"Normal speak"

'Thoughts'

"Kyuubi/ Greater Demon/ Summoning Speaking"

'Kyuubi/ Greater Demon/ Summoning thinking'

"Jutsu/ Emphasis"

"Kanpuu Speaking"

'Kanpuu Thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do however own this story, disclaimer, and any OC's within.

Main Pairing: Ita/Kinmu, one-sided Sasu/Kinmu

Chapter 10

Start! The Chuunin Exams Begin!

Previously

Suddenly a large plume of smoke covered the front of the classroom and a booming voice rang from inside. "Alright! Quiet down right now you useless little bastards!" As the smoke cleared several chuunin appeared. A very large man appeared in front of them, three scars stretched across his face and he let a crazy grin spread over his face. His large black trench coat billowed out his bandana ties flapped just slightly.

"My name is Morino Ibiki; I will be your first examiner in these Chuunin Exams."

Present

"What do you think you sound nins are doing?"

The mummified looking ninja turned his head to look at the examiner. "Gomen, we got just a little carried away." Ibiki glared at the three sound ninjas before continuing on.

"Alright, come up to the front and hand your paper into the proctor of your choosing. You will be given a number that number is your seat. Take your seat quickly, if you are not there within five minutes anyone not seated will be removed from the exams...By the way, that five minutes started when I began to explain."

The gennin scrambled to stand in front of a proctor and Ibiki smirked as he noticed that the gennin were clearly avoiding him.

"Um...Are you actually taking any gennin or are you just standing there to be scary?" Ibiki snapped his gaze downward to look at the blonde gennin in front of him. His eyes narrowed and he held his hand out. The gennin placed her paper into his hand and took the plated number he handed her. Looking at the number she smiled and walked to the seventh desk in the front row.

As most of the gennin found their seats Ibiki raised his voice, "Alright! All of you not seated, leave the room now. You did not get to your seat in the time given to you. This is the end of your Chuunin exams. If only one of your team members did not make it, the whole team fails. So, you four. Take your teams and leave."

The four gennin opened their mouths to back talk him but when Ibiki leveled a glare at them they quickly left, two people who were seated stood and followed after their third teammate.

"Now then. Allow me to explain some rules to you, questions will be unanswered and we will not repeat the rules. So listen carefully."

Sakura who had been smirking at the fact that they were taking a paper test when she heard about the rules. 'Rules? And no questions allowed to be answered? What's up with that?'

"To start off with, you will all begin this test with 10 points. There are ten questions on the test, each one is worth a point. The test will use a subtraction system, so for example, if you miss no questions, you keep all ten points, if you miss three, you get seven points.

"Rule two, this is a team test, your passage or failure is based on your overall team scores. So each team is competing to see who can get the closest to thirty points."

Sakura's head snapped onto the desk and Sasuke's head nearly followed her example. Sakura stood up angrily, "Hold on! I get the whole point subtraction system, but why the hell is this a team test!?"

Ibiki glared darkly at her, "Shut up, you have to right to question what I do. So sit down, and shut your mouth. There is a reason for this," As Sakura lowered herself down and Ibiki continued, "Now, most importantly, the third rule. During this exam, anyone that is caught cheating will be deducted two points. So, there will be several of you that during the exam, you will be asked to leave if you are caught cheating five times."

Sasuke's mind began to race, 'There has to be some sort of catch here. Back at the academy, if we had cheated then and were caught, we were immediately kicked out. So what is with this weird point system? Unless...' The rules finally made sense and he nodded to himself.

Ibiki examined the room slightly before nodding to himself. 'So, some of the gennin are actually able to figure this out. Good, they're not total failures.' He smirked before raising his arm. "You may start now!" He hollered startling the gennin. They quickly began to work after getting over their shock from Ibiki. But as the time passed agonizingly slow for a fair few among the gennin, such as a few gennin from Ame, Konoha, and Kusa. Other gennin, like Sakura and Sasuke quickly got to work, using their brains and blood respectively.

Kinmuku stared at the test blinking slightly before looking up at Ibiki, then the proctor in her row and back to her paper. She shook her head slightly trying to clear her head. 'What is the trajectory angle and speed needed for a kunai to strike a target 50 meters away, with a wind speed of 20 miles per hour? What kind of question is that!? How in the hells way should I know that!? I'm not a freaking braniac like Sakura!' She gripped her head in anger and began to fiddle with one of the piercings in her ears.

'Okay, these rules that he gave us has to have some stupendous reason. I just don't get this thing. I don't have a single person around me that I can cheat from. If I hadn't come up to Ibiki I could have gotten a better spot! But nooooo. I have to be a decidedly stupid person that isn't afraid of the big guy!' She shook her head angrily and placed her forehead down on her desk. She squeezed her eyes shut and placed her arms over her head letting out a groan.

'Damn it! Fine! Whatever! I'll wait on that last question. If I can't answer that, then I'm totally screwed!'

Taking a deep breath she attempted to calm herself and managed to momentarily pull it off, just slightly. She placed her head on her arms and set her eyes on the clock. There was about 15 minutes left till the tenth question was going to be asked. Blinking slowly she registered that before flicking her eyes over to look at Ibiki. She heard a 'thunk' sound behind her and she lifted her head and looked behind her to see a kunai imbedded in the paper of the gennin that sat behind her. A voice called out to him, "Number 21, you fail. Take your teammates and get out."

He stood up slowly as did his two teammates and quietly stepped out the door. The next ones to be sent out however weren't nearly as quiet. They were sent out not a minute later, and thus began the quick train of eliminating team after team. Finally the 15 minutes ended with only about 38 teams left.

"Congratulations to you remaining. Or maybe not. You are now going to be issued the final question. But with this question, comes special rules designed especially for this question. This question is a do or die question."

With the Jounin-sensei's

"It really is rather boring without the little gennin to annoy eh Asuma?" The silver-haired sensei asked. The man who he sat across from, and who he had asked the question to smiled.

He wore the standard jounin uniform with a small belt wrapped around his waist. It was a white cloth with a red circle in the center. Inside of it was the kanji for 'fire'.

"Well you shouldn't have to worry too much. You'll be busy enough again here soon."

"Oh? Now why would that be?" He asked his one eye watching him in amusement.

"I heard that Morino Ibiki is the first examiner." He said smirking. He lit up one of his cigarettes and took a long drag on it before blowing out a smoke ring.

"Hm... I suppose you're right, they will have a hard time getting past that sadist."

"Sadist?" The woman of their group, a woman with long brownish-black hair the fell down her back in waves. She had ruby red eyes and lips to match. Her body was covered by a red attire along with several bandages.

"Ah. Right. You are a rookie jounin Kurenai, so you wouldn't know about him. He's a pro at what he does."

"A pro huh? Who is he?"

"Head of ANBU Torture and Interrogation. Special Jounin Morino Ibiki." Asuma said smirking. The way he did it sent chills down Kurenai's spine.

"Why on Earth, would they let the head of torture and interrogation take part in an exam like this!?" She exclaimed. Kakashi smiled his eye smile before answering her, "Ibiki is a specialist in the way of the mind. He can crack people without hurting them physically. Not to say that he doesn't. I mean, Anko is his colleague, so he doesn't have to all that often. But when she's not around and physical torture is need. Ibiki does a damn good job of it."

His words made all three of them look out the window towards the academy, all sending a silent prayer to Kami so that their gennin may make it through the first exam.

Back in the classroom

"The first part of these rules. It is for you to decide first of all whether or not to take this question." He could easily see that several of the gennin's mind had already started to roll. One Suna gennin decided to voice her opinion on this rule.

"Chose whether or not to take it!? What the hell kind of rule is that!? What happens if we decide we don't want to take this question!?"

Ibiki stared back calmly at her, "If you choose to not take this question, your points will immediately be dropped to zero. And then you and your teammates will be immediately kicked out."

Several gennin stood up. "Then of course we're going to take the question! What the hell are you trying to pull!?"

"I'm not finished yet," There was warning tones in his voice that was clear, 'sit down and shut the fuck up, or you will be removed immediately.' Seeing that they had finally settled down he continued on, "As I was saying before I was interrupted," he stared pointedly at the Suna Kunnochi who had stood before continuing, "There is another rule. If you decide to take this question, and you answer it incorrectly..." He paused and the tension rose among them.

"You will loose your right to ever take the chuunin exams again."

Kinmuku's head snapped up to stare at Ibiki unbelieving. He had to be kidding. She shook her head before standing up quickly. "What the hell are you talking about!? There are several other gennin here that have taken the exam before!"

Ibiki glared at her but she merely returned it, refusing to back down. He chuckled darkly at not only her actions but at what was occurring around them. "Yes, well. You guys were just unfortunate enough that you got stuck with me for a first examiner." He smirked at their outraged looks.

"But I am offering you a way out of this. Those of you that aren't confident enough, or courageous enough to take this question may drop out. You can take your teammates with you and try again next time around."

He smirked as he saw several gennin already thinking about what he said. "So, let's start this question. Those of you that wish to leave, please raise your hand. Once your number has been confirmed take your teammates and leave."

Finally there were a few tense moments and a hand rose shakily in the air. "I...I won't take it!" The gennin shook his head and a few tears fell from his eyes. "I'm sorry guys, I just can't take it!" Two other gennin stood up. The proctors called out their numbers and they quickly walked out the door. Shammed of their teammate.

Soon after that several gennin began to stand, giving into the pressure that was in the room.

Kinmuku's hand twitched slightly, she knew that Sakura more than likely was not ready for this. It began to raise itself and she willed it down, her hand however had other plans and continued on its steady climb. Finally it pulled her body up with her before slamming itself and her other hand onto the table.

Her mouth began to form words that she made and attempt to will down, still, her body seemed to refuse to listen to her. "Cut the bull crap! You can't do that! None of the Kage's of the countries here would agree to that! You can't fool us, so just get on with the question already!"

The rest of the gennin stared curiously at her and she pushed herself down into her seat, her body finally deciding to comply with her. Ibiki smirked as he looked around the academy room. After the silver-haired gennin had made her exclamation any of the gennin who had been planning on raising their arm and giving up had lowered their arms or had looks of defiance in their eyes.

"No one else wishes to drop out? Not any of you?" When he was met with their silence he sighed inwardly 'Interesting gaki there. Just a few words and all their worries and fear have been dispelled...78 left...much more than I really expected. She'll have far too much fun with this.' He shook his head before smirking and bowing his head."Good decision. To all of you who remain in this room...I congratulate you on passing the first Chuunin examination." His words were met with wide eyes and stunned silence.

Finally, Sakura broke the silence. "Wh-what the hell do you mean!? We already passed? What about the tenth question!?"

A wide smile spread over Ibiki's face. "There never was such a question. Or, I suppose if you really must have one, that two choices that you had to pick from was the final question."

Temari stood up her shoulder shaking because of how irate she was, "Then what was the point of the other nine questions!? They were pointless!"

Ibiki's smile wiped off his face and he glared at her, "They were not pointless. They have merely served their purpose already. They were there for us to test your information gathering skills. As the rules explained, success on this test was based on the teams overall performance. It puts pressure on each of the members of a team so as not to mess up and ruin their teammate's chances. But the questions were not things that a mere gennin could answer. Thus, most of you came to the same conclusion. You had to cheat to even have a shot at passing. So basically, the point of this test was to get you to cheat."

He paused and looked around the room, confirming that they were taking this in before continuing on. "As cheating targets, we place two chuunin plants in the room. Just to help you guys out." He smirked. The gennin had begun to talk amongst themselves as he spoke. He heard snips of one pair's conversation, "It sure was tough as hell to find that guy." His fellow gennin merely nodded his head answering with an, "I know."

"Those that cheated poorly, failed of course." He began to untie the bandana that was covering the top of his head and he let it fall away to reveal the heavy scarring atop his head. He heard several gasps and a few gags but continued to talk, "Because sometimes, information is more important then life. And on missions, and on the battle field. Someone will risk life and limb, just to get their hands on any information on the other side."

Kinmuku took in the scars, burns, and holes atop his head in sadness. The people that did that to him, ruthless monsters they were. She shivered and looked down at her hands, trying to imagine them ever being able to do that to someone. She could only grimace at the thought and look back up as Ibiki continued to speak.

"I want you to remember this. Any information in your hands can and most likely will be vital, it can be the most powerful weapon in yours and your comrades arsenals. So we had you gather information, this made it easy to separate those that had the skills for this, and those that did not."

Temari spoke up again, "How does this relate to the final question!?"

Ibiki smirked, "Question 10 is the most important question on this test. It is the "life or death" question. To take it, or not to. Those that chose the latter fail along with their teammates. Those that choose to take it could lose the chance to ever take the test again, it is the ultimate leap of faith. How about I put it like this. Say you guys all become chuunin, your mission is to steal a document. Inside is the amount of ninja, their skills, etc. It is unknown to you. And, of course, traps could be set up all around you. Now, the question is, do you take this mission. Or do you chose not to? Because you don't want to die, you don't want your comrades hurt, can you truly avoid this mission?"

He paused and looked around at them. "No, you cannot avoid this. No matter what happens, whether or not you take this, someone will go on this mission. The ability to be courageous, to survive through the trouble. This is what you need to become a chuunin captain. Those that can't put their futures on the line, that cling to the possibility of 'there's always next year.' Those that can only make cowardly decisions. They don't have the right to become chuunin!"

He paused looking over the gennin, his gaze hovered over Kinmuku and he smirked, "Those that chose to take it; that put their entire future on the line. They have been allowed to continue on." He smiled slightly, "You have made it through the beginning, and you have beaten the first part of the chuunin selection exams. So, I wish you all luck."

His eyes flicked over to the window and a tan blur flew through the window shattering it. Two kunai flew out and the blur finally stopped. A woman stood in front of a banner with several kanji across it. "Yo! Maggots, this is no time to be sitting around! I am your second examiner, Mitarashi Anko! Let's go!"

Many of the gennin were staring at her. She was clad in a black mesh body suit that ended mid thigh, a small mini-skirt covered just the bare minimum of her lower half. A pair of bracers were resting on her legs and her feet were clad in black shinobi sandals. A tan trench-coat covered her. But was left wide open for all to see. Her purple hair was clipped and spiked out all over the place after the clip.

"Follow me!" She yelled pumping her fist into the air. Ibiki coughed into a closed fist and she turned to look at him. "Bad timing Anko. You're early."

She shook her head and looked out into the gennin counting them. "...78. You let 26 teams pass!? This test was way too easy!"

Ibiki shook his head, "Their are a lot of talented gennin this time around Anko."

"Bah! Whatever. I'll cut them down to half in this next exam!" Anko smiled darkly. "I'm going to quite enjoy this. I'll explain everything once we've changed places. Follow me."