Nikafrukt's inherited will, explained

Key takeaways

• Devil Fruits provide various powers from combat abilities to world-changing strength.
• Nika Fruit users link through inherited will as warriors fighting against oppression.
• Nika, Joyboy and Luffy share a common goal of freedom and joy, tied to the powerful Hito Hito no mi, model: Nika Devil Fruit.

Devil Fruits are the main part of the power system One Piece and are essentially fruits that grant the user unnatural abilities once eaten. The abilities that Devil Fruits provide are incredibly varied, as they can range from powerful enough to hold back entire armies to barely usable in a combat situation. However, few come close to the power or silliness of Luffy's Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.

This Devil Fruit was always known as Gomu Gomu no Mi until One Piece's The Wano arc, where it was shown to be one of the most powerful mythic zoans in existence. With Egghead revealing the concept of inherited will shared through the Devil Fruits, one can see and speculate how the users of the Nika fruit are all linked, so let's go through this concept and see why each user of this fruit was the most important figure in their era.

What is an inherited will?

A concept that defines generations

Inherited will is basically a concept that explains that someone's dreams, ambition and will are passed on to future generations. The people who believe in this concept do not fear death and welcome their mortality because they know that their dreams and wishes will live on through future generations and will inevitably come true. Because of this, Inherited Will is not a concept bound by blood, as anyone can assume someone else's dream.

People's dreams have no end!

The reason this is so potent for Nika Fruit users is because of what they represent. The connection between Nika, Joyboy and Luffy is created through the common goal they all have of seeing everyone live free from subjugation. Whether or not this specific will is passed on through the Nika Fruit itself is unclear, but it is known that this is what binds these 3 together and may be why the fruit sought out Joyboy and Luffy specifically, as Nika's will is most likely what kept the fruit out the hands of world government.

Nika, the sun god

Warriors of Liberation

As told to Jinbe in his fight against Who's-Who, Nika was an ancient being who traveled the world to spread freedom and laughter to all oppressed people, earning him the name “Warrior of Liberation”. Nika's existence is tied to the folklore of Elbaf and the Buccaneer race, where he is revered as a sun god to whom all imprisoned people around the world pray for freedom. According to Dr. Vegapunk, Nika's existence remains in many hidden and ancient texts, but most knowledge of him has been erased from the annals of history.

They called him “Sun God Nika”. It was said that he would bring laughter to their lips and relieve them of their suffering. Who knows if he really existed…?

Vegapunk's theory is that Devil Fruits are the result of people's wishes and desires to become something more than what they are. Because of this, he believed that over the years people wanted to be great liberators with strange powers like Nika was, forming Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika in the process. This fruit is highly sought after by the World Government but has always managed to escape their grasp. Regardless of whether Nika was even a real person or not, the legend from thousands of years ago gave birth to one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in existence.

Joyboy, the first pirate

Ancient enemy of the World Government

Currently, it's unclear if Nika was even real at all, so all the legends of the liberation warrior freeing everyone from their oppressors could very well have been Joyboy during the Void Century. As the very first pirate in history, Joyboy is also the only other known user of the Nika Fruit along with Luffy, and it is known that he and his allies fought a war against the entity that later became the World Government but failed in trying to stop them.

Remember Emet, only when the time is right.

Joyboy is the one behind the One Piece treasure and was, at least what is known about him, a hero in his time. So that's why many believe that Nika's will was kept inside the Hito Hito no Mi that Joyboy ate for all those centuries since the fruit itself sought him out because of his ideals that matched Nika's. Although Nika was not real, Joyboy was the first known user of the Devil Fruit and vowed to return in 800 years to set everything right in the world.

Luffy the Straw Hat

The one who will become the pirate king

Inherited will is a tricky concept to understand in relation to Devil Fruits. This is because not everyone who shares the same dreams and beliefs will receive the same Devil Fruit as those before them. For example, Roger had the exact same dream and ideals as Luffy but Nika Fruit skipped his generation, only to go to Luffy instead. This is something that remains a mystery.

I don't want to control anything. Being king of the pirates is about being more free than anyone else.

Currently, Luffy is the user of the Nika Fruit, the awakening of which has given him the same appearance as the legendary Warrior of Liberation in his Gear 5 state. With this, he essentially becomes Nika and is indistinguishable from Joyboy in this form, as was evident from how both Zunesha and Emet spoke of the similarity between the two. It is likely that by using this form, Luffy will eventually find the One Piece treasure and overthrow the oppressive regime of the World Government and Heavenly Dragons, freeing everyone from subjugation and spreading joy wherever he goes.

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