What about the giant rat in the fire swamp? That was a pretty fierce competitorI'd do like Wesley in The Princess Bride when he's fighting Fezzik and jump on it's back and try to strangle it until it passed out.
I would pick up Domon and use him as a sort of weak bo-staff
The question is 'If you wanted to fight a bear'. It's a false premise. I wouldn't want to fight a bear. I am evolved. I would reason with it and if it had any intelligence whatsoever it would see my point. If not, I'd hire a contract killer.
You drink in an 800 year old bar. I drink in one that's 5. You aren't evolved, I am
You drink in a 200 year old country. Game, Set and Match to the old world.