Chapter-9: Of Jokes, Training, and Hidden Threats

*Training? What's the point?* Kuro thought, gazing up at the canopy above. *I'm not even at full strength. Whatever this "synchronization data thing" is supposed to be, it's still a mess. I'm like a half-finished jigsaw puzzle that keeps getting moved around. I'll probably just end up watching them fight each other and taking notes.*

"Hey, Kuro!" Xero called out, snapping him out of his stupor. "You just gonna stand there like a lump of tofu? You can't hide behind that tree forever."

Kuro grinned, stepping away from the tree with a lazy stretch. "Oh, I wasn't hiding. I'm just... saving my energy for the big day. You two go ahead and burn yourselves out. I'll just be here in case I need to step in and save the day."

Xero snorted, rolling his eyes. "Save the day, huh? You do know there's no prize for being the guy who shows up last, right?"

Reika, who had been meditating peacefully until now, suddenly opened her eyes and gave Kuro a sideways glance. "You're being ridiculous," she said, shaking her head. "I get that you like to joke around, but this is serious. The exams are tough. If you don't take them seriously, you're going to regret it."

Kuro raised a finger, suddenly adopting a completely serious tone. "Ah, but you see, I *am* taking it seriously. Serious *laziness*, that is. It takes years of practice to perfect."

Reika folded her arms and sighed deeply, a look of exasperation on her face. "You know, I thought I'd heard every excuse in the book, but you just made up a whole new genre. The 'lazy genius' excuse."

Kuro smirked. "It's not an excuse; it's an art form. While you two are over there sweating it out, I'm letting my natural talent simmer. Sometimes, the best way to be efficient is to do nothing."

Xero paused mid-swing, staring at him as though Kuro had just said he could fly. "What? You've gotta be kidding me. You're not seriously trying to tell us that you think doing nothing will make you ready for the exams?"

Kuro gave him a lazy shrug. "Exactly. I'm letting you two exhaust yourselves so that when the time comes, I'll be fresh and ready. No sweat, no strain, just pure, unrefined laziness."

Reika rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn't fall out. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

Kuro grinned wider. "Hopeless? Please, I'm the *most hopeful* guy here. One day, you'll see. I'll be the one standing tall at the end of the exams while you two are left wondering what happened."

"Yeah, if by 'standing tall' you mean 'standing on the sidelines,'" Xero quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Kuro gave them a mock bow. "You see? This is why I'm here. To bring joy, to provide entertainment. You're welcome."

---

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the training ground, the three of them continued their respective activities. Reika drilled herself into exhaustion, Xero honed his swordplay, and Kuro, well, Kuro continued to... not train. 

Kuro, or *James* as he was known back on Earth, stared at his status bar, watching it tick up to 80%. He let out a frustrated sigh. Even if the bar hit 100%, he wasn't sure it would be enough to hold his ground against the others. After all, he was just a regular human, his abilities the peak of what was possible for his kind on Earth. But this wasn't Earth—it was a whole new world, one where the rules were different. 

Then again, now that he thought about it, his system itself was a supernatural anomaly. So maybe he wasn't entirely without an edge... But would it be enough?

---

Hey, Kuro," Reika called, her voice breaking through his reverie. "You gonna spar with me, or are you just gonna keep pretending you're some kind of expert at doing nothing?"

Kuro opened one eye and flashed her a grin. "And ruin my perfect streak of doing nothing? Not a chance."

Reika's lips curled into a smirk. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you when you get your butt handed to you in the exams."

Kuro chuckled, but the words stung more than he let on. Deep down, he knew it was time to start taking things seriously. Maybe not today. But soon.

---------

In the heart of the Sand Village, behind layers of sandstone walls and guarded corridors, Orochimaru stood alone in the Fourth Kazekage's private chamber, Orochimaru already killed Fourth Kazekage and delivered several controversal decision. The air was dry and thick, the oppressive silence a testament to the secrecy of his self made mission. The faint scent of dust and decay hung in the room, a fitting backdrop for the sinister intent that had brought him here.

Clad in Rasa's attire, Orochimaru glanced at his reflection in a polished metal plate. The face staring back was that of the Fourth Kazekage, but the eyes carried Orochimaru's venomous cunning. He sneered, pleased with his deception. 

His satisfaction was interrupted by the faintest whisper of movement—barely perceptible, but enough to stir his senses. Orochimaru's golden eyes flicked to the shadows, and his voice, imitating Rasa's, filled the room.

"Come out, rats. I know you're there."

For a moment, the chamber remained still, the tension palpable. Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged. 

The man was clad in sleek metallic armor, its surface gleaming faintly even in the dim light. His helmet bore a beetle insignia, and his presence radiated an unsettling confidence. He moved with an unnatural precision, every step calculated, every shift of his body deliberate—an aura of danger coiled around him like a serpent in the grass.

"You can drop the act, Orochimaru," the figure said, his tone calm yet assertive. "We already know who you are."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, his serpentine pupils sharpening as his lips curled into a dangerous smile. His body tensed, ready to strike if need be. 

"Who are you?" Orochimaru asked, his voice cold.

The armored man stepped further into the room, his movements deliberate. "My name is Xaker. I'm an outsider—not of this world. In my world, I am a prominent General Manager of a corporation called Fire Fly."