The big man's speech in the tavern was so loud that it made Luffy and Zoro's expressions become very serious.
Especially Luffy, who stared blankly at the big man, and the big man looked back and said:
"Kid, what about you? If you're a pirate, how much is your bounty?"
"Thirty million," Luffy said.
"You actually have thirty million? Liar!" Teach looked incredulous.
"It's true! I do have thirty million!" Luffy shouted.
For some reason, neither of them found the other very agreeable.
After staring at each other for a while, they both picked up a piece of cherry pie from the table, took a bite, and simultaneously slammed their hands on the table.
"Boss, this thing is incredibly nasty (delicious)!"
The words were the same, only with slight differences in opinion — one said delicious, the other said nasty.
The two were taken aback for a moment, exchanged another look, raised their eyebrows, and took a sip of their drinks.
"Boss, this drink is super tasty (disgusting)!"
This time, they fully locked eyes with each other, staring intently for a moment.
"What's the point in arguing over this!"
Nami grabbed Luffy around the neck with one hand and Zoro by the collar with the other, dragging them out.
Too many weird people!
She didn't want to stay in this place, especially since there had been enemies before, and now there's Sage, whom Luffy no longer considers an enemy. This so-called 'pirate' thing is something she still can't adapt to.
Anyway, they got the information they needed. With the confirmation from such a great pirate, Sky Island exists; that's enough.
They didn't have time to hang around there.
As Luffy and the others exited, the pirates in the tavern seized the opportunity, not daring to stay any longer, and each ran out one by one.
Inside the tavern, only Sage and his people were left, along with the big man.
Sage took a bite of the cherry pie, then sipped the drink, shaking his head, "Nasty, and disgusting too."
He turned to the big man and squinted, "Trying to make a name off me? Marshall D. Teach."
From Sage's perspective, the only ones he could remember, besides those famous and often-heard powers across the great sea, the most memorable one wasn't Luffy.
After all, he hadn't seen them for over twenty years, and had forgotten most of them, but this one... left quite an impression too.
Being someone patient enough, waiting for the right moment, and very good at grasping every opportunity and willing to gamble.
"Zehahaha, do you recognize someone as unknown as me?"
Teach, under his gaze, broke out in a slight cold sweat, but then smiled and said, "Norton Sage, meeting you in person, one realizes how truly powerful you are, your haki terrifyingly strong. I did have thoughts, but now I've given up."
Hearing this, the three women behind were simultaneously stunned.
Lily directly grasped the hilt of her sword.
"Don't act like you want to kill me, I've already given up, Sage, I don't want to fight you."
Teach said directly, "We have no conflict anyway, zehahaha, let's leave it like this."
"You really think positively..."
Sage laughed, "But if you want to leave, it's not that easy. Your men were spying on me earlier, call them over and resolve it all together."
"What do you want to do?" Teach smiled but showed a hint of apprehension in his eyes.
Sage clenched his fist, grinning ferociously at Teach, "Of course, that's because..."
...
"Houhahaha!"
"Zehahaha!"
The tavern echoed with the loud laughter of the two.
At the bar, Sage and Teach clinked their glasses, downing their drinks in one go.
"You think of taking my head, you better treat me!"
Sage pointed at Teach, laughing loudly, "Today, you'll have to stay down before you leave!"
"Zehahaha, when it comes to drinking, I won't lose to you!" Teach laughed out loud.
Fight?
Meaningless.
The fellow had already conceded, why fight here? He could handle this guy, but the opponent's not a pushover either.
From the Observation haki's sensed aura, Marshall D. Teach wasn't weak.
There's no decisive conflict, and the other had acknowledged he wasn't a match, Sage could let it go.
The fellow's treating him to a drink after all.
Inside the tavern, three women sat at one table, while three men sat at another.
A burly man, a slender man, and a sickly man who seemed like he'd keel over any moment, with a similarly sickly horse.
"Wahahahaha, Captain, isn't this guy Sage, don't you want his head?" the burly man laughed.
The slender man wearing a monocle glanced at the three women sitting nearby, saying, "Everything is fate's choice."
"Hahaha, cough cough! Such luck we have..." The invalid man gasped for breath, coughing, and added, "We."
"Hohoho, my head isn't that easy to take, were you the one spying on me?"
Sage raised his glass, laughing towards the monocle-wearing man, "What's your name again, forget it, you penalize yourself with three glasses!"
"It's Van Augur, like you, from the East Sea,"
Van Augur said calmly, drank a glass of wine, then refilled two more and drank them.
"Zehahaha, this guy's terrifying! I don't want him as an enemy! We'll just find another high-bounty target!"
Teach refilled his glass, looking meaningfully at Sage, "Hey, Sage, how much do you know about me?"
As soon as he arrived, the other called his name, to say he didn't know him, clearly wouldn't cut it.