A couple of others chimed in, "Honestly, they're the worst. We're all trying to focus here."
Kuro's eyes glinted with mischief as he leaned in slightly toward Xero. "Well please stop now, it seems like we are too much of a distraction now," he said quietly, his voice laced with a hint of sarcasm.
Xero, still grinning like a fool, nodded enthusiastically. "I know, right? We're just too much to handle." He said it so seriously that Kuro couldn't help but shake his head, his smirk widening despite the collective annoyance they were causing.
As the whispers died down and the room settled once again, it was clear—Kuro and Xero might've made everyone around them want to scream, but they were thoroughly enjoying the chaos they'd stirred.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stepped into the room, their presence immediately drawing attention. The sheer number of competitors packed into one space left Naruto momentarily speechless.
"Whoa," Naruto muttered, his wide eyes darting around the room. The tension in the air seemed to hit him all at once, his usual bravado giving way to unease.
Sasuke, on the other hand, remained composed, his sharp gaze scanning the room for threats. He was keenly aware of the scrutiny directed at him—the legendary Sharingan wielder of the Uchiha clan was a natural target for attention.
Just as the three began to move further inside, a loud, high-pitched voice rang out.
"Sasuke-kun!"
The owner of the voice was none other than Ino, who launched herself at Sasuke with unrestrained enthusiasm. She latched onto him from behind, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with a beaming smile.
Sasuke's expression twisted into one of pure annoyance. "Let go," he muttered coldly, his tone carrying an edge that would have made anyone else think twice.
Not Ino.
"You're so mean, Sasuke-kun!" she pouted, her grip remaining firm.
"Get off him, you pig!" Sakura shouted, her face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She stomped toward them, her hands clenched into fists.
Trailing behind Ino were her teammates, Shikamaru and Choji.
Shikamaru sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head. "Why do I even bother with this?"
Choji shrugged, reaching into a bag of chips. "She's not gonna listen to you anyway."
The commotion quickly drew the attention of several other teams, and the noise in the room rose. Kuro stood off to the side, observing the scene with mild amusement. The dynamic between the teams was entertaining, if chaotic.
"This exam is already off to a chaotic start," he murmured to himself, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.
As the room's chaos slowly simmered down, Kuro's gaze shifted, taking in the various competitors scattered throughout the room. The buzz of conversation and tension was still palpable, but Kuro's focus narrowed on the individuals who stood out among the crowd.
His eyes first settled on a tall, composed figure with an aura of quiet intensity—a boy with striking pale eyes, void of pupils, that seemed to gaze right through the crowd. His posture was perfect, relaxed yet somehow calculating, giving off the impression that he was always a few steps ahead of everyone else.
"Neji Hyuga," Kuro thought to himself, immediately recognizing the prodigy of the prestigious Hyuga clan. Neji's reputation had spread far beyond the confines of the Hidden Leaf Village, and even in this room full of skilled ninjas, he stood out. Despite his calm demeanor, there was an undeniable aura of quiet menace about him. His eyes were trained on nothing in particular, but the sharpness of his gaze suggested he was taking in everything, every person, every movement. It was a reminder that he could see through his opponents' every move with the Byakugan—a gift and curse he carried with both pride and burden.
Nearby, Kiba Inuzuka sat with his ever-present companion, Akamaru. Kiba's usual exuberant energy was in check for now, but his alert posture and the way he scanned the room suggested he was ready for anything. Akamaru, perched comfortably atop his head, let out a low growl, sensing the tension in the air. The loyal dog's eyes darted between the other competitors, his fur bristling slightly in response to the undercurrent of danger that buzzed through the room. Kiba, leaning slightly forward, gave a small, approving nod toward Akamaru's instincts. "You feel it too, huh?" Kiba whispered, though his voice was more a low murmur, like a predator ready to pounce.
Standing just beside them was Shino Aburame, his usual quiet presence giving off a far more mysterious aura than Kuro had ever seen. Shino's dark sunglasses covered his eyes, but Kuro knew better than to assume that meant he wasn't paying attention. The Aburame clan was infamous for using insects as weapons, and Shino's stoic expression could easily mask a mind filled with strategies and contingencies. His body language didn't shift at all as he observed the room, but there was something undeniably unsettling about his stillness. It was as though he was analyzing everything around him with complete precision, his eyes hidden but always watching. Kuro couldn't help but admire the way Shino kept his emotions locked away, perfectly in control.
Across the room, another figure stood out—Gaara of the Sand. His presence alone seemed to create an invisible barrier around him, a kind of chilling aura that repelled those who might dare to get too close. His arms were crossed over his chest in a defensive posture, but it was more than that. His entire demeanor screamed isolation, even in the midst of the crowd. His expression, empty and emotionless, looked as though it had been carved out of stone, an unreadable mask that made him even more unnerving to those around him.
But it wasn't just his expression that caught Kuro's attention. Gaara's gourd, strapped securely to his back, was a constant reminder of his deadly abilities. Kuro knew all too well that Gaara's sand could move with a terrifying swiftness, protecting him and crushing his enemies in an instant. Gaara's cold, piercing gaze scanned the room, and there was a certain emptiness in it, as though he wasn't even seeing the people around him, but rather the whole situation as some kind of cruel game. The air around him seemed to thicken with foreboding, as if the mere act of being in the same space as Gaara was a risk in itself.