Hey everybody! Second chapter!

I am astounded by the feedback so far! It hasn't even been 24 hours, and already I've got 7 review, 32 follower, and 15 favorites. That's insane! Don't worry guys, I loved this story when it was Dread Knight's, and I'll do everything in my power to finish it and make it as good as it can possibly be!

Quick question. For chapter 17 and onwards, I will be writing this story. Do you guys want shorter, faster updates, or longer, slower ones? I personally like longer ones, but I'm willing to go with what you guys want.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. This story was originally Dread Knight N7's. Proper credit to him.

"Normal"

'Thoughts'

"Ephasis"

"YELLING"

"Jutsu"

"Demon talk"

'Demon Thoughts'

A Blonde Hyuuga?

Chapter 2

Raikage's Office

Orochimaru, a name that was synonymous with traitor. He was probably the greatest traitor in Konoha's history other than Madara Uchiha. The story was known throughout the Elemental Nations. A young man who lost his parents in one of the Shinobi Wars, he was the genius of his generation who excelled in almost everything he did. He was the prized student of the legendary "Professor", Sarutobi Hiruzen, and earned his titles as one of the Sannin and the snake sage by fighting against the "Salamander," Hanzo, with his teammates Jiraiya, the toad sage, and Tsunade, the slug princess. He was even the prime candidate for the title of Yondaime Hokage…or so he thought.

It all seemed to fall apart when the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, his OWN teacher, chose Jiraiya's student over him! Orochimaru had never felt so betrayed before. Sarutobi had boasted many times how Orochimaru was his prized student and would make a fine Hokage someday, but now when it was his time to take the mantle, the old monkey chooses that idiot Jiraiya's student over him!

If he looked at it objectively though, Orochimaru could have understood why Hiruzen chose Minato Namikaze over him. Namikaze was one of the fiercest warriors to ever grace the battlefield. He was ruthless when he needed to be, but he could be compassionate when the situation called for it. He was also a strong believer of the will of fire. He also knew how to treat the people as everyone seemed to be drawn to his charisma.

Compassion, understanding, even the will of fire…those beliefs had no place in the Shinobi world. It was a dog eat dog world where your best friend could be your worst enemy the next time you see them. Those were Orochimaru's beliefs. Soon he stopped caring what happened to the people around him, he stopped caring about Konoha, he stopped caring about humanity.

Orochimaru started his research on the homeless and the unwanted. No one noticed anything. It wasn't until he got greedy that people started to worry. He grew tired of the homeless, so he started to abduct civilians of any age. The elderly, the children, the parents, no one was safe from him. He experimented on them like they were lab rats. He had no restrictions on what he would do. He had no compassion for what he was putting these people through. All he cared about was his research.

Soon his nonchalant feeling about morality caught up to him. His former teacher and his comrades had cornered him in his lab where the corpses of people were all over. The sights were truly traumatizing…some of the victims couldn't have been older than 5 years old. Some people were strung up on the walls like meat in a butcher's freezer.

Even after witnessing how far his prized student fell, Hiruzen couldn't force himself to go all out. Orochimaru escaped and Hiruzen had to live with the stigma of allowing Orochimaru escape through his fingers. It was a mistake that came to haunt Hiruzen whenever his ex-pupil seemed to resurface.

Orochimaru had many ambitions. One of them was learning all the jutsus in the world. To accomplish that, he would need to be immortal, which was another goal he set for himself. Of course that sounded crazy, but Orochimaru wouldn't be stopped by something as petty as logic!

Of course he would need a place to do his research in peace. He had been on the run for who knows how long and constantly moving was not good for his experiments. He wanted to start a hidden village that would be able to grant him some stability while building an army strong enough to crush Konoha. Starting a village was harder than he thought though.

Not only did he have to find an inconspicuous place so he wouldn't be found, he also had to find followers, materials, and resources. The first two could be gathered by having enough resources. Missing-nins were always looking for a place to stay as long as they got away from the hunter-nins and Orochimaru knew enough private contractors who would be willing to help him build the infrastructure. The only problem was money.

Since he forgot to withdraw his funding from Konoha before he left, he was practically penniless. He spent most of his time doing odd jobs or working for the Akatsuki just so he could earn enough money to continue his research. The Akatsuki gave him a stable surroundings and a place to work so long as he played ball. He would play ball with them as long as he would get paid and their goals didn't interfere with his. It was a decent amount of money he was getting for the odd jobs the Akatsuki, but he would obviously need a lot more if he wanted to start a hidden village, and that is why he was currently sitting inside the Raikage's office.

The sound of a slammed door and splitting wood alerted him that the Raikage had gotten his message. Orochimaru turned in his seat to see the Raikage staring daggers at him. If Orochimaru was any other man, he would have been intimidated, but he wasn't any ordinary man.

"Ah, Raikage-chan, it's so good to see you again. How many years has it been since our last meeting?" Orochimaru said mockingly. He had that sickly smirk adorned on his face.

"10 years, 242 days, 8 hours, 30 minutes, and 7 seconds…but who's counting? You should learn your place, snake sage. Disrespecting me in my own office isn't the wisest thing to do from a man who has been praised for his intellect," A sniped back as his fist tightened.

"Kukuku…you're still as hostile as ever," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Enough pleasantries, why the hell are you in my office?!" the Raikage yelled as he started to channel his chakra through his body.

Orochimaru held his hands up in surrender pose, but that smirk was still on his face. "Calm yourself, Raikage-chan. I came here to negotiate, not fight," Orochimaru said calmly.

A just snorted "What could I want from you?"

This time it was Orochimaru's turn to snort as he stood up to face the Raikage. "My sources within Konoha say that you have acquired some interesting genes as compensation for losing one of your finest soldiers," Orochimaru said in a mocking tone.

A's fist clenched, but he still replied calmly, "Yes, we acquired a Hyuga corpse, but they made sure that it was drained of blood, shaved clean, and had his eyes sealed. In a sense, all we got was a corpse."

"Kukuku, I wasn't talking about those genes…" Orochimaru finished menacingly. The smirk on his face seemed even more demonic than before.

The Raikage seemed to freeze. 'How?' was the only question that was running through his head. He hadn't even found about the vials until a couple of minutes ago.

"Surprised? Don't be," Orochimaru said smoothly as he gracefully sat back into the chair. "I have men deep within Konoha," He said as he examined his nails.

"Some may or may not have some connections to the doctors who did the autopsy. My spy recognized the seal and saw what was in it before he resealed it for you. My, my…the quality of Shinobi in Konoha has drastically declined since I left, don't you agree, Raikage-chan?" Orochimaru said in that ever smooth and mocking tone.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about!" A denied

"How cute, you're in denial. Look, I know everything and I have enough proof that would ignite another war with Konoha right now." All mirth was gone from his voice as Orochimaru stared at A.

"You're bluffing," A responded.

"Am I?" Orochimaru replied smoothly as his smirk reappeared on his face.

It seemed like hours as the two men stared each other down. They were looking like two animals ready to pounce at each other. They were searching for any sign of weakness within the other. Finally the Raikage backed down.

"What do want to stay quiet?" the Raikage relented.

"Kukuku…was that so hard?" Orochimaru said in an amused tone. He stood up and looked out the window so he could glance at the village hidden in the clouds.

"I want…this." Orochimaru spread his arms out in gesture.

A seemed stunned. "You…you want Kumogakure?"

"HA! Don't make me laugh. I'm not interested in little girls like most people in your barbaric village. This isn't even your first attempt. I remember now, you also tried to kidnap that little spitfire redhead, Uzumaki Kushina. You would think you would have learned your lesson from then…" Orochimaru said mockingly as he made the "get-on-with-it" hand gesture.

It was also a clever plan on the Raikage as well. If the Raikage doubted him before, he wouldn't now since he spilled a little secret that was thought to be buried for years.

"No, you can keep your barbaric village. I only want two things from you," Orochimaru finished.

"What do you want?" asked the Raikage.

He was angry and afraid, angry because this man was insulting his village right in front of him, and scared because the man also knew his village's secrets. He couldn't even try to attack him since he was a Sannin. Orochimaru was the sneakiest of the Sannin. Who knows what tricks he would have up his sleeves?

"First, I want you to supply funding for the village I am building. I need a more permanent residence and I have a place in mind. All I need is the money to build it," Orochimaru said as he continued to stare at the mountain range that surrounded Kumogakure.

"How will I explain this to the treasurer? I wouldn't be able to explain the loss of funds without explaining your involvement, which is that last thing I want to do," The Raikage replied sharply.

Orochimaru waved his hands dismissively. "I've already thought about that. You say you'll be hiring a new branch in your R&D division and say that is where the funding is going. This also brings me up to my second demand. I'm sure you'll agree to it once you hear it…kukuku."

"What is it?" A said through clenched teeth. Orochimaru was such an infuriating man. He didn't know how much longer he could hold his anger down.

"I would like to assist you on your little Hyuuga project. Now before you decline, as if you had a choice, I feel that I should remind you that I am one of the best scientists in the Elemental Lands and I have gathered some of the best there is to assist me. I would like to assign one of my disciples to overlook your project," Orochimaru paused before looking at A to gauge his reaction.

"I can guarantee results," Orochimaru concluded with a smirk.

"Guarantee, how would you make a guarantee on this?" asked a perplexed Raikage.

"Come now, Raikage-chan, you can't trust me? I mean we're technically allies now," Orochimaru chuckled at A's murderous look.

"If my men and I can't provide you with results, then I'll just steal an unsealed Hyuuga for you," Orochimaru said seriously.

"W-What?" said a flabbergasted A.

"I said I'll just steal one for you. Unlike you, I have connections in Konoha already. It wouldn't be as difficult for me. I haven't tried anything before because, to be honest, the Hyuuga Clan bores me. Their dojutsu seems run of the mill to me. The Sharingan is much more enticing in my opinion," Orochimaru said offhandedly.

The Raikage sat down in his chair and seemed to be in deep thought. Even though Orochimaru was a traitor and a bottom feeder, he was still the best when it came to human research, even if his methods were a bit unethical…

"Will you be overseeing the project or will one of your lackeys?" A questioned

"I have other priorities than to manipulate a couple cells into a full human being. I will be sending one of my top men to take care of this. He is quite skilled when it comes to developing something out of nothing," Orochimaru said as he combed a hand through his long black hair.

"I don't know whether I should be relieved or not. I'm glad I won't have to see your ugly mug around here, but I worried about what psycho you're sending me." A said apprehensively.

"So do we have a deal?" Orochimaru asked as he seemingly ignored the insult.

What would a man in A's position do? He felt like he was making a deal with the devil. He knew he was going to regret it, but did he really have a choice? He was backed into a corner.

"Yes, we have a deal…" A concluded.

For once, Orochimaru didn't say anything; instead he stuck out his hand. A hesitated at first, but he grabbed Orochimaru's hand and shook on it.

"I will send my disciple over in a week with a written contract. You will sign it to formally agree to our terms," Orochimaru said as he released the Raikage's hand.

"Oh, by the way, you should really file your nails, Raikage-chan," Orochimaru smirked and watched as the fury the man held in through the whole meeting was finally unleashed.

"OROCHIMARU," A yelled as he leaped over his desk and delivered a deadly haymaker to the smirking Sannin's face.

A's satisfaction disappeared when "Orochimaru" disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"K-kage Bunshin?" A said flabbergasted.

"Such a temper, Raikage-chan….don't worry I won't let this mishap get in the way of our business. My disciple will be here in a week," Orochimaru's disembodied voice echoed all over.

"Wait! How will I know it's him!?" A yelled and searched for Orochimaru.

Kukuku…you'll know him when you see him. Farewell, Raikage-chan…" Orochimaru's voice disappeared from the room.

"What the hell did I just get myself into…?" A whispered to himself

Hills outside Kumogakure

"Orochimaru, are you done yet? You know how much I hate waiting…" a deep, gruff voice sounded. It came from a hunchback man wearing a cloak with black and red clouds.

Orochimaru stood up from his meditation pose and looked down on his companion. Like the hunchbacked man, Orochimaru was wearing a long cloak with red clouds embroidered into it.

"I know, Sasori-san, but it seems that I got what I came for…kukuku…" Orochimaru chuckled.

"What was so important that we had to rush all the way to Kumogakure?" Sasori asked.

"It was nothing that concerns you or the Akatsuki. It was just a bit of…fundraising…" Orochimaru said with a shrug and a smirk.

"Why didn't you just ask Kakuzu? He usually handles all our financial issues," Sasori replied.

Orochimaru snorted. "Like hell I would let that glorified ragdoll handle my money! He is probably ripping you guys off by shaving off the change and demanding a banker's fee with interest."

"Hmm, you may have a point. I better check my account after this…" Sasori replied as the duo walked off.

1 Week Later: Kumogakure

A and his entourage were waiting for Orochimaru's men to arrive. He was the only one who knew they were Orochimaru's men and he would like to keep it that way. Orochimaru had given him a code phrase to identify his members when they arrived.

Soon a caravan consisting of 5 men and a cart of what looked like lab equipment came to through the gates of Kumogakure. The leader of the men was a middle aged with white hair. His hair was shoulder-length, and tied as a ponytail. The white-haired man had red eyes and dressed in an over-sized, high-collared coat wrapped with three leather straps.

The man walked up to the Raikage and his bodyguards. "Even if a snake is not poisonous-"

"-it should pretend to be venomous," The man concluded the pass phrase.

"I see you are the men I hired," A said simply.

"You are correct Raikage-sama, but before we start, you must fill out the paperwork," The man held out a pen and a clipboard to the Raikage.

A muttered under his breath before signing the papers and then snapped the pen in two.

The Man's eye twitched a bit at the needless action. "That was my favorite pen…"

"Yeah whatever, I signed the stupid papers. You work for me now," A replied arrogantly.

"Do you know why you never disrespect your waiters or chefs?" the man said ominously.

"I don't see how this has to do with anything, but no I don't. Why?" A asked.

"Because they spit in your food if they do. You may be my employer now, but that doesn't make me your slave. I am here to complete our contract and nothing more," The man replied coldly.

"Who are you?" A demanded.

The man walked back to his cart to put the papers away before he looked over his shoulder. "My name is Hiruko and it would be best to stay out of my way. My experiments tend to leave property damage," Hiruko said with the same smirk as Orochimaru.

Hiruko walked back to the Raikage. The two men continued to stare at each other for a bit before A broke eye contact first. Whoever this man was, he was not to be messed with.

Hiruko smiled. "I'm glad we understand each other. Now, where may we set up?"

Chapter End

A/N Yay! Another chapter out! Nothing really changed, just some grammar and spelling. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Leave a comment or review, like and favorite, etc.

Word of warning. The first few chapters will come out relatively fast, as they've already been written. I'm just going through and making sure they're as close to perfect as possible. Later chapters will be slower, as I'm going to have to actually change things, along with perfecting it. And even later chapters will take even longer, because I have to actually write it, then perfect it. So, don't get too excited thinking I'm going to update daily forever, because as much as I'd like to, it just won't happen.

Hiruko – He is not an OC! Hiruko is the main antagonist in the third Naruto Shippuden movie: Inheritors of the Will of Fire.

That's all folks, see ya next time!