642-652
·Chapter 642: Pierce's Action
The bullets shot out of the gun, speeding toward Leonardo. However, Leonardo's body quickly dropped into a crouch, dodging the bullets. Instead, they hit another thug who had come to sell stolen goods.
"Ah!"
The thug screamed and collapsed.
Roman's eyes widened in shock at Leonardo's quick reflexes. "Bang, bang, bang!"
Roman adjusted his aim and fired again, emptying the magazine until the gun clicked empty.
But once again, Leonardo evaded every shot, advancing until he stood right in front of Roman.
"Shhk!"
The butterfly knife slashed through Roman's throat, ending his life.
The warehouse descended into chaos as the gang members turned on each other, drawing their weapons.
"No, stop!"
"It's not me, it's not me!"
"Bastard, you dare to attack me?"
"My body's not under my control! She's a witch!"
"This woman is a witch—"
"Ah!"
Amid the frenzy, everyone except Leonardo lay dead, victims of their own violence.
Leonardo stared at Chiyo standing at the door with a smile.
"You're a demon, a demon!"
Chiyo walked over to Roman's table, retrieving the LV bag. She looked at Leonardo, "Where are the items that were in the bag?"
Leonardo, his face a mix of disbelief and anger, shouted, "You killed all of us just for this bag?"
Chiyo manipulated Leonardo's right hand, stabbing the butterfly knife into his own leg.
"Ah!"
Leonardo screamed, his anger replaced by sheer terror.
"I'll ask you again, where are the items that were in the bag?"
Leonardo, trembling, replied, "It was just women's makeup. I threw it all away."
Chiyo glanced at him and said calmly, "Then you're of no use."
"No—"
Leonardo pulled the knife from his leg and slashed his own throat.
Watching Leonardo collapse and die, Chiyo turned and left the warehouse, murmuring to herself, "Seems I'll need to find someone tomorrow to return this bag to that little girl Hope."
…
Meanwhile, at a secret HYDRA base-
Alexander Pierce appeared, addressing those present.
"How is the plan to attack Wakanda coming along?"
A HYDRA operative replied, "Leader, as per your orders, we have hired three mercenary groups, amassing over a thousand fighters to attack Wakanda's capital."
"These mercenaries will carry heavy weapons and launch a coordinated attack tomorrow."
"In addition, we are deploying a significant number of our own soldiers to launch an assault at the same time."
Sitwell looked at Pierce and said, "Leader, Wakanda has already surrendered all their Vibranium. Is it worth the cost to attack such a backward third-world country?"
"Is it really worth it?"
Pierce looked at Sitwell and said, "Wakanda definitely holds secrets we don't know about."
"In our last mission, one of our Winter Soldiers was killed. That place is definitely not simple."
Sitwell remained skeptical. While the Winter Soldier was powerful, he wasn't invincible. He wasn't stronger than someone enhanced with a super-soldier serum and could die from a direct hit by artillery.
"Won't such an attack draw attention from other countries or factions?"
Pierce shook his head. "This time, I've awakened nine Winter Soldiers to join the mission."
"Their purpose is two: ensure the battle goes smoothly and investigate the true cause of the Winter Soldier's death in the last mission."
"Plus, it's a backward third-world country in Africa. War is a common occurrence there, so no one will pay much attention. As long as we're quick, there won't be any problems."
"We don't need to occupy the country. We just need to capture their capital, find out why we failed last time, and eliminate their royal family."
"No one can defy HYDRA, kill our people, and live unscathed."
Hearing Pierce's plan, Sitwell nodded in agreement without further questioning.
Pierce then asked, "Has Nick Fury assigned you any tasks recently?"
Sitwell nodded. "In Allentown, Pennsylvania, a pair of male and female thieves have repaired an alien weapon that hadn't been recovered."
"The critical point is that S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't been able to use this weapon, but these thieves can."
"In just ten days, they've committed five heists across various locations, stealing quite a bit. The S.H.I.L.E.D. has assigned me to handle this matter, retrieve the weapon, and eliminate the pair."
"After this meeting, I'll head to South Florida."
Pierce showed interest, saying, "If they can use Chitauri technology, we should try to recruit them for S.H.I.E.L.D."
Sitwell smiled. "Leader, I was thinking the same."
…
The next day-
Arriving early for work at Pym Technologies, Hope Van Dyne was greeted by the receptionist as she entered the building.
"Good morning, Chairman. There's a package for you."
Hope stopped and looked at the receptionist, "What kind of package?"
"It looks like a handbag."
"Let me see it."
"Yes, Chairman."
Hope Van Dyne took the package from the receptionist and unwrapped it to reveal an LV limited edition handbag. She was momentarily stunned, then carefully inspected it, confirming it was the same bag that had been stolen from her the previous day.
Hope looked at the receptionist and asked, "Do you know who sent it?"
"I'm not sure. A courier delivered it early this morning."
Hope nodded and instructed, "Check the tracking number and find out where it was sent from."
"Bring the information to my office once you've found it."
"Yes, Chairman."
Hope Van Dyne took the handbag and went to her office. Once inside, she set the bag aside and began pondering why it had been returned.
Her bag didn't contain any business cards, so it was unlikely the thief had returned it out of goodwill or even knew it belonged to her.
At this moment, Hope remembered the elderly woman she had helped yesterday, Granny Chiyo.
She had taken the old woman to the Sand Puppet Shop, and it was possible the ninja there had helped retrieve it at her request.
Aside from Granny Chiyo, Hope couldn't think of anyone else who would go to such lengths to retrieve her bag. She had mentioned working at Pym Technologies to the old woman but hadn't specified her position.
Hope couldn't fathom how Granny Chiyo had persuaded the ninja from the Sand Puppet Shop to help. She assumed the old woman must have pleaded for a long time before they agreed.
Hope decided she would thank Granny Chiyo at the earliest opportunity. The old woman truly seemed kind and compassionate.
As Hope was lost in thought, there was a knock on her office door.
"Come in."
Seeing it was her secretary, Hope nodded and asked, "What's the matter?"
The secretary handed her a slip of paper with an address and a phone number on it.
"The receptionist said this is the information you requested."
Hope looked at the note: Sand Puppet Shop, Brooklyn Street, Phone: 001-212-446-XXXX.
Seeing this address, Hope nodded to herself, confirming her suspicion.
"Alright, thank you."
After putting the note away, Hope Van Dyne began her day's work.
-1-
·Chapter 643: War is coming
Wakanda-
T'Challa and Shuri were in the lab, watching as Okoye emerged after receiving the physical enhancement serum.
Okoye, feeling the surge of strength in her body, exclaimed, "This is incredible! I never imagined I'd possess such power."
T'Challa nodded. Having taken the heart-shaped herb and physical enhancement serum before, he knew even more how powerful they were.
In terms of strength and speed, the serum is stronger than the heart-shaped herb, but as someone who has taken both, he clearly knows that the heart-shaped herb has more effects than that.
The heart-shaped herb not only enhanced strength, speed, and endurance but also granted powers that could grow.
T'Challa had noticed that after taking the physical enhancement serum, his strength continued to grow.
Initially, he felt this was due to the serum's lingering effects, but discussions with his sister Shuri revealed that her strength had not continued to increase after using the serum.
Interestingly, their father, who had taken the physical enhancement serum after using the heart-shaped herb, experienced similar continuous strength improvements.
This suggested that the herb's effects were more complex than they had originally understood.
The combination of the heart-shaped herb and the physical enhancement serum had created a synergistic effect, resulting in a significant boost to T'Challa's power.
What T'Challa didn't know was that the heart-shaped herb connected its user to their ancestors and the Wakandan panther god, Bast.
The additional strength it granted was a divine gift from Bast, whose power varied depending on the user's physical capacity. The first generation of Black Panther was the strongest due to this divine connection.
With the physical enhancement serum, T'Challa's body could now channel more of Bast's power, further amplifying his strength.
However, T'Challa knew that his father would soon pass the mantle of Black Panther to him and take an inhibitor to eliminate the effect of heart-shaped herb.
According to Wakandan tradition, once the title of Black Panther was fully passed on, only one Black Panther could serve Bast at a time.
During the training period, it was acceptable to have both the old and new Black Panthers, but once the succession was finalized, the former Black Panther would take the inhibitor to remove the herb's effects.
T'Challa turned to Okoye and said, "Get used to your new strength. Don't let your subordinates surpass you."
"Yes, Your Highness," Okoye responded, aware that T'Challa had purchased thirty doses of the serum from the Sand Puppet Shop and ordered another hundred. This meant more Wakandans would eventually receive the physical enhancement serum.
She hoped her lover, W'Kabi, would get his chance soon. Given his status in Wakanda, it was only a matter of time.
T'Challa continued, "The King has decided to hold a tournament for the Royal Guard. The top nine warriors will be chosen to receive the serum."
Okoye smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
At that moment, a Royal Guard member entered and announced, "Prince T'Challa, Princess Shuri, Captain Okoye, the King has summoned you to the throne room."
The three of them promptly followed the guard to meet the King.
On the way, Shuri asked curiously, "Brother, what do you think happened that Father summoned us so urgently?"
T'Challa shook his head, "I'm not sure, but we'll find out soon enough."
The three of them quickly arrived at the palace.
"Father!" T'Challa and Shuri said in unison.
"Your Majesty!" Okoye added.
T'Chaka acknowledged their arrival with a nod.
At this time, W'Kabi, the Minister of Defense and Military Affairs was also there. The sight of W'Kabi gave T'Challa a sense of foreboding.
T'Chaka spoke, "W'Kabi, explain to them what has happened."
W'Kabi nodded respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Turning to T'Challa and Shuri, he greeted them, "Prince T'Challa, Princess Shuri."
T'Challa asked, "What has happened, W'Kabi?"
"Our border disguise, representing the capital of Wakanda, is under heavy attack by a large armed force and mercenaries," W'Kabi explained.
"These forces are well-equipped with armed helicopters, tanks, and armored vehicles. They have already breached the city and are advancing towards the palace."
Hearing this, both Okoye and T'Challa were taken aback. Since Wakanda secretly established itself as a technological kingdom, they had not faced a serious military assault, even on the disguised border.
Shuri immediately moved to a nearby computer, activating a virtual screen. With quick keystrokes, she brought up the live feed of the border conflict.
The screen showed heavily armed mercenaries patrolling the streets, shooting at anyone who resisted.
Tanks rolled down the roads, with Wakanda's police stations being primary targets of bombardment. Armed helicopters circled above, occasionally firing missiles at Wakandan forces. The entire capital was engulfed in smoke and fire.
Shuri gasped, "Oh my god, the border is really under attack."
"Father, we need to send troops. Those people are also our Wakandan citizens," she pleaded.
The disguised border area had few true Wakandan citizens; most inhabitants were Africans who had come for better opportunities.
Only a small portion of high-ranking officials knew the truth about Wakanda. The rest were unaware of the country's real nature.
T'Chaka turned to his son, "T'Challa, why do you think the enemy is attacking there?"
Externally, Wakanda was perceived as a very poor country that refused foreign aid. Except for a few malicious armed forces, the country was generally stable.
After some thought, T'Challa replied, "They must be after vibranium. I suspect these attackers share the same goal as the American businessman who previously attacked us. They might even be the same group."
T'Chaka nodded and then asked, "Do you think these people are connected to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
T'Challa shook his head, "I don't think so. If it were S.H.I.E.L.D., the attacking force would look very different, and we haven't exposed ourselves to them."
T'Chaka nodded again, "Yes, your analysis is sound. It seems that the group from last time is still persistent."
--2--
·Chapter 644: Wakanda Attacks
Shuri spoke up, "Father, isn't it known that we have already traded away all the vibranium that we have?"
"Logically, they shouldn't have any more interest in us," she added.
T'Chaka nodded, "Yes. Normally, they should have lost interest since we no longer have any vibranium left in their eyes."
"However, last time their squad that was killed includes a soldier with abilities similar to those who used the super-soldier serum. His death must have made them suspect we have more secrets."
"This time, they want to investigate the reasons for their previous failure and confirm whether we still have vibranium."
T'Challa turned to his father and asked, "Father, should we reveal our true strength?"
Everyone's eyes turned to King T'Chaka. The border was engulfed in flames, and eliminating the attackers would undoubtedly reveal Wakanda's true strength.
A force of a few thousand mercenaries was no small matter in a country like Wakanda, especially given their outdated weaponry.
If Wakanda defeated them, it would signal to the outside world—and the masterminds behind this attack—that Wakanda had hidden strengths and was not the impoverished nation it appeared to be.
This could also reveal to S.H.I.E.L.D. that Wakanda was the country purchasing super-soldier serums from the Sand Puppet Shop, confirming their possession of more vibranium.
On the other hand, if they did nothing, they couldn't be sure the invaders would leave once they found no vibranium.
If the invaders stayed, the risk of Wakanda's exposure remained high, and the citizens would feel betrayed.
Shuri interjected, "Father, they are our people. We must save them."
Hearing his daughter's plea, T'Chaka made his decision. "They are our citizens, and we must protect them."
"Okoye, I order you to deploy the air force to the border city immediately. Regain air superiority and eliminate those armed helicopters, tanks, and armored vehicles."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"W'Kabi, mobilize our ground forces to seal off all entrances to the border city. Allow no one in or out."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"T'Challa, suit up and come with me into the city. We will eliminate the enemies ourselves."
"Yes, Father."
"Shuri, you will be in charge of intercepting all communication signals in the city. No information about the battle is to be transmitted over any network."
"Yes, Father."
T'Chaka addressed everyone, "In this battle, we must kill the invaders and save our people, but we cannot let too much information leak out. Let them guess about Wakanda's true strength."
"Begin the operation."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
With T'Chaka's orders, Wakanda swiftly mobilized.
Soldiers began assembling, pilots took their positions in the airbase, and stealth jets prepared for takeoff to the border city.
T'Challa and T'Chaka donned their Black Panther suits and boarded a plane piloted by Okoye, heading to the battlefield.
…
At the border city, the entire area was engulfed in chaos. All resistance within the city was being overwhelmed by the heavily armed mercenaries and their advanced weaponry.
Forces had gathered near the palace, as other defensive positions had been completely overrun by the enemy.
Any resistance had been met with overwhelming firepower, but the palace had been spared to allow for further investigation and confirmation regarding the vibranium.
On a forested hill outside the city, four members of the Akatsuki—Uchiha Itachi, Kisame Hoshigaki, Deidara, and Hidan—were gathered.
Deidara observed the explosions and missile fire lighting up the city, and remarked, "This art show isn't as good without me."
The others ignored him, while Hidan, in high spirits, performed a prayer ritual, finding the multitude of deaths suitable for his Jashin sacrifices.
Kisame turned to Uchiha Itachi and asked, "Itachi-san, is there a special mission for gathering us here? Surely we aren't just here to watch a mundane human war?"
Uchiha Itachi responded, "According to Kakashi's intel, he once brought a team here and felt something unusual. Due to time constraints, they couldn't investigate further. There might be something here that our leader desires."
Kisame, holding his Samehada, looked towards the distant, war-torn city with some confusion. "Shouldn't we be heading into the battlefield then?"
Uchiha Itachi, with a cold and indifferent tone, replied, "It's likely not in the city. However, if there is something special here, this war will likely draw it out. We'll observe for now."
Just as he finished speaking, Uchiha Itachi looked up at the sky. In the forest beyond, several uniquely shaped aircraft appeared in the sky before entering stealth mode and heading towards the city.
Kisame noticed Itachi's gaze and turned to see the same spectacle.
"Just as Itachi-san predicted, there is indeed something unusual here," Kisame commented.
Deidara and Hidan also noticed the anomalies in the sky. Deidara remarked, "Illusion or large-scale genjutsu?"
Itachi observed for a while and then said, "It's not genjutsu. It's likely some kind of technology from this planet, used to conceal what's really going on inside."
"Our target is there," Itachi declared. "Let's move out!"
With that, the four Akatsuki members dashed into the depths of the forest, disappearing like shadows.
…
Meanwhile-
In the border city, Dora Milaje soldiers piloted a stealth jet. Spotting an enemy helicopter flaunting its firepower, they quickly locked onto it with their radar systems.
"Zzzhoom!"
A laser shot out, piercing the helicopter and causing it to explode in mid-air. The sky lit up with a massive fireball, and debris rained down.
"Boom!"
A huge fireball appeared in the air as broken parts fell downwards.
---3---
·Chapter 645: War
As the first armed helicopter was shot down from the sky, ground forces immediately began to report.
"Sir, one of our armed helicopters has been taken down, but we didn't see the weapon used by the enemy. There was no sign of RPGs or any airborne units."
In the command vehicle, Komlan Colonna listened to the reports from his subordinates. He knew that the rumored special forces might be making their appearance.
"Deploy personnel to constantly monitor for airborne units. If you spot any jets or other flying units, use Stinger missiles to shoot them down."
"If any superhumans are discovered, notify the artillery units to initiate a barrage."
"I want to see if these guys can still be so brave under a constant strike."
"Yes, sir!"
After giving his orders, he began observing changes on the battlefield.
…
Meanwhile-
Outside the Wakandan palace, a large number of guards had gathered, relying on makeshift trenches to defend the palace.
At this time, a fully armed assault squad of nine Winter Soldiers, equipped with Soviet-style gear, broke in from one corner of the palace.
The Winter Soldier squad reached a wall outside the palace. The leading Winter Soldier made a tactical hand signal, and one member jumped onto the wall.
He quickly dispatched two guards below by throwing two darts with each hand, hitting their hearts and killing them instantly.
He then signaled the all-clear, and the entire squad scaled the wall and infiltrated the palace grounds. They immediately advanced towards the palace interior.
A three-man patrol squad was walking outside the palace, on guard against invaders.
Three Winter Soldiers suddenly emerged from the shadows and pounced on the patrol squad, moving so quickly that the patrol had no chance to react. They silenced the patrol by slitting their throats with tactical knives.
After killing the patrol, the Winter Soldiers dragged the bodies into the shadows for concealment and continued their advance towards the palace.
The Winter Soldier squad moved swiftly, dispatching any patrols they encountered with precision. In no time, they reached the palace entrance.
Four guards stood at the entrance, their faces showing signs of anxiety amidst the distant sounds of gunfire and explosions.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Four knives suddenly flew through the air, aimed at the hearts of the guards. The guards, struck, began to collapse, but the Winter Soldiers quickly rushed forward to catch them and gently lay them down to avoid making any noise.
After dealing with the exterior guards, one Winter Soldier cracked the door open and peered inside. To his surprise, the palace interior was empty.
Though puzzled by the lack of personnel inside, he did not dwell on it. He opened the door wider to allow the squad to enter.
Though not luxurious, the Wakandan palace was still large with many rooms.
Once inside, the squad leader addressed his team, "Split into three groups and search for King T'Chaka and T'Challa. Eliminate any opposition on sight."
The squad split into three groups, each beginning to search the palace from different directions.
The entry of the Winter Soldier squad triggered alarms, alerting the palace guards. However, the ordinary soldiers were no match for the Winter Soldiers, falling quickly in the initial skirmish.
…
Meanwhile-
Aboard Okoye's aircraft, T'Chaka observed the virtual display showing advancing tanks, armored vehicles, and attacking armed forces. He issued his orders:
"Okoye, after T'Challa and I deploy, you and the air force are to eliminate the enemy's air units, tanks, and armored vehicles."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
T'Chaka turned to his son, T'Challa, who was already suited up in his Black Panther armor, and commanded, "Prepare for battle!"
T'Chaka donned his Black Panther helmet, holding a series of silver spheres. He stood on a circular platform, which suddenly vanished, revealing the open sky.
"Shua!"
T'Chaka was instantly airdropped. Seeing his father descend, T'Challa quickly followed behind.
Wearing his Black Panther suit, T'Chaka descended from the sky. Spotting an armored vehicle below, he threw the silver spheres downwards.
The spheres transformed into flat discs upon release, attaching themselves to the vehicle's engine hoods, effectively disabling them.
The moving armored vehicles abruptly halted, almost throwing their gunners off.
"What happened? Why aren't we moving?" the gunner yelled.
"The engine's dead, can't start it," the driver replied.
"Damn it! If we had any decent opponents, this would get us killed. What are the maintenance guys doing?"
The gunner soon realized it wasn't just their vehicle that had stopped but five others as well.
"Stay alert!" he shouted.
"Boom!"
A figure clad in black armor with a panther helmet descended, landing on an armored vehicle's hood, crushing the vehicle's front.
"Boom!"
T'Challa followed, smashing another armored vehicle.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
Seeing the two Black Panthers from the sky, the gunners on the remaining three vehicles redirected their machine guns and opened fire.
The barrage of bullets clanged harmlessly against the vibranium suits, producing metallic sounds but causing no damage.
T'Chaka leapt onto a vehicle, kicking the gunner off, sending him crashing into a nearby wall, knocking him out.
T'Challa pounced on another vehicle, flinging anonther gunner away.
"Ahhh!"
The thrown gunners screamed in agony. At that moment, a mercenary armed with an RPG aimed and fired at T'Challa.
"Whoosh!"
The rocket, trailing red flames, sped towards T'Challa. He dived to the ground to evade it.
"Boom!"
The rocket hit the armored vehicle, causing a massive explosion. The force of the blast threw T'Challa back.
----4----
·Chapter 646: Unexpected Enemies.
Seeing his son under attack, T'Chaka instantly rushed to the mercenary who had fired the RPG and killed him with a swift strike of his claws through the chest.
T'Challa got up from the ground and immediately began to engage the surrounding mercenaries.
In the sky above, the Wakandan aerial fleet commenced their operation to clear the air of enemy helicopters.
Utilizing their stealth and surprise, they managed to take down all the mercenaries' helicopters in a swift assault, though this action exposed their own aircraft.
...
Inside the command vehicle, Komlan Kolonna watched the unfolding events on the monitor with wide eyes and shouted, "Quick, get the anti-air units to take those aircraft down! Deploy anti-air guns and Stinger surface-to-air missiles immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
Following Kolonna's orders, three missile defense vehicles shed their camouflage, and the operators began their work.
The missile launchers adjusted their angles, and the launch covers opened. However, when the operators attempted to lock onto the Wakandan aircraft with radar, they found the aircraft were undetectable due to electronic interference.
"We're being jammed! I can't lock onto the targets with the radar," one operator shouted.
The driver of one of the missile vehicles frowned and said, "Manually target and fire!"
Realizing they had no time to waste, the operators quickly estimated the direction and positions of the aircraft and fired the missiles.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Missiles launched from the three vehicles, streaking towards the sky.
The Wakandan aircraft, having destroyed several tanks, immediately began evasive maneuvers and deployed flares to prematurely detonate the incoming missiles.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
After avoiding the missiles, the Wakandan aircraft targeted the missile defense vehicles and launched their attack.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Laser beams struck the vehicles, obliterating all three in an instant.
Just as Okoye thought they had neutralized the enemy's anti-air capabilities, a mercenary armed with a shoulder-mounted Stinger missile aimed at her aircraft and fired.
With the missile approaching, alarms sounded in Okoye's aircraft. She executed a series of evasive maneuvers, including a vertical dive followed by a spinning descent, then targeted the missile with her laser and destroyed it in mid-air.
Having neutralized the immediate threat, Okoye directed a barrage of laser fire at the mercenary's position, obliterating the area and killing all nearby enemies.
...
After giving his orders, Komlan Kolonna turned to a man seated inside the command vehicle and said, "Sir, we've encountered interference from another force. We need your support."
The man, Rachel, watched the footage of the battle with interest, particularly intrigued by the sudden appearance of the stealth aircraft. The technology in the air seemed similar to the cloaking methods of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s airborne carriers.
However, the design of these aircraft differed from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Quinjet. This confirmed that these jets were not sent by Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. to support Wakanda; it seemed Wakanda had some significant backing.
Rachel took out his phone and dialed a special code. After waiting for a while, he realized the call didn't go through. This sent a chill down Rachel's spine; he couldn't contact the base. Had something happened?
...
Elsewhere-
The Winter Soldier squad quickly searched the entire palace. The three teams regrouped in the main hall of the palace.
"Target not found."
"No target."
"No target."
All three teams reported they had not found T'Chaka and T'Challa, and the palace guards were unexpectedly sparse. The team leader pressed a communication device in his ear and said, "Target not in the palace."
Rachel, in the command vehicle, heard the Winter Soldier's report, put down his phone, and then turned to Komlan Kolonna, saying, "My men reported that Wakanda's King T'Chaka is not in the palace."
Kolonna frowned and muttered, "Not in the palace, then where could he be?"
At that moment, a soldier monitoring the equipment suddenly shouted, "Sir, look at this."
"Two individuals in panther suits have joined the battlefield; they are invulnerable to bullets."
Hearing this, both Rachel and Kolonna were momentarily stunned and then looked at the surveillance footage.
The soldier quickly replayed the footage, showing two individuals in black panther suits slaughtering their soldiers, displaying superhuman speed, strength, and bulletproof defenses.
Kolonna watched the two, frowning. He realized their speed was too fast, his men had no chance to use heavy weapons, and standard rifles and grenades couldn't harm them.
The appearance of superhumans on the battlefield was one of the too many unexpected events for him today.
"Order the artillery units to immediately shell that area."
"Sir, our men are there too."
Kolonna shouted, "Do you want more people to die?"
"Execute the order immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
Unlike Kolonna, Rachel grasped the seriousness of the situation. He had seen information on the Black Panther, especially knowing they had purchased physical enhancement serums.
This meant the two Black Panthers on the battlefield were likely superhumans created by these serums, and since this was Wakanda, it suggested they had Vibranium.
Rachel predicted Wakanda was not simple but didn't realize they were hiding so much: possessing stealth jets, laser weapons, and superhumans created by enhancement serums.
The Black Panther suits were not ordinary either. But with the loss of contact with the base, Rachel knew he had to retreat and bring back this information.
Rachel pressed his communication device and ordered, "Squad, fall back to the command vehicle and escort me out of Wakanda."
Kolonna, hearing Rachel's words, was taken aback and then said, "Sir, you mean retreat?"
Rachel looked at Kolonna and said, "Yes, we must retreat. It seems our mission has failed."
-----5-----
·Chapter 647: Demise
Rachel continued, "You need to hold off those two Black Panthers now. At least hold them off until they find us. If we are discovered, we might not even be able to retreat."
Komlan Kolonna took a deep breath and then instructed his soldiers, "After the artillery barrage, if they're still alive, keep firing. When we run out of shells, send in the nearby troops for reinforcement."
"Yes, sir!"
...
Artillery Unit-
A large amount of camouflage was removed, and artillery and missile trucks were brought out. A leader among the mercenaries shouted into a walkie-talkie:
"Quick! Quick! Quick!"
"Get moving now."
"Target: Vadia Street, coordinates: longitude: XXX... latitude: XXX..."
"Carpet bombardment."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A barrage of shells was launched, their fiery tails streaking toward the street where T'Chaka and T'Challa were.
The artillery unit's actions were noticed by Okoye in the sky, who saw the missile trajectories and target locations on her virtual screen. She immediately shouted:
"Your Majesty, Prince! A barrage of missiles is headed toward your street. Take cover!"
After warning them, Okoye piloted her jet toward the artillery unit's position.
…
On Vadia Street-
T'Chaka and T'Challa, engaged in battle, heard Okoye's warning. They looked at their enemies, realizing the ruthless nature of their foes, willing to target their own men to eliminate them.
The two immediately sprinted at full speed, looking for cover. Although their Vibranium suits made them impervious to the missiles, they wanted to avoid being blasted away by the shockwaves.
They took cover behind a wrecked tank, crossing their arms to shield themselves from the impending explosion.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Intense fire and smoke engulfed Vadia Street. The buildings on either side collapsed under the bombardment. The powerful shockwaves threw both men backward, even pushing the tank they used as cover a short distance.
The father and son got up, looking at the now-ruined street, their eyes burning with rage.
At this moment, Okoye's jet arrived above the artillery unit, flanked by three other jets. The virtual screen in Okoye's jet showed that the radar had locked onto the artillery and missile trucks below. She immediately pressed the attack button.
The four jets flew overhead, continuously firing laser-guided missiles at the artillery unit below.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The artillery unit, not having had time to launch a second strike, was hit by Wakanda's air assault.
Explosions erupted from the ground, lasting for some time. A laser strike on an ammunition box triggered a secondary explosion, causing the recently hit artillery unit to suffer a second wave of destruction.
Wakanda's air force then made a sharp turn, launching a second wave of attacks on the artillery unit below, ensuring the complete annihilation of the enemy's capabilities.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The two waves of attacks completely wiped out the artillery unit.
...
Inside the command vehicle-
A soldier put down his headset, turned to Komlan Kolonna, and said, "Sir, the artillery unit has been completely destroyed. As for those two Black Panthers, they were hit once by the artillery barrage, but it's unclear if they survived."
The fear was evident in the soldier's eyes. Komlan Kolonna grabbed Rachel by the collar, pulling him close and shouting angrily, "What kind of monsters did you get us involved with?"
Rachel, however, grinned and said, "Without this test, how would we know what kind of monsters they are?"
Rachel then pulled a device resembling a USB drive from his pocket and instructed, "Copy all footage of the aircraft and those two Black Panthers onto this device."
Komlan Kolonna, taken aback by Rachel's actions, hesitated but then ordered the nearby soldier, "Copy the footage for him."
The soldier took the device and immediately started transferring the data.
Komlan Kolonna looked at Rachel and said, "Given the current situation, we can't leave here without reinforcements. Do you really think your nine super-soldiers can escort us out? Those jets have laser-guided missiles. Can those mere mortals protect us?"
While Kolonna was speaking, the data transfer was completed.
Rachel took the device, pulled out an ultra-thin rubber balloon from his pocket, and said, "I don't know if they can escort us out, but you can use your satellite phone to try contacting the outside world and see if you can get through."
Kolonna, realizing something, quickly picked up his satellite phone and dialed a special code. The busy tone in the phone made him pause in confusion, and he said, "Our communication system has been cut off?"
Rachel placed the USB drive inside the balloon and swallowed it. He then said, "Not completely cut off, just unable to contact the outside world."
Kolonna nodded his head, realizing he could still contact soldiers and squads on the battlefield.
He immediately ordered, "Someone, check the antenna on the command vehicle and use the onboard communication equipment to send a specific frequency signal to the satellite."
"Yes, sir."
A soldier in the command vehicle opened the door, checked the antenna outside, and confirmed, "Sir, the equipment is fine."
Kolonna nodded and said, "Start sending the specific frequency signal."
Following Kolonna's order, the soldiers in the command vehicle began operating the equipment, attempting to send a signal to the satellite.
What Kolonna didn't know was that with their tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, and other heavy weapons destroyed, Wakanda's air force had lost their primary targets.
Okoye, piloting her jet, circled in the sky, activating a large signal source and searching for satellite signals. When the command vehicle tried to contact the satellite, Okoye's jet detected and pinpointed the location.
Okoye, seeing the red dot on her screen, murmured, "There are still some leftovers. I've finally found you."
------6------
·Chapter 648: Suppression
Komlan Kolonna looked at the soldier who was sending the specific signal and asked, "How is it? Can we contact the satellite and send the information out?"
Before the soldier could answer, a laser cannon shot directly pierced through the command vehicle.
"Boom!"
The command vehicle exploded violently, disintegrating instantly and killing everyone inside on the spot. Rachel's body was blown apart, and his remains were thrown into the forest, landing on a tree branch.
In the sky, Okoye smiled, satisfied with her attack.
…
Elsewhere-
The Black Panther father and son had moved to another street, continuing to eliminate the remaining mercenaries. Just after clearing the street, they were preparing to split up when they saw the Winter Soldier squad heading toward the command vehicle.
Seeing the squad, T'Challa said, "Father, let's take care of them, and then we'll split up."
"Alright!"
The next second, the two Black Panthers lunged at the retreating Winter Soldier squad.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
Seeing the two strangely dressed Black Panthers charging at them, two of the squad's assault troops immediately pulled their triggers, their rifles firing a barrage of bullets.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The bullets clanged off the Black Panthers' vibranium armor, causing no harm and allowing the Panthers to close in.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two of the squad's heavy gunners fired grenades at the Black Panthers, hitting them squarely.
The explosion's shockwave sent the Black Panthers flying into two parked cars, smashing them.
T'Chaka and T'Challa got up unscathed, the explosion merely displacing them without causing harm due to their vibranium suits' strength.
Seeing that even grenades couldn't kill the enemies, a member of the Winter Soldier squad shouted, "Clear a path!"
Two soldiers in front quickly moved aside, revealing a soldier carrying a heavy machine gun with a large ammo box on his back.
"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!"
The barrel spun rapidly, unleashing a storm of bullets toward the Black Panther father and son.
The squad leader then ordered, "Five and Six, suppress them and cover our retreat. The rest, follow me."
The other seven squad members nodded expressionlessly and began retreating quickly.
Soldier Five, armed with an RPG, aimed at T'Chaka, while Soldier Six, wielding a 12.7mm heavy machine gun, suppressed the Black Panthers, making it difficult for them to escape the metal storm.
Soldier Five was waiting for Soldier Six's ammo to deplete before delivering the final blow to hinder the Black Panthers' movements.
With a firing rate of 3,000 rounds per minute, Soldier Six managed to suppress the Black Panthers for a full minute.
The 12.7mm bullets were powerful enough to tear through armor. But the bullets from the heavy machine gun only managed to prevent the Black Panthers from advancing, causing no real harm.
With the ammo box nearly empty, Winter Soldier Six threw down the heavy machine gun and removed the empty ammo box. He drew a Soviet combat knife from his back, holding it ready in both hands as he watched the front warily.
Seeing this, Winter Soldier Five fired an RPG at the Black Panther father and son.
"Boom!"
Taking advantage of the moment the Black Panthers were blown back, Winter Soldier Five discarded the launcher, grabbed grenades from his gear, and tossed them at the Black Panthers.
In a matter of seconds, he threw ten grenades. After this, he drew his own combat knife.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The Black Panther father and son were visibly frustrated. They had been suppressed by the heavy machine gun for a full minute, then blown away by the RPG, and now they are being hindered with grenade explosions.
But despite the smoke and fire, they suffered no injuries thanks to their vibranium suits. Though the relentless attacks had delayed them by over a minute.
Winter Soldiers Five and Six, holding their combat knives, watched the smoke and dust ahead cautiously. They knew their previous attacks wouldn't have killed the Panthers, but their mission was only to delay them.
Suddenly, two figures leaped from the smoke, attacking the Winter Soldiers.
"Clang!"
"Zzzzzz..."
Claws clashed with knives, producing metallic sounds and screeching scratches. Feeling the inhuman strength of their opponents, T'Challa said, "Father, they're like those enhanced soldiers from before."
T'Chaka nodded and used his suit's communication system to give orders.
"Okoye, we've encountered enhanced soldiers, possibly injected with super serum. Have the jets sweep the area and leave none alive."
Okoye replied, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
She then commanded, "All jets, initiate a search for seven enhanced soldiers using Soviet equipment. Engage and eliminate on sight."
"Yes, Captain!"
In the sky, several jets switched to scan mode, searching for the seven Winter Soldiers on the battlefield below.
···
Meanwhile-
Itachi Uchiha and four members of the Akatsuki had reached the depths of the forest, standing before Wakanda's barrier.
"This should be the place," Itachi said.
He grabbed a deer they had caught along the way and threw it at the barrier.
"Thud!"
The deer struck the barrier and fell to the ground. The barrier flickered with electricity, revealing a blue energy shield instead of the forest scenery.
…
In the laboratory, Shuri was monitoring border communications when she noticed an alert on the defense screen.
She saw a red dot indicating a collision with the Wakandan barrier, possibly from a deer.
Glancing at it, Shuri dismissed it. Since the border city attack, many frightened animals had been running wildly, frequently hitting the barrier. She briefly checked the alert and returned to focusing on the border city's situation.
She must do her best to ensure that the situation in Wakanda's border city will not be leaked.
-------7-------
·Chapter 649: The winter soldier team is destroyed
Deidara, with his hands in his pockets, looked at the barrier before them and remarked, "The technological disparity on this planet is astonishing, isn't it? Such a large-scale illusion, Itachi, can your Sharingan achieve this?"
Uchiha Itachi activated his Sharingan and observed the barrier, then replied, "This isn't an illusion; it's an energy barrier. It not only hides the interior but also has high defensive capabilities. Even with my Mangekyō Sharingan, I can't create something on this scale."
Hearing this, Deidara pinched the clay in his ninja pouch and asked, "Should I blast through this barrier?"
Itachi considered it, recalling the jets that had flown out from this area, and said, "Not yet. We might have a better way to infiltrate."
Itachi then formed a hand seal and created a shadow clone to scout and gather information.
····
Meanwhile-
T'Challa was engaged in combat with Winter Soldier Five. Despite his opponent's use of weapons, T'Challa's Black Panther suit turned his entire body into a weapon.
Facing Winter Soldier Five's powerful slash, T'Challa sidestepped and countered with a vibranium claw strike aimed at his opponent's forearm.
Winter Soldier Five quickly shifted his slash to a sweep, targeting T'Challa's arm. Without the Black Panther suit, T'Challa would have had to defend, but the suit's protection meant he didn't need to worry about taking damage. His priority was to injure his opponent.
"Clang!"
"Ugh!"
Winter Soldier Five's blade struck T'Challa's abdomen, sending him flying, but not without consequence. Five deep claw marks appeared on Winter Soldier Five's left forearm, bleeding profusely.
T'Challa, seeing his opponent injured, attacked even more fiercely. With the vibranium suit's defense, he focused solely on offense.
Winter Soldier Five's injuries multiplied rapidly, his combat effectiveness, stamina, and endurance waning. Finally, T'Challa executed a powerful strike, piercing his heart.
With Winter Soldier Five down, T'Challa saw his father, T'Chaka, decapitate Winter Soldier Six with his own blade.
With the two obstacles removed, T'Challa said, "Father, let's split up and deal with these mercenaries."
T'Chaka nodded, saying, "Go, eliminate these invaders. We don't need any prisoners."
The Black Panther father and son sprinted down different streets, continuing their mission to eradicate the enemy forces.
···
On the other side-
W'Kabi, leading the Wakandan soldiers, had successfully blocked all the main routes and exits of the border city, pushing inward steadily.
In the city's sky, Okoye led the aerial units, quickly scanning and locating the Winter Soldier squad. There was no need for close-quarters combat as the aircraft unleashed a relentless barrage of laser missiles.
Under the continuous strikes, the seven-member squad of winter soldiers was wiped out before they could reach the command vehicle. The person they intended to protect had already perished before them.
···
In the HYDRA base-
Pierce appeared via virtual projection and asked, "How is the attack on Wakanda progressing?"
A HYDRA officer reported, "Leader, we lost contact with them about half an hour ago."
"What?" Pierce was taken aback by the news.
Losing contact?
He had dispatched a nine-member Winter Soldier squad, supplemented by a large number of mercenaries and a small elite HYDRA force, all equipped with heavy weaponry. How could they encounter trouble in Wakanda?
"Leader, as soon as we lost contact, I sent a team to investigate. However, it will take them two hours to reach Wakanda."
Pierce shouted, "Two hours? If something has gone wrong, two hours is enough time for our men to be slaughtered. Deploy all the satellites we can, and get images of Wakanda's current situation from above."
The officer responded, "I've already redirected two satellites towards Wakanda. In about three minutes, we should have visual confirmation of the situation."
Pierce nodded, "Good, then we'll wait three minutes. I want to see what Wakanda is hiding that could cause my team to go silent."
Three minutes later, the officer turned to an operator and ordered, "Capture images of Wakanda's capital immediately."
The operator exclaimed, "Oh my god, how is this possible?"
The officer asked, "What's happening?"
"Sir, for some reason, there's a special magnetic field over Wakanda. The satellite images show nothing but white dots. We can't see anything."
Pierce stroked his chin and mused, "To shield the entire capital from satellite view... they must be hiding a lot. Ensure it's not a satellite malfunction by redirecting a few more satellites to investigate."
"Yes, Leader."
"If we reestablish contact or capture images of Wakanda, notify me immediately."
"Yes, Leader."
After giving these instructions, Alexander Pierce terminated his virtual projection.
Emerging from his safe house, he returned to his office, focusing on the remaining 10 kilograms of vibranium in Nick Fury's possession. He contemplated getting his laboratories to apply for the use of this vibranium.
It seems that the laboratories under his control need to find a reason to apply for the use of these vibraniums.
Pierce thought of two plans. One was to let these laboratories resume their previous vibranium research projects, and the other was to apply for vibranium to investigate the reason why the Sand Puppet Shop needed vibranium.
With these plans in mind, Pierce swiftly took action, directing HYDRA-controlled labs to start applying for vibranium research projects.
--------8--------
·Chapter 650: Infiltration
With Black Panther and his father splitting up, combined with air support and Wakandan soldiers engaging on the battlefield, the remaining mercenaries began to be quickly eliminated.
Noticing something was amiss, some mercenaries started to panic and tried to retreat secretly, but they were intercepted and annihilated by W'Kabi, who led troops from outside to encircle them.
With the vibranium weapons' advantage and the absence of heavy weapons, the mercenaries were no match. Their bullets couldn't penetrate the defenses, making even escape nearly impossible.
As time passed, all enemies were eradicated. Those mercenaries who attempted to hide were exposed by the aircraft's scanning and were subsequently found and killed.
Wakanda left no prisoners this time, especially after discovering that their commander had been taken out by the Dora Milaje. There was no need to keep any informants alive; all were executed.
…
By the afternoon, all enemies had been wiped out.
Inside the palace of the border city, the king of Wakanda, the prince, the captain of the royal guard, and the minister of military affairs gathered.
W'Kabi spoke up, "Your Majesty, who are the enemies that attacked us this time?"
Although the enemies were dealt with, W'Kabi wanted to know if there were any masterminds behind the attack.
T'Chaka looked at W'Kabi and slowly began, "We need to investigate. The enemies we faced this time remind me of a force that has been secretly emerging on Earth over the years."
"It is a hidden and powerful force responsible for many deaths."
"But they have always come and gone without a trace, lurking in the shadows of the world."
"The enemies who attacked the border city this time are most likely from this force."
T'Challa, puzzled, asked, "Father, who are you referring to?"
T'Chaka looked at his son and replied, "I once investigated the supposed accidental deaths of Howard and Maria Stark in 1991."
"However, my investigation revealed that they did not die in an accident but were assassinated."
"And such assassinations, which I have suspected, have occurred 23 times globally. They come and go without a trace, leaving no clues."
"Achieving such feats is not easy."
"Today, the squad we encountered has such capabilities."
Hearing his father's words, T'Challa nodded. Indeed, the squad they faced today could achieve such things.
W'Kabi interjected, "Your Majesty, for such villains and evil organizations, we must send troops to eliminate them once we find them."
"No one can inflict such harm on Wakanda and continue to live peacefully."
T'Chaka nodded and said, "Once we have information on them, we must eradicate them."
He continued, "The enemies here have been dealt with. Next, we need to focus on post-war reconstruction and follow-up arrangements."
At this moment, Okoye spoke up, "Your Majesty, many residents of the border city witnessed our aircraft and attack methods today. How should we handle this?"
After thinking for a moment, T'Chaka said, "Deploy soldiers to confiscate all mobile phones and other recording devices with video capabilities."
"Make sure no footage of our technology leaks out. To ensure no videos are leaked, collect all video-capable devices from the people. We will compensate them with new devices later."
"Without video evidence, no one can be certain of anything. And we will also ensure our citizens remain silent about what they've seen."
Okoye responded respectfully, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."
T'Chaka continued, "W'Kabi, leave some soldiers here to maintain order."
"Everyone else, return to Wakanda with me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After making arrangements for post-battle reconstruction, T'Chaka and his son boarded Okoye's aircraft, leading the air force back to Wakanda. W'Kabi left behind some soldiers before returning with the rest of the Wakandan warriors.
Inside the Dora Milaje's aircraft, four individuals were seated: Uchiha Itachi, Kisame Hoshigaki, Hidan, and Deidara.
Itachi's shadow clone had encountered and hypnotized Dora Milaje with his Sharingan, extracting valuable information from their mind. With their cooperation, they infiltrated the aircraft and were now returning to Wakanda with the main force.
Onboard the aircraft, Kisame asked, "Itachi, what should we do once we're inside?"
Itachi replied, "Kisame, Deidara, once we're inside, you two will use large-scale ninjutsu to create chaos and divert their attention."
"I will have Dora Milaje take Hidan and me to the vibranium storage area. Hidan will prevent anyone from approaching while I collect the vibranium."
"Once we have the vibranium, we will retreat."
"Remember, Wakanda's technology is highly advanced. While it may not be a threat to us, it is still formidable."
"If you are targeted, your lives will be at risk."
"Deidara, you must eliminate their air force in advance and prevent their aircraft from taking off. Also, destroy key facilities as quickly as possible."
Itachi shared the locations of Wakanda's defensive weapons from Dora Milaje's memories.
Kisame nodded, "Understood. I will use large-scale ninjutsu to draw their attention."
"It's incredible how much vibranium is in a place like this."
Deidara nodded as well, "Vibranium is valuable. It's a waste for them to use it like this."
"I'll show them what true art is."
Hidan, playing with his triple-bladed scythe, laughed, "We should offer them all as sacrifices to the Jashin-sama and send the vibranium to Lord Charles."
"Maybe I can upgrade my weapon too. A weapon made entirely of chakra metal sounds luxurious."
As the aircraft passed through the barrier and entered the real Wakanda, the four saw Wakanda's true appearance. While Itachi had seen it in Dora Milaje's memories, the others had not.
Looking at the scenery, Hidan remarked, "These people don't deserve all of this."
Kisame and Deidara nodded in agreement, "Indeed, they don't deserve this."
Deidara sighed, "It's a pity such a prosperous place will soon receive an artistic makeover."
---------9---------
·Chapter 651: Akatsuki's Attack
South Florida-
In an apartment, Bonnie from the movie Bonnie and Clyde, was sitting on a chair icing his wrist with a towel. He looked at his partner, Clyde, who was lying on the bed with a seductive figure and said, "This thing is too heavy; my wrist is about to break."
Clyde, lying on the bed surrounded by piles of stolen cash, was calculating their loot. She replied, "We're now financially free."
Bonnie smiled and asked, "How much do we have?"
Clyde got up from the bed, walked towards Bonnie, and said, "Enough."
"From now on, we can have whatever we want."
Bonnie stood up, embraced Clyde, and threw her onto the bed, ready to celebrate their success with a little fun. However, the loud, obnoxious music from the next-door neighbor's apartment interrupted them, making Clyde furious.
"What's going on over there?"
Bonnie laughed, "I like this song."
Clyde snapped, "Do something about it..."
Before she could finish, Bonnie interrupted, "Alright, I'll go talk to them. You stay put; I'll be right back."
Bonnie got off his girlfriend, opened the door, and headed to the neighboring apartment. He knocked on the door of apartment 209 and called out, "Anyone home?"
Inside their own apartment, Clyde remained on the bed, inspecting a stack of dollar bills.
As soon as Bonnie knocked, Sitwell opened the door, pulled Bonnie inside, and shut the door before flipping him onto the floor. He pinned Bonnie down and tied his hands behind his back with a zip tie.
"Please don't resist."
The sound of the struggle caught Clyde's attention. She walked to the wall pressed her ear against it, trying to listen, but the loud music made it difficult to hear clearly.
Sitwell hoisted Bonnie up from the floor. Bonnie took the opportunity to kick the stereo off the table, shouting, "Clyde, police!"
Hearing Bonnie's shout, Clyde quickly ran to the headboard, grabbed an alien weapon, aimed it at the wall, and shouted, "Get down, baby!"
Sitwell, hearing her, immediately grabbed Bonnie by the neck and pulled him down onto the bed with him.
The next second, a laser beam shot out, creating a human-sized hole in the wall.
After firing the shot, Clyde cried out in pain from the weapon's weight and recoil, "My wrist..."
But she knew this was not the time to complain. She shouted, "Bonnie, are you okay?"
"Bonnie..."
Before Bonnie could respond, Sitwell pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket, stuffed it into Bonnie's mouth, and gagged him.
A second laser shot followed, prompting Sitwell to roll off the bed with Bonnie. The shot hit the wall again, making the hole even bigger.
Seeing no movement from the other side, Clyde cautiously approached the hole, calling out softly, "Bonnie?"
"Bonnie?"
Peering through the hole, Clyde saw the empty bed and then spotted Bonnie struggling on the floor. Gagged and with his hands bound, Bonnie could only signal with his head that the enemy was nearby, making muffled noises.
At this moment, Sitwell emerged from the other room, entered Bonnie's original apartment, and appeared behind Clyde.
Just as Clyde realized and tried to turn around, Sitwell ambushed her, grabbing the weapon. They struggled until Bonnie charged and knocked them apart, causing the alien weapon to slip from Clyde's grasp and fall to the ground.
The weapon spun on the floor, emitting a charging sound. All three watched in shock as it fired a laser at the bed, causing cash to scatter everywhere, some bills even getting burned.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Sitwell subdued Clyde and bound her with tactical zip ties. He then dragged a recovery case for alien weapons from the neighboring room, preparing to secure the weapon.
As Bonnie and Clyde complained about their impending arrest, Bonnie apologized, "I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I hope it didn't hurt you."
Holding the weapon, Sitwell approached and said, "Item 47 is an alien weapon that fell from the sky after the portal over Manhattan was closed. The others were all broken."
He placed the weapon in the case and continued, "Except for this one. This one still works."
"Why does it still work?"
Clyde, eyeing the case, said, "Bonnie fixed it."
Bonnie looked at his partner, wide-eyed, as if to say, "How could you reveal that? We'll get in even more trouble."
Clyde met his gaze and continued, "What? Isn't that right?"
Bonnie, seeing Sitwell's interest, thought for a moment and nodded, "Yes, I can fix it for you."
Clyde supported him, "Let him show you. If you don't believe it, he can prove it."
Bonnie agreed, "Absolutely."
"He's more than willing to fix it for you."
"Whatever it takes, just... no prison."
Hearing their words, Sitwell realized there would be no problem recruiting them into S.H.I.E.L.D. He stood up and said, "I never said anything about going to prison."
Hearing this, Clyde breathed a sigh of relief, but in the next second, her heart raced again.
"My mission is to recover the weapon and eliminate both of you."
Sitwell drew a short knife from his belt, intimidating the pair.
Seeing the knife in his hand, both of them wore expressions of despair.
"No, I don't want to die..."
However, the next moment, Sitwell sheathed his knife and said calmly, "But now I have a new idea."
"Do you want a new job?"
…
Wakanda-
In the palace, the entire leadership of Wakanda had gathered: King T'Chaka, Queen Ramonda, Zuri the priest, the elders of the Border, River, Merchant, and Mining Tribes, Defense Commander W'Kabi, Dora Milaje leader Okoye, Prince T'Challa, and Princess Shuri.
Apart from M'Baku of the Jabari Tribe, all the high-ranking officials were present.
The elder of the Border Tribe asked, "Your Majesty, have all the enemies been eliminated?"
"What was the reason behind this attack on our border city?"
The elder of the Merchant Tribe said, "Your Majesty, Wakanda cannot be attacked without retaliation."
"We possess the most advanced technology on this planet; we must deal a devastating blow to our enemies."
The elder of the River Tribe agreed, "Your Majesty, this cannot go unanswered."
Regarding the attack on the border city, all the elders saw it as a provocation against Wakanda and believed they needed to respond with overwhelming force.
As the elders voiced their opinions, Zuri, the priest, spoke, "Are you all prepared to expose Wakanda to the world?"
Hearing Zuri's words, the elders fell silent and looked towards King T'Chaka.
Meeting their gaze, T'Chaka slowly began, "Based on my investigations, the outside world is not as simple as we imagined. We must be cautious with every decision we make."
"As the royal family of Wakanda, our duty is to protect Wakanda from harm."
"We must safeguard Wakanda's secrets, but we must also eliminate our enemies."
The elders nodded in agreement, understanding the balance between secrecy and defense.
T'Chaka continued, "I will activate our spies in various countries to investigate the true culprits behind this incident."
"We will start by investigating the mercenary groups that attacked us, looking into who they had contact with before the attack."
"Additionally, the enemy demonstrated that they have a significant number of super soldiers. I will send T'Challa to gather intelligence."
"This will be T'Challa's final mission before he inherits the mantle of Black Panther. Once this mission is completed, I will pass the title to him."
The elders voiced no objections. Traditionally, the Black Panther mantle was passed to the king's eldest son when the king grew older.
"We trust that the prince will successfully complete the mission and find the mastermind behind this attack."
T'Challa reassured the elders, "Rest assured, elders, I will find the culprits."
T'Chaka added, "T'Challa, your mission is not only to find the mastermind behind the border attack but also to locate Ulysses Klaue."
"He has been missing since his escape years ago. Find him and bring him back to face Wakandan justice."
T'Challa placed a hand over his chest, "Yes, Father."
W'Kabi, whose father had died in an explosion caused by Klaue, looked at T'Challa with anticipation.
Just as T'Chaka was about to give further instructions, the palace shook.
Through the palace windows, they saw a massive wave, several meters high, suddenly appear within Wakanda.
"This... how is this possible? How could there be a wave in Wakanda?"
T'Challa, staring at the wave, noticed something unusual and murmured, "There's someone on top of the wave..."
Shuri quickly ran to a console, pulling up a virtual screen and began operating it.
Soon, a large screen displayed a figure in a black cloak with red clouds, standing atop the wave with a bandaged weapon in hand.
T'Challa asked, "Who is he?"
Shuri zoomed in on the figure, revealing a shark-like face.
"An alien?"
"A shark-man?"
"A shark-cyborg?"
As the elders speculated, Shuri observed the headband with a scratched-out symbol and said, "He's a ninja."
"A ninja?"
The elders were puzzled, but T'Chaka, T'Challa, Okoye, and W'Kabi all looked serious.
A thought crossed their minds: How did this ninja get into Wakanda?
…
One Minute Earlier-
Kisame Hoshigaki exited the aircraft, using his keen observational skills and incredible speed to avoid detection by the Wakandans, arriving at the central river of the city.
Seeing the river, Kisame grinned, "A river like this saves me a lot of trouble."
He strapped Samehada onto his back and quickly performed hand signs:
"Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave!"
Leaping into the air, he used his chakra and the river to create a massive wave, like a lake, that surged toward Wakanda.
"Boom!"
The colossal wave crashed toward the city, with Kisame standing atop, watching the panic below.
The people of Wakanda, upon seeing the giant wave, froze momentarily before screaming and running for shelter.
But the wave moved faster than their legs, quickly engulfing many Wakandans, drowning them. Low buildings were demolished, debris carried by the wave causing even more destruction.
Witnessing this from the palace, Wakanda's leaders trembled, not in fear but in rage.
T'Challa, seething, exclaimed, "How dare he... This is an insult to Wakanda."
T'Chaka immediately ordered, "Shuri, sound the highest alert."
"W'Kabi, mobilize the army, lead the defense, and eliminate the invader."
"Okoye, lead the Dora Milaje to evacuate the civilians. Get all the aircraft airborne."
"T'Challa, you and I will don our Black Panther suits."
As T'Chaka gave orders, Shuri triggered the alarm. The skies over Wakanda echoed with the call to arms.
Hearing the alarm, Wakandan civilians immediately dropped everything and headed for the shelters.
----------10----------
·Chapter 652: Battle
As the alarm echoed across the city, Deidara glanced at the giant clay owl beneath him and chuckled, "It's my turn to show my art, yeah."
"C1 · Clay Spiders!"
Deidara threw out countless clay spiders from his hands. These spiders crawled swiftly towards the combat aircraft stationed on the runway.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
In an instant, all the exposed fighter jets were destroyed by Deidara's explosions.
"Hahaha!"
As Deidara laughed maniacally, the giant owl took off, dropping a barrage of clay birds onto the runway below.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The twin-winged birds flew at incredible speeds, crashing into hangars and control towers, causing massive explosions.
The Wakandan soldiers at the runway were taken aback by the sudden attack and retaliated with their weapons.
"Shush! Shush! Shush!"
Beams of laser fire shot towards Deidara in the sky, but the giant owl agilely dodged them. As it evaded, Deidara kept throwing more bombs down.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Hahaha, feel the embrace of art!"
…
In Shuri's lab-
King T'Chaka and his son T'Challa had just donned their Black Panther suits, preparing to join the battle. At this time, Shuri spoke up:
"Father, there's an enemy at the runway. He's bombing our jets and hangars."
She displayed the battle scene of Deidara on a large screen. T'Chaka muttered, "Another ninja..."
He looked at his son, T'Challa, who shook his head and said, "I don't recognize them, but they aren't from the Sand Village based on their headbands."
T'Chaka thought for a moment and then exclaimed, "They're here for the Vibranium!"
…
At the Vibranium storage vault, a Dora Milaje led Uchiha Itachi and Hidan to the entrance. The guards questioned her, "Who are these two?"
Itachi threw out shurikens, swiftly killing the guards. He then turned to Hidan and said, "Guard the entrance. I'll retrieve the Vibranium."
Hidan slashed the Dora Milaje with his scythe, killing her, and remarked, "She's of no further use."
Hidan stood at the entrance with his scythe, ready for anyone who might come.
Uchiha Itachi came to the gate, reached out his hand, opened the door, and walked in.
"clang!"
After entering, he did not forget to close the door again.
When Uchiha Itachi entered the warehouse, he saw rectangular boxes neatly arranged in the warehouse.
He opened one box after another, revealing the blue Vibranium inside.
After nodding in satisfaction, he started to store everything using sealing scrolls.
Outside, a group of Wakandan soldiers arrived, aiming their spears at Hidan and shouting, "Eliminate him!"
Laser beams shot toward Hidan, but he dodged them and countered with his scythe.
Hidan grinned, "Too weak."
He charged at the soldiers, swinging his scythe.
"Defensive formation!"
One soldier shouted, and the others raised their cloaks, generating blue energy shields. Hidan's scythe clanged against the shields, but he quickly moved behind them, slicing through their waists.
"Clang!"
The energy shields shattered, and the soldiers fell, bisected. Blood poured from their wounds, staining the ground.
Hidan, unconcerned, returned to guard the entrance, waiting for Itachi.
…
Elsewhere-
W'Kabi led a large group of Wakandan soldiers to confront Kisame Hoshigaki.
W'Kabi, pointing his Vibranium spear at Kisame, shouted, "Who are you? Why attack Wakanda?"
Kisame grinned, "I am Kisame Hoshigaki of the Akatsuki. And you?"
"W'Kabi!"
"Water Release: Water Colliding Wave!"
Without more words, Kisame rapidly formed hand seals, summoning a swirling column of water that expanded like a river, surging toward W'Kabi and his men.
W'Kabi shouted, "Defensive formation!"
The Wakandan soldiers took a step forward, moving in front of W'Kabi and lifting their cloaks to form a protective shield wall against the incoming wave.
"Boom!"
The water collided with the energy shields, creating a loud roar. Seeing his first wave blocked, Kisame smirked, "You can block the first wave, but what about the second?"
"Water Release: Great Water Colliding Wave!"
If the first wave was like a river, this one was like a sea, with a massive wave towering above the energy shields.
Soldiers quickly jumped onto the shoulders of those in the front row, raising their shields higher in a desperate attempt to block the impending flood.
Seeing the second attack, W'Kabi climbed to a higher vantage point and blew the horn hanging from his chest.
"Oooh, oooh, oooh~~"
The wave hit just two seconds after W'Kabi sounded the horn, crashing against the energy shields.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The colossal waves repeatedly struck the shields, causing the energy barriers to flicker as if they might shatter at any moment. Yet, they held against Kisame's ninjutsu.
However, the overflowing water still reached the soldiers, submerging their legs. W'Kabi sighed in relief, seeing the attack was blocked once more.
But Kisame grinned ominously. W'Kabi sensed danger and muttered, "This is bad!"
"Lightning Release: Earth Travel!"
This was a technique Kisame had learned from after coming to this world. Though lightning is not his primary element, it was perfect for the current situation.
Blue lightning arced from the water's surface, instantly electrocuting and paralyzing the soldiers.
"Ahhh!"
The Wakandan soldiers fell, electrocuted and incapacitated. With the defense line broken, Kisame picked up his Samehada and charged at the remaining Wakandan forces.
Suddenly, a herd of large, Vibranium-armored rhinos appeared behind Kisame, charging at him and shaking the ground with their powerful strides.
Kisame turned to face the rhinos, impressed by their armor. "Is that Vibranium?" he wondered aloud, clearly surprised.
W'Kabi seized the opportunity and shouted, "Charge!"
The soldiers, armed with Vibranium weapons, charged at Kisame. Kisame swung Samehada at the incoming rhinos, striking their armor.
"Thud!"
The rhino continued its charge, unaffected. Seeing his attack being blocked by the vibranium armor, Kisame clicked his tongue, "What a waste of good material on these beasts."
The other rhinos continued their assault, but their speed was no match for Kisame. He crouched and slashed at the unprotected legs of the nearest rhino.
"Boom!"
The rhino tumbled, crashing into the ones behind it, causing chaos in their ranks.
W'Kabi screamed in despair, "No!"
Kisame swiftly incapacitated four rhinos, while the remaining ones had already charged at the Wakandan soldiers.
W'Kabi and his men leaped onto the rhinos, firing lasers at Kisame.
"Shush! Shush! Shush!"
"Substitution Jutsu!"
Kisame evaded the laser barrage with a substitution technique, leaving a decoy that was destroyed by the blasts.
"Attack!"
The Wakandan soldiers and their rhino-mounted comrades surged forward, aiming to encircle Kisame.
…
Meanwhile, at the mining site on Wakanda's outskirts, soldiers rushed towards the parked aircraft.
"Hurry, get the planes ready to support!"
The planes at the runway and hangars were destroyed by Deidara, but a reserve squadron remained at the mine.
These dragonfly-like Wakandan jets took off, quickly entering stealth mode and heading towards Deidara's location.
Deidara stood on his giant clay owl, continuously dropping bombs on the Wakandan soldiers below.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Explosions lit up the ground, and Deidara smiled in ecstasy. "Art, this is art!"
"Too bad Sasori isn't here to enjoy this with me."
As Deidara reveled in his art, a laser beam suddenly pierced his chest.
A soldier on the stealth jet shouted excitedly, "I hit him!"
Deidara glanced at the hole in his chest and remarked, "So, there were survivors."
The next moment, Deidara turned into a white clay doll, which crumbled. More lasers shot out, destroying the giant clay owl.
From beneath the rubble, Deidara's true form emerged, glaring at the sky.
"Found you."
He flung out several twin-winged birds, which flew rapidly towards the stealth jets.
"Warning: unidentified flying objects approaching!"
"Boom!"
The first twin-winged bird exploded, revealing the jet's position. Three more birds followed, exploding upon impact and destroying the jet in a fireball.
More twin-winged birds circled the sky as Deidara quickly crafted more explosives.
A soldier in one of the stealth jets commanded, "Two of you, with me, target those birds. The rest, focus on any new flying objects and attack their origin."
"Roger!"
"Shush! Shush! Shush!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Three stealth jets fired lasers at the birds, causing them to explode in mid-air. Fireballs dotted the sky as the twin-winged birds were annihilated.
Deidara noticed the jets' positions and sent more birds and spiders from the rubble below. As they took flight, they were targeted and destroyed by other jets.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Laser fire rained down, enveloping Deidara's position in smoke.
"Is he dead?"
"Whosh!"
A giant clay owl burst from the smoke, with Deidara atop it.
"I've found all of you. Become art!"
More clay birds and twin-winged birds flew out, filling the sky. Deidara clutched a bird and formed a hand seal.
"Ha!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The sky filled with explosions, engulfing the stealth jets and turning them into fireballs.