Nyoko Namikaze Point of View
I couldn't let Sasuke, Sakura or anyone else get in my head. I needed to focus. I had a job to get done. I was now on duty, I have to stay focus. Making it to the building, where the exam would start, I was still early, people were just starting to walk in. As I walked inside, I made my way through the building to the stairs, going up the stairs. Going up one set of stairs, to the second floor.
Once there I could take notice of a clump of Genin bunched up around a set of doors, that had '301' as the room number.
It couldn't be 301, could it? I only walked up one flight of stairs. This was just the second floor, right?
Walking closer, it became obvious, that this was a genjutsu. Being just outside of the bunch of Genin, I could see two Genin, that were blocking the entrance to the room. They were knocking people back away from the door whenever anyone tried to get past them. It was like their only task was to make it difficult on these Genin.
Then it hit me, they were disguised. They had to be Chunin in disguse.
It made sense, that for the exams to have it be difficult to get to the correct room. To test everyone taking part. If these losers fell for the obvious genjutsu, they shouldn't be here. They were too stupid to take part. Who was I to correct any of these fools, directing them to the correct way to the floor?
With a roll of my eyes, I walked around the group, going in the direction of the next flight of stairs, that would take me to the real third floor. Avoiding them all.
"Nyoko!" I didn't stop walking hearing the familiar voice of Kiba, Kiba Inuzuka. I could hear his dog bark a greeting, I think it was.
Eventually, the boy in the grey hoody caught up, I could hear the sound of two other footsteps, I assume to be Hinata and Shino.
"So, you noticed the genjutsu too, hm?" Kiba asked, once he had started walking beside me, Akamaru barked at him. Causing Kiba to let out a small laugh, "You're right Akamaru, of course she noticed it. She's almost as smart as we are!"
I looked at the dog from the corner of my eye, he - Akamaru - must've sniffed the genjutsu. If not the dog, then Shino and his bugs likely noticed it.
"Who noticed first, the dog or Shino's Kikaichū?" I asked, wanting to insult Kiba a bit. Knock the cocky bastard down a bit.
Kiba had turned his head giving me a glare, "What the hell does that mean?"
Shino then answered, my question, "Akamaru, sniffed it outside the building."
Figured as much.
Soon we found ourselves outside the correct pair of doors. I could already sense the tension, of everyone on the other side of the door. It was almost visible.
"This is it." Kiba whispered, reaching for a door, he pushed it open, walking in first, followed by myself, then Shino and Hinata.
On the inside, the room was nearly filled with so many ninja. Genin of all ages, from different villages. The first thing I noticed was how dark they all dressed. The majority were dressed in brown, black, grey, and other dark color tones. The brightest bit of color I noticed were the two of the sand ninja. The bright red hair of the short boy, his name was Gaara I think. The girl's white outfit made her stand out as well.
"A- are the - they all l-leaf ninja?" Hinata's shaky voice was barely heard, she must've been shocked about the numbers.
Shino then replied to her, "No, I see some ninja of the other villages. Suna Ame, Kasa and Taki are apparent."
"There are so many people here." Kiba stated the obvious, "At least a hundred."
Gazing around the room, I spotted my two, temporary teammates for the exam, "Good luck." I wished the team, as I walked away. Towards the team of two ninja, Ōkei and Hayase. They were both in a discussion, as I approched, the two of them were discussing about the other Genin around them.
Hayase noticed me approching, patted a spot next to him on top of the table, closest to the wall. Taking the spot, I leaned my back against the wall.
"Are you ready?" Hayase questioned, including me in the conversation, by his tone I could tell he didn't really care.
I gazed at him and Ōkei, I wanted to make it very clear to them, my thoughts about the arrangment of us working together. "We don't need to talk, were not friends. We were grouped with each other. I don't plan on getting to know any of you when this is over." I added, reminding them this wasn't their first try at the exams, "Just don't screw up this time. Or else."
They both looked taken aback, with my cold tone. But Hayase responded, with a glare, "Or else what? You freak."
I knew he was trying to get a reaction out of me, by calling me a freak. It wasn't going to work.
"Don't mess up, or don't get killed. Your choice." I retorted, looking away from him, to the door as I watched the blond and purple Ino walk into the room, with her were Shikamaru and Choji.
Ōkei let out a dry huff, trying to recover his composure, but I could sense his worry, "Kill us? You can't do that!"
I shifted my gaze to him, "We won't have to find out, if you don't fuck up. Again."
Was I serious about killing either of them? No, I just wanted to give them some more insentive not to fail again. I wasn't the type to handle failing. Failing wasn't an option. I need to know, if I'm worthy of the black ops rank, I need to know if I was progressing within the leaf village. If I weren't. I don't think I could handle the failure.
Ōkei and Hayase, had ended up walking away at some point, thank god.
Kabuto Yakushi Point of View
Arriving to the classroom, just a few minutes early. walking inside the first thing I spotted was one of the only people with bright colors. I recgonized her, her messy red hair. Nyoko Namikaze, she was sitting on a desk, against the wall. Her eyes were shut, it was apparent she was trying to keep her cool, matching the majority of the room.
While the majority of everyone else in the room were dark, menacing and intimidating just with their appearance. She wasn't as threatening looking. She was approachable, even though I knew of what was within her, whom her parents were, the stories that followed the clans. I couldn't see why Orochimaru wanted more information on her. Perhaps the brother was a different story. Maybe, he was actually an intimidating ninja.
"Just watch everyone." I advised my teammates, as I walked towards the red head. Not waiting for their response.
As I walked closer, the pale Nyoko opened her eyes, they were almost the same shade of purple as my shirt, just a bit lighter. They landed on me as I reached her.
"Mind if I stand here?" I asked her, being friendly, "I want to watch who walks into the room." She just gave me a shrug, I took it as a yes. Leaning my back against the wall, I thanked her.
Wanting to spark a conversation, I gazed at her. Observing her face. Noticing her features, she had the same face shape as the fourth Hokage, her hair, though red like the Uzumaki clan, it was messy and spiked up, not as much as Minato, but it wasn't as flat as the Uzumaki clan's typical hair style.
She was observing me as well, her purple eyes analyzing me as I did her.
I then asked her, "You look familiar. Do we know each other?" I questioned her, I then looked to her skirt, seeing the bright orange symbol, of might've been of the Namikaze clan, if the clan were official. "The Namikaze clan, right?" I asked her. Did she know of her relation to the fourth?
She nodded, "I'm Nyoko Namikaze."
As casual as I could, I asked her, "Are you related to the fourth Hokage?"
By her slight reaction, just her eyes widening a tad more, and her head turning a bit more to look at me. She knew of her father.
I gave her a smile, "I'm Kabuto Yakuski." I introduced myself, feeling confident that she was buying my act. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"We'll have to see about that won't we?" Her response wasn't expected, she'd completely recovered her composure. Looking away from me, observing the rest of the room.
Before our little conversation, if you could call it that, could go on, there was a shout.
"Sasuke! Where have you been!" the attention of everyone in the room, was now on the door. There were nine genin, young ones. They had to have been around Nyoko's age. They were even less intimidating than Nyoko, if that were possible. This year of Genin graduates were either going to be impressive or the expectations of a chunin were lowered.
It was a blond girl, in purple that had caught everyone's attention.
"Hey, you porker!" A girl with pink hair, dressed in a red outfit yelled at the blond girl, "Back off! He's mine!"
The girl in purple then steped to the side reveling the boy, the one Lord Orochimaru wants. Sasuke Uchiha.
"Ah, Miss. Forehead! They let you in?" The girl in purple questioned the pink haired girl, "Still, got those big frown lines on your billboard brow, I see."
"Idiots" the word left Nyoko's lips from behind me.
I couldn't help but to nod in agreement, "They've forgotten where they are, it'd seem."
"It'd appear so. Shocker that I graduated with those two girls." She retorted, simply.
I looked at her, "Ah, so you're one of the ten rookies, fresh out of the academy?" I asked, keeping up the act.
She just gave a curt nod, "That I am."
"Interesting." I looked around the room, seeing everyone in the room had their eyes on the nine rookies, "They're making a spectacle of themselves."
She let out a grunt of agreement, "Let them, perhaps they will get beat into shape by the exam. Perhaps, they'll learn that being a real ninja isn't a game."
I nodded, pushing myself off the wall, "It probably will, however it wouldn't sit right with me if I were to just let them get beat up. Without a bit of a warning."
"Suit yourself" she retorted as I walked away.
It wouldn't hurt, to get a feel for the Uchiha, however. Walking towards the group, I made myself known, "Hey, you guys" I greeted the whole nine of the Genin, walking closer as I went on. "You might want to try keeping it down a little. I mean, no offense, but you're nine of the ten rookies, right?"
They were quiet. That was enough of an answer.
"I wouldn't go makeing such a spectacle of yourselves." I advised them, attempting to take on the brother roll, "This isn't a class field trip."
It was the loud blond girl that responded, by the looks of her it was clear she was of the Yamanaka clan, "Well, who asked you?" She demanded, "Who are you?"
"I'm Kabuto Yakushi." I introduced myself, once again. Fixing my glasses, as I went on, "But really, look around you." They procceded to look at the rest of the room, "You've made quite an impression."
They had all turned to look behind them, seeing the ninja from the Rain Village, "See those guys, they're from the Hidden Rain Village. Very touchy. Everyone in this room is." I explained, "This exam makes everyone very tense, and you don't want to rub them the wrong way, not right now that is."
"Uh-uh" the pink haired girl was the first one to muster any sort of response.
These kids were, so easy to be spooked. This would make my job that much easier.
"You can't help it." I stated, closing my eyes, "I mean, how could you know how things work? You're all just rookies! You remind me of myself a while back."
Sakura Haruno Point of View
This was scarier than I thought. It was going to be a rough exam. What did the exam intail anyways? We're in a classroom, so we have to be taking an actual test. Did that mean my training with Nyoko was pointless? I didn't need to worry so much about fighting, maybe.
But, why would Kakashi - sensei suggest me to train with Nyoko then? If we were just taking a written test, I'd do just fine. Perhaps, there are more parts of the exam? Or we were just all meeting in this room? No, that would be stupid. To meet in a room we weren't taking the exam.
I looked at the grey haired guy. He had to be a few years older than we were, likely in his late teens or early twenties. The exams only happen a few times a year, twice if I recall correctly. Kabuto, had to have graduated when he was about our age, he must know. Paired with how he's walking up to us, explaining why we - mostly Ino-pig - needed to keep it down, he must've had a bad first experience in the exams.
Of course I could be totally wrong - doubtful. Either way it wouldn't hurt to ask him. He was already over here being kind enough to kind of advise us. What was his name again?
"Kabuto, is that your name?" I asked the smoky haired guy, it was nerve wreaking, just being in this room. I could still feel the eyes of everyone watching us.
He gave a swift nod in response, followed by a verbal answer, "Yeah."
Alright, time to ask him. "This isn't the first time you've taken the exam, right?"
"No, it's - " His composure changed, from being brotherly - almost - to that of embarrassment, " - it's my seventh "
So, I was right - of course I was when was I ever wrong?
"Well, they're held twice a year." Kabuto explained, the information we should all know, "So, this will be my fourth year."
"Wow, a veteran. " I whispered, Fourth year? Seven attempts? He must know more about the exam. "You must really be an expert by now. " If I buttered him up, he'd probably spill the beans, telling me everything I needed to know. So, I could pass!
Kabuto shrugged, still looking embarrassed, "Yeah sort of."
"Cool!" Naruto then spoke up, to my disappointment, "You can give us all the inside tips."
Perhaps, it wasn't such a bad thing, for Naruto to speak up. It'd be great if he, Sasuke and I all passed, as a team!
"Yeah, some expert." Shikamarus sarcasm was out before Kabuto could even respond, "He's never passed."
Damn it, Shikamaru! So, what if he's failed, any information is better than nothing. The exams are hard, or so what we've been told in the academy. So much for buttering the guy up.
"Well, seventh time's the charm." Kabuto responded, more embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head, "That's what they say, huh?"
"So, I guess all of those rumors about the exam being tough are true." Shikamaru mumbled out loud, "Oh man, I knew this was going to be a drag."
We were doomed. I was doomed. Naruto was doomed. We're going to fail aren't we?
"Hang on. Don't give up hope yet!" Kabuto tried to assure all of us, I assume we were all sharing the same expression of worry of failure, "Maybe, I can help you kids out a little" He reached inside his belt, thing to pull out some cards "With my Ninja Info Cards."
How were a bunch of cards meant to help us out? "What the hell are those?" The question flowed out of my mouth, I was curious, were there clues to the exam on those?
No, he said Ninja Info Cards, they weren't about the exams, but about the other ninja taken them. I think? Would they have me on them?
"It's hard to explain," Kabuto stated, but went on to try and explain, "but these cards have been chakra encoded with everything, I've learned over the past four years." He then knelled close to the ground setting down the deck of cards, "I've got more than 200 of them. So you see, I haven't been completely wasting my time. They may not look like much to the naked eye."
He then drew a card, flipping it over showing the otherside of it was blank, "in fact, they appear blank." He then put his middle finger on the middle of the card, "Don't want just anyone seeing this stuff."
The card started to spin, obviously with chakra but what was he going to do with it? How were they going to show anything with chakra?
"What are you doing?" I questioned, very curious about what was going on.
"You see, I'm using my chakra to reveal their secrets, like this for example." He explained. Next thing I knew the blank card had an image.
"Awesome! A map!" I was excited, it was cool seeing something so simple like that. It was a map, with six villages being pointed out, with green bars above them and numbers next to each village icon. 30 sand, 22 rain, 15 grass, 12 waterfall and 73 leaf. There was another symbol, it looked like a music note, I couldn't recall what village it was, but it had the number three next to it. Were the numbers of everyone taking part in the exams?
"Of what?" Ino questioned, the pig didn't figure it out. Of course she didn't she was as stupid as she was blond.
Kabito then answered her question, "It shows a geographical distribution of all all the candidates who have come to take the Chunin exam." I knew it! "What villages they come from, and how many from each village." Kabuto then looked up to us, "Why do you guys think they all come here to take the exam together, at the same time?"
For convinenence? I had real answer for him, thankfully, no one else did either.
After a few moments of no answer Kabuto finally gave us it, "It's to foster friendship between nations, of course. International brotherhood, and all that. And it's true enough as far as it goes."
But why did we need to compete with each other then? Why train to become ninja at all if we're all trying to be friendly?
"But there's another reason" Sasuke-kun spoke up.
Kabuto nodded, "Yeah, you see, the important thing is that this way, they can carefully regualte the total number of Shinobi that end up in each village, thereby maintaining the balance of power."
So, it wasn't about friendship. These exams are about showing our power against the other villages. Intimidating each other not to go to war.
Nyoko Namikaze Point of View
"Nyoko! You made it." I opened my eyes to see the familiar green bean, Rock Lee. With him Neji and Tenten.
I nodded, "Of course I did, me miss out on becoming a better ninja? As if!"
"So, are you taking the exams on your own then?" Tenten questioned, curious, "Guy sensei told us that teams were needed to get through the exams."
Shaking my head to the side I gave her an answer, "No, I've been paired up with two other ninja, that failed last year."
"That's good" She replied with a smile, opening her mouth to say more .
Before she could someone - a familiar someone had let out a scream, grabbing everyones attention to the front of the room.
Naruto was pointing at everyone in this general direction, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna beat every one of you." He declared, "Believe it!"
I felt both embarrassed for my brother and proud of him. More embarrassed then proud. The cocky idiot just made himself a target for everyone in this room. At the same time he wasn't shying away from the people in this room. The competition.
"Hey, what's that idiot trying to do, get us killed?" Ino screamed, mainly at Sakura, "Tell your boyfriend to keep his big fat trap shut!"
Naruto, Sakuras boyfriend? As if! I wouldn't stand for that. I wouldn't stand for either of those two being his girlfriend. I'd probably make them leave him. Or make them disappear.
Sakura and Ino went on fighting.
"What a jerk" Tenten muttered, a bit annoyed herself at the performance of the nine in the front of the room.
"Well, he sure hasn't lost any of his spunk." Neji said, looking at the front of the room.
"He has passion" Lee observed, the obvious. Passion was an understatement when it came to Naruto.
"I guess you didn't intimidate him as much as you thought, huh, Lee? Neji retorted, catching my attention, intimidating? What did Lee do to try and intimidate him?
Tenten must've saw my face as she gave me an answer to my unspoken question, "Rock Lee tried to fight with Sasuke before coming here. It was stopped by Guy sensei, before it could get out of control."
I glanced to the front of the room, mainly those that were my friends, "I'll be right back" I stated. Excusing myself from the group.
Walking to the front of the room, I put myself in the picture, with the nine other rookies. Likely, painting a target on my back. I was alright with it, if anyone were to mess with Naruto, they better know he's got back up. Currently Naruto was being yelled at my Sakura. The moron.
"What if I beat you Naruto?" I questioned, making sure I was heard.
Naruto looked at me, his blue eyes blazing with determination, "I'll beat you Nyoko! You've already beat me once, I'll be winning our next fight."
I stared at him, with my own determined look, "We'll have to see about that won't we."
"I will, beat everyone here" Naruto stated, loudly. It was at this moment I sensed people running in this direction, to attack? To intimidate? Either way I was ready. With a hand in my weapons pouch, I grabbed the loop of my kunai, ready to throw it in whichever direction I needed to.
With ease, I pulled the kunai out throwing them to my left, only for it to get blocked by some girl, with long black hair. The female sound ninja.
"Keep out of this Red" She warned, while her two teammates went targeting Kabuto. The boy with spiky, black hair and dark eyes had thrown two kunai at Kabuto, causing Kabuto to jump backwards, the other sound ninja closing in, on him, already close enough to throw a punch. The boy with spiked up hair was closing in with yet another kunai.
Ignoring the girl's warning I bolted forward. As a leaf ninja, I couldn't let us seem weak. I couldn't let myself be seen as weak, or quick to obey an outsider. Pulling out a shurriken, holding it in against my hand, two of the four blades pressed against my palm. I got between the spiky haired boy, and the other boy.
Catching the kunai, between the two blades not against my palm. Catching it, absorbing the energy of the boys running caused the two blades against my palm to pierce my skin, not enough to worry me, but it was enough to cause the areas around the blades to redden.
"Get out of the way brat." the boy with the kunai ordered, he was angry.
I smirked lightly, "Funny I was going to tell you the same thing, get out of the way, brat."
I then heard the sound of glass breaking, falling to the ground from behind me. It had to be Kabutos glasses. How did they even break? Did the larger guy land a hit on him?
"Oh, I get it" Kabuto stated, "It was that kind of attack."
"Hang on, I saw it all. He dogged the attack" Sasuke stepped forward, stating what he had observed. "How did that happen."
He dogged it? Yet his glasses broke? I then looked to the boy infront of me, looking at his headband. Sound, they used the sound to break Kabutos glasses.
"Of course." I whispered, I'd guessed it when I was getting the names for the exams, they use sound's, better yet they use the vibrations in the air to not only break, Kabutos glasses, but that's how they moved the way they did. They had moved as quickly as Sasuke.
"Must've gotten closer then I thought. " Shikamaru retorted, "Look at him like nothing happened. And Nyoko, unfazed by a freaking shurriken in her hand. Feeling like a tough guy, hm?"
The boy in front of me dropped his hand putting the kunai back into his pouch.
As he did I then heared, someone falling to the ground, Kabuto I assumed. He was gasping and it sounded like he was retching. Turing on my heels, stepping to the side, I saw just that Kabuto on the ground.
"What did he just?" Naruto was sounding worried for the grey haired ninja.
"Kabuto, what's wrong? What is it?" Sakura as worried for Kabuto as well.
It had to be from the sound, right? The vibrations around Kabuto must've shook so badly it affected him more then anyone had thought.
Naruto and Sakura ran to the aid of Kabuto, inspecting him, making sure he was alright.
"Not such a tough guy, after all, I guess. Maybe that's why he's on his seventh try." The boy with fur on his back stated.
Seventh try? What? Kabuto was that much of a loser? Maybe, I should've let them kill him.
The boy I had blocked then spoke up, "Write this on your little card, punk. The Genin from the Sound Village will be Chunin when this is over. Guaranteed."
I rolled my eyes, a bunch of cocky losers. I'd walk away, but I didn't want to give these three losers the chance to attack Kabuto again and have anyone I like get in the middle of it. Shoving my way past the two boys, I walked towards Kabuto, who had Sakura and Naruto on either side of him. Leaning down, I picked up bits of his broken glasses.
Deep down I wanted them to attack me. The sound ninja, if I killed them now it would be three less ninja to worry about. At the same time, if I did kill them right here, if I were to try who would get in the way. How many ninja in this room would I need to bring down to ensure the safety, of those I cared for?
Would Naruto, Sasuke and the others get in the way? Would they try to stop me? Were they even worth protecting?
Kabuto was taking these exams again. After failing so much. The other rookies were not ready for these exams, they were going to get themselves killed. Naruto was here, he wasn't ready. Would I need to fight him at some point? What about Sasuke? How many of the rookies would I fight?
"You guys shouldn't have applied for the exams this year." I muttered, for Kabuto, Sakura and Naruto to here, I held out my hand that had the broken bits of glass, for Kabuto to take them.
Before Naruto could give a retort, which he looked ready to do, there was a small explosion on the otherside of the room. Causing everyone to look. Standing up, I turned to see the cloud of smoke.
"All right, you baby faced degenerates!" The familiar voice yelled, "Pipe down and listen up!" He ordered, the smoke clearing to show the man in the large black cloak, behind him were the familiar faces of his helpers, "It's time to begin. I'm Ibiki Marino, your proctor." he introduced himself, so that's his name, "And from this moment, your worst enemy."