The benefits of improving dream control far exceeded Lucien's expectations.
Dreams were born from the subconscious, a world where the conscious mind became fragile and distant. In that realm, the body often refused to obey. Limbs felt heavy, movement sluggish, and thoughts scattered like mist.
Even worse, fear was amplified.
Reason always lagged a step behind terror.
That imbalance was exactly why most people, even after realizing they were trapped inside a nightmare, still couldn't escape the overwhelming dread.
But dream control changed everything.
Those who mastered it could bend dreams to their will.
They could fly.
Disappear.
Change the environment.
Even rewrite reality itself.
Annie's eyes lit up the moment Lucien finished explaining.
"Is it really that amazing? I want to try it too."
Lucien glanced at her and spoke calmly.
"I wouldn't recommend it unless absolutely necessary."
He paused.
"There's a risk of psychological side effects. Personality fragmentation, hallucinations, even mental instability."
Annie instantly deflated.
"Oh…"
Her disappointment was obvious.
But then another thought suddenly appeared in her mind.
Lucien knew dream control.
Did that mean—
Could he possibly have some hidden mental problem too?
Could there suddenly be two Luciens standing in front of her?
The thought was so absurd that Annie nearly laughed despite the terrifying atmosphere.
Lucien, of course, had no idea what was going through her mind.
The reason he explained all of this was simple.
He needed to keep Annie calm.
As long as her mind stayed stable, Freddy would have fewer chances to feed on fear.
Lucien's gaze sharpened.
If this keeps going, the people outside might wake up and get dragged into the dream again.
That would only complicate things.
After their last two clashes, Freddy had clearly realized he couldn't defeat Lucien head-on.
That was why the nightmare demon had retreated into the shadows.
But Lucien was far from pleased.
A faint frown appeared on his face.
"You're hiding now?"
His voice carried mild annoyance.
"Then where am I supposed to farm soul points?"
Annie blinked.
Even inside a nightmare, this man was thinking about benefits.
Honestly…
he was scarier than Freddy sometimes.
Lucien gripped the chainsaw tighter and moved deeper into the corridor.
The house was far larger on the inside than it had appeared from outside.
The narrow hallways twisted endlessly.
One dead end after another.
A maze.
A trap designed to build panic.
Lucien stopped walking.
For a moment, he could almost imagine Freddy's mocking grin in the darkness.
Trying to make him lose his sense of direction?
Trying to let fear grow?
A cold smile curved Lucien's lips.
"Heh."
Without hesitation, he raised the chainsaw.
The engine roared to life.
RRRRRRAAAAAAA—
Then he slammed it straight into the wooden wall.
CRASH!
Wood splintered apart instantly.
The old American villa-style structure was mostly wood layered over masonry, and against the spinning steel teeth of the chainsaw, it was as fragile as paper.
The wall exploded into fragments.
Dust filled the air.
Annie stared in stunned silence.
This brutal, direct way of solving problems…
Freddy manipulated nightmares.
Lucien just cut through them.
In some ways, he truly felt just as terrifying.
Still, Annie quickly followed behind him.
One wall.
Then another.
Then another.
Lucien simply carved his own path forward.
Finally—
after breaking through yet another wall—
a blinding white light burst into view.
Annie instinctively shielded her eyes.
When her vision adjusted, she froze.
They were no longer in the rotting house.
Instead, they stood inside a hospital room.
The sharp smell of antiseptic filled the air.
White curtains.
Bright lights.
Sterile walls.
Annie looked down.
She was wearing a blue-and-white hospital gown.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"You're awake?"
A doctor wearing a surgical mask stepped closer.
His voice was gentle.
"Can you see clearly?"
He raised two fingers.
Annie stared blankly, then nodded instinctively.
The doctor turned to another person holding a clipboard.
"The patient's condition is stabilizing. Record that."
Annie's heart suddenly raced.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
She looked around frantically.
"Where's Lucien?"
The doctor answered without hesitation.
"You mean the Chinese patient in the next room?"
"He's also undergoing treatment."
Annie's eyes widened.
"Patient?"
The doctor nodded.
"Yes, Miss Hathaway."
He calmly flipped through a medical file.
"Like Lucien, you have developed severe complications due to prolonged insomnia."
"Visual hallucinations."
"Auditory hallucinations."
"Delusional episodes."
"But please don't worry."
"Our institution specializes in this field."
"We will help you recover."
"No…"
Annie staggered backward.
"That's impossible."
"Lucien was just here…"
She suddenly stood up too fast, tearing the IV needle from the back of her hand.
A sharp pain shot through her arm.
Blood stained her pale skin.
Everything felt so real.
Too real.
The doctor adjusted his glasses.
"Please remain calm."
"Lucien is being treated next door."
"You'll see him soon."
Then his expression turned serious.
"I understand your emotional dependence on him."
Annie froze.
"Dependence?"
The doctor nodded.
"After your condition worsened, you had to leave the film industry."
"The mental pressure pushed your symptoms further."
"One night, while drunk, you were attacked by a homeless man."
"Lucien happened to save you."
As he spoke, he showed her two photographs.
One was Lucien.
The other—
Freddy.
Annie's pupils contracted violently.
The doctor quickly continued.
"The homeless man, Freddy, has already been arrested."
"You're safe now."
He leaned closer.
"Now tell me, what happened?"
Shaking, Annie recounted everything.
The filming set.
The nightmares.
Freddy.
The cursed dreams.
The talismans.
The exorcism.
The doctor listened silently.
Then sighed.
"These are textbook delusions, Miss Hathaway."
"They are not real."
Before Annie could respond, he slowly removed his mask.
Her breathing stopped.
It was the film set supervisor.
"No…"
Her voice trembled.
"That's impossible…"
One by one, the other doctors removed their masks.
Director.
Producer.
Screenwriter.
Camera operator.
Lighting technician.
Every familiar face from the set was there.
Annie's mind nearly shattered.
"Your condition has worsened."
"We need to increase the dosage."
At that moment, the door opened.
A restrained patient was wheeled inside.
Straightjacket.
Empty eyes.
Lifeless expression.
It was Lucien.
He lay motionless on the bed beside her.
Silent.
Broken.
Defeated.
Annie's heart felt like it was being crushed.
Then—
another knock.
A doctor pushing a trolley entered the room.
As he approached, he slowly removed his mask.
Burn scars.
A twisted face.
A horrible grin.
Freddy.
Annie's entire body convulsed.
She tried to scream.
No sound came out.
The other "doctors" quietly exited.
The room was left with only the three of them.
Freddy chuckled.
"Oh, Annie."
"What an interesting reunion."
Then he turned toward the bed.
"But first…"
His clawed hand shot downward.
SHKKT!
The blades pierced straight through Lucien's chest.
Blood sprayed across the white walls.
Annie's silent scream tore through her soul.
NO!!
Freddy laughed.
"Is this your precious savior?"
"How does it feel to watch him die?"
He stepped closer.
"Don't worry."
"You're next."
Just as his claws descended—
a metallic tube suddenly pressed against Annie's temple.
She turned in shock.
Behind her stood Lucien.
Completely unharmed.
A heavy oil tank was strapped across his back.
In his hands—
a flamethrower.
His white teeth gleamed beneath a sharp grin.
"Freddy."
Lucien's voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Want some barbecue?"