I swam like my life depended on it.
Because it did.
Behind me, the monstrous sea serpent carved through the water like a living tidal wave. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto me, unblinking. A beast made of scale, muscle, and ancient rage.
The water trembled with every flick of its massive tail.
[Danger Level: Unknown]
[Run. Escape is your only option.]
Thanks, System. I already got that.
I twisted through cracks in the rocks, darted through narrow gaps between coral, and flared every ounce of AGI I had. My Swiftscale Minnow body shimmered through the current like a silver blur.
But no matter how fast I swam, the pressure behind me never faded.
A deep growl vibrated through the water.
"You move well, little one. But speed alone won't save you forever."
I didn't stop. Couldn't.
Even though I could feel my strength dropping. My vision narrowed. My stamina bar was blinking—flashing red.
[Stamina Critically Low]
[Passive Skill Activated: Evasion Instinct Lv. 1]
A narrow ledge loomed ahead. Without thinking, I shot downward and tucked into a thin crack between two stones. My tiny frame squeezed through, scraping against the sides.
The beast behind me slammed into the wall.
BOOM.
The entire reef shook. Dust and pebbles rained down.
But I was alive.
Barely.
I stayed hidden, shaking. The massive serpent coiled just beyond the rock, tail thrashing with fury. Its body shimmered with ancient patterns—runes etched across its scales, glowing faintly.
"Clever. You're one of the marked."
Marked?
"I see the system clings to you." Its voice echoed again, deeper this time. "Another gambler in the river of fate."
The beast turned, its massive form slithering away, currents following in its wake.
"Swim hard, little fish. If you live… we'll meet again."
Then it was gone.
For a long time, I didn't move.
Not until the currents stilled. Not until the danger icon disappeared.
I floated up from the rock, my body trembling. My HP was at 1. My stamina bar was a single flickering sliver.
But I was alive.
[Escape Successful.]
[Survival Bonus: +150 EXP]
[Level Up: 10 → 12]
[Stat Points +4]
I collapsed on the riverbed—not out of exhaustion, but from the overwhelming rush of what just happened.
That thing… it could have killed me with a thought. But it didn't.
Why?
Later, as I rested behind a veil of moss, the System chimed again.
[New Title Earned: Survivor of the Depths]
[Effect: +5% Evasion against enemies of higher level]
[Title Earned: Marked by the Deep]
[Effect: ???]
Two titles. One gave me a bonus. The other… was a mystery.
I opened my status screen for the first time in a while.
🐟 [Name: ???]
Race: Swiftscale Minnow (Evolved)
Level: 12
Titles: Survivor of the Depths, Marked by the Deep
HP: 7 / 10
Stamina: 1 / 10
EXP: 81 / 200
Stat Points Available: 4
Stat
AGI (Speed) 15
STR (Attack) 4
VIT (Defense) 5
INT (Skill Power) 2
SEN (Awareness) 6
I knew what I needed to do.
I poured all 4 points into INT.
[INT +4 → Now 6]
Immediately, something clicked.
A rush of thoughts. A new kind of awareness. I wasn't just a fish anymore—I was thinking sharper, deeper. I could understand the system better. Patterns. Symbols. Choices. I was connecting things I hadn't before.
And best of all—
[New Evolution Path Available.]
[Unlocked: Mutant Path – Venom Fang Sprat]
[Do you wish to evolve?]
I hesitated.
Swiftscale Minnow made me fast. I'd survived because of that speed.
But if I wanted to fight back, I needed more than fins. I needed fangs.
I needed to climb the food chain.
Confirm Evolution: Venom Fang Sprat?
Warning: This is a mutant path. Future evolutions may be unstable or unpredictable.
I accepted.
The water shimmered.
[Evolution in Progress...]
Pain gripped me.
Again.
My body twisted, muscles stretching, skin splitting. Fins sharpened, my mouth elongated, and new glands formed near my jaws. I felt poison fill tiny sacs beneath my tongue.
When the light faded, I floated in the water, breathing hard.
Stronger.
Faster.
Deadlier.
🐍 [Race: Venom Fang Sprat] (Mutant)
Class Type: Ambush Predator
Special Trait: Toxic Bite – injects venom that weakens and slows enemies over time.
New Passive Skill Unlocked:
Toxic Gland (Lv. 1) – Your bites deliver a venom that reduces enemy speed and weakens defense over 10 seconds.
New Active Skill Unlocked:
Lurelight (Lv. 1) – Emits a soft glow to draw in curious prey or distract enemies for 3 seconds.
Penalty:
Mutant traits make you unstable. Future evolutions may branch into unpredictable forms. Certain NPCs or species may react with hostility.
I swam to a reflective shell and stared at myself.
My body was sleeker, darker. My scales glistened with a subtle green-blue glow, and my eyes had turned sharp and narrow like a predator's.
My teeth were visible now. Tiny, but needle-like.
I was becoming something new.
Not prey.
Not just a survivor.
A hunter.
The next few days were chaos.
I tested my new skills. The venom worked better than I expected—paralyzing small fish within seconds, and weakening even tough crabs. I didn't need brute strength. I just needed one bite and patience.
I started taking down enemies I used to run from.
And each victory made the System sing.
[+30 EXP]
[+55 EXP]
[Level Up!]
I reached Level 15.
And the river began to change.
The current grew stronger, pulling me into new territory.
I passed through old wreckage—remnants of boats, stone carvings half-buried in silt, and tunnels that led into glowing blue caverns.
Then I heard it.
Voices.
Not in my head. Not the System. Real voices.
"That one."
"It has the Mark. Catch it."
I turned—and froze.
Humanoids.
Fish-like creatures with limbs. Gills along their necks, glowing spears in their hands. Aquari, the System said. A river tribe. Intelligent. Dangerous.
They swam toward me with practiced precision.
I activated Lurelight, casting a flickering glow behind me, then darted to the side.
They followed the light for a second—just long enough for me to vanish behind a thick patch of kelp.
They didn't find me.
But I learned something terrifying.
They could see the Mark.
And they wanted me for it.
Back in hiding, the System gave one last surprise.
[Quest Unlocked: The Deep Path]
Objective: Reach the Abyss Trench and awaken your true form.
Secondary Objective: Survive the Aquari hunters.
Reward: Mythic Evolution Token (???)
The Deep was calling.
The System had plans for me.
And I had only one choice left.
To swim forward.
To keep evolving.
To become something no fish had ever been before.