Chapter 1496: Number 2

In the cold, dimly lit chamber, Maria unleashed her icy fury upon the doppelganger. Half-Maria, half-monster, it crumpled under the weight of her relentless assault. The stolen flesh, once a chilling mockery, now resembled a grotesque sculpture trapped within a cage of shimmering frost. Its mismatched eyes, one reptilian and one icy blue, locked with Maria's in a silent battle of determination. But despite its entrapment, the doppelganger was far from finished.

Ever watchful, Maria sensed a shift in the creature's energy. It wasn't defeated; it was regrouping. An almost imperceptible layer of frost formed, spreading outward from the doppelganger's form. It was a desperate attempt to counter Maria's power and buy time to devise a new strategy.

A sly smile curled upon Maria's lips as she belittled her adversary.

"Pathetic," she hissed, her voice reverberating through the chamber.

"Even your stolen magic is nothing but a feeble imitation."