Naruto: A New Perspective

Chapter 25

Sasuke didn't meet Naruto or Gaara on the stairs while returning up from his fight with Lee; they were still in the contestant box. Sasuke entered silently, there had been over a hundred genin in the beginning of the exams, ten of them in the start of the finals, and now there were only three others in this horrible test.

Aiko was smiling at him, "Great job,Sasu!"

Gaara was staring almost hungrily at Sasuke's face; he ignored the fierce killing intent that joined that look.

Naruto grinned as he saw Sasuke smiling?,Sasuke then continued smiling.

"Heh." Sasuke's smile only widened, "Thanks Naruto, you've ensured that I'm going to win this."

"You think?" Naruto asked, interested.

"Yup. I couldn't beat Lee in a straight fight." Sasuke admitted, "But I can beat you. So I win."

"That easy huh?" Naruto grinned, feeling that Sasuke was only joking.

"Yes." Sasuke replied simply.

Gaara growled, drawing attention back to himself, the Team 7 genin shifted their attention to the unstable boy.

"Sasuke Uchiha... I will kill you,when the time comes." Gaara declared hoarsely, before disappearing in a swirl of sand, heading for the arena floor.

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged indifferently, before watching Naurto preparing to leap over the viewing ledge to meet Gaara.

Aiko grabbed his wrist, "Be careful, Naruto,please." Her voice was serious, scared. She wasn't used to tossing killer intent off like Naruto, or even Sasuke.

Naruto glanced at Aiko's firm grip, he looked up at her, completely serious, "Aiko... I promise you,I'll be fine"

Aiko looked at him questioningly, while Sasuke looked on curiously. Naruto gently removed Aiko's hand from his wrist... and smiled.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki,The Next Hokage!"

With that parting reminder, Naruto jumped out, running down the wall sticking with chakra. The whispering audience seemed to wake up, and they began to talk excitedly again as Naruto appeared.

"Showoff." Sasuke muttered, but he was smirking widely now.

"He better not die." Aiko shook her head, her shortened hair shifting too, but she was smiling.

Naruto was now facing his opponent down on the field, the boy's face was passive, but Naruto knew that just hid the killer underneath... Gaara was dangerous,but he also saw something else,something dark, something that just like him...

Genma glanced at both, still a bit shaken from watching the last fight, "Naruto vs. Gaara... begin!"

Neither moved, Naruto felt like talking a bit first.

"You know you're pretty weird"Naruto said pointing at him.

Gaara said nothing,If Naruto hadn't heard the Sand ninja speak before, he would swear he was a mute.

"So, I've been thinking,there's something about you, you're just like me, I can sense it."Naruto said.

"I will end you." Gaara growled, "After I kill you. I will prove my existence by killing the Uchiha..."

"You're confident." Naruto's voice lost its hint of playfulness, his eyes now a cold steely blue, "But you won't even get to see Sasuke."

Genma stiffened, and his eyes quickly flashed to Naruto's face. That absolute calm, the blue eyes, the blonde hair...