"A person's name casts a shadow, much like a tree does."
How much weight does reputation carry? For Hong Fei, reputation had never been a priority. If it were, he wouldn't have been so brazen about his past misdeeds. Yet, reputation isn't just for oneself—it's how others perceive you, especially when they've never met you in person. It's built on whispers, stories, and hearsay.
The concept of a "persona" is a familiar one, and when amplified by the machinery of capital, it transforms into "traffic."
The name "Hong Fei" holds no weight among strangers; to them, he's a nobody. But the title "Dragon King" carries an entirely different gravity.
Regardless of the Dragon King's role or contributions during the Battle of New York, his sheer combat prowess alone was enough to evoke awe or terror. So when T'Challa learned Hong Fei's identity from Shuri, his initial shock gave way to a deepening unease.
Many coveted Vibranium—who wouldn't, after learning of its extraordinary properties? Even a single gram of it could drive someone to madness. In that sense, the Dragon King's interest wasn't surprising. But the situation wasn't that simple.
This Dragon King wasn't just after Vibranium; he was laying a trap, baiting Wakanda into action so he could demand compensation. In essence, it was extortion. Yet, could the Dragon King—who had shone so brightly in the Battle of New York, saving countless lives—really stoop to such a thing? T'Challa found it hard to believe.
His first impression of the Dragon King had been favorable. While the U.S. government had downplayed his role in their propaganda, they couldn't erase his combat feats or diminish his significance. To most ordinary people, the Dragon King was a hero, a symbol of Earth's justice. Tony Stark's scoff echoed in his mind: "Bah!"
It was as if Captain America, the paragon of virtue and idol to millions, had suddenly snapped the President's neck in public and declared, "From today, I am the President."
T'Challa stared at Hong Fei.
"Dragon King?" he asked. Hong Fei smirked.
"Can you change the name? It's me."
"How did you..."
"Honestly, what choice do I have?" Hong Fei sighed.
"You won't pay compensation, and you won't sell it for money. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to part with my money, but I need the Vibranium. What else can I do?"
Earlier, Hong Fei had been willing to negotiate a fair trade, but now that seemed impossible.
The sheer amount of Vibranium he required was staggering—its monetary value alone would bankrupt him. Even if he didn't spend a dime, the effort required would be immense.
"Robbery," T'Challa thought immediately, though he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. The Dragon King's intentions were crystal clear.
"You're no hero," T'Challa said, shaking his head. "Who told you I was?"
Hong Fei shot back.
"This is robbery against a nation. The international community will condemn and punish you."
"You're the Prince of Wakanda. Don't be naive. Condemnation? Sure. But I'll silence them. Punishment? Who's going to deliver it?"
"Do you think you can withstand the entire Wakanda by yourself?"
T'Challa challenged. Hong Fei's grin widened.
"Better question: Can the entire Wakanda withstand me alone?"
With that, the conversation was over. T'Challa moved without hesitation, stepping forward as the energy from his Black Panther suit surged toward his arm like a torrent.
Hong Fei's punch unleashed the kinetic energy stored in his suit, the force rippling through the air like a shockwave. The impact roared like a cannon blast, and in that moment, Hong Fei's thoughts flashed to the concept of "Dou Zhuan Xing Yi"—turning the opponent's strength against them.
Though the Dragon Power had been converted into pure kinetic energy, the essence of the technique still carried the shadow of that principle. Hong Fei spread his arms, his body igniting with golden Dragon Power. The light and shadow behind him swayed violently, forming the illusion of a golden divine dragon coiling within.
Even a fleeting glimpse of the dragon's flickering whiskers, scales, and claws was enough to convey its overwhelming presence. The kinetic energy slammed into Hong Fei's chest, but the golden shadow rippled like water absorbing a stone. The force clung to him for a moment, then dissipated into nothingness.
T'Challa's eyes narrowed. When he saw the smile on Hong Fei's face, alarm bells rang in his mind. His instincts screamed danger, and he retreated instantly, every muscle tensed for escape. But he wasn't fast enough. Hong Fei flicked his wrist, sending five rings hurtling toward T'Challa with deadly precision.
T'Challa dodged frantically, his heart-shaped herb-enhanced speed and agility allowing him to react in the blink of an eye. He leaped into the air, twisting his body into an awkward but effective shape. The rings whistled past him, missing by inches. Hong Fei gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
The heart-shaped herb was Wakanda's treasure, the source of the Black Panther's strength, alongside the Vibranium suit. But Hong Fei believed the herb's power boost was mediocre at best. Its true value lay in its secondary effect—summoning the Black Panther Goddess, Bast. Generations of Black Panthers likely drew their power more from her divine gifts than from the herb itself.
This posed a significant challenge when facing Wakanda. How strong was a god? Loki, for all his trickery, was no match for Hong Fei in close combat. Thor, however, was a different story—Hong Fei could hold his own, but victory was far from guaranteed. As for Odin? Forget it. Even catching the old man off guard would likely end disastrously.
Gods weren't uniformly powerful. The Marvel Universe lacked a clear hierarchy of strength, relying instead on vague ability ratings. But those were useless—arbitrary, meaningless numbers that deserved nothing but contempt.
Hong Fei didn't worship gods, but he respected power. How strong was Bast? Could he defeat her, or even kill her? These questions had been gnawing at him lately. T'Challa avoided the first wave of attacks, landing gracefully before crouching low. His gaze snapped up, and he charged at Hong Fei with ferocious determination.
However, this time he wasn't rushing recklessly. Nearing his target, he flipped into the air, twisting mid-jump to land behind Hong Fei. His true objective was Ulysses. But Hong Fei was already looking up, his hand snapping out to grab T'Challa's ankle mid-air. With a powerful yank, he slammed T'Challa into the ground. The impact shook the earth. Boom!
Anyone else would have been down for the count, maybe even spitting blood, but T'Challa wasn't just anyone. He hit the ground and lashed out with his other foot, Vibranium claws snapping out from his soles. Hong Fei shook his hands violently, and T'Challa felt his bones nearly shatter under the force. The claws faltered.
T'Challa seized the moment, twisting his waist to adjust his stance, but Hong Fei struck again. His palm shot forward, accompanied by a deafening dragon's roar. The force was overwhelming, as if it could topple mountains and part seas. It tore through the air like paper.
The tsunami-like impact slammed into the Black Panther suit, its faint blue stripes flaring into searing white light. Hong Fei followed up instantly, clenching his fist. The rings on his arm tightened against his skin, their patterns erupting with dazzling golden light.
His fist smashed into the suit with a deafening clang of metal. T'Challa was hurled backward by the sheer force. At the same time, a massive dragon claw materialized above him, conjured by the Dragon Power. As it descended, the five rings merged into it, their golden light surging brighter. The claw snatched T'Challa mid-air.
The mimicry faded, but the rings had already ensnared him. T'Challa struggled fiercely, but the more he twisted, the tighter the rings gripped. Was Vibranium stronger than the Ten Rings? Hong Fei didn't know, but right now, even the Vibranium suit couldn't break their hold.
Three devastating strikes, and T'Challa was captured. The Wakandans barely had time to process what had happened before the fight was over. Bast's power hadn't even been tested.
Hong Family Iron Wire Fist claimed total victory.
Hong Fei raised his hand slightly, and T'Challa floated horizontally in mid-air, limbs bound by the glowing golden rings.
"Let him go!" The Wakandans roared in unison. Hong Fei clenched his fist, and the rings tightened sharply.
T'Challa, who had been silent up to this point, finally cried out in pain. The Wakandans paled, their anger simmering but their voices now hushed.
"That's right," Hong Fei said coolly. "I'm timid. Don't yell at me."
Just then, the shrill wail of a police siren echoed from below.
"Calling the police?"
Hong Fei smirked.
"Are you serious?"
Okoye stepped forward, one hand over her chest, the other gripping her spear. Her voice was sharp with indignation.
"Not just the police. The people behind those you killed. You won't get away."
Hong Fei shook his head. A thunderous dragon's roar erupted from the rooftop, shattering the sky.
The deafening sound drew everyone's gaze upward. The white dragon appeared in a flash, diving rapidly toward the building. Its massive body coiled around the structure in a graceful, terrifying dance. Inside, people caught fleeting glimpses of the dragon's swift movements through the windows.
"Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!"
Countless people pointed at the building, shouting in shock. Phones came out, cameras flashing wildly. Downstairs, the police froze. Even the U.S. military and the nearby Self-Defense Forces were thrown into chaos. The building was now the epicenter of pandemonium.
The white dragon's appearance wasn't exactly good news, but at least it beat Godzilla stomping out of Tokyo Bay. Hong Fei's phone buzzed. He glanced down and answered.
"You're in Tokyo?"
Frank's voice came through calm as ever.
"Guess."
"Planning to drive a tank tonight? Or something more... explosive?"
Hong Fei snorted.
"Violent much?"
"Just checking."
"Relax. I'm done."
"Good. I'll be sticking around a while longer."
"Why tell me?"
Frank chuckled.
"Figured you might get tempted to toss that little problem my way."
"You know me too well."
Hong Fei ended the call. In one fluid motion, he pivoted and shattered the window with a palm strike, hurling T'Challa through first before booting Ulysses after him.
Turning back, looking at a group of Wakandans who were staring with split eyes, Hong Fei said: "Save the manhunt. Tell your king to get ready—I'll be paying him a visit soon. Hope that old Black Panther still packs a punch."