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

The sea had barely begun to settle when Seraphis narrowed her eyes, sensing something beyond the mist. The air still carried the scent of charred flesh and burning Voidflame, yet an unnatural silence had fallen over the battlefield. The lifeless husk of the defeated sea serpent drifted in the water, its massive form barely visible beneath the obsidian flickers of fire that refused to die.

Then—the water trembled again.

A deep, guttural rumble echoed from the abyss below. It was not the dying cry of the fallen beast. No, this was something else entirely—something far worse.

Seraphis turned sharply.

"Reload everything. Now."

Her command snapped the crew into motion. The ballistae groaned as they were cranked back, fresh Voidflame arrows loaded with hurried precision. Men scrambled across the fortress walls, ensuring every weapon was primed and ready. The air was thick with tension, every eye locked onto the blackened waters beyond.

Then, from the depths—it emerged.

A second sea serpent.

This one was even larger than the first. Its scaled body gleamed like polished obsidian, its jagged fins cutting through the water like razors. But the most terrifying part—its eyes.

Unlike the first serpent, whose vision had been stolen by their arrows, this one saw everything. Its pupils burned a sickly gold, intelligence gleaming behind its gaze. It had watched. It had learned. And now—it was here to kill.

"So the abyss has a brother, huh? Good." Seraphis smirked, reaching for a fresh deck of her enchanted playing cards. "That just makes this more interesting."

The beast reared its head, letting out a roar that sent waves surging toward the fortress. The waters churned with an unnatural force, spirals of mist rising as if the ocean itself was bending to the creature’s will.

Then—it attacked.

With a speed unnatural for its massive size, the serpent lunged forward. Its jaw snapped open, revealing rows of glistening, blade-like teeth.

Seraphis barely had time to move before the serpent struck.

The beast slammed into the fortress wall, its impact shaking the entire stronghold. The force of the blow sent several men staggering, the sheer momentum threatening to crack the very foundation of Raven’s Perch.

"FIRE!"

The order came like thunder.

Every ballista unleashed at once.

Voidflame arrows streaked through the sky, their obsidian glow cutting through the mist like falling stars. They found their mark—embedding deep into the serpent’s hide.

Yet—this one did not scream.

Unlike its predecessor, this beast did not thrash in pain. Instead, its golden eyes narrowed. Its scales did not burn so easily. The flames flickered across its body but did not spread, as if its very flesh repelled the corruption.

Seraphis clicked her tongue. "Tch. This one’s different."

Then the serpent countered.

Its tail snapped through the air like a whip, aimed directly at the fortress walls. The sheer force of it sent shockwaves across the battlefield.

Stone shattered

One of the arrow storms collapsed, its wooden structure crumbling beneath the impact. Crew members barely managed to escape as debris rained down into the sea.

Seraphis didn’t flinch. She had already anticipated this.

With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a Voidflame card into the air. It hovered for a brief second, pulsing with ominous energy—then it detonated.

A storm of black flames erupted above the fortress, casting eerie shadows across the battlefield. The heatless fire cascaded downward, forming a barrier between the fortress and the serpent’s relentless assault.

The beast hesitated, its golden eyes narrowing as it observed the twisting black inferno.

Seraphis smirked. "Not so eager now, are you?"

But she knew—this was far from over.

This serpent was learning. Adapting.

Unlike the first, this one did not attack blindly. It watched, it studied, and it calculated.

That made it far more dangerous.

"Adjust your aim! Focus on its underbelly!" she ordered, already moving toward the edge of the battlements.

The crew reacted swiftly. Ballistae pivoted, arrows realigning toward the less armored portions of the beast.

Seraphis, meanwhile, drew a second playing card—a new one.

The Sanguine Voidfire Card.

Its surface shimmered with a deep crimson glow, the fusion of Voidflame and blood magic coiling within its runes. She could feel the raw energy pulsing in her fingertips, waiting to be unleashed.

With a sharp flick, she hurled the card toward the serpent’s throat.

For the first time—the beast reacted.

It tried to evade.

Too late.

The card found its mark, embedding just below its jaw.

Then—it activated.

A pulse of black and crimson fire surged outward, spreading across the beast’s exposed flesh. Unlike the Voidflame alone, this magic did not burn—it consumed.

The serpent screeched.

The sound was not just pain—it was rage.

The beast thrashed, slamming its tail into the sea, creating a maelstrom of destruction. The waters churned violently, waves crashing against the fortress with terrifying force.

For a moment—Seraphis wondered if even Raven’s Perch could withstand the wrath of such a creature.

But then—she smiled.

"Looks like I hit a nerve."

The battle was far from over.

This was only the beginning.