The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 20

Satomi P.O.V.

"Hold on, what just happened? What do you mean was all pass?! Where is the tenth question?!" Sakura demands, standing from her seat abruptly. Ibiki chuckles at our reactions, a mischevious glint in his eyes.

"There is no tenth question. Well, at least no written one. Your decision to stay was your answer," Ibiki informs, wandering around the front of the classroom.

"So does that mean the first nine questions meant nothing?!" Temari speaks up.

"No, quite the contrary. The first nine questions were to test your ability to gather information under immense pressure while knowing that everything you did, or didn't do, would directly affect your teammates."

I shake my head with a smile on my face, relief washing through my veins. Everyone had passed, even Naruto, who was destined to fail this portion.

"When the tenth question came along, I was testing whether or not you had the guts to continue, even if it meant certain failure. Take this, for example. You are on a mission, and the odds are not in your favor. Will you run away just to save your skin? Not if you're a chunin, you won't."

Everyone in the room murmurs to each other, finally understanding the meaning of the last question. I had to admit, this was clever. It was much more complex than I had anticipated.

"As the proctor of the written portion of the chunin exams, I hereby declare that this exam is over! Everyone remaining has passed the first part," Ibiki declares with a grin. Everyone in the room cheers, with Naruto's voice being the loudest.

"I wonder what the next exam will be," Neji muses from beside me, a smirk apparent on his face. I glance over at him with a soft smile, which he returns confidently.

"I expect it to be something more physical. Either way, I have faith that we will pass," I respond. Neji nods, sighing as he leans into his seat. A large crash echoes from the front of the room, grabbing everyone's attention.

A lady with purple hair had crashed through, pinning a banner to the ceiling with a kunai and pointing at all of us.

"Alright! My name is Anko Mitarashi, the proctor of the second exam! Are you ready for the next test? If you are, follow me!" She exclaims animatedly. My eye twitches at her energy, reminding me a little bit of Naruto.

"Woah... Ibiki, you let way too many pass. You seem to be going soft," Anko teases. Ibiki merely struts around the banner, finally revealing himself after Anko's entertaining entrance.

"First of all, you're early... again," Ibiki grumbles, "Second, I believe that this year we seem to have a stronger crop of candidates."

Anko scoffs and analyzes each of us, an unimpressed look on her face.

"They sure don't look it. Doesn't matter, by the time I'm done with them, more than half of them will be eliminated."

I suck in a breath nervously, grinding my teeth together. More than half?! Those aren't very good odds...

For some reason... I have a bad feeling about this second exam...

::

"Woah! This place is so creepy!" Naruto exclaims, gazing into the forest in front of us with a chill. I nod from next to him, eyeing everyone suspiciously. You couldn't trust anyone, not in these exams.

"This is where the second part of the chunin exams will be held. It's formally known as the 44th Training Grounds... but most of us call it the Forest of Death," Anko says, gaining the attention of the genin in front of her.