Chapter 536: Pride vs Pride
"I’ve never heard of that name," the Mountain Dragon replied with a yawn.
He felt like he’d answered this question a dozen times already, but seeing the longing in Gajeel’s eyes, he chose to answer again with patience.
’Was it a tradition in this world for Dragons to abandon their children?’
Gajeel clenched his fists.
Like Natsu, he had been disappointed countless times over the past seven years.
But this time... this time was different. He had finally come face-to-face with a real Dragon.
Even if there was still no news about Metalicana, just knowing that Dragons still existed in this world gave him a strange sense of comfort.
Wendy, who usually found Gajeel a little scary, saw something vulnerable in him at this moment. Mustering her courage, she stepped forward and said gently,
"Mr. Gajeel, I’m also still searching for Grandeeney, the one who taught me my Dragon Slayer Magic. And Mr. Natsu is looking for Igneel too. None of us have found them yet... but I believe they’re still out there. Metalicana must be too. So... please don’t be too sad."
"Who’s sad?" Gajeel snapped instinctively. "That stubborn old lizard... even if..."
He trailed off, unable to bring himself to speak ill of Metalicana at a time like this.
He took a deep breath, straightened up, and turned to Rhodes with renewed focus. "Alright then, let’s go."
"Go?" Rhodes tilted his head.
"You said you wanted to fight, right?" Gajeel said, cracking his knuckles. "Let’s get to it."
But Rhodes pointed at the Mountain Dragon. "No, not with me. You’re sparring with him."
Gajeel blinked. "Huh? Wait... what?"
"You’re a Dragon Slayer, right?" Rhodes said with a grin. "Training against an actual Dragon should be a good way to improve. Don’t worry, this one has the toughest hide of all my summons. Go ahead and hit him with everything you’ve got."
The Mountain Dragon narrowed his eyes and glared at Rhodes. ’You summoned me out here... just to babysit? Are you serious?’
Babysitting a hot-headed metal muncher wasn’t exactly his idea of a peaceful evening.
Gajeel, meanwhile, was a little caught off guard by the gesture. He wasn’t used to this kind of straightforward kindness.
"Why..." he muttered stiffly, "why are you helping me?"
Lily, perched nearby in his small black cat form, smirked. His partner always had to act so prickly. Typical.
Rhodes shrugged. "Call it a thank you, for saving Mira and Elfman."
He smiled. "I used to find you kind of annoying, but you’ve changed. You’re alright now. If you ever need something... come to me."
Mira gently wrapped her arms around Rhode’s and smiled, warm and proud.
Lisanna stood beside her, watching them, and felt genuinely happy for her sister.
Only, Gajeel became even more awkward.
He stiffly turned his head to the side, and when that didn’t seem enough, he spun around entirely and started walking away.
"You don’t need to like me," he grumbled. "I just wanted a place to work. If the guild vanished without a trace, that’d make me look bad too, so I just helped out, that’s all."
Carla, and anyone who’d spent enough time with Carla, could easily interpret the true meaning:
’I didn’t do it to get praised or thanked. I’m part of this guild, it was the right thing to do.
Don’t treat me like some outsider lending a hand. That just ticks me off.’
"Hehe." Mira couldn’t help but giggle, discovering Gajeel’s unexpectedly cute side.
Gajeel’s ears turned red. Fortunately, his back was still facing them, so no one saw. He decided to pick up the pace and move on.
But just as he took a few steps, a dragon tail suddenly swung around and wham!—smashed him flat into the ground.
Apparently, the Mountain Dragon also understood what Gajeel meant, and frankly, it shared a bit of that tsundere streak.
It had already resigned itself to "babysitting," but now this little punk was trying to skip out? Not a chance.
With a mighty thud, the iron-headed Dragon Slayer left a neat, person-shaped crater in the dirt.
Gajeel, completely unharmed, shot up like a spring and roared, "You damn lizard! Trying to pick a fight with me?! I’ll...whoa!"
Before he could finish yelling, another tail swipe swept toward him, this time horizontally.
Gajeel braced himself and tried to grab the tail mid-swing to stop it, but even with his strength, he was launched through the air like a cannonball.
A faint smirk appeared on the Mountain Dragon’s face. This little Dragon Slayer was durable. He might actually be fun to play with.
When Gajeel staggered to his feet again, he caught the look on the Dragon’s face.
That mocking smile.
His fury exploded. "You’re asking for it! Don’t blame me if I go all out now, Iron Dragon Sword!"
CLANG!
The jagged Iron Dragon Sword slammed against the Mountain Dragon’s thick wing scales, sending a shower of sparks into the night sky.
But the Dragon didn’t even flinch. With a casual flick of its tail, whack!—Gajeel was airborne again.
Black iron scales began to spread across Gajeel’s skin as he landed. He pounded his chest with a grin and shouted, "Didn’t even tickle!"
Then he bolted forward, full of spirit.
Mountain Dragon’s eyes lit up with interest.
And so, Gajeel got thoroughly thrashed.
Again and again, he was knocked into the air, only to come roaring back like a wild beast, only to be sent flying again like a ragdoll.
In that sense, his temperament was exactly like Natsu’s.
Lily watched his partner’s repeated pummeling with sparkling eyes, filled with admiration. That was exactly the kind of "tough guy" attitude he liked best.
Wendy, however, couldn’t bear to keep watching.
She didn’t understand. Why did encounters between Dragons and Dragon Slayers always end up like this? Especially when the Dragons summoned by Brother Rhodes were so calm and easy to talk to.
Even Mira found it a bit hard to watch.
"Are you tired? Do you want to take a break?" she asked, her concern directed toward Rhodes.
Wearing the blue buff, Rhodes gave a lazy wave. "It’s fine. Mountain Dragon knows what he’s doing."
Unlike the Purgatory Dragon, who lived for chaos and entertainment, Mountain Dragon was extremely disciplined. He always kept an eye on Rhodes’s condition and would withdraw on his own when necessary.
And tonight was no different.
With a casual flap of his wings, Mountain Dragon sent Gajeel flying once again, this time crashing into the ground headfirst.
Then, he tanked a full Dragon Slayer Secret Art spell right to the chest.
Unfazed, he simply gave a small nod. "Not bad. Keep practicing that move. We’ll meet again."
"Don’t you dare run away!" Gajeel growled hoarsely. His iron scales were cracked, bruises covered his limbs, and he was barely standing. But the stubbornness in his eyes burned bright.
Mountain Dragon ignored the tsundere Dragon cub and instead turned his attention to Wendy.
He lowered his massive head and asked gently, "Would you rather train with me... or with Cloud Dragon?"
"Eh? I....um...I’m okay with either," Wendy stammered.
Mountain Dragon gave her a slightly regretful look. Such a polite and adorable Dragon Cub... it was just a shame she didn’t align with his elemental attribute.
"Alright. Next time, then."
Before fading away into light, Mountain Dragon turned to Rhodes and offered a rare word of praise: "Your growth is impressive. Keep it up."
With that, the air grew still.
Rhodes sat down on the grass, needing a moment to rest. Even if Mountain Dragon did most of the fighting, summoning a Dragon still consumed a fair amount of magic power.
Meanwhile, Gajeel lay sprawled on the ground in a starfish pose.
Kind-hearted Wendy hurried over and began healing his wounds with support magic.
Lisanna was still in shock. "When you guys said training, you didn’t mean... fighting real Dragons every night, right?"
"Of course not," Mira chuckled. "Only once in a while."
Mainly, when Rhodes summoned a Dragon, if he also went all-out himself, he’d burn through his magic way too fast.
That’s why Dragons usually served as sparring partners or teachers for Natsu and Wendy. It had become a special kind of training privilege for Dragon Slayers.
Sometimes, Mira joined in as well. She’d take the chance to unleash her strongest spells, the kind she wouldn’t normally dare try on Rhodes himself, against the summoned Dragons.
Unfortunately, even with all her strength, she had never managed to land a truly decisive blow on those legendary beasts.