Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Though they were not the largest, the Oda Clan was one of the most powerful factions exercising its influence over the archipelago 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 Clan, 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 accusations mounted regarding her ability to produce a viable heir. Nobody would dare accuse 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 the latter.While the people back on Earth would undoubtedly accuse 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 Clan 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 Clan. 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 Clan.Fortunately, while his family had tossed him aside, Nobu wasn't completely 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 relatively straightforward: human greed.Since the elder responsible for his care couldn't exactly advertise that he was a member of the Oda Clan, a number of small yet influential families, specifically the Imagawa and Abe Clans 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, they completely 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 particular 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 particularly in the mood to experiment. The pain in his stomach had become 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 accumulate as ice particles on his lashes, passersby would have been privy to seeing Nobu crying for the first time in close to ten years. The last 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 singular 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 clarity, 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 flashing 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 similar 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 years later, 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 the last of his strength, he did his best to avoid falling face-first into his own blood and bile. He knew someone would have to come 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 a complete 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 black blood splayed 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 had completely 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, Platinum, 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 manipulating and even shaping her aura to produce remarkably versatile weapons. In this particular 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. The latter 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...

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 a common 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 was completely 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 whatever comes 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 available 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 was comprised 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 flash 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 accepting 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 his last moments. He knew it had something to do with his reincarnation so it would be a complete 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 flash 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 been complaining 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 account 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 a company 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 tablet completed 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 play 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 was completely 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 more comfortable 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 had come 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. The laughter 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't laughed 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, lay 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 'Slag', to break free from the bindings of a Golden Warrior, he ultimately had little choice but to bide his time and see how things play 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 to lack talent are known as Slag by society. Slag 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.)

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 too late 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 she lazily 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, a large wheel manifested into existence.Glancing at the massive wheel, Nobu couldn't help comparing 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 the largest 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 delays might royally screw him over, Nobu grabbed one of the pegs sticking out from the board, eyes aflame 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 related 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 only come 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 already compromised his future, Nobu's eyes blazed 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 outcome, 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 him completely 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 already compromised 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 the last thought that crossed Nobu's mind before an irresistible force sucked him into the abyss below. Shortly following this, a bell-like laugh emanated through the void, courtesy of a golden-haired Goddess...---After what felt like a month of falling through an endless black 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 the largest 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 much larger 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, the larger 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 claimed 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 similar 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 to lack even basic combat 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't last 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 his last meal, and, though he managed to stay hydrated by melting snow with the stone tablet, this was likely to be his last 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 nineteen-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 relatively well-off family known as the Oda Clan. They had invested a substantial amount of resources into trying to free him from the 'curse' that had been placed 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 Clan 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 to lack 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 clans, 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 become the working class.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 was comparable to encountering a docile Qilin while you were trying to relieve yourself. It was the type of thing that only occurred 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