One Piece: Start by Rebuilding Kuri

During her first encounter with this ronin, Yukiko had already clearly sensed that her strength was inferior to his. The process of being suppressed and struggling to hold on quickly brought her furious little mind to clarity, and she retreated, intending to create distance between them.

She was just an ordinary woman, not a monster like Big Mom, who was born with extraordinary abilities. It was natural for there to be a gap in strength between her and a samurai who was constantly engaged in battle.

However, her Observation Haki was her advantage.

The correct way to fight should have been to create some distance and then use her more agile movements to battle, rather than engaging in a direct clash.

The fact that Yukiko could see this so quickly was quite impressive in Dan's eyes. However, the ronin didn't want her jumping around and running away. For him, the best battles were those that ended in an instant; the longer they dragged on, the more stamina they consumed.

Thus, the moment he saw Yukiko retreat, he immediately pursued her like a hungry wolf, his sword slashing down at her rapidly like wolf claws.

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

The sound of clashing swords and the trembling of the swords reached Dan's ears. Although Yukiko was retreating and fending off the attacks, every time their swords met, she struggled to withstand the immense force. The base of her thumbs was already red and sore.

'It's like trying to chop through a massive rock with a sword.'

Yukiko felt the strain, her hands nearly numb from the vibrations.

Even now, she was still at a disadvantage.

However, the ronin was somewhat surprised by her strength. The fact that she could block so many of his strikes meant this woman had some skill. Moreover, the sword in her hand didn't look like much, but it was far sturdier than he had expected.

After such a long fight, her sword showed no signs of damage, while his own sword had already become jagged.

Could it be a high-quality sword?

The ronin didn't know Haki, so he couldn't tell that Yukiko had infused her sword with her faint Haki, making it more durable.

"Ha—I can't create distance." Yukiko now regretted her initial decision to engage the ronin head-on. She wanted to create some space, but the man clung to her like a sticky plaster, making it difficult for her to maneuver.

But if time were reversed and she heard this man disrespect Dan again, Yukiko knew she would probably still charge forward without hesitation.

'My stamina is starting to run low.' Yukiko felt as though her chest was being torn apart, and her arms were sore and weak from constantly withstanding the powerful strikes. Just as she was thinking she would soon be out of options, the ronin unexpectedly stopped his assault, allowing her to finally create some distance.

"Your strength is quite surprising, but in the end, you're still no match for me. If you agree to follow me now, you won't get hurt," the ronin said. Initially, he had only planned to use Yukiko as a tool for his desires and as a future source of sustenance. However, after seeing her strength, he changed his mind.

If he could truly subdue this woman, she would be a valuable asset in this chaotic place—a capable assistant who could also serve as a long-term outlet for his stress. That would be making the most of her.

"Shut up, you disgusting creature. You think someone like you could make me follow you?" Yukiko sneered. Now that she had a moment to catch her breath and had created some distance, the outcome of the next clash would be entirely different.

"Such a sharp tongue. Don't be so quick to refuse. You respect this pretty boy, don't you? How about this: if you agree to follow me, I'll spare him. Otherwise, he'll die, and you'll be injured and played with until you die. The choice shouldn't be hard, right?"

The man spoke in a lewd tone, his threats filled with lines like, "Miss, you wouldn't want your master to die here, would you?" Dan couldn't help but sigh. This was truly a samurai from Kuri—such threats seemed ingrained in their DNA.

"How dare you call Dan-sama a pretty boy! I'll chop you into pieces and feed you to the pigs!" Yukiko gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with fury. She had initially decided to use her advantages to defeat the ronin, but that rationality was now consumed by her anger. She charged forward, determined to cut him to pieces.

"You've been disrespecting Dan-sama from the start. Die!"

Dan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Yukiko had been calm and analytical earlier, but as soon as it involved him, she lost her composure. Dan had seen her calm down, but now she was provoked again.

A head-on clash was not in her favor, and Dan was prepared to step in at any moment.

Sure enough, Yukiko leaped into the air and brought her sword down in a furious strike. This attack had no finesse—it was purely driven by rage.

The ronin didn't hesitate. He raised his sword horizontally, and the moment their swords collided, his arms tensed, and he swung outward as if hitting a baseball, sending Yukiko flying through the air.

Yukiko, now pale-faced, realized she had made the same mistake as before. But it was too late. She had no way to stabilize herself mid-air, and the ronin was already closing in, his sword aimed at her wrist.

'This is bad...'

"First, I'll cripple your hand. Let's see how you resist then!" The ronin took a few steps forward, thrusting his sword toward Yukiko's wrist, aiming to pierce it.

Yukiko watched as the sword drew closer, her heart tightening. Just then, a faint purple shadow flashed before her eyes, followed by a gentle breeze. The next moment, she felt herself being embraced by a warm chest, and sparks flew like fireworks as swords clashed.

"Dan-sama!" Yukiko looked up, her teary eyes resembling two fried eggs, her entire body bubbling with emotion. "Dan-sama is holding me... tonight..."

The ronin, having failed to land his strike, quickly retreated, eyeing Dan warily.

"I must have underestimated you. You're not just a pretty boy, are you?" he said, though he was already considering retreat. Dan had casually blocked his attack, and the recoil had left his own arms numb.

'This man... is strong...'

"Thinking of running away?" Dan asked.

"What?" The ronin's eyes widened, shocked that Dan had seen through his thoughts.

Dan slowly raised his sword. "You can't escape."

With a light swing of his sword, a slash shot out, reaching the ronin in an instant.

The man's face filled with terror as he raised his sword to block, but the sword was instantly severed.

"You're... a Swordsmaster..."