Chapter 236: Ninjutsu – Crushing Vendor Technique!
A densely inscribed jutsu formation, spreading across the sky and obscuring half of it, solidified in an instant!
Boom!
A massive plume of white smoke erupted, and as the persistent wind in the valley blew it away, the colossal, purple-black form of a fearsome beast was revealed!
It was none other than Manda, the giant snake from Ryūchi Cave that Uchiha Ci had contracted!
Manda had a bald rat larger than a human clamped in its jaws when it appeared. Before it could process what was happening, it realized it was plummeting rapidly.
"Hissss!"
Startled, it twisted its head and saw that the summoner was that detestable brat it loathed!
Manda's serpentine pupils narrowed instantly, and it roared fiercely:
"Brat, this time, I'll eat you for sure—"
But before Manda could finish its threat, Uchiha Ci, standing on the edge of the cliff, abruptly raised his head.
The moment their gazes locked, his scarlet Sharingan shone brilliantly. Crimson veins branched out around his eyes, his pupils contracted into a mesmerizing, dreamlike scarlet snake pupil.
He closed his right eye and widened his left one!
Dense blood vessels spread across the sclera, and blood tears streamed from his eye sockets!
"Sage Art: Sharingan – Radiant Gaze!"
From the crimson snake-like pupil, a fiery red dragon surged forth, its claws extended menacingly. Within the illusionary world, it coiled around Manda, locking it tightly before opening its jaws to swallow a dragon pearl!
Amid the trembling white radiance, Manda felt a soul-wrenching agony, as if ascending to heaven in sheer torment.
This moment felt both fleeting and eternal.
When Manda finally broke free from the Sage Art's ocular technique, it was mentally drained, almost suffering an endocrine collapse.
But as it snapped out of the trance, it saw Uchiha Ci standing at the cliff's edge. Ci had closed his left eye and opened his right one, now appearing as a normal Sharingan.
"Illusionary Technique: Sharingan!"
"What the hell, you little—#￥!￥@#!"
Before Manda could finish its string of curses, the hypnotic power of the Sharingan overtook it.
This all happened in an instant!
And thus, this was the unique technique Uchiha Ci developed, modeled after the Great Sage of Mount Myōboku's arts but exclusive to Ryūchi Cave—
"Ninjutsu – Crushing Vendor Technique!"
Boom!!
Manda plummeted, crashing into Hell Valley with a ferocious gust of wind.
The massive, tens-of-meters-long yellow-green serpent struck the valley floor, creating a deafening explosion.
The impact sent a storm of dust, grass, trees, and boulders into the air, generating a tempest more terrifying than the disturbance the Blood Pool Clan had caused moments earlier.
The violent gusts lifted the hair of two figures standing at the cliff's edge, making it fly upward.
Aburame Ryōma stared at Uchiha Ci in shock, utterly baffled by his actions.
But he had to admit—the effect was remarkable.
The Blood Pool Clan, which had just started rioting, was instantly silenced.
"You…," Ryōma began, adjusting his slightly balding hair. He was about to ask when Uchiha Ci interrupted him.
"Don't overthink it. It's just a ninjutsu I developed myself."
Uchiha Ci shook his head and waved at Ryōma to follow him.
"Let's go. Someone else will handle the Blood Pool Clan. We're not needed here."
With that, Uchiha Ci turned and leaped toward the Uchiha encampment built below the cliff.
Ryōma glanced at the smoke-filled Hell Valley below. Though momentarily speechless, he understood the urgency.
He wasn't foolish, either.
Given the current situation and the intel about the recent movements of the Cloud Village, it was obvious—the Blood Pool Clan must have allied with the Cloud Village!
Their riot at this moment signified the beginning of the Cloud Village's actions.
The people at the camp likely weren't aware of this information yet. It was crucial to deliver it to them quickly to prepare for defense.
But Ryōma couldn't help wondering—how had Uchiha Ci deduced this intelligence so quickly and reacted instantly?
That kid, who usually seemed so dim-witted, was suddenly this sharp in critical moments?
And he'd said, "The Blood Pool Clan will be dealt with."
Who was going to handle it?
Could it be Minato Namikaze? Uchiha Ci had indeed planted a Flying Thunder God kunai earlier.
But even with the Yellow Flash's speed, it would take considerable time to get here from Konoha!
Ryōma shook his head, his thoughts racing as he pursued Uchiha Ci.
He caught up quickly and, still worried, asked,
"Under the Blood Dragon Eye's, Manda won't hold off the Blood Pool Clan for long. Minato Namikaze won't arrive that quickly either. Besides, the Cloud Village… Ci, what exactly are you planning?"
Leaping between tree branches, Uchiha Ci formed seals for another summoning technique. His battle instincts kept him calm.
Without hesitation, he replied,
"It's fine. I preemptively hypnotized Manda with the Sharingan. With my ocular power, the Blood Pool Clan won't be able to control it quickly. They'll have to fight it head-on."
"And that'll keep them busy enough."
Besides, Manda was notorious for its treacherous nature. Even if left unchecked, it would've been controlled by the Blood Pool Clan's Blood Dragon Eye.
To save trouble, Uchiha Ci had acted preemptively!
This move, this move was: If I hypnotize the snake first, guess who it'll bite first?
Hearing this, Ryōma frowned slightly.
While Uchiha Ci's explanation was plausible, it wasn't entirely convincing.
After all, both the Sharingan and Blood Dragon Eye were skilled in illusions and ocular techniques. In a contest of equals, breaking free wouldn't be that difficult.
But before Ryōma could voice his doubts, Uchiha Ci interrupted him again.
"No buts. Trust me, and keep moving!"
Uchiha Ci wasn't concerned about the Blood Pool Clan.
Because only he knew—beneath Hell Valley lay a lunatic beyond comprehension, waiting for this very moment!
But since this information was exclusive to him, he couldn't explain its source to Ryōma and had to brush him off.
The real concern, as far as Uchiha Ci was concerned—
Was the Cloud Village!
After all, their trump card this time might just be that unparalleled man.
With this thought, Uchiha Ci completed the seals for the summoning jutsu. Pressing his palm onto his hand, he summoned a small white-scaled snake on his arm.
It was Orochimaru's communication snake.
The small snake coiled around his arm, flicking its tongue at Uchiha Ci.
Ci nodded at it and swiftly tore a piece of white fabric from his Uchiha combat uniform. Using the blood from his sealing hand, he quickly wrote the current situation and his speculations on the cloth.
At the end, he added five bold characters:
"Disciple in danger, send help!"
Then, he pried open the little snake's mouth and stuffed the cloth inside.
Under normal circumstances, communication would require special waterproof and acid-proof scrolls. But there was no time for that now, was there?
"Don't you dare swallow it! If even a bit gets digested, I'll make you into snake soup this time next year! Got it?!"
He tapped the snake's head, glaring fiercely.
The snake trembled at his harsh words but quickly glared back defiantly.
In the next moment, it disappeared into a puff of white smoke.
"Please make it in time…"
Raising his head, Uchiha Ci gazed at the nearing encampment, murmuring in his heart.
He only hoped that what lay ahead wasn't the hellish scene he dreaded most.