The last thing he remembered was the blaring horn. A flash of metal. Screeching tires.
Then — nothing.
No pain. No fear. Just an empty black void, silent and weightless.
---
When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't on Earth.
There was no sky, no ground, just an endless white plane that stretched in every direction. It was too bright to be natural, yet didn't hurt his eyes. Like standing in a dream.
In front of him hovered a glowing rectangular box, floating midair like a transparent hologram:
> [Welcome to LIMBO v3.1]
Processing soul signature…
Cause of death: Vehicular impact – "Truck-kun" classified.
Reincarnation approved.
You have been selected for Template Initialization Protocol.
"…What the hell?"
He looked around. He was wearing… nothing. Or maybe he was nothing now. Just thought and awareness in a glowing void. But somehow, he felt calm. Detached. Like he'd already accepted it.
Another message appeared, accompanied by a soft, genderless voice that echoed inside his mind:
> "You are eligible for one reincarnation into a fictional world of your choice."
"You may select either:
1. One superhuman ability, or
2. Two peak human character templates to assimilate over time."
> "Choose wisely. Power without control leads to ruin."
His breath caught.
I get to choose... a fictional world? And a power?
Then came the flood — a rush of memories, of every anime binge, comic book arc, movie universe, game setting he'd ever obsessed over.
Dragon Ball? No — too broken. You either train for decades or die a lot. Pass.
Naruto? Tempting… but the political mess, constant wars, and chakra beasts? Maybe not.
One Piece? Immortal sea monsters, corrupt governments, Devil Fruits — cool, but too unpredictable.
DC? Gods walk among men. Superman alone could wreck my life just by sneezing.
Marvel? Hmmm… dangerous, yes. But also familiar. Structured. And if it's MCU-based… I can predict the timeline.
He lingered on that thought. Stark. Rogers. Wakanda. SHIELD. Hydra. Aliens. Gods. Magic.
But also: opportunity.
The Marvel world is chaos… but it's also a place where the right mind or skillset can survive — even thrive.
> "World selected: Marvel Universe."
The void shimmered. Projections of Marvel characters surrounded him — the Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man swinging between dimensions, the Guardians soaring through space. Then came warnings:
> "This Marvel World is a fusion setting. All comic characters and organizations exist. Primary storyline foundation: Marvel Cinematic Universe (Earth-199999)."
> "Confirm world selection?"
He hesitated for just a moment… then nodded.
"Confirmed."
> "Initializing Golden Finger Selection…"
He now had to decide between a superhuman ability or two peak human templates.
Superpowers are tempting, he thought. Teleportation, telepathy, energy blasts, adamantium skeletons, cosmic awareness…
But most of those are loud. Obvious. They paint a target on your back. And unless I land in a rich or safe environment, I'll be hunted, dissected, or exploited.
No. He needed control, scalability, and above all: plausibility.
That meant skill.
He smiled.
> "Option selected: Two peak human character templates."
> "Please input character names."
He considered dozens — Batman, Deathstroke, Tony Stark, Shuri, Riri Williams, Taskmaster, Sherlock Holmes, Iron Fist, Solid Snake.
But two stood above all.
> "Template 1: Snake Eyes."
"Template 2: Baxter Stockman."
There was a long pause. Then the void rippled. A wall of information unfolded before him — martial arts scrolls, sword forms, infiltration techniques, blueprints, drone schematics, AI models, genetic notes.
> Valid templates located.
Snake Eyes – Tier: Peak Human Operative
– Martial arts mastery
– Stealth, infiltration, espionage
– All environment survivalist
– Weapon expertise
– Herbal medical knowledge
– Poisons and toxins expertise
– Arashikage techniques
Baxter Stockman – Tier: Peak Human Genius
– Advanced robotics and AI
– Genetic engineering
– Biology and anatomical knowledge
– Chemical engineering
> "Assimilation Requirement: 10 years of sustained training and knowledge development. Progress tied to physical conditioning and intellectual study."
"WARNING: Assimilation must begin at early age (5). Templates will evolve based on your interpretation and execution."
"Do you accept the conditions?"
He took one last moment to breathe.
Martial arts. Science. Stealth. Invention. Silent power. Tactical power. Hidden power.
He could work with that.
"I accept."
The light around him pulsed, growing brighter, warmer. The interface flickered.
> "Reincarnation beginning… Destination: Brooklyn, New York. Host family assigned. Body age: 5 years."
"Initializing Template Interface… Please survive."
The world cracked open beneath him.
He fell through the void, heart racing, as the final message burned into his soul:
> [Template Assimilation Console Online]
• Snake Eyes – Progress: 0%
• Baxter Stockman – Progress: 0%
Unlock skills through physical training and knowledge acquisition.
Good luck, Operator.