The room smelled like mold and regret.
Adam stepped through the creaking door of his "starter apartment," blinking at the dim light bulb dangling from the ceiling like it might give up and fall at any second. A single window let in just enough light to reveal the cracked wallpaper and stains he chose not to investigate.
"…Okay," he muttered, stepping over a crusty pizza box left by the previous tenant. "So this is the 'Small Apartment in Hell's Kitchen' the system promised. Clearly, your definition of 'small' forgot to include the word disgusting."
He didn't mind, though. Not really.
It had four walls, a lock, and was just inconspicuous enough to avoid attention from any government agency or street-level vigilante. He tossed his bag onto the floor—it contained the cash, his forged ID papers, and the system-issued smartphone—and flopped onto the ancient mattress like a man who had fought a war.
Because emotionally? He had.
He was in the MCU. For real. The day had been a blur of hot dogs, lecture halls, drifting thoughts of portals, vibranium, time heists—and the weight of knowing he had 365 days until Iron Man's origin launched the chaos of the Infinity Saga.
He stared at the ceiling.
"I watched this universe burn and rebuild itself… again and again," he whispered. "I know how this story plays out. What if I could change it? Not just survive—but rewrite the damn script?"
I could be an Avenger ,I could meet all my heroes and fight with them ,I could save blackwidow ,I could kill thanos with my hands ,I could live my dreams.
[System Notification:]
[Starting Location Confirmed: Hell's Kitchen Apartment]
[First Anchor Point Set]
Reward: +1 Stamina
Passive Activated: Streetwise (Basic) ; Slightly improves awareness in urban environments.
He blinked. "So… this dump gave me a stat point and a perk? Great. I'll take rats over Hydra any day."
The system did work. That alone was enough to keep him grounded. Emotional energy from others gave him real, tangible growth. Skills, talent fragments, cash, stat points—power. All fueled by people's reactions to him.
But his starter cash was already bleeding out.
A New York apartment, even one this questionable, still cost him over $1,000 just to get the keys. He didn't want to touch the rest unless absolutely necessary.
He needed income. He needed a web of connections. He needed influence—but discreetly.
He grabbed his phone and opened a blank notepad app.
YEAR ONE – PHASE ONE GOALS:
Find magic users, aim for a foothold in Kamar-Taj
Blend into NYC life: tech circles, street-level networking
Scout Columbia Law – Find Matthew Murdock
Begin researching R&D shell company (front for tech exploits)
Test emotional triggers: Happy, Intrigued, Hate easiest to farm early
Scout nearby SHIELD observation points (they'll notice him soon)
The name Matt Murdock made him pause.
If he remembered right, Matt was either finishing law school or working small-time legal aid with Foggy. Still mostly in the dark, but close to picking up the mask.
And Hell's Kitchen? It was his turf.
"Smart, deeply emotional, ridiculously self-sacrificing… Matt is a long-term investment, I could befriend him i could make him superhumen if the system gave me the write items ,and I will need a good lawyer" Adam said to himself, stretching out on the mattress. "He'll hate me at some point. Maybe even respect me . Maybe… both."
Which meant the system would love it.
He grinned.
"I'm gonna I hope i dont become a villain who palys with peoples emotions."
Outside, the city kept screaming. Distant sirens. Footsteps. A saxophone solo playing from some apartment down the street. Hell's Kitchen was alive.
And Adam?
He was finally still.
[Current Stats:]
Strength: 4
Intelligence: 12
Stamina: 6
Charisma: 4
Luck: 0 (Progress: 0/10)
[Talent Fragments:]
Astrophysics – 12%
Cooking – 1%
Emotional Insight – Basic
Streetwise – Basic
He stared at the cracked ceiling and whispered, "Step one: survive the streets. Step two: start pulling strings. Step three? Become the man gods fear and heroes follow. easy peasy lemon squisy ,i will finish them all buy to0morrow or maybe i will wake up and i will find them done haha "
Sleep didn't come easily. But when it did, he dreamed of red suits, golden armor, and a future he planned to dominate—one emotion at a time.