One Worthy as a Leader
Any idiot can solve a question like this.
– Huh? – Yeah, he's right.
So what question are you going to solve?
Why should I tell you?
Everyone is in a dilemma because they don't know…
which one to solve.
It's because they don't know
which ones their teammates will choose.
Neji is planning something.
But why would he tell the others what he plans to do?
The method he plans to use probably necessitates it.
Do you know?
I don't know about my teammates either.
What is that supposed to mean?
But if there's a way to let them know how many points I'll get,
I can solve the question.
That's if you can let them know.
I'll communicate the number to the next room with vibration.
I'll send four vibrations through the wall.
I'll relay the information without leaving the room or destroying it.
But will just hitting the wall get your message across?
How would you interpret four bangs on the wall?
If I should hear four signals…?
That wouldn't mean the other person and I should score 40 points.
If two takes 40 each, that's 80 points.
Then if the one who signaled takes 50,
40, 30, 0 points…
None of the combinations totals 100.
So it can be interpreted that the one who signaled will take the 40-pointer.
And the other two can take the 30-pointers.
– I see. – That makes sense.
I wonder if Gennai and Inaho will think the same way.
I hope Minoji and Tanzo are okay.
Each village selected three genin
to make up their teams for the Chunin Exams.
Everyone just has to trust their teammates.
But why would you teach this to all of us?
If I suddenly pounded on the wall four times,
what would you think?
Well… Naturally, I'd get suspicious.
You would, right?
And I didn't want you guys to do something and interfere.
I figured I'd come clean and let everyone in on this,
and we can all pass this stupid paper test.
All of us?!
So that's his plan.
Everybody passes… He really got you there, Mr. Proctor.
Well, I've gotten a good look at his leadership skills.
All of us?
I see… You're right.
But how about letting me pass on the info to the other classes?
Sure, but why?
I can't let the Hidden Leaf do all the work.
I'll take the blame if the classroom is damaged.
I just have to send vibrations, right?
Yes.
One!
Two! Three!
Four!
Hey, that was five!
What're you doing?
Everyone passes?
You've got to be kidding.
What's the sense of having a test unless someone's eliminated?!
W-Why you…!
– What a jerk! – What's going on?
It's too late now.
If you send four vibrations again,
you'll only add to the confusion.
It doesn't matter if it's five times.
What?
Three times is fine too.
As long as I get the message out, any one will do.
Any one? Three, four, or five… They're all the same?
Yes. Well, it's slightly different.
The question I pick will change.
Huh?
I see…
That was a signal of some sort.
It's definitely more efficient than yelling something out.
But why five times?
Five times must mean the 50-point question.
So what are we supposed to do?
I get it…
To get 100 points using a 50-point question,
two members need to solve the 50-pointer
and the third member needs a zero.
Whoever signaled won't solve the 50-pointer.
That's what the message is telling us exactly that.
What does that mean?
I'm saying the remaining two would have to select
the 50-point or 0-point question,
with no way of knowing which to choose.
So he's signaling both teammates to both solve the 50-point question.
So whoever signaled will get zero points?
Exactly, hoping that each teammate will think about the other
and figure it out.
So who sent the message?
I don't know,
but whoever sent it got everyone in that classroom to agree.
Otherwise, it would've been impossible.
So, everyone in that classroom that signaled will take zero points.
It's because this message is signaling
the remaining two members to choose the 50-point question.
So that's what it means.
Still, opting to get zero points is pretty gutsy.
Even with three times,
my intention would have been communicated.
In that case, I'd take the 40-pointer.
How can you tell?
If the grouping is 30, 30, and 40 for 100 points,
whoever sent the signal won't take 30.
Because that'll leave the remaining two
to decide between 30 and 40 points, and that won't work.
So whoever signals takes the 40-pointer,
leaving the 30-pointer to his two teammates.
Damn you. Why didn't you explain that earlier?
I made it clear, didn't I? That I didn't want any interference.
I was concerned that jutsu users
who can communicate silently with their teammates
would foil my plan for everyone to pass this round.
You can, right?
No one will get in my way.
Well, you're not getting in my way!
NO UNAUTHORIZED FIGHTING
Proctor, are you going to allow fighting?!
If you don't reply, I'll assume you are.
You want to fight?
Mr. Proctor, give us permission!
I made it clear that Round One is a written exam.
Fighting is prohibited!
Stop that racket and answer the question before the time's up!
You heard him.
That Neji… He even forced a hint out of me.
In that warning you just issued?
Until now, there was a possibility that the others would think
I was the one who pounded five times.
I warned them to keep quiet just now, thus raising the possibility
that it was someone in a classroom who made those sounds.
And in truth, it was.
So every team will score 100 points?
No, not necessarily.
If they rationalize it calmly, they'd agree with Neji…
But just how calm can they remain?
How much faith they have in their teammates
is another problem all together.
What's the answer that you prepared?
You're asking me?
If you were one of the test takers over there.
I'd use my Shadow Possession Jutsu…
But this question wouldn't exist if I weren't the proctor.
That's why there is no point in me answering that question.
What are you quibbling about?
Anyway, it all boils down to thinking carefully
about your teammates and the situation.
Still, there's bound to be many who pass.
And that'll make the Second Round a pain.
I won't make trouble for the Hidden Sand.
There's another part to this exam.
Time's up.
Everyone, flip your sheets over.
Continuing to the second part of the exam.
– What?! – Huh?!
Question.
Your team is on a mission and the enemy spots you.
In order to shake off their pursuit,
one teammate must stay behind as a decoy.
Who will you choose…
knowing that the decoy faces certain death?
Write down your answer on that reverse side of your sheet.
In order to pass,
all three members on the team must have the same answer.
And the member named as the decoy will be considered killed
and eliminated from the Exams.
You have three minutes for this.
Begin!
How does he expect us to choose…?
Sand Letters…
So we'll go with Mijin?
Me?!
Damn it…
MIJIN
In our old Team 7, it would have been Naruto.
Because he would probably write his own name down.
Sakura! Sasuke!
I'll be the decoy, so you two make a run for it.
So my answer is…
NARUTO
NARUTO NARUTO
ME
You idiot!
Shut up!
And thanks a lot, you two, for naming me the decoy?!
NARUTO What about you writing down "Me"?
NARUTO We figured you'd choose yourself, so Sakura and I wrote "Naruto."
ME NARUTO Like we were supposed to know you'd write "Me"!
You're mean, both of you!
Shinobi who don't value their comrades are scum!
The answer isn't Naruto.
My teammates now are Ino and Choji…
So…
Sakura!
What'll we do? I can't choose either of you!
What is Shikamaru thinking?
Ino, please relay this to Choji too.
The answer is…
Huh?! But that's…!
I'll be collecting your papers.
Wait in your classrooms until the papers are graded.
Those who passed will be called out to the schoolyard.
You rarely visit. To what do I owe this pleasure?
There's something you need to know.
You don't need Hidden Leaf proctors for the Second Round?
The Hidden Sand would like to handle everything ourselves.
And the reason for that?
The site of the Second Round is known as the Demon Desert.
It's extremely dangerous even for those of us familiar with the terrain.
For the sake of security, we ask for your understanding.
For whose security, may I ask?
Naturally, for the participants.
The jonin in charge of the entrants
will accompany them to Hidden Sand Village.
That is not open to negotiation.
Yes, that's fine.
What do you think?
Sounds suspicious.
Yes, they are hiding something.
But the Sand are not the only ones.
How have the Hidden Rain responded?
Danzo asked to see us earlier.
Even though he's confined under house arrest,
he still has his connections.
You are aware that I helped Hanzo of the Salamander,
the leader of the Hidden Rain?
That was when you were in charge of the Foundation.
I continued to communicate with him secretly even after I was ousted.
Danzo, you didn't…?
But Hanzo abruptly stopped contacting me.
If he stopped trusting me,
he would've lured me out and killed me
since I know so many secrets.
But he didn't.
Something has happened to Hanzo.
Like what?
I believe there's been an incident in Hidden Rain Village.
In the worst case, he's no longer in this world…
How can that be?
On the outside, Hanzo is still the leader of the Hidden Rain.
Please warn Princess Tsunade
to be extremely wary of the entrants sent by the Hidden Rain.
Well, you have been warned.
Danzo of all people asked you this?
He may be called a hardliner and the darkness within shinobi…
But there is no doubt
that he operates all for the sake of the Hidden Leaf.
The Hidden Rain, eh…
We must increase surveillance.
There's also the Sand to think of.
I will inform the jonin in charge of the entrants about this.
Just the jonin of the teams who pass the first round?
Yes.
Damn it…
Well…
Those of you here have passed the First Round. Congratulations.
Neji, you sent that signal, right?
Thanks to you, we made it.
Truth be told, that guy from the Sand did it.
How come all three of you made it?
Didn't the decoy get disqualified?
The rule said all three had to have the same answer.
We didn't choose anyone.
What?!
We all turned in a blank sheet.
Blank? All three of you?!
There's no way we'd sacrifice a comrade.
Take a look…
at how many teams passed with all three members.
I'm sorry I couldn't figure out the question.
It's okay!
We coordinated things with that in mind.
I know!
I trusted you two and didn't write anything.
More like couldn't, right?
You guys!
We passed Round One!
You can transfer thoughts, but that backfired on you, eh.
Well…
Thinking about letting a teammate die was already the wrong answer.
Why you…
I'm Temari of the Sand.
I'm in charge of Round Two of the Exams.
Too many teams passed the first round,
so we're going to narrow it down some more.
Hey, what do you mean "narrow it down"?!
First off, Round Two is also a team battle.
Any team without its third member will be disqualified!
What?!
Furthermore, Round Two will be held in the Village of the Hidden Sand.
We will meet at the Demon Desert checkpoint.
Although there is a clear route
between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand Villages,
it will take a shinobi three days, no matter how fast he or she may be.
A messenger hawk has been sent to the Hidden Sand with these instructions.
"After the first 30 arrive, all who follow are to be disqualified."
Finally, as in Round One, fighting is prohibited en route.
You can fight to your heart's content in Round Two.
That is all.
Lee, Tenten…
He's quick to assess a situation, after all.
What's wrong? You're dismissed!
Ino, Choji!
Oh, I get it!
The elimination race has already begun!
Couldn't you at least have said, "ready, set, go"?
This is the Chunin Exams. Not the Academy.
Huh?
– Hey, Yukata! – Get moving!
Maybe next time, we should stick to an ordinary scholastic test.
Let's get there first!
There's no advantage to being the first to arrive.
Byakugan!
There's one team ahead of us.
Lord Kazekage…
Round One of the Chunin Exams is over.
The participants are now heading towards the Hidden Sand Village.
I see.
Get ready for Round Two.
The people targeting you are stepping up their efforts.
If you casually go out there, you'll be playing into their hands!
I already know.
But if I quit because of that,
it would be like declaring that I caved in under pressure.
The Chunin Exams are the beginning of everything for me.
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "The Night Before the Second Exam"
I'll show them by making sure these Chunin Exams proceed successfully.
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SECOND EXAM
Tune in again!