Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice

2 more months had passed by in a long exhausting training montage. 4 more months for freedom. It meant he had already spent 3 months in the Naruto Verse, and he had still not left the lair yet.

Recently, it had just been Teriyaki at the lair. Unable to leave, he spent his time perfecting his snake clones and his chakra transferring, alongside his chakra control. He spent a lot of time with Onigiri, who seemed to get more cuddly with each visit. By practicing transferring his chakra through saliva and sweat glands, he seemed to become more trusted by Onigiri.

On one tiresome day, Orochimaru returned, promising to help him learn the offensive jutsu.

"This will be the last of your chakra tasks, then we will see if you have what it takes to be a true valuable asset for me. After you do the reflex training too, of course. But I have something to help with that, just wait."

Orochimaru's figure loomed in the doorway, his ever-present cloak flowing behind him. His golden eyes glinted with calculated interest as he assessed Teriyaki's progress. 

Teriyaki felt a ripple of unease wash over him. Orochimaru's visits always carried weight, and they always signified something that would push him beyond his limits.

He had trained endlessly—his body ached from the continuous chakra control exercises, his mind weary from the endless snake clones he had created—but this was different.

Sometimes he felt like a shell of himself, like he had shed too much of himself into snake clones to be able to call himself original. If he wasn't a 17 year old boy, he might've already collapsed from the pressure. Kabuto's kind words were all his motivation these days, Orochimaru loved to remind him if he failed too much he would be disposable.

"What is it, Master?" Teriyaki asked, the words slipping out before he could stop himself. His heart hammered in his chest. Orochimaru's piercing gaze shifted down to him, as if appraising a piece of artwork.

"You are ready to learn what element you are naturally suited for. To harness the full potential of your chakra, you must first understand its nature," Orochimaru explained, his voice steady and sure.

Teriyaki felt a chill run down his spine. He remembered when Naruto pulled the wind card, this was his moment.

Orochimaru stepped forward, his hands coming together in a simple gesture. "We will begin with a simple test. I will guide you through the process. Focus on your chakra. Find its center. Breathe, Teriyaki. Hold this piece of paper."

Teriyaki held the slip of paper carefully.

Teriyaki took a deep breath, clearing his mind. He could feel the familiar stirring of chakra deep within his core, a warmth that pulsed with his heartbeat. His hands slowly moved, his fingers lightly tracing a series of symbols in the air as he concentrated. He had done similar exercises before, but this time, it felt different. The air around him seemed to hum with something new.

Orochimaru watched silently, his eyes narrowing with subtle intrigue. After a long moment, Teriyaki felt the shift—his chakra responding in a way it never had before, was Orochimaru doing something to him? It was as if a current of energy had emerged.

"Focus," Orochimaru instructed, his voice cutting through the heat of the moment. "Feel the flow. What do you sense, Teriyaki?"

A sudden, undeniable sensation washed over Teriyaki—a sharp, almost fluid energy, cool and dense, moving through his chakra pathways. He could feel it swelling, pushing through his veins and flowing smoothly.

"Water," Teriyaki whispered under his breath, his eyes widening in realization. 'Water, I suppose this body isn't a multi elemental genius.' When he looked down, both he and realized the paper slip was wet.

Orochimaru smiled faintly, a rare expression that flickered across his face like a shadow. "Yes, you have a strong connection to water. Now, we can begin some more training."

Teriyaki's mind was racing. Finally, he could finish these chakra excercises, he could already smell the fresh air of outside. Just being able to leave the lair for mundane tasks, to be able to explore the world of Naruto, it would mean everything to him.

"Now," Orochimaru continued, "I will teach you how to do a technique that will grant you some power. Though very little, in the eyes of many ninjas."

Teriyaki listened intently as Orochimaru moved through the steps. "This jutsu is simple. It is called Wild Water Wave. It is a relatively basic water technique, think of it like you spraying out water from your mouth. I need you to gather your chakra then memorize these hand signs."

Teriyaki closed his eyes. He could almost see the chakra swirling within him, as if it were water pooling in the center of his chest. His hands moved, forming the necessary hand seals that Orochimaru had shown him earlier.

"Good," Orochimaru said, his voice unwavering. "Now, release the chakra, shaping it into the desired form. Water, in its essence, is not static. It flows, it shifts, it surrounds. Allow it to flow from you, shaping it into something tangible."

Dragon → Tiger → Hare

Teriyaki concentrated harder, feeling the water-like chakra move through his body. His hands shook slightly as he formed the final seal. He focused, visualizing the chakra transforming into water, a visible manifestation of his affinity.

Suddenly, with a burst of energy, a small jet of water shot from his mouth, he felt like he was blowing it out, it all ended up splashing onto the ground. The water wasn't much, barely enough to form a puddle, but it was real. The sensation was overwhelming, like a flood of energy that surged through him. He felt his chakra drop, success on the first try. Perhaps he was a genius even though what he had produced was very weak.

"Well done," Orochimaru's voice purred, tinged with approval. "If you master this technique, you can perhaps use it more offensively, with purposes more than creating a puny puddle."

Teriyaki exhaled, a rush of satisfaction flooding through him. He had done it. He had used an offensive justsu. It was a small achievement, but it felt monumental. The realization that he was capable of such control filled him with a sense of purpose.

Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed, studying him closely. "You have more chakra than most children your age. A vast reservoir. It is no wonder your natural element is water."

Teriyaki spent the next month practicing all his chakra techniques.

Snake clone.

Chakra transferring methods.

Wild Water wave.

Eventually he could produce a powerful wave of water with his water jutsu, his chakra transfers were lethally precise wasting hardly any chakra during the process and his snake clones could do more meticulous tasks like writing. When Orochimaru saw his progress, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Ah, Just like I planned, you truly are a mini-me. Learning these techniques, soon the next step will be avaliable. Soon."

Now only the reflex test remained, and he had no idea how he was going to adapt to that room. He needed both speed and reaction time, only a miracle could get him through that test.