"Everyone has been training very hard during this period, and their progress is clearly visible. The potential that has been pent up for the past six months of training has also been unleashed."
But spiritual practice also requires a balance of work and rest. Let's relax on the next island. Does anyone know where the next island is, and what's special about it?
Vic wasn't the kind of boss who relentlessly exploited his subordinates. Besides, they were the ones who had become powerful through their own cultivation. Vic only needed to offer them guidance at crucial moments; it was all about making a sound without needing to use a heavy hammer.
" Vic! Has the sun risen in the west? A cultivation fanatic like you actually wants to relax? Did I hear that right?" Rebecca still harbored a lot of resentment towards Vic for not spending time with her for so long.
"After cultivating for so long, can't I enjoy myself a bit? Tell me!" Vic said nonchalantly. Vic already knew Rebecca well; she came and went quickly.
"The next island is called Florida, and its hot springs are quite famous. It's said that the spring water can heal hidden injuries, and many pirates and marines have come to this island because of its reputation. So, this island is quite lively, but also a bit chaotic!"
The speaker was Barnett, who had a habit of gathering intelligence and used a portion of his allowance to buy newspapers. He was well-informed about major events at sea.
"Alright, let's all go soak in that hot spring that can heal hidden injuries this time, relax a bit, and then keep up the good work in our cultivation!" Vic said with a smile.
" Vic, it's you again! You can't stop talking about cultivation. You're a cultivation fanatic. I saw you and Teacher Zephyr fighting evenly the other day. Have you already reached the strength of Admiral?"
After talking with the others, Wendy recovered from her awkwardness and asked Vic with some curiosity.
"Me? I'm still far from it. I could only manage a draw with the teacher for a short time. The teacher didn't use his strongest move against me. If we really got serious, it would be either death or serious injury, which is not what we want to see. Let's just stop here!"
Vic explained that although others saw him and Zephyr fighting evenly, it was the result of him forcibly gathering his Haki through willpower, and it couldn't last.
Moreover, which expert of this caliber doesn't have a trump card? In a real life-or-death battle, it would be Vic who falls. Vic is well aware of this.
His cultivation time is still too short. Experts at that level have cultivated for twenty or thirty years, and there are even people who have cultivated for even longer.
To be honest, Vic is being a bit too modest. At his age, it's already an honor to fight against Admiral- level figure and not be instantly killed.
Just like Crocodile, after being defeated by Whitebeard, still gained the position of one of the Shichibukai, that shows the prestige of the Emperor of the Sea. Gecko Moria also qualified to become Shichibukai because of his defeat and escape from Kaido.
And then there's Douglas Bullet, Buggy says he could fight Dark King Rayleigh to a draw when he was eighteen.
Of course, it's uncertain whether Rayleigh held back or not, since it wasn't said by the person involved. Buggy was just a child at the time, and he might not have been able to tell the difference given his limited experience.
However, Bullet's talent is absolutely strong, and he is a powerful figure among the younger generation with a great reputation. It would take a force like the Bullet Buster Call to capture him when he is exhausted.
So, by this comparison, Crocodile can be compared to someone like Dark King Rayleigh, but it's really unclear how he would compare. Pirates have all sorts of reasons for letting their challengers go.
"Your strength has already made many people despair. I think if Sakazuki knew your strength now, he would definitely regret it and slap himself a few times. Why did he have to offend such a talented newcomer? He probably can't eat or sleep well now, haha!"
Barnett laughed heartily. Akainu had been so blatantly trying to teach Vic a lesson, acting incredibly arrogantly.
"Heh, that's what they call 'thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river,' and 'never underestimate a young man's potential.' Sakazuki just thinks he's strong enough and fears no enemy."
My current growth rate has probably exceeded his expectations. He should have more respect for Garp after being beaten up by him this time!
It would be a lie to say he had no respect for Akainu. If Akainu truly believed he was invincible, he wouldn't have resorted to underhanded tactics against Whitebeard during the Paramount War.
An old and ailing Emperor of the Sea was stabbed through the neck by his own son, and only after all that did Akainu dare to go up and Whitebeard. He still knew his place.
Therefore, it can be said that the Four Emperors are still a notch above the Marine Admiral. Although Whitebeard was the World's Strongest Man and the strongest among the Four Emperors, that was in the past.
During the Paramount War, Whitebeard was already 72 years old and ill. He had also been stabbed in the back by his own son. In this state, he could still fight Akainu to a standstill for a short time. What more can be said? In Vic's original world, a 72-year-old man being able to take care of himself would be the greatest happiness.
"I believe the captain will become the strongest!" Although Frodeku has not yet witnessed many of the strongest warriors on the high seas, the battle between Vic and Zephyr has solidified his belief that " Vic will be the strongest."
It's fair to say that ever since Vic gave Frodeku a new lease on life, Frodeku has become a die-hard fan of Vic, unconditionally trusting Vic.
Of course, they weren't the only ones who thought this way. After so much time together, they also knew that Vic's strength had improved rather quickly, which was because they hadn't seen enough of him.
If it were an older, more experienced expert, they wouldn't think that way. Your rapid improvement only means you haven't hit a bottleneck yet, which is why you're progressing so quickly. Why are there only a handful of top-tier experts on the high seas?
Is it that others don't have time? Is it that others don't work hard to cultivate? No, there are countless elderly people on this ocean, and many of them work hard to cultivate. They can become strong, but they can never take that crucial step to become the ultimate expert.
Talent and comprehension are predetermined; this is something determined at birth and, barring unforeseen circumstances, will not change significantly.
" Frodeku, you also have the potential to become a strong person, but your Observation Haki is too strong, which will affect the Awakening of your Armament Haki."
Many people favor only what they are good at, which is not advisable. Truly capable people are not proficient in only one area.
You also need to pay attention to physical strength. You must learn the Six Powers. Leaving aside Kami-e and Rankyaku, Shigan and Tekkai are the basics of Armament Haki. Learning these makes it easier to Awakening Armament Haki.
Although Master Zephyr didn't explicitly say these things, it was to encourage those who wanted to become stronger to consciously meet the conditions for Awakening Haki. As for those who didn't want to become stronger, learning Haki wouldn't be of much use; they would only reach that level!
" Geppo and Shave are also two very useful skills; one allows for high-speed movement, and the other allows flight, as you've seen recently."
Being able to fly on this vast ocean would greatly enhance one's survival ability. The "shave" skill is mainly used in combat, which is unavoidable, so learning it is never a bad thing.
I didn't explain in detail before that your physical fitness level wasn't up to standard, but now you need to take it seriously.
The same goes for the rest of you. Having more skills is never a bad thing. If there are skills that overlap with your own, you don't need to learn them. And what I just said is something you should keep to yourselves; don't tell anyone else. This year's Elite Camp should all be eager to become stronger!
This was the first time Vic had told them about the Six Powers and Haki; he had only told Rebecca and Wendy before, and the others were unaware of the connection.
"Okay, I understand!"
The others responded. Rebecca and Wendy already knew this, so they didn't show any particular expression. Barnett and Frodeku both had an "I see" look on their faces and were silently pondering. Although Ain didn't quite understand what Vic was talking about, she remembered it all.