Uru gradually composed herself and began to accept the situation. She looked at Nate silently with her beautiful eyes.
A handsome young man.
No.
Considering that someone who could create such mysterious Internet magic must be a great magician who had already set foot in the abyss of magic. Appearance was just that—appearance. His actual age couldn't be judged merely by how young he looked.
"So, Senior Knight," Uru began, her voice soft but inquisitive. "You unlocked my Absolute Ice and collected my soul… What is your purpose?"
Facing her puzzled gaze, Nate smiled.
"Why must there be a purpose?" he countered.
"To melt the Absolute Ice, as far as I know, only the 'Moon Drop' magic can do that," Uru replied, her meaning clear. Melting the Absolute Ice took considerable effort—there had to be a reason, right?
Could it be that this old senior had simply lived too long and was bored? The possibility seemed remote.
Nate shook his head. "You probably misunderstood something." He briefly explained what Leon had done.
"He was your disciple. In order to surpass you, he spent years trying to melt the Absolute Ice so he could defeat Deliora himself," Nate continued. "But he didn't realize that the demon had already exhausted its vitality during the long years it was frozen by your magic. Deliora died right after being unsealed."
"I merely collected your soul by chance."
Uru's expression softened as she absorbed the explanation. It sounded like something Leon would do.
"But, there's one other thing," Nate added with a chuckle. "I'm not your senior. I'm not as old as you."
Uru blinked in confusion, staring at Nate. "Younger than me?" She had thought him to be some ancient master of magic, a veteran of countless ages.
How could someone so young create such incredible magic? Even a genius had limits, right? Had the world advanced so far in magic during the years of her "death"?
After a few moments of stunned silence, Uru finally spoke. "Wait a moment, let me process this." She sighed deeply. "So, Lord Knight, you collected my soul with no ulterior motives?"
Her tone had changed. She now addressed Nate as "Lord," showing her respect for saving her, though it still didn't make sense that someone would go to so much trouble without a reason.
Nate smirked to himself but didn't voice his thoughts. He wasn't about to tell her that he simply didn't want her soul to go to waste—he had essentially saved her like a Tamagotchi pet.
"Do you want to repay the favor?" Nate asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Uru said firmly, her smile soft but sincere. "I was fated to die, yet I was lucky enough to be saved by you. If I don't repay that kindness, I'll never feel at peace."
Although her physical body was gone and only her soul remained, she was grateful to be alive in some form. Repaying Nate for his kindness felt like the right thing to do.
Nate, seeing her serious expression, asked, "Miss Uru, do you know what your current state is?"
"You can't leave the Deep Web. Without magic support, your soul would likely dissipate if you stepped out of this place."
"But," Nate continued, "it's not impossible to leave."
He clapped his hands, and in an instant, the environment around them dissolved into streams of zeros and ones. The data swirled into a torrent, and they were plunged into complete darkness—or more accurately, nothingness. Uru felt herself falling into an abyss of nothingness, a sense of disorientation overwhelming her.
After what felt like an eternity, a small ball of pure white light appeared, growing larger and larger as they approached. It filled the entire space with a radiant glow.
"Do you know what this is?" Nate asked, walking toward the ball of light. He plucked a tiny thread from it and gently infused it into Uru's soul.
"This is… magic!" Uru gasped in awe. "Pure magic!"
"Yes," Nate confirmed. "It's the source of magic that powers the entire Internet." He explained that 99% of the magic consumed by users of the network was collected here. If the light were to dry up, the magic network would be "disconnected."
He then added, "I can give you a portion of this magic, allowing you to leave the Deep Web and interact with the outside world for a while."
Uru could feel the power coursing through her, her soul becoming more solid. It felt as though she could now use magic herself, but she knew she was still bound by limits.
"Of course, you won't be able to stray too far from me," Nate warned. "Even with this magic, you'll need to stay within my range."
Uru, however, wasn't disappointed. "I'm very satisfied with this, Lord Knight. Thank you."
Nate reassured her, "Don't worry. I'll look into finding a way to help you fully revive if there's a chance."
"Thank you in advance!" Uru replied, her optimism shining through.
"So, is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?" she asked. "Anything at all, even if it means… destroying the world?" Her smile was playful but serious.
"Why would I want to destroy the world?" Nate rolled his eyes. He grabbed another handful of magic from the light ball and infused it into Uru's body. "This should be enough magic for you to move around for a while, so use it wisely."
He grinned. "Think of it like managing a pet's energy."
Uru chuckled, realizing how casually Nate treated such an incredible source of power. She felt more solid with every infusion of magic and even sensed her ability to cast spells returning.
"So, how can I repay your kindness?" she asked again. "I don't think I'll be able to repay you in my lifetime…"
Nate, trying to keep things light, said, "Well, if you want to do something, you could help me manage the Internet."
He figured keeping Uru busy would prevent her from feeling trapped. Plus, having someone with her expertise managing the magic network would certainly be helpful.
"What should I do?" Uru asked. "I know nothing of this strange magic."
"I'll teach you," Nate said with a smirk. "But for now, I'm going to get some rest. See you tomorrow."
With that, he waved his hand, and his consciousness left the Deep Web, leaving Uru to explore her new role.
Back in the real world, in the cave by the water's edge, Nate slowly opened his eyes. Moments later, a shimmer of magic appeared beside him as Uru followed him into the physical realm.
"Ah, this is what it feels like to be alive again," she said, stretching as if to savor the sensation.
However, she was still in a translucent, ghost-like state.
"Good morning, Lord Knight," she greeted with a smile.
Nate, exhausted, waved his hand and forced her back into the Deep Web. "Good morning… now, I'm going to bed."
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