Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Noticing the reactions of everyone present, Nobu was seized by the sudden urge to punch himself in the face. Unfortunately, this was the only thing he could think of in this particular instance thanks to his brain basically shutting off.Taking advantage of the fact she was the closest person to Nobu's current position, the little girl in the center of the group, possessing peculiar teal hair and pupilless orange eyes, immediately raised her hand and replied, "I'll do it! I'll be your friend! P-Please pick me...!"Though the girl had forced a radiant smile, she was unable to conceal the desperation in her tone as she fumbled her request. This caused her to pale considerably, and, though she did her best to restrain actual tears, a fair layer of moisture began to build across and at the corners of her eyes.Feeling a sensation akin to physical pain in his chest, Nobu inadvertently exacerbated the situation by wincing. This caused the little girl to begin sniffling, something the other two girls immediately attempted to capitalize on by volunteering their own friendship.Frightening all three girls, Nobu hung his head and began before massaging it with his left hand. At the same time, he quickly navigated to his Friends List using his right thumb, the pupils of his eyes contracting momentarily before dilating quite a bit as a sensation he could only describe as relief washed over his buzzing mind.------------------------------------[Yoshitsune Midori] would like to add you as a friend. (1493AU)[Yoshitsune Satchiko] would like to add you as a friend. (1362AU)[Yoshitsune Nariko] would like to add you as a friend. (1411AU)------------------------------------Thinking a bit more clearly now, the frown on Nobu's face turn to genuine annoyance as he noticed that the girls actually had enough Aura to advanced to the Realm of Copper Trainee. This conflicted with what Kumiko had told him, so, after a brief pause, Nobu looked towards the woman who had escorted them, asking, "Why haven't these girls been promoted to Copper...?"Raising her brows ever so slightly, the woman, Yoshitsune Kiara, answered, "Each of these girls has been given numerous chances to advance to the Realm of Copper Trainee. Unfortunately, their base simply wasn't high enough."Furrowing his brows even further, Nobu unhesitantly replied, "That's bullshit. The girl with the green hair is almost halfway to the Second Rank. You're telling me that isn't enough to break into Copper? Are you fucking kidding me...?"Showing a slightly offended look, Kiara did her best to sound calm as she explained, "That is what we believed as well. However, even after absorbing the essence of more than 300kg of Copper ore, Midori was unable to advance. Her mother and elder sister didn't have any issues and we've already investigated her father's ancestry as comprehensively as possible. She also lacks the Divine Energy of Inari Okami-sama so the most reasonable explanation is that she simply lacks the aura necessary to advance..."Though he wanted to punch the woman in the face, Nobu managed to calm down after reminding himself that the only reason he knew the girls' exact cultivations bases was thanks to his cheat. This was a boon others lacked so he couldn't really blame them for their inability to sense something he required a tool to detect.Ignoring the strange looks he received, Nobu held up the stone tablet and activated the camera function. He reasoned that it shouldn't cost nearly as much to analyze them as it did someone like Yui, so, hoping to learn something useful, he took a photo of the green-haired girl and spend 308 Aura for a comprehensive analysis...------------------------------------Name: Yoshitsune MidoriAge: 8Gender: Female, H:124.3cm, W: 24.9kg, B: 59.2cm, W: 46.4cm, H: 62.7cmBlood Type: O-Cultivation: N/AAura Units: 1375/1493Status: Cursed(+), Natural Jade Body(+), Confusion(+), Fear(+)-Cursed by the Goddess Inari Okami: Probably of bearing daughters increased to 99.5%. Life expectancy drastically reduced.-Natural Jade Body: A rare constitution that makes the user immune to most diseases by preventing the absorption of detrimental or impure materials.-Confusion: Has very little understanding of the current situation.-Fear: She thinks you are going to eat her.Main Hand: Right, AmbidextrousPreferred Weapon: Chain Sickle, Hoe, FistsStrengths: Increased Natural Regeneration, Immunity to Disease, Affinity with Plants and AnimalsWeakness: Crybaby, Weak Bladder, AirheadedOrientation: No PreferencePreferred Position: Enjoys HuggingFavorite Food: Chicken, Mapo Tofu, Onigiri, Manju, Dango......------------------------------------Though there was a fair amount of information he didn't want or need to know, the (+) symbols next to Midori's statuses provided the answer Nobu was looking for. To confirm this, he shifted his attention back to Kiara, asking, "You said you used copper ore? You didn't try using anything with a higher purity?"Shaking her head, Kiara explained, "Only trainees who show considerable promise are provided with such valuable resources. The raw materials become completely inert after the fact so we cannot risk wasting them on people who have shown little to no talent..."Resisting the almost overwhelming urge to throw the stone tablet at the woman's face, Nobu just shook his head and said, "Whatever. I'm taking these three with me to meet the Matriarch. If there are no issues, I'll have someone send the money over later this evening."Though her eyes widened when she heard Nobu mentioned the Matriarch, Kiara managed to bow her head the moment he finished speaking. She hadn't been made aware of his identity but Kumiko had come to her with the Information Elder's seal. This demonstrated he had a remarkable position, so, rather than press him to pay upfront, she had someone retrieve the trio's personal effects before seeing the group off with a smile.........After a return trip that was even more awkward than his first ascent up the mountain, Nobu was only made to wait twenty minutes before being granted an audience with Hitomi. This ended up taking place in the same room as their first meeting. She also wore the exact same outfit, so, for a brief moment, Nobu felt as though he had stepped backward in time until the silver-haired woman offered him a cup of tea and asked, "So? What's this about? I was told you had something of great importance to discuss. Tell me, what great matter have you uncovered in the nineteen hours since your arrival? Color me curious."Though he had been thinking about what he was going to say throughout his wait, Nobu hesitated when pressed for answers. He would be taking a big risk by revealing things like this early on, but, believing the Matriarch was already in on a number of his secrets, he explained, "You already know about my strange cultivation method, right?"Seeing Hitomi nod her head, Nobu went on to explain, "Well, I also possess the ability to analyze people, places, and things at the expense of my aura. I'm still figuring out how it works, but I just confirmed I can use it to analyze people weaker than me when I went down the mountain."Raising her brows ever so slightly, Hitomi resisted the urge to silently sip her tea. Instead, she placed it down on the table, leaning forward slightly as she said, "Go on..." in an audibly intrigued tone.Though he didn't realize he had done it, Nobu instinctually leaned away from Hitomi, a look of aversion on his face as he said, "The three girls I brought back with me possess more than enough Aura to advance to the First Realm. They just possess constitutions or affinities that make it difficult for them to practice the Metal Infusion Technique. I've only performed a detailed analysis on the girl named Midori, but she possesses something called the Natural Jade Body. It-"Stopping Nobu before he could finish speaking, Hitomi displayed an expression of genuine surprise as she asked, "Natural Jade Body? Are you absolutely certain...?"Nodding his head, Nobu was about to explain further when Hitomi promptly raised her fingers and began flaring her aura. Moments later, a blonde-haired kunoichi garbed in brilliant orange clothing, completely unsuited to stealth, appeared out of thin air. Before she could even complete the usual formalities, Hitomi beat her to the punch, ordering, "Bring over the trainee named Midori and have someone retrieve 100kgs of our purest copper. Make haste."The moment Hitomi finished, the blonde-haired kunoichi disappeared in a yellow flash. It was only after this that Hitomi sat back, visibly pleased as she explained, "If what you stated is the truth, that girl called Midori will doubtlessly become one of the most important members of our Clan once she reaches maturity. The Natural Jade Body is an incredibly rare constitution that provides immunity to most poisons, toxins, and even diseases. It is one of the most highly sought-after bloodlines among both Noble and shinobi clans. After all, immunity to illnesses is quite an enviable trait to possess..."Frowning in response to Hitomi's words, Nobu was starting to feel like he had just royally screwed over the young Midori. Fortunately, this didn't seem to be the case as Hitomi promptly giggled and explained, "You have nothing to worry about, Waka-chan. Midori would have been discarded were it not for your sudden interest in investigating our clan's failed products. We can't let her leave the village but she will remain your property until you either discard her or sell her back to the Clan. As for the matter of her descendants...well, that is something we will discuss once she has matured. For now, it is more than enough knowing you possess such a unique ability. I believe we may have just discovered how you can best contribute to the clan..."Though he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of being granted ownership of an eight-year-old girl, Nobu ultimately nodded his head in response to Hitomi's words. He didn't really have any reason to support his claims, but he believed she was a hell of a lot safer in his hands than with the Yoshitsune Clan. Given what he had learned about them thus far, it wasn't difficult to imagine them turning Midori into a broodmare the moment she had her first period. The only alternative he could think of was them selling her off to one of the Noble Clans, a fate that was bound to reflect the one she would experience back in the village...Seeing through Nobu's thoughts, Hitomi adopted a discernibly flat tone as she explained, "Waka-chan...I understand your apprehensions, but have you considered what might happen if you start concealing the information related to the people you'll be analyzing? If there isn't a reason behind why the girls are unable to advance to the First Realm, I'm afraid they will have to be discarded...not all lives have the same value, Waka-chan. If everyone was provided with the same opportunities and resources as everyone else, the world will simply run out. Before that, excess and waste will result in the corruption and stagnation of society. This is the most important lesson we have inherited from the Progenitors who survived the Age of the Gods. Thus, while your thoughts are undeniably noble, history has proven, time and again, that such ideologies only lead to destruction..."Clenching both his hands and teeth, Nobu wanted to refute Hitomi's words, but, no matter how he thought about it, she was right. His home country of The United States of America was perhaps one of the best examples of this truth. They were one of the wealthiest and most prosperous countries in the entire world yet the people were always dissatisfied and wanting more. Hell, they were even on the verge of an environmental crisis that threatened the very survival of humanity yet, as high up the ladder as the United States Senate, there were still asshats denying the very existence of global warming...With thoughts like this waging war within his mind, Nobu found himself, once again, massaging his forehead. This was something he had rarely done back on Earth, yet, ever since his reincarnation, he found himself doing it upwards of ten times a day. He had never been this stressed out before, and, based on how things were going, it was only going to get worse until he began accepting things at face value or became strong enough to force the change he wished to see in the world..."Fuck my life..."......(A/N: Power, wealth, and time...)

Adhering to Hitomi's orders, it took less than three minutes for a pair of kunoichi to arrive with both Midori and 100kgs of pure copper in tow.Though she did her best to appear calm, Midori required the assistance of the blonde-haired kunoichi just to enter the room. She was in a state where she could only follow orders, and, for a brief moment, she didn't even register Nobu's presence as her hazy orange eyes fixed firmly on the silver-haired woman seated across from him.Returning what could best be described as a grandmotherly smile, Hitomi surprised Midori by remarking, "Ah, Midori-chan. Your Master has reported that you possess quite the rare ability. I hope to confirm this by having you absorb the essence from this copper. Do your best, okay?"Confused by the Matriarch's words, Midori meekly replied, "Master...?" before shifting her gaze towards Nobu.With the corners of her smile curling upward, Hitomi nodded her head in affirmation before saying, "Of course. I don't believe you need a reminder regarding what might have happened if Nobunaga-sama hadn't come to your rescue. Do you mean to tell me you are apprehensive about serving him...?"Shaking her head with enough force to smack herself in the face with her fringe bangs, Midori nervously exclaimed, "O-Of course not! It would be my honor to serve N-Nobunaga-sama...!"Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Hitomi giggled in an ostensibly playful manner before adopting a marginally more serious expression and saying, "Good girl. Now, take a seat and prepare for the infusion process. Nobunaga-sama will be quite inconvenienced if you were to fail. Do not disappoint him."After nodding her head like a frenzied chicken, Midori began to strip away her clothes with a fervor akin to someone who had just been set aflame. This caused Nobu's expression to sour until Hitomi dutifully explained, "The infusion process requires the user to take in the essence of metal through the pores. It is possible to do so whilst clothed, but it is far more efficient to remove your clothes.""Whatever..."Though he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the infusion process, Nobu had no desire to watch a little girl sit naked atop a slab of copper. Instead, he shifted his attention to the stone tablet, an action that caused Hitomi to squint, the red of her heterochromatic eyes glistening for a brief moment as she attempted to ascertain if there was something in his hand.........After more than half an hour had passed, a subtle copper glow had begun to suffuse through Midori's previously transparent aura. This was an extremely good sign, yet, in spite of this, the look on Nobu's face had morphed into a discontent deadpan as the sound of the little girl's panting moans continued to echo throughout the room. The infusion process was apparently quite painful yet paradoxically relieving, so, after the first few minutes had passed, Midori had begun to writhe about on top of the copper slab, her face crimson as copper tendrils invaded her body through every available entrance...Noticing Hitomi's amused smile, Nobu's expression morphed into a glare as he said, "I didn't need to be here for this..."With the corners of her smile curling upward, Hitomi nodded her head before musing, "That may be. However, this kind of experience has its merits. Waka-sama is far too easily flustered in his current state. If an enemy state learned of this particular weakness of yours, they would specifically trait a group of kunoichi to exploit it. You should be able to-""You can take your advice and shove it up your ass..."Tensing in response to Nobu's words, the two kunoichi watching over Midori motioned to grasp the hilts of their weapons before Hitomi raised her hand, stopping them mid-draw as she said, "This young man is our Lord Senken's first son, Oda Nobunaga-sama. The moment you draw your weapons, I'll be forced to either cut you down or punish you..."Sheathing their weapons in an instant, both kunoichi immediately dropped into a dogeza, but, before either could apologize, Nobu preempted them, saying, "Just hurry up and fuck off. You aren't needed here."Raising their heads, the two kunoichi looked towards Hitomi only to see her nod in return. This situation made them feel more than a little uncomfortable, but, without any obvious hesitation in their gazes, they quickly departed the room through the ceiling.Waiting until she could no longer sense anyone, the obvious exception being Midori, Hitomi looked towards Nobu and said, "This is the last time I will show mercy. If you can't control your words and actions-"Interrupting before Hitomi could finish, Nobu adopted a mocking smile as he asked, "What? You'll kill me?"Without any change in expression whatsoever, Hitomi immediately replied, "No. I will kill the people around you. I'm sure Suzune-dono mentioned it, but hierarchies within the clans are regarded with the utmost importance. Behaving like that in front of my subordinates puts me in a position where the only solution is returning you to the Oda Clan and eliminating anyone who has been infected by your insubordinate behavior. That, however, is only a last resort. You have proven yourself to be invaluable to the clan's interests. Thus, for the time being, my only real option is to proactively eliminate those you have offended or been offended by..."Though he wanted to call Hitomi out and say she was bullshitting him, the serious look in the woman's eyes compelled Nobu to remain silent. Even Yui, Yuriko, and Suzune had warned him about saying or doing anything that might compromise the existing status quo so it was pretty they were serious about adhering to their cultures and traditions..."Fine...I get it, okay? Jeez..."Shaking her head, Hitomi resisted the urge to say he clearly didn't get it. Were that the case, he wouldn't speak in such a roundabout or deflective manner. Now, she would either have to follow through on her threat or orchestrate a situation where a kunoichi who was already close to death was sacrificed to teach him a lesson.........After a full hour of absorbing the copper's metal essence, Midori could be seen panting atop a pale of inert black ash that was once a metal slab. This caused her to become dirty beyond compare, but, after several minutes of regulating her breathing, tears began to pour from the teal-haired girl's eyes as she happily exhaled, "I did it..." in an audibly relieved tone.Since Nobu kept his eyes firmly everywhere else, it was Hitomi who answered, "Indeed. Good job, Midori-chan. Now, put on your clothes and go wait outside. Your Master and I have a few things to discuss before you accompany him back to his room. After that, you will obediently follow his orders until he has either dismissed or discarded you. Understood?"Though a fair amount of fear returned to her expression, Midori managed to push herself to a seated position before performing a naked dogeza and saying, "Yes. I understand. Thank you for this opportunity, Chōjo-sama, Nobunaga-sama..."Waiting until Hitomi had given her permission, Midori gathered her clothes before dragging her feet towards the room's entrance. The excitement from her successful breakthrough was quickly wearing off, and, though she was sincerely grateful, she couldn't help fearing for her future. She hadn't heard Hitomi mentioning his true identity, so, from her perspective, he was a strange giant that had purchased her and two others after arbitrarily asking them to become his friends...After watching Midori's departure with a ruminating gaze, Hitomi returned her attention to Nobu the moment the teal-haired girl had departed, asking, "What are your intentions with the girls you purchased? You don't have to tell me, but the more I know about your situation and your abilities, the more I can help. You clearly didn't know anything about them before heading down the mountain so there must have been some other reason behind your sudden interest in our clan's younger generation..."Recalling Nobu's disgust from the previous day, combined with the fact he wouldn't even look towards the naked Midori, Hitomi doubted he had spontaneously overcome his aversions and developed a taste for unripe flesh. He wouldn't even lay hands on a girl as ripe for the picking as Shizune so he clearly had something else in mind when he decided to acquire the trio they were preparing to discard.Since he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret once his cultivation base began fluctuating up and down, Nobu adopted a serious expression as he said, "Truth be told, I honestly have no fucking idea what's going to happen. All I know is that I can invest my aura into people who are weaker than me. I'm not really sure what'll happen after that, but I believe it will make me stronger in the long run. Other than that, I wanted to teach those girls something other than the Metal Infusion Technique. It isn't complete, but I have knowledge pertaining to a number of different cultivation techniques. Since metals are so hard to come by, I figured I might be able to contribute to the clan if I could teach cost-effective techniques to people who either lack talent or are incompatible with the Metal Infusion Technique..."Genuinely surprised by Nobu's words, Hitomi found herself replaying his words in her mind for the better part of a minute before exhaling a sigh and muttering, "You really are cut from a different cloth than other people..."Raising his brows, Nobu was about to ask what she meant when Hitomi adopted a strangely affectionate smile and said, "I will need to convene with the other Elders but I believe we can make arrangements to convert one of our fallback facilities into a reeducation center. It would have caused problems if I gave Yui permission to expand your room so we'll renovate one of our older facilities to serve as your private residence. A member of the Elder Council will need to watch over you, but, so long as you deliver the results you've promised, you'll have free rein to act at your discretion."Contrary to Hitomi's expectations, Nobu didn't seem all that satisfied with the arrangement she was proposing. Fortunately, he was the type to speak his thoughts aloud so she didn't need to ask before he revealed, "It's going to be that Suzune woman, isn't it...?"Understanding what he must be thinking, a light chuckle emanated from Hitomi's throat as she nodded her head and answered, "Most likely. She is, after all, the Information Elder. The only alternative would be the Elder in charge of interrogation and torture. I can't imagine you getting along particularly well with them so Suzune-dono is the best option."Restraining the urge to massage his forehead, Nobu just released a sigh before shaking his head and muttering, "Whatever..." in an exasperated tone.While giggling a second time, Hitomi began flaring her aura with the intent of informing the other Elders of an emergency meeting. There were only thirteen days remaining until Nobu's meeting with his parents so they needed to act quickly if they wanted to tie him to the clan. If he changed his mind and decided to return home now, they would lose one of the greatest assets the Yoshitsune Clan had ever acquired. Thus, while it had always been her intention to support him, Hitomi was currently thinking of ways to convince Nobu to stay even a few days longer. After all, it was only a matter of time before he spread his wings and soared to greater heights. The only question now was whether or not he would remember them fondly when he came into power.........(A/N: At this rate, Hitomi is either going to give Yui a push or start targeting Nobu herself xD...)

While Nobu was lost in thought regarding his future course of action, Aiko and Chikako kept silently observing him until Cho arrived with his breakfast.Smelling the delicious food even before Cho announced her presence, an expectant glimmer flashed across Nobu's eyes as he said, "Come in."Opening the door, Cho could be seen with a radiant smile on her face as she carried in a tray lined with various Nianese dishes. Her smile was so radiant, in fact, that it seemed to brighten up the room as she made her way over and gingerly placed the well-structured meal of miso soup, salmon, rice, tofu, and some kind of pickled vegetable that resembled cabbage.After savoring the aroma for several seconds, Nobu picked up the rather extravagant set of chopsticks lying to the side before saying, "Thanks. Your cooking is incredible."If her smile was bright before, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Cho was beaming once she heard Nobu's compliment. There was even a thin layer of moisture covering her eyes, but, due to his focus on savoring the food's aroma, Nobu remained blissfully unaware of this.........With his belly full and nothing better to do, Nobu laid in bed with his hands behind his head, lazily staring at the ceiling.("This world is starting to fuck with my head. I can't believe I'm seriously considering trying to befriend one of those exhibitionist brats...")After thinking things through for a bit, Nobu came to the conclusion that he was supposed to add the girls to his Friends List when he was still just a kid. Had he been reborn into this world normally, he would have met them shortly after he began his training. At that time, they would just be starting their foundation training, so, even if there was some kind of bullshit restriction preventing him from accessing the tablet, he would still be able to add them as friends shortly after gaining access to it. Now, he was playing catchup due to his desire to keep his body and skip the hassles associated with childhood..."Fucking bullshit..."Following this exclamation, Nobu sat up rather abruptly before looking over at the five girls who had now gathered within his room. The only people missing, sans Yui, were those who were resting in preparation for their future shifts. This included Kazue, who, after washing up and donning a proper kunoichi uniform, transformed from a rather plain-looking woman into a surprisingly cute girl with a bright face and a double-bun hairstyle.Though he was tempted to comment on Kazue's metamorphosis, Nobu first directed his gaze towards Kumiko, the busty beauty with silver-grey hair that extended past her sizeable ass and neatly framed her face, asking, "Does the Yoshitsune Clan have any adult members who failed to complete their foundation training? You know, like servants and such...?"Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kumiko answered, "Impossible. It would become a serious problem if people lacking talent were allowed to stay within the village. Not only would it be a waste of resources; it would also encourage trainees to slack off knowing they could just stay in the clan and leach off the hard work and sacrifice of others. Such individuals are cancerous enough in modern society. If people like that were allowed to survive within a clan, we would slowly rot from the inside out."Surprised by the intensity of Kumiko's words, a conflicted look appeared on Nobu's face as he found himself unable to disagree with her. Even his own world had a mind-numbing amount of people who only cared about the benefits they could receive from the government without actually contributing anything to society. One of his former roommates, a man named Joshua, had even told him about how he made upwards of $300 a day after learning how to play the guitar and pretending to be homeless. This was during a time when Nobu had been working 40 hours a week for $8.25 an hour. His boss wouldn't even allow him to work overtime, so, if he wanted to make enough money to get by, he would have literally needed to work two jobs while some asshat hipster with a guitar he beat up himself made nearly as much in one day as he did in an entire week...Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu did his best to appear calm as he asked, "Well, how old are the girls who have just finished their foundation training? There's something I want to try out and I need someone around or below the level of Rank 1 Copper Trainee to lend me a hand. Any ideas?"After a brief pause to organize her thoughts, Kumiko nodded her head and explained, "Most members of the Yoshitsune Clan complete their foundation training by the age of five. Those that fail to do so by the age of eight are either sent overseas or sold off to brothels to receive training as future prostitutes and informants. My Lord returned with rather substantial savings so it is possible to purchase some of the girls that would have been sold off. Should I contact the Training Institute and have them prepare a lineup...?"Raising his hand in a stopping gesture, Nobu's expression darkened as his mind processed what Kumiko had just said. He knew that slavery was totally a thing in this world but he had never even considered that clans would be selling off children. Sure, he understood the logic behind it, but, as someone with modern sensibilities, the nonchalance with which Kumiko had spoken made him sick to his stomach.Realizing she had made her Lord upset, Kumiko attempted to allay Nobu's frustrations by adopting a gentle tone and saying, "My Lord is a kind man. I'm certain those girls would be extremely grateful to have such a kind Lord as their Master. Please consider it..."Though she didn't think it was a good idea for her Nobu to waste what few resources he had on a bunch of talentless children, Kumiko would be lying if she said she didn't empathize with his frustrations. The fear of being sent abroad or sold off to a brothel was something all young trainees feared. Many even committed suicide shortly after they were sent away, unable to cope with the notion that they would be spending the rest of their short lives servicing people at the very lowest rungs of society. Thus, even though she knew it was a bad idea, Kumiko still wanted Nobu to purchase a few of the girls slated for disposal. After all, they would be much happier serving him than spending the rest of their lives attending to pig farmers, sailors, and homeless people...Seeing Kumiko lower her head, halfway between a bow and a dogeza, Nobu turned his own away in deep thought. A part of him was tempted to convince the Matriarch to entrust all the failing members of her clan to him. At the same time, however, he knew this wouldn't be an extremely stupid thing to do. He didn't even have the resources to support the people who currently depended on him for their growth, and, even if he did manage to come up with a convenient excuse, where would the girls stay? He was basically a guest in the main estate, and, unless he gave her a very good reason, he couldn't imagine the Matriarch allowing him to effectively build his own faction from among girls the clan had abandoned."Fucking bullshit..."With Kumiko raising her head in response to his words, Nobu preempted any questions she might have by saying, "Fine. Go and tell whoever is in charge to get the girls ready. Oh, and make sure they're actually clothed and shit. I swear, if I show up and there is a line of naked brats waiting for me, I'm going to lose my shit."Bowing her head low, Kumiko replied, "Understood." before promptly vanishing into thin air.Feeling the sudden onset of a headache, Nobu cast his gaze over the other four girls present before stopping on Kazue and asking, "You were supposed to be my doctor, right?"Smiling wryly in response, Kazue was prepared to apologize before Nobu shook his head and said, "Don't worry about it. I was just thinking that you should know how to give massages and stuff. I'm getting a tension headache so it would help if you massage my scalp while someone else fetches some drinking water. My throat is beginning to feel a little sore."Exhaling a sigh of relief, Kazue rose to her feet before moving behind Nobu and saying, "Lean back and rest the back of your head on my lap."Though the only authentic lap pillow he had ever experienced was in this world, Nobu could still recall how soft Yui's thighs had been. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, he reclined against Kazue's and allowed her to massage his scalp and temples while Aiko quickly fetched a bamboo container filled with water. She even poured it into his mouth, so, while he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable whenever they behaved overly courteous, moments like this kind of made up for it.........With Kumiko returning a lot sooner than he anticipated, it wasn't long before Nobu was being led down the mountain with Kiku and Aiko acting as his bodyguards. Chikako and Ayane were also guarding him, but, instead of walking alongside him, they scouted the surrounding forest and stalked him from the shadows.A stark contrast to his journey up the mountain, Nobu's path remained relatively unimpeded thanks to the presence of his escort. There were still a few precocious brats eying him from a distance but none of them tried to approach. As for Nobu, knowing what he knew now, he did his best to appear calm and unflustered even as Kumiko led him into a three-story compound that served as both a training facility and school for kunoichi trainees.Waiting for them near the entrance was a silver-haired woman who had introduced herself as Yoshitsune Kiara, but, from the moment he had entered the facility, Nobu wasn't really paying attention. All of his efforts were focused on his breathing, as, despite doing his best to remain calm, the realization that he was about to purchase children made him sick to his stomach. He had even started to pale, and, though it was actually quite cool outside, a dense layer of sweat had broken out across his entire body."My Lord...if you're feeling unwell, we can come back another time..."Turning his head, Nobu noticed the concern visible in, not just Kumiko's, but everyone else's eyes. This made him feel a little pathetic, but, for other reasons entirely, he shook his head and said, "No. If I leave today, I doubt I would ever come back. Let's just get this over with..."Nodding her head in understanding, Kumiko asked the woman guiding them to continue leading the way until they had reached what could best be described as a dojo. There, a total of three little girls had been lined up, each looking equal parts frightened and hopeful. If not for the fact they had been informed to remain still and quiet, they would be doing everything in their power to appeal to the gigantic man that had just walked into the room. After all, he was, in many ways, their last hope...Noticing the desperation visible in the girls' gazes, Nobu's expression darkened considerably as a sudden and intense urge to scream and shout at the woman guiding them began to swell within his heart. Instead, he forced himself to take a few steps forward, surprising everyone in the room as he asked, "Would any of you like to be my friend...?"......(A/N: Man...and to think that novels like Death March can almost make purchasing little girls seem 'cute'. I can't even imagine what I would do in Nobu's shoes...)

Chapter 55: Acceptance or Indignation?