Ordo definitely didn't know if that so-called boost fully nullified the effects of the domain. Fulgor produced sound again when he transformed, but what about the Obscurtias Spell fueling the entire domain?
Because of the startle and disbelief of the unknown, he assumed that it would be useless at this point. Yet, he still chose to stabilize it, hoping that he could scrap some advantage for his temporary allies.
He wasn't aware that this was the correct choice, for he simply went along with his gut on the matter.
Ordo's conjecture about them being separate from Ethernano was a bit off the mark. At most, it was a unique type of energy that existed alongside Magic.
But, the essence of Curses were of a completely different property and worked on its own wonders within the depths of pure negative emotions. One must fuel their spells and techniques based on their greed, envy, hate, and other such notions.
The reason why Fulgor managed to erase his soundless state, was thanks to the trait of Curse power that was unaffected by magic-canceling objects. Doubling the capacity of his magic container brute forced his way out of this particular effect through sheer coincidence and luck.
You could say that with his personality, the sheer magnitude of his malice was a perfect fit to combine both Magic and Curse. It was a pity that his arrogance led to his defeat.
That doesn't mean that someone who uses a bit of Curse power would be spared from the domain itself, because this wasn't an object… It was a spell.
In other words, The Soundless Domain is still operating in full force.
Kagura jumped back as she blocked another set of spikes. She looked up at the destroyed Lacrima that opened a big hole between the layers. "You did well, Ordo." Acknowledging the sound wizard's efforts.
The blight in front of her already sensed that his comrade above was defeated, making him even more enraged. THAT FOOL! It is an insult to be defeated by light wizards. Lord Zeref would be disappointed…
He charged at the stoic woman in front of him, manifesting spikes again as she prepared to attack with his dual-shaped lances.
Kagura quickly went into drawing stance. "Archenemy: Crawl Form." She lowered herself as she also dashed towards her opponent. The moment Lockine stepped on her range, a multitude of slashes covered his vision.
He detected a change in the air, noticing the scabbard that was on its way to stab him on each location of his body. Lockine attempted to block each strike as his mouth opened in defiance under the silence.
A few breached his defenses, piercing his armor while adding another injury to the tally. Kagura suddenly paused for a moment, catching him off-guard.
Lockine observed the purple-haired woman's posture, aiming the tip of her scabbard with her left hand as a guide. He quickly crossed the lances in front of him, as she initiated a stabbing attack with unstoppable momentum.
Damn this Heretic! This is gonna hurt---! Ughk!
His grip rattled under her might as he felt the shaking of his bones. He flew across the layer, destroying more spikes and walls in the process. After trailing a fair distance, he landed on a wall as he coughed blood.
Lockine slowly removed himself from the wall, embedding the intact lance on the ground to keep his consciousness afloat. He felt exhausted as he gazed at the shattered weapon beside him.
Then, he looked up at dust of smoke that was clearing. The woman he was fighting walked towards him with that same ice-cold expression, already circulating her magic power for another strike.
Only small tears and rips could be seen on Kagura's clothes, showcasing her little injuries from the countless grazes of the spikes. But she simply shrugged them off, only focusing on the enemy in front of her.
The blight stood up in pain to desperately match her pace. He created a new lance afterwards, returning to his dual-wielding. Yet, that doesn't mean that he was bereft of thought even with his overzealous personality.
I don't want to use this blessing that originated from Lord Zeref, but… she's strong.
Kagura continued her momentum as Lockine formed more spikes as a defensive approach, while he mixed in some distractions to exploit any possible openings.
Unfortunately, the woman was alert to her surroundings, she rarely ever made mistakes unless she wanted to trade blow-for-blow. Lockine decided to delay her to activate the power left by Jackal.
Spike Magic: Endless Piercings!
The spell concentrated quantity rather than quality, which was good for dealing with groups like small battalions. Kagura witnessed its sudden increase, although she still adorned a calm expression.
"Gravity Magic: Earth." She applied weight around her vicinity to keep the spikes at bay. But she definitely underestimated the amount he could produce, because it managed to cover the layer.
The layer was not small by any means, which made it an impressive feat. It was a repetitive creation that didn't stop, she saw smaller ones extend into branches of even more miniature spikes.
It was like the entire area was dyed in a pitch-black color, engulfing her sight in a pesky manner.
"How tricky. This layer is at least beyond a hundred meters, what a convenient spell." Kagura muttered as she looked through the little openings within the numerous spikes, however, it would never reach her due to the passive nature of her spell.
She sliced and sliced, quickly making her way towards Lockine. She already understood the blight's intent by invoking this technique: Delaying her at all costs.
VRRRMM!
Kagura then felt a shift of the man's presence, observing the immediate convulsion of his body. Whatever he was doing, the aura he excluded disgusted her… A familiar feeling that brought back tragic memories.
"It was to be expected, since they are cultists." She strengthened her spell to an even higher output, the spikes shattering as she sprinted with ease. A portion parted thanks to her efforts, finally seeing the shadowy outline of Lockine.
She didn't stop as she aimed her scabbard at him. "Archenemy: Strength Form!" But before it could make contact, the eerie energy that was covering his figure vanished, showing an inhuman presence of grotesque proportions.
Lockine smiled darkly, baring his teeth ominously. "Prepare to be exterminated, vermin!" He simultaneously created another lance and swung at the incoming weapon.
Kagura's eyes slightly widened as she heard his voice. "Did you counteract the effects of the spell?" They clashed, destroying the vicinity surrounding them. But this time, she was surprisingly getting pushed back.
Her feet skidded along the ground, not forgetting to circulate her gravity spell to avoid further injury. She clicked her tongue while quietly grinding her teeth, trying to resist the overwhelming offensive.
Kagura stared at the new look of her opponent, narrowing her eyes in disdain. The things that these criminals do for power… It's impossible to fathom the minds of these savages. She jumped up as she invoked her earth spell in a wider range. Although the change of gravity didn't affect the man in question.
"A useless endeavor, heretic! This essence of beautiful darkness shall swallow all! The benevolence of Lord Zeref knows no bounds!" Lockine spread his hands in reverence.
"Benevolence? Don't make me laugh, cultist. People like you deserve to rot in hell." She coolly replied, making a small piece of the ceiling her foothold, crumbling another set of spikes in the process.
Kagura went into a drawing stance.
"Be quiet! Only the ignorant couldn't understand the magnificence of the esteemed Black Wizard. Allow me to enlighten you as one of his devoured followers." The blight covered his clenched right fist with his open left palm, positioning them at the lower right of his torso.
Ethernano of an unknown nature slowly tainted the magic being formed from his hands. Kagura sensed it as she hardened her expression, preparing to take it head-on.
"Spike Magic: Crucifixion!" The chant felt like a demonic whisper, echoing throughout the Soundless Domain.
What followed afterwards was a spike that shined like obsidian, and was the largest he ever created. It shot out like a speeding bullet, instantly appearing before the swordswoman.
Kagura swung as she tried to block it, feeling the pressing weight of the spell in full force. She was lifted up as it pushed her towards the third layer, startling the resting Ordo.
"Miss Kagura!?" He saw the intimidating jet-black spike as he sensed the familiar aura that came from Fulgor. But, in his current state, he will be a burden if he stepped in to assist her.
He sighed in helplessness. "Please be careful, you two. They're even more tenacious than Fulgor." Ordo laid his head on the cold hard rubble again, wishing them the best of luck.
…
Hm? What's that shaking? This is the first layer for crying out loud. Did the blights use Ordo's spell for an experiment?" A dark wizard thought under the silence.
Nobody in the first layer was aware of the noiseless invasion below, because none has entered from this area. The magic detectors were deemed useless in this case, which resulted them in being relaxed.
The shaking became even more prominent as it felt closer, bringing confusion to the crowd. Then, without warning, the ground suddenly exploded as some of them had their mouths opened as if they were screaming in surprise and fear.
A giant spike covered the layer with its shadow, making the ones who stabilized their footing to look up in awe. At the edge of the behemoth sized spell, a purple-haired woman was currently shielding herself from it with her scabbard.
"Tch!" Kagura didn't expect to be sent flying throughout the hideout. It was fortunate that her gravity spell was still active, cushioning her from the pavement as it repelled the debris.
She tried to lighten it with her gravity change, but the eerie essence of the spike countered its application. She gritted her teeth as she neared the ceiling of the first floor, going through it like butter.
BOOOM!!
The peaceful morning sky greeted her, alongside the return of sound across the environment. Only the frequency of reverberating explosion with their clash appeared on the tranquil terrain. The wildlife in the forest was frightened by the sudden noise as they quickly scurried away from the chaos.
After exiting the underground, the spike finally stopped. Kagura quickly stepped away from it as she descended from such a height, intending to land on the greenery to take a breather.
"Hm?" She detected movement from the vast weapon, forming miniature versions of itself as it swiftly moved towards her direction. Kagura still didn't panic while being in a disadvantaged position, blocking the attacks with ease.
She did a graceful roll as her feet made contact with the last one, using it to boost herself towards the ground. The woman executed a perfect recovery as soon as she landed, standing back up and glanced at the spike that loomed over the atmosphere.
"You are truly annoying, heretic. Never letting your guard down against a believer of Zeref is folly!" Lockine emerged from his own manifested spell.
"... An interesting statement." Kagura's stoic expression faltered for a moment, wondering if lunatics like him mentally remove a part of their brain.
The blight clicked his tongue. "I didn't give you permission to speak." He stretched his limbs as he felt refreshed, as if a shackle was removed. "So that sinner's domain had another function… I've returned to my full strength!"
Lockine madly chuckled as he gazed upwards, the tone of it was spine-chilling. He excitedly circulated his power without restraint, forming branches of spikes around him.
"That slight advantage you have is no more. Why not surrender and convert your belief to the almighty Black Wizard? The guild master values individual power more than anything else." He spoke with full confidence, already assured of his victory.
Kagura simply stared at the cultist, not entertaining any more idle conversation. In fact, she was insulted by the abhorrent offer. She responded by matching the pressure of Lockine, the breeze between them turning chaotic.
Although both her and Natsu were aware of how much the domain limited the blight's magical energy, Spells are a reflection of a wizard's capability, and Ordo was definitely the weakest in this battlefield…
He could only do so much against people that were stronger than him.
Before they raided the place, she pulled in the dragon slayer for a brief reminder. They would hold back a portion of their strength in case of any unexpected variables. Dark Guilds act beyond the boundary of logic, and you would never know how they will retaliate when their cornered.
She sweat dropped at the possibility of Natsu forgetting what she said, considering he entered the hideout like a blazing firework.
But now that it has come to this---! Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as she sensed the approaching blight.
"Are you paralyzed by fear, heretic!? Don't worry about it, because I'll make sure to put you in a near-death state first!" Lockine had his dual lances again, forged by his complete power this time.
Kagura made herself lighter as she managed to react so quick that the initiative now belonged to her. The madman's weapons clashed with her sword, producing a ringing sound throughout the area.
This wasn't the end of Lockine's strike, because it was followed by numerous spikes that encircled her, denying a path of escape.
"You have nowhere to run! Accept this rite of baptism, ignorant little lamb." Lockine gazed at the stoic woman with anticipation. Such a strong wizard is worth converting… I'm sure the guild master will be happy with this addition.
Kagura sensed the spikes increase in power, rendering the application of her gravity spell useless with pure force. But before it could even skewer her, she suddenly maximized its output, freezing everything in place.
The blight widened his eyes as felt the profound weight crushing him like a mountain. He was getting pushed back simultaneously by the sheathed sword, his weapons were trembling from the impact.
She shifted Lockine's lances, infusing even more heavy gravity on his being. Then, she switched to lighter gravity, sliding her scabbard across the lances as she landed a hit on his chin.
"Urgh!" The man's vision blurred with pain, attempting to recover to launch a counter. But the spell slowed down his movements that his body cannot catch up with his thoughts.
"Archenemy: Strength Form." Lockine was given no time to even respond, and could only listen to her voice helplessly as he felt a bone-breaking pain on his torso. He was sent flying towards his giant the spike while screaming in agony.
Fortunately, it was a spell he manifested. So he used the surface as a safety net the moment he arrived near it. He quickly entered the pointed structure in relief, looking down at the swordswoman with rage.
"W-What type of blasphemous means did you employ!? This sudden surge in power is nonsense!" Lockine coughed blood as he held his chest, feeling the damage in earnest.
Kagura leaped towards his location while adjusting herself into another drawing stance. "Is it so hard to comprehend, cultist? I was simply holding back." She stated in a calm voice.
"Archenemy: Slice Form."
Shing!
The spike in front of her was cleaved into many pieces, showing the blight who was riddle with injuries thanks to her technique.
"IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE! You were holding back!? I refuse to believe it! This blessing by the Black wizard is unrivaled!" Lockine shouted in denial as he slowly went insane.
He manipulated the broken pieces into another set of spikes, directing it towards Kagura who was still in the air. But it cruelly shattered under the activation of her gravity spell.
Lockine tried to conjure a new spell to counter it, but a fair white hand glove interrupted him, sensing that familiar heavy pressure. His movements were delayed even more, while he looked at the woman's sharp gaze with newly found fear.
The overzealous worshipper's bravado finally fizzled out.
"As a thank you for sending me upwards, it is now my turn to send you downwards." Kagura descended with Lockine that was still in her steel-like grip. Once they passed through the intact body of the gigantic spike, she released him for a moment.
She glided on its surface as she tensed her leg muscles, aiming the end of her scabbard at him with laser-sharp focus. The blight wanted to block the incoming strike, but he was too weakened to do anything at this point.
"Ahh… Mercy… Lord Zeref accepts everyone, no matter the background."
"Archenemy: Strength Form." Kagura jumped with enough momentum to execute the ability properly.
BAMM!
"ARGHHHHHH"
As soon as her weapon made contact with the blight, it was already checkmate.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Like previously, they passed through the three layers with ease. Entering the domain of silence again.
Kagura saw the Lacrima just below, angling her fall towards the main objective of this invasion. The gravity spell was still at work, so the explosive aftermath will be smoothly repelled.
"Mmmphhh!" Lockine's voice rose for a moment, then he stopped struggling once they both reached the generator. The destruction and flames within the noiseless atmosphere gave way to a somewhat mesmerizing finish to the lunatic who spouted nonsense.
Kagura panted as she endured the heat which didn't feel too bad. Her spell works perfectly for situations like this. The unconscious figure of Lockine was seen on the rubble, indicating her victory in an overwhelming manner.
A purple-haired woman with slightly tattered clothes serenely stood over her defeated opponent.
"... Good. I still have magical power to spare."
And she was ready to assist the dragon slayer who was fighting at the very bottom.