In the original story, the Snake-Snake Fruit had been wielded by the two sisters of the Pirate Empress from Amazon Lily, as well as Kurozumi Orochi of Wano.
The former, though only possessing an ordinary Zoan-type fruit, had developed its potential to the extreme her long hair writhing like Medusa's serpents, infused with Haki, enhancing her already devastating combat abilities.
The latter, in contrast, treated the fruit as nothing more than a resurrection token. He never truly trained or infused it with Haki. Despite wielding a powerful Mythical Zoan-type, he used it merely to intimidate others. A complete waste.
All this just proved that strength still depended on the user. The fruit was only the starting point.
Without diligent training, even a Mythical Zoan like the Yamata no Orochi could be squandered.
As for the fruit in front of Ethan Chen now, he highly doubted it had any connection to the Mythical Zoans. It looked far more like a standard Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Most likely, it granted enhanced vitality, accelerated regeneration, and animal-based physical abilities hallmarks of the Zoan class.
"This fruit looks a lot like a Trimeresurus stejnegeri," Ada Wong commented, gently brushing aside one of the leaf-like appendages, "a venomous viper species native to Southeast Asia in my world."
"It's a small arboreal snake found in bamboo forests and undergrowth," she continued. "Nocturnal. It feeds on frogs and birds. Very venomous. Primarily hemotoxic, though some subspecies possess mild neurotoxins. Usually nonlethal to adults, but the risk of permanent damage is high."
Her explanation jogged Ethan's memory. Indeed, the resemblance was uncanny. In his world, the Trimeresurus was nicknamed the "Green Snake," or simply "Xiaoqing."
Xiaoqing... that name sparked another memory the Green Snake from The Legend of the White Snake.
So could this be the Snake-Snake Fruit: Mythical Zoan, Green Snake Form?
Ethan chuckled at the thought, which drew puzzled glances from the others.
"What's so funny?" Ada asked. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No," Ethan waved it off. "It's just that 'green snake' reminded me of a legend from my hometown."
"What legend?" she asked.
"It's about the Green Snake," Ethan said, choosing his words carefully. "They say a white snake, after receiving divine guidance from the goddess Li Shan Laomu, cultivated in seclusion on Mount Emei…"
"Wait, aren't you talking about the White Snake? I thought this was about the Green Snake?" Mona interrupted.
"Would you let me finish the story before poking holes in it?" Ethan shot her a look, then continued. "After a thousand years of cultivation, the white snake descended the mountain in human form and met the Green Snake Xiaoqing. They became sworn sisters…"
Ethan was reciting the plot of the film Green Snake, where Xiaoqing was portrayed as mischievous, seductive, and fiercely powerful.
In some versions of the story, especially the more stylized adaptations, it was Xiaoqing who used her illusions to tempt and test even the mighty monk Fahai, almost cracking his spiritual discipline. In the legendary flood of Jinshan Temple, it was Xiaoqing alone who raised tidal waves, toppled the Leifeng Pagoda, and rescued her elder sister by defeating Fahai.
"Wow... that's incredible," Mona said, stunned. "Not even the Great Heavenly Dragon or the Leifeng Pagoda could stop her? She's seriously overpowered!"
"Right?" Ethan leaned back. "So maybe this isn't just any Snake-Snake Fruit. Maybe it's the Mythical Zoan: Green Snake Form."
The idea wasn't entirely far-fetched. After all, Devil Fruits in this world were often shaped as much by belief as by biology. The Sun God Nika Fruit, for example, was essentially a product of imagination, activated by belief and dreams of freedom.
So what if people believed this unknown fruit was the legendary Green Snake?
Could it then grant the powers of that legend? Spellcasting? Illusions? Water control? Flight?
Ethan glanced at Ada. Whether this would work or not, it was at least worth trying.
"If I'm being honest," Ada replied skeptically, "that seems a bit far-fetched. Devil Fruits usually follow themes or categories, not specific named figures from legends."
"Exactly," Mona nodded. "Even in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, Mythical Zoans are based on species, not named individuals. No one's eating a 'Sun Wukong Fruit' or something."
Ethan scratched his head. Yeah, he'd gotten carried away. He probably should've kept the story vague and mysterious. The more details he added, the more cracks began to show.
Everyone here was too mature for fairy tales.
"So what do we do with the fruit then?" 2B asked. "Are you going to eat it? Or sell it? You told me before how valuable Devil Fruits are."
Ethan hesitated, then looked around at 2B, Mona, and Tifa.
"Do any of you want it?" he asked.
They all shook their heads. Mona's twin tails practically swayed like a pair of metronomes.
For her, eating a Devil Fruit would be nothing but a curse.
2B and Tifa weren't interested either. A fruit that turned you into a small snake that eats birds and frogs? Way too underwhelming.
Seeing their reactions, Ethan finally slid the fruit over to Ada Wong.
"Do you want it?" he asked. "Honestly, I think it suits you."
"Like a snake you're calm, quiet, able to blend into your surroundings. Patient, agile, with keen senses. I don't think anyone else here is a better match."
"And it's a Zoan. You'd gain increased physical strength, durability, healing. You'd survive in this dangerous world a lot more easily."
"Compared to all that, I'd say becoming a land-bound swimmer is a pretty minor drawback."
Ada tapped her chin, thoughtful. As a covert operative, her job often involved stealth, infiltration, and anticipation being like a snake, but never literally one.
If this fruit could grant her actual serpentine abilities true silence, true presence suppression then she could become a terrifying threat on the battlefield.
She smiled and crossed one leg over the other, her black stockings catching the light.
"We've only just met, and you're already offering me something this valuable?" she asked playfully. "Aren't you worried I might betray you?"
"She's right," Tifa said, walking in with a sizzling platter of grilled meat. "You shouldn't trust people so easily, especially someone who kissed you on day one."
She narrowed her eyes at Ada. "Seems a bit too convenient to me."
"To trust someone is to also offer them your vulnerability," Ethan replied, holding Ada's gaze. "If she's truly entrusted her life to me by coming aboard, what more defense do I need?"
"I've got no objections," said 2B. In her view, if Ada ever turned traitor, it wouldn't matter whether she had a Devil Fruit or not.
"Same here," Mona agreed. "I just hope the help you bring to this crew outweighs the value of the fruit."
Three to one. Tifa may have been reluctant, but the decision was made.
Ada Wong was now the rightful bearer of the Snake-Snake Fruit, suspected form: Trimeresurus stejnegeri the Green Snake.
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