The sky darkened faster than Maris had ever seen.
She had been exploring the cliffs at the northern edge of the island, her bare feet gripping jagged stone, when a strange chill swept over the wind. The birds scattered at once, their cries sharp and urgent, while the trees bent violently as if the island itself was warning her.
Maris paused, squinting toward the horizon. Waves crashed higher than usual, white spray leaping into the wind. A storm was forming—fast, unnatural, unlike anything she had ever felt.
And then she saw it.
A small, battered ship was being tossed like a toy on the waves. Its sails were torn, its hull groaning under the pounding sea. A figure tumbled overboard—a man, gasping, clutching a strange fruit-shaped pendant tightly in one hand.
Maris froze only for a moment. Then, the voice in her head—the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia System—spoke softly but firmly, as if it had been waiting for this moment:
"New Devil Fruit detected. Initialize analysis?"
The wind howled around her, the sea thundered at her feet, and in that instant, everything changed.
The waves crashed against her legs, cold and relentless, but Maris waded in without fear. Years of running barefoot on rocks and climbing cliffs guided her movements—quick, precise, and confident.
She reached the man just as another wave slammed him against jagged rocks. With a surge of strength she hadn't realized she possessed, she grabbed his arm and dragged him toward shore.
Gasping and coughing, the man collapsed onto the sand. His eyes were wide with shock, but he made no attempt to resist. Maris noticed the pendant still clutched in his hand—it pulsed faintly, almost alive.
The system in her mind buzzed:"Analyzing… Unknown Devil Fruit detected. Type: Unknown. Power signature unstable. Recommendation: Document immediately."
Her curiosity flared. Years on the island had trained her to observe, adapt, and understand. This was exactly the test she had been waiting for.
Carefully, she touched the pendant. Energy shot through her fingertips, and the world seemed to pause. Waves froze mid-crash, the wind held its breath, even the shadows beneath the water lingered as if the Sea Kings sensed the moment.
"System: prepare for ingestion analysis," the voice murmured.
Maris' heart raced. Ingestion…? She had never eaten a Devil Fruit, but the knowledge and opportunity called to her stronger than fear.
She bit the pendant gently. Light surged, coursing through her body. Her senses sharpened beyond comprehension. She could feel the muscle and energy of the man before her, the rhythm of the storm, the pulse of the island itself.
The system announced:"New ability unlocked: Mythical Zoan – Dryad. Nature-linked transformation confirmed. Observation capabilities enhanced. Recommended: training and control."
Maris flexed her fingers. Tiny green shoots curled from her skin, then retracted. Her senses pulsed with life—the movements of every insect, bird, and creature on the island became painfully vivid, like a second heartbeat she could feel.
The man, still on the sand, stared at her. "I… I didn't think anyone could… control it so fast…"
Maris smiled faintly. "Not control. Understand."
The system pulsed in her mind:"Observation logged. User behavior documented. Potential ability comprehension unlocked."
The storm had passed. Sunlight glinted off the waves and her dark hair as Maris looked toward the horizon. For the first time, leaving the island didn't fill her with fear.
It filled her with purpose.
She had survived storms, beasts, and nature itself. Now she wielded a power beyond ordinary humans, paired with a system that could analyze and master any Devil Fruit she encountered.
Maris D. Luna, child of sea and moon, would leave her mark.
The wind tugged at her hair, carrying the scent of adventure from the distant seas. Somewhere far beyond, the Grand Line waited.
And with it, her destiny.