Naruto: I Became Orochimaru's Apprentice-Chapter 47: Partial Sage Mode

The damp air of Ryūchi Cave curled around Teriyaki as he sat in the center of a cavern, his breath steady, his body still. The weight of thousands of unseen eyes pressed down on him, the serpents of the cave always watching, always waiting for him to break.

But he never did.

For months, he had trained relentlessly, pushing past the limits of what a human body should endure. His wounds barely had time to heal before he threw himself into another trial. His body had changed—his skin bore scales in patches, his hair had grown long, his once-warm features now eerily cold and inhuman. But with those changes came strength.

The Great White Serpent, the ancient ruler of the cave, loomed before him. Its massive, bony coils stretched across the chamber, its golden eyes piercing into Teriyaki's soul.

"You have not perished." The serpent's voice slithered into his ears. "You train like a beast. You grasp the flow of Sage Chakra quicker than most. And yet, you still do not belong to this place."

Teriyaki's lips curled into a humorless frown. "Do I need to be born here to master it? What am I missing?"

The massive snake let out a deep, hissing chuckle. "No... you need only prove yourself."

A low rumble echoed through the cave. From the shadows, a monstrous serpent slithered forward. Its body was covered in obsidian-black scales, its fangs long enough to pierce through steel. Jagged bone-like protrusions ran down its back, and its gleaming red eyes locked onto Teriyaki with predatory intent.

"Defeat this one," the Great White Serpent declared, "and I shall grant you a contract with the strongest of my kin. Fail... and you will be devoured."

The beast lunged.

Teriyaki barely reacted—his instincts carried him. With a burst of movement, he flickered out of the way, his Body Flicker Technique more refined than ever. The world around him slowed as his augmented brain processed everything at rapid speeds.

The snake twisted, snapping toward him again.

He moved—faster.

His feet barely touched the ground before he reappeared at the serpent's side, his arm lashing out like a viper. His fist crashed into the monster's skull, sending shockwaves through its thick hide.

It shrieked in pain, tail lashing out. Teriyaki anticipated it, twisting his body unnaturally mid-air to avoid the strike. The enhanced reflexes granted by his chip allowed him to see the attack before it landed.

He appeared above the beast in a blur.

A flash of chakra surged through him. His leg came down like an executioner's blade, slamming into the creature's skull and cracking bone.

The serpent spasmed. It tried to counter—but it was too slow.

Teriyaki blurred again, too fast, too sharp, too efficient.

A sickening crunch echoed as he drove his knee into its eye socket, and the serpent collapsed with a final, pitiful hiss.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Then, the Great White Serpent laughed.

"You... are something else." Its golden gaze gleamed with amusement. "You cut down one of my strongest kin as if it were nothing. You are still incomplete, still... unstable. But your strength is undeniable."

It lowered its massive head, bringing its ancient gaze level with Teriyaki's.

"You may sign the contract."

Teriyaki exhaled, barely winded, his blood still boiling with the thrill of battle. He had won.

No—he had dominated.

And for the first time since arriving in Ryūchi Cave...

He felt like he belonged.

The Great White Serpent's golden eyes gleamed with ancient amusement as the defeated beast twitched one last time before going still. Teriyaki stood above its massive corpse, blood flecking his knuckles, though none of it was his. He barely felt the ache in his muscles. His mind was clear—sharp—his victory absolute.

"Come forward," the Great White Serpent commanded, its voice echoing through the cavern.

Without hesitation, Teriyaki stepped toward the towering creature. The air grew heavier as the enormous serpent's chakra flared, pressing down on his shoulders like an unseen weight. His pulse quickened. This was what he had bled for.

A soft hiss rang out as a scroll—faded and ancient—materialized from the serpent's mouth. It unrolled before him, its edges worn and frayed from centuries of use. Across the parchment were the blood-signed names of those who had come before—shinobi powerful enough to form a contract with the serpents of Ryūchi Cave.

And now, it was his turn.

"Your blood seals this pact," the Great White Serpent said. "Once signed, the serpents will answer your call. But understand this—power always comes at a price. Betray us, and we will consume you whole."

Teriyaki knelt without hesitation. He bit into his thumb, letting warm blood bead against his skin before pressing it against the scroll. He scrawled his name in bold strokes beneath the last signature. Power surged through the air—ancient chakra stirring as the contract bound him to the serpents.

The Great White Serpent's lips curled into something resembling a smile. "It is done. You now wield the power of the serpent clan."

The scroll vanished in a plume of smoke, leaving the air thrumming with chakra.

"Show me," Teriyaki demanded.

The serpent laughed—a chilling, slithering sound. "Very well."

He bit into his thumb again, forming the hand seals he had drilled into his body over months: Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

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A burst of smoke erupted across the chamber. From its center emerged a towering serpent with scales the color of midnight and eyes that gleamed like burning embers. It was even larger than the beast he had slain, its fangs glinting with venom.

The snake regarded him with cold intelligence. "You are the one who defeated Shigusa," it hissed, voice dripping with disdain. "I did not expect a human."

"You will serve me," Teriyaki said coldly, his chakra still humming.

The snake's tongue flicked out—but it did not deny him.

The contract held.

One Month Later

So much time had passed that Teriyaki understood that the seasons outside had changed, the world had shifted and the entire plot had developed significantly.

Meanwhile he was in the same location for all that time.

The air in Ryūchi Cave was colder. Harsher. The trials did not stop simply because he had earned the contract. The serpents were relentless—they respected power, not promises.

And so Teriyaki pushed further.

He stood now before the Pool of Transformation—a gleaming pit of blackened liquid at the heart of the cave. This was where mortals either became sages—or monsters.

The Great White Serpent coiled behind him. "You grasp Sage Chakra," it said, "but to wield it fully... you must become one with us. If you cannot control the natural energy—"

"I'll turn to stone," Teriyaki finished, his voice steady. He had seen the statues lining the cave—the remnants of those who had failed. They haunted him for the months he had stayed. He had seen himself in the statues, but no longer.

The serpent chuckled. "Yes. But if you succeed... you will become something far greater."

He knelt at the pool's edge and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, heartbeat steady. He reached out—not with his hands, but with his senses—drawing in the natural energy around him. It burned as it entered his body, raw and wild.

He focused. Balanced it. Controlled it.

The transformation was slow at first—his skin grew colder, scales spreading along his arms and neck. He felt his senses sharpen beyond human limits. His vision stretched farther, clearer. Every whisper of chakra in the air became as vivid as sound.

The Great White Serpent watched, pleased. "Good. You are adapting."

Hours passed—then days. Each time he dipped into the pool, the transformation grew stronger, his mastery more refined.

And on the thirtieth day—he opened his eyes.

He looked in the pool's reflection.

A serpentine slit bisected his irises, glowing yellow against black sclera. Purple markings traced along his jaw and temples, signifying his command over Sage Chakra. He could feel it—raw power coiled beneath his skin. His chakra reserves had expanded beyond what he thought possible.

"Partial Sage Mode," the Great White Serpent hissed approvingly. "You stand at the threshold of true mastery. Few ever reach this point. Even Orochimaru could not..."

Teriyaki rose, his power humming in perfect balance. The snakes of the cave—predators that once sought to devour him—now bowed as he passed as if he was their ruler.

He had done more than survive.

He had surpassed his former self, but his mind was still wrought with images of Orochimaru's dead body.

"I need to kill him... But what now?"