The room was slowly filling with participants. The only team that was still missing was Team seven. Hopefully they don't pick up on their sensei's lateness. Shiku was stirring even more and this had me worried. Not only that but this exam gave off general unease. I looked over my shoulder from my position on a desk, only to be greater by the watchful eyes of the Suna team I had met. Probably wondering where my team is. Ha! What a joke.

I don't have a team. I was completing this exam alone. With one glance and a creepy smile, the girl and the cat boy looked away. I was about to say something before an orange blob demanded my attention.

Just about everyone was staring at him. I got up and walked up slowly to him as he talked with a silver haired boy. Shiku stirred once more and a single thought slipped in, "Snake." All nine of the rookies started looking around and seeing everyone staring at them got a little disgruntled.

"See those guys from the rain village? Very touchy, they all are." The boy informed them. "This exam makes everyone tense and you don't want to rub them the wrong way right now. You can't help it. I mean how could you know how things work, your just rookies. You remind me of myself awhile back."

"Kabuto is that your name?" Sakura asked. Mental note to self. Don't trust the silver haired boy named Kabuto.

"Yea."

"This isn't your first time you've taken the exam?"

"No, this is my seventh. Well they're held twice a year so this will be my fourth year." Kabuto explained,.

"Better be wary. Some of us don't play games and aim to kill." I spoke up from behind Naruto, causing him to leap away in surprise. Silently I slipped away once more to the edge of the room barely paying any attention to the rest of their conversation. However my curious it was spiked when I heard Sasuke state in succession, "Gaara of the desert, Rock Lee of the leaf and Akuma, Demon of the black sand."

"Man that's no fun you even know their names." Kabuto started to pull out three cards. "Here they are. Ok first up is Rock Lee. Looks like he is about a year older than you guys. Mission experience. Eleven c-ranks and twenty d-ranks. His squad leader is Gai. And the last twelve months his tai-Jutsu radically improved, but his other skills are pretty shaky. Last year he got of attention as a genin but for some reason he chose not to participate in the chunin exams. This will be his first time as a candidate, same as you guys. His teammates are Tenten and Neji Hyuga."

"Ok now for Gaara of the Desert. Mission experience. Eight c-ranks and get this one b-rank as a genin. There is not a lot of information on this guy. He was a rookie from another land originally but there is this. He survived every mission without getting a scratch on him. Last but not least Akuma, Demon of the black sand. Same ages as you and her mission experience is zero d-ranks, twenty c-ranks and a single b-ranked mission. As her name suggests she is she is considered a demon by many and fights by using black sand. Get this. All enemies that have attacked her have had sand forced down into their lungs then out, completely shredding the attacker. Genjutsu is shaky but ninjutsu is quite high and Tai-Jutsu is average. Likely to cover a a weakness. What!" He gasped out the last part. "She is entering this exam alone."

"Yea what about it." I spoke up, once again causing Naruto to jump. "I don't need a team and I would likely injury them anyway." Maniacal grin plastered on my face. I may have trained a few times with them but they knew nothing about me or what I could do. I walked away and sat in a seat near the sand genin.

I heard a loud commotion at the back of the room but paid it no mind. After all I'm only here to get stronger not babysit some idiots. Suddenly a man appeared and shouted out, "All right you baby-faced degenerates pipe down and listen up! It's time to begin. I'm Ibiki Morino, your proctor and from this moment your worst enemy." I like the way this guy acts. From his posture and way of speaking I'm guessing he is effective in torture. "First, you candidates from the village hidden in the sound knock it off. Who told you, you could fight? You want to be failed before we even begun?"

"Sorry, it's our first time. Guess we're a little jumpy." The boy with the bandages on his face replied.

"I'll say this once so listen up. There will be no combat between candidates, no attacking each other without the permission of your proctor and even then the use of fatal force is strictly prohibited. Anyone who even thinks of messing with me will be disqualified immediately. Got it?"

"Hmph. No fatal force that's no fun." The bandage guys teammate stated. I couldn't help but agree with him.

"Now if we're ready we'll proceed to the first stage of the chunin exam. Hand over your paperwork, in return you'll each be given a number. This number determines where you will sit. We'll start the written test once your all seated."

Naruto started to freak out from his place in the back of the classroom. No doubt unprepared for this test. I received my number and looked at it. Eighty-three. Quickly and effectively I move to my new seat. I could give the blond a million guesses and he would never figure out who I was seated next to. Mr. Creepy stare himself, Gaara. As I took my seat, Shiku stirred once more before finally regaining her consciousness. 'Shukaku.' She whispered.

'Shukaku. Who?' I asked her mentally. 'Another demon?' Shiku didn't speak to me, her worthless container. She would only warn me should something place me in danger, as my death would result in her own. Before I could ponder anymore, Ibiki started to speak once more.

"Everyone eyes front. There are a few rules you need to be aware of, and I won't answer any questions. So you better pay attention the first time around. Alright rule number one is this. The written part of the exam is conducted on a point reduction system. Contraire to what some of you may be used to, you all begin the test with a perfect score of ten points. One point will be deducted for each answer you get wrong. So if you miss three, your final score will be seven. Rule number two. Teams will pass or fail based on the total scores of all three members." Or in my case just mine. Sakura started to shout something out but was interrupted by Ibiki.

"Silence! I have my reasons. So shut up and listen. Rule number three. The sentinels positioned around the room are their to watch you carefully for any signs of cheating and for every incident they spot they will subtract two points from the culprits score. Be warned. Their eyes are extremely sharp and if they catch you five times you'll be dismissed before the tests are even scored. Anyone fool enough to be caught cheating by the sentinels doesn't deserve to be here. If you want to be considered shinobi then show us what exceptional shinobi you can be. One more thing! If any candidate should get a zero and fail the test, then the entire team fails. The final question won't be given out until fifteen minutes before the end of the testing period. You'll have one hour total. Begin!"

I flipped my paper over and quickly read the questions. What! There is no way a genin could answer these! Wait. In any normal exam cheating means automatic fail right? Here there is only a two point deduction. It makes no sense because a ninja could obviously glance over and get all the answers and only lose a total of two points leaving them a score of seven before the final question. Unless they want us to cheat. Ninja must be masters of deception and info gathering so that must be what this is about!

Since we must gather info there must be at least two people sitting among us with the answers, one in the front and one in the back. Now I just need pick out who among us has the answers. I look down at my paper while actually observing the people around me. Wait that guy! His arm went from the answering the last problem back to answer the first again. He must have the answers!

I released my sand and let it flow onto the top of his pencil. From the movement of my sand I could tell what he was writing and I quickly copied each and every answer. I looked at the clock and was astonished to find that I had no only figured it out but found one if the inserts in only fifteen minutes. Not to bad.

Another twenty-five minutes has went by and I was knocked out of my boredom from a chunin calling my number stating I cheated.

I stood up calmly and spoke monotonously. "Amazing to think I was cheating within the last ten minutes when I finished over twenty minutes ago." My sand swirled around his ankles threateningly since he knew he lied and so did I he quickly flushed in embarrassment. He quickly claimed he meant the boy in the other side of me not me or Gaara. That boy had almost got away with looking at my paper during the commotion but was seen.

I retook my seat and withdrew my sand not before casting one more threatening glance at the chunin. Silently I picked up my pencil and started to doodle a small picture on the edge of my paper. A woman with cat like ears and dark raccoon like eyes. Dark sand swirling around her in a deadly dance before writing below. All hell shall break free should the black sand demon be forever caught.

Soon Ibiki started to speak once more. "Alright listen up! Here's the tenth and final question..." He stopped and took a pause. "But before I give you the question, there are some more rules that you need to be aware of." Kankuro took that moment to return from the bathroom and Ibiki gave him a look that seemed like he knew what went on. "Ah made it just in time. I hope you found your trip to the bathroom enlightening. Well? Take your seat. These rules are unique to question ten. Listen carefully and try to not let them frighten you. Very well then. Rule number one. Each of you is free to choose now not to be given the final question. It's your decision. If you choose not to take the tenth question regardless of your answers to the other nine, you'll get a zero. In other words you fail and that means of course both of your teammates fail as well. Not so fast." He stated as he heard the murmurs of why anyone would pick to fail.

"You didn't let me finish. If you do accept the question and answer it incorrectly you will not only fail but you will be barred from taking the chunin exam ever again!" Many outraged cries broke out, some from the rookies others from seasoned chunin exam takers. Ibiki let out a maniacal chuckle, similar to my own. "I guess you're 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. If your not feeling confident then by all means skip it. You can come back and try again next year." He started to chuckle once again. I think I like this guy. He really knows how to mess with people. I guess he isn't head of the interrogation unit for nothing. "Now then if you're ready for the tenth and final question. Those of you who don't want to take it raise your hand. Your number will be recorded then you're free to go."

Slowly hands started to raise throughout the room. The people muttering apologies to their teammates before leaving the room. I have no team so bring on the question. No matter what I won't be stuck as a genin. I don't even complete the useless d-ranks.

To my surprise Naruto slowly started to raise his hand. What is he doing? He never quits... That train of thought was cut short once he slammed his hand down on the table with a resounding boom. "Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You can act tough all you want but you guys aren't going to scare me off! No way! I don't care if I do get stuck as a genin for the rest of my life." He shouted out for standing up. "I'll still be Hokage someday!"

After his little speech no one else left the room, truly inspired by the rookies guts to stay and take the final question no matter the outcome.

"This decision is one that can change your live. If for any reason you would rather quit now is your last chance."

"No way. I never go back on my word. That's the way of the ninja." Still no one got up. It appears this little moronic ball of sunshine had a gift. A gift to change people and inspire people to make a better decision for them and their comrades.

"Well then I admire your determination, 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 all pass the first exam."

"Whoa! Hold on! What just happened? What do you mean we passed? Where's the tenth question?" Sakura yelled out.

A grin split Ibiki's face and he started to laugh. "There never was one. Not a written one at least. Actually your decision to stay was the answer to the tenth question."

"Wait a second. So the other nine questions you gave us were just a waste of time, is that what your saying!?" The blond sand genin yelled out.

"Oh no. Not at all. Quite the opposite. The first nine questions had an important overriding purpose. To test your ability to strategically gather intelligence under the most adverse circumstances."

"Oh well that clears up eveything." The girl spoke once more. 'Temari.' A child's voice whispered in my mind.

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

"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 imagine that most of you quickly came to that conclusion. That you would have to cheat if you would have any chance of passing. The fact is this test was designed to encourage cheating, it almost demanded it. Of course it would have done you little good unless you had someone to cheat from. So I disguised two chunin who already knew the answers and had them sit in with you. Those who were caught cheating were failed. Better not to cheat then to cheat clumsily. Information can be the most valuable weapon in battle. How well you gather intelligence can determine wether a mission is a failure or a success. There will be times where you have to risk your life to get it."

He pulled his bandana off to reveal holes, burn makes and scars on his head. Gaara sat calmly completely un disturbed by the mess, same as I. I have created one bigger after all. Ibiki started to speak once before after placing his bandana back on. "Of course you must always consider the source of your information. Intelligence gathered from an enemy is not necessarily accurate. Always bear this in mind. Disinformation can be worse then no information at all. It can lead to the death of your comrades or the lost of a village. That's why I put you in the position where you had to gather accurate intelligence. Cheat in order to survive and that's why those who aren't good enough at it were weeded out. Leaving the rest of you."

"Ok but I'm still not getting what the tenth question thing is all about." Temari told him.

"Your not? The tenth question was the whole exam. Surely you see that?"

I was getting really tired of hearing him explain so I toned the rest out. Is it that hard to understand that sometimes you must risk you necks to receive intel? Suddenly a black bag came flying through the window followed by a woman.

"Heads up boys and girls. This is no time to be celebrating. I'll be your next proctor, Anko Mitarashi." The woman stated.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Thank you guys so much for your reviews. You made me so happy! Now I need a cover for this story so I will be holding a contest (ends in December if you choose to participate.) for it.

Can be anything that would fit this story.

What will you win?

2 omakes of your choosing and sneak peaks of the chapters the day before I post them.

If not good enough prizes pm me suggestions. Oh also pm me your entries. Like this. WebsiteDOTcom/whateveritis

Thats all for now

~Chey