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

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"{Volcanic Dragon's Calamity}!!!"

Hendrick appeared from above, his gauntlets blazing with so much power they began to crack and break apart. As he descended like a meteor, his aura exploded like a fierce dragon.

"ROOOAAARRR!"

"WHA…?!"

The Avatar was unable to evade or react as the attack hit him directly. An immense explosion of burning flames and magma engulfed him. Even his crystal body began to burn and slowly melt.

BOOOMMM!!!

As the attack consumed the monster and he began to agonize, still trying to move and cool himself down, Hendrick, with his arms burning and his Dream Weapon shattered, screamed at Hanzo.

"GO, HANZO!!!"

"Thank you, Hendrick!"

Hanzo smiled, closing his eyes. His katana overflowed with shadows as he stepped forward. Memories of his family appeared within his mind, of all those he lost that fateful night, and of the nightmare that had taken hold of his heart this entire time.

Even when he slaughtered the one responsible for that night and his entire clan, even when he had tried to move on, his nightmare always remained ever-present. Even as he tamed it into his Dream Weapon, its darkness and shadows always seemed terrifying, embodying a trauma he could never overcome.

The black blade he held suddenly began to change as light emanated from it. The black steel covering it peeled away, and the nightmarish flames encompassing him and his weapon disappeared, turning gold and pink instead, like the cherry blossom petals of spring from his home country.

In that moment, Hanzo faced the literal embodiment of his fears and nightmares and swung his blade with everything he had.

Dream Weapons were the embodiment of a person's mind, their dreams, their hopes, and also their greatest fears and pain.

And also their memories.

"H-HUH…?!"

The Original Nightmare Curse's eyes widened. Within his Avatar, he saw a beautiful scene of people laughing beneath cherry blossom trees, a big family. These memories that Hanzo had long forgotten resurfaced, becoming his strength.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

Each pink petal that reached the Avatar split a piece of him, constantly, without end. Hanzo had already appeared behind the monster, sheathing his sword.

"{Sakura Dream Blade Arts}: {Smiling Hope And Sorrowful Nostalgia: Yozakura}"

"A-AAH…!"

The Nightmare Curse Avatar muttered in agony as his entire body fell apart, and his Soul Fragment…

Crack, crack…!

"NO, NO, NO! NOT AGAIN! NOOOOOOO!!!"

CRAAASH!

It shattered!

The illusory domain disappeared as Hanzo smiled, dropping to the floor, his body weak from having pushed himself so far, but smiling as he saw his sword's true form after all these years, even after he had retired.

"To think that you were so beautiful, my dear blade…"

He hugged his sword, the embodiment of his dreams and memories of his family. Even though they were long gone, he saw how their memories lived within that Dream Weapon.

They were within him, within his very heart, right there.

As he shed a small tear, he slowly closed his eyes.

"Hanzo!" Frederica ran toward him.

"I-Is he okay? Hey, Hanzo!" Hendrick cried, running toward him.

The two tried to bring him back, pouring an elixir over his body, but their eyes widened as the katana Hanzo was wielding slowly began to turn into sakura petals, fading in the wind.

"D-Director?"

Frederica and Hendrick's eyes widened as they realized he was no longer breathing.

"No…" Frederica cried. "No…! Director! Director!!!"

"Did he push himself too far?" Hendrick muttered, unable to believe it. "He did it… he really defeated that monster and yet… why…? You were always… my hero, Hanzo!"

As the two professors cried before Hanzo's body, the sakura petals spread everywhere, beginning to touch the Nightmare Monsters and killing them, making them explode into more petals.

As this happened, from Hanzo's chest, from his very Dream Heart, a small sapling began to grow, reaching higher and higher, spreading its branches.

"A-A tree?"

"What?"

Hendrick and Frederica stepped back, glancing at the scene in disbelief as Hanzo's body was buried beneath the tree's roots, disappearing.

The tree grew tall and strong, its sakura petals spreading farther and farther through the city as it emanated a pure Dream Spirit Essence everywhere.

The sakura petals not only took down the Nightmare Beasts instantly but also formed a stronger barrier, reinforcing what Maria had created, making the Original Nightmare Curse both perplexed and frustrated.

"W-What's going on?! How is this possible?! Who was that man?! How can he do this?! He died and yet…! His Dream Heart remains alive?!"

A phenomenon never seen before, and yet, perhaps a new explanation of what Dream Hearts truly were. They were not just objects to obtain power. They were the embodiments of dreams and hopes.

Hanzo's last wish was to protect his students, the city, and its people.

And so, his Dream Heart blossomed beautifully into a sakura tree, one that spread its magical power everywhere. Hanzo's warmth and his sense of responsibility carried with each petal until the very end of his life.

The children in the airport looked at the sky, smiling as they saw the sakura petals flying everywhere, pointing at them or playing with them. They were harmless, not doing anything to them.

However, those who were heavily wounded or about to die were healed by these petals, helping them move forward to continue fighting.

"Director…!"

"To think even now you're… taking care of us!"

"We won't disappoint you…"

"Your legacy will live on!"

"And the new generations will know of your great sacrifice!"

The professors who once doubted themselves began to cry, armed with new resolve. The petals became fewer and fewer, however, and more Nightmare Monsters started coming from farther regions.

They had to continue fighting. In just a few more minutes, the airships would arrive to evacuate everyone!

The students among those being evacuated glanced at the scene in disbelief, some frustrated that they couldn't fight.

No, why couldn't they fight? They were right there!

The director's sacrifice couldn't be for nothing…

Although most of the students remained behind, their strongest members stepped forward.

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