At The Peak of One Piece

The next day, exams officially began. Morning drills were canceled, replaced by precisely timed tests spanning multiple subjects over two days—mostly textbook content, supplemented by practical assessments and expanded general knowledge. 

Victor had promised Instructor Andrew he'd take the exams and intended to keep his word. 

His arrival at the exam hall caused a stir. Most trainees only glimpsed him during morning runs; he was otherwise invisible. 

'He's strong enough for the elite camp—why bother with exams?' 

'Attend classes? He vanished after the first day! Is he mocking the curriculum?' 

Whispers rippled through the crowd: 

"Victor actually showed up? Unbelievable!" 

"Can't beat him in a fight, but I'll crush him on this test!" 

"Respect his skills, but exams? Pointless." 

"Nonsense! A genius excels at everything—exams included!" 

"Stop sucking up. No one's perfect. Just watch him fail." 

Victor's newly honed Observation Haki caught every word. By converting sound waves into decipherable signals within his Haki's range—like a radio translating electromagnetic waves—he'd developed this unique application. He ignored the chatter, focused solely on appeasing Andrew, who stood monitoring the hall. 

Approaching the instructor, Victor greeted him. Andrew, though semi-administrative, commanded respect as a seasoned trainer whose combat skills surpassed most recruits. 

"Morning, Instructor Andrew. Surely you're not here just for little exams? Or… waiting for me?" Victor grinned. 

"Self-aware as ever," Andrew replied sternly. "I want to see your results. If they're good, I'll recommend Garp transfer you to the elite camp immediately. No point wasting time here." 

Victor tensed. 'If Garp hears this, he'll pummel me for fun—not my idea of sparring.' 

"Relax, Instructor. I've kept my promise. No need to involve Vice Admiral Garp. My scores won't disappoint—I've been self-studying." 

'Self-study? Never in this lifetime!' Victor scoffed internally. 'Why waste time memorizing textbooks when I can train? If I ever need knowledge, I'll hunt for Pure Gold and learn for centuries!' 

"Humph. We'll see your results. And don't think about cheating." Andrew pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then jabbed them toward Victor. "I'm watching you." 

Victor nearly laughed. 'As if I'd stoop to cheating!' He simply nodded and entered the exam hall—front row, center seat, directly under the proctor's gaze. 

'Petty move, Andrew', Victor thought, shaking his head. 'Accusing me of dishonor? How small-minded.'

Victor flipped over the entire desk but couldn't find a single pen. Was the Navy seriously this stingy? No writing supplies for an exam? 

"That damn Andrew… Didn't even prepare a pen for me. What kind of instructor is he? Utterly incompetent. I ought to file a complaint," Victor muttered under his breath. 

Since scrounging up a pen was hopeless, he had no choice but to borrow one. No way he was running back to his quarters now. 

He glanced around the classroom. There was still time before the exam started, and not everyone had arrived yet. His eyes landed on the girl seated behind him—a petite girl with long black hair and sun-tanned skin, likely from outdoor training. 

Her face was delicate and cute, and even in standard Marine uniform, she carried herself with a quiet confidence. When Victor turned around, he noticed she had been watching him intently—her gaze clear, her expression calm. 

"Hey, classmate. Turns out the Navy doesn't provide stationery for exams. Mind lending me a pen?" Victor asked with a smile. 

"I know who you are—Victor! The prodigy of this year's recruit class. Everyone says you're aloof and look down on the rest of us. But seeing you like this… unprepared for an exam? Doesn't match your reputation at all. Hehe!" 

Wendy found his behavior amusing. Showing up empty-handed and expecting the instructor to provide everything? And yet, he didn't seem as arrogant as the rumors suggested. His tone was friendly, without a hint of condescension—surprising for someone who had single-handedly crushed the elite trainees. 

"That's not the case. Right now, my values and outlook are just… different from everyone else's. Hard to blend in." 

"Training together? Our strength levels don't match. I'd probably accidentally kill someone with a single punch. And since I don't need to study, there's not much reason to interact." 

"Once you all grow stronger, if fate allows, we'll naturally get to know each other. Those who click will become friends. No point forcing it now—just unnecessary stress." 

"I'm not against making friends. It's just that right now, most recruits either fear or idolize me too much. Makes things difficult." 

Victor's explanation made sense to Wendy. Forcing a friendship now would be pointless if their paths diverged later. Birds of a feather flock together—Victor was simply on another level. 

"Nice to meet you, Victor! I'm Wendy. My dream is to become an elite sniper." She handed him a pen with a grin. 

"Orens Victor. Thanks for the pen. I'll return it after the exam." 

"Oh, come on. It's just a pen. Keep it!" Wendy laughed. 

Victor didn't argue further. There was something different about Wendy—her demeanor, the way she looked at him. He couldn't quite place it, but he didn't dwell on it. He turned back around and waited for the exam to start. 

The test itself was easy. Just a month's worth of material across multiple subjects—how much could they possibly have learned? Some questions were pure common sense. Victor was confident he'd score near-perfect. 

He finished early, handing in his paper under Andrew's bewildered stare before strutting out without a backward glance. That bastard had kept his word—watching Victor like a hawk the entire time. 

Outside the classroom, Victor sat cross-legged and meditated, waiting for the next exam. 

--- 

Over the next two days, aside from practical field tests, Victor took every exam in the same seat. Before each one, he exchanged a few words with Wendy, and the two gradually became familiar. 

The only downside? Andrew's relentless glaring. Victor itched to kick the guy just to vent his frustration. 

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