Chapter 155 147: Contract: Manda

After contracting with Aoda, Uchiha Gen now had a Summoned Beast that could be considered among the top tier.

In fact, there were quite a few powerful snakes in Ryūchi Cave.

For instance, the three-headed giant pythons that appeared during the Konoha Crush plan in the original timeline held back Jiraiya, Maruboshi Kosuke, and a group of other Konoha experts for quite some time.

Some among them might have held back due to their dissatisfaction with the Third, but Maruboshi Kosuke, who had been entrusted by Hiruzen Sarutobi before that, certainly would not.

There were still some Jonin-level snakes in Ryūchi Cave that were usable.

While lingering in Ryūchi Cave, in addition to the Aoda he had just subdued, Uchiha Gen had also followed the map provided by Orochimaru to sign contracts with several other summoned snakes that possessed centuries of cultivation; while not expected to go head-to-head with strong enemies of the same level on the battlefield, they could at least provide some containment, allowing him more ease when facing situations involving multiple attackers.

"Once I pass your pool and cross that stone forest, I will be in Manda's territory, right?"

Uchiha Gen patted Aoda's large head and asked.

The buffer zone between the territories of the two top-tier snakes was that stone forest.

"Yes. At this time, he should be hunting, and his aggression is very high. Lord Gen, if you are going to find him, please be careful."

Aoda politely reminded its new master.

"Alright, carry me over to find him. I'll be back soon."

"Yes, Lord Gen."

Aoda lowered its upper body back onto the water's surface, leaving only its head level with the water.

Uchiha Gen stepped onto it and was carried steadily by Aoda as it swam toward the opposite shore of the large lake.

"Lord, I will only take you this far. If we go any further inside, Manda will smell my scent, and a conflict will occur."

Aoda delivered Uchiha Gen to the shore, speaking in a gentle yet somewhat cowardly tone.

As both were top-tier snakes that had cultivated in Ryūchi Cave for a thousand years, Aoda's territory was relatively close to Manda's, and they had certainly clashed a few times before the division of their territories was established.

Aoda, whose strength was half a tier weaker than Manda's, must have been roughed up a few times to be so cowardly toward Manda.

"Hmm, you may return."

Uchiha Gen steadied the ninja sword at his waist, watched Aoda leave, then turned and stepped forward.

Passing through the stone forest filled with vines and grass, he entered a humid primeval forest.

The trees were towering, beasts roamed freely, and the abundance of biological resources was no less than that of the Forest of Death in Konoha Village.

To sustain a giant snake like Manda, which was tens of meters long, such abundant food resources were essential.

Even so, Manda would not over-hunt, lest the ecological chain be damaged and he go hungry in the future. Thus, to ensure he could eat his fill, every time he was summoned by Orochimaru to fight, he would take the opportunity to demand living humans as sacrifices to satiate his hunger.

"He should be not far ahead."

Uchiha Gen looked at a wide snake trail ahead, over four meters long where it had been crushed, and followed this path forward while fully extending his perception.

After walking only a few hundred meters, he was suddenly enveloped by a massive shadow.

A giant snake mouth struck with a strong, foul-smelling wind. The Uchiha Gen who remained in place instantly turned into smoke and dissipated upon touching the fangs that were nearly as tall as a person.

In the forest, pairs of scarlet Sharingan lit up, watching the purple giant snake like a pack of wolves.

"So it's you, little brat of the Uchiha. Does Orochimaru dare to let you come here, not afraid that you'll be eaten by me? I haven't tasted the Sharingan yet."

Manda looked back at Uchiha Gen, his gaze ferocious.

"Then you probably don't have the ability to do so."

Uchiha Gen said indifferently.

"You have the scent of Aoda on you, but being able to win against him doesn't mean you can win against me."

Manda smiled cruelly, his massive snake body crushing toward Uchiha Gen like a heavy armored train.

As for special abilities, Manda had none.

He could not use Water Release Ninjutsu like the toads of Mount Myōboku, nor could he split or heal like Katsuyu, but he was able to stand alongside Gamabunta and Katsuyu as one of the Sannin's Summoned Beasts, collectively known as the Three-Way Deadlock, purely because of his extremely powerful base stats.

This guy was also a stat monster; his attack power was strong, his speed was incredibly fast, and his defense was astonishing.

Coupled with his nature, even Orochimaru was often unable to do anything about him.

However, Uchiha Gen did not need to defeat Manda.

In the original timeline, Sasuke in the Shippuden era, with the Cursed Seal, could contract Manda, so he might not be unable to do so either.

As long as he made it so Manda couldn't do anything to him, then in order to obtain more food, Manda wouldn't mind signing this summoning contract.

And the current Uchiha Gen had this strength.

Manda's defense was extremely strong; Sasuke could hide inside Manda's body and withstand Deidara's self-destruction. Although Uchiha Gen did not have that level of super-strong attack power, and techniques like Chidori or Great Fireball Technique could only cause minor, painless injuries to Manda, he had other methods.

The method from the original work where Sasuke hid inside Manda gave him a very good reference example.

That was the Genjutsu of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

In terms of resistance to Genjutsu, Manda was decent; ordinary Genjutsu might not have a particularly strong effect on him, but the Genjutsu of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was enough to affect him.

Combined with that dazzling and unpredictable Phantom Body Flicker Technique, no matter how fast Manda was or how strong his attack power was, he had absolutely no way to deal with him, and instead, his body was covered in scattered burn and knife wounds.

For his massive size, these injuries were of no real consequence; it was just a matter of losing some scales, but he couldn't stand the loss of face and the pain.

He hadn't even touched a hair on Uchiha Gen, yet he was being toyed with so miserably by the other party!

"Bang!"

The giant snake tail swept across the jungle, knocking down a swathe of trees and causing birds to fly away into the distance with mournful cries.

"Stop!"

Manda looked at the few Uchiha Gens still charging toward him and raised his head to shout in a rage.

He was about to be driven mad with anger.

Like a fly, no matter how he attacked, he couldn't hit it, yet this fly kept stabbing him with a needle. He didn't suffer any real injuries, but it hurt like hell.

Every now and then, he would be hypnotized by the Genjutsu of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and then get stabbed several more times.

"What, not fighting anymore?"

Uchiha Gen opened up some distance, leaped down from a towering ancient tree in the distance, and looked at Manda with a light smile.

At this distance, even if Manda wanted to attack him, he would have enough time to react.

"The summoning contract can be signed, but each time, I require at least one hundred living humans as sacrifices!"

Manda coiled his long body and said in a deep voice to Uchiha Gen, flicking his tongue.

"That's acceptable."

Uchiha Gen nodded and agreed.

Orochimaru received the same treatment, so he had nothing to be dissatisfied about.

The spy Ninjas from enemy villages locked in the Police Force's prison had already been reserved by Orochimaru as test subjects, but they could still be obtained from other places.