Chapter 85: Tensed Confrontation

After some more shouting, Machi realized it was futile as the old man seemed to ignore her, which only fueled her frustration further.

However, aware of their surroundings in the bustling restaurant, she forced herself to swallow her anger and sat back down.

"Grandpa! Come sit here!"

Taka exclaimed, guiding Sakujiro to a seat across from Machi.

Sakujiro hesitated, scanning the crowded restaurant before sighing and resigning himself to the only available seat.

Machi shot him an annoyed glare, but Sakujiro simply shook his head. Raymond approached with a plate of food, placing it in front of Sakujiro.

"Like I said before, consider this payment for those breads..."

Raymond stated before swiftly retreating to the back of the restaurant, likely to work on preparing the meat from Luke and the others' recent hunt.

"...This looks better than I expected," Sakujiro muttered as he glanced over at the grilled pork meat in front of him.

The aroma wafting from it caught him off guard; it smelled simply delicious.

And the meat was expertly sliced, each piece perfect for popping into one's mouth, a sign of real care and skill.

"Hmph! I guess you're easily impressed, old man," Machi gruntled, her tone laced with annoyance as she observed Sakujiro seemingly captivated by the food.

"..."

However, Sakujiro seemed unfazed, much to Machi's annoyance.

Nevertheless, Machi's eyes suddenly sparkled with opportunity. This could be her chance to address her original reason for returning to Meteor City.

She cleared her throat, preparing to speak, "Old man, now that you're here, I've got something important to--"

"No."

Sakujiro's abrupt interruption silenced Machi, igniting a fresh wave of fury within her.

She rose sharply from her seat, pointing a trembling finger at Sakujiro, her anger palpable as she exclaimed, "...You old geezer! You didn't even hear me out before shutting me down!"

"You want to take what's left of her from me, don't you?"

"..."

His words struck her like a bolt of lightning, rendering her speechless.

Her anger dissipated, replaced by a complex mix of emotions as she realized the significance of what remained of Sarasa to Sakujiro.

"Ahh, darn it, this is so frustrating..." She muttered under her breath as she settled back into her seat.

Gathering her resolve, Machi turned to Sakujiro, intending to explain why she needed Sarasa's belonging, "Listen, we need to--"

"Hmm? Who is that?"

"Oh shit..."

Suddenly, a stir erupted among the crowd outside, catching the attention of both Sakujiro and Machi.

They turned to see what the commotion was about.

Whispers spread through the restaurant as the sound of footsteps grew louder, signaling someone's approaching.

Machi shot an annoyed glance in the direction of the disturbance, feeling frustrated that her conversation had been interrupted at such a crucial moment.

Meanwhile, Sakujiro's expression turned wary as he recognized the familiar presence approaching the restaurant's entrance. His gaze sharpened, focusing intently on the door.

"Hey, not bad for a small place like this," a deep voice commented from the doorway.

"Indeed, Boss, quite a surprise," another voice chimed in.

Machi's frown deepened as she sensed the tension in the air.

She turned over to Sakujiro who was looking toward the door with intense bloodlust radiating from his figure.

Sensing the sudden tension, Luke shielded Taka from the mounting pressure, while his men grew tense as their eyes were fixed on the slowly opening door.

"Why's it so quiet in here?"

A voice, tinged with amusement, echoed through the restaurant as Watanabe strolled in, his sword casually at his side.

Beside him, Sajin stood, his presence intimidating as he surveyed the room with caution, his gaze finally settling on Sakujiro, his eyes brimming with hostility.

"Hey, Jiro! Didn't expect to find you here. How's the bakery business treating you?" Watanabe's tone was casual, as if they were old pals catching up.

Sakujiro grunted in dissatisfaction, "Don't talk to me like that. It's unpleasant."

"You--!"

Sajin's Nen flared up, his aura honing in on Sakujiro as if he was about to strike.

But Watanabe raised his hand, causing Sajin to withdraw his aura. He glanced around at the tense atmosphere in the room, "Consider yourself lucky..."

The pressure in the room made the customers freeze in place, unable to move.

Clap!

"Alright, folks! Let's pick up the pace and finish those plates faster now that we've got a special guest!"

Luke's calm clap seemed to break the spell, and the previously paralyzed customers hurriedly finished their meals and dashed out of the restaurant.

Watanabe observed the scene silently, then turned to Luke with a smile, "Oh? You must be the leader here..."

"..."

Sajin also glanced at Luke, impressed by how easily he snapped everyone back to reality. Still, there was a hint of wariness within his eyes as he locked his eyes on Luke.

Luke was about to deny that, but before he could... 

"Fucking old fart! Why in the world are you barging in like this!"

Machi erupted in a loud outburst.

Her sudden outburst caught everyone's attention, but they quickly decided to ignore her theatrics.

"Hey, kid, better leave now," Luke said to Taka, whom he had shielded earlier from the confrontation.

"But..."

"Just go. I'll make sure Raymond cooks up something special for you and your brother later," Luke assured him.

Though reluctant to leave the commotion behind, Taka trusted Luke's judgment and reluctantly nodded, "Okay, but you better keep your promise..."

With that, Taka made his exit, leaving the adults to sort out their issues.

"Son of a bitch, that's why I hate people like you!"

Still...

Machi's outburst didn't seem to died down yet...

"Ah, geez, here we go again," Luke muttered under his breath as Machi's tirade continued without showing any signs of slowing down.

He couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation.

Watanabe shot Sakujiro a feigned look of disappointment, shaking his head slowly, "Jiro, that's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

But Sakujiro wasn't having it.

His anger simmered beneath the surface as he glared at Watanabe.

"You've wiped out my crew, my family, and now you're playing innocent? Must be losing your mind," he spat, his Nen crackling with energy, filling the room with tension.

Watanabe just smirked, unfazed.

"You misunderstand, Jiro. You know they came after us first. We had to defend ourselves," he retorted, his own aura flaring up in response to Sakujiro's.

"Don't ignore me!"

Machi's voice rang out amidst the tension, adding another layer to the clash of energies in the room.

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