Welcome back! With the momentary freedom a break in beta-ing and IRL problems gave me, I was somehow able to finish this chapter in due time. Hope you haven't been waiting for too long! Honestly, other than this, I don't have much to say because the anime/manga season is drawing to a close and preparing to start a new one in summer. Of course, my opinion in what I look forward to watching/reading/buying won't be valid until I actually get my hands (figuratively speaking) on the real deal, so it'll have to wait. But... I'm honestly not looking forward to the Camelot Pt. 2 movie because of how lacklustre the first one was to me.

There you go: your hot take of the day.

Mailbag time!
Batman who talks & Jokes: Nah; like I often mentioned, I'm not a keen follower and reader of DC products, so I can't really answer your questions. And yes, each timeline will have their own set of female (and probably male) companions to SHIROU. This is an M-rated series, after all.
neverplayedmgs: Thanks for your praise! I've been working hard on improving these scenes because, in fact, I used to make them too technical and without the 'oomph' you mentioned, because I've been too engrossed in my own personal martial arts training and real-life fight experience. Perhaps the latter was what drew you in, and precisely the attribute I'm still playing around with. I basically have a choreography in mind and simply write as detailed as I can while not taking away from the dramatic moments we love from anime and manga, which is more difficult in written media because we don't have BGM.
WhatDidIDoToGetHere: Yes, but with his original (to my story) appearance, which is roughly more a mix of Shirou's features with EMIYA's figure. Besides, the Gilgamesh I eluded to is a gender-bent version and female. For example, if we use Fate/Strange Fake, my story's Gilgamesh won't recognize the Enkidu summoned there and vice versa.

N.B.: As you'll see at the end of this chapter, the next one will be a 'battle' one. Check out the Character Sheet update I promised last time as well!

"Nē-sama!"
"Nē-sama!"

Both Tome and Toyo rushed at Danzō and Chiyome before they finished stepping through the main forge door, switching between sisters-in-law right after they finished glomping either one. It's especially comical on the latter's slight and short frame, barely any bigger than the twins themselves, struggling to breathe when her face was covered entirely by their upper torsos.

At the very least, it's not troublesome for Chiyome to lift their weight. Even before her current level-up, she's already much stronger than her size due to her physique, though certainly not comparable to Danzō, much less her husband. And he described himself as not someone who's particularly strong either… insisting all the hard labour of forging and cooking were all technique to save energy instead of back-breaking, muscle-tearing work.

The fact the twins, both petite and average-sized, were able to endure the harsh heat, sharp lighting contrast, and choking smog just fine. Granted, the Sengo family forge had been extensively renovated by Muramasa to ensure the workers' and his sisters' health and longevity with state-of-the-art exhaust system, materials, and Altered machinery, but it's still not a place casuals could freely visit and stay for prolonged period of time.

A theory proven by the guests filling in the balcony space, with Momochi scrunching her face the most visibly. Kōtarō elbowed her lightly to behave, but he was near tears himself with all the coke bits stinging his eyes. The entire Fūma Clan was trained against poisons and chemical deterrents, but it appeared their curriculum had missed this one spot.

The rest fared somewhat worse, with some audibly coughing on occasion; others chose to forgo dignity and wrap multiple layers of thin cloth across their nose and mouth. They were resistant at first when seeing these two littleO runts running around, sweating and dirty, and breathing without any problem, but the length of time they had to wait from the moment Danzō told them to enter through a side door until she and Chiyome greeted their in-laws was too long.

The sight of their 'mother' playing with younger children didn't help either, especially because she went right back to her cold, distant self straight after their victory over their reincarnated Great Ancestor.

What should they do to receive that same smile she's displaying now, and the one from their memory?

The man who's the target of their enmity, now they had a clearer idea and a firmer belief in Kōtarō earlier theory about how he controlled their 'mother' cruelly like a puppet master, was also not here. Taking out their negative emotions on his family – on two juvenile girls, even – felt just wrong, so they were left steaming in another person's house-cum-workshop.

Oh, that was supposed to be a capitalized Workshop, since the amount of magical energy flowing through every crevice rivalled any temples and castles these shinobis had been into. From what they could tell, most were simply livelihood improvements they, as guests, couldn't enjoy, but undoubtedly some were fierce counter-defensive runes and magic circles designed to make this forge stronger than a military fortress.

Having seen what Sengo Muramasa could do first-hand – literally toying with the first Fūma Kōtarō they, as a group, were struggling to defeat – that wasn't an over-exaggeration. Their earlier idea of wrongfully pranking the twins were immediately dashed when they thought of the aforementioned conclusion: They'd die from the backlash. Easy as that.

It's not as if their 'mother' would go to any length to save them, either. Momochi still had the scar in her stomach where Danzō heartlessly stabbed her through in Okehazama.

To be honest, it's rather confusing. How could she switch back-and-forth between this new personality of hers and the reliable commander they held dear – as well as the obviously dear mother figure they yearned for after her 'death' – they simply couldn't understand. Was her heart and soul actually as artificial as her birth? They refused to believe so because of the short time they'd experienced with her, when she was even more human than the targets they killed in their youths.

Still, no one dared to step out of position to capture her attention. It's not due to a lack of effort, because everything they did – subtle or obvious – were all repelled by a wall of coldness and unfamiliarity, her beautiful face contorting negatively as if mere hooligans were trying to ungentlemanly hit on her. It's not the professional hostility she displayed when fighting against them in Okehazama, but in a sense it became more hurtful instead, because the repulsiveness she showed on occasion was far more personal than that battlefield, where in their mind they rationalized as a force of occasion.

None of them wanted to believe the loving expression she targeted at Sengo Muramasa as real, choosing instead to assume it's merely an unbreakable genjutsu he snared her with.

- Shaaa…

"Oh, it's raining."

Chiyome's words, being both female and a relative stranger to the Fūma group, snapped them out of their funk. Without craning their necks around embarrassingly, they strained their ears to listen to the raindrops falling against the rooftiles, but found nothing at first. However, true to her prediction, the heavens opened not five seconds later, nearly drowning all sound inside the forge – including the Ippon-Dataras' noisy hammer swings – under the deluge.

"Your senses continue to amaze me as usual, Chiyome-sama."

Lightly blushing and smiling at Danzō's praise, the shorter girl waved it off. "It's a particularly interesting area to me because my hair is troublesome when it gets humid." Putting down Tome from her grasp – which was not a high place at all, in contrast to when they climbed all over their older brother's shoulders when they were a child – she added, "Now, now, girls, didn't your brother assign you a lot of tasks? The two of us are here to learn and assist; do lead us on."

The twins giggled. Toyo remarked straightforwardly, "Is this some sort of test? The two of you are spying on us? Isn't this a bit… overt?"

"Not at all. It's a showcase to our guests up there," Danzō answered, pointing at the observing Fūma shinobis on the upper balcony. Intentionally or not, the casual way she used the term 'guests' was rather hurtful to the young men and women there. "It's a rare opportunity to join in… because even though I've watched Shirō-sama plenty of times, I feel he is the sort of teacher who is… demanding. Am I wrong?"

Tome shamelessly laughed out loud, disregarding the presence of outsiders when it came to denigrating her beloved-yet-difficult older brother. "He's only kind to you two! To us, he's a slave-driver! Watch!" She pushed both palms out, displaying the rough surfaces and knots and scars and calluses usually common for women of Danzō's and Chiyome's profession, and certainly not at their age. "What kind of brother threatens poor little girls like us with no dinner unless we turn our hands into this?! Cruel! Evil! Monster!"

- Grab!

"T-Tome-chan… b-behind you…!" Her twin stuttered out in horror… though far too late. "A-Aniue! W-Welcome home!" She instantly put a sickeningly sweet mask at the tall silhouette who had just suddenly appeared behind the still-blabbering Tome.

"G-Guho! Aniue! I-It hurts…!" The girl comically swung her feet, both off the ground, as her hands reached up to the steel-like fingers clamping on her head, lifting her body like a doll. "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! I-I'm sorry, okay?!"

The redhead growled. "No, you're clearly not sorry. How many times do I have to do this to make you stop bragging wrongly in front of the girls?!" At first, he placed her back down right after saying that, but a fist to the head immediately followed, accompanied by a loud, "OW!" from the little sister. "I don't care about outsiders, but both Chiyome and Danzō are tired enough to be spared of your nonsense, get it? And why did you also go along with it, Toyo? Hm…?"

When her brother turned his neck towards her, the addressed twin chose not to meet his gaze and hide behind Danzō's wide hips instead. "I-I have nothing to do with t-this! I was speaking to Nē-sama!"

"Toyo! You traitor!"

"Shut up! You deserve it!"

The twins then went back-and-forth for a bit, one crouching on the ground shivering in pain and holding the crown of her head, while the other shouted out insults from behind whatever new cover she could find once the older girls got bored and moved away with their beloved to speak somewhere else. To be frank – and to inform outsiders – this phenomenon happened every so often with either roles reprised by either Toyo and Tome, depending on the mood of the day.

Despite being an industrial unit, the Sengo forge was still tastefully designed and decorated with what fellow smiths would describe as 'frivolous' and 'useless'. It's a livelihood choice, because even the Ippon-Dataras enjoyed working more in a cohesively and functionally beautiful environment than one prioritizing brutal efficiency and productivity. After all, the family business was about quality instead of quantity, though the changes Muramasa made had begun to also place the latter into importance, without compromising the former at all.

Therefore, the elders weren't complaining since he brought 'glory' and 'prestige' to the clan – two attributes he never cared about – and he had a front to launder the money he got from 'extracurricular activities' outside of blacksmithing, by simply claiming 'business has been good' or something like that. While not everything could be bought with money, money could solve almost everything.

For example, buying and dressing up his wives and lovers to his hearts' content. It's good to show his affection in more ways than simply touching, licking, and sticking his cock in their holes, after all. He had to pay attention to their likes and dislikes as well, regardless how well they hid the latter from him, thinking it'd only bother him and be a hindrance.

For instance, Chiyome loved her alcohol while not caring particularly much about recent kimono fashion, but having lived her whole life wearing complicated and stunning ceremonial clothes, she instinctively wore and bought sets upon sets of highest-quality fabrics, despite not having any knowledge regarding which was good or even genuine.

Danzō was perhaps the type of woman one felt most troubled to buy for, because she'd literally use, wear, eat, and adore anything so long as someone she perceived as her superior bought her those items. Of course, this caused no end of headaches for Muramasa, who was constantly faced with the frustrating cliched answer of, "I'd love everything you give me." almost every single time he asked her. Still, she appeared to be fond of small, homely ornaments to the tune of her handmade scarf, so he at least had something to work from.

Perhaps Nobunaga was the most 'normal' least in type if not style. As a high-born lady, she loved to collect art pieces – porcelains, paintings, poems, gardens, etc. – though her taste of them was as unconventional as everything she did. Much like the person he knew from his side of history, she preferred Nanban uniform and aesthetics, and this also affected the aforementioned crafts, leading to her original self's constant desire to improve relationship with Europe.

Mitsuhide, meanwhile, was surprisingly more traditional and subdued, almost as if her usual exuberant persona was nothing but a mask… even though the opposite was truer. Preferring casual Nihon set of clothes for everyday wear, training, and pretty much everything else – she even brought streetwear to battlefields in the past – she's also the most accomplished in traditional noblewomen rituals among his lovers, closely followed by Chiyome whose expertise was more Thaumaturgical than… well, bullshit required to maintain face in society.

It's an expensive ordeal having a harem-like relationship, he could tell everyone that much. However blessed and happy he felt, it's a cold hard slap from reality. Therefore, the money.

"Are you going to use them as a workforce?" Danzō asked once they were partially out of the Fūma shinobis' sight and completely away from earshot. "I'm not sure they'll listen well to orders…"

"Well, why don't you pop in once in a while? Their hearts go to disarray by your figure," Chiyome suggested. "At the very least, you are the one thing they'll fight for, regardless of the circumstances."

"But we have to consider our ability to maintain her façade," Muramasa argued. "With more and more figures from their side disappearing from existence, Danzō will be under intense scrutiny."

They were discussing how to incorporate these group of guests for the second time in Owari territory. The last time they were here, they constantly were under chains and hope – two things they were lacking now, having witnessed how easily Danzō reverted back to her previous persona before her first death. Now, with renewed determination, they'd definitely do their utmost to tear her away from what they viewed as unlawful servitude under Muramasa. Even his newly-released public status, partially acknowledging his ties to the royal family, didn't deter them – in fact, it probably did the opposite, since they now could formulate the wrong hypothesis on how he gained control over her, rationalizing it's possible with the Minamoto Clan's resources.

"Uuu… Why is this so difficult…" Chiyome whined, burying her head frustratingly in between Danzō's large breasts. "Why can't you stay with us…"

"I am planning to do so, Chiyome-sama," the buxom woman declared. "Which is why this ruse is necessary. What those boys and girls need the least right now is shackles to the past. After Nobounaga-sama 'Tenka Fubu' is complete, then our strength will be rendered obsolete." A nostalgic light flashed across her eyes. "At that point, we can live freely without a care in the world."

"What nice words… You've been copying Shirō too much," the smaller girl quipped, eliciting a chuckle from Danzō. "What do you think, dear?"

"…I can definitely string Fūma-kun along. Hopefully with him, the rest will follow." Shrugging, he gave a wry smile. "I seem to be the target of his childhood anger, anyway."

"Haa… So Kōtarō hasn't grown up at all," Danzō sighed, disappointed the boy she thought of as her own child was still clutching at false memories and fake assumptions childishly, instead of looking things objectively and professionally like an adult. "You're right, Chiyome-sama. Perhaps I should give him a slap these days."

"It just proves how much you're loved, Danzō," Muramasa answered. "And the rest of the gang isn't far behind on the hate-meter too."

- …

Toyo and Tome's bickering had stopped, and the sound of hammer, crackling coal, and bursting vapour jackets emanated once again from the main hall. Noticing this, Muramasa excused himself. "Well, that's all the time I have for checking their work spent on accompanying my gorgeous wives."

"I'm not your wi-"

"Yes, you are."
"Yes, you are."

Both Muramasa and Chiyome immediately cut Danzō off, before the former added, "Kippōshi's been quite mad at me, so I won't come home in time to cook dinner. May I trouble the two of you?"

"Of course, dear." The short girl happily switched hug to his much harder musculature, before standing on her tiptoes and giving him a chaste kiss, Nanban-style, on the lips. After that, she eyed the taller kunoichi by her side and asked, "Aren't you going to reply the same way? And please don't give us that self-deprecating answer again."

- Fidget. Fidget. Fidget.

It sure was a rare sight seeing Danzō squirm shyly. However, unlike herself when she was first resuscitated into this new body, she made her decision quite a lot faster, mimicking Chiyome's public intimacy a touch slower, pressing her hands and bountiful chest to her beloved man and leaned in to kiss the edge of his lips. "Leave it to me, Shirō-sama," she uttered cutely, unbefitting her larger and fuller frame.

"Finally."

"Ufufu… She's just shy, being so close to her children and whatnot." Standing there proudly while puffing out her meagre yet delectable chest, Chiyome added her two sen to the equation. "No matter your age, it's never uncute to be affectionate, Danzō-san. You're forever young!"

The tall woman maintained her smile, though there's a sad nostalgic tinge to it.

With the 'annoyance' gone, the twins happily included their sisters-in-law in their work as much as possible. The Ippon-Dataras spoke little, but they were visibly happier with the additional presence, since the noisy twins quietened down to give off a sense of dignity as teachers.

"Oh, you don't need as much Reinforcement as I thought," Chiyome muttered, levitating numerous hammers and tongs with her invisible snakes, working on three anvils at the same time – one with her actual hands, which looked funny because her forearms were literally only as thick as the hammer handles, and the rest with her kuchiyose – forming various parts of a spear on all three. "So it really is all about technique."

- Roar!

An approving noise came from one of the Ippon-Dataras leading Danzō's strikes, while the other was getting bullied by the twins as always, who still managed to keep an eye on the two relative newcomers.

"I still have much to learn, then," Danzō commented, swinging a sledgehammer the height of Chiyome's entire body repeatedly down, matching her rhythm and placement with the more experienced Ippon-Datara's own. "Even something as simple as this contains so much subtle beauty. I've never expected it." She partially averted her gaze on the tamahagane billet to send a look of gratitude and admiration to her current temporary partner and trainer. It's hard for a pure, mid-levelled yōkai like him to portray a human expression since he lacked the ability to condense and transform into a human form like Shuten-dōji, but he did manage to blush under the spell of her pretty face.

Both young women had taken off their usual wear in exchange for something a lot more revealing, with sleeveless robes loose enough one could glimpse the sides of their breasts with each swing. Their hair was tied in high ponytails, showcasing their smooth napes – a region incredibly prized and adored by Nihon men – which continued to their bare upper backs following the same-sized opening as the one bracketing their shoulders.

Chiyome's remark earlier was regarding both the surprising lightness of the tools around the forge, as well as its comfortable working condition. Still, in contrast to them, both Toyo and Tome were more traditionally dressed, covered in head-to-toe with protective cloth and leather, though certainly thinner than most other blacksmith shops.

That, and the seductive bodies on display beneath them, was what the Fūma shinobis noticed the most – men and women alike.

"Isn't that because of just you two, instead of the norm?!" Tome whined, grunting every few words as she controlled the folding of a core's hagane outer jacket. She and her sister were working on the higher-end projects – this one, a new katana pattern and design for Nobunaga's collection and display – compared to the menial tasks assigned to Chiyome and Danzō. "Your natural bodies themselves are Reinforcement enough!"

"It's just typical of them, isn't it, Tome-chan?!" Toyo lightly shouted over the cacophony, holding the kawagane-shigane core in place and enduring their Ippon-Datara's strike on it, grunting in rhythm with her sister with eerie twin-cliché perfection. "They've been spending too much time with Aniue, I say!"

"Ahaha… You two, please don't make trouble for him," Chiyome chuckled, forge-welding the spear tang she's reduced in size into the socket she'd spread out. It's rather rough, the weld line clearly visible, when compared to Muramasa's delicate yet durable work, but it's not bad for a first attempt. She could always break it and use it as an oversized kunai or throwing dart if it failed, anyway. "He's been receiving more and more responsibilities beyond this forge. In fact, he treasures his time here with the two of you even more, since he's a big man now."

She couldn't quite tell whether the twins blushed in happiness to her words or not since the glow of charcoal gave everyone present a reddish hue on their faces anyway, plus the exertion made their cheeks rosy, but she could tell they're incredibly excited when she confirmed their fears. It's easily understandable – with him spending less and less time as a blacksmith despite keeping up his minimal production output, the girls felt left out by the reliable older brother they'd lived with for their entire lives. Being afraid of abandonment meant they cherished him just as much, and that's fine for Chiyome.

If he could get another girl to fall for him, then that's an extra pair of hands to keep the twins company.

This excursion was along that attempt, along with coercing the Fūma to work with them.

Earlier, when Muramasa mentioned Nobunaga was angry, he was being modest.

She went ballistic when his and Mitsuhide's attempt to establish an economic and cultural foundation for Owari in Harima became a fight which flattened the entire merchant area, having escalated and forming a trail right from where the Fūma was first fighting the original Fūma Kōtarō… because she had to pay reparations. Not fully, of course, since the merchant guild realized pushing their luck too far would only get them decimated by the Owari army, but because she wanted to use more peaceful methods this time, it put both sides in a rather hard place.

Because the culprit was killed in the end, and no organization stepped forth to claim responsibility, then it fell to the government to foot most of the reparation bill. The people, buoyed by whom they perceived as members of Nobunaga's contingent's goodwill in protecting the lives and speedily evacuating them, were eager to participate in the rebuild, partially realizing they're going to be taxed heavier next year to refill the construction coffers anyway and deciding to might as well work on it themselves and see the resources put into it actually making a difference with their own eyes.

Public sentiment for the royal family had been good, even improving when the Shogunate was changed and the popular Yoshimoto was installed as replacement. Chiyome – and Himiko's personal shinobi guards – spent a good deal of effort to vilify the Ashikaga and legitimize the change, bolstered by the current Shogun's perceived success in Ming. It's difficult not to overdo it, though, because bad rumours could escalate and easily implicate innocents. Himiko and Nobunaga simply wanted to target the top brass of the Ashikaga Clan because they're a constant thorn to her support of 'Tenka Fubu', and not the younger generation who still had their uses while alive.

For instance, to work them to the bone and drain their resources in the name of 'good of the empire'.

After all, taming a rebellious family and turning them into slaves was also a speciality of the Minamoto Clan, especially after Yoshitsune became Clan Head. That Princess General was equally known for her martial might and vengeful nature, resulting in today's seemingly-omnipotent Minamoto Clan after absorbing and enslaving so much of its enemies and detractors, to the point the current generation had been fully brainwashed to accept what their ancestors did was 'wrong' and what they're doing now was 'penitence'.

The Ashikaga Clan was simply next on the chopping block.

Bullying for the sake of good. That's a new catchphrase, wasn't it? If they didn't conform to the idea of improved well-being for all, instead choosing self-centred gains and indulging in evil pleasures, then the Minamoto Clan wouldn't give them any quarter and mercy. It'd gladly be the worst tyrant possible if needed be, regardless of what other people thought. After all, it's confident in its ability to manage and manipulate public opinion to justify its deeds – never lying, always be honest… but selective on what's spread out there.

To be frank, it meant Harima's reconstruction shouldn't take too much. After all, with the spread of Magecraft readily available – though somewhat expensive – it shouldn't take longer than a few days or so if imperial magi were sent to oversee the process. While Equivalent Exchange meant they did have to pool up the materials anyway, it's a much less grim prospect than if the entire thing had to be done with manual labour.

That's also part of the reason why Muramasa, Danzō, and Chiyome dared to fight openly in an urban area instead of pushing the reincarnated Fūma Kōtarō to a wider expanse.

Therefore, the current Nobunaga was technically only mad for being mad's sake.

The sliding door to Azuchi Castle's main meeting room opened, and a weary Nobukatsu staggered out, seemingly not realizing Muramasa was there waiting in line. The flame at the end of his long ponytail had reduced to something no brighter than a smoking pipe's ember, but the heat wafting out of the door opening instantly rushed and filled the waiting room, causing the others to sweat.

After a few steps, he stopped when he recognized the feet nearby. "Oh, Aniki… G-Good luck. A-Aneue's in a bad mood today…"

"Yes, I've realized that," Muramasa replied with a gentle smile, wanting to placate the younger boy's worries, but Nobukatsu had lifelessly staggered past him and towards his temporary lodging in the castle. No, calling him 'boy' was perhaps too hypocritical of Muramasa, since the former's wife was already expecting. As a man who hadn't fathered any children yet despite his rich sexual experience, certainly that word – 'boy' – he couldn't use as freely. "Rest well."

The blacksmith was scheduled last, so he sat there quietly analysing and criticizing the refreshments he was brought by the servants, chatting with the not-so-subtly blushing maids who dared to get close to who was perhaps the most powerful man in the castle today. Nihon had quite an open culture regarding relationships if the social classes worked out – a problem for Nobunaga, mostly, who still couldn't openly marry him due to this issue temporarily – so they thought it'd be fine even if they're just flings… so long they could bear him a child, the childcare stipend would be enough to lift them past their current state.

Of course, the other occupants in the room didn't take this kindly, but held their tongue and any visible displeasure because they knew of his relationship with the person waiting behind the main room. Not even the thought of using this to start some dubious rumours surfaced in their mind because they'd seen first-hand the protection he received from the Imperial Family. Oda Nobunaga, they could afford to minorly offend… but certainly not their queen and ruler. They and their families would quietly disappear into the night the instant they decided to do so.

The people here were privy to some of the inner workings and cooperation between the Minamoto and Oda Clan, though they didn't necessarily understand the reasoning behind it. Even after willingly following Nobunaga after her father's death, with some following Nobukatsu's wish and pledge their loyalty to her instead, they still couldn't fully wrap their heads around 'Tenka Fubu', unlike most of her closest retainers. Well, the fact they're still here with their current status instead of being those was proof enough they weren't as close to her as they imagined.

Still, he never went beyond casual politeness, his hands and eyes never straying far from his snacks and drinks. His turn came surprisingly quickly, and judging from the expressions of the people coming out, Nobunaga likely had kicked them out after she curtly said her part, having no intention of listening to their opinions. It should be a meeting, but it turned out similar to an order bequeathing ceremony instead.

In contrast to the anger-filled message arriving on my hands yesterday, Kippōshi surprisingly has an embarrassed tint to her pretty face when I come in.

Her hair is now fully flaming red, though fortunately Jūbei had the foresight to build several additional fireproofing magic circles on top of the standard ones, so not even the tatami she's slovenly sitting on so much smoulders. There are small decorations strewn about – clearly thrown in a tantrum – but no overt destruction is visible or palpable.

Tradition mandates me to ignore these things and immediately dogeza in front of my superior. So I promptly ignore it.

The instant the sliding door closes shut behind me, I casually walk around and begin to clean up, gathering up the still-repairable larger pieces and using my feet to sweep the ones too small to salvage, before placing back the still-intact décor back to the places I remember them placed at. Deliberately staying silent to make her feel more shameful, I slow down and evade her pleading gaze to hurry up and stop this ruse.

- Clack.

When the final piece was cleared, and the room was roughly as neat as it was before, Kippōshi finally cracks. "Shirō… I'm not mad at you, you know?"

"You should be," I admit, "I'm still far from being a perfect champion for you. So long as I'm still a subject of criticism, so will you." Stepping forward and finally taking my seat in front of her – sans the mandatory dogeza – I add, "Formally, I apologize, my lady, for my blunder."

She purses her lips, clearly not wanting to maintain stiff procedure after spending the whole day facing men she didn't really like – including Nobukatsu lately – doing exactly that. "Enough of that. I called you here emotionally… even though I have a decent enough report of what happened in Harima. Were you in the middle of something important?"

"Not much. Just integrating the Fūma into our workforce, and see what Hōjō will do," I explain, much to her surprise. "Before you exclaim in shock, I remind you about Hanzō-san's plan."

The idea of recruiting minor shinobi villages into our main force actually comes from him, the first Kage-level ninja we technically defeated, since Kōtarō fell soon after him. Perhaps it's something he had in mind after experiencing difficulties in maintaining the Iga Clan's operations in this chaotic time, especially the dilemma of which side to take. Originally, the various clans are mercenaries at their core – see Chiyome's parents' decision to send her off to me and Nobunaga – constantly aiming at opportunities to make profit, monetary or otherwise. The constant contact with what Proper Human History call bushido warps this origin somewhat in exchange for public acceptance and some sort of day-to-day stability, instead of clashing their fangs every other day just to feed their young.

This eventually affected a clan as big and historic as the Iga, one of the two 'originals' along with Chiyome's Kōga, which also just barely avoided falling into obscurity by allying themselves with the Minamoto Clan via her marriage with me. It's apparent how fragmented they are when even Himiko's twin little sister, Kazumasu-chan, barely ever meets her own ninja clan's supposed heir and chief priestess, my wife.

The influx of Nanban culture only worsened things – specifically, the availability of foreign mercenary forces as alternatives to the expensive, established forces.

I heard Himiko's been doing the same thing, unprompted, on her end, by taking in someone from a small village. Technically, the Empress shouldn't utilize the services of another family, and indeed the shinobi directly serving the main Minamoto Clan line had mostly been rōnin who simply wishes to attain neutrality and be in position close to the centre of power, instead of being under the mercy of client requests and political havoc. I'm sure she's arranged it so her new hire cuts off all ties to their home village or something, but I still have to confirm it with Himiko.

After all, that girl can be a little scary, even to me. Kazumasu-chan doesn't even dare show her face around alone for fear of being bullied into submission and doing something she hates. And this person is supposed to be Himiko's twin.

Granted, they're separated for quite a long time, so their relationship can at times be closer to strangers who happen to have the same face, than a tight-knit 'twin power' relationship. However, I shouldn't judge her so precisely, because I'm even more of a stranger to Kazumasu-chan, maintaining a proper but distant cousin-like relationship in contrast to Himiko who truly thinks of me as her real brother.

Funny how things often turn out.

"…you're right. Maybe I'm a bit too high-strung lately," she sighs. However, despite her visibly deflating tension, her hair's colour doesn't change in the slightest. "It's getting more and more difficult to return my state to normal, Shirō. Am I… Am I sick or something?"

"Of course not." Those words come out of my mouth faster and harder than I'm used to, only because of the vulnerable side suddenly shining through her typical hard-nosed and arrogant façade. Before I know it, I've already broken all sorts of protocol – the same ones I said I never pay attention to – and have already placed her between my hands, gripping her shoulders tenderly.

It's hot. Extremely so… but not to the point I can't handle it. After all, I deal with flames hot enough to melt and meld steel daily. "You're stupid if you think this is a weakness. On the contrary, I find you just as beautiful and charming as usual."

She frowns, pulling out her 'tsun' face despite the tips of her ears growing to match "the colour of her hair. "Stop that. This is… a sight more complicated to my eyes than yours. And stop eyeing me with those doe-eyes!" She slaps my chest, though doesn't shrug off my hold on her shoulders. "I-I have something to tell you about… this hair."

Realizing I'm being too forceful just now, I calm and sit down right in front of her, much closer than etiquette will suggest. "Go ahead. What is it; some sort of demonic secret?" I try to lighten my tone into a joke, but it seems like I hit the mark more accurately than I thought because her expression turns downcast immediately.

Still, she's not anything if resolute. The type of woman who'll instantly do what she says she will.

"I'm a reincarnated person."

"Oh."

- …

Her face follows her ears in intensely blushing when my expression, in contrast to hers, doesn't change one bit. Well, I literally have met dozens of people like her, and while I've never directly asked her about this, her change of behaviour in comparison to the Nobunaga of Proper Human History is rather consistent to this theory – much like when comparing the real-life Sengo Muramasa with me. I simply can't find the energy to care about this particular detail – she's a woman I love. It's that simple.

"W-Why are you not saying anything?! Be s-surprised or s-something!" She shrieked and whispered at the same time, conscious any sort of loud noises will be interpreted wrongly by the people around this room. "I'm different from you and the others, and this is the proof!"

The maids have been trained to ignore our tryst and prevent gossip from leaking out, but there's a limit on how many people we can let into our secret. Granted, it's not something we're planning on keeping under wraps for long, but the fact Kippōshi wants to marry a married man and lower herself as a mistress willingly – not even the main wife – is a whole other can of political worms we're still setting up the stage for. Her humility to relent to Chiyome and Danzō is at times comical because the kunoichi and the Princess General look at times to be competing who can grovel themselves the metaphorical furthest to the ground, and this is a side I certainly don't expect to see.

Oda Nobunaga is many things, but this figure certainly embodies 'success' beyond what everyone thinks of them – both the gallant man with trimmed moustache and the flaming-haired young woman in front of me – breaking through tradition and expectation to become the most renowned 'hero' of the Sengoku Period. If only Honnōji didn't burn…

Well, things are at least looking good for now. Jūbei will sooner burn herself than let anything happen to Kippōshi… but that's also what Akechi Mitsuhide declared to himself in the Proper Human History towards Oda Nobunaga. Hopefully, the presence of a third party – i.e. me – will make the difference this time.

No, not 'hopefully'. I have to make it happen. Regardless whether this reality is in danger to be pruned or not, the fact I'm here means it needs help. She needs help. And so do the other girls.

As for the guys… Eh, I'm not that into men. But I may as well save them along the way…

"I don't see it that way." I remain as still and calm as possible, hoping she'll get the idea and stop freaking out as soon as possible. "I mean… Kippōshi is Kippōshi to me. How does that make any difference?"

"You don't understand! It means I'm no different than the past me, and is about to cause a lot of unnecessary death!" When her voice rises to nearly a shrill tone, she takes several deep breaths to stave off the emotional droplets of tears from falling to her cheeks. "And among them… will be you."

"No, it won't."

"Stop saying things as casually as that!" She growled this time, growing sharper and more resolute of her wrong point of view. "This is an important thing- Mmf!"

- Chu. Chu. Chu.

So, to stop her from saying any further nonsense, I seal her lips with mine. "No, it won't. I assure you of that." Before she can cut into my answers again, I lean in quickly for another kiss. "I'll be here with you until the end." And another one. "And even beyond that. You have my word." Then another one.

When I'm finished, there is no discernible difference between the colour of her follicles and facial skin, meaning I'm now holding a glowing, bright red humanoid statue wearing formal clothes.

It's quite strange, really, when we've done all sorts of things during sex, that she'll react like this often when I'm showing my affection. Shouldn't she get used to this by now? Come to think of it, the other girls are often like this as well, with the only difference being the length of time they spend immobile like this.

As it turns out, she still sits there motionless, burning in her own Od, until the time comes for the maids' daily replacement of the magic stone lamps. They snicker and give me all sorts of eye signals because I am frozen there to hold her up and prevent her from knocking her head against the ground, quietly gossiping to themselves and formulating what sorts of bulletin-headlining raunchy news they can sell to the news company tomorrow for decent pocket money.

Regardless of my silent yet frantic attempt to signal them with my face – contorting it in more ways than I think Alteration is capable of – but they simply giggle at my futile attempt and quietly sneak out, even waving at me mockingly for being trapped at such situation.

Such is the troubles of a trusted man…

"Finally! This is happening!"

Nobunaga groaned. "J-Jūbei… C-Can you speak quieter? M-My head hurts…"

"Ufufufu… It seems Kippōshi-san is weaker than I thought with this series of sake," Chiyome giggled, her gorgeously long hair – the envy of the Princess General who kept comparing her own appearance to Muramasa's other lovers – wafting in the air behind her, the alcohol painting her slender figure a seductive shade of red. "Here you go – another serving. Were you not the one who requested more courage from us?"

"U-Ugh… Please, no more… C-Chiyome-san's too strong… All of you are ridiculously sake-proof…" Nobunaga complained, her voice slurring every now and then, requiring her to pause at times and gather herself while she still had her wits about her. "Danzō-san… H-Help me…!"

The now-redheaded young woman crawled off the table and onto Danzō's motherly lap, and the buxom kunoichi obliged by shifting the younger girl's body into a more comfortable place, resting her head properly onto the gap between her plump thigh while patting Nobunaga's cheek. "There, there. Although I must insist you take more rounds after this, since your showing is incredibly pathetic for someone of your stature, Nobunaga-sama."

"G-Geh…! Why are you still calling me that? Aren't we going to be family soon?" Her slur was gone, replaced by a spoiled, childish attitude she rarely even showed Muramasa now out of embarrassment. "You're all still calling me that! O-Oh, except for you, Chiyome-san."

"How could I disrespect you so, Nobunaga-sama?!" Mitsuhide boisterously answered while slamming her bowl onto the low table, the sake mysteriously not splashing out and instead forming a strained bubble, before settling down to a perfect stillness under her instinctive liquid manipulation Magecraft. "It's precisely because you're family I consider you a big sister I idolize! Don't expect me to address you like Senpai does!"

The redhead blushed at her retainer's passionate declaration, but her response was drowned by the sight of Danzō's bountiful breasts completely covering her vision like two soft mountains. "'Tis just my manner of speech. Do indulge me, young one."

"Ugh… I-If you put it that way, t-then…" Nobunaga shifted her gaze in order to avoid being overwhelmed by desire to reach out and massage them and bury her face in them and suck on-

'Ahem.'

"Still, it's good you can clear your schedule for a get-together like this, Kippōshi-san," Chiyome commented, sipping on her steaming sake bowl much quicker than a lady of her stature should. "Come to think of it, despite all of us here sharing the same cock, we haven't talked much, have we?"

After her 'talk' with Muramasa, Nobunaga was invited over to the Sengo residence by the other girls for a get-together, to disguise the fact it's actually a short vacation she desperately needed. Yes, she'd had both Muramasa and Mitsuhide to blow off some steam recently, but bisexual trysts had their own negative points as well – namely the nervousness and thrill of secrecy. While those also had they're own sexual gratifications as well, it's not healthy for someone of Nobunaga's standing to continuously engage in such acts.

The miko's vulgar words made even the usually even-tempered Danzō twitch and squirm, blushing to the tips of her ears. Meanwhile, Mitsuhide was too plastered to care and too sober to hold her mouth, and thus agreed wholeheartedly. "I'm the newest member of the club! Thank you for having me! Nice to meet you all!"

The Sengo private compound had received significant renovations over the years, precisely to accommodate more prestigious guests. The man of the house might not care about what he'd personally perceived by others, but because it'd also affect his lovers if seen there, he relented and upgraded the place's aesthetics. And with Nobunaga's consistent rise in court ranks for the conquered lands she managed exceedingly well with the help of her retainers, more money ended up on his lap than what he could do with it.

Nobunaga winced once again at her retainer's loud voice, though Danzō's pats did make it somewhat bearable. Pleasantly, the kunoichi seemed to have sensed her unfaithful desire and lowered her upper body, suffocating Nobunaga with her pillowy breasts. Yes, it's great, but a few seconds later, the redhead was struggling and twitching her legs, her arms limp at her sides due to intoxication with Danzō being none the wiser, thinking she's servicing this Princess General well.

"Oh, dear, that's hot."

Danzō lifted her gaze, mildly surprised she failed to detect her lord's presence and entrance – a thing she usually prioritized the highest in her daily life – before smiling at Muramasa's approving and lustful gaze at her and Nobunaga's frolicking figure. He himself had settled in behind Chiyome, lovingly hugging her petite frame in his arms while she intermittently tilted a few gulps of sake into his mouth, serving him like a wife would. "Thank you for your compliment, my lord."

"Everyone who sees the two of you will say the same," he eluded. "It's a deserving praise and one you unnecessarily shown gratitude for. Though… I must accept that, too, is a part of you."

"Very correct!" Mitsuhide, who had unknowingly crawled to near his shoulder, stabbed into the air right in front of his face with her pointer finger. "You, too, Senpai, should accept us spoiling you a bit more!"

"Er, well… For that…"

Chiyome chuckled. "You see, everyone, the struggles I've been living with for the past decade or so? Take pity on me and just say yes, Shirō."

His typically eager-to-please expression – which at times bordered on cluelessness – finally relented and revealed his real façade, which was no more than a regular family-loving man under what he portrayed himself to the public as.

However, the girls recognized it's simply yet another layer they had to coax and peel off, because of the Dream Cycles they'd been having rarely, but lately more regularly, about he and Unlimited Blade Works. Just because they didn't change their behaviour in front of him after having them didn't mean they weren't concerned.

Well, everyone except Nobunaga, who was nearing unconsciousness with every passing second Danzō leaned down and still smothered her face with her chest. Unfortunately for her, the kunoichi's new body was fireproof and thus unable to feel the frantic heat Nobunaga's crimson hair was radiating.

Chiyome stood up from her familiar seat on top of her husband's lap, handing her now-empty sake bowl to Mitsuhide… before brazenly undoing her sash and letting her miko uniform fall from her shoulders, granting Muramasa with a great view of her naked rear and marked body.

"Well, then, shall we all fuck?"

Character Sheet Update!

F

Fūma Kōtarō

Title: Red Wind
Predicted Class: Assassin, Berserker
Gender: Male
Height: 160 cm (250 cm w/o tail)
Weight: 52 kg (190 kg)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Strength: C+
Endurance: B
Agility: A
Mana: C (A)
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: EX

Class/Personal Skills:

Presence Concealment: B+
Unusually low for a patriarch of a ninja clan, but actually Fūma Kōtarō's original profession was a mercenary. He's exceptionally good in subterfuge activities in Mongolia, but by the standards of the modern-day, his techniques and talent were right around average. Hides one's presence as a Servant and suitable for spying. The rank of Presence Concealment dropped considerably when preparing to attack.

Subversive Activities: B+ (C+)
An expert practitioner of traps, honed from years of warfare on grassy plains and various urban areas. He's most familiar with basic and natural materials from centuries ago, and while modern-day concepts were similar, his uneasiness when presented with new materials lowered this Skill's rank. The ability to reduce enemy's war potential in the preliminary stage before going to battle.

Ninjutsu: EX
An absolute master of a variety of basic ninjutsu, befitting the establishing master of a school of shinobi techniques. Having spent most of his life experimenting on methods of killing people, the secret intelligence techniques, combat techniques, larceny techniques, torture techniques, etc. were all known to him. Owing to how Mystery translated from era to era, his strength in this department was undiminished.

Mad Enhancement: C
A remnant of his bloodline's Sorcery Trait and eventual Noble Phantasm, Ogre Trance. Rank-Up for all parameters, but most of one's reason is robbed. However, owing to a secret training method he devised himself, he was able to gain some semblance of control even under the effect of this Skill.

Yōkai Transformation (Fake): A
Having given up his right to his inhuman bloodline in exchange for reincarnation, this Skill was born out of his forced Apotheosis contract with his new Guardian Spirit and original summoned creature, a kamaitachi. Fusing his body, originally incompatible with another yōkai because of his inhuman blood, increased all parameters except Luck, along with granting new affinity to [Wind]. It's a testament to his strength and talent he still managed to achieve what many thought as a suicidal process, as they all lost their mind, body, and eventually soul after the union.

Noble Phantasms:

Ogre Trance: Endless Rakshasa Transfiguration
Rank: EX (unavailable)

Type: Anti-Army, Support

Range: 1

Max. Targets: 1

As the Great Ancestor of the Fūma Clan's oni bloodline, he had the purest and wildest affinity to its techniques. All parameters improved to the extremes, and his stamina recovered speedily. His descendants would have a portion of their being breaking down due to overwhelming their brains beyond their limits, severe damage done to his internal organs and lifespan, and so forth. Of course, being more oni than human, he had no problem with this negative aspect of the technique.

Because of his new body, this Noble Phantasm was sealed, lacking his blood as the proper catalyst to execute it.

Character Description

Originally an oni who attained enlightenment and mastered Humanoid Compression, Fūma Kōtarō travelled his homeland and foreign nations as mercenary, trading his strength with money and worldly pleasures. Possessing the red hair similar to Central Asian prized war studs, his appearance in various battlefield and cities marked destruction and chaos. With death tolls climbing unchecked, both authorities and the underworld finally drove him away to the eastern shores of the continent, before he escaped across the sea to Nihon.

Having lived comfortably until then due to secretly being under the servitude of the great ruler of the Asian plains, he forged a path on his own with all his wits and skills, going on chaotic and thrilling adventures where he met allies and enemies alike. Treading the tense political situation of the Heian Era, facing the rise of the Minamoto Clan, forging a partnership with the magus Kashin Koji at the end of that period, and so on. Securing the backing of the Hōjō Clan, one of Nihon's largest remaining nobilities, allowed him to establish a new identity and family, settling down in Nihon from then on until his death.

Amids the chaos of the Sengoku Era, he was inadvertently and prematurely reincarnated through a backup summoning system set up by his friend Kashin Koji through the latter's memories of their relationship as the catalyst. Having no biological material to work from, Fūma Kōtarō was stuffed into a standard, high-quality homunculus body located in a secret compound.