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

The sea raged.

Black flames from the Sanguine Voidfire Card still clung to the serpent’s throat, sizzling against its scaled flesh. The beast writhed in pain, yet its golden eyes blazed with fury, its massive form coiling in the water like a storm given shape.

Seraphis watched from the battlements, her mind racing. This one was different. Smarter. Resistant.

The Voidflame arrows had worked before, but now—they weren’t enough.

The serpent suddenly lunged, its jaws parting wide, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth. It snapped at the fortress, the sheer force sending tremors through the walls.

"Brace for impact!" Seraphis shouted, gripping the stone railing as the serpent’s head slammed into the stronghold.

The impact was catastrophic. Stone crumbled. Wooden platforms splintered. Men were sent tumbling backward, some barely clinging to the edge of the fortress as debris rained around them.

The serpent reeled back, its throat still smoldering with black and crimson flames. Yet it was far from defeated.

Seraphis narrowed her eyes.

It’s learning.

Her fingers brushed over the deck of playing cards at her hip. She had other spells, but she needed something stronger. Something that could end this fight before the fortress collapsed.

"Reload the arrow storms!" she commanded.

Men scrambled to obey, reloading the twelve ballistae along the walls. The massive weapons groaned as new Voidflame arrows were locked in place, the obsidian-tipped projectiles shimmering with eerie fire.

Seraphis didn’t wait.

She grabbed another card—a modified version of the Sanguine Voidfire Card.

This one had been enhanced with a new rune—a sigil meant to pierce through resistance.

She flicked the card between her fingers, feeling the pulse of magic radiating from it. This should work.

With a sharp motion, she hurled it.

The card spun through the air, cutting through the mist like a blade. It struck true—embedding deep into the serpent’s exposed underbelly.

Then—the magic activated.

A surge of black and red fire exploded outward.

This time, the serpent screamed.

Not just in pain—but in fear.

The flames pierced through its scales, sinking into the very essence of its being. The Voidflame didn’t just burn—it corrupted, consumed, and drained.

The serpent thrashed, its massive body slamming into the water, sending towering waves crashing against the fortress walls.

Seraphis felt the impact tremble through the stone beneath her feet, but she didn’t let up.

"FIRE!" she roared.

The ballistae unleashed.

Twelve Voidflame arrows shot through the sky, their obsidian glow reflecting against the stormy waters.

Every single arrow found its mark.

The serpent convulsed.

The void-infused flames erupted across its body, spreading like wildfire. Its golden eyes flickered—losing their luster.

Seraphis knew what was happening.

The Sanguine Voidfire was doing more than just burning the beast—it was stealing its strength.

She clenched her fists, feeling an odd sensation wash over her. Power. Life.

The magic was feeding her.

She felt her muscles tighten, her mind sharpen. Every ounce of strength the serpent lost was being transferred to her.

The serpent let out one last defiant roar, its body coiling tightly before it suddenly plunged beneath the waves.

The sea churned violently, the water boiling from the lingering Voidflame.

Seraphis didn’t move.

She watched. Waited.

Was it dead?

No. Not yet.

The abyss had not released its hold.

This battle—was far from over.