Severed Universe

is an Ignition Ability used by Shō Kusakabe.

Overview
By cooling the area around his body, Shō is able to greatly reduce the heat that causes the natural expansion of the universe and slow it down. As a result, he is able to slow down the flow of time. Time does not slow down for Shō himself, however; he remains at normal speed.

As an example, if Shō slows time to a third its normal speed, then things around Shō will appear to him as if they are moving three times slower; while Shō's opponents perceive him moving three times faster. As a result, Shō's normal movements appear untraceably fast to his opponents and they appear to move in slow motion from Shō's perspective. This technique allows him to travel a short distance and strike in under a second.

Weaknesses
Despite its great power, Severed Universe has several limitations.
 * Severed Universe requires chilling the surrounding area to such a low temperature, Shō's body begins to freeze almost immediately. This forces Shō to avoid using it for extended periods of time and it must be deactivated in order to thaw out the ice forming on his body. This ice almost instantly becomes steam upon contact with the now warm air, which can serve as a clue to understanding the machinations of his ability.
 * Time is slowed, but not actually frozen. Therefore, attacks and objects moving fast enough in standard time can match Shō's movements in the slowed time, as seen with Arthur Boyle surviving a fatal blow through his quick reflects while Severed Universe was still active.
 * Objects moving at a speed that defies the laws of physics are able to bypass Severed Universe, as time at any speed cannot affect them or their movement. If a light speed attack launches before or during Severed Universe's use, its instant effect will happen regardless of how much time has been slowed.
 * As a Fourth Generation ability, it normally requires a connection to the Evangelist in order to function. If the Evangelist breaks this connection, Severed Universe cannot be activated. This activation condition wasn't required during the lead up to the second Great Cataclysm due to the effect of Adolla's proximity.