The preliminaries are finally here! I will have a flash back to when Naruto met Kyuubi, but it probably won't be for another chapter or two. Sorry. I kind of decided to skip the whole being introduced to the preliminaries thing, because nothing really changed except Sakura wasn't as worried about the seal as in the manga.

Naruto could barely contain himself as the final genin made their way up to the stands. Unlike most of the competitors, Naruto was all too happy to have an extra fight. "That's my kit, show these mortals what a fox can do!" Kyuubi's loud voice rang through Naruto's head and lengthened Naruto's already considerable grin.

'No problem's there. I just hope I don't have to fight anyone tough until we have a bigger audience!'

"Stop jumping, Naruto," Sasuke reprimanded his teammate. "They're about to call t he first match." Naruto mumbled something under his breath, but stopped when the screen started rolling.

"YOROI AKADO VS SASUKE UCHIHA." Sasuke smirked.

"Guess I'm first."

"Lucky bastard," Naruto mumbled.

"Best for last, Kit." Another grin came to Naruto's face, but Sakura darkened his mood slightly.

"Himaru-sensei, are you sure the seal can wait?" Sakura turned to her relaxing teacher. Himaru brushed the hair out of his eyes and nodded.

"Naruto did a pretty good job, and Sasuke's a strong one. It'll take more than that to bring him down." Sasuke was already facing his opponent by the time Himaru finished.

"Are you both (cough) ready?" Hayate asked and gave each combatant a glance.

"Fine with me," Sasuke replied.

"I have no complaints," Yoroi replied.

"(Cough) then begin!" A smile came to the disguised Orochimaru's lips as Yoroi charged Sasuke.

'Yoroi's unique abilities will be quite the problem for you, Sasuke-kun.' The Snake crafty eyes shifted to look at his Cursed Seal, but only saw blood red. A frown came to the Sannin's face. 'How troubling.'

Sasuke easily sidestepped Yoroi's glowing hand and then grabbed his arm. "I don't know what that glow is, but I won't find out!" Yoroi barely had time to register the sentence before a searing pain shot up his arm. Sasuke dropped the miss-angled appendage and smoothly ducked Yoroi's left hand. "Stubborn, aren't you?" Sasuke blurred out of existence, and blood spurted from all over Yoroi's body an instant before Sasuke reappeared behind him.

"Chitsume no Mai (One Thousand Claw Dance)." Sasuke sheathed his crimson blade as Yoroi fell to the ground, just shy of death.

"T-that sword…" Lee and Neji both looked at an awestruck Tenten.

"What is the matter, Tenten?" Lee asked, his voice somehow loud and quiet at the same time.

"N-nothing."

Sasuke was up the stairs and by his team by the time Yoroi was taken away for treatment. "Show off," Naruto whispered, but Sasuke leaned in and whispered right back.

"We'll be lucky if you don't stretched your match out to an hour." Naruto stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha and Himaru grabbed it.

"Don't be so crude," Himaru said and shoved Naruto's tongue back into his mouth. "Now come on, Sasuke, I'm going to finish off that seal."

"What? I need to stay to watch the matches." Himaru leaned down to face his pupil.

"Naruto and Sakura can give you the play-by-play, now come on! Do you know how hard it was to convince them to wait this long?" With a grunt, Sasuke reluctantly let Himaru teleport them both away.

"I don't know who you are, but I wouldn't do that if I were you." Himaru sighed and pushed his bangs out of his eyes at Orochimaru's voice. He slowly let the hand that was above Sasuke's seal fall limp.

"Stay behind me, Sasuke."

"But-"

"Just do it!" Sasuke grumbled, but of all the adults in Konoha, Himaru was probably the only one he respected enough to obey. Orochimaru smirked and started to walk closer towards Himaru and Sasuke.

"I would appreciate it if you stand aside. I have no interest in you."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Orochi." Orochimaru stopped in mid step.

"Pardon?" This time, Himaru smirked.

"You heard me, you eight-headed buffoon." 'Orochimaru's' eyes narrowed.

"How did you know?" 'Orochimaru's' voice changed to a demonic hiss. A laugh escaped Himaru's lips, while Sasuke was just plain baffled.

"Orochimaru is too smart to do what you've done." An angry hiss emanated from Orochi's mouth. "The experiments, the betrayal, all of it is jus too stupid for him. Only two snake demons could over power Orochimaru's will, and Hachibi is in a little kid." Orochi still smiled.

"Than you know you've got no chance against me." A very creep smile made its way to Himaru's lips.

"It's true that in this form I have no hope of defeating you on my own, however…" Black chakra started to surround Himaru, and horrifying amounts of killer intent filled the room

"Impossible!" Orochi hissed as the room was encompassed in black chakra.

"Jeez, everyone in these exams are weirdoes!" Naruto exclaimed as the third match ended with Kankouro as the victor.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Naruto," Sakura teased him. Naruto scowled playfully at Sakura in response before turning to the board. "Be me, be me, be me…Aw."

"What's the matter, Naru-" Sakura gasped at the names.

"SAKURA HARUNO VS INO YAMANAKA." Sakura barely felt Naruto patting her on the back before she descended down the stairs. As she made her way to the center of the room, a fiery determination set in her eyes.

"Begin (cough)!"

"Are you ready, Ino-pig?" Ino clenched her fist at the nickname.

"I'm bringing you down, Billboard-Brow! And then Sasuke-kun will be all mine!" Sakura almost felt pity for her rival.

"That's not going to happen, Ino. We've already gone out." Ino turned blood red all over in rage, but it was washed away when Sakura adjusted her hitai-ate so it was on her forehead. "But despite that, and despite all my training, I won't consider myself a true kunoichi until I beat you!" An uneasy smirk came to Ino's face as she adjusted her own hitai-ate.

"Bring it on, Sakura!"

"Ino's gonna get hurt, huh?" Chouji stated more than asked his lazy teammate. Shikamaru's reply was only a sigh and a mumble of 'troublesome'.

Back on the floor, Sakura made the first move, her fist connecting with Ino's stomach. A hoarse gasp came from Ino's throat as she was lifted into the air by the sheer force of the blow. She soared into the air, and Sakura jumped to join her. "Fight me, Ino-pig!" Still in mid-air, Sakura raised her leg high into the air for an axe kick. Her foot completely shattered the log Ino replaced herself with, and the other kunoichi was safe for the moment.

"You've left yourself open!" Ino threw several kunai at the still airborne kunoichi, and then started looking around for where Sakura must have kwarimi'ed herself.

"Ino, look out!" Chouji's shout brought Ino's attention skyward. Sakura was coming down like a meteor; the kunai that had been thrown at her lay dented on the floor. Ino barely dodged Sakura's fist in time, but the floor wasn't so lucky. A web of giant crack spread out across the floor and the point of impact was now a small crater.

"No way…" Ino was almost too shocked to move as Sakura withdrew her fist and came closer towards her. The blonde kunoichi's shock soon turned to rage and her fists and teeth clenched. "How? How can you be so strong?" Sakura frowned at her old friend.

"Its called training, Ino." Ino's whole body shook with rage, and she thought she saw Sakura glance condescendingly at her ponytail.

"You think you're better than me?" Sakura could only stare in confusion as Ino sliced off her ponytail and threw the strands to the ground. "See, I don't need it either!"

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Sakura asked, genuinely perplexed. Her confusion practically sky rocketed when Ino prepared her mind transfer technique. "You're crazy."

"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Transfer Technique)!" Ino's body slumped to the floor, but when Sakura tried to move, she was stuck. "Got you." Ino's voice was back to being cheerful and cocky.

"You're using your hair as a restraint with your chakra." Ino deflated when Sakura explained her plan, but not by much.

"So you know how I did it, that won't help you! I'm going to take you over and make you surrender!"

"You're not the only one who knows jutsu, Ino." Said kunoichi actually seemed shocked by the prospect, and her shock turned to distress when one of Sakura gauntlets glowed with green energy. "Bara Kei (Rose Whip)!" A green blur shot out of Sakura's gauntlet and slammed into Ino, sending her into a wall and into darkness. The hair chain fell limp around Sakura's feet, and Hayate declared her the winner.

"Good job, Sakura-chan!" Sakura smiled at her blond teammate and put her forehead protector back to its original position. Her lips curled into the barest of frowns as Ino was carried up the stairs by her teammates.

"Sorry, Ino…" Naruto tilted his head at Sakura. Even after a month of team training, he still didn't get girls, and didn't think he ever would. If he and Sasuke knocked the other out during a fight, they'd just have bragging rights until the next match came along.

"Hokage-sama." Sarutobi's brow furrowed at Himaru's voice. He didn't like it when there were people who could sneak up on him. The Hokage turned to look at the jounin, and barely held in a gasp. Himaru was bleeding from his mouth, and his left arm was bloodied and limp, just hanging there by his side.

"What happened?" Sarutobi demanded quietly. Himaru smiled back at the Hokage, despite the obvious pain he was in.

"I have a surprise for you." Himaru's voice sounded almost…sing-songie? Before the Hokage could ask further, Himaru turned to Anko, who hadn't stopped looking at the current match between the Suna kunoichi and the Konoha Kunoichi. "Mitarashi-san, correct? You might want to come to." Himaru teleported away, but left a clear chakra trail for the Hokage and Anko to follow.

"Hey."

"Sure took ya' Sasuke-teme," Naruto said with a grin as Sasuke came up to them.

"Did Himaru-sensei get rid of it?" Sasuke nodded and pulled his shirt aside to show that there was no seal.

"Have I got a story to tell you two after this is over. So, what'd I miss?"

Naruto was quick to tell him, "You missed Sakura-chan's totally awesome match where she totally owned Ino!"

"Sorry I missed it." Sasuke gave Sakura a quick hug, and even now it nearly turned her to jelly. "At least I get to see Naruto's."

"NARUTO UZUMAKI VS KIBA INUZUKA."

"Its finally my turn!" Naruto practically threw himself off the watching area to the floor.

"We hit the jackpot, Akamaru!" Kiba howled. "We get to fight Naruto!" Surprisingly, Akamaru didn't yip in agreement.

"Kiba, wait." The dog ninja froze on his perch. "Be careful. My bugs say that Naruto is different. Just being near him made the Kikai bugs go crazy." Kiba shrugged it off

"Tch. It's just the Dead Last." Kiba smoothly landed on the floor, and made it a point to beat Naruto to the center of the room.

"Be (cough) gin!"

"You have the first move, Dog Breath," Naruto said and put his hands behind his back.

"Think you're so tough." Kiba sneered. "Just stay here, Akamaru. I'll finish this with one blow." Kiba quickly ran through some hand seals and then fell on all fours. His new more bestial features stretched into a fanged grin. "Here I come!" Kiba came at Naruto like a missile and slammed his elbow into the other boy's gut. There was an awkward silence when Naruto didn't even flinch.

"I don't swing that way, Kiba." Said ninja gritted his teeth and leapt back.

"Cocky bastard!" Kiba swung his clawed fist at Naruto's head. Once again, Naruto didn't even flinch when the blow connected. A smirk came to Naruto's face and he raised an eyebrow at Kiba.

"I'm starting to think these are actually your attacks." Kiba let out something between a growl and a roar and began throwing punch after punch at Naruto. Each time his fists connected, but also each time Naruto seemed to barely notice.

"You hit about as hard as Sakura-chan sneezes," Naruto said, and suddenly his eyes lit up with an idea. "I got it! I won't move from this spot until you throw something at me that hurts!" Kiba turned red and began pounding Naruto with kicks and punches, but nothing was working, and after a couple of seconds Naruto started laughing. "You're starting to tickle me!" Kiba stopped his useless barrage and leapt back farther.

"Okay, Akamaru, let's show the Dead Last his place!" Kiba popped a soldier pill into Akamaru's mouth, and the dog's fur turned blood red. "Juujin Bunshin no Jutsu (Beast-Man Clone Technique)!" Akamaru turned into a clone of Kiba, and each Kiba took to a different side of Naruto. "Gatsuuga (Fang-Over-Fang)!" Twin cyclones launched themselves at Naruto. To everyone's shock, the fox boy looked disappointed.

"How pathetic." Naruto lifted both of his arms up and halted the two attacks with his palms. Naruto's arms bunched up under the pressure, but he held the attacks in place. With a smirk, Naruto leaned back, his feet didn't leave the spot, and he let the attacks go, sending both of them in opposite directions and into the walls with a loud 'thump'. Kiba quickly got to his feet and charged Naruto, just plain desperate. The blonde shinobi didn't realize where Kiba's foot was aimed until it was too late. There was another awkward silence as Kiba withdrew his foot from Naruto…Ahem.

"That hurt!" Kiba didn't have time to gloat before Naruto grabbed him by the face and slammed into a wall, creating a web of crack behind the dog ninja. With a single kick, Naruto sent Kiba into the air without letting go of his face. "Juukusari no Mai (Beast Chain Dance)!" Naruto struck Kiba with blow after blow while they were still in mid air. The poor dog ninja was thrown around like a rag doll without Naruto ever letting go of him.

"I thought Naruto was supposed to be an idiot," Kurenai said under her breath. "What did Himaru do to him?"

'Naruto-kun…' Hinata was shocked more than anyone. Naruto looked like a beast as he propelled Kiba around the arena with nothing but mid air taijutsu.

"And now for the coup de grace!" Naruto finally finished his monstrous combo with an axe kick that sent Kiba crashing into the ground and out like a light. Hayate declared Naruto the winner as the blond shinobi stormed back up to his team.

"That's what you get for taunting your enemies," Sakura said, and Naruto pouted at her.

"But that was just mean!"

"N-N-Naruto-k-kun." Hinata slowly approached Naruto, a strange little box in her hand. "I-I brought you s-some healing s-salve. F-for you h-hands." Naruto blinked in confusion and then stared at his hands. He pouted at the ripped bandages.

"It takes forever to change these things," he grumbled.

"Kit, hot chick talking to you!" Naruto mostly ignored the Kyuubi, but it did bring him back it Hinata.

"Thanks, Hinata, but my hands are fine, see?" Naruto showed her his hands, but unlike the bandages, they were unscathed.

"O-oh." Hinata had to mentally reprimand herself when she almost wished Naruto had been hurt just so he could use her salve.

"But can I have some for later?" Hinata nodded rapidly and handed him the box. "Thanks, Hinata!" The Hyuuga froze as Naruto hugged her briefly before pocketing the salve.

That took me awhile. Anyway, how was this chapter? And why has no one noticed Naruto's chakra? Human chakra is light blue, Kyuubi's is red, but Naruto's is navy, which by the way, means a blue so dark it's almost black!