𝙎𝙋𝙄𝘿𝙀𝙍-𝙈𝘼𝙉 ¹ | 𝙈𝘾𝙐 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙩

9.07 - 𝘼 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙎𝙞𝙣

THE LONE MAN sat in the dimly lit room. His mask was on his bed, leaving him sitting by the edge in his purple compression shirt and same-colored but darker-shaded pants. He also had thick green gloves on.

He polished his shogun, cleaning every crevice and ensuring it was spotless. Afterward, he loaded some shells from the ammo box beside him. The man pumped it, readying the gun to be fired.

He put the shotgun down and picked up his mask, walking up to the mirror on the wall by the closet.

The man looked at himself, seeing his pale and tired face—the only difference from before was his eyes. A dark gaze stared back at him, showing that it wasn't the usual man present...but a completely different person entirely. A completely different entity. Someone with a mission and a vengeance. One whose goal was to absolve those who did wrong...who did wrong by him. An entity who strived to see a city...a world...without sin.

That entity...being Sin-Eater.

Vernon sat on his sofa, taking a swig from his beer bottle as the game show continued on the television. He let out a burp and scratched his scruffy chin.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He just sat there and hoped he heard things or that whoever was there would leave since the introvert didn't want to see anyone that day. But once again, there was a knock.

Vernon grumbled and put his beer down, walking to the door. Before he opened it, the man looked through the peephole to see who it was. And what he saw...immediately startled him.

The man on the other side, masked and holding a shotgun, pumped the firearm. Vernon quickly spun around and tried to run away, but the assailant fired the gun, and the pellets broke through the door and struck him all over the back. Vernon groaned and fell to the floor.

Sin-Eater kicked open the splintered door and entered the apartment. Vernon crawled on the floor and tried to go for the bat by his sofa, but the gunman walked over beside him and stepped on his ankle hard.

"Argh!" Vernon cried out.

"Vernon Crawford." Sin-Eater spoke.

"Argh...wha—what do you want?"

Sin-Eater kicked him over and got him onto his back, forcing the maimed Vernon to look up at him. The man held his shotgun with both hands and stared down at him through the eyeholes of his mask.

"Answers. An explanation. Penance."

"What? Uh...what do—?"

Sin-Eater aimed at his kneecap and fired, blasting it away. Vernon cried out in agony.

"AAAAH!"

"May 9th. Mother's Day. 7:57 PM." Sin-Eater spoke. "Who sent you?"

Vernon panted and groaned as he held his bleeding leg. He couldn't get words out, and Sin-Eater got sterner.

"Who is the Undertaker?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, man!" Vernon exclaimed.

Sin-Eater immediately took off his mask, showing the face of the man underneath. Vernon's eyes widened as he suddenly recognized him. It was as if it unearthed some deeply buried memory.

"What the...?"

Sin-Eater crouched down and grabbed him by the collar, forcefully sitting him up and staring into his eyes.