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Time travel.
It sounded absurd, but Erza and Mira believed it anyway.
After all, Noah, this guy who traveled between worlds, was standing right in front of them, and Noah wasn't the only one who'd traveled between worlds—there was another one in the Guild.
Since "world travel" was possible, Erza and Mira naturally accepted the idea of "time travel."
However, Doran and Gajeel, both of the Redfox name, didn't find this news so easy to digest.
If Noah's conjecture was true, then it meant Gajeel was a person from several hundred years ago, and he'd traveled to a world a hundred years later, specifically X777, six years ago.
This would explain why Gajeel said that six years ago he was still living with his adoptive father in Iron Furnace Ridge, because that was four hundred years ago—Gajeel was just too young at the time to distinguish.
Doran wasn't a rigid old-fashioned person. In fact, after hearing the words "time travel," he knew in his heart that this theory was very likely to be true.
Four hundred years ago was an era of "Magic explosion." The quality of Magic Power in that era was far inferior to the present, but a group of incredibly talented Mages emerged, and their creations profoundly influenced later generations.
The powerful Dragon Slayer Magic, the versatile Dragon Soul Technique, and the rumored Life-Giant, which could contend with Dragons, were all Magic created in that era.
Even the legendary and infamous "Ancestor of Black Magic," who created demons, was a figure who appeared four hundred years ago.
If it was that era, then creating a Magic that could travel to four hundred years later wouldn't be too surprising.
After accepting this theory, Doran suddenly realized something and immediately broke out in a nervous sweat.
Doran realized that the person he'd just enjoyed beating up was not his junior, but his... ancestor!
At this moment, Gajeel had also figured it out. Unlike Natsu, he was quick-witted and quickly accepted Noah's conjecture.
After eliminating all impossible factors, the conclusion of time travel, no matter how unbelievable, was very likely the truth.
"Ahem, little Doran, come and massage your grandpa's legs."
After understanding everything, Gajeel also became assertive with Doran, his smug expression—let alone Doran—even made Erza's fists clench.
But how could Doran, with his fiery temper, tolerate that?
Pulling out his hammer on the spot, Doran pressed Gajeel down, determined to show him today what it meant to defy one's elders.
"Ancestor? I'll beat up an ancestor just the same! Hmph!"
"Save me!"
Gajeel, being rubbed on the ground, screamed for help, but Noah, Erza, and Mira were sharing food nearby, as if they were on a picnic.
As for Gajeel?
Sorry, not close.
Of course, since it was his ancestor, Doran didn't dare to go too far in punishing Gajeel—he merely put on a "hand-pounded iron ball" show for Noah and the others.
Half an hour later, the group arrived at a secluded valley in Iron Furnace Ridge.
Although the Iron Dragon, Metalicana, had been missing for several hundred years, the domineering aura unique to Dragons still lingered in the valley.
Without Doran needing to lead the way, Gajeel, familiar with the path, arrived outside the Dragon's nest, which was hidden by Magic.
He'd smelled the familiar scent.
But his "father" who raised him wasn't there... Gajeel turned away in disappointment, bumping into Noah who was approaching. Seeing Gajeel's downcast expression, Noah asked, "Aren't you going to go in and look?"
"No, it's just some rocks."
Gajeel didn't know why he'd suddenly arrived in a world four hundred years later, but it must have something to do with his adoptive father, the Iron Dragon.
For him, it was just a sleep that led to time travel, but in this world, hundreds of years had truly passed. Even for powerful and long-lived magical creatures like Dragons, four hundred years was not a short time.
Recalling Doran's mention of Metalicana's sudden disappearance four hundred years ago, Gajeel suspected that his adoptive father might've encountered something he couldn't handle.
But why would he send him four hundred years into the future?
Gajeel chose to voice his doubts.
But it was clear that neither Noah, Doran, nor Erza and Mira could answer his question. After all, if Gajeel, the "son of a Dragon," didn't know what his Dragon father was doing, then they, as newcomers, certainly wouldn't.
Erza, however, asked curiously, "Gajeel, why did the Iron Dragon teach you Iron Dragon Slayer Magic?"
"A Dragon teaching a human 'Dragon Slayer'—that doesn't make sense, does it?"
Gajeel was stunned. Indeed, why would Metalicana let him learn Dragon Slayer Magic? For Dragons, wasn't this Magic very dangerous?
Noah speculated, "I once read in a book that a portion of Dragons had great malice toward humans. Perhaps the Iron Dragon wanted Gajeel to have the ability to protect himself."
"Or perhaps he wanted Gajeel to grow strong and help him deal with hostile Dragons."
"But for whatever reason, the Iron Dragon likely wanted Gajeel to become powerful."
Noah patted Gajeel's shoulder. "So, for your Dragon dad, you little weakling still need to train."
Who are you calling a weakling! Don't you know how wild this great me is!
Noah's words of comfort made Gajeel grateful, but the term "weakling" made the great Gajeel very unhappy.
Unfortunately, he couldn't get wild. Gajeel only thought those words in his mind, as he knew full well that he couldn't defeat any of the other four people present.
It was truly frustrating. Gajeel finally understood how the people he bullied felt when he was at Phantom Lord.
After lingering in the valley for a while, the group returned the way they came to the Magic market below Iron Furnace Ridge.
Back at Doran's shop, Doran agreed to help Noah strengthen his Blast Gauntlets, but because he had to repair Erza's equipment first, he told Noah to come back in a month to pick them up.
Noah didn't mind. Because he brought Gajeel, the "ancestor," Doran waived the fees for Noah and Erza as a token of gratitude. Not spending money was a good thing, and a month would pass quickly.
"Oh, right, Gajeel."
"I've tailored a method for you to become stronger. Do you want to hear it?"
Noah's smile was harmless, but Gajeel always felt something strange about it. However, Noah was the Guild's "instructor," so he should be very good at guiding—Gajeel must be overthinking it.