"Phantom Rebirth: The Last White Raven’s Path to the Ultimate Assassin"

The forest was eerily silent now. Only the rustling leaves and the faint echoes of the fallen remained. Thirty vampires had once stood against her, but now only five remained. These were not mindless thralls; they were the strongest of the pack, the ones who had held back, watching, waiting for the moment to strike.

Seraphis exhaled slowly, steadying her breath. Her body ached from the battle, but she could not afford to falter. Her white eyes locked onto the remaining vampires, reading their movements, their tension.

They were cautious now, but that made them even more dangerous.

The leader stepped forward—a tall, gaunt figure with skin as pale as the moon and hair as black as midnight. His crimson eyes burned with an intelligence far greater than the rest. He was dressed in noble finery, a vest lined with gold, a long flowing coat, and boots polished to perfection. He had not fought yet, but the aura around him was suffocating.

Seraphis could tell—this one was different.

He smirked. "You have done well, little Raven." His voice was smooth, laced with amusement. "But tell me, how much longer can you fight?"

She didn't answer. Talking was a distraction, and she refused to play his game.

Instead, she flicked her wrist. Three of her playing cards shot forward, their edges shimmering with magic.

The vampire barely moved. And yet, her cards missed.

Seraphis narrowed her eyes. No—he had dodged. But it was unlike any movement she had seen before. He had not stepped aside or ducked. He had simply ceased to exist for a split second.

A teleportation ability? No, it was too subtle.

Shadow magic.

The other four vampires took that as their signal. They rushed in, moving faster than even her trained eyes could follow.

Seraphis reacted on instinct.

She leaped backward, flipping mid-air as one vampire’s claws swiped inches from her throat. She twisted, summoning a fan of cards in both hands, and hurled them in a wide arc.

Two of the vampires dodged. Two did not.

The first let out a gurgled scream as three cards embedded deep into its chest, slicing through ribs, muscle, and heart. It collapsed, writhing before turning to dust.

The second lost an arm as a card severed it at the elbow. It staggered back, shrieking in agony.

Three left standing.

Seraphis didn’t stop. She pivoted, using her momentum to close the gap between her and another opponent. A dagger materialized in her grip, its silver edge gleaming in the moonlight. She slashed forward—aiming for the throat.

The vampire snarled and caught her wrist.

Faster than expected.

She clenched her jaw as his grip tightened like iron. His nails dug into her flesh, drawing blood. The vampire grinned, fangs bared, and lunged for her neck.

Seraphis reacted at the last second.

She headbutted him.

The crunch of bone echoed in the night as the vampire stumbled back, nose shattered. She didn't hesitate—her knee shot up, slamming into his stomach, followed by a precise slash across his throat.

He gurgled, hands clutching the deep wound. He fell, his body convulsing before he, too, turned to dust.

Two left.

The Leader Moves

"You are impressive," the noble vampire mused, his tone still casual. "But not invincible."

His hand flicked.

A shadow tendril shot toward her.

Seraphis barely had time to react. She jumped, twisting her body mid-air, but the tendril changed direction. It wrapped around her ankle, yanking her downward.

She hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.

The remaining vampire seized the opportunity, appearing above her in a blur. Claws descended.

Seraphis barely managed to roll aside, but not fast enough.

A deep gash tore through her side, the pain like fire searing through her skin. Blood spilled onto the grass.

She hissed, forcing herself to move despite the pain.

The noble vampire chuckled. "Do you feel it?" he asked. "The bite of my magic? That wound will not heal so easily."

Seraphis ignored him.

Pain was nothing new. She had suffered worse.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to her feet. The fight was not over.

Her cards floated around her, glowing with raw energy. The vampires watched her carefully now. They knew she was still dangerous, even wounded.

And she would prove them right.

The Final Gambit

Seraphis vanished.

Not literally.

She moved so fast it was almost as if she had disappeared.

She reappeared above the last lesser vampire, her dagger already in motion.

He tried to block—too late.

Her blade sank into his skull.

The vampire convulsed, then crumbled into dust beneath her.

Only one left.

The noble vampire sighed. "A shame."

Seraphis lunged.

But this time—he was ready.

He didn't dodge. He caught her blade between two fingers.

Her eyes widened.

Before she could react, he struck.

A fist slammed into her stomach with inhuman force. She flew back, smashing into a tree, the bark splintering under the impact.

Pain exploded through her body, but she forced herself to stay conscious. She would not lose.

The noble vampire approached slowly, savoring the moment.

"You have been entertaining," he admitted. "But this is where it ends."

Seraphis spat blood. Then she smiled.

"No."

The vampire frowned.

Too late.

He had forgotten one crucial fact—her cards were still floating.

The blood-draining card activated.

It latched onto his back, sinking deep, the runes glowing crimson.

His body seized.

He screamed.

The magic devoured him from the inside out. His strength faded, his body collapsing, withering into dust.

And just like that—it was over.

Aftermath

Seraphis staggered, pain throbbing through her body. She was injured, bleeding, but she was alive.

She wiped her blade clean, breathing heavily. The forest was silent once more.

She had won.

But this was just another battle.

The hunt would continue.

And she would always be ready.