Chapter 10: Swordsman
From her very first exchange with the ronin, Yukiko clearly felt that her strength was inferior to his. Being suppressed and forced to struggle just to hold on quickly sobered her heated mind, and she retreated, intending to create some distance.
She was only an ordinary woman, not a monster like Big Mom who was born with overwhelming power. A gap in strength between her and a samurai who lived in constant combat was only natural.
By comparison, her advantage lay in Observation Haki.
The correct way to fight was to open up some distance and rely on agility, rather than engaging in a head-on clash.
From Ren's perspective, it was already impressive that Yukiko had realized this so quickly. However, the ronin had no intention of letting her dart around freely. To him, a battle was best ended as quickly as possible; the longer it dragged on, the more stamina it consumed.
The moment he saw Yukiko retreat, he chased after her like a hungry wolf, his blade slashing down repeatedly, fierce and relentless.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
The sharp ringing of steel echoed continuously. As Yukiko retreated and defended at the same time, she found it difficult to withstand the ronin's brute force. The skin between her thumb and forefinger on both hands was already reddened from the strain.
It's like hacking at a massive rock with a knife.
Her hands ached violently, nearly numb from the vibrations.
Even now, she remained at a disadvantage.
The ronin, however, was slightly surprised. For her to block so many attacks, this woman clearly had some skill. Moreover, the sword in her hand looked unremarkable, yet it was far more durable than he had expected.
After fighting for so long, her blade showed not the slightest chip. By contrast, the edge of his own sword had already become jagged.
Is it a fine blade?
The ronin did not possess Haki, so he could not see that Yukiko had faintly coated her sword with it, greatly increasing its durability.
"I can't create any distance…" Yukiko felt a trace of regret over her initial decision to confront him directly. Now that she wanted to pull away, he clung to her like glue, making it impossible for her to make use of her strengths.
Still, had time been turned back, and had she heard him speak so disrespectfully of Ren again, she knew she would not have been able to restrain herself.
My stamina is starting to run out as well…
Her chest felt as if it were being torn open, and her hands throbbed with pain after enduring repeated heavy blows. Just as she feared she could not hold on much longer, the ronin unexpectedly slowed his assault, allowing her to finally open up some distance.
"Your strength surprises me somewhat, but in the end, you're still no match for me," the ronin said calmly. "If you're willing to follow me now, you won't have to suffer."
Originally, he had only planned to use Yukiko as a tool for his desires and as a temporary food reserve. After witnessing her strength, however, he changed his mind.
If he could truly subdue her, she could be useful in this chaotic land—a capable helper who could also serve to vent his urges. That way, she would be fully exploited.
"Shut up, you disgusting thing," Yukiko sneered. "You think I'd ever follow you?"
She had gainedn just regained her breath and created distance. If the fight resumed now, it would be very different from before.
"You've got a sharp tongue," the ronin chuckled. "Don't refuse so quickly. You care a lot about that pretty boy, don't you? How about this—if you follow me, I'll let him go."
"Otherwise, he'll die here, and you'll be injured, then played with until you die. That shouldn't be a hard choice, right?"
His lewd threats spilled out one after another, filled with the implication of Miss, you wouldn't want your master to die here, would you? It made Ren sigh inwardly—this brand of intimidation really did seem engraved into the bones of Wano's samurai.
"How dare you call Lord Ren a pretty boy!" Yukiko snarled, fury blazing in her eyes. "I'll chop you into pieces and feed you to the pigs!"
Only moments earlier, she had resolved to fight calmly and rationally. Now, that sliver of reason was completely consumed by rage, and she charged forward, intent on hacking him apart.
"You've been disrespectful to Lord Ren from the very beginning. Go to hell!"
Ren rubbed his forehead and sighed. Yukiko was usually composed and capable of weighing pros and cons, but whenever it involved him, her rationality vanished. He had clearly seen her regain her calm just now, only for it to be shattered again.
She was no match for the ronin in a frontal clash. Ren was already prepared to intervene.
As expected, Yukiko leapt into the air and brought her sword down with all her strength. The strike was devoid of technique, driven purely by anger.
The ronin raised his blade horizontally without hesitation. The instant the swords collided, his arms tensed, and he swung outward violently, like striking a baseball, sending Yukiko flying.
As she was thrown backward through the air, Yukiko's face turned pale. Only then did she realize she had repeated the same mistake she had made at the very beginning—but it was already too late.
With no support in midair, she watched as the ronin pursued, his blade aimed squarely at her wrist.
No…
"I'll cripple your hand first," the ronin sneered, "then we'll see how you resist!"
He closed the distance in a few steps, thrusting forward. The blade was about to pierce her wrist.
At that instant, a faint purple shadow flashed before Yukiko's eyes, accompanied by a gentle rush of wind. The next moment, she felt herself pulled into a warm embrace, and sparks erupted like fireworks as blades collided.
"Lord Ren!" Yukiko looked up, nestled against his chest, her eyes instantly brimming with tears. "Lord Ren is holding me… tonight…"
The ronin immediately retreated after his attack was blocked, staring at Ren with wary eyes.
"I misjudged you," he said cautiously. "You're not bad for a pretty boy…"
Despite his words, thoughts of retreat had already taken root. Ren had casually blocked his attack, yet the shock had left his own arm numb.
This man is strong…
"Trying to run?" Ren asked calmly.
"What?" The ronin's eyes widened. He had not expected his intentions to be seen through so easily.
Ren slowly raised his sword. "You can't escape."
The blade fell lightly.
A slash shot out instantly, arriving before the ronin in the blink of an eye.
His face filled with terror as he raised his sword to block, but the blade was cleanly cut in half.
"You are… a swordsman…"