Time ticked away, second by second.
By the time the surveillance satellite detected the first unidentified spacecraft near Earth, everyone had already finished their morning training and gathered once again in Wakanda's War Command Hall.
As they stared at the countless glowing dots on the 3D projection, their expressions darkened.
"Each dot represents a Chitauri mothership-level vessel?" Captain America asked.
T'Challa nodded, his brows tightly furrowed.
The number of ships appearing on the screen far exceeded their expectations.
A rough estimate put the count at more than thirty!
Based on Captain America's previous encounters with the Chitauri army in New York years ago, a fully staffed Chitauri mothership could carry at least a thousand soldiers.
The small-scale attack from the day before, with just over a hundred troops landing in Wakanda, was clearly a suicide mission.
But today's aggressive formation? This was a full-scale invasion.
There was no doubt—the enemy had brought their full force.
And there might even be other unknown preparations in play.
At that moment, Shuri's face changed as she quickly stepped forward. "Anomalous data just infiltrated our monitoring satellites—they're trying to hack into our systems!"
Almost simultaneously, Iron Man's voice came through.
"My satellites are being hacked too. Chitauri, I presume?"
"They want to engage us in cyber warfare?"
"Whatever the case, counter-hack them!" Iron Man commanded. "Friday, trace the anomalies and strike back!"
"Understood, sir," Friday responded.
Shuri added, "Griot, you handle defense—I'll take the offensive."
"Understood, Princess," Griot replied.
Vision stepped forward as well. "I'll lend a hand too."
Thus, a battle without smoke or fire marked the beginning of a true war.
If someone had been watching from space at that moment, they would have seen several Chitauri motherships stationed in Earth's outer orbit, locked in a tense standoff with Stark Industries' satellites, Wakanda's satellites, and those of other nations.
Many of these foreign satellites and space stations, lacking advanced technology, had already been compromised.
Fortunately, with Iron Man, Shuri, their two AIs, and the synthetic lifeform Vision, the situation was not only stabilized but quickly turned into a counteroffensive.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Realizing that their cyber attack had failed, the Chitauri decided to flip the table.
They seized control of several armed satellites, activating their fire control systems and launching a barrage of missiles—targeting Stark Industries' satellites and Wakanda's satellites.
But neither Stark nor Wakanda was easy prey.
Stark Industries had three satellites in total. One was primarily responsible for data transmission, normally providing Iron Man with big data support. Now, it deployed its immense computing power to form a digital shield, blocking the Chitauri hack while launching a counterattack under the joint command of Friday and Vision.
The other two? Fully armed battle satellites.
One was equipped with a vast fleet of combat drones that could be deployed instantly to assist in the fight within Earth's atmosphere.
The other carried long-range missiles, boasting an impressive operational radius.
On the other hand, Wakanda's arsenal was even more formidable than Stark Industries'.
After all, Stark had to launch satellites under the guise of a private company or corporation, always needing to provide a plausible excuse.
But Wakanda? As an independent sovereign nation, they could launch as many satellites as they wanted—no questions asked.
Moreover, Wakanda's technology was far superior to that of other nations. Unless Wakanda deliberately revealed its presence, who could possibly pinpoint its satellites amidst the vast expanse of orbiting spacecraft?
As soon as the Chitauri-controlled armed satellites activated their fire control systems, both Stark Industries' satellites and Wakanda's satellites responded in kind.
Missiles clashed in space, their explosions minuscule against the backdrop of the massive Earth.
From the surface, people could see nothing of the battle.
Perhaps only with a high-powered telescope could one glimpse the sudden flashes of light appearing and disappearing in low Earth orbit.
But the battle was far from over.
The combined efforts of several artificial intelligences quickly led to significant breakthroughs, both in cyber warfare and physical combat.
One by one, the hacked space stations and satellites were reclaimed—even a Chitauri mothership fell victim to counter-hacking.
Moments later, the hijacked Chitauri mothership accelerated toward another nearby Chitauri ship.
The collision was as violent as two planets colliding.
This sudden turn of events sent the remaining Chitauri motherships scrambling to retreat.
However, this was merely a side skirmish, insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
More Chitauri motherships and spacecraft broke through the atmosphere, descending en masse toward Wakanda.
"They've entered the atmosphere. Estimated time to reach our airspace: seven minutes," Shuri reported.
Outer Perimeter of Wakanda, Near the Energy Barrier
Peter and T'Challa stood shoulder to shoulder beneath a towering structure.
Above them loomed a massive spear-like weapon, nearly a hundred meters long.
A giant Vibranium Spear Cannon—crafted from Vibranium-B, one of Wakanda's most advanced materials.
"Prepare for engagement!"
Hearing the command through his earpiece, T'Challa shouted.
"Huah!"
A resounding battle cry echoed from all directions.
One by one, the enormous Vibranium Spear Cannons powered up.
Peter pressed the emblem of the Black Spider on his chest. Instantly, liquid-like Vibranium nanites surged out, flowing over his body and enveloping him completely.
Minutes Later
Whoosh!
A piercing shriek came from the distance.
The tip of a Vibranium Spear Cannon glowed brilliantly before launching a concentrated energy beam into the sky.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out as a Chitauri mothership spiraled out of control, crashing toward Wakanda's energy barrier.
The barrier, appearing almost solid, absorbed the impact effortlessly, causing the wreckage to slide harmlessly to the ground below.
This moment was like the opening act of a grand battle—one that would determine the fate of half the universe.
Then, from all directions, the Vibranium Spear Cannons roared to life.
Some Chitauri motherships were shot down, while others managed to evade the barrage.
Not to be outdone, the enemy retaliated, firing ship-mounted weapons at Wakanda's energy barrier.
But the shield was like an unyielding fortress—unshaken, impervious to the relentless assault.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, several obelisk-shaped alien spacecraft descended from the sky, slamming into the ground around Wakanda.
They landed with immense force, completely encircling the northern plains of the Wakandan kingdom.
(End of Chapter)
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