The three of them stood in the pre-dawn light, the newly acquired Devil Fruit a silent presence between them. The forest was quiet once more, but the air was thick with unspoken questions and the weight of a monumental decision. The future of the First Haven, and the path of Valerius's growing power, would be shaped by this choice.
Valerius held the Common Paramecia fruit, its smooth, unblemished surface cool against his palm. His mind, even as he stood with Lyra and Kael, was already elsewhere, deep within the ethereal landscape of his consciousness, where the ancient tree thrummed with a quiet, sated energy. The tree was a mystery, a powerful, unpredictable force that had chosen him as its conduit. He had devoured the C-tier scout, and in return, it had yielded this single fruit.
Sometimes it gives more, he mused inwardly, recalling the F-tier monster that had given both a Zoan fruit and a Haki orb. Sometimes it barely gives one. There was no clear pattern, no predictable formula. It was a chaotic wellspring of power, its output seemingly tied to the strength of what he consumed, but never a guaranteed bounty. This unpredictability was both a blessing and a curse; it meant he couldn't simply promise power, but had to choose its recipients with utmost care. This fruit, a Common Paramecia, felt different from the Zoan Lyra had received, its energy less about transformation and more about direct manipulation. He needed to find the right person, someone whose existing skills or needs aligned with its potential.
The sun finally crested the horizon, casting the village in a warm, golden light. The sounds of rebuilding had already begun, hammers clanging, voices murmuring. The sight of the First Haven Banner, fluttering proudly over the rising walls, filled Valerius with a renewed sense of purpose. This wasn't just about survival anymore; it was about building something lasting.
He gathered Lyra and Kael in the center of the burgeoning village, the newly acquired fruit still subtly concealed in his hand. He didn't hold it up for all to see, but kept it close, its presence known only to his closest allies.
A hushed silence fell over the working villagers. Their eyes, filled with a mixture of awe and desperate longing, fixed on Valerius. They knew of Lyra's transformation, of Kael's ability to move stone. They had seen the impossible made real. But the source remained a mystery, a powerful secret held by Valerius.
A woman stepped forward from the crowd. She was a D-tier farmer, her innate ability a subtle knack for coaxing life from barren soil, but her true strength lay in her quiet resilience and her deep knowledge of herbal lore. Her name was Mina, and her hands, though calloused from farm work, were surprisingly gentle. She had been among the first to arrive after the Fire, tending to the wounded with what little she had, her wisdom a quiet comfort in the chaos. Her D-tier ability, while not combat-oriented, was vital for their survival.
"Valerius," Mina said, her voice soft but clear, "I have no great strength for battle. My hands are for healing, for growing. But if there is a way… if I can help those who suffer, then I would take it." Her eyes, though weary, held a deep, unwavering compassion.
Valerius looked at her, his Observation Haki reaching out, sensing her intentions. Her heart was pure, her desire to help undeniable. A healer. A perfect fit for a Paramecia fruit that could mend. The tree had chosen well.
He walked towards her, the fruit held out discreetly. "This is the Heal-Heal Fruit," he announced, his voice resonating with authority, intended primarily for Mina and his inner circle to hear clearly. "It is a Paramecia type. It grants the user the power to heal any living thing that is wounded or injured. The healing power manifests primarily in the form of tears from the user's body, which are the most potent. However, the user can also create water at the palms of their hands, which also carry the same healing properties, though not as strong as the tears." He then explained the other aspects he instinctively knew about the fruit, keeping his voice low enough to not broadcast the intricate details to every ear. "It can even restore damaged inanimate objects to their original form. However, it cannot create body parts from nothing, and its power has a limit to how many times it can be used before needing to recharge. It is also known that the user can heal themselves, and while it is unknown if it can cure diseases, its primary purpose is restoration." He also cautioned her, "The power requires your tears or the water from your hands to make contact, and it can even be used by others against your will, if they force you to cry to heal their allies. You cannot force your tears to not have healing properties."
Mina listened, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and trepidation. The power was immense, terrifying in its scope, yet perfectly aligned with her own desire to mend. She looked at Valerius, then at the fruit, and a quiet resolve settled on her face. This was a chance, not for personal glory, but for the betterment of their community.
With trembling hands, Mina took the Heal-Heal Fruit from Valerius. She brought it to her lips, the taste as vile as Valerius had described, but she swallowed it without hesitation. A gentle warmth spread through her, not the violent surge of Lyra's transformation, but a soft, comforting energy that settled in her eyes.
Just then, a cry erupted from a nearby work site. A young recruit, inexperienced with the heavy timbers, had misjudged a falling beam. It had grazed his arm, tearing a deep, bleeding gash. The recruit cried out, clutching his arm, pain contorting his face.
Mina instinctively rushed forward, her heart aching at the sight of his suffering. As she knelt beside him, a single, glistening tear welled in her eye and spilled onto her cheek. It was a tear born of pure empathy, of the deep compassion that had always defined her. The tear rolled down her face, and without thinking, she let it fall onto the recruit's bleeding arm.
The effect was instantaneous and miraculous. The moment the tear touched his skin, the deep gash shimmered, the torn flesh knitting itself back together with astonishing speed. The blood vanished, the skin smoothed, and within seconds, the arm was perfectly healed, as if the wound had never existed. The recruit stared at his arm, then at Mina, his jaw slack with disbelief.
A gasp rippled through the gathered villagers. They had seen Lyra's beast form, Kael's stone manipulation, but this… this was different. This was pure, undeniable healing, a power that touched the very core of their suffering. A wave of awe, then joyous cheers, erupted. Hope, once a flickering ember, now blazed like a bonfire.
Valerius watched, a quiet smile on his face. This was the true strength of his haven. Not just power, but purpose. He turned to the assembled villagers, his voice resonating with his Conqueror's Haki, not to dominate, but to inspire.
"You have heard the rumors," Valerius declared, his voice carrying across the square, drawing every eye. "You have seen what has been forged here. Strength. Hope. A chance at a new life. And yes, you have seen a glimpse of the impossible. This strength… it is real. It is a gift, and it will protect us."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over their faces, ensuring every eye met his. "But this gift, this power, it is also a secret. Each one of you has lost someone, something, for this village, for our haven. We have faced the Baron's cruelty before. If we are to truly protect our home, we must not tell this to any outsider. Not a whisper. Not a hint. Unless you want what Baron Von Krieg did last time, to be even worse. This strength is for us, for our survival, for our freedom. And it demands your absolute loyalty, and your absolute secrecy."
"From this day forward," he continued, his voice firm and unyielding, "our haven will be built on a new motto: Merit, not birth. Your strength will not be judged by the tier you were born with, but by the will you show, and the purpose you serve. We will rise, not as the privileged, but as the worthy."
The villagers roared their approval, the motto echoing through the rebuilt streets. The haven's fires burned bright against the baron's looming threat.