Element of Nobunaga

Disclaimer: ATLA franchise doesn't belong to me!

To summarize the plot: A path to peace isn't bloodless and the arrival of Sengoku's mightiest warlord changes the world. To put it mildly, no one is keen to welcome the newcomer.

A.n: I hope I will do this magnificent bastard justice.

Chapter one: Pilot- We're off to see the Kami…

Temple of Honnō-ji 1582

The orange flames swirled around the temples support beams as two men faced each other. Uncaring of the heat in the room increasing or of tongues of fire slowly encircling them they both stood face to face, weapons drawn , like two predators with their teeth barred each unwilling to back down. Oda Ufu Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, unifier of Japan betrayed by his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide , the reason of this treason was unknown why Mitsuhide would have the gall to rise against his lord, but the fact remained, he had betrayed him, betrayed Nobunaga, He would pay.

Without uttering a word they both clashed with mighty strikes which would have shattered lesser men. This was a clash of monsters and only the strongest one would walk away with the spoils while the other would perish in the smouldering fires of the Honnō-ji.

Nobunaga swung his nodachi at the traitor with all his might almost cleaving him in half, but unfortunately Mitsuhide managed to jump right out of the way using the opportunity to collapse one of the support beams blocking the exit to Nobunagas left side leaving him able to block his master's exit. Without wasting a moment Mitsuhide swung his sword to collapse the other support beam and trap his master, but as he moved to finish his task, his right hand exploded in shower of flesh and bone as Nobunaga fired his flintlock pistol, grabbing the nodachi with the other hand he began slowly walk towards the treacherous swine.

Akechi Mitsuhides life seemed to flash before his eyes, but he quickly shook himself out of his stupor and grasped the blade with his good hand and in desperation smashed the wooden pole with all his might as his betrayed master was almost upon him. Surely it was divine interference just as the head of Oda clan was about to claim Mitsuhide's, the flaming debris fell upon the mighty lord.

Trapped beneath the burning wood the warlord let out a string of curses as he tried somehow to liberate himself from his fiery tomb. Mitsuhide looked at him with sorrow in his eyes and everything became clear to Sengoku's mightiest. The traitorous retainer turned around and hurried out of the burning room leaving his friend burning beneath the fires of Honnō-ji.

Have I really lost the sight of my true goal all along, Mitsuhide?

The warlord knew he wouldn't survive this betrayal, but if anything Hideyoshi would take up the gauntlet of challenge and fulfil his dream of unified land. And so the daimyo closed his eyes and embraced oblivion.

So this must be hell, thought Nobunaga as he surveyed the sight before him. This Hell seemed to take on appearance of an endless plain covered in mist with long grass swinging in the light wind; it certainly wasn't the sixth one...

He slowly drew his sword, certain that the calm plain was just an illusion before he would be forcefully yanked to the court of Kami to be sentenced for the many crimes he had committed in life. His only hope was that he would meet Mitsuhide soon. But apparently this wasn't meant to be as the mist evaporated in an instant revealing a majestic golden road in the middle of the plain leading up to a golden hill surrounded by a forest of red and silver pikes holding the helms of noble samurai. A gust of wind blew from behind, subtly leading the fallen conqueror to his last journey before his sentence, however torturous it might be.

Well, it just wouldn't do to keep the deities waiting grinned the leader of Oda clan as he strolled down the gold pawed road completely, unaware of the mist covering his helm he had left behind when he had come into this strange realm. As he neared the hill the sound of chiming bells grew louder and the windpipes joined the bells creating a serene melody calming the spirit of those approaching. As Nobunaga walked he polished his pistol and cleaned his katana of enemy blood; after all he needed to look presentable for the judgement before the gods.

As he was within the great forest of spears, the wind and calming melody disappeared replaced with uncomfortable silence. This is it…Nobunaga thought as he drew his blade preparing to face whatever they happened to throw at him.

From the depths of the forest rose numerous figures. The gathering crowd varied from highborn samurais to dirty peasant farmers, dressed in the same clothes they had worn in life, tarnished with their own blood and educing a soft red glow but all of them spoke in the same empty voices accusing him of his crimes.

"Your men dishonoured my sister and slaughtered her children" a peasant farmer with eyes gouged out and throat slit shouted whilst brandishing a pitchfork.

If he had been younger Nobunaga would have grieved upon the innocent victims of war, but he was long past caring as he turned to face other voices coming from the other side of the road.

"My family starved to death when your soldiers took our rice and cattle" accused peasant woman cradling a babe in her arms. He had always known there would be strife caused by the flames of war he had fanned and had sought to conquer, but the fearless warlord regretted the little people caught in the way of his ambitions.

"You killed my brothers and left their bodies to be the feast for the crows" shouted one of the samurais carrying the symbol of the Azai clan as he moved in to cut down the warlord, but Nobunaga wasn't keen on perishing before his trial before the gods, so he unceremoniously unsheathed his nodachi and stabbed the restless spirit between the neck-guard as he had done in the battle where his brother-in-law had betrayed him.

The spirit disappeared by turning into a butterfly and fluttering into the cloudy sky. This one was only one of the many vengeful spirits seeking Nobunagas demise, but the samurai warlord was undeterred and with a swift swing he cut off the heads of two monks, who had perished in Nobunagas onslaught on Enryaku-ji mountain monastery while with the matchlock pistol held in another hand blew away another samurai from Takeda clan. No matter how many Nobunaga had to cut down others rose in their fallen comrade's place.

With the corner of the eye Nobunaga saw another group rise within the forest and march towards him, now the aged warlord new it was a time to momentarily retreat as even he couldn't defeat them all. Nobunaga rushed further ahead of the road, but seeing the second party of spirits gathered there made him wish he had brought his rifle with him, it seemed that he wouldn't be able to plead his case to the unforgiving gods and maybe it would be for the best.

His only regret would be that he couldn't see Kitsuko for one last time. But he was Nobunaga, he who had risen from a lowly clan to the leader of the largest faction in the Sengoku Era, whose name would be remembered for the centuries to come. He would go down fighting if it was the last thing he would do.

As he surveyed the other party a part of him eased while his calculative mind advised caution, the other spirits had been his loyal followers and soldiers who had sacrificed their lives so that he could succeed in his quest for peace and unity. It seemed that they had come to fight by his side for the last time, but maybe they felt betrayed by him and also wished for his demise. Nobunaga wasn't careless so he readied his sword and slid into his stance.

One nameless samurai wearing a silver tengu helm raised his fist in the air and shouted atop of his lungs "MY BRETHEREN! MASTER NOBUNAGA IS HERE! HE TOOK GOOD CARE OF US IN THAT WORLD AND IT HIGH IS TIME WE CAN SERVE OUR LORD ONE FINAL TIME IN THIS ONE! SHOKUN…CHARGE!"

With these words the gold clad soldiers charged the restless spirit horde seeking to harm their lord. Nobunaga was stupefied for a moment, how could anyone risk their lives for him? When he had so carelessly used his tools and allies, but the daimyo was interrupted from his musings by the demon mask wearing samurai who put his hand on the warlords shoulder and spoke "You shouldn't be late, her time to see you is running out and the deities are growing impatient", but before Nobunaga could retort, the masked warrior had already joined the fray and danced across the battlefield cutting down foes left and right with his two curved swords.

"Heh…She is waiting for me…Hold on Kitsuko I'm coming!" muttered the warlord as he ran further along the road echoes of clashing steel diminishing as he neared the golden hill, closer to his lover and mother of his children.

The hope in his heart had been rekindled and he would be damned if he would let anyone stop him.

By the time Nobunaga had left the forest of swords the swordsmen and other restless spirits disappeared as they had never existed only one left was the strange samurai with the tengu helm, who now wore a cloak made of sewn butterflies. "You are an interesting one, Oda Nobunaga" the spirit said to no one in particular as he looked in the distance and sighed "I sure hope you know what are you doing Agni, meddling with Sussano-dono's favourite champion…" shaking his head the spirit covered himself with his strange cloak and disappeared in a torrent of black butterflies.

Nobunaga's muscles ached, despite the exhaustion the warlord would reach her even if he would die after that, he could care less about the gods, and only thing on his mind was to reach his lost lover. His armour rattled and clanked as he charged to the grand staircase before the golden hill. As he was about to walk through the wooden gate, but his path had been blocked by a huge spirit dressed in furs with the horns of the ox and the face – a mixture of Tigers and mans, that was an Oni from the old folk tales.

Nobunaga had never paid attention to this sort of nonsense, but now he regretted it immensely, but his resolve hardened and he gave a short ceremonial bow and tried to reason with the beast

"Spirit of the gate, please let me pass. I have my` judgement to attend."

The Oni just snorted and pulled the large spiked club over his right shoulder.

How dare this creature stop Nobunaga thought the warlord angrily, but suddenly a stray thought crept upon him and a terrible grin etched itself on Nobunagas face as he put on a contemplative look on his face and started fiddling behind his back.

Of course the Oni was intrigued of what the strange soul was doing behind his back; unable to sate his curiosity the demon reached down to the puny man and asked "Human. What are you doing behind your back?"

Nobunaga just sighed and from behind his back he drew a strange object in bent shape with a hole in one end. It dawned to the demon; the human was carrying a good pipe probably filled with fancy herbs gathered from Tengu Mountains, as the previous souls of importance who had been brought here had always carried one, those highborn arrogant spirits never even gave him even a single whiff from, kami knew when he would get another chance and the Keeper of the gate would get his fee for passage.

"Human, give me the pipe."

"No."

Oni growled. No one, NO ONE had dared to disobey the keeper of the gate unless they loved the pain and the man in front of him seemed intelligent enough to understand who was the top spirit in here.

"Why not?" Oni growled

"Because I'm afraid that you will break it" Nobunaga retorted waiting for the dumb bastard to take the bait.

"I won't" replied the Oni with a slight huff

"Alright" the warlord sighed as he 'unwillingly' handed the 'pipe' to Oni, who gleefully snatched it out of Nobunagas hands and put it inside his mouth. Nobunaga couldn't believe his luck, the stupid oaf had really put it into his mouth, and thankfully he did have a reserve one just in case.

"But be cautious…This is a very complicated pipe, guardian. You should use with care…To prepare the tobacco you must pull the little metal spring at the end of it and then pull the small steel trigger which shall release the fire, but whatever you do, do not pull those at the same time ,then nothing will happen" he cautioned the guardian and took a step back.

The Oni fulfilled the instructions to the letter and instead of receiving a huff he received a puff and lead into his skull. The monster stumbled and fell on the gold pawed road as its blue green blood pooled from his head.

Oda Nobunaga just smirked smugly as he pulled the pistol out of the deceased creatures mouth and unsheathed his sword, after all one does not simply kill a demon on the way of meeting gods so after a brief moment of cutting, a large demonic head hung on his right shoulder-guard. He walked through the gate and rushed up the stone staircase leading to his destiny.

It had taken a long time and he was exhausted, but at last he had reached the top of the hill and before the golden ruby gate waited his favourite concubine and the mother of his children – Lady Kitsuko Ikoma.

Her long white kimono flew in the wind as she slowly walked towards him. Sometimes in his dreams she had appeared in multitude of forms, but nor any other woman nor dream, nor conquest could replace the gaping hole in his hearth which he had reluctantly acknowledged , but still he forced himself onward in memory of her and all he had sacrificed for his cause.

Nobunaga had never hoped to see her since her funeral at Kori castle when he had held her body close to his and mourned his lost love, but there she was in flesh, his personal goddess whom he had devoted most of the scarce free time that hadn't been spent plotting or fighting to unify the fractured Nippon. The mightiest warlord of Sengoku era fell down on his knees and for the first time since her death allowed himself to cry. Those weren't tears of sadness, but those of joy. He had been reunited with her as Izanagi had been with Izanami in Yomi, but unlike Izanagi he wouldn't leave her no matter what.

Kitsuko knelt in the front of her lover and caressed his cheek nudging him to stand up. The warlord stood up and quickly wiped the tears on his face and enveloped his concubine into loving embrace. Time seemed to stop for a moment as Nobunaga captured her lips with a passionate kiss.

Tongues and lips fought for dominance unaware of their owners feelings as the two recalled the numerous passion filled nights in master bedroom ,alone or accompanied by other women, the truth was she was the only one whose pleasure had mattered to Nobunaga, besides his own and she knew she was the only one he ever held dear in the deepest pits of his heart , which was covered by ambition and bloodlust , the things more commonly associated with him – The Devil King of Sixth Heaven, Minister of Right – Oda Ufu Nobunaga.

The two finally separated gasping for non-existent oxygen and gazed in each other's eyes, both filled with love for the other , but as the clan head was about to utter something , Kitsuko pressed her manicured fingers to his lips and interrupted him nary a whisper.

"I don't need no words that could tell me how much you care for me, but I am here not for a long time and your trial shall begin shortly, so we do not possess a fraction of time we both deserve for ourselves so I will settle for another kiss…" and with that the petite woman tugged on his armour bringing the large man to her eye level and kissed him passionately. It was a kiss of promise and of good fortune that Nobunaga would need in the upcoming ordeal. It was a kiss exchanged as he had mounted his brave steed in the past before the skirmishes and after them Oda Nobunaga would always return.

Kitsuko was glad she had died before what happened to her lover that he was facing this place, for had she not died of illness she would have died of broken heart. As she released the warlord from the kiss, Nobunaga put his hands on the sides of her shoulders and then she immediately noticed the Oni's head strapped to the shoulder-guard.

"W-w-what is that?" she stuttered as she pointed at the demonic head. Nobunaga just laughed and pointed at the head

"Oh, him? This unkind demon did not let me pass through the gate to these stairs. I asked once, he refused, the second try didn't work so then I introduced him to Tenka Fubu" he finished for a moment looking like any other male specimen showing off the trophy to his spouse.

Kitsuko just smiled and Nobunaga's face suddenly grew serious as he looked into her cerulean blue eyes and said clearly as if there was anyone who or what was listening to his wow

"No matter what happens, no matter where I go, no matter what their judgement is I'm going to see you once again, though heaven bar the way and hell trying to drag me down I will return to you once this is over, my only wish is for you to wait for me."

With that he pecked her on the forehead hooked her arm into his elbow and together they walked to the jewelled gate hand in hand. As they were about to enter the gate Kitsuko untangled herself from his arm and turned to him.

"What do you have to fear beyond this door, Kitsuko?" Nobunaga asked clearly puzzled, why would she remain here, why would she abandon him? She smiled sadly and told him what she felt and what he needed to know "The path forward into the hall of gods is made only for one Oda Nobunaga, not anyone else whoever they might be, they are just cruel like that and besides I have waited for you 16 years ,what is a dozen more? I know that you will never forget me, like those who you counted as family, wherever you will go, whatever you will do, whoever you will let into your heart always remember that I will love you! " Nobunaga smiled as he walked towards her for one final time and once in reach plucked her ornate hair tie from her letting the smooth ebony hair fall free from her elaborate coiffure.

In Kitsukos eyes tears started forming as her lover tied it around the armguard of his blade to remind himself of the promise he had made for her. Then he turned around and walked to the door. He pulled the door ring with all his might and the golden door opened with a slight creek swallowing Nobunagas form in sea of golden light.

Kitsuko could make out only the silhouette of the man she loved before he walked into the light.

The last thing she heard from Oda Nobunaga was

"Sayonara Kitsuko! Wait for me! If you won't be there when I return I will burn down heaven and make hell tremble just to find you. Ja ne Kitsuko-chan!"

And then he was gone . the Woman shook her head at his last words and slowly walked towards the cherry tree she had been sitting before she had heard the news of his arrival. A smile etched itself on Kitsuko's face; she would hold him to his promise.

This wasn't what Nobunaga had been expecting when he had entered the strange door, instead of a grand gathering of deities each cursing or praising him myriad of ways, instead it was a gateway to the old dojo where he had trained as a boy in Owari.

The room was decorated with various weapons the leader of Oda clan had used in battle and taken as trophies from his fallen enemies and in the middle of the room at tea table sat two elderly men each clad in rich yet simple robes educing aura of authority and raw power, yet it seemed they had left a place for him as there was a third cup of tea waiting for someone.

Oda took off his battle boots and did a full customary bow and only then he dared to sit beside the unknown deities. Nobunaga was afraid, but it wasn't the useless fear which urged to run from an honourable battle, no this was the cautious fear many felt when they had bargained with him, but he squashed the feeling for this meeting and took the cup of tea in his gauntleted hand. Both deities instantly had their eyes on him, but with his face calm Nobunaga simply sipped the tea and raised an eyebrow as he began "You have summoned me here Kami, for what reason I might not know ,but I suspect this isn't a show of mercy Izanagi-sama and, forgive me I just can't recognize you…"

" Agni" replied the other elder clad in the golden red robe

"Izanagi-sama, Agni what is that you require from this villainous soul?" Nobunaga asked with a slight smirk upon his face. Izanagi put down his cup and the tea table turned into a map of a world, Nobunaga could see different colourings and symbols, similar to his own, but still incomprehensible to his mind.

"This is the world of Agni, governed by assembly of spirits and split into four elements: water; earth; air and fire. Due to unforeseen ambition and a neglectful guardian the world has fallen into decline for the last hundred years" Izanagi swirled his tea and the map changed indicating the change of the borders it seemed that the Fire oriented country had spread from their little islands and occupied a large territories in Earth countries land, while Air country was annihilated, as Nobunaga's face took a contemplative look Izanagi decided it was time to continue with their little presentation

"Air Nomads, peaceful people, monks'' at this Nobunaga simply chuckled.

Therefore getting a glare from Agni ''murdered by the fire lord Sozin, the Avatar shirked his duties and doomed millions of innocents. This world is special. Each nation possesses benders, people with the ability to bend the elements to their will, for example a firebender can shoot out bursts of flame from his hands , while an earthbender can use his power to make walls almost instantly, however the Avatar can do all of that and more, who however has been missing for hundreds of year frozen into the ice. The Fire Nation has access to advanced technology and has propaganded elemental superiority drilled into their minds since childhood. The other nations are at its mercy until someone does something."

Izanagi finished and took his cup again and drank savouring the sweet herbal tea gathered from Amaterasu's garden. Nobunagas grin now seemed to split his face as he now fully realised the situation, these two deities wanted him to stop the expansion of this Fire Nation seemingly with any means necessary which seemed to amuse the warlord even more. Nobunaga took another sip from his cup of tea.

"Is that so? I am honoured for your trust in me, but I'm, but a common man a few years short from midlife, who will be relatively useless, so what aids will you mighty deities bestow to me in this difficult task?" Nobunaga asked carefully keeping his voice in check so that he seemed humble, yet eager enough to complete the task assigned to him. This time it was Agni who spoke this time

"You are quite insolent, but a man of your accomplishments is ought to be so prideful. We will aid you as you will need resources to start your task, so I will give you the gift of knowledge of the current events in the land, in addition your body will return to its prime till Fire Lord Ozai last draws breath. From what I have heard about you, Oda Nobuanga, you will make any situation to be of your advantage. You will be entertaining to watch as for Izanagi , he will tell you of his aid soon enough" Agni finished his explanation and put his cup on the table showing the history of their world.

Nobunaga may not have been the best of fathers, but what Ozai had done to his twelve year old daughter after that war meeting was beyond line he wouldn't have ever tried to cross, he didn't actively try to murder children, he knew there had been casualties in the war, but to maim your daughter, essentially ruin her value as a tool and exile her to chase after folk tales which was just plain stupid. At least the girl would have her two loyal friends and uncle with her, unbeknown to herself Zuki would become the central piece in the war for the control of the world, heh the fools wouldn't know what hit them. I will introduce this naïve world to Tenka Fubu and drink sake from Ozai's skull, Heheheheheheheheh, this will be so much fun...

Izanagi and Agni exchanges worried looks with each other as Nobunagas face twisted in a nasty looking smile, while a small trickle of drool ran down his cheek. Izanagi just took his fan and bashed the warlord on the back of his head bringing him out of his daydreams of conquest. "If you would be so kind and return from the realm of dreams, there will be an aide from me, you can choose one from all of my yokai to assist you on your journey to placate that realm" Nobunaga thought long and hard of what kind of servant he would need to accomplish the task most effectively. Oni would be useless, while a tengu wouldn't be able to blend in as well and kappa wouldn't have a chance against the adversaries he would be facing- being a water spirtit, it seemed he would need a nekomata, two tailed shape shifter and a blood-drinking assassin, yes it would do just fine.

"I humbly wish of you mighty Izanagi to grant me one of your Nekomata for my quest" Nobunaga said as he drank the last of his tea and thanked his hosts. As he put his cup down the surface of the table turned into a mirror, while the warlord felt his body changing and twisting as his beard disappeared and hair grew into the wild black mane he had been sporting in his younger, wilder days. When he looked into the mirror surface in the table he saw a young man not looking over twenty with his armour, only thing indicating it was him, was the cut off head on Oni still dangling from his shoulder guard. Izanagi snapped his fingers and with a blue cloud appeared and transformed, shaping the mass into a black cat with two tails and electric blue silted eyes .The cat shifted shapes before Nobunagas very eyes into what looked like a completely ordinary woman, if eerily beautiful, with twin tails whose white tips could be seen outside of her kimono, she did a small bow and stood beside her new master and purred.

"I take this is my new retainer…What is your name my dear?" Nobunaga asked with curiosity as he scratched the woman behind her ears rewarding the warlord with a purr from his new servant. "I am Nibi, Nobunaga-sama, I am looking forwards of learning the truth about those rumours spread by the women of your court" she purred as both of her tails curled around his forceps. The former daimyo continued to scratch the catlike woman while he turned his attention to the both gods in front of him "Before I take my leave, are there directives or rules that I should be aware of?"

Izanagi and Agni exchanged glances once again and the god of fire coughed and composed himself before declaring laws the warlord would obey unless he knew what was good for his afterlife.

"Firstly you shan't kill or irreversibly harm the Avatar, secondly genocide is strictly prohibited as there must be balance and lastly you are forbidden to take a direct leadership of any nation or army." he said sternly giving Nobunaga a look, which promised pain if he broke one of them. Thankfully he had given him law full of loopholes, which the ambitious lord could use to his advantage and with that little hint in the end of the sentence his task was clear as day. Nobunaga just smiled happily and turned his attention to the yokai

"Nibi assume your nekomata form" he ordered his new retainer and in the place of the Geisha sat a beautiful, twin tailed, black cat, who swiftly climbed up on the warlords shoulder opposite the demonic head and mewed begging for the attention from her master. Nobunaga petted his demonic minion once more and declared jovially "I'm ready Agni, let me begin my task"

Agni sighed as he rubbed his temple and with a wave of his hand a shimmering doorway appeared showing the warlord a stone fort high in the mountains. The Devil King of Sixth Heaven donned his combat boots and with the last wave of his hand the devilish warlord and the demonic cat vanished in into the portal, which closed after the sheath of the sword had left the realm.

Izanagi calmly finished his tea while Agni paced around the room

"Are you sure, that he is the right person for this Izanagi?" inquired Agni

Izanagi just pulled out a pipe and lit it on fire with his fingers and looking at his fellow creator he raised an eyebrow in Nobunaga-esque fashion and asked "Do you want to try the samurai with that stupid reverse sword style of his, at least with Tenka Fubu Nobunaga has a chance to succeed." Izanagi finished with a sardonic smirk, while Agni just huffed and asked his fellow creator "What do you think he will do?"

"Probably deflower the nekomata first and then create a multi-elemental warband devastating their enemies and when his path will cross with the fire princess, he will play her knight in shining armour and use her to dethrone Ozai and win her devotion, have an orgy with multiple women at the same time, spawn a multiple brats, die together with his concubines and wife, return here, sleep with Kitsuko, introduce her with his other lovers and then have another orgy and once again return here and ask for a similar task, which I will politely turn down and then he will enjoy the afterlife competing with various tacticians and entertaining his women." Izanagi said it with a completely straight face. Even Koh would have trouble reading his expression.

"How can you be so sure? Isn't it a bit too much? A man can get so lucky once in his lifetime…" Agni asked sceptically, this reeked of foreshadowing…

"Who knows? Future isn't set in stone, care to make a bet old friend?" asked Izanagi wiggling his bushy white eyebrows. Agni's face split into a grin and he looked his friend in the eye and called his bluff

"So…on who we are placing the bets this time?"

"You know there was this failed painter with a great talent for public speaking…"

A.N: F*ck yeah! 5 flippin' thousands take that my willpower! Sorry, longest written chapter to date, little bit hyped right now. Next time in Element of Nobunaga- battle for the fort of stone and rampaging rhinos, 100% more assholery and badassness brought to you by Sengokus mightiest! Leave a review for your thoughts on this little piece. Have a nice day and I'll see you soon (hopefully)!

~Spook