It was simple enough for the experienced adventurer to ascertain the situation, feeling it firsthand.
'Breathe in, breathe out—fill your lungs with fire,' he calmly focused.
As he drew into his lungs, heat expanded through his body. It took the edge off the pain, brimming his body with energy as if entering a second gear of adrenaline.
["Ascending Blaze"]
He ducked beneath the high kick aimed at his head, quickly countering with a swipe of his sword. Even with greater speed bolstering his weapon, the two halves of the doll-man parted to evade it.
Phoenix instantly reset his momentum, bringing the sword back around to cut downward through the bandit's torso. With finesse like a feline, the wooden figure slipped back, narrowly avoiding the cutting edge.
'He's nimble—but, I've figured it out. He can't disconnect his body in endless ways. If I go for wide attacks, he can't split apart,' Phoenix thought.
