I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

Originally, Uesugi Tetsu was wondering if Okabe Motonobu really intended to do something like what she said, or to directly face-to-face temper his body while taking a medicinal bath with Ririko.

If that's the case, then it will most likely be somewhat awkward.

After all, he and Motonobu Okabe weren't exactly close.

Moreover, this was during the Warring States period, and even if Okabe Motonobu's thinking was more open, he certainly couldn't escape the traditional constraints of "distinction between men and women."

Sure enough, this kind of plot, which seems like something out of a novel, could never happen in real life...

"That's good."

Uesugi Tetsuya untied the bath towel and draped it over the edge of the wooden tub. He slowly sat down into the cold medicinal liquid and immediately felt a familiar pain on the surface of his skin.

—Because when it comes to exchanging experiences, simply closing your eyes and listening is perfectly sufficient.

He calmed himself down and, after taking a small dose of calming incense ash, allowed his inner energy to seep into his skin along with the medicinal liquid.

The intense, stinging pain returned like a tidal wave.

This time, however, Uesugi Tetsuya, who was prepared and experienced beforehand, accepted the pain with a blank expression and began to temper his skin as hard as refined copper with all his might.

Chi Chi Chi!

The intense heat, as if licked by flames, spread throughout my body in an instant.

The sound of tiny bubbles bursting and the splattered blood constantly rose to the surface of the medicinal liquid.

Uesugi Tetsu thought to himself.

"Yes! That's the feeling!"

Only greater suffering can lead to faster progress!

A few minutes later, a startled cry suddenly came from the other side of the sliding door.

"This is amazing!"

Similarly, Okabe Motonobu, who had been easily maintaining a smiling expression during his first experience with the medicinal bath, exclaimed in surprise after feeling the meat-refining process accelerate significantly.

Uesugi Tetsu was about to call out to Imagawa Yoshimoto after hearing her shout, but before he could speak, he heard the latter's voice coming from the other side of the sliding door.

"Wow, amazing? Yuanxin... is soaking in this as painful as Mr. Che made it out to be?"

Okabe Motonobu: "It doesn't hurt at all, it's actually a little tingly and numb. My lord, you must try it!"

Her tone was exactly the same as usual, as if she were really just taking a bath.

Uesugi Tetsuya was speechless as he heard the faint sounds of meat being refined coming from the other side.

No, this is ridiculous.

Based on the fact that he could hear it clearly from this side, Okabe Motonobu's toes were probably already curled up tightly at the bottom of the barrel!

She actually said that...

They weren't even afraid of killing their lord in the bathtub.

Uesugi Tetsu sighed with difficulty and said in a trembling voice, "Lord Yoshimoto, don't believe her. This medicinal bath is already excruciatingly painful just from soaking in it."

Not to mention... tempering one's body within it is an even more hellish ordeal.

"Huh?" Imagawa Yoshimoto exclaimed in surprise.

"My lord, that's because the Onmyoji have been cultivating on their own for years, and their willpower isn't very strong, which is why they say it hurts."

Okabe Motonobu laughed heartily: "We samurai, who have undergone countless trials, do not feel any pain at all. I'm sure you, my lord, feel the same way."

—Could Imagawa Yoshimoto believe something that's obviously wrong?

But just as he had done to refute Uesugi Tetsuya's idea, Imagawa Yoshimoto immediately said,

"Definitely! I'll try it on the first day I complete the Qi circulation!"

Okabe Motonobu said cheerfully, "Alright! Then on that day, I'll get you clothes to wipe yourself down!"

Uesugi Tetsu: “?”

—With Imagawa Yoshimoto's intelligence, how could he not see that Okabe Motonobu's words were not problematic?

But she still readily agreed.

Uesugi Tetsuya was helpless.

"So, she's just too easy to catch..."

This is called "willing to take the bait".

Imagawa Yoshimoto knew perfectly well that her words were wrong in every way, but she still insisted on taking the bait.

—Because Okabe Gensuke used a provocation tactic, and the pride in the young girl who had become the head of the household at such a young age naturally did not allow her to back down.

Faced with such a trivial challenge, Imagawa Yoshimoto would not back down!

Uesugi Tetsuya took a deep breath, clearing his mind of the jumbled thoughts: "Lord Okabe, if you're ready, could we begin..."

"Of course, I'll speak first—and of course, I can only speak first."

She chuckled twice, seemingly with a hidden meaning.

"Mr. Che, just listen carefully."

In the quiet room, amidst the faint bubbling of the medicinal liquid on both sides of the sliding door, Okabe Motonobu generously shared her experience and knowledge.

Two notifications immediately popped up in front of Uesugi Tetsuya's eyes as he lowered his gaze—

[Motonobu Okabe is sharing his insights on breathing techniques with you...]

[Your Corona Breathing Technique proficiency has increased significantly...]

Listening to others' cultivation experiences is indeed helpful.

Without giving it much thought, Uesugi Tetsu immediately focused on tempering his body with his inner energy while forcing himself to listen to every word Okabe Motonobu said.

……

Two and a half hours later.

[Your Corona Breathing Technique proficiency +66!]

【Corona Breathing Technique (Skin Tempering 266/360)】!

Uesugi Tetsuya, feeling as if his skin was turning into non-existent liquid, exhaled heavily and collapsed onto the edge of the wooden tub.

The skin-tempering training in a specially made medicinal bath was extremely painful, but the results were indeed very good!

In just one training session, my proficiency increased by a whopping 66 points!

If this rate of increase continues, he could complete the skin tempering stage in less than two days, even in the Warring States period.

Although Okabe Motonobu provided experience on the other side during this medicinal bath skin tempering, resulting in a "significant increase" buff.

Even without this buff, one medicinal bath and the application of calming incense ash per day should increase the skin tempering proficiency by about 20 points.

Five days!

He only needs five days during the Warring States period to complete the skin tempering and reach the bone forging stage!

He had already made considerable progress in completing the tough skin and copper skin, and now he is about to complete the first major stage of the Flesh Palace.

Uesugi Tetsu was indeed somewhat looking forward to it.

Based on the time flow ratio of 30:1 between the Warring States period and the present world... less than a day would have passed in the present world.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Tetsu stopped his thoughts.

Thirty to one.

This time flow rate is already the time flow rate difference measured during the first stage of the main quest; he hasn't tested it yet this time.

Things might change.

Hmm, I need to find some free time to test the time flow rate issue on both sides again.

This is still very important.

If the flow rates on both sides suddenly become two to one or even exactly the same, many plans will have to be changed or even canceled.

This is just a simple example.

Uesugi Tetsu knew that even if the flow of time changed, it shouldn't be too much—this could be seen from the slow, steady increase in proficiency with the Corona Breathing Technique.

"Mr. Che".

In the room, which had long been completely silent except for the sounds of breathing and body tempering, Okabe Motonobu suddenly spoke.

Her summary of breathing techniques was very simple and concise, so the exchange lasted about half an hour.

—Imagawa Yoshimoto had also left the room an hour earlier. As an observer who couldn't truly empathize with the experience of body tempering, she had already witnessed quite a bit of it over the course of her time.

Moreover, she has to get up early in the morning to deal with official documents, and if she continues reading, she'll probably sleep until noon.

This is not possible!

Imagawa Yoshimoto is very strict about his schedule, and even if he makes an exception for tonight's events, he can't make too many exceptions.

Uesugi Tetsuya was momentarily dazed, but after slowly gathering his thoughts, he responded.

"Lord Okabe, is there anything I can help you with?"

Having sensed that Uesugi Tetsuya had completed his body tempering, Okabe Motonobu opened his eyes and gazed at his clear reflection in the water.

She asked softly.

"As the person involved, what are your thoughts on the elders of the Imagawa family that you met early that morning?"

As soon as Okabe Motonobu finished speaking, Uesugi Tetsuya immediately snapped to attention, his thoughts becoming clear.

What did she mean by asking that question?

Uesugi Tetsu straightened up and, after a brief moment of thought, roughly understood the reason why Okabe Motonobu had asked that question.

So he replied, seemingly nonsensically, like a robot reciting a read message.

"It's not possible now, since Lord Yoshimoto is still at the Imagawa residence—if you want to do anything, it's better to wait until after the expedition to Mikawa."

In the bathtub, Motonobu Okabe suddenly burst out laughing.

She patted the diluted, clear medicine solution repeatedly, a grin spreading across her face.

This answer was practically tantamount to openly declaring that he would help the lord wipe out those rebellious, half-dead old bastards.

Motonobu Okabe liked this answer.

Therefore, one must also extend corresponding goodwill.

She said slowly,

"In the afternoon, I also learned more about the affairs of the Three Rivers Kingdom from my lord."

Although I am nominally a general, I will, in most cases, revolve around you, Mr. Che.

"After all, when it comes to dealing with legendary great demons, I am definitely no match for you, Mr. Che, who is an Onmyoji."

"Then I thank you in advance, Lord Okabe."

Uesugi Tetsuya breathed a sigh of relief.

Because his teammates, who were also assisting Imagawa Yoshimoto, were all very intelligent, this was a good thing, a very good thing!

Even the most straightforward and relatively foolish person he had ever met during the Warring States period, Asahina Yasutomo, dared to face his mistakes and admit them after he realized what had happened.

After another brief silence, Okabe Motonobu said directly, "Mr. Tetsu, the lord does not want you involved in this matter."

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Tetsu finally realized what she meant by her inexplicable words before he and Imagawa Yoshimoto went to the blacksmith shop yesterday.

It turns out that she wanted to take care of those elders on her own without telling me!

As for why I kept it from him...

Before Uesugi Tetsuya could even form a few undecided ideas in his mind, Okabe Motonobu shattered them all and dropped a bombshell.

"Because she wants to give you fiefdoms and cities in the future, so that you can become a true daimyo, she doesn't want you to get involved in such murky matters."

Imagawa Yoshimoto, do you want me to become a de facto daimyo?

Uesugi Tetsuya was taken aback at first, but then he suddenly realized what was going on.

—If it were her, she might indeed do that!