Long Live

Ever since arriving in this world and learning its true nature, James had pondered many things, relying on the limited information he possessed from his past life.

He knew that a strange race of mutants had been born, only to be perpetually despised by humanity and forced to struggle for survival.

He was also generally aware that a tyrant from beyond the stars would one day arrive, leaving all life in the universe feeling desperate and powerless; yet, among all this information, one point had always left him puzzled.

That was the secret nation of Wakanda, a place said to possess super-science and miraculous resources.

He could not fathom how a primitive tribal nation, located on the same planet and hidden away from the outside world, had managed to become the most technologically advanced country in existence.

Years ago, after Daniel escaped back to Canada, he had provided a detailed and exhaustive account of his imprisonment and enslavement in Wakanda.

According to him, aside from mastering the basic techniques of forging and utilizing a miraculous mineral metal, everything there was no different from other indigenous African tribes—perhaps even more ancient and barbaric.

The leader of the nation, the man known as the Black Panther, possessed strength and speed beyond human imagination; when he donned the indestructible Sacred Gold Armor, he was like a true god.

Thus, James considered two possibilities: either Wakanda's technology had been imparted by another race or civilization, or they had yet to begin their pursuit of the modern world and industrial arts, remaining in a state of ignorance.

If it were the latter, then these future powerful technological capabilities must stem from the unique properties of Vibranium, because James did not believe this tribe could have surpassed the entire world to become the most technologically advanced place on Earth simply by studying modern science in isolation.

"King of Wakanda, what is your name?"

"Azzuri."

The Black Panther king spoke his name in the Hausa language with an inexplicable solemnity.

"Can we talk? I—"

"Devil! Wakanda will fight you to the bitter end," Azzuri said, enunciating every word.

"Don't die, Azzuri. Let me see just how far the power of the Black Panther and Vibranium can go." James grew serious; he gave the Black Panther the respect a warrior deserved, to some extent.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

James's internal energy erupted completely. This was the first time he had unleashed his full blood-energy since his latest evolution and reaching a brand-new realm.

Unlike before, there were no overflowing high temperatures or shockwaves around him; it was as if all his energy was perfectly controlled and contained within his body, with only faint, reddish ripples of energy shimmering around him, as if his blood-qi were steaming.

His feet hovered slightly off the grass, his toes hanging naturally a few centimeters above the ground, and his shoulder-length hair floated gently.

BANG!

A violent sonic boom assaulted everyone's eardrums as James shattered the air and lunged at Azzuri. To facilitate the output and impact of his power, he did not unsheathe his bone claws; without the ability to tear through Vibranium armor, the kinetic energy and force of his fists were more effective.

He wanted to see if Black Panther Azzuri, protected by Vibranium, could withstand the destructive power of his full output.

All the tribal warriors in the valley, as well as the Wakandan citizens watching from the distant cliffs, slopes, and houses, had faces turned numb. Some wept silently, while others bit their lips, their bodies twitching stiffly.

"Waaa!"

A child began to cry, the shrill, piercing sound echoing through the valley and drilling into the mind of every Wakandan.

Azzuri no longer had any possibility or reason to counterattack; he was being pummeled by James's relentless, point-blank barrage of strikes. Even the reflexes of the Black Panther could not keep up with his speed.

Azzuri did not know how many punches this man could throw in a second—hundreds? Thousands?

HUM! HUM! HUM!

The sounds of James's strikes had blurred into a single, continuous, high-frequency hum that drowned out any individual impact. His figure and Azzuri's had become a blur, flickering across the land.

Vibranium might be the most miraculous metallic structure in the entire universe. Every strike James delivered—whether spiraling, vibrating, or explosive—was largely dissipated by the Vibranium, and pure kinetic energy was even easier to negate.

He consciously avoided attacking the gaps in the armor or the exposed parts, simply wanting to see the extent of his own greatest strength.

Even a miraculous creation like Vibranium could not be without its limits. While James's full power could not destroy or even damage the Vibranium itself, Black Panther Azzuri, inside the armor, was still made of flesh and blood.

Azzuri was left with only the ability to think; his eyes, nerves, and body could not keep up with this terrifying man. He could feel how powerful the man's attacks were, and for the first time in his life, while wearing the Vibranium armor, he was injured.

The armor helped him negate at least eighty percent of the impact and destructive force, but even so, some wisps of the opponent's strange, energy-like attacks still seeped through to be absorbed by his body.

Blood began to flow from the corner of Azzuri's mouth. His internal organs were shattering, his muscles and bones beginning to crack. His ears were filled with a constant ringing—perhaps his eardrums had already burst. His vision grew increasingly blurred, and his consciousness began to fade.

Soon, or perhaps it had been a long time, everything finally stopped. James grabbed the armor on Azzuri's chest and gently placed him on the ground.

He could already feel Azzuri's fading life force; with such injuries, it was unknown if he could survive, even with the extraordinary power of the Black Panther.

"WAKANDA FOREVER!"

The captain of the Dora Milaje raised her spear with bloodshot eyes, her voice tearing as she roared. Every Wakandan warrior and even the civilians picked up their weapons, charging forward in a frenzy of rage.

James shook his head helplessly. He had no interest in wielding a butcher's knife against mere mortals. He looked down at Azzuri, whose lips were moving silently, his expression turning cold.

CRACKLE, POP.

The wood crackled in the flames. Scattered throughout the mine tunnels lay many Wakandans, some dead, some alive. Looking closely, most of them were still twitching slightly, emitting low, painful groans.

James and Azazel stood on a circular stone platform. On either side of the platform stood a life-sized black panther statue, and in the fertile black soil below, plants with a blue-purple glow were growing.

Azazel's long tail was coiled around a plump woman wearing ornate feathers and metal ornaments. Her neck was tightly constricted by the devil's tail, lifting her into mid-air as she struggled, trying to gasp for air.

Azazel's tail was the most powerful part of his body.

"What exactly are the effects of this herb, and how is it used?" James asked the woman in Hausa.

He nodded to Azazel, and the red devil dropped the woman. She fell to her knees, gasping for air, then looked up with a ferocious expression, cursing in a language he did not understand.

James crouched down, looked at her, and asked again.

"Devil! You will never take the secrets of Wakanda! Ptooey!"

The woman finally responded in the Hausa language, and in the end, she even tried to spit in James's face, but the force radiating from his body deflected it, causing her to spray it all over herself instead.

James stood up and gave the woman a light kick, sending her screaming as she flew into the wall to the side and knocked herself unconscious.

He patted Azazel on the shoulder, who was a head shorter than him, and said casually, "Son, time to get to work."

I have changed the current name of Black Panther. I didn't use Azzuri before because the overall world-building is primarily based on the movies, and in the films, this name belongs to another character. However, after some consideration, I decided it wouldn't be a big deal, so I changed it back to the comic book setting. Thanks to the friends who brought it up.

I figured out what "bug hunting" meant yesterday, but I still don't know what "security guard" refers to. I'm posting today's two chapters early; wishing everyone a happy weekend~ rubs hands