Will of Fire

"I don't understand!" One examinee, prioritizing safety, had their entire team skip the ninth question. According to Shikaku, their whole team was disqualified.

"We don't understand either!" Many examinees who skipped the ninth question, as well as those who didn't meet the score requirement, stood up to voice their discontent.

"Don't understand? Then I'll explain it one last time." Since the exam had concluded, Shikaku no longer held his previous domineering demeanor.

"Questions one through eight are worth ten points each, for a total of eighty points. Question nine is worth twenty points, making the total one hundred. Passing requires over sixty points."

Shikaku then stated, "Choosing to answer question nine! That is, answering question nine correctly! Adds twenty points! Not answering question nine! Regardless of your score! Means you fail!"

"You only answered eight questions. For those marked 'NO' after the eighth question, the proctor didn't even look at your papers. You weren't even given a red ninja identification card. Therefore, I regret to inform you that you did not pass this exam!" Shikaku explained in detail.

Shiyu finally understood Shikaku's meaning. Shiyu immediately activated the White Rinnegan and indeed saw Nao's surprised expression. Nao held a green number 60 in his hand, while Kurenai, being much more reliable, had a green number 90.

"This guy! He just barely scraped by. Exactly sixty points! If he had gotten one more question wrong, our whole team would have been disqualified!" Shiyu was almost scared to death and felt a sense of relief now, as if they had narrowly escaped disaster.

"Why! We got all the previous questions right! We didn't answer the ninth question just to be safe! Is that also wrong?" A fearless examinee argued vehemently with Shikaku.

Shikaku let out a cold laugh.

"Ridiculous! Those eight questions are so easy that even students not yet graduated from the Ninja Academy could answer them. What is there to be proud of in answering them? Furthermore, almost all of you got the eighth question wrong."

"Didn't you attend classes at the Ninja Academy? This exam has greatly disappointed me. I didn't expect that only one examinee would get a perfect score on Konoha's written exam." Shikaku glanced at Shiyu casually.

Upon hearing this, all the examinees felt a burning shame. It turned out these questions were all from the Ninja Academy textbooks, and they had thought themselves so clever.

"But even so, examiner, you said earlier that the ninth question was optional!" the examinee insisted, still unwilling to give up. "If you knew there was a risk, why would you still attempt it?"

Shikaku's face turned ashen.

"When you have a sure thing, you don't want to take a chance! Then what will you do when you don't have a sure thing? Won't you just flee in disarray!? Where is your drive to advance? As Konoha ninjas, are you only capable of doing things you are certain of?"

"During the Second Shinobi World War, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, to protect the Konoha squad members, including the Third Hokage, acted as bait alone to tie down the Kumogakure elite force, the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Squad, ultimately dying from exhaustion."

"There's no such thing as prioritizing safety! On the real battlefield, it's life or death! Even the Hokage faces life-threatening crises at times. Being a ninja is fundamentally not a profession that becomes great by prioritizing safety!" Shikaku took a deep breath and continued.

"Ninjutsu, in addition to the most basic ninja common sense, requires a spirit of exploration and striving! I said earlier that the higher the score, the greater the advantage in subsequent exams. Clearly, you didn't take it to heart. Ask yourselves, why are you here? Is it merely to pass the exam?"

"No! The departure of the older generation has brought you the peace you have today. You are here to become Konoha Chunin. Where the leaves dance, the fire is born anew. The flame will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout. This is the Will of Fire."

"Whether Konoha Genin or Chunin, they are all leaves dancing in Konoha. Those who cannot inherit the Will of Fire are simply not worthy of becoming Konoha Chunin."

"Those who did not pass, please leave now. Come back to take the exam when you truly understand what the Will of Fire is." Shikaku's speech left the examinees blushing profusely.

Those who didn't meet the score clearly lacked basic common sense, while those who skipped the ninth question clearly lacked the striving and pioneering spirit of Konoha ninjas.

Shiyu was fortunate that his entire team had passed the exam.

"Examinees who passed the written exam, please wait a moment. Examinees who passed in other testing grounds will be brought to this testing ground."

Following this, the examinees who failed, along with their teammates, dejectedly left the testing ground. Another large group of examinees who passed entered the testing ground. Shiyu recognized many familiar faces among them.

"Obito, Might Guy, and others seem to have passed."

"The familiar Konoha ninjas have passed. That's only natural, considering how simple the questions were."

Shikaku nodded with satisfaction. At this moment, a white-haired figure entered through the testing ground entrance.

Everyone held their breath, looking at the person before them with surprise and excitement.

"This... this is?" Kakashi was most astonished.

"Great Uncle?" Nao's surprise was no less than Kakashi's, for the person who arrived was none other than the renowned Konoha White Fang, Hatake Sakumo.

"White Fang-sama, you have arrived. We can begin." Shikaku showed great respect, as White Fang was, besides the current Third Hokage, the highest-ranking and oldest individual, even more famous than the Sannin.

White Fang was wearing not only a Jonin uniform and a green vest but also a half-sleeve band on his left shoulder, a privilege reserved for Hokage.

"How many groups are left?" Sakumo asked.

"Sir, there are currently only 40 groups remaining. Six out of ten examinees were eliminated after passing the written exam," Shikaku reported.

"Hmm? That's about what I expected." White Fang nodded, then walked to the front to address the examinees.

"Everyone, congratulations on passing the first stage. My name is Hatake Sakumo, also known as Konoha White Fang. I will be your chief examiner for the second stage." Hatake Sakumo did not pay attention to his son or nephew but proceeded to explain the exam content to everyone.

"Upon arriving at the testing ground, we will first determine the entry order. As a team, the member with the highest written exam score within each group will have priority entry into the testing ground with their team. For those with identical scores, entry order will be decided by drawing lots."

"Understood?" Sakumo asked.

"Understood!" The examinees who passed the written exam replied with powerful voices.

Looking at the spirited Konoha ninjas, Sakumo was very satisfied. He then led the 120 examinees toward the next venue.