— Wakanda, Royal Research Center, Capital City
The fully equipped Royal Research Center stood on the outskirts of Wakanda's capital, Birnin Zana, away from the bustling heart of the city.
Golden tower-like structures were built seamlessly into the cliffs, surrounded by dense jungles and majestic waterfalls it was truly a breathtaking environment.
And it wasn't just the surroundings that were first-class, the technology housed within the center of the tower was equally extraordinary.
Thanks to the vibranium that fueled Wakanda's technological advancements, the capital's research center has some of the most cutting-edge laboratories in the world.
It was also where state-of-the-art weapons, everything was made and develop by vibranium.
Kagura had originally thought it would be taking years before she ever crossed paths with the mysterious nation of Wakanda.
She hadn't expected Ultron to discover this hidden powerhouse first, dragging the Avengers into contact with this secretive "paradise" as early as 2015.
Following T'Challa the prince of Wakanda and the superhero known as Black Panther Kagura and Cortana made their way into the research center, escorted by Wakanda's Capital Guard.
The center's architecture brimmed with African cultural influences, blending tradition and high-tech elegance.
"This is far enough. Thank you for your service, Captain," T'Challa said once they were inside.
"The situation is unstable. The Capital Guard must secure what remains under our control. I'll take responsibility for these two."
Although T'Challa's words were firm, the captain's expression remained tense. "But, Your Highness… they're with the Avengers!"
From the captain's voice, Kagura could hear the thick hostility. She couldn't help but wonder again what exactly had the Avengers done to earn Wakanda's hatred?
"I understand your concern, Captain," T'Challa replied calmly. "But trust me, I can handle this. Your priority is to protect Wakanda. That's an order. Understood?"
"…Understood, Your Highness."
Though reluctant, the captain obeyed, leading the Rapid Response Unit to secure the center's perimeter.
Once inside, only Kagura, Cortana, and T'Challa remained.
The corridors grew silent, a heavy tension hanging in the air.
Without a word, the three of them entered the elevator.
T'Challa tapped the top-floor laboratory button on the holographic touch screen.
"…Prince T'Challa," Kagura finally broke the silence, "I know this might not be the right time, but… What happened between Wakanda and the Avengers? Why is there such deep resentment?"
At first, silence was her only answer.
But after a brief pause, T'Challa spoke, as if realizing that keeping her in the dark was unfair especially since none of this was Kagura's or Cortana's fault.
"To put it simply," T'Challa said, his voice low, "in our eyes, the Avengers led Ultron into Wakanda."
"He attacked our capital, seized much of the city... If your comrades hadn't contacted me after the assault, I might have reacted just like the captain did striking you down without hesitation."
He paused, his fists tightening at his sides.
"Because this… is not just an attack on our nation. It is the murder of our king. It's my father's death."
'Of course…' Kagura thought to herself grimly. Given the pieces she had so far, it wasn't hard to imagine the full horror.
The king dead, the capital city in ruins… the loss Wakanda had suffered was immeasurable.
That T'Challa could still speak to her calmly was, honestly, remarkable.
But this wasn't a simple misunderstanding she could clear up with a few words.
She needed to find out exactly what Ultron had done here what atrocities he had committed that left Black Panther burning with grief and rage.
Just wait, Ultron.
I'm not about to let you destroy my future too.
You're a threat that has to be eliminated.
———————————————————————
The elevator operated on magnetic levitation technology silent, smooth, and stable—rivaling the lifts at Rhodes Island's main industrial headquarters.
The only difference was that Wakanda's system lacked the advanced inertial dampening found at Rhodes Island, where even slight gravitational shifts were canceled out by an Arc Reactor-powered system.
For people sensitive to motion sickness, that inertial control made all the difference.
Before long, the elevator reached its destination.
As the doors slid open, Kagura found herself stepping into a massive, fully equipped research hall larger than the Avengers Tower's main laboratory.
Rows of pristine equipment, sleek silver decor, and gleaming composite floors and walls filled the room.
Full-wall holographic projection systems were built seamlessly into the space, their quality so high that, for a moment, Kagura felt like she had been transported back to the Rhodes Island R&D Center.
Wakanda's technological prowess was no exaggeration.
While Kagura admired the hall, a woman approached—a tall, graceful figure with radiant dark skin and striking features.
"Welcome to the Royal Laboratory of Wakanda. I'm Shuri," she said warmly.
"Shuri," T'Challa introduced, "this is Kagura and Cortana."
"They're the Avengers, and they just made it here through the Sky Shield confirming my belief that the Avengers are our allies. Ultron is the true enemy."
"You always seem to come back with valuable intel, brother," Shuri teased lightly.
She turned to Kagura, smiling. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Kagura. Let me brief you both on Wakanda's current situation."
As she spoke, Shuri tapped the wrist-mounted device she wore.
It synced with the lab's full-hall holographic system, projecting a series of crisp, detailed 3D images into the air.
Wakanda's vibranium-based holography easily matched the sophistication of Stark Industries' "Stage II" tech.
"At first," Shuri began, the images shifting with her words, "we received a communications request from the Avengers through the outer perimeter of the Sky Shield."
"Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were the ones leading the call. Their message contained warnings and intel."
She continued, her voice steady: "Thanks to Wakanda's own intelligence network, we already had some knowledge of Ultron's movements."
"According to Stark, Ultron was targeting Wakanda and so, we opened the Sky Shield and allowed the Avengers into the royal palace for further discussions."
The scene shifted to the skies above Wakanda's capital city.
A modified Quinjet slowly descended onto the royal helipad.
Led by Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, the Avengers disembarked from the jet to meet with the King of Wakanda.
"According to intelligence provided by Wakanda's PRIDE agency, the Avengers were recognized as a global peacekeeping force."
"Because of that, the king took their warning very seriously. However..."
The scene suddenly cut to chaos—fire, explosions, destruction everywhere.
The palace district had erupted into mayhem. Key figures, including the King himself, suffered heavy casualties.
"Without warning, Iron Man turned against us," Shuri said, her voice trembling as she recalled the disaster. "He launched an attack against the King and the royal guards. We were caught completely off guard and suffered massive losses."
As she continued, the pain in her voice was unmistakable. "At the same time, Wakanda's national network suffered a massive cyber-attack."
"Ultron seized control of most of the capital's critical infrastructure from within."
Hearing this, Kagura frowned deeply. "But... why Tony Stark?" she asked. "Iron Man would never ally with Ultron."
"Why would he start the attack? Was the Avengers team that arrived a fake?"
"No," T'Challa interjected. "The Avengers you saw were real. They were victims, not impostors."
He continued, his voice steady but grim. "From bits and pieces Ultron let slip... we learned that the Avenger he hates the most is Tony Stark."
"So, he hacked into Stark's Iron Man suit and hijacked its systems, turning Tony's own armor against us."
"What? Ultron hijacked the Iron Man suit?!" Kagura was at a loss for words. Her mind raced in a thousand directions.
This kind of thing...
Was it a testament to Ultron's terrifying skill? Or a serious lapse on Tony's part?
T'Challa added, "Exactly. And the attack came so fast and so sudden that at first, we didn't even realize Tony had been compromised."
"Our communications were jammed, and the only conclusion we could draw was that the Avengers had turned against Wakanda. That's why you were treated as enemies at first."
"Then why do you trust us now?" Kagura pressed further. "And what about Steve Rogers? Natasha Romanoff? The others? They wouldn't have been hacked so easily."
"You're right," T'Challa nodded. "It was thanks to the efforts of the Avengers who fought their way out of Ultron's ambush that we realized not all of you had betrayed us."
Just then, a familiar voice spoke from the corner of the research hall.
Steve Rogers, clad in a custom Rhodes Industries combat suit, stepped out from a nearby rest area.
"Prince T'Challa found us," Steve said. "We had been scattered throughout the city, fighting back against Ultron's forces. With his help, we regrouped."
"Is everyone safe?" Kagura asked immediately. "What about Mr. Stark?"
Steve's expression turned serious. "That's the next thing we have to take care of," he said. "We're going to help Wakanda reclaim the capital and rescue Tony Stark."
[New Side Mission Available]
[Assist Wakanda in reclaiming the capital and rescue Tony Stark / +20QP]