The Blind Bandit (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 4: Puffer Whale part 2

A horrific scream had pierced the darkness below them. "That voice just now..." Komatsu asked. "It's the scream from the other Gourmet Hunters." Coco said. With his eyes, he saw something flying around. It wasn't the fireflies this time...but something more deadly. "Toriko! There are Swallowtail Bats! We'll descend right away!" Coco called over to the others above him. "Ah. I just caught one right now." He was right. In his mouth was a Swallowtail Bat...and he was eating it. "My goodness, I never known anyone who catches an animal with their mouth before." Sarafina said, mildly impressed. "Wha? I was hungry!" He retorted.

"Aahh! He's eating it!" Komatsu shouted in surprise. "Better hang tight!" Was the only warning Toriko gave her before he suddenly just slid down the rope. "Ah!" Sarafina yelped as she held on to him. When they had landed on the ground below, almost immediately a huge swarm of Swallowtail Bats were heading right towards them. "Whooaa!!" Komatsu went as the giant hunter said, "That's a good attitude, bats!" Toriko clasped his hands together. "Thanks for the meal." As soon as he said that, Toriko had begun to actually eat the bats as they flew towards the group. Toriko used his fork and knife technique on some of them as he continued to eat them raw. Even managing to skewer a couple with his arm. "He ate them all! Can they even be eaten raw?!" Komatsu asked. Sarafina placed her hand inside of her bag and, in a swift action, threw what looked like a few dozen Senbon Needles at the bats on her side. One hit, they fell to the ground, twitching before laying still. Coco removed a wristband off while he raised his arm out and appeared to be concentrating. As he did so, his hand had turned to that poisonous color again. From his fingertips, droplets of poison started to drip out. "Poison Dressing." Coco said as the poison drops shot out at the bats, making them fall instantly.

"Doesn't this seem odd to you?" Sarafina asked the kings. Toriko nodded. "Yeah, these things normally wouldn't attack humans like that. Something's up."

"Indeed, I sense a far greater danger. The bats weren't attacking us, they were running from something big." Coco said. "And I think we know what that something might be. We should-." Sarafina started before she let out a gasp. "Wait a minute, where's Komatsu?!" The two men's eyes widen as they looked around frantically for the chef. However, he had vanished without a trace. But how?! He was right beside them! This isn't good. Komatsu wasn't a Gourmet Hunter, he can't survive in a place like this. Whilst calling out for Komatsu, Sarafina had sensed the presence of a beast with the intention of killing them where they stand. Once it was close, it let out a ear-piercing screech, gaining the Heavenly Kings attention right away.

Talk about from bad to worse. Not only was Komatsu missing, but now Toriko, Coco, and Sarafina had found themselves in the presence of the most dangerous beast in the cave, the Devil Serpent. A long purple serpentine creature with an impressive body length, ranging between 35 to 40 meters long. It has a dark purple hide and a large white mane made up of hair-like tendrils that it can move about like tentacles. It has four legs (each with six digits & red claws). It has a fearsome looking maw filled with sharp, blood-colored teeth and three bloodshot stalked eyes that gives it a ferocious appearance. The hunters watched as the animal suddenly brought in its legs. Their instincts were their only warning when the serpent's arm shot out from the dark towards them.

Coco and Sarafina avoided it no problem, but the claw grabbed Toriko and rushed him back to pin him against the cave wall. The force of the impact caused him to cough up blood. "Toriko!" His fellow hunters shouted. A gurgling sound caught the remaining two's attention long enough to see the beast getting ready to spew out something. They had just enough time to dodge the oncoming attack. Sarafina turned her head as she heard hissing sounds. She flatten her palm on the cavern floors and sensed that a part of it was dissolving. Coco was in shock as he thought, 'He...he spit out his own digestive acids!' Toriko struggled to get himself free from the beast's grip but then it turned back to his direction as it made that same gurgling noise. Coco and Sarafina saw that it was preparing to attack again. Was it seriously trying to boil Toriko along with its arm? "Toriko!" Coco shouted, rushing over to him. "We're coming!" Sarafina yelled at she gripped the weapon on her back.