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

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Lastly, a crown made of floating gold and holy light appeared above Artorias, something that wasn't present before. This was because his armor had evolved even further.

The crown was embedded with golden, red, and green jewels, glowing with the majesty of a King.

Artorias had changed completely, overwhelmingly growing in power and embodying the true "Dream" of King Arthur's Legend.

No, it was more than just the Dream of King Arthur's Legend, which he inherited. There was also something else empowering it.

His own dreams and his relentless admiration for someone as amazing as Jonathan.

Despite how his pride didn't let him admit it out loud.

Jonathan had become his role model; someone he wanted to be like.

Therefore, his dreams were reshaped and reinforced. As the Original Nightmare Curse glanced in disbelief, Artorias' Aura transformed into a giant Hero of Light, resembling Jonathan himself.

"This is my pinnacle, face it!"

Artorias roared, swinging his golden sword against the Original Nightmare Curse and clashing against his two demonic swords. Explosions of darkness and light erupted with each blow.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Damn human! Who do you think you are?! Do you truly believe you can stand a chance against someone of my caliber?! I am this world's god! I am the Original Nightmare Curse! I am your End and your Calamity!"

"And I don't care."

Artorias' eyes shone brightly. His mechanical armor helped him leap into the skies as propulsors appeared on his metallic boots. He swung his blade against the Nightmare, slicing through both demonic swords as he unleashed a devastating ascending attack.

"{Heavenly Ascension}!"

SLAAAASH!

"UGH?!"

The Original Nightmare Curse groaned in pain. His arms were suddenly sliced apart, and his blood splattered everywhere, only to burn into ashes as golden and white flames consumed it all.

"GAAAAAGGGH!"

As the monster cried, Artorias' aura erupted, resembling a gigantic hero of light, swinging his blade against the monster and constantly engulfing him in slashing attacks. At the same time, Artorias moved rapidly and with immense strength. His armor shapeshifted as it grew giant drill missiles, firing them at his foe and bombarding him constantly.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"W-WHAT IS THIS…?! HOW…! Y-YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS POWERFUL!"

"I don't care what I am supposed to be. I'll carve my own path!"

Artorias rushed down. His blade suddenly absorbed his Aura and grew even more gigantic. He swung it down, slashing through the Original Nightmare Curse's Avatar and splitting him into two halves.

SLAAAASH!

"AAAAARRGGGHH! S-STOP!"

The monster resisted the agonizing pain even as he was sliced apart, trying to reconnect as his two halves grew giant tentacles and swords, clashing against Artorias and hitting him as hard as they could.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

However, even as his armor gained cracks or as small pieces of steel fell from it, Artorias didn't let go of his grip. He swung his blade horizontally and then vertically, constantly changing his stance and technique, imitating his role model.

"THIS IS YOUR END! {Divine Sunlight Blade Arts}: {Lightning Slash}"

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

A storm of lightning slashes engulfed the Original Nightmare Curse's Avatar from every angle, cutting through his armored exterior. All his limbs began to be sliced and exploded into ashes.

"GAAAAAHHHHH!"

The Original Nightmare Curse fired countless beams against Artorias, but he didn't stop, imitating his role model with his incredible talent, a single battle now ingrained into his mind and soul.

Artorias unleashed the power of Jonathan, even if he wasn't here.

"Echo."

"Ngh?!"

"{Lightning Dragon Storm}"

RUMBLE!

His sword swung upwards as a dragon made of light and thunder surged, roaring furiously and engulfing the Nightmare Curse in a massive explosion, devouring him with its giant jaws.

BOOOMMM!!!

A nearby building collapsed as giant pieces of rubble fell everywhere. The pavement shattered open, revealing a hole leading to the underground sewers, which were almost completely dried by the intense heat.

A massive crater remained, with the Original Nightmare Curse's Avatar heavily wounded. Branches of nightmare power withered as they tried to inject him with power or recover this Soul Fragment.

Artorias walked toward him.

"YOU BASTARD!!!"

However, the monster wasn't done. Harboring all the power he could, the stone itself, the pavement, collapsed buildings, and nearby cars merged into his aberrant body, becoming a monstrous giant made of various materials as a last-ditch effort to crush Artorias.

His giant foot loomed over the young student, stomping down with immense strength as blood splattered onto the floor.

CRAAASH!

"H-Heh…! I got him! I got him…!"

As the Original Nightmare Curse laughed, thinking he had stomped Artorias, he realized his leg had yet to touch the floor.

Indeed, the young hero was standing, his blade helping him hold back the stomp attack. His hands were bleeding, burning from the friction.

But he wasn't dead.

"I-Impossible…! Die! DIE ALREADY!"

The Original Nightmare Curse panicked, falling further into despair as he realized this world wasn't as weak as he remembered.

However, Artorias moved faster, evading his foe's giant fists as his armor unleashed its full power at that moment.

"{Rampaging Lion King Inferno}!"

"ROOOAARRR!"

A three-headed lion surged from his aura, unleashing a massive barrage of powerful attacks, clashing against the aberration and pushing its limbs away, destroying its hard exterior with countless blazing blows from his blade and the lion's claws.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

Until.

Crack, crack…!

"UUGGHH?! IMPO… SSIBLE! NOOOO! FATE…! FATE HAS BEEN SET IN STONE! I WILL WIN! I WILL…! GUH?!"

CRASH!

"Fate?! I'll seize it with my own hands!"

BOOOMMM!!!

The Original Nightmare Curse exploded into pieces, and the Soul Fragment he had used to create a powerful Avatar to infiltrate the barrier exploded by the accumulation of light and holy flames, turning into nothing but ashes.

"G A A A A A H H H H H…!"

His scream of agony reverberated through the entire city as a large chunk of the divided body of the Original Nightmare Curse was suddenly vanquished.

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