Tony didn't answer his question. "Klaue, did Ultron contact you?"
Klaue's smile stiffened for a moment. "How did you know?"
"It wants Vibranium."
Klaue fell silent for a second, then laughed. "Stark, your intelligence is very accurate. But why should I tell you?"
The Repulsor Cannon in Tony's palm lit up. "Because of this."
Klaue took a step back, raising both hands. "Alright, alright, don't get excited. I'll tell you—it did come looking for me. It wanted Vibranium, a large amount of Vibranium. I gave it a sample, but it wasn't satisfied. It said it wanted more, and I didn't have any. So it left."
Tony frowned. "Where is it going to get Vibranium?"
Klaue shrugged. "How should I know? There's only one place in the whole World where you can get a large amount of Vibranium—"
He didn't finish his sentence.
A dark shadow dropped from the factory's skylight at an incredible speed. The shadow landed precisely beside Klaue, one hand grabbing the back of his neck while the other pinned his wrist.
Klaue let out a scream, and the cigar in his hand fell to the ground.
Everyone saw the shadow clearly: a man wearing a skin-tight black battle suit. The armor clung to his body with sleek lines, and a helmet encased his entire head, shaped like a panther.
The surface of the armor had a dull metallic luster, reflecting an eerie purple light under the sun.
Black Panther.
Tony's armor database had no information on this person. Wakanda was extremely low-profile internationally, their technological level had always been a mystery, and the existence of the Black Panther had never been made public.
The man, the Black Panther, held Klaue as his gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Tony.
"Tony Stark," he said, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.
Tony did not retract his armor's weapons. "You know me?"
"The whole World knows you." Black Panther released Klaue, pushing him to the ground. Klaue lay prone on the floor, trembling, not daring to move.
"This man is my prey."
Tony frowned. "Your prey?"
Black Panther didn't explain. He looked down at Klaue, his voice cold. "How much Vibranium did you steal from Wakanda?"
Klaue's lips were trembling. "I... I don't know what you're talking about—"
Black Panther's foot stepped on Klaue's hand. Klaue screamed in pain.
"I'm asking one more time. How much?"
"Five tons! About five tons!" Klaue shrieked. "I sold most of it, there's only a few hundred kilograms left!"
Black Panther fell silent for a second. Then he lifted his foot and took a step back. His gaze moved away from Klaue and landed on Tony again.
"You are here for the Vibranium as well?"
Tony nodded. "Ultron, a rogue AI. It's looking for Vibranium to build itself a body."
Black Panther's brow furrowed slightly. "Ultron?"
"A madman who wants to destroy humanity," Thor interjected. "We need to stop it before it succeeds."
Black Panther was silent for a moment. Then he said, "I received an anonymous message telling me Klaue was here. Thinking about it now, it was likely sent by this Ultron you speak of."
Mavuika had been quietly observing everything. At this moment, she spoke, her voice calm but clear.
"It's a trap."
Everyone looked at her.
Mavuika continued, "Ultron lured us here. It deliberately left a trail, deliberately let Tony track it, and deliberately sent information to this Black Panther. It wanted everyone gathered here."
Tony's pupils contracted slightly. "It wanted to lure the tiger away from the mountain."
Mavuika nodded. "If it wants Vibranium, and it needs a large amount of it, there's only one place that has it—Wakanda."
She looked at the Black Panther, "Your country."
Black Panther's body tensed slightly.
Banner added from the side, "Ultron knew you would come after Klaue. It also knew Tony would come to investigate. It lured the strongest combat forces to Sokovia, and then—"
"And then it went to Wakanda," Loki took over, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. "Luring the tiger away from the mountain. An old trick."
Black Panther stood there, motionless. His breathing was steady, but everyone could feel that he was suppressing something.
"Wakanda," he began, his voice deep, "has the most Vibranium in the World. If Ultron really went there—"
He didn't finish.
Tony said, "We need to go to Wakanda. Now."
Black Panther was silent. His gaze swept over everyone—Tony, Thor, Loki, Mavuika, Banner, and those two young people in the corner.
"Wakanda is never open to the outside World," he said. "Our secrets cannot be known by outsiders."
Thor said urgently, "Is your secret more important or your country? Ultron has gone to Wakanda, your people are being attacked by robotic soldiers, and yet you are here worrying about secrets?"
Black Panther looked at Thor and didn't speak.
Mavuika walked up to the Black Panther.
"I understand you want to protect your country," she said. "But right now, Ultron is the greatest threat. It doesn't just threaten Wakanda; it threatens the entire World. If you allow us to help, we will do our best. If you don't—"
"Follow me."
He turned and walked toward the back door of the factory.
Tony glanced at Klaue lying on the ground. "What about this guy?"
Black Panther didn't look back. "He stole Wakanda's Vibranium and sold out the country's secrets. He deserves to die."
Tony looked at Klaue. Klaue was prone on the ground, trembling all over, his face full of terror. Tony didn't act, not because he didn't want to, but because this wasn't his judgment to make.
Black Panther stopped in his tracks. He turned, walked back to Klaue's side, and looked down at him.
"Ulysses Klaue," he said. "In the name of Wakanda, I sentence you to—"
A purple light glowed from his palm.
—Death."
Purple energy blades popped out from Black Panther's fingertips and slashed across Klaue's throat. Klaue's eyes widened, his mouth opened in a silent scream, and then his body went limp, falling to the ground. Blood gushed from the wound in his throat, staining the factory floor red.
Black Panther retracted the energy blades, turned, and continued walking out.
No one spoke.
Thor glanced at Klaue's body, his brow furrowing slightly, but he said nothing. Loki was expressionless, as if only an ant had died.
Mavuika glanced at Klaue, sighed softly, and then followed Black Panther out.
Everyone boarded the jet. Black Panther stood in the cockpit and entered a set of coordinates. A dense jungle appeared on the holographic projection, hidden among the mountains.
"Wakanda," Black Panther said. "It is not on any map. No map at all. We use advanced technology to shield it from satellite reconnaissance and camouflage the aerial view. From the outside, it looks like just ordinary forest and wilderness."
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150 POWER STONE = BONUS CHAPTER
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