Chapter 168: Harvest Festival!!
Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Harvest Festival!!
Nate was taken aback. Thinking of the system as a kind of god made a surprising amount of sense.
As he mused over this, the wait ended, and Mavis was transported into the Magic Arena.
Only then did Lucy get a chance to speak. She tugged on Nate's sleeve and asked, "Aren't you forgetting something? I still need your help learning that Super Magic."
"Then I'd better make sure Mavis is in a good mood, don't I?" Nate replied with a smile. "While the First is occupied with her match, I'll go ahead and continue teaching you 'Urano Metria.'"
For the next half hour, Nate patiently guided Lucy. Though he didn't know the magic himself, he described it in such detail that it was as if he were demonstrating it directly. Lucy caught on quickly—as if this magic had been made for her.
"Did I really learn it?" she asked, uncertain.
"Sort of... You've just scratched the surface," Nate replied, raising an eyebrow. "When you fully master it, you'll know for sure."
Just then, a flash of white light signaled Mavis's return from the arena.
"Fourth Master... no, I should say, Nate, you really aren't the Fourth Master, are you?" Mavis commented with a mischievous grin. "I spoke with the Third Master, and he was quite upset about you sneaking into the guild's sacred ground."
Nate laughed awkwardly. "Oh, really? I'll make sure to write an apology, then."
Yes, an apology that Mirajane could help him draft.
"No need—I asked the Third Master to forgive you," Mavis said, adding a small fist pump, her smile growing sly. "Let's just say, for the price of a delicious strawberry cake!"
Finally, she could indulge in her favorite dessert guilt-free! Mavis was beaming.
Nate suspected this whole scolding was an elaborate excuse for her to score some cake.
"Oh, by the way," Mavis continued, "you wanted to learn 'Fairy Glitter' and 'Fairy Sphere,' correct? These are very advanced magics—not something you can master in just a day or two."
With that, the ghostly First Master floated over to Nate, pressing her forehead against his.
A moment later, the knowledge of the two super magics was transferred directly to him.
Minutes later, Mavis floated back, waving her small hand. "That's it! I've taught you the essentials. Whether you master them is up to you."
She added, "One thing, though: you must promise not to share the guild's Three Great Magics with anyone outside of Fairy Tail. Can you do that, Nate?"
With a bright smile, Mavis looked like a true fairy in the wind.
Nate nodded, rubbing his temple. "Don't worry, First Master. I wouldn't give out such secrets. And now, if you'll excuse us, Lucy and I will be on our way."
Their mission accomplished, Nate took Lucy's hand, preparing to depart.
"Wait! Add me as a friend!" Mavis called out with a wink. "And Lucy, too! I'm sorry for neglecting you earlier."
"Not at all, First Master," Lucy replied with a warm smile.
After adding each other on the Magic Net, Mavis finally waved them off as Nate transformed into a beam of golden light and zoomed away with Lucy.
Then, eager as ever, she knelt in front of her strawberry cake, took a bite, and sighed in bliss.
"Delicious~~" Mavis hugged her face with joy.
She had polished it off in no time, debating whether or not to ask Nate for another one.
No, no! I'm not a glutton!
If only the townspeople outside the guild could see her, then she could go buy her own.
Mavis's eyes sparkled, and a thought came to mind. "Should I go see Magnolia myself?"
The First Master wavered, excitement brewing.
...
With his mission accomplished, Nate returned to Hargeon with Lucy, dropped off the boat he had borrowed, then teleported back to the guild. For the next two days, he devoted himself to studying the two Super Fairy Tail magics.
Without a personal teacher, learning them was quite challenging—definitely harder than "Fairy Law."
The hardest of the two was "Fairy Sphere," although "Fairy Glitter" wasn't exactly easy either.
But at least now, with the Magic Arena, he had a place to test his theories safely.
...
A few days later, on September 30th, Nate arrived at the guild to find everyone bustling with activity.
"Levy, what's going on? Is there some kind of event coming up?"
Levy was busy stacking some chairs. Hearing him, she set one down and replied, "Don't you know, Master? Next week, on October 6th, it's the Harvest Festival!"
The Harvest Festival! A grand annual celebration.
Nate remembered it vividly as the day when Fairy Tail's internal war broke out in the original story.
But, given his presence and influence, that might not even happen now.
Mirajane approached with a smile. "Come lend a hand, Nate."
A rare occurrence—the guild's waitress asking for his help herself. Nate didn't mind and joined in.
Mirajane continued, "There will be a 'Miss Fairy Tail' pageant as part of the Harvest Festival, a contest to crown Fairy Tail's most charming girl. You're looking forward to it, right?"
I need to find a way to cancel this!
The last thing Nate wanted was to see his girlfriends all dolled up, parading in front of other men.
He could enjoy their beauty all to himself, thank you.
Yes, that included Mirajane as well, even if she wasn't officially his girlfriend just yet.
As he began scheming how to sabotage the contest...
...
Meanwhile, aboard the Grimoire Heart airship:
"The livestream from the Oración Seis raid confirmed it. Ultear and Meredy have joined Fairy Tail."
Hades scoffed, "Leave it to Makarov, with that sanctimonious generosity of his, to take in even witches from a dark guild."
Hades found this attitude deeply distasteful. He hadn't entrusted the guild to Makarov so it could go astray like this.
"Master Hades," one member asked, "how should we proceed?"
Hades gave a dark chuckle. "Their Harvest Festival is coming up, right? Why not give them a little surprise?"
"Leave it to me!" declared Zancrow, the Fire God Slayer, eagerly. "Is it fine if I just blow the whole town to smithereens?"
"Do as you like," Hades replied expressionlessly, glancing at a silent figure nearby—a pale Jellal.
"Are you coming along?" Hades asked.
White Jellal shook his head.
Then, suddenly, he clutched his head in pain, muttering, "Voldemort... he's here again!"
The others seemed unfazed by his reaction, as though they'd seen it countless times before.
Moments later, Jellal regained his composure, opened the magic net, and posted under Siegrain's account:
"Harvest Festival! Prepare yourselves, Fairies; this will be your funeral!"
"What are you doing?" Hades snapped, frowning.
White Jellal grinned. "What's the fun in being sneaky? Let's be direct and let them know!"
Hades: "..."
Indeed, Voldemort never shies away from stirring up chaos.
The post had been sent, and there was no taking it back. Within moments, the news of Grimoire Heart's threat had spread across the Magic Net.
Naturally, Mavis—who was now on the magic net—saw it as well.
"Grimoire Heart, hmm?"