Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice-Chapter 38: The Plan

The moon hung high over Konoha, casting a soft glow on the rooftops and streets below. He had waited long enough for this moment, and now, with his heart pounding in his chest, he made his way to find Kakashi. The truth had to come out—there was no more running from it.

"Ever since I arrived here, he made sure to put me in his control. That changes now." He muttered. Teriyaki had a new spark in his eyes.

Teriyaki found Kakashi at the village's outskirts, near the training fields. The silver-haired jōnin was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, as though he had been expecting this conversation all along, still he seemed engrossed in a strange novel.

Without a word, Teriyaki stepped into the clearing. His face was tense, his eyes shadowed with a mix of fear and resolve. Kakashi didn't say anything immediately, waiting for Teriyaki to speak first.

"Kakashi... I need protection," Teriyaki said, his voice surprisingly steady, though the weight of his words hung heavy in the air. "Orochimaru is hunting me—and Sasuke. I have information on him that could help you."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt. He could feel the sincerity in Teriyaki's tone, and he understood the gravity of the request. But there was something else beneath it, something Kakashi couldn't ignore.

"What makes you think Orochimaru is after you both?" Kakashi asked, his voice cautious.

Teriyaki's expression hardened. This was the moment. The moment when his past—everything he had worked so hard to bury—would be laid bare. He took a deep breath and began.

"Because I was his apprentice. For years," Teriyaki confessed, the weight of the words sinking deep into his chest. His voice was quiet but unyielding. "I was under Orochimaru's tutelage long before I ever came to Konoha. I was part of his plans for immortality... part of his obsession with the Hidden Leaf. I saw too much."

Kakashi's eye narrowed, not in suspicion but in calculation.

"Orochimaru's obsession with the Leaf... it's not just about destroying it," Teriyaki continued, his voice barely above a whisper, as though the weight of the confession were still sinking in. "He hates Konoha. He wants to tear it apart from the inside. His ultimate goal is immortality but his curiosity brought him to people like Sasuke, who he really wants to make his disciple."

Teriyaki's fists clenched at his sides. He had spent years under Orochimaru's shadow, but now that the truth was out, it felt suffocating.

"He wanted Sasuke," Teriyaki said, looking Kakashi dead in the eye. "Not just for his Sharingan. Orochimaru wanted to mold him, to train him— into someone who could carry out his dark wishes."

Kakashi stayed silent, taking in Teriyaki's words. The revelation was both surprising and expected. He had always suspected Orochimaru's deeper goals, but hearing it from someone who had been close to him, someone who had been part of his twisted vision, was unsettling.

"I didn't know the full extent of his plans when I first joined him," Teriyaki lied, trying to clear his name. "I just woke up and he took me in. I thought I was learning techniques, growing stronger. But the longer I stayed, the more I realized what he was really after. He didn't just want bodies—he wanted souls. And when I started to understand that, I tried to leave. I tried to break free, but it was too late. Orochimaru doesn't let anyone leave. Not unless they're useful to him. And I wasn't anymore. I turned away from him in the Konoha Crush."

Kakashi, now piecing together the fragments of Teriyaki's past, spoke. "So you betrayed him. That's why you're here now."

Teriyaki nodded. "Yes. I had no choice. Orochimaru doesn't let people walk away. He makes sure they're either dead or in service to him, forever. I ran—ran to Konoha, hoping that maybe I could stop him before it was too late. But now, I'm a target. And he won't stop until he gets me—and Sasuke. We are both branded with his mark."

Kakashi's gaze softened, just slightly, as he processed everything Teriyaki had revealed. .

"If what you said is true, you need protection. And Sasuke, too," Kakashi said, his voice firm now. "But Konoha isn't just going to take your word for it. We don't trust you easily after everything you've done."

"I don't expect you to," Teriyaki said, his voice tight with emotion. "But if Orochimaru comes, it won't matter who you trust. He'll come for us, and if I'm not protected, he'll tear this village apart trying to get to me and Sasuke"

Kakashi sighed, his thoughts turning inward as he weighed the decision. He didn't trust Teriyaki, but the threat of Orochimaru was real. And if Teriyaki's words were true—if Sasuke was still a target—it meant that they were all in danger. The choice was clear.

"I'll take this to the council," Kakashi said finally, standing straight. "We'll discuss your protection. But I can't promise anything. We'll need a plan, and it won't be easy to convince them."

Teriyaki nodded, his face hardening again. "I'll take whatever they give me. Just make sure I'm protected. I can't go back to Orochimaru. Not anymore."

Later that day.

The room was tense when Kakashi arrived with the news. A few powerful Konoha figures such as Might Guy, Jiraiya, and Danzo sat around the table, waiting for Kakashi to speak.

Kakashi didn't mince words. "A boy, Teriyaki spoke to me. Teriyaki was Orochimaru's apprentice. He's seen the inner workings of Orochimaru's mind and knows his obsession with the Leaf. And now, he's asking for protection."

Danzo's eyes narrowed. "And why should we trust him? After everything he's done?"

Kakashi's gaze was steady. "I can't speak for his past or how much he has helped Orochimaru, but what he said sounded true. Orochimaru isn't just after Teriyaki—he wants Sasuke, too. This isn't just about vengeance. This is about Orochimaru's goals and his wish to hurt the leaf. We can't give away Sasuke, I've seen his potential. In the hands of someone like Orochimaru, he could become our worst enemy."

Danzo, ever the pragmatist, spoke next. "We can use the boy as bait. Take Orochimaru out, get revenge for Hiruzen."

Kakashi nodded, a flicker of resolve in his eyes. "Exactly. If we can't hide him completely, we'll use him to draw Orochimaru out. We'll place him in an isolated apartment under surveillance. We can't risk Orochimaru finding him without us knowing. Apparently, Orochimaru can track him through his mark, that's what will lead Orochimaru right into us."

Jiraiya sighed, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by the seriousness of the situation. "This is dangerous, Kakashi. But I agree. We don't have much choice. We'll have to set traps, keep Teriyaki under constant watch. He'll be bait, no more, no less. Don't tell him too much, he might still be workign for Orochimaru."

Danzo looked coldly at Kakashi. "I'll put my people on the job. Teriyaki will be watched and then, used to lure Orochimaru in."

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Even later that evening, Kakashi stood in front of Teriyaki once more, delivering the decision.

"You'll be placed in an apartment," Kakashi said, his voice calm but resolute. "It's isolated, secure. You'll be under surveillance. You won't be left alone. The village will be watching you. You're... bait. If Orochimaru comes for you, we'll be ready."

Teriyaki's eyes flashed with bitterness. "Bait, huh? I guess I just have to trust you guys." He had read the manga, they were good people. But in current circumstances, he couldn't help but think they might let Orochimaru get face-to-face with him before intervening.

Kakashi's gaze softened, but only slightly. "It's the only way. And you're lucky we're even offering you this much. Don't waste it."

Teriyaki took a long, slow breath. He had no choice, he was only bait now. No matter how much it stung, he had to accept it. His life—and Sasuke's and the village's—depended on it.

Teriyaki sat alone in the small, dimly lit apartment, his back against the wall. He stared out the window, watching the village below, knowing that at any moment, Orochimaru could come. He was still a part of that world, despite his escape.

"It should be a small while before Orochimaru visits... Since Hiruzen damaged him badly, I guess he probably used the reaper death seal. Just like in the manga." Teriyaki sighed.

"Would it have been better if I didn't betray him?"

He heard footsteps above his apartment.

Danzo's people were watching.

He tried to get a good night's sleep but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd made the right decisions.