Why is my sword a fish?

The screen flickered.Ren Akiyama gripped the mouse as if his life depended on it.Because, well… technically, it did.

“Come on, come on, just one more hit and the boss goes down!” he muttered, eyes burning with adrenaline.

In Legends of Artheria, the Crimson Dragon, Level 120, wasn’t just an enemy.It was the enemy.And Ren, against all odds, was one strike away from killing it.

The dragon’s roar thundered through his headphones, health bars flashing, and just as he unleashed his final skill—

BOOM

The screen exploded in a flash of white.A sudden wave of heat hit him, like an oven flung open in his face, and then… silence.



Ren opened his eyes.He was no longer in his room.No monitor in front of him.He was… standing on a cobblestone path, surrounded by medieval houses, under a sky so blue it almost hurt to look at.

“…What the hell…?”

He tried to stand. His clothes were strange: a short cape, leather boots, and… a rusty sword.Floating above his head was an icon, like a hologram, with glowing letters:

> Class: DevTester Lv.1

“Dev… what?” he muttered, swiping the air as if he could close the window.
A scream snapped him out of his thoughts.In the plaza, a silver-haired girl was running from a massive boar, tusks sharp as blades.Ren recognized her instantly.

“No way… Liria!” —the secondary heroine who died in the very first quest.

In the game, if Liria died, you lost an entire chain of important missions.

In real life… well, he didn’t want to find out.

Without thinking, he ran toward her.The boar charged.Ren raised his sword… and the moment he swung it, an invisible menu appeared in front of him:

> [Change Class]

Warrior

Mage

Healer

Thief

Summoner

“Eh?” He tapped Warrior on instinct.
The sword gleamed… and transformed into—…a raw fish.

“….”

The boar stared at him.Ren stared back.

“Don’t you dare laugh.”

Too late. The beast let out a grunt that sounded almost mocking.With no time to think, Ren smacked it in the face with the fish.To his shock, the blow staggered it, and a number popped up in the air: -12 HP.

“What kind of broken system is this?!” he shouted, striking it again.

Finally, the boar fled—defeated more by humiliation than damage.

Liria, gasping for breath, looked at him.

“You… who are you?”

“Uh… just a traveler. With… unconventional methods.”

“Then why does your weapon smell like tuna?”

“Long story.”

She gave a faint smile, and Ren felt a warmth in his chest.In the game, Liria had never smiled like that…

That’s when a soft ping echoed in his head:

> Special Quest Activated: “Break the Story”

Objective: Change Liria’s fate.Reward: ???

Ren swallowed hard.This world… didn’t play by the rules he knew.

But if he wanted to survive… he’d have to learn how to play without a manual.