The second full day of the review began with records.
Soren provided every log Gion requested and then stayed out of the way while the four of them worked through the numbers. By mid-morning Garp had clearly lost interest in paperwork. He stood up, stretched until his back cracked, and looked straight at Soren.
"Brat. Can you use Haki?"
Soren met his eyes without flinching. "I have Observation Haki. It has become consistent, though the range is still limited. Armament Haki has not appeared yet."
Garp's grin widened. "Good. Then stop sitting around. Come with me."
He did not wait for anyone. He flashed a grin and walked out of the administrative building toward the open militia training field at the edge of town. Soren eyes widened and he followed at once.
'Damn. Didn't even need to ask. Gapr truly is the GOAT.'
Tokikake raised an eyebrow and trailed after them with open curiosity. Gion closed the folder she had been reading, rose from her chair, and joined the group. Bogard followed in silence, as always.
The training field stood empty at that hour. Garp stopped in the center, rolled his heavy shoulders, and pointed at Soren with one thick finger.
"Draw your sword and show me what you actually have."
Soren unsheathed the blade he carried on duty. The newly gained Sword Sense settled over him like a second skin. The weapon no longer felt like a separate tool. It moved as an extension of his own arm and intent.
Garp raised one open hand and left the other loose at his side.
"Come."
Soren did not hesitate. He burst forward with Shave, the ground cracking lightly under the sudden acceleration, and brought the blade down in a diagonal cut aimed at Garp's shoulder. At the same moment he released a controlled flying slash, a sharp crescent of compressed air that followed the path of the steel. Garp tilted his head a fraction. The physical blade passed harmlessly past his coat while the flying slash was casually brushed aside by the back of his hand.
Soren landed, pivoted, and came again. This time he layered Observation Haki over every movement, reading the minute shifts in Garp's stance and the faint fluctuations of intent. He mixed Kami-e into his footwork, body softening and sliding past the heavy palm that tried to swat him away. A second flying slash left his blade, then a third, each one tighter and more focused than the last. His expression was serious and focused. Garp was not an opponent he could fight while holding back.
The people watching all changed their expressions. They knew Soren was a Commodore that excelled in administration and planning but here seeing his swordsmanship and his proficiency on the Marine Six-Powers, they realized they had misjudged him. With what he was showing now, he would comfortably sit between the upper echelons of Rear Admirals.
The testing phase ended.
The Hero of the Marines stepped in with sudden weight. His next open-handed strike carried enough force to send a shockwave across the field. Soren's Observation Haki screamed warning a fraction of a second before impact. He twisted with Kami-e, the blow grazing his shoulder hard enough to numb the arm, and answered with a rising cut that released another flying slash at point-blank range. Garp smashed it apart with his forearm and pressed forward, giving Soren no room to breathe.
The exchanges grew heavier. Soren's blade flashed in rapid arcs, each swing backed by genuine killing intent and the new clarity of Sword Sense. Flying slashes carved shallow lines across the packed earth whenever they missed. Observation Haki kept him just ahead of the worst of Garp's counters, letting him slip past blows that would have ended the spar instantly. Yet every time he created a small opening, Garp closed it with brutal efficiency.
After several intense minutes Garp finally caught the flat of Soren's blade between two fingers and stopped the cut cold. The sudden halt sent a jolt up Soren's arms.
"Enough."
Soren stepped back, breathing hard but controlled. His shoulders ached. The edge of his blade still hummed faintly from the repeated flying slashes.
Garp studied him with a thoughtful look that sat strangely on his usual loud features.
"Your body is solid. Stronger than most rear admirals I have seen at your age. The Six Powers foundation is very strong, especially the speed and the evasion. Observation is present and steady under pressure. And that sword work has teeth now. The blade listens to you, and you are willing to put real killing intent behind it."
He pointed a thick finger directly at Soren's chest.
"The problem is still in here. You think too much in the middle of the exchange. Every time the fight speeds up I can see you calculating the next three steps instead of simply cutting. That hesitation is why Armament has not come yet. Your body is ready. The strength and the endurance are already there. What is missing is the kind of intent that does not pause to solve a puzzle. Until you stop thinking so much and start deciding the fight is already over, the armor will stay locked."
Garp's grin returned, wide and sudden.
"But it is only a matter of time. Keep training the way you are. When that intent finally hardens, the Haki will follow. BWAHAHAHA!"
Soren gave a short, respectful nod. "Thank you for the guidance, Vice Admiral."
Garp waved the gratitude away. "I was bored of numbers. This was more fun. Try not to get yourself killed before the Armament shows up."
They walked back toward the administrative building together. Tokikake looked openly impressed by the level of the exchange. Gion's expression remained difficult to read, though her eyes stayed on Soren longer than before. Bogard, true to form, said nothing at all.
That night Soren sat at his desk with the diary open and a deep ache settling into his shoulders and forearms.
[Day thirty three.]
[Garp is truly amazing. I was wafting to ask him for guidance but he answered by turning the training field into a one-sided lesson that nearly took my arm off.]
[I went at him with everything I currently have. Shave, Kami-e, steady Observation, flying slashes, and real killing intent behind the blade. Sword Sense held up. The weapon felt like part of my body. I did not hold back.]
[His verdict was clear. My body is already strong enough for Armament. The strength and endurance are there. The problem is that I still think too much during the fight. I calculate instead of simply deciding the exchange is over. That hesitation is what keeps the Haki locked.]
[He believes it is only a matter of time. I am choosing to believe him. Mostly because the alternative is staying stuck at this level while the rest of the world keeps moving forward.]
[Getting casually evaluated by the Hero of the Marines is a special kind of stress. At least he seemed entertained. My shoulders are less entertained.]
Soren closed the book and flexed his hands slowly, feeling the lingering strain.
The review was still ongoing. The real tests were not finished. Yet for the first time in a long while the path to the next level felt concrete and close.