Chapter 166

Boom!

In a canyon over ten kilometers outside Konoha, a dense forest of towering trees shook violently as a massive explosion echoed through the night. The shockwave uprooted trees and tore the landscape apart, scattering debris in all directions.

As the dust settled, silence returned to the canyon, broken only by the sound of rustling leaves. Standing amidst the destruction was a towering spectral warrior, ghostly and menacing, like something out of a nightmare.

The warrior, made entirely of chakra, stood on two legs and was shrouded in eerie white armor. In its hand was an unconventional weapon, a chakra-formed rocket launcher. And in front of it, slumped and wounded, lay the massive, bruised form of a purple-striped python.

Though the ghostly warrior, Susanoo, was dwarfed by Manda's sheer size, the mighty snake's golden eyes held a flicker of fear as he gazed upon it. For the first time, Manda had been thoroughly overpowered in battle, and by his own summoner no less.

Staring at Orochimaru, who stood calmly with his hands in his pockets, Manda struggled to process what had just happened.

"You… boy… How can you wield such power?"

As one of the most formidable creatures of Ryuchi Cave, Manda prided himself on his strength. This was the first time he'd been brought to heel—and by a human, no less. Throughout the fight, Orochimaru had unleashed relentless attacks, blending powerful elemental ninjutsu with massive trees that seemed to spring to life, restricting Manda's movements. But worst of all was the white Susanoo warrior, whose chakra weapon had delivered blow after devastating blow.

Orochimaru's scarlet eyes gleamed with the twisted pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Looking up at his own white Susanoo, which was vastly different from the Uchiha Susanoo he remembered, he smiled slightly. "There's no need to worry about the details, Manda. All that matters is that I won, wouldn't you agree?"

"Tch!"

With a final huff, Susanoo dissipated, leaving Orochimaru standing alone. He approached Manda, who watched him with wary eyes. Reaching into his coat, Orochimaru pulled out a small vial filled with a concentrated, high-potency recovery potion.

"This is a compressed recovery serum. It should heal the wounds you sustained in our battle. As my summon, I'd prefer we maintain a cooperative relationship."

He paused, letting the words sink in. "And if you prove loyal, I may even find ways to make you stronger."

Without further hesitation, he poured the potion into Manda's mouth. For once, the snake didn't resist, too stunned by the display of strength he'd witnessed.

"Fine. But don't get cocky, boy. Just because you've got some power doesn't mean I like you," Manda hissed. "But… perhaps you've earned my respect for now."

Bang!

With a puff of smoke, Manda disappeared, leaving Orochimaru alone in the ravaged canyon.

Watching the smoke dissipate, Orochimaru looked down at his pale hand, flexing his fingers thoughtfully.

"It feels… satisfying to wield the power of both the Senju and Uchiha clans."

Though the Mangekyo Sharingan was a natural evolution of the Sharingan, it was in an entirely different league. Unlike the basic three-tomoe Sharingan, the Mangekyo's true strength lay in the unique abilities it granted, based on the individual wielder's psyche and experiences.

With one eye, Orochimaru could now summon a white Susanoo, a warrior of pure chakra that enveloped him like armor. It was said to be the pinnacle of defensive and offensive techniques, forming a human-shaped construct that shielded its user from most attacks. Susanoo evolved in stages, from a skeletal frame to a full-bodied warrior.

Just now, Orochimaru had used the fourth form of Susanoo, a complete armored warrior with a ghostly white visage and sturdy legs. But there were some… peculiarities. While most Uchiha had distinct Susanoo colors, Madara's was blue, Itachi's a dark red, Shisui's green, and Sasuke's purple. Orochimaru's Susanoo was a stark, eerie white.

It made sense, he supposed. His affinity with Ryuchi Cave and the white snake probably influenced it. But the most baffling part was the weapon his Susanoo had chosen.

"A rocket launcher?" Orochimaru murmured, raising an eyebrow.

The blast earlier had come from Susanoo's chakra-formed rocket launcher, a weapon that seemed out of place among traditional ninja tools. While other Uchiha wielded bows, swords, and shields, his Susanoo wielded a weapon that fired explosive chakra rounds. It was unconventional, to say the least, and yet… strangely effective.

"Perhaps it's not so different from a bow and arrow, just… shaped differently," he mused, shaking his head. "Well, as long as it's useful, I won't complain."

With his clones dispersed and the scout flies called back, Orochimaru began the leisurely walk back toward Konoha, a faint smile on his lips.

And as for the infamous side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan pain, blindness, and chakra exhaustion those were no longer his concern. Thanks to the robust chakra reserves of his sage body, he could maintain Susanoo's fourth form all day if he wished.

The only thing he regretted was that he hadn't yet achieved the final stage of Susanoo, the Perfect Susanoo, a colossal form towering over the landscape, far larger and stronger than anything he'd used today.

The complete Susanoo was a form only a few elite Uchiha could reach, a giant that rivaled even the Tailed Beasts. It required not only immense chakra but also an extraordinary level of mental strength. For now, Orochimaru's current Mangekyo hadn't reached that level.