Naruto The Warlord

Prologue

The darkness seemed to loom over Naruto as he gazed wide eyed in shock upon the members of the esteemed council. Their words rang hollow in his ears as his breath left his lungs in dread.

"...What did you just say...?", Naruto whispered, not willing to believe the command they had just given.

"...You are banished, Naruto.", Tsunade muttered somberly. While she seemed sad from the entire ordeal, the betrayal stung fiercely. "By the will of the council, and by vote, you are to leave the village in two days or you will be forced to leave."

"...Just... Two days...", Naruto muttered, his eyes sinking to the floor, an empty feeling falling over him.

Betrayed. By the very people he had strived to protect and win their favor.

For nothing.

"...I am sorry Naruto.", Tsunade muttered as she ignored the wary looks the council members gave Naruto, Anbu no doubt standing ready to suppress an eventual possession by the Kyuubi. "...But considering the state in which you brought the Uchiha back in, as well as your recount of the events that went down, the council have raised worry over the status of your seal. The council does no longer want to be held accountable for whatever may happen should something happen with you or the seal."

"But Jiraya-"

"Jiraya have better things to do than to babysit you.", Danzo muttered, ignoring the harsh glare sent by Tsunade. "Hokage, please, we have more things to discuss."

"I am sorry Naruto.", Tsunade whispered with teary eyes. "I'll talk to you later, alright? You should prepare and make your farewells with your friends."

It had only been a day since he brought Sasuke back from his attempt to join Orochimaru. He should have known that his efforts would prove futile, considering their blind hatred for the fox. After the grave news of his banishment, he had limped home still wounded from the retrieval mission. They wouldn't even give him time to heal. He was 12 years old. They wouldn't even let him heal before throwing him out into the woods. It scared him. He would lose his home, never to return. The very thought had never befallen him before. It was unthinkable that such a thing should ever happen.

But it did. And everything he had worked so hard for would be lost with it. Just because he'd used the Kyuubi's chakra in order to survive, after Sasuke had pierced his lung.

...That his teacher Kakashi had taught him, while leaving Naruto to fend for himself before the Chunin exams. Naruto shook his head as he felt anger flare up. It wasn't fair! He had done his mission, completed it, and been treated like shit for it.

...Even Sakura hadn't even come to see him once after he'd brought back Sasuke. He didn't know what he expected, really. How stupid he had been.

Arriving at his apartment, he let himself inside and stood for a moment in the utter silence that seemed to much louder than it ever had before.

The truth was... Nobody had come to see him. Naruto let himself sink to the floor as desperation took him. He cried. The last time he had cried like this was when Haku died. It seemed so long ago now, like a different life. Like everything that happened then happened to someone other than himself.

He had never felt so broken like this. He hated himself.

...And for the first time, he HATED the village.

In wild anger, Naruto screamed in desperate sorrow before picking up the closest object he had and threw it into the wall. Rampaging through his apartment and cursing the village and everyone in it alike, Naruto didn't care that he broke everything he owned. It wasn't like he needed any of it anymore anyway.

He hated them all for this. He hated them all for using him and throwing him away. He hated them all for making him crawl and bleed for their approval which they never gave. As Naruto calmed down, he gathered his thoughts and drew a shuddering breath.

The truth was, he had nothing here. Nothing and nobody. He had thought Tsunade cared, but that wasn't obviously much. Jiraya was not here either, so he figured Jiraya did not care much either.

And his team... Well, the length of their affection had been shown clearly, since he'd been home for over a day, wounded without anyone coming to see him. The only thing he had in Konoha, was his dream. But dreams, Naruto realized... Dreams were for children. Not monster's, like himself.

Crying silently, Naruto began to pack everything he thought he would need to give himself a fighting chance. He would leave. Tonight.

He wouldn't give anyone the courtesy of giving their false farewells. He would go and find some sort of serenity elsewhere. It did not take him long to finish packing. Eventually he stood before his door, with his backpack filled and ready to go. Reaching for the handle of the door, Naruto hesitated.

This was it.

He was actually doing it. A part of him felt like a scumbag, leaving in such a manner like Sasuke had, but it was not the same at all. They were throwing him out, against his will. His face took on an angry snarl as he reached up to his forehead in order to pull off his headband, his tears having long since dried up. Looking at the headband, Naruto felt his anger lessen upon the memories it invoked in him. A somber smile fell upon his lips before shaking his head.

Another life, maybe.

Letting it go, the headband fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Giving it a last glance, Naruto opened the door and disappeared into the night.

It wasn't until his last day that anyone in the village noticed his disappearance.