Survival Instinct

Kyle felt the adrenaline rush through his body as he watched the tuna approach, their empty, lethal eyes fixed on him. He knew that every move could be his last.

He swung his hook with both hands, preparing for the onslaught that came in waves. These tuna were no mere fish; they were monsters desperate to feed.

Whoosh!..., Whoosh!..., Whoosh!..., 

 One after another, he dodged the onslaught of the first, leaving the hook in his path so that the tunas were cut off due to their own impulses.

However, this tactic was only effective against a few. Soon, they tuna began to attack him from different angles, more aggressive and coordinated.

Now Five giant bodies surrounded him, but even more live Tuna began to surround him and just as he felt fatigue overtake him, he heard a notification that restored some hope as he killed yet another one.

[You have leveled up]

Wasting no time, he assigned the points quickly, confident that the system would give him the advantage he needed.

[Strength (STR): 6 > 7]

[Vitality (VIT): 5 > 7]

[Aquatic Adaptation (AQA): 8 > 10]

The effect was immediate. He felt how his body responded more precisely and swiftly, as if the water no longer offered the same resistance.

It was almost like being on dry land, with each kick of his legs moving him with the stability he didn't have before, as the statistics said he was adapting to being in the water.

Swish!

Not only that The hook cut through the water with greater ease, as if the weapon became an extension of his body.

But he could not be confident. He looked around and realized the true magnitude of the danger: there were at least 50 tuna, possibly more, feeding on the remains of the others who could not until the end, understand their situation.

"glup!..."

Kyle swallowed hard, aware that there was no one else alive for the tuna to attack; he was now the only target.

Swoosh!..., Whoosh!..., Swoosh!..., Whoosh!...

At that moment, several tuna attacked him from different angles. The strategy he had used so far was becoming less effective, and he barely managed to dodge their strikes, resulting in multiple minor wounds.

Even so, it wasn't entirely a bad situation he still managed to kill a few tuna with each movement.

He gritted his teeth as the metallic taste of his own blood floated in the water. More and more tuna were closing in, attacking in groups, and his arms were beginning to burn from the effort.

"I can't afford to let go of the hook! " he thought, clinging to his only weapon with all his might. To let go would leave him completely helpless. He knew his only chance was to wait for the right moment.

The water bubbled violently around him as the tuna surrounded him. Kyle was doing his best to dodge, but fatigue was catching up with him.

Finally, one of the Tuna lunged too close, and although Kyle turned the hook in time to penetrate its side, the force of the onslaught dragged him back several feet.

"ughh!..."

But he resisted with all his might now he could hold his ground, even though he felt his body being pushed to the limit.

[Strength (STR): 7 > 8]

A notification, which as far as he knew should not exist, appeared, and was more than welcome, as he took in air, (water?) and killed more and more tuna, until he finally heard again, what was his only hope of getting out of this unfavorable situation unscathed.

[You have leveled up]

Another notification gave him a spark of relief. He distributed the points quickly as his mind tried to stay focused.

[Strength (STR): 8 > 9]

[Agility (AGI): 5 > 8]

[Vitality (VIT): 7 > 8]

Her body responded instantly, moving faster and striking harder. The hook now cut through flesh and bone with frightening ease, but the tuna kept coming.

Each attack was more desperate than the last, and though Kyle was winning}, his energy was beginning to flag.

Thud!

One of the lunges hit him full in the chest, knocking the air out of his lungs and throwing him backwards like a rag doll.

He recovered as best he could, but the wear and tear was beginning to take its toll on his body. He was aware that he could not continue like this for much longer, but....

[Vitality (VIT): 8 > 9]

The vitality boost was like a spark in the midst of the storm; a small digit that, at this critical moment, felt like a resurgence.

It was as if he had been given a second chance, breathing a breath of resilience into him.

His wounds, which had previously bled incessantly, began to close, and those smaller ones stopped leaking altogether. This unexpected improvement gave him the encouragement he needed to resume the fight.

It was no longer about skill; it was pure survival. Every movement was a deadly dance, a desperate struggle for life.

There was no time to think about what might be; there was only the now, the present, and the onslaught of tuna that kept attacking like a relentless army.

Swish!...., Slash!..., Rip!...., Roar!..., Grunt!..

Kyle became a whirlwind of death, slashing and dodging with the desperation of a cornered man. Killing, slashing, dodging, killing, killing.

Each attack made him stronger, more agile, and he adapted to the pressure of the water like a predator awakening from its slumber; he went on a killing spree, a rampage.

The blood stained his hands , but he could not allow himself to give up. He had to live, he had to go on, unlike when the tsunami came, there was a chance to survive and he would not give up easily. 'either they die or I die'.

That mantra echoed in his mind like a war drum, pushing him forward.

The tuna surrounded him, their bodies glistening like sharp knives in the murky water. Kill, kill and keep killing.

In his mind, every enemy was an imminent threat, and his survival instinct kicked in like an erupting volcano.

Like a berserker gone berserk, he continued to move regardless of the pain coursing through his body, which now seemed to defy the limits of human endurance.

The battle was not only a fight against the tuna; it was a fight against himself, against the fatigue and fear that threatened to consume him.

Every second counted; every tuna was one more step towards his survival.