Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1801: An Alliance? With A Bunch Of Bums?

----- 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"This is..." Gray clenched his fists tightly, glancing at the towering wall before turning to Maria. "The Crimson Castle Walls... they separate the north from the center and the south of the continent. This is where another Archduke and the Dukes reside...! Ah, there!"

FLAAASH!

An Archduchess materialized, her long blonde hair flowing, sharp red eyes narrowing as she looked down at Maria. She wore a striking red dress.

"I've been waiting for you... Maria," she said. "Yes, we know exactly who you are. We've received countless reports about what you did in Murim. Three Family Heads slain by your hand, the entire Lucarion family obliterated... even the Heavenly Palace reduced to ruins. We admire your tenacity and strength."

"Hm?" Maria raised an eyebrow.

"We wish to propose an alliance on behalf of the Crimson Order," the Archduchess continued. "Your entire family would become members, granted every privilege, full access to the treasury, and more. We are even prepared to cede one of our worlds to you. Choose from the three left rulerless after you killed their masters. How does that sound?"

"Oh, not bad," Maria nodded.

"Right? Although you are not a Vampire, your appearance is strikingly vampiric, and we've heard you even command a vampire subordinate," the woman said. "The Crimson Order has therefore decided to formally invite you as an honorary member! How fortunate you are. The Crimson Emperor himself is quite interested in you."

"..."

Maria stared at the woman with eyes devoid of any emotion.

Only darkness lingered there.

An indescribable chill swept through the Archduchess's soul.

"S-So... are you agreeing or...?" the woman asked, her voice trembling with desperation.

"Sure... I have some conditions," Maria replied.

"A-As long as they're reasonable..." the Archduchess said hastily. "The Emperor is willing to accommodate your requests."

"Good. First request: he must kill all the Family Heads and then himself," Maria stated calmly.

"...?!" The woman bit her lip, eyebrows furrowing in outrage. "HAH?!"

"Afterward, I will go and liberate every world he has conquered..." Maria continued. "That should be sufficient. Can he do that? If so, I'll agree immediately."

"...You are making a grave mistake, Maria," the Archduchess warned. "You cannot defeat the Crimson Order. You only overcame our three weakest Family Heads! Alchemist-Lord Varn Velcrith stands far above them—he ranks fifth within the Order!"

"Okay, a ranking for trash. How impressive. So he's the fifth strongest piece of trash? Slightly less worthless, then? That doesn't even make sense. They should rank them by stupidity instead—wait, your Emperor would claim first place anyway, right?" Maria smiled mockingly. "By the way, tell your Emperor I'm coming to kill him soon. He should sit down and wait patiently, maybe with some popcorn or whatever you disgusting creatures eat besides blood. Make sure to deliver the message right away. Ideally, I want him to come here and face me himself, but I bet he's a coward cowering inside his castle. My daughter, who is literally a child, is braver than the pathetic piece of shit that calls himself your Emperor."

The surrounding Vampires stood frozen, mouths agape at the blistering slander directed at their supreme figure of reverence and authority.

Veins bulged on their foreheads. They gritted their teeth, sharp fangs gleaming.

"KILL HER!!!" The Archduchess finally snapped, roaring in fury.

The Vampires hissed, summoning their Sanguine Relics and activating formations to trap their foes, amplify their own power, and weaken Maria and her family.

Or at least, they tried.

"Enough."

Maria's Aura exploded outward. The formations did not shatter—they were absorbed entirely, turning pitch black.

Now they belonged to her.

"Ugh?!"

"What?!"

"The formations!"

Shock rippled through the Vampires as the once-powerful arrays reversed, draining their strength instead. Maria glanced at Gray. He nodded, then leaped skyward.

"THIS IS FOR THE WOLF TRIBE!!!"

His roar thundered as his Aura surged. His body grew larger, Anubis's Divinity enveloping him, transforming his gray and white fur into deepest black.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

He tore through the Vampires like a storm, biting through necks, ripping heads free with single savage chomps, claws shredding bodies into pieces.

He lunged toward the walls, only to be intercepted by three Dukes who converged on him, engaging in fierce combat.

"Hmph. What is that wolf supposed to accomplish? Do you truly believe it will help you win?" the Archduchess sneered.

"No. I just think it's good to let him avenge his people," Maria replied evenly. "Now, stay right where you are."

"DIE!"

The Archduchess vanished and reappeared above Maria, her blazing sword slashing downward.

SLAAASH!

"Hah!"

The vampire laughed triumphantly—until Maria dissolved into shadows and rematerialized at her side. In an instant, she tore off the Archduchess's arm and drove the woman's own sword straight through her heart.

"GAAH!?"

It happened in two heartbeats.

The Archduchess stared at Maria in stunned disbelief. Maria patted her head with a disturbingly gentle smile.

"How about you go fight the wolf instead?" Maria kicked her away.

Gray intercepted the falling Archduchess midair.

"VAMPIRES! ALL OF YOU DIE! AWOOOOO!"

He howled with primal fury. Anubis's power surged through him, drawing forth the vengeful spirits of countless fallen Wolves. They manifested as raging specters, swarming the Vampires sent against him.

"AAAAAGGH!"

The Archduchess screamed, overwhelmed by their shared agony, crashing directly into Gray's waiting claws. She desperately raised barriers as spheres of blood detonated across his body.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

With immense strength she kicked him downward, shattering the ground beneath them. She drove her heels into his chest and began stomping relentlessly.

"You! You dare defy an Archduchess like me?! I AM A SUPERIOR BEING! I WILL REFIN YOU INTO AN ELIXIR, YOU DAMNED DOG!"

"GRAAAARR!"

Gray roared like a beast and clamped his jaws around her leg, tearing it clean off with a brutal twist.

"AAAAGH!"

She shrieked in agony, transforming her blood into razor-sharp spikes that pierced his body. He groaned in pain.

She frantically tried to regenerate the limb—only to discover a black curse spreading through the wound, halting her regeneration entirely.

"What?!"

As confusion gripped her, Gray charged again. His claws slashed upward and downward in relentless arcs, shockwaves of Anubis's power erupting with each strike.

"I was underestimating you earlier, but you're not half bad. You can really take a beating."

The jackal spirit smirked, arms crossed as his power manifested more fully. Gray proved an exceptional vessel, growing even larger, faster, and more agile.

He blurred around the Archduchess. She summoned magical chains, blood spheres, floating Sanguine Relics, spears, and swords to strike him down.

Gray swung his claws in wide arcs, shattering them instantly. Then he lunged forward, jaws clamping around her neck with crushing force.

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