Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

After a lengthy discussion with the mother-daughter duo, Nobu returned to his room feeling even more exhausted than when he left. Fortunately, as Yui had suggested, Cho was waiting outside his room with a tray filled with traditional Nianese cooking. When she saw them approaching, a radiant smile developed across her face, and, though it was probably just a placebo effect, Nobu felt a little less tired after seeing how happy she was to see him.As someone who had spent more than a decade learning how to cook various foods, Cho's cooking was, as could be expected, remarkably tasty. Nobu had absolutely zero complaints regarding the quantity or quality of the food, and, though it was more than a little awkward, he didn't mind Cho watching him eat as if it was the most captivating thing she had ever witnessed. After all, while she was watching him, Nobu got quite the eye full as her loose black kimono gradually slipped from her fair white shoulders...If there was anything Nobu found dissatisfying, it was the fact that Cho had only prepared enough food for him. This didn't seem to bother Yui and Yuriko, who sat silently off to the side, but it was a little awkward having three women watching as he was the only one who ate. When he asked about it, they informed him that it was improper for a Lord's attendants to eat alongside them, not due to hierarchal concerns, but because they needed to remain alert for any signs of danger.Though they were in the very heart of Yoshitsune Clan territory, saying Yumegakure was safe would be a gross overstatement. Things might be a little different if Nobu was powerful, but, at his current level, any random trainee would be able to take advantage of him. If he sauntered about without an escort and happened to cross paths with a group of kitsune, he would be lucky to get away with his life.It wasn't that the girls would proactively try and kill him. Rather, the crux of the problem was that even young kitsune possessed inhuman physical strength. As a result, there was a very real chance they would rip Nobu apart by complete accident. Thus, at least for the time being, they couldn't let Nobu walk around freely. Even a single moment's negligence could spell his end, as, despite being relatively talented, the kunoichi serving him weren't even among the top 100 in the clan.........With the departure of Cho, Nobu was left alone with Yui and Yuriko. The latter had volunteered to be the first watch, and, though she would take breaks while he was asleep, Yui had mentioned she would be following him pretty much wherever he went. She was his primary bodyguard, and, more importantly, the strongest among the eleven women serving him. The only times she would ever be away from him was when he ordered her to leave or when two or more of his bodyguards were at his side. Even then, however, she would always remain nearby, just in case...Seeing the fierce determination contained within the duo's eyes, Nobu did his best to appear calm as he asked, "So? What do the two of you think we should do? All I really need is time and I should be able to increase my strength pretty quickly. Any suggestions...?"Though she was tempted to use this as an opportunity to ask her Lord about any secrets he might be keeping, Yui maintained a focused and serious expression on her face as she suggested, "If you explain things clearly to my Grandmother, I believe she would be willing to help. We can also try to ally ourselves with the Security and Information Elders. The former is in charge of the Custodians, a group of highly skilled kunoichi who are responsible for protecting the entirety of Yumegakure. As for the latter...she is Shizune's mother and the person who oversees the flow of information in and out of the village. Some say she is the most informed woman in all of Owari...though you might not like her, it would only benefit you to have her support..."Remembering the pink-haired woman who had attempted to play him before subsequently trying to seduce him, a tired and audibly annoyed sigh escaped Nobu's throat. He had already reached a similar conclusion back in the bath, so, after hanging his head for a few moments, he shook it rather helplessly before looking up at the girls and saying, "Fine. Shizune actually provided a lot of helpful information. Her mother undoubtedly knows even more. As for your Grandmother...well, she seems like a tight ass but I can see how befriending her might be useful if I want to avoid future problems. Try arranging a meeting, requesting an audience, or whatever. That's something you do, right?"Bowing her head on impulse, Yui dutifully answered, "I will make sure someone passes your words to them." before looking towards Yuriko. In response, the latter nodded her head in understanding before rising to her feet and saying, "I'll be back in a few minutes. That okay with you?"Though he was about to tell her to take a chill pill, Nobu realized it would probably be best to get things like this out of the way as soon as possible. Nobody knew what the future held, and, based on the experiences he had accumulated since his reincarnation, it was fair to say this world didn't forgive negligence."Yeah...good luck..."Not really knowing what else to say, Nobu waved off Yuriko, a somewhat stupefied expression appearing on his face when she spontaneously disappeared.("Is it a thing for ninjas to appear and disappear like this? I thought that shunshin or whatever was something that only appeared in anime...")Since he had someone who could actually answer such questions, Nobu looked toward Yui and asked, "How is everyone able to appear and disappear like that? I know kunoichi are supposed to be fast, but that shit is basically teleportation..."Not expecting such a question out of the blue, Yui paused for a brief moment, quickly organizing her thoughts before dutifully explaining, "It has to do with the communication between the brain and the eyes. Though it is possible to drastically increase your perception along with your aura, the average person has a 0.2~0.5 second delay from the moment they see something and the moment their brain interprets that information. At close range, high-speed movements can resemble instant movement since the brain is unable to interpret the information picked up by the eyes fast enough. Because of this, the average person only sees a brief flicker while those with slightly more enhanced senses should be able to make out afterimages. From my perspective, I could see Yuriko leaping up to the ceiling, moving aside a tile, and vanishing into the attic..."Following Yui's finger, Nobu looked up to see that the ceiling was covered with a bunch of woven bamboo tiles. He had seen something similar in the fiction of his previous world, but, imagining a bunch of kunoichi crawling around in the attic, he couldn't help but furrow his brows as he asked, "Why didn't she just exit through the door...?"Adopting a slightly apologetic smile, Yui went on to explain, "Though you wouldn't notice them at first glance, there are quite a number of traps hidden throughout the estate. The Custodians switch these around every now and then so it's actually a lot easier to travel through the roof than it is to walk around the premises. If you did, you might even think the estate is completely empty due to the plants, paintings, and sculptures designed to induce people into a hypnotic trance..."Recalling his experience earlier in the day, a dry laugh emanated from Nobu's throat as he realized what must have happened. He hadn't been put under anything like a genjutsu. Instead, the flowery smell that he had found rather pleasant had placed him in a trance. He had originally thought it was Shizune's mother trying to ensnare him. Instead, he seemed to have played himself by ignoring the words of the Matriarch as he attempted to leave the room..."Good luck, my ass...you cheeky fucking hag..."Though she knew he wasn't talking about her, Yui still furrowed her brows, her voice lowered as she said, "Nobunaga-sama...you really shouldn't speak like that. Not in this place..."As it had been more than a month since Yui actively complained about his way of speaking, Nobu lowered his own voice, asking, "Are we being spied on...?"Smiling wryly this time, Yui resisted the urge to reply, "Obviously." and instead answered, "Well, we are in a kunoichi den. My sensory abilities aren't advanced enough to say for certain. If Kiku or Kaia were here, they would have a better chance at detecting someone but even they would be helpless against kunoichi skilled in stealth and infiltration..."Hearing an unfamiliar name, Nobu's brows raised as he inquired, "Kaia? Is that another one of my bodyguards...?"Nodding her head in affirmation, Yui explained, "Kaia is undoubtedly the most physically powerful among the eleven of us. Her cultivation is only around Silver 5 but even I wouldn't be confident in facing off against her without a proper weapon. Her mother was afflicted with the Curse of the Full Moon while pregnant so Kaia was born as a Half-Lycan. Unlike normal Lycanthropes, she is always in a partially transformed state, effectively making her half-wolf. We'll take you to meet her during the next New Moon but you'll have to promise to stay several meters away from her cell. She'll need to slowly adapt to being around you before we can entrust her with your protection..."Frowning at the mention of a cell, Nobu was about to ask why they had locked her away when Yui beat him to the punch, explaining, "Lycanthropes are maneaters. They instinctually pursue humans with the intention of killing or converting them. Under normal circumstances, Kaia would have been killed the moment she was born. However, because she was born amidst the generation of kunoichi intended to serve you, my Grandmother ordered that her life be spared. Since then, Kaia has spent most of her life behind bars. She has received a specialized education and has been waiting for your arrival for the last eighteen years...we all have..."Though he knew she wasn't blaming him, Nobu couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt when he saw the listless look in Yui's eyes. His desire to keep his age and body hadn't simply screwed over his own starting point, it had also made life difficult for the people who cared for him. He could blame this on fate, the goddess, of whatever, but, in the end, it was his ignorance and selfishness that led to the current situation..."Fuuuuck me..."As those words slipped out as an exasperated sigh, Nobu began to massage his forehead until he noticed Yui fidgeting in front of him. When he looked up, he noticed a subtle blush had colored her cheeks. She was also still wearing the same skimpy kimono from before since she hadn't really had the time to go back and get changed. If he looked closely, he could peer between her thighs and make out the exposed flesh hidden within, as, unlike when she dressed up as a warrior, Yui opted to go commando in her kunoichi attire...Misinterpreting Nobu's gaze as unconcealed lust, Yui's face became even redder as she averted her eyes to the side and whimpered, "My Lord...we mustn't...if I dedicate myself to you right now, there won't be anyone left to protect you..."Gawking in response to the surprisingly adorable display, Nobu found himself at a genuine loss for words. This was a lot different from how she normally behaved, but, considering their situation had changed rather drastically over the last couple of days, it wasn't difficult to understand why.Fortunately, or perhaps not, a soft sound could be heard outside the door before things got further out of hand. This caused Yui to go on full alert, but, hearing Yuriko's voice, she quickly moved off to the side before sitting in a perfect seiza, her blush immediately fading away as a serious expression replaced every trace of bashfulness in her countenance.........(A/N: Kaia sounds very dangerous...)

Seeing how quickly Yui had gone from a bashful girl to a stoic-faced beauty, a contemplative frown appeared on Nobu's face. In the end, however, he just shook his head and decided not to overthink things. Instead, in response to Yuriko announcing the arrival of herself and someone called Suzune-sama, his voice deepening as he said, "Come in."A stark contrast to how casually she had been behaving previously, Yuriko entered the room with a solemn and reverential expression on her face as she quickly made way for the pink-haired woman accompanying her. This was the same woman Nobu had encountered during his attempt to search for Yui, but, unlike before, she radiated a strange aura that caused the hairs along his arms to stand on end.Before Nobu could think to say anything, Suzune offered a slight yet gracious bow before promptly raising her head and asking, "Yuriko-san has informed me you wished to speak with me. Please. Tell me. How might I be of assistance to the Young Lord of the Oda Clan?"Instead of lowering her head obsequiously or sitting in seiza as everyone else had done, Suzune remained standing near the entrance of the room. Her chin was also raised ever-so-slightly, and, though she wasn't looking at him with scorn, the way her honey-colored eyes looked down at him gave Nobu the impression he was a tiny mouse that had just been cornered by a cat.Frowning in spite of this, Nobu's tone remained heavy as he asked, "Did you always give off this creepy vibe?""Ufufufufufufu~"Seemingly amused by his words, Suzune began to laugh while covering the lower half of her face with the inordinately long sleeve of her kimono. Then, with her eyes darting towards Yui for a brief moment, she mentioned, "As keen as I am to continue this conversation, I should inform you that it might create a substantial number of problems if we speak freely in front of your retainers. Personal feelings aside, I do have my dignity as an Elder to maintain. If you intend to say or do anything that might embarrass me in front of my juniors...well...every action has consequences..."Adopting an even deeper frown, Nobu asked, "Are you really trying to threaten us the shit you and your daughter pulled...?"Returning her gaze to Nobu, Suzune's expression remained scarily calm as she answered, "I assure you, Waka-sama. I am not making threats...I am simply cautioning you against an ill-advised course of action. If you don't want to take my word for it, feel free to ask your cute little retainers. They are well aware that every action, no matter how small, has consequences..."Shifting his attention to Yui, Nobu maintained his frown as the former bowed low and reverentially, stating, "Suzune-sama is correct." without raising her head.Resisting the urge to snort through his nose, Nobu internally muttered, ("How annoying...") before shaking his head and saying, "Fine. Whatever. The two of you can do whatever it is you think you're supposed to be doing. Maybe change back into your armor while you're at it. I don't fucking know."Responding to Nobu's words, Yui and Yuriko lowered their heads before synchronously answering, "Yes, Nobunaga-sama." in respectful tones. Then, with their hands folded over their laps and their backs ramrod straight, they slowly and gracefully departed the room before offering an additional bow and closing the door behind them.Hanging his head in his right hand, a tired sigh escaped Nobu's throat as he, once again, massaged his forehead. He knew it would be for the best if he just sucked it up or allowed himself to get used to these kinds of things. It just felt so...cringe...Now that Yui and Yuriko had departed the room, Suzune wasted no time in sitting a few meters to Nobu's front and performing an impeccable dogeza. Her status as an Elder prohibited her from this type of performance in front of her juniors, but, now that they were gone, she unhesitantly lowered her head and politely stated, "I hope my actions have not inadvertently offended Waka-sama..."Though he knew he wasn't doing himself any favors, Nobu snorted in response to Suzune's words, grumbling, "You're about as sincere as an apology letter laced with Anthrax..."Raising her head, Suzune tilted her head towards the side with her ponytail, asking, "Anthrax...?" in an overtly cutesy and ostensibly curious tone.Ignoring the question, Nobu decided to get straight to the point, stating, "You can cut it with the cutesy act. I invited you here for three reasons. First, we need to settle the debts between us. After that, I want to know what you know about my situation. Depending on how these two things turn out, I may or may not have a favor to ask you..."Instead of immediately responding to Nobu's words, Suzune just stared back at him for several tense moments, her honey-colored eyes closely observing everything from his facial expression to his body language. She still owed him an apology. Two, in fact. Still, that didn't mean she would just answer his questions without receiving any benefits of her own. He wasn't her Lord, and, were it not for the fact her daughter had screwed up, quite severely, they wouldn't be having this conversation right now.Now that she was thinking about it, Suzune realized that this was far too 'convenient' to be a mere coincidence. There were numerous signs pointing to the possibility this was a plot by the Matriarch. Unfortunately, that didn't change the fact that her daughter had nearly perpetrated an indefensible act against a descendent of the Oda Clan. If Nobu decided to raise this issue with his father...well, it wasn't a lie when she said every action had its consequences.Adopting an overtly seductive smile, Suzune leaned forward ever so slightly as she said, "So long as it does not require me to betray my Clan or abdicate my position as Information Elder, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make amends for mine and my daughter's perceived slights. I may be out of practice, but I'm confident in my ability to satisfy Waka-sama's every desire. I'm sure my daughter is more than willing to do the same..."Though the thought of fucking the pink-haired woman had crossed his mind numerous times by now, Nobu shook his head in response to Suzune's offer, stating, "Nah. You and your daughter can both fuck off as far as fucking goes. All I want from you is information. Now, tell me what you know about me and my situation. After that, I want to know what kinds of issues are prominent within the village as far as housing and infrastructure are concerned. My agreement with Yui's Grandmother is to provide knowledge and information that might be of use. I can't really do that without a proper understanding of the situation. Since you're the Information Elder, you should have access to all the things I need to know to make informed decisions. If you really want to express your sincerity, you and your daughter should stop worrying about my dick and start thinking about what you can do to help me unfuck some of the problems with your clan."Surprised by the fervor underlying Nobu's tone, Suzune sat up a little straighter before asking, "Is that all you desire? Though it might compromise my position by saying this, you should know that I would have provided you information regardless of whether or not you asked for it. After all, I am ultimately a member of the Yoshitsune Clan. If you have reached an agreement with the Matriarch, it is only natural that I would do everything I can to support you. There isn't much sense in making this into a personal matter unless there is something 'more' you wish to obtain..."Snorting in response to the woman's words, Nobu maintained a serious yet annoyed expression as he explained, "I honestly don't give a fuck about things like this. I really just want to be left alone so I can figure shit out and do my own thing. Since that seems to be too much to ask, I have no choice but to involve myself with this bullshit. If you really want me to come up with something else. How's about this? Be a better mother and unfuck your daughter. That brat is such a fucking hypocrite that it boggles the mind."Hearing Nobu unhesitantly insult her daughter, Suzune couldn't help but furrow her brows. She felt he was being a little unfair, but, considering what Shizune had done, she couldn't exactly blame him for being upset. Had Yui not arrived when she did, Shizune would have done something completely inexcusable. Thus, after a moment of consideration, she bowed her head low and said, "I will do my best to make sure she thoroughly reflects on this incident...I can also promise that nothing similar will ever happen again..."Snorting a second time, Nobu adopted a sardonic smile as he asked, "Oh? So you're telling me that neither you nor your daughter is going to try and seduce me? Do you take me for a fool...?"Raising her head, Suzune adopted a slightly troubled look on her face as she muttered, "You're not really leaving me with any room to breathe, Waka-sama. I can assure you that my words are sincere. Beyond that, I'm not sure what I can say or do to make you believe me..."Since he didn't seem to show any interest in having sex, Suzune was genuinely troubled by the way Nobu was behaving. It was like he wanted her to convince him, but, at the same time, he cut off any avenues she might use to do so. If he wouldn't believe her words, even when she was being sincere, what else did he expect her to do?In reality, even Nobu didn't really know what he wanted from the pink-haired beauty sitting across from him. All he knew was that he was annoyed and that she was one of the primary reasons for his annoyance. The way Yui and Yuriko had been acting was also bothering him, so, even if she seemed sincere, he couldn't allow himself to trust her. After all, she was a kunoichi, and, while he might not hate them in the same manner as everyone else, he was quickly coming to realize why people didn't like them. Everything they said and did just felt so...insincere...As that thought crossed his mind, a deep frown appeared on Nobu's face. He normally wasn't the judgmental type, at least as far as racism and bigotry were concerned. Even the thought of disliking a particular group of people just felt wrong to him, so, after a very long moment of silence, he just shook his head and muttered, "Whatever..." before looking at Suzune and answering, "Just provide me with any pertinent information you can think of regarding the village and its infrastructure. You don't really have to worry about me blabbing to my parents about what happened so long as your daughter doesn't do anything stupid. I'm not really the type of person to hold a grudge but you're out of your fucking mind if you think I'll tolerate additional incidents. Keep her in check and we shouldn't have any problems. Capiche?""Capiche...?"Though she could intuit its meaning, Suzune was unfamiliar with the phrase uttered by Nobu. This actually told him a lot about how much she knew regarding his situation, so, instead of pressing her for more information, he said, "This conversation has tired me out. We'll talk more once you gather the information I requested..."Understanding he was trying to get rid of her, an awkward smile developed across Suzune's face as she offered a courteous bow and said, "Very well. Please enjoy your rest, Waka-sama...". Then, in a manner reminiscent of the Matriarch, she raised her index and middle fingers and began flaring her silvery-green, presumably platinum, aura. Immediately thereafter, Yuriko appeared out of thin air while Yui, now wearing her armor, slid open the bamboo door and said, "Pardon me..." before making her way inside and taking a seat off to the side.Gobsmacked by how quickly the duo had appeared, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words as Suzune rose to her feet and said, "It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Waka-chan. If there is ever anything you need, please let me know. I'm usually very busy, but, if it's for the Young Lord of the Oda Clan, I can always make time..."Punctuating her words with a slight bow, Suzune didn't wait for permission before leaving through the open door, hips swaying like a meandering river. This increased Nobu's stupefaction, but, once the door was closed behind her, he quickly recovered his senses and muttered, "Damn...she might be a pain in the ass but I'll be damned if she doesn't have a fine one..."Though his words were hardly a whisper, both Yui and Yuriko tense in response to Nobu's musings. Then, with a quick exchange of glances, the former nodded to the latter before saying, "If it pleases my Lord, I am more than willing to attend you..."Hearing Yui's remark, Nobu looked towards her, intoning a confused, "Huh...?" until he noticed the ruddy hue spreading through her cheeks. This caused his heart to skip a beat, but, remembering his previous discomfort, a grimace immediately developed across his face as he internally muttered, ("I knew it...this dumbass is seriously trying to put on an act...")"This is turning into the longest fucking day of my life..."......(A/N: I half-expected Nobu to clap Suzune's cheeks. Damn, he must be more tired than I thought...)

In hindsight, Nobu should have realized that a hot springs bath attached to a kunoichi den would be accessible to said kunoichi. There were also no men living within the temple so it wouldn't have made sense for them to have something like a men's bath.Simply put, bathing in the temple estate meant sharing a bath with the people, more specifically, the kunoichi who lived there.Though he could have requested they allot him a specific time of day to bathe, that meant 'only' being able to bathe at that specific time. Nobu had never been particularly schedule oriented, so, after the initial shock of stepping into a changing room filled with half a dozen naked women, he did his best to ignore their stares as Yui and Yuriko guided him to one of the smaller pools in the expansive, open-air, bath.Seeing her Lord walk with a wooden washbasin covering his crotch, a faint smile crept its way unto Yuriko's face as she waited until he was seated in the water to remark, "You know, there's no reason for you to feel shy. None of the girls here have any aversions to being seen naked, and, even if you get an erection, I'm sure they would appreciate it more than anything. Besides, don't you think it's a little silly that you're the only one embarrassed in this situation? You should have more confidence."Staring back at the naked beauty sitting on the edge of the bath without making a single attempt to cover herself, Nobu found himself at a loss for words. Fortunately, Yui seemed perfectly happy to speak for him, her expression severe as she stated, "Yuriko. Even if our Lord has given us permission to speak freely, there is such a thing as too casual."Raising her brows in response to Yui's rebuke, Yuriko leaned back, supported by her hands as she opened her muscular thighs to reveal the secret garden hidden within. She didn't miss the flicker of Nobu's eyes as he 'sneakily' caught a glimpse, but, feigning ignorance, she glanced back at Yui and asked, "Am I wrong though? Our Lord is at a disadvantage if nudity bothers him to this extent. He's at an age where he should have built an immunity against this kind of thing. I'm just concerned that some strange woman or foreign kunoichi will seduce him when we're not looking. Even here, at the very heart of our Clan's territory, there is a chance he could be targetted..."Though it might sound like Yuriko was exaggerating, the truth of the matter was that there were a number of kunoichi serving other members of the Oda Clan gathered within Yumegakure and the main estate. They might not publicize it, for a variety of reasons, but they would quickly come to know of Nobu's stay in the village. Once that happened, the kunoichi serving the Sixth Elder and his children were bound to try something.Unable to deny Yuriko's words, Yui, who had also forgone any attempts to conceal herself, looked towards Nobu, an apologetic smile on her face as she said, "I'm afraid Yuriko's right. The eleven of us will do our best to protect you but there is only so much we can do on our own. I can help you, but we'll need to come up with ways to make you a harder target. Other than that, our best option is to forge alliances with other kunoichi and seek the support of an Elder. Even just one Elder would provide greater protection than the eleven of us so it's something my Lord ought to consider..."Exhaling a tired sigh, Nobu didn't immediately respond to Yui's words of advice. Instead, he let his body sink into the remarkably hot water until it had nearly reached his nose. This made him vaguely aware of the fact that the hot springs didn't smell anything like sulfur, but, with other things on his mind, such observations were just passing notions.Feeling tired and annoyed, Nobu began to blow bubbles as Yui and Yuriko watched him with wry smiles on their faces. They couldn't make decisions for him as that would be a complete reversal of their position as Lord and Retainers. He could ask them for advice, sure, but, in the end, the only person that had any say in the matter was Nobu himself...With his thoughts briefly shifting to a certain pink-haired Elder, Nobu gradually pulled his body from the water, surprising the two girls by sitting on the edge of the bath and allowing his not-so-little brother to proudly stand at attention. This caused the ambient sounds coming from the other baths to fade away, but, doing his best to ignore the dozens of eyes that had immediately shifted toward him, Nobu asked, "How many Elders are there?" before following up with, "Wait, should we even be talking about this kind of thing in such a 'public' place...?"Tearing her eyes away from Nobu's lower body, Yui met his gaze with a faint smile as she answered, "If my Lord continues to adapt this quickly, we might not have to worry for very long. For now, it's probably for the best that we finish bathing as soon as possible. Cho would have already prepared a meal by now. Shall I wash your back?"Surprising the duo, Nobu shook his head and answered, "Nah. I kind of just want to relax. Besides, don't the two of you need to wash your hair?"Shaking her own head this time, Yui regained her smile as she explained, "We'll return later in the evening. Our Lord need not concern himself with such things. Rather, even if we were to wash our hair now, it would only become messy later on. It's pretty obvious that our Lord's frustrations have been building ever since we reached the village..."Staring down at Nobu's almost painfully erect penis, Yui made it very clear what she was trying to insinuate. This caused Nobu to return to the water, a deadpan expression on his face as he fell into a contemplative silence that lasted more than a minute. He had actually been thinking about sex a lot more than usual ever since he scaled the mountain, not because he was a particularly horned-up individual, but because every woman he had met was ridiculously hot, scantily clad, and more than willing to spread their legs and let him fuck the living daylights out of them...Though he might have fantasized about having a harem when he was still a virgin, such sentiments faded quickly once he actually experienced how troublesome and high maintenance some women could be. This led to him having far more one-night stands than committed relationships, as, more often than not, it simply wasn't worth it. Now that he was surrounded by women he could probably fuck at his leisure, Nobu actually felt physically exhausted rather than excited. Sure, his body might be reacting, but, with every woman in his surroundings being more than capable of killing him in an instant, he couldn't help feeling a little suffocated..."Do you mind if we join you...?"Though Yui and Yuriko had noticed the girls approaching long before they asked their question, it was only after he heard their words that Nobu came back to his senses and looked over to find two girls. Both had black hair with a strange blue tint to it but the woman who had spoken possessed a mature figure with shapely breasts, wide hips, thick thighs, a fat ass, and neatly trimmed pubes. As for the second girl, she couldn't have been more than 12-13, and, based on their matching hair and eye color, they were either sisters or a mother/daughter pair.Since it was ultimately Nobu's decision to make Yui and Yuriko remained silent as he sat up and asked, "Why? There's plenty of space in the other baths and I'm not a carnival attraction. Can't you see I'm trying to relax?"Folding her hands over her crotch, the older of the two girls offered an apologetic bow as she said, "My apologies. It was not my intent to trouble you. It's just, my daughter is going to be attempting her graduation exam soon and I thought she might benefit from interacting with a man. Even if it is only for a short while, will you please converse with her?"Frowning in response to the woman's words, Nobu was about to tell her to fuck off when Yui's and Yuriko's words came to mind. So long as they weren't 'enemy' kunoichi, there was merit in building positive rapport with the members of other generational groups. You never knew who might have a connection with a powerful figure, so, after a moment of consideration, he said, "Fine. However, I'm not exactly a normal person. I doubt I can be of any real help..."Returning a smile, the older woman mused, "I am well aware of that. If you were any normal man, you wouldn't be attempting to relax in a bath filled with kunoichi. Most people wouldn't have the courage to pass through our gate, much less expose themselves in this manner. Even the Lord of the Oda Clan only visits the main estate once throughout their entire life. Everyone else avoids this place as if it's infested with the Black Death. After all, Inari Okami-sama is both incredibly fond and extremely resentful of men..."As she was saying all of this, the black-haired woman sat across from Nobu while her daughter took a seat barely a person's distance to his left. He noticed she didn't seem particularly nervous. Rather, much like Chikako, her expression was borderline apathetic as she stared back at him and said, "My name is Takao. Yoshitsune Takao. Might I ask what your name is?"Since news of Nobu's stay in the clan had yet to propagate throughout Yumegakure, his presence was more so a topic of intrigue than anything else. Everyone was curious about his identity, but, just as Yui had managed to remain relatively low-key by acting in a high-profile manner, Nobu was able to achieve a similar result by merely going with the flow. It was kind of like how a group of people dressed as movers could show up with a van and steal a bunch of stuff from a person's house and nobody would even think to call the cops. The key was to act normal, and, so long as you didn't do anything to stand out, the average person would simply assume you have the right to be there.Terrifying both mother and daughter, Nobu attempted to appear as relaxed as possible as he casually replied, "My name is Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga. It's nice to meet you, Takao and...?"Realizing she was addressing her, Takao's mother nearly leaped out of the bath with the intent to perform a dogeza when Yui interjected, stating, "Our Lord has come here to relax. Please do not make a scene. If he was troubled by your behavior, he would not have allowed you to join him in the bath."Though her heart was racing a mile a minute, Takao's mother appeared to regain her calm after hearing Yui's words. Immediately after that, she turned her eyes up, her expression becoming a perfect mask of a bashful beauty as she meekly replied, "Rukia. My name is Yoshitsune Rukia. It would be my life's greatest honor if Nobunaga-sama refers to me by my first name..."Since Nobu had addressed her daughter without honorifics, Rukia was hoping he would do the same with her. She didn't harbor any hopes of being able to seduce him, but, so long as she could make a positive impression, she could drastically decrease her daughter's chances of losing her life in one of the more unsavory missions kunoichi were sent on. It was surprisingly difficult for average kunoichi to even meet a Noble, so, now that one was right in front of her, she wanted to do what she could to protect her daughter. She had already lost the other two. She couldn't bear to lose her last...Frowning in response to Rukia's sudden shift in behavior, Nobu, once again, resisted the temptation to just tell her to fuck off. He wasn't sure how long he would be loitering within the Yoshitsune Clan but there was a chance it might be years. Since behaving hostilely had only gotten him fucked over god knows how many times, he needed to control his anger, at least until he had enough power to 'make' people fuck off. Thus, just as Rukia was thinking about apologizing for her impertinence, he forced a smile and said, "It's nice to meet you...Rukia...Takao..."......(A/N: Our boy is beginning to learn...)

Chapter 49: Burdens, Responsibilities, and Faults