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When Arthur once again met the aged ruler of Wakanda, he noticed that the man looked even more weary than before.
Upon seeing Arthur and Tony, the old man stood to greet them.
"Apologies. The information you've brought us is truly shocking, and not something suitable for too many to know. How to screen for people I can trust enough, and how to decide what to do, has truly left me mentally exhausted."
After they were seated, the old man said with a hint of melancholy, "I really am getting old. My energy isn't what it used to be."
Arthur offered a faint smile but said nothing.
There was nothing suitable to say. Flattery? Unnecessary. Arthur knew the man's physical condition just as well as he did himself. If he were just some junior trying to please a King, maybe flattery would be acceptable. But Arthur wasn't his junior, and saying things like that might only make people look down on him.
As for offering comfort? Also pointless. Not worth the effort.
So, a quiet smile was enough.
The King continued, "I must clarify, this decision comes after careful and serious deliberation…"
He paused deliberately at that point, watching Arthur and Tony closely to see how they would react.
But he was disappointed.
There wasn't a flicker of expression on either of their faces.
Let's not even mention Arthur, with all the trials he'd been through, he could sit on equal footing with someone like Nova Prime. His ability to mask his emotions had long been perfected.
And Tony? A man from the business world, if he showed no expression, that was normal. If he did show any, it was probably a performance meant to deceive.
At their level, expressions and eye contact were just tools of the trade.
Seeing nothing he could read, the old man sighed inwardly once more and said: "The outcome… is not good."
Arthur gave a small smile. "The worst-case scenario is simply that Wakanda doesn't want us leaving alive with their secrets."
He said it lightly, but the old man quickly shook his head. "You misunderstand. There won't be any catastrophic consequences like that."
"Then please explain." Arthur's tone turned serious. "What's the conclusion?"
"Wakandan technology belongs solely to Wakanda. We will not treat it as a commodity, nor engage with the outside world in any way over it."
The old king's expression became solemn. "That is the final decision, made after a full day and night of meetings."
Arthur nodded. "So the first request is denied. What about the second?"
"T'Challa is my son," the old king said, now looking a bit uncomfortable. "But he is also the future king of Wakanda. Therefore, we do not believe it would be wise for him to leave his homeland before assuming the throne. So…"
Arthur sighed. "I'm sorry…"
"Hm?" The old king was stunned. What is he sorry for?
"Hiding your heads in the sand like ostriches, passively awaiting a coming crisis, and baring your backs to the enemy's blades… perhaps that is Wakanda's chosen method of survival."
Arthur's voice was calm as he continued, "It was my mistake not to realize just how timid and insignificant Wakandan courage truly is. My apologies."
The old king's expression darkened. He shook his head. "Words like that have no effect on me, youngster…"
"The fact that you're calling a centenarian 'youngster' is something I simply cannot agree with."
Arthur shook his head."When the stone that could propel Wakanda into greatness fell among your people, I was already battling the army of that little mustachioed tyrant."
"…That's impossible…"
The old king stared in shock.
Arthur smiled and said, "In this world, nothing is truly impossible. What matters is whether you are willing to accept it, whether you are willing to open your eyes and face this world. If you can't do that, then no matter what the world bestows upon you, it will one day take it all back."
"This isn't a threat. From the very beginning, I've maintained absolute goodwill toward Wakanda, there was no deception, no concealment. But the response we received… is disheartening."
"Maybe the best option for you is to remain here and accept our protection. If that's the case, I respect your decision. But from this moment on, I will never set foot on Wakandan soil again!"
After saying this, Arthur stood up and turned to Tony.
"Let's go."
Tony nodded and prepared to follow Arthur out. But after taking a few steps, he stopped, turned around, and looked at the old king.
"Perhaps what I'm about to say won't sit well with you, but our expectations for you are different from what we have for others. The information we gave you, no other country knows it. Not even the U.S. knows of our existence. Everything we do is for the sake of protecting this world. It's exhausting, but we have no regrets."
"We remain silent, not because we fear, but because we don't want to give the world a legitimate excuse. We don't want war to erupt again under the banner of 'peace.'"
"But for you, it's different. You have power, and you've remained silent. We don't want to tie you down with lofty ideals or moral obligations to make you contribute to the world. But the fact is, you don't even have the courage to open your eyes and look at the world. That… makes you seem like a joke."
"Sorry, this isn't bitterness over your refusal. It's just that when you cower here while people like me, a businessman, like him, an old man, and even some aging soldiers and nerds, are out there protecting the world…"
"Suddenly, I feel like we are the ones who truly deserve respect, and we have the right to look down on all of you!"
(Note: The line above contains some heat-of-the-moment frustration.)
Having said his piece, partly out of anger, Tony didn't bother checking the old king's reaction and simply turned to catch up with Arthur.
As they pushed open the doors, T'Challa was already standing there, calmly waiting.
Arthur smiled, "It's time to take our leave."
T'Challa's expression was complicated, clearly, he already knew how this would end.
Their eyes met for a brief moment. In the end, T'Challa said nothing, and Arthur left with Tony.
Outside, Arthur spread his wings, and Tony's suit components flew in to encase him piece by piece. After stepping forward a few paces, Tony muttered, "We shouldn't have come. They're like children holding dangerous weapons, capable, but unable to even protect themselves."
Arthur sighed. "Three years at most... I still hope they'll change their minds."
He gave a helpless smile. "In the end, we were still using righteousness as a cover to pull them onto our bandwagon. Pretty despicable, really."
With that, his body shifted, and he soared into the sky.
Tony smirked. "With us, at least they have allies. Without us, when that day comes, they'll have no choice but to fight alone. Compared to that, isn't today's pressure just a small price for tomorrow's peace?"
His thrusters ignited with a burst of flame, and in a flash of light, he shot up to catch up with the winged figure ahead.