Naruto's Exam Paper

After chief examiner Morino Ibiki announced that everyone had passed, not a single Genin examinee could feel happy. All they felt was the relief of surviving a disaster. Those few short minutes had felt like severe mental torture.

They had made the so-called tenth question seem so mysterious, advertised it as incredibly difficult. Just hearing the description had felt like a boulder pressing on their chests, leaving them unable to breathe. Yet in the end, there had been nothing at all. The so-called tenth question had merely been meant to scare them.

Someone said, "That's it? The tenth question was that trivial?"

"Hmph." Morino Ibiki explained, "The tenth question had two choices. The first was to give up and take the Chunin Ninja Exams again next year. That would preserve yourself, but it would also drag your teammates down and get them eliminated. The second was to choose to answer it. That carried a huge risk—if you answered incorrectly, you would be permanently barred from the Chunin Ninja Exams."

"As ninja, you must show your courage to your companions. If your companions cannot see courage in you, then that team is already finished. If all you care about is preserving yourself, if when danger comes you only think of protecting your own feathers and have no intention of facing hardship alongside your companions, then you have no right to become Chunin."

Just then, a black shadow appeared outside the window. It came charging in and smashed straight through the glass, sending shattered fragments flying everywhere.

"You have nothing to celebrate yet." The person who had burst through the window wore a Konoha forehead protector, a fishnet ninja bodysuit, a beige trench coat, and shorts. Her outfit was extremely daring and eye-catching.

"I'm Anko Mitarashi, the examiner in charge of the second test!" With that, she flicked her trench coat. Since the clasp at her chest had not been fastened, the movement only exposed even more of her alluring figure.

Naruto's eyes widened instantly. Good thing I'm sitting near the front. Is this the advantage of sitting in the front row in class...

Oh no! Hinata is right beside me! I have to pretend I didn't see anything...

Naruto straightened his clothes and sat upright with a stern expression.

"Not bad." After glancing over all the examinees, Anko Mitarashi said, "There are pretty few of you left. A lot were eliminated, so that saves me some trouble."

Morino Ibiki thought, If not for Naruto Uzumaki's help, we probably wouldn't have scared off so many examinees.

"As for the location and time of the next test, go ask your teachers. That's all. Dismissed."

The tedious exam was finally over. Naruto had more important matters to handle, so he quickly left the examination room.

As the Genin and proctoring Chunin departed, the entire examination room became empty and desolate. Only Morino Ibiki remained.

Morino Ibiki cleaned up the aftermath and collected the examinees' papers. When he reached Naruto's desk and picked up Naruto's paper, he was completely stunned.

"Th-this... what is all this..." Morino Ibiki wore an awkward expression.

He was a Special Jonin of Konoha and the head of the Torture Division, an expert in interrogation and torture who had seen every kind of storm. Yet Naruto's single exam paper had left him thoroughly embarrassed.

At the answer space for the first question, Naruto had written: Hinata smells like lilies today...

At the answer space for the second question, he had written: Hinata is so cute...

At the answer space for the third question, he had written: Did Hinata just secretly glance at me from the corner of her eye? She quickly looked away.

At the answer space for the fourth question, he had written: Hinata seemed like she wanted to find something to talk to me about, but when I spoke first, why did she stop responding...

At the answer space for the fifth question, he had written: Hinata is really thoughtful. She was afraid I couldn't see the answers, so she deliberately angled her paper toward me.

At the answer space for the sixth question, he had written: Hinata has to join Team 7... No one can change what I've decided...

At the answer space for the seventh question, he had written: If Hinata joins, someone has to leave Team 7. That would definitely be Sasuke...

At the answer space for the eighth question, he had written: Because Big XX came to Konoha Village...

When Morino Ibiki saw the answer to the eighth question, his gaze sharpened. Naruto had crossed out two characters, and they could no longer be recognized. They looked like "Big XX."

Morino Ibiki had a feeling that this was not simple. "Who came to Konoha Village? What were those two characters? Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?"

Morino Ibiki turned his eyes toward the answer to the ninth question, and his expression grew grave.

Naruto hurried off alone, looking around him. Genin examinees were everywhere. Some had failed, while others were pleased with themselves. Those who succeeded could enter the next round, while those who failed could only wait until next year.

Naruto quickly found his target. Two tall and one short Hidden Rain Village ninja stood not far away.

Naruto walked over. The three Hidden Rain Village ninja, two tall and one short, received him and led him into a secluded forest.

"Did you bring the goods?" Naruto said. "Where are the things I wanted?"

"As long as there's money, this little stuff is no problem." One of the tall Hidden Rain Village ninja took out a scroll. He spread it flat on the ground, then pressed his hand seal onto it. White smoke rose from the scroll, and when it dispersed, several bulging sacks appeared.

Naruto opened the sacks and smiled in satisfaction. Then he took a bag of money from his waist pouch and handed it to the Hidden Rain Village ninja.

"I never expected this," the Hidden Rain Village ninja said. "I'd actually take money from a Konoha ninja."

"Money is money, no matter who it belongs to." Naruto said, "Zabuza Momochi, do you know what I value most about you? Once you take payment, you always give the mission everything you have. That's your greatest quality."

"Hmph." The Hidden Rain Village ninja dispelled the Transformation Technique and revealed his true face. He was Zabuza Momochi, Naruto's former enemy.

Zabuza Momochi formed another hand seal and dispelled the Water Clone Technique. The other tall Hidden Rain Village ninja turned into a puddle of clear water.

"Naruto, we meet again." The shorter Hidden Rain Village ninja dispelled his Transformation Technique and revealed his true face. He was Haku.

"To be honest, even I was startled when I received the mission request you posted." Haku looked at Naruto and continued, "Later, I figured out why we lost to you."

"Hehe." Naruto said awkwardly, "I don't know anything."

"Kid." Zabuza Momochi's face darkened. "Back then, I was seriously injured. Haku appeared at the critical moment and killed all the thugs working for the wealthy Kado. But afterward, we searched our base for half a day and found that all of Kado's property had vanished without a trace."

"What does that have to do with me?" Naruto's eyes darted about.

"A few days later, we received a mission request through the black market, and it came with a hefty reward. The client was you—Naruto Uzumaki." Zabuza Momochi voiced his guess. "You were a newly graduated Genin. How could you have had so much money? You got all of Kado's property, didn't you?"

"That's not true. You're overthinking it." Naruto laughed awkwardly a few times. "Hahaha..."