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Inoiki stepped into room 301, his sharp gaze scanning the space filled with over a hundred Genins. The air was thick with tension, and the unfriendly stares of his peers bore down on him like a challenge. But Inoiki remained unfazed, his confidence unshaken. Without hesitation, he moved to the right side of the room where Team 10—his friends and sister, Ino—were waiting.
"Inoiki! Where have you been?" Ino called out, her hands on her hips, a mix of relief and annoyance in her voice. "We were looking everywhere for you! We thought we'd go in together, but you just disappeared!"
Inoiki smiled warmly, brushing off her scolding. "Sorry, sis. I was training with Dad again. You know I'm working on perfecting that move, and he's been helping me fine-tune it. I lost track of time."
Shikamaru, leaning against the wall with his usual bored expression, let out a sigh. "What a drag... You're making the rest of us look bad. Now my mom's been nagging me nonstop, telling me to train harder like you."
Inoiki chuckled at this, his laughter light but genuine. "That sounds rough, Shikamaru. Maybe you should listen to her for once."
Before Shikamaru could reply, the door creaked open, drawing everyone's attention. A new wave of murmurs spread through the room as Team 7 entered, their presence commanding instant notice.
Ino's eyes lit up the moment she spotted Sasuke. Without a second thought, she darted across the room and threw her arms around him from behind.
"Sasuke!" she cooed, her voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness. "It's been so long since we last met!"
Her playful gesture wasn't just affection—it was calculated. She knew exactly what she was doing, her mischievous smile aimed at riling up Sakura. Sure enough, Sakura's eyes narrowed, her irritation evident as she shot Ino a withering glare.
Sasuke, as usual, remained stoic, his face a mask of indifference. But the dynamic had shifted, and Ino's antics added a spark to the room's simmering tension.
Ino's plan worked flawlessly. Sakura's face flushed with anger as she clenched her fists, her voice rising above the chatter in the room. "Ino-pig! Get away from my Sasuke!"
Still clinging to Sasuke with a smug grin, Ino fired back, her tone syrupy sweet yet laced with venom. "Since when did Sasuke become yours, Billboard Brow? Ugly much?"
The air between the two girls crackled with tension, their standoff drawing curious glances from the other Genins. Beside them, Shikamaru sighed deeply, dragging his feet as he muttered, "What a drag..."
The room's atmosphere shifted again as Team 8 approached, led by Kiba, his usual boisterous grin plastered across his face. "Yohoo! Look at that—all nine rookies are here! Wait... ten rookies?!" His eyes landed on Inoiki, brows raised in confusion. "Inoiki, what are you doing here?"
Inoiki leaned back slightly, an enigmatic smile curling on his lips. "I got special permission from the Hokage to participate solo in the Chunin Exams. Don't worry about it."
The room buzzed with curiosity, the rookies exchanging puzzled looks. Why would the Hokage grant such an exception? Before anyone could press further, a voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"Hey, you guys. You should really tone it down."
All heads turned toward the source of the voice. A boy, looking slightly older—about sixteen or seventeen—stood confidently near the doorway. His pale hair reflected the light, and his glasses glinted as he adjusted them with a casual flick of his fingers.
The boy stepped closer, his demeanor calm but commanding. "You're the Rookie Ten, fresh out of the Ninja Academy, right?"
Ino, still annoyed from her spat with Sakura, scowled. "And who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty?"
Unfazed by her hostility, the boy introduced himself with a measured smile. "I'm Kabuto Yakushi. But don't waste time looking at me—take a good look around you instead."
He gestured toward the room, his words laced with an air of mystery that left the rookies intrigued and uneasy.
At Kabuto's suggestion, everyone shifted their focus, scanning the room. Wherever they looked, they were met with the unblinking stares of other Genins. The room buzzed with tension, their gazes sharp and assessing, making the rookies feel like prey under a hundred watchful eyes. It was unnerving, to say the least.
Sakura turned back toward Kabuto, her curiosity tinged with caution. "Kabuto, right? Is this your second time taking the Chunin Exams?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses with a small smile. "Second time? No, this is my seventh attempt. The Chunin Exams are held twice a year, after all."
Naruto's eyes widened in astonishment. "Seven times? Whoa, then you must know everything about this exam!"
Shikamaru, leaning against a wall, scoffed. "Tch. Failed six times? What's so impressive about that?"
Kabuto scratched the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle. "Fair point. But hey, all those failures mean I've learned a lot. I know more about these exams—and the people taking them—than most."
Shikamaru sighed deeply, the weight of the situation sinking in. "So the Chunin Exams are this tough? What a drag..."
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