After a brief wait, Team Sakura finally reached the end of the line, where the ever-present duo of Kotetsu and Izumo sat behind a desk. Atop said desk rested a mystery box, from which three sticks protruded.
"Each of you pick a lot," said Kotetsu lazily, not even bothering to gesture to the box. "I'll tell you what to do once it's done."
Taking turns, Sakura, Ino, and Chōji each pulled a stick from the box. At the end of each stick was glued a small plaque, individually numbered 1, 2 and 3.
"I got 3," said Sakura in disappointment. "I wanted number 1…"
"I picked 2," said Ino, showing her lot to her teammates.
Which only left number 1 for Chōji.
"Put the lots back in the box," Kotetsu instructed, and they did as they were told.
"Now, here's what you're going to do," continued Izumo. "You're each going to head to a different classroom according to the number you've just picked— classroom one is just ahead, and classrooms two and three are right upstairs."
"You're separating us?" asked Ino in surprise.
From what Sakura had told her, Tsunade had entrusted Shikamaru with designing the first exam (which he later confirmed himself). Naturally, Ino had pestered him endlessly for the answers, but holding true to his ninja way, he hadn't let a single word slip from his lips.
"Looks like it's not going to be the same gimmick as last time," said Sakura thoughtfully. "If we're being separated, then there's probably a good reason for it… Knowing Shikamaru, we might be tested on how well we know each other, or something like that."
They were holding up the line behind them, but Izumo and Kotetsu didn't seem to be in a hurry to get them to their respective classrooms. They just sat there, looking bored— they likely hadn't been told anything about the contents of the exam, so it would probably be a waste of time getting Ino to read their minds.
"Well, I could also be wrong," admitted Sakura. "But, just to be on the safe side… Ino, would you mind using the Mind Transfer Jutsu on me?"
"Eh?" Ino blurted out. "Why?"
"Whatever the exam's gimmick is, starting out with two question sheets instead of one puts us ahead in a war for information," Sakura explained patiently. "I doubt they'll let someone's Shadow Clone enter a classroom they're not assigned to, so the Mind Transfer Jutsu is our best bet. The only problem is that we won't be able to communicate with Chōji, but he'll also have an edge just by knowing that Ino and I have access to the same information."
A look of utter bewilderment drew itself on Chōji's plump face.
"Y'know, this sort of stuff might come easy to you and Shikamaru, but I'm just an idiot," said Chōji self-deprecatingly. "I wouldn't know what to do on my own…"
Chōji might have trouble accepting that he was overweight, but he readily recognised that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He was just like a wild Pokémon— without a Pokémon trainer to shout instructions at him, he could only randomly choose an attack from his move set.
"In that case, Ino will have to take over Chōji's body," said Sakura, massaging her temples in thought. "Ino, you wouldn't happen to know the Shadow Clone Jutsu, would you?"
Ino shook her head.
There was another slight problem with Sakura's idea: the Mind Transfer Jutsu didn't swap minds. If Ino took over someone else's mind, her body would get left behind right there in the entrance hall— meaning that she wouldn't even be able to walk to class, much less take the exam.
"Just to be clear," Izumo pointed out, "you won't be allowed into a classroom that's not yours— and that includes Shadow Clones."
This meant that Sakura wouldn't be able to drop Ino into her seat, one way or the other. But luckily, Izumo had just given her an idea…
"In that case," said Sakura, her eyes flashing crimson, "it's a good thing you're here to help, isn't it? Proctor-san…"
Kotetsu's and Izumo's eyes glazed over as Sakura's Sharingan Genjutsu took hold of their brains. That was payback for the last Chūnin exams— when he and Kotetsu had used the False Surroundings Genjutsu to try and fool her into entering the wrong classroom!
"You can go ahead," Sakura told Ino.
Still unsure as to why she was doing any of this, Ino took aim at Chōji. At his size, he was rather hard to miss.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
Ino's spirit slipped into Chōji's body, and she collapsed. Izumo quickly vaulted over his desk, catching her before her head hit the concrete floor.
"Next!" shouted Kotetsu, signalling for Team Sakura to move along.
…
A few moments later, Sakura, Ino, and Chōji had each arrived in their respective classrooms— by one means or another. Izumo had been instructed to set Ino's mindless body beside one of the other Konoha 12 members, so Sakura figured she'd be all right.
Classroom 3 was filled with shinobi of all nationalities, many of them much older than Sakura. Not just anybody could pass the Chūnin exams fresh out of the academy at the young age of thirteen— despite what one could be led to believe by watching the anime, the power level of the average ninja was rather low. Most people would fail these exams multiple times, accumulating experience and trying again year after year.
Sakura scanned the room for a familiar face and soon spotted Sasuke sitting by the windows at the back, looking just like an anime protagonist. As she approached, she noticed a red-haired woman seated next to him at his desk— someone rather familiar…
"Ah…" Sakura blurted out. "Aren't you—"
Ding! Target Terumī Mei has been detected! Generating…
Beep! The Advanced Nature Kekkei Genkai Synthesis Function will be added to the System if the following requirements are met:
Terumī Mei's breast chakra: 0/1
Guren's breast chakra: 0/1
"What?" Mei snapped, who was already clearly irritated by something Sasuke had just said. "Let me guess— you're also thinking I'm too old to be taking the Chūnin Exams, aren't you?"
Sakura audibly gulped.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else," Sakura said quickly. "I made a…"
Made… Maid… OLD MAID!?
A vein popped on Mei's forehead.
"So, you think I'm going to die alone, is that it!?" she hissed, knocking over her desk as she stood up brusquely. "So, you think I'm never going to find a husband too, huh?"
Her biological clock was ticking, and she wasn't getting any younger…
As a career-oriented woman constantly trying to improve her village, Mei struggled to find a husband. Her overwhelming sex appeal and her sheer strength intimidated most suitors, while the rest respected her too much as a leader that the thought of marrying her had never even occurred to them.
…even though she'd lost the power struggle for the position of Fifth Mizukage. And now, here she was, babysitting a bunch of Genin under that man's orders…