Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by TM11 when this chapter was originally released. On April 1st, 2020, this chapter was edited again by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot... and other people.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." -Normal talking
'Hello.' –Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Kon'nichiwa [Translation of Hello]
Chapter 4 – The New Emperor of Hell
Scene Start: Ichigo's Mindscape
Kyōka estimated that it should take Ichigo a few days of being in a coma and resting to fake recovery and stabilize his body. While Ichigo was stuck in his mindscape, he used his new powers to face off against Zangetsu and Yhwach to master them. Surprisingly, Zangetsu and Yhwach couldn't break or absorb his Hell Chains. They also discovered that Hellfire cannot be extinguished unless the target is destroyed or Ichigo summons it back.
Ichigo also used Yomu Kioku to ensure he did not fall behind in his classes. He was currently watching the recording of today's class when, suddenly, a small Gate of Hell opened up, and a smaller Kushanāda than he was used to walked out and bowed to Ichigo.
"Jigoku no Kōtei, we ask if you can start accomplishing the goals that your predecessor asked to be done," the Kushanāda inquired.
"Sure. Lead the way," Ichigo replied. With that, Ichigo, all his spirits, and the Kushanāda walked through the gate.
Scene change: Hell, Fourth Level
Everyone walked out of the Gate of Hell to find themselves on the fourth level. Looking down, Ichigo saw that they were standing on a Kushanāda.
"Let's start with a bang," Ichigo said and summoned the Jigoku no Yoroi. He then decided to use his authority to revive all the Sinners who had died.
"I, the new Jigoku no Kōtei, call upon my divine authority to summon all Sinners in this realm, whether alive or dead!" Ichigo yelled. Suddenly, a pillar of yellow reiatsu shot straight up, and slowly, yellow reiatsu descended towards the lower levels of Hell. Soon, various limbs started rising from the black sand, while other living Sinners who were hiding from the Kushanāda felt compelled to go to the fourth level. Ten minutes later, the Kushanāda beneath Ichigo informed him that all Sinners in Hell had arrived. Everyone was talking and asking around, trying to figure out what was going on. Ichigo then used his reiatsu to amplify his voice so all Sinners could hear him.
"Sinners of Hell, SHUT UP!" Ichigo yelled, and all the Sinners immediately stopped talking and stared at the figure in golden armor. "I am the new Jigoku no Kōtei. To those who don't know what that is, I am the Ruler of Hell. I am here to accomplish the true goal of Hell." Everyone was whispering to each other, wondering what Ichigo was talking about. "That goal!" Ichigo continued. Everyone quickly quieted down. "Is for those who have paid for their sins to be able to leave Hell," Ichigo said, astonishing many with the possibility of being freed from their chains. "Now then, many of you are wondering how I am going to determine if you have paid for your sins or not," Ichigo addressed the issue. "Watch."
Having said that, Ichigo generated a small purple ball in his hand and threw it towards a cliff. Everyone watched as the purple ball hit the cliff, causing a purple explosion that rocked the cliff and sent dust flying everywhere. Once the dust cleared, they could see a large white archway with some kind of silver liquid floating inside it.
"This will be known as the Archway of Forgiveness. When you feel that you have paid for your sins, you can attempt to walk through the Archway. If the Archway deems that you have paid for your sins, you have two options. The first option is to enter the Cycle of Reincarnation. The second option is to have many of your memories erased, except for your name, and the Archway will place you somewhere between the First and Fifth Districts of Soul Society. If you have enough reiatsu to become a Shinigami, you will feel a strange compulsion to go to the First District and will likely get sponsored by a Shinigami to become one," Ichigo explained. "A warning to those who want to attempt the Archway: if you enter the Archway and it determines that you have not paid for your sins, you will be in absolute isolation for ten years. You will temporarily lose all five senses and powers while in absolute isolation. During those ten years, you will experience all the sins you committed as well as what the victims felt. Once those ten years are over, you may attempt again. If the Archway still deems that you have not repented for your sins, you will be marked to become the toy of the Kushanāda for twenty years," Ichigo warned. "All of you will enter the Archway in ten years. If not, all remaining will be marked to become a toy of the Kushanāda for twenty years. After I leave, new sinners entering Hell will receive an orientation explaining what is going to happen to them. For ten years, they will become another toy for the Kushanāda. After that, they will have an opportunity to enter the Archway."
"What about those who feel that they do not deserve Hell?" someone asked.
"For those who feel that they do not deserve Hell, I will arrange a private meeting place," Ichigo said, creating another purple ball and throwing it at another cliff. This time, it became a small office with Hōgyoku as a secretary. "Once inside, I will pass judgment. If your claim is valid, I'll personally cut your chain off and perform Konsō to send you to Soul Society," Ichigo promised. "However, if your claim is false, you will immediately go into absolute isolation for twenty years, followed by another forty years as a toy for the Kushanāda. After that, you'll have an opportunity to enter the Archway," Ichigo warned them. With that, Ichigo turned and used Shunpō to reach the small office. He then sat down and waited.
"Ichigo, the first thousand or so are Quincies," Hōgyoku said.
"What?" Ichigo said. "Why are they here?"
"Ichigo, have you forgotten that other than yourself, all the attacks the Quincy use destroy the soul? That in itself is an act that will cause a person to enter Hell," Yhwach said.
"I see... I will go outside to address this then," Ichigo said, standing up and walking outside.
"To all of you that are Quincies in this line, I want to warn you. Your powers as a Quincy destroy a soul. In the eyes of Hell, that act alone guarantees a ticket here. I will still honestly judge you to the best of my abilities, but be warned: I will consider all sins you have committed," Ichigo told the crowd before returning to his office. Once Ichigo was seated, he instructed Hōgyoku to let the first ones in. The majority of the Quincies that entered reminded Ichigo of Uryū when they first met—stuck-up, believing that Quincies were superior, and feeling no remorse or guilt for the Hollows they destroyed.
"You can do it, Ichigo. Only three more Quincies left. Oh, and due to the old age of one of them, I am going to allow the three to walk in together. Is that fine?" Hōgyoku asked.
"Sure," Ichigo assured her. One of the Quincies opened the door for the other two to walk inside. Ichigo immediately noticed the old man and summoned two more chairs for them. The elderly man had gray hair, a gray mustache, and glasses. His deep gray eyes were framed by wrinkles, and he had a bit of a beard on his chin. His skin was aged and wrinkled, with pronounced cheekbones. He wore a brown tunic over what appeared to be a white Quincy outfit that reminded Ichigo of Uryū. The next woman had black hair and blue eyes, with her large hair kept in a bun. She wore a white shirt and a long black skirt. Soon, the last woman sat down, and once she did, Ichigo immediately stood up, recognizing her wavy brown hair.
"Mom?" Ichigo asked in shock. The woman with brown hair looked up, and her eyes filled with tears as she recognized the person standing in front of her.
"Ichigo!" she screamed, and the two embraced. The elderly man and woman with her were astonished to learn that their kin had a relationship with the new Jigoku no Kōtei. The man who had brought both hope and fear to many of the Sinners was, in fact, Masaki's eldest son. After hugging her son for a few moments, Masaki broke the embrace and began to ask many questions.
"Mom, before we continue, please introduce me to your friends," Ichigo interrupted her.
"Sure. The old man is my stepfather, your grandfather, Ishida Sōken. The woman is Ishida Kanae," Masaki said.
"Are you perhaps related to Ishida Ryūken, Sōken-san?" Ichigo asked, seeking clarification.
"Yes, he is my son," Sōken answered.
"And are you related to Ishida Ryūken, Kanae-san?" Ichigo asked.
"No, I'm Ryūken's wife," Kanae replied.
"Shit," Ichigo cursed.
"Language," both Masaki and Kanae admonished him.
"Out of all the people I'm taking back to the Human World, it's my Okāsan [mother, Obasan [aunt, and Ojīsan [grandfather," Ichigo said, still in shock at his luck.
"Wait, you'll take us out of Hell?!" Masaki exclaimed.
"Of course, I am," Ichigo assured them.
"But I thought you died and were chosen," Masaki said.
"Okāsan, I'm only 18. A few days ago, I invaded Hell to rescue Yuzu and Karin," he explained.
"WHAT!?" the three shouted in shock. Ichigo decided to explain the full story to them—everything from obtaining his powers from Rukia, to pretending to lose his powers, and finally, how he became the Jigoku no Kōtei. After finishing his story, Masaki hugged her son once more.
"Ichigo, I am so proud of you. I know you blamed yourself for my death, but I want you to know that I am proud of who you've become," Masaki told her eldest.
"Sorry to be a stick in the mud, but how are we going to return to the Human World without any Shinigami or Hollow trying to attack us?" Kanae asked, deflating the other two's joy.
"Well, I have an idea. I have an ability that allows me to store anything in my mindscape. I'll just place you three there, and when I leave Hell, I'll get Ojīsan, Uryū, Yuzu, and Karin to meet somewhere safe and release you," Ichigo proposed. The three agreed it was the best chance they had. With that, Ichigo sent all three to his mindscape and exited Hell.
Scene change: Human World, Ichigo's Room
The next morning, Ichigo stood up and stretched, hearing various joints crack. "Did everyone make it?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo," Masaki replied. With that done, Ichigo changed into something casual and walked downstairs.
"Good morning," Ichigo said once he was downstairs, and he was quickly tackled by two girls. Fortunately, he managed to keep his balance.
"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu and Karin shouted in surprise and joy.
"You woke up!" Yuzu added.
"Everyone said you'd still be in a coma for another week," Karin said.
"How long was I out?" Ichigo asked.
"Only for a few days," Yuzu told her brother.
"Wow…" Ichigo said, feigning surprise. "So, what happened after I blacked out?"
"When you crashed, all the Taichō and Fukutaichō were ready to attack whatever came out of the Gates of Hell," Yuzu began.
"Imagine their surprise when they saw all three of us emerging from the Gates of Hell. Somehow, you crashed right in front of the Sōtaichō," Karin continued.
"Unohana-taichō immediately took us to the temporary medical area Urahara provided for her."
"She reported that Yuzu and I were fine."
"But she also said she expected you to be in a coma for a few more days, maybe even a week," Yuzu concluded.
"What about the others? Rukia? Renji? Uryū?" Ichigo asked.
"They're fine. When they came out of Hell, they only had some wounds and low reiatsu," Karin said.
"I see…" Ichigo said. "Hey, girls, how about we visit Okāsan's shrine today?" he asked suddenly.
"Why?" Yuzu asked.
"Well, during the fight against Kokutō, I heard the voices of three people. One of the voices sounded like Okāsan's. She guided me to use that armor to defeat Kokutō, free you two from your chains, and guide us out of Hell," Ichigo lied to the girls.
"Okay, Ichi-nii. We can go visit her," Karin said and left the room.
"Let me pack lunch," Yuzu said, running toward the kitchen. Ichigo went to his bed and dialed Ryūken's number.
"Hello?" Ryūken answered on the other side of the line.
"Ojisan, this is Ichigo," Ichigo said.
"Hello, Ichigo. What do you want?" Ryūken asked.
"I want to ask if you'd like to come to my Okāsan's shrine today."
"Why?" he asked.
"If you didn't know, Yuzu and Karin were kidnapped by Hell," Ichigo began.
"WHAT!?" Ryūken shouted in shock and worry.
"Long story short, I used a technique Urahara created to temporarily regain my powers and went to Hell to rescue the girls. While I was down there fighting the kidnappers, I heard three voices. One of those voices sounded like my Okāsan's. She guided me to use a set of armor to defeat Kokutō, free the girls from their chains, and then guided us out of Hell," Ichigo reiterated his lie to his uncle.
"Is Isshin coming too?" Ryūken asked.
"No."
"Okay, then. Do you want me to bring Uryū?"
"Sure. If you wish to bring him, that's fine," Ichigo assured him. With that done, Ichigo hung up his phone. Yuzu and Karin then called from downstairs, stating that they were ready. The three siblings left the house and walked quietly to the shrine.
"Ichigo, are you sure this is going to work?" Masaki asked from her son's mindscape.
"I believe that it'll work. Just make sure you three mention that you attached yourselves to my soul or something," Ichigo thought back to her.
"Ok," Masaki agreed.
Eventually, the three reached the shrine. Once there, they saw Ryūken waiting for them.
"Yuzu, Karin. This is Ishida Ryūken. Ojisan, meet your Mei [nieces]."
"Hello, Yuzu. Hello, Karin," the doctor greeted.
"Hello, Ojisan," Yuzu and Karin replied with smiles, happy to finally meet their uncle. The four then began praying for Masaki.
"Okāsan, this is Yuzu. Thank you for helping Onii-chan rescue us from Hell. I hope wherever you are, you are watching us," Yuzu prayed.
"Hello, Okāsan. This is Karin. Thank you for helping Ichi-nii with his rescue mission. I know that Yuzu and I don't remember you much, but thank you anyway," Karin prayed.
"Masaki, this is Ryūken. I want to apologize for not getting involved with your son before. It is my fault. If I had not been so selfish by hating my Quincy heritage, I might have been there to help you. If not, I could have helped teach Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin about their Quincy heritage. Wherever you are… I hope you found Kanae and Otōsan," Ryūken prayed.
"Okāsan, Obasan, Ojīsan. Are you three ready?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes," Masaki stated.
"I am. I hope Ryūken doesn't attack us," Kanae said.
"Calm down, Kanae. It will be fine," Sōken assured his daughter-in-law.
"All right then, I'm going to give the three of them a few minutes to get to know each other. You three will appear and explain how you got into Hell, how I indirectly freed you, and how you used me to get out of Hell," Ichigo instructed them.
"Yuzu, Karin, Ojisan," Ichigo called out to get their attention. "I'm going to find a spot to set up lunch. Why don't you use this time to get to know each other?" Ichigo suggested.
"Sure, Onii-chan," Yuzu agreed, with Karin nodding in agreement.
"That's fine by me," Ryūken also agreed. Ichigo then left the three to find a spot to lay out the blanket.
"So, Ojisan, what do you do for a job?" Yuzu asked.
"I am the Director of Karakura General Hospital," Ryūken replied.
"Really?" Yuzu said as Karin closed her eyes and leaned against a tree.
"It's nice, isn't it, Karin?" someone said.
"Yeah…" Karin replied. At that moment, Karin realized that the voice wasn't Yuzu's or Ryūken's. She quickly opened her eyes to see a transparent woman standing in front of her. She had fair skin and long, light, wavy brown hair tied in a knot at the back, with bangs down to her chin in the front. She was wearing a plain white shirt and a black skirt. What caught Karin's attention the most, however, were her eyes—they were brown, the same shade as her Onii-chan's.
"Who are—?" Karin started to ask.
"Masaki…?" Ryūken interrupted Karin as he looked at Masaki in shock.
"Hello, Ryūken. How are you?" Masaki asked, turning her gaze to her ex-fiancé.
"Fine. But how are you here?" Ryūken asked, still shocked.
"Before I answer that… we still have two more guests to show up," Masaki said, and two more figures appeared.
"Kanae, Otōsan…" Ryūken murmured in shock before running toward the two spirits and hugging them. After a few moments to take everything in, he immediately began to interrogate them.
"Are you our Okasan?" Yuzu asked, tears starting to form in her eyes as well as her sister's.
"Yes, Yuzu. I am your Okasan," Masaki confirmed with a motherly smile directed at the twins. Both Yuzu and Karin ran up and hugged her, their tears running down their cheeks. After a few moments of crying, the two let go of Masaki as Ryūken finished his interrogation of Kanae and Sōken.
"How are you all here?" he asked.
"Well, Ryūken, when all three of us died, we ended up going to Hell," Sōken began.
"WHAT!?" the three humans yelled in shock and outrage, especially Ryūken.
"Calm down and let Sōken-otōsan answer, dear," Kanae admonished her husband, and Ryūken quickly quieted down.
"All Quincies, once they die, will end up going to Hell. The reason for that is because of our power. We destroy souls with our attacks. That single act guarantees a ticket to Hell," Sōken explained to them.
"How are you three out of Hell then?" Yuzu asked.
"Well, that's all thanks to Ichigo," Masaki stated.
"How?" Karin asked.
"Well, during Ichigo's fight with Kokutō, I attempted to stop him from Hollowfying again. The Kushanāda then bestowed Ichigo with special powers, which allowed him to cut the Chains of Hell and permanently seal away Kokutō. The attack Ichigo used somehow managed to reach all of us and freed us from the chains. When Ichigo was leaving Hell with you, all three of us used Hirenkyaku to escape as well," Masaki explained.
"So, are you going to Soul Society now?" Karin asked after taking a moment to process everything.
"Do you want me to?" Masaki asked.
"NO! But…" Karin trailed off.
"Karin, look at our chains," Masaki told her daughter. All three of the humans looked and saw that the chains of their loved ones were long and each link was whole. "We will only start Hollowfying if you feel guilty, remorseful, or full of negative emotion. None of us have that anymore. We were full of it when we were alone in Hell, but once we found each other, we helped each other recover," Masaki explained.
"Where are you going to live then?" Yuzu asked.
"We haven't thought about that yet," Sōken stated.
"Well… how about my place?" Ryūken suggested. "I have done several modifications to my house that will prevent anyone from sensing you three while you're there. It's also a place all three of you know. Additionally, due to some of the modifications, you can interact with the house even as a spirits. You will be able to cook, read, and more."
"That seems fair," Karin agreed. Everyone else agreed with the idea as well.
"Wait. What about Onii-chan? Does he know about this?" Yuzu asked.
"He... probably doesn't. Remember, Urahara and Goat-Chin explained to us that Ichigo rescuing us with that experimental technique ended up permanently destroying his reiatsu reserves. He won't be able to become a Shinigami again. There's a high chance he won't be able to even when he dies," Karin answered.
"I know, but should we tell him about this?" Yuzu asked again.
"I don't think so, Yuzu. If Ichi-nii found out about Okasan, what do you think he would do to see her again?" Karin said. She could already imagine her brother trying to kill himself just to see their mother again.
"You're right," Yuzu sadly agreed. She also knew the amount of guilt her brother had for Masaki's death could lead him to do something reckless just to see their mother again.
"Yuzu, Karin, Ojisan! I found the perfect spot to eat!" Ichigo yelled as he walked back to join them. He then guided the three to the spot, and they had lunch together. Eventually, they finished, and everyone left, with Ryūken taking the three spirits with him back to his house.
Scene change: A Few Months Later
In the few months since the fiasco involving Hell, Ichigo returned to the life he had been living for the past few years. Orihime, Uryū, and Chad went back to ignoring Ichigo, and he continued to sell himself to the various clubs at school. Time passed, and it was now the last month of school. Ichigo and everyone else in his class studied as much as they could before the impending last week. Three weeks later, finals week arrived.
Everyone tried their best on the tests, whether by praying to whatever god they believed in or cramming as much as possible. Whatever the students did, they all passed. Everyone was relieved until the scores were posted. For the past two years, Ichigo and Uryū had competed for the top spot, with Ichigo winning in the first year and Uryū in the second. Now, in their final year, everyone was waiting to see who had the highest score.
The headmaster held the top 10 highest scores to be announced over the intercom. In his classroom, Ichigo sat reading a book while Uryū and Orihime talked with each other. Somehow, those two had started dating out of nowhere. Suddenly, everyone heard a click and a calm but stern voice spoke over the intercom.
"Good morning, students. This is your headmaster speaking. I am here to announce the top 10 students from the class of 2007," he said. Everyone ignored the bottom eight spots, more interested in the top spot, though Ichigo was surprised that Orihime took third place.
"Now then, the final moment you've all been waiting for," the headmaster began. "The student with the highest score in the class of 2007 is..." He paused as everyone heard him open an envelope. "KUROSAKI ICHIGO!" the headmaster yelled. Ichigo smiled at the announcement and stood up. He walked over to Uryū and shook his hand.
"Thanks for being my rival," Ichigo said before sitting back down. To Ichigo, nothing else mattered at that point. He was about to finish high school and get out of this town to see the world.
Scene change: A Week Later
The graduation ceremony went well. Ichigo noticed that a lot of people from his past, who had been ignoring him for the past few years, showed up, but he ignored them during the entire ceremony.
After graduation, many people came to congratulate him, including Urahara, Ryūken, and Yoruichi. Urahara even invited Ichigo back to the store, but he declined, saying he would visit at a later time.
Ichigo had decided to wait a week after graduation before leaving. Karin was supposed to be at a soccer camp for the entire week, and Yuzu would be at a friend's house for a classic anime marathon on Thursday.
Ichigo packed all of his personal belongings in secret from his family. These included the few photos he kept, his various collections of books, his clothing, and any other personal items he owned. He sent all of that to his mindscape and asked Hōgyoku to organize it for him.
On his last day in Karakura, Ichigo received a phone call. Apparently, due to an accident at camp, Karin was coming home early. Ichigo grabbed the keys and drove to pick her up from camp. Arriving at the soccer camp, he picked up Karin and helped get all her stuff into the car before they began to drive back to Karakura Town.
"So, Karin, how was camp? Besides the accident, of course," Ichigo asked.
"It was fine," Karin replied. The two continued with small talk until there wasn't anything left to say. After a while, Karin spoke up.
"Ichi-nii..." she started, nervous and avoiding his gaze.
"Yes, Karin?" Ichigo replied, curious about why she was nervous.
"Ichi-nii, can you take me to Urahara's instead of home?"
"Why?" Ichigo asked as he left the freeway.
"Um… please don't get mad at me," Karin pleaded.
"Karin… Fine, I won't get mad at you unless it's justified," Ichigo relented.
"Um… my boyfriend is coming to visit Urahara's," Karin mumbled. Ichigo was surprised by what she said and decided that he needed to give this his undivided attention. He may be leaving, but he was still her older brother. He found a spot, parked the car, and focused entirely on Karin.
"What do you mean by 'boyfriend'? Is he a Shinigami?" Ichigo questioned.
"Yes," she mumbled, looking down at her lap.
"Who is it?" Ichigo asked, trying to think of anyone who could be his sister's first boyfriend.
"It's Toshiro," Karin told him, finally looking at him with nervous eyes.
"When?" Ichigo asked in a monotone. He wasn't showing it, but he was hurt that Karin was only telling him about this now.
"When…?" Karin asked, confused.
"When did you and Toshiro become a couple?" Ichigo asked with a frown, and Karin winced.
"Um… after the Hell incident," Karin mumbled, fearing what would happen.
"Why am I only hearing this now?" Ichigo asked. "Why didn't you ask me?"
"Um…" Karin couldn't figure out what to say. "I asked Dad, and he said it was fine."
"I see…" Ichigo said. Turning to the front, he started the car and drove off toward Karakura Town. The whole trip to Urahara's was done in silence. When Karin got out, Ichigo saw Toshiro and Urahara outside, both in Gigais. Karin gave Toshiro a quick hug and dragged him inside, while Urahara looked at Ichigo before he drove off.
Ichigo ended up eating dinner alone. Karin called in and said she was sleeping at Urahara's. Yuzu was also sleeping at her friend's house, while Isshin was somewhere unknown.
It was while eating ramen for dinner that Ichigo realized he had some important things to tell his 'friends' and 'family.' He spent the next few hours writing a few letters. One letter was for everyone to read, another for Yuzu and Karin only, and the last one was for Yama-Jiji, warning him about the future.
The next day, Ichigo woke up, put on a comfortable set of clothes, and ate breakfast before placing the letter to everyone on the fridge and the other two letters in Yuzu's and Karin's rooms. After that, Ichigo walked out of his house and looked at it for a while, reflecting on everything that had happened over the last eighteen years.
"So, you are actually planning this, Ichigo?" Ichigo turned around to see Masaki.
"I am, Okasan," Ichigo confirmed.
"I understand. But… But…" Masaki tried to say before she started to cry. Ichigo walked up to her and hugged his mother.
"Okasan, it's not your fault. This is something I have to do. I became what everyone in this town needed. I became a father figure for Yuzu and Karin. I became a protector for those who needed it. I became a Substitute Shinigami to protect my friends. It's time for me to leave. I am not needed anymore. Everyone here sees what I became, not who I truly am," Ichigo said as he wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Be safe, my little protector," she told her eldest before leaving to go back to Ryūken's house. Ichigo then looked back at the house he had lived in for his whole life so far.
"Sayonara," he whispered.