Goro VS Words

Mission Details:

Goro woke up early for this day. Finally, his moment has come to prove himself. He has been studying and training for months up to this point, and he will not let this opportunity slip. He did his normal morning routine of eating, jogging, and weight training. He had nothing to worry about at least for the written portion of the exam, as he is quite literally a genius of a ninja, despite acting like more of a dunce at times. Ditzy Genius is what they called it. But just in case, Goro snuck into the examination area the night before and replaced all of the pens that the exam was going to use. He heard that they could not bring outside writing utensils for the examination as a way of cutting back on cheating and eliminating the obvious answers. So Goro decided to replace all of the ink in said pens with ink mixed with his own blood. Not only this, but he snuck a piece of paper under the cap of his own pen, also written in his own blood. This would come in handy later. He ties his headband around his forehead and begins to make his way to the examination area.

Along the way, Goro takes a shortcut he knows of through some alleyways. He walks through a said alleyway before being stopped by a familiar face, one that he despises. He sees what seems to be his mother, here to haunt him once again. The pale lady with demonic horns who stands at 6 feet tall looks down at him with a disgusted glare. "Do you honestly believe this will make you stronger? You hold yourself back, working with these cowards who call themselves shinobi. All you've done for months is rescue kittens and chase away bears. Face it. You will remain weak for the rest of your pathetic life." For possibly the first time in his life, Goro isn't frightened or blinded by trauma. He looks at her with apprehension, like he's finally sure of himself and holds no fear. "No, you're wrong. They were only gauging my abilities before putting me to the test, weeding out the lazy. Once I finish this exam, I'll grow and people will respect me. I'm not afraid of you anymore and your words hold no bars on me. I have friends now and a village that I love and would gladly fight for." She scoffs. "Goro my son, you truly know not a thing. Regardless, I have only come to confirm the talk amongst our homeland of you getting stronger. You certainly look... Bigger. However, muscle does not bring true strength. Keep struggling, and maybe you
might make a warrior of yourself yet, dog. Then you'll finally be ready for our reunion." Before he can even utter a word, she disappears, seemingly fading out of existence. Damn it, Goro can never seem to get a read on her. One moment she wants him dead, the next she tells him to get stronger. Anyway, Goro realizes he better get going if he doesn't want to be late.

Goro arrives at the testing facility and sits through the introduction. The exam proctors try to intimidate the whole room with their empty threats and horror stories. Many shinobi look worried, but Goro doesn't bat an eye, in fact, he looks bored. The exams are passed out and Goro reads the questions. Easy. Easy. Easy. Mhm. Okay. Fine. Makes sense. I know that one. Don't even have to think on that one. This is an exam? Wow, all these questions are- What? What the heck does that even mean?! Who made this?! Horrible people hating crooks! Goro thinks to himself as he goes through the exam. These are his answers thus far.

1. Why did you become a shinobi?
The Cloud took me in when I had nowhere else to go. I dedicate my life to repaying them.
2. If you weren't a shinobi, what would you be?
A warrior or vigilante. I would fight to hold a shield for the citizens and people who have treated me with kindness when I was at my lowest.
3. What are your morals and values?
Having morals or values as a shinobi is dangerous. But my nindo per se is if someone messes with my family here in the Cloud, they are messing with me and I'll give them hell.
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses and how/where could you further improve?
My strength is in my medical prowess and my great control of chakra. My weakness is my front lining abilities as well as my lack of control of the battlefield. I have been looking into puppetry and ninjutsu as a way of rectifying this.
5. Who are the Gods that are worshipped in Kumogakure?
The two major idols of the Cloud are Raijin and Fujin.
6. What is Kumogakure's philosophy?
Strength is everything. Strength decides who rules, who lives, and who dies.
7. You were discovered by the enemy and risk failing your mission, will you run/fight/surrender?
I will fight to my last breath.
8. You are leading a team of inexperienced Genin on a dangerous mission. Trying to complete it also means risking getting everyone killed, what do you do?
I will tell them that they will hold me back if they are not in their top shape. They have the choice of living and letting me do the heavy lifting while they gain no experience only delaying their demise on the battlefield, or they fight with me and expect me not to save them. Trial by fire.
9. Two complete strangers are about to die, you can only save one. What are the options you can take and who will you save?
I would save neither. People who perish in other’s battles are worms. If one can’t live their life the way they want, they might as well die. If you’re always worried about crushing the ants beneath you, you won’t be able to walk.
10. If you could choose your own destiny, where would you end up?
A Raikage who rules over the great nations with an iron fist. I would conquer all others and force the lands into submission to our superior strength.

Situation 1:
I'm on a mission scouting out an enemy territory alone. The target location was assumed to be a small settlement but as it turns out, this is in fact a large scale operation on a militia as strong as one of the great nations. I Chose at this point to not back down. I came here for information and I will not leave without it. I take out my notepad and jot down the enemy numbers that are visible as well as a rough estimate of their total man count. I try observing the behavior of the on-duty men to try and get a guess on their skill level, but before I can make a deduction, a straggler scout breaks a twig trying to sneak up on me. I quickly jump at them and stab them right through the throat. I cannon risk them talking, or my cover will be blown. It does not matter if they are shinobi, warriors, mercenaries or even bystanders. There shall be no witnesses. I use transformation jutsu and steal his clothing after dumping the body where they will never find him to infiltrate the target location. While inside I get a good look at what their defenses are. When others try to strike up a conversation with me thinking I am who I pretended to be, I act like I got drunk on duty, seeing as that is a common occurrence around here. I listen for gossip and figure out who their boss is before finally dissapearing and reporting back to the Cloud.

Situation 2:
Shoot... These are getting kinda hard... Good thing I got a backup! Goro thinks to himself completely forgetting some shinobi have the talent to read minds. He reads the paper he left under the cap and this paper has a list of the best scoring academy students as well as their basic descriptions. He seeks them out in the crowd of test takers and observes them, turning on his Blood Chakra Vision to see what their answers are. These students however, only take him so far and he still has so many other questions to finish. His eyes dart around the room searching for someone who looks like they might know what they're doing. After finding no one worth watching, he once again turns on his Blood Chakra Vision, able to see what all of the exam takers have written, due to previously infusing the ink in the pens with his blood. He finds out through observation that some proctors were placed around the room pretending to be test takers to intice the actual test takers to cheat. Well, they got what they wanted. Goro compares their answers and sees that several test takers have the exact same answers on each question, confirming his suspicions that not only were there proctors pretending to take the exam, but that they are also meant to cheat as a portion of this exam. Goro is somewhat upset as he wanted to show off his superior knowledge of the world around him, but is supposed to just take the easy route and cheat. He isn't mad for too long however, as he realizes that this just gives him the opportunity to show off his abilities... Which is what he thinks is likely exactly what they wanted from him. Anyway, he continues to steal the proctor's answers. Just like that, Goro gets the rest of the answers up until the very last one, where the proctors grow suspicious of Goro and do not answer the very last question. Goro is unsure of what to do, and deactivates his Blood Chakra Vision. He looks back down at the exam sheet. It is not a morality question, math question, or personal question. Just a "what would you do in this situation?" Goro finally concedes and writes I will try my best or I shall die doing so.

Goro is the first person to stand up and turn in his exam. He walks up to turn it in with confidence and the proctors read it on the spot. After reading the responses Goro placed on his exam,  one of them stands up and say "Come with me." Goro is confused but follows the proctor anyway. After exiting the room, the proctor says to Goro "You talk a big talk in your responses, but I doubt you know what you're getting yourself into. In the world of shinobi, people die. A lot. And you're still just a kid so I highly doubt you know what you're saying when you wrote these answers.You should really quit while you have the chance." Goro's demeanor does not change as he responds in complete and utter confidence. "No sir, I know exactly what I am getting myself into. And why do you care? If I want to get myself killed then let me, it is of no concern to you. I know what I'm doing. I'm not afraid. And I could never live a normal life. I won't bore you with the edgy speech because I'm sure all of us who are crazy enough to be here have one. I'd give my life for the village and expect everyone here to do the same." He's almost left speechless with Goro's response. He then continues. "And if you fail?" "I'll just try again next year." "What if I never permit you to take the exam again?" "I'll just earn my promotion the hard way." "And what if we tell you to hang up your headband and you're being exiled from the village?" "I'll leave, but not for long. I'll come back stronger and slay all who oppose me, Jashin as my witness. Then I'll run the Cloud, so there will be no one to deny me of my place." The proctor is stunned. He's 100% serious! The proctor has one last trick up his sleeve though. "Alright. Well, I'd like you to tell me why your answers as written are exactly how they are written on the answer key and with absolutely no deviation?" "That was the point, was it not? To test our information gathering skills. I could have written it in my own words, but that might have led you to believe that I actually figured it out myself, which wasn't the objective of the test." "Well then congratulations, you pass... The first part of the exam. Be ready for the rest of it." Goro wears a cocky smirk and leaves the testing facility. It seems that he has this sort of effect on people, as now the proctors even seem to believe in him. Another step up the mountain of Goro's journey as a shinobi, it seems as if all is in order for the young lad. He'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for him. Things are bright however.

TWC: 2,193

Claims:
2193 to Clan Pureblood

11 to Chakra
10 to Vigor


Edit: and mission rewards

Approved