An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Chapter 2640

The massive claw came crashing down. Neville’s lone arm shot out to grab the winch chain. His empty left sleeve flapped wildly in the wind while the veins in his remaining right arm bulged as he wrapped the iron chain as thick as his forearm around his waist. He managed to haul the tilting ship back half an inch through sheer force.

“Form the iron chain formation,” he bellowed. The deck trembled under his thunderous roar. 20 burly soldiers immediately rushed forward to hammer the chain’s barbed end into the gunwale posts.

When the giant claw struck the chain with mountain-shattering force, Neville’s knees buckled suddenly while his boot heels carved deep furrows in the planking. He forced down the rush of metallic taste rising in his throat.

“This beast’s claws could crush iron and stone,” he muttered as he watched the crack spreading along the iron chain.

With a sudden surge of strength from his lone arm, he yanked the chain sharply to the side.

The giant claw scraped past the mast and smashed a hole ten feet wide in the deck. Wood splinters mixed with seawater erupted upward while three soldiers who couldn’t dodge in time were instantly swept to the bottom of the sea.

Enraged, the Brineclaw swept its barbed left claw across the deck. Neville’s pupils contracted sharply while he ripped open the powder pouch at his belt.

“Light it!”

The moment the fuse began hissing, he hurled the powder pouch straight at the claw. With a deafening blast, dark green fluid splattered everywhere, leaving only a few scorch marks on the claw’s shell.

But those rows of spikes tore through the ship’s hull, and the resulting stench carried corrosive white mist. Wherever the droplets touched the deck planking, the wood began rotting at a visible rate.

“Its weak spot is the underbelly,” Neville shouted, his one arm pointing straight at the Brineclaw’s floating midsection. ” Eron, take ten men and use hooked spears to snare its legs.”

the deck like arrows released from a bow. The hook-bladed spears glinted in the dim light as they

proved equally hard. Sparks flew as metal struck its shell, and the hooks snagged

off the

arrows on its eyestalks.” Neville unstrapped the composite bow from his back and fired three fire arrows simultaneously.

eyes. But the arrows hadn’t even

the canvas sails. Thick smoke stung the crew’s eyes,

suddenly submerged its massive body, leaving only its back shell rising

into Neville as he shouted, “Everyone, grab onto

pairs of legs to churn the water frantically while the Surgebreaker

angled deck. With each snap, bronze cannons were crushed to scrap as

to finish

clutched an explosive pack and charged toward the giant claw with a howl. He pulled the fuse just before the pincers crushed him. Through the thunderous blast, several spikes on the massive claw were

had gone numb from the shockwaves. He watched the soldiers fall one after another, then caught sight of a faint gap along the edge of Brineclaw’s belly plate. Pale

spike,” he roared toward

a foot-long spike of blue-glinting

leap into the air. He spun half a turn in midair to avoid the sweeping massive claw,

spikes tore through his boots, and blood instantly stained the

this, you beast!” he roared, yanking the ring-hilted sword

he bound the hilt to the blade. The steel caught the sunlight, glinting with a

all or