Considering he had come all the way to Wakanda to ask for things, Peter chose to show a modicum of mercy at the critical moment.
He wasn't a "true-blooded" American, after all; he couldn't bring himself to take a man's property and then scalp him for good measure.
Whoosh—!
Just as Peter was mentally patting himself on the back for being such a virtuous soul who repaid grievances with kindness, the hatch of the largest flagship fighter opened.
A man clad in a sleek black tactical suit and a panther-themed cowl leaped out without hesitation.
He plummeted from the sky, caught the falling Wakandan soldier mid-air, and landed firmly on the deck of the freighter. Normally, a fall from such a height would result in instant death or permanent paralysis.
But with the protection of the Black Panther habit and the divine strength granted by the Heart-Shaped Herb, he stood up completely unscathed.
"Thief! You have provoked T'Challa!"
Black Panther let out a defiant roar toward Peter, his voice echoing across the waves. "But I respect you as a powerful warrior! Wakanda admires the strong. By the laws of Wakanda, I offer you a fair trial by combat!"
"Defeat me, and I will let you leave with the Vibranium alive!"
Peter looked at him, slightly speechless. This guy was acting exactly like Thor when he first arrived on Earth—brawny, noble, and not particularly bright.
However, since this was a perfect opportunity to flex his muscles in front of Wakanda, Peter saw no reason to refuse. He drifted down from the air, landing lightly on the deck, and looked T'Challa in the eye.
"Fine. But if I win, I don't just want this little bit of ore. I'm going to Wakanda myself."
T'Challa thought to himself that this outsider was truly seeking death. But fueled by absolute confidence in his skills and the Vibranium suit, he spoke without thinking: "Fine. If you can defeat me, what does it matter if I lead you there personally?"
"Interesting." Peter tilted his head, looking at the Little cat who didn't know the height of the Strength. He crossed his arms and stood his ground. "Don't say I'm bullying you. I'll give you a chance: I'll let you have three free moves."
A vein pulsed on T'Challa's forehead. He didn't waste time arguing; he simply let out a cold hiss through his teeth. "I hope your skills are as tough as your mouth!"
In a blur of speed, T'Challa was on him. His fist, carrying the weight of a ton of force, swung directly toward Peter's face—a blow capable of denting heavy tank armor.
Peter simply raised his left hand.
THUD!
The collision of fist and palm released a muffled shockwave. The expected sight of Peter being sent flying didn't happen.
Peter remained rooted to the spot, immovable. As he tightened his grip, T'Challa felt a surge of sharp pain radiating through his hand.
If he let this madman continue, his knuckles would be crushed like eggshells.
Realizing the gap in raw strength, T'Challa's expression changed. He shifted gears, activating the suit's trump card: a kinetic discharge. He pushed the stored energy in the suit to its limit, creating a violent energy field that erupted around them.
The deck beneath them shattered. The freighter groaned as a massive crater formed in the center of the ship, the force eventually tearing the medium-sized vessel clean in half—giving the ship a literal "middle part" hairstyle.
Black Panther assumed that would be the end of it. But as the dust settled, he found Peter standing on the opposite half of the broken ship, his suit not even wrinkled.
"Is that it?"
Those three words made T'Challa's composure crumble. He was young and hot-headed, and having already labeled Peter a "thief," he found the man's nonchalance infuriating.
He lunged again, the Vibranium claws extending from his gloves as he slashed frantically at Peter.
"Three moves are up. My turn~"
After dodging one last swipe, Peter threw a simple punch.
Hum—!
An invisible ripple passed through T'Challa. The Vibranium suit absorbed the kinetic energy perfectly. He wasn't knocked back; instead, he used the absorbed momentum to continue his assault.
"Tch." Peter clicked his tongue. He had forgotten how annoying Vibranium's properties could be.
He had valued Vibranium for its hardness, but for an opponent, its kinetic absorption was the true headache. Wearing that suit was like having 99% damage reduction; physical strikes simply couldn't break his guard. In fact, the suit could even vibrate back to injure the attacker.
However, just because physical attacks were ineffective didn't mean Peter was out of options. Having tested T'Challa's limits, he was done playing house. He swiped his hand over the driver.
"Water, please~!"
"Vivivivi~~"
A blue magic circle swept over him as he shifted to Water Style. "Since you're too tough for a hard touch, let me teach you about 'subduing the firm with the gentle'!"
Peter snapped his fingers. The seawater beneath their feet rose as if pulled by an invisible hand. A massive water dragon erupted from the ocean, swallowing the startled Black Panther in one gulp.
The dragon spiraled in the air, its body forming several high-pressure water whips that bound T'Challa from every angle.
"What is this?!" T'Challa struggled wildly, but the water was incredibly resilient. No matter how much strength he exerted, he couldn't break free.
Even his kinetic discharge only cleared a space for a second before the water reformed, binding him tighter. And without new kinetic energy to absorb, he couldn't even trigger another discharge.
Seeing the prince still trying to struggle, Peter let out a cold chuckle.
"As a price for rudely interrupting my travel... why don't you cool off for a bit?"
Peter snapped his fingers again.
"Ice time~"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
An extreme chill exploded. The seawater binding T'Challa flash-froze at a visible speed. The temperature dropped so low that the moisture in the air crystallized, creating a localized snowfall.
In a matter of seconds, the once-unstoppable Prince of Wakanda was transformed into a shimmering, crystal-clear human popsicle.
Peter casually hoisted the frozen prince onto his shoulder and flashed a "kind" smile at the stunned fleet of fighters hovering above.
"Why are you all just standing there? You wouldn't want your prince to accidentally shatter into a thousand pieces, would you?"
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