Ability Deep Dive: Hydrofreeze (Patreon)

Hello! Hope everyone's doing well! 

SPOILER WARNING for anyone's who's not caught up!!

I'm here to drop some lore and clarify a few nuances about the Hydrofreeze ability! This specifically covers Episodes 390–391, where John fights Liam using Hydrofreeze. 

The way Hydrofreeze works is exactly as the name suggests. The user has the powers of water and ice. The water side allows for flexibility and movement, while the ice side gives sharp and hardened attacks. The ability is quite versatile, which is why it has such high potential, and Hydrofreeze users generally grow into high-tiers.

The more complex part of Hydrofreeze is its built-in defense system: Liquify. When a user is hit by an attack, especially a potentially fatal one, they can turn themselves into water. It does not create a pocket dimension, the user simply turns into a puddle. It's a skill that takes a long time to master. Liquify is also when the user is at their weakest and most vulnerable form. They cannot use any other Hydrofreeze techniques in this form and have no way to defend themselves or fight back, leaving them powerless. 

Liam, our original user, has mastered Liquify to the point where it's almost reflexive. He automatically and effortlessly turns to water whenever he's hit, making him virtually indestructible (unless he runs out of aura, of course!) 

John, on the other hand, has only copied the technique once before, so he has to focus and expend more aura to pull off Liquify properly. During their fight, John understands the ability well enough to realize that Liam's greatest defense can also be his weakness. 

Once a Hydrofreeze user becomes water, they're untargetable. But what happens when both users are in liquid form? John forces Liam into his liquid state and then fights him while they're both weakened. That's how John is able to beat him: John - 3 abilities vs Liam - completely powerless.

In Liam vs. John (Pt 2), the underwater fight is more of a visual way to make the scene look cool. Once John stabs Liam and forces him into his water form, they're essentially just two puddles splashing into each other, with one puddle having a few extra perks xD.

John's strategy only works because both fighters can turn into water. John wouldn't be able to use this same tactic against anyone else. In other words, he can't just pull whatever he wants underwater, and there's no pocket dimension involved! 

Okay, that's all for now! Hope this made sense and was an entertaining read! Let me know if you'd like me to do more of these in the future (with no spoilers, of course!) :D

- uru