Though Mohji and Cabaji's wounds had been completely healed, the sheer intensity of their earlier battle left them unconscious. At Yuuki's instruction, Igaram and Mr. 9 carried the two men back to their respective cabins.
After that, Yuuki ordered Buggy and the others to strip the Chain-Hand Pirates' ship of its supplies and treasure.
A pirate worth seventy-five million Beli wasn't someone Yuuki expected to have anything particularly impressive aboard.
And yet—
When Buggy and the others laid a half-ton slab of gray-black stone and two seemingly ordinary sheets of white paper before him, Yuuki's brows lifted in surprise.
"Seastone… and Vivre Cards."
He examined them briefly before remarking, "Did the Chain-Hand Pirates raid a merchant vessel or something?"
"That's a huge chunk of whatever that is," Buggy said excitedly, staring at the irregular mass weighing nearly half a ton. "Must be worth a fortune."
He had initially assumed it was just an oddly heavy rock. But the moment he touched it, his limbs had gone weak and his Chop-Chop Fruit ability failed to respond—only then did he realize what it was.
Seastone, said to embody the very essence of the sea, drained Devil Fruit users of their strength and suppressed their abilities.
Yuuki knew Seastone varied in purity. This rough, unprocessed slab likely wasn't high grade—but even so, it was immensely valuable.
Still—
Compared to the Seastone, what truly interested him were the two sheets of paper in his hand.
"Buggy. Finish sorting the loot and set sail as soon as possible."
Leaving the order behind, Yuuki turned and walked back toward the cabin, Vivre Cards in hand.
The massive Seastone block was sealed away into Conrad's key-space and carried below as well.
"Got it, Captain!"
Buggy's red nose twitched as his eyes gleamed.
Though none of the treasure officially belonged to him, the mere sight of crates filled with gold was enough to make his heart race.
And during the process…
Well.
Surely no one would notice a few coins going missing.
Once Yuuki and Conrad disappeared below deck, Buggy planted his hands on his hips and loudly directed Igaram and Mr. 9 to move the chests.
As for Vivi—
Buggy figured the Princess of Alabasta was a valuable hostage in the captain's plans. Best not interfere with her.
Back in the laboratory.
Yuuki immediately began examining the Vivre Card.
On the surface, it looked like nothing more than plain white paper—but it possessed remarkable resilience. Water-resistant. Flame-resistant. Tough far beyond normal parchment.
Yet the material itself was secondary.
A Vivre Card was created by mixing a person's fingernail into the paper, forming a "life card" that carried a fragment of the owner's life force.
When its owner weakened or was injured, the card would shrink.
When they recovered, it would return to normal.
And if the owner died—
It would burn away to ash.
A paper that represented life force.
"What an unexpected gift."
Yuuki drew out one sheet and smiled faintly.
Through his research on Buggy's blood—and his deductions about Brook—he had already realized the importance of life force.
But recognizing life force as a concept was one thing.
Controlling it was another entirely.
The technique of Life Return.
And now—
Vivre Cards.
He hadn't expected to encounter either so soon.
Thud.
Conrad returned the Seastone slab to the floor with a heavy sound.
"Catch me a fish," Yuuki said without looking up.
Conrad vanished instantly.
While waiting, Yuuki trimmed a sliver of his own fingernail and mixed it into the paper, forming a Vivre Card.
The process was simple.
Within moments, he felt a faint connection to the card.
Through his perception of "ki," he could sense it carried a trace of his own presence.
"How fascinating."
"To isolate life force so easily…"
Even if this world lacked magic, its strange phenomena might very well advance his own.
Soon enough, Conrad returned with a half-meter-long fish—slender like a cutlassfish, but with a bright red crest on its head.
Yuuki accepted it.
The fish thrashed wildly in his grip until he released a pulse of mana, stunning it. He laid the unconscious creature on the table.
"If my hypothesis is correct… once the body dies, even if the soul is restored, without life force, it cannot remain."
"So—"
"If life force is restored after death, can resurrection truly be achieved?"
Lightning flickered at his fingertip.
He touched the fish's head.
A violent surge of electricity coursed through it.
The fish convulsed violently—
Then went still.
Its life extinguished.
Silver light shimmered in Yuuki's eyes.
He summoned the Imperial Sword.
Through Corpse Spirit Magic, he saw the faint soul of the fish rise from its body.
Before it could disperse, he drew it into the blade.
Then—
He placed the Vivre Card—infused with his life force—onto the corpse.
"Next, integrate the card into the body."
Key Magic—Activate.
The card dissolved like melting snow, seeping into the fish's flesh.
Immediately—
Yuuki sensed something stir.
A presence returned.
His eyes lit up.
"So, I was right. Life force is the key."
The fish now resembled not a corpse—but something akin to a vegetative state.
Corpse Spirit Magic—Soul Abductor.
He extracted the fish's soul from the Imperial Sword and guided it back into the body.
Thump.
Thump.
The fish sprang to life—thrashing violently.
"Conrad. Bring more fish. Different species too."
Yuuki's voice carried excitement.
If this held true—
With Vivre Cards—
He could perfect resurrection magic.
True resurrection.
Not the flawed method he previously possessed.
Previously, he could use Key Magic to implant souls into living bodies—but the resurrection required constant mana maintenance. Remove the supply, and it would collapse.
Impractical.
Suddenly—
The fish convulsed violently.
Its body began swelling before Yuuki's eyes.
Within seconds, it doubled in length—thickening from arm-width to calf-thick.
Its red crest turned white.
Yuuki blinked.
"That shouldn't happen…"
The resurrected fish stopped thrashing.
Instead—
It wriggled closer to him, almost affectionately.
Yuuki grasped it. It remained docile in his hands.
"Ah."
"I overlooked something."
The Vivre Card contained his life force.
And ever since completing the Godhood Ritual—
His life essence had transcended ordinary humanity.
Even a fragment of it was enough to elevate the fish's biological state.
"So that's why it shows attachment."
Without hesitation, he electrocuted it again.
Death returned.
He retrieved the soul once more, then used Key Magic to extract the Vivre Card.
The moment the card was removed—
The fish's swollen form shrank back to normal.
As expected,
But his gaze fell to the Vivre Card.
It was blank.
The life force was gone.
"Consumed at the moment of the second death, huh?"
Yuuki chuckled softly.
"Interesting."
Conrad returned with more fish.
Over the following days, Yuuki remained immersed in experimentation.
Mohji and Cabaji eventually awoke. Upon discovering their wounds had not only healed but vanished without a trace, their devotion toward Yuuki deepened into near fanaticism.
But Yuuki stayed in the laboratory.
Buggy, Vivi, and the others dared not disturb him.
Days later—
Across the rolling sea, a massive island loomed ahead.
Vivi stood at the bow, staring in confusion.
Then she turned sharply to Buggy.
"What's going on? Aren't we heading to Alabasta?"
"You woman, stop yelling!"
Buggy snapped irritably, hands spinning the helm.
And the ship sailed straight toward the towering island ahead.
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