- Back to Present Day -
"Erik, I present to you Mei and Shen." Lady Yuan announced, her voice cold and formal. "As I've explained, they will be your new family from now on."
The man, Shen, gave a brief nod in Erik's direction his expression unreadable.
Mei, standing beside him offered a smile. Polite, yet distant as if it were more of an obligation than a genuine expression of warmth.
"Hello" Erik said, nodding lightly toward the two individuals standing before him.
"Have you finished preparing your things?" Lady Yuan asked her eyes never leaving the adoption papers in front of her.
"Yes" Erik responded calmly.
"Good.." The old woman replied, briefly lifting her gaze.
After a few minutes of discussion, she glanced at everyone in the room. "Is there anything else anyone would like to say?"
When the room remained silent, she stood up and moved toward the door. "Alright then!" Yuan said, opening it with a smile.
"I wish you all good luck." She continued her voice calm and even, though a flicker of something deeper stirred behind her eyes.
As the group stepped out of her office, her gaze lingered on the boy's back.
She watched them until they disappeared down the corridor. A quiet sigh left her lips as she finally turned away from the door, a strange weight pressing down on her thoughts.
What kind of future awaited a boy like that?
She wasn't sure.
But whatever it was, she had a feeling the world wouldn't be ready for it.
----
After gathering his belongings, Erik climbed into the car with Mei and Shen.
As they drove away, he watched the orphanage disappear through the window.
Finally out of there..
His thoughts drifted to the future, wondering what the Ten Rings had in store for him.
He glanced at the two adults in the front seat, their faces expressionless, silent as the car moved through the streets.
Erik kept quiet, knowing they were just operatives of the Ten Rings posing as his adoptive parents.
But for what purpose? That was the question that lingered in his mind filling him with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
----
Right after his adoption, He was taken to a small apartment in Brooklyn where he stayed for two weeks.
The space was modest, adorned with Chinese decorations that gave it a subtle cultural touch.
During that time, Shen and Mei attempted to act like genuine adoptive parents, cooking meals and asking him about his past.. But Erik saw through the facade. Knowing the truth about their real roles.
He remained polite, keeping his conversations minimal, careful not to let his guard down while silently observing every move they made.
Then one day, Shen and Mei finally broke the news.
"We're all soon, going to China for a vacation." They announced, their expressions unreadable.
Erik, recalling the bits of information he had picked up from eavesdropping on Lady Yuan, simply nodded.
Inside, he was already piecing things together, anticipating that this so-called vacation was more than just a trip.
His mind raced with possibilities, yet he remained composed, hiding his thoughts behind a calm exterior.
China was the heart of the Ten Rings organization, home to its central headquarters.
It was there that Xu Wenwu, the legendary leader and future father of Shang-Chi, resided.
A man feared and revered by all within the criminal underworld.
I wonder if this universe is anythin' like the one I used to watch in my previous life ? Erik thought, a sly grin creeping across his face.
I really hope so. If it is, I might just be able to take advantage of the events that are bound to unfold.
He absentmindedly touched the ring attached to his necklace. A symbol of his lineage in this world and the fateful day that changed everything.
His mind drifted back to the memory of N'Jobu's death.
Prince N'Jobu was his father and the younger brother of T'Chaka, the actual King of Wakanda.
He worked for the intelligence service of Wakanda, tasked with collecting information across the globe to ensure the safety of the kingdom.
After helping black-market arms dealer Ulysses Klaue infiltrate his country in order to steal a cache of Vibranium which resulted in the deaths of several Wakandan citizens. He was confronted by his brother, and killed for it .
That was the moment that sealed this body's destiny.
He could still see the Royal Talon Fighter hovering above their Oakland apartment complex.. Just as it had in the black panther movie.
The weight of his inherited memories blending with his past life.
Even when he looked at himself in the mirror.. He saw it !
A younger version of Michael B. Jordan staring back at him.
Same features, same eyes. It was strange, like living inside a memory of someone else's life.
If this really is the same world... Erik thought, anger hidden behind his eyes.
I could take full advantage of that.
A lot of scumbags.. A lot of pieces of shit to take care of… Erik thought to himself, his jaw tightening as the words echoed in his mind.
His fists clenched instinctively, the pressure of his nails digging deep into his palms, leaving faint crescent marks in his skin.
For a brief moment, the world around him seemed to blur, drowned beneath a rush of memories.
A woman's face twisted in pain.. A small body soaked in blood..
The sound of screams. Shadows from another life. Another moment. Another world.
His eyes, once calm and calculating, now burned with a familiar anger, cold and seething, like a storm waiting just beneath the surface.
But as thoughts of Thanos and other looming threats crept into his mind, that spark of ambition quickly dimmed.
He wasn't ready.. Erik admitted to himself.
Not yet.
The realization hit hard..
This world wasn't just an opportunity, it was a battlefield.
If he wants to survive, if he wants to thrive, he couldn't just rely on what he knew.
"I need to become stronger." He whispered, his fists releasing the pressure.
Joining the Ten Rings isn't a bad idea.. Erik thought his mind racing.
It's actually the best option right now.
At nine years old, I should be in school. Stuck in mindless routines and lessons, I'd already mastered in my previous life.
Feels like a waste of time..
With them, he had a real opportunity to train without limits. To learn new martial arts and to perfect the skills he already knew.
The Ten Rings offered knowledge and power.
Why waste time when I could be building myself up for the threats to come? Erik mused.
He knew what was coming.. Thanos, Dr.Doom and so many other challenges that could either crush him or make him stronger.
Training with the Ten Rings would give him a head start. A way to forge himself into something greater than he was now.
Erik began to strategize, recalling the key plots and events from his previous life formulating ways to make himself stronger.
Day by day, he planned and prepared, his mind always focused on what was coming next. And just like that, the days slipped by until the moment for his supposed trip to China finally arrived.