Bully Lord In the Chunin Exam (NarutoVerse)

Across the village, similar ripples of unease spread. At the training grounds, Kakashi Hatake glanced up from his book, his lone visible eye narrowing as he felt the disturbance. "What is that…?" he murmured, his usually calm voice betraying a hint of unease. 

At another corner of the village, Might Guy paused mid-spar, his fists clenched as he turned to the horizon. "Such youthful intensity…" he muttered, his voice a mixture of awe and worry. "But it feels… unstable." 

Even further afield, a group of Anbu Black Ops, stationed on a routine perimeter patrol, exchanged uneasy glances as the faint shockwaves of Xero's energy brushed past them. One of them adjusted their mask, their voice steady but grim. "That's no ordinary chakra. We need to check on his profile. If he is from some terrorist organization we will deal with him." 

Back in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen's gaze remained fixed on the reports coming in. His gut told him this was only the beginning. The disturbance wasn't just an anomaly; it was a harbinger of something greater—a force that could tip the scales in ways he hadn't foreseen. 

"Prepare for the possibility of intervention," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for debate. "And keep me updated on anything that develops." 

The unseen storm brewing in the Forest of Death had begun to cast its shadow over the Hidden Leaf Village, raising questions and fears that no one could yet answer. 

—---

While Xero wreaked havoc on the wolves, the intensity of Kuro's battle with Saibogu Ichigō and Saibogu Sangō reached new heights. These cyborgs, though outwardly human, fought with relentless precision and power, their mechanical enhancements making them formidable beyond measure. Sangō's movements were thunderous and overwhelming, each strike of his shifting arms a new and deadly surprise. One moment, his arm morphed into a spinning blade that sliced through the air with a high-pitched whine; the next, it transformed into a hammer that cratered the ground beneath Kuro's feet. 

Kuro danced around the attacks with calculated precision, his body fluid and controlled. He remained calm even as the air cracked with the force of Sangō's hammer smashing into the earth, sending debris flying in every direction. His sharp eyes tracked every shift in Sangō's weaponized arms, his mind working faster than the eye could follow. 

"You're not from this world we already know that, however how did you come here, you shouldn't have that kind of technology?" Sangō asked. The sound carried an almost musical quality, warped and echoing unnaturally. His eyes gleamed as he swung his transformed arm, now a massive cannon, in Kuro's direction. "I guess, that's why Xaker is so interested in you." 

Kuro didn't respond. His face remained unreadable, though his piercing gaze never wavered. He sidestepped Sangō's hammer-like strike, the ground shattering where he had been moments before. In the same fluid motion, Kuro retaliated with a lightning-infused palm strike to Sangō's chest. The electricity coursed through the cyborg's body, sending sparks flying and causing his frame to jerk violently. 

Sangō staggered but recovered almost instantly, a sneer spreading across his face. "You'll have to try harder than that, Earthling," he spat, his tone laced with contempt. 

He raised his cannon arm, energy gathering at its core with a high-pitched whir. In an instant, he unleashed a barrage of energy blasts that tore through the clearing, each one leaving a trail of scorched earth in its wake. 

Kuro's Slow Vision skill activated, and the world around him seemed to shift into slow motion. Sangō's energy blasts, deadly and swift, now appeared sluggish and predictable. Kuro weaved through them with ease, his movements a blur of grace and efficiency. Closing the distance between them, he struck at the exposed joints of Sangō's mechanical frame with pinpoint accuracy, each blow landing with a burst of sparks and a metallic screech. 

Sangō's movements grew more erratic, his limbs jerking as the damage began to affect his systems. Kuro pressed the advantage, his strikes relentless and precise. 

But just as Sangō was about to counter with another devastating attack, Ichigō's voice cut through the chaos. "Sangō," he said, his tone calm but firm, "deal with that Xero guy. I'll handle him for now." 

Sangō paused mid-motion, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, good proposal," he said, his voice regaining its taunting edge. His glowing eyes flicked toward Xero, who was still tearing through the remaining wolves with feral intensity. "That guy does seem interesting. Okay, I'll do that." 

With a final glance at Kuro, Sangō turned and leapt toward Xero, his massive frame crashing into the fray with the force of a meteor. His cannon arm shifted again, becoming a blade that gleamed ominously as he charged toward his new opponent. 

Ichigō stepped forward, his dark eyes locking onto Kuro with an intensity that sent a chill through the air. "Now that we're alone," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips, "let's see what makes you so special." 

Kuro exhaled slowly, his body settling into a fighting stance as electricity crackled faintly around him. "You'll regret splitting up," he said, his voice low but steady. 

The battle wasn't over—it had only just begun. 

"Now," Ichigō muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. It was as if Ichigo giving some sort of signal.

Sangō grinned, his transmutation arm shifting and transforming once more. From his shoulder emerged a hidden mechanism—a massive cannon, its sleek barrel humming with gathering energy. The weapon began to glow, its charge building with an intensity that bathed the battlefield in harsh, flickering light. 

"This is your end!" Sangō roared, the cannon locking onto Xero as its energy reached critical mass. The air around it warped with heat, the ground beneath Sangō cracking under the sheer force of the weapon's power. 

Simultaneously, Ichigō moved with eerie silence, his own body releasing a similarly devastating charge. A concealed weapon unfolded from his arm, its sleek design barely audible as it activated. The cannon's glow was muted compared to Sangō's, but the lethality in Ichigō's calculated expression made it no less deadly. His weapon's barrel angled toward Kuro, energy pooling within like a coiled serpent ready to strike.