Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Deciding to leave matters of the future to his future self, Nobu focused on the more important matter at hand, asking, "So? What the hell happened to you...?" in reference to the sling on his father's arm.Without missing a beat, Senken shrugged his shoulders dismissively, answering, "Don't worry about it. More importantly, there's someone I want you to meet. Hiro...!"As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, a young man entered the room from an adjacent bamboo door. His expression appeared impassive, but, if you were to look closely, it was possible to make out that his eyes were slightly swollen...Though his ruby-red eyes briefly lingered on Nana, Hiro, or, more accurately, Nobuhiro managed to appear composed as he cupped his hands together and said, "Words cannot describe how relieved I am to see my elder brother, once thought lost, returned safely to the Oda Clan's embrace..."Furrowing his brows, Nobu liberated himself from Nana's tenacious embrace before making his way over to the visibly tensing Nobuhiro. Then, before the surprisingly petite youth could even think to protest, Nobu gave his younger brother a bear hug, whispering, "Relax. I have no intention of taking anything away from you..."Confused by Nobu's words and actions, Hiro found himself unable to respond as his feet dangled a few centimeters off the ground.Releasing the remarkably thin youth from his embrace, Nobu gave Hiro a firm pat on the shoulder before turning to his father and asking, "Have you explained the situation? Does he know about my stone tablet?"Shaking his head, Senken answered, "That is a matter for the two of you to discuss. I'm just here to keep things in order until you're ready to take the reins. Try not to keep me waiting too long, brat. I'm long past retirement."Though he was young compared to some of the old monsters that had been clinging to power for generations, Senken was more than ready to pass over the reins to his children. His power had yet to begin stagnating, but, rather than horde resources for himself, he would rather invest them in the future. After all, at his level, the resources required to increase his Rank a single time could be used to rear more than a dozen Platinum Heroes. While this might not seem like a substantial number at first glance, it was pretty substantial when you considered there were only 37 Platinum Heroes in all of Owari.With Nobu's Heavenly Treasure, increasing a person's cultivation base was remarkably easy. In fact, even now, Senken couldn't quite believe such a heaven-defying artifact existed.One of the only things Nobu still lacked was resources. He may be able to provide a multitude of different cultivation methods, but, like people, not all cultivation methods were created equally. If that were the case, the Metal Infusion Technique wouldn't be so coveted by other countries.Understanding that Nobu was going to need a tremendous amount of resources in a very short period of time, Senken was already making preparations to liquidate many of the assets the Oda Clan had stockpiled since their inception more than six thousand years ago. The prophecy of the Goddess had made the stakes pretty clear, so, with the fate of the very world on the line, Senken was prepared to invest the very clothes on his back towards making the way forward as smooth as possible for his sons. After all, what was the point of wealth if it wasn't used to ensure the success of future generations...?......With Senken departing alongside a very reluctant Nana, Nobu found himself in the remarkably awkward position of being flanked by two stunningly beautiful women while his younger brother, appearing even more uncomfortable than he was, sat across from him.At times like this, Nobu really wished he had a normal table and chairs to sit at. Sitting cross-legged while everyone else sat in seiza made him feel like an asshat. To make matters worse, everyone was given their own, individual tables. This was apparently to prevent cross-contamination from poisons and such, but, at the same time, it created a sense of distance that made it stupidly difficult to break the ice...Fortunately, Nobuhiro wasn't unaccustomed to such awkwardness whilst dining, so, after several minutes had passed, he was the first to break the silence, remarking, "It pleases me to see how well you and Nohime-sama appear to be getting along..."Similar to when Nobuhiro had first spoken, Nobu couldn't help furrowing in response to the youth's overly polite speech, asking, "Do you always talk like this...?"With a genuinely confused look on his face, Hiro asked, "Beg your pardon? If I have said something to offend you, I apologize..."Shaking his head, Nobu surprised everyone by placing his tray-like table into his Storage App and saying, "I don't want your apology. I mean, we're supposed to be brothers, right? Speaking politely to one another just seems stupid. Now, out with it. I want to know how you really feel. You can't be too happy about me appearing out of thin air like this, right?"Without waiting for Hiro's response, Nobu clipped a pic of the effeminate youth using his Camera App. He was marginally surprised to learn how expensive the youth's information was. Fortunately, he just needed to be able to see his Status in order to know how the emo-looking teen really felt...("Fear? Sadness? Guilt...?")Noticing a distinct lack of hostile emotions, Nobu almost missed it when Hiro answered, "I really am happy...no, perhaps it would be more accurate to say I'm relieved to have you back with us. Mother has been sick for such a long time. Seeing her in such high spirits is something to be grateful for..."Hanging his head, Hiro avoided Nobu's gaze as various thoughts crossed his mind. Unfortunately, Nobu wasn't exactly the most sensitive person in the world, so, rather than affording the youth the time he needed to collect himself, he asked, "You really care about her, don't you...?"Instead of answering Nobu's question with words, Hiro simply nodded his head before closing his eyes in an effort to veil the seething emotions contained within. In truth, he wasn't at all happy to see their mother doting on the newly returned Nobu. She had never been particularly distant with him, but, ever since he came under the tutelage of his Uncle, Hiro had noticed the sadness in his mother's eyes whenever she gazed upon him...Taking a deep breath, Hiro willfully reminded himself that it was his decision to listen to his Uncle's advice. He could blame his older brother all he wanted, but, understanding how shameless it would be to blame someone who wasn't even around, Hiro calmed himself before opening his eyes to ask, "What did you mean when you said you had no intention of taking anything away from me...?"Having ascertained the reasons for his younger brother's fear, sadness, and guilt, Nobu's expression became serious as he said, "Though I'll need to hold the position for a bit, I intend to nominate you as the future Daimyo of Owari."With his eyes turning round as saucers, Hiro opened his mouth, but, even after several seconds had passed, he couldn't find the words to speak. Instead, it was Nohime who asked, "My Lord...?" with a mixture of confusion and audible trepidation in her tone.Turning to meet the raven-haired beauty's gaze, Nobu explained, "Hiro has been preparing for the position of Daimyo a lot longer than me. Besides, once I begin to expand my influence to the rest of the Archipelago, I'm not going to be able to stay in Owari. People don't respect leaders who just sit on their asses and delegate their responsibilities to others."Though he was planning to do a lot of sitting around in the future, one of the few lessons Nobu had internalized from his previous world's history classes was that Conquerors didn't sit back and leave others in charge of their campaigns. Those that did would quickly lose the faith of the people, and, in turn, the faith of the very Generals they entrusted their protection...With such thought on his mind, Nobu continued where he left off, adding, "I'm not going to fight my own brother over something as absurd as a title, and anyone who attempts to turn us against one another is clearly just looking out for themselves. We have the opportunity to work together to make Owari a better place. Tearing the Province apart just to seize a temporary position is fucking stupid..."Recalling how the original Nobuhiro had been manipulated to rebel against the original Nobunaga, Nobu wanted to nip the problem in the bud as soon as possible. The position of Daimyo was all but meaningless to him, so, if his brother wanted it, why should they fight over it? The most important thing at the present moment was accumulating allies and people he could trust. Starting things off by suppressing or killing his own siblings wasn't exactly the best way to convince people he was on the side of justice.........(A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I've been in a lot of pain recently and have had my focus split on a number of different projects. I actually wanted to put NOICE on hiatus until November, but, as there are a few fans eager to see the story develop, I've decided to alternate between releasing chapters of the side story and chapters of NOICE. I'm not going to make any promises but there should be at least one chapter every other day until we reach chapter 200 or so.)

Though Nobu's way of speaking wasn't exactly inspiring, Hiro could empathize with what he was trying to say. He also knew their mother would be anguished beyond recovery if he and Nobu were to try and kill one another, so, after a moment of deliberation, he answered, "Very well...I will place my trust in Aniue...""..."Not expecting to be called in such a weebish way, unironically, Nobu's mind briefly stalled as he opened his mouth to protest. Instead, he just ended up gawking for a few seconds before closing his gaping mouth and saying, "Just call me Nobu. There's no need for honorifics between family..."Scrunching his brows, Hiro thought to protest, but, much like Nobu, ultimately decided against it. It helped that he wasn't actually comfortable with referring to Nobu using honorifics. After all, while it was undeniable that the two of them were brothers, they were effectively strangers. Had their father not sliced his arm, their first encounter may have been as enemies..."I understand. In that regard, feel free to address me as Hiro. It's how my...our mother has always referred to me..."Noticing the not-so-subtle twitching of his little brother's eye when referring to their mother, an awkward smile developed across Nobu's face as he said, "Hey, no need to force yourself. Like, I get it, okay? You probably had to go through a lot of shit because of my absence. I'm doing what I can to try and make up for it but it's going to take some time. I don't expect you to suddenly see me as your brother less than an hour after our first meeting..."Furrowing his brows, Hiro wanted to insist that wasn't the case, but, much like before, he found himself unable to find the words to express himself. He had spent years trying to develop the same cold and calculating mentality as his Uncle. He wasn't used to interacting with people like this, so, after a moment of silence, he simply nodded his head, answering, "I understand..."Forcing a smile, Nobu scratched the back of his head before shifting his attention between Yui and Nohime, asking, "Mind give us a moment? I know I said we shouldn't separate but I'd like to be able to talk to my little brother in private. Man to man."Having anticipated something like this occurring, a soft sigh emanated from Yui's throat before she rose to her feet and said, "I'll be in the next room..."Following Yui's example, Nohime returned a polite nod before rising in a far more elegant manner and stating, "The prosperity of a Province is directly related to the unity of its ruling families...I pray Owari becomes even more prosperous from this moment onward..."Though Nobu had told her she no longer had to bow to anyone, Nohime punctuated her words with another polite, half-bowing nod. She had spent the entirety of her life learning how to speak and behave around her fellow Nobles. Overcoming eighteen years of conditioning in less than a day was simply impossible...Understanding this, at least to a certain extent, Nobu didn't complain about Nohime's overly polite behavior. Instead, he followed the duo's departure with his blue-grey eyes, silently observing their swaying bottoms before turning to Hiro and asking, "So, got a girl of your own...?"Surprised by the unexpected question, Hiro found himself at a momentary loss for words before averting his eyes and answering, "Indeed...though I have only met her a few times, I am blessed to be engaged to the Second Daughter of Lord Niwa, Nagahime-san..."In an effort to try and ease tensions, a somewhat lascivious smile developed across Nobu's face as he asked, "Is she hot...?""..."Unsure of how to answer such a question, Hiro remained completely silent. This caused the smile on Nobu's face to cramp, but, not giving up, he asked, "Do you...find her attractive...?"Though he didn't believe such questions were appropriate, especially when discussing someone else's fiancee, Hiro only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding his head and answering, "I believe so...""..."Resisting the urge to ask what the fuck 'I believe so' was supposed to mean, Nobu took a moment to collect himself before shaking his head and saying, "I'm not trying to be invasive or pry into your personal life. I just want to get to know my brother. How about this. I'll go ahead and let you in on a few of my secrets. After that, can you at least try to speak casually? You know, like how you imagine a commoner might speak...?"Furrowing his brows, Hiro was tempted to argue that such behavior was unbefitting of a future Lord of Owari, but, understanding the position would be his brother's long before his own, he ultimately just nodded his head to imply understanding. At the very least, he didn't want to be confrontational when Nobu was clearly making an effort to get along. He owed it to their parents to at least try and do the same...Fortunately, the explanation and subsequent demonstration Nobu provided was more than enough to allay Hiro's concerns. He still had innumerable doubts regarding his elder brother's capacity as a ruler, but, with the very Heavens supporting Nobu's claim, Hiro understood how foolish it would be to stand in his way. After all, if two people were contending for the same position, who in their right mind would support an illegitimate claim when the rightful heir was in possession of a ludicrously powerful Heavenly Treasure...?Hiro may have been groomed as a puppet but he wasn't a fool.........Taking advantage of the fact that they were now alone, Nohime took the initiative to break the silence between her and Yui, saying, "I owe you an apology, Yui-do...san..."Though she was more than a little surprised by Nohime's words, Yui maintained a completely neutral expression as she stated, "Your courtesy, while appreciated, is unnecessary. We are both doing our best to fulfill our respective duties. I would never fault you for that..."Squinting her eyes, Nohime suppressed the feelings of hatred and disgust swelling within her chest and stomach as she added, "Even so, I feel obligated to apologize. Observing the efforts of our Lord has inspired me to do what I can to change myself. After all, we will be living alongside one another for the foreseeable future..."Understanding the actual reason for Nohime's sudden change in mentality, a faint smile developed across Yui's face as she said, "Worry not. As peculiar as our situation is, I have no intention of trying to supersede your status as Nobu's First Wife. I am a Warrior at heart. As for my compatriots in the Yoshitsune Clan, they are content with remaining Nobu's Kunoichi. You do not have to worry about them rallying against you unless you actively endanger or oppose our Lord...""..."Staring into Yui's obsidian-blue eyes, Nohime found no traces of deceit or subterfuge contained within. This did little to alleviate the plethora of negative emotions she was experiencing, but, for the sake of her future and the futures of her children, she suppressed her growing indignation and said, "You have my gratitude..."......"Holy shit. Is this really your fiancee? Damn, man, you really hit the lottery on this one..."Though the image wasn't true to life, Hiro was in possession of a hand-drawn portrait of his fiancee. Upon learning this, Nobu convinced(read as forced) Hiro to pull it out. When he saw that Nagahime was a buxom beauty with long hair and piercing blue eyes, he couldn't help whistling aloud before offering a few words of praise.Feeling slightly embarrassed by his brother's words, Hiro attempted to return the portrait to his breast pocket before Nobu promptly snatched it out of his hand and asked, "When are the two of you supposed to be married? I thought fourteen was considered to be an adult...?"Resisting the urge to steal back the portrait, Hiro's expression gradually solidified into a glower as he explained, "Our father had arranged it so that my marriage with Nagahime-san would occur on her sixteenth birthday. There are still fourteen months until our wedding..."Raising his brows, Nobu turned the portrait towards Hiro, asking, "You're telling me this bombshell is fourteen years old? You're even luckier than I thought..."As someone who had always appreciated mature beauties, Nobu actually felt a little envious when he saw his brother's fiancee. It was concealed beneath a kimono, but, even at a glance, he could tell she had an amazing body. This could be a liberty taken by the portrait artist, but, considering how reserved the Nianese people were, it was exponentially more likely that Nagahime's figure was even more amazing...Shaking his head, Nobu returned the portrait to his clearly unamused brother before asking, "What about your Kunoichi? Shouldn't there be someone protecting you?"Accepting the portrait, Hiro gave it a once-over to make sure it wasn't damaged before placing it into his breast pocket and answering, "Only the firstborn son of the Oda Clan is given the privilege of being accompanied by his entourage within the castle grounds. Most of my Kunoichi have only recently completed their training so I haven't met them since our foundation training...""Right..."Recalling that Kumiko had explained something similar in the past, Nobu briefly mulled over his thoughts before asking, "Want to come along when we return to the mountain? Since we're going to be working together in the future, I'll talk to our old man about letting your entourage operate in and around Shuto. I probably won't be staying in the castle all that often so it would be better to let you begin laying a solid foundation. That should make things a hell of a lot easier once I'm finished wrapping up everything I need to take care of."Taken aback by his brother's words, a look of utter disbelief spread across Hiro's face. What Nobu was doing was unheard of in the history of Nian. He was basically allowing his greatest competitor free rein to operate in his territory. While this demonstrated a tremendous amount of trust, it was also a remarkably foolish decision as there was no way of knowing what the future held. All it would take is a single disagreement and they could be at each other's throats...Feeling a wave of realization wash over him, Hiro's disbelief turned into suspicion as he asked, "Will you be extending the benefits of your Heavenly Treasure to the members of my entourage...?"Catching Hiro off guard, Nobu didn't even hesitate before answering, "Not all of them. There is a limit to the number of people my power can affect. For now, I need to focus on bolstering my own forces. I can help you and your fiancee grow stronger, but, until you get a good feel for the types of people your Kunoichi are, I wouldn't feel comfortable with boosting their strength..."Realizing that his words might be misconstrued as distrust, Nobu allowed his words to trail off, a frown forming on his face as he added, "Tell you what. Once you and your wife are married, I'll let you nominate three people, excluding the two of you, as a wedding gift. If you feel you can trust your kunoichi by then, I don't mind bolstering their strength. Either that or you can save them for when you and Nagahime have children. Just make sure you discuss it amongst yourselves rather than making the decision on your own."Understanding that Nobu was already making a lot of compromises, Hiro didn't blame him for not promising more. If Nobu was serious, it wouldn't take him long to build a force capable of crushing his competition and unifying the Oda Clan. Instead, he was willing to compromise with someone he hardly even knew. This was behavior worthy of respect, so, while he found Nobu's personality more than a little odd, a faint smile developed across Hiro's face as he lowered his head and said, "Thank you..." in a sincere tone of voice.......(A/N: Nobu is kinder than he purports himself to be...)

*tak* *tak* *tak*Hearing a soft knocking outside, Nobu set aside his cup of coffee before calling out, "It's open." in a dull tone.While it wasn't exactly a typical response, the person outside the door understood Nobu's words to mean they could enter. The door promptly slid open to reveal a bald, monk-like man with strikingly feminine features. It was only after the 'man' lowered his head and spoke that Nobu realized he was actually a woman."There is an emergency situation that requires your presence. Lady Suzuki has sent me to retrieve you. Please, follow me.""Huh...?"As he was currently in the middle of eating, Nobu wasn't too enthused by the sudden summons. In spite of this, he ended up rising to his feet and brushing a few stray crumbs from his yukata, asking, "What happened?" in an audibly annoyed tone.Bowing even lower, the 'masculine' woman replied, "Forgive me, Young Master. I was not informed of the details."Clicking his tongue, Nobu pulled out his stone tablet to sneak a photo of the Sorcerer Supreme wannabe. He had figured out that he could analyze specific parts of a person's Status at a reduced cost, so, rather than revealing all of the woman's information, he purchased the data on her Status Conditions for 8,911AU.Noticing nothing amiss, Nobu slipped the stone tablet into the sleeve of his yukata before turning to Yui and Nohime, saying, "Let's go. Remember to stay on your toes."Nodding their heads in affirmation, Yui and Nohime rose to their feet at nearly the exact same time. Then, surprising the bald-headed woman, they promptly flanked him with serious and determined looks on their faces.As Nobu's identity wasn't exactly known as of yet, the bald-headed woman found herself at a loss for words when she saw Nohime standing so close to him.Fortunately, like the majority of servants within the Inner Sanctum, the woman was sensible enough not to stick her nose into the private affairs of Nobles. Unless her Lord or Lady specifically asked her to reveal something, she would never speak of Nohime's 'infidelity' to others........."Sen-chan! How could you do something like this!? Have you lost your mind...!?"Smiling wryly in response to his wife's words, Senken rubbed the visible knots atop his head as he explained, "It was an investment in the future. Besides, it's not like I need my right arm to wipe the floor with people. This just makes things more interesting."As he had always been ambidextrous, Senken wasn't concerned with the crippling of a single arm. He had also made the cut as clean as possible, so, as long as he didn't get some kind of infection, he should be able to regain about 70% of the limb's functionality. He would be weaker, sure, but it wasn't as if he was helpless. Even with no arms, he would still be able to barrel through his enemies like a train with its brakes cut.Though it was well known that Mithril possessed magical qualities that made it exponentially easier to manipulate than other metals, its most unique property was the fact it was virtually indestructible against non-magical weapons. Since it was also extremely resistant to magic, those at the Realm of Mithril Lord were regarding as Gods of the Battlefield.Hitting her husband for the umpteenth time, Nana appeared even more upset as she shouted, "I don't care about that! You can't just go around hurting yourself...!"Understanding his wife was just worried about him, Senken didn't complain about the growing number of bumps on his head. Instead, he pulled her closer to him, an apologetic expression on his face as he whispered, "You know I didn't do this to make you upset...tell me, what can I do to make it up to you...?"As she had always been weak to all forms of intimacy, the anger in Nana's expression promptly gave way for a far more bashful look. Unfortunately for Senken, her anger was far from abated, so, after a moment of silence, she whispered, "Let me accompany Nobu-chan to Yumegakure. I don't want to miss any more of his life and I want to be there when Yui-chan gives birth. I also feel there is a powerful connection between our son and Hime-chan. I want them to be able to spend more time together..."Surprising Nana quite a bit, Senken only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding his head and reluctantly replying, "Sure...just-"Unable to contain her excitement, a radiant smile blossomed across Nana's face before she gave Senken a kiss. Immediately thereafter, she separated him, casually performing a playful spin as she happily chimed, "Hime-chan is going to be so excited~!"Adopting yet another wry smile, Senken suppressed his urge to sigh by running his fingers through his hair. The truth of the matter was that he had already anticipated his wife's request the moment he saw Nobuhime's initial reaction to Nobu. He had even discussed the matter with his father and was currently awaiting a reply from Hitomi, so, while the thought of spending even a few days away from his wife was maddening, Senken had already resolved himself to do whatever it took to ensure the best possible future for his family...*tak* *tak* *tak*Hearing the soft tapping at the door, Nana promptly slid it open, shouting, "Nobu-chan~!" before practically pouncing on the latter. This left Nobu more than a little confused while the servant who had guided him there gawked with a look of wide-eyed, slightly mortified realization. After all, as far as the general populace of Nian was concerned, Nobu was long dead.Noticing the servant woman's presence, Nana quickly released Nobu from her hold before issuing a light cough and saying, "Thank you, Sanae. That will be all..."Coming to her senses the moment she heard Nana's words, Sanae folded her hands over her lap before bowing in a deep and respectful manner as she replied, "As you will, Lady Suzuki. It has been my pleasure to be of assistance."With a curt nod and a wave, Nana dismissed Sanae before ushering Nobu, Nohime, and Yui into the room. Then, just as Nobu was about to ask what the emergency was, Nana's enthusiasm reemerged as she exclaimed, "Nobu-chan, Yui-chan, No-chan, I have great news~!"Blinking in confusion, Nobu awkwardly accepted his mother's renewed embrace as he confusedly looked toward his father. In response, Senken just held up his heavily wrapped arm, a wry smile on his face as he mouthed, "Good luck."Though he was even more confused, Nobu gave Nana a light pat on the back, asking, "What's the great news?" before following up with, "We were kind of in the middle of breakfast..."Willfully ignoring that latter half of Nobu's words, Nana maintained a radiant smile as she released him from her embrace and explained, "Your father has given me permission to come and stay with you on the mountain. I'll be bringing Hime-chan with me so you can play with her while I teach Yui-chan and No-chan how to care for children.""Wait, what the f-you're coming with me?"Adopting an artificial yet effective pout, Nana weakly inquired, "Do you not want to spend time with us...?"Feeling an unexpected bloodlust, Nobu noticed his father glowering at him with his cool yet fucking scary golden eyes. Yui also noticed this, but, understanding she wouldn't even be able to buy time if Senken was serious about attacking, she didn't bother to put up her guard.Blinking a few times in an attempt to suppress the subtle yet distinguishable twitching of his right eye, Nobu forced a smile as he replied, "Don't be stu-silly. Of course I want to spend time with the two of you. You're my mom and my baby sis..."Ignoring the awkwardness in Nobu's behavior and tone, Nana's expression reverted to her normally bubbly self as she covered her mouth and issued a soft giggle."Don't worry. I'm not going there to pester you or get in the way. You see, the Suzuki Clan used to be famous for their swordsmanship. Since you have only recently started your training, now is the best and only time for me to pass on our hereditary techniques. I also want to watch over Yui-chan and make sure there are no issues with her pregnancy. Other than that, I would be happy if you just had tea with me every couple of days..."As this was the first time he was hearing about his mother's side of the family, Nobu's brows perked up as he parroted, "Suzuki Clan? Hereditary Techniques...?"Happy that Nobu was at least a little interested in his heritage, Nana squinted in satisfaction before raising her left hand to reveal a somewhat ancient-looking golden band. If someone were to look at it with a magnifying glass, they would find a runic inscription that resembled a sword carved along its surface.As the runes inscribed upon the bracelet lit up, a crimson light manifested in Nana's hand before quickly taking the form of a dated but strangely intimidating longsword. Its black hilt was covered in blotches that resembled rust, and, unlike the katanas typically wielded by Nianese Warriors, the blade was completely straight, bound in white cloth, and sealed with numerous talismans."The Suzuki Clan is not native to Nian. Our Ancestors immigrated to the Archipelago thousands of years ago after losing in a succession dispute. This sword, Chi Xiao, was one of the few possessions our Ancestors were able to escape with during the conflict. While not as mystifying as your ancient stone tablet, it is a heritage item on the level of a Heavenly Treasure. Once you are ready, I will pass this sword to you so that you might one day pass it to another..."Staring blankly at the sword cradled in his mother's arms, Nobu was half-tempted to reach out and touch it. Instead, he adopted an uncharacteristically solemn look as he nodded his head and said, "I understand..."While his words were the antithesis of how he really felt, Nobu got the impression that passing on her Clan's sword and techniques meant a lot to Nana. As for the history of the Suzuki Clan and the importance of the sword, he expected those would be revealed when she, or, more specifically, he was ready.Exhaling a subtle yet clearly relieved sigh, Nana's expression somehow became even more loving as she returned the sword to her bracelet and said, "I'm glad. You're going to be so busy starting next Spring. Now is really the only opportunity I have to teach you our Clan's ancestral techniques. If you had refused..."Resisting the urge to reach out and caress the remarkably beautiful woman's face, Nobu adopted what he hoped to be a sincere smile as he said, "Relax...I might have a preference for blunt weapons and fists but you can be damned sure I'm going to work my ass off trying to master everything you want to teach me. Just don't go all tiger mom on me..."Tilting her head to the side, Nana asked, "Tiger mom...?" with an innocent and genuinely curious expression on her face.Though it probably wasn't the best idea, Nobu went on to explain what a tiger mom was and how behaving like one had disastrous consequences. Unfortunately, the moment he was finished, Nana, very innocently, replied, "Isn't that just normal training...?"......(A/N: Anyone else getting the impression the sword is just a plot device to get Nobu to venture to the Heavenly Kingdom (O w O)...?)

Chapter 135: Kinship