"Attention all candidates in the back, please observe exam regulations!"
Naoki Senju had barely closed his eyes when he heard the noise of Ibiki Morino banging on the blackboard. He yawned and reluctantly sat up straight.
This lazy and casual behavior made Ibiki Morino, who was used to the high-intensity work of the Anbu, bulge the veins on his forehead and clench his fists.
If it weren't for the extremely tight security Chunin Ninja Exams, he would have suspected that the Chunin Ninja Exams had been leaked. With such strict rules and a tense environment, how could anyone possibly fall asleep?
Disturbed from his sleep, Naoki Senju scanned the examination hall and discovered that many candidates' papers were already filled with answers, clearly having ' Chunin ' on all the answers from the Chunin disguised as candidates.
Besides those candidates with exceptional spying skills, many candidates who used clumsy methods without realizing it were also exposed Chunin the proctoring Chunin, resulting in all five teams ending the Chunin Ninja Exams early.
With the previous four teams eliminated, three-ninths of the candidates have already been eliminated in this Chunin Ninja Exams, forcing Ibiki Morino to revise some of his plans. The second exam will inevitably eliminate more than half of the candidates, otherwise, if there are no candidates left for the third exam, Konoha, as the organizer, will be in a very awkward position.
Adhering to the principle of retaining some examinees, Ibiki Morino gestured for the proctoring Chunin to go easy on them and not be too strict.
The proctoring Chunin were all seasoned veterans who had been proctoring for several years in a row, so they naturally knew what the chief examiner Ibiki Morino, was worried about. They nodded knowingly to reassure him.
After observing several candidates, Naoki Senju selected one sitting by the window, as this was the most suitable location.
" Water Release: Water Mirror Jutsu."
This Water Mirror Jutsu has nothing to do with the Water Mirror Jutsu of the Third Mizukage, Yagura, and it can't even Jonin. It simply controls the flow of water to gather on the glass, serving the purpose of spying on others.
While this Ninjutsu would be of no practical value under normal circumstances, it was undoubtedly a flexible and efficient adaptation under the special rules of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Naoki Senju's performance also Ibiki Morino, significantly changing his first impression of Naoki Senju. Geniuses are always favored, and even egregious behavior like sleeping in the exam room can be forgiven, and even praised for a good mindset and composure under pressure...
Time passed slowly, and the one-hour exam was coming to an end. Even though Ibiki Morino suggested they go easy on them, three more teams were eliminated because their cheating methods were too clumsy.
With only 15 minutes left, Ibiki Morino began the first and true test of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
"Question 10 of the Chunin Ninja Exams is an optional question; you can choose to answer it or not."
This statement relieved many test takers. If the question was too difficult, they could simply choose not to answer it and at most lose two points.
"However, if even one person answers incorrectly, the entire team is eliminated, and the team that answers incorrectly will be permanently banned from participating in the Chunin Ninja Exams."
Ibiki Morino's strict rules left all the test takers bewildered. What did this mean? Didn't this mean all their previous hard work and elaborate cheating schemes had been for nothing?
We're giving up on answering question ten.
"Giving up means elimination. If one person in the team chooses to give up, the team is immediately eliminated, but they will not be banned from participating in the next Chunin Ninja Exams."
The last path has also been blocked. Now, Ibiki Morino is forcing them to answer the tenth question, gambling their entire future on this one opportunity.
Many candidates have already begun weighing the pros and cons: should they give it their all and risk being a Genin if they fail, or should they give up this opportunity and try again next time in the Chunin Ninja Exams?
"Five minutes to go. The team that doesn't give up within the time limit will answer the tenth question of this exam."
At this moment, the relentless passage of time became a nightmare for some test-takers. Should they give it their all, potentially Genin- ranking ninja for life, or give up this opportunity and wait for the next exam?
Gradually, the first candidate to make a decision emerged.
I give up.
The proctor Chunin at the codes and called out, "Candidate number 23 has withdrawn. Candidates numbers 24 and 25, please leave the examination room."
I'm giving up too.
"Candidate number 12 has withdrawn; candidates number 10 and 11 have left the examination room."
"I'm giving up too..."
This time, without Naruto, that single-minded individual, making a declaration, the wavering candidates all left the examination hall one by one. When the countdown ended, there were only ten teams left in both examination halls combined, making it the year with the fewest candidates since the Chunin Ninja Exams began.
Konoha still has four teams left, Sunagakure has two, Kirigakure three, and Amegakure has one. All the other smaller ninja villages were wiped out, but their villages didn't expect them to shine in the Chunin Ninja Exams anyway.
Sending them to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams held by Konoha serves two purposes: firstly, to increase friendly exchanges between the two sides, and secondly, to broaden their horizons. It would be even better if they could learn one or two Ninjutsu from them.
Survival is tough in small ninja villages, so secretly learning Ninjutsu isn't shameful, as long as it's not discovered by large ninja villages.
Ibiki Morino scanned the few remaining examinees in the classroom, and a 'terrifying' smile was forced onto his fierce face, which could silence a child's tears.
Congratulations, you've passed.
This huge contrast caught them off guard. What happened to the tenth question? Passing it was far too hasty!
Ibiki Morino removed the Forehead Protector that had been modified into a turban, revealing his scalp covered in hideous scars, in some places where his skull could even be faintly seen!
"Screwdrivers, burns, scars—these are all traces left by the interrogation!"
The Genin recognized the gruesome scars and gasped in shock. Could a ninja with a physical body really withstand so much torture without betraying the enemy?
"Once discovered by the enemy or a third party, the information obtained will be unreliable, and a moment's carelessness could endanger our fellow villagers. That's the purpose of the first nine questions."
Ibiki Morino put his headscarf back on. His scars were not something to boast about, but a lesson he needed to always remember!
"The tenth question tests your courage. Faced with a mission whose number of enemies, Ninjutsu, and personnel arrangements are unknown, can you still complete it?"
"If you choose to back down at this moment, more comrades will die because of your cowardice. Almost every Chunin will encounter this kind of mission, so I don't want you to abandon your comrades and run away alone when faced with such a mission after becoming Chunin."
Ibiki Morino's words resonated deeply, igniting in many Genin a spirit of selfless dedication to the village. Before leaving, Ibiki Morino reminded them:
"The first stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams is just the beginning. The second stage will be held tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM in the Forest of Death Chunin Ninja Exams. I hope you all can become capable Chunin."