In the royal palace of Wakanda, Prince T'Challa sat heavily on his throne, his face shadowed with grief. Across from him stood his sister, Princess Shuri, the nation's brightest mind and guardian of its technology.
The aftermath of the attack weighed heavily on them both. Wakanda's leadership had been devastated, and now, only the two siblings remained to guide their people.
"Brother, don't lose hope," Shuri urged gently, sensing the turmoil in his heart. "If you had been frozen like the others, Wakanda would be left without a sovereign. The country would fall into chaos."
T'Challa gave a faint nod. "I understand, Shuri. I don't blame you for what you did. You acted to protect me." His voice was low, carrying both gratitude and sorrow. "But my mind is elsewhere. I'm trying to understand his purpose."
Shuri tilted her head. "His purpose?"
"The stranger—Kurogai Blackwood," T'Challa said slowly. "He froze our leaders, then stacked their bodies into that monstrous iceberg. But why?"
He clenched his fists. Reports from the vibranium mine had already reached him: dozens entombed, elders and soldiers alike, their lives suspended within the frozen monument. If Kurogai simply wished to kill, it would have been easier to shatter them where they stood. Instead, he preserved them.
"That means he has a greater goal," T'Challa murmured. "Something more terrifying than slaughter."
Shuri's expression hardened as realization struck. "It's the vibranium," she said. "It has to be. He's taken control of the mine, and with that iceberg at the entrance, no one can intervene. He intends to claim all of it for himself."
Her voice trembled, though she fought to remain calm. "If Wakanda loses vibranium, we lose everything. Our technology, our defenses, even our way of life. We've relied on it for generations. Without it, the nation could collapse."
T'Challa closed his eyes for a moment, weighing her words. "Then perhaps it is time to change," he said finally. "Perhaps we must learn to stand without vibranium, before we are forced to."
He straightened, his resolve returning. "Shuri, your task is clear. Study that iceberg. Find a way to free our people without harming them. I will stabilize the nation, keep the people from despair, and begin planning for a future beyond dependence."
She nodded firmly. "Understood."
While the royal siblings prepared their response, Kurogai worked tirelessly in the depths of the mine. The frozen barrier he had created ensured absolute silence, no soldiers daring to approach. For the first time, he harvested vibranium without distraction.
The gleaming ore fueled the strange, otherworldly power within him—his Ultimate Pupil. As he absorbed more and more, the energy of the sixth pupil ring reached saturation.
"The sixth ring is at its limit," the voice of the Ultimate Pupil resonated within him. "Its level can now be increased. Shall it be done?"
Kurogai narrowed his eyes. "Not yet. Keep charging."
He wanted more—an overwhelming surge all at once. Incremental growth was nothing compared to the transformation he sought. So he pressed on, extracting every last fragment of vibranium from the mine.
Days passed. When at last the flow of vibranium ceased, he opened his eyes. The once-rich mine lay barren, stripped clean.
"So, even an entire vibranium mine cannot fully sustain the sixth ring," he muttered, disappointment flickering across his face. "I will need a rarer metal—something greater."
Still, all was not lost. He inspected the Ultimate Pupil, and to his surprise, the harvest had provided him with more than he expected.
[The sixth ring is saturated. You may increase its level. Not once, but twice.]
Kurogai's lips curved into a rare smile. "Twice… and with the two promotions before this, that makes four advancements from a single mine. A prize worth the effort."
In the past, even two consecutive upgrades had been rare fortune. But now, his conquest of Wakanda's greatest resource had delivered four. It was beyond anything he had imagined.
"The Ultimate Pupil," he commanded softly, "raise it. Use them all."
The sixth ring flared with light. Heat coursed through his body, converging on his optic nerves. His vision blurred as the transformation began, power reshaping the very core of his being.
A rush of warmth filled his eyes. For a moment, the world around him fractured into shifting light and shadow. Then, clarity returned.
Kurogai slowly opened his eyes again. They no longer looked as they once had. Something within them had changed—something far more dangerous.
_____
Milestone,
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter