บท 124: Echoes of the Past
"It must be that traitorous bastard from the Date Clan. We'll need to report this finding to the Imperial Court as soon as possible."
After leaving the Dragon's Chamber and retreating far beyond the Yamata-no-Orocihi's ability to perceive, this was the first thing Senichi said. In response, Senken nodded his head, an inordinately serious look on his face as he said, "I had almost forgotten about that bastard's betrayal. Shouldn't the Uesugi, Ashina, and Satake Clans have dealt with him by now...?"
As the lands occupied by the Date Clan were practically surrounded by forces loyal to the Imperial Family, Senken couldn't understand how they had failed to take action. The leader of the Uesugi Clan, Uesugi Kenshin, was the current generation's 'God of War'. She might be a woman, but, much like Musashi, she had managed to make a name for herself in an unreasonably short period of time. She was only in her thirties, but, thanks to the blessings of Bishamonten, one of the Shichi-fuku-jin, she could even fight people a full Realm above her without giving ground.
Understanding his son's thoughts, Senichi shook his head, stating, "Even if Kenshin is known as the Dragon of Echigo, she can't simply charge into enemy territory on her own. You forget that she isn't an original descendant of the Uesugi Clan. She acquired her title and position as compensation for sheltering the previous patriarch, Uesugi Norimasa. Though he agreed to her terms and took her as his successor, Norimasa has been doing everything in his power to seize Echigo as install his son as Daimyo. If Kenshin were to leave the capital for an extended period of time, that old bastard would quickly claim it for himself."
With intensely furrowed brows, it was pretty obvious that Senken wasn't enthused by his father's words. Nobu, however, had become fully alert, his expression showing shock and mild incredulity as he asked, "Uesugi Kenshin is a woman? Who's next, Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro?"
As his words were intended more as a joke than anything else, Nobu felt a little enervated when his father and grandfather stared at him with somewhat confused expressions before the latter replied, "I've never heard of this Sasaki Kojiro but Miyamoto Musashi is, indeed, a woman. In fact, she is the most powerful female cultivator in Nian and the single most deadly threat to its warriors. If you ever see or hear about a woman with wild, vermillion hair walking around with a giant machete, don't let your curiosity get the better of you. Just run."
Nodding his head in approval of his father's words, Senken added, "There is a saying in Nian. When Musashi nears, you either flee or die. Any warrior who crosses paths with her, even as a mistake, is fated to be struck down. It doesn't matter how many people you send. Trying to oppose Musashi is like trying to redirect a hurricane or slice through a tsunami. She is a walking natural disaster."
Hearing his father's and grandfather's words, Nobu couldn't help massaging his forehead with his left hand. The way they talked about Musashi made it seem as though it was only a matter of time before he encountered the infamous redhead. Hell, he was even beginning to suspect he had been transported into the world of an eroge. After all, Yui and the others had expressed, time and again, how difficult it was to be a female cultivator in Nian. It couldn't be a simple coincidence that two of the most powerful warriors in Japanese history turned out to be female...
Recalling that the Musashi of his world was born almost fifty years after his namesake, Nobu took a moment to organize his thoughts before asking, "Just out of curiosity...are there people named Abe no Semei and Benkei running around...?"
Before answering Nobu's question, Senken and Senichi exchanged glances with one another before the latter ultimately nodded his head and answered, "Abe no Semei is one of the Sacred Guardians protecting Nian and the Imperial Family. She is widely considered to be the most powerful Onmyōji in history. As for Benkei...they are a little more obscure, but, according to intelligence reports, they have been traveling around the country in an effort to gather a thousand different weapons..."
Hearing his grandfather's reply, Nobu needed to take a seat. He had studied Japanese History for two years and had even traveled abroad with his mother on numerous occasions. He wasn't exactly a history buff, but he knew the basics about a lot of Japan's most famous and influential people.
Though they appeared in numerous video games and anime related to the Sengoku Period, Abe no Semei and Benkei had both lived and died hundreds of years before its onset. The only reason they appeared in games and stuff was because of their prominence in Japanese Folklore. Abe no Semei was the most powerful Onmyōji to have ever lived while Benkei, alongside being the Chief Retainer of Minamoto Yoshitsune, another remarkably famous figure, was rumored to have defeated more than three-hundred soldiers and samurai during his last stand at the Battle of Koromo River. In the end, his enemies literally had to pepper him with hundreds of arrows as trying to fight him directly was tantamount to suicide...
("Well...at least I didn't loop myself into thinking that the events of my life would follow the history of my namesake to a tee...")
Now that he was aware that people like Abe no Semei and Benkei were present, Nobu could safely assume that other famous figures would be present. This didn't just apply to Nian, but the world as a whole. After all, Inami had proven that people could easily survive for thousands of years. To that end, it was safe to assume that many of the most famous and influential figures from various myths would be present in other countries. To make matters worse, some of these figures would probably be the reincarnators he was presumably expected to defeat...
"It's like playing Civ...for keeps..."
Shaking that thought from his mind, Nobu looked towards his father and grandfather, who, as could be expected, appeared confused by his behavior. In response, he just smiled wryly, elbows resting on his knees as he asked, "So? What now? You didn't bring me down here just to show me that snakehead and tell me about some inherited duty, did you?"
Scratching the back of his head, Senken appeared moderately uncomfortable as he answered, "Well...kind of? I mean, protecting this place has been the sacred duty of the Oda Clan for the last six thousand years. It was important that you at least knew about it. I have no intention of telling you how to live, but, for the sake of our family and the people who depend on us, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when you're making decisions. Take it from me, kid. If your selfish decisions result in the suffering of others, you'll end up regretting it for the rest of your life..."
Wincing in response to his father's words, the smile on Nobu's face promptly faded away as a mild feeling of indignation swelled within his heart. He was well aware of the truth contained within such words as he was still regretting the decision he made prior to his reincarnation. If he had been born normally, he would have been able to accrue a tremendous amount of power by the time he was in his teens. Instead, his decision left him playing catch-up while his parents and entourage had been made to suffer as a result of his selfishness...
Exhaling a sigh, Nobu surprised both Senken and Senichi by suddenly closing his eyes and saying, "Sorry..." in a meek, nearly inaudible tone. They didn't know exactly why he was apologizing, but, understanding he was being sincere, the duo exchanged glances before Senken walked over, his voice awkward yet caring as he ruffled Nobu's hair and said, "Don't worry about it...whatever you think you did wrong, we forgive you..."
Though he frowned in response to having his hair ruffled, Nobu felt a sourness in his nose when he heard Senken's words. At the same time, a feeling of tightness spread through his throat and chest as memories of all the times the man had apologized to his catatonic self played in his mind...
...
..
.
When she learned that Yui was pregnant with Nobu's child, Nohime wanted nothing more than to strangle the 'harlot' for daring to seduce her husband. She had never felt so betrayed in her entire life, and, were it not for the presence of Nana, she might not have been able to keep her cool.
Fortunately, as part of the explanation, Nohime had also come to learn about Nobu's Heavenly Treasure. She wasn't given every detail but she was informed about its ability to drastically improve a person's cultivation in a short period of time. This was spectacular news, as, despite putting on a false smile and pretending it didn't bother her, one of the things Nohime had always resented was her inability to cultivate freely.
Though she was a princess and possessed remarkable intelligence, Nohime had been denied the right to cultivate freely as a result of Nobu's death. The only reason most females were allocated cultivation resources was to ensure they gave birth to a powerful heir, so, with her husband dead, the Elders of the Oda Clan had done everything in their power to deny her resources.
While others near her age were at the pinnacle of Silver or even breaking into Gold, Nohime had been forced to stagnate as a Rank 9 Iron Warrior for more than a decade. It was one of the things that had always bothered her so it was a tremendous relief when she heard Nobu had the ability to drastically increase a person's Aura in a short period of time. She was in such a good mood, in fact, that she was nearly willing to forgive Yui for seducing her husband.
Nearly.
"I'm curious to know, Yui-dono. What, exactly, were the circumstances that led to you and another becoming pregnant with my hus-with Nobunaga-sama's child? I was informed that the Yoshitsune Clan had laws strictly forbidding their Kunoichi from bearing the children of the Oda Clan. In fact, I believe the penalty for breaking said laws is execution via flogging..."
"No-chan! What are you saying...!?"
Hearing Nohime's words, a fretful expression developed across Nana's face. She didn't expect her surrogate daughter to insinuate that Yui should be executed for her actions. Sure, the law might be clear on such issues, but, in the face of true love, rules and traditions were meaningless. She could see how Nobu looked at Yui, so, even if she cared dearly for Nohime, Nana wasn't going to tolerate such insinuating remarks.
Fortunately, Yui had already been expecting such a question, so, before Nohime could even pretend to apologize, she calmly stated, "It was the decision of my Lord and Master, Nobunaga-sama. When you meet, you will quickly learn that Nobunaga-sama is unlike any other man living within Nian. His values are drastically different from ours and he has no interest in any culture or tradition that limits a person's individual freedoms. I can understand why you would hate me, Nohime-san. You are well within your rights to do so. However, no matter what, I will continue to walk this path alongside my Lord."
With an indifferent expression that could put an extra layer on ice, Nohime stared directly into Yui's obsidian-blue eyes. She could see the resolution contained within the younger woman's gaze, but, after working herself to the bone for the better part of ten years, Nohime refused to believe anyone was as resolute as she. Thus, while she was prepared to adjust her behavior in accordance with her husband's sensibilities, she had absolutely no intention of recognizing Yui, or anyone else for that matter, as her equal...
...
..
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(A/N: That one decision of Nobu's had far-reaching effects...)
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