Multivers, Leveling Up in the World I Created

Chapter 413: 413 MCU 88

The next day, we hid the Talarian camper van in a suitable spot near the mountains where the Jabari Tribe lived and began hiking up the mountain path. The reason we did this was to avoid even minor misunderstandings.

"Geez... Why did the Jabari Tribe settle in a place like this..."

Everett, out of breath and struggling after hiking for a while, grumbled. Indeed, the place they had settled in was deep in the mountains, isolated from the world, as if no one could find them.

Just then, Shuri shared her thoughts on why.

"I’m not directly involved, so I don’t know the details, but probably because they rejected the system and left—they likely feared being purged."

"Wakanda within Wakanda."

"Wakanda within Wakanda... that’s an amusing expression, but we’re not quite that extreme."

"I’m not so sure."

At my words, Shuri looked back and forth between Nakia and Ramonda, as if to confirm she was right, but they said nothing. Wakanda had indeed pursued isolationism. Shuri had no choice but to admit it.

"To think we were like the gorilla-like Jabari Tribe..."

Shuri said in disbelief—it was unintentionally a mirror moment, which I found amusing.

We climbed a bit further up the mountain path and began to see a massive entrance shaped like a gorilla. We had finally arrived at the Jabari Tribe village.

"We’re here."

"Your Majesty, someone’s coming."

I gestured for everyone to get behind me and warned them.

HOO! HOO! HOO!

Then, burly men who appeared to be from the Jabari Tribe struck the ground with their spears, making gorilla-like calls, and approached us threateningly.

"We’re not here to fight. We’ve come to see M’Baku!"

I told them that, but they ignored me, circling us and glaring with threatening eyes for a long while. They seemed to be trying to intimidate us.

The amusing thing was that it worked—everyone except me kept their eyes on the ground. Apparently satisfied, the one who appeared to be the leader spoke.

"Follow me."

We followed them into the Jabari Tribe’s village. They lived in buildings nestled in the snowy, steep mountain terrain, and despite their warlike reputation, the scenery was quite beautiful and harmoniously integrated with nature.

They didn’t seem particularly welcoming—they confined all of us to a single modest building. Nakia sighed.

"They don’t seem very welcoming."

"At least it’s not a prison."

"That’s true."

We remained confined until evening, when the Jabari warrior who had brought us here returned and guided us to M’Baku. Leaving us waiting so long meant they too had much to discuss.

M’Baku sat solemnly on what was clearly a chieftain’s seat, flanked by tribal warriors with spears. He was large and muscular, well-fed and well-trained, exuding a tough, manly presence.

As M’Baku silently watched us, Ramonda stepped forward and spoke first.

"My son was killed in a duel."

M’Baku asked,

"Was it a fair duel?"

Nakia answered.

"Yes... but..."

"Then he wasn’t killed—he lost."

"Even so..."

"Quiet! I’m in charge here."

M’Baku kept cutting off our side, showing an uncooperative attitude, so I spoke up.

"Hey, M’Baku, was it? If Killmonger rules Wakanda, he’ll start a war with the outside world."

"Ah, I’ve heard about you. The Avengers—great heroes. How many times have you saved the world? Why are you so interested in Wakanda’s internal affairs?"

"Of course, we have no authority to interfere with whoever becomes Wakanda’s king. But if you start a war with the outside, that’s different. The world will learn of Wakanda’s vibranium, and they’ll swarm here to claim it. Wakanda will be destroyed. We’d have to intervene to prevent that, so it’s hardly someone else’s problem."

"You think we can’t stop them? Wakanda’s technology is superior to any nation’s."

I sighed and said,

"Really, you’re a frog in a well. It’s true Wakanda’s technology is ahead of other nations, but since the alien invasions, global science and technology have advanced remarkably. And you seem to think vibranium is the ultimate metal, but there are metals that can destroy even vibranium. Besides, vibranium isn’t exclusive to Wakanda. If Wakanda goes to war with the outside, you will inevitably lose."

At my words, M’Baku scowled and raised his voice.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"I’m not threatening—I’m stating facts. But if you keep doing nothing, you won’t even get to see Wakanda’s fall. The moment Killmonger starts a war, your tribe will be the first target. He won’t leave a tribe whose allegiance is unclear."

M’Baku thought for a moment and then said,

"So what do you want me to do?"

"You have to choose. Either stand against Killmonger, or submit to him and lead the coming war."

Just then, Nakia said to M’Baku,

"There’s one more thing."

She pulled out the herb she had been carrying and showed it to him.

"You take the herb and challenge Killmonger. Only you, Chieftain, can stop him."

M’Baku looked surprised for a moment at the herb Nakia had brought, then his expression changed, and he gazed at it with greedy eyes.

Shuri and Ramonda, watching, swallowed dryly as they waited for his decision, unsure if this was the right choice.

"Huff... Follow me."

He suddenly stood up and began guiding us somewhere. I knew where he was going from the original, but the others, not understanding, followed him in bewilderment.

M’Baku led us to a small temple-like building. Inside, T’Challa lay unconscious and wounded in the snow. Nakia and Ramonda were shocked and rushed to check his condition.

"Unbelievable!"

"No way..."

Nakia urgently asked M’Baku,

"Is he alive?"

"He’s unconscious, but he’s breathing. A fisherman found him in the river and brought him to me."

Shuri also asked,

"Why is he lying in the snow?"

"If not, he’d be with his ancestors."

"I need to get him to my lab immediately! That’s the only way to save him!"

"If you want him dead, go ahead."

As M’Baku said, his condition was critical—moving him all the way to the lab would likely kill him. Besides, Killmonger made even that difficult.

Ramonda said to Nakia,

"Nakia, give me the herb."

Nakia pulled out the herb she had kept and handed it to Ramonda. Ramonda began grinding it in a mortar.

"I beseech the ancestors and the Goddess Bast—heal my son T’Challa."

Ramonda carefully poured the herb juice into a cup, prayed to the sky, and gave it to T’Challa.

"Cover him with snow, quickly!"

After he drank it all, they began covering his body with snow, eventually burying his face completely. I wasn’t sure about the "visiting ancestors" part, but from my analysis, the herb contained potent hallucinogenic properties. They probably buried him to prevent him from running amok if external stimuli triggered him.

M’Baku looked disappointed—he had reluctantly given up the herb to save T’Challa, but it seemed he regretted it a little.

’M’Baku... greedy, but a good man at heart.’

After a long while, T’Challa gasped and sat up. Thanks to the herb’s enhanced body, he had barely regained consciousness.

"HAH!"

Those watching nearby sighed in relief. Nakia and Ramonda, with tears in their eyes, hugged him, overjoyed at his survival.

But he wasn’t fully recovered yet, so the Jabari healers began treating him immediately.

From then on, our accommodations improved. M’Baku made sure we had comfortable lodgings with nice views. After a full day of rest, we visited M’Baku again to discuss the next steps.

"Killmonger has an army and has burned all the herbs. The one you took yesterday was the last one."

Nakia first briefed the situation. Then Everett added information about Killmonger.

"I looked into him briefly—he’s worked with the CIA on multiple operations. When overthrowing foreign governments, he always exploited the chaos—during elections or after a monarch’s death, he quickly seized control of the government and military."

T’Challa listened silently, then shared his thoughts.

"Then he’ll send our weapons to our spies worldwide, inciting global chaos. I suspect Killmonger will exploit that chaos."

He then turned to me and asked,

"Jin, I’d like you to take my mother and sister out of Wakanda and have the Avengers protect them."

Ramonda and Shuri looked flustered.

"What?!"

"What about you, brother?"

Shuri asked, and T’Challa replied,

"I have to finish this."

Ramonda stood up, looked T’Challa straight in the eyes, and said firmly,

"T’Challa, we’re not leaving."

"It’s my duty to protect you, Mother."

"There’s no need. If you fail this time, I will follow. Never mind my concern for Wakanda—I cannot bear to lose another son."

"Mother..."

Shuri also spoke up.

"I feel the same. If you are Wakanda’s king, then we are the royal family. We can no longer hide."

Shuri pulled out the necklace containing the Black Panther suit she had kept and placed it around T’Challa’s neck.

"The Black Panther lives, and when he fights for Wakanda’s fate, we will stand by him."

Nakia also steeled her resolve.

"Same here."

Then, unexpectedly, Bilbo—I mean, Everett—placed his hand on my shoulder and said with a smile,

"We’ll help too. This is no time for half-hearted support."

Bilbo, you—helping is fine, but why drag me into it?

"Ah-ham... Are you done? All finished?"

M’Baku, who had been watching, yawned and asked.

"M’Baku... thank you."

"I’m repaying a debt. You spared my life in our duel."

"We need an army."

M’Baku sighed and said,

"I suppose so... Huff... That Avenger friend there said if Killmonger takes Wakanda’s throne, we’d have to either face attack or submit. If I help you become king again, how am I any different from him?"

"I’m different from the old king. At least we can be friends."

M’Baku laughed heartily.

"Hahaha, friends... that sounds nice, but it won’t do. You need to make it clear. We need compensation for what we sacrifice."

To M’Baku’s demand, T’Challa responded firmly,

"I’m sorry, but I can’t grant special privileges. Everyone will discuss Wakanda’s future with their tribes and work together for progress. Giving special privileges to one tribe will lead to Wakanda’s downfall."

"Even if Wakanda’s future is in our hands right now?"

"Yes. That’s all I can offer."

M’Baku shook his head.

"What a miser! After all that talk, you’d think you’d give us something... Huff... Fine. I’ll help. If blood must be shed either way, I’d rather side with someone I can trust."

When M’Baku said that, T’Challa’s face brightened, and everyone behind him rejoiced. M’Baku had already decided to help, but he didn’t want to do it for free—he had hoped to gain something from T’Challa through this incident. It didn’t go as planned, though.

This was quite different from the original—helping T’Challa immediately was likely due to the change in M’Baku’s mindset after my words.

"You heard me?! Gather the warriors now! This is war!!"

HOO! HOO! HOO!

When M’Baku shouted to the waiting warriors, they responded with gorilla-like cheers—it looked quite primitive, but since the Jabari Tribe worshipped the gorilla god, that was just how it was.

I made a suggestion to T’Challa.

"Open the shield. Then we can use drones to force a surrender—they were built in case of alien invasion."

"That won’t work. It would make things easier, but we need to resolve this with our own strength. Only then will Wakanda’s people accept it."

"I see..."

T’Challa seemed determined to settle this within Wakanda. At this rate, I wasn’t sure if I could participate in the fight.