Below the Gods

In the end, Kyle agreed to half of the conditions proposed by the Black Panther King.

That was to say: he would teach T’Chaka combat techniques at the appropriate time, but only for one or two months. After two months, Logan, who was proficient in hundreds of fighting techniques, would take over as his combat instructor.

The king and T’Chaka asked about the reason in surprise. Kyle did not hide much from them and frankly revealed that his Super Soldier body had been eroded by nuclear radiation, causing his genes to slowly mutate within him.

Upon learning this, the king and T’Chaka immediately offered to use Wakanda’s advanced medical technology to examine and treat Kyle.

Kyle had originally wanted to refuse, but Howard persuaded him otherwise. In the end, he underwent his third genetic diagnosis in Wakanda’s underground biological medical division.

Wakanda’s medical personnel possessed advanced technology that spanned centuries, with medical standards already reaching the level of the twenty-first century. Yet after conducting a detailed examination of Kyle, they were still shocked by his condition.

Nuclear radiation was not a natural product. It represented the most indiscriminate and destructive weapon possessed by humanity on Earth in modern times and beyond.

As for genetic mutation, humanity still found it difficult to give it a simple definition.

Mutations in DNA held limitless possibilities for life. At the upper limit, they might allow humans to become higher lifeforms like gods; at the lower limit, they might turn humans back into lower lifeforms like apes.

What was more, the genetic mutation within Kyle was as uncontrollable as the Big Bang. Under massive amounts of nuclear radiation, his genes had been irreversibly altered and reorganized. If not for the Healing Factor maintaining and suppressing them, his perfect body, ten times stronger than that of an ordinary human, would likely have collapsed long ago.

"It’s unbelievable. It’s as though your body contains the energy of a tiny sun. While it grants you superpowers in the future, your body will eventually be unable to bear it and self-destruct, killing you."

"We can do nothing about this. Medicine still has a long way to go before it can stabilize the genetic structure of the human body."

Wakanda’s medical personnel helplessly delivered a diagnosis of "incurable," even specifying the time remaining before Kyle’s body headed toward death: 213 days.

That amounted to roughly seven months, not much different from Howard’s second diagnosis.

Faced with such dreadful news, Howard looked grief-stricken. His lips were pressed tightly together, and he was in too much pain to speak. Even the joy of having just reached a preliminary technological cooperation agreement with Wakanda was completely swept away.

"Above kings, below gods," Howard murmured regretfully.

Kyle was only twenty-four this year!

At an age when a young man should have been at the height of his vigor, he was already a retired hero who had ended the wars of the Human World, a Symbol of Peace for the coming era, and a legendary figure admired, beloved, and supported by countless people.

Unfortunately, as if he could not escape the curse of war, the nuclear radiation from his final battle was urging him toward the end of his road.

No matter how strong he was, he was still only human, not a god. In the end, there were things he could not transcend…

The king and T’Chaka were also deeply saddened by the unfortunate news, repeatedly lamenting that heaven envied such talent.

"Don’t worry. You should all live a little longer yourselves. Maybe we’ll meet again in some future era."

Kyle smiled. He remained optimistic and calm about it, since he had never expected Wakanda of this era to possess the medical technology needed to cure him.

Ultimately, he would still have to set foot on that unknown and distant path through the stars.

Since he had already made his choice and prepared himself, although the symptoms of Kyle’s condition became more apparent by the day, his heart seemed to have been set ablaze. His fighting spirit and conviction only grew firmer.

He had overcome every battlefield and every obstacle. There was no reason he should lose to himself at the very end!

For two consecutive days, Kyle and Howard remained in Wakanda, witnessing and attending King T’Chaka’s coronation ceremony.

On the day T’Chaka became king, he immediately announced that the national research department would begin preliminary cooperation with Stark Industries, the Karl family, in the field of technology!

As the head of Stark Industries, Howard signed the cooperation agreement with King T’Chaka, while Kyle and the old king witnessed this historic moment.

This was the first time Wakanda had broken free from its isolation of thousands of years and proactively attempted to maintain a good cooperative relationship with an outside force. It also laid a solid foundation for Wakanda to open itself to the world and integrate with the outside in the future!

During that time, Kyle taught T’Chaka combat techniques when appropriate, then hurried back to America with Howard.

Having secured technological cooperation with Wakanda, the amount of work the two of them needed to do inevitably increased considerably.

Using the vibranium processing materials provided by Wakanda, Howard began attempting to create acceleration and solidified-energy devices based on the design plans for the new element.

After returning to the family estate, Kyle continued cultivating card disciples by granting Super Agent Ability Cards while also producing fixed portals for the mage organization.

Using fixed portals to connect the family base on overseas Dragon Turtle Island, Stark Industries Tower in New York, and Wakanda in Africa—three places separated by immense distances—was an important part of the Karl family’s long-term development plan.

On ordinary days, Kyle also worked on establishing and improving the Karl family’s rules and systems. Aside from that, seemingly to prevent the family members from noticing anything unusual about his body, he barely left the second floor of the estate.

The Karl family was on the right track, and the number of family members and card disciples steadily increased. Logan, Yutong, and the others threw themselves into their daily work as instructors and supervisors, yet none of them noticed anything unusual about Patriarch Kyle.

Amid such peaceful days, ten days passed.

The first-floor hall of the Karl family estate’s main building was utterly quiet. Only two young maids were cleaning, busily moving about as they carefully cleared even the dust from every corner.

A new doorway stood in the main hall. Its frame was forged from pure metal, and its handle was a round control device. Mysterious light and shadows reflected within the doorway, through which the basement of Stark Industries could faintly be seen on the other side.

"Tap, tap…"

As slow footsteps approached, the maids hurriedly looked up and saw a beautiful woman dressed like an urban professional stepping through the fixed portal in high heels.

She wore a suit jacket on top and a fitted long skirt below. Her blonde hair was swept up and tied high, and every gesture of hers was capable without losing elegance.

"Hello, Lucy," the two maids greeted sweetly as they hurried forward to welcome her.

"How many times have I told you? Don’t call me that." Lucy’s fair face reddened slightly. With both hands on her slim waist, she shot the maids a pretend fierce glare.

"Yes, Sister Lucy." The maids smiled and quickly changed how they addressed her. To them, among the few people of high standing in the family, Lucy was the easiest to get along with and approach.

"Why is it so quiet today? Where is everyone else?" Lucy asked in surprise, sweeping her beautiful eyes around. Normally, the card disciples’ sparring sessions were anything but quiet.

"Wolf King, Crimson Eyes, and Black Widow took the card disciples to Afghanistan. They said they were going out for some practical training," one of the maids answered.

"Then where is the Patriarch?" Lucy asked expectantly.

For the past few days, she had been working in financial management at Stark Industries Tower, studying diligently to take charge of the Karl family’s future funds.

Of course, all of this was for someone.