"Keep up, you are almost done."
Easier said than done. Training was tough after the basis was established and Muramasa gave me no mercy as he seemed to have realized at this point that I was no beginner and that I had some legitimate field experience. Once I had a degree of control over my growing understanding of the Iaidō, I was swiftly burdened as the old man took care in setting small training exercises that were unique through our path.
We never stopped for a moment, thus turning this learning experience into something more unusual compared to anything I dealt with in the past. Also, I was further reminded that Samurai still used Chakra, except not to the same degree as Ninja would. If for a Ninja their own body was a weapon, for the Samurai it was their blades.
Chakra coating into their weapons, either reinforcing them or allowing them to extend their reach... or even throw crescents of energy. In a very crass and yet cultured comparison, I would say that I could potentially end up producing the same effects of an Early-Series Ichigo Kurosaki's Getsuga Tenshou if I trained my control to that masterful level.
It was still a long-term goal, but I was going to eventually be able to pull some crazy moves through my sword. And that made me a giddy kid as I dove deep into training and ignored the unpleasant pressure this all exerted on my body. I was accustomed to this kind of stress so it wasn't that difficult to find a time to take breaks and rest without draining too much from my opportunities to get stronger.
Plus, the power I absorbed from the Earth Genryu through Hebikiri-maru allowed me to further work on expanding my arsenal of techniques of kenjutsu-related attacks when it comes to Earth-related and Dark-related Techniques. The former allowed me to study some barriers that could be created and reinforced with Chakra by merely stabbing my sword on the ground or on any surface without wasting time on hand-signs, while the other further expanded my offensive capacity, especially when it comes to long-ranged chakra attacks.
Cutting Shadow was a basic attack despite its formidable power-output, with its main flaw being that it was small and could be dodged if someone was prepared for it. It was not a perfect technique but it allowed me to create a few variants that could help on different occasions. The one that came up first was Dark Style: Bombing Shadow.
Despite its telling names, its early appearance was deceitful in nature: three small 'bullets' made of dark energy were propelled by sections of the blades and thrown at an opponent. They were capable of seeking out humans and, once within proximity, they would detonate and rip apart any opponent they were used against. It was a small step in a good direction, but the road to ultimately master the tools and the skills of the Samurai was long and arduous.
Was it rough? Yes, but I was also aided by another circumstance which left me smiling eye-to-eye. There is nothing wrong in giving out a healthy amount of headpats, and Nashiro was utterly delighted to get those and some lap-pillows from me. Ever since what happened with the creepy priest-guy, the girl had grown a bit more open towards me.
I could tell early on that she was just trying to be 'nice' to me since I was helping her, even more than before as she had literally been close to being kidnapped if I hadn't intervened. Plus, the Rasengan training did give her a chance to feel like she wasn't utterly harmless to anyone wanting to try and capture her.
In the end, through sheer willpower and attention, I managed to successfully gain another little sister to my collection. And before anyone tries to make it weirder than it is, it was all consensual and limited to moderate wholesome interactions. In fact, I would even say that the real issue was when it came to girls asking for more time with those interactions. Starvation for affection sure creates some monsters when dense affection is delivered to them.
And Nashiro was no exception as the dragon girl may have grown to adore the lap-pillows a bit too much. To the point we would go to sleep and I would find her head nuzzling on my leg by the time I would wake up. Poor girl for losing her family and home, yes, but I was not going to turn my ways with the wholesome into something more sinister. I was a good boy and a gooder man deep down.
The path we were following had no settlement along the way. That would be good and bad for many reasons, the issue lying on how to ration our resources but Muramasa took care of it by stacking enough for the journey so we wouldn't be forcing ourselves to limit our meals. The good thing was that, supposedly, we weren't going through any tracked path which could be ambushed by our current nuisance group. The reason why I had to add a 'supposedly' in there was because I had a feeling that it wouldn't work well in the long-run considering these people were really interested to get Nashiro. Like, really into it. And thus, I made my thoughts known.
Muramasa received those well, but assured me that there would be a low chance for that to happen. And then Nashiro confirmed that we were approaching a Genryu.
I didn't need to even ponder on which one it was because a quick look on the map and Nashiro aiming a finger at the direction she felt the entity being at confirmed that we were passing near a lake with many small rivers originating from it. Our current steps would take us to cross one of them and, while the dragon-like entity wouldn't be able to perceive us in the ground, it was going to notice us once we entered a body of water.
Now, two options came to mind: 1) We somehow jumped over the body of water, but such move would force us to use chakra which, as far as anyone knew could either throw my cover down the bin or, worse, alert anyone else watching for anyone using chakra around; 2) The two stayed behind but close to the river while I took care of the Water Genryu and thus cleared out the path and created a distraction at the same time.
Option 2 was exciting and somewhat better despite the risks I was putting myself through. Not only would I have to kill the Water dragon fast, but I would also have to get out of there without being tracked down by any other bastards we were trying to avoid. To sum it all up in a few words: I needed to do a clean and quick job. No hesitation, no delaying- I had to speedrun this crap.
And while that sounded absolutely dreadful because I had to slay a Mini-Bijuu tier monster, that didn't mean it was impossible within my current means of action. Especially when the foe I was fighting couldn't perceive me and thus could be subjected to a quick assassination if I aimed my blade on the right spots.
It would all have to happen in a single hit that would rush and cut two places at once. And it was all possible through the fact that Genryu wasn't armored. From Nashiro's own memories, the scales were known to be the 'weakest' due to its predisposition to speed. Hence why I had to blitz this murder.
Finding it was simple- I was hunting a literal Lochness monster after all and it stood out from the rest of the scenario like a Waldo in a crowd of formal-wearing workers. With the target on sight, I eased my breathing and took position. I had to make a precise jump and I had to release my sword at the right time. I also started to coat the sword in dark energy, applying a thin but still dense layer that should allow me to cut through with ease.
Once I felt I reached the balance, I opened my eyes and... took a single step before silently jumping. The Iaidō training allowed me to smoothly and quietly unsheath my sword as I carried the momentum of its release and the energy channeled by the Reibi to commit a single killing hit. The Water Genryu didn't notice until it was too late, the blade sharply dividing its head from its body and allowing me to then redirect the Hebikiri-maru onto its decapitated head's forehead.
The absorption was swift, with a light-blue water-like substance soaring and getting stored within the sword. Once its entire body was vanished by the draining, I bolted off to return to the others... but not before actually noticing something flying in the sky, it had appeared only as I had left sight and hidden by the trees. I paused for a moment, frowning as I recognized the same creepy priest from last time. And he looked unscathed from the Cutting Shadow I threw at him. Which meant a lot considering he didn't put any barrier and got to feel the explosive Dark chakra attack straight onto his face.
I didn't stop any further as I rushed back to the others, finding them in their hiding spot and getting them to move through the river as we had another issue looking for us around the area. Once we crossed the water, we resumed our path until we took a break and set down another camp to recover our strengths and plan a different route.
I used this break to actually think more of what had just happened. This sight, coupled with the familiar vibes he was showing with the mannerism and his talking, made me realize this was actually making me think of Jigen. And while this may sound like a paranoid idea, how many flying guys with god-complex were around to cause this sort of mess?
It was Jigen's standard stuff and someone was mimicking him to a degree. And maybe it had to do with the 'God' that this guy was worshiping since the Ootsutsuki were known to have a thing for lesser beings to worship them. And to confirm this, I had to ask the sole expert on the matter which I could reach all the time I was unconscious.
Also, the very individual which had grown a bit too bold for my tastes as of recently due to my 'quirky personality and young adultish body'.
Kaguya Ootsutsuki regaled me with a puzzled look as I finished explaining the situation, and I couldn't blame her considering this didn't make much sense to me either.
The woman and I may still treat each other with some distrust at times, but when it comes to Jigen and anyone potentially related to him and his plans, we would join together in some counter-plotting effort. And right now, the Rabbit Goddess didn't seem that pleased by how vague the entire situation was on that front. Yet, she could confirm one thing.
"This human has been altered to be able to go through this sort of ability. Elevated healing factor, flying and potential mind-control abilities... yes, I would say that Jigen may have used some of his cunning to create the means to enhance humans submitting to him."
"Still, why is he... you know, acting in the Land of Iron and not elsewhere?" I asked with a perplexed tone. "Wouldn't it be better for him to focus on capturing the Bijuu right now?"
"Perhaps," Kaguya admitted quietly, "Yet, I think that he is trying to go around this necessity. After all, this world wasn't limited to offer us its power to control it through the chakra tree. While we were studying it, Jigen and I discovered the Light Genryu. At the time it was still united and in control of its 'turf'. Eventually it split, but that unfolded while I became a deity and, at that point, these filthy beasts were irrelevant to me."
"And now you think Jigen is trying to recreate the Light Genryu to absorb its power and create another Chakra Fruit? I thought you need the other Genryu's energies-"
"Not necessarily. The girl you defend has the inherent potential to unlock her real power as the Light Genryu if provided with the four Dragon's essence. Not their entirety, but enough to trigger the transformation and unleash her true might upon the world," Kaguya explained but her tone grew quieter. "Alas, despite your improvements, the Light Genryu would still be a threat well beyond your current potential. I would say that, if provided with enough power, this beast could easily be compared to my weakest point and... even there, you would find defeat."
"Got it, I have to prevent the bastard from kidnap Nashiro. I think that should be easy to manage and-"
My words fled my mouth as I suddenly felt shifting from my small cushion seat in front of Kaguy and into a... bed. Oh dear.
"Uh, I appreciate the offer, but I like to sleep in my sleep bag-"
"I wasn't offering mere sleep to you, Danzou," The woman hummed jovially, now sitting on the bed with me. "You know, it's been a while since we discussed private matters. You are growing, Danzou and... you will soon need to treat a woman with your touch, your licking and... your inherent libido."
"I think I am fine to just be myself in that regard," I remarked dryly and yet the woman chuckled and I felt like a door or two were closing out of nowhere.
"None of that, as a doting mother and a merciful goddess, I would be most pleased to tenderly introduce you to intimacy and to guide you through your needs... while satisfying mine~," The woman announced, her kimono slightly shifting as she switched to what I could only think being her nightwear. She was wearing a skimpy tiny gown with particularly tiny white panties.
"I am not fucking you, you horny rabbit!" I replied sharply, the response only amusing Kaguya even more.
And I have to leave. Like, really now. I was dealing with a mother that was craving to enforce her milfy instincts to fuck someone. And I was of the 'right age' to be subjected to that. groping, suckling and some more- this was not the kind of stuff I would approve for myself due to my current body's age and-
I was suddenly pulled into her, face firmly pressed onto her now exposed chest as she decided to drop the nightwear too and finally unleash her milfy body upon me. Kaguya giggled, tightly holding onto my waist as she nuzzled into my head as she enjoyed the feeling of me struggling against her breasts, hands temporarily squeezing at her massive boobs and causing some milk to come out.
How the hell is she producing milk without being pregnant?!
The question could actually be answered through biological control over her own body and- She actually moaned at this feeling and I knew that I was going to get subjected to eternity of pent-up lust which could easily A) shatter my mind and B) shatter my pelvis. I could tell she could rebuild it but... let's be honest, that's not a fate I wanted to endure despite its good points. Luckily for me, Kaguya may have prevented me from backing away but had nothing to stop my hands to do something to cease this.
Kaguya tensed up when she felt two fingers suddenly pierce her wet pussy, and my thumb twirls at her clit. She tried to keep hold of me, but I knew I had to outmatch her through that intense fingering, making sure to make her squeal like a bitch and get her to orgasm hard. Since she hadn't been touched in centuries, it proved to be simple to actually force her to cum hard really fast. Her body just didn't have the stamina to last too long in individual rounds and, as her body relaxed, I took this chance to bail from the 'wet nightmare'.
I vanished from that mindscape and back into the real world. Now, that would have been the end of it... if not for a certain dragon girl who hadn't just taken things to the next level and purposely crawled inside my sleeping bag to get extra cuddly with me. The real issue in that normally-wholesome sight was the fact that I had a morning wood due to what happened with Kaguya, and my boner was currently sandwiched by Nashiro's behind.
While the girl had yet to form breasts, her butt was round and perfect to hotdog a willy. And she was not wearing panties, a little habit she had since she didn't have many to use and cleaning time was quite sparse due to our trip's pace. I opened my mouth, ready to wake her up since it was morning but-
Nashiro's eyes opened on their own, locking onto mine and then... smiled.
"Oniichan, good morning!" The girl chirpily greeted as she forced the sheets away to sit on my lap, ignoring the fact my length was still there and suddenly flattened by her groin.
"M-Morning- Nashiro, what are you doing, cuddling me without asking?"
"Yep!" She cheekily rebuked, grinning eye-to-eye. "How are you?"
"I'm... good?" I replied, my poker face holding strong as the girl seemed oblivious to the situation.
"Really? You look a bit red."
"Nashiro-chan, you forgot that you have been warming me up like that for a few hours. Your face is a bit red too, silly."
She gasped, "Really? I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright. Just ask before cuddling so we don't get too heated up about this."
"Okay~!" She lifted herself up and bolted to check the source of water we were staying close to so she could refresh. I sighed, glaring at the stiff length I was dealing with.
"Ah yes," A voice called from nearby. "To be young and boisterous."
I growled, turning to Muramasa. "It's not like that!"
"I am sure it isn't, but tragically this sort of stuff can happen due to how Nashiro's nature is. Her innocent self may not know what is up, but that sort of accident may unleash some instincts of her other nature. Be wary of that."
I facepalmed, taking a moment to sit, think and let my boner subdue to nothingness once more. Once Nashiro was done cleaning, I went for my turn to bathe, using this chance to rely on the newly-acquired power of my sword to get the water to grow colder. I needed it to be cold.
Cold Water. Lots of cold water to cleanse my tainted self...
AN