On an uninhabited island, finding a single fruit the size of a human fist was both difficult and painfully dull.
To search properly, they not only had to split up, but also make sure they didn't accidentally overlap routes and re-check the same places.
And they couldn't afford to miss even the tiniest corner.
If they did, they might walk right past their goal—
The Logia-type Devil Fruit: Mera Mera no Mi.
That's right.
The Devil Fruit El and the others were searching for was the Mera Mera no Mi.
In the original manga, there was no detailed scene of Ace finding the fruit on Sixis Island.
But in the official side story added later, after Ace's death, it was revealed that he discovered the Mera Mera no Mi on Sixis—and that's where he met his first crewmate, Masked Deuce.
Because of that, El was 100% certain that, in this world too, the Mera Mera no Mi was located on Sixis Island.
All they had to do was thoroughly search the entire island.
Eventually, they would find that Logia-type Devil Fruit—one that was top-tier even among the Logia.
But the search process itself was, without a doubt, long and mind-numbingly boring.
This was exactly what El had called a test of mental endurance.
Fortunately, he wasn't searching alone.
He had three very capable helpers.
With Nami's cartography skills and Carina's sharp mind, they quickly drew a complete map of Sixis Island, divided it into zones, and began their search from the coastline inward.
The first month, the four of them combed through the outer forests.
They found nothing.
In the process, they also finished off all the food they'd brought on board.
During that time, Kuina also spent her birthday on Sixis Island, quietly becoming an eleven-year-old beauty.
In the second month, the group began climbing the rocky hills and inland ridges, searching every crevice and ledge.
Still nothing.
By then, the coast around Sixis Island was already littered with the bones of enormous sea beasts—spoils from El's frequent dives into the ocean to hunt food.
It wasn't until the third month, on November 17, 1510 of the Sea Circle Calendar, two months after Kuina's birthday, that they finally discovered it.
They had searched nearly the entire island when, in a narrow gap between several massive boulders, they spotted a small, twisted tree.
On that tree grew a single fruit covered in swirling flame patterns.
"I finally found it… I didn't expect it to be hidden in such a remote place."
El sheathed his sword after slicing open the blocking rocks and reached up to pluck the Devil Fruit.
Almost the moment he picked it, the little tree began to wither at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just a few seconds, it had shriveled and died completely.
"What a magical thing… Is this really the legendary treasure of the sea?"
The three girls, having watched the tree wither with their own eyes, gathered around El, staring fixedly at the fruit in his hand, their faces full of awe.
"Yes," El nodded. "This is the Devil Fruit that can let someone soar into the sky. A Logia-type Devil Fruit… the Mera Mera no Mi."
Then he turned and held it out to Nami.
"Nami, as long as you eat this, you'll gain the power to take revenge on the Arlong Pirates."
But instead of grabbing it in excitement, Nami hesitated, her expression tangled.
"Forget it… It'd be such a waste to give something this precious to me," she said, shaking her head. "Nii-san, your strength is already so strong. If you ate it, you'd definitely become even stronger."
El couldn't help but laugh softly.
He pushed the Devil Fruit into Nami's hands and rested his palm lightly on her head.
"You need to have more confidence in yourself," he said. "You're my navigator. Your role isn't just to keep us safe at sea, but to become a crewmate who can share my burdens."
"Whether it's you, Carina, or Kuina—you're all my most cherished family."
"This is just the beginning. In the future, I'll find other Devil Fruits too, so that all of you can stand beside me and help carry the weight."
As he finished, he reached out and gently patted Carina and Kuina on their fragrant shoulders, then looked back at Nami and encouraged her once more:
"So—let your light shine, Nami."
"Yeah! Just hurry up and eat it, Nami," Carina said, hugging El's arm and grinning.
"Come on!" Kuina added, cheering.
"…Okay!"
Moved to tears, Nami nodded firmly.
She lifted the Devil Fruit, slightly larger than her fist, and bit down hard.
A heartbeat later, her expression completely destroyed the emotional mood.
"Ghf—!"
It looked like she'd just eaten something utterly vile. Her face turned a mix of blue and purple, her cheeks puffing as if she were about to spit everything back out.
"Don't spit it out," El said quickly, voice serious. "You only need one bite."
Hearing that, Nami clamped a hand over her mouth.
Under the wide-eyed gaze of Carina and Kuina, she forced herself to swallow the awful mush with visible difficulty.
"Haah… haah…"
She bent over, taking deep breaths, eyes shaking with trauma.
"What the hell was that… Is that really a fruit?" she croaked.
"Is it really that bad?" Carina asked skeptically.
"Want to try it yourself?" Nami shot back, immediately thrusting the half-eaten Devil Fruit toward her.
"Ah—haha… no thanks."
Carina waved her hands in a panic, laughing awkwardly.
"Coward," Nami muttered, giving her a look, then turned to El with lingering dread. "Nii-san, do I… need to take another bite?"
El raised an eyebrow.
"Haven't you felt any power inside your body yet?" he asked.
"Power… inside my body?"
Nami blinked, then closed her eyes, focusing on the new sensations swirling within her.
BOOM—!
In the next instant, intense heat exploded out of her body, accompanied by a surge of orange flames.
Carina and Kuina instinctively grabbed El's arms and leaped back.
They watched as Nami's entire body seemed to ignite.
Her figure was suddenly wreathed in bright orange flames, rippling like a living inferno.
The remaining Devil Fruit in her hand began to hiss and sizzle as the last traces of its power burned out and vanished.
Ps:
Mera Mera no Mi
A Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants the user the power to create, control, and transform into fire.
Known as one of the more powerful and famous Logia Fruits.
In the original timeline, it was eaten by Portgas D. Ace.
Logia-type Devil Fruit
One of the three main classes of Devil Fruits: Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia.
Logia users can transform into, create, and control a natural element (like fire, smoke, lightning, etc.).
Attacks typically pass harmlessly through their elemental body unless countered by Haki, seastone, or special circumstances.
The Mera Mera no Mi is a Logia-type of the fire element.
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