Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

"Eh? What's this~?"Having delivered Kazue's message, Nariko returned to Nobu's room to find the latter caressing the former's head. This was pretty much unheard of in Nian, and, the moment she saw the contented look on Kazue's face, Nariko couldn't help feeling as though she had just walked in on a scandal in the making."..."Though she felt embarrassed, Kazue didn't immediately move her head from her Lord's lap. He was the one to tell her to lay down, so, unless he told her to move, she wasn't going anywhere. Besides, it was surprisingly relaxing to have someone comb through her hair..."You're back. Where did you run off to...?"Tearing her honey-colored eyes away from Kazue, Nariko returned a vibrant smile as she answered, "I was delivering a message to Cho-sama. She said breakfast will be ready shortly."Nodding his head in approval, Nobu gestured to his front, saying, "Take a seat. I was intending to teach you this earlier, but I got a little distracted."Though she cocked her head adorably to the side, Nariko ultimately obeyed Nobu's orders by trotting over and plopping down in front of him. Instead of sitting in seiza, however, she sat on her bottom with her legs splayed in a careless manner. Fortunately, she, along with everyone else, now wore simple cotton panties beneath her teal-colored kimono. This was one of the few mandates Nobu had made, not because of his aversion towards nudity, but because of the smell."I'm going to explain a variety of different cultivation methods for you. I was originally going to teach you mine but there is an actual method suitable for your bloodline. In the end, however, it's up to you. I might be your Lord, Master, or whatever, but I'm not going to tell you what path you need to walk. Everyone deserves at least that much freedom..."Beaming in response to Nobu's words, Nariko leaned forward as if she might pounce on him at any moment. Fortunately, this was just an indication that she was excited and looking forward to what he was going to say next.After lightly tapping Kazue's shoulder, Nobu asked her to grab him a piece of paper and a writing utensil before explaining, "The method I'm going to teach you is called the Mountain God's Divine Heritage. I can't tell you what effects it will have, but, based on your bloodline, I'm guessing it will strengthen your body while providing an increase in your affinity towards natural things. As for the actual method, it requires you to increase your physical strength and consume a variety of different kinds of herbs."Using the materials Kazue had grabbed for him, Nobu wrote down the requirements for breaking through the First and Second Realms of the Mountain God's Divine Heritage. Hitomi had advised him to never write down the full methods as there was a fair chance that people would attempt to kill him just to preserve the uniqueness of their own cultivation technique. She said he didn't have to worry about this in the Yoshitsune Clan, but, the moment he ventured beyond the safety of the mountain, there would be no end to the number of people wanting to claim his life for personal or political reasons...Reading the list of requirements her Master had prepared, Nariko's eyes glistened as she asked, "I only need to be able to lift 100kg? I can do that. Easy."Though Nariko's words might sound like bravado, especially considering she was just eight years old, the truth of the matter was that she had always been much stronger than her peers. She was also a lot more durable than most people her age, so much so that she could go toe to toe with people who had broken into Bronze without suffering one-sidedly...After recovering from his shock, Nobu just nodded his head before looking towards Kazue and saying, "When Kumiko gets back, ask her to put in a request for all the herbs I listed. If she can't acquire them through normal channels, let me know. I'll talk with the Matriarch."Accepting the piece of paper from Nariko, Kazue briefly scanned it before placing it into her inner breast pocket and saying, "Most of these are relatively simple to obtain. Cho should actually have most of them in bulk. The difficult part will be obtaining a Perennial Dewdrop Herb. They aren't all that rare but they spoil hours after being removed from their natural habitat. They also only grow at the tops of mountains that are perpetually covered in snow. Owari doesn't have anything like that."Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to gripe when Kazue adopted a smile and said, "Don't worry. So long as they are stored in high-quality jade slip, they can last for a couple of years without issue. The Matriarch's Jadite Guardian can also fly above 8,000m without any issues. If Yui gets permission to use it, we could have the herb here before the day's end.""Nice."Though he imagined there would be some danger involved, Nobu doubted it would be too serious based on Kazue's casual tone. The Jadite Guardian Owl had also scared the shit out of him when he met it. He doubted there were many beasts that would be able to fight against it, so, as long as she was careful, Yui should be able to retrieve the herb without any issues.As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu's jubilation immediately turned to doubt as he raised his hand and said, "Hold up...I think I just triggered a flag or some shit. Don't send Yui to retrieve the herb. Even if it takes a few months to obtain, Nariko can still increase her cultivation base without advancing to the next Rank. So long as we have the requisite materials, she can achieve multiple breakthroughs at the same time. For now, let's focus on shoring up our foundation..."Raising her brows, Kazue was tempted to ask what her Lord meant when he said he had triggered a flag, but, assuming it had something to do with his Heavenly Treasure, she simply nodded her head and said, "I understand. As for the rest of the herbs, I'll check them to make sure they're the highest quality possible."Nodding his head in approval, Nobu then cast his gaze on the slightly disappointed-looking Nariko, asking, "What's with that face? Cultivation methods are only one part of strength. You're getting to train a technique that most people haven't even heard of. It's better to take things nice and slow to avoid making any mistakes. Trust me. I have first-hand experience charging forward without proper consideration for the consequences..."Pointing towards his nose, currently veiled behind a thin cloth, Nobu made it very clear what he was talking about. His cultivation method had effectively crippled him, and, were it not for the fact he could stockpile his clicks, he might have fucked himself over completely.Chuckling in response to her Lord's self-deprecation, most of Nariko's negative sentiments faded away. She was still young but she knew it was rare for any man to willfully demean themselves in front of their subordinates. Pride was the foundation upon which Nianese society was built upon. There were even instances of people fighting to the death over minor slights so she found it rather amusing to hear him talk about his failures as if were perfectly normal to make mistakes.........With nothing better to do after his breakfast, Nobu continued exercising until around noon. This was around the time when the girls changed shifts, so, with the arrival of Sachiko, he spent about an hour walking her through the specifics of his breathing technique before dismissing everyone when Kumiko informed him of Suzune's arrival."We meet again, Nobunaga-sama..."Seeing the inordinately beautiful pinkette bowing before him, Nobu had to admit she was one of the most alluring women he had ever seen. There was something about her pink hair and the aura that exuded from her body that gave him the impression of a highly intelligent Succubus...Recalling Suzune's previous attempts to seduce him, Nobu shook his head before saying, "Lift your head. Tell me, why have you come here? I was told the renovations wouldn't start for another three days."Raising her head, Suzune adopted a sensual-looking pout as she inquired, "Is it so wrong for me to want to meet with you?"Without beating around the bush, Nobu answered, "Yes. I may have decided not to press the matter between me and your daughter, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven either of you. I'll work with you, but, other than that, I don't really want to have anything to do with you..."Maintaining her smile, Suzune responded, "I suppose I can live with that." in an overly casual tone. At the same time, however, she gently tugged at the orange rope keeping her obi fastened around her flowery pink kimono. This wasn't enough to cause the fabric to burst open but it was more than enough to show a bit of skin as she stared directly at him with her pale, honey-colored eyes.In spite of his best efforts, Nobu found his eyes wandering the moment Suzune's kimono began to loosen. He could feel a knot forming in his throat, and, though she had yet to do anything, he got the same impression from her as a few of the older, more carnivorous women he had dealt with in his previous life."Stop...if you're going to keep taunting me like this, you can just leave..."Giggling in amusement, Suzune tightened the cord around her obi without making any efforts to fix her kimono. He wouldn't be able to complain if she was just showing a bit of skin. After all, many of the kunoichi in his entourage wore far more revealing outfits."I came here to discuss the staffing issue that was brought to my attention. I also heard about your particular disdain towards my daughter. If possible, I would like to convince you to hire her in spite of your personal feelings towards her. She could become one of your greatest assets if you'll allow her to demonstrate her worth..."Furrowing his brows, Nobu's first instinct was to tell Suzune to fuck off. Instead, he remained silent for several seconds before asking, "You're not going to give up, are you...?"Returning an ostensibly sincere smile, Suzune explained, "She's the only daughter I have left. I know it might be frowned upon, but I intend to do everything in my power to protect her. You are right to have your suspicions about me. However, I can see the shadow of something great in you. I would not risk becoming your enemy if I could work alongside you for our mutual benefit..."After learning the truth about Nobu from the Matriarch, Suzune's desire to work alongside Nobu had increased exponentially. If it was true that he possessed the potential to unify the nation, she intended to do everything in her power to ensure her daughter was one of the people standing at his side. Nobu may very well become the Emperor in the future, and, if she played her cards right, it wasn't an impossible dream to install Shizune as his Empress. At the very least, she could be one of his Concubines...perhaps even a Minister...Though it might be an uphill battle, Suzune believed in her daughter's capabilities. She was a bit spoiled, sure, but she was inarguably one of the most intelligent kunoichi in the clan. She may even be one of the most intelligent women in all of Nian. She just needed the chance to mature. Thus, even if it meant lowering herself, Suzune intended to do everything in her power to make sure her daughter was given a second chance."Please...Nobunaga-sama...do not condemn my daughter for being born into circumstances beyond her control. I swear on my status as an Elder. If you give her the chance, she will not disappoint you a second time..."......(A/N: Quite ambitious...)

"..."Staring at the mature pinkette pressing her forehead to the floor, Nobu remained silent for several minutes. He was honestly tempted to see how long she could keep this up, but, understanding he was basically stuck here so long as she was, Nobu ultimately replied, "Fine. But I have conditions. If she violates even a single one of these, it will be your responsibility to pass judgment on her..."Raising her head, Suzune adopted one of the most beautiful smiles Nobu had ever seen as she said, "Worry not, Nobunaga-sama. I have already had a "very" long discussion with my daughter after the previous incident. So long as your conditions are not too extreme, I can promise she will obey them to the letter. I ask only that you take her future status into consideration when you interact with her around others..."Since Shizune had told her about Nobu making her behave like an animal, Suzune was seriously considering having her daughter spend the next couple of months as his pet. Given his nature, it was only a matter of time before he either softened up or got tired of seeing her behave that way. After that, it was relatively smooth sailing for them both.Unaware of the wily and marginally unhinged woman's thoughts, Nobu replied, "Whatever. I'll write up a list and give it to you in the next couple of days. For now, let's talk about the personnel issue..."Nodding her head, Suzune produced a rather sizeable stack of files transcribed on hemp paper and bamboo roll before providing her personal opinion on each of the women within.Unsurprisingly, most of the women were in their late twenties with very few surpassing their thirties. They were experts who had chosen to spend their remaining days educating the next generation in the hopes their experience might serve the clan and decrease the mortality rate of young kunoichi in the field.What surprised Nobu was that quite a number of younger kunoichi and even a handful of trainees had been included among the stack of candidates. Some of these were the most talented members of their generation while others seemed to have been thrown in at completely random."What the hell? Is this girl a demon...?"Though the images in the files were just detailed ink drawings, it was still possible to make out the features of the people represented within. One of these showed a young girl but her proportions were slightly strange and there were horns sticking out of her forehead. Unfortunately, Nobu was unable to read anything recorded in the scroll so he could only rely on Suzune to translate.Seeing the scroll Nobu was referring to, Suzune nodded her head, explaining, "Ah, Onihime. This is a special case as she isn't actually a native descendent of the Yoshitsune Clan. She is the daughter of a deposed Lord from the Aizu-Ashina Clan who became an honorary member of the clan around fifty years ago. The Matriarch thought she would be a good fit as an attendant since Oni, even half-breeds, possess inordinately long lifespans. She is also unique in the fact that her cultivation base was destroyed around the time of her capture. If you are able to restore it, she will be a powerful asset to you in the future.""What the fuck? You're telling me this brat is more than fifty years old...?"Nodding her head, Suzune answered, "If I'm not mistaken, she should be turning sixty-eight years old by the end of Summer. As for her appearance, it is primarily the result of her heritage and her restricted cultivation. It's hard to know, really. Even after tens of thousands of years, very few clans have any meaningful information on Oni and their unique physiology. They generally dissolve into nothingness once killed and efforts to observe living specimens have resulted in quite a number of tragedies...""..."Though there was a lot he wanted to say, Nobu ultimately remained silent. He suspected that the only reason Onihime was being entrusted to him was because of his unique abilities. He could use the stone tablet to ascertain information that others simply weren't privy to. In other words, there was a very real chance this was simply a test to measure the extent of his capabilities. This would explain why there were so many random girls mixed in among the more qualified candidates. They most likely had something unique or special about them that the clan wanted to confirm...Shaking his head, Nobu asked, "You said this girl would be useful to me in the future. Does that mean the Yoshitsune Clan is giving her to me? What's the catch?"Without missing a beat, Suzune answered, "She is too old to remain in the clan. While we have accepted her as an honorary member, her longevity has become something of an issue after most of the people responsible for her integration have died. Now, now, there's no need for that face..."Seeing the frown forming on Nobu's face, Suzune couldn't resist covering her mouth with her sleeve and issuing an amused giggle before going on to explain, "The simple truth of the matter is that she has become progressively more apathetic towards life. It's not easy watching all the people you care about dying from various causes while you continue to live on. I believe the Matriarch was hoping you would be able to rekindle her passion by having her assist with the education and care of the children. You also do not harbor the same biases as normal Nianese citizens. I'm positive that factored into her decision quite a bit..."Though he wasn't going to simply accept Suzune's words at face value, Nobu still nodded his head before having her reveal what she knew about the other candidates. He wanted to know as much as possible before the actual interviews as it would be incredibly awkward to have someone like Yui or Kumiko translate for him. Sure, he could always use the stone tablet to auto-translate text using the camera function. Unfortunately, this required a fair amount of Aura. Thus, for the sake of preserving both his dignity and his points, Nobu was intending to learn how to read and write properly. Until then, he was basically illiterate.........By the time Suzune finally departed, the sun was well on its way towards the horizon. This left Nobu feeling mentally and physically drained, but, before he could even think about resting, Yui surprised him by mentioning, "Tonight is the night of the New Moon. I know you're tired, but please consider meeting with Kaia. She has already been informed of your arrival on the mountain so there's a fair chance she will have a breakdown if we miss this window of opportunity. The next one won't be for twenty-seven days..."Though he had completely forgotten about Kaia's existence due to everything else that was on his plate, Nobu quickly recalled her details after Yui's reminder. Kaia was apparently a Half-Lycan who had spent most of her life locked away in a specialized cell since it was simply too dangerous to let her roam freely. In other words, she had basically spent the last eighteen years of her life in prison..."Fine. Let me rest for an hour or two and then we'll head out. Also, next time, I would appreciate it if you reminded me about things like this sooner. I hate being blindsided like this..."Nodding her head in affirmation, Yui promptly replied, "I understand. I'll be sure to remember that." before falling silent and appearing somewhat hesitant. This was quickly noticed by Nobu as he had been sitting across from her. He had, more or less, forced her to eat together with him after asking Cho to prepare an additional portion during lunch. As for his reasoning, well, she was basically his fiancee. She might regard herself as more of a Mistress or a Concubine candidate but it wasn't like he was engaged to anyone else...(A/N: Bruh...)"What is it...?"Inhaling through her nose, Yui appeared to form her resolve as she stared directly at Nobu and asked, "Would it be too impertinent of me to ask if I can feed you...?"Though he managed to remain upright, Nobu felt as if his body had tilted to the side the moment he heard Yui's words. He also heard the sound of someone clicking their tongue in the background, but, with his attention focused on the front, he could only guess that it was Yuriko."Uh...sure...?"Displaying a relieved smile in response to Nobu's words, Yui deftly sliced a piece of salmon with her chopsticks before picking it up and pausing mid-extension. She realized that it would be difficult to feed him from across the tray of food, so, after a brief moment of hesitation, she scootched to the side before trying again, this time with a noticeable blush on her face.Swallowing before he had even sampled the salmon, Nobu accepted Yui's offer while feeling a form of nervousness he had never experienced before. This was a stark contrast to her usual behavior so she had managed to catch him completely by surprise."H-How is it...?"Blinking in surprise, Nobu was ashamed to realize he couldn't even remember the taste of the food. He had been staring at Yui's blushing face the entire time so his mind had failed to process what he had just eaten. Despite this, he still managed to answer, "It was delicious..." in a slightly awkward yet audibly sincere tone.........In hindsight, Nobu realized it was rather senseless of him to suggest traveling at night. There were no established paths on the Northern face of the mountain so it was a nightmare trying to navigate during the day. If not for Yuriko's and Kiku's ability to see in the dark, navigating through the dense forest would have been next to impossible.All in all, it took nearly three hours to reach the location where Kaia was being held. By then, Nobu was feeling both annoyed and exhausted. There were a ridiculous number of mosquitos inhabiting the mountain, and, unlike everyone else, he didn't have a convenient metal aura to protect him."What are the odds that we'll be able to shelter in the main estate tonight...?"Since there were quite a number of preparations that needed to be made in order to prepare Kaia to receive guests, Nobu decided to make small talk as Yui applied ointment to his many mosquito bites."Grandmother said that she would be preserving the state of your previous room. Should I send someone to make preparations for your arrival...?"As it was rumored to be harder to descend a mountain than it was to climb one, Nobu nodded his head without hesitation. There was no way in hell he was going to make another three-hour trek through a densely populated forest when even the Moon wasn't out to guide them. He had literally needed Yuriko to guide him by hand. Thus, rather than force himself to suffer just so he could sleep in his bed, Nobu didn't mind taking advantage of the Matriarch's hospitality."Nobunaga-sama, Yui-sama. Please, follow me."Rising to his feet the moment he heard the rather plain-looking woman's words, Nobu followed behind her as she led them down a rather claustrophobic spiral staircase. Fortunately, they only had to descend for a minute or two before reaching what appeared to be a refurbished dungeon. There, sitting with her back against the wall furthest from the cell bars was a remarkably beautiful woman with untamed white hair and eyes that glistened like moonlight.Though she wore what appeared to be a modified muzzle covering the lower half of her face, Nobu found himself stopping in place the moment he met the woman's pale-yellow eyes. Her gaze was so intense that he didn't even notice the inordinately large ears standing erect atop her head, the dense white fur covering her forearms and calves, or the fluffy white tail folded over her lap. For a brief moment, the only things that seemed to exist in the entire world were the subtly glowing orbs staring at him from behind the wrist-thick bars..."Are you my Master...?"......(A/N: Could this be the advent of the goodest girl...!?)

After a relatively uneventful evening, Nobu decided to get a jump start on the day by running a few laps around his house. The interior had four interconnected hallways forming a perfect square so it was relatively easy to set goals and keep track of his progress. The only downside was that the halls were lined with wood so he created quite a bit of noise as he was running around.*sound of a single contiguous breath*Thanks to his unique cultivation method, Nobu could continue basically running for as long as his body held out. He never got winded, and, so long as he controlled his oxygen intake, he was able to maintain a runner's high from start to finish."Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."Though it was unnecessary, Nobu found himself exhaling a long sigh after running for precisely one hour. He had timed himself using the stone tablet's clock, and, in that time, he had managed to run a total of twenty-three laps.According to Kumiko, each of the interior halls was approximately 150m in length. Crunching the numbers, this meant he had run around 14km. This wasn't particularly great, but, considering he currently looked like a twig, it wasn't bad. He wasn't sure what the average was, but Nobu felt like he had maintained a pretty solid pace from start to finish.Sprawling out on the ground, Nobu didn't complain when Nariko, at the behest of Kazue, placed a cold compress on his head."You shouldn't push yourself so hard. Your body is still recovering from extreme malnourishment. It's a miracle you're even able to move around like this..."Looking over, Nobu found Kazue looking at him with a concerned expression on her face. He also noticed she had allowed her hair to hang freely rather than tying it up in double-buns. This made her appear less cute, but, at the same time, it looked a hell of a lot more natural on her."I'm fine...I won't say some cheesy shit about knowing my own limits, but I'm not an idiot. I know better than trying to push through the pain for the sake of small gains..."With that said, Nobu removed the compress from his head before rolling to his feet and adding, "Besides, I'm nineteen years behind my peers. I can't afford to sit on my ass if I still have the energy to keep going."Though it was a bit awkward with an audience, Nobu alternated between ten-count body-builders and suicides from one side of the room to the other. Cardio was the foundation for all other forms of strength training. Since he seemed to recover after only a few hours of rest, he intended to take full advantage of the convenient properties of Aura in order to strengthen his physique as quickly as possible.Exhaling a sigh, Kazue pulled out a piece of paper before handing it to Nariko and saying, "Tell Cho to add these herbs to our Lord's meal. If he wants to push himself, we have the duty of making sure he doesn't break down."Nodding her head in understanding, Nariko gripped the paper before taking one last look at her Lord's half-naked body. He had removed his shirt prior to exercising, and, though he wasn't much to look at, he was the only man she had ever seen from this close.Shaking her head, Kazue gave Nariko a light push, saying, "Go." in an uncharacteristically firm tone. This contributed to Nariko scampering off, her feet creating a drumming pitter-patter as she bolted off towards the kitchen.Though he noticed Nariko departure, Nobu didn't ask what she was up to or where she was going. Instead, he completed his current set before taking a seat next to Kazue, the only person 'officially' keeping tabs on him right now."So? What's your deal. Are you going to restart your training now that you've learned I'm alive and well?"Hanging her head, a tired sigh escaped Kazue's throat as she answered, "Truth be told, I'd rather just entrust Nariko to the clan's experts and go back to shoveling shit. I know you don't really care about this stuff, but I'm even less suited for this formal crap. If you didn't give me permission to act casually, I would probably spend every day feeling suffocated."Understanding where she was coming from, Nobu nodded his head empathically, saying, "Yeah, I feel you on that one. That's actually why I want to keep you around. You're a lot more chill than the other girls. I thought Yuriko would be cool to hang around with but she turned into an overzealous pervert pretty quickly. I haven't really said anything about it, but I can smell her musk whenever she gets close. I'm pretty sure she went to town on herself when I was having sex with Yui...""Mmm...I can kind of empathize with her...""Pardon...?"Raising her head, Kazue stared directly at Nobu as she said, "We were devasted by the news that your illness had taken your life. From that moment on, our training was the only real purpose we had, but, unlike other trainees, it didn't really matter how skilled we became. We had been trained solely to serve you so the Matriarch forbade us from accepting any missions. Until you came back, we were basically just waiting to die. To that end, I can't really blame Yuriko for losing her shit after you had sex. I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure most of us would have.""..."Though he had already heard similar accounts before, Nobu was still left feeling at a loss for words after hearing what Kazue had to say. He felt like there was a tiny seedling of guilt in his heart, and, with each passing day, it grew larger. He wasn't quite sure what would happen when the seedling blossomed into something else, but he was pretty sure he wasn't prepared to deal with it."What do you think I should do...?"Scratching the back of her head, Kazue's expression became complicated as she said, "You should really ask Kumiko about things like this. She has spent her entire life learning all kinds of things so that she could give you proper advice. All I really know is shit and some basic medical techniques. Other than that-""Stop."Falling silent the moment she heard Nobu's command, Kazue's expression became progressively more awkward as she waited for him to continue.Adopting a conflicted look of his own, Nobu averted his eyes from Kazue's as he said, "Just...stop saying shit like that. Stop demeaning yourself all the time. I don't care how useful others think you are. Hell, I don't care how useful YOU think you are. Even if you were just a normal girl, that would be enough for me. Seriously, you want to talk about suffocating? I might as well be an alien in this world. Your situation was pretty shitty. I know that. In fact, I'm really fucking sorry you girls had to go through that shit. However, you at least had the chance to grow up in this world. The only real memories I have of this place are being pushed around in a wheelchair, lying in bed, and having mush shoved down my throat..."Feeling the seedling in his chest grow even larger, Nobu's expression morphed into anger as he balled his hands into fists and muttered, "Fuck..."Confused by her Lord's reaction, Kazue was contemplating asking what was wrong when he beat her to the punch, sighing as he muttered, "I really am sorry...I know this shit is my fault...just...just stop making things worse...please..."Though he wasn't on the verge of tears, Nobu rested his face in his palms as feelings he didn't know how to deal with washed over him. This place wasn't like Earth. He couldn't just ignore his problems and keep running away. The lives of multiple people now revolved around him and if he couldn't get his act together, they were all going to suffer because of his stupid mistakes."Fuck..."Feeling more than a little awkward, Kazue looked towards the ceiling in the hopes that whoever was watching over them from above might come down and lend a hand. She honestly didn't know how to deal with whatever he was going through. If she did, she might be able to solve some of her own problems.With the only response to her silent plea being even more silence, Kazue scratched the back of her head before asking, "I'm guessing a quick fellatio won't really help, will it...?"Raising his face from his hands, Nobu stared directly at Kazue, an incredulous look on his face as he asked, "Is that the only thing you girls can think of at times like this...?"Shrugging her shoulders, Kazue answered, "You're a man. I'm a woman. According to what we're taught, most guys in Nian refuse to confide in females. Even the Nobles only keep male confidants so I'm not really sure what else I can do. Don't get me wrong. I want to help. I just don't know how."Though Kazue's words came off as brash and insensitive, Nobu understood she was simply being honest. He couldn't really fault her for that, so, after sitting in silent contemplation for the better part of a minute, he asked, "Do you 'want' to give me a blowjob...?"While the phrase 'blowjob' was new to her, Kazue could intuit the meaning based on the context of their conversation. Thus, without the need for consideration, she answered, "I mean, kind of? Even if I didn't qualify to become a kunoichi, I still received the same training as everyone else. Unless you send me off to be a prostitute or something, you're really the only guy I can experience this kind of thing with. If you're asking about personal preferences, I'd rather fellate you a thousand times than put my face anywhere near another man's penis.""..."As much as he appreciated how straightforward Kazue was, Nobu was still left feeling at a loss in the wake of her 'heartfelt' statement. If he didn't know Cho would be arriving with his breakfast in the next couple of minutes, he might have even taken her up on her offer. Instead, he fell silent for several seconds before gesturing for her to come closer, saying, "Come here..."Obeying Nobu's orders without even a moment's hesitation, Kazue was left feeling confused when the latter guided her head to rest on his lap. His aroma caused a stuffy feeling in her chest but the thing that left her feeling speechless was the fact he had started to caress her head. He didn't offer any explanation or anything. He just laid her head on his lap and began to run his fingers through her hair without a word to express his intentions."...""..."If Kazue was confused by his behavior, Nobu had no idea how to describe his own emotions. He just felt that the woman before him was pathetic. Not in a bad way but the kind of way that made her deserving of pity. He was equally as clueless as she was when it came to comforting others, so, remembering how his mother used to comfort him as a child, Nobu just went with the flow. He also noticed she scratched her head a lot, so, while he doubted she had anything like ticks or lice, he did his best to check her scalp as he ran his fingers through her surprisingly soft and puffy hair..."...""..."......(A/N: Nobu and Kazue both have a lot of issues they need to work out. Fortunately, just like in real life, they can make a lot of progress by working together. I know most people read novels with the intent of escaping real-world problems. However, at times like this, I can't help but want to remind everyone that there are always people willing to help. If you have problems you're working through, find someone to talk to. You'd be surprised to discover just how many people are going through similar shit...)

Chapter 70: Flag?