Inuyasha: My job stats have no limits.

"You stopped time, didn't you!"

Before Esdeath could finish speaking, the sky above her suddenly split open, and a huge purple Bagua teleportation array appeared out of thin air, as if a gap had been torn open in the sky itself, completely enveloping her under the array.

Bai Lan stretched out her palm, spread her five fingers, and suddenly grabbed Esdeath's thick front armor.

"Get in here!"

"Let's talk about going in after I've conquered you!"

However, even though her own weaknesses were mercilessly exploited, and even though her armor had begun to deform, Esdeath showed no pain. Instead, she resisted the astonishing gripping force with a look of pleasure on her face.

It's good that I'm out of the teleportation array. Now the initiative in the battle is back in my hands!

While feeling pleased, she didn't forget to ponder Bai Lan's tactics.

"So that's how it is. The moment I froze time and space, you slipped into another dimension, which is why I didn't stop time!"

"You got it right. I even used my demonic power to create afterimages to distract you. It seems the tactic was very successful."

"Demon power?"

"Ahem, it's the hidden ability of 'Shangri-La'."

Bai Lan casually brushed it off.

If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. I'm not really interested in hearing it either.

Esdeath remained expressionless; she had no curiosity about the so-called secret, only a desire to continue the fight!

"Now that you've shown yourself, let's bring this game to a close!"

—Mahāprabhāṣṭa!

Time and spacetime are frozen once again!

Esdeath never kills powerful enemies who bring her pleasure. As long as they still have value, she will let them go again and again until all their value is squeezed out.

Just like Najenda.

“The consumption of Maha Padma is enormous; even I can only do it once a day.”

This is what Esdeath often explains to those who bring her pleasure, and it can be seen as an encouragement for these people to struggle as much as possible in front of her!

But in reality, this is a lie!

Just like some old rascal, he goes around spouting nonsense about how this skill can only be practiced by virgins and can only be used five times in a lifetime.

Mahapadma, Esdeath can use it at least three times a day, and even four times if she overdraws her life force!

That's why she felt pleased after learning about Bai Lan's method, and believed that the situation was once again in her control.

It's nothing more than freezing time and space again!

"It's been so long since I've felt this happy."

Looking at the motionless Bai Lan, Esdeath gently removed his hand from her ample bosom. Although it was pleasurable, such a reward should only be given to the victor.

She brandished the Sword of Glory and thrust it towards Bai Lan's abdomen...

However, just as the stab reached mid-air, Bai Lan's fingers trembled slightly.

impossible!

A flicker of disbelief crossed Esdeath's mind, but relying on her combat instincts, she suppressed the turmoil in her heart and thrust her longsword once again toward Bai Lan's abdomen.

Swish!

Bai Lan's fingers trembled once again!

Ignoring the beast's instincts, Esdeath suddenly retreated, putting distance between herself and Bai Lan.

Although her intuition didn't warn her of danger, Esdeath decided to avoid the limelight for the time being and stood at a distance, watching Bai Lan warily.

"It moved?"

"Absolutely impossible! Could it be that a deeply fused super-dangerous species possesses the ability to resist spacetime?"

As Esdeath pondered, time began to flow once more.

"Phew, time has been paused again. Looks like I should be getting used to it by now."

Bai Lan's body detached from the teleportation array. She stretched her limbs and then discarded the magnet stuck to her sleeve.

"These little gadgets are no longer needed."

"...Magnet, magnet?"

Esdeath suddenly looked down and scanned her surroundings, her gaze stopping at a gap in the folds of her clothing, where a magnet was quietly pressed against the fabric of her military uniform, almost blending into it.

She reached out and picked it up, running her fingertips over it, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"What a clever trick!"

"At least I escaped your 'Mahapadma,' isn't that enough?"

"That's commendable, but now you're abandoning your clever schemes. You don't really think I can only use 'Mahapadma' twice a day, do you?"

"Who knows?"

Bai Lan smiled dismissively.

Although he possessed the power of the 'Supreme Lord', which was enough to completely defeat Esdeath, Bai Lan did not use it. He wanted to fully adapt to the time-stopping ability of 'Makappa'.

We may encounter similarly formidable opponents in the future, but if we adapt in advance, we won't need to go through so much trouble then.

Since he possesses the ability of 'coexistence with royalty', he will never die as long as the empire exists.

"The ability to freeze time and space is terrifying enough in the eyes of others, even if it only happens once a day."

The icy beauty smiled and said softly, "That's why people always believe me when I say 'only once a day'."

But the next second, she suddenly became extremely cold.

"but,"

"Reality is cruel. There are no rules or fairness in this world. Even the most terrifying power can be overcome with daily training!"

"Just like now! 'Mahapadma'!"

Esdeath once again gathered enough power to freeze time and space. The next moment, the icy blue freezing power spread out, freezing time and space wherever it passed, turning everything around into Esdeath's Time Paradise!

After unleashing her ultimate technique for the third time, even Esdeath's stamina was depleted to an alarming degree. She gasped for fresh air, her towering figure undulating beneath her tattered military uniform.

With his current physical strength, it would be difficult to sustain another full release.

After resting for a few seconds, Esdeath strode forward. Time was running out, and she had to defeat Shirayama quickly!

However, after taking only a few steps, a figure appeared in front of Esdeath, one hand around her slender waist, the other hand gently covering her heart.

In less than a second, the Thunder Roar Cannon could pierce its heart!

Bai Lan said:

"...The characteristics of 'possessed by evil spirits' are, firstly, adaptation, which allows me to gradually adapt to all environments; secondly, evolution, which allows me to evolve into a form capable of resisting the freezing of time and space through constant confrontation."

"I...lost?"

Esdeath was stunned when she felt the hand covering her chest, and didn't react for a moment.

"We've lost. This tastes really bitter!"

"However, it's not bad. At least it gave me a new direction. I realized that there are people in the world who are even more powerful than me!"

But she quickly came to her senses, still looking somewhat disappointed, and pressed Bai Lan's palm against that soft spot.

"This is the winner's reward."

Bai Lan: ?

That's it?

Is this the kind of reward Queen Esdeath gives?

Do you really think your brother Lan is some innocent, simply little chef who's never eaten anything good in his life?

Seemingly sensing Bai Lan's dissatisfaction, Esdeath seemed to have thought of a new way to play, her slender fingers touching her rosy lips with a hint of shyness.

"You can do whatever you want."

"But...can I pretend I haven't lost yet?"

"Of course. But don't get me wrong, it's not because I can do whatever I want to you after I win. I just want to see you at your peak!"

Bai Lan immediately and righteously agreed.

The moment Bai Lan agreed, Esdeath struggled out of Bai Lan's arms and immediately used another secret technique of [Demon's Essence].

—General Binglan!

First, a large number of 'ice cavalry' are created, storing several days' worth of energy, and then released all at once. At full power, they can even trigger celestial phenomena.

Although it had reached its limit, 'Ice Rider' was a move that Esdeath had prepared before White Storm arrived.

She desperately wanted to see the Emperor's astonished expression as he faced the charge of a massive army.

I just never expected to lose so completely.

This surprise can only become our trump card!

More than 10,000 cavalrymen appeared on the snow-capped mountain, and Esdeath, riding on horseback, charged toward the emperor.

"Destroy the enemy's army! Break through their formation! Slay their generals! Capture the city! Annihilate the enemy once more!"

After habitually uttering the words, a haughty smile appeared on Esdeath's exquisitely beautiful face.

Even knowing she couldn't defeat Bai Lan, she still wanted to give it her all. Since she was going to experience defeat, she would do it all at once!

If we can rush to the emperor's front and then have all the ice cavalry explode, we might still have a chance to win!

"What a stubborn guy, but that suits your personality!"

Bai Lan took a deep breath, slammed her hands onto the ground, and poured a continuous stream of power into 'Shangri-La'.

——Dimensional Array: Exile!

"Go obediently to the ends of the earth!"

Ode!