Chapter Twelve: The First Round of the Chunin Exams!

On one side, Hao Yun was helping Nagato recover his body, fully integrate the Rinnegan, and select usable members from the Akatsuki... Meanwhile, in Konoha Village, the first part of the Chunin Exams was underway!

After a series of incidents—including the entry ordeal and Senior Kabuto’s intimidation—the proctor for the first exam, Ibiki Morino, made his dramatic entrance.

"Thank you for your patience. I am Ibiki Morino, the proctor for the first test of the Chunin Selection Exams!"

Ibiki Morino, head of the Konoha Anbu’s interrogation unit, was the chief examiner for the written test. As an interrogator by profession, a gentle demeanor was hardly to be expected from him. The deep scar across his face only amplified his fierce presence.

"The first exam will be a written test—a questionnaire!"

"There are a few crucial rules for this first test:

Rule number one: Everyone starts with ten points. There are ten questions, each worth one point. The test uses a deduction system: for each wrong answer, one point is deducted; three wrong answers means three points lost.

Rule number two: Whether a team passes depends on all three members..."

Ibiki outlined the rules in detail. Simply put, all three teammates had to pass together for the group to qualify. The scores must meet the standard, and cheating was strictly forbidden. Anyone caught cheating would be eliminated immediately.

Naruto, once a hopeless academic, rubbed his nose. If these rules had applied before he took on a master, this would have been a living hell! But now...

Heh, his master Hao Yun had an AI brain! At Sasuke’s house, their daily lessons included far more than just ninjutsu—it was a wealth of knowledge! Especially the foundational disciplines that his master called “science.”

Compared to those, the Shinobi World's knowledge seemed laughably simple! At least there was no deranged administrator here, letting water in and out at the same time, nor was there a Xiao Ming crashing cars every day...

When Ibiki announced the start of the exam, Naruto immediately opened his test paper and, as expected, found it incredibly easy!

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura, always a top student, had become a veritable genius under their master’s guidance—she could even develop techniques like Heavenly Foot and the Yin Seal on her own. These questions were a breeze for her!

As for Sasuke... for some reason, after taking the genetic serum, he seemed a bit slower. He did everything with reckless force, nothing like the class second he’d been at graduation.

Well, Sakura had always ranked first anyway!

Still, watching the swirling patterns in Sasuke’s eyes and his movements perfectly mirroring Sakura’s... Forget it. Since they were basically cheating, there was no point in a mere “ordinary person” (are you sure?) like himself trying to compare.

Half an hour later, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had all finished their papers and waited quietly for the proctor to announce the final question.

Meanwhile, almost a third of the examinees had been expelled for cheating.

"Now, I will announce the tenth question... However, before I do, there’s an additional condition."

Ibiki looked at them with a sly grin. "First, you must choose whether or not to answer the tenth question!"

"Do we have to answer? What happens if we don’t?" Temari, unable to withstand the pressure, spoke up.

"If you choose not to answer, then you will receive zero points, meaning you fail! And both of your teammates will also be disqualified!"

Ibiki’s smile grew even more sinister. "And there is one more rule..."

"If you choose to answer but get it wrong, you will be permanently barred from ever taking the Chunin Exams again!"

At these words, the classroom erupted in anxiety and panic. Was this a joke? If you don’t answer, your whole team fails; if you answer incorrectly, you can never advance to Chunin for life... What was Konoha thinking? These rules were outrageous!

On the scene, not only were the shinobi from other villages bewildered, but even Team Seven felt the proctor was deliberately making things difficult.

Especially Naruto and Sasuke, who were all too aware of their own identities.

Sasuke lowered his head, a shadow crossing his eyes... Was this proctor from the Root? Was he sent by Danzo? Was the plan to prevent him and Naruto from ever becoming Chunin, to block their paths for advancement, restrict them from better missions, and deny them points to purchase more powerful ninjutsu?

Danzo, you are ruthless.

In the meantime, Sakura tapped quietly on the desk, spelling out Morse code they’d learned from their master.

Sakura: Do we take the tenth question?

Sasuke: I feel like he’s targeting Team Seven.

Naruto: Should we just flip the table? According to master’s plan, in a month, Nagato and Konan will bring the Akatsuki to support us. No need to waste time here!

Sasuke: No, flipping the table might be satisfying, but it would make us a laughingstock to the other villages. Our goal is to transform Konoha peacefully, not destroy it.

Sakura: Then let me handle it! If Ibiki says he is the rules, what if I beat all the proctors he brought? Does that make me the rule?

Sasuke: Worth a try!

Naruto: Go for it, Sakura! Sakura is the best!

As they tapped out their plans, Ibiki and the other proctors took notice.

Of course, Morse code had never been seen in the Shinobi World, so the proctors had no idea what was being communicated, dismissing it as random tapping.

While the three conspired, half the remaining candidates withdrew from the exam. Just as Ibiki prepared to deliver his final blow and shatter the will of the remaining shinobi, Sakura suddenly burst into action. Chakra and Armament Haki fused into a unique energy that radiated from her body. With a flurry of Heavenly Kicks, she felled every ninja behind Ibiki in less than a second!

Ibiki was stunned. As he tried to react, a kunai was pressed to his throat in a flash!

"Proctor, you said your word is the rule. Now that I have defeated you and all the proctors, does that mean I am the rule?"

"If I’m not mistaken, in the Shinobi World, strength is respected."

Ibiki’s eyes twitched. Was this really a genin from their village? Since when could Konoha’s genin defeat chunin in seconds—let alone all of them at once?

He himself was of jonin caliber, even if he hadn’t officially advanced. Still, he hadn’t even seen how the girl attacked!

Wait, wasn’t this girl Sakura? From Kakashi’s team... Damn you, Kakashi, I’ll settle this with you after proctoring!

Outside, as Kakashi was chatting with Kurenai and Asuma, he suddenly sneezed...

"Proctor, what do you say to letting our team pass immediately?"

"Uh... you’ve passed!"

Seeing Sakura’s increasingly dangerous eyes and the beautiful hand holding the kunai at his throat, Ibiki had no choice but to concede.

Sakura smiled, sheathed her kunai, and returned to her seat.

In the classroom, as everyone watched Sakura threaten the proctor and saw her actions validated, the other ninjas were instantly tempted to revolt as well!

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

Ibiki suddenly unleashed jonin-level chakra and killing intent, forcing everyone back to their seats, leaving them no choice but to wait for the tenth question to be announced.

Ibiki coldly scanned the remaining candidates... Hmph, did they really think they were on the same level as that girl? Have some self-awareness! I, Ibiki Morino, am Anbu of the Hokage, and I am strong!