M'Baku himself was the best among them; he was tall and burly, standing on par with Thor, but with broader shoulders. A white gorilla totem was tattooed on his bald head, and his muscles were knotted as he stood there like a silent mountain.
He wore the traditional attire of the White Gorilla Tribe: a white animal-hide cloak, a necklace of ape teeth around his chest, and Vibranium brass knuckles on both hands, with sharp spikes embedded on every knuckle.
During the previous battle, he had been leading the warriors of the White Gorilla Tribe in a mountain blockade against Ultron's robots and had not entered the Golden City.
It wasn't until the battle ended that he arrived at the royal palace with his elite subordinates to attend the victory banquet. At this moment, he sat at the end of the long table with half a roasted sheep before him, a dagger stuck in the meat. His eyes were fixed on Thor, observing his every move.
Okoye stood to the side, arms crossed over her chest with a serious expression; she knew M'Baku's strength.
When M'Baku was young, he killed an adult white gorilla with his bare hands, becoming the tribe's youngest leader ever since.
His strength, speed, and combat skills ranked in the top three among all warriors in Wakanda.
Thor looked at this tall man who exuded a wild aura, and the light in his eyes shifted from regret to excitement.
"Who are you?" he asked.
M'Baku stepped into the clearing, each step steady and powerful. He stood before Thor and crossed his arms over his chest—not as a salute, but to declare his identity.
"M'Baku, leader of the White Gorilla Tribe."
He raised his fists, and the two Vibranium brass knuckles collided, producing a crisp metallic ring and scattering sparks.
He didn't charge head-on like the previous warriors; instead, he slid to the side, leaping like a white gorilla among mountain rocks, showing a flexibility completely at odds with his physique.
His right fist smashed toward Thor's ribs.
The spikes of the Vibranium brass knuckles glinted coldly under the lights.
This punch landed on the left arm Thor used for blocking. The Vibranium knuckles collided with the Asgardian's skin, producing a dull, heavy thud.
A second punch had already smashed inward.
This punch hit Thor's chest; Thor's body swayed, and he took half a step back.
M'Baku gave him no breathing room, throwing a third, fourth, and fifth punch in quick succession. Each strike accurately hit Thor's torso and limbs, carrying enough power to punch through a wall.
Thor didn't strike back; he was simply blocking.
The Wakandan warriors watched this scene with wide eyes. They had never seen anyone last so long under M'Baku's continuous assault, nor had they seen anyone tank the Vibranium brass knuckles without falling.
M'Baku's breathing grew ragged. He had punched Thor over a dozen times, putting his full strength into every strike, but Thor still stood there.
Though he had retreated several steps and had a dozen white marks on his body, he hadn't fallen, wasn't injured, and didn't even show a pained expression.
M'Baku stopped. He took a step back and looked at Thor, awe appearing in those eyes for the first time.
Then Thor raised his hand and threw a punch.
M'Baku only felt a massive force hit his chest, and then his entire person flew backward, knocking over the long table behind him. Roasted sheep, fruit, and wine spilled everywhere.
He rolled twice on the ground and knelt on one knee, one hand supporting him on the floor as he gasped for breath.
Thor walked over and extended a hand to him.
M'Baku looked at that hand for a long time, and then he took it.
Thor pulled him up in one go. The two stood face to face; M'Baku wasn't much shorter than Thor, but at this moment, he slightly bowed his head.
"The White Gorilla Tribe," he said, "pays its respects to the strong."
He crossed his arms over his chest, giving Thor a Wakandan salute. Thor mimicked him, crossing his arms over his chest to return the gesture.
M'Baku looked up at Thor, a smile slowly creeping onto his lips. In that smile, there was a hint of unwillingness, awe, and a sense of relief after meeting a truly powerful person.
"Thor," he said, "I want to have a drink with you."
Thor grinned. "You're not the first to say that."
The two walked to the table. M'Baku personally poured a large bowl of Palm Wine for Thor, and they clinked bowls and drained them in one go.
The Wakandan warriors cheered once more.
This time, it wasn't just the people of the Golden City; the warriors of the White Gorilla Tribe were cheering as well.
They were proud of their leader and in awe of Thor's strength. A failed challenge hadn't brought shame to the White Gorilla Tribe; instead, it had shown them a wider World.
Okoye stood to the side watching this scene, her lips curling slightly. She walked over to Mavuika and whispered, "That stubborn mule M'Baku has finally met someone who can make him yield."
Mavuika smiled. "Thor has that ability."
The banquet continued, though with a new table and new food. The spilled wine had already been cleaned up.
Thor and M'Baku sat side by side, their wine bowls constantly clinking, constantly being refilled, and constantly being emptied.
Outside the window, the moon had already risen to the middle of the sky.
In the Wakandan night sky, the stars were as dense as a handful of scattered diamonds.
The banquet continued, and laughter echoed. This city, recovered from the flames of war, glowed quietly under the moonlight. And its people were celebrating a new life in an ancient way.
...
The morning sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Wakandan palace into the banquet hall, illuminating the traces left behind by last night's revelry.
The long table was a mess of cups and plates. Palm Wine stains left dark rings on the tablecloth, and several empty wine bowls were overturned as if declaring the intensity of the previous night.
In a corner, two Wakandan warriors leaned against each other dozing off, still wearing their festive banquet attire, their hands still clutching unfinished wine flasks.
Thor lay across two chairs pushed together, one leg hooked over the armrest and the other dangling on the floor, snoring like thunder.
A satisfied smile still lingered on his face, as if he were still competing in drinking with M'Baku in his dreams.
Loki sat on the windowsill, holding a cup of tea that had already gone cold, quietly watching the morning light outside.
His clothes were still neat and his hair meticulous; it seemed he hadn't slept all night, or had slept very lightly.
Wanda and Pietro sat by the window on the other side. Wanda leaned against the wall with her eyes closed, her breathing steady.
Pietro sat beside her, holding an orange and peeling it slowly, placing the peeled segments by Wanda's hand for when she woke up.
He didn't need much sleep; his metabolism was much faster than an average person's, so a few hours were enough.
Tony lay on the sofa, covered by a blanket—Shuri had draped it over him in the middle of the night.
He had been discussing reconstruction plans with T'Chaka and Shuri until three in the morning, and finally unable to hold out any longer, he fell asleep right there on the sofa.
His brow was still slightly furrowed, not fully relaxed even in sleep.