In the end, Naruto still chose not to cheat, leaving his entire test paper blank.
When Ibiki, the chief examiner, passed by Naruto and saw the completely blank paper, he froze for a moment before immediately furrowing his brow.
Naruto and Sasuke were both candidates the village had placed special emphasis on. Before the exam, the Advisory Elder Council had repeatedly hinted to the examiners that they were to ensure Naruto and Sasuke passed the first test smoothly.
But Naruto had not answered a single question. According to the rules, not only would Naruto be eliminated, but Sasuke and Sakura, who were on the same team as him, would be implicated and eliminated as well.
"No, I have to make him pass!"
With that thought, Ibiki lightly tapped Naruto's desk and said sternly, "Stop spacing out. Watch the time—the exam is about to end!"
After saying that, he did not linger beside Naruto and instead headed straight for another area of the examination room, giving the surrounding examiners a meaningful look as he went.
The examiners who received Ibiki's signal naturally shifted their gazes away, leaving Naruto an opening to cheat.
"Huh!"
Sasuke instantly caught that detail. His eyes narrowed as he gave Sakura, who was sitting beside Naruto, a look.
Understanding his meaning, Sakura immediately pushed her test paper a little closer to Naruto.
But Naruto, having just been warned by Ibiki, did not dare cheat at all. If he alone had to bear the consequences, he naturally would not have feared them. But if he was caught cheating, Sasuke and Sakura would be implicated too and driven from the examination room in full view of everyone. He could not bring himself to risk such an outcome.
Time slipped away bit by bit.
When Ibiki made his rounds past