They counted their blessings—and their next harvest. The ambush had been a resounding success. The villagers, now emboldened, moved with a new confidence, knowing their leaders were not just strong, but cunning and compassionate. The D-tier bramble serpent's defeat had brought them a powerful boon, a Rare Zoan fruit, a prize that Valerius knew was a rare find indeed from a D-tier beast. He had explained the odds to his closest crew: a D-tier yield only had a roughly 5% chance of spawning a Rare fruit, and the tree had decided to grant them this blessing.
He gathered his crew in the central courtyard, holding the new fruit for all to see. It was a magnificent thing, shaped like a pear with vibrant red and white plumage spiraling around its surface. This was the Bird-Bird Fruit, a Rare Zoan that promised the powers of a powerful, yet unknown, species of bird.
Valerius addressed the villagers, the new fruit held aloft. "This is our next gift. Our next strength. It is a rare fruit, a power of the world. It will go to one of you, to someone who has shown courage, loyalty, and skill, not in spite of their tier, but because of it."
From the back of the crowd, an E-tier marksman stepped forward. His name was Rowan, a young man who had been a scout for the village before the Fire. His innate E-tier ability gave him unnaturally steady hands and keen eyesight, a gift that made him an excellent archer. He was not a warrior in the traditional sense, but he had stood on the walls all night, his quiver full, his bow ready. He represented the "Merit, not birth" motto perfectly.
"I am but an E-tier, Valerius," Rowan said, his voice firm but respectful. "But my arrows fly true. And my loyalty is to this haven. I will take this power and use it to defend our home, from the ground and from the sky."
Valerius smiled, a genuine, warm expression that settled the hearts of all who saw it. He walked to Rowan and presented him with the Bird-Bird Fruit. "This is your fruit, Rowan. Take it, and learn to fly."
Rowan, with a deep breath and a look of absolute determination, ate the fruit. The vile taste hit him, but he swallowed it down, his resolve unwavering. The power surged through him, and his body began to shift. It was a painful, alien feeling at first, but with Valerius's calm guidance, he managed his first form shift. Feathers sprouted from his arms, his hands and feet sharpened into talons, and a magnificent pair of wings, a brilliant crimson, unfurled from his back. He had become a magnificent Birdman, his form a perfect blend of human and soaring avian. The villagers gasped in awe, their cheers echoing his success.
Valerius, seeing the young man's newfound power and his clear potential, decided to invest even more in his development. He took Rowan aside, away from the prying eyes of the crowd. "You are an archer, Rowan. You have keen eyesight. This fruit will enhance that, but we can make it even sharper." Valerius then began a lesson, teaching him the basics of Observation Haki. He explained how to focus his mind, how to perceive the auras of others, to feel the intentions behind their actions, to see not with his eyes, but with his spirit. Rowan, a quick study, took to the drills with intense focus, his natural concentration as an archer proving to be a perfect foundation for Haki training.
The lesson was brief but profound. Rowan, now standing at the height of his newfound power and potential, turned to Valerius, his eyes shining with gratitude and a fierce loyalty. He knelt on one knee, his avian wings folded respectfully behind him, and looked up at his captain.
"My life, my power, my arrows," Rowan swore, his voice a solemn oath, "are yours to command. I pledge my fealty to you, Valerius, and to the First Crew. The world will watch over our haven."
The first new crew member, born of merit and not birth, had been found.