Reizo Chuunin Exam 1

Mission:

It was almost noon when Reizo had left his house for the scheduled exam. He had some oatmeal and eggs for a late breakfast, and was ready to take on the first of the Chuunin Exams. Reizo was dressed in his black outfit and had all of his equipment strapped and ready in case the first exam would be combat oriented. He didn't expect it to be, but Reizo wanted to be prepared nonetheless. Although his mom had already left for work at the dumpling cart, Reizo said called out his good bye from the door anyway. It wasn't to anyone in particular, but it just felt right.

Exam day had finally come. Reizo was ready to put his abilities to the test as he prepared for his first Chuunin Exam. He wasn't sure what to expect, but if it were anything like the preliminary missions, Reizo assumed that these exams would test a vast number of qualities that were needed in a shinobi. Reizo recalled that only one mission had actually tested combat, and even that was only Taijutsu. He concluded that one of these three exams would likely be a full combat oriented exam. However, Reizo estimated that such an exam would be saved for either the second or third test. The first test would almost assuredly be some knowledge oriented examination, he assumed. He based this on the fact that there hadn't been any knowledge based assessment yet in the preliminary missions, and that knowledge was half the battle for any mission. As a result, Reizo had gone back to the books for the past three nights to prepare and refresh himself on all the basics. He figured it would probably be a written exam, but it would be interesting to see how creative the village would be- the preliminary missions always had some twist to assure no one could be fully prepared for the mission.

Reizo entered the building that he had been directed to go to in the letter he had received yesterday morning. It didn't look like much from the outside; it actually reminded Reizo of a prison with its stone gray exterior and few windows. Upon entering, Reizo was greeted by a group of three Chuunin or Jounin level shinobi from behind a desk, whom Reizo could not identify. These were likely ninja who were specifically picked for whatever task Reizo would need to complete. One was a female brunette, who would've been fairly attractive had she not been smoking at the time. The one on the far right was in a black cloak with a hood pulled over his head. His face was hidden behind a Kumogakure ANBU mask. The Chuunin in the one in the middle, whose face was riddled with deep scars, spoke before Reizo had even identified himself. "Welcome to the first of the Chuunin Exams, Reizo Shoyu. The first exam is a test of your mentality and emotions. You will be placed under a special genjutsu, whereby you will discover, or admit, your true intentions for becoming a Chuunin. Your morals will be questioned, and you may find some qualities of your own that even you did not know about yourself. This genjutsu is only breakable should you be completely honest with yourself, or once we deem we have gathered enough information on you to reach a conclusion. You are not permitted to speak with anyone, whether they be Genin, Chuunin, or even the Raikage himself, of the exam. While the test is being administered, you must be silent. That includes this very moment. If you understand, nod your head," he would say. The Chuunin was very forthright and authoritative. Reizo nodded, and the Chuunin beckoned the Genin to follow him.

Reizo was lead down a hall constructed entirely of stone. On either side, Reizo could see other Genin in cells, only a few square feet in size, presumably under the effects of the genjutsu. Reizo continued for about 20 paces until he was directed to take a seat in an open cell. "You are to take a seat in the center of the cell, Indian style. When the genjutsu takes effect, the door will close and lock. Only breaking the genjutsu will undo the lock. When you are ready, go ahead and take your seat," the Chuunin would demand. Reizo was a lot more nervous than he had been before. It wasn't going to be a textbook knowledge exam like he had hoped. It was still somewhat of a knowledge based exam, though. Reizo thought back to his early morning routine and realized he hadn't gone to the bathroom yet. Well... I better make this thing quick. I don't think my bladder will be able to hold for the whole day, Reizo thought to himself. He walked over to the center of the square cell, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes before sitting. Reizo would fold his hands, one over the other, palms up, with his thumbs touching. It was his usual meditative stance and would make him feel the most comfortable. Reizo left his equipment on, including his tanto which he'd had strapped to his back since he bought it, aside from when he slept. The equipment made him feel much more in tune and comfortable in a way that would be hard to describe to anyone who wasn't as accustomed to combat. It put him at ease.

After a few breaths, a loud pinging sound could be heard. Reizo thought one of the Chuunin had dropped something, but instead, when he opened his eyes, he was no longer sitting in the cell, but now sitting in a large white room. The room was completely blank- the floor, the ceiling, and the walls were all white. There were no patterns or tiles, just a completely blank and seemingly infinite room. Reizo couldn't even tell how large the room was. A cough could be heard from behind him, and Reizo stood up and turned around to see the three Chuunin that had greeted him now sitting at a long white table with some loose notes and books strewn about its surface. The one female Chuunin, who was sitting on the left, spoke first. "We're going to start by asking you a series of questions. You may take all the time you need to answer. The first question: Why do you want to be a Chuunin? What is it that you want to get out of the promotion?" the woman would ask.Her voice was a bit raspy and sounded like she was 40 years older than she looked. It was an easy question for Reizo to answer; he knew exactly how he felt and he thought he understood himself very well. "Well, I want to be a Chuunin because I see it as a necessary stepping stone to achieving my dream of becoming the greatest shinobi of all time. It would give me access to a plethora of new jutsu, especially ninjutsu, and it would give me the greatest chance at creating the change that I want to see in the world. I want to be able to protect those that cannot protect themselves. The additional strengths of being Chuunin would allow me to save far more lives than I'd be capable of doing as just a Genin," Reizo responded. It was a noble cause for sure, he thought.

The proctor didn't seem to like his answer. She shook her head, and replied, "Lives aren't a statistic to be quantified. Saving more people is not necessarily an accurate measure of success. Lives have more value than that. They're priceless. They can be valued more by one person than another. Is the Raikage's life equal to that of a pauper? Is your life worth any less than this sheet of paper I'm writing notes on? It seems you do not yet understand the fragility and sancitity of life. I don't really think you can say you're experienced enough to say otherwise." Her words were frightening to the Genin. Reizo was confused and scared. Did he already fail?

He looked down at the ground, searching for a rebuttal, but after blinking and looking back up, Reizo could see he was no longer in front of the panel of Chuunin. The scene had changed; it was a genjutsu so of course things like that were possible. Reizo recognized the scene. He was seated next to Max and Senshi at the public execution where they had first met. Atop the stage, a massive hulk of a man held a fearsome warhammer in hand, and a beautiful nude woman was weighed down by heavy chains. The atmosphere felt thick and heavy, and the horizons seemed to continue into total darkness. The genjutsu seemed to just clip one moment out of Reizo's memories. The feelings of hopelessness and regret that Reizo had tried to lock away since the execution, had manifested once again. The anger and frustration and total helplessness he felt to help the victim who had been executed rushed back into Reizo's mind. Was he supposed to just watch this event all over again? Before Reizo could think any further, the naked woman who was on death's row shrieked. It immediately triggered Reizo's attention, and he looked up to gaze upon her eyes, just as he had done in his memories. Reizo couldn't even move from his seat to try and help before Taios brought the hammer down upon her skull, pulverizing it after one blow, but repeating the act multiple times to ensure she was dead. Reizo bit his lip, drawing blood. It was hard to watch the first time, but being forced to repeat the nightmare somehow felt worse. Reizo clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened. It was just like the first time he had seen the event. Why was he being shown this abomination again? Reizo somehow felt guilty for everything he had just watched. He was just a bystander and a witness, there was no crime there. He couldn't do anything, yet when he looked down at his hands, there was a bit of dried blood. This time, Reizo didn't cry. He was just disgusted at himself and at the genjutsu for showing him this all over again.

Soon, the scene faded to black and Reizo was left alone in total darkness. A voice rang out amid the silence:

"If you could take her place... would you?"

Reizo jumped at the sudden sound of a voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Was he being given a choice? Perhaps this time he didn't need to feel as powerless. He considered the crimes she had committed, as it had been read aloud by the Executioner, and weighed it against his conscience. He thought about the “good” the woman had done, despite the rule of law in the village. Her crime almost certainly amounted to treason – aiding and abetting enemies of the village. Still though, her execution did not sit well with Reizo. The "enemies" she was helping were orphaned young children of the village who possessed no useful combat qualities; were they really to be considered enemies? There was nothing wrong with helping the children of Kumogakure who needed it, at least in Reizo’s mind, even if they were possibly being taught to resist the village that had orphaned them. In his anger, Reizo managed to bark out his response. There was no hesitation in his voice. Once he considered the options and weighed them, he didn't give it a second thought. "Yes! From my point of view, that woman committed no crime! Helping those orphans who could not help themselves... there's no crime in that! Let me be there in her place, so that those orphans may have somebody to raise them," Reizo cried out. He was confident in his choice, this would be for the greater good. It didn't matter to him that he would give his life, so long as those orphans had another chance.

The scene changed once more, nearly instantaneously. It was difficult for Reizo to adjust to the new environment, but after a bit of looking around he realized he was back at the scene of the execution. Only this time, Reizo was seeing it from a new perspective. The Genin stared out from his chained place atop the stage where the woman had been. The chains seemed to disable his chakra, and were too heavy even for him to lift. He wondered if this were a product of the genjutsu, or if the village truly had chains with those kinds of abilities. Reizo looked about the audience, and the woman who was initially the victim was present in the crowd, cast off to the side with the dozen or so orphans that she had cared for. Reizo sighed in relief- she was safe and that was all that mattered to him. Reizo then turned his gaze to where he had been seated with Max and Senshi. The other two Genin were there, but in Reizo's place he saw the completely distraught countenance of his own mother. Reizo admittedly felt guilty now about subjecting her to this, but still, Reizo reconciled with his mother in his thoughts. This was for the greater good. His life would be put to good use, and he had essentially saved the lives of many children. Reizo's choice of wanting to take the place of a criminal had been ruled as treason, and as such, he would be the one executed. Reizo looked back to the woman, and is consoled by the faces of her and the children. This was the right choice for sure, Reizo thought. Taios raised his hammer and just as it was about to come crashing onto Reizo's head, the scene dissolved into darkness once again.

The scene shifts yet again, and Reizo was brought into an unfamiliar location. He is now floating, much like an invisible spirit, as he watches the events unfold 15 feet below him. Beneath him is an empty field. Some trees and grass, but it was overall very gloomy. A group of children run by, whom Reizo recognizes as the orphans that had been with the woman. He watches as the children are cared for by the woman, and watches them age seemingly before his eyes. Just as the woman had been teaching them, the orphans grew and began to harbor hatred for Kumogakure- the village that had taken everything from them. Many of these orphans would train and become shinobi themselves as they aged into their teenage years. Strangely, Reizo also notices that as the children aged before his eyes, their numbers seemed to dwindle over time. The strange voice that had accompanied him in the room of total darkness returned. "These are indeed the orphans that you saved. They've grown to now hate the village, and because of your actions, they were able to grow and act on their vengeful desires. Several of them have already been killed by loyal Kumogakure shinobi, defending the village and its laws. Others were captured and tortured. This is the result of your sacrifice, and yet these children don't even know your name or of your actions. They are completely unaware of your existence, or that you gave your life for theirs," the voice alleged. Reizo began to understand what he was being shown, but there was no way he could've foreseen these consequences. As a result, he shrugs off what he sees. "That's okay. I don't have to be remembered. These children are able to lead their own lives because of me, and that's all that matters. They don't have to acknowledge my sacrifice for it to matter. It's unfortunate that they've become so absorbed with revenge, but there's no way anyone could've predicted that. I'm okay with it, even if it wasn't the best outcome," Reizo told the voice. Reizo felt a shred of guilt, but he still brushed it mostly aside. Reizo was still angry that the village would order children to death, even if they seemed to be rebellious. It was absolutely disgusting to him.

A few more years pass in the alternate timeline, and Reizo is shown the orphans, or whoever remained, one final time. Their band of opposition has been totally crushed and subdued by the village. Several others aside from the orphans had apparently joined their cause, but it was still only a small band of misfits. Parts of the village are burning, and several blocks are covered in soot and ash from the attack of the remaining opposition. The scene whirls underneath Reizo, and he is shown one house in particular that was set aflame. He instantly recognizes one of the shinobi escaping the burning building as an older and bearded Senshi Kobayashi, with a girl slung over his shoulder. Reizo had never seen Senshi cry before, but he seemed to be lamenting and grieving as he lowered the girl to lay on the ground before him. Judging from Senshi's barely coherent sobbing, Reizo deciphered that Senshi's sister had been caught underneath a burning structure of the house, and was now in critical condition. Guilt crept into Reizo's conscience. This was his fault. Sure, it had been years in the making- but this was a direct result of his decision to take the place of the woman who had been caring for and essentially brainwashing these orphans.

The scene shifted in the village once more, and Reizo watched as the orphans were struck down one by one by superior Kumogakure shinobi. This wasn't the future he had envisioned for these children at all. His actions had such dire consequences, and yet he hadn't even recognized just how much trouble he had caused. Still, this wasn't the village he had hoped for either. It was hard for Reizo to come to terms with defending a village that had created such dissent among its own villagers. The voice returned yet again to give more context to the horrors that raged below, "Your sacrifice resulted in this. The woman whom you had fought to save passed away as the result of a mental illness, and these children are fighting the village in her memory. This is your legacy. Your final actions resulted in this chaos to come. Instead of accepting the decisions of the village and pursuing your own agenda to be a martyr, you decided to aid these orphans, who have now gone rogue and become treasonous dissidents. This violence could've been prevented and these orphans saved, but instead they're all dead because of what you thought would be best for them," the voice echoed. It seemed much more demanding in tone than before, but with just as much power as ever. The words stung Reizo's heart. He never wished for any of this, but he thought he was ready to accept the truth. Actions had consequences, and he was guilty for all of this. Part of him still wanted to hold out and not accept the blame, but he was beginning to feel more and more responsible for all of the deaths. His heart was aching, he didn't want to see anymore. He hadn't yet fully accepted it all, and so the voice decided to show him even further consequences.

The scene changed. It seemed the destruction of the village in the previous scene had vanished into the distant future, as Reizo gazed upon his team below, noticing Senshi was no longer the young man from before, but rather back to his pre-teen self. His team was in an open field, which Reizo recalled was part of the training grounds. Reizo watched as Itami, Max, and Senshi ran some type of basic exercise, along with a new face. Reizo didn't recognize this boy, but continued to watch as the team got along quite well without him. He listened as they joked around and talked about life and their ambitions. Reizo was never brought up in the conversation, but he was happy to get away from the awful events of the previous scene. "Your team developed all the same without you. You were replaced by a young Uzumaki boy named Sora. They never cared about you. To them, you were just another cog in the machine. You could've been anyone and your team would've accepted you. There wasn't anything special or redeeming they sought from you. They never really cared for who you were," the voice chided. Reizo didn't think the voice was right on this one- he got along rather well with Max and Senshi, there's no way they didn't care. He didn't want to question this seemingly omnipresent voice, but Reizo still felt a pit in his stomach as he doubted his own reality. Maybe the voice was right? Reizo concluded for his own sake that the voice's words only applied to this timeline, and not reality. Reizo would still be okay with what the voice told him. His team didn't have to like him or remember him.  They all seemed to be enjoying themselves, and that was okay with him, even if he wasn't a part of it. He felt a bit lonely and left out of it all, but Reizo thought that if this was what became of his team, he would be okay with it.

Of course, this was only a prelude for what was yet to come. The scene morphed once again. This time, it was raining heavily, and Reizo seemed to be floating in the middle of a forest, somewhere in a small clearing. The voice informed Reizo that a few months had passed since the training routine he watched unfold with his team. Reizo glanced one way and caught sight of a discombobulated gathering of bones. He was perplexed at the meaning of it, but upon locating the skull, the reality became all too real.

Napa, Max's best friend and comrade, as well as his number one puppet, lied in shambles upon the cold wet mud. Reizo gasped, and was afraid to look down behind him. He was scared of what he was going to see next in the clearing. Max would've never allowed Napa to have sustained that kind of damage. Reizo wouldn't have allowed it either. Reizo saw Napa just like any other friend; he was a person in Reizo's mind too, with his own flaws, likes, and ambitions. Reizo slowly turned around in the air and saw his worst nightmare become reality. Lying on the ground, face up in a pool of blood, was Maximillian Yamaguchi. An injured Senshi soon appeared on the scene, and he knelt beside the limp body of the blonde haired boy. Senshi had several kunai impaled into his right arm, and blood ran from each of the wounds. Reizo wanted to go down to help, but he couldn't move from his spot. Reizo began to uncontrollably sob and breakdown at the scene below.  The voice informed Reizo of the situation, "While on an A-rank mission, Max was caught in a flanking ambush. No one was able to effectively protect him as the team lacked any ninja who excelled in Taijutsu. Perhaps he would've been defended had the team included such an asset," the voice mocked. It was clear that Reizo was the Taijutsu user the voice was referencing.

Reizo was finally coming around to seeing the bigger picture. Yes, he had succeeded in saving more lives initially with his supposedly "selfless" act, but it was clearly causing far more harm than good. Reizo realized that if he truly wanted to be able to protect those that he valued most, he would need to be alive to protect them. The most selfless act he could make, was being present in the first place. Reizo concluded that he would need to become stronger. He wanted to become so strong that he would never fail to be able to protect those he loved most. He didn't want to have to accept this awful genjutsu as reality. He also began to acknowledge that although his village may not have been perfect, it was great in many ways. It had given him his friendships and his teammates. It taught him the values of being a shinobi, and it still allowed for Genin like him to grow up and be strong. Reizo wanted to become a Chuunin so that he could become strong enough to defend the village that had given him so many opportunities to improve himself. It was still a rich environment in terms of training and strength, and that was something he was thankful for.

The scene changed one final time, and Reizo was back in a familiar place. He now stood before the panel of Chuunin once again, in the all white room. Reizo wiped the tears from his eyes. It seemed as though no time had passed at all since the first time he stood before them. In fact, it seemed like time had actually gone backwards. The female proctor asked her question that had once stumped Reizo, but now the answer seemed crystal clear. "We're going to start by asking you a series of questions. You may take all the time you need to answer. The first question: Why do you want to be a Chuunin? What is it that you want to get out of the position?" she would ask in her raspy, two pack a day smoker voice. Reizo remembered all the experiences he had just been through, and sought to craft an answer that he now felt truly reflected why he wanted to be a Chuunin. His first answer had been shallow and naive; now he understood what being a ninja really entailed. Reizo cracked his neck and then responded in a confident voice. There was no sign that he had been crying only moments before. "I need to be Chuunin to achieve my goals. I won't sit idly by while someone I care about gets hurt, or the village that raised me gets attacked. Whether the threat is a foreign village or a missing nin that's come to invade or attack, or it's an internal threat or coup rising from within, I will not allow my village, or its people, to be subjected to any form of harm. I see now that the rank of Chuunin signifies much more than becoming a full fledged shinobi and learning some additional jutsu. It's a representation of the faith the village entrusts in me to protect and serve it. I want to be a Chuunin so that I'll have the power to protect the village, and those I love most, from harm," Reizo would respond. His response came from his heart and soul. After everything the genjutsu had put him through, Reizo now felt he was qualified to be able to say exactly why he wanted to be a Chuunin.

Instead of shaking her head and dismissing him as she had done before, the kunoichi simply jotted some notes down on a sheet of paper she had on her clipboard. Once she finished writing, she thanked Reizo for his response and directed, with a hand gesture, to the scarred Chuunin, who was seated in the middle, to ask his question. "You mentioned it briefly in your last response, but what is it that you care about the most? Additionally, what single aspect of Kumogakure do you think is most worth fighting for?" he asked. This question required a lot more thought from Reizo. He knew what he cared about the most, but the second half of the question was tricky. He wanted to say many different things, but to narrow it down to one was hard. After a few minutes of pondering, Reizo thought he had a presentable response. He cared most for his friends and family, of course, and part of fighting for them would be to protect the future of the village. Reizo cleared his throat and gave his answer, "The thing I care for the most, the thing I want to protect the most, are my friends and family. I want to protect them no matter the cost, but I cannot do that as a Genin. I'm simply not strong enough to do it without endangering others or myself. Kumogakure is the village that gave me all these opportunities to learn and grow. I want to protect it so that the next generation can have these same opportunities and more. Kumogakure has given me strong lasting friendships, and has taught me to value the importance of life. I must do everything I can to ensure the prosperity of the village while I'm alive. Still, even I must die at some point. When I'm gone, and when all the living shinobi are gone, it is the younger generation that will carry the mantle and bear the burden of protecting the village and its ideas. The one aspect I would pick to defend most, the one I would be willing to give my life for, would be the younger generation to secure the future of the village."

The battle-torn Chuunin would respectfully nod at Reizo's surprisingly adult response, and write down some notes on it briefly. Reizo bit his lip, noticing that his cut from when he had bit it earlier was gone, just like the alternate reality. He was still nervous about this last person. Reizo couldn't discern the figure's gender as they were completely cloaked in black and wore an ANBU mask. A hood was drawn over their head, and their sketchy appearance worried Reizo. The figure would speak, but would make no movements. Its voice was clearly male and was very deep, although he was rather lanky in appearance. "You've talked a lot about what you want to get out of being Chuunin, but of course that is not why you're here. Your duty is to serve the village, so my question is: How would you further contribute to the village as a Chuunin, in a way that you cannot do as a Genin? Why should we allow you to advance to the next exam?" This question would take Reizo the longest to answer of the three. Was him being able to better protect the village not a valid answer? It seemed like the obvious choice, but reading between the lines, Reizo figured they would want an answer with a bit more substance. To be honest with himself, Reizo really couldn't think of a good reason why he should be chosen over some other hard working candidate for Chuunin. Reizo reevaluated all of his past accomplishments and training, he recalled his preliminary trial missions and the effort he had gone through to get this far, and finally he thought about the exam at hand and the genjutsu he had been put under for the last couple of hours. Taking a deep breath, Reizo came forward with an honest response. "There is a great level of importance that I place in being able to teach the upcoming generation, but also being able to protect them. They are the ones who will allow the village to prosper in the years to come, in whatever capacity that may be. Regardless of how the village changes, whether it be under the rule of a different Raikage, or if some greater internal changes arise, I will always be loyal to the village and its people. My first loyalty will always lie with the citizens of Kumogakure and the village itself. However, I'm only one figure and can only accomplish so much. I want to be able to leave behind the greatest legacy I can, but even that would only be a small impression compared to the thousands who have walked the same steps I have, and the hundreds who would walk alongside me as my peers. The will of the people and the will of the village is far greater than any single individual's will or desires. As a Chuunin I'll have access to the Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and skills needed to best be able to lead the village from the front lines. I wouldn't be able to represent our village diplomatically nor militarily as only a Genin, but as a Chuunin I will fully be able to put my village first and handle all the responsibilities asked of me. I will help be a part of the movement to put my village and its loyalties first before all others, and serve to the best of my abilities."

Reizo was surprised he had rambled for so long. He liked to keep things brief, but he also wanted to fully convey all of his feelings and anything else he had on his mind. He wanted to give the Chuunin the fullest representation of who he was as a person. He wanted to make sure that they understood that he had no foreign ties or influences, and that his loyalty laid with the village, and the village only. His friends and family were a part of this great village, and he wanted to protect them to the fullest of his abilities. That would mean he'd need to be a Chuunin to gain access to the vast array of Ninjutsu he could learn, and possibly go even further beyond.

The ANBU proctor wrote down no notes at all, and made no signs of approval. He simply made a single hand sign. The white room seemed to melt all around him, and Reizo felt his heart sink into his stomach as though he were falling from a great height. He felt a little queasy, and fell to his knees as the genjutsu dispelled around him. Reizo realized he was back in the real world and opened his eyes to almost total darkness. There was a faint light coming from down the hallway, which he could only see thanks to the small square window of the door. The very first thing Reizo realized upon readjusting was that he had to go to the bathroom really badly. He wondered how long he had been in that genjutsu. Time tended to be distorted pretty heavily, and since there were no windows, Reizo couldn't tell what time of day it was. Reizo stood up and wobbled over to the door. Both of his legs had fallen asleep from being still for so long. Upon touching the door handle, the door gently swung open. He hadn't put any force into it, but it seemed it just naturally gravitated toward staying open. He wondered if it had even been locked at all; it certainly seemed like there was no mechanism for locking it.

Reizo made his way up the hall, past several cells, at a brisk pace, hoping he'd be able to leave immediately. He really had to pee. Reizo peeked in through the lone window on each door and noticed most of the other Genin had already left, leading him to believe he must've been in the room for at least several hours. When Reizo made it to the main lobby, he saw that the Chuunin that were supposed to be supervising the exam were no longer there. Instead, there was simply a note on the door that read: "We've retired for the night, we'll be back at 6 am to pick up any stragglers or failures. You'll hear back your results within a few days. Akihana-sama baked some cookies for any who finish over night. Feel free to take some when you leave." The letter was signed off with a smiley face, but no names. Reizo glanced back at the desk and saw some crumbs left on a black plastic platter, but that was all. Someone had probably looted the whole lot of cookies; Akihana's baking was too good to simply pass up.

Reizo pushed the door open to a pitch black night, with only the stars and the moon providing any light at all. It was getting very cold out as the seasons changed, and Reizo regretted not bringing a jacket. He didn't expect to finish so late. The village seemed still and silent, so Reizo readied himself to head straight home. By his estimate, it was some time in the early morning. Before he left, Reizo pulled over to a nearby bush and relieved himself. He didn't realize it before, but he was also very thirsty and hungry. The genjutsu must've acted as some type of hypnosis or sleep, as he wasn't tired, but he was certainly dehydrated. Reizo zipped up his pants and made his way back home to await his results.

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6107/6000 words

Requesting:
-B-rank Mission complete
-Ablity to advance to Exam 2
-3000 ryo
-7 AP
-10 stat points

The day finally came for the results of the genin's genjutsu test results to be sent out. A young chuunin had been sent out with the paperwork and was leaping from rooftop to rooftop with work in hand. As he made his way to the home of Reizo he fiddled through the bag carrying other results before finally picking the genin's out. One he reached Reizo's door he placed the paper on the door before knocking and vanishing back into the sky. Once opened and read the contents would say.

" Dear Reizo,

We have gone over your visions with great care and have finally come to an agreement on your test. As you went through the genjutsu we were able to see varying sides of you that to this point had been hidden from the normal eye. Understanding that ranking up does provide you with more tangible things to better your journey you must also understand that there are things you can do without rank to also better your village and those around you. Do not let the vision of a title cloud your mind when it comes to such things. On to the topic of the execution grounds, some of us were dissapointed in your decision to take the place of someone in a sequence when you had chosen to stay silent for the real event. To some of us this showed that you are not willing to take the full steps required to stand for what you believe in if the reality of your life vanishing is on the line. This was quantified by the fact that after this you went back on your own words and said ""I need to be Chuunin to achieve my goals. I won't sit idly by while someone I care about gets hurt" You allowed this woman to be exectued yet speak on standing up for those who can not? As you can see this would cause some of us to worry about your morals and guides. We sadly have come to a tie as it comes to you passing this test. Half of us have given you a passing vote while the other five have decided to fail you due to the lackluster and different views you have shown to be conflicted on. Due to a stalemate we can not pass you on this test and have sent your profile with remarks to the Raikage. He has had time to go through your images and words and from this point on the words you read will be his own. Reizo, I'm disappointed in you. Your ideals and motivations must never come into question if you are to be a ninja of Kumogakure. Even under pain of death if you truly felt that the woman should not have died, standing up for that is something you should have done. We only live this life once and if we use it to slide by and not act on the thoughts we have then we are no human at all. Despite the contradictions I do find your ideals and reason for wanting to move forward to be inline with the ideals I have for the village and the world we will create. I am going to give you a passing vote from myself and I hope this will be the last time I have to say that I'm disappointed in you."

Reizo would go to receive the Chuunin at his door, having been waiting eagerly for the results. When he opened the door, he saw that no one was there, but instead a paper had been left for him. Reizo looked left and right for any sign of the shinobi that had only seconds ago knocked on his door, but he saw nobody. He shrugged as he pivoted back into his house and closed the door with one foot, heading straight to his room to read the results of his exam.

Reizo opened the paper letter once he shut the door of his room, and nervously proceeded through the letter, his emotions running high. He was anxious as he scanned the letter. Did he fail? He wasn't too sure what to make of it at only a cursory glance. There was an awful lot of "disappointment" in it, for sure. Reizo felt rejection sweep over him as he more carefully read the letter. Reizo saw that he didn't pass, and felt immediately dejected. He continued to read nonetheless. Huh... so I didn't pass, but they gave the decision to the Raikage for further inspection. I guess... that means my pass or fail is entirely on him then, Reizo thought to himself, continuing to read. He would finish reading the letter and a smile crept upon his face. To think that this man who I've come to dislike so greatly would now be the sole arbiter of not one, but now two of my promotion exam missions is crazy. And yet... he passed me. Twice. What did I do to deserve such favor? Not only that, but this time... This time it seemed like he even did it out of kindness. This seems like a very different man than the one I've been lead to believe is a monster with no morals. When I fought him too, he felt like a reasonable man. He didn't strike me at all as a crazed lunatic. Was I really so naive before to craft my own narrative around him? Still... this village isn't in as great a shape as it used to be. His policies don't really speak to him being as noble as his actions toward me have been. I guess I don't really have reason to hate him after all. I didn't act the first time out of fear of the consequences for doing so, but yet in this letter the panel made it seem like I was weak for not standing up to my fears. Would I have even been charged for stopping the execution? Surely that wouldn't be seen so lightly. I don't know anymore, I just don't know. Who really is the Raikage?

Reizo had a lot of thoughts brooding about the Raikage and his village. He was glad that the execution had worked out the way it did anyway. Who knows, maybe the Genjutsu's alternate timeline could've been reality had he been so strong as to question the execution? Anyway, he passed, and although he wasn't elated with the results, he resolved to work hard to never disappoint the Raikage or his village again. He would have to train hard before the next exam so that he wouldn't fail. Who would've thought that the Raikage would be the one to motivate him to become stronger? Reizo didn't know what to believe anymore.