At The Peak of One Piece

Victor shared all his insights on Haki and swordsmanship with Rebecca. Mastery now rested on her shoulders; he could only guide her practice. 

He ventured into the forest, felling thick logs. Once dried, they'd build a cabin—a skill he'd mastered. Cooking in the dorms bred resentment. 'Might need recruits from this batch for my future crew. Can't afford to alienate them all.' 

Returning, he found the smaller cuts of Sea King meat perfectly roasted. He called Rebecca—deep in meditation—to eat. 

He offered some to the coastal sentries, but duty-bound, they declined. 

They devoured the meal. Rebecca ate heartily, yet paled next to Victor's appetite. A massive Sea King weighed over 50,000 kg. Boneless, tens of thousands of kilos of meat remained. After setting aside snacks for tonight's drinks and Rebecca's portion, Victor consumed the rest. 

'Unbelievable for a human.' Only a monstrous stomach could digest it—channeling that primal energy into every cell. 

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Dinner done, Victor doused the fire. Carrying reserved ingredients, they returned to the dorms. 

Recruits stared at the fresh meat with wounded eyes—like betrayed lovers. Victor winced, hurrying inside. 

He started cooking immediately. Beach grilling was for primal energy, not flavor. Still, his skill elevated the naturally delicious Sea King meat far above ordinary fare. 

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Smoker and Hina arrived as aromas bloomed, just as Victor finished. 

"Next time, come early!" Victor grumbled. "Help wash veggies! Don't just waltz in like honored guests!" 

"Next time for sure," they chorused. 

Victor scoffed, unconcerned. 'Hook set.' After tasting his cooking, they'd be addicted—ditching the mess hall forever. 

The meal was also thanks for Smoker's Rokushiki tips, legitimizing Victor's skills and revealing deeper secrets. 

Smoker, awed by Victor's power, grilled him on training methods. Hina, transformed into a foodie, regaled Rebecca with tales of Victor's Elite Camp rampage. 

Rebecca's eyes widened. She knew Victor was strong—but 'this' strong? Victor had only mentioned the camp vaguely, not soloing its entire roster. 

Hearing the truth, Rebecca's resolve to master swordsmanship and Observation Haki hardened visibly. 

After the feast, Hina and Rebecca cleaned. Smoker staggered away, trailing smoke. Victor slept, savoring Marineford's rare peace. 

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5:00 AM. The assembly ground. 

Victor and Rebecca arrived in weighted gear. Every eye locked onto Victor—awe, envy, disbelief. News had spread: Victor crushing the Elite Camp, then battling the former Admiral Zephyr. 'All on his first day.' 

Ignoring the stares, Victor approached Andrew. 

"Colonel Andrew, does classroom instruction start today?" 

"Yes. Morning conditioning, followed by foundational studies. Daily routine. Why?" 

"My learning pace is accelerated. I request self-study with the textbooks." Victor stated calmly. 

"My path is combat. Grasping the basics suffices. My focus remains on training." 

Victor explained his unconventional proposal to Lieutenant Andrews. The officer's expression darkened instantly. 

"This troublemaker's barely arrived and already making demands!" 

Seeing Andrews' displeasure, Victor smoothly added, "How about this - I'll self-study the materials but guarantee passing all exams. I'll participate in morning drills and field exercises too. Does that work for you, instructor?" 

Andrews' expression softened slightly. He knew prodigies required special treatment, and this recruit's capabilities were undeniable - yesterday's incident with the training weights had made that abundantly clear. With a reluctant nod, he agreed. 

"Very well, Victor. I'll allow it. But you must keep your word. Even when you transfer to combat division, remember what we teach here could save your life someday." His tone carried stern warning. "The Grand Line's dangers extend beyond brute strength - its unpredictable weather alone..." 

Victor nodded. He understood the value of knowledge, though with his eidetic memory, academic study posed little challenge. 

"One more thing, instructor." 

Andrews' eye twitched, face flushing red as he barely restrained his temper. 

"Rebecca's clearly combat material - she'll either serve on my future ship or Vice Admiral Tsuru's. There's no sense wasting time on general training. Let her specialize early in a practical naval skill." Victor argued persuasively. "The Age of Pirates won't wait for us to dawdle through unnecessary curricula." 

Andrews assessed Rebecca - yesterday she'd carried 500kg weights effortlessly during the 20km run. Clearly no ordinary recruit. If her path was set, standard training would indeed be inefficient. 

"...Agreed. Rebecca, submit your specialization choice promptly." Then lowering his voice to Victor: "About your unauthorized dorm cooking yesterday... additional laps today. No objections?" 

"None. I'll collect my textbooks after the run." Victor smirked, knowing Andrews sought petty revenge but caring little - running was trivial to him. 

As they rejoined formation, Andrews announced the day's schedule: "Twenty laps standard, five extra for latecomers. Victor gets twenty additional for repeat cooking violations - forty total. BEGIN!" 

The recruits set off, Victor and Rebecca leading effortlessly while ignoring envious stares. For Victor, this was mere warmup - his real challenge awaited: awakening Armament Haki before the New World's trials arrived.