Karl stared at the scene before him.
A mature, red-haired beauty stood in front of him, raising her head slightly while asking him to place a collar—one that symbolized his ownership—around her neck.
The meaning behind the gesture was unmistakable.
It was as if she were openly declaring:
"I belong to you."
Karl swallowed slightly before fastening the collar around Black Phoenix's neck.
Seeing her wearing the collar he had just placed on her, combined with her seductive posture and the provocative look in her crimson eyes, Karl couldn't hold back any longer. He pushed her down onto the sofa and kissed her deeply.
Black Phoenix responded without hesitation, her eyes filled with affection.
Unfortunately, the moment did not last long.
Not long after, Wanda and the others returned.
Since the three children were no longer attending school, they spent most of their time inside the manor. Aside from the lessons Raven occasionally gave them, there wasn't much else to do, so they spent their days playing around the estate.
Karl had no choice but to stop.
Soon afterward, Gwen returned from university in a Rolls-Royce.
Meanwhile, Helen Zhao had already relocated her laboratory to the manor. With Karl's abilities, constructing a laboratory from scratch was extremely simple.
Only May was still outside.
Karl had been planning to purchase an island, and many countries had offered to sell nearby islands to him. The prices ranged from extremely cheap to practically free.
However, choosing the right island was not so easy.
May and Pepper had spent a long time reviewing different locations but still hadn't found one they were completely satisfied with. There were also many other details to consider, such as renovation and construction plans.
Karl himself never handled such administrative matters.
So everything was left to May, with Raven occasionally helping her.
The Next Day
Karl brought Black Phoenix with him and headed toward Wakanda.
Today marked the third day—the deadline T'Chaka had promised him.
Karl wanted to personally see how things had been resolved.
He also wanted to test something.
Soon the two arrived in Wakanda.
To Karl's slight surprise, the Wakandan citizens did not glare at them with hatred. Instead, most of them looked at the two outsiders with curiosity.
"T'Chaka greets his master."
T'Chaka arrived in a Wakandan aircraft and bowed respectfully.
"All the tribes of Wakanda have agreed to submit to you. Please follow me."
He invited Karl and Black Phoenix aboard the aircraft.
However, when T'Chaka saw the woman beside Karl, his pupils contracted sharply.
Wakanda's technology far surpassed that of most other nations.
Because of this, they had far better data regarding the battle between Karl and the Black Phoenix.
All the tribal leaders had watched the battle recordings together.
The conclusion of Wakanda's scientific analysis had been simple:
Both of them possessed enough power to destroy Wakanda effortlessly.
Under such pressure, the tribal leaders had no choice but to accept submission.
Although some held resentment toward T'Challa for triggering the conflict, none of them dared to voice it openly.
After arriving at the Royal Palace, the leaders of Wakanda's major tribes were already gathered.
T'Challa stood among them.
Once Karl arrived, every tribal leader knelt on one knee and bowed, formally offering their allegiance.
"Rise."
"Your internal system will remain unchanged."
Karl sat casually on the throne that once belonged to the King of Wakanda.
"The three days are up, T'Chaka."
One of the conditions Karl had imposed for sparing Wakanda was simple.
T'Chaka must die.
He had chosen to die in place of his son.
"Yes… Master."
T'Chaka bowed slightly.
Without hesitation, he drew a vibranium dagger from his waist and plunged it into his own heart.
T'Challa clenched his fists tightly.
He closed his eyes in agony.
He could not show even the slightest hostility toward the man sitting above them.
If he did—
Wakanda would be destroyed.
His previous impulsive actions had already caused Wakanda to submit, cost his father his life, and left him missing an arm.
If he acted rashly again, his father's sacrifice would have been meaningless.
The other tribal leaders also lowered their heads in sorrow.
T'Chaka had been a wise king.
Yet now he was forced to take his own life because of his son's mistake—and perhaps because of Wakanda's vibranium.
But none of them dared even consider revenge.
Their enemy's power was simply too overwhelming.
Karl slowly stepped down from the throne and approached T'Chaka's lifeless body.
T'Challa and the tribal leaders watched him nervously, unsure of what he intended to do.
Karl placed his hand on T'Chaka's head.
Then he activated True Rewrite.
A white flash erupted.
The fatal wound disappeared.
Moments later—
T'Chaka slowly opened his eyes.
"This… this…"
"Resurrection…?"
The tribal leaders stared in shock.
Even T'Challa froze.
Karl stood quietly, thinking.
He had used up three units of overwrite energy to resurrect T'Chaka. Previously, transforming the metal had consumed only one unit.
Karl silently wondered whether there would be any side effects.
"What…?"
"I'm not dead…?"
T'Chaka slowly stood up, confusion filling his face.
Then he looked toward Karl.
Neither his son nor the tribal leaders possessed such power.
Only one person here could have done it.
Karl.
"Father… you were resurrected by the master!" T'Challa said, his voice trembling.
He had not expected such an outcome.
Joy filled his heart.
But moments later, worry crept into his expression again.
"Yes."
Karl spoke calmly.
"I revived you."
"You no longer need to die."
"For the next thirty days, send me daily reports about your physical condition."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Also, send workers to build my island."
"That island will eventually be converted into a spacecraft."
"You only need to provide manpower."
"I will supply the engineers."
"Everything else in Wakanda will remain the same."
After finishing his instructions, Karl left with Black Phoenix.
Wakanda itself did not possess the technology to construct advanced spacecraft.
Even if they did, it would be primitive compared to what Karl intended.
The engineer Karl mentioned was Angel Yan, whom he had not yet summoned.
As a warrior who had lived for seven thousand years, Yan possessed vast technological knowledge within her database—including the designs of Heavenly-class angelic warships.
With her help, building a powerful spacecraft would not be difficult.
Karl had finally understood something important.
He needed more power.
Much more.
The incidents involving Captain Marvel and Black Phoenix had been a harsh wake-up call.
Without the Ruyi Jingu Bang and the Sagittarius Gold Cloth, he might already be imprisoned in a S.H.I.E.L.D. laboratory—or dead.
And if Black Phoenix had truly been hostile to him…
May and the others would likely have suffered the same fate.
Karl could only continue moving forward.
He had to keep becoming stronger.
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