Chapter 122: Blunder

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...

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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...

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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...")

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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...

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(A/N: Barret places his Gatling hand on Senichi's shoulder, "You fucked up...")