Qiuqa highlights 4 key points from Naruto Classic Episode 25.
1. Question Number 10
Forty-five minutes into the exam, Ibiki announced it was time for the tenth question. Before revealing it, however, he laid down a new rule that instantly plunged the room into despair. He offered two choices: each candidate had to decide whether they would take the tenth question or opt out.
He explained that if a single team member chose to opt out, their entire team would instantly fail. Conversely, if they chose to take the question but answered incorrectly, they would remain Genin for the rest of their lives and be permanently barred from ever taking the Chunin Exams again.
Ibiki then invited anyone opting out to raise their hand. The crushing ultimatum shattered the confidence of many candidates, prompting them to withdraw. They preferred to wait for next year’s exams rather than risk being trapped as Genin forever.
2. Sakura Prepares to Withdraw
Truthfully, Sakura had no intention of raising her hand; she was entirely confident she could answer the question. Her doubts lay solely with Naruto’s ability to do the same.
Watching Naruto stubbornly refuse to yield or raise his hand, she remembered how—despite being seen as a fool—he always declared with absolute conviction that he would become Hokage.
Unable to bear the thought of destroying his dream, Sakura prepared to raise her hand and forfeit, intending to save their team from permanent failure.
But before she could, Naruto shot his hand into the air, stood up, and slammed his palm heavily onto his desk. Brimming with unshakeable resolve, he told Ibiki that he would take the tenth question and never run away.
3. The Answer to Question 10
Naruto’s outburst caught Ibiki off guard. That raw display of courage instantly erased the lingering doubts of the remaining candidates. Seeing this, Ibiki announced that all 78 participants left in the room had officially passed the first phase of the Chunin Exams.
Confused, Sakura asked why they had suddenly passed and what the tenth question actually was. Ibiki replied that the tenth question was simply the choice itself—to stay or leave—and anyone who chose to stay automatically passed.
4. The Purpose of the 9 Questions
Temari asked Ibiki what the point of the first nine questions was. Ibiki explained that the problems were deliberately designed to be impossible for a Genin to solve, intentionally forcing the candidates to cheat in order to score points.
To facilitate this, he had planted two disguised Chunin among the participants; both knew all the answers and served as designated targets to copy from.
Ibiki then revealed that a Chunin’s most vital trait is the courage to face inevitable, life-threatening missions.
In critical situations, some people cannot handle risking their own lives, faltering and surrendering under the illusion that there will always be another chance. To Ibiki, cowards who think that way have no right to be Chunin.
Because of this, Ibiki firmly concluded that the candidates who bravely chose to take the tenth question had proven they possessed the true mentality required of a Chunin.
