27: The 10th Question: All or Nothing!
Suiren Uzumaki: The disclaimer: I do not own Naruto cause if I did then Sakura wouldn't be a useless fangirl in pre-shippuden and Naruto would have his Father's smarts while keeping his Mother's personality and knows about seals and how to use to them. I do, however, own Rin Uzumaki (Namikaze). Remember to Read and Review to let me know what you think. Also if you don't like any twist that I might make then stop reading and find something else to read plus don't leave a review that's a flame or I will find a way to block you. Ja ne!
...My Line...
Those of the group, who went to get drinks, returned to their seats and settled in while Jiraiya looked around to make sure that they were all ready.
"Onto the next episode," he said cheerfully before hitting play.
Team Minato looked worried as the new episode started.
...My Line...
The scene opened to outside of the Academy as the sound of the clock ticking was heard before it moved inside of classroom 3-1 where Ibiki smirked.
'Now that we weeded out most of the hopeless cases,' the Morino thought. '15 minutes. Time for the main event.' "Alright! Listen up! Here the 10th and final question!"
Naruto's grip on his pencil.
'Here we go,' the male Uzumaki thought. 'Everything is slightly riding on this one, ya know.'
...My Line...
'Naruto,' Kushina thought in worried.
She felt Minato's grip on her hand tighten slightly which let her know that he was worried, too.
...My Line...
Episode 27: The 10th Question: All or Nothing!
'Man this guy is full of himself,' the Uchiha thought.
'This is it,' the Haruno thought. 'The final obstacle.'
'Finally,' the Uzumaki Heiress thought with a sigh. 'This is almost over.'
...My Line...
The group cackled at that in amusement.
...My Line...
'Hurry up, Kankuro,' Temari thought. 'What good is your cheat sheet if your going to miss the 10th question?'
"But, before I give you the question there are some more rules that you should be aware of," Ibiki informed them.
Just then the Puppeteer walked back into the room.
"Huh?"
"Ah, made it just in time," the Morino stated as the other teams all looked back at him. "I hope that you found your trip to the bathroom enlightening."
'He's seen through the Crow's disguise!' the Sand Ninja thought in shock. 'He's onto us.'
"Well, take your seat," Ibiki ordered him.
Kankuro did as told, but as he passed his Sister, he dropped something next to her before sitting down.
'I can't believe that he thought that they wouldn't notice,' Rin thought as she looked out of the corner of her eyes. 'These guys don't fool around after all…' She looked at the man in front of them. 'Especially, Ibiki-Sensei. That guy has not a single funny bone in his entire body. Though what does one expect from the Head of the ANBU's Torture and Interrogation Department?'
...My Line...
"How does she know that?" Kushina asked in worry. "How does our little girl know that Minato?"
"Well, she's a Medic Kunoichi, so they no doubt ask for her help with healing the prisoners from time to time," the Namikaze answered. "Maybe not as much as say someone, who has more experience, but enough that she knows whose in charge."
"You might be right," Fugaku agreed with a nod. "Your Daughter is no doubt an amazing up and coming Medic."
The two future parents smiled with pride at that.
...My Line...
"These rules are unique to question 10," the Head of T&I stated. "Listen carefully and try not to let them frighten you."
...My Line...
"Frightening," Obito shuddered.
"I never knew that Ibiki can be that scary," Rin added.
"I knew there were something off about that guy," Kakashi sighed.
The adults all smiled at the three pre-teens in amusement.
...My Line...
"It's quite without the rookies around," the Hatake stated. "I almost miss them."
"Don't worry," Asuma Sarutobi informed them. "They'll be back sooner then you think."
"Why's that?"
"I've heard that their first examiner is Ibiki," the Sarutobi answered.
"Huh?" 'So, already their chances of passing look iffy.' "Greeeaaat. Sticking them with that sadist right off the bat."
"What sadist?" Kurenai Yuhi asked.
"I forgot that your a new a Jonin, Kurenai," Asuma stated. "Other wise, you wouldn't have to ask that."
"So, I'm ignorant," she deadpan. "Who is he?"
"He's what you might call a specialist," Kakashi answered.
"Yeah. In what?"
"Interrogation," the smoking Jonin answered. "Torture."
"Huh?"
"Oh, of course, he wouldn't be using physical torture during the test," she was informed. "He won't need to. That's not really his thing anyways. He works with people's minds. Not their bodies. He's famous for it. Everyone knows about the Head ANBU of the Torture and Interrogation unite. Ibiki Morino."
...My Line...
"Yicks," the three pre-teens said together.
"Talk about scary," Rin shuddered as she hugged herself.
"Yeah," her two teammates agreed with a nod.
...My Line...
'If even the rules are scary,' Naruto thought before he swallowed. 'What's the question like?'
"Every well then," Ibiki spoke up. "Rule number 1: Each of you are free to chose not to be given the final question. It's your decision."
"Huh?"
'We're free to chose?' the Uchiha thought.
'What's he playing at?' the redhead wondered in her mind.
"Whoa!" Temari called out. "What's the catch?! Let's say we happen to decided that we wouldn't take it? What happens then?"
"If you chose not to take the 10th question regardless to your answers of the other 9, you'll get a 0," the Morino answered. "In other words...you fail. And that, of course, means that your teammates fail as well." The whole room spoke up at that at the same time at that. "Not so fast. You didn't let me finish."
'More rules?' Sakura thought in annoyance. 'Enough already.'
"If you do except the question, but answer it incorrectly then you'll not only fail...you will be barred from taking the Chunin Exams ever again!"
'Say what?' Rin thought as she blinked in surprise. 'There's no way that he can do that. Okay, maybe for Konoha, but for the other villages...no way. The other Village's Leaders won't agree to that and even if the Hokage allows him to bar the Genin of Konoha from the exams. There is still another way to make Chunin for a Genin then taking the exams. There is still the field promotions. So, it's still a win for Konoha's Genins.'
...My Line...
"She's right about that," Mikoto nodded her head.
"Smart girl, you two got there," Fugaku told the Namikaze Couple.
"Thanks," the two future parents said with a happy smiles.
Obito couldn't help, but let out a sigh that sounded a little dreamy to his teammates, who shared a look with each other, before they had to look away with smiles.
...My Line...
"Hey, that's bull man!" Kiba yelled as he shot up. "That's ridicules! What the heck kind of rule is that?! There's a lot of people here, who have taken the test before!"
Akamaru barked in agreement making Ibiki to laugh in dark amusement.
"I guess that you were just...unlucky," he stated. "I wasn't making the rules before, but I am now. Of course, if you don't want to take it then you don't have, too."
"Huh?"
"If your not feeling confident then by all means skip it," the Morino told him. "You can come back and try again next year."
Ibiki laughed at their faces though the Uzumaki Heiress was glaring at him.
'Thanks a lot,' the pinkette thought. 'So, if any one of us chooses to skip then the rest of us will fail. Forget it. That's not going to happen. Oh, but on the other hand, you'll get only one shot. Screw up and you'll never get another chance. Either way it stinks. This is so unfair. Why couldn't they have given us a normal test?'
Naruto grind his teen together in anger.
"Now if your ready, the 10th and final question," Ibiki called out. "If you don't want to take it raise your hand? Your number will be recorded and then your free to go."
'What could the question be?' Naruto thought. 'What if it's easy? What if it's not? If I get it wrong then I'll be a Genin for the rest of my life and with the way things are going...I can't just skip because then we'll all fail. I can't do that the others.'
'Well, I'm okay,' the Haruno thought. 'He's not getting me to chicken out. No way, am I going to raise my hand. Oh, but what about Naruto? He doesn't stand a chance.' She looked at the blonde in front of her. 'Go on Naruto. Put your hand up. It's okay. Don't worry about us. There's always next year. Just think of yourself.'
...My Line...
"Okay, Sakura is thinking about someone not Sasuke for once," Kushina said with surprise.
"Yeah," the rest agreed.
"That's good isn't it?" Obito asked as he looked them. "I mean, she is obviously on her way to being a true kunoichi now...right?'
"Yes, but she still has a long way to go," Kakashi informed him.
...My Line...
'This is different from my own Chunin Exams,' the masked Uchiha thought as he watched from a nearby tree. 'I wonder what Sensei's children will do.' He shook his head. 'Stupid question. Sensei's Son is to much like his Mother while Rin has the Uzumaki will and not going to back down attitude.' A soft smile came to his face as he looked at the redhead. 'She'll make an amazing Chunin...heck, Rin would make a brilliant Jonin.'
...My Line...
"Said a good number of times, but going to say it again," Kakashi spoke. "Stalker much."
"Oh, shut up Bakashi," Obito growled at him.
"Please don't fight you two?" Rin asked.
"Obito, Kakashi," Kushina called making the two boys to look at her. "Don't make me separate you two." She narrowed her eyes. "You understand right?"
"Yes, Kushina-nee," the two boys answered.
Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade smiled at the scene before them while the Uchiha couple smirked.
"You will make a good Mother, Kushina," Mikoto told her softly.
This made the redhead to blush before giving her friend a bright smile.
...My Line...
The Genin next to Naruto dropped his pencil and stood up with his hand in the air.
"Ah, I'm out," he stated. "That's it. I'm out. I just can't do it. I'm sorry."
"Number 50...Fail!"
"Number 110 and number 130...that means that your out, too."
"Gini, Inoho," the quitting Genin spoke up. "I'm sorry guys." The guy's two teammates stood up. "I'm sorry."
"That's it! I quit!"
"Me, too, sir!"
"Yeah."
"I'm out."
At that a good number of people started to raise their hands making Rin to narrow her eyes.
'Go on, Naruto,' Sakura thought as one by one the teams left. 'Why won't you raise your hand? Naruto.'
"Some day, I'm going to be Hokage and you'll look up to me! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! Remember it! AH! Shut up! I'm willing to be Hokage no matter what it takes! To be the greatest Hokage that the village has ever seen and surpass all the Hokage's that come before."
'Hokage, Hokage,' the pinkette thought. 'He has a one track mind. That dreams all he's got. It would kill him to have it all taken away forever. But, he's to stubborn to raise his hand.' The Haruno started to raise her hand. 'I can't let you do it to yourself, Naruto.'
Only to get the shock of a life time when the blonde raised his own hand. Heck, his own Sister, Hinata, and Sasuke were shocked by what they just saw.
...My Line...
"Naruto," the Uzumaki whispered as she clinched her hands close to her chest.
Minato placed his hand on her knee in a form of solitary.
...My Line...
"You see, this guy, Ibiki," Asuma continued his explanation. "He's a master of interrogation because he understands how the human mind works. He knows just where to prod to uncover your weaknesses. The thing means that he's so good at his job that he doesn't use physical torture. He doesn't need to. He just messes up your head so bad that you just torture yourself."
...My Line...
"Yicks."
"Double yicks."
Rin just shuddered at the thought of what Ibiki will be able to do in the near future.
...My Line...
"Don't underestimate me!" Naruto yelled as he slammed his hand onto the desk. "I don't quit and I don't run! You can act tough all you want. You guys aren't going to scare me off! No way! I don't care if I get stuck as a Genin for the rest of my life! I'll still be Hokage someday!"
'He's completely clueless, but he's still going for it,' the Uchiha thought. 'The kid got guts. I'll give him that.'
'Way to go,' the pinkette thought. 'You crazy little fool.'
'That's my Otouto,' the redhead thought with a soft smile. 'Always going against what others think he should do.'
...My Line...
Minato and Kushina smiled with pride at the show of mental strength that their Son has while Kakashi glanced at his Uchiha teammate as he saw how similar the two males were even with some differences.
...My Line...
'Yup, Naruto Uzumaki is most diffidently the Son of Minato-Sensei and Kushina-nee,' Obito thought with a smirk. 'As stubborn, annoying, and gunho as Kushina-nee and at times as easy going and thoughtful as Minato-Sensei.'
...My Line...
"OBITO!" the redhead yelled as her hair flew up to look like tails while glaring.
"I'M SORRY!" the Uchiha Chunin yelled. "PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!?"
Minato coughed to hide a laugh with a soft smile on his face as the rest didn't know if they should watch the show that is being put on by Kushina and Obito or the future.
...My Line...
"This decision is one that can change your life," the Morino stated. "If for any reason that you whether quit now's your last chance."
"No way, I never go back on my word," Naruto told him. "That's the way of the Ninja."
The Head of T&I looked around the rest of the Genin.
'Remarkable,' he thought in surprise. 'That little out burst has given the others a little back bone. He's inspired them into staying. 78 left. More then I expected, but I can't see anyone wavering. I think that's it.' He looked around and when his eyes meet those of the Chunin sitting around the room they all nodded their heads. "Well, then I admire your determination if nothing else. For those of you remaining there's only thing left to do and that's for me to tell you...that you all passed the First Exam!"
"Huh?"
'Say what?'
The red hair Genin blinked in surprise at that.
"Whoa!" Sakura yelled as she stood up. "Hold on! What just happened? What do you mean we passed? Where's the 10th question?"
...My Line...
"Is anyone else confused?" Obito asked as he blinked. "Or is it just me?"
"I wish I can say that it's just you," the Hatake answered. "But, it's not cause I'm confused as well."
"Huh?"
Rin tilted her head to the side like a curious puppy.
...My Line...
Ibiki laughed before smiling at them.
"There never was one," he informed them. "Not a written one at least. Actually your decision to stay was the answer to the 10th question."
"Huh?"
"Wait a second!?" Temari yelled. "The other 9 questions that you just gave us were a waste of time! Is that what you saying?"
"Oh, no," Ibiki answered. "Not at all. Quite the opposite actually. The first 9 question has an important overwriting purpose."
"What do you mean, Ibiki-Sensei?" Rin asked as she raised her hand.
"To test your ability to serve and statistically gather intelligence under the most influid circumstances,"the Head of T&I answered.
"Oh, well, that clears up everything," the Sand Kunoichi said sarcastically.
"Can you explain in more detail, Sensei?" the redhead asked feeling even more confused then before.
"Very well," the Morino agreed. "My objective was not only to test you as individuals, but also as a team and how well you function as apart of that team. That's why the test was scored on a team bases. So, that way you know that everything you did or failed to do will effect your teammates. I wanted to see how well you handled the pressure."
"I figure it was something like that," Naruto said with a smile. "That's why I kept my cool."
'Yeah, right,' Sakura thought with a sweatdrop.
'Whatever helps you sleep at night, Naruto,' the Uzumaki Heiress deadpan.
Hinata on the other hand giggled quietly.
...My Line...
"That is such an Obito move," the silver hair Jonin groaned.
"Bakashi!" said male yelled.
The males glared at each other while Rin wished that she wasn't sitting in between them.
"Knock it off," Minato ordered.
The two pre-teens looked away from each other.
...My Line...
"The first 9 questions on the test were difficult," Ibiki stated. "In fact, as you might have realized they were to difficult for any Genin to solve." Rin narrowed her eyes at that. "I imagine that most of you came to that conclusion. That you would have to cheat if you have any chance of passing. The fact is that the test was design to encourage cheating. It almost demanded it. Of course, it would have done you all little good if you didn't have someone to cheat from. So, I had two Chunins, who already knew the answers, disguise themselves and have them set in with you."
'NO!' Naruto yelled. 'I had the answers in front of me the whole time!'
"What is that kid's problem?"
"Man, I don't know."
"Come on," Naruto said. "I wasn't fouled for a complete second. You have to be a complete doofus not see it. Isn't that right, Hinata?"
The Hyuuga girl giggled while Rin sunk down in her seat with an embarrassed blush on her face.
'Incredible,' the Uchiha thought. 'All this time and he never knew.' He glanced at the redhead. 'I actually feel sorry for Rin.'
...My Line...
"I think a lot of us do," Jiraiya deadpan.
"I can't believe that I'm saying this, but…" Kakashi took a breath. "Naruto is actually dumber then Obito." He looked at his teacher and the man's wife. "And I'm not trying to be mean or anything, Sensei, Kushina-nee."
"We know Kakashi," Minato sighed.
"Could it have been the villagers doing?" Rin asked.
"What do you mean, Rin?" Obito asked as they all looked at her.
"Think about it?" she asked. "What if Naruto did in fact try to show that he was smart to get the villagers approval only for that route to be meet with more hostiles then before…?" The rest of the group looked thoughtful. "So he decided to that being dumb was the best way to go."
"You might be onto something, Rin," Hiruzen said.
"Yeah," Tsunade agreed. "As I do not see a child of Minato's and Kushina's actually being that dumb without it being on propose."
That got agreement from the others.
...My Line...
"Better not to cheat then to cheat clumsily," Ibiki told them as he goes to remove his forehead protector. "Information it can be the most invaluable weapon in battle." The Genins could only stare in shock and horror at the sight before. "How well you gather information will determined if the mission is a success or a failure."
Rin was in complete horror at the state of Ibiki's head with had burn scars and holes.
…My Line…
There were gasp of horror and disgust at the scene.
"Poor Ibiki," Rin gasped as she covered her mouth with her hands.
"That guy had to have been through hell and back," Kakashi winced.
"Yeah," Obito agreed sadly.
…My Line…
"There will be times that you will have to risk your life to get it," he informed them.
"Man, what a mess?" Sasuke said in shock. "Scars, puncture wounds, and burns marks. What he must have endured."
"Of course, you must also consider the source of your information," Ibiki stated as he put his bandana back on. "Information from your enemy isn't always accurate. Always bare this in mind. Disinformation can be as worse as no information at all. It can lead to the death of comrades or even the lost of a village. That's why I put you in the position where you had to gather accurate information. Cheat in order to survive. And that's why that those, who weren't good enough at it, were weeded out. Leaving the rest of you."
"Okay," Temari said. "But, I'm still not getting what the 10th question is all about."
"You're not?" Ibiki asked. "The 10th question was the whole point of the exam. Surely you see that?"
"Sure," Sakura answered. "But, explain it anyway?"
The redhead felt like banging her head on the table in front of her at the pinkette's statement.
"As I said before the goal was to test you not only as individual and as part of a squad," Ibiki informed them. "The final question gave you two choices. Both difficult. You can chose to play it safe by skipping the question, but that would mean that your teammates and you would be failed. Or you could try to answer it knowing that if you got it wrong then you lose the chance of ever being Chunin. It was a no win situation. But, just the sort that Chunin have to face every day. Like for an example; let me give you a hypothetical mission? To steal a message from an enemy stronghold. You have no idea how many Ninjas that the enemy have or how heavy armed they are. Furthermore, you have reason to believe that they enemy expects you that you might very well be walking blindly into a trap. Now do you have the option of taking a pass on this insane mission by saying that I would whether my comrades and I live to see another day. Can you chose to avoid danger? No." Rin narrowed her eyes as she listened. "There will always be missions that would seem suicidal once you think about it, but you do not think about it. You think of only the goal. Of, achieving it through courage and determination. These are the quality of a Chunin. Those, who choice the safer of two paths. Those whose determination falter in the face of adversity. Those, who would put the lives of their comrades in danger, by worrying about their own. Those, who would save their own necks at the sake of precious honor. Will never be able to call themselves Chunin…"
…My Line…
"He's right," Minato agreed. "You three should pay close attention to what Ibiki just said."
"Yes, Sensei," all three pre-teens agreed.
…My Line…
"At least as long as I'm here," Ibiki stated. "As for the rest of you…you have successfully answered the 10 questions that I put in front of you. You have earned the right to continue on to the next step. You have passed the first gate, so I hereby declare this part of the Chunin Selection Exam…Complete." The Morino smirked at them. "There is nothing left for me to do expect to wish you good luck."
"ALRIGHT!" Naruto yelled. "WE DID IT! THAT'S ONE DOWN! YEAH! YEAH!"
Rin slid down in her set with a bright red face that made her look like a tomato while everyone looked at her Brother with weird out looks.
'He's a funny one,' Ibiki thought with amused. 'That kid.'
…My Line…
"I feel sorry for Little Rin," Kakashi deadpan. "If I was her then I would feel embarrassed, too."
"I think Naruto is adorable," Rin said with a smile. "What do you think Obito?"
She turned to her childhood in wonder.
"I am with Kakashi on this one," the Uchiha pre-teen answered. "Though I have to admit that Naruto can be funny, too."
The Hatake blinked in surprise while the adults smiled at the three pre-teens.
…My Line…
Just then he looked off to his side when an object crashed into the window only to unravel to show a banner.
"Is this part of the test?" Naruto asked while Rin sat up straight.
'Jumped the gun as usual,' Ibiki thought with a sigh.
"Heads up boys and girls," a female voice called. "This is no time to be celebrating! I will be your next exam proctor. Anko Mitarashi." Rin had a deadpan look on her face. "Are you ready for the second test? Good! Then follow me!"
"Your early again," Ibiki stated as he looked around the banner to see Anko.
'Great,' the pinkette thought. 'A screaming nutcase. She reminds me of Naruto.'
"How many are there?" Anko asked as she turned to glare at him. "Ibiki, you let all of these guys pass? You test has to have been too easy. You must be getting soft."
"Or it could be a strong crop of candidates this year," Ibiki stated.
"Hmm…they certainly don't seem like it," the Mitarashi said. "Before I'm done with them, more then half of them will be eliminated."
"Huh? More than half? Really?"
"Ha, this is going to be fun," she laughed. "Alright, you maggots have had it safe so far, but things are going to be different first thing in the morning. I'm going to let your squad leaders know where you are to meet me. Dismissed."
The red hair Uzumaki narrowed her eyes as she started to plan for anything that the woman in front of her could throw at them.
…My Line…
Minato and Kushina smiled at how thorough their Daughter is and at the fact that she was treating it like a mission.
…My Line…
Ibiki walked through the classroom collecting the test papers when he came upon Naruto's own paper and the note that his Sister had snuck to him.
'I let someone, who needed his Sister's help, to pass,' the Morino thought with a laugh. 'Naruto Uzumaki. He's a funny one alright.'
…My Line…
"Idiot," the two pre-teen boys sighed as they face palmed.
Kushina and Rin giggled while the rest looked highly amused.
…My Line…
The next showed the group of Genin all standing outside of a heavily fenced off area.
"Wow," Naruto said. "Nice please. What is it?"
"This is the location for phase of the Chunin Exams," Anko informed them. "It's the Forty Fourth battle training zone, but we call it the Forest of Death."
The group all stared at her in shock while the Uzumaki Heiress narrowed her eyes.
…My Line…
The Uzumaki and Uchiha Matriarch stood up once the screen went black.
"Alright, time for lunch," they announced with a smile.
The rest of their group all stood up and followed them to the kitchen while talking about the things that already needed to be changed and knowing that there was more to come.