Chapter 29: The Synok Tribe

Over the course of the next 2 weeks, Oliver and Shelton lived a life of nothing other than eating, hunting, and sleeping.

While it wasn't exactly the most action packed days aside from the day to day death battles against giant mutated animals, they certainly were fulfilling.

Turns out that the first day they had hunted right before Shelton evolved had also happened to be a stroke of luck. While they we're still able to find and hunt creatures in that area, not only had the population of all sorts of creatures there dropped, but also nearly no predators would appear from the stench of blood either.

Because of this, they not only did they have to choose a couple of different hunting grounds to go to once the current one's population was lowered, but they also had to pick hunting grounds which were simply of lower quality.

This meant that over the past 2 weeks their leveling speed had drastically reduced. For Shelton, his leveling speed had already slowed down due to him being a higher rank and needing more kills to level up, while Oliver was just plain suffering with his slow speed.

Compared to the first day when he leveled up twice, it took him two full weeks to level up the same amount!

[You have killed a level 6 Coral Salmon!]

[You have gained experience!]

[You have leveled up to level 14!]

[You have gained 20 stat points!]

And that second time was today!

System! Status!

The first thing I did was distribute my skill points before I looked over the rest of my status. Again splitting it mainly between magic, speed, and strength, and using only a little bit for my endurance.

After dishing that out I turned to look at my skills. So far from what I've seen, they're still able to evolve without the use of my saved up skill points, thus I have opted to continue hoarding them for the current moment.

I've also been doing the same for my mutagen points because of a new problem I had discovered. Over the past 2 weeks I had upgraded a all of my mutations to level 3 with the exception of my [Density Physical Magic Organ].

I could do this since I was getting mutagen points from actually eating my own prey again and not the feeding cavern's stuff.

However! When I did upgrade my mutations, since it wasn't an evolution the changes weren't massive new limbs or color schemes, but... upgrading them did indeed make them more prominent.

Thus when I upgraded them, Shelton almost immediately noticed some amiss with me.

I was able to play it off as me just growing and leveling up my state of existence, but I could tell that he was still doubtful as he squinted his eyes at me.

I feel kind of bad that I'm hiding so many secrets from Shelton but I know that revealing them, especially at my current strength, would only spell trouble for the both of us.

Since that happened, I've opted to save up my mutagen points for when I evolved, so that I could fool the others into believing that I simply got a mutation when I evolved.

However I know that this is not a long term solution, as the more I evolve, I longer it would take for me to get to the next evolution level, and thus the longer I would be stuck with the same mutations unable to upgrade them.

However, this does solve the current problem, which is all I really care about at the moment.

Speaking of mutations, Shelton was super excited about his new Bone Pincer mutation. Aparently creatures can't actually tell when they have a mutation unless it includes another organ entirely which I'm told is pretty rare.

Instead Shelton already had his suspicions that he got a mutations due to his now harder, more jagged, and lighter colored pincers, but actually confirming it through battle? He was happier than ever.

Shelton considered himself extremely lucky, as he now had 2 mutations at the orange rank which is almost unheard of, but I had a different theory for it.

Well, I say theory, but I'm 99% sure it's true.

I remember when Shelton explained to me what Tide candidates were, he mentioned that they had a higher chance of getting a mutation during their evolution and seeing as he was one, I think that was probably the reason for it.

He still doesn't know that he is one yet though, which brings me to another question...

Where is his mark?

I know that basically everyone said that candidates had a special mark on them which signified that they were a candidate, and even the inspection by Teri was there to try and find this mark, but I still can't find it on him anywhere.

Naturally, I couldn't just go up to him and ask to look at every inch of him, but I did have ample opportunity to study his head/back, pincers and legs. The only part I haven't really been able to look at was parts of his underbelly, so I assume that it has to be there somewhere.

I wonder if the Carak clan even knows if Shelton is a tide candidate? I know that Teri had inspected him but what if she didn't manage to find his mark? Should I maybe tell them then? No, that's Shelton's personal business, even if he doesn't know it.

Plus that would raise questions on how I knew he was one, even more so if I couldn't find his mark.

No need to give myself more attention than I already have.

One additional thing I need to do now though, is mutate my [Density Physical Magic Organ].

I didn't upgrade it at first because it's consumption of mana is simply insane.

Whenever I use it on my entire body, my mana typically drains in a few seconds. This means that I typically have to micromanage it by either deactivating it nearly immediately after attacking, or, what I think is easier, I simply only change the density of a part of myself.

It's not as effective in battle only affecting one or a few limbs, but it also doesn't result in my mana being completely drained if I accidentally forget about it for a few seconds.

I know that this problem is only going to become more prominent as I evolve because it seems like the cost of this scales in turn with my own size and body mass. Thus when I grow, it gets more costly.

Nevertheless, over the past 4 levels, I've upgraded my magic quite about results in it being over 500! So at this point I think that it's probably ok to evolve the organ.

[You are able to choose your next advancement for your Density Physical Magic Organ!]

For this organ specifically I really want to make it capable of either being more efficient, so that it won't cost as much mana, or I want it to be able to make me heavier.

Yes!

*Gurgle Gurgle!*

My mantle groans akin to a hungry stomach as Shelton glances over at me.

"Hungry again?" He says mockingly.

"Oh shut it, I can't help it." I say, embarrassed that my ongoing mutation sounded akin to me simply being a glutton. I still think it's worth it though.

This evolution simply stretches the limits of what I can manipulate my weight into for going both lighter and heavier. Of course, as you can see in the name, it focuses upon stretching the limits for increasing my weight rather than decreasing it, but at the same time it's an evolution, so the limits both ways are increased.

I think that this is a good upgrade overall though as it increases the maximum capabilities of my mutations.

While it will make it slightly more expensive, that's to be expected to come along with the increased capabilities of it. Plus, I think that I would rather have a really strong ability that I can't use to the best of my capabilities right now, rather than later down the line having a weak ability that I can use really easily but isn't all that effective.

As my mutation finishes, I can feel the new power of my organ humming inside of me.

[Weighted Density Physical Magic Organ has increase to level 2!]

[Weighted Density Physical Magic Organ has increase to level 3!]

[Weighted Density Physical Magic Organ has increase to level 4!]

[Weighted Density Physical Magic Organ has increase to level 5!]

[You are able to choose your next advancement for your Weighted Density Physical Magic Organ!]

I spend a remaining 34 mutagen points upgrading the organ to the max before ignoring the evolution announcement.

While I am indeed tempted, I don't want to increase the cost of this to the point that I can barely use it. This is my main trump card after all.

On top of that, I've only got 28 mutagen points left, so if I want to binge spend during my evolution, then I've got to save up quite a bit.

As me and Shelton decide to call it a day we arrive back at the enclave just to see crabs rushing around, many of which with spears and supplies.

"What's going on?" Shelton pulls aside one of the crabs crawling around moving what looks like a bag of some sort of plant.

"We've got news that a hunting patrol was attacked by a Synok party, so the elder's issued an announcement saying that hunting parties need to have double the amount of members for those at or below the orange rank."

We thank the crab as he scuttles off delivering whatever he was carrying wherever he was going, and Shelton turn's to look at me. "I think we should go look at the request's."

I nod my head in understanding, but open my beak yet again, "What's the Synok Tribe though?" as we head back towards the hunting section.

"The Synok Tribe is our closest neighbors who live a little bit south of here at the Yellow Spires. They're a tribe of snakes, most notably pythons, but they do have a few other species and creatures within their ranks." He explained as we walked along.

This part of the hunting cave had a thing known as the request section, which could be put in by all creatures or any rank, as long as they had the points for it.

The amount of points it took to issue a request changed based on what the request actually was, and creatures could obtain these points by doing anything to help the tribe.

Hell, it was even possible for creatures only friendly with the tribe to issue a request if they've helped them enough.

Arriving at the area where the requests we're we see a few of the usual ones; can someone gather blue kelp? I want a moss eel in pristine condition. Looking for at least orange ranked bodyguard for my son's first hunting trip. Those were just some of the few similar one's there which are fairly common on the board.

However this trip also showed a fresh seaweed paper attached to the side of the rock which was labeled as "Synok Tribe."

The request was as followed, "Due to increased sighting's of Synok tribe members in our territory, hunting has become harder and harder, especially for weak crabs. As such we request that you form or join a security team which will help kill spotted Synok Tribe members in our territory. Requirements: Yellow rank or higher."

"Doesn't look like we can participate in this one Shelton." I say as I point to the requirement section.

"You don't think so?" He ask's me back and I glance at him warily.

"What do you mean, You don't think so? It literally says we have to be yellow rank to even participate."

"Well yeah, but what if a creature was as strong as a yellow rank despite not actually being there?" He questions me again, as I can see where this is going.

Truth be told we really are both at around the yellow rank despite Shelton only being an orange rank and me only being a red rank, although no one knows that.

"I think we should go and ask an elder personally..." Shelton say's as I finally sigh and we leave the hunting section to head to the elder's chambers.

After arriving there we head towards the crab "secretary", I know that that's basically her job, but with us being in a "tribe", saying that also feels a little too... advanced.

However before we can actually get there, we see a 2.5 meter crab leave from one of the halls, only to see us and approach instead.

"Elder Carn!" Shelton says excitedly.

I always feel like he's a little too jubilant when around this crab, but maybe he just admires him a lot. He is indeed one of the highest ranked crabs in the tribe at the yellow rank, although in my opinion, he seems a little... underwhelming?

I thought a yellow ranked crab would be bigger but I do think I recall him mentioning he was a plant mage or something, which I still find hilarious at the thought of crab mage, but I choose too keep those thoughts to myself.

"Oliver, Shelton." He recognized us as he finally stood before our figures.

"What brings you boys here today?" He inquires as Shelton speaks.

"We wanted to know if we could help against the Synok tribe elder Carn? We may not be yellow ranked, but we can certainly keep up with them."

Elder Carn raises his pincer and scratches his crabby chin, as he contemplates Shelton's words.

After only a few moments of what I would like to think was intense thinking, elder Carn speaks up surprising both of us.

"Sure. Why not? Both of you are not only strong, but smart too. So I trust that you won't put yourselves in unnecessary danger."

Huh? He agreed just like that? No, absolutely not's? Maybe this tribe really doesn't know that Shelton is a tide candidate... Or maybe they're letting us do this because they know he is?

Are they thinking of using this other tribe to help Shelton grow? Nah that's way too risky, especially if the other tribe is not only a tribe of snakes, but also most likely has their own tide candidate now.

So then... what? He just thinks we can actually just... help I guess?

Cool...

"Here." Elder Carn hands Shelton a small piece of seaweed paper which was one of the request forms.

"I've already stamped my signature on it as well. So no will stop you from going out

"Thank you Elder Carn!" Shelton yet again excitedly spoke as he dragged my befuzzled self out of the elders chambers, leaving an amused elder Carn behind us.

Shelton pinched his pincers in anticipation as we headed we began our trip to hunt in the direction of the Yellow Spires!