Author's Note: I am getting some reviews about my story line not adding up. Mainly, characters getting nerfed. I just want to say that in every plot, characters must be nerfed, otherwise there is no character development. Although I am trying to minimise the nerf, it will happen.

Also, in a shinobi's level, experience and mastery play crucial roles. Like the Hiruzen vs Orochimaru fight. With 2 Edo kage level shinobi (even not at full power they were kage level) and Orochimaru himself Hiruzen still gave a great fight, almost winning. Another thing is mastery. The main reason I don't have Naruto and Sasuke spam new jutsu is they are mastering their own jutsu. A master of the shunshin (Shisui) can beat someone who knows 1000 jutsu (kakashi before war arc).

This is also a reason why Naruto and Sasuke may appear very strong at first but weaker later. It is because for their age, they are absolute monsters, but compared to a seasoned jonin, they would face a huge challenge.

First Idea (Hiruzen's apprentice ANBU Commander): 9 votes

Second Idea (Double Agent with Orochimaru): 9 votes

Everyone immediately turned toward the authoritative voice, their chatter dying down as a chilling silence filled the room. Standing at the doorway was a tall, intimidating figure. Ibiki Morino stood imposing at over six feet, his bulky frame accentuated by his long black trench coat and dark combat attire. His dark, piercing eyes narrowed, scrutinizing each genin as though daring them to challenge him. Completing his intimidating presence, he wore a dark bandana-style hitai-ate tied tightly around his head, adding to the grim aura radiating from him. Beside him stood a number of chunin, each stern-faced and rigid, clearly trained under Ibiki's rigorous standards.

"All right, listen up!" Ibiki growled, his voice effortlessly echoing throughout the entire hall. His gaze shifted sharply toward the three Sound ninja—Dosu, Zaku, and Kin—who stood frozen mid-movement. "You three idiots! Starting a fight before the exam even begins? Are you trying to get yourselves disqualified?"

Dosu hastily offered a smug apology, eyes still focused on the downed Kabuto, who was slowly regaining his composure. The three Oto-nin then returned silently to their spots, leaving Naruto lost deep in thought.

Naruto's sharp eyes lingered on Kabuto, his mind rapidly piecing the puzzle together. 'I saw him dodge clearly, so how did he collapse? Wait…sound waves!' His eyes lit up in understanding. 'That bandaged one must've used some device to disrupt Kabuto's inner ear, messing up his equilibrium and internal systems. Idiot just revealed his main technique before the exams even started.'

Ibiki's deep voice cut through Naruto's thoughts. "Now, the first part of your Chunin Exams will be a written test."

A loud, exaggerated groan escaped Naruto's mouth, prompting a few giggles from Ino and Hinata, who knew about Naruto's disdain for written tests, despite his love for books. Sasuke merely smirked from his position, unsurprised by Naruto's reaction.

Ibiki continued, ignoring Naruto's antics, his voice stern and unyielding. "Each of you will be assigned a seat number by my assistants. Move quietly to your designated seats."

The genin swiftly complied, finding their designated seats with minimal fuss. Naruto found himself seated between Hinata, to his relief, and an unfamiliar genin who looked far more nervous than himself. Sasuke sat a few rows behind, exchanging a brief nod of confidence with Naruto.

Ibiki paced menacingly at the front of the room, locking eyes with various genin as he spoke. "Now, here are the rules for the written exam," he began, voice heavy with authority. "You'll start with ten points each. There are ten questions. Every wrong answer or unanswered question subtracts one point from your total. The total points earned by all three members of a team will determine if your team passes or fails. If any member reaches zero points," he paused for emphasis, his voice lowering ominously, "the entire team fails."

Several genin gasped audibly, panic evident on their faces. Team 7, however, remained unfazed, confident in their ability to handle whatever came next.

"Further," Ibiki said, a cruel smirk curling his lips, "there are chunin stationed all around this exam hall, watching your every move. For every time you're caught cheating, two points will be deducted from your score. Get caught five times, and your entire team is disqualified." He paused, his expression becoming even harsher. "If you get caught cheating, you don't deserve to be chunin. A good ninja doesn't get caught." Naruto's eyes narrowed at this statement.

The chunin proctors quickly distributed the exam sheets, each genin flipping them over eagerly, only to find just nine questions staring back. Confusion rippled quietly through the room, but before any genin could voice their concern, Ibiki spoke up as if he had read their minds.

"The tenth question will be given after you complete these nine questions," he stated firmly. "You have exactly 45 minutes. Begin!"

Immediately, tension filled the room as genin scrambled to read through the questions. Many visibly paled at the complexity, some looking utterly panicked already. Naruto stared blankly at the page in front of him, frowning slightly as he considered the questions.

The Jonin Lounge

Meanwhile, in the comfortable confines of the jonin lounge, Kakashi glanced sideways at Zabuza, who was silently sipping his drink, appearing surprisingly relaxed given their history. Curiosity getting the better of him, Kakashi finally spoke up.

"So, Zabuza, how's life been treating you since we parted ways in Wave?"

Zabuza lowered his glass slightly, turning to Kakashi with an unreadable expression before smirking faintly. "After we split up, Haku and I headed straight for the rebellion in Kiri. Turns out, they had pretty much already secured victory by then. We joined forces and helped mop up what was left of Yagura's supporters."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "I heard rumors, but details were scarce. How did it turn out?"

Zabuza hesitated for a moment, an uncharacteristic blush spreading faintly across his cheeks. "Mei Terumi—our rebellion leader—declared herself the Fifth Mizukage shortly after. She's…quite something."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose in amusement at the blush. "Sounds like she left quite an impression on you," he teased lightly.

Zabuza coughed, averting his gaze. "Shut up, Hatake."

Laughing quietly, Kakashi decided to shift the conversation. "And what about you? What's your role in the village now?"

Zabuza straightened, a proud glint in his eye. "Mei appointed me as a Jonin sensei. I lead Team 11 now, training the next generation."

Kakashi was genuinely impressed. "A Jonin sensei, huh? Who are your students?"

Zabuza's eyes softened slightly, a rare expression crossing his face. "Haku, naturally—couldn't let her potential go to waste. Then there's Chojuro, he's a shy kid but incredibly talented with a sword. And Hiro, he's a bit hot-headed but strong. All three have real promise."

Kakashi smiled warmly beneath his mask. "Sounds like you've finally found your place, Demon of the Mist."

Zabuza chuckled, raising his glass again. "Yeah. Maybe I have."

Kakashi then lazily stretched his limbs, sighing melodramatically.

"You know," he remarked casually to the group, "I almost feel bad for the genin this year."

Asuma nodded solemnly from beside him, exhaling a plume of smoke from his cigarette. "Yeah, most of them won't even get past the first test."

Kurenai, who had been sipping tea quietly, looked up in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Gai's eyes sparkled brightly, dramatically clenching his fist. "This year's proctor is none other than Ibiki Morino!" he declared.

Zabuza, who had been leisurely drinking water, suddenly choked violently, coughing hard as he turned wide-eyed to Gai. "Ibiki Morino? Seriously?"

Kurenai, still somewhat lost, tilted her head slightly. "Who exactly is Ibiki Morino?"

Asuma chuckled gently, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You probably haven't met him yet, seeing as you're still a relatively fresh jonin."

Kurenai rolled her crimson eyes, clearly annoyed by Asuma's teasing. He laughed again, then turned more serious. "Ibiki is the head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation unit."

Kurenai's eyes widened in shock, "Wait, are they allowing someone like that to proctor a test for genin?"

Asuma smiled faintly, calming her worries. "Relax, Kurenai. He won't physically torture them or anything."

Kakashi finished for him, still relaxed, but eyes gleaming knowingly. "Ibiki doesn't need physical means. He's an expert in mental torture."

Zabuza chuckled darkly, crossing his arms as he leaned back. "If that man's running the first test, those kids are in for psychological hell."

Back inside the exam room, Sasuke stared intensely at the exam sheet in front of him. His eyes scanned through question after question, a faint smirk appearing on his lips. 'Well, what do you know? he thought dryly, I don't know the answer to a single one.'

Naruto, meanwhile, sat perfectly still, staring at his sheet without even picking up his pencil. His expression was serious, deep in thought. He recalled his time in the academy—'if anyone was caught cheating even once, they were thrown out immediately. So, why would Ibiki give them multiple chances? Five times felt excessive…unless...'

'Unless he actually wants us to cheat,' Naruto concluded mentally. Ibiki's words echoed clearly in his mind: "If you get caught cheating, you don't deserve to be chunin." Realization dawned on Naruto's face. 'This test wasn't just about knowledge—it was about their skills at gathering information covertly.'

He glanced discreetly toward Sasuke, whose Sharingan was already subtly activated, copying the pencil movements of a student several rows ahead. Naruto smiled faintly, then looked to Hinata. She was sitting quietly, her Byakugan faintly visible beneath her bangs, eyes effortlessly piercing through the genin in front of her to observe his answers.

Satisfied, Naruto turned back to his own exam sheet for the first time, scanning through the questions properly. He blinked once, then again, almost laughing quietly to himself. He actually knew these answers. Naruto had spent countless hours devouring books about everything—from chakra theories to historical shinobi tactics—intent on becoming the most knowledgeable Hokage ever.

Yet, after a brief pause, Naruto gently shook his head, determined. 'No,' he decided firmly. 'If this test is about proving stealth and cunning, I won't ruin it by simply knowing the answers. I'll pass this test exactly the way it's supposed to be passed—by not getting caught.'

With a confident smirk, Naruto discreetly glanced around the room, already forming a plan. Naruto leaned back in his chair, scanning the room casually, a small smirk gracing his features as his eyes landed on a genin who was furiously scribbling away. He realized he recognized the correct answers from his own knowledge, briefly considering copying from him before dismissing the idea with a shake of his head.'Nah, that's not fun at all,' he thought mischievously, eyes glinting with amusement as they settled on Sakura.

'This is going to be way more entertaining,' he chuckled inwardly, running quickly through a few subtle hand seals under the desk. His fingers glowed briefly with chakra as he expertly applied a small seal beneath the surface using the Uzumaki Sealing Method, careful to avoid drawing any unwanted attention from the watchful chunin proctors.

He waited patiently, watching with mild amusement as several teams were abruptly removed from the exam, the proctors catching them cheating. With a smirk, Naruto activated his seal at precisely the right moment—a large cloud of smoke suddenly erupted, completely enveloping the room.

In the brief distraction, Naruto swiftly substituted his own mostly-blank sheet with Sakura's carefully answered paper, all within mere seconds. By the time the smoke dissipated, everyone returned to their positions, seemingly untouched. Ibiki immediately growled, eyes narrowed as he scanned the room sharply. "Who did that?" he barked, already suspecting exactly who had the gall and skill to pull off such a stunt. Naruto merely leaned back in his chair, perfectly innocent, quietly humming to himself.

Suddenly, a shrill, panicked shriek broke the tense silence. "What?! This isn't my sheet!" Everyone whipped around to stare at Sakura, her face red with anger and confusion. Naruto stifled a silent chuckle, fighting hard to maintain an innocent facade. He'd even been mischievous enough to deliberately scribble incorrect answers onto his own sheet before making the switch.

With only ten minutes left, Sakura frantically began erasing the wrong answers, desperately writing correct ones onto Naruto's sabotaged sheet. Naruto shook his head lightly, suppressing laughter as he turned to observe his friends and the other participants around the room.

Ino subtly activated her Mind Transfer Jutsu, cleverly inhabiting another genin's body briefly to memorize the correct answers before quickly jumping into Choji's mind to help him fill out his sheet. Meanwhile, Kiba relied on subtle, barely audible barks from Akamaru to provide him with the correct answers. Shikamaru, unsurprisingly, had long since finished, calmly reclining with an unbothered expression on his face. Shino allowed his discreet insects to gather intel for him, while Tenten cleverly employed mirrors hidden on ninja wire, stealthily reading answers from behind her.

Naruto's attention was abruptly stolen when a kunai sliced dangerously close to his cheek, embedding itself into the desk behind him with a solid thunk. A proctor barked loudly, calling out seat numbers "27, 53, and 4—you're out!" Naruto glanced back to see a genin trembling and stammering protests, insisting he hadn't cheated. His pleas were promptly silenced when a chunin seized him roughly by the collar, slamming him forcefully against the wall.

"You've been caught. No second chances," the proctor growled. The struggling genin fell silent, all resistance quickly leaving his body as his team was escorted harshly out of the exam room.

A moment later, the door swung open again, and Kankuro sauntered back into the exam hall, attempting to appear as nonchalant as possible. Ibiki raised a single, intimidating eyebrow, gaze drilling into him. "Enjoy your break?" he asked dryly, his voice dripping with heavy sarcasm. Kankuro stiffened momentarily, realizing with dread that Ibiki knew exactly what he'd done. Quickly regaining his composure, he managed a shaky nod, offering a sheepish grin before slipping silently back into his seat.

Naruto smirked quietly, eyes alight with mischief. 'This exam,' he mused,'just keeps getting better and better.'

Ibiki scanned the room, his sharp eyes settling on the genin before him. "Pens down. Time's up," he announced, his voice cutting through the tense silence. A few groans echoed across the hall as the chunin proctors began collecting the sheets.

Ibiki continued, "It's time for the tenth question. But before I give you this question, I'll give you all a choice—whether or not you want to take it."

From the back, Kiba brashly called out, "Who would be stupid enough to back out now?!"

Ibiki smirked darkly, clearly expecting that reaction. "I didn't say the whole thing yet, kid. There's a catch."

Everyone quieted instantly.

"If you choose to take the tenth question," Ibiki said slowly, deliberately, "and you fail it… you will never be allowed to take the chunin exams again."

The entire room broke into shocked murmurs. Several genin looked horrified.

Sakura's voice shrieked over the noise, "What?! But there are so many genin here who've failed before and are trying again! How's that possible?!"

Ibiki's smirk grew darker. "Because this year, I am the proctor. And my test, my rules. Not even the Kages get a say."

Naruto sat still, processing the words. 'I've never heard of a test where anyone can be banned from ever taking the exams again, just over one question. Theoretical knowledge is important, sure, but this is ridiculous. Unless… this is the tenth question itself. A test to see if we give up.'

He frowned slightly. 'If I'm wrong… well, that could be bad. Oh well, I guess I can try for a field promotion later.'

Ibiki's smirk widened. "So, what's your choice?" he asked, leaking a heavy dose of killer intent into the room. One by one, hands began to rise, teams slowly standing up and making their way out, unable to bear the pressure.

Hinata's hand trembled slightly, her mind racing. 'What if I'm the reason our team can't take the exams again? Naruto and Sasuke will hate me…'

She almost raised her hand when her eyes flicked to the boy sitting casually beside her, completely unfazed.

Ibiki noticed the shift and narrowed his gaze at Naruto, who seemed to not have a care in the world, focusing all his killer intent on him. "What about you, brat?" he asked coldly. "You okay being a genin for the rest of your life? That doesn't scare you?"

Naruto grinned, completely unaffected. "Give me your worst," he said, slamming his palm on the table. "You're not scaring me. I can still get a field promotion. Even if I can't… I'll stay a genin forever and become the strongest damn genin this village has ever seen. I'll still become Hokage."

His voice cut through the heavy atmosphere, lifting the weight from the room. Sasuke smirked to himself, glancing at Naruto. 'Dobe always had a way with words.'

Hinata smiled softly, her nerves gone. 'Naruto-kun… he really is a born leader.'

At the back, Temari looks at Naruto with admiration, a blush on her cheeks, 'It seems like he is not all talk.'

Ibiki scanned the room once more, observing the visible shift in the atmosphere. The oppressive tension and dread had disappeared, replaced by an air of determination and defiance. He allowed a small smirk to appear on his scarred face, leaning back slightly against the table.

"Well then," he announced, voice much warmer than before, "looks like you all pass the first exam."

For a second, there was complete silence. Then, chaos.

"What the hell?!" Kiba shouted, jumping up from his chair.

Sakura screeched, "What do you mean pass?!"

Ibiki merely crossed his arms, letting their confusion settle before he spoke again. "The written test, the questions… none of that mattered. It was never about the answers." He swept his gaze across the room, stopping on each team one by one. "It was about seeing how well you could gather information under pressure, how you would cooperate without getting caught, and how you would react when faced with the threat of failure."

The genin in the room exchanged stunned glances, many slumping in relief as the realisation hit them. Some felt embarrassed, others felt stupid, a few even chuckled bitterly. Sasuke smirked to himself, thinking it was obvious all along. Naruto grinned, proud of his deduction, while Hinata smiled shyly, feeling good about not giving up because of Naruto's words.

Ibiki's smirk faded as he stepped away from the table. "But don't celebrate just yet," he warned ominously. "The next test starts—"

He was abruptly interrupted by the sound of glass shattering. Everyone's heads snapped toward the window as it broke inward, a banner unfurling outside that read:

'Proctor of the Second Exam: The Sexy and Single Anko Mitarashi'

Before anyone could process, a voice shouted loudly, "My name is Anko Mitarashi! And I'll be your proctor for the second exam!"

A woman leapt dramatically into the room, landing gracefully in front of the stunned genin. She had short, wild purple hair and an almost feral grin stretched across her face. She wore a tan trench coat, open to reveal a rather revealing fishnet bodysuit clinging to her body underneath, with a dark miniskirt and mesh undershirt. Her mesh top left little to the imagination, the fishnet pressing against her skin, making her curves and assets partially visible.

Most of the boys in the room instantly turned red, a few even getting light nosebleeds at her appearance. Several girls, meanwhile, glared at her, some disgusted, others irritated by their teammates' reactions. Even Sasuke, usually stoic, found himself blushing slightly — until he felt Ino's death glare boring into the side of his head, making him quickly school his expression.

Ibiki deadpanned as he watched the purple-haired woman make her dramatic entrance. "Anko… early again," he muttered.

Anko grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

She blinked, finally scanning the room, her eyes widening slightly. She turned to Ibiki with surprise. "You let twenty-seven teams pass? Seriously?"

Ibiki allowed himself a small smile. "We've got a great bunch this year."

Anko scoffed, crossing her arms. "Maybe you've lost your touch, old man."

Ibiki's smile faded, his gaze turning sharp. "Careful, Anko. I'm still your boss. I can cut your salary anytime."

Anko laughed heartily, waving him off like it didn't matter. Then, her eyes snapped back to the genin, her lips curling into a sadistic grin. "It doesn't matter, by the end of my test, the numbers will be less than half. All of you, be at Training Ground 44 in thirty minutes. If you're even a second late, you're disqualified!" Without giving them a chance to respond, she blurred away in a shunshin.

The entire room was dead silent, everyone still trying to process what had just happened.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata reached the windows first, and Naruto turned around, grinning, "We better hurry. She didn't look like she was joking."

That snapped the other teams out of their stupor, and soon everyone was rushing to leave.

Training Ground 44

The atmosphere was nothing short of foreboding. Massive, unnaturally large trees towered over the area, their thick canopies blocking out the sunlight. The faint sound of growling and howls echoed from deep within the forest, making several genin visibly nervous.

At exactly thirty minutes past, Anko appeared in the middle of the clearing, a wide, feral grin on her face. "Welcome to the second round of the chunin exams," she announced. "This is Training Ground 44… also known as the Forest of Death."

A collective shiver ran through most of the genin present. All except one team — Team 7 — who stood relaxed and unfazed. Anko's eyes narrowed in amusement as she focused on them. Her grin widened as she flicked a kunai at blinding speed straight at the blond boy who seemed to be casually picking at his nails.

Naruto lazily tilted his head, letting the kunai pass harmlessly by.

In the next instant, Anko appeared behind him, kunai at his jugular. "It's always the cocky ones that die first," she whispered darkly.

Before she could move further, she felt a cold touch against her thigh and back. Looking down, she saw a kunai held in reverse grip by the blond boy himself, aimed at her thigh. Another was positioned perfectly against her spine, held by his dark-haired teammate.

Anko clicked her tongue, stepping back. "Impressive," she admitted, pocketing her kunai.

Suddenly, a long, snake-like tongue slithered into view, holding the kunai out to her. It came from a tall kunoichi in a Kusa forehead protector. The woman smiled maliciously, her golden eyes glinting unnervingly. "I just wanted to return this to you," she said sweetly. "Sorry for sneaking up… but fighting gets me excited."

Anko took the kunai back without a word and walked to the center again, though her eyes lingered on the Kusa kunoichi.

Meanwhile, Naruto was staring at the Kusa woman with narrowed eyes. 'How did she get the drop on me?' he thought. 'I didn't even sense her until that freakish tongue appeared.' He focused his sensory skills toward her, subtly probing her chakra.

His eyes briefly widened in shock before he masked it. 'That chakra… it's disgusting. Malicious. It's as big as jiji's… maybe even more. This isn't a genin. We need to be careful of her.'

Anko stood tall, her grin never fading as she began to explain the rules. "The goal of this round is simple," she began, her voice echoing across the clearing. "Each team will receive one of two scrolls — a Heaven scroll or an Earth scroll. Half the teams will get Heaven, half will get Earth."

She paused, scanning the crowd. "You are not allowed to open your scrolls inside the forest. If you do, you'll be disqualified immediately."

Her eyes gleamed as she continued. "On my signal, you will enter the forest from separate gates. You will have five days inside to survive, find a team with the opposing scroll, and take it from them using any means necessary. Once you have both scrolls, you must make your way to the tower located in the center of the forest — roughly ten kilometers from the borders. And remember," she added with a dangerous smile, "You must enter the tower with all your team members alive."

Choji, from the crowd, raised his hand. "What about food? How are we supposed to eat for five days?"

Anko smirked. "The forest is full of plants and fruits. Some are edible, some are poisonous. If you can't tell the difference… well, too bad."

The genin in the crowd shifted uncomfortably at that.

Anko then walked around, handing out sheets to each team. "These are consent forms," she said sweetly, "They remove any liability from me, and by default, Konoha, in case of injury… or death. Sign it, or don't bother showing up."

Once the forms were collected, she motioned for the teams to move to their respective starting gates. Team 7 was assigned to Gate 19. As they stood by the large metal gate, they gathered close, crouching down to discuss strategy.

Sasuke began quietly, so no other teams could overhear. "I have an idea," he said, eyes serious. "Naruto, you'll use your sensory ability to locate nearby teams. Hinata, once we get close, use your Byakugan to check which scroll they have. Whether they have a Heaven or Earth scroll doesn't matter — we'll attack regardless."

Naruto and Hinata listened intently as Sasuke continued. "Lesser competition in the later rounds will make things easier for us. But of course, we need an Earth scroll."

He then looked between the two of them. "Ambush is the best option. It will let us win without wasting too much time or chakra. Suggestions?"

Hinata softly spoke up, her eyes thoughtful. "Naruto-kun can create a few clones. Two of them can Henge into Sasuke-kun and me, and all three can reveal themselves to a team as a distraction."

Naruto and Sasuke nodded, listening.

"While that happens," Hinata continued, "Sasuke-kun and I will hide and wait for an opening. Meanwhile, the remaining clones can set up traps around the area using fuinjutsu. That way, if the enemy tries to escape, they'll run straight into them."

Naruto grinned. "That's a good plan, Hinata-chan."

Sasuke gave a small nod. "Yeah. We'll go with that."

Naruto then added, "Once we get an Earth scroll, we move straight to the tower at full speed. No messing around, no unnecessary fights. We waste no time."

Sasuke and Hinata nodded at his clear and commanding tone. Naruto then extended his hand. "Hold your hands out."

The two glanced at each other, slightly confused but complying. Naruto ran through a quick series of hand seals, and gently pressed his palm against their wrists. A faint glow flickered beneath his hands, and when he pulled away, both of them could see a small, intricate seal etched onto their wrists. He then repeated the same seal on his own right wrist.

Making another hand seal, the markings faded from sight.

Naruto explained, "These are recognition seals. In case we get separated, or if anyone tries to disguise themselves as one of us using henge, all you need to do is channel chakra into your seal. Ours will glow in response, showing who's real."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the brilliance of it, while Hinata looked down at her wrist, quietly impressed.

Naruto's expression then turned serious, his voice lower and heavier. "There are two shinobi here we need to avoid at all costs. First, Gaara. If you see him, turn the other way and avoid fighting him unless absolutely necessary. And second…" he paused, eyes darkening slightly, "The Kusa kunoichi. If you spot her, run. Shunshin, jump, fly — I don't care. Just get as far away from her as possible."

The sheer tension in Naruto's face, the sharpness of his voice, told them this wasn't a suggestion. Sasuke and Hinata nodded silently, not questioning him further.

A moment later, Anko's voice echoed across the field. "ALRIGHT BRATS, GET READY!"

She pulled a kunai, attached to an explosive tag, and flung it high into the air. As it exploded with a loud bang, the gates of the Forest of Death creaked open ominously.

"THE SECOND ROUND OF THE CHUNIN EXAMS BEGINS!" Anko's voice rang through the clearing.

All the genin teams rushed in like a wave, darting into the darkness of the forest.

Konoha Academy

Meanwhile, back at the academy, Ibiki stood alone in the empty exam room, collecting the leftover sheets. His eyes stopped on one particular paper. Naruto Uzumaki.

He stared at the name for a moment, smirking to himself. He could still hear that brat's words ringing in his head from earlier. Folding the sheet, Ibiki chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.

"I look forward to seeing what kind of shinobi you become…"