Chapter 84: Manda, is it delicious?

The Djinn's words sounded persuasive—almost solemn in their conviction—which made Orochimaru pause with doubt.

Still, even if what the lamp-bound spirit said was true, and the Three Serpent Princesses might offer him some support, Orochimaru wasn't foolish enough to openly defy the will of the White Snake Sage by revealing the secrets of Ryūchi Cave.

This was just a passing thought. If he truly wanted to master Sage Art quickly, he needed the Sage's support.

Licking his lips thoughtfully, Orochimaru wandered through the intricate web of underground tunnels, taking a shortcut that led directly to Manda's lair.

Before long, he arrived at a vast underground chamber.

Stone pillars jutted from the cavern floor, each wrapped with enormous serpentine forms. The air vibrated with the low, eerie hissing of massive snakes, and the atmosphere felt thick with a suffocating presence.

Atop the largest central pillar coiled Manda, the king of snakes—resting, unmoving, and surrounded by the lesser serpents like a tyrant among loyal guards.

Thanks to the vision shared by the Djinn, Orochimaru could clearly assess Manda's current state.

Its distended belly from earlier had returned to normal—apparently, the two wild boars it devoured half a day ago were already fully digested. Not a single bulge remained.

Hiss...

As Orochimaru stepped into the chamber, several of the sleeping serpents stirred. One of them—a massive python—slithered forward with startling speed, reaching him in the blink of an eye.

It lowered its head, allowing Orochimaru to climb atop it.

He glanced at the faded scars along its scales and quickly recognized it as one of the two snakes he had summoned during the Battle of Kumogakure. The blood pact between them allowed it to sense his presence instantly.

"Well done," Orochimaru said with a faint smile, running a finger along one of the healed wounds. "Loyal children like you will be well rewarded."

Perched on its broad head, he gave a light pat. "Take me to Manda."

The python obeyed with a low hiss, its immense body weaving smoothly through the stone pillars. As it moved, the other snakes gave way, slinking back into the shadows.

This wasn't just respect for Orochimaru's presence—it was fear. Not only of him, but of the python beneath him. Though a rank below Manda, it was among the few snakes in Ryūchi Cave that could rival the king's strength.

"Orochimaru. I didn't expect you'd come."

Manda's slitted eyes opened slowly. His voice boomed down with a sneer. "Hurry up and give me my offering."

Within Ryūchi Cave, Manda was already known for his arrogance. Here in his own domain, that arrogance was multiplied tenfold.

But Orochimaru merely smiled and said nothing. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a large scroll and pressed his palm against one of its seals.

In a flash, a massive wild boar—easily over twenty meters long—materialized above them and crashed onto the rocky floor with a loud bang.

While such a creature would be awe-inspiring elsewhere, here it merely caused a stir. Unlike the usual cold scent of the serpents, the scent of warm blood drew their attention immediately. One by one, the snakes began to hiss excitedly, slithering toward the pillar where Manda coiled.

HISSSS!

Manda let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the cave. At once, the restless serpents fell silent and withdrew.

Only then did his gaze shift to the wild boar, eyes gleaming with hunger.

A pair of snake eyes glowed in the darkness, gleaming with pride and greed.

"Good," Manda hissed, "you're much more sensible than before."

Before Orochimaru could say a word, the giant serpent launched from the rock pillar. His jaws snapped open wide as he lunged toward the wild boar and began to devour it hungrily.

"Tsk tsk… You're as shameless as ever, Manda," Orochimaru chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "But eat up. This one's on me."

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned another wild boar from his scroll and tossed it behind him.

"You too—just one. Only the strongest snake gets to feast."

The cave fell silent for a heartbeat. Then chaos erupted.

The scent of fresh prey sent the entire nest of giant serpents into a frenzy. Snakes hissed and slithered in a tangled storm, fighting to reach the second wild boar. It wasn't a playful scuffle—this was a true battle, driven by hunger and greed.

Even the injured python beneath Orochimaru began to stir, nearly throwing him off in its eagerness to join the fray. He pressed a hand to its head, holding it still.

"Orochimaru, you bastard," Manda growled through a half-full mouth. "That was meant for me."

Knowing the others had been given a share left a bitter taste. Still, Manda wasn't foolish enough to spit out his meal. Chasing the second boar now would risk losing both.

He lowered his head and began to swallow faster, focused solely on finishing first.

Orochimaru watched him with a smirk, his gaze drifting toward the battling snakes. After a moment of careful observation, he pointed toward one in particular—a gray python locked in a violent coil with two others.

"You," he said, "this one's yours."

The gray python froze mid-battle. Its slit pupils widened in surprise. With renewed vigor, it wriggled free and made a beeline for the boar.

"Hisssss…"

The surrounding snakes responded with angry hisses. Some turned their ire toward the gray python—others toward Orochimaru himself.

"Hm?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. A sudden surge of chakra exploded from his body, his killing intent blanketing the entire cave.

The snakes fell silent.

He was not just a summoner—he was their superior. The very air reminded them of that.

Even so, one scarred python—another survivor from the Battle of Kumogakure—refused to move. It coiled nearby, its eyes locked on Orochimaru with a look of quiet grievance.

Meanwhile, the gray python pounced on the wild boar and began to devour it with unrestrained joy. Its body swelled with each gulp until it lay coiled, satisfied and bloated, soaking in the warm blood pooling on the stone floor.

A pleased look flickered across Orochimaru's face.

Then, as Manda finished his meal, Orochimaru formed a series of hand seals.

Hidden reagent capsules—embedded within the flesh of both boars—detonated silently inside the serpents' bellies. The internal organs and muscle tissue of the prey began to dissolve into a corrosive mixture.

Manda was the first to react. His head whipped toward Orochimaru, eyes blazing.

"What did you do to me, you bastard?!"

"Tsk tsk…" Orochimaru smiled darkly, licking his lips. "You looked like you were struggling to digest, so I gave you a little help."

"You—! I don't need your damn help!"

Manda roared and lunged forward—but his body faltered halfway. He crashed to the stone floor with a low, strangled hiss.

"What… is this…"

"Just a little tool," Orochimaru said, watching coldly, "to make you obedient."

He turned to the gray python.

It had fared even worse. The snake lay belly-up, twitching weakly, its tongue limp and its body slack—completely paralyzed and helpless.

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