Chapter 277: Dragon Potion (2)

Of course, the serum Vito used came with severe limitations.

The dragon's violent genes were impossible for ordinary humans to withstand. During the initial experiments, the test subjects were instantly burned to ashes by the sheer power of the dragon's genetic fury.

However, enhanced super-soldiers could withstand this violent force.

Even so, using the serum brought unbearable pain, even for them.

Vito's rage wasn't just because T'Pani had called him a demon—the searing pain also made his emotions unstable.

But despite its side effects, the serum's power was immense.

The dragon flames erupted, engulfing everything within a ten meter radius in front of him. T'Pani and over a dozen Wakandan warriors were instantly consumed by the inferno.

They weren't burned to death immediately—after all, Vibranium was fire-resistant.

But the overwhelming heat made them suffer terribly. Their weapons fell from their hands as they screamed in agony, desperately trying to escape the fiery zone.

But they didn't make it far.

Their Vibranium armor wasn't full-body protection—while covered areas withstood the flames, exposed skin roasted within seconds. Survival was impossible.

Moreover, the fire consumed all the oxygen in the area, replacing it with carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.

Without warning, they suffocated and collapsed after only a few steps.

The terrifying effectiveness of the dragon flames—and the instant deaths of T'Pani and his warriors—left everyone stunned.

Even the Jedi Knights were shocked.

They had never seen the effects of dragon serum before.

Not far away, Abra—who had been protected by several Wakandan warriors—fainted on the spot after witnessing his brother's gruesome death.

Cough… "Your General is dead, and the Prince is in my hands. Do you still refuse to surrender?"

Vito cleared his throat and looked at the remaining Wakandan warriors.

Breathing out dragon flames had left his throat dry and itchy—unpleasant.

The remaining Wakandan warriors exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do.

Their leaders were either dead or unconscious, and the only royal left was in the enemy's hands.

What to do now?

Seeing that they still refused to drop their weapons, Vito's brow twitched.

He prepared to unleash another blast of dragon fire.

The Wakandan warriors, terrified, flinched at the sight—but their faith in the Black Panther kept them from surrendering, even in the face of death.

"Lower your weapons… we surrender!"

A frail, aged voice came from outside the courtyard.

Moments later, under the protection of two Wakandan warriors, a hunched figure stepped into the mansion.

"High Priest!"

The Wakandan warriors knelt immediately upon recognizing him.

The newcomer was Oyeida, Wakanda's High Priest—the guardian of the Black Panther legacy and the keeper of the Heart-Shaped Herb.

After the king, he was the highest authority in Wakanda.

"Drop your weapons. We surrender."

Stepping into the courtyard, Oyeida glanced sadly at T'Pani and the charred remains of the warriors. Then, his eyes moved to T'Chaka, still held by the Jedi Knight.

With a heavy sigh, he gave his command once more.

This time, the Wakandan warriors did not hesitate.

One by one, their weapons fell to the ground.

"Old man, at least you know what is good for you. See? If you had done this earlier, so many people wouldn't have had to die!"

Vito snorted coldly.

"I am Oyeida, High Priest of Wakanda. May I ask how I should address you?"

Oyeida remained calm, unfazed by Vito's mockery, and introduced himself.

"Call me Viper."

Since their organization was named Ouroboros, its members naturally took on serpent-themed codenames.

For instance, Ophelia's codename was Adder.

Vito had chosen Viper for himself.

Only the highest-ranking members were allowed to use snake names—lower-ranking ones didn't, simply because there weren't enough snake names to go around.

"Very well, Lord Viper. On behalf of Wakanda, I surrender. I trust you will keep your word and guarantee our safety."

Oyeida's tone was firm.

It wasn't that he lacked backbone, but the current situation was clear. Further resistance would only result in unnecessary deaths.

As High Priest, his first duty was to ensure the survival of the royal bloodline—which meant the safety of Prince T'Chaka.

And there was another reason for his decision.

Before arriving, he had observed the situation outside. The robotic soldiers hadn't harmed any Wakandan civilians.

This proved that the enemy—whoever they were—had no intention of wiping them out entirely.

If that weren't the case, Oyeida would never have surrendered so easily.

"Old man, don't play word games with me. I said that as long as you hand over all your Vibranium and Heart-Shaped Herbs, I'll guarantee your lives. If you want to live, you'd better deliver first!"

Vito's voice was icy.

"Of course, Lord Viper. The Heart-Shaped Herb is stored where I reside. As for the Vibranium in the city, I will have it gathered immediately."

Oyeida nodded.

"Just the Vibranium in the city?"

Vito scoffed.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Oyeida's expression remained neutral.

"Heh… The amount of Vibranium the UN forces seized, combined with what's used throughout your city, doesn't even make up one-tenth of Wakanda's historical mining output.

Even if I include what you have in the city now, the numbers don't add up.

Old man, do you want to explain where the other ninety percent went? Did you eat it?"

Vito's tone became sharp.

"…I understand."

Oyeida sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding the truth.

He walked over to T'Pani's corpse, searched his body for a while, and retrieved a small box.

Then he stepped forward and handed it to Vito.

This was the very box that Azzuri had entrusted to T'Pani before he died.

"How does this thing work?"

Vito examined the finely crafted vibranium container.

He wasn't sure how to open it and didn't want to risk triggering a self-destruct mechanism.

"A single drop of the prince's blood will unlock it."

Oyeida cast a sad look at the unconscious T'Chaka.

"Good."

Vito, still in his dragon form, grinned in satisfaction.

But to the Wakandans present, that grin was nothing short of demonic.

The horrors they had witnessed today—

They would never forget them.

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