From a distance, Shutenmaru's figure resembled a round, plump ball, with a waistline that might even exceed his height. However, Dan did not underestimate him.
Dan, standing at 1.9 meters tall, only reached just below Shutenmaru's chest.
While size was one thing, the key factor was that Shutenmaru's Haki was far stronger than Dan's.
Only after seeing all his subordinates fall did Shutenmaru grip his sword and charge fiercely toward Dan. The swordsman before him clearly had the qualifications to fight him, though Shutenmaru didn't believe he would lose.
While Dan had been fighting Shutenmaru's subordinates, Shutenmaru had been observing him.
In his view, Dan's mastery of Ryuo (Armament Haki) wasn't particularly strong, and his swordsmanship wasn't exceptionally refined either. However, his insight and perception were quite good. Shutenmaru didn't know that Dan had only been training for a few months.
Shutenmaru lunged at Dan like a demon. His towering figure, combined with his imposing aura, created significant pressure—enough to make Yukiko feel suffocated.
His long sword slashed down.
Shutenmaru thought Dan's swordsmanship wasn't remarkable, but in truth, his own swordsmanship—and even the swordsmanship of this world—could hardly be called extraordinary.
In the end, it all came down to a clash of Haki and strength.
*Clang—*
Their blades met, and Dan immediately felt the tremendous force transmitted through the sword. The flowing energy continuously surged into his body, and his own Haki, upon colliding with it, crumbled like a dam struck by a flood.
Once his Haki was at a disadvantage, a notch was immediately carved into Dan's blade by Shutenmaru's sword.
Shutenmaru's blade dug deeply into Dan's sword. If the stalemate continued, it might even break Dan's blade.
"Hmph, with just this level of strength, you shouldn't be boasting!" Shutenmaru sneered. He took a step forward, the muscles in his arms bulging as he exerted more force, swinging his arms with even greater power.
The force instantly pushed Dan back. However, Dan's footing was stable. Although he was forced to retreat, he remained unshaken, his feet seemingly rooted to the ground, leaving two deep tracks like train rails.
After the two separated, neither immediately pressed the attack, as if by mutual understanding.
Dan glanced down and saw that the notch in his blade was about two centimeters deep.
In this country, swordsmen who could cut through iron were common, but there was clearly a significant difference between one iron and another. Dan's sword could barely be considered a low-tier named blade. While its hardness couldn't match Shutenmaru's sword, it wasn't so easily broken.
The key was that Shutenmaru's Haki was stronger, which allowed him to achieve this.
On the other hand, Shutenmaru was also slightly puzzled. After their exchange, he could clearly sense that Dan's strength was inferior to his. Although Dan's physical power was strong and his physique somewhat exaggerated, his Ryuo was weak. Yet, Shutenmaru couldn't shake the feeling that Dan was like a wild beast.
The sense of danger never faded, which was why he didn't recklessly continue his assault.
However, his patience was limited.
Fortunately, the stalemate didn't last long. Soon, Dan raised his head and looked at him.
"Like Hawkeye, I'm not the type to go all out just to hunt a rabbit."
Dan's words left Shutenmaru utterly confused. He mentioned "Hawkeye," which sounded like a person's name, but Shutenmaru had never heard of such a figure.
Still, he understood the gist of Dan's message.
"You're mocking me, saying I'm not worth your full effort?" Shutenmaru's eyes widened in rage. Being looked down upon like this ignited his pride like a powder keg, and even his Haki grew stronger.
But to Dan, this wasn't an issue. No one would exhaust all their strength to crush an ant, nor would they bring out strategic-level weapons for such a task.
However, Dan had no choice at the moment.
His training had been short, and his Haki was still too weak. Without using his Take Over ability, it would be difficult to deal with Shutenmaru. While an ordinary animal spirit would suffice, it would only prolong the battle.
Perhaps it would turn into a war of attrition.
In that case, it was better to end the fight quickly.
"Don't look down on me, you bastard!" Shutenmaru was furious. Just as he was about to charge forward and tear Dan apart, he suddenly noticed a strange aura emanating from Dan. A peculiar purple halo also lit up beneath his feet.
"What is that?"
He stared in confusion at the changes happening to Dan. The brightness of the halo beneath his feet intensified, soon enveloping Dan entirely.
"It's coming, it's coming!" Yukiko's eyes sparkled as she shouted in excitement, like a child seeing a new toy.
Six months ago, she had been terrified by Dan's power, but after witnessing the wonders of this ability, she had become both awed and envious. The ability to transform into various creatures was like something out of a legend!
"Take Over: Satan's Soul, Yamata no Orochi's Soul."
Within the light, Dan's tone turned cold, his words carrying a chilling frost that sent shivers down one's spine. Dark purple mist coiled around him, and the sleeves and belt of his clothes transformed into serpentine forms. Several venomous snakes hissed, their eyes glowing red.
"It's here, it's here! That cold voice! Dan-sama, please scold me with that disdainful tone!" Yukiko looked as if she were about to ascend to heaven, her body writhing like seaweed.
"What... what kind of sorcery is this?" Shutenmaru's pupils contracted, and he grew wary. Dan's appearance hadn't changed much, save for a layer of purple shadow around his eyes, but his aura had completely transformed.
Shutenmaru felt as if he were being stared down by a venomous snake, his hair standing on end.
'This eerie feeling... is this the source of the danger I sensed?'
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Shutenmaru's forehead, but it wasn't so easy for him to admit defeat.
"Pathetic sorcery! I'll cut off all your snake heads and brew them into wine!" he roared, charging forward once more.
But this time, his movements were crystal clear to Dan.
"Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi."
Dan swung his blade, and a strange energy enveloped the sword, transforming its appearance entirely. The blade turned a dark purple, and an overwhelming energy overflowed, rising like smoke into the air.
Legend has it that within the tail of the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi lies a sword—Ame no Murakumo.
However, the Ame no Murakumo in Dan's hands was not a physical blade but a manifestation of energy.