The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 19

"No fatal force? But that's not fun," the other male Oto shinobi states, glancing at us from over his shoulder with a sneer.

"Enough, the written exam is about to begin. Come up here and take a number. You will be assigned that seat," Ibiki instructs, holding out a bowl with small slips of paper. Naruto was very obviously panicking, written tests have never been his strong suit whatsoever.

Making my way to the front of the room, I analyze all of the competition while I still have time. I catch sight of Gaara and his team, as well as a few other formidable looking teams. These genin look like they would kill you at any opportunity they would get...

Approaching Ibiki, I slowly reach for a slip of paper, unraveling it in my hands, revealing the number 97. I turn around and spot my seat in the back, which was right next to Neji. My face not betraying any emotion, I casually walk back to the seat, plopping down silently.

Neji doesn't move, merely staring forward as we wait for all of the ninja to get seated. I glance at my surroundings, finding nobody that I know, other than Neji, sitting anywhere near me, and the chunin proctors examining us from the side.

All the way across the room in the front was Naruto, who was sitting next to Hinata. A little ways behind him was Sakura, who was watching Naruto as he spoke with Hinata. Sasuke was back a little way in the middle row. He was the closest one to me, although I don't think he noticed...

"Listen up! There are a few rules you need to follow. I won't take any questions, so listen up the first time! There are a total of ten questions in this part of the exam. You will start with ten points and for every answer you get wrong one point will be subtracted from your score. This grade will be team-based, so all of the scores on your team will be combined into one final score."

"What?! Our scores are team-based?!" Sakura shouts in outrage. I can't say I blame her... we have Naruto on our team. There is absolutely no way we will pass this.

"What's her problem?" Neji asks from beside me. I sigh and shake my head in irritation.

"The blonde boy from earlier, Naruto, is... not the brightest, to put it nicely. In this portion of the exam, he is a liability," I explain, glancing at Neji. He nods in understanding, returning his attention back to the proctor.

"There are chunin sentinels located around the room to catch you if you cheat. Every cheating incident will reduce your score by two points. If you get caught five times, you and your team will be eliminated."

My eyebrow twitches in annoyance with this knowledge. Naruto isn't mentally smart enough to do well on these exams, but if he cheats then he will lose points. But... Ibiki says if he is caught cheating... meaning Naruto still has a chance! Although I doubt he understands that...

"The tenth question will be given out 15 minutes before the ending of the exam. You all have one hour. Begin!" Ibiki declares, and immediately everyone picks up their pencils. Reading over the questions, they were extremely difficult. Way more difficult than a genin could solve.

Perhaps Sakura would be able to answer these, she is the most mentally capable on our team. I would be able to do a little more than half of these before I would be clueless on how to go about figuring them out. Sasuke should be okay for a few of them, but Naruto...

Naruto is doomed.

Unless he can cheat without getting caught.

Letting out a soft breath, I finish the questions I can answer alone. The last two questions, however, were a mystery to me. The only way to get those answers... would be for me to cheat. Glancing around the room, I see a few ninja writing down the answers to the last question, so I activate my sharingan in order to track their pencil movements.

Finishing the test without a hitch, I place my pencil down and close my eyes. Even if I was done, I didn't want to look like I was cheating so that I didn't get points deducted off my score.

Our chances of going through to the next portion of the exam were slim enough.

"Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom!" the Suna ninja from the other day, Kankuro, calls out. One of the chunin sentinels stands up and handcuffs him, leading him to the bathroom with a tight hold on him.

Minutes pass, and the clock ticks once more.

"Alright everyone, here is the tenth and final question! There are a few things you need to know, however..." Ibiki announces. Right before he continues, Kankuro walks back in with the sentinel. However, the sentinel looked... different. His skin seemed to be peeling around his left eye. Kankuro definitely did something.

"Welcome back. I hope your bathroom experience was... enlightening," Ibiki mocks. So he saw it too, eh? Kankuro's eyes narrow on Ibiki as he walks back to his seat, the fake sentinel going back to his.

"Very well then, rule number one. Each and every one of you may choose to not be given the final question. It's your decision," he says. I clench my fists, already suspecting that there was some kind of catch. There's no way that's an option.

"Hold up, we can choose not to take the final question?! What's the catch?" Temari shouts out, having had the same thoughts as me. Ibiki glares at her, causing her to flinch and sit back in her seat.

"If anyone decides not to take the final question, their points will be reduced to zero, resulting in both you and your team failing. However, if you take this question and answer it incorrectly... you will automatically fail, and will be barred from taking the chunin exams ever again."

My eyes widen at this statement, the breath leaving me. Either way, the options are not tilted in our favor... it came down to letting your team down by not taking the question... or possibly keeping you and your team from ever taking this exam again.

Beside me, Neji scoffs, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Ibiki. I spare a glimpse at him, only to find him deep in thought, glancing at his teammates. He probably wouldn't quit, but I couldn't speak for Lee and Tenten.

Looking ahead, I notice Sasuke turned around and staring right at me. I shake my head to show I wasn't going to raise my hand, and he tilts his head towards Naruto, who was obviously having an internal struggle.

"Anyone who would like to skip the final question, raise your hand and we will record your number as well as your teammates, and you're free to leave."

Immediately, multiple hands went up. Many people didn't want to ruin their chances of becoming chunin again. What surprised me, though, was the fact that Naruto seemed to truly be conflicted as to what he should do.

Slowly but surely, Naruto's hand shakily raises in the air. I'm taken aback, my jaw dropping slightly. Neji notices my reaction, raising an eyebrow at Naruto.

"So he's going to quit?" Neji muses, leaning back in his seat. I shake my head in disbelief. This is not Naruto's personality at all.

"Naruto is never like this. I'm genuinely shocked..." I admit, frowning at Naruto, although he can't see it.

Despite my doubts, Naruto's hand slams against the table as he abruptly stands from his seat, glaring at Ibiki menacingly.

"Don't underestimate me! I don't quit, and I don't run! I don't care what you guys say, I won't stay as a genin for the rest of my life... I'm going to be the Hokage someday!" Naruto declares. My frown morphs into a smile as the Naruto I know and love resurfaces. His statement boosted the morale of many ninja in the room, ceasing the hands from raising.

Ibiki's eyes sift through the rest of us, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"No more? Well then... I'm pleased to tell you that you all pass."

...we passed?

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