Over the centuries, The Big Five worked diligently at keeping track of his extended family. He never had any kids of his own, so as he grew older his young cousins became like his children. This was certainly the case with Shilli Nangoloh, The Big Five’s biggest fan and younger cousin. From the day Shilli was born, The Big Five felt a strong bond with the boy, and as he grew older and discovered who The Big Five was, Shilli became enthralled with his heroic cousin. Whenever Job was home on break from heroism, the two were inseparable. The Big Five would often morph into his lion form and give Shilli rides for fun. Their bond did not weaken as Shilli grew into a man, as The Big Five could not have become more proud of Shilli. The young cousin had a huge heart, was very charismatic, and was genuinely one of the nicest people anyone could meet.

Eventually, Shilli went off to school in the US, where he studied Zoology and Biology at Duke University. After graduating, he moved back home to Namibia for a while, before venturing to the Democratic Republic of Congo to study gorillas and help with preserving them and their habitats. Shilli always loved these animals, as they were the reason he wanted to major in Zoology, and he always planned to dedicate his life to helping them. The Big Five would often go to visit him to see the gorillas, and in the 22nd century when an alien warrior race known as the Tromokratesians attacked the planet, it was where he happened to be.

Shilli lived in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC.The Big Five had just come in town a couple days prior while taking a quick break from hero work, before getting ready to head out on a major mission to help gather intel on the whereabouts of the hyper-villain arms dealer Ramses Hondo. Recent reports had placed him in Egypt, though they were not confirmed. The Big Five was going to verify the information, but first he sought some rest and relaxation; something he rarely got to experience.

As The Big Five sat with Shilli at his home, they enjoyed the absolute silence. There were no TVs or radios on. They both kept their phones in their pockets on silent. The peace and quiet was cherished between the two as they conversed. Then, the alien invaders touched down. Their starships breached the space above the city and the noise sounded as if the sky was being ripped apart. The two of them ran outside into Shilli’s backyard, and looked up to see Tromokratesian warriors descending into the neighborhood and the city. Laser blasts and explosions began going off all around them, and The Big Five immediately moved Shilli inside to protect him. Tromokratesian warriors had spotted them, though, and gave chase.

The Big Five led Shilli through the house, and on the way through the young man grabbed a gun he kept hidden for emergencies. Then, they ran out the front to hop into Shilli’s car. However, the Tromokratesian warriors had caught up to them and knocked The Big Five over. Shilli pointed his gun and emptied the clip into two of the alien invaders, killing them. The remaining Tromokratesians immediately disarmed the young man and bashed him into the car. Before they could finish him off, however, The Big Five transformed into a lion and pounced on the enemy invaders. With his huge claws and teeth he mauled the Tromokratesians to pieces, before returning to his human form to attend to Shilli. The young man was dying.

The blow he sustained from the massive alien invader had broken his ribs and collapsed his chest. He was wheezing and panting, trying to breathe, but it was clear he was on his way out. The Big Five continued to tell his young cousin to hang on, but there was nothing he could do. At least that was what he thought at first, for after a few agonizing moments of watching his cousin he suddenly had an idea – maybe the power of the medallion, which gave The Big Five his powers, could also help save Shilli. Without a second thought the hero clutched the medallion and began focusing some of its energy into his cousin.

The essence of the magical object entered Shilli’s body and fused with him, but it did not seem to be working. The young man’s breathing continued to be labored, and then it eventually stopped. The Big Five looked down atShilli devastated, with tears in his eyes, but a sudden explosion nearby distracted him. The hero gently placed Shilli’s body on the ground and began yelling at a squad of Tromokratesians. They had been ransacking the rest of the neighborhood, but when they heard The Big Five’s cries, they turned and ran over to engage him in battle. That was when the unexpected occurred.

Shilli’s body began to move and convulse. The Big Five looked down to see the power of the medallion transforming the young man into some sort of animal. However, The Big Five did not recognize the transformation. It did not look like when he turned into a lion, leopard, elephant, cape buffalo or rhino. Then, Shilli stood up and began roaring while his entire body continued to grow and become massive. The sight froze the Tromokratesians in their tracks, but it made The Big Five ecstatic. The essence of his medallion had bonded with the spirit of Shilli, and before him in that moment his young cousin had transformed into a giant silverback gorilla!

Shilli looked down on The Big Five, and even though his face was scowling and filled with a powerful rage, the hero could tell in the eyes of the silverback that his cousin was in full control and recognized him. The Big Five then turned to the Tromokratesians with asly smile, and immediately began charging. Shilli the Silverback followed, and as The Big Five ran he transformed into a giant lion, and the two proceeded to demolish alien invaders left and right. The duo wreaked havoc on the Tromokratesians and were unstoppable, and together they forged on, battling the enemy, while saving the lives of many in Kinshasa.

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