𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐤𝐢 | ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ

First Test

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✧˖*°࿐

Kazumi glared down at the back of Naruto's head, sitting multiple rows from behind him. Minutes ago, Ibiki issued for examinees to take their assigned seats based on the number they randomly chose.

To team seven's concerns, they knew Naruto would struggle the moment Ibiki announced a paper test. And his prior shout of dismay confirmed it for them.

Don't mess this up for me, Naruto!

She wasn't the only one who had the same thought: as her pink teammate who sat two rows ahead from Kazumi, was anxiously rolling her head.

Sasuke sat diagonally down a few rows from Kazumi, also looking at the distressed Uzumaki.

Though, this was hardly her main worries for now.

The blonde kunoichi slowly took a side glance at the male who sat beside her. It was Gaara. He had already been looking at her, which made her stiffly snap her gaze back to the front where Ibiki remained standing.

Are the shinobi Gods laughing at me? It's too much of a coincidence to be placed right beside him!

Her heart dropped whilst she thought, her brows furrowed as a single bead of sweat didn't go unnoticed when falling from her temple. The assigned seats were determined purely by raffle numbers; it was the most unwanted luck Kazumi had.

Sensing her internal discomfort, Gaara swiftly tore his eyes off from her side profile, unbothered. His lack of care only seemed to irk the Kumo more, but her annoyed thoughts were cut short by Ibiki's further explanations.

"Do not turn your test's over. Listen closely to what I'm about to say."

Kazumi's hand flinched away from the paper beneath her palm, balling her fist.

Ibiki continued, now writing on the chalkboard behind him with his body still faced to the examinees, "There are many important rules to this first test. I'll write it on the board while I explain, but questions will not be allowed, so listen carefully." The scar-faced man was stoic, and highly intimidating.

Kazumi wasn't fazed unlike many irrelevant examinees who'd nervously quiver to themselves in their spots. And it was clear to the Kumo that Ibiki was a man who wouldn't tolerate hesitance in a ninja.

"The first rule: you guys will all start off with nine points. The test is made up of ten questions... and each one is worth one point. But, this test uses a subtraction system."

What?

Kazumi's brain focused for the first time since it was direly important to listen to these instructions.

"Basically, if you answer all the questions correctly, you keep your nine points. But if you miss three questions, you lose three points and will have six."

Kazumi deadpanned.

A child could understand this.

She had just hoped her fellow blonde teammate was understanding this as well.

"The second rule: this is a team test. Whether you pass or not will be determined by the combined score of your teammates. So, each team will compete to see how many points they can hold on to from the initial team total."

On cue, Sakura slammed her forehead against the table. Kazumi had hunched over, pressing her head into her palm with a heavy sigh. And Sasuke shot a quick glare at Naruto's backside.