Chapter 77:

"Take a number and take your seats!" The large man said, his voice booming across the entire room, getting everyone's attention.

Everyone did as he said, taking a number from the front of the classroom and then sitting down in a free space wherever they could find. Haku could already see that the tables had been lined out in an exam order, already expecting some sort of written test.

"My name is Ibiki." He said, introducing himself as he crossed his arms behind his back.

Kimimaro took note of the scars on his face, already being able to tell that this man had been involved in war, and his fair amount of blood shed in the past.

"Welcome to the chunin exams! I trust each and everyone of you has been told what to expect. Well I'm here to tell you otherwise." He said as a large smirk on his face appeared.

"This will be your first test and first exam as part of the chunin exams! There will be no battle or any fighting of any kind, without the permission of one of us proctors, is that clear! Disobey and you will be disqualified immediately." He said, watching each and every persons reaction in the room with his cold and calculating eyes.

One of the other instructors suddenly pulled out a large stack of paper, giving them a wave as he smiled.

"You will all take one of these test, also taking once pencil and one rubber each." He said as the instructors started to hand out the test paper.

"This test will consist of ten questions. You will not start the test until you are told, you will not write on your paper until you are told, unless you want to be disqualified." He said as he walked back and fourth, explaining the rules, while the genin watched the large amount of instructors sat surrounding them, keeping a close eye on all of them.

"You will also be sitting this exam as a squad." He then said, getting a mixed reaction from all.

"If anyone of your teammates scores zero points, then your entire team will fail the exam."

Another mixed reaction spread over the large group of shinobi in the hall, some more confident than others, with most starting to panic over the thought of letting their teammates down.

Ibiki put his hands into his pockets, before he pulled piece of chalk out and started to write on the black board.

"Here is how this whole thing works. You will each be given ten points from the start of the exam. For each question you get wrong, you will have a point taken away." He said letting the information sink in.

"As I said before, you will be sitting this exam as a squad. So the results on whether you pass or fail will be determined by the overall score of your team mates, however, if one person on your team scores a zero then you all fail.

And finally if any of you are caught cheating, you will be deducted two points for each time you are caught. Therefore it will be possible for you to be kicked out of the exam before the time is up. Now I will say this. To be caught cheating as a shinobi is disgraceful and dishonest. Make sure you are not caught." He said with a serious look in his eyes.

Now everyone was really starting to sweat, thinking how shameful it would be if they stopped their team mates from passing the exam because they couldn't answer the questions.

Kimimaro could understand the pressure of the exam, but he had faith that Haku and Koyuki would be fine, knowing all he could do was trust in their ability. Thankfully, Haku and Koyuki had the same idea, with neither of them feeling worried.

"So... Does anyone want to give up yet?" Ibiki said, waiting to see if anyone would take the bait from the start.

"Alright then. You have one hour to complete the questions, with the final question being given at the 45 minuet mark. You may begin!" He said, giving them the signal to start the exam.

The entire room fell silent except for the sound of paper turning and pencils being picked up of the desk.

"Oh, and don't forget to write your name and number on your exam." Ibiki said, placing his hands back into his pocket.

Everyone flipped their exam paper over, taking a good look at the questions. Haku did the same, taking a quick look around the room, seeing the instructors watching everyone like a hawk.

"Guess I we shouldn't try to cheat unless we absolutely have to." Haku thought as he looked at the first question.

Haku studied the paper, reading the first question and what it was asking him to do.

"Looks like a coded text. This shouldn't be to hard." He said with a smile.

Kimimaro did the same as he read through the questions, having already deducted that the questions only got harder the further down the page you got. He was happy he could answer the first five with his own knowledge, however, the rest was beyond him. Knowing the only way he would be able to answer them would be to find someone who had already done them and cheat, the only question was how.

fifteen minuet's had passed now, and the room was staring to get warm. Koyuki had answered most of the questions she felt able to answer. But now she was starting to get stuck.

"Not good. At this rate, I might have no choice but to..."

"Number 44! Your out!" One of the instructors suddenly shouted, cutting her train of thought off.

"Wha-What! But I didnt!" The genin protested as he tried to argue his point.

Suddenly a kunai flew across the room and hit his desk.

"Get out or you will be forced to leave!" Ibiki said, only warning him once.

After that both his squad members stood up and the three of them left the exam hall, setting an example for the others.

Koyuki could see that someone had already been caught cheating and had been thrown out of the exam, along with his whole squad, deciding she would hold off on cheating for now.

Haku had made his way through to one of the lower questions, having had no trouble with most of them so far.

"Hmm. This one is an integrated problem based on predictions of uncertain conditions and dynamic energy analysis application." He said to himself, impressed by how difficult the questions had become.

"This really is some high level stuff." Haku thought, already knowing he would be able to answer this, but was unsure if Kimimaro and Koyuki would be.

"Number 57! Your out!" Another of the instructors shouted, kicking out another squad for cheating.

"Number 88! Gone!" Another said.

"No way! I didn't do it!" He shouted.

This time two instructors dragged him out by his arms and he kicked and screamed, showing no pride what so ever.

The time had passed at a steady rate now, leaving only ten minuets until the final question to be revealed. More and more had been removed for cheating and now about just over half who had started were left.

Haku had now finished all of the questions and was sure he was right. All that was left was to help Kimimaro and Koyuki copy his answers without getting caught. However if all of them got a total of ten points each, take away two points each for cheating only once, they could still come out with a total of 24 points, meaning a pass was still highly achievable.

"Alright." Haku said, happy with his decision.

Haku slowly made a hand sign under his desk, allowing a small ice mirror to form above his paper. One which he had also created above Kimimaro's and Koyuki's so they could see his answers.

Kimimaro was impressed and quickly copied the answers down onto his paper, already having clocked that one of the instructors had noticed there actions.

"Never mind." Kimimaro thought, knowing it was only two points.

Koyuki looked at the ice surprised.

"That Haku. Should have known he would be able to answer all of these questions she said as she copied them down.

"33! Fails!"

"67! Fails!" The instructors continued to shout while Ibiki smiled as he watched them all try their best to get the answers any way they could.

Haku, Kimimaro and Koyuki weren't the only ones who had managed to figure out how to cheat. Kujira and his squad had also managed to cheat, with each of them finding their own way to do so, so far being lucky to not have been struck out.

Rokuro was smart like Haku and had no need to cheat, however, Kujira lacked in the academic area of study, with his strengths lying in combat. Thankfully Chika had used her Hozuki clan jutsu to help him and herself cheat, copying the answers from another shinobi who had already finished the exam,

"Alright, listen up! Its time for the tenth and final question!" Ibiki suddenly shouted.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at him, waiting to see what he would say next in anticipation.

"But before that, I'm going to add one last rule for this final question." He then said.

"Let me explain. These are hopeless rules!" He said, waiting to see everyone's reaction.

"But first you will have to make a choice. A choice on weather to answer the final question or not."

"What do you mean we have to choose weather to take the final question or not?" Someone shouted, not sure what was going on.

Ibiki simply smiled.

"Here it is. If you choose not to answer the final question, then you fail the exam, along with both of your team mates." He said with a smirk.

Everyone in the room was shocked, including Haku and Kimimaro.

"But surly that means everyone here will choose to answer the question." Koyuki said, unable to contain herself.

Ibiki smiled again, placing his hands into his pockets.

"The condition to the final question is... If you are unable to answer the tenth and final question, then you will never be allowed to take the chunin exams again!" He shouted, getting an complete and utterly shocked expression form everyone in the room.

"You cant be serious!"

"Yeah that's not fair!" Some of the students shouted.

Ibiki started laughing.

"You have two choices. You either test your luck and knowledge as a shinobi who is worthy of becoming a chunin. Or you choose not to take the final question and come back next year, who knows, you might even have a different examiner who gives you an easier time next year." Ibiki said, toying with their heads.

The room was suddenly split into debate as everyone started to wrestle with their own doubts and worries on if they would be able to pass or not. The pressure of them never being able to take the chunin exams again, being stuck a genin for he rest of their lives added in for extra effect, also added to the weight of their decision.

"Now raise your hand if you do not wish to take the final question." Ibiki said, watching and waiting to see who would chicken out.

A brief moment passed as everyone in the room thought about the outcome, not knowing whether to take the risk or not.

"I-I cant!" Someone suddenly shouted as he stood up and raised his hand.

Ibiki's eyes narrowed in on the first one to give in, watching as more followed in his stead.

"Me too!"

I cant risk that!" Another said.

Kimimaro looked at Haku and Koyuki, seeing that Haku was calm, however, Koyuki seemed a little flustered.

He could also see that the other mist genin were in a mixed state, with Kujira looking like he was very flustered. But Kimimaro knew he was not one to back down over anything, knowing he would never be the first one to give up.

Soon enough everyone who didn't want to take the risk had left, leaving only whose who were brave enough to take the risk left.

"Very well. It looks like you are all ready for the final question." Ibiki said as took one hand out of his pocket.

Everyone waited in intense anticipation, unsure what it could be, not even able to guess at how extremely complex it might be.

"Alright... You all... Pass!!!" Ibiki suddenly shouted, getting a surprised look from everyone.

"WHATTTT!!!!"

Alright that's the end of this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for the support! Have a great day!

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