At The Peak of One Piece

The undercover topic was finally over, and Victor breathed a sigh of relief. He had no interest in being a spy. 

It wasn't that he feared Doflamingo—right now, Doffy probably wasn't even stronger than him. The rest of his crew were even less of a concern. He just didn't like the idea of being an undercover agent—those never ended well! 

As for Rosinante's life… he could always bring it up with Sengoku later. There was still time—three or four years before that incident would happen. 

After that, the conversation shifted to the four old comrades reminiscing about the distant past. The topics were so far removed that Victor, Rebecca, and Gion couldn't contribute, so they just listened to the untold fragments of history. 

During the banquet, Victor cooked three more times—his dishes were just that good. Even small portions weren't enough to satisfy everyone. 

The gathering lasted about three hours before winding down. Though Zephyr had a residence in this area, he usually stayed at the elite training camp unless something special came up. 

Victor and Rebecca followed Zephyr out of the living quarters, heading toward the new recruits' area. At the crossroads, they bid him farewell. Zephyr was silent, merely raising a hand in acknowledgment before walking away without looking back. 

Victor stood at the intersection, watching Zephyr's retreating figure. He could tell—Zephyr had been in low spirits all evening, barely speaking. Was he thinking of his lost loved ones? 

Victor wasn't sure, but his teacher's back seemed slightly hunched, his steps lacking their usual vigor. 

"I hope he can pull himself together. If that future incident still happens, I'll have to step in. That lost arm was the catalyst… but without knowing the exact timing, it's tricky." 

After a moment of contemplation, Victor led Rebecca toward the shore. 

In the original world of One Piece, many events only had rough timelines—specific dates were hard to pin down. After all, manga had limited space, and less crucial details were often glossed over to keep the story moving, with the focus always on Luffy's journey. 

But this was a complete world—its rules, the passage of time, human interactions, natural laws, and evolution all shaped the vibrant era before Luffy set sail. 

Luffy hadn't even left yet. History wasn't just words on a page—it required the world to keep turning. It wasn't a collection of stories but lived experiences. And right now, Victor was living through them. 

The night passed without incident, and life resumed the next day. 

Shaking off his thoughts, Victor refocused on the present. Training couldn't stop—he had to grow stronger, step by step. 

Andrew had already prepared heavier weights for him. When Victor arrived for the morning run, he swapped them out immediately. 

"Not bad. Fits well. Good job, Instructor Andrew," Victor said with a smile. 

Andrew had no choice—if he messed this up, he might end up getting beaten by a trainee. That would really tarnish his reputation. 

Victor dropped his old weights, leaving a small crater in the ground. 

The new recruits had seen this before, but they still clicked their tongues in disbelief. "Freak." Comparing themselves to a monster like him would only make life miserable. 

A week flew by. Victor trained daily with the heavier weights, and his body quickly adapted. His movements became smoother, and his training efficiency improved. 

Today, he returned to the elite camp. 

"A week has passed. Zephyr's mood should've stabilized by now, right?" 

Victor guessed he'd finally get another good fight today. 

But as he entered the elite camp, he spotted a tall figure—exceptionally tall, towering over most. It was Rear Admiral Gion. 

He hadn't expected her to be here today, though he knew she was one of Zephyr's top graduates. 

Gion noticed him too and flashed a smile. 

Zephyr was speaking with her, so Victor approached. 

Turns out, Gion was seeking training Advice. When Zephyr saw Victor, he immediately knew what he wanted. 

"Victor, today you'll spar with Gion. I'll observe and see if there are areas for improvement," Zephyr said. 

Gion grinned at him. 

Victor, however, wasn't thrilled. Fighting her wouldn't give him the same intensity as sparring with Zephyr. Worse, if he lost control, he might hurt her. But since Zephyr insisted, he couldn't refuse. 

"Teacher, I already fought her last time. She couldn't beat me, and I'm worried I might accidentally injure her," Victor said, shrugging at Gion. 

Her eyes narrowed in defiance, but she couldn't refute the truth—she had lost. All she could do was vow inwardly to get stronger and beat him someday. 

Zephyr already knew about their previous match and wasn't concerned. He trusted Victor's control. 

Right now, Gion was the one seeking guidance, so having her spar with Victor would help identify her flaws faster. 

"It's fine. Just keep your weights on—that should balance things out," Zephyr said with a smile. 

Resigned, Victor took his stance opposite Gion. She didn't waste a second—drawing her sword, Konpira, she lunged at him without hesitation. 

Victor unsheathed Yubashiri to block. The clang of steel rang out repeatedly. With the weights slowing him down, his speed advantage was gone. 

Now it was pure swordsmanship—and Victor's skill still surpassed hers. Gion couldn't gain the upper hand. 

Victor didn't go all out, occasionally tapping her with the flat of his blade. 

When her swordplay failed, Gion activated Armament Haki. 

Naturally, Victor responded in kind—covering his entire body in Haki, turning pitch black. Even Yubashiri temporarily became a black blade. 

"I really want to punch him… but how? I can't beat him!" 

Gion pouted. Why did this guy always coat himself in full-body Haki like some kind of show-off? 

"Did Victor awaken some weird fetish for this?" 

Even Zephyr's lips twitched. Ever since Victor unlocked Armament Haki, he'd developed a habit of covering himself entirely in it during fights.

He had lectured Victor multiple times—Haki should be used flexibly, activated only for offense or defense when most tactically efficient. 

Yet Victor always countered with the same excuse: "I'm scared of getting hurt, and last-second defenses might fail." It left Zephyr exasperated. 'Geniuses really do think differently!' 

The truth was, Victor wanted everyone to grow accustomed to his full-body Haki coverage until it became mundane. 

This habit greatly benefited his training—his Haki would continuously strengthen, saving him enormous time. 

If his Haki reserves ever became too dense to deplete overnight, he'd have to continue draining them during the day. 

That would inevitably draw attention in public, raising suspicions. So now, he made sure to fully armor himself in every fight. 

Gion's Armament Haki was roughly on par with Victor's. Their blades clashed in a flurry of exchanges, but Victor held the clear advantage. 

His Observation Haki was superior, allowing him to land precise strikes on Gion while she struggled to retaliate. 

After fifteen minutes, Victor sent her flying with a single slash, prompting Zephyr to call an end to the spar. 

Still shrouded in Haki, Victor watched Gion pick herself up, his pitch-black face stretching into a grin. 

Gion fumed, feeling utterly humiliated. 

Zephyr, long accustomed to this scene, stepped forward to analyze her combat mistakes and suggest improvements. 

Though not a master swordsman himself, he had witnessed enough battles between elite blade-wielders to offer expert insight. 

When Zephyr critiqued Victor—primarily about his Haki usage—the young man simply shrugged. "But it looks cool." That shut him up instantly. 

Victor couldn't reveal his true method yet. While this technique heavily relied on talent, every top-tier powerhouse on the seas was monstrously gifted in their own right. 

Some relied on godly Devil Fruits or inhuman physiques. Victor needed time to bridge—no, 'surpass'—that gap. 

Still armored in Haki, Victor strode out of the elite camp. Gion glared at his retreating back, grinding her teeth. 'What an insufferable blockhead!' 

During the fight, Victor had "accidentally" smacked her backside with the flat of his blade. The impact sent tremors through her entire body. 

For one frozen moment, time seemed to stop. When she regained her senses, mortification nearly overwhelmed her. If not for the flush already coloring her cheeks from exertion, she might've dug a hole to disappear into. 

With Zephyr's spirits seemingly restored, Victor returned to the elite camp daily over the following days. 

Strangely, Gion started showing up every day too. No one knew when they'd reached this unspoken arrangement. 

Now Zephyr consistently paired them for sparring. Each session ended with Gion sent flying by Victor's strikes. 

Yet she kept refining her swordsmanship. Meanwhile, Victor's routine of leaving the camp fully armored in Haki became such a common sight that the trainees barely batted an eye. 

His objective was, at last, taking root.