Toriko: Canon Storyline. Chapter 9: The Black Hole

Mathew woke up in his bed and stretched his arms. He had a feeling something good was gonna happen today. As he swung himself out of bed and walked down the stairs, grabbing a corn bread of the table as he arrived in his living room, he heard a slight ruckus at his front door. He shoved the bread into his mouth, whole, and while chewing walked to the door, where Atlas had a big squirming bag on his back and seemed to struggle to drag it inside. As he saw Mathew he smiled, ‘sorry if I woke you Mathew. but as I made my way here, I came past this creature that was trying to eat everything in your garden. And even after I knocked it, it kept on trying to resist, escape and eat more.’

Mathew nodded, smelled the air and caught a familiar scent and a smile came to his face as he stepped up to Atlas and pulled the bag into his home in one pull, before dropping it on the ground, where it fell open, revealing what was inside. A mass of flaring red hair, two bright red eyes, a scarred face and body, a black jacket with a white top, black fingerless gloves, golden bracelets around her wrists and upper arms and neck, a short white bottom pants and white bandages around her lower legs. Mathew grinned as he saw the well endowed woman laying there, ‘oh dear, I’m not sure this one will fit in a pot.’ This got him an angry glare and a growl from the red haired woman on the ground.

and before anyone could stop her, she placed her hands on the ground, jumped forward, spun around and kicked Mathew out of his own house through the front door. Mathew landed on his feet and slid back over the grass. The next moment Atlas was thrown out of the door, knocked severely, as he couldn’t even move his robotic limbs. The woman walked out of Mathew’s house, having a corn bread in her mouth and a fried devil chicken leg in her left hand. Mathew nodded as he walked to her, ‘you know, if you wanted to eat, all you had to do was ask.’ The woman gave a reply, but with her mouth stuffed with bread it was unclear what she said. But with the angry glare in her eyes and the fact Mathew had clearly heard something like; “fitting in a pot”, it probably wasn’t something nice.

the woman finished the bread, stuffed the devil chicken leg into her mouth, had both her hands free, clashed her wrist bands together, creating sparks, that formed an electric trail until they had formed into lightning claws, shadowing the woman’s actual hands in form, size and movements. She pulled back her right arm and threw an electric punch. Mathew side stepped the attack, grabbed the chicken bone sticking out her mouth and spun around, letting go and throwing the woman backwards. She landed, slid back slightly, before grinning, chewing some more before spitting out the bone; all the meat had been eaten of it.

Mathew grinned and pulled up his fists and the woman did the same, both wearing a grin on their faces. the woman charged forward, her long red hair flaring behind her and her scars shining in the morning light. They both pulled back their right fists in the same movement and struck the other at the same moment with the same attack; ‘drill punch!’ both of them were pushed back while spinning clockwise. As they landed, Mathew burst out into laughter, ‘looks like you’ve really mastered the drill punch.’

the woman smiled, ‘well of course. I’ve practiced it quite a bit since we last met. And let me tell you, it’s been quite the useful weapon in most of my hunts. Now either you feed me, or I’ll beat you up and eat everything I can get my teeth on!’ Mathew spread his arms, ‘bring it on than!’ the woman chuckled before rushing forward. But before she reached him, Mathew dashed toward her, keeping his arms spread, before closing them around her in a bear hug and lifting her of the ground.

she tried to break free and kept on struggling, only to find he wouldn’t let go of her. he chuckled softly, ‘it’s so nice to see you again Saya.’ She stopped struggling, sighed and wrapped her arms, as far as possible, around him as well, ‘yeah, nice to see you as well.’ Mathew put her down and let her go, ‘so, now that that’s been taken care of, how does breakfast sound? After a morning snack and a little rumble, I can only imagine you’re even hungrier than before you ran into Atlas.’ Saya nodded, ‘absolutely. That chef friend of yours was quite the pain in my backside; trying to knock me!’ Mathew nodded and walked back to his house while Saya walked with him.

as Mathew reached Atlas who lay knocked on the ground, Mathew picked him up and carried him over his shoulder. Atlas sighed, ‘this is almost embarrassing.’ Saya nodded, ‘I know what you mean. Almost as embarrassing as being knocked and shoved in a big bag.’ Atlas nodded as much as the knocking allowed. Mathew put Atlas down in a chair inside his house, looked at Atlas and pushed a few pressure points. Atlas started moving again, but slowly. Mathew nodded, clearly impressed, ‘your knocking has improved quite a lot Saya. When did you learn how to knock robotic parts?’ Saya shrugged as she sat down, ‘oh I’ve encountered quite a few GT robots of the gourmet Corp while I hunted. I don’t like to share my prey with people who have no respect toward life. after a few fights I noticed how the parts worked and how much they were similar to humans and also how they were connected to their operators. So when I tried knocking them it worked. Although; it took me some time to perfect knocking robots.’ Mathew nodded, clearly impressed, ‘well, such an achievement and the fact you no longer have to stay in your forest should be celebrated with a big breakfast.’

Mathew went into his kitchen and after twenty minutes he came out with quite the enormous meal; three different kinds of meat, three different salads, milk, porridge, three bowls of fruit, three different kinds of bread, cooked and fried eggs and some nice corn on the bone as a finisher. Mathew brought some of this outside to feed Blitz, before coming back in and sitting down with his friends at the dining table. All three of them clapped their hands together, ‘we give humble thanks for the great bounty that this world provides. Now let’s eat.’

as they ate, in between bites, they spoke about what they had been up to and what they had done during the time in which they hadn’t seen each other. Saya’s tales about her hunts of the last year were slightly limited, as the IGO had placed her under house arrest, keeping her in her home, only allowing her in the forest around her home, but no further than the edge of that forest. And with Saya living in the Gum drop forest, where the trees had candy for fruit and all the animals were either candy variants, or were really sweet, as well as all the drinks and even the water river, Saya had followed a sweet diet the last year. And to much sugar wasn’t good for a person. But that had been the reason why Saya had been placed under house arrest one year ago.

Saya had a nickname, similar to Mathew. Mathew was known as the predator, as he hunted like a beast. Saya, on the other hand, was known as the black hole, as she seemed to be able to continue eating without stopping. The IGO had to act eventually, after Saya managed to go to all the hotels and restaurants in Gourmet town and eat all the food there, after Saya consumed five whole islands and after she ate two creatures into extinction. Mathew, being a friend of hers, was glad she got one year of house arrest, instead of being send to honey prison, like Zebra of the four heavenly kings.

Saya agreed with that as well and was happy to finally be out of the forest. She had been out for a week and had done nothing but hunt and eat, while working her way to Mathew’s home, intending to eat all the food she could get. And with this ravenous eating and continued hunting, she had stimulated her gourmet cells into an overdrive after some cells had gone to sleep, they were now fully awake and ready for some exercise.

as Mathew drank his milk he asked, ‘so Saya, with you being unleashed and ready to hunt, what are you ready for?’ Saya finished her bowl of fruit before replying, ‘I think I’m ready for a capture level in the 50s. sure, the highest level I fought so far is 43, but will all my active hunting in the past week and the great food I’ve been having, especially after fasting and eating sugar meals and sweet meat for a year, I’m ready to let loose and go all out!’ Mathew nodded, pulled out his phone and called Tenshi.

after a short conversation, Mathew had gotten a target. He nodded and hung up, ‘okay Saya, what would you say if we hunt down a capture level 55 Armadragon?!’ Saya grinned, ‘Armadragon; armored or armadillo, dragon and Armageddon. It has a tough armor, but the meat contained inside is incredibly juicy, savory and delicious. Nice and salty, earthy and refined compared to all the other meals I’ve had up till now!’ Mathew nodded and grinned, ‘would you like a bucket? Or are you planning to clean up that drool yourself?’

Saya closed and wiped her mouth, before mumbling an apology. After quickly cleaning it up, Mathew took Saya outside, where she was greeted by the shadow dragon Blitz. Last time she had seen Blitz, the dragon had been white, about 75 centimeter, with yellow green eyes. Now it was seven meter long, stood one and a half meter tall, had two eight meter wings, had black scales, black fur growing around its neck, over the middle of its back, its claws were dark gold and so were the short horns on its head. But while looking big and scary like that, it was still a softy when it came to friends. It quickly nudged its head against Saya’s head and enjoyed her scratching his chin.

they mounted the dragon who had finished his breakfast, Mathew told the dragon the location of where they were headed and the dragon took off into the sky. Saya stood up while Blitz flew and walked to his tail before walking back to his head, enjoying the flight and the wind in her hair. Mathew chuckled as she did that, showing that she completely trusted Blitz to fly steady.

after an hour of flight, Blitz dove down to the ground where he landed and the two got off. it was a rocky terrain, lots of spikes sticking out of the ground, as well as some wild plants, that would act violently when touched; either by shooting out needles, releasing poisonous gas or releasing toxic spores onto the touching party’s skin. Worst case scenario; the plant exploded. There were few beasts who lived on these barren planes, making it a great place for training and hunting.

Mathew stretched out his claws, got down on all fours and as he started walking he started sniffing the ground. As Saya followed him with a smile she said, ‘you know, it’s almost like I’m walking my dog.’ Mathew looked back with a grin, ‘woof.’ Saya laughed as he barked and continued following him. Mathew was known for his tracking skills and his ability to hunt strong prey. And from what he had told her over breakfast, he had been to ice hell and his gourmet cells had adapted to cold environments and he could now even breath in cold air without breathing out frozen breath. And with their target being an armadragon, having some help would be welcome.

after twenty minutes of walking like that, Saya having asked once if her dog had sniffed out the right place yet, Mathew stood up and pointed too what at first seemed to be a rock formation. But as you looked closer; it was moving, as if it breathed. Saya tilted her head, ‘shall I wake him up? Folded up like that we can’t get to its softer belly.’ Mathew nodded, ‘sure, go ahead.’ Saya nodded and pulled some sugar crystals from her pocket. She opened her mouth and Mathew noticed her saliva was turning toxically purple and green. She put the sugar crystals in her mouth, chewed a few times, breathed in through her nose, before unleashing; crystal poison shotgun!’ she unleashed hardened blasts of poison, shooting them at great speed from her mouth at the Armadragon.

after the first shot had hit, the dragon already started moving, but five more blasts followed and it was pushed back half a meter by all six shots. Its armor was undamaged and the poison didn’t seem to enter it either, but at least it was awake. Mathew nodded, ‘okay than, let’s get us some meat!’

Saya dashed forward and Mathew followed right behind her. the dragon lifted up its head, seeing both hunters coming at it. it roared, breaking some rocks that were close to it, before rolling into a ball and launching itself, rolling and spinning at the creatures that had awakened it. Mathew jumped up front, creating a turtle dome shield over him and Saya. The Armadragon hit it and bounced back and up, into the sky, where it unfolded its wings. It showed its head again, before shooting out a barrage of spikes. Mathew retracted his shield and Saya stepped up front. Some spikes hit the ground, causing dust to fly up. Saya send an electric charge to her lungs and stomach, before starting to suck in air. As she did, a vacuum was created at her mouth, sucking in the incoming spikes, as well as the dust.

after her mouth was filled, she looked up at the dragon before breathing out; ‘poison counter!’ she breathed out a large gas cloud which hid her and Mathew from view, before shooting out the spikes she had sucked in, equipped with her poison. The dragon saw those spiked coming later than it had expected but could still dodge it by moving aside. But as it did, Mathew jumped of Blitz’s back. The shadow dragon had hovered in the sky as well, but the Armadragon hadn’t paid attention to him. and as Mathew came down on the dragon, he unleashed a turtle stomp; the white aura around his right leg formed into a large turtle leg. The kick drove the dragon down to the ground.

Saya ran forward, while clashing her bracelets together, creating electric sparks again, forming her lightning claws once more. As the dragon stood up, she had reached it and unleashed her lightning claws on the beast in a barrage of punches. Some of the chest and belly skin had become exposed and Saya chose those places to land her attacks. The beats was hurt and pulled back, before lashing out with its tail, smacking Saya to the ground, before unleashing another barrage of spikes on Mathew who had landed. Mathew crossed his arms, but still received some scratches.

after it was done, it rolled itself into a ball again and came rolling at them again. Mathew and Saya dodged, but didn’t get a chance to hit the dragon inside again. as it stopped rolling, it only peeked out with its eyes momentarily, seeing where those two little pests were, before rolling at them again. after six more times of dodging and using Mathew’s turtle shield to block the attacks, both hunters were done with dodging. Mathew grinned, ‘hey Saya, you said your drill punch had come in handy right?’ she nodded. Mathew continued, ‘can you combine it with your lightning claw?’ she nodded again, ‘I can try.’ Mathew nodded, ‘good, than we’re gonna hit that beast from two opposing sides, making it spin in two different directions, tearing it apart from the inside.’ Saya grinned, ‘and after that it’s time for lunch!’

the two hunters stood their ground as the Armadragon looked where they were and it came charging at them again. the two ran toward it, jumped aside, and quickly attacked it. Saya, ‘fifteen spin lightning drill punch!’ Mathew, ‘twenty spin dragon fang drill punch!’ the two attacks hit the beast in the middle and it was both shocked, pierced and spun fifteen times in one direction and twenty times into the other direction, at the same time. Through all this opposite spinning, it twisted and broke to pieces on the inside.

as it stopped spinning and came falling down to the ground, the battle was over. Saya stripped the beast of its armor and Mathew cut it to pieces and, using some long needles from the plants around them and some sulfur, he made a fire and he made the meat into kebabs, to slowly roast over the fire. Mathew made the organs into either spices for over the meat, or into a nice creamy dipping sauce. And the bones of the beast made for a good soup stock for the remaining pieces of meat.

as he finished cooking, he and Saya sat down, as did Blitz, the hunters clapped their hands together and Blitz bowed his head as the hunters said, ‘we give humble thanks for the bounty that this world provides. Now let’s eat.’ The tracking, the fighting and the waiting while cooking had all been worth it. the meat was soft and tender, rich and juicy, savory and delicious. The three different sauces went well with the meat and the soup was a nice finishing dish. As they ate, the injuries they had sustained during battle vanished.

as they finished eating and stood up, giving thanks for the great feast they ate, they both realized that they were surrounded. As they looked, they saw 5 GT robots of the gourmet Corp, a woman dressed in red with hair formed into a large scorpion tail and behind her a large scarecrow with on him the shadow of a sinister man, who stared at them with piercing yellow eyes.