OK, it's time for yet another chapter. I am glad that we finally made it to the chunin exams. It is both one of the hardest sections for me to write and the most rewarding. I also try to get through it as quickly as possible. So several chapters will be longer. True, they will not be as long as normal chapters are, but for me they are long. They also represent a lot of work on my part. I hope you enjoy the changes to the exam.
THE WILL OF FIRE
PART TWO
Chapter 50 - Uzumaki
They made it to the room without anymore issues. There were no more disturbances or traps along the way. It was completely boring now. That is if you ignored how close they were to being disqualified that is. They had such little time to get into the room and be seated. By the time that they had found the room the most of the was pretty much settled down already. It left only a group or two ahead of 7 seemed to be in the clear. They would make it in the door. It was a huge relief to be sure, but the group couldn't relax just yet. The test had yet to begin!
There was one jonin at the door who accepted the applications and gave out seat numbers in return. He barely even looked at the paper as he dolled out their seating arrangement. It was so random that it was ridiculous! Everyone got a round piece of paper with a large number on it. That number corresponded with a another big number on the back of a seat. It was almost as if no thought had been given to their placement. One might think that he was lazy but Sasuke knew better. He noted the way the man looked at each applicant. It was like he had already memorized their names and faces. It was subtle but noticeable. There was much more going on here than it seemed.
This was lost on his teammates. Naruto even complained about getting a seat in the front of the room. Not that the jonin seemed to care. That was his seat and that was was that. Naruto could whine about it all day. It wouldn't change anything. No negotiation was possible. He didn't even seem to care that it was the Hokage's son who was whining! There was something amiss here. Things were not as they seemed. Then again so far nothing had been straight forward with this test. He expected complications and misdirection. He needed to be on his toes. The real fun was just beginning!
While Naruto didn't notice what the jonin was doing, he was on edge. He did not like what had happened so far. Nothing made sense. Like why they were seated so far away from each other! They were too far away to be able to help each other. A fact that made Naruto panic. It was no secret that he was bad at written tests. He was about as good with them as he was with genjutsu. In other words, he was absolutely hopeless. He didn't see a way out of this. He was almost guaranteed to fail. Yet, he needed to pass to this test in order to become a chunin. He just had no idea how to do it.
Sakura was worried about Naruto. She knew how bad he was at tests. He usually failed them at school. Now they had to take something more challenging than anything they had taken before. It didn't seem possible for him to pass. If he failed they all failed. She had no idea how they were going to get out of this pickle. Nothing she could come up with would work. This was a nightmare!
Not that any of them had any more time to worry about it. For at 3pm sharp their proctor appeared. Right after the door disappeared. Leaving the genin alone with their insane proctor. Naruto wanted to piss his pants for he knew this woman. She was his aunt Karin Uzumaki. It was a nightmare! She was sadistic! She would enjoy their pain as she messed with their heads. It didn't make any sense. What kind of fun was that? It just wasn't right.
Technically, Karin wasn't his aunt. She was just a distant relative that turned up one day. She tuned up one day requesting asylum. Naruto remembered the stir she caused when she appeared a few years ago. If it wasn't for his mother's confirmation that she was in fact, an Uzumaki, she may have been driven out. Few ever trusted a shinobi from another village. Even if she was abused and treated as tool within the Hidden Grass. The village wouldn't care. It could be that cold. She needed people like his parents to step in and protect her. She became a member of the Hokage's family and eventually got a job at the Interrogation Force. It was kinda creepy but that was his aunt. Naruto couldn't really figure her out.
With her giving the exam things were guaranteed to get weird. She gave her nephew a weird smile then she started. It made Naruto stand out in a way that he never wanted to be. Clearly, she made it clear that she knew him. Some might even think that they were related. After all, they kinda looked alike. Great. What is my creepy Aunt doing here? Naruto grumbled. I hate you dad.
Karin flashed the room one of her creepiest smiles. "Great. You're all here." She looked down at her list. "Oh! Wait. No, I think one or two of you are missing." She sighed. "Oh well. Better luck next year I guess. Better chances for the rest ya, y'know!" She smiled again causing Naruto to shiver. "Anyway, I'm Karin and I'm your first proctor."
One of the in the back yelled some crude. He didn't totally catch it but he got the gist. It was totally rude and inappropriate. Something that you should never say to a lady. Even if she was as creepy as his Aunt. Naruto wasn't completely sure. It made him want to clobber the bastard. His aunt may be creepy but she was his aunt. No one treated her that way. Not that it bothered her. Stuff like that never did. She was as cool as a cucumber. She might even liked it. He didn't know. It was hard to tell with her. Hell, no one could think of pranks the way she could. She really got into your head. It was amazing but creepy all the same. Maybe that's why she was so respected at the Interrogation Force. She was that good. It was best not to mess with her. That is if you didn't want to have your mind turned inside out. She could hold her own. That didn't mean that he didn't want to kill those fools.
"Ahh yes . . . welcome grass ninja. I am so glad that someone from my village made it. Congratulations. I was really looking forward to seeing you." Karin spoke in a hushed tone that she only used when she planned to do something truly horrible. He didn't know what his Aunt had in mind but it wasn't pleasant. It was never pleasant. "It's always good to see my old friends."
She was silent for a moment as she let that sink in. She appeared completely unfazed by the grass shinobi's presence. Only someone like Naruto could see the truth. Her voice was just a little too sweet. Her face a little too blank. It was clear: She loathed each and every one of them. If she could - she would kill them all. However, she was far too loyal to the village to try that. They were the first ones to treat her as an equal. She would never forget that. The fools were lucky that we were not at war. Otherwise, she would not be so nice.
It took forever but she finally got to telling them the details of the exam. "Let's get on to business, shall we?" The room remained silent. "When you entered the room, you were given a number. That number is your ticket. Your lifeline." She picked up a exam then showed it to the class."Without it - your test is blank. The words will not appear and you cannot complete the exam." She smiled once again, "Only, each and every one of you has gotten the wrong number. Sorry, it seems that we have made a grave error." The room exploded. She merely waited until they quieted down before continuing. Naruto could see that she was enjoying this. I hate you, Aunt Karin. He thought as she continued.
"But don't worry! There is a way." She locked her eyes on Naruto as she said that. Another creepy smile appeared. This was not going to be pleasant he was certain of that. "All you have to do is find it. That's your task. Simple, right? Just find it before time runs out! How can any of you fail?" She laughed as she watched their dismay. No one in the room had any idea on do that.
"The rules are just as simple: You may not leave this room. You may not use violence. If you want someone else's number than you must creative. Violence will not be tolerated. No exceptions. If you are looking for blood then pass this test. I promise you will have your fill."
One of the sand genin got really excited by that. That got Naruto's attention. Something about that strange boy reminded him of his mother. Only he was far worse. He was even more creepy than his Aunt. How that was possible he did not know. One could swear that he was an Uzumaki too! Which was theoretically possible even if it was remote. His mother's clan was spread to the wind. The boy could descend from their stock. He did not know or maybe it was something else. Either way, it was eerie how much he was like his mother.
His aunt didn't seem to notice though. For she plodded along as if nothing happened. "Oh! And you only get one try to activate the exam. If it fails - then you fail. And if you fail then your team fails with you. Choose wisely."
Karin stopped for a moment to take in the room. You could now cut the tension with a knife. Just as she wanted it to be. They were ready to begin the fun. Just the way her sensei taught her. It was a joy stirring up the pot. Now, it was time to clue them in to finding their number. I guess I gotta tell them sometime. I have to give them a fighting chance.
"Don't worry! I can give you a hint." All the eyes in the room locked onto her. "The number that you have right now belongs to another team. It seems that my helper totally got it wrong. He is so bad at numbers. I would fire him if he wasn't so cute!" She almost squealed the last part. That was Naruto's Aunt. She was always boy-crazy. Naruto was willing to bet that the other jonin didn't even like her. Not even a little. "We have 33 participants that made it to the exam. Six did not make it that far. The key to passing is to answer this question: Why did those six fail?" She waited for a moment then smiled, "You have a half hour to figure it out. Good luck!" With that, Karin disappeared. Leaving the genin alone to take the test.
That's it for now. I'll see you later on this week. Alley
