The anticipation in the room reached a boiling point as the proctors for the first stage of the Chuunin Exams had yet to arrive. Teams from all over the shinobi world whispered among themselves, each group sizing up the competition.
Naruto fidgeted nervously, his eyes scanning the room. "Where are the proctors already? This is taking forever!"
Sasuke, standing calmly next to him, kept his arms crossed, not showing any signs of impatience. "Relax, idiot. They'll get here when they get here."
Hyuk stood nearby, observing quietly. His thoughts drifted elsewhere, uninterested in the banter around him. His emerald eyes occasionally flicked towards other teams, sizing them up but not lingering long. He was already confident in his abilities.
Suddenly, the tension broke when Kabuto, still acting as a helpful participant, stepped into the spotlight once more. "Looks like people are starting to get anxious," he said to Naruto and the others, but before anyone could respond, a loud and aggressive voice cut through the room.
"Oi, Kabuto!" A tall ninja with a long scarf wrapped around his face from the Sound Village strode forward, followed by his teammates. "You seem pretty confident with your little intel cards."
Kabuto's smile faltered slightly as the Sound-nin walked up to him. "You've been through these exams before, right? How about you show us how tough you really are?"
Without waiting for an answer, the Sound-nin made a sudden movement. His hand flew through the air, and a sound-based shockwave shot forward, aimed directly at Kabuto. The attack was so fast that Kabuto barely had time to react. He managed to dodge the brunt of it, but his glasses were knocked from his face and shattered on the ground. He stumbled backward, blood dripping from his nose.
"Guess I'll have to fix those," Kabuto muttered as he wiped the blood from his face. He slowly adjusted himself, trying to maintain his composure. "You Sound-nin sure are direct."
Naruto clenched his fists, ready to jump in and defend Kabuto. "Hey! What the hell was that for?"
But before anything else could escalate, the door at the front of the room swung open, and a commanding voice echoed through the space.
"That's enough!"
The room went silent as the imposing figure of Ibiki Morino entered, flanked by several other examiners. His stern face scanned the room, and instantly, the aura of tension shifted into something more serious. Behind him, several other proctors stood with crossed arms, looking just as intimidating.
Ibiki took a few steps forward, the other proctors fanning out to take their positions. "I see some of you are already eager to fight. That's good. You'll need that spirit for what's to come." His voice was gruff, carrying authority that made even the rowdiest teams settle down.
Kabuto, holding his broken glasses, gave Naruto a small smile. "Looks like we're getting started."
Ibiki's piercing gaze swept across the room, ensuring that everyone was paying attention. "Welcome to the first stage of the Chuunin Exams. I am Ibiki Morino, your proctor for this round."
As the room remained silent, Ibiki began to lay out the rules for the first part of the exam. It was to be a written test, but the twist was clear—this exam wasn't about the answers themselves, but about how well they could gather information without getting caught.
"The test will begin shortly," Ibiki said, his tone unwavering. "You will each be given a set of questions. Answer them as best you can, but here's the catch: If you are caught cheating, you and your entire team will be disqualified."
Naruto's face drained of color. "A written test?! No way…"
Sakura, on the other hand, smiled confidently. "This should be easy."
Hyuk remained indifferent. He understood that the test wasn't about intellect but resourcefulness. He had no concerns about getting through this first round.
As the proctors moved through the room, handing out papers, Naruto shifted nervously in his seat. "I can't believe this. I didn't prepare for a test…"
Sasuke glanced over at him. "Use your head, Naruto. It's not about the answers."
Kabuto, sitting nearby, tapped his finger lightly against the table. "Just be careful. The moment you get caught, you're done."
Moments later, the test began. The tension in the room thickened as the participants scanned the questions in front of them. It quickly became apparent that the questions were nearly impossible for anyone to answer alone—this was a test of strategy, teamwork, and observation skills.
One by one, teams began subtly cheating using various methods—Byakugan, Sharingan, or cleverly hidden techniques. The proctors watched closely, eyes sharp and unforgiving.
Kabuto, with his extensive experience, effortlessly used his information cards to discreetly glance at the answers. He seemed calm, even after the earlier attack from the Sound-nin.
Time passed, and the pressure mounted.
Suddenly, the doors to the room swung open once again. This time, a large figure loomed in the doorway. The sound of clinking metal echoed as the Sound-nin from earlier stood, glaring at Kabuto once more. "I'm not finished with you yet," he growled.
Before anyone could react, he launched another sound-based attack. The shockwave ripped through the air, aimed directly at Kabuto's table. But this time, Kabuto anticipated it. He swiftly dodged, but the attack still grazed him, sending papers flying everywhere.
The room exploded into chaos.
Ibiki's expression darkened as he raised a hand, signaling the proctors to move in and restore order. "Enough!"
The Sound-nin was quickly restrained, and the exam room slowly returned to its tense silence.
Ibiki glared at the offender, then at the rest of the room. "Let this be a reminder to all of you. If you cause unnecessary trouble, there will be consequences."
The rest of the exam proceeded without further interruptions, but the pressure was palpable.
Naruto gripped his pencil, sweat forming on his brow. He had no idea how he was going to pass this test. Sasuke, meanwhile, focused on using his Sharingan to gather information without drawing attention.
Hyuk sat calmly, his mind already formulating a strategy for the rest of the exam.
The first stage of the Chuunin Exams had only just begun, but it was clear that the real challenge was yet to come.