"You old geezers, you've been holed up in Wakanda living a comfortable life for far too long."
The reactions of the tribal chiefs all fell into Erik Stevens's eyes, and the smile on his face grew wider.
But he wasn't in a hurry to explain his true identity to everyone. Instead, he continued to speak to King T'Chaka on the Vibranium Throne with a mocking tone:
"So much so that you've almost forgotten that on this African continent, there are at least two billion 'Black brothers' with the same skin color and similar appearance as us, suffering from hunger, poverty, and the ravages of war, and Wakanda happens to possess something that can completely rescue them from their plight..."
"Hmph, that sounds good."
As if thoroughly enraged by the other party's unreasonable actions, Prince T'Challa stepped forward from behind the Vibranium Throne and sneered, saying:
"I'm afraid what you're referring to as the thing that can save them is our Vibranium and technology, isn't it?!"
"So... in the end, you and Ulysses Klaue are no different. You're both just Bandits trying to steal Vibranium from us."
"It's just that you're slightly better than him in that you know how to use a moral facade to package your despicable actions!"
Erik Stevens didn't get angry when he heard this. Instead, he grinned and shook his head, saying, "No, you're wrong. I'm not the same as Ulysses Klaue..."
"But you did guess one thing correctly, and that is I do need Wakanda's Vibranium weapons to achieve the great ideal of rescuing all 'Black brothers.'"
"Stop dreaming there. As long as I'm here, you won't succeed."
Prince T'Challa warned with some irritation:
"Wakanda's weapons and technology have never been used to wage war. We have loved peace for generations... This is our unwavering principle that we have upheld for thousands of years."
"Moreover, interfering with the fate of others is not something Wakanda should do!"
"Not interfering with the fate of others?" Erik Stevens's pupils narrowed, and he retorted with a fierce look in his eyes: "Then I'd like to ask you, did humanity originate on this continent... Does Wakanda not count among them?"
"Since Wakanda is also a part of this continent, then are we and those two billion 'Black brothers' compatriots in some sense?"
"Hmph, stop confusing definitions here. Have you made some mistake...?"
Prince T'Challa laughed in extreme anger, pointing at the other party and retorting sharply:
"My father is the King of Wakanda, not the King of all Africa, or even all humanity."
"He only needs to lead us in protecting the lives of Wakanda's people and ensuring that Vibranium isn't stolen by thieves like you and Ulysses Klaue."
Before Erik Stevens could retort, Queen Ramonda, who had already realized something, quickly interrupted their argument.
"T'Challa, you've wasted too much time on this deceitful trickster. The throne of Wakanda will absolutely never fall into the hands of someone like him..."
Then, she looked at Erik Stevens with a cold face and warned in a very stern tone:
"If you know what's good for you, leave here quickly before His Majesty the King gets angry, and never come back... Otherwise, death awaits you!"
However, Erik Stevens was not intimidated by her words and retorted dismissively on the spot: "Excuse me, Your Majesty the Queen, I think you must be mistaken. I'm not begging you, I'm merely informing you."
At this point, he suddenly turned to King T'Chaka, who had been silent on the Vibranium Throne the entire time, and roared fiercely:
"Come on, I'm sure you've guessed it... So tell them who I am!"
At this moment, everyone's gaze turned to King T'Chaka on the Vibranium Throne, but for some reason, the latter still did not speak, though the expression on his face became even more complex and difficult to decipher.
Such an action undoubtedly deepened the suspicion in the hearts of the various tribal chiefs.
They had never seen King T'Chaka display such 'weak' behavior as he did today.
Could there be some hidden secret here?
Or, was this 'outsider' King T'Chaka's illegitimate son???
"Let me answer this question..."
At this moment, Princess Shuri, standing to the side, stepped forward proactively and said angrily:
"You are Erik Stevens, a lackey who helped America slaughter innocent people, a cold-blooded villain called a 'murderer' by civilians. Isn't that your identity?"
But who would have thought that Erik Stevens would shake his head triumphantly and say, "No, little princess, you are wrong. My real name is not that..."
Then, he said word by word: "My true name is N'Jadaka, and I am the son of N'Jobu!!!"
As soon as these words came out, it was like a huge stone thrown into a calm lake, immediately causing an uproar among the tribal chiefs.
The chiefs of the various tribes exclaimed loudly.
"What, he... he's actually the son of the late N'Jobu?"
"How is this possible? Didn't King T'Chaka say back then that N'Jobu had no heirs?"
"What on earth is going on? Is he really N'Jobu's son...?"
"Although it's impossible to determine if he's lying for now, the idea he just put forward is indeed very similar to that of the late N'Jobu!"
The N'Jobu mentioned by the chiefs was none other than King T'Chaka's own younger brother, and the former First Prince of Wakanda!
However, more than twenty years ago, N'Jobu was secretly executed by King T'Chaka for 'treason.'
Speaking of which, N'Jobu's execution was somewhat related to Ulysses Klaue.
N'Jobu, who was sent to America on a secret mission, witnessed the tragic plight of the 'Black brothers' firsthand. He longed to use his efforts to allow other African countries to also possess Wakanda's advanced technology and weapons.
This way, they would be able to powerfully resist the Invaders and oppressors who trampled on them.
It was out of this ideal and purpose that N'Jobu secretly reached a consensus with the black market arms dealer Ulysses Klaue, helping him successfully infiltrate Wakanda and steal a large amount of Vibranium.
But good times don't last. Their plan was soon discovered by T'Chaka, who had already become King at the time, and he personally went to America to secretly execute his own younger brother, N'Jobu.
However, fratricide is not a pleasant thing to hear about.
With the idea of keeping family scandals private, King T'Chaka always claimed to the outside World that N'Jobu died unexpectedly during a mission in America.
Therefore, very few people knew the truth of the matter.
But it was precisely this well-intentioned lie that gave Erik Stevens the best excuse for revenge today.
He roared like a rampaging Black Panther at the elderly man on the Vibranium Throne:
"You liar, my father didn't die in an accident. I found Black Panther's claw marks on my father. You are the murderer... You laid hands on your own brother. You are not fit to be the King of Wakanda, because you are a murderer..."
"Shut up, you liar! I forbid you to slander my father and the late Uncle N'Jobu!"
Seeing the other party insult his father, Prince T'Challa grabbed the other party's collar and raised his fist, wanting to teach this unrestrained scoundrel a good lesson.
But he was immediately stopped by his good brother W'Kabi beside him, "T'Challa, don't be impulsive. What he said... is probably true."
"What did you say?"
Prince T'Challa was stunned, looking at his friend with a face full of disbelief.
He knew that his friend would never speak carelessly about such matters.
So, he must have some information that no one else knew.
Sure enough, W'Kabi, with an incredibly complex expression, took out the gold necklace he had confiscated from Erik Stevens and looked at King T'Chaka on the Vibranium Throne, slowly saying:
"This necklace is enough to prove that he is a descendant of N'Jobu..."
Immediately, he handed the necklace to several tribal chiefs.
"That's right, this is indeed a royal heirloom left by the previous old King, identical to the one King T'Chaka has. Apart from royal family members, no one else could possibly possess such a thing, let alone counterfeit it..."
For a moment, all the tribal chiefs cast strange glances at King T'Chaka on the Vibranium Throne, waiting for him to give a reasonable explanation.
But it was Erik Stevens who spoke first, grinning maliciously, "My dear uncle... Royal blood flows in my veins, so I have the right to challenge the current Black Panther... which is you, for the throne!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.
It is well known that Black Panther is Wakanda's supreme national leader, integrating military and political power, and has been hereditary for thousands of years.
However, this hereditary system is not unchangeable.
All royal family members, as well as the chiefs of Wakanda's 18 subordinate tribes, actually have the right to challenge Black Panther.
Once a challenge is successful, the challenger can completely seize the title and status of the current Black Panther and become the new King of Wakanda!
So, if Erik Stevens really was N'Jobu's son, then he indeed had the right to challenge the current Black Panther, King T'Chaka.
However, all discerning people could see that King T'Chaka, now in his declining years, could not possibly be a match for Erik Stevens, who was in the prime of his life.
Because one of the necessary conditions for a throne challenge is that the current Black Panther must take a special drug to remove the Black Panther's power gained from consuming the Heart-Shaped Herb.
This means that King T'Chaka will undoubtedly lose at that time!
However, if King T'Chaka were to shy away from the challenge because of this, then the prestige he had established in Wakanda would instantly vanish.
Don't let Wakanda's most advanced technology and civilization fool you.
But in essence, the people of Wakanda, deep down, are not much different from other primitive and backward tribes in Africa; they all highly revere individual martial prowess.
This can be seen from their persistent unwillingness to abandon the use of the most primitive cold weapons for combat and slaughter!
Therefore, once Black Panther, the supreme combat power of Wakanda, shows signs of 'cowardice,' then in the hearts of the general populace, King T'Chaka's previously established prestige would be completely gone.
Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for King T'Chaka.
Because in the current situation, whether he chose to agree or refuse, King T'Chaka was clearly the losing party.
"T'Chaka, ignore that liar..."
Queen Ramonda naturally saw through the trick. While secretly cursing Erik Stevens's cunning actions, she quickly stepped forward to help her husband save face, "Even if he really is N'Jobu's son, he doesn't have the right to challenge you."
"No, Queen, he does have that right!"
At this moment, several tribal chiefs stood up in perfect unison.
This wasn't to say that they intentionally opposed King T'Chaka, or that they secretly colluded with Erik Stevens.
It was simply that they had doubts and resentment towards King T'Chaka's act of personally killing N'Jobu.
In fact, it wasn't just these few.
Many of the other tribal chiefs who didn't actively step forward also harbored grudges against such behavior.
It was just that it wasn't yet time for them to actively take sides.
And this internal division was precisely what Erik Stevens most wanted to see.
Otherwise, after entering the palace, he wouldn't have needed to say those seemingly'superfluous' opening remarks; he could have just stated his identity directly.
Then, one of the tribal chiefs looked at Erik Stevens and said with a complex expression, "Preparing the Black Panther challenge ceremony takes at least several weeks..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Erik Stevens on the opposite side eagerly roared, "This kind of thing takes several weeks? Don't be ridiculous, I don't need that much time at all."
"I also don't need to make a big fuss. As long as I can have a fair duel with this culprit who killed my father, that's enough..."
Erik Stevens deliberately emphasized King T'Chaka's identity as his 'father's killer.' He did this not to make the other tribal chiefs side with him out of sympathy.
He simply wanted these guys to stay out of his way.