The gathering had ended. Though Victor appeared unperturbed, he knew time was of the essence. Kuzan's lost leg in the original timeline was proof enough—if magma could cripple an Admiral, Sakazuki's power demanded respect.
Wrapping himself and his twin blades in Armament Haki, Victor dove deeper, activating dormant Haki particles within his cells. Each strike of void lightning made them easier to mobilize, accelerating his training exponentially.
---
Graduation Day Arrives
The Elite Training Camp's final assessment came two weeks earlier than the regular recruits'. At Marineford's front plaza, Victor saw Smoker and Hina off.
Rebecca and Wendy clung to Hina, their last mission's near-death experience fresh in their minds. Smoker eyed Victor, itching for a farewell spar—until the glint of Victor's blades changed his mind.
"Score well, Smoker. Or you'll really be saluting me someday," Victor teased before turning serious. "Don't charge in blindly. Observe first—Devil Fruit abilities are unpredictable. Remember what Instructor Zephyr taught."
"I get it. Everyone says I'm reckless. I'll follow your lead—become the next rising star," Smoker vowed.
"Good. Now board. And watch over Hina."
"She's a Devil Fruit user too. Doesn't need my protection."
"Then do it as a favor to me," Victor sighed. 'Absolute brick of a man.'
Had Gion witnessed this, she'd have yanked Victor's ear: "Pot calling the kettle black! Who's the real brick here, avoiding me for months?"
As the ship prepared to depart, Zephyr approached.
"Victor, I need a favor."
"Instructor?"
"I may not be able to see your recruit camp graduation assessment. We don't know when we will be back this time. When you graduate, some of you will come to my elite camp. I may not be at the headquarters at that time, so you will need to teach them first!"
"Me? What about the other instructors?" Victor blinked.
"None match your methods. Look how well you've trained Rebecca," Zephyr chuckled. "You'll be their top senior—they'll respect you. Teach them your insights."
A firm pat on the shoulder sealed it.
"...Fine. But I'm handing them off if it fails," Victor grumbled. 'Private tutoring Rebecca was one thing—her progress came from daily life-or-death drills.'
---
Elsewhere in HQ, two figures observed the docks from a window.
"Sakazuki, the one in the black cloak—that's Victor. His talent's monstrous. Captured a Mythical Zoan recently, just like Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Is provoking him really worth it?" Onigumo pleaded, long past his grudge.
Victor's brilliance reframed his defeat—less a humiliation, more a testament to the rookie's strength. A 'whetstone', not a stepping stone.
"He struck you, which means he struck me. No one touches the tiger's tail unscathed," Sakazuki growled.
'You're a damn dog, not a tiger. Shut up before you get me killed,' Onigumo screamed internally as Sakazuki stormed off.
---
Secluded Training
Unaware of the scheming, Victor prepared.
At the Red Line's cloud-shrouded flank, he carved a cavern. There, wielding the Divine Staff's lightning, he tempered his body and Haki in brutal cycles—activate, deplete, recover, repeat. Days blurred without food or rest.
When graduation neared, he emerged.
"Is it finally time for the test? It's time to leave! Victor's body has become tattered, and his clothes have been damaged by thunder, but the aura he exudes is even more ferocious, making people involuntarily feel like they are being stared at by a wild beast, penetrating into their souls.
Victor still took a detour through the forest to return to the cabin. The animals in the forest were frightened. Vic did not release any malicious intent, but just stood there and the animals dared not move. They all crawled on the ground. Victor picked up two animals and took them back.
After all, he hadn't eaten for a long time, and a lot of energy stored in his body had been consumed.
Rebecca intercepted him before the cabin.
"Victor... Is that you?" She barely recognized the feral glint in his eyes.
"Who else would it be?" His smile hadn't changed.
But everything else had.
"I thought some powerful beast was approaching! You scared me half to death!" Rebecca patted her modest chest in relief, her breathing gradually steadying.
The lingering ferocity in Victor's aura—a side effect of relentless lightning tempering—hadn't yet been reined in. Only through meditation could he restore his usual presence.
"One night of meditation should do it," Victor reassured her.
"Please hurry. This... 'predator' vibe is unnerving," Rebecca shuddered.
With a nod, they hauled their quarry back to the cabin where Wendy waited. Though still lacking Observation Haki, even she sensed the oppressive weight in the air.
"Victor, what kind of beasts did you hunt? Why do they feel so... 'intense'?" Wendy eyed the carcasses warily, mistaking Victor's residual aura for theirs.
"Just these two. No idea what they're called," Victor chuckled, leaving the misunderstanding uncorrected.
Rebecca changed the subject. "Graduation exams start tomorrow. Most recruits have already sailed, but we Elite Camp candidates are testing here at HQ."
"Wait, shouldn't you be sailing as a navigator?" Victor raised an eyebrow.
"Navigation's my secondary role," Rebecca declared proudly. "First and foremost, I'm a warrior!"
"Fair enough. Let's prepare dinner."
---
After the Meal
As Wendy departed, she cast one last puzzled glance at the animal bones. Their ordinary appearance clashed with the terrifying aura she'd sensed earlier.
Victor and Rebecca exchanged amused smiles.
'Some truths were better left unexplained.'