Hanging by a Thread

Saint Simon parted Ino Yamanaka's eyelids and touched her forehead, sensing the fluctuations of chakra within her.

"This is... genjutsu!"

A wave of shock rippled through the examinees.

"Genjutsu?"

Ibiki Morino's already grim face twisted even more menacingly.

"You all... very well! There are indeed those bold enough to defy the ban on private combat!"

Ibiki, slightly infuriated, glanced at the dragonfly-like surveillance device monitoring the prime suspect—the Sand ninja Daimaru—and the proctor supervising Daimaru's teammate, the genjutsu kunoichi Senza.

The dragonfly shook its head, indicating no discovery.

Sitting beside Senza, the proctor named Dewan hesitated before responding:

"There was no infraction!"

Senza had been discreetly seated for over half an hour and then cast a genjutsu on herself, clearly not against the rules.

If Senza's actions were under scrutiny, nearly all the examinees present would be in jeopardy.

If one were to trace the source, Ino Yamanaka, who had first cast the Mind Body Switch Technique on Senza, was more at fault.

To be fair, the Leaf's Team 10 should be dismissed first, and only then could Senza's responsibility for casting genjutsu on herself, affecting the innocent Ino, be credibly challenged.

"No violation?"

Ibiki asked in a deliberate tone.

"Assuredly, Proctor!"

Not violating the rules didn't mean no action was taken. Dewan had made it clear to the proctors and the few astute examinees present:

Yes, it was the Sand ninja Daimaru, in cahoots with teammates Yoru and Senza who had pulled it off, but indeed, there were no loopholes to be found that would allow Ibiki to expel them.

"Ha ha... very well then!"

Ibiki, now laughing in his anger, was not new to overseeing Chunin Exams, but this was his first encounter with examinees exploiting a loophole in his rules.

"The ninja world is vast and full of wonders. One must never cease to advance! Dewan, later I will expect a detailed report from you..."

Dewan nodded in agreement.

"Saint Simon, can Ino Yamanaka continue with the examination?"

"Proctor, the genjutsu affecting Ino was quite sophisticated, but I have removed it. She will awaken soon. She may feel a bit lethargic, but it won't affect her ability to continue with the exam!"

"Much appreciated!"

Ibiki nodded,

"Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara spoke out without permission, disrupting the order of the examination. Each will be recorded as having cheated once, deducting two points..."

As his voice faded, a knock came from the rear entrance of the examination hall, and the puppet disguised as a proctor entered with Kankuro.

"You're in luck, Sand puppeteer boy... Eh?"

Kankuro, unaware of the strange atmosphere in the examination room, didn't say much. He cautiously took his seat and passed an answer sheet to Temari as he walked by her.

Proctor Ibiki glanced at the clock; seven or eight minutes had passed since he planned to announce the tenth question early:

"So that was your aim!"

Under Ibiki's unusual scrutinizing gaze, Daimaru could only feign an innocent, pitiable look.

Daimaru, who had initially only intended to eliminate a few competitors, had not anticipated such a turn of events.

For the remaining time, he absolutely couldn't afford any more slip-ups; if caught, Ibiki would undoubtedly expel him without hesitation.

Fortunately, Kankuro had made it back in time.

Regardless, the mission to safely advance Gaara to the third test of the Chunin Exam was not a failure, and Daimaru wouldn't have to assume any unpredictable and highly fatal responsibilities.

At the podium, Ibiki spoke gravely:

"Before I announce the tenth question, each of you must first face a choice of despair.

You have the right to withdraw from this Chunin Exam and try again next time. If one team member chooses to withdraw, the other two will also lose the right to continue; you may also choose to answer the tenth question. But..."

Proctor Ibiki said with a smirk,

"If you choose to answer and get it wrong, regardless of previous performance, you will be stripped of the right to take the Chunin Exam ever again, and you'll remain a genin for life..."

"How can it be like this?"

As soon as Ibiki finished, the examinees gasped in shock,

"Such a choice, it's too cruel!"

"Shut up, you scum! Didn't I say this was a choice of despair? Less talking, if you want to stay, be quiet. Those who want to give up can leave now!"

After a murmur of whispers, an eerie silence fell over the examination hall. Everyone pondered carefully while also watching the reactions of other examinees.

Gradually, declarations of withdrawal began to emerge, team after team unable to withstand the inner turmoil, succumbing under the final mental interrogation.

The most regrettable for Daimaru was the departure of the strong Sand ninja team—Yuno, Shishio, and Koji.

Yuno and Shishio, seemingly fragile and unassuming, remained composed, but the arrogant Koji surprisingly raised his hand to withdraw. Reluctantly, Yuno and Shishio also rose to leave the hall.

"The more self-satisfied, the more they bask in their cleverness, the more they know to weigh the pros and cons, the harder it is for them to pass the tenth question's test," Ibiki mused.

The most endangered Leaf genin was Team 10, especially Shikamaru Nara. Overthinking and immature in temperament, he was the most significant liability under these circumstances.

With all three members of Team 10 submitting blank papers, and Shikamaru and Ino recorded for cheating once, deducting two points, the team was on the brink of elimination with a negative four points.

Also, the clever Sand ninja Daimaru was in Ibiki's view, likely to be eliminated for failing to hold his ground.

The Proctor glanced at Daimaru's seat, where the brash ninja, who had been arrogant for nearly an hour, now had his fingers interlocked, resting against his forehead, his face inscrutable.

"Is he plotting a new strategy to disrupt the enemy, or hesitating about whether to withdraw?"

Yoru, observing the room, watched Daimaru with concern, fearing another unpredictable move from him.

However, remembering Daimaru's instructions before the exam, Yoru calmed down and patiently waited for things to unfold.

Senza, just having recovered from her own genjutsu, lay listlessly on her desk, too exhausted to move without a signal from Yoru on Daimaru's behalf.

With more teams opting out, the already sparse examination hall grew emptier.

Shikamaru Nara, having never faced such a predicament, nervously bit at the dead skin on his right forefinger, suppressing his inner restlessness while considering the possibilities of passing the first stage of the Chunin Exam.

"The proctor announced the tenth question early, clearly because the elimination rate was too high, and the expected pass rate far below the intended ratio, so he changed the rules. But to hope for more teams to have lower scores than Team 10 is wishful thinking. Also, is it worth risking being a genin for life for a slim chance? I don't care much, but what would Choji and Ino think?"

Shikamaru, overwhelmed with worry, glanced at the instigator, Daimaru, who was deep in thought with his head bowed.

"Is that guy also struggling? It seems the proctor has hit a nerve!"