Gold Hair, Black Heart

It was getting close to the exam starting hour and Naruto continued to stay by Hinata's side. Doki had returned to watch the exams, with Kin and his new baby at his side. Zaku was still getting his arms peiced back together. Naruto had an extremely clam perspective on the soon to come battles. He closed his eyes and entered the darkness inside to approach Kurama's usual sleeping spot. He eyed up the beast as he opened his eyes from a nap, stretching his large orange body with a yawn. He peered down upon Naruto and spoke distinctively, "You know with what is to happen, your girl may be injured."

"Piss off," Naruto said, "She is stronger than you are giving her credit for."

"If she is that strong," the kyuubi snarled back at him, "Then why did she lose that battle?"

Naruto glared back at the beast and said plainly, "She just needs a leg up. So suck it, I am picking her."

As Naruto turned to go, a giant orange claw grasped over him as he heard the growling voice of the fox, "You must pick a much stronger main mate!"

Naruto's eyes gazed back into the snarling eyes of the beast before him thorugh the breaks in his claws. He spoke with all seriousness, "Do I really need to dominate you again?" The Kyuubi's eyes went wide but he stood his ground despite shaking as Naruto continued, "Remember how when I first got you out, you acted all big and bad then I forced you over and took your ass?"

Kurama could not take any more embarrassment and so let him leave. Naruto's eyes opened to gaze into Hinata's gorgous blank orbs. He walked with her up to the contestant entrance and turned to her. He caressed her shoulder with his hand, causing her to blush a bit. She opened her mouth to speak but he gently placed his finger to her mouth. She smiled and blushed, hugging him tightly as she whispered into his ear, "Be safe."

He could only smile as she took off to go find herself a seat from the other entrance. He sighed and readied himself as Kyuubi nagged him constantly from the inside. He walked to where he was to wait, seeing that currently, only Gaara was present. Naruto walked towards him and stared right at him. Gaara looked up to him and said, "The fuck are you staring at?"

Naruto laughed and said, "I am not staring. I have barely looked at you for five seconds!"

"Now you have so quit it," Gaara said, readying his sand. But as his hand moved, Naruto grabbed it.

"Listen," Naruto spoke right out, "I thought you wanted to be in my army so make up your mind. Final chance."

Gaara looked away as he thought and said, "After the first matches?"

Naruto nodded and said, "Sure, just keep Shukaku under good control, just like practised."

Gaara looked away and spoke in a whisper, "Shukaku tried to dominate me."

"In what way!" Naruto asked, half furious and now understanding the ungreatful attitude.

Gaara removed his hand from Naruto's and cupped his fingers into a circle. He then took his other hand and placed his pointer into the open area. Naruto shook his head and growled. Gaara asked, "That bad?"

"You fuck him hard first and he will be an embarassment to all demon kind!" Naruto said, smirking at him.

Gaara shook his head, "I do not swing that way!"

"Now now, hold on!" Naruto said, "You don't need to really stick it in, you just need to show him that you are the dominant animal. Understood?"

Gaara nodded and the rest of the final contestants made their way into the waiting area. They looked across each other, some with angry glances and others with uncaring gazes. They looked at the roster and found that the first round was Naruto against Neji. Naruto and Neji locked gazes and entered the ring on opposite sides as they were called out. They met in the middle and were given the go to fight.

Neji made a motion as if he was going to start up his byakugan, but Naruto made a quick jab right into his cheek, causing Neji to fall flat to his side and onto the ground. Naruto made sure there was enough power in his punch to cause Neji to bounce not once, but twice off the ground before he could regain himself. "That was for your attitude," Naruto growled at him and then ran at him and kicked Neji hard in the stomach while he was trying to get up, sending him into the arena wall. "That was for how you treat your sister," He went at him and grabbed Neji by his hair as the Hyuuga coughed out blood. "And this last part... This sweet vengance... is for what you did to Hinata in the preliminaries..."

Neji tried to cringe but Naruto was holding him up at least an inch off the ground. Naruto drew his hand back, keeping his fingers together and hand flat as he thrust them forward into Neji, tearing through his skin and up into his chest cavity. Naruto wrapped his fingers around Neji's beating heart and watched Neji writhe in pain. The proctor leapt in to attempt to stop Naruto, as did several Jounin but it was too late. Naruto ripped Neji's still beating heart from his body and held it up as it beat its last. Neji's body flew into twitches as the brain sent final waves of trying to defend the already dying body.

The proctor had a light sweat as he gazed at Naruto, looking down as he said, "The fight is over... Naruto wins."

Naruto looked at the proctor, hearing Kyuubi whisper that he could smell fear. He gave the proctor a smirk as well as the other jounin before walking back into the waiting room. He was greeted by Gaara, who spoke to him, "I saw what you did after I taught Shukaku a lesson."

"Take it you liked the blood?" Naruto smirked and nudged him.

"I did," Gaara responded, listening for the next names to be called.

The next names called were from the other side of the bracket, Shikamaru and Temari. As they walked out, Naruto gave Temari a firm slap on the ass. She blushed and continued her way out. Naruto didn't bother watching and instead held a conversation with Gaara about their demons. None of the others seemed to be paying attention to them, all the better for them to talk openly. The match seemed to end quickly, Shikamaru forfeiting and going to watch the rest. Temari came back in, not feeling that much victorious but proud in the win none the less. Naruto made sure to give her another firm slap on the ass as she went by. They also heard the announcement for the next match to be Shino against Kunkuro. Naruto gave Kunkuro a fist pound as he went out then resumed his conversation with Gaara.

Time passed and Shino came back into the area. Naruto looked at Gaara and said, "Dude, your bro just got beat by bugs."

"That is really strange," Gaara said then looked down a bit to think on it. "But if he was being rash it's his own fault."

Naruto nodded then pat his back and siad to Gaara, "Go show that Uchiha what you are made of."

Gaara smiled barely and said, "will do."

Naruto took the time to sit back and relax, knowing he would have to face Gaara if he won and that would be a fun fight. Sure enough, he saw Gaara come back in. Naruto smiled and fist pounded him. "You got him good?" Naruto smiled about it.

"He'll be hospital for a few months if not the morgue," Gaara spoke with minimal excitement to Naruto.

"Gaara," Naruto said, "Express yourself. I can't wait to fight against you. We can let out our demons on each other!"

Gaara smiled a bit more at the thought of that. They heard them call out Temari and Shino, Naruto again giving her a firm slap on the behind. Gaara and him just stretched during the match, talking every now and again. It was mostly bullshitting like what they were going to do to each other in the battle. They both smirked as they saw Temari enter the room, her immidiately sitting down and relaxing. Gaara and Naruto looked at each other, ready for a challange then went out into the arena.

The proctor called for the match to begin then Gaara's sand kicked up and caught Naruto's fist as it came up at him. Naruto smirked at the knowledge that the short amount of training helped. Gaara went under the sand to uppercut at Naruto, Naruto able to use brute strength to turn his wrist in the sand and pull himself up and over the tight lock. He used gravity to force his fist down upon Gaara but Gaara let his own momentum take him into a roll away from Naruto's fist, releasing the sand on Narutos wrist to allow him to fall to the ground. Naruto's fist opened quickly and used the landing to get a tiny bit of momentum, along with his muscle control, to bring his legs down towards Gaara's head.

Gaara thought quick and his sand sheilded against the feet, him using the partial sheild as cover to get himself up and away from Naruto. Once at a slight distance, Gaara threw sand daggars his way in quick succession. Naruto hand bounced back on the sheild and gotten to his feet just in time to have to dodge the first daggar. He ended up having a little hair clipped off as he dove to the side, rolling as he tried to get in closer but Gaara forced up walls every time he made an advance and had spikes rise towards him. Naruto leapt away and tried a different approach, throwing a few hand signs to melt into mud.

Gaara put the sand down and noticed Naruto was nowhere and in that sudden realization, he quickly put himself into a ball of sand. Naruto came up behind the ball and firmly kicked it, sending the ball flying for a little but Gaara gained his barings and stopped from going too far. He dispersed his ball, allowing sand to gather on his skin but secretely so Naruto couldn't tell. Naruto ran at Gaara as Gaara ran at him, Naruto was faster but Gaara used his sand to push him fast. They collided fists hard, sand mixed with blood flying from their knuckles as they gave each other a smirk of approval.