At the foot of the royal throne, the King's Guard stood fully armed.
Each warrior was clad in ceremonial armor, vibranium spears held upright yet ready. Their formation was flawless. Should anything go wrong, they would strike without hesitation…
The aged Black Panther sat upon the throne, his gaze steady as he examined the visitors brought before him. His attention lingered, inevitably, on the orange cat resting calmly in the little girl's arms.
"Greetings, outlanders." The old king said slowly. "I am told you wished to see me."
Before Rin could speak, the cat raised its head.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, King of Wakanda," Garfield said with dignified composure.
"I am King Garfield Pando Godzilla Pendragon the First."
The throne room fell silent.
The Black Panther narrowed his eyes slightly. "I regret to say I have never heard of such a king on Earth."
Garfield replied smoothly, "Much like how ordinary people have never heard of Wakanda."
A faint smile appeared on the king's face.
"…A fair comparison. Then tell me, King Garfield the First, what business brings you here?"
"I returned to Earth and happened to land on Wakanda's border." Garfield said casually. "Fate, perhaps."
"But allow me to clarify something first. I am not an orange cat."
The guards stiffened.
"I am the true owner of the High Claw Group."
The Black Panther's expression darkened slightly.
The High Claw Group, an enigmatic conglomerate that had risen rapidly and violently onto the world stage.
It had purchased two key districts in New York outright, become a major shareholder in Stark Industries, and operated with capital so vast it bordered on the absurd.
Wakanda's intelligence networks had investigated thoroughly. What they found was only surface-level management.
The true owner remained completely hidden.
And now… a cat stood before him, claiming authorship of it all.
Under normal circumstances, the king would have dismissed it outright. But Wakanda was not ignorant of gods.
And the Black Panther Goddess did not choose fools.
Garfield casually reached into his pocket and produced several heavy ingots, High Claw Gold Bricks, each stamped with the unmistakable sigil of the conglomerate.
They hit the floor with a dull thud.
The throne room went quiet again.
The Black Panther rose slowly from his seat and extended his arms. "Then allow me to welcome Wakanda's most… valuable guest."
After a pause, he added. "But you said you are not a cat. What, then, are you?"
Garfield smiled and pointed one claw upward.
"A well-known species in the universe, a Great Devourer. However, rest assured, I have no hostile intentions toward Earth."
He continued calmly, "My superior is the Ancient One, the Supreme Sorcerer of Kamar-Taj and Earth's appointed guardian."
The king's pupils contracted. "Kamar-Taj…"
He knew that name well. As a divine guardian tied to Earth, the Black Panther Goddess had long-standing ties with Kamar-Taj.
Wakandan kings were taught, generation after generation, of the hidden forces protecting the world, forces Wakanda was never meant to antagonize.
"So you are… a mage of Kamar-Taj?"
Garfield lifted his paw.
A modified sling ring, crafted to fit feline anatomy, hung from his claw. With a flick of his wrist, a glowing magic circle unfolded in the air, runes spinning with unmistakable precision.
"Ring and spell," Garfield said. "If you know Kamar-Taj, you have seen these."
The Black Panther stepped closer, studying it carefully.
"The spell structure is correct." He admitted. "But the sling ring is… unusual."
"A necessary modification." Garfield replied. "Cats were not the intended users."
"…Understandable." With all doubts dispelled, the tension in the throne room dissolved.
The Black Panther formally ordered his guards to stand down and personally arranged for Garfield and his companions to be received with the highest ceremonial hospitality Wakanda could offer.
The feast that followed was flawless.
No one grabbed food.
No one spoke out of turn.
For once, everyone behaved impeccably…
What unsettled the Black Panther slightly was an interruption during the banquet.
Midway through the meal, a golden portal silently unfolded in the air. From it emerged the Ancient One herself, who merely glanced at Garfield.
"Enjoy your time in Wakanda. When you are finished, return to Kamar-Taj at once."
She did not elaborate, nor did she insist on immediate compliance. With that, the portal closed.
The Black Panther observed carefully.
Whatever matter concerned the Ancient One, it clearly was not urgent enough to override Garfield's current visit, yet it was important enough to warrant a personal reminder.
After the banquet concluded, protocol dictated that kings speak privately.
…
Balcony of the Royal Banquet Hall, Wakanda
Moonlight bathed the city of Wakanda below, its lights like a constellation scattered across the earth.
The reigning Black Panther sat in a carved chair, posture composed. Beside him, Garfield squatted casually atop the dining table, tail wrapped neatly around his paws.
One man. One cat.
After a moment of silence, the Black Panther spoke first.
"King Garfield." He said evenly, "Are you aware of Wakanda's greatest resource?"
"Vibranium." Garfield nodded without hesitation.
"Born from a meteorite that fell from space. Even on a universal scale, it is a rare and extraordinarily valuable metal."
The Black Panther inclined his head slightly.
The question had been a test.
Though vibranium was not Wakanda's deepest secret, very few outsiders knew its true origin. Wakanda remained hidden not merely through technology, but through divine covenant.
Oaths sworn to the Panther Goddess were binding in the most literal sense, those who broke them paid dearly.
"Then allow me to be direct." The Black Panther continued.
"As a gesture of goodwill between our… nations, would you accept a Wakandan-forged weapon?"
Garfield paused, considering.
Was this courtesy extended out of respect for the Ancient One? Very likely. His master's standing in the world, indeed, beyond it, was formidable.
That thought brought Garfield a private sense of reassurance.
But beyond politics, Garfield had his own principles.
Peace.
Compassion.
Protection of the weak.
Punishment of genuine evil.
And gifts offered in sincerity, especially by elders and allies, were not to be refused lightly.
"Then I accept, with thanks." Garfield replied.
"And in return, should Wakanda ever require my assistance beyond its borders, you need only call."
He reached into his pocket, producing an assortment of rare magical materials, a High Claw gold brick, and a talisman he had personally refined through arcane means.
"This." Garfield said, holding it up. "Will be my gift."
After a brief pause, he added, "If possible, I would like to incorporate a small amount of vibranium. It would greatly improve durability and stability."
The Black Panther signaled to the captain of the Royal Guard, who soon returned with a piece of raw vibranium ore.
Garfield stared at it for a moment, then sighed inwardly.
A vibranium chunk this size… Wakanda truly is the richest nation on Earth.
Without further delay, Garfield set to work. His claws traced glowing sigils through the air as magic and metal fused seamlessly.
The final product resembled the talisman he had once given Tsunade.
He presented it with care.
"This talisman bears my personal mark." Garfield explained.
"I have engraved a spatial magic array within it. Should Wakanda face grave danger, activate it, and you will be transported directly to my High Claw Gold & Exorcism Shop."
"The array self-charges, can be reused multiple times, and most importantly, requires blood authentication. Only you and your direct descendants may activate it."
The Black Panther accepted the talisman with both hands.
Without ceremony, he pricked his finger and allowed a single drop of blood to fall onto its surface.
The talisman glowed softly as the blood was absorbed, the engraved lines flickering once before settling.
The pact was sealed.
…
That night, long after the palace had grown quiet…
A black shadow slipped soundlessly into the guest quarters where Garfield resided.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream