Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

After following his grandfather through several other large chambers, many filled with anti-siege weapons and other defensive fortifications, Nobu couldn't help asking, "How big is this place? It's been like half an hour since we entered..."Without looking back, Senichi shrugged his shoulders, answering, "How am I supposed to know? It's not like I ever measured the damn thing.""..."Though his brow twitched quite a bit, Nobu managed to avoid a rebuttal as he shifted his gaze to the roof above. There was an intricate runic pattern carved into the metallic surface, and, much like the Sistine Chapel, there were massive murals filling its surface. It was almost like a comic strip, but, without a frame of reference, Nobu had no idea whose or what kind of story it was supposed to be telling. All he knew for certain was that the painters had to be absolute mad lads to fill the ceilings of several huge chambers with such intricate paintings..."We're just about halfway there. Let's pick up the pace."Hearing his grandfather's words, the only thing preventing Nobu from performing a spit take was the fact he didn't have anything in his mouth. To make matters worse, the middle-aged man didn't even hesitate to leave him behind as he took off at a casual jog that would have let him lap formula one racecars."This mother..."Resisting the urge to complete his curse, Nobu inhaled a deep breath before spreading his hands to feel the flow of air around him. His intuition told him that his grandfather was trying to troll him, so, while the odds of him catching up were slim, he at least wanted to try.........After losing Nobu with remarkable ease, Senichi used the surrounding pillars and fortifications to conceal his presence. He was interested to see what his grandson would do once he had been left alone, but, far more important than that, he wanted to discover more about Nobu's cultivation and strength.As far as Senichi could tell, Nobu's cultivation method was much weaker than the Metal Infusion Technique used by the vast majority of Nianese cultivators. It had tremendous potential, sure, but Nobu was far from being able to draw it out. His control was terrible, his movements were clumsy, and he even showed fear when executing certain maneuvers. He demonstrated a complete lack of confidence, almost like he was afraid of his own power."He must have grown up in a remarkably safe environment to have these kinds of weaknesses...it's strange, though...according to the information provided by Hitomi, he exhibits the tell-tale signs of someone who had been oppressed. He isn't afraid to place his life on the line when someone forces their views on him but he fears his own power? What an odd brat..."Shaking his head, Senichi pulled out an extremely ancient-looking ring formed from an off-white, slightly luminous jade. Shortly thereafter, the massive pillars extending from floor to ceiling began to rumble as several human-sized square holes opened in their surface. From within, a number of vaguely humanoid automatons with limbs and joints formed from metal, gears, and cogs began to descend in droves.........Hearing the sound of metal striking metal, Nobu's body tensed as he noticed several droid-like machines emerge from within the surrounding pillars. It was only upon closer inspection that he realized that their thin, skeletal frames were exactly that. They literally resembled the skeletons of Nianese citizens whose bones had been dipped into copper, iron, silver, and gold..."You've got to be fucking kidding me..."Though he was unaware of it at the present moment, Nobu would later learn that the bones of cultivators who practiced the Metal Infusion Technique would invariably come to resemble the metals they absorbed. The same could be said for their muscle fibers, but, unlike bones, which stored excess Aura in a person's bone marrow, the energy contained within their muscles would quickly dissipate after their death.Unfortunately, Nobu didn't have the time to consider such things. The moment the skeletal army appeared, more than a dozen copper and iron skeletons immediately blitzed him. To make matters worse, matching Auras immediately covered their bodies before forming into a variety of different weapons and armaments."This isn't fucking funny, old man...!"Having been jumped several times in his previous life, Nobu knew how dangerous it was to let yourself be surrounded by numerous opponents. It didn't matter if they were much weaker than you. Even children could beat down fully grown adults if they surrounded them and attacked from their blindside. He also lacked the means to deal any significant damage to foes whose bodies were literally comprised of metal alloys, so, instead of fighting directly, Nobu catapulted himself into the air using a blast of wind that sent him high above his would-be attackers.Just as he was thinking about retreating to the safety of one of the bunker-like fortifications, a chill ran through Nobu's body. In the very next moment, he felt as though someone had impacted his body with a sledgehammer as a paradoxically hot yet cold sensation spread through his stomach."You damned fool...!"As the skeletal soldiers immediately stood down, Senichi appeared out of nowhere to catch Nobu before he could fall and impact the ground. Then, using his own Aura, he enveloped the arrow that had penetrated Nobu's stomach before dissolving it like a corrosive acid. In the exact same motion, he produced an extremely foul-smelling pill from a concealed pocket before shoving it into Nobu's mouth and ordering, "Swallow it...!"Bottling up the sudden and indignant fury that threatened to overwhelm him, Nobu forced himself to swallow as Senichi lowered him to the ground and began checking his abdomen. He wanted to call the man a stupid fucking idiot for placing him in a dangerous situation when he was still in the process of recovering from several broken ribs. Instead, he focused on the murals filling the ceiling as he internally remarked, ("I swear...once I get obtain enough power...I'm going to beat this stupid motherfucker until his hair falls out...")......After waiting for several hours, Senken was starting to get extremely bored. He wasn't particularly known for his patience, so, the moment his sake ran out, he groaned, "What's taking those two so long? Did they stop to take a shit along the way...?"Snorting in response to his own words, Senken crossed his arms before turning his attention to the massive crystal enshrined a few meters away. It had a malicious green luster, and, at the very center of the twenty-meter-tall, thirty-five-meter wide crystal was the head of the most deadly Aura Beast to have ever roamed the continent of Nian, the legendary Yamata-no-Orochi."Every time I come here, I have the exact same thought...you're one ugly sack of shit..."As if it could hear him, the eyes of Orochi issued a malevolent glow as the runes filling the chamber illuminated with a resplendent golden radiance. This would have terrified most, but, understanding how durable the seal was, Senken just cracked a mocking smile before responding, "Stop throwing a temper tantrum, you overgrown reptile. I'm not the one that sealed you in this place and I sure as hell won't be the one who releases you. Unless someone gathers the fragments of Susanoo's blade, you're stuck here until the end of the current era..."Realizing what he was saying, a cold sweat broke out across Senken's body as he suddenly recalled the prophecy related to his son. He wasn't entirely sure if Yamata-no-Orochi was one of the Beasts of Calamity but it was clearly beyond the level of a normal Aura Beast. It had required the support of numerous Gods to defeat, and, despite being one of the largest creatures he had ever met, the information provided by the Imperial Family claimed it was just a juvenile..."There's no way..."Though he doubted his son would be the one to remove Yamata-no-Orochi's seal, Senken knew the unification of Nian was one of the prerequisites for its awakening. The remnants of Susanoo's blade had been entrusted to the Eight Great Noble Clans. As for the hilt and scabbard, the former was in the possession of the Imperial Family while the latter had been swallowed by an ancient sea serpent while being transported to the Heavenly Kingdom.While it would take a miracle for the fragments of Susanoo's blade to be reunited, it was exactly the type of scenario that occurred during the changing of an era. Nobu's situation could be said to be a miracle, and, due to the existence of his nonsensical Heavenly Treasure, Senken couldn't disregard the possibility that other miracles would occur..."Looks like the Dragon's Chamber is finally going to be put to use..."A stark contrast to what Senichi had told Nobu, the true purpose of the Dragon's Chamber wasn't to serve as a last line of defense. Well, it was, but, far more important than that was its function as a seal. It was created to keep people out while simultaneously keeping the head of Yamata-no-Orochi sealed within. They simply lacked the personnel and resources to protect it ever since the war wiped out more than 90% of the Archipelago's population...As various thoughts began to play across Senken's mind, the far wall gradually began to rapidly shift like the pieces of a mechanical puzzle before a wide flight of stairs formed into existence. A few minutes later, a disgruntled-looking Nobu arrived alongside an uncharacteristically sheepish-looking Senichi.Raising his brows, Senken didn't hesitate to ask, "What the hell happened to you? Don't tell me this senile old fool tried to test you halfway through the journey..."Recalling all the trials his father had forced him to endure in his youth, one of the many reasons for Senken's rebellious nature, the ashen-haired man's face immediately formed into a frown."Jiji...I thought we already discussed this. Do you have worms growing in that brain of yours?"Snorting in response to his son's remark, Senichi crossed his own arms before saying, "I just wanted to see how capable my grandson was. His base is excellent but his instincts and control are severely lacking. At this rate, even if he surpasses them by a full Realm, he is bound to experience defeat at the hands of a sufficiently skilled warrior."Speaking before Nobu, Senken's expression morphed into a scowl as he asked, "So what? Just look at that brother of mine. You don't need to be able to defeat your opponents to wield tremendous power and influence. Nobu's Heavenly Treasure is clearly oriented towards ruling over others. Even if he decides to become a scholar or a tactician, you have no right to interfere."With that said, Senken walked over to check on Nobu's wounds. When he saw there was a scar on both his front and backside, his expression became even more severe. Injuries that ran through the abdomen could lead to death from shock, internal bleeding, and infection. On the battlefield, it was basically a death sentence, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, he slugged his father in the face and shouted, "You damned fool...!"Understanding his fault in the matter, Senichi allowed himself to be sent skidding across the ground from Senken's punch. He didn't even bother to protect himself with his Aura, as, prior to their arrival in the secret chamber, he had noticed the hostility Nobu was directing toward him. He was hoping this would alleviate some of the young man's frustrations, so, despite a trail of blood flowing from his nose and ear, he made no effort to wipe them clean as he adopted a proper seiza and said, "I'm sorry..." before lowering his head in a solemn and apologetic manner.Not expecting his usually proud and steadfast father to suddenly apologize, Senken found himself at a momentary loss for words. Nobu was also slightly taken aback, but, recalling what it felt like to have an arrow pierce his body, he was far from forgiving the middle-aged man's slight.........(A/N: Barret places his Gatling hand on Senichi's shoulder, "You fucked up...")

"That's a big ass crystal...and is that a dragon's head on the inside...?"Deciding to shelve his retribution until he was strong enough to personally give his grandfather a good punch, Nobu turned his attention towards the massive crystal on the far side of the room. He had also noticed a pedestal containing some kind of metallic fragment, but, compared to the yacht-sized dragon head, it didn't really stand out.Though he continued glaring at his father for several seconds, Senken eventually looked toward Nobu before shifting his attention to the same crystal and explaining, "This big bastard is known as Yamata-no-Orochi. According to legend, it was defeated by Susanoo-no-Mikoto-sama near the ass end of the Age of Gods. Unfortunately, as you can see here, it possesses an immortal and undying body. It managed to piece itself back together with a bit of help from the demons of Onigashima. It took the combined efforts of every clan, sect, and village within Nian to fell the beast a second time, and, were it not for the sacrifice of Queen Himiko, it might have destroyed the entire Archipelago..."Staring into the beast's eyes, Nobu felt an indescribable sensation of trepidation at the very core of his being. His 'plot sense' was sounding alarm bells in his mind, and, even though the monstrosity was currently sealed within a massive crystal, he got the distinct impression he would be fighting it at some point in the future."There's no fucking way..."Having seen the Godzilla vs. Kong movie prior to his death, Nobu could easily envision just how large the united body of Yamata-no-Orochi must be. The head in front of him made the skull of King Ghidorah look like a fucking smart car in comparison. Since the latter could literally perch atop mountains, its wingspan enough to embrace entire city blocks, it wasn't difficult to imagine Yamata-no-Orochi destroying the underdeveloped cities of Nian just by walking through them...Raising his brows in response to Nobu's reaction, Senken asked, "What's wrong, brat? You look like you're about to shit yourself. Don't worry. As scary as this bastard might look, it isn't getting out of that crystal any time soon..."Groaning in response to his father's careless words, Nobu earned curious looks from both Senken and Senichi as he palmed his forehead and muttered, "Well, that about confirms it.." in a tired and exasperated tone.Just as his father was about to ask, Nobu met Senken's gaze, asking, "Let me guess...the Oda Clan has been entrusted with keeping watch over the head of Yamata-no-Orochi and one of the items required to free it? I'm guessing the other Great Noble Clans have a similar duty while the Imperial Family protects the items required to bring them all together? Since that piece of metal over there looks like part of a sword, I'm guessing it's a fragment of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. That must mean the Yata-no-Kagami mirror and Yasakani-no-Magatama jewel are kept elsewhere..."As the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, Yata-no-Kagami, and Yasakani-no-Magatama were the 'Three Sacred Regalia' of the Imperial Family back in his previous world, Nobu could easily surmise they were the items used to both seal and release Yamata-no-Orochi. After all, according to the legend, they were literally forged from sections of its body. It stood to reason that they would be required to make it whole again.Surprised by Nobu's sudden reference to two of the Imperial Family's Heavenly Treasures, Senken's expression displayed his incredulity as he remarked, "The Yata-no-Kagami mirror and Yasakani-no-Magatama jewels are two of the Imperial Family's most sacred Heavenly Treasures. Who informed you of their existence? I didn't learn about them until I had already become Daimyo and there's no way in hell that old bat would have revealed such sensitive information..."Having already thought about how he would answer questions pertaining to his previous life, Nobu appeared calm as he held up his invisible stone tablet, dangling it as he shamelessly stated, "One of the people on my Friends List is a Goddess. Every now and then, she is generous enough to give me important information related to the history of Nian."Feeling the stone tablet vibrate in his hand, Nobu's smile visibly cracked as he thumbed the screen to check his notifications. When he saw the threat contained within, a cold sweat broke out across his body. In spite of this, he maintained an uncomfortable smile as he jokingly appended, "I wasn't supposed to tell you that..."Though he wasn't sure how they would react, Nobu wasn't particularly surprised when looks of realization appeared on the faces of his father and grandfather. He had already started to suspect they knew about his reincarnation, but, for reasons he could only guess at, the Goddess didn't want them on the same page. Her behavior reminded him of one of those asshole Dungeon Masters that got pissy whenever someone meta-gamed in the middle of a D&D(Dungeons & Dragons) session...After promising he wouldn't mention her a second time, Nobu placed the stone tablet in his sleeve pocket before shifting his attention to the metal shard on the pedestal and asking, "Is that piece of metal a part of the seal, or does it just function as a key?"Unsure of how to answer his son's question, Senken looked towards his father. In response, Senichi just shrugged his shoulders, answering, "In cases like this, it is common for the people entrusted to guard the seal to remain ignorant of its functions and release. Before you mentioned them, it never even occurred to me that the Yata-no-Kagami and the Yasakani-no-Magatama might be required to unseal the beast. Our duties tasked us with protecting the Dragon's Chamber and the secrets sealed within. Nothing more, nothing less."Resisting the temptation to walk over and place the sword fragment inside his storage dimension, Nobu caressed his chin for a few moments as he stared directly at the crimson-eyed beast. He had felt an emotion similar to existential dread when he first met its gaze, but, now that he was thinking about how to best fuck it over, it seemed considerably less intimidating. Almost like he was playing a game.As that thought crossed his mind, a somewhat mischievous smile spread across Nobu's face as he turned around and promptly took a selfie with the monstrous serpent. He remembered one of his favorite streaming duos, Game Grumps, doing something similar during a Windwaker playthrough in his previous life. He had found it pretty funny at the time, so, now that he had the chance to pose with a literal legendary creature, why the fuck not?Though his actions earned him incredulous looks from his father and grandfather, Nobu largely ignored them as he absentmindedly droned, "My Heavenly Treasure allows me to..."Furrowing his brows, Nobu briefly shifted his attention away from the stone tablet to stare back at Yamata-no-Orochi. The aforementioned King Ghidorah possessed the ability to communicate with its other heads via telepathy. He didn't want to think anyone had the ability to interface with one of the monstrous serpent's heads, but, understanding there was a non-zero chance of such an event occurring, he promptly supplanted, "Actually, we shouldn't be talking in front of this thing. It's way too calm for a monster that has been sealed inside of a crystal. If my intuition is correct, someone might be controlling one of its other heads to spy on the other seven..."The moment he finished speaking, Nobu noticed the pupils of Yamata-no-Orochi's massive eyes contract. He might not have noticed it if the creature was the size of an actual snake, but, with eyes twice the size of a ceremonial gong, it was pretty fucking hard to miss.Fortunately, Nobu wasn't the only one to notice the not-so-subtle change. Senken and Senichi were both in the latter half of the Sixth Realm. They could even perceive the flapping of a hummingbird's wings so there was no way in hell they would fail to discern Yamata-no-Orochi's peculiar reaction to Nobu's words.........Located nearly eight thousand kilometers North-East of Owari-Shuto was the Fortress City of Date, a major city located near the center of Nian's Mutsu Province.Years prior, the city of Date had a relatively small population of only 23,492 people. Despite this, it had made a name for itself across the Archipelago as nearly every resident of the city was either a Warrior or a battle-hardened soldier.Alongside the Uesugi, Ashina, and Satake Clans, the rulers of Date City, the Date Clan, had helped to defend against the encroachment of Onigashima for generations. This had garnered them a tremendous amount of support for the Nianese people and countless commendations from the Imperial Family.Unfortunately, shortly after the betrayal of the Mogami Clan, their closest ally, the leader of the Date Clan, Date Terumune, fell fatally ill when his son, Data Masamune, contracted smallpox. It left the young Masamune without his left eye while his Terumune, suffering from a congenital breathing problem, inevitably passed away after squandering the family's resources in pursuit of a cure.Succeeding his father at the young age of seventeen, Masamune struggled to establish himself as Daimyo due to his limited experience and lacking cultivation base. He was a highly skilled warrior, but, with many of his relatives surpassing him in cultivation, it was only a matter of time before the family began fighting amongst itself.After failing to gain control even after three years, Masamune was eventually contacted by an old friend in the Mogami Clan. Soon after, a massive army flying the banner of Onigashima appeared north of Date City. The forces of the city were more than prepared to repel them, but, shortly after the battle ended, the warriors in charge of the rout learned that every mainline descendant of the Date Clan had been assassinated.At the behest of Masamune, a group of elites manages to penetrate the Date Clan estate using a number of secret passages. They managed to wipe out the forces opposing the young Daimyo's reign, and, in exchange for his fealty, they were willing to grant him power and help him spread his name throughout the Archipelago.By sacrificing his humanity and becoming a demon, Masamune had become much stronger than the warriors who had pledged their allegiance to his clan. He had also allowed a veritable army to invade the city through its secret passages. Since then, the population of the city had grown from 23,492 to more than 69,000. The only caveat was that most of these newer residents were demons, youkai, and evil spirits. As for the human population, those that had failed to escape were basically relegated to livestock as the warriors still loyal to the Date Clan were either executed or converted to demons.As a cadet family to one of the original Eight Great Clans, the Date Clan had inherited the duty of protecting one of Yamata-no-Orochi's heads. Masamune had only become aware of this after his betrayal, but, having already tied his fate to Onigashima, he had little choice but to allow them to study and attempt to deconstruct the seal. The latter proved impossible, but, after several years of analysis, the group of youkai researchers had managed to interface with the head sealed within by infesting it with a parasite. Said parasite was also a youkai, and, thanks to its efforts, they had been able to spy on the other Great Noble Clans for the better part of a decade."Hoooo...I never expected that those barbarians in the Oda Clan would be the first to ascertain the truth. It seems this youth, Nobu, possesses quite the unique treasure..."Though Nobu had managed to catch himself before he revealed too much, the existence of his Heavenly Treasure was no known to his enemies. They weren't aware of its functions, but, knowing it allowed him to communicate with a Goddess was more than enough to catch the interest of the one-eyed man seated atop a throne formed from the bones of his deceased family members.........(A/N: Amongus...)

If Nobu had spoken to any other former Daimyo that way, he might have been challenged to a duel or put to death on the spot. When Senichi heard him, however, the middle-aged man just grinned before giving the former a firm smack on the back and saying, "Good. People who conspire to steal power from others are weaklings. You will always get further in life doing the things you want to do than trying to meet the expectations of others."With that said, Senichi retracted his hand from Nobu's back before adding, "There is, however, one thing you'll need to keep in mind..."Grinding his teeth in an effort to ease the throbbing pain at the center of his back, Nobu glared at his grandfather before asking, "What?" through clenched teeth.Maintaining the same grin from before, Senichi began to walk towards the depths of the chamber as he answered, "As your power and influence increase, those in positions of authority will attempt control over you. In life, you either rule or find yourself ruled by others. Those that attempt to break free from this mold find themselves labeled as criminals, rebels, and revolutionaries...after that, you either fight to survive or die a dog's death..."Without turning to see if Nobu was following him, Senichi continued towards the depths of the massive hall. He figured that Nobu, much like his father, would need time to process everything. What he didn't expect was for Nobu to softly murmur, "What a pain in the ass..." before quickly following after him...Restraining the urge to rub his temples, Senichi maintained a stern and dauntless smile on his war-weary face as he internally mused, ("At least he's decisive...")......While Nobu was receiving a history lesson and being escorted through the Dragon's Chamber, Yui found herself in a far more precarious situation.As Nobu had made it pretty clear he intended to marry her in the future, Yui spent the entire night accompanying Nana and Nobuhime. She had even received permission to refer to Nana as her Kaa-chan, an affectionate form of address used by children when speaking to their mothers.Having lost her mother at a very early age, Yui felt a combination of guilt and happiness when Nana gave her permission to use such an affectionate form of address. This, combined with the fact that Nobuhime seemed to have taken a shine to her, filled Yui with a bevy of emotions she didn't really know how to describe.Unfortunately, just as they were preparing for bed, Yui was informed that she would be meeting with Nobu's fiancee the following morning.While she had always expected to encounter the woman at some point, Yui hadn't expected the meeting to be so sudden. According to Nana, this was to help them sort things out before Nobu got involved. This was something Yui could understand, but, at the same time, she couldn't help feeling as though she was about to enter a battlefield.Though few people had even seen Nobu's fiancee, Yui had been made intimately aware of the woman's existence ever since she was a child. Since then, she had heard countless rumors about the woman's exploits, as, despite being a widow, the Oda Clan had afforded her a tremendous amount of freedom to make decisions.Under normal circumstances, the widow of a primary descendent of the Great Noble Clans would spend the rest of their days mourning the loss of their husband. They were relegated to a position that ensured they were little more than a political hostage.A stark contrast to the norm, Nobu's fiancee, Nohime, enjoyed a relatively privileged position. Her father, Saito Dosan, was the Lord of Mino and the former rival of Oda Senken. The two had met on the battlefield numerous times in their youth, and, despite many coming to know him as the Viper of Mino, Senken had grown to respect his rival's skill and tenacity.Long before Nobu was born, Senken had defeated Dosan in a battle that should have ended in one of their deaths. Instead, Senken offered the man a drink, and, after getting completely wasted, the duo promised that if they ever became the Daimyo of their respective territories, they would forge an alliance via marrying their firstborn sons and daughters.Though Senken offered to renege on his promise after Nobu's condition became known, Dosan, who had been struggled to centralize power at the time, insisted that they move forward with the arrangement. As a result, Nohime was entrusted to the Oda Clan to conduct bridal training at the age of eight. Since then, ten years had passed.While others in her position might have grieved, Nohime had always gotten along well with Nana. The latter regarded her as a daughter, so, despite many within the clan insisting that she adhere to tradition and remain in solitude, Nohime had been allowed a number of freedoms.The problem that Yui faced was that Nohime was known to be a remarkably beautiful and devilishly clever woman. There were even rumors floating about that she was a master tactician, and, through her connection with Nana, many believed she was the one ruling Owari from behind the scenes.Only fools would ever believe such rumors, but, having received a number of warnings from her Grandmother, Yui couldn't help regarding Nohime as a dangerous existence. She may not be the shadow ruler of Owari but she had managed to accrue a veritable fortune through her business enterprises. This was in spite of the fact she couldn't leave the capital, so, while most would regard Nohime as a powerless woman with a limited cultivation base, Yui recognized her for what she truly was...Saito Nohime, the Daughter of the Mino Province's Viper.........After waiting for several minutes, Yui's body tensed ever so slightly as the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. This was immediately noticed by Nana, who, with an amused smile on her face, teased, "Just relax, Yui-chan. No-chan might come across as cold and distant at times, but, deep down, she's a good girl. I'm sure the two of you can work something out~!"Forcing a smile, Yui appeared to relax as she politely replied, "I understand, Kaa-chan. Thank you for your words of encouragement..."Though she believed Yui was being overly polite, Nana just chalked it up to nerves. Their situations couldn't really be compared but if Senken had arranged a meeting between her and a member of his former entourage, Nana wasn't sure how she would respond. She would have readily accepted Hitomi but she never really saw eye to eye with his other kunoichi..."Pardon me, Nana-sama. I received a message saying you wished to see me...?"Dismissing her wayward thoughts, Nana adopted one of her characteristically radiant smiles as she happily exclaimed, "Come on in, No-chan! There's someone I want you to meet~!"Directing her attention to the sliding bamboo door, Yui's body, once again, tensed as she watched it slide open to reveal a remarkably beautiful woman with dark-brown hair, keen black eyes, and an attractive figure that was barely concealed by her black kimono and ivory white obi...Shifting her attention to Yui, Nohime's eyes briefly squinted as she muttered, "Yoshitsune Yui..." in a cold and distant tone.Had she encountered Nohime under normal circumstances, Yui might have bowed to the woman. After all, Nohime was, for all intents and purposes, her Lady. Were it not for Nobu's peculiarities, a meeting such as this would never have happened.Returning a practiced smile, Yui maintained a rigid posture as she replied, "It is a pleasure to see you in good health...Nohime-san..."Though her eyes briefly widened when she heard Yui's form of address, Nohime managed to stay composed as she returned a practiced smile of her own, answering, "Indeed...and with you here, it appears my hypothesis was correct. I'm assuming my revered husband is somewhere nearby...?"Clapping her hands together, Nana's smile became even more radiant as she exclaimed, "No-chan is so smart~!" in a sing-song tune.Exhaling an inaudible sigh, Nohime made her way over to the other two girls before sitting next to Nana. This made it appear as though she and Nana were on the same side while Yui was left sitting alone.Fortunately for Yui, Nana seemed to notice Nohime's intentions, a pout forming on her face as she said, "No-chan...don't be mean to Yui-chan. The two of you are going to be sisters in the future. You should at least try to get along..."Hearing Nana's words, it was Nohime's turn to tense as she directed a steely gaze towards Yui. For a brief moment, the latter thought she sensed killing intent, but, due to Nohime's cultivation being limited to the pinnacle of Iron, it wasn't very powerful."I see...it appears much has happened without me being made aware. If Kaa-chan would be so kind as to explain the situation, I would be forever grateful..."With no visible emotions on her face, Nohime appeared to regard Yui as little more than air as she shifted her attention to Nana. This caused the latter to wince, not because she was even remotely afraid of Nohime but because she felt guilty about keeping Nobu's return a secret. Nohime was, for all intents and purposes, her son's legal wife. She wasn't going to be happy when she learned that Nobu had impregnated, not one, but two women before they even had the chance to consummate their marriage...Noticing the discomfort in Nana's expression and body language, Nohime clenched her fists within her sleeves. It didn't show on her face, but she was extremely infuriated by this development. While she and Nobu had only met a single time, the latter was still her spouse. She had always suspected he was being treated in secret so she had spent the last decade strengthening her position with the expectation he would inevitably return. Finding out he had essentially been philandering while she was spending every day fulfilling her duties caused the usual cold and empty sensation in her heart to become a veritable inferno of rage and indignation...In spite of her rising emotions, Nohime appeared calm and composed as she appended, "Do not worry yourself, Kaa-chan. I do not blame you. I am certain there is a reasonable explanation for this and am more than willing to hear it. Please, speak freely. I am not some weak woman who needs to be coddled and sheltered from the truth."Though Yui was feeling even tenser after hearing Nohime's words, Nana visibly relaxed when she heard her daughter-in-law's assurance. She had always been fond of Nohime, so, while she wasn't oblivious to the enmity radiating from the woman's body, she believed the two of them would be able to work things out. After all, she knew, better than most, just how much of an effort Nohime had made to secure her current position. So long as they talked things out, they should be able to see eye to eye...Feeling hopeful, Nana regained her usual smile as she began to recount everything she had learned about Nobu's situation. Yui was a great help in this regard as she had basically been with Nobu ever since his awakening. She knew Nobu better than anyone else, so, for the better part of three-and-a-half hours, the three women discussed his nature and exploits while Nobuhime listened attentively from within her crib.........(A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than normal as I'm still recovering from the move. I also wanted to ask for everyone's opinion. At the present moment, I'm only planning for Nobu to have a total of three wives. I'm not saying he won't be promiscuous, but, once his children are born, he will mellow out quite a bit in regard to his sexual exploits. If you'd like to see a more 'active' Nobu, however, let me know in the comments section. So long as he doesn't reach Vahn level of harem, I don't mind a bit of excess. Just know there will be a lot of drama if we go that route xD...)

Chapter 122: Blunder