Rayn's life had been anything but exciting. A shut-in otaku, he lived his days indulging in anime, manga, and especially the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He had watched every movie, every show, dissected every theory, and lived for the plot twists and turns of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But fate had other plans. A tragic accident ended his life prematurely—or so he thought.
Instead of finding peace or oblivion, Rayn awoke in a different body—taller, leaner, undeniably handsome—and in an unfamiliar place bustling with life. He blinked at the golden banners waving in the wind and the retro designs of vehicles and clothing. The words on a billboard caught his eye: "Welcome to the World Exposition of Tomorrow."
Rayn's breath hitched. "1943... Captain America..." he muttered. His otaku mind raced, recognizing the moment: Howard Stark was about to present his prototype flying car. He was inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Initializing System... Welcome, Rayn."
A translucent screen blinked into existence before his eyes.
[STATUS]
Name: Rayn
Age: 20
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Durability: 13
Mental Strength: 15
Intelligence: 17
Abilities: Shadow Extraction (Locked), Mind Shield (Active), Appraisal (Active)
[Other Functions: Missions, Inventory, System Store (Locked)]
"No way... I got a system too?!"
He navigated to the next screen.
[APPRAISAL - Ready]
[MIND SHIELD - Active: Immune to mind-related manipulations and readings]
[MISSION: Witness the demonstration by Howard Stark. Reward: Unlock 'Shadow Extraction' Skill.]
Rayn grinned. "Looks like I've got a cheat code in the Marvel Universe."
He moved through the crowd, keeping a low profile. Everything looked like it came straight out of a movie set, but he knew it was real. And this time, he wasn't just a spectator—he had a part to play.
Howard Stark's voice rang out, drawing cheers from the crowd. Rayn watched intently as the prototype levitated for a brief moment before collapsing with a clunk. Laughter erupted.
[MISSION COMPLETE. 'Shadow Extraction' unlocked.]
Another screen popped up.
[SHADOW EXTRACTION - Active] Description: Extracts the soul of a recently deceased being, transforming it into a Shadow Soldier twice as strong in every stat compared to the original.
Rayn took a deep breath, heart pounding.