Orochimaru's spiritual energy connected with the terrifying entity bearing those emerald snake eyes within the summoning jutsu. His dense, pure chakra was immediately and continuously injected into the arcane summoning formula on the ground the instant the contract was formed.
The surging blue chakra current illuminated the entire summoning formula with a bright, blue glow.
However, Orochimaru, whose chakra was at most at the elite Chūnin level, though pure, was far from enough to summon the powerful being his spiritual energy and the formula had connected to.
His chakra system, which typically surged with the abundance of a great river, was drained like a massive, unleashed flood. In just a few breaths, all of his chakra was injected into the summoning formula.
A rare hint of anxiety flickered in Orochimaru's dark-golden snake eyes. He frowned at the summoning formula pressed under his left hand, which seemed like a bottomless pit, its mad consumption of his chakra showing no signs of slowing. Eight-Headed Serpent Cursed Seal, RELEASE!
The faint-gold, Eight-Headed Serpent-style Cursed Seal over Orochimaru's heart instantly disintegrated under his mental command. It transformed into strands of faint-gold light, as thick as chopsticks, which rapidly seeped into Orochimaru's body, pouring into his completely depleted chakra system.
Originally, the Eight-Headed Serpent Cursed Seal was merely an insignia formed by condensing Orochimaru's chakra combined with the Eight-Headed Serpent's faint-gold breath.
To call it a Cursed Seal was perhaps inaccurate; it was more like a chakra seal.
However, after being continuously permeated and infused with the Eight-Headed Serpent's aura every day, the chakra sealed within the mark had become increasingly pure in Orochimaru's perception and seemed to have undergone some vague, inexplicable transformation that Orochimaru himself couldn't fully comprehend.
The moment these faint-gold lights entered his chakra system, they transformed into streams of extremely pure chakra. They circulated through his system and flowed into the complex summoning formula via his left hand.
But even the chakra from the Cursed Seal was quickly nearing depletion, and the summoning formula, like a thirsty beast, showed no let-up in its furious absorption of Orochimaru's chakra.
Orochimaru's dark-golden pupils contracted into thin, golden vertical slits!
Just as all his chakra was about to be completely extracted, and his very life force was next to be injected, a sudden change occurred!
The Eight-Headed Serpent, which had long been transformed into a faint-gold cocoon in the inner pocket of Orochimaru's vest, seemed to sense Orochimaru's danger and suddenly began to pulsate violently.
Thump! Thump! Thump!—
The frequency of the cocoon's beating gradually synchronized with his heart. Once again, in this moment of crisis, it took the place of Orochimaru's heart, beating powerfully and continuously.
Not only that, but faint-gold light also constantly emanated from inside the cocoon, seeping into Orochimaru's body. His chakra system absorbed it, rapidly converting it into pure chakra, which then surged into the summoning formula.
Finally, "Boom!—"
With a muffled crash, large plumes of white mist billowed out from the summoning formula on the ground.
"Hiss! Hiss!—" Orochimaru breathed heavily. All the chakra in his body was completely exhausted. He felt utterly drained, as if he had just fought several fierce battles. He barely managed to lean against a large tree to support himself, his dark-golden eyes flashing with intense vigilance, fixed on the rapidly dispersing white mist.
His spiritual sense registered a violent, bloodthirsty, and gloomy aura emerging from the center of the white mist. His heart sank—Sure enough, I summoned him!
A strange, massive sound, as if some giant creature were moving and crushing the earth, emerged from the white mist.
Orochimaru only saw two luminous, emerald lights, the size of lanterns, suddenly brighten within the dense fog.
Immediately afterward, a wicked, bloodthirsty killing aura instantly covered the entire area, causing Orochimaru's body to involuntarily stiffen.
Orochimaru frowned, straightening his unyielding spine. A fierce, domineering intensity flashed through his dark-golden eyes, and he let out a low challenge.
A profound, bone-chillingly indifferent killing intent—so thick it was almost tangible—streamed from his soul and burst forth, fiercely confronting the terrifying aura emanating from the entity in the white mist.
The powerful clash of the two ferocious auras created a sudden gust of wind, which instantly scattered the dense white mist, revealing the terrifyingly powerful serpentine creature within.
"You've finally appeared!" a low, hoarse roar boomed in Orochimaru's ears, echoing continuously. It shook the forest for thousands of meters around, making the trees tremble.
The massive, dark-purple serpent body, which would require at least dozens of people to embrace, was roughly estimated to be about five stories high even when coiled and curled, and covered an area over a hundred meters wide. Merely looking down from its height created an astonishing pressure.
Patches of black and dark-purple, car-sized polygonal scales formed banded black patterns covering the serpent's body, giving the giant snake an extra layer of wicked gloom.
On the gigantic, mountain-like head, four sharp, massive purple horns swept backward, pointing straight up, like a purple crown on its head, suggesting a dark dominance that challenged the heavens.
The two lantern-sized emerald snake eyes were filled with endless bloodlust and greed, staring directly at Orochimaru. When it spoke, four dagger-sharp fangs were revealed.
The creature Orochimaru had summoned, nearly exhausting his life force, was none other than Manda!
"Oh? The one who signed the contract is just a little brat?!" Manda's low, hoarse voice, booming like thunder, sounded again. "Hmm, that aura isn't bad!"
No sooner had Manda spoken than its pair of emerald snake eyes fixed on the young Orochimaru, freezing his entire body in an instant.
The killing aura, which had previously been diffused unconsciously, was now controlled by Manda. With a thought, it rushed in from all directions, seemingly endless, tightly enveloping Orochimaru.
Damn it, this old geezer still won't give me any respect! Orochimaru inwardly cursed, his snake eyes narrowed.
He felt like a small boat tossed about on a stormy sea, ready to capsize at any moment.
After a moment, Manda's enormous head rushed toward Orochimaru, carrying a thick, foul, bloody wind. Its massive emerald snake eyes glowed crimson: "Little whelp, give me a living person! I want to eat people, eat people!"
Manda, howling and roaring up at the sky, stirred up immense sand and air currents, uprooting dozens of towering trees surrounding the clearing and flattening them.
BOOM!
Manda's huge body slammed down from the sky. Its massive head, flashing with bloodthirsty red light, left a deep trench in the ground as it landed in front of Orochimaru. Staring down at the tiny Orochimaru, its long, purplish-black snake tongue flickered in and out around him. It hissed menacingly: "Otherwise, I won't mind eating you!"
Orochimaru stood straight, facing Manda. His dark-golden snake eyes met Manda's without flinching, filled with cold indifference. The wickedly gentle smile returned to his lips, his pale, handsome face showing the composure and calmness of one who has everything under control!
A brilliant flash of faint-gold light instantly erupted from Orochimaru's chest!
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