"Black Zetsu... is finally dead, then."
The deep-blue Susanoo silently dissipated. Madara looked at the pitch-black body that had completely lost all life, forced the corners of his mouth taut, and let out a deliberately regretful sigh.
"What a pity. I'm afraid I'll never hear such ugly wailing again."
"...Quit putting on an act, Madara."
Obito glanced at him, then shifted his gaze to the Box of Ultimate Bliss fragments in the center of the stone hall, still wrapped in Black Zetsu's remains.
"Now it's your turn."
Madara shrugged without speaking and simply stepped forward.
The instant he landed, he had already appeared in the middle of those fragments.
As if sensing Madara's presence, the surrounding fragments began to surge violently.
The Box of Ultimate Bliss fragments seemed to be reassembling within Black Zetsu's body, producing a dense series of clattering sounds.
Orochimaru overlapped his hands, formed one final hand seal, then slammed both palms against the ground again and shouted.
"Fuse!!"
The curse markings erupted with one final burst of intense light.
Within that radiance, Black Zetsu's body and the Box of Ultimate Bliss fragments completely fused, transforming into pitch-black spheres.
They spun around Madara, drew inward, then attached themselves to him one after another, gradually gathering from his arms to his calves, from his chest and abdomen to his back.
Armor plates interlocked one after another. Metallic cold light and flesh-like darkness flickered in turns, forming a complete suit of heavy armor over Madara's body.
The shoulder guards were sharply angular, their edges traced with dark crimson gilt patterns. The patterns were dense and intricate, while thick armor plates covered the joints and wound downward from his shoulders.
At the center of the breastplate, a ferocious beast-head design protruded—it was Gū's face. The broad pauldrons extended outward, carrying