At The Peak of One Piece

The next evening, Smoker left the seaside cabin in frustration—Victor refused to spar with him, dismissing him as too weak. 

Hina followed behind Smoker, a faint smile on her face. 

After cleaning up, Victor took out his homemade bamboo sword. Rebecca, already accustomed to the routine, blindfolded herself and assumed a combat stance. 

Victor closed his eyes as well and stood before Rebecca, beginning the day's training. 

"Rebecca, you need to focus your mind and sense the bamboo sword coming toward you. Don't treat it as just bamboo—treat it like a real blade. If you fail to dodge even once, it could mean death. Only in life-or-death moments can Observation Haki awaken more easily." 

Victor spoke seriously. After all, he had awakened his own Haki in a similar desperate situation. 

Though he hated to hurt Rebecca, letting her endure minor injuries now would spare her greater pain against real enemies in the future. 

Rebecca nodded. 

... 

The navigation students noticed Rebecca's frequent injuries—old bruises barely healed before new ones appeared. They wondered what she was going through. 

Despite her battered appearance, she at least had Sea King meat to eat daily. The high concentration of spirit energy in the meat accelerated her recovery. 

But healing couldn't keep up with the constant training. 

Still, there was progress. Rebecca occasionally dodged a strike, proving the method worked. Persistence would bring results. 

Victor conducted this training for an hour each day. 

The rest of his time was dedicated to his own training. 

Mostly, he focused on comprehending Armament Haki, meditating for hours. 

He concentrated his willpower inward, trying to command the elusive black particles. 

For days, he made no progress—his will was too scattered across his body, and the particles refused to respond. 

Then, Victor remembered Zephyr's advice: Start with the easiest part to control. 

He scanned his body before settling on his hands. Staring at them, he recalled Rokushiki's Finger Pistol technique. 

"So that's it… Finger Pistol wasn't made a standalone technique for no reason. The Navy's training is more thoughtful than I realized!" 

Fingers were the most agile and frequently used parts of the body. Mastering Haki here first was logical—this was the Navy's foundational teaching method. 

Finger Pistol served as a bridge between Rokushiki and Haki. 

The Six Powers never outright stated: "Mastering these will make awakening Haki easier!" 

But diligent training naturally guided one toward Haki's awakening. 

Realizing this, Victor gathered all his willpower into his right index finger. 

And for the first time, he succeeded where he had previously failed. 

He summoned the black particles from within his finger's cells to its surface. Though sparse, it was a breakthrough. 

"Finally! Basics matter—skipping steps is pointless. What a waste of time! Not talking about you, Zoro. Hahaha!" 

Victor was thrilled. He had found the key to unlocking Armament Haki. 

The door was open. Now, persistence and refinement would lead to full awakening. 

The fog had lifted. The path was clear. Victor would march forward without hesitation. 

... 

Within two days, Victor mastered Finger Pistol, leaving countless holes in the forest trees. 

Now, he could summon black particles from all ten fingers. 

"I still need more real combat to solidify this." 

Victor's willpower had never been weak—his proficiency in Observation Haki proved that. 

He experimented with controlling more particles, knowing that true Armament Haki would manifest once their density reached a critical point. 

For now, he could only draw particles from the outermost layers of his skin, resulting in faint, flickering traces of black energy. 

"No rush. Six months in the recruit camp, six in the elite training—that's a full year. I still have time to build my foundation." 

... 

Time flew. 

A month had passed since Victor arrived at Marineford. 

During their morning run, Andrew gave him some news. 

"Exams start tomorrow. Every subject. Don't embarrass yourself—be a man of your word." 

Victor smirked. Who does he think I am? He'd already memorized every book.

Victor wasn't worried at all. After morning drills, he headed straight to the elite training camp, only to find Instructor Zephyr absent. His plans were ruined. 

He practiced Finger Pistol with an elite trainee—Victor attacking while the other used Iron Body in defense, their clash perfectly synchronized. 

Smoker was busy developing his Devil Fruit powers again. Victor shook his head inwardly: 'What's there to develop in a trash-tier Logia? My Speed-Speed Fruit is way more awesome—15x acceleration already!' Though some female trainees complained about their clothes blowing up before they could even see him vanish. 

Victor itched to awaken Armament Haki just to pummel Smoker. 'Always "developing" his fruit? With that uneducated brain, what flower can you make bloom?' Victor couldn't even bother mocking him anymore. 

After training Finger Pistol with no sign of Zephyr's return, Victor left. 

Back at the cabin, Rebecca had returned. 

"No Observation Haki training today," Victor smiled. "Rest up for tomorrow's exam." 

He almost felt guilty—daily sparring left Rebecca bruised and swollen. 'Good thing we're not a couple, or they'd accuse me of domestic violence.' 

"One exam won't affect me," Rebecca insisted, urgency in her eyes. Victor's rapid growth made the gap between them feel wider every day. Victor didn't notice her worry. 

"Nah, heal those injuries. Return to your pretty self by exam day!" Victor laughed, unable to contain himself. Rebecca's swollen face looked absurd—unlike their past spars where she rarely took facial hits. 

"You promised not to laugh! How many times now?" Rebecca huffed, turning away. Victor always swore it was the "last time," only to crack up again. 

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Victor relented, stifling his grin. "Has Granny Tsuru returned yet?" 

"No," Rebecca murmured. "She visited me once after arriving at the training camp, then sailed to the North Blue for a mission." She missed the old woman—one of her few connections here. 

'1504 on the Sea Calendar… She's likely chasing the Donquixote Family up north,' Victor mused. 'No quick return, but she's strong enough to handle them alone.' 

"Granny Tsuru's powerful. No need to worry," he reassured. Rebecca nodded silently. 

Victor resumed Finger Pistol training, now experimenting beyond just his fingers—methodically awakening every inch of his skin. 'Once I mobilize the black particles in all epidermal cells, Iron Body mastery is mine.' With a clear path, daily refinement would accumulate control. 

'The Marines' Haki system is far more systematic,' Victor reflected. 'Unlike Koushirou's poetic approach—that just adds unnecessary hurdles.' 

Koshiro made him recall Kuina. Half a year had passed since their farewell. 

'I wonder how she's doing. Is she happy? What's she up to now?' 

Kuina, of course, had few options under her strict father's watch. At that very moment, she was swinging her sword behind the Isshin Dojo with fierce determination—the future "World's Greatest Swordswoman." 

Every glimpse of the small cabin in Shimotsuki Village hardened Kuina's resolve. 

Victor sighed. 'Everyone lives their own life. Sometimes you're part of it; sometimes just a spectator. And sometimes, all you can do is hear their story.'