At The Peak of One Piece

When Tsuru and the others arrived at the cabin, they saw a figure entirely cloaked in black, sitting cross-legged by the shore in front of the house. 

Black clothes, black pants, black boots—even the exposed skin was black. Of course, his face was no exception, darkened entirely. 

No, it wasn't because he was displeased by their arrival. He was training his Armament Haki. This kind of training produced visible results. 

Relying solely on battles to deplete Haki and waiting for it to grow stronger? That was impossible. 

Now that Victor knew how to actively enhance his Haki, he wouldn't just sit around waiting. 

As a recruit, his current environment was relatively stable—the perfect time to focus on strengthening his Haki. 

Victor suspected that Douglas Bullet had also discovered this training method, which was why his Haki was so overwhelmingly powerful. 

The same logic applied to Observation Haki. The future Admiral Fujitora Issho was a prime example. 

Being blind, he had no choice but to keep his Observation Haki active at all times—to the point where he could detect meteorites in outer space. 

So Victor also kept his Observation Haki constantly engaged, aiming to expand its range further. 

Tsuru and the others were baffled by the sight of Victor coated entirely in Armament Haki. 

Tsuru knew Victor had Observation Haki and assumed the young man was just showing off his Armament, which amused her. 

"Alright, Victor, we all know you can use Armament Haki. You can drop it now," Tsuru said with a chuckle. 

Gion frowned slightly at Tsuru's words. 'A shallow man who loves to flaunt his abilities? Is this really the swordsman I wanted to meet?' 

Rebecca was about to explain that Victor always trained like this, but a glance from him made her hold her tongue. 

Victor knew Tsuru had misunderstood, but he didn't plan to clarify. 

This Haki training method was likely universal—but how much one could improve depended entirely on innate talent. 

Most people couldn't perceive how their Haki grew stronger, assuming it was only through battle. Few actively trained it outside combat. 

Victor was still young. If this method spread, the balance of power in the world could shift unpredictably—and not in his favor. 

Some individuals already had top-tier Haki. If they learned this technique, the future threats would become far more dangerous. 

He hadn't even told Rebecca, fearing that if she mentioned it, Tsuru might grow suspicious. 

The old woman's intellect was formidable—she might deduce the truth from Victor's behavior. So the excuse "I always train like this" couldn't be used in front of her. 

"Heh, Granny Tsuru, I just wanted you to praise me a little. Maybe put in a good word with Vice Admiral Garp?" 

"Let me graduate early! I want to set sail and hunt pirates!" Victor offered a plausible excuse. 

Tsuru found his reasoning amusing. But objectively, Victor—a master of Rokushiki, awakened in both Haki types, and a skilled swordsman—was more than ready for missions. 

Her own sister, Gion, had been the same. 

And Victor had defeated a Vice Admiral even before awakening Armament Haki. He was more than qualified—overqualified, in fact. 

But she couldn't override Garp's decisions. 

"Sorry, Victor. I've worked with Garp for decades. Once he makes up his mind, it's nearly impossible to change. But I'll try." 

"Well, guess I'll just have to endure another half-year then," Victor sighed, though he wasn't surprised. 

Garp was the kind of man who selectively listened even to Fleet Admiral Kong's orders. Expecting him to bend the rules? Unlikely. 

This didn't disrupt Victor's plans. He still intended to lay low, refining his strength further. 

Gion, overhearing their conversation, reassessed her impression of Victor. Now, she stepped forward, intent on testing his swordsmanship. 

She strode ahead of the group, stopping before Victor. 

Victor noted that Gion was tall—already at Admiral height, around three meters(9.8f). 

At 2.3 meters(7.5), Victor was significantly shorter, but he didn't feel inferior. 

His natural height was close to three meters, but he used Life Return to shrink himself. He preferred a more modest stature, influenced by his past life's aesthetics. 

Even now, he felt too tall. If possible, he'd adjust further, but this was his limit with Life Return. 

Gion's long legs were striking—easily 1.7 meters(5.5f) , pale and shapely. 

Her left thigh bore a spider tattoo, and she wore black shorts paired with a pink crop top that accentuated her curves. A Justice cloak draped over her shoulders, her famed sword Kinguramon at her hip. 

In her twenties, with delicate features, peach-blossom eyes, and a geisha's hairstyle, she was one of the world's rare beauties. Even Victor was momentarily stunned. 

"Victor, I'd like to spar with you. You won't refuse, will you?" She cut straight to the point. 

Victor was surprised. He hadn't expected this future Admiral candidate to seek him out for a duel. 

He'd assumed she was just accompanying Tsuru for a casual visit. 

Given the Vice Admiral insignia on her cloak, her rank was already high. Sparring with a recruit was unusual—winning would seem like bullying, while losing would be embarrassing. 

Not everyone was as shameless as Onigumo, picking on recruits. 

But Victor could tell—Gion was serious. She genuinely wanted to test his swordsmanship, approaching this with a warrior's spirit. 

'Probably because of that damn newspaper article.' Otherwise, it'd be hard to catch her attention. 

But Victor had no reason to refuse. He, too, wanted to gauge the skill of a future Admiral-level swordsman. 

"Sure. Right now?" 

"Of course. Right here, right now." Gion replied firmly. 

Without another word, Victor led her to the clearing where he usually sparred with Rebecca—a wide, open space at the forest's edge, stripped of trees (which had long been turned into firewood). 

When Tsuru first saw this, her eye had twitched slightly. 

The two stood apart, neither immediately attacking. Their gazes locked, sharp as blades. The very air between them seemed to hum with unseen edges, the wind itself carrying a cutting tension. 

In the end, Gion struck first. 

Facing a man whose swordsmanship rivaled 'Red-Haired Shanks', she knew she couldn't match that level. The initiative had to be hers. 

Her speed was impressive—in an instant, she closed the distance, her sword descending in a fierce slash. 

But Victor's reflexes were beyond human. Even without Observation Haki, his eyes—adapted to extreme speed—tracked her movements as if she were jogging in slow motion. 

He didn't draw his blade. 

He simply 'dodged'. 

Slash after slash met empty air. Gion's frustration grew. 

"Damn it—who does he think he's looking down on?!" 

The fact that he refused to even unsheathe his sword infuriated her. She activated her Observation Haki, trying to predict his evasions. 

At first, it worked—briefly. 

Then Victor adjusted. His speed outpaced her predictions, leaving her swings futile. 

"This girl's met her match today." 

"A Vice Admiral-level swordswoman… and she can't even force a recruit to draw his blade?" 

"What kind of monster is this batch of recruits producing?!" 

"I'd kill for that kind of talent…" 

Even Tsuru found the display somewhat embarrassing. Gion—a warrior respected by her crew—was being toyed with. The female soldiers watching were stunned. 

"You bastard! DRAW YOUR SWORD! What kind of spar is this?!" Gion snapped, her composure cracking. 

Victor's perpetual grin only stoked her fury further. 

Seeing her genuine anger, Victor finally relented. With a flick of his wrist, Chikara slid free from its sheath. 

Now, a true duel began. 

Victor's swordsmanship was refined to the extreme—every motion efficient, every strike precise. He consistently outpaced Gion, landing touches before she could react. 

"Tch—his speed's unreal!" 

Her Armament Haki protected her from injury, but the gap was undeniable. 

When their flying slashes clashed, Gion needed two of her own to neutralize one of Victor's. The disparity was brutal. 

"My skill's inferior. I'll have to train harder." 

Outmatched in power, speed, and technique, Gion found herself relentlessly pressured. Victor wasn't even using his full speed—had he done so, she'd have been overwhelmed instantly. 

Their clash became a comprehensive test: 

- Technique 

- Sword Slashes 

- Haki 

- Swordsmanship Mastery 

- Adaptability 

The clearing bore the scars of their exchange—the earth churned, the ground carved into jagged chunks. 

The outcome was inevitable. 

Victor's victory was absolute. 

Though Gion was a far stronger swordswoman than Rebecca, against Victor, she stood no chance. 

"Enough. I concede." 

She wasn't the type to deny defeat. But as she sheathed her blade, her eyes burned with resolve. 

"I'll get stronger. And I'll challenge you again. Don't you dare refuse." 

Victor merely smiled. "Looking forward to it." 

--- 

"Rebecca, bring Victor with you tonight!" 

With that, Tsuru's business here was concluded. After a brief farewell to Rebecca, she led the group away. 

Though not before several female soldiers cast heated glances back at Victor—lingering, reluctant to leave. 

A young, handsome man of monstrous strength? Resistance was futile. 

Had Tsuru not been present, they might've swarmed him then and there. 

Rebecca's glare could've melted steel. 

As for Gion? 

Before leaving, she fixed Victor with one last, searing look—as if branding his image into memory. 

Victor simply waved, his smile unchanging.