While the older brother was on the verge of becoming King, the younger sister was a picture of excitement. Their mother, however, had her brow furrowed, clearly weighed down by something on her mind.
The underage Shuri clung to her mother's arm, offering comfort: "Mother! T'Challa is the strongest warrior in Wakanda. The challenge ritual will be a breeze for him. Given his reputation, I doubt anyone would even dare step forward to challenge him. You have nothing to worry about!"
Her mother sighed. "I'm not worried about the ritual. I'm worried about the Joker Organization—specifically those high-ranking members. I've seen the footage of them in action. They are superhumans. I fear..."
At this, Shuri went silent. Wakanda possessed the most powerful military force on the planet and wouldn't flinch at the prospect of war with the United States. But against the unpredictable and overwhelming might of superpowers, even her confidence wavered.
T'Challa, however, was brimming with self-assurance. He gave his mother a firm guarantee: "Don't worry, Mother. We've gathered plenty of intel on their top members. Superpowers are formidable, but they aren't invincible. If they were, they wouldn't have lost to SHIELD three years ago, would they? I have absolute confidence in this war!"
Hearing her son's vow, the mother managed a weak smile, though the weight in her heart remained.
The next day at noon!
Behind the royal palace lay a sheer cliff face where a raging waterfall plummeted from the summit into the depths below. This was the site of the challenge ritual.
To participate, the requirements were strict. A challenger first had to gain the approval of the elders and then defeat all opponents within these rushing waters. The terrain was treacherous, the ground covered in slick river stones. A normal person would likely slip within two steps and be swept over the precipice.
As noon approached, the succession ceremony began. Important figures from the tribes set out from a single point aboard their traditional dragon boats. To the beat of thundering drums, the strongest men of the tribes rowed with all their might, racing to be the first to reach the site.
Wakanda was technologically advanced, but its cultural roots remained fierce and primal. Physical strength and combat prowess were the universal standards across all tribes. Only the strong could marry the young and beautiful—and strangely enough, the same standard applied to the women.
Once everyone had gathered, a craft landed at the cliffside. The hatch opened, and T'Challa, bare-chested and armed with a sword and shield, stepped into the churning pool.
"For T'Challa! For T'Challa!"
The tribes welcomed him with song and dance, and T'Challa waved in acknowledgement. Once the performance ended, the presiding elder, Zuri, stepped into the water.
"I, Zuri, son of Badu, present to you Prince T'Challa—our Black Panther!"
T'Challa crossed his arms over his chest, threw them back forcefully, and dropped to one knee. This was the highest form of Wakandan etiquette. The heir must pay respects to the tribes before the match, and in return, the tribes salute back, symbolizing their life-long fealty to the royal line.
After the brief ceremony, Zuri approached with a bowl of liquid. "To ensure the fairness of the challenge, the power of the Black Panther will now be stripped from the Prince!"
T'Challa drank the potion. Moments later, his muscles twitched, and he buckled in pain.
Wakanda possessed a rare herb called the Heart-Shaped Herb. Its growing conditions were extremely demanding, requiring constant care. Because of its scarcity, only those of the royal bloodline were permitted to consume it. Upon ingestion, it granted strength far beyond human limits—a gift the Wakandans attributed to the Panther God.
After a few moments of adjustment, T'Challa—now back to being an ordinary man—stood up. Zuri nodded in satisfaction and announced the rules:
"There are two ways to win the challenge: the surrender of one party, or the death of one party! Do any warriors wish to challenge? The path to the throne opens for you now!"
"The Merchant Tribe declines to challenge!"
"The Border Tribe declines to challenge!"
"The River Tribe declines to challenge!"
"The Mining Tribe declines to challenge!"
King T'Chaka had been held in incredibly high esteem, and the elders trusted him implicitly. They had watched his only son grow up; they had no objections to his succession.
Zuri continued the protocol: "Since the tribes decline, do any other members of the royal family wish to challenge for the throne?"
In the crowd, Shuri suddenly raised her hand.
A gasp swept through the crowd. Shuri waited until she had everyone's attention, then gave a mischievous grin. "This corset is killing me. I thought we could all just go home early... ow! Mother, that hurts!"
The Queen Mother's quick scolding of Shuri drew a round of laughter from the crowd, momentarily dissolving the tension.
"I challenge!"
An unwelcome voice rang out. The crowd turned in surprise. To the sound of horns, a massive man led his followers to the edge of the pool. Seeing the wolf mask on the man's head, Shuri gasped, "They're Jabari!"
Her mother nodded grimly. "Yes."
A millennium ago, a meteorite brought a wealth of Vibranium to this region. Dozens of nearby tribes fought bloody wars over the resource, and many vanished in the process. Eventually, a warrior conquered most of them and founded the Kingdom of Wakanda. Some of the defeated tribes joined the kingdom, while others chose to live in isolation in the mountains. The Jabari were one such tribe.
Zuri glared at the man. "M'Baku, what are you doing here?"
M'Baku pulled off his mask. "Is today not a day of challenge?"
Zuri snapped back, "Your tribe has no right to participate."
M'Baku smirked, turning to face the tribes. "We have watched from our mountains in silence, but we can endure no more!" He leveled his weapon at Shuri. "You possess Vibranium and the greatest technology on Earth, and yet it is held in the hands of this little girl who mocks our traditions!"
Having finished with Shuri, he marched toward T'Challa. "And now you intend to give the throne to this so-called Prince, who couldn't even protect his own father's life!"
"We do not recognize him! We will never acknowledge such a man as King! I, M'Baku of the Jabari—"
"M'Baku!" T'Challa cut him off. "I accept your challenge!"
M'Baku's lips curled into a smirk. Technically, he had no right to be there, but since the Prince had accepted, the fight was on.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The war drums thundered. M'Baku donned his mask. "Jabari, fight!"
His tribesmen leveled their spears, blocking one exit. T'Challa donned his cowl. "Guard, stand ready!" The Dora Milaje blocked the other side. The two were surrounded, with only the cliff's edge as an alternative. There was no escape until the fight was over.
Zuri shouted, "The challenge begins!"
M'Baku immediately swung his heavy staff. T'Challa backed away cautiously, catching the blow on his shield. M'Baku lunged several times, but T'Challa parried them all.
"Ah!"
With a roar of fury, M'Baku swung from the side with everything he had. The hammer slammed into the shield, and the sheer force sent T'Challa sprawling into the water. The crowd gasped. The guards tightened their circle, shrinking the fighting space.
T'Challa scrambled up and counterattacked. He swung his sword, baiting M'Baku into a dodge. M'Baku took the bait, and T'Challa seized the opening to deliver a flying kick that sent the giant down.
"Yes!" T'Challa's supporters cheered.
M'Baku climbed back up and used the reach of his staff to sweep back and forth. Because the space was so cramped, T'Challa eventually got caught by the heavy hammer. The impact sent him spinning 360 degrees through the air, knocking his mask clean off.
When he stood back up, T'Challa surprisingly threw away his sword and shield, opting for bare knuckles. The heavy staff was powerful, but its weight made it slow. T'Challa exploited this. He ducked a swing and landed a kick square in M'Baku's face, shattering his mask.
T'Challa lunged in, raining punches on M'Baku's face. But M'Baku was incredibly durable; even after several hits, he remained conscious. He grabbed T'Challa in a bear hug and slammed his forehead into T'Challa's nose and mouth.
T'Challa's face was smeared with blood, his vision swimming. The pain triggered his fighting instinct; he wrenched an arm free and hammered his fist down onto the top of M'Baku's head. After a few blows, M'Baku's head lolled, and he finally let go.
T'Challa followed up with a kick to the knee, bringing M'Baku down. As M'Baku fell, T'Challa vaulted onto his back, locking his legs around M'Baku's neck in a tight chokehold. They wrestled in the shallow water, just feet from the cliff's edge.
"Yield, M'Baku!"
"Never!" M'Baku thrashed, refusing to give in.
"You have defended your honor in battle! Your people need you! Yield now, don't make me kill you!"
"..."
"Yield!"
M'Baku couldn't break the hold. His face turned a deep purple as he struggled for air. Finally, he tapped T'Challa's thigh in resignation.
"Yes!"
"He won! He won!"
Zuri stepped forward and placed the royal necklace—the symbol of ultimate power—around T'Challa's neck. "I give you... King T'Challa! Our Black Panther!"
"Long live the King!"
"Long live the King!"
T'Challa gave the salute. "Wakanda Forever!"
*
On his first day as King, T'Challa began planning the operation to wipe out the Joker Organization. He summoned the generals of the tribes to the war room and relayed the intelligence he had received at the UN.
The generals were stunned. They never imagined the notorious Joker Organization was hiding in a forest just a few hundred kilometers away. If the group ever saw through their illusion, Wakanda would be in grave danger.
T'Challa issued his order: "The Joker Organization is hiding in these woods. We must find them first!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
The generals left to prepare. T'Challa remained alone, contemplating the possibilities. Suddenly, Shuri paged him through his beads: "Brother, come to my lab. I have something cool to show you!"
Something cool? T'Challa's eyes lit up with anticipation as he headed for the lab.
*
Shuri was more than just a princess. A genius since childhood, she was already Wakanda's chief scientist despite her age. She had designed the bulk of Wakanda's advanced weaponry and civilian tech. On the entire planet, the only person who could likely go toe-to-toe with her in engineering was Tony Stark.
"Your Majesty!" Shuri, dressed in a white dress, greeted him at the door.
"Haha," T'Challa said, patting her head affectionately. "What toys have you cooked up this time?"
"Too many to count!" Shuri led him inside, pointing to a box of discreet earpieces. "Communication devices for the soldiers. Unlimited range, equipped with an audio surveillance system. And these—remote-controlled Kimoyo beads! Place one on any vehicle, and I can link it to my table for remote piloting."
T'Challa understood the mechanics and he was impressed. "And what are those?" He pointed to a row of what looked like shoe insoles.
"I should be asking what those are!" Shuri snapped, pointing at his feet.
T'Challa looked down at his black sandals, his toes exposed. Shuri made a face. "How can you wear flip-flops in my lab?"
"Hey, these are my royal sandals," T'Challa said, jokingly propping a foot up on a stool. "It's my first day; I'm going for a vintage look."
"Hmph. I bet the elders love it," Shuri said with a smirk. "Try these." She placed two insoles on the floor.
T'Challa stepped onto them. The black material instantly dissolved into countless particles, wrapping around his feet to form a pair of black sneakers.
Shuri explained, "Fully automated, and they have a noise-cancellation feature! Just like those old movies Dad used to watch."
T'Challa stomped on the ground; it was silent. "Interesting! What do you call them?"
"Sneakers. Now follow me."
She led him to a vast space where a row of Black Panther suits stood. "If you're going to fight the Joker Organization, you need top-tier gear."
"I designed this one," T'Challa said, pointing at one of the suits with pride.
"Yeah, and it's out of style."
"Out of style? It still works!"
"What if someone shoots you in the face?" Shuri began some dramatic acting. " 'Oh, please, wait a second while I put my suit on!' "
"Enough..." T'Challa sighed, begrudgingly accepting that his suit was indeed a relic.
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You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
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500 power stones.
Top 100. All time.