As Artist flew out of the blast’s path, Isaac faced the beam head-on, his wings flaring with brilliant light.

  The beam collided with Isaac, the force and heat overwhelming. Isaac's flames surged, creating a makeshift shield, but the intensity of the attack pushed him to his limits.

  "Isaac!" Artist screamed as he landed, watching in dismay as the energy swallowed Isaac whole.

  For a moment, the fiery aura around Isaac flared brighter, fighting against the devastating power of the rail gun. But the sheer force of the attack was too much. Isaac's wings began to disintegrate, the light dimming as the energy overcame him.

  Isaac's final scream echoed through the air as his body turned to ashes, the remains scattering in the wind.

  Artist watched in stunned silence, the reality of Isaac’s death crashing down on him. Verside's cruel laughter filled the air, mocking the futility of their efforts.

  "Did you really think you could stand against me?" Verside sneered, his rail gun still crackling with residual energy. "You both threw your lives away, the moment you began thinking you could stand up to the Kraken House."

  Spunk emerged from Artist's hair, screaming Isaac's name in anguish.

  The tiny creature's fury was deafening, its usually playful demeanor replaced with seething rage. Spunk, filled with anger at losing his new friend, lept from Artist's head and rushed to get his revenge, shooting a storm of sharp quills at Verside.

  However, in a single swift motion, Artist plucked the tiny rage-filled creature from the sky, their quills stabbing through his hand as he held them.

  Spunk looked back at Artist, confused and demanding to be let go, only to see the utter rage festering in his eyes. Artist’s face was a mask of fury, his own cheerful demeanor shattered by Isaac's death.

  The pain from the quills embedded in his hand was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil raging inside him.

  "Spunk, you can’t lose control right now," Artist said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. "We need to be smart about this. Save the passion for me and I promise this turbulence will only last a minute."

  Spunk, sensing the depth of Artist's fury, slowly ceased its struggle. The tiny creature's eyes softened, reflecting the same determination that burned within Artist.

  Verside, still sneering, took a step forward, his rail gun humming ominously. "You're delaying the inevitable. You can't win."

  Ignoring Verside's taunts, Artist gently set Spunk on his shoulder, then pulled the quills from his hand with a grimace. Blood dripped from the wounds, but he didn't flinch.

  His eyes fixed on Verside.

  "It's about time someone raised the volume...I was thinking I'd gone deaf," Artist said, his words dripping with infectious excitement.

  Verside's sneer faltered, replaced by a cold, calculating expression.

  "Amusing," he muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

  With a flick of his wrist, the ritual site dissipated, and the rail gun transformed back into the stone cross.

  Artist watched as Verside's weapon returned to its original form, feeling a mix of relief and tension. The oppressive energy in the air lessened, but the threat was far from over. Verside stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he sized up Artist.

  Spunk, still perched on Artist's shoulder, bristled with fury but remained focused. The tiny creature's eyes were locked onto Verside, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

  Artist took a deep breath, centering himself. He couldn't afford to let his anger cloud his judgment. Isaac had sacrificed himself to give them a chance, and Artist was determined to make it count.

  "You talk a lot for someone who's about to die," Artist said, his voice steady despite the raging storm of emotions within him. He shifted his grip on the sword, ready for the next round.

  Verside's lips curled into a snarl. "We'll see about that."

  The two opponents circled each other, the air thick with tension. Verside's tattoos pulsed with dark energy, though dimmer than before. Artist knew he needed to exploit that weakness to press the advantage while he still had it.

  Without warning, Verside lunged, his movements a blur. The stone cross swung with deadly precision, aiming to crush Artist. But Artist was ready. He ducked and rolled, the weapon whistling past his head by mere inches.

  As he came up from the roll, Artist slashed at Verside's side, his blade cutting through the fabric of Verside's clothes and grazing his skin. Verside hissed in annoyance and retaliated instantly, his stone cross sweeping low.

  Artist jumped back, avoiding the blow, leaving Verside exposed, but the force of the swing sent a shockwave through the ground, making Artist stumble.

  Spunk seized the opportunity, launching itself from Artist's shoulder and shooting a barrage of quills at Verside's face.

  Verside raised his arm to block, the quills embedding into his flesh. He roared in anger, swatting at Spunk, but the agile creature dodged effortlessly, landing back on Artist's shoulder.

  Artist and Spunk moved succinctly, their attacks coordinated and precise. They targeted Verside's weakened runes, each strike and quill disrupting the flow of energy. Verside's movements grew more erratic, his frustration evident.

  "You pests!" Verside spat, his rage boiling over. He swung the stone cross wildly, desperate to land a hit. Each wide swing forced Artist back, his defenses starting to falter under the assault.

  As Artist was driven further back, Verside's expression shifted from rage to confusion when he noticed a smile forming on Artist's face.

  Seizing the moment, Artist threw himself backward, grabbing hold of the double-bladed polearm one of the fallen Kraken hunters wielded. He spun the weapon with almost masterful precision, sending a series of attacks at Verside.

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  “Not even close to appropriate but we're getting a little better!” Artist screamed with excitement.

  The polearm and the sword moved in a seamless dance, each strike leaving no opening. Artist's proficiency with both weapons was astonishing, his movements fluid and deadly. Verside's eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled to keep up with the onslaught.

  “What the hell is with you?" Verside growled, barely managing to parry the strikes. "I’m sick and tired of you damned kids!"

  Verside's frustration boiled over as he swung the stone cross wildly, each swing forcing Artist back. Artist's defenses began to falter under the assault, but a determined smile formed on his face.

  Using the polearm to vault into the air, Artist dodged Verside's attack. The grounded end of the polearm shattered under the force, but it didn't matter. Artist cleared the distance and continued pressing the offenseoffensive.

  Verside realized that while Artist lacked the strength to deliver fatal blows, his superior skill in weapon combat made landing a lethal hit nearly impossible. Recognizing this, Verside sought to create space and exploit the glowing runic ritual tattoos on his body.

  He swung the stone cross in a wide arc, forcing Artist to jump back. Verside then slammed the cross into the ground, causing a shockwave that pushed Artist further away. Taking advantage of the brief respite, Verside began chanting, the runes on his body glowing brighter.

  Artist saw what was happening and knew he had to act fast. "Spunk, now!" he shouted.

  Spunk, scrambled to act quickly, leaped into action. The tiny creature launched anothera barrage of quills at Verside, aiming for the runes. Each quill strike intensified the damage, making the magic runes on his body splinter and crack and causing Verside to stumble back .

  Artist charged forward, using the distraction to his advantage. He spun the sword and polearm in a deadly dance, closing the distance between the two.

  With a flurry of blows, Artist further damaged the vulnerable runes on Verside’s body destroying the tattooed rite, which shattered like glass, before rearing back as far as he could to deal a powerful strike aimed at Verside’s chest.

  Verside, barely recovering from the combined attack, managed to raise his stone cross to block the strike. The impact sent shockwaves through both of them. However, Artist’s weapons came away chipped and fractured.

  Artist glanced at his weapons, frustration flickering in his eyes as he saw the damage. "Damn it!" he muttered under his breath. But the sight of Verside's runic tattoos losing their mana mid-ritual fueled his resolve.

  The glowing runes on Verside's body flickered and dimmed, their power waning due to the interruption. Verside staggered, his eyes wide with shock and frustration. He tried to reassert control, but the disruption had thrown his ritual into disarray.

  Artist, seizing the opportunity, launched a relentless assault on Verside with his damaged weapons. Each strike was fierce and precise, aimed at exploiting Verside's weakened state.

  Verside, caught off guard, was forced onto the defensive, dodging and parrying as best as he could.

  "Don’t even bother!" Artist growled, his attacks unyielding. “You aren’t getting away from me!”

  Verside, struggling to regain his composure, focused his remaining energy on refueling his runes.

  The remaining tattoos on his body began to flicker back to life, their glow intensifying moments before blinking out as he barely managed to summon his stone cross once again.

  With a powerful swing, Verside shattered Artist's already broken weapons, the fragments scattering across the ground.

  Artist was left unarmed, but his resolve remained unbroken. He glared at Verside, his mind racing for a solution.

  "You’re persistent, I’ll grant you that," Verside spat, his voice laced with frustration. "But persistence alone won’t save you."

  With another powerful swing, Verside launched a lethal attack.

  However, Artist, instead of blocking or evading, took the strike head-on.

  The blow sent shockwaves of force ripping through his body, splitting his flesh, which vomited blood that spilled through his clothes. His bones cracked under the force, but he managed to grab hold of Verside’s stone cross, locking them in a desperate struggle.

  Verside's eyes widened in surprise as Artist raised his filth-stained face with a manic grin spread across his lips.

  "You're insane!" he spat, trying to wrest the cross from Artist's grip.

  However, Artist's grip was ironclad, his face a mask of grim determination despite the blood flowing from his wounds.

  "What’s wrong? Are things getting a little too loud for you!" he snarled through gritted teeth.

  Using the leverage from his grip on the stone cross, Artist pulled Verside closer and headbutted him with all his might. The impact dazed Verside, causing him to stagger.

  "Don’t fall asleep!" Artist taunted, his voice a mix of fury and determination.

  Verside's anger flared, but his movements were sluggish.

  "That’s it!" he spat, the anger in his voice surging. “This ends now!”

  Verside dropped the stone cross and lunged at Artist, delivering a powerful blow that sent Artist flying.

  The impact was brutal, and Artist crashed into the ground, skidding across the dirt. Blood oozed from his wounds, and he struggled to catch his breath.

  Spunk, still on Artist’s shoulder, squealed in alarm.

  "Hang on, Artist!" the tiny creature cried, trying to encourage its companion. “Isaac will be back soon!”

  Artist groaned, pushing himself up with trembling arms.

  "What the hell are you talking about," he muttered, determination burning in his eyes. “He’s dead!”

  Staggering to his feet, Artist wiped the dirt from his eyes before facing Verside with unyielding resolve.

  Verside smirked, seeing Artist's struggle. "You’re a stubborn one, I’ll give you that," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "But stubbornness won’t save you."

  Artist spit out the blood soaking his teeth, his gaze never leaving Verside. "I don't need saving," he replied, his voice steady. "I just need to kill you."

  Verside, though visibly angry, hesitated to approach Artist. This momentary pause allowed Spunk to whisper urgently into Artist’s ear.

  "I’m serious about Isaac coming back," Spunk insisted. "He said he was a phoenix! They come back after they die! At least I think they do…"

  At first, Artist didn't believe Spunk. The idea of Isaac having something as legendary as the phoenix soul seemed impossible.

  That soul was said to have been lost a long time ago. But then he remembered what the Kraken guards had said about Isaac having a beast soul and the large bounty on Isaac's head.

  "There’s no fucking way, right?" Artist muttered to himself, glancing at the spot where Isaac had fallen.

  The pieces began to fit together. If Isaac did have a phoenix soul, that would explain the bounty and his abilities.

  “I thought he was just a little too creative with some random-ass flame magic!” Artist whispered to Spunk.

  “Well, that too,” Spunk replied, his tiny voice raising into a laugh.

  Verside, noticing Artist's momentary distraction, seized the opportunity to prepare his final attack.

  "Enough of your delusions!" he roared, recapturing Artist and Spunk’s attention. “It’s time to finish this.”

  Artist, attempting to move out of the way of the incoming attack, fell to his knees, his body finally giving in to exhaustion and pain.

  Verside charged forward, his stone cross glowing with dark energy.

  "Die!" he bellowed, swinging the cross down with lethal force.

  Just as the blow was about to connect, a blazing figure intercepted the attack.

  Isaac, reborn in a fiery burst of mana, caught the stone cross with his bare hands.

  The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, blowing both Aritst and Spunk back, but Isaac stood firm, his eyes burning with renewed determination.

  "Miss me?" Isaac's voice hissed with the power of the phoenix adding echoes to his voice.

  Verside's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible... You were dead!"

  "Yeah, and if my memory is correct…you were the one who killed me!" Isaac replied, his voice turning to a guttural roar as a manic grin spread across his face and his grip tightened on the stone cross.