Chapter 75.
At this point in time, T'Challa has not yet ascended the throne of Wakanda, nor has he attained the serene composure he will develop in later years. Instead, he is very much a young man—confident, idealistic, and eager to prove himself. The heart‑shaped herb he consumed granted him physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary people, and that power naturally bolstered his self‑assurance.
Because his father was aging, it had often fallen to T'Challa—quietly donning the mantle of the Black Panther—to retrieve stolen Vibranium that had slipped beyond Wakanda's borders. If even a small cache surfaced in foreign hands, he made sure it was brought back before its true value became widely known.
Yet today, the king had willingly handed over Vibranium. Worse—from T'Challa's perspective—he had given it away at unprecedented terms, ten kilograms to Tony Stark for a mere ten million dollars—practically a gift. Three full sets of Vibranium armor to a stranger named Felix, of whom T'Challa had never heard.
That decision flew in the face of years of Wakandan tradition. If the tribal elders heard of it, they would surely question the king's judgment.
T'Challa could at least understand giving materials to Tony Stark. Iron Man was world‑famous since his press‑conference confession months ago, his name was everywhere.
But who was Felix? What exactly was a "Supreme Sorceror," as the king had called him?
All T'Challa knew was that whoever possessed Vibranium armor would become a target. If Felix couldn't defend himself, vultures from every corner of the globe would circle. And in that case, T'Challa would have to intervene—track down the thieves, reclaim the armor, and return it to Wakanda.
So, he reasoned, better to test Felix strength now. If the man truly had the power to protect his new Vibranium gear, then Wakanda's gift was safe. If not—well, T'Challa would simply seize the armor after his father presented it, sparing everyone a greater crisis later.
Of course, none of this internal strategizing was visible to the others. Even Felix had no inkling of T'Challa's private doubts. And frankly, even if Felix had known, he would have smiled it off.
On Earth right now, there was no one strong enough to rip anything from Felix's hands. Not Odin, not Thanos—certainly not a young prince, however gifted. Besides, Titans and gods had no interest in a few dozen kilos of Vibranium. They sought Infinity Stones, cosmic power beyond mortal comprehension. And Felix was more than ready for that fight, should it come.
For the moment, though, the only battle on the horizon was a simple sparring match—T'Challa's discreet way of measuring the stranger's true might.
Moreover, Felix possesses an invincible superpower that allows him to travel freely across universes—so how could anyone possibly hope to catch him?
T'Challa's concerns, while well-intentioned, were ultimately unnecessary.
Since they'd already agreed to spar, they couldn't exactly start fighting in the middle of the city. So, everyone boarded an aircraft and—under T'Challa's guidance—left the capital of Wakanda. They arrived at a secluded, open area. Although the location was remote, the terrain was flat and spacious, with no civilians around. The scenery was actually quite pleasant—a perfect place for a friendly duel.
Once they landed, everyone disembarked and gathered on the open field. Tony and the others stood at a distance to watch.
"Uh, T'Challa, aren't you going to put on your Black Panther suit?" Felix called out, standing about 30 meters away. But T'Challa was still dressed in his normal clothes—no Vibranium Panther suit in sight.
Felix frowned.
"Is he underestimating me?"
He was mildly annoyed—not out of pride, but concern. Without his armor, T'Challa wouldn't stand a chance. One light punch from Felix could send him flying hundreds of meters. At least with the Vibranium suit, he might survive two hits.
"How do you know I'm the Black Panther?" T'Challa looked genuinely surprised.
His alter ego wasn't exactly public knowledge outside of Wakanda, and he was curious how this stranger knew.
"Oh please, all your kings are Black Panthers. Isn't that common knowledge?" Felix replied casually. "Besides, I'm not an ordinary person. Don't act so surprised."
T'Challa didn't press the issue. Instead, he addressed the more pressing concern.
"We're just having a friendly spar, right? No need for suits. You're in regular clothes, so if I wore mine, it'd seem like I'm bullying you."
"Let's just go at it bare-handed."
"Hey, T'Challa, if I were you, I'd take Felix's advice and wear the suit. Trust me—you'll regret it otherwise,"
Tony interjected from the sidelines, shaking his head with a sympathetic smile. "This guy took on Hulk with his bare hands. Repeatedly."
"I second that," Banner added quietly, remembering the painful beatdown he'd suffered as the Hulk. "Honestly, I'd advise not fighting him at all."
T'Challa looked over at Felix again, skeptical.
"He doesn't even look that strong. He's not tall or bulky—in fact, he's kind of lean. How much power could that body really have?"
Still, despite the warnings, he remained firm.
"No, I'll stick with my decision. I don't want anyone saying I had an unfair advantage."
"Let's keep it fair."
Tony couldn't help but grin as he leaned back to watch.
"Well then… this is going to be fun."
He was ready for the show.
"Come on! We are now officially starting!"
Since T'Challa had refused to wear his suit, he showed no hesitation. He shouted at Felix, declaring that the battle had officially begun!
Without waiting for Felix to respond, he pushed off with his legs, his body leaning forward as he achieved ultimate speed. His movement seemed to bring shadows in the air, like a cheetah hunting its prey, rushing toward Felix with lightning quickness!
However, Felix appeared unresponsive, still standing motionless in the same spot. His expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't reacted at all!
Just as T'Challa rushed to within ten meters of Felix, his fists clenched and ready to deliver what he intended to be a decisive blow, a device on his arm suddenly illuminated. A virtual projection materialized out of thin air, displaying a familiar figure!
" T'Challa, lunch has been prepared. Please bring your distinguished guests to the royal palace immediately!"
The virtually projected figure spoke directly to T'Challa!
Seeing the virtual projection activate at such a critical moment, T'Challa instantly halted his forward momentum. As if unaffected by inertial forces, he stopped more than ten meters away from Felix!
"Yes, father. I will bring all the distinguished guests back immediately!"
From a lightning-fast sprint to an instantaneous stop, T'Challa was hardly affected in any way, demonstrating his extraordinary physical control. After standing still, he calmly replied to the figure in the virtual projection!
"Good. I'm waiting for you to return to the palace!"
After the old king's virtual projection finished speaking, it slowly disappeared, as if it had never appeared at all!
"Guests, you must have heard my father's words. It seems our discussion will have to be postponed today!"
T'Challa raised his head, a flash of regret crossing her eyes as he addressed Felix!
"Hey, why now of all times! Just when things were getting interesting, it seems the good show is temporarily cancelled!"
Tony sighed to Banner at his side, as if he had lost a great source of entertainment!
"Well, now that the old king has prepared everything, we certainly can't keep him waiting. Time is of the essence, so let's head back now!"
Felix couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had been frantically thinking about how to handle the discussion with T'Challa! He was very aware of his own strength—even using only one percent of his power, he could exert dozens of tons of force!
He didn't think T'Challa, who possessed physical qualities similar to Captain America, could resist his strength with her body alone. Moreover, since T'Challa had refused to put on his Black Panther suit, he wouldn't dare to strike with full force! If he accidentally killed him, the old king would surely retaliate! It was likely that the couple of vibranium war frames being produced would be destroyed!
The news brought by the old king's sudden appearance undoubtedly relieved Felix. This timing was truly perfect!
"Well, since that's the case, I have a better idea. After we finish lunch, your armor should be ready for production. By then, both of us can wear vibranium armor for our discussion. This way, we can avoid being injured during our sparring match!"
T'Challa hadn't given up on the discussion with Felix. Although they couldn't continue now, she couldn't help but propose that after Felix's battle armor was completed, they would conduct their unfinished discussion!
"Alright, let's do as you suggest and discuss it later. However, shouldn't we head back quickly now?"
Felix wasn't opposed to T'Challa's future discussion, because he had suggested that both parties wear vibranium armor for their sparring match. This way, he wouldn't fear being unable to control his strength and causing fatal injuries!
Although T'Challa wearing vibranium armor probably still couldn't offset too much of his strength and would still have to bear it with his body, the situation would definitely be much better. At least if he reduced his strength to the minimum, there would be no danger to his life!
"Guests, please board the aircraft! We are returning!"
T'Challa called out to Tony and the others.
The group said nothing more and boarded Wakanda's advanced aircraft again. After the door closed, the engine emitted blue flames, then the aircraft slowly rose into the air. After a gradual acceleration, it flew toward the palace!
It must be said that Wakanda's aircraft was remarkably advanced. Not only was the flight extremely smooth, but the speed was also impressive. Despite the dozens of kilometers between their location and the palace, it took less than a few minutes to reach their destination.
As the aircraft landed slowly and the hatch opened, Felix and the others discovered that the old king was standing in front of the palace, waiting for their arrival.
Beside the old king stood a group of uniquely dressed people, both male and female, all of whom were black! There was a peculiar man with a plate in his mouth, an elderly man with an elaborate hair arrangement, and someone with what appeared to be styled hair resembling cow dung on their head...
Felix had an impression of these people—he believed he had seen them in the Black Panther movie. They appeared to be the elders of Wakanda, representing several different ethnic groups within the nation. Not all races worshipped the Black Panther Goddess, some also believed in other deities!
Felix didn't know much about this, as he wasn't particularly interested in Wakanda's internal affairs! He had come to Wakanda solely to acquire vibranium armor. Additionally, he hoped to meet the future Black Panther, T'Challa!
Of course, it would be best to establish a good relationship with him. When T'Challa eventually took over as king, wouldn't it be more convenient if he needed vibranium again?
"Dear guests, how are you finding your visit to Wakanda?"
The old king smiled and stepped forward to greet Felix and the others as they disembarked from the aircraft!
"Haha, you troubled yourself to come out and greet us personally, old king. I really feel quite honored!"
"On my journey to visit Wakanda, I discovered that it is indeed a rich and powerful nation. Under your wise administration, the residents here are extremely happy—all with smiles on their faces!"
Facing the old king's inquiry, Felix naturally continued to praise Wakanda's prosperity and beauty. He wasn't afraid of being struck by lightning for his flattery! After all, the old king had been so friendly to him, easily agreeing to his request for creating a vibranium warframe!
"Haha, Sorceror Supreme, you are too kind! Let's not linger outside any longer. Please, come with me. Let's go in and dine while we talk!"
The old king smiled warmly upon hearing Felix's words, his white teeth standing out clearly against his dark complexion!
Then the old king invited Felix and the others to dine inside.
"Thank you for your gracious hospitality, Your Majesty!"
Felix expressed his gratitude, and then everyone walked into the palace with the old king.
The royal palace's dining hall was luxuriously decorated, yet few people had ever patronized it, as it was reserved exclusively for when the king received important guests!
However, because of this exclusivity, it was destined that few people had used this space since the construction of the palace. For hundreds of years, Wakanda had remained isolated from the world, and few outsiders had ever come here.
So this very luxurious dining hall had remained deserted and unused.
But today, someone finally broke the tranquility of this place.
The old king now sat at the head of the table, while T'Challa sat to his left. When the old king saw that Felix and the others were seated comfortably, he waved his hand.
Immediately, an array of rich dishes was served! Most were meat dishes, which aligned with Wakanda's culinary traditions!
The servers were actually members of the guards who had surrounded Felix and the others that morning. This surprised Felix, Tony, and the others somewhat!
But then Felix understood, realizing something in his heart. After all, this was likely the first time Wakanda had held such a banquet for outsiders.
"These are some of Wakanda's specialties. Please don't be polite—start enjoying!"
The old king invited them to begin, then took the lead and started eating! Felix and the others weren't shy and began dining as well!
"I must say, the taste is really excellent!"
The meal lasted more than an hour before it finally concluded. The elders of various ethnic groups, whom the old king had briefly introduced to Felix and the others, had departed and did not dine with them!
This left Felix with some regret. He had been curious about how the elder with the plate in his mouth would eat. Unfortunately, he wouldn't get to witness that today!
"Excuse me, Mr. Stark, you mentioned earlier that you belong to an organization called the Justice League, which prevented the invasion of the Dark Dimension Lord Dormammu. Is this true? What kind of organization is this Justice League, exactly?"
After everyone had finished eating well and the leftovers had been cleared away, the old king finally spoke. As soon as he began, he asked about the Justice League!
"It seems the old king is finally going to reveal his true purpose!"
Felix had expected this. The old king had been so generous to them—providing him with armor, selling vibranium materials at low prices, and inviting them to this lavish lunch. He certainly had his own agenda, and now he was finally ready to reveal his intentions to them!
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