Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice-Chapter 53: Goodbye Ao

The mist curled thickly around the watchtower, suffocating the air in a dense, chilling fog. The village below remained oblivious, unaware of the silent predator weaving through the night. Teriyaki moved like a wraith, his body flickering between rooftops, slipping through the shadows with a predator's patience.

My body flicker technique is nearly mastered, I can tell. 

Ao sat inside his office, shifting through scrolls of intelligence reports. His one remaining eye scanned the information carefully, unaware of the impending strike. The room was dimly lit by a single lantern, the flickering flame casting ghostly shadows along the walls.

"My name is Ao... I'm an old man. I just need to keep my values and live a good life. Now it's time for me to get a good night's-."

Then, in a whisper of movement, Teriyaki was there.

His hand shot forward, fingertips glowing with the chakra-infused power of Sage Mode. He aimed straight for Ao's throat, seeking a swift, silent kill.

"Sorry." Teriyaki spoke as he delivered the killing blow.

But Ao was no ordinary shinobi.

Years of experience and battle-honed instincts flared to life in an instant. Without turning his head, Ao twisted his body to the side, barely dodging the lethal strike. His hand moved instinctively, fingers flashing through seals as he retaliated with a rapid burst of Water Release.

"Water Style: Water Spout!"

He cast the jutsu pre-emptively?

A torrent of water erupted from his palm, surging towards Teriyaki. The assassin barely managed to pivot away, feeling the spray of icy liquid graze his cheek. Teriyaki clicked his tongue in irritation. This wasn't going to be as easy as he had hoped.

Of course he has to make this harder for me... 

"Who sent you?" Ao barked, his lone eye locking onto Teriyaki. "I've not seen you before... And what is that energy around you?"

"Dont' tell me..." Ao's eyes widened in shock. "A sage?"

Teriyaki didn't answer. Instead, he dropped into a crouch, his chakra flaring. The Sage energy within him pulsed violently, crackling beneath his skin. He needed to end this quickly. The longer the fight dragged on, the higher the chance of reinforcements arriving.

He shot forward again, a blur of motion. His fist, enhanced by Sage Mode, slammed into Ao's forearm, shattering the wooden floor beneath them and a few of Ao's bones. Ao grimaced but didn't yield. Instead, he countered with a well-placed kick to Teriyaki's ribs, sending the assassin skidding backward slightly.

'Damn. He's more resilient than I expected. But a few more hits and he might just drop dead.'

Ao didn't waste time. With a quick hand sign, his Byakugan activated, veins bulging around his eye socket. His vision sharpened, and for the first time, he saw the dense, swirling chakra coiling inside Teriyaki's body.

"I see now... You're no ordinary shinobi. That power... Sage Mode. Where did you learn it? I mean-. How? Just how? Tell me before I die..."

Teriyaki smirked, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his lip. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ao didn't hesitate. He dashed forward, thrusting a kunai toward Teriyaki's chest. The assassin sidestepped, redirecting Ao's momentum and slamming his elbow into the older shinobi's spine. Ao grunted, stumbling, but he was far from finished.

"How many more bones do I have to break?" Teriyaki muttered. Beating up the elderly doesn't feel as good as it sounds. 

Spinning on his heel, Ao unleashed a precise Gentle Fist strike aimed at Teriyaki's tenketsu points. The assassin barely avoided the attack, feeling the wind rush past his skin. He couldn't afford to let those strikes land.

I'll end this now.

Teriyaki exhaled sharply. No more games.

He activated his own trump card.

His pupils narrowed, the whites of his eyes darkening as his chakra surged dangerously. His hands moved in a blur, forming hand seals at a speed too fast for most to follow.

"Sage Art: Venomous Viper Palm!"

The air between them seemed to ripple as Teriyaki lunged forward. His palm struck Ao's chest, sending waves of paralyzing energy coursing through the older shinobi's body.

Ao's eye widened. His muscles locked up, and for a split second, he faltered.

It was all Teriyaki needed.

With a final burst of speed, Teriyaki drove his kunai into Ao's throat.

"Goodbye Ao."

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The moment seemed to stretch for eternity. Ao's body tensed, his fingers twitching as blood gurgled from his lips. His remaining eye, filled with shock and unyielding resolve, locked onto Teriyaki's.

Then, the light faded.

Ao collapsed.

Teriyaki exhaled, shaking his head. "That was easy... Cruel almost."

He didn't have time to waste. The battle had been too loud, too long. The Mist ANBU would be on their way.

As he lifted Ao's body onto his shoulder, Teriyaki caught a flicker of movement from the shadows. A pair of Mist shinobi rushed towards the tower, weapons drawn.

They never made it.

Itachi moved like a phantom, stepping from the darkness. A single glance from his Sharingan froze them in place. Before they could even react, his blade whispered through the air, cutting them down in an instant.

Silent. Efficient. Deadly.

Teriyaki barely had time to register the precision of Itachi's kills before the older Uchiha reappeared beside him.

"Let's go," Itachi said coldly.

The Akatsuki base loomed before them, a cavernous structure hidden deep within the mountains. As they entered, the air grew heavier, oppressive with the weight of unseen eyes watching their every move.

Pain stood at the center of the room, his Rinnegan glowing ominously in the dim torchlight. The other members of the Akatsuki lingered in the shadows, their expressions unreadable.

Teriyaki dropped Ao's corpse to the ground before Pain, his breath steady despite the fatigue creeping into his bones.

Pain regarded him with an emotionless stare. "You completed your task."

Teriyaki straightened. "Yes."

Pain's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before shifting to Itachi. "And?"

"He lacks refinement," Itachi replied. "But he has all the potential."

Pain nodded slightly. "Then he will continue to serve."

Teriyaki clenched his fists. He wasn't satisfied with just 'potential.' He wanted to prove himself, to be acknowledged as more than just a recruit. Wait why do I even want to work for these guys? Just because they're cool doesn't mean their goal isn't completely messed up. 

He would show them, whether that would be by working for them or against them, he didn't know.

Pain turned away. "Rest. Another mission awaits soon."

As the meeting dispersed, Teriyaki stood in the cold, dimly lit chamber, determination burning in his chest.

One day, they wouldn't just acknowledge his potential.

They would fear his power.

Later that day...

Orochimaru walked up to him.

"Teriyaki, I've decided to free you from your curse mark. After completing that mission I changed my outlook on you. You are clearly loyal enough."

"Really?" Teriyaki asked innocently, his long hair swaying over his neck.

"April fools." Orochimaru then tortured Teriyaki for another 3 hours.

"I bet you wish you could kill me. But I am as close to immortal as it gets Teriyaki. I never die, I only suffer for the goal."

We'll see about that... Teriyaki slept that night with hundreds of cuts over his back. This bastard damaged me more than the mission.