Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

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 calculator 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 dry laugh 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 becoming 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 relatively simple to unlock, but, considering one of them required that he click a single time, even a layman could have figured that out."Here's hoping this shitty game doesn't completely 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 a complaint, 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 similar 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 a complete asshat, Nobu took solace in the fact his actions weren't a complete 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 genetics 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 miscellaneous acts. Unfortunately, it was only in hindsight that it occurred 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 occupy 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 account lent credibility to Nobu's claim. 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 a completely different person.Though possession wasn't particularly uncommon, 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 particular, 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 while completely 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 placed on exhibit, but, even at a glance, she could discern the similarities 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 Clan. Her Grandmother was one of the most influential Elders in the entire Yoshitune Clan, so, while her official duty took precedence, failing to accomplish 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. His lack 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 claimed to be...---Unaware of the lament 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 he lay.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 light coming from the keyhole."This motherfucking yandere..."

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 the last 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 only complaint, ignoring all the other things he wanted to complain about, was that he had no idea how to actually manipulate his aura. He had tried several of the most common methods he read about in his previous world, but, as someone who had lived their entire life as a normal human being, manipulating 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 manipulate ki and shit? Bullshit."While his frustrations were largely due to the fact he was unable to emulate said result, Nobu still felt it was strange how most stories just glossed over the issue by having their MC simply meditate and, voila, 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 place. 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 particularly 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 platinum-colored chainmail glittering beneath his tunic...Without waiting for the group to explain 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 flanking his sides.Though she didn't particularly 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 overcome...it feels like my attacks don't do any damage..."Though her aura had become significantly heavier and exponentially more malleable, gold wasn't particularly 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 become incomparably versatile, it wasn't uncommon 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 flash 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 glare 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 to complete 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 successfully 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 become exponentially more difficult, it had become impossible to complete. After all, while Owari-Asai might not be the largest 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 flare given to candidates undergoing their warrior's trial. In the Yoshitsune Clan, it was customary for aspiring warriors to complete 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 Clan, a man more than a hundred-and-twenty year her senior. Ever since then, she had been labeled as egotistical and self-serving, so, with the exception of her Grandmother and her elder sister, many within the Yoshitsune Clan 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 had come before her had given up their lives for the sake of the Yoshitsune Clan 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, becoming the strongest was a mere pipe dream.As that thought crossed her mind, a fair amount of moisture gathered within Yui's obsidian-black eyes before she closed them and pulled the cord with all her strength. There was very clearly some foul play 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 the lack of an explosive pop, Yui opened her eyes to see that she had, somehow, managed to yank out the cord without setting off the flare. More specifically, her full-force tug had snapped the cord near the base.Blinking several times in surprise, Yui didn't know whether she should laugh 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 without completing 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 clarity."I need to hurry back. If they haven't already captured him, I can still complete 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 slapping her cheeks with the palms of her hands. Doubt and self-blame 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 become 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 become a hero...(A/N: Feel free to let me know what you think by posting a comment or leaving a review. Every bit of feedback helps(so long as you aren't a complete asshat about it xD...))

Unamused by Nobu's persistent laughter, Yui waited for several seconds before promptly giving him a crisp slap with the back of her hand."You have three seconds to explain yourself."Tasting blood in his mouth, Nobu licked his teeth before displaying 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 relaxed 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 playfulness. 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 claws 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 penetrating 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 hell later 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 place, 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 harshly commanded, "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. The last 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 eyes lacked 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 collapse, face-first, onto the floor. This alarmed 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 should compare 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 display 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..."Relaxing her expression somewhat, Yui tried to appear understanding as she asked, "Did something happen to your cultivation base? I didn't find anything particularly 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 explain 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. Congratulations. You found me."Though one of his arms was wrapped in a splint, Nobu performed jazz hands in mock celebration of Yui's 'accomplishment'. This caused the bewildered look on the young woman's face to immediately transition into an accusatory 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 blatant 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 Clan Estate.Suppressing the panic she was experiencing, Yui maintained an accusatory 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 classify you as having a deficiency of the mind..."Understanding that Yui was basically calling him retarded, Nobu's expression formed into a flawless 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 clairvoyants 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 available to him, Nobu would have clapped. 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 black 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 a coma. 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?