Toriko: Gourmet Chat Group

Chapter 23: Planetary Devastation vs. Black Zetsu

The group arrived at the Cave Beach. The entrance to the cave was like the gaping maw of some abyssal beast, dark and bottomless, exuding a sinister aura that made one feel that once they entered, they would never come out.

Besides the people they could see out in the open, there were others hiding behind rocks, likely waiting for an opportunity to snatch the prize after someone else had done all the hard work. Despite the known dangers, the value of a Puffer Whale was too high to ignore. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"Kenji! Toriko! Komatsu... Hey!"

Tina, the reporter, ran over excitedly, camera in hand. She had been waiting for a long time and was relieved to finally find a group of reliable, familiar Gourmet Hunters.

"Y-y-you're... the Heavenly King Coco!" Tina gasped when she saw him, instinctively pointing her camera at him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not a fan of being photographed," Coco said, gently covering the lens with his hand.

"Oh, okay," Tina nodded, lowering her camera. "By the way, are you all going inside to capture a Puffer Whale?"

"Can I come with you?" she pleaded.

"Miss Tina, it's going to be very dangerous. Why do you want to go in?" Komatsu asked, puzzled. This reporter seemed a little too dedicated to her job. She was even braver than he was.

"The reason is simple. I want to record the process of capturing and cooking a Puffer Whale," Tina explained.

"You're a very dedicated reporter," Kenji said with a smile. "Sure, you can come along."

And so, the decision was made. Three Gourmet Hunters, a defenseless chef, and a reporter ventured into the cave.

Coco paid special attention to Komatsu. He had seen a "death sign" appear over Komatsu's head, which meant he would soon face a life-or-death crisis.

"Komatsu, whatever happens, don't leave my side," Coco warned.

But as soon as he said it, Komatsu, as if he hadn't heard a word, ran off to the side. "Mr. Toriko! There are Crispy-Crisp Mushrooms over here!"

"Ooh, these are good!" The gluttonous Toriko immediately picked one up and started eating.

"Sigh..." Coco slapped his forehead and let out a long, weary sigh. He felt like he was wasting his breath.

"Where's Kenji?" Coco suddenly noticed that Kenji had disappeared. He wasn't worried, though. Kenji was incredibly strong, and he couldn't see any sign of death on him.

"It's not very big, but it'll do," Kenji muttered to himself. In the palm of his hand, stardust gathered, swirled, and fused, gradually forming a glowing, basketball-sized sphere. As the Star Forger, he could create stars, but he wasn't yet capable of creating a planet the size of the one beneath his feet. However, creating a tiny, miniature star was no problem. It would serve as a good light source.

Using a miniature star as a flashlight... what a luxury.

In the dark cave, Rock-Candy Fireflies occasionally fluttered by, providing fleeting moments of light.

"Aaaah! Run!"

As Kenji walked forward, the Zongeh trio brushed past him, pursued by dozens of giant centipedes, each over six meters long.

"Ugh, it stinks!" Kenji pinched his nose. The overpowering stench and their ugly appearance completely killed his appetite. He used his "Life Erasing" technique to hide his presence.

Zongeh and his crew ran, and the giant centipedes chased. Kenji wasn't worried in the slightest. After all, Mr. Zombie's Gourmet Luck was ridiculously overpowered.

[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Kenji, Black Zetsu is back. What should I be aware of when I confront him? @Star Forger"

As expected of Madara Uchiha, Kenji thought. He doesn't let a grudge grow cold. The moment Black Zetsu returned, he was ready to make his move.

[Star Forger]: "Black Zetsu is a product of Yin-Yang Release, so most normal ninjutsu won't be very effective. Senjutsu and Yin-Yang Release can harm him. You should try using the Six Paths power contained within your Rinnegan. Use Planetary Devastation to seal him."

Black Zetsu didn't know that Madara had figured everything out, so his guard would be at its lowest.

A moment of silence for Black Zetsu. Even though Madara was old, a weakened lion was still more than a match for a jackal. And Black Zetsu's direct combat abilities were not his strong suit. While Nagato and Obito had both used Madara's Rinnegan, their proficiency couldn't compare to Madara himself.

[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Planetary Devastation? I understand."

Madara went offline. His purple, ripple-patterned Rinnegan stared at the half-black, half-white figure before him, a glint of icy killing intent flashing in their depths.

So you're going to backstab me, are you? Rip my heart out, will you? You want to dance, too?

"Lord Madara? Lord Madara?" Black Zetsu looked at Madara, sensing something was off today, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Have you found a suitable candidate?"

Madara didn't move on Black Zetsu immediately. Instead, he asked about the task he had assigned him: to find a suitable pawn.

"Lord Madara, I have found a young Uchiha boy, Obito Uchiha. His personality is quite simple and emotional. He will be easy to manipulate." Black Zetsu reported, completely serious. His mother's freedom was at stake, so he was being extremely diligent.

A muscle in Madara's cheek twitched. I strongly suspect you're projecting. If it weren't for the chat group, he would have gone to his grave completely fooled by Black Zetsu.

"Easy to manipulate, is he?" Madara chuckled sinisterly.

Black Zetsu, thinking Madara was pleased that a pawn had been secured, eagerly added, "As long as we make him lose the person closest to him, he will definitely be driven to extremes. Then we can..."

"Black Zetsu," Madara interrupted, his face now devoid of expression. "I have a question for you. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. Do you know her?"

"?!"

At the mention of his mother's name, a rare look of shock appeared on Black Zetsu's featureless face. How could Madara possibly know?

"Madara, you..." Black Zetsu dropped the honorific, a sense of dread washing over him.

Legs, get moving! Run!

"Trying to run? Too late!"

"—Planetary Devastation!"

Madara raised his hand, forming a pitch-black sphere of energy. He shot it toward Black Zetsu, and a powerful gravitational force erupted from it. With Black Zetsu at the center, the ground began to crack and crumble, chunks of rock and earth flying toward the gravitational core.

"Aaaah! How is this possible?! I refuse to accept this!"

"Everything was going so smoothly! What went wrong?!"

Black Zetsu shrieked in agony. This was a Rinnegan technique. Caught off guard, he had no way to escape. How could Madara, the fool I've been playing like a fiddle, suddenly know my identity?

"You piece of trash. You will stay here forever—"

"—Seal!"

Madara clapped his hands together, pouring all his power into the Rinnegan's ocular jutsu.

Countless rocks converged, layer upon layer, and the rocky sphere grew rapidly, completely engulfing Black Zetsu's form.

Before he was completely sealed, Black Zetsu's last thought was of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. It must have been that unfilial son, the Sage of Six Paths, who told Madara the truth!

After scheming for so long, he had been on the verge of success, only to fail at the last moment.

With a final surge of power, the seal was complete.

"Hah... hah..."

A massive sphere of rock, like a small moon, now floated in the air. Madara let out a long breath, a visible exhaustion on his face. He was old now, his strength failing him. But at last, he had dealt with the traitor, Black Zetsu.