Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sin Eater ❯ Chapter 4

Sakura… was in hell… or what she thought was hell. Everything around her burned in purple flames, and she saw naked people avoiding it… and she knew why. Earlier, a man had accidentally touched the flame, and he was suddenly turned to ashes… the last thing from his mouth was an unearthly scream.

 

“No… take me away from here…” she closed her eyes. “I don't belong here!”

 

“But you do, Haruno-san…” said a male voice behind her. The pink haired girl turned around and saw Sin behind her… still with a coat and clothes, but his glasses were no where seen. Instead, she could see red fiery eyes. “You deserve to be in Hell.”

 

“Why? What did I do?” Sakura asked desperately.

 

“For your sins… you are condemned to a prison in which you cannot escape. A prison… for your darkened and mutilated soul…” he motioned Sakura to look at her hands… and she did. She gasped. Her skin… her beautiful skin was… ugly! Black… like some sticky disease was attached to her!

 

“But… But what sin?!” she shouted in her last desperate attempt to make sense of her world.

 

“You have been annoying Uchiha Sasuke for the longest period of time… and therefore… sentenced to be damned.”

 

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

 

Sin Eater

 

Wave Country Sin

 

Sakura gasped as she sat up from her futon, her forehead drenched in sweat. Her heavy breaths and her moving eyes had her thoughtless for a few moments… and it was only when someone spoke out did she recover herself.

 

“Nightmare, Haruno-san?”

 

Even in the darkness, she recognized the voice… It was Sin. She gave another gasp, and looked at her arms. Her skin was back to their beautiful color. She gave a sigh of relief.

 

“Must have been a powerful nightmare to give you jitters even if you have awakened,” Sin's voice sounded very calm, and very steady.

 

“It's… nothing…” Sakura replied to the darkness. “What time is it?”

 

“Five in the morning. The sun is slowly showing itself…” Sin replied. “An hour from now, Kakashi-san will call you so you and Uchiha-san would continue training.”

 

The word Uchiha-san gave shivers to Sakura's spine. “… Sin…”

 

“… yes?” Sin gave a reply.

 

“What… happens to sinners?” she asked. “You told Zabusa before… Souls mutilate themselves in when they commit a sin… so… I was just wondering…” she gave a small sigh, and she strengthened her resolve. “Is there really any bad effects of sin? Do people who have black souls go to… hell?”

 

“Hell… where did you hear those words?” Sin asked.

 

“My mother… she said… that bad people go there… so I should be a good girl and all…” Sakura silently replied.

 

“It's… funny how ninja villages seem to still put the presence of hell in children so that they would not misbehave,” Sin laughed a bit. It was a soft, almost soundless laugh, but Sakura heard it, and was partly glad. The boy in black never seem to give off almost no emotions… remaining neutral at almost all times and circumstances, almost like Sasuke, except to a much more advanced degree. The Sasuke was stoic at most of the times… but when pressure builds, Sasuke cracks first, showing a range of emotions even the slightest. Sin… he doesn't even seemed fazed when facing off an A-Level missing nin.

 

“And why is that funny?” Sakura asked, temper going up. “Its practical… telling children that if they do bad things, they'd go to hell when they die… so they won't misbehave in fear of going to that bad place.”

 

“Yet ninjas everyday do bad things,” Sin replied. “There is truth in what Zabusa-san had said… ninjas are people who bring death. Tools, if I dare say so myself. And I have told him… killing for the wrong reason is a sin… and believe me… there is a rarely a kill which has justification.”

 

“… alright, it's ironic… but stop avoiding the question,” Sakura stated, her temper up. “Is there, or is there no hell?”

 

Sin was silent for a minute. “In my studies… I have come across Hell in a few times in my reading. One describes hell as a place filled with brimstone and fire. Another tells Hell as a place where souls would be judged. There are many versions of hell… but basically have one principle… it's a place for people who die and mostly likely condemned.”

 

“… do you believe in hell?” Sakura asked.

 

“I remain neutral about it,” Sin replied. “I have not died… and therefore, cannot say if there is a hell or not.”

 

“But… you judge… souls… and talk about mutilation of souls and such!” Sakura stated.

 

“I don't judge. Well… not literally judge. I see and peer into the souls of people… and I go back to my code, and see what the next action would be,” Sin said. “For example, during my bout with Zabusa-san… I told him I would have to kill him because his soul has blackened to a very worst degree and because he is a threat to us… If I had met him normally, I would have ignored him. He is after all, just an A-Class missing nin, and therefore, not my business. But since he attacked us, he became my business, and therefore, I said I would kill him in my own hands.”

 

“… So… nothing is really wrong having a darkened soul, right…” Sakura asked timidly.

 

“Haruno-san, there is a reason why a Universe has a law for sin. If all souls follow it, then there must be a being of superpowers out there who made it so… and if there is anything I have learned from my studies, is that nothing is done without a reason,” Sin replied. “Who knows… maybe there is a hell. Maybe not. But self-mutilating souls don't come about without a reason.”

 

“… oh…”

 

“Are these questions related to your nightmare?” Sin asked.

 

Sakura went silent for a minute, before she gave a cordial “Yes…”

 

“Mind elaborating?” Sin asked.

 

Sakura told him of her nightmare… how her hell was a place filled with people avoiding the walls of purple flames, and how Sin appeared and said that she deserved to be in hell because she's been very sinful because she was annoying Sasuke to the highest degree…

 

“So… basically… I just had the weirdest and scariest nightmare in my whole life!” Sakura declared, looking at the darkness, hoping to see some sign of Sin. The windows seemed to show the few first rays of light.

 

“And… you are curious if your nightmare is actually… real?” Sin asked.

 

“Well… I was just wondering if… well… I think you know…” Sakura sighed, her shoulders sagged.

 

Sin was silent again… then Sakura heard a soft rustling movement. The rays of light began to spread around the room, and when Sin was illuminated, Sakura jumped a bit back in surprise. There was Sin, his coat and shirt gone, standing and looking at her with his eyes… the eyes she already saw… Sin's upper torso is what her eyes were stuck.

 

He was built… really built. Compact muscles plus six pack abdomen, it was no surprise that Sin was fast and powerful… maybe even more so than Sasuke, as Sakura would hate to admit it… but that was not what caught her attention. What caught her attention was the many tattoos on Sin's body… most of them were seals… especially in the stomach area. In there, there was a spiral… well, almost a spiral. In between the spaces of the spiral, there's what seemed to be some grey coloring around it…

 

Sin caught her looking, and answered immediately. “These are seals… they house the sins I have eaten.”

 

“… y… you eat sins?!” Sakura asked, shocked.

 

“It's my ability,” Sin replied. “Ever since I could remember, I had that ability.”

 

“… but… but…”

 

“What's the purpose of my eating of sins?” Sin asked. Sakura just nodded. “Well… like I stated earlier, sin and its rules have a purpose… what if there really is last judgment? What if the judgment is nothing but a peer to your soul, and to see how black it is? If it's very black… you go to hell… if it is not, then you go to heaven?”

 

“... okay…?” Sakura asked stupidly, not really knowing what to reply.

 

“Since we really can't say, why not make sure? Even with hunting of Q-Class missing nins, and occasionally S-class missing nins as training, I have a sideline. I visit those close to death… and see if they are worth to be cleansed.”

 

“… cleansed?”

 

“I eat the part of souls which have been blackened,” Sin replied easily. “Take out the bad parts… and let the clean ones reform itself. Souls are self-sustaining energies… even if a part of it is gone, as long as it hasn't been sealed, they'll re-grow the parts which have been destroyed or eaten up.”

 

“… oh… so… you eat blackened parts out…” Sakura replayed what Sin had said. “When you do that… the one which is left in the soul will reform and there would be no sin left… and therefore the person will go to heaven… IF there is, as you don't know yourself… right?”

 

“It's… an assurance. Especially to those who have done monstrosities in their youth… yet have reformed,” Sin stated.

 

“How would you know if a person is worth cleansing?” Sakura asked.

 

“Easy… peer down their souls… and see what their past holds… and peer at the clean parts, and see what the person tried to reform himself,” Sin declared. “Like you Haruno-san… it seems that peeing in your own futon and burning it… and claiming it as an accident haunts you.”

 

Sakura's face turned to a deep shade of red. “H… HOW?!”

 

“Your souls contain all memories, and I can view them while I check your soul,” Sin replied simply. Sakura glared at him. “What? Didn't you ask me if being annoying to Uchiha-san is a sin? I'm checking your mutilated souls right now…”

 

“You… keep that… memory to yourself… you hear?!” Sakura said menacingly, raising her fist. Sin hit a very sensitive nerve…

 

Sin just smiled. “Well… I really can't say annoying Uchiha-san is a sin… but cutting a few strands of his hair, spying him whilst he's dressing up, or even making up stories on how Uchiha-san and you slept together are sins…”

 

Sakura's mouth gaped.

 

“Well… at least you know,” Sin smiled. He began to walk towards the chair, which had his shirt and coat. “Haruno-san… here is some practical advice. Take it slow. Uchiha-san seems to be busy and training himself for something… There will not be any result if you try to keep forcing yourself upon him. Train with him… he'll respect you when you gain strength… then maybe then you can slowly start something.”

 

He slowly put on his shirt and coat, whipped his shades, and left the room. Sakura looked at him and then looked at her right… there Sasuke was sleeping peacefully, his back turned at her. The three genins were sharing a room that at first Sakura thought would be great, being very close to Sasuke… but the training just kept draining her that every time she laid down her futon, she would just fall asleep.

 

“Oh well…” Sakura whispered. “At least… Sasuke hasn't heard anything…”

 

Sasuke's eyes were open though… and he indeed heard everything. He wondered who Sin really was… and more importantly… did that boy ever sleep?

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

The two genins came down for breakfast after Kakashi had called them a quarter past six. By that time, Sin was already in the table, fully dressed, hair a bit wet, and smelling a bit like what Sakura had identified as Mountain Fresh scent of Nin-Dal, the leading commercial soap used mostly by ninjas because of the soaps ability to take out the smell of death or blood. It seemed that Sin was a bit of a clean freak… that even if he wore almost the same clothes (Sasuke is suspecting that Sin even washes his clothes as he takes a bath… most probably in a lake or a river nearby) he would always smell fresh.

 

Mingling with his scent is the scent of breakfast… this time it was rice with fried freshly caught fish. There is also a simple soup made from some vegetables and a piece of small chicken to add flavor to the liquid. Sakura looked at the daughter of Tazuna who seems to smile. She loves to feed them, even though they have not much to offer. Everyone in Wave Country were dirt poor… the meal in front of them was considered a feast already…

 

Tazuna's family is going to get poorer and poorer… maybe a reason why that boy Inari still does not speak to them. For a young boy with no ninjitsu training, he keeps himself well hidden. Sin obviously seems to know as he still hasn't touched his food. So far, Sin only seemed to eat only once a day, which made Tazuna's daughter quite nervous. She kept giving glances at the boy in black, who had his shades on once again.

 

Again, another day… Sakura and Sasuke would both climb trees… the raven haired boy was very close to the top of the tree… and Sakura had expanded her charka reserves that she was now more or less able to catch up. Kakashi was quite glad of their improvements. He had first thought that if Sin would join them, they would at least build an essence of teamwork. But since Sin could, as he claimed, walk on air already, there was no point in doing charka exercises for him. He was better off in taking turns with Kakashi in guarding both Tazuna as he builds the bridge, and watching over the house.

 

But nevertheless, Sin's presence had a very dramatic effect on the two genins. Sasuke kept pushing himself as hard as he could possibly can to get to Sin's level. Sakura had somewhat changed… though there is no solid evidence to prove that Sin had to do anything, but ever since he came, Sakura had been working her ass off more than usual. To a teacher like Kakashi, that more than a good enough reason for Sin to remain longer in the team. And with his skills, Kakashi didn't have to work double time to guard both Tazuna and the family, as he and Sin would take turns shifting duty. When Kakashi would guard Tazuna, Sin would stay and guard Tazuna's house.

 

Yesterday, Kakashi stayed at the house, whilst Sin looked out for Tazuna in the bridge. Now, its time to switch, and at the same time, Tazuna's daughter wanted to go out and buy more food for the family and their ninja guests. And since Inari still hasn't come out of his room… nor appeared anytime other than lunch, or dinner. Sin guessed that the boy seemed to escape and go out on his own because no one can be that quiet at very long hours in his or her room. Tazuna's daughter affirmed this, when Sin asked if it was okay to leave the boy at the house as they would both go out and buy supplies and food.

 

“It's okay, don't worry about Inari. If you didn't know, he usually leaves, especially since you have arrived,” she replied to Sin, apologetic. “I don't know where or how he goes out without being noticed or using the front door.”

 

“I believe he uses his window… either climbing down or jumping down, I really can't decide,” Sin stated. He gave a jovial yet small smile as he went out and held the door out for the lady. She went out with a thankful bow, and both went towards the town.

 

Both walked towards the town in silence, though the woman's eyes kept glancing at Sin, whilst Sin looked straight without any wasted movement. As they approached the town, the woman now began to move to the stores. The streets were filled with poor and dirty people, each one looking down at the ground, like they weren't worthy to raise their heads high. Children ran around playing simple games like tag, and look like stick figures, and some shady people kept looking around, maybe a victim to mug for money.

 

The final nail at the coffin was the stores that they went. Each had so little stock… and poor quality as well. It seems Tazuna's family is the only one that can afford a few vegetables and a few pieces of beef; Sin looked around, a frown on his face. The woman who he had been accompanying gave a small smile… “Wave Country wasn't always like this.”

 

“I read,” Sin gave a steady reply. When the woman gave him a questioning look, he explained, “I know about Wave Country's history. Before Gatou came… when he came… the killings… the martial rule over the country… I know of it because I have studied history of the world and its cities.”

 

“Oh… but… reading it isn't similar in knowing and experiencing it.”

 

“True,” Sin replied. “Hence, I am trying to experience what these people are experiencing. I watch their states, see how they live, smell the air they breath…”

 

“Not eat food?” the woman cut in, smiling weakly.

 

Sin looked at her. He gave a small smile. “Does it bother you that I seem to only eat once a day?”

 

She shook her head… stopped… then gave a small nod.

 

“Are you thinking that I pity your family?” Sin asked quietly.

 

“No… yes… it's just…” she sighed. “You and your team is doing a lot for us… the least we could do is feed you properly… not let you starve… but… you…”

 

Sin cut her off gently. “If it bothers you, then maybe I should tell you of my condition…”

 

“Condition?” she asked. “What condition?”

 

“My body… houses special energies. These energies keep me alive without depending on food, water… or even air at times. This energy gives me great amount of strength, speed, immunity from foreign substances, and almost unlimited invurnability,” Sin looked on the floor. “But… the energy doesn't allow me to feel almost anything. I can't feel pain, sadness, happiness… human emotions. I can smile, but the smile is nothing. It's empty. I can't taste anything, nor smell anything… at times, I don't even feel human anymore.”

 

“… that's… sad…” she frowned at him. She gave him a reproachful look. “You don't feel anything…? Never?”

 

“No… no hunger… no thirst… almost no life. One day… I can feel emotions… I can smell things… I can taste things… but not in my current state,” Sin gave the woman a small smile. “One day, I'll be able to feel them again… and then slowly, lose the feeling. It's… my destiny, I guess.” Sin's eyes suddenly darted towards his left, and then back again to the woman he was accompanying. “Um, would you excuse me for now? I spotted something interesting… you'd be okay now going home, right?”

 

“Yes… I think so…” looking at Sin, surprised. “It's just a few more meters… why, where are you going?”

 

“Somewhere,” Sin said softly, and began to walk towards the forest. The woman looked, then shrugged, and walked back to her home.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

In the forest, Haku was collecting some herbs to help Zabusa to his feet when he slowly heard soft rustling sounds behind him. He turned his head, only to see the same young man who battled Zabusa days before, his hands on his pockets, walking towards him. The boy gave him a wave.

 

“Hello,” he greeted.

 

“Hi…” Haku greeted back.

 

“Nice day, isn't it?” Sin asked, moving his head to look at his surroundings. “Sunny, yet not too hot… perfect if I say so myself.”

 

“It's rather a good day,” Haku gave a small smile. “Who are you…?”

 

“Call me Sin. You?” Sin asked.

 

“Haku,” the other boy replied.

 

Sin just nodded. “Are you collecting some herbs for Zabusa-san, Haku-san?”

 

ZZ

 

Sasuke and Sakura both wiped the water off their faces. Training that morning really gave them a workout, and hence they came back to the house to recover a bit, and probably drink some water. They agreed that both would continue climbing, and maybe swap jutsus and then go home again during lunch when Tazuna's daughter arrived, without any company.

 

“Don't you have an escort?” Sasuke asked, stone-faced.

 

“Sin… well, he accompanied me, then went somewhere…” she replied sheepishly. Sakura and Sasuke both looked at each other. “Well… if you guys are hungry, lunch is coming after an hour or so…”

 

“Thanks, we'll be here,” Sakura smiled as she replied, and both she and Sasuke left the house. Going near the forest, Sakura asked her silent cute friend, “Where do you think Sin went?”

 

“Don't know,” Sasuke replied silently. Sin wasn't the type to leave his assignments… or at least that's the impression he usually gives. He shrugged. “Let's continue training.”

 

Sakura gave a small smile. “Yeah, sure.”

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

“Zabusa is doing well…” Haku didn't miss a beat when he replied back to Sin. He had a sneaking suspicion that Sin recognized him anyway. Guess his suspicion was right on the money.

 

Sin gave a silent nod, and continued to look at Haku collecting herbs. After a few moments, he asked, “Are you aware of the situation of this country?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Then why are you and Zabusa working along with Gatou?” Sin asked.

 

“Gatou is the only person willing to hire us,” Haku gave a quick reply. He looked at Sin. “You do know Zabusa-sama's situation?”

 

“Yes, I'm quite aware,” Sin replied.

 

“Then you must at least understand his motives,” Haku stated.

 

“Maybe… but what do you feel in this situation?” Sin asked.

 

“My feelings aren't relevant… I will follow Zabusa-sama to hell itself,” Haku replied.

 

“But it is to me…” Sin gave a soft whisper. “Is there any part of you which regrets or want to change this situation? Would you want something better for you and Zabusa-san? Do you like working for Gatou? Are you sure you are doing the right thing?”

 

Haku thought back to the day Gatou and two of his guards visited Zabusa… his fist tightened and his knuckles turned white. Sin registered that as his answer. “I would never leave Zabusa-sama…”

 

Sin gave a short nod, and turned around, and began to walk away. Haku's eyes narrowed, and his hands dove towards his pocket.

 

Birds flew away from the trees… yet the forest seemed undisturbed.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Sasuke and Sakura were walking towards the training grounds when they noticed a girl with a basket walking away from them. Sasuke had a sneaking suspicion that the girl was actually a boy, but did not pay attention to him that much. He gave the figure… boy or girl… a look, and continued walking until both he and Sakura came to the clearing… only to see Sin lying on the ground, with a needle stuck to his neck.

 

Sakura screamed.

 

Behind them… the boy held his basket so tight that his knuckles were turning white again. The boy in black was in his head, asking…

 

Are you sure you are doing the right thing?

 

 

 

To Be Continued…

 

With Sin gone, it seems Zabusa woudnt have trouble anymore as he attacks Team 7 with Haku! Conclusion towards the battle for the bridge, NEXT!