Ch. 4 - What!? This Test is Insane!

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Time was running out. Kakashi had specifically told them all to be here early, but Ryu had overslept and now found himself weaving through the streets to find the school that he had never been to. Finally, after almost twenty minutes of searching he found the place. He quickly ran inside and up to the third floor. As Ryu entered, he saw one of the older Genins, a young man with long white hair fall to his knees and vomit.

"What the hell?" He mumbled to himself as he cautiously entered and closed the door behind him. His teammates were already there, he asked both of them if they were ready for whatever came next before turning back to the young man on the floor. Sakura had called him Kabuto. In front of Kabuto stood three other ninjas that looked to be wearing a gray shade of camouflage. The girl on his right gave him a quick glance as he took a seat. That was when the examiners arrived.

"Well, it appears that everybody is here now. Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I will be giving you the first part of this year's Chuunin Exam. My name is Morino Ibiki." Ryu looked up from his seat on the long table. The man administering the first part of the exam looked intimidating. He wore his headgear in a way that covered his scalp. His attire consisted of the same drab gray all the other examiners wore, but he wore a long black trench coat over it.

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It was for sure, this exam was insane. Ibiki had quickly seated everybody by numbers, Ryu was 134. The examiner went through the rules quickly and without accepting questions just as he said. He had put a strong emphasis on not cheating, but after looking over the test Ryu was certain that cheating was the only way to pass the test. He didn't understand a single question, the only one he might have known was a question concerning parabolas but only then if he hadn't failed math. Before beginning Ryu looked through the other Genins to find Lina and Gado. Both of them were on the same row, two in front of him. Lina had already started, and he had no clue what Gado was doing. He wondered briefly how Naruto was doing. Naruto was a nice guy, but not exceptionally bright. Hinata was sitting beside Naruto; he smirked and wished for a second he could switch places. It would have certainly made for somebody to talk to at least. Besides, Naruto didn't seem to care about her. Ryu certainly felt he could care for her if she gave him the chance. He snapped out of it, he had a mission to take care of right now. It didn't consist of daydreaming or failing this exam, so he had to work fast. There were still thirty minutes before Ibiki would give out the final question, and he wanted to be done with the others before that time.

"Number thirty-four fails. Numbers three and one-hundred-and-five also fail. Leave." The young man that had been caught stood up and cried out in protest as his teammates pulled him out of the room behind them.

"This isn't looking too good. I hope Lina and Gado both catch on to what's going on. I can't afford to fail." The guy sitting next to him glanced at his blank exam and then looked back at his own after grunting. Ryu smirked; this would be easy.

"What an idiot, you'll never get those answers." The guy mumbled and glanced back at him. To his amazement, Ryu's test was completed. And Ryu had never moved an inch! Ryu sighed and kicked back in his seat, now he just had to wait for the final question.

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"Oh no, what do I do!" Naruto screamed to himself. His mind was a complete blank, he didn't know any of these questions and if he didn't figure something out Sakura and Sasuke would both fail along with him! He couldn't let that happen.

"Naruto-kun?" The quiet voice of Hinata drifted to his ears and brought him out of his anxiety attack.

"I'll show you my test." He looked at her a little closer as she slid her paper beneath her arm so he could see it. What was she trying to say? Why would she help him? Or maybe she was trying to trick him so that he would fail the exam.

"Hinata, why are you going to show me?" Her cheeks were red as she stuttered and fumbled the words out of her mouth.

"Well.I.I don't want you to disappear at a place like this." She looked away from him for a moment and started to explain a bit more thoroughly.

"You know, the nine of us are the only rookies. And there will be uncertainties in the future, so." He smiled at her.

"I see. So I doubted you for no reason." Her gaze dropped to the table as he closed his eyes and thought about the proposal. Naruto was still thinking it over when a kunai was thrown past his head and stuck into the paper of the Genin sitting behind him; another team was called out and left. Hinata slid the paper over further.

"Naruto-kun? Hurry, look." He looked away from her paper and smirked.

"Hinata, you don't understand do you? A great ninja like me doesn't cheat." She glanced at his paper.

"Naruto-kun.but." He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Also, you might get in trouble for aiding in the cheating." She gasped as she looked into his eyes and her face turned a deeper red.

"I'm sorry, I did something unnecessary." She said as she looked back at her paper. Now, Naruto was mentally kicking himself for not taking the risk. He'd have to put everything on the line for this last question. It was only five minutes away now. Then, the kid from earlier, the one with Gaara stood and left to use the bathroom. An odd request.

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"Ok, we will now begin the tenth question!"

"Huh?" Ryu leaned forward in his seat and looked up at Ibiki. About time. Ibiki walked over to a window and looked over his shoulder at the Genins.

"These are.the rules of the desperation." Ryu raised an eyebrow. What the hell was this? Rules of desperation? He had already answered the other nine questions, how desperate could he be for another?

"First, you must, for this tenth question, decide whether or not to take it." The girl from Gaara's team spoke up.

"Choose! What happens if we choose not to take it?"

"If you choose not to, your points will be reduced to zero, so you'll fail. Along with your teammates." Ryu felt the sense of worry and surprise sweep through the other Genins. This guy was good at putting the pressure on people. No problem though, if he missed one he hoped that at least one of the other nine were right.

"And now, the other rule." Ryu's eyes shot open. Another rule? Wasn't that one bad enough?

"Anyone who chooses to take it, but answers it incorrectly.that person will lose the right to take the Chuunin Selection Exam ever again!" Kiba stood up and pointed at Ibiki.

"What kind of stupid rule is that!? There are people here who have taken the exam many times before!" Ibiki chuckled.

"You guys were unlucky, this year it's my rules. But I'm giving you a way out." Kiba took a step back. His dog, Akamaru was still motionless atop his head. It amazed Ryu that his dog was that loyal.

"Those who aren't confident can choose not to take it, and can try again next year." Talk about crazy, either choice was a bad choice. But Ryu didn't have time or patience to wait for the next exam. He'd have to risk it for the sake of the mission. Now that his decision was final, he only had to hope that Lina and Gado wouldn't give in to Ibiki's twisted rules either.

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Beads of sweat trickled down Naruto's face. This was bad, he couldn't afford to be a Genin for life, but he couldn't ruin this for Sasuke and Sakura either. What now! What kind of question could it be? Hinata looked over at him; she seemed to be genuinely concerned. He was a nervous wreck, he couldn't even stop shaking. The decision had to be made, and fast. If he didn't take the question, Sasuke and Sakura would be angry with him. But if he took it and got it wrong, he'd be stuck as a Genin.

"Now, let's begin." Naruto looked wide-eyed at Ibiki. It was too much, but he had to choose now.

"If you do not wish to take the tenth question raise your hand. Once your number is confirmed, leave." The man beside Naruto raised his hand, stood up, and left. One by one, the others started to leave.

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Sakura had to do it; she had to raise her hand for Naruto's sake. It pained her to think of about Naruto losing his chance to ever become Hokage, although she knew it was a crazy idea to begin with. For his own good, she had to do it. Before she could raise her hand though, Naruto's trembling palm was slowly raised.

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"No way!" Ryu watched as Naruto raised his hand. It was hard to believe a guy like Naruto would be giving up. The final question had reduced Ryu's row to nothing; he was the only one left. Not surprising, they had all been crackpots anyway, but Naruto. Luckily, Lina and Gado had both seen this through; neither of them looked ready to give up. He guessed it was for his own good, Naruto obviously wasn't ready for this exam anyway. Then, Naruto did something a bit more expected.

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Naruto pulled his eyes open and slammed his palm back down onto the desk.

"Don't underestimate me! I ain't running away! I'll take it, even if I'm a Genin forever! I've willed myself to becoming Hokage anyway, so I don't care. I'm not afraid!" By the end of his ranting, Naruto was on his feet and dropped back to his seat. Hinata was smiling brightly at him as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

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"I'll ask you again. Your life is riding on this decision. This is your last chance to quit."

"I don't go back on my word. That's my ninja way!" Ryu looked over at Naruto. The kid had guts; that was about all he had. There was no point in Ibiki drawing this out any longer. Naruto had inspired everybody else to stay, and he obviously realized that. Dragging it out any longer would only waste precious time. The other examiners nodded at Ibiki and he nodded in response.

"Good decisions. Now, to everyone still remaining.the first test.I congratulate you on passing!" Again, surprise swept over the students. That was it? What about the question? As he explained, the decision had been the question. But, it was more a question to test their mettle then their knowledge. Ryu didn't hear much after that; he dozed off until the sound of glass shattering woke him up. Great, another crazy examiner. The ball of cloth that had crashed through the window was unfolded and pinned to the floor and ceiling by well placed kunai.

"Wh.what the!?" Naruto cried as he stared bug eyed at the woman who had just revealed herself.

"You guys, this is no time to be celebrating!" She was wearing some kind of weird outfit Ryu had never seen in his life with a tan coat over it and a pair of guards on her shins. She threw one hand out of her pocket, and that was when Ryu noticed the text on the cloth.

"I am the examiner for the second test, Mitarashi Anko! Now let's go, follow me!" Ibiki looked out from behind the cloth at her.

"Bad timing." She glared at Ibiki and Ryu smirked. She acted a little like Naruto. Anko looked back over the students.

"Ibiki, You left twenty-six teams!? The first test was too easy this year." He shook his head.

"No, we just have a lot of outstanding students this year." She grunted.

"That's fine. I'll cut them down to half or less." Ryu crossed his arms and leaned back again. Who was she trying to impress? Or intimidate as the case may be. Ibiki had been much more frightening.

"I'll explain everything tomorrow after we change places. Ask your Jounin sensei for the time and place. That's it, you're excused." Ryu stood and waited for his teammates at the exit. Gado nodded at him and Lina smiled in greetings. Ryu smirked.

"I thought for sure you guys woulda chickened out and quit." He turned and walked with them as they left the building.

"Yeah right, maybe you but not us." Gado replied.

"Ryu, from what Kakashi told us, you have had no previous training. How could you have possibly passed the test?" Lina asked, genuinely surprised. Ryu smirked again.

"Easy actually, I just scribbled down answers that sounded right." They both gave him that, "you're kidding" look. He laughed.

"Yeah, when all else fails, guess." He turned to leave, throwing them a glance over his shoulder.

"Well I'm tired. I'm gonna go get some sleep."

"At noon?" Lina questioned, he nodded.

"I didn't get much sleep last night. Besides, you guys should worry about the upcoming test. We don't know what's in store, and should probably prepared. I'll be preparing too, I'm going to go ask Kakashi if he can tell me anything helpful." He raised a hand in a farewell gesture. Now it was time to find the copy ninja and get some answers. Why the hell was he the one put on this mission? Whatever, Ryu figured he'd find out in time. After spending an hour looking for Kakashi he gave up and headed to Naruto's to sleep. He could rub it in Sasuke's face that he passed tomorrow.