So, this is a bit earlier than intended, but I feel like, after my absence, it should be done.
utima-owner: Glad you think so. So long as one reader is interested, it's worth doing.
madmanmark666: Does the Crissaegrim count?
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 3: The Chunin Exams
It was a few weeks after Team 7 had returned from their mission in Wave. Naruto was currently heading to the usual meeting spot. Of course he arrived a few minutes before Kakashi's 3 hour late arrival.
"Hey, you two." Naruto said as he leaned against a pillar.
"Good morning, everyone." Kakashi said when he arrived.
"You're late!" Sakura yelled.
Naruto sweatdropped "Are they still coming at the specified time? You'd think they'd have learned by now."
Team 7 then started doing their usual, boring D-rank mission for the day.
At a moment, Kakashi looked up to the sky and saw a peculiar bird. "All right, team, let's call it quits for today. I have to go submit a mission report now." With that, he left with the Shunshin.
Sasuke walked away. Since he heard Naruto had defeated and killed Haku, he's been more distant than usual.
"Wait for me, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura said as she ran after him.
Naruto was about to walk away, but he noticed something.
"Rocks aren't square-shaped, Konohamaru." He said.
"I knew you would figure it out, boss!" Konohamaru said as the 'rock' exploded into smoke. "Maybe that was too much powder." He said as he and his two companions coughed.
After a moment, the girl of the group did a pose. "I am Moegi, the most beautiful girl of the class!"
The glass-wearing boy also did a pose. "I am Udon and I love dividing numbers!"
Konohamaru made a pose between the two. "And I'm Konohamaru, the village's number one genius Shinobi!"
"The three of us make the Konohamaru corps!" They claimed at the same time.
Naruto chuckled. "I know. You've done this multiple times already. So, what is it?"
"You said you would play Shinobi with us boss!" Konohamaru reminded.
Naruto blinked. "Is it that time already?"
"A shinobi playing Shinobi, what's the point?" A distraught Sakura, who was rejected by Sasuke, said.
"By doing this, I'm helping them train." Naruto explained. "Speaking of training, you really should focus on that more, maybe then Sasuke will notice you."
"Hey, boss? Who's this girl with the big forehead?" Konohamaru asked.
A tick mark appeared on said forehead as Sakura looked ready to pummel Konohamaru, who started running away from her.
Unfortunately, Konohamaru, in his escape, bumped into someone.
The guy Konohamaru bumped into wore a black, baggy, full body suit with a red and yellow circle at the front. He also wore a hood that had cat-like ears and a Suna headband. He also had war paint on his face.
The girl behind him had teal eyes and blonde hair, of a darker shade than Naruto's, that she kept in four ponytails. She wore a purple, off-the-shoulders garment that stopped at her thighs, with a red sash around her waist. She wore her Suna headband around her neck and fishnet on her shoulders and legs.
The guy grabbed Konohamaru by the scarf. "That hurt, you brat!" He said.
"Stop it, Kankuro." The girl said nonchalantly. "We'll get in trouble if you keep this up."
Before Kankuro could say anything, a hand gripped the wrist he held Konohamaru with.
"Forgive me, Kankuro-san." Naruto said without sounding apologetic. "But would you kindly let go of Konohamaru Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage's grandson?"
Kankuro, in his shock, let go of Konohamaru, who fell on his butt before hiding behind Naruto.
The girl sighed. "See? Even if Suna and Konoha are in an alliance, we would have in real trouble if you hadn't been stopped."
"Temari is right, Kankuro." Another voice said. A voice that scared Kankuro and Temari.
A guy landed next to the two through a Sand Shunshin. He had short and spiky auburn hair, pale blue-green eyes, surrounded by racoon-like black eye rings and a red kanji for love on his forehead. He wore a black full body outfit with t-shirt-like sleeves, ¾-length legs and an open neck. He had a white cloth over his right shoulder and left hip, as well as a wide leather band over his left shoulder and right hip. The leather band made him carry a large gourd on his back. He also wrapped his Suna headband on the leather band.
"You're a disgrace to our village." He told Kankuro.
"G-Gaara..." Kankuro said.
Gaara turned to Naruto. "I apologize for my brother's stupidity. Temari, Kankuro, we're leaving." He said before walking away, with the others following him.
"Wait!" Sakura called out. "Even if you come from an allied country, the treaty prevents Shinobi from entering each other's country without permission."
"Then they have permission, otherwise they wouldn't be allowed inside the village in the first place." Naruto said.
"Listen to that guy." Temari advised Sakura. "Even if he seems just as in the dark as you, he at least had the brains to figure that out."
"Forgive us for being in the dark." Naruto said. "We simply have the laziest Jonin-sensei in the village."
Temari sighed. "And now I feel sorry for you... The Chunin Exams are happening here this time."
Sasuke jumped down from a nearby tree. "What's your name?" He asked.
Temari pointed at herself. "Me?"
"No, the one with the gourd."
Gaara turned to Sasuke. "You are not worth telling my name." As Sasuke scowled, Gaara looked at Naruto. "But you are. I am Sabaku no Gaara."
"Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto said.
"Hopefully, we will meet in the Exams." Gaara said before he and his team truly walked away, this time.
"You were so cool, boss!" Konohamaru and his friends said.
Naruto simply chuckled.
Another trio was on a tree, observing the entire thing.
"What do you think?" The guy with the black spiky hair asked.
"They don't look like much." The one with the bandaged face said. "But we have to keep an eye on the blond from Konoha and the guy with the gourd."
With the Hokage
"I called you all here for a reason." The Sandaime said to the many Chunin and Jonin in front of him. "You should already know that from who is here, though."
"That time of the year already?" Kakashi asked.
"You've already reported to the other countries?" Asuma, Team 10's sensei and son of the Sandaime, asked. "I've already seen a few in the village." Asuma was a tall man with brown eyes, olive skin, short black spiky hair and a beard. From a certain angle, one might be reminded of a gorilla when looking at him. He wore the standard konoha ninja uniform, safe for a sash with the kanji for 'Fire' around his waist, his black bangles around his wrists and the bandages around his biceps.
"So? When is it?" Kurenai, Team 8's sensei, asked. Kurenai was a slender, fair-skinned woman. She had long and untamed black hair reaching her upper back and red eyes, quite unique when one doesn't have the Sharingan, with an additional ring in each irises. She had red lipstick and purple eye shadow. She wore red mesh armor that only had a right sleeve. Her outfit looked like bandages, that had a design of rose thorns, wrapped around her body. She also wore bandages on her hands and her thighs. Of course, she had the shinobi sandals and her headband.
"One week from now." The Hokage answered.
"That's sudden." Kakashi commented.
The Hokage puffed out some smoke from his smoking pipe. "Seven days from now, the first of July, we will begin the Chunin Exams. Those in charge of the new Genin, step forward."
Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma stepped forward.
"Which of your Genin do you wish to enter in the exams?" Hiruzen asked. "Let's start with you Kakashi."
"Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno. I, Kakashi Hatake, recommend all three for the Chunin Exams."
"W-What!?" Iruka thought.
"Team 8: Hinata Hyuuga, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka. I, Kurenai Yuhi, recommend all three for the Chunin Exams."
"Team 10: Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka. I, Asuma Sarutobi, recommend all three for the Chunin Exams."
Everyone behind the three whispered about how long it has been since rookies entered the Exams.
"Please wait!" Iruka said as he approached the three.
"What is it, Iruka?" The Sandaime asked.
"Excuse me for interfering, but all nine Genin were students of mine at the academy. Every one of them is talented, but it's too early! They need more experience!"
"Who are you to judge who is ready?" Kakashi asked a bit harshly. "Do I need to remind you that if Mizuki hadn't turned traitor, Naruto would still be at the academy? He had to take advantage of a traitor's ploy to gain the Kage Bunshin, which allowed him to graduate." Iruka winced at that. "I should also mention that Naruto figured out the Kage Bunshin's biggest secret on his own."
That was impressive, everyone admitted.
"You don't know how much they've improved, Iruka, so let it go." Kakashi finished.
"But-"
"Iruka." Hiruzen interrupted. "I understand your argument. Since you believe they are not ready, you will personally put them in a preliminary exam, knowingly or not."
Back with Naruto, 2 days later
Naruto was headed for the usual Team 7 meeting spot, once again, a few minutes before Kakashi's arrival. When he arrived, Sakura was complaining about not having the time to dry her hair. "You had plenty of time, you just don't learn." He thought.
"Good morn-"
"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura screeched, interrupting Kakashi.
"I'll get straight to the point." Kakashi said. "I recommended you three for the Chunin Exams. Here are the applications." He handed a piece of paper to each student. "You are not forced to take it. If you feel you aren't ready, then don't take it. Sign the application if you wish to enter and, in 5 days, go to the academy by 3 P.M. and enter room 301. That is all." He then left with the Shunshin.
The next day, Naruto was walking around the village and met up with the Konohamaru Corps.
"Hey, boss, play with us!" Konohamaru greeted.
Naruto smiled. "I don't have any mission today, so all right."
The three kids cheered before a man appeared behind Moegi. He was about to pick her up and kidnap her, but received a fist to the face before he could. The moment he was on the ground, Naruto had placed a foot on the man's torso.
"Unfortunately for you, I don't allow myself to lower my guard with all the foreign ninja in the village." He said.
"That was awesome, boss!" The Konohamaru corps said.
"You really have improved, Naruto." That voice...
"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked.
Sure enough, it was Iruka Umino in disguise.
"Sorry if I scared the kids." He said. "I was about to test you to see if you were ready for the Chunin Exams, but it seems I was worried for nothing, with you at least."
"I see." Naruto said.
"I would love to stay and catch up with you, but i have to test the others. Good luck with the Exams." Iruka said before he left with the Shunshin.
Middle of the night
"Well?" Kakashi asked as Iruka appeared behind him.
"All nine of them have grown. Sakura easily saw through my illusion and Sasuke beat the stuffing out of me."
"And Naruto?"
"Knocked me on the ground before I could do anything." Iruka admitted. "You were right about him more than the other two."
"The Chunin Exams won't be this easy."
"Indeed. But now I know they have what it takes."
Day of the Chunin Exams, Academy yard
"Sorry I'm late guys." Sakura said nervously. Apparently she still wasn't sure about entering.
The team had entered the academy and walked up to the second floor before they saw a gathering of people. A boy wearing green spandex with bowl-cut hair and thick eyebrows was pushed away by two Chunin.
"You're trying to enter the Chunin Exams with these sloppy skills?" One of the two Chunin guarding the door said.
"You should just quit." The other one said.
"Please, let us through." A girl holding her hair in two buns pleaded as she helped the spandex-wearing boy. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red trimmings and yellow fastening buttons as well as dark green pants. She also had a pouch adjusted to her thigh.
"Hey, we're helping you here." The first Chunin said. "The Chunin Exams are extremely difficult."
"We've seen those who gave up on becoming shinobi or get seriously injured while taking the Exams." The second one said.
"A Chunin is a squad's commander." The first one said. "They are the ones held responsible for the mission failures and the death of comrades. For kids like you to try and take those responsibilities is repulsive."
"What's wrong with preventing those who won't pass the exams from entering them in the first place?" The second one asked.
"That's a sound argument. But I will pass." Sasuke said. "Undo the Genjutsu. I want to go to the third floor."
"So you noticed?" The second Chunin asked.
"Not me." Sasuke pointed his thumb at Sakura, to her shock. "She noticed long before I did. She's much better at analyzing the situation than I am."
Sakura was shocked at Sasuke's words, but it gave her the courage to go on. She smiled confidently. "Of course. This is the second floor, so I noticed it immediately."
The Genjutsu vanished and revealed that 'Room 301' was in reality Room 201.
"Well done." The first Chunin said. "But Genjutsu analysis isn't enough!" He said as he went to kick Sasuke, who responded by sending his own kick, only for both attacks to be caught by the spandex-wearing boy with a surprising show of strength and speed.
"Wasn't it you who said we had to hold back?" The boy's male teammate, a Hyuuga, asked. He had fair skin, like most Hyuuga, and dark-brown hair. He wore a Khaki shirt, a dull blue shirt beneath that, and mesh armour beneath the blue shirt. He had dark-brown shorts and wrapped bandages around his right limbs and his chest. His hair was tied in a loose ponytail, just a few inches above his hair's end. He wore two headbands: a small one with straps framing his face, and the Konoha headband over the first one.
"Sorry." The spandex boy said, though his attention was on Sakura, making the boy's female teammate sigh.
The spandex boy approached Sakura. "My name is Rock Lee. Sakura-san, please go out with me!"
"Um, no." She said, to Lee's dismay as he leaned against the wall in depression.
"Hey, you." The Hyuuga of the team called out, looking at Sasuke. "Who are you?"
Sasuke smirked. "You're supposed to introduce yourself before demanding someone's name." He taunted.
"You're a rookie, right?" The Hyuuga asked, ignoring Sasuke's statement. "How old are you?"
"I don't have to answer to that." Sasuke said.
The Hyuuga scowled.
"If we're going to waste time, let's waste it at the Exams' room." Naruto said, to which his teammates agreed with.
"Let's go, Sasuke, Naruto." Sakura said, getting the other team's attention.
"Sasuke Uchiha." They thought.
"There are a lot of monsters in these exams" Sasuke said in his mind as he thought about the male Hyuuga, about Rock Lee, about Gaara and then glanced at Naruto.
As Team 7 arrived on the third floor, someone called out.
"You there, with the black hair."
They turned to the voice and saw Rock Lee.
"What is it?" Sasuke asked, being the only one of the three that had black hair.
"Will you fight me right here, right now?" Lee asked.
"You want to fight me?"
"Yes. As I said earlier, I am Rock Lee. 'You're supposed to introduce yourself before demanding someone's name.' That is what you said earlier right, Sasuke Uchiha?"
"So you know my name."
"I would like to fight you. To see if my hard work is a match to the Uchiha's natural talent. And..." Lee then turned to Sakura, creeping her out. "Sakura-san, I love you." He confessed rather easily.
Sakura shivered. "Those eyebrows, that haircut, those eyes... Everything about you is too unique for me."
"You're an angel." Lee said, seemingly not hearing her distress.
"You challenge me knowing of the Uchiha name." Sasuke said, breaking the moment. In Lee's mind, it was a moment. "Do you really want to know what an Uchiha is capable of?"
"Please." Lee said as he put his left arm behind his back and had his right hand in a chop position.
"Interesting stance." Naruto commented.
"This is the Goken fighting stance." Lee explained. "I must warn you, though, I am the Strongest of the Genin right now!"
"Interesting." Sasuke said. "Fine, I accept your challenge."
Sakura looked at a clock in the room and saw that they had less than half an hour to get to Room 301.
"This will only take two minutes." Naruto said before Sakura could warn Sasuke.
"How do you know that?" She asked.
"Just watch."
Sasuke charged at Lee and went for a punch, but Lee disappeared.
"W-Where is he?" Sakura asked.
"Up." Naruto said, looking over Sasuke's head.
"Konoha Senpu!" Lee said as he did an aerial roundhouse kick, which Sasuke ducked. Lee continued his technique with a sweep kick that Sasuke tried to block, but was too slow and ended up getting hit in the face, to Sakura's shock.
"That was pure Taijutsu." Naruto said, unfazed by the outcome.
"Pure Taijutsu...?" Sasuke asked as he got up. "Then how did he get through my guard?"
"By being faster than you." Naruto answered.
Sasuke scowled and activated his Sharingan. He now had two tomoe in both eyes.
"The Sharingan! And he has it in both eyes!" Sakura thought, awed.
"So that's the Sharingan." Lee thought.
"It won't change anything." Naruto knew that already. Lee's confidence was different from Sasuke's. "Don't get your hopes up now, Sakura. Observe and see if it makes a difference." The pinkette was confused at what Naruto said, but paid attention.
Sasuke charged Lee...and immediately got kicked in the chin, to Sakura's horror.
Lee charged Sasuke with a multitude of kicks before elbowing him in the abdomen.
"As you can see, your teammate was correct." Lee said. "Even if your Sharingan can see through Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu, if your body cannot follow what you see, then it is useless."
Sasuke was shaking in fury and charged Lee.
"Among the strong, there are two types of people." Lee said as he kept dodging Sasuke's attacks. "Geniuses and hard workers. If the Sharingan makes you a genius, Sasuke Uchiha, then I am the hard worker that constantly improves his Taijutsu. Your untrained Sharingan and my Taijutsu skills result in a one-sided fight!" With that, he kicked Sasuke in the chin once more, knocking him in the air.
Lee crouched and jumped behind Sasuke.
"I win!" Lee said as the bandages around his left hand unwrapped themselves.
"Stop right there, Lee!" A voice cried out. Everyone turned to the voice and saw a turtle.
Lee twisted his body and landed in front of the turtle and bowed while Sakura caught Sasuke's falling body.
"You were watching?" Lee asked the turtle, perturbed.
"Lee, you know that technique is forbidden." The turtle lectured
Lee bowed his head lower. "I'm sorry. I got carried away, trying to prove myself."
"You fool!" The turtle said. "That excuse isn't enough! You should know very well what it means when you show your trump card!"
"Y-Yes..." Lee said.
"Are you prepared to face to consequences?" The turtle asked.
"Y-Yes..."
"Guy-sensei, please take care of the rest." The turtle said.
A cloud of smoke appeared on top of the turtle and revealed an older version of Lee, with the exception of his eyes and even thicker eyebrows. The man, Guy apparently, wore a Flak jacket over his spandex. Sasuke and Sakura were horrified at the similar appearances.
"You guys are on the spring of your life, aren't you?" Guy stated. A few seconds later, he punched Lee in the face. "Baka!"
After that, both Lee and Guy seemed to be at a loss for words before hugging each other, somehow creating a Sunset Genjutsu.
"This is youth!" Guy said jovially before he patted Lee on the shoulder. "It's all right to make mistakes when you're young."
"You're too kind, sensei." Lee said, crying.
Guy nodded. "Now, run 100 laps at the training ground in the sunset!"
"Yes, sensei!" Lee agreed enthusiastically.
"What about the Chunin Exams?" Naruto called out, making them stop in realization and look sheepish.
"That's right... Lee, you will do the punishment training after the Exams!" Guy said.
Lee saluted. "Understood, Guy-sensei!"
"Because of the delay, however, you will have to do 500 laps!" Guy said, shocking Sakura and Sasuke.
"Yes, Sensei!"
Guy then looked at Team 7. "Is Kakashi doing well?"
"He's just as lazy and late as ever, if that's what you're asking." Naruto shrugged. "Have you known him long?"
"Of course." They heard Guy's voice behind them. "He and I are eternal rivals!"
"I didn't see him move!" Sasuke thought as he looked at Guy with narrowed eyes. "He was definitely faster than Kakashi."
"How's that?" Lee asked. "Guy-sensei is amazing!"
"As expected from a Jonin Taijutsu Expert." Naruto said.
Guy gave Naruto a thumbs-up. "Ah! So you realized that Lee doesn't just follow my fashion style, but my fighting style as well! I certainly see why Kakashi thinks you're ready for the exam! Now, you three and Lee should get to Room 301!" As Guy was saying this, Lee was wrapping the bandages back around his left hand.
"Sasuke Uchiha." Lee called out, getting Sasuke's attention. "I must confess a lie. I am not the Strongest Genin. That title belongs to my teammate, Neji Hyuuga." He said before walking away.
"Shall we get going?" Naruto asked.
Nothing was said as the team headed to Room 301.
When they were in front of the room, they found Kakashi between them and the door.
"So Sakura decided to take the Exams as well." He said, sounding satisfied. Sakura and Sasuke were confused.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"We had to enter as a team in the first place." Naruto said.
"Correct." Kakashi said. "I didn't say anything because I knew Sakura would feel compelled to enter the Exams for her teammates, instead of for herself."
"And you would've prevented us from entering if we weren't a full team." Naruto said.
"Of course. Now go on in." Kakashi said, stepping away from the door.
Inside the room, they were a lot of teams who glared at the team that just entered, which was Team 7.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, Sakura gulped nervously and Naruto remained stoic.
"Sasuke-kun!" They heard Ino's voice as she jumped on Sasuke's back. "I've been waiting for you ever since I heard you were entering."
"Get away from Sasuke-kun, Ino-pig!" Sakura said.
"Ah, Sakura... Your forehead is as wide and ugly as ever." Ino said, getting off Sasuke's back and glaring at Sakura.
"Man, you guys are here too?" Shikamaru sighed as he and Choji approached the group.
"Hey, the gang's all here!" Kiba said as he and Team 8 approached the group.
"You guys too? Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed again.
"So, the Rookie Nine are taking the Exams, huh?" Kiba wondered aloud. "Think you can keep up, Sasuke?"
"You seem confident, Kiba." Sasuke smirked.
"Of course. With my training, I won't lose to you."
"You know, you guys should quiet down." A guy with grey hair, round glasses and a Konoha headband said as he approached the group. "You are all fooling yourselves if you think this is a field trip."
"Who are you to tell us that?" Ino demanded.
"I am Kabuto Yakushi. Look around the room."
Everyone turned to see every Shinobi glaring at them.
"Everyone is tense, since the Exams are about to start. Keep going and you'll paint a target on your back." He said.
"Then have you taken the Exams before?" Sakura asked.
"The Exams happen twice a year, every six months. This is my seventh time." He said, shocking some of them.
"Then you're well-informed, right?" Sakura asked.
"Indeed, perhaps I should share some information with you..." He said, pulling out a deck of cards. "...with my Info Cards. I burn the information in them with my chakra and they are invisible until I apply some more chakra."
He placed a card on the floor and applied chakra on it. A small map of the Elemental Countries appeared with statistics on how many teams per country entered.
"This is the amount of people participating in the Exams, as well as which country sent them." Kabuto said. "Tell me, why do you think the countries do the Exams together?"
"To show your village's strength without going to war?" Naruto guessed. He didn't know but it would make sense.
Kabuto nodded. "Very good. Doing it this way also deepens the relationship between each country."
"Do your cards give information on individuals?" Sasuke asked.
"They do." Kabuto confirmed. "Who has caught your interest?"
"Sabaku no Gaara of Suna and Rock Lee of Konoha."
"You even know their names. That saves me some time." Kabuto said as he pulled out two cards from the deck. "Let's start with Rock Lee. He's a year older than you guys. He did 20 D-rank mission and 11 C-ranks. The team's Sensei is Might Guy, Konoha's Taijutsu Expert. Lee's Taijutsu skills have skyrocketed this past year, but his other skills are terrible. His teammates are Neji Hyuuga and Tenten." Hinata seemed nervous at the mention of Neji.
"Next up, Sabaku no Gaara. I don't have much on him. All I know is that he did 8 C-rank missions and a single B-rank. The only other information I have is a rumor that says he did all those missions without receiving a single injury."
"A B-rank as a Genin and doesn't get injured." Shikamaru repeated, shocked.
"This year, there are a lot of talented Genins from the Hidden Villages. Oto, the Village of Sound, was only recently created, so I don't have much info on them. It doesn't change the fact that all these villages are powerful."
"I'm starting to lose confidence." Hinata said.
"It's too late to say that!" Ino said.
Naruto then looked at the mass of Shinobi to look for other familiar faces and found Gaara's team. When he met Gaara's gaze, he knew that he had been watching him the entire time he got in the room. After more looking, he saw Lee's team.
At that moment, the team from Oto jumped over the crowd. Their target: Kabuto.
The guy with spiky black hair threw some kunai at Kabuto, who jumped back to dodge. The guy with the bandaged face then charged Kabuto, readying a punch. But Naruto appeared in front of him and kneed him in the gut, to the shock of the rest of the Rookie Nine.
Naruto threw the guy to his teammates. "Save your strength for when you have to fight in the Exams. You will only look weak if you are so easily provoked." He said.
"So the Uchiha isn't the only one in the team who is skilled." Neji realized.
"He didn't look like much with that outfit." Tenten said before looking at Lee's green spandex. "Then again..."
Lee didn't notice, however, as he was caught in his desire to not only face Sasuke, but Naruto as well.
"I'm glad I dropped the kid when I did." Kankuro said nervously.
Temari nodded. "He's probably still holding back."
Gaara smiled psychotically.
A cloud of smoke appeared at the front of the class. "Quiet down, you maggots!" An aggressive voice demanded.
A group of proctors were now in the room. In front of them was a large, imposing man with two large scars on his face. He wore his headband like a bandana. He wore the same grey outfit as the other examiners, along with a black coat.
"I am Ibiki Morino, Head Proctor of the first test of the Chunin Exams. You, the Oto team, follow the brat's advice and don't try anything funny, otherwise all three of you are out of the Exams!" Ibiki said.
"My apologies." The bandaged one said. "We got excited, with this being our first Exam."
"You don't see the rest of the first-timers doing the same." Ibiki countered. "Since this happened, I will warn everyone. Do not try to fight unless it is allowed. It is also prohibited to kill each other. Failure to comply results in being thrown out of the exams, understood?" Hearing no complaints, he continued. "We will now begin the first test of the Chunin Exams. Turn in your applications, take a number and take that numbered seat. We will then pass the papers for the test."
Everyone did so and Ibiki stated the rules. "First rule, you will start with 10 points. Each question is worth a single point. Answer correctly, you keep your points. Answer incorrectly, you lose a point. Second rule, passing or failing the test depends on the team's total amount of points. Third rule, if a proctor around the room determines you cheated during this test, you will lose 2 points. Finally, if anyone in the team goes down to zero, the entire team fails. You have 45 minutes to do the first 9 questions, after that we will all do the last one together. Begin!"
The questions on the papers were too complicated for the Genin in the room. So everyone started cheating as subtly as possible.
Kiba's ninken, Akamaru, was telling the answer from looking at those who had an easy time answering, since only an Inuzuka could understand a ninken that doesn't speak the human language.
Shino was using his Clan's ability to communicate with insects to copy the answers.
Tenten used ninja-wire to tilt the mirrors on the ceilings and see other people's answers. As well as showing the answers to Lee.
Naruto looked at the paper, then leaned on his left knuckle and closed his eyes. Hinata, who was using her clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan, to see other people's answers, saw Naruto and was worried about him. But before she could whisper to him, due to being seated to his right, he opened his eyes and smirked before writing on the paper, one question at a time.
Sakura easily answered by herself as well. When she answered them all, Ino used her Clan's Mind transfer Jutsu and invaded Sakura's body to read her answer.
Neji also used the Byakugan, to see through someone's body and read his answers.
Sasuke used his Sharingan to copy someone's handwriting, copying the answers at the same time.
Gaara closed one eye and created an eye out of sand. He then crushed it. The grains of sand went to another genin's eyes. The Sand Eye appeared over the genin's test and allowed Gaara to see the answers.
Kankuro said he had to go to the bathroom and a proctor cuffed him and followed him. In truth, that same proctor was Kankuro's literal puppet, Karasu, and the entire time, Karasu communicated the answer, in a way only a puppeteer understood. When he returned, it was time for the 10th question.
"Before I tell you the question, there is a special rule. First, you are going to choose if you wish to answer the question or not." Ibiki said.
"And if we decide not to answer?" Temari asked.
"Then you fail the exam, taking your teammates with you, and try again next time." Ibiki answered.
"Then of course we're going to take it!" Someone yelled.
"But if you take the question and answer incorrectly, you will never be allowed in the Chunin Exams ever again!"
Blood ran cold for most of them as they heard that.
"That's a dumb rule!" Kiba said. "Some of us have taken these exams before!"
"They didn't have me as a proctor back then. If you think you got what it takes, then answer. If not, raise your hand right now and try again next time."
A lot of hands were raised until 80 students were left. It was more than Ibiki expected, but it seems that, though they were nervous, they were willing to take the risk.
"Very well then." Ibiki said. "Everyone here passes the test!"
"What? What about the question?" Sakura asked.
Ibiki laughed. "There is no question! Or perhaps I should say, the question is whether or not you take the question."
"Then what was the point of the nine other questions?" Temari asked.
"To test your abilities in Information Gathering. We showed you the pressure a Chunin constantly goes through during each mission. As you should all know by now, these questions were far too complicated for Genin, that's why we have 2 Chunin among you to copy from." Two participants got up, reducing the number to 78. "Those who weren't sneaky enough failed, of course. Why?"
Ibiki removed his headband, revealing his heavily scarred head. It had punctures and burn marks, scaring the students.
Naruto, however, respected that. This was a truly strong man right there.
"Information can be more important than life at times, on missions and on battlefields... That is why you must never reveal information when tortured!" He put his headband back on. "Information from a third party won't necessarily be accurate. If you get your information wrong, you could put your village at risk. That is why we forced you to cheat to get the answers."
"I still don't agree to that tenth question." Temari said.
"And yet it is the most important one." Ibiki said. "The tenth question was 'take or not take'. Either you don't take and fail, or take and fail, if you answer incorrectly. Let's say you've become Chunin and you have a mission of taking a secret document. The number of enemies, their abilities and weapons are unknown. Not to mention the possible traps set up. Will you accept the mission?"
"For the sake of our village, we have to risk our very lives." Naruto said.
Ibiki nodded. "Exactly. Now that all of you know that, I wish you luck for the second test."
Suddenly, a ball of cloth entered the room through breaking a window. The ball had someone inside who threw kunai on the cloth's corners, embedding to the walls and revealing a flag.
The person inside the cloth? A woman with purple hair shaped like pineapple, from behind unlike Shikamaru's over the head ponytail. She wore an orange mini-skirt and an open tan overcoat with fitted mesh suit underneath, from her collar to her mid thighs.
On the flag was written 'The proctor of the second Exam: The sexy and single, Anko Mitarashi.'
"I am the second proctor, Anko Mitarashi!" The woman said.
There was an awkward silence in the room.
"You're early." Ibiki said from behind the flag. Anko expertly ignored the comment.
"What the hell, Ibiki! 78 participants!? Have you gotten soft?" Anko said.
"They were nervous, but willing to take the risk." Ibiki said, walking around the flag. "That's what made them pass in the first place."
"Whatever, my test will have more than half of these teams fail." She claimed, unnerving the Genin. "Your Jonin-sensei will tell you the meeting point and time. Be there tomorrow. That is all."
Naruto smirked. Her claim alone made this interesting.
And that's it for now. By the way, here's something I forgot to mention last chapter: I believe Dracula himself is able to decide if he gets his victims' souls or not. So there will be time where he kills, but doesn't get the soul.
On the other hand, as I've seen for myself while playing Aria of Sorrow, you can get souls just as you kill enemies if you bulldoze through them with Black Panther, instead of letting the soul fly all over the screen. So when Naruto is in direct physical contact, he can take the soul with everybody else being none the wiser.