Ninja combat training began with the Seal of Confrontation and ended with the Seal of Reconciliation. Private duels were discouraged, and large-scale brawls were strictly prohibited.
Of course, those were Konoha's rules. How other villages enforced them was anyone's guess.
Morino Ibiki's stern threat managed to cool the heads of the rowdy Genin.
Hyuga Neji, seeing that nothing would likely come of it today, signaled for Tenten and Rock Lee to turn around. "I hope to meet you in the upcoming exams. Let me see if your skills match your arrogance! By the way, I forgot to tell you, my name is Hyuga Neji!"
"I'm Rock Lee! Remember that name. I will one day avenge today's humiliation."
Rock Lee, lacking talent in ninjutsu and genjutsu and receiving no support from Tenten, was undoubtedly one of the candidates with a blank paper. His resentment towards Daigan was perhaps the strongest of all.
Tenten didn't say anything threatening, simply pulling Rock Lee along to catch up with Neji.
With the ringleaders gone, the remaining mob gradually dispersed.
Unfazed by the threats, Daigan pursed his lips and turned to Temari. "Temari, I'm glad you stood up for me, but some things are better handled by myself."
"Who was helping you? I just didn't want the Sand's reputation to be tarnished. Don't get the wrong idea!"
"Is that so?" Daigan smiled and said no more.
Saya complained, "I backed you up too. Don't I even get a 'thank you'?"
"Of course not! I'll always remember Lady Saya's help. If you ever need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!"
Before long, the exam room had nearly emptied. Daigan glanced at Yamanaka Ino, who was being supported by Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji at the back, then at Yakushi Kabuto, who was cozying up to Konoha's Team 7, and finally at the Sound trio, who were staring at Uchiha Sasuke.
*Tomorrow, Orochimaru will be here.*
***
Before nightfall, Morino Ibiki's summary report on the first stage of the joint Chunin Exam was submitted to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Those who had been eliminated were of little note, but detailed files and performance reviews for all the candidates from various nations who had passed were laid out before him.
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully read the meticulously detailed report and took a long drag from his pipe. "I've read the report, Ibiki. All in all, it ended without any major incidents."
"Lord Third, you don't need to console me." Morino Ibiki stood ramrod straight, his expression resolute, not shying away from his responsibility. "The written portion of this Chunin Exam nearly became a laughingstock. As the one in charge, I am undeniably at fault."
Though it was over, what had happened in that exam room would surely spread quickly through the words of the Genin candidates.
No selection process was foolproof, and no set of rules was without its flaws, but for the exam to have nearly collapsed under the light push of a few Genin in such a short time was inexcusable.
"Ibiki, you were certainly negligent. Most Genin are immature, but we can't rule out the existence of exceptional individuals who defy common sense. That boy Daigan posed a risky problem. You underestimated his disruptive potential, failed to take it seriously, and didn't remedy it in time. By the time it was a done deal, your response was already delayed..."
Hiruzen blew a puff of smoke, fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "As an elite of the Torture and Interrogation Force, your past experiences have made you adept at dealing with individual ninja. However, there were over a hundred candidates in that exam, a mix of many minds. When you tried to apply your experience with individuals to a group, your interrogation techniques developed some holes..."
Hiruzen stood up and opened the window behind his desk, looking out at the bustling crowd below. "According to your original plan, all the Genin candidates, apart from interacting with their teammates, would be treated as isolated intelligence sources. There would be no direct or indirect communication between squads. However, you permitted candidates to interfere with other squads' attempts to cheat for answers. Even if they couldn't communicate face-to-face, the squads that could exchange information effectively formed small groups. Individual psychology gave way to group psychology..."
Morino Ibiki looked thoughtful. The rules of the test were designed to constrain individual squads, but Daigan's actions had created a chain reaction among all the candidates. The original system was bound to be inadequate, so it was no surprise that order in the exam room had broken down.
"I think I understand, Lord Third. Thank you for your guidance."
"Haha..." Hiruzen laughed heartily. "You have talent, Ibiki. You were just dragged onto a battlefield you're not used to today..."
Group psychology was a branch of social psychology. What ordinary ninja would pay attention to that? Only the highest-level leaders needed to understand how to guide the hearts and minds of an entire village, how to efficiently utilize collective wisdom to help the village grow and prosper.
That sort of thing fell into the realm of statesmanship. Ibiki's oversight was understandable; after all, he was just an interrogator.
"I will continue to work hard and do my best to prevent such incidents from happening again. Regarding the source of all this—the Sand Ninja Daigan—do you have any instructions?"
"A peculiar little fellow. He reminds me of Ebizo from Sunagakure. Back in the day, he was a strategist who liked to make his move from corners no one was watching, finding that sliver of hope for a Sunagakure in crisis..."
"That military advisor from the Sand? You may be giving Daigan too much credit, my lord. He's just a reckless brat with a bit of cleverness. This incident was likely just a coincidence. I doubt even he expected things to turn out this way."
"Perhaps," Hiruzen said. He wasn't seriously comparing Daigan to the renowned Ebizo; it was just an offhand remark. "Let this matter rest. Konoha has no need to dwell on one or two coincidences, much less make a fuss over a single Sunagakure Genin."
"Understood."
The magnanimity of a great ninja village, the grace of the strongest in the ninja world, gave Konoha's ninja more than enough confidence to handle anything.
***
The moon was high in the sky. In the courtyard of the Nara clan's main house, Nara Shikaku was playing shogi with Nara Shikamaru.
Slightly drunk, Shikaku was not on his game, but Shikamaru was even more distracted today.
"Check, and I take your bishop," Shikaku said lazily, his breath smelling of sake. "I win again. Too easy. You're seriously off your game today. Something on your mind? Go on, tell me. Listening to a son's troubles is part of a father's duty, isn't it?"
"There's no such duty," Shikamaru retorted, his pride not allowing him to come home and complain to his father after being bested outside.
After the first stage of the Chunin Exam ended, Shikamaru and Choji had walked a dispirited Ino home. The look of surprise and concern in her mother Yamanaka Rino's eyes was still etched in Shikamaru's mind.
Fortunately, she hadn't asked why her daughter had come back injured from a written test, but the knot of frustration in Shikamaru's heart remained.
"Is that so?" Shikaku didn't press the issue, changing the subject instead. "Your mother just told me to talk some sense into you. If you don't want to be a bother, stop walking around with that look that makes everyone worry."
"Yeah."
"Good that you understand. Let's keep going."
A long while and several lost games later, Shikamaru once again conceded. "I'm done."
"All right. So, feel like talking now?"
"Yeah." Shikamaru leaned back on his hands, looking up at the bright moon. "Something unexpected happened at the Chunin Exam this afternoon..."
"Wait..." Shikaku's expression was one of extreme annoyance. "The Chunin Exam was today? You participated?"
"You could at least pretend to care about the future of your only son, Dad."
"I get it," Shikaku said, waving his hand impatiently. "Hurry up and tell me."
Shikamaru then succinctly explained what had happened during the first stage of the Chunin Exam.
"I see," Shikaku said, the pieces falling into place. "No wonder Inoichi left in such a hurry before we were done drinking. His precious daughter got hurt."
"Dad, I'm starting to worry about your friendship with Uncle Inoichi. Has it really devolved to the point where you're just drinking buddies?"
***
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