Manda's massive body was covered in layers of thick, purple scales, towering and colossal.
The moment it was summoned, its enormous form instantly dominated the swamp surrounding the Shinju.
Manda flicked its forked tongue, vertical pupils narrowing with a dangerous, irritated gleam.
"Orochimaru… I told you before, don't summon me unless it's absolutely necessary."
"At the very least, you'd better prepare a hundred live sacrifices for me! ╰_╯"
Orochimaru quickly nodded at Manda's demand.
And then he muttered under his breath, almost inaudibly,
"As long as you can keep me alive…"
He had summoned Manda purely to buy time — to delay Shinju and create an opening to escape.
After all, Shinju possessed Wood Release… Manda didn't stand a chance against that.
When Manda heard Orochimaru's silent agreement, its sharp gaze turned forward, voice low and raspy, filled with menace: "So, what is it this time?"
"I want you to kill that kid up ahead," Orochimaru said.
Manda exhaled sharply through its nostrils — "Hsshh!" — clearly mocking Orochimaru's request.
"You're seriously getting worse with age, Orochimaru… You need me just to deal with a boy now?"
"This kind of boy… isn't even worth lifting a tail over…"
As it hissed out its complaint, Manda's colossal body twisted within the muck, churning waves of mud.
"Whoooosh—!"
Its massive tail swept through the swamp, lashing toward Shinju!
But Shinju frowned slightly — Manda looked filthy, and he had no intention of letting it touch him.
He calmly raised his right hand.
"Zzzhhhkkk—!"
Pure chakra surged, converging in his palm.
From Shinju's hand, a massive and gleaming chakra scalpel extended outward — long, wide, and frighteningly sharp.
Nearby, Yakushi Kabuto, who had been retreating but glanced back to assess the situation, froze.
Cold sweat poured down his forehead: (´°Δ°`)
That scalpel's enormous! Is he planning surgery on a Tailed Beast or something?!
He was a medical-nin too.
But even if he poured out every last drop of chakra, he couldn't manifest a chakra scalpel remotely comparable to that.
What kind of monstrous chakra reserves does this guy have?!
On the other side, Manda's tail crashed down but then abruptly stilled — it sensed something wrong.
It tried to withdraw its tail.
Too late.
Shinju's arm swung down decisively.
"Vmmmmm—!"
The chakra scalpel howled as it sliced through the air.
A heartbeat later, that terrifyingly sharp blade cut clean through Manda's body, severing a third of its tail in an instant!
"HSSSSS!!!—"
Manda screeched in agony, tongue lashing wildly!
"Orochimaru!!! I need at least TEN THOUSAND live sacrifices to recover from this!!"
Its furious roar echoed through the swamp.
How the hell did a kid — barely fifteen, sixteen at most — wield this kind of power?!
Did this boy eat chakra for breakfast?!
Before Orochimaru could respond, Shinju clapped his hands together.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
"Wooosh—!"
With a rumble that shook the earth, a towering wooden giant, easily fifty meters tall, rose behind Shinju.
When Manda saw this, its composure completely shattered.
"Orochimaru!! You didn't tell me this brat could use Wood Release!!"
"Orochimaru!!"
It called Orochimaru's name several more times, trying to figure out who exactly this red-haired monster was.
But after shouting repeatedly… there was no response.
Manda glanced back — only to find Orochimaru's presence completely gone.
Manda: Σ( ° △ °|||)︴
Crap.
That damned snake ditched me!!
Shinju calmly directed the wooden giant forward, step by step.
Each heavy footfall sank into the swamp with a resounding splash, spraying water and mud everywhere.
And with every step closer… the panic in Manda's eyes intensified.
(°Д°≡°Д°)
Damn it… that suffocating pressure!!
This was the legendary Wood Release — the same technique once used by the God of Shinobi himself!
The very power capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts!
Manda's size was roughly comparable to the wooden giant… but it couldn't muster even a shred of resistance.
Run?
How, exactly?
With a third of its body sliced away, its speed was crippled!
At last, as the wooden giant loomed near, Manda lowered its proud head and spoke carefully:
"Boy… maybe we can… talk this out."
Shinju raised an eyebrow, amused. "I'm listening."
"If you spare me this time, I'm willing to abandon Orochimaru and form a summoning contract with you," Manda offered hastily.
Of course, it didn't actually plan to serve Shinju.
It just wanted the summoning contract to end so it could retreat back to Ryūchi Cave… where it could complain to the White Snake Sage later.
But to Manda's surprise, Shinju's expression turned serious.
He knew Manda was Orochimaru's contracted summon, one of the great serpents from Ryūchi Cave — one of the Three Great Sage Lands.
Its status there was equivalent to, perhaps even greater than, Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku.
If he secured Manda… wouldn't that grant him access to Ryūchi Cave?
Ryūchi Cave — one of the legendary Sage grounds. Who knows what treasures, techniques, or forbidden arts might be hidden there…
Shinju decided there was no reason to refuse.
(ﾉ∇︎〃 )
"Alright," Shinju said with a slight smile. "I'll form the summoning contract with you."
He placed his hand atop Manda's bowed head.
"Shhhfftt…"
Mysterious runes spread from Shinju's palm, covering Manda's scales.
An instant later, Manda distinctly felt its link with Orochimaru rapidly weakening!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
What the hell?! How can this brat just… touch me… and sever my bond with Orochimaru so easily?!
Shinju traced a few symbols on Manda's forehead, sealing the new summoning contract.
From start to finish, the entire process lasted less than a minute.
"Since you're my summon now," Shinju said calmly, withdrawing his hand, "you're not allowed to eat humans anymore."
Manda scoffed and rolled its eyes.
A giant serpent that doesn't eat people… what kind of joke was that?
But then it looked up, meeting Shinju's steady, unblinking gaze.
Those eyes were sharp, black and white clear as glass — carrying a subtle, crushing pressure.
Refuse… and there was a very real chance this kid would cut it into eight neat pieces with that scalpel.
Manda's arrogance instantly deflated.
It swallowed hard and muttered reluctantly, "…Got it."
Shinju smiled lightly and patted Manda's massive head.
"Good. Next time, I'll come visit Ryūchi Cave."
With that, he released the summoning, sending Manda back.
Shinju turned his gaze toward the direction Orochimaru had fled.
"You really think you can escape me…?"
...
Meanwhile, not far away, Orochimaru was still running, cold sweat clinging to his back.
"The summoning link with Manda is gone… Shinju must've killed it."
"Three years… and that boy has turned into someone ruthless and terrifying."
"Good thing I ran early… otherwise, I'd be the one buried there…"
"Still… I need to prioritize developing a counteragent against Wood Release. No, better yet, something that seals all his techniques… That kid's power is already too overwhelming. Even ten of me wouldn't be enough to fight him…"
Orochimaru exhaled deeply, a rare trace of frustration in his voice.
"Sigh… when will I finally obtain a body like his…"