Chapter 15: The Sword of the Ama-no-Kurakumo
From a distance, Shutenmaru's physique looked like a bloated ball, his waist seemingly even wider than his height. Even so, Ren did not underestimate him.
Ren stood close to one point nine meters tall, yet he only reached Shutenmaru's lower chest.
Size was only one factor. More importantly, Shutenmaru's Haki was clearly stronger than Ren's.
Seeing all of his subordinates defeated, Shutenmaru gripped his sword and charged forward with a ferocious expression. The swordsman before him, blade in hand, was qualified to fight him, though he did not believe he would lose.
While fighting the bandits earlier, Shutenmaru had been observing Ren as well.
In his view, Ren's Ryuo was not particularly refined, and his swordsmanship was far from exquisite. However, his perception was sharp. What Shutenmaru did not know was that Ren had only trained for a few months.
Shutenmaru lunged forward like a demon. His towering body and surging aura exerted immense pressure. Even Yukiko felt her breathing grow heavy.
The long blade came crashing down.
Shutenmaru believed Ren's swordsmanship lacked finesse, but in truth, his own technique—and even the swordsmanship of this world—could hardly be called exquisite.
At its core, this was a clash of Haki and raw strength.
Clang—
The blades collided, and Ren immediately felt a terrifying force surge through his sword. The flowing aura invaded his body, and his own Haki collapsed instantly, like a dam shattered by floodwaters.
The moment his Haki fell behind, Shutenmaru's blade carved a deep notch into Ren's sword.
The long blade bit firmly into the metal. If the clash continued for even a moment longer, Ren's sword might be severed entirely.
"Hmph. If this is all you've got, don't come here boasting," Shutenmaru sneered.
He stepped forward, the strength in his arms surging. His muscles bulged as he swung with full force.
That power sent Ren sliding backward. Yet his stance remained firm. His feet never left the ground, carving two long trails across the earth.
After separating, neither side attacked immediately.
Ren lowered his gaze and saw that the chip in his blade was nearly two centimeters deep.
In Wano Country, swordsmen capable of cutting iron were numerous, but not all iron was the same. The sword Ren held barely qualified as an unranked famous blade. Its hardness could not compare to Shutenmaru's weapon, yet it should not have been damaged so easily.
The key difference lay in Haki.
On the other side, Shutenmaru was also surprised. From the brief exchange, he could clearly sense that Ren's strength was inferior to his own. Ren's physical power was impressive, almost exaggerated, yet his Ryuo was weak.
And yet, Shutenmaru felt as if he were facing a ferocious beast.
That sense of danger never faded, which was precisely why he did not rush in again.
Still, his patience was limited.
Before long, Ren lifted his head.
"Actually, like Hawkeye, I'm not the type who needs to go all out just to hunt a rabbit."
Shutenmaru froze, completely confused. Hawkeye? It sounded like a name, but he had never heard of such a person.
Even so, he understood the meaning behind Ren's words.
"You bastard! Are you mocking me, saying I'm not worth your full strength?" Shutenmaru roared, his eyes narrowing as his temper exploded like a powder keg. Even the Haki around him surged violently.
From Ren's perspective, there was nothing wrong with what he said. No one would exhaust themselves to crush an ant, let alone use a strategic weapon.
But at this moment, Ren had little choice.
His training time was short, and his Haki was still too weak. Without using Reception, defeating Shutenmaru would be difficult. Using ordinary animal souls would only drag the fight out.
It could easily turn into a drawn-out battle.
In that case, it was better to end it quickly.
"Don't look down on me, you bastard!" Shutenmaru roared, about to charge again and tear Ren apart.
Then he suddenly sensed something strange.
An unusual aura rose from Ren, and a faint purple glow appeared beneath his feet.
"What is that?"
Shutenmaru stared in disbelief. The glow continued to intensify, soon enveloping Ren entirely.
"It's coming, it's coming!" Yukiko's eyes sparkled as she cried out excitedly, like a child seeing a new toy.
Half a year ago, she had been terrified of this power. Now, after witnessing it repeatedly, she felt nothing but awe. The ability to transform into various beings was like a legendary spell.
"Full Reception · Soul of the Yamata no Orochi."
Within the radiance, Ren's voice turned cold, as if laced with ice. Dark purple mist coiled around him. His cuffs and belt transformed into writhing snake bodies, venomous heads hissing with crimson eyes.
"It's here, it's here! That cold voice!" Yukiko trembled with excitement, swaying like seaweed. "Lord Ren, please scold me with that disdainful tone!"
Shutenmaru's pupils contracted. His expression grew cautious.
"What kind of sorcery is this?"
Ren's appearance had barely changed. Only a purple shadow lingered at the corners of his eyes. Yet his presence was completely different.
It felt as if a venomous serpent had locked onto him.
The hairs on Shutenmaru's body stood on end.
"So this is the source of that danger I felt…"
A bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead. Still, surrender was not an option.
"Tricks and sorcery! I'll cut off every one of your snake heads and pickle them in wine!" he roared, charging forward again.
This time, every movement was crystal clear to Ren.
"Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi."
Ren swung his sword.
Strange energy surged forth, completely transforming the blade. It turned a deep, dark purple, and overwhelming power overflowed like rising smoke.
The legendary Yamata no Orochi had once concealed a sword within its tail, the Ama no Murakumo.
What Ren wielded now was not a physical blade.
It was an energy manifestation of that sword.