A/N: Short chapter from a new perspective.

Chapter 10

The True Nature of Demons.

Far away from the Leaf Village, and deep underground, a young man was walking a long corridor. He was something he did everyday, and if you looked at it, didn't seem so unordinary. But for this man, it was. He walked this corridor everyday and he was sick of it. It absolutely disgusted him. He walked it because he forced himself to. As long as he walked this long, dark, damp corridor, he was safe. He was just as immortal as his master… that is, if he didn't say the wrong thing.

As long as he served his master, and did everything he was told to do, he couldn't die. He finally reached the end. A purple and black door stood in front of him, an emblem of a white snake in the very middle. The man sighed. Another day…he thought as he entered the room, putting on a smile.

It was pitch black in the room. He couldn't see anything.

"Kabuto…" he heard his master hiss. "Is that you?"

Kabuto bowed in a random direction. "Yes."

"Good…" Kabuto heard a wave of chakra throughout the room, and fifty candles suddenly illuminated. Kabuto looked up to find he had bowed in the right direction. "Impressive, isn't it? I'm just giving this new body of mine some warm ups… Overall, it's not bad…"

Kabuto observed his master. He looked like he used to before the newest switch, his snake like features gleaming in the candle light. Kabuto shivered. He could never get used to that. "Yes," he replied. "To bad it wasn't Sasuke though…"

Orochimaru hissed angrily. "Don't remind me, Kabuto…" He stretched his arms out, no doubt enjoying the fact he could do so again. "It doesn't matter though. I have a full proof plan that will get Sasuke to come to me. I just can't put it into effect yet."

Kabuto was surprised. Usually Orochimaru had no problem putting his plans into perfect form and filling them out without fail. Well, if you don't count that one mission when they teamed up with the Sand Village to take down Konoha… No, don't count that…

"Why not, Lord Orochimaru?"

Orochimaru smiled. "That's right, Kabuto, I forgot to tell you about the deal I made with the Cloud Village." Kabuto's eyes widened beneath his glasses. "They asked me to help them with something involving the Leaf Village and the Chunin Exams. After hearing their proposal I eagerly accepted."

"Are they trying to do the same thing we did? At the exact same time? In the exact same event?" How foolish…

Orochimaru laughed. "No one is that stupid, Kabuto. No, they want to do something that's not so extream. Like eliminate a certain person in the Leaf Village. A person that I, myself, wouldn't mind getting rid of." He laughed again. "This person's death could also benefit me in the long run of getting Sasuke to come to me."

Kabuto was intrigued. "Really?"

Orochimaru eyed him. "Why all the questions, Kabuto? Are you worried that the combined efforts of the Sound and Cloud Villages can't kill a single person?"

Kabuto shook his head. "Of course not." He was falling into the danger zone. A couple more slip ups and Orochimaru wouldn't be tolerate much longer… He decided to bring up a legitimate question. "So," he asked, leaning against a nearby wall. "Who are we supposed to be taking out for the Cloud Village?"

"You've got it all wrong, Kabuto. We are helping them kill a person. We won't be doing any fighting, unfortunately. We'll only be back up."

"So they have some grand scheme?"

"Precisely. It involves their Jinchuuriki." He let his tongue hang out of his mouth.

Kabuto pondered the facts he had just heard. So the Cloud Village has come to us, asking to be their backup in some grand scheme they have to kill one person in the Leaf Village during the Chunin Exams...? And this plan involves their Jinchuuriki in some way…He smiled. Interesting…to say the least…

Orochimaru spoke again. "Sasuke will come… He will… He doesn't know it yet, but he will. He can't fight it forever."

Kabuto nodded. "Yes. Of course."

Orochimaru walked over to a set of candles, and stared at them intently. "I will become like this flame, Kabuto… Everlasting, as long as there is something to burn." He let his tongue hang out of his mouth again, swaying from side to side. "In this case…" his next word ended in a long hiss. "…it's dear Sasuke…"

Kabuto jumped. There was a sudden rapping at the door.

"Enter." Orochimaru said.

The door opened, and through it came a Sound ninja chunin. Kabuta observed him. He was so generic. Just like every other ninja in this village.

The Sound nin immediately went on one knee. "Lord Orochimaru," he said. "It seems your newest pupil has passed the First Chunin Exam. The one you told to challenge Sasuke. He and his squad are moving on." He finished taking a deep breath. You could tell he was nervous.

Orochimaru smiled. It was a smile Kabuto knew all to well. "How useless…" Orochimaru said, taking a step toward the ninja. "As if I didn't know he was going to pass. In fact, there was not a doubt in my mind." His smile widened. "You dare come in here and tell me useless information!?"

Kabuta could sense the ninja's fear. "Well…" he choked out. His voice was so small. "I…I thought…"

Orochimaru began to laugh, and soon, laughed harder, and harder. Kabuto could see the ninja's sweat fall from his face to the floor. He smiled, and took a step back.

With one final chuckle, Orochimaru's sword flung from his mouth into the neck of the ninja. Blood went everywhere, and the room fell silent. Slowly, Orochimaru pulled his sword out, and swallowed it whole again. He turned around.

"You are dismissed, Kabuto… When you leave, send a team up to dispose of this mess."

Kabuto couldn't help but chuckle. "Did you that because his information was useless?"

Orochimaru didn't face him. "No, actually… I found his information to be quite useful."

Kabuto stared at his back. "Then…why?"

Orochimaru turned around. Kabuto flinched. Orochimaru glare held the intent to kill. "Isn't obvious? Because I haven't killed in such a long time…"

Kabuto opened the door, and stepped outside. "Ya, know," he said. "You truly are the most evil person I know."

Orochimaru seemed to take this as a compliment. "Kabuto…" he said slowly. "Have you not realized? That is the true nature of all demons!"

Kabuto merely nodded, and closed the door.

Here he was again. Walking this dreaded corridor… But at the moment, ironically, he didn't really mind that much…

End of Chapter.

Chapter 11.

Exam Troubles.