Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice

The next day, early in the morning a strange figure arrived.

A faint sound from the door startled him out of his concentration. His small body froze instinctively as he heard the soft patter of footsteps. Teriyaki glanced over his shoulder, his dark brown eyes narrowing in curiosity.

The door slid open, revealing a figure in the doorway—a man in a white coat, looking at Teriyaki with a strange, calculated expression. His grey hair meant only one thing, it was the character who had stayed by Orochimaru's side for a long time. Kabuto.

At first Kabuto only watched Teriyaki with mild interest, then he began talking to him about all kinds of things.

How he felt, if he was worried, if he wanted any help and many more questions. Kabuto was kind, it would be a long time before he became the insane snake-sage towards the end of the manga.

Later that day...

Teriyaki's eyes were glued to the pages of the thick, dusty scroll in front of him, his fingers tracing the complex symbols. The lab was silent except for the occasional rustle of paper and the soft hissing of the distant snakes coiled in their enclosures.

The fluorescent lights buzzed above him, casting a sterile, scientific glow over everything. It had almost been a week since he first arrived in the verse, he hadn't accomplished much yet.

"Master Orochimaru says I need to be ready for anything," Teriyaki murmured to himself, his eyes flickering to the vials of strange fluids lined up neatly on a nearby shelf. "If I don't train he might accidently end up killing me with one of his experiments."

Teriyaki had thought he would be able to instantly understand every scripture, he assumed every technique would come to him naturally.

But, in truth, he didn't understand anything. His knowledge of jutsu, biology, and ninjutsu techniques were non-existent, and his experiments with chakra control were abysmal, causing Orochimaru to show discomfort in his face for the first time.

It was an insult to cause Orochimaru to drop his act, Teriyaki couldn't even sleep that night due to the embarrasment.

"Teriyaki." Kabuto called out, standing over Teriyaki with a kind look in his face.

Kabuto in the books was a good person before he became an insane person driven by forbidden jutsus, Teriyaki thought.

"Yes, Kabuto-sensei?" Teriyaki answered, his voice just above a whisper. It still felt strange to call someone 'sensei,' but Kabuto had taken him under his wing in small, gentle ways, teaching him when Orochimaru was too busy with his grander schemes.

In reality, Orachimaru was usually missing at the lair probably too busy chasing Sasuke and dealing with his other curse marks.

"We've got something new for you to observe today," Kabuto said, his lips curling up slightly in what could almost be described as a smile. "Master Orochimaru believes you are ready for this next step."

Teriyaki's eyes widened. Was it a new experiment? A new technique? His heart raced with excitement, though his face remained calm, in line with his training. "What is it, Kabuto-sensei?" He could feel it, after days of resultless training now he would unlock his hidden potential and take over the verse.

Kabuto gestured for Teriyaki to follow him as he turned and walked down the corridor. Teriyaki scrambled to his feet, eager to know what was coming.

The dark aesthetic of the lab felt friendlier with Kabuto walking beside him. The air here was brimming with the scent of chemicals and the distant, low hum of machinery.

They stopped in front of a small, dark room where Kabuto paused to glance at Teriyaki, his expression serious. "This, Teriyaki, is something you need to witness firsthand. It involves both genetics and ninjutsu, the blending of human and snake in a way few have ever attempted."

Teriyaki's pulse quickened. Snakes… Master Orochimaru's obsession with them. Was he learning Kinjutsu?

Kabuto opened the door with a quiet creak, revealing a dimly lit room. In the center of the room, coiled on a large stone platform, was a massive snake. Its scales glimmered under the light, reflecting hues of white and gray, and it seemed to hiss softly in its sleep.

But this wasn't just any snake—it had a strange energy around it. A distinct chakra signature that sent a shiver down Teriyaki's spine.

"This is Onigiri," Kabuto said, his voice low. "A special creation of Orochimaru's. A serpent capable of advanced communication and heightened intelligence, specifically bred for one purpose—observation and interaction."

Teriyaki's eyes widened as the snake uncoiled, stretching its long, muscular body across the stone platform. It raised its head and fixed its red eyes on Teriyaki, studying him.

A sudden thought ran through Teriyaki's mind: This snake must've been made by Orochimaru, the way it acted was almost robotic. It slithered up to him like a child, and allowed him to slide his hand over it's scales calmly.

Kabuto stepped back, his eyes narrowing. "Onigiri was created to aid you, to test your skills, and to protect you when the master and I are not around."

The snake slithered even closer, and Teriyaki instinctively stepped back, his feet skidding against the stone floor. He had never been face-to-face with a creature like this before.

But Onigiri didn't seem hostile. It was curious, almost as if it were waiting for Teriyaki to do something interesting.

"Do not fear, Teriyaki," Kabuto said, his voice soft but firm. "This snake is a part of you now. Orochimaru has specifically chosen it for you. It will not hurt you."

Teriyaki swallowed nervously and took a tentative step forward. The snake watched him with its calculating gaze, its body undulating slowly on the stone. In his mind he hoped for it to close it's mouth since he was scared it would accidently bite his arm off, it did as he had hoped and shut it's fangs.

"Onigiri," Teriyaki whispered, his voice quiet yet filled with awe. "Do you understand me?"

The snake seemed to tilt its head, considering the question. Its red eyes glowed faintly as it hissed, a sound that almost felt like it was acknowledging Teriyaki's words.

Kabuto, seeing the connection being formed, nodded."You'll learn to communicate with it in time," Kabuto said. "For now, observe. Understand the way it interacts with you, how it reads your chakra, and how it responds to your emotions."Teriyaki stood still, letting his chakra settle.

Onigiri slithered closer again, the air vibrating with the faint hum of energy between them. He could feel it—the presence of chakra between them, he only understood his Chakra must've been quite weak. He shouldn't expect too much, this body was far too young.

Kabuto watched, his arms crossed. "Remember, Teriyaki. Continue studying, do not dissapoint Orochimaru. He is very busy these days, and obstructions to his work could prove troublesome."

Teriyaki looked into Onigiri's eyes once more. For a moment, everything felt still. This wasn't just an experiment or another training session, this was perhaps a bond being formed.

"You're my snake now."