Odd... this feeling is strange. Faint flashes of light and muffled sensations drift around her as if she's floating in an endless, dreamless void. For some time, she wonders if she's dreaming until, without warning, a sudden burst of movement shatters the stillness. A fragile barrier breaks open, flooding her senses with a cold rush of water. The icy jolt shocks her into awareness, her blurry vision making out a dim, shadowy world. Instinct kicks in, and she wiggles her tiny fins for the first time. Moments pass as her surroundings sharpen—a dark place filled with swaying shapes and unfamiliar textures. She notices her own body, her wide, unblinking eyes locking onto small, golden fins that somehow move in sync with her thoughts. She doesn't think much of it at first, but then the horrifying realization crashes down on her. Her memories trickle back like a slow, creeping tide. She stares at her reflection in the water, the undeniable truth sinking in: she's a fish.She wants to scream, to cry, to let out some kind of reaction, but the water silences everything. The gills on her sides move instinctively, taking in oxygen, reminding her with every second that she's no longer human. The absurdity of the situation hits her like a tidal wave. A fish. A goddamn fish.She would laugh if it didn't feel so tragic. She'd cry if fish even had the capability to cry. Instead, she can only float, utterly dumbfounded. How could this happen? How could she—a normal girl, with a fairly normal life—suddenly turn into a fish? Her human memories play like fragments of a fading movie: her modest childhood, the loving parents who worked hard to make ends meet, her relentless pursuit of education to ease their burden. She wasn't special. She wasn't a genius or a star. She was just... her. A self-proclaimed "salted fish," a term she borrowed from Chinese novels to describe her laid-back, book-loving lifestyle. She had dreams, sure, but none of them involved becoming this. Sure, her life wasn't exciting, but this? This is a whole new level of absurdity."Is this karma? Some divine retribution for skipping all those reincarnation novels because they got boring halfway through?" she wonders - in her mind ofcourse.She wiggles her body experimentally, feeling the odd sensations of nerves and muscles she never had before. Slowly, her blurry vision begins to clear, revealing a vibrant, colorful coral reef. Bright fish dart between swaying plants, and tiny plankton drift like glowing specks in the water. Around her, other small fish wiggle free of their eggs, probably her siblings hatching into a new and terrifying world. Taking in her shocking situation, she tries to focus. If the laws of nature and logic could be so easily thrown aside, then maybe—just maybe—there's something more to this. Her mind races. Didn't most of the reincarnation novels she read have a system? Some sort of guide or cheat? Her unblinking fish eyes—if they could brighten—would have done so in that moment. She hesitates, then calls out silently, "System?"It's ridiculous. She's a fish. She can't even talk, much less expect some divine response. And yet— "Initiating system binding to host..."Her thoughts reel as a cold, metallic voice echoes in her mind. "Ding! Binding completed. Hello, host. I am System 1001, ready to assist you."Her head spins from the sudden intrusion, but for the first time since waking in this alien form, she feels a flicker of hope. If she's going to survive as a fish in this strange and dangerous world, maybe this so-called system is exactly what she needs. But she needs clarifications first, she reads from some novel that most of the systems they have is shit and just makes their lives harder."System, where am I? Why am I a fish? Do I have cheat abilities or a shop with OP items?" she asks eagerly, her questions tumbling out in rapid succession."Unauthorized information. Host can discover details through exploration. Good luck, host... you'll need it" the system replies curtly.Her excitement dims slightly, but before she can complain, a loud rumble echoes through her mind—her stomach growling. Embarrassment washes over her as she realizes she hasn't eaten since... well, since she became a fish."System, what do I eat?" she asks hesitantly, realizing she knows next to nothing about marine life."Newly hatched fish sustain themselves using their yolk sac. The yolk sac is a nutrient-rich reserve attached to your body. It will provide nourishment until you are capable of hunting or foraging for food."She glances down and notices a small sac beneath her body, its presence oddly comforting. Instinct takes over, and without much thought, she nibbles on it. A rush of nutrients floods her system, and she feels an odd warmth spread through her tiny form."Ding! Level up. Three stats awarded. Skill Devour acquired: Enables the absorption of energy from prey to enhance growth and stats, MP Usage: 0.5"The notification startles her, but she doesn't have time to process it before a stabbing pain surges through her body. She writhes in discomfort as her golden scales ripple and shed slightly, her body growing incrementally larger. When the pain subsides, she flutters her fins cautiously, inspecting her now-slightly-mature form.Wait—did I just evolve?Excitement bubbles within her as she calls out, "System window!"A translucent screen materializes in front of her:Name: Xena
Level: 2
Exp: 5/10
Species: Fish
Gender: Female
HP: 100/100
MP: 1
Agility: 3
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 10
Skills: Devour
Titles: None
Remaining Stats: 3
Her gaze zeroes in on her stats, and she can't help but smirk - if fish could even smirk. "Damn, I'm one charming fish! A perfect 10/10, just like in my human life."System: "...."The system remains silent, but she can almost feel its exasperation.
Still, she can't deny how pitiful her current stats are. If eating grants her experience and levels, then so be it. A new determination ignites within her as she gazes at the reef around her. It's time to eat her way to the top.