Just as the edge of the sword of light was about to connect—
The core suddenly moved.
It shifted downward with unnatural speed, dodging the fatal strike by a hair's breadth.
Jake's eyes widened as his body froze for a split second in shock.
But he could no longer change the course of his strike.
FLASH!
The pure sword of light completed its arc.
A brilliant white-gold crescent tore through the regenerated Drowned Stalker from shoulder to hip.
SPURT!
Black flesh parted cleanly as the creature was once again sliced into two separate halves, dark energy and residual mist exploding outward from the cut.
But Jake felt no relief at all.
He immediately twisted his body, attempting to follow up with another strike aimed directly at the exposed crimson core.
Before his blade could reach it—
The severed halves began regenerating at extreme speed.
Black flesh stretched, reformed, and solidified in the blink of an eye.
