Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Though he hadn't expected the journey to be short, Nobu never expected it to take more than five hours just to reach the edge of the forest separating Shuto from Yumegakure. Even then, they still needed to travel more than two hours on foot just to traverse the massive clearing that surrounded the entire capital.As a precaution against invaders and Aura Beast stampedes, most capital cities were surrounded by large swaths of open terrain. This allowed the people atop the wall to spot anyone approaching the city, and, during times of war, it served as the terrain in which armies clashed.The current Emperor wasn't particularly popular among the people of Nian so he had enacted a law that forbade the looting and razing of cities. If an enemy army happened to reach your capital and you were unable or unwilling to defend it, they could send a request to the Emperor to have your status as a Daimyo revoked. This would effectively lead to the annihilation of your entire family, so, more often than not, the clans of conquered territories would submit and become the lesser vassals of their conquerors."When we get back, remind me to draw up a design for some hiking boots or something. These cavaliers ain't gonna cut it."Since he spent most of his time indoors or walking around barefoot, Nobu had never really gotten used to the footwear of Nian. The boots Yui had purchased for him had worn out pretty quickly due to their shoddy materials. He also hadn't expected to leave the mountain so soon so the notion of travel wear hadn't even crossed his mind.As this wasn't her first time hearing Nobu complain, Yui simply nodded her head while keeping a close eye on their surroundings. They had reached the main road shortly after leaving the forest so there were a number of carriages and individuals passing by on horses as they rushed to reach the city before the outer gates were closed. Camping was forbidden in the expanse surrounding the city so failure to get inside before sunset meant turning around and seeking shelter in the forest till the following day.Casting a glance towards the ever-alert Yui, Nobu grumbled in his mind but ultimately kept silent. She had never been talkative, and, thanks to his previous warning, she was even more alert than usual. Thus, while the past few hours had been mind-bogglingly boring, he wasn't going to lash out at her for doing her job.Fortunately, the gate was already visible in the distance so it would only take them another ten to fifteen minutes to reach the queue lined up outside. He also got to see the city wall from up close, and, if he were being honest, Nobu had no idea how such a backwards group of people were able to build such monstrous constructions.Though it was just the outer wall that protected the civilian residential area, the walls surrounding Shuto were easily twenty meters in height. There were also a number of massive balista-like objects spaced out along the wall, and, though it was currently late in the day, it was possible to make out hundreds of people patrolling around the base and the top of the wall.The thing that surprised Nobu most, even though he had already noticed then when he was back in the port city of Asai, was the sheer scale of everything. If the wall was any indicator, the dimensions of Shuto might actually dwarf some of the metropolises back home. There were even a few massive towers peeking out over the city walls, their height easily exceeding fifty meters despite resembling large pagodas.As silly as it might sound, Nobu was actually looking forward to entering the city. Before deciding to become a Civil Engineer, he had been fascinated by some of the architectural achievement of humanity. Now that he had found himself in a fantasy setting, his curiosity and intrigue had been piqued. This made others view him as a bumpkin, but, so long as they didn't go out of their way to fuck with him, Nobu didn't give a damn what they thought. Cool shit was cool."Here, take this. There are fifty koushukin inside. Never reveal the content of the bag to anyone and always keep an eye on your money pouch. I will do my best to keep people away but a skilled thief could snatch your purse in an instant if you're not paying attention."Accepting the heavy pouch, Nobu bobbed his hand a few times to test its weight before placing into the enchanted leather bag on his hip. He wasn't wearing a yukata, but, even if he had been, there was no way he would place such a heavy bag into his sleeve. He honestly had no idea how others were able to do so without getting annoyed.Fortunately, Nobu's current outfit consisted of a form-fitting brown top that vaguely resembled a t-shirt, a pair of thick brown pants lined with the hide of an Aura Beast, a leather belt made from the same material, and a large square pouch with a hidden compartment inside to stash his money. He also had a sling for the broad ax on his back and the basilard placed at his hip. Both of which were currently bound with cloth and a special white cord that were intended to prevent them from being drawn in the city.Though his clothes made him stand out like a sore thumb, Nobu had been told he would look a lot more suspicious if he tried to blend in. He was, after all, a cultivator in the Fourth Realm. For his age, that was pretty fucking monstrous. If he tried to dress like a farmer while Yui was wearing the armor of a warrior, it would be extremely suspicious...With such thoughts on his mind, Nobu stood in the queue with Yui until they had finally reached the customs checkpoint. He had actually expected someone in the crowd to mess with them, but, even though a number of people had cast rather nasty looks towards Yui, none of them spoke out. The Nianese were a very conservative people and anyone with the wherewithal to walk around with weapons near a capital city wasn't someone they wanted to mess with.What Nobu didn't know was that his height had a lot to do with the reason people kept clear of them. He was easily a head taller than the tallest people in the crowd, and, thanks to his constant infusions of Yin Elemental Energy, he had a lean yet muscular figure without any visible blemishes. This, combined with the fact he was armed and accompanied by a remarkable beauty dressed like a warrior, were more than enough reason for them to give him a very wide berth...Seeing Nobu among the crowd waiting to enter the city, the guards manning the customs station actually called in a few extra men over just to be safe. Nobu was, of course, completely unaware of this. Fortunately, that was actually a boon in this situation as his obliviousness and genuine intrigue matched perfectly with the cover story he and Yui had come up with.Approaching a desk manned by a piggish man with beady eyes and a flat nose, Yui allowed Nobu to step forward as she kept an eye on the guards flanking them. As for Nobu, he was looking down at the inordinately fat man, or, more specifically, the silver insignia on his black leather armor. It was literally the roman numeral for four, so, for a brief moment, he was genuinely confused.Mistaking Nobu's confusion as awe, the rotund official cracked a black-toothed smile as any fear he had towards the 'giant' promptly faded away. He was even tempted to knock Nobu down a peg or two, but, after someone had reported his previous misconduct to the Lord, he was already walking on eggshells. Thus, after fixing his sneer, he adopted a stern and commanding tone as he ordered, "State your name and hand over any identity tokens you may possess."Though he was annoyed by the arrogant sneer on the man's face, Nobu did his best to remain calm as he answered, "Nanamori Nobu. My identity token was lost during an Aura Beast attack so I need to purchase a new one before entering the city."Snorting through his flat and wide nose, the portly man muttered, "Presumptuous..." before writing a few notes on a piece of paper. Then, after quickly stamping said paper, he pushed it toward Nobu, saying, "Fill out your information. Replacement identity tokens require currency corresponding with your Realm and Rank. If you're Iron Rank 3, that'll be 7 iron pieces. If you're Iron Rank 7, the cost is discounted to 3 iron pieces. Since you are armed, you'll also need to hand over ten koushukin as a security deposit. So long as you don't commit any crimes prior to exiting the city, you will be able to reclaim part of your deposit upon departure. After ten days, it will no longer be returned."Since Nobu had been 'awed' by his Silver 4 identity token, the portly official automatically assumed he was a hunter or a low-ranking mercenary from one of the surrounding villages. It would certainly explain why he had been looking around like a bumpkin prior to approaching the station.With such thoughts on his mind, the portly official's eyes nearly popped out of his skull when Nobu casually produced 34 golden koushukin. This was not an amount some country bumpkin could pull out on a whim.Looking closer, the man noticed that the pouch on Nobu's hip was of a much higher quality than he had initially thought. In fact, even the shirt covering his body seemed to be sewn from some kind of Aura Beast fiber. These would cost doznes, if not hundreds of golden koushukin on the market, so, after recovering from his momentary stupor, the protly man promptly stood up, politely cupping his hands as he asked, "Might I ask what this young lord's Realm and Rank are?"Though it was customary to return a polite greeting, Nobu remained standing tall as he answered, "I recently broke through to the Third Rank of the Fourth Realm. My parter has a similar base so this should be the correct amount."Swallowing hard the moment he heard Nobu's response, the official and many of the surrounding guards eyed the duo as if they were monsters. Neither looked a day older than twenty, yet, based on their relaxed postures, it was easy to tell they weren't afraid of being questioned.Fortunately, Yui realized the direction things were heading, so, before Nobu was asked to reveal his Aura, she promptly raised her hand to produce a golden dagger that hovered over her palm as if it were suspended in a magnetic field. This caused the portly official's eyes to widen as any intention of questioning the veracity of Nobu's claim faded from his mind. Offending those of a higher Realm was borderline taboo, so, rather than risk his life by demanding Nobu display his Aura, he promptly sat back down and processed their paperwork while one of the guards split off to go inform the on-duty Commander.Though Nobu noticed the man running off, he just crooked a brow before crossing his arms and waiting patiently. Yui had warned him that something like this was going to happen so he wasn't too concerned that they would be chased away or thrown into a prison cell. Rather, the assumption most people would make after learning about their cultivation base was that they had come to the capital to join the army. With their power, they would quickly rise to the rank of Lesser Nobles, so, unless they specifically went looking for trouble, most people would pay them the obeisance their Ranks and Realms demanded.........(A/N: Imagine the guards asking Nobu to prove his Realm and he just blows air at them xD...)

Just as their entry paperwork was being finalized, Nobu and Yui both noticed a middle-aged man with rugged features emerging from the direction of the gate. He had the look of a man that had seen too much bloodshed, yet, in spite of his war-weary expression, there was a certain confidence that radiated from every fiber of his being.While the surrounding guards immediately saluted the man, Nobu was too stunned to speak as he actually recognized who the man was. More accurately, he knew someone with very similar features. It's just, instead of a real person, he recognized the ashen-haired man as a fictional character..."Geralt...?"Understanding that Nobu was speaking towards him, the Geralt-lookalike gestured for the guards to stand down as he gruffly replied, "My name is Hayashi Hai, Guardian of the Southern Gate and Retainer of Oda Senken. Tell me, Nanamori-dono, what brings you to my Lord's city?"Though he didn't do it to threaten them, Hai casually rested his palm on the pommel of his katana. It was a little unorthodox but he had two equal-length katana resting on his hip. The emblem on his collar was also a silvery-green III, so, based on the available evidence, it was safe to say the man was a master of the nitoryu(two-sword style).After recovering from his momentary stupor, an incredulous but disarming smile developed across Nobu's face as he answered, "Sorry about that. You're a dead ringer for a man named Geralt. As for why I'm here...well..."Glancing towards Yui, Nobu's smile turned wry as he moved a little closer to Hai and gestured for him to lean closer. This caused the man to furrow his brows, but, rather than take offense to Nobu's stage behavior, he leaned in to hear the latter whisper, "I wanted to propose and have my marriage officiated by Lord Senken. I was originally intending to come near the beginning of Spring but I got delayed by a group of bandits and a trio of scantily clad women I suspect to be kunoichi..."Since there weren't any actual lies in his words, Nobu shamelessly blamed the group of farmers and the trio of Yuriko, Shizune, and Rynka for his delayed arrival. This earned him a visibly skeptical look from Hai, but, as there were no warrants or wanted posters demanding his arrest, the middle-aged man just hummed before saying, "I see. Well, so long as you don't cause too much trouble, talents such as yourselves are always welcome in Shuto..."On that note, Hai shifted his gaze to the guards, adding, "Let them through." before stepping to the side and gesturing in a casual, 'feel free to pass' kind of manner.Though he felt the man's reaction was a little odd, Nobu just nodded his head before looking back and extending his hand towards Yui, saying, "Let's go." with a smile. In response, she quickly linked her hand with his, a ruddier than average blush developing across her face as she averted her eyes from Hai like a bashful maiden. This didn't really match with the image of a warrior, but, considering their difference in status, realm, and rank, it was normal for her to 'cower' in the presence of such a 'great man'.Following the duo with his faded golden eyes, Hai waited until Nobu and Yui had passed through the gate before gesturing towards a handsome young man wearing high-quality armor. The badge on his collar only showed a silver IX, but it was still impressive considering he was just under twenty years old."Keep an eye on them. If they do anything suspicious, make sure to report it. If anyone tries to get in their way, arrest them. Our Lord is always looking for talented young warriors. Try and make their stay as pleasant as possible."Bowing respectfully but not submissively, the young man replied with a reverent, 'I understand, Hai-dono. I will not fail you."Nodding his head in approval, Hai remained silent as he saw the man run in the direction Nobu and Yui had disappeared moments prior. Then, as a silvery-green Aura began to manifest around his feet, he looked towards the surrounding guards and said, "Get back to work..." before disappearing in a flash of light........."We're being followed..."Hearing Yui's whisper, Nobu resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he replied, "Well, duh. I mean, we're two super prodigies. It would be strange if they didn't send someone to keep an eye on us..."Though he didn't actually consider himself a prodigy, Nobu knew others would regard him as one due to his cultivation base. It was kind of dumb, but, considering most people would need to invest decades of time and effort to reach his current level, it was understandable. Only those close to him knew how grossly incompetent he was...Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Nobu prevented Yui's rebuttal by adopting a sincere smile and saying, "This place is fucking incredible..."While the people were dressed in relatively tame, almost plain clothing, the buildings that made up the Capital City of Shuto were truly breathtaking. There were a bunch of carpet stalls and pushcarts lining the streets, but, as you moved closer to the secondary wall separating the peasantry from the nobles, the buildings became grander and more majestic. It was almost like looking at a painting..."If only it didn't smell like piss and shit..."As beautiful as the city landscape was, Shuto still had many of the problems plaguing other cities in Nian. It had a waterway for transporting goods and several aqueducts running throughout the city, but, for the most part, human waste was collected in buckets, mixed with soil, and given to compost merchants to be processed into various types of fertilizer. In poorer districts, these buckets were left outside to be collected, so, as much as he could appreciate its beauty, Nobu felt it would be more accurate to call the city Shithole instead of Shuto...Suppressing a sigh, Yui looked up at Nobu with a visibly concerned look as she asked, "Why not wear your mask? You've hardly worn it since you requested a custom order from the Iga Clan. You will have to take it off if we encounter any Nobles but the only law against wearing face coverings states that you cannot cover your eyes."Though he understood she was trying to help, Nobu couldn't help smiling wryly in response to Yui's suggestion. The mask he had ordered was actually pretty badass. It vaguely resembled the head of a wolf, and, as per request, it had replaceable filters that could be swapped out like the canisters of a gas mask. The only problem was that it was 'too badass'. Wearing it made him feel like a kid with eighth-grader syndrome, and, while he had never particularly cared about fashion, it created such a stark contrast with his clothing that Nobu was embarrassed just thinking about it."Nah...besides, if I walk around with a wolf mask on, people are gonna get suspicious. Let's just find a place to stay. I'll be fine once we get inside."Since it was ultimately Nobu's decision to make, Yui just nodded her head before falling into step beside him. He could be very prideful at times, so, rather than waste time trying to change his mind, she just focused on their surroundings as Nobu pulled her deeper into the city.........After another stressful day of listening to reports, signing paperwork, and managing the territory, Senken was preparing to seek comfort in his wife's embrace when a soft thud sounded outside his study. This caused his eyes to squint, but, hearing a familiar voice state, "Senken-sama, I bring an urgent message..." he quickly relaxed and said, "Come in."Abiding by his Lord's words, a young man with features remarkably similar to Hiashi slid open the door before falling to his knees and placing his forehead against the ground. At the same time, Senken pulled out a conch-like device from his inner robe. It has the unique ability to draw sound toward itself, so, after placing it on the table in front of him, a peculiar hum could be heard as the sounds of people moving about and speaking were drawn into the room. (A/N: It basically makes sounds coming toward the room louder while drastically reducing sounds traveling away from it.)Though the sudden ringing in his ears was uncomfortable, the young man maintained his calm as he reported, "A prodigious young couple with the surnames Nanamori and Yoshie were reported entering the city several minutes ago. According to their entry documents, both are Rank 3 Golden Warriors. Hai-dono has placed Shiratori-dono in charge of watching over them."Feeling his fatigue fading away, a somewhat feral grin spread across Senken's face as he crossed his arms and mused, "You said they were both Rank 3 Golden Warriors? Sounds like I'll need to pay this promising young couple a visit."Surprised by his Lord's words, the young warrior wanted to protest, but, similar to how Yui couldn't speak out against Nobu, he was powerless to change Senken's mind. He could also understand why his Lord would want to personally secure such talents for himself, so, after quickly recovering from his surprise, he pressed his forehead to the ground and exclaimed, "Lord Senken is truly wise! If the Lord of Owari were to appear before them, they would be fools to refuse your request...!"Furrowing his brows, Senken resisted the urge to snort as he remarked, "You can go ahead and return home. When you get back, tell your father to send someone he trusts to watch over them."Bumping his head against the floor, the young warrior answered with a respectful, "Ha...!" before backing out of the room and closing the sliding door behind him. This caused Senken to roll his eyes, as, even after twenty years, he still wasn't used to all the formalities associated with being a Daimyo. If Hitomi's reports were accurate, his son had inherited this trait.As that thought crossed his mind, a smile returned to Senken's face as he promptly bounced to his feet and practically ran back to his room. If he didn't immediately report this to his wife, she would put up a barrier between them in the bedroom. Others might scoff at such boundaries but Senken had always viewed Nana as his equal. She reminded him a lot of his late mother, so, while there had been rocky moments in their relationship, he never lashed out or tried to force her.Unfortunately, Senken's eagerness caused him to make a fatal mistake. Nana had just managed to get Nobuhime to fall asleep. His sudden arrival caused her to wake up, and, while she didn't cry, a disapproving pout developed across the infant's face as Nana sent a paradoxically icy yet fiery glare his way...With a cold sweat spreading across his body, Senken held his hands up in a placating gesture as he said, "Listen...I can explain..."......Using some of the money Yui had given him, Nobu secured a place for them at an upper-middle-class ryokan, a type of inn with a bathhouse. It cost them a whopping three gold koushukin a night, but, as cultivators in the Fourth Realm, such extravagance was to be expected.Truth be told, Nobu just wanted to relax in a hot bath with Yui. The bath back home was constantly crowded with people, and, while he had gotten used to it, the presence of young girls vying for his attention made it hard to relax. Thus, now that it was just him and Yui, Nobu allowed the tensions in his body to drain away as he leaned back and allowed Yui to ride his dick at her own pace.........(A/N: Toss a coin to your Witcher, O' Valley of Plenty, O' Valley of Plenty, oh~)

"You want me to visit the capital? Why...?"Though he had his suspicions, Nobu wanted to hear the reason from Hitomi herself. Unsurprisingly, she answered, "It is as you suspect. Your parents are unable to leave the capital due to the growing tensions between Shuto and Asai. You should know that your father's position isn't the most stable at the present moment. If his enemies have the chance, they will not hesitate to be rid of him."Resisting the urge to ask why his father didn't simply eliminate the factions opposing him, Nobu just snorted through his nose before answering, "Whatever. So long as I'm not being used as bait, I don't mind exploring the city. It beats sitting around, training, and studying every day."Since his only form of recreation these past couple of months had been having sex and messing with the stone tablet, Nobu didn't mind taking a break. His memories of Owari-Asai weren't very clear so he couldn't deny he was interested in seeing what a large city was like. He would need to know how the people went about their daily lives if he wanted to introduce meaningful changes. If he just arbitrarily decided what was best for them, they were bound to get pissy.Nodding her head in approval, a playful glimmer flashed across Hitomi's heterochromatic eyes as she said, "Excellent. When you're ready, you and Yui should head down the mountain and secure a place to stay within the city. Inami and the rest will look after Kaia but you should probably let her know you'll be gone for around three to five days.""Huh? Why would I stay for three to five days? It shouldn't take that long to travel from the base of the mountain to the capital..."Covering her mouth with her sleeve, Hitomi supplied an overtly sensual-sounding giggle before going on to explain, "Shuto is the capital of Owari. The security there is far more comprehensive than the security of Asai. If you check into the city and attempt to leave on the same day, you will most likely be apprehended by the city guards. After all, the nearest city to Shuto is located in the neighboring Province. It would be extremely suspicious for an undocumented citizen to arrive and depart on the same day. Besides, your parents aren't as free as you seem to think. They can't just go out into the city and wait for you at your convenience..."Though he could understand Hitomi's point, that didn't mean Nobu was happy about it. He had made a lot of progress with Kaia these past few months. Three days might not be a long period of time but it might as well be an eternity for someone locked up in a cage all day. Unfortunately, even if he wanted to take her with him, there was no way the guards would allow her into the city...Exhaling a sigh, Nobu shook his head and answered, "Fine, whatever..." before following it up by asking, "Do I have to leave today...?"Maintaining her usual smile, Hitomi promptly replied, "Your departure and return are ultimately up to you. Even your stay on the mountain is predicated by your desire to reside within. No one within the Yoshitsune Clan will stand in your way if you choose to leave..."Unamused by the mysterious and foreboding tone she used near the end of her statement, Nobu elected to roll his eyes before asking, "So, what now? I doubt you came all this way just to tell me these things. Yui goes up the mountain at least twice a day."Adopting a mock pout that did nothing to reduce the sharpness of her eyes, Hitomi mused, "Oh, my...if you keep talking like that, I'm going to start thinking you hate me. Is it so wrong for me to want to pay a visit to my future Lord and Master...?"Instead of answering her question, Nobu just stared pointedly at Hitomi until she shrugged in a helpless manner and explained, "As I said before, your father's orders are absolute. Until you take up the mantle of Lord, we are contractually bound to obey him. His message asked me to convey this matter to you directly so I had no choice but to come in person."As this was not the first time he had heard about the contract between the Oda and Yoshitsune Clans, Nobu just nodded his head before tactfully changing the topic by saying, "It's a little early, but Cho should have already started on lunch. Since you've come all this way, you might as well stay for lunch."Though she was very satisfied by the progress Nobu had made in his understanding of etiquette and common courtesy, Hitomi couldn't afford to stick around for long. If Nobu was going to visit the capital, she would need to assign additional forces to secure the route and keep an eye on him during his stay. She would normally entrust his safety to Yui, but, now that she was pregnant, there was a chance she could lose control of her Aura during a crisis. If either of them were to die at this critical junction, all of Nian would pay the price...Had Hitomi said these thoughts aloud, Nobu wouldn't have been able to avoid facepalming. Even then, he could vaguely sense there was 'something' wrong when Hitomi offered a polite bow before rising to her feet and answering, "While I am honored by Nobunaga-sama's invitation, my schedule is quite full. I will, however, wish you the best of luck on your journey. The capital is quite beautiful this time of year. Make sure you take Yui to view the sakura trees during your stay. They might not be in blossom at this exact moment but I'm sure you'll be able to witness a brilliantly pink display if you confess your love beneath their canopy..."Punctuating her words with a playful wink, Hitomi was preparing to depart when Nobu rose to his feet, surprising her as he said, "I can at least see you to the exit..." in an awkward tone.Smiling radiantly in response, Hitomi's already youthful complexion seemed five years younger as she replied, "I would like that." in a cold yet sensual tone.........After promising Kaia he would start taking her on walks when he returned, Nobu, accompanied by Yui, Onihime, and Inami made his way down the mountain. The latter duo was apparently going to stay in a concealed outpost near the base of the mountain so they would be able to escort him up upon his return. Nobu felt this was completely senseless, but, at the same time, he understood that they wouldn't really know what to do with themselves if he wasn't in the estate. Nearly every aspect of Onihime's existence revolved around him, and, while she would never admit it, Inami wasn't very comfortable around the younger girls if he wasn't there."If anything happens, remember to summon Hisui and retreat. This isn't a normal mission so you will not be penalized for returning if you sense something amiss. Trust in your instincts and remain aware of your surroundings..."Though her words were directed towards Yui, Inami made sure to shift her gaze towards Nobu during the latter half. The message his father came in two days after she had discussed the matter with Hitomi. Since they had wanted to confirm whether or not he truly possessed some form of precognitive ability, they had decided to wait a few days before sending a message of their own. Thus, while they had yet to ascertain the limits of Nobu's ability, it was clear he had some kind of extrasensory perception related to intuition.Understanding the meaning contained within Inami's words, Yui adopted a serious expression as she answered, "Understood. Thank you for the advice."Nodding her head in approval, Inami focused all her attention on Nobu as she said, "Be safe. I will do my best to protect these children but-"Before Inami could finish speaking, Nobu held up his hands with an incredulous look on his face as he said, "Whoa, whoa, hold the fuck up. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate sentiments and well-wishing but saying that kind of thing at a time like this is a massive fucking red flag. Like, seriously, we're just traveling a few kilometers to the neighboring city. You're sending us off like we're about to go fight in a fucking war."Not expecting Nobu to interrupt her in the middle of their farewells, Inami just stared at him with her mouth agape before ultimately nodding her head. This wasn't the first time he had mentioned flags. He had talked about them during the initial conversation related to his precognitive ability so there was a very good chance they were directly related. Unfortunately, she couldn't perceive these 'flags' of his so she could only take his word and trust he knew what he was talking about...Shaking his head, Nobu did his best to ignore the sudden sinking feeling in the back of his mind as he extended his hand to caress the space between Inami's large and fluffy ears. He repeated this action with Onihime, but, instead of her ears, he rubbed the space between her ivory white horns as he said, "See ya around."Though she couldn't conceal the sadness in her eyes, Onihime managed a smile as she nodded her head and replied, "Take care...Master...". Then, alongside Inami, she watched in silence as he and Yui passed through the illusory barrier surrounding the mountain. Moments later, they were gone.........Exhaling a sigh upon reaching the nearest forest path, Nobu cast a brief glance over his shoulder before shaking his head and saying, "We really should stay alert. I tried to stop it but Inami ended up planting a pretty massive flag. Expect something to happen at some point during our stay..."Tensing up in response to Nobu's words, Yui asked, "Are you certain you wish to continue? It isn't too late to turn back."Shaking his head a second time, Nobu explained, "No. When it comes to things like this, it's almost always better to press forward. Though I can't remember who said it, there is a famous saying when it comes to flags and destiny. Something like, "one often meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it". If we back out now, we're basically admitting we're destiny's bitches."While his words were far from eloquent, Yui understood what Nobu was trying to say. Thus, instead of insisting they return, she said, "I'm going to change into my armor. There is a chance it will draw unnecessary attention but I'd rather be prepared for anything. If anyone asks, we'll tell them-"Though he was intending to keep his true identity a secret, Nobu wasn't particularly fond of cover stories. It was a pain in the ass to maintain a lie for long periods of time, and, based on what he had learned from Hitomi, Kumiko, and Inami, the ability to distinguish truth from lies wasn't even a rare ability. Thus, before Yui could finish developing their cover story, he interrupted her, saying, "We're a young couple visiting from Asai. Also, I'm not as weak and powerless as I used to be. I might not be a match for a skilled cultivator of the same Realm but I'm pretty sure I can fuck up any assholes looking for trouble."Since truly powerful individuals weren't the kind of people that went looking for trouble, Nobu wasn't afraid of any "arrogant young masters" that might appear. After all, he was literally the Young Master of the Oda Clan. He wasn't ready to reveal this but he would be damned if some asshat from his own Clan came looking for trouble when he was on a date or exploring the city...Seeing the 'resolute' light in Nobu's eyes, Yui couldn't shake the feeling he had just planted a flag of his own. Unfortunately, it wasn't really her place to speak out at times like this, so, rather than question Nobu's decision, she simply nodded her head before stripping down and changing into her armor.........(A/N: The Flags! They're multiplying...!)

Chapter 108: Entering the Capital