Internet Magic in Fairy Tail (Re-upload)

"What are you doing?"

Mest jumped in surprise when someone tapped his shoulder from behind. Turning around, he saw:

"Nate."

Erza, still on Nate's back, looked perplexed.

"What's going on here?"

"Punishment game," Nate muttered, narrowing his eyes at Mest's Magic Net interface. It was clear Mest was having a private chat with the current Council Chairman.

"Are you reporting on your mission?" Nate asked.

"Of course. My assignment here is to investigate [Celestial Pokémon]," Mest replied, nodding matter-of-factly.

"The game's been live for a few days now. I've already leveled one of my Pokémon to max, so I'm reporting the findings to my superiors."

Erza, thoroughly confused, blinked.

"Wait, hold on. What do you mean by 'mission'?"

"I'm a Council spy," Mest replied without hesitation.

The words hung in the air for a moment.

Nate sighed. "Did you forget what the term 'spy' means? It implies discretion."

Realizing what he'd just blurted out, Mest scratched his head awkwardly. "I guess it doesn't matter now that my cover's blown."

Erza, still processing, stared at Mest, her mind racing. "Spy?!"

Her vague memories of him began to resurface.

Nate, still carrying her, added, "So you're evaluating max-level Pokémon's destructive capabilities?"

"Exactly," Mest confirmed. "The Council is worried about the potential societal impact if Pokémon become widespread and unchecked."

He succinctly explained his work over the past few days.

Nate listened intently before asking, "And what's the Council planning to do about it?"

"I'm just a small fry in the intelligence department. There's no way I'd know that…" Mest shook his head. "Anything major will need to go through the full Council debate."

Maybe I should check in with the former Chairman, Nate thought to himself.

Clapping Mest on the shoulder, Nate smirked. "Good luck with that. We've got a game to finish."

With that, he carried Erza back toward the guild, continuing the final leg of their lap around the building.

Erza tapped Nate's shoulder, her curiosity unabated. "Is Mest really a spy?"

"More like a guy with a few screws loose," Nate chuckled, figuring there was no harm in telling her. "It's a long story, but basically, his obsession with memory magic ended up confusing even himself."

"How so?"

"He used to be part of our guild," Nate began, explaining as they jogged along. "To protect Fairy Tail, he erased his own memories and infiltrated the Council as a mole. That was years ago."

"Every year, he secretly meets with Master Makarov to relay information. Afterward, he wipes his memory again to continue his mission. But after a few rounds of this… well, now he can't keep his memories straight."

Erza's eyes widened as she murmured, "Was all of that really necessary?"

"Not really," Nate said with a grin. "But don't worry, Master's going to have a chat with him."

Finishing their lap, the two reentered the guild to resume the King's Game.

…

Evening

By the time the banquet ended, night had fallen.

Having spent the entire afternoon playing the King's Game with the girls, Nate was relieved it had taken place in the public setting of the guild hall. The punishments—like kisses on the cheek or brief hugs—had been mild.

If it had been a private gathering… Nate shuddered at the thought.

Still, the game had helped the girls bond… or so he hoped.

Later, back at his apartment, Nate indulged in a hot shower. As the warm water cascaded over him, he leaned back and let out a contented sigh.

Closing his eyes, he separated his consciousness and entered the game space.

…

[Seaside Arena]

Nate materialized within the game space.

Though it was night in reality, the game maintained perpetual daylight. A gentle sea breeze carried the crisp scent of the ocean, waves lapped against the golden coastline, and the vibrant scenery unfolded like a painting.

On the beach, a parasol cast shade over a reclining chair. Underneath, Irene lounged in a daring black bikini, sunglasses perched stylishly on her face.

"Impressive that you've stayed on a single map for so long," Nate remarked as he walked toward her.

He had seen the swimsuit photo she sent before, but seeing her in person left him involuntarily giving her another glance.

What a figure!

The bikini emphasized her curvaceous, well-toned body perfectly.

"Sigma-sama!" Irene straightened up, removing her sunglasses, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

The Magic Net-sama, known as Sigma Male, was no stranger to her—photos of him flooded the forums.

"How have you managed to remain on a single game map for such a long time?" Nate couldn't help but ask.

This has to be a bug, he thought.

"Simple," Irene said with a sly smile, gracefully standing up and extending her white arm. A magic staff materialized in her grasp, its tip glowing faintly.

She pointed the staff toward the ocean.

Suddenly, the sea parted, and a sphere of water rose from its depths, suspended mid-air.

Within the water sphere, Nate saw a bound and unconscious female mage.

"Simple," Irene repeated, her voice carrying a playful lilt. "Put your opponent into a coma, and before the system registers them as defeated, seal them using magic."

Nate was momentarily speechless.

Players truly are creative when it comes to exploiting bugs.

"I didn't expect this level of ingenuity," he admitted. "But don't do it again."

He crossed his arms, his tone firm. "Keeping someone trapped like this could have negative effects on their physical body."

Irene's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Apologies, Sigma-sama. Please punish me~"

She turned around, raising her hips playfully with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Be gentle, though!"

Nate's expression twitched. You think I won't?

With an internal sigh, he raised his hand and delivered a sharp smack.

SMACK.

The sound echoed crisply, and Irene gasped softly, her wide eyes betraying her surprise.

"He really hit me?!" she muttered under her breath, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Nate ignored her reaction, his voice calm but stern. "This better not happen again."

With a snap of his fingers, the entire scene shifted. Both Irene and her unfortunate captive were immediately ejected from the game space.

…

A Void Beyond Space

Irene blinked, finding herself in a vast, infinite void. Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction, devoid of up or down.

The only point of focus was Nate, standing before her.

"Now I'll teach you how to create maps," he said, clapping his hands. "No more mischief in the [Magic Arena]."

With the Arc of Embodiment, Nate conjured a 100-meter-square cubic space.

Within moments, terrain formed beneath their feet. Grass and trees sprouted, a small wooden cottage appeared, and plots of farmland emerged in front of it.

Irene watched the process with unblinking fascination, her lips curving into a faint smile.

"Sigma-sama, this looks like a child's doodle," she teased. "It's such a shabby farm."

"This is your farm," Nate replied, unfazed. "You can improve it however you like."

He extended his hand toward her. "Take my hand, and I'll grant you control of this space."

Without hesitation, Irene placed her hand in his.

A surge of unfamiliar power flowed into her, filling her mind with the knowledge and authority to control the farm entirely.

Irene's eyes lit up like a child receiving her first toy. Floating above the farm, she began modifying everything to her heart's content.

"This is the power of a god? How fascinating!"

Watching her from outside the farm, Nate allowed himself a moment of quiet observation.

If Erza grows up to look like this…

"Alright, you have full permission. Make good use of it," he said, snapping himself out of his thoughts.

"Oh, and you can keep your Pokémon here too."

"One more thing—crops you plant in the fields can have customized growth times."

He turned to leave, his voice echoing in the void. "In this place, you're a God."