The moment the decision was made,the world did not wait.
Shadows surged forward from every direction—formless, lawless—like fear crashing in all at once.
You drew your sword.Pegasus spread its wings.
No plan.No signal.Just a single understanding:
Make one mistake… and you die.
Pegasus shot into the sky,pulling part of the shadows after it.
You charged straight through the rest,your blade cutting into darkness that did not bleed—yet struck back with force that rattled your bones.
Nightmare man didn't move.
He stood at the center,like the owner of a board,letting the pieces collide.
"Fast," he said calmly,as a shadow pierced through your shoulder.
Blood splattered.The pain was real.
"But you still think in straight lines."
Pegasus dove down,its hooves smashing shadows apart.
A wing was torn—white feathers scattering, stained red.
"Don't stop!" it shouted.
You didn't.
Even as your legs faltered,even as your arms grew heavy—
you pushed forward.
For a single moment,you reached him.
Nightmare man moved.
Just a hand raised—
—and an overwhelming force hurled you back.The ground shattered beneath you.Your breath vanished.
"You fight with emotion," he said."I fight with experience."
Pegasus charged him head-on.No hesitation.No retreat.
Nightmare man turned—
and in his eyes,there was no anger.
Only decision.
A shadow burst from the ground,wrapping around Pegasus—tight, fast—
familiar.
"NO—!"
It constricted.Crushed.Twisted.
Just like before.
Just like the rabbit.
Nightmare man pulled the shadow inward,binding Pegasus completely.
Its wings folded.White swallowed by black.
"You've seen this pattern before,"he said evenly.
Something inside you—
snapped.
The sound of your own blood roared in your ears.Your vision burned red.
Your hands trembled—
not from fear.
"Stop… now," you said,your voice low—wrong.
Nightmare man tilted his head.
"…Oh?"
Images overlapped in your mind—the rabbit,the princess,Pegasus—
You didn't think.Didn't choose.Didn't hesitate.
You let everything go.
Fear.Guilt.Reason.
Something broke free from within you.
Not light.Not shadow.
Something without limits.
You stepped forward—though your body should have collapsed.
The ground didn't break.
It moved away.
Nightmare man stepped back—half a step—without realizing.
"…That shouldn't be possible."
For the first time,his voice wavered.
Power poured out of you—endless, uncontrollable—as if it had never had a limit.
Only a dooryou had never opened.
The shadows around you trembled—retreated—tore apart.
You swung once.
No technique.No form.
Just… erasure.
The shadow binding Pegasus vanished.It fell to the ground.
Nightmare man stepped back again.
"You're burning yourself," he said—a warning… or fear.
You looked at him, expression empty.
"I don't care."
You lunged forward—faster than shadows,stronger than dreams.
Every strike—
he blocked.
But each time—
he stepped back.
Until the final blow.
You struck—
not his body,but his core.
The impact echoed—not loud,but heavy.
Nightmare man was thrown back.Cracks spread across his form—like darkness itself breaking apart.
He dropped to one knee.
All shadows vanished.
Silence returned.
You stood there, breathing hard.Blood ran down your body.The power still surged—refusing to fade.
Nightmare man looked up at you.
In his eyes—
only one thing remained:
Defeat.
"…Infinite power," he murmured."It is not a blessing."
You stepped closer.
"I know."
You turned to Pegasus—still breathing.Still alive.
"…But it's enough."
Nightmare man closed his eyes.
His body began to crumble—like a dream ending.
The world trembled.
The sky slowly brightened,as if it were breathing again.
Then a voice echoed—
not his.
But the voice of the Dreamland itself.
"The promise… has been fulfilled."
Light poured through cracks in the air—not blinding,not harsh—
but warm.
Two silhouettes began to form.
The first—small, quick—long ears twitching.
The rabbit.
It collapsed,then scrambled back up,looking around in confusion—
until it saw you.
"…You?"
Something in your chest loosened instantly.
The second figure appeared.
Slender.Familiar.
The princess fell to her knees,touching the ground—as if unsure she was truly free.
She looked up at you.
No words—
but her eyes said enough.
It's over.
You walked toward them slowly—afraid that if you rushed,this moment might disappear.
The rabbit ran forwardand clung tightly to your leg.
No words.
Just holding on—like it didn't dare ask if this was real.
The princess stoodand stepped closer.
"Thank you," she said.
Not formal.Not distant.
But the kind of gratitudethat knows the cost.
Pegasus stood beside you,its white wings reflecting the growing light.
It said nothing.
Just smiled—
not teasing,not sad—
just… relieved.
The light grew brighter.
The world began to fade.The edges of the dream dissolved.
The ground beneath your feet softened—like a bed…like where you once came from.
The last thing you heard—
was not fear,not an enemy—
but silence.
A silence that no longer weighed on you.
And as your eyes closed—
this time,you knew for certain—
you were finallygoing to wake up.