When a Devil Hunter Arrives

Hell a place of many different shapes and forms some that look like paradise others that live up to its name. Most people simply think of hell as a fiery pit full of burned and twisted souls with demons running rampant and they would be right in some regard as parts of hell were like that. Other parts though are frozen wastelands with towering spires of ice as the only landmarks sticking out of the never ending snow. While other parts would be dark forests full of demons waiting in the shadows of the dark and twisted trees.

"Dammit why did it have to be the Fire Hell again." A voice muttered as a lone figure wandered through chard and cracks grounds with ash filling the air and the figure continued to walk. "Dammit Dante when I get out of here I'm going to kill you for this I hate the heat."

The man (judging by his voice) wore a black duster that seemed to cast his body in shadow even with the front open and the light of the fire surrounding him unable to pierce its shadows. He also wore a long brimmed black fedora that like his duster cast his face in shadow. The only noticeable features were the red eyes peering out of the shadow across his face and more noticeably his height as he stood at roughly 5'2''.

In the distance there was what looked like a giant red scar in the air. Even stranger if it was located anywhere else was the fact the scar was covered in black flames. The stranger continued to approach the scar red eyes flicking side to side looking for any signs of danger.

"Odd normally some big ass demon would be guarding this or at least there would have been a small army of lesser demons between me and the portal." The stranger said out loud before back flipping away from a sudden wave of black fire that shot at where he stood a moment ago.

"Did you truly believe we would have let you leave that easily?" a raspy voice asked as the black fire that had covered the scar moved and converged together in front of the stranger as it started to take shape.

"Not really." The stranger said before continuing, "Just wondering where you were hiding at ya overgrown lizard." A roar echoed from the black flames as the demon finished forming in front of him. Standing over twenty feet tall and forty feet long was a black salamander with black fire running along its back and legs while the tip of its tail was also covered in the same black fire. On the demons head were five bony protrusions making it look like it wore a twisted crown and its eyes were a dark shade of red as it glared at the stranger.

"You dare mock me worm, I Kuroi-Ho the Black Salamander and ruler of the Ash Plains!" Kuroi-Ho roared at the stranger with enough force he had to put his hand over his hat for fear it would be blown off.

"If you're done with the self-introduction slash boast can I be on my way I need to kick Dante's ass for getting me stuck here." Kuroi-Ho in answer sent a jet of black fire at him forcing the stranger to jump into the air as the fire passed him by.

"I'm going to take that as a no, Lucifer!" a red light shined on the stranger's left shoulder for a second before it faded. In its place was a large black skull with wisps of black smoke flowing from it and two glowing red eyes glaring outward. The skull also had two arm-like attachments connected to it.

"Now then my turn." The stranger said as he vanished from his place in the air. Kuroi-Ho could only blink before letting out a cry of pain as his body was pierced by glowing red blades running down his back and legs before the stranger materialized in front of him his right hand held high with his middle finger and thumb touching.

"Dance of the Crimson Rose." He said before snapping his fingers and Kuroi-Ho was engulfed in a large explosion as every blade went off simultaneously. The stranger snorted as he walked toward the scar before he noticed the scar was starting to close.

"Shit." Was all he said as he took off at a dead sprint trying to get to the scar before it closed fully and missing the black blur chasing after him. Thus the stranger was not expecting Kuroi-Ho who while greatly injured slammed into him and both went tumbling into the scar as it closed on them.

Inside the scar the two beings were sent flying from each other even as the tunnel of red energy started to collapse in on them. The stranger glared at the demon that was standing across from him as it glared right back at him.

"I don't know about you but I don't plan on dying here and I doubt you want to die here either." The stranger said as his eyes flicked to the red walls slowly closing in on them.

"I have no more a wish for my existence to end here but why bring it up if the portal closed than the other side is closed as well." Kuroi-Ho said as he glared at the walls as well before staring at the stranger again.

The stranger reached into his pocket and pulled out a black stone covered in runes. "This little thing let someone open a portal but certain circumstances prevent me from using my own power along with it being a onetime use means I can't test where it lets things out at." Kuroi-Ho glared at the rock as he contemplated what the stranger said. It was easy to see what he was being asked for and as much as he would rather eat his own tail he didn't want to die in this tunnel.

"Fine mortal I'll power the stone toss it here." The stranger snorted at the obvious ploy to have him loose his only way out of this tunnel.

"Right how about I toss it between us and you charge it from a distance besides I'm the only one who knows how to use it the problem is that I can't provide enough power to charge it." He left out the part that he could power it but the amount needed would require him to go full demon which he didn't have full control over yet.

Kuroi-Ho snorted before nodding, he didn't have time to continue trying to trick the mortal as the walls closed in on them. The stranger started chanting making the runes glow white before tossing it between them. He extended his tail till it touched the stone and started pumping his power into it.

It wasn't long till a square like gate with white light on the inside appeared where the stone was and the two beings ran into it one entering from the front the other entering from the back. As they entered all they could see was white before they were jerked in opposite directions and vanished from the others site.

The next thing the stranger knew he was falling from the air and on a building in the middle of town.

"uhh that hurt." The stranger said as he rubbed his back and looked up at the night sky before looking around at the city around him.

"Well at least I made it back and a cant feel the lizard nearby so he isn't here at the moment just means I have to go hunting again." At the end of the strangers statement he felt a dark presence moving toward him at a rapid pace and a smile formed on his face though it was hidden by the shadows his hat produced.

"Well looky here my prey is moving toward me well looks like the hunt is on." With that the stranger seemed to vanish from the roof only to reappear several building over as he went toward the dark presence.