Neutral Route Kill Counter?

[Bieszczady Archiwa]

So If you abort genocide route or don't meet all conditions in ruins, then can you still exhaust kill counter in any area? If not, then can you actually get lv 19 on neutral route if determined enough?

[[RvB] RedArmyGrif]

Apparently yes though it requires doing Genocide up until Hotland. The way I saw was exhausting the kill counter then sparing Muffet.