Chereads / A Gamers Guide to Necromancy / Chapter 71 - Future In-Laws

Chapter 71 - Future In-Laws

Boys could be so irrational at times.

"Honestly, what do you think you're going to achieve with this?" her newly betrothed, Kuro Tepes said with a bored tone as he sidestepped her brothers lunge. "I'm a vampire, a mage and a mutant. You're a human with somewhat above average physical attributes and training. You have no powers, you're not the Black Panther, you're just a human." Kuro said with a sigh.

She should be supporting her brother, but really? Kuro was right.

As her brother tried to kick Kuro, he simply burst into mist, reforming behind T'Challa and sending him flying with a simple kick to the back. She could tell Kuro wasn't actually trying, but it still sent T'Challa flying across this 'Danger Room'.

This had gone wrong from the moment Kuro had walked into the room, her brother challenging him almost immediately, to Kuro's surprise and... amusement.

She could see Okoye and her mother watching, worry in her mother's eyes and anger in Okoye's, mostly at herself as she was forced to watch one of the people she was tasked with protecting be beaten down. T'Challa's pride wouldn't be able to take having Okoye help him anyway, and what could she do against such inhuman strength?

"T'Challa, just give up already." Shuri said with a sigh, having grown tired of watching Kuro throw her brother around like a rag-doll. If Kuro wanted to hurt more than his pride, he'd be dead already.

Honestly, everyone was taking this too seriously. So she was going to marry a cute foreigner? Did it really matter? There wasn't even a time limit on the contract, they could get married today or in ten years time. Did no-one else even bother reading the contract.

"Shuri... why- I can't just let you be forced to marry this-" T'Challa started making her roll her eyes. Like she couldn't tell how hurt T'Challa was that the woman who entered with Kuro hadn't recognised him. Ororo was it?

"Yeah, I'm sure you being thrown around the room is really going to help me out." Shuri deadpanned, watching T'Challa's flinch.

She'd seen how strong and fast her father was despite his age with the blessing of Bastet, but Kuro was far, far faster. She couldn't even see Kuro move half the time, he simply disappeared and reappeared at his destination.

Even if T'Challa could beat him, then what? Would he challenge Selene, a figure spoken of in frightened whispers for thousands of years? Selene's legend had been around for as long than Bastet's herself.

"You should listen to your sister, it's hard to judge how much strength I can use without seriously injuring you." Kuro admitted, scratching his cheek slightly.

As her brother glared at him, Kuro looked away at her with a pair of deep red orbs, a sign of his vampiric heritage? Whatever he saw in her, he clearly approved, giving her a small smile which she returned easily enough.

"Princess Shuri, I presume? It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman my beloved mother has decided to drop on me." Kuro drawled, making her eyes widen slightly.

He was just as surprised by their engagement as they had been.

"Kuro Tepes, a Japanese first name despite your parents being from eastern Europe. How does that whole mist thing work?" Shuri asked quickly, making him chuckle.

"I take it you won't just accept 'Magic' as an answer? I'm not much of a scientist, I couldn't tell you the specifics. Magic doesn't exactly care about logic or physics." Kuro said with a smirk, clicking his fingers as a glowing orb of light appeared above it, twisting and spinning around his hand before he vanished it. "It's just a part of my vampiric nature, just like my speed and strength."

"Hmm, would you mind letting me study it a-" Shuri started before she was cut off.

"Fight me like a man, Tepes. No magic or powers." T'Challa growled as he rushed Kuro again.

She loved her brother, but he was far too hot-headed at times.

"I can't exactly turn my speed and strength off, and I've had to hold back just so my hits don't snap your frail body in two already. Seriously, learn to pick your fights more carefully." Kuro said, calmly sidestepping the attack before he grabbed T'Challa's arm and flipped him, slamming him to the ground before he started turning away from T'Challa as her brother growled to himself, pulling out a Vibranium dagger as her eyes widened in shock.

Completely and utterly irrational.

- Kuro -

It's hard for a human to understand just how much I see and sense at all times, aside from my vampiric senses being far, far stronger than almost everyone else... I also have spirits surrounding me and sending me their sight at all times.

It took a lot of practice to get used to it, but it means that catching me off guard is practically impossible. Even if I didn't hear the telltale sound of a blade being drawn, a spirit is staring right at the future Black Panther as he pulls out the shiny dagger, almost ceremonial in design.

As he rises, dagger moving towards me, I have all the time in the world to decide what to do. To everyone else, it takes less than a second for the trained but reckless warrior to lunge up with his blade, but he might as well be moving in slow motion.

So as I turn to him, the blade stabbing into my chest, it only happened because I allowed it to happen, his eyes widening as the blade is pushed into my chest, piercing my heart.

He didn't think he'd hit, he expected me to dodge or simply knock him back. Even now his mind races, has he doomed his kingdom? Will Selene make good on her threats now that he has slain her son? What has he done?

I can see Ororo preparing to blast him with Lightning, Xavier's own eyes shooting open in shock. He'd tried to stop this, but T'Challa was determined to fight me, and my nullification aura stops him from reading minds when I'm in his office.

Grabbing his arm, I twist it painfully, ignoring the sharp throb of pain in my chest, the dagger still sticking out of it, as my other hand grows claws, slashing at his extended arm ready to dismember it.

T'Challa needs to be humbled if he is ever going to be the Black Panther I actually really liked, but I've killed Zemo and have plans for the Winter Soldier and Killmonger. He has to be humbled, but I've taken away everything that would have forged him into the hero I admired, and I don't want to leave him this reckless and arrogant princeling.

So I'll simply humble him myself.

I can't have a Marvel world without the Avengers, after all, there are too many enemies and world-ending threats, and I'm sure as fuck not going to be the one to deal with them all.

...Yes, I got a bit possessive over Ororo, but I've always been possessive. As long as he doesn't go for my girl, I have no problem with him.

As my claws are about to slash through his arm, they pause, not by my own design as my entire body freezes in place for just a moment.

Once I am free, I look around with a frown, looking over the still forms of the others, Shuri's eyes wide, Okoye rushing forwards even as Ororo's hand is covered in frozen lightning.

"It's not exactly freezing time, that would be outside my capabilities... but I needed to speak with you. This is just in your head." A voice says behind me as I let the frozen T'Challa go, turning around.

I let this happen, Master. She means no harm, and this could be beneficial. Besides, I'll kick her out if she tries anything.

Got it, Isis.

Turning to the figure, it takes me less than a second to identify her, even if she doesn't look like what I expected her to.

The golden tail and ears poking out form her headdress gives it away.

Even if the tanned skin and revealing blue and gold Egyptian style clothing didn't tell me who she was, the fact that I was about to cripple the Black Panther before she showed up would have.

"Would I be right in assuming you are Bast, my lady?" I ask calmly, staring down the Egyptian God, the one responsible for the Heart-Shaped Herd that gives the Black Panther their power. The Panther God the Wakandans worship.

Goddess of Protection, Cats, Perfume, Fertility, Pregnancy, Children, Music, the Arts and Warfare. Because that's not a mouthful at all. After I got some affection from Hera, I started researching the Gods, just in case.

"Bastet, but yes, you would be." the feline woman says, a catlike smile on her face as she prowls towards me, exactly like the cat Goddess she is.

"And what brings an Egyptian Goddess so far from home?" I ask, not massively worried. She is powerful, I can sense that... but she isn't all-powerful, and I'm not so weak that I have to worry about her instantly smiting me.

Besides, I'm in two worlds at once, and she'd have to beat the three forms here and the two in my realm at the same time to kill me.

"The child you are about to dismember, I would ask that you spare him, from one God to a Godling." Bastet asks, bowing slightly even as my eyes narrow. "While I am Bastet, I am also the Panther Goddess worshipped by the Wakandan's, and he is one of my potential champions."

"What do you mean by Godling?" I ask, in thought. She hasn't realised that I was planning on healing him later, so she isn't all-knowing. Good to know.

"You have not realised?" Bastet asks, her eyes opening in mild surprise, even as she comes to a stop, inches away from me, her head tilting slightly. "Your father, the one mortal know as Dracula, is the God of Monsters, Fear and Blood, that makes you a Demi-God at the minimum, and I can sense the faith you are drawing onto yourself, people worship you, and it is empowering you. I suspect you will apotheosise to divinity quickly enough, much like my fellow Egyptians and I did ten thousand years ago, and your father did more recently." she explains with a smile.

No reason not to answer, and she wants me to do something so answering my questions can only help her cause.

"I see, my thanks." I say after a moment, God of Monsters, Fear and Blood... I only knew one of those. "You said he was one of your potential champions... you cannot simply choose one of the others?"

"I could, Princess Shuri has the potential to take the mantle of Black Panther, but she has very little combat training in comparison to the others, and I have no desire to take the brute N'Jadaka as my champion. T'Challa is arrogant and hot-tempered, but he has the potential for greatness." Bastet admits after a moment.

"Then would it not be to your benefit that he is humbled?" I ask, making her smile.

"You are smart, but you are missing something... for just a moment, he thought he had doomed his family and kingdom. He truly believed that his pride and reckless nature had been the end of Wakanda and the death of his family, and that will do more to temper him than any wound." Bastet says, smiling at me, bright blue eyes locked with my red gaze. "But I would not demand anything from you without offering something in return, my Pantheon is not so powerful as to be able to afford to make enemies... especially ones with Death's blessing." Bastet says with a smirk. "There are many beings capable of killing gods, and Death is certainly amongst them. Besides, I just don't want to get Anubis in trouble with his boss." Bastet says playfully. "Perhaps you can make use of this..." she says, leaning forwards and placing a lingering kiss on my cheek as her power enters me.

[Blessing of Bastet]

You have been blessed by Bastet, the Panther God, Goddess of Protection, Cats, Perfume, Fertility, Pregnancy, Children, Music, the Arts and Warfare.

Egyptian Gods and Priests will recognise your position as one of her chosen.

Felines, and Feline related individuals will be drawn to you.

Music and Artistic Talents will be far more effective.

You have far better control over your fertility, and the fertility of others.

You smell amazing.

Well, it's not like I'll say no to more blessings.

"I would have spared him if you only asked, I'm not that bothered about a little stabbing." I admit after a moment, making her giggle.

+10 Affection with Bastet for amusing her [35/100]

Wait, 35... already?

Trying to work out what the hell I did, I'm distracted when she licks my cheek with a smile.

"I like you, I've been watching you since Shuri discovered her engagement, it's been fun." Bastet admits. "I do hope you don't mind a little Voyeur... it's not like you are shy. I can't see you everywhere, but I am the strongest in my pantheon, having an entire country worship me alone helped me keep my power while the others slowly weakened. Well, except Anubis but he draws his power from Death herself." Bastet admits with a shrug. "I will do anything to keep Wakanda safe, as long as you understand that we have no quarrel."

"I have no plans to harm Wakanda, that much I can guarantee." I agree making her feline smile grow again

"Then we are friends, how lovely~" Bastet says with a giggle. "By the way, I just want Wakanda to continue existing, and to be nice and safe... who rules it doesn't really matter as long as their people keep worshipping me~ I'll be watching... be careful though, if you tease a cat too much, she might just pounce you~"

With her last words said, her giggling in my head, I'm pulled back to the present, T'Challa's arm still in my grasp as I stop myself from cutting him.

Instead, I simply toss the shocked prince towards Okoye, hard enough to knock her off her feet but not so hard as to actually hurt her. I have very good control of my strength.

Pulling the dagger out of my heart, I look down at the bloodstained top with a frown, quickly unequipping it, leaving me shirtless, my wound rapidly closing. Vibranium isn't silver or wood after all, why would it do any lasting damage?

"Kuro! You're... you're unharmed?" Ororo says, trailing off as she rushes towards me, staring at my now pristine chest. Her hand brushes over the healed stab wound.

"It takes more than this to do any lasting damage to me." I say with a shrug, tossing the blade at the feet of the rising T'Challa. "You know, in almost any other situation I would have killed you for that. I have a policy of returning things like this tenfold those dumb enough to attack me." I deadpan, watching Okoye go into a defensive stance. "Luckily for you, you've got one hell of a guardian angel." I say with a slight smirk, lifting up my hand.

It's normally invisible, but on my right hand I have Death's chains wrapped around my wrist, a sign of my blessing from her.

Now, above that... is a small black and gold symbol of a feline head, making the eyes of all the Wakandans widen.

"The mark of the Panther Goddess... why would she give it to- No, this is a trick." T'Challa starts, before he is interrupted by someone I didn't expect to get involved as I switch to a new, not ruined t-shirt.

"No, T'Challa. Stop it." Shuri says sternly, making her mother and brother turn to her in surprise. "Kuro could have killed you a dozen times already, and now this? He didn't have that mark before, he was wearing a short sleeve top, we would have seen it. T'Challa... thank you, but I don't need your protection. This is happening, and no amount of fighting is going to stop it." Shuri says as she smiles at him slightly.

I'm not even mad at him, he is trying to protect his little sister, even if he went the completely wrong way about it, I just thought it would help if I humbled him a bit.

Walking past him, she basically marches up to me, stopping inches away from me as she stares up at me, I'm fairly certain she should be a lot younger given the timeline, but she looks like she did in the movies already, even still she has to stare up at me as I'm tall for my age.

Peak Human, plus being a fucking Vampire has put me in the best possible physical state, which includes being rather tall for my age.

"Now that this whole mess is over... why don't you show me around? Away from kinda creepy old men and interfering family?" Shuri asks, smirking slightly.

"You have anything in mind?" I ask, amused at the baffled looks on her family's face and minor amusement on Xavier's.

"This is New York, right? I always wanted to see central park." Shuri says, a mischievous smile on her lips.

"Well, what kind of Fiancée would I be if I didn't adhere to my beloved future wives wishes." I say, returning her smirk as I click my fingers, a portal to central park opening up.

Doing... exactly what I thought she'd do, she grabs my arm and pulls me threw it quickly, jumping through as we tumble down onto the grass of central park, the portal snapping shut behind us even as Okoye rushes towards it.

"Ahh... that's better." Shuri says, sitting up and looking around the park. "This'll be easier without my brother and Okoye butting in."

"You are remarkably calm about this." I say, sitting up myself with a smile.

A few people were shocked at our appearance, but the knowledge that magic exists has done a good job of normalising shit like this, and they stop paying attention when it becomes clear it's just a pair of dumb teenagers.

"What am I supposed to do about it? Cry about how unfair it is? Did your mother even tell you before she decided we were getting married?" Shuri asks after a moment.

"Nope, it came as a bit of a surprise... again. This is the second marriage to a princess I've had dropped on my shoulders." I admit making her laugh.

"Then you're worse of than I am, at least I only have to go through this once." Shuri points out, making me shrug in amusement.

"Well, I became the King of a hidden kingdom that is basically ancient Rome, so it isn't all bad." I admit with a shrug. "So, do you actually want to look around, or did you just want to ditch the family and bodyguard?" I ask after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Both, I love my family, don't get me wrong... but this is the first time I've even been out of Wakanda, and Okoye is great... but she's very protective of us. This? This isn't my freedom being stripped away, it's a chance to get some freedom. Besides, your mother insisted we marry... she didn't give a time limit." Shuri points out, making me smirk.

"I can handle my mother, I could get the contract annulled if we end up being completely incompatible, I have enough sway with her for that." I admit, making Shuri grin at me.

+20 Affection with Shuri for being pretty cool, despite her worries [30/100]

"You have sway with the immortal black priestess? Guess your family is as weird as mine." Shuri says with a laugh.

"My dad is Dracula, and he wants me to get strong so we can have a death match. My mother is an immortal sociopathic mutant sorceress. Oh, and I'm the only fertile mutant due to a virus and I am going to have to have countless children to save my race. I'm also King of definitely not Rome, soon to be married to a Succubus Queen as part of an alliance to defeat my father and become the true King of Monsters." I deadpan.

"...okay, your life is way weirder. I'm just a fifteen year old super-genius living in a hidden kingdom that's half incredibly advanced and half living in huts." Shuri agrees before we both chuckle. "Succubus Queen?" Shuri asks after a moment. "So... are they-"

"Exactly as bad as legends say. Shiklah is insatiable, and thinks every negotiation session should end in sex." I admit making her laugh. "You're rather laid back about me having a wife, and another Fiancée."

"Wakanda used to have something similar. Too many men dying on hunts or in battle, so the few that survived had to make up for it. It's not that uncommon in Africa, I'm guessing the Succubus doesn't care? And if your other wife is stuck in the Roman age... which would be cool to see if they don't try sticking a slave collar on me, she probably doesn't care either." Shuri guesses.

I've seen like three black people in Nova Roma, and two were slaves, the other was a gladiator. Who I had executed for killing his Master. Ahh shit, am I a racist king?

"So, wanna look around or just chill here?" I ask, changing the subject.

"...let's just chill for a few minutes, then I wanna see the view from the top of the Empire state building. If I'm doing the tourist thing, I might as well do it properly." Shuri says with a shrug.

"Heh, and when you have a personal transport Fiancée, you might as well make the most of it." I say with a grin as I lay down back on the grass, closing my eyes and threading my fingers behind my head.

She wants to chill? I'm good at that.

- Later -

"...so, Okoye is searching Central Park, think I should give her a heads up?" I ask as we look over New York City from the top of the Empire States building, empty except for us.

Hellfire money bitches, get out of my tower.

If I want the place emptied, it'll be fucking emptied. I'm not afraid to abuse my pull for stupid things.

Looking over at Shuri, I hold in a laugh at her plain jeans and I Love NYC t-shirt she made me buy her, storing her Wakandan robes 'where I sent my t-shirt' earlier.

The Hot-Dog, bubble tea and sunglasses are a nice touch as well.

Wait, was bubble tea popular at this point of time?

I believe Lord Shiro took some... liberties with the timeline to make it easier for you to enjoy yourself.

Ahh, got it. Thanks, Isis.

+2 Affection with Isis for always thanking her [47/100]

+5 Obedience with Isis for making her feel useful [90/100]

Yes I know it defeats the point if I write them myself... I'd put you at 100 Affection Master, but my predecessor was a meanie (and an asshole)

...that makes to much sense. Have I mentioned how much happier I am to have you instead of the Game?

:)

"Nah, maybe me being out of her sight for a few hours and not dropping dead might actually make her chill out." Shuri says with a shrug. "...also, how do you know where she is?"

"Magic." I answer, for the twentieth time, watching her eyes narrow playfully.

"You aren't going to be able to use that answer forever." Shuri counters.

"You're Black Panther gets their power from a God, Magic is a totally legitimate explanation." I counter back, making her scowl, the amusement in her eyes giving away her real feelings.

"I could give you a detailed explanation about how the Heart-Shaped Herb works, it might be a blessing, but it can be explained... mostly. Your powers are just nonsense. Do you know how much power is required to make a portal linking two locations? And you just... wave your hand and do it." Shuri replies as she looks me over.

"Magic." I say, dragging the word out as she rolls her eyes, still smiling slightly as I sense her amusement.

Honestly, given that her entire character in the movies is super smart, slavery referencing meme-loving teen, I was worried she was really going to grate on my nerves, but she's actually pretty fun.

Also... she's developing a crush on me.

I know why, I'm 'exotic', even without my vampiric beauty and stupidly high charisma stat.

"So, my lady, where can the Kuro express take you next?" I ask, watching her lips twitch.

"Well... there is one place... how far can your portals go?" Shuri asks, making me smirk.

"I've made one to the moon before... had to close it because of the whole vacuum of space thing, but still... anywhere on earth that I've seen before." I boast.

I lost a multiform to the vacuum of space, but I just dismissed it and remade it.

...I pity the ghost who I sent to the moon, it's still there to this day. I mean, it's just chilling so it's not that bad. Yup, the moon is haunted. Sorry.

"Is that so..."

- Later -

Breaking the kiss, she smirks at me, a trail of saliva linking our mouths as she pants slightly, her chocolate cheeks flushed.

"Of all the places to want to have your first kiss..." I trail off as she slaps my chest lightly.

"How do you know this was my first?" Shuri asks, making me raise an eyebrow. "...that bad?" she asks after a moment, a bit of insecurity entering her tone.

"You were fine, you just need more practice." I reassure her, giving her a light kiss as she giggles.

"And what is wrong with this place? I'm a princess aren't I?" Shuri counters, making me laugh as I look up at the iconic castle above us as we stand on the bridge in front of it.

"Well, Disneyland is a good a place as any." I admit after a moment. I'm using Normality to stop us from getting in trouble for being family-unfriendly.

"Every girl wants to be a Disney princess at some point." Shuri admits without any shame. "Enjoying yourself?" she asks after a moment, making me smirk as I pull my hands away from her ass.

"It's second nature, at this point." I admit with a shrug.

She might be fairly flat-chested, but damn does she have a nice ass.

"...we should get back." Shuri admits after a moment, looking at the night sky.

"Probably, think your family have had time to calm down?" I ask, making her laugh.

"Not even remotely, but I'll deal with them, not you. I'm not some child they need to protect... do you know they never even asked me my opinion on this?" Shuri asks as I make the last portal for the night, right onto the grounds of Xavier's Mansion. "This was fun, it really was..."

"I'll give you my number, you ever want to play runaway princess again, let me know..." I say as she smirks, throwing an arm over my shoulder, pulling me down for a selfie with the Disney castle in the background.

Taking another, she kisses me on the cheek as the camera clicks, making her smirk as she lets me go.

"Time to face the firing squad." Shuri says with a grin, heading through the portal as I follow behind, smirking at the sight of her mother and Okoye rushing towards us, T'Challa behind them, more sedate.

Despite Shuri's claims that she would 'take care of it' she is immediately pulled away by her mother, her brother following behind.

...leaving me with a bald angry bodyguard.

"Is there a problem?" I ask after a moment, feeling her glare burn into me.

"A problem? Your mother forces my king to marry his only daughter off to some foreign mage, you break three of my prince's ribs and kidnap my princess for the day, and you ask if there is a... problem?" Okoye says, her deadpan tone not helping hide the anger and dislike her feels.

-10 Affection with Okoye for... the reasons she just said [-50/100]

Wait... minus fifty, already? The fuck?

Diving into her unprotected mind, I immediately find the problem... she's been stewing in her anger ever since mother showed up and just wiped the floor with all the royal guard, and now this? She just wants a target for all the impotent rage she is feeling.

Well, I'm not so nice as to sit here and be her outlet.

"Shuri kidnapped herself, I just helped. Your king made a deal and had to pay the price, and your prince picked a fight he couldn't win. He's lucky I didn't just kill him with a half-assed swipe." I point out, watching her eyes narrow as she goes to reply. "But aren't you forgetting something? As Princess Shuri's betrothed, I am royalty, I am a part of the Wakandan royal family, more importantly I am blessed by your Goddess. It is your job to serve the royal family." I say, calling on my full array of powers. "It is your job to serve me."

All the practice with my crime lord form turning the homeless into an organised gang has made me very good at mind manipulation.

Unfortunately for her, she's in the way of me becoming King of Wakanda. I was being honest when I said that I meant Wakanda no harm, it will be safe and secure... under my rule.

I don't want to kill T'Challa, but I can work around him.

So Okoye hating me? That's a problem. A problem I am going to solve.

"I..." Okoye trails off, her thoughts hazy from her altering mindset. Right now, she should obey me over any other Wakandan royal, but I can't risk changing that without raising too much attention.

"Shuri is happy with me, and you should be happy for her. You can't risk ruining it for her by alienating her betrothed." I continue, using her dazed state to further alter her mind. "You have to keep me happy, to keep Shuri happy. Shuri is safer with me than she is with you. I'm stronger than you or any of the Wakandans could hope to be."

The trick is not to push things too far out of what they already believe, or the mind starts to rebel, and then you have to wipe it entirely and start from scratch. Which is a pain.

The trick when dealing with people who Isis warrants important enough to have affection/reputation meters is to watch them very carefully, as well as keep checking their minds to make sure you aren't pushing it too far.

This is also a test of something else... Bastet is watching us, I can feel her gaze through the mark she placed on me, she could watch me either way, but she can do it easier this way.

So will she try and stop me from taking over?

The tinkling amusement I can sense says no.

She still hates me, well not... as much, since it has increased to minus thirty, but her obedience has been slowly increasing. For now, it's only twenty five, but I can't push her too far, too fast.

"Shuri doesn't need you looming over her shoulder at every second, and if you can't realise why she would be so happy at a chance to escape from it all for a day, then you're an idiot." I say coldly, staring her down as she hesitates.

I'm 'Royalty' now, as far as she is concerned... so suddenly she isn't so eager to talk shit to me. She can pull it off with T'Challa because of the pre-existing relationship, but me? She doesn't have that here and she almost immediately falls into her training, going silent and she straightens up.

She shouldn't have tried to take her anger out on me, that was a mistake she will be paying for dearly.

"Tell me, do you really think you're even qualified to protect Shuri? With how weak you are?" I ask, watching her flinch with an internal smile even as I keep my face stern and cold. "You failed in your duties, you aren't strong enough to protect Shuri from the dangers of our world, you should be punished." I say coldly, twisting the knife as her stance shifts.

- Okoye -

As the teen royal tore her to strips with his words alone, she flinched with every blow.

Before, she had been so sure of her ability to keep Shuri and the rest of her charges safe... and then a witch beat her down without even trying. The strongest fighter in Wakanda was the Black Panther... but the speeds that Kuro moved at? The strength behind his blows?

Would even he be able to fight back against him? Would their champion have done any better than his son? No... she had seen the Black Panther at his strongest, and he would have been beaten down as well.

So what could a well-trained woman with a spear do?

And Kuro wasn't the strongest one out there... she had always believed that Wakanda was supreme... but in this place alone there were children who could kill her if they tried.

Was that why the Panther Goddess had chosen this outsider as being worthy of her blessing? Did the Panther Goddess approve of this marriage? She had only questions, with no answers.

"I...am the strongest of Dora Milaje. It is my duty to guard the royal family." Okoye said, avoiding the question as he sneered at her, a slight blur the only warning she had before her body jerked, slamming into the wall of the mansion with his vice-like grip holding her in the air by the throat despite his smaller frame.

They had been meters away from the mansion... and she didn't even notice they were travelling.

"That's not what I asked. T'Challa is arrogant, Queen Ramonda has done nothing but sneer at me but Shuri? I like Shuri, and I think Shuri like me... I don't want to leave my fiancée in the protection of such a weakling." Kuro said coldly. "There are hundreds of people, thousands, that are stronger than me, and I could tear you to pieces in seconds. Wakanda cannot hide forever, they will find you eventually." he said, leaving her speechless.

Not at his threat, but the simple truth in his words, and the truth hurt more than anything else.

"I- I have no excuse." Okoye admitted, the terrifying truth of her weakness made clear. All it would take was for the right being to turn its attention to Wakanda and her training would mean nothing... those she was sworn to protect would die.

"...I am saying this because I really do like Shuri, she's a lot of fun. I have the power to grant power to other, I can't make them as strong or as fast as me, but I can make them stronger and faster than any human." Kuro said after a moment, staring at her intensely as his hand let go, dropping her to her knees before him. "But I am... picky over who I grant this gift, and you have done nothing to impress me.You need more power, but I have no reason to give it to you."

"I... your highness, give me a chance to impress you." Okoye half-begged as she rose, only her pride stopping her from staying on her knees. She needed this, she needed a way to protect her charges, training and Vibranium just wasn't enough. She didn't like Kuro Tepes, not remotely... but she needed this.

"Tch, Shuri speaks fondly of you... even if she is exasperated by your overprotectiveness." Kuro admitted as a sliver of a smile passed across her face before she felt it fall. "I will give you a chance to impress me... to prove you are worthy of my power, not now however. We will fight, and your task is to impress me before I beat you. If you succeed, I will grant you my gift... and if you fail? I will punish you for failing in your duties to protect my betrothed." Kuro said after a moment, nodding to himself. "Give me your number, and I will contact you later, but the test must be private, and you must tell no-one of my offer, or you will lose your chance."

As Queen Ramonda, Prince T'Challa and Princess Shuri left the mansion, she quickly passed over a number she could be reached on, moving back into her standby stance.

Even as T'Challa apologised, his tone downbeat and far quieter than she had ever heard him, her mind raced, and even the sight of Shuri throwing her arms around Kuro, kissing him deeply in front of her mother and brother couldn't pull her out of her thoughts.

- Later -

Her spear clattering to the ground at the other side of the training arena, she knew she had failed from the stare he gave her, disdain and pity in equal measures as he looked over her.

She had trained for battle for years... and all she could do was pant in exhaustion as her 'test' came to a close, her clothes shredded by his claws, one of her breasts completely exposed and countless small cuts littering her body.

Looking over at him, she felt her a stab of humiliation at the utterly pristine clothing, he hadn't even bothered changing from the smart trousers and simple white shirt he was wearing, the long-sleeved shirt should have interfered with his agility... it did interfere with his agility... and he had still wiped the floor with her without even using his full super speed and strength.

"How many years did you say you had trained for again?" Kuro asked as he prowled towards her, his pace languid and lazy as he approached her. "Never mind, we've already established that training alone isn't enough." Kuro said simply. "Now... you already know you have utterly failed, so it is time for your punishment." Kuro said coldly, reaching forwards and gripping the shoulders of her clothing, yanking roughly as she yelped, her clothes torn apart in his grip.

"What are you-" Okoye started, her eyes widening as her clothes were tosses aside, grabbing his hand as he reached for her undergarments.

"Punishing you... but you have a point, you need to submit to your punishment yourself. Strip." Kuro ordered, watching her eyes widen. "This was our arrangement, and you failed. You need to be naked for your punishment, and if you keep your end of the deal I will allow you to take the test again at a later date." Kuro offered as she froze.

She... she needed the power he was offering, and this was punishment for her weakness...

"If you prefer, I can just leave. I'll find another way to protect Shuri." Kuro said calmly as her eyes widened. Shuri, but not Ramonda or T'Challa who he has no love for.

Moving her hands down, she sent a mental apology to her husband and pulled her undergarments down, exposing her brown slit to his eyes, as hairless as the rest of her.

Her boots were quickly removed as well and before long she was standing before a man she disliked.

"There we go..." Kuro drawled as he walked up to her, one hand reaching forwards and cupping her breast as she forced down her reflexive reaction to punch him. "Oh, stop scowling..."

"I am letting the fiancée of a girl I have watched grow up molest me for power, betraying me husband, my pride and my honour. Why would I not scowl?" Okoye asked, flinching as he squeezed, rolling his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous. This is just your punishment, it isn't cheating and you don't deserve to be prideful in front of me." Kuro explained slowly, as if he was speaking to a mentally ill child.

- Kuro -

The reason I keep pushing is simple, once you lay the framework with earlier orders, you can keep building on them to get to the more advanced things faster.

And secondly... at what point will Bastet stop being amused?

It turns out, she just doesn't. She doesn't match the Panther Goddess I remember, because all I can pick up from her mark is her amusement and growing lust.

This is one of her followers, and she has just watched me alter her mind and humiliate her... with amusement.

The Gods are assholes.

"Kneel." I order, not putting any power behind it as she hesitates, before falling to her knees, shame growing in her chest, along with submission (which I immediately start enhancing).

Undoing my belt slowly, I feel her conflicting emotions as I drag this out, pulling the zip down. As I move my hand to my boxers, I cheat a little bit and increase my size with my incubus bullshit.

I'd like to say I was already bigger than her husband, but I wasn't. In my defence, I'm 16 and I keep myself at a large but reasonable size most of the time since it's kinda annoying carrying around a trouser anaconda.

Pulling down my boxers, I smirk as my shaft springs free, slapping against her face causing her to flinch back, not moving.

Everything that happens here is her 'punishment', and that means I have a lot more options since her mind will accept them as a part of her punishment for failing.

Grasping my length, I slap her face with it a few times, enjoying the feeling of power from having such a prideful woman, who dislikes me, willingly on her knees letting me cockslap her face.

The funny thing is... if she had just done her job and waited quietly for her masters to return, I wouldn't have done this. Well, I probably would have when I became King, but I would have been nicer about it.

"You know, you have amazing lips." I compliment making her eyes narrow as I pull back, the tip of my dick pressing against her full pouty lips.

When I saw her in Black Panther, I have to admit... I thought about doing this. Bald women don't really do it for me, I do like a good head of hair... but her lips?

Pushing forwards, I sigh in satisfaction as her lips parts, allowing my cock to slide between them.

"If you can't guard Shuri, I'll find another use for someone as weak as you." I say with a smirk, thrusting into her mouth as I place my hand on her head. "You might be useless in a fight, but at least you've got some good dick sucking lips."

- Okoye -

As Kuro made use of her mouth, she stayed on her knees and took it, the unnaturally large shaft parting her lips and pushing into her throat. His mocking tone tearing apart her pride as she allowed her princess's betrothed to use her mouth for his pleasure.

So this was her punishment? Her, the General of the Dora Milaje, reduced to a hole for a kings pleasure? It was degrading, humiliating... and that was the point, wasn't it?

She had failed as a warrior, so she wasn't a warrior any more, just a woman for the strong man to take.

"That's it, service my 'spear'. It's the only spear you can be trusted with, obviously..." Kuro mocked her as he fucked her mouth, using her with a casual disrespect that no man would ever treat her with.

Her husband was a strong man, and a gentle lover. She was the domineering one, and he would never take her mouth with such disregard for her as Kuro did, forcing her to choke on his thick white shaft as he held her head against his crotch, even as she ran out of breath, her eyes starting to roll back and her vision blurring.

Letting go, she pulled back with a gasp, panting for breath. She was so focused on regaining her breath, the first string of cum caught her off guard, splashing into her open mouth.

Quickly closing her gaping mouth as the surprisingly sweet seed slid down her throat, she was unable to move as the second splattered against her face, dripping down onto her breasts.

"White cum on black skin always looks so good." Kuro said with a smirk, looking her over. "This here? I let you off gently. The next time you challenge me, your punishment will be far worse if you lose." Kuro warned as he put his manhood away, smirking at her.

With a click of his fingers, a pale golden light surrounded her, every cut and scratch vanishing in seconds, before Kuro himself disappeared, clearly done with her.

On her knees, covered in the cum of the lover of her princess, she took a deep breath, knowing she would challenge him again... and knowing she would almost certainly lose.

- Queen Ramonda -

"You are a monster." Ramonda growled, testing the Vibranium chains as she glared at the white teen smirking at her, his gaze moving over her naked body, her arms bound above her head and her legs chained to the arms of the throne of Wakanda.

"No, I'm a conqueror." Kuro replied simply as he walked towards her. "And this? This is the right of conquest, the spoils for the victor." he continued as he undid his belt, pulling out a large fat shaft.

The Dora Milaje, her former guards, watched her with pity or scorn, each of them naked as she was... but why would they protect her? It was their duty to protect the Royal Family... and she wasn't Queen any more, Shuri was... and the man in front of her was their King.

It had been a long and painful rebellion against his rise to power, but it was over now, she had lost.

Wakanda had fallen to this smirking teenager.

"And what better way to celebrate my victory over the rebels than to take their leader on the throne, where your husband once ruled from." Kuro said as he mounted her, lining himself up and slamming forwards as she screamed, her former guardians watching her defilement.

Some held pity for the fallen queen as she was raped upon her husband's throne, others held only contempt for her attempts to rebel, but all of them watched as she was taken brutally, the sound of screams and whimpers filling the room, drowning out the clanking chains.

There was no love or mercy in his thrusts, each one splitting her in two as his cock beat against the entrance of her womb, before breaking through, her body unable to stop him from defiling her most sacred place.

But what could be sacred any more?

Looking over to her side, she met the amused and smiling eyes of Baster, the Panther Goddess, in chains more powerful than Vibranium and just as naked as her. What was defiling a former queen when you made a goddess herself your pet? Even now she could see his seed leaking from the goddesses used vagina.

Who would challenge him when the Panther gave his rule her blessing?

As his thrusts grew in strength, becoming more primal, she gave up her pride and begged, begged and pleaded for him to pull out of her before he finished, her pleas going unanswered as he simply smiled at her, slamming forwards one last time.

Shooting up in her bed, she let out a gasp at the feeling of cum flooding her insides, throwing the covers off her before she let out a sigh of relief, still dressed in her nightwear, her womanhood unfucked and dry.

She didn't know why she dreamt of such things... but lying back down she tried to forget the nightmare, even as phantom soreness made her womanhood ache.

As she drifted off, she failed to spot the smiling feline woman sitting on her windowsill, watching her with a catlike grin.

As she drifted off into her dreams, her nightmares began again, her legs spread wide, bound to the frame of her marriage bed as the new King of Wakanda mounted her, unable to stop Kuro from taking her for his pleasure.

- Saraqiel -

Scoffing to herself, she launched another spear at the shouting extremists.

As it pierced through the dark-skinned man, she smiled as it exploded, shards of pure light blasting in every direction as they shredded the Islamic extremists.

It took me a bit to realise that Bin Laden didn't die until 2011, and it was 2009.

Turns out, there is an Osama Bin Laden in Marvel, but S.H.I.E.L.D stopped 9/11 from happening, so he quite got to the level of infamy here as he did in my world.

Not that he isn't infamous, but in a world of Red Skulls, a man living in a cave shouting about... something, I don't know I wasn't listening, the point is, he doesn't get quite the same level of fear when compared to a world with fucking Doctor Doom running a country.

Also, how do normal extremists pull off attacks in a world of Super Heroes and countless secret organisations?

So this won't quite get me the renown I wanted... but still.

"Die, false-" Osama starts, pulling out his pistol as an arrow pierces his chest, then explodes.

I worked out how to make my light constructs explode into shards of supernaturally sharp light. Fun times.

I make sure to make sure his face remains intact as I head on back out of the facility, arrows firing at anything that moves as I float over the corpses of countless terrorists.

Heading out of the facility, I smile to myself as Mary cuts down another of her attackers, machetes of pure light in her hand as a shield of light surrounds her, bullets bouncing off it as she lunges forwards, cleaving the head from another extremist, I'm sure the fools she is tearing apart have noticed the golden amulet in between her cleavage, glowing with light... but what are they going to do about it? It's enchanted so only I (or Selene) can talk it off.

That's my girl.

As much as it sucks to ruin her fun, I click my fingers and in a demonstration of how fucking extra I can be, I create a hundred arrows in the sky, smiling as they all as one shoot down, each hitting their target with perfect accuracy.

I practised that move.

"We are done here." I say to Mary calmly, looking over the compound and the piles of corpses. There are a dozen other extremists bases that look a lot like this.

I've been busy, and I ran out of warlords in Africa. Eh, give it a month, and there will be more.

"Of course, my Goddess." Mary says, rushing to my side with all the eagerness of a well-trained puppy wanting to be praised, smiling up to me as I stroke her hair. Another falls to the power of head pats.

Wrapping her in my wings, I teleport us both with my light magic, another easy trick for a master of light magic.

Appearing in the bedroom, I briefly retract my wings so I can slip my robe off and expose my perfectly sculpted body, smirking at the blushing face of Mary as I bring my wings back, she likes them after all.

Seriously though, trying to sleep with 4-14 wings? That's a pain in the ass.

I will keep one large pair, and that is it.

As she starts to slowly strip, I watch her blatantly, watching her blush grow even as she removes her own robe, a copy of mine she asked for.

Exposing her body shyly, I smile at her as she drops her robe, letting her breasts bounce free. I've been slowly getting her used to the idea that Fallen Angels are lustful, and that I want her body.

Hooking her fingers into the sides of her panties, she pulls them down slowly, standing back up as she stays still, her hands twitch as she resists the urge to cover herself.

It isn't trauma that is making her want to cover up, but self-esteem as she compares her body with my own flawless form.

Moving forwards, I smile gently at her and lean down, capturing her lips in a light kiss, my hands wrapping around her body and slowly moving down to cup her firm ass.

Knowing this dance, she leans into the kiss, pressing her breasts against mine as she reaches up to stroke my wings, her favourite part of Saraqiel.

We won't go any further than light groping tonight, she still isn't ready for anything more, but I'm getting her there...

- Bonus Scene – Fury is a Bastard -

"Captain, come in." Fury said, watching the living legend walk into his office, standing at attention.

He liked that about Steve, he was a military man, and it showed, unlike many of the Avengers or potential Avengers.

"You called for me?" Steve asked, making him smirk slightly as he pulled out a file, placing it on the desk in front of him.

"I have a new potential recruit for your group, and I believe one of your demands for leading this team was that I let you veto your teammates." Fury said, hiding his annoyance.

The main reason Natasha was still assigned to that school, other than Kuro Tepes, the new crime-lords and the hot zone New York was turning out to be, was the fact that Steve Rogers wasn't sold on her yet, and he couldn't afford to alienate Captain America.

If Clint was still around, the friendship between him and Natasha would have helped convince Steve that the Black Widow was more than just an untrustworthy spy, but with Clint retiring it put him at a disadvantage.

He couldn't pull Clint out of retirement and away from his family without angering Natasha who was happy for her old partner, but without Clint Natasha had all but retreated into herself, falling completely into the role of Black Widow.

"The Masked Healer?" Steve asked, his lips twitching slightly. "I thought S.H.I.E.L.D was the ultimate spy network?"

"...we are, and yet we have found nothing about this man." Fury admitted reluctantly. "What we do know is this, he is a mage who came out of hiding after Kuro Tepes dragged magic into the open, he admires Tepes for not hiding his powers and has decided to use his powers for the good of all, possible due to guilt over something in his past but that's just what our analysts have guessed at his motives. Power-wise? He's a monster." Fury said simply, making Steve look up with a raised eyebrow.

"A monster called the Masked Healer?" Steve deadpanned.

"In case you haven't got to that page... let me break down what we have seen him do. Teleportation with a range assumed to be world-wide, shields made of pure light, healing everything from scratches, addictions to outright limb regeneration... oh, and he can de-age people, making old men on their death beds young and strong again." Fury explained watching Steve's eyes widen. "The power he uses is similar to the power used by both Kuro Tepes and Saraqiel the Fallen, I've spoken to... 'experts' and they claim that this Masked Healer is likely a master of Light Magic, while Kuro is far more inexperienced and Saraqiel has gone beyond master."

"And you want him on the Avengers?" Steve asked after a moment.

"Preferably, yes. But what I want is for him to do his little touch of youth trick on the person who has done more to beat back Hydra than anyone else." Nick said with a hidden smirk. "Peggy Carter formed S.H.I.E.L.D to fight Hydra, and she has done more to weaken them than anyone... including you. I've spoken with her, and she is willing and eager to rejoin the fight, she was... less than pleased to know that Hydra infiltrated her creation."

...his ears were still ringing from the old woman's scathing rant.

"...you're a real bastard, you know that?" Steve asked after a moment, staring him down even as he nodded.

"I'm a spymaster, of course I'm a bastard." Fury admitted without any shame, knowing he had already won this battle, something Steve couldn't refute.

A way to make Peggy young again? He could already see Steve's mind racing, a chance at the life he was denied? Steve would have the Masked Healer tracked down within the week.

He honestly hoped it worked out for Peggy and Steve, but that wasn't going to stop him from abusing the fuck out of that relationship.