Chapter 169: Invasion
"You are simply a demon!"
Jane roared in anger; having been hung upside down for so long, she felt dizzy and lightheaded.
"As expected of a doctor with three degrees, to actually guess my identity," Arthur sighed seriously. He looked down from the bridge and said, "Look at the audience below. I hope your Thor won't let them down."
At this moment, crowds of onlookers had gathered on both banks of the Tower Bridge. Looking down, it was a dense black mass, like dark clouds shrouding the sky.
Police cars were already in place. Ambulances and fire trucks struggled through the crowd. Officers were orderly evacuating people to create a safety zone, and the police chief began shouting through a megaphone: "Release the hostage! You are surrounded!"
"Why is it the same routine in every Universe?" Arthurmuttered.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the overcast sky, and the entire London District 1 shivered instantly in the violent wind and rain.
"Thor..." Jane murmured, looking down at the sky.
The curtain of rain was torn open into a circular gap over the Tower Bridge, allowing the entire bridge to avoid being lashed by the downpour.
Arthur stood up and said, "What kind of Superhero is even flashier than a demon..."
The next second, a dazzling seven-colored pillar of light pierced through the rain, shooting straight from the sky to the surface of the Thames. The Bifrost Bridge descended with high temperatures, instantly evaporating a large amount of river water and creating a hazy mist. A strong figure flew rapidly out of the mist.
Thor flew out and immediately took Jane away from where she was hanging on the Tower Bridge. The two quickly landed on the nearby riverbank.
"Your real boyfriend is back!" Darcy's voice suddenly rang in Jane's ear.
"What are you doing here?"
"I saw it on Facebook," Darcy said, holding up her phone. "You guys went bungee jumping on the Gate of Londonwithout taking me?"
"Bungee jumping!?" Jane gritted her teeth. "That was attempted murder."
"Quick, have your Superhero boyfriend hit him back. He should be able to beat him, right?" Darcy said with some doubt, "He's the real one, right?"
Jane's method of identification was simple; she slapped Thor across the face, producing a crisp sound.
"One hundred percent real!" Darcy agreed.
"Sorry, just now that person transformed into your appearance to trick us..."
"It's okay, Jane." Thor looked back at Arthur, who was still standing on the bridge foundation, the fire in his eyes unconcealed. "I am the bravest warrior of the Heavenly Palace, and no one on Earth can be my enemy..."
Slap! Jane slapped Thor's face again with a backhand.
Meeting Thor's confused gaze, Jane immediately said, "He's coming for you! Your friend Tony Stark just warned me—he's very dangerous!"
Thor was slightly surprised; he still trusted Tony very much.
Thor spun Mjolnir in his hand and said coldly, "No matter what kind of conspiracy he has, I will make him pay the price!"
Jane wanted to say more, but Thor had already flown out, shooting straight toward the beams of the Tower Bridge.
"Do we need to cheer for him?" Darcy said excitedly. "Today's luck is really good; we get to watch a battle between superpowered people live. This is much more real than movie special effects. Your ex-boyfriend should be able to handle it, right..."
Suddenly, Darcy's voice stopped abruptly. The two watched as Thor's heroic figure reached the bridge beams, only to be blasted away by a single punch from Arthur. He streaked across the sky above their heads like a meteor, disappearing into the skyline of skyscrapers... "A one-hit K.O.?" Darcy's eyes widened. "The level difference between them seems to be huge..."
Jane was also stunned. "Thor!" She ran in that direction.
"I'll go get the car!" Darcy said immediately.
Arthur used the spatial displacement of the Snake Talisman to reach Thor's side. Thor had been knocked unconscious by Arthur's punch, but he hadn't stopped moving. Arthur grabbed Thor's head and pressed it into the asphalt road. A shower of sparks flew as a scorched deep groove was left on the road, and Thor woke up from the intense pain.
Arthur's strikes were incredibly ruthless; he knew he had to finish this quickly.
The Sorcerer Supreme's reputation was not for nothing. Even if Arthur was wielding these powerful Talisman powers on the other side of the Earth, the resulting energy fluctuations would be sensed by the Ancient One.
With the Ancient One's abilities, she could quickly lock onto the exact location and open a Sling Ring portaldirectly to London. Things would become troublesome then.
The worst-case scenario was the Ancient One using the Time Stone again to pull Arthur into a time loop. If that happened again, just escaping the loop would be enough of a headache for Arthur.
Thor lay on the sloped road as the heavy rain fell on his face, the rushing water impacting his body.
He was still struggling with difficulty when Arthurreached out and lifted him up.
An invisible energy shield opened above Arthur's head, blocking the rain, and the water flowing down the slope automatically split to the left and right to avoid him.
"Heimdall, open the Bifrost Bridge, or I will kill your future king here on Earth!" Arthur said, holding Thor high.
Arthur's calm voice wasn't loud, but he was certain it would reach Heimdall's ears.
After all, Heimdall's senses were so keen that he could hear the sap flowing through trees, and he could hear everything happening in Asgard or on Earth.
"No..." The lifted Thor managed to make a sound. "This is his conspiracy... Don't do it, Heimdall!"
The calm sky did not react. Perhaps Heimdall was distracted at this moment, or perhaps he was following Thor's command. But Arthur had no patience.
Arthur slammed Thor heavily onto the road. Several massive cracks spread from behind Thor across the entire street, even endangering several nearby buildings.
Arthur punched Thor hard in the face. Blood spurted from his right eye, and the cheekbone on his right face collapsed... "Last three seconds, Heimdall!"
Arthur lifted Thor and punched him in the chest. Thor was blasted away, crashing through several buildings before stopping. His chest had also collapsed, and broken ribs pierced his lungs. If he were a mortal, he would be as dead as could be, but Asgardians have powerful vitality, let alone Thor, the son of Odin.
Arthur shook his head. The dragon totem in his palm lit up, and leaping flames rose to encircle his arm.
Arthur said coldly, "Heimdall, this is your last chance..."
Inside the observatory of Asgard, Heimdall, clad in golden armor, gripped the Bifrost sword, Hofund, with both hands. Seeing his longtime friend and future king in mortal danger, he wanted to turn Hofund but hesitated. Intuition told him his actions might bring catastrophe to Asgard. Heimdall's dark face was full of gravity... Suddenly, Odin's ancient and steady voice entered his ears. Having received the instruction from the All-Father, Heimdall no longer hesitated.
On the streets of London, a Golf sped through the heavy rain.
"I'm already familiar with every street and alley in London!" Darcy said.
"Faster!" Jane's voice was full of worry... At the next intersection of this street, Arthur had just raised his fist when he stopped. The flames on his arm dissipated.
"I thought Thor's life wasn't worth much..."
A circular pattern lit up beneath Arthur and Thor's feet, with complex and profound runes in the center.
The brilliant Bifrost Bridge instantly descended, enveloping the two. A second before the spatial power of the Bifrost took effect, Arthur saw circular sparks sputtering in the air not far away... A powerful lift acted on them, and Arthur traveled through that familiar spatial tunnel. He was invading Asgard once again!
On the streets of London, the Ancient One stepped out of a Sling Ring portal. She looked at the towering Bifrost Bridge and frowned deeply...
Chapter 170: Charge
In the instant the dazzling white light flashed, Heimdallraised his greatsword Hofund and launched a jumping slash from the high platform.
Heimdall did not hesitate to use the Odin Force he could briefly possess, channeling massive magic energy into the blade of Hofund.
An energy attack carrying high heat shot out from the white light that had not yet dissipated. Heimdall was instantly blasted away, crashing through the wall of the observatory and falling into the water, while half of the greatsword Hofund's blade was embedded in the floor.
The white light completely dissipated, and Arthur's figure appeared in the observatory, currently stepping on the unconscious Thor.
Arthur breathed in the sweet air of Asgard; he picked up Thor and walked out of the observatory, onto the Bifrost Bridge.
It was also drizzling quietly in Asgard, with hazy mist obscuring the latter part of the Bifrost Bridge.
Suddenly, the bridge surface vibrated, followed by the neighing of a horse—a deep, powerful roar that sounded like it held thunder in its mouth.
"Da da da da, da da da da..."
The crisp sound of hooves merged into one, coming from the mist.
Arthur first saw a pair of yellow eyes shining in the mist, like two bright light bulbs, and a sharp spear tip... Immediately after, four front hooves trampled through the mist as it emerged—a magnificent steed, as massive as a mountain, galloping on the Bifrost Bridge.
It had eight legs, like the pillars of a palace. Every time its dark gold horseshoes stepped on the Bifrost Bridge, they stirred up ripples. It was clad in heavy armor with inlaid metal patterns, and its white fur flowed with a crystalline radiance. As it moved at high speed, it dragged a dazzling light through the air, running like a sliding meteor.
Sleipnir, the eight-legged steed, Odin's mount!
The golden silhouette sitting on the horse's back appeared somewhat aged; his long, white beard, dampened by the rain, was still fluttering. Odin was covered in dark gold armor, looking incomparably majestic, shattering raindrops into mist as he ran, as if unstoppable.
He held the Eternal Spear gungnir high, its tip, flickering with cold light in the rain, looking as if it would pierce the sky.
The nominal supreme ruler of the Nine Realms, the God King of Asgard, Odin!
At this moment, however, he had discarded these honors; he was no longer the Odin who held glory and power, but merely a knight charging fearlessly.
Facing what might be the most prestigious knight in this Universe, Arthur still walked leisurely. As they drew near, he threw the Thor in his hand.
Thor traced a long parabola in the air, tumbled a few times after crashing heavily onto the Bifrost Bridge, and stopped, blocking Odin's path.
But the eight-legged steed Sleipnir showed no intention of stopping, and in Odin's eyes, there was only the enemy invading Asgard, not his son Thor, who was in imminent danger.
The eight-legged steed leaped over Thor with ease, landed, and accelerated again to charge at Arthur! Ripples spread through space; under Odin's magic, space was briefly frozen, and Arthur couldn't even use the Snake Talisman for spatial displacement to dodge.
Arthur's pace quickened; the Rabbit Talisman and Ox Talisman were activated in an instant!
The shrill sound of a blade tearing through the air rang out; the greatsword Hofund inside the observatory was instantly accelerated by Arthur using the Rooster Talisman to a hundred times the speed of sound, stabbing toward the charging Odin!
The Eternal Spear gungnir fired an energy projectile that precisely hit the greatsword Hofund. Amidst the light and flames of the explosion, the eight-legged steed Sleipnir leaped high again, and Odin also angled the gungnir in his hand to stab at Arthur!
Arthur tilted his body slightly, and gungnir pierced through his shoulder, but after charging for thousands of meters, Sleipnir could no longer advance, not even an inch!
Because Arthur's hand was pressed against its blood-soaked chest, and under his immense strength, this monster-like eight-legged steed was forcefully brought to a halt! In an instant, the eight-legged steed's eyes dimmed, its life force draining away wildly.
Odin pulled gungnir from Arthur's shoulder and prepared to stab it into Arthur's chest again, but a dragon totem bloomed before his eyes, and a powerful explosive flame shot out from Arthur's chest!
Odin was blasted away, and the eight-legged steed Sleipnir, bearing the brunt of the impact, was instantly shattered. The exploding mist of blood covered the light rain, and bits of flesh and bone fragments splattered everywhere on the Bifrost Bridge...
In Arthur's hand, a scarlet, scorching, massive heart was beating!
The Horse Talisman activated, and the horrific puncture wound on his shoulder healed in an instant.
Just as Arthur took a step, a circle made of sparks appeared on the Bifrost Bridge behind him.
"Troublesome!" Arthur muttered. He flashed away and arrived inside Odin's treasure vault beneath the palace.
Arthur casually knocked over the Infinity Gauntlet, glanced at the Casket of Ancient Winters, and arrived before the Space Stone.
"It's a pity there's no crown of Surtur..." Arthur said with great regret.
Arthur picked up the Space Stone. Amidst a sound like quartz being crushed, the second Space Stone was shattered by him. Blue light bloomed instantly and then subsided. Arthur opened his hand, the fragments of the Space Stone drifted down, and a shining blue gem floated in his hand.
The Ancient One's Sling Ring portal opened in the treasure vault, with the Ancient One and Odin standing side by side behind the door.
"So your goal was the Space Stone..." the Ancient One said in a deep voice.
"Put it down, get back to your Universe... or stay in Asgardforever!" Odin's majestic voice echoed in the treasure vault.
"In my Universe, you are already dead." Arthur looked back at Odin, full of mockery, "And it was all my doing. I crossed the Bifrost Bridge just like today, making the entire Asgard tremble in fear..."
The Ancient One reached out and drew a semicircle. The spell spread, expanding the Mirror Dimension. Instantly, the treasure vault rotated and shifted. The soil layers above and the palace were opened up, and the three of them arrived inside the city-state of Asgard, where countless high-rise buildings began to move in an orderly fashion.
"No matter who you are or where you come from, for this Universe, you should not exist." Odin said coldly, "I will purge you on behalf of the Nine Realms!"
Arthur smiled, the Dragon Talisman continuing to operate, while he used the Rooster Talisman to influence the entire Mirror Dimension.
Odin raised the Eternal Spear, his body still stained with the flesh and blood of the eight-legged steed Sleipnir.
He whispered incantations beside the spear, casting powerful magic upon the Eternal Spear!
The Ancient One waved her fan-shaped discs, flashing to create countless clones. The Ancient One, filling the space, shot out golden chains that shattered the energy shield and bound Arthur.
Odin watched as he launched the 100% accurate Eternal Spear at Arthur...
Arthur shook his head: "Still the same old tricks..."
Chapter 171: Leaving
As if the plot of the Main Universe were repeating itself, Arthur used the Snake Talisman's "Untargetable" to dodge the incoming Eternal Spear.
Odin's expression of surprise was identical; in this Universe, the myth of the Eternal Spear's 100% hit rate was also shattered.
The Ancient One's expression grew even more solemn. It was just a simple clash, but she saw the power of rules within Arthur.
While "Untargetable," the Ancient One's binding chains also missed.
"I don't have time to play virtual games with you..."
Saying this, Arthur's eyes burst with lasers from the Pig Talisman. Instantly, countless fragments drifted within the space, and the newly built walls and buildings were all destroyed. With the Pig Talisman's ability to tear through any space, the Mirror Dimension the Ancient One had just unfolded was shattered.
"If you want to fight, then bring it on!" Arthur said recklessly. "But the price will be the shattering of all Asgard!"
Arthur activated the Space Stone, and a blue web instantly enveloped all of Asgard, locking and freezing the entire space.
The armies on the ground remained in their charging stances, and the approaching defense warships were frozen in mid-air... Once space was locked, neither the Bifrost Bridge nor the Ancient One's Sling Ring portalcould function. However, Odin and the Ancient One never intended to flee; they were determined to purge the invader from another Universe.
"Asgard has never feared sacrifice," the old God-King Odinsaid coldly. He was a monarch who had fought for many years, and his missing eye was the best proof.
Odin and Arthur clashed fiercely. With his physical strength, he could completely block Arthur... provided that the power from Arthur's Rabbit Talisman and Ox Talisman hadn't yet stacked to a terrifying level.
The Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, continuously unleashed high-energy spells against Arthur. Odin and the Ancient One had experienced countless battles throughout their long lives, giving them immense combat experience.
They soon discovered that conventional physical attacks couldn't harm Arthur at all; only the power of magic was effective.
At the start of the battle, Arthur was at a disadvantage, as the Ancient One's diverse magical attacks proved highly effective.
However, the Horse Talisman was constantly working to heal his injuries, keeping him at his peak. After just a few dozen seconds, the continuously stacking Rabbit and Ox Talismans granted him absolute speed and power!
Odin began to struggle. After another strike, Arthur's strength had stacked to a terrifying level!
The keen Odin began to dodge, but his movements could only be described as sluggish compared to Arthur's extreme speed. Arthur closed in, shattering Odin's dark-gold armor with a punch, then unleashed the Dragon Talisman's explosive flames at his flying figure!
The Ancient One and her countless clones launched their most violent assault, casting magic with one hand and hurling sturdy chains with the other in an attempt to imprison Arthur.
Arthur exerted his strength, causing several of the Ancient One's figures to stumble. Suddenly, the phantom of an ox appeared behind him, and with a burst of ultimate power, the golden magical chains shattered before his raw strength!
Arthur moved with extreme speed through the air. Each time he approached the Ancient One, he threw a punch; even the shockwaves from his fists traveling through the air were enough to shatter the clones she had manifested.
Arthur soon decided to change his tactics. He dived down, accelerating his charge directly toward Asgard. His advantage was clear: he was the aggressor and could destroy indiscriminately, while the Ancient One and Odincould not stand by and watch Asgard's destruction.
The green light of the Time Stone erupted around the Ancient One. In an instant, Arthur's fist struck the ground, and the massive Asgard split into several pieces. Countless buildings were shattered, and water surged thousands of meters high... But within seconds, these scenes rewound like a video, and Asgard was restored to its original state.
Odin charged forward again, his injuries instantly healed and the divine power he had exhausted in the battle fully restored.
"This move again... Time Loop," Arthur said helplessly. "Don't you have anything new?"
The Ancient One frowned and asked tentatively, "In your Universe, have you also fought someone who wields the Time Stone?"
"Yes, and that person was you," Arthur shrugged. "Otherwise, how do you think I came to this Universe?"
The Ancient One thought to herself that things looked grim. Her counterparts in every Universe should be of equal strength; if the Ancient One of another parallel Universe couldn't defeat Arthur, then she likely couldn't either... "Regardless of where you come from, you have committed crimes in this Universe," Odin said, raising his spear once more.
"I won't be staying!" Arthur gripped the Space Stone. With a flash of blue light, he vanished, the Space Stoneteleporting him randomly into the depths of the Universe.
Arthur had already experienced the Ancient One's shameless Time Loop tactics and didn't want to waste any more time; Gwen and Wanda were still waiting for him in the Main Universe.
Arthur flew at high speed through the deep Universe, beginning to repeat the process to cross through parallel spaces once again.
Circular sparks erupted in the dark Universe as the Ancient One and Odin stepped out of a Sling Ring portal.
"Leave the Space Stone; it belongs here!" The Ancient Onechanneled her energy, and several circular rings surrounded Arthur from all directions.
Arthur paid no attention; there was no reason to return the Space Stone once it was in his hands. He used his strength and speed to break through the Ancient One's restraints and continued to stack his speed in the Universe.
Left far behind, the Ancient One and Odin were shocked; such speed should not be possible for any matter in the Universe.
Arthur repeated the fixed procedure: when the Rabbit Talisman's speed was enough to cross time barriers, he used the Pig Talisman to pierce through space, then used the Space Stone's displacement to escape this Universe 65.
During this process, he held the dim Space Stonebelonging to the Main Universe, hoping it would help him return there rather than entering another parallel Universe... Soon, Arthur saw a rift in space and activated the Space Stone!
The Ancient One and Odin, chasing from behind, only saw the released blue light several minutes later. They stopped, frowning deeply, knowing that Arthur had already left this Universe.
"I have a premonition that he will return," Odin said in a low voice.
The Ancient One nodded silently. "When the day of his return comes, it will surely bring even greater calamity..."
The two stood in silence, ending their conversation. At their level, they could already foresee many things.
After a long time, the Ancient One waved her hand to create a massive Sling Ring portal. The sputtering circular sparks automatically moved backward to encircle them, and the two disappeared into the portal, leaving the desolate Universe.
Chapter 172: The Return
Dazzling blue light flashed, and Arthur traveled into an unknown Nebula. The interstellar clouds gathered from ionized gases were stirred into a vortex by him, and he immediately used the Rabbit Talisman to erase his kinetic energy.
Looking at the unknown environment before him, Arthurcouldn't tell if he had successfully returned to the Main Universe or if he had simply crossed from Universe-65 to another Parallel Universe.
When he took out the blue gem that had been dim and lusterless in Universe-65, Arthur got his answer. Now, the Space Stone flowed with a faint blue light, and through the Dragon Talisman, Arthur could even feel the infinite energy within it.
Arthur activated the Space Stone, which carried him across hundreds of millions of light-years to Earth.
Floating above New York, Arthur felt a strange sense of nostalgia, even though he had only been away from this New York for a few hours.
Suddenly, energy surged on the rooftop of a skyscraper closest to the sky, and the Ancient One stepped out of a Sling Ring portal.
The energy fluctuations caused by opening the Sling Ring portal naturally couldn't be hidden from Arthur. He looked at the suddenly appearing Ancient One with an unfriendly gaze.
The Ancient One stood on the rooftop, gazing at Arthurfrom afar. Her eyes held no anger or hostility, but were instead very complex.
Arthur flickered onto the rooftop. He walked along the edge of the roof, holding his arms out as if crossing a single-plank bridge.
"Didn't expect that, did you? I'm back..." Arthur smiled, a smile that was three parts coldness, three parts mockery, and three parts disdain.
Unexpectedly, the two people who could never coexist did not come to blows on the rooftop, but instead began to chat.
Arthur knew that the Ancient One possessed the Time Stone and that he couldn't kill her, so he naturally wouldn't waste his time.
The Ancient One's thoughts were even more pessimistic. A few hours ago, she had exhausted all her methods and trump cards just to barely force him out of this Universe, but only a few hours later, he had reappeared... "Did you go to a Parallel Universe?" the Ancient One asked, verifying her suspicion.
"Of course. Thanks to you, I went on a spontaneous trip to a Parallel Universe." Arthur curled his lips. "But there were some gains..."
As he spoke, Arthur pulled out the Space Stone belonging to Universe-65.
The Ancient One's eyes twitched. As one of the owners of an Infinity Stone, she naturally knew what that was.
"When a Universe loses its Space Stone, no one knows what will happen..." The Ancient One looked at Arthurwith deep wariness.
"Then they're quite miserable... Fortunately, it's none of my business!" Arthur smiled. "There was another you in that Universe; you're both equally annoying!"
"The duty of the Sorcerer Supreme is to protect," the Ancient One said, shaking her head. "You are a loophole that shouldn't exist... in any Universe. I will find a way to resolve this loophole that is you."
"Then good luck!" Arthur said nonchalantly. "By the way, I had other gains during this Parallel Universe trip..."
Arthur suddenly stopped, leaving her in suspense.
"What?"
The Ancient One already had a bad feeling... "I have mastered the method of traveling through the Multiverse..." Arthur said. "This means that more Universes will be able to witness the splendor of the demon."
With that, Arthur took a step back, and his figure disappeared from the rooftop.
The Ancient One did not stop Arthur from leaving; she couldn't stop Arthur, who now possessed the Space Stone.
The Ancient One reflected on what Arthur had said. She could guess how much of a stir Arthur had caused in the Universe he traveled to. More terrifyingly... this was only the beginning.
From now on, the demon might become a Multiverseinvader, even threatening the stability of all Multiverses... Arthur had just returned home and picked up a glass to pour water when a faint voice sounded from behind him.
"You finally decided to come back? I've been waiting for you for three hours!"
Arthur unhurriedly took a sip of water before slowly saying, "Some things happened, unexpected things..."
"Can I know? Stop making up those clumsy lies about Thanos of Titan and Ultraman from the M78 Nebula."
After Arthur turned around, Gwen's face was right in front of him. Gwen was hanging upside down from the crystal chandelier in the living room.
"But they really do exist."
Arthur took off Gwen's spider mask. Gwen's soft blonde hair fell down like a waterfall. Arthur cupped her face.
"You've become even more beautiful, my Gwen," Arthursaid seriously. "Also... are you sure you won't fall down? It might not be very sturdy."
"I'm the same as when we parted at noon," Gwen said. "And I won't fall. I'm very light. Besides, I've been hanging like this for three hours."
Arthur kissed Gwen's rosy lips, and the two shared a brief kiss.
"I'm sorry, my Gwen..." Arthur said affectionately.
The two kissed again... Gwen jumped down from the crystal chandelier. Arthur looked at Gwen's face and inexplicably thought of the Spider-Gwen in Universe-65, but clearly, when facing Spider-Gwen, he only felt amusement, not love.
Gwen didn't ask any further about what Arthur had been doing during those three hours. Gwen didn't care about that; she was just glad Arthur had returned safely, even though everything that happened today seemed strange... However, as Arthur, it was understandable that Arthur's actions were a bit eccentric.
Even though they had only been apart for a few hours, Arthur had traveled an immeasurable distance. Arthur began to undress Gwen; this passion made even Gwen feel a bit uncomfortable.
Gwen grabbed Arthur's hand and said, "I think you were right..."
Arthur nodded and said, "Yes, you really have become more beautiful..."
"No, not that sentence!" Gwen looked at Arthur helplessly. "It's what you said at noon... that I'm too weak and will only become a burden to you."
"But I don't mind having one more burden," Arthur said. "Just like today, you didn't hold me back at all."
"But I want to be able to help my boyfriend!" Gwensuddenly gave a playful smile. "And to be able to stop a crazed Arthur at a critical moment."
"Stop me? That's pure fantasy," Arthur said seriously.
"In short, I want to become stronger!" Gwen raised her pink fist and said, "Spider-Woman needs to become stronger, like the powerful Dr. Banner and Thor!"
"Those two are pretty weaklings too..." Arthur muttered.
"What?"
"I mean, do you have a plan? Participate in Anti-Demon Alliance training? Or study science and build armor like Stark to enhance your strength?"
"I haven't thought it through yet..." Gwen said, suddenly feeling a bit discouraged.
"No... I actually have a plan," Arthur suddenly said.
Gwen looked at him in confusion. Arthur continued, "A spider suit made entirely of Vibranium..."
Chapter 173: Wakanda
East Africa, Wakanda, on the outskirts of the capital, Birnin Zana.
On a hill, T'Challa fed an apple into the mouth of a white rhinoceros, stroking the white rhino's thick, smooth skin.
"Goddess Bastet bless him, he's still growing!" a smiling Black man beside him said.
He was dressed as a herdsman, but his familiarity with the son of the King of Wakanda proved his noble status.
"That's true," T'Challa said flatly, "Just like Wakanda, he still needs to grow."
"White rhinos have no natural predators on the savannah, and Wakanda is the most powerful nation..." the Black herdsman muttered softly.
"Many white rhinos lose their ears or have their tails bitten off; even they can only flee before packs of hyenas and lions," T'Challa said, looking at him. "And they do have a natural predator: humans with firearms!"
The Black herdsman shook his head and didn't argue. He glanced at T'Challa and said, "Your guard Okoye is looking for you. It seems His Majesty the King requires your presence for an audience."
Seeing T'Challa remain silent, the Black herdsman continued to ask with concern, "You and His Majesty..."
"Just some arguments, it's nothing," T'Challa said indifferently.
"You two have been arguing frequently these past few years; I've long since gotten used to it," the Black herdsman said, shrugging.
"Because with the rapid development of the outside World, Wakanda's secrets can no longer be hidden." T'Challagazed at the skyscrapers of the capital in the distance. "We must make changes to integrate into this era. If we keep maintaining traditions and remain stuck in our ways, we will only be left behind by this Planet."
"Change—that's a beautiful word. I agree with the concept of 'change,' but my opinion on how to change is the opposite of yours," the Black herdsman said with a smile. "Was your argument this time also about these matters?"
"We were discussing the matter of accepting refugees," T'Challa said, his mood somewhat low. "My father rejected my proposal."
"The King made the right choice!" the Black herdsman praised. "Those refugees represent trouble. If they are allowed into Wakanda, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"But we can't just stand by and watch them die on the borders of Wakanda, can we?" T'Challa shook his head. "We have plenty of food, Water, and medical supplies; we are fully capable of helping them."
"But you also know that our kindness will not be met with gratitude, but will only attract greedy wolves. Those nations have coveted our resources for a long time..." the Black herdsman said. "And most importantly, the precious Vibranium! Vibranium is our wealth, but it could also bring disaster to Wakanda."
"But we can't always run away. These things must be resolved eventually," T'Challa said.
"These matters are your responsibility. You are the next King, the next Black Panther." The Black herdsman smiled, patting T'Challa on the shoulder. "If you change your mind and are willing to wage war against the World, I am willing to be your vanguard. This World needs Wakanda's rule."
T'Challa shook his head, choosing not to argue further on this topic.
"You should head back; Okoye has been waiting for a long time." The Black herdsman turned to lead the white rhino toward a watering hole.
T'Challa watched his back disappear into the tent structures before turning to leave.
He hadn't gone a few steps before his female guard, Okoye, caught up... On the border of Wakanda, a group of ragged refugees emerged from a canyon, migrating along a nearly dried-up river.
Suddenly, the sound of whistling wind came from afar. The refugees turned their heads one after another, their dull eyes instantly filling with a hint of alarm.
A figure streaked across the sky at extreme speed, kicking up clouds of dust.
Although the figure had no intention of slowing down, the crowd scrambled to avoid it; having just crossed through a war zone, they were like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow.
A booming sound echoed as the figure skimmed past at low altitude, the resulting gale blowing the refugee line into disarray.
Arthur continued to fly through the sky. His destination for this trip was, naturally, the mysterious country of Wakanda.
Wakanda had always existed in a state of isolation. Internationally, Wakanda was known as a poor and backward agricultural nation, but in reality, it was the most technologically advanced country on Earth. Its scientific and technological level was over a hundred years ahead of even the U.S., let alone those backward developing nations.
Of course, what attracted Arthur to Wakanda was not its technology, but its unique and rare resource—Vibranium!
As the saying goes, 'An ordinary man is innocent, but harboring a treasure makes him guilty!' Wakanda might attract its most powerful enemy today. Of course, Arthurwas currently too lazy to resort to force; if he could obtain Vibranium through diplomatic means, that would be for the best.
Arthur's gaze fell upon a mountain range in the distance. Wakanda used its scientific technology to hide its skyscrapers. Outsiders could not enter, and satellites or reconnaissance planes passing overhead could not detect anything unusual; other nations could only see a patch of wasteland and scattered tents.
But Wakanda's disguise could not hide from Arthur's eyes. He didn't even need to use the Space Stone.
Arthur charged toward that mountain peak. As he approached, he already felt a powerful protective shield. Arthur activated the Pig Talisman, and lasers capable of penetrating anything burst from his eyes. The Vibraniumbarrier protecting this mysterious kingdom shattered instantly.
Like the original Vibranium meteorite falling, Arthur flew into this nation.
In an instant, the scene changed. The rolling mountains and herds of cattle and sheep turned into rows of skyscrapers. The city-states of Wakanda were built around flowing water, and there were even flying warships in the sky.
Arthur flew between those skyscrapers. He even saw Vibranium on some buildings, designed to increase the structural defense and lifespan through its use.
Arthur was still admiring this mysterious kingdom when a wave of chaos erupted in the orderly society below. Broadcasts alternating between Wakandan, Hausa, Yoruba, and English soared into the sky, echoing throughout the entire city-state.
"Enemy intrusion! Enemy intrusion!..."
Several skyscrapers suddenly began to transform. Gun ports emerged from the walls, and several infrared networks swept across the sky, instantly capturing the intruder Arthur's position.
Arthur couldn't help but find it a bit amusing as he looked at the dense red dots on his body. Because his speed wasn't very fast, the aimed red dots moved along with him.
Soon, a drone flew up from the ground, circling Arthur. The drone used Mandarin, English, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, and French to broadcast warnings in turn.
"Intruder, you have been locked on. Land on the ground immediately. If there is any attack or abnormal behavior, Wakanda will open fire immediately!"
Arthur turned his head to look at the drone's external camera and smiled.
Inside the royal palace of Wakanda, King T'Chaka and a group of ministers furrowed their brows. They looked at Arthur's smile on the screen and remained silent. This was the first time in a hundred years that Wakanda had suffered an intrusion.
Chapter 174: How Much?
Although there was only one intruder this time, everyone treated it with the utmost seriousness... because this person was Arthur!
Wakanda closing its borders did not mean complete isolation from the outside world; on the contrary, they had been vigorously developing external information channels.
Wakanda possessed not only rare metals, high-tech weaponry, and advanced education, but also its own intelligence agency—PRIDE.
This little-known intelligence agency even surpassed the United States' CIA, being only slightly inferior to S.H.I.E.L.D.
The moment Arthur appeared, detection instruments within the city-state captured his facial data and searched the database, finally concluding that the intruder was Arthur.
Regarding the anti-hero Arthur, Wakanda had collected a wealth of information about him. Based on extensive data, they concluded there was a 71% probability that Arthurwas the strongest superpowered individual on Earth.
Coupled with his faction and his unscrupulous style of action, Arthur's danger level was immediately flagged in red by the intelligence department, rising to the highest level!
More importantly, Arthur had almost no flaws; even the powerful Anti-Demon Alliance was easily dealt with by him when they united. His only weakness was presumed to be his Superhero girlfriend, Gwen Stacy.
"Hold your fire!" King T'Chaka immediately issued the command, and the other ministers and tribal leaders nodded in silent agreement.
Although Wakanda was very powerful and unafraid of conflict, they still needed caution and patience when facing an incredibly powerful anti-hero like Arthur. Once a war broke out, it would be impossible for Wakanda to defeat Arthur easily.
T'Chaka prepared to speak with Arthur via the tracking drone, but the screen went black as soon as Arthur's smile faded. This indicated that Arthur had already destroyed Wakanda's drone, which was definitely a signal for war. If it were anyone else, Wakanda's army would already be on its way.
But Wakanda was facing Arthur, so even without fear, they had to be more cautious... Arthur observed the layout of the buildings in the city-state and flew toward the center, where the tallest building stood—the palace where the King of Wakanda resided.
More and more aircraft took off to follow Arthur, but none of them fired; they didn't even lower their gun ports.
On the massive plaza in front of the palace, the Wakandan army had completed its assembly. King T'Chaka stood in the very center, surrounded by his Female Guards.
Facing layers of sharp Vibranium spears, Arthur landed on the open ground with a smile.
As Arthur landed, the aircraft that had finished their scouting missions pulled up in altitude, preparing to disperse. Suddenly, Arthur raised his hand.
"Boom!..."
A series of ear-piercing explosions rang out as all the ammunition-carrying aircraft behind Arthur were detonated like a massive firework display. The front-row soldiers were blown back by the heatwave, but those behind them immediately surged forward to fill the gaps.
The Wakandan soldiers held Vibranium spears in one hand and flicked their sleeves with the other to deploy Vibranium Cloth Shields, neatly blocking their front.
Yet, no one launched an attack without orders, which showed the strict discipline of this army.
King T'Chaka looked at the injured soldiers and then turned his gaze to a female guard beside him.
The female guard operated the screen on her arm, and after a few seconds, she shook her head at T'Chaka... signifying that there were no fatalities.
From birth, every Wakandan citizen receives a high-tech device that looks like a bracelet. The bracelet can analyze the wearer's health status at any time and provide health advice. On the battlefield, the function of this bracelet is to track the death toll and the injuries of each soldier.
After confirming there were temporarily no casualties, T'Chaka finally turned his gaze to Arthur, continuing to speculate on Arthur's purpose and the content of the upcoming conversation.
Wakanda understood Arthur's power very well, but they also had their own dignity and lines they would not cross. If Arthur harmed their citizens... if Arthur killed even one citizen, there would be no room for mediation between the two sides; only war could uphold Wakanda's dignity.
"Arthur!" a minister shouted in English. "State your purpose!"
Arthur ignored the minister's shout and instead strode toward the neatly arrayed ranks of soldiers. He offered no defense against those sharp Vibranium spears.
Instantly, countless red dots were trained on Arthur again. With just one word from the King, a storm of ammunition would submerge him!
Arthur's message was clear: a mere minister was not qualified to speak with him.
As Arthur approached, everyone on the Wakandan side grew tense. The soldiers were on high alert, and those directly facing Arthur even had trembling hands as they gripped their spears.
Despite their fear, no one backed down. The soldiers held their Vibranium spears high, aimed at Arthur. If he crossed the warning line, they would thrust their spears without hesitation, regardless of the consequences of attacking Arthur.
As Arthur drew closer, the situation continued to escalate. Arthur showed no sign of stopping, and the Wakandan army had no intention of retreating. Just as the situation reached a breaking point, King T'Chaka suddenly raised his hand.
"Disperse."
The ministers were in a panic; everyone knew Arthur's target was the King of Wakanda.
"Disperse!" T'Chaka said loudly.
The King's command reached every soldier's ears through the combat channel. The heavily armed soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief. They slowly moved to both sides, leaving a narrow path, and then closed in behind Arthuras he passed.
Arthur suddenly stopped. His body slowly floated up until he was level with T'Chaka, and then he rose even higher. The Vibranium spears aimed at him were raised higher as well.
"You seem to be very afraid of me?" Arthur said, looking down at T'Chaka.
"It is not fear, but respect." T'Chaka pushed up his glasses and looked at Arthur's floating figure, speaking calmly. "State your purpose, Arthur."
"Do you think Wakanda has anything else that could attract me?"
Everyone knew full well that the purpose of any intruder was Vibranium, without exception.
"How much do you need?" T'Chaka said in a low voice. "Wakanda is willing to be your friend."
Arthur smiled. "I like peace. This is for the best."
He held out an open hand.
T'Chaka looked at the five fingers held up and asked, "Five kilograms?"
Arthur remained silent.
"Five hundred kilograms?" T'Chaka's expression was grim.
But Arthur still shook his head.
"Five tons?" T'Chaka laughed out of sheer anger. "That is absolutely impossible."
To his surprise, Arthur still shook his head. He scanned the crowd, his eyes full of disdain.
"I mean fifty percent—half of Wakanda's entire Vibraniumreserves!"
Instantly, the whole place erupted in an uproar, but Arthur's voice overwhelmed them!
"Otherwise, after today, Wakanda will cease to exist!"
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