I'm a Stingray?

The enemies could indeed sense that something was... in the waters, but haven't yet determined Tim's exact location.

Opposing disaster by a small little hunch, a couple more familiar creatures ran across his vision and didn't fail to spike attention along with joy. Perhaps they have been a bit hidden until now, either that or he didn't pay attention to the surroundings enough considering that bigger enemies were close by.

"Leggy crabs!" Tim celebrated with an internal shout and slowly but surely moved towards them, avoiding attention.

With a single bite, he chewed through more than half of the marble shrimp that was the closest, took his time to chew thoroughly and then moved to the other. The kill was smooth enough for the only other shrimp there, not to panic and crawl away.

Afterwards the system proposed to specify quite a handful, but Tim only asked for the most important things.

[2 marble shrimp killed, 2 system points have been given to you as a reward.]

[Total system points = 45]

[These kills have given you a full health point.]

[Total health = 58/100]

At this point young Tim's attention was solely granted to the health raising friends, therefore he became a bit bleak when it came to noticing anything else around.

With a glance up and forward: he instantly noticed that one of these checkered bastards had swam too close, it was practically close enough to land a kiss, that itself was alarming but the fact that this fish hasn't attacked, didn't fail to curl nerves into a ball.

"What are you doing here? You don't seem like a pufferfish." At this point the enemy's overall intelligence was revealed, clearly not so bright.

But the sort of clever sea disk wanted to use this opportunity, it wasn't a good idea to fight while his health didn't portray a good statistic. It would be even dumber to fight now where in an indirect way, another route has been proposed.

So with a bit of thinking, Tim filtered a bad attitude away and cited. "I'm lost, a tunnel collapsed and I became stuck here."

Truthful in some aspects, he wasn't lost or neither did the brave hero want to ask this fish for pity, but this situation has to be used.

Surprising enough, the potential enemy instantly answered. "We would show you out of here, but..."

"But?" Timothy asked, knowing that this could never be good.

Dumb enough, the certain enemy revealed. "Today that would be impossible, something big is close by."

Although not quite considering the threat as something serious, the hero wanted to reap more information out of these fish, the second one came close as well now so maybe he too can speak. "Big? Like, you're cleaning up this place or what?"

Although supposedly smarter, the second arriving fish deciphered. "My brother made a mistake to tell you this much, but it doesn't matter. You will become a slave soon, I wonder if the holy tar accepts a lousy species like you?"

Giving in all attempts to push the raging sense of egoism aside, he began to playing along. "But I'm worthy, the holy tar will accept me, whatever that is?"

His plan put into motion although those little jaws had to be gritted for it, one of these pufferfish instantly answered. "The holy tar is like our mother, we become one with it, binds our souls."

The enemy's brother continued this sentence with a bit more motivation, "But we have struggled to find a leader capable enough of speaking to the holy tar, it won't speak to any of us."

Trying to understand how this bizarre thing works, since last time he was in a similar situation, the boy was high as the sky so observing surroundings became difficult.

Trying to reap just a little bit more information, the clever sea pancake asked. "So when someone speaks to the tar, our souls will be given to it?"

Feeling in a superior position by now thanks to the not so smart stingray's clever approach, one of these enemies answered without fear. "Yes, we will all do our part to activate the tar."

Playing along to the fullest extent, Timmy encouraged. "Okay then let's go to the tar, I guess my fate is certain now so I can't even fight it."

And took a turn backwards, facing the opposite way he had swam in until now considering that's where the aimed location is at.

Although they felt it odd for an outsider to be this casual towards such a topic instead of fearful, in a way it felt like a reward for them ~ because now they can offer another soul to the holy tar, one that doesn't prove troublesome to convince, one that they do not need to battle.

So the first approacher enhanced the idea, "Sure, since you are willing..."

And his brother continued, "This one was an easy catch. I wonder which one of us will do the ceremony on him?"

...

Following the tunnel down, they encountered the body of the pufferfish whom proved troublesome for Tim to kill and landed that damaging bite as well.

Seeing one of their allies dead, wasn't quite the easiest on their little pea sized minds. It managed to ensnare rage, drag it towards their brain and unleash it against the rest of their battle as a pacing emotion.

Being first to speak, one of the pufferfish yelled out. "Who killed our friend like this?! We just saw her moments ago!"

Trying to play it cool, mostly because he needs to figure out more about this green holy tar business, Tim played out. "I don't know, saw the body as well but can't imagine what could kill this strong man here."

"She wasn't a man!" The second checkered pufferfish corrected, feeling a hunch more angry now.

Trying to suppress the raw urge to bash his barb through this loud mouth's head, the hero assured them. "Sorry, I don't know what happened to her."

Doubtful in a few aspects, the enemy's brother pitched with a shout. "Bastard, you killed our friend! Didn't you?"