Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sin Eater ❯ Chapter 6

Sin Eater

 

Requiem of the Innocent

 

Kakashi breathed deeply, and pushed his legs up as he dodged a slash on the last second. His attacker, Zabuza, the Devil of the Mist, pressed on his attack. First and second blood was his already, and he was feeling confident about the whole duel.

 

Team Seven was already operating at a disadvantage… the blonde creepy kid who Zabuza had much trouble with was gone. Haku had pretty much reported to him, just a few days ago, that he had disposed of the boy easily… a swift stroke, a needle to the neck.

 

It was a perfect kill… worthy of a shinobi. Moreover, because of that one act, the Zabuza and his protégé were closer to victory.

 

“Your movements are slowing, Copy Cat,” Zabuza sneered. “Do not tell me one of Konoha's finest is nothing without his eye?”

 

The jounin-sensei stayed silent, his head forming a few plans, each with a back-up plan in case any of them failed, but with Zabuza's annoying mist jutsu, plus his heavy Head Cleaving sword, the only thing Kakashi could do for now was be on the defensive.

 

In actuality, Kakashi had the skills and capacity to finish this battle immediately, but the problem was it would leave him with very little chakra, a no-no as he couldn't leave Sakura, who was guarding Tazuna a few paces away, and Sasuke, who was currently engaging Haku, unprotected.

 

Speaking of the said Uchiha, he was imprisoned in a dome of ice mirrors. It was created by a bloodline ability of the fake hunter-nin, Haku. The mirrors acted as some sort of portal for the Demon of the Mist's partner who could, in near instantaneous speed, transfer from one mirror to another.

 

Faced against such almost impossible odds, Sasuke looked like someone had been using him as a pin-cushion. No matter what he did, he'd get hit. Dodge to the left, he'd have to contend to an attack to the right; escaping the dome was useless and his most powerful fire jutsu wasn't even strong enough to crack the mirrors.

 

Sasuke growled. He had been constantly pumping chakra to his legs just to keep taking all the hits, but sooner or later, either his legs would give, or his stamina. The only shining light in this battle was somehow, his eyes were slowly adjusting to Haku's speed.

 

Back to Kakashi, who was cut once more by Zabuza's blade, took a moment, a breather, when he didn't sense the Mist-nin pausing on his attacks. The fog around him was just getting thicker, and Zabuza continued taunting him.

 

“Heh… I guess the Leaf isn't as powerful as they say…”

 

Kakashi continued his silence, still trying to grab an opportunity when the missing-nin suddenly lunged at him. With no choice, he continued on his battle, blocking the attacking sword with his kunai, when he noticed something…

 

The attack was pretty weak…

 

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Did the missing-nin get careless? For a wild moment, he had wondered if Zabuza was running empty on chakra. It wasn't a far-fetched guess as the man had constantly been using his chakra to maintain the mist, and also enhancing his speed and strength… but…

 

Not wanting to distract himself, the jounin-sensei just went for the kill. Countering the next attack cleanly, his kunai dove swiftly to the missing-nin's chest… then, the whole body turned to a blob of water, dispersing itself on the ground.

 

Water Clone!? Kakashi's thoughts scrambled, wondering where the real Zabuza had gone… On his left? Right? Behind…?

 

There was a scream. His eyes widened. The jounin-sensei dashed towards Sakura, who was the source the shriek… Zabuza had for gone for his main objective…

 

Sakura shivered, uselessly trying to raise her weapon to defend herself and her client, who was behind her… and their enemy, the Demon of the Mist, was right in front of her.

 

“Too late!” Zabuza declared as he readied his weapon. His arms stretched, knowing one swig would finally finish it all… too bad for the pink-haired girl, but she was on his way…

 

Kakashi didn't know what to do… it was too late for him to do anything. Memories of his past… of his friend, Obito came to mind as he saw the inevitable result of his carelessness…

 

However, before his thoughts could get anymore depressed and brooding, a shadow suddenly seemed to rise from the ground, stopping Zabuza's attack completely.

 

The Demon of the Mist looked terribly confounded at first, only to wonder who or how his attack was stopped… and went dead on his tracks when he saw clear blue eyes staring at him.

 

“Impossible…!” he gasped, shocked. “Haku said you were-”

 

“Dead?” a cold, and rather lifeless voice cut the missing-nin off. “Not quite, Zabuza-san.”

 

Kakashi's eyes widened, and so did Sakura's and Tazuna's. The voice was a dead (no pun intended) giveaway of who had come to Sakura's rescue.

 

“Sin!” the pink-haired kunoichi declared, tears forming in her eyes as she saw her newly acquired, but thought deceased, teammate in front of her.

 

“Yappo…” Sin greeted back without looking at her. It was silly, but it was the most re-assuring thing Sakura had heard all day.

 

“Impossible…!” Kakashi muttered. “You were definitely…”

 

“Dead, yes, I know Kakashi-san…” Sin sighed. “I know you're the known Copy Cat ninja… but that is just taking it too far.”

 

Tazuna, out of sheer madness or some morbid sense of humor, was the only one who felt comfortable enough to laugh at Sin's little jab at the jounin. Everyone else was somewhat still unnerved to see a supposed dead man on his feet, his hand grabbing on the giant blade Zabuza wielded.

 

Moreover, when the Demon of the Mist suddenly realized that little tid-bit, he tried to take back his weapon, only to feel it wouldn't budge.

 

“Hush, Zabuza-san… I'll let go soon,” Sin declared, speaking in his usual neutral tone, like he wasn't holding a big sword with his bare hand. The boy looked towards the approaching Kakashi, who seemed out of it. “Kakashi-san… my shades.”

 

“Wha…!?”

 

“Inari-kun said you had my shades… would you mind?” Sin asked.

 

Nodding dumbly, Kakashi extracted Sin's pair of shades, and handed it to the boy. Suddenly flexing the arm holding the blade, he threw Zabuza off a few meters away, and with his hand now free, grabbed the spectacles and put them over his eyes.

 

“You can finish it now Kakashi-san… I'll help Uchiha-san,” the spectacled boy declared, and walked past Tazuna and Sakura, waving slightly at them as he passed.

 

Kakashi, finally recovering, looked relieved as he realized his powerful ally had returned. His eyes looked towards Zabuza, who still seemed a bit stunned himself.

 

“Let's finish this,” the jounin-sensei declared, extracting a scroll from his pocket.

 

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

 

Almost… almost…! Sasuke thought as he could see the movement of the fake hunter-nin. It was getting clearer and clearer with every second… as long as he could hang on, he could finally start his counter-attack…

 

But alas… his body, in time, felt heavier and heavier. He had multiple senbon needles sticking him almost everywhere. They didn't hit anything vital, nor were they deep enough to give him real trouble, but the prickling paining sensation, along with his fast depleting stamina, the Uchiha prayed and hoped he would be able to find a window of attack soon.

 

“It's useless,” Haku stated in a low voice as once again, he sent a barrage of needles to the young surviving Uchiha, who tried to dodge towards the left, only to get hit in the arms.

 

Sasuke could only grit his teeth, not wanting to give his opponent the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting. More and more needles came at him, and he couldn't completely dodge them all.

 

“Give up…” Haku declared, and was about to ready another volley when he suddenly felt a cold shiver run up his spine. He paused, and expanded his senses outwards… there was something odd, but there was also… nothing.

 

Ignoring the sensation, he went for another assault.

 

Sasuke dodged them cleanly, making his opponent blink. The youngest Uchiha himself was surprised, but now, he could not only see his opponent's movements, but also the needles.

 

Thinking the boy was lucky, Haku began his assault again, only for his attack to be proven useless once more. Seething, wondering what was going on, he intensified his attacks, and realized what was going on…

 

Instead of the black eyes he knew belonged to his opponent, they were red. The masked boy's eyes widened, and before he realized it, the youngest Uchiha had finished the hand-seals for his jutsu.

 

A stream of fire exuded from Sasuke's mouth. His opponent, though, still had impressive speed and agility that in the last second, he was able to dodge, preventing the fire from roasting him but clipping his pants instead.

 

Before Sasuke could smirk at his handiwork, there was a soft clap coming from behind him. Surprised, the youngest Uchiha turned, and suddenly paled when he saw who it was.

 

The masked boy in the mirror didn't look all too pleased as well.

 

“You…!?” Haku coughed, feeling very uncomfortable.

 

“Impossible…” Sasuke whispered. “I… I saw you…”

 

“Dead, yes,” Sin declared, shrugging slightly. “Kakashi-san and Zabuza-san were quick to point that out.”

 

The spectacled boy then began slap his neck softly, as trying to take out a few kinks in them, and looked towards Haku's image, the one in front of Sasuke, a look.

 

“By the way, Haku-san… didn't you feel it was rude to stick a needle in my neck?” the boy in black asked neutrally. “But then again, you're a shinobi, so I guess I should have expected that.”

 

Sin walked towards Sasuke, and stood beside him. The young Uchiha looked at him in question, and the blonde just looked at him.

 

“Uchiha-san… judging from your injuries and chakra levels, you're at your exhaustion point,” Sin whispered. “If you wish, I'll finish this battle so you can finally take your well-earned rest.”

 

Sasuke was about to complain when he saw the blonde smile at him.

 

“You really should rest, Uchiha-san… you have awakened your family bloodline and I think that is enough,” Sin stated softly. “But if you insist in this futile show of bravado, I shall comply. Just know that fighting at your state is detrimental.”

 

Sasuke looked at Sin for a moment, somewhat surprised to hear he had unlocked his Sharingan, before stealing a glance at Haku, who stood still. The young Uchiha sighed. Maybe what Sin said was true…

 

“Whatever.”

 

Sin smiled, and looked towards the Haku who seemed to steel himself, taking out a few more senbon needles. Sasuke, not knowing what to do, just stayed behind Sin, his back against his.

 

“Have you made up your mind, Haku-san?” Sin asked, as the mirrors around them shimmered, showing multiple images of Haku as well.

 

“I have...” the masked boy declared, sounding solemn. “I'm sorry.”

 

“Me too, Haku-san,” Sin replied easily. “Maybe... in the next life, we'll have better circumstances.”

 

Without any warning, Haku launched his needles, and Sin just raised his hands. Both Zabuza's companion and the youngest Uchiha's eyes widened when they saw the needles stopping in mid-air.

 

“What...!?” Haku demanded, shocked. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed more and more volleys of needles, all of them stopping in mid-air.

 

Sasuke looked at Sin, his Sharingan flaring. He saw what Sin was doing... he was sending out odd traces of chakra from his whole boy, forming an almost invisible barrier around them. The needles would strike this barrier, only to stop mid-way.

 

Sin suddenly pulled his arm back, and pushed it back out again. All the needles stopped in the air suddenly shot outwards. Haku's eyes widened behind his mask. He was still in the open, and the needles suddenly shot at him. Desperately, he tried to enter the safety of one of his mirrors, only to get stabbed in the ankle by one of those needles.

 

It only took a second. Sasuke, even with his Sharingan couldn't see Sin move out suddenly, as if out for blood, and gave a solid kick towards one of the mirrors, the same mirror that Haku had retreated to. The crystalline structure cracked, giving way, and from the back of it, Haku was sent flying, his mask cracked at the force of the kick.

 

Sasuke could only stay silent, the mirror dome cracking into thousands of pieces, and sparkle as their dust blew off with the wind. Sin took time to look at his surroundings before slowly moving towards the prone figure ahead. Sasuke followed.

 

In front of them, Haku coughed, spitting out blood. The impact shook her to her very core, and he could hear the footsteps coming. The louder it sounded, the closer he was to his death. He sat up, and looked at Sin approaching, calm as he looked at Haku's bloodied face.

 

Sasuke stopped, not knowing how to react. Behind the mask was a beautiful face, even marred by blood. The young Uchiha wondered for a moment if the person was a girl...

 

“Kill me...” was all he said.

 

“And why would you ask that, Haku-san?” Sin replied.

 

“I... I have failed him... Zabuza-sama...” Haku whispered. “I... I am his tool. A tool that can't defend him anymore. A broken tool, facing off against a superior one, and shattered in the process.”

 

He paused, his eyes dropping somewhat.

 

“Zabuza-sama has no need for a weak shinobi...” Haku smiled weakly. “You have taken my reason to live.”

 

Sasuke didn't say anything, watching the interaction of the effeminate boy with dead eyes and Sin, who stared back coolly.

 

“If that is the extent of your determination, then yes, you are right,” Sin replied. “You are a weak shinobi. In addition, if your statement is true, then yes, Zabuza-san has no need for you. However, you are wrong in one thing... I didn't take away your reason for living. You did that fine on your own.”

 

“What do you mean by that!?” Haku demanded. Sasuke noticed a small fire lit behind those crystal orbs.

 

“You said once that you wouldn't leave Zabuza-san,” Sin continued. “Was that a lie?”

 

“No!” Haku replied immediately.

 

“Then you shouldn't be asking me to kill you,” Sin declared. “You should be looking behind you...”

 

Haku looked confused for a moment, and looked behind him. The scene froze his soul...

 

Zabuza was pinned down by a couple of dogs clamping on his legs and arms, while Kakashi was coming at him, the jounin's arm coated in electrical chakra, coming towards the missing-nin in full speed.

 

“Zabuza-sama!” Haku shouted, and as fast as his legs could carry him, jumped in-between Kakashi and Zabuza.

 

The missing-nin and the jounin's eyes went wide in surprise, but it was too late. Kakashi's Raikiri stabbed Haku at his right lung, the electricity cauterizing the wound.

 

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

 

Haku's vision faded, and everything he had been seeing for the past minute seemed like a dream. Instead, in front of him, he could see his old house, in the winter of those many nights, the image of his mother and father coming back at him. As he fell, he remembered the snowy day when he had killed his father, scared of his wits. The face of Zabuza came... and then, the boy he thought he killed.

 

“Satisfied?” Sin asked, looking at him, smiling slightly.

 

“Yes...” Haku replied, smiling back. “I have protected him... my... precious person. It is a better way to go... better than falling during battle.”

 

The boy just nodded, before removing his sunglasses, and looked at Haku straight in the eye, making the teenager flinch a bit.

 

“Haku-san... you are about to be judged,” Sin declared. “I see a boy of pure heart whose soul was ravaged by circumstances. I have decided...”

 

“D... decided what?”

 

“A small favor for your soul,” Sin replied neutrally. “Make it as pure as your heart. Do you accept?”

 

Haku looked at the boy. He didn't know what to say. The whole thing confused him at best. Instead, he settled on just saying, “Just protect Zabuza-sama... I'll accept anything as long as you can keep him safe.”

 

Sin smiled, maybe a more genuine smile this time.

 

“I cannot follow him and baby-sit him, Haku-san, but know this... as long as he stays in the village, no one will touch him.”

 

The effeminate boy smiled, nodding with satisfaction.

 

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

 

“Sin... what are you doing?” Kakashi asked, looking over at Sin as he kneeled down on the fallen body of the dying teenaged boy, Haku, their eyes connecting for at least a minute. He was also holding back the injured Zabuza.

 

Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna were behind Kakashi, but quiet, yet curious. they too watched what Sin was doing. Zabuza himself was in a slight state of shock, though his expression was hidden well behind his covered face. He was curious though at what the boy Haku had claimed to kill, was doing.

 

Suddenly, a black magic circle appeared, placing Haku in its center. The teenaged boy himself suddenly changed, his body outline suddenly appearing beneath his clothes. Haku glowed white, except for a few parts, marred in blackness, like a sickening goop that stuck to the surface, and slowly, those blackened areas began to move towards the outline of the body, and getting sucked outwards, towards the magic circle.

 

Sin stood up, and began to chant in a language that no one present understood. Before anyone could react, he raised his hand, and the black goop suddenly jumped from the circle to his palm, forming a disgusting thick black liquid that threatened to spill from Sin's hands.

 

Sin's face steeled itself, and his eyes went wide, almost crazily as the boy in black put his hand near his lips, and began to suck it in completely.

 

Sakura screamed, while Sasuke paled. Kakashi and Zabuza flinched slightly at the scene as the goop launched itself to Sin's face, and slowly, diminished, sucked to his mouth completely. The wind suddenly picked up, the shouts of multiple people about to die were heard, and then, died down, leaving Sin on his knees, coughing what looked like blood.

 

“It is done…” he whispered softly, weakly.

 

“W-wha… what was that?” Sakura asked weakly.

 

“I purified Haku-san's soul…” Sin coughed again, wiping out the blood from his lips with the sleeve of his jacket. “Least I could do.”

 

“Z-Zabuza-san…”

 

Everyone's eyes went to Haku, who raised his arm weakly. Zabuza, automatically, grabbed it, ignoring Kakashi who got his kunai out and ready.

 

“Please… live…” was all the effeminate boy said before he took his last breathe.

 

Zabuza held on to the boy's arm, even after this fingers slackened. The man didn't cry, no… he was a veteran ninja, hardened by years of experience, but it was safe to say he lost a part of him with Haku.

 

The whole scene tugged an emotional string in Sakura's heart, but before she or anyone else could react, the sound of someone clapping made its way through the bridge.

 

Sin stood up calmly, and put on his shades. He looked straight at the source of the sound. Zabuza, Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura followed, and saw a short slimy looking man in a suit surrounded by thugs, all carrying various of weapons.

 

“Gatou…” Zabuza seethed.

 

“Good! Great!” the short man, Gatou, declared, smiling widely. “Kill each other off! Save me money!”

 

“What do you mean?” Zabuza asked, his eyes looking dangerous.

 

“Did you really think I'd pay you?” Gatou asked, looking smug. “Really. I was waiting until all of you killed each other, and the rest of my crew here will finish off the stragglers, but when you people stopped fighting for a moment, well… eh, no matter. You're all weak enough to finish off.”

 

The Demon of the Mist looked deranged, his face twisted in rage. Haku had died because he followed him, and worked for the slime ball, and now that git had the gall to try to betray them?

 

“Kakashi… seems our fight is over,” Zabuza whispered. “I have no reason to kill the old man now.”

 

“So it seems,” Kakashi stated, breathing somewhat heavily. He was almost out of chakra again.

 

“Leave this to me, Copy Cat…” Zabuza declared. “Just lend me a-”

 

“I'm afraid I can't allow that,” Sin suddenly cut the man off, stepping forward, front and center of Team Seven and Zabuza.

 

“Don't interfere brat,” the Demon of the Mist growled.

 

“Haku-san asked me to keep you alive,” Sin replied easily. “At your condition, taking on a group of thugs is nothing but suicide. Or are you telling me you think Haku's sacrifice to keep you alive was baseless and useless?”

 

As if struck physically, Zabuza took a step back. Satisfied he made his point across, Sin took another step forward, ignoring the jeering and insults of the thugs who saw him coming.

 

“Are you Gatou?” Sin asked loudly.

 

“What is it to you, brat?” Gatou replied back.

 

“Just making sure…” Sin said.

 

“Making sure… what?” Gatou asked.

 

“That I'm killing the right person.”

 

Gatou and his whole group froze. It wasn't because of the boy's reply… normally, they'd jeer more and laugh. It wasn't because of the cold tone of finality that was expressed. No… what got to them was how clearly the voice rang into their ears… and for good reason.

 

The reply came from behind Gatou.

 

The man turned around quickly, but a hand grabbed his face, holding him steady. Gatou began to sweat profusely.

 

“Wait…!”

 

“No words are needed for the wicked. What is enough, is Judgment. Death!”

 

For the second time, Sakura screamed, only because of fear and disgust as Sin's hands clamped down and squeezed. Blood spurted out as Sin easily pulled out the man's face, leaving nothing but a bloody spot. Gatou was unrecognizable, and definitely dead.

 

Everyone else took a step back, shock entering their system. Of all the things the thugs have seen to earn their place here, it was the first time they've seen anyone literally rip the face off another.

 

For a second, they stood there, and the shock finally settling in.

 

“Hey… you killed our meal ticket!” one of the thugs declared.

 

“You damn son of a bitch… you're dead!” another declared.

 

“All of you are dead! We'll pillage this village!”

 

“Don't you touch them!” a shout suddenly rang through the bridge. Everyone except Sin looked at the direction of shout… and they saw Inari leading armed villagers, all ready to fight.

 

“Took you long enough…” Sin muttered, looking at the kid.

 

“Hey, you took your time as well getting up, you know!” Inari replied back, grinning.

 

“You think we're scared of some villagers!?” a punk asked.

 

“Kage Bunshin…”

 

All of the thugs' eyes went towards Kakashi, who unleashed his technique, forming at least a hundred clones. Pretty impressive, Sin thought, for someone who was almost out of chakra.

 

“Want some of this?” one of Kakashi's clones asked, looking menacing. That was the last straw in the camel's back, as the thugs ran scared, jumping towards one of the near boats that was docked there. Others, in too much of a hurry, jumped towards the waters.

 

The villagers rejoiced, as they have successfully driven off the blight of their homes.

 

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

 

“Thank you…” Zabuza muttered towards Sin, who was now putting his finishing touches on the grave.

 

“My teacher once told me that the living should send off the dead,” Sin said as he placed a necklace done with a few senbon needles with the stake, and stood beside Zabuza as they paid their respects.

 

The grave was done weeks ago, the date when Haku and Gatou had died. Zabuza insisted in making the grave, and the headstone was done using a wooden stake. Zabuza's parting gift was Haku's scarf.

 

It took a few minutes, but they stayed silent. Behind them was Team Seven, who were more concerned in leaving their temporary teammate with a dangerous fellow like Zabuza, but they too, out of respect, stayed quiet. In the end Sin spoke again.

 

“This is where we part ways,” the boy declared, looking at Zabuza. “Hopefully… we'll meet once more, in better circumstances.”

 

“Heh… I like you, kid,” the man declared.

 

“What will you do?” Sin asked.

 

“I… I don't know,” Zabuza replied, taking one last look at Haku's grave, and made sure his large sword was in place. “I'll find another client… maybe an honest one for a change.”

 

“Take care… Demon of the Mist,” Sin said, and along with Team Seven departed, in a different direction from where Zabuza was walking.

 

It wasn't a long walk before they finally came to the completed bridge. With the help of Team Seven, Kakashi's Kage Bunshins, and Sin's very impressive strength, the bridge was completed in a matter of weeks. Now… it was time to say good-bye.

 

“Hey… you… guys…” Inari sniffed. “You better… come visit.”

 

Sasuke suppressed a smile. Part of him was proud that the kid grew out of his cry-baby mode, and it felt good. He just nodded solemnly, and turned around to walk.

 

“Inari… it's okay to cry,” Sin declared softly, ruffling the boy's head, smiling.

 

“Why… don't you then!?” the boy demanded.

 

“Because I burned out my tear ducts…”

 

Everyone present looked at Sin oddly, before the boy smiled.

 

“Kidding.”

 

And he too followed Sasuke, and walked away. Sakura just bowed, and Kakashi, his visible eye smiling, waved at them as he rejoined his team.

 

Inari cried freely, if not silently, watching them walk away. Tazuna looked solemnly at the ninjas he had hired, fooled and worked with to complete the bridge.

 

“They came knowing I lied to them… facing of an enemy so powerful they risked death…” the old man whispered softly. “This bridge wouldn't have stood if it wasn't for them. They gave us hope… and in turn, gave us courage.”

 

“Lets name the bridge after them!” Inari declared.

 

Tazuna could only laugh.

 

“Yeah. How about… `The Great Konoha Bridge'?”

 

To Be Continued

 

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

 

Author's Notes:

 

Its been a while. I guess I owe people an explanation. The reason why this fic took too long to make was because I originally lost the first draft. Gathering a few of my contacts who I had asked to read this story beforehand, they were able to get me only part of the chapter. I filled out the rest.

 

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this one. Later!