In the Imperial Fortress, Tupp met up with Sahro in a dark room. They both were careful to not be seen meeting up.
"Why did you want to meet, Sahro? Why be so secretive?" questioned Tupp while speaking lowly, but also sounding annoyed.
"I can't take this waiting around! I'm going to attack those kids and take them out before they come to our fortress and kill our forces!" replied Sahro with his fist clinched.
"Joan said for us to do nothing until they get here. You're going to go against her?" said Tupp with his volume raised.
"Of course I am! You know that she should not be the leader! Who said she could lead us anyway?! You all just buckled and started taking orders from her. I should be the leader! I'll show that by destroying those demon hunters!" shouted Sahro angrily.
"I don't think that is a good idea. You do remember what she did to you the other day, right?" asked Tupp with a smile.
Sahro immediately took a swing at Tupp, clearly pissed off by what he has said, but Tupp dodged the attack.
"Keep your emotions in check! I won't let you come after me again!" stated Tupp as he began to head for the door.
"No! Wait! I came to you to ask if you could portal me and my forces to those kids!" said Sahro hurriedly before Tupp left the room.
Tupp stopped and smiled because he knew what Sahro wanted from the beginning. He knows how impatient he gets, that's why he egged him on by mentioning what Joan had done to him. Tupp turned around and said "Gather your forces and meet me at the gate tomorrow morning. Don't be late. This will be your only chance."
"Ok, me and my faction will be there!" responded Sahro.
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A few days had passed and Lucas had joined Quint and Simone in their training. Lucas surprisingly had already had a talent for applying spiritual energy onto his body. He's already used this talent to develop his stoneskin . He decided to keep building upon it. Quint trained to control his energy output. Simone trained to master the technique itself. They all trained day and night under the supervision of Mary. Shay remained in the hospital due to her injuries, but she's been slowly mending her bones back together using her healing ability.
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The next morning at the Imperial Fortress Gate, Sahro and two members of his faction awaited the arrival of Tupp.
"Wess! Do you see Tupp?" asked Sahro.
The black, Jaguar-humanoid demon answered with "No sir! I don't see him coming,"
"What about you Yamanaka?" asked Sahro.
The orange tiger demon answered with "I can hear someone approaching."
"Good! I can not wait to hunt down those demon hunters and bring their heads to the group!" said Sahro.
He then reached behind him pulled out a pair of gauntlets. The gauntlets glowed as they settled upon Sahro's hands and forearms.
"They're here, sir!" announced Wess.
At that moment, Tupp and Miko arrived to the gate. Tupp looked at Sahro's arms and noticed the gauntlets.
"You're going to use those. I didn't think that you would. Someone that's as proof of their as you wouldn't use tools to win." Mentioned Tupp to Sahro.
"They're just an insurance policy and they need a test run for when we go against real Demon Hunters," responded Sahro with a hint of anger on his face.
"Just make sure that you don't lose those. I know you're going to need them. Don't underestimate them," started Tupp while returning the look.
"I won't get my ass handed to me like you did, Tupp. Now make me a portal!" commanded Sahro as he got in Tupp's face.
Tupp signal Miko to make the portal.
"One portal coming up! Up! Up!" said Miko excitedly as he conjured up a portal.
"Step aside!" commanded Yamanaka to Miko.
"Not nice! Not nice!" said Miko as his eyes glowed red, signaling his transformation.
Yamanaka then felt a terrible energy manifesting around him and made him break in a sweat.
"Not here, Miko!" said Tupp.
Miko calmed down and moved away from the portal and said, "Go through now!"
Wess, Sahro, and Yamanaka stepped through the portal and it closed immediately behind them.
Joan stepped out of the shadows and approached Tupp and Miko.
"Did he suspect anything?" asked Joan with a sinister smile.
"No. The fool is too blinded by his own ambitions and pride. He didn't even question me accepting his help," said Tupp.
"He'll definitely lose to those demon hunters. They're actually tougher than we give them credit for," stated Joan while replaying her battle with them in her head.
"Boss, you're not thinking that they could actually come here and defeat is, are you?" asked Tupp.
"I saw something when I fought them and I'm assuming you did also. I underestimated them and lost an arm. I would've destroyed them regardless, but I didn't think they could harm me. But you saw, you saw me return with that injury. I won't make the same mistake again. Next time, I will fight at full power and I recommend you do the same," advised Joan.
"Understood, Boss," replied Tupp as he began walking away with Miko following him.
"Just a second, Tupp. Is Miko hiding his true power?" inquired Joan.
Tupp smiled and said, "You caught that? Yes, he's actually as strong as an Imperial. Go ahead and show her, Miko."
Miko eyes glowed red and his body enlarged. The menacing figured stood before Joan.
"We've had someone of his magnitude within our ranks and you didn't tell me?" asked Joan while still gawking at Miko.
"Well, I figured that we would need an ace in the hole," replied Tupp.
"Well this is a great addition to the team. Next time, let me know if we find someone else of his stature. Good power shouldn't be hidden," said Joan.
Miko spoke very slowly and deeply, "I like hiding my form. I only reveal it to those who I deem are worthy,"
"Hmmmm…. I'm honored that I'm worthy of seeing your form. Now get ready to bring that fool Sahro back if he fails," commanded Joan.
"Yes Boss," said Tupp.
Joan walked away with a smile thinking about how she can use Miko in the upcoming battle.
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Sahro and his faction appeared in Charleston City and began making random people as the walked by and consumed their flesh. Sahro let out a thunderous roar after eating his first victim.
"Feast on the humans!" roared Sahro.
"Torrent Stream!" yelled Shay from far away.
Just then, a high volume of watery energy was fired at Sahro, but Yamanaka stepped in front of him and took the attack and died on the spot.
Sahro let out another thunderous roar! "Show yourself!" roared Sahro.
Shay slowly walked up to Sahro with her arm still in a sling. "You're done here!" said Shay as she raised her energy.