Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

After reluctantly taking the seat across from the heterochromatic woman, the first thing Nobu asked was, "Where's Yui...?" with a hostile look on his face."Mmm...it's no wonder you almost got played the fool by Haruko. Your way of speaking is unsuited to someone in your position. It would be fine if you possessed genuine power. However, unless you officially returned to the Oda Clan, your identity cannot protect you from everything."Furrowing his brows even deeper, Nobu unhesitantly replied, "I don't care about things like that. If some random asshat wants to kill me, that's their own problem. This world is already fucked three-ways from civility so why should I give a damn what some cunt with too much power decides to do with it? I'm not going to lower my head and play the part of a bitch just become some faggot with a god complex thinks I should worship the ground they walk on.""..."Rather than respond to Nobu's words, the silver-haired woman started making tea using the items that had been arranged on the table. This left the former with a severe expression on his face, brow twitching as he balled his hands into fists. He knew he wasn't a match for the surprisingly youthful-looking granny sitting in front of him but that didn't mean he would tolerate being ignored.As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu rose to his feet and said, "Fine. I'll look for her myself..." in a tone inspired by a certain purple-faced Titan. To his confusion, the woman made no attempt to stop him. Instead, she continued to slowly and methodically prepare tea, her eyes focused on the task at hand as she stated, "Good luck, Waka-chan." before following it up with an inaudible, "You're going to need it..."While wondering what the fuck a Waka-chan was, Nobu began roaming the curiously empty halls of the Japanese-style house. The aroma of wood originating from the immaculately polished floors was surprisingly pleasant to his senses. He could also detect a hint of fruit and what he believed to be perfume, but, rather than seek out the source, he turned a few corners before silently muttering, "These halls look exactly the same..."Having observed this trope countless times in the fiction from his world, Nobu ripped off a piece of his already tattered tunic before tossing it to the side. He was intending to use this to confirm his suspicions, but, the moment the piece of cloth hit the ground, it disappeared completely."What the fuck...?"Squatting down, Nobu pat around the area a few times to see if he could find the discarded piece of cloth. At the exact same moment, unbeknownst to him, the figure of a beautiful woman wearing a flowery pink kimono appeared right behind him, silently scrutinizing him with her honey-colored eyes.Feeling a chill run through his body, Nobu rose to his feet, but, even after turning around, all he saw was endless corridors extending in both directions. There weren't even any turns along the path any longer. Instead, it was a single, contiguous, hallway that ostensibly stretched into eternity."Is this a genjutsu...?"Though Naruto was one of his top five most hated anime, Nobu didn't hesitate to raise his left arm to his mouth and bite it. Unfortunately, like most rational human beings, it was very difficult to force himself to bite with enough force to draw blood. The average person's bite strength was more than enough to tear away chunks of flesh from their fellow humans, but, due to mental blocks bordering on instinct, actually accomplishing this was nigh-impossible.Fearing that he might inadvertently take a chunk out of his arm if he bit down with too much force, Nobu decided to do what's called a pro-gamer move. More specifically, he channeled the unbridled fury gamers were able to achieve when faced with unfair circumstances and game crashes. This was such a powerful emotion that there had been examples of people punching through their computer monitors, so, with that same mentality, Nobu reared back his hand and began striking the wall with the fury of an American that had just lost an international gaming competition.With the surrounding walls being formed from little more than woven bamboo flanked by plaster, it was surprisingly easy to crack through them. Nobu even began to develop the notion that he might be able to smash his way out, but, the moment he retracted his hand, now sporting a tear between his middle and ring fingers, the wall immediately repaired itself."Oh, come on! That's some bullshit...!"Believing wholeheartedly that someone was fucking with him, Nobu confirmed that the corridor still went on forever before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting, "Yui! Yuriko..!" at the top of his lungs. He didn't genuinely expect them to answer, but, seeing no other way out of his current predicament, it was worth a shot.Nearly giving him a heart attack, a soft voice immediately answered, "Even if you scream twice as loud, no one will hear you..."Spinning around as fast as he could, Nobu's mind blanked when he saw the same empty hallway as before. Then, as if taunting him, a bell-like laugh could be heard echoing from numerous directions before the same voice as before, now sounding in his left ear, whispered, "Wandering the halls of a kunoichi mansion without an escort...only the Lord of the Oda Clan is allowed to be so brazen. You might look like him, but you are most certainly not Lord Senken..."Feeling a fragrant breath tickle his ear, Nobu attempted to grab backward with his left hand while still looking ahead. He actually expected to catch empty air, so, when his palm suddenly smacked a remarkably soft surface, his body immediately tensed up as the voice whispered, "Naughty boy..." in a mind-numbing peal.Though others might have attempted to retract their hand, Nobu did the exact opposite by trying to grasp the fabric as he spun around. Unfortunately, at nearly that exact same moment, his hand felt as though it was trying to close around a solid piece of metal, and, by the time he managed to turn around, the person he was expecting was already long gone.Now inhaling quickly due to the anxiety and frustration he was feeling, a cold sensation began to gradually spread through Nobu's mind as he backed against the wall. His brain was being flushed with excess oxygen, and, as a result of the lack of CO2, he began to feel lightheaded to the point that his vision began to darken along the edges. At the same time, however, almost as if he was looking through a fish-eye lens, the darker regions of his vision revealed what appeared to be a completely unassuming corridor and a predominately pink woman standing just a few feet away...Without looking directly at the woman, Nobu covered his eyes and attempted to focus on his breathing. This caused the woman in question to sensually inquire, "Oh my...is the lost lamb of the Oda Clan actually afraid? Ufufufufufufu~"Recognizing the woman's speech pattern, combined with the predominately pink, Nobu began to gradually calm down as he asked, "Are you Shizune's mother...?"Since she hadn't revealed herself to him just yet, the mature pinkette found herself at a genuine loss for words. She was the Elder responsible for tabulating information within the village so she had already learned about what happened following Yuriko's report. She hadn't appreciated the fact that Nobu had bullied her daughter, so, even if it was just for a short while, she intended to return the favor before disappearing without a trace...Deciding to feign ignorance, the pink-haired beauty, now disguising her voice as several different people, asked, "Shizune? Isn't that the daughter of the Information Elder? You think she and I are related~?"Surprising the aforementioned beauty quite a bit, Nobu removed his hands from his eyes, staring directly at her as he asked, "Are you telling me it's a coincidence you laugh in the same manner and have the same fucking hair and face...?"Blinking several times in surprise, the pinkette took a few steps to the side in order to confirm that Nobu was, indeed, looking at her. Then, with a far more effective smile than the one her daughter had practiced, she took advantage of the fact he was standing against the wall, instantly reducing the distance between them before answering, "It's no wonder my daughter took an interest in you. You truly are special..."Without any pause or hesitation in her movements, the pink-haired woman slipped her right hand under Nobu's shirt before bringing it up to caress his chest. At the same time, her left leg slipped between his thighs, gingerly nuzzling his not-so-little brother as she added, "I can assure you that I'm over the age of eighteen...won't you allow me to apologize on my daughter's behalf? It's been quite some time since I was active, but I can assure you I'm among the more talented members of the Clan..."Unlike Shizune, who practically drowned herself in perfumes and oils, Nobu noticed that the woman in front of him smelled, simply put, intoxicating. He didn't really know how to describe it but it was like her aroma was invading his nose before soaking directly into his mind. Thus, despite intending to push her away, he found his hands cupping her butt, forcing the petite woman to the tips of her toes and drawing their faces close enough that she was able to surprise him with a playful lick...Taking advantage of Nobu's momentary pause, the pinkette licked her own lips this time before asking, "I take it this is your way of saying yes? You're not going to change your mind later on, are you~?"As if he had been liberated from some kind of spell, Nobu ceased fingering the woman through her kimono, his pupils shrinking as he asked, "Did you fucking drug me...?"Adopting a convincing pout, so much so that Nobu actually felt guilty for doubting her, the woman asked, "Do you think so little of my beauty? Such tricks are the sorts used by inexperienced kunoichi without the confidence to subdue their target using more...direct methods. No. What you're feeling is the instinctual desire that drives men to try and subdue powerful women. Your body instinctually recognizes me as a suitable mate due to the difference in our cultivation bases and the quantity of Yin Elemental Energy circulating in my aura. In other words...you're in heat right now...desperate to impregnate a woman whose daughter is nearly as old as you are...ufufufufufu~"Regretting the fact he hadn't interrupted her halfway through her unexpectedly long explanation, Nobu fought desperately against the fire raging in his body, stating, "Don't fuck with me..." through gritted teeth. This earned him a confused yet undisguised look of intrigue from the mature beauty, who, surprisingly, obeyed his command. Before Nobu could breathe a sigh of relief, however, she mused, "How fascinating..." before casually tugging the cord keeping her obi in place.Like most women who wore kimonos, the pink-haired beauty forwent the use of undergarments beneath her flowery pink robes. As a result, Nobu's brain buzzed as he stared blankly at her truly breathtaking figure. He had actually had a preference for older women ever since he was a kid, so, while Shizune had failed to shake his heart, her mother managed to deal a critical blow to both his heart and his psyche."I won't touch you. Instead, I will simply stand here and allow you to touch me at your leisure. Show me. I want to see if you can truly suppress the animalistic instincts that have driven men to become the bane of women worldwide..."Though he wanted little more than to ravish the half-naked beauty exposing herself to him without any intention of resisting, Nobu managed to remain in place, supported by the wall behind him as he stated through gritted teeth, "Fuck...off..."......(A/N: Man, someone needs to build a lake or something on this mountain...)

Amused by Nobu's attempts to get her to leave, the pink-haired beauty moved to place her hands on her hips, pulling open her kimono in the process. Then, while eyeing the rather sizeable tent that was being pitched by her young quarry, she stated, "This is my home. It is perfectly acceptable to be nude. If you don't like it, you're more than welcome to leave~."Attempting to do just that, Nobu supported himself using the wall as he gradually made his way towards what appeared to be a window. Before he could get more than a few steps, however, the woman cheekily reminded him, "Be careful of the Kitsune covering the mountain. If they see you in your current state...well...you only have yourself to blame..."With that said, the pink-haired woman leaned her shoulder against the wall, arms crossed as she watched Nobu freeze in place. If he truly tried to escape through the window, she would need to stop him, as, once the Kitsune got going, there was a very real chance they would ravish him even after his death. One of the rituals mandated by Inari Okami was for her 'daughters' to offer up the lives of men through ritualistic intercourse. Thus, with the exception of a few outliers, most Kitsune were 'extremely adept' at sending men straight to Heaven.Though he couldn't remember the details, Nobu could clearly recall the muddleheadedness he had experienced during his previous encounter with the buxom, white-haired, Kitsune. He didn't know how strong she was, but, even if he mustered every ounce of willpower he possessed, he wouldn't be able to offer any meaningful resistance against her charm. If the other Kitsune joined in, even a Dragon's Vigor might not be able to save him from the animalistic girls.After thinking things through, Nobu turned his back to the wall and allowed himself to slide down, a plan forming within his head. He could infer from the way the woman was behaving that she was trying to avoid directly offending him. She probably wouldn't escort him back to Yui's Grandmother but that didn't mean he was completely out of cards to play. Thus, after failing to soothe the fire in his body even after ten minutes, he surprised the pinkette quite a bit by simply exhaling as hard as he could...Surprised by Nobu's lung capacity, the pink-haired kunoichi was about to compliment him when he suddenly fell over, his body seizing for a few several seconds before becoming completely still."..."Tilting her head to the side, the pink-haired kunoichi waited for nearly three minutes, absolutely silent as she watched the expansions and contractions of his chest."Did you really just knock yourself out...?"As those words left her lips, the pink-haired kunoichi tentatively approached Nobu before squatting in a way that left nothing to the imagination. Even this didn't cause the young man to stir, and, after a while, even the tent between his legs began to subside.Extending her fingers to check his pulse, the woman confirmed that Nobu's condition was rapidly stabilizing. This caused a frown to mar her nearly perfect face. Her original intention had only been to bully him a bit without revealing her identity. She hadn't come here with the intention of trying to seduce him, but, since that's the way things played out, it was remarkably problematic that she had failed. If he harbored any resentment towards her when all of this was over, even ritual suicide might not be enough to appease the Oda Clan's wrath..."Haaaa...how troublesome. All my problems would be removed if I could simply kill you...but that isn't really an option...how vexing..."Thanks to the alliance between their two families, a cursed mark would appear on anyone, Oda or Yoshitsune, who had killed a member of the other family. It wouldn't just affect the offender, either, but everyone with knowledge of the incident. This meant, even if she ground Nobu down to a paste and fed him to the koi fish in the pond, the entire Yoshitsune Clan would be implicated when the stigmata invariably appeared upon the Matriarch and several others."Well...I can always try to seduce him again. Judging by his previous reaction, I doubt he would be able to hold out if I entered his room late at night..."While thinking of numerous ways she could obtain Nobu's 'forgiveness', the pink-haired beauty wrapped her aura around his body before carrying him back to the room he had initially fled. She didn't even bother to fix her kimono, as, much like the other members of the Yoshitsune Clan, she was actually more comfortable naked than clothed...After reaching her destination, the pink-haired woman sat in a proper seiza technique outside the door before politely bowing her head and saying, "Hitomi-kacho...I have brought the Oda Clan's lost lamb..."Following an appropriate period of silence, a soft yet stern voice could be heard from inside the room, replying, "You have my gratitude, Suzune-dono. Please, come in, place him atop the futon, and then immediately depart."Raising her head only after the Matriarch had finished speaking, Suzune slid aside the bamboo door before deliberately yet gracefully depositing Nobu's unconscious body as instructed. Afterward, she folded her hands neatly over her exposed front before bowing in a courteous manner and promptly departing once Hitomi gestured for her to leave.Waiting until Suzune had completely departed, the silver-haired woman, Yoshitsune Hitomi, shifted her heterochromatic gaze over to the disheveled Nobu, a gentle smile appearing across her face as she mused, "You made me waste some good tea, Waka-chan. However, as I expected you to return much sooner, I suppose this is your win. Still, to think you could resist the curse of the first men with such a meager cultivation base...it makes me wonder what other curious qualities you picked up while your soul was wandering another world...eighty points..."Had he been awake to hear Hitomi's musings, Nobu might have been surprised if not for the fact he had already anticipated this, and several other, tropes. He was even anticipating that some kind of global threat would occur the moment he was consolidating his power or trying to take a break. After all, it was far too 'convenient' for this world to be directly inspired from Earth, and, based on the information provided by Shizune, there were ongoing tensions between every major nation. If 'nothing' happened over the several-hundred-years he might spend as a Cultivator, that would be a hell of a lot more surprising than some cataclysmic threat appearing just as he wanted to relax.........Feeling less of a headache than before, Nobu opened his eyes to find that he was back in the room he had started in. This time, however, he wasn't alone. Instead, the same silver-haired woman from before was sitting patiently at the table, eyes closed until she felt her gaze on him and asked, "Are we finished exploring...?" in an audibly teasing tone.Grimacing in response to the woman's words, Nobu forced himself to a seated position, without approaching the table, and asked, "Just what do you want with me? I already told Yui, but I have no intention of returning to the Oda Clan and stirring up trouble. I just want to relax, write a few books, and focus on increasing my cultivation. I'd rather cut off both of my feet than willfully involve myself with all that political bullshit."Waiting until Nobu had finished speaking, Hitomi, without so much as a twitch of her brow, nodded her head and said, "I see..."Expecting her to say more, Nobu remained quiet for several seconds until he saw her close her eyes and continue drinking tea. This caused his left brow to twitch, but, rather than immediately lash out, he took a slow yet steady breath before asking, "Where is Yui?"Opening her eyes, the smile on Hitomi's face became marginally more prominent as she answered, "I do not believe that is any of your concern. If you choose to remain unaffiliated with the Oda Clan, there is no sense in allowing you to interact with our kunoichi. You might not care about politics but that doesn't mean others hold them in similar regard. If we were to entrust our kunoichi to you and you ended up antagonizing an enemy state, there is a good chance you would ignite a war between provinces. Thousands, including yourself, would have to be sacrificed all because you're too chicken shit to embrace the responsibilities that come with being born a member of the Oda Clan..."Taken aback by the woman's words, Nobu found himself unable to speak. He wanted to say she was just talking out of her ass, but, as the Matriarch of a kunoichi clan, her knowledge of this world and its politics made his own look like a joke. Hell, he could barely even accept what he had seen during the relatively short journey up the mountain. This clearly wasn't his world, and, even if he genuinely believed everyone was touched in the head, the reality was that the vast majority of people would view him in a similar light..."I guess this is how I become the 'Fool of Owari'..."Though he had muttered the words to himself, Hitomi could both read lips and had exceptional hearing. She wouldn't be the Matriarch of a kunoichi clan if she wasn't capable, so, the moment she heard Nobu's musing, an expectant smile spread across her face before she, once again, closed her eyes and continued drinking tea. When dealing with hot-blooded people like Nobu, it was best to let them do most of the talking. The more you tried to reason with them, the more they would try to argue with you. Shere merely needed to explain the cold hard truth to him, and, so long as he wasn't completely hopeless, he should be able to reason his own conclusion without any additional guidance.Seeing Yui's Grandmother return to drinking tea, an extremely frustrated expression appeared on Nobu's face as he genuinely didn't know what to do. The simplest answer seemed to be going off and doing his own thing, but, even if he changed his name and attempted to lay low, people were bound to take notice of him as his cultivation increased. She had also mentioned enemy shinobi. If they were to discover his true identity, it wouldn't matter if he claimed he was unaffiliated with the Oda Clan. They would still attempt to capture him, and-Interrupting his own train of thought, Nobu's brows furrowed even deeper as he asked, "What will happen to Yui and Yuriko if I choose to abandon my name...?"Maintaining her characteristically calm and confident smile, Hitomi met Nobu's gaze before, once again, saying, "I do not believe that is any of your concern. We are a kunoichi clan. It would be one thing if you were a member of the Oda Clan but you've already expressed your desire to abandon your duty and set out on your own. The less you know about our family and its affairs, the better..."Finished with her words, Hitomi was about to return to her tea when Nobu shouted, "That's fucking bullshit! You've already ruined countless girls' lives with your retarded ass traditions! Yui and Yuriko don't need someone like you telling them what to do! Besides, they already pledged themselves to me! You have no right to keep them here...!"Waiting until Nobu had finished, Hitomi, without so much as a single change in expression, casually explained, "I have every right. I am the Matriarch of the Yoshitsune Clan. I am charged with ensuring the survival of my family and safeguarding the next generation of kunoichi until they have attained the skills necessary to complete their missions and return home alive. So, unless you can offer me a realistic alternative, you would do well to hold your tongue. I receive my orders from only one man, and you, Oda Nobunaga, are not him. You don't even have the courage to accept who you are yet you believe you have the right to question others? Ridiculous. You don't even have the strength to leave this place of your own accord. Were it not for the pact we have made with the Oda Clan, you would be spending the rest of your days died up and drained of every last drop of semen you ever produced. Ironic, isn't it? You purport not to care about your identity yet it is quite literally the only thing protecting your menial little life..."Gnashing his teeth in response to the woman's words, Nobu wanted nothing more than to scream out at the top of his lungs. The only problem was that he couldn't actually think of anything to say. All of her words struck at the very heart of the matter, and, even if he wanted to refute them, what could he possibly accomplish with his current power? Even the naked little girls that had swarmed him along the path could probably toss him out of the village, yet here he was thinking about how to force the most powerful member of an ancient kunoichi clan to listen to his demands...Feeling a powerful migraine swelling from the back of his mind, Nobu brought his left hand to his face and began massaging his temples. At the same time, he tried thinking about how he might be able to convince her to let Yui and Yuriko go, but, without anything to offer but his name...what else could he use as collateral...?......(A/N: It doesn't matter how right you think you are if society itself opposes you...)

Ignoring the protests of his body and the burning of his legs and thighs, Nobu followed after Yui until they reached a clearing near the top of the mountain. Here, a number of girls wearing Miko-like attire could be seen carefully tending to the area while others, seemingly taking a break, sat off to the sides with peaceful, almost emotionless, expressions on their faces.Though the sight of girls in Miko outfits was eye-catching on its own, the things that caught Nobu's attention were the fox-like ears and tails protruding from the girls' heads and lower backs. He could tell, even at a glance, that they were the real deal. They were nothing like the feeble imitations worn by men and women fishing for attention back in his previous world. Instead, they followed the girls' movements naturally and, at times, even twitched when the wind managed to caress the finer hairs on the inside of their ears.Noticing Nobu's slight stupefaction, Yui, who had been intending to suggest they take a break, took it upon herself to explain, "When a tremendous volume of Divine Power is concentrated in a single region, there is a chance that developing fetus will develop traits associated with the presiding God or Goddess. These are known as Blessed Children, and, as you can see here, a number of Yoshitsune Clan members who have inherited the vulpine features and Divine Power of Inari Okami-sama..."Seemingly drawn to the sound of Yui's voice, the majority of Mikos in the area looked over to see who she was talking to. This caused Nobu's body to instinctually tense, not because he was afraid of them, but because Divine Power had a suppressive effect on those without it. The girls had also inherited Inari's 'fertility' trait, so, the moment they saw a man, their pupils briefly contracted before they quickly dispersed.Expecting Nobu to ask why the girls were practically running away, Yui gestured towards a stone bench before explaining, "In this region, foxes go into heat around the end of winter. As Priestesses serving Inari Okami-sama, the girls here are prohibited from having sex outside of certain rituals. If they were to stay here while a man was present, their instincts would gradually override their senses until they either collapsed from fever or obtained the seed of a man. Once we depart, they will most likely congregate around this area and...well...I'm certain you can imagine..."Forcing a smile, Nobu sat down on the pleasantly cool stone bench before patting the spot next to him and saying, "Take a seat."Now that they were inside the clan, Yui was apprehensive about deviating from the etiquette and decorum that had been drilled into her mind from birth. In the end, however, Nobu was her Lord, and, as such, she was honor-bound to obey. Thus, after a very brief moment of hesitation, she sat down next to him before immediately turning statuesque, face turning white as a sheet, when he abruptly laid his head on her thighs and noted, "I've always wanted to try this..." in a lazy tone of voice.After recovering from her shock, Yui's expression became inordinately serious as she looked around for any signs they were being spied on. At the same time, her voice remained low as she said, "Lord Nobunaga-sama. This isn't proper. If someone were to see us like this-""Bruh..."Confused by Nobu's exasperated expression, Yui fell completely silent as he rolled onto his back, his face a flawless deadpan as he remarked, "You have little girls running around completely naked and a bunch of horned-up foxes that are going to be pleasuring themselves to my scent. Are you telling me that shit is perfectly acceptable while something as tame as a lap pillow is a problem? Come the fuck on..."Though she wanted to explain that they were two entirely separate matters, the one thing Yui had learned about Nobu's character was that he viewed society in broad strokes. He didn't care about things like traditions in the slightest. He only cared about whether or not something was right and wrong from a purely objective standpoint. This was an incredibly naive way to view the world, but, at the same time, she couldn't really find the words to explain why he was wrong for thinking that society, as a whole, was filled with hypocrites and double-standards...Unable to come up with a reasonable argument for why this was bad and the other things weren't, Yui ultimately chose to remain silent. Instead, she began to gently run her fingers through his hair, something her mother would do when she received lap pillows as a young girl. Those were happier times, so, rather than complicate the moment with politics and platitudes, Yui decided to simply go with the flow and enjoy it while it lasted.........After resting for approximately half an hour, Nobu and Yui continued their ascent until they reached a large temple complex at the very top of the mountain. The front looked like any normal Japanese shrine, complete with a pyre and a blessing box. What made it stand out from the two Nobu visited in his past life were the manor-like compound connected to the back and an annex that seemed to contain a hot-springs like bath if the rising steam was any indicator.Similar to the clearing below, this place also had a few Mikos present, but, unlike the youthful girls situated further down the mountain, the women here were bonafide beauties with mature, overtly seductive, features. One was even wearing an outfit cut so low that Nobu was pretty sure he could make out part of her pale-pink nipples. She also took notice of him the moment he ascended the final step, so, for a brief moment, their eyes remained locked in frozen time until Yui stepped in the way and said, "Haruko-sama...this man is a guest of the Matriarch..."As if she had only just noticed Yui, the buxom fox woman shifted her attention away from Nobu, hand cupping her cheek as she mused, "Ara~? That's too bad~." in a seductive tone that felt like warm water washing over the minds of any man 'fortunate' enough to hear it.Blinking back to awareness the moment Haruko looked away from him, the fog that had shrouded Nobu's mind quickly faded away as he held his head and asked, "What the fuck just happened? Did that bitch just charm me...?""Oh my~."Answering before Yui could, the buxom beauty immediately appeared in front of Nobu, almost as if she had teleported, before saying in a seductive yet threatening tone, "Calling any woman a bitch is quite rude. Addressing a kitsune as such is just asking to be bullied~."As those words left her lips, pale pink hearts appeared in the depths of Haruko's oceanic blue eyes. She had only passively charmed him the first time, but, now that Nobu had insulted her, she wanted to teach him a lesson about inadvertently offending others. After all, were it not for the fact he was a guest of the Matriarch, she, a Rank 3 Platinum Lord, could have flattened him with a slap.Unable to form any thoughts due to the icy fog that had pervaded his mind, Nobu could only gawk as Haruko grabbed the sides of his face and gingerly guided him to her breasts, whispering, "When I snap my fingers, you're going to open your eyes and greet me like the good little puppy dog you are. Understood~?"As Nobu was lazily nodding his head, drool leaking from his mouth, Yui manifested a pair of golden katanas and shouted, "Haruko-sama! That man is a son of the Oda Clan! If you force him to commit such an act, you will be betraying the trust of our Masters...!"Hearing Yui's outburst, Haruko immediately deactivated her charm, confusion visible in her gaze as she tilted her head to the side and asked, "What are you talking about, Yui-chan? I have memorized the names and faces of every son and daughter of the Oda Clan. This man...is...ara?"Though Haruto was about to argue that Nobu didn't resemble any of the known members of the Oda Clan, closer inspection revealed that he actually shared quite a number of features with the current Lord. She hadn't noticed it at first, largely due to the fact he was dressed like a commoner, but, now that she looked past his disheveled bangs, realization gradually dawned upon her as she absentmindedly muttered, "Nobunaga-sama...?"Despite the drastic difference in their cultivation bases, Haruko suddenly felt as if she was hugging a bomb to her chest. At the same time, however, the tiny flame that had been ignited in her lower abdomen quickly built into a veritable bonfire as a tremendous amount of saliva began to build in her mouth. Fortunately, she was no longer a young kit, so, while her body was burning up from the inside, she managed to appear relatively calm on the surface as she handed Nobu over to Yui and said, "He should recover in a few minutes...please express my deepest apologies once he wakes up."With that said, Haruko leaped several tens of meters into the sky, her destination the forest further down the mountain. The fire in her body was quickly turning into a blazing inferno, so, while she would have liked to personally express her sincerity, staying around Nobu in her current state was simply too dangerous. She didn't know what the Matriarch wanted with the abandoned son of the Oda Clan but it was clearly beyond her paygrade. If she intervened, there was a very real chance that she would be executed just to amend any perceived grievances between the Yoshitsune and Oda Clans.........Nursing the kind of headache typically associated with hangovers, Nobu released a pained groan as he forced himself to a seated position and looked at his surroundings. He was in a moderately sized Japanese-style room, complete with tatami mats and a sliding bamboo door. There was also a small table in front of him, its surface lined with a number of different porcelain containers that contained tea and other types of herbs.Ignoring this, Nobu continued to look around, one eye open and hand massaging his head as he grumbled, "Where the fuck did that fox bitch go? Yui...?"Forgetting everything that had happened after Haruko stepped in front of him, Nobu had carelessly insulted the woman a second time. This kind of behavior would very quickly come to bite him in the near future, but, for the time being, he remained blissfully ignorant to the 'rule of the strong'. Thus, like a lamb exploring a tiger's den, utterly devoid of fear and hesitation, he climbed to his feet and attempted to leave the room by opening the sliding bamboo door."Oh? I understand your desire to stretch your legs, but this isn't a place you should be wandering about. Are you searching for Yui...?"Looking down quite a bit, Nobu found a petite yet confident-looking woman with heterochromatic red and blue pupils staring up at him with a faint smile and sharp, intelligent, eyes. She was dressed in a loose red kimono that showed off a fair amount of skin despite being wrapped by a black obi, but, rather than eyeing her virtually non-existent cleavage, he continued looking into the woman's eyes, veiled by silvery-white hair, for several seconds."Hmmmm...? You're rather bold, aren't you? It's no wonder Yui was behaving so strangely. You must have left quite the impression on her..."Though the woman standing in front of him appeared no older than 25, the aura she exuded was something Nobu had only experienced with much older women. Thus, after hearing her speak, he asked the first thing that came to his mind, inquiring, "Are you...Yui's Grandmother...?"Smiling in amusement, the woman promptly replied, "Minus thirty points. Even if you hit the nail on the head, it would have been more tactful to ask if I were her mother. It's a shame. Had you tried to flirt with me, you would have been able to experience the techniques of the most skilled kunoichi in the Yoshitsune Clan. Now you'll just have to settle for letting me pour you tea..."Punctuating her words, the ostensibly elderly woman took a step forward, and, though he had no intention of doing so, Nobu found himself taking a step back and to the side. This allowed her to casually slip past him, but, the moment he turned his head, Nobu's pupils shrank when he noticed she was already seated on the other side of the table, eyes closed as if she were patiently awaiting someone's arrival.Noticing the incredulity in Nobu's gaze, the silver-haired woman adopted a slightly teasing smile as she stated, "It only took you thirty-seven seconds to recover. That's not bad for someone at Rank 5 of the First Realm. Plus ten points..."......(A/N: The Yoshitsune Clan is a dangerous place...)

Chapter 43: Entrapment