The Will of Fire

"I—I don't understand!" One candidate had played it safe, and his entire team had skipped Question Nine. According to Shikaku, that meant they had all been eliminated.

"We don't understand either!" Many candidates who had skipped Question Nine, along with those who hadn't scored enough to pass, stood up to protest.

"You don't understand? Then I'll explain it one last time." Since the exam was over, Shikaku no longer acted like the tyrant he had been earlier.

"For Questions One through Eight, each correct answer is worth ten points, for a total of eighty. Question Nine is worth twenty points, bringing the total to one hundred. You need more than sixty points to pass."

Shikaku continued, "Choose to answer Question Nine—and answer it correctly—and you get twenty points! If you don't attempt Question Nine, you fail, no matter what your score is!"

"You only answered eight questions. After Question Eight, the proctors didn't even look at the papers of candidates who had written NO. They didn't give you red Ninja Recognition Cards, either. So I regret to inform you that you have failed this exam." Shikaku explained it all in detail.

Only then did Shiyu understand what Shikaku meant. He immediately activated his White Rinnegan. Sure enough, Nao looked delighted. A green 60 hovered over Nao's hand, while the more reliable Kurenai had a green 90.

That guy! He'd just barely scraped by. Exactly sixty points! If he'd gotten one more question wrong, our whole team might've been eliminated! Shiyu had nearly been scared to death. Now he felt like he'd survived a close call.

"What gives you the right? We answered all the earlier questions correctly! We skipped Question Nine because we wanted to play it safe! How can that be wrong?" One candidate, seemingly unafraid of death, argued with Shikaku.

Shikaku sneered.

"Ridiculous! Even students who haven't graduated from the Ninja Academy could answer those eight questions. What's there to be proud of? Besides, almost all of you got Question Eight wrong."

"Didn't you attend classes at the Ninja Academy? I'm very disappointed in this exam. I never expected that only one candidate would get a perfect score on Konoha's written test." Shikaku's gaze briefly swept over Shiyu.

His words made all the candidates' faces burn. It turned out the questions came from Ninja Academy textbooks, yet they'd thought themselves so clever.

"But even so, Examiner, you said earlier that we didn't have to answer Question Nine!" The candidate still refused to give up. "If we knew it was risky, why should we have tried?"

Shikaku's face turned livid.

"Even when you have a chance, you don't want to take a risk! What will you do when the odds are against you? Run away with your tails between your legs? Where's your drive to push forward? As Konoha Ninja, are you only willing to do things you're sure you can handle?"

"During the Second Shinobi World War, Second Hokage Tobirama Senju sacrificed himself to hold off Kumogakure's elite Kinkaku and Ginkaku Squad. He did it to protect the Konoha squad, including the Third Hokage."

"What does playing it safe have to do with anything? On a real battlefield, it's life or death! Even Hokage-sama can face a deadly crisis. Being a ninja isn't about playing it safe—that's not what makes it a great profession!" Shikaku took a long breath and continued.

"Besides the most basic knowledge of being a ninja, you also need a spirit of exploration and determination. I told you earlier that the higher your score, the greater your advantage in the later exams. Clearly, you didn't take that to heart. Ask yourselves: why did you come here? Just to pass the exam?"

"No! The older generation's sacrifices are what gave you the peace you enjoy today. You came here to become Konoha's Chunin. Wherever the leaves dance, the fire burns on. Its light will keep illuminating the village and help new leaves sprout. That is the Will of Fire."

"Whether they're Genin or Chunin, all Konoha Ninja are leaves dancing in the wind. Those who can't inherit the Will of Fire don't deserve to become Konoha's Chunin."

"Those who failed, leave now. Come back when you truly understand the Will of Fire." Shikaku's speech left the candidates blushing with shame.

Those who hadn't passed lacked even the most basic knowledge, while those who hadn't attempted Question Nine clearly lacked the drive and determination of Konoha Ninja.

Shiyu was relieved that his whole team had passed.

"Candidates who passed the written test, please wait a moment. Those who passed the written test in the other exam rooms will come to this room"

Then the candidates who had failed left the room dejectedly with their teammates. Another large group of candidates who had passed entered, and Shiyu spotted many familiar faces among them.

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

"All the Konoha Ninja we know passed. That's only natural, considering how easy the questions were."

Nara Shikaku nodded in satisfaction. Just then, a white-haired man entered through the exam room's door.

Everyone held their breath, staring at the man before them in shock and excitement.

"Th-this is...?" Kakashi was the most shocked.

"U-Uncle?" Nao was just as stunned as Kakashi. The newcomer was none other than the famous Konoha White Fang, Hatake Sakumo.

"White Fang-sama, you're here. We can begin." Nara Shikaku was extremely respectful. After all, aside from the current Third Hokage, White Fang was the most experienced and senior figure in Konoha, with a reputation surpassing even the Sannin.

White Fang wore a Jonin uniform and a green flak jacket. On his left shoulder was half of the sleeve insignia, an emblem only the Hokage was entitled to wear.

"How many teams are left?" Sakumo asked.

"Sir, only forty teams remain. They passed the written test, but sixty percent of the candidates were eliminated," Shikaku reported.

"Hmm? About what I expected." White Fang nodded, then stepped up in front of the candidates and began to speak.

"Congratulations on passing the first stage. My name is Hatake Sakumo, also known as the Konoha White Fang. I'll be the chief examiner for your second stage." Hatake Sakumo didn't single out his son or nephew. Instead, he explained the exam to everyone.

"When we arrive at the exam grounds, we'll determine the order of entry first. Teams will enter as a group. The candidate with the highest written-test score in each team will get priority entry. If there's a tie, we'll draw lots to decide the order."

"Understood?" Sakumo asked.

"Understood!" The candidates who had passed the written test answered firmly.

Looking at the Konoha Ninja, full of confidence, Sakumo was very pleased. Then he led the 120 candidates toward the next location.