Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

Though he hadn't been much of an outdoorsman in his previous life, Nobu could still appreciate the beauty of nature. The gorge he had been taken to was easily one of the most serene places he had ever visited, almost as if it had never been touched by human hands."This river, Okurimono, flows from the mountain and empties out into the port of Owari-Asai. While it appears small at the source, it is one of the Owari Province's three main rivers. What distinguishes it from the other two is the fact it carries with it the blessings of Inari Okami-sama. Rice, wheat, and other cereals grow rich and healthy when treated with the waters of Okurimono...""Mmm..."Since he wasn't particularly fond of the fox goddess, Nobu just hummed in response to Kumiko's explanation. He was grateful, sure, but that wasn't the reason he had come here. His goal was to break through to the next Realm before the meeting with his parents. He still had four days until then, but, recalling how frustratingly difficult it had been to enter the First Realm, he was already working against the clock.Fortunately, just as Yui had pointed out, there was a persistent wind flowing through the gorge. The problem was that the wind primarily flowed through the gorge rather than over it. It was also colder than a witch's tits, so, despite finding the emerald green waters very beautiful, Nobu wasn't looking forward to sitting on a cold, perpetually moist outcrop in nothing but his birthday suit...If he wasn't absolutely certain she would be a distraction, Nobu would have invited Onihime to join him. Instead, he just shook his head before disrobing and doing his best to ignore the unblinking gazes of the thirteen girls encircling him. Then, despite numerous offers to assist him, he scaled the relatively sheer wall using a rope before sitting down on the frigid stone with his bare ass.Resisting the urge to curse the moment his balls touched the cold stone, Nobu adopted the laziest-looking Lotus Position most of the girls had ever seen. After that, he did his best to "feel the wind flowing around him" as he drew in a slow, steady, and never-ending breath.........As someone who cultivated the exact same technique as her Master, Sachiko was among the group assigned to keep watch over him. She was joined by the Ayane and the perennially patient Onihime while the rest of the group, excluding Cho and Midori, discussed the events of the previous day.Though she felt like there was a certain distance between them as of late, Yuriko genuinely believed she was the closest person to Nobu after Yui. Thus, the moment everyone had gathered, she took it upon herself to represent everyone else by asking, "What the hell is going on, Yui? You clearly know something we don't."Shaking her head, Yui maintained a mask of tranquility as she plainly stated, "It doesn't matter what I believe or think I know. The fact of the matter is that we failed to protect our Lord. Other than that, the only things that matter are his version of events and what he wishes for us to know. It isn't mine or anyone else's place to question or doubt him."Balling her hands into a fist, Yuriko was highly tempted to punch Yui in the face. At the same time, however, she knew that the latter's words were correct. Even if Nobu told them the sky was red, it was their duty to back his claims. He might have given them permission to act casually around him, but that didn't change their 'purpose'.Understanding Yuriko's indication, Yui closed her eyes to conceal the anger and frustration she felt, adding, "Our best course of action is following the example set by our Lord. We must focus on the future and becoming stronger. At the very least, we need to do everything in our power to conceal our weakness in front of our Lord. If he sees us brooding over yesterday's events, it will invariably weigh heavily on his mind. I do not wish to add to his burden. Thus, until I am powerful enough to obtain the answers I seek, I will focus on the things that matter most...our Lord and his happiness..."Opening her eyes, Yui's expression became one of unfettered conviction as she gazed around at her fellow clanswomen. She met each of their gazes before settling on Yuriko, who, after several tense seconds of silence, exhaled a frustrated yet acquiescent sigh.........Though he knew it was going to take a while, Nobu was bored out of his mind as he wasted hours trying and failing to meditate. He simply couldn't clear his mind, and, thanks to the frigid chill, his body has basically turned into a popsicle. This made it marginally easier to feel the wind, but, at the same time, he couldn't help shivering violently as his little brother packed up their family jewels and retreated inward.Placing his hands under his armpits, Nobu did his best to alleviate some of their numbness before pulling out the stone tablet to both check the time and re-read the conditions for advancement. A total of six hours had passed since he began. As for the requirements for breaking into the Second Realm, Breath of the Wind, it literally just told him to meditate until he could feel the wind flowing around him. He thought this meant he needed to meditate in a windy place, but, now that he was freezing his balls off, Nobu was beginning to think the exact opposite.If the only requirement was that he feels the wind flowing around him, an empty room without a breeze might actually be better. After all, he was literally feeling the wind to his fucking bones right now and it hadn't made the slightest difference.Unfortunately, Nobu's pride didn't allow him to simply give up and ask the girls to pull him up and carry him home. He was supposed to be their Lord and Master. He couldn't remain the same weak and pathetic little shit Yui had picked up in an alleyway. He wanted to become strong, so, unless he caught a cold or passed out, Nobu had no intention of giving up.Exhaling for the first time in hours, Nobu was marginally surprised by how warm his breath felt. He was pretty sure he was borderline hypothermic at this point but his breath flowed outward like the heat of a radiator. Even stranger was the fact that his arms and legs rapidly cooled as he continued to exhale far beyond the capacity of his lungs..."What the fuck...?"Just as confusion washed over Nobu's mind, Sachiko happily chimed, "Congratulations, Master~!" in an exuberant tune that alerted everyone nearby."Huh...?"Though he hadn't noticed it due to the rapid cooling of his body, a warm aura exuded from Nobu's body the moment he exhaled. Both Ayane and Sachiko had noticed this, but, due to the quiet and taciturn nature of the former, the latter was the first to speak out. She wasn't sure if her Master had actually broken through, but, due to their similar levels and her innate talent as a sensor, she could tell his aura had become much richer.Before Nobu could even think to correct what he believed to be a misunderstanding, everyone else came to the edge of the gorge to congratulate him. Onihime even jumped down to the outcrop he was seated upon before wrapping her arms around him to provide warmth. This was something she had been asked to do by Yui, but, even if she hadn't, Onihime would have happily provided warmth for her Master.Hissing due to the sudden and drastic change in temperature, Nobu was briefly tempted to throw Onihime into the frigid waters below. Instead, he remained seated, an annoyed but quickly relaxing expression on his face as her warmth gradually spread from his back to the rest of his body.........After being pulled up the cliff by Kiki, Nobu wrapped his body in multiple layers of clothes before enjoying a warm meal prepared by Cho. At the same time, he did his best to answer the questions of the girls, first and foremost being whether or not he had broken through. There was such a thing as a 'false awakening' where cultivators thought they had broken through to the next Realm only to discover they were stuck between the two. This was considered a 'dead end' for most cultivators, as, more often than not, it implied their body had absorbed too many impurities or they simply lacked the talent to advance further.Nobu was a little annoyed by the insinuation that he might have exhausted his potential between the First and Second Realms, but, understanding Kumiko was simply informing him of something he didn't know, he didn't harp over it. Instead, he experimented with the phenomenon of exhaling at a persistent rate, surprising virtually everyone by exuding a warm breeze through his aura. It was still invisible, but, even without being able to see it, everyone could feel that he was much stronger than before.Unfortunately, while his reserves actually seemed to replenish instead of decreasing, Nobu's body rapidly chilled as he exhaled. It was like he was breathing in through each of his pores instead of exhaling through them. He knew this because the fabric of his clothes would immediately stick to him as he exhaled. This was followed by a sensation similar to being smothered, so, after a while of exhaling, Nobu had no choice but to breathe inward as if he were gasping for air.After quickly allaying the girls' concerns, Nobu explained this phenomenon so that they could offer him some advice. The consensus was that he would need to wear breathable clothes, or, at the very least, outfits that could quickly be adjusted so that he could expose his back and arms. Other than that, Kumiko began asking questions related to the wind produced by his aura rather than focusing on the positives and negatives associated with generating it.Since the Second Realm was generally when people began training various aura-related combat techniques, Kumiko hypothesized that Nobu's 'wind' could be weaponized somehow. It wouldn't make sense if it was just a method to improve his aura regeneration. Thus, after following Yui's suggestion to set camp, everyone awoke at the crack of dawn to observe and assist Nobu in his experimentation.Based on preliminary findings, the warm breeze emanating from Nobu's body was able to travel upwards of twenty meters if he focused to the point he appeared constipated. Unfortunately, while this was rather impressive, the wind he was able to produce felt like a gentle breeze rather than any kind of attack. He might be able to catch someone by surprise if they were relatively close to them, but, depending on their lung capacity, so could everyone else.Fortunately, while he was absolutely terrible at it, the girls managed to cheer Nobu up by pointing out that he could, in fact, control the force and direction of the wind. It might be weak right now, but, so long as he continued to train and increase his aura reserves, there was a chance he would become a walking tempest by the time he reached the Fifth or Sixth Realm. More importantly, his sense of smell hadn't changed all that much despite his breakthrough. This implied it was either a quirk of the First Realm or an accidental opening of a meridian. Since the stone tablet showed that the meridian in his nose was still inactive, however, Nobu could pretty much confirm it was related to his cultivation technique. As for why it didn't influence Sachiko nearly as much as it had affected him? It did. She just didn't complain about it.......(A/N: Nobu is gradually becoming an air bender o_o...)

Since he wasn't exactly in a hurry to return to his so-called estate, Nobu spent three of the four days he had remaining training with Yui and periodically watching over how Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko were being taught.As a result of his efforts, Nobu quickly discovered that he only really needed to expose his arms in order to breathe properly. More importantly, he realized he didn't actually need to exhale in order to manipulate the surrounding wind currents. Exhaling was just one of the simplest methods since it was an intuitive action that allowed all creatures to technically manipulate air.Nobu's eureka moment came when he was learning how to meditate alongside Sachiko. They had been sitting next to each other, and, thanks to her sensitivity towards the changes in other people's auras, she quickly noticed a cool breeze blowing towards Nobu whenever he was breathing inward.After that important discovery, it only took a few hours of guided instruction before Nobu was able to generate a small breeze from his palms by drawing in air through the pores of his arms. It was a sensation similar to cold water flowing through his veins, but, in spite of this, a rare smile could be seen on Nobu's face as he made grass and leaves rustle. He might not have been a weeb back in his previous life but it was understandably exhilarating to be able to use supernatural abilities. A part of him was even tempted to try a Kamehameha........."Nobu...I believe it's about time we return to the estate. We can't stay out here indefinitely..."On the even of their third day of training, Nobu was lying in his tent between Yui and Yuriko. He had been attempting to ascertain whether or not it was possible to generate a bonus by absorbing the Yin Elemental Energy in their bodies, but, even after taking a small dose of Dragon's Vigor and going at it for more than three hours, he felt more refreshed than empowered.Exhaling a sigh, Nobu gave both girls' breasts a gentle squeeze as he answered, "Yeah, I know. We'll head back first thing tomorrow morning. I guess I just got caught up in the flow of things. Camping with a large group is surprisingly enjoyable. We should all come out again when Sachiko is ready to advance..."Though she knew there was another reason Nobu was reluctant to return to the estate, Yui just nestled closer to him without saying anything. She had been periodically heading up the mountain to report to her Grandmother while the others had been taking turns watching over the estate and making sure the renovations were going smoothly. As a result, everyone, including Nobu, had been made aware of the Elders' decision. Since then, Nobu had been putting off their return for a variety of different reasons, but, with his family reunion scheduled for noon the following day, he no longer had the option to continue stalling...What Yui didn't know what that Nobu had largely gotten over what had happened between him and Inami. Rather, after tonight's experiment, he was determined to continue fucking her so long as she continued providing him with a bonus to his aura gains. This might sound super scummy, but, after learning Inami was basically the most powerful person in the entire Clan, it didn't take a genius to understand that the person forcing her was none other than Inari.Since they were both being used by the fox goddess, Nobu was determined to become as strong as possible before the benefits of boning Inami ran out. At the very least, he wanted to become strong enough to befriend all the girls in his entourage. Then, once he reached a point where three-million aura was chump change, he intended to spite the bitch of a goddess by removing her curse from as many people as possible.In other words, Nobu's reluctance had less to do with Inami than it did with his parents. He could still vividly recall the memories of his catatonic self, but, thanks to the selfish decision he had made prior to his reincarnation, Nobu found it difficult to regard the couple as his parents. As sappy as it sounded, he still missed his mother from his previous life. He couldn't even describe how awkward it was to know he had a second mother who loved him to the point of becoming ill the moment he was secretly exiled...If he were being completely honest, Nobu was afraid. He couldn't quite put it into words, but the thought of meeting with his second life's biological parents filled him with a sense of incongruency and existential dread that was impossible to fathom. He was literally experiencing it, yet, no matter how much he tried to wrap his head around the events that had led up to the present situation, his mind simply refused to accept it...Fortunately, no matter how terrible things went tomorrow, Nobu was comforted by the knowledge that he had more than a dozen people literally willing to die for him if necessary. If he asked them to, they would whisk him away from the mountain even if the entire Yoshitsune and Oda Clans gave chase. They were ride-or-die for him, so, for their sakes, Nobu was willing to stand his ground and face whatever the future threw his way..."At least I'm not a simp..."Hearing Nobu's remark, it was Yuriko who asked, "Simp? What's that?" in a curious tone."It's a slang term used to describe subservient men who will do anything for a woman in the hope of receiving some kind of reward. When things don't go their way, they whine, bitch, and complain about how the females they serve don't appreciate their efforts. It's sad as fuck..."Furrowing her brows, Yuriko asked, "Are there actually men like that? I never read about anyone like that. The closest parallel I can think of are the Eunuchs of the Imperial Court but I'm pretty sure they would be put to death if they harbored such expectations..."Even if she didn't intend it as an insult, Nobu couldn't help laughing in response to Yuriko's remark. She had basically correlated Simps with Eunuchs. Such words would have come across as incredibly mean-spirited in his previous life, but, considering neither Simps nor Eunuchs were able to have sex, it was a surprisingly apt comparison...Believing Nobu was laughing at her, Yuriko adopted a slight pout as she reached down to grab his half-erect penis. This quickly silenced Nobu's laughter, not because he believed Yuriko was trying to threaten him, but because she immediately followed her actions by seductively whispering, "You're definitely not a simp...""Yuriko..."Since they had only recently finished having sex, Yui adopted a slight frown as she opened her eyes and stared at the ink-haired beauty sharing Nobu's chest. She wasn't going to chastise her in front of their Lord, but, depending on Nobu's decision, they would need to have a serious discussion the next time they were alone together.Fortunately for Yui, Nobu wasn't particularly tired. He also knew he wasn't going to get much sleep if he continued thinking about tomorrow's meeting, so, after the mischievous kunoichi had gotten him to full mast, a wolfish grin spread across his face as he replied, "You're goddamn right..."......Though he didn't actively complain, Nobu regretted his decision to pack up and leave at dawn. It was nearly 2 AM by the time he actually fell asleep. In other words, he only got around two and a half hours of rest since the run rose relatively early this time of year.Thankfully, Owari was one of the only Provinces actively trading with Granus. As a result, they were one of only three regions, excluding the Capital, that had coffee beans. Cho had been taught how to process them, so, despite a distinct lack of cream and sugar, both luxury goods, Nobu was able to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee as the girls broke down the camp and prepared for their return.Savoring the overwhelming yet nostalgic aroma, Nobu didn't immediately notice Midori staring at him. She had helped Cho to prepare his breakfast so she generally accompanied the latter while he was eating.Amused by the curious glimmer in Midori's eyes, a teasing smile developed across Nobu's face as he asked, "Want to try it?"Since coffee was an extreme luxury good, most people would never have the opportunity to try it. This included Midori, so, with an eager, innocent, and naive smile on her face, she leaned forward and exclaimed, "Can I really!?"Understanding that her Lord was pulling a prank, Cho covered her mouth with her sleeve in an attempt to suppress her laughter. This went completely unnoticed by Midori, who, upon receiving Nobu's permission, eagerly took a large gulp of the now lukewarm liquid.Though she had been warned by Cho that it was very bitter, the smile on Midori's face immediately faded the moment the coffee reached her tastebuds. If her Master hadn't been seated right in front of her, she might have spit it out without a second thought. Instead, she forced herself to swallow, a shiver running through her body as the liquid made its way down her throat. Then, with an equally forced smile, she handed back the cup and said, "It was delicious. Thank you..."Feeling somewhat apologetic, Nobu managed to hold in his laughter as he ruffled Midori's hair and said, "Don't worry. It's an acquired taste. If anyone tells you it's delicious, they're lying through their teeth. Even I think it tastes terrible. No offense, Cho."Having tasted it quite a number of times herself, Cho was in complete agreement with Nobu. Thus, rather than taking offense to his words, she just giggled in amusement before repeating what she had told Midori, specifically, "It is quite bitter, isn't it~?"Realizing she had been pranked, Midori puffed out her cheeks as she retracted her shoulders into a pouting posture. She knew he was just playing around but she couldn't help feeling that Nobu had somehow betrayed her. He was usually very nice. Much nicer than she had anticipated during their first encounter. She never expected him to trick her like this...Taken aback by Midori's reaction, Nobu found himself at a momentary loss for words. He had never been particularly fond of children so he didn't really know how to deal with one that was throwing a tantrum or pouting. All he knew was that he was in the wrong, so, before Cho could reprimand her for her behavior, Nobu pointed his free hand towards Midori, a warm breeze flowing from his palm and disturbing her teal-green hair as he said, "Hey now...you're the one who wanted to try it. I was just giving you the opportunity..."Though she was tempted to keep pouting, Midori wasn't oblivious to the spine-chilling looks she was receiving from some of the older girls. This included Cho, so, upon being reminded that she was, in fact, the person who wanted to try it, an awkward smile developed across her face as she meekly replied, "I'm sorry..."Oblivious to the subtle bloodlust that had been directed towards the eight-year-old girl, Nobu just chuckled wryly in response to Midori's words before asserting, "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to make you upset. Let's just let bygones be bygones. Deal?"Despite having no idea what a bygone was, Midori's smile became notably more sincere as she intoned a happy, "Nn~!". Her Master was still the kindest person she had ever met, so, even if he had pranked her, she was willing to forgive him. After all, he was also the only person protecting her from all the scary onee-sans that sometimes appeared as though they were ready to flay her alive.........(A/N: I would probably feel nervous as well...)

Despite exercising for the better part of three hours, Nobu still felt as though he was brimming with energy. The sweat covering his body had built up to the point it was dripping profusely, yet, in spite of this, he felt like he could keep going until his muscles tore and it still wouldn't be enough to fully exhaust him."What the fuck is wrong with me...?"Directing the question towards Yui and Onihime, both of which had been sitting silently in the hall, Nobu nearly lost his footing when the former explained, "Your body has absorbed an excess of Yin Elemental Energy. Inami-sama has been consolidating her cultivation base for the last six thousand years. If she were to venture beyond the mountain, countless people would spare no effort to seize her for themselves. Though I am reluctant to admit it, she may very well be the best dual cultivation partner in all of Nian..."Though he already had a basic understanding of dual cultivation from his previous world, Nobu had already learned the specifics from Yuriko. Suzune's words were also fresh in his mind after what had transpired so it didn't take long for him to recover and accept Yui's words as a statement of fact. He just didn't like it."How annoying..."Plopping down between the two girls, Nobu was preparing to snatch the stone tablet from Onihime when the latter handed it to him with an exuberant smile, saying, "Congratulations, Master. It would appear you've reached the threshold for the Second Realm.""Huh...?"Since he was still waiting for his mask to arrive, Nobu had been hovering between the 4th and the 6th Rank thanks to Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko. He allowed Onihime to click at his behest, but, for the most part, he had been regulating his growth by analyzing items, people, animals, and even the weather. He found it hard to believe that he would suddenly shoot from the 6th Rank to the 10th as he was exercising.With countless questions appearing within his mind, Nobu grabbed the stone tablet before closing his eyes, leaning his head against the wall, and muttering, "Fuck..." in an exasperated tone."Nobu...?""Master...?"Without opening his eyes, Nobu replied, "Just give me a moment..." as his mind desperately worked to sort through the information he had just obtained. He had seen the 10x multiplier listed beneath his aura value, and, based on the remaining time, he could assume that it directly correlated to the amount of time he and Inami had been fucking.Thanks to the medicine she had given him, Nobu ended up going to town on Inami from around 1 PM to just around 9 PM. Since then, roughly seven-and-a-half hours had passed. This left him with just under thirty minutes. As for why his cultivation had shot up so much, it was due to the fact that Midori, Sachiko, and Nariko had already awoken. They generally only contributed around 500 AU a day, but, thanks to the 10x bonus modifier, the amount they had contributed was a startling 5287.Simply put, having sex with Inami really had benefitted him a tremendous amount. This made him feel a little better, but, at the same time, it ignited a flame within his heart. He had spent most of the previous night and much of this morning brooding over how he could increase his strength as quickly as possible.Though he had resisted the idea when Yuriko proposed it, Nobu's desire for strength had been increasing with each passing day. He would need to become exponentially more powerful if he wanted to save Cho and the others. Thus, while a part of him vehemently resisted the idea, a much larger part of him was willing to do whatever it took to increase his strength. Only then would he be able to protect the things he cared about.As that thought crossed his mind, Nobu was startled to realize just how much he cared about Yui and the others. It was hard to say he was willing to die for them, but, at the same time, they were one of the reasons he had decided not to kill himself. He couldn't remember who said it, but there had been a famous quote in his previous life. Something about the legacy of a hero being found in the ideas and people they dedicated their lives to protecting rather than the circumstances of their death..."Fuck me..."Feeling he was getting pulled even deeper into whatever narrative the world had in store for him, Nobu couldn't help cursing under his breath. He knew he wasn't a Hero. If anything, he would have become an anti-hero if he had been given power in his previous world. Heroes were full of shit and villains were often poorly written. Thus, rather than become the lapdog of any particular nation, he had always envisioned himself as being a vigilante passing judgment on pieces of shit the system couldn't prosecute due to corruption and other foundational issues...Imagining himself in a Deadpool costume, a wry smile developed across Nobu's face as he jokingly muttered, "Maximum effort, eh...?""You do you, big boy. Just make sure you give those assholes a few good slaps for daddy, okay?"Opening his eyes, Nobu shifted his gaze left and right to find Yui and Onihime staring at him with varying degrees of concern on their face. This caused the smile on his face to transition into a grin as he internally mused, ("Guess I've finally lost it. Well, whatever. I haven't exactly been playing with a full deck ever since I was a kid. Who knows? Maybe this is all some kind of fever dream. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.")With that thought in mind, Nobu pulled the rag from his face before standing up and saying, "I'm going to advance my Realm. Are there any places on the mountain where the wind is particularly strong?"Though a few places entered her mind, Yui couldn't help asking, "Are you certain? Didn't you want to wait until your mask arrived?"Nodding his head, Nobu replied, "You're not wrong. However, I have no intention of just sitting on my ass for the next month or two. I wasn't fucking around when I told you I wanted to help. I can't do that while I'm still a weak and useless piece of shit. Besides, there are only like four or five days until I have to meet with my folks, right? I figure they would be a lot less stressed out if they learn I basically went from Level 0 to Level 10 in less than a month."Since the Realms were conveniently divided into Ten Realms, each with Ten Ranks, Nobu felt it was easier to regard it as a traditional RPG leveling system. The Cultivation Techniques were essentially just different Classes, and, while he would invariably be able to spec into multiple different Classes, he would need to level his current Class before the rest unlocked. Thus, for the sake of himself, the people he cared about, and just about everything else, he needed to grow stronger. Much stronger.Seeing the resolution in Nobu's eyes, Yui was honestly a little taken aback. Fortunately, she was able to conceal this behind a mask of calm as she answered, "Very well. There is a small gorge located on the Eastern slope. The winds there are particularly strong due to the frigid waters and the relatively temperate climate. If you require elevation, I could ask Grandmother to lend us Hisui..."Though he was feeling fairly ambitious at the moment, Nobu wasn't quite at the point where he was ready to meditate atop a massive bird made of jade and other forms of stone. He also had no idea how long it would take for him to advance to the next Realm, so, without needing to consider his response, he answered, "The gorge should be fine. I'll need to meditate at a higher elevation in the future but the Second Realm only requires me to cultivate in a place where I can feel the wind against my skin. There's no need to trouble your Grandmother..."Nodding her head in understanding, Yui raised her left hand to form a seal as she stated, "Very well. I will defer to your judgment on this matter. The only advice I have to offer is that you should invite everyone to accompany you. I believe it would bolster their morale quite a bit if they were given the opportunity to observe you breaking through to the next Realm..."Since he had no reason to refuse, Nobu returned a nod before saying, "Sounds good. I'm not sure how long it'll take though. They should be prepared to camp out for a few days."Returning a smile, Yui confidently replied, "Not a problem. I'll have Cho prepare a few garnishings, and, if necessary, we can always fish from the river."Having personally experienced Yui's ability to survive and gather resources, Nobu had no doubt regarding the ability of everyone else to do the same. Thus, after supplying another curt nod, he said, "We'll leave around noon. That should give everyone plenty of time to prepare. As for me, I'm gonna hit the bath. I smell like ass."Now that he had removed his face covering, Nobu was able to smell his own musk in all its glory. Advancing four Ranks hadn't helped, so, despite appearing relatively calm, he was actually on the verge of gagging every time he inhaled through his nose.As Yui nodded and prepared to meet with the others, Onihime extended her hand to grasp Nobu's sleeve, muttering, "Master...please allow me to accompany you. I will wash your back..."Since it had become something of a routine for him to bathe with pretty much everyone, Onihime included, Nobu just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Whatever. Let's go." before rising to his feet and heading towards the bath. In response, Onihime quickly fell into step behind him with a smile while Yui, feeling somewhat exasperated, exhaled an inaudible sigh before vanishing into thin air as she went to meet with the others.........Though it had been troublesome and awkward in the past, Nobu would be lying if he said it wasn't pleasant to have someone wash his back. He had always enjoyed getting his head rinsed whenever he got a haircut in his previous life. Now, thanks to the position he had been born into, there were more than a dozen girls who were ready and willing to wash his hair and back. Some of these were brats, but, so long as he ignored them, their nudity no longer affected him as much as it used to."Humans really are capable of adapting to anything, aren't they...?"Surprised by her Master's statement, Onihime paused for a brief moment before replying, "Indeed. There are many who claim that Humans are the most adaptive among the Eight Sovereign Species. It is this adaptability, combined with their ability to procreate, that has allowed Humans to conquer much of the known world...""Mmm..."Recalling the species that Shizune and Kumiko had mentioned, Nobu couldn't help thinking there was something fundamentally wrong with worlds such as this. Like, the Dragons were supposed to be so powerful that the individual members of their race could rival entire nations. In spite of this, they generally kept to themselves until some overpowered and egotistical assholes tracked them down in order to harvest their resources. They had basically been pushed to the brink of extinction, yet, even when their numbers had dwindled to the point that it was possible to name virtually every member of their species, they still acted as though they were untouchable.As someone with a burgeoning desire for power, Nobu felt there was a lot he could learn from the other Sovereign Species. He hadn't been brainwashed by the propaganda that presented humans as the dominant species on the planet. After all, back in his previous world, people were retarded to the point that they literally viewed other humans as 'beneath' them due to arbitrary bullshit such as race and ideology. In this world, even the Gods had nearly been wiped out as a result of their own hubris, so, now that he had decided to become as powerful as possible, Nobu was resolved to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors. At the very least, he wasn't going to be a racist asshole that joined in on the circle-jerk of racial superiority purported by asshats across the world...With that in mind, Nobu surprised Onihime even more by saying, "Turn around. You've washed my back. Now let me wash yours..."......(A/N: Is this what they call growing from trauma or is Nobu just allowing himself to be consumed by something more...?)

Chapter 84: Breaking Through