Bully Lord In the Chunin Exam (NarutoVerse)

Taking a deep breath, Kuro stepped closer. Just as he approached the curtain-covered entrance, a loud, animated voice drifted out from inside.

"Old man! I just got back from a top-secret mission! Give me extra soup, believe it!"

Kuro stopped, eyes widening as he recognized the voice instantly. *No way… the guy with the wild catchphrase? The famous hyperactive knucklehead ninja?* Curiosity piqued, he carefully slid into the shop, eyes scanning the interior. There, sitting right at the counter, was a blonde-haired boy with whisker-like marks on his cheeks, enthusiastically chatting with an older man who was undoubtedly Teuchi, the legendary ramen chef himself. The boy's bright energy seemed to fill the small space, a bundle of endless optimism and excitement, so uncontainable it practically radiated from his hair.

Kuro settled onto a stool a few seats away, doing his best to act casual, though he couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips. Teuchi noticed him immediately, nodding in greeting.

"What'll it be, young man?" the old chef asked, a warm smile on his face.

"Just a bowl of miso ramen, please," Kuro replied, trying to keep his excitement from bubbling over. *Calm down, it's just ramen… no, it's Ichiraku ramen! Focus, act cool.*

Within moments, Teuchi set a steaming bowl in front of him. The aroma was almost hypnotic—rich and savory, wafting up to wrap around him like a comforting blanket. Kuro's eyes lit up as he took his first bite, savoring the warm, full-bodied broth and the perfectly chewy noodles. "This is… amazing!" he exclaimed, unable to contain himself.

Teuchi chuckled, clearly pleased by Kuro's reaction. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Kuro shook his head, still relishing the taste of the ramen. "I'm from Tsukigakure. Came here for the Chunin Exams."

At this, Naruto's head snapped in his direction, his blue eyes bright with interest. "You're here for the Chunin Exams?" He looked Kuro up and down, almost as if assessing his competition, though Kuro had the sneaking suspicion Naruto's "assessment" didn't go much beyond 'Seems like an okay guy.'

Kuro scratched his head, feeling oddly self-conscious. "Well… kind of. An old man sort of pushed me into it." He chuckled awkwardly, not wanting to go into too much detail about how he had stumbled his way into this mess.

Naruto laughed, his voice loud and carefree. "Sounds lame! I mean, who makes you take the Chunin Exams if you don't want to? That's like forcing a frog to learn to swim—uh, no, wait, frogs already know how to do that…"

Kuro chuckled along, finding Naruto's blunt honesty oddly refreshing. "Yeah, tell me about it. I'm still figuring that out myself." He extended his hand, smiling. "I'm Kurotora Shigeno. Kuro for short."

Naruto stared at Kuro's hand for a moment, his face breaking into a grin as he grasped it firmly. "Naruto Uzumaki! And unlike you, I actually *want* to be a Chunin. Someday, I'm going to be Hokage! Believe it! (Dattebayo!)"

Kuro blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sheer conviction in Naruto's voice. While he had heard the words countless times in the anime, hearing them in person was something else entirely. Most people Kuro(James) knew who aspired to lead were self-absorbed, driven by fame or power, but Naruto was different. He seemed genuinely passionate about the village and its people. Kuro's smile softened as he met Naruto's unwavering gaze. "I believe you can do it."

Naruto's expression flickered, his eyes widening in surprise, as though he couldn't quite believe Kuro had taken his dream seriously. It was a brief moment, but Kuro could sense a quiet vulnerability there—like no one had ever really believed in him like this before. A pang of sympathy tugged at Kuro's heart. But then, in a flash, Naruto's grin returned, brighter and more energetic than ever. "You really think I can do it, Kuro?!"

Kuro chuckled softly, his smile warm. "Yeah, I do. I don't know much about you or your village, but I can tell—when someone has a clear goal and puts in the work, they can achieve anything."

Naruto's grin stretched even wider, and without missing a beat, he shouted across the room to Teuchi, "Hey, old man! His ramen's on me!"

Teuchi raised an eyebrow at this. "Naruto, are you sure? You barely have enough to cover your own meals most days."

Naruto scratched his cheek, chuckling sheepishly. "Uh, right… maybe next time then."

Kuro laughed, waving a hand to reassure him. "It's all good, Naruto. Don't worry about it." Inside, he couldn't help thinking, *A generous gesture, even with empty pockets. Kid's got spirit, I'll give him that. Maybe more than the rest of us combined.*

The two continued talking as they ate, swapping stories about the exams, Naruto's various misadventures, and Kuro's quieter life in Tsukigakure(made-up ninja story). Naruto was a natural storyteller, regaling Kuro with tales of pranks he'd pulled on his teachers, especially the hard-to-fool Iruka-sensei. Each tale was more outrageous than the last, and Kuro found himself laughing along, momentarily forgetting his own worries.

It was strange—Kuro had come to the Leaf Village expecting little more than a brief, awkward stay, but here he was, genuinely enjoying himself in the company of someone he'd only just met. And not just anyone—a kid, at that. Yet, Naruto's enthusiasm was infectious, and his open-heartedness made Kuro feel at ease, as though they were old friends who'd shared hundreds of bowls of ramen over the years.

After explaining his mission which involve Zabuza and Haku, Naruto looked over at him with a grin. "So, Kuro… got any crazy stories? I mean, if you're here for the exams, you must have done something interesting, right?"

Kuro hesitated, scratching the back of his head. *Crazy stories?* He wasn't sure "crazy" was the word he'd use, unless running from Reika's death glares counted. But he couldn't exactly share that story with Naruto, could he? Well he then mixed one of his earth story to ninja world story-

Kuro smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, let's just say I've had my share of run-ins with the darker side of the ninja world," he began. "One particular incident involved a rather unsavory character, a bully who thought he could get away with anything."

"This guy was more than just a schoolyard tyrant. He was part of a larger criminal organization, involved in all sorts of nefarious activities, including child trafficking. He'd use his influence to lure young, talented ninja into his clutches, promising fame and fortune, only to exploit their skills for his own gain." 

"I'd heard whispers about his operations, and I knew I had to put a stop to it. I infiltrated his organization, moving through the ranks, gaining their trust. It was a dangerous game, but I was determined to bring him down from the inside." 

"When the time was right, I struck. I exposed his crimes to the authorities, leading to his arrest and the dismantling of his organization. It wasn't easy, and it came at a cost, but I knew it was the right thing to do." 

Naruto's eyes widened in awe. "That's incredible, dattebayo, you are also role model of ninja!"

Kuro chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't go that far. I just did what needed to be done. But it's always satisfying to know that you've made a difference, no matter how small." 

As they smiled, Naruto slapped him on the back. "You know, Kuro… you're alright. If we're both in the Chunin Exams, let's make sure to give it everything we've got!"

Kuro raised his chopsticks in a mock salute. "Here's to a fair fight, then. But don't go easy on me, or you might end up paying for my ramen next time."

Naruto flashed a mischievous grin. "Yeah, yeah, right! I'm going to be Hokage someday—I don't go easy on anyone!" The fire in his eyes was unmistakable, and for a moment, Kuro could see it too: Naruto standing atop the Hokage Mountain, looking out over the village he so clearly loved.

After they'd finished eating, Naruto clapped Kuro on the back one last time before dashing out of the shop with a wave, disappearing into the crowd. Kuro watched him go, a strange feeling settling over him. He hadn't expected to find a friend here—especially not someone so different from himself. But Naruto's openness and his unwavering dream… it made Kuro think, maybe there was more for him here than just passing through.

As Kuro stood up to leave, Teuchi gave him a smile and waved him off. "You made a good friend today, Kuro. I can tell. Everyone in this village may hate him, but he's a good kid." 

Kuro nodded, casting a brief glance at the bustling street with a faint smile. "Yeah… I know he's a good kid. One day, he'll change everyone's opinion. He's going to be a world-class hero." 

Teuchi looked at him, surprised by his words, but chose not to say anything.

Seeing the expression on Teuchi's face, Kuro smiled. He then thought to himself, *I don't know how many days or years I'll be here, but if I can witness Naruto's rise, that will be enough for me.* 

Suddenly, he had the feeling that he'd heard something from a Boruto hater: *Kuro doesn't want to be part of Boruto's story, that's why he wants to leave before the Boruto series even starts.*