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.

eye fluid gushed forth. The creature let out a deafening roar. Its trashing caused the ship to groan and

Tristan’s voice was hoarse from shouting. “Wrap them around its dorsal

chains as thick as a man’s wrist, risking being torn apart

chains threaded through the dorsal fin’s bone spikes, Tristan drew his sword and plunged it into the creature’s

King’s body suddenly went rigid. Its massive jaws opened and

immediately fell into chaos. Some

mentioning that piranhas fear their own kind’s blood. He immediately ordered, “Collect the Piranha King’s blood and dump it in the

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

smoke cleared, dawn was breaking in the east. Tristan leaned against the broken railing, catching his breath. His serpent-embroidered battle robe was soaked

on deck. Some wrapped their wounds with torn cloth while others stared blankly at

Stormrider’s tattered sails flapped like a blood-stained