A subtle, disorienting genjutsu swept through the corridor leading to the exam hall. The walls seemed to waver, the air thickened with an unsettling distortion, and the faces of fellow genin flickered with subtle, unsettling changes.
Many teams, unable to perceive or resist the illusion, faltered. A proctor's voice, cold and detached, announced their immediate disqualification.
Sasuke, having already knowing the true nature of the written exam, had warned Naruto and Sakura, preparing them for the psychological test ahead.
The genjutsu acted as a swift culling, eliminating a significant number of participants before the true exam even began. The remaining genin, a mix of the quick-witted and the battle-hardened, were then ushered into the main exam hall.
The exam hall was a vast, oppressive space, the air thick with tension. Ibiki Morino entered, his imposing presence silencing the nervous chatter. His gaze, cold and unwavering, swept across the room, sending a shiver down the spines of many genin.
His voice, low and menacing, filled the hall, a chilling prelude to the psychological gauntlet that awaited them. "Listen up, you little maggots," he began, his voice a low growl that resonated through the room. "There are a few rules you need to know. First, you will not leave your seats. Second, you will not talk. Third, you will not cheat. And fourth, you will answer the questions on this test. This is not a test of your knowledge, but of your ability to endure. Those who cannot withstand the pressure, those who crumble under the weight of fear, will be eliminated. And let me assure you, elimination will be swift and merciless."
"Now, the test itself," Ibiki continued, his eyes scanning the room. "There are nine questions. Each question is worth a certain number of points. If you get a question wrong, you will accumulate points. If you accumulate too many points, you will be disqualified. Furthermore, if you are caught cheating, you and your entire team will be disqualified. You have one hour to complete the test. After 45 minutes, I will give you the tenth question, which will be the final question. But be warned: the tenth question will be a gamble. If you answer it incorrectly, you will be disqualified. But if you choose not to answer it, you will also be disqualified. The choice is yours."
Naruto, usually the loudest and most impulsive of the group, sat quietly, a rare expression of focused concentration on his face. He remembered Sasuke's warning: this exam wasn't about brute force or loud declarations, it was a subtle game of information gathering and psychological warfare.
A smirk played on his lips. 'I don't need to write a thing', he thought, his confidence growing. 'I'll pass this test my own way.' He leaned back in his chair, his eyes scanning the room, determined to find a way to succeed without answering a single question.
Ibiki's words hung in the air, a heavy, suffocating presence. The genin, their faces pale and their hands trembling, stared at the impossibly difficult questions before them.
The atmosphere was thick with fear and uncertainty, as they grappled with the realization that this was not just a test of skill, but a brutal psychological game.
The exam began, the silence broken only by the scratching of pens and the occasional, stifled gasp of a genin succumbing to the pressure. The air was charged with a sense of impending doom.