Inheritance

The Chunin Exams II

The Tenth Question, as it turned out wasn't really an exam question at all - more of a test of the Genin themselves. You see, they had been given a choice - either take the question or don't. If they chose not to, they failed, and would be free to try again at the next Exams. If they chose to take the question and answered correctly, they passed the First Exam; if they were incorrect however, they and their team-mates would fail, and never be able to take the exams again, remaining Genin for the rest of their lives.

Really, his squad had an unfair advantage. He had long ago decided that he would bet everything on becoming Hokage in order to protect his village, and wasn't about to back down at the first hurdle put in his way. Hana on the other hand, dreamed of being a medic-nin, and truth be told, medic-nin didn't actually need to be any higher ranked than Genin, as long as they were good enough at their job.

As it turned out, it had been a trick either way. The question was actually the decision on whether to advance or not. Simply put, those that chose to take the question passed.

"Say you guys become Chunin, and you get a mission to steal a secret document with information vital to the safety of your village. There could be traps all around you, and any number of enemy ninja of any level... Because you don't want to die, because you don't want your comrades hurt, can you avoid this dangerous mission? The answer is no! There are missions you cannot avoid no matter the danger. To be courageous in the face of such tasks, and survive hardship - that is the ability required of a Chunin. Those cowards who aren't willing to put their hopes and dreams on the line, those who cling to the comfort of 'there's always next year'... Those kind of people don't have the right to become Chunin. That was the point of the Tenth Question. Those who chose to take it remain, and have passed; those without the courage have failed... I wish you guys lu-"

Ibiki's speech was cut short by the sound of smashing glass as a figure moving almost faster than Naruto could follow darted into the room, throwing kunai that lodged into the classroom walls as she did so. The kunai were attached to a mass of black cloth that stretched out as the figure came to a stand before the room, creating a banner behind the mysterious woman.

Newly Arrived Second Chief Examiner Mitarashi Anko!

Naruto very nearly burst out laughing at the the woman, Anko, on the spot. He couldn't for the life of him decide whether that entrance was cool, lame, or the single funniest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Either way, he decided there and then that he liked Mitarashi Anko. It helped of course, that he was pretty sure she could be trusted too, given that she worked in the Torture and Interrogation department with Ibiki. The woman wearing a tan overcoat with almost nothing underneath but a mesh bodysuit that went down to her thighs, and a short, tan skirt; had managed to endear herself to him by doing something so quintessentially Naruto, that Naruto hadn't even done it yet.

He may have grown up, but this was still the guy who had painted the Hokage Monument, and rigged 200 stink bombs to explode simultaneously throughout the village so that there was literally nowhere to run, after all.

"It's way too early to be celebrating!" Anko shouted out over the din caused by her entrance. "You left this many behind Ibiki? You're slipping."

Ibiki barked out a laugh. "There were some outstanding ones this year, Anko."

"Well, no matter." Anko began, gazing almost bloodthirstily at the remaining Genin. "By the time I'm done, their numbers will be cut by half."

Suddenly, Naruto couldn't help but feel that he didn't like Anko quite as much as he thought he did.

"Now follow me little Genins, I'll explain everything once we get to the location of the second exam."

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