In the face of the commotion Shinnō had unleashed, Black Zetsu still stood where he was, utterly unmoved.
That left Shinnō somewhat surprised.
"You're not planning to run?"
Black Zetsu's expression remained calm. "I think the one who should be running right now is you."
"Heh. Then let me see what gives you the right to make me run."
Boom—
Shinnō stomped hard on the ground, and his whole body shot toward Black Zetsu like a cannonball leaving the barrel.
"Taijutsu: Vitality Fist!"
A surge of black chakra gathered in Shinnō's palm, compressing into a particle-like chakra sphere as he punched toward Black Zetsu.
If that punch were released all at once at close range, it could twist the opponent completely into a ball of flesh.
Black Zetsu watched the huge fist draw closer and closer, a trace of contempt appearing on his face.
Then he shouted loudly.
"Lord Madara, save me!"
Bang—
And at the very moment Black Zetsu shouted.
Shinnō, who one second earlier had been charging at Black Zetsu in awe-inspiring fashion like a Super Saiyan, instantly dropped to his knees...
No, he had not dropped to his knees. It was more like some unknown external force had slammed down onto him, forcibly halting the body that had been rushing toward Black Zetsu at high speed and driving him straight to the ground on his knees.
Even with the Eight Gates opened, Shinnō's current strength was unable to resist that strange external force.
"What is going on!?"
Kneeling and sprawled on the ground, Shinnō was still dazed, his head buzzing. How had he suddenly ended up kneeling?
"Roar!"
Shinnō let out a furious, heart-rending roar of unwillingness. The muscles all over his body writhed wildly, and more and more black chakra coiled around him. He wanted to