A Saiyan's Priorities
Jax stood on the Queens rooftop, the distant sonic boom of Iron Man fading into the general urban din. The realization that he was truly in the MCU—the universe he had obsessively theorized about—was overwhelming, but his Saiyan instincts dictated his next move.
"AI, initiate basic combat readiness. But first, locate the best shawarma within a five-block radius. I need to establish a base of operations and satisfy the Primordial Saiyan's nutritional requirements."
"Affirmative, Mr. Ryder," the AI replied calmly. "Querying local culinary ratings. The highest-rated vendor is 'Ali's Halal Cart' on 47th and Broadway, approximately 5.8 miles away. However, 'The Shawarma Joint' on 3rd Avenue offers a superior spice blend and is only 2.1 miles distant."
"Spice blend wins. Target: The Shawarma Joint. And AI, let's test this Instant Transmission ability. It should be latent, but let's see if the Primordial bloodline gives me a head start."
Jax focused his vast, humming Ki. He locked onto the faint energy signature of the shawarma vendor, a delicious, greasy beacon of caloric destiny. In a flash of light so fast it was invisible to the naked eye, Jax vanished from the rooftop.
He reappeared, perfectly balanced, directly in front of a small, bustling food truck on 3rd Avenue. The street was crowded, loud, and gloriously anonymous—the perfect place for a secret Saiyan demigod to debut.
"One Chicken Shawarma roll, extra spice, extra garlic sauce, please," Jax ordered, effortlessly pulling out a crisp twenty-dollar bill from his new wallet—a mundane item conjured and filled by the Gate of Babylon (Noble Phantasm: The Discreet Petty Cash Pouch).
The Asgardian Disruption
Jax was halfway through his life-affirming shawarma—a perfect blend of New York grit and Mediterranean spice—when the sky decided to split.
KRA-KOOM!
A massive column of iridescent blue energy, emanating from the Bifrost, slammed into the pavement three blocks down, sending up a geyser of pulverized asphalt and steam.
"Alert, Mr. Ryder," the AI stated, its tone remaining completely level despite the cosmic chaos. "Massive localized energy signature detected. High probability of Asgardian or related anomaly. A powerful individual, identified as Thor Odinson, has materialized and is currently engaging multiple combatants identified as Frost Giants from Jotunheim."
Jax paused, his shawarma roll inches from his mouth. He sighed dramatically. "Seriously? I just got here. Can't a guy enjoy his rebirth in peace?"
[A.I.S. Quest Alert!]
[Objective: Intervene in the Asgardian Brawl! (Prevent civilian casualties and establish power dominance in the region).]
[Reward: 50,000 System Points, Title: 'The God-Puncher', Skill Unlock: Instant Transmission (Permanent)!]
"A permanent unlock of Instant Transmission just for hitting a guy with a hammer? Deal," Jax thought, instantly finishing his shawarma and wiping his mouth on a napkin.
He focused his Ki, rising gently into the air, hovering just above the stunned crowd. He powered up, but kept his hair black and his aura contained, not wanting to blow his cover with the golden hair transformation just yet. He wanted to make an impression, not start a global panic.
He flew toward the chaos, arriving just as Thor, magnificent in his armor and wielding Mjolnir, was locked in a brutal exchange with three towering, blue-skinned Frost Giants. They were tearing up the street, narrowly missing an ambulance.
"Yield, you frost-bitten curs!" Thor roared, spinning his hammer with destructive force.
"Hey!" Jax's voice boomed, amplified with a focused burst of Ki. He landed squarely between the Norse God and the monstrous aliens. "I just paid for lunch, and you guys are ruining the infrastructure! Take the fight to a less delicious area!"
Thor paused, his brow furrowed in confusion and anger. He saw an eighteen-year-old kid in street clothes radiating an unidentifiable, controlled intensity.
"Stand aside, mortal!" Thor commanded, his voice laced with the thunderous authority of an Asgardian prince. "This is a matter of the Nine Realms! Flee, before you are crushed!"
"Mortal?" Jax scoffed, feeling the familiar, joyous rush of the Saiyan fighting spirit. "I survived death by cake; you think a little thunder is going to scare me?"
The Frying Pan of Destiny
The largest Frost Giant, tired of the interruptions, roared and lunged, its massive, clawed hand aiming to crush Jax flat.
Jax didn't move. He activated the Gate of Babylon.
Instead of a godly sword, he pulled out his chosen weapon: Noble Phantasm: The Golden Frypan of Culinary Destruction (Prototype C-11: Kitchenware of the Gods). It was a golden, non-stick pan shimmering with absurd magical energy.
With a motion faster than light, Jax brought the pan down in a precise, horizontal arc, connecting with the Frost Giant's chin.
K-T-H-W-A-N-G!
The impact was quiet, almost anticlimactic, but the kinetic force was catastrophic. The giant didn't shatter; it simply stopped. Its massive body was launched sideways with the velocity of a cruise missile, slamming through a deserted convenience store across the street before falling into a deep, unconscious heap.
Thor stared, his jaw slack. The remaining two Frost Giants were frozen in terror.
"See?" Jax said to the stunned God of Thunder, tapping the non-stick surface of the pan. "Efficient. Non-lethal. And it cooks pancakes beautifully. Now, it's your turn."
Thor, enraged by the dismissal and the sheer absurdity of the attack, raised Mjolnir, calling upon the full power of the storm.
"You have insulted Asgard and shown your power to be far beyond that of any Midgardian! Who are you, creature?!"
"I'm Jax Ryder, and you almost ruined my post-lunch vibe."
Jax dropped the Golden Frypan back into the Gate of Babylon. He channeled his Ki into his fist, concentrating the devastating, planet-shattering power of the Primordial Saiyan lineage. It wasn't a reckless full-power blast; it was a calibrated, precise injection of force designed purely for maximum comedic effect and zero permanent damage.
With a speed that the God of Thunder, despite his divine reflexes, couldn't match, Jax delivered a clean, resounding uppercut—a perfect Ki-infused Saiyan Punch—directly to Thor's jaw.
BOOOOOOOM!
The noise was the sound of air itself protesting. Thor's eyes went wide with shock. Mjolnir slipped from his grip as his body became a celestial projectile, rocketing straight up through the atmosphere, disappearing into the clouds.
The two remaining Frost Giants took one look at the spot where their thunderous opponent vanished, then at the teenager who hit him with the force of a supernova, and instantly activated their Jotunheim escape mechanism, vanishing in a frantic flash of blue light.
[A.I.S. Quest Complete! Reward: 50,000 System Points, Title: 'The God-Puncher', Skill Unlock: Instant Transmission (Permanent)!]
The Unworthy Prize and the New Costume
Jax stood alone in the smoking, silent crater. He brushed the dust off his jacket.
"AI, did you trace Thor's trajectory?"
"Affirmative, Mr. Ryder. Estimated altitude: 100 kilometers and accelerating. He is currently entering Earth's low orbit. His vitals are stable, but his ego may be compromised."
Jax walked over to the legendary hammer lying innocently in the debris.
[Mjolnir's Status: Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.]
[Jax Ryder's Status: Ancient Primordial Saiyan. Power Check: Overwhelming. Worthiness Protocol: Bypassed by sheer force of will and power. Result: Lifted.]
Jax bent down and effortlessly picked up the hammer. It felt like a heavy, well-balanced tool—nothing more.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," Jax muttered. He looked at the wreckage—the destroyed street, the flattened convenience store. "AI, use 10,000 System Points and activate the 'Localized Reality Reset' function."
"Executing Localized Reality Reset. Area of Effect: Three Blocks. Restoring all property damage to pre-brawl condition. Excluding the unconscious Frost Giant in the convenience store."
With a subtle shimmer of power, the pavement repaired itself, the convenience store façade snapped back into place, and the debris vanished. Jax slipped Mjolnir into the Gate of Babylon (Noble Phantasm: The Ultimate Collectible).
"AI," Jax commanded, feeling the adrenaline and the need for a professional look. "I need a superhero identity. Something cool, fitting, and not cheesy. And I need a costume."
"Acknowledged. Analyzing parameters: Saiyan power, comedic action, cosmic background, and necessary stealth. Suggesting codenames: Zenith, Apex, or The Sentinel."
"Too generic. I punched a God. I travel dimensions. Give me something punchy and a little chaotic."
"Recalibrating… Suggesting: The Nexus Force or The Ki-Striker."
"Still boring. How about something that hints at my chaotic power, but sounds kind of grand?"
"Considering all factors… I suggest the codename: Aether. It implies limitless space, energy, and a connection to the cosmic forces, yet sounds refined. It fits your ability to move across dimensions and manipulate fundamental energy (Ki)."
"Aether," Jax repeated, nodding. "I like it. AI, conjure the Aether suit. I want it sleek, flexible, dark armor that's actually compressed Saiyan battle armor with a black and deep cosmic blue color scheme. Give me a high collar, armored gloves, and a symbol that looks like a stylized Ki blast surrounding a star."
"Processing request. Deploying Aether suit now."
With a flash of light visible only to Jax, his street clothes were replaced by the suit: form-fitting, hyper-durable fabric in matte black and midnight blue, with glowing cyan lines tracing the contours of the armor—a subtle nod to his Ki manipulation. On his chest was the symbol: a white, stylized star encircled by a jagged blue bolt.
Jax felt the armor settle perfectly. It was comfortable, powerful, and cool.
"Now that's a suit," Jax said, pulling his hood up slightly. "Time to go home and figure out how to stop the Chitauri invasion without giving up my secret."
"Your primary mission remains the same: Conceal your true nature. Remember, the Universal Travel Gate will only come online after the successful prevention of the 2012 Chitauri invasion."
Jax smirked, leaping high into the air, using his newfound Instant Transmission to vanish toward the safety of his Brooklyn loft. The MCU was about to meet its newest, and most ridiculously overpowered, reluctant hero.