What happened was not exactly what Senju Haruto had expected.
The Heart-Shaped Herb was a mystical plant that served as a bridge to the Panther God Bast. By consuming it, one could establish a spiritual link with Bast and inherit the divine power of the Black Panther.
Throughout Wakanda, only the king—the one who bore the mantle of the Black Panther—was granted such an honor.
Haruto had assumed that when Soldier One hovered on the brink of death, he would witness the visage of the Panther God.
But the reality was different.
When Soldier One's life force began to fade, he lost all awareness. Darkness swallowed his vision, leaving nothing behind.
And with Haruto's mastery of magic, deception was impossible. Even if the Panther God Bast truly stood behind Soldier One, Haruto's insight ensured there would be no trickery.
The man had spoken the truth.
Still, while Haruto possessed plenty of the Heart-Shaped Herb and could refine it into an endless supply of potion, he had not continued experimenting.
The reason he bestowed it on Soldier One was purely to test its potential—and its risks.
In truth, Soldier One was nothing more than a test subject.
A disposable lab rat.
The remaining herbs, of course, would be taken back to the Land of Fire.
Only his own ninja subordinates—those absolutely loyal to him—were worthy of such power.
Ding! Please proceed to Wakanda's vibranium mines to check in!
Upon successful check-in, you will receive your reward!
"The vibranium mines?"
Haruto's brow furrowed slightly. Of course he knew what they were.
In the Black Panther movie, the mines had been one of the most breathtaking set pieces.
A slow smile touched his lips.
"Well then… I might as well take a trip to Wakanda myself."
With his current strength, Haruto could have simply opened a magic portal straight into the vibranium mines, checked in, and left.
But where was the fun in that?
Better to take advantage of the opportunity—join Soldier One and the others as they landed in Wakanda, accompany their investigation, and slip away to the mines when the time was right.
Thanks to the control of Kotoamatsukami, Haruto didn't need Ross's permission for anything.
On the contrary, General Ross would unconditionally comply with any request he made.
"I understand."
Ross nodded at once, then ordered someone to bring in a military uniform tailored to Haruto's frame, complete with an array of modern weapons.
Not because he thought Haruto needed them.
But to maintain appearances.
Haruto himself couldn't care less about such concerns, but Ross still considered them necessary. Even as a man under absolute control, he had no real grasp of Haruto's terrifying limits.
Haruto glanced at the U.S. Army uniform and rejected it without a second thought.
Even in death, he would never wear such a thing.
With a sharp snap of his fingers, sparks of flame ignited on the fabric, spreading in an instant. The fire consumed the uniform completely, leaving nothing but ash.
The sight filled Soldier One with fury.
Though loyal to Ross and strengthened by the serum, he was still an American soldier. Watching someone burn the uniform of his country made him itch to strike back.
But Ross immediately raised a hand to stop him.
"We're about to land. Go and make your preparations, Soldier One."
Ross's tone hardened. "Remember—this mission is crucial. No matter what, you must return with a full report on Wakanda. Understood?"
Soldier One tore his hostile gaze away, saluted Ross, and strode out with heavy steps.
Once the room was empty except for Ross and Haruto, the general finally voiced his concern.
"You truly intend to go yourself?"
In Ross's mind, Haruto was a figure of far higher status than him.
Gathering intelligence on Wakanda's vibranium was a minor task—something Soldier One and his squad could handle. Haruto only needed to remain in the command center with him, waiting for results.
"That isn't your concern, Ross. Just focus on your own duties."
Haruto rose from his chair, placed a hand lightly on Ross's shoulder, and left without looking back.
Even before showing himself to Ross, Haruto had already scanned the Stennis with his immense spiritual power.
At this point, he understood the ship—and every soldier aboard—far better than Ross or even Maverick.
About an hour later, the USS Stennis reached its designated location.
Ross had no fear of international discovery. If questioned, they could simply claim a training exercise gone astray, forcing them to dock.
As long as America remained strong, any excuse—no matter how absurd—would be accepted.
Even the most blatant double standards.
That was the privilege of power.
Oil, vibranium—it was all the same. Essential resources to maintain dominance.
And as Ross saw it, America was the beacon of human civilization.
"Properly developed, these resources will benefit all of humanity," Ross murmured as he stared at the largest screen in the command center. "Perhaps Wakanda cannot understand that now. But one day… they'll thank us for everything we've done.
"Just like the Native Americans eventually did."
The words slipped out softly, a justification to himself as much as anyone.
At that moment, Maverick entered the room.
He had agreed to lend Ross the Stennis and some equipment, but he had no intention of sending his own men into this mission.
"Let's hope Wakanda really does have as much vibranium as you claim," Maverick said lightly, though the hunger in his eyes betrayed him. His desire for vibranium burned no less than anyone else's.
"My soldiers will prove it."
Ross's reply rang with confidence.
For this operation, he had deployed six serum-enhanced warriors. One of them had even been strengthened further by the Heart-Shaped Herb.
On top of that, Senju Haruto himself was joining the landing.
To Ross, the chance of failure was nonexistent.
And yet…
As he stared at the command center's main screen, watching his soldiers one by one set foot on Wakanda's shores, Ross's heart began to race.
A creeping unease stirred within him.
Something felt wrong.
He couldn't name it. Couldn't grasp it. But the sense of dissonance grew stronger with every passing moment.
"What's wrong, General Ross?"
Maverick quickly noticed his partner's pale expression.
"Are you worried?" He gave a dismissive chuckle. "Relax. Africa's nations are backward—especially an agricultural country like Wakanda. They probably don't even know what firearms are."
Meanwhile, Haruto followed alongside Ross's strike team, stepping onto the Wakandan coast.