I'm a Stingray?

Chapter 86: Testing the waters

With the ear drumming sound still following, Timothy put in all effort to swim faster and faster through the waters for just about 5 more meters, which fairly was crossed in half a second since fear helped break through his average speed.

Thankfully no damage managed to bless his tail with what could feel like anus pain if the tail was severed enough, that bodily durability upgrade he had made, was sure coming in handy.

It proved extremely useful, because right after slowing down, the young one turned around and saw that the entire entrance he swam through just a breath earlier, has collapsed.

A portion of this collapse had managed to touch his tail in the dawn of the collapse but thankfully and luckily, it didn't cause damage. Observing the mess, he felt surprised how the collapse didn't crush him whole.

Instead of focusing on this major problem, the small sea disk focused on something else instead. "Well, I can never get that pearl now."

[Forget the clam, you just got buried alive!] Luckily the system was there to bash sense in the dumb one's mind, afterwards even continuing. [Such death is so rare for stingrays yet you managed to swim in it, this is terribly unlucky.]

Yet surprisingly calm, he answered. "This is barely shocking compared to what happened these past 10 days."

And then took a second to observe the mess a bit further, another thing managed to catch his eye and it was white in colour, paired scarcely with a pale shade of black.

Charging towards it after instantly recognizing what it is, Tim clapped those little jaws and took a large bite out of what seemed like this day's awaited target.

[Hard clam killed. This animal's information regarding what effects it can cause, is already in your collection. Would you like to hear it out?]

Although remembering what a clam is, he didn't nearly remember the effects and therefore answered out of curiosity. "Yes, tell me."

[Loading information...]

[Eating an entire hard clam, grants the following effects...]

[Effect on health, non existent]

[Effect on hunger, +1 bar]

[Effect on sleep, +1 bar]

[Effect on stamina, non existent]

[1 system point has been given to you as a reward.]

[Total system points = 29]

"Those stats are pretty boring, how can sleep help me get out of this mess?" And he carried a rather firm point with that sentence, the exit was closed shut, even Stacey wouldn't be able to eat through it.

It was a surprise how the hard clam wasn't crushed by the collapse, perhaps the aid of distance from the outside world, helped provide a hint of protection.

[Guest is under a good condition to start the next task.]

[Task 8 = Find and kill a whiteleg shrimp]

"Shrimp ha? This should be fun... after I get out of this place." The stingray asked, feeling that giving a task now was rather odd.

He also felt that the system was being oddly too specific with the demand, but whatever can help him buy more upgrades is what Tim will follow.

Taking a few more seconds to turn around and observe the surroundings, he saw a small little hole in the end of this little tunnel, providing just a hint of green light.

Which felt rather reversed because the exit is straight on the opposite site from this light, which gave a sign that this bit of illumination is underground, somehow.

After the dust caused from the collapse began to settle down, that same light began to shine brighter, poking the ceiling of this tunnel who at the same time limited just how far the thin beam of light can go.

"Please tell me this is something good." Tim spoke out and then took a moment to get closer and observe the light beam.

Since it was breaching the back end of this tunnel, specifically a wall, he even managed to take a peek through the hole where this light was bursting from.

Although it took a few tries to fight away the blur, since the little hole focused light on just one spot, making it difficult to see through it.

After a few tries of adaptation, he managed to see what's on the other side.

And...

It wasn't really anything significant, he could just see another dirt encrusted wall. And spotted that underneath the said portion, this weird green light was glowing stronger than what light was breaching through the hole he was peeking through.

This situation was most definitely bizarre but yet normal considering what he had faced recently. Calculating what to do next, he decided. "I have to go through this hole, there is no other way to go."

Taking another peek at the collapse, the newly bloomed idea made a bit more sense. But to go through this tiny 1 centimeter wide hole was impossible even for someone as small as Timothy.

So another plan had to be forged just to go through this one, well it didn't really take much thinking. The first thought was to rush against it and hope for the best, a collision should do damage.

But unwilling to feel a headache, he first decided. "I should test the waters first."

That was metaphoric of course, as he wasn't exactly swimming on anything else but sea water. The reference aimed towards another meaning. Tim turned around and raised his tail, poking the very tip of it through the hole, just to feel how difficult it would be to smash this wall.

After a few seconds of testing, he thought. "This feels inappropriate." And pulled away his tail, once more facing the hole.

Remembering a particular fact about his own body, Tim pitched an idea to himself. "My jaws are at level 3, maybe I can bite through this hole, just enough to go through it."

[That idea might be the best one in this situation. Although I don't recognize what this weird green light could come from, this is your only option.]