Dr. Simons' sudden arrival saved everyone—well, everyone except Joey, who had decided to secretly take on the boss alone.
His consciousness was taken away, trapped inside Freddy's dream.
Why didn't Barry step in to help?
Barry Uncle was frustrated too. You all joined forces, threw a party, and still had to go poke the bear in its own den.
How was he supposed to save you from that?
He had to protect the house, keep an eye on Philip—the flying kid he saved last night—to make sure he didn't drop dead again, and on top of that, people wanted him to make a surprise inspection that interrupted Kristen's group therapy session.
That was way too much to handle.
And besides, jumping into a dream without the proper power-ups was risky. In a large, multiplayer dream world like this, Barry could easily end up getting humiliated by Freddy.
That would be the worst-case scenario—total loss of reputation.
Barry hated the idea of a flop. Unlike Jason, Freddy wasn't just a brute; he was a twisted, cunning demon—smart, manipulative, and impossible to fight on pure instinct alone.
Worse, Freddy had no boundaries. He loved cracking hellish jokes, toying with his victims, mocking them, and killing them in the most creatively horrifying ways imaginable.
The two had already clashed during the Hell Resurrection Tournament, and after returning to the real world, their grudge only deepened.
If Barry lost again, the humiliation would be unbearable—an ultimate nightmare of disgrace and horror.
He couldn't afford that.
Against an enemy with no moral line, he'd have to strike hard—one punch, total annihilation.
But to do that, he needed full preparation.
To defeat Freddy, he had to master dream-based powers. Only then would he have a real chance at a fair fight.
---
That night, Nancy and Dr. Neil were fired from the hospital—kicked out immediately.
In the rec room, four miserable souls gathered together.
Will, the guy in the wheelchair, said, "So… we're out of options?"
Taryn, the dark-haired girl, sighed. "What's next for us? Will we end up in a coma, or die in some unimaginable, painful way?"
Kincaid, the tough black guy, growled, "That freak—how long is he gonna torture us?"
Kristen murmured, "The power of unity feels… so small."
The group fell silent in despair.
Without Nancy—their dream escape veteran—they had lost their leader, their courage, and their hope.
How could they possibly fight Freddy now?
Winning wasn't even on the table anymore.
At this point, all they could decide was how they wanted to die—perhaps with a little dignity, if possible.
Still, no one was ready to just give up their life.
Even ants cling to life—how could humans do any less?
But they couldn't avoid the inevitable forever. What now?
Everyone sat together again, but no one had the strength to take the lead.
If they didn't come up with something soon, someone else might fall asleep tonight and never wake up again.
Then, from the TV, Uncle Ben's voice echoed:
> "With great power comes great responsibility."
Kristen's eyes flicked to the screen, and something inside her stirred.
Maybe… she was meant to do something.
Maybe she could make a difference.
Someone once told her that if she signed a contract and joined the team, she could save her friends.
Her heart started pounding with that thought.
"Maybe we've hit our limit," she said softly, "but it's not time to give up yet."
She stood up, determined.
"I'll be our hero—the one who saves everyone."
"Kristen, what are you talking about?" Will said. "Without Nancy, we're toast. You remember last time? We almost got roasted alive!"
"Yeah," Kincaid added, "if we go in again, we're just asking to die. Don't tell me you think you're Spider-Man now. Get real."
"Whatever," Taryn muttered. "If we're gonna die, might as well play cards tonight."
Kristen smiled faintly, calm and almost fearless.
"Guys… it's time I saved you all."
She looked them dead in the eyes.
"Because I'm the chosen one."
"Tonight, no one's gonna die."
A short pause.
"Except maybe me."
The resolve in her eyes was unshakable.
Her courage moved the others—they realized she wasn't joking.
They leaned in, eager to hear her plan.
If it made sense, they'd follow her to the end.
Kristen picked up the phone and dialed.
"Hello? Are you there?"
"I've been waiting for your call," came the reply.
"I want to sign the contract and join your team. I'll do anything to save my friends."
"As you wish."
When she hung up, her friends circled around, faces skeptical. Their eyes said it all: That's it? Seriously?
Kristen nodded confidently. "We'll win. I promise."
Inside, though, she whispered, Nancy… I'm sorry. But I have to do this.
About twenty minutes later, a man in sunglasses arrived—it was Barry.
In front of everyone, Kristen signed the contract, pressing her thumbprint on the page.
"Is it done?" she asked. She didn't feel stronger, just… emptier, like something had been taken away.
"The contract was a success," Barry said with a faint smile.
"What about Freddy?" she asked quickly.
"Relax," he said, patting his chest. "Just get everyone together tonight, open a multiplayer dream session, and I'll protect you."
Then he added, "But I'll need a little time. Don't fall asleep too early tonight."
"Why?" Kristen's eyes narrowed. Part of her still didn't trust him—Nancy wasn't there anymore, and that made her uneasy.
"Because," Barry said calmly, "I have to find my inner power first."
Through the contract, he was absorbing part of Kristen's soul—the same power that could pull others into dreams.
Even if it was just a seed, Barry had the strength to make it bloom into something powerful.
He wasn't that broke, lonely guy from Silent Hill anymore.
"How long will it take? There won't be any… accidents, right?" she asked nervously.
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "You'll be the last one standing."
"What about us?" the others blurted out. Something about that didn't sound right.
Barry smiled. "That's… different."
"Wait—what?!" they shouted in unison.