Bloodstained Souls

by AlucardsBro

Ichigo has been exposed to many shocking things throughout his life, and as such he was certain nothing else could surprise him. However, after learning about the existence of other supernatural entities and religious figures aside from the Soul Society, he is thrust once again into a new adventure. Vampires, Devils, and Angels…OH MY!

22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Creeping Shadows

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Hello again.

So, just like I predicted, there were several people who did not appreciate my decision to have Ichigo become a devil. That was honestly expected, but I was genuinely surprised when a few reviewers claimed that this turn of events completely ruined the story for them. I'm sorry, but simply turning Ichigo back into a Substitute Shinigami felt like an extremely boring choice to make, especially when you remember that this is a crossover. I considered doing it early on in the story, but as the plot developed and new characters emerged, it just didn't feel right. I wonder if turning him into a vampire would have garnered the same negative reaction?

As I said in the Author's Notes at the end of the previous chapter, Ichigo does in fact still possess his Hollow/Shinigami powers. They were returned to him as soon as he became a devil. Now, he also has the added benefits that come with Demonic Power. His Quincy abilities are still present as well, but as I have stated previously, he will have to work harder on forcing them to emerge when the time comes.

And it will come.

I just find it kind of amusing how several people seem to have jumped to so many conclusions, such as "Ichigo will just become another pawn to be used by Sirzechs." In case I didn't make it perfectly clear last chapter, let me go ahead and clarify that Ichigo is NOT part of Sirzechs' Peerage. That storyline has been done time and time again, and it wouldn't make for good character growth in this particular story. Granted, I might have Ichigo assist Sirzechs with several things later on, but that doesn't make him a pawn by any means.

That aside, there were also a few people who expressed disappointment over the fact that Skull-Clad Ichigo did not make an appearance as soon as he was reincarnated. That form will be explored at a later point in the story, but right now I honestly feel like its inclusion would be overkill. Granted, the presence of Millennium in London makes for quite the threat, but I don't really think we need to see Ichigo's Skull-Clad form just yet.

Also, in response to a very specific review, the point of the Tier List was mainly to help me. It may sound strange to you, but comparing the pure physical strength between characters helps me mentally visualize how battles between them might play out, and where they stand compared with one another. Supernatural abilities can be factored in later as added trump cards. Odd as it may seem, it helps me as a writer.

There will probably be a scene in this chapter that you guys will be divided on, but please know that what happens isn't simply done because I feel like doing it. This is a point in the story that I have been planning and working up to for a long time. I will provide reasoning for my decisions in the closing Author's Notes. I implore you to read them before getting too worked up.

As a final note, I'd like to go ahead and apologize in advance if this chapter isn't up to my usual standard. My only remaining grandmother passed away shortly after my last update, so my writing might be somewhat affected by that. I hope you all can understand.

AlucardsBro OUT!

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(Hellsign Manor; London, England)

There was no analyzation.

There was no careful planning.

There was no tactical decision.

As he looked around at the lost cause that was Hellsing Manor, all Ichigo felt was blinding rage. Blood painted the walls as far as the eye could see in every conceivable direction. Blood of men whom he wished he'd known better. They had all been his comrades, even if for only a short time, and he felt immensely guilty at the inability to recall most of their names. No matter what, Ichigo promised himself that their deaths would not be meaningless.

Demonic Power coursed through every fiber of his being. Whereas his Spiritual Energy as a former Substitute Shinigami had been like a controlled flame, his newfound strength felt more akin to an unstable wildfire. It raged beneath his skin, raced through his muscles, and made his blood boil furiously. It urged him forward, and commanded that he teach the orange-haired vampire at the opposite end of the hallway the true meaning of Hell on Earth.

"Can you sense anyone else?"

"What do you mean?" Yoruichi asked, standing on his left. If the Flash Goddess was at all bothered by the gore that surrounded them, she didn't show any outward signs. "Who are you talking about?"

Raising his right hand, Ichigo looked down at the appendage and clenched his fist. "This Demonic Power is different than what I'm used to… I don't know how well I'll be able to control it if I end up getting into a fight. I don't even know what unintended consequences extending my senses might have. I need you to search for any human survivors and take them to Karakura Town."

"You mean to Orihime, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do."

"What about your blonde girlfriend? I can tell that she's close."

"Leave her to me. Just get everyone else out of here so I can cut loose."

Nodding in understanding, Yoruichi briefly disappeared in a burst of Shunpo. Reappearing further down the hallway, she bent down and lifted Pip's broken body into a bridal carry. The unconscious Frenchman let out a quiet groan, and Ichigo immediately felt a considerable amount of relief fill his body. If Pip was aware enough of his surroundings to register pain, then hopefully he would be able to make it to Karakura Town. Once there, he could be healed safely.

The thought of reincarnating his older friend into a Devil had briefly crossed Ichigo's mind, but he didn't want to do that without receiving genuine permission. Changing someone's life to such a degree wasn't a prospect to be taken lightly, and Pip was in no real condition to give his coherent consent. It was definitely the easier option, and maybe he would ask to reincarnate Pip at a later date, but now didn't really feel like the right time. Besides, given that Orihime quite literally had the power to reverse normally fatal injuries, there was no real pressure to use one of his Evil Pieces at the moment.

Yoruichi returned to an upright position, adjusting Pip's weight in her arms. Adopting an utterly serious expression, the ebony-skinned woman looked directly into Ichigo's eyes. "I'll be coming back to help you, alright?"

He nodded.

Evidently satisfied, his former mentor disappeared in another burst of Shunpo to collect anyone else who had managed to survive Millennium's onslaught.

With Pip now out of the way and safe from further harm, Ichigo rolled his shoulders and turned his attention towards the woman at the opposite end of the hallway. She was heavily tattooed, extremely muscular, and possessed an appearance that practically screamed 'bad guy.' Having been thrown off her feet during his initial arrival, she was currently in the process of attempting to regain her footing.

Not a chance…

In a flash on Sonido, he closed the distance between them in an instant. His sudden movement startled her, and the woman took several staggering steps backward. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth hung open in evident disbelief.

"Y-You aren't supposed to be here! His Majesty said-"

"Are you Zorin Blitz?"

His calm delivery of the question seemed to catch her by surprise, but her shocked mien quickly settled into a defiant snarl. "Yeah? And so what if I am?" Her right arm was raised, and she cocked back a fist and sent it sailing towards his face. With almost no effort whatsoever, Ichigo reacted accordingly and caught the incoming punch in the palm of his left hand.

Zorin adopted a look of absolute horror.

Squeezing her fist, Ichigo raised his right hand and made a fist of his own, pressing his knuckles against the older woman's chest. Flaring his Demonic Power slightly, he discharged a small burst of pressurized air from the outstretched appendage. The wall behind Zorin caved in instantly, and the floorboards under her feet were reduced to splinters. The woman herself doubled over in agonized pain, vomiting up a considerable amount of blood as her eyes bulged in their sockets. No doubt several of her internal organs had just been turned into a fine paste.

Heaving raggedly, Zorin gripped Ichigo's arm to keep from falling to her knees. "W-What… what the f-fuck are you…?"

"I'm the guy you shouldn't have pissed off."

Ripping his arm free from his fellow orange-head's grasp, Ichigo cocked his left fist back and delivered an absolutely brutal uppercut to the underside of Zorin's jaw. The tattooed woman released a brief sound of surprise before she was launched into the air and through the hallway's ceiling. Her momentum continued to carry her up through the roof, and Ichigo watched as she sailed away into the night sky and out of his line of sight.

He wasn't done with her yet, but there was something else he needed to do before finishing the job.

Turning on his heel, the former Substitute carefully extended his senses. As he did so, the floor beneath his feet caught fire, serving as testament to the fact that he still didn't quite know how to properly control his Demonic Power. Closing his eyes, Ichigo allowed his aura to spread throughout the immediate vicinity. Thankfully, he quickly found what he was looking for. Willing his Demonic Power back into his body, he rushed back down the hallway in the direction he'd come from.

Stepping over a few fallen beams and several large chunks of debris, he crouched through a hole in the wall and dropped to his knees next to the shivering form of Seras Victoria. The blonde was whimpering under her breath, and it looked like she'd definitely taken quite the beating. Her eyes were ruined, her left arm was completely gone, and there was a gaping hole in the middle of her chest. The fact that she was still alive was nothing short of a miracle…

Carefully, Ichigo collected her in his arms and pulled her into his lap. Seras cried out in terror as soon as his fingers ghosted across her skin, and she began to thrash wildly when he was forced to tighten his grip. Fortunately, it wasn't very hard to hold her steady with his newfound strength, and Ichigo decided to simply let her tire herself out. Gently running a hand through her hair, he leaned back against a piece of rubble and did his best to calm her down. Despite the soothing reassurances he attempted to whisper to her, the vampiress continued to struggle in a desperate attempt to get away.

Ichigo released a patient sigh, even as an elbow was harshly driven into his ribcage. There had to be something he could do to bring Seras to her senses… it wouldn't be safe to leave her alone while she was still in her current state. Whatever Zorin had done to her, it had obviously gone far beyond just physical trauma. He had seen her take brutal physical punishment before, and she had recovered then without too much trouble.

A boot smashed into his kneecap, yet Ichigo took the blow in stride. A sudden thought crossed his mind, but he quickly squashed it down before he could truly consider its viability. It was so stupidly cliché… there was no way such a thing would actually work.

However, with very few options available to him, Ichigo found himself repeatedly drawn back to the idea. If it failed, nothing of any real value would be lost aside from a small bit of his dignity. If it worked, and the shock value was enough to break Seras out of her trance, then he supposed it would be worth it. Sucking in a sharp breath, the former Shinigami adjusted his grip to hold Seras in front of him by her shoulders. As he looked into the bloody mass of tissue that was one her bright blue eyes, the blonde continued to try and pull herself free from his grasp.

Throwing personal reservations to the wind, Ichigo closed his eyes and swiftly pulled her forward.

She immediately released a muffled sound of surprise, going rigid as a board. He felt the muscles in her remaining arm tense for several long moments, before gradually relaxing. Her entire posture slackened, and before too long she was completely leaning against his chest.

Cautiously, Ichigo removed his hands from her shoulders as her own timidly clutched at the fabric of his Shihakusho. Settling for wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer and allowed her to take more control as she appeared to calm down. Several more moments passed, and Ichigo finally forced himself to break away. Seras let out a sound of mild disappointment, and thankfully raised her head to look him in the eye. Of course, she couldn't really do anything of the sort given that her eyes were gone, but the motion was still a good sign. If she was willing to try and look at him now, then hopefully her senses had returned to her.

"I-Ichigo…?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

The blonde released a broken sob, shuddering in his arms. "Where were you…?"

The pleading question drove a knife through his heart. Placing one of his hands against the back of Seras' head, he gently brought her forward to nestle against the fabric of his Shihakusho. "I'm sorry… I never should have left. But I'm here now."

"Y-You won't leave us again, w-will you…?"

Closing his eyes, Ichigo shook his head lightly. "Never again."

Seras shuffled in his lap. Her remaining hand moved up to tightly grip the fabric just over his shoulders, and Ichigo allowed his partner to once again lean into him bodily. Then, without warning, he felt something soft and warm press against his lips. This kiss wasn't as forceful as the previous one, nor did it carry any kind of desperate longing. It was one that begged for reassurance, and Ichigo did his genuine best to provide just that.

For several minutes, they continued to sit in peaceful silence.

Despite the severity of the present situation, Ichigo could very well admit that this was a long time coming. Any previous doubts he'd held in his heart slowly melted away as Seras' lips tenderly moved against his own. As cliché as it might have sounded… the kiss honestly felt right. His arms tightened around her midsection, and Seras released a small sound of contentment.

After a moment, the blonde slowly broke the kiss. Her reluctance was obvious, and her tongue darted out to clear away the small bit of saliva still coating her lower lip. Resting her forehead against his own, she breathed out shakily. "W-What are our casualties…?"

Ichigo felt himself mentally commend her for her willingness to return to business so quickly. "When I got here, Pip was the only member of the Wild Geese I saw that was still alive. There might be more somewhere in the manor, but I can't be sure."

"Is Captain Bernadotte-?"

"He's severely injured, but en-route to medical treatment. I can't promise anything, but I'm still fairly confident that he'll manage to pull through. He's a stubborn bastard, after all."

Seras let out a semi-amused snort.

The sound brought a small smile to Ichigo's face. However, as his eyes wandered downward, the smile died a very quick and painful death. The open wound in the middle of Seras' chest was still dripping with blood, as was the stump where her left arm had been previously. The only thing keeping her alive at the moment was undoubtedly her vampirism, but even that wouldn't be enough to stop her from bleeding out if the wounds were left untreated.

An obvious solution came to mind.

Unlike Pip, Seras was most definitely cognizant enough to give proper consent.

"We need to heal you," Ichigo stated bluntly.

Seras nodded, wetting her lips again with her tongue. "I-I need blood. I'm not sure if it'll be enough to make my arm grow back, but-"

"I have another idea."

"What? What do you mean?"

Ichigo swallowed, internally debating how best to explain his new situation. "Can you still extend your aura? Tell me what you sense inside of me." Her confusion was obvious, but his partner still nodded and leaned back. Straightening her posture, she sat up and did as instructed. He could feel it as her vampiric aura extended from the rest of her physical body and swept over the rest of the room. It felt similar to being draped in a heavy blanket — Ichigo could actually feel the malevolent power doing its best to envelop him.

Of course, as it got too close, his own Demonic Power flared. The vampiric energy immediately retreated, and Seras herself released a sharp gasp and involuntarily flung herself out of his lap. "Ichigo! What…. what the bloody hell is that…?!"

"Would you believe me if I told you that my godfather is the Devil?"

"I… I don't think I'd be surprised after feeling that…"

Ichigo shrugged. "I've been spending the last few days with him and the rest of his family. That's why I was gone for as long as I was. A few minutes ago, he let me know that London was under attack. I asked him to return me to the World of the Living, and he did so after offering to turn me into a Devil."

"Obviously you accepted…"

"Does that bother you?"

Seras' expression became somewhat complicated, but she still shook her head. "It's definitely different. But you're still the same person, right?"

"Of course."

"Then I don't have a problem with it. If you promise me that you're still the same man that I… well… that I fell in love with, then I believe you. But what does any of this have to do with healing me?"

Snapping his fingers, Ichigo conjured up a small magic circle. It was only the size of a dinner plate, which was truthfully all he could manage at this point without unintentionally releasing too much of his new power. Reaching into the circle, he quickly produced one of his Evil Pieces.

"I can turn you into a Devil as well," he explained, rolling the Rook around between his fingers. "Based on what I was told, I'm confident that the process of transformation will immediately heal all of your injuries no matter how grievous they might be. You'll also get a substantial power boost, so you wouldn't have to worry about getting kicked around by any more Millennium assholes."

Seras swallowed. The suggestion had obviously made her a bit uneasy, but that was completely understandable. She had already lost her humanity once, and now she was being presented with a choice to become a creature even darker than what she already was.

"You're one of the strongest people I have ever met, Seras." His words caused her to raise her head in surprise, and Ichigo pressed onward. "Watching you resist the urge to drink blood for so long has been nothing short of incredible. I know it must be almost unbearable, but that's just what makes you even more amazing. I'll admit… becoming a Devil comes with its fair share of temptation, but if there's anyone in the world who can endure it, I know that person is you."

The blonde smiled. It wasn't a wide or happy smile, but simply one of gratitude. "Thank you…"

"So what do you say?"

Seras went silent for a moment, looking down towards the floor. Ichigo patiently allowed her to take her time, and after a while, she raised her head again. Whereas trepidation had previously dominated her features, her expression was now one of utter determination. Ichigo felt a swell of pride take hold in his chest; it truly had been a privilege to watch his partner grow from a timid young woman into a proud vampiress.

"I'll do it," she nodded. "For Sir Integra, and the people of London."

Nodding as well, Ichigo reaching out and gently placed the Rook against the exposed skin of her chest. Flooding Demonic Power into the Evil Piece, he watched as the black crystal slowly began to pulsate with a dull red glow. As he continued to pour more power into the Piece, the red flashings grew in intensity. Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, the Rook was pulled from his fingers and into Seras herself.

She released a sharp gasp, immediately reaching up with her remaining arm to clutch at her chest. Behind her, a blazing magic circle appeared directly between her shoulder blades. It was bright orange in color, and roared with the intensity of a raging wildfire. Each of Seras' wounds were subsequently engulfed in flames of a similar color, and Ichigo watched as they were all slowly healed. Even the blonde's left arm, which had been completely torn free from the rest of her body, gradually reformed into a recognizable limb.

Seras' aura suddenly flared, engulfing the room in its entirety. Ichigo felt it slowly extend beyond as well, into the hallways and throughout the remainder of the mansion. It continued to climb higher and higher, very nearly to the point of being on par with Alucard. The pure vampiric energy his partner had previously possessed fluidly melded with the new Demonic Power, forming into something new entirely.

So entranced was he by the spectacle, Ichigo almost leapt into the air in shock when Seras suddenly released an agonized scream of pain. Her hands came up to clutch at her throat, which she clawed at furiously. Tears formed in the corners of the eyes, and it didn't take long for them to streak down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?!" Ichigo demanded.

"It burns!" Seras screamed, tuning towards him with pleading eyes. "I… I need… I can't-!"

Her shimmering blue orbs morphed into pits of the deepest crimson. Turning her face towards what remained of the ceiling, the vampiress howled like a wounded animal. Ichigo looked on in astonishment as rivers of blood, which had previously decorated the walls around them, moved towards the blonde with an apparent mind of their own. The blood collected around her feet, before slowly flowing up her legs and spreading across her entire body.

Stained by the crimson fluids, Seras' Hellsing uniform turned a deep red in color. Strangely enough, her bright blonde hair also seemed to turn several shades paler, as did her porcelain skin. The vampiress' eyes shot open, and she cried out another time as the floor beneath her feet was reduced to ashes.

Her aura doubled. Tripled. Quadrupled.

Then, just as suddenly, it disappeared entirely.

Eyes rolling back in her head, Seras collapsed to her knees. Ichigo rushed forward to catch her before she hit the floor, and immediately began checking her over for injuries. "Seras?! Are you right?"

Crimson eyes fluttered open. The new devil-vampire hybrid smiled. "I feel a little funny…"

"That'll pass. Do you think you can stand?"

She nodded, and slowly returned to a fully upright position. She wobbled several times, but Ichigo made sure to support her whenever it was necessary. Blinking rapidly, Seras looked down at herself in fascination.

"Red looks good on you."

Her cheeks immediately dusted with pink, and his new Rook giggled. "Thank you. What do we do now?"

Ichigo's amused expression quickly turned serious. "I want you to get to London as fast as you can. Find Intgera and Walter, and protect them until more reinforcements arrive. I'll join you as soon as I'm finished up here."

"What will you be doing?"

"I need to teach a Nazi why it's a bad idea to try and kill my friends."

Seras nodded in understanding, before closing her eyes. Ichigo felt her new Demonic Power slowly collect between her shoulders, where two gigantic wings sprouted. One was leathery in appearance, similar to that of a bat, while the other was comprised of a swirling mass of red and black shadows. "Don't take too long, alright?"

He nodded, smiling.

Rising to the tips of her toes, Seras gave him a quick peck on the lips. Before he could comment on the action, she shot into the air with the speed of a cannonball. Her wings flapped once, twice, thrice, and then she ascended into the clouds beyond his line of sight. Shaking his head in mild amusement, the former Substitute Shinigami closed his eyes and reached outward with his aura. Now that he was completely alone in the manor, he didn't have to worry about accidentally incinerating any of his allies with his power.

Based on what he was able to sense, Zorin Blitz was still relatively close by. It seemed his punch had carried her across the entirety of the mansion's front lawn. Evidently, she had managed to pick herself up during his reunion with Seras — her energy signature was getting further and further away, so he assumed she was doing her best to run away while she thought he was distracted.

Unfortunately for her, he had the very convenient ability to cross large distances in a fraction of a second. Shunpo and Sonido really came in handy like that.

Static buzzed in his ears, and Ichigo immediately felt a cool breeze against his face. Opening his eyes, his vision was graced by the night sky and the British countryside. A choked sound of surprise reached his ears, and he turned slightly to appraise the woman he was about to kick the crap out of. Zorin obviously hadn't expected him to appear out of thin air — his sudden appearance had seemingly caused her to fall on her ass in shock.

A nasty bruise decorated the underside of her jaw, and it was plainly visible even in the darkness of the night. Ichigo gave himself a mental pat on the back for that. "You really shouldn't have come here. I don't know what kind of sick, twisted pleasure you Millennium people get from messing with Hellsing, but its finally come back to bite you in the ass. I'm going to kill you, but not before making sure you feel the same pain you caused my friends…"

"You aren't supposed to be here!" Zorin shouted for the second time that night. Hastily rising to her feet, she took several steps back and hefted her gigantic scythe. "His Majesty said you wouldn't be coming for hours!"

"Well I guess he was wrong."

"No! That… that isn't possible! His Majesty knows all!"

Scowling, Ichigo blitzed forward and backhanded Zorin across the face. Bone cracked under the force of the blow, and the orange-haired woman was sent careening through a cluster of trees. Not giving her a moment to recuperate, he utilized Sonido once again to reappear next to her. Kicking forward with his left foot, he smashed the extended limb into the right side of her ribcage. The vampire threw up blood as her body was kicked into the earth, where her momentum continued to carry her through the dirt for several more dozen meters.

Blasting forward after her, Ichigo reared his right fist back and delivered a brutal blow to the Nazi's sternum, which shattered like glass instantaneously. He followed up with a left hook to the side of her face, which once again sent her crashing down into the dirt. Unbridled anger compelled him forward, and Ichigo grabbed his fellow orange-head by one of her ankles. With his tremendous strength, he hurled her up into the air like a ragdoll. Before she even had a chance to regain her bearings, he used Sonido again to reappear directly above her. Raising both of his fists overhead, Ichigo brought them downward onto Zorin's body with an enraged roar.

The blow connected with her spine, and Zorin cried out in agony as she was propelled back down towards the ground with the speed of a falling star. Her body impacted the grassy countryside, instantly creating a crater that was easily the size of Hellsing Manor in its entirety.

Dismissing the Demonic Power keeping him aloft, Ichigo allowed himself to enter a free fall. Holding his arms tightly against his body, the orange-head simultaneously pinned his feet together and angled them towards the ground. Given that he'd started falling several hundred feet above the ground, it didn't take long for him to pick up considerable amount of speed.

With no small amount of satisfaction, Ichigo snarled as his heels collided with the very center of Zorin's back. The crater her previous impact had created nearly doubled in diameter, and Ichigo immediately flipped away after making contact. Conjuring two small orbs of Demonic Power in each hand, he unleashed a barrage of bright orange fire upon his opponent. The onslaught continued for several moments, and the former Substitute didn't stop until he was certain that Zorin would be unable to get back up.

Breathing somewhat raggedly, Ichigo returned to a fully upright stance. Waiting for the dust to clear, he mentally berated himself for giving in to his anger in such a fashion. He hadn't even drawn his Zapakutō — all he'd done was resort to bare fisted attacks, which was definitely not his preferred style when dealing with supernatural opponents. Still, a more primal part of his mind argued that there was something strangely satisfying about brutalizing Zorin with nothing but his bare hands.

A sudden presence made itself known at his feet, startling him out of his thoughts. Blinking in surprise, Ichigo watched as dark purple runes crept across the ground and up his left leg. An unexplainable feeling of fatigue inexplicably washed over him, and it took every ounce of willpower he had to keep from collapsing into the dirt.

As the dust finally settled, he glared at Zorin's broken form. The orange-haired Sternritter was littered with burns and bruises, most of which looked beyond any conceivable repair. Even so, a deranged smile had taken up residence on her face, and her green eyes were maniacally wide. The tattoos on the right side of her body glowed a bright amethyst, and her right arm was outstretched towards him. "If I'm going down, I'll be damned if I don't take you with me!"

Ichigo staggered forward, falling to his knees.

Vision going black, the last thing heard was Zorin's cackling laughter.

---

(Ichigo's Inner World)

With every person, it felt different.

Some were more resilient than others, but everyone had a breaking point. Entering the mind of Seras Victoria had been laughably easy — the blonde obviously hadn't done much in the way of training her mental barriers. Ichigo was a much harder challenge, but Zorin was still able to peer into his mind after several minutes of persistence.

As the physical world around them disappeared, replaced by an inky black void, the Sternritter forced her consciousness into the younger man's most private thoughts. As much as it pained her to admit, she had learned very quickly that she would never be able to beat him in any kind of physical battle. According to the Major's battle strategy, she wasn't even supposed to encounter Ichigo… let alone engage him in a fight. Candice Catnipp and Bambietta Basterbine had been the Sternritter tasked with taking him out, but they were currently several miles away aboard the main flagship.

No… if she wanted any hope of surviving, she would need to resort to underhanded tactics. Luckily, her Schrift easily allowed for such things.

Sifting through Ichigo's memories, Zorin used her powers to look for the most traumatic one she could find. Numerous battles played out before her eyes as the search continued — battles with beings that she hoped she would never have to encounter. She watched as Ichigo combated a blue-haired man garbed in bone-white armor. Reaching further into her fellow orange-head's subconscious, she bore witness to yet another fight. This time, Ichigo was engaged in a bladed stalemate with an absolute giant of a man, who ironically had one of the most ridiculous hairstyles she'd ever seen.

Pressing even further into the past, Zorin finally stumbled across what seemed like an ideal memory. The world around her morphed into a rainy cityscape, and her presence within Ichigo's mind automatically informed her that she was looking at his home town. An overflowing river ran wildly to her right, and the ground beneath her feet was covered in a wet carpet of grass. Turning her gaze towards the subject of the memory, Zorin watched as a much younger Ichigo ran towards what appeared to be a young girl on the verge of committing suicide.

"Ichigo! Stop! Get away from that thing!"

Eyes snapping towards the source of the desperate cry, Zorin looked on as a brunette woman raced after the orange-haired boy. It wasn't very hard to put two and two together. "So… this is the infamous Masaki Kurosaki, eh? This must be the day she died."

Ichigo looked towards his mother, confusion evident in his expression. As he turned away from the young girl, the rest of the creature attached to the girl phased into existence. Although she had never encountered one in person, Zorin was still able to recognize a Hollow when she saw one. The repulsive monster opened its gaping maw, and lunged forward with the obvious intention to devour the younger Ichigo.

In an impressive show of speed, Masaki dived forward and draped herself over her son's body.

Blood rained through the air, and a life was extinguished.

Realization immediately dawned on Zorin. Lips pulling up into a sneer, she raised her eyes skyward and laughed mockingly. "So that's it, is it? You blame yourself for mommy's death? How fucking pathetic!"

Lighting crashed above her, but she refused to flinch. Raising both hands, she gave the dark clouds above a double serving of her middle fingers. "You don't scare me anymore, you pathetic little puke! How does it feel, huh? To know that her death is all your fault? She would still be alive if you hadn't tried to be such a hero!"

"You're wrong…"

Whipping around, Zorin's eyes widened as the world around her slowly began to disintegrate. The ground beneath her feet seemed to shake, and numerous skyscrapers suddenly erupted from the dirt. Clinging onto one of them desperately to remain upright, Zorin was taken along for the ride as the buildings all continued to ascend upward. Climbing higher and higher into the air, they only stopped when the ground was no longer visible.

Slowly returning to an upright stance, the Sternritter found herself baffled as the entire world seemed to tilt horizontally. Glancing around warily, Zorin tensed as a single figure materialized into existence several dozen feet away on the side of the same building she was standing on.

Before long, a tall man was standing in front of her.

A dark cloak was wrapped around his body, billowing in an invisible wind. Similarly-colored shades sat on the bridge of his nose, and eyes chipped from stone glared out at her from underneath a certain of shoulder-length hair. His features were eerily familiar, but she couldn't quite place why…

Then it hit her like a sack of cinderblocks.

Zorin's breath caught in her throat, and she found herself taking an involuntary step back. "No… there's no way! You can't be him!"

"Indeed," the man replied in a deep voice, "I am not who you think I am, Zorin Blitz. However, I am here to inform you that you are trespassing in my wielder's Inner World. If you do not leave immediately, we shall be forced to remove you."

"W-We…?"

"Surprise, bitch!"

Turning towards the second voice, Zorin cried out in a mix of pain and surprise as the top of a sandaled foot slammed into her stomach. The force behind the impact sent her skidding across the glass surface of the windows covering the skyscraper by several dozen feet. As she eventually came to a stop, the orange-haired vampire looked up in shock to appraise her aggressor. He looked like a carbon copy of Ichigo, save for the fact that his skin, clothes and hair were all white as a bone.

And his eyes…

His eyes were orbs of gold, sat in pools of midnight black.

"Who the fuck are you…?!"

"Doesn't matter," the alabaster Ichigo retorted with a sneer. "Now get out of King's head, or I'll rip you fifteen new assholes."

"Though unnecessarily crass with his words, my other half speaks the truth."

Reaching into his robes, the dark-haired man produced a ridiculously large sword.

The Ichigo double did likewise, reaching over his shoulder and pulling forth an identical blade.

Without warning, both individuals released an absurd amount of Spiritual Pressure. The glass beneath their feet shattered instantaneously, raining down onto the street below. Though Zorin did her best to shield herself from the broken shards, her uncovered arms still sustained quite a bit of damage. Her Blut Vene had been rendered useless by Ichigo's earlier assault in the physical world, leaving her completely defenseless.

Glass sliced into her flesh, leaving numerous shallow cuts all along her forearms. She'd endured far worse in her lifetime, but blood loss was still blood loss, and an uncountable number of tiny cuts could prove just as dangerous as the loss of an entire limb.

Lowering her arms as the hail of glass ended, Zorin took a fearful step back as the Spiritual Energy engulfing the two men continued to increase. A sudden throb made itself known in her forehead, alerting her to the fact that Ichigo was slowly breaking free from her control.

"You're gonna regret fucking with the King."

"Indeed, she will."

Pain blossomed all throughout her body, and Zorin felt herself thrown back as her mental hold on Ichigo was completely destroyed. Eyes squeezing shut in a futile attempt to block out the pain, a single word passed her lips as she was ejected back out into the physical world.

"Shit…"

---

(Hellsing Estate; London, England)

It felt like she'd been run over by eighty trains…

Being forcibly kicked out of someone's subconscious was never a pleasant experience, and it always left her feeling like she was enduring a particularly vengeful hangover. On top of that, all of the injuries littering her physical body immediately made themselves known, pushing Zorin to the absolute edge of her pain threshold.

Opening her eyes slowly, the green-eyed vampire nearly shat herself at the sight that greeted her. She was used to facing down monsters in battle, but at the young man in front of her was no mere monster. He was a demon… a demon come straight from the pits of Hell to finally force her to pay for her sins.

The swirling mass of red and black energy surrounding Ichigo flickered briefly, before exploding outward in every conceivable direction. The grass under his feet burned away, and the surrounding air grew heavy with a terrible sense of foreboding. The younger orange-head's eyes were crueler than anything she had ever seen, and mirrored those of the alabaster clone she had seen within his mind. Slowing reaching up to grip the hilt of the massive sword resting against his back, Ichigo spoke with a snarl.

"What the hell did you just try to do to me?"

Zorin fell back, scrambling away in a panic. Even so, she was unable to tear her eyes away from the horrifying visage in front of her. "I… I…"

"Is that what you did to Seras? Forced her to relive the most traumatic event of her life?"

Without even meaning to, Zorin utilized her Hirenkyaku. Reappearing more than a hundred feet away from Ichigo, she staggered to her feet and broke into a sprint. The damage done to her spine hindered her movement considerably, and the best she was able to manage was a pathetic hobble. Using Hirenkyaku again, she crossed another hundred feet in a desperate attempt to make up for her physical impairments.

Of course, it didn't help much…

Ichigo appeared directly in front of her in a buzz of static. Before she could even manage to attempt to defend herself, his left hand came up to wrap around her throat. It must have looked silly, to see someone as physically imposing as herself hefted off of her feet by someone with drastically less muscular definition. Despite that, Zorin had never felt so small…

Ichigo could kill her with nothing more than a flick of his pinky finger. That humbling reality was the final straw that broke the camel's back, and Zorin finally allowed herself to cast aside her pride. "P-Please… I'll help you!"

The pressure constricting her throat tightened, and although she didn't actually possess the need to breathe, Zorin still heaved desperately. Her hands swiftly came up to claw at Ichigo's own appendage, but no matter how much strength she mustered, his fingers refused to move an inch.

"You're such a coward…" the younger orange-head scowled, eyes narrowing. "You ever heard the saying that a person's true colors only show themselves in their final moments? I never really gave that much thought until now. When I first got here, you seemed more than happy to parade around like you owned the damn place. But now that you're tangling with someone above your level, you're trying to bargain for your life by selling out your comrades."

Ichigo dropped her suddenly, and Zorin immediately seized the chance to use Hirenkyaku once again. Reappearing above the clouds, she used what remained of her strength to condense the surrounding Reishi particles into an invisible platform beneath her boots.

A muffled buzz of static alerted her to Ichigo's arrival, and she whirled around to face him. Strangely, it appeared he had chosen to reappear a good distance away from her — there was easily enough space to park several semi-trucks between them.

Though his eyes were hard, Ichigo calmly raised his sword above his head. Zorin tensed as the ambient Spiritual Energy in the surrounding air was pulled towards the weapon, engulfing it in a layer of red and black Reishi. "Getsuga…"

Then, without warning, Ichigo disappeared.

However, he quickly reappeared in a random space.

Then he vanished again, only to rematerialized behind her.

This continued for nearly a minute, and Zorin frantically did her best to track his movements. Such a thing was much easier said than done — Ichigo was faster than anyone she had ever seen before. Before too long, the surrounding area was engulfed in a constant veil of static. Ichigo would appear, only to disappear yet again barely a fraction of a second later.

"Show yourself!" Zorin shouted hysterically.

As if by magic, the static vanished as soon as the words left her lips. Eyes wide with terror, the Sternritter looked around desperately to locate her tormentor. A sudden chill raced up her spine, compelling her to slowly turn around…

Ichigo was waiting for her.

"…TENSHŌ!"

A crescent of energy tore free from his blade as the weapon was swung downward. Helpless to do anything but take the attack at point-blank range, Zorin cried out in agony as her body was ripped apart. Pain unlike anything she'd ever known dominated each of her senses, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Her time was nigh.

Her world was Hellfire.

---

(London, England)

The Vatican's reinforcements had finally arrived.

Unfortunately, it seemed that they had not come to extend a hand of goodwill…

Maxwell's insane laughter echoed over the burning city. His forces, armed to the teeth and easily over a thousand strong, cut a swath through what remained of London and her people. No matter what stood in their way, be they civilians or vampires, the Knights of the Ninth Crusade killed every living and un-living thing that stood in their way.

From the relative safety of a hidden alleyway, Integra watched the destruction unfold with an expression of pure rage. Her lips had been pulled up into a snarl for what felt like hours, and the gnashing of her teeth was beginning to make her jaws ache. "You have betrayed us, Maxwell…"

Heavy footsteps echoed from within the shadows behind her. Stepping into the light, Alexander Anderson spoke up in a deep, rumbling voice. "Betrayal and underhandedness are a simple part of war, lass. In any other circumstance, I might even dare say this turn of events was commendable. Especially against the likes of heathens such as yourselves."

"And now?" Integra sneered.

"Now? This… this is different. I cannot condone the slaughter of the innocent, no matter what faith they might follow. Those men and women out there — your countrymen — they may not know God's Grace, but that does not mean they are deserving of Maxwell's wrath. I dare say the boy has become enraptured by his own authority. Intoxicated by his new power."

"So you disapprove?"

"Of course I do, Miss Hellsing. The Iscariot Organization is meant to be the instrument of a higher power. A guillotine blade in the service of God in Heaven. What Maxwell has done tonight is not in the service of Our Lord… it is in the service of power!" Turning his gaze skyward, towards the armored Vatican helicopters flying overhead, Anderson roared like an enraged monster. "Do you hear me, Maxwell? You have turned your back on God Himself!"

"Father Anderson, control yourself!" Heinkel's shout cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. "Bishop Maxwell's orders are clear. We are to bring Integra Hellsing into custody, not serve as her personal bodyguards all night long!"

At least a dozen pistols were raised in unison, yet Integra hardly even flinched as the Vatican agents surrounding her once again held her at gunpoint.

"I don't like this…" Anderson growled.

"What you like is inconsequential," Heinkel retorted. "We have orders!"

Suddenly, a sound akin to a screaming comet reverberated throughout the surrounding area. Crystalline eyes flicking upward, Integra watched as a crimson streak of light cut through the air and smashed down onto the cobblestone directly in front of her. The force of the impact sent numerous Vatican exorcists flying away, and those that remained upright were quickly flung away by a writing mass of red and black shadow.

"You're late," Integra remarked.

"Apologies, Sir," Seras replied, tone coolly composed. "Are you alright? Any injuries?"

"I am adequate. What of our headquarters?"

"We were attacked by enemy soldiers, but managed to kill them all. Unfortunately, our own forces sustained heavy losses, and the mansion was regrettably destroyed in the ensuing fight. Thankfully, Captain Bernadotte and I were spared from death by Ichigo's arrival."

"Ichigo, hmm? You say he was able to save you?"

"Yes, Ma'am. He is… no longer human."

Ah, that certainly explained it. It didn't take much to deduce that Ichigo must have been reincarnated as a devil by Sirzechs during his time in the Underworld. Having a devil on Hellsing's side would be just the thing they needed to turn the tide of the battle in their favor. Integra's knowledge of devils was basic at best, but even she was aware that a lower-level creature was more than enough to take out at least a hundred vampires.

"And what of you, Seras?" the Hellsing matriarch inquired. "You aren't a fully-fledged vampire, yet you are no longer the timid fledgling you once were. It seems you have become something new entirely…"

Seras' cold expression melted away, and she nodded cheerily. "Yes, I have!"

Several feet away, Heinkel and Yumiko both drew their weapons.

"Stand down!" Anderson snapped irritably. "Even with your powers combined, the two of you wouldn't even stand a chance against that girl now." Turing to regard Seras, the giant of a paladin seemed to allow himself the smallest of smiles. "Seras Victoria the vampire, eh? No… no that doesn't seem quite so fitting anymore. Seras the Devil would be much more appropriate, don't you agree? You have become quite the fearsome creature, my dear."

"A devil?!" Yumiko exclaimed, eyes going wide. "I thought we were only supposed to be dealing with vampires!"

"How did she become a verdammt devil?!" Heinkel said, tone conveying an equal amount of disbelief. "Who in the hell reincarnated her?"

Ignoring them, Seras kept her attention locked solely on Anderson. "Yes, Father… and I'm getting stronger with each new second. I don't think I'll ever be afraid of anything ever again."

The green-eyed man nodded. "It is as if your eyes have become twin windows into a bottomless abyss. Its rather striking… considering how human you look otherwise."

It was strange, witnessing the two of them exchange a silent acknowledgement of respect. Integra never imagined she'd live to see the day where Alexander Anderson would willingly share the same space with a creature of darkness without immediately resorting to violence. Of course, given the way things had progressed, the platinum blonde supposed she shouldn't be too surprised. Above all things, Anderson was true to his word, and he considered himself nothing more than a man of God.

He held no devotion to anyone other than the forces of Heaven, and in times of extreme peril that was a comforting fact to rely upon. Knowing where his loyalty lied made him predictable, and Integra knew she had nothing to fear from the man so long as Millennium continued to rain Hell down upon her homeland. Of course, once the dust finally settled at the end of it all, there was no doubt in her mind that things would immediately go back to the way they always were.

If they all survived the night, of course…

Drawn out of her musings, Integra registered a faint sound. Eyes narrowing, she listened intently and turned towards the entrance of the alleyway. The sound, distant as it was, was unmistakable. Integra had been in enough combat situations to know the scraping of footwear against concrete and asphalt when she heard it. However, the footsteps were slow — far too slow to belong to any kind of ordinary human.

Her eyes widened in realization. "Ghouls…"

So enraged by the destruction had she been, that she'd completely forgotten to consider what would happen to the fallen citizens of London after they'd been slaughtered by Millennium's forces. Those torn apart by vampires, if no longer virgins, would eventually morph into walking corpses with an insatiable hunger for flesh. There were roughly seven million people currently living in London, and even if only half of them became Ghouls, that was still a harrowing thought to consider.

"You hear it too, don't you Anderson?" Integra muttered.

"Aye," the Irishman replied, "that I do."

"Then you know what needs to be done."

"Yes. As much as I hate you and everything your organization stands for, I am sensible enough to acknowledge that there is only one course of action available to us. If we wish to leave this burning hellscape alive, we will have to join forces and continue to fight as one."

"Father Anderson!" Heinkel interjected, clearly aghast at the very idea. "They… they are Protestants! Fighting alongside the Hellsing Organization goes against everything Iscariot stands for!"

"What would you rather do, hmm?" Anderson retorted, looking over his shoulder at his younger subordinate. "Feel free to run off on your own, lass. But just know that you stand no chance against a horde of Ghouls numbering in the thousands. None of us do — most certainly not alone. Even together, we probably won't survive… but our chances are much better if we put aside our differences for the time being."

Heinkel scowled, but did not argue any further.

Turning away from the paladins, Integra made eye contact with Seras. "Take me up to the rooftops. I want to know exactly what it is we're dealing with."

Nodding silently, the newly-born devil moved forward to grip Integra by the shoulders. Shadows enveloped them both, and in the next moment they were on the roof of the nearest building. Stepping away from her subordinate, Integra gazed out across what remained of London.

It looked as though everything was on fire.

Even the River Thames, illuminated by the raging inferno surrounding it on all sides, seemed to glow a deep reddish-orange in color.

Lips pulling back in fury, the Hellsing matriarch turned her gaze towards the east. The dawn would be upon them soon — hopefully to chase away the dark veil that had settled over the city. In the meantime, she supposed it would be a smart idea to at least try and come up with a survival strategy. The streets of London were practically filled to the brim with mindless Ghouls. Once ordinary citizens, they fell over one another in their blind search for sustenance. Some feasted upon piles of corpses that had yet to turn, while others did their best to force their way to the head of the pack.

The sound of multiple pairs of boots settling on concrete met her ears, yet Integra did not turn to acknowledge Anderson as he stepped forward to stand beside her.

"May God have mercy on us all…" the green-eyed man breathed out lowly, tone filled with disgust. "Never before have I seen such an unholy sight. You have my sympathies — I would not wish this upon anyone."

"Duly appreciated," Integra replied quietly. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Anderson snorted humorlessly. "If Maxwell was still of sound mind, we might be able to use his gunships to thin their numbers. Of course, that option is lost to us. We number thirteen in total, but even Seras and I would eventually be overrun. Ghouls are child's play in small numbers-"

A sudden cry of terror cut the paladin off, and Interga snapped her gaze down to the street just below their perch. Two young girls, barely out of high school age, were trapped in a phone booth. The structure was surround on all sides by walking corpses, and Integra felt herself fall into action before even properly analyzing the situation.

If she could prevent two more unnecessary deaths before the night was through, she would be more than satisfied.

Drawing her rapier, the platinum blonde stepped over the edge of the roof. Ignoring Seras' plea to slow down, she rushed forward as soon as her shoes impacted the cobblestone. The Ghouls were as slow to react as one might expect, and she cut through them effortlessly. Their foul blood sprayed through the air, and Integra made sure to maneuver cleanly between the splatters. Twirling her rapier a final time, she bifurcated the only remaining creature as it attempted to bite into her from behind.

Flicking the bloodstained blade to the side and clearing it of bodily fluids, Integra sheathed her weapon at her hip in one fluid motion. Breathing out a deep sigh, she ignored Seras and the Iscariot members as they quickly followed her down to the street. Approaching the bright red phone booth, she opened the door and adopted the most reassuring expression she could muster. "There is no need to be frightened, ladies. You're safe now."

Neither of the girls replied, still evidently petrified by fear.

"Heinkel! Yumie!" Anderson barked. "Help them."

The aforementioned duo quickly complied. Moving forward, they gently guided the two younger women out of the booth and into the open street.

"What are your names?" Intgera inquired.

The taller of the two girls seemed to finally break free from her terrified trance. Like her shorter friend, she wore a black three-button suit over a white undershirt and thin dark ribbon tie. A short black skirt, knee-length black leggings, and dark brown dress shoes adorned her lower half. Her eyes were a dark blue, and her midnight-black hair fell down to her waist. "I-I-I…"

"It's alright, dear. Take your time."

The girl swallowed thickly and nodded. "I-I… my name is N-Noel Niihashi…"

"And your friend?" Intgera asked, turning her gaze slightly toward the other girl. As with Noel, the still-shivering blonde wore a typical high school dress uniform. If memory served, the uniform belonged to the local South Braxton Girls' Preparatory school. "Who is she?"

"N-Ninny Sp-Spangcole…"

"Would you mind telling us what happened?" Anderson spoke up.

Noel nodded hesitantly, wetting her lips. "W-We were studying at my flat. My parents were out shopping, and everything was fine. Then… t-then we felt the entire building shake. Ninny ran to the window, and started screaming that everything was on fire…"

Intgera clenched her fists.

Choking, Noel visibly did her best to hold back a sob. In an instant, Seras stepped forward to place a comforting hand against the younger girl's shoulder. Noel flinched momentarily, but offered up a watery smile seconds later. The expression was weak, and did not rise to her eyes.

Breathing in shakily, she continued. "We ran outside to try and find out what was going on. My neighbors came with us… and then the men in black found us. They started killing people left and right. Men, women, and children. And then they started eating people! What… what kind of hell is this?!"

"A very real kind…" Integra answered. "Do you know if any of your neighbors survived?"

Noel shook her head silently.

Regretful, but not unexpected. Turning to address Anderson, Intgera looked the much taller man in the eye. "I won't leave them here."

"And I won't ask you to," he replied. "I'll have my men keep an eye on them at all times."

Satisfied, she nodded and directed her attention towards Seras. Out of everyone present in their ragtag little group, the fledgling devil was the only one who really stood a chance of standing strong against the overwhelming odds against them. Unless Ichigo decided to suddenly pop up out of nowhere, of course. If the orange-head could combine his regained supernatural strength with that possessed by Seras, the Hellsing Organization might stand a chance of enduring the hell thrust upon them.

Opening her mouth to deliver an order, Integra found herself instantly cut off as a low moaning filled the air. A chill raced up her spine as the sound gradually increased in volume. As one unit, the combined forces of Hellsing and Iscariot, along with Noel and Ninny, turned their gazes towards the end of the street.

Shuffling towards them from around the corner of a flaming building was a positively enormous group of Ghouls. Though not as large as the hordes she'd seen from the rooftop, Integra estimated that the creatures still numbered somewhere in the hundreds. They moved slowly, as Ghouls were known to do, but it was still incredibly daunting to stare them all down.

Instinctively, Integra ushered Noel and Ninny behind her while drawing her rapier.

Anderson growled defiantly to her left, allowing two blessed bayonets to slide out of his sleeves and into his waiting hands.

To her right, the Demonic Energy within Seras manifested into a set of shadowy gauntlets, which covered the red-eyed woman's arms like a second layer of skin.

Heinkel raised her pistols.

Yumiko drew her katana.

Likewise, the remaining Iscariot exorcists prepared whatever weapons they had.

Integra did not want to die. However, if she was mean to do so this night, then she was determined to leave the World of the Living with a weapon in her hand and her feet planted firmly beneath her. Odd as it might have sounded given that she was surrounded by several enemies, she was proud to stand with men and women who saw fit to spit in the eyes of death without any hesitation.

"I still despise you, woman," Anderson sneered.

She snorted. "Likewise."

The Ghouls continued to approach in a sea of rotting body parts and vile innards. The creatures reached forward hungrily, desperate to reach their prey and begin tearing into warm flesh. However, once the monsters were about fifteen meters away, an ear-rupturing sound echoed through the surrounding area.

Covering her ears, Integra turned her gaze skyward towards the source of the noise. To her shock, a tear in the very fabric in space ripped open in the skies over London. The portal released a constant hum of static, and seemingly led into a swirling black void of darkness. Furrowing her brow suspiciously, Integra watched as a humanoid figure appeared from the mass of shadows. Due to the distance between them, she was unable to make out any fine details.

Suddenly, the figure leapt from the portal and into the open air. Entering a free fall, they were subsequently engulfed in a column of blinding blue light.

"Brazado Derecha del Gigante: El Directo!"

Eyes widening, Integra dropped her sword and threw herself over Ninny and Noel. Briefly hearing Seras shout something unclear, she closed her eyes tightly as nearly fifteen city blocks were instantaneously engulfed in a bright flash of blue Spiritual Energy. A searing heat rushed over the surrounding area, putting the blaze created by Millennium's onslaught to absolute shame.

Then, just as suddenly as the inferno appeared, it dissipated into thin air.

Silence reigned for several agonizing moments, and Integra hesitantly opened her eyes once again. Briefly checking the girls for any injuries, she turned to locate Seras. The blonde devil was miraculously still on her feet, but had been blown back nearly a dozen meters across the asphalt.

Similarly, Anderson had managed to stay upright as well, but his cassock was now littered with small burns. Heinkel and Yumiko had both been blown clear off their feet, and were in the process of grudgingly returning to a standing position. Looking back down the street where the group of Ghouls had been, Integra felt her eyes widen incredulously upon seeing that not a single one of them remained.

They were gone.

Vaporized.

Reduced to mere particles on the wind.

In their place was a single young man.

His skin was dark, and he looked to be of Hispanic descent. He wore a flashy flower-print shirt with an open collar, as well as a pair of dark grey dress pants. His right arm was encased in what appeared to be some kind of bio-organic armor, which was predominately black in color with several red accents. The top portion of the armor extended well above his shoulder, and was split into two parts.

The young man turned towards them, and Integra was finally able to see his face. His expression was somber, and his dark brown eyes were partially hidden beneath a curtain of shaggy brown hair.

He moved forward, walking towards their group.

Before Integra could even blink, Seras dashed forward to stand between her and the young man. "Hold on just a minute. Who the bloody hell are you?"

The man ignored her, still focused on Intgera completely. "Are you Miss Hellsing?" he asked in a low, rumbling voice.

"I am," she confirmed, slowly rising to her feet. "And just who might you be?"

"My name is Yasutora Sado, but my friends call me Chad. Ichigo and I go to school together."

"You are acquaintances with Ichigo?"

"Mhm."

Nodding once, Chad raised his eyes back up towards the portal he had arrived through. Following the young man's line of sight, Integra watched in bewilderment as at least a dozen more individuals stepped out of the tear in space. Each of them was wildly different in appearance — one blue-haired woman looked to be wearing a rather skimpy nurse's uniform, while another was dressed in a maid outfit of all things. At the head of the strange group, garbed in a forest green Shihakusho, was a blond man with a bucket hat resting atop his head.

"Well now, it looks like you folks could use a hand!" he called down cheerily, descending through the air. Barely making a sound as his wooden sandals touched down upon the cobblestone street, he stepped forward and stuck out a hand. "Urahara is the name. Showing up at the most convenient time imaginable is my game. You must be Integra, am I right?"

Accepting the handshake, Intgera blinked several times in bewilderment. "I am… are you another friend of Ichigo's…?"

"The kid would never admit it, but I certainly like to think so. You lot appear to be in quite the pickle. Do you mind if we step in and help you clean up this mess?"

"That would certainly be appreciated."

"Kisuke Urahara!" Anderson roared, marching right up to the shorter blond man. In any other situation, Integra might have found herself royally annoyed with being pushed aside by the paladin. As of the moment, though, she was far too surprised to really care. "You made my last excursion to Karakura Town far more difficult than it needed to be. Those spiritual barriers you have around the city were annoyingly troublesome to deal with…"

"You seemed to get through them just fine," Kisuke shrugged. "Besides, I'm fairly certain you should be more upset with Isshin. Then again, you did try to kidnap his daughters."

"Enough!" An ebony-skinned woman shouted, coming forward to bodily force the two men apart. "You can point fingers at each other all you want after Millennium is dealt with. Until then, suck it up and act like the adults you're supposed to be!"

"And you would be…?" Integra said.

"Yoruichi Shihouin. I'm Ichigo's former mentor."

"Does everyone here have some sort of relationship with Ichigo…?"

"I certainly do!" The blue-haired nurse spoke up from the back of the group.

"Miss Shihouin does have a point," Anderson acknowledged grudgingly, ignoring the comment. "With our numbers increased, I propose that we divide ourselves into teams and exterminate the hordes of monsters roaming the streets."

"A wonderful idea!" Kisuke agreed cheerfully, much to Anderson's obvious annoyance. "Miss Hellsing, I believe it would be best if you and your young wards stuck with me. Balalaika, would you and Miss Blackwater mind accompanying us?"

Integra forced herself to resist the urge to shiver as a feminine chuckle danced through her ears. She hadn't even seen Balalaika arrive! Years of repressed memories immediately assaulted the forefront of her mind, and the platinum blonde hesitantly turned to face the woman who had taught her nearly everything she knew about running an organization after her father had died.

Balalaika's crystalline eyes met her own, alight with amusement.

"Not at all," the scarred Russian replied, reaching into her coat and drawing a pistol. "It has been such a long time since little Teggy and I have been able to hold a proper conversation. We can use the time to catch up."

If he noticed the tension between them, Kisuke ignored it happily. "Excellent! Now then, I think it would be best if Miss Victoria, Miss Hitsugi, and Miss Sagiri formed into a team. The four of you each hit hard on your own — you'll be quite formidable as a group. Miss Cisneros, I'd like for you to partner up with Goryu."

Laughing jovially, the blue-haired woman garbed in the nurse's uniform stepped forward and slung an arm around Seras' shoulders without any hesitation. "So, you're Seras Victoria, huh? I've heard quite a bit about you!"

"Y-You have…?"

"Oh yeah! I think we're gonna be good friends!"

Nodding happily, Kisuke turned to form yet another group. "Uryu, I want you to watch over the rest of Black Label. Attack from a distance, and only get up close if you think it's truly necessary. I know you can cut through these Ghouls without a problem, but they aren't the only monsters running around out there."

Looking towards the bespectacled young man Kisuke was addressing, Integra watched as he nodded without any verbal complaints.

"What about me?" a young woman with burnt-orange hair asked inquisitively.

"Don't worry Orihime, I haven't forgotten about you," Kisuke replied, smiling calmly. "You'll be with Chad and Yoruichi. Given that you're easily the most valuable member of our entire group, they'll be guarding you and moving you across the city to heal anyone who needs it. As for you, Anderson… I don't think your people will be able to play nice with anyone else, so you might as well stick with each other."

The Vatican priest growled in annoyance.

The girl nodded in understanding, evidently more than happy with her role.

"Alright then," Kisuke grinned. "Let's move out!"

---

(Hellsing Estate; London, England)

Zorin Blitz had seen better days…

Somehow, it seemed she'd managed to throw herself to the side just in time to avoid being completely obliterated by his Getsuga Tenshō. However, she certainly hadn't emerged unscathed...

Her entire lower body was gone, and her left arm was only connected to the rest of her by a few useless strings of muscle. Despite that, she was still alive and at least semi-conscious. Like a cockroach that simply refused to die no matter how many times it was stepped on. If nothing else, Ichigo could admit that her tenacity was worthy of praise.

"You're persistent. I'll give you that much."

The orange-haired woman attempted to respond. However, the only thing that passed her lips was a mouthful of blood. Falling into a hacking fit, Zorin heaved raggedly and attempted to drag herself away with her one good arm.

Sheathing Zangetsu against his back, Ichigo calmly stepped forward to follow her. She wasn't going anywhere fast, but he still didn't want to leave her alone just yet. A single poor call on his part could lead to her getting away and receiving medical treatment. And that simply wouldn't do.

"Was it worth it?" he asked, frowning.

Her green eyes flicked up in his direction. "Was torturing my friends worth it?" he clarified, crouching down next to her bloodied torso. "Was it fun for you? Did you enjoy it?"

"D-Do… Does it m-matter…?"

"It does to me," Ichigo replied. "Believe it or not, I haven't been enjoying what I've done to you. Sure, it felt good to release all of my anger, but I've never really been the type to relish in brutalizing another person."

"Then wh-why ask, a-asshole…?" Zorin retorted.

"Just trying to understand why you're so fucked in the head, I guess." When he didn't receive any further response, Ichigo signed and looked up towards the moon. "I used to know a guy who you really remind me of. He was a bastard, and always thought he was better than everyone else. Know why?"

Zorin remained silent.

"Because no one had ever put him in his place," he continued, not bothering to wait for an answer. "He'd never been humbled. When it finally happened, I liked to think he realized that there will always be someone who is stronger. So you know what he did? He stopped killing all of his opponents directly after fighting them. He allowed them to get on their feet, get stronger, and come back for another round."

"Why t-the fuck wo-would he do t-th-that…?"

"Because letting his opponents come back stronger helped him become stronger too. You've never been humbled, have you? You've never been forced to realize that you aren't always gonna be top dog. You think you have the right to slaughter your enemies just because they're not as powerful as you. Being able to dominate weaker opponents doesn't make you strong."

"Don't fucking preach to me…" Zorin sneered. "You think I've always b-been on top? I ha-haven't. I had to claw my way to where I am now. His M-Majesty chose me because of my strength."

"Are you sure he didn't choose you because you were expendable?"

The orange-haired Sternritter went rigid.

"Think about it," Ichigo pressed on, sitting down in the wet grass. "If this guy is really as all-knowing as you claim he is, then does that mean you were sent here to die? From what I've been able to tell, Millennium has managed to stay one step ahead of Hellsing until now. That gives your claim at least some measure of credibility. Why would your leader's foresight stop now?"

"Son of a bitch…"

"You were never an asset, Zorin. You were a pawn."

"Then I guess the j-joke is really on me, huh?" the older woman snorted. The action forced her into another coughing fit. Blood sprayed out from between her lips with each heave, and even started to leak from her nostrils. "I was sent here to fucking die… I hope His Majesty and the Major rot in Hell."

"Well you'll definitely be there to welcome them," Ichigo said, rising to his feet. Looking down towards his right hand, he forced the Demonic Energy coursing through him to flow into his open palm. A dark red orb of power coalesced there, growing to the size of a cantaloupe.

"Wait! I can help you!"

Ichigo raised a brow. "Why in the world would I trust you? You massacred the Wild Geese, destroyed Hellsing Manor, and nearly killed two of my friends. You deserve a one-way trip to the lowest pits of the Underworld."

Zorin sneered, using her only remaining arm to push herself into a semi-upright position. "Why should you trust me? You shouldn't, idiot. If this situation were reversed, I would have already torn your head off and drained you dry. But I have a fucking score settle…"

"And? You think that's enough?"

"Probably not. But I've lived a very long life, and I've learned that people with a grudge are pretty damn easy to predict. Besides, even if I was stupid enough to betray you, you could easily kill me on the spot. Don't pretend like you haven't been toying with me all this time."

She certainly had a point.

The urge to take his vengeance was strong, especially with Demonic Power coursing through his veins, but Ichigo would be the first to admit that he'd spared several dangerous enemies in the past. Many of them had even become some of his greatest allies.

Uryu

Renji.

Byakuya.

Ikkaku.

Even Kenpachi.

Almost each of them had tried their best to kill him at one point or another, but time had proven that it was better to have them on his side rather than against him. It was a very risky gamble to potentially spare someone as deranged as Zorin, but her abilities were very similar to those of a certain former Captain.

Though not as potent as Sosuke Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu, Zorin's powers had managed to fool every single one of his senses for several minutes. It truly felt as though he had been reliving the day of his mother's death. Having that kind of power in his pocket certainly wasn't an idea to scoff at…

Hesitantly, Ichigo dismissed the orb of energy swirling in his palm.

Holding out the now-empty hand, he willed his remaining Rook into existence. The Evil Piece appeared out of thin air, falling into his waiting grasp. Weighing his options a final time, Ichigo made his decision.

"So… you really want to make a deal with a devil?"

---

(London, England)

Sayo had always dreamed of traveling to Europe.

Climbing the Eiffel Tower was near the top of her bucket list.

So was seeing the Swiss Alps.

Of course, she'd never imagined her first time in London would involve fighting back legions of the undead…

Releasing a shout, the bluenette lashed out with a devastating punch that easily decapitated the Ghoul standing in front of her. The creature's head sailed a fair distance away, and its body tumbled backward into a large group of its fellows. With no hesitation whatsoever, Sayo charged towards the cluster at full speed. Rushing past an abandoned motorcycle, she reached out and sank her gauntlet-covered fingers into the vehicle's metal frame.

Lifting the bike off the ground, she skidded to a stop and used the momentum she'd built up to swing it around in an arc. The motorcycle was released from her grasp, and crashed through the group of Ghouls with the speed of a runaway truck. The creatures at the head of the pack were killed instantly by the impact, while those at the back were sent helplessly sprawling to the ground.

Moving to finish them off while they were disoriented, Sayo blinked in surprise as a flash of white rushed past her.

Katana slipping free from the sheath at her hip, Yuuko leapt over the pile of Ghouls that were already dead. With a single swing of her blade, she horizontally bifurcated the remaining monsters at the neck.

Sayo snorted. "I had that…"

"I know you did," her mentor smirked. "But try not to take so long next time, alright?"

She opened her mouth to offer up a retort, but an awkward cough cut her off. Along with Yuuko, Sayo turned towards the third member of their party.

"So… how exactly do the two of you know Ichigo?" Seras asked, stepping over several corpses as she approached.

Before answering, Sayo took a moment to appraise the blonde. She could certainly see why Ichigo liked her; Seras exuded a certain aura of innocence that was genuinely surprising given her profession. Additionally — although Sayo herself was not interested in other women in any romantic or sexual sense — it would be a lie to say that the girl was unattractive. Her red eyes popped strikingly against her pale skin and lightly-colored hair.

Her figure was nothing to scoff at either.

Adopting a smile, Sayo rested her hands on her hips. Part of her was tempted to reveal the full truth, but she wasn't really sure doing so would be fair without her boyfriend present. "Childhood friends. I was in a bit of a bad place ten years ago, and Ichigo's father let me come and live with their family while I recovered."

Evidently satisfied, the blonde turned to Yuuko. "And you?"

Flicking her katana to the side and clearing it of blood, the white-haired swordswoman smiled kindly as well. "I met Ichigo ten years ago as well. I'm certainly not as close with him as Sayo, but I still like to think that the two of us are friends. And what of you?"

Blinking, Seras reddened slightly. "We're coworkers…"

Sayo rolled her eyes subtly. The prominent blush on the blonde's cheeks was very telling, and the bluenette found herself surprised by her own personal lack of jealousy. Granted, she had already given Ichigo permission to pursue a relationship with Seras in addition to the one they already shared, but Sayo had assumed quite some time ago that she would still feel a bit possessive.

And yet she didn't…

Suddenly, the bluenette's train of thought was derailed as a spray of bullets peppered the ground at their feet. Acting immediately on pure instinct, Sayo tackled both Seras and Yuuko to the ground. Rolling across the cobblestone, the trio ducked behind an abandoned car for cover.

"What now?!" Yuuko huffed irritably.

Peeking over the vehicle's hood as the gunfire ceased momentarily, Seras bit out a muttered curse. "Vatican soldiers! They'll shoot us on sight as soon as they get a chance."

"Does that mean we can fight back?" Yuuko asked.

"They're shooting at us, aren't they?" Sayo shot back sarcastically. Without bothering to wait for a retort, she vaulted over the car and changed towards the group of soldiers. Each of the men was armed to the teeth; some carried semi-automatic weaponry, while others wielded rifle-mounted bayonets. Twisting to the side to avoid being impaled by one such bayonet, Sayo ducked into a crouch before punching upward.

Her gauntlet-covered knuckles struck the bottom jaw of a soldier, sending his head — and helmet — flying from his shoulders. Not willing to give the remaining assailants a chance to gather their wits, Sayo raised her left leg and whirled around on her right. The top of her boot crashed into the side of another soldier, warping his armor like tin foil. The cracking of bone reached her ears, prompting her to smirk in satisfaction as the man was sent crashing into several of his comrades.

"Come on boys… is that the best you can do?"

"Die, heathen!" one of the men shouted, raising his weapon. Unfortunately for him, his arms inexplicably detached from the rest of his body in a shower of blood. Staring down at himself for a moment in utter bewilderment, then soldier finally screamed in agony as the pain caught up with him. However, Yuuko's razor-sharp katana promptly carved a path through his skull, separating the top half from the bottom in one clean strike.

Nodding her thanks to her mentor, Sayo turned away to deal with yet another moron screaming at the top of his lungs about the glory of God. An organ-destroying punch to the stomach shut him up quickly enough.

Out of the corner of her eye, the bluenette watched as Seras danced through her own set of opponents in an admittedly terrifying display of efficiency. A maelstrom of shadow swirled around the blonde's entire body, tearing apart any living thing that was stupid enough to get too close.

In a matter of mere moments, the group of soldiers were reduced to nameless corpses.

"Well that was interesting…" Yuuko mused, frowning in mild irritation as she was once again forced to clean her blade.

"I'll say," Sayo agreed, rolling her shoulders. "Revy is gonna be pissed that she missed all of this."

"We need to keep moving," Seras cut in. The shadows swirling around her slowly disappeared back into her body. "There are still hundreds of Ghouls out there… we can't let a single one of them get out of the city."

That was an understatement…

Eradicating hundreds of thousands of undead monsters sounded like an impossible task, but it would be much easier within the borders of London. If a single lucky Ghoul managed to meander out into the countryside, it would be almost impossible to find. And of course, a single Ghoul had the potential to start an entirely new outbreak in yet another major city.

"Well, come on then," Sayo urged, waving a hand. "Let's get going!"

Picking a random direction, the bluenette took a single step down the street. However, as soon as she did so, a heavy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Pausing to shiver, she turned towards her comrades. "Did you guys feel that too?"

Yuuko nodded wordlessly.

Seras looked up towards the sky.

Following the blonde's line of sight, Sayo gasped at the sight she beheld. The clouds above the city were slowly beginning to swirl around in the air, forming a wide funnel. This continued for several more minutes, and the swirling clouds gradually picked up speed. Suddenly, without any warning, a bright explosion of bright orange fire ignited in the very center of the funnel, and the flames raced outward in all directions to form a perfect circle.

The circle pulsated several times, and strange symbols began to slowly appear in the air surrounding it. Then, as the circle glowed a final time, an absolutely gigantic column of fire erupted up into the night sky. Easily as wide as the River Thames, the inferno parted the remaining cloud cover and continued to climb higher and higher towards the heavens.

Ultimately forced to shield her eyes, Sayo winced as a rush of heat swept down through the street. Then, almost instantaneously, the burning warmth dissipated into thin air. Hesitantly, Sayo spared a brief glance towards her companions. Yuuko and Seras appeared just as dumbfounded as she felt, and the bluenette once again turned her gaze skyward.

A smile graced her lips.

Though the distance between them was far, she knew she'd be able to recognize Ichigo anywhere. Floating next to him was an orange-haired woman she didn't recognize, but Sayo trained the majority of her attention on her boyfriend.

He looked different. It was a good different, of course — black robes clung loosely to his muscular form, and a large sword was slung across his back. His eyes were confident, and held a gleam that made the Black Label agent rub her thighs together.

One thing was for sure…

Things were about to get a lot more interesting.

---

And there we go.

Before anyone gets too upset with Zorin's reincarnation, please allow me to say one thing… if you still hate her, and wish Ichigo had killed her off, that's a good thing. It means I was successfully able to portray her as a despicable villain. I want you guys to hate Zorin.

With that said, you might ask why I decided to have Ichigo reincarnate her in the first place. Well, I always planned to spare one of the original Millennium agents just to majorly deviate from "Hellsing" canon. Near the beginning of the story, I debated whether or not it would be believable to choose Rip or Alhambra, but neither of those candidates were very viable. Both of them were killed by Alucard in the source material, and we all know there was very little I could change to make him decide to spare them in the story. It simply wouldn't fit Alucard's character to do so.

My main plan always involved Ichigo returning to Hellsing Manor to rescue Pip and Seras. With Zorin there as well, she became the best choice to keep the story believable. Ichigo has spared plenty of deadly opponents in the past, and it wasn't beyond the realm of reason to think he might do the same with Zorin even after all she'd done. Besides, her abilities to alter a person's sense of reality and trap them in an illusion is arguably the most useful power any Millennium agent possesses.

I already have big plans on how to utilize Zorin's Schrift in future storylines.

And before anyone asks, I do not plan on pairing her with Ichigo. If you haven't noticed already, the version of Zorin in this particular story isn't interested in men.

On another note, let's keep in mind that sparing despicable villains in a major theme in almost all Shōnen anime/manga. The best example I can think of is Vegeta from "Dragon Ball Z", who has easily become one of the most popular characters in the whole damn franchise. Vegeta has done a lot of horrible things, but the fans still love him. A lot of people even prefer him over Goku, which I actually think is pretty impressive. That shows good character development, which I hope to replicate with Zorin.

On a different note, Seras and Sayo have finally met!

I know the sudden arrival of Ichigo's numerous allies might seem a bit confusing, so here is a list of the current teams running across London:

Team 1: Kisuke, Integra, Balalaika, Eda, Ninny and Noel.

Team 2: Sayo, Seras, and Yuuko.

Team 3: Yoruichi, Chad, and Orihime.

Team 4: Uryu, Miki, Oriha, Makoto.

Team 5: Goryu and Roberta.

Team 6: Anderson, Heinkel, and Yumiko.

I hope these makes things easier.

Speaking of Ninny and Noel, I hope you guys liked the "Burn the Witch" cameo. Even after the Battle of London, I plan on having the girls show up every now and again. Just know that they don't have the exact same backstory that they do in canon.

Now, with all of THAT out of the way, let me address several specific things…

Firstly, Yoruichi is NOT Ichigo's Queen. As of right now, the only two members of his Peerage are Zorin and Seras. However, I will go ahead and confirm that his Queen is running around London, and so is one of his Knights. As are both of his Bishops.

I haven't decided just yet who his second Knight will be, so feel free to offer up suggestions in the meantime. I'm currently debating between two major individuals, but additional candidates are still appreciated. Just keep in mind that a Knight's main strength is their speed.

A lot of you are probably wondering why Ichigo didn't reincarnate Pip on the spot, and although I'll admit the thought definitely crossed my mind, Pip's involvement wasn't really necessary for what I have planned for the rest of the main battle. I always planned on letting him survive, of course, so Orihime became a very nice way to keep him alive without Ichigo being forced to reincarnate him. And, like I said in the chapter itself, Orihime's abilities make life and death situations far more casual. Pip might get reincarnated later on, and he probably will be, but he's still human right now.

And yes, Old Man Zangetsu is back! In the Author's Notes for the previous chapter, I did mention that Ichigo's Quincy powers were somewhat repressed by his new Demonic nature, but they are definitely still present. Several people seemed gravely upset about this in the reviews, which was honestly a little amusing given that Ichigo didn't have access to his Quincy abilities for the majority of the main series. True, Old Man Zangetsu did his best to repress his other abilities, but Ichigo still won most of his major fights by tapping into his Hollow powers.

That was literally discussed in the TYBW Arc. So yeah, Ichigo's Quincy abilities won't be the main source of his power, but that isn't much of a change from the source material.

In any case, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

Next time, we'll see a rematch that's been a long time coming…

Alucardsbro OUT!