No!
This wasn't a dream within a dream.
And it definitely wasn't an illusion.
It was real.
And there was a glowing halo hovering above his head—bright and radiant.
Holy light. Holy freaking light!
How the hell did that get there? Who put that thing on me?
Barry shuddered.
If he died one day and showed up in hell wearing this, the demons down there would probably line up to elbow him to death.
A walking target for hate!
The thought alone made him panic. He quickly took off the cross necklace—and the holy glow vanished, along with that warm, peaceful feeling.
"Jeez, scared me to death. So it can be turned off." Barry let out a long breath of relief.
Once he calmed down, though, a new thought crept in.
Wait… if that light meant some sort of divine approval, maybe—just maybe—he'd been recognized.
And if that was the case… maybe he'd already been accepted into their ranks!
That would mean when he died, he'd float upward instead of dropping straight down.
Now that was a win.
Why fear death when you're heading for the VIP section?
Feeling the smooth surface of the cross, Barry's heart burned with excitement. Thoughts he'd never dared to entertain started bubbling up.
Sure, being a hell demon wasn't the worst gig—but if there was an opening in heaven, wouldn't that be better? More freedom, better perks, cleaner air.
After careful consideration, and in the spirit of "always have a backup plan," Barry made his decision:
If he ever got the chance, he'd take his talents to heaven. As for the weirdos in hell… well, good luck to them.
He put the cross back on and spent the rest of the evening testing it.
It wasn't just for show—the thing actually boosted faith absorption and purification. It also clashed violently with dark energy, like fire and ice.
That's all he'd discovered so far.
But that was fine. He had time.
---
Reality
When Freddy was finally obliterated, Kristen and the others were freed from their nightmare.
Every night after that was peaceful—no more sudden attacks, no more life-or-death chases. Just normal dreams.
Without nightmares, everyone started sleeping better, and their mental health improved fast.
Before long, they were all discharged from the hospital, exchanging contact info before going their separate ways.
Maria's father, Dan, had also recovered and returned home.
That afternoon, after school, Maria went to the abandoned ice rink to practice skating.
Wearing her skates, she glided effortlessly across the ice.
Her graceful figure, confident movements, and fluid rhythm—it was like watching poetry in motion.
Compared to before, Maria had changed a lot.
She was more confident, more beautiful, and had a charm all her own.
She moved across the rink like a winter spirit, light and elegant.
"Perfect! I'm giving that a full score," Barry clapped from the sidelines. "Maria, trust me—your classmates are gonna be blown away by how far you've come."
"Just follow my rhythm at the show, and you'll be the brightest star out there. Even I'll be proud of you."
"Thank you—and thank you for being my coach, Barry." Maria slid to a stop in front of him, smiling sweetly.
"Good job, student Maria. You remembered your coach—makes me happy to hear that. And since you've mastered your routine, I've got a little surprise for you tonight."
Barry's grin turned mischievous.
"Surprise? What kind of surprise?" Maria blushed slightly, imagining something else entirely.
That night, she waited for the "surprise" until she fell asleep… but nothing came.
And then, dreams quietly took over.
---
A Week Later
Kristen had been home for seven days since leaving the hospital.
The last time she'd seen Barry was right after Freddy's defeat—everyone had stared at him in awe after barely surviving.
He hadn't contacted her in over ten days now. Maybe… it was all really over?
Kristen felt strangely empty.
You'd think she'd be happy to return to a normal life after everything.
This was what she'd wanted, right?
But she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
The memories were burned too deeply to forget.
Somewhere deep down, she knew life wouldn't stay peaceful for long.
And she was right.
Watching some fighting videos on her phone, Kristen's eyelids grew heavy, and before long, she was asleep.
---
She woke up inside a dream.
The air was sweet with flowers and birdsong, the ground lush and green.
In the middle of the field stood a round white table covered with freshly baked pastries and steaming cookies. Cups of tea rippled gently in the breeze.
Someone familiar was already seated there—Barry.
Beside him sat a young girl Kristen had met only once before… and another who looked exactly like her, except with a cold, stoic face.
"Long time no see, Kristen. Have some tea," Barry said warmly, gesturing to the seat.
They'd all met before, so Kristen didn't bother with formalities. She sat down, picked up the teacup, and inhaled the sweet aroma. It smelled rich—like black tea with milk and sugar.
"This is…?" she glanced between Maria and the stoic girl, Alan.
Maria looked just as confused. Alan crossed her arms and huffed, clearly not in the mood for small talk.
"They're all my friends," Barry said cheerfully. "I just thought it'd be good for everyone to meet. We're going to be working together from now on."
"Working together?" Kristen blinked.
"Yup. Maria, my old friend—she can communicate with spirits." Maria smiled shyly.
"Alan… also my friend. Her power is becoming a ghost." Alan frowned—he'd paused. Did he really have to hesitate before calling her a friend?
"And Kristen, our new friend. She can pull people into dreams." Kristen reached out and shook their hands politely.
After the introductions, Barry spread his arms dramatically.
"So! This is our first official gathering. Even if it's just in a dream, it marks the beginning of something big."
"Something big?" Kristen tilted her head.
"That's right! Today is the founding day of a new, energetic organization—
The Barry Uncle & Ultra Otaku Fan Club and Universal Kindness Support Group!"