If T'Challa could mass-produce his vibranium suit and equip every Wakandan warrior with one, Orochimaru's army might actually find themselves in serious trouble.
But there was only a single suit—his.
Beyond that, the most advanced defense the people possessed were their transparent cloaks. They could deflect ordinary bullets at best. Against Orochimaru's enhanced chakra bullets? Useless.
Even Thanos's Outriders had once pushed Wakanda's defenders to the brink. If not for Thor arriving in time with Stormbreaker, Wakanda would likely have been overrun that day.
"And back then, the Hulkbuster, Captain Rogers, Wanda, the Winter Soldier, Falcon, War Machine, and so many other heroes were here on this field."
Senju Haruto couldn't help but scoff to himself, comparing Wakanda's strength then to its power now. There was no comparison. He gave Orochimaru the order to attack.
The battle unfolded exactly as he expected.
As the Black Panther, T'Challa had already prepared himself. Just as in Infinity War, he stood tall before his people, rallying them with a speech of resolve.
And then, with a guttural roar of the immortal words—
"Wakanda Forever!"
He surged forward, leading the charge, his movements swift and deadly like a hunting panther, leaving everyone else far behind.
Okoye, W'Kabi, and the tribal leaders all followed close, wielding weapons forged from vibranium—the pinnacle of Wakandan technology.
Such an army could sweep aside any earthly enemy.
"It begins."
Orochimaru narrowed his gaze, his eyes shining with curiosity toward all that Wakanda possessed. He was the true commander of this invasion, and as he watched the fearless advance of their warriors, a manic excitement flickered across his features.
"Kimimaro… let's tear the field apart."
Spreading his arms, Orochimaru himself joined the battle.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Kimimaro's reply was sharp, his body moving with lethal grace as he charged. His eyes locked instantly on T'Challa.
Everyone could see it—T'Challa was the leader, the greatest threat. As Orochimaru's most prized pawn, Kimimaro knew it was his duty to eliminate him.
At the same time, Orochimaru bit into his own finger, flashing through hand signs. In an instant, the summoning ritual was complete.
A thunderous boom shook the earth.
The giant serpent, Manda, appeared.
"Orochimaru…"
The snake's voice rumbled with irritation, its solitude disturbed. But Orochimaru knew well how to handle the beast.
"Do you see the enemies before us? They're all yours—your feast."
His smile curled darkly.
Tens of thousands of Wakandan warriors stood packed together. Enough to fill Manda's belly.
The great serpent stilled, its massive body coiling as its eyes swept across the battlefield. Strange though these dark-skinned warriors looked, they were human nonetheless. Food.
That was reason enough.
Manda lunged, its massive body whipping across the earth toward its prey.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's ninjas and prisoners raised their weapons—submachine guns, rifles, and more—opening fire in a thunderous barrage.
The moment Manda appeared, countless Wakandans froze in horror. Never had they seen a creature so colossal.
Had it appeared in some hidden jungle temple instead of a battlefield, they would have thought it a god.
Now, it was a monster they had to fight.
But it wasn't the serpent that first caught Okoye off guard.
It was the enemy weapons.
"Those… are guns?"
"They're using such primitive technology?"
"Like savages!"
The Dora Milaje scoffed. They had braced for magic, or some strange new technology. But guns? Crude, outdated guns? It was absurd.
And vibranium cloaks could easily withstand bullets.
Or so they thought.
The instant the first bullets struck, Okoye and every warrior around her realized something was wrong.
The cloaks absorbed the projectiles—but fire exploded outward with every impact, scorching everything nearby.
The dry grass ignited in an instant, the flames spreading rapidly.
The cloaks could stop bullets, yes. But flames? Fire clung to their armor, crawling up their bodies, consuming them alive.
These were no ordinary bullets. They were chakra-forged.
Fire Release bullets.
Wind Release bullets, sharper than steel.
Lightning Release bullets, paralyzing and seizing control of their targets.
What they had dismissed as crude, primitive attacks had turned into a nightmare.
And Manda was closing in.
"Charge! Wakanda Forever!"
Okoye roared. In this chaos, scattering or retreating would only spell disaster. The only way forward was straight through the storm, closing the distance to cut off the enemy's ranged advantage.
And as for the serpent…
"W'Kabi! Where are they?"
Okoye barked into her comms. Wakanda had to commit everything they had.
"Right on time."
W'Kabi's answer was swift, followed by a piercing whistle.
Thunder rumbled—not from the sky, but from the pounding of countless hooves.
A cloud of dust rose as armored beasts thundered onto the battlefield.
The rhinos.
At the front, leading the charge, was W'Kabi's prized white rhino.
Every one of them armored in vibranium plating, their defenses heightened, their charge unstoppable.
At W'Kabi's command, the herd surged straight for Manda.
"Your Majesty, leave this to us."
Okoye's voice crackled through to T'Challa. She knew the truth: victory depended on one thing.
Haruto.
Soldier against soldier.
King against king.
No matter what monsters emerged on the field, they would handle them. Their king needed his strength for Haruto alone.
"I'm counting on you."
T'Challa's reply was brief. His knees bent, and with a surge of power, he leapt skyward.
As he rose, his fist clenched tight, and he brought it crashing down.
BOOM.
A shockwave of violet energy rippled outward, blasting scores of enemy prisoners off their feet, hurling them through the air.
...
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