An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Tristan jumped onto the ship’s rail first, using a jumping piranha as a springboard. His figure blurred into a trail of afterimages across the wave crests.

Sensing the threat, the Piranha King’s massive jaws snapped open, revealing two rows of fangs gleaming with toxic blue light. A wave of putrid breath rolled out, nearly suffocating anyone nearby.

“Now!” Tristan hurled the explosive pack toward the Piranha King’s belly while slashing through the fish swarming around his ankles.

As the fuse burned out, he used the explosion’s shockwave to flip back onto the ship. A thunderous blast rocked the sea. The Piranha King’s body convulsed violently as dark green blood splattered like a downpour.

But the massive creature hadn’t died. Instead, it thrashed the sea with its tail fin in fury, raising waves that nearly capsized the Stormrider.

Clinging to the railing, Tristan watched the wound on the Piranha King’s belly heal at a visible rate. His heart sank as he realized the monster had regenerative powers too.

“Aim for its eyes!” he roared.

out a deafening

was hoarse from shouting. “Wrap them

torn apart by the swarm

his sword and plunged it into the creature’s wound. He channeled his energy through

Piranha King’s body suddenly went rigid. Its massive jaws opened and closed futilely before

of piranhas immediately fell into chaos. Some frantically rammed

corpses, Tristan suddenly recalled an ancient manuscript mentioning that piranhas fear their

green blood poured from the hull into the ocean, the once-frenzied swarm scattered like they’d encountered their natural enemy. Even the piranhas stuck in the deck cracks were struggling to retreat back into the

broken

their wounds with torn cloth

morning light, the Stormrider’s tattered sails flapped like a blood-stained