The Aroma of Snake Meat

He couldn't keep using his eyes.

If this continued, it would worsen his nearsightedness.

The last time he faced Orochimaru, the Mangekyō Sharingan's Amaterasu had already made him realize that if he kept using that technique so recklessly, it would inevitably drain his body dry.

He had to be extremely cautious.

But even so, once you did something once, there would be countless more times. What was he supposed to do if he just couldn't stop himself?

"Using these cannon fodder as shields, are you?"

Itachi snorted coldly. Watching the fangs exposed by the gliding snakes, he located them by sound and flung out several kunai. Then, striking after they had been launched, he hurled several more at meteor-like speed, hitting the first batch of kunai and altering their trajectories.

In an instant, several flying snakes failed to dodge in time and were torn in half by the kunai.

"SSS!"

The snakes were not particularly intelligent. The deaths of several companions were nowhere near enough to make them react, and they continued charging forward one after another.

Most snakes had very short lifespans. Without gaining sentience, even those with powerful bodies would often attract disaster while competing for mating status within the swarm, dying beneath group attacks.

Adult snakes that escaped being devoured by their own kind were extremely rare in Ryūchi Cave. And with their dark, vicious natures, even after finally maturing and transforming from pythons into serpentine dragons, they would likely still fail to escape the fate of killing one another.

"Damn it."

The smell of blood did nothing to repel the snakes. Even though Itachi had prepared a large amount of realgar to drive away snakes and insects, it only earned him a brief moment of hesitation before the snakes charged at him desperately once more.

"It's useless. These creatures only obey my commands. Those things you brought from the human world will ultimately do nothing more than accompany you to your grave."

Mamba flicked his tongue as he coiled atop a giant python and watched the battle. Several servants nearby respectfully offered him food, treating him like some kind of turtle king.

Itachi had never expected to run into something so troublesome the moment he entered. It really was a headache.

Ryūchi Cave might have been a blessed land, but its interior twisted and turned through countless passages. Every cave concealed limitless treasures, and only the strongest snakes occupied the central region of those winding caverns—the core where every tunnel led, and the sacred capital all snakes were compelled to worship!

It could be said that Itachi Uchiha had merely been summoned into one small cave, yet instead of gaining much intelligence, he had encountered such an aggravating foe.

More importantly, he had no idea whether this was a particularly difficult challenge or simply an ordinary sight within Ryūchi Cave.

"You're underestimating me. They're nothing but beasts."

Itachi snorted, slashing down the flying snakes shooting toward him with the short blade in his hand. To avoid being attacked from both front and back, one hand swiftly shifted through a seal.

"SSS!"

The venomous snakes immediately changed tactics. Rather than rushing forward and relying on their bodies for an advantage, they aimed at Itachi, bared their fangs, and in an instant squeezed out countless sprays of foul-smelling venom.

That thick, murky saliva would rot flesh and dissolve bone with even the slightest contact!

[Combined Technique: Ten Thousand Snakes Poison Spear!]

Mamba stood high above and stared intently at everything. Every loss among his snake swarm pained him deeply; after all, he did not have many subordinates he could recruit on this hill.

Besides, they had to regularly fight other factions. If their tribe suffered too many losses, they would inevitably fall into a disadvantage in the next struggle for territory.

He did not want to see that bastard Hunter Tower acting arrogant and smug.

"Is it finally over?"

The venom struck the stalactites and even caused the ground to shake. Not to mention how miserably the body of such a fragile child would rot beneath venom of that concentration.

What a pity about the meat. Otherwise, he would have liked to use it to nourish his body.

"Caw, caw, caw!"

Countless crows rose from where they had been, their cries mournful, like death knells wailing at the end of the world.

Mamba and every snake in his swarm looked over. How could crows possibly appear in a place like this?

With his muddled mind, the astonishment in his eyes instantly turned into feverish delight.

Those were food!

As long as they had enough food, their tribe could grow stronger!

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A familiar voice suddenly gathered overhead. Then, an enormous surge of chakra descended with a scorching gale. In the snakes' vision, their infrared sight could sense only heat. In an instant, all they saw was a sea of scarlet spreading toward them.

It was as though a gigantic fire giant was closing in on them, and their instincts immediately made every snake's scales stand on end.

But there was no time to flee. The massive fireball slammed into the ground in the next second, erupting with a deafening explosion.

"Boom!"

The scorching blast swept in every direction. Though Mamba had not taken the hit directly and was merely caught in the aftermath, the violent, searing wind still burned him.

He had never imagined that this young man could unleash so many techniques.

Having lived in Ryūchi Cave year-round, ordinary ninjutsu had become nearly ineffective against them. Even their flesh did not fear ordinary blades.

Snakes fell from the sky like vines, sparks scattering everywhere. Their bodies twisted as they let out miserable screams, and beneath the blazing flames, it looked like the grandest barbecue feast imaginable.

The aroma of snake meat spread across the ground, and Itachi Uchiha's stomach immediately began to rumble.

If he had brought the proper ingredients and seasonings, he truly would have wanted to roast them on the spot. But compared with dealing with those ingredients, Itachi's gaze turned toward the nimble Little White Snake. The frenzy in its eyes gradually revealed a serpentine scarlet glow.

Its expression seemed to say that it had finally found food. A primal terror suddenly rose from the depths of his body and seized control of him.

It was as though he had returned to ancient times, to the fear of primitive humans ruled by giants.

"Don't come any closer!"