With a loud bang!, a cloud of white smoke rose from the ground. When it dispersed, an enormous creature dozens of meters long was revealed where it had stood.
Even in the dim night, its features could be clearly seen by the moonlight. It was a massive purple serpent nearly a hundred meters long, its head covered in horns.
Its appearance alone radiated extreme brutality, and when it spoke, its vicious nature became even more apparent. "Hiss... It's so cold! Orochimaru, you actually summoned me in weather like this. This time, a mere hundred people won't be enough as sacrifices!"
This giant serpent was none other than Manda, chief of the serpent clan summoned from Ryūchi Cave. The moment he appeared, he began negotiating the number of sacrifices with Orochimaru, revealing just how greedy and arrogant he was.
"Five hundred!" Orochimaru stood atop Manda's brow, his expression cold as he said, "As long as you hold out until reinforcements arrive, I'll give you five hundred sacrifices. Besides, this battle was personally arranged by Nawaki. If you ruin it, you know the consequences!"
"Hisss..." Manda's snake pupils narrowed into slits as he looked down at the forest below, his tone growing serious. "War with another ninja village? No wonder you're being so generous! Don't worry! I'll take care of all these little bugs!"
At that moment, the Kaguya Clan in the forest launched their charge. Manda's immense size seemed to offer no deterrence whatsoever as they fearlessly raised their bone blades and attacked their target.
Manda keenly sensed the enemies moving through the darkness. He suddenly lowered his head, stretched his entire body out flat against the ground, and then swiftly slithered through the gaps between the trees.
The enormous creature, dozens of meters tall moments ago, seemed to vanish completely