The Exams Begin

!

Niamh sat in her office of the fort as she serves her friends Emma some tea. "The exams are beginning today. The first part of the exam is going to start followed by the second then a break of a month will take part between the second and third part, to allow the kids to rest and recover from the second one. And between the second and third is when I'll take on all comers."

"Yes it's the talk of the countries about you and that husband of yours. All the Hidden Villages are sending their best ninjas to fight you as well as the clans, the lords big and small are also sending fighters to get your services. There's a lot of money being betted on the fights," Emma said.

"So tell me Emma who are the fighters that I should be watching out for?" Niamh ask.

"Well the top one you need to watch out for is a man name Shimi who is fighting for Lightning lord. He's a warrior whose skill is such, that there is no one in the Hidden Villages or Assassins Guilds who has never heard of him. He carries an immense backpack around with him, which is full of an assortment of weapons. He is a very skilled dueler and is yet to be defeated," Emma said.

"Anyone else I should know?" Niamh ask.

"Well he's a list of people you should watch out for," Emma said handing her a thick file. "These are the only ones that I know are coming."

"Looks like they're coming out of the woodworks for this one," Niamh said reading over the files.

Twilight Suzuka a female Ultra Class A assassin who only kills when the sun is setting. Her preferred weapon of choice is a bokken, or wooden sword, which through secret, semi-mystical swordplay can be used to slice metal like a cleaver and smash concrete yet on the next stroke will land only a knock out blow on her opponent. She's fighting for the Rock Lord.

Rai-Dei the Blade is a samurai who seeks the knowledge learned only when facing death. He carries a sword, and is able to swing it with enough force to create a sonic blast. Knowing of your fighting style he hopes he can face death with you. He's fighting for his own sakes.

Karura from a small clan who hopes with you will help the Village of Craftsman become well known again. They were once known for their weapons that they sell to other Hidden Villages. She is often seen drinking sake, even on the battle field she could drink several barrels of sake in one day. Karura wields a ridiculously heavy black personalized blade, which she uses in conjunction with her superhuman strength to deal tremendous damage to her enemies.

Hoppered the Gauntlet. Resembling a toy top, the oddly but appropriately named Hoppered is capable of very powerful leaps. He carries an indestructible shield that he uses some kind of jutsu to propel it, turning Hoppered into a living projectile. He's fighting for a crime lord.

Shenhua is an assassin in the employ of a crime boss Mr. Chang. She prefers to use various edged weapons in close combat, in particular a pair of kukri knives linked together with a length of leather rope at the handles. She is also skilled in the use of throwing knives.

Komatsuhime is from the Hidden Village of Grass, she's the best one that's suited to fight you. She wields a long bladed bow and can attack in melee combat, also at long range like you. Her village isn't doing so good for the last couple of years and she's hopes that with you in her village the Grass will become powerful again.

Zhou Tai is a man who prefers actions to words. He is strong, brave, determined and inexorable, fearing no-one and nothing. His preferred weapon is the Dusk, a tachi, which he wields with one hand, and sheathes inside an intricate scabbard. He's fighting for his Lord of the Land of Water.

Xu Zhu, he's an overweight and simple man with a kind heart and protective nature. He generally wears cloth and leather clothing and wields a large war club called the, Stone Crusher. Xu is also nicknamed the 'Crazy Tiger' by his friends, due to his transformation from kind and innocent soul into a ferocious and violent beast on the battlefield. Due to the sheer size of Xu's weapon, and Xu himself, he is very slow. However, Xu's strength and power are almost unrivaled, and he can quickly devastate large numbers of enemy troops with little effort. He's fighting for his village the Village Hidden under the Dragonfly.

Dian Wei he is a large, muscular man with a bald head and formidable strength, and is generally laden with heavy armor across his shoulders and forearms. He wields a battle axe called the Mad Bull, featuring an elaborately sculpted bull's head and often refers to himself as 'The Coming Evil'. He's fighting for the Lord of the Land of Rain.

Ishikawa Goemon is a legendary ninja warrior and bandit hero who stole gold and valuables and gave them to the poor. He's fighting so that you'll join him and he'll be able to steal more valuables for more well protected houses.

Shimazu Yoshihiro he is a daimyo of Satsuma he's fighting his own battle to win you. He's has many battles under his belt as he usually handles bandits or ninjas on his own, instead of paying ninjas for the job. He's very strong for his age and wields a large hammer.

Gan is a man that is vulgar, brash and extremely confident in his own skills. He's a pirate who wants you to join his crew. His clothing is always accompanied by his trademark bells, and his torso is heavily tattooed. He wields a large dao called he calls the Sea Master.

Captain Bufias of the Land of Fang army, who I have met before. I have never seen a man so thick of skin and thin of heart as that man. It seems like he has no fear or mercy for the strong or weak alike. I once saw him kill a man for laughing at his strained boots. Bufias then used the corpse as a foot stool for the rest of the evening. Maybe if his victim had known where the stains came from in the first place, he wouldn't have laughed. (1)

"These are the only ones that you know of right?" Niamh ask Emma.

"Those are just the ones that I think you should watch out for. There are many others who are coming to fight you, hoping to beat you so you'll work for them, Emma said. "The Hidden Villages are being careful not to leak out who they're sending to fight you, I wouldn't be surprise the ones they're sending to fight you are with the young kids here for the exams."

"True," Niamh said. "But with the name I made for myself in the bounties and getting stolen items back I'm not surprise."

"Yes and I hope that I'll continue to do business with you," Emma said, her face suddenly change to a more business like. "Also there's something troubling you."

"Well let's say I found out about something that's been kept secret in this village," Niamh said thinking back to that night a couple of weeks ago.

"Really what?" Emma asks.

"Sorry can't tell you," Niamh said. "Tell me have you made contact with that person I ask you?"

"Took me awhile but I finally track them down to deliver your message to them," Emma said.

"Good," Niamh said as she sat up. "Excuse me I need to do somethings."

"Oh yeah the first exams are going to start today," Emma said.

"Yup," Niamh said.

"Aren't you going to see them?" Emma asks.

"Hunter is handling that for me," Niamh said.

!

At the exam building –

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had only gone up one floor when they were stopped by a group of people who were standing in front of the door. In the middle of the group they watch two people keeping people from entering the room. Sasuke looked up at the sign, it read 301 the room they're suppose to go. He looked back at Naruto who simply nodded at him. Sasuke stepped in when the two ninja knocked down the kid Lee who they met a couple of days ago.

"You plan on taking the Chuunin Exams like that? What makes you think you're good enough?" asked a kid with spiky hair.

"You guys should just quit now," said a second kid right next to him.

"You're all just little kids," the first one taunted.

"Please let us through," pleaded Tenten. She was quickly knocked down by the two boys.

"Listen, we're being nice, The Chuunin Exams aren't easy," said the first one.

"Of all those taking the exam," lectured the second, "Many will quit being shinobi, while others are unable to recover at all. We've seen it many times before."

"A Chuunin is the level of military platoon captains. The failure of a mission and the death of his men... that is all the responsibility of the captain." explained the first.

"We're just thinning out the ranks of those that will fail anyway. What's wrong with that?" asked the second.

"Because I'm here," Hunter said as he walks through the kids to the two blocking the door looming over them. "And since you two are acting like kids I think I'll show you something that I learned in school."

The kids who were in front of the door were greeted with the sight of the two kids who were blocking the door hanging from the safety rails of the staircase by their underwear. Hunter then turned to the kids. "From what the office lady told me when I ask her where room 301 is, it's on the third floor while were currently on the second."

There was whispering through out the room at this proclamation.

"So you noticed, eh?" asked the second kid, as he hanged painfully from his underwear.

"I can't do any jutsus but I use my head and eyes. Like how could a room that should be on the third floor is on the second one and that you two aren't kids," Hunter said.

"Right," the kids said as they dispelled their jutsu to reveal two older leaf nins.

"What are you doing here?" the second one asks.

"Niamh is busy so I came here to show the kids support," Hunter said.

"You can't interfere you know," the first one said.

"Like you two could stop me," Hunter said as he kicks the railing breaking it sending the two nins falling.

"Wow Hunter you're great," Lee said.

"How did you know that they weren't kids?" Sakura ask.

"Oh I didn't, I thought they were teens," Hunter answers, making everyone watching sweatdrop.

"You kids better get to the third floor," Hunter said. "I'll make sure that no one tries to stop you kids."

"Right," Naruto said as he follows Hunter with the other kids following close behind.

Down below where the two leaf nins are picking themselves up. "I see that Hunter thought the two of you a lesson," Kakashi said as he and a group of leaf nins gathered around when they heard the crash.

"He's strong," the first one said.

"We couldn't even bugle his arms a bit when he grab us," the second one said.

"Well he is more man than the rest of you guys," Kurenai said once she heard from the girls who saw Naruto naked when Niamh showed that he's more of a man then the other boys… She couldn't help but want to take a peak at Hunter since according to the girls he's just like what Naruto might grow into when he's older. She took a peak at him when he was at the hot spring bath and saw the reason why Niamh wasn't interested in the men of the village. And she couldn't blame her when she saw Hunter's tool.

"Just because he went through operations that gave him his powers doesn't mean he's more of a man," the first one said.

"She was talking about his manhood," one of the women said who also took a peak.

"Yeah he's way above the rest of you boys in that compartment," another woman said to the men who were all grumbling about Hunter. Ever since the rumor about the size of his manhood spread around many of the women of the village have been following him around.

!

In room 301 –

There's so many people. Are all these people taking the exam?' Sakura thought. 'They all seem so strong…' She swallowed trying to clear the lump in her throat.

"So this is what the exam is like," Hunter said as he enters the room.

"Sasuke, you're late!" a voice cried out as a blond haired female ninja jumped onto Sasuke. "I've been waiting for you what took you?"

"We got stop on the second floor," Tenten said.

"But Hunter handle that problem," Lee said.

"About time you two got here," Neji said who was already in the room.

Sakura was angry as a vein on her forehead throbbed, as she pointed to the blonde and yelled, "Get away from Sasuke! You, Ino pig!"

Ino got off of Sasuke and said, "Oh my, it's you, forehead girl. Your forehead is still wide, and you're still ugly… as usual."

Sakura growled, "What did you say!"

Ino pulled down one of her eye and stuck her tongue out.

Before either could continue their argument, a voice called out, "What, are you three going to take this troublesome exam, too?"

Naruto smiled as he saw Shikamaru and Chouji, he greeted both and was about to continue when he heard Ino and Sakura bickering about Sasuke. 'Geeze, what is so special about this guy anyway?'

"Yeah! Found you all!" another voice said. "So I see that everyone is here."

Naruto looked as saw three more people arrive.

"Hello Naruto" said Hinata as she walks up to her partner in the Two Souls style.

Naruto turned towards her and saw her blush. "Nice to see you too."

"I see, so all nine Genin rookies this year are going to take the exam. How far do you think we can go, Sasuke-kun?" Kiba said

"You seem to be confident, Kiba," Sasuke said as Ino glared at him.

"We trained like hell. We won't lose to you." Kiba replied starring at Naruto. "We got Hinata on our team."

"I hate to break it to you but for team seven and eight there's going to be a bit of a trade with team members," Hunter said.

"What?" the two teams ask.

"Hinata will be taking Sasuke place and him with her," Hunter said. "Niamh got the Hokage to agree to switch the teams since both Hinata and Naruto style must have both of them together to work."

"What!" Sakura shouted.

"Ha ha you're not going to be with Sasuke," Ino said.

"At least we got Sasuke," Kiba said as he and Shino had hope that with Hinata's gun they'll have an easier time.

"Why would she want to when she's with Naruto who's the bigger man where it counts," Hunter said making the girls blush.

"Hey," the boys growled not liking that while Naruto is shorter then they are he's bigger downstairs.

Hunter smiled, but before he could continue another voice called out. "Hey, you guys." The group turned to see a gray-haired ninja walking up to the group. "You should quite it down a little. So you're the nine rookies that just graduated from the academy, right? You're all fooling around with those cute faces… Geeze, this isn't a field trip."

Ino was upset, "Who are you to tell us that!"

"Yeah!" Sakura backed her up.

How many times have you taken the Exams? Once? Twice?" said Shikamaru lazily, but like the others they were curious as to what the young ninja meant.

"This would be my seventh time actually, but this time around I have a little ace up my sleeve," said Kabuto showing him the cards he pulled from his pocket.

"What are those?" said Hinata as she scooted slightly closer to Naruto as she felt safer when near him. Ever since her training with Naruto she felt safest when she's with him.

"Info cards I created and can only be used by me when I use my chakra. I have info on everyone so I can find just about anything in regards to ninja's background," said Kabuto as he shuffled his deck waiting for someone to call out a name or names.

"I want information on Garaa of the Sand, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga," said Sasuke, as he wanted to know just about everything he could on those opponents after he heard what Naruto and Hinata had gone under the Two Souls fighting style. Since he was with Kakashi training he was never around enough to see how strong they had gotten.

"You know their names? That's not really any fun, but all right if you insist," said Kabuto as he took out a card from the deck and spun it around on the ground with his chakra.

'This should be good,' thought Neji as he could find out more about Naruto and Hinata.

"Garaa?" Hunter said as he thinks where he had heard that name before. "Isn't it that kids with the dark rings under his eyes you told me about Naruto?"

"Yeah that's him," Sakura said remembering when they cross paths with each other a couple of days ago.

"Yeah one his teammates were picking on Konohamaru and his friends," Naruto said. "But he back when he saw my gun."

"That's when Garaa showed up and ask Naruto for his name," Sakura said.

"I got the feeling that he's hiding something," Sasuke said as he was hiding in the same tree as Garaa was before he and his team left.

"He and his team are across the room," Hunter said pointing to the three sand nins.

"There's something not right about him," Sakura said.

"I know," Hunter said as he's getting strange feelings from that kid.

"First up is Garaa of the Sand. Strange... I don't have that much information on his abilities other then he's been on several A-Ranked Missions and has not been hit once during any mission he has been on. Weird," said Kabuto as he looked at Garaa who just stared at into nothingness as he waited patiently for something to happen.

'No one has ever hit him! He must be strong. All the more reason to beat to prove myself as an Uchiha,' thought Sasuke as he almost wanted to release his bloodline limit, but held back knowing it would be foolish.

"And finally we have Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga," said Kabuto as he spun two cards and lifted them up to read the information on the two cards. "Nothing much to say about their missions but both are the current students of Niamh Bradley and her husband Hunter who are trained in using firearms. Both are trained in the fighting style of Two Souls that according to Ms. Bradley can only be thought to two people who have trust in each other. Neither had shown what they had learned from their training yet. And according to rumors Naruto has a huge manhood."

"Yup he does as the girls had a good look," Hunter said making the girls blush again.

"Hey did you guys hear of a new village participating this year?" said Kabuto, seeing as he really wants to change the subject.

"Really? What village is that?" Kiba ask looking around trying to see, which Genin team was representing the new village.

"It's the Hidden Sound Village. They are new so they are weak now, but it gives them all the reason to participate this year so they can grow," said Kabuto as he points to the trio of Genin wearing gray and dark camouflage clothing with one begin covered mostly in bandages like he had been in a Tomb for most of his life.

"So were weak are we. I think its time we showed them just who is weak around here," said the bandaged covered looking Sound Ninja raising the over sized long sleeve shirt before charging at Kabuto with speed that was almost impossible to see.

Hunter however did see it however, as he both watched from the corner of his eyes. Right before the Sound Ninja attacked Kabuto, Hunter had suddenly moved at his own speed and pushed Kabuto out of the way. Hunter then drew his knife straight at the Sound Genin's face before he could complete the attack that he was going to use on Kabuto.

The pointy end of Hunter's knife was less then an half an inch from the Sound Ninja's face while his arm was half his arms length from connecting with the side of Hunter's torso as Hunter is much taller. "Don't be so hasty to die. You will have plenty of time for that later," Hunter said looking right into the Sound Ninja's slightly disturbed eye.

'How can he be so fast much less precision in accuracy? Had I continued with the attack his knife would have impaled through my skull killing me. Who is he?' thought the ninja as he slowly retracted his hand away from Hunter who after two second removed the tip of his knife from being close to his face.

"You're one of the soldiers from across the sea," he said realizing who he had attack, getting the attention of everyone in the room.

"Yes I am," Hunter said, causing many of the nins in the room to talk to each other as they all heard about both Hunter and Niamh.

"ALL RIGHT YOU BASTARDS ALL OF NEED TO LISTEN UP! NO ONE WILL BE FIGHTING IN HERE UNLESS I SAY SO! GOT THAT?" said a tall, black trench coat wearing, scarred faced man, who was accompanied by several others holding clipboards.

"Will finish this later Leaf. Count on it," said the Sound Genin as he walked back to his group as it was time for the next part of the exam.

"We'll see," Hunter said.

One by one, all of the Genin in the room sat down in the seat and row they were given waiting for the exams to start. Fortunately, for Naruto, Hinata sat right next to him giving him a friendly face to look at when an opportunity came up. "G-Good luck N-Naruto-kun I-I hope y-you pass," said Hinata, as she was giving off a small blush from being so close to him.

"You too Hinata. Let's show these guys how real ninja kick ass," said Naruto giving her a smile back.

"That's the spirit," Hunter said sitting next to them causing his two students to stare at him wondering why he's still here.

"ALL RIGHT YOU BASTARDS LISTEN UP! MY NAME IS MORINO IBIKI AND I'LL BE YOUR EXAMINER FOR THE FIRST OF THREE PARTS IN THE CHUUNIN EXAM!" yelled Ibiki motioning for those that had come in with him to sit down in their seats on opposite sides of the wall to the left and right of him.

'Talk bout intimidating. Half the people here are ready to either piss themselves, run, or both at the same time,' thought Hunter as all of them were given pencil and paper.

"THE FIRST PART OF THE EXAM IS A WRITTEN ONE. YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO COMPLETE IT. CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND THE FINAL QURSTION WILL NOT BE REVEALED UNTIL THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF THE EXAM. EACH OF YOU WILL BE GIVEN TEN POINTS AT THE START OF THE TEST. THE PROCTERS HERE WILL MAKE SURE NONE OF YOU CHEATS A POINT OFF EACH TIME YOU ARE CAUGHT. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT CHEATING OVER TEN TIMES YOU AND YOUR TEAM WILL FAIL!" yelled Ibiki looking around the room seeing that his sadist ways had not lost their edge as more then a handful of the Genin's in the room were sweating to a point of dehydration. Rows of Chuunin hopefuls filled the room. There were test proctors seated at either end of each row, all holding clipboards and awaiting further instruction. As each of them took their seats Ibiki scanned the room and smirked evilly at them while directing a very subtle amount of killing intent at them.

"Do you really need to shout we're right in front of you," Hunter said destroying the mood in the room.

"What are you doing here?" Ibiki shouted out.

"I figure that I'll take this exam with my students to lead by example," Hunter said.

"Really?" Sakura ask sitting in the next row.

"How can I be a teacher if I never go through the same hardships as my students?" Hunter said.

"You can't just sit down and join," Ibiki growled.

"I'll like to see any of you kicking me out," Hunter said. "But you clearly remember our last encounter right. At the Hokage tower where they wouldn't let me inside so I had to beat up every last one of you guys who tried to stop me from seeing the Hokage."

"You sure showed them," Naruto said.

"Why did you have to meet the Hokage for anyways?" Sakura ask.

"Niamh told me to invite him over to dinner," Hunter said.

"You went and beat us up just so that you could invite the Hokage over to dinner?" one of the adult nins shouted.

"Yup but it's was all in good fun," Hunter said smirking.

"You left most of us bedridden for a week!" another shouted.

"You guys are just wimps," Hunter said waving them off. "Also for those who want to see some action me and Niamh are going to be fighting against the Sannins, Tsuande and Jiraiya at the stadium at one today."

"Why?" Hinata ask.

"To show the power of the Two Souls fighting style," Hunter said.

"ALL RIGHT THE WRITTEN PART OF THE CHUUNIN EXAMS STARTS...NOW!" yelled Ibiki seeing that there's no way without a repeat of the last fight with Hunter happening again, as the clock behind him hit eight.

About five minutes into the test, Naruto hadn't been able to answer any of the questions. Not surprising since these questions were far harder then a normal Genin could be able to answer. Looking over Hunter wasn't even trying to answer any of the question and was tapping his pencil on the table in steady beat. Some of the questions on the test could even make a veteran Jounin or ANBU sweat a little, as these required careful wording a precision of writing.

Naruto listening to the tapping realized what Hunter was doing. He got Hinata's attention locking his eyes with hers. 'Hey Hinata, Hunter is telling us not to do anything.' (2)

'What?' Hinata's eyes said as she looks back to his.

'That taping is morss code,' Naruto eyes said.

'Do nothing,' Hinata's eyes said.

'Yes do nothing,' Naruto eyes said.

They waited as the minutes pass by as one team was caught cheating after the other. Hunter meanwhile put on headphones and began listening to music to pass the time. One of the proctors came over to get the strange music box thing away from Hunter, but as he made a grab for the headphones his arm was grabbed and he was flung across the room, impacting the wall leaving his body impression on it.

"Sorry but this here comes from where I'm from and can't be replace over here. Anyone who tries to take it will end up like him," Hunter said pointing to the nin who had tried.

"You're…" Ibiki began shouting but stop when he heard a click as Hunter points his revolver at him.

"Please give me a reason," Hunter said as he aims right at Ibiki. "You know what it did to Gai, and I'll aim to make sure even Tsuande won't be able to patch up."

Ibiki grumbled as he sat back down.

"Remember this I dealt with people like you before," Hunter said as he puts his gun away.

"Before I do, however, there's one thing I must tell you..." said Ibiki in a low voice, the tension mounting as he hit them with small amounts of killing intent. It was affecting them all more than it should as they were completely focused on him. "There is a special added condition to the final question is a hopeless rule..." Many of the prospective Chuunin looked confused.

'A hopeless rule?' Naruto thought to himself.

"First, you are all going to choose whether or not you wish to take the final question," Ibiki told them. This announcement shocked everyone the room.

'Choose whether or not to take the final question?' Sasuke asked himself.

One of the kids gasped. "Choose? So what happens if we choose not to take the tenth question?"

"Simple," said Ibiki still smirking confidently, "Your test points will be reduced to zero and you fail, along with your fellow teammates."

"What's the meaning of that?" asked a random Genin.

"Of course we'll take it!" shouted another.

"Teammates also failing is bull!" complained a third.

"And here is another rule!" said Ibiki as he closed his eyes. The shouting Genin all became silent.

'What!? Another rule? What gives?' Sakura asked herself.

"If you choose to take the final question and you get it wrong..." said Ibiki, "You will... Forever lose the privilege of ever taking the Chuunin Selection Exam again!"

"What kind of crap rule is that!?" shouted Kiba, "There are people in here that have taken the exams before!" Akamaru barked as if to emphasize what Kiba was saying.

Ibiki seemed amused by Kiba's outburst and started chuckling, "You're unlucky this year... Because this year is my first year as the exam proctor and I make the rules! That's why I'm giving you all one last chance to back out now. Those who are not confident can choose not to take the question and take the next Chuunin Exam, or the one after that..." Ibiki started laughing.

"Yeah right," Hunter spoke up. "I can understand how you can get the leaf kids from ever taking the exams again, but there's no way you can stop the other kids from retaking it. You're bluffing and you're doing a poor job of it too as I have seen through bluffs before."

"Really?" Kiba ask. "He's bluffing?"

"I learn about bluffs through a card game called poker. It's a game where you read the faces of the other players were the bluff if they have a good hand or not. And in my old army base I almost always come out on top," Hunter explains.

"Yeah, Hunter's right I'm calling your bluff!" Naruto shouted.

"I'm taking it too," Sakura said as she's part of the team.

"Me too," Hinata said.

"Why do I put up with you?" Ibiki said as he sees Hunter had lifted the spirits of the other kids as well.

"Because you know that in a fight, I'll win," Hunter said.

"I will ask just once more. This is the choice that will impact your life. If you want to quit now, now is your chance!" He sent another wave of killing intent at the room, still subtle, but greater than the others he had sent out previously.

He and Hunter had continued their staring contest. Hunter smirking the entire time. "I had a teacher like you and I know what's coming."

Ibiki scanned the room. The entire room was generating an aura of complete confidence, all centered around Hunter and the kids he and his ex-wife had trained. All of the remaining teams of the room look as none of them were going to quit.

'Interesting,' thought Ibiki, 'He's risen all of their confidence levels wiped out all uncertainty, seventy eight students, twenty six teams. Far more than expected doesn't look like I should wait any longer...' Each of the proctors gave their signal, "Well then... Since you all seem so determined... Everyone here... PASSES!" he finished with a grin. He watched as each of the examiners registered his words. One by one he saw the looks of shock, disbelief and even anger. The only one who's face didn't change is Hunter.

"Wait!? What's that supposed to mean!?" shouted Sakura. "What about the tenth question?"

At this Morino Ibiki laughed. "There never was a tenth question to begin with... or rather, you could call your two choices the tenth question."

"Huh?" she asked, many others around the room shared her confusion.

"Then what about the previous nine problems?!" asked the female blonde haired Sand nin. "Was it all just a waste of time!?" She was livid, as were others around the room in response to her question.

"No, no it wasn't... The nine problems accomplished their purpose," he said looking out the window. He then turned back to the room, "The purpose of the test was to test a person's information gathering skills," he explained.

"Information gathering skills?" she asked.

"Yes, the true purpose of the test lies in the first rule," he clarified, "Your pass-fail decision is based on your three man teams. Taking that into consideration, we have given you the motivation to not be a nuisance to your team."

"Just as I expected. I had a teacher who did the same thing as you. He passed a test and said to read all of the problems first before starting the test, the last question was this, 'Sign your name at the top and hand it in for a passing grade'," said Hunter. "I figured it out when you said that you're giving us ten points to start out with and one point off each time we cheat. That's why I did nothing as I already have the points needed to pass."

"I figure that out," Sakura said who had picked up the morse code.

"Us too," Naruto said as Hinata nodded.

"I'm sure many of you noticed that most of the problems could not be answered by a typical genin. I'm sure even some of you 'genius-types' couldn't even answer them," Ibiki said ignoring Hunter and his students, "So I'm sure that most of the people taking the exam came to the conclusion 'I have to cheat to get points'. Essentially it was assumed nearly everyone taking the exam was going to cheat. So we planted two Chuunins who already knew the answers to be the targets of the cheating." The two Chuunin Konoha-nins smiled and waved to the others in the room.

"Of course those who cheated like fools, were systematically failed. "Why? You might ask," he said pulling off his bandana revealing a bald, scarred scalp, "Because information can have greater importance than a life at times during missions and on the battlefield. The accuracy of information is contested with the lives of people.

"Th-those marks... The burns, the scars, those cut marks... He must have went through great torture..." Sasuke whispered to himself.

Naruto flinched back and Hinata subconsciously edged closer to him. Only Gaara and Hunter remained unaffected by the rigorous torture inflicted on Morino Ibiki. "The information an enemy gets after being noticed by a third person, may not always be accurate. Remember, collecting incorrect information can cause heavy loss to both your teammates and your village. Thus, we made you gather information in the form of cheating." He told them as he retied his hitai-ite bandana. "We simply chucked out those who were lacking in that field during that part of this exam."

"I still don't get the purpose of the tenth question," said the blonde Sand nin.

"The tenth question was the main question of the First Exam," Ibiki answered.

"What do you mean?" asked Sakura.

"The tenth question was a 'take or not take' choice," Ibiki explained, "It was a painful two choice problem, those who did not take it failed with their teams. If you chose to take it and could not answer it your right to take the exam would have been stripped from you forever... A very insincere problem." Ibiki walked towards the center of the room. "I'll give an example..."

"Say you have been made a Chuunin..." he said, "Your mission is the retrieval of a secret document. Your number of enemy ninja, their abilities and their armament are completely unknown to you. You may even encounter traps set up by enemy ninja. Do you accept this mission or not?" he asked them sternly, "Just because your life, as well as those of your teammates may be in danger, are you going to avoid the mission altogether? No. There are many missions that involve very heavy risks and can not be avoided." He paused for effect, "Your ability to show your teammates courage when needed and to get through even the worst situations is what we look for in a Chuunin, a squad leader. Those who can not bet their fate in a critical situation... Those who give up when given the chance because there is always next year... They have no right to become Chuunin because they are fools lacking in determination to do what is right over what is easy. That is what I believe. Those of you who stayed, who had chosen to take the tenth question, answered it correctly. You have gotten your foot into the entrance and I believe without a doubt that you can get through the difficulties you will undoubtedly face. The First Exam of the Chuunin Selection Exams end right now. I wish you all good luck." he said with a small, proud, smile on his face.

Naruto began to celebrate, but before anyone could say anything Ibiki cut his eyes towards the window watching as a large object came right through it. Many of the kids in the room shielded their eyes from the flying shards of glass. Kunai flew from the mass as it seemed to expand.

When everyone looked up from the chaos that had taken the room by storm they saw a huge banner with a barely dressed woman in front of it. She was very attractive and was a spitfire of energy. She wore a fishnet tank top, a barely legal miniskirt and a tan trenchcoat. The banner behind her read 'Second Examiner, Anko Mitarashi is here!'.

"Listen up maggots! This is no time to get happy!" the scantily clad woman shouted, "I am the second examiner, Anko Mitarashi! Let's start the next exam! Follow me!"

'She... She just like... Naruto...' Sakura mentally noted.

"So that's the Anko Mitarashi I heard about," Hunter thought to himself.

Stepping out from behind the banner, Ibiki looked at Anko. "Your timing is a bit off..." he said in a huff of annoyance. Anko merely glared at Ibiki before turning her gaze back to the room. "The second exam isn't until tomorrow..."

"Seventy eight...?" she asked with a cocky smirk, "Ibiki, you let twenty six teams pass?" Now she was the one speaking in the annoyed tone while Ibiki was glaring at her. "I do believe you're getting too soft in your old age."

"We simply have an exceptional batch of students this time," commented Ibiki. Anko merely huffed in aggravation.

"And I helped too," Hunter said.

"Oh well..." Anko sighed. "I'm certain I will make at least half the teams fail this next exam. Just thinking about it makes me excited..." she said somewhat demurely. "I'll give you all the details tomorrow. We will be in a different location so be sure to find out from your Jonin senseis the exact rally point and time. That is all, dismissed!"

"And everyone remember to head to the stadium around three for the fight," Hunter said.

"Yeah this is going to be so cool!" Naruto shouted. Many of the remaining teams also became interested as they all wanted to see if the stories of the two soldiers from across the sea are true or not.

!

Far from the Leaf Village –

Niamh stood in the very same shack that she had first met Naruto and the others months ago. In front of her was the person she had Emma contacted.

"What business do you want of me?" the man asked.

"I need you to do something for me," Niamh said to the man.

"And what would that be?" he ask.

"Something that will shake the Leaf Village to the core," Niamh said coldly.

!

Author's Notes –

1 – Who can name where all of them came from?

2 – They're speaking with their eyes.

!