A few days later, the Chūnin Exams officially began.
The first exam was held in a poorly lit large classroom at the Ninja Academy.
The air reeked of sweat mixed with chalk dust, making the smell strangely intoxicating.
"Sit up straight, all of you!"
On the podium stood a bald man with a face full of scars, looking like a gangster sent to collect debts. He viciously rapped his pointer against the blackboard.
Ibiki Morino, captain of the Leaf Village Anbu Torture and Interrogation Force.
His eyes, long accustomed to dealing with prisoners, swept over the packed room of examinees with a cold, snake-like gaze.
"From this moment on, I am the rule of this exam!"
Ibiki slowly announced a set of harsh, almost sadistic rules.
Cheat once, and you were eliminated immediately. Drag down your teammates, and they would be kicked out with you.
The terrifying aura of someone who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood bore down on those sheltered little brats in the classroom, leaving them afraid to even breathe.
Quite a few of the mentally weaker ones were already sweating in their palms, their calves trembling.
Ibiki was very satisfied with the effect.
This was exactly the psychological battle under extreme pressure that he wanted.
However, when his gaze reached the area at the back of the classroom marked with Stone Village placards—
His usually expressionless face suddenly twitched.
The atmosphere was completely wrong.
Every other examinee sat upright, nervous as if they were heading to a funeral.
But these young masters and misses from Stone Village?
They lounged crookedly in their seats, sprawled at angles, carrying themselves as arrogantly as though they had come to a KTV to order hostesses.
"Hey, Kurotsuchi, did you bring dice? We're bored anyway. Want