[X] Ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
It'd be a shame to knock out someone who is ready to be a chuunin before you get the chance to kick his ass. You're probably not going to get promoted for picking on the office ladies, after all.
So you leave him a little note and call it good.
You manage to get a few more teams knocked out, but most of the ones you see, the real proctors catch too. The flow of washouts slows as the minutes roll by, then stops entirely. There are now about 66 people left in the room.
The boy and his puppet return from the washroom just as Ibiki announces that it's time for the tenth question.
"Now before we proceed, we have to go over the additional rules for this question."
Shit! More rules? Oh, please, god, don't make it something to do with proof of identity.
"These are..." He stares ominously out over the crowd. "... the rules of desperation."
Wait, is this where we get permission to throw down? Shit, Ibiki-san, you're colder than I thought, lullin' the bookworms into a false sense of security like this.
"First," Ibiki continues, "you must choose whether or not to attempt to answer the question."
"Choose?" the Kazekage's daughter asks. "What happens if we choose not to?"
"Your points will be reduced to zero and you'll fail," he replies. "Along with your teammates."
"Then it's not really much of a choice, is it?" someone says scornfully. "Of course we'll answer it."
"And now the other rule," Ibiki says grimly. "Anyone who makes the attempt and answers the question incorrectly will lose the right to take the chuunin exams ever again."
There is a moment of stunned silence. Then-
"Bullshit!" Kiba declares. "There are people here who've taken the exam loads of times!"
A roar of protest bubbles up
"You were unlucky this year," Ibiki says with a smirk. "My test, my rules."
"Wow. What kind of career path do you have to take to get to the point that you can decide whether people who aren't even from your village can get promoted?" Gaara asks, amused. "Just curious."
"The Kage and other leaders of villages participating in the exams have agreed to abide by the assessment of the proctors," Ibiki counters. "This agreement is renewed every time the exams are held; those who promote genin against the recommendations of the shinobi administering the tests are not invited to the next exam."
That's the big punishment? you wonder. Well, it's no big deal; even if we answer wrong we can still get field promotions. The exam isn't the only way to climb the ladder.
Ami looks less optimistic. Sagiso looks downright terrified.
"Those that do not wish to take the tenth question, raise your hands now. Once you hear your number confirmed, you may leave."
Your heart skips a beat as you see Ami's shoulder shift and her arm start to come up, when all of a sudden a middle-aged man right in front of her springs to his feet and raises his hand.
"I resign," he says hastily. "I'm sorry, Yunako-chan, Tori-san, but we can't take a risk like this, not after how hard we worked."
Ami's hand immediately stops its rise, and she crosses her arms, glaring at the man as he leaves. She glances at Ibiki again for a moment with an expression that makes it clear she wants to cry, but then looks away, hmph'ing and tossing her braided hair.
You try not to smile. That's my girl.
Leaning forward to rest your chin on the thumbs of your folded hands, you run through the handseals of Utsusemi, prepare your voice to imitate Gaara, toss in a little creepy breathing-down-your neck supplemental genjutsu, and target the ears of (pick up to seven):
[X] The Oto-nin
-> [X] The 8-year-old girl
-> [X] The teenage girl
-> [X] The boy in his late teens
[X] One of the Mist-nin
-> [X] The girl
-> [X] The blond apparent-water-user wild-boy
-> [X] The black-haired apparent-swordsman boy
[X] Tenten. Hey, you love Lee, but you really don't wanna face him in a fight if you don't have to; you're pretty sure he's as fast as you are with his weights off, and he's way stronger and waaaaaaay better at taijutsu. Nor are you terribly fussed to go up against Neji, seeing as he's the one person your age who's consistently kicked the crap out of you every time you've fought him.
[X] That Taki-nin. You don't know for sure he's a sensor, but it couldn't hurt to get rid of him, could it?
[X] A selection of fine mooks for your trolling pleasure.