Mahapadma, one of Esdeath's secret techniques, wields immense power capable of freezing molecules, creating the illusion of freezing both time and space. Although due to its enormous energy consumption, the freeze lasts only for a short period and can only be activated once a day, it is still terrifying.
For Esdeath, a warrior of her caliber, killing someone doesn't require much time—just a blink of an eye would be enough. In the original story, she used this technique twice: once to easily kill the berserk Susanoo, and the second time she lost the battle because she was tricked by Akame, leading to a wrong judgment.
When Esdeath's rosy lips uttered those few words, the entire world suddenly lost its color, turning into a faint blue hue. Everything around her seemed to freeze—dust suspended in the air, pebbles bouncing off the ground, and even the faint breeze—all came to a standstill under this pale blue power.
"My dear, it seems I've won," Esdeath said, as she gracefully flicked her long hair, almost reaching her ankles, and walked elegantly toward Kaguya, who stood motionless like a statue.
At that moment, a hint of surprise lingered on Kaguya's face. Her bright eyes were fixed on the distance, and she stood still, as if in a daze.
Esdeath approached Kaguya and reached out to pinch her soft, tender cheek. She chuckled softly, "You know, this ability was prepared especially for you. Now, you'll never escape, and you'll belong to me forever."
With that, Esdeath leaned down and gently kissed Kaguya's cheek. The soft sensation made a slight smile bloom on her lips.
Her pale hand slid down from Kaguya's cheek, tracing over her snow-white neck and lower.
In the previous battle, Minister Honest had struck Kaguya with his Teigu, though it hadn't harmed her. However, the black-and-red Gothic dress she wore had its strap destroyed, leaving her outfit loose and disheveled.
Esdeath's lips curled upward, and her pale hand slipped effortlessly inside.
"I didn't expect my dear to be so adorable. I'm falling for you more and more," Esdeath said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Although Kaguya had grown accustomed to her body, she still wasn't used to the weight of her large chest, especially when it bounced and jostled during movement, which made her uncomfortable. That's why she preferred wearing tighter clothing. This particular outfit was a masterpiece by Master Luna, though it was tight, it was comfortable.
But in Esdeath's eyes, it became a symbol of pure cuteness.
Esdeath's pale fingers lifted Kaguya's chin, and she placed a gentle kiss on her lips, whispering, "It's a shame. I wanted to spend more time with you, but it seems our time is almost up. No matter, you're already mine, aren't you, my dear?"
As Esdeath spoke, the pale blue world gradually faded, returning to its original colors. The icy crystals, which had exuded a chill in the air, disappeared, leaving only a slight coolness lingering.
"It looks like I've won, my dear," Esdeath whispered, holding Kaguya close with a gentle laugh.
"Is that so? I don't quite see it that way," an elegant voice, as clear as spring water, suddenly rang out.
Esdeath's pupils contracted, and she quickly turned around, only to see another beautiful silver-haired girl standing behind her—it was Kaguya.
In Kaguya's hand was a long sword gleaming with cold light, its tip resting against Esdeath's snow-white neck.
"How can this be?" Esdeath murmured, looking down at the motionless girl beside her who looked exactly like Kaguya, her face showing an expression of disbelief, completely ignoring the blade at her throat.
"What's impossible?" Kaguya smiled. "You have secret techniques, but do you think I don't?"
As soon as Kaguya finished speaking, the girl in Esdeath's arms suddenly dispersed into a cloud of white mist with a soft "puff."
"This is my secret technique—Shadow Clone Jutsu," Kaguya smiled.
Long ago, Kaguya had learned that ninjutsu wasn't about being the strongest; sometimes, using the right jutsu at the right moment was far more important. Just like now, the Shadow Clone Jutsu wasn't a particularly advanced ninjutsu—any elite Jonin could use it, and it was only classified as a B-rank technique.
But at this moment, it had successfully deceived Esdeath and wasted one of her trump cards.
"You've truly surprised me, my dear," Esdeath said.
"It's nothing, just a bit of luck," Kaguya replied.
"Luck?" Esdeath said.
"If you had noticed the flaw, I might have failed," Kaguya chuckled.
"You're still as adorable as ever," Esdeath smiled. "But do you really think you've won?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Esdeath suddenly unleashed a tremendous burst of power, shoving Kaguya away. At the same time, she swung her sword, deflecting Kaguya's Kusanagi sword, and in an instant, she dashed toward Kaguya like an arrow, her speed faster than the eye could follow.
"You might think you're being overconfident," Kaguya chuckled, "But I still think I've won."
Raising her pale arm, Kaguya's eyes narrowed, and she swung her sword, sending a powerful arc of sword energy through the air.
Just as the two were about to collide, a dark shadow suddenly shot up from the ground. A bright light flashed from the shadow's forehead, like a bolt of lightning, and struck Kaguya's back while she was caught off guard.
A sinister laugh followed, "Die, you bitch!"