Internet Magic in Fairy Tail (Re-upload)

The massive explosion caused panic in the streets as citizens looked up in confusion.

"What happened?"

"The Council exploded again!"

…

At the mountaintop, the Council headquarters had been reduced to rubble.

Cough, cough…

Chairman Gran Doma pushed aside a piece of wall, standing up with blood streaming from his head.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind him.

"Target confirmed: Gran Doma, Chairman of the New Magic Council. Mission objective: terminate!"

Gran Doma froze and turned sharply.

A young man sat on a chunk of debris, legs crossed, grinning at him. The man had wolf ears, a cat's tail, and black spots on his arms.

"Who are you?" Gran Doma asked, stunned. "You're not in any of the intel we have on Grimoire Heart members!"

"Huh? What are you rambling about? I'm Jackal, one of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros!"

Jackal snorted and stood, grabbing Gran Doma by the throat with one hand and lifting him effortlessly.

"I can't let you live, Mr. Chairman."

Gran Doma clawed at the man's wrist, struggling to free himself. The explosion had left him gravely injured and weak.

"Your goal is… Hades as well?"

"Wrong. Think of it as a dramatic show—your finale will play out right here."

Jackal's arm began to glow with golden light, another explosion building.

…

Meanwhile, near the former Council's main entrance, Nate was setting up a livestream with an eye-catching title:

"Live: Dark Guild Attack on the Magic Council HQ!"

He activated the stream, pinning it to the top of the Magic Net.

Once ready, Nate pointed the camera toward Jackal—one of the Nine Demon Gates—mid-assault.

"Hello, everyone! This is Nate, reporting live from the Magic Council headquarters."

"As you can see, the Council has been reduced to rubble."

"Here's a young man holding an old guy by the throat."

"Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough to stream the explosion itself. What a sight that was!"

"Anyway, the culprit is this golden-haired fellow, Jackal, who claims to be one of Tartaros' Nine Demon Gates.

And the old man? That's none other than the honorable Council Chairman!"

"Now, watch as Jackal prepares to kill him!"

Within moments, the livestream's viewer count skyrocketed to over 300,000 and continued climbing at an unbelievable rate.

…

Viewer Reactions:

[???]

[What's going on?]

[The streamer's name is Sigma Man, Nate, so it has to be him, right?]

[The Magic Council was attacked?!]

…

Jackal's ears twitched as he noticed Nate, glaring coldly.

"The Lord of the Magic Net, Nate!"

"Hello there, Goldie," Nate greeted casually. "Don't mind me; I'm just a passing war correspondent."

"Nate! Help me!" Gran Doma shouted desperately.

"No one can save you!"

Jackal's hand glowed, and with a resounding boom, Gran Doma was engulfed in a fiery explosion.

The newly appointed chairman, in office for only three or four months, perished before an audience of hundreds of thousands.

…

Viewer Reactions:

[He's dead?!]

[Did the Chairman really just die?]

The chat quieted down as many viewers struggled to process the scene.

Nate sighed theatrically.

"Chairman, I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but I'll do my best to preserve your soul."

"Huh? Soul? What nonsense are you spouting?"

Jackal sneered, inhaling sharply as Gran Doma's soul was forcefully drawn from his body and swallowed.

After carelessly tossing the lifeless body aside, Jackal rubbed his stomach and grimaced.

"Disgusting… I wonder if your soul tastes better, Nate."

He raised his arm, its black surface crackling with golden light, and aimed at Nate.

Boom!

A massive explosion consumed the spot where Nate stood, filling the air with smoke and debris.

"Did I get him?"

Jackal scanned the scene but felt no satisfaction of a hit. He looked upward and saw Nate floating in the air, unscathed.

"As I said, I'm just a passing war correspondent," Nate remarked with a shrug.

"This isn't funny," Jackal growled, forming a finger gun with his right hand. "My mission was to destroy the Council and kill all its members. With only the Chairman here, I'll be ridiculed if I return empty-handed!"

He channeled his cursed energy into his arm, releasing a golden beam toward Nate.

Nate extended a finger and flicked it.

"Curse Technique: Cursed Reversal—Blue."

A black mist swirled from his fingertip, forming a sphere of cursed energy that intercepted and absorbed Jackal's attack like a black hole.

Jackal's pupils shrank. "A curse art?! Impossible! A human using curse arts?!"

"Not curse art—cursed technique," Nate corrected. "It's a bit more… adaptable for humans."

"This… this is impossible!" Jackal roared, releasing his full cursed energy. His body grew to three meters tall, transforming into a yellow-furred demonic wolf.

Jackal launched himself at Nate with explosive force.

Nate caught the massive fist effortlessly, his tone calm. "Cursed energy is just another form of power. Why the surprise?"

"You've touched me now," Jackal sneered. "My curse is Explosion. Anything I touch detonates!"

Golden cracks spread across his arm, detonating with a massive blast.

Boom!

The livestream audience held their breath as smoke filled the screen, worried for Nate's safety.

As the dust settled, Jackal's expression turned to disbelief. Nate stood unharmed, a thin layer of cursed energy shielding his body.

"How… how is this possible?"

"An explosion like that is easy to block with raw cursed energy," Nate replied.

Realizing the futility, Jackal froze in disbelief. How does a human have so much cursed energy?

Nate gave him no time to think. Grabbing Jackal's fist, he raised his other hand and lightly tapped the demon's chest, right over his heart.

"The heart of a demon… is here, isn't it?"

"Curse Technique: Blue."

A black sphere of cursed energy burst through Jackal's chest, consuming his heart and leaving a gaping hole.

Nate released his grip as Jackal's lifeless body fell, shattering upon impact with the rubble.

Moments later, the body disintegrated into ash and vanished with the wind.

Nate turned to the camera and remarked, "Demons of Tartaros are immortal. Even if killed, they can revive in the Hell's Core."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the audience.

At that moment, Nate felt a surge of negative emotions converting into cursed energy, his power growing exponentially.