System reboot

"The Hell!? Why am I underwater?"

[System Reboot]

[Loading...]

[I'm your Ocean Survival System, you are my Servant.]

[Feed me Points, and I'll show you the Secrets of Survival with the aid of body Upgrades.]

"Oh for the Love of..."

...

[Your first task = Locate and eat any small species of the Crustacea, Juveniles are preferable.]

Still confused about what the hell is happening here, and how did he [Tim Lake] get here underwater, caring less about what the "System" is saying.

In fact he isn't even sure what the System is, he can only hear it.

"Who the hell are you? How did I get here?" Tim shouted, with his panic growing stronger after a considerable time.

[I'm your Inbuild Ocean Survival System, you are the new owner of this Stingray Body.]

[I have knowledge Equal to one world and beyond it, I can help any Oceanic Creature Survive.]

"Damn this thing has a lot to say." Tim complained, but he didn't speak out loud... he only thought of it.

[I heard that.]

"Oh so you can read my thoughts too, perfect." Tim complained with the aid of sarcasm, feeling a bit embarrassed especially since the System sounds like a lady although it also sounds computerised.

[Yes]

That aside, a few seconds after the self claimed amazing system, continues without being asked too.

[Available System Points = 10]

[Purchase Options = 1]

Tim started playing along, hoping that this is some kind of weird dream and it will end soon. "Let's hear that option I suppose."

It does feel like a dream, he tried to swim fast even but it felt slow which often happens in dreams when one tries to run...

[Option Number 1 = Learn everything about your species.]

[Price = 3 Points]

"Kind of expensive for information that is solely about my "new body." Tim continues with his complaints, but didn't want to stretch it since he feels that he won't be here for long. "But whatever, I'm purchasing the first option."

[Purchase Confirmed]

[Loading Purchase]

[Loading Information]

[Loading Complete]

[Species = Bluespotted ribbontail ray.]

[Family = Dasyatidae]

[Gender = Male]

[Age = 29 Days]

[Length = 15 Centimeters]

[Width = 7 Centimeters]

[Weight = 0.3 Kilogram]

[Purchase specified]

[3 System Points consumed.]

[7 System Points remaining.]

[Purchase can be reused limitlessly before any type of growth, information after any type of growth requires additional System Points for execution.]

"Sounds like I'm very small." Tim pointed out the obvious, and right after the System continued with no relation to the topic Tim started.

[Three more options have been unlocked because of the previous purchase.]

[Option Number 1 = Learn Location]

[Price = 14 Points]

Pissed about this cheap bastard of a system, Tim starts shouting. "Damn that's expensive as hell! What good would my Location do me here? What will I do? Find and visit old friends? Hell I can end up on a sushi dish."

Tim's complains became a bit expansive and of course he has many reasons to complain.

Furthermore, he is coming to accept the fact that he is a Stingray now.

A dream can't be this specific, and he keeps feeling his body parts work on the water as he calmly swims on the noticeably salty sea.

However the System obviously doesn't care about all these complaints, it even continued to list down the Second option.

[Option Number 2 = Learn Capabilities]

[Price = 3 System Points]

"That sounds interesting." Tim feels intrigued and of course wants to hear this out. "I want to Purchase Option Number 2."

[Purchase Confirmed]

[Loading Purchase]

[Loading Information]

[Loading Complete]

[Hunting Capabilities = Level 1]

[Jaws = Level 2]

[Barb = Level 1]

[Barb Venom = Level 0]

[Body strength = Level 1]

[Speed = Level 2]

[Natural Camouflage = Level 4]

[Vision = Level 1]

[Scent = Level 1]

[Sex appeal = Level 0]

"Wow. At this rate it feels like anything can kill me." Tim answers, trying to ignore the fact that his sex appeal is down to Level 0.

[It can]

[System recommends small prey until further notice.]

[Purchase specified]

[3 System Points consumed.]

[4 System Points remaining.]

[Purchase can be reused limitlessly before an upgrade, information after every upgrade requires additional System Points for execution.]

Afterwards, without asking about Tim's opinion once again. The System continues to explain what the last new option is.

[Option Number 3 = Upgrade hunting capabilities to Level 2]

[Price = 28 System Points]

"That's insane!" Tim shouts, while from any other point of view it would just look like bubbles coming out of a tantruming Stingray.

Apparently fed up by Tim's constant complaints, the System starts laying out what it or she can do.

[Ocean Survival System is of high class.]

[Ocean Survival System provides points per completed task.]

[Ocean Survival System assures survival as long as you obey the Commands and finish the tasks.]

[To increase the odds of Survival you need points and Capability Upgrades.]

"Fine fine, nothing but a rip off!" Afterwards remembering something about a task, he asks. "How much to remind me what my first task was?"

[Free of charge]

[Your first task = Locate and eat any small species of the Crustacea, Juveniles are preferable.]

"What the hell is a Crustacea?" Tim asks, feeling puzzled but the name does ring a bell.

[Humans commonly know Crustacea as [Crabs]

[Upcoming Hunting tip, free of charge.]

[Bury yourself in the sand, and wait for any passing by Juvenile Crustacea to walk by.]

[Once close or over you, Sting the Crustacea and consume it.]

"I hope it is as simple as you explain it." Tim butchers, but it is also a half question that the System did not answer.

As Tim started swimming towards the sand, the System gave out a bit of information that might motivate him here.

[Upon one killed Crustacea, you will be granted with 1 System Point.]

[Since it is also a task, System will give you an additional point.]

"Am In a rush? I feel very hungry!" Tim queries since he could use a second thought on this.

[Upcoming current state information, free of charge.]

[Hunger Bar = 3/15]

[Health = 100/100]

[Sleep = 11/35]

[Stamina = 12/15]

[Barb Venom 0/0]

[Barb = Fresh and Replenished]

[Based on the current state, System recommends to hunt a Crab down as soon as possible.]

[Taming hunger can have minor influence on Sleep and Stamina, either for the good or for the worse.]

Tim is damn right, this System won't shut up. Ask one question and it gives more than one answer.

"Can I at least upgrade any other capability? Like Venom?! It would at least make this hunt a lot easier." And Tim does have a point, Venom would come in handy.

[The only upgrade available is Hunting.]

[After that is upgraded, you can upgrade Jaws. Afterwards you can upgrade Barbs and then Barb Venom.]

"Looks like there is a long Journey in front of me." Tim answers, giving out a gentle Stingray sigh.

[Good Luck]