Suri's astonishing display not only terrified Killmonger but also deeply shook all the Wakandan dignitaries present. They knew this young girl had been honing her martial skills abroad in recent years, but they never expected her to return with such fearsome prowess.
Yet, Clark and Mindy, who were more experienced, saw her performance as nothing out of the ordinary.
Clark slightly frowned and shook his head in resignation, "This girl, she really hasn't focused much on her martial training."
Mindy shrugged nonchalantly, a hint of jealousy in her voice, "What can you expect? She's a scientific genius. It's not wrong for her to pursue her talents. If she had abandoned her gifts to focus solely on martial arts, that would have been a true waste."
Nodding, Clark casually asked, "What do you think of Suri's opponent right now?"
Mindy clearly didn't think much of Killmonger, replying offhandedly, "If it were me, he'd already be dead."
As they spoke, the battle had already concluded.
Suri, using the "Nine Yin Claw" technique she learned from Clark, effortlessly shredded Killmonger's shield, which was supposed to protect him. As Killmonger prepared to fight desperately, Suri clawed at his forehead.
With Suri's current finger strength, even a shield made of vines could not withstand her casual strike, let alone Killmonger's skull.
Killmonger, lacking any hardened training like the Iron Shirt or Iron Head kung fu, had his skull instantly perforated by Suri's fingers, piercing through to his brain.
Killmonger was dead.
Perhaps angered by Killmonger's earlier harsh treatment of T'Challa, Suri didn't stop after killing him. She grabbed his body and flung it off a cliff. Her actions were even more ruthless than Killmonger's had been.
Suri's swift dispatch of her adversary left all the Wakandan elites stunned, including herself.
Watching Killmonger's body disappear over the cliff, Suri's anger quickly subsided, replaced by a strong sense of discomfort in the wake of her first kill. Especially when she saw the blood and matter on her hands, she felt a wave of nausea and, despite her best efforts, vomited on the spot.
...
In the royal palace of Wakanda, Suri's room had been preserved in pristine condition, though she had been away for many years.
As Suri's close friend and confidante, Mindy took it upon herself to offer guidance.
However, her methods of comforting were questionable at best; Clark, with his super-hearing, overheard her regaling Suri with stories of her own first kills and detailing her methods so enthusiastically that it was hard to get her to stop.
Clark considered pulling Mindy aside for a reprimand, but just then, the queen emerged from Suri's room with a smile, thanking Clark, "Thank you, Mr. Clark, not only for aiding Suri's growth but also for bringing her such a good friend to help guide her at this time."
Clark, looking at the queen's sincere expression, doubted she was being sarcastic. Nonetheless, concerned for Suri's mental well-being, he suggested, "Actually, Mindy's approach may not be suitable. We have a professional psychologist at the Avengers' base who is also Black..."
Clark had been seeking a psychologist for the team ever since he noticed Tony's anxiety issues. Daisy had recommended one of her relatives, codenamed Whiplash, Andrew Garner. Garner was not only related to a fellow Avenger but was also the ex-husband of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Melinda May, making him well-connected and skilled in both psychology and superpowers.
Upon Clark's invitation, Andrew Garner joined the Avengers as a psychologist and reserve combatant.
The queen, however, firmly declined the suggestion, "We don't need a psychologist. Every Wakandan, male or female, is a warrior. Suri must overcome her mental struggles herself—it's a necessary process for any warrior."
"There's another way to help Suri overcome her ordeal," said T'Challa, fully recovered and approaching. "The assistance of our ancestors won't contradict Wakandan traditions."
Seeing T'Challa healthy and well, the queen immediately embraced him, relieved, "T'Challa, you're alright?"
With a guilty caress of his mother's back, T'Challa explained, "Thanks to Clark, the Avengers' treatment not only healed me but enhanced my strength. I'm in excellent condition."
Clark nodded, sensing the unique vibrations of the extremis virus within T'Challa. He cautioned, "The version of the virus you received is perfected, but I can't guarantee there won't be conflicts with the heart-shaped herb. Be careful if you consider using it again."
T'Challa shook his head, "I've lost my title as king and Black Panther, and now that role belongs to Suri. I wouldn't challenge my sister for the position. Therefore, I no longer need to consider using the heart-shaped herb. I think it would be a good idea for Suri to take it sooner rather than later to help her deal with the challenges she's facing."
As for the decisions on who would be king or the Black Panther, Clark had no opinions to express. The queen commented, "I'm afraid Suri might not easily accept the role of the Black Panther."
"Let me talk to her, Mother. You can rest assured," T'Challa responded as he headed towards Suri's room.
Clark didn't eavesdrop on the siblings' conversation, instead choosing to head back to his own quarters with Mindy.
T'Challa, somehow, managed to successfully persuade Suri to accept the mantle of the Black Panther, making her one of the few female Black Panthers in Wakandan history.
The following morning, Clark was invited to observe another ceremony—this time, the transformation of Suri from a Wakandan princess to the Black Panther.
The transformation ceremony was much simpler than the battle for the throne. The ritual was led by the high priest, who bore a striking resemblance to the actor Jiang Wen. The queen and other dignitaries were present to crush the heart-shaped herb into juice for Suri to drink, after which they would bury her in a pre-prepared sand pit.
It was believed that only in seclusion could the powers of the heart-shaped herb be fully absorbed by the body, allowing the consumer to meet with her ancestors and the Panther Goddess in the spiritual realm.
As her mother prepared to administer the crushed heart-shaped herb, Suri suddenly winked at Clark, playfully requesting, "Brother Clark, I'm about to become the Black Panther, and I'm feeling a bit nervous. Could you play a suitable background music to give me some encouragement?"
Clark nodded confidently, "No problem at all."
Suri then took the bowl from her mother and drank the herb juice slowly. Crossing her arms over her chest, she lay down in the pit and closed her eyes.
At that moment, as per their agreement, Clark snapped his fingers.
As the others began to cover Suri with soil, Clark started the background music.
The song that played was a lively and sweet tune sung in a Sichuan accent, adding a unique charm to the moment. As the melody filled the air, Suri was completely buried...
Under the song "Yaomei'er," Clark could no longer sense Suri's presence through ordinary means, but his divine powers revealed that her body was undergoing a profound strengthening.
Mindy, also possessing sharp martial instincts, couldn't help but express concern, "Suri will be okay, right?"
"She will be fine," assured T'Challa with conviction. "She is receiving the blessings of the Panther Goddess."
As minutes passed without any sign of Suri waking, Mindy seemed on the verge of asking again, but T'Challa spoke first, "Actually, the longer she endures under the blessing of the Panther Goddess in the soil, the more benefits she will reap. The Suri that emerges will far surpass me as I was then. I'm truly looking forward to seeing what kind of formidable level she will reach when she emerges."
Just as T'Challa finished speaking, the soil at Suri's location exploded outwards, and a slim black figure burst from the sand pit. Her form flickered, and suddenly nine identical figures appeared, indistinguishable from one another.
This was the hallmark of the "Nine Yin Claw" mastery—Spiral Nine Shadows!
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