When you fall behind, you get hit. The old saying really was not wrong.
Nolan sighed inwardly.
Wakanda was supposedly the most powerful nation on Earth, yet its intelligence gathering was this outdated. It was almost impressive in a bad way.
Still, Nolan did not point it out. He simply asked,
"What do you want with Ulysses Klaue?"
"That is a personal matter. I am not obligated to explain it to you," T'Challa replied flatly.
Nolan did not mind.
"Ulysses Klaue is dead."
"Dead?"
T'Challa froze for a moment, then frowned deeply.
"That's impossible. Klaue is extremely cunning. He wouldn't die so easily."
Nolan smiled.
"I am certain he is dead, because I was there when it happened."
At those words, T'Challa fell silent.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
Klaue possessed vibranium stolen from Wakanda, and vibranium was Wakanda's greatest secret. Nolan Lock might be lying, or he might be telling the truth. T'Challa had no way to confirm it.
But if it was true, then one question became unavoidable. Where had that vibranium gone?
After a brief hesitation, T'Challa asked carefully,
"Do you know who Ulysses Klaue really was?"
"Of course. He was a vibranium dealer. In fact, all the vibranium he possessed is now in my hands."
For a split second, T'Challa nearly attacked him.
Wakanda's secret had been exposed.
Nolan paid no attention to the shock on T'Challa's face. He even felt that this was not enough and continued calmly,
"Not only that, I also know where vibranium comes from. A country called Wakanda. And I know that Wakanda's king, generation after generation, bears the title of Black Panther."
With that single statement, every secret T'Challa had tried to hide was laid bare.
Nolan was not worried about T'Challa lashing out. Wakanda was powerful, yes, but power depended on context.
T'Challa could not bring Wakanda with him, and here there was only one Black Panther.
The Panther suit was impressive, especially its defensive capabilities, but at its core, it was more a symbol of inheritance than a weapon of war.
This was the modern world.
Take Steve Rogers, Captain America. He was formidable, yet realistically, he could only deal with limited-scale threats. He could not face an organized army head-on.
Only someone on the level of the Hulk could do that.
The Black Panther suit clearly did not grant that kind of power. Against a real military force, even with vibranium armor, exhaustion alone would be fatal.
T'Challa did feel the impulse to strike, but he restrained himself almost immediately.
He was not a match for Nolan Lock.
Even if he had failed to recognize him at first, he knew very well who Hero Nolan was.
"Yes," T'Challa said at last. "I am the next Black Panther."
Peter Parker stared at him in shock.
"So you're a prince?"
His face flushed slightly. A prince of an entire nation could not possibly be a thief.
Since his identity was out in the open, T'Challa no longer bothered with disguises. He nodded once.
"I apologize for withholding the truth, but Wakanda is… different from other places."
He did not elaborate further. Instead, he turned to Nolan.
"Mr. Lock, the vibranium Ulysses Klaue possessed was stolen from Wakanda. I hope you will return it."
Nolan laughed openly.
"That was a dispute between Wakanda and Klaue. I was merely a buyer. Shouldn't you be taking this up with the seller?"
T'Challa's expression stiffened.
But Klaue is dead. And you killed him.
It was only a suspicion, but T'Challa was fairly certain he was right.
He also realized that Nolan Lock had no intention of giving up the vibranium easily.
Sure enough, Nolan continued,
"Besides, even if I wanted to return it, I couldn't. During the battle when the Dark Elves invaded Earth, that vibranium was destroyed."
"That's impossible!" T'Challa shot back.
"Vibranium cannot be destroyed."
Nolan replied calmly,
"Vibranium is indeed extraordinary. It has exceptional physical properties and remarkable compatibility with energy and magic alike. Whether for technology or mysticism, it is nearly perfect. But nothing in this universe is truly indestructible. After all, the vibranium you wear has been shaped into armor, hasn't it?"
After explaining this, Nolan shifted the topic.
"Actually, I was hoping to propose a deal with Wakanda."
"I'm sorry," T'Challa said immediately.
"Wakanda is a closed nation with no contact with the outside world. And I am not yet king. I cannot agree to anything on its behalf."
He understood perfectly what Nolan wanted. Vibranium.
But he was still hoping to recover what Nolan already had. There was no way he would agree to further trade.
Nolan was not intimidated.
"Wakanda is indeed hidden. I once sent people across Africa looking for it and found nothing. But the world keeps advancing. Wakanda's technology is powerful, but its population is limited. That means fewer talents and less accumulated experience. If this continues, others will eventually catch up."
He looked directly at T'Challa.
"When that day comes, and the world discovers a nation like Wakanda, one that possesses vibranium, do you think other countries will simply ignore it?"
Then Nolan added quietly,
"You are in New York right now for that very reason, aren't you?"
The words struck home.
That was precisely why T'Challa had come to study abroad.
Watching T'Challa's reaction, Nolan continued,
"Wakanda needs a partner, a bridge to gradually connect with the outside world. And right now, Lock Technologies is a very suitable choice. I assume you do not doubt our capabilities."
T'Challa remained silent for a long moment, thinking carefully.
Finally, he said,
"I do not doubt Lock Technologies. But this matter requires my father's approval. And any discussion involving vibranium will need a far more detailed and cautious plan."
"No problem," Nolan agreed without hesitation.
Vibranium was simply too valuable. Whatever conditions Wakanda proposed could be discussed later. If they became unreasonable, he could always renegotiate.
Seeing how readily Nolan agreed, T'Challa began to suspect that Nolan Lock had already prepared for this outcome.
Still, Nolan was right.
T'Challa had originally intended to use an official organization, perhaps SHIELD, as a starting point to integrate Wakanda into the international community. But Nolan Lock was the one private entity that could justify an exception.
The two reached a preliminary verbal agreement. The next step would be detailed negotiations and a formal visit to Wakanda, where the reigning Black Panther would discuss the cooperation in person.
Nolan was not worried about T'Challa going back on his word.
Wakanda's engagement with the outside world was inevitable, and dealing with a private organization was far more flexible than dealing with governments.
As for legitimacy, T'Challa's earlier thoughts were accurate.
Lock Technologies had surpassed Stark Industries and Oscorp alike. It was now an undisputed technological giant.
They had the influence to back it up.
Nolan glanced at Peter Parker.
The young Spider-Man really was his lucky charm.
Peter looked completely lost, but he understood one thing. The situation had ended in cooperation.
"So… everything worked out?" Peter asked cautiously.
"Of course," Nolan replied with a smile.
Peter nodded.
Good. As long as the problem was solved, that was enough for him.
The cooperation itself was far beyond his world anyway.
After parting ways with them, Nolan returned to his company and took out the small sphere that allowed him to travel between worlds.
He had planned to activate it as soon as possible, but now he decided to delay it.
With one previous experience behind him, he would not repeat the same mistakes.
No matter which world awaited him, he was confident he could extract sufficient benefits.
Because the crises of this world were approaching fast.
He had been keeping a close eye on Stephen Strange.
The strongest Sorcerer Supreme in history had already embarked on his path of magic.
Once the new Sorcerer Supreme fully emerged, the pace of the entire Marvel world would accelerate.
The fall of Asgard.
The rise of the fire giant.
Hela's return.
Thor claiming Stormbreaker and ascending the throne.
And with that, Thanos would be coming.
This period was his final window to grow stronger.
By now, he had Netero, who could stand against Thanos directly, a global network of mechanical forces, and the steadily progressing cosmic projects of Lock Technologies.
He already possessed the foundation to resist Thanos.
Even so, before Thanos arrived, Nolan wanted to push his strength as far as possible.
The Mjolnir armor had gone through multiple upgrades and granted him tremendous combat power.
Yet in essence, he was not that different from Tony Stark.
Even after enhancements from the super soldier serum and the Goblin formula, his physical abilities were only slightly above the human limit.
He was not much stronger than Captain America.
Against ordinary enemies, that was enough.
Against beings like the Ancient One or Thanos, it was clearly insufficient.
He had long suspected that the Ancient One had held back during their fight. With her power, she would never have chosen a direct confrontation.
A precise strike would have been far more effective.
Even with the Mjolnir armor, Nolan did not feel truly safe.
He needed a new form of enhancement.
Something beyond the super soldier serum.
His first thought had been the Heart-Shaped Herb of Wakanda, but he dismissed it quickly.
Too many obstacles.
The herb was kept in a sacred area. Sacred places were never easy to infiltrate.
He was confident he could enter almost any restricted zone in the world unnoticed, but Wakanda was different. He had no confidence he could do so without being detected.
Moreover, consuming the herb meant encountering the Panther Goddess. He could not even be sure whether the power came from the herb itself or divine intervention.
Most importantly, the power was not enough.
The Heart-Shaped Herb granted strength far beyond ordinary humans, but it was not significantly stronger than the super soldier serum.
He needed more.
Perhaps full mechanization was the only path left.
Nolan sighed.
Every enhancement option in the system would slowly strip away his humanity.
The power was tempting, but his human identity mattered to him.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
T'Challa called again.
"Mr. Lock, my father has agreed to meet you."
Nolan's eyes lit up.
"I'm ready."
A smile formed on his lips.
With vibranium, the strength of his armor could be pushed even further.
For Wakanda, vibranium was common. For him, it was a priceless resource.
This visit might allow him to overhaul his equipment entirely.
With that in mind, he prepared immediately and set off for the most mysterious nation on Earth.
Wakanda was hidden beneath an energy barrier that enveloped the entire country.
Using vibranium technology, Wakanda had entered a futuristic age long before most nations even began their technological revolutions.
The barrier was not only camouflage. It was Wakanda's first line of defense.
Nolan and T'Challa boarded a private Lock Technologies spacecraft and flew over the African plains.
They passed hundreds of miles of desolate wilderness.
"This is the place," T'Challa said suddenly.
Nolan looked down.
It appeared no different from everything they had flown over before.
Still, he trusted T'Challa.
After T'Challa spoke into his communicator, an opening suddenly appeared in midair before their ship.
Nolan was genuinely surprised.
His ship was far from ordinary. He had assumed Wakanda's defenses might miss it at long range, but not at close proximity.
Clearly, he had underestimated Wakanda's technology.
As he guided the ship inside, he saw squadrons of guards approaching on individual flying craft, surrounding them.
Every one of them leveled their spears at the ship.
"I apologize," T'Challa said.
"This is Wakanda's first contact with the outside world. Right now, Wakanda is… sensitive."
He added,
"Please be cautious. Those spears are powerful weapons."
Nolan nodded. He was not concerned.
"T'Challa, is this Mr. Nolan Lock?" the captain of the guard asked as they disembarked, his gaze sharp and assessing.
"Yes."
"The king is waiting for you."
The captain spoke with formality, his eyes never leaving Nolan.
The scrutiny was unmistakable.