Chapter 178: 7 Stars Magic Power, Festival!!!

Guildmaster Ivan of Raven Tail, full name Ivan Dreyar, is Makarov's son and Laxus's father.

He was the one who implanted a Lightning Dragon Lacrima into Laxus, transforming him into a second-generation Dragon Slayer. Ivan was expelled from Fairy Tail by Makarov due to actions harmful to the guild, though he left with sensitive information.

"Planning something during the Harvest Festival…" Makarov mused. He suspected he knew what his son was up to. Ivan's tendency to use underhanded tactics instead of following the right path had ultimately led him to form the dark guild Raven Tail after his expulsion from Fairy Tail.

"Master, should I keep investigating?" Gajeel asked, noticing Makarov's silence and grave expression.

Gajeel felt grateful to Makarov for accepting him into Fairy Tail and was willing to serve as a "double agent" if necessary.

"No need. Pressing too much might raise suspicion." Makarov shook his head, smiling as he said, "Go back to the guild and enjoy the festival."

With Makarov's reassurance, Gajeel didn't press the issue.

"Yes, sir," he replied, turning to leave.

Since joining Fairy Tail, Gajeel had undertaken his first mission. Along the way, he had encountered members of Raven Tail and managed to make contact with Ivan, who tried to recruit him as a spy. However, Ivan hadn't yet assigned any specific tasks, showing a lack of full trust.

'What could Ivan want from Fairy Tail? Information? Magic?'

...

October 6th – The Harvest Festival

In October, the weather had started to cool, but nothing could dampen the festive spirit. By early morning, Magnolia's streets, especially near the Cathedral in the city center, were bustling with people. Locals mingled with numerous visitors who had come to see Fairy Tail's famous Magic Parade.

8:00 AM – Apartment

Nate was woken by a knock on his door. Groggy, he sat up, feeling an increase in his magic power.

[Magic Power: ★★★★★★★]

"Seven stars!" Nate glanced at his stats and grinned. He'd anticipated that reaching seven stars from six would take at least a month, yet it had happened faster. The reason was obvious—his 'filière', the Internet, had expanded again, thanks to Jude's magic ring shop in Magnolia.

[Internet Registered Users: 100,014]

"Already over a hundred thousand? In just six days?" Nate was stunned but not surprised. The Magic Net was well-known, and with enough rings on the market, user growth had accelerated, especially with the influx of festival tourists. Plus, in Edolas, he'd distributed 30,000 rings, and progress there was also promising.

"Once they're all activated, user numbers might jump another ten to thirty thousand." He was satisfied. "Seven-star magic power is on par with the average Ten Wizard Saint!"

Jellal, Makarov, and Jose Porla—fellow members of the Ten Wizard Saints—all had seven-star levels of power. Although their strength varied, their raw magic levels weren't far apart. Jura, on the other hand, was at the six-star level, at the lower end of the Ten Saints.

'In about three months, I've gone from one-and-a-half stars to seven stars,' Nate thought, pleased with his progress. But he knew that the higher he climbed, the slower each step would be.

'Eight stars would probably match the Four Emperors of Ishgar. Maybe another two to three months, or longer.'

He was lost in thought when another knock sounded. This time, he heard Lucy's voice from outside:

"Get up, sleepyhead! Are you still not awake?"

Nate changed clothes with Requip and went to open the door.

Lucy was dressed up and radiant, practically glowing with excitement.

"Nate, let's go explore! The cathedral area is buzzing!"

Here it was—what he'd been dreading. Lucy was the first to strike.

"I'm on patrol duty," Nate said, retreating to the bathroom to wash up. "Got to stay alert for any potential Grimoire Heart attacks."

Lucy blinked, amused. "Hard at work on a festival day, huh?"

"You go enjoy yourself," he said, not looking back. "Have fun for me, too."

"How about I join you on patrol, then?" Lucy chuckled, thinking he looked a bit pitiful.

Usually, Nate would have appreciated her company, but today, he'd rather avoid it. "Make sure to have fun for both of us."

"Alright, don't work too hard!"

Lucy left, and Nate went to brush his teeth. His ring flashed with a message from Cana.

Drink With Me: "Nate!"

Drink With Me: "Aren't Grimoire Heart folks coming to attack today?"

Drink With Me: "I did a reading for everyone in the guild—guess what yours said? 😬"

Nate typed back with a smirk.

Sigma Male: "Good fortune? Maybe a nice chicken dinner tonight?"

Drink With Me: "Chicken dinner? 🙄"

Drink With Me: "Nope—major female trouble! Way worse than last time! Hope you survive! 🤭"

Nate: "…"

'Superstitions.' He'd patrol today and turn down any invitations. His girlfriends… would understand!

Thinking of his girlfriends, he had an idea of someone to share the pain with. He summoned Loke from the Deep Web.

"Nate, what's up?" Loke greeted him cheerfully, fully recovered after some rest in the place with celestial power.

"Work aside, you know what day it is?"

"Uh, no?"

"Harvest Festival."

Loke's smile froze, then he turned pale. "Oh no!"

He bolted for the door, "I've got to—uh, handle some things, Nate!"

Nate grabbed him by the shoulder, amused. "What things?"

"I've got to break up with all my girlfriends! Festivals like these are a nightmare!" Loke groaned.

"Man, I feel for you. Best of luck surviving." Nate gave him a stern pat on the back.

Loke shot him a look. "You're one to talk," he said, then patted Nate's shoulder in turn, "Good luck to you too!" And with that, he dashed out the door.

Looks like he's got some 'really' urgent business, Nate thought, chuckling. 'I just have to keep patrolling, refuse all invites, and I'll be safe.'

Another message arrived.

The Departing Traveler: "Nate, it's festival day."

Sigma Male: "On patrol!"

'Nice try, Mira—no tricks today!'

The Departing Traveler: "I'm on patrol too, covering the southern area 😏"

The Departing Traveler: "By the way, thank you again for helping with Lisanna last time. I have a gift I'd like to give you. Can you meet me just outside the south city limits?"

Sigma Male: "On my way 😊"