Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

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, compared 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 available 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 glass 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 popularity on Earth were novels that had the MC gain access 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 glass 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 tablet lacked 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 flashed on the screen. Then, just as his tensions reached an all-time high, the app loaded to reveal the same glass sphere that had been present on the tablet's home screen.Suppressing his disappointment as much as possible, Nobu scrutinized the glass sphere for any tell-tale signs of its purpose. He noticed that, while it resembled an empty glass container set against a grey backdrop, there was an almost indiscernible aura surrounding its edges. This reminded him of the giant cookie players 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 exclamation 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 exclaimed, "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 glass 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 to complain, 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 accumulation 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 the latter 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 their last 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 place 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, combined 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, he compromised 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 Platinum 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 to complete 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 Clan. Her Great Great Great Grandfather had fought alongside the founder of the Oda Clan as his sworn brother. Since then, the Yoshitsune had dutifully served as the retainers of the Oda Clan, a relationship that had persisted nearly six-thousand-years.At present, Yui was completing the task that would ensure her position as an official warrior of the Yoshitsune Clan. This was generally very difficult for females, but, thanks to her talent and strength of will, Yui had been spared the fate of becoming a Concubine to one of the Young Masters of the Oda Clan.Though she wasn't particularly against the idea of fulfilling her ancestral duty, Yui had lost interest in marrying into the Oda Clan after her original spouse succumbed 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 Clan's former retainers, an elderly gentleman named Nanamori Natsu. He had been missing for nearly two years, but, according to rumors, his grandson was still alive and well. Her task was to track him down, and, if possible, ascertain the truth related 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 flawless balance, 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...

After throwing a tantrum for the better part of an hour, Nobu found himself completely 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 become 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.Seeking comfort 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 glass 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 calculated 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 this compared 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 becoming 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 Archipelago, 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 been completely 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 black hair and uncommon 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 explained, "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 Clans. 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.Accepting the parcel with a completely 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 explained that it was better to be high profile than trying to lay 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 to lay 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 weaklings lacking in confidence. Such individuals made easy targets, so, as a young woman traveling alone, displaying 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-handed combat stance.)Fortunately, the person that came through the door wasn't the old hag from before. Instead, it was a petite woman with raven-black hair, part of which was styled into two distinct ponytails. Her eyes were also black, 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 flat as a landing 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 cosplay 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 place 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 accommodate 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 manipulated the parcel and boots over to her side before alighting from the bed and explaining, "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 contemplating your life choices. You've already exhausted my goodwill. Do not play 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 to compensate you handsomely."Though she currently held Nobu's life in her hands, Yui's success 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 to laugh in one of the most annoying and grating voices she had ever heard...

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.)

Chapter 5: Realization