Cocytus's armor transformed, becoming more formidable and intricately designed. The World-Class Champion Armor wrapped around him, its dark, crystalline plates reflecting the cold, deadly aura of the Glacier. It was a thousand times more durable than his usual armor, crafted to endure the most powerful of attacks, yet light enough for swift movement. Every plate, every joint, fit perfectly, enhancing his strength and speed.
In his hand, the Spuit Lance emerged, but it was different from the original. This modified, personalized version carried Cocytus's own touch—a darker, more jagged design that resonated with his icy domain. The lance's blade shimmered with the same blood-red hue as Shalltear's, but the handle was encased in frost, exuding a chilling mist that swirled around him.
The weapon pulsed with energy, almost as if it had fused with Cocytus's essence. "This. Lance. Is. My. Own. Creation," Cocytus declared. "A. Tribute. To. The. Power. Of. Shalltear. But. Refined. For. My. Strength."
Cocytus readied his stance, the Spuit Lance poised and glowing with a cold, crimson light. The air around him seemed to freeze as he prepared for the ultimate clash.
The modified Spuit Lance hissed, releasing a chilling steam that formed into a swirling blizzard around Cocytus. Each time the lance struck, it unleashed a wave of cold energy that regenerated Cocytus's wounds, encasing him in a protective storm of frost and snow. The cold steam wrapped around his form, creating an aura that looked like a miniature blizzard, complete with howling winds and biting ice shards.
Every swing of the lance was swift and precise. When it connected, the air crackled as the temperature plummeted further, and Cocytus's wounds closed instantly, thanks to the lance's regenerative power. Each impact formed bursts of icy wind, expanding his frozen domain with every blow.
"This. Blizzard. Will. Be. Your. End," Cocytus declared as he lunged forward, the blizzard intensifying. "Every. Strike. Makes. Me. Stronger."
Hiro's eyes flared with intensity as he shouted, "Hypercharge Unleashed!" He thrust his katana forward, and a massive surge of crackling electricity erupted from the blade. The lightning streaked through the air, its roar echoing across the Glacier as it shot straight for Cocytus.
But Cocytus was ready. The Spuit Lance pulsed with icy energy, absorbing the incoming electricity upon impact. The powerful surge that should have overwhelmed Cocytus instead converted into an even deeper cold, fusing with the energy of his blizzard. The temperature dropped sharply, and the winds surrounding Cocytus grew fierce, whipping snow and ice into a thick, impenetrable storm.
The blizzard expanded, its freezing winds roaring louder as the electricity was transformed into waves of cold energy. Frost spread from Cocytus's feet, solidifying everything it touched. "Your. Power. Is. Futile. Against. My. Lance," Cocytus boomed, his eyes glowing beneath the thick veil of ice and snow. "I. Will. Turn. It. Against. You."
The storm now surrounded Cocytus like an unbreakable shield, swirling violently as he stepped forward, his lance at the ready.
Hiro attempted to move, but as he shifted, he felt a sudden chill creeping up his legs. Glancing down, he saw ice rapidly crawling up from the ground, encasing his feet and binding him to the spot. His eyes widened in surprise as the frost crept higher, threatening to immobilize him entirely.
With a grunt of effort, he summoned his strength, flexing his muscles. The ice shattered under the force, fragments scattering like shards of glass. Hiro leapt forward, katana in hand, as he pressed on, determined not to be slowed by Cocytus's relentless blizzard.
"I'm not done yet!" Hiro growled, his grip tightening on the hilt as he advanced toward the towering warrior.
The blizzard surged with terrifying force, its icy winds tearing through the battlefield. Everything began to crystallize; the ground cracked and froze, jagged ice formations erupting from below. The temperature plummeted to a staggering -300 degrees Celsius—so cold that the air itself seemed to shatter with every breath. The sheer chill was beyond sub-zero; it was an absolute void, a realm of deathly frost.
Nigredo, despite her allegiance to Cocytus, could feel her own body succumbing. The hellfire that once burned from her form flickered and died, her muscles stiffening as ice crawled up her legs and over her torso. She gasped, desperately summoning her power to resist, but even her blazing rage couldn't compete with the relentless cold. Her eyes, wide with disbelief, locked onto Cocytus. "Cocytus… why?!" she screamed as her body became encased in a thick, crystalline layer.
Albedo, standing firm beside Hiro, fought to hold back the ice. Her wings beat furiously, shattering the creeping frost as she swung her paladin sword with all her strength, but the storm was overpowering. Frost clung to her hair and armor, her movements slowing as her body was weighed down by the encroaching ice. She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with determination, but deep down, she knew this battle was becoming impossible. "Cocytus, have you lost your mind?!" she roared, feeling the sting of the freezing wind cut through her.
Everywhere Hiro looked, everything was turning to ice—trees shattered into splinters, the ground cracking under the intense cold. The Foresight members, despite his efforts to protect them, were completely encased in ice, their expressions frozen in shock and pain. His protective aura flickered, barely holding against the frigid onslaught. Hiro gripped his katana tighter, the metal cold enough to burn his skin. He could feel the frost inching up his legs despite his efforts, slowing his movements.
"Cocytus!" Hiro's voice echoed, desperate and filled with defiance. "This storm—this power—you'll destroy us all!"
But Cocytus stood unmovable in the center of the storm, his eyes glowing an ethereal blue. "This. Is. The. End. I. Will. Bring. The. Wrath. Of. Nazarick." As his aura expanded, the blizzard reached a crescendo, ice swirling so violently that the battlefield became a chaotic, frozen wasteland.
The Spuit Lance rocketed into the sky, its hissing blizzard cascading down like an avalanche of icy fury. The temperature plummeted as the relentless storm turned the battlefield into a frozen wasteland. Every gust of wind was a blade, every flake a harbinger of death. The ice consumed everything it touched—trees, rocks, and remnants of Nigredo's flames. It was a symphony of destruction, and the frost showed no mercy.
Nigredo and Albedo's battle came to a halt as the frost began to crawl up their bodies. Nigredo, her body still aflame with rage, felt her molten power clash against the encroaching ice, but the blizzard was stronger, and her fiery aura flickered as her limbs stiffened. Albedo, wings heavy with frost, fought to move, her eyes wide with the realization that the ice would soon claim her, too. Both sisters struggled, their breaths visible in the freezing air, but they could not escape the encroaching cold.
Cocytus, standing in the center of the chaos he had unleashed, was the eye of the storm. The ice did not touch him; he was its master. The Spuit Lance hovered above, a swirling beacon of absolute cold, as he locked eyes with Hiro. Frost crept up Hiro's legs, ice threatening to encase him entirely. For a moment, it looked as if the cold would win, but Hiro's determination burned like fire. With a roar, he shattered the ice binding his legs, sending shards flying in all directions.
"Is this all you've got?" Hiro shouted defiantly, his breath a plume of steam against the freezing air.
The ground cracked beneath him as he charged, his steps shaking the earth. Cocytus, with a warrior's resolve, planted his feet and readied himself. The wind howled, the ice thickened, and the world around them shattered, but neither would back down.
The two titans clashed in the heart of the storm, their battle echoing through the frozen expanse. The Spuit Lance's blizzard intensified, and the ice spread faster, turning every corner of the floor into an unrecognizable abyss of frost.
The battle continued. Nigredo and Albedo were now nothing less than mere statues of Ice, prisoners of a cell with no lock, a position that couldn't be changed.
The Foresight members, albeit frozen, were already dying from hypothermia. -300 degrees Celsius was an impossible coldness level that shook the very fabric of this entire floor.
Hiro's eyes were starting to get sleepy, his body temperature was slowly dropping meanwhile Cocytus seemed to be getting stronger by the second.
Hiro struggled to breathe as the freezing air clawed at him, each exhale crystallizing in the icy storm. The relentless blizzard whipped around him, a wall of ice threatening to engulf him entirely. He felt the frost creeping up his legs, sapping his strength, and the ground beneath him became a treacherous sheet of ice.
Cocytus towered over him, wielding the Spuit Lance with deadly precision. "You. Will. Fall," he declared, the cold winds howling in agreement. Each swing sent shockwaves that sent Hiro reeling, the intense cold burning through his defenses.
Hiro glanced at Nigredo and Albedo, both frozen solid, and he knew time was running out. The Spuit Lance hovered ominously above, its aura radiating blizzard-like cold. "I have to stop it," he thought, adrenaline surging through him.
With a determined shout, he charged, pouring every ounce of strength into an attack aimed at the Spuit Lance. He had to break its hold before the icy grip of despair claimed him as well.
Hiro soared into the frigid sky, his heart racing as he focused on the Spuit Lance, which spun ominously above like a harbinger of destruction. Ignoring Cocytus's thunderous voice echoing through the storm, he felt an urgent need to bring its relentless power to a halt.
"You. Cannot. Stop. It," Cocytus declared, his tone filled with chilling confidence, resonating like a winter storm. The atmosphere thickened with tension as the blizzard intensified, each flake of snow a reminder of the overwhelming power Cocytus wielded.
When Hiro reached for the lance, a sudden bolt of electric thunder erupted from it, striking him with blinding force and sending him spiraling away. He grunted in pain but quickly regained his composure, realizing that brute strength alone wouldn't suffice to stop the impending catastrophe.
With desperation creeping in, a reckless plan took root in his mind: what if he could decrease the temperature to such a degree that it would be unlivable for everyone? Not just Cocytus, but himself as well. It was a dangerous gamble, but in this high-stakes battle, it was a risk he was willing to take.
Drawing on the depths of his power, Hiro focused intently, channeling every ounce of energy into the air around him. He could feel the temperature plummeting as frost began to creep up his limbs, his breath crystallizing in the icy wind. The very essence of his being thrummed with energy as he willed the cold to deepen, the air shimmering with the intensity of his resolve.
"I won't let this end in ice!" Hiro shouted, his voice echoing against the howling winds. The atmosphere thickened with a palpable sense of impending doom as he unleashed his concentrated power, sending a shockwave of frigid air rippling through the battlefield.
As the temperature continued to drop, the icy ground beneath him began to crack and splinter. The sound was deafening, like the breaking of glaciers, as the arena was engulfed in a swirling vortex of frost and blizzard. Hiro could see the swirling snowflakes crystallizing into sharp shards, and he knew this was only the beginning.
"I'll freeze everything!" he roared, determination fueling his every word. "Even if it means my own end!"
The intensity of the cold reached staggering heights, and Hiro could feel the strain on his body, but he pressed on. Cocytus's imposing figure loomed nearby, his golden armor gleaming even in the blizzard, but Hiro was unfazed. With each heartbeat, he channeled more energy into this self-destructive plan, pushing the boundaries of his limits as the air around him crackled with the extreme chill.
The very fabric of reality seemed to warp and bend under the pressure of Hiro's power, and Cocytus began to falter, a look of surprise crossing his otherwise stoic face. "What. are. you. doing?!" he shouted, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"I will stop this storm!" Hiro declared, his voice a battle cry against the elements. "No matter the cost!"
With a final surge of energy, Hiro unleashed a cataclysmic wave of cold that washed over the arena, a frigid tide that promised to consume everything in its path. As the storm reached its peak, the ground cracked, the air shimmered, and Hiro felt the icy grip of his own power tightening around him.
In that moment, everything was at stake. Cocytus and Hiro stood on the brink of a frozen abyss, ready to either perish or prevail in a battle where victory would come at a devastating price.
As the frigid wave surged forth, Cocytus's eyes widened in alarm. "Stop!" he shouted, his voice laced with both authority and panic. The powerful guardian, once so assured of his dominance, felt the biting chill begin to gnaw at his very essence. Ice crept up his legs, threatening to entomb him as Hiro's overwhelming cold washed over the arena.
"You. don't. understand. what. You're
. doing!" Cocytus bellowed, his voice cracking through the roar of the blizzard. "This. power. will. Consume. Us. both!"
But Hiro was past the point of reason, consumed by a singular focus: to bring an end to the storm and save everyone from the encroaching ice, even at the cost of his own life. "I know exactly what I'm doing!" he roared back, determination surging through him. "I. won't. Let. You!"
Cocytus propelled himself into the sky, the air crackling around him as he aimed for Hiro, his intentions clear: to end this reckless assault and reclaim control of the battlefield. But in that moment, the Spuit Lance, spinning furiously above, emitted a deafening hiss that reverberated through the arena—a sound that signaled doom.
"No!" Cocytus roared, realizing too late the magnitude of the catastrophe that was about to unfold. He watched in horror as the lance shattered, releasing a cataclysmic shockwave that swept across the landscape.
The temperature plummeted to an unimaginable negative three million degrees Celsius, a wave of frigid air crashing down like a tidal wave. The sheer cold engulfed everything in its path, freezing not just Glacier but rippling throughout the entirety of Nazarick.
As the shockwave radiated outward, the once vibrant and lively environment became a desolate wasteland, encased in an unyielding layer of ice. The guardians and workers of Nazarick, caught in the unexpected onslaught, found themselves immobilized in an eternal frost, their expressions frozen in disbelief.
Cocytus, in midair, felt the bitter cold seize him, his powerful armor cracking under the pressure. He plummeted back down, landing heavily amidst the chaos, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of the devastation that had unfolded.
"What have you done?" he shouted, the realization sinking in. All of Nazarick lay shrouded in ice, a stark reminder of the battle's cost. The arena, once filled with the sounds of clashing steel and ferocious roars, was now a silent tomb, a frozen monument to the clash of wills between warriors bound by duty and honor.
Hiro, standing amidst the encroaching frost, felt the weight of his actions crash down upon him like an avalanche. He had aimed to save, to protect, yet the power unleashed had consumed them all. As he gazed upon the desolation, a sense of dread filled his heart. He had become a harbinger of destruction, and there was no turning back now.
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