Jason Carter had always been a die-hard Marvel fan. Comics, movies, video games—if it had the iconic red and white logo slapped on it, he'd consumed it. His apartment was a shrine to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, with posters of Iron Man's suits, Spider-Man's acrobatics, and even a rare framed print of the Sentry, the Golden Guardian of Good, looming over his desk.
But life hadn't been kind to Jason. Stuck in a dead-end job, nursing a heartbreak, and with no real prospects, he often fantasized about being more. About having the power to change things. To be a hero.
Which is why, when the truck barreled toward him as he pushed a kid out of the way, his last thought wasn't fear—it was irony.
"Damn. I really pulled a Peter Parker, huh?"
Then—blackness.
---
Jason's eyes snapped open.
The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't dead.
The second thing was that he was standing in the middle of a pristine, white void, stretching infinitely in every direction.
"What the—?"
"Greetings, Host!"
A cheerful, synthetic voice echoed around him. Jason spun, but there was no one there.
"Congratulations on your heroic sacrifice! As a reward, you have been selected for transmigration into the Marvel Universe!"
Jason blinked. Once. Twice.
"Okay, either I'm hallucinating, or this is the best coma dream ever."
"No coma, Host! You are very much real—well, as real as existence gets when shifting dimensions."
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of him, displaying what looked like a character sheet.
**Name:** Jason Carter
**Age:** 26
**Abilities:** None
**World:** Earth-199999 (MCU) + X-Men Variant
**Current Timeline:** 2007
**Mission:** *Live Freely. Change Fate.*
Jason's breath hitched.
"Wait… I'm in the MCU? Before everything goes to hell?"
"Correct! And as a starter gift, the System will grant you one randomized power set!"
A slot machine-like animation spun wildly on the screen before landing on—
**[POWER UNLOCKED: THE SENTRY (VOIDLESS)]**
Jason's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding. The Sentry? A million suns exploding? The Golden God?!"
"Indeed! All the power, none of the mental instability or Void baggage. Consider it a… balanced edition."
Jason flexed his fingers, half-expecting golden energy to erupt from them. Nothing yet.
"So… how does this work?"
"Simple! You will be integrated into the world naturally. Missions, rewards, and upgrades will be provided based on your actions. Oh, and one more thing—"
Another screen popped up.
**[ROMANCE MODE: ENABLED]**
**[TARGET: HELA ODINSDOTTIR]**
Jason choked.
"Hela? As in, the Goddess of Death? The one who crushed Mjolnir like a soda can?!"
"Every great hero needs a love interest, Host! And let's be honest—you've always had a thing for dangerous women."
Jason opened his mouth to protest, then shut it.
"...Okay, fair."
Before he could ask more, the void shimmered, and the world dissolved into blinding light.
---
Jason woke up on a park bench in New York City.
The air smelled different—less polluted than he remembered. The skyline was familiar, but… older. No Stark Tower. No signs of the Avengers.
"2007. Right."
He looked down at himself. He was wearing a simple hoodie and jeans, a wallet in his pocket. Flipping it open, he found an ID, a few bucks, and a keycard to an apartment in Queens.
"System, you gave me a life here?"
"Of course! Every isekai protagonist needs a starting point."
Jason exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"Alright. First things first—test the powers."
He focused, reaching inward for that cosmic energy the Sentry was known for.
Nothing.
"Uh… System?"
"Ah! My bad. Forgot to mention—the powers are latent at first. You'll need a trigger."
"A trigger? Like what?"
"Danger. Adrenaline. A really good motivational speech. You'll figure it out!"
Jason groaned.
"Great. So I'm basically a normal guy until I get punched in the face."
"Pretty much!"
Shaking his head, Jason stood. If he was going to survive in this world—let alone woo the Goddess of Death—he needed a plan.
And step one?
"I need to get rich."
---
Three days after his arrival, Jason had settled into a routine—research, planning, and figuring out how to jumpstart his new life in the Marvel Universe.
The problem? He was broke.
Sure, the System had given him a basic identity—apartment, ID, a few bucks—but if he wanted to make real moves, he needed capital. And fast.
His first idea was the stock market. With his knowledge of future tech, he could invest early in companies like Stark Industries (pre-Iron Man boom) or Oscorp. But without seed money, that was a slow grind.
His second idea? Poker.
Not some high-stakes, underground Kingpin-run game—Jason wasn't delusional. Wilson Fisk didn't show his face in random backroom games, and even if he did, a nobody like Jason wouldn't get within ten feet of him.
No, this was a smaller game. A connected game.
A Hell's Kitchen dive bar hosted weekly Texas Hold'em, frequented by mid-level enforcers, smugglers, and guys who knew guys who might know Fisk. The buy-in was steep ($5,000), but Jason had scraped together enough by pawning a few "future tech" ideas (basic smartphone concepts, battery improvements) to a shady patent broker who asked zero questions.
Now, he sat at the table, keeping his expression neutral as he played his hand.
"Call."
The dealer flipped the river—a king of hearts. Jason's pair of kings just became three of a kind.
Across from him, a burly guy with a scar down his cheek—introduced only as "Mick"—scowled.
"You've got a hell of a poker face, kid."
Jason smirked. "Beginner's luck."
Two hours later, he walked away with $25,000 in cash and a business card from a guy who "knew people" interested in "tech investments."
Not bad for a night's work.
---
Jason knew he was being followed the second he stepped into the alley.
Three guys—Mick and two others from the game—had tailed him, clearly unhappy about losing to a "rookie."
"Hey, pretty boy," Mick growled, cracking his knuckles."You forgot something back there."
Jason sighed. "Let me guess—my 'fair share'?"
"Smart guy." One of the others pulled a switchblade. "Hand over the winnings, and we won't carve you up too bad."
Jason had two options:
1. Run.(But then he'd lose the money.)
2. Fight. (But he was still, technically, a normal guy.)
Then the System chimed in.
**[MISSION: FIRST BLOOD]**
**[OBJECTIVE: UNLOCK YOUR POWER]**
**[REWARD: 500 SYSTEM POINTS]**
Jason exhaled.
"So this is my trigger, huh?"
The first punch came—
And something inside him ignited.
Golden light surged through his veins. Time seemed to slow. The thug's fist moved like it was stuck in molasses.
Jason's body moved on instinct.
He sidestepped, grabbed the man's wrist, and—
*CRACK.*
The sound of breaking bone echoed in the alley.
The other two stared in shock.
Jason looked down at his hands.
They were glowing.
"Huh," he muttered. "So that's what a million suns feels like."