One could say Victor now possessed combat power on par with a Yonko's right-hand man. If he were to further awaken the ability to foresee the future with his Observation Haki, he would undoubtedly solidify that standing. The only gap between him and an Admiral now lay in the quality and quantity of his Haki.
With Victor's physical gifts and the Divine Staff's assistance, bridging that gap wouldn't take long—though steady accumulation was still necessary.
In the original story, Luffy's lack of stamina reserves became glaringly obvious. Kaido fought wave after wave of opponents without tiring, while Luffy kept getting knocked out repeatedly, only achieving victory after awakening his Nika form.
It remained unclear whether that victory came from Nika's power or Kaido's exhaustion. Had they fought again, the outcome might have been different.
Victor refused to become one of those "three-second wonders"—overwhelming offense but pitiful endurance.
---
On the open ground before the cabin, Rebecca suddenly halted her attacks, her face lighting up as she turned toward the well-trodden path.
Footsteps.
Familiar. Rhythmic.
"Wendy! It's Victor—he's back!" Rebecca's Observation Haki had already confirmed it.
"Finally!" Wendy smirked. "My poor Rebecca's been wasting away without him~"
"W-Wendy! Stop teasing me!" Rebecca's cheeks flushed pink. (She hadn't lost any weight at all.)
"Not bad, you two." Victor emerged from the forest, grinning. "Keep this up, and I'll treat you to Sea King cuisine tonight."
"Yes! We haven't had that in a month!" Wendy licked her lips. "We sure can't catch those monsters ourselves yet."
"I'll eat anything Victor makes!" Rebecca stared straight into his eyes, her gaze shimmering.
Victor laughed. "Sea King it is—I've missed it too!"
"Victor..." Wendy eyed his bushy beard critically. "You've turned into an old man. We're going to Sabaody tomorrow—no uncles allowed~"
"Ah, this?" Victor rubbed his chin. "Got too busy to shave." With Life Return, the beard retracted instantly.
"So convenient..." Wendy sighed. "When do we learn that? I've got some... hair I'd like to retract too."
Rebecca, oblivious to Wendy's innuendo, answered seriously: "Soon. We have one month left before the recruit graduation exams. Then we'll enter elite training."
Victor facepalmed. 'What happened to the elegant, composed Wendy from before?!'
"Half a year already..." Wendy's expression briefly darkened with some unspoken concern before brightening again.
"Rebecca." Victor unsheathed the sword from his back. "Time to upgrade. This one's Great Grade—same dimensions as your current blade. See if you like it."
Rebecca compared both swords meticulously. Nearly identical in shape, but the new one gleamed with pristine craftsmanship while the old showed wear.
She handed her original sword to Wendy and slowly drew the new blade.
Blue light spilled across her face as the flawless azure steel emerged—pure as sapphire, without gradient or blemish.
Rebecca stood transfixed, her soul seemingly merging with the sword.
"The color doesn't match Kast Blue Gold yet," Victor explained, snapping her from the trance. "But once you turn it into a black blade with Armament Haki infusion, it'll achieve that deep blue-black hue."
He'd deduced this from Mihawk's Yoru (black yet retaining emerald undertones) and Shusui (maintaining bluish tones post-blackening).
Victor had dual motives:
1) Motivation - That coveted color would drive Rebecca to awaken Armament Haki.
2) Training - Sustained Haki infusion would unconsciously strengthen her reserves.
'(But he'd never reveal the black blade's true secret yet. What if Rebecca got hypnotized by some Devil Fruit user or someone like Patrick Redfield who reads memories? The world wasn't ready.)'
"Rebecca, I'm so jealous!" Wendy fake-pouted at Victor. "What about my upgrade?"
"I only forge swords." Victor shrugged. "But I'll find you a top-tier scientist someday—get your equipment enhanced."
"Promise?!" Wendy's eyes sparkled. "I want a Supreme Grade rifle!"
'Ahem.' "I've never heard of a 'Supreme Grade rifle.' Maybe I'll find you a suitable Devil Fruit instead?" Victor wiped his brow—women certainly had high demands.
"Victor," Rebecca pointed to the remaining sword he'd brought, "who's that one for?"
"This?" Victor gazed at the beautifully crafted blade. "It'll wait for its destined wielder." His eyes drifted skyward, lost in thought.
Seeing him preoccupied, the girls left him be and turned their attention to examining the new sword.
"Rebecca, invite Smoker and Hina too. Let's make it a proper gathering."
Snapping out of his reverie, Victor headed into the sea to catch dinner—having promised a feast, he might as well include the two extra mouths.
---
The spread was lavish. After a month's absence, Victor had outdone himself.
Smoker and Hina arrived impeccably timed—just as the food finished. 'Almost suspiciously precise.'
Victor suspects that Smoker has awakened his Observation Haki, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence?
"Hey, Smoker, I haven't seen you for a month, you look so manly now. Now you're baring your chest. What's going on? You're about to graduate, so you want to let yourself go?"
Vic looked at Smoker, who only had a coat but no lining, and thought it was very similar to his later image, so he made a joke.
Rebecca and Wendy blushed, while Smoker's nostrils flared pink. No one had ever called him out like this.
"Shut it! This is my style! I'd dress this way even if I were a woman!" he barked.
The girls burst into laughter—Hina especially, having never seen the usually prideful Smoker so flustered. Only Victor could rattle him like this.
'"Ah, right..."' Victor recalled the body-swap incident with Tashigi ('that uncanny Kuina lookalike'). 'That time Smoker-as-Tashigi unbuttoned her shirt in front of G5's perverts...' The memory made his fists itch.
"Say, Smoker, how about a spar? Consider it your graduation trial." Victor smirked.
"Not today. Maybe... challenge Vice Admiral Kuzan instead?" Smoker deflected, still traumatized by Victor's post-Armament Haki beatdowns.
"Kuzan, huh? I do want to meet him, but tomorrow's booked." Victor gestured to Rebecca. "Long-promised trip to Sabaody's amusement park. It's practically my white whale at this point."
Hina's eyes lit up. "You're going to Sabaody? Hina wants to join! Smoker, you're coming too, right?"
The white-haired man turned crimson. "I'll 'go', but I'm not riding any damn attractions. Ever."
Those childish rides would obliterate his badass image.
"Of course~" Hina agreed sweetly, her sly grin escaping no one's notice.