Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Space-Time Magic: Flying Thunder God
The train let out a long whistle as it departed, followed by the rhythmic sound of the wheels rolling over the tracks, "clack-clack, clack-clack."
In Carriage No. 6, Nate and Laxus sat on one side, with Juvia and Erza across from them. The atmosphere was a bit awkward, with no one speaking.
Nate was busy crafting a new magic ring, using various magic materials laid out in front of him. He was focused on completing a new task set by the system.
"Why is a mage from Phantom Lord here?" Laxus broke the silence, glaring at Juvia with clear hostility. It was only natural for members of rival guilds to be suspicious of each other, especially between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail.
Juvia sat upright, her hands on her knees, occasionally sneaking glances at Erza.
Erza Scarlet, the "Titania of Fairy Tail"! Juvia couldn't stop thinking about her. *What's her relationship with Nate-sama? Why is she here too? Could she be a rival in love?*
Erza noticed Juvia's uneasy behavior and couldn't help but ask, "Is there something on my face?"
"N-no, it's nothing," Juvia stammered, too shy to ask her burning questions.
"This is interesting," Erza said with a slight smile. Her attitude was more welcoming than Laxus', probably because Juvia hadn't shown any hostility. Glancing at Nate, who was still busy, she asked, "Is your S-class mission really that difficult? You needed outside help?"
"..." *Weren't you the ones who insisted on coming?* Nate thought, keeping his focus on the magic ring.
"You all know each other, so I don't need to introduce anyone," Nate said without looking up. "For now, she's working with us."
"Fine by me," Laxus grumbled, "but after the job, you and I are going to have a proper fight."
Laxus was determined to make Nate join his "Raijinshū." To do that, he needed to beat him in battle. To earn respect, one must prove their strength.
Laxus had heard about Nate before he returned to the guild. The rapid spread of Nate's Internet magic was impossible to ignore. As soon as he got back, Laxus acquired one of the magic rings and explored the Internet. He was impressed by what he saw, which only strengthened his resolve to recruit Nate.
"I know, but you won't win," Nate said with a smile, continuing to craft the ring.
Laxus grinned. "I like strong mages. If you can beat me, I'll acknowledge you."
"Sure. But for now, don't bother me—can't you see I'm busy?"
"What are you doing?" Laxus asked.
"Making a new magic ring."
"A magic ring for the Internet?"
Laxus crossed his arms, glancing at the materials in front of Nate. "So, you make all these rings by hand?"
"Sort of, but this one is different. This one's for non-magic people to access the Internet."
With that, Nate went back to work.
After a while, Laxus couldn't bear to watch anymore. "If you keep doing it like that, the magic power in the lacrima is going to leak. You're being too rough."
"You know how to do it?" Nate looked up, surprised.
"When I was a kid, I used to take apart magic items all the time. Hand it over, I'll do it."
Laxus grabbed the tools from Nate and took over, much to Nate's amusement.
"Wait, did you really make all those rings for the guild?" Laxus asked as he shaped the lacrima, grumbling, "Those rings were works of art. The way you were doing it just now looked nothing like what I'd expect from a craftsman who made those."
Nate chuckled. "Well, you caught me. Actually, those rings—"
"Don't talk to me. Can't you see I'm busy?" Laxus huffed, irritated.
"..." Nate's eye twitched. For the sake of peace, he decided to let it go, thankful that Laxus was helping out.
Seeing the two of them getting along surprisingly well, Erza was stunned. She decided to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"Nate, tell me more about the mission."
"Well, it's a long story..." Nate started, then paused as an important thought crossed his mind.
Since they already had a team of three, he figured it would be good to bring Gray along too. After all, the one behind the Moon Drip ritual on Galuna Island was Gray's senpai, Lyon.
And Ur, Gray's master, had sacrificed herself to seal a demon.
*Maybe I can collect Ur's soul,* Nate pondered. *Reviving her might not be possible, but saving her soul should be.*
With that thought, Nate stopped overthinking it.
Thanks to his "Six Eyes," he could see the flow of all magic power. Collecting Ur's soul was within his ability, but restoring her body would be a much greater challenge.
Meanwhile, Laxus continued working on the ring while Nate chatted with Erza and Juvia. After about an hour, Laxus finally spoke up.
"It's done," he said, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Now it's your turn. I've finished the basic design."
Nate took the ring from Laxus, impressed with the craftsmanship. It was much better than what he'd been doing earlier. *A true expert!*
"Looks like you really enjoy working with magic items. Thanks a lot," Nate said, smiling.
Nate suddenly recalled that Laxus had a magic attack called "Thunder Palace," which required hundreds of lacrimas filled with lightning. They could devastate an entire town. *Maybe he made those lacrimas himself. No wonder he's so skilled at this!*
Amused by the thought, Nate finished the final touches on the ring. Soon, the second-generation universal Internet ring was complete.
At that moment, the system chimed in.
[Task complete!]
[Evaluating results...]
[Evaluation: Excellent]
[Reward: Space-Time Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God]
[Not detected in the Naruto world. Reward is converting...]
[Space-Time Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God → Space-Time Magic: Flying Thunder God]
Suddenly, an immense flood of knowledge surged into Nate's mind, overwhelming him. He closed his eyes and silently absorbed the information.
This time, the magic knowledge was far more complex than any he had received before. It involved space-time magic, a type of magic that, in any world, represented an extraordinary level of power.
Five minutes later, Nate slowly opened his eyes, a flash of joy passing through them.
Space-Time Magic: Flying Thunder God!
Its effect was simple: he could leave a magic mark on any target, allowing him to instantly teleport to that location. This target could be anything. Even more impressive, the magic mark would remain indefinitely unless someone deliberately destroyed it.
This was a 'permanent magic'!
It reminded Nate of Fairy Tail's secret "Fairy Heart," a magic that provided an infinite source of power.
"The reward this time is amazing! Must be because of the excellent evaluation."
"Looks like I owe Laxus a thanks for being such a skilled craftsman."
"Guess I'll go easy on him when I beat him up!"
With that thought, Nate turned to Laxus, giving him an approving look.
"What? Something wrong?" Laxus asked, sensing something off.
"Nothing. You did a great job. Thanks."
Now that Nate had mastered the Flying Thunder God technique, he realized he could integrate this magic into the Internet's underlying code. He no longer needed to study teleportation spells—he could start offering "Internet Magic Express Delivery" right away!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone