Subduing this thing was just the beginning; next, Uchiha Shao Yu had several more Shikigami to tame... Great Serpent, Toad, Manzo, and Escape Rabbits.
Uchiha Shao Yu subdued them one by one.
Next... Circular Deer.
Unlike the ferocious or bizarre appearances of the other Shikigami, the phantom of the Circular Deer appeared somewhat holy and peaceful, though still a bit abstract.
Its entire body seemed to be composed of pure light and shadow, its antlers like crystal branches, its four hooves light, its eyes gentle, and its surroundings rippling with healing waves that brought peace of mind.
However, Uchiha Shao Yu knew well that in the Ten Shadows Technique, this seemingly most harmless Shikigami might just be the most difficult one to defeat.
Because it had almost no active means of attack, but its core ability, the Reverse Cursed Technique, gave it an extremely abnormal self-recovery capability.
"No time to admire it."
Sho U's eyes narrowed as he took the lead in attacking. It was the same old routine: starting with Mangekyo Sharingan Genjutsu, attempting to disrupt its energy flow.
However, the phantom of the Circular Deer only swayed slightly, white light flowing around its body; that bit of mental interference was like a mud cow entering the sea, easily neutralized by its peaceful and stable energy field.
It was clear that its resistance to negative mental effects was extremely high.
Physical attack! Sho U used Body Flicker to close in, his short sword wrapped in Wind Release Chakra, slashing at the neck of the Circular Deer phantom!
The blade passed through the light and shadow, indeed causing damage; a clear crack appeared at the deer's neck.
But before Sho U could retract his blade, a dense white light surged from the crack, healing rapidly at a visible speed, restoring it to its original state in the blink of an eye!
The Circular Deer didn't even make a sound, its gentle eyes just quietly looking at Sho U, as if asking: "Have you cut enough?"
Sho U frowned slightly. Fire Release! He retreated and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu!" A scorching line of fire shot out, hitting the side of the Circular Deer phantom's abdomen and burning a patch of black.
The white light emerged again, like the most skillful craftsman, quickly repairing the charred wound, the traces left by the fire fading away swiftly.
Lightning Release! Wind Release! Water Release!
Sho U tried Ninjutsu attacks of different attributes in succession, even attempting continuous strikes with Taijutsu.
Every time, he left deep or shallow marks on the Circular Deer phantom, but every time, those marks were repaired in an extremely short time by that seemingly soft yet incredibly resilient white light.
This thing was like a piece of taffy that could never be broken or flattened!
You hit it once, it heals a bit. You land a combo, its health bar is full again. It doesn't fight back, just stands there letting you hit it, but you just can't take it down!
However, it might be because Uchiha Shao Yu's attack speed wasn't as fast as the other's recovery speed... "Damn it..."
A rare trace of irritability rose in Sho U's heart.
Although he had the Six Eyes and his Chakra consumption wasn't high, this thing was more or less annoying; he didn't have any large-scale attack methods, his Six Eyes hadn't been further developed, and his widest-range Ninjutsu was Fire Release, which was useless.
This feeling of having nowhere to exert force was more stifling than facing the ferocious Nue or the bizarre Escape Rabbits. He couldn't afford to waste time here; pursuers could arrive at any moment.
The phantom of the Circular Deer was gentle and serene, like an eternal light of healing, showing no reaction to the commotion of Sho U subduing the other Shikigami earlier, just standing there quietly.
"I don't have time to waste with you."
Uchiha Shao Yu's eyes turned cold, making the most direct decision that best fit his current state of mind.
He stopped testing, stopped using conventional Ninjutsu, and didn't even use the Mangekyo Sharingan's Genjutsu to interfere first.
His consciousness sank deep into the Mangekyo, awakening the sleeping potential that belonged to one of the supreme powers of the Uchiha.
Outside, within the simple Barrier of the ice crevice, Uchiha Shao Yu's physical body suddenly snapped its eyes open!
The Mangekyo Sharingan in his left eye was no longer just flowing with bands of light, but erupted with a nearly tangible, pitch-black light full of destruction and majesty.
"Susanoo!"
The low shout seemed to come from the netherworld.
Buzz—!
Circular Deer:????????
Big brother, don't get angry!
Boundless and vast Chakra erupted from Sho U's body like a volcanic eruption!
A pitch-black, ominous, yet incredibly powerful energy skeleton instantly constructed and spread around him!
In the blink of an eye, a skeletal Susanoo several meters high, with only its upper body and a giant right arm condensed, suddenly appeared!
This nascent, incomplete Susanoo was pitch-black as ink, its bones ferocious, radiating a pressure that made the soul tremble.
Especially that formed right arm bone, its five fingers clenched into a fist, swirled with destructive energy fluctuations.
The space within the Barrier seemed unable to withstand this power, letting out an overburdened groan.
Within the Shikigami space, the previously calm Circular Deer phantom finally seemed to sense an unprecedented fatal threat, its gentle eyes revealing clear terror for the first time!
The white light around it intensified as it tried to do something, perhaps to strengthen its defense or prepare for healing... but it was too late!
Uchiha Shao Yu's will was completely synchronized with the nascent Susanoo. He gave the Circular Deer no chance to use that troublesome healing ability.
"Die!"
Following his cold thought, the giant skeletal fist of the pitch-black Susanoo outside, carrying a violent power that could crush everything, smashed down heavily like a falling meteor toward a certain void point within the Barrier!
This punch had no flashy techniques, no attribute changes, only the outpouring of the purest and most domineering power!
"Boom—!!!"
It felt as if the entire Shikigami space shook under that peerless punch! The Barrier was instantly covered in cracks and then completely shattered! The cold wind and ice shards from outside poured in, but even more terrifying was where the punch was aimed, the space itself seemed to distort and collapse!
Inside the Shikigami space.
That mass of white, gentle light symbolizing the powerful healing energy of the Circular Deer phantom didn't even manage to let out a full cry of sorrow before it was smashed like a crystal sculpture hit by a giant hammer under the impact of the pitch-black skeletal giant fist's phantom, exploding violently! It turned into countless white spots of light scattering in all directions!
Whatever Reverse Cursed Technique, whatever super self-healing, in the face of absolute power crushing it, there was no time to activate it at all, or rather, even if activated, it was useless.
The destructive power contained in this punch exceeded the limit of what its healing ability could instantly withstand, directly destroying its form of existence from the core.
The light spots did not completely dissipate; a portion was forcibly restrained and condensed. Under the dual action of the Ten Shadows Technique contract rules and Sho U's Mangekyo Dojutsu Power, they rapidly reorganized and solidified, turning into a Circular Deer mark that floated obediently before Sho U's consciousness, showing no further intent to resist.
Violent crushing, a one-hit kill, and a forced subjugation.
The brand was set, and the contract was instantly completed.
Information about the Circular Deer's healing ability flowed into his mind. Although the initial invocation might not be smooth due to the violent method of subjugation and would require time to master, the core ability was already in his hands.
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808