With Roger's weird question, the two bodyguards at the back were intently looking at Roger, waiting for him to make a mistake. Roger just gave them a short glance and then just looked at the mayor with his sweet smile.
The mayor let out a sigh and then asked, "Why does it matter? I am the person who you need to negotiate with and I am more crucial than you."
Roger scoffed, then grinned. "How can you prove that?"
The mayor flinched and then retaliated. "What are you plotting?"
Roger shrugged. "How can you say that you are more crucial than me? Well, at least for me, you are way more crucial to protecting me than the other way around. No one can protect you from me, Mr. Mayor."
With that, the bodyguards moved quickly and drew their weapons, pointing them at Roger with the intent to kill. The mayor gazed at Roger and then released a sigh.
"Don't do that, young man. You still have a good life and you don't have to waste it here." The mayor stated.
Roger unwillingly nodded and smiled once again, but this time, he didn't just sit still, he disappeared and then appeared again at the back of one bodyguard with his hands glowing.
"Do you know what this is? This light in my hands has magical power, so if I were you, I better not underestimate someone who came here at peace." Roger declared, that made the mayor look at his bodyguards and then order them to lower their guns.
Roger then went back to his seat and then faced the mayor with an uncertain expression, more likely a cold one.
"Mr. Mayor, do you know why I came here at peace?" Roger asked.
"Why? Isn't it about eradicating the gangs in the city?"
"It is also about that, but I am here to build a relationship with you, Mr. Mayor. How about I show you how I can create a relationship with you?" Roger suggested, and then stood up and moved back a little bit.
A few seconds later, the room was filled with a deafening silence. And again, a few fragments of seconds passed before the air started filling with heavy air. The atmosphere in the area began to become dark, which alarmed the bodyguards again.
Roger's eyes were starting to turn purple as well as the aura that was surrounding him began to darken. Roger was as if now, covered with a dark mist that was also making the air hard to inhale.
The mayor held the armchair of his couch and then tapped.
It was obvious that the mayor's face was starting to get ugly from enduring the pain.
"How about that, Mr. Mayor?"
The mayor didn't reply and just treated Roger with silence. He wasn't able to reply as he was still under pressure from what Roger did. It was an aura that was as if it was filled with magical power and killing intent at the same time.
The mayor contemplated for a short while, yet he wasn't able to continue as he was distracted by what Roger had done earlier. He wanted to try to discern Roger, but Roger was still overpowering him for some unknown reason.
"What of it? You only overpowered me in terms of pressure, but you weren't able to prove anything. How will you do it? You're still a young man, aren't you? Even if you have 30 Awakens at your disposal, their loyalty is still in question."
Roger closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, then smiled. "That is quite a bit more compelling to answer."
Roger took out his phone and then a holographic image was shown on it. He then showed this image to the mayor, who immediately became silent for about a few seconds. What he saw were dead people and also, the building of the Red Bull in Roger's image.
Roger was also seen inside the room of the Red Bull's boss. And there, too, Roger was beaming with triumph.
The mayor looked at him with discerning eyes and let out a sigh.
"I get it. I already got it. Are you really still a kid? How could you...?"
Roger also let out a sigh and then looked at the mayor's eyes with intriguing eyes.
"It is an understatement for someone who is talented, Mr. Mayor."
The mayor contemplated once more, but then stopped as he got distracted by Roger's gaze. Roger showed more images and they were of the 30 Awakens, bowing at him.
"These men were all righteous, I promise you that. And as I am their boss, you don't have to worry about their loyalty. It is not questionable if you think of it."
"That's it? Do you think I would believe it immediately? What if you take over the local government? What would I do now that I know you had the plan of eradicating the gangs, which would immediately be yours if that happened? "
"That is not what it is all about, Mr. Mayor. Do you still don't get why I am here? I am not here for a commotion or something taking over the land. That is problematic and also hard to do. That's why I am here."
"... Do you mean that you are here to ask me to become your shield to escape the legal consequences?"
Roger smiled and then pointed at the mayor. "Bingo! That is the crux of the matter, Mr. Mayor. I need you to support us."
"As a result, if I protect, my power will be reduced as well. What would happen? What would be the people's opinion of me?"
"Don't joke around, Mr. Mayor." Roger cut off and then continued. "It is not like you are already on the bad side of the people's opinion. They were already detesting you as you made the gangs co-exist in the city. It is not like this change would not be beneficial for you."
The mayor remained silent for a short while, then replied.
"You mean that my image will still be the same?"
"No. It will get better and also, I know that you love your job and also the city. Let's do this for the city."
But then, the mayor's suspicion wasn't still at its end. He was getting more suspicious, but along with it, he was logically thinking about it. He was calculating.
"I am not that stupid, Mr. Mayor. Other officials from other cities would retaliate if I tried to take over the local government. Also, they might bring reinforcements from the District Overdrive, and it would be chaotic."
Roger added, "Even if I am confident in my individual power, I am not willing to sacrifice the surroundings. I've come to clean up the Line City. And you will have my promise, Mr. Mayor."
The mayor remained silent and then said, "A person with capabilities doesn't collect enemies; instead, they collect connections."
Roger nodded. "So, what do you think? Will you create the paper for me to become legally immune?"
"I will think about it. But what do you want? My answer will depend on your answer."
"Nothing, just a luxurious life."
The mayor looked intently at Roger, then nodded. "Nothing more? You don't want to seize the Line City?"
Roger immediately cut off. "That is tedious. There is nothing but chaos in that. The world might be my enemy if I do that."
'At least I don't want to make the same mistake twice.' Roger thought.
"Okay, give me a day and I will prepare the papers."
***
"Are you sure about your decision, Roger? You want to declare that you are the boss of the Demonyo Clan?" Yuno asked as Roger was standing before Yuno's father's guild building.
Roger nodded and replied, "Of course. That is why I need your help, Yuno. I want to ask your father for some advice on how I will be the boss of my guild. But depending on the tide, I want to keep it secret from the public."
As much as Roger wanted to make the people aware of him, he still wanted to do it after the investigators arrived in their city. He needed to raise his worth, and showing that he is someone who is spoonfed is not a better way of making his reputation stable.
At least, Roger thought that being capable of leading 30 Awakens was not enough. He needed to be more intriguing so that people would be curious about him. In that way, he doesn't need to ask for validation.
"Okay." Yuno briefly replied, then opened the entrance to the building.
People then turned their gazes at them as Yuno entered the building without any concern for anything. People also lowered their heads towards them as they saw Yuno entering the premises.
Yuno is known as the young master, but they were also curious about Roger as he walked with Yuno with confidence.
Yuno led Roger to the second floor, where his father's office was. And there, two people working as bodyguards stood in front of the door.
"Greetings, young master." Yuno nodded, then ordered them to open the door.
However, they looked at Roger first, which is what Yuno noticed. "He's with me."
They all nodded and eventually opened the door. And as they entered, what Roger saw was a simple, luxurious office with few decorations. The table of Yuno's father was on the left side of the room, and just inside the entrance were couches for receiving guests.
"Good morning, Dad. This is Roger, the person I was talking about.. The one who controls 30 Awakens in the Blue Neighborhood. "