At the same time, another fight alongside Kagura's was happening…
Dark Sky's Lowest Layer, The Sixth Layer.
Two people were slugging at each other non-stop, but even with the intense exchange, they both had smiles on their faces.
Natsu tilted his head as he avoided the blight's punch, he felt the wind pressure behind him, showcasing the man's pure physical prowess.
He quickly grabbed Nyrod's arm mid-swing, clenching his free right hand as he infused his magic into it. Natsu followed up by pulling the man towards the trajectory of his incoming uppercut.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Natsu's strike perfectly landed on Nyrod's chin, stunning his opponent in the process. Any normal person would've felt something when a sensitive part was hit, but the blight gritted his teeth while laughing.
"Are you serious?" He widened his eyes in disbelief, gazing at the person who looked joyful within the silence. It was definitely a new experience for him to see someone chuckling without sound, creating quite a scene from an observer's perspective.
"What's your chin made of, you tough bastard!?" He let go of Nyrod's arm, already circulating another spell. But before he could do so, he saw the man clasped his hands together, seamlessly transitioning into an overhead downwards swing.
Natsu quickly crossed his arms to block the looming attack as they clashed again in a contest of raw power. The ground shook from their contact, forming more cracks within the floor.
Nyrod assessed the pink-haired young man in front of him, realizing the rumors didn't do him justice at all. You are truly strong, Salamander. It's been a while since I've encountered a powerful official wizard… I can finally let loose without feeling any disappointment!
Six-Fold Physical State!
He increased the pressure, but the dragon slayer didn't budge. Natsu conjured boosters under his feet, bringing even more destruction to the area as his flames spread everywhere.
The blight grinned in glee, tensing his muscles as he took it a step further. The black lines snaking around his arms as they brightened up even more.
Seven-Fold Physical State!
"Kghk!" Natsu sank deeper into the ground, the flames on his feet didn't help at all. He screamed in response while veins appeared around his face, also increasing the output of his boosters to higher levels.
Nyrod felt himself being pushed back. No way. My Seven-Fold Strengthening Spell is being guarded against directly? Most would just avoid it by re-directing its force. Only the guild master successfully blocked it with no effort.
He understood how lethal his Strength Magic could be, because it was one of those magics that can easily counter other wizard's spells with their unique capabilities. In his case, he overwhelms them with raw and physical might.
The lines that appear whenever he used his magic acts as circuits to elevate the density of his cells, blood, bones, and muscles under the scale of a multiplier. Basically, the higher it is, the stronger he gets.
But every magic would always have a limit. Once his multiplier reaches a certain threshold, unimaginable pain will be felt across his body. His Seven-Fold Spells are the end line for tolerable conditions… Beyond that? Eight-Fold Spells were above his human limit.
Which is why he was allured by the reward that Jackal gave him. The demon stated that Curses were a superior form of power, making it the perfect catalyst for compensating this weakness.
Right now, after he combined himself with the portion of Curse power he received, all of his spells evolved a tier higher. So the Seven-Fold Spells he invoked were currently as strong as his Eight-Fold Spells before assimilating with Jackal's reward.
The continent of Ishgar is truly vast… Maybe his magic wasn't so special in the eyes of some people. He was seeing a living example in front of him, feeling his decreasing momentum in this contest of strength.
"Rrrrahhhh!" Natsu slowly stood up as he pushed back Nyrod even more, his flames were getting wilder by the minute as it destroyed the surroundings even more. And once he noticed that his right foot was free, he kicked with so much vigor.
"Take this, Mr Heavyweight!" His strike ended up on the blight's torso, flames exploding afterwards as he was sent flying.
Nyrod coughed while feeling the searing pain of the dragon slayer's fire. But he managed to recover quickly, landing on the ground as he skidded across the pavement.
Hahahaha! Incredible! A person worth crushing other than Argonia. Life is indeed full of surprises. He looked at the incoming dragon slayer who shot towards him like a blazing comet.
"I won't get caught like that again." Natsu remarked in annoyance as he prepared another spell.
Nyrod simply spread his arms, as if taunting him into a new contest. The blight stopped himself from going any further, ready to tank it head-on.
Natsu grinned at such an action, who wouldn't love a good fight anyway? And as soon as he arrived in front of him, he delivered like promised.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
Both of them clashed again, shaking the environment due to their unrelenting magical power. Nyrod used his hands to try and block the spell, operating his circuits to the max.
He opened his mouth to unleash a noiseless war cry under the silence, weakening the dragon slayer's momentum until it halted. Before Natsu could even react in time, he motioned his right hand into a hand-chop gesture and brought it down with great pressure.
Seven-Fold Guillotine!
"Gugh!" Natsu felt darkness threatening to consume him as he was smashed onto the ground. The floor would be gone at this rate thanks to the two wizard's rampage.
Flames surrounded Natsu like a cover, trying his absolute hardest to not lose consciousness right there and then. He quickly got into a handstand, surprising Nyrod as he landed a clean kick on his face.
I thought that did the job. He has quite the skull in there. Nyrod was a bit frazzled from the sudden attack, getting flung a short distance before looking back at the young man that stood up in grogginess.
Natsu held his head as he shook himself to recover from the shock. "So much for not getting caught again…" He awkwardly said while looking around, crossing his arms as he pondered.
Nyrod raised an eyebrow at him, confused at the dragon slayer's actions. Then, he heard a groan that sounded like a complaint.
"I don't like this one bit! No sound is just too weird for me!" Natsu waved his limbs comically, getting angry tick marks as he shouted in annoyance.
"You already agreed to it, Natsu. There's no point in taking back your words, you know." Another voice came from the layer above where Nyrod was stationed at.
Someone was with Salamander? The blight looked surprised for a moment. Wait… what's his purpose for attacking this place anyway? He obviously has companions since it's reckless to enter our base alone. Unless---! He widened his eyes in understanding.
He almost forgot his role due to how much he was enjoying the fight. A glaring flaw that he was aware of, yet it came to bite him in the ass all the same.
"Shoot! Happy, you shouldn't have talked! The guy figured it out instantly!" Natsu's sharp eyes noticed his reaction and warned his Exceed in advance.
"Err… Whoops? Don't mind me, I am just a ghost passing through." Happy could be seen beside the Lacrima, planting unknown items that were shaped like miniature bombs.
The blue cat snuck towards the generator when Natsu attacked the blight as soon as they saw him. It was a smooth process from start to finish, while he took advantage of the domain's effects completely.
He naturally asked Ordo for something that can go boom before the raid started. Happy wanted to contribute, letting Natsu focus on beating up his target without worry.
So, he shared his brilliant plan with the pink-haired young man. Natsu agreed to it without any hesitation, promising to make sure it would go well without a hitch. But hey, at least their strategy lasted longer this time… Compared to their previous shenanigans in other quests.
As expected, Nyrod instantly leaped towards the fifth layer, fully ignoring his opponent to defend the Lacrima in haste.
"You ain't goin' anywhere, buddy." Natsu followed after the blight, propelling himself to face him in mid-air.
Nyrod's expression darkened, his excitement gone with out a trace. Although he was battle-hungry and outright chaotic, his loyalty to Argonia was the real deal, even if it was under the guise of a long-time promise.
The blight winded his right fist, powering his circuits to the very limit. Although I had fun, the Lacrima should be my priority now. Salamander can definitely block this, but it could definitely reach the one above.
Natsu also conjured his flames on both his hands, becoming streams of energy that surrounded him in a protective embrace. "Happy, detonate the entire thing right now! I'll hold him off for a few seconds so you can look for a safe distance!" He loudly told his partner.
"Aye, Sir!" The Exceed activated his Aera Magic and zoomed across the layer, searching for the perfect spot to witness the explosion. Natsu already took care of the other grunts residing on the layer, making it a smooth path with no obstacles.
"Fire Dragon's Winged Attack!"
Seven-Fold Cannon!
The entire area crumbled like paper under the might of their spells, their gazes locked in at each other with pure intensity. It became a fierce air battle of struggle, one delaying, and one trying his hardest to get past.
"This is good spot. I need to hurry." Happy muttered as he brought out a button. He closed his eyes as he pressed it. "Here I go… Please don't reach me." He felt the ripple in front, indicating that the Lacrima exploded successfully.
Natsu smirked at the man who watched its destruction in disbelief. "Hehe! Nice one, Happy!" The explosion also arrived before them since they were near the ceiling. Its fiery aftermath engulfing them as more debris fell down.
Huge holes were seen within the fifth layer, decreasing the amount of ground so much that it displayed most of the sixth layer below. Happy hid behind a pile of rocks to shield himself from it.
Two figures escaped the fire as they descended into the layer they were fighting in. Although the explosion itself unsurprisingly trailed after the dragon slayer, everything entering into his mouth with no resistance.
He's… eating the fire from the explosion? Nyrod's mildly panted as he was covered with burns. He managed to defend in time and avoided the worst-case scenario of being out of commission. It would have been too embarrassing as the strongest blight if he lost like that.
However, the consecutive shocks stilled his thought process. I failed my role. It got destroyed brazenly under my watch. Shame and anger began to consume him as his pride shattered like glass.
"Pwah! That was a nice meal!" Natsu didn't care about the man's state of mind as he tapped his stomach in content. His injuries recovered while his magic power returned in full.
He looked at Nyrod who stood in a statue-like trance. "I'm fired up! Get ready to go lights out!" Pumping himself up as he infused his fists with vigorous flames.
"Hm? Shaking?" But his eagerness was interrupted by the sudden trembling that appeared to be affecting the whole hideout. He also sensed something he didn't like, one that he vaguely felt when he entered the place.
"It's that icky feeling again… What the hell is it?" Natsu's enhanced senses detected the malicious and dark energy above, making him worry about his other comrades.
This is Lockine's magical power. Nyrod also gazed upwards, noticing the change in his fellow blight's nature. Someone actually forced him to use it? That lunatic is a zealot who doesn't dare to touch anything related to Zeref. To think he was cornered enough to do it...
I've already disappointed the boss even while he's in slumber. I don't know how much it would affect the assimilating process. Nyrod sighed as he circulated the small capacity of Curse Power embedded within him. His body started to change, which captured the attention of the dragon slayer.
So… killing the reputable Salamander might lower the degree of my punishment. He mutated into something that's between human and demonic, showing his pointed teeth and fundamentally changed muscles. Nyrod looked like a being composed of bronze as he crushed the ground by just standing on it.
Natsu adorned a serious expression, staring at his transformed opponent with wariness. "You don't feel like a wizard at all." This feels similar compared to Mira's Take Over Magic, which earned his ire to say the least.
"Quite the description there, Salamander. But… You're not wrong about it either." Nyrod's voice finally echoed within the Soundless domain.
"Woah! I can hear you!" Natsu was a bit startled by the sudden reply. "I was gettin' annoyed with the silence." Then, he grinned in excitement, bursting out his flames without restraint.
"We're raising the bar, huh. Bring it on!"
"I will kill you, Salamander."
"You ain't scaring me with words, pal. I've already met a few that attempted to do that."
Nyrod dashed with strong strides towards Natsu after their conversation, each step shaking the ground due to his increased weight. He clenched his right fist as his copper arm glowed brilliantly.
"Eight-Fold Cannon."
Natsu instinctively felt the danger, narrowly avoiding the strike as he leaned left. The shockwave alone shattered the area behind him. He quickly countered with a flaming punch on his side, feeling the sturdiness of the blight's improved magic.
"What!? His skin almost matches that drake's scales!" The dragon slayer remarked, jumping back to avoid the incoming elbow. Like the punch, its residual force destroyed a wall from a distance.
Natsu observed the man with rapt attention, realizing that his normal spells won't work anymore. He conjured his flames again as he saw Nyrod charging at him again. Heck, the dark wizard was more aggressive than him at this point.
But he wouldn't lose out on that department as he also charged with gusto. His powered flaming fists shined brighter than usual, taking on the form of miniature suns.
"Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fists!" A barrage of explosive punches tried to overwhelm Nyrod as he crossed his arms to guard. Each one felt heavier than the last, stopping his movement in the process.
Natsu screamed with vigor as he fully focused on breaking through the blight's copper skin. The vicinity around them looked like a firework show, although the crumbling debris was the main highlight of such a display.
"Hah… Hah… I can't stop." After a while, the spell finished, prompting him to follow up with a knee to the face. Natsu winced as he made contact, knowing that there might be a crack in there.
He quickly dropped down as he lowered himself to punch directly on Nyrod's torso, actually lifting him up slightly. Then, a kick to the---!
Nyrod effortlessly grabbed his leg, raising him up to slam his body to the ground with great force.
"Kgk!" Natsu grunted in pain, but he endured it as he gathered his breath, immediately aiming at his target.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" He didn't wait for his attack to subside and attempted to get up even with just one free leg.
"How warm. Your flames are comfortable." Nyrod's calm voice rang in his ears, but he couldn't retort as he was thrown thoughtlessly towards the side. Natsu landed on a pile of debris, rattled by the sudden trip in the air.
The dragon slayer coughed, his vision blurry due to Nyrod's indomitable strength. He saw the blight dashing to him, swiftly grabbing his face as he was dragged against the wall mercilessly.
Nyrod followed up by flinging him in mid-air, leaping towards him with a clenched fist. "There's no opportunity for you to dodge this time."
Natsu covered himself in flames as he crossed his arms to desperately guard the blight's incoming attack. He gritted his teeth in preparation, aware that this was gonna hurt... A LOT.
"Eight-Fold Physical State." Nyrod circulated more power as he punched with unrivaled momentum. "Eight-Fold Cannon."
As soon as his fist made contact against the dragon slayer's futile attempt at defense, the area surrounding them shattered so much it surpassed Lockine's crucifixion spell in terms of pure pressure.
The fifth layer's ground crumbled even more as it was extinguished, alongside multiple unconscious dark wizards falling directly into the sixth layer. The scene was like a small natural disaster, its trembling affecting the entirety of two layers.
Happy experienced absolute chaos and destruction as he tried to avoid falling destroyed sections, using his flight to get to safety. A big dust cloud formed once everything calmed down somewhat, its aftermath reminiscent to that of a rampaging magical beast.
"Natsu…" The blue cat muttered in concern, directing his gaze towards the battle below. He wanted to support him by leveraging his Aera Magic like they always did… Unfortunately, an enclosed environment like this limits his mobility.
He had no choice but to believe in his partner, because the dragon slayer was someone who would never back down at any given situation.
Cough!
The young man in question laid down beside an ominous looking door. When he was hit by the spell, he only felt like a speeding cannonball, hitting the metallic portion of the floor. Still, that didn't stop the cracking of such a sturdy wall as he received the full brunt of raw pain coming from his back.
A spell of that caliber would have permanently crippled most wizards. Natsu was one of the few exceptions thanks to his vitality and resilience, courtesy of his training with Igneel.
"My arms and spine are still intact… That's damn lucky on my part." He absentmindedly remarked, admiring of whatever is left above him. Natsu grunted in pain as he tried to move his arms, which felt like the weight of mountains currently.
"Lucky indeed. In fact, I'm genuinely surprised that you're still even alive, Salamander." A looming voice responded to him, showing Nyrod who walked through the smoke in a calm manner.
Natsu simply stared at him with no fear. "Shut up. I don't need your annoying input." After saying that, he slowly got up through sheer willpower, wobbling a lot as he was ready to fight again.
"You harbor such a strong spirit. Boss would have killed to recruit guys like you in a heartbeat." Nyrod matched the dragon slayer's determined gaze with genuine respect. But that doesn't mean he would need to worry about him in his current state.
If unbreakable spirit was truly a factor in battle, the world he saw would have been different. As a dark wizard under the banner of Tartaros, superficial beliefs like that were nothing but hubris.
"One guild already tried that, and they failed miserably. I'd rather eat shit than join a group of criminal thugs." Natsu scoffed as he managed to finally open and close his fists. Flames emitted from him again, although it looked weaker than normal.
The blight crossed his arms, sighing at such statements. "Reckless and Stubborn. Young wizards with potential tend to squander themselves under the meaning of arrogance… What a pity, Salamander." He erased the possibility of Natsu wanting to join them.
"Hah? Did ya hit your head or something? A dark wizard trying to act like someone who can give advice and guidance is a great joke. Heck, you ain't even fit to lick gramps' shoes in that topic!" Natsu stated loudly as he got irritated after listening to Nyrod's so-called sagely tone.
Nyrod paused for a moment, then he giggled loudly like a maniac. Within the silence of the domain, just hearing it would give someone goosebumps. Because those who knew him at a surface level understood the meaning of such a laugh…
The Right-Hand Man of Dark Sky was extremely mad.
The atmosphere around the blight turned heavy, his magic power thriving with an oppressive air. Nyrod gazed at Natsu in pure anger, but he stayed his hand as he reveled in his superiority towards the dragon slayer.
"Enough! I've got to admit, your sly retorts and sharp tongue amuses me to a certain extent." He said in an even tone. "But that doesn't mean it can give you an advantage, right?"
Nyrod narrowed his eyes as he continued. "Its impossible for you to scratch me." He lightly tapped his chest. "Your element of flames won't be able to burn copper, because common knowledge dictates that its extremely fire-resistant. I'm sure that---!"
Another rumble interrupted their confrontation, causing the both of them to look up. Nyrod clicked his tongue as he sensed the aftermath, the same can be said for Natsu.
"Your companion won against that zealot… So even if most of your members are gone, there are still little monsters like you in Fairy Tail." The blight offhandedly remarked.
But he wasn't aware that he struck a nerve with that statement. Natsu's flames suddenly exploded with vigor, dyeing the area around them with a bright yet destructive orange color.
"Don't mention them with that CRAPPY MOUTH OF YOURS, YOU BASTARD!" Natsu felt the popping and cracking of his bones as he moved both his arms through pure emotion, his adrenaline numbing the pain.
Nyrod smirked in provocation. "Oh? That made you tick?" He simply looked relaxed as he brushed off the dragon slayer's sudden wrath. "Displaying your feelings won't help you win this fight."
Natsu ignored his words as he dashed towards the copper-filled being, winding the strongest punch he could muster in his current state. Instinctively, he concentrated all of his magic power into a singular point, making it the most potent attack he invoked across all his battles.
The blight was confident that he could tank it no problem, standing still as he looked at the young man with contempt.
If the dark wizard wanted to share some trivia, then he should also be aware of the principles of Ethernano being condensed to the absolute limit. A wizard's magic can transform into something that's unexpectedly lethal.
In the case of Fire Dragon Slayer Magic? Nyrod should be more cautious, because if one would apply this technique with it… Even the user themselves wouldn't know its end results.
Natsu Dragneel punched.
Nyrod's expression drastically changed as he widened his eyes at the last second, reacting a step too late.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!
A vast, roaring rage of flames engulfed the entirety of the sixth layer. The force of it so strong it actually bypassed the effect of the Soundless Domain, generating a low static hum that echoed throughout the whole hideout.
Fire that burned through Magic.
Natsu wanted to reach that state of mastery permanently ever since he experienced it while fighting Zero. Not with the Flame of Rebuke, or what the Oracion Seis Master called as Dragon Force.
He wanted to do it like it was natural, something so easy that he could reduce or increase the output of his magic at will. Granted that Dragon Force was the final phase for Dragon Slaying Magic, Natsu also knew even with his limited brain capacity, that activating the pinnacle of his slayer magic is beyond difficult.
It was a path that manifested within his mind after the Nirvana Incident. Natsu brainstormed a lot while doing his solo training, although it made him dizzy due to thinking too much.
But as they say, fortune favors the bold. Because right now at this very moment, a door opened for Natsu, creating the possibility of expanding his variety of spells using this idea.
However, he didn't think of such complicated things during this pivotal twist. He simply wanted to win for his friends' sake. Why did he take the mantle of Ace if that wasn't the case?
Natsu couldn't fall here, the guild still needed an anchor.
The flames slowly subsided, showing the desolate aftermath of destruction that followed. The dragon slayer panted as he gazed at the vague outline of the blight in the distance.
A few seconds have passed as the dust finally cleared, displaying a trail of feet that skidded across the pavement. Pieces of copper were seen at different spots, as if something had crumbled continuously.
Nyrod was still in a standing position, although his current condition was the complete opposite of his previous self.
Cracks spread around his entire body, while a burned mark could be seen at the center of his torso. He kneeled down in one knee with a visage that screamed denial. Nyrod coughed up blood as he stared at Natsu in fear and awe.
No more words were needed. The dragon slayer flexed his limbs as shrugged off the pain to finish the job.
I can't go into that Dragon Force thing willy-nilly. It was probably a one-time special against that Zero guy. Sheesh, I should've remembered Igneel's lessons more…
Natsu grumbled as he waited for the pain to decrease, looking at the blight with laser-sharped focus. Hah… So much for Kagura's reminder. Eh, the guy was tougher than I expected. She wouldn't scold me for that, right?
The dragon slayer suddenly conjured golden flames, to which Nyrod could only tremble more in shock. It felt more intense than his usual fire, serenely engulfing the ground with their presence.
Natsu lowered his legs, gathering strength as he aimed towards the person at the distance. Once he took off, the burnt area around the vicinity parted like paper. The flames this time were stronger, so it also broke through the constraints of the domain.
Although the sound was low, it was similar to that of a sonic boom.
He instantly arrived before the blight that still didn't recover, infusing his right fist with the Flame of Rebuke.
Nyrod had no time to dodge, looking at the attack that will decide their fight. Memories flooded his thoughts until it paused at one particular meeting, where he met Argonia for the first time.
You crave for endless battles, huh? Then I'll give you strong opponents, in exchange… Give me your loyalty, chaotic wanderer.
As soon as the golden fist landed on his torso, the copper skin he was so proud of cracked even more. Streams of flames slithered within the small openings like homing weapons, not leaving anything intact.
Natsu pushed with even more force, feeling the increased trembling of the man's defense. Then, in the next moment, it shattered like fragile glass. Everything turned easier after that, as the punch caved in the blight's torso effortlessly.
The dragon slayer sent Nyrod flying like a swift missile, reaching the other side of the layer that spanned at least above one-hundred meters. Spirals of flames followed the man like a trail, destroying the sixth layer in a grand fashion. It was a miracle that some pavements still remained.
Another cloud of dust covered the vicinity as Nyrod was deeply etched into the wall. The violent impact shook the entire place once more while Natsu gazed at the man who could potentially get up again.
He waited for a minute, narrowing his eyes as he noticed that the blight was already knocked out. Natsu's tense body relaxed, followed by a silent plop on the sizzling ground.
Natsu absentmindedly stared at the aftermath of his fight. The tranquility a welcome atmosphere after such a hard fight. He began to worry about the others' conditions, so he'll need to get up quickly and protect them.
"Hm?" He was panting in physical fatigue when he heard the surroundings. "Did something happen to sound guy? I'll have to check---!"
"Natsu!"
"Natsu-San!"
"You're amazing, Salamander!"
He looked at the trio that had a purple-haired woman in the lead. She was gunning towards him with that same stoic expression, which caused him to sweat drop. He wryly smiled as he waited for the incoming pain.
Boing!
"Oof!"
A soft feeling assaulted his senses, although his body was also filled with soreness. Natsu could feel the woman's tight hug as they reunited in this battlefield they created.
"I was worried that I didn't make it in time." Kagura contentedly leaned her chin on the young man's pink hair. "But it appears trusting in your strength is also a form of comfort." She sighed softly.
Happy floated beside them. "Aye! I told her to believe in you more, so we searched for Ordo first." He looked at the sound wizard who was limping.
Ordo simply smiled in gratitude. "Once again, thank you all for helping me get this far." Then he scratched his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry that I couldn't maintain the domain… We really need to prepare against Argonia's retaliation." He glanced at the dark metallic door with apprehension.
Kagura shook her head. "You already applied our advantage further than expected. We should be also grateful to you."
"Yeah!" Natsu's muffled voice can be heard. "That spell of yours was rad, buddy. You don't need to worry about using it on that guild master, we'll take care of him no problem!" He did a thumbs up.
Kagura shivered from the vibration, finally noticing their… intimate position. She coughed as she smoothly released the dragon slayer, who took a deep breath of freedom.
"Let's just rest for a while. Then we go beat up our last target!" Natsu was oblivious to the purple-haired woman's emotional turmoil. He did his trademark smile which lightened up the atmosphere even more.
"I agree with that. Although there is no fish in sight, meaning this guild is poor as hell."
"You rate locations based on the amount of fish it could produce?"
"Ignore him, Kagura. Happy spouts nonsense from time to time."
"That's ironic coming from you."
"Hey!"
The group had a brief respite before the inevitable conflict with Dark Sky's leader.