Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!

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We saw a gigantic dome above several islands, it probably went through several hundreds of kilometers, so huge it was and so much nightmare essence it released that we were shocked there weren't authorities here yet. It must have probably only opened recently!

This meant that the time we spent inside of the Nightmare Realm was incredibly reduced compared to what we believed, we spent like three days there, but in real life, it must've been just minutes, less than an hour.

Its insane the level of time distortion that Nightmare Realms are capable of… Perhaps because it is possible for our perception of time to change a lot within a dream, where only the minds reigns?

Whatever the case, this is not something normal at all, this massive dome must be broken instantly!

"What is that thing?! A dome made of Nightmare Energy?!" Sofia panicked. "Just feeling its essence makes me feel all weaker!"

"Incredible, this is too much nightmare essence, it is toxic to just get closer!" Martina said. "Nyx! We should circle around and go back to the island!"

"But the other students…!" Nyx said. "All of them must be trapped inside! And we are the only ones that can save them, Martina!"

"But we must prioritize our own lives first before that of others!" Martina said selfishly. "I know it sounds cruel, but we have to survive first, if we jump there and die, then what's the point of you rescuing us?"

"T-That's…" Nyx muttered, feeling surprised by the flawless logic.

Yes, Martina is not wrong, that would be the case if it wasn't because of a certain someone.

Me.

"Martina, you're still being way too rude though!" Emily said angrily. "We should go there and see if we can do something, maybe break the dome?"

"Before we could even break it, we'll likely burn, the miasma is so potent it burned my skin from just feeling it…" Sofia looked at her hand, which had turned slightly black.

"Sofie!" Alma panicked, conjuring healing magic and getting her all healed. "There! You feel better?"

"Yes, thank you, Alma, you're a real help," sighed Sofia in relief.

"Maria, what do you think we should do?" Alma wondered, asking me. "And Nyx too?"

"We'll break through," I said with a confident smile.

"Eh?! B-But what if we get burned and stuff!" Alma said.

"Don't worry about that…" I said. "I've got a countermeasure against Intense Nightmare Miasma right here."

I quickly waved my hands, as powerful blood dragon armor appeared, wrapping around the bodies of the girls and giving them great protection.

Suddenly, the wind infested with the toxic nightmare miasma didn't hurt them anymore.

"T-This armor again! Oh wow, it can protect us from the nightmare burning us?" Sofia gasped, realizing its properties.

"It is working!" Said Emily. "Wait, can my armor fuse with it?"

"It is magical, so it reacts to your magic and adapts," I explained.

"Maria, do you truly plan to do this?" Alma asked, her eyes looked afraid. "This is on another whole scale than anything we've ever done before! D-Do you really think we could… that we have it on us to do this?"

I smiled at her, recalling all the time we've fought together.

It has been almost a week since I got here, but it feels like I've been here for over a month.

The battles we all went through, and their evolution so far…

Yes, I am fairly sure they can do it.

Even though we were surprised before, that's not happening anymore.

After all, within my Shadow Realm, there's a huge furnace I had created.

FLUOOOSH!

And thousands of Nightmare Cores were rapidly boiling and becoming pure essence, absorbed into my Shadow Realm and then into my Soul.

Ding!

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[You have begun absorbing a large quantity of Nightmare Essence!]

[…]

I started absorbing it all, completely, without stopping.

Even though I felt an ache in my soul that continued to spread through it all, and I felt like vomiting.

I kept calm and continued.

As they say, fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

I am not going to let what happened to us happen again.

Ever.

Ding!

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[You have assimilated the Nightmare Essence into your Soul and Body, you have begun to comprehend it.]

[…]

I will turn this power that made me into a child, into my own strength.

I will make it a part of my soul and my body.

If I have to become a Nightmare to save this world, then I shall.

Ding!

[You have become one with the Nightmare Essence, it has become a part of your power.]

[You unlocked the [Nightmare Power] Stat!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +1.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +3.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +17.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +20.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +18.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +32.000!]

[Your [Nightmare Power] Stat has increased by +22.000!]

[…]

FLUOSH!

My Aura of Darkness and Phantasmal energies began growing tremendously powerful, everyone noticed my growing strength.

"M-Maria?!" Alma gasped.

"What is this power…?!" Sofia asked.

"W-Woah!" Emily muttered.

And then…

[The {Original Curse} is glaring at you.]

And for a moment, I saw a gigantic, black eye glaring at me from above, the entire world turned black.

An immense pressure like nothing ever before…

"There you are…"

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