Chapter 15: Sinner + Vampire

White burst of energy engulfed Gunjo and Shuren as the portal to the other side was about to close, causing Karin to be released. Then a man with silver hair, wearing some sort of rags, a midnight black sword appeared and caught Karin as she stared to fall. The man skidded backwards above Ichigo.

"Karin!" Ichigo shouted, relived that one of his sisters is still okay.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked. Moka looked up and the man as well, not knowing who he is or what he wants.

"Does it really matter?" the man responded. Shuren and Gunjo looked up at the man surprised they know who he is.

"You're…" Shuren said, shocked.

"You've done it now." Gunjo said, growing more tentacles.

"I don't like watching people like you having their way." The man said to the masked men.

"BASTARD!" Shuren yelled, charging in to attack the stranger. Then Gunjo appeared behind the man.

"Hand over that girl!" Gunjo attacked the man who avoided the attack. Then the two men started their combo attacks and the stranger either dodged the attacks or deflected them.

"He's fast." Rukia said after seeing that display. Moka was impressed at the stranger abilities as well. Gunjo retracted the tentacles trying to regroup.

"Don't just stand there like an idiot!" Shuren ordered. "Take the girl!"

"Right!" Then a portal opened up behind Gunjo as prepared to leave.

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted, jumping in to stop them with Moka behind him as they were stopped by Shuren.

"Ichigo! Moka!" Rukia shouted as the stranger appeared in front of her.

"Hey!" he said. "Hold on to this one." He tosses Karin to Rukia and he charged into the battle himself. As fight continues, Ichigo flash stepped towards the portal, hoping to get Yuzu back before it closes but he was too late. The portal closed and disappeared.

"YUZU!" Ichigo yelled as Shuren appeared him, ready to finish off Ichigo. But the attack was blocked by the stranger, using a chain linked to the wrist. And then stranger slashed Shuren's masked causing him to get pushed back.

Rukia landed on a nearby roof where Moka and Gin was when she the chain. "That chain, he couldn't be…"

"You still want to go?" the stranger said, removing a piece of his headgear covering his mouth.

"Why you…" Shuren cursed, trying to hold his mask together.

"GIVE YUZU BACK!" Ichigo yelled as he charged in to attack Shuren but Shuren blocked and fired one of his own. The attack went Ichigo and aimed for Rukia and company. "RUKIA! MOKA! GIN! KARIN!"

The attack was close for them to dodge in time so Gin stepped in to take the hit but another figure appeared and took the blow. It was Chad with Brazo Derecha de Gigante active.

"What the…" Gin said surprised. "Chad?" Chad's Brazo Derecha de Gigante gave way, causing to be severely burned.

"Chad!" Rukia shouted as Uryu, Renji, and Ruby appeared.

"Damn it!" Renji cursed.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Shuren said, getting everyone's attention. "We were sinners who have been bount to hell. If you want your sister back, then lend us your power."

Everyone looked around but Shuren was nowhere to be found.

"Show yourself, you bastard!" Ichigo demanded.

"We just have one wish. That is to be free from hell." Ichigo started to follow his voice. "For that, we need your strength."

"THERE!" Ichigo charged in and clashed with Shuren.

"Destroy the gates, Ichigo Kurosaki." Shuren said, his own flame enveloped him and he disappeared. "If you do that, you'll have your sister back."

The stranger lowered his weapon as it vanishes and Ichigo appeared in front of him and grabbed his collar. "You! You know them, right? Who were those guys in the black capes? Where did they take Yuzu? And what does he mean by 'the gates'?"

"Slow down, don't ask so many questions at once." The stranger said, trying to calm Ichigo down.

"Then answer me!"

"Ichigo, calm down." Rukia said, putting her hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Rukia."

"Just calm down for a second. We have to finish treating the others first." Ichigo was still not convinced that the stranger can be trusted he listened to Rukia and calmed down.

Nighttime fell in Karakura Town as Orihime continues to treat Chad's wounds. Then all attention turned to the stranger who them out.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked. "That chain from earlier… That's the chain of Hell."

"What?!" Everyone shouted surprised.

"You're correct." The stranger said. "The name's Kokuto by the way. As you can see, I'm a sinner."

"I knew that this can't be trusted." Moka said.

"Then, you're like those guys who attacked before." Mizore said.

"That's right." Kokuto said.

"Why would someone like you help us?" Rukia asked, not trusting him like Moka.

"Help you? That's not quite right. It's not like I'm on your team. I just hate those guys."

"I don't care about all that." Ichigo interrupted. "If you are a sinner, you know how to get to Hell, right? In that case, take me there! Otherwise, Yuzu will…"

"She'll die." Kokuto said. "It's not a good environment for a normal person. If you don't hurry save her, she'll most likely die." Ichigo looked down in disappointment, not able to save her earlier. "You soul reapers have heard stories about the type of place Hell is, right? And I'm sure witches have been told the exact same story."

"We have." Rukia said. "It is…Souls that can't return to their origin, the Soul Society… That is, those who committed great sins are taken there. Those who are there are named 'sinners' and are bound with chains, and the guardians forced them to confront their sin forever." Then Rukia showed her explanation by another one of her Chappy drawings.

"Well, not just anyone can survive that place." Kokuto said. "After hearing that, do you still want to go?"

"Yes, Yuzu can't be left in that place by herself!" Ichigo shouted.

Kokuto smiled and said. "There's no changing your mind, is there. I hope you're ready for the consequences. I don't mind taking you there. Besides, I just want to beat up those guys from before. You look like the guy who can help me with that."

"Why were fighting them anyway?" Renji asked.

"Like I said, I can't stand them. If there's anyone I don't like, I take out. That's the kind of place Hell is."

"If you were taken to Hell, which means that you must have accumulated a few sins yourself." Rukia said.

"True, the things I did warrant me being taken there. But, there are times where a person needs to embrace the darkness to save the ones they love. Now, let's get moving."

"Right." Ichigo said.

"Hold on, Ichigo." Renji said. "You're trusting a complete stranger like him?"

"I don't care if he is a stranger. I'm getting Yuzu back. And I need his help to do that."

Renji grabbed Ichigo's collar. "Ok even if he's telling the truth, going there now would be playing into the enemy's hands!"

"Do you think I don't know that? What choice do I have at this point?!"

"Then, we're going too." Rukia said.

"Rukia."

"I'm going as well." Moka said. "Even though I don't trust him, Ichigo's right. We have no choice but to play in the enemy's terf.

"Moka." Tsukune said with widen eyes.

"Alright then, get ready." Kokuto said. "I'm about to the gates soon."

Rukia walked to Renji and said, "Renji…if the worse happens you know what to do, right?"

"Yeah." Renji said. "If it does come down to it, I'll make sure to use 'that' to force everyone back here."

"I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry, I'm on it.

To be continued…

Sorry, it took so long but that's the end of part 1. I had a lot of thing on my plate but it's going to be lighter after next week because of the end of the fall semester. Next week, the chapter will come on a weekly scale and the spring semester. Also the omakes for this story, I got some who said they'll do it. But, I need a lot people. So everyone please if you got an omake to send to me, you can PM me what the omake is about and send me it through DocX. Thank you and see you next week.