Bully Lord In the Chunin Exam (NarutoVerse)

Kuro's gaze remained fixed on Sasuke, cold and analytical, dissecting the grotesque transformation unfolding before him. The curse mark, the pulsating darkness—it was a fascinating, albeit disturbing, biological anomaly. Orochimaru's work, he thought detachedly, categorizing the information. Just as the manga described. He felt no immediate alarm, no surge of protective instinct, only clinical interest in this forced evolution of power. He cataloged the changes: skin tone, chakra signature, the grotesque patterns spreading across Sasuke's flesh, all data points to be filed away.

"Xero, Reika, look," Kuro stated, his voice flat, devoid of emotion, more an instruction than an alert. He gestured minimally towards Sasuke, expecting them to observe, analyze, the same way he was. There was no panic in his tone, no call to action, just a detached notification of a noteworthy event unfolding. He was an observer, cataloging events, not a participant in the drama playing out.

Xero's reaction was instant excitement. His eyes went wide, like he'd just seen a eternal rival or something, and Reika, she immediately went into this super focused, analyzing mode, brow furrowed and all. Both of them were clearly reacting to what was going on, getting pulled into it way more than Kuro was, at least on the outside. Xero's voice was all shaky and hushed but he smiled widely, "What… what is that?!" and Reika, calm as ever, was already muttering about "Sasuke's chakra signature." Kuro heard them both, yeah, their words registered, but it was like he was observing their reactions from a distance, as much as he was actually processing what was happening in the fight. He was just kind of… noting down their responses in his head, along with everything else. Almost like they were data points in some internal combat report he was running.

"It's a power boost," Kuro stated, his voice toneless, dismissive, downplaying the sinister nature of the curse mark. "Makes him stronger. Probably temporary." He kept it brief, minimizing any sense of alarm, wanting to curtail any impulse his teammates might have towards rash action. He offered no warning of danger, no hint of the potential for Sasuke to lose control. Let them observe for themselves.

Reika's sharper senses picked up on the subtle yet crucial details, her analysis more insightful than Xero's immediate alarm, yet still tinged with concern Kuro did not share. Her words, "Sasuke's chakra signature… it's become erratic. Volatile. And… tainted," were accurate, clinically precise. But to Kuro, they were just observations, pieces of data. He acknowledged them with a minimal nod, offering no further comment, keeping his face impassive, a mask of cold indifference.

Xero voiced the concern Kuro coldly dismissed within himself. "Dangerous how? Is he going to… lose control? Hurt them more?" The genuine concern in Xero's voice was almost irritating, a distraction from the cold, objective observation Kuro was determined to maintain. Sentimentality is a weakness, he thought dismissively. It clouds judgment, leads to mistakes.

Kuro paused, a tiny ripple of… something he couldn't quite name, maybe annoyance, maybe… something softer he really didn't want to acknowledge, flickering inside him. He squashed it down hard. "Yeah," he said, his voice flat, like he was reading from a report. "But it's their fight. We need to stay out of it." He put a real edge on that last part, making it a definite order, no more arguing.

With a sharp motion, he signaled to Xero and Reika, his voice carrying the weight of finality. 

"We're leaving." 

His words were blunt, devoid of emotion. He didn't bother explaining himself. He didn't need to. Their priority wasn't this meaningless skirmish—it was securing the Earth Scroll. 

Xero cast a quick glance toward the ongoing fight, his eager to participate it was evident. Reika, though less expressive, also seemed reluctant. But Kuro's tone left no room for argument. They exchanged a brief look before silently falling in line behind him. 

As they retreated, the sounds of battle gradually faded into the distance. The violent symphony of combat dulled, replaced by the quiet hum of the forest. Yet Kuro didn't let his guard down for a second. Even with the immediate fight behind them, there were still too many unknown variables. 

His mind worked methodically, breaking down their next steps. The Earth Scroll was the key. That was all that mattered. The longer they wasted here, the more opportunities they gave others to interfere. 

"They're still going at it," Xero muttered after a while, casting a glance back. 

Kuro didn't bother looking. He had already dismissed them in his mind. 

"Not our problem," he said simply. 

Xero let out a dry chuckle. "Cold as always." 

Kuro didn't acknowledge the comment. If prioritizing efficiency over pointless heroics made him cold, then so be it. This wasn't some grand war where he had to pick a side. It was a survival game, and Kuro had long since decided that he wasn't here to play savior. 

The trio moved swiftly through the dense terrain, their footsteps silent, their presence nearly undetectable. The Forest of Death was a place where hesitation equaled death, and Kuro wasn't the type to hesitate. Every step he took was calculated, every decision weighed against the risks. 

His mind briefly flickered back to the combatants they had left behind. They were fighting for something—glory, revenge, some misplaced sense of righteousness. Kuro couldn't care less. This wasn't about good or evil. It was about surviving and getting what he wanted. 

Reika suddenly came to a halt, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Xero tensed, ready for action. Kuro didn't say anything at first—he simply waited, observing. 

"Something wrong?" Xero whispered. 

Reika hesitated for half a second before shaking her head. "...No. Just a feeling." 

Kuro raised a brow. "If it's just a feeling, keep moving." 

Reika didn't argue. The moment passed, and they pressed on. Kuro wasn't one to ignore potential threats, but he also wasn't going to let paranoia slow them down. If there was danger, they'd handle it when it showed itself. 

Minutes passed in silence. The echoes of battle were long behind them now, swallowed by the vast forest. 

Xero finally spoke up again. "You really didn't care at all, huh?" 

Kuro sighed. "Do I look like I care?" 

Xero smirked. "Not even a little." 

Reika glanced at Kuro, her gaze unreadable. "Most people would've at least hesitated." 

Kuro met her eyes with an unimpressed look. "I'm not most people." 

Xero let out another chuckle, shaking his head. "No kidding." 

They continued walking, their pace steady, their goal clear. The Earth Scroll. That was it. The fight, the struggle of others—it didn't matter. 

And just like that, they disappeared into the depths of the Forest of Death, leaving behind the chaos, the conflict, and the foolish ideals of those who fought for something other than survival.