The definitive reason Devil Fruit users cannot swim is a pervasive mystery within their world, though a prominent theory suggests the ocean itself rejects their unique powers.
The Enigma of Devil Fruits and Water
Individuals who consume a Devil Fruit gain extraordinary abilities, ranging from transforming into animals to controlling elements or altering their body properties. However, this immense power comes with a critical drawback: a complete inability to swim. Upon immersion in any significant body of standing water, particularly the ocean, Devil Fruit users become utterly helpless.
This fundamental weakness is an inherent trade-off for their newfound abilities, rendering even the most powerful Devil Fruit users vulnerable to drowning if submerged and left unassisted.
The Leading Theory: The Ocean's Rejection
While the exact mechanics remain unconfirmed, the most widely accepted explanation for this aquatic vulnerability centers on the ocean's unique relationship with Devil Fruit powers:
- The Ocean's Aversion: It is widely believed that the sea, in some mystical sense, "hates" or actively rejects those who possess Devil Fruit abilities. This deep-seated aversion causes an immediate and overwhelming loss of strength and mobility in users when they are submerged in water.
- Loss of Strength and Movement: When a Devil Fruit user is in contact with a sufficient amount of water, they become entirely enervated, unable to move a single muscle voluntarily. This makes them incapable of swimming, struggling, or even staying afloat, leading them to sink like a stone.
- Myth or Truth? This explanation is a significant part of the lore surrounding Devil Fruits, and while it serves as the primary understanding, its precise nature—whether it's a literal "hatred" or a more complex mystical reaction—is a subject of ongoing speculation and part of the many tales and beliefs that have grown around these mysterious fruits over centuries.
