Provocation tactics? Naturally, they didn't exist.
Although Elefseria was lecherous and didn't always act seriously, he still had principles. He wouldn't stoop to playing mind games with a group of teenagers.
He truly couldn't bear to let the three in front of him go to their deaths for nothing.
"Forget it after all."
"Even if your elders took action personally, they might not succeed in this matter, let alone three youngsters like you."
"You all should just leave!"
Elefseria closed his eyes tightly, turned his head, and waved them away.
He thought that after saying this, he would hear the persistent pleas of the youths. Instead—
"Alright then, we'll leave right now!"
Wait, what?
This isn't how the script is supposed to go!
At least persist a little!
If you're this lacking in perseverance, what will you do in the future?
Elefseria reopened his eyes, his gaze filled with shock and confusion. He looked up to see Darwin's trio already walking toward the door without looking back.
Chris even raised her hand and waved: "When we get back, I'll tell Dad about this. I'll say the favor he owed has been repaid."
What?
That definitely won't do!!
"Goodbye, Grandpa!"
Seeing this, Elefseria panicked instantly: "Everyone, stop right there!!"
Darwin and the others indeed stopped. When they turned around, they couldn't suppress the meaningful smirks on their faces: "Is there something else?"
"Well, uh..."
"This old man thought about it, and a debt of gratitude shouldn't be wasted for nothing."
"Since you are so sincere about doing it, it wouldn't hurt to let you try."
After shouting this, an uncontrollable flush of shame appeared on his face.
One second he told them to leave, the next he went back on his word. Even though his skin had been cultivated to be as thick and hard as a dragon's, he couldn't handle such an embarrassing scene.
Darwin feigned worry and let out an "Ah."
"Is that really okay?"
"That's a problem even you can't solve, Senior, and even my Dad wouldn't be sure of if he came himself."
"We're so young and our strength is so far behind. What if we accidentally die during the mission?"
The corner of Elefseria's eye twitched: "Since Weston let you come, he must have a certain level of confidence in your strength!"
Right!
With that brat Weston's devious mind, how could he let his own children wander into danger so easily?
He must have prepared long ago!
Yes, that's it... right?
Elefseria scrutinized the three seriously again, his heart wavering with indecision.
"It seems you're really torn about 'whether to let us help' or not?"
Erza saw through Elefseria's concerns, lowered her eyes, and suggested: "Why not be direct? Just tell us your problem, and then we can discuss together whether to do it or not?"
"That won't do!"
"This matter is extremely important; it cannot be leaked easily!"
"If you had come by accepting the request I posted, or had come with Weston, I could speak frankly. But since the purpose of your trip is to 'repay a past favor for your father,' I have no reason to put a group of teenagers in mortal danger!"
Elefseria thought for another long moment, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"Ah!"
"I know what I can have you do!"
Seeing the old man finally make up his mind, Darwin and the others regained their spirit: "So, what exactly do you want us to do?"
Elefseria said: "About 30 degrees south of west from here, about five days' walk away, there is a giant dragon wreaking havoc on a city and treating human life like grass."
"If you truly want to repay the favor, go subdue it for me and end its crimes!"
The problem that had always troubled Elefseria was the Five Dragon Gods who had plagued Guiltina for centuries.
However, in the nearly fifty years since he posted the quest to "Exterminate the Five Dragon Gods," not a single survivor had returned from the fifty-plus teams that came to challenge it. It was clear how difficult the task was.
He couldn't bring himself to let these three unrelated teenagers face the Five Dragon Gods directly, so he decided on the next best thing—letting them fight one with a slightly lower difficulty.
Aside from the Five Dragon Gods, there were many other evil dragons rampaging across Guiltina.
Compared to the legendary Five Dragon Gods, these dragons were weaker, so the chance of subduing them was higher. Even if they couldn't win in the end, the chance of escaping would be greater.
If Darwin's trio couldn't even defeat an ordinary evil dragon, it would prove that subduing the Five Dragon Gods was a fantasy, and his decision was correct.
If they ultimately succeeded in defeating the dragon, while it wouldn't prove they could beat the Five Dragon Gods, it would at least avenge those eaten by the dragon!
"What?!"
"You want us to go fight a dragon directly?"
"It sounds like the difficulty was lowered, so just how hard was his original trouble?!"
After hearing Elefseria's words, Darwin and the others were all wide-eyed with shock.
However, that shock was quickly replaced by the tension and anticipation of seeing a dragon and fighting it.
"But this proves we didn't come to the wrong place!"
"Old man, you really do know the whereabouts of dragons. You've been a huge help!!"
"I can't wait for a big battle!!"
Their reactions left Elefseria stunned on the spot.
"You... you guys... aren't you afraid at all?"
"That's a giant dragon!"
"If you're not careful, you really will die!!"
Of the people who came to Magia Dragon before, seven or eight out of ten were scared witless upon learning their enemy was a dragon. He hadn't expected these three youths to not only be unafraid but actually look excited...
Should he call it "newborn calves not fearing the tiger"?
"Don't worry!"
Darwin tightened his fist, showing off the solid biceps on his arm: "We told you earlier, the three of us are very strong!"
"Besides, our original purpose for coming to Guiltina was to find dragons and defeat them. The reason we visited you was because we heard you might have news about dragons. As for repaying the favor, that was just incidental."
"Hm... I see."
"Since you're so confident, then go all out and do it!!"
"Also... although you're doing this voluntarily to repay the favor Weston owed, if... and I mean if... you actually defeat the dragon, I will give you a gift as your elder!"
Hearing this, Darwin and the others' eyes lit up simultaneously, getting even more pumped.
"A gift??"
"Hehehe... how could we accept that?"
"What kind of gift?"
Elefseria smiled slightly and held up one finger.
"You may choose any one thing from all the things in existence."
"No matter what it is, I can give it to you!"