The Real Wakanda

"News of your death hasn’t been announced to the public yet. Only Wakandans themselves… well, and I know.

Right now, in the real world, I’m standing beside your corpse. You need to follow the guidance of this pillar of light and return to your body.

Then I can cast the spell again and completely anchor your soul to your body, bringing you back to life."

Oaks nodded in satisfaction. Now that T’Challa had a powerful desire to return to the world of the living, the resurrection would take half the effort for twice the result.

"As for the details, ask Nakia yourself after you’ve been revived."

"…I understand!"

T’Challa nodded heavily.

"President Oaks, Wakanda will forever remember your kindness!"

Without further hesitation, he leaped forward and vanished from this space, following the guidance of the soul passage.

"…"

Oaks did not leave immediately. His gaze swept toward the edge of the Soul Prairie before returning to the former Black Panther souls standing before him in bewilderment.

"Everyone, the world is facing an immense threat, and we need Wakanda’s strength…

"So whether it is for T’Challa himself or for the entire world, I need to take him back…

"Though Princess Bast did not say so explicitly, she has sensed certain omens as well.

"So, you need not take T’Challa’s words just now too seriously…

"It is only that the times have changed."

Oaks gave them a slight bow, his figure gradually fading away.

"If conditions permit, perhaps you may one day walk the living world again…"

The Black Panther souls exchanged looks. Just who was this man?!

Inside the cave, surging Nature Force churned. The azure glow representing soul power suddenly flared, and a bright orb slowly entered T’Challa’s body in the earthen pit along the guidance of the Soul Pillar!

Nakia and the others were already staring in stunned silence. The moment that bright orb appeared, her heartbeat instinctively quickened.

"Boom…"

The Soul Pillar vanished, transforming into a protective barrier over T’Challa’s body as emerald natural light engulfed him.

"Nature Force, heed my command…"

Oaks’s solemn voice rang out. Even Nakia and the others, who possessed no supernatural power at all, could clearly feel some special energy rapidly gathering!

"Resurrection!"

"Whoosh…"

A blinding flash passed, and all magical phenomena disappeared.

"President Oaks…"

"Whew… I did not disappoint."

Oaks opened his eyes and let out a long breath. This was the first time he had performed such a complex resurrection spell.

"T’Challa, open your eyes."

"…Cough, cough, cough!"

A long inhalation sounded from the earthen pit, immediately turning into coughing.

"Pfft, pfft! It’s all dirt…"

"T’Challa!"

Nakia burst into tears of joy and lunged forward, knocking T’Challa, who had just sat up in the pit, back down again.

"You’re alive! Bless the ancestors… you finally came back!"

"…Nakia!"

T’Challa discovered that his body no longer felt the slightest abnormality. Clearly, he had been completely healed.

"Thank you…"

He hugged his girlfriend tightly.

"I’m back!"

"Well… since T’Challa has been revived, my task is complete."

Oaks stood and brushed the dirt from his clothes.

"As for your internal affairs, it would be inappropriate for an outsider like me to interfere. Besides, with T’Challa here, that man should pose no threat at all. But how do you intend to deal with him?"

Oaks looked at T’Challa, whose expression gradually became solemn after separating from Nakia.

"Will you keep this cousin of yours, or…?"

"He committed the unforgivable crime of assassinating the heir to the throne. Wakanda will make the proper judgment."

T’Challa rose to his feet, accepted the clothes handed over by the royal guards, and slowly dressed himself.

"But for the sake of my uncle N’Jobu, I will give him a fair chance to challenge me—

"If he wins, he may leave Wakanda alive. If he loses, I will not kill him either. He will remain in a Vibranium prison and watch as I change Wakanda piece by piece!"

"…As long as you have thought it through."

Oaks neither agreed nor disagreed. Erik’s obsession ran very deep. Simply defeating him might not make him change his ways.

"Just don’t go easy on him… A Killmonger who has slaughtered countless people on the battlefield will not spare you just because you are his cousin."

"…I understand."

T’Challa had already put on Wakanda’s formal attire, determination flashing in his eyes.

"I will not waste this chance to return… Besides, he did kill me once."

"Then I’ll take my leave. I look forward to your good news."

Oaks smiled and nodded. He raised a hand and made a motion through the air beside him, but his expression stiffened.

T’Challa and Nakia: "?"

"Uh… could someone give me a ride back?"

Under T’Challa and Nakia’s strange gazes, Oaks calmly withdrew his hand. Wakanda’s Great Shield was formidable indeed; for now, he could not open a teleportation passage within it…

No wonder even the Gaia Hypothesis could not detect the ecological conditions inside the shield.

However, Malorne had been monitoring the Great Shield’s range all along. Now that he had data from passing through it once, nothing would be able to stop him the next time he came.

Not long after Oaks returned to the Benevolence Society, news arrived from Wakanda.

"Wakandan King T’Chaka, feeling that age has caught up with him and his energy is no longer sufficient, has abdicated. Prince T’Challa succeeds him as King of Wakanda, effective immediately!"

Wakanda had not sent this news to him privately. It was broadcast on television as a news report.

The matter was finally settled. Wakanda’s new king ascended the throne and filed the matter with the United Nations, while leaders from various countries sent congratulatory messages.

Though it seemed somewhat rushed, Wakanda was merely a "poor little country" in the Third World. Hardly anyone cared.

"Brother, His Majesty King T’Challa of Wakanda has sent an invitation."

As Oaks watched the news, Malorne’s image appeared and reported the new development.

His image was becoming increasingly lifelike. The Soul Projection effect was no less impressive than the "second-generation" Holographic Projection technology Tony had recently installed for Jarvis.

That technology had given Ms. Carter quite a fright. She had thought her old friend, the butler Jarvis, had returned.

"Let me see…"

Oaks opened the Holographic Projection. Before him appeared an exquisite scanned invitation.

"Hmm, inviting me to visit the royal palace. Heh, sightseeing is one thing, but an official visit… that is not so simple."

Official visits were generally conducted between nations. No matter how inconspicuous Wakanda appeared, it was still a country.

Even if the Benevolence Society was a global organization, it was merely a charitable group. How could it officially "visit" a country?

"So Wakanda has decided to formally ally with us?"

Malorne’s lively eyes rolled.

"That makes sense. After all, Brother, you saved His Majesty’s life and prevented a coup in their country. An alliance is only natural."

"Malorne, this alliance with Wakanda is likely not that simple…"

Oaks recalled what T’Challa had said to his ancestors in the Ancestral Land and fell into thought.

"Wakanda afterward will likely no longer be the poor and backward nation it currently presents itself as.

"The most advanced country on Earth may very well open to the world the gates it has kept closed for thousands of years.

"When that happens, the global order will change rapidly… and we must be prepared as well."

"Do you mean human technology is about to experience a massive leap forward?"

Based on Oaks’s description, Malorne had roughly estimated Wakanda’s technological level. He immediately thought of that possibility.

"It seems we need to speed up the construction of our ecosystem as well.

"But given the Gaia Mirror’s current state, even with environmental data from the Ta Lo Realm, we still have not successfully simulated an independent ecosystem.

"There is too much data to calculate. It will probably take another two years or so to complete the design blueprint for a fully self-circulating ecosystem."

"That’s all right. Wakanda cannot possibly selflessly bring out all its technology for everyone to study together."

Oaks shut off the Holographic Projection before him and stood.

"I should first see what kind of surprise Wakanda has prepared for me…"

The second time Oaks entered Wakanda’s Great Shield, he did not sneak in aboard an off-road vehicle as he had last time.

This time, General Okoye, captain of Wakanda’s royal female guard, personally piloted a ship to receive Oaks and escort him to the Wakandan royal palace.

"President Oaks, thank you for your help to Wakanda… His Majesty awaits your arrival."

Okoye sat in the pilot’s seat in a strange meditative posture, palms and soles facing upward.

"…Your way of piloting these ships is certainly unusual."

Oaks studied the highly futuristic ship with an odd expression and casually asked, "How is that troublemaker doing?"

"Erik Stevens, that Killmonger who profaned the royal bloodline!"

Okoye had long disliked Erik, so her face was full of smiles.

"The Former King was misled by his smooth talk because of the guilt he felt toward Erik’s father in his younger days. But when Nakia appeared with His Majesty, the truth came to light—

"He committed the grave crime of murdering the heir to the throne and should have been executed immediately. But His Majesty was merciful and gave him a chance at a fair duel.

"However, he was no match for His Majesty at all. After his defeat, the council sentenced him to life imprisonment."

"T’Challa truly did as he said…"

Oaks nodded. Still, it was more accurate to say that the three women closest to him had kept clear heads, giving Oaks the chance to intervene and revive him.

"The Former King, the Queen Mother, Princess Consort, and Princess all wish to personally express their gratitude to President Oaks."

Okoye’s gaze was filled with emotion. Who could have imagined that this miracle, hoped for with only the slimmest chance, would truly come to pass?

"You have also shown me the real Wakanda. To be honest, I truly did not want to leave last time…"

Oaks smiled. The magnificent scenery outside looked entirely different from how it had appeared from the ground.

"I can hardly wait to see it all!"

The ship flew past majestic cliffs and waterfalls, entering a futuristic city before slowly descending beside its largest central building.

Okoye stood and gave Oaks a slight bow.

"This way, President Oaks—we have arrived!"