Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Although Temari wasn't looking at him, Naruto could tell from her tone that she was talking to him.

Temari stopped talking, but frowned and stared intently at Ibiki, lest the snarling examiner come up with some new trick.

Naruto focused more on the clock; only fifteen minutes remained in the exam.

But it was even more unbearable than the previous forty-five minutes.

This is probably the kind of "what's the use" mentality of a poor student... However, Naruto feels that time is passing slowly now because he knows Ibiki's methods in the tenth question.

After all, it's the unknown that intimidates people.

Ibise seemed to think the atmosphere in the exam room had warmed up enough, and he finally spoke again: "Before I announce the last question, I want to add some exam rules."

"Additional exam rules? Why add more rules now?"

No sooner had Ibiki finished speaking than Sakura, who was in the middle of the exam room, spoke up to question him.

"It's my exam room; I can add rules whenever I want."

Ibiki met Sakura's gaze with an icy stare: "If you're not satisfied, you can choose not to answer the last question—but in return, you and your partner will be eliminated immediately!"

Faced with Ibiki's overbearing and domineering attitude, Sakura had no choice but to shut up again.

"What I just said is the first additional rule: before I announce the tenth question, you must choose 'answer the tenth question' or 'not answer the tenth question'."

"Those who choose 'not to answer question 10' will have their scores reset to zero and will be eliminated immediately along with the other two members of their class."

This is the first additional rule.

At first glance, such additional rules seem like a forced multiple-choice question.

"Since you've put it that way, then we definitely have no choice but to choose 'answer question ten'!"

"That's right! He's absolutely right!"

"If one person doesn't answer, the other two will also be eliminated. Who would choose not to answer and risk being blamed by their teammates?!"

Therefore, some candidates immediately began to express their dissatisfaction and ridicule regarding Ibixi's additional rules.

However, Ibixi paid no attention to the noise of the examinees.

He then proceeded to state the second additional rule.

"If any member of a three-person ninja team answers the tenth question incorrectly, the entire team's score will be reset to zero. Furthermore, all three members will be permanently disqualified from participating in the Chunin Exams and will remain genin for life."

Upon hearing Ibixi's second additional rule, the noisy examination room suddenly became completely silent.

"How is that possible... I've taken so many exams and I've never heard of such a thing!"

A genin candidate in his thirties questioned Ibiki's rules in a trembling voice.

"What a coincidence, I am the examiner this year... Since you have participated in many exams, you should know that the rules set by the examiner for each Chunin Exam are approved by the Hokage and are permanently effective, even if the examiner is someone else next time."

Ibiki's cruel words immediately broke the thirty-something-year-old genin examinee: "Then... what if I choose 'not to answer question ten'?"

"That's considered a normal elimination. You can take the exam again next year or the year after."

Ibiki looked at the genin examinee who was a full twelve years older than the other genin present.

They completely ignored his current anxieties and uncertainties.

"I... will not answer question ten."

With that selfish reply from the 30-something-year-old genin, ignoring the opinions of his two companions.

The Chunin examiners immediately called out the exam numbers of his fellow ninja from the same platoon, and all three were expelled from the exam hall.

With the cowards taking the lead, the others who were wavering made their own choices.

The number of candidates eliminated in just ten minutes was more than the number eliminated in the previous 45-minute exam.

There are five minutes left until the end of the first exam.

Ibixi still hasn't released the answer to question 10; they're just waiting for candidates who still intend to withdraw.

It's another simple yet subtle time trap; you can't answer the questions in five minutes.

Ibixi's refusal to disclose the title already speaks volumes.

But the fear of their own failure prevents most people from seeing the true nature of things.

Let those guys who have nothing to do with Naruto leave if they want.

Naruto's gaze was fixed on Sakura.

As if sensing Naruto's gaze, Sakura suddenly turned around and glanced at him.

There was also fear in her eyes, not fear that she couldn't answer the question.

It's not the fear of not knowing whether you should choose to answer the question.

Naruto looked into Sakura's eyes with a determined gaze.

Naruto's gaze soothed Sakura, and the fear in her eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a sense of bewilderment.

It seems Sakura won't give up at this final moment.

Naruto's gaze then fell on Sasuke, who naturally wouldn't remain silent.

Finally, Naruto gazed at Karin and his companions.

The only uncertainty now is Karin and the others.

If Karin is hesitant, Naruto won't have a good way to stop her; he'll probably just have to make a scene like in the original story to buy himself the last five minutes.

Karin, however, remained surprisingly calm, while her two Grass Ninja companions still seemed hesitant.

The two of them glanced at Karin from time to time, seemingly annoyed that she hadn't raised her hand to choose not to answer the tenth question.

"What a pair of vain people who are obsessed with saving face."

Naruto's eyes rarely showed a look of disgust.

Chapter 34: The first exam is over, the second exam begins.

57 second, 58 seconds, 59 seconds...

The second hand on the clock completed a full minute's rotation, while the minute hand swung, pulling on the hour hand.

The last five minutes of the first exam have also ended.

It was five o'clock in the afternoon.

"Now, I announce the results of the first exam."

Ibihi's words puzzled everyone. What about the last question of the exam?

"Wait a minute! Shouldn't the tenth question be announced?"

One of the test takers hurriedly spoke up to ask.

“The ‘choice’ question we just discussed was the tenth one,” Ibihi replied. “As you’ve probably noticed, the purpose of this written exam isn’t simply about answering questions and handing in the paper.”

"The real purpose of the first nine questions is to test your 'personal abilities,' which is to find the Chunin I've placed in the exam room and figure out how to get the correct information from them... your intelligence gathering ability."

"The tenth question tests your 'leadership skills'."

"As ninjas, you all know that there are four ranks of ninjas—genin, chunin, special jonin, and jonin. Starting from chunin, ninjas need to have the qualifications to lead a team."

"A ninja's life will be filled with all sorts of missions that cannot be refused, are unreasonable, and are certain to lead to death... These are all situations that you will inevitably encounter in the future—and as a Chunin captain, your job is to find a glimmer of hope for yourself and your comrades in such desperate situations."

"Just like the choice for the tenth question in this exam, those who choose to give up answering the question, who don't gamble everything at the crucial moment, and who pin their hopes on an uncontrollable future—they deserve to be genin for life—no, they don't even deserve to continue living as ninjas!"

After briefly answering the questions of the winners of the first exam, Ibiki forced a smile onto his otherwise ferocious face: "All of you here now have the potential to become Chunin."

"The first Chunin Exams have successfully concluded. Congratulations on passing!"

As the Ibixi exam ended, a dark shadow suddenly shattered the window of classroom 301.

Glass shards fell into the examination room, while the culprit's dark figure was nailed to the podium with kunai, turning into a huge black cloth banner.

The proctor of the second Chunin Exams;

Mitarashi Red Bean!

The words were written in white paint on the black banner.

Ibixi, who was originally in charge of the first exam, was now hidden by the banner, and in his place stood a dashing young woman.

"I am the examiner for the second exam, Mitarashi Anko! Those who passed the first exam, prepare immediately for the second exam!"

Mitarashi Anko's words and actions are quite bold.

Unlike the others who were surprised by Mitarashi Anko's sudden appearance.

Naruto, on the other hand, was utterly shocked by her attire.

She had her hair tied in a loose braid and wore an open, khaki-colored coat, revealing a black fishnet undergarment underneath.

The fishnet inner armor covered her entire upper body and the skin of her lower thighs.

Underneath her coat, besides a one-piece fishnet inner garment, she wore only a short skirt.

Therefore, Naruto was able to easily see her voluptuous and graceful figure.

"Even though I was mentally prepared, this outfit was still just as visually striking as the first time I saw it..."

In the ninja world, the net inner armor is like chainmail, offering good defense without the bulkiness of armor.

It can be worn by both men and women, and most ninjas wear it as everyday clothing.

Temari, who is sitting right next to Naruto, is wearing a fishnet inner armor under her clothes.

But most people wear them as underwear.

Mitarashi Anko's way of dressing is indeed a bit... carefree.

That's just her personality.

In other words, a tomboy who prefers to mingle with boys rather than play girly games with girls of the same sex.

Of course, Mitarashi Anko had no idea that Naruto was thinking such things about her.

Her gaze swept across the entire 301 examination room, confirming the number of candidates who had successfully passed the first exam.

His tone was somewhat dissatisfied: "There are still 60 people. It's not a lot, but it's not a small number either... Ibixi, you didn't go easy on them while you were proctoring, did you?"