Chapter 194: Divine Tree Ellis and the Sun Tree Eve
The peaceful Sea Forest lay beneath a massive protective bubble. In the surrounding deep sea, giant whales occasionally passed by, along with a variety of other marine creatures.
On the lush green meadow, everyone sat idly, waiting—Luo Han and Sister Spoon had already entered the forest a while ago.
Since arriving, Ellis had been seated alone in a corner, some distance from the others. Her unique Observation Haki continuously emitted a communicative wave.
She seemed to be searching for something.
Before long, her expression changed—from joy to burning fury.
"Damn mermaid princess… damn fish-men!"
A destructive intent flared up from Ellis, but quickly dissipated.
Aishi didn't notice it—but Sora and Akatsuki did. They turned toward her, confusion in their eyes.
"Was that… Conqueror's Haki?" they both wondered, then shook their heads. It didn't feel quite the same.
As Ellis's spiritual waves spread—
In the depths of the dark sea, a dormant consciousness stirred. Ellis's invisible energy swept across it again and again, until a flicker of light emerged from the darkness, and an ancient will awoke.
"Who dares disturb my centuries-long slumber?"
"Is it you…? A stranger… human? Hm! You carry the scent of an old friend!"
A deep, resonant voice echoed in Ellis's mind.
Ellis remained unmoved. Her lips barely parted as she emitted a wave of her own. "I am not human. I am a Divine Tree who ate a Devil Fruit—its final descendant."
RUMBLE!
The moment her message ended, the entire Fish-Man Island—and even the ocean floor—shook violently. The warm sunlight flickered, like a dying light bulb.
It lasted a while before everything calmed.
"What happened just now?"
Everyone looked around nervously. That tremor, and the shift in light—it wasn't ordinary. Even though all seemed calm now, no one could deny the sea had just quaked violently.
Whatever it was, it didn't bode well for Luo Han and the others still down here.
"What's taking Luo Han and Sister Spoon so long?"
Aishi grew anxious and looked over at Ellis, who was still seated calmly, lips moving slightly—like she was talking to someone.
Unbeknownst to her, Akatsuki had been observing Ellis carefully. Inside, her heart was in turmoil, for she was reminded of a certain legend known to all Fish-Men:
"The Sun Tree Eve, which has always provided light to Fish-Man Island, is said to be waiting for an old friend. When that friend arrives, the sea will shake, the light will flicker, and the island will be plunged into darkness."
...
Fortunately, it was only a tremor—Akatsuki breathed a sigh of relief. The light remained. The island looked the same.
Most fish-men were still unconscious, so few witnessed this anomaly. Only the royal family and Akatsuki kept it in their minds.
On the grass, Ellis remained seated, her aura calm. Akatsuki couldn't shake her thoughts.
"Was the legend true?" she whispered, eyes locked on Ellis. "Could she be… the Sun Tree Eve's long-lost friend?"
...
At the same time, the tremor reached the Holy Land of Mariejois above Fish-Man Island.
In a flower-filled chamber, a tall figure stood in sunlight, hands clasped in some kind of ceremonial posture. The scene was peaceful—serene.
BOOM!
A low rumble sounded. The peaceful atmosphere grew heavy in an instant.
"Eve has moved."
The figure spoke softly, with a trace of unease, then tilted its head as if listening for something more.
After a long moment, it sighed.
"So… it's still not time," it murmured, with a touch of regret—like something long-awaited had failed to appear.
Then, the figure returned to its ritual, calm once more.
...
Back in the Sea Forest, Ellis's strange behavior drew attention from the others. But no one disturbed her—they could tell she was in a critical moment.
Ellis was aware of this, but said nothing.
She continued releasing waves, communicating with the Sun Tree Eve.
"I am a descendant of the Divine Tree… the last of our kind in this world. Today, I've come to—"
"To fulfill the pact?" Eve interrupted, unable to hold back. "The one who was promised has finally arrived! The Fish-Men are finally going to the Great Continent! At last, I can fulfill my duty—can I leave now…?"
Eve rambled on—perhaps unused to speaking after centuries.
Ellis let it speak, listening quietly.
After some time, Eve asked, "Are you here to guide the Fish-Men to the Great Continent and fulfill the ancient pact?"
"…Pact?" Ellis sneered. Her heart stirred. "No. I'm here to tell you the Fish-Men have betrayed the Divine Trees. The so-called pact is void. We owe you nothing."
"Betrayal? That's impossible!"
Eve sounded confused. But then, recalling the gentle figure of the first mermaid princess, it insisted, "That promise came from the first princess herself. The Fish-Men would never betray us!"
"Heh."
Ellis's sarcastic spiritual wave cut in coldly. "Never betray? Then tell me why our entire race was hunted to near extinction! Why I'm the last Divine Tree alive!"
"You're the last one? But… how?"
Eve was shocked. Divine Trees once thrived across the seas, their canopy touching the sky. And they—
"Our kind had the strongest ability to grow and reproduce. It should've been impossible. Something must have happened!"
"Exactly," Ellis said bitterly. "Around a hundred years after the pact, whenever our Fish-Scale Fruits matured, we were swarmed by crazed Sea Kings."
"At first, they were small and mid-sized. We thought maybe the fruit's scent attracted low-intelligence Sea Kings."
But Ellis's next words were filled with hatred.
"But when the Golden Fish-Scale Fruit matured—giant and colossal Sea Kings came, eyes red with madness. That's when we realized something far more sinister."
"That can't be!" Eve protested. "Intelligent Sea Kings would never attack the Divine Trees! That was the princess's promise! It must've been the fruit's smell."
"We thought that too!" Ellis growled. "We assumed the Golden Fish-Scale Fruit's evolution effect tempted them. That maybe one Sea King had eaten one by accident—and the rest learned of its power."
"But you're saying… that's not it?" Eve asked quietly.
"No."
Ellis continued, "Just recently, I sensed a wave from a Fish-MAnne Girl —an energy that could influence the soul. At first, I thought it was just unique Haki."
"But then, when I came here and began speaking with you, I felt it again—on you… and on the surrounding Sea Kings."
"What are you saying?" Eve asked, alarmed. "You mean my will has been… influenced too?!"
"Exactly," Ellis confirmed.
"That's impossible! Only a few beings in this world can hear us—let alone affect our thoughts!"
"You know well—the sun's heat shields my spirit. No one should be able to tamper with my mind!"
There is one.
A certain mermaid princess who ate a special Devil Fruit.
Ellis didn't say it out loud. Instead, she replied with a chilly smile, "I don't know how it happened. But the wave is on you."
"Impossible! No one can touch my spirit!" Eve shouted. "And even if someone could—it wouldn't be her!"
Ellis didn't argue. She calmly explained, "I only realized the Sea Kings who attacked us carried the same wave. The same energy I felt from that Fish-Girl's ability."
"So they were… controlled?" Eve asked in dismay.
"Yes."
Ellis's voice was grim. "The first mermaid princess implanted the command—to destroy any Divine Tree with the scent of Fish-Scale Fruit. That's why the Sea Kings, even the smart ones, went berserk."
Eve fell silent for a long time.
"No… it couldn't have been her. She made a promise. Do you have proof?"
Ellis was speechless. Even now, it clung to the ideal.
She did have proof—on a certain person.
But it didn't matter anymore. The Divine Tree and the Sun Tree… were no longer allies.
"No."
She shook her head inwardly and said firmly, "I'm telling you this now—your pact with the Fish-Men is your own problem."
"I'm taking back one seed. After that, we're finished. You were the one who arranged the pact. This is your compensation."
With that, Ellis severed their connection.
She raised her hand. From the deep sea, a glowing, sun-like seed drifted upward, landing softly in her palm.
Eve didn't resist—nor did it speak again. Its will remained locked in its tree, unlike Ellis, whose consciousness could move freely.
…
(END CHAPTER)
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