Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

With time gradually marching forward, Nobu found himself wondering if something had happened to the raven-haired woman. She would normally return between 3-4 hours after departing. By now, more than six hours had passed, so, unless something had transpired outside, it was safe to say she was either abandoning or avoiding him."Well...no skin off my teeth. It'll be a pain in the ass but I can probably scrounge something up if I'm careful..."A stark contrast to his words, Nobu was currently lingering around the mouth of the cave, his gaze periodically scanning the snow-covered landscape for signs of movement. Humans were, after all, social creatures. He could tell himself a thousand times he didn't care, but, when it came down to it, he would rather put up with someone giving him the silent treatment than spend the rest of winter cooped up in a cave all by himself.What Nobu didn't know was that his scouting potential was truly abysmal. In reality, the person he had been keeping an eye out for had been observing him for the better part of two hours. He was like a farmer-turned-mountain-bandit, completely unaware of the presence observing him from a mere forty meters away."..."When she had first arrived, Yui had thought that Nobu might have approached the mouth of the cave in order to get some fresh air. The barrier inside was designed to keep scents trapped, so, after living inside for a prolonged period of time, it had started to become noticeably 'musky'."Could he be waiting for me to arrive? No...it's more likely that he's just hungry. That must be it..."Having convinced herself this was the case, Yui emerged from her hiding spot, and, after brushing herself off, approached the cave with a completely neutral expression on her face. She didn't even bother to greet Nobu as she passed him. Instead, she just looked towards him for a brief moment before making her way deeper into the cave.Similar to the raven-haired woman, Nobu pretended to pay her no mind as he focused most of his attention on the invisible tablet in his hand. It was only a few minutes after she had passed him that he turned around, shaking his head as he returned to the comparably steamy depths of the cave.........After an extremely awkward meal, Nobu waited until the raven-haired woman was in the middle of her meditation before sneakily taking a picture of her with his Camera App. This caused him to feel like a voyeur or a common pervert but that wasn't enough to inhibit him from taking full advantage of his perks. Unfortunately, just as he had anticipated, acquiring detailed information on the woman would cost an additional 22,419 Aura.("Well...at least it wasn't a complete waste of time...")------------------------------------Name: ?????????? YuiAge: ??Gender: Female, H: 149.7cm, W: ??kg, B: ??cm, W: ??cm, H: ??cmBlood Type: ??Cultivation: Rank 2 Golden Warrior(Purity: ??%)Aura Units: ?,???,???/?,???,???Status: Cursed, Life Essence Fatigue, Mental Exhaustion, Confusion, ????????, ????Main Hand: Left, AmbidextrousPreferred Weapon: Katana, ????????, Bow, ????????, ????Strengths: ????Weaknesses: ????Orientation: HeterosexualPreferred Position: Reverse Cowgirl, ?????????, ??????????, ???????...Favorite Food: ?????, ????, ???????, ?????, ????...........------------------------------------Though there was a bunch of useless and missing information, just being able to use his Camera on people was enough to bring a smile to Nobu's face. He had also, finally, learned the woman's name. This was something that had been bothering him since the time he introduced himself, but, due to the perennial awkwardness that existed between them, he simply refused to ask.("Those Status Effects though...seems like she's been putting up a front. If you're injured, you should be resting...stupid bint...")As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu's eyes around the cave before eventually staring down at the thatch mat he had been sleeping on. The woman, Yui, had been allowing him to make use of it ever since they arrived in the cave. As for herself, she either meditated the entire night or curled up near the back of the cave, back facing away from him as she used stacked armor plating as a pillow.If she really wanted to, there was nothing to prevent Yui from taking the thatch bedding for herself. She was exponentially stronger than him, yet, in spite of this, she had allowed him to continue using it. This realization caused Nobu to frown, but, even if it was the 'right thing to do', there was no way in hell he was going to give up the comparatively cozy mat and sleep on the cold, hard, ground.While this might have made him sound like an ass, Nobu didn't particularly care. The facts of the matter were that the woman was a lot more durable than he was. She could also use her Aura to protect herself, so, if anything, he would rather share the bedding than yield it because of some archaic sense of pride or chivalry. He wasn't a simp who treated women like the very ground they walked on was sacred. Thus, once the sun had started to go down, he plainly asserted, "We should bunk up together. You've hidden it well, but I can tell you're still recovering. Besides, we've already fucked. Might as well help each other stay warm."With nary a peep coming from him since their previous confrontation, Yui was both surprised and taken aback by Nobu's sudden proposal. It actually wasn't uncommon for groups traveling during winter to share the same tent or find comfort in close proximity to their fellows. It was a natural and cost-effective way to preserve body heat, as, not only did it require no additional resources, it made making and breaking camp much faster.Believing he might be trying to proposition her, Yui's expression visibly darkened as she said, "Very well...I will share your bed. However, you will need to have your hands and feet bound..."Adopting a frown, Nobu practically scoffed as he said, "You can fuck right off with those bindings. I was just trying to be nice. Damn. You act like I'm going to pounce on you in the middle of the night. Do you really think I'm so desperate that I'll pounce on a washboard brat just because she's next to me? Get over yourself."Finished with his rebuttal, Nobu immediately turned away from Yui before lying with his back facing her. He made sure to leave a bit of space for her on the mat but he no longer cared whether or not she actually took it. He was just trying to be nice but she had to go and react like he was some kind of sexual predator. Considering she was the one who initiated their previous sexual encounters, this kind of reaction was uncalled for. After all, even if he did try something, she could literally smash his head with a single punch.Seeing Nobu turn away from her, almost like he was brooding, Yui, once again, found herself at a loss for words. For a brief moment, she even felt like she had wronged him, but, considering they were neither a couple nor legitimate travel companions, she didn't think it was excessive to bind his hands. After all, he was an adult man and she was an unmarried woman. It simply wasn't proper for them to share a bed without some form of restraint...("It's like he is completely ignorant of our customs and traditions...no...it's more like he lives in direct opposition to them...")Recalling how he had spoken ill of her family without a single shred of fear, Yui couldn't help staring at Nobu's back with a curious yet pensive look on her face. He was unlike anyone she had ever met, and, for reasons she couldn't put into words, she didn't feel that his way of life was 'wrong'. Most of the individuals living in opposition to established norms and traditions were bandits, robbers, and other forms of petty criminals. In other words, they were generally villains who preyed upon people for their own personal gain.Though his behavior and way of speaking were extremely brash, Yui didn't get the impression that Nobu was a bad person. He wasn't complaining about the existing system or calling into question any particular governmental policy. He also wasn't looking for a way to take advantage of others or manipulate them into doing his bidding. Instead, he was like an extremely confident child who had noticed that something was wrong and wasn't afraid to question it...("It's strange...this man may very well be the greatest fool in Owari. Yet, for some strange reason, I can't help feeling as though he is right to question things. It's a shame he wasn't born into one of the Noble Clans. Then again, had he grown up alongside other Nobles, he likely would have turned out the same as everyone else...")Realizing the dangerous direction her thoughts were headed, a soft yet exasperated sigh escaped Yui's lips as she shook her head in self-admonition. It was fine for 'normal' people to think like this but she was a member of a Minor Noble Clan. She was honor-bound to dedicate her life in service of the Oda Clan, who, despite having a few bad apples, worked tirelessly to maintain the peace and stability of the region. They were infinitely better than Clans like the Ashikaga, who, after purchasing the Shogun position from the Imperial Family, had slowly been leading Nian towards its ruin.Though a full-scale war had yet to break out, tensions between the various provinces had been on the rise in recent years. To make matters even worse, the demons of Onigashima had been pushing south after forming a marriage-alliance with the Date Clan. Were it not for the efforts of the Uesugi Clan, specifically their leader, Uesugi Kenshin, the Ashina and Satake Clans might have been wiped out as progressively more powerful demons felt emboldened enough to venture south.Simply put, Yui wasn't in a position to have doubts. If war were to erupt between the provinces, she would be required to dutifully follow orders until death. She could not show fear, hesitation, doubt, or any other kind of weakness. After all, while their most important duties were to fight and protect their land, one of the many Noble Burdens forced upon warriors was maintaining the morale of the citizens and troops. They were the Heroes of their respective provinces, so, even if they believed no one was looking, warriors were expected to present themselves as honorable, dignified, and fearless beings. Thus, even if she was beginning to have serious doubts about the path she was walking, Yui couldn't afford to show even a hint of fear or hesitation...Forming her resolve, Yui removed her armor, and, after performing the necessary maintenance, set it off to the side. Once that was finished, she removed the bindings from her hair before spending the better part of an hour combing through it with a comb soaked in camellia oil. Her Grandmother had taught her that a woman, even a warrior, needed to appear presentable, so, even though it was an arduous process, Yui made sure to clean and maintain her inordinately long and silky black hair every night before bed.With that out of the way, Yui bound her hair using a linen wrap that was intended to soak up excess oil and keep loose dirt out of her hair. Then, when everything was said and done, she made her way over to where Nobu was already fast asleep before lying with her back facing his. This caused her to become aware of his body heat, but, after a few minutes of regulating her breathing, she fell asleep without any notable issues.........(A/N: I'm not sure if the MC is a Chad or just damaged in the head...as for Yui...well, it can't be easy growing up in that kind of environment...)

Though he didn't wake to find her sleeping next to him, Yui's stirring caused Nobu to awaken two hours earlier than usual. He could have easily gone back to sleep, but, after lying in silence for a few minutes, he ultimately rolled to a seated position, suppressing a yawn as he asked, "Do you get up this early every morning?"Hearing the question, a tired sigh escaped Yui's mouth as she momentarily set aside her comb and answered, "A structured routine serves as the foundation for a disciplined mind. It also takes a long time to comb my hair. If I don't care for it properly, it would only take a few days for it to become a hindrance and a liability..."Having heard something similar in his previous life, Nobu nodded his head without pressing for a more detailed explanation. He had about two year's worth of growth on his own head, and, due to the way he had been living, it wasn't exactly pleasant. As for Yui, her hair was longer than any of the women he had encountered in his past life. The longest strands were only an inch or two away from touching her ankles. Had they been back on Earth, she could have easily made a career modeling various hair care products...Feeling Nobu's unabashed gaze linger on her for far longer than most would consider appropriate, a slight frown marred Yui's face as she asked, "Was there something else...?"Though he shook his head, Nobu, without averting his eyes, casually answered, "I was just thinking that I've never seen someone with such long and healthy-looking hair. I bet you make a lot of other girls envious, right?"Unsure of what to make of his 'compliment', Yui stared at Nobu in contemplative silence for several seconds before asking, "You really have no idea, do you...?"With a slightly annoyed look on his face, Nobu asked, "About what?" in an audibly defensive tone. If she intended to insult him, he wasn't just going to take it lying down.Taking note of the sudden 'resolution' contained within Nobu's eyes, Yui's feelings of exasperation began to increase. Nothing good ever came from arguing with him, so, after carefully considering her words, she patiently explained, "Tradition dictates that an unmarried woman should not cut her hair before the even of her twentieth year. In this way, we pay our respects to Ōhirume-no-Muchi-no-Kami, the Great Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu-sama..."Though she wanted to follow up by saying she shouldn't be the first woman he had seen with hair of this length, Yui allowed her words to trail off as she observed Nobu's reaction. He reacted like a child learning something new for the first time, his face and body language utterly devoid of deceit or subterfuge...Realizing she hadn't been trying to insult him, the tensions in Nobu's body gradually relaxed as he replied, "Cool. I'm not fond of traditions and all that other complicated bullshit, but this is one I can get behind. Chicks with long hair are pretty cool. I bet you could even weaponize it if you attached a weight or something to the end."Blinking in surprise, Yui was about to comment about the foolishness of such an idea, but, realizing it wasn't a 'serious' suggestion, she chose to remain silent. It was gradually becoming apparent that Nobu didn't actually mean anything when he spoke. He was just making conversation, and, so long as she didn't take his words at face value, she could spare herself a number of headaches.("He really is just like a child...")As that sentiment became stronger within her mind, Yui shook her head before promptly resuming the long and arduous process of combing her hair. This time, she completely ignored Nobu's gaze, as, despite her initial impression of him, he didn't seem to have any ill intent. His eyes were devoid of the possessiveness present in the gazes of the many men who had covered her. Instead, the way he looked at her was filled with genuine intrigue, and, though she didn't want to admit it, boredom. In other words, he wasn't looking at her because he desired her body...he simply had nothing better to do...After watching Yui for the better part of twenty minutes, Nobu's boredom eventually got the better of him. He alleviated this by pulling out the stone tablet and proceeding to make some headway on his stockpile. From Yui's perspective, however, he appeared to be fidgeting like an unruly child who had grown impatient waiting for their mother to prepare breakfast.........While they weren't exactly on good terms, the tensions between Nobu and Yui gradually waned from the moment they started sharing a bed. They still didn't talk very often, but, after a few days had passed, Yui began delaying her trips to the outside in order to oversee Nobu's training.Though the advice she offered sounded extremely archaic, Nobu was unsurprised to discover that her methods were remarkably effective. This was, after all, a fantasy world with a cultivation-based power system. Unlike the self-proclaimed and consistently ridiculed Grandmasters of his world, this was a place where children as young as four could gather Aura into their hands before shooting it off like a character in DBZ. Thus, while it made him feel like a complete tool, Nobu closely followed Yui's instructions even when she forced him to pose and hold a squat for a full thirty minutes.Unfortunately, even after several days had passed, she vehemently refused to teach him anything related to Aura. This was pretty annoying, but, so long as he had the stone tablet, Nobu knew it was only a matter of time before his familiarity with the Ki-like energy increased. This sentiment became even stronger when his total Aura increased to 1000 points..."Rank Progression Tab...?"Though he had also unlocked an Achievement, Nobu had grown weary of thumbing through the seemingly endless list in search of specific achievements. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, he opened up the brand new tab to find what could best be described as a Skill Tree."Holy shit...and here I thought Path of Exile had a massive fucking skill tree. Are each of these a different cultivation method...?"While the path of Metal Infusion was the default method listed, there was a total of 108 different empty nodes branching from the point at the exact center of the screen. Clicking on these nodes caused a metric shit ton of other nodes to pop out, each branching into a mind-boggling number of cultivation paths. The only real limit seemed to be that you could only upgrade to a major realm, each possessing ten Ranks, a total of ten times before the branches disappeared into a mysterious fog..."What's the point of being so mysterious? It's obvious that fog is the realm beyond what mortals are able to achieve...how dumb..."Shaking his head, Nobu decided to pointless to think about the various cliches he had encountered in this world. Every time he attempted to dodge a flag, he ended up being beaten into a near-death state or having his ass handed to him by fate. He needed to get a lot stronger if he wanted to avoid being the plot's bitch, so, after a bit of deliberation, he clicked on the node representing the Copper Metal Infusion Technique.Though he had already noticed it while clicking through random nodes, Nobu was surprised to see there were more than a dozen different methods to advance to something as mundane as Copper Rank 1. The simplest method required absorbing the essence contained within 100kg of unrefined Copper Ore. As for the most difficult, one tasked him with obtaining the Reverse Scale of a Copper Dragon while another required him to find a material known as 'Essence of the Mountain God'.Based on this information, Nobu could infer that there were drastic differences between cultivators even at Bronze Rank 1. After all, there was no way someone who had obtained the Reverse Scale of a dragon would be weaker than someone who had used unrefined ore to advance their cultivation. If that were the case, there would be no need for Heavenly Treasures as everyone could become the strongest in the world by sucking stone...Unfortunately, even if he wanted to pick the best possible route, Nobu wasn't exactly in a position to be picky. His savings were probably enough to purchase the requisite amount of copper ore, but, without connections, it was unlikely anyone would be willing to sell him the refined material.Even without Yui's behavior to serve as a foundation to derive conclusions, Nobu could guess that mines and refined materials were heavily regulated. There was no way the government would allow peasants, farmers, and other common-folk to freely trade materials that could be used to produce weapons or empower loose cultivators. Commoners weren't even allowed to carry weapons without a permit, so, with the exception of talented youths, conscripted as early as eight years old, everyday citizens were forced to rely on the Feudal Lords and their forces for protection.Shaking his head, Nobu backed out of the Metal Infusion Path and began cycling through the other 107 basic paths. Aura seemed to be able to acquire the properties of anything it had been exposed to. The only reason people adhered to the Metal Infusion Path was because they simply didn't know the proper route to follow a different path. After all, you couldn't simply start off with Orichalcum as your first infusion. Every path had a specific set of requirements for ascending to the next Realm, so, unless you belonged to a lineage that had developed their own method over thousands of years, it was utterly impossible to pursue an unorthodox route."If I compiled a few of these methods into a book, I'd probably go down in history as a Great Sage or some shit..."Shelving that idea for a time when he could actually defend himself, Nobu continued to filter out cultivation methods until he was left with only three options. From what he could tell, these were the easiest, and, as a result, the best options available to him. He would probably be a little weaker than cultivators of the same Rank, but, unless his hand was forced, it wasn't like he was intending to go around picking fights. Only idiots, fools, self-righteous prick, and bloodthirsty psychopaths went around starting fights with Clans, Sects, and other organizations. Since the thought of killing people didn't exactly give him a raging boner, Nobu would rather just stick to becoming a merchant or an advisor to some rich asshole willing to pay for the 'knowledge' he could provide."So my options are to basically become a Priest, a Bard, or a Hippie..."Though the methods were known as the 'Nine Divine Sacraments', 'Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment', and 'Breath Progression Technique', Nobu believed his own descriptions were spot on. As for what made them easy, well, the first simply required him to pray and offer donations to a God known as the Divine Dragon, Albion. As for the other two, the Ten-Fold Path of Entertainment required him to have fun while the Breath Progression Technique, as the name implied, literally only required him to breathe a specific way for a set period of time.While others might find it difficult to become stronger using such methods, Nobu could circumvent the more annoying aspects of cultivation thanks to his stone tablet. He could literally just laze about all day, and, so long as he continued to click its surface, his strength would gradually increase. Sure, he could probably benefit from some actual training, but, even after pushing himself for the last five days, his points hadn't increased in the slightest. Since his parents had also shoved hundreds of rare and expensive herbs down his throat, many of which were supposed to help increase his cultivation base, there was a very real chance that his Aura could only be increased using the stone tablet.........(A/N: Which path will our beloved asshole choose? Let me know what you think in the comments section~)

Tapping each of the squares, Nobu was over the moon to see information related to various objects appear on the screen. Most of it was complete gibberish, filled with question marks, but, so long as he spent additional Aura, he could even analyze the composition of the surrounding rock strata.Simply put, Nobu's Camera functioned similarly to the Appraisal ability commonly found in novels with RPG and System elements. What distinguished his Camera from the norm was that every new object he scanned had a related Achievement. For common items, there were even Achievements pertaining to the number of objects he had analyzed."This explains why the Achievement Tab continues on forever...it's almost like it wants me to scan every object in existence..."Though he could really use it effectively at the moment, Nobu was looking forward the spamming the camera function in the future. He had already confirmed it possessed the ability to scan living creatures by targeting a few pill bugs. It didn't show values for things like health, but, so long as he was careful, he could use it to discover somethings strengths, weaknesses, rank, and total Aura."If this works on humans, I bet I could make a fortune as an information broker..."Since the 'premium' version of the scan even included a basic biography of the target, there was a very real chance he could use it to ascertain a person's deepest, darkest, secrets. The only downside was that it seemed to require additional Aura depending on the size and rarity of an object.After investing an additional 3 Aura, Nobu had been able to determine things like its composition, purity, and printing date of a gold coin. When he tried the same with an expensive herb, the cost of a comprehensive analysis shot up to 18,492 Aura. This was far beyond his means, so, at least for the time being, he had to settle on identifying pebbles, handfuls of snow, and parts of his body.Though some might consider it a waste, Nobu had laughed his ass off after giving in to his curiosity and taking a 'dick pic'. It cost him an additional 20 Aura to analyze, but, in exchange, he got to learn its exact length, health, and, somewhat amusingly, the name and number of times he had slept with a woman. There was even a value accounting for the number of times he had jerked off, but, thanks to his reincarnation, he could now proudly proclaim he had had more sex than the number of times he had masturbated: 0."Just call me Chad Thundercock from now on..."Amused by his own meta-humor, Nobu chuckled before getting comfortable on the thatch mat that had served as his bedding for the past five days. Now that he had calmed down and learned how broken his Camera App was, he was seriously considering revisiting the Messenger App. The alias 'Demon King of Sixth Heaven', while extremely cringe, was also pretty cool. He just needed to get strong enough to smack the shit out of anyone who dared laugh at him."Well...it's whatever..."On that dismissive note, Nobu opened the Messenger App to find that he was no longer in the profile creation menu. Whatever asshole was in charge of moderating the App seemed to have taken the liberty to complete it for him. As a result, he found himself in an interface that greatly resembled Discord, a popular instant-messaging platform back on Earth. The only real difference was that there was only a single server, and, other than himself, the member list was completely empty.Though it was a relief to discover he was the Admin of the server, Nobu felt it was kind of useless if he was the only member. Fortunately, or perhaps not, there was a tiny (1) beneath the golden cloud icon in the upper left of the app. Clicking on it revealed his completely empty Friend's List and a tab for Direct Messages. This was a method for people to send private messages to other users, and, as his notification had made apparent, there was a single message sitting in his Inbox."Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths? Don't tell me my first contact is a fucking Narutard..."Before he had even finished speaking, a chill ran through Nobu's body as a (2) popped up next to the unnecessarily wordy username. This gave him an overwhelming urge to simply ignore the two messages, but, having already formed his resolve to make the most of his golden spoon, he ended up clicking the name after the message count reached (5).------------------------------------Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: I dare you to try. (Sent at: 06:42am)Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You're really pushing your luck. (Sent 43s ago.)Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Do you dare to ignore me? (Sent 18s ago.)Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: If you don't respond in the next three seconds, your next incarnation will be a mollusk. (Sent 5s ago)Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: You've successfully pissed me off. Congratulations. (Sent: Just now.)------------------------------------Though he normally wouldn't care, Nobu felt a heavy sensation against his chest as he read each of the messages. It was like someone was piling massive weights on his body, and, after a few seconds had passed, even breathing became difficult.Gritting his teeth, Nobu began rapidly typing a reply of his own. It might have been easier to just speak out loud, but, thanks to the pressure on his chest, speaking freely would be impossible.------------------------------------Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Are you the one doing this? What's your problem?Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Oh? You finally replied? I guess you haven't given up on life just yet.Demon King of Sixth Heaven: You didn't answer my question. Seriously, cut it out. What did I ever do to you? Don't you have anything better to do than making my life more difficult?Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: ...Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: Are you seriously this dense?------------------------------------Reading the last message, Nobu's doubts regarding the Goddess' identity were all but resolved. She was clearly the Goddess who had reincarnated him. What he couldn't understand was why she was tormenting him. Sure, he had said some brash remarks but she was a literal fucking Goddess. It wasn't like he could actually do anything to her.Shaking his head, Nobu decided to try and nip the problem in the bud. His life was already stressful enough without an unhinged and clearly bored Goddess interfering with his affairs.------------------------------------Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Look, I'm sorry. I was pissed off and you were the only person I could think of to assign blame. Had I known you could actually hear me, I wouldn't have said anything at all. Can we just drop this? Please?Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: It seems you aren't a complete fool...Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths:: Very well. We will be magnanimous and let you off the hook just this once. Be grateful, human. This is the last mercy you will ever receive from us.------------------------------------Feeling his temples pulsing, almost as if he were about to have an aneurysm, Nobu took advantage of the fact the pressure had disappeared to take a number of deep breaths. Then, doing his best to not even think bad thoughts about the ostensibly petty Goddess, he typed:------------------------------------Demon King of Sixth Heaven: Thanks. I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life...Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths: *thumbs up emoji*-Transcendent Goddess of the Six Paths has gone offline-------------------------------------Releasing a sigh of relief, Nobu set down his tablet before habitually covering his eyes using his forearm. As frustrating as this experience had been, it taught him that the Gods could not only see what he was doing, they could even interfere with him. The pressure he had experienced had been very real, so, despite feeling a deep, seething, rage, he did his best to remain calm as he considered his options.Thinking back to the day he reincarnated, Nobu could clearly recall the Goddess complaining about other Reincarnators thinking they could oppose the Gods. Since she was able to interact with him, it was highly likely that a way to transition between the 'mortal' world and 'heaven' existed. He had no intention of confronting the Gods, but, if he played his cards right, there was a chance he could find a way to enter their realm and return.Based on his dealings with the Goddess, the Gods were a lot more human than most people would have expected. They clearly had their own personalities, wants, and needs, so, if he could obtain the favor of a reasonable powerful God, he might be able to secure passage back to Earth. This would undoubtedly require him to give up his cheat, but, even if it were only for a moment, Nobu would give up everything just to speak with his mother and tell her he was okay...As that thought crossed his mind, a solemn expression appeared on Nobu's face as he resisted the urge to swear. Then, after brooding in silence for the better part of twenty minutes, he rolled to his feet, stretched his body, and started to exercise...---Though it had been more than an hour since she finished gathering food and supplies, Yui found herself unable, or, more accurately, unwilling to return to the cave. Her anger had settled long ago, and, ever since then, she had been shifting between thinking about Nobu's words and agonizing over what kind of reaction her Grandmother might have should she arrived without him.Even an infant would be able to understand that Nobu didn't want to accompany her back to the Yoshitsune Clan. She could probably convince him by explaining the situation to him, but, in reality, even she didn't know why her Grandmother wanted him brought back to the Clan.According to the mission briefing, Nobu was supposed to be a mentally handicapped individual without the means to care for himself. This was a stark contrast to the reality right in front of her eyes, but, based on her findings, it wasn't long ago that he was exactly as the report described. In fact, now that she thought about it, there was a very real chance that he had somehow overcome his disability moments before their initial meeting."Could he have consumed some sort of heavenly treasure? That would help to explain his abnormal growth but how would Grandmother know about this? More than a month had passed by the time I arrived in Owari-Asai. If Grandmother had somehow learned that he would come into possession of a heavenly treasure, she would have come to retrieve it herself..."Exhaling a sigh, Yui realized there were a number of incongruencies with her current situation. This, combined with Nobu's words, filled her with doubts. She found herself questioning everything, and, for the first time in her life, she was seriously considering escaping across the sea. Belonging to the Yoshitsune Clan had never brought her happiness. Instead, it had forced innumerable burdens upon her, and, no matter how much she excelled compared to her peers, she was always a single mistake from being forced to sacrifice herself for the Clan's benefit."I really am a hypocrite...I lecture people on honor and pride yet here I am, seriously considering turning my back on six-thousand-years of history. Maybe the Elders were right about me...I'm just a coward who only thinks about themself..."Smiling in a self-deprecating manner, Yui manifested a short golden dagger from her aura, obsidian blue eyes fixated on its blinding, razor-sharp, edge as she mumbled, "Maybe it would be better if I just put an end to everything...I wonder if ritual suicide can restore the honor of someone who has seriously considered betraying their family? At the very least, I can avoid being labeled a coward..."Though it was only a single crystalline droplet, a tear managed to liberate itself from Yui's eyes, accurately striking the blade's edge. This was followed by a sniffle, but, after wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, all evidence of her passing despair had been erased. Then, for reasons she wouldn't be able to put into words, Yui looked in the direction of the cave and muttered, "I wonder if that man would laugh if he saw me like this..."(A/N: Stay strong, Yui...)

Chapter 18: Unyielding Spirits : Compromise