Internet Magic in Fairy Tail (Re-upload)

Year X784, December 31st

Nate barely managed to finish the tournament app for Celestial Pokémon in time. Instead of launching it immediately, he planned to release it precisely at midnight to surprise the players.

A tournament with a 100-million-J prize pool—who wouldn't be tempted?

In addition to the champion's reward, there were prizes for the runner-up, semifinalists, quarterfinalists, and even those who made it to the top sixteen.

Whether others were tempted or not, Nate certainly was.

He secretly planned to participate, hoping to recoup the 15 million J he had invested.

It would definitely be a great opportunity for Lucy too, considering her financial struggles. He decided to share the good news with her later.

Why let outsiders take all the profit?

Glancing at the clock on the wall, he saw it was just past 10 a.m. Nate stood up and left his apartment.

…

Since early morning, guild members had been arriving at the guild hall to prepare for the New Year's festivities.

When Nate arrived, everyone was busy.

The outdoor café in the courtyard had been cleared out, with the tables and chairs stored in the warehouse.

Of course, who would want to sit outside in the freezing winter, sipping coffee?

In their place were various New Year's games, like ring toss.

"Hey, Nate! Wanna give it a try?" Max Alors called out enthusiastically, holding a bunch of rings.

Nate noticed Erza and Juvia playing the game with utmost focus.

Their target? The ultimate prize: a limited-edition figurine of someone named "Nate."

"You've gone from running a general store to setting up a street stall?" Nate remarked, speechless. "Why is there a figurine of me?"

Max scratched his head sheepishly. "It's super popular! A rare collector's item. Took me ages to get my hands on one."

Nate: "..."

Damn it. Not a single coin of royalties. A bunch of profiteering merchants.

"Wanna give it a shot?" Max invited again. "10 rings for 10,000 J. No magic allowed!"

"No thanks…"

Nate left Juvia and Erza undisturbed and quietly headed into the guild's bar.

…

The bar was even busier, with many people upstairs doing a deep clean.

The first floor seemed to be done, and Nate spotted Cana offering fortune readings.

"Hey, Nate!" Cana greeted him cheerfully, quick to notice him.

"What's this about?"

"New Year's fortune readings! Free of charge!" Cana said eagerly. "Since my magic power increased, I feel like my divination magic has become way more accurate. Want me to give it a go?"

Nate sat down with a chuckle. "Sure, tell me what kind of nonsense meeting I'll have to deal with when I'm dragged into the next one."

He was so done with being guild master.

"Alright, just wait a sec."

Cana pulled out a deck of special fortune cards and began her reading.

"So, what's the result?" Nate asked after a moment.

"The omen of women-related trouble…" Cana blinked in surprise. "Why is it that every time I read for you, it's always this omen?"

Don't ask me. Ask the universe.

"This reliable?" Nate raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Hold on, I'll do it again!"

Unwilling to give up, Cana shuffled the cards and performed another reading.

The result was the same: omen of women-related trouble.

Frustrated, she pouted and glared at him. "Ugh, I don't get it. This time the omen feels even stronger!"

Nate was left speechless. What the hell is this supposed to mean?

After chatting with Cana for a few moments, Nate moved aside when someone else approached her for a fortune reading.

Looking up at the second floor, he spotted Natsu, Happy, Gray, and others busily carrying things.

Without disturbing them, Nate wandered around the bar and then descended to the basement storage room.

There, he found Laxus with Freed and Bickslow from the Raijinshū.

"What are you three hiding out here for?" Nate asked as he walked over.

"We're making fireworks for the New Year," Freed said proudly. "Laxus's craftsmanship is the best in the guild. Just wait for tonight's spectacular fireworks show!"

Bickslow stuck out his tongue. "Baby~ wanna come help us?"

"I just remembered I have something urgent to do. See ya!"

Nate bolted immediately. The bro vibes here were too strong—not his style.

…

The guild basement had multiple levels, including a recreation room with activities like billiards and darts.

The recreation room was lively, with people playing games. Nate saw Wakaba and Macao, two of the guild's "uncles," engaged in a game of billiards.

"You two aren't spending the day with your families?"

"We're heading home for lunch, but we can't make it to the New Year's party tonight," Wakaba sighed. "Honestly, the thought of going home to face my wife makes me want to stay here instead."

"At least your wife's at home cooking. Mine left me ages ago," Macao chimed in with a sigh, before adding smugly, "But my son Romeo's waiting for me, haha!"

"Hey, Macao, I just saw you move the ball!"

"Nonsense! What proof do you have?"

"Both my eyes saw it! Nate, you saw it too, right? This guy is trying to distract me with chit-chat!"

"Huh? So, you're looking for a fight?"

"Perfect! My magic's gotten better recently!"

Nate wasn't surprised in the slightest by this scene. With a resigned shrug, he said, "Just make sure you don't wreck the recreation room," before heading back upstairs.

…

Returning to the first-floor bar, Nate saw Lucy and Lisanna hanging up streamers on the second floor.

Mirajane was directing them from below, issuing commands like, "A little to the left," "Actually, more to the right," "No, no, back to the left—yes, that's better."

Can you just make up your mind?! Nate grumbled inwardly, sympathizing with Lucy.

As if sensing his silent complaint, Mira suddenly turned to him. "Nate, come help us out."

"…"

Great. Now he was officially roped in.

…

The bustling preparations for the New Year ended in a lively atmosphere.

That evening, the guild hosted its New Year's Eve party.

As expected, attendance was thinner than usual; many members had gone home to spend the holiday with their families.

Naturally, the host of the evening was Max Alors, the sand mage and self-proclaimed professional emcee.

The opening was filled with jokes, warming up the crowd with laughter.

To Nate, it felt like listening to a stand-up comedy routine.

Next, under the spotlight and applause, Mirajane took the stage for a performance. Her beautiful singing voice touched everyone's hearts.

After her, Gajeel insisted on performing—his devilish singing nearly killed Nate's ears.

Even Bickslow performed, showcasing a dance with his magic. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to appreciate it.

One act followed another, and everyone had a blast.

As midnight approached, the crowd moved to the courtyard, where Laxus and the Raijinshū had prepared the fireworks.

With a series of whooshes, the fireworks shot into the sky, bursting into dazzling patterns.

The entire city could enjoy Fairy Tail's grand fireworks show.

For nearly half an hour, the fireworks lit up the night, concluding with Fairy Tail's guild emblem shining brightly in the sky.

At that moment, Mirajane and Lisanna arrived with trays of drinks, handing a cup to everyone.

"Guild Master."

"Fourth Master."

"Your turn!"

All eyes turned to Nate, smiling expectantly.

Scanning the crowd, Nate saw familiar faces: Laxus, the Raijinshū, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Elfman, Max Alors, Jet, Droy, and more…

He also spotted Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Lucy, Juvia, Wendy, Cana, Carla, and others…

Looking up, he noticed the first master, Mavis, sitting on the guild building's roof, her small feet swinging playfully.

"Fourth Master~ isn't this the perfect time to say something meaningful?" she teased.

What could he say?

Nate raised his glass and smiled. "Happy New Year, everyone. Cheers!"

"Cheers!!"

Everyone raised their glasses high, celebrating the start of a new year together.