Son of the Snake

Chapter I

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~Seven Years Later~

Orochimaru sat in his stone throne, looking down at a shinobi, who had just came back from a mission. A twenty foot long white snake laid curled up next to the throne, glaring at the shinobi with an icy stare. "Lord Orochimaru, I-I have f-failed," the man said fearfully.

"Well, that's not good. Mind explaining how that happened?" Orochimaru asked as he stroked his snake's head. That little gesture alone, sent the shinobi into a cold sweat. "W-we f-failed to c-c-capture t-the Uchiha, Lord Orochimaru. t-the r-r-rest of m-my m-m-men were c-ca-cap-captured," the man strutted as he shot the white snake a nervous look.

Orochimaru sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "You could have at least tried to think up a better lie, and I may have been a little bit more lenient with your punishment. But we thank you for your honesty," he said simply and his pet hissed in agreement. "P-please, my lord, h-h-have mercy," the shinobi begged.

"Sorry, but you know what they say. You reap what you sew," Orochimaru said as his snake seemed to smile, showing off its long, poisonous fangs. "P-please, my lord, give me another chance," the shinobi pleaded as he fell to his knees and bowed his head.

The Sannin and his pet looked at each other and laughed. "Kukukukuku. You truly are being rather pathetic, begging for your live," he said and his snake hissed in agreement. The shinobi dared to look up, only to see his lord's snake looking at him hungrily. "P-please, Lord Orochimaru, I-I'll get the Uchiha next time! Just please have mercy!" he begged.

Orochimaru and his snake stared at each other for a long time. "Okay, I'll be merciful," he said finally. The shinobi's eyes widened and looked up at his lord. "Really!? Thank you, my lord!" he said gratefully. "On one condition," the snake Sannin added. "My lord?" the shinobi asked fearfully. "If you can out run my friend here, you'll be spared. But if you don't...well, I'll leave that to your imagination," Orochimaru hissed.

The shinobi stood up shakily and fearfully took a step backwards. "You have a five second head start, so don't waste it by idly standing around," Orochimaru advised. The shinobi turned around and ran into the darkened halls of the underground base.

Five...

He ran as if his life depended on it. Which it pretty much did.

Four...

The shinobi turned a corner, only to be met with a dead end.

Three...

The man ran out of the dead end and hurried down a new hall.

Two...

The man ran faster. "I want to live, I WANT TO LIVE!" the man thought as he sped up.

One...

Was it just him, or was this hallway longer then before?

Zero...

The sound of hissing was heard behind him and the man knew that he was now a goner. He sped up and turned a corner...only to be met with a another dead end. The shinobi back against the wall and started to look around frantically.

Suddenly, the man caught sight of two icy blue snake eyes. The shinobi started to quake in fear. He had known a few people who had failed to please the Sannin and were given this little opportunity of mercy. None of them were ever seen again. This small opportunity of mercy was dubbed the Death Run.

The shinobi started doing hand signs, but his hands were shacking too badly. The sound of a hissed laughter filled the air and the snake advanced. "S-s-stay b-b-back, I-I'm w-w-warning y-you," the shinobi warned as he point a kunai, not so threateningly, towards the snake.