Toshiro smiled as he looked down at the questions, each one was more difficult then the next but he was confident he could answer most of these expect the last two and the mysterious tenth question. What he did worry about were his teammates, of the three he was the more intelligent of the three lacking combat abilities he made up with his mind as he easily figured out the decryption of the first question. Pausing he could see that Riku was struggling her pencil was still at her side. 'This quiz is impossible for anyone who is anything less then an overachiever when it comes to studying. Koji will be okay as much as it bugs me he should be able to answer at least half of these...but Riku she is smart but something like this isn't her forte...I...I could cheat for her.' Toshiro took a moment to compose himself that was when something else caught his eye, a shined up mirror in the room was being manipulated by Tenten. 'That's it...this test isn't about what we actually know, it's about how well we can cheat to assist our team and ourselves. I'm sure Koji will figure it out but I can help Riku now.'

Having thought it out he raised one hand and focused on Riku, "Sleep." he ordered in a whisper as a basic genjutsu took over Riku. "Sorry." He formed the Mind Transfer Jutsu hand seal as he transferred his consciousness into her body, 'Alright need to be quick about this.'

Riku looked around the classroom, she was alone except for Toshiro who was smiling in front of her. "Toshiro...what happened? Where is everyone else?"

He looked around for a second, "Look promise you won't get mad."

She crossed her rooms before answering. "Fine."

"I sorta put you in a genjutsu, but I have a good reason." the illusion Toshiro answered as he stood up and placed the test down in front of Riku.

"What?! Why would you do that, if the sentinels saw..." Riku tried to protest but was stopped.

"I figured out the secret of the test, a quiz like this is impossible for anyone that isn't as smart as me, people are kicked out right away for cheating they are only penalized two points, and only form of cheating would be caught because that is the point of the test. We have to cheat to help ourselves andor teammates, so since I know I can do most of the test for you I put you in this jutsu while I borrowed your body." the illusion explained.

"Alright I understand, but what about Koji?" the Sarutobi asked.

"As much as it pains me to say it, I'm sure he will be okay. If I figured this out I'm sure he will as well."

Riku smiled confidently at Toshiro as she stood up from the chair suddenly everything felt weird to her as she felt her eyes open.

Riku felt like she had been daydreaming, remembering what had happened she looked down at the test to see all of the answers written down for her. She was going to turn back and thank Toshiro but the exam was still going so she flipped the test over and set the pencil down. 'Toshiro did his part...it's all up to you Koji.'

Koji watched in silence as several students were caught five times, some walked away but others protested or put up a fight only to be shut down by the Chunin and forced out of the room. The Uchiha hadn't written a single answer yet he was focused on Ibiki and his words from before the test had started. 'His rules make no sense, why hide the final question and not get rid of people for cheating right away?' Finally he began to work on the test and just like many others he found every question past the three one impossible for him to answer. 'Cheating is my only option but how to do it...' He noticed Sasuke his Sharingan active. 'I see...he is copying the movement of another's hand...then I will just copy the copy.' His eye's shifted to their Sharingan form, the two tomoe Sharingan in his right eye and the one tomoe in his left. His pencil movements began to match that of Sasuke's.

Ibiki broke the silence of the room, "Now that we have weeded out the hopeless cases fifteen minutes remain, time for the main event. Alright, listen up. Here is the tenth and final question, but before I give you the final question there are a few rules that you have to be made aware of."

The sound of the door opening broke the tense in the air, Kankuro had asked to go to the bathroom and was escorted out by one of the sentries. He had arrived just in time to hear the rules of the final question.

"Ah, you made it just in time. I hope you found your trip to the bathroom enlightening, well take your seat." Kankuro returned to his seat before Ibiki continued. "These rules are unique to the tenth question, listen carefully and try not to let them frighten you."

The four Jounin of the rookie Genin waited quietly in a small room inside the Hokage's manor, Kakashi broken the silence. "It's quiet without the rookies around. I almost miss them."

"Don't worry chances are they will be back sooner then you think." Asuma informed the other three.

Hitomi and Kurenai looked at him confused, "Why is that?" Kakashi asked.

Asuma removed the ashe from his current cigarette, "I heard their first examiner this year is Ibiki."

"Great sticking them with that sadist right off the bat."

Kurenai was still confused, "Hmm, what sadist?"

Hitomi laughed softly, "Ibiki Morino...he has a reputation."

"I forgot that you are a new Jounin Kurenai." Asuma laughed. "Otherwise you wouldn't have to ask that."

Kurenai turned her attention to Kakashi, "So I'm ignorant, how did he get this reputation?"

"He is what you would call a specialist." Kakashi asnwered.

"Oh yeah, in what?"

Asuma took a deep hit from his cigarette, "Interrogation...Torture, of course he won't be using physical torture during the test, besides that isn't his style. He will work on their minds. He is famous for it, everyone has heard of the head of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Unit of the Hidden Leaf village."

"Ibiki has been know to inflect the greatest of all suffering on those who happen to be interrogated by him and he doesn't even have to use any kind of physical torture to do this." Hitomi finished.

"You see how he is ability to do all this is because he know how the human mind works. He knows just where to probe to uncover your weaknesses. Like Hitomi said he is so good at this he doesn't need to use physical torture. He just messes up your head so bad you torture yourself." Asuma took another puff from his cigarette.

After a brief pause to let the thought of special rules settle in Ibiki spoke up again, "Very well then, rule number one. Each of you is free to choose to not be given the final question, it's your decision."

Temari spoke up, "Woah?! So what's the catch?!" She demanded. "So lets say we don't want to do it? What happens then?"

"If you choose to not take the tenth question regardless of your answers to the other nine you will get a zero. In other words you fail and that means both your teammates fail as well."

People began to complain as all eyes locked on Ibiki. "We have to do it." One shouted.

"Not so fast..." His tone slowed down and he spoke in a low voice. "You didn't let me finish, if you do accept the question but answer it incorrectly you will not only fail...YOU WILL BE BARRED FROM TAKING THE CHUNIN EXAM EVER AGAIN!" He shouted.

Kiba stood up in a sudden outburst and pointed at the proctor, "Hey that is bull man, what kind of bogus rule is that?! There are lots of people here who have taken the test before!" His little dog barked in agreement.

Ibiki had a smirk before he began to laugh, "I guess you are just unlucky, I wasn't making the rules before...but I am now." His voice was menacing. "Of course if you don't want to take it you don't have too. If you are not feeling confident then skip it you can come back and try again next year." He began to laugh again.

Riku spoke up now, "How can we make a choice like this with no information if we can answer this final question?"

"You will come to learn that sometimes in life you will not get all the information and will just have to make a choice, so do you trust in yourself and your teammates to answer this last question?" Ibiki asked as he stared at the Granddaughter of the Third Hokage.

Riku was quiet as she thought of her two teammates.

"Now then if there are no more complaints or questions, the tenth and final question...those of you who don't wish to take it raise your hands now." Ibiki ordered. "Your number will be recorded and then you are free to go."

Toshiro hid his mouth behind his hands not wanting to give away his emotions or show what kind of thoughts he was thinking. He leaned his elbows on the desk no 'Hmmm, I shouldn't have anything to worry about. Koji won't give up either...Riku thou, I might not be able to assist her again.'

Koji's eyes had reverted back to their normal onyx as he thought, 'Could this be another trick? There has to be some secret behind this final question for it to have its own rules...can we figure it out?'

Riku was nervous but it wasn't in her nature to just give up,'I won't let Toshiro's risk be pointless by giving in, whatever this final question is I will figure out how to answer it.'

Suddenly the first hand raised up, several people looked in the direction to see it was some guy sitting next to Naruto of all people. "I'm out...that's it I'm out. I just can't do it."

"Number Fifty, failed!" a sentry yelled. "Number One Thirty, number One Ten that means you're out too."

As the first one to give up begged for forgiveness from his teammates another Genin raised his hand and quit, this was followed by several more who all gave up at once or within a few seconds of each other.

After a brief pause of all people Naruto raised his hand, but after a few seconds he slams his palm against the table. "Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run. You guys can act tough all you want but you won't scare me off no way! I don't care if I do get stuck as a Genin for the rest of my life...I will still be Hokage one day!" Naruto crossed his arms as he sat back down.

'What an idiot.' Toshiro thought.

'Never give up on your dream Naruto.' Riku thought.

Koji simply laughed to himself it was admirable that he wore his goals on his sleeves.

"This decision is one that can change your life, if for any reason you would rather quit...now is your last chance." Ibiki warned.

Ibiki took a few moments to look around the room before speaking again. "Well then I admire your determination if nothing else, for those of you remaining there is only one thing left to do and that is for me to tell you...that you have all passed the first exam."

The room was in a stunned silence from this, Sakura got up. "Hold on?! What just happened? What do you mean we passed? Where is the tenth question?"

Ibiki just laughed as he smiled for the first time, "There never was one not a written one at least. Actually you decision to stay was the answer to the last question."

Temari was the next to shout, "Wait a second so the other nine questions you gave us were just a waste of time!? Is that what you are saying!?"

"Oh no not at all, quite the opposite the first nine questions had an important purpose. To test your ability to gather strategic intelligence under the most adverse conditions." Ibiki answered.

"Oh well that clears up everything." Temari answered.

"Let me explain, my objective was to test you as not only as individuals but as a team and on how well you function as a part of that team. That's why you were test was scored on a team bases. So you know that everything you did or failed to do would affect your teammates. I wanted to see how you would handle the pressure."

Naruto looked smug, "Yup I figured that out and it's why I keep my cool."

Riku giggled at this, she knew that he had panicked through this test but it was fun to see his confidence.

"The first nine questions on the test were difficult, in fact as you may have realized too difficult for any Genin to be expected to solve. I imagined that most of you quickly came to that conclusion, that you would have to cheat to have any possibility of passing. The fact is the test was designed to encourage cheating, it almost demanded it. Of course that would be pointless unless you had some people to cheat from. So I disguise two Chunin to sit in on the test who knew all the answers."

Two male leaf ninja's raised their hand's.

Naruto shot up from his seat as others began to wonder what was his problem, "Ha ha didn't fool me for a second. You had to be a complete doofus not to see it."

Ibiki began to undo his bandana style headband that covered his head. "Those who were caught at it failed, better not to cheat then to cheat clumsy."

Riku, Toshiro and Koji were all shocked at the covered part of Ibiki's head was exposed now revealing the massive amount of scars and old battle wounds.

"Information, it can be to most valuable weapon in battle. How well you can gather intelligence can determine whether a mission is a failure or a success. There will be times where you have to risk your life to get it."

"I don't think I've seen wounds like this before." Koji mumbled to himself.

Ibiki began to retie the bandana headband, "Of course you must always consider the source of your information, intelligence gathered from an enemy isn't always accurate. Always bear this in mind, dis information can be worse then no information at all. It can lead to the death of comrades or the lose of a village. That is why I put you in the position where you had to gather accurate intelligence...cheat in order to survive and that is why those who weren't good at it were weeded out. Leaving the rest of you."

"Okay...but I'm still not getting what the tenth question thing is all about." Temari spoke again.

"Your not? The tenth question was the main point of the whole exam, surely you see that."

Toshiro snorted as he and Sakura spoke at the same time, "Sure, but explain it anyways."

"As I said before, my goal is to test you not just as individuals but as a squad. The final question gave you two choices, both difficult. You could play it safe and skip the question even thou you and your teammates would fail, or you could try and answer it knowing that if you got it wrong you would lose you chance at ever becoming a Chunin. It was a no win situation but just the sort Chunin have to face everyday. For example, let me give you a hypothetical mission. To steal a document from an enemy stronghold, you have no idea how many ninjas the enemy has or how heavily armed they are. Furthermore you have reason to believe the enemy expects you, that you may be very well walking into a trap. Now would you take a pass on this mission so that you and your comrades may live another day? Can you choose to avoid danger? No! There will be many mission that will seem suicidal when you think about it, but you do not think about it. You think only of the goal and of achieving it through courage and discipline. These are the qualities of a Chunin squad leader. Those who choose the safe path, those who falter in the face of adversity, those who would put their comrades lives in danger by worrying about their own, those who would save their own necks at the cost of sacred honor will never be able to call themselves Chunin...at least as long as I am here. As for the rest of you, you have all successfully answered the ten questions I put to you. You have earned the right to continue on to the next step, you have past through the gate and I hereby declare this portion of the Chunin selection exam completed, there is nothing left but to wish you all good luck." Ibiki smiled.

Naruto jumped up again and cheers, "Alright! We did it now we can move on."

Ibiki turned his head suddenly as a large cloth ball broke through the window shattering it. Two kunais were thrown into the ceiling as a women in a tan overcoat with a fishnet undershirt stood up in front of it. "Heads up boys and girls, this is no time to be celebrating. I'll be your next proctor Anko Mitarashi, you ready for the second test?! Good now lets go follow me!"

The room was stunned silent yet again, Ibiki poked part of his head and body out from behind her banner. "You're early...again."

Anko had a blush on her face, after a moment to compose herself she spoke again, "How many are there? Ibiki...you let all these guys pass? Your test was too easy...are you getting soft?"

Ibiki simply smirked, "Or it could be a stronger crop of candidates this year."

"Hmmm, they sure don't look it. Trust me before I am done with them more then half will be eliminated." Anko laughed. "This is gonna be fun, alright you maggots have had it easy so far but things are gonna be different starting first thing in the morning. I'll let your squad leaders know where to meet me...dismissed.

Koji, Riku, and Toshiro walked towards a small park together. "Can you believe it? I mean not only did we pass but all the rookies of our class did!" Toshiro laughed. "Even Naruto managed to not screw up long enough."

Riku punched Toshiro's arm, "Would you lighten up on him? He gets enough from others, outside of the exams we should be supportive of each other. Come Koji you agree with me right?"

Riku and Toshiro both looked to the young Uchiha, "Naruto can be a fool..."

Toshiro smiled at Koji agreeing with him.

"But, Riku is right Naruto gets enough heat with others and outside of our exams we should try and support our comrades." he answered as he found a middle ground.

"Cop out." Toshiro turned his nose up to the Uchiha. "Now if you excuse me I should get back home."

"Koji?"

Koji turned towards Riku and looked at her, "What is it?"

"I'm sorry Toshiro and I couldn't help you with the test...I know it wasn't the point but we couldn't do anything to help you." she mumbled.

Koji simply smiled, "Things like this will happen, but don't worry I'm sure in the next stage things will be different."

Toshiro smiled as he was almost at the Yamanaka but stopped when he heard a familiar voice. A rose in hand he walked up to see Temari walking alone, waiting once she was next to him he held out another white rose. "Another rose for the beauty from the desert."

"This again? Don't you have girls here to waste your roses on?" Temari crossed her arms.

"Why would I waste the beauty of a rose like this on girls I have no interest in?" he asked the rose still held out.

Temari rolled her eyes as she took the rose into his hand, she inspected it for a moment before she put the white rose in her hair to humor the leaf ninja. Something changed thou, Temari became visibly more tense. "You need to leave."

Toshiro looked confused as another Suna ninja walked by, a sand gord on his back. "Temari...lets go."

Toshiro could just feel something was off, knowing better then to over stay the welcome of this new ninja he backed off but he did remember who he was. One of the cards Sasuke asked to see, 'Gaara of the Desert.'

Riku sat down outside, normally she would have head home but she wanted to think for a bit and reflect on the exam and what could be waiting for them tomorrow. 'Tomorrow will have to be something big I have to be ready for anything.'

She noticed that Shikamaru was passing by her, he was in his normal position. Hands in pockets and an annoyed look on his face, "Hey Shikamaru."

He stopped as he looked overed he was about to speak but Riku cut him off, "What a hassle." she teased doing terrible imitation voice of his.

He sarcastically laughed, "What are you doing out here Miss Granddaughter of the Third Hokage?"

Riku crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, "Come on." she mumbled.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Reflecting mostly...thou seeing you here and having the time to talk one on one why do you think we are not closer friends?"

Shikamaru shrugged, "Not sure, I mean I'm not normally friends with too many people since most of the time they are just too annoying or a hassle."

"Well I guess I thought we would be closer, I mean your dad has helped out the Third Hokage so much over the years." Riku stated.

"I guess that is true, maybe after the exams we could try to do more." he said.

Koji gripped the note,

Training field 2, one hour

Looking around he saw a figure sitting at the edge of the river the ran through the middle of it. The figure got to it's feet as they walked towards the Uchiha, they then stopped. It was Rock Lee, "Good you have arrived my rival it's time for another challenge. My sensei and his rival have had many battles over the years but you and me will surpass them!" he declared.

Koji laughed softly and nodded, "If that is your one of your dreams Lee then I am honored to be able to be your rival for this. Just know that no matter what challenge it is I will do my best to best you."

"Twenty-two to twenty-three tonight I plan to tie our series and then surpass you!" Lee laughed as he placed his hand out in his normal fighting stance. "Tonight we fight, no holding back Koji. I want to see you at full strength because this will be the perfect warm up for tomorrow."

Koji smiled as his Sharingan activated. "Right back at you Lee."