Chapitre 35: Passed smoothly!
For a moment, the examination room was eerily silent, broken only by the sound of tense, rapid breathing. The tension was so thick that even the faintest noise seemed to echo. Morino Ibiki's tenth question had created immense psychological pressure on everyone, including the strongest examinees like Neji, Gaara, and Sasuke.
Even those who usually braved challenges felt the weight of this test. The exam's team format meant that if one teammate chose to quit or answered wrong, the entire team would fail and be disqualified.
"Alright, let's begin," Morino Ibiki announced, his sharp gaze sweeping over the candidates. "If you choose not to take the tenth question, raise your hand. Once your number is recorded, leave the room immediately."
The room grew even quieter. Many candidates looked anxious, clearly weighing their options. Some were visibly trembling, struggling under the pressure. Taking the question could mean a lifetime as a Genin if they failed—a fate many were reluctant to risk. But leaving the test felt like giving up on their dreams.
"Why is this tenth question so intense?" Naruto muttered, sweating as he struggled with the choice. "If I mess this up, I'll be a Genin forever. But if I quit now, I'd drag Sasuke and Sakura down with me."
Sakura's expression was tense, but her mind was firm. I don't know what the tenth question is, but I can't let Naruto or Sasuke fail because of me. I just hope Naruto can handle the pressure.
Sasuke sat quietly, his eyes determined. "I'm not giving up," he thought. Nothing Morino Ibiki could say would make him back down now.
Gaara, on the other hand, glared at Temari and Kankuro with a cold, deadly look. If either of them raises their hand, they're as good as dead, he thought darkly. The threat in Gaara's eyes made both Temari and Kankuro freeze. For them, even a lifetime as a Genin was preferable to angering Gaara.
Suddenly, the sound of a pencil dropping broke the silence.
"I… I choose to quit," a Konoha candidate, who had taken the exam twice before, said, his hand trembling. His voice was filled with regret. He didn't want to quit, but the fear of being a Genin forever overpowered his desire to stay.
"Candidate No. 50, disqualified," a proctor announced. "Candidates No. 130 and No. 111 are disqualified as well."
"I'm… sorry, guys," the candidate stammered, looking at his teammates with guilt.
"Damn you!" one of his teammates muttered bitterly.
Soon, others followed suit, raising their hands and accepting defeat. Once one person had given up, it was as if a dam had broken, and more candidates stood to leave, unwilling to risk their future.
One by one, nearly half of the candidates left the room. The remaining ones looked on, knowing their own fates were similarly at stake. For those who stayed, the fear of failure loomed larger than ever.
Naruto, don't let me down, thought Lee, watching Naruto, who was sweating and clearly in turmoil. You carry the blood of the Fourth Hokage. You should be strong enough not to give up.
Naruto sat there, still trembling, struggling with the decision. He didn't raise his hand, but Lee could tell he was having an intense inner battle.
Finally, Naruto's hand started to rise, his fingers twitching with uncertainty.
"Damn it," Sasuke thought, barely able to contain his frustration. He glared at Naruto, his expression intense. Sakura, Hinata, and Shikamaru all glanced at him, equally worried that he might quit and doom their chances as well.
But as Naruto's hand hovered mid-air, he suddenly slapped it down onto the table. "Don't underestimate me!" he shouted, his voice filled with determination. "I'm taking the tenth question! Even if I stay a Genin forever, I'll still become Hokage someday and make everyone look up to me! Bring it on!"
The room fell silent as Naruto's bold words hung in the air. The fierce resolve in his voice seemed to cut through the tense atmosphere, reaching every candidate in the room. His declaration wasn't just for himself; it sent a wave of courage to everyone else.
Ibiki's eyes softened slightly, a hint of respect shining through. This kid… he thought with approval. But he kept his expression stern as he spoke. "Let me ask one last time: Are you sure about this? If you choose to quit, now's the time."
Naruto crossed his arms defiantly. "I said I'm not quitting. This is my path," he answered confidently.
Naruto's words lifted the spirits of many. The sense of dread that Ibiki had created began to fade, replaced by a newfound determination. No one else in the room raised their hand.
"Seventy-eight remaining?" Morino Ibiki surveyed the room with a faint smile. "Much better than I expected."
After a pause, he raised his voice and announced, "Congratulations! To those who stayed, you've passed the first exam!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone