"Alright, you trash! The written exam is over! Now, I'll announce the tenth question!"
Ibiki's full-throated roar crashed down like a heavy hammer upon every examinee's taut nerves.
Everyone who had just fallen into a daze because of Naruto's absurd answering speed was instantly dragged back into cruel reality.
It was here!
The final question that would decide their fate!
That cruel smile of absolute control returned to Ibiki's scar-riddled face.
He slowly raised one finger, as though he were gripping an invisible butcher's blade.
"Before I reveal the question, you must first make a choice."
"Choose to answer, or not to answer."
"Any examinee who chooses not to answer, along with their teammates, will be eliminated immediately!"
The moment this rule was announced, sharp intakes of breath filled the classroom.
Several impatient examinees began whispering among themselves, but Ibiki's next words instantly plunged the entire exam room into an ice-cold abyss.
"And those who choose to answer... if you get the tenth question wrong... then you will permanently lose the qualification to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams!"
"Boom—!"
Those words were no less than an Explosive Tag going off in everyone's minds!
A gamble that staked their entire ninja careers sent fear spreading like a plague.
"I... I withdraw! I choose not to answer!"
"I'm not gambling! I'll come back next year!"
One examinee after another broke down, raising their hands as they cried out.
The entire exam room became a chaotic mess, thick with an inescapable air of despair.
Sakura's face was as white as paper. She bit her lower lip tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She instinctively looked toward Sasuke and found that although his face was dark and composed, his tightly clenched fists exposed the turmoil in his heart.
What should they do?
Should they gamble?
What if Naruto got it wrong...
She secretly glanced at Naruto, only to find him still in the same unshakable pose, feet propped on the desk and hands behind his head. He even lazily swung one leg, as if this brutal elimination round that would decide countless people's fates was nothing more than a boring after-dinner pastime.
In truth, Naruto really did find it boring.
As a transmigrator, he had long known that the tenth question was actually a psychological test. There was no question at all; as long as they chose to stay, they would pass.
He had planned to simply rest with his eyes closed and wait for Ibiki to announce the result.
However, at that moment, the long-absent system notification suddenly sounded in his mind without warning.
[Ding! It has been detected that the host is at a critical point for establishing authority!] [Mission triggered: Overlord's Path: Prologue!] [Mission description: Mediocrities drift with the current; kings make the rules. Before a hundred ninjas, shatter this psychological trap with absolute dominance, select pawns worthy of your command, and establish your initial majesty as a "king"!] [Mission reward: Dominating Aura skill upgrade, Uzumaki reputation +100.] [Failure penalty: The system will judge the host lacking in boldness, greatly reducing the trigger rate and rewards for future "Uzumaki Empire" quest lines.]
Naruto slowly opened his eyes.
So that was it... the system wanted me to begin my "inspection of the troops" early?
A trace of amusement flashed through his azure eyes.
Fine. Rather than waiting for these fools to eliminate themselves, he might as well choose them personally.
Besides, he would need some cannon fodder in the Forest of Death to draw fire and handle a few unnecessary troubles for him.
Just as Sakura was about to be driven mad.
"Bang—!"
A deafening crash cut through every cry and disturbance in the exam room!
It was Naruto!
He slammed his palm hard onto the desk!
The entire classroom instantly fell silent.
Everyone froze, turning to look at him in unison.
Naruto slowly lowered his legs from the desk and rose to his feet.
He did not even look at Ibiki. Instead, in an extremely impatient tone, he spoke to the "trash" still hesitating and trembling throughout the room.
"Quit the fucking nonsense."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unreasonable, piercing force that rang clearly in everyone's ears.
"Does this pathetic level of psychological suggestion deserve to be put on display and embarrass itself?"
Naruto shoved both hands into his pockets, his deep blue eyes sweeping contemptuously across the room.
"If you don't even have the courage to gamble everything, what kind of ninja are you? Go home and farm."
"Anyone who doesn't dare gamble, get out. Right now. This instant."
"Stop wasting my damn time!"
Dominating!
Arrogant!
Conceited to the absolute extreme!
He was not encouraging anyone, nor was he giving some pre-battle speech.
He was simply using the most naked, blunt words possible to weed out the "trash" in his eyes!
Those words worked better than any threat Ibiki could have made!
The examinees who had been crying moments ago were stunned by his scolding, forgetting even to cry.
As for those whose wills had already been firm, it was as though they had been injected with a stimulant. The hesitation in their eyes instantly vanished, replaced by blazing fighting spirit!
Sakura and Sasuke stared blankly at Naruto's back. It was not particularly tall, yet at that moment, it seemed incomparably dependable.
The fear, unease, and hesitation that had filled their hearts moments ago were actually... completely blown away by his rough words!
Sasuke's fist slowly loosened, and a self-mocking smile appeared on his face.
So that was it... this was Big Brother's bearing.
He had still been agonizing over the gains and losses of an exam, while Big Brother had already begun selecting his future followers.
Compared with Big Brother, his own vision was still far too narrow.
Ibiki stared deeply at Naruto, the scars on his face twitching.
This brat... had actually used such a crude method to instantly dismantle the psychological trap he had painstakingly arranged. He had even turned the tables, transforming this exam into his own show of authority.
He sighed, knowing there was no longer any need to continue with the tenth question.
He slowly opened his mouth, preparing to announce that everyone who had remained would pass.
Just then—
"Crash—!"
A piercing sound of shattering glass suddenly exploded from the side of the exam room!
A black shadow smashed through the enormous window like a cannonball, carrying a shower of flying glass shards as it charged inside in an outrageously flamboyant manner!
Two kunai bearing Explosive Tags stabbed firmly into the blackboard behind Ibiki, and a huge black banner unfurled with a whoosh!
Two lines of arrogant, blood-red words were written on it: [The first exam is over! I am your second examiner!]
The next second, the black shadow landed steadily on the podium, one hand on her hip while the other pointed boldly at the dumbfounded examinees below.
The newcomer was a woman with an incredibly voluptuous figure.
A messy purple ponytail, a revealing black fishnet bodysuit, an open beige trench coat—wild, sexy, dangerous!
"Yo! You brats look pretty energetic!"
The woman laughed wildly and licked the corner of her mouth. "Now isn't the time to be happy! I'm the examiner for the second Chunin Ninja Exam, Mitaraishi Anko! Starting tomorrow, I'll take you all down to hell for a little fun!"
Her powerful presence, mixed with a faint scent of blood, instantly crushed the breath from every examinee in the classroom.
Everyone, including Sasuke and Sakura, was stunned by the mad, beautiful aura radiating from this woman.
Only one person was an exception.
At some point, Naruto had sat back down. Propping his chin with one hand, his deep blue eyes leisurely swept over that wild, fiery figure with great interest.
The corner of his mouth slowly curled into the smile of a top predator.
"Interesting prey."
Before you continue