159. A Written Test

A man that had a large, imposing figure, and a face covered with old wounds and scars appeared from thin air which seemed like using Shunshin no Jutsu followed by some ninjas who appeared one by one.

Shunshin no Jutsu or Body Flicker Technique is a high-speed movement technique that allows ninjas to move short to long distances at an almost untraceable speed. Izumi himself had never used this kind of Jutsu because, with his magic, he could teleport in an instant within his domain.

"Thanks for waiting. I'm Morino Ibiki, the examiner on the first test of the Chūnin exam." Ibiki introduced himself. Seeing everyone still silent, he carried on.

"Anyway, if any of you are making trouble in this exam, or even fighting during this first test, I'll kick you out immediately!"

"Eh, that's not fair."

Unexpectedly, someone commented. Everyone turned to the source of the voice. It was Izumi.

"You want to argue?" With a scary look, Ibiki approached Izumi slowly. But Izumi didn't seem daunted as he shook his head while crossing his arms across his chest.

"Argue? No, no. I just want you to imagine by yourself, how would you feel if your friend who didn't do anything was attacked right in front of your eyes. Do you think you would stay silent? If you said yes, then you're definitely a coward. I can't do the same. If someone dares to hurt my friends, I'll pay back twice to ten times, depending on severity."

Ibiki narrowed his eyes. To think that there was still a boy who was not intimidated by him. Ibiki became interested in the boy. But he remained firm.

"As long as I'm here, there will be no one who hurt your friends. So you can rest assured!"

It took a while before Izumi answered.

"Fine then."

After hearing Izumi's answer, Ibiki nodded.

Then Ibiki warned all participants not to fight without the examiner's approval. If they didn't follow Ibiki's words, they would be disqualified in an instant.

Meanwhile.

"Uwah, Izumi-kun is so cool. He dared to say that in front of such a scary person. As expected, he's really my type." Ino's eyes shone upon seeing Izumi. In addition, Izumi also looked calm despite how scary Ibiki was. Ino also knew that Ibiki was too sadistic to the enemy. So, anyone below the special Jōnin-level ninja would be scared shitless in front of him.

Shikamaru, who was beside Ino, complained about Ino's nature.

"It was Sasuke, now it's another boy. I really don't understand what this girl is thinking. How troublesome."

On the other hand. Sasuke, Neji, Lee, Shino, and Kabuto had the same thought. "He's uncommon." Not anyone below Ibiki's level could stand his intimidation.

"Well, we will now start the first test of the Chūnin exam. We will give you a test paper, and the time to finish is 45 minutes. Never ever start writing before I tell you to, or you will be disqualified!"

Ibiki explained that the first test was a written test, where the examiner not only gave the paper, but also the seat number to the participants. And participants must sit on the seat according to the number they received. After that, Ibiki explained the rules of the first exam.

Naruto was silent for a moment, then cry out in surprise.

"A WRITTEN EXAM???"

— — — —

In the written exam, the questions given were too difficult and it was almost impossible for a Genin-level ninja to answer those questions. As if, participants were told to cheat

That test was a test where all Genin-level ninjas had to demonstrate their abilities to gather information. If their cheating was too conspicuous, how could they gather information secretly on the mission? If that were the case, they wouldn't be qualified as ninjas. So, it was better to kick them out immediately.

Izumi saw the question and just mumbled. "Cryptogram, mathematics, psychology. No wonder many Genins can't answer these."

Seeing the questions, Izumi swiftly wrote an answer. Two questions were ignored due to the relation of shinobi world history. So, he just skipped them. Well, whether he wrote the answer or not really didn't matter anyway. So, after he finished 7 out of 10 questions, he immediately lay down and relaxed while glancing around. He found it funny to see Naruto's panicked face which made him smirk. When looking at Luffy. Izumi was impressed by what he did. He slept soundly while drooling on the table.

Right next to Luffy's seat was Ino. She looked worried because Luffy seemed to be on the same team as Izumi. It would be a shame if Izumi failed just because of Luffy, so Ino tried to wake him up.

Feeling shaken by someone, Luffy slowly opened his eyes in delirium.

"Sanji...Meal?"

His voice was heard throughout the room. Izumi, who heard that, wrinkled his forehead. He glanced in that direction and saw Ino who seemed to put her index finger on her lips gesturing for Luffy to be quiet. It was obvious that Ino had just woken up Luffy. This was because Izumi had warned Luffy before the exam started.

"This girl! Can she not meddle in other people's business???" Izumi murmured in a low voice.

"Hey, you two, can you keep quiet? Or do you want to be disqualified now?"

"Yes yes, I'm sorry!" Ino immediately apologized.

While Luffy glanced at Izumi, Izumi stared back with his sharp gaze. Luffy could only respond by scratching his head while grinning since it wasn't his fault in the first place.

After Ino felt she was out of sight of the examiner, Ino asked in a whisper.

"Why did you sleep during the exam?"

Luffy looked at Ino and answered.

"Izumi said if I couldn't answer, I was told to sleep so as not to disturb the others."

"Uh, what did that mean?"

"Dunno."

Ino really didn't understand it. "Why did Izumi-kun even say that? Doesn't he want to pass the first test?" Ino asked in her mind.

Minutes have passed. Within minutes, one by one, a lot of the teams were disqualified. And without realizing it, 45 minutes of exam time had run out. Ibiki, who saw the time had come, began to speak.

"Ok, now... We will begin the tenth question."

All the participants got tensed at Ibiki's words.

"However, before we get into it, I'd like to go over the additional rule to this question."

Ibiki walked slowly while looking at the participants, then added.

"First, for this tenth question, you must decide whether you will take it or not."

"Choose? So what happens if we choose not to?" Temari asked with a slightly uneasy face.

Ibiki answered with a grin.

"If you choose not to, your points will be deducted to zero, and you will be declared a failure along with your team. And if you choose to take it and answer incorrectly. That person will lose the right to participate in the next Chūnin exam."

"What a stupid rule was that?" Someone complained, but Ibiki answered.

"You guys are unlucky, this year is my rule."

Ibiki also gave another way they could take, which was to give up and try again the next year.

One by one, the participants gave up and decided not to take it. They failed along with their teammates.

Izumi saw Naruto who had just raised his hand as if to give up, however...

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME! I WILL NOT RUN!"

With a fierce expression, Naruto added.

"I'll take it, even if I'll be a Genin-level ninja forever. I am the person who will become a Hokage anyway, I'm not afraid!"

Luffy who heard what Naruto said started chuckling.

"Hihihi, I thought you would give up, durian head."

"Shut up, damned straw hat!"

Ibiki clapped his hands and said again.

"I'll ask you again, your life is riding on this decision, this is your last chance to quit."

Naruto answered.

"Heh, I'll follow my unbending words. That's my ninja way."

"Good decision."

Ibiki turned to the other examiners and nodded at each other. Ibiki said.

"Now, to everyone still remaining. I congratulate you on passing the first test."

"Ha??"

Everyone except Izumi's group was stunned as they expressed their surprise almost at the same time.