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

The sea churned violently as the wounded serpent writhed, its agonized roars shaking the very foundation of Raven’s Perch. Despite its blindness, it lashed out with reckless fury, its colossal tail slamming into the waters, sending towering waves crashing against the stronghold’s walls.

Seraphis stood her ground atop the battlements, her expression unreadable as she watched the black flames consume the beast’s once-pristine scales. The Voidflame had done its work, searing through its armored hide and leaving behind grotesque, smoldering wounds. And yet—the serpent fought on.

"Reload the arrow storms! Aim for its throat this time!" she ordered, her voice cutting through the storm of chaos.

Her crew wasted no time. The massive arrow storm ballistae groaned as they were cranked back into position, freshly stocked with Voidflame Arrows.

The serpent thrashed wildly, its body coiling and twisting through the waves in its desperate attempt to retaliate. Though its eyes had been burned to ruin, the beast’s predatory instincts remained. It sniffed the air, its forked tongue flicking out as it locked onto their position.

Then, with terrifying speed, the creature lurched forward.

"Incoming!"

The serpent’s fanged maw gaped open, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth, each longer than a man’s arm. Then, from deep within its throat, a sickening, blue glow began to build.

Seraphis’s eyes narrowed.

"It’s about to unleash something! Take cover!"

The air crackled as the beast expelled a torrent of energy—a condensed blast of pressurized water so powerful it cut through the air like a scythe.

Stone shattered upon impact. The section of the fortress wall exploded outward, sending a rain of debris into the sea below. The shockwave knocked several soldiers off their feet, forcing them to scramble for cover.

Seraphis barely moved. Her white hair fluttered in the wind as she watched the devastation unfold. A direct hit from that blast could have leveled an entire ship—possibly even the stronghold itself.

"Captain! The wall’s taken heavy damage!" one of her men shouted.

She ignored the concern, her mind already calculating the next move. The Voidflame was working, but it wasn’t enough. This beast was ancient. Powerful. The longer the fight dragged on, the more dangerous it became.

"No more playing around, then," she muttered under her breath.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, she summoned one of her engraved playing cards. The blackened metal shimmered with Voidflame energy, pulsing as if alive.

The sea serpent, still blind and burning, reared its massive head, sensing something new in the air. Though it could no longer see, it felt the presence of a deadly predator.

Seraphis smirked.

"Let’s see if you can handle this."

She flicked the Voidflame card forward. It sliced through the air like a dagger, spinning with deadly precision before embedding itself deep into the beast’s charred forehead.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—the card activated.

The Voidflame detonated, spreading like a consuming storm across the serpent’s skull. This was not a mere arrow’s flame—this was magic fueled by her very essence.

The beast screamed.

It reeled backward, its entire body arching out of the water in a grotesque display of agony.

Then it retaliated.

Despite its wounds, despite the flames eating away at its flesh, the serpent struck.

Its tail lashed out, smashing against the walls of the fortress with unrelenting force. A deep, thunderous crack rang out as sections of the stone ramparts began to crumble under the pressure.

Seraphis barely had time to react before the force of the impact ripped through the battlements, sending several men tumbling into the sea below.

The fortress was holding—but not for long.

She gritted her teeth. They needed to end this.

"Final volley! All arrow storms—fire!"

Every remaining ballista launched at once. The sky became a storm of Voidflame, streaking toward the beast like falling stars.

The arrows struck true.

The serpent’s form was engulfed in a final, raging inferno of black flames.

It screeched. Thrashed. Writhed.

But this time—it did not retaliate.

This time—it fell.

The massive creature crashed into the sea, sending waves surging outward in all directions. The black flames continued to burn, even beneath the water, refusing to be extinguished.

For several long moments, there was nothing but the sound of the roaring sea.

Then—the serpent was still.

Its lifeless form drifted, half-submerged, its once-mighty body now nothing more than charred remains.

Seraphis let out a slow breath. The battle was over.

For now.