The extremely low temperature did not only bring harm to Kibutsuji Muzan, but Esdeath herself was also not having an easy time.
Although the modification of her body by the Demon Extract allowed her to be extremely resistant to low temperatures, the current ultra-low temperature, which had already exceeded minus 100°C, was not something she could endure.
It was the same principle; cells are just cells. No matter how much they are strengthened, many basic attributes will not change. It is impossible for a carbon-based organism to possess a skill that nullifies thermal fluctuations.
As for other ways to achieve similar effects through external forces, they are nothing more than resistance, and there is always a limit.
And now, the resistance provided by the Demon Extract to Esdeath regarding cold protection had reached its limit.
However, even though her entire body was in unbearable pain due to the intense cold, Esdeath did not stop lowering the temperature in the slightest, and she continued to launch various attacks at Kibutsuji Muzan with her hands to hinder his movements.
Just like that, when the temperature broke through minus 150°C, Kibutsuji Muzan's regenerative cycle was broken, and his various grotesque limbs began to collapse and shatter.
Seeing this, Kibutsuji Muzan no longer had the thought that he could win by dragging this out, and he roared, "Enough!"
Then, his entire physique suddenly grew larger. He could barely be considered a humanoid creature just a moment ago, but at this moment, he was completely unrecognizable.
Dozens of heads, each carrying the aura of various attributes, and dozens of limbs, all in completely different styles. His lower body resembled a bloated giant dragon, with six legs on the ground, a massive tail lashing about behind him, and even a bloodthirsty maw opening on his abdomen.
The monster before her was enough to make one's SAN value plummet just by a glance, but fortunately, Esdeath's strong heart did not waver, and she continued to increase the reduction of the temperature in the area.
Just like that, the battlefield, transformed into an alien realm, once again saw an earth-shattering battle unfold. Although the total amount of energy contained within Kibutsuji Muzan was dropping crazily, and although the blizzard enveloping the Imperial Capital was constantly shrinking.
Neither of them had the slightest intention of retreating.
Clash, clash, clash—a completely chaotic brawl with no structure.
He displayed every ability he had absorbed in the form of a head or a limb, with no less than a hundred different abilities attacking Esdeath.
Similarly, Esdeath's ice was ever-changing. Although its essence was always ice, it had been incomparably strengthened through different applications and this extraordinary low temperature.
Under these circumstances, the strength of the ice was far greater than steel, while steel was as brittle as glass.
Because of this, although Kibutsuji Muzan's collected abilities looked numerous, very few could actually function normally at this low temperature.
The temperature continued to drop endlessly; the burden brought by the Demon Extract was now far beyond what any human could bear.
But ironically, it was precisely because her body had become a demon, which greatly increased its strength, that she was able to use the Teigu, Demon Extract, to such an extent.
For Esdeath now, these were unimportant matters; the only thing she was still thinking about was killing Kibutsuji Muzan.
-183°C
Esdeath struggled to defend against Kibutsuji Muzan's attacks, and by crazily burning her power and even her life, she successfully brought the temperature down to this point.
From this moment on, the atmospheric pressure constantly dropped, and at the same time, a large amount of sky-blue liquid began to appear on the ground all around.
This liquid was oxygen. At a low temperature of -183°C, oxygen began to liquefy, and at the same time, the gaseous oxygen in the air became thin.
And the flames burning within Kibutsuji Muzan's body also began to become unstable due to the lack of oxygen supply.
The approach of deliberately increasing his volume earlier to expand the total combustion amount now had the opposite effect, and his massive body began to be gradually covered by ice.
Taking this opportunity, Esdeath exhausted all her strength to lower the temperature in one go to the limit she could reach.
-196°C
Nitrogen, the gas with the highest content in the atmosphere, also began to liquefy at this temperature, and the molecular motion in the entire area presented a sluggish state.
"Ultimate Technique: World-Ending Ice Disaster!"
Esdeath, who had been trying her best to minimize her breathing, shouted this out. Then, the heat that had originally been expelled rushed back into the area. High temperatures and low temperatures clashed, high pressure and low pressure collided, and the impact generated a massive amount of vibration and shockwaves. All matter within the Imperial Palace, having become brittle due to the ultra-low temperature, was shattered by this sudden impact.
A moment later, everything around fell silent, leaving only the Ice Queen standing proudly alone amidst the sky full of snow powder.
'Victory.'
Esdeath thought to herself. Within this area, other than herself, no life could survive.
Recalling her soldiers, her subordinates, and that smiling face of Jean Stardust, Esdeath could not help but smile.
"Vic..."
"Victory? Heh, is that what you think?"
A familiar voice suddenly came from the outside of the Imperial Palace.
It was indeed Kibutsuji Muzan, who only had half a body, with his hands and face parts currently regenerating.
"I have to admit, the power you displayed is very strong, but this alone cannot kill me. Only the sun is my enemy."
In the blink of an eye, Kibutsuji Muzan, whose regeneration was complete, stood before Esdeath.
"So, how many more times can you use power of this level?" Kibutsuji Muzan said with a composed smile.
At this moment, Esdeath was extremely weak. The ultimate move, which she had barely managed to release by burning her own life force—clearly, all the ice and snow were within her perception range, and there should not be a single fragment of Kibutsuji Muzan left in the entire Imperial Capital.
Yet at this moment, Kibutsuji Muzan had walked in from outside the Imperial Palace, completely undetected by her.
For Esdeath right now, this was likely what despair felt like, but the feeling of loss lasted only for a moment, and then she laughed out loud again.
"I can use it as many times as it takes! Until you are completely annihilated!"
"Hahaha, what an amusing joke. If one could transcend reality by relying on willpower alone, then no one would have to live so arduously."
"How can a rat hiding in a sewer know the ambitions of a lion? Take your cowardice and insignificance and die, Kibutsuji Muzan! — Mahapadma!"
At the same time, the movement of all atoms in the entire space was instantly frozen, and not even Kibutsuji Muzan was an exception.
However, Esdeath, having exhausted all her strength, was completely unable to move, but her smile did not disappear.
Because a golden-haired, white-clad figure swept past her position, swinging a blade towards Kibutsuji Muzan.
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