modest, highly constrictive purple kimono.


    Compared to the Kunoichi he had interacted with, the girl didn''t really stand out. She gave off a kind of ''childhood friend'' vibe. It was kind of like the feeling Nobu would get whenever he met a girl that grew up in a small and religious town deep in the countryside.


    Ignoring the other questions that had entered his mind, Nobu did his best to remain focused on the most important thing, asking, "Where''s Yui...?"


    With a slightly fretful expression on her face, the servant-girl lowered her head to the point her bangs could sweep the floor before answering, "Forgive me, Young Master. I am not familiar with anyone named Yui..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu did his best to remainposed as he asked, "Do you know who I am?" before asking, "Where is this ce...?"


    Without raising her head, the purple-haired girl meekly replied, "Forgive me...I have not been made aware of the Young Master''s esteemed designation or title. As for your second question...this is one of the rooms reserved for extraordinary guests and personal friends of the Great Lord and Lady. It is this little one''s duty to preserve the state of this room and attend the people staying within..."


    Since it was virtually impossible for anyone to prate this deep into the primary estate of one of the Great Noble ns, the servant girl didn''t bother to question Nobu''s license to be there. All she knew was that the room was upied when she came by toplete her morning chores, so, with no other servants posted outside, she gently closed the door before sitting down and awaiting the upant''s summons.


    Feeling his headache worsen, Nobu pulled out the stone tablet to confirm that Yui wasn''t injured or under the influence before running his hand through his hair, exhaling a sigh, and asking, "What''s your name, kid...?"


    "This lowly one''s name is F-Fuwa Kaede..."


    Raising his brows, Nobu asked, "What kind of family name is Fufuwa...?" before shaking his head and adding, "Whatever. It doesn''t really matter. You can raise your head."


    Though she wanted to correct the misunderstanding, Kaede''s instincts were telling her that the person in front of her wasn''t someone she should offend. He gave off a simr impression to the Great Lord, and, now that she was able to get a better look at him, there were a number of obvious simrities between the man seated before her and the more prestigious members of the Oda n.


    Seeing the fretful look on the girl''s face as she kept her head slightly bowed, Nobu nearly shook his head a second time before his brain pulsed in protest. This was a tell-tale sign that he was severely dehydrated, so, before anything else, he said, "Right...Kaede...san? Mind getting me a ss of water and something to eat?"


    Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaede bowed her head in a respectful manner, answering, "As you will." before backing out of the room on her hands and knees. This caused Nobu''s left brow to twitch, but, having learned a bit about Noble society, he wasn''t too surprised by Kaede''s behavior.


    ording to what Nobu had learned from Kumiko, a single mistake could cost a servant their life or their job. As a result, the more inexperienced maidservants went about their daily routine as if they were treading on shards of ss. Since Kaeda appeared to be around 14-15 years old, it was safe to assume she had only recently begun working as a domestic servant.


    If Nobu had used the stone tablet to scan her, he would have been surprised to learn that Kaede was actually twenty-three years old. She was a daughter of the Fuwa n, one of the Oda n''s many retainers, so, while her cultivation base wasn''t particrly impressive, it had helped to slow her aging and preserve her youthful appearance.


    Inexperienced attendants would never be allowed to work in the Inner Sanctum of the Inuyama Castle.


    Unaware that he had addressed a woman four years his senior as ''kid'', Nobu decided toy back down and focus on his breathing. Circting Aura could drastically decrease aches and pains, so, while waiting for his water, he did his best to address his growing migraine.


    "You''re pretty shit at that, ain''tcha...?"


    Recognizing the voice as his grandfather''s, Nobu just grunted before forcing himself to a seated position and glowering at the middle-aged man standing in the doorway. In response, Senichi just returned a cheeky grin that didn''t suit his age before saying, "Once the servant gets back with your meal, have her escort you to the Dragon''s Chamber. If she refuses, just show her this."


    Catching the thumb-sized stamp his grandfather had thrown him, Nobu''s brows perked up as he asked, "Isn''t this the Oda n''s Family Seal? I don''t recall agreeing to be the next Patriarch..."


    Snorting through his nose, Senichi quipped, "Considering you fell into an alcohol-induceda, I don''t imagine you remember much, brat."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to retort when Senichi just shook his head, adding, "Rx. That particr seal is known as the Lesser Mark of the Dragon. It was supposed to be entrusted to you on your eighth birthday. Unless you intend to officially disim your inheritance, you''ll need to keep it safe. That thing is just about as important as your own life so don''t lose it."


    Without waiting for Nobu''s response, Senichi ceased leaning against the frame of the door before promptly shutting it with a loud ''tok''.


    Though he was briefly tempted to throw the surprisingly heavy stamp through the bamboo door, Nobu ultimately just clicked his tongue before motioning to ce it into the sleeve of his yukata. Before he could, however, the stone tablet that had fallen off the side of the futon began vibrating with an intensity that couldn''t be ignored.


    "Who the fuck would message me at four in the morning...?"


    To Nobu''s surprise, the notification on the tablet wasn''t a message. When he saw what it said, his heart began pumping with increasing vigor. This caused his headache to be worse, but, no longer paying attention to that, an excited grin spread across Nobu''s face as he navigated back to the home page.


    "Hell. Fucking. Yes...!"


    While the icon was a little strange, resembling a vault door with aplex seal carved into it, Nobu didn''t have to be a genius to understand what the app was used for. What he didn''t expect was for the screen to disy an empty room that appeared to be constructed from brown y. It also had a window and a door, but, like the rest of the room, they were also pretty shitty. The windowcked a pane, and, as far as he could tell, the door was literally made from some kind of thatch material that had been woven together to produce an entrance p...


    "The fuck...?"


    Ignoring his misgivings about the room''s appearance, Nobu thumbed the screen with the hope of opening some kind of menu. Instead, he felt a wave of heat spread through his body as his stomach proceeded to perform an acrobatic routine that would make an Olympic gymnast blush.


    Landing, hard, on a dirty brown floor, Nobu expelled the contents of his stomach in one fell swoop. Then, despite having a pretty good idea regarding what just happened, he looked around with a stupefied expression on his face as he found himself in the same room that had appeared on the stone tablet''s disy...


    Shifting his attention to the ceiling, Nobu''s expression paled as he found a massive, greyed-out version of himself staring down at him through what he assumed to be the tablet''s disy. There was a literal rectangr hole floating in the middle of the air, almost like someone had cut a piece out of the fabric of space-time or some other fantastical shit.


    "Is this what I look like from below...?"


    Though he didn''t have a double-chin or anything, Nobu couldn''t help grimacing as he saw his stubble-covered face from the perspective of an ant. He wasn''t exactly unpleasant to look at, far from it, but it clearly wasn''t his most ttering angle.


    Shaking such pointless thoughts from his mind, the first thing Nobu noticed was that his migraine had magically disappeared. When he looked down, even the vomit he had ejected was nowhere to be seen. In fact, now that he was looking more closely, his body was literally fucking transparent. If he looked even closer, he could literally see his fucking veins, bones, and all kinds of other shit he couldn''t even begin to describe.


    "Well, that''s fucking creepy..."


    Ignoring the morbid curiosity that pretty much demanded he inspect his junk, Nobu did his best to make sense of the situation. He could deduce from the persistent and somewhat stupid-looking grin on hisrger self''s face that time had basically stopped while he was inside the strange room. The real question was, what was the point ofing inside? He couldn''t even sense his Aura, and, despite trying to call it to him multiple times, the stone tablet had yet to manifest.


    With nothing better to do, Nobu decided to take a look through the window rather than trying to pass through the door. This ended up being the correct decision, as, even after leaning his head through to look around, the y chamber seemed to be floating in a white void. There was clearly some kind of oxygen present, but, when he tried to extend his hand outside the foot of the door, he could reach around to the underside of the y room without issue.


    "Hmmm...if this is anything like those gimmicks that appear in cultivation novels, I should be able to expand this ce using my Aura or some kind of Heavenly Treasure. At the very least, I doubt it will remain a y room..."


    Since there was nothing else for him to do within the room, Nobu took a moment to inspect his junk. He immediately regretted it, but, after the initial disgust, he just shook his head, epted that his body was ugly as fuck on the inside, and moved on. More specifically, he jumped up to smack the screen that had been hovering over him even as he moved around to inspect the window and door.


    Experiencing another lurching sensation, Nobu expelled the contents of his stomach a second time. Fortunately, he had anticipated something like this might happen. As a result, he willed himself to hold it down before pressing the seal his grandfather had given him to the screen. It immediately disappeared into motes of bluish-white light, which, upon fading away, revealed that the seal was now sitting in the exact center of the room...


    "Noice..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: He said the thing! Roll credits...!)

 Chapter 120: Quick Update

    Chapter 120: Quick Update


    Due to a scheduling hup, I''m not going to have reliable inte until around 8am-12pm tomorrow. I''ll try to get something outter today but I''ll most likely just increase the number of releases starting Thursday afternoon or during the Friday block. Sorry for the issues this move has caused (T ^ T)...


    Also, carrying couches and beds upstairs is a nightmare. Makes me want to push my roommate down a flight xD...

 Chapter 120: Beneath the Surface

    Chapter 120: Beneath the Surface


    After a few minutes of experimentation, Nobu was able to learn quite a bit about his personalized storage dimension. First and foremost, anything pressed against the screen whenever the app was opened would be ced at the exact center of the room. Furthermore, by holding onto the items he ced within, he was able to enter alongside them in order to reorganize things. As for taking them out, he simply needed to be touching them when he ejected his consciousness from within the storage dimension.


    As important as these discoveries were, it was what came after that made Nobu the most excited.


    Shortly after unlocking the Storage App, Nobu opened his Cultivation App to find that his Units and Upgrades list had updated to include a Vault tab. By investing the requisite amount of materials, he could upgrade both the size and structure of his storage dimension. More importantly, he could use his Aura to elerate or slow the passage of time within. The cost was a little exorbitant, but, once he reached the Sixth or Seventh Realm, he could drastically elerate or even stop the flow of time on the inside...


    Imagining the possibilities his storage dimension had opened up, Nobu didn''t notice when a light knock emanated from outside the sliding bamboo door. It was only when a soft voice reached his ears that he came back to his senses, answering, "Come in." in amanding tone.


    Orienting the stone tablet so that the disy was facing the entrance, Nobu waited until Kadea was about to enter the room before tapping against the screen. This allowed him to confirm something pretty important, as, despite greying out, he could still make out that the girl was moving from the interior of the storage dimension. In other words, time didn''t simply stop while he was inside.


    Emerging from the storage dimension in less time than it took the servant girl to take a single step forward, Nobu offered a practiced smile as he watched Kaede set out the food before him. Though he had asked for something light, there was salmon, rice, miso soup, steamed vegetables, and quite a number of other foods present on the marbled serving tray. The portions were a bit small but she had clearly covered all the bases so as not to upset him.


    "Thanks. I really appreciate it."


    Blinking her pristine pink eyes in surprise, Kaede found herself at a momentary loss. People rarely thanked servants. This was especially true among Nobles, so, for a brief moment, she couldn''t help wondering if the person seated across from her really was an intruder...


    Though he was a little taken aback by the petite girl''s reaction, Nobu just shook his head before pulling out the Lesser Mark of the Dragon and saying, "I was told to ask you to escort me to the Dragon''s Chamber once I''ve finished eating. This-"


    Seeing the intricately carved piece of jade and gold in Nobu''s hands, Kaede''s eyes briefly became full circles. Then, before Nobu could finish speaking, she practically leaped away from him before prostrating with such intensity that the tatami mat beneath her was visibly dented from the impact.


    "I am prepared to receive my punishment...!"


    With a look of abject stupefaction on his face, Nobu stared at the prostrate girl for several seconds before closing his agape mouth and stating, "I''m not going to punish you. I mean, seriously, I just thanked you for bringing me food. Why the fuck would I punish you?"


    Understanding the significance of the Lesser Mark of the Dragon, Kaede kept her head pressed to the ground as she answered, "The person who carries the Lesser Mark of the Dragon possesses a status on par with the Great Lord. As I have failed to recognize Waka-sama''s status, it is only right that I am to be punished. Such an egregious offense cannot be overlooked..."


    "..."


    Though he had already been warned that something like this might happen, Nobu hadn''t taken it seriously. The Four-Tiered ss System was such an antiquated concept that it hadn''t hit him just how seriously people took it. His parents and grandfather obviously didn''t care about such things so it was strange to hear someone practically begging for a punishment despite the fact they had been nothing but polite and respectful towards him...


    "Wanna see something cool...?"


    Confused by Nobu''s question, Kaede remained silent for several tense moments before meekly replying, "It would be my honor..."


    Waiting until the girl had tentatively turned her eyes toward him, Nobu raised his hand in a casual manner as if he was about to slice downward. This caused Kaede''s body to tense until he stated, "I, Oda Nobunaga, absolve you of any wrongdoings you may have perpetrated towards me. Now, stop overreacting. I''m not particrly fond of staring at the top of people''s heads."


    Though her pupils shrank to the size of pinholes when she heard Nobu introduce himself, Kaede''s training allowed her to appear calm andposed as she promptly raised her head. Then, despite feeling as though she was trapped in a room with a lion-like Aura Beast, she managed a courteous smile as she replied, "Waka-sama''s mercy is without limit. This little one thanks the Young Lord for his clemency..."


    Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Nobu decided to focus on finish his meal before it got cold. He wasn''t good with situations like this. He also had no personal feelings towards Kaede, so, while he was tempted to make conversation, a muchrger part of him wanted to just finish his meal, meet up with Yui, and get the hell out of the castle. It was cool and all, but he wasn''t exactly enthused by the notion of encountering hundreds of people with simr sentiments as the young servant girl...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After finishing his meal and waiting for Kaede to return his tray to the kitchen, Nobu was guided by the youthful-looking servant via word of mouth as she was unable to walk in front of him. This was more than a little annoying but it was nothingpared to the looks he received from the random people they passed along the way.


    With the Inner Sanctum of Inuyama Castle being among the most heavily restricted areas in the entire province, very few people were allowed to trespass its interior. Most of the people inside were female servants or monk-like Eunuchs withpletely shaven heads. Thus, the moment they saw him walking ahead of Kaede, everyone Nobu encountered along the way promptly prostrated themselves.


    It was extremely ufortable.


    Fortunately, as Kaede''s directions took him deeper and deeper into the Inner Sanctum''s structure, fewer people began to appear. By the time they descended a spiral staircase connecting to arge underground hall,pletely bereft of traditional Nianese elements, the only people in sight were emaciated monks with hazy white eyes reminiscent of someone with extreme cataracts.


    Though he was tempted to ask why there were so many monks located in the ruins beneath the castle, Nobu managed to suppress his curiosity. He hated speaking with people walking behind him. Not only was it extremely awkward, but, without Yui at his side, Nobu knew he needed to be aware of his surroundings. Even Kaede was a potential assant, so, for the duration of the thirty-minute journey, Nobu did his best to remain hyper-focused until he saw his grandfather standing outside a set of doors evenrger than the archways present in the ruins beneath Yumegakure.


    "It''s about time you showed up, brat."


    While Kaede bowed low enough that even a feather would send her stumbling forward, Nobu just snorted in response to Senichi''s words before asking, "What is this ce?"


    After a snort of his own, Senichi smacked his palm against the strange metallic door. In response, a pattern reminiscent of a coiling easter dragon manifested on its surface, its majestic form wreathed in golden mes.


    "As the heir to the Oda n, there are certain things about us that you need to be made aware of. Before that, however, the littless needs to go..."


    Confused by Senichi''s words, Nobu looked behind him to find Kaede shivering nervously with her head lowered. It was only after a few seconds had passed that he realized that she was, technically, in his charge right now. In other words, his grandfather was unable to dismiss her as it was beyond rude to address someone else''s attendants.


    "You can go ahead and return. Also, thanks for showing me the way."


    Though she was, once again, surprised by the fact Nobu had thanked her, Kaede bowed her head multiple times, replying, "It was the greatest honor of this little one''s life...!" before hastily backing away. Then, upon reaching ten meters from their position, she promptly spun on her heels before power-walking away at a speed that would have easily crushed a few records in Nobu''s previous world.


    Returning his attention to his grandfather, Nobu asked, "What''s the deal with the whole ''little one'' thing...?"


    Ignoring Nobu''s question, Senichi pushed open the massive door with one hand as he said, "Your father is waiting inside. Come."


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to turn around and follow Kaede''s example, Nobu made his way through the massive set of doors to find himself in what appeared to be arge antechamber. There were a number of pirs within, each running more than 50m from floor to ceiling. At a nce, it kind of reminded him of Tokyo''s underground discharge chambers, a popr tourist attraction that many believed to be J. R. R. Tolkien''s inspiration for the Mines of Moria. The only difference was, rather than stone or concrete, the pirs here wereprised of the same metallic material that made up the massive doors.


    As if to reinforce the idea they were connected, each of the pirs erupted to life with a pattern reminiscent of a golden dragon coiling around their length. It was quite the sight to behold, but, without Yui at his side, Nobu found it hard to appreciate the chamber''s beauty. It might sound a little trite, but, ever since he had professed his love for the raven-haired woman, the world around him seemed to lose its luster whenever they were apart.


    "..."


    Mistaking Nobu''s silence as awe, Senichi gave him a firm p on the shoulders as he said, "This is one of the most important ces in the entirety of Nian. The Imperial Family entrusted us with its protection after the great war more than six thousand years prior..."


    Pushing Nobu forward, a smile developed across Senichi''s face as he exined, "While there are currently more than sixty Provinces, Owari has always been special as it was among the first eight formed when the Imperial Family was divvying upnd and power. Put simply, Owari is one of the eight original strongholds that represented the Imperial Family''s power across Nian. As for why they would entrust us with such an honor..."


    Stopping Nobu in his tracks, a vicious smile developed across Senichi''s face as he cupped both of the former''s shoulders and stated, "It''s because, long before we became known as the Oda n, our Ancestors were known by a different name...Taira...!"


    Believing that Nobu had no idea who the Taira were, Senichi went on to exin, "The Taira n, along with the Fujiwara, Tachibana, and Minamoto ns were the four most influential ns prior to the war between Nian and Onigashima. However, what made us truly special is the fact that we, along with the Minamoto n, were descended directly from the Imperial Family. In other words, while your im to the throne is minuscule at best, there is still a chance that you could one day be the Emperor of Nian...!"


    Clenching his teeth in an effort to resist the intensifying pain in his shoulders, Nobu''s expression became increasingly dour in the face of Senichi''s fervor. Then, in spite of his better judgment, he said, "So? Do I look like I give a fuck about being Emperor?" before following up with, "You might want toy off the sake in the future, old man. You''re starting to lose your fucking mind..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Bruh...)

 Chapter 121: Composure

    Chapter 121: Composure


    If Nobu had spoken to any other former Daimyo that way, he might have been challenged to a duel or put to death on the spot. When Senichi heard him, however, the middle-aged man just grinned before giving the former a firm smack on the back and saying, "Good. People who conspire to steal power from others are weaklings. You will always get further in life doing the things you want to do than trying to meet the expectations of others."


    With that said, Senichi retracted his hand from Nobu''s back before adding, "There is, however, one thing you''ll need to keep in mind..."


    Grinding his teeth in an effort to ease the throbbing pain at the center of his back, Nobu red at his grandfather before asking, "What?" through clenched teeth.


    Maintaining the same grin from before, Senichi began to walk towards the depths of the chamber as he answered, "As your power and influence increase, those in positions of authority will attempt control over you. In life, you either rule or find yourself ruled by others. Those that attempt to break free from this mold find themselvesbeled as criminals, rebels, and revolutionaries...after that, you either fight to survive or die a dog''s death..."


    Without turning to see if Nobu was following him, Senichi continued towards the depths of the massive hall. He figured that Nobu, much like his father, would need time to process everything. What he didn''t expect was for Nobu to softly murmur, "What a pain in the ass..." before quickly following after him...


    Restraining the urge to rub his temples, Senichi maintained a stern and dauntless smile on his war-weary face as he internally mused, ("At least he''s decisive...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was receiving a history lesson and being escorted through the Dragon''s Chamber, Yui found herself in a far more precarious situation.


    As Nobu had made it pretty clear he intended to marry her in the future, Yui spent the entire night apanying Nana and Nobuhime. She had even received permission to refer to Nana as her Kaa-chan, an affectionate form of address used by children when speaking to their mothers.


    Having lost her mother at a very early age, Yui felt abination of guilt and happiness when Nana gave her permission to use such an affectionate form of address. This,bined with the fact that Nobuhime seemed to have taken a shine to her, filled Yui with a bevy of emotions she didn''t really know how to describe.


    Unfortunately, just as they were preparing for bed, Yui was informed that she would be meeting with Nobu''s fiancee the following morning.


    While she had always expected to encounter the woman at some point, Yui hadn''t expected the meeting to be so sudden. ording to Nana, this was to help them sort things out before Nobu got involved. This was something Yui could understand, but, at the same time, she couldn''t help feeling as though she was about to enter a battlefield.


    Though few people had even seen Nobu''s fiancee, Yui had been made intimately aware of the woman''s existence ever since she was a child. Since then, she had heard countless rumors about the woman''s exploits, as, despite being a widow, the Oda n had afforded her a tremendous amount of freedom to make decisions.


    Under normal circumstances, the widow of a primary descendent of the Great Noble ns would spend the rest of their days mourning the loss of their husband. They were relegated to a position that ensured they were little more than a political hostage.


    A stark contrast to the norm, Nobu''s fiancee, Nohime, enjoyed a rtively privileged position. Her father, Saito Dosan, was the Lord of Mino and the former rival of Oda Senken. The two had met on the battlefield numerous times in their youth, and, despite manying to know him as the Viper of Mino, Senken had grown to respect his rival''s skill and tenacity.


    Long before Nobu was born, Senken had defeated Dosan in a battle that should have ended in one of their deaths. Instead, Senken offered the man a drink, and, after gettingpletely wasted, the duo promised that if they ever became the Daimyo of their respective territories, they would forge an alliance via marrying their firstborn sons and daughters.


    Though Senken offered to renege on his promise after Nobu''s condition became known, Dosan, who had been struggled to centralize power at the time, insisted that they move forward with the arrangement. As a result, Nohime was entrusted to the Oda n to conduct bridal training at the age of eight. Since then, ten years had passed.


    While others in her position might have grieved, Nohime had always gotten along well with Nana. Thetter regarded her as a daughter, so, despite many within the n insisting that she adhere to tradition and remain in solitude, Nohime had been allowed a number of freedoms.


    The problem that Yui faced was that Nohime was known to be a remarkably beautiful and devilishly clever woman. There were even rumors floating about that she was a master tactician, and, through her connection with Nana, many believed she was the one ruling Owari from behind the scenes.


    Only fools would ever believe such rumors, but, having received a number of warnings from her Grandmother, Yui couldn''t help regarding Nohime as a dangerous existence. She may not be the shadow ruler of Owari but she had managed to rue a veritable fortune through her business enterprises. This was in spite of the fact she couldn''t leave the capital, so, while most would regard Nohime as a powerless woman with a limited cultivation base, Yui recognized her for what she truly was...


    Saito Nohime, the Daughter of the Mino Province''s Viper...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After waiting for several minutes, Yui''s body tensed ever so slightly as the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. This was immediately noticed by Nana, who, with an amused smile on her face, teased, "Just rx, Yui-chan. No-chan mighte across as cold and distant at times, but, deep down, she''s a good girl. I''m sure the two of you can work something out~!"


    Forcing a smile, Yui appeared to rx as she politely replied, "I understand, Kaa-chan. Thank you for your words of encouragement..."


    Though she believed Yui was being overly polite, Nana just chalked it up to nerves. Their situations couldn''t really bepared but if Senken had arranged a meeting between her and a member of his former entourage, Nana wasn''t sure how she would respond. She would have readily epted Hitomi but she never really saw eye to eye with his other kunoichi...


    "Pardon me, Nana-sama. I received a message saying you wished to see me...?"


    Dismissing her wayward thoughts, Nana adopted one of her characteristically radiant smiles as she happily eximed, "Come on in, No-chan! There''s someone I want you to meet~!"


    Directing her attention to the sliding bamboo door, Yui''s body, once again, tensed as she watched it slide open to reveal a remarkably beautiful woman with dark-brown hair, keen ck eyes, and an attractive figure that was barely concealed by her ck kimono and ivory white obi...


    Shifting her attention to Yui, Nohime''s eyes briefly squinted as she muttered, "Yoshitsune Yui..." in a cold and distant tone.


    Had she encountered Nohime under normal circumstances, Yui might have bowed to the woman. After all, Nohime was, for all intents and purposes, her Lady. Were it not for Nobu''s peculiarities, a meeting such as this would never have happened.


    Returning a practiced smile, Yui maintained a rigid posture as she replied, "It is a pleasure to see you in good health...Nohime-san..."


    Though her eyes briefly widened when she heard Yui''s form of address, Nohime managed to stayposed as she returned a practiced smile of her own, answering, "Indeed...and with you here, it appears my hypothesis was correct. I''m assuming my revered husband is somewhere nearby...?"


    pping her hands together, Nana''s smile became even more radiant as she eximed, "No-chan is so smart~!" in a sing-song tune.


    Exhaling an inaudible sigh, Nohime made her way over to the other two girls before sitting next to Nana. This made it appear as though she and Nana were on the same side while Yui was left sitting alone.


    Fortunately for Yui, Nana seemed to notice Nohime''s intentions, a pout forming on her face as she said, "No-chan...don''t be mean to Yui-chan. The two of you are going to be sisters in the future. You should at least try to get along..."


    Hearing Nana''s words, it was Nohime''s turn to tense as she directed a steely gaze towards Yui. For a brief moment, thetter thought she sensed killing intent, but, due to Nohime''s cultivation being limited to the pinnacle of Iron, it wasn''t very powerful.


    "I see...it appears much has happened without me being made aware. If Kaa-chan would be so kind as to exin the situation, I would be forever grateful..."


    With no visible emotions on her face, Nohime appeared to regard Yui as little more than air as she shifted her attention to Nana. This caused thetter to wince, not because she was even remotely afraid of Nohime but because she felt guilty about keeping Nobu''s return a secret. Nohime was, for all intents and purposes, her son''s legal wife. She wasn''t going to be happy when she learned that Nobu had impregnated, not one, but two women before they even had the chance to consummate their marriage...


    Noticing the difort in Nana''s expression and bodynguage, Nohime clenched her fists within her sleeves. It didn''t show on her face, but she was extremely infuriated by this development. While she and Nobu had only met a single time, thetter was still her spouse. She had always suspected he was being treated in secret so she had spent thest decade strengthening her position with the expectation he would inevitably return. Finding out he had essentially been phndering while she was spending every day fulfilling her duties caused the usual cold and empty sensation in her heart to be a veritable inferno of rage and indignation...


    In spite of her rising emotions, Nohime appeared calm andposed as she appended, "Do not worry yourself, Kaa-chan. I do not me you. I am certain there is a reasonable exnation for this and am more than willing to hear it. Please, speak freely. I am not some weak woman who needs to be coddled and sheltered from the truth."


    Though Yui was feeling even tenser after hearing Nohime''s words, Nana visibly rxed when she heard her daughter-inw''s assurance. She had always been fond of Nohime, so, while she wasn''t oblivious to the enmity radiating from the woman''s body, she believed the two of them would be able to work things out. After all, she knew, better than most, just how much of an effort Nohime had made to secure her current position. So long as they talked things out, they should be able to see eye to eye...


    Feeling hopeful, Nana regained her usual smile as she began to recount everything she had learned about Nobu''s situation. Yui was a great help in this regard as she had basically been with Nobu ever since his awakening. She knew Nobu better than anyone else, so, for the better part of three-and-a-half hours, the three women discussed his nature and exploits while Nobuhime listened attentively from within her crib...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than normal as I''m still recovering from the move. I also wanted to ask for everyone''s opinion. At the present moment, I''m only nning for Nobu to have a total of three wives. I''m not saying he won''t be promiscuous, but, once his children are born, he will mellow out quite a bit in regard to his sexual exploits. If you''d like to see a more ''active'' Nobu, however, let me know in thements section. So long as he doesn''t reach Vahn level of harem, I don''t mind a bit of excess. Just know there will be a lot of drama if we go that route xD...)

 Chapter 122: Blunder

    Chapter 122: Blunder


    After following his grandfather through several otherrge chambers, many filled with anti-siege weapons and other defensive fortifications, Nobu couldn''t help asking, "How big is this ce? It''s been like half an hour since we entered..."


    Without looking back, Senichi shrugged his shoulders, answering, "How am I supposed to know? It''s not like I ever measured the damn thing."


    "..."


    Though his brow twitched quite a bit, Nobu managed to avoid a rebuttal as he shifted his gaze to the roof above. There was an intricate runic pattern carved into the metallic surface, and, much like the Sistine Chapel, there were massive murals filling its surface. It was almost like aic strip, but, without a frame of reference, Nobu had no idea whose or what kind of story it was supposed to be telling. All he knew for certain was that the painters had to be absolute madds to fill the ceilings of several huge chambers with such intricate paintings...


    "We''re just about halfway there. Let''s pick up the pace."


    Hearing his grandfather''s words, the only thing preventing Nobu from performing a spit take was the fact he didn''t have anything in his mouth. To make matters worse, the middle-aged man didn''t even hesitate to leave him behind as he took off at a casual jog that would have let himp form one racecars.


    "This mother..."


    Resisting the urge toplete his curse, Nobu inhaled a deep breath before spreading his hands to feel the flow of air around him. His intuition told him that his grandfather was trying to troll him, so, while the odds of him catching up were slim, he at least wanted to try...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After losing Nobu with remarkable ease, Senichi used the surrounding pirs and fortifications to conceal his presence. He was interested to see what his grandson would do once he had been left alone, but, far more important than that, he wanted to discover more about Nobu''s cultivation and strength.


    As far as Senichi could tell, Nobu''s cultivation method was much weaker than the Metal Infusion Technique used by the vast majority of Nianese cultivators. It had tremendous potential, sure, but Nobu was far from being able to draw it out. His control was terrible, his movements were clumsy, and he even showed fear when executing certain maneuvers. He demonstrated apleteck of confidence, almost like he was afraid of his own power.


    "He must have grown up in a remarkably safe environment to have these kinds of weaknesses...it''s strange, though...ording to the information provided by Hitomi, he exhibits the tell-tale signs of someone who had been oppressed. He isn''t afraid to ce his life on the line when someone forces their views on him but he fears his own power? What an odd brat..."


    Shaking his head, Senichi pulled out an extremely ancient-looking ring formed from an off-white, slightly luminous jade. Shortly thereafter, the massive pirs extending from floor to ceiling began to rumble as several human-sized square holes opened in their surface. From within, a number of vaguely humanoid automatons with limbs and joints formed from metal, gears, and cogs began to descend in droves...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Hearing the sound of metal striking metal, Nobu''s body tensed as he noticed several droid-like machines emerge from within the surrounding pirs. It was only upon closer inspection that he realized that their thin, skeletal frames were exactly that. They literally resembled the skeletons of Nianese citizens whose bones had been dipped into copper, iron, silver, and gold...


    "You''ve got to be fucking kidding me..."


    Though he was unaware of it at the present moment, Nobu wouldter learn that the bones of cultivators who practiced the Metal Infusion Technique would invariablye to resemble the metals they absorbed. The same could be said for their muscle fibers, but, unlike bones, which stored excess Aura in a person''s bone marrow, the energy contained within their muscles would quickly dissipate after their death.


    Unfortunately, Nobu didn''t have the time to consider such things. The moment the skeletal army appeared, more than a dozen copper and iron skeletons immediately blitzed him. To make matters worse, matching Auras immediately covered their bodies before forming into a variety of different weapons and armaments.


    "This isn''t fucking funny, old man...!"


    Having been jumped several times in his previous life, Nobu knew how dangerous it was to let yourself be surrounded by numerous opponents. It didn''t matter if they were much weaker than you. Even children could beat down fully grown adults if they surrounded them and attacked from their blindside. He alsocked the means to deal any significant damage to foes whose bodies were literallyprised of metal alloys, so, instead of fighting directly, Nobu catapulted himself into the air using a st of wind that sent him high above his would-be attackers.


    Just as he was thinking about retreating to the safety of one of the bunker-like fortifications, a chill ran through Nobu''s body. In the very next moment, he felt as though someone had impacted his body with a sledgehammer as a paradoxically hot yet cold sensation spread through his stomach.


    "You damned fool...!"


    As the skeletal soldiers immediately stood down, Senichi appeared out of nowhere to catch Nobu before he could fall and impact the ground. Then, using his own Aura, he enveloped the arrow that had prated Nobu''s stomach before dissolving it like a corrosive acid. In the exact same motion, he produced an extremely foul-smelling pill from a concealed pocket before shoving it into Nobu''s mouth and ordering, "Swallow it...!"


    Bottling up the sudden and indignant fury that threatened to overwhelm him, Nobu forced himself to swallow as Senichi lowered him to the ground and began checking his abdomen. He wanted to call the man a stupid fucking idiot for cing him in a dangerous situation when he was still in the process of recovering from several broken ribs. Instead, he focused on the murals filling the ceiling as he internally remarked, ("I swear...once I get obtain enough power...I''m going to beat this stupid motherfucker until his hair falls out...")


    ...


    ..


    .


    After waiting for several hours, Senken was starting to get extremely bored. He wasn''t particrly known for his patience, so, the moment his sake ran out, he groaned, "What''s taking those two so long? Did they stop to take a shit along the way...?"


    Snorting in response to his own words, Senken crossed his arms before turning his attention to the massive crystal enshrined a few meters away. It had a malicious green luster, and, at the very center of the twenty-meter-tall, thirty-five-meter wide crystal was the head of the most deadly Aura Beast to have ever roamed the continent of Nian, the legendary Yamata-no-Orochi.


    "Every time Ie here, I have the exact same thought...you''re one ugly sack of shit..."


    As if it could hear him, the eyes of Orochi issued a malevolent glow as the runes filling the chamber illuminated with a resplendent golden radiance. This would have terrified most, but, understanding how durable the seal was, Senken just cracked a mocking smile before responding, "Stop throwing a temper tantrum, you overgrown reptile. I''m not the one that sealed you in this ce and I sure as hell won''t be the one who releases you. Unless someone gathers the fragments of Susanoo''s de, you''re stuck here until the end of the current era..."


    Realizing what he was saying, a cold sweat broke out across Senken''s body as he suddenly recalled the prophecy rted to his son. He wasn''t entirely sure if Yamata-no-Orochi was one of the Beasts of Cmity but it was clearly beyond the level of a normal Aura Beast. It had required the support of numerous Gods to defeat, and, despite being one of thergest creatures he had ever met, the information provided by the Imperial Family imed it was just a juvenile...


    "There''s no way..."


    Though he doubted his son would be the one to remove Yamata-no-Orochi''s seal, Senken knew the unification of Nian was one of the prerequisites for its awakening. The remnants of Susanoo''s de had been entrusted to the Eight Great Noble ns. As for the hilt and scabbard, the former was in the possession of the Imperial Family while thetter had been swallowed by an ancient sea serpent while being transported to the Heavenly Kingdom.


    While it would take a miracle for the fragments of Susanoo''s de to be reunited, it was exactly the type of scenario that urred during the changing of an era. Nobu''s situation could be said to be a miracle, and, due to the existence of his nonsensical Heavenly Treasure, Senken couldn''t disregard the possibility that other miracles would ur...


    "Looks like the Dragon''s Chamber is finally going to be put to use..."


    A stark contrast to what Senichi had told Nobu, the true purpose of the Dragon''s Chamber wasn''t to serve as ast line of defense. Well, it was, but, far more important than that was its function as a seal. It was created to keep people out while simultaneously keeping the head of Yamata-no-Orochi sealed within. They simplycked the personnel and resources to protect it ever since the war wiped out more than 90% of the Archipgo''s poption...


    As various thoughts began to y across Senken''s mind, the far wall gradually began to rapidly shift like the pieces of a mechanical puzzle before a wide flight of stairs formed into existence. A few minutester, a disgruntled-looking Nobu arrived alongside an uncharacteristically sheepish-looking Senichi.


    Raising his brows, Senken didn''t hesitate to ask, "What the hell happened to you? Don''t tell me this senile old fool tried to test you halfway through the journey..."


    Recalling all the trials his father had forced him to endure in his youth, one of the many reasons for Senken''s rebellious nature, the ashen-haired man''s face immediately formed into a frown.


    "Jiji...I thought we already discussed this. Do you have worms growing in that brain of yours?"


    Snorting in response to his son''s remark, Senichi crossed his own arms before saying, "I just wanted to see how capable my grandson was. His base is excellent but his instincts and control are severelycking. At this rate, even if he surpasses them by a full Realm, he is bound to experience defeat at the hands of a sufficiently skilled warrior."


    Speaking before Nobu, Senken''s expression morphed into a scowl as he asked, "So what? Just look at that brother of mine. You don''t need to be able to defeat your opponents to wield tremendous power and influence. Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure is clearly oriented towards ruling over others. Even if he decides to be a schr or a tactician, you have no right to interfere."


    With that said, Senken walked over to check on Nobu''s wounds. When he saw there was a scar on both his front and backside, his expression became even more severe. Injuries that ran through the abdomen could lead to death from shock, internal bleeding, and infection. On the battlefield, it was basically a death sentence, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, he slugged his father in the face and shouted, "You damned fool...!"


    Understanding his fault in the matter, Senichi allowed himself to be sent skidding across the ground from Senken''s punch. He didn''t even bother to protect himself with his Aura, as, prior to their arrival in the secret chamber, he had noticed the hostility Nobu was directing toward him. He was hoping this would alleviate some of the young man''s frustrations, so, despite a trail of blood flowing from his nose and ear, he made no effort to wipe them clean as he adopted a proper seiza and said, "I''m sorry..." before lowering his head in a solemn and apologetic manner.


    Not expecting his usually proud and steadfast father to suddenly apologize, Senken found himself at a momentary loss for words. Nobu was also slightly taken aback, but, recalling what it felt like to have an arrow pierce his body, he was far from forgiving the middle-aged man''s slight...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Barret ces his Gatling hand on Senichi''s shoulder, "You fucked up...")

 Chapter 123: Realization

    Chapter 123: Realization


    "That''s a big ass crystal...and is that a dragon''s head on the inside...?"


    Deciding to shelve his retribution until he was strong enough to personally give his grandfather a good punch, Nobu turned his attention towards the massive crystal on the far side of the room. He had also noticed a pedestal containing some kind of metallic fragment, but,pared to the yacht-sized dragon head, it didn''t really stand out.


    Though he continued ring at his father for several seconds, Senken eventually looked toward Nobu before shifting his attention to the same crystal and exining, "This big bastard is known as Yamata-no-Orochi. ording to legend, it was defeated by Susanoo-no-Mikoto-sama near the ass end of the Age of Gods. Unfortunately, as you can see here, it possesses an immortal and undying body. It managed to piece itself back together with a bit of help from the demons of Onigashima. It took thebined efforts of every n, sect, and vige within Nian to fell the beast a second time, and, were it not for the sacrifice of Queen Himiko, it might have destroyed the entire Archipgo..."


    Staring into the beast''s eyes, Nobu felt an indescribable sensation of trepidation at the very core of his being. His ''plot sense'' was sounding rm bells in his mind, and, even though the monstrosity was currently sealed within a massive crystal, he got the distinct impression he would be fighting it at some point in the future.


    "There''s no fucking way..."


    Having seen the Godzi vs. Kong movie prior to his death, Nobu could easily envision just howrge the united body of Yamata-no-Orochi must be. The head in front of him made the skull of King Ghidorah look like a fucking smart car inparison. Since thetter could literally perch atop mountains, its wingspan enough to embrace entire city blocks, it wasn''t difficult to imagine Yamata-no-Orochi destroying the underdeveloped cities of Nian just by walking through them...


    Raising his brows in response to Nobu''s reaction, Senken asked, "What''s wrong, brat? You look like you''re about to shit yourself. Don''t worry. As scary as this bastard might look, it isn''t getting out of that crystal any time soon..."


    Groaning in response to his father''s careless words, Nobu earned curious looks from both Senken and Senichi as he palmed his forehead and muttered, "Well, that about confirms it.." in a tired and exasperated tone.


    Just as his father was about to ask, Nobu met Senken''s gaze, asking, "Let me guess...the Oda n has been entrusted with keeping watch over the head of Yamata-no-Orochi and one of the items required to free it? I''m guessing the other Great Noble ns have a simr duty while the Imperial Family protects the items required to bring them all together? Since that piece of metal over there looks like part of a sword, I''m guessing it''s a fragment of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. That must mean the Yata-no-Kagami mirror and Yasakani-no-Magatama jewel are kept elsewhere..."


    As the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, Yata-no-Kagami, and Yasakani-no-Magatama were the ''Three Sacred Regalia'' of the Imperial Family back in his previous world, Nobu could easily surmise they were the items used to both seal and release Yamata-no-Orochi. After all, ording to the legend, they were literally forged from sections of its body. It stood to reason that they would be required to make it whole again.


    Surprised by Nobu''s sudden reference to two of the Imperial Family''s Heavenly Treasures, Senken''s expression disyed his incredulity as he remarked, "The Yata-no-Kagami mirror and Yasakani-no-Magatama jewels are two of the Imperial Family''s most sacred Heavenly Treasures. Who informed you of their existence? I didn''t learn about them until I had already be Daimyo and there''s no way in hell that old bat would have revealed such sensitive information..."


    Having already thought about how he would answer questions pertaining to his previous life, Nobu appeared calm as he held up his invisible stone tablet, dangling it as he shamelessly stated, "One of the people on my Friends List is a Goddess. Every now and then, she is generous enough to give me important information rted to the history of Nian."


    Feeling the stone tablet vibrate in his hand, Nobu''s smile visibly cracked as he thumbed the screen to check his notifications. When he saw the threat contained within, a cold sweat broke out across his body. In spite of this, he maintained an ufortable smile as he jokingly appended, "I wasn''t supposed to tell you that..."


    Though he wasn''t sure how they would react, Nobu wasn''t particrly surprised when looks of realization appeared on the faces of his father and grandfather. He had already started to suspect they knew about his reincarnation, but, for reasons he could only guess at, the Goddess didn''t want them on the same page. Her behavior reminded him of one of those asshole Dungeon Masters that got pissy whenever someone meta-gamed in the middle of a D&D(Dungeons & Dragons) session...


    After promising he wouldn''t mention her a second time, Nobu ced the stone tablet in his sleeve pocket before shifting his attention to the metal shard on the pedestal and asking, "Is that piece of metal a part of the seal, or does it just function as a key?"


    Unsure of how to answer his son''s question, Senken looked towards his father. In response, Senichi just shrugged his shoulders, answering, "In cases like this, it ismon for the people entrusted to guard the seal to remain ignorant of its functions and release. Before you mentioned them, it never even urred to me that the Yata-no-Kagami and the Yasakani-no-Magatama might be required to unseal the beast. Our duties tasked us with protecting the Dragon''s Chamber and the secrets sealed within. Nothing more, nothing less."


    Resisting the temptation to walk over and ce the sword fragment inside his storage dimension, Nobu caressed his chin for a few moments as he stared directly at the crimson-eyed beast. He had felt an emotion simr to existential dread when he first met its gaze, but, now that he was thinking about how to best fuck it over, it seemed considerably less intimidating. Almost like he was ying a game.


    As that thought crossed his mind, a somewhat mischievous smile spread across Nobu''s face as he turned around and promptly took a selfie with the monstrous serpent. He remembered one of his favorite streaming duos, Game Grumps, doing something simr during a Windwaker ythrough in his previous life. He had found it pretty funny at the time, so, now that he had the chance to pose with a literal legendary creature, why the fuck not?


    Though his actions earned him incredulous looks from his father and grandfather, Noburgely ignored them as he absentmindedly droned, "My Heavenly Treasure allows me to..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu briefly shifted his attention away from the stone tablet to stare back at Yamata-no-Orochi. The aforementioned King Ghidorah possessed the ability tomunicate with its other heads via telepathy. He didn''t want to think anyone had the ability to interface with one of the monstrous serpent''s heads, but, understanding there was a non-zero chance of such an event urring, he promptly supnted, "Actually, we shouldn''t be talking in front of this thing. It''s way too calm for a monster that has been sealed inside of a crystal. If my intuition is correct, someone might be controlling one of its other heads to spy on the other seven..."


    The moment he finished speaking, Nobu noticed the pupils of Yamata-no-Orochi''s massive eyes contract. He might not have noticed it if the creature was the size of an actual snake, but, with eyes twice the size of a ceremonial gong, it was pretty fucking hard to miss.


    Fortunately, Nobu wasn''t the only one to notice the not-so-subtle change. Senken and Senichi were both in thetter half of the Sixth Realm. They could even perceive the pping of a hummingbird''s wings so there was no way in hell they would fail to discern Yamata-no-Orochi''s peculiar reaction to Nobu''s words...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Located nearly eight thousand kilometers North-East of Owari-Shuto was the Fortress City of Date, a major city located near the center of Nian''s Mutsu Province.


    Years prior, the city of Date had a rtively small poption of only 23,492 people. Despite this, it had made a name for itself across the Archipgo as nearly every resident of the city was either a Warrior or a battle-hardened soldier.


    Alongside the Uesugi, Ashina, and Satake ns, the rulers of Date City, the Date n, had helped to defend against the encroachment of Onigashima for generations. This had garnered them a tremendous amount of support for the Nianese people and countlessmendations from the Imperial Family.


    Unfortunately, shortly after the betrayal of the Mogami n, their closest ally, the leader of the Date n, Date Terumune, fell fatally ill when his son, Data Masamune, contracted smallpox. It left the young Masamune without his left eye while his Terumune, suffering from a congenital breathing problem, inevitably passed away after squandering the family''s resources in pursuit of a cure.


    Seeding his father at the young age of seventeen, Masamune struggled to establish himself as Daimyo due to his limited experience andcking cultivation base. He was a highly skilled warrior, but, with many of his rtives surpassing him in cultivation, it was only a matter of time before the family began fighting amongst itself.


    After failing to gain control even after three years, Masamune was eventually contacted by an old friend in the Mogami n. Soon after, a massive army flying the banner of Onigashima appeared north of Date City. The forces of the city were more than prepared to repel them, but, shortly after the battle ended, the warriors in charge of the rout learned that every mainline descendant of the Date n had been assassinated.


    At the behest of Masamune, a group of elites manages to prate the Date n estate using a number of secret passages. They managed to wipe out the forces opposing the young Daimyo''s reign, and, in exchange for his fealty, they were willing to grant him power and help him spread his name throughout the Archipgo.


    By sacrificing his humanity and bing a demon, Masamune had be much stronger than the warriors who had pledged their allegiance to his n. He had also allowed a veritable army to invade the city through its secret passages. Since then, the poption of the city had grown from 23,492 to more than 69,000. The only caveat was that most of these newer residents were demons, youkai, and evil spirits. As for the human poption, those that had failed to escape were basically relegated to livestock as the warriors still loyal to the Date n were either executed or converted to demons.


    As a cadet family to one of the original Eight Great ns, the Date n had inherited the duty of protecting one of Yamata-no-Orochi''s heads. Masamune had only be aware of this after his betrayal, but, having already tied his fate to Onigashima, he had little choice but to allow them to study and attempt to deconstruct the seal. Thetter proved impossible, but, after several years of analysis, the group of youkai researchers had managed to interface with the head sealed within by infesting it with a parasite. Said parasite was also a youkai, and, thanks to its efforts, they had been able to spy on the other Great Noble ns for the better part of a decade.


    "Hoooo...I never expected that those barbarians in the Oda n would be the first to ascertain the truth. It seems this youth, Nobu, possesses quite the unique treasure..."


    Though Nobu had managed to catch himself before he revealed too much, the existence of his Heavenly Treasure was no known to his enemies. They weren''t aware of its functions, but, knowing it allowed him tomunicate with a Goddess was more than enough to catch the interest of the one-eyed man seated atop a throne formed from the bones of his deceased family members...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Amongus...)

 Chapter 124: Echoes of the Past

    Chapter 124: Echoes of the Past


    "It must be that traitorous bastard from the Date n. We''ll need to report this finding to the Imperial Court as soon as possible."


    After leaving the Dragon''s Chamber and retreating far beyond the Yamata-no-Orocihi''s ability to perceive, this was the first thing Senichi said. In response, Senken nodded his head, an inordinately serious look on his face as he said, "I had almost forgotten about that bastard''s betrayal. Shouldn''t the Uesugi, Ashina, and Satake ns have dealt with him by now...?"


    As thends upied by the Date n were practically surrounded by forces loyal to the Imperial Family, Senken couldn''t understand how they had failed to take action. The leader of the Uesugi n, Uesugi Kenshin, was the current generation''s ''God of War''. She might be a woman, but, much like Musashi, she had managed to make a name for herself in an unreasonably short period of time. She was only in her thirties, but, thanks to the blessings of Bishamonten, one of the Shichi-fuku-jin, she could even fight people a full Realm above her without giving ground.


    Understanding his son''s thoughts, Senichi shook his head, stating, "Even if Kenshin is known as the Dragon of Echigo, she can''t simply charge into enemy territory on her own. You forget that she isn''t an original descendant of the Uesugi n. She acquired her title and position aspensation for sheltering the previous patriarch, Uesugi Norimasa. Though he agreed to her terms and took her as his sessor, Norimasa has been doing everything in his power to seize Echigo as install his son as Daimyo. If Kenshin were to leave the capital for an extended period of time, that old bastard would quickly im it for himself."


    With intensely furrowed brows, it was pretty obvious that Senken wasn''t enthused by his father''s words. Nobu, however, had be fully alert, his expression showing shock and mild incredulity as he asked, "Uesugi Kenshin is a woman? Who''s next, Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro?"


    As his words were intended more as a joke than anything else, Nobu felt a little enervated when his father and grandfather stared at him with somewhat confused expressions before thetter replied, "I''ve never heard of this Sasaki Kojiro but Miyamoto Musashi is, indeed, a woman. In fact, she is the most powerful female cultivator in Nian and the single most deadly threat to its warriors. If you ever see or hear about a woman with wild, vermillion hair walking around with a giant machete, don''t let your curiosity get the better of you. Just run."


    Nodding his head in approval of his father''s words, Senken added, "There is a saying in Nian. When Musashi nears, you either flee or die. Any warrior who crosses paths with her, even as a mistake, is fated to be struck down. It doesn''t matter how many people you send. Trying to oppose Musashi is like trying to redirect a hurricane or slice through a tsunami. She is a walking natural disaster."


    Hearing his father''s and grandfather''s words, Nobu couldn''t help massaging his forehead with his left hand. The way they talked about Musashi made it seem as though it was only a matter of time before he encountered the infamous redhead. Hell, he was even beginning to suspect he had been transported into the world of an eroge. After all, Yui and the others had expressed, time and again, how difficult it was to be a female cultivator in Nian. It couldn''t be a simple coincidence that two of the most powerful warriors in Japanese history turned out to be female...


    Recalling that the Musashi of his world was born almost fifty years after his namesake, Nobu took a moment to organize his thoughts before asking, "Just out of curiosity...are there people named Abe no Semei and Benkei running around...?"


    Before answering Nobu''s question, Senken and Senichi exchanged nces with one another before thetter ultimately nodded his head and answered, "Abe no Semei is one of the Sacred Guardians protecting Nian and the Imperial Family. She is widely considered to be the most powerful Onmyji in history. As for Benkei...they are a little more obscure, but, ording to intelligence reports, they have been traveling around the country in an effort to gather a thousand different weapons..."


    Hearing his grandfather''s reply, Nobu needed to take a seat. He had studied Japanese History for two years and had even traveled abroad with his mother on numerous asions. He wasn''t exactly a history buff, but he knew the basics about a lot of Japan''s most famous and influential people.


    Though they appeared in numerous video games and anime rted to the Sengoku Period, Abe no Semei and Benkei had both lived and died hundreds of years before its onset. The only reason they appeared in games and stuff was because of their prominence in Japanese Folklore. Abe no Semei was the most powerful Onmyji to have ever lived while Benkei, alongside being the Chief Retainer of Minamoto Yoshitsune, another remarkably famous figure, was rumored to have defeated more than three-hundred soldiers and samurai during hisst stand at the Battle of Koromo River. In the end, his enemies literally had to pepper him with hundreds of arrows as trying to fight him directly was tantamount to suicide...


    ("Well...at least I didn''t loop myself into thinking that the events of my life would follow the history of my namesake to a tee...")


    Now that he was aware that people like Abe no Semei and Benkei were present, Nobu could safely assume that other famous figures would be present. This didn''t just apply to Nian, but the world as a whole. After all, Inami had proven that people could easily survive for thousands of years. To that end, it was safe to assume that many of the most famous and influential figures from various myths would be present in other countries. To make matters worse, some of these figures would probably be the reincarnators he was presumably expected to defeat...


    "It''s like ying Civ...for keeps..."


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu looked towards his father and grandfather, who, as could be expected, appeared confused by his behavior. In response, he just smiled wryly, elbows resting on his knees as he asked, "So? What now? You didn''t bring me down here just to show me that snakehead and tell me about some inherited duty, did you?"


    Scratching the back of his head, Senken appeared moderately ufortable as he answered, "Well...kind of? I mean, protecting this ce has been the sacred duty of the Oda n for thest six thousand years. It was important that you at least knew about it. I have no intention of telling you how to live, but, for the sake of our family and the people who depend on us, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when you''re making decisions. Take it from me, kid. If your selfish decisions result in the suffering of others, you''ll end up regretting it for the rest of your life..."


    Wincing in response to his father''s words, the smile on Nobu''s face promptly faded away as a mild feeling of indignation swelled within his heart. He was well aware of the truth contained within such words as he was still regretting the decision he made prior to his reincarnation. If he had been born normally, he would have been able to rue a tremendous amount of power by the time he was in his teens. Instead, his decision left him ying catch-up while his parents and entourage had been made to suffer as a result of his selfishness...


    Exhaling a sigh, Nobu surprised both Senken and Senichi by suddenly closing his eyes and saying, "Sorry..." in a meek, nearly inaudible tone. They didn''t know exactly why he was apologizing, but, understanding he was being sincere, the duo exchanged nces before Senken walked over, his voice awkward yet caring as he ruffled Nobu''s hair and said, "Don''t worry about it...whatever you think you did wrong, we forgive you..."


    Though he frowned in response to having his hair ruffled, Nobu felt a sourness in his nose when he heard Senken''s words. At the same time, a feeling of tightness spread through his throat and chest as memories of all the times the man had apologized to his catatonic self yed in his mind...


    ...


    ..


    .


    When she learned that Yui was pregnant with Nobu''s child, Nohime wanted nothing more than to strangle the ''harlot'' for daring to seduce her husband. She had never felt so betrayed in her entire life, and, were it not for the presence of Nana, she might not have been able to keep her cool.


    Fortunately, as part of the exnation, Nohime had alsoe to learn about Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure. She wasn''t given every detail but she was informed about its ability to drastically improve a person''s cultivation in a short period of time. This was spectacr news, as, despite putting on a false smile and pretending it didn''t bother her, one of the things Nohime had always resented was her inability to cultivate freely.


    Though she was a princess and possessed remarkable intelligence, Nohime had been denied the right to cultivate freely as a result of Nobu''s death. The only reason most females were allocated cultivation resources was to ensure they gave birth to a powerful heir, so, with her husband dead, the Elders of the Oda n had done everything in their power to deny her resources.


    While others near her age were at the pinnacle of Silver or even breaking into Gold, Nohime had been forced to stagnate as a Rank 9 Iron Warrior for more than a decade. It was one of the things that had always bothered her so it was a tremendous relief when she heard Nobu had the ability to drastically increase a person''s Aura in a short period of time. She was in such a good mood, in fact, that she was nearly willing to forgive Yui for seducing her husband.


    Nearly.


    "I''m curious to know, Yui-dono. What, exactly, were the circumstances that led to you and another bing pregnant with my hus-with Nobunaga-sama''s child? I was informed that the Yoshitsune n hadws strictly forbidding their Kunoichi from bearing the children of the Oda n. In fact, I believe the penalty for breaking saidws is execution via flogging..."


    "No-chan! What are you saying...!?"


    Hearing Nohime''s words, a fretful expression developed across Nana''s face. She didn''t expect her surrogate daughter to insinuate that Yui should be executed for her actions. Sure, thew might be clear on such issues, but, in the face of true love, rules and traditions were meaningless. She could see how Nobu looked at Yui, so, even if she cared dearly for Nohime, Nana wasn''t going to tolerate such insinuating remarks.


    Fortunately, Yui had already been expecting such a question, so, before Nohime could even pretend to apologize, she calmly stated, "It was the decision of my Lord and Master, Nobunaga-sama. When you meet, you will quickly learn that Nobunaga-sama is unlike any other man living within Nian. His values are drastically different from ours and he has no interest in any culture or tradition that limits a person''s individual freedoms. I can understand why you would hate me, Nohime-san. You are well within your rights to do so. However, no matter what, I will continue to walk this path alongside my Lord."


    With an indifferent expression that could put an extrayer on ice, Nohime stared directly into Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes. She could see the resolution contained within the younger woman''s gaze, but, after working herself to the bone for the better part of ten years, Nohime refused to believe anyone was as resolute as she. Thus, while she was prepared to adjust her behavior in ordance with her husband''s sensibilities, she had absolutely no intention of recognizing Yui, or anyone else for that matter, as her equal...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That one decision of Nobu''s had far-reaching effects...)

 Chapter 125: Rationale

    Chapter 125: Rationale


    After returning to the castle aboveground, Nobu briefly excused himself to use the bathroom before meeting up with his father and grandfather in one of the more traditional rooms. Both fell silent when he entered, but, before he could ask what they were talking about, Senken beat him to the punch, asking, "What do you know about the situation in Asai?"


    Though Hitomi had already informed him about Nobu''s reaction to the death of Tako, seeing his son apologize in the Dragon''s Chamber caused Senken to have doubts. He was originally nning to let Nobu take charge of the situation. If thetter wanted to settle down and focus on building a family, however, he had no intention of opposing him. It was a little unorthodox but he could easily lead the Oda n for another decade if his son wasn''t ready to step up.


    Not expecting his father to suddenly mention Asai, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words. His beatdown and capture two days prior had helped to put things in perspective. He was still weak, and, the moment he found himself surrounded by enemies, he was basically fucked.


    With that thought in mind, Nobu closed his eyes and took a long and deep breath before opening them to say, "My information specialist, Kumiko, has gone through all the documents rted to the recent turmoil in Asai. I''ve also gone through a number of documents personally so I have a pretty good idea what''s been going on..."


    Nodding his head in approval, Senken pulled out arge scroll, seemingly out of thin air, before unfurling it on the ground and asking, "And? What do you think we should do about it? Like, if you were the person in charge of dealing with the rebellion, how would you resolve things?"


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu hesitated to answer. In response, Senken just waved his hand in a casual gesture of dismissal, saying, "Rx, kid. I''m not going to go back on our previous agreement. You''re free to continue staying in Yumegakure for as long as you like. We''re just interested in hearing how you might tackle the situation."


    Seeing that the scroll was actually an extremely detailed map of Asai and the surrounding region, a glimmer of interest appeared in Nobu''s eyes. It even included a breakdown of the bnce of power between the various factions that had rooted themselves within the city. This included color-coded properties, and, more importantly, an outline of each faction''s military forces.


    Before discussing things further, Nobu pulled out his stone tablet to take a photo of the map. This was something he had been trying to get his hands on for quite a while, but, thanks to the contract that restricted their actions, neither Hitomi nor Suzune was allowed to give him a detailed map as it was considered a state secret strictly regted by the Imperial Family. Anyone found in possession of a detailed map would immediately be tried as a spy, so, with the exception of Daimyos, Generals, and a few affluent merchant associations, everyone else waspletely ignorant in regards to the shape, structure, and territorial breakdown of the Archipgo.


    With several other reincarnators running around, Nobu knew it was only a matter of time before he would need to wage war against them. The Goddess had made it pretty clear that the others were unaware of each other''s existence, and, based on how his father and grandfather had been acting, Nobu felt it was safe to assume they couldn''t openly discuss their true identities or past lives. Thus, with the expectation that he would be pitted against eight other reincarnators, each in possession of a bnce-breaking cheat, Nobu decided to start nning ahead.


    Fortunately, just as he took a snapshot of the map, yet another notification appeared on Nobu''s stone tablet. When he saw what it was, a massive grin developed across his face as a tattered and ancient-looking map had appeared as an App on his Home Screen. It didn''t immediately reveal his surroundings, but, in exchange for a substantial amount of Aura, he could basically send out pulses of energy that mapped everything in a 100m radius.


    Seeing the weird look on his son''s face, Senken''s serious expression morphed into a wry smile as he asked, "You still with us, kid...?"


    Blinking back to awareness in response to his father''s words, Nobu adopted a wry expression of his own as he exined, "Sorry. My Heavenly Treasure just unlocked a mapping function. It consumes a lot of Aura, but I can use it to create an overhead map of everything in my surroundings. Better yet, it apparently lets me save any maps I''ve scanned directly. I''m not sure if it updates in real-time, but I now have a map of Owari-Asai stored in my stone tablet."


    Hearing Nobu''s exnation, both Senken and Senichi were shocked. Everything they learned about Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure made it appear increasingly broken. At the same time, however, they felt it was remarkably suited for someone with the destiny of uniting the Archipgo.


    Recovering quicker than his son, Senichi asked, "Can you transfer the details to a piece of paper? If you can actively map your surroundings, that is an unbelievably useful ability in a tactical setting. It could also make managing the territory a lot easier."


    Since he couldn''t find anything that would allow him to superimpose the map onto an object, Nobu eventually shook his head before answering, "No, but I can probably draw it out if I have a piece of grid paper. The map on my stone tablet also uses grids so I shouldn''t have any problems creating a copy. I''m not the best artist but I''m pretty good when ites to linework."


    Nodding his head in understanding, Senichi decided to shelve the topic of creating updated maps untilter. That wasn''t the reason they had gathered like this, so, with various duties awaiting him, he decided to get back on track, saying, "Well, we can discuss thatter. For now, why don''t you try answering your father''s question? Your Heavenly Treasure is clearly oriented towards rul...managing others. Let''s hear what you have to say."


    Though he furrowed his brows in response to his grandfather''s clearly intentional slip, Nobu was eager to end this conversation so he could rendezvous with Yui. Thus, after taking a moment to organize his thoughts, he answered, "If you had asked me this question a few weeks ago, I would have insisted on assigning a specialized task force to assassinate the current Governor. After that, I would ce an embargo on trade with Granus before expelling their ships from port..."


    Rather than admonishing Nobu for hisck of foresight, Senichi just nodded his head in approval while Senken adopted a strangely proud look on his face. This caused Nobu to feel ufortable as the advice he had received from both Hitomi and Suzune left him doubting this was the correct course of action.


    Noticing Nobu''s difort, an amused chuckle emanated from Senken''s throat before he teasingly inquired, "You''re surprisingly sensitive, ain''tcha?"


    ring at the ashen-haired man, Nobu briefly considered telling him to shove a bamboo shoot up his ass. Fortunately, Senken beat him to the punch, adding, "Truth be told, I don''t dislike that way of thinking. When I was your age, I got into a lot of trouble because I disliked how political everything was. Hell, if we''re beingpletely honest, I was closer to twice your age before I finally got my shit together..."


    Scratching the back of his head, Senken''s smile became somewhat awkward as he recalled all the trouble he and his friends had gotten into. If his father and the members of his entourage hadn''t been there to bail him out, he probably would have lost his life on more than a few asions...


    Taking advantage of his son''s silence, Senichi decided to add, "Demonstrations of power are vitally important to the stable management of a territory. If this incident didn''t involve another country, it might have worked. Unfortunately, we-"


    Before Senichi could finish speaking, Nobu gave the man an incredulous look, stating, "I said that was the n I would havee up with weeks ago. The Matriarch of the Yoshitsune n and their Information Elder have already exined to me why such a course of action isn''t eptable in this instance. Since then, I have been thinking of other ns to try and resolve everything in a way that ensured the greatest number of benefits for the province..."


    While he wasn''t particrly fond of being interrupted, Senichi just supplied a curt and patient nod before gesturing for Nobu to continue. He knew exactly what kind of woman Hitomi was, and, while he felt the Yoshitsune n had too much sway over his grandson, there wasn''t much he could really do about it. Nobu had already cooked rice with the Guardian of the Yosthisune n, so, depending on what the fates had in store, the Oda and Yoshitsune ns would be one and the same...


    With his father and grandfather patiently awaiting his exnation, Nobu took another deep breath before going on to assert, "Trade with Granus has be integral to our economy. In spite of this, I still believe the best course of action moving forward is to ce an embargo on trade. So long as we are openly trading with them, the Imperial Family will be unwilling to support our deposition of the current Governor..."


    Since the Imperial Family had prohibited trade with foreign countries, the Oda n was, technically speaking, in gross vition of thew. The only reason the Imperial Family hadn''t cracked down on them was because the Oda n was among their most powerful allies and one of the only families that still supported the Ashikaga Shogunate. They were also thergest consumer of luxury goods imported from the Heavenly Kingdom and Granus, so, when it came down to it, they would be the most affected if trade suddenly ceased. It was an amazing example of the ''rules for thee, not for me'' mentality...


    "While we await the decision of the Imperial Family, we''ll send a representative to conduct a public audit. In actuality, they will just be a figurehead while a team of experts investigates the Governor''s family and negotiates terms and pledges support to the other influential factions in the region. This includes the merchants of Granus, who, in exchange for being able to stay in port, will need to pay a leasing fee..."


    Though he actually wanted to investigate Granus and try to seize some of their tech, Nobu wasn''t too optimistic about their chances of sess. Thus, taking advantage of the fact it took literal years toplete a round trip between their two countries, he wanted to put pressure on those currently in port using the inbound ships as leverage. After all, while those currently present might have more than enough supplies to set sail, those just arriving would have no choice but to resupply.


    "Our end goal will be to renegotiate terms and redistribute power in Asai so that a repeat incident is less likely to ur. If the merchants of Granus refuse, we will take inbound vessels hostage and force them to exchange their goods in exchange for the supplies necessary to return. We may end up making an enemy in the long term but we should be able to benefit for the next seven years or so. In the end, this is the consequence their actions have mandated. If we give ground in the pursuit of profits, they will be even more brazen in the future. Instead, we should focus on increasing our revenue through internal production and distribution. Relying on imports from another country will ce us in a precarious position if we ever find ourselves at odds with our neighbors..."


    As the merchants of Granus were disgustingly opportunistic, it wasn''t even remotely difficult to imagine them increasing their prices the moment Owari entered into conflict with the surrounding Provinces. They would basically be able to name their prices, so, in an effort to teach them a lesson and temporarily remove them from the picture, Nobu was more than willing to step on a few toes.


    Hearing Nobu''s surprisingly rational assessment of the situation, smiles developed across the faces of Senken and Senichi. Nobu had even pointed out a few things they had overlooked, so, while they still had a number of misgivings about the future, the notion that Nobu would be the one to unify the Archipgo was now firmly cemented in their minds...


    And thus theyughed.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Our boy is as clever as he is petty xD...)

 Chapter 126: Resolution Over Resignation

    Chapter 126: Resolution Over Resignation


    After discussing the matter at length, Senken asked the question Nobu had been anticipating since his return from the bathroom, specifically, "What are your thoughts about being the representative we send to Asai? At your current rate of growth, the members of your entourage should be able to reach the pinnacle of tinum by the deadline of our original agreement. If you consent to be the next Patriarch, we can even prepare some Mithril for those closest to you..."


    Though Nobu had made it pretty obvious he didn''t want to govern, Senken knew it would prevent a lot of future problems if his son ascended to the position of Daimyo. Nobu had a very progressive mentality. Without the status and authority to back his aims, there would be no end to the number of obstacles preventing his sess.


    Shrugging his shoulders, Nobu answered, "I have three children on the way. I don''t mind being the representative but I think it would be pretty fucked up of me to pack up my bags and wander off so soon after their birth. As for the whole Patriarch thing...what about my younger brothers? You must have been preparing one of them to take charge, right?"


    Exhaling a sigh, Senken ran his fingers through his hair before staring listlessly up at the ceiling and answering, "Your brother, Nobuhiro, was a good kid but he...no, I allowed the words of my younger brother to pollute his way of thinking. As for Nobukatsu...he is too naive to ever rule over others. At best, he could be a puppet..."


    Hanging his head in shame, Senken fully expected Nobu to admonish him for his failure as a father. Instead, Nobu exhaled a notably exasperated sigh, remarking, "Of course..." before shaking his head and adding, "If your brother was able to influence his way of thinking, there''s no reason others can''t do the same. I don''t really have an interest in bing Patriarch so I don''t mind supporting him as an advisor if he has a suitable frame of mind. The circumstances of a person''s birth shouldn''t decide whether or not they are qualified to rule. If he''s spent thest seventeen years preparing to be the next Lord of Owari, he''s a hell of a lot more qualified than I am..."


    Recalling how he used to have a very simr mindset, a wry smile developed across Senken''s face as an awkward chuckle emanated from his throat. Fortunately, his father was also present, so, instead of having to sound like a hypocrite, he was able to remain silent as the middle-aged Oda exined, "The problem is that your brothercks a Heavenly Treasure. So long as you are in possession of the stone tablet, people will always believe you''re more suited for the position. Beyond that, there is the matter of the Yoshitsune n...I believe you''re overlooking an important factor..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu''s tone and bodynguage be marginally more hostile as he asked, "What do you mean...?"


    Adopting an even more serious expression, Senichi exined, "The Yoshitsune n is bound by an exceptionally powerful contract that has been certified by the Goddess of the Harvest, Inari-Okami-sama. Every member of their line is fated to obey the Lord of the Oda n. This is one of the main reasons we do not allow for formal marriages between our two ns..."


    Though he was briefly confused by Senichi''s words, it didn''t take long for Nobu to understand the greater meaning behind them. The former, noticing his realization, nodding his head in a solemn manner, stating, "That''s right. Your children will also be influenced by this contract. If you refuse to be Patriarch, you are cing their fate in the hands of another. Your brother might be a good man at heart but envy and jealousy are powerful emotions..."


    Resisting his almost overwhelming urge to release a string of curses, Nobu opened and closed his fists a few times before asking, "Is there a way to annul the contract...?"


    As there were no traces of the contract whenever he viewed a person''s status, Nobu assumed it was a part of the Curse that influenced even honorary members of the Yoshitsune n. If so, he should be able to remove it himself, but, just to be safe, he wanted to hear what his grandfather had to say.


    Somewhat surprisingly, Senichi nodded his head before crossing his arms and exining, "There is. However, ites at the cost of Inari-Okami-sama''s blessing. Annulling the contract would imperil the people of Owari, so, for thest six thousand years, the Yoshitsune n has dutifully carried out their responsibilities for the greater good..."


    Glowering the moment he heard the phrase ''for the greater good'', Nobu had to fight hard against the urge to tell his grandfather to shove the greater good up his ass. He had always detested such sayings, as, more often than not, the ''greater good'' was used as a justification to perpetuate some of the most heinous acts in human history. It was an excuse used by the people in power to avoid personal responsibility and bypass having to spend time and resources on alternative solutions.


    Unfortunately, while there were countless parallels between Terra and Earth, thetter had a distinctck of evidence to prove the existence and power of Gods. Terra was the opposite in this regard as the influence of Gods could be seen pretty much everywhere. Depending on your actions, there was a very real chance you could inadvertently insult one of them. Then, depending on how spiteful and petty they were, they could literally sacrifice a fragment of their power to curse you and your family for hundreds of generations...


    Realizing that it might not be so easy to annul Inari-Okami''s Curse, a look of grim resolution slowly formed across Nobu''s face. There was no way in hell he was going to let someone havepulsory authority over his children. Thus, after a long moment of silence, he clenched his hands to the point his knuckles had turned white before saying, "Fine...fate wants to ce me in charge of the n? I''ll do it. Just don''t me me if and when shit hits the fan..."


    Contrasting Nobu''s expectations, Senken and Senichi adopted gratified and appreciative smiles as the former said, "No worries, kid. If that happens, we''ll be right there with you. Bing Patriarch doesn''t mean you''ll have to handle everything alone. Rather, our most important duty is delegating responsibilities to others. That means, once you take over as Patriarch, you''ll have the singr right to pick and choose who you want as ministers and retainers. If you really want to support Nobuhiro, you just need to be a better big brother than I was..."


    Though he had thought this numerous times over the past two days, Nobu couldn''t help thinking that Senken was both an amazing person and an incredible father. The man just took everything in stride, and, though it was very clear he had made numerous mistakes over the years, he didn''t allow them to weigh him down. It was trulymendable.


    What Nobu didn''t know was that Senken and Senichi hade to a simr conclusion in regards to him. Most people would resent being forced into a position they didn''t want, yet, after a mere three exchanges, Nobu had already epted the reality of his situation. More importantly, the look in his eyes showed resolution rather than resignation. This was something that generally took a long time to form, yet, as if it had been slumbering within him his entire life, Nobu was already exhibiting the resolve necessary to be a leader...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was inadvertently strengthening his position in the hearts and minds of Senken and Senichi, a young man with inordinately long ck hair and slightly feminine features was making his way through the silent halls of Inuyama''s Inner Sanctum.


    Seeing the young man walking through the halls, every servant immediately lowered their heads as a gesture of respect. In spite of this, the youth regarded them as little more than air as he bypassed each and every one of them without so much as a curt nod or a polite greeting. It was only after he reached his destination that the youth''s previously expressionless face, adorned with ruby-like eyes and sharp eyebrowed, morphed into a polite smile.


    "Forgive me for the intrusion, Kaa-chan, but there is a matter I would like to discuss..."


    Without waiting for a response, the youth slid open the door before turning statuesque when he noticed the room''s other upants. The smile on his face immediately faded away, and, in its ce, a look of disdain marred his fair features as he stated, "You shouldn''t be here..."


    "Hiro-chan! What did I tell you about being rude to Nohime-chan...!?"


    Furrowing his brows, the young man, Nobuhiro, red at Nohime as if she was responsible for his mother chastising him. Then, much like the servants he passed along the way, he decided to ignore her as he turned towards his mother and offered an apologetic bow, stating, "Forgive me, Kaa-chan. It appears my training has left me somewhat fatigued..."


    Though she adopted a slight pout in response to her son''s behavior, the woman, Nana, eventually raised herself to her feet before approaching him and asking, "What''s wrong?" in a motherly tone.


    As it was unusual for his mother to meet him at the entrance, Nobuhiro''s brows raised as he looked over her to stare at Yui. He didn''t recognize who she was, but, feeling his mother was attempting to conceal yet another secret, his eyes sharpened as he muttered, "I don''t believe I''ve had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Kaa-chan''s guest..."


    Increasing Nobuhiro''s suspicions, Yui stared directly at him for a brief moment before offering a curt nod. This implied an unordinary status, as, even if they were Warriors affiliated with the Oda n, everyone was obligated to lower their heads to him...


    Smiling wryly in response to her son''s words, Nana attempted to guide him out of the room so they could speak elsewhere. Nobuhiro didn''t resist this, but, before departing the room, he made sure tomit Yui''s features to memory. He had made a point to memorize the names and faces of every single person with ess to Inuyama''s Inner Sanctum. If his mother was trying to keep the woman''s identity a secret, he would do everything in his power to uncover her origins...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Following the departure of Nana and Nobuhiro, Yui promptly found herself as the focal point of Nohime''s icy re. Now that they were alone, ignoring the fact that Nobuhime was resting at the side, the onyx-eyed woman didn''t hesitate to say, "I can''t do anything about my husband choosing you. However, regardless of the circumstances, my position as the official wife remains unchanged. Once you have given birth, you will renounce any ims your children have to an inheritance. Do I make myself clear...?"


    Surprising Nohime quite a bit, Yui''s expression hardened as she stared directly at the woman and said, "You''re making a grave mistake. These are not things we, as women, can decide. Lady Suzuki and I have both exined Nobunaga-sama''s peculiarities to you. If you continue thinking like this, it is only a matter of time before Nobunaga-sama annuls your marriage. He cares little for politics and outright disdains many of Nian''s cultures and traditions. If you believe your status as a Princess affords you some inalienable right, you''re going to be severely disappointed when Nobunaga-sama shatters your expectations..."


    Though she understood the importance of the alliance between Owari and Mino, Yui knew Nobu better than anyone else in Nian. She knew he would tolerate being married to Nohime if it meant keeping the peace, but, the moment anyone attempt to force him to behave a certain way, he was bound tosh out. This was one of his more peculiar yet praiseworthy qualities. He was remarkably easy to convince if you yed off his sensibilities, but, the moment you attempted to force him, he would do everything in his power to oppose you. He had a remarkable sense of responsibility, but, unlike others with simr dispositions, he was unwilling to capitte to threats. If you tried to force him, you might seed in dictating his actions, but, given enough time, it was inevitable that Nobu would get his revenge...


    Glowering in response to Yui''s words, Nohime clenched her hands into fists. Before she could say anything in retaliation, however, Nobuhime began to make a series of disgruntled baby sounds that demanded attention. Unfortunately, despite her bridal training, Nohime had no experience dealing with children. As a result, she could only observe as Yui sprang to her feet and skillfully resolved the situation...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is beginning to learn that fate is not so easily eluded...)

 Chapter 127: The Coercion of Fate

    Chapter 127: The Coercion of Fate


    Though he had agreed to be the future Patriarch, that didn''t mean Nobu was ready to assume the position any time soon. His primary focus at the moment was bing stronger and learning more about the world he currently lived in. Thus, while they did briefly discuss his ascension to the position of Patriarch, most of the conversation revolved around settling the dispute in Asai.


    As there was bound to be some bacsh regarding Nobu''s return, performing well in Asai would make things a lot easier for him moving forward. When it came down to it, the people didn''t really care who was in charge, only that they were capable of getting things done. So long as Nobu could prove himself, the support of the people would naturally follow.


    With this in mind, it was decided that Nobu would spend the next six to nine months focusing on increasing the strength of himself and his allies. It would only take a handful of people at the Fifth Realm to put pressure on the entirety of Asai. If they had a Mithril Lord on their side, the matter was all but settled.


    Due to Nobu''s decision to cultivate the Breath Progression Technique, the Mithril that had been reserved for him could be given to someone else. The most obvious choice for this was Yui, but, as she would be giving birth a few months before the deployment, Senichi surprised both Nobu and Senken by suggesting they give it to Nohime.


    Recognizing the name, Nobu was unsurprised to learn that Nohime was the name of the woman he assumed to be his fiancee. Unfortunately, this was a misunderstanding on his part, as, for the sake of maintaining a cooperative rtionship with the Mino Province, Nohime had been married to him posthumously.


    When Nobu first learned this, his desire to beat the shit out of his predecessors reached an all-time high. What made the situation even worse was the knowledge that Nohime had been living at the Oda n since she was eight. In other words, she had been forced to leave her home and conduct bridal training in spite of the fact that he had already been reported dead. After that, she was kept in the Inner Sanctum before beingpelled to perform a wedding and mourning ceremony at the mind-numbingly young age of twelve.


    In essence, Nohime had already been Nobu''s wife for six, going on seven years. He had the option of divorcing her, but, knowing what she had been forced to endure as a result of his decision, Nobu didn''t have the heart to make such a decision arbitrarily. It didn''t help that, Sait Dsan, the Lord of the Mino Province, had ceded more than thirty percent of hisnd as part of Nohime''s dowry. Land that the people of Owari had spent the better part of a decade developing...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he wanted to act like it wasn''t his problem, Nobu was the most aware of how his decision had influenced his life and the lives of the people around him. Had he epted his reincarnation without incident, he could have prevented this situation, or, at the very least, got to know Nohime while they were still young. Instead, his selfishness ended up derailing the lives of countless people all because he wanted to keep his dick and avoid a bit of awkwardness. Now, each and every day of his reincarnation reinforced the idea he had fucked up beyondpare...


    If he were being perfectly honest with himself, Nobu couldn''t deny that a part of him just wanted to tell everyone to go fuck themselves. He didn''t want to deal with any of this shit, and, were it not for the fact he felt a sense of obligation towards the people whose lives had been ruined as a result of his decision, he would have run away or yeeted himself.


    Knowing how frustrating the next couple of years were going to be, especially once things began to pick up, Nobu found himself seriously considering just ending things. He, truthfully speaking, didn''t even know how to take responsibility for his own life, much less the lives of others. Bombshells such as his reincarnated mother being his younger sister didn''t help. In fact, it was like a kick in the dick to his motivation as the thing that had been fueling him up until that exact moment was his desire to return home. Now, not only did he have unnecessary knowledge regarding his mother''s kinks, he would need to protect her as eight other reincarnators turned the world into a fucking yground...


    When he looked at everything subjectively, Nobu couldn''t help feeling dismayed. He didn''t want to sound like a bitch, but this wasn''t what he had signed up for when he reincarnated. It was one thing to face difficulties in a new world. He could even tolerate inordinate amounts of pain and loneliness so long as he kept it to himself. Trying to be a decent person and a good leader? These were things he had never even wanted to be. Now, he had to y the part fate had decided for him, and, every time he thought he was beginning to get things under control, he was blindsided and kicked in the metaphorical dick by yet another revtion rted to a single fucking decision he had made in the past...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While waiting to meet his wife of seven years for the very first time, innumerable negative thoughts gued Nobu''s mind. He found himself regretting his decision to be Patriarch, and, though it made him feel like a piece of shit, he was even regretting knocking up Inami and Yui. Thetter was clearly not ready to be a mother, and, as far as he knew, Inami was the agent of Inari. Things might be going well between them, but, depending on how things yed out in the future, shit could hit the fan in an instant...


    "What the fuck am I doing...?"


    As that question parted his lips, an iparably dismal thought crossed Nobu''s mind. He began to feel as though the reality of reincarnation had stripped his life of meaning. The notion that he could just kill himself and start over in another world was a surprisingly heavy burden. He imagined this was the reason he couldn''t openly discuss it, as, the moment the poor and downtrodden of society became aware of how their perspective influenced their afterlife, they would simply off themselves rather than deal with the shitty hand they had been dealt.


    The more he thought about his current predicament, the more Nobu felt as though his life was being deliberately manipted by the Gods, or, even worse, some asshole sitting at aputer. Everything that happened to him seemed to be geared towards forcing him to ept his current predicament. The reincarnation of his mother, in particr, was especially sinister as his only real options at this point were to swallow his indignation or convince a three-month-old to perform a suicide pact with him...


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to get up and punch a hole in the wall, Nobu willfully ignored the fact he was supposed to be waiting for his wife andid down. He had developed the inconvenient habit of thinking about the consequences of his actions these past couple of months so he could easily imagine what would happen if he jumped off a cliff with his reincarnated mother in his arms. His newer mother would most likely lose her mind, and, depending on how Hitomi handled things, it wasn''t difficult to imagine Yui and the rest following his example.


    "I really fucking hate this world..."


    Though it wasn''t the first time he had uttered such words, Nobu felt as though he meant them more and more with each repetition. Unfortunately, no amount ofining would have any effect on his present situation, so, after staring listlessly at the ceiling for several mind-numbing minutes, he eventually sat up and began fiddling around with the stone tablet. He didn''t want to admit it but he really didn''t have any other choice but to do his best, so, understanding the stone tablet was the key to ''fixing'' everything, Nobu''s eyes focused on the gently glowing screen as he thumbed through every single tab like ab analyst trying to find the cure for a pandemic.


    Unfortunately, just as Nobu felt as though he was starting to get his groove back, a soft tapping could be heard outside before the door slid open to reveal an emotionless-looking woman with long ck hair and dark eyes. This caused Nobu''s brows to crease into a frown, not because of the woman, but because someone else was missing.


    "Where''s Yui...?"


    Squinting her eyes, Nohime closed the sliding bamboo door behind her before offering a polite bow and saying, "It''s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance...Danna..."


    Inhaling a deep breath, Nobu did his best to restrain his rapidly growing anger. He was starting to get really annoyed by the fact other people were having Yui run off and do whatever the fuck they wanted. It might sound possessive of him but she was supposed to obey hismands. The fact he hadn''t even seen her in nearly twenty-four hours seriously starting to irk him.


    Fortunately, thanks to the Breath Progression Technique, Nobu was able to calm down much faster than he otherwise would have been able to. Excess oxygen could give rise to feelings of euphoria, and, more importantly, it helped to focus the mind. In other words, Nobu could get high whenever he wanted, but, instead of experiencing a mental haze, his concentration and reaction time would increase to superhuman levels.


    After forcibly calming himself, Nobu surprised Nohime by rising to his feet and approaching her directly. His height allowed him to tower over her, and, due to hisck of control, the difference in their cultivation bases caused Nobu to exude a natural pressure as he adopted a serious expression and said, "I''m not going to pussyfoot around the issue. I don''t give a damn about this marriage. I''ll do my best to make things work but I''m going to need you to tell me about your intentions, hopes, dreams, and pretty much everything else you can think of rted to the future. You''ve had thest ten years to think, start talking..."


    Though he had wanted to start things off by apologizing, Nohime''s casual dismissal of his previous question had left a bad taste in his mouth. Her apathetic countenance also made her appear cold and calcting. There was a good chance she had be this was as a result of his decision, but, even if that was the case, there wasn''t really anything he could do about that. If she turned out to be a cold and ruthless bitch, he wasn''t going to have anything to do with her.


    As if her knees weren''t shaking as a result of the pressure exuding from Nobu''s body, Nohime managed to stare into his eyes without so much as a trace of fear in her own. Such sentiments had faded from her mind years ago, so, now that she was finally face-to-face with the man she had built her entire life around, she felt more excited than anything else. It didn''t really show on her face, but, after spending years surrounded by people who would readily exploit her, concealing her emotions had be second nature.


    Offering the slightest of smiles, a n began to form within Nohime''s mind as she answered, "Very well. If that is what Danna desires, it is only natural that Iply..." Then, without even suggesting they take a seat, she proceeded to answer each of his questions without breaking eye contact even a single time...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I feel like Nobu would try and beat the shit out of me if we ever met...)

 Chapter 128: Stance

    Chapter 128: Stance


    "My intentions align with those of most Nianese women in my position. I want to secure a ce for myself and make sure my children are adequately prepared for the future. My dream is to be one of the most influential women in Nian. To that end, I will do everything in my power to support your hopes, dreams, and ambitions..."


    After learning a bit about Nobu from Nana and Yui, Nohime decided to take a gamble by standing her ground and staring her future Lord in the eye. This would have been an extreme faux pas under normal circumstances, but, with everyone informing her how much of an exception her husband was, Nohime resolved herself to take the risk.


    Not expecting Nohime to stand her ground, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words. He half-expected her to behave simrly to the servant girl, Kaeda. Instead, she maintained a calm andposed demeanor, almost as if she were trying to evaluate him on the fly.


    Briefly calling to mind the time his mother had made him attend therapy, Nobu promptly shook away his extraneous thoughts before asking, "That''s it? You don''t want to be like a schr, a painter, or an artisan? Don''t tell me the only thing you''ve ever aspired to be is someone''s wife..."


    Regretting the words even as they left his mouth, Nobu''s expression formed into a frown when Nohime promptly replied, "My fate was decided long before I was born. Now, I am doing what I must to secure the best possible future for myself and my children. The children of carpenters are fated to be carpenters. The children of farmers are fated to be farmers. As the eldest daughter of the Saito n, my fate was to be your wife."


    "..."


    Though he had anticipated such a response, Nobu still found himself at a loss. The most annoying thing about the situation was that he knew Nohime''s response wasn''t even unusual. In the present era, people were basically born into the position they would remain in their entire life. There was a chance you could change your fate by bing a warrior or discovering a Heavenly Treasure, but, the moment you began to stand out, everyone around you would do everything in their power to either undermine you or take your treasures for themselves...


    Realizing that this might be the catalyst for him choosing retainers from peasant backgrounds, an exasperated sigh escaped Nobu''s throat as he ran his fingers through his hair.


    ("At this point, I''m going to end up convincing myself that even mundane shit happens because of fate or some other contrived bullshit...")


    While fate and destiny were undoubtedly very real things, Nobu understood it didn''t really change anything. When it came down to it, he was still the person making decisions about his life, so, after turning away from Nohime and taking a seat, Nobu gestured to the cushions across from him and said, "Take a seat..." in an audibly fatigued tone.


    Though she was a little confused by the spontaneous change in Nobu''s behavior, Nohime returned an affirmative nod before taking the designated seat. Then, for the better part of three minutes, she silently observed the former until he said, "Listen...I''m going to be perfectly honest with you...I don''t care about bing Daimyo or ruling over others. I''m also not a fan of the customs and traditions of Nian. That includes the custom of arranged marriages..."


    Despite appearing calm on the surface, Nohime''s body tensed as she listened to Nobu''s words. Her decision to stand her ground now felt like a mistake. Fortunately, just as her mind began racing for a means to convince Nobu not to annul their engagement, thetter appended, "If we''re going to make things work, you need to keep that in mind. No matter what positions I hold in the future, my ultimate goal is to settle down and enjoy a leisurely retirement. Before I can do that, however, there are a lot of things we''ll need to ''fix'' in regards to our society as a whole..."


    Pausing to take a deep breath, Nobu''s expression became serious as he stated, "First and foremost, the whole line of session bullshit can go fuck itself. If we do have children in the future, they will be able to choose their own path. I''m not going to shoehorn my sons into politics and I sure as hell won''t marry off my daughters for the sake of establishing or strengthening an alliance. If anyone so much as tries to convince me otherwise, they can fuck right off. I don''t need cancerous tumors who only know how to maintain a fucked up status quo at my side..."


    Feeling reinvigorated by his own words, Nobu''s aura began to leak out a second time. He felt a lot better after stating his intentions openly. Better yet, Nohime didn''t seem particrly troubled by his words. Instead, she returned an understanding nod before stating, "I understand. As your wife, I will do everything I can to support you."


    Following her words, Nohime attempted to perform a dogeza-like bow. Before she could, however, Nobu interjected, stating, "If you''re going to be my wife, you''ll need to keep your head raised. From now on, the only people you should ever bow to are those you deeply respect or admire. Bowing as a courtesy is also eptable, but, in every other situation, you should carry yourself with the same dignity you showed a few minutes ago...the wives of Oda Nobunaga bow to no one..."


    Since he was fully intent on marrying Yui, Nobu had alreadye to terms with the fact he would have multiple wives. Fortunately, this was remarkablymon, not just in Nian, but throughout the world of Terra. Nobu suspected this was because the world he had found himself in was basically a bastardization of an adult game, but, as there wasn''t anything he could do about it, he decided to just go with the flow. After all, he had basically ruined his reincarnation by wanting to keep his dick. Might as well use the damn thing.


    With that in mind, Nobu stared directly at Nohime. She seemed to be contemting his words, but, upon noticing his gaze, she immediately became more attentive...


    Now that he was looking directly at her, Nobu realized that Nohime, much like the other important women he had encountered since his reincarnation, was a remarkably beautiful woman. They were also husband and wife, so, if he really wanted to, there was nothing preventing Nobu from pushing her down and consummating their marriage. Instead, he pulled out the stone tablet and snapped a pick of the obsidian-eyes beauty to get a better understanding of the woman fate had conspired to have him marry...


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Saito Nohime


    Age: 18


    Gender: Female, H:159.3cm, W: 44.8kg, B: 85.8cm, W: 58.9cm, H: 86.3cm


    Blood Type: A+


    Cultivation: Metal Infusion Technique: Peak Iron Soldier


    Aura Units: 118,399/120,013


    Status: Cautious(+), Spiteful(+), Curious(+), Excited(+), Aroused(+)


    -Cautious: You are an anomaly to her so she isn''t sure how to act. Removal Cost: 83AU


    -Spiteful: She is troubled by the fact you have impregnated other women. Removal Cost: Cannot be removed.


    -Curious: She wants to know more about you. Removal Cost: Cannot be removed.


    -Excited: She is looking forward to the future. Removal Cost: Cannot be removed.


    -Aroused: She wants to have your babies. Current Arousal: 39%. Reduction Cost: 40AU. Removal Cost: Cannot decrease below 25%


    Main Hand: Left


    Preferred Weapon: Needle, Concealed Dagger, Poison


    Strengths: Intelligent, Clever, Excellent Hearing, Femme Fatale, Virgin


    Weaknesses: Clever, Voyeuristic, Has a habit of Eavesdropping, Tuna(+)


    -Tuna: Has very little interest in sexual acts. Removal Cost: 993AU


    Orientation: Oda Nobunaga


    Preferences: Impregnation


    Favorite Foods: Miso Soup, Pork Ramen, Dango


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though Nohime''s Spiteful(+) Status was the first thing Nobu paid attention to, it was her Preferred Weapons that caused him to adopt a serious expression on his face. Her Strengths and Weaknesses also painted a pretty damning picture, but, instead of jumping to conclusions, Nobu surprised her by asking, "You use poisons and carry a concealed dagger...?"


    Not expecting such a question, Nohime was unable to prevent her body from tensing. Her father had taught her to basics of poisoning before sending her to the Oda n, and, due to her limited cultivation base, she had spent a considerable amount of time mastering the basics. She never had the intention of poisoning the members of the Oda n, but, from a subjective point of view, it was a problem simply knowing how...


    Noticing the word Anxious(+) appearing within Nohime''s Status, Nobu promptly clicked the (+) in an effort to ascertain what she was thinking. Fortunately for her, the information provided by the stone tablet was scarily omniscient at times. It didn''t exin her every thought but the information provided within was more than enough to exonerate her in the eyes of Nobu.


    "Rx. So long as you don''t go around poisoning people out of spite, I don''t really care how much knowledge you have regarding poisons. Just keep in mind that I can always uncover the truth if you get any funny ideas..."


    Exhaling an almost inaudible sigh, Nohime visibly rxed when she realized Nobu wasn''t going to expose her. If others knew about her affinity with poisons, they would never trust her. If he wanted to, Nobu could even use it as a justification to annul their marriage without having to return any of thends her father had gifted as a dowry. It was the ultimate ckmail material, yet, as if he didn''t care in the slightest, Nobu actually attempted to ay her concerns rather than leveraging the truth against her...


    Offering the first sincere smile Nobu had seen on her face, Nohime stated, "Rest assured. The only reason I studied poisons was due to my limited cultivation base. It was an effort to safeguard myself against those who might use my powerlessness against me. I have never, not even once, considered using my knowledge against a member of the Oda n."


    While this wasn''t theplete truth, Nohime wasn''t truly lying. The thought had crossed her mind a number of times, but, understanding she would never get away with it, she had never thought to put her wayward fantasies to practice. Most of her efforts had gone toward gathering resources and strengthening her position in the eyes of Nana and Senken. The only vial of poison she carried with her was the same variety that every female Noble of Nian carried. It was intended to help them take their life if they were ever overrun or at risk of being captured. After all, there were things far worse oues than a swift and painless death...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she was considerably less vtile than Nobu, Yui had started to feel increasingly agitated by their long separation. She was supposed to be his guardian, yet, for the past twenty or so hours, she had seen neither hide nor hair of the person she was supposed to protect...


    Noticing Yui''s frustration, a knowing smile developed across Nana''s face as she gently rocked the sleeping Nobuhime in her arms. She could recall how she felt in simr circumstances, so, after a moment of consideration, she adopted a motherly tone and said, "It''s going to be okay, Yui-chan. You trust in Nobu-chan, don''t you...?"


    Hearing Nana''s words, an exasperated parted Yui''s lips as she suppressed her growing irritability and answered, "Indeed. Nobuna...Nobu has proven himself to be someone worthy of my respect and trust. If it''s him, I''m certain everything will work out..."


    Adopting a teasing smile, Nana mused, "Respect and trust are important, but, if those were the only things you felt, you wouldn''t this frustrated, would you~?"


    Understanding what Nana was trying to say, a faint blush spread across Yui''s face as she promptly averted her eyes. This was the worst thing about the present situation, as, despite being known for her airheadedness, Nana was surprisingly sharp when it came to matters rted to love...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: That went a hell of a lot better than expected...'')

 Chapter 129: Promise: Resolution

    Chapter 129: Promise: Resolution


    With Nobu demonstrating his ability to gather information pertaining to her deepest secrets, Nohime decided she may as well be direct, asking, "How did Danna learn about my knowledge rted to poisons? Does it have something to do with your Heavenly Treasure?"


    Since this conversation immediately followed the one he had with his father and grandfather, Nobu wasn''t surprised by the fact Nohime already knew about his Heavenly Treasure. After all, one of the central topics of their discussion had been elevating her to the status of a Mithril Lord. The only way to achieve this was by adding her as a friend, so, after a momentary pause, he nodded his head and answered, Yeah...about that..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    After exining the basics he had gone over half a dozen times in thest two days, Nobu waited for Nohime to process everything he had said before asking, "How would you feel abouting to live with me on the mountain? You''ll be able to improve much faster under the supervision of the Elders. Hell, you can even learn more about poisons."


    Had he asked her the same question earlier in the day, Nohime might have been offended by Nobu''s words. Kunoichis were looked down upon, despised, and, most importantly, universally feared across the Nianese Archipgo. The notion of living among them as if they were normal people waspletely asinine, but, without having to consider her response, Nohime promptly replied, "Danna is my husband. Unless you order me to stay behind, our paths are one and the same. Wherever you go, I shall follow."


    "Right..."


    Scratching the back of his head, Nobu resisted the urge to tell Nohime to cut it out with the overly polite, almost poetic speech. He would rather she just speak normally, but, understanding there was a very real chance this ''was'' her norm, he elected to change the subject, saying, "In the next three or four days, I''ll be able to add you to my Friends List. That''ll provide you with a limited version of my Heavenly Treasure. After that, we''ll be able to bump you up to the pinnacle of Silver before waiting a month or two to boost you to the peak of Gold. The end goal is to get you to the Realm of Mithril Lord before you apany me to Owari-Asai in the South. Understood...?"


    Though they had just finished discussing the basics of Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure, Nohime''s body tensed when she heard the timeline he hadid out. His words indicated that she would be able to achieve the pinnacle of Gold in less than three months. If she were to tell someone unfamiliar with his Heavenly Treasure that it was possible to go from the pinnacle of Iron to Gold in three months, they would have looked at her like she was crazy. After all, it was a literal 100x increase to the base she had spent thest ten years cultivating...


    Unable to contain herself, a rare smile developed across Nohime''s face as her body trembled from excitement. When she finally responded to Nobu''s question, her usually emotionless voice carried the undertones of thinly veiled emotions as she eagerly answered, "Understood...!"


    Not expecting Nohime to suddenly stare at him as if he was a piece of freshly grilled meat, a wry smile developed across Nobu''s face as he awkwardly looked around the room. Now that they had discussed themselves and their future ns, he really didn''t know what else to say. He wanted to go and search for Yui, but, if he interrupted their conversation to go and look for another woman, he was pretty sure Nohime would revert to the cold and calcting beauty she initially presented herself as.


    ("Damn...this is why I didn''t two-time back in my previous world. Handling more than one woman at a time is a fucking nightmare...")


    Noticing Nobu''s difort, Nohime''s smile gradually faded as she quickly deduced what he must be thinking about. Fortunately, the preceding conversation had left her in too good a mood to have it ruined by the reality of her situation. She had also been made aware of the fact that Nobu didn''t even know they were married until earlier in the day. Thus, rather than ming Nobu, she ced all the me on the women who had seduced him.


    Understanding that the best way to get back at the other girls was to make Nobu love and rely on her more than them, a calcting glimmer shed across Nohime''s eyes as she maintained a faint smile and proposed, "If it pleases Danna, might I suggest we return? I believe Lady Suzuki has been anticipating your arrival. When Ist spoke with her, that woman from the Yoshitsune n was also present. The four of us can share a meal together before discussing the finer details of our stay with the Yoshitsune n..."


    Not expecting Nohime to be the one to suggest they wrap things up, Nobu stared directly at the raven-haired woman as if trying to see through her. She managed to appear calm and poised on the surface, but, if anything, that only made him even more suspicious.


    "You hate Yui, don''t you...?"


    Tensing imperceptibly, the smile on Nohime''s face briefly froze before she invariably nodded her head and answered, "Indeed. It may be selfish of me, but, after arriving in the Oda n nearly ten years ago, I have always carried myself with the dignity expected of a future Daimyo''s wife. I have no intention of intervening in your rtionships with other women. However, even if you ask it of me, I cannot pretend I''m okay with what they''ve done. My pride has been irreversibly tarnished by those two interlopers. There maye a time when I''m able toe to terms with what they''ve done but I cannot imagine when or under what circumstances I might forgive them..."


    Havinge to the conclusion that it was best to be honest and straightforward when conversing with Nobu, Nohimeid everything out as clearly and concisely as possible.


    Surprised by the unadulterated frankness of Nohime''s response, Nobu found himself at a loss for words. There was even a bit of guilt building in the back of his mind, but,pared to the guilt he had been feeling after learning the circumstances of the Yoshitsune n, it was pretty small. After all, he hadn''t even known Nohime existed prior to this morning, and,pared to the experience others had been forced to endure, spending a decade in avish castle wasn''t particrly difficult.


    Resisting the urge to argue in Yui''s favor, Nobu decided to shelve the issue until Nohime had the opportunity to witness the lifestyle of a Kunoichi directly. It was nearly impossible to change the mind of another person withoutpelling evidence. Nohime''s behavior made it pretty clear she viewed Kunoichi in a simr manner as the rest of Nian. This made her a bit of a bigot, and, if there was anything Nobu''s previous life had taught him, the only thing that could change the mind of a bigot is themselves. He should know. He was quite the bigot himself...


    Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu surprised Nohime quite a bit by patting hisp and saying, "Come over and take a seat."


    Opening her mouth, Nohime wanted to say something, but, no matter how fast the gears of her mind turned, Nobu''s words hadpletely derailed her train of thought. Intimacy, even in private, wasn''t particrlymon among the Nianese people. In the regions surrounding temples, it was even frowned upon, so, for several seconds, Nohime found herself unable to speak, much less act.


    Rolling his eyes, Nobu added, "I''m not going to do anything. Besides, we''re husband and wife. My way of doing things is alsopletely different from the way normal Nianese people do things. If you''re serious about walking the same path as me, you''ll need to get used to things like this. I don''t mean to sound like a maniptive asshole but there are at least a dozen or so women who would happily sit in myp. Yui included..."


    Since Nohime decided to be open and honest with him, Nobu figured he ought to do the same. He had no interest in changing at the present moment, and, if his suspicions about the world basically be an adult game were urate, there was a very high probability he would be sleeping with other women in the near and distant future. If Nohime became withdrawn and resentful as a result of his rtionships with other women, their rtionship would quickly be a powder keg...


    Imagining Yui sitting in Nobu''sp and being intimate with him, a look of disgust briefly shed across Nohime''s face. In spite of this, she rose to her feet before approaching Nobu and taking a seat in hisp. Her restrictive kimono made this both awkward and ufortable, but, just as she was thinking of adjusting her position, Nohime''s body tensed as Nobu wrapped his arms around her as support.


    Though it was a bit scummy of him, one of the techniques Nobu had picked up in his previous life was talking to pouty and distant women when they were trapped in his embrace. It was surprisingly difficult to remain upset when someone held you tenderly and whispered sweet nothings into your ear, so, after waiting for Nohime''s to settle down, he adopted aforting tone and said, "I''m not going to lie or try to convince you I''m a good person. I''m a greedy and selfish person at heart. Hell, I''m literally nning to take over so I can unfuck a few of the things I hate about Nianese society..."


    Grasping one of Nohime''s hands, Nobu used his other hand to draw her closer as he added, "I can''t be the husband you want me to be. Things might have been different if we met as children but that ship sailed long ago. Now, the only thing I can do is make all of your other hopes and dreamse true. You''re free to hate, resent, and even loathe me. Just don''t take it out on the others. I''m literally willing to shed blood, sweat, and tears for you. However, if you harm the people I care about, don''t expect any mercy..."


    Feeling Nohime tense within his arms, Nobu added to her confusion by nting a kiss atop her head and hugging her as tenderly as he could manage. Then, for the better part of ten minutes, they just stayed like that until the tensions in her body slowly faded away. Near the end, she even rested her head against his chest, so, seizing the opportunity, Nobu said the words he had been holding back since the start, "I''m sorry I wasn''t here for you when you needed me most...I let you down. I let all of you down. Now, even if you despise me, I''m willing to spend the rest of my life paying for that mistake...of that, you can be certain..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was in the middle of his confessional, a certain golden-haired Goddess was keeping a close eye on his exploits. This was none other than Imina, and, if any of the other Gods caught her doing such a thing, they wouldn''t even be able to put their shock into words. After all, she was one of the most notorious Gods in regards to her disinterest in the mundane lives of humans. It was one of the main reasons the God of the Path had ced her in charge. They believed she would be able to perform her duties with an objective mentality, and, for the better part of three-hundred-million years, Imina had done exactly that.


    Unfortunately, thanks to the carelessness of a few Gods, Imina''s job had gotten significantly more difficult. A few of the more powerful members of the Godly Pantheon had decided to ''spice things up'' by granting power to a few promising mortals. This quickly became a trend in the Divine Realm, and, as a result of the rampant increase in people wishing to be reincarnated into different worlds, Imina''s workload had increased by several orders of magnitude. To make matters even worse, there were even a number of delusional individuals who thought they could im her as their prize prior to reincarnating.


    After a while, Imina simply got tired of dealing with the people appearing at her desk, so, rather than handle everything herself, she petitioned the God of the Path to create a system to expedite the process. This made her job a lot easier, as, rather than listening to the demands of increasingly arrogant fools, she simply needed to look over their file and check off a few boxes while the system handled the rest. This led to a marked increase in the number ofints made against her, but, as most of these came from idiots who attempted to usurp the Gods using the various ''cheats'' they had received, she was never chastised for her behavior.


    Until recently...


    Shortly after sending Nobu on his way, Imina received a personal visit from the God of the Path, her father. He had noticed her mistake even as she was making it, but, instead of stepping in to prevent it, he allowed Nobu''s reincarnation to be processed in the hopes of teaching her a lesson. Now, she had to make sure things worked out for him without directly interfering with his life. This was easier said than done as her father had only given her permission to use her Divine Power three times.


    Under normal circumstances, Imina wouldn''t be concerned with making a simple mistake. The life of a single human, at least from the perspective of most Gods, was utterly meaningless. Their only purpose was to serve as a point of reference for events that transpired in much higher nes. Her father was also the biggest softie in all of creation, so, even if her actions resulted in the destruction of entire metaversal constructs, Imina knew he wouldn''t be too angry with her.


    What Imina had never expected was for her father to disbar her from receiving his affection until she had remedied her mistake. Nobu''s life might bepletely meaningless as a human, but, with the passage of time, the Soul within his body would eventually mature into a God. The experiences it umted across its reincarnations would affect their penultimate nature and temperament, so, taking advantage of the fact he existed at all points in time, the God of the Path showed Imina what Nobu would eventually be. To make matters even worse, he showed her the fate that awaited her if she continued down her current path of indifference...


    Though the prophecy frightened her, it was the threat of having their routine father-daughter time cut short thatpelled Imina to ''fix'' Nobu''s life. After all, her father would never allow anything bad to happen to her, so, even if Nobu''s Soul eventually matured into a God of Vengeance, there was nothing he could do against the God of the Path. Thus, rather than fret over a future that was constantly changing, Imina focused on fixing Nobu''s life so she could receive headpats from her Papa...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Is this a motherf**king Jo-I mean, EPIC reference...!? Also, this chapter is a long boi.)

 Chapter 130: Awkward Tensions

    Chapter 130: Awkward Tensions


    After sitting with Nohime a while longer, Nobu was beginning to feel a little bored. He didn''t mind sitting in silence but it wasn''t exactly his preferred way of spending time. Thus, after a good twenty minutes, he said, "We should get going. I''m fucking starving."


    Hearing Nobu''s words, Nohime slowly opened her eyes before removing her head from his chest. For a moment, her expression appeared notably listless, but, by the time she looked up, the cid sheen across her eyes had given way for a far more focused look as she asked, "You''re in a hurry to see that woman, aren''t you?"


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to say something before Nohime beat him to the punch, adding, "Very well. I suppose I can''t put it off forever. Just promise me we''ll have more moments like this in the future. It was...pleasant..."


    Not expecting Nohime to say something that many would consider cute, Nobu''s brows inverted as he answered, "Uh...sure? I mean, I don''t really mind. We''ll have plenty of time for things like this in the future..."


    Nodding her head in understanding, Nohime rose from Nobu''sp before ironing out the creases of her kimono using her hands. When she was finished, she turned around before pausing when she noticed Nobu''s eyes rise from her backside to meet her gaze...


    Scratching the back of his head, Nobu rose to his feet before shamelessly stating, "I was checking to see if there were any wrinkles..."


    With a gaze that seemed like it could pierce through anything, Nohime stared at Nobu without so much as a single change in expression as she said, "I see..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    With Nohime to guide the way, it only took a few minutes for Nobu to reach the lounge-like room where his mothers and fiancee were staying. His entrance caught the attention of all three girls, but, before anyone capable of speech could say anything, Nobuhime cried out in excited baby noises as she iled her tiny baby hands in his general direction.


    Giggling in response to her daughter''s antics, Nana carried Nobuhime over to Nobu. Then, despite the obvious protest in thetter''s eyes, she proferred forth the excited infant, teasing, "Don''t make a fuss. This is practice for when you have children of your own. Hime-chan also seems rather fond of you. You don''t want to make her cry, do you?"


    ying off her mother''s words, Nobuhime earned a deadpan stare from Nobu by gathering tears in her eyes and making restrained, sobbing noises. This earned him a sharp look from Nana, who, not taking no for an answer, practically forced Nobuhime into his arms.


    ("Really, mom? You''re gonna do me dirty like this...?")


    As if she could read his mind, Nobuhime giggled in response to the dull expression on Nobu''s face. If she could talk, she would tell him this was revenge for all the times he pooped, peed, and puked on her as an infant. Instead, she adopted the kind of infectious smile only a baby could manage as she stared up at him and intoned a cutesy, "Awaa~"


    Sighing helplessly, Nobu surprised everyone present by cradling Nobuhime in apletely natural manner. Most people, especially men, would tense up when holding an infant for the first time. The fear of dropping them was deeply ingrained into the male psyche, so, seeing how effortlessly Nobu tucked Nobuhime into his arm, Nana couldn''t help pressing the tips of her fingers together as she happily, "My baby is going to be a great father..."


    Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Nobu gently bounced Nobuhime in his left arm as he passed his gaze between Nana and Yui, asking, "Have the two of you already eaten...?"


    Though she couldn''t take her eyes away from the smiling face of her daughter, Nana managed to shake her head in response to Nobu''s words, answering, "No. We decided to wait for you and No-chan to return..."


    As if remembering something important, Nana''s brows briefly perked up as she shifted her gaze to Nohime''s face. When she saw the rxed expression on her daughter-inw''s face, a wave of relief washed over Nana''s mind. She wasn''t quite sure how things would turn out, so, seeing them stand near each other as if it waspletely natural, Nana concluded things had gone well.


    Understanding Nana''s thoughts, Nohime ceased staring at Yui long enough to offer a polite nod and the briefest hint of a smile. This caused Nana''s countenance to be even more radiant than usual as she pped her hands as an expression of merriment that also conveniently summoned a handful of servants. They had already been waiting with appetizers, so, while the chefs worked on a multi-course meal in the kitchen, Nana had Nohime and Yui nk Nobu before forcing thetter to recount everything that had transpired since their separation the previous day. It didn''t matter that she had already been made aware of everything. She simply enjoyed observing the three, make that four of them, sitting together...


    ...


    ..


    .


    After a much longer than anticipated dinner, Nobu found himself in yet another precarious position as his mother had insisted that he, Yui, and Nohime share the same bedroom. As a result, he found himself in the unenviable position of having to y mediator for two girls who clearly didn''t enjoy being in the same room together.


    Yui wasn''t much of an issue due to her temperament, but, as Nohime had made clear during their conversation, she resented both Yui and Inami for ''seducing'' him. She didn''t go out of her way to say anything overtly antagonistic but Nobu could tell by the tensions in the room she would rather strangle Yui than share a bed with her.


    "Listen...I get where you''reing from..."


    Shaking her head before Nobu could finish, Nohime''s expression appeared calm and stoic as she stated, "It''s fine. I have already prepared my heart. If this is what Danna desires...I will not oppose it..."


    As if to reinforce her statement, Nohime reached for the fastening cord of her obi only to hesitate the moment her fingers made contact with the banded white cord. It was only for a brief moment but it was more than enough for Nobu to react, saying, "Hey, hey, hey. Calm the fuck down. Don''t get me wrong, I''m more than happy to apany you. You''ve got an amazing body, and, truth be told, I can''t wait to get my hands on it. That doesn''t mean I want you to force yourself..."


    Pulling Nohime''s hand away from the cord of her obi, Nobu was thinking of what he should say to try and ease tensions when the deadpan woman tly replied, "I wasn''t disrobing with the intention of consummating our marriage. I need to change into my evening wear...a fastened kimono makes poor sleepwear..."


    Blinking in surprise, Nobu released Nohime''s hand, mumbling, "But...the way you were acting..."


    Raising her brows ever so slightly, a faint smile developed across Nohime''s face as she exined, "I have never disrobed in front of a man before. Is it wrong to feel a little nervous...?"


    Taking advantage of Nobu''s stunned silence, Nohime deftly released the fastener of her obi, her expression calm and stoic even as her heart thumped furiously in her chest.


    If she were beingpletely truthful, Nohime wasn''t particrly concerned with being seen naked. The thing that most worried her most was how Nobu might react. She had worked hard to maintain her figure, but, due to her limited cultivation resources, she appeared a bit older than she otherwise would have. She even felt that Nana looked a fair bit younger than she did so it meant quite a lot to hear Nobument on how ''amazing'' her body was...


    What Nohime didn''t know was that Nobu actually had a thing for older women. Even if she looked markedly older than she currently did, he wouldn''t mind in the slightest. Rather, with an 85cm bust and 86cm bottom, Nohime was remarkably curvaceous for a woman who barely crested 159cm...


    Emphasizing this, Nohime allowed the two halves of her pitch-ck kimono to fall away from her body in apletely natural way. The fact she waspletely naked underneath the velvety fabric didn''te as a surprise. What drew Nobu''s eyes were her visibly hardened nipples, the soft lines outlining her abdominal muscles, and the neatly trimmed ck pubes drawing attention to whaty beneath.


    "Holy shit..."


    Though it wasn''t what she was expecting to hear, the edges of Nohime''s smile curved upward ever so slightly as she sent a sidelong, triumphant nce towards Yui. Unfortunately, thetter, as if she wasn''t bothered by her presence in the slightest, was currently in the process of brushing her hair in preparation for bed...


    Noticing the shift in Nohime''s gaze, Nobu tilted his head as if to obscure her vision. This drew her eyes back to him, and, for a brief moment, he got to see her fluster internally as her eyes widened in shock. Before she could even think to apologize, however, he snaked his hands into her kimono, his actionspletely natural as he drew her closer and said, "I changed my mind..."


    Opening her mouth, Nohime was about to ask what he was talking about when Nobu suddenly bent down to seize her lips. This caused her eyes to turn round as saucers, not because she was concerned about the sudden kiss, but because she had yet to scrub her teeth. She was afraid her breath might stink, but, as if he didn''t care in the slightest, Nobu''s hands sank into her bottom as he picked her up and forced her to stand on the very tips of her toes.


    Having never kissed before, Nohime was at an extreme disadvantage against someone like Nobu. He might not be particrly talented, a point Inami had made on numerous assion, but he more than made up for hisck of skill with tenacity. By the time he extricated his tongue from Nohime''s mouth, the usually stoic maiden had a ruddyplexion as she looked up at him with smoldering ck eyes...


    Seeing the desire contained in the depths of Nohime''s eyes, Nobu couldn''t help cracking a wolfish smile. He had cheated by investing a bit of Aura into removing the Tuna status noted amongst her Weaknesses. A part of him had been tempted to see if he could remove it through persistent effort, but, feeling it was one of the things that made her behave coldly, Nobu had only hesitated a brief moment before removing itpletely. Now, Nohime gave off a remarkably simr impression to the many aggrieved housewives Nobu had encountered in the past. It was a little awkward knowing he was the reason for her deeply suppressed sexuality, but, confident he could more than make up for lost time, Nobu began peppering Nohime''s neck with kisses as his fingers roughly kneaded the soft and surprisinglyrge mounds of flesh decorating her backside...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though she wasn''t particrly surprised by Nobu''s behavior, Yui couldn''t help raising a brow as she observed Nohime squirming and gasping in response to his affection. She had previouslye to the conclusion that Nohime was a textbook example of an arrogant and frigid female Noble. Now, however, she was exuding the aura of an impassioned young kunoichi eager to explore the limits of their sexuality...


    Correctly assuming Nobu had done something to cause the change in Nohime''s behavior, a wry smile developed across Yui''s face as she shifted frombing her hair to fastening it into a loose ponytail. The downside to having inordinately long hair was that it constantly got in her way. This was especially true during sex, so, expecting Nobu to attempt to bring her and Nohime together through intercourse, Yui took the necessary steps to make sure it wouldn''t get in the way. There were few things more annoying than having someone inadvertently step on her hair in the middle of changing positions. With Nohime joining in, Yui was anticipating that a considerable number of ''idents'' would happen...


    ...


    ..


    .


    She wasn''t wrong.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I need someone as understanding as Yui in my life...)

 Chapter 131: Quick Update

Chapter 131: Quick Update


    My leg has been acting up and I have no motivation to write a sex chapter so the novel is on hold until the Tuesday block. I''ll try to do a double or triple release when I''m feeling better.

 Chapter 131: Development

    Chapter 131: Development


    With more than a decade to ponder it, Nohime had a lot of expectations regarding the loss of her virginity.


    Had she been looking forward to it?


    Nohime wasn''t quite sure herself.


    All Nohime knew for certain was that she had never, not even once, anticipated that things would start off with Nobu supporting her waist, her legs dangling over his shoulders as his tongue worked in and around ces even her fingers dared not tread.


    "Ahh...no...you...you shouldn''t...don''t lick that ce~!?"


    Despite her protests, Nohime was unable to deter Nobu from his incessant assault on her most sacred garden. All she could do wasy back with her arms above her head, brows furrowed, and chest heaving up and down as he ceaselessly searched for her weak spots.


    ("What is this? I don''t recall being this sensitive?")


    Biting the knuckle of her right index finger, this was the thought at the forefront of Nohime''s mind. Unfortunately, it was obscured by a mixture of pleasure, a small amount of pain, and a tremendous amount of confusion. Nobu had been shattering her expectations from the moment they met, and, as this most recent incident had proven, he wasn''t going to be letting up any time soon...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Though he had be much stronger, so much so that he could probably run circles around his previous life''s self, Nobu''s back and lower jaw were beginning to strain after about twenty minutes of supporting Nohime''s body. He could have gone longer if she wasn''t moving about so much, but, despite his attempts to keep her still, she was floundering about like a freshly caught fish.


    Suppressing his growing frustration, Nobu circled his hands around Nohime''s thighs before guiding her lower back to rest against the futon. Then, using the towel Yui had graciously offered him, he wiped away the excess fluid from his face and chest before saying, "You''re about ready. Spread your legs and raise your hips."


    With her mind wandering far from the events transpiring in the room, Nohime didn''t immediately respond to Nobu''s words. She had experienced her first, second, and third climaxes mere minutes apart from each other. Since Nobu had also elevated her hips, blood had rushed to her head, and, as a result, she currently felt as though she was flying above her body rather than upying it...


    "Seriously...?"


    Though it wasn''t his first time observing someone in after-coitus bliss, Nobu couldn''t help feeling taken aback as they hadn''t even gotten started. His was currently diamond-dicking, so, if Nohime didn''te to her senses soon, she was bound to experience a very rude awakening...


    "Your skills have improved tremendously over the past two-and-a-half months. You still have a long way to go but it''s no surprise that an inexperienced maiden would react this way after experiencing how...persistent you can be..."


    Recalling her own experiences, a faint blush crept up Yui''s neck before spreading through her face. If she were beingpletely honest, Nobu had drastically exceeded her expectations in regards to his prowess in the bedroom. He had improved by leaps and bounds in a remarkably short period of time. A lot of this could be attributed to Inami, but, more than that, it was the subtle changes in his mentality that made the biggest difference.


    When Nobu first started his phndering, he was a very selfish lover. Not as selfish as the average Nianese man, but selfish nheless. His priority had always been his own self-gratification. If he hadn''t taken pride in his ability to make his partner climax, he wouldn''t have bothered to even try.


    Compared to his past self, the current Nobu was significantly less ''eager'' to have sex. When he did, however, he focused more on his partners rather than himself. There were even moments when he was extremely tender with the women he was making love to, so much so that they had needed to adjust the schedule just to give the girls time to dpress and refocus their minds...


    Feeling motivated after receiving Yui''s praise, the bulk of Nobu''s growing frustration simply ceased to exist. He was a little irritated by her mention of the fact he still had a long way to go but that just made him want to try harder.


    With that thought in mind, Nobu repositioned so that he was straddling one of Nohime''s toned and muscr thighs before twisting her hips until she was half-turned onto her side. Then, after pinning her second leg beneath his elbow, he gave her bottom a few light smacks until she slowly came back to her senses. (A/N: This is known as the Pretzel Dip position. Give it a try. It''s very, very effective~!)


    "Danna...sama...?"


    Without giving her the time to retract her consent or second-guess her position, Nobu adopted a serious expression as he said, "I''m putting it in..."


    Opening her mouth, Nohime was about to say something when a mix of pain and pleasure ran up and down her spine like a bolt of lightning. This left her feeling confused and somewhat ashamed, as, ording to the knowledge she had received as part of her bridal training, losing one''s virginity was supposed to be a painful and bloody affair. It wasn''t supposed to start feeling good until much, muchter...


    "I don''t-"


    Before Nohime could express her concerns, her words were lost to the abyss due to Nobu''s issuing a contented grunt and muttering, "Damn...your body isn''t the only thing that''s toned. Your insides feel amazing..."


    Though she briefly felt even more ashamed, Nohime couldn''t help feeling a strange sense of pride when she heard Nobu''s impassioned remark. At the same time, the faint yet visible muscles of her abdomen tensed, and, as a result, her insides mped around Nobu''s shaft like a vice.


    "Holy shit, women. You trying to milk me or what...?"


    Having used this position numerous times in the past, Nobu habitually smacked Nohime''s bubbly and toned ass cheek with his right hand. This caused her to issue a suppressed yelp, but, instead ofining about his ''violent'' and ''barbaric'' actions, Nohime''s heart began beating even faster at the notion that she kind of enjoyed it...


    Since Nohime was tight to the point he could barely fit more than half his dick inside of her, Nobu stopped pressing down her leg and instead raised it to his shoulder. This allowed him to assess the situation a little better, so, after seeing a very thin line of blood flowing from Nohime''s vagina, he began to grind against her thigh while making slow yet steady headway towards her depths.


    As if she were trying to escape him, Nohime took advantage of the fact she was half-turned to fullyy on her side. At the same time, she clutched the nkets atop the futon with such intensity that a few of her long, neatly trimmed nails ended up snapping near the tips. In any other situation, this would have made Nohime extremely upset. With Nobu pressuring her insides and pleasure unlike anything she had ever experienced pressuring her mind, she could barely even breathe, much less protest.


    Giving Nohime''s bottom another light smack, Nobu''s tone became stern as he said, "Stop trying to restrain your voice. We''re husband and wife from now on. If you can''t show your emotions in front of me, who can you show them to? Let it out before you pass out."


    In an effort to force the matter, Nobu pulled back a bit before giving Nohime a few hard and steady thrusts. This caused her a marginal amount of pain and difort but it also seeded in eliciting a few suppressed squeaks from her throat. This was even more embarrassing than normal moaning, so, after failing to suppress her voice even with the aid of her left hand, Nohime exhaled the breath she had been holding before gasping and moaning in tune with Nobu''s movements.


    "That''s what I''m talking about...!"


    Feeling more motivated now that Nohime was beginning to respond properly, Nobu decided to employ one of the techniques he had picked up on the mountain. He buried himself as deep as possible into Nohime''s insides before turning her leg so that it was facing the same direction as her body. Then, pressing down on her knee, he managed to make the inside of her vagina even tighter as he began to grind against one of her more sensitive spots.


    "No...Nobunaga-sama!?"


    Startled by the sudden increase in pleasure, Nohime ended up crying out to Nobu as if he were her Lord rather than her husband. A wolfish grin immediately developed across his face as he gave her bottom a much harder smack, saying, "That''s right, bi-"


    Catching himself before he inadvertently called his own wife a bitch, Nobu smoothly recovered by adopting a less severe expression, leaning forward as he whispered, "Say my name..."


    Though she was a little confused, Nohime was too far gone to question anything. As a result, she ended up staring into Nobu''s eyes for several seconds before whispering, "Nobunaga-sama..." in a heated tone. This earned her an approving nod, so, after a few seconds had passed, Nohime tensed up as she repeated, "No...Nobunaga-sama..." in an even more impassioned tone.


    As there were few things more exhrating than hearing a beautiful woman state your name during sex, a fierce yet intoxicated smile developed across Nobu''s face. For a brief moment, he was seized by the notion he had somehow conquered the cold and apathetic beauty from a few hours ago. He knew this wasn''t the case, but, seeing Nohime writhe in response to his ministrations, it was hard to suppress the feeling of conquest.


    Fortunately, Nobu had matured in a number of ways since his arrival in Terra. Thus, after blowing his load against Nohime''s insides, eliciting another, far louder recital of his name, he quickly descended from his momentary high. His post-nut rity allowed him to feel a strange form of guilt toward the woman gasping for air beneath him, so, as his remnant seed drained from his urethra, Nobu ended up turning to Yui...


    Blinking in surprise, Yui''s mind raced to try andprehend why her Lord was looking her way. If he wanted to have sex, he would have removed his penis from Nohime''s body. Instead, the look he gave her was almost like he was asking for permission.


    Suppressing the panic she was feeling as a result of her Grandmother''s words repeating in the back of her mind, Yui trusted her instincts and nodded her head. This seemed to be the correct decision as a relieved smile immediately developed across Nobu''s face. Then, before she could make sense of the situation, Nobu bent down to nt a kiss on the befuddled Nohime''s lips. Shortly after that, he began gently shifting his hips, his penis slowly sinking in and out of her body as he supported himself, rather considerately, using his hands...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: This chapter was a bit shorter than normal but I didn''t really feel like extending things any further. I just wanted to get my point across and demonstrate a bit of Nobu''s mental and emotional growth. I can''t say for certain if this chapter aplished that but that was my intention xD...)

 Chapter 132: Standing Upon the Precipice of Change

    Chapter 132: Standing Upon the Precipice of Change


    Though he had effectively exhausted himself during the second, markedly more tender session of lovemaking, Nobu gave Nohime a few minutes to recover before rolling onto his back, exhaling a sigh, and asking, "How was it? You okay...?"


    With a somewhat dull yet impassioned look on her face, Nohime rolled towards Nobu, her handing to rest on his chest as she replied, "It was...better than expected..." before following it up with a soft, "I''ll be fine after a bit of rest..."


    Meeting the raven-haired woman''s gaze, Nobu nodded his head in affirmation before surprising her as he said, "For this next part, you should pay close attention. I do what I can to make sure my women get off but you''ll need to learn how to give as good as you get. I can''t do everything on my own..."


    Hearing Nobu''s words, Nohime was momentarily confused. It was only when she noticed Yui out of the corner of her eye that she both remembered the woman''s presence and understood what Nobu was trying to say.


    "Pardon me..."


    After positioning herself so that she was straddling Nobu''s left leg, Yui made her sure hair wasn''t in the way before bending down to take his half-erect penis into her mouth. She didn''t even bother to clean it, so, along with a growing sense of hostility, Nohime couldn''t help feeling disgusted as she witnessed Yui taking Nobu''s penis to the base without hesitation.


    Ignoring Nohime''s gaze, Yui skillfully kneaded Nobu''s ns with the back of her tongue before slowly pulling her head back as his penis swelled within her mouth. When he was fully erect, she lowered her head a second time, this time allowing his penis to enter her throat as she closed her mouth around his shaft to create a tremendous amount of suction using her mouth and tongue...


    Clenching his teeth, Nobu''s lower back and hips trembled as a jolt of pleasure ran up his back. He hadn''t expected Yui to go all out from the very beginning. The tip of his dick was also sensitive after two rounds of sex so his lower voice quivered as he muttered, "Holy shit..."


    Seeing the look of ecstasy on Nobu''s face, Nohime''s hostility quickly turned to resentment as she shifted her gaze to Yui. The tenderness Nobu had shown during their second round of lovemaking had given her the impression that Nobu had been captivated by her body. Now, she realized he was just being considerate. Compared to Yui, her skills weren''t simplycking, they were nonexistent...


    Just as a pouty expression marred Nohime''s face, a startled yelp emanated from her throat when Nobu spontaneously gave her nipple a pinch. She had beenying next to him with his arm partly pinned beneath her body. As a result, Nobu was able to pull her even closer to him, his hand and arm embracing her before grasping her right breast.


    With his other hand tapping Yui''s head like a fighter on the ropes, Nobu was given clemency long enough to say, "I''m not going to tell you to stop being jealous but you need to cut it out with the whole envy thing. This isn''t apetition. If it was, what makes you think you couldpete with someone who has spent half their life training? Instead of resenting someone else for an ability you never even tried to master, focus on learning..."


    Though he felt like an irredeemable asshole for saying such a thing in the present situation, Nobu knew the only way to get Nohime to change was to call her out whenever she exhibited her hatred and resentment for others. She mighte to resent him in the long run, but, if he just ignored her behavior outright, it wouldn''t be long before she was either trying to boss Yui around or bar people like Onihime from sharing his bed...


    Demonstrating her bias to the fullest, Nohime briefly directed a look of resentment towards Yui rather than Nobu. It faded away almost instantly, but, for that very brief moment, even Nobu could feel the woman''s bloodlust. It was the kind of feeling he got when handling a venomous snake back in his previous world, so, while the odds of Nohime actually poisoning someone were slim, he made a mental note to check the statuses of his entourage at least four times a day...


    "I understand...if that is Danna-sama''s request, I will abide..."


    Hearing the frigid chill in Nohime''s tone, an exasperated sigh escaped Nobu''s throat. He was half-tempted to tell her off, but, understanding it was impossible to change people over the course of a few hours, he decided to just drop it. Instead, he gently caressed the top of Yui''s head, his fingersbing through her silky-ck strands of hair as a sign to continue where she left off...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Without something like Dragon''s Vigor to magically enhance his libido, Nobu could only shoot an average of 2-3 times before he waspletely spent. With Yui at the helm, however, he managed to pump out a fourth shot before firing a nk when she was demonstrating how to ride him side-saddle. After that, he shared his chest with the two raven-haired women, forcing them to face one another at the cost of feeling in both arms...


    Fortunately, while it was pretty obvious Yui wasn''t fond of Nohime, the enmity between them waspletely one-sided. It would take Nohime trying to kill Nobu for Yui to truly resent her. Thus, for the most part, she wasn''t all that bothered by Nohime''s behavior. If anything, she empathized with what the woman was going through as it was perfectly natural for someone in her position to be at least a little upset.


    In nearly every other situation, Yui and Inami would have been sentenced to death the moment it was discovered they were pregnant with Nobu''s children. On the off chance they were spared, they would have been forced to shave their head and be monks. As for their children? They would be adopted into one of the branch families or sent away to serve one of the vassal houses without ever learning of their identity.


    Though she would have disagreed with this sentiment half a year ago, Yui was well aware of how fortunate she was to be chosen as the leader of Nobu''s entourage. His absence had made her life a living hell, but, now that they were together, everything Nobu did ended up improving her situation and strengthening his position as a central figure in both the Yoshitsune and Oda ns.


    If she were beingpletely honest, Yui was unable to wrap her head around Nobu''s ability to win the hearts and minds of others despite his brash and confrontational nature. His Heavenly Treasure was unbelievably powerful but that didn''t really exin why people trusted him.


    The conclusion Yui hade to, time and again, was that her Grandmother and Lord Senken were conspiring together in preparation for war. It was the only conclusion that fully exined why they were so willing to support Nobu in spite of his explicit contempt for the cultures and traditions they were supposed to protect...


    Having reached this conclusion shortly after Nobu''s first confrontation with the Elder Council, Yui wasn''t even remotely surprised when he revealed, "I''ve decided to respect my father''s wishes and be the next Daimyo." during breakfast. Instead, an expectant smile developed across her face as she looked forward to being able to prove herself on a real battlefield.


    Unfortunately, what Nobu said next made Yui''s expression sour as he immediately segued into the subject of Nohime''s cultivation. This was immediately noticed by Nohime, who, for a brief moment, adopted a victorious grin until Nobu went on to exin, "By the time we''re preparing to head down to Owari-Asai, I expect both of you to be around Mithril 1-2. My family has prepared enough Mithril for two people to break through, but, as my cultivation technique doesn''t require it, I''ve decided to invest it in the people I trust...don''t let me down..."


    Though she was a little annoyed to learn that Yui would also be breaking through to the Realm of Mithril Lord, Nohimeforted herself with the assurance that her Mithril was the portion that had initially belonged to Nobu. As for Yui, she just adopted a faint smile, as, even if she and Nohime had the exact same cultivation base, the difference in their skills ensured she would alwayse out on top...


    "As far as the popce is concerned, I died more than a decade ago. We''ll need to earn their trust if I''m going to secure my position as Daimyo without too manyints. To that end, I''ll be relying on the two of you to perform to the best of your ability once we arrive. That isn''t an exaggeration. I won''t know for sure how things will turn out until we actually get there but I''m nning to have the two of you participate in the negotiations with Granus. You''ll need to get used to things like that if you''re going to be my Strategist and General in the future..."


    Hearing Nobu''s words, looks of disbelief shed across the faces of Nohime and Yui. Not even thetter had anticipated that he might promote her to the position of General in the future. With the exception of Uesugi Kenshin, women weren''t allowed to hold such important positions. There was a longstanding belief that women were too emotional and narrow-minded for positions of power and authority, so, even if their strength far surpassed their male contemporaries, the most distinguished title they could hold was Personal Attendant or Concubine to a Provincial Lord/Daimyo...


    Amused by the duo''s remarkably simr reaction, a smile developed across Nobu''s face as he said, "Would you look at that...the two of you are already on the same wavelength. Give it another eight months and you may even be as close as sisters..."


    Furrowing her brows, Nohime resisted the urge to dere she would never regard a Kunoichi as her sister. Instead, she decided to focus on the more important matter, stating, "While I can appreciate the gesture, installing women to positions of power isn''t the best way to win the people''s trust. The cultures and traditions of Nian have persisted for thousands of years. Attempting to change the way people think takes time..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu surprised Nohime a second time by stating, "I don''t really care. You see, the problem with your way of thinking is that you only take into consideration the status quo. The trust I''m talking about has nothing to do with that. In fact, I''m nning to flip the status quo on its head. I mean, seriously, the way things are right now is so fucking back-asswards that I feel like smashing my head against the wall every time I learn something new about our society..."


    Reinforcing his statement, Nobu reached up to massage his temples, an exasperated look on his face as he exhaled a tired sigh. Then, with a serious expression on his face, he said, "The trust I''m talking about is something more fundamental. All people, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity desire the freedom to make their own decisions. That''s the only reason people even care about things like power and wealth, as, without them, they''re pretty much forced to listen to someone else. As females in a feudal society, I doubt I need to tell you how much that fucking sucks..."


    Though neither of them vocalized a response, Nohime and Yui would be lying if they said they didn''t empathize with the things he was saying. Their lives had been decided for them before they were even born, and, while this wasn''t anything particrly abnormal within Nianese society, there was no denying they wouldn''t have preferred making their own decisions. Thus, while they couldn''t shake the feeling Nobu was saying something sacrilegious, they also felt a giddiness that seemed to radiate from deep within their subconscious minds...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is ying with fire...)

 Chapter 133: Investment

    Chapter 133: Investment


    "Anyway, our priority for the moment is leaving the city and returning to the mountain. My parents might be able to protect us but it''s too dangerous to stay here at our current power level. We need the others with us and I need to get a hell of a lot stronger before we even think about announcing my return."


    If the incident with Young Master Peng had taught Nobu anything, it was that he was still too weak and that his enemies were ruthless. More importantly, Yui was currently pregnant. He didn''t want to risk anything happening to the baby, so, even if his mothers wanted him to stay put, Nobu wouldn''t be able to live with himself if something happened...


    As Yui had no issues with returning to the mountain, it was Nohime who answered, "Though I will not protest to an early departure, I would prefer a few days to prepare. Lady Suzuki has helped me create an informationwork and expand several businesses. If I disappear into thin air, everything I built these past ten years will invariably fall into the hands of another."


    Though he was tempted to click his tongue, Nobu managed to restrain the urge as he nodded his head and said, "That''s fine. My mother and little sister would probably be upset if we departed too soon. I also have some things to work out with my Father and Grandfather so we can probably stay a few days without...any issues..."


    Feeling an indescribable sense of uneasiness swelling in the back of his mind, Nobu''s words trailed off as he began to seriously question whether or not he had some kind of plot sense...


    "Is something the matter...?"


    Having never witnessed one of Nobu''s pensive moments, Nohime was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. As for Yui, she appeared calm yet serious as she asked, "Did you sense something? Is it another g?"


    Shaking his head, Nobu briefly massaged his forehead and temples before answering, "I''m not sure. Either way, it would be better to stay on our toes and stick together until we leave the city. No more disappearing like before..."


    Though he knew it wasn''t really her fault, Nobu directed his final few words to Yui. He knew she was just trying to be considerate of his mother but that wasn''t the reason they hade to the city. She was his bodyguard, the mother of his unborn child, and his future wife. If anything was to happen, it would almost certainly happen to her.


    Noticing the concern in Nobu''s eyes, a faint smile developed across Yui''s face as she softly asserted, "It won''t happen again..."


    Nodding his head in approval, Nobu''s expression gradually rxed. Then, noticing the shadow of a pout behind Nohime''s veil of calm, he decided to exin what gs were and his presumed ability to sense them. This came as quite the surprise to the young Noblewoman, who, understanding the importance of such an ability, vowed to never reveal it...


    ...


    ..


    .


    While Nobu was enjoying breakfast alongside Yui and Nohime, Senken was seated across from an effeminate-looking youth with long ck hair and crimson eyes. A frown had marred both of their expressions, as, despite being father and son, the two rarely conversed like this.


    "Father...has something happened these past few days? I met with mother yesterday and she was behaving...strangely..."


    Suppressing a sigh, Senken uncrossed his arms before answering, "You''re not the type of person toe to me with questions and concerns. Out with it, brat. Why did you request this meeting...?"


    With a sad look on his face, the young man, Nobuhiro, lowered his head before questioning, "Is our rtionship so terrible we can''t even eat together without tension and conflict...?"


    Clicking his tongue, Senken uncorked a ceramic sk before taking arge swig of the contents. He hated meeting with his Second Son like this, as, every time they conversed, Nobuhiro would readily take advantage of his feelings of guilt and failure. This was a skill he had learned from his Uncle, so, whenever they met like this, Senken couldn''t help imagining his brother standing behind Nobuhiro like a puppeteer pulling his strings...


    "I wish..."


    Hearing his father''s silent utterance, Nobuhiro raised his head, a hint of confusion on his face as he remarked, "I''m afraid I didn''t hear you..."


    Meeting his son''s gaze, Senken''s expression became serious despite the pain visible in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to get along with all of his children, but, due to the machinations of fate and his failings as a father, his eldest had been expelled from the family while the second eldest had been led astray and manipted by people who regarded him as little more than a convenient tool.


    "I wish I had been a better father to you. Now, even if I wanted to patch things between us, I''m not sure you would be willing to listen. Not now..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobuhiro found himself at a loss for words. This wasn''t the first time he had heard an apology from his father. What made this situation different was the insinuation that his father had all but given up on mending their rtionship.


    "Listen, Hiro. No matter what your Uncle has told you, I have always regarded you as my son. The reason I didn''t prepare you for the position of Daimyo was because it was never your fate to govern Owari. Your Uncle, my brother took advantage of my failings and your insecurities to turn you into his pawn. Now, even if you were to be Lord of Owari, we both know you wouldn''t be the one in control..."


    With a far more sincere expression of distress on his face, Nobuhiro balled his hands into fists as he weakly replied, "You''re wrong..." in a voice that quivered with anger, indignation, and a fair amount of grief.


    In spite of his words, Nobuhiro understood the truth contained within his father''s. His Uncle had demonstrated, time and again, that he was the most suited to govern Owari. He was the only one that could ensure the prosperity of the province during these trying times, so, once he ascended to the position of Daimyo, Nobuhiro had been intending to install his Uncle as his Chief Magistrate, Chambein, and Minister of Trade. These three positions were typically supposed to keep each other in check, so, the moment Senzo upied all three, he would be Daimyo in everything but name.


    Shaking his head, Senken''s brows furrowed as he closed his eyes and revealed, "Your eldest brother has returned..."


    Though this was the matter his Uncle had sent him to confirm, Nobuhiro was still surprised to hear his father reveal the truth. He felt as though a pit had been opened in his stomach, and, despite his efforts to appear calm, his brain was buzzing due to a sudden and instantaneous bout of lightheadedness.


    "Impossible..."


    Shaking his head a second time, Senken assured, "It''s not impossible. In fact, it''s the primary reason your grandfather and I never attempted to groom you as my sessor. We have been preparing for your brother''s return since before he was expelled. Now that-"


    "Why didn''t you tell me...!?"


    mming the table before him with enough force to crack its surface, Nobuhiro''s expression revealed desperation and panic as he stared back at his father. He had never felt so betrayed, so insignificant in his entire life.


    Opening his eyes, Senken''s expression became a mask of calm as he exined, "If news of your brother''s survival had been leaked to the outside, countless people would have done everything in their power to ensure his death. I was intending to tell you once you were old enough to keep a secret. By then, it was already toote. You allowed your insecurities to be taken advantage of by your Uncle and I was too preupied with my responsibilities to take notice..."


    Realizing his words could be misconstrued as him ming his son, Senken''s mask of calm gradually transitioned into an apologetic expression as he lowered his head and said, "I failed you, Hiro. If I had been a better father, none of this would have happened. Now, I dare not ask for your forgiveness. Instead, I implore you to be understanding. You''re a good man and your brother is something this country desperately needs right now. Before you let your Uncle turn you against him, I want you to recall what it was like when Nobu was around. Imagine what it''s like to be trapped within your body for eighteen years without being able to move so much as a single muscle. If that''s not enough, imagine how saddened your mother would be if the two of you ended up fighting against one another..."


    Clenching his hands and teeth, Nobuhiro had to fight against an almost overwhelming urge to tear up. He knew his father was right, but, at the same time, he still felt betrayed. What was he supposed to do with all this anger and resentment? What was he supposed to do with his life now that he knew his brother was almost guaranteed to ascend to a position he had been preparing to upy ever since he was eight years old?


    "I hate you..."


    Voicing the sentiment he hadpartmentalized up for years, Nobuhiro was surprised by how painful it was to actually vocalize his hatred. The pained expression on his father''s face didn''t help any. Rather, it caused the sour feeling building in his nose to be even more potent as a knot promptly formed in his throat...


    With a visibleyer of moisture spreading across his eyes, Senken surprised Nobuhiro by nodding his head and answering, "I understand..." in a heartwrenching tone. Then, with a forced smile on his face, he appended, "I probably deserve that. Just...please...promise me that you won''t allow your hatred towards me to pollute your rtionship with your brother. One of my biggest regrets was turning against my brothers and crippling one of the people who should have served alongside me as my greatest ally. If I had been a better man at the time, your Uncle and I would have made Owari a much better ce. Don''t repeat the same mistake...be better than I ever was..."


    Desperate to guide his son back to the correct path, Senken punctuated his words by forming a bluish-purple de with his left hand. Immediately thereafter, he sliced through the tendons of his right hand even as Nobuhiro reached forward, eximing, "Father! No...!" in a panicked tone.


    Smiling in spite of the fact his right arm was now dangling by flesh and sinew, Senken reacted to Nobuhiro''s panic by extending his left hand to embrace the befuddled youth. An arm was a small price to pay for his children''s futures. If this could bring his sons together, he didn''t care if his career as a warrior hade to an end. There were more important things in life and he had already made the mistake of being a terrible father once. There was no way in hell he was going to let his pride get in the way of setting things right...


    Not this time...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Shanks vibes...)

 Chapter 134: Subverting Expectations

    Chapter 134: Subverting Expectations


    *tak* *tak* *tak*


    Hearing a soft knocking outside, Nobu set aside his cup of coffee before calling out, "It''s open." in a dull tone.


    While it wasn''t exactly a typical response, the person outside the door understood Nobu''s words to mean they could enter. The door promptly slid open to reveal a bald, monk-like man with strikingly feminine features. It was only after the ''man'' lowered his head and spoke that Nobu realized he was actually a woman.


    "There is an emergency situation that requires your presence. Lady Suzuki has sent me to retrieve you. Please, follow me."


    "Huh...?"


    As he was currently in the middle of eating, Nobu wasn''t too enthused by the sudden summons. In spite of this, he ended up rising to his feet and brushing a few stray crumbs from his yukata, asking, "What happened?" in an audibly annoyed tone.


    Bowing even lower, the ''masculine'' woman replied, "Forgive me, Young Master. I was not informed of the details."


    Clicking his tongue, Nobu pulled out his stone tablet to sneak a photo of the Sorcerer Supreme wannabe. He had figured out that he could analyze specific parts of a person''s Status at a reduced cost, so, rather than revealing all of the woman''s information, he purchased the data on her Status Conditions for 8,911AU.


    Noticing nothing amiss, Nobu slipped the stone tablet into the sleeve of his yukata before turning to Yui and Nohime, saying, "Let''s go. Remember to stay on your toes."


    Nodding their heads in affirmation, Yui and Nohime rose to their feet at nearly the exact same time. Then, surprising the bald-headed woman, they promptly nked him with serious and determined looks on their faces.


    As Nobu''s identity wasn''t exactly known as of yet, the bald-headed woman found herself at a loss for words when she saw Nohime standing so close to him.


    Fortunately, like the majority of servants within the Inner Sanctum, the woman was sensible enough not to stick her nose into the private affairs of Nobles. Unless her Lord or Lady specifically asked her to reveal something, she would never speak of Nohime''s ''infidelity'' to others...


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Sen-chan! How could you do something like this!? Have you lost your mind...!?"


    Smiling wryly in response to his wife''s words, Senken rubbed the visible knots atop his head as he exined, "It was an investment in the future. Besides, it''s not like I need my right arm to wipe the floor with people. This just makes things more interesting."


    As he had always been ambidextrous, Senken wasn''t concerned with the crippling of a single arm. He had also made the cut as clean as possible, so, as long as he didn''t get some kind of infection, he should be able to regain about 70% of the limb''s functionality. He would be weaker, sure, but it wasn''t as if he was helpless. Even with no arms, he would still be able to barrel through his enemies like a train with its brakes cut.


    Though it was well known that Mithril possessed magical qualities that made it exponentially easier to manipte than other metals, its most unique property was the fact it was virtually indestructible against non-magical weapons. Since it was also extremely resistant to magic, those at the Realm of Mithril Lord were regarding as Gods of the Battlefield.


    Hitting her husband for the umpteenth time, Nana appeared even more upset as she shouted, "I don''t care about that! You can''t just go around hurting yourself...!"


    Understanding his wife was just worried about him, Senken didn''tin about the growing number of bumps on his head. Instead, he pulled her closer to him, an apologetic expression on his face as he whispered, "You know I didn''t do this to make you upset...tell me, what can I do to make it up to you...?"


    As she had always been weak to all forms of intimacy, the anger in Nana''s expression promptly gave way for a far more bashful look. Unfortunately for Senken, her anger was far from abated, so, after a moment of silence, she whispered, "Let me apany Nobu-chan to Yumegakure. I don''t want to miss any more of his life and I want to be there when Yui-chan gives birth. I also feel there is a powerful connection between our son and Hime-chan. I want them to be able to spend more time together..."


    Surprising Nana quite a bit, Senken only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding his head and reluctantly replying, "Sure...just-"


    Unable to contain her excitement, a radiant smile blossomed across Nana''s face before she gave Senken a kiss. Immediately thereafter, she separated him, casually performing a yful spin as she happily chimed, "Hime-chan is going to be so excited~!"


    Adopting yet another wry smile, Senken suppressed his urge to sigh by running his fingers through his hair. The truth of the matter was that he had already anticipated his wife''s request the moment he saw Nobuhime''s initial reaction to Nobu. He had even discussed the matter with his father and was currently awaiting a reply from Hitomi, so, while the thought of spending even a few days away from his wife was maddening, Senken had already resolved himself to do whatever it took to ensure the best possible future for his family...


    *tak* *tak* *tak*


    Hearing the soft tapping at the door, Nana promptly slid it open, shouting, "Nobu-chan~!" before practically pouncing on thetter. This left Nobu more than a little confused while the servant who had guided him there gawked with a look of wide-eyed, slightly mortified realization. After all, as far as the general popce of Nian was concerned, Nobu was long dead.


    Noticing the servant woman''s presence, Nana quickly released Nobu from her hold before issuing a light cough and saying, "Thank you, Sanae. That will be all..."


    Coming to her senses the moment she heard Nana''s words, Sanae folded her hands over herp before bowing in a deep and respectful manner as she replied, "As you will, Lady Suzuki. It has been my pleasure to be of assistance."


    With a curt nod and a wave, Nana dismissed Sanae before ushering Nobu, Nohime, and Yui into the room. Then, just as Nobu was about to ask what the emergency was, Nana''s enthusiasm reemerged as she eximed, "Nobu-chan, Yui-chan, No-chan, I have great news~!"


    Blinking in confusion, Nobu awkwardly epted his mother''s renewed embrace as he confusedly looked toward his father. In response, Senken just held up his heavily wrapped arm, a wry smile on his face as he mouthed, "Good luck."


    Though he was even more confused, Nobu gave Nana a light pat on the back, asking, "What''s the great news?" before following up with, "We were kind of in the middle of breakfast..."


    Willfully ignoring thattter half of Nobu''s words, Nana maintained a radiant smile as she released him from her embrace and exined, "Your father has given me permission toe and stay with you on the mountain. I''ll be bringing Hime-chan with me so you can y with her while I teach Yui-chan and No-chan how to care for children."


    "Wait, what the f-you''reing with me?"


    Adopting an artificial yet effective pout, Nana weakly inquired, "Do you not want to spend time with us...?"


    Feeling an unexpected bloodlust, Nobu noticed his father glowering at him with his cool yet fucking scary golden eyes. Yui also noticed this, but, understanding she wouldn''t even be able to buy time if Senken was serious about attacking, she didn''t bother to put up her guard.


    Blinking a few times in an attempt to suppress the subtle yet distinguishable twitching of his right eye, Nobu forced a smile as he replied, "Don''t be stu-silly. Of course I want to spend time with the two of you. You''re my mom and my baby sis..."


    Ignoring the awkwardness in Nobu''s behavior and tone, Nana''s expression reverted to her normally bubbly self as she covered her mouth and issued a soft giggle.


    "Don''t worry. I''m not going there to pester you or get in the way. You see, the Suzuki n used to be famous for their swordsmanship. Since you have only recently started your training, now is the best and only time for me to pass on our hereditary techniques. I also want to watch over Yui-chan and make sure there are no issues with her pregnancy. Other than that, I would be happy if you just had tea with me every couple of days..."


    As this was the first time he was hearing about his mother''s side of the family, Nobu''s brows perked up as he parroted, "Suzuki n? Hereditary Techniques...?"


    Happy that Nobu was at least a little interested in his heritage, Nana squinted in satisfaction before raising her left hand to reveal a somewhat ancient-looking golden band. If someone were to look at it with a magnifying ss, they would find a runic inscription that resembled a sword carved along its surface.


    As the runes inscribed upon the bracelet lit up, a crimson light manifested in Nana''s hand before quickly taking the form of a dated but strangely intimidating longsword. Its ck hilt was covered in blotches that resembled rust, and, unlike the katanas typically wielded by Nianese Warriors, the de waspletely straight, bound in white cloth, and sealed with numerous talismans.


    "The Suzuki n is not native to Nian. Our Ancestors immigrated to the Archipgo thousands of years ago after losing in a session dispute. This sword, Chi Xiao, was one of the few possessions our Ancestors were able to escape with during the conflict. While not as mystifying as your ancient stone tablet, it is a heritage item on the level of a Heavenly Treasure. Once you are ready, I will pass this sword to you so that you might one day pass it to another..."


    Staring nkly at the sword cradled in his mother''s arms, Nobu was half-tempted to reach out and touch it. Instead, he adopted an uncharacteristically solemn look as he nodded his head and said, "I understand..."


    While his words were the antithesis of how he really felt, Nobu got the impression that passing on her n''s sword and techniques meant a lot to Nana. As for the history of the Suzuki n and the importance of the sword, he expected those would be revealed when she, or, more specifically, he was ready.


    Exhaling a subtle yet clearly relieved sigh, Nana''s expression somehow became even more loving as she returned the sword to her bracelet and said, "I''m d. You''re going to be so busy starting next Spring. Now is really the only opportunity I have to teach you our n''s ancestral techniques. If you had refused..."


    Resisting the urge to reach out and caress the remarkably beautiful woman''s face, Nobu adopted what he hoped to be a sincere smile as he said, "Rx...I might have a preference for blunt weapons and fists but you can be damned sure I''m going to work my ass off trying to master everything you want to teach me. Just don''t go all tiger mom on me..."


    Tilting her head to the side, Nana asked, "Tiger mom...?" with an innocent and genuinely curious expression on her face.


    Though it probably wasn''t the best idea, Nobu went on to exin what a tiger mom was and how behaving like one had disastrous consequences. Unfortunately, the moment he was finished, Nana, very innocently, replied, "Isn''t that just normal training...?"


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Anyone else getting the impression the sword is just a plot device to get Nobu to venture to the Heavenly Kingdom (O w O)...?)

 Chapter 135: Kinship

    Chapter 135: Kinship


    Deciding to leave matters of the future to his future self, Nobu focused on the more important matter at hand, asking, "So? What the hell happened to you...?" in reference to the sling on his father''s arm.


    Without missing a beat, Senken shrugged his shoulders dismissively, answering, "Don''t worry about it. More importantly, there''s someone I want you to meet. Hiro...!"


    As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, a young man entered the room from an adjacent bamboo door. His expression appeared impassive, but, if you were to look closely, it was possible to make out that his eyes were slightly swollen...


    Though his ruby-red eyes briefly lingered on Nana, Hiro, or, more urately, Nobuhiro managed to appearposed as he cupped his hands together and said, "Words cannot describe how relieved I am to see my elder brother, once thought lost, returned safely to the Oda n''s embrace..."


    Furrowing his brows, Nobu liberated himself from Nana''s tenacious embrace before making his way over to the visibly tensing Nobuhiro. Then, before the surprisingly petite youth could even think to protest, Nobu gave his younger brother a bear hug, whispering, "Rx. I have no intention of taking anything away from you..."


    Confused by Nobu''s words and actions, Hiro found himself unable to respond as his feet dangled a few centimeters off the ground.


    Releasing the remarkably thin youth from his embrace, Nobu gave Hiro a firm pat on the shoulder before turning to his father and asking, "Have you exined the situation? Does he know about my stone tablet?"


    Shaking his head, Senken answered, "That is a matter for the two of you to discuss. I''m just here to keep things in order until you''re ready to take the reins. Try not to keep me waiting too long, brat. I''m long past retirement."


    Though he was youngpared to some of the old monsters that had been clinging to power for generations, Senken was more than ready to pass over the reins to his children. His power had yet to begin stagnating, but, rather than horde resources for himself, he would rather invest them in the future. After all, at his level, the resources required to increase his Rank a single time could be used to rear more than a dozen tinum Heroes. While this might not seem like a substantial number at first nce, it was pretty substantial when you considered there were only 37 tinum Heroes in all of Owari.


    With Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure, increasing a person''s cultivation base was remarkably easy. In fact, even now, Senken couldn''t quite believe such a heaven-defying artifact existed.


    One of the only things Nobu stillcked was resources. He may be able to provide a multitude of different cultivation methods, but, like people, not all cultivation methods were created equally. If that were the case, the Metal Infusion Technique wouldn''t be so coveted by other countries.


    Understanding that Nobu was going to need a tremendous amount of resources in a very short period of time, Senken was already making preparations to liquidate many of the assets the Oda n had stockpiled since their inception more than six thousand years ago. The prophecy of the Goddess had made the stakes pretty clear, so, with the fate of the very world on the line, Senken was prepared to invest the very clothes on his back towards making the way forward as smooth as possible for his sons. After all, what was the point of wealth if it wasn''t used to ensure the sess of future generations...?


    ...


    ..


    .


    With Senken departing alongside a very reluctant Nana, Nobu found himself in the remarkably awkward position of being nked by two stunningly beautiful women while his younger brother, appearing even more ufortable than he was, sat across from him.


    At times like this, Nobu really wished he had a normal table and chairs to sit at. Sitting cross-legged while everyone else sat in seiza made him feel like an asshat. To make matters worse, everyone was given their own, individual tables. This was apparently to prevent cross-contamination from poisons and such, but, at the same time, it created a sense of distance that made it stupidly difficult to break the ice...


    Fortunately, Nobuhiro wasn''t unustomed to such awkwardness whilst dining, so, after several minutes had passed, he was the first to break the silence, remarking, "It pleases me to see how well you and Nohime-sama appear to be getting along..."


    Simr to when Nobuhiro had first spoken, Nobu couldn''t help furrowing in response to the youth''s overly polite speech, asking, "Do you always talk like this...?"


    With a genuinely confused look on his face, Hiro asked, "Beg your pardon? If I have said something to offend you, I apologize..."


    Shaking his head, Nobu surprised everyone by cing his tray-like table into his Storage App and saying, "I don''t want your apology. I mean, we''re supposed to be brothers, right? Speaking politely to one another just seems stupid. Now, out with it. I want to know how you really feel. You can''t be too happy about me appearing out of thin air like this, right?"


    Without waiting for Hiro''s response, Nobu clipped a pic of the effeminate youth using his Camera App. He was marginally surprised to learn how expensive the youth''s information was. Fortunately, he just needed to be able to see his Status in order to know how the emo-looking teen really felt...


    ("Fear? Sadness? Guilt...?")


    Noticing a distinctck of hostile emotions, Nobu almost missed it when Hiro answered, "I really am happy...no, perhaps it would be more urate to say I''m relieved to have you back with us. Mother has been sick for such a long time. Seeing her in such high spirits is something to be grateful for..."


    Hanging his head, Hiro avoided Nobu''s gaze as various thoughts crossed his mind. Unfortunately, Nobu wasn''t exactly the most sensitive person in the world, so, rather than affording the youth the time he needed to collect himself, he asked, "You really care about her, don''t you...?"


    Instead of answering Nobu''s question with words, Hiro simply nodded his head before closing his eyes in an effort to veil the seething emotions contained within. In truth, he wasn''t at all happy to see their mother doting on the newly returned Nobu. She had never been particrly distant with him, but, ever since he came under the tutge of his Uncle, Hiro had noticed the sadness in his mother''s eyes whenever she gazed upon him...


    Taking a deep breath, Hiro willfully reminded himself that it was his decision to listen to his Uncle''s advice. He could me his older brother all he wanted, but, understanding how shameless it would be to me someone who wasn''t even around, Hiro calmed himself before opening his eyes to ask, "What did you mean when you said you had no intention of taking anything away from me...?"


    Having ascertained the reasons for his younger brother''s fear, sadness, and guilt, Nobu''s expression became serious as he said, "Though I''ll need to hold the position for a bit, I intend to nominate you as the future Daimyo of Owari."


    With his eyes turning round as saucers, Hiro opened his mouth, but, even after several seconds had passed, he couldn''t find the words to speak. Instead, it was Nohime who asked, "My Lord...?" with a mixture of confusion and audible trepidation in her tone.


    Turning to meet the raven-haired beauty''s gaze, Nobu exined, "Hiro has been preparing for the position of Daimyo a lot longer than me. Besides, once I begin to expand my influence to the rest of the Archipgo, I''m not going to be able to stay in Owari. People don''t respect leaders who just sit on their asses and delegate their responsibilities to others."


    Though he was nning to do a lot of sitting around in the future, one of the few lessons Nobu had internalized from his previous world''s history sses was that Conquerors didn''t sit back and leave others in charge of their campaigns. Those that did would quickly lose the faith of the people, and, in turn, the faith of the very Generals they entrusted their protection...


    With such thought on his mind, Nobu continued where he left off, adding, "I''m not going to fight my own brother over something as absurd as a title, and anyone who attempts to turn us against one another is clearly just looking out for themselves. We have the opportunity to work together to make Owari a better ce. Tearing the Province apart just to seize a temporary position is fucking stupid..."


    Recalling how the original Nobuhiro had been manipted to rebel against the original Nobunaga, Nobu wanted to nip the problem in the bud as soon as possible. The position of Daimyo was all but meaningless to him, so, if his brother wanted it, why should they fight over it? The most important thing at the present moment was umting allies and people he could trust. Starting things off by suppressing or killing his own siblings wasn''t exactly the best way to convince people he was on the side of justice...


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I''ve been in a lot of pain recently and have had my focus split on a number of different projects. I actually wanted to put NOICE on hiatus until November, but, as there are a few fans eager to see the story develop, I''ve decided to alternate between releasing chapters of the side story and chapters of NOICE. I''m not going to make any promises but there should be at least one chapter every other day until we reach chapter 200 or so.)

 Chapter 136: Compromise

    Chapter 136: Compromise


    Though Nobu''s way of speaking wasn''t exactly inspiring, Hiro could empathize with what he was trying to say. He also knew their mother would be anguished beyond recovery if he and Nobu were to try and kill one another, so, after a moment of deliberation, he answered, "Very well...I will ce my trust in Aniue..."


    "..."


    Not expecting to be called in such a weebish way, unironically, Nobu''s mind briefly stalled as he opened his mouth to protest. Instead, he just ended up gawking for a few seconds before closing his gaping mouth and saying, "Just call me Nobu. There''s no need for honorifics between family..."


    Scrunching his brows, Hiro thought to protest, but, much like Nobu, ultimately decided against it. It helped that he wasn''t actuallyfortable with referring to Nobu using honorifics. After all, while it was undeniable that the two of them were brothers, they were effectively strangers. Had their father not sliced his arm, their first encounter may have been as enemies...


    "I understand. In that regard, feel free to address me as Hiro. It''s how my...our mother has always referred to me..."


    Noticing the not-so-subtle twitching of his little brother''s eye when referring to their mother, an awkward smile developed across Nobu''s face as he said, "Hey, no need to force yourself. Like, I get it, okay? You probably had to go through a lot of shit because of my absence. I''m doing what I can to try and make up for it but it''s going to take some time. I don''t expect you to suddenly see me as your brother less than an hour after our first meeting..."


    Furrowing his brows, Hiro wanted to insist that wasn''t the case, but, much like before, he found himself unable to find the words to express himself. He had spent years trying to develop the same cold and calcting mentality as his Uncle. He wasn''t used to interacting with people like this, so, after a moment of silence, he simply nodded his head, answering, "I understand..."


    Forcing a smile, Nobu scratched the back of his head before shifting his attention between Yui and Nohime, asking, "Mind give us a moment? I know I said we shouldn''t separate but I''d like to be able to talk to my little brother in private. Man to man."


    Having anticipated something like this urring, a soft sigh emanated from Yui''s throat before she rose to her feet and said, "I''ll be in the next room..."


    Following Yui''s example, Nohime returned a polite nod before rising in a far more elegant manner and stating, "The prosperity of a Province is directly rted to the unity of its ruling families...I pray Owari bes even more prosperous from this moment onward..."


    Though Nobu had told her she no longer had to bow to anyone, Nohime punctuated her words with another polite, half-bowing nod. She had spent the entirety of her life learning how to speak and behave around her fellow Nobles. Oveing eighteen years of conditioning in less than a day was simply impossible...


    Understanding this, at least to a certain extent, Nobu didn''tin about Nohime''s overly polite behavior. Instead, he followed the duo''s departure with his blue-grey eyes, silently observing their swaying bottoms before turning to Hiro and asking, "So, got a girl of your own...?"


    Surprised by the unexpected question, Hiro found himself at a momentary loss for words before averting his eyes and answering, "Indeed...though I have only met her a few times, I am blessed to be engaged to the Second Daughter of Lord Niwa, Nagahime-san..."


    In an effort to try and ease tensions, a somewhatscivious smile developed across Nobu''s face as he asked, "Is she hot...?"


    "..."


    Unsure of how to answer such a question, Hiro remainedpletely silent. This caused the smile on Nobu''s face to cramp, but, not giving up, he asked, "Do you...find her attractive...?"


    Though he didn''t believe such questions were appropriate, especially when discussing someone else''s fiancee, Hiro only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding his head and answering, "I believe so..."


    "..."


    Resisting the urge to ask what the fuck ''I believe so'' was supposed to mean, Nobu took a moment to collect himself before shaking his head and saying, "I''m not trying to be invasive or pry into your personal life. I just want to get to know my brother. How about this. I''ll go ahead and let you in on a few of my secrets. After that, can you at least try to speak casually? You know, like how you imagine amoner might speak...?"


    Furrowing his brows, Hiro was tempted to argue that such behavior was unbefitting of a future Lord of Owari, but, understanding the position would be his brother''s long before his own, he ultimately just nodded his head to imply understanding. At the very least, he didn''t want to be confrontational when Nobu was clearly making an effort to get along. He owed it to their parents to at least try and do the same...


    Fortunately, the exnation and subsequent demonstration Nobu provided was more than enough to ay Hiro''s concerns. He still had innumerable doubts regarding his elder brother''s capacity as a ruler, but, with the very Heavens supporting Nobu''s im, Hiro understood how foolish it would be to stand in his way. After all, if two people were contending for the same position, who in their right mind would support an illegitimate im when the rightful heir was in possession of a ludicrously powerful Heavenly Treasure...?


    Hiro may have been groomed as a puppet but he wasn''t a fool...


    ...


    ..


    .


    Taking advantage of the fact that they were now alone, Nohime took the initiative to break the silence between her and Yui, saying, "I owe you an apology, Yui-do...san..."


    Though she was more than a little surprised by Nohime''s words, Yui maintained apletely neutral expression as she stated, "Your courtesy, while appreciated, is unnecessary. We are both doing our best to fulfill our respective duties. I would never fault you for that..."


    Squinting her eyes, Nohime suppressed the feelings of hatred and disgust swelling within her chest and stomach as she added, "Even so, I feel obligated to apologize. Observing the efforts of our Lord has inspired me to do what I can to change myself. After all, we will be living alongside one another for the foreseeable future..."


    Understanding the actual reason for Nohime''s sudden change in mentality, a faint smile developed across Yui''s face as she said, "Worry not. As peculiar as our situation is, I have no intention of trying to supersede your status as Nobu''s First Wife. I am a Warrior at heart. As for mypatriots in the Yoshitsune n, they are content with remaining Nobu''s Kunoichi. You do not have to worry about them rallying against you unless you actively endanger or oppose our Lord..."


    "..."


    Staring into Yui''s obsidian-blue eyes, Nohime found no traces of deceit or subterfuge contained within. This did little to alleviate the plethora of negative emotions she was experiencing, but, for the sake of her future and the futures of her children, she suppressed her growing indignation and said, "You have my gratitude..."


    ...


    ..


    .


    "Holy shit. Is this really your fiancee? Damn, man, you really hit the lottery on this one..."


    Though the image wasn''t true to life, Hiro was in possession of a hand-drawn portrait of his fiancee. Upon learning this, Nobu convinced(read as forced) Hiro to pull it out. When he saw that Nagahime was a buxom beauty with long hair and piercing blue eyes, he couldn''t help whistling aloud before offering a few words of praise.


    Feeling slightly embarrassed by his brother''s words, Hiro attempted to return the portrait to his breast pocket before Nobu promptly snatched it out of his hand and asked, "When are the two of you supposed to be married? I thought fourteen was considered to be an adult...?"


    Resisting the urge to steal back the portrait, Hiro''s expression gradually solidified into a glower as he exined, "Our father had arranged it so that my marriage with Nagahime-san would ur on her sixteenth birthday. There are still fourteen months until our wedding..."


    Raising his brows, Nobu turned the portrait towards Hiro, asking, "You''re telling me this bombshell is fourteen years old? You''re even luckier than I thought..."


    As someone who had always appreciated mature beauties, Nobu actually felt a little envious when he saw his brother''s fiancee. It was concealed beneath a kimono, but, even at a nce, he could tell she had an amazing body. This could be a liberty taken by the portrait artist, but, considering how reserved the Nianese people were, it was exponentially more likely that Nagahime''s figure was even more amazing...


    Shaking his head, Nobu returned the portrait to his clearly unamused brother before asking, "What about your Kunoichi? Shouldn''t there be someone protecting you?"


    epting the portrait, Hiro gave it a once-over to make sure it wasn''t damaged before cing it into his breast pocket and answering, "Only the firstborn son of the Oda n is given the privilege of being apanied by his entourage within the castle grounds. Most of my Kunoichi have only recentlypleted their training so I haven''t met them since our foundation training..."


    "Right..."


    Recalling that Kumiko had exined something simr in the past, Nobu briefly mulled over his thoughts before asking, "Want toe along when we return to the mountain? Since we''re going to be working together in the future, I''ll talk to our old man about letting your entourage operate in and around Shuto. I probably won''t be staying in the castle all that often so it would be better to let you beginying a solid foundation. That should make things a hell of a lot easier once I''m finished wrapping up everything I need to take care of."


    Taken aback by his brother''s words, a look of utter disbelief spread across Hiro''s face. What Nobu was doing was unheard of in the history of Nian. He was basically allowing his greatestpetitor free rein to operate in his territory. While this demonstrated a tremendous amount of trust, it was also a remarkably foolish decision as there was no way of knowing what the future held. All it would take is a single disagreement and they could be at each other''s throats...


    Feeling a wave of realization wash over him, Hiro''s disbelief turned into suspicion as he asked, "Will you be extending the benefits of your Heavenly Treasure to the members of my entourage...?"


    Catching Hiro off guard, Nobu didn''t even hesitate before answering, "Not all of them. There is a limit to the number of people my power can affect. For now, I need to focus on bolstering my own forces. I can help you and your fiancee grow stronger, but, until you get a good feel for the types of people your Kunoichi are, I wouldn''t feelfortable with boosting their strength..."


    Realizing that his words might be misconstrued as distrust, Nobu allowed his words to trail off, a frown forming on his face as he added, "Tell you what. Once you and your wife are married, I''ll let you nominate three people, excluding the two of you, as a wedding gift. If you feel you can trust your kunoichi by then, I don''t mind bolstering their strength. Either that or you can save them for when you and Nagahime have children. Just make sure you discuss it amongst yourselves rather than making the decision on your own."


    Understanding that Nobu was already making a lot ofpromises, Hiro didn''t me him for not promising more. If Nobu was serious, it wouldn''t take him long to build a force capable of crushing hispetition and unifying the Oda n. Instead, he was willing topromise with someone he hardly even knew. This was behavior worthy of respect, so, while he found Nobu''s personality more than a little odd, a faint smile developed across Hiro''s face as he lowered his head and said, "Thank you..." in a sincere tone of voice.


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: Nobu is kinder than he purports himself to be...)

 Chapter 137: Traditions and Talent

    Chapter 137: Traditions and Talent


    After working things out with his little brother, things became rtively boring during Nobu''s stay in Inuyama Castle. His father was usually busy managing the affairs of the territory, so, for the most part, his time was split between spending time with his mother, spending time with his reincarnated baby sister, and spending time with his raven-haired lovers.


    Though Nana was very sociable, the presence of Yui and Nohime made things pretty awkward. The woman simply couldn''t help teasing them, so, not only was Nobu forced to keep his opportunistic baby sister upied, the entire experience was apanied by Nana ''educating'' the two taciturn beauties about their duties as a wife. To make matters exponentially worse, Nobu was entrusted the task of helping Nobuhime bathe as skinship with the opposite sex was apparently very important.


    A stark contrast to what it was like in Nobu''s previous world and country, childrearing in Nian was regarded with extreme importance. The mothers of newborns would spend upwards of 22 hours at their children''s sides. Many even shared the same bed, or, at the very least, the same room until the infant reached the age of 4. There was even a notion cemented in the minds of the Nianese people that new mothers were ''supposed'' to suffer, almost as if it were a sacred duty.


    Adding to the strangeness, young boys as old as age twelve would bathe alongside their mothers in order to increase familiarity and ensure a strong maternal bond. Some provinces even had customs where the mothers were the ones that educated their sons about the opposite sex. Likewise, young girls would bathe with their grandfathers, fathers, or uncles until they had been engaged to be wed or experienced their first puberty. It was customary for them to help their fathers/paternal figures to wash their backs, but, unlike the case with mothers and sons, paternal figures were prohibited from even speaking to their daughters. Educating them in sexual matters was also considered taboo, as, more often than not, females learned about sex during their bridal training or from their husbands.


    Since Senken was usually busy with his duties as Daimyo, Nana hade up with the ''ingenious'' idea to have Nobu, apanied by two maids, bathe his little sister. She managed to strongarm him by pointing out that he would need to do it while they were staying on the mountain, so, for the remainder of his stay in Inuyama Castle, Nobu maintained a constant deadpan whenever he was tasked with taking care of his reincarnated, increasingly mischievous mother...


    Fortunately, the actual cleaning was done by the maids sent to make sure no idents urred. All he had to do was pour lukewarm water over Hime''s body to help her rinse off. More importantly, he was also able to talk Nana out of bathing with them. She evidently wanted to make up for the time when he was catatonic, but, as a healthy young man, Nobu had no choice but to talk her down. The maids were already bad enough. If Nana appeared in her birthday suit, Nobu knew there was a very high chance he would have some kind of ''reaction''.


    Though she may have given birth to him, it did little to change the fact that Nana was a remarkably beautiful woman. Even her aroma was enough to cause Nobu''s body to warm up, so, as much as he feltpelled to pensate'' the woman for his piss poor decision-making prior to reincarnation, he would rather avoid routes that led to even mild misunderstandings. Senken was a great guy and an even greater father. Nobu didn''t want to disrespect him by perving, even inadvertently, over his own mother.


    Incest could be pretty interesting when it came to fiction but it was unbelievably fucked up when it came to reality...


    ...


    ..


    .


    As awkward as his rtionship between his mother and mother-turned-sister were, Nobu could at least rest assured that things were going well between him, Nohime, and Yui. The duo didn''t really get along all that well, but, after having her Aura increased to the pinnacle of Silver through the use of Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure, Nohime became noticeably more ''resolute'' regarding the future.


    Speaking of Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure, one of the things his Grandfather and Father had asked of him during his stay was to use his Camera App to evaluate a number of promising youths. Senichi, in particr, had been fixated on using Nobu''s Heavenly Treasure to both strengthen alliances and ensure his grandson had adequate protection in the future.


    Though there was nothing inherently wrong with surrounding himself with capable females and kunoichi, Senichi proposed the idea of Nobu epting young boys who had justpleted their foundational training as his retainers. Foreign Lords, and, more importantly, members of the Court wouldn''t respect him if every single one of hispanions was a female. Thus, in the days leading up to Nobu''s imminent departure, Senichi practically dragged Nobu over to the training grounds to observe and see if there weren''t any young talents he was interested in.


    As the use of Aura was strictly regted by the provincial government, the vast majority of young children undergoing foundation training did so under the watchful eyes of skilled veterans. Nearly every young child from the same generation would be gathered in the same ce, and, with very few exceptions, their progress would be recorded in exacting detail to make sure resources weren''t be wasted on people without talent.


    At the behest of his Grandfather, Nobu, wearing his mask and apanied by Yui and Nohime, both wearing veils, spent a few hours each day monitoring different groups of trainees. It was a perfect excuse for getting away from his mother and sister, so, while simultaneously searching for people associated with his namesake, Nobu alsopiled dossiers on each of the more promising trainees. He got achievements for analyzing individuals, so, with each of the scans costing a meager amount of Aura due to the age and limited reserves of the people he was scanning, Nobu didn''t mind helping his family pick and choose talent.


    Though Nobu was of the mind that anyone could seed if they put in the prerequisite amount of effort, he wasn''t foolish enough to believe that talent didn''t y a major role in a person''s sess. His Heavenly Treasure literally allowed him to identify which kids were special from birth, so, while it made him feel scummy to characterize children by their innate talents and capabilities, he couldn''t just deny the facts right in front of him. The only thing he could do was game the system a bit when he found out a child was in a shitty situation.


    One of the neat things about possessing one of the only Heavenly Treasures that allowed you to analyze others was that there was no one to question the information you provided. Better yet, his parents and Grandfather trusted his judgment to an almost unreasonable extent, so, even if he told them what he was up to, Nobu doubted they would care. Helping ''everyone'' might be impossible, but, so long as he limited his benevolence to those he genuinely believed deserved an opportunity to prove themselves, Nobu had a respectable amount of wiggle room when it came to choosing the recipients of the Oda n''s resources.


    Fortunately, it wasn''t long before Nobu was provided with an actual justification for his actions. One of the younger foot soldiers assisting in the children''s training grabbed his attention when he heard one of the students refer to him as Kinoshita-sensei.


    While the name Kinoshita wasn''t worthy of mention, at least to the average Nianese, it was a name Nobu was intimately familiar with due to his knowledge of the Sengoku Period of Japan. Thus, the moment he heard the young soldier addressed as Kinoshita-sensei, Nobu immediately scanned the man to confirm his suspicions.


    ------------------------------------


    Name: Hiyoshi-maru/Kinoshita Tokichiro


    Age: 15


    Gender: Male, H:164.7cm, W: 70.3kg, B: 71.2cm, W: 59.5cm, H: 71.1cm


    Blood Type: AB-


    Cultivation: Metal Infusion Technique


    Aura Units: 77,719/79,443


    Status: Malnourished(+), Cautious(+), Bored(+)


    -Malnourished: Poor nutrition and prolonged periods of starvation have caused his body to begin atrophying. Removal Cost: 4,292AU


    -Cautious: He has noticed you observing him. Removal Cost: Cannot be removed.


    -Bored: Repeating the same tasks every day has caused him to feel as though he is wasting his time. Removal Cost: Cannot be removed.


    Main Hand: Right


    Preferred Weapon: Katana, Spear, Bow, Fan


    Strengths: Fiercely Intelligent, Excels at Grasping a Situation, Loyal to Those He Respects


    Weaknesses: Peasant(+), Malnourished(+), Gambling Addict(+), Minor Dependency(+)


    -Peasant: Born to Kinoshita Yaemon and Omandokoro, a former foot soldier and a washwoman serving the Oda n.


    -Gambling Addict: His desire to secure better living conditions for his mother has caused him to be entangled in illegal gambling.


    -Minor Dependency: His association with criminals and the ck market had led to him consuming illegal substances.


    Orientation: Heterosexual


    Preferences: Older Women


    Favorite Foods: Meat, Salted Rice, Dumplings, Cheap Herbs


    ...


    ..


    .


    ------------------------------------


    Though the man''s cultivation was pretty terrible, it wasn''t too surprising considering he was a peasant that had effectively been assigned the task of acting as a practice dummy for children. The more important thing was that he was exactly the man, or, more urately, the teenager Nobu had been searching for.


    While the majority of people, even in his old world, might not find the name Kinoshita Tokichiro, quite a number of people recognized the name Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was one of the original Nobunaga''s most prominent, and, more importantly, loyal retainers. He was also one of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan, so, while most would disregard the slightlyzy-looking youth, Nobu''s eyes practically lit up when he recognized the young man''s identity.


    Waving down the Warrior in charge of overseeing and instructing the ss, Nobu received the elderly man''s permission before asking Tokichiro to apany him to the same room he had interviewed a number of students. Nobody knew what his identity was, but, with his father and grandfather ''vouching'' for him, everyone had been treating Nobu with the utmost respect during his visits to the training field.


    Not expecting to be called upon by the strange, mask-wearing man that had spent thest few days observing and calling upon students, Tokichiro became as tense and unreadable as a statue as he sat across the trio of Nobu, Yui, and Nohime. Their proximity to each other made Tokichiro even more ufortable, as, even among the peasants andmoners, men and women rarely sat in such close proximity outside of brothels...


    Seizing the initiative, Nobu surprised Tokichiro immensely by asking, "You are Kinoshita Tokichiro, eldest son of Kinoshita Yaemon and Omandokoro, correct?"


    Though he sped his hands, Tokichiro''s expression remained unreadable as he performed a half-bow and answered, "My Lord is correct..."


    Without knowing the actual identity of Nobu, referring to him with the title of Lord was the safest form of address avable. It was entirely appropriate, especially considering they were in the capital, but it was the mostmon way in which peasants addressed members of a higher social ss.


    Waving his hand in a dismissing manner, Nobu said, "Raise your head." before shifting his attention to Yui and asking, "Can you ask the servants to prepare tea and a light breakfast? Our guest seems to be a bit famished and this is going to take a while."


    Nodding her head, Yui promptly rose to her feet before departing to the adjacent corridor to wait for a servant. Quite a number of servants and bodyguards had been assigned the task of shadowing Nobu while he was outside the castle walls so it didn''t take long for her to catch their attention and ry Nobu''s words.


    While Yui was handling their food and beverage arrangements, an awkward silence permeated the room''s atmosphere as Nobu organized his thoughts. There was no way in hell he could juste out and tell Tokichiro about his Heavenly Treasure. Toyotomi Hideyoshi may have been one of the original Oda Nobunaga''s most fervent supporters, but, in his present state, Tokichiro was just some no-name kid with a gambling and drug addiction. He had the potential to be one of Nian''s greatest generals, but, for the time being, he wasn''t even qualified to be a sandal bearer...


    ("Now, how to handle this...?")


    ...


    ..


    .


    (A/N: I really want to keep writing NOICE but my primary focus right now is EPIC. I should be able to post consistent chapters around November, but, until then, expect sporadic updates until the main plot of EPIC has concluded.)


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!