Vivre Cards attract each other.
Aus knew this fact, obviously.
The "sub-cards" torn from a Vivre Card would drift weakly toward the "main card," and the card's burning showed the owner's life force.
Here's the kicker: no matter how many sub-cards got torn off, there was only one main card. Even torn down to a tiny scrap, the main card stayed the main card—it wouldn't get pulled in reverse.
Based on this principle, Aus invented a tracking technique.
He'd warp the "main card"—torn down to just a sliver—directly into the Vivre Card owner's heart muscle fibers.
After that? Except for Logia elementalization and Op-Op Fruit abilities, there was no escaping his control.
Aus had never told anyone about this clever warp trick.
Those subordinates who handed over their Vivre Cards had no clue about this application either.
Only after Aus marked them would they discover in pure horror:
No matter how they tore their Vivre Cards apart, every piece would point straight at their own location.
By the time they figured out how this move worked? Too fucking late.
This led to the Op-Op Fruit's value in the underworld shooting way past the original five billion berries. Countless underworld bosses secretly made moves, throwing hundreds of billions to get their hands on that power.
Aus was pretty damn satisfied with these dark world kings bowing down.
At least it saved him a trip.
Honestly? This Totto Land visit was going great.
Entertainment and saved effort—what more could he want?
For a hot second, Aus almost didn't want to start a war.
But...
Having kids was impossible. Absolutely impossible in this lifetime.
Suddenly backing out would make Big Mom flip her shit, turning them into enemies.
He could only figure out some way to keep things stable.
Aus racked his brain but couldn't come up with jack. Might as well eat and drink for now.
With this insane variety of cakes and sweets—
Things had reached this point. Time to eat first.
Big Mom wasn't rushing either. She loved the tea party vibe and gorging on sweets.
During this time, Aus brought up wanting Yoru imbued with a soul.
One gesture—
A gorgeous black blade materialized in Aus's hand.
Holy shit, that scared everyone!
Especially Big Mom's kids, who shot to their feet, faces grim as hands flew to swords and guns.
"Everyone sit the hell down!!!"
Before they could move, a harsh shout rang out. Katakuri's face was stone-cold as he barked at his siblings.
His pupils glowed red—he'd clearly seen something coming.
Not to mention he'd already spotted Mihawk and Crocodile sitting calmly at a distant table.
"Your Observation Haki's gotten way better, Katakuri."
Aus grinned and set the Supreme Grade sword—one of the twelve, Black Blade Yoru—on the table.
"Linlin, mind doing me a favor? Give this black blade a soul, just like your Napoleon."
"Mama mama mama~ I thought it was something else. You really love messing around, Aus."
Hearing Aus's words, Big Mom finally got it.
She'd also thought Aus was about to throw down.
Soul imbuing wasn't hard—just that stronger Homies needed more powerful souls.
To show her sincerity—
Big Mom gestured. Countless souls extracted from the Homies, flowing into Black Blade Yoru.
The whole process took minutes.
Mihawk had somehow walked over to the main table, staring intensely at Yoru as it seemed to change.
He looked exactly like a nervous husband waiting outside the delivery room.
"No need to stress. Worst case, nothing happens."
Aus teased Hawk Eyes, but the guy unusually didn't snap back—or rather, had no mood to deal with Aus.
Milky white energy appeared, Big Mom grasping it and slowly injecting it into Yoru's blade.
Aus couldn't help staring curiously.
Soul power, huh?
After Big Mom finished, several pairs of eyes watched Black Blade Yoru expectantly.
"..."
"Did it fail?"
No change at all.
Aus looked at Big Mom, who shook her head while sipping tea.
"The Homie transformation worked. Only possibility... this might be a kid who doesn't like talking. A shy one."
Ah, got it.
So it had transformed into a conscious form.
But since it was Hawk Eyes' sword, probably not shy—just cold like Mihawk.
Under Mihawk's hesitant stare, Aus grabbed Yoru and examined it.
"Let me test the feel, see if anything's different."
He slowly raised Yoru and casually slashed at the sky.
Whoosh—
Every person at the banquet went slack-jawed, eyes bulging as they watched that several-hundred-meter black sword energy rocket skyward.
BOOM—
The clouds... no—
The fucking sky split open.
Among Big Mom's kids, the real swordsmen were most shocked.
Including Sweet Commander Charlotte Smoothie.
As a swordsman who'd reached the swordmaster realm, she understood this slash's true weight better than anyone.
Had legendary Aus already walked the sword path to great swordsman level, approaching the world's peak?
Aus felt it out and swung Yoru.
"Hmm... doesn't feel different. Power's about the same as when Ace uses it."
Seeing Aus casually wielding Yoru, Mihawk was about to snatch it back.
Using someone's sword right in front of them—
What kind of NTR bullshit was this...
"Hey! Don't grab it! I just figured out how to make it talk."
Seeing Hawk Eyes' face darkening, Aus quickly spoke up.
"You bastard... what's your plan?"
Mihawk eyed this unreliable boss with suspicion.
But Aus always pulled unexpected shit. He instinctively felt maybe there really was a method.
"For dealing with you cold-acting types, I've got my ways. Too much experience with this crap."
Aus was confident. Under Big Mom's, Hawk Eyes', countless Homies', and Big Mom's children's attention—
He raised Yoru and spoke ominously:
"Young black blade, if you don't speak up, I'll stick you in a dung pit~"
"Glare—"
Maybe those words hit the mark. Sharp eyes instantly snapped open on the sword's hilt!!!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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