Chapter 129: Trial in the Dream
The gleam of Freddy's claw was swift, and to the dismay of those present, Kristen's mother was swiftly beheaded.
Clutching the head, soaked in crimson, Freddy's face twisted into a grotesque smile as he pivoted towards Kristen, who was petrified into silence.
"Should've heeded your mother's advice!" Freddy taunted, thrusting the head in Kristen's direction.
Aaaaaaaah!
A shrill scream escaped Kristen.
But then, the head began to speak, "Curse you, Kristen, for ruining it all. Every single time I bring a man home, you're there to meddle! What did the doctor say? You're just craving attention!"
Aaaaaaaaah!
Kristen's scream echoed once more upon hearing her mother's voice.
Freddy's laughter was unhinged as he flung the head away and extended his metallic talons towards Kristen.
"Help me—someone help me!" she pleaded.
'Next time Freddy haunts your dreams, drag me into it, and I'll deal with him!' In her terror, Kristen recalled Jon's directive. She shut her eyes tight, focusing on Jon's image, willing him into her nightmare.
As Freddy's claws neared Kristen's neck, a hand clamped onto Freddy's shoulder, spinning him around.
Confronted with a face from his past, the one responsible for his new burns, Freddy's voice faltered, "You... what are you doing here?!"
Jon's lips curled into a faint smirk as he responded, "What do you think?"
With Jon's words, fire burst forth, and the Ghost Rider emerged to confront Freddy. Weakened from their previous clash, Freddy was defenseless.
Agggggggggggggggh!
The Ghost Rider's hellfire engulfed Freddy, his cries of torment piercing the air until he was reduced to mere ashes.
[Ding! Task two accomplished: Vanquish Elm Street's nightmare, Freddy Krueger. 500 penalty points conferred.]
[Ding! Legendary quest updated: Pass judgment on a thousand guilty souls across all worlds. Current Progress: 75/1000.]
***
In the sterile confines of the hospital room, Kristen's eyes snapped open, her skin slick with a sheen of sweat.
"Kristen!" Nancy, alarmed by her sudden awakening, hurried to her side.
"Nancy..." Kristen's voice was faint as she propped herself up, turning to see Jon, who was also waking up.
"He did it! He was telling the truth... he actually did it, he killed Freddy!" Kristen spoke, a tone of disbelief coloring her words.
Nancy's gaze shifted to Jon, filled with wonder, and he acknowledged her with a simple nod.
Rising to his feet with a fluid motion, Jon announced, "My task here is complete."
As Jon prepared to depart, Nancy called out, "Wait, Jon! Thank you for helping us with Freddy. What do we pay you for this?"
"Pay?" Jon paused, momentarily surprised. The thought of compensation hadn't crossed his mind; his focus had been solely on capturing Freddy. But recalling that he was in a world where he was free to explore and engage, the idea of a monetary reward seemed logical. Opting to be an exorcist could indeed serve dual purposes: earning income and penalty points.
Unfamiliar with setting a price for such services, Jon replied, "Whatever you feel is appropriate. I'm staying at the motel just across the street."
With those parting words, Jon exited.
He lingered in the vicinity of Elm Street, not yet ready to depart. His curiosity was piqued; when he had punished Freddy, he hadn't used the [Soul Sacrifice] feature to claim penalty points but had instead updated his legendary mission. He was eager to discover if he had inherited Freddy's Nightmare-wielding abilities. Confirming that he had indeed acquired this new power, Jon resolved to remain a little longer on Elm Street to experiment with his newly gained skill.
***
In the stillness of the night, a desolate alleyway echoed with trouble.
"Hand it over!"
A mugger, knife in hand, menaced a woman, attempting to wrench her purse away.
"Someone help me!" The woman's grip on her purse was ironclad as she cried out.
The growl of an engine shattered the silence, and the Ghost Rider sped by on his infernal motorcycle.
"Help me!"
The Ghost Rider, hearing the plea, brought his bike to a halt, his fiery gaze turning towards the commotion.
Impatience getting the better of him, the mugger pressed the knife closer to the woman's neck.
Suddenly, a hellish roar reverberated through the alley, paralyzing the mugger with dread.
As both the mugger and the woman turned, they were met with the sight of a blazing skeleton towering over them.
The Ghost Rider descended from his motorcycle, striking a heroic stance upon landing.
The Ghost Rider, facing the two frightened souls, gestured dismissively to the woman, signaling her to escape.
The woman, stealing a glance at the frozen mugger and then back at her savior, stammered a grateful "Thank you!" before fleeing.
The Ghost Rider reached out with his incendiary hand towards the mugger, declaring, "Sinner!"
He advanced, seizing the mugger by his shirt and pinning him against the wall, his voice a sinister whisper, "Look into my eyes..."
***
As dawn broke, Jon rose from his slumber.
The previous night, he had put his Nightmare-wielding ability to the test, dispatching a mugger within the realm of dreams. The mugger's hideout was just a stone's throw away, and Jon was eager to verify the outcome.
Stepping outside, he was greeted by the sight of police cars and crime scene tape across the street.
Curious, Jon inquired of a passerby, "Do you know what's happened here?"
The bystander shrugged, "Word is someone's dead, could be a freak accident or a heart attack, they say."
At that moment, as the body was being carried out, Jon recognized the mugger's face from the dream.
"Interesting..." Jon's smile was thin. Murder had become a simple task for him—efficient, undetectable, and leaving no evidence behind. It was the quintessential method for a flawless crime.
With his suspicions confirmed, Jon retreated to his room. His next move would be to seek out other peculiar horrors in this realm.
It dawned on him that this world was an immense repository of opportunity. His legendary mission allowed him to assimilate abilities of the punished from their souls, such as mystical or spectral abilities, and this world was rife with ghosts and monsters whose powers he could potentially harvest.
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