"If no one corrects that snake, it'll only get more arrogant, won't it? In the face of the Sharingan, it's nothing more than my toy."
Uchiha Kaien didn't say anything more, but the implication was clear to everyone.
A toy is only cherished when it's needed. Once it's no longer useful, it's nothing more than a lifeless object.
Right now, Manda was Kaien's toy—completely under his control. Once summoned, the giant serpent would have no will of its own. If Kaien told it to go east, it wouldn't dare go west.
Even beings from the legendary summoning realms had to bow to power. And as for Ryūchi Cave—no, the way of all snakes—wasn't it a world where only the strong survive?
Cold-blooded creatures didn't care for sentiment. Especially short-tempered ones like Manda, who likely had no friends even in his own domain. Once the control wore off and he returned to the cave, he'd probably just sulk in silence.
Kaien calmly approached the massive Manda, commanding the serpent to lower its head. He reached out and placed his hand on the enormous creature's snout—nearly twice the size of his own body—and began inscribing a summoning mark.
This was the power of chakra. The ability to bend something dozens of times your size to your will, making it rise or fall at your command.
The mark Kaien carved into Manda's skin was nearly identical to the one he used for [Lightning Flash Blade Creation].
Of course, he couldn't actually summon Manda with [Lightning Flash Blade Creation]—that technique only worked on inanimate objects. His real goal was to leave his chakra imprinted on the serpent.
With his chakra as a signature, and [Lightning Flash Blade Creation] acting as the medium, Kaien could overlay the summoning technique on top and locate Manda precisely. The snake would have no way to resist being summoned.
Once everything was in place, Kaien released the genjutsu binding Manda.
"...You little brat! You actually used genjutsu on me?!"
Manda roared, both shocked and furious. Shocked that this Uchiha kid had managed to seize control of him in an instant—with eye power far beyond anything he'd imagined. Furious because not even Orochimaru had dared treat him this way, yet his student did so without hesitation.
Enraged, Manda lunged, intending to teach Kaien a lesson. At this range, the brat wouldn't be able to dodge—he'd feel the full brunt of Manda's wrath!
The giant serpent surged forward in a blur of motion, aiming to crush the boy.
Anyone hit by something that massive would be either dead or mangled.
"Hmph... Beasts are beasts. Give them a sliver of freedom and they get ideas."
Kaien's expression didn't change. His Sharingan spun slowly—and in the next instant, three tomoe appeared in Manda's vertical pupils.
There was no struggle. Manda froze mid-lunge, falling under genjutsu again.
"You really haven't learned a thing, have you?" Kaien sighed. "Orochimaru-sensei, I take it this snake doesn't have many friends back in Ryūchi Cave?"
"And crashing around just because it's big... really lacking in manners."
Arrogance laced Kaien's voice as he evaluated Manda.
He hated hearing the noise of those weaker than him. Chakra pooled silently in his legs. With an air of ease, Kaien kicked out.
"Kaien Style"
A pale, slender leg lashed out—and despite its appearance, it split the air with a violent crack. The seemingly gentle kick carried terrifying force, slamming Manda into the ground and breaking the genjutsu in one brutal strike.
Manda howled in agony, flailing for a moment before falling completely still.
That one kick wasn't just raw power. It carried the weight of Kaien's trait: [Combat Mastery].
[Combat Mastery: Maximizes the user's physical strength during close combat. Grants precise control over one's own power and dramatically increases the ability to detect an enemy's weak points.]
This had probably been Kaien's most valuable trait all year. Ranked as a purple-level trait, it might sound simple on paper—but in actual combat, it was monstrous.
Tsunade's monstrous strength also stemmed from precise chakra control. [Combat Mastery] operated on a similar principle, but its greatest strength lay in pinpointing weak spots.
Once a weak point was identified, a single blow could do the work of ten.
"Hey, you sorry excuse for a snake," Kaien said coldly. "You submitting or not? If you're not, I'll break every last one of your weak spots. When you crawl back to Ryūchi Cave in that pathetic state, I doubt the other snakes will be very welcoming."
He didn't wait for a response. Another kick landed. Manda screamed again—this time, all his earlier arrogance was gone.
"Now then... are you ready to talk properly?"
"Y-Yes, Lord Kaien..."
Manda was truly terrified now. All Uchiha were madmen—and the stronger they got, the crazier they became! This kid's prideful tone... what kind of upbringing had he gone through?
At first, Manda hadn't believed the rumors. But now, standing face to face with this deceptively pure-looking boy, he was convinced. Kaien was absolutely ruthless.
Manda swore to himself—next time he was summoned, he'd check the chakra signature first. If it was this brat, he'd refuse immediately!
"That's more like it." Kaien nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Orochimaru with an innocent smile. The arrogance melted away instantly.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I've tamed this summon!"
Even Orochimaru, usually unfazed by anything, twitched slightly at that. Tamed? Sure, technically... But it was the most brutal taming he'd ever seen. Still, who would've thought Manda would one day end up like this?
Honestly, he felt... a little pleased. Especially since Kaien did it to protect him.
Still, Kaien's personality would need careful guidance. Maybe awakening the three-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age had accelerated certain changes? He'd have to monitor him more closely... and make sure the Kekkei Genkai illness didn't resurface. Orochimaru mentally added two new items to his long list of experiments and precautions.
"Well done, Kaien," he praised.
A child needed encouragement at times like these. Orochimaru understood that perfectly.
With that minor episode behind them, the distance created by a year of separation between master and student quickly disappeared. The two stood together like a teacher and student in perfect harmony.
Nearby, Gamabunta had watched the whole thing silently. His impression of the boy who summoned him had risen significantly.
At the very least, this kid was respectful. Seemed kind, too.
"Was that... something like Tsunade's monstrous strength? That's terrifying."
Jiraiya shivered. The memory of his ribs being shattered by Tsunade resurfaced with a vengeance. He quickly pulled Minato aside to whisper in secret.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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