Start From Naruto: Shino the Dominator

After lingering a bit on the girl, Shino's eyes strayed and continued to search amidst the bustling crowd, and it didn't take long before his attention was drawn to an iconic figure - a young man with a strikingly thick eyebrow, clad in a vibrant green jumpsuit that seemed to glow in the sunlight.

This was none other than Rock Lee, a Genin renowned for his impeccable physical prowess and unyielding dedication to mastering the art of Taijutsu.

Sitting stoically beside Lee was another figure – same as Hinata, a member of the revered Hyuga clan, known for their powerful Byakugan eyes and strict adherence to tradition.

Despite his silence, the intensity emanating from this Hyuga was palpable, as if he were channeling his focus into an invisible force that surrounded him like a shroud. This was Neji Hyuga, a tragedy in the making.

The contrast between the two was striking - Lee's exuberance and energy seemed to radiate outward, while the Hyuga's quiet intensity was like a tightly coiled spring, waiting to be unleashed. It would be difficult to find a timely match to fit in with the brilliance of their team, except at the exact time of TenTen.

Together, they formed a formidable duo- ahem, trio, a testament to the diversity of talent and skill that the Genin of the Hidden Leaf Village possessed.

Peeking at Hinata besides him, Shino inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed she was focusing her attention on Naruto instead of Neji, who was still in the hating phase.

Then, he peeked at Kiba- and noticed his eyes followed Hinata's to glare at Naruto. Oh no. Shino didn't remember this happening in the anime. Was he thinking too much and making things up with his mind? Well, not his problem.

The Konoha 11 were all here, with Sasuke being excluded because he would become hot-headed loving his brother and end up running off to cry to Uncle Snake.

The atmosphere was electric while the Genin waited for the exam to begin, with Naruto spicing up the atmosphere even more through his provocative declaration toward the crowd. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to beat all of you, dattebayo!"

Looks like an idiot, but he was a prophet.

But his declaration certainly served as a timely excuse for some people to start...

For example, the arrogant Kiba who had his feathers ruffled by Hinata's shyness when facing Naruto, and...

Shino could feel the excitement building within him as he prepared to watch the show – a wonderful performance between a spy and the hired actors from the Sound village. 

"Alina, record their specs for reference."

[Affirmative, Overmind.]

As the 'friendly' play unfurled its intricacies, with Kabuto dramatically spitting blood in hopes of winning this event's best actor reward, Kiba's nerves seem to get the better of him. Leaning toward Hinata to block her vision from the impromptu show, he whispered, "Yo... What if we don't make it through this exam?"

Hinata opened her eyes, regarding Kiba with a gentle smile. "We'll do our best," she said softly while fidgetting her fingers. "That's all we can do."

Shino nodded in agreement, his stoic expression betraying nothing of the thoughts swirling in his mind.

Shino had always admired Hinata's quiet strength and unwavering determination, despite the many obstacles she had faced in her life.

Kiba, on the other hand, had always been brash and impulsive - traits that could be either an asset or a liability in the world of shinobi, but at least he had the courage and confidence.

But it's strange... why was Kiba, of all people, expressing doubts at a time like this?

Honest to goodness, Kiba. Hinata should be the one with the least confidence. Why has it suddenly turned around, and now he needed her to comfort him?

Or is he only trying to be a gentleman? Or could it be that he was trying to get her attention away from a certain boy in orange jumpsuit? Huh? Probably not, right?

Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the hall, announcing the start of the first test. "Quiet down, you degenerates!"

The real performers appeared in a puff of smoke, bringing an end to the fake performance.

"All Genin, turn in your applications, and take a number card and please report to your assigned seats. Afterwards, we'll hand out the paper test..."

As the Genin filed into their assigned testing locations for the first phase of the Chunin Exams, they were met by the proctor - a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression.

The proctor's name was Ibiki Morino, a veteran of the Anbu Black Ops and a skilled interrogator. His reputation preceded him, and the Genin knew that they were in for a tough challenge.

Naturally, the cards were clearly not random - rigged to separate each team.

Separating from Hinata and Kiba, Shino couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation. The Chunin Exams had finally begun, and he was ready to implement some of his plans.

As for success or failure? Shino didn't consider it. He knew that doing something was better than doing nothing.

When the pressure mounts, one must weigh the cost of revealing their closely guarded secrets against the risk of being forced to spill them under duress. It's a delicate dance, and one misstep could be catastrophic. But what if the key to survival lies not in holding back, but in strategic disclosure?

If he does nothing, he might end up having to reveal secrets just to stay afloat. That would be worse than preparing 'secrets' he was willing to reveal beforehand, but just enough to keep him within the safety line. He had already discussed with Alina and arranged the optimal revelation, considering his situation.

Sweeping his eyes over the examiners appearing in their chairs one by one, Shino took a deep breath and sat steadily. With a thought, he commanded, "Alina, send out the parasitic insects that can camouflage."

[Affrimative, Overmind. Scanning - Targets acquired. Deploying Parasitic Insects (Chameleon Variant) according to pre-programmed protocol...]

Tiny bugs began to march out from Shino's sleeves, gradually turning transparent and blending into its environment.

This was his normal Aburame clan insects, but mutated through the merging with the gene of a chameleon-like creature he collected from one of the training grounds. This Chunin Exam will be the perfect place for it to shine, and it starts now.

No one said he couldn't start before the exam started right? Or maybe… the exam had already started the moment the proctor stepped into the room.

Shino's glasses glinted ominously as he watched his bugs discreetly crawl towards their targets. He knew that not all of them will succeed. He can't underestimate the other exam takers just because they were Genins.

Ibiki stood at the front of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the young ninjas before him, explaining the process and rules of the exam.

"...The final question won't be given out until fifteen minutes before the end of the testing period. You have one hour in total-"

His sharp eyes scanned the room, taking note of every detail - from the nervous fidgeting of some of the Genin to the confident posture of others.

There was also an exceptional few who seemed to have lost their souls ever since they saw the paper test – one of them being the orange jumpsuit Jinchuriki he was told to pay more heed to.

His eyes even seem to imperceptibly sweep over some transparent bugs discreetly crawling in the room. But he didn't say anything. After all, there had to be some leniency for his own fellow villagers, right? No – it was clear that the method was too clever, and he didn't see anything.

Finally, Ibiki's eyes fixed on the clock. Seeing the time has arrived, he announced with a loud roar.

"BEGIN!"