Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable Naruto characters, settings, etc. are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Shueisha Inc. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

I Quit

Summary: Just before question 10 of the first Chuunin exam, Sakura, misguidedly taking Naruto's dreams into account, quits the exam, forcing the rest of Team7 down with her. Their world and the Narutoverse will be completely changed because of her one decision. One question remains though, will it change for the better or for the worse?

Prologue

I heard that the examiner for the first test is Morino Ibiki…

He stood there with a blank expression on his face, eyes studying each of the examinees closely, glancing only briefly at some, lingering a bit longer on others. Some peculiar methods at reconnaissance surprised him. Other ninja wouldn't bother to pay attention to fresh genin. It was the lowest rank, dismissed. The words genin would never induce terror in the hearts of battle hardened shinobi.

To be completely honest, it was reasonable to assume that half of these kids wouldn't survive to Jonin, chunin if they were lucky… Sad but true.

But he was Morino Ibiki, meticulous, precise… efficient; it was what made him him. And he wouldn't let such an opportunity go to waste. He had learned the hard way to pay attention to every detail, to every fluctuation of the voice, to every body movement, from the slightest twitch of hand to the faintest change in heartbeat. It was what kept him alive this long. Needless to say, the shinobi life wasn't one that allowed benefits such as longevity. How morbid. Comes with the job he mused.

Alliances rarely last. He had lived long enough to witness that first hand. Today's allies can easily become tomorrow's enemies. He might even see some of these kids later on, only in a more intimate fashion. He thought this with a sort of sadistic glee and if any one was watching him closely enough, they might have noticed the ends of his mouth curl up slightly. It was the closest thing to a smile on Morino Ibiki's face. But if someone had noticed it, nothing was mentioned because the room was deathly quiet, only the nervous scribblings of pencil breaking the silence.

As his examination of each participant came to an end, he couldn't help but enjoy himself. Good job. There was an aura of uncertainty weighing down upon the room, affecting its inhabitants in different ways. He had noticed a few genin squirming in their seats. Was that blonde in the orange…crying? He had had to suppress a laugh at that.

Being an examiner for the Chuunin Exams was a rarity, what with the rotations in different villages and all. It was one of his few pleasures. A Torture and Interrogation Captain wasn't allowed much. It was a grim life of seriousness. He wouldn't admit it, but the job did bother him when he had to resort to physical means. But it had to be done, the lives of his comrades and the life of the village depended on the information he could squeeze from his prisoners, or rather victims. That's what he told himself at least. He idly wondered if this was a rationalization for all the blood that had been spilt by his hand.

But the Chuunin Exams were different. The ninja in front of him were not yet experienced and resistant to his manipulation. It wouldn't take days or weeks to crack them. No blood would be spilt today. It was easy and entertaining, playing with their minds and emotions. He had to suppress another chuckle, threatening to ruin the already dark atmosphere he had created.

He took a glance at the clock in the room and saw a distorted reflection of himself, of his face. He held back a dissatisfied sigh. Ugly, his subconscious whispered to him once again…ugly, ugly, Ugly. It wasn't the first time he let his thoughts wander to his scars, especially the most gruesome ones on top his head. Was it even human anymore?

He wasn't always like this, so serious, so analytical. At one point in time, he had had a body without any scars, a face that had once charmed women. Oh, what he would give to get that back! It'll never happen though. The day he was tortured was the day his old self had died and a new one had taken its place, born from the flames and ashes of that miserable cabin. He had lost his brother that day. That coward, he thought with a feeling of bitterness. It should have never happened if he… No, he reminded himself, no point dwelling on the past.

His brother had been the last of his immediate family. He wasn't particularly close to his relatives as his bloody job isolated him from their understanding- they would never know the horrors he had seen, committed even-, his only companionship coming from his comrades, his surrogate brothers and sisters…

He let his scattered thoughts come to a close as duty took priority. One more glance at the clock. It's time.

His voice cut sharply through the silence, all pencils coming to a sudden halt, "Ok, and now… We will begin the 10th Question."

A/N: Well thanks for reading. I want to give props to enigmaofbishieness for the idea. This is just my response to his challenge. I was pretty intrigued by his idea, so I wanted to give it a try. So sorry beforehand if the story falls below expectations. Advice / constructive criticism / ideas are welcomed.