"Gajru, stop daydreaming. The valley behind this mountain is Lord Iron Dragon's lair."
Dolan, who had already crossed the mountain and started going downhill, called out to Gajeru.
After learning that they shared the same surname, Dolan found the boy with steel nails in his face much more agreeable and agreed to take him to see the Iron Dragon's lair.
What puzzled Dolan was that Gajeru seemed both familiar with Ironforge Ridge and somewhat unfamiliar with it, like a wanderer who had been away from home for many years and couldn't find his way back because of the changes in his hometown.
The rugged, rocky ridges pierced the clouds like the spine of a giant beast. Gajiru climbed over a patch of exposed rock and reached the summit of a mountain in Iron Furnace Ridge.
"Old man Dolan, why has this place changed so much?"
The hot climate and abundant minerals here are exactly the same as in Gajeel's memory, but the surrounding environment has changed so much, as if hundreds of years have passed.
Gajeel's question baffled Dolan, who had spent most of his life in Ironforge Ridge and hadn't noticed any significant changes.
Out of concern for the younger generation, Dolan still asked, "What aspect of change are you referring to?"
"The mountain opposite wasn't this high before."
"There should be a large waterfall there."
"I remember a type of crow that likes the heat..."
"..."
Gajeel rattled off more than a dozen differences from his own memories, leaving Dolan dumbfounded and increasingly bewildered, because all of Gajeel's claims had actually existed.
That towering mountain was formed by an earthquake that occurred more than two hundred years ago.
According to ancestral records, there was indeed a large waterfall in Tielu Ridge 400 years ago.
Fire crows, which love the heat, did indeed inhabit this area, but that was hundreds of years ago.
Dolan suspects that Gajeru also possesses records passed down from his ancestors, otherwise how could he describe the environment of Ironforge Ridge a hundred years ago in such detail?
"Young man, don't make fun of an old man like me. What you're talking about is Tieluling from hundreds of years ago."
"impossible!"
Upon hearing Dolan's words, Gajeel reacted strongly, excitedly shouting, "Six years ago, when Medalicana and I were here, things weren't like this at all!"
"Nonsense! I've lived in Iron Furnace Ridge for decades. How could I not know if Lord Iron Dragon had returned? Besides, Lord Iron Dragon has been missing for nearly 400 years!"
Dolan led his people to guard Ironforge Ridge for many years. If there really was a dragon and a child from his tribe in the mountains, they couldn't have been unaware of it.
Gajiru also firmly stated that he and Iron Dragon Medalicana lived here 6 years ago, and Ironforge Ridge was not like this back then.
The old man and the young man each held their own opinion and argued fiercely. In the end, they even started fighting. Since they couldn't convince each other, they decided to beat each other into submission!
No wonder they share the same surname, Rhett Fox; they even have the same temperament.
Seeing this, the white-haired boy who had just returned to call for help immediately opened a bag of potato chips and stood aside, watching the two Rhett Foxes fight with a grin.
"Wow! Mira, did you see that? That old man Dolan's muscles are even stronger than Elfman's!"
"Gajeel is all bark and no bite. How come his head and legs started to go weak after only two blows? He can't kneel like that."
"Erza, I suggest you consider buying Master Dolan's hammer. It's much better than your weapons."
Just as Noah was engrossed in watching the play, a hand wearing arm armor struck him on the head, making Noah wince in pain.
"You not only didn't stop your companions from fighting, but you even enjoyed it. Confiscated." Erza snatched the potato chips from Noah's hand, her domineering demeanor leaving Noah no room to resist.
In the end, all he wanted was potato chips, is it really that big of a deal...?
Noah was speechless as he watched the red-haired girl reach into the bag of potato chips. Then he took out a small bag of snacks from the package, opened it, and gave Mira a share as well.
Mira took the snacks, but her gaze remained fixed on the two fighters. "That's enough, isn't it? If they keep fighting, I'm afraid Gajeel will be beaten to tears by Master Dolan."
Erza thought so too.
She had known Dolan for several years, but this was the first time she had witnessed the master blacksmith's fighting prowess.
Although Gajeel's strength is not S-class, it is not far from that of a first-class mage, and there are not many people among the younger generation who are capable of defeating him.
Yet this same Gajeel was now being beaten so badly by an old man that he could only piss his pants. Even the high-defense "Iron Scales" granted by the [Iron Dragon Slayer] magic were almost deformed by Doran's swinging iron hammer.
The magic blacksmith is terrifying!
Although magic is the dominant force in the world, other combat systems are by no means weak.
Just like the female swordswoman Ikaruga in "The Three Crows", if Erza hadn't learned [Armament Haki], it would probably have been difficult for her to defeat Ikaruga.
Dolan may not be outstanding in magic, but his years of forging have given him a strong body, and his hammer techniques, which he has mastered through blacksmithing, are enough to rival those of powerful mages.
The fight between Doran and Gajeel was, to put it bluntly, like a grandfather disciplining a disobedient grandson, only with a slightly more violent method.
One-sided domination gets boring after a while. Noah teleported into the fray and caught Dolan's hammer as it was about to strike Gajeel with one hand. "Old man, that's enough."
Seeing Noah catch his attack with his bare hands, Dolan's eyes widened in surprise. He then took the opportunity to back down and put away his hammer.
Dolan only wanted Gajeel to admit his mistake and stop lying in the future, but who knew that Gajeel's only stubborn thing was his mouth.
Gajeru stood up unsteadily. Although his whole body ached from being hit by the hammer, he insisted, "I didn't lie. Medalicana really did live with me in Ironforge Ridge six years ago."
Hey! You little rascal!
Dolan was furious. Having lived in Ironforge for decades, how could he not know the situation here? He immediately reached for the hammer that had been put back.
As Gajeel saw Dolan draw his hammer, he shuddered. To be honest, he had never been so afraid of anyone. Even Joseph, who was strong back then, did not put as much pressure on him as Dolan.
Gajeel felt that if Dolan were given a furnace, the old man could smash himself into a piece of iron.
Fortunately, Erza spoke up in time, and Dolan, out of consideration for his old customer, did not do anything further.
After understanding the points of conflict between the two sides, Erza was also a little undecided.
Even after being beaten so badly, Gajeel refused to change his story, which shows he wasn't lying; while Dolan grew up in Ironforge Ridge and is now the patriarch of the Retfox clan, the guardian of Ironforge Ridge, so it's impossible for him not to notice if an iron dragon appeared.
Both sides insisted on their own ideas, which put Erza in a difficult position.
Mira was also puzzled. She turned to look at the white-haired boy who was still eating snacks. "Noah, what do you think?"
"How do you see it? Stand up and look."
After a slightly inappropriate joke, Noah gave his answer: "Is it possible that Gajeel and Master Dolan are both right?"
"Since there is magic to manipulate time in this world, it is not impossible for people to travel through time."
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