AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know you have been waiting for it, the flash back ends this chapter coming back to present time. I'm not to pleased with myself regarding this chapter but I hope to rectify it by making the next one better. I hope you guys enjoy, I really like the reviews I'm getting from you and continue to appreciate your support.

Have at it!

AUTHOR'S NOTE (Update): emilbootanimefreak made a point about the story. Although I am pleased with where I am going with this, I am sorry if I led anyone on about him never returning to the village in the summary, I updated it a little while ago along with changing a minor thing (instead of two years I changed it to 3). Don't ask me why but after thinking about it I thought it was better idk. The good news is that I'm crazily over flowing with ideas, there are so many ways I wanna go with this but its so hard to choose the right one, I do know ive decided to take this on my main project now but will try to keep updating Tainted Heart at an ok pace.

Chapter 4

It was long after his emotional break down at the Hokage's office, the sounds of evening filling the night around him. When he recovered from his emotional downpour he told her he would be leaving that night even though she protested furiously. He didn't want to leave without saying good bye to his friends but in his heart he couldn't face them now, not like this. She kissed him on the forehead like she had so long ago, hugging him one last time trying to hold back her tears before finally wishing him off. On his way out of the tower he shook the hands of his old sensei's promising to return stronger and hopefully more patient with their perverted ways. Before leaving the tower he received a blank hunter nin mask (Think of Haku's without any scratch's or coloring except for the leaf symbol) and a bingo book from a hunter nin he didn't recognize.

The journey back to his apartment was uneventful luckily for him. He had managed to avoid all of his friends along the way even having time for one last bowl of ramen at his favorite stand. When he returned home he began packing immediately grabbing all the clothing and other essentials he would need for his journey. The process didn't take long and after double checking his things he was certain he was ready. He debated cleaning his apartment but weighed the chance of it getting broken into while he was gone and being trashed by the villagers as a higher probability then it staying clean, so he left it alone. He walked to his door to depart when he stepped on a familiar photo on his way. He looked down picking up the broken frame staring at the faces of his teammates in the old cell 7 photo they had taken so long ago.

'I can't hate you forever…but can I ever forgive you?' he pondered to himself as he traced his fingers over the familiar faces. He took one last look before he broke the frame completely, taking the picture folding it placing it in a pocket. He opened the door and locked it behind him taking the first steps that would soon lead his last in his village for a long time.

He stealthily made his way down the familiar path that his once traitor teammate had taken during their younger years in order to gain power. After his departure he noticed he was being followed but didn't want to make a move until he knew who it was. Sensing the familiar chakra he walked a few more minutes before stopping suddenly. Without turning around he spoke in a flat tone loud enough for his pursuer to hear.

"I know your there….Sasuke" the sound of his teammate landing a distance away acknowledged the truth of it. They both stood in silence as a gust of wind blew through their silhouettes, dying down as suddenly as it started.

"Naruto…I" he was interrupted by the blonde Shinobi raising his hand silencing him before he could continue.

"I know you wanted to talk, but I'm afraid tonight I'm going to be doing all the talking, understand?" he said in his new found apathetic tone. His response was a quiet "hmph" which after hearing he paused and then continued.

"I'm leaving tonight for how long I don't not know, but I want to clear a few things with you before I go" he reached into his pocket pulling out an envelope, setting it down on a stone bench he was standing next to.

"Please give this to her for me." He said sighing looking up at the full moon staring back at him as its glow shined down on them.

"It's ironic….I believe we are standing exactly where you and her spoke the night you abandoned the village…the current situation couldn't be any more different though" he bowed his head chuckling lightly staring at the ground before him.

"Do you love her?" the words came out more pained then he wanted, but he had to know. He felt his teammate's chakra flare a moment before it came back down to his normal state.

"Yes" his answer came in a truthful tone. Deep down he was happy for her sake that it wasn't just a fling for him, but the word also meant he was defeated yet again by his old rival. Allowing the answer to sink in he cleared his thoughts and then continued.

"If what you say is true, I will hold no grudge if you continue seeing each other, however I must say that I don't think things between us will ever be same again. I pray that in time I can learn to forgive you for what you did to me, for how you both deceived me without any thought to my feelings." His fists clinched before he released them a momentarily. After a long silence he spoke again.

"Sasuke... my teammate…my best friend….my brother…" he pulled out the exotic kunai he had received from his pink haired beauty.

"If you ever cross me again…." His words sounded almost foreign with how much venom coursed through every syllable. He gripped the blade squeezing it in his hand as blood began to trickle from his fist dripping silently to the ground. He turned around suddenly facing him with his eyes transformed by Kyuubi's putrid malice, his long canines barred at him in a fierce snarl.

"I'll kill you." Sasuke fell to his knees trying to catch his breath, the killer intent forcibly causing paralysis in his legs as the cold fear swept over him. After a minute of desperately trying to calm himself he looked up noticing the demon vessel's face had returned back to normal. He slowly rose back to his feet after recovering his composure.

The demon vessel turned around facing his back to him once again.

"I may not be able to keep our promise if Itachi tries to come after me, but I will do my best to keep my word" he adjusted his back pack straps placing the bloody kunai back into his pocket.

"Good bye…Sasuke" he then began walking. He heard the raven haired boy approach his position and pick up the letter off the bench and then turn around walking the opposite direction.

END 3 CHAPTER FLASHBACK, PRESENT TIME

The blonde Shinobi released a long sigh after coming out of his memories. It had been almost three years since that day, the last time he had seen or spoke to anyone relating to the leaf. He was now a little over six feet tall, wearing an open black jacket with black tank top under it accompanied by black combat fatigue pants with a crimson sash along with black ninja sandals and black socks (I know, a lot of black). His forehead protector had many nicks and dints in it but still kept most of its original luster which he wore around his neck. His mask was colored completely red like blood with two black streaks coming from the corners of the eye slits like tears down the sides of it. At the side of his waste hung a katana the hilt being barely visible under the flap of his open jacket. His kunai pouch was tapped at the usual spot on his thigh along with his ninja pouch behind him on his belt. His hair had grown more unruly and a few inches longer from before, swaying around as the spikes moved in the wind.

He began walking until he reached the gate when suddenly two chunnin appeared before him.

"Welcome back hunter nin, I hope your travels were well." One of the guards said as they stared at the man before them waiting for a response before he slightly nodded passing in between them.

"Wait, we need to know your name before you go" one said grabbing the hunter nin's shoulder. The hunter nin turned to him, staring blankly at him under his mask.

"The Kyuubi container has returned."