Karan sighed happily, sinking deep into his comfortable old sofa. The only light in the dark room came from the TV. On the screen, the handsome and clever character, Lucifer, was making a funny comment. The first episode ended, and the credits began to roll with its memorable theme music playing.
"Ah, this is the life," Karan murmured to the empty house. His parents were off on a week-long trip to visit relatives,so he had the whole place to himself. His kingdom was a fridge full of food, fast internet, and no one to tell him what to do. "Just watch shows and relax," he thought. "What could be better than this?"
His commitment to doing absolutely nothing was tested right away.He reached into the popcorn bowl on his lap, but his fingers only touched the empty bottom. He let out a disappointed groan. The kitchen seemed incredibly far away, a difficult journey of twenty whole steps. On the TV screen, the "Next Episode" timer was counting down: 10... 9... 8..., making the decision even harder.
"Forget it, that's way too much effort," he decided, making an excuse that the coming previews weren't important anyway. He convinced himself that surviving a single episode without popcorn was a small price to pay. This was the ultimate proof of his commitment to his lazy lifestyle.
As the second episode started, the room plunged into darkness.
It wasn't a normal blackout. The lights flashed on and off violently. They buzzed loudly, and the TV screen glitched, showing broken images of the actor's face before going black and then flashing back on. A sharp, electric smell, like after a lightning strike, filled the room.
"Damn it, not now..." Karan began to say, but he couldn't finish. A huge, strange pressure suddenly squeezed his mind. It didn't hurt, but it felt like he was being erased. His thoughts, his very self, were being washed away like a sandcastle by a giant wave. There was no time to scream or think about his family or his show. There was only nothingness—a silent and terrifying empty darkness.
....
Consciousness slammed back into him like a powerful, physical blow.
Karan's eyes flew open.The place he saw was nothing like his small, messy room. Above him was a huge curved ceiling with beautiful golden designs. In the middle hung a big crystal lamp made of thousands of shining pieces. Even in the soft morning light, it sparkled brightly, like diamonds frozen in the air.
He sat up quickly,but surprised by how effortlessly he moved. He was sitting on a bed so large and plush it felt like a cloud, draped in the softest silk. He looked around a room that was bigger than his entire apartment, painted in rich shades of charcoal gray, blood red, and shining gold. His eyes were drawn to a massive window that showed a stunning cityscape, and a cold certainty settled in his stomach—it wasn't his home city Mumbai.
"Wh-what the hell?" he stammered, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious room.
And then it hit him.
A flood of new memories crashed into his mind. They weren't his own. It was a whole other person's life, forcing its way into his thoughts. He saw a sad funeral on a cloudy day, with two coffins being buried. He felt the heavy weight of keys and a property deed in his hand. He heard a name being spoken quietly by people offering their sympathies.
"Lucifer Morningstar," he whispered.And to his surprise, it felt natural. It felt like he was finally putting on a piece of clothing that was designed specifically for him, fitting his very soul without a single flaw.
His body felt familiar, but also different. He looked at his hands. They were his hands, but the nails were perfectly trimmed and the skin was smooth, without a single mark. He quickly got out of the unbelievably soft bed and his feet sank into a thick, dark carpet. He rushed over to a tall mirror with a gold frame on the other side of the room.
The face in the mirror was his, but it was a much better version. It had his same eyes and hair, but everything was improved. His jaw was stronger, his cheekbones were higher, and his eyes seemed to pull you in. A slight, confident smile rested on his lips without him even trying. He used to be good-looking, but now he was incredibly handsome.
He took off the expensive silk pajama top. His body, which used to be thin and a bit skinny, was now perfectly toned. It wasn't the huge, bulky muscle of a weightlifter. It was the lean, strong, and defined body of a powerful predator, like a panther in human form . A perfect set of abs covered his stomach, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders shifted with hidden strength when he moved.
"Okay," the man now known as Lucifer said to his reflection, his voice steadier. "Okay.This is not a dream. Or if it is, don't wake me up."
His new memories explained his new life, but his old memories told him the scary truth. He remembered a news report from his new memories where the famous billionaire Tony Stark said, "I am Iron Man." Then he saw the date on a clock next to the bed: June 12, 2009. He knew exactly what that meant.
"Iron Man 2 timeline," Lucifer whispered. His mind was working faster and clearer than ever before. "I'm in the damn Marvel Cinematic Universe."
A sharp and icy feeling of dread flooded his body. He realized this wasn't a safe world like Earth. This world lived under constant threat. Soon, Loki would invade with his Chitauri soldiers. After that, an artificial intelligence called Ultron would attempt to drop an entire city from the sky to cause extinction. And waiting in the shadows was the greatest threat—the massive, purple-skinned madman Thanos, who was obsessed with wiping out half of all living creatures.
He was just a lazy student from the future, stuck in a universe that was about to face multiple world-ending disasters. He could feel panic starting to rise in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Just as the fear was about to take over, a voice spoke directly into his mind. It sounded cold, robotic, and showed no feeling at all.
[Congratulations, Host. The 'Lucifer Morningstar' Template has been successfully integrated.]
A transparent, blue screen appeared in front of his eyes, floating in the air like advanced technology.
[Integration Process: 100% Complete.]
[Welcome, Lucifer Morningstar.]
A wave of relief washed over him. A system. Of course. What was a transmigration story without a system?
"Right. Interface. Status," he commanded, the words feeling natural.
The screen glowed and changed, now showing a neat, well-organized list of information.
<< USER STATUS >>
Name: Lucifer Morningstar
Identity:Owner of Lux; Heir to the Morningstar Estate
Template:Lucifer Morningstar (Prime)
<< CORE POWERS >>
Superhuman Physicality: Possesses strength and speed far exceeding the peak of human potential. (Current Tier: Metahuman)
True Immortality:
Cannot be killed or permanently harmed by any means native to this universe.
[Reason: This world has no holy weapons or godly objects from that universe and can harm a being like you]
Eternal Youth locked to biological age: 22.
Desire Detection: Can perceive and understand the deepest, most hidden desires of any living being through direct conversation.
Hellfire Manipulation: [STATUS: LOCKED] Generate and control the primordial flames of the Hell. Can burn anything, physical or spiritual. (Unlock Conditions: Unknown)
Devil Form: [STATUS: LOCKED] - You will be able to transform and show your true, powerful, and terrifying devil appearance.Unlock Conditions: (Unknown)
Lucifer's eyes moved down the list, once, and then a second time to be sure. The fear he felt about Thanos and the coming wars simply by as quickly as mist on a hot day. A genuine, confident smile slowly spread across his lips. That smile grew into a low chuckle of disbelief, which then exploded into full, joyful laughter that echoed around the room.
The sound echoed through the luxurious bedroom, rich, confident, and utterly free of worry.
He was immortal. Truly immortal. The system's explanation was simple and made perfect sense. In this world, there were no holy spears or swords of michael that could hurt him. Nothing could kill him. If someone shot him, he would heal. If a building fell on him, he would climb out. If he was thrown into the sun, it would be a terribly uncomfortable holiday but he would endure, trapped in the star's core until a solar eruption eventually shot him back into space.
He would stay young forever. He was strong enough to lift a car. And he could know anyone's deepest secret desires. For someone who loved pleasure, for someone who liked to control others, for a king—this was the perfect set of powers.
Thanos? Let the big purple guy do whatever he wanted. Lucifer would still be around afterward, and he would be there forever.And Loki? He could likely sit down with the so-called God of Mischief, share a bottle of fine whiskey, and by understanding Loki's deepest insecurities and loneliness, guide him toward getting some serious therapy.
He walked back to the mirror, moving with the smooth, confident walk of a hunter. He looked at his own reflection. These weren't Karan's eyes anymore. They were the eyes of the Devil who owned a club in LA. They were the eyes of someone who had infinite time to do whatever he wanted.
"Karan is gone," he said, and his words were final. "He enjoyed his simple life. But I... I am going to have everything."
His mind turned to his inheritance: a high-end nightclub named Lux. He saw it now for what it was—a perfect stage. It would attract everyone: billionaires, politicians, superheroes, and criminals. They would all gather there to drink and socialize, and in doing so, they would expose their hidden selves to the one being in existence who could peer directly into their souls.
A wicked, delighted grin spread across his face. He could already sense the amazing possibilities. If he met Tony Stark, he would know right away that the hero didn't just want peace—he wanted someone to tell him he was good enough. If he met Steve Rogers, he would see the hero's deep longing for the past and the woman he loved and lost
He wasn't bothered by the fact that his hellfire and his true devil form were still locked away. He saw them as exciting secrets to uncover in the future, like presents waiting for the right moment to be unwrapped. At this very moment, the incredible abilities he already possessed were perfectly sufficient for his needs.
He walked to the huge window and moved the thick curtain aside. He looked down at the city waking up below. Los Angeles stretched out before him, a kingdom of sin, desire, and opportunity. Somewhere out there, Tony Stark was dealing with Palladium poisoning,the secret agency S.H.I.E.L.D. was spying on everyone, and Nick Fury was planning his little Avengers Initiative.
"Let the games begin," Lucifer Morningstar whispered softly. His warm breath made a small patch of fog on the cool glass of the window.