Magnolia, Suburban Mansion

  Nate rarely visited this pce, only occasionally staying the night when on a date with Juvia. Despite its infrequent use, the house remained spotless—thanks to Juvia regurly cleaning it.

  At present, Nate sat on the sofa in the living room, casually tossing a fme into the firepce. The crackling fire dispelled the chill of the winter night, filling the room with warmth.

  After about half an hour, Juvia rushed in, her excitement evident.

  “Nate-sama!”

  Like a bird returning to its nest, she flung herself happily into his arms.

  Nate chuckled. “There are two gifts for you. Which one do you want to open first?”

  “Two gifts?” Juvia beamed with delight. “As long as they’re from Nate-sama, Juvia loves them both!”

  “Let’s start by unlocking your Second Magic Origin.”

  Nate activated Six Eyes to analyze Juvia’s magic flow. Her magic was approximately at a four-star level—respectable, but with room for improvement.

  “Second Magic Origin?” Juvia asked curiously. “I know about Magic Origins, but what’s the second one?”

  “It increases your maximum magic capacity. Just close your eyes and trust me.”

  “Juvia understands!”

  Trusting him implicitly, Juvia closed her eyes obediently.

  Moments ter, she felt her clothes loosen slightly as Nate slid a warm hand beneath her sweater.

  “Nate-sama~~” Juvia’s cheeks flushed bright red as she whispered, “Juvia really isn’t avaible for that today…”

  What on earth are you thinking? Nate mentally grumbled.

  His hand rested gently on her abdomen as he activated the magic.

  Pain Transference Magic: Activated

  A magic sigil appeared on Juvia’s body, while Nate sent another portion of his consciousness into his Soul Cage, etching the same sigil onto the prisoner, Brain.

  “Preparations are complete. If you feel any intense pain, let me know immediately,” Nate instructed, his tone filled with care. He then channeled pure magic energy from the Deep Web Space into Juvia’s Magic Origin container.

  “I feel it!” Juvia murmured softly. “It’s like… my stomach feels a little bloated.”

  Meanwhile, inside the Soul Cage, Brain let out blood-curdling screams that reverberated through the void. In the neighboring cell, the sentient staff Klodoa quivered in sheer terror.

  Juvia, blissfully unaware of the exchange, merely felt a pleasant warmth spreading through her body as her magic limit gradually increased.

  “This is amazing!” she excimed.

  “This is the potential power you’ve always had,” Nate expined. “With regur magic practice, energy depletion, and mental training, you could achieve this naturally. I’m just speeding up the process.”

  Nate carefully controlled the infusion using Six Eyes, monitoring Juvia’s internal magic flow to ensure the energy was delivered smoothly. This precision prevented disruptions or overload, which could have caused her to lose control.

  …

  Thirty Minutes Later

  “That should do it,” Nate said, satisfied. “This method works better than expected. Juvia, your magic has grown from four stars to five stars.”

  “That’s your current limit,” he added. “To go beyond that, you’ll need to further expand your Magic Origin container.”

  Juvia opened her eyes, marveling at the surge of power she felt within. “It’s incredible! I feel so much stronger!”

  “Now for the second gift,” Nate said, gesturing for her to sit beside him. Rising, he raised his hand and summoned the Gate of Truth.

  Rumble, rumble, rumble!

  A massive, ancient stone door materialized in the center of the living room. Its intricate carvings seemed even more complex than before.

  “What… is this?” Juvia asked, her eyes wide with amazement.

  “The Gate of Truth,” Nate replied calmly, briefly expining its nature and purpose.

  Then, Nate took Juvia's hand, pushed open the stone gate, and led her into the Realm of Truth.

  “Unlocking your Second Magic Origin is just to increase your magic capacity, giving you greater endurance in battle,” he began. “But the second gift will help you acquire a much stronger magic.”

  Magic power and magic itself are fundamentally different—the former being akin to a resource bar, and the tter the abilities fueled by it.

  Juvia’s magic power was already at a respectable level—four-star magic in other guilds would easily qualify her as S-Css. However, what she cked was a truly powerful magic.

  Looking around the pure white void, Juvia’s curiosity grew.

  Nate decred, his voice echoing, “She needs a strong magic suited to her, and I will pay the price.”

  The Gate of Truth responded immediately:

  [According to the principle of equivalent exchange, the cost is 100 stars of magic power.]

  Both Nate and Juvia heard the Gate’s message reverberate in their minds.

  Juvia’s eyes widened.

  “It talks?! Nate-sama, the gate is talking!”

  What’s so strange about that? Nate thought to himself. Talking cats and staff exist, so why not a gate?

  Without hesitation, he paid the price.

  Knowledge of Lost Magic

  The moment the cost was paid, an overwhelming wave of intricate and profound magic knowledge flooded into Juvia’s mind. Her expression turned dazed, as if trying to process the sheer complexity of it all.

  After a long pause, Nate asked curiously, “So? What kind of magic is it?”

  “It’s… Syer Magic. Water God Syer Magic!” Juvia gasped, raising a hand instinctively. A bck, shimmering sphere of water materialized in her palm.

  “Bck water?” Nate raised an eyebrow in surprise.

  God Syer Magic was a lost magic, a subset of Syer Magic created by humans based on Dragon Syer Magic. It was said to possess the ability to overpower Dragon Syer Magic of the same element.

  But this magic was thought to have disappeared long ago.

  “Where did the Gate even retrieve this from?” Nate wondered. “Did it extract it from history? Or did it just create it on the spot?”

  In the original series, there were only three known users of God Syer Magic:

  1. Zancrow, a member of Grimoire Heart’s Seven Kin of Purgatory (Fire God Syer).

  2. Orga Nanagear, an S-Css Mage from Sabertooth (Lightning God Syer).

  3. Sherria Blendy, a Mage from Lamia Scale (Sky God Syer).

  Other forms of God Syer Magic had completely vanished from the world.

  “Let’s head back.”

  …

  Back in the Living Room

  Upon leaving the Realm of Truth, Juvia was brimming with excitement.

  “Nate-sama, Juvia is so happy!”

  She seemed almost ready to faint from sheer joy.

  Nate hugged her and chuckled. “Use it wisely. With this magic, I’m confident you’ll pass next year’s S-Css exam.”

  “Yes! Juvia will work hard!”

  Her gaze softened, her face flushed as she shyly added, “Nate-sama… Juvia would like a kiss from you…”

  Weren’t you just saying you weren’t avaible? Nate thought with amusement.

  He indulged her with a gentle kiss before carrying her upstairs.

  No strenuous activities, of course—but there were still ways to enjoy the night.

  …

  The Next Morning

  After a cozy breakfast with Juvia, Nate left the suburban vil and headed back to the guild.

  In front of the guild’s entrance, a Council vehicle was parked alongside someone unexpected.

  Standing there was a familiar face: Aria of the Great Sky, one of the former Element 4 of Phantom Lord.

  Draped in his usual priest-like robes, his eyes covered by a blindfold, Aria radiated his characteristic mencholic aura.

  “How sorrowful… so sorrowful!” Aria greeted dramatically. “To meet again, Nate-sama… and Juvia…”

  Shouldn’t you be saying it’s nice to see us again? Nate thought, suppressing a smile.

  “It’s been a while,” Nate replied, amused. “I didn’t expect you to join the Council.”

  Bleam