Freddy vs. Freddy

Russell's performance greatly excited Freddy. Extreme courage often means extreme fear, and he couldn't wait to personally prepare a delicious feast for the soul.

This is why the devil always likes to tempt believers; the more devout the believer, the more delicious their fallen souls are. Moreover, watching believers betray God is a supreme pleasure for the devil.

"Hahaha—"

Freddy vanished into the shadows behind the firelight, leaving four slashes in the wall and sending sparks flying. The sparks ignited the oil stains on the ground, and crimson flames instantly engulfed the entire space.

As the scorching waves of fire surged forth, Russell's aura hardened, and a pale blue vortex rippled around him, unleashing Magic Power to dispel the flames that had gathered around him.

Using a Magic Power whirlwind to extinguish the flames—a move from the Witch's memories— Russell favored this simple and straightforward fighting style. It was brutal yet effective, and most importantly, it didn't require chanting incantations, saving time on casting.

The basement walls began to blur, and a powerful, mysterious, and unknown fear began to spread, like an invisible fog that could be felt but could not be seen or dispelled.

It was Freddy's power. Russell clearly sensed something wrapping around his limbs, and he could faintly hear the sharp echo of metal clashing.

Even the eruption of Magic Power could not drive it away; its power struck straight to the depths of the Mind Stone!

"Hahaha, I smell the scent of fear. You're scared, aren't you?" Freddy's sly, thin voice echoed in all directions. "What a cute kid. The way he's putting on a brave face is making my mouth water!"

Russell's breath hitched. He calmed himself, regulated his breathing, closed his eyes, and used his Sixth Sense to search for Freddy's trail. Freddy was adept at deceiving the five senses; keeping his eyes open at this moment would only mislead his brain and cause him to make incorrect judgments.

"Why are your eyes closed? Did my appearance scare you?"

A sudden, shrill laugh rang in his ears. Russell swung his gun in a sweeping motion, feeling the blade sever flesh and bone. He ignored it and, following the direction of the danger he sensed, fired repeatedly.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud—

"Hahaha, I've been shot! I'm riddled with bullet holes! What am I going to do?" A mocking scream echoed through the void. Freddy's figure materialized, revealing bullet holes in his chest and abdomen, from which blood gushed like a fountain.

Seeing that Russell still had his eyes closed, Freddy shrugged speechlessly; his earlier expression had been a complete waste. His injuries healed instantly, and he brandished his iron claws, aiming for Russell's abdomen. He thought Russell wouldn't be able to see his movements with his eyes closed, but before the claws were even halfway out, Desert Eagle God pierced his forehead.

Bang!

The watermelon burst open, and Russell suddenly opened his eyes. He grabbed Freddy's headless corpse and threw it into the burning coal stove. The sizzling aroma of meat wafted up, and a layer of flames scorched Freddy's headless body. Finally, the fire flared up and completely engulfed him.

One minute later, only a headless, charred corpse remained in the coal stove!

Freddy is dead?

Of course not!

The charred corpse came to life, its four sharp claws tearing through the coal stove, and a emaciated, charred, headless corpse walked straight out.

Click! Click!

The black surface peeled away, Freddy emerged unharmed from his body, looking utterly dejected. "What a terrible memory," he said. "I hate the feeling of being burned to death. If you don't believe me, I can let you try it."

Russell raised his gun and aimed it at Freddy, about to fire and repel him, when suddenly the ground beneath his feet collapsed, and his body fell involuntarily.

Below was a huge iron pot, with glowing red coals boiling the water inside. The steam stung the skin, and if you dropped it in, the food was basically 80% cooked.

Thump!

Russell fell into boiling water, splashed around a couple of times, and the water temperature... was just right for a hot bath.

It wasn't a prank; Freddy genuinely wanted to cook Russell, but Russell's fear of him was too little to be lethal. At least until his courage was worn down, the iron pot below wouldn't kill Russell.

Russell was well aware of this as well. Courage was his only means of survival. But knowing this was one thing, fear was another. As Freddy intensified his fear, the next time he fell into the pot, he would be well-done.

Russell frowned and climbed onto the edge of the iron pot. "If this continues, he'll really kill us. We need to find a way to overcome our fear of him..."

None of the existing cards, whether Character Card or Item Card, can harm Freddy. Furthermore, killing Freddy in a dream would be pointless.

"System, activate the two lottery draws triggered by Freddy!"

[Item Card: Black Hat (Freddy's exclusive outfit, possessing incredible dream-entering abilities)]

[Character Card: Freddy Krueger (Nightmare that feeds on the souls of fear; wake up the moment you see this face)]

Russell's eyes flashed with a wicked smile, and he said in a deep voice, "System, use 'Character Card: Freddy,' and... this time, cover the skin."

[Host equipped with 'Character Card: Freddy Krueger', character skin confirmed, countdown 240 seconds, start timer.]

Russell's appearance and clothing changed rapidly: a striped sweater, tattered trousers and shoes, iron claw gloves, and Black Hat. In the splashing water, a hideous, burning face could be seen, and his yellowish eyes radiated a sinister fear.

"Hahahaha————"

His signature shrill laugh rang out, Freddy leaped out of the boiling water, howled, and lunged at Russell, then...

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Holy crap, you look exactly like me!

"Hahaha—"

This time, it was Russell who made the strange noise. He grabbed Freddy, who was frozen in mid-air, pulled him close, and said in a sinister tone, "Imposter! How dare you impersonate Grandpa Freddy and swindle people like this? Who gave you the guts?"

Freddy looked completely bewildered and instinctively replied, "The Witch, she made a deal with the devil to bring me back to Earth... Wait, who are you calling an imposter? I'm the real deal!"

Freddy was furious. Even though his face was ugly, he still had the right to his image!

Russell chuckled sinisterly, wielding his iron claws to sever Freddy's arm. Amidst Freddy's screams, he plunged the claws into his chest, the Blade twisting as he pulled out a throbbing heart.

Freddy screamed as he plunged into the water. Out of fear of the unknown, he climbed out of the water and backed away, his distorted features filled with disbelief.

Russell clutched his heart, his claws piercing it, slicing it into pieces, and tossing it into boiling water to cook it. With a soft, cold snort, the surrounding scenery immediately changed.

The scorching hell has vanished, and the boiling iron pot has disappeared as well. What comes into view is a magnificent and luxurious castle, with a long Western-style dining table set with various delicacies. In the center is a roast suckling pig, emitting an enticing aroma.

Freddy sat upright in his chair, his limbs bound by iron shackles, unable to move. This was supposed to be his ability, but now he had lost control of his dreams.

The loss of a proud ability inevitably breeds fear, and the more fearful one is, the less control one has over dreams, creating a vicious cycle that is hard to stop.

Russell, wearing a black top hat and with a napkin draped over his arm, stood beside Freddy like a waiter. He respectfully tied the napkin around Freddy's neck and said politely, "Honorable guest, please try the first course; it will surely be an unforgettable experience..."

Freddy stared at the empty plate in front of him. What food was there? Where was it?

A sharp pain shot through Freddy's head, and he screamed as he discovered his skull had been sliced open by claws. Russell, meanwhile, slowly and meticulously examined his brain, finally cutting off a piece and holding it to his mouth.

"Don't worry, it's just the dura mater, it won't kill you..."

Freddy looked at the face that was exactly like his own, and his fear deepened. This person was a devil.

The scene abruptly shifts, revealing a crimson blood moon hanging high in the sky. Freddy blinks violently; his head is intact, but his limbs remain restrained.

He was tied to a wooden Cross, with his 'self' holding a long knife directly in front of him!

"Welcome to the world of Tsukuyomi. In this world, all factors, including time, place, quality, and geographical location, are under my control..." Russell plunged a knife into Freddy's ear and heart, whispering in his ear, "Time has no meaning. You should understand what that means..."

"NO!!"

"Don't reject me so quickly. We have a very long time to get to know each other. First, let me see your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys..."

[Failure Diary]

The editor said they'd reserved a featured spot for me next week, but I knew it was because it was given to someone else this time.