From the darkness of the horizon, the six Baghh ships that had previously retreated emerged once more, now fully poised for battle. Their formidable presence was marked by their imposing cannons, which glinted ominously in the dim light.

  The Baghhs wasted no time targeting the rger of the two Portuguese carracks. Their cannons roared with a thunderous intensity as they entered effective range.

  The carrack ship, already battered from previous skirmishes, was caught off guard by this new assault. It became evident that the sambuks had been mere decoys, and the true confrontation had only just begun.

  Strategically positioned at a safe distance, the Baghhs kept out of range of the second carrack ship, focusing their efforts on defeating the rger threat. The second carrack ship on the other hand was occupied with its anchor, couldn't come to its aid. However, their overconfidence proved to be a miscalcution; no matter how many hyenas surround a lion, they cannot escape the lion's wrath.

  The Baghhs' cannonballs struck the carrack ship with devastating force. The vessel's crew, already exhausted from the prolonged battle, scrambled to mount a defense. The ship shook violently under the barrage, its wooden armor splintering, and some cannons being destroyed. Despite the chaos, the discipline of the Portuguese crew held strong.

  The carrack ship's robust wooden construction, designed to withstand significant damage, demonstrated its resilience. Despite the odds, the crew managed to maneuver the ship to engage all six Baghhs simultaneously.

  Cannonballs hit the mast, tore through the deck, and struck the crew, hitting critical areas and impairing the ship's mobility. It was astonishing that one carrack could take on six Baghhs at once, but the damage was mutual. Unfortunately for the carrack, it couldn't completely destroy the Baghhs, and the relentless barrage began to wear down its resilience.

  Adjusting their tactics, the Portuguese crew focused their firepower on the nearest Baghh, which had been causing the most damage. Their only hope was to wait for their companion, but luck was not on their side as it was tied down by a sambuk, which harassed it from pulling the anchor.

  As the rger carrack ship concentrated all its cannons on the single Baghhship, the other five got a brief respite. However, this was poor comfort for the Baghh ship under attack, which faced a fierce bombardment from the enraged carrack. The Baghh ships's crew was horrified as their vessel succumbed to the relentless fire and soon crumpled under the assault.

  The remaining Baghh ships quickly regrouped and unched a coordinated attack. Chaos erupted on the rger Portuguese carrack. The Baghh ships fired in unison, their powerful cannons hitting the carrack's hull with resounding impacts.

  Amidst the chaos, a particurly devastating blow struck one of the Baghh ships. A lucky cannonball from the carrack smashed through the Baghh's deck and ignited its gunpowder storage. The resulting explosion was catastrophic, with fmes roaring into the night sky. The Baghh ship was destroyed and sank, providing a brief respite for the carrack's troubled crew, but only intensifying the determination of the remaining Baghh ships.

  The bombardment continued to throw the carrack into disarray. Below deck, sailors struggled to manage flooding from the damage. The ship's bell rang incessantly, heightening the sense of urgency. Each new impact shook the vessel, and the sailors' resolve began to wane under the relentless attack.

  The exhausted crew faced renewed assaults. Their cannons fired back, but their aim was compromised by the ongoing barrage. Panic spread among the crew as another Baghh's fireball tore through the carrack's deck. Fmes erupted, spreading quickly and filling the air with thick bck smoke. The sailors screamed in terror as the fire grew, adding to the chaos of the battle. The heat and smoke made it nearly impossible to breathe; some sailors scrambled for safety, while others jumped into the cold sea as a st-ditch effort.

  The once-glorious carrack ship was nearing its end. As the ship's gunpowder storage was hit, a deafening explosion tore through the vessel. Fmes consumed the ship, and it sank into the ocean. Those who couldn't jump could only shriek in horror as their ship burned and sank beneath the waves, taking their cries with it.

  As the first carrack succumbed to the Baghh ships' assault, the surviving Portuguese carrack was left to face the remaining four Baghh ships. It had just freed itself by destroying the st sambuk, but the sight before them made the carrack's crew turn pale. Despite this, none of them were hopeless. They knew they had the advantage of range and began preparing to go all out from the start.

  The ship's heavy artillery thundered, its cannonballs streaking through the night. This time, the shots found their marks as the Baghh ships, though numerous, took time to maneuver in response.

  With deadly intent, the carrack's guns roared, aimed at keeping the Baghhs at bay. Its fire was relentless, bzing with fierce determination to prevent the Baghhs from closing in.

  Undeterred, the Baghh ships pressed forward with calcuted maneuvers. One of the Baghhs took heavy fire and was soon reduced to a floating wreck, its hull shattered and its crew struggling in the water.

  Another Baghh ship became non-operational, its damage rendering it a liability rather than a threat. However, the remaining two Baghhs, their crews resolute and determined, managed to close in on the Portuguese carrack. Their cannons roared, the explosions creating a maelstrom of destruction around the carrack ship.

  Just as the battle seemed evenly matched, the Portuguese fate took a turn for the worse. A new fleet of ten Baghh ships and fifteen sambuks appeared on the horizon. Seeing no other option for survival, the Portuguese surrendered with a white fg. But the danger did not end there, as a third party soon became the target.

  The naval commander watching the scene panicked as the very thing he had sought to avoid materialized. But the Safavids were not toothless. Five sambuks rushed forward, only to be obliterated by the war galleys den with culverin canons, ready to deter any advances.

  The remaining ten sambuk ships moved in unison. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the admiral issued orders to cut the tail, surprising the princess who watched from a distance.

  A merchant ship, flying a white fg, approached the Baghhs, causing them to slow down. However, it was not a surrender but another decoy, much like a lizard shedding its tail to escape. The Safavids observed as some of the Baghh ships' crew boarded the merchant ship, but the Omani fleet was not satisfied. The sambuks were ordered to pursue the remaining Safavid ships.

  Yet, the Omani fleet soon faced a blunder as the merchant ship exploded with a deafening roar. It was a fire ship pre-disguised for a suicide attack to cause significant loss to pursuing ships of pirates but ended up being used against the Omanis instead. The destruction ignited nearby Baghh ships, spreading fmes and chaos. The Omani sambuk ships halted in their tracks, realizing the danger.

  The Safavid fleet rejoiced in triumph. The admiral broke into a sweat and sighed in relief, while the princess, standing on the Safavid fgship's deck got very much delighted.

  She stretched her arms, basking in the aftermath of the battle. Her gaze fixed intently on the dark horizon, where her next destination awaited.

  Clutching the sparkling gemstone in her hand, she allowed herself a fleeting moment of respite. Yet, she knew more encounters y ahead before she could meet her Khorseed.

  Still, a lingering feeling bothered her: Was he really that worthy?