"I didn't expect that this class would produce a Logia-type Devil Fruit user. He should be the most outstanding new recruit, right?"
"It certainly looks that way."
Several vice admirals watched Smoker's battle and commented among themselves.
"No. I heard that Vice Admiral Garp's nephew is actually the most outstanding recruit of this class. Supposedly, he has the potential to become a Marine admiral!"
"Admiral potential?!"
No one knew who said it first, but the remark immediately caused a stir, and the vice admirals present all showed looks of surprise.
A Marine admiral represents the highest level of combat power in Marine Headquarters!
Within the Marines, there are many vice admirals, but there are only three admirals—the pinnacle of combat strength!
To possess admiral-level potential meant having the possibility of becoming the ultimate fighting force. Even though they had heard that the person in question was Garp's nephew, many of the vice admirals still held a skeptical attitude.
Above the vice admirals' seating were the seats for the admirals and the fleet admiral.
"Smoker is a Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user. Passing the seventh match shouldn't be a problem."
Aokiji sat there, gazing calmly at Smoker, who was currently fighting his seventh opponent, and offered a relaxed assessment.
"Unfortunately, his physical strength is too weak. His chances of passing the eighth match are very low."
Kizaru smacked his lips and spoke, then casually cast a slightly mocking glance toward Zephyr, who was seated on the other side.
"Zephyr-sensei, didn't you often teach me in the past to focus on physical strength?"
"Hmph!"
Zephyr snorted. "I did teach you that, but you, Kizaru, seem to have always treated my words as background noise."
All three Marine admirals were Zephyr's students, but his relationship with Kizaru was the worst. Zephyr greatly disliked Kizaru's frivolous personality. Moreover, Kizaru habitually relied on his Devil Fruit ability, so Zephyr frequently reprimanded him for focusing too much on his fruit and neglecting his physical foundation.
"There's nothing I can do about it. My Devil Fruit ability is light—relying on it isn't exactly weak."
Kizaru spread his hands helplessly, wearing an expression that was as lewd as it was exaggerated—half deliberate, half rooted in his natural disposition.
Zephyr didn't bother arguing with Kizaru and instead continued watching the battle.
Bang! Bang!
Smoker clashed repeatedly with the pirate, the two figures exchanging blows without pause.
Although the pirate carried a bounty of 180 million Beli, he did not know how to use Haki. He did possess a Devil Fruit ability, but it was a Paramecia type that had little effect on Smoker.
As a result, the pirate was reduced to a position where he could only take hits without being able to fight back. In the end, Smoker seized an opening, brought his weapon crashing down, smashed the pirate until he spat blood, and sent him flying off the arena.
"Seventh match passed!"
Vice Admiral Yamakaji nodded slightly at the scene, not surprised at all. From the very start of the fight, everyone present had already known the outcome.
Below the arena.
Several elite camp recruits who had already completed their assessments—or could be called Marines who had yet to receive their commissions—were watching Smoker on the platform.
"I barely managed to pass the sixth match. Smoker really is much stronger than us. He even cleared the seventh match, which had a huge jump in difficulty."
"He's a Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user. Of course we can't compare."
At this point, someone spoke with a slightly sour tone, watching Smoker defeat the seventh opponent with the help of his Devil Fruit ability. Since they had all failed at the seventh match, a bit of bitterness was inevitable.
"Don't forget Roya."
Someone else spoke up, this time without the slightest hint of envy.
If they felt a trace of jealousy toward Smoker for the power he displayed through his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, then toward Roya, they felt none at all.
Even if Roya didn't use that flame ability, relying solely on his physical techniques and swordsmanship would be enough to crush any one of them. Toward Roya, they were all genuinely convinced.
"Smoker probably won't be able to pass the eighth match. I wonder how far Roya can go. If I remember correctly, the third-stage assessment has a total of ten matches."
"The tenth match…"
Shu, who seemed to know something, couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.
"I've heard that even the current three admirals—Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu—only managed to pass the ninth match back then."
The other elite camp graduates immediately showed astonished expressions and began speaking up.
"Even the admirals couldn't pass the tenth match?!"
"That's unbelievable. What kind of opponent is in the tenth match?"
Listening to their questions, Shu gazed toward the opposite side of the arena, at Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu seated in the spectator stands. He took a deep breath and said in a low, solemn voice:
"A Marine Headquarters vice admiral!"
"This is what my father told me… In the elite camp's third-stage graduation assessment, the opponent in the tenth match is a randomly selected Marine Headquarters vice admiral!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present looked at one another in silence.
A Marine Headquarters vice admiral!
That rank is only one step below a Marine Headquarters admiral!
Within the Marines, they represent the absolute backbone just beneath the top leadership. There are only three admirals, and they cannot be dispatched for every matter. In many cases, those who pursue great pirates are Headquarters vice admirals.
Every single Headquarters vice admiral is battle-hardened. Their physical techniques are extremely powerful; most are proficient in one or two of the Rokushiki, and some even master all of them. Moreover, they all have mastery of both forms of Haki!
On the seas, a Marine Headquarters vice admiral may not be an absolute top-tier powerhouse, but compared to recruits who have yet to graduate and are still taking their graduation assessment, the difference is like heaven and earth!
Even Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu had not reached the level of a Headquarters vice admiral at the time of their own graduation assessments. When faced with the tenth stage guarded by a Marine Headquarters vice admiral, all of them were decisively eliminated.
Although they later fought across the seas and quickly gained power surpassing that of Headquarters vice admirals, for most people, a Marine Headquarters vice admiral is practically the peak. It is not a level that can be easily surpassed.
Many people, after reaching this stage, spend their entire lives unable to advance further. To go beyond it requires exceptional talent and extraordinary determination.
"It's just a graduation assessment, yet they actually put a Headquarters vice admiral in there…"
"For a recruit to defeat a Headquarters vice admiral—that's a joke. No wonder even the admirals couldn't pass back then. It's simply impossible."
Everyone present twitched at the corners of their mouths and shook their heads.
Shu chuckled and said, "Don't overthink it. We couldn't even get past the seventh stage. If it weren't for Smoker and Roya, we might not even get to see who the opponent of the eighth stage is."
"As for the tenth stage… it's not even certain whether we'll get to see that vice admiral appear today."
---
On the arena.
After passing the seventh match, Smoker chose to continue challenging the next one.
The eighth match.
The opponent who stepped onto the stage to fight Smoker was a Marine Headquarters rear admiral—one of the higher-ranked among the rear admirals. He was not a Devil Fruit user, relying purely on physical techniques, the Rokushiki, and Haki!
The moment they exchanged blows, Smoker immediately fell into a disadvantage.
After several exchanges, Smoker was blasted straight off the arena. The Headquarters rear admiral had shown restraint, using just enough force to knock Smoker out without injuring him.
"If his Devil Fruit weren't smoke with virtually no offensive power, but instead a highly destructive Logia, he might have had a chance in the eighth match."
Aokiji shook his head slightly. Then, a glimmer of anticipation flashed in his eyes as he said:
"Next… it's finally time for the most exciting part."
"I wonder whether he'll be like us—passing the ninth stage and falling at the tenth—or whether he'll break our old record and pass the tenth stage. It really is something to look forward to."