Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

By circulating her aura internally, Yui managed to recover from her disorientation after a few deep breaths. This was exponentially faster than Rynka, so, while the aforementioned was still struggling to stand, Yui grabbed her by the collar of her kimono before slamming her to the ground using an overhead throw.With her usually invisible aura flashing a vibrant silver, Rynka coughed up a small amount of blood, cursing, "You wench...!" before attempting to grab something from one of the many pouches lining her body. This was rewarded with a stomp to the face before Yui used a bident-like weapon to pin the hostile kunoichi's neck to the ground.Though a person's aura could protect them from harm, it wasn't an absolute defense. A sufficiently powerful blow would cause it to deform, so, taking advantage of her aura's inherent characteristics, Yui raised her left foot, an inordinately thick golden greave manifesting around her calf and foot as she dropped it with meteoric might against Rynka's diaphragm.With her neck pinned to the ground, Rynka's offensive and defensive options had been significantly reduced. Thus, when Yui's foot came crashing down, an audible crack resounded through the forest as an intense pain radiated through her entire chest. Her aura, which had manifested to protect her, now had a foot-shaped imprint just beneath her breasts, and, as a result, all the air had been forced from her lungs.As Rynka had been the one to set off the explosion that had potentially buried Nobu, Yui felt very little remorse about the internal injuries she had inflicted upon her younger clanswoman. The only reason she didn't outright kill her was that she didn't believe the Elders of the Yoshitsune Clan, not even the ones who hated her, would arbitrarily issue a mission to kill her. If that were the case, they would have sent a team of elites, not a trainee and someone she had defeated well over a hundred times in training.Using several other bident-like weapons, colloquially known as sasumata, Yui systematically pinned each of Rynka's joints before leaving her to writhe painfully on the ground. Immediately after that, she leaped to the branch of a nearby tree to get a better vantage point on Yuriko's position."As expected...Yuriko wouldn't be taken out so easily..."Lamenting the time she had wasted on Rynka, Yui shook her head before shooting a golden line into a distant tree. Then, with the assistance of several other cables, she was able to navigate the densely packed forward with a finesse that could have rivaled a certain spider-themed hero from Brooklyn.........After retreating a safe distance and painstakingly setting her dislocated arm, Yuriko showed no hesitation regarding the decision to leave Rynka to her fate. She seriously doubted that Yui would kill a member of her own clan. Rather, if she was truly as coldhearted as people made her out to be, she wouldn't have insisted on pursuing the path of an 'honorable warrior'.Confident in her assessment of Yui's character, Yuriko raced back to the location of the burrow. Her highest priority at the moment was securing the man Yui had been escorting. The brief skirmish had made it exceedingly clear they couldn't defeat Yui in a direct confrontation, so, now that their initial plan had gone south, they had little choice but to rely on their contingencies."It's fortunate I left Shizune in charge of his capture. That personality of hers could use some work but she shouldn't have had any difficulties capturing a commoner..."Despite the apparent confidence in her tone, Yuriko ignored the pain radiating from her left ribs in order to reach her destination as quickly as possible. Shizune might have been able to capture their quarry with relative ease, but, should Yui get to her first, the pinkette lacked the mental fortitude to issue and follow through with threats.Shizune was someone who abhorred unnecessary violence, and, were it not for the fact she could command Shikigami, an exceptionally rare ability, she most likely would have ended up working in a brothel to gather information. Such was the fate of incompetent kunoichi, as, even with the Oda Clan's backing, they still needed to earn additional income in order to purchase the equipment and resources required to nurture the more talented members of their Clan.Fortunately, while Shizune had earned a poor evaluation regarding her slaughter and assassination techniques, her actual combat prowess wasn't bad. She could also infiltrate manors and businesses with her Shikigami, so, while most trainees would immediately be regarded as a failure for refusing to kill, the Elders had made an exception in regards to the peculiar pinkette. After all, when it came to conducting operations in foreign territories, the ability to covertly gather information was often more important than individual lethality.The biggest problem with Shizune was that she had developed the mentality that she was already an important asset to the Yoshitsune Clan. She didn't particularly care about earning the official title of kunoichi, as, from her perspective, she would never be assigned the tasks that led some kunoichi to commit suicide. Simply put, she had developed something of a Princess mentality, and, while she would generally follow orders, she rarely put in more than a middling amount of effort.Fearing that her young protege might simply 'give up' if she deemed the task too annoying, Yuriko reached the site of the burrow in just under a minute. To her relief, she immediately noticed Shizune crouching next to their unconscious target. What Yuriko didn't expect was to find the troublesome pinkette in the middle of fiddling around with the target's genitalia..."Trainee Shizune...what the hell are you doing...?"Though she startled upon hearing Yuriko's voice, Shizune quickly regained her composure, smiling as she explained, "You should see it for yourself. Look. Isn't this one much larger than the toys used in our lectures? It isn't even hard and it's already as long as my hand."Despite sneaking a quick peek, largely due to disbelief, Yuriko still struck the top of Shizune's head with her fist, asking, "What the hell is wrong with you!? At least tie him and secure him someplace safe before you start fooling around...!"With her aura protecting her, Shizune felt no pain from Yuriko's strike. Instead, she offered a half-eyed smile before bringing the tips of her fingers together and replying, "That's a wonderful idea. It's no wonder everyone calls you a genius, Yuriko-san."Ignoring the insincere compliment, Yuriko quickly bound Nobu's hands and feet before tying a rope around his body and throwing him over her shoulder. This caused her ribs to scream out in protest, but, without so much as a single change in expression, she turned towards Shizune and said, "Yui is a lot stronger than we anticipated. We need to move quickly before she finishes dealing with Rynka and follows suit. The way she is behaving is very abnormal so we might not be able to use this man as a hostage. Our best bet is to split up and find someplace to hunker down. So long as we can buy enough time, this is our victory."Though she didn't disagree with Yuriko's words, the former's casual mention of Rynka being dealt with caused Shizune to adopt a wry smile and ask, "Ano...what should I do if Yui-sama catches up with me...?"Placing her hand on Shizune's shoulder, Yuriko adopted a thoroughly heartless expression as she said, "Just do your best. Don't worry. Even if she tortures you, your life shouldn't be in any danger..."Paling in response to the relatively straightforward answer, Shizune was about to suggest they stick together when Yuriko gave her shoulder another pat and said, "This is an order, trainee. Flee as far as you can. If you are captured, do not give up any information. Your ability to use shikigami might be invaluable to the Clan, but, if it is discovered you will readily part with the information you have collected, you will become a liability. Do you believe your mother will be able to protect you if the other Elders learn you gave information to the 'enemy' just to avoid a bit of pain?"With her smile quickly morphing into a pretentious glower, Shizune surprised Yuriko quite a bit by saying, "Leave the man with me. I don't want to get tortured just to buy you some time. So long as I have him, Yui shouldn't do anything extreme. You know I hate violence. If anyone is going to act as bait, it should be the person with the highest speed and maneuverability. It's also highly likely that Yui-sama will also assume you're the one with the hostage so there's no sense in forcing me to take unnecessary risks. Hand him over."Like a spoiled child demanding candy, Shizune extended her hand towards Yuriko, her milky white and callus-free palm facing upward. Even more surprising was the fact that a moderately murderous aura was emanating from her body, clearly indicating that she would rather fight for ownership over the unconscious man than face off against an enraged Yui.Disapproving of Shizune's behavior, Yuriko's expression immediately morphed into a scowl. She was generally a pretty laid-back person, but, sensing the malice contained in Shizune's tone as the latter unabashedly committed insubordination, her fury quickly increased to dangerous levels. Were it not for the fact this was merely a training mission, she would have immediately cut Shizune's throat for such an egregious breach of the chain of command.Inhaling a deep breath, enough to cause her ribs to throb in pain, Yuriko did her best to calm down and assess the situation. If she analyzed things objectively, Shizune's words weren't incorrect. It was highly likely that Yui would first pursue her as she was very clearly the team leader. She was also the only one ruthless enough to slit a hostage's throat when push came to shove, so, after realizing that the other person was Shizune, the first person Yui would try to eliminate is her.Though the actual odds were something along the lines of 70:30, Yuriko ultimately decided to just go with the flow. This was, after all, a mission to assess Rynka's and Shizune's potential as kunoichi. She wasn't supposed to be completing the mission for them. Her primary responsibility was making sure they didn't lose their lives. Thus, even if the mission ended in failure, Shizune and Rynka would receive a far more severe punishment than the one meted out to her."Very well. However, if I learn that you just hid somewhere and played around while I did my best to buy time, don't expect the Elders to protect you. It might not be today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now. At some point, I will get even with you for today's slights."Releasing a far more powerful bloodlust than the insignificant aura exuding from Shizune's body, Yuriko was hoping to scare the troublesome pinkette into obedience. Instead, the only thing she managed was forcing Shizune to pale slightly before the latter adopted an annoyingly triumphant smile and said, "Understood." in an audibly excited tone of voice.Restraining a sigh, Yuriko basically threw Nobu's unconscious body towards Shizune before bolting up a tree and darting in the opposite direction. This caused the pinkette to adopt an offended look, but, having ultimately gotten her way, it didn't take long for her smile to return. Then, with a slightly mischievous look on her face, she eyed the unconscious Nobu and said, "Knowing Yuriko, she really will do her best to buy time. So long as that monster doesn't immediately pursue us, that gives you and I plenty of time to get to know each other. Ufufufufufu~"Though it was true that her nature was somewhat terrible, Shizune's interest in Nobu was primarily the result of his appearance. There had to be a reason for his uncanny resemblance to the current Lord of the Oda Clan, so, as someone whose primary skills revolved around information gathering and seduction, Shizune was determined to get the answers she sought.........(A/N: What's this!? Is our main boyo in danger!? Will FBI-sama save him from the clutches of a predatory loli or will he be the one to put behind bars!? Find out in the next 'surprisingly pink' episode of Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience...!!!)

Smelling a fragrant yet suffocating aroma similar to lavender mixed with fruit, an annoyed groan emanated from Nobu's throat as he instinctually attempted to turn away from the smell's source. Unfortunately, the only thing he managed to turn away was his head. He was vaguely aware of a weight pressing him down, and, after a few disorienting seconds had passed, he realized that his hands were, once again, bound."Fuck my life..."As those words left his mouth, Nobu opened his remarkably heavy eyelids with the intent to assess his situation. He almost wished he hadn't, as, the moment he opened his eyes, he came face to face with the thing, scratch that, the person weighing him down."Well hello there. My name's Shizune. What's yours~?"Rather than answering the abnormally heavy woman's question, Nobu's eyes briefly focused on her pink hair before naturally gravitating towards the two ginormous melons partially peeking out from the sides of her pale-pink, nearly white, kimono. She reminded him of the damaged girls that would cosplay as their favorite characters at anime conventions, but, unlike the aforementioned attention-seekers, this girl's hair appeared to be pink to its roots. She also had bright purple eyes, a color that was rumored to exist in his previous world, but, even after nineteen years of living, Nobu had never met a single person with the inordinately rare pigmentation...Though she was tempted to say something when Nobu's eyes focused on her breasts, Shizune was marginally surprised when he, very naturally, transitioned to meet her gaze. It was like he had been merely confirming their existence, and, based on the disgruntled and slightly hostile expression on his face, he wasn't particularly captivated by her beauty.Puffing out her cheeks ever so slightly, Shizune complained, "I already told you my name. I'll be sad if you don't tell me yours..."Frowning in response to the woman's words, Nobu surprised Shizune a second time by unhesitantly replying, "Fuck off." in a no-nonsense tone. Then, having recovered a bit of his strength and mental faculties, he attempted to force the woman off of him by bucking his hips and twisting to the side.Ultimately failing in this endeavor, Nobu immediately commented, "Holy fuck, you're heavy..." with a slightly pained expression on his face. It was like someone had suddenly stacked several weights on his legs, and, due to how far up she was on his thighs, he could barely twist his body, much less buck her off.Though she had been maintaining a smile up until this point, Shizune immediately frowned when she heard Nobu say she was heavy. Sure, she was circulating her aura through her body to increase her weight but that didn't mean he could just say whatever he wanted. She was also quite confident in her beauty, so, rather than complaining, he should be delighted that such a beautiful woman was straddling his waist.Pinching the virtually nonexistent fat around Nobu's waist, Shizune adopted a genuine pout as she said, "It's rude to comment on a woman's weight. Besides, I'm using my aura to hold you down. My actual weight is less than thirty-seven-kilograms. Take it back...!"Despite wincing due to the pain at his waist, Nobu managed an incredulous look on his face as he asked, "Why the fuck are you trying to act cute? I don't even know you and here you are sitting in my lap while my hands and feet tied. You're not being cute. You're being creepy as fuck."Furrowing her brows even further, enough to appear legitimately angry, Shizune ceased pinching Nobu's waist before remarking, "You're weird. It's like you have no sense of self-preservation. You do realize I could kill you whenever I want, right? If you had played along, we could have enjoyed ourselves while getting to know each other. Why go out of your way to escalate things?"Snorting through his nose, Nobu lurched forward in a vain attempt to headbutt Shizune in the face, thoroughly incensing her before shouting, "I told you to fuck off! I ain't no pansy-ass bitch who will start talking just because some pink-haired bitch is grinding my dick...!"With a visible layer of moisture building in her eyes, Shizune slapped Nobu with such intensity that his chin briefly extended past his shoulder. His vision had also completely blanked, and, were it not for the taste of blood in his mouth and a pulsating pain emanating from his left ear, he might have thought he had been knocked unconscious."Fwuckin...bwit..."Though she wasn't entirely sure what he was trying to say, that didn't prevent Shizune from giving Nobu another crisp smack, this time on his right cheek. This caused Nobu to immediately fall silent, head dangling forward and blood dripping from his mouth. Some of this landed on Shizune's pale-pink kimono, but, thanks to her aura, the beads flowed away from her without staining her clothes."Mou...look what you made me do! I really abhor violence, you know!?""...""Ara~? I made sure to hold back the second time. Did that really cause you really pass out...?"With Nobu failing to answer her, Shizune lifted his head with both hands to make sure she hadn't accidentally broken his neck. She didn't feel anything out of place, so, after a cursory check of his bleeding ear, she opened his eyes to find that one of his pupils was slightly bigger than the other."Oh my...that's going to smart when you wake up. I didn't think such a light slap would give you a concussion. How strange. Even if your aura is extremely weak, it should have protected you..."Since there was no way her quarry could answer her while he was knocked unconscious, Shizune decided to continue where she had left off prior to his awakening. This included a comprehensive examination of his body, and, though she had already checked it previously, his aura."Hmmm...?"Now that she was paying closer attention to it, Shizune noticed that Nobu's aura didn't fluctuate in the same manner as a normal cultivator. Instead, it appeared to remain constant despite the fact he was both unconscious and injured.Under normal circumstances, a person's aura would either recover or increased during periods of rest or relaxation. Inversely, the moment they sustained even minor injuries, their aura would slowly deplete as their body's natural recovery processes were gradually accelerated. Though there were a number of methods to take advantage of these two states, neither was a voluntary response."Well, if his aura isn't behaving naturally, the obvious answer is that something unnatural is going on. It's no wonder Yui-sama took an interest in him. There's clearly something extraordinary taking place in this barbaric man's body. It's a shame his character is so dreadful. I was looking forward to being able to try out the skills those old bats keep forcing me to learn..."Raising Nobu's face with her left hand, Shizune used a pale-pink handkerchief to wipe away the blood staining the left side of his face and flowing from his lips. Throughout this entire process, a practiced smile remained perpetually affixed to her face. It was only when she attempted to wipe the blood away from Nobu's mouth that a glimmer of curiosity returned to her amethyst eyes, as, even while unconscious, he seemed to be avoiding anything nearing his nose.........After failing to find any traces of Nobu within the burrow, Yui immediately doubled back to secure Rynka before following what she believed to be Yuriko's trail. The only other trail had been sloppy, at best, so, despite consuming a tremendous volume of aura, she followed the virtually non-existent path left by Yuriko until it spontaneously ended at a river.Fueled by a rage she had never experienced before, Yui screamed, "Fuck...!" at the top of her voice before immediately tossing the barely conscious Rynka into the freezing cold water. Winter might have ended, but, due to the river being fed by a distant mountain, the water was still as frigid as it had been during the coldest night in Shimotsuki(Month of Frost/November).Were it not for the fact Yui had held onto her using a golden rope, Rynka would have immediately been swept away by the powerful current. Instead, she emerged gasping from the water, her body shivering madly despite the aura remaining in her reserves. This was one of the primary downsides to the Metal Infusion Technique, as, despite offering ample protection against physical and magical attacks, it was extremely susceptible to changes in temperature.With the type of expression frequently reserved for demons guarding the gates of hell, Yui sank her fingernails into the shivering Rynka's baby-faced cheeks before screaming, "If you don't tell me the details of your mission, you're spending the rest of the night in this river! I might be unwilling to kill you but that doesn't mean I won't let nature do it for me...!"Opening her almond-shaped eyes, Rynka's pitch-black irises reflected a resolute as she groaned, "If you think I'll squeal or beg for my life, you're a bigger idiot than I thought...even we kunoichis...have our pride..."Punctuating her words, Rynka spat foamy white spittle into Yui's face. She would have liked to see a slug-like glob of phlegm roll down the latter's face, but, thanks to a severe case of dehydration and blood loss, froth was the best she could manage.Though she couldn't help but grit her teeth in fury and frustration, Yui's time with Nobu had given her a certain appreciation for obstinate fools. Thus, rather than throwing Rynka back into the river, Yui flung the petite trainee to the side before throwing her overcoat over the girl's trembling body. Then, despite understanding how futile it was, she began to search up and down the banks of the river for any signs that Yuriko had passed through the area.........With several hours passing since the time she knocked Nobu unconscious, Shizune had managed to learn quite a few things about him. First and foremost among these discoveries was his remarkable sense of smell, so, while she concluded his physical examination, her Shikigami spread out to gather several plants and flowers with deodorizing and fumigation properties."Okay, sleepyhead. Time to wake up~."Since she had already prepared everything she needed, Shizune used a small vial of smelling salts to jolt Nobu awake."Holy fucking shit fuck! Did you fucking piss on your fingers!?"With the active ingredient in smelling salts being ammonia carbonate, it was easily one of the most foul-smelling aromas most people would ever experience. It also had the effect of accelerating the heart rate and forcing the body to take in additional oxygen to compensate, so, the moment Nobu awoke, an extreme case of vertigo caused his right eye to briefly deviate from its natural focal point.Though his reaction was far more extreme than she expected, Shizune was more than satisfied with the result. If he was this susceptible to aromas, she could leverage it against him for information, so, after watching him silently for several seconds, a perpetual smile on her face, she explained, "I really don't want to hurt you. So long as you answer my questions obediently, I'll even provide you a face mask to filter out ambient aromas. If you're especially cooperative, I might even give you a reward."Having punctuated her final statement with a genuinely expectant smile, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Shizune was both disappointed and frustrated when Nobu glared at her and repeated, "Fuck...off...!" between labored breaths. This placed her in a difficult position, as, while it might not sound very convincing from the perspective of her captive, she was serious when she said she didn't want to hurt him. Unfortunately, as he would soon find out, there was a very big difference between not wanting to do something and being incapable of doing it..."You're really leaving me with no choice..."......(A/N: Damn...and here I thought Rynka was bad. Compared to Shizune, she might as well be a kind and benevolent Goddess...)

Under normal circumstances, Yui would have dealt with this situation by breaking through her foes' encirclement and forcing them to pursue until she found an advantageous position or managed to give them the slip. With Nobu's fate unknown, however, she couldn't simply leave the area, so, even if she knew it was a mistake, she allowed herself to be led around by Yuriko while Rynka provided support from the shadows.Realizing that Yui had no intention of leaving the area, Yuriko continued to reposition around trees in an effort to bait the former into exhausting her Aura. She knew where all the traps were located. All she needed to do was lure Yui to their location."This is the penultimate weakness of a warrior. Concerning yourself with the safety of others makes you weak..."As those words left her mouth, Yurko rolled forward to evade the glistening golden blade that had cleanly bifurcated the tree she had been hiding behind. At the same time, she tossed a handful of marble-sized paper balls towards the periphery. These immediately erupted into a cloud of bright-red powder, a combination of ground-up chili peppers, skin irritants, and poison.Noticing the paper balls the moment she darted around the tree, Yui spun on her heels, a golden plate manifesting behind her as she backed through the cloud without a moment's hesitation. This was an incredibly foolish maneuver, but, fearing Nobu's time might be running out, Yui abandoned caution in favor of results.With the exception of the golden plate and the sword in her hand, Yui had completely deactivated her aura. She needed speed more than defense at the moment, so, even when Yuriko performed a backward flip, slinging a handful of kunai in the process, Yui charged through them with bloodshot eyes, shouting, "You're really starting to piss me off...!"Though she was more than a little surprised by Yui's 'suicide charge', Yuriko found herself at a loss for words when she heard the former's outburst. Yui was the type of person who kept her emotions bottled up, refusing to let others see her weakness. She wasn't the type of person to lash out at her opponent in the middle of a battle, and, even if she sustained heavy injuries, she wouldn't so much as flinch.Blocking Yui's heavy blow with a luminous silver sickle known as a kamaitachi, the color in Yuriko's face drained away as she forced a smile and said, "This isn't like you, Yui...you're not this reckless..."Ignoring Yuriko's remark, Yui's pressed forward, her golden aura igniting like a flame that quickly produced a number of spear-like protrusions. Several of these impacted near Yurko's vital points, but, thanks to her silver aura, she was only sent stumbling backward by the momentum contained within the blows.Regretting her earlier musings, Yuriko attempted to take advantage of the distance Yui's attack had sent her by darting to the side. Before she could even get three steps, however, Yui appeared right in front of her, aura nowhere to be seen and an expression similar to an enraged Asura."If I make it through this, I'm tanning that Rynka's hide until it's purple..."With Yui performing a cyclone-like sweep with a golden naginata, Yuriko attempted to leap over it only to discover a familiar silver kunai aimed at the center of her forehead. This caused the pupils of her hawk-like eyes to contract, not because she was fearful of receiving the attack, but because the kunai was one of her own.As that thought crossed her mind, Yuriko was forced to involuntarily blink when the kunai impacted her aura. At that exact moment, a force comparable to a Lightning Boar's charge slammed into the left side of her body, just below her armpit. Her aura managed to hold out, but, due to the weight behind the blow, her left shoulder ended up getting dislocated before her body was sent crashing through a nearby tree.Seeing Yuriko get sent flying, Rynka, who had spent the last couple of minutes looking for a chance to attack, immediately paled. She felt as though a bucket of icy-cold water had been poured across her body, as, despite being hidden, Yui's obsidian-blue eyes snapped towards her the moment she had sent Yuriko flying.Though one of the punishments for abandoning a mission was death, Rynka's instincts told her that she would surely die if she tried to fight against Yui. Unfortunately, the moment she turned around, a figure clad in pale-gold descended to block her path.Forcing a smile, Rynka looked up with the intention of trying to ingratiate herself to the monstrous woman standing in front of her. This effort promptly hindered by Yui's vice-like grip closing around her face, forcing her to remain silent as the demonic woman asked, "Use your fingers. Tell me, how many people did you bring?"Had Yui merely blocked her path, Rynka wouldn't have put up much of a struggle. Being lifted by her face, however, caused her fight or flight instinct to kick in. Thus, without even processing the words that had just left Yui's mouth, Rynka began punching, kicking, and throwing every tool she had in her possession. This ended up being a surprisingly effective strategy, as, among the many items she had thrown, several explosives had been mixed in.With a massive explosion forcibly separating them, Yui smashed into a nearby tree while Rynka was sent tumbling head over heel through a series of shrubs. Their respective auras had protected them from any serious injuries, but, due to the unexpected nature of the attack, even Yui was left cradling her head, ears ringing as a wave of disorientation forced her to lean against the tree for support. As for Rynka, she managed to climb to her feet, but, the moment she tried to walk forward, she ended up moving in a diagonal line before crashing into a tree of her own.........After slipping in and out of consciousness more than a dozen times, Nobu finally reached what he believed to be an exit. He couldn't actually see the end, but, feeling a cold breeze flow from further ahead, he managed to wiggle his way through a tunnel that was only accessible due to his severely malnourished figure."If I get out of this...I'm never going underground again..."Since these words were intended for himself, Nobu's body instantaneously froze when he heard a delicate voice reply, "That's probably for the best. The only time people should stay underground is when they're dead. Now, come on out. If you surrender obediently, I promise I won't harm you..."Hearing the voice coming from an unseen source beyond the bend a few meters up the tunnel, the expression on Nobu's face darkened as he contemplated wiggling back the way he came. His newly acquired phobia was rapidly nearing debilitating levels, but, far more than being buried alive, Nobu feared being used to harm the people he cared about. Yui wasn't quite at that level, but, as the only person he had really spent time with since his reincarnation, she was the closest approximation to a person he genuinely cared about...Just as Nobu was forming the resolve to move backward, a piercing pain radiated from his ankle as the same voice from before calmly explained, "I have already spread my familiars through the entire burrow. If you refuse to come out, they will continue biting your legs until you either come forward or pass out from blood loss..."With his jaw trembling from anxiety and pain, Nobu's eyes became progressively more bloodshot as he forced the chattering to stop by tightly clenching his teeth. He felt like he was being made to experience all of the most deeply ingrained fears humans had developed since their ancestors were still living in caves. Not only was he trapped in an extremely claustrophobic tunnel, but, someplace he couldn't see, unknown creatures were nipping at his feet, heels, and legs as if he were a fucking buffet."God fucking damnit! I'm sick and tired of this bullshit! If you want me, come and get me you little shit! You think I'm going to make things easy for you!? Go fuck yourself...!"Though the confines of the tunnel didn't allow him to move around much, Nobu still managed to kick at whatever was biting him. Even the collapsing of the tunnel didn't deter him, as, much like he had told Yui, he would rather die than become something like a hostage. At least this way he could give that damned Goddess a piece of his mind before being sent off to god knows where.........Hearing the sounds of a struggle from within the tunnel, the owner of the voice, a young girl with shoulder-length pink hair tied up into a short ponytail, fringe-bangs framing a face with amethyst eyes, muttered, "I'm not sure if I should call him brave or suicidal..."Shaking her head, the youthful-looking girl slipped her hand into the slit of her kimono before reaching deep into her cleavage and producing a series of paper talismans that vaguely resembled human. Then, after placing these between her index and middle fingers, she whispered, "Try not to hurt him too much..." before throwing the talismans into the tunnel.After an inordinate number of expletives and enough thrashing to cause the entrance of the tunnel to emit a cloud of dust, several child-sized paper figures resembling macaques emerged from the burrow with an extremely tall yet gaunt man in tow. The average height of females in Nian was only around 148cm when fully grown, and, while their men were markedly taller, most averaged between 160-165cm. Nobu, not that she knew his name, was just over 177cm, so, while he wasn't particularly tall back on Earth, he was practically a giant in Nian."I don't think I've ever seen a man this big...is he a foreigner? He has Nianese features though..."Since Nobu had been strangled unconscious by a paper snake coiled around his neck, the woman, Yoshitsune Shizune, could only speculate who he was and where he came from. Their mission only required them to hinder Yui and prevent the latter from returning before the official deadline of her mission. This would be impossible under normal circumstances, but, thanks to the strange man she was escorting, they weren't helplessly outmatched.Poking Nobu's cheek with her finger, a smile developed across the pink-haired girl's face as she softly mused, "I've never seen a man from this close before...I wonder if his height is the only thing big about him..."Though she really shouldn't be taking her time like this, Shizune's eyes crawled over Nobu's body before lingering on the hemp cord holding his trousers in place. She found it a little strange that he wasn't wearing a traditional kimono or hitatare with hakama-style trousers. Instead, he was wearing a type of linen pants common among farmers, a two-layered tunic, and a pair of leather boots that appeared to be imported from overseas. He dressed nothing like a typical Nianese, yet, even with a veritable bird's nest of hair, his facial features could easily pass for a member of the Noble Clans..."Hmmm...?"As that thought crossed her mind, Shizune noticed that Nobu actually shared several key features with the current Lord of the Oda Clan. Everything from the shape of his brow, the thickness of his nose, and the angle of his jaw were a perfect match for a younger version of Owari's Lord.Were it not for the fact that Lord Senken wasn't famous for loving a single woman, Shizune could have been convinced that the man lying before her was the Lord's illegitimate child. The similarities were frightening, so much so that Shizune actually began to feel as though she was committing a grave mistake by not bowing her head.Fortunately, like every other member of the Yoshitsune Clan, Shizune had committed the names and faces of the Oda Clan to memory. The man before her didn't match any of these people, so, after a brief moment of hesitation, a mischievous smile developed across her face as she lifted the hem of Nobu's trousers and softly exclaimed, "Oh my...you might be a dirty commoner, but you're quite the little Lord where it counts..."......(A/N: Oh my...)

Chapter 31: Troublesome Character