After all, he was a Dual-Wielding Great Swordsman!
Although this was a formidable swordsmanship style, capable of wielding two great swords simultaneously with astonishing power, it also had its drawbacks.
Just like now, with his wrist rendered useless, it meant he could no longer wield two swords at once, losing half his strength!
Even though he remained a Great Swordsman, it was now in name only.
After all, for a Dual-Wielding Great Swordsman, losing the dexterity of both hands is like a bird losing its wings—unable to showcase their full strength.
One can imagine that among the many Great Swordsmen today, he's likely the weakest.
Even some top-tier swordsmen might be able to challenge him.
This heartbreaking scene was witnessed by Jozu, who stood nearby.
"Vista!" Jozu cried out, his voice filled with concern and worry.
Meanwhile, Kizaru wore a look of shock, never expecting Gin's strength to have reached such a terrifying level.
Although he'd often heard about Gin from Sengoku and knew his strength was improving rapidly, he never imagined Gin's power would grow this fast!
This was Vista, after all!
He was a powerhouse ranked among the top five in combat strength within the Whitebeard Pirates, his might renowned throughout the New World.
Following Shiki, he was the only Dual-Wielding Great Swordsman, his mastery of swordsmanship reaching the pinnacle.
It'd be no exaggeration to say that aside from the Emperors, only a few of the right-hand men could surpass him—he was a super-strong fighter standing in the third tier.
Even when facing an Emperor, he could hold his ground for a while and wouldn't be easily defeated.
Yet, such a formidable fighter as Vista couldn't withstand a single move from Gin and ended up losing an arm!
For a Dual-Wielding Great Swordsman, this was a fatal blow.
After all, fighting with two swords was his style; losing one hand meant his combat power would be greatly diminished.
However, with Kizaru's keen eye, he could see that the main reason Gin managed to severely injure Vista in one move lay in the unique nature of Gin's technique.
This special move caught Vista off guard, giving him an unexpected disadvantage.
Thus, it couldn't be concluded that Gin's strength surpassed Vista's.
But even so, Gin's own capabilities couldn't be overlooked.
Although the special move achieved a surprise effect, if Gin hadn't possessed sufficient strength to back it up, he likely wouldn't have been able to inflict such serious damage.
Therefore, this move wasn't only a display of Gin's skill but also a symbol of his power.
"Desert Blade!"
Seeing such a perfect opportunity, Gin naturally wouldn't let it slip.
Without hesitation, he pressed his advantage.
In an instant, his arm transformed into a sand blade, rapidly enlarging like a colossal sand-colored dragon soaring into the air before being unleashed, forming a massive slash composed of sand.
This technique wasn't Gin's original creation but was derived from Crocodile's skill.
In the original story, this move possessed terrifying power, capable of easily splitting the ground and even cleaving through deserts.
Based on Lancelot's description, Gin successfully developed this technique, and its power was equally formidable.
Sure enough, wherever the sand blade passed, the ice layer was cleanly split in two as effortlessly as cutting through tofu, encountering no resistance.
The sheer force was astonishing, rivaling—if not surpassing—the slashes of a Great Swordsman.
Faced with such a devastating attack, Vista no longer dared to show the slightest underestimation.
Gripping his longsword tightly in his right hand, he swung it fiercely, unleashing a powerful slash that shot forth like lightning, directly meeting Gin's assault.
BOOM!
A thunderous clap echoed, deafeningly loud.
The two slashes collided in mid-air like ferocious beasts, producing an earth-shattering impact.
The forces of both sides were deadlocked, neither able to break through the other's defenses.
However, after a brief standoff, it was Gin's sand blade that fell short, forcibly shattered by Vista's slash.
And its momentum didn't diminish—carrying the force of a thunderous strike, it landed squarely on Gin's body!
The power of this slash was terrifying, as if it could tear the fabric of space apart.
This was Vista's full-strength strike!
Yet, surprisingly, Gin didn't even attempt to dodge, instead enduring this lethal blow head-on.
In an instant, Gin's body seemed to be torn in two by an invisible giant hand.
However, for Gin, who possessed the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit ability, this was nothing.
His body instantly dissolved into countless fine grains of sand, then rapidly reassembled, restoring him to his original state in the blink of an eye—as if that slash had never caused him any harm.
Gin's gaze was sharp as a falcon's, fixed intently on Vista, his eyes revealing a hint of cunning and mockery.
Immediately after, his lower body transformed into a golden wave of sand, shooting toward Vista like a bolt of lightning.
The speed was astonishing, akin to lightning streaking across the night sky, leaving no time for reaction.
In an instant, Gin was right before Vista, mere inches away!
Faced with such a sudden assault, Vista didn't panic.
He was already prepared—a layer of black Armament Haki instantly surged over his arm.
It quickly enveloped the longsword in his hand, causing the entire blade to emit an intimidating, chilling gleam.
Not only that, to prevent Gin from using that bizarre explosive technique again, Vista even coated his own arm with Armament Haki.
He was prepared for every contingency.
Once everything was ready, Vista swung his longsword without hesitation, slashing fiercely toward Gin.
This strike contained all his strength and Haki, its power enough to split mountains and shatter rocks!
"Explode…"
However, just as Vista's attack was about to strike Gin, Gin once again did something unexpected.
His body erupted like an explosive, countless grains of sand scattering in all directions, forming a sandstorm.
Vista's attack landed on empty air, while Gin had vanished without a trace amidst the swirling sand, as if he'd never been there.
The entire battlefield was engulfed, and this time, the target of the attack was no longer just Vista—it enveloped everyone present.
The sky filled with flying sand was like a fog over the sea.
The difference was that fog was composed of water and was white, while this sand mist was yellow.
Though fog could cause one to lose their way, the sand mist was deadly by comparison.
Once touched by the sand mist, people would realize in horror that these grains of sand were a catastrophe.
Even the tiniest grain landing on the skin brought a searing, burning sensation, as if scorched by fire.
Not only that, but this grain of sand would leave a pale gray dot on the skin. Though seemingly insignificant, it had already inflicted damage to the body.
However, to everyone, this was nothing. After all, such minor harm was lighter than being pricked by a needle.
Yet, this was only the beginning.
When people were enveloped by the sand mist, their bodies covered by a large amount of sand, the situation became terrifying.
These sands were like countless tiny insects, frantically gnawing at human skin, making one feel as if they were being skinned alive. Instantly, the skin lost its original color, turning pale gray and lifeless.
Even worse, as the sand on their bodies continued to accumulate, this pale gray began to gradually penetrate beneath the skin, causing more severe damage to flesh and blood.
In the most severe cases, a person's entire body would rapidly wither, as if drained of all moisture, turning into a desiccated corpse in the blink of an eye!
This horrifying transformation sent chills down everyone's spine, as if they'd been plunged into hell!
"Not good!"
This exclamation was like a bolt from the blue, tearing through the previously calm sea.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates snapped awake as if from a dream, their faces instantly turning pale as paper, with panic spreading like a plague.
As if pushed by an invisible force, everyone turned abruptly and began running without hesitation.
Their speed was swift as arrows shot from a bow, as if a ferocious beast were chasing them from behind, and they were the terrified prey.
This sudden turn of events caught the Marines charging toward them off guard, forcing them to halt abruptly, their faces filled with bewilderment.
These well-trained Marines were clearly puzzled by the Whitebeard Pirates' unusual behavior.
However, when their eyes fell upon the actual situation, their bewilderment was instantly replaced by fear.
In the distance, within the sand mist, figures were collapsing one after another, and before falling, each person rapidly turned into a desiccated corpse.
The scene radiated an indescribable eeriness and horror.
Especially when they saw some people, after collapsing, not yet dead, crawling on the ground.
As if trying to escape that living hell, but after just a few crawls, they could no longer support themselves and fell down.
Yet, their eyes told everyone that they still weren't dead. Because their eyes were filled with the fear of death and a desperate longing for life.
A chill shot up from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads, making these Marines shiver all over, their hairs standing on end.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Marines, just like the members of the Whitebeard Pirates, turned abruptly and desperately ran backward.
Their steps were frantic and hurried, devoid of their usual composure and discipline.
At this moment, there was only one thought in their minds—to flee this terrifying place.
However, amidst this chaotic scene, one person stood out starkly.