"Hiss—"
"What a terrifying single-sword style strike!" Dimitri inhaled sharply, watching the scene in shock.
Though not his primary focus, Dimitri was proficient in swordsmanship himself. With just one look at that strike, he knew the opponent's skill level was likely on par with Oliver's.
Generally, a swordsman's flying slashes are categorized into 'incorporeal' and 'corporeal' types. To produce an incorporeal slash of this magnitude meant his swordsmanship had reached an elite pinnacle. Even if he wasn't quite at the level of the late Great Swordsman Elvish Saxon, known as the "Sea Splitter," the gap was marginal.
The crowd looked on in terror. Where did such a monster come from?
His first strike having missed its mark, Bank landed gracefully, tapped the ground with his toe, and lunged forward once more.
"More-More: 10-Fold Grapeshot!!!"
Dimitri stomped downward, shattering the cobblestones beneath his feet. Dozens of stone shards blasted upward, instantly expanding tenfold in mid-air.
Whiz! Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!
The air shrieked as the massive boulders, propelled by immense force, rained down on Bank from every angle.
"Body: Hardening!!!"
Bank spoke softly. He didn't dodge or hide. A faint, almost imperceptible glint of light flickered across his entire body.
Thud! Crack! Smash!
The powerful stones hammered against Bank's body with dull thuds, but it was as if they were hitting solid steel. Every single rock shattered upon impact.
Bank stood there, calm and composed, completely unharmed. Even his clothes hadn't suffered a single tear.
"What was that? Haki? Or a Devil Fruit power?" Dimitri stared at Bank in disbelief. Monsters who could tank attacks with their bare bodies certainly existed, but he had fought this man years ago, He definitely hadn't possessed that level of physical durability back then.
This meant it was either a highly advanced level of Armament Haki or a specific Devil Fruit ability providing such absolute defense.
"I'm going to carve you up!"
Bank gave a wicked grin. He stomped his lead leg, shaking the ground and cracking the pavement as he shot forward like a bullet.
Dimitri grabbed a shard of stone the size of an infant's fist. He hardened it with Armament Haki until it turned pitch-black and threw it forward with all his might.
"More-More: 100-Fold Bullet!!"
VROOOM!
Mid-flight, the blackened stone expanded a hundred times over, turning into a massive, heavy hunk of iron-hard rock that roared through the air toward Bank.
CLANG—!
A streak of black light flashed. The sound of clashing metal rang out, and a shower of sparks erupted in the air.
THUMP! THUMP!
The massive stone, sliced perfectly in half, crashed to the ground. As it landed, the black Armament Haki faded, revealing two plain pieces of rock.
Bank's forward momentum halted. His hands were trembling slightly. Although he had sliced through Dimitri's Armament Haki, it clearly wasn't easy; the recoil had traveled straight through his arms.
"Phew... what incredible power!" Bank exhaled, surreptitiously loosening his grip to ease the tension in his hands.
"More-More: 100-Fold Slash!!"
Dimitri didn't give him a moment's rest. He stepped forward and lunged. The beast-fang dagger in his hand expanded once again, transforming into a thirty-meter-long white jade blade. Carrying the weight of a mountain, the blade tore through the atmosphere with a terrifying howl, aiming straight for Bank's head.
Feeling the biting wind against his face, Bank raised his sword with both hands to block.
CLANG—!
The white jade giant blade and the black katana collided like two planets crashing together. A metallic explosion of sound erupted.
BOOM!
Simultaneously, the ground beneath Bank's feet buckled under the sheer pressure. It caved in and shattered, forming a dense web of cracks ten meters in diameter within an instant. A circular shockwave blasted outward, ripping up the cobblestones and tossing broken corpses like autumn leaves.
"Aaaaagh!"
"No! Help me!"
"What is this...?"
"Hide behind the houses! Get behind the trees!"
"Monster! He's a monster!"
The violent air currents didn't just destroy the street; they sent hundreds of people tumbling, many of whom were left bleeding after being struck by flying bricks or debris.
When the dust settled slightly, Bank withdrew his sword and vanished, reappearing instantly in front of Dimitri to deliver an overhead cleave. Dimitri remained silent; his giant blade shrank back into a dagger as he raised it to meet the strike.
CLANG—!
Another ringing of steel, another burst of wind.
"Die!"
Dimitri locked Bank's black blade in place with his dagger. With his left hand, he raised a pistol, aimed it directly at Bank's forehead, and pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The shot rang out, and a red-hot bullet spiraled out of the barrel at point-blank range.
"Palm: Hardening!!!"
In that split second, Bank snapped his palm up in front of his face. That same imperceptible glint flashed again.
Thump!
The thumb-sized lead ball struck Bank's palm, making a sound like a muffled drumbeat.
"Nani?!"
Dimitri was stunned. To block a custom-made, large-caliber flintlock at point-blank range using nothing but a bare palm, and without even using Armament Haki? The defensive power was staggering.
Even Whitebeard's body would be pierced by a high-caliber shot at this range; even the Germa 66 suits could be compromised. Aside from a handful of physical freaks with insane innate durability, almost no one could tank that with their body alone.
"An ability..." Dimitri looked at Bank grimly. The man hadn't been an Ability User years ago. It seemed he had acquired a power during his time away. Paramecia? Or Zoan?
"Leg: Hardening!!!"
Bank took the initiative. He swung a high-kick downward like an axe toward Dimitri.
CRASH!
The ground shook and dust billowed. It looked as if a heavy mallet had struck the earth; the cobblestones disintegrated where Bank's foot landed, creating a crater over ten centimeters deep with fine cracks spreading in all directions.
Dimitri dodged the leg and countered with a thrust. Armament Haki coated the white jade dagger in a pitch-black, metallic sheen.
"Obsidian Body: Hardening!!!"
Unable to dodge, Bank braced himself. His chest instantly took on the color of black iron.
TING—!
The blackened beast-fang dagger struck Bank's chest, producing a crisp, metallic clink. In the next moment, Bank spun his katana, aiming a horizontal slash at Dimitri's waist.
"ROAR!"
Just then, a beastly howl erupted. A massive silhouette, wreathed in crackling blue-white lightning, slammed into the fray.
KABOOM—!
Before Bank could react, he was sent flying by the sheer force of the collision.
CRASH! SMASH!
A black shadow streaked through the air, smashing into the buildings lining the street. He tore through seven or eight walls and bored through several houses, leaving a trail of rising dust and debris in his wake.
Back on the street, Vito turned his massive body and bared his teeth at Dimitri. "I'm not too late, am I?"
"Perfect timing!"
Seeing Vito, Dimitri breathed a sigh of relief. Even a few minutes of exchange with that man had put him under immense pressure.