Not one line, but dozens, hundreds of intersecting lines, as fine and dense as a web of ice crystals suddenly bursting apart.
Only after the web of light swept past did the bodies lunging through the air split open, scattering into chunks of varying sizes that pattered onto the black iron floor and rolled into the snow.
Scattered clicks of tongues sounded behind the bars.
"Never seen... that kind of swordsmanship before."
"Who cares? At least we've got a show."
"Don't tell me Magellan's still sitting on the toilet?"
Their laughter cracked like splitting ice.
The white figure had already reached the end.
Ahead was not a door, but an entire wall of dark metal, so thick that even probing it with Observation Haki could not reach the other side.
The shadow paused, arms dropping as the two long blades at its waist slipped softly into their sheaths.
It leaned back slightly, and its intake of breath drew the surrounding wind and snow inward.
Then it thrust both fists forward.
They did not touch the metal, yet visible ripples exploded through the air between the fists and the wall.
Only as the ripples spread did the thunder follow-not a single clap, but a succession of roars rising from low to high, as though a giant beast were turning over underground.
Eight hundred years of accumulated snow lifted in one great sheet, exposing the gleaming black iron beneath.
The roar struck the metal wall and became a shriek like twisting metal.
Cracks spread with sharp snaps across the wall in a spiderweb, centered on the spots just beyond the two fists.
Rossi's fists struck the steel gate.
The metal, several meters thick, let out an overburdened groan, caving inward and twisting before finally shattering in a deafening roar.
Fragments rained down,