Under the starry night sky, Victor was tempering his wild, untamed aura.
After nearly half a month of rigorous training, his Haki had grown significantly stronger, and his control over Ryuo had become far more fluid.
He might still not be on Akainu's level, but at the very least, he wouldn't be instantly crushed. While the strength of a Yonko Commander was still a step below that of an Admiral, he could at least hold his own in a fight.
By the late hours of the night, Victor had fully withdrawn his aura. He opened his eyes and gazed up at the sea of stars, murmuring to himself.
"Sakazuki… will you really go that far?"
---
Early the next morning, Victor and Rebecca arrived at the recruit training grounds. Wendy spotted them and walked over to join them.
Far fewer people had shown up today—only about a hundred. Every year, only around thirty recruits made it into the elite training program, all groomed to become future officers. Two batches a year wasn't a small number.
Andrew was already there, his expression grim, occasionally glancing at Victor.
Victor knew the worst-case scenario had arrived—but he had prepared as much as he could.
What was meant to happen would happen. He felt no fear, only a rising battle spirit. 'A Navy Admiral? Who knows how strong they really are until you fight one yourself?'
'Future Fleet Admiral? That title might not be yours this time. Just wait and see.'
Victor closed his eyes, slowly building his momentum.
Before long, Akainu arrived with Onigumo and several officers ranked Captain and above.
"Isn't that Onigumo? Why is he here?"
"Who's that guy in front of Onigumo? He looks intimidating!"
"That's Vice Admiral Sakazuki—one of the monsters from the elite training program!"
"He's our examiner? Then who the hell can pass? Does that mean none of us are getting in this year?"
"Victor definitely will!"
"But even Victor can't beat him, right?"
"Quiet, everyone!" Andrew barked. "Today is the final test for the recruits. All of you are ambitious young men aiming to join the elite program. The officers beside me are your seniors—and your examiners today. You don't need to defeat them. We'll evaluate your performance based on how well you fight. Just give it your all!"
"The battles will take place across four areas simultaneously. Now, we'll draw lots to determine the order—Victor, you're up first!" Andrew shot a sidelong glance at Akainu before speaking quickly.
"Hold it." Akainu's voice cut through the air. "A fighter like Victor doesn't need testing. Just send him straight to the elite program."
Andrew looked at Victor, his expression complicated. He had hoped to rush things through.
"I, too, came from the elite program," Akainu continued, his tone almost pleasant. "Seeing such a promising recruit brings me joy. If none of these officers can push you to your limits, then I'll do it myself. Let's show everyone just how strong this year's top talent really is."
"Oh, so he's just testing Victor? That's a relief!"
"Testing Victor? That's still bad! Victor's too young—how is he supposed to fight 'him'?"
"This isn't a test. This is Onigumo getting revenge on Victor!"
"I can't believe something like this is happening in the Navy. It's disgusting."
"Onigumo tried pulling this crap last time too. He wanted to mess with Victor but ended up losing!"
"Victor's in real danger now. Vice Admiral Sakazuki was called a 'monster' back in his day—and he's got a Logia Devil Fruit!"
Victor opened his eyes and studied Akainu. The man looked no different from how he would in the future—tall and broad-shouldered, clad in a red suit, a flower pinned to his lapel, tattoos peeking above his collar, arms crossed, black gloves covering his hands. His square jaw was set in stern determination.
"Victor, please… don't fight him. You can refuse!" Rebecca tugged at his arm, her voice trembling.
Wendy watched him with equal worry. They both knew more than the others—if Akainu was stepping in, this wasn't just a friendly spar. They had heard stories about Sakazuki from Aokiji.
"Don't worry," Victor said firmly. "My Haki isn't just for show. When two warriors meet on a narrow path, victory goes to the bold. If I don't even have the courage to draw my sword, how can I protect you? How can I protect my comrades?"
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki," Victor called out, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I didn't realize you had so much free time. Come to watch the recruits play?"
"The recruits are the Navy's future," Akainu replied coolly. "As a Vice Admiral, it's only right that I take an interest."
A man who thrived on schemes wouldn't be provoked by mere words.
"I've been wanting to see for myself just how strong the so-called 'monsters' of the elite program really are."
"Then let's begin. Show everyone what the Navy's rising star is made of."
Akainu strode toward the center of the training grounds. Victor gave Rebecca's hand a reassuring squeeze before following.
Rebecca and Wendy exchanged uneasy glances. They knew Akainu's reputation—a man so ruthless he wouldn't hesitate to kill his own allies.
Soon, recruits and officers alike formed a ring around the impromptu battlefield. Even trainees from other areas came to watch.
"Victor's really fighting Vice Admiral Sakazuki?"
"Why is Victor so stubborn? He's up against a former monster!"
"If Victor walks away from this in one piece, that's already a win. Beating him is impossible."
"Hmph. Victor's doomed. Stop deluding yourselves," scoffed one of Akainu's men.
"No way! Victor's the kind of guy who makes miracles happen!" argued one of Victor's fellow recruits.
"Hah! You've never seen Vice Admiral Sakazuki's power. You're about to."
"Victor will be fine, Rebecca. Think about everything he's done so far!"
"…Yeah. I believe in him."
"Sakazuki—no Devil Fruit powers. Victor—no swords. I won't have you destroying these grounds, or I 'will' have you both disciplined."
A commanding voice silenced the crowd. All eyes turned to the source—Fleet Admiral Sengoku, his seagull-adorned cap casting a shadow over his stern face.
Sengoku had arrived as well.
He still didn't trust the two of them to hold back. Akainu's Magu-Magu Fruit and Victor's slashes were both terrifyingly lethal—attacks that could sever limbs in an instant. If either of them got seriously hurt, it would be a massive loss for the Navy.
But if it was just hand-to-hand combat and Haki? That was far more manageable. So he had come to oversee things personally.
Everyone around saluted Sengoku—except Akainu and Victor, who were too busy amassing their battle auras.
Akainu didn't even glance at Sengoku, merely giving a slight nod. Seeing this, Victor drew the three swords at his waist and tossed them to Rebecca.
"You're both fellow Marines. Keep it civil—no excessive force."
Sengoku watched as the two acknowledged his conditions, then turned and left without another word. It was better if he didn't linger. If something happened to Victor, what then? Intervening would mean crossing Akainu. Not intervening might sour his relationship with Garp. The best course of action was to walk away—he'd already given his warning.
Once Sengoku was gone, the battlefield buzzed with renewed excitement.
This time, Victor didn't coat his entire body in Haki. Against an opponent of Akainu's caliber, he had to be strategic. Now that he had learned Ryuo, wasting Haki was out of the question.
Instead, he concentrated his Armament Haki over his forearms and fists. The rest would have to be improvised.
Akainu remained motionless, but Victor didn't wait. In an instant, he vanished from his spot.
The next moment, the crowd saw him reappear midair at an angle above Akainu—his Haki-clad fist already in motion. Yet, Sakazuki's forearm, also shrouded in Haki, intercepted the blow before it could land. Their speeds were monstrous.
BOOM!
The ground beneath them shattered instantly, the sheer force of their clash carving out a massive crater.
Akainu's stance was low, his back slightly arched—no carelessness here.
He might talk down to Victor, but in battle? He wouldn't hold back.
Even with their abilities restricted, pure Haki collisions were destructive enough.
"Akainu's Haki is no joke. No wonder he's an Admiral—this guy's terrifying! I'm still outmatched."
Victor flipped backward, retreating to his original position. That had just been a probing strike.
"So this is the man who survived Kaido's wrath. To possess such formidable Haki at his age… frightening." Even Akainu was taken aback. Victor's Haki was unlike anything a rookie should have.
Though Victor's Haki reserves and raw strength still fell short of Akainu's, his mastery of Ryuo gave him an edge. As long as he didn't exhaust his Haki, he wouldn't go down easily.
Akainu, realizing he couldn't afford to underestimate him any longer, took the initiative. He lunged forward with Soru, closing the distance in a flash.
Victor met him head-on.
CRACK!
Their fists collided at the center of the battlefield, the impact causing the earth to buckle beneath them. The shockwave sent spectators stumbling back—many of them still raw recruits, or non-combat personnel.
"This… is a battle between monsters?"
"It's insane! Just standing near them makes my skin sting!"
"Wait—look! Victor's hurt!"
"He's losing after all?"
"Told you! No way some rookie's beating a Vice Admiral who's a literal monster! Hahaha!"
True enough—Victor was injured. Under Akainu's full-force assault, he had taken internal damage. A thin trail of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.