Isshō stood silently in the center of the plaza, cane in hand, looking for all the world like an ordinary blind middle-aged man.
But because of Kaito, no one dared to actually treat him like one. Everyone here knew—this was a powerhouse acknowledged by Admiral Shikiryū himself.
Now that everyone had arrived, this special assessment was finally set to begin. Isshō's opponents also started to enter the assessment arena.
Three familiar Vice Admirals from Headquarters stepped forward, each armed with a katana. They were Momonga, Yamakaji, and Onigumo.
These three were veteran Vice Admirals, and their strength was beyond question. In the eyes of Sengoku and the others, having them conduct the assessment was the best way to gauge the true strength of Isshō.
But... was that really the case?
Kaito looked down at the trio and gently shook his head. Gion, who had been watching Kaito this whole time, noticed and asked,
"What's wrong, Kaito? Do you think this assessment is too difficult for Isshō?"
"Quite the opposite. I think this test is far too easy for him."
Gion was momentarily stunned and pressed further,
"Is Isshō really that strong?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Gion nodded, finally turning her attention toward the ongoing assessment. She really was curious to see just how powerful the man Kaito had chosen truly was.
Isshō turned to face the three Vice Admirals, gave a slight bow, and said gently,
"Thank you, Vice Admirals, for taking the time to assess an old man like myself."
His courteous demeanor immediately won favor with the three. Momonga replied promptly,
"No need for that. You're someone personally selected by Admiral Shikiryū—this is only right."
Though Yamakaji and Onigumo didn't speak, they nodded slightly to show their goodwill.
A smile appeared on Isshō's face as he said,
"Admiral Shikiryū is a man worthy of respect. Naturally, I won't let him down. So I hope the three of you won't hold back—please go all out."
"Of course."
With that brief exchange, both sides fell silent, awaiting the signal to begin.
Seeing that they were all ready, Sengoku stood and officially declared the assessment open.
As soon as his voice fell, the three Vice Admirals simultaneously drew their katanas, each one wrapped in jet-black Armament Haki. In an instant, they used Soru and surrounded Isshō from three directions, slashing toward him.
Despite the dangerous situation of being attacked from three sides, Isshō's expression remained unchanged. He didn't even draw his blade. Instead, he coated his cane with Armament Haki and casually swung it three times.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three sharp metallic clashes echoed through the air. The Vice Admirals flipped backward in midair and landed in different corners of the arena.
They stared at Isshō, still standing in the center, unmoved, with looks of disbelief in their eyes.
From that single exchange, they'd already gotten a sense of Isshō's mastery of Armament Haki—it clearly surpassed theirs by a long shot.
Just based on his Haki alone, Isshō was more than qualified to be a Vice Admiral.
And they hadn't forgotten—he was blind!
Those three precise deflections had not only blocked their attacks but did so with exact restraint. He had clearly been holding back.
At that realization, all three gulped at the same time. They finally understood why Kaito had chosen this man. His strength was nothing short of monstrous.
They had also heard rumors that Isshō possessed a Devil Fruit—one with terrifying offensive power.
And now... they could believe it.
In fact, the very same thought crossed all three of their minds—and Kaito's as well:
"This test is way too easy for Isshō."
Still holding their katanas, the three Vice Admirals hesitated to move forward, and the battle ground fell into an awkward standstill.
After waiting for a while and realizing they still hadn't made a move, Isshō decided to bring this to an end. He held his cane horizontally before him and slowly drew the hidden blade—only partially. Just a tenth of the blade's length gleamed in the air.
But even without fully unsheathing it, the Vice Admirals felt their nerves tighten. As if facing a deadly threat, they raised their swords defensively.
It was useless.
Isshō spoke in a low voice,
"Hell Journey."
Buzz!
The Vice Admirals suddenly felt as though ten thousand pounds had dropped onto their shoulders. Their knees buckled, forcing them half-kneeling into the ground, while their swords sank deep into the earth.
But this technique wasn't so simple.
Isshō muttered to himself,
"The battle is over."
With that, the bit of sword he had drawn returned to its sheath.
A thunderous rumble shook the ground.
The next moment, a massive square crater appeared in the center of the arena—and the three Vice Admirals had vanished.
...
Silence.
Everyone was stunned by the sudden destruction. In their eyes, this kind of power was already on par with a Logia-type user.
Even Akainu and the others were shocked by the display of the Gravity Fruit's power. They all rose from their seats, staring solemnly at Isshō, who stood calmly at the center of it all.
Tsuru gazed at the massive, bottomless pit and said in awe,
"What terrifying destructive force. So that's the power of the Gravity Fruit."
Sengoku nodded in agreement.
"This fruit ranks among the top in destructive power even within the Paramecia types. And now, in the hands of someone like Isshō, it's even more frightening."
Tsuru turned her eyes to Kaito and said,
"Good thing a powerhouse like this was discovered and brought in by you. If he'd become a pirate, that would've been a real nightmare."
Meanwhile, on Kaito's side, Gion was pestering him.
"Kaito, how on earth did you convince Isshō to join the Marines?"
The more strength Isshō showed, the prouder Kaito felt. And now, with Gion's question, he couldn't help but show off a little.
"I wouldn't exactly say I 'convinced' him. I just asked if he wanted to join the Marines... and he agreed."
"That simple?"
"That simple. If you're asking why, maybe it's because the one who invited him was me."
Kaito's tone practically oozed smugness. Gion wanted to tease him, but after thinking it over, she realized... that might actually be true.
Because if it were her, and the strongest Marine Admiral alive personally invited her, she probably wouldn't hesitate either.
...
Back in the arena, Isshō raised a hand.
Three cone-shaped mounds of earth rose from the crater, each one lifting up a tattered and gasping Vice Admiral.
They were all in the same state—leaning heavily on their katanas, panting hard.
Momonga, in slightly better shape than the others, looked at Isshō with deep admiration and gave him a firm thumbs-up.
The result was clear.
Isshō had won—completely and overwhelmingly.