The old king felt that he had struck gold too.
With Wakanda's level of technology, they naturally knew every detail about the "battle" that had taken place in space half a month ago. In fact, aside from the two people directly involved, the old king was probably the one who understood the entire incident best.
He had watched the recordings more times than he could count and every time he watched them, he laughed.
What a profit! Two super-powered combatants! More importantly, they had an excellent relationship with Wakanda. He even had footage of Daniel and Carol sparring with each other.
For the past few days, the old king had been thinking about how to invite Daniel and Carol to visit Wakanda. If Carol hadn't just returned home after six years away, he would have personally gone to see the siblings himself to strengthen their friendship.
Now things had worked out perfectly and they had come without even being invited, he just had to treat them well.
Didn't Daniel love the Vibranium suit? Give him ten suits!
Who cared? Wakanda had plenty of Vibranium!
With these two on their side, as long as the relationship stayed the way it was now, the king believed Wakanda would remain safe for the next hundred years.
Even if every nation on Earth united to invade Wakanda, just open the energy shield and let Daniel and Carol out. Good luck to the invaders.
So when Daniel and Carol stepped off the cruiser, the king personally came to greet them with the entire royal family. He walked up and embraced both of them warmly and his enthusiasm was impossible to miss.
If Daniel didn't already have a girlfriend, the king would have seriously considered marrying his daughter to him.
"...Although..." He suddenly thought of something.
"Carol's still single, isn't she? So, maybe T'Challa would be a good match?"
At this point, he no longer cared about Wakandan traditions. All he wanted was to strengthen Wakanda's relationship with Daniel and Carol. People had to learn to adapt instead of stubbornly clinging to old customs.
The king couldn't help feeling thankful that, from Daniel's very first visit to Wakanda years ago, he had begun giving the boy Vibranium equipment.
Thankfully, he had also never sent T'Challa off to Oxford. What was the point? How many useful friends could he make there?
Letting T'Challa attend college with Daniel had been the best decision he'd ever made.
Now the two were genuine friends and if anything ever happened to Wakanda, or to T'Challa… would Daniel really stand by and do nothing? And now Carol had joined the picture as well.
The image was simply beautiful. Wakanda's future was secure, and his family's throne was secure too.
"Hahaha!"
T'Chaka laughed from the bottom of his heart. He led Daniel and the others straight into the palace. Not to the grand reception hall normally used for foreign dignitaries. Instead, he brought them to the royal family's private residence behind it.
The atmosphere there was far more relaxed, it was perfect for friends chatting together.
"You absolutely must stay in Wakanda for a few more days this time," T'Chaka said.
Normally, every time Daniel came over, he'd collect a new suit and then disappear. Sometimes by himself and sometimes dragging T'Challa away with him.
Daniel just smiled. "This time I mainly brought the spaceship over for you to study. It's alien technology, and it works differently from Vibranium tech, but I'm sure you'll learn something from it."
T'Chaka's eyes lit up.
"That would be incredible!"
"That ship of yours is a real treasure."
He didn't bother with excessive formalities. Between friends, mutual benefit was enough, also there was no need for empty politeness.
The atmosphere was cheerful. Daniel was grinning from ear to ear after hearing T'Chaka insist on giving him several more suits. The man's hospitality was simply too overwhelming, how could he possibly refuse?
His smile stretched so wide his cheeks hurt. Then, he felt someone watching him.
Ever since entering his mature stage, Daniel's soul had gradually begun merging with his body. Now, if the Ancient One wanted to knock his soul out of his body again, a single hit wouldn't cut it anymore, it would take at least five.
But before she could land all five, Daniel would have already regained consciousness. And once he woke up, things wouldn't end well for her.
At this point, Daniel no longer feared the Ancient One. The only reason he hadn't gone looking for revenge yet was because he wasn't sure whether that old woman still had hidden tricks up her sleeve.
Daniel held grudges, he still remembered the last time he'd tried to challenge her. One casual tap had nearly knocked out his soul. But the current Daniel was no longer the helpless child she could push around.
Closing his eyes, he carefully followed his instincts. Yes, someone really was watching him.
Far away in the Divine Realm, the Panther Goddess, Bast, looked at Daniel and Carol with increasing delight.
These two, they were born melee fighters. Against those evil gods, they'd simply charge straight in until the enemy's brains were rattled. High damage, ridiculously tanky, rapid regeneration, Bast honestly couldn't imagine better enforcers.
The divine cat was already fantasizing. When the time comes, I'll stay in the back and cast a divine buff on the two of them, which will make them immune to soul attacks. Then they'll rush forward and beat those evil gods into submission. These two will punch them so hard that they'll start calling me Queen!
"When that day comes… I, the Panther Goddess Bast, shall become the sole ruler of this land."
"All faith shall belong to me."
"I'll never have to worry about running out of divine power again and I'll even have enough power left to visit the mortal world."
Life inside the Divine Realm was painfully boring, as there wasn't anything fun to do.
Lost in those beautiful fantasies, Drool dripped from Bast's mouth onto the ground without the deity even noticing. Daniel's eyes suddenly turned brilliant gold.
His gaze met Bast's directly. Inside Daniel's golden eyes, Bast saw the reflection of the divine cat itself.
"He can see me?" Bast was startled.
At almost the exact same time, Daniel thought, "So this is the giant panther Carol mentioned?"
Seeing Daniel suddenly stop smiling, everyone looked at him in confusion.
"What is it?" Carol asked.
"I see a giant panther."
"It's staring at us, and I think it's drooling."
"I've also got a bad feeling about its intentions."
Just as Carol was about to respond, something happened to T'Challa. His entire body suddenly convulsed, then he collapsed unconscious.
When he opened his eyes again, his aura had completely changed. It felt as though a different person now occupied his body.
"I am Bast."
"The Panther Goddess."
Even T'Challa's voice had become deep, solemn, and majestic.
Daniel immediately shot to his feet.
"I don't care what kind of god you are, just get out of my friend's body."
His voice was icy, golden light flared inside his eyes as he searched for the deity's true location.
"I bear no ill intent."
"I am Wakanda's guardian deity."
"You can explain after you get out of T'Challa first."
Daniel was worried something might happen to his friend's body.
"Do not worry, T'Challa is the current Black Panther, so he can withstand my divine descent."
"It will not harm him. If anything, my presence will only benefit him."
Bast seemed to understand Daniel's concern and calmly explained. The deity was already planning to spend a bit of divine power later to strengthen T'Challa's body further, after all, Bast still needed Daniel's help.
At that moment, Carol suddenly spoke.
"So, you're that big panther?"
"The one who licked me?"
"Indeed."
"Good."
"Come out."
"I want to beat you up."
Carol cracked her knuckles excitedly. She was just as good at holding grudges as Daniel.
Back then, the giant panther had scared her half to death. Sure, she'd been strengthened afterward, but the psychological damage had been real.
Debts of gratitude should be repaid, so should old grudges. She planned to settle the score for that humiliating lick first, then they'd talk about repaying Bast's kindness afterward.
Bast "..."
The deity suddenly had a terrible feeling. Perhaps, she had chosen the wrong people after all.