"It seems everyone remaining has chosen to continue," Ibiki observed, a calculating smile playing across his scarred features as he surveyed the candidates still seated in the examination hall.
When no one made any motion to withdraw, the tension that had dominated his expression gradually relaxed. The rigid line of his mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"I hereby declare that all of you have passed the first examination," he announced.
His declaration was met with stunned silence. The candidates exchanged confused glances, uncertainty replacing the determination that had steeled them moments before.
"What's going on?" Sakura finally voiced what many were thinking. "Everyone passes? What happened to the tenth question?"
"In truth," Ibiki explained, his earlier intimidating demeanor softening slightly, "there never was a tenth question—at least not in the conventional sense."
He paused to let this revelation sink in before continuing, "As some of you likely deduced, this examination was designed to test more than theoretical knowledge. It evaluated your ability to gather intelligence covertly—a fundamental skill for any shinobi."
His gaze swept across the room, noting the dawning comprehension on many faces. "And this 'tenth question' was the most crucial element of the entire test."
"In your future as ninja, you will encounter countless situations fraught with danger and uncertainty. As Chunin, you may serve as squad leaders, responsible not only for your own safety but for the lives of those under your command. Only courage in the face of the unknown allows a leader to complete the mission and guide their team through peril."
Ibiki's voice hardened with conviction. "Those who lack resolve, who crumble at the first sign of personal risk—such individuals can never become Chunin. The shinobi world has no place for cowardice in its leadership ranks."
Many candidates straightened in their seats, absorbing the profound lesson behind what had seemed a simple written test.
"However," Ibiki cautioned, his expression warning against premature celebration, "don't congratulate yourselves just yet. The conclusion of the first examination merely marks the beginning of your true ordeal."
With that ominous statement hanging in the air, he instructed all passing candidates to vacate the room and assemble in the courtyard below. Students began to rise from their seats, relief and anticipation mingling in their expressions as they prepared to face whatever challenge awaited them next.
"Hold it right there!"
The sharp command cut through the movement. Naruto, who had been restraining his emotions throughout the examination, abruptly stood from his desk. His chair scraped loudly against the floor as he strode purposefully toward Kankuro's position.
The puppeteer turned leisurely, the mocking smile that had infuriated Naruto earlier still firmly in place. "Problem?" he asked with exaggerated innocence.
"You coward!" Naruto's voice reverberated through the emptying hall. "If you've got something against me, face me directly instead of resorting to such underhanded tactics!"
Nothing rankled Naruto more than dishonorable methods. Even in conflict, he believed in confronting opponents head-on, not through subterfuge and sabotage.
"Haha," Kankuro laughed, entirely unrepentant. "I merely made your test a bit more challenging. If you can't handle that level of interference, you're far too naive for the shinobi world, kid."
His smug confidence suggested he knew perfectly well that the examiners had observed his interference and chosen not to intervene—such tactics were, after all, part of what was being tested.
"You—!"
Naruto's already tenuous self-control snapped. With a speed that surprised even seasoned observers, he launched a powerful punch directly at Kankuro's painted face.
The attack came with such unexpected velocity and force that Kankuro found himself unable to evade. He had severely underestimated Naruto's capabilities, assuming the Hokage's son would never dare attack him openly in an examination setting. As Naruto's fist rapidly filled his vision, Kankuro realized his miscalculation.
"Physical confrontation is prohibited within these premises."
In the fraction of a second before impact, Ibiki materialized between them, his palm intercepting Naruto's strike with precise timing. The collision produced a shockwave that rustled papers across nearby desks.
The examiner regarded Naruto's fury-contorted face with calm assessment. "If you're eager for combat," he stated evenly, "the next phase of the examination will provide ample opportunity."
Naruto reluctantly lowered his fist, the muscles in his arm still tense with restrained aggression. Though he stepped back, his eyes remained locked on Kankuro, promising that this matter was far from resolved.
Kankuro maintained his outward composure, but inwardly, a flicker of concern had ignited. The raw power behind Naruto's intercepted punch had been considerable—far beyond what he'd anticipated from someone he'd dismissively categorized as merely "the Hokage's son." Had Ibiki not intervened, Kankuro recognized he might have suffered significant damage.
"Brother," Chiharu approached, positioning herself supportively at Naruto's side. The normally gentle girl fixed Kankuro with an uncharacteristically fierce glare. Shin had already briefed her on the puppeteer's interference during the examination.
With the examiner's watchful presence preventing further confrontation, the candidates had no choice but to proceed to the designated assembly area. Shin, typically the most composed of the three, walked with an unusually grim expression, his calculating eyes occasionally flicking toward the Sand ninja.
Kankuro rejoined his siblings, attempting to mask his discomfort under Gaara's penetrating stare.
"Embarrass yourself like that again, and I will end your existence," Gaara stated flatly, arms crossed as he regarded his brother with cold detachment. "You won't receive another warning."
"I understand. I'm truly sorry," Kankuro responded, unable to suppress a slight tremor in his voice. The brief moment of sand manipulation during the exam had demonstrated that Gaara's threat to kill him had been entirely genuine.
Unexpectedly, a faint smile ghosted across Gaara's typically impassive features. "Namikaze Naruto... he might be worth my attention after all."
The statement hung ominously in the air as the remaining candidates—approximately two dozen teams who had passed the first examination—gathered in the courtyard below the Academy building.
Naruto's earlier anger gradually dissipated as he noted with satisfaction that all his friends and acquaintances had successfully navigated the first challenge. Whatever came next, they would face it together as a graduating class.
Suddenly, a blur of movement culminated in a figure appearing before the assembled genin with theatrical flair. The newcomer was a kunoichi with striking purple hair gathered in a spiky ponytail. Her form-fitting mesh bodysuit and tan overcoat accentuated an athletic figure, but it was her eyes that commanded attention—sharp and predatory, promising danger to those who crossed her.
"Listen up, maggots! I'm Anko Mitarashi, proctor for the second phase of the Chunin Exams," she announced with brash energy that contrasted sharply with Ibiki's methodical intimidation. "Everyone follow me to the examination venue—now!"
Without waiting for acknowledgment, she leaped away with impressive speed, expecting the candidates to keep pace. The genin exchanged brief glances before launching into pursuit, following their eccentric new proctor toward whatever challenge awaited them.
The Forest of Death
Anko Mitarashi led the candidates to a massive fenced perimeter surrounding a dense, primeval forest. Ancient trees towered within, their canopies so thick they cast the ground below in perpetual twilight. Strange sounds emanated from the depths—unnerving cries, rustling movements, and occasionally, what sounded disturbingly like distant screams.
"Welcome to Training Ground 44," Anko announced with inappropriate cheerfulness, "better known as the Forest of Death. This will be your home for the next five days—assuming you survive that long."
She proceeded to explain the parameters of the second examination: a survival trial lasting five full days. The format differed from previous years when Shisui and Rin had participated, having been modified for the joint Konoha-Suna examination.
After negotiations between the two villages, the test had been structured around a scroll-retrieval mission. Each team would receive either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll at random. To pass the examination, a team needed to acquire both scrolls and bring them to the tower located at the forest's center—all while keeping their three-member team intact.
"In other words," Anko clarified with a predatory smile, "at least half of you standing here are guaranteed to fail. Probably more."
The implications were clear. To obtain the opposing scroll, teams would need to confront and defeat other teams—not knowing in advance which scroll their opponents possessed. If unfortunate enough to defeat a team carrying the same scroll type they already owned, all their effort would yield no progress toward completion.
"Strategic intelligence gathering becomes crucial," Anko continued. "You'll want to confirm which scroll a team possesses before engaging them. Of course, your opponents will be trying to conceal that very information."
Additional stipulations included that all three team members must reach the central tower together. Any team arriving incomplete, carrying damaged scrolls, or opening the scrolls before reaching the tower would be immediately disqualified. Teams exceeding the five-day time limit would meet the same fate.
"Once all three members of your team have signed these consent forms—acknowledging that I'm not responsible for your deaths—you'll be issued your scroll," Anko explained, distributing stacks of paperwork with casual disregard for the gravity of what she was describing.
According to the proctor, Training Ground 44 featured forty-four distinct entrance gates positioned equidistantly around its perimeter. With only around a dozen teams remaining after the first examination, teams would begin widely separated from one another.
"This exam will eliminate at least half the remaining candidates," Anko stated bluntly. "Probably more, considering what lives in there." She jerked her thumb toward the ominous forest behind her.
After receiving their Heaven Scroll, Shin cast a measured glance toward Gaara's team, who had been observing them from a distance. The Sand siblings returned their attention without bothering to conceal their interest.
"If we encounter them in the Forest of Death..." Shin's voice trailed off, heavy with implication. The three teammates exchanged meaningful looks, silently acknowledging the potential danger. With resolute nods, they followed the Konoha chunin assigned to escort them to their designated entrance gate.
From across the clearing, Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara noticed the wary glances directed their way. Naruto's earlier display of aggression had been unexpected, but if the Leaf genin believed such demonstrations would intimidate them, they were sorely mistaken.
With Gaara on their team, they feared no opponent. The Sand siblings understood what their Leaf counterparts could not possibly comprehend—that behind Gaara's impassive exterior lurked a power that had earned him the title of monster, even among his own people.
As the teams dispersed toward their assigned gates, the atmosphere crackled with tension and anticipation. The Forest of Death waited to receive them—its shadows concealing threats both natural and human, all poised to test the limits of their skills, courage, and determination.