Tears of the Forgotten (Various!Naruto X OP!Reader)

Chapter 18: Start Your Engines: The Chūnin Exam Begins!

        "Sorry to keep you waiting...! I'm Ibiki Morino, proctor for the first test of the Chūnin Exam."

        Ibiki pointed his finger to the back of the room where the rookie nine were gathered.

        "You, from Otogakure! No doing as you please before the Exam! You want to be failed at the get-go?!"

        "...Sumimasen (I'm sorry). It's our first time taking the Exams, so we flipped out... despite ourselves."

        "Hmph. This is a good opportunity, so I'll say this. There will be no battles, competitions, and the like without the permission of the proctors! And even if you get permission, actions that could lead to the death of an opponent will not be permitted. Any pig that screws with me will be disqualified immediately. Got it?!"

        The room fell into silence before it was broken by one of the Oto ninjas.

        "Heh, this Exam looks to be easy!"

        The Chūnin behind Ibiki all chuckled menacingly.

        "Now then, we will start the first test of the Chūnin Exam!" declared Ibiki. "Turn in your applications, take one of these number cards in exchange, and sit in the seat matching that number! After that, we will hand out the paper for the written test!"

        From your place hidden in the mass of people, you heard Naruto cry in outrage.

        "A paper test?!"

        The proctor merely smirked. Soon, everyone had turned in their application and was sitting in their respective seats, you being in the very back of the room where you could see your teammates. Chūnins were seated at the perimeter of the room, able to keep each and every one of the participants in their sights. Once everyone was positioned, blank pieces of paper were passed out.

        Ibiki tapped a piece of chalk on the blackboard. "There are several important rules to this first test. I will take no questions, so listen well accordingly!" He turned around, the chalk clicking against the blackboard as he wrote down something. "First off is the first rule! You are given ten points each from the start! The written test has ten problems in all! Each problem is one point. And, this test is a point deduction system. You are deducted one point for each question you get wrong! If you get three wrong, you'll have seven points! The second rule. Pass or failure will be determined by the total points of the three-person teams."

        Sakura slammed her head on the table with a bang before she lifted her head up again. "C-Chotto matte (Wait a minute)! What do you mean... total points of the teams?"

        "Uruse (Shut up)!" Ibiki barked. "There's a perfectly good reason for this! Shut up and listen! If you've got it, here is the most important next rule! Those who are deemed by the sentinels as having committed an act of cheating or something similar to that... will have two points deducted for each act. In other words... there may be those who will be dismissed during this test without waiting for test grading. Know that those who commit awkward cheating... will bring ruin upon yourselves. If you aspire to become a Chūnin at all, know that shinobi should act like exemplary shinobi. And, in the case of even one person on the team getting zero points... Everyone on that team will fail!"

        At that last statement, Sasuke and Sakura met your eyes and sent you a panicked and desperate look, pleading for you to help Naruto pass.

        "By the way," Ibiki continued, "the last problem will be given forty-five minutes after the start of the test! The time for the test is one hour."