Chapter 319: Gathering of Nine Demon Gates?

"You're a bad woman, and I'm a bad man—a match made in heaven," Nate joked as he grabbed a towel to dry himself off.

"Kami-sama is the best man in the world," Irene countered with a radiant smile. "It's only Irene who's the bad woman, the bad mother."

Her previous gloom melted away, replaced by cheerfulness. "Let me help you get dressed, Kami-sama," she offered playfully.

"Let's not," Nate said flatly.

Does she not understand the limits of a 21-year-old man's self-control? he thought.

He pulled a clean towel from the rack and tossed it to Irene, who was leaning lazily against the bathtub. "Dry yourself off quickly."

He muttered a spell, and with a flash, he changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Irene, draping the towel around her shoulders, walked over to the sink. "Requip magic really is convenient. Did Erza teach you that?"

"Yeah, she did."

Noticing that Irene's long, crimson hair was still damp, Nate grabbed a magic blow-dryer hanging on the wall and stood behind her to help dry it.

"You're so thoughtful, Kami-sama," Irene said, her smile soft and warm.

The magic blow-dryer, powered by lacrima energy instead of electricity, could produce multiple levels of heat. In fact, it was more efficient than any Nate had used in his past life.

He gently sifted through Irene's hair with his fingers, expertly using the dryer. He had gotten quite good at this, having dried Ultear's and Lucy's hair before—and now Irene's.

Of the three, Irene's hair was the thickest and longest, cascading all the way to her waist. Drying it completely would take at least half an hour.

By the time her hair was fully dry, they had spent quite a while in the bathroom.

Irene, who normally styled her hair in four braids, opted for a clean and simple ponytail today. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

"Different hairstyles reflect different moods. Kami-sama, does this look good on me?"

"It looks great," Nate replied with a smile. "As long as you like it."

He couldn't help but think how much Irene resembled Erza with her hair like that. Standing together, they'd look like a perfect pair of "sisters."

"Let's head to the resort," Nate said.

With a golden magic circle appearing beneath their feet, the two disappeared from the apartment in an instant.

…

Tartaros

Known as the most enigmatic of the dark guilds, Tartaros was shrouded in mystery. Its headquarters' location was unknown. Its key members—referred to as the "Nine Demon Gates"—were a mystery. Their movements were unpredictable. Even the few reports about them merely confirmed their existence without offering specifics on their members or magic abilities.

In truth, Tartaros's base was not on land but in the sky—a massive cube-shaped floating island.

Each of the cube's six faces was home to lakes and land. These lakes defied natural laws, their waters clinging to the cube's surfaces without falling. The island, called Underworld Island, had its own gravity, making it almost like a small, movable planet.

In fact, the entire island was a living creature: a massive beast of the underworld. At the center of this desolate land stood Tartaros's imposing fortress.

Tartaros Headquarters

Standing before the gothic doors of the ancient castle, Seilah held her newly won trophy. The doors creaked open, and out walked a slender, armored demon with green hair and a mask: Kyôka.

"Welcome back, Seilah," Kyôka said.

"Kyôka-sama," Seilah replied respectfully.

Kyôka's eyes briefly scanned Seilah's trophy and then fell on the man trailing behind her. "Congratulations on your victory. But who's this human?"

Seilah answered matter-of-factly, "This is Kageyama from Eisenwald. On my way back, he tried to steal my trophy. Such an infuriating human."

"Eisenwald?" Kyôka raised an eyebrow. She rarely bothered remembering the names of lesser dark guilds, but Eisenwald was an exception. They had once been under the Oración Seis and had even wielded the demon flute Lullaby to attack a conference of official guild masters. Although Eisenwald had been easily defeated, it left a lasting impression on Kyôka.

She ignored Kageyama and got straight to the point, asking: "What progress have you made in the investigation?"

"I managed to get Zeref's username on the Magic Net, but I haven't been able to add him as a friend," Seilah replied helplessly.

"Who told you that?" Kyôka asked, her expression showing genuine surprise.

"Nate," Seilah said.

"The Magic Net's creator?" Kyôka's gaze sharpened. "Can a human's words be trusted?"

"I think so," Seilah hesitated briefly before adding, "Nate is an interesting human…"

But as she spoke, doubt crept in. Was he really human? Perhaps he was an avatar of some god. The Magic Net, after all, was a magic system far beyond ordinary comprehension, transcending even the boundaries of conventional magic or curses. It seemed more like divine sorcery.

Kyôka fell silent in thought. "So, the Magic Net's creator knows Zeref? Maybe we should capture him and interrogate him thoroughly!"

"..."

Seilah was rendered speechless. You have no idea how terrifying those women are, she thought. The last time they suspected her of having designs on Nate, they tricked her into the outskirts, and six of them ganged up on her. Especially that woman Lucy—she could even summon a dragon.

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

As a defeated demon mingling among humans, Seilah couldn't help feeling gratitude toward Nate. He'd awarded her the championship trophy and refrained from exposing her identity, allowing her to participate in the competition. He was a good person!

Kyôka gave Seilah a suspicious glance but decided to let it go. "Regardless, you did well this time. Everyone's waiting for you—let's begin the meeting."

Seilah followed Kyôka into the fortress as the heavy gates closed behind them.

Shortly after, they arrived in a dimly lit meeting room. Along the long table sat seven of the Nine Demon Gates. At the head of the table, seated in the main chair, was Mard Geer Tartaros, the Underworld King. With a book labeled E.N.D. in his hands, he crossed his legs and greeted Seilah with a smile:

"Welcome back, Seilah. Now, let's hear what you've learned on your mission… before your fellow kin."

Akane Resort – Hotel Rooftop

On the rooftop of the resort, Erza stood in a long, elegant purple evening gown, her hand resting lightly on the railing as she gazed out at the night sea. Though it was mid-February and still chilly in Magnolia, unique ocean currents here created a mild, spring-like climate.

Behind her, a golden light flickered. Nate and Irene appeared in unison. Sensing the surge of magic energy, Erza turned immediately.

"Cana said you'd show up. And here you are…"

"Good evening, Erza," Irene greeted her daughter warmly, staff in hand.

Nate spread his hands. "I won't intrude on your mother-daughter time. I'll just grab a bite."

With that, he turned and descended the staircase from the rooftop.

The hotel was eerily quiet, thanks to it being fully reserved. Nate made his way to the first-floor dining hall and ordered a lavish meal.

As he enjoyed his food, he opened the Magic Net and sent a private message to Lucy.

Sigma Male: "Where are you all?"

After a few moments, Lucy replied.

Gotta Earn Money: "We're at the amusement park."

Gotta Earn Money: "I knew you'd show up, Nate~ 🤭"

Sigma Male: "Finished work. I deserve a vacation too, don't I? 🙄"

Of course, this was a lie. He hadn't finished his coding. Irene had kept him far too "occupied" all afternoon.

Gotta Earn Money: "We decided on the train—if you show up tonight, we're going to punish you! 😸"

Gotta Earn Money: "We've already planned the punishment game!"

Sigma Male: "What kind of game?"

Gotta Earn Money: "Not telling~ 😜"

Oh, so they want to punish me now, huh? Nate smirked to himself. This is how they treat their benefactor, the one footing the bill?

Deciding not to leave it to chance, he turned to his "informant," Juvia.