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Leaving the scene behind, Horyu, followed by Hinata and Shino, climbed to the third floor, heading to classroom 301. Upon entering, they were greeted by the sight of numerous Genin from various villages. It seemed like a typical gathering at first glance, but as Horyu scanned the room, a sinking feeling hit him. "Shit," he cursed under his breath.
As Horyu surveyed the room, his eyes flickered across the assembled Genin. He recognized many from the anime: Gaara of the Sand and his siblings Kankuro and Temari, Kurotsuchi of the Stone, Chōjūrō and Suigetsu of the Mist, Atsui, Karui, and Omoi of the Cloud, Karin of the Grass. "What the hell are all these characters doing here?" he muttered under his breath. "Kurenai said this exam would be different, but this is a convergence of all the main characters."
He clicked his tongue in frustration. "This is not good. I can't hold back against these guys. They're all strong in their own right. Some of them... I doubt I can even win against." His gaze lingered on Chōjūrō. "Shouldn't he be at least 14? What's he doing here? "
Hinata, standing beside him, seemed overwhelmed by the array of formidable shinobi. "This... this is going to be a tough competition."
Shino added, "It seems the village is using this as an opportunity to showcase its strength, and other villages are responding in kind."
Horyu scoffed quietly, his mind racing. 'This changes everything. I'll have to adjust my strategy for the exams. Competing against these guys won't be easy.'
The door of the classroom creaked open once more, admitting Sasuke, who now appeared both humbled and visibly shaken, with Sakura fussily orbiting around him. Kiba trailed in, a smirk playing on his lips, clearly amused by Sasuke's disheveled state. Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji joined shortly afterward, with Ino striding confidently towards Horyu. "Horyu, how are you doing? It has been some time," she greeted, her tone friendly but carrying an underlying note of curiosity.
Horyu offered a curt nod in response. "It has been a while," he replied, his voice neutral, giving away little of his thoughts.
Shikamaru and Choji, who shared a strained relationship with Horyu, didn't bother acknowledging him. Instead, they engaged in conversation with Shino and Kiba, discussing strategies and observations about the other Genin in the room.
Soon after, Rock Lee, Neji, and Tenten entered the classroom. Neji approached Hinata, his demeanor respectful yet distant. "Hinata-sama," he greeted, to which Hinata responded with a warm smile, a contrast to the usual coldness between the main branch and the cadet branch of the Hyuga clan.
Horyu, scanning the room, noted the absence of Kabuto or Orochimaru. 'As expected, Orochimaru didn't dare to make a move against Konoha under Shisui's leadership,' Horyu thought, his gaze sweeping across the room. 'No Kabuto either. Interesting.'
The classroom was buzzing with the low hum of conversations and the occasional clatter of weapons or gear being adjusted. Genin from various villages mingled, some sizing up their competition with wary glances, others attempting to mask their nervousness with bravado.
Horyu leaned against the wall, observing the dynamics at play. His eyes briefly met Sasuke's, who still seemed unsettled from his encounter with Rock Lee. 'Sasuke's pride must have taken quite the hit,' Horyu mused silently, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Ino, still hovering near Horyu, attempted small talk. "So, what do you think about the competition? Quite a gathering, isn't it?" Her tone was casual, but her eyes were sharp, searching for any hint of Horyu's true assessment.
Ino leaned close to Horyu, her voice dropping to a serious tone. "I told you I owe you one for the bunny incident, so here it is. Since you're not the heir of your clan, I doubt you know, but this exam is different. Some of the people in this room are potential successors of their villages. And all have ridiculously strong abilities. Be careful." Her eyes searched Horyu's for any sign of surprise, but finding none, she questioned, "You knew?"
Horyu nodded subtly. "I'm still grateful for the heads-up. You too, be careful. They're more than successors. Some are bloodthirsty too." His gaze drifted across the room, pausing on Gaara, whose emotionless eyes surveyed the surroundings.
Ino followed his gaze, a shiver running down her spine at the sight of Gaara's detached demeanor. She nodded in understanding, stepping back as Ibiki Morino arrived with a team of Chunin to proctor the exam.
The Genin began to take their seats, filling the room with a sense of anticipation mixed with anxiety. Horyu, scanning the room, sought to identify any disguised experts among the participants. He noted the varied expressions: some wore masks of confidence, others betrayed nervous anticipation. His eyes moved with practiced ease, scrutinizing each Genin. The written exam, he knew, was designed to test more than just knowledge; it was a test of cunning and deception. Most participants would need to cheat to succeed, but Horyu was prepared to tackle the test on his own terms.
Ibiki, standing at the front of the classroom, began outlining the rules. "This exam will test your intelligence and resourcefulness," he announced, his voice echoing through the silent room. "10 questions, ten points. Each wrong question deducts a point. Remember, if proctors decide your actions are suspicious they will deduct two points from you. Since this exam's results are collectively assessed, losing a total of 10 points will lead to disqualification for the entire team."
Horyu smirked to himself. 'Heh? A diplomatic way of saying we need to cheat smartly,' he thought. He glanced around, noting how some Genin subtly prepared their cheating methods: hidden mirrors, small scrolls, and various other ingenious devices.
The exam started, and Horyu read through the questions. They were complex, requiring deep knowledge of shinobi strategies, history, and chakra theory. 'Designed to be impossible for most Genin,' he assessed, 'but not for me.' His eyes flicked across the paper, his mind rapidly processing the information.
[--Stage 1: Written Test - The Test of Knowledge
Objective: Excel in the written test through intellect and cunning.
-Sub-Quest: "The Silent Prodigy" - Complete the test flawlessly on your own merit.
Reward: "Sage's Tome" (Permanently increases Intelligence stat by +10), +200 XP.
-Sub-Quest: "The Crafty Ninja" - Successfully use deception to gather answers without detection.
Reward: "Master of Illusions" Perk- (Enhances Genjutsu capabilities), +200 XP.
Elimination Condition: Being caught cheating more than twice or scoring in the bottom 10%.]
Looking at the quest before him, Horyu decided to take the second approach. The perk that could enhance his mastery in Genjutsu was too tempting to pass up. Compared to a mere 10-point increase in intelligence, a unique ability that could potentially give him an edge in Genjutsu was far more valuable. He reasoned that while stats could be increased over time, special perks like 'Master of Illusions' were rare opportunities.
He sighed as he looked at the quest once again. The second quest's description was really tricky. "Successfully use deception to gather answers without detection." The wording suggested that he didn't have to get caught, not that proctors would ignore his cheating. He was sure Ibiki could see through most cheating methods, like when Kankuro returned from the toilet in the anime, Ibiki knew the proctor was not really a Chunin but a puppet Kankuro had disguised. He pondered whether the quest was asking him to cheat in a way that proctors didn't mind even if caught or not get caught at all. If first, copying hand-writing with Sharingan was enough, as Sasuke did in the Anime and was about to do now too. He smiled, "It's a gamble, but I'm willing to take it." Saying so, he waited as the exam took its course.
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