Chapter 10: Escaping from Plot-sama? I think not...

As much as he enjoyed just shutting his brain off and clicking, Nobu's patience was beginning to wear thin. His throat was completely parched, and, while it wasn't nearly as bad as when he first arrived, there was a deep, aching, feeling in his stomach.

"Haaaaa...I swear, if I ever become stronger than that washboard brat, I'm going to lock her in a room for an entire month..."

Though there was a chance she was much older than him, Nobu got the impression that the raven-haired woman was a few years younger. She gave off the impression of someone incredibly naive, and, were it not for her ridiculous strength, he could easily imagine her being taken advantage of by someone skilled at manipulating women.

"It's too bad she's about as flat as a plank of wood...I wonder if I could line up the bubble if I placed a level on her chest..."

Amused by the notion, a dry chuckle emanated from Nobu's throat as he set aside the stone tablet and rolled out of bed. Even lying down was beginning to cause him some discomfort so he needed to get up and walk around just to ease some of the tension in his back and joints.

"Maybe I shouldn't have told her I was Nananamori's grandson...nah...as shitty as this situation is, it's better than freezing to death and getting stripped naked by a bunch of homeless people..."

Since he had also gotten a free change of clothes and some surprisingly comfortable boots out of the deal, Nobu decided that, so long as she left him the hell alone, he would be magnanimous and forgive the flatchested psycho for her slights. Besides, he got the impression her very existence was some kind of flag.

As the woman herself had pointed out, meeting randomly was way too convenient to be a mere coincidence. In other words, this was the so-called 'fateful encounter'. Thus, before he could get wrapped up in whatever plot that psycho Goddess had contrived, Nobu was determined to get the hell out of dodge.

While some might take advantage of this situation to do something along the lines of 'reclaiming' their birthright, the simple fact of the matter was that the Oda Clan were basically strangers to him. They had already invested a shit ton of resources into trying to cure his 'curse' so he would need to be an irredeemable asshat to believe something as asinine as birthright entitled him to even more. Things might have been different if he had reincarnated properly but that was now water under the bridge.

Just as he had been preparing to do back on Earth, Nobu was determined to venture out into the world on his own. He already had a cheat, so, even if he just holed himself up in a cheap Inn and survived off of bread, it was only a matter of time before he became strong. After that, he would travel a bit, but, unlike the vast majority of cultivators, he had absolutely no intentions of traveling around for the sole purpose of slaying monsters and battling against evil sects. Just the thought of this made him feel exhausted, so, even if the Goddess had machinated some grand plot for him to play a part in, Nobu would be happy if he could just find a nice girl with big tits to settle down and start a family with.

Though it didn't really matter at this point, Nobu had actually been studying Civil Engineering. He was only in his first year of college, but, judging by the bucket located in the corner of the room, it was fair to say this world would benefit from some modernization. The buildings outside looked like something straight out of an eastern fantasy flick, and, as far as he could recall, even the Oda Clan's castle lacked proper plumbing. In other words, so long as he scouted a few eggheads and pointed them in the right direction, he could basically become the Thomas Edison of this world without any real effort.

With such thoughts running through his mind, Nobu walked over to the window to stare out at the surprisingly busy streets below. This was one of only three port cities in the Owari Province, so, if he played his cards right, he might be able to secure passage on a trading vessel. This would probably put him at risk against pirates, but, considering most of the feudal lords stayed within their territory, it would be a lot easier to avoid the Oda Clan if he traveled abroad. The only time he had ever been on a boat was when he went on a school field trip to Lake Erie so, seeing the multi-masted Galleons mored in the distance, Nobu couldn't deny the thought was tempting...

"Now I just need to wait for little miss BDSM to make good on her promise..."

As if his words had somehow manifested her into existence, Nobu's mind blanked as he noticed the sadist in question sticking close to the side of an adjacent building. She seemed to be on high alert, but, due to it being broad daylight, the only way her actions could have drawn even more attention was if she were completely nude.

"If you're dressed like a samurai, don't try to skulk around like a ninja...seriously, this girl..."

Almost as if she had heard his remark, the raven-haired girl shifted her attention to the window, eyes squinting as she placed her palm against the ground and began to exude a golden aura from her body.

"Now what are you-!?"

Before he could complete his sentence, Nobu instinctually blocked his eyes with his right arm as glass shards and splintered wooden shards peppered his body like rain. At the same time, the girl who had just leaped more than thirty meters to both cross the street and leap through the window intoned a confused, "Eh?" before following it up with a startled, "Why were you standing there...!?"

Feeling an increasingly familiar heat from various parts of his body, Nobu lowered his bloody arm, face grimmer than a demon as he replied, "I needed to stretch my body. A certain twin-tailed brat thought it would be a good idea to lock me in a room without food or water. Now, mind telling me why the fuck you just jumped in through the window?"

Not expecting Nobu to even be awake, Yui found herself at a loss for words, mouth agape as she stared at the rather sizeable shard of glass sticking out of the man's chest. Most people would have, at the very least, flinched after receiving such an injury. The man across from her, however, seemed completely impervious to pain...

A stark contrast to the glowering yet calm expression on his face, Nobu was screaming, ("She did it again! This fucking bitch! It's like she exists to torment me! Seriously, what the actual fuck is wrong with her!?")

With Nobu's gaze piercing through her, almost as if he were shooting beams from his eyes, Yui began to feel slightly uncomfortable. Despite this, she managed to regain her icy cold visage as she explained, "The people who killed you Grandfather just attempted to capture me. Once I'm finished bandaging your wounds, we'll need to leave the city. There is a safehouse located a few kilometers north of the city. We'll hold out there for a few days before venturing north. Don't worry, so long as you stay close to me, I won't let anything happen to you. You have my word."

Though darkness had started to creep into his vision, Nobu's fury allowed his mind to remain clear as he shouted, "Protect me!? With the exception of my right hand, every single one of my fucking injuries was inflicted by you! Hell, even that was made worse thanks to your stupid fucking ropes! Do you seriously expect me to trust you!? You're batshit insane...!"

Furrowing her brows in response to Nobu's accusations, Yui wanted to refute them, but, the more she thought about it, the more she realized he was telling the truth. Even now, thanks to the seals placed on windows to prevent people from peering inside, Nobu had sustained numerous injuries as a direct result of her actions. As far as she knew, he had only recently awoken, yet, the moment he got up to walk around, her actions had ensured he would be spending at least a few more days in bed.

Noticing the uncertainty contained within the woman's eyes, Nobu's thought processes seemed to speed up as he seriously considered telling her to fuck off. This wouldn't have been a problem if it were a few days ago, but, now that she had earned the attention of the assholes who had killed his 'Grandfather', there was a fair chance they would target him in order to get to her. In other words, thanks to whatever scheme the Goddess had cooked up, he was basically fucked no matter which option he chose.

Since fleeing with the psycho was probably his only option if he wanted to avoid being tortured to death, Nobu flexed the muscles of his jaw several times before growling, "Whatever. Let's go. Just know that I hate you more with each passing second. Once this bullshit blows over, it would be the greatest fortune of my life if I never have to see you again..."

With strength draining from his body before he had even finished speaking, Nobu stumbled to the ground immediately following his statement. He knew his words were a little harsh, but, considering all the shit she had put him through, she was lucky he didn't try to hold her down until her pursuers arrived. If he turned her over to them, there was a chance they would let him walk away. They might even give him a reward, but, as much as he hated this embodiment of misfortune, Nobu wasn't the kind of guy who could simply toss a woman to the wolves without batting an eye...

Though her training mandated that she immediately check Nobu's condition, the former's words left Yui feeling an indescribable feeling in her chest. His indignation reminded her of all the times she had felt weak and powerless in the past. Back then, every aspect of her life had been decided by other people, and, were it not for the fact her fiance had died, she would have spent the remainder of her days playing the part of an obedient servant and concubine. Since her husband was destined to be the next leader of the Oda Clan, she wouldn't even be allowed to have children since it might result in a power struggle between the two Clans. Thus, better than most, she could understand the feelings of indignation people felt when they were forced to accept a situation beyond their power to change...

"Grandmother was right...I wasn't ready for this. I've even become the very thing I hate the most...a selfish and egotistical person who forces others to obey simply because I have the power to force them to comply...how pathetic..."

Scowling, not at Nobu but because of her own self-loathing, Yui bent down to check the former's pulse before skillfully cutting away the fabric of his tunic. Carrying him while there were glass shards in his body was a recipe for disaster, so, while she was pressed for time, treating his injuries was her highest priority. If he died, the only way she would be able to repent for her actions was to offer her own life in turn. Thus, for both of their sakes, she would make sure he survived...even if it cost both her dream and her life...

(A/N: Man, Nobu is a little firecracker...I kind of feel bad for Yui, but, considering the former is the one lying on the ground with a piece of glass piercing his chest, it's hard to blame him for being a little upset. Either way, this is an oof moment.)