At The Peak of One Piece

Victor turned to face Onigumo, who stared at his fallen sword before looking back at his opponent in disbelief. 

'This is just a recruit who's been here for a month?! His speed is terrifying—far faster than even Soru! It's almost on par with Instructor Zephyr's!' 

At 52 years old, Zephyr was still in his prime in this world, and Victor's speed being comparable to that of an admiral in his prime was nothing short of monstrous. 

Victor's Devil Fruit ability didn't amplify his speed much—his natural speed was already extraordinary. His daily training sharpened his reflexes, and with such a high baseline, even a slight multiplier made him terrifying. 

Onigumo didn't stay stunned for long. Two more strands of hair extended, retrieving the fallen rapier. Victor couldn't help but admire the man's mastery of Life Return—using his hair like extra hands. 

'Poor Robin-chan had to eat the Hana Hana no Mi just to get extra hands, and this guy does it with his hair!' 

Victor's fears were confirmed as the hair gripping the sword darkened, the blade itself slowly turning black. 

He knew cutting through those strands now would be near impossible. His only options were to either exhaust Onigumo's Haki or awaken his own Armament Haki. The first was uncertain, the second even more so. 

But Victor wasn't worried. When it came to stamina, he feared no one. 

With a single step forward, he vanished again. This time, Onigumo didn't underestimate him—his Observation Haki flared to its limits, yet all he caught was a blur. 

Victor was already in front of him. Onigumo had no time to reinforce himself with Armament Haki. 

All he could do was brace with Tekkai. 

Victor's twin blades slashed across Onigumo's chest like a whirlwind. 

And just like always, Tekkai proved useless. Victor's swordsmanship had reached a level where mere iron flesh couldn't stop him. Two deep gashes formed a bloody "X" on Onigumo's chest, staining his silver-gray suit crimson. 

Victor wasn't one to press the attack needlessly—especially against an ally. If Onigumo didn't retaliate immediately, he'd hold back. 

The wounds weren't fatal. Tekkai still had traces of Haki particles, dulling the damage. The cuts looked gruesome but weren't deep. 

The spectators, however, didn't see it that way—especially the less-experienced elite trainees. Seeing Onigumo humiliated 'again', bleeding profusely, they erupted in excitement. 

'So much for being untouchable! Not so tough now, huh?' 

Yamakaji and Strawberry knew Onigumo had resorted to Tekkai in desperation. 

But even a Vice admiral's Tekkai wasn't easily broken. The fact that Victor had sliced through it meant his swordsmanship surpassed Onigumo's. 

Onigumo's ten-sword style was intimidating, but his actual skill wasn't on their level—he relied more on Rokushiki and Haki to overwhelm foes. 

--- 

Meanwhile, in the Navy's iconic headquarters building, two towering figures stood by an open window overlooking the plaza—Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku. 

Kong: "Sengoku, I've been focusing more on coordinating the World Government's forces lately, leaving the Navy to you. This dual-wielding kid—is he some rare Devil Fruit user? I've never heard of an ability like this. His speed is absurd. Any idea what's going on?"

They had been watching since Smoker and Onigumo first clashed. Sengoku had come to report, and though Kong was less involved now, he was still the nominal Fleet Admiral. 

Sengoku: "That's Victor. Sixteen years old, brought here by Garp from the East Blue. He's only been in the recruit camp for a month, yet he defeated every elite trainee on his second day. Then he fought Zephyr—lost, but held his own. Both Garp and Zephyr speak highly of him. They say he has admiral potential." 

Sengoku, his explosion of hair barely contained under his seagull-adorned cap, grinned as he spoke. His braided mustache swayed as he tucked his hands into his sleeves. 

Kong: "The Navy's future is secure. The old guard—you, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru—hold the fort. The new generation—Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji—are strong. And now the youngsters—Yamakaji, Chaton, Smoker, and Victor. With this, I can leave for the World Government without worry." 

He sighed, reflecting on his thirty years as Fleet Admiral. 

Sengoku: "Indeed. The Navy's strength is unmatched, and there's no gap in talent. Victor isn't a Devil Fruit user. He built a cabin by the East Coast, hunts Sea Kings daily—the sentries' reports mention it often. His speed is pure talent. Give him a powerful Devil Fruit, and he'll reach admiral-tier easily." 

Kong: "Not a Fruit user? Then his speed will only grow. His physique is already exceptional. He could become another Garp. Train him well—don't let him stray." 

--- 

Unaware of Kong and Sengoku's watchful eyes, Onigumo seethed. He'd been cut 'again', bleeding like a stuck pig! 

The wounds weren't deep, but if this kept up, he'd run out of blood before Victor ran out of stamina. 

Gritting his teeth, Onigumo cloaked his entire body in Armament Haki. Relying on last-second reinforcement was too risky. 

But this played right into Victor's hands. 'The more you use, the faster you burn out. Then you're mine.' 

Victor vanished once more. 

By the time Onigumo heard the metallic 'clang' of blades against his ribs, Victor was already gone. 

The fight became a game of hit-and-run. Victor danced around Onigumo, exploiting his speed while the Vice admiral dared not drop his Haki defense. The strain was immense. 

An hour later, Onigumo's Haki flickered. He had to withdraw the hardening from his swords. 

Victor was breathing heavily too. Maintaining such speed—both natural and enhanced—drained him twice as fast. 

Just as Victor lunged again, Onigumo's speed suddenly spiked. 

Using a Life Return technique, he accelerated his blood flow, boosting his reflexes. 

His twin rapiers parried Victor's swords, while the eight hair-controlled blades stabbed forward like spider legs. 

Onigumo: "Ten-Sword Style: Scattered Rain!" 

Victor couldn't dodge—but he didn't surrender. 

At the last moment, sheer willpower ignited the black particles within his cells. They clustered around the impact points like swirling shadows. 

'Clang! Clang! Clang!' 

The blades bounced off. The force sent Victor flying. 

'Partial Tekkai?! So battle really does forge growth.' 

Onigumo's eyes widened. His sure-kill move—blocked?! 

With a Soru, he closed the gap, raining down thrusts on Victor's airborne form. 

But Victor had entered a trance. The black particles responded effortlessly now, guided by his Observation Haki to shield him before each strike landed. 

He let his body defend on autopilot, mind wholly focused inward. 

The spectators gasped. Victor, who'd been dominating moments ago, was now on the defensive! 

Even Rebecca, who never doubted him, clutched her chest in fear. Smoker and Tashigi paled. 

Onigumo, mistaking Victor's state for sustained Tekkai, redoubled his assault, trying to break through. 

But with each strike, Victor grew more attuned to the particles. 

In the span of a breath—though it felt like an eternity in his mind—he mastered their flow. 

Snapping back to reality, Victor twisted midair and kicked off, breaking free. 

'Once I refine this, I'll master Tekkai completely. And then—Armament Haki won't be far off.' 

A smirk tugged at his lips. 

'Not bad, Smoker. Saving you wasn't a waste after all.'