Chapter 1: Wake Up
Pain.
No, wait—this wasn't pain. Not the type I'd expected after getting flattened by a garbage truck while chasing my cat. This was more like... nausea? And my body felt weirdly different—like putting on someone else's hoodie, slightly too snug and smelling like cologne I'd never buy.
My eyes fluttered open.
Ceiling. Cracked plaster. Faint buzzing from a dying lightbulb. The sharp scent of old wood, burnt toast, and—
"Where... the hell am I?"
I sat up slowly. The bed creaked under me. The room looked like it came straight out of a low-budget 2000s apartment drama: old couch, tiny kitchen in the corner, beat-up TV on a crate. My heart hammered in my chest—not just from fear, but something deeper.
This wasn't my body.
I rushed to the bathroom, nearly tripping over a pair of boots. I flicked the flickering light on and stared at the mirror.
Tan skin. Shaggy black hair. Slim, wiry build. Maybe early twenties. Sharp jawline. A stranger.
"...Okay. Okay. I'm either dreaming or I just got Freaky Fridayed into a Hot Topic model."
I slapped my face.
Nope. Real.
Memories weren't flooding in either—whoever this guy was, he wasn't handing over his past.
Then, like a glitch in a video game, a translucent blue screen blinked into existence in front of me.
[Welcome, User!]
You have been selected for the Gacha Reincarnation System™ – Beta Program
World: MCU (Earth-199999)
Timeline: 2010
System Perks:
– 1x Daily Gacha Pull (random rarity: Common to Mythic)
– Daily mission available after 24 hour
– Powers, Skills, Items, Templates, or Companions from ANY fictional universe
– Passive Inventory Management
– Power Integration Module (PIM): Allows powers to scale naturally with training
Warning:
– You are now part of the MCU timeline. Events will proceed mostly as canon.
– Your presence can alter outcomes.
– You are NOT immune to death.
"...So let me get this straight," I muttered, sitting on the toilet lid, trying to process. "I died. Got isekai'd. Into the MCU. And now I have a literal gacha system."
A new screen popped up, cheerful and annoyingly bright:
[Daily Pull Available: 1x Free Spin]
Would you like to Gacha?
I stood up and hesitated. This was the moment. My first power. My first anything. This would define how I'd survive in a world with literal gods, aliens, and killer robots.
I took a deep breath
"Phew...Okay, please god... please...."
I pressed PULL.
A digital slot machine sound played as a golden capsule spun in the air. Lights danced. I held my breath.
🎉 You received: Template – Vinsmoke Sanji (Basic)
– Cooking Talent: Beginner Chef
– Combat Style: Black Leg (Early Proficiency)
– Resistance to Fire: Minor
– Enhanced Leg Strength: Beginner Level
– Smoking Habit: Optional
My mouth dropped. "Sanji? As in... the kick guy from One Piece?!"
My leg twitched. Heat tingled through my muscles, especially my lower body. I instinctively tried a kick. It sliced through the air like a whip, sending the bathroom towel flying into the shower curtain.
"…Holy crap."
But it wasn't overpowered. Well,not yet. I could feel the potential—but also the limits. The Gacha System wasn't making me overpowered instantly. It was giving me a base to build from.
And I had two years.
Two years before Loki invaded New York. Before everything in the MCU kicked into high gear. Before the Chitauri fell from the sky and aliens became a Tuesday problem.
"Alright, then," I whispered, looking into the mirror again. "Whoever this guy was... I'm him now. But I'm also me. I don't know how I died. I don't know why I got chosen."
I looked down at the still-glowing screen and smiled.
"But if the game's already started... I'm playing to win."
To Be Continued