Welcome to Ballywood!

After a few days of crossing in which the Underworld crew stopped on other desert islands to recover more contraband material. And since they didn't have to stop at the giant's village, they arrived a few days before their final destination.

And obviously the only person who visited this place before made a little introduction

"Welcome to Ballywood! The country of freedom! ...Or at least that's what they say about themselves despite having a large number of liberticidal laws...

BUT STILL! One of the richest countries in the world, indisputably the cultural center of the entire West Blue thanks to its numerous theaters and…" Fred said, making an extremely long dramatic pause before whispering to his companions "… the place where we will install our new headquarters

But it's still a secret, don't tell anyone..."

Just as they left the port, Stephen, David and Perona witnessed in amazement the great metropolis that Fred and Hawky were completely accustomed to.

In the same way that Water 7 is a version of Venice with some licenses and Dressrosa is a version of Barcelona with some licenses, Ballywood is also a version of Hollywood with some licenses. 

A version of what mid-19th century Hollywood could have been if it had existed as it's today at that time. Although it wasn't only a representation of a single region of the United States, but of the entire country on a single island, but still with its corresponding illuminated sign at the top of a mountain on the outskirts.

Although this place was never seen in the manga or anime, this country full of vintage skyscrapers, theaters, saloon's, casinos, industries and people wearing Western hats and pistols was ruled by a king we had seen in the manga and anime, specifically at the Levely Arc presiding over the conference between all the allied nations

King Ham Burger, a character clearly inspired by the 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln and currently the young king of Ballywood.

"Impressed right?" Fred asked, trying to contain his laughter as he saw the peasant faces of some of his companions after seeing civilization for the first time. "Let me explain a little more about this place."

There were many things to explain about this country, such as that despite being a monarchy, unlike other countries, there were democratic elections to elect the prime minister and other governing bodies to perform certain functions on behalf of the king.

To resolve their disagreements, people fight duels to the death and in these cases neither the police nor anyone else intervened unless the rules of the duel were violated or third parties were harmed.

The food tastes very good and is offered in large quantities everywhere, but it's not healthy to eat it all day for being incredibly caloric and contain so much fat and sugar.

Although the Five... or now Four Families of the West were scattered throughout all corners of West Blue, it was in Ballywood where they had the greatest presence and where their most lucrative businesses were concentrated, whether legal or illegal.

The sport known throughout the world as [Football] in this country was called [Soccer] and instead they called [Football] a sport in which instead of using a spherical ball they used an oval object that was carried by the vast majority of time in the hands

And... many other facts of importance, relative importance or complete irrelevance, but some people were more interested in other elements of the country

"Fred! Fred! Fred!" Perona said as she repeatedly tugged on Fred's jacket to get his attention. "Can we go to some of the theaters to see a cute, romantic, tragic, and funny show?

Please! Please!"

"Yes, of course, you will have all the time in the world to go see the plays you want...

But first we have work to do" Fred responded as he began the expedition around the new island "Don't separate from me, no matter how many visual and auditory stimuli push you to do the opposite"

With that warning, the group left the port without having to worry that their massive technologically advanced submarine Underwold might attract unwanted attention. They came in a secondary mini ship compressed inside Fred's pocket while their flagship was dozens of meters under the ocean temporarily sheltered by Marlon and Roxanne.

"I feel a little guilty for leaving Mom and Dad alone hundreds of meters under the sea in the Underworld," Stephen said, flooded with guilt and longing. "I'm sure they would have liked to see all this."

"And I'm sure your parents would prefer to be totally alone for the first time in fifteen years." Fred said suggestively to his innocent friend. "Enjoy and let them enjoy."

The four minors (David is technically one) and bird strolled carelessly through the streets with stars and names of famous artists on their sidewalk. Streets full of people living their lives with complete normality, but this normality was temporarily interrupted when Fred and his group passed through them.

An interruption not at all undesirable for any of them, quite the opposite.

When they saw Fred pass by many men took off their hats to show respect, the women covered their blushes with their fans while young girls gave free rein to their excitement by having his idol so close, just like the little boys who put aside momentarily their favorite Fred doll to see their hero in the flesh

A street of stars in which one in particular shone brighter than any other

"Wow... everyone turns around when they see you..." Stephen said, feeling somewhat uncomfortable and disgusted by these reactions towards his brother. "And it seems like they treat you as if you were a famous superstar that everyone admires. ..

They don't really know you..."

"It's normal, the boss defeated a giant band of pirates that invaded the country and then rescued the important people at the victory banquet without having a single one of hisweapons" David said, feeling very comfortable being surrounded by so many Fred fanboys like him "It's not for nothing that Fred-sempai is also known as the [Ballywood Hero]"

"I thought you didn't like attracting so much attention when you're working" Said Perona, who despite being in her astral form walked next to them like a normal girl, just as Fred suggested. "Did you leave your masks and wigs in the Underwold, Oni-chan?

Horo-horo-horo!"

"Of course not, I always carry them with me, but there're times when attracting attention is important in some jobs" Answered Fred, who with great effort tried not to let his facial expression succumb to the positive attention he received at the same time that he reciprocated them. "The trip is long and we will have to make several stops, so I will take the opportunity to explain the story of how I became more famous than the most famous actor in this country"

"OH YEAH!!!" David celebrated as he pointed to a theater sign that caught his eye. "And then we get to revive it in [Ballywood Hero, the Musical]?"

"Of course!" Fred responded assertively "Every employee has the right to see his teenage boss acting heroically through a somewhat prettier and older actor."

"Oh, no…" lamented Stephen and Perona, who had already heard that story quite a few times, but not as many as Hawky, who was almost crying "Kyahh…"

The trip was long but after several minutes of walking in which they inevitably had to make some stops to buy ice cream, enter some stores to camouflage what was their true destination and sign a few autographs, they finally arrived at their destination just as Fred finished his story.

"And yes, I admit it...

When I finished killing the rest of the murderers using that dwarf as a mace, I became so hungry that I ended up with all the poisoned meat still uneaten by the rest of the guests before the astonished gaze of the few teetotal vegans who miraculously didn't fall asleep." Said Fred said ending his story with the absurd controversy of his bad manners and little respect for private property. "Although I don't understand the criticism...

The meat was poisoned, no one was going to eat it anyway...

What did it matter if I ate it all?"

"Snifff...

I understand you boss!

Snifff…" David said, totally moved by such injustice, an injustice that touched his soul. "The world is very unfair to good people!

They always look for the slightest excuse to criticize us

Especially for eating a lot!"

"Yeah... whatever..." Stephen said, a little embarrassed by that story, especially since he had been standing in the same spot a minute ago while everyone was staring at them. Although he was the one who drew the most attention due to his huge and cool armour. "Fred, is this where we needed to get to or is this just another distraction stop?"

"Yes, that's the right one" Fred replied, looking at the store in front of him with pride. "A very common type of store in the land of the freedom

Ahhh...Ballywood..."

"A gun store?" Perona asked, arching her eyebrow in confusion. "Do you want to cheat on Stephen in his face?

Horo-horo-horo!"

"Yes, it's a gun store, dear team comedian" Fred responded dryly to that inappropriate joke with sarcasm "But... we're not here to buy guns."

Virtually every relatively populated island in the world had at least one front company that was actually a branch of the underworld and Ballywood couldn't be an exception to that rule.

One of those many half-baked businesses was the Winchostor gun shop, where Fred and many other guys who made a living with their weapons could enter normally, regularly and without any suspicion to obtain weapons and other things that weren't weapons.

Precisely his intention at this moment

"Hello Mr. Freed," said the store receptionist. An elegant middle-aged man dressed in an elegant white cowboy uniform who politely received Fred in the now empty store. "We have been waiting for your arrival for a few minutes."

"Hello Larry.

I see that you're still good at gathering information" Fred said with a very familiar tone, letting his people understand that he wasn't just a regular customer here "I'm very glad, in fact I come for that among other things"

"I know, the boss is waiting for you in his office precisely for that" Said Larry the salesclerk while pressing a red button with an F inscribed to notify the boss of Fred's arrival. "Do you need me to guide you?"

"It's not necessary, I know where it is" Fred replied as he walked towards the back room before turning to his men, who had remained standing in front of the gun counter "Guys, come with me, this may be educational for you"

At the end of the back room, Fred sat in a chair and moved a book from a nearby shelf without getting up. That somewhat abnormal action, unlikely to be carried out by chance, triggered a mechanism that opened a secret door through which everyone passed excitedly.

An excitement that quickly turned into tedium as they had to repeat a similar process several times until they finally reached what seemed to be the final room. An elegant office with a large central table where the person who seemed to be the boss of that place was sitting.

A short man with prominent a belly, gray hair with an age between 55 and 65 years but still with healthy. Dressed like almost every citizen of Ballywood with a western suit and black cowboy hat, but with extremely shiny accessories that reflected his status above others. Very striking accessories, but they paled in comparison to the prominence gained by his monumental mustache that covered a third of his face and almost the cigarette he smoked, which seemed to threaten to set that mass of hair on fire at any moment.

Practically the stereotype of the mayor from a Western movie whose appearance almost always made Fred smile... but that man didn't smile at all when he saw Fred, quite the opposite.

"Whatever your sadistic and twisted mind is planning to do this time, keep me out of it" Chief Winchostor said apathetically as he took longer drags on his oversized cigar. "I don't know about you, but I want to die of old age on the porch of my house."

"Is this how you greet a friend?" Fred exclaimed, falsely indignant and saddened by the reception "How can you be so cold Winchostor?"

"Friend?" Winchestor exclaimed, genuinely indignant at hearing that word as he angrily put out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Since when does a friend use black magic to turn his friend into his slave?"

"Since that friend sold confidential information that he shouldn't have sold about his other friend and client to put him in danger of death… and after surviving and finding out what he had done, his friend gave two choices 

Obeying him or dying" Fred responded with extreme coldness, so much so that Hawky flew from his shoulder to a safer place. "But if you regret the decision you made that day, you still have time to change your mind."

That coldness and murderous pressure surprised Stephen, David, Perona and Hawky. Everyone thought that they had only come here to buy information and sign papers, but it seemed that this elegant office was about to become a torture room.

But fortunately for the youngsters mental health, Fred's business and above all Winchostor's life, the blood didn't reach the river.

"I've already told you how I want to die and I'm not going to change my mind" Stated Winchostor more kindly as he rummaged through the drawers of his enormous desk to pull out an even larger amount of documents. "Everyone sit down... and nice to meet you...

I didn't expect them to arrive with so many people... and so far in advance, but I had everything prepared a week ago..."

"As efficient as always" Said Fred, satisfied as he reviewed the documents that had been given to him. "If I put my signature, everything would be done?"

"It's more complicated, but yes, that's how it is.

Once you take those signed forms to the registry, all those Ballywood properties will be legally yours" Winchostor responded as he relit his cigar. "But you'll have to formalize the rest in their respective countries.

Martyrize my counterparts in those places"

"That's what I was thinking of doing," Fred said with a mischievous smile as he continued to review the documents at high speed with Stephen. "But there aren't that many as good as you."

David still didn't know and Perona could only intuited it, but that enormous 80 centimeters enormous pile of documents differentiated by color that his bosses were lasciviously inspecting were the property rights of all the assets that Capone Bege, his mafia family and each and every one of its members had in possession throughout West Blue.

David didn't know it yet and Perona could only intuit it, but that enormous 80 centimeters enormous pile of documents differentiated by colours that his bosses lasciviously inspected were the property rights of all the assets that Capone Bege, his mafia family and each and every one of them They of its members had possession of all of West Blue.

Thanks to Fred's contractual Magic with which he forced the surviving mobsters to gather all those possessions for him, Fred and FreedSteel had become one of the largest earthlings in all of West Blue overnight.

"You know...

When Bege's subordinate came to me with this documentation, your name, your instructions, the passwords we have between us and giving me extraordinary powers to manage everything… I almost had a heart attack." Said Winchostor lying down physically and mentally exhausted in his large armchair while he closed his eyes and breathed deeply "But worse was when the rest of the families came to me to find out if I knew anything about that damn documentation or what the hell was happening with Bege and the remains of his gang."

"You didn't tell them anything, right?" Fred said in a playful, almost ironic tone. "Don't fall back into your old habits or we'll have problems."

"Ha!

I would have done it if I could, but with your magic it's impossible!

And I'm fucking sure that the Bege's men they captured wanted to do exactly the same thing.

I have had to operate behind the backs of those who are practically my bosses for months and now I also have to stab them in the back…" Winchostor exclaimed with a touch of indignation, madness, concern and guilt as he handed Fred a new document. "I hope you're happy.

I haven't slept well in months thanks to you…"

A document that made Stephen raise an eyebrow almost involuntarily and show a marked expression of concern and indignation… while Fred…

"Ha... ha... HAHAHAHA!!!

MUA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" 

He unleashed without complexes or restraint his usual creepy evil smile and bloodlust that caught David by surprise, who hadn't had the opportunity to see this facet until now. His heroic boss whom he admired so much seemed to have become a terrible villain, delighting in seeing that his evil plan had turned out just as he expected.

"I am...

I'm quite happy" Fred said after calming down a little, but without abandoning his evil genius role. "But I would be even happier if now and during these days you could stab your masters in the back like you did the last months

I want all your information!

Those who are already in Ballywood, those who'll come, those who won't and those who might not come to the meeting knowing that I'm here 

I want to know everything!

Where they move, what they eat, what they shit, what they say when they shit and... above all, good reports from all their allies both inside and outside the underworld.

I want everything for yesterday"

Upon hearing that proposition, which was an order when it came from Fred's ghoulishly smiling lips, the poor Winchostor, who thought he could finally breathe peacefully in his chair after having removed the suffocating weight he had been carrying for three months, felt crushed again.

A slab so large and heavy that Whinchostor could only make it more bearable thanks to drink! Which is why Whinchostor got up from his now uncomfortable chair to approach his bar cabinet completely defeated to drown his sorrows in whiskey.

"Aish... I knew this day would come" Winchostor sighed as he filled a glass to the top. "Now I want to get out of the country..." He almost cried as he left the glass on the cabinet and instead took the rest of the bottle to the table to continue the conversation "I'll be killed outright, I'll die as collateral damage, or I'll starve to death with the ruin you'll bring to my sector if you miraculously survive again."

"Don't be melodramatic mustachioed

I always like to satisfy my business partners... even if they're forced to do so because they're motherfuckers, traitors or both...

Especially if I like them like you, something that doesn't happen very often" Fred said as he grabbed the ashtray full of cigar remains with his hand. "You know what I usually say...

The way to make a girl want to fuck you again and motivate her to satisfy you even more is to make her even more satisfied."

Before the gaze of Winchostor, who had already begun to drink from the bottle, something happened that changed his world forever. The remains of his cigar quickly became a set of plants and flowers. Plants and flowers that may be unknown to good minors and laymen in the field such as Stephen, David or Perona 

But not for Winchostor!

Upon witnessing the production process, all the whiskey escaped through his nose, thus soaking his enormous moustache and beautiful table

"FOR THE NIPPLE OF MY GRANDMOTHER THAT REST IN PEACE!!!" shouted Whinchostor, who jumped startled on his table to analyze the plants with his monocle. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Top quality narcotics at a low price easily obtained without requiring an army of intermediaries and with minimal chances of being caught or betrayed?

Yes, it's exactly what you imagine" Fred explained as he looked with satisfaction at the disbelieving and excited expression of Winchotor, whose mustache was twitching for some strange reason. "Until the day it's legalized... starting after the appointed day to avoid suspicion, obviously... as long as you can cope with everything and are good to me you can have a monopoly on this merchandise and do whatever you want with it

No matter what the emerging criminals I love so much could pay you, I can beat that price.

Does this motivate you enough to be even more productive despite being forced to?

"OF COURSE MY FRIEND!

I'm going to prepare everything right now!

HAHAHA!!!" Winchostor shouted, accepting the offer and hugging Fred effusively. "By the way.

How do I contact you when I have your information?"

"Don't worry about it, my friend!" Fred said as he pushed away that dwarf who had just invaded his space before the smell of alcohol hit him. "Before you close the store every day I'll send someone here who's stealthy and undetectable.

And... with that being said, I'll let you work.

I'll be busy too."

After completing his objectives in the cover armory, Fred prepared to leave. 

He got up from his chair, encouraged his companions to get up from the couch as well, stored the documents inside Hawky and asked for the silence of David and Perona, who were burning with the desire to ask questions, especially about the drug issue.

However, it wasn't yet time to walk out the door, this business meeting wasn't over yet for Mr. Winchostor.

"By the way, before you go…

I heard that you recently bought an Akuma No Mi" Said Mr. Winchostor in his businessman mode "If you're interested in selling it, I know someone who…"

"I know, [Mr Nobody] had a deal with Bege and obviously I screwed him up by erasing his family from the map and accidentally obtaining the fruit he wanted to buy" Fred said, interrupting his partner's impossible-to-fulfill proposal. "Mea culpa…"

Upon mentioning Mr Nobody's name, Mr Winchostor's happy face returned to its initial state in which negativity and even fear once again invaded his complexion. So much so that once again put the whiskey bottle in his lips and didn't let it go until it was completely empty.

"But…" Winchostor stammered, praying that this was all just a misunderstanding. "It's not [Mr Nobody], is…"

"It doesn't matter who has contacted you personally, the person who has started this chain of intermediaries is [Mr Nobody] and I want you to send him a message

Literally!" Fred said in his psycho killer mode. And once Whincheston had his pen and paper at hand, he began dictating, "I don't have your Mini Mini No Mi, I've already used it on someone.

You have no way to get it back, by hook or by crook, so give up on your present and future attempts to get it.

If I notice that you or your lackeys or even associates stick their noses into my affairs I'll personally make sure that you cannot use that anonymous name in your life.

Yes, I know who you're and I can expose you at any time, you greedy big shot who wants some bonuses.

I may create a lot of problems for myself by exposing you, but without a doubt you will be the one who will lose the most from all this

Forget that I exist and I'll do the same, otherwise I'll make sure to end your anonymous... and even non-anonymous existence.

Capichi?"

"This... is a very serious... threat..." Stammered Winchestor, whose hand began to shake almost halfway through the narration. "Do you know that this guy is the one who practically decides which criminal lives and who dies in this sea?

Even the five families have to respect him if they don't want to end up dead at the hands of other criminal groups, by bounty hunters through legal or illegal means, or even by being caught by the navy or agents of the world government! 

It's more than evident that he has ties to influential people from all over the world, even from the Grand Line!

If you become his enemy he will do anything to crush you!"

Fred knew that perfectly well.

No matter how much secrecy there was around [Mr Nobody], Fred had been hunting criminals for years, it was inevitable that he would have heard of him at some point. 

A very capable guy who offered many services to his criminal clients, such as protection from other criminal groups, information on the movements of the navy, sell illegal products from all over the world and even offering them anonymity to abandon their criminal life.

However, despite being everywhere, only the big shots knew that pseudonym, but no one knew its real name.

During the interrogation in Narhad, Bege gave him all the information possible. Not excessively useful information, but enough to understand what he was facing.

"Yes, I know, that anonymity-loving guy has his tentacles stuck everywhere and is in a situation of apparent superiority over me.

These kind of people who live in their anonymous ivory tower believe they're above everyone and therefore hate losing to someone they consider inferior, even if it's very little.

I made him lose a substantial deal and it's more than evident that he'll try to bother me in any way, even if he gets nothing in return." Fred said confidently, without regretting his decision at all, quite the opposite. "The best tactic to deal with them is to remind them that the costs of their stupid plan motivated by revenge, pride or stupidity can become excessive.

So excessive that could cost them the ivory tower in which they live so comfortably"

"Whatever you say, you're the boss...

I'll relay this message directly to him... after I drink another bottle and get some sleep... and..." Winchostor said as he walked erratically towards his liquor cabinet before turning back to mention another thing "Baj...forget it...

You should already know!

I'M SURE YOU HAVE PLANNED EVERYTHING! FUCKING SOUL EATHER TWISTED DEMON!

I SHOULD NEVER ASSOCIATE WITH YOU! NEITHER FOR GOOD NOR FOR BAD!

NEVER!"

"I love you too" Said Fred, winking at him moments before walking out the door. "See you around…"

---

The group left the weapons store and began their journey again towards the new destination marked by Fred... and obviously they couldn't help but ask their questions to their unorthodox boss. A boss who seemed to like to appear mysterious to his people by not telling them all the details of the plans they had to participate in.

"Fred, aside from the drug issue, how do you know the identity of this [Mr. Nobody] guy?" Stephen whispered with extreme curiosity. "Is it thanks to your skills as a detective, as a torturer, as a magician, as a prophet, or a mixture of everything?"

"None of them" Fred replied nonchalantly while scratching his ear. "I have no fucking idea who he is."

An unexpected answer that...

"NANIIIIIIIIII!!!???"

Startled his entire group and not only them, but also all the people around them.

"FUKING IDIOT! You have unknowingly threatened him?!

That guy's description was scary!

ARE WE GOING TO DIE?!

KYAHHHHH!!!"

They attracted so much attention with their screams that Fred had to use his hair to push them into an alley to avoid being the center of attention… even more.

"Didn't you hear me before?

Given the capabilities of that dude, he must have enough power and influence with his true identity, either directly or indirectly.

With his position, his involvement in the criminal world is practically unnecessary. Getting into this shady business under an anonymous pseudonym can only be due to greed and/or a desire to have even more power and control." Fred said as he gagged his four children with his reddish all-purpose hair. "And I'm screwing up his business almost every day and it's more than obvious that he can't control me.

It's more than evident that he'll go after me to get rid of an annoyance or for revenge.

That's why I went ahead!

Kids, use your heads a little and try to figure out what I'm doing."

And just as Fred proposed, the four began to use their gray mass to understand the suicidal actions of their boss, senpai, owner and brother… and even had the opportunity to verbalize their conclusions after losing their gag.

"Hmm...

Seen this way

It's not such a bad move..." Said Stephen, willing to prove that he wasn't the second in command due to nepotism by presenting his accurate conclusions "In the event that he believes your bluff and prioritizes not being exposed, he'll simply leave you alone.

And in case he doesn't believe it, he would surely do what he planned to do from the beginning, go after you...

However, now he'll feel more pressure and will surely go after you with everything!"

Conclusions that worried his traumatized colleagues even more

"That sounds horrible!

We're in danger!

KYAHHHHH!!!"

But Stephen turned a deaf ear to their complaints, he wasn't yet finished with his explanation

"If he goes all out against us, [Mr Nobody]'s identity will be compromised.

Who knows... 

He could come to fight us directly, we could discover who he's through clues he leaves us or, most likely could send trusted people who knows his real identity either to fight us or at least oversee our downfall...

If we capture them alive, sooner or later Fred will make him talk with his magic" Said Stephen, who finished exploring the dangerous data before doing what he did best. Transmit his great positivity to the rest of the group "And yes... the worst case scenario is that our enemies are too strong, but Fred already thought of that.

He trusts our ability to defeat them or get out alive.

And I think he has reason to be optimistic with a group as incredible as us... and my submarine, of course."

A positivism that was extremely easy to transmit, more than he expected.

"Hehehe... I'm not used to that kind of flattery."

Horo-horo-horo! Well I can't deny that you're right, I'm pretty awesome

Kyah!! Kyaaahhh Kyyaahh!!"

A positivity that spread even to the most negative person in the entire group

"Excellent deduction Stephen!

You see children, if you study with me for a long time you'll become this smart!

Mua hahahaha!" Said Fred, displaying his usual humility as he forgot about his negativity therapy. "Sooner or later I'll have to face the person behind that pseudonym and it's better to do it now

Before it can become a problem when we start our business activity

...

But enough rambling, let's go to the next point of interest before resting at the hotel."

"And in case you didn't know, Fred has booked the best room in the best five-star hotel in the city" Stephen said with and angelic face to his three underlyings... before bringing out the kind demon inside him. "Thank him with big a hug!"

A suggestion that the three impressionable idiots made without question.

"YOU'RE THE BEST BOSS!!

¡COME HERE SEMPAI!!

KYAAHHH!!!"

"Personal space!

Personal space!!" Fred screamed as he tried to shake them off. "Damn you Stephen!"

"STEEL-STEEL-STEEL!" Stephen laughed, satisfied with the result of his [evil] plan. 'It seems that they have forgotten to ask about the drug business.

They'll have another chance'

---

Fred's analysis of [Mr. Nobody] was correct. Even without knowing his identity, Fred knew what kind of person was facing and his enemy would have followed the pattern he had predicted under normal circumstances.

However...

Fred underestimated how his identity has been influencing his enemy until now and also overestimated his enemy's willingness to risk taking him down…. until he received his serious threat...

"You called me boss?" Asked a shadowy man to his den den mush "Any good news?"

And the response he got from his snail was 

"Not only is Fred not going to sell me the Akuma No Mi, it seems that he has threatened to expose my identity if I don't leave him alone."

A response from his boss's distorted voice that conveyed more hostility than ever.

"Oh…" The subordinate with a dark silhouette said after clearing his throat "This…

Do you think he's bluffing?"

"I don't know... but if it's Fred anything is possible" Mr. Nobody responded without hiding his concern in the slightest "He's capable of extracting information from anyone and those he leaves alive don't say anything important even under the most extreme torture.

I still have no idea how he does that… and that's onne of the reasons why until now I didn't want to get involved either directly or indirectly with him"

His boss's words were worrying. This was undoubtedly a big problem for his organization's existence and anonymity, but it was also a great opportunity to advance his own agenda.

"Does this mean our strategy has changed sir?" Asked the anonymous subordinate, trying to hide his excitement "Will we go after him from now on?"

"I'm afraid we can no longer continue to be as passive as before." "If he really knows my true identity it's only a matter of time before he starts blackmailing me and all of us.

And even if he doesn't know who we are, it's more than evident that he has set his sights on us.

That arrogant kid seems to have gotten tired of the local pirates and now he wants to join the big leagues..."

"I think the same, sir" Replied the anonymous subordinate, delighted to reinforce said argument and actively participate in this operation "If you consider it appropriate, I could take care of him and his group of children personally.

I've been thinking for a while about a good plan to take him down... in a way that doesn't expose us, of course.

Although I'll need some funds…"

"I'll listen carefully to your plan, but after seeing what happens in Ballywood in the next few days" Said Mr. Nobody, eager to kill Fred once and for all as well as his subordinate, but without losing his cool. "The meeting of the five... well, four mafia families is approaching and it's almost a certainty that Fred plans to attend without an invitation.

Let's keep our fingers crossed to see if they're competent enough to rip out that tumour for us."

That last passive argument hit the motivated anonymous subordinate like a shock. He wanted to take the credit and satisfaction of killing Fred and his gang personally… but he couldn't find fault with his boss logic. The most he could do was try to refine that plan to his convenience.

"Shall we give them a hand, sir?" Asked the anonymous subordinate in his best performance "I want them to kill him for us but... I'm not very optimistic about their chances."

"No.

I want to make Fred think that I have accepted his… peace offer…

In the event that this monster ends up defeating and interrogating the heads of each family I don't want anything to give away our participation." Answered Mr. Nobody "Refine your plan for now. If Fred wins we will put it into practice if you can satisfy me.

Reject any offer that may come from mafia families in case they ask for help

If they're so useless we don't need them, others will take their place."

"Yes sir" The anonymous subordinate responded, not happy with the response obtained, but not dissatisfied either. "Thank you sir"

He was fully convinced that Fred would win and that he would have his chance

#################

You'll be able to see 8 chapters in advance in my Pa-treon

pa-treon.com/user?u=83938371