Chapter 41: The First Test: A Rule of One
"My name is Morino Ibiki. I am the chief proctor for the first stage of the Chunin Selection Exams."
Ibiki's voice was like grinding stone, his face a roadmap of old scars that spoke of brutal experience. He didn't need to shout; his mere presence exuded a palpable aura of menace that silenced the room completely.
His sharp, assessing eyes swept across the sea of genin, and wherever his gaze landed, young shinobi flinched, their bravado evaporating. The lively, competitive buzz was snuffed out, replaced by a tense, fearful quiet.
This is insane, Kiba thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Just his presence is enough to put this much pressure on me. The normally wild and energetic boy found himself frozen in place, as docile as a scolded puppy under that heavy stare.
"I won't waste time with pointless chatter," Ibiki's low voice cut through the silence, brooking no argument. "Listen carefully. In this room, fighting is strictly forbidden without the express permission of a proctor. Anyone who violates this rule will be immediately disqualified. Is that understood?"
A few muffled "Yes, sirs" echoed through the room. The deputy proctors flanking Ibiki wore predatory smirks, their eyes scanning the candidates like hawks, adding another layer of psychological pressure.
Seeing the candidates fall into line, Ibiki gave a curt, satisfied nod. "Good. Now, we will begin the first exam. You will hand in your application forms in an orderly fashion, then receive a seat number. Find your assigned desk. Written test papers will be distributed shortly."
The genin complied, forming lines and moving with a hushed urgency. By a twist of fate, or perhaps careful design, Aizen and Hinata were seated at adjacent desks. The rest of their original team was scattered to the corners of the large classroom.
Aizen glanced at Hinata and offered her a small, reassuring smile. The calm, confident energy he radiated made her blush, and she quickly looked down at her desk, her heart fluttering.
Ahem.
Ibiki's deliberate cough brought all attention back to the front. "There are several rules for this exam," he announced, his tone grave. "First, the scoring is based on a penalty system. There are ten questions. You begin with ten points. You lose one point for every question you answer incorrectly. Correct answers incur no penalty."
"Rule two," he continued, his eyes narrowing. "If you are caught cheating, you will lose two points for each infraction. Once your score reaches zero, you and your teammates will be removed from the examination room."
He paused, letting the weight of the rules settle in. "The final rule concerns team scoring. You are here in three-person teams. Your team's total score is thirty points. Elimination will be based on this combined team score."
His gaze then shifted, landing squarely on Aizen. "However, we have a special case today. Aizen Sōsuke, originally of Team 8, will be participating as a one-man team due to the examination's three-person requirement. Therefore, his assessment criteria are different."
Ibiki's voice echoed in the silent hall. "Aizen Sōsuke. To pass this examination, you must achieve a perfect score. You cannot afford a single mistake."
"What?!" Hinata couldn't stop the word from escaping her lips. "A perfect score? That's not fair!" For a three-person team, a few mistakes could be absorbed by the team's total. For Aizen, a single error meant instant failure.
"Hmph," Ibiki snorted, utterly unmoved. "This is the fairest adjustment. If a lone participant lacks that level of certainty, then he has no business aspiring to become a chunin."
What surprised Ibiki, however, was Aizen's reaction. The boy had agreed to these terms without protest and now, hearing the harsh reality, he maintained that same infuriatingly calm composure. It was as if Ibiki had just told him the sky was blue.
Good character, Ibiki mentally noted, a flicker of respect in his stern eyes. Let's see if your skill matches your nerve.
"Since there are no further objections," Ibiki declared, his voice booming in the quiet room. "I announce that the first exam... begins now!"