Chapter 51: The Mangekyō Sharingan Conquers the Blood-Soaked Bat King

Boom!

Smith slammed hard into the jagged cliff. His vision blurred, and his ears rang from the impact. Sharp rocks scraped against his skin, leaving deep bruises and gashes. Thankfully, his Muji Healing Technique activated instantly, closing his wounds with white smoke.

Though the injuries healed quickly, the pain still lingered—raw and relentless.

The Blood-Soaked Bat King, realizing it couldn't shake Smith off, abruptly dove into the abyss below. A vast, icy river waited beneath them. The cold struck like a thousand needles as they plunged in.

After diving into the water, the beast shot upward again at breakneck speed, dragging Smith along for the ride. The whiplash from the sudden rise was more intense than any rollercoaster.

"Damn it! This beast is really testing my limits!" Smith growled, gritting his teeth.

The Bat King swooped upward and aimed straight for a massive spike of rock jutting from the cliff wall. If it collided with Smith, he wouldn't die outright, but the pain would be unimaginable.

"You sadistic freak!" Smith shouted. Just then—

"Smith!"

A sharp, anxious voice called from behind.

Smith turned his head mid-flight and saw Hong Feng rushing toward him with her wind wings at full speed.

Without hesitation, Smith jumped from the Bat King's back. Hong Feng caught him smoothly in a princess carry.

"Thanks," Smith muttered, breathing hard.

"Let's go back first!" Hong Feng replied, holding him tightly as her wind wings flapped at full force, soaring away.

But the Blood-Soaked Bat King wasn't done.

Its blood-red eyes locked onto them. It had been resting peacefully before these humans intruded, killing all its young. Rage and vengeance surged in its monstrous veins.

Screech!

With a beat of its fleshy wings, it chased after them again—now faster without Smith clinging to it.

"It's catching up!" Hong Feng warned.

"We can't outrun it in open air. Change direction—head into the jungle!" Smith ordered.

Without hesitation, she veered into the dense forest. The towering trees and thick canopy offered a tactical advantage. The Bat King, being massive, couldn't maneuver easily through the tight spaces.

Sure enough, the Bat King struggled to follow directly. Instead, it flapped its wings violently, creating a gale that tore through the trees like knives.

"Not good!" Smith shouted, turning around just in time.

He wrapped himself around Hong Feng protectively and took the brunt of the wind blade impact.

Boom!

The entire forest grove exploded under the force. Trees toppled. Branches splintered. Smith and Hong Feng were slammed to the ground.

Smith's back was shredded, blood oozing from dozens of deep wounds. But he had shielded Hong Feng from the worst of it.

"Smith!"

Panic surged in her voice. She knelt beside him, hands glowing with gentle blue water-element energy, ready to heal him.

But Smith raised a hand and stopped her.

"I'm fine… Don't worry."

Clenching his jaw, Smith pushed himself up. His innate healing kicked in. White smoke rose from his body as skin regenerated rapidly.

"This is…"

Hong Feng stared in disbelief.

The sheer regeneration speed… it was almost unnatural.

S-level auxiliary Wood System? She could hardly believe it.

Screech!

The Bat King roared again as it broke through the last trees. Now in open ground again, it released a burst of invisible sound waves.

Smith and Hong Feng dodged quickly. The wave hit a nearby tree, reducing it to dust.

"There's no escape now," Smith muttered, eyes narrowing. "Looks like it's time to end this."

His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly before shifting—forming a six-pointed star.

Mangekyō Sharingan!

Facing a fourth-level monster like this, Smith knew he couldn't hold back.

"Wood Style: Wooden Spear!"

With a rapid hand seal, the surrounding trees transformed into sharp spears that launched toward the Blood-Soaked Bat King.

Whoosh!

The Bat King responded by flapping its wings, generating a wind net that shredded the wooden spears into sawdust midair.

"Breath of Divine Wind!"

Hong Feng joined in, summoning her wind spiritual energy. Dozens of massive wind blades formed and sliced toward the Bat King.

The monster scoffed, wrapping its fleshy wings around itself. Relying on sheer durability, it absorbed the attack with little effort.

"It's using brute strength to block even elemental attacks?" Hong Feng's face darkened.

The Bat King flared its wings again and cracked a chilling smile—its small head contorting into an eerie, humanoid grin.

Just as it prepared to attack, a kunai flashed toward its face.

In the blink of an eye, Smith appeared in front of it, Flying Thunder God teleportation complete, and smashed a punch into the Bat King's face.

Bang!

Enhanced by Sage Mode, the punch caved in the creature's face and sent it plummeting like a meteor toward the ground.

But just as it was about to crash, it twisted its wings expertly and braked midair, halting half a meter above the forest floor.

Then, without warning, it shot horizontally toward Hong Feng—faster than before, and barely above the ground.

Hong Feng's eyes widened. She conjured wind wings and started retreating, but it was too late.

Screech!

With frightening precision, the Bat King's wings extended sharp bone-like spikes and stabbed toward her heart.

Puff!

She shut her eyes instinctively, expecting death—but felt no pain.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Smith standing in front of her.

The Bat King's spikes had pierced straight through Smith's torso—one on each side of his ribs. Blood poured freely.

"Damn… that hurts…" Smith muttered with a grimace.

The Bat King froze for a moment, surprised he'd taken the blow for her.

It prepared to yank out its spikes and finish them both—but Smith suddenly stepped forward, forcing the spikes deeper into his own body.

With that motion, he brought his face mere inches from the Bat King's.

His Mangekyō Sharingan flared.

Genjutsu!

Boom!

This wasn't an ordinary illusion. The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan twisted through the Bat King's consciousness like a drill.

The beast tried to struggle.

It failed.

In less than three seconds, its mind fell deep into illusion.

Its wings drooped.

Its eyes lost focus.

Its monstrous body trembled… then collapsed, completely entranced.

Smith stood in front of it, panting. His blood continued to drip, but a victorious smirk curled on his lips.

"You were a pain in the ass," he muttered. "But after all that… I'd be crazy not to make you my summoned beast."

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)