Madara lunged at Black Zetsu with the Body Flicker Technique!
"You underestimated me too, Madara!" Black Zetsu raised both wrists. Thick vines crawled out of the sand at his feet and wrapped around Madara's airborne body, stretched taut like a bow as he reached forward!
"Hiss!" The cursed mist drew in sage power, and Madara instantly entered Sage Mode. Natural energy became flowing blades that severed the vines!
The instant Madara's feet touched the ground, he sprang forward with a frog-powered leap and drove a face-crushing punch into Black Zetsu!!
"Bam!!" Black Zetsu immediately fell flat on his face, slamming into the wall of the flame barrier and setting off a fierce burst of fire!
Black Zetsu sneered coldly. "Hmph, you're just wasting your strength. Ten thousand Shadow Clones? You've got some imagination. Even Naruto never tried that. What can you possibly do to me with your current power?"
After delivering his taunt, Black Zetsu turned into liquid and sank into the sand!
Halfway down, he suddenly realized he was stuck. His upper body could sink no farther, and he could not pull his submerged lower half out either. He was stranded in an awkward position, neither up nor down.
As Madara advanced, he said coldly, "Did you forget I'm synchronized with the Demonic Statue? I can freely control the sand here..."
Black Zetsu remained defiant. "So what? You can stop me from moving, but you can't do anything to me! I'm a creation of Yin-Yang Release. Only Yin-Yang Release can kill me! And it has to be at least Six Paths-level Yin-Yang Release! Hahahaha! You're nowhere near that level yet!"
"Is that so..." Madara continued forward impassively. "Whoosh!" A Rasengan formed in his left palm.
"Clack!" Madara stopped and seized Black Zetsu by the throat with his right hand.