Bully Lord In the Chunin Exam (NarutoVerse)

Kuro stood there, arms crossed, eyeing Orochimaru with complete indifference. The snake-like man was doing his usual villain thing—glowering, oozing malice, and generally looking like he was trying to be the star of a very poorly scripted drama.

Orochimaru took a step forward, his voice dripping with venom. "Ah, the wonder boy. So much potential... too bad you're too weak to understand the depth of my power." His smile was as sinister as ever, like he was trying to sell the idea of his evilness to an audience.

Kuro gave him a look, unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah. Big bad snake guy, I get it. You've got the whole 'ancient power' thing going on. Can we skip to the part where you try to kill me and fail miserably?"

Orochimaru tilted his head, clearly not expecting that kind of response. "You're either very brave or very foolish. You have no idea what you're dealing with, boy."

"Really? No idea?" Kuro smirked, hands in his pockets. "Buddy, I've literally read the manga, I know exactly how this goes. You're gonna say something about how you're 'unstoppable' or whatever, I'm gonna make some sarcastic comment, and then you'll throw a big attack. But here's the thing—I've seen it all before."

Orochimaru blinked, clearly thrown off by Kuro's casual tone. He was expecting fear, maybe a little trembling, but all he got was a guy who seemed bored by the whole situation.

"You think you can mock me, little kid?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, but there wasn't the usual venom in his voice—he was actually a little curious. "Are you really so confident?"

Kuro shrugged. "Confidence is a weird word. But, yeah, I'm confident. I've been around. I've dealt with bigger threats, more dramatic villains. You're kind of... 'standard villain' material, if you know what I mean."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smile, not out of anger, but amusement. "So, I'm just another 'standard villain,' am I?"

"Well, yeah," Kuro said, his tone light. "You've got the whole creepy snake thing going on, with the whole 'I'm an ancient being' routine. You're practically checking off every cliché in the villain handbook. I'm honestly waiting for you to break out the 'I'll destroy this world' speech next."

Orochimaru paused, taking in Kuro's words. "You mock me, but you don't seem afraid," he observed.

Kuro raised an eyebrow. "Afraid? Nah. I've seen this act a million times. You do the evil monologue, maybe summon a snake or two, then vanish for the dramatic 'next round.' It's like you've got a script or something." He leaned against a tree, getting comfortable. "So, what's the plan, Orochimaru? Another big speech, or are you just gonna stand there looking creepy?"

Orochimaru didn't react with fury, like most villains would. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, intrigued by Kuro's casual tone. "You really think you know how this plays out?"

"I mean, yeah," Kuro said with a grin. "I'm pretty sure you're gonna do something super villain-y, like try to control me or offer me power... or maybe you'll give me the whole 'join me, and together we can rule the world' spiel. I'll decline, obviously."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "And you're not worried about the consequences of your insolence?"

Kuro chuckled. "Consequences? I'm not too worried about them. I've been zapped, blasted, thrown into alternate dimensions. A guy like you? Pfft. You're just... a Tuesday for me."

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed, but it wasn't with anger—it was a quiet curiosity, like he was starting to enjoy this exchange. "You really are something, aren't you? You're not like the others."

Kuro grinned wider. "Yeah, I'm kind of a big deal. You should have seen me back in my old world. They used to call me 'The Bullied,' because I had this thing where I would just watch people destroy each other. It was kind of my thing. But now, I'm here, watching you do your snake villain thing, and honestly? I'm impressed you've stuck with it for so long."

"Bullied?" Orochimaru asked, slightly intrigued. "Is that supposed to be some sort of joke?"

"Not really. It was more of a power-up," Kuro said, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I had this thing called the Bully System. Every time I got insulted, I got stronger. So imagine the chaos I caused just by walking into a room full of angry people. They'd roast me, and I'd get stronger and stronger. It was fun."

Orochimaru's curiosity seemed to grow, but he kept his composure. "Interesting. I've never heard of such a system."

"Yeah, there is something like that," Kuro shrugged. "Now, I'm just here for the show. You know, the whole 'epic villain showdown' where you try to kill me, and I pretend to be worried, then defeat you in some ridiculous way."

"Is that what you think will happen?" Orochimaru asked, his voice still calm.

"Honestly? Yeah," Kuro said with a grin. "Look, no offense, but you're not exactly original. You've got the creepy snake vibe, the long speeches, and the 'I'm gonna take over the world' routine. It's all just too... predictable."

Orochimaru, who had been expecting a more serious confrontation, found himself at a loss for words. "I... see. You really do think you know everything about me."

"Oh, don't worry," Kuro said with a grin, completely relaxed. "I'm not here for a fight. I just wanted to see what you'd do when someone wasn't terrified of you."

Orochimaru seemed to consider this for a moment. Then, with a soft chuckle, he spoke again. "Perhaps you are more interesting than I thought."

Kuro grinned back. "I get that a lot."

Without warning, the confrontation ignited. Orochimaru, his serpent-like presence unmistakable, lashed out with unnatural speed. His tongue shot forward, a long, sinuous weapon coated in dark, venomous fluid. The moment felt almost surreal—like everything around Kuro froze in place. He could see every detail in crisp clarity: the flicker of Orochimaru's eyes, the unnatural twist of his tongue, the faintest breath of wind that seemed to linger, holding its own. The world around him felt distant, like he was watching a movie unfold with a remote in hand.

But Kuro wasn't just a passive observer anymore. His mind, honed by his past as James and his experience in this chaotic world, clicked into gear without hesitation. He had learned the hard way that in this world, hesitation meant death. Every second counted.