[Zack's POV]
The first thing I did after securing my freedom was head to the nearest internet café. With a little sleight of hand, I recovered all my identification. Digital identity for myself. Birth certificate, Social Security number, school records—everything needed to pass as a normal teenager in 2011 America.
Once I had my digital footprint in place, I dove headfirst into research.
The moment I opened the news archives, I realized something: this world wasn't a one-to-one replica of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No, this place was a chaotic blend of the MCU, the comics, and something else entirely.
Mutants existed—openly. That already deviated from MCU canon. The Fantastic Four had made their debut just a few months ago, right after Tony Stark revealed himself as Iron Man in 2010. No signs of Spider-Man yet. Maybe Peter hadn't been bitten yet.
The timeline was close, but not quite.
"If this really follows the general MCU timeline," I muttered, "then Stark should be dealing with palladium poisoning about now."
I kept digging deeper, skimming headlines and piecing together world events like a conspiracy theorist on a caffeine binge.
Then something caught my eye—Victor Von Doom.
Or more accurately, the lack of Victor Von Doom.
According to what little information was available, Doom Industries collapsed after a failed joint mission with Reed Richards. Reed's tech venture apparently gutted Doom's financial empire, and Victor... vanished.
No sightings. No statements. No lawsuits. Just... gone.
"He's probably in Latveria," I said under my breath. "Taking over the throne, no doubt."
And if this Doom was anything like the comic version? That was a nuclear-level problem waiting to explode. The Movie Doom was just a joke, but comic Doom was terrifying. The kind of man who could match wits with Reed, fistfight Thanos, and bargain with Mephisto—all before lunch.
But that wasn't the only historical rewrite I noticed.
The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis incident that led to mutant exposure? Never happened.
Sebastian Shaw was still alive and listed as the wealthy CEO of several "philanthropic" organizations. I knew better. That meant the Hellfire Club was active—maybe even growing. And Apocalypse? No mention of the Cairo incident. Either he hadn't awakened, or the Ancient One had already dealt with him quietly.
Still, Magneto had made his mark. He had attempted to assassinate the President, which had officially labeled the Brotherhood of Mutants as terrorists. Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr were both active—young even. Late 50s at most.
Then I searched for something—or rather someone—specific.
Lucas White.
I didn't expect much. Maybe a social media profile or a LinkedIn page. What I found, however, made me want to slam my head against the keyboard.
That bastard was the son of a billionaire.
---
[Manhattan, New York – 2011]
[Lucas White's POV]
Lucas stirred awake, blinking against the golden sunlight flooding into the extravagant room. High ceilings, silk curtains, mahogany furniture—this was not his cramped apartment back on Earth.
Groggy, he sat up. The moment his hand touched the soft silk sheets, a feeling of wrongness hit him. He quickly scrambled off the bed and dashed toward the mirror.
The face staring back wasn't entirely foreign, but it definitely wasn't his old one.
He was taller now—close to six feet. Slightly chubby, but his frame carried it well. His skin was pale, but healthy, and his hair was a striking silver-white. Grey eyes blinked back at him with disbelief.
He looked... noble. Aristocratic.
"What the hell… wasn't I dead?" he muttered. "I remember the truck... the lights... then darkness."
Suddenly, a blinding pain shot through his head. It was as if a jackhammer had gone off inside his skull. He fell to his knees, clutching his temples as memories—not his own—poured in like a torrent.
When it ended, he was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.
"…I really transmigrated," he said, stunned. "And into the Marvel Universe of all places?"
He took a moment to sit on the plush bed and process what he had just learned.
His new identity: Lucas White. Eighteen years old. Son of billionaire entrepreneur Richard White, CEO of Spectre Industries—a tech company specializing in high-end bulletproof glass and smart architectural materials.
And he had an older sister named Anna White. No mother.
His sister is an actress. And he is a student now.
"Okay... okay, this is good. I'm rich, I'm young... I've got resources. I can work with this," he said, letting the relief wash over him.
But that joy was short-lived.
"Wait... this is the Marvel Universe," he said again, eyes widening with anxiety. "Money doesn't mean anything here. What matters is power."
He stood up abruptly, starting to pace.
"How do I even get power in this world? Mutant gene? Super serum? Ancient relic?"
As if summoned by his thoughts, a soft mechanical chime echoed in his ears.
[DING]
---
SYSTEM BOOT COMPLETE.
WELCOME, LUCAS WHITE. YOU HAVE BEEN TRANSMIGRATED. TEMPLATE SYSTEM ACQUIRED.
---
Lucas blinked.
"…System?"
Before he could fully digest that, another notification popped up.
---
FIRST TEMPLATE SELECTED: SHADOW (CID KAGENOU – THE EMINENCE IN SHADOW)
SYNC LEVEL: 1%
ABILITIES UNLOCKED:
I Am Atomic
Sword Mastery
Slime Suit Creation
Flight
Witchcraft
Magic Mastery
Regenerative Factor
NOTE: To fully sync with the template, master all listed abilities. To unlock new templates, fully sync with your template and complete system-assigned missions.
---
Lucas's jaw dropped.
"I'm… Cid?" he whispered, eyes wide.
He burst into laughter.
"I'm Cid! Haha! I'm going to be one of the strongest beings on this planet!"
After his initial excitement wore off, he summoned the system interface with a thought.
---
Name: Lucas White
Race: Human
Age: 18
Current Template: Cid Kagenou – 'The Shadow'
Sync Rate: 1%
Tier: Peak Tier 6 (potential)
Abilities:
I Am Atomic
Sword Mastery
Slime Suit Creation
Flight
Witchcraft
Magic Mastery
Regenerative Factor
---
Missions:
• Create an organization like Shadow Garden with at least 7 members (Incomplete)
• Defeat a Tier 6 entity (Incomplete)
• Spread your name as Shadow (Incomplete)
---
Lucas frowned slightly. "Okay... first mission is doable. I just need to gather some people. Second one? Not so much. Who on Earth is even Tier 6?"
His mind flashed to the Ancient One.
"Yeah... definitely not fighting her anytime soon."
With a sigh, he raised his hand and focused. A small blob of dark slime gathered in his palm, shifting and molding until it formed a dagger.
His eyes lit up. "This... is going to be fun."
---
[Zack's POV]
I stared blankly at the screen.
That bastard Lucas had landed in a billionaire family. With a system.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
I could feel the universe laughing at me.
Why couldn't I be reborn as Harry Osborn's brother? Or Stark's illegitimate son? Hell, even a Wakandan war orphan would've worked!
I sighed, rubbing my temples.
Lucas's family ran Spectre Industries, a massively profitable company specializing in smart architectural glass and military-grade materials. They had money. Influence. And based on what I could find, silver-white hair that ran in the family like they were freaking Targaryens.
I logged off and exited the café. Frustrated, but focused.
I used what cash I had—about $3000 from the facility—to buy a Smart phone and a prepaid SIM. Enough for now.
I found a modest room to rent for a month and settled in. As I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling fan spinning lazily overhead, my thoughts drifted to the future.
Thor.
It was already early 2011. If my calculations were right, he should arrive in New Mexico soon. And when he did... so would Mjolnir.
I didn't want the hammer. I wanted what came with it—divine energy.
That was the real difference between ordinary Asgardians and royalty like Thor or Odin. Not just strength or combat skills... but divinity.
Even Jane Foster, a mortal, gained incredible power just by wielding Mjolnir. If I could find a way to replicate that energy—copy it using my "Total Control" ability—I could enhance my body far beyond human limits.
That was the plan.
I'd claim my own kind of divinity.
With those thoughts circling in my head, I slowly drifted into sleep.