Laz Smith

Raz "Gunmaestro" Smith (ラズ・"ガンマイスター"・スミス, Razu "Ganmaisutā" Sumisu) is an assassin operating in New York City.

Appearance
Smith wears a wide-brimmed hat and a long overcoat, along the inside of which are lined many firearms of varying types (around thirty) - which have in the past prevented him from being able to sit down due to their bulkiness. He has a scar across his nose from his fight with Berga Gandor.

Personality
Smith considers madness his highest ideal, and is convinced that he is insane himself; however, most other people just think he's self-absorbed. Despite Smith's excessive pride in himself and his profession, he has yet to actually kill someone.

1932
Smith is one of several assassins hired by Gustavo Bagetta during the apex of the Runorata-Gandor feud in late December 1931-January 1932.

During the Runorata raid of the Daily Days' headquarters on January 02, Smith tries to shoot both Claire Stanfield and Maria Barcelito while they are duelling each other. Berga intervenes, forcing the muzzles of Smith's guns toward the floor, and making him shoot at his own feet instead. Smith fires at Berga until Berga punches him in the face and knocks him out.

Alkey uses Smith’s body as a shield when he fights Claire--however, thanks to the many guns inside Smith’s coat, he is protected from the shots that hit him.

Smith spends the next six months recovering at Fred's Clinic. After his release, he finds Graham Specter and his gang at the Jane Doe speakeasy in August. Smith claims that his months long absence was devoted to soul searching, which Graham questions since Maria told him about the fight at the Daily Days. Smith swears that Maria was lying and vows to kill her.

Graham introduces Elmer C. Albatross to Smith once he notices him at the table. The two get along well with their eccentric personalities.

Smith then gives Graham five guns which he had promised him earlier, and Graham manages to dismantle them all in a few seconds – apparently having asked for them solely for that purpose. After some initial frustration, Smith reassembles each gun in just as short of an amount of time. Smith admits that he had been hospitalized by the Gandors, but makes excuses for his defeat.

Upon finishing his drink, Smith leaves the speakeasy to meet with Lester, his newest client. In an abandoned building near Grand Central Station, Lester tasks Smith with killing Mark Wilmans, the serial killer known as Ice Pick Thompson. Lester gives Smith a note with Mark’s description and address.

Smith goes to Mark’s apartment and waits. Once Mark returns, Smith locks the door and points a rifle at Mark’s head, demanding to know why Mark became a serial killer before he pulls the trigger. Mark shares his story willingly. When Smith asks for Mark’s last words, Mark confesses that he had mistaken his last target and killed an innocent man instead.

Smith shows Mark a newspaper article which supposedly contains information about Mark's innocent victim. Mark discovers that his former caretaker Lisha Darken has been identified as Ice Pick Thompson’s fifth victim, even though he hadn't killed her. Smith decides to spare Mark’s life, asking for Ice Pick Thompson’s identity in exchange (owing to his lack of a reputation as an assassin).

Smith leaves the apartment, where he finds Graham, Shaft, and Elmer about to enter the building. He lies and says he has killed Mark. The three accompany Smith back to the building where he first met with Lester, but he stops outside the entrance and orders them to go away and do whatever they want elsewhere.

Elmer asks Smith if he really killed Mark, and Smith insists that he did. Elmer whispers in his ear that he had noticed Smith’s smile was forced when he first claimed he killed Mark – which Elmer interpreted to mean that he had spared Mark instead. Astonished, Smith leaves the trio and enters the abandoned building without another word.

Some time earlier, Lester had told the Gandor Family that Smith was Ice Pick Thompson, and that they could find him the abandoned building near Grand Central Station – the same place where he had promised to meet with Smith again after the contract was fulfilled. Several members of the Gandor Family, including Nicola and Maria, left to confront Ice Pick Thompson at once.

Maria attacks Smith once he enters the building. Nicola intervenes, reminding Maria that he cannot let her get hurt while the Gandor bosses are away. They prepare to leave with Smith in their custody, only for Graham to suddenly appear and demand an explanation. Nicola explains that Smith is Ice Pick Thompson, but Graham counters that Smith has never killed anyone before. Smith again asserts that he is indeed Ice Pick Thompson, rattling off a story about his quest to avenge Paula Wilmans – essentially an altered version of Mark's backstory.

Nicola remains unconvinced, but Graham refuses to let him and the others take Smith without a fight. Nicola decides to face Graham one-on-one, seeing as how gunshots would just attract the attention of police. Shaft's unexpected arrival - with reinforcements in tow - leads Nicola to call off the fight for the sake of preventing all out war. Before he leaves, Nicola asks Smith if he is honestly not responsible for Lisha's death. Smith swears he is not, and reveals that Lester was the one who murdered her.

By the following evening, Smith has taken on Mark as his apprentice.

1935
By February 1935, Smith and Mark are living at Fred's housing facility.

During Nader Schasschule's confrontation with Upham, Smith threatens Nader with a shotgun pointed to his temple. Alkins restores order to the room when he smashes a liquor bottle against Nader's head, much to Smith's disappointment.

Smith is among those recruited by the Gandor Family in anticipation of the casino party at Ra's Lance.

Relationships
Mark Wilmans - Smith was first hired to kill Mark, but decided to spare him in exchange for his identity as Ice Pick Thompson. Mark becomes Smith's apprentice after Lester's defeat.

Graham Specter - Graham and Smith first met while the latter was spreading rumors about himself among the delinquents of New York. Graham looks up to Smith in a way similar to his admiration for Ladd Russo.

Abilities
While Smith's specialty lies in guns, he admits his marksmanship is poor. He claims he makes up for this by rapidly firing at his targets. His physical ability is better when he's not wearing his coat, which makes sense given that it weighs thirty kilograms. He seems to be adept at dismantling and reassembling guns at impressive speeds.

Smith was also able to stand his ground during his fight with Maria Barcelito.