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*****
As the two spoke, the bald female guards vigilantly formed a perimeter around them. Seeing this, T'Chaka ordered in a deep voice, "Welcome our guest!"
The Dora Milaje were momentarily surprised. Exchanging glances, they decisively obeyed the command, retracting their spears and offering a welcome to Fini in the Wakandan language.
Fini did not underestimate these guards simply because of their shaved heads. Based on his experience, he had discovered that anyone without hair was never simple.
The Ancient One was the obvious example, but even that bald Sitwell had shown a talent for undercover work that far exceeded the norm.
Fini followed T'Chaka onto the aircraft. He didn't unsummon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but instead signaled for it to follow behind them. The reason he had ridden it into the city was to showcase his strength; without the dragon, he felt his presence lacked the necessary intimidation.
Soon, the jet arrived at the palace gates. Along the way, Fini observed the entirety of Wakanda. He had to admit that the rows of high-tech buildings, overflowing with modern sophistication, stood in stark contrast to the surrounding environment and the traditional attire of its people.
As they disembarked, a group waited at the entrance to greet them, while a large contingent of soldiers stood in formation, alert and ready, not far away.
"This is my wife, Ramonda," T'Chaka introduced, gesturing toward a woman in regal clothing walking toward them.
"Hello, Queen Ramonda," Fini nodded. However, because he was still wearing 'Incursio', they couldn't see his expression.
"Wow, the White Dragon! It's really him!"
At that moment, a young girl beside Ramonda whispered an excited cheer. Her eyes darted toward him from under lowered lids, her expression quite endearing.
Ramonda shot the girl a warning glare, while T'Chaka introduced her: "And this is my daughter, Shuri."
"Hello, Princess Shuri."
Seeing Shuri's excitement, Fini was inexplicably reminded of Helen Cho. If he wasn't mistaken, she was likely a fan of his as well.
"Hi! Hello! I'm a huge fan of yours, Knight of Punishment!"
Unlike the somewhat reserved Helen, Shuri was far more vivacious. The moment Fini greeted her, she replied with immediate, joyous enthusiasm.
"Uh..."
Fini felt a bit awkward and wasn't sure what to say. Fortunately, her parents were right there. Ramonda gave Shuri a gentle tug and looked at Fini apologetically. "Forgive her. Let us go inside first."
"No problem," Fini nodded, then followed T'Chaka into the palace.
The luxurious and elegant palace interior made Fini marvel once again. Truly, this was the home of a family with a "mine"!
Once inside, T'Chaka led Fini to a high-end reception room. He was accompanied only by Ramonda, Shuri, and a few female guards. Although T'Chaka remained in his Black Panther suit, he removed his helmet, revealing his aging face.
Seeing this, Fini considered for a moment before deactivating 'Incursio'. Since the goal of this visit was peaceful negotiation, revealing his identity was a better way to gain their trust.
When Fini's armor suddenly vanished, everyone in the room was stunned.
Shuri was the first to react. Her eyes fixed on Fini's face, and she couldn't help but whisper, "Wow, he's so handsome!"
Hearing Shuri's exclamation, T'Chaka and Ramonda also snapped out of their surprise. Just as Fini had anticipated, showing his face caused the guarded looks in their eyes to diminish significantly.
"Fini Halsey, a mage who tends to find himself in trouble. Not long ago, I encountered your Black Panther Goddess, Bast. Since I was passing through the area, I thought I'd come and visit."
Fini introduced himself, but his words left the group—who had only just regained their composure—stunned once more.
"You're a mage?"
Shuri might have been young, but she was the quickest to adapt. She was immediately intrigued by Fini's statement, though she unexpectedly focused on the first half of the sentence.
"Yes."
Fini spread his hands, then casually activated the Eldritch Whips to add some visual flair. He then summoned a 'Sumire Karaage Roll' and handed it to Shuri.
"This is one of my signature spells. Want to try it?"
While offering a piece of fried chicken in such a setting was a bit strange, Shuri, being a fan, didn't think twice. She took it without hesitation, excitedly examining the roll in her hand.
T'Chaka and Ramonda first cast a worried glance at Shuri, who was busy inspecting her snack. They were clearly more concerned with the second half of Fini's statement.
"Mr. Halsey," T'Chaka asked, "you said you have seen our Great Panther God?"
"Mhm."
Fini nodded and continued, "By chance, I reached the dimensional space where she resides. She even made an appointment with me to return to Earth. You might even have the chance to see her with your own eyes in the future!"
At the time, Bast had indeed told him she was coming to Earth. Therefore, while Fini wasn't exactly thrilled about this "appointment," he wasn't lying.
T'Chaka and Ramonda looked at each other, their gazes conflicted. They weren't sure if Fini was telling the truth.
If he was lying, that was manageable. Even if Fini was powerful, Wakanda did not fear strong enemies. But the fear was that it might be true; after all, the world's perception of Fini was that he was a figure of mystery.
As for trying to ask the Panther God himself, it wasn't that T'Chaka didn't want to, but rather that he couldn't.
While every royal family member in Wakanda has the right to enter the Ancestral Plane, it wasn't a place one could visit at will. Generally, a person only had two chances: when becoming the Black Panther, or after death.
Through the Heart-Shaped Herb and the ritual of becoming the Black Panther, they have one opportunity to go to the Ancestral Plane to receive the power bestowed by Bast, so that when they die, their souls are drawn back there.
Moreover, the ritual didn't guarantee an audience with the Panther God. When he took the herb, he had only seen his ancestors, not Bast herself. Unless there were exceptional circumstances, this was the Wakandan tradition, and T'Chaka did not have the courage to break it.
"Forgive us, Mr. Halsey, but how are we to believe your words?" Sensing her husband's conflict, Ramonda spoke on his behalf.
Fini glanced at her. He didn't offer a verbal explanation but instead waved his hand in the air.
Orange-yellow energy erupted, and the surrounding environment transformed as if a holographic projection had overlaid reality. Not far away, a lifelike black panther sat watching him.
This was a spell from Kamar-Taj that could project images from one's mind. Since his spatial affinity had been boosted by the Space Stone, he had been able to learn many more spells; this was one he had mastered recently.
It was also the main reason he had chosen a peaceful negotiation. He was betting that T'Chaka had no way to verify his claim with Bast. In that case, this "evidence" would be enough to get him the Vibranium easily.
"Great Panther God!"
The three royals, as well as the female soldiers nearby, immediately knelt devoutly toward the position of the black panther.
Fini waved his hand and deactivated the spell. If he accidentally projected the part where Bast tried to claw him, the negotiations would become much harder.
Sure enough, after seeing the spell, T'Chaka's attitude shifted instantly.
Though he hadn't seen the Goddess herself when he took the Heart-Shaped Herb, he vividly remembered the environment of the Ancestral Plane. He realized the scene just now matched his memory perfectly.
Furthermore, besides himself, no one else in Wakanda should have known what the Ancestral Plane actually looked like.
(End of Chapter)