The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet was the most harrowing ritual of training in the Empire, who every aspiring Scorpion ninja must undergo. The secret of the Gauntlet was that the targets of the young ninja were Scorpion agents in disguise. Captured ninja were believed to be killed. They instead were severely beaten, then removed from that class and given stricter training. The secret was maintained by those who failed and graduated, to maintain the quality of the Gauntlet training.