Swimming Class

The Time Has Come.

The ocean stretched endlessly in every direction, a vast expanse of dark blue beneath the cloudy sky. The water was eerily calm, the boat rocking gently with each passing wave.

Kai stood on the deck, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. The icy wind bit into his skin, sending a shiver down his spine. His six-pack abs and well-built frame were fully exposed, but right now, he wasn't thinking about that—he was too focused on how freezing it was.

He turned to Coach Leo, brows furrowed.

"…Uh, Coach, why are we in the middle of the ocean? And why can't I wear my swimming suit? It's freezing."

Coach Leo, standing relaxed with his arms crossed, grinned.

"Well, this is your final exam, boy. A real-life scenario."

Kai stared at him, a growing sense of unease creeping in. "…Okay? And what exactly do I have to do?"

Coach Leo's grin widened.

"Simple." He gestured toward the water. "You're going to jump in, hunt a shark, kill it, and bring it back onto the boat."

Kai's heart nearly stopped.

He blinked. "…What?"

Coach Leo patted him on the back, laughing like this was a perfectly normal request.

"You heard me. Kill a shark. Drag it back here. Do that, and you pass my class."

Kai just stood there, staring at him. Did he just say… hunt a shark?

For a moment, his mind went blank.

Is he trying to kill me?!

"Do I get a weapon to kill it, at least?" Kai asked, hoping—praying—that Coach Leo would hand him a spear, a harpoon, or, better yet, a firearm.

Instead, Coach Leo tossed him a knife.

Kai caught it, glancing down. Titanium blade. Razor-sharp. The same type he had used when training with Coach Armstrong in melee combat.

"That's your weapon," Coach Leo said, his tone firm. "You've trained for underwater combat before. Apply what you learned."

Kai's fingers curled tightly around the handle. That was against holograms. Simulated enemies. Not a real, living, breathing, man-eating shark.

He exhaled sharply, his mind racing. There were many species of sharks—some aggressive, some not. He just hoped luck was on his side today.

Please don't let it be a Great White.

Taking another deep breath, Kai gripped the knife tightly in his right hand. Then— he jumped.

The moment he hit the water, coldness slammed into him like a brick wall. It seeped into his skin, biting deep into his muscles. He kept his body steady, letting himself sink slightly before adjusting his position.

Then—he felt it.

A disturbance. A deep, powerful shift in the water. His mind clicked. Sharks are drawn to movement. To the vibrations of struggling prey.

A second later, he saw Coach Leo above him, purposefully thrashing the water.

Kai's stomach dropped. He's baiting it.

Minutes passed.

Then—a shadow.

Something moved fast. Too fast.

Kai narrowed his eyes, muscles tensing. It was coming straight for him. A massive figure, cutting through the depths like a torpedo.

As it closed in, he saw it.

Rows of serrated teeth. A powerful, streamlined body. Cold, black, soulless eyes.

His heart nearly stopped.

The worst-case scenario. A Great White Shark.

It lunged.

By reflex, Kai twisted his body—barely dodging its monstrous jaws. But the water worked against him, dragging at his movements. He wasn't as fast here as he was on land.

The shark rushed past, its sheer size almost disorienting.

Kai turned, chest heaving, watching as the predator circled back.

This was it. No simulations. No second chances.

Kill, or be killed.

Kai tightened his grip on the knife, his knuckles whitening.

The shark lunged again.

Kai twisted to the side—just barely dodging the attack. But this time, his blade sliced across the shark's side. A shallow cut.

For a moment, the beast reeled, a small swirl of blood mixing into the dark water. It wasn't enough to stop it. Just enough to anger it.

It circled again, its movements slower this time—calculating.

Kai braced himself, waiting for another direct charge.

But instead—the shark dove.

His breath hitched. What is it doing?

Then—it came back.

Rising from the depths with terrifying speed.

Kai barely had time to react. The second he noticed, it was already too late.

The shark clipped him, its rough skin tearing into his side as it rocketed past. A sharp, burning pain flared in his ribs. Not deep, but enough to make him grit his teeth.

He barely had time to recover before—it came again.

This time—from above.

Like a missile, it shot downward—jaws wide open.

Kai kicked back, but the predator was too fast.

Its teeth clamped down—hard—around his right leg.

Not piercing—just holding.

And then—it dragged him down.

Deeper.

The pressure increased. The light above him shrank. His lungs screamed for oxygen.

Kai thrashed, stabbing at the shark's snout, but it barely flinched.

Then—it hit him.

It's not trying to eat me.

It's trying to drown me.

A cold realization settled in. This wasn't just brute force. This shark was thinking. It knew if he ran out of air, he'd be an easy kill.

And right now—it was winning.

But dying isn't on his list today.

Kai's mind raced for a way out. The shark's grip was ironclad, dragging him deeper, the pressure crushing his lungs. If he didn't act now, he'd black out before he could even fight back.

Then—an idea.

He twisted.

Once.

Twice.

A third time.

The shark's own momentum worked against it, its massive body spinning with him, disoriented by the unexpected motion. It faltered.

That was the opening Kai needed.

Its jaws loosened—just for a second.

Kai ripped his leg free, ignoring the sting, and shot upward.

The second he broke the surface, he gasped—lungs burning, chest heaving.

The boat was still far away, but Kai could make out Coach Leo standing at the edge, watching.

And—smiling.

Kai exhaled sharply, regaining his focus. No time to rest. He knew what to do now.

The water shifted behind him.

He didn't need to look. It was coming.

Fast.

Like a bus.

Instead of panicking, Kai moved.

The moment the shark lunged, he kicked off the water—bouncing like he was stepping off invisible platforms.

One.

Two.

Three times—dodging with inhuman agility.

And each time he moved, his knife lashed out.

A slash.

A deep cut.

The water ran red.

Before the beast could circle back, Kai lunged first.

Knife in hand.

This time—he was the hunter.

---------------------------------------

All creatures have weaknesses—some visible, some hidden. Even the deadliest beasts have their limits.

Land, sky, or sea—a predator can always become prey.

Sharks rule the ocean, feared as the apex predators, kings above all weaker creatures. Yet, even they fall when faced with a greater force. Humans hunted them. The sharks adapted, evolving into deadlier hunters.

But in the end—humans still won.

Because humans... are the real predators.

---------------------------------------

The sun sinks lower, bleeding warm orange and deep purple into the sky. The wind has turned colder, the sea darker.

The boat sways gently, cutting across the open water, dragging its heavy cargo.

Coach Leo sits relaxed in his seat, watching the waves, his face unreadable. Across from him, Kai slouches back, a can of beer in hand. He takes a slow sip, letting the cold drink burn down his throat.

The massive corpse of the Great White Shark sprawls across the deck, its white underbelly stark against the blood-slick wood. The sheer size of it makes the boat feel small.

Leo finally speaks. "You did good, kid." His voice is calm, almost lazy. "No one's ever killed a Great White bare-handed before. No speargun. No backup. Just a knife." He grins. "You passed my class."

Kai barely registers the words.

His eyes stay locked on the beast. Motionless now. No longer a threat.

But the adrenaline still lingers in his blood.

How did I survive that?

How did I kill it... and not die?

He exhales slowly.

Even with the warmth of the beer in his palm, his hands won't stop shaking.