Naruto sighed as the tension and distrust exceeded past the limits; the atmosphere thick enough to be cut by a butter knife. But…

His blue eyes subtly trailed to the man with the monkey. Thanks to that, he could tell who had his number. It was clear as day with the shifting eyes and subtle glances. Perhaps, it was a bad thing to say that he went on the same path as Hisoka back there. Everyone probably accounting his number in their minds since that moment on.

But it didn't matter. Naruto was hunting that man anyways. What a draw. For a person to be both prey and predator of another person. He didn't have to worry about anyone targeting him after getting his tag then.

He shook his head in pity for the orange haired man who would need six points collected one by one to pass and turned to walk elsewhere. Along the way, he met the two friends sitting down together and holding up their cards. He popped in, spooking them as he read,

"Number 199 and 44, huh. Bad luck, Gon."

"Shhh! Shh!" Gon quickly said while Killua grinned,

"That's what I said! And what's yours?"

Naruto showed his Number 118, "I got the guy with the monkey."

Gon blinked, "Eh? You know who you got?"

"Yeah. I'm a ninja. We're supposed to be wary of everything. I remembered all of them while in Trick Tower." Naruto said, holding his own card in the air without a care. Killua beamed,

"Then, do you know who's mine? "

"The Amori brothers." Naruto closed an eye in memory, "The yellow one with his hat backwards."

"Sou ka." Killua grinned; his hands already prepared to kill, "That makes everything a lot easier."

Gon nodded, "Mm." Before looking away while clenching his own fists. A smile lit on his face even as he shivered. Killua laughed,

"Are you happy or are you afraid?"

Gon paused before admitting, "Maybe both. If it was a classical confrontation, I could never envision winning, but… Since it's about stealing a sheet, there should be a way. Even I have a little luck… I have a revenge to take."

"...yes. Well, we won't let the others worry us! Try to stay alive, Gon!"

Killua said before moving away to leave Gon to think. Naruto paused before getting up as well,

"Jya, good luck, Gon. Better put that fishing rod of yours to use while you're at it!"

Gon's eyes widened before he stood up excitedly, "That's it!"

Naruto caught up with Killua with a jog. Killua asking, "The fishing rod?"

"Why not? It's Gon's weapon anyways."

"...but the fishing rod. It's not like he's a fish."

Naruto laughed at the thought of the murderer being a fish before looking at the ocean, "No. He is one. A big fish in a little pond. But eventually, all fishes get tired and distracted by other prey and the scent of blood."

"...complicated." Killua's face screwed up at unriddling the words.

"Not very. I know his type from the Tower. And I dealt with his type before." Naruto clenched a kunai in his ninja pouch, "Not very pleasant experience, but… those kind of people get distracted by the powerful and their bloodlust a lot. And that's where you take the chance."

"Heeh. Your life sounds pretty messed up, you know. You meeting all these crazies."

Naruto laughed again, "Yours too!"

Killua grinned, "Ain't that the truth. Looks like we don't have to worry about each other's target then~"

"Of course." Naruto grinned, allowing some arrogance for this fight.

…

Finally, they arrived at the island. An orange-haired announcer cheerfully announcing,

"Everyone! We have arrived on Zebiru's Island! Now, please disembark in the order by which you cleared the Third Phase. After each person disembarks, we'll wait two minutes before the next person's turn."

Naruto patted the group of four on the back with a teasing smile, "Good luck. You got the killers, hunters, and trappers going first. What a lovely combination~"

Leorio groaned along with Kurapika at the reminder.

"No point in regretting it now," Killua said, hands crossed behind his head. "At least we're not last."

Gon nodded, "Un."

The announcer continued speaking, "You will stay on this island for exactly one week. During that time, you must amass your six points of ID tags and return here. All right then, the first person may start!"

And so, Hisoka crossed the wooden bridge first, entering the darkness of the leafy area. Two minutes passed and Naruto gave them a nod, repeating,

"Good luck." And then he too left. Not too far away though as he sat in a tree just a few meters into the forest and used Zetsu to completely hide himself.

…

The people on the boat jumped as they heard a monkey and man scream just one minute in the forest. There was a brief rustle of the trees as a familiar black fox's head peeped out before submerging back into the foliage of leaves. Killua laughed,

"Looks like Naruto already got his tags!"

Leorio and Kurapika nodded in a bit of a daze, still a bit miffed by the sudden screams. Gon grinned, congratulating the blond that probably already left deeper in.

…

Naruto concentrated as he practiced his Nen from the basic exercises to the more complicated techniques that Hisoka had told him about. He paused in the middle of training at the vibration of his cellphone.

Taking it out, he closed the phone once again at the sight of Caller ID. He had no right to talk to them again…

He practiced with more fervor.

…

Five days passed and both of them watched as the boat arrived; Killua and Naruto having met each other along the way to the shore. The announcer's voice boomed throughout the forests of the island, scaring birds into the skies,

"The Fourth Phase of the exam has just ended. Will the applicants please return to the starting point at once? You will be given one hour of extra time. If you do not return during this time, you will fail the exam. Furthermore, you are not allowed to exchange tags after reaching the starting point. Anyone caught swapping tags will be disqualified."

Killua stretched, "Finally!"

Naruto nodded as he jumped down the tree and rocks to get to the starting point. Naruto following and watching as everyone slowly appeared from out of the foliage. The wooden bridge fell with the woman announcer waiting at its edge. After a few minutes, she stepped forth, clipboard and green pen in hands.

"Then we will now check the tags of everyone here!"

Each held out their tags once their names were called. Naruto and Killua both noticing that Hisoka didn't have his own tag and grinning. Like heroes, the three came last, holding out their tags to the announcer. Naruto eyed Gon's stare-off with Hisoka with curiosity though; he was more intune with emotions now. Using Nen or without Nen. He always was; used to being the observer from being alone and watching others from the darkness. And he could tell that Gon was not happy or satisfied.

But he left his thoughts as the woman flourished her hand up towards the blimp above shouting,

"These ten applicants have passed the Fourth Phase!"

…

The blond wandered around for a moment on the blimp, having not explored it before. Killua had already left to talk to Gon. Leorio and Kurapika together as always. It was only a little after when he heard the speaker com turn on and Mr. Beans talk about an interview with the Chairman.

…

Naruto entered a traditional room to see the old man; his head nodding politely before he took his seat. Netero readied his brush, holding the paper in one hand after studying him,

"First, why do you want to become a Hunter?"

The blond paused before answering, "I heard that there are many things you could do with a Hunter's License."

"I see. Then I'll move on to the next question. Which of the other eight applicants are you keeping an eye on?"

Naruto arched a brow, "What does that mean? If it's who I'm wary of, then #44 and #301. If it's who I want to protect, then it's #99, #403, #404, and #405. And I'm watching #294 because he's the same as me."

Netero nodded, writing it all down with a slow elderly laugh before looking at him again, "Then last question. Which of the other eight applicants would you least want to fight?"

Naruto didn't have to think, "The same as those who I want to protect: #99, #403, #404, and #405. A person once told me that those who break rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash. I agree. I won't fight them without good reason - not even for my dreams though I currently have none."

"Alright. You're excused."

…

"Gon. You alright?"

"Eh?"

Naruto eyed the other carefully before shaking his head, "Never mind. You look a lot better. Good work on getting Hisoka-san's tag."

"Ah, wait!"

And the blond listened to Gon tell him about the Fourth Phase and how Hisoka gave him the tag. Naruto contemplated before patting the other on the head. It annoyed him that he had to reach up though; why was everyone so tall?

"Don't think too much on it. Hisoka-san just wants to fight you at your full potential. He's acknowledging your strength and determination, Gon. Use that against him and give him a good punch when it's time."

Gon blinked before grinning, "Yeah!"

"And…" Naruto hesitated before suggesting, "You should train at Heavens Arena in Padokia. There's plenty of strong people that you get money if you win against… and you might even meet someone who would teach you something new and maybe even necessary to learn at the 200th floor."

"Thanks, Naruto!" Gon smiled at the advice before skipping away. Naruto smiled as he stared at the other's back, murmuring softly,

"Gon would be a better student and brother, Wing-san, Zushi."

And so, he walked away back into the dark halls once again alone.

Three days before the big fight.

A/N: Honestly, there's no reason for a fight scene in Zebiru Island when Naruto's way stronger than his opponent and has no reason to go after Hisoka and Illumi. Plus, he needs a break sometimes... maybe... not xD

By the way, I'm a girl who loves all forms of love (except incest and harem), but I'm not writing anything beyond fluff, light-hearted romance and bromance. If something here sounds wrong to you... Get your filthy mind out of the gutter! (- of course, all's said in good joking manner because I admit that I do grow and eat lemons as a personal private guilty pleasure)