It was raining hard and it was still dark. Although it was dawn, Sakura had trouble with the darkness. Just like what the Hokage had told her, the way to the Village of Sunset was hard and troublesome. When she reached the borders of the said village, she had encountered a LOT of obstacles.
"It's like I'm not welcomed here." Sakura said as she stopped on a tree branch and gazed the view of the village on top of a high hill.
The village was very low the normal ground surface. It was surrounded by high hills and mountains to the north. Sakura observed the village more and it seemed too peaceful. There were only a few people outside that she saw, not even making up a hundred. There were no concrete buildings, just wooden houses and farm lands. From up where she was, she saw the infamous "Hell Hole" It really did give off a red glow.
Sakura jumped down from the tree and then continued running towards the entrance. When she saw the black gates she stopped and tried to catch her breath. She gazed at the gate. There was a large sign to her right,
"ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK."
Sakura couldn't help but feel a bit of a shiver run down her body.
"Sakura-san?"
Sakura looked behind her and saw a woman. She looked at her, the woman was about in her thirties and had black hair that goes down up to her waist.
"Yes. You are Lee Hyoma?" Sakura asked.
The woman nodded. "Yes. I am so happy you have accepted my request!"
Sakura smiled. "Ah... thank you as well for trusting me and Konoha."
Hyoma led Sakura to the village. As they entered, the people who were outside stopped what they were doing and stared at Sakura and Hyoma. Sakura felt that strange feeling again and looked at Hyoma.
"Don't worry Sakura-san. They are just surprised. No one has come to our village in the last two years." Hyoma said.
"Really?" Sakura was shocked to hear it. "So you guys don't have any relation to other villages?"
Hyoma shook her head as she opened the door to her house. "None."
Her house was a small hut. There were no divisions in her house. You can see the small bed at one side, the kitchen at the other and the bathroom was outside.
"I'm sorry, I don't really have a nice house to offer." Hyoma bowed down in front of Sakura.
Sakura felt embarrassed. "No, no... please don't bother. I am fine. You're house is really... nice."
Hyoma grabbed a cup and poured some tea for Sakura. The two of them sat down on the floor facing each other.
"I have read the mission you have requested and it's about the missing people of the village?" Sakura told her.
Hyoma nodded as her eyes became sad, "Yes. Even my boy Kyomi had gone missing since last week."
Sakura looked around, "Maybe they left the village?"
Hyoma sighed as she shook her head. "We have patrols all around the village. In all exit points. They are not as good as your patrol ninjas but they are good enough for the people in the village."
Sakura took out a pen and a piece of paper.
"Tell me the names of the people who are missing." She requested.
"Lee Kyomi, my son is sixteen, black hair usually in a ponytail and brown eyes. Seichan Tomoko, she has red long hair and black eyes. Tomoko is eleven years old. Then there's Amoi Miroki, thirty-six, brown hair, brown eyes."
Sakura wrote everything.
"Did they disappear at the same time?"
"No," Hyoma tried to think. "Tomoko disappeared about three months ago. Miroki, about one month ago, and Kyomi disappeared only last week."
"Have you got any leads?" Sakura asked. "Has anyone done an investigation before?"
"The village elders would not permit it. That's why I'm told by your Hokage that this is a high class mission. No one knows about your real identity and what you are here for. I've talked to the village elders and told them that you are my cousin." Hyoma explained.
Sakura stood up and hid the paper in her pocket.
"Then please show me around the village. It'll be much easier for our situation if they saw us together roaming the village." Sakura suggested.
"Right," Hyoma stood up. "But please, change your clothes Sakura-san. You'll blend in better."
Sakura was given a pale red kimono with white flowers at the bottom. Her ninja things were kept hidden inside her kimono.
As they were walking around, the people continued staring at the pink haired girl. Sakura just smiled back sweetly.
"Have the three gotten into any fights before they disappeared? I mean a grudge might have been formed and the three had become victims of a possible murder." Sakura asked as they walked.
Hyomi was silent for a moment. Thinking hard.
"Come to think of it..." Hyoma started. "Kyomi had gotten a fight with his girlfriend's brother a few days before he disappeared."
"Okay, so was their fight serious? Something that could lead to a murder?" Sakura asked.
The two stopped as they approached a flight of stairs leading up into the mountains. Sakura stared at the stairs, following it up to where it leads. Fog covered the top.
"Well... Kyomi asked permission to marry Minkyu but he was turned down. So he told me that he was leaving the village that night. I guessed that he was gonna elope with Minkyu but her parents and brother found out that Minkyu was already pregnant and so the two had a fight. After that, I just saw Kyomi for one day then he disappeared without a trace." Hyomi was holding back her tears.
"What about the two others? Tomoko and Miroki?" Sakura asked.
"I don't really know much about the other two but I've heard that Miroki had an argument with the village elder concerning the crop fields their family is working on." Hyomi said.
Sakura nodded. "Where does this lead?" She pointed at the stairs.
"To the temple. The elders still believe in the mountain god and the demons. Every ten years, they sacrifice a maiden to the gods to help the village from the demons. I'm sure you know about the demon hole of the village and our nickname."
Sakura nodded. "So the sacrifices are true."
The two started going up the stairs. It was foggy but the sun was beginning to show up. Rain clouds were disappearing from the area. When they were at the peak, where the temple was, Sakura looked at the view. She could see Konoha from far away and she saw that it was still raining in Konoha.
"Sakura-san, this is the temple. That cave is where the sacrifice is placed. She is to sit there and stay there until the gods take her life. No food, no water." Hyoma told Sakura.
Sakura was disgusted at the idea but didn't show it to Hyoma. "So they die in starvation?"
"Well..." Hyoma looked away. "If you put it on medical terms yes. But the village believes that their life is taken by the gods at the right time."
Sakura was observing the area. There was nothing wrong in particular. She was staring at the cave when she noticed a pair of red eyes looking at her. She blinked a few times then it was gone.
"But tell me, Hyoma-san, is the rumor about the hell girl and the three demons true?" Sakura asked.
"The elders have told us that it was real but I think otherwise. There are no such beings as demons and girls from hell. If there was really a girl from hell, I bet she's ugly and not the beautiful girl they are telling."
The two returned to the village and went back to Hyoma's house. Ever since then, Sakura couldn't help but feel like she's being watched.
Team Kakashi was standing in Tsunade's office. Tsunade still had a sleepy expression.
"Baachan you're half asleep!" Naruto shouted.
"Shut up Naruto! I was busy last night!" Tsunade said before yawning.
"Hmph! I bet you were drinking with Ero-sennin last night!" Naruto crossed his arms.
Tsunade sighed.
"So..." Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "What are we here for?"
"Well last night, we had a client with a request mission. The mission was ranked as S-class due to the situation and uh... place." Tsunade explained.
"Hell yeah, we're having an S-Class mission!" Naruto fist pumped.
"Haven't got any in years." Sasuke spoke.
"Actually..." Tsunade smirked. "Your mission will only be B-Class and depending on the situation you will be in once you get in the area, it may turn into S-Class."
"WHAT?" Naruto screamed.
Kakashi was confused.
"The client specifically asked for a certain ninja to do the mission. Although I examined the mission as a team mission. The client begged for it to be solo. So your mission is to stay in the perimeter of the village and wait for further movements from the REAL S-Class mission. You're gonna be her back-up in case something happens." Tsunade explained.
"So who's the special ninja the client requested?" Kakashi asked.
"Haruno Sakura." Tsunade answered.
Naruto and Sasuke had their eyes widen. Their Sakura being requested alone for a high rank mission?
"Wow! Sakura's really a big shot ninja now!" Naruto grinned.
"I am worried though. After some research about the requesting village, I think I might have been wrong sending her alone in this."
"What village has requested her?" Sasuke asked.
"The Village of Sunset." Tsunade said.
The three boys gasped.
"THE VILLAGE OF HELL? YOU SENT SAKURA TO THE VILLAGE OF HELL?" Naruto yelled so loud, the birds hiding from the rain went out from the shade.
"Those were just rumors, Naruto! Myths! None of them are true." Tsunade said, convincing Naruto and convincing herself as well.
"Still!" Naruto crossed his arms. "We need to get there fast!"
"But with the situation, we can't barge in. When I was still in Team Hebi, we tried to enter the village but no matter how hard we tried, something stopped us from even stepping on the perimeter of the village. Landslides, rogue ninjas, those stuff. I'm not surprised if we bump into Sakura going back when we get there." Sasuke explained.
Tsunade took a deep breath. "You need another ninja, someone good at stake outs."
It was night and everyone in the village is already asleep. People in the village of Sunset believed that if you stay up late, the demons will eat you alive. Sakura removed her kimono and changed into her normal ninja clothes. She hid in the shadows even though she was told that even the patrols slept early. She wasn't taking any risks.
"So I need to see Minkyu's family." Sakura followed the map Hyoma did for her. When she arrived at the house, she peeked at the window. She saw a pregnant girl sitting on the floor crying. "That must be Minkyu."
As she gazed on Minkyu, she noticed a pair of red eyes behind the pregnant girl. Sakura was startled and stumbled back. As she did, she felt someone under her.
"Oh my goodness! I'm sorry!" Sakura said in a loud voice. Sakura gasped and quickly covered her mouth. She heard footsteps coming towards the window. She knew she had to hide soon. She some what panicked, she had to be quick.
Sakura was about to jump away when she felt a pair of hands grab her by the waist and pull her into the shadows.
"Huh... funny. I thought I saw something pink." Minkyu said before closing the windows.
Sakura hit her elbow to her savior and turned into battle stance.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked.
"I should be asking that question to you." The guy went out of the shadows and revealed herself.
"Why did you help me?" Sakura demanded.
The guy smirked. He wore a red jacket over a black shirt. He wore black pants and ninja shoes. His left eye was covered by his black spiky hair. He reminded Sakura of Sasuke for a bit.
"Why wouldn't I?" He continued smirking.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You seem not from here."
"You can say that." He answered.
He walked closer to the pink haired ninja and grabbed the kunai from her hands. She seemed stuck. She didn't move. Sakura stood up and observed the guy in front of her.
"I won't hurt you." He said, twirling the kunai in his hand.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked.
He gave her back the kunai and placed his hands inside the pockets of his pants.
"Ichimoku... Ren."
Yay! Ren is here! Review please!
