The walkway at the far pier creaked underfoot, drowning in fog. I was leaning over a table in a dim room of one of the inexpensive inns on the outskirts of the port. In front of me was a prepared envelope with a fake letter, expertly executed in the style of mafia communication.
I carefully checked the details of the plan. Disguised as a mafia contact, I owe Booth to deliver this letter to Roland. The text of the letter contained instructions:
Division of the team: at the meeting point, half of the team must withdraw to a secluded place nearby to provide cover and a surprise response in case of an attack.
Clothing: All team members must wear raincoats to hide their faces and avoid arousing suspicion.
Defusing communications: The letter mentioned a third party who allegedly destroyed den den mushi at the mafia base and may be trying to do the same with the devices on Roland's ship.
The meeting will be scheduled for half an hour earlier than 19:45 instead of the previously agreed 20:00
The letter was written in such a way that Roland perceived it as an urgent and unforeseen order. Considering the next steps, it will look plausible.
Using predictions, I was able to find out the reasons for Roland's arrival in Water 7. Besides the obvious repair of the ship, the main goal was to make an agreement with the mafia. Roland was an agent of Doflamingo and tried to expand his influence on the dark market in the first half of the Grand Line.
While I was working on the letter, hiding in my dimension, Bruno didn't waste any time either. He sat down at the counter in one of the port inns and, sipping rum, told the surrounding sailors and merchants a tragic story. He said that Roland and his team had once killed his brother, and now he was torn by contradictions, unable to decide whether to take revenge or leave this story behind. His voice sounded bitter and thoughtful, as if he was really going through a bereavement. Rumors about Roland's past and Bruno's potential revenge began to solidify in the minds of the listeners, laying the groundwork for future manipulation.
After a while, Bruno asked to take over. He himself went to the storeroom and, taking the necessary props, entered the hidden dimension.
We headed towards Roland's ship together. Fog thickly enveloped the docks, muffling the sound of footsteps. After waiting for the crew to leave the ship, we moved from the hidden dimension directly to the captain's cabin. There was a mess around: maps, papers, weapons, randomly thrown on the table and shelves. I quickly discovered den den mushi and, having broken it, left imperceptible traces, giving the impression that the destruction was the work of a third party.
The job was done, and we hid in the dimension again. The next step was to find Roland himself.
The captain found himself in one of the secluded corners of the port. He was surrounded by a prostitute I had hired a couple of hours earlier. She played her role perfectly: her laughter sounded forced but convincing, and her touch held Roland's attention. They were in a building on the second floor, and Mafia agents were watching these buildings from afar. As soon as we were inside the building, I left the karma dimension and headed outside.
My appearance had changed—now I looked slightly disheveled, as if I had just been interrupted from Roland's lovemaking. I held my breath for a moment and stepped forward. Bruno, with the help of illusions, assumed the form of a figure in loose clothes that hid his face, and came out with me.
I began an elaborate exchange, the sound of which was amplified in the direction of the mafia:
"It's not a good time," I said in Roland's voice, adding a subtle nervousness. — We've already discussed everything!! There will be a meeting there today and you can grab them, take your time, otherwise you will annoy the Doflamingo
"Don't worry, I just wanted to make sure you don't do anything stupid," Bruno asked in a low, hollow voice.
— We will keep our word! The main thing is that you keep your word.
— As soon as we get rid of the local mafia and get the first batch of fruits. Then you can be sure that the World Government will not hinder your development.
"Since everything's fine, why the hell are you trying to pull me out of a woman's arms?" This conversation could have been tolerated
—Goodbye, Mr. Roland." I hope you'll help us with the cleaning tonight.
As soon as this conversation was over, I went back into the building under the guise of Roland, and Bruno disappeared into a dark alley. At that moment, the dull shadows in the distance froze, absorbing every word.
When the agents moved away, obviously to convey what they had heard, I slipped out of my role. Having already assumed the guise of a mafia agent, I went straight to Roland, now really himself.
—Breaking news," I said shortly, handing over the letter.
Roland scowled at me, and angrily threw a lamp at me, not hiding his annoyance at the sudden intrusion. However, after skimming through the text of the letter, he digested the new instructions with a serious expression, only then saying that he understood everything, shouted for me to get out of the building. I immediately left the room and disappeared with Bruno.
The thickening fog enveloped the port, like a veil hiding the details of the impending tragedy. Bruno and I took up positions on the roof of an old warehouse near the meeting place. Both remained almost invisible in the thick haze, ready to step in at the right moment. Roland arrived around 7:30 p.m., accompanied by his team in dark raincoats. Half of them immediately dispersed, hiding in alleys and behind barrels, as if preparing for an ambush.
Hidden tension was already in the air when representatives of the mafia also appeared at the meeting place. They moved cautiously, apparently worried by the strange silence of their contacts. Seeing Roland's men hiding, the mafiosi stopped, exchanged glances, and then began to cluster closer to each other, their hands reaching for their weapons.
Roland, noticing the movement, raised his hand as if trying to say something, but his words were drowned out by the first sounds of gunfire. The Mafia opened fire without waiting for an explanation. The retaliatory shooting started instantly.
Screams, the clang of metal, flashes of gunfire — everything was mixed up in chaos. Bruno and I were in no hurry to personally intervene, allowing the parties to exhaust each other. My air bullets and illusions have helped from time to time, eliminating key players on both sides and adding to the general confusion. Bruno, armed, silently acted nearby, following my mental commands, directing his attacks to where it was most effective.
Roland himself tried to understand the reason for the attack more than once during the battle and shouted these questions towards the mafia. In order for the parties not to stop fighting, it was necessary to suppress his questions with an illusion.
When several mafia fighters tried to escape, I snapped my fingers and the Air bullets hit them, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Bruno coolly helped by shooting at those I missed.
By the time the fight reached its climax, the mafia was almost destroyed, with only five people left, and Roland was left with a dozen fighters, wounded but still ready to fight. Roland was not particularly injured, and was still able to fight the remnants of the mafia alone. It's time for the final act.
Bruno stepped forward, coming out of the shadows with a gun in his hands. His voice cut through the noise of the battle:
—Roland, you've forgotten what happens to those who cross me and my family.
Roland, stunned by the unexpected intervention, raised his weapon to give battle to the unexpected avenger. Bruno quickly closed the distance. Bruno couldn't take a bullet, and his finger made a hole in Roland like a dagger. The remnants of Roland's team wanted to escape, as Bruno set about them. I was watching it all from a safe distance.
The Mafia, exhausted and battered, stopped their attack. They didn't know who it was, and even though there were only five of them, they were on their guard.
Having dealt with Roland, he grabbed his corpse, and immediately disappeared behind the alley. As soon as we hid, I felt a small part of the potion being absorbed.