After about ten minutes of brisk walking, Daz Bones stopped in an abandoned street. The area showed signs of intense past conflict, with bullet holes and scorch marks covering the buildings on either side.
The two men stood facing each other. Badak calmly drew his sword and introduced it: "This sword was originally called 'White Iron.'
Though it's no famous blade, its quality is excellent—not inferior to any fine-grade sword."
"Doesn't matter. Since I ate the Dice-Dice Fruit, no swordsman has so much as scratched me." Daz Bones clashed his fists together, producing metallic clanging sounds.
"Hear that? My body's hard as steel. Slashes, strikes—none of them work on me."
"Oh really? Then I'll have to see for myself. Triple Slash!"
In an instant, Badak closed the distance and delivered three rapid sword strikes.
"Man Cutting!"
Though confident in his invulnerability, Daz Bones still braced himself and fully activated his fruit power to maximize his hardness.
Despite three sword strokes, only a single "clang" rang out—a testament to Badak's blinding speed.
Daz Bones' feet scraped backward across the ground until he slammed into one of the abandoned buildings lining the street."You're quite strong, kid. But like I said, you can't hurt me!"
Daz Bones relaxed his stance, casually brushing the dust off his clothes before turning his gaze to Badak. "Now, it's my turn. Master Slash."
He formed his hands into tiger claws, fingers transforming into blades as he lunged at Badak with the ferocity of a wild beast pouncing on prey.
Badak hastily raised his sword to block the finger-blades. "Those claws of yours are pretty sharp."
"The best is yet to come!"
In terms of strength, Daz Bones was far inferior to Badak.
Currently, he was using both hands just to barely hold Badak back from pushing him away.
Seizing the opportunity, he grabbed Badak's sword and raised his leg to kick diagonally upward at Badak's waist. The moment he swung his leg, it transformed into a sharp blade.
If struck, Badak would inevitably be injured unless he used Iron Body or his Great Ape Form.
"Hulk Smash!"
Badak stopped the direct contest of strength and instead swung his sword like the Hulk slamming Loki.
Daz Bones, gripping tightly and standing on one leg, lost his balance and was slammed into the ground several times before hastily letting go of the sword.
"That's hardly swordsmanship," Daz Bones remarked.
Though covered in dust from the slams, Daz Bones remained unharmed. Lying on the ground, he swept his bladed legs toward Badak's feet, the edges gleaming coldly.
Badak leaped back and said solemnly, "Swordsmanship is not such a rigid thing."
"Hmph, sophistry. Dust-sized Swift Slash Blades!"
Daz Bones transformed the soles of his feet into blades and rushed toward Badak like a skater, his palms and fingers shifting into moving blades, ready to tear Badak apart at any moment.
This time, Badak didn't dare block the finger-blades directly—if his sword was grabbed again, the Hulk Smash tactic wouldn't work.
Instead, he struck the sides of Daz Bones' blades, deflecting every attack.
After several exchanges, Badak remained completely unharmed, and Daz Bones failed to land a single hit.
Badak thought to himself, I came here to break through Iron Cutting, not to exhaust my opponent's stamina.
This can't go on—I must cut through Daz Bones before he tires out.
Daz Bones also realized, I've used my abilities so many times yet haven't scratched my opponent. This won't do—my stamina won't hold out.
As if by mutual understanding, both abandoned probing strikes and intensified their attacks. Yet, Badak still couldn't cut through his opponent's steel body.
"Severing Slash!"
Daz Bones swung his arms wide before crossing them over his chest, sending intersecting slashes hurtling toward Badak.
Sensing the attack, Badak swung his sword to counter.
Though he blocked the slashes, the force pushed him backward until he crashed into a building at the street's edge.
The tables had turned—each had now forced the other back once.
"Crack, crack, crack!" The lower half of the building's wall behind him was sliced into pieces, and the upper structure collapsed with a series of crashes.
"Dust-sized Slash!"
Daz Bones didn't stop. His crossed arms twisted, fingers transforming into blades, before he slashed downward in an "X" shape.
A storm of slashes tore through everything in front of him. The collapsed building was diced into tiny cubes like tofu, the sound of fragments pattering to the ground unending.
At this moment, Badak entered a strange state—he felt enlightenment. Originally, he had planned to endure the next wave of slashes with Iron Body. But as he listened to the relentless slicing of the building, he noticed something peculiar.
Time seemed to slow down, making everything around him exceptionally clear.
Each slash cutting through stone felt different—some were effortless, while others were laborious. Even different parts of the same stone produced distinct sounds.
Stones had "breaths"—or at least, that's what Zoro called it. Everything around him had "breaths" too.
Badak swung his sword casually, barely exerting any force, yet Daz Bones' Dust Slash was cleanly severed.
He took a few steps forward, then a few to the right, and the moment he moved away, rubble would crash down precisely where he had been standing.
Every step he took effortlessly avoided the falling debris, allowing him to walk out of the ruins unscathed—save for the dust covering him.
"This can't be!"
Daz Bones panted heavily. Using both Splitting Slash and Dust Slash in succession had taken a considerable toll on him.
Despite constantly calling Badak a brat, he wasn't much older himself—not even twenty yet.
"And yet, it happened."
Badak looked at Daz Bones. "I heard your 'breath.' As thanks, I'll make this strike a little gentler."
"Hmph, stop with the nonsense. You think I'd believe that? Man Cutting!"
His words were tough, but his movements were anything but careless—that was Daz Bones for you.
"Iron Cutting."
Badak swung his sword lightly—a strike imbued with will.
This slash wasn't particularly fast or powerful.
In fact, Daz Bones could clearly see its trajectory. Had he not been using Man Cutting, he was confident he could have dodged it easily.
Yet, against all odds, the blade sliced through his skin, through his muscles, sending blood gushing out as he collapsed.
At that moment, a thousand curses raced through his mind—was this what he called "gentle"?
"Ah, my apologies. I just mastered this, so I'm still a bit clumsy. Seems I still put too much force into it."
Badak's voice drifted over intermittently, sounding anything but apologetic. Daz Bones finally blacked out.