At last the day had come.
Naruto was standing at the Academy building's entrance, where the Chunin Exams' first phase was about to start. Nerves and excitement pulsed through him in equal measure, and his fists were clenched.
"This is it," he muttered. "It's time to prove myself to everyone."
A moment later, Sakura and Sasuke arrived, both of them intent and attentive. Sakura adjusted her headband. "Let's stay together and smart. These tests are not to be taken lightly."
Sasuke nodded. "Stay alert. Everyone in this room desires to pass, some of them no matter what."
They entered and began climbing the stairs. They noticed a crowd of genin fighting with two older shinobi standing in front of a door labeled '301' as they approached the designated floor.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked.
One of the genin stepped back to answer. "They say that it is the exam room, but they will not allow us entry unless we fight them!"
Sasuke took a step closer, eyes tightening. "That's genjutsu."
He stepped to shatter the illusion, revealing that the true exam room was upstairs. Smiling, the two older shinobi vanished.
Sasuke whispered, "Just a test to see how weak-minded we are."
Naruto grinned. "Well, at least we're not weak-minded, are we?"
Getting into the Arena
There was a charged atmosphere as they entered the true exam room. Genin from every corner of the ninja world were gathered; some were speaking in hushed tones, others staring across the room, already judging their competitors.
The tension was immense. A mix of competing teams from Konoha, Suna, Kumo, and other locations was gathered; most of them possessed power and experience far greater than their age.
Naruto stood up straight as he swallowed. "I'm not going to be afraid of them."
Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, members of Team 10, were already seated. Shikamaru lazily waved at them. "Finally, you guys show up. Already, all of this is so boring."
The room was filled with a cold aura all of a sudden. The Sand siblings, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara, walked in, and everyone turned.
Gaara's cold, emotionless eyes scanned the room before glancing briefly at Naruto. Like a hunter seeing its quarry, a strange tension gripped the air.
Naturally, Naruto shivered. This guy. There is something unbalanced about him.
The Proctor Arrives
A scarred man of above-average height stepped forward after a few awkward moments. He was the first test proctor, and his name was Ibiki Morino. He seemed to carry danger and control with him.
He welcomed, "Welcome to the Chunin Exams," in a calm but creepy voice. "This isn't a game. Failure is true here. So leave now if you're not ready to risk everything."
A few genin glared at each other nervously. A few groups quietly withdrew. Ibiki scanned the room. "Good. Less distractions."
Test sheets were handed out by him. "A written test is the first test. You have an hour to complete the ten questions. But there's a twist."
He smiled. "At the end, the tenth question will be revealed. After reading it, you can choose to answer it or to default on the test altogether. But if you fail, you and your team are out immediately."
Like wildfire, whispers spread.
"Begin."
Mental Combat
Naruto sat in stunned silence, lost in thought, staring at his piece of paper. The questions were incredibly intricate and far beyond what he learned at the academy.
"Wow. This doesn't look familiar to me." He started to sweat as he whispered.
The people around him began writing answers with surprising ease. Some cheated with mirrors, hidden jutsu, or subtle hints.
Naruto realized that the mission was to discover the answers without being caught, not to know them. His fists were clenched. I have to trust my friends. I just need to not get caught.
The wisest member of the team, Sakura, replied readily. Sasuke copied others silently with his Sharingan.
But Naruto stayed still, taking deep breaths, and focused on not getting spooked.
The Tenth Question
Time went by. Ibiki had ten minutes left.
"The tenth question is now," he said.
There was silence in the room.
"But first, a rule: You will lose if you opt for answering incorrectly. Your entire team, not only you. You can now leave if you don't answer. But once again, your entire team will lose."
The tension escalated. The pressure caused some of the genin to crack and leave. Naruto clenched his jaw. How skewed is this question?
Ibiki offered a dark smile. "What's it to be, then? Gamble on everything, or leave?"
Naruto pounded the desk with his fist. "I'm not leaving! Whatever the question is, I'm going to be Hokage one day, and I'm not going to quit!"
The room chilled. Others, having been affected by Naruto's tantrum, glanced up.
Ibiki raised an eyebrow. "Is that correct?"
The other genin declared their resolve to remain individually.
Ibiki smiled even wider. "Then congrats—all of you pass."
Aghast silence.
"What?" Naruto shouted. "But the tenth question was left unanswered!"
Ibiki remarked, "There was no tenth question. The true test was your ability to persevere in the face of failure-related anxiety. Knowing when to hold your ground is more crucial in the ninja world than having all the answers."
Upcoming Trials
The windows exploded inward before the genin could comprehend what had happened. A purple-haired woman with a self-assured grin bounded into the room.
She announced, "My name is Anko Mitarashi. For the second test, I will be your proctor. Get ready because the Forest of Death is where the next stage will be carried out."
Gasps.
Naruto swallowed. "Forest of what now?!"
Anko smiled menacingly. "I hope that you don't have any fear of death. The real fun is only beginning."