Chapter 3: The end of the first exam

Alright, listen up here's the tenth and final question." Ibiki exclaimed.

Tomoe notice the blond ninja next to her shaking. 'So it's come to this, seems Shinji managed to cheat without getting caught five times.'

"Before I give you the question there are some more rules that you need to be aware of." Ibiki announced.

Then a Sand ninja who went to the bathroom came back. "Huh." He uttered.

Ibiki just gave him a piercing glance. "Ah, made it just in time." He started saying. "I hope you found your trip to the bathroom enlightening."

The Sand ninja looked panicked for a second. "Well take your seat."

The Sand ninja took his seat, but not before he tossed one of teammates a small rolled up sheet. "These rules are unique to question ten listen carefully and try not to let them frighten you."

A palpable second passed. "Very well than rule number one each of you is free to choose not to be given the final question it's your decision."

"What's the catch?" Maya asked loudly.

"If you choose not to take the tenth question regardless of your answers to the other nine you'll get a zero." Ibiki answered almost smirking. "That also means your teammates fail as well."

Many murmurs were going around about how they would continue the exam. "Not so fast." Ibiki continued. "You didn't let me finish, if you do accept the question and answer it incorrectly you will not only fail you will also be barred from taking the Chunin Exam ever again."

"Hey the Bullshit man, that's ridiculous what kind of rule is that there are lots of people who have taken the test before." A leaf ninja yelled with the dog on his head barking in agreement.

Ibiki laughs at this. "I guess you are just unlucky, I wasn't making the rules before, but I am now of course if you don't want to take it you don't have to."

The ninja with the dog on his head stumbled slightly. "If you are not feeling confident by all means skip it, you can come back and try again next year." Ibiki said laughing.

Another tense moment passed. "Now then if you're ready the tenth and final question those who don't want to take it raise your hand, your number will be recorded then you are free to go."

There is tension in the air as people raise their hands. Suddenly a sand ninja who raised his hand went to attack Tomoe, but before he could land a blow he was hit in the face with a katana sheath with so much force he hit the wall hard but still conscious. "I may not become a chunin, but I'll kill a sap if I can." He said as two sentinels carried him out.

Suddenly the bland leaf ninja exclaimed how he wasn't giving up and after his speech the room seemed to have gotten inspired. No one else raised their hand. "Well I admire your determination if nothing else, for all of you remaining there is only one thing left to do and that is for me to tell all of you that you all pass the first exam."

All the genin in the room looked at Ibiki with shocked looks. "What do you mean we passed, where's the tenth question." A pink haired girl asked.

Ibiki just laughs and smiles, "There never was one at least not on paper, actually your decision to stay was the answer to the tenth question."

"So the other nine questions you gave us were a waste of time, is that what you are saying?" The bland sand ninja yelled at Ibiki.

Ibiki looked out the window still smilling. "No, no, not at all quite the opposite the first nine questions had an important overriding purpose to test your ability to surpatesiously to gather strategic intelligence under the most adverse circumstances." Ibiki explained.

Ibiki continued to explain how the test encouraged cheating and teamwork and how it would affect their teammates. The blond haired ninja kept braging about how he always knew, Tomoe not believing that at all. Ibiki removed his head band and showed the classroom his scars and other marks on top of his bald head. He went on a speech of the importance of information and the dangers of misinformation and decided to bring up an example that the Sand ninja hated. "3 years ago a conflict between the Sand and Tree villages was coming to a close, but not in the way the Sand believed it would after 5 years of victories they foolishly became complacent on one man within the Tree Village leadership not realizing he had been discovered."

"Yeah we get what happened next alright what does this have to do with the tenth question?" The blond Sand ninja said angerly.

Ibiki smirked as he went on to explain his point. "As for the rest of you, you have successfully answered the 10 questions given to you."

"You have earned the right to continue on to the next step you have passed through the firs gate and declare this part of the Chunin exam complete."

The blond ninja next to Tomoe jumped up excitedly, "Alright that's one down, yeah, yeah, yeah."

Suddenly an object crashed through the window. Then two kunai were thrown to hold up a banner and revealed a kunoichi, "Heads up boys and girls this is no time to be celebrating, I'll be your next proctor Anko Mitarashi," She started. "Are you ready for the second test?"

Not even a second later. "Good lets go follow me." She yelled pumping her fist in the air.

Everyone was silent. Ibiki popped his head from behind the curtain. "You're early again." He told her.

Everyone was silent. Ibiki popped his head from behind the curtain. "You're early again." He told her.

"How many are there?" Anko asked him. "Ibiki you let all these guys pass your test was too easy, you must be getting soft."

"Or it could be a stronger crop of candidates this year?" He subtly shot back.

"Hmm, they sure don't look it." She answered. "Trust me before I get done with them more than half will be eliminated."

Everyone looked nervous now. Anko continued smirking. "This is going to be fun, alright you maggots have had it easy so far, but things are going to be different starting first thing in the morning I'll let your squad leaders know where to meet me, dismissed."

Everyone looked apprehensive as they left the classroom. Tomoe tapped the blond Leaf ninjas shoulder. "Hey, what's your name?" She asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be the next Hokage." He said.

"Tomoe Onna." She introduced herself. "Do you know anyplace to grab a bite to eat?"

Naruto grinned widely, and a few hours later Maya, Shinji, and Tomoe decided to eat at Ramen Ichiraku having a bowl of Ramen before the second part of the exam the morning.

End