Barn drained the rum in his glass and asked Teach with a smile.
Faced with Barn's smiling face, Teach's expression darkened instead, and the hand he had kept out of sight clenched into a fist.
"That's exactly what I was about to ask you."
Teach spoke warily.
"Heh... you've been around long enough that I shouldn't need to explain the rules on Whitebeard's ship."
Barn still spoke with an easy smile. Teach frowned, but his brow relaxed a moment later.
"Yeah, I killed one of my own crewmates. The old man definitely won't let me off. I just never thought you'd be the one to come."
Teach gave a bitter smile.
Barn shook his head and ordered another drink from the bartender, still the cheapest rum they had.
"Teach, did you know? Rum may be cheap, but when it's made well, it's actually the finest drink there is."
"Clearly, Newgate isn't much of a distiller."
Barn spoke mildly.
Teach's expression grew uglier. He could even feel cold sweat trickling down his temples. Of course he knew who Barn meant. Although he had obtained the Devil Fruit he had always dreamed of, even killing a longtime crewmate for it, he was not yet arrogant enough to think he could take on Barn...
"So, should I put up a fight? Or come quietly, Mr. Barn?"
Now that things had come to this, Teach actually grew more casual. He also had a feeling deep down-a good feeling.
Sure enough, Barn shook his head, accepted the fresh glass of rum from the bartender, and spoke mildly.
"Heh... don't worry. I've spent a long time aboard Newgate's ship, but strictly speaking, I'm still an outsider. Your business is Newgate's family affair. I don't intend to interfere."
Barn spoke calmly, but Teach felt as though he