The Challengers!! (volume)

The Challengers!! ( 挑戦者たち!! , Chōsensha-Tachi!! , Viz: The Challengers) is volume 5 of the Naruto manga.

## Chapter 37
" The Worst Compatibility…!! " ( 最悪の相性…!! , Saiaku no Aishō…!! )

Naruto , angry that Lee only wants to fight Sasuke , tries to prove himself by attacking Lee. He is quickly defeated. Impressed by Lee's abilities, Sasuke agrees to fight him. When he is left unable to keep up with Lee's movements, Sasuke suspects it is some sort of ninjutsu or genjutsu and so activates his Sharingan . Because Lee is using taijutsu , the Sharingan does not help since Sasuke lacks the physical training to replicate Lee's attacks. Lee prepares to use his Front Lotus on Sasuke but is stopped by Ningame .

## Chapter 38
" Start…!! " ( START…!! , Sutāto…!! )

Lee apologises to Ningame for trying to use a forbidden technique on Sasuke . Team 7 assumes that Ningame, a tortoise, is Lee's teacher, but are proven wrong with the surprise appearance of Might Guy . When Guy finds out what Lee tried to do he punches Lee, confusing Team 7, and then hugs Lee in a tearful embrace, further confusing them. Guy and Lee leave, and Sasuke is upset that he was defeated so easily. They continue on to the exam site where they are met by Kakashi . Kakashi congratulates Sakura on deciding to participate, as genin must join in teams of three. He did not tell her this for fear that she would participate solely to benefit Sasuke. They enter the examination hall.

## Chapter 39
" The Challengers!! " ( 挑戦者たち!! , Chōsensha-Tachi!! )

Team 7 is stunned to find that they are only three of over a hundred genin looking to become chūnin . They mingle with the members of Team 8 and Team 10 , members of the same Academy graduating class, but the fact remains that they are mere rookies in comparison to the other examinees. They are befriended by Kabuto Yakushi , who gives them advice and intel on the exams and its participants. Although this is meant to intimidate them, Naruto loudly promises that he will defeat all of them.

## Chapter 40
" The First Exam!! " ( 第一の試験!! , Daiichi no Shiken!! )

Naruto earns angry looks for his words. Team Dosu takes the opportunity to attack Kabuto for underselling Otogakure during his explanation of the Chūnin Exams . To prevent the situation from escalating, the exam proctors, led by Ibiki Morino , appear and settle things down. Revealing that the first phase of the exams will be a written test, much to Naruto's dismay, the genin are assigned seats. They are instructed to answer ten questions within half an hour. If anyone is caught cheating too often they will be disqualified, as will the rest of their team. The entire team will also be disqualified if any one member fails to pass the test, much to the dismay of Sasuke and Sakura .

## Chapter 41
" The Whispers of Demons…?! " ( 悪魔の囁き…!? , Akuma no Sasayaki…!? )

Naruto realises that he can't answer a single one of the nine questions that are given. Although Sakura is able to, she recognises that the exam is far too difficult for the average genin . Combining this with the fact that they will not be disqualified until they are caught cheating five times, Sasuke and the other participants (except for Naruto) realise that the true object of the test is to gather information without being caught. As the examinees begin using their abilities to look at others' papers, some are eliminated. Naruto begins to grow worried when Hinata , who is sitting next to him, offers to let him copy off her paper.

## Chapter 42
" Everyone's Respective Battles…!! " ( それぞれの闘い…!! , Sorezore no Tatakai…!! )

Concerned that Hinata will be disqualified for helping him, Naruto turns down the opportunity to copy her paper. He places all hope for passing on the tenth question, which will be given towards the end of the exam. After the cheating continues for a while and additional examinees are eliminated, the tenth question is given.

## Chapter 43
" The Tenth Question…!! " ( 第10問目…!! , Daijūmonme…!! )

Before revealing what the tenth question is, Ibiki explains that anyone who gets the question wrong will not only be disqualified but will be unable to participate in the Chūnin Exams ever again. Anyone concerned by this is given the opportunity to leave, though the rest their team must leave also. While some participants are busy forfeiting, Sakura worries that Naruto , who will most certainly answer the question incorrectly, will not drop out so as not to inconvenience her and Sasuke , in the process dooming himself to an eternity as a genin . Just as she is about give up for him, Naruto proclaims that he will not back down even if he must fail. Inspired by his confidence, nobody else leaves. Ibiki then allows them all to pass on to the second phase.

## Chapter 44
" The Natures Tested for…!! " ( 試された資質…!! , Tamesareta Mono…!! )

Ibiki explains that, in addition to intelligence-gathering skills, this written test, specifically the tenth question, was designed to test participants' willingness to face the unknown. Since all present chose to risk their futures to answer the tenth question, they have what it takes to become chūnin . After he congratulates them, Ibiki allows Anko Mitarashi , the proctor for the second phase, to guide the remaining genin to the Forest of Death .

## Chapter 45
" The Second Exam!! " ( 第二の試験!! , Daini no Shiken!! )

Naruto announces that he is not intimidated by the so-called " Forest of Death ", and Anko cuts his cheek to punish his cheekiness. She explains that the second phase of the Chūnin Exam will require the genin teams to obtain both an earth scroll and a heaven scroll upon entering the forest and make it to the building in its centre within five days. Each team will be given one scroll, necessitating that they somehow take the second scroll from another team. After everybody signs consent forms releasing Konoha from responsibility in case of their deaths, the twenty-six teams of three are granted entry to the forest.

## Author's Note