Vic and Garp were talking.
"Boy, how old are you?" Garp stopped laughing and asked seriously.
"I'm fifteen. I'll be sixteen in a few months. I want to join the Marines, but going through it step by step sounds like a hassle. Since I ran into you today, I want you to take me straight to Marine Headquarters." Vic stated exactly what he wanted.
"Oh, you're an interesting little brat. Let's see if you're qualified to go straight to headquarters to train. Be careful, though. My fists hurt when they hit people, hahaha!" Garp's interest was piqued. Vic's presence was formidable, comparable to that of some ordinary Rear Admirals at headquarters.
Vic led old Garp away from the docks to a nearby beach. Everyone was surprised to see Vic leading the Hero of the Marines away. Vice Admiral Tsuru and Rebecca noticed them too.
The two stood apart. Vic drew the two swords at his waist and pointed them at old Garp, one forward and one back, taking an attacking stance.
Everyone was dumbfounded. Wasn't Vic being far too bold? He even dared to challenge the Hero of the Marines. He had some nerve. Though they acknowledged Vic's strength, they didn't dare compare him to the Hero of the Marines.
Vice Admiral Tsuru watched with interest too. "Rebecca, that neighbor of yours is going to get beaten up badly. Hurry home and get your medical kit ready!" she teased.
Rebecca's face reddened slightly, and she turned away from Vice Admiral Tsuru, making her chuckle.
On the battlefield, Vic had already taken the initiative to attack. He moved so fast that he vanished. He hadn't used Soru, but his speed was no slower than it.
"Two-Sword Style: Blade Splits Mount Hua!"
Even old Garp was a little surprised by that speed. It was extraordinary-already enough for Vic to venture out onto the seas.
Garp reacted quickly too, blocking the two swords with his fists just before they struck his head. He didn't use Armament Haki, feeling that he shouldn't use Haki to bully a youngster. But Vic's Cutting Steel still couldn't break through those iron fists, which had been steeped in Armament Haki for decades. This time, they really were iron fists.
"Blade Offers Twin Pillars!"
When his first strike missed, Vic immediately ducked and slashed both swords horizontally at Garp's lower body. Vic was even faster in close combat, and Garp no longer dared to be careless. He activated Observation Haki, a red light flashing in his eyes, then leaped and flipped upside down, punching at Vic.
Vic's Observation Haki was good too. He rolled aside and dodged the blow, which punched a huge crater into the ground.
The two were so fast that the people on the docks couldn't make out the details of the fight. They could only see shadows darting up and down.
Vice Admiral Tsuru and Rebecca could see them. At a distance, their speed was less apparent, and Vice Admiral Tsuru's Observation Haki was strong too.
"Rebecca, this young man is quite strong. He has a lot of potential. Joining the Marines would be the best choice for him." Vice Admiral Tsuru was somewhat surprised. The young man was far stronger than she had imagined.
Rebecca gave a quiet "Mm" but said nothing else. She was absorbed in watching; she had never seen Vic fight at full strength either.
"One Blade, Two Halves!"
After rolling away, Vic immediately dropped into a crouch and leaped diagonally, bringing Yubashiri down on Garp, who was upside down with his fist planted in the ground and preparing to bend and stand up. The blow threatened to split Garp in half from groin to crown. Garp somersaulted in midair and punched the descending blade.
With a clang, the ground beneath Garp's feet was cut into pieces that rolled outward like rippling water.
"Boy, that move of yours is dirty. Even if I don't use them anymore, I still can't do without them, hahaha!" Garp laughed after stopping both swords, utterly unconcerned that Vic had been about to split him in two.
"I knew the Hero of the Marines could definitely dodge it. Even if I'd actually hit you, you would've been fine, right? Hehe!" Vic knew Garp hadn't used Armament Haki and still had something in reserve for a critical moment.
Vic said no more. He jumped back two zhang, then immediately rushed in again, unleashing sword moves one after another. Garp blocked every one of them.
Garp was delighted. He had found a fine piece of jade, one that could still be carefully carved. He decided to keep Vic at his side and nurture him.
"Greedy Wolf!"
"Fist of Love!"
Vic sent a Sword Gang flying, and Garp shattered it with a punch. Vic struck repeatedly with both swords, sending Sword Gang flying in a barrage as dense as rain. Garp threw a punch, and a surging blast of air scattered the Sword Gang in every direction, keeping it from getting near him.
Vic knew Sword Gang was ineffective against Garp, so he closed in and attacked, his swords striking like dragons. He had already begun using some of the Speed-Speed Fruit's power to enhance himself.
But as his speed increased, Garp's increased with it. The entire battlefield had been torn to pieces, and several huge craters had filled with seawater.
The spectators were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected the two to fight so fiercely.
The battle had continued for two hours. Despite the constant fighting, Vic felt no physical fatigue, a result of his long years of training. Garp's eyes lit up at the sight.
Their fists and swords clashed in the air, and Garp's fists blocked both swords on the ground. Vic now knew that his current level of swordsmanship couldn't break through Garp's defenses.
Vic used the Speed-Speed Fruit's power to slash at Garp faster, increasing the force and damage of his blows.
But he still accomplished nothing. His two Grade Swords were also beginning to struggle under Garp's heavy punches. Without Armament Haki coating their blades, they weren't durable enough.
Vic could only keep fighting. By now, he even felt some admiration for Axe Emperor Morgan, who had actually managed to cut open Garp's chest with one blow of his axe. Impressive! He truly deserved to be called the Axe Emperor of the East Blue.
Another hour passed, and Vic still hadn't hurt Garp in the slightest.
"Haha, boy, I know your level now. Let's end this. I need to eat, haha!" With that, Garp used Soru and vanished.
By the time Vic's Observation Haki sensed Garp, it was too late. A massive fist had already reached his face.
With a bang, Vic flew backward and crashed into the ground, leaving a huge crater.
"Vic!" Rebecca cried out.
Vice Admiral Tsuru took Rebecca's hand and calmed her down. Otherwise, she would have rushed over to help Vic up.
After a while, Vic struggled to his feet.
"Not bad, boy. Your body's pretty tough, hahaha!" Even Garp was a little surprised by Vic's physical toughness. He had thrown that punch intending to knock Vic unconscious, but Vic had gotten up after lying there for only a little while. It was remarkable.
"I'm doing all right, I guess. I can't compare to you. I still need to get stronger." Vic's face had swollen, ruining his handsome looks. This old man just loves punching people in the face. Damn it.
"You're remarkable. To have trained your body to this level at your age, I've never seen anyone else do it."
"Your swordsmanship is excellent too. You've reached the level of a swordmaster, haven't you? There aren't many people left on the seas who can block your two swords without using Armament Haki. If you learn Armament Haki too, you'll be as strong as a Vice Admiral at headquarters."
"You've mastered Observation Haki as well. I don't know how you awakened it, but it's enough to show how talented you are. Join the Marines. How about coming aboard my ship after you graduate from the training camp, Vic?" Garp gave Vic his assessment seriously, then extended the invitation.
Garp could already see that this young man had even greater potential than Akainu, Kizaru, or Aokiji. He couldn't even see its limit. If Vic joined the Marines, in just a few years he would be another prospect for Marine Admiral.
As for what Vic might achieve after that, Garp couldn't be bothered to think about it. When the time came, Vic would have to forge his own path.
"That would be great! I should get to see more interesting things with Vice Admiral Garp, right? Hahaha!" Vic was happy to have gotten what he wanted. He had worked hard for this day for several years, never letting up on his training. Fortunately, heaven hadn't let his efforts go to waste.
"Hahaha, good, good, good! You'll definitely become an outstanding Marine officer. I'm going back to see my grandson first. I'll come pick you all up later, hahaha! Off I go!" Old Garp headed toward the docks as he spoke.
The residents and Marines at the docks were all standing there with their jaws on the ground. The battle between the two had been astonishing, its destructive power immense. That stretch of beach had vanished, and the surrounding area was covered in trenches cut by deflected Sword Gang. Human strength could be this terrifying!
"Tsuru, I'm going back to see my grandson. Wait for me to come pick you all up, hahaha!" Garp called to Tsuru before boarding his flagship.
His shout brought everyone to their senses. The Marines followed him aboard, while the townspeople gazed at Vic with shining eyes. They knew he was strong, but they hadn't expected him to be this strong. He had exceeded their understanding of what a "person" could be.
"Oh, go on, then." Vice Admiral Tsuru barely reacted to Garp's departure. She was looking at Vic with shining eyes too. A genius like this had to be recruited into the Marines!
She knew that if she didn't use Armament Haki or her fruit ability, she was no match for Vic. She couldn't compare to his speed or physique, and she had no way to withstand his swordsmanship either.