Compared to him, Gamabunta from Mount Myoboku was much more well-rounded.
That guy could show up wielding a giant sword and start swinging.
"Uchiha brat, have you prepared a sacrifice for Lord Manda?"
Sasuke knew exactly what kind of summoned beast Manda was.
Orochimaru had told him all about it.
And Sasuke still owed Manda a sacrifice.
Unlike toads or slugs, Manda had to be given an offering before doing anything—one of the bad habits Orochimaru had spoiled him with.
After glancing at Manda, Sasuke simply stepped behind Yan.
This wasn't something he could handle.
Just because he could summon Manda didn't mean he could actually control him or command him in battle.
"????"
What's this supposed to mean?
Manda watched as Sasuke didn't even bother to respond. He just shot him a provoking look before walking behind Yan.
Orochimaru, standing off to the side, had a faint smile on his face but didn't say a word.
Manda felt like he was being played.
"Damn you, Uchiha brat! Do you know what happens when you anger Lord Manda?"
Feeling mocked, Manda threw his head back and let out a furious roar, baring his huge fangs—each one longer than a person.
"And do you know what happens when you anger an Uchiha?"
Yan coldly stared at the arrogant Manda. Since when did a mere snake think it could bare its fangs at an Uchiha?
"What did you just say?"
Manda froze for a moment before letting out a furious roar and lunging at Yan with his jaws wide open.
He had decided—this brat needed to be taught a lesson.
"Step back."
Orochimaru pulled Sasuke away.
Since Yan was going to handle it, they might as well leave it to him.
If he could, Orochimaru would've dealt with Manda himself long ago. But when he first signed the contract and summoned Manda, he had made certain promises. Because of that, he had no choice but to let Manda act however he pleased.
Otherwise, with Orochimaru's strength, if he really wanted to, Manda would've died ten times over by now.
"Ignorant creature."
Manda's massive body lunged toward Yan, while the three Tomoe in Yan's eyes slowly spun.
Manda charged at Yan with unstoppable force. But just as he was about to crash into him, his enormous body suddenly slowed to a stop.
His huge eyes also turned into the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
"So weak."
Yan couldn't help but make that remark.
Standing to the side, Orochimaru's mouth twitched slightly.
Sasuke had mixed feelings—it didn't sit right with him.
Was Manda really that weak?
Maybe he lost relevance later on, but during the early and mid-stages, he was definitely strong.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most Jonin who ran into Manda would end up as nothing more than a snack.
Weak or not—it all depended on who he was being compared to.
If Sasuke could control Manda, his strength would take a huge leap forward.
Facing an enemy? He wouldn't even have to do anything—just summon Manda and let him handle it.
But to Yan, Manda was just a useless snake.
He didn't even bother making a move. He simply used Genjutsu to take control and left a mark on Manda's soul.
When the Tomoe in his eyes disappeared, Manda stared blankly at Yan, still a bit dazed.
What just happened?
It felt like he had been caught in a Genjutsu.
"Damn it! You dare control *me* with Genjutsu? I'll—ahhh!!!"
Manda was still cursing when pain suddenly overwhelmed him, sending him thrashing on the ground.
His massive body crushed countless trees, scaring the nearby animals into a frantic escape.
Deep trenches appeared in the earth, all from the sheer weight of Manda's body slamming down.
"You still want to fight?"
Yan crossed his arms and looked up at the writhing Manda.
"I left a mark on your soul. As long as I control it, you'll suffer a pain worse than death. Want to experience more of it?"
Sasuke instinctively shrank back.
Orochimaru's expression darkened, as if recalling something unpleasant.
At the same time, he couldn't help but grumble to himself.
Other people's Genjutsu just messes with the mind. But you, Uchiha Yan? You don't just control their mind—you go straight for their soul.
"N-no! Please, my lord, I won't dare again! Never again!"
Less than two minutes in, Manda had already given up. That soul-ripping pain was something he never wanted to experience again.
"Good."
Yan nodded in satisfaction.
"Consider today a little lesson for you. From now on, when you meet an Uchiha, show some respect.
From now on, you will fight for Sasuke. Orochimaru doesn't need you anymore.
Obey Sasuke's commands. I'll teach him how to control the soul mark. If you don't want to die, you'd better behave."
Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu liked to leave seals on people to control their bodies.
Yan, on the other hand, preferred using Genjutsu to leave something inside their souls, making them suffer unbearable pain.
The pain of having one's soul torn apart was far worse than any physical injury.
Orochimaru was the perfect example.
When his soul was damaged, his screams were beyond miserable. Even someone as ruthless as Orochimaru couldn't endure it.
A mere snake… Yan wasn't overestimating himself—it simply wasn't even qualified to challenge him.
What Yan did was essentially the same as enslaving Manda, just like how Uchiha Madara forced the Nine-Tails into submission.
The difference was that Madara took complete control, while Yan didn't. He simply made Manda so terrified that it wouldn't dare disobey.
The main reason Yan had never signed a contract with a summoned beast was simple—when he was weak, he couldn't find a suitable one.
And once he became strong, ordinary summoned beasts were beneath him.
At this point, unless he got a Tailed Beast as his summon, there was no reason to bother. Summoned beasts wouldn't help him—they'd just slow him down.
"Get familiar with it. I'm heading back."
After teaching Sasuke how to control Manda, Yan patted his shoulder and left.
It was up to Sasuke now.
Manda was just a temporary tool for battle. Sasuke's real focus should be on raising Aoda.
After all, Aoda was the one willing to fight for him.
Use Manda for now, then focus on training Aoda.
Yan trusted that Sasuke would figure things out on his own.
And even if he didn't, it didn't matter—once he became strong enough, summoned beasts wouldn't make a difference anyway.
Among all the summons, only Katsuyu had any real use in the long run. The rest either weren't strong enough or couldn't survive tough battles.
"Come earlier tomorrow."
Yan left, and Orochimaru had no reason to stay either.
With Yan having altered Manda's soul and Sasuke learning how to control it, there was nothing for him to do here.
Might as well go back to the lab and get some work done—or just take a break.
---------------------------------------
You can read 10 chapters ahead on patre on
patr eon.com/JYouyi