Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Between moments of clarity and unconsciousness, Nobu had the distinct impression he was being tossed around like a ragdoll. It was an extremely annoying, and, at times, agonizing experience, as, every time he awoke, he would feel a range of pain, heat, cold, and moisture. He felt like someone had sent him through a powerwash before subsequently throwing him into a drier on its maximum setting.By the time he managed to stay awake for more than a few seconds at a time, Nobu couldn't move so much as a single muscle in his body. All he could do was stare at the ceiling above, a rocky dome set with green gemstones that emitted a faint glow.Though it took his mind a moment to process it, Nobu actually recognized the peculiar pattern. His 'Grandfather', Nanananamori, had brought him here several times. It was his hope that he would be able to remember this place, and, if something were to happen to him, he wanted his catatonic self to somehow seek refuge within."How the hell did I end up here...?"The last thing Nobu could clearly recollect was the quarrel he had been having with the infuriating woman who had yet to give him her name. Everything after that had been a blur of lights, sounds, and, of course, pain. Now, he had somehow ended up in the exact spot he had intended to retreat to once he parted ways with the woman. After all, this was the location where his Grandfather had hidden most of their savings...With things gradually clicking into place, much like the pieces of an extremely cliche puzzle, Nobu began to suspect that the unnamed woman was either a branch member of the Oda Clan or one of its many vassal families. The fact she had been searching for him, in the first place, was a pretty big giveaway. He just hadn't thought about it previously since every time he saw the woman, he was in extreme pain..."Urrrrrrgh...!"Gritting his teeth, Nobu forced himself to, at the very least, roll to his side. He had learned basic CPR and First Aid during his Senior Year in High School, so, while he didn't remember much, one of the things he recalled was the Recovery Position. This supposed made it easier to breathe, so, with every rise of his chest causing him pain and discomfort, he was hoping to alleviate the symptoms by adopting what was, essentially, just a fetal position."Haaa, haaa, huuuh? Oh, for fuck's sake..."Though he managed to complete the maneuver, part of Nobu wished he had just remained lying on his back, as, situated with her back to the wall was a very beaten and bloodied young woman. Who else could this be if not the raven-haired nightmare that had unceremoniously entered his life a few days prior? Fate seemed to be forcing them together using various cliches, so, if he followed the logic present in most novels, he was, against all rhyme and reason, expected to save her."Let me guess...I save her here...and then she pledges to follow me until she can repay her debt...is that the shitty plot you bastards came up with? Next thing you know, we'll find out we were actually engaged to be married or some stupid shit like that. Right...!?"Seemingly powered by his frustration, the tingling warmth in Nobu's stomach began to spread to the rest of his body. The pain he had been experiencing was gradually beginning to fade away, and, though he made no effort to move, he got the distinct impression he could make it to the woman's side if he really pushed himself."This...is...such...bullshit...!!"Using the strength his rage gave him, Nobu rolled off the thatch mat he had been lying on and began crawling towards the unconscious woman. Don't misunderstand. He might not possess a heroic bone in his body, but, if he didn't at least try to save her, he would never be able to forgive himself. The last thing he needed was the vengeful ghost of his presumed fiancee haunting him in her afterlife.After what felt like a marathon, Nobu collapsed near the side of the unconscious woman before muttering, "Okay...genius...you made it here...now what...?"Though he has resolved himself to save the woman, there was a difference between wanting to do something and possessing the ability to actually follow through with it. His medical knowledge was limited to what could be crammed into a few hour-long lectures over the course of half a semester in High School. As for healing scrolls, precious treasures, and miracle elixirs, where the hell was he, a person who had just reincarnated, supposed to find such things?With a bit of effort, Nobu managed to position himself so that he was sitting to the immediate left of the woman. In hindsight, this was a rather foolish decision as his right arm, while no longer in a cast, had swollen to the point it had black, purple, and yellow spots. While he didn't feel any actual pain, the small alone was enough to inform him there was something 'very' wrong."Well isn't this just fucking fantastic? How am I supposed to save this nameless bitch when I can't even stop my fucking hand from rotting!?"Contributing to the many poor decisions he had made since his initial death, Nobu felt as though all the strength was fading from his body. Shouting at the top of his lungs had not only strained his throat, but it had also drained the last vestiges of what he presumed to be his Aura. He suddenly felt an extreme and overwhelming sense of helplessness, and, for a brief moment, darkness began to invade his senses until he instinctually used his left hand to smack the dark red area between his rotting right hand and the rest of his forearm."......!!!!"For the umpteenth time since his arrival in this world, Nobu felt such intense pain that it was simply impossible to describe with words. He couldn't even scream. Instead, the only sound that came out of his mouth was an unnatural silence followed by a pained croaking sound, the result of his lungs trying, and failing, to exhale the vacuum that had formed within.Fortunately, Nobu was so dehydrated that he couldn't cry even if he wanted to. He also managed to retain his consciousness, so, after trembling for the better part of three minutes, he began to shakily fumble around his pockets in search of the stone tablet. His efforts were rewarded by the sensation of a sudden weight in his left trouser pocket. This effectively confirmed his suspicions that the tablet could be called to his side whenever he needed it, but, putting that aside for the moment, Nobu did his best to stop shaking so that he could properly navigate the strange yet familiar device.Though it might have been smarter to look around the grotto for treasures his Grandfather might have left behind, Nobu's instincts told him he could pass out at any moment. Thus, in the hopes of replenishing his reserves, he used the fact his left hand was trembling like an Eskimo in the buff to rapidly tap the screen. This was much slower than his normal pace, but, considering the state of his body, 5-7 clicks per second wasn't terrible."..."Seeing several Achievements pop up in quick succession, a wry smile developed across Nobu's face despite the pain visible in his eyes. He was especially 'amused' by the one called 'Till Death Do Us Part'. He didn't know if it was alluding to his 'relationship' with the Clicker App or if it was because he was currently seated next to a half-dead, if not fully dead, beauty. Either way, it added insult to his many injuries, and, were it not for the fact this was his one and only lifeline, he might have used the last of his strength to smash the tablet against the wall..................Stopping only to ascertain whether or not the woman had a pulse, Nobu continued to mindlessly click for the better part of five-hours. His gradual recovery had allowed him to up his pace, and, as a result, he had managed to accumulate an additional 119 Aura. He wasn't sure if this was a small or large amount, but, at the very least, it was enough to allow him to painstakingly force himself to his feet.Making the most of his limited and likely temporary mobility, Nobu lumbered over to a small pool located near the far wall. His Grandfather had hidden his stash in a small chest located beneath a flat stone half-buried in soot. It was made to be watertight on its own, but, as an extra precaution, the content had been wrapped in several layers of wax paper and linens."Why does gold have to be so fucking heavy...?"Though it was a little surreal to be lamenting the weight of gold, Nobu managed to extricate the shoebox-sized chest after a considerable amount of effort. His Grandfather had, fortunately, left the box unsecured, so, after fumbling around with the six metal clasps keeping it shut, Nobu extracted a few individually wrapped packages and parcels from the interior.It might be because of his status as the first son, but Nobu's father had never completely given up hope that he would one day break free from his 'curse'. As a result, he had been sneaking a few rare herbs into the bi-annual care packages intended to ensure he was, at the very least, healthy."Of course I would get a BAMF for a father in the life where I waste nineteen years of my life as a fucking vegetable..."Finding the herb he was looking for, a plant that resembled an emerald-green variant of cannabis, Nobu hobbled over to the unconscious woman's side before reiterating his words from five hours prior, "Okay genius...Now what...?"Though his zombie self had seen the process a number of times, Nobu had no idea how to process medicinal herbs. Nananananamori had been an Apprentice Alchemist in his youth, so, while he was a far cry from the monsters who could exchange pills for entire countries, he might as well be a Pill God compared to the inexperienced Nobu...After considering his options for the better part of ten minutes, Nobu completely dismissed the notion of transferring the herb's 'essence' via mouth-to-mouth. It had never really made sense to him why some people believed this was necessary. Unless they were using their tongues to literally force the medicine down their victim's throat, it made a lot more sense to create something like a funnel.With this in mind, Nobu crushed the herb using a pestle and mortar before filling a large basin with water. He knew the final product needed to be both boiled and diluted, but, even if he understood the theory behind producing a fire, attempting to do so with a single hand was a waste of time. He had no idea how long the woman had been unconscious, but, if this situation were anything like the novels he read back on Earth, her time had 'conveniently' begun running out the moment he began his preparations.As if responding to his words, a crashing sound could be heard as the woman slumped over and began to seize. This caused the already apathetic expression on Nobu's face to turn into a flawless deadpan, as, if she continued to thrash about, it would be impossible to use the funnel he spent a full ten minutes folding from wax paper. In other words, fate, or, far more like, an extremely bored Goddess, was doing everything in her power to make sure he stuck to conventions. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, Nobu 'diluted' the contents of the medicine by promptly emptying the basin into the pool. Then, after throwing in all the other herbs for good measure, he walked over, picked up the unconscious woman, and tossed her into the pool..."Fuck your cliches..."(A/N: The MC ain't no Prince Charming, that's for sure...)

Though his mother had taught him that women should be treated with delicacy and respect, he imagined she would be the first to pick up a weapon if she saw his state over the last couple of days. He also had no intention of getting wrapped up in any cliches, so, using his knowledge of dozens, if not hundreds, of novels, he was intending to dodge as many 'flags' as possible.While the phrase had been coopted by Otaku and Weeb culture, flags were a programming term that indicated a variable, either local or global, that was triggered by specific inputs of the user. In pop culture, triggering a person's flag basically implied you had been locked into a specific route that would either end in you becoming a couple or facing a 'bad end'.Nobu didn't consider himself an Otaku but that didn't mean he wasn't intimately familiar with the concepts and terminology associated with it. A child of two Graphics Designers or Architects would probably have a decent understanding of what their parents' jobs entailed, so, with his father being involved with merchandising and his mother belonging to a localization firm, Nobu knew a lot more about the subject than he would like to admit.With this world attempting to shoe-horn him into a blatantly obvious plot, Nobu had reached the conclusion that various other cliches and stereotypes must exist. This included character archetypes, so, with the unnamed woman having all the tell-tale signs of a violent Tsundere, he wasn't going to let something as abstract as 'fate' force him into a relationship. He might have cared if he had spent the last nineteen years in this world, but, as someone who had only recently arrived, the politics and traditions of Nian were more of an inconvenience than anything else.Fortunately for the unnamed woman, Nobu wasn't a complete asshole. After dropping her into the pool, he immediately plopped in alongside her. His efforts over the last five hours would be wasted if she drowned, so, after supporting her surprisingly heavy body with his own, he used his left hand to guide her mouth beneath the surface. Even an unconscious person would voluntarily swallow if a liquid reached the back of their throat. Without it, even something as simple as a runny nose might be fatal to an unconscious patient, so, by regulating the amount of water entering at any one time, Nobu was able to make sure the woman was swallowing the water instead of inhaling it."If you get diarrhea or a tapeworm, don't blame me..."Though the pool seemed to be fed from an underground source, the stillness of its surface and the lack of a discernible current indicated it might be stagnant. It might be some of the clearest water he had ever seen but that didn't mean it wasn't filled to the brim with bacteria, microbes, and other nasty parasites. As for how he knew things existed...well, his arm wouldn't be rotting if there weren't bacteria eating away at his flesh. At this rate, he might even need to have it amputated just to keep the dead cells from feeding back into his bloodstream and attacking the rest of his immune system.Nobu could still recall an episode of House, a hit medical drama, where one of the patients nearly died due to gangrene setting in her frostbitten toe. She had basically just stubbed it, but, as a result of a small fracture, bone marrow and dead cells entered into her bloodstream and began shutting down all of her organs. The body had a way of overreacting at times, so, the moment the trillions of bacteria within your system identified dead cells, they essentially went to war against your immune system since they assumed you were already dead.Fearful that he might lose the entire limb, Nobu waited until the woman had consumed several large mouthfuls of water before leaning her on the bank of the pool. Then, using a piece of cloth he had fashioned from strips of his tunic, he tied a makeshift tourniquet around his arm before gritting his teeth and literally scraping away the dead tissue.With his teeth and jaw clattering loudly, Nobu began hyperventilating as a sensation similar to his gut dropping down to his colon overwhelmed him. Contrary to expectations, there actually wasn't any pain associated with the procedure. This brought him no relief, however, as his body and mind vehemently rejected everything he was doing. It was like an instinctual objection to the act of self-mutilation, and, the moment he saw bone, his knees immediately gave out, his view spinning due to a sudden onset of vertigo.Fortunately, even after sinking beneath the surface of the water, Nobu didn't lose consciousness. He knew he would most likely die if he allowed the darkness to overtake him, so, channeling willpower he didn't know he possessed, he kept the majority of his body submerged as he continued gouging away at his flesh. It was only when he had removed every visible speck of gangrenous flesh that he began grasping various herbs and sticking them to the wound. He wasn't sure they would actually do anything, but, considering the alternative was abandoning the limb, he decided to place his trust in the mystical medical properties of this world's plants.When everything was said and done, Nobu had managed to fashion a sling from waterproof linens to wrap both his wound and the herbs covering it. Then, for what felt like the umpteenth time since he arrived in this world, he blacked out after dragging the unconscious woman from the pool and covering her with the thatch mat that had previously served as his bed...------------------------------------Feeling a fiery heat spreading through her body, Yui awoke with a start. Her last vivid memory was using one of her Clan's forbidden techniques to seriously wound the Platinum Ranked bodyguard that had pursued them into the forest near the base of the mountain. Said technique had not only cost her a cultivation rank, but, from the moment she resolved herself for death, she began burning her life force to empower each of her strikes.Though she could only guess at how many years she had burned, Yui doubted she would live more than a hundred years even if she managed to reach the Rank of Mithril Lord. Despite this, she didn't regret her decision. She also held no resentment towards her pursuers, as, with the exception of the Rank 3 Platinum King, the rest were dead. Her Clan would be able to take care of the rest, as, even without Nobu's testimony, they now had ample reason to investigate the factions governing Owari-Asai."Hnnngh..."With a pained groan, Yui forced herself to a seated position, right hand massaging her temples as she looked around to get a better grasp of the situation. When she saw Nobu collapsed less than a meter from her position, any questions or concerns she had regarding her wet clothing and armor faded from her mind as she instantly appeared at his side.Sensing that his pulse was much faster than it should be, Yui rolled Nobu over to discover that his face, neck, and ears had turned an unnatural shade of red. There was also sweat covering his body, but, more noticeable than anything else was the large bulge in his trousers. This normally wouldn't have bothered her, but, with her own body gradually heating, a foreboding tremble ran through her body as she flashed over to the side of the pool with a serious expression on her face.Though it took her a moment to find what she was searching for, seeing dozens of herbs floating in the pool had already confirmed her suspicions. Nobu had clearly attempted to save her, but, due to his inexperience, he had mixed in, not one, but three lengths of a dark-red perennial herb known as Dragon's Vigor.Dragon's Vigor was a remarkably powerful aphrodisiac used by Lords with a substantial number of wives and concubines. The effects were negligible when consumed by women, but, when ingested by men, a mere gram of the inordinately expensive rootstock was enough to allow them to indulge in carnal pleasures for upwards of eight hours. This wasn't an overstatement either, as, due to the herb containing a tremendous amount of Yang Energy, they needed to willfully 'release' it in order to avoid potentially serious side effects...Gritting her teeth, Yui looked towards the unconscious body of Nobu with a vexed expression on her face. She didn't know how bad her condition was, but it was apparent he had gone to extreme lengths to try and save her. While some might claim this made them even, her decision to protect him was merely the fulfillment of her duty. As for her act of pulling him from the streets, that was a complete and utter coincidence. It could even be argued that she owed him an apology, as, due to her ignorance regarding his identity, she had inconvenienced, aggravated, and even assaulted him...Seeing Nobu's face turn a progressively deeper shade of crimson, Yui took a deep breath in a vain attempt to steel her resolve and calm her mind. Had the former been awake to see this, he would have immediately called into question her intellect before promptly telling her to 'fuck off', but, as he was currently in the middle of a fever dream, nothing stood in the way of Yui slowly removing the individual pieces of her clothing and armor.With little more than a silk fundoshi to cover the last remaining vestiges of her dignity as a woman, Yui made her way over to Nobu before kneeling down at his side. Nervousness, unlike anything she had experienced before, caused her body to tremble, but, due to the education she had received in her youth, her understanding of the relations between men and women was actually more on the 'advanced' side of things.Were it not for the death of her fiance, Yui would have been expected to both serve and pleasure him to the best of her ability. She had been instructed in a total of 1250 different techniques, and, though it was somewhat shameful to admit, her family had compiled more than thirty texts related to the subject. This, combined with their assassination techniques, made the Yoshitsune Clan one of the most feared in ancient times. As for why they needed to resort to such methods, it was because their family had been cursed by the Goddess Inari to produce predominately female descendants.Yui had strayed away from the teachings of her family but that didn't mean she was unfamiliar with them. Her Grandmother had only agreed to support her on the premise that she would master the basics of their hereditary arts alongside polishing her skills as a warrior. If she couldn't do both, she would have lost her only backer in the family, so, for the sake of achieving her dream, Yui had done her best to master skills in both categories.Focusing on her training rather than what was actually happening before her very eyes, Yui quickly stripped away the tattered remains of Nobu's clothes. The size of his member had given her reason to pause, but, by repeating the mantras and steps within her mind, she was able to guide her body through the motions as if she were controlling a puppet. This was actually a technique developed to protect their minds in the event they were captured by an enemy, but, having convinced herself this was a medical procedure, Yui did her best to distance herself as much as possible from the reality of what she was about to do...(A/N: Escaping the machinations of fate is easier said than done...(O _ O)...)

As much as he enjoyed just shutting his brain off and clicking, Nobu's patience was beginning to wear thin. His throat was completely parched, and, while it wasn't nearly as bad as when he first arrived, there was a deep, aching, feeling in his stomach."Haaaaa...I swear, if I ever become stronger than that washboard brat, I'm going to lock her in a room for an entire month..."Though there was a chance she was much older than him, Nobu got the impression that the raven-haired woman was a few years younger. She gave off the impression of someone incredibly naive, and, were it not for her ridiculous strength, he could easily imagine her being taken advantage of by someone skilled at manipulating women."It's too bad she's about as flat as a plank of wood...I wonder if I could line up the bubble if I placed a level on her chest..."Amused by the notion, a dry chuckle emanated from Nobu's throat as he set aside the stone tablet and rolled out of bed. Even lying down was beginning to cause him some discomfort so he needed to get up and walk around just to ease some of the tension in his back and joints."Maybe I shouldn't have told her I was Nananamori's grandson...nah...as shitty as this situation is, it's better than freezing to death and getting stripped naked by a bunch of homeless people..."Since he had also gotten a free change of clothes and some surprisingly comfortable boots out of the deal, Nobu decided that, so long as she left him the hell alone, he would be magnanimous and forgive the flatchested psycho for her slights. Besides, he got the impression her very existence was some kind of flag.As the woman herself had pointed out, meeting randomly was way too convenient to be a mere coincidence. In other words, this was the so-called 'fateful encounter'. Thus, before he could get wrapped up in whatever plot that psycho Goddess had contrived, Nobu was determined to get the hell out of dodge.While some might take advantage of this situation to do something along the lines of 'reclaiming' their birthright, the simple fact of the matter was that the Oda Clan were basically strangers to him. They had already invested a shit ton of resources into trying to cure his 'curse' so he would need to be an irredeemable asshat to believe something as asinine as birthright entitled him to even more. Things might have been different if he had reincarnated properly but that was now water under the bridge.Just as he had been preparing to do back on Earth, Nobu was determined to venture out into the world on his own. He already had a cheat, so, even if he just holed himself up in a cheap Inn and survived off of bread, it was only a matter of time before he became strong. After that, he would travel a bit, but, unlike the vast majority of cultivators, he had absolutely no intentions of traveling around for the sole purpose of slaying monsters and battling against evil sects. Just the thought of this made him feel exhausted, so, even if the Goddess had machinated some grand plot for him to play a part in, Nobu would be happy if he could just find a nice girl with big tits to settle down and start a family with.Though it didn't really matter at this point, Nobu had actually been studying Civil Engineering. He was only in his first year of college, but, judging by the bucket located in the corner of the room, it was fair to say this world would benefit from some modernization. The buildings outside looked like something straight out of an eastern fantasy flick, and, as far as he could recall, even the Oda Clan's castle lacked proper plumbing. In other words, so long as he scouted a few eggheads and pointed them in the right direction, he could basically become the Thomas Edison of this world without any real effort.With such thoughts running through his mind, Nobu walked over to the window to stare out at the surprisingly busy streets below. This was one of only three port cities in the Owari Province, so, if he played his cards right, he might be able to secure passage on a trading vessel. This would probably put him at risk against pirates, but, considering most of the feudal lords stayed within their territory, it would be a lot easier to avoid the Oda Clan if he traveled abroad. The only time he had ever been on a boat was when he went on a school field trip to Lake Erie so, seeing the multi-masted Galleons mored in the distance, Nobu couldn't deny the thought was tempting..."Now I just need to wait for little miss BDSM to make good on her promise..."As if his words had somehow manifested her into existence, Nobu's mind blanked as he noticed the sadist in question sticking close to the side of an adjacent building. She seemed to be on high alert, but, due to it being broad daylight, the only way her actions could have drawn even more attention was if she were completely nude."If you're dressed like a samurai, don't try to skulk around like a ninja...seriously, this girl..."Almost as if she had heard his remark, the raven-haired girl shifted her attention to the window, eyes squinting as she placed her palm against the ground and began to exude a golden aura from her body."Now what are you-!?"Before he could complete his sentence, Nobu instinctually blocked his eyes with his right arm as glass shards and splintered wooden shards peppered his body like rain. At the same time, the girl who had just leaped more than thirty meters to both cross the street and leap through the window intoned a confused, "Eh?" before following it up with a startled, "Why were you standing there...!?"Feeling an increasingly familiar heat from various parts of his body, Nobu lowered his bloody arm, face grimmer than a demon as he replied, "I needed to stretch my body. A certain twin-tailed brat thought it would be a good idea to lock me in a room without food or water. Now, mind telling me why the fuck you just jumped in through the window?"Not expecting Nobu to even be awake, Yui found herself at a loss for words, mouth agape as she stared at the rather sizeable shard of glass sticking out of the man's chest. Most people would have, at the very least, flinched after receiving such an injury. The man across from her, however, seemed completely impervious to pain...A stark contrast to the glowering yet calm expression on his face, Nobu was screaming, ("She did it again! This fucking bitch! It's like she exists to torment me! Seriously, what the actual fuck is wrong with her!?")With Nobu's gaze piercing through her, almost as if he were shooting beams from his eyes, Yui began to feel slightly uncomfortable. Despite this, she managed to regain her icy cold visage as she explained, "The people who killed you Grandfather just attempted to capture me. Once I'm finished bandaging your wounds, we'll need to leave the city. There is a safehouse located a few kilometers north of the city. We'll hold out there for a few days before venturing north. Don't worry, so long as you stay close to me, I won't let anything happen to you. You have my word."Though darkness had started to creep into his vision, Nobu's fury allowed his mind to remain clear as he shouted, "Protect me!? With the exception of my right hand, every single one of my fucking injuries was inflicted by you! Hell, even that was made worse thanks to your stupid fucking ropes! Do you seriously expect me to trust you!? You're batshit insane...!"Furrowing her brows in response to Nobu's accusations, Yui wanted to refute them, but, the more she thought about it, the more she realized he was telling the truth. Even now, thanks to the seals placed on windows to prevent people from peering inside, Nobu had sustained numerous injuries as a direct result of her actions. As far as she knew, he had only recently awoken, yet, the moment he got up to walk around, her actions had ensured he would be spending at least a few more days in bed.Noticing the uncertainty contained within the woman's eyes, Nobu's thought processes seemed to speed up as he seriously considered telling her to fuck off. This wouldn't have been a problem if it were a few days ago, but, now that she had earned the attention of the assholes who had killed his 'Grandfather', there was a fair chance they would target him in order to get to her. In other words, thanks to whatever scheme the Goddess had cooked up, he was basically fucked no matter which option he chose.Since fleeing with the psycho was probably his only option if he wanted to avoid being tortured to death, Nobu flexed the muscles of his jaw several times before growling, "Whatever. Let's go. Just know that I hate you more with each passing second. Once this bullshit blows over, it would be the greatest fortune of my life if I never have to see you again..."With strength draining from his body before he had even finished speaking, Nobu stumbled to the ground immediately following his statement. He knew his words were a little harsh, but, considering all the shit she had put him through, she was lucky he didn't try to hold her down until her pursuers arrived. If he turned her over to them, there was a chance they would let him walk away. They might even give him a reward, but, as much as he hated this embodiment of misfortune, Nobu wasn't the kind of guy who could simply toss a woman to the wolves without batting an eye...Though her training mandated that she immediately check Nobu's condition, the former's words left Yui feeling an indescribable feeling in her chest. His indignation reminded her of all the times she had felt weak and powerless in the past. Back then, every aspect of her life had been decided by other people, and, were it not for the fact her fiance had died, she would have spent the remainder of her days playing the part of an obedient servant and concubine. Since her husband was destined to be the next leader of the Oda Clan, she wouldn't even be allowed to have children since it might result in a power struggle between the two Clans. Thus, better than most, she could understand the feelings of indignation people felt when they were forced to accept a situation beyond their power to change..."Grandmother was right...I wasn't ready for this. I've even become the very thing I hate the most...a selfish and egotistical person who forces others to obey simply because I have the power to force them to comply...how pathetic..."Scowling, not at Nobu but because of her own self-loathing, Yui bent down to check the former's pulse before skillfully cutting away the fabric of his tunic. Carrying him while there were glass shards in his body was a recipe for disaster, so, while she was pressed for time, treating his injuries was her highest priority. If he died, the only way she would be able to repent for her actions was to offer her own life in turn. Thus, for both of their sakes, she would make sure he survived...even if it cost both her dream and her life...(A/N: Man, Nobu is a little firecracker...I kind of feel bad for Yui, but, considering the former is the one lying on the ground with a piece of glass piercing his chest, it's hard to blame him for being a little upset. Either way, this is an oof moment.)

Chapter 11: Tale as Old as Time...