Chapter 154: Livestream (8), 98.9% Viewers!!!

At the Fairy Tail Guild Tavern

Gray shot to his feet, eyes fixed on the livestream showing Ur. A look of disbelief spread across his face.

"Ur! She's really alive!"

He recalled the last guild ranking match when Ur had appeared to spar with him. After gauging his abilities, she had yielded and vanished. Later, when he'd asked Nate about it, Nate had simply told him to reach the top rank before revealing the truth. Since the official release of [Magic Arena], Gray had been fighting for ranks whenever he could, now standing at 6 wins and 0 losses—though still stuck in bronze.

Seeing his teacher alive again filled Gray with both shock and joy.

...

Someone else shared his feelings—Lyon.

"Ur! That's my master…Ur!" he muttered, dazed.

How could she be alive? Lyon had witnessed Ur casting the Forbidden Magic, 'Iced Shell'. He had seen Deliora sealed away and had even spent three years on Galuna Island trying to undo the magic.

"Your master?" Ichiya mused. "Ur… that name does sound familiar, men~."

"Master Ichiya, she was a powerful mage from a decade ago. She sealed the northern demon Deliora, causing quite a stir at the time," Hibiki, master of Archive Magic, added.

Ichiya nodded, remembering. "Yes, and Ultear had once mentioned being Ur's daughter. But I thought she had died?"

Ignoring their puzzlement, Nate turned to Jenny, the reporter. "Jenny, make sure you get my best angles. I'm off to handle the leader of the Oración Seis."

With that, Nate transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting toward the dark pillar in the sky. As he arced gracefully through the air, Jenny's camera followed, locking onto him and broadcasting every moment.

"Hibiki, direct Christina to follow him!" she shouted, updating the livestream title to:

[Magic Net Creator vs. Oración Seis Leader—Who Will Win?]

...

Underneath the Black Beam

Brain raised his hands, focusing as he worked to unlock the seal on 'Nirvana'. As a former director of the Bureau of Magical Development, such a seal was a trivial matter to him.

"Hmm?" Sensing something, Brain looked to the sky and saw a golden light approaching at great speed. In moments, Nate landed in front of him.

Brain chuckled as he saw him. "I've wanted to meet you for quite some time, Nate. Your Internet Magic is like a 'Divine Art'—a step into the realm of the Gods."

Nate studied Brain, noting his dark skin, white hair, and robe, his face marked with ominous black tattoos. 'Six Eyes' revealed that Brain's magic power was roughly 5.5 stars, nearly six—a touch stronger than Laxus.

"How long will it take to release Nirvana?" Nate asked.

Brain smirked. "Three minutes."

With a dramatic flourish, he opened his arms, approaching Nate eagerly. "Nate, a talent like yours shouldn't be confined to a mere guild. You belong on a grander stage! In three minutes, Nirvana will be here, and the world will be mine! Join me, and we can reshape it together."

Nate shook his head. "Not interested."

Brain's smile faded. "Why not? What's Fairy Tail got that's worth staying for?"

The guild's warmth? The simple, peaceful life? Makarov's trust? Or maybe… a few pretty faces?

A hundred thoughts ran through Nate's mind, but he simply laughed. "I'm broadcasting this live, Brain. What do you think the audience wants to see?"

"…"

Brain frowned. The clear rejection meant there was no room for negotiation. He would have to use force.

"I won't kill you, but your talent must serve me!" Brain declared, raising his staff as dark green energy gathered in the skull-shaped top.

In an instant, the staff pointed directly at Nate.

'Dark Rondo!'

A whirling wave of dark magic shot forth, but Nate, assessing it with a glance, teleported instantly.

Teleportation magic? Brain quickly sensed the shift in magic energy, swinging his staff to attack Nate's new position on his right side. But Nate had anticipated this, catching Brain's dark magic with his hand.

"What?!" Brain was stunned.

Nate smirked, "You almost managed to track my teleport. Impressive." His left hand shot out, seizing Brain's head.

'It's Breathtaking!'

A powerful surge of force exploded. Brain's body buckled as his head was smashed into the ground, creating a massive crater. Nate looked down at him calmly.

"The audience loves flashy magic," he said. "I heard you developed hundreds of magics while working at the Bureau. Show us something impressive."

Brain freed himself from the ground, backing away as he wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, his expression grim.

"The title of a Saint isn't just for show, it seems!"

"Come on, something flashy," Nate encouraged. "Otherwise, I might just crush your heart."

Nate extended his right hand in a claw shape, then clenched his fist tightly.

'Grasp Heart!'

Thump, thump, thump—

Brain felt his heart's rhythm halt suddenly, a deadly chill spreading through him.

In a panic, he leapt backward, barely dodging the invisible pressure that had frozen the area where he had been standing moments before. The pent-up energy exploded, sending a powerful shockwave across the terrain.

Cold sweat beaded on Brain's brow. 'What was that magic?'

For a moment, he had genuinely thought he was going to die. Crushed from a distance? How?

In shock, Brain extended his left hand and shouted, "Fine, you wanted flashy magic? Feel the power!"

'Square of Self-Destruction!'

Nate looked up to see a dark green magic circle forming above him, growing larger by the second. 'Six Eyes' instantly deciphered its structure and purpose: to draw in and pulverize everything within its radius, ending in a massive explosion that could level a mountain.

"Nice. I like it," Nate said, sketching a circle in the air. 'Square of Self-Destruction!'

A matching magic circle formed above Brain's head.

"Impossible!" Brain cried. "You copied it… just by watching?!"

He had taught this magic to Jellal before, but that was with hands-on instruction. Jellal had learned it quickly, but Nate—Nate had just watched it once!

Brain could hardly believe it. He snarled, "Die, you arrogant kid!"

Two identical magic circles erupted simultaneously, lighting up the sky with blazing intensity.

The force of the explosion shook 'Christina' in the sky, making the ship tremble violently.

"What… what terrifying power!" Ichiya gasped, gripping the railing.

Everyone gaped at the devastation below, while Jenny made sure to broadcast every detail to the tens of thousands watching the livestream.

When the light faded, all that remained was a massive crater, hundreds of meters wide, exposing the barren earth below.

"Is Nate alright?" Jenny murmured anxiously.

High above the pit, a golden light flickered, and Nate appeared, standing calmly in mid-air, his Saint's robe billowing.

"The only issue with that magic is the slow casting time," Nate mused. "Its power is solid, though."

'Six Eyes' scanned the surroundings, searching for Brain. Just then, a system prompt appeared.

[Bonus Mission: 98.9% viewer engagement achieved!

[Bonus Reward]: Base reward x300%.

[Mission complete!]

[Rewards Randomized...Randomization Complete!]

[Zanpakutō: Senbonzakura, Zanpakutō: Murciélago, Zanpakutō: Kyōka Suigetsu]

~~~

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