At Barry's feet lay two severed heads—both half of Freddy's, each one twitching faintly as it reverted to its hideous true form.
"I won't repeat myself. Die."
Barry grabbed a half of Freddy's head in each hand, and with a powerful surge of energy, unleashed a force of pure absorption.
One grip—one instant—and the refining began.
It's in… it's in!
"How's it feel now, Freddy?"
"No! You're wrong! In the dream world, I'm immortal!" A grotesque face burst from Barry's chest, trying to claw its way out through his flesh.
"Immortal? You're mistaken. Against my power of fantasy reconstruction, your so-called immortality is a joke."
Blue light exploded from Barry's body. His bones and flesh became an unbreakable prison, sealing Freddy inside.
Bang, bang, bang!
The sound of something slamming against iron echoed again and again—like a furious drum beating from within Barry's chest.
No matter how Freddy struggled, he couldn't shake Barry's body at all. Every move only drained his strength faster, speeding his own downfall.
"You can't… you can't do this! Let me out!"
Panic—real panic—took over. Trapped and powerless, Freddy faced something he had never experienced before.
He wasn't afraid of dying—because he could always come back.
But to be imprisoned, his power slowly bleeding away? That terrified him.
He could feel it—the space around him was like a black hole, sucking away everything he'd ever accumulated, devouring it without mercy.
"Cherish what little time you've got left," Barry said coldly. "You don't have much."
He ignored Freddy's pleas after that. Soon, the voice went silent, sealed away completely—as though muted by force.
---
In the audience stands, every one of Freddy's puppet spectators froze in place. Dozens of motionless faces stared blankly ahead—lifeless, soulless, like corpses.
They had only been Freddy's background illusions. Without his control, they simply stopped moving.
But the sudden silence scared the patients half to death.
Only after several tense seconds did they realize… they'd won. They were champions.
Cheers broke out across the room, echoing like a wave of long-suppressed joy.
---
Barry strode through the flames, untouched by even a spark, returning to them like a victorious god of war.
Kristen ran to him and leapt into his arms, clinging to him like an octopus. "You did it! You won!"
Barry gently peeled her off, calm as ever. "I knew the outcome before the fight even began."
Kristen tried to jump at him again, but he pressed one strong hand to her forehead and held her effortlessly in place.
The others crowded around, unable to contain their excitement, stammering out their gratitude and relief.
They'd been waiting for this moment for so long.
"Will Freddy ever come back?" one of them asked—the question on everyone's mind.
"As long as I exist," Barry said firmly, "he'll never harm you again. I'll protect your dreams. From now on, sleep in peace."
His words carried the weight of absolute power—and everyone believed him.
"Let's go," he said finally. "This night has been long enough."
He walked to an open space, drew a glowing line in the air with his fingertip, and a hidden portal appeared.
Beyond it lay the end of the dream.
---
"It's finally over," someone whispered.
The others exchanged weary smiles and followed Barry through the doorway.
The next instant—
A blinding flash erupted—dozens of white explosions all at once, flooding everything in light.
"Jesus, who threw a flashbang?!"
"It's so hot—so bright!"
When their vision cleared, shock and dread settled over them like a suffocating weight.
"Why… why are we still in the dream?" Nancy gasped, staring at the world of burning fire that surrounded them.
They stood on a narrow stone platform, encircled by a sea of flames.
"It's over. We're dead," someone whispered hopelessly. They all knew—if they fell, or if even a wave of fire hit them, they'd be ash in seconds.
"Keheheheh! Third surprise!"
The sinister laugh came from Barry's chest. A warped face pressed against his heart, its lips moving creepily.
"Freddy's back!" someone screamed.
The group wanted to back away, but the heat of the surrounding inferno trapped them in place.
Kristen looked at Barry, terrified. "Uncle Barry, what's happening? Are we going to die?"
Before Barry could answer, another voice cut in.
"Of course you are, kids," Freddy sneered. "Uncle Freddy promises—this time, you're all dead. Surprised? Delighted?"
From the sea of fire rose Freddy himself—wearing a scorched helmet, his charred body crackling with molten sparks.
With every step, the flames were drawn into him, feeding his strength, making him bigger, hotter, more powerful.
Before he even reached them, he had grown to ten meters tall.
And he was still growing.
"This is fun. So much fun! Barry, your 'Scorched Body Mode' is amazing!"
Two voices spoke in unison—one from the monstrous Freddy in the fire, and one from the twisted face on Barry's chest.
"You really thought you consumed me?" Freddy laughed. "Don't be stupid. It's the other way around. I consumed you! This was my plan all along. You can't outsmart me!"
He kept growing—twenty meters, thirty, forty—tall enough to guest star in an Ultraman episode.
The size difference alone was crushing. The moment they saw him, everyone's courage evaporated.
How could an ant fight a giant?
"This is a dream—I can wake up, I can wake up!"
"Abba-abba!"
"Wake up, dammit!" Slap! Slap! Slap!
People started smacking their own faces in panic.
Barry's eyes stayed calm. "Everything's under control. We'll live through this."
"Live?" Freddy laughed mockingly. "Right now, you're nothing but a bug. Let's see you fight this!"
He opened his mouth and unleashed a blazing beam of fire straight at them.
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