The nightmare points were the term created by the awakened power of Reigner. The points had been hoarded by the black monster within his body which means that Reigner also had access to it. Of course, it's his body, why would he not have access?
It took the monster by a surprise, nonetheless.
When its white eyes spotted the black particles coalescing around Reigner's arm, the scream instantly rang out like thunder within Reigner's mind.
[I will fucking kill you! Your soul shall be devoured by me and your body used as a new vessel!]
"No, you won't."
Reigner recoiled a few steps, then prepared to battle. The second option of his ability was the temporary creation. It costed him lest nightmare points and allowed the weapon to merge for at least ten minutes.
The new power circulating through his arm could only boost his strength and battle power around an arm, but Reigner's mind flooded with confidence. He finally felt some hope and he shall ride on it.
[Fool, you have used all my gathered elements on your arm. What about your legs, torso, and the rest? You are going to fall like an idiot!]
With the death by his side, Reigner couldn't really feel nothing with a new power suddenly evoking within his body, could he? Every human would grasp that thin hope to make it. For Reigner, who had only felt a life-threatening situation only once and now, it was not that strange at all.
The black monster had spoken truth, however.
He realized it, but nothing could be done. He kicked the grass, then with his human strength, Reigned dove against the metallic horse and its master. The first target is going to be that horse.
Boom!
Hryaaaaaaaaaa!
The horse let out a strange voice which sounded like a painful howl. The black blade arm sunk its sharpest edge into its metallic armor successfully. No dent nor any oppressive force was pushing Reigner back.
He just cut through his metal, and lightly buried his weapon!
"Is this really a horse or just a metal?"
Amazed by the magic yet again, Reigner tried to take out his blade arm and then, attack once again! But to his shock, the blade sunk so much that nothing could be done. His arm was struck within the horse's head that kept howling.
And his master didn't stay idle this time.
"Metal Rush."
This proved that the horse is nothing more than a creation shaped to act like a horse. The already known technique pushed the horse's head forth causing a lot of problems for Reigner! The strength of this creation was just way too much for Reigner who was stuck.
His legs bent, slowly digging the ground as he was sliding backward... The pressure was slowly turning into unbearable one with the excruciating pain assaulting his knees! To save his legs, Reigner just allowed the horse to push him down.
At the same time, the lance went forward in a powerful display of thrust.
[Dissipate the nightmare element and create the blade anew, you fool! Don't you dare to die!]
The voice of the black monster was valuable. The moment he spoke, Reigner felt like the way of dissipating the blade slipped into his mind. It was an unexplainable feeling, but Reigner didn't know that he is just 'remembering' some stuff.
The black blade turned into mere black streaks that gushed out from the horse's cracked head, then the young man rolled on the ground! He nicely eluded the lance that upon the contact with the ground formed a small earthquake with pebbles jumping around.
"Unknown energy... and already perfect control?"
He mumbled with a shock rushing through his mind. The way Reigner used his new ability was different compared to Sylvie or the man with the shotgun. It was swift and precise. The black particles also didn't return to the world but followed Reigner shortly after.
All so that the new blade could be on his body instead of an arm.
"..."
[This man is still alive. Cut his skin if you want to survive this!]
"What if I don't?"
The black monster fumed inwardly. He could guess that Reigner is bedeviling him for all he had done, but dying once again was not something he was looking forward to! His voice yet again thundered egging Reigner on to cut the skin of a human next to him.
This old man had helped Reigner, treated him nicely, and wished to survive with all of them from the bottom of his heart. He was unconscious, barely breathing, but alive. And instead of stopping his suffering, the black monster was forcing Reigner to hurt him even more.
"I will do it, idiot. I am still too young to die!"
And so, Reigner's blade sunk into the old man's arm. The cut was very deep with the blood blowing off like a fountain! Still, it was not like Reigner wanted to be brutal or didn't care about this old man. He had no control over the strength and his blade's sharpness.
But it was not only the thing Reigner had no control over!
His eyes peeked at the gushing out blood. Around the wound, small black particles crept onto the skin, then as if spiders went towards the brain of the suffering man. At this point, it seemed as if his face can not turn any worse.
Yet as Nightmare reached his head, the voice of the fallen turned crazy.
"Ahh! Arghhhh! Ahhhhh!"
Amid the painful cries, the old man shouted the names of his family members. His voice was filled with a lot of pain, tears following those cries in silence... Just from that alone, it was easy to guess what kind of nightmare the old man was going through.
Reigner just closed his eyes for a little, then his eyes spotted a few new nightmares points gathering.
[You have gathered 100 nightmare points!]
[People on the verge of death are way too easy targets to leverage.]
[You have formed a nightmare's mask.]
[You aren't the owner of the mask. The first reincarnation - Nightmare takes over your eye.]
It was a mask that could only cover Reigner's face half-way through. One white eye stretched through Reigner's head all the way to his ear, then locked itself on the soldier who was marching with his heart pounding hard.
Unlike Sylvie, Reigner's every move was decisive and successful when it came to black energy. He felt like there has to be something more to this man after his awakening. Was his heart beating faster than his lance's thrust speed?
That was not certain, but what was sure was the soldier's fear and vigilance.
He had to take down Reigner now! No way he can be taken as a slave!
[Khhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
"!"
Then, Nightmare screamed inwardly. The scream could be heard by the impending soldier as well who had halted his march from the fear alone... The heart of his was no longer beating, but staying frozen just from that scream alone.
And so he couldn't move.
[Kill him! While he is frozen, take down his horse! There is a connection between them, I can feel it. Once the tool is taken down, he will awaken, so follow my guidance then!]
It was worth to cooperate with Nightmare now. What he said happened for real after all! The horse's metallic head got cut of flawlessly by Reigner, then after it brushed past the soldier's face, he instantly changed his expression.
From the shocked and scared one to the daring, but rash! His lance was far from calm one and with Nightmare's guidance, Reigner dodged each of his thrust, then kicked the horse's metallic body! What followed that jump was the descent of the black blade that split the head of the soldier into half.
"Haa... ha... haa...."
[Run, you shit.]
The white eye turned around... The sight of houses being plundered and rummaged was so vivid and clear that Reigner had no problems of peeking into the interiors. A few people were being killed, and a few enslaved.
No way he can go back here.
Thus, Reigner dragged his exhausted body into the vast forest intending to survive in the new unknown world.
"Tell me, what is the world hope?"
[Before you learn that, I will kill you.]
"Don't act like a rebellious brat and just say it! No matter what, I won't be dying from you, my reincarnation!"
[We will see.]
A deep, monstrous voice had a strong belief within. Nightmare closed his eyes, the mask disappeared, then once the blade arm limit ended, Reigner became all exposed. Luckily enough, no one barred his way in the forest.
"So you will keep up the rebellious brat farce, huh? Interesting, interesting... Who would've thought that my reincarnation would be such sissy fucker!"
[Sissy? When did your arm fell from your body, who cried like a little girl? Hmmm?]
"At least I am not rebellious enough to hide under such 'monster-like' cover."
[Khhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa! This is my strength! My pride! And you have borrowed that pride!]
"..."
[I can tell you what is the world hope! That is only when you allow me to gather my 'own' nightmare element. My own meaning you shit won't be able to even touch it!]
"Sure."
[Hah, I knew- Wait... What?]
Nightmare got thrown off of his flow. His monstrous voice was no longer as such and instead, sounded like a common man. This was another victory of Reigner who smirked outwardly. Then, he found a place with some water and settled here.
"Tell me what exactly 'World Hope' is. It's fine to assume that you know more than the residents of this world, right?"
[Don't compare me to such trashes!]
"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Rebellious."
[Kkkhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]