Chapter 230 – Anomaly and Return
Hearing this, everyone finally let out a breath of relief.
It meant that, at least for the time being, the killer would no longer pose a threat.
At the same time, everyone present felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
They had all witnessed Freddy's terror firsthand within the dream.
It had been a one-sided slaughter.
Without Father Gideon, they might have been lost in the dream forever.
"How should we deal with him now?" Bettice asked, looking at Gideon.
Henry immediately drew his sword.
"He can't move right now—this is a rare opportunity. Of course we finish him off."
Wilton, however, raised a hand to stop him.
"Do the Lord Knights always rush to steal credit?"
He glanced around coldly.
"This monster was restrained by the Church. Naturally, its purification should also be carried out by the Church. There's no need to trouble you."
His tone brooked no argument.
Winona rolled her eyes, turned away, and silently made a gagging gesture.
Gale stood aside without speaking. Gideon had already helped her find Mark, and she herself wasn't confident she could truly kill Freddy.
Henry narrowed his eyes, staring hard at Wilton.
To be honest, he had harbored other intentions.
This mission was supposed to promote the ideals of the Lord Knights—to let the world see their righteousness.
Instead, he had stumbled badly… and had even been saved by a priest.
If word got out, the reputation of the "Knights" would only serve as a stepping stone for the Church.
That was why he had seized this final chance to recover some dignity.
But with Wilton blocking him now, Henry couldn't force the issue.
After all, Father Gideon was nominally part of the Church.
Before they fully escaped this place, openly clashing with him would be foolish.
Henry snorted and stepped aside.
It was Lombarn who finally smoothed things over.
"Everyone, this place is still dangerous. We must continue to rely on one another."
He let out a low, raspy chuckle.
"Trapping Freddy and locating Mr. Mark were both Father Gideon's achievements. Perhaps we should first hear his thoughts."
"Y–yes," Pence added hurriedly, sensing the tension.
"Once we deal with this terrifying monster and gather the trapped townspeople, we can return safely."
The words return safely struck a chord.
No one continued arguing.
Especially Wilton.
By now, he could see clearly that only Gideon was truly capable of resolving this situation.
He had long since given up on forcing events to unfold according to his wishes.
All that remained was a verbal struggle for authority.
After all, once they left this place, he would still be a revered Roman priest.
And Gideon?
Merely a parish cleric.
Whatever Gideon accomplished would ultimately be recorded as an act of the Church's mercy.
Gideon shook his head inwardly.
These people were all scheming in their own ways—some of them willing to put profit above even their own lives.
The sooner this commission was finished, the better it would be to stay far away from them.
With that thought in mind, Gideon spoke up:
"We're still inside a dream. Purely physical methods may not truly kill Freddy."
He took out several holy relics.
"I plan to purify him using a ritual array."
Wilton nodded solemnly.
"Indeed. The Lord's power can shine upon every corner of the world—even within dreams. Father Gideon, I agree with your approach."
Gideon's mouth twitched slightly.
Your opinion really doesn't matter… he thought.
The others clearly felt the same.
Bettice lowered her head and turned away, and even Lombarn gave an awkward smile.
Wilton, however, showed not the slightest hint of embarrassment. Instead, he wore an expression that screamed everything is for the Church.
Gideon arranged the holy relics around Freddy's body and took out an exorcism Bible.
Just as he was about to begin chanting, his brows suddenly lifted.
In the next instant, Gideon retreated sharply, eyes locked on a distant point.
The others looked at him in confusion.
Then the space near Freddy flickered.
Bettice noticed it immediately.
Before she could investigate further, the air there tore open.
Crack… crack…
Like shattering glass, the spatial fracture widened rapidly.
Pitch-black smoke poured out in massive quantities.
Using his Ethereal Sight, Gideon realized that it wasn't evil energy—
—but something far more obscure and terrifying.
His instincts screamed a single warning:
Do not approach.
The others felt the same crushing pressure and instinctively turned toward Gideon.
Then something else emerged.
From within the black fog stretched several long, thin black appendages—jointed limbs covered in stiff bristles, sharp at the tips, like spider legs.
They latched onto Freddy's body and dragged him toward the fracture.
At the same time, the boiler room shook violently.
Metal pipes ruptured, spilling streams of bright red blood.
The cracks widened, blood spraying like geysers and surging toward Freddy.
Gideon raised an eyebrow.
He realized the blood was also pulling at Freddy—as if resisting the black limbs.
But the black claws were far stronger.
The blood gradually darkened, turning pitch black.
The struggle quickly became one-sided.
Bit by bit, Freddy was dragged into the black fog.
When he vanished completely, the fracture sealed itself.
Clang!
Only a bladed glove fell to the ground.
"What… what the hell was that?" Henry wiped sweat from his forehead.
The oppressive force of those black limbs had left him unable to even move.
Gideon narrowed his eyes.
He recalled the Demon commission—something similar had happened then.
But this time, there were no pentagrams, no warnings, no sign of Satan.
"This feels… different."
"Is he… dead?" Gale asked the most important question.
Gideon immediately checked using his alternate perception.
Freddy was gone.
Not just from this layer—but from the upper two dream layers as well.
However, he noticed something else.
With the dream's creator gone, this constructed dreamscape was beginning to collapse.
Time was short—and whatever that anomaly was, he had no desire to see it again.
"We're leaving. Now," Gideon said firmly.
"But there's no exit here," Winona said grimly. "This place is like a maze."
"This is a dream," Gideon replied. "You don't leave it the usual way."
He snapped his fingers.
Nine beds appeared in the corridor.
"…Beds?" everyone asked in unison.
"Only by falling asleep can we return to the upper dream layer."
Gideon jumped onto one, pulled the blanket over himself, and lay down.
Everyone stared.
The ceiling was cracking.
Rocks were falling.
Steam screamed from ruptured pipes.
Blood flooded the floor.
Who could possibly sleep here?!
Lombarn coughed awkwardly.
"Father Gideon… is there any other way?"
Gideon poked his head out from under the blanket.
"Then I suggest you figure something out quickly—otherwise your consciousness may be trapped here forever."
He closed his eyes again.
Truthfully, even Gideon couldn't sleep in such an environment.
But a heavy drowsiness washed over him.
The awakening potion is taking effect, he realized.
When consciousness wakes in reality, the dream is forced to sleep.
Moments later—
"Snore—"
He was shaken awake.
Two beautiful faces hovered over him.
"F-Father Gideon… could you not fall asleep yet?" Bettice said awkwardly.
"We need your help," Gale added.
Gideon sighed and sat up.
"…You don't want me to tuck you in, do you?"
Both women shook their heads violently.
"Absolutely not!"
"Of course not!"
"Just knock us out," Bettice said, pointing at her neck.
Gideon considered it.
"…Fair enough."
"Wait—don't hit the face," Bettice quickly turned around.
Gale lifted her hair as well.
Thud. Thud.
Two dull impacts.
Both women collapsed into Gideon's arms.
He grabbed them by the back of the neck and tossed them onto nearby beds.
"F-Father… me too," Mark said stiffly.
Gideon nodded and did the same.
Nearby, the remaining five were still struggling.
Wilton knelt piously on his bed, praying.
Winona and Henry argued.
Pence begged for mercy.
No one was getting anywhere.
Gideon rubbed his face.
The boiler room was collapsing.
His eyelids were heavy.
He stood up and moved quickly.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Five bodies hit the floor.
"All right," Gideon muttered, lying back down.
"Now I can finally sleep."
---
Second Dream Layer – Springwood
Gideon jolted awake in the town square.
The others stirred as well.
He immediately felt the pull of sleep.
"No time."
With full control over the dreamscape, he summoned all trapped townspeople to the square.
Hundreds of beds appeared.
Everyone was forced down.
"Cooperate," Gideon said calmly.
The elites complied instantly.
Hands materialized in midair.
"Prepare… to sleep."
Thud—thud—thud—
---
First Dream Layer – The School
This layer was close to reality.
No assistance was needed.
Everyone fell asleep naturally.
---
Reality – Germantown High School
Parents rushed past police lines.
"Lucy! Where are you?!"
More followed.
No one fell asleep.
Then—
"They're awake!" a cop shouted.
Cheers erupted.
---
Reality
Gideon opened his eyes.
He was back.
Then he felt something cold by his thigh.
A bladed glove.
Freddy's glove.
He sealed it immediately.
---
One Day Later
Germantown High became national news.
333 trapped.
320 survivors.
Nine unnamed heroes.
And the Church took the credit.
Gideon didn't care.
Fame only brought trouble.
He accepted his reward—
—and went home.
---