KILLER

Endless search and long journeys that lead to no avail. Things did not get better after he murdered his own brother. In fact, it opened a million cans of worms. That thought led to more emotion he knew wouldn't help him think logically for his next journeys.

"Emotions are great followers but terrible leaders." He'd mumble to himself, quoting Kakashi's words he heard years ago.

Half of his lifetime of vengefulness, he had always been driven by the feeling of hatred. So-called 'emotions' are what led him to find purpose in his life; to murder his own brother who had brought suffering to his life in the first place. What would Kakashi know? Naruto, that idiot, so obsessed with saving the world. What does the whole village know about the pain he's gone through? The loneliness, the terror, the trauma. What do they know?

Absolutely nothing.

That was why he was determined to destroy that village. If it wasn't because of Konoha, maybe Itachi would have never done what he did, and none of this would have happened. Maybe Sasuke could have lived a normal life, with a disposition like Naruto's, to 'make the world a better place.' The despair he felt when he found out the truth of his brother's actions… and all the years wasted hating Itachi for nothing, led Sasuke to be this disgusted by everyone in Konoha.

Sasuke needed to get stronger than he already was to destroy his home village. For that to happen, he had to continue looking for several people he knew could help him achieve that.

Sasuke sat back on his chair, the dimly-lit room blocking Sasuke's sight from looking out the window. He could see his own reflection, and through the window, he saw his door opened by none other than Suigetsu.

"Hey, you have a sec?"

Sasuke turned his body along with his chair to engage in a conversation with his adventure-mate. Suigetsu made his way to grab the other chair that was next to Sasuke, and sat right across from him.

"So I think we should head west from now, away from Konoha, to meet the rest of the Akatsuki clan. Since, well, you're planning on joining them."

"Hn." was Sasuke's famous answer.

Suigetsu tilted his head, wondering what was running in his leader's head. "Something wrong?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed to the candle on his nightstand, the image of flickering light and bed sheets quickly reminded him of a certain Hyūga heiress.

"What does it take for me to acquire more power than the greatest of all?" He asked.

"I think pursuing the Akatsuki is a great plan."

Sasuke remained quiet for a while before he spoke, "I heard there are a few people in this world who were born with chakra incompletion. How much do you know about that by now?"

"Ah," Suigetsu responded, "I've done the research, just as you requested. So far, there are anecdotes, but experts say it's a myth. If it isn't a myth, then I would say it's one of the forbidden knowledge of the ninja world. The result of following through with this tactic led to some pretty crazy things, boss."

"Hn, I consulted with Orochimaru a year ago regarding that. Once chakra unison is completed, the person can obtain great powers."

"But you would have to pursue the woman who's chakra matches yours."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes back to Suigetsu as he rested his head on his hand, his elbow planted on the table next to him. "Correct."

"How are we ever going to find that person? If it's Karin, then I'm happy to let you guys sleep in one room more often than needed."

Sasuke didn't even blink to react. The thought of sleeping with Karin was off the charts.

"We cannot go further than our current radius, at least for now." The Uchiha said to change the subject, ignoring Suigetsu's remark of the annoying redhead. "I'd be keen to visit another land for a month, but that's the maximum limit of time."

Suigetsu frowned, "But boss, we'd be moving way too slow for your high ambitions. Are you sure that's–" the white-haired stopped speaking as if he had a revelation beneath Sasuke's intentions, "Wait a minute… Don't tell me you're pursuing the Locked Soul myth?"

Sasuke nodded.

"And you've found her?"

There was a slight squint of the Uchiha's eyes, as if admitting it was shameful, but it sure will serve his plan well. "I might have."

"Don't tell me she's in Konoha."

"She is."

Suigetsu couldn't believe his ears. He had been sitting on the edge of his seat all the while figuring out Sasuke's mind. When he had confirmed his intentions, the white-haired leaned back against his chair with a jaw dropped, which led to a short laugh. "This is so interesting."

Sasuke didn't break into a smile, not even his usual devious smirk. He knew he was feeling something deeper for the heiress than just simply showing his vengeful side to Suigetsu to get what he wants.

"I've read about it, boss. Said that people actually fall in love, if they continue to pursue the chakra completion."

"I doubt I ever will," Sasuke said, not flinching from his previous position. "She will help me. Because when she consents, I will absorb her chakra instead."

"I hope she's worthy of your pursuit. If she isn't nowhere near stronger than Karin, then what's the point?"

This is where the Uchiha portrayed his smirk. "She's part of the strongest clans ever to exist."

Suigetsu widened his eyes in shock. "... Hinata… Hyūga?"

"Yes."

"As I live and breathe… Do you even know her?"

Sasuke shook his head slightly. "I do not. We weren't on the same team growing up. Never had a conversation with her, even though our manors were practically walking distance from each other."

"Then how do you know she's your soulmate? If you two were really made to unite each other's chakras, then you should have known since when you first laid eyes on her!" Somehow Suigetsu was getting too worked up on the subject. It was amusing for a man like him who loved research. And to prove that the myth actually exists, might even bring some sort of thrill into his whole being to do further digging. "The whole point of it was when you first laid eyes on her! Did you ever notice her when you were 12?"

"I never did."

"Are you serious? Damn you're a beast, boss."

"I first noticed her when I had to get fresh air, away from you guys, last year."

"... Right, thanks," Suigetsu responded, slightly hurt, in a comedic way, "where did you see her?"

Hinata was bathing at that exact waterfall place she loved so much. But of course he wouldn't say that to Suigetsu.

"That's when I had suspicions."

Somewhere in the white-haired ninja's mind, he knew Sasuke wasn't willing to share everything. That was typical of him. However, the myth was too interesting for Suigetsu, and he felt he had to know more.

"Boss. You'd leave us for days at a time to go somewhere undetected. You got to the point where you could very skillfully manipulate your chakra, where none of us could track you. I'm assuming here, but it's so impressive that I have to ask, did you get that skill because you were coming in and out of Konoha all this time?"

"Yes." Sasuke responded without wavering.

"For what?"

"Hinata."

Suigetsu couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Damn. The great Uchiha Sasuke is pursuing a lady. And not just any lady."

"Now let's stick to the plan," Sasuke diverted the conversation, "I need to bring my chakra and hers to complete unison. How do I do that?"

"Ah, well," Suigetsu glanced at the wall next to him, embarrassed to answer his boss' question, while rubbing the back of his head, "Sex."

"Are you sure that's what you've researched?" Sasuke asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, dude, I'm sure." Suigetsu ran his hand through his hair, semi frustrated because he had to process everything he's learned. "Naruto's parents? They were fated. Konan and Yahiko from the Akatsuki, too. And many more who went anonymous in the forbidden scrolls of Locked Souls." The man explained, proud of his intel skills.

Very interesting. No wonder their display of power is unbelievable.

"The disadvantage is experienced most by the female counterpart. If more physical touch is performed, the female will experience intense migraines, and it does not go away until another encounter with the fated partner."

"Hn. That's why she fell asleep on my shoulder. Guess her migraine left."

Suigetsu gasped in shock that the myth might have been true, "Oh my."

He then cleared his throat to continue his intel findings. "Anyway, boss, it's important for you to know that the more you seek her, the more you will feel her presence, even though you are miles apart. It's not even because you're skilled to detect chakra. It's because without the two of you knowing, the process of said chakra unison had begun, and it refuses to be canceled. I'd say, if you want to succeed in this, you need to complete this unison, before she dies out of exhaustion."

"I don't understand why death plays a part in this."

"Think of it as an auto-immune disease. The less physical contact the female gets, the slower the unison process, the more the chakra attacks her instead of serving her."

Sasuke was very, very, very amused.

"Hn. And when the unison is completed, all attraction will be gone, correct?"

"Hate to disappoint you, boss. But you're wrong." Suigetsu explained, "You would have to maintain it. The unison of both chakras serve a purpose, which I'm sure you are aware about. And until that purpose is completed, only then all attraction will cease, along with your memories of her."

"And how do I maintain it?"

"By regularly having sex with her."

Sasuke let out an irritated sigh. "And this Locked Soul thing… is there a chance I'll go through it again after my business with Hinata is finished?"

"It's a once in a lifetime thing, boss."

"Understood." Sasuke said, standing from his chair to walk out of his bedroom.

Suigetsu turned, confused with his boss' next move. "Are you going to see her?"

"Yes, I am."

If he could choose, he wouldn't want to go down this route. He was fulfilled enough to go on journeys to obtain power. Then, maybe, this was one of them. And who knows that after this, his quest to become stronger than anyone in Konoha would be easier.

Before entering the Konoha gates, he stopped walking to check whether he could detect her presence. And as usual, she had gone to her favorite waterfall. It was the best spot for the both of them, hence, he walked his way towards the Hyūga's destination.

Once arrived, he saw her sitting on one of the rocks, opposite from the waterfall, on dry ground. It didn't look like she was going to bathe, which would be easier for the Uchiha to seduce her into having intercourse with him. Before even touching her, she turned around to notice Sasuke's presence. And that was followed with a warm smile.

The Uchiha felt his heart move, just a little bit.

He then decided to sit next to her, while creating a gap between them.

"How's your head?"

"Better. Thank you for asking, Sasuke-san."

A long silence between them.

In a different setting, maybe Sasuke would have noticed her since the beginning of their academy years. Maybe he would even sit next to her during classes. She was never part of the noisy crowd of silly fangirls, and he could like that about her. Now that he was becoming more acquainted with her presence, he definitely wouldn't mind making her his wife.

But that's only if Konoha never made Itachi slaughter the entire Uchiha clan.

Now, that thought will only be a fairytale. And reality was too important for Sasuke.

'Sasuke-san," Hinata said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"I saw Naruto yesterday." She said vaguely.

"And?"

"I felt nothing."

This could be something Sasuke could report back to Suigetsu, to further the research on Locked Souls.

"But when you came into my room," Hinata said, pausing mid-sentence. Sasuke's attention had never been this sharp before. Then, Hinata continued, "I felt like you came to save me. And my heart won't be still whenever I think about you."

"Do you love Naruto?"

"I thought I did. I even confessed to him."

"And he never responded, did he?"

Hinata nodded. "A-And I'm ashamed whenever I think about y-you."

"I think about you a lot, too."

The heiress looked at the Uchiha with blushing cheeks. "Y-You do?"

"Yes. Especially you, naked."

… Maybe he was horrible at this. Were there any instruction manuals on how to make a girl sleep with you? He decided to wing it.

"I desire you, princess." He said, finding himself doing this manipulation task too easy. He was not one to manipulate, if not for his personal gain. But somehow, it didn't feel like lies when he confessed all of that to her. It felt as if it was the truth.

"I'm annoyed, Sasuke-san. Because I feel the same way… against my will." She managed to admit.

If Sasuke would tell her the truth of the reason why he was pursuing her, she would try to kill him. He had mentioned that he desired to destroy Konoha. She wasn't gullible to think he didn't have an agenda, right?

"I'm a killer, Hinata. Whenever I want something, it's always for my personal gain. You," He said, reaching his fingers through her silky hair, "are easy for me to consume. When a killer knows what he wants, he will not back down."

And just as how he predicted, she reacted to his touch in such a lustrous way, while maintaining her innocent disposition. She wanted him that bad, apparently.

"Y-You can do whatever you want to me, Sasuke-san."

"How amusing. Even though I will use our united chakras to destroy your village?" He said, deciding to be out in the open with his intentions.

Her white eyes widened, "W-What do you mean?"

Sasuke chuckled, reaching in to whisper into her ear, as his free hand made his way up her thigh. "You really thought by pursuing you, I will be purified? That I'd change my mind, come back to Konoha, and return to being a normal villager?"

Hinata couldn't break away from his touch. No, she did not want to break away. She desperately wanted him to touch her even more.

"Yes. I had hoped that would be the c-case."

"Sorry to disappoint, princess." He had said, softly grazing his lips down her neck. And when he heard Hinata let out a soft sigh, indicating pleasure, he smirked.

"I'm here to steal, kill and destroy. And in order to do that, I will make you mine."

He will pursue her, and slowly prey on her. He will limit his affections, make her desperate for more of him, until she breaks open. He will consume her, use her, and continue to use her until he successfully destroys Konoha.

Sasuke was sure that this time, she will be the one running to him, just to get more of him.