I'm a Stingray?

Chapter 152: Eruptive heat

[Loading purchase...]

This is where the young hero expected for hazardous pain to bash forward with all its might. It was an expensive upgrade after all. But regardless of how much he waited, nothing painful arrived. Not even a pinch.

[Upgrade complete]

[Your EQ has been increased by 10 points]

[Total EQ = 75]

[200 system points consumed]

[348 system points remaining]

That's when it occurred to him that brain upgrades don't cause any pain whatsoever. It was still confusing to understand but in this case a blessing.

But what felt like a scam was an observation he wanted to point out, "I don't feel any smarter..."

[You shouldn't even notice it this early. Eventually you'd notice that overall emotional choices will be smarter. Either that or even more chaotic than usual]

[As for now, your EQ is a hunch above average compared to other fish]

Regardless of effort, Timothy couldn't understand what the system had just meant with the 'chaotic' part but this wasn't the time to complain. Even if small, progress was just made here and things keep going for the better.

He was getting ready to leave this place and rest on the illuminated side of the border, but that's when the system peaked his curiosity.

[3 more purchase options have been unlocked. Would you like to hear them out?]

"Hell yes!" The hero shouted, knowing that the points he had were sufficient to buy at least another upgrade.

[Option number 1 = upgrade natural camouflage to level 5]

[Price = 300 system points]

"That's extremely expensive!" He complained, it was a good reason to do so because the total points he had felt like a joke now in front of the purchase. At least the current level of this capability seems nice.

But the system was used to such complaints until now and naturally ignored the boy, stating the rest of the bargain.

[Option number 2 = increase eruptive heat by 50C]

[Price = 200 system points]

"What the hell is that?" The little hero hollered, this new option managed to make him bounce off the spot.

But questions didn't have the time to be answered right now and the system didn't accept an interruption. Everything had to be listed down before submerging into any other topic, regardless of importance.

[Option number 3 = increase IQ by 10 points]

[Price = 250 system points]

"How come IQ is more expensive?" This stingray wasn't the brightest but the second type of intelligence had been upgraded earlier and he remembered what the price for it was.

[Because IQ is first in line when it comes to overall importance regarding intelligence.]

At the moment, the cheapest option seemed to be the most important one and now was the best time to ask. "Okay. Can you tell me anything about the heat thing?"

[Eruptive heat will give you the ability, to coat your entire body with drastically increasing heat]

[Each upgrade gives you an extra second to keep it going and determines how many times a day you could use it.]

[Right now, if you buy this upgrade it can only be held for a single second and used once a day]

"Seems pretty stingy." He complained of course but couldn't help feeling that such ability could be very useful, especially if he was stuck on an enemy's jaws. "I'll buy this one."

[Purchase confirmed]

[Loading...]

The pain he felt right now had struck at a place which forced the boy to pounce forward and out of this hole, heading higher towards the surface.

He wanted to swim away from the pain but could in no way ignore that the boiling hot pain was solely on his anus! It felt that the sub-cool water here was useless in terms of slowing down the effects. This heat had an environment of its own.

[Upgrade complete]

[Total eruptive heat = 50C]

[200 system points consumed]

[148 system points remaining]

Although these expenses were massive, his ass was still burning hotter than the actual expense that came with it. But thankfully it was calming down by the second.

Thinking it over for a brief second, he decided that this environment had little amount of species who would force such a move to be used in battle.

That's why he cited, "Let's try this thing out. How do I activate it?"

[It's instinctive, just think about it]

Within a few seconds, massive heat suddenly erupted all around the boy and as mentioned by the very system, it didn't last long. It felt a bit anticlimactic, but the hero wasn't given the opportunity to view from another prospective. He had ignored the map as well.

If the map wasn't ignored, he would notice that the entire body had turned into a blood-red colour for a quick second. It was bizarre in all aspects but that's what heat can do.

Before wanting to complain again, he once more charged forward to avoid certain heat. But this time it wasn't located in his anus but was in the waters instead. The little sea-pancake had actually managed to heat up the water around himself.

After getting over the fact that this move was almost self destructive, he decided to celebrate. "This upgrade is awesome! Stingrays can really do this?"

[Normal stingrays can't. But thanks to me, your body has been slightly mutated in order to adapt this kind of power]

"You really weren't kidding. Survival in this goddamn place can be easier with you around." This could be one of the least retarded things the hero had said, it felt pleasant.

[Systematic blush]

Uncertain of how to handle such a situation, he decided to move towards another topic. "Tell me about that task? I don't want to be locked out of options."

[Task 13 = locate and kill a butterflyfish]

Tim's heart skipped a beat here and he instantly questioned, "Dear god. Please tell me it doesn't have wings?"

[What? You're afraid of butterflies?] The system's tone had broken the usual right now and this felt like a straightforward tease.