"I need to forge two new swords immediately. I've already gathered enough materials—crafting a Great Grade blade is guaranteed. A Supreme Grade? That'll depend on luck. But I can't wait any longer. Tomorrow, I'll request leave from Andrew and go into seclusion to forge them!"
Victor silently contemplated while staring at the broken blade in his hand.
Just then, his Observation Haki detected three figures approaching the cabin. A closer scan revealed Gion, Hina, and Smoker, each carrying something.
Gion had run into the other two at the Elite Camp. Since they were all acquainted with Victor—and had visited him together these past few days—they decided to come as a group.
"Victor! You're finally awake! Thank goodness!"
Spotting him from afar, Gion sprinted over and immediately pulled him into a tight embrace.
Due to their positions—Victor sitting while she leaned over—his face was instantly buried between two towering peaks. Though the mountains carried a faint milky fragrance, their vegetation had clearly been grazed bare by some voracious bovine. The lack of foliage made the air thin, leaving Victor struggling to breathe.
Dazed, he instinctively nuzzled deeper between the slopes before tilting his head up in confusion to meet Gion's flushed face.
Realizing her impulsiveness, Gion shot an awkward glance at Rebecca—who stood frozen in disbelief—before hastily releasing him with an embarrassed cough.
Victor, still dazed, couldn't help but reminisce: 'So big… so fragrant…' His expression turned wistful.
"Victor, I… I'm leaving tomorrow. I've been assigned to an external mission."
Gion's voice trembled slightly, her eyes glistening with reluctance.
"Oh? Stay safe out there. When you return, we'll throw a feast here." Victor replied calmly after a brief pause.
"Is that… all you have to say to me?" Her expression darkened, her gaze piercing.
"Hmm. I won't see you off tomorrow—I need to report to Instructor Andrew."
His tone remained even, but only he knew whether his heart matched.
Gion's face fell. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Smoker and Hina arrived.
"Victor, you're a real monster. Fighting monsters, healing like a monster!" Hina teased.
"Hah! I was just the punching bag—lost in one move. Don't believe the newspaper hype. I've still got a long way to go." Victor chuckled before sobering. "I'm not strong enough yet. The seas are filled with monsters."
This last remark was aimed squarely at Smoker.
Against Kaido, a head-on clash was doomed. But by leveraging his speed and Will-infused slashes, Victor could've made the fight agonizingly drawn-out—buying time for Marine reinforcements. Escaping alone? Even easier. With his speed and Moon Walk, he could've led Kaido on a merry chase straight to Marineford.
But he couldn't. Not with the warship—and everyone aboard—at risk. What if Kaido ignored him? What if the stalling tactic failed? Would Kaido turn on the ship? Beyond the other cadets, there were people he cherished on that vessel. He refused to gamble their lives. He'd trusted his strength and endurance instead.
As for whether Kaido would break their wager—crippling Victor before slaughtering everyone? Victor believed in Kaido's pride. A man of his caliber wouldn't resort to such pettiness.
(After all, in the original timeline, when Kurozumi Higurashi's mimicry of Momonosuke distracted Oden—leading to his defeat—Kaido executed her without hesitation, later showing genuine regret. The man had his own twisted code.)
"Smoker. Learned to smoke in just a few days? You've gone rotten. Hina, don't follow his example." Victor smirked at the cigar-chomping recruit.
"This isn't corruption—it's Devil Fruit meditation." Smoker said gravely.
"Pfft. That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard."
The group exchanged stories—Victor recounting Kaido's overwhelming might, while Smoker and Hina shared tamer tales. Smoker mentioned meeting Vice Admiral Kuzan, who'd praised his brand of justice.
"Introduce me sometime. I'm curious about him." Victor said.
As the others gasped over his harrowing encounter, Gion remained silent, occasionally stealing glances at Victor—which he pretended not to notice.
When clouds gathered overhead, Victor ushered them out. Gion lingered, lips parting as if to speak—until some realization made her smile and depart without a word.
Victor watched her go, baffled by that mysterious grin.
---
Dawn, Next Day
Dew-drenched and bleary-eyed, Victor roused himself from meditation. After washing up, he woke Rebecca and had her wrap his torso tightly in bandages before donning an open jacket. Together, they headed for the training grounds.
The overcast sky mirrored the somber mood. Cadets already present greeted them warmly—bonded by near-death camaraderie. Their gazes when they saw Victor's bandages brimmed with reverence and gratitude.
(To them, his stand against Kaido embodied selfless heroism—a willingness to die for others. Had they voiced this, Victor would've deadpanned: 'You're overthinking it. You all just got carried by proximity.')
Once assembled, Victor intercepted Instructor Andrew.
"Instructor. My injuries require another month's recovery. I won't be attending training. You understand, right?"
His piercing stare left no room for refusal.
Andrew was well aware of Victor's condition. As an instructor, he'd naturally gone to check on his severely injured student.
He knew the truth - the injuries were serious, but Victor's recovery was freakishly fast. The kid could heal completely in just a few days, an absolute monster.
But seeing Victor covered in bandages with that dangerous glint in his eyes, Andrew understood: if he refused today, he'd definitely get beaten up, and then he might genuinely need a month to recover.
"Fine. But you'll stay in the recruit zone - no wandering around!" Andrew added one more condition.
"Of course. Actually, since I'll have some free time during recovery, I've developed an interest in weapon forging recently," Victor said with a sudden smile. "Instructor, could you introduce me to a master smith? I'd like to observe the art of sword-making and maybe try my hand at it. Would that be possible?"
Andrew assumed Victor wanted to commission a new blade after his sword broke. That shattered weapon had fallen protecting the recruits - by rights, the Marines should compensate him or repair it.
They'd originally decided to repair it, but Rebecca refused to let anyone take the broken sword while Victor was unconscious, so the matter had been postponed.
"Victor, your broken sword qualifies for free repair. I'll introduce you to a master smith - the same one who originally appraised your blade," Andrew explained. "He said your broken sword is worth repairing, and that its original smith's craftsmanship far surpasses his own."
"That's perfect. Thank you, instructor!"
"Don't thank me. This is just the compensation you're owed. That's all."
With that, Andrew walked toward the formation. Victor watched his retreating back with a faint smile before leaving himself. The recruits buzzed with speculation at his departure.
"Enough curiosity! Victor's injuries aren't fully healed yet, so he's exempt from drills today," Andrew barked with sudden authority. "Focus on your own training. Let's begin!"
---
Victor returned to the deserted beach and lay on the grass, replaying the moment Kaido's club had struck him.
Not that he was some masochist who enjoyed pain - he was analyzing Kaido's Ryuo.
Yes, Kaido had used Ryuo, not Conqueror's Haki infusion. Maybe he'd shown mercy to talent, or perhaps it stemmed from some lingering guilt about Kozuki Oden.
Like Victor, Oden had been capable of wounding Kaido, but died to treachery instead. That might have left an impression... or maybe Kaido had other reasons.
When the blow landed, Victor's Armament Haki had failed completely. Kaido's Haki particles had swarmed past his defenses like they weren't even there, flooding into his body.
"In that moment, I felt the difference. His Haki particles moved fluidly, slipping between the gaps in my own defenses. My own Haki particles were sluggish by comparison, slow to react."
Neither Garp nor Zephyr had used Ryuo against him during their spars. This was his first true experience with advanced Armament.
"Kaido's Haki particles moved with purpose. That's the key to Ryuo - normal Haki is rigid, but his was alive with intent. What's the missing ingredient?"
"Master Koushirou said to 'activate' my Haki after finding it. Activate it with what?"
By combining his analysis of Kaido's technique with Koshiro's teachings, Victor had found a direction to pursue.