Vic sat cross-legged in the open space in front of the wooden house to meditate. In the middle of the night, Gion sneaked over. Although she was a little drunk, she was not drunk enough to pass out.
She was only pretending to be drunk, just to wait until Rebecca was completely asleep. Gion sat next to Vic, her body trembling slightly. In her sleep, Rebecca vaguely heard Gion's voice, which was plaintive and lingering.
The next day, Rebecca and Gion went to find Vice Admiral Tsuru, while Vic went to the Elite Camp to see if Zephyr was there. However, Vic did not find Zephyr; he had taken the new recruits to sea for practical combat.
Unable to find anyone, Vic went to check on Andrew and Allen before returning to the cabin. He didn't know many people at headquarters; some had already been reassigned, others were on missions elsewhere, and only those in clerical positions remained at headquarters, all of whom Vic didn't recognize.
Vic hasn't seriously tried to understand the way of the sword for a long time, so he's going to take this opportunity to do so.
Vic's swordsmanship has basically taken shape, and now he needs to move towards mastery, which means comprehending more artistic conceptions and accumulating Sword Qi.
Sword Qi, like Haki, can be improved through cultivation and meditation, but it is a long process. However, the artistic conception is different. It is similar to Haki's Future Sight and its Ryuo. If you don't comprehend it, you simply won't know how to use it, no matter what you say.
But if you open that door the right way, it's different. You can see everything inside, but how much you can utilize depends on your skill.
Vic's Sword Qi accumulation is quite good now, and synthesizing dozens of Sword Gang is no problem. Some swordsmen will exhaust their Sword Qi with just a few Flying Slash, so such moves are considered ultimate moves and are not used often. They are usually used only at critical moments, and are mostly used in close combat.
As for the artistic conception, it is difficult to comprehend. In all this time, Vic has only comprehended the Ice Artistic Conception, which is equivalent to adding an enchantment to physical attacks, giving him the attributes of a mage.
In this world, it's similar to eating a Devil Fruit Devil Fruit, only not as easy to control. As for its power, it depends on the individual's development and understanding. The better the development, the stronger the fruit's ability; the deeper the understanding, the more terrifying its power.
There are very few swordsmen in this world who have truly grasped the essence of swordsmanship. The deceased Pirate King Roger and Oden definitely grasped it, and Rayleigh may have grasped it, but it's uncertain.
While Whitebeard and Big Mom also used swords, it's highly likely they didn't master them; they both relied on their Devil Fruit abilities for assistance.
Vista the Flower Sword later also mastered it, most likely inspired by Oden. It's uncertain whether he has mastered it at this point in time.
Then there are Shanks and Mihawk. Both are masters of swordsmanship, and one will be number one and the other number two in the future. They are definitely people who have mastered the essence of multiple fields, but it is hard to say now, as they are both still very young.
Kin'emon also grasped the Artistic Conception of Fire, but it was rather rudimentary and its power was limited. Wano Country is a country of samurai, and they have made great achievements in this area. Kin'emon probably benefited from Oden's influence to barely comprehend a little bit of it. There are certainly more people than just them who can reach this level, but there won't be many of them.
Besides comprehending the Artistic Conception of Ice, Vic now has a deeper understanding of wind. He sits cross-legged in the open every day, contemplating the universe and nature, and the wind is what he encounters most often. Whether it's by the sea, in the sky, or on a warship, the wind is everywhere.
Furthermore, with Vic's deeper understanding of Geppo, his perception of wind has also become more profound. Therefore, Vic is now focusing on comprehending the Artistic Conception of Wind.
The concept of artistic conception, like many other things, doesn't come from nowhere. You can't understand it without deeply experiencing it. It's like a mathematical formula; you have to recognize it, understand it, interpret it, and finally fully utilize it. Once you grasp the artistic conception, you can use it in battle.
Three days later, Sengoku sent someone to summon Vic, Gion Tokikake to the Fleet Admiral's Office, saying that he had something to discuss with the three of them.
Vic and his crew have been really free these past few days. As long as they're not leading a mission, they have nothing to do at headquarters except train.
Gion wanted to stay in the cabin, but Vic and Vice Admiral Tsuru refused, so she could only come here during the day and go back at night.
Tokikake's friends were all out on missions, and he was bored out of his mind at headquarters, so he decided to stay here with Vic. He liked the lively atmosphere, so when the messenger arrived, all three of them were there.
"Go back and change your clothes. It's better to be more formal when meeting Admiral and Fleet Admiral."
Vic told Gion Tokikake something and went back to his room to change. Nobody dresses so formally and wears a cloak during leisure time, but it's a different story when the boss wants to see you on business.
Vic returned to the cabin, put on a black leather jacket and black trousers that covered his hips, tucked two side knives into his waistband, and finally draped the Justice Cloak that represented his military rank over his shoulders before heading towards the living quarters.
Vic ran into Gion Tokikake on the way. The two were much faster than Vic, having already finished and were waiting there. They were also wearing their usual clothes from the warship. Vic walked in the middle, with Tokikake and Gion on either side, towards the headquarters building.
" Vic! They probably sent us over here for a promotion. Sister He mentioned it to me."
Gion told Vic to be prepared, but Vic had already been told this when he went there last time, so he just nodded without any reaction.
"That must be it. When they told me to reply to the mission request earlier, they told me not to leave headquarters yet, which didn't seem like there was a mission involved."
If it really is about promotions, then we'll all be Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, commanding naval officers who will be able to lead independently. You won't have many more opportunities to be together like this, so cherish them!
Tokikake the surface, Jiaji seemed regretful, but inside he was overjoyed, his lips almost uncontrollably curving upwards. However, his mind wouldn't allow it, so his lips twitched, looking quite comical, which made Vic glance at him several times.
"Yes! If we both get promoted to Vice Admiral, we'll have to separate, but I don't want to be separated from you!"
No way! I'll tell Admiral Sengoku Vice Admiral. I'll just be a Rear Admiral and serve as your adjutant on your warship. What do you say, Vic?"
Gion hadn't thought about this issue at first. She had been living in paradise for a while and was too lazy to think about so many things. She just wanted to be with Vic every day.
Hearing Tokikake say this, she immediately panicked. It was one thing if she hadn't experienced that feeling of soaring through the clouds, but she had been experiencing it frequently lately and was already hopelessly addicted. How could she bear it if they were separated in the future?