The Five Elder and Garp had barely gone any distance when Barn called them back. Garp's expression suddenly grew conflicted. He feared that Barn still could not swallow the insult, and he also worried that his grandsons would be dragged into Barn's troubles.
The other man, however, looked comparatively calm. As far as he was concerned, Barn would never let him leave so easily. Having the excuse of delivering a message made this easier to accept.
"What message?"
Garp said nothing. The man he was supporting spoke first.
Barn did not answer immediately. He silently walked aside and found Jalmack, the unfortunate son of a high-ranking Celestial Dragon whose skull he had pierced with his sword.
Barn was blind to begin with, and there was no need to examine the man he had killed with his own hands. He grabbed the back of Jalmack's collar and hurled his corpse over-naturally, toward Garp and the other man standing in the square.
The man immediately caught Jalmack's corpse with his only remaining hand, but his expression was no longer so calm. The body seemed to remind him of why he had come. He was no longer in any mood to celebrate escaping death, because he knew that once he returned to Mary Geoise, he would face pressure from the other four members of the Five Elders, the upper ranks of the Celestial Dragons, and perhaps even all the Celestial Dragons.
After tossing Jalmack's corpse away like garbage, Barn slowly returned to the Throne and sat down on it, its surface already covered in spiderweb cracks.
The First-Generation Onikiri lay across his lap. His newly regrown hand supported his cheek, while his other, hideous ghost hand rested on the Throne, its five fingers tapping rhythmically. A mysterious smile played across his face. As