I'm a Stingray?

[Yes, your points are sufficient to upgrade your barb.]

Happy that he finally reached the step of upgrading that specific body part, joy began to take over all other emotions as he spun once in place, thinking out a chant. "Yes!"

And then remembered that the system requires a specific command, therefore he also added. "Upgrade my barb then!"

[Purchase confirmed]

[Loading purchase...]

Right at that second, the small yet worthy stingray began to feel a pain on his tail so sharp that it restricted every bit of movement on that specific body part.

First it felt like the very tip of his tail was cut off, the pain was strong enough to feel like that body part wasn't his. But then the pain had a significant nudge down, yet it was still strong enough.

Making the young man self express, "Just when I forgot what tail pain feels like..."

And just a few seconds later, his pain went away completely, relief became a best friend although he still remembered how the pain felt like.

[Purchase complete]

[Barb has been upgraded to level 2]

[80 system points consumed]

[18 system points remaining]

"Yes, finally!" The boy celebrated and then recalled. "Emotional intelligence was rushed, I needed a better barb through all those battles."

[If your emotional intelligence wasn't high, you wouldn't see all these animals here.]

"Right." He answered, unwilling to debate and frankly not having the motive to do so, as his focus was all granted towards joy.

But afterwards a thought sprouted in his little head and forging it into a spoken sentence was easy, "Are there more stuff to upgrade?"

[No, you currently have bought all available options.]

Happiness swiftly shifted into confusion, making the boy lay over the sand underneath and then ask. "Then why aren't the new ones coming? My memory is fish shit but I can remember that new stuff are supposed to appear now, to upgrade."

[You've bought everything too fast. For such cases, system has set a limit but most guests aren't able to reach these limits considering what prey they usually feast on.]

[To unlock new options, you will have to complete all 10 tasks that give just 1 system point as a reward.]

"Shit." The boy answered, realising just how bad of a problem this is and then confusion turned into anger. "I think you hate over achievers, this limit is stupid!"

[On the contrary, system aims to aid prodigies. This is why you can't progress too fast, some portions of your journey demands more attention rather than just swimming over them after giving it one glance.]

"That's why you won't let me upgrade?" Timmy asked, unintentionally sarcastic.

[Yes]

[Because if you don't know how to hunt the smaller marine animals, how will you hunt the bigger ones?]

[You admittedly proved successful to kill enemies far more powerful than you, but that streak can't last forever.]

[You need to learn how to kill more species of fish, if long term progress can ever bless your soul.]

At this point only able to understand half of that claim, he couldn't help answering. "Okay, miss lady system. I will follow your exaggerated demands, what should I be killing again?"

[Any species of clam, which is the 7th task.]

[Afterwards you need to complete 3 more tasks before you can purchases upgrades.]

"This sucks." He answered but afterwards began to contemplate ideas, trying to schedule everything. "I should be able to hunt a clam before we go to hunt Harold, we still have like 5 hours."

And then moved towards the exit of this place, ignoring every other fish here, thankfully no one else was paying him attention and it wouldn't be a problem if they did so. It's just that now, the little sea disk didn't want to think of an excuse regarding why he was leaving the hidden den.

A few minutes later, he made it out of this hidden structure and made for the only place he ever saw a clam before... the borders.

Dark mist, yes that's the best way to describe the spot whom sinks so deep that nothing but pitch darkness made itself visible.

Regardless of that feature, along the border-line that splits deep and shallow waters, is what the young hunter wants to scope for the sake of completing the system given task.

...

Arriving at what we can label the highly desired destination, Tim could not help but giggle after recalling that large fight to kill the skipjack tunafish.

Thinking about it further, he recited. "Haze is so stubborn, I wonder if mom was like that? Or was it dad's trait, whoever he is?"

Continuing to swim near the border, just a couple of feet above it, his eyes focused on what was around even though in thoughts he had submerged.

10 meters later, something eye poking captured every bit of his attention.

Well it seemed like a little cave, a tunnel to be more exact but what was in it is what managed to reflect enough in order to capture visual senses although 3 meters away.

It was something small, white and smooth. And of course we can't forget, it had a perfectly round shape. Something rather insignificant to catch attention, but the illumination it reflected managed to catch an eye.

Because after all, the border wasn't really deep and met a shallow-water-level come to think of it.

"Oh a pearl." Tim murmured, remembering what these things actially are. "Too bad I can't sell it, it would be worth a fortune if I was a human. Here these are pretty useless unless I bring them to my own den for decoration."

Thinking about his sibling after, he muttered. "Haze would steal it anyway but still..."

BLLUB-BLLUB-BLLUB!

He heard a sound that was rather hard to ignore, his tail felt a portion of what the said sound interjected. Except it was more physical, and paired with pain.

Which made the boy lunge forward in order to avoid the pain and it was good to do so, as that ear torturing sound managed to follow by each swipe he took against the salty water.