"Hmm?"
Just then, a squad of marines pushed open the bar door and entered.
Leading the way was a big bearded man, much like the old man, but this one was a burly fellow.
He hurried to the counter and anxiously looked at the old man, asking,
"Father, are you alright!"
He was the son who brewed alcohol, the one the old man had mentioned, and also the branch commander of the marine outpost in this small town, "Colonel Big Beard."
Big Beard wasn't too worried when he received news of Kōta's crew landing on Prometheus Island.
This was because, according to intelligence from Marine Headquarters, this crew of pirates wasn't the type to cause wanton trouble.
Another reason was his own strength, which didn't allow him to apprehend pirates with such high bounties.
For Kōta's crew, what they, the branch marines, could do was to monitor them constantly and avoid conflict as much as possible.
The task of apprehending Kōta's crew was left to the Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters.
However, when he heard that Kōta had gone to his family's tavern, he immediately couldn't sit still.
He quickly gathered the marines and rushed over.
Although Kōta's crew seemed to be pirates who didn't harm civilians, pirates were pirates. If they went berserk, it would be bad if they harmed his father.
From the moment the marines entered.
The old man's usually calm and indifferent demeanor suddenly became a little tense.
He didn't look at Big Beard, but kept staring at Kōta.
When Big Beard entered, Kōta had already figured out what was going on with the old man.
He watched this scene with amusement and asked the old man, "Am I that scary?"
The marines who followed Big Beard in were all staring tensely at Kōta and Kuina.
They remained silent, making the entire tavern feel tense and stifling.
The old man stared at Kōta for a while, then gradually relaxed. At his age, he was still a good judge of character.
"It's not you who's scary, it's your bounty poster!"
"In my life, I've never truly seen a pirate with such a high bounty!"
The old man's jovial voice broke the tense atmosphere in the tavern.
Kōta spun his chair, scanning the surrounding marines, and finally fixed his gaze on Big Beard.
"Marine, am I that scary?"
His gentle voice did not dispel the nervousness in the hearts of the marines.
Big Beard stared intently at Kōta, suppressing his fear, and shouted loudly, "Pirate, don't be too arrogant. We, the righteous marines, are not afraid of pirates."
His voice grew louder as he spoke, and by the end, he stood ramrod straight.
He stared at Kōta and roared,
"Justice will prevail."
"Justice will prevail."
The surrounding marines instinctively straightened their backs and roared in unison.
Kōta stared at Big Beard, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, and said, "Don't worry, as long as you don't bother us, we'll leave after we've bought our things."
He actually admired this Big Beard. Such a marine was a good marine.
Even though they were afraid, they still stood on the front lines for the people without hesitation.
Kōta didn't pay much attention to Big Beard. He turned around and smiled at the old man, "Old man, we are law-abiding citizens. We never take a single needle or thread from the villagers. Just tell me! How much do you want?"
The old man had now regained his calm and indifferent demeanor.
He took a puff of his cigarette, a glint in his eyes, and slowly extended his right hand, opening his five fingers and holding them up in front of Kōta.
"What, it's only 50,000! I thought it was going to be more expensive."
Staring at the old man's hand.
Kōta let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to reach into his pocket to pay, the old man suddenly spoke.
"Kid, it's 500,000, not 50,000!"
"What?"
Kōta's eyes widened as he looked at the old man, utterly astonished.
"Old man, say that again, how much was it?"
He deliberately put on a fierce expression.
This sudden change in his demeanor startled the surrounding marines.
The marines, sweating, stared at the old man in unison, silently yelling in their hearts,
"Old man, don't court death! That's a great pirate in front of you!"
The old man maintained his unhurried demeanor. He slowly took down his pipe and tapped it on the bar counter.
*Dong! Dong-dong!!*
The crisp tapping sound struck the marines' hearts like a drum. They all stiffened, watching the old man tensely.
The old man paid no mind to the marines' anxious hearts.
He looked at Kōta and said firmly, "500,000, not a single cent less."
"Urgh!"
The marines looked at the old man, their hearts trembling. They could already foresee Kōta's imminent rage.
But after waiting for a while, they didn't hear Kōta's fury.
Instead, they heard Kōta and the old man haggling like housewives in a market.
"Old man, I've put up with you for a long time. Don't be so arrogant."
"So what if I'm arrogant?"
"Hit me!"
"Anyway, I've said it, 500,000, not a single cent less."
"Hmph! You think I can't handle you?"
...
Kōta rolled up his sleeves and engaged in a verbal sparring match with the old man. Finally, he managed to bargain the price down to 300,000.
In the end, Kōta paid with a dejected look on his face.
On the other hand, the old man was gleefully counting the money.
From this, it was evident that Kōta had lost this price war.
Indeed, the older the ginger, the spicier it is.
...
It wasn't until Kōta and his crew left the small tavern that the marines collectively sighed in relief.
It wasn't that they were cowards! Who could blame them when the opponent's bounty poster was so terrifying!
The old man took a puff of his cigarette and glanced indifferently at Big Beard.
Then, he took down his pipe and tapped it on Big Beard's head.
"They're gone, what are you still looking at? Go back, do you want to stay here and eat with me!"
The tap with the pipe jolted Big Beard back to his senses.
He looked at the old man with a face full of excitement.
"Father, are you some kind of great master! I saw you talking and laughing with that great pirate without changing your expression. You were so imposing!"
"And he actually paid the bill obediently."
As he spoke, he analyzed seriously: "No wonder so many people used to come to you to buy wine. It turns out you've always been a hidden master!"
After his analysis, he nodded, looking at the old man with an expression that said, "I understand everything."
The more Big Beard spoke, the more displeased the old man's expression became, until finally, he stood there stunned.
After a moment of daze, he shook his head, raised his pipe, and swung it at Big Beard.
"Are you perhaps an idiot? Didn't you see I was very nervous at first?"
"Great master, my foot! Look at this great master, I'll smash your thick skull."
Seeing the old man's action, Big Beard quickly retreated a few steps and rushed out of the tavern. The other marines quickly followed.
The old man put down his pipe, looked through the rising smoke at the empty tavern, and pondered for a moment.
Then, he lay back on his lounge chair, squinted his eyes, and continued to puff on his pipe.
The entire tavern returned to its original state: dim and silent.
At this moment, from behind the bar, the old man's sigh of admiration when he first met Kōta could be heard.
"These young people nowadays are something else!"