Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1885: Annette’s Defeat

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{Fusion Form – Dream-Soaring Heavenly Dragon}!

"ROOOAAARRR!"

"A-Ahhh...! AAAHHHHH!"

Annette screamed in terror as the gigantic dragon pierced straight through her mid-transformation, halting her ascent to a god-like state.

"Nnngh...! Ngaaahhhh!"

Even now, she fought against death!

Half her being had already become that of a cosmic entity.

Her countless starlight hands desperately tried to block the dragon from reaching the core of her soul!

"Don’t give up! We can do this!" Maria roared. "Roar! Roar like a dragon!"

"RAAAAHHHHH!"

Everyone’s intents, souls, dreams, and emotions blended into a radiant light that then split into countless shimmering colors.

"T-This is...! Ridiculous...! They can combine their souls and auras... as if they were one single being?! What sort of bizarre technique is that...?"

Annette wondered in disbelief as the dragon tore completely through her body and soared into the skies.

Her very existence split into two.

"Did I work so hard... for nothing...?"

Dreams consumed her entirely as Annette disintegrated down to the subatomic level.

BOOOMMM!!!

As her being vanished...

A lingering dream endured.

This lingering dream gathered the tiny fragments of her soul.

Slowly, it recovered.

A new Spell was born.

"{True Dream Body Resurrection}"

Even if a soul is utterly destroyed, as long as a dream remains behind, a fragment of that person can return.

Annette was reborn as a Dream Spirit-like existence.

Her eyes opened wide; her mind had never felt so clear.

The madness...

The curse...

The obsession with revenge...

All of it was gone.

"Ahh... I must be in the afterlife, right?"

"You aren’t."

Maria appeared behind her, startling Annette.

"What?!"

Annette gasped, stunned to see her.

"M-Maria! You’re...! I am...?! What is this strange feeling?" Annette asked. "So I... I see..."

Annette looked down at the trembling city and the portal above. She had died only seconds ago and then instantly "revived" in a mysterious, profound way.

"You’re now a living dream of your former self," Maria said. "I merged your remaining soul fragments, but even then they were only about 20% of your original soul. I’m sorry, but I had to destroy your soul, or this madness would never have ended."

"...It’s fine," Annette said with a small smile. "I lost... I accept defeat."

"So fast?" Maria asked, surprised.

"What else can I do?" Annette replied calmly.

Despite her earlier insanity, Annette remained surprisingly rational.

She accepted her death and defeat, embracing whatever came next.

"I need your powers, your knowledge... Please help me stop this madness, Annette," Maria said. "We can’t let Yggdrasil be destroyed."

"...I shall help," Annette nodded. "I feel strange. Like... I can imbue myself into your heart. That crystal inside of you."

"It’s a Dream Heart. As a Dream Spirit, you naturally seek a vessel," Maria said. "Come. I’ll welcome you. Despite how wicked you were before, you’ve clearly changed. You will make up for your past mistakes."

"I... will..." Annette nodded and infused herself into Maria’s Dream Heart.

And at that moment!

BA DUM!

BA DUM!

BA DUM!

While everyone celebrated their victory over such an insane foe, Maria’s mind flooded with immense quantities of information.

All the knowledge, magic, and techniques Annette had accumulated over her long life now belonged to her!

"I see..."

Maria learned how to evolve her Necromancy even further using Annette’s extraordinary knowledge and talent, gaining deep insight into manipulating souls and their origins.

Afterward, Maria’s Aura of Death and Ghosts surged stronger than ever, spreading everywhere in beautiful waves.

"Were you able to see it all?" Annette asked.

"Yes, thank you, Annette..." Maria said.

"As long as you can give my family a second chance like you gave me... that’s enough," Annette sighed. "Ah, right—don’t forget to kill the gods!"

"Of course not," Maria smiled. "Ah, speaking of that..."

Maria and her family suddenly found themselves surrounded by dozens of gods possessing the bodies of soldiers and citizens.

"The monstrous Saint of Death!"

"Maria!"

"You must be behind all of this!"

"Kill her!"

They charged her as Maria sighed.

Her sword glowed with dream flames. She spun and slashed through everything.

This time the dragon from before remained, though smaller, enhancing her previous technique.

Nonetheless...

SLAAASH!

A pink dragon made of dream fog and dream flames tore through them!

"Ngaaaah?!"

"W-Wha...! Augh!"

"This is...?!"

"Nnnggh!"

The gods screamed as the connection between their souls and vessels severed. Their vessels stayed alive and were quickly drawn into Maria’s Soul Realm.

"Wow! Mama, you became so strong!" Nyx said. "But what was that pink flame?"

"Ah, this? By wielding dreams as a sword to cut through planes, it’s possible to destroy and sever connections between dimensions," Maria explained. "This way the vessels aren’t harmed."

"Amazing..." Laura said. "Big sis, are you feeling alright now?"

"I should be asking you that! I’m so sorry—you all had to die like a dozen times..." Maria sighed.

"It’s fine. I’m used to it by now," Catarina shrugged.

"I was disfigured and lived as a chimera for years... dying is nothing," Arthur said.

"I was the only one who didn’t die..." Nyx sighed. "Everyone always protected me and took the damage for me... Why?! I can fight too and bear the burden!"

"Because you’re our dear child, and we can’t let that happen," Emeraldine smiled, kissing her forehead. "But your power has helped us greatly."

"Well done," Maria said, patting her daughter. "Anyway, this is Scarlet... She was Partner before, but I reabsorbed my original skeleton—her vessel—and helped her create a body of her liking. She also wanted a new name..."

"Hahah, I got a little too dramatic there. You can still call me Partner if you want," Scarlet smiled. She felt much more sociable and less awkward now.

"I see. Scarlet is a pretty name," Emeraldine nodded.

"Wow, Auntie Scarlet! It’s like I got a new aunt now!" Nyx smiled cutely.

"I’m sure your daughter will be happy to see her mother got even stronger," Arthur said.

"I didn’t like your previous name," Arachne said. "Scarlet is cooler, to be honest."

"I never particularly cared about you before, but now... I guess you’ve truly changed," Catarina smiled. "Welcome to the team, Scarlet."

"Yeah! Let’s work hard together!" Laura nodded. "Alright, where to?!"

"Lucifer’s fighting Sirius, and Hercules is being dealt with by everyone else...!" Maria said. "Let’s go help Lucifer!"

"Papa! Wait for us!" Nyx called, flying down with the others.

Meanwhile, amid explosions caused by a giant muscular vampire laughing as he battered everyone with his immense toughness and insane techniques, the dark skies above continued to fracture.

The rift kept expanding, no longer fueled by Annette but by Sirius’ own lifeforce.

As long as the King lived, the formation would never fade.

TRUUUM!

And within the fracture, a gigantic crimson castle slowly descended.

Inside it, a mighty Emperor clad in crimson armor sat upon a throne.

His eyes glowed beneath his helmet as his giant sword overflowed with blood flames.

"At long last...! Yggdrasil, the birthplace of the Ancient Gods."

With him, his world expanded further into Yggdrasil’s dimensional membranes, taking deeper and deeper root.

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