<p>I would like to add on to Qynn's Answer:</p>

<p>In the most recent chapter of Fairy Tail, Chapter 400: </p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p>It was revealed that Igneel was residing inside Natsu, OR was using Natsu as a portal from the place where he was residing to come to Earthland. If Natsu had such magic imbued into him that could cause interference with the barrier as logically speaking, the barrier prevents those of age 80+ to leave and if it's a portal for someone of age 80+ to leave the barrier would automatically stop that person from leaving OR Igneel was actually inside Natsu not just using him as a medium and that would most definitely stop Natsu and Gajeel from leaving the barrier because they have someone of at least 300 Years of age in them. Since dragons are extinct, it would be safe to say Igneel and the other dragons are at least that age.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-19T09:23:58.613Z
It is also revealed in a chapter past 400 that Natsu is the younger brother of zeref and has lived almost as long as zeref.
Wouter
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-18T03:15:43.030Z
2014-09-18T19:57:14.613Z
2014-09-18T19:57:14.613Z
xwillflame
<p>There have been many theories on this subject, in fact. Here are some that I believe are logical and ones that might help:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Natsu and Gajeel's Dragon Slayer Magic is very ancient, obviously over 80 years old. Maybe their magic's age prohibited them? (Personally, I feel that something's missing here.</p></li>
<li><p>Natsu and Gajeel (and Wendy as well) were raised by their dragons a long time ago- maybe over 80 years ago. Through the Eclipse Gate, they were transported to the future- July 7, year x777 by Layla Heartfilia (Lucy's mother), making it seem like their dragons disappeared as opposed to them leaving their dragons. (Of course, there are a lot of pieces missing in this explanation, but it seems logical if you think about it.)</p></li>
<li><p>Laxus knew that Natsu and Gajeel were incredibly powerful, or maybe he knew that the Dragon Slayer magic is very powerful. There's a chance that he didn't want them participating due to this and told Freed to incorporate this into the rules without telling anyone about it. (Maybe?)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Anyhow, I hope this helped, and I hope that Mashima reveals this in the future!!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-28T11:52:06.430Z
so, now that Fairy Tail's over, I think we can now use this as the correct answer, I mean the second point
prout
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-24T20:07:03.303Z
2014-06-24T21:00:43.617Z
2014-06-24T21:00:43.617Z
Qynn
<p>Until now, it was never explained properly in FT.<br>
Future chapter might give a proof of the reason, or it stays a plothole.  </p>

<p>There are some theories, like "Dragons are extinct nowadays, Natsu was raised by Igneel hundreds of years ago and made a time travel (similar for Gajeel)" or "Dragon slayers are real dragon children (with longer lifespan than humans) with some kind of transformation magic applied" (this conflicts with Zirconis´ story, but it´s still possible he didn´t know or lied. Mashima likes trolling anyways)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-04T09:45:23.973Z
2014-06-04T09:59:07.153Z
2014-06-04T09:59:07.153Z
deviantfan
<p>While this hasn't been explained exactly point for point, I do believe the answer is revealed in one of the more recent chapters.</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p> Igneel is somehow inside of Natsu, and Igneel is well older than the required age to hold him back. Same with Gajeel.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-03T03:48:54.067Z
2015-01-03T04:25:57.513Z
2015-01-03T04:25:57.513Z
zoidsk270
<p>Natsu, like all of the other dragon slayers, aside from Laxus and cobra, was born over 400 years beforehand, but this isn't the reason Natsu and Gajeel were not able to leave. It's because they had dragons in them who were at least 80. Dragons are immortal. So they don't age like humans.</p>
<p>But Natsu, Gajeel, and the others are not chronologically 400 years old, as chronological refers to a measurement of one's existence inside a flow of time. Since they time traveled, they are not 400 years old. The gate opened on one side and they entered it. While in the gate, they were outside of time for 400 years. Layla opened the gate in 777 which allowed them to leave.</p>
<p>Notice how Zeref wasn't able to travel backward in time using the ellipse gate. It's likely because it's not traditional time travel. It's more like they left the flow of time and sat outside of time and space for those 400 years. And when Layla opened it, they could enter the modern world.  So it's akin to a stasis field where they are literally outside of time. Zeref needed not only the Fairy Heart, but also the time rift to travel backward in time.</p>
<p>This also creates a plot hole with future Lucy and Rogue going backward in time. But that could easily be explained away by the fact that future Rogue and Lucy came from alternate timelines where the gate worked differently.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-18T04:32:32.463Z
2024-03-25T16:54:45.710Z
2024-03-25T16:54:45.710Z
actionrandell
<p>Based on Fairy Tail chapter 436, it was somewhat explained why Natsu can't past the barrier.</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p> Natsu's physical body is more than 80 years old. Zeref used the body of his little brother to create Natsu and Zeref himself is about 400 years old. This is the likely answer why he can't past Freed's rune.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Reason for why Gajeel can't too has not been explained as the current chapter.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-19T20:02:49.460Z
I'm still in doubt about this. I don't believe that Natsu's body is 400 years old. The fact that we have seen young Natsu in the current timeline playing with young Gray and Lisanna and growing older together, makes me believe that Natsu came through the Eclipse Gate not too long after his resurrection. Especially since your theory does not explain why Gajeel could not get through. The accepted answer makes much more sense on this one, I believe.
Peter Raeves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-20T06:33:58.577Z
@PeterRaeves Not my theory. It was taken from chapter 436 of Fairy Tail. The Natsu that is in the tube is even younger than Natsu from the time he played with Gray and Lisanna. He was even younger than the time he was with Igneel. So it still fits for his case.
絢瀬絵里
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-20T07:26:50.760Z
Are you saying that natsu was about 390 years old when he was playing house with lisanna, a girl in her preteens? lets hope this didnt happen...
Peter Raeves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-20T09:37:50.840Z
@PeterRaeves That's what happened. Physically he was that old. Mentally he wasn't. His mentality is no different that boys around Lisanna's age because although his body is about 390 years old, the body spent most of that time being a dead body in a tube preserved by Zeref.
絢瀬絵里
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-20T09:45:13.503Z
Ow I see, you might be right. At first, I thought all flashbacks were from 400 years ago, but it does look like the flashback of Natsu reviving was a more recent one and many years had passed... That's just gross.
Peter Raeves
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-19T09:01:53.287Z
2015-05-19T09:01:53.287Z
絢瀬絵里
<p>The reason is that the dragons are sealed inside of hem. Their dragons are over 80 years old. The enchantment is not allowing the dragons to go through, not Natsu and gajeel. But since they are combined, that’s why they can’t go through either. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-26T03:34:55.930Z
2017-11-26T03:34:55.930Z
Blah blah
<p>For Natsu, on one episode Igneel did tell Natsu that he was always in Natsu's body and that tell us that well Igneel is definitely older than 80 years old and if he is in Natsu's body, Natsu's age would definitely be Igneel's age and same thing with Gajeel</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-26T02:14:36.017Z
2017-11-26T02:14:36.017Z
Thanh Nguyễn
<p>I have a theory. You know how Zeref is over 400 years old, but if you look at the episode where Natsu sees Zeref, Zeref cries tears of joy, saying &quot;You've grown, Natsu, and we meet again.&quot;</p>
<p>So I think that Zeref might actually be related to Natsu. And since Zeref is 400+, maybe Natsu is 100 and over. I've heard that Zeref had an army of dragons. Maybe Igneel and the other dragons slowed down time to where Natsu and Gajeel may look 17 to 18 but are probably older than that.</p>
<p>But this is just a theory, who knows I'm probably right.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-07-24T23:14:57.397Z
2024-03-25T16:57:46.030Z
2024-03-25T16:57:46.030Z
user7719
<p>I believe the rules were not all stated. This is somewhat a trick from Laxus. Laxus told Freed to prohibit Dragon Slayers from entering the fight and to trick them he told freed not to put the prohibition of the Dragon Slayers on the rule list.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-24T21:55:04.447Z
Any reason why you think so?
deviantfan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-25T10:36:22.627Z
@deviantfan Originally, Laxus' plan was to destroy the current FT and build his own FT wherein only the strong are allowed to be members. His plan also includes to let FT members fight and destroy each other, so he(Laxus) prohibited the Dragon slayers from entering the contest, including the FT's GM because it might drastically change the outcome of the contest that he thought would be which is of course he would not want to happen.
Tsukimoto Mitsumasa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-06T13:48:26.743Z
2014-06-06T13:48:26.743Z
Tsukimoto Mitsumasa
<p>On Fighting Festival arc (Laxus arc) in chapter 108, Natsu and Gajeel can't get out from the guild because of Freed's runes.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/kl0w4.jpg" alt=""></p>

<p>But the rule says that statues or people above 80 are not allowed to get out from the guild. So why can't Natsu and Gajeel get out?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-21T16:46:15.177Z
The fact that we do not know how old Natsu/Gajeel might help with this. They might just be older then 80.
Dimitri mx
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-22T15:21:45.007Z
@Dimitrimx well I never thought about it, I checked on wiki timeline and their birth year doesn't exist?? Maybe you're right...
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-22T15:23:33.007Z
The chance is there, maybe it is not released with a reason. Plot point later on maybe ? but that is mainly speculation :)
Dimitri mx
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-13T13:45:55.160Z
Complete speculation but coupling their power, the fact that both dragon slayers had this issue, the missing dragons, and this issue, it seems possible that the dragons are sealed within their respective slayers. This cannot have a source as it will likely be revealed as a later plot point (though it could be negated by the manga, I am not up to date one that).
kaine
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-15T09:05:03.933Z
since zeref being a 400 yr old dark wizard knows natsu, so its possible that natsu an gazeel are indeed much older then they seem. maybe same age of zeref.
Sp0T
<fairy-tail>
Why can't Natsu and Gajeel go through Freed's runes?
# Why can't Natsu and Gajeel go through Freed's runes?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-02-21
On Fighting Festival arc (Laxus arc) in chapter 108, Natsu and Gajeel can't get out from the guild because of Freed's runes.

![](https://i.sstatic.net/kl0w4.jpg)

But the rule says that statues or people above 80 are not allowed to get out from the guild. So why can't Natsu and Gajeel get out?
**Tags:** fairy-tail
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The fact that we do not know how old Natsu/Gajeel might help with this. They might just be older then 80.  
> **username_0**: @Dimitrimx well I never thought about it, I checked on wiki timeline and their birth year doesn't exist?? Maybe you're right...  
> **username_1**: The chance is there, maybe it is not released with a reason. Plot point later on maybe ? but that is mainly speculation :)  
> **username_2**: Complete speculation but coupling their power, the fact that both dragon slayers had this issue, the missing dragons, and this issue, it seems possible that the dragons are sealed within their respective slayers. This cannot have a source as it will likely be revealed as a later plot point (though it could be negated by the manga, I am not up to date one that).  
> **username_3**: since zeref being a 400 yr old dark wizard knows natsu, so its possible that natsu an gazeel are indeed much older then they seem. maybe same age of zeref.  
---
## 10 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2014-09-18. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
I would like to add on to Qynn's Answer:

In the most recent chapter of Fairy Tail, Chapter 400:

> It was revealed that Igneel was residing inside Natsu, OR was using Natsu as a portal from the place where he was residing to come to Earthland. If Natsu had such magic imbued into him that could cause interference with the barrier as logically speaking, the barrier prevents those of age 80+ to leave and if it's a portal for someone of age 80+ to leave the barrier would automatically stop that person from leaving OR Igneel was actually inside Natsu not just using him as a medium and that would most definitely stop Natsu and Gajeel from leaving the barrier because they have someone of at least 300 Years of age in them. Since dragons are extinct, it would be safe to say Igneel and the other dragons are at least that age.
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2015-06-19): It is also revealed in a chapter past 400 that Natsu is the younger brother of zeref and has lived almost as long as zeref.  
---
### Answer by username_6 on 2014-06-24. Score: 5
There have been many theories on this subject, in fact. Here are some that I believe are logical and ones that might help:

1. Natsu and Gajeel's Dragon Slayer Magic is very ancient, obviously over 80 years old. Maybe their magic's age prohibited them? (Personally, I feel that something's missing here.
2. Natsu and Gajeel (and Wendy as well) were raised by their dragons a long time ago- maybe over 80 years ago. Through the Eclipse Gate, they were transported to the future- July 7, year x777 by Layla Heartfilia (Lucy's mother), making it seem like their dragons disappeared as opposed to them leaving their dragons. (Of course, there are a lot of pieces missing in this explanation, but it seems logical if you think about it.)
3. Laxus knew that Natsu and Gajeel were incredibly powerful, or maybe he knew that the Dragon Slayer magic is very powerful. There's a chance that he didn't want them participating due to this and told Freed to incorporate this into the rules without telling anyone about it. (Maybe?)

Anyhow, I hope this helped, and I hope that Mashima reveals this in the future!!
> **Comments:**
> **username_7** (2018-03-28): so, now that Fairy Tail's over, I think we can now use this as the correct answer, I mean the second point  
---
### Answer by username_8 on 2014-06-04. Score: 3
Until now, it was never explained properly in FT.  
Future chapter might give a proof of the reason, or it stays a plothole.

There are some theories, like "Dragons are extinct nowadays, Natsu was raised by Igneel hundreds of years ago and made a time travel (similar for Gajeel)" or "Dragon slayers are real dragon children (with longer lifespan than humans) with some kind of transformation magic applied" (this conflicts with Zirconis´ story, but it´s still possible he didn´t know or lied. Mashima likes trolling anyways)
---
### Answer by username_9 on 2015-01-03. Score: 2
While this hasn't been explained exactly point for point, I do believe the answer is revealed in one of the more recent chapters.

> Igneel is somehow inside of Natsu, and Igneel is well older than the required age to hold him back. Same with Gajeel.
---
### Answer by username_10 on 2020-02-18. Score: 1
Natsu, like all of the other dragon slayers, aside from Laxus and cobra, was born over 400 years beforehand, but this isn't the reason Natsu and Gajeel were not able to leave. It's because they had dragons in them who were at least 80. Dragons are immortal. So they don't age like humans.

But Natsu, Gajeel, and the others are not chronologically 400 years old, as chronological refers to a measurement of one's existence inside a flow of time. Since they time traveled, they are not 400 years old. The gate opened on one side and they entered it. While in the gate, they were outside of time for 400 years. Layla opened the gate in 777 which allowed them to leave.

Notice how Zeref wasn't able to travel backward in time using the ellipse gate. It's likely because it's not traditional time travel. It's more like they left the flow of time and sat outside of time and space for those 400 years. And when Layla opened it, they could enter the modern world. So it's akin to a stasis field where they are literally outside of time. Zeref needed not only the Fairy Heart, but also the time rift to travel backward in time.

This also creates a plot hole with future Lucy and Rogue going backward in time. But that could easily be explained away by the fact that future Rogue and Lucy came from alternate timelines where the gate worked differently.
---
### Answer by username_11 on 2015-05-19. Score: 1
Based on Fairy Tail chapter 436, it was somewhat explained why Natsu can't past the barrier.

> Natsu's physical body is more than 80 years old. Zeref used the body of his little brother to create Natsu and Zeref himself is about 400 years old. This is the likely answer why he can't past Freed's rune.

Reason for why Gajeel can't too has not been explained as the current chapter.
> **Comments:**
> **username_12** (2015-05-19): I'm still in doubt about this. I don't believe that Natsu's body is 400 years old. The fact that we have seen young Natsu in the current timeline playing with young Gray and Lisanna and growing older together, makes me believe that Natsu came through the Eclipse Gate not too long after his resurrection. Especially since your theory does not explain why Gajeel could not get through. The accepted answer makes much more sense on this one, I believe.  
> **username_11** (2015-05-20): @PeterRaeves Not my theory. It was taken from chapter 436 of Fairy Tail. The Natsu that is in the tube is even younger than Natsu from the time he played with Gray and Lisanna. He was even younger than the time he was with Igneel. So it still fits for his case.  
> **username_12** (2015-05-20): Are you saying that natsu was about 390 years old when he was playing house with lisanna, a girl in her preteens? lets hope this didnt happen...  
> **username_11** (2015-05-20): @PeterRaeves That's what happened. Physically he was that old. Mentally he wasn't. His mentality is no different that boys around Lisanna's age because although his body is about 390 years old, the body spent most of that time being a dead body in a tube preserved by Zeref.  
> **username_12** (2015-05-20): Ow I see, you might be right. At first, I thought all flashbacks were from 400 years ago, but it does look like the flashback of Natsu reviving was a more recent one and many years had passed... That's just gross.  
---
### Answer by username_13 on 2017-11-26. Score: 0
The reason is that the dragons are sealed inside of hem. Their dragons are over 80 years old. The enchantment is not allowing the dragons to go through, not Natsu and gajeel. But since they are combined, that’s why they can’t go through either.
---
### Answer by username_14 on 2017-11-26. Score: 0
For Natsu, on one episode Igneel did tell Natsu that he was always in Natsu's body and that tell us that well Igneel is definitely older than 80 years old and if he is in Natsu's body, Natsu's age would definitely be Igneel's age and same thing with Gajeel
---
### Answer by username_16 on 2014-06-06. Score: 0
I believe the rules were not all stated. This is somewhat a trick from Laxus. Laxus told Freed to prohibit Dragon Slayers from entering the fight and to trick them he told freed not to put the prohibition of the Dragon Slayers on the rule list.
> **Comments:**
> **username_8** (2014-06-24): Any reason why you think so?  
> **username_16** (2014-06-25): @deviantfan Originally, Laxus' plan was to destroy the current FT and build his own FT wherein only the strong are allowed to be members. His plan also includes to let FT members fight and destroy each other, so he(Laxus) prohibited the Dragon slayers from entering the contest, including the FT's GM because it might drastically change the outcome of the contest that he thought would be which is of course he would not want to happen.  
---
### Answer by username_15 on 2014-07-24. Score: -3
I have a theory. You know how Zeref is over 400 years old, but if you look at the episode where Natsu sees Zeref, Zeref cries tears of joy, saying "You've grown, Natsu, and we meet again."

So I think that Zeref might actually be related to Natsu. And since Zeref is 400+, maybe Natsu is 100 and over. I've heard that Zeref had an army of dragons. Maybe Igneel and the other dragons slowed down time to where Natsu and Gajeel may look 17 to 18 but are probably older than that.

But this is just a theory, who knows I'm probably right.
---
