Setsuna picked up a nearly translucent slice of salamander meat with his chopsticks, tasting it first himself: "Hmm, the inherent freshness of the meat perfectly complemented by just the right hint of toxin... a perfect combination."
Tsunade was about to pick up a piece of meat herself, but after hearing Setsuna's description, she paused and asked: "Is there still toxin in this salamander meat?"
Setsuna explained: "I removed most of the toxin from the meat slices, but I kept a small part. Only by preserving a bit of the venom's flavor will you know you're eating giant salamander."
Rasa asked cautiously: "Won't that cause poisoning?"
Setsuna explained: "As long as you don't excessively crave the taste and don't consume large amounts of salamander meat slices in a short time, it's fine."
Rin asked worriedly: "What if someone eats a lot in a short time?"
"Then they'll end up like him." Setsuna pointed at Obito nearby.
Without anyone noticing, Obito had already finished an entire plate of meat slices. He lay on the ground foaming at the mouth, yet a blissful smile adorned his face. "Heheh, Rin... heheh, damn Kakashi..."
While the medical team scrambled to administer an antidote, even more people couldn't help but reach out with their chopsticks.
"This flavor dancing on the edge of death reminds me of earlier today, when I seemed to have already seen the Pure Land..." Kitsuchi closed his eyes and sighed.
Rasa also closed his eyes, envisioning: "I really want to become Kazekage..."
Setsuna smiled as he watched everyone scrambling for the delicacies, taking another bite himself. Meanwhile, in the Gourmet Space, he asked: "So? Does this salamander meat meet your requirements this time?"
"Not bad, very good." Don Slime rarely gave such high praise. "So your world does have high-quality ingredients after all, Setsuna. How about we eat one summon each week from now on? We'll eat every summon in your world..."
"Stop!" Setsuna hastily halted Don Slime's dangerous idea. If he dared do that, wouldn't he be besieged by 'summon-lovers'?
"Huh? Not allowed?" Don Slime was greatly disappointed.
Setsuna declared righteously: "Of course not! Summons are our human friends."
"Fine. At least my appetite energy has been replenished." Don Slime didn't insist.
Setsuna nodded slightly. Last time, when he let Don Slime take over to fight the Nine-Tails, he still owed it a gourmet experience. Now he could finally repay that debt.
After devouring a huge pot of grilled salamander meat, Setsuna carried a specially prepared salamander casserole towards Nagato's tent.
Nagato had suffered severe damage to his vitality and was still recuperating, unable to join their feast.
But as Setsuna crossed a small grove, about to emerge from it, he suddenly froze in place.
Fugaku was kneeling on the ground, his forehead pressed tightly against the earth. The usually proud Uchiha Clan's head now looked as humble as a beggar: "I beg you, save my child... he's only one year old..."
Nagato could only kneel as well, his face full of guilt: "Clan Head Fugaku, I'm truly sorry... That technique requires a relatively intact body, and the soul must still be in the Pure Land... But that monster seems to have the ability to devour souls..."
"I understand." Fugaku slowly rose, his movements stiff as a puppet's.
Setsuna shook his head with a sigh. Not a single fragment of Itachi's body remained. Even if they used the Edo Tensei first, like the future Uchiha Madara, and then revived him with the Rinne Rebirth, it would be impossible.
After Fugaku left, Setsuna stepped forward and placed the casserole down: "Don't blame yourself too much. This isn't your fault."
Nagato sighed: "It's just... somewhat lamentable."
Setsuna was silent for a moment, then cautioned: "If others ask you to use that technique again, don't agree. A technique that defies the laws of life and death must have a great cost."
Nagato felt a bit of lingering fear: "I also realized when using the technique that the price was much greater than I imagined. If my vitality weren't relatively strong, it really might have been one life for another."
Setsuna chuckled inwardly, 'It wasn't your vitality that was strong, it was Black Zetsu's vitality.'
...
Under the moonlight, Satori curled up in an abandoned mine shaft.
The wound on its half-torn wing from the Dust Release still oozed black mucus. Every breath carried the scent of blood.
Suddenly, the shadows within the cave writhed strangely.
"Tsk tsk, to think you've fallen to such a state." A mass of dark substance seeped from a rock crevice, coalescing into a blurry humanoid form.
Satori grew alert, its four fangs reflecting a cold light: "What are you?"
"Someone who can help you." Black Zetsu's voice grated like sand. "I can tell you where to find more suitable 'food'."
Satori grinned, revealing meat-filled gaps between its teeth: "Based on what? You puddle of sludge?"
It poked Black Zetsu's body with a claw, then shook it off with disgust: "A lowly life form without even a solid body dares to propose cooperation to me?"
Black Zetsu's body trembled slightly. In thousands of years, no one had ever dared insult it like this.
The Yin-Yang Release its mother used to create it… how could this trash, casually sealed by the Sage of Six Paths, compare?
'If not for reviving Mother...' It suppressed its rage, but its voice grew even colder. "I am a wise man who has lived for a thousand years. I know all the hidden secrets of the Ninja World."
"Not needed." Satori swiped its claw, shattering a nearby rock pillar. "I can defeat all enemies myself."
"Then why were you severely wounded by Onoki?" Black Zetsu sneered. "And that Chiaki Setsuna… you seem particularly afraid of him?"
The mine shaft instantly fell eerily silent. A threatening growl rumbled in Satori's throat… it seemed a bit shaken.
"The Tsuchikage was an accident. But that man..." Satori rarely toned down its arrogance. "That man truly harbors no fear in his heart, not even the normal fear of death that all living beings possess."
It scratched its head in confusion with a claw: "It's as if he truly believes he can live forever? Never die?"
The speaker may have been careless, but the listener was intentional.
Black Zetsu was inwardly shocked, 'Did Chiaki Setsuna know the secret of the God Tree? Otherwise, how could anyone be unafraid of death?'
Black Zetsu calmed the shock in its heart and said seriously: "Before you reach your limit, you should avoid encountering Chiaki Setsuna as much as possible. You can head east first, create fear on that battlefield, then move south, finally reaching the Soragakure's base."
"Soragakure?"
"There's a [Zero-Tails] there. It can allow you to absorb all human negative emotions, not just fear..."
Satori eagerly interrupted: "Is that true?"
Black Zetsu replied quite proudly: "Of course it's true. Didn't I say my information would be useful to you?"
Satori nodded repeatedly: "How should I thank you?"
Black Zetsu said casually: "No thanks needed. As long as you can defeat that Chiaki Setsuna, it's enough."
"How could that be acceptable? I also understand gratitude. To express my thanks, let us become one."
Satori let out a sinister laugh and suddenly lunged, opening its bloody maw wide to bite Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu's body instantly dispersed into liquid, fleeing through rock crevices, but a small portion of its body was still bitten off by Satori.
"Truly delicious." Satori voiced its appreciation. It had been coveting this black sludge for a while.
"Damnable beast!" From deep underground came Black Zetsu's hysterical cursing. "When Mother awakens, I'll be the first to-"
Its voice cut off abruptly, as Satori's ears twitched sharply.
"Mother?" Satori snorted disdainfully. "And here I thought you were some thousand-year-old wise man. Turns out you're just a brat who cries for Mommy when bullied."