Of course, no matter how absurd Wakanda may seem, or how strange its outlandishly advanced technology may appear, its existence is undeniable. Hidden deep within Africa, the nation of Wakanda was real, and its strength was far from insignificant.
Still, to claim they could rival the Big Five or any of the great European powers was sheer fantasy. Production capacity, war potential, strategic depth, and even the most basic factor of population, Wakanda lagged behind on every count. Their numbers were barely in the millions, not even enough to match some mid-sized cities. Against any second-rate military power, their population could be crushed almost overnight. Unless Wakanda could somehow summon its so-called Panther God, the idea of resisting modern militaries was laughable.
In Shin's view, Wakanda's long history of concealment wasn't simply the result of ancestral tradition or stubborn isolation. The true reason was more pragmatic: if their existence and technology were fully exposed, the combined powers of the world would never allow such a small nation to survive.
Yes, Wakanda had vibranium-based technology, weapons, and cloaking systems that seemed miraculous, but compared to the raw destructive power of modern missiles, warships, and nuclear arsenals, their advantage was precarious at best.
"Do you know about Wakanda?" Professor X asked, sounding surprised. His usually calm tone carried a sharp edge of curiosity.
Wakanda's secrecy was legendary. Without Cerebro, his Brainwave Amplifier, Professor X might never have learned the truth that Wakanda held unimaginable quantities of vibranium, and technology advanced far beyond anything publicly known. It was a resource that could captivate and destabilize the world.
But Xavier was a man who tried to hold to moral principles. He knew that exposing Wakanda's secrets would bring disaster, so he had kept his knowledge locked away. What surprised him now was that Shin spoke as if he had always known.
"Of course I know," Shin said, rolling his eyes. He remembered the stories from the comics of his past life. In that version, Storm was destined to become the consort of T'Challa, the Black Panther. But this world seemed different. Storm herself appeared confused at the mention of Wakanda, as if she had never even heard of the place.
"Of course I know. It's a... strange country in Africa," Shin began, his voice steady. He had been about to add that it was the source of vibranium, but suddenly felt the sharp brush of Professor X's telepathy against his mind. The professor urged him silently to change his words, and Shin smoothly altered his phrasing.
"Just a strange country."
There were too many ears in the room. Though Xavier trusted his students, he understood better than anyone the danger of secrets being spread through careless chatter. The fewer who knew about Wakanda's true nature, the safer it was for both mutants and humans.
Even so, Shin couldn't help but think. "If Magneto and the Brotherhood have taken refuge in Wakanda, how could Wakanda possibly keep its secrets hidden?"
Magneto's powers were practically tailor-made for Wakanda. Their cities and homes were built with vibranium woven into their structures. Every ounce of metal, every scrap of the precious resource, was something Erik Lehnsherr could manipulate with terrifying precision. If Wakanda dared provoke him, what would stop Magneto from dragging a vibranium meteorite from orbit and smashing it onto their land?
"How long has Magneto been in Wakanda?" Shin asked directly. It was obvious he hadn't just arrived, not when even the key members of the Brotherhood had all disappeared from sight.
"About a month," Professor X admitted, his expression troubled.
Shin's eyes narrowed. "A little over a month. Wakanda isn't a vast empire, it's the size of a single city-state. If Magneto has been there that long, then he must already have set his plans in motion. And since we haven't heard a whisper about it... things must not be going well for him."
He reasoned it through quickly. If Magneto had failed, then with his skill and his foresight, he would have escaped long ago. Some members of the Brotherhood, at least, would have survived to spread the word. For them all to vanish without a trace meant something else.
But if Magneto had reached some kind of arrangement with Wakanda, then their silence made perfect sense. A closed-off kingdom that shunned outsiders wouldn't let its secrets leak so easily.
Professor X's frown deepened. "It seems we must stop whatever Magneto is planning—"
"Wait," Shin interrupted, raising his hand. "We don't know the situation yet. We can't call it a conspiracy without proof. What if Magneto has actually made a friendly agreement with Wakanda? That's not impossible."
Xavier hesitated. Magneto was his old friend, and though they had stood on opposite sides for decades, he understood Erik better than most. Cooperation was possible. It was also dangerous.
"Wakanda is not a stable land," Shin continued. "They have their royal family, their Black Panther line, but Wakanda isn't the only faction with power. Who knows? Maybe there's already a new king on the throne."
He didn't believe that Magneto and the Brotherhood, none of whom were African, could ever truly dominate Wakanda on their own. More likely, they were collaborating with one of Wakanda's internal factions—the Jabari tribe, perhaps, or even the White Gorilla Cult. Or it might all be a deception, with Mystique playing her usual role of infiltrator.
"Don't forget," Shin added, "Wakanda might look advanced, but its core is still tribal. That kind of system breeds both pride and fear of outsiders."
The professor and the X-Men exchanged uneasy glances. If they went to intervene blindly, they risked walking into a trap. The Brotherhood could unite with Wakanda's warriors, and the X-Men would find themselves surrounded on all sides.
Xavier drummed his fingers on his wheelchair's armrest. "Perhaps you're right. Wakanda's inner politics are complicated. Their people are not without ambition."
Shin gave a small nod. "Exactly. The ruling elites in Wakanda live well, sustained by vibranium trade and advanced technology. They are reluctant to change. But the lower classes... the border tribes... their lives are not much different from those of Africans outside Wakanda. They may wear cloaks of energy and carry smart devices, but their actual conditions remain poor."
"They eat enough, yes. They have access to medicine. But their quality of life is stagnant, and resentment festers."
The room grew quiet as Shin spoke. His words painted a picture of a proud nation split in two. The ruling class basked in the glory of their secret kingdom, while the common people bore the burden of its contradictions.
"And resentment breeds ambition," Shin finished. "Those border tribes, those dissatisfied Wakandans, they dream of using vibranium to liberate their so-called brothers and rule the world. They've never let go of that idea."
Silence filled the room. Storm frowned, troubled by the thought of her homeland's continent being exploited yet again by hidden powers. Wanda crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful, while Pietro shifted impatiently, always quick to action.
Professor X sighed deeply. "Then we must be careful. If Magneto has indeed aligned himself with such ambitions... the consequences could be catastrophic."
Shin folded his arms, his gaze steady. "Which is why we need to learn the truth before we make our move."
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