I! Cleaner!

No way, right?

After listening to Leon's bizarre request, which could be described as "going against the grain," the Snow Maiden couldn't help but wonder:

"That person is down there. Why do you want to run upwards to find him?"

"Because I might not catch up."

After checking the massive passageway where the Swamp King Serpent emerged, Leon estimated the volume of this giant snake while furrowing his brows:

"The Scorpio Bureau Director knows I've come in and will speed up to join me as soon as possible. But I'm unsure how fast he is. If we go layer by layer downward, we might not catch up with him.

Considering the six layers of interconnected nightmare worlds, if our speed is similar to his, we might never catch up. But if we head upward instead, we'd be advancing in opposite directions, moving along this route traversing six nightmares.

Even in the worst-case scenario, where he's waiting for me in the next layer of nightmare, we'd only need to pass through five more nightmares to definitely meet him."

Two people advancing in opposite directions... a total of six nightmares...

After using her fingers to calculate, the Snow Maiden wondered:

"Why is it five? This nightmare world has six layers, doesn't it?"

"..."

Because we're currently in the first layer... it's like planting a tree every meter from the first to the sixth tree; the total distance to walk is. My younger sister who just started school wouldn't even ask such a dumb question.

The question posed by the Snow Maiden struck Leon hard. Seeing her eyes untainted by knowledge, he momentarily decided to give up on communicating with her.

Forget it, for a nightmare born from nightmares, not understanding math can be understood. Anyone, no matter how twisted, wouldn't dream of a Snow Maiden giving them a math lesson in the windswept snow-covered mountains.

And for the dream world, if there are no corresponding memories and fantasies, it's essentially non-existent. Can't figure it out? So be it. I don't have time to explain math problems to her now.

"Smack!"

"Ah!"

"Stop asking questions and hurry up with the work!"

After slapping her thigh, teacher Leon abandoned the idea of on-the-spot teaching. Swigging from a bottle snatched from the mirror world to activate the [Immortal in Liquor] for survival at any time, he sternly urged:

"Take me up to the next layer of nightmare! Quick action!"

"..."

Damn human!!!

...

"Olivia, are you still trying to stop me?"

As Leon carried the Snow Maiden through the six-layer nightmare world in reverse, the confrontation in the royal night's sky reached its conclusion.

The red net formed by [Slaughter Blood Hair] was once again shredded. Relying on the countless nightmares flowing through the Nightmare River, reconstituting a form, the Grey Mist Giant extended a withered hand and pointed at the royal city below, reminding coldly:

"From earlier until now, you've let tens of thousands of nightmares pass. Even if they are harmless low-level nightmares, it's enough for half of the royal city to experience a nightmare."

"..."

Upon hearing the King of Nightmares' reminder, the red-haired director at the heart of the scarlet domain couldn't help but press her lips tightly.

While tearing the Grey Mist Giant to shreds once more, she couldn't resist looking upwards... The pitch-black night sky had turned sieve-like, with nightmares passing through nearly every moment, descending upon the dreaming royal city.

"Listen, if you let me go now, these people only need to stay bedridden for half a month and can recover afterward."

Sensing the red-haired director's hesitation, the King of Nightmares' chilling and piercing tone echoed into her ears as he reformed his body.

"But if you continue to tangle with me and let higher-tier nightmares pass, a significant number of humans might experience mental collapse or even have their souls devoured, becoming complete empty shells... Is that really what you want?"

"..."

Indeed, it can't be delayed any longer.

Once more splitting part of the Slaughter Blood Hair, shredding high-tier nightmares attempting to make their way into reality, the red-haired director observed the nightmares above, seemingly endless and took a deep breath. Then she slowly stopped her assault on the Grey Mist Giant.

"That's more like it."

Seeing the red-haired director heed his "advice," conceding the path to reality, the Grey Mist Giant's dry lips subtly curled up, then, riding the massive, nightmare-laden Grey River, plunged into reality.

...

"Hiss..."

After departing the dream realm and entering reality, feeling the newly solidified flesh and blood under the altered world rules, the King of Nightmares took an exceptionally satisfied deep breath. His slightly hunched back began to stretch, withered chest slightly inflating.

Flesh and souls... are truly a wonderful experience...

No matter how powerful the rules of other worlds are, enabling them to house great beings, on this aspect, they cannot compare to the world humans inhabit.

A world where existence is clear and complete, material rules are stable and heavy, yet allowing extraordinary existence, acknowledging souls and spirits, is an unparalleled treasure for beings like him.

With newly formed eyes, surveying the world under the night's veil, the King of Nightmares sighed with immense delight.

The only slight disappointment is that this treasure has an owner, whose strength is amazing and unusually stingy, never allowing others to share.

Seizing the fleeting overlap of the dream and reality, just brushing against it is fine. If he actually tried to covet this treasure, the Clean-up Bureau would recall all directors within two months and directly send the sun into the dream realm, drying the entire Nightmare River along with him.

Such a pity... If humans could be just a bit weaker...

Regretfully gazing at the myriad dreams below in the royal city, the King of Nightmares withdrew his gaze tinged with longing, locking onto his primary target for this expedition.

That Leon, the level-three Cleaner, is currently in the nightmare world opened by his emissary!

With a sharp and stern look, he fixed his gaze at the dock near the royal canal. Without lingering a second longer, he urged the pitch-black Nightmare River, rushing towards the six-layered nightmare unfolded layer upon layer.

Whether it's that odd memory capable of polluting nightmares or the [Dream Eating Anomalous Carapace] that once devoured countless dreams, they pose a great threat to him.

Eliminating even one of these would justify the risk of entering the real world and clashing with the Zodiac Bureau's director. With a chance to eradicate both threats, he certainly couldn't pass it up!

Carrying intense murderous intent, the King of Nightmares extended his emaciated arm and embraced the violently shaking six-layer nightmare.

Then, the Grey Mist surrounding him silently dispersed, sheltering his immense body, slowly and irresistibly pressing into the nightmares he cradled.