12He was using all my words.AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 12: He Stole All My Lines!
Inside the examination room, a deathly silence prevailed.
Only Ibiki Morino spoke slowly, announcing the final question of this exam.
"First... you must choose whether to [take] or [not take] the tenth question."
"If you choose [not take], you will receive zero points."
"That means losing the qualification to continue. Likewise, your entire team will be disqualified."
Hearing this, the crowd fell into an even deeper silence.
Immediately afterward, an uproar broke out.
"Are you kidding me!"
"Of course we choose to [take] it! What kind of rule is this!"
"Exactly! Who would choose to quit? Zero points? The whole team gets eliminated?"
A cold sneer appeared on the corner of Ibiki Morino's mouth.
As a member of Konoha's Anbu and the captain of the Torture and Interrogation Force...
He had already begun leading these candidates into his own rhythm, step by step.
"Don't be in a rush, I haven't finished—if you choose to [take] the question but fail to answer correctly, you will lose the qualification to ever take the Chunin Exams again!"
As soon as this supplementary rule was announced...
The original clamor was instantly frozen.
"Your luck is quite poor; this year's rules were decided by me."
"Anyone who lacks the confidence to answer the tenth question correctly can choose [not take] right now."
"Choose [not take], and you lose this qualification, but you'll have another chance next year."
"Choose [take] and get it wrong, and you will be confined to the status of a Genin for the rest of your lives."
Temari, who had just held a glimmer of hope for the tenth question, saw her face turn extremely ugly in an instant.
According to the original plan, either Gaara or Kankuro was supposed to relay the answers to her.
But after Naruto's commotion, Kankuro's Crow had been confiscated directly.
Ever since that Kunai incident, Gaara had been suppressing his rage, struggling to control himself from going on a rampage right then and there.
Now, her test paper remained completely blank.
"What should I do..."
Temari rubbed her head powerlessly.
This exam used the team's total score as the final result.
She had originally planned to use the tenth question to make up for some of their disadvantage.
Although Kankuro and Gaara had already answered some questions, if the team failed to rank high enough to enter the next round because she dragged them down... all their plans would go down the drain.
"Aaaaah! That damn yellow-haired brat!!"
Temari cursed Naruto through gritted teeth in her heart.
Ino had similar thoughts.
Ever since returning from the restroom, she had been in a state of daze.
Although she eventually remembered her mission with her teammates' reminders and used the Mind Transfer Jutsu to relay the hard-earned answers...
When she heard Ibiki Morino's mention of a "lifetime ban."
Her already fragile nerves were stretched to the limit once again.
"Now, begin making your choice."
"Those choosing [not take], raise your hands. Your numbers will be recorded, and then you may leave."
While countless people were fighting internal battles and sweat was soaking their test papers...
Ibiki Morino's words completely shattered their collapsing defenses.
A candidate from the Hidden Rain Village was the first to raise his hand.
Then came Sunagakure, Takigakure, Konoha... one after another, five or six more teams chose to withdraw.
More than half of the seats in the exam room were now empty.
Those who left carried a mix of humiliation and relief, while those who stayed continued to endure immense torment.
In the center of the exam room.
Hinata buried her face deep into her clothes.
Her entire body was trembling slightly.
"A lifetime ban..."
Hinata stole a glance at her other two teammates.
Shino maintained his usual calm, sitting there silently.
While Kiba was constantly scratching his hair, seemingly caught in the same dilemma.
Hinata's mind was in total chaos.
Participating in the Chunin Exams for the first time, she hadn't been confident about passing on her first try.
If she raised her hand, she would drag Kiba and Shino down, causing the whole team to lose their qualification.
But what was even more terrifying was the "lifetime ban."
As the daughter of the Hyuga Main House, if she remained a Genin for the rest of her life, her Family's honor and her father's expectations would be completely thrown away because of her wrong choice this time.
"I... I'm so useless..."
Hinata bit her lower lip hard, her teeth almost sinking into the flesh.
She felt like she was the person in the entire team, perhaps even the entire exam room, who was least qualified to insist on staying.
If only she could have that kind of fearless courage like Naruto-kun.
Thinking this, she looked up and stole a glance at Naruto, who was sitting next to her.
The latter was thinking about who-knows-what.
Gradually, the corners of his mouth actually curled upward slightly, revealing a cunning, mischievous smile.
"Ah... Naruto-kun must be mocking someone like me who overestimates herself and still thinks about staying..."
This thought instantly crushed the last bit of struggle in her heart.
Likewise, she couldn't drag Kiba and Shino down and make them lose their future because of her.
Hinata's fingers left the table and slowly moved upward.
Just as they were about to enter the proctor's line of sight, she suddenly felt a gaze.
She looked up instinctively and found that Narutowas also looking at her.
At the very moment her hand was about to be fully raised, Naruto reached out his hand.
"Silly girl."
The next second, her hand was grasped by Naruto.
Their fingers intertwined tightly, their hands locked together.
"Are you an idiot for believing whatever he says?"
At that moment, an unprecedented sense of security flooded Hinata's heart.
The warmth coming from Naruto's palm seemed to give her infinite strength as well.
She felt that she was no longer that timid, good-for-nothing little girl.
"Um... I am an idiot—no, I'm not an idiot..."
"Dummy."
The gloom in her mind was swept away.
Originally, Hinata still found yesterday's incident somewhat hard to forget.
But now, she only felt that being with Naruto was truly wonderful.
Ah... if only this exam would never end, and time would stay forever at this moment of holding hands.
This bold and sweet thought popped up in Hinata's mind.
This posture was maintained for a few seconds.
Seeing that Hinata was no longer struggling, Naruto smiled with satisfaction and slowly let go of her hand.
In essence, Hinata was a strong and brave girl.
It was just that because of her upbringing, she still lacked an opportunity for a Breakthrough.
As his Main Wife, Naruto hoped Hinata could continue on, experience more things, grow, and be able to hold her own in the future, rather than always hiding behind him as just a pretty face.
He also believed that if it was Hinata, she would definitely be able to do it.
"All candidates who did not raise their hands, you have all chosen to [take] the tenth question."
Ibiki Morino's voice rang out at this time.
"Then you should all understand the consequences of answering incorrectly, right?"
"Now, one last chance... is there anyone else who wants to raise their hand?"
The atmosphere froze to the extreme.
In the midst of this dead silence, Inuzuka Kibasuddenly moved.
The veins on his forehead bulged, and that hand which had hesitated for so long finally began to tremble and slowly rise!
"Number 43, Inuzuka Kiba, is it?"
Ibiki Morino immediately caught the movement.
Just as he had expected, someone else had surrendered.
"You and your teammates, Hyuga Hinata and Shino Aburame, will lose..."
Just as Ibiki Morino was about to announce the team's total withdrawal.
Inuzuka Kiba's body suddenly tensed up, and he slammed that raised hand down onto the table!
BANG!
A loud noise, like a sudden clap of thunder, instantly interrupted Ibiki Morino's pronouncement!
Kiba looked up sharply, his eyes wide, carrying a beast-like unwillingness.
"Don't underestimate me! I won't run away!"
He roared, his voice hoarse but determined.
"I'm taking the tenth question! Even if I have to be a Genin for the rest of my life, I'll still work hard to become the Hokage!"
"Bring it on, I'm not afraid of you at all!!"
Finally, Inuzuka Kiba had conquered his fear.
It was as if a shot of adrenaline had been injected into the entire exam room.
All the candidates who were still hesitating were infected by his 'at-all-costs' spirit.
"I'll ask you one more time, this is a choice you're betting your life on..."
Ibiki Morino wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Kiba.
"It's useless, once a decision is made, it won't change. That is my Ninja Way!"
Looking at his determined eyes, Ibiki Morino's coldness finally collapsed completely.
Seventy-eight people actually stayed... this number exceeded his expectations.
However, Inuzuka Kiba's words just now had eliminated the others' unease in an instant.
Even if he continued to pressure them, the result would be the same.
"Very well."
He said hoarsely.
"Then, to all the candidates who stayed, congratulations, because you have already..."
"...passed the first exam!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the exam room was stunned for a moment.
Then, they realized.
The tenth question... didn't exist at all!
Or rather, the choice between [taking] and [not taking] just now was the tenth question.
A tsunami-like roar of cheers erupted, and long-suppressed emotions were completely released.
Many candidates jumped up in excitement, completely unable to believe they had actually passed the test.
Amidst this liveliness, only one person sat blankly in his seat.
"What's the situation?"
Naruto had originally wanted to take advantage of the final moment to fan the flames and persuade some people to quit, to see if he could rake in a wave of evil points.
He looked at Inuzuka Kiba, who was surrounded by the crowd like a hero.
"Aren't those all the lines I said in the original story?"
"Could this be the convergence of the world lines?"