Joshua and Fitz were now joining Laila in the truck with a team of Regenerators and humans.

A town was being attacked by the Vermillion's Freaks and Regenerators. This may have been a plan to draw Coffin Dancer out. The team of Regenerators and humans broke off to help other people, Laila parked the truck, typing into the keypad beside Coffin Dancer's body.

"I'll need to activate him. Please keep us safe in the mean time."

"I'll stick to defense. Fitz, go and make some noise."

"Got it." Fitz went out of the truck while Joshua stepped out, climbing on the truck to take a look at the situation. There were more of them, which Joshua loaded the XENO IX and get himself ready. Watching the Freaks leap out to attack the truck.Firing the shots, the bullet pierced through their bodies. Then blowing their limbs off, no blood or anything. Just pure white shattering glass touching the ground. Joshua pushed the stock to his shoulder, keeping it stable while his left hand grabbed the magazine. A quick swap before the bolt was locked up, letting Joshua maintain his storm of explosive lead.

The Freak swarm was much larger than anticipated. Their attention was focused on Joshua and the truck. Trying to claw their way close to it, but Joshua kept the firing line clear. Even checking behind to see if they were going to flank. The surrounding buildings gave them a lot of concealment. They could leap out from anywhere. Joshua felt his senses tingle from every direction. He ducked, barely dodging a bullet that grazed his head.

Snipers, so some of the Freaks were made for long range encounters. Joshua took aim at the snipers he could see. Some of them were hiding in buildings, they were smart. Trying to deal with the snipers as he dealt with more of the oncoming swarm. This was tricky because Joshua needed to reload in between shots and the snipers were barely giving him enough breathing room for it. Though Joshua could see a figure staring at him from the distance.

He could not focus on that as a Freak got close to him, swinging its arm that turned to a blade. Joshua grabbed it, feeling his hand bleed as a result. Headbutting it back then firing off a burst of five to watch it turn to broken glass. He needed to speed things up, letting go off the rifle as he drew the MARVEL VIIs firing fast shots in quick succession. The high capacity magazine helped but it could only stall the freaks at best. He didn't have the firepower like the Preaching Magnums to use. For now, just stalling them and killing a few would be enough.

Constantly spinning around as he kept on firing at the different targets was all he could do at best. Magic would have worked wonders here, his familiars would have granted him the advantage but this was a lesson of sorts. A sort of light training on his awareness, can he predict the attacks in time?

'Remember... Every thing in this world when it wishes to harm you. It will bare its fangs and show its killing intent.' Those were the words that Seijuro gave in one of their bouts. The lack of polish to Joshua's senses, that made it clear that he was lost. He didn't sharp this enough, it gave some form of awareness but vague in the sense to where the attacks were coming from. Regret was evident in his footwork. Frantic, undisciplined and stumbling with his nature of his firearms. He was used to using a sword, and the transition from trying to find killing intent with a ranged weapon is difficult compared to anything else.

Joshua needed more training, there was more time that he needed. He needed more time, and he needed more to work with. This was useless, he needed to keep the pressure on but the snipers were grazing him. So it would throw off Joshua's aim as he continued to keep them back. He heard a louder set of gunfire from below. Then watching Coffin Dancer step out with the Preaching Magnums. The way that Coffin Dancer fought with those heavy guns was a breath taking sight. He was faster than any of Joshua's familiars, and the reload was flawless. It was like the weapons were an extension of his body. Turning the many Freaks that Joshua had struggled with into nothing but shattered glass and powdered dust.

Joshua continued firing, he was complacent. When he had magic and his familiars, they would be used as a crowd clearing tool, but right now. It was clear that Joshua needed to brush up on his firearms and his awareness of his area. This may be a lesson that Joshua must learn. Even before the Sniper Freaks were firing at Coffin Dancer, he would have the pistol aimed at them first. A blade intercepted Coffin Dancer's shot, pushing the Coffin Dancer back for a brief moment.

"So it was you, Cross." The figure that Joshua had seen earlier had made their appearance. Blue hair, shouldering a katana of sorts.

"Why have you returned? You should have stayed quiet when you were a traitor." The figure spoke, rushing at Coffin Dancer with an upward strike. Coffin Dancer was able to stop it with his left gun, his right gun fired a few shots. Causing the figure to step back, dodging those shots. It was fast enough to make a gap between Coffin Dancer.

The cloak vanished, revealing a woman wielding a blade. She glared at Coffin Dancer, then charging head on to push Coffin Dancer away from the truck. Leaving Joshua to defend it by himself. The pair's fight was leaving shockwaves and the amount of killing intent shown by both sides began to leak out to the others.

The other Freaks and Regenerators were moving away as Joshua could see the battle from where he stood. The blade against the gun, both of them were experts at a terrifyingly high skill level. No magic, just pure raw and unadulterated strength between the two. The fast movement with the guns was faster than Joshua when he fired his pistols. Perhaps it has to do with size? Coffin Dancer's had a unique firing style, everything about it was tactically unsound but true to his name. He was a dancer with those two pistols and what was left were merely the coffins of his enemies. Their fight was enough to cause the ground to rumble as the woman with the blade changed to a more monstrous form.

Her flesh changed to metal while her back had spider like legs that were sharp as blades. Their fight would continue as Joshua watched how Coffin Dancer fought. The change was not an issue, it was his change in combat. Staying within range of a swordsman especially when it came to their reach was near suicide but Coffin Dancer maintained keeping close. Using his guns to double as a shield thanks to their heavy construction.

Firing one of them at a time while the other would be used as a shield. Diverting the blades off course, then firing into the back. Breaking off the spider legs from the woman. He even used his coffin to push her back, where the coffin swapped for single barreled cannon. Barrel pointing right at the chest. Unleashing a single shot that caused 7 buildings to fall down. Followed by unleashing a hail of missiles from above. Joshua could not see anything else after that, only that the woman was defeated and Coffin Dancer made his way over. Joshua felt unnerved by the strength that Coffin Dancer possessed.

The power of a Sovereign Familiar gave the same feeling as a Seraph and even then, this was Coffin Dancer without the new powers that will be granted to him. Just how powerful was he? Coffin Dancer returned to the truck where Laila checked on him.

"Thanks, Coffin Dancer." She spoke, only to be given a headpat by Coffin Dancer. Fitz returned with lots of powder on his body.

"Damn. C.D is much more dangerous than I had thought. I watched 7 buildings crash on a single enemy." When Joshua watched a blade fly over to strike Laila, Coffin Dancer drew his magnum. Breaking the blade with his shot, then looking at the woman from earlier. She had her left arm missing.

"Damn you Cross! Damn you Vermillions!" The woman charged ahead at Coffin Dancer. Coffin Dancer's pair of Preaching Magnums began to charge, slowly glowing into a radiant glow. Unleashing a pair of shots that decimated the entirety of what was left of the woman with just two shots. The echo from the gunfire was able to cause the truck to move a few inches behind. Joshua and Fitz closed their ears, their ears were ringing and it was enough to cause someone to be disoriented.

Laila had been wearing her ear protection so she was somewhat safe. She fell into Coffin Dancer's arms. Yet, how he took care of her was akin to an older brother taking care of a younger sister. Something that Joshua was reminded off by how Coffin Dancer reminded him of Rayland in a way.

For now, mission complete.

By allowing Coffin Dancer to fight with the special Freaks, dubbed as the Ultimatums.

You grant him the right to his duty.

The duty of Protecting the Hatter's family and to take care of the traitors.

This is your trial. To allow for Coffin Dancer to do what is needed of him as per the promise he made to the Hatter.

Once all is done, the Coffin Dancer shall be your Familiar.