Chapter 108: Pick Up the Pen and Write

“Sit down and stay there, you miserable excuses for human beings!”

As the thunderous roar rang out, the examination hall was instantly engulfed in smoke.

Before the candidates had time to react, a row of Leaf Village shinobi dressed in thick, dark-gray uniforms appeared on the platform.

Judging by the bundles of test papers and clipboards in their hands, it was easy to guess that they were the examiners for this test.

Naruto knew the man leading them. It was Ibiki Morino.

His face bore a terrifying scar so severe it was nearly disfiguring. Like a vicious centipede, it crawled across his features, making anyone who saw it shudder. The long black coat he wore only added to the chilling aura he exuded.

Ibiki Morino was a special jonin of the Leaf Village, specializing in techniques of mental torture. He was also the commander of the village’s Interrogation Corps.

Few outsiders would believe it, but beneath his stern exterior, Ibiki was actually a man of remarkable sensitivity and gentleness. It seemed, however, that he had endured a past too painful to revisit, a humiliation impossible to erase. That was why he had devoted himself so seriously to the study of psychology, putting what he learned into practice and prying countless crucial secrets from the mouths of enemies.

As for why Naruto knew Ibiki so well, the main reason was that the two of them could be considered good friends.

Both had suffered the cold stares of the villagers of the Leaf. Perhaps because they shared similar experiences, Naruto and Ibiki unexpectedly got along extremely well.

Precisely because Naruto understood Ibiki, he knew that this examination would be a serious ordeal for the other candidates. Ibiki would not subject them to any physical torture, but the mental pressure he brought with him was more than enough to crush everyone’s nerves.

Sure enough, the moment Ibiki and the other examiners appeared, Naruto keenly noticed that the atmosphere inside the examination hall had changed.

Someone had used a technique to suppress the ambient noise while slightly heightening everyone’s hearing.

Under such conditions, every person could hear his own heartbeat with startling clarity. The pounding sounded like a tense drumbeat hammering away at their nerves.

They could also hear their own breathing, each inhalation and exhalation exceptionally distinct in the silent hall.

Perhaps it was merely psychological, but everyone felt as though the examiners’ gazes had become tangible. Those cold, sinister eyes seemed to scrape across their bones like knives.

Many candidates inexplicably felt guilty. They did not dare meet Ibiki’s eyes—or those of the other examiners—as though a single glance would expose every secret they possessed.

As the examiners took their seats one after another, Ibiki began to move.

Each step he took seemed not to land upon the floor, but to crash directly into the candidates’ hearts. His body was like a small mountain in motion, radiating an oppressive force that weighed heavily upon them.

“The first examination is about to begin.”

Ibiki cleared his throat slightly. His low, hoarse voice drifted through the hall. He formed a series of seals with both hands, and a sheet of white paper, a pencil, and an eraser appeared before each candidate.

“Listen carefully, you worthless little scum.”

Ibiki’s voice rang out again. “The Chunin Exams are completely different from the childish games you play every day. This will determine your professional future.”

He paused briefly, a hint of amusement flickering unconsciously in his eyes.

“Now I will announce the rules. Each candidate begins with ten points. There are ten questions on the paper before you. One point will be deducted for every wrong answer or unanswered question. If a proctor catches you cheating, two points will be deducted each time. Once your score reaches zero, you will no longer be allowed to continue the Chunin Exams. You will be eliminated immediately.”

As Ibiki announced the rules, the other examiners stood silently to one side. Their solemn expressions and icy gazes seemed to tell the candidates without words that they should not harbor any illusions. No act of cheating would escape their eyes.

The atmosphere in the examination hall grew increasingly tense. Every candidate felt the cruelty and unusual nature of the test. It was as though a heavy stone had been placed upon each of their hearts, while anxiety and unease filled the air.

The moment most of the shinobi heard the rules, a strange feeling surged within them.

They frowned and thought to themselves:

Normally, shouldn’t anyone caught cheating be eliminated immediately? Why was this test using a system in which points were deducted instead? Wasn’t that practically encouraging them to cheat?

When Ibiki finished announcing the rules and the questions appeared on the white sheets, all the doubts in the shinobi’s minds became certainty.

They were convinced that the examination was deliberately encouraging them to cheat by another name.

The reason was obvious. The questions on the paper were impossibly difficult.

They were beyond the abilities of ordinary shinobi like themselves. Even elite shinobi who did not specialize in scientific research, cryptography, or related fields would probably struggle to answer them.

The shinobi began calculating silently.

There had to be someone in the examination hall capable of solving those difficult questions.

No matter what, they had to find that person and somehow copy his answers.

Seeing that most of the candidates had already grasped the true secret of the examination, Ibiki gave a slight nod. A rare trace of satisfaction appeared on his stern face.

He glanced down at his watch, then shouted:

“Begin!”

As his words fell, a chorus of rapid scratching erupted throughout the hall. The sound was like silkworms devouring mulberry leaves.

Naruto sat in his seat and scratched his furry head in confusion.

He thought to himself:

“These questions are pretty difficult. At this level, quite a few people should be eliminated, right?”

Then he thought again:

“But it’s nothing too serious. I suppose plenty of people will still pass.”

Alas, Naruto—normally so clever and quick-witted—was intelligent all his life yet foolish for one moment. He had completely failed to notice the true purpose of the examination, still naively believing that it was merely an ordinary test of theoretical knowledge.

Without hesitation, he seized his pencil and began rapidly writing his answers on the paper.