(WIP)The Hidden Dragon Chronicles: Series 1

Episode 14: The Chunnin Exams: Part One! The Written Exam!

Someone suddenly appeared in front of the entire class. "I'm Morino Ibiki!" I'll be your proctor for the first exam, which will be a written examination!" He said.

"Now. I've got a bunch of numbers in my palm, and there are numbers on each desk. You will only sit at the desk marked with that number. "Now, form a line so we can get you in and out quickly!"

Izumi waited for her turn to take a number and find out where she would be sitting, which did not take long. She soon stepped up to the teacher and collected the number before stepping inside to take her seat.

seated down and turned to her left, she realized she would be seated next to him. 'No way!' She had a thought. 'I'm sitting next to him? Is this fate? Or destiny?

Izumi's cheeks became a pale pink before she cleared her throat. "Thanks for helping me out back there... with your brother and all."

He nodded slowly towards her.

She fidgeted slightly and muttered. "Good luck..."

He turned to face her, his eyes softened briefly before returning to normal. "You, too..." he responded.

Once everyone was seated, Ibiki began explaining how the test would be conducted, as well as certain restrictions. The regulations were a little weird. If someone was detected cheating, the officials on the side would deduct one point. However, there has to be something more to the exam... the true reason.

Then the examination began. Izumi sat and reflected on Ibiki's comments, contemplating and trying to figure out the answer. 'It's strange how they only take off one point. What's going on? Izumi inquired, carefully glancing around.

Without saying anything, a little hand of sand nudged Izumi. She carefully peered alongside her and discovered Gaara using....a cheat?! She looked around more closely and comprehended.

'We're expected to cheat! That's what this is about!' She thought.

She nodded to Gaara and called Leviathan in her thoughts, who began muttering answers from Shikamaru, who was behind her.

A little while later, Izumi had written down every answer she could gather before...

"Put down your pencil!" "The test is over!" Ibiki's voice echoed around the room. "Now... the 10th question..... but before I tell you the question... there is a catch on this one..... if you decide to take it and fail... you'll be banned from ever taking the exam ever again..."

All of the rookie 13, sand ninjas, and sound ninjas stared at him in surprise. They remained in their positions, determined as ever.

One by one, pupils began to leave the class as they gave up.

Naruto then began raising his hand. The rest of team seven became uneasy, and those surrounding them expressed their unease.

Naruto's face tensed as he slammed it back down. "I don't care if I'm stuck as a Genin for the rest of my life... I will still be the Hokage, believe it!" He yelled. His message inspired everyone, and no one else gives up.

'Hmph! Way to go, Naruto!' Izumi pondered.

"Is that it? No more? Okay, those of you who have opted to stay... passed..." Ibiki confirmed.

"Wait... what about the 10th question??" Ino asked.

"There never was a 10th question..... and I'm sure most of you have figured out the real purpose of this test..." Ibiki explained while gazing around at the students. "I had placed two Chunnin in this room. Do you know who they were?"

Izumi lifted her hand and pointed at the two Chunnins. "... it's them, right?"

They smirked at the blonde, confirming her suspicions.

"Very well done. you'd make a very excellent Chunnin...," one of them commented.

Then, unexpectedly, someone enters the classroom through the window, scattering fragments of smashed glass throughout the room. Izumi utilized chakra to create a water barrier before seeing Gaara had also attempted to protect her with his sand.

"Uh...thank you, Gaara..." she smiled timidly.

He nodded with a slight smile on his face.

"You're early, as usual, Anko..." Ibiki remarked from behind the banner. Mitarashi Anko. She's as noisy and hyper as Naruto.

"You let 26 teams pass..... have you gone soft?" She teased.

"Or we have a promising assortment of candidates this year" said Ibiki.

"Oh, whatever. By the time I'm done with them.... over half of them will be eliminated!" She shouted, grinning evilly at the remaining group.