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

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Celes and his mother, Nia, were standing atop the tallest rooftops of the city. Accompanied by Takeshi, Laura, and Tear as their bodyguards. Naturally, Eustace was also manifesting himself behind Celes, protecting the child's back. At the same time, Nyx was watching over them from the skies. The Saintess was already beginning to conjure more of her powerful magic.

"Her barrier is really tough; I wasn't able to break it!" Said Celes. "It is fueled by a lot of divine power… M-Maybe from the Goddess of Water?"

"Most likely." Tear nodded. "You did well, little Celes. Don't overexert yourself and let us also take some of the burden. We've been tasked with stopping her attacks while Maria and the rest take care of her."

"You've got your mom here as well!" Nia said, wielding her spear. Her wind aura erupting from her body. "We're ready for anything!"

"That's right…" Eustace nodded, wielding his phantasmal sword.

"I am not as good as you in controlling large quantities of water, but I can complement your abilities, Celes. Just rely on me!" Takeshi said cheerfully.

"I'll blow away anything that gets closer… Don't worry." Laura winked at the boy.

"I'll stay here and protect you all too!" Nyx roared in her giant, draconic form. "Nobody is hurting my cute friend Celes!"

"Nyx… Everyone…" Celes felt slightly moved by everyone protecting and at the same time, relying on him. His Divine Spiritual Powers surged more and more from his soul, as if growing stronger based on the emotions he felt. "Thank you! I-I'll do my best too!"

Maria nodded as she saw the boy gain more of his resolve. Her eyes quickly set on Emilia. As her Shadow Realm spread across the entire city. Undead swiftly grabbed every person back into her shadows. She couldn't risk them dying here, so she'll have to "kidnap" them for a bit.

"What are you waiting for, you useless beasts?! Attack them!" Emilia ordered her Paladins.

"Yes, Saintess Emilia…"

"We will… FIGHT!"

"For… the… goddess… RAAARRGH!"

The Paladins, once normal humans with their own dreams and futures, transformed into aberrant chimeric monsters, mostly all resembling sea critters. Some looked like water hydras, other like sea snakes, some like river wyverns, and many like giant crabs and octopus hybrids.

The Corrupted Water Spirit Crystal Hearts placed inside of them changed their appearance into these forms instead of the more demonic appearances of the Demonite Hearts, and their stats were further boosted as Emilia released her Aura of Water Divinity.

"I learned from the memories of Maleficus that you forced upon these Paladins to become these monsters." Maria commented above the skies. Saintess Emilia swiftly directed her gaze towards her. "You're really fucked in the head, aren't you? I'm going to enjoy killing you."

"Tch! They're nothing but my loyal puppets! I can do as I please with them!" Emilia roared furiously. "And you say you're going to kill me, you filthy ghost?! Hah! I doubt it! I have the power of a Goddess at my side! [Holy Azure Spiraling Vortexes]!"

Emilia didn't waste a second, conjuring a hundred azure-colored magic circles and directing them all towards Maria while the waters of the Oasis prepared yet another destructive tsunami. Maria saw the hundred of attacks, charged with deadly divinity and made of Holy Water, they impacted her body, leaving holes that disintegrated her phantasmal body with ease.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Oh?"

"Hahahah!"

Emilia laughed as she saw Maria's barrier break easily and her body beginning to disintegrate as the Holy Water magic easily destroyed her phantasmal body. She looked at Maria with eyes full of cockiness.

"What? Did you thought that water was weak, you ghost?! If you're an Undead, then Holy Water will indeed easily destroy your very existence! My magic is a terrible match against you, fool! [Holy Azure Whale's Maws]!"

As Emilia celebrated, she conjured a larger magic circle, summoning a gigantic whale-shaped mass of divine azure holy water, which opened its jaws, swimming directly towards Maria and swallowing her completely.

CRUNCH!

Maria's entire body dissipated into nothingness as she was engulfed by a never-ending stream of water, before the huge whale was to fall into the city below like a rain of acid, her Shadow Realm spreading everywhere was also beginning to be slightly effected.

"Wait, I killed her already? Well, that was easy!" She laughed. "Now I just have to dispose of the rest of you filthy maggots. And then I'll go back home, be rewarded for my great feats, and live peacefully while my parents spoil me! Gyahahaha!" Emilia was so full of herself she was already planning her next vacations.

It was clear that she and the people of the Empire of Light were living completely different lives than the rest of the people of Yggdrasil, so devoid of any sense of responsibility, with so much luxury! While the rest of the people here were only thinking what they'll be able to provide for their families tomorrow, she had everything for granted, imagining herself relaxing in some sort of resort.

"All of you will perish!" She smiled, the waves of the Oasis' water already rushing down!

SPLASH!

However, yet again to her surprise, the water was stopped! Half of it was frozen, the other half was controlled by Celes, Eustace, Nia, and Takeshi's combined magical powers. Nia's winds spiraling around the water to keep it stable in midair, while the rest controlled it.

"Take it back!" Celes roared, his eyes flashing with azure light, a giant dragon made of water impacted the Divine Barrier protecting the church once more.

CRAAASH!

Crack, crack…!

More cracks spread across the barrier, but Emilia couldn't care less. After she killed Maria, she thought everything else would be a piece of cake. She waved her hands, completely unaware of the creeping darkness and phantasmal energies gathering and piercing through the cracks of her Divine Barrier.

"You're all so pathetic! Your struggles will only make this more enjoyable! Let's see how hard you struggle, you- Ugh?!"

Before she could speak another word, Maria materialized behind her, her hands grasping her tender neck…

"Emilia, you shouldn't lower your guard in front of a ghost!"

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