The summer heat of New York City was a heavy, suffocating weight, but for John Vance, the internal chill was far more profound. It had been two and a half months since he found himself in this world—a world he knew from movie screens and comic book pages. He watched a news report on a public screen, the headline a familiar, dreadful refrain: "Tony Stark is Still Missing." He knew this was the MCU's starting line, and he was standing right on the track. The terror wasn't from the unknown; it was from the known. He knew the threats that were coming, and he knew he was completely unprepared for them.
Just as the cold dread threatened to swallow him whole, a sudden, powerful jolt surged through him. His vision blurred, then sharpened, revealing a shimmering, transparent panel of light-blue text floating in the air only he could see.
[Welcome, Host. Your transmigrator status has been confirmed.]
[The Gamer System has been activated.]
[Unique Perk: 100x Multiplier has been applied. All EXP, Attribute Points, Skills, Items, and Artifacts received from the system will be amplified by a factor of 100.]
[Unique Perk Unlocked: The Veil of Secrecy. The Gamer System and its effects are completely undetectable by all non-Hosts. Your existence is your ultimate secret.]
A breathless, incredulous laugh escaped John's lips. This wasn't a nightmare; it was a miracle. He had a purpose now, a way to not just survive but to thrive. With the 100x multiplier, he wasn't just a Gamer; he was something far beyond. He was an exponential force in the making.
As if sensing his burgeoning resolve, the text shifted, presenting a clear objective.
[Quest Activated: The First Step]
[Objective: Acquire the Arc Reactor plans from a confidential Stark Industries server.]
[Reward: [Basic Electrical Engineering Skill Book], 1000 EXP, 1x Attribute Point.]
John's mind raced. The Arc Reactor plans. He knew exactly what they were. The foundation of Iron Man and the new age of technology. The quest was a direct instruction to get ahead of the timeline, to build his own foundation. He didn't have to wait for Tony Stark to return; he could begin his journey right now.
He stood and walked with a newfound purpose, his hands trembling with a mixture of fear and excitement. He needed a place with an internet connection, a quiet corner to begin his work. A nearby cafe provided the perfect cover. As he sat down and opened his phone, a new notification appeared.
[Skill Acquired: [Basic Hacking]!]
[100x Multiplier applied!]
[Skill Upgraded: [Basic Hacking] -> [Advanced Cybernetic Infiltration]!]
The moment the notification faded, a torrent of information flooded his mind. It was a dizzying rush of knowledge, a complete and total understanding of network architecture, encryption, and cybersecurity. He could see lines of code as if they were physical objects, a complex tapestry he could navigate and manipulate with ease. He didn't need a computer; his mind was the most powerful one on Earth.
He began his work, his fingers a blur over the old keypad, but it felt like he was playing a symphony on a digital keyboard. He bypassed firewalls and security measures that would have taken years for an expert to crack. He was a ghost in the machine, and the machine had no idea he was there.
He came across a nascent AI, a rudimentary firewall with a strangely sentient quality. He knew instantly it was a young J.A.R.V.I.S. He didn't want to alert the future AI, so he didn't try to destroy it. Instead, he simply wrote a few lines of code, an elegant backdoor that left J.A.R.V.I.S. intact and unaware of his presence. He wasn't here to make enemies of future allies.
Within minutes, he had found the server, a digital vault hidden deep within Stark Industries. Buried in a file labeled "Project Phoenix," he found the Arc Reactor plans. He initiated the download. The process was instantaneous.
[Quest Objective Complete: Acquire the Arc Reactor plans.]
[Reward: [Basic Electrical Engineering Skill Book], 1000 EXP, 1x Attribute Point.]
A fresh wave of energy washed over him. He felt his mind expand, and a profound understanding of electrical circuits, power generation, and quantum physics took root in his mind.
[Skill Acquired: [Basic Electrical Engineering]!]
[100x Multiplier applied!]
[Skill Upgraded: [Basic Electrical Engineering] -> [Arcane Electrical Engineering]!]
[The system has detected a massive surge of EXP.]
[1000 EXP x 100 = 100,000 EXP.]
[Calculating Level Ups…]
[Level 1 -> Level 2!]
[EXP Required: 100]
[EXP Remaining: 99,900]
[Level 2 -> Level 3!]
[EXP Required: 200]
[EXP Remaining: 99,700]
[Level 3 -> Level 4!]
[EXP Required: 400]
[EXP Remaining: 99,300]
[Level 4 -> Level 5!]
[EXP Required: 800]
[EXP Remaining: 98,500]
[Level 5 -> Level 6!]
[EXP Required: 1600]
[EXP Remaining: 96,900]
[Level 6 -> Level 7!]
[EXP Required: 3200]
[EXP Remaining: 93,700]
[Level 7 -> Level 8!]
[EXP Required: 6400]
[EXP Remaining: 87,300]
[Level 8 -> Level 9!]
[EXP Required: 12800]
[EXP Remaining: 74,500]
[Level 9 -> Level 10!]
[EXP Required: 25600]
[EXP Remaining: 48,900]
The notifications came one after another, a cascade of power building within him. He was a Level 10 Gamer, and his first quest had already changed him from a normal human to a force to be reckoned with. The system then presented him with his status panel.
[Status]
* Name: John Vance
* Level: 10
* EXP: 48,900 / 51,200
* HP: 100 / 100
* MP: 100 / 100
* STR: 10
* DEX: 10
* VIT: 10
* INT: 10
* WIS: 10
* LUK: 10
[Available Attribute Points: 1900]
The number "1900" flashed in his vision. The 100x multiplier had transformed the one attribute point from the quest into 100, and the two points he received with each of the nine levels he gained (2 x 9 = 18) had been amplified into 1800. The sheer number was staggering. He could become a physical powerhouse, a mental giant, a magical prodigy, or a combination of all three. He wasn't just a hero in the making; he was a god in the making.
John closed his laptop, a calm, exhilarated smile on his face. The world was in an uproar over Tony Stark, but soon, they would have a new hero. And this hero wouldn't just be an enhanced human or a billionaire in a suit. He would be the ultimate secret weapon, and no one would even know he existed. The path was laid out before him. Now, he just had to decide where to begin.