Roya stood in the center of the arena. Outside, there was complete silence, and for a time, no one stepped forward.
There was no rule in the sparring assessment that required one to challenge a specific opponent. In practice, anyone could avoid Roya and go challenge someone else instead.
But at this moment, how could these recruits still be in the mood to challenge others? What everyone truly cared about was how the situation would develop next.
Under normal circumstances, sparring assessments proceeded from the weak fighting among themselves, gradually moving upward. Although clashes between strong fighters might occasionally occur in the middle, they never disrupted the overall progression from weak to strong.
However, this full-camp sparring assessment had begun moving in an unpredictable direction because of Roya alone. From the very start, he had shattered the usual pattern!
Now—
It actually felt like an arena challenge!
At this point, the recruits ranked in the top ten finally decided they would not continue watching passively. Since Roya had so openly turned this assessment into an arena-style challenge, then what was wrong with starting the battles among the top ten earlier?!
Finally.
After a long period of silence, the next battle began.
One of the combatants was still Roya. The other, however, was the strongest member of the third squad—ranked ninth overall in the entire camp, one of the monster-level recruits!
Anyone ranked in the top ten of the entire camp, even if they were not on the level of Drake—a monster among monsters—was still extremely famous and highly regarded within the recruit camp.
When this recruit stepped onto the field, nearly all the recruits outside showed looks of respect.
"It's him!"
"The strongest recruit of the third team, ranked ninth in the entire camp during the practical combat assessment. This time… it won't be easy for Roya to win."
"Yeah. Roya is strong, but this opponent is a top-ten monster!"
As they looked at the two figures in the arena, the recruits felt both reverence and anticipation. To witness a battle of this level so early was something no one could have imagined before the assessment began.
Compared to the recruits, however, the Marine rear admiral instructors and the chief instructor Zephyr understood Roya far more deeply. The recruits believed Roya had already gone all out, but the instructors knew clearly that he still had not shown his true strength.
His flame sword aura had yet to be revealed!
"With Roya's swordsmanship having advanced this far, aside from Drake, none of the other recruits are likely his match. The real question is whether he can defeat Drake."
"That will be difficult. Roya may still be hiding strength, with his flame sword aura unused so far, but Drake has never truly fought at full power either."
"With their level of ability, even if they enter the elite training camp, they certainly won't end up at the bottom."
Several rear admiral instructors watched the arena, discussing in low voices.
And as they spoke, the battle in the arena had already begun.
Roya's opponent was also a swordsman. However, his sword was not the Marine's standard-issue steel sword, but a famed blade—though it was unclear whether it was one of the 50 Skillful Blades or one of the 21 Great Blades.
Clang!!
Roya's sword crossed with his opponent's in midair. A crisp metallic ring echoed out as sparks flew from the collision.
The opponent's sword was not chipped by Roya's strike.
This was the first time someone had faced Roya head-on without their weapon being damaged. Aside from the superior material of the blade, it was clear that this recruit had already grasped the fundamentals of swordsmanship.
"Heh! So I've finally met a decent opponent?"
Rather than being alarmed, Roya was pleased. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and a trace of excitement flashed through his eyes as he swept his sword forward.
At this point, Roya had already noticed something: the power of his slashes in actual combat was weaker than when he practiced.
The reason was simple. During training, he attacked a stationary point or target. In battle, however, an enemy would not stand still as a live target. What he had to strike was a moving point.
As a result, it was naturally harder to apply force as smoothly as in training.
Roya was not surprised by this. Training was ultimately not real combat. Integrating what one learned in training into actual battle—this was precisely why Roya had participated in this sparring assessment.
Slash!!
With a single swing, a crescent-shaped sword energy shot forward horizontally.
Facing this attack, the recruit's expression turned grave. He also gripped his sword with both hands and swung with all his strength, releasing a faint, nearly invisible sword energy.
The two sword energies collided violently in midair, producing a shrill grinding sound before exploding apart. The shattered energy scattered outward, slicing several fine tears into the corner of the recruit's clothing.
On the other side, Roya stood there completely unscathed.
The difference was obvious at a glance!
"Again."
Roya had never deliberately created any special techniques in pure swordsmanship. His style was entirely based on powerful slashes—advance without retreat, attack without defense.
Clang!!
Another exchange. Both swords were wrapped in invisible sword energy, which erupted upon collision, forming a visible shockwave that rippled outward in all directions.
Though the recruit blocked the slash, his hands went numb, and fear rose in his heart. He had never imagined that Roya's slashing power would be so terrifying.
Before reaching the realm of a master swordsman, arm strength was the key factor determining the power of a slash.
In the original records, Zoro trained his arm strength from a young age. By the start of the story, his strength was enough to lift an entire building and throw it at an enemy. With such arm strength, even without reaching the realm of "focus," his slashes were already terrifying.
Roya had not yet reached that level of brute strength, but having comprehended the state of "focus," his slashes were no weaker—and perhaps even stronger.
Clang! Clang! Clang!!
Roya's attacks were extremely straightforward. There were no flashy techniques—just pure pressure through overwhelming force. Under his dominant slashes, the recruit could no longer withstand a frontal exchange and tried to evade, seeking an opening from the side.
But Roya's speed exceeded his expectations. There was no opportunity to attack from the flank. Every strike forced him to block head-on!
As the battle continued, Roya gradually adapted to real combat. His slashes grew stronger and stronger, approaching the peak power he could unleash during training.
Clang! Clang! Clang!!
Roya's attacks became increasingly oppressive. The recruit could no longer hold his ground. Each time he blocked, he was forced to retreat to disperse the force, while Roya stepped forward and struck again.
Clang!
Finally, after another exchange, the recruit's arms went completely numb. He could no longer grip his sword, which was violently knocked from his hands by Roya and embedded straight into the ground nearby.
"I've lost."
The recruit conceded cleanly. He walked over, pulled his sword from the ground, then turned and left the arena.
Watching this, the recruits outside wore numb expressions. Roya's continuous victories had already left them feeling stunned and desensitized.
Only after a moment did someone finally react.
Even the recruit ranked ninth in the entire training camp… had lost?!
And lost so thoroughly. Throughout the entire fight, he never managed a single counterattack. He was completely suppressed by Roya and ultimately crushed by force!
Although this was not an instant defeat, anyone could see that the gap between them was unmistakably clear.