Arthur didn't actually know much about Schmidt's current situation.
But this guy had managed to survive in the universe for over seventy years and had been guarding the Soul Stone the entire time.
If you judged him based on the Schmidt of the past, it would probably be far too one-sided.
It might even lead to a grave mistake.
So, Arthur would never underestimate him.
At the very least, he planned to bring everything he had to confront this man. With so many people on his side, even if Schmidt had become some kind of immortal, they'd still be able to drag him down from the divine ranks.
Tony blinked and said, "It's not going to be like that Mandarin situation last time, right?"
"Uh…"
Arthur's mouth twitched slightly. "No way!"
That whole Mandarin incident was a total joke. They showed up with a whole crew, and as soon as the Mandarin appeared, he was pinned to the ground and thoroughly humiliated.
The Mandarin was the one who truly had no tears left to cry.
The two of them drank for a bit and made small talk. After that, Tony went back to his room to sleep.
Nothing happened during the night. Early the next morning, T'Challa arrived.
He wasn't king yet, and had nothing better to do, so he took charge of hosting Arthur and Tony.
He led the two of them on a simple tour around the tribe, letting them experience a bit of Wakandan culture and local cuisine. Afterward, the three of them found a hillside to rest on.
From here, they could see the beautiful landscape of all Wakanda.
"Amazing," Arthur said, gazing at the view beneath his feet. "This must be the perfect blend of technology and primal nature."
"People can't be separated from nature," T'Challa replied, looking at Arthur. "Iron Man may be cold and mechanical, but the wind is warm."
Tony didn't exactly appreciate that kind of poetic sentiment, but he still nodded and said, "Well, from a health perspective, the air quality here is definitely great."
"Outer space…"
T'Challa glanced at Arthur. "What's it like?"
"If there's a chance in the future, I'll take you out there to see for yourself," Arthur said as he plopped down on the ground, feeling the warm breeze brushing over him. His mood lifted as he continued, "To see the vast universe, the golden palaces of the Asgardians and the Bifrost, the Nova Corps on Xandar, the wildness of the Ravagers, and the bustling trade planets…"
There was too much to describe. The universe was far more than just the few words Arthur could say.
So many things left unseen, unplayed, untried, even unimagined.
During those three months of wandering with Star-Lord, Arthur's horizons had been greatly broadened. He had witnessed so many different wonders.
If he hadn't been in such a rush to return home, he honestly would've wanted to see even more!
But thinking about it now… he probably didn't have the time anymore.
The future held far too many things that needed doing. An era of rebuilding was upon them. If he could accomplish the dreams in his heart, then he could finally await the end with peace of mind.
Only by thoroughly defeating this hidden and powerful enemy could he finally enjoy life without guilt.
When that time came, he was determined to travel across the entire universe, witness all the dazzling civilizations, and in the end… grow old alongside Lily.
"They're ready now."
T'Challa suddenly received a message and said, "We can now go heal your friend."
…
…
Last night, Arthur had already told the father and son duo about Coulson's condition.
Such severe injuries, even in Wakanda, required thorough preparation before treatment.
Now, everything was ready. Arthur and Tony followed T'Challa into a building filled with advanced technology.
"This is one of our research centers," T'Challa said. "My sister is the one in charge here."
Arthur smiled. "I think I saw her last night."
"…She's a bit mischievous." T'Challa gave the kind of helpless smile only an older brother could.
The group walked further in and arrived at the second floor, where it was clear someone had been waiting for a while.
Leading the team was the young Black girl Arthur had seen the night before. She glanced at Arthur, then at Tony, and finally gave T'Challa a wide grin.
After a brief exchange between the siblings, the group continued further inside.
The girl didn't say anything to Arthur or Tony, but while speaking with T'Challa, she kept sneaking glances at the two of them.
They finally entered a spacious room filled with various impressive and extremely high-tech devices lining the walls.
At the center was a bed, though its structure was incredibly complex.
"You can place the patient on the bed," the girl said to Arthur, speaking to him for the first time.
Arthur nodded. With a wave of his hand, a person appeared on the bed.
Tony's eyes turned complicated when he saw who it was.
The girl's eyes widened with shock. "Last night I guessed you might bring someone using some kind of space-folding technique, but I always thought transporting someone that way would rip them into pieces. I didn't expect them to be completely intact. How the heck does that even work?"
Arthur paused and looked at her.
The girl blinked, then quickly ran to a console and began fiddling with the equipment. But just as she was about to activate it, she rushed back. "I need two people over here to help me check the extent of his injuries!"
"…"
Arthur was speechless. Was this girl… alright?
He turned to T'Challa. "Are we going to get in the way if we stay here?"
Before T'Challa could answer, Princess Shuri spoke up, "You totally will. You guys wait outside, please."
"…"
Tony scratched his face in confusion. He couldn't understand why he was getting this kind of treatment.
No matter what kind of woman he faced, he'd never been this thoroughly disregarded.
Then he looked at Arthur, and immediately felt he'd found the culprit.
It must be the old guy's fault!
T'Challa also froze for a moment, then gave a helpless chuckle. "Let's wait outside."
Nothing more needed to be said. The group stepped out and waited in the hallway outside.
Through the glass, they could still see everyone inside working busily. Arthur peeked in for a couple of seconds, only for Princess Shuri to catch him doing so. The next moment, she pressed something on her console and the glass instantly turned pitch black.
Arthur was stunned. "Why do I feel like… she hates me?"
T'Challa looked helpless. "I really don't think that's the case…"
Tony let out a cold laugh. "You scared the poor kid, old man."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Fine, you guys wait here, I've got somewhere to go."
"Where to?" Tony asked, but before he could finish, Arthur's figure had already vanished.
T'Challa was clearly startled. He looked around but couldn't find him, and eventually turned to Tony.
Tony shrugged. "He's always like this, here one moment, gone the next."
(End of Chapter)
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