Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
──────═❀═────── 『 𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝟏𝟑 』 ──═❀═── ━『 Finish and Begin 』
"We passed," I reiterated, a sense of relief washing over me as Ibiki confirmed our success.
Sakura's voice cut through the air, tinged with confusion. "What do you mean 'passed'? When did that happen? What about the tenth question?"
Ibiki's smile held a hint of satisfaction as he explained, "There is no tenth question, beyond the whole 'accept or reject' thing."
A protest erupted from the blond from Gaara's team. "Hey! Then why did we have to suffer through the other nine questions? That was a total waste of our time!"
"It wasn't a waste," Ibiki replied calmly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "The objective of the nine questions was already accomplished. To test your individual ability to gather information."
"Ability to gather information?" she inquired, seeking clarification.
Ibiki elaborated further, "First, the focus of this test was on the system of determining the pass or the failure based on the three-person groups that were proposed in the first rule. Secondly, the pressure of possibly dragging down your teammates added an extra layer of psychological tension, forcing you to consider the consequences of your actions on others."
Naruto's response was surprisingly nonchalant. "Oh, I get it," he huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "You know, I kinda figured that was it."
I couldn't help but let out a hopeless sigh, followed by a small laugh at Naruto's statement. Once again, he was acting like he understood everything, yet he didn't grasp the full complexity of the situation. Still, he remained grateful and optimistic, despite the challenges we faced.
It was almost envy-inducing, witnessing his unwavering positivity.
Ibiki's words echoed through the room, "However, the questions on these tests weren't something you Genin Ninja would have been able to solve. So in that case, I imagined that most of you would have come to this conclusion: 'In order to score points, I'll have to cheat.' In other words, this exam was created under the premise that you all would cheat! That being said, I had two Chunin in the group who knew all of the answers from whom you could cheat."
Naruto let out an awkward laugh, attempting to lighten the tension. "It was so obvious! There's something wrong with you if you didn't notice! Right, Hinata!"
As Naruto turned his attention to Hinata, my smile faded, replaced by a pang of unfamiliar discomfort in my chest. Maybe there was indeed something wrong with me. Gaara's gaze fell upon me once again, and I instinctively nibbled on my bottom lip, eager to escape his proximity. I couldn't wait to distance myself from him.
