087 White Serpent Immortal: Do Not Stop

Orochimaru stepped forward without the slightest pause, and a heavy dread sank deep into Manda’s heart.

If the White Snake Sage had meant to stop this, she could have spoken long ago. What in Ryuchi Cave could possibly escape her notice?

Manda knew very well that he had lost his mind to say such a desperate thing, clutching at any straw.

But what choice did he have? His proud strength had been rendered useless by Orochimaru’s schemes, and without even a real battle, he had been taken down.

No— even if they fought for real, he still was no match for Orochimaru.

Straining, Manda lifted its serpent head and cast its gaze past Orochimaru, toward the dark silhouette in the distance.

All along, the reason it had been able to play sly tricks and act willfully before Orochimaru was not its own strength, but Orochimaru’s caution toward the White Snake Sage.

Yet now, Orochimaru had used some unknown means to gain the White Snake Sage’s tacit approval.

And without that protection, was it really this weak?

Manda held its head high, but a trace of defeat stirred in its heart. A long-lost feeling spread through it, and it realized what it was: fear.

Fear of Orochimaru, fear of the unknown surgery... Long, long ago, before it had become the Serpent King, it had endured that fear day and night.

Looking down at Orochimaru as he approached, Manda’s vertical pupils tightened. Then, all at once, it shut its mouth and said nothing.

Its body was not so different from that of the great gray python. It had no confidence that it could withstand Orochimaru’s experiment; but if it truly was going to die today...

To cry and beg for mercy would be far too ugly.

Besides, Manda knew those things would be useless against Orochimaru.

“Tsk, tsk... your bearing now really does surprise me. I thought you would struggle and plead a little more.”

Orochimaru’s hand brushed over Manda’s hard, cold keratin scales as he smiled. “After all, snakes do not possess human virtues or ideals, so dignity is not something one would expect of them. But now it seems... aside from your sly tricks, you’ve learned a few other things as well.”

Manda’s voice was hoarse. “Orochimaru, do not insult me!”

“Insult you? You misunderstand. I’m praising you.”

Orochimaru smiled, and a number of shadow clones arrived carrying experimental equipment. Before Manda’s eyes, he put everything back into a scroll.

That scene did not look at all like he meant to perform the experiment just now. Manda looked down at Orochimaru and asked, “What exactly are you planning?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m putting away the equipment.”

Orochimaru licked his lips. “With your current condition, you can’t withstand this transplantation surgery. If I acted rashly, you might end up just like that snake from before. So I have no intention of operating on you right now.”

“You are, after all, my summon. If I didn’t have full confidence, why would I lay a hand on you?”

“In the first place, this surgery is meant to strengthen your power.”

Hearing this, Manda froze, staring blankly as the shadow clones injected an antidote to the paralytic drug into its body. Gradually, it regained control of itself.

Happiness had come too suddenly!

From the edge of death to safety in an instant, the reversal left Manda momentarily unable to follow.

With a stunned look in its eyes, it asked, “Then why did you say all that before? And why did you inject me with anesthesia?”

If he had never intended to operate on it right now, then what had that drug in the wild boar been about? Was he merely toying with it?

Was there any need for that, not to mention wasting a perfectly good meal?

“It was a lesson.”

Orochimaru was still smiling, though his words carried a touch of coldness. “You have been far too presumptuous lately.”

Those blunt words made it clear to Manda that it really had been nothing more than a prank.

If this had been any other time, it would certainly have flown into a rage, caring for nothing, and lunged at once to teach Orochimaru a lesson.

But now, Manda did not.

Not only because of fear, but because of the absurdity of it.

In nature, for the weak to rage at the strong is itself a ridiculous thing.

Survival of the fittest—what right did it have?

Orochimaru’s joke had shattered certain unnecessary delusions it had long carried.

“Heh... still, don’t be too pleased just yet.”

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. “You cannot escape this surgery. In the end, you will still have to go through it.”

Manda’s gaze shifted slightly. After a long silence, it lowered its head and said,

“About the surgery later... will it be safe? And can it truly make me stronger?”

“There will naturally be some risk,” Orochimaru said with a faint smile, “but yes, it can indeed increase your strength.”

His tone turned a little regretful. “What a pity you cannot use Sage Art. If you could, it might be done now, and the risk could be reduced to the minimum.”

As he spoke, the corner of his mouth lifted. “So, is there any possibility that you might learn Sage Art? I heard that Ryuchi Cave also has a red serpent named Kinda, and it can use Sage Art.”

“Kinda?”

At the name, a trace of wariness flashed in Manda’s eyes, though his face was beginning to feel strained.

It truly could not use Sage Art, nor did it have any real chance of learning it. The reason it had become the Serpent King of this region was nothing more than its tough body.

What if Orochimaru went after Kinda?

The thought struck Manda like a blow, and the more it considered it, the more it felt Orochimaru might very well do exactly that.

This surgery was naturally not something that existed merely to strengthen itself. Manda understood that.

The reason it had been chosen was because the surgery had a relatively high chance of success. But if there was a candidate with an even greater chance of success in Kinda, then between the two, Orochimaru would choose the other one without hesitation.

Manda lowered its head and looked at Orochimaru. “I can’t learn Sage Art in a short time, but my body is stronger than Kinda’s by a fair margin...”

It began to boast at length about its experience in Ryuchi Cave and the outcome of its clash with Kinda.

If this had been before, Manda would never have done such a thing, and would have gladly let Orochimaru choose Kinda instead. But now that it wanted the surgery, it no longer wished to endure that sense of helplessness.

“I see...” Orochimaru said ambiguously, cutting off Manda’s rambling with a smile. “Then wait for now. Until I’m ready...”

He was still speaking when his tone suddenly changed, and he turned toward the rear as if sensing something.

“Three Snake Princesses, why have you come here? Could it be for that python? This matter was my mistake. What compensation does the White Snake Sage desire?”

The three Snake Princesses appeared together. The one in front, Tayuya of the Serpents, smiled and said, “No compensation is needed. Only, this surgery must continue on Manda. The Sage is very interested in it.”

Orochimaru looked astonished. “I see. But Manda cannot use Sage Art, and performing the surgery on it now is far too dangerous.”

He pondered for a moment, then said slowly, “I heard that Ryuchi Cave also has a red serpent named Kinda, which can use Sage Art. If the procedure were carried out on it, the chance of success would be very high.”

At the side, Manda glared at Orochimaru. That bastard really did favor the new and tire of the old.

Tayuya of the Serpents shook her head. “No. It must be performed on Manda. That is the Sage’s explicit command.”