It took a long moment for his statement to sink in, but when it did a large grin broke out across Jizouko's face.
Easiest test ever, she congratulated herself mentally as she reclined in her seat and placed her hands behind her head.
"Wait… What do you mean?" Sakura's confused voice asked shakily. "We already pass? What about the tenth question?"
"There was never such a thing," Ibiki grinned. "Or you could say that those two choices were the tenth question."
"Hey!" a blonde kunoichi shouted in frustration. "Then what were the first nine questions for? They were pointless then!"
"They were not pointless," Ibiki contested calmly, "they had already served their intended purpose. To test your individual information gathering ability."
"First," he started in another explanation, "as the rules explained, success on this test is based on the whole team doing well. This put pressure on each member not to mess things up for their team mates."
"I had a feeling this test was like that." Jizouko could just see the top of Naruto's blonde head nodding in agreement.
Liar, she shot down in her head with a roll of her eyes.
"But the questions on this test were not the types a mere Genin could answer," Ibiki continued, "Because of that I'm sure most of the people came to the same conclusion that to score points you'll have to cheat. Basically the premise of this test is to cheat. As cheating targets, we had two or so Chunins who knew all the answers mixed into the crowed, to help you guys out."
Jizouko turned to look at Junnosuke who was still sitting next to her and gave him an inquisitive look.
"You caught me," he said with a sheepish grin as he raised his hands playfully in defeat. "I was the only one on my team to pass the first time. I'm surprised you didn't cheat off of me…"
"Pft," she snorted in laughter, "You used to cheat off of me, remember?"
"Yeah, and then we'd both have to stay after to make up the test because we both failed it!" Junnosuke laughed at the memory and the slight blush that crept up Jizouko's cheeks.
"Well, you still cheated off of me!" she muttered in self-defense as she turned back to face the front of the room.
"Ha ha ha ha! I saw right through that!" Naruto boasted loudly, "You'd have to be a moron to not notice that!"
"But those that cheat poorly fail, of course," Ibiki said as he reached up to undo his hitai-ate to reveal a bald head covered in scars. "Because at times, information is more important that life, and on missions and the battlefield, people have risked their lives to get their hands on it."
Someone's not winning any beauty pageants anytime soon… Jizouko thought dryly as she noted his appearance.
"If the enemy of a third party notices you," Ibiki continued as he replaced his hitai-ate on his head, "there is no guarantee the info will be accurate. I want you to remember this. Important information in your hands can be a powerful weapon for your comrades and for the village. So we had you gather information through cheating. This clearly separated those that did not have the abilities."
"But," the blonde kunoichi started up again, "I don't understand the final question."
"But question ten," Ibiki started with a small grin, "is the true purpose of this test. Let me explain," he said after a few voices of confusion sounded around the room. "The tenth question the take it or not take it decision, obviously these were painful choices. Those who choose the latter fail along with their team mates. Those who choose to take it could lose the chance to take the test again. A true leap of faith."
"Now about these two choices, say you guys become Chunins," he started a hypothetical situation. "Your mission is to steal a secret document. The amount of ninjas, their abilities, etc, are unknown to you. And of course there could be traps set all around you. Now do you accept, or not accept?"
"Because you don't want to die," he began listing counter arguments, "because you don't want your comrades hurt, can you avoid this dangerous mission? The answer is no! No matter what the danger, there are missions you can't avoid. The ability to be courageous, and survive any hardship ate the abilities needed to become a Chunin Capitan."
"Those who can't put their destinies on the line, who cling to the uncertain future of 'there's always next year" and then walk away from their chance," he clarified his earlier statement, "Those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices don't have the right to become Chunnin, that's how I feel!"
"Those who choose to take it answered the tough tenth question correctly. You will be able to survive any troubles you face in the future. You made it through the entrance; the first test of the Chunin Selection Exam is now finished. I wish you guys luck," he finished with a kind look.
"Hell yeah! Wish us luck!" Naruto cheered loudly from his seat.
Suddenly a black covered something came crashing through a window, breaking the atmosphere in the room. The thing was spinning and the black fell away from the center to form a banner behind the dark haired woman it was concealing.
Someone likes to make a flashy entrance… Jizouko drawled as she stared at the new comer.