1 Being Put Into A Warzone

The first thing I noticed was the sickening smell all around me.

Burning flesh, the smell of gunpowder, the metallic scent of blood--it was all so overwhelming I nearly threw up. Yet something stopped me.

A robotic voice spoke up in my mind.

[Sir, we don't have much time before Chitauri reinforcements make way to your current location. I am the communication interface for the nanomachines that are currently flowing through your bloodstream. I have been loaded with a program to teach you how to use the nanomachines inside of you.]

Before I could even reply to the voice, I felt like someone had swung a pickaxe right into the front of my head and I doubled over, dropping to my knees. All sorts of information came into my head--all sorts of information that was very troubling.

I wasn't what you'd call a normal youth. I mean, I wasn't what you'd call special either, but I was definitely above average in terms of people and their attributes/skills.

That is mainly because of luck and who I was born to...so, luck, really.

Lucky in the sense that I was born with good genetics. Lucky in the sense that I was born to loving parents who only wished to see me succeed. Lucky in the sense that my father was an ex-Marine and taught me how to survive in the wild, how to hunt, how to hold a rifle, how to fight. Lucky in the sense that my mother was a College Professor and helped me find studying and learning fun through a variety of little games she played with me as I was growing up.

I was lucky. That was my thing. I'm 19-years-old, but I'm pretty well-adjusted. No crazy antics, no parties that had to be broken up by the cops--I was mature, I guess. I still had fun; jeez, I'm not a monk, you know? I went out with friends. Hiking, kayaking, camping - that type of stuff.

So, it was fair to say that I'd experienced a good amount in my, admittedly short, 19 years alive.

What I hadn't experienced was this.

The information currently pouring into my head was kinda...complicated.

For one, it showed me memories of another life. A life where I was the orphan and heir to a tech conglomerate, and one of the richest teenagers alive. That is if you class a nineteen year old as a teen; even if you classed this version of me as an adult, I was still one of the richest people alive. Well within the top ten percent, at least.

This version of me lived in New York, just like the other version, but this me lived in a penthouse in Manhattan - a penthouse that cost an absurd amount of money to buy. Yeah, you heard right, not 'rent', no, this me brought the entire building.

Absurd memories, honestly.

But it didn't stop there because the next piece of information told me where I was.

You thought I was in a normal version of Earth because I mentioned New York? Wrong. I was in a pretty absurd version of Earth. I was in the MCU. The Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I knew this because the memories of this version of myself came with memories about Stark Industries, Oscorp, Hammer Industries, The Baxter Building--All of that shit was in my head. How did I know it was exactly the MCU if things like Oscorp and the Baxter Building were here? Because so far, the entire world had been following the plotline of the MCU.

Thor dropped down in New Mexico and brought his problems to Earth. Tony Stark got kidnapped and became Iron Man before revealing himself to the world. The Hulk aka Bruce Banner wrecked havoc throughout Harlem while fighting the Abomination.

And the real kicker? Stark looked exactly like his actor. So did Thor, from what images I saw in my new memories.

Oh, and so did Captain America, America's Golden Boy. He looked like his actor as well.

Which meant in the foreseeable future, that the jolly purple Giant would appear and I'd have to take him out if I didn't wanna run the chances of being turned to ash. Technically, he's alive and well now but I have no clear where. He's just sitting his fat ass on his floating chair somewhere in the cosmos, thinking about how he wants to wipe out half of all life.

All of this would be pretty scary, if it weren't for the fact that I knew I had a decent kind of cheat in this, frankly, very dangerous world.

What cheat? Nanomachines, son!

--Ahem, yeah, anyway, the information currently in my head tells me that I have trillions of ultra-advanced nanomachines flowing through my system. These nanomachines are pretty much the same ones Senator Armstrong used in his fight against Raiden - meaning I'm not invulnerable up to a certain level of damage/speed. It also means I can heal from things in a way very similar to Wolverine. Except instead of a natural healing factor, the nanomachines inside my body repair the damage for me.

A side-effect, or benefit, of having nanomachines inside every part of my body, is that I'm also now superhuman in every single way. The nanomachines remove weakness and perfect whatever they can to their upmost ability: which means my weak human bones, muscles, skin and nervous system? They've already undergone a massive overhaul.

I can also feel so much more variety to the power these nanomachines give to me. Superhuman physicality seems to just be barely scratching the surface of what I can do with them.

How am I so calm? Another benefit of nanomachines. Fear and anxiety are just hormonal changes inside your brain. Nanomachines can limit these hormonal changes or just outright stop them. Which means unless I want to feel anxious or fearful, then I won't feel either of those things.

Still, I continue to feel emotions because I'm not the type of edge lord who believes emotions make you weak. Emotions, a personality and memories are what make a person. Take away emotions and personality will soon follow suite, leaving you as an empty husk filled memories you can't really understand due to not feeling emotions.

Hence why I seem to have subconsciously kept my emotions activated.

'...You're the voice interface so I assume you can read my thoughts when I direct them to you?' I asked, my eyes finally opening and taking in the world with more clarity than I'd ever seen before.

[That would be correct, sir. I cannot read your memories or your general thoughts, unless you direct them toward me. I am programmed to respect your privacy,] came the robotic reply in my mind.

My vision focused and I adapted almost instantly as I commanded the nanomachines to alter the clarity of my vision to be just a bit more normal for now. I didn't need to be walking around with permanent microscopic vision, you know? It'd just be unnecessary.

Standing up to my full height, I cracked my neck and stretched my arms, the muscles rippling with unnatural power, 'Do you know the year currently?'

[Yes, the current year is 2012,] it answered and continued, [You understand what I mean by that and what the Chitauri reinforcements mean also, don't you, sir?]

'Yes,' I groaned as I stretched, 'It means New York is currently undergoing an invasion from the Chitauri, led by Loki. The reinforcements are on their way, however you can tell that I have no clue, but if they're on their way...then let's give 'em a warm welcome.'

The surroundings were filled with corpses. I cut off my sense of smell as the smoldering bodies gave off a truly horrid scent and the bodies that weren't burning were covered in blood and ripped open in places - by shrapnel, I think, but I couldn't be sure. Pushing that thought aside and forcing myself to be calm and focused through the use of nanomachines inside my head, I began hardening my body.

My skin took on a rough and matte black appearance, my veins bulging as the nanomachines reinforced everything in my body.

I focused at the edges of my fingers and made claws of hardened bone with the nanomachines.

Normally that would've hurt. Yet I could cut off my sense of pain with the nanomachines, making the process exceptionally easy. I covered my face in a layer of bone also, obscuring my facial features from any prying eyes. Regarding prying eyes, I lifted a hand and released a few billion nanomachines into the surroundings, sending them out to any electronics in the surrounding area.

My nanomachines basically made me a technopath, which meant I could easily take over any machine near me as long as I put enough nanomachines inside of the machine. Right now, I was sending my nanomachines out and into any cameras or phones and wiping myself from them.

Recordings, dates, meetings, schedules--anything that would show that I was here was wiped clean.

After all, some of these corpses are my secretaries and bodyguards. Meaning the devices on them would show that I was here and I'd much rather avoid anyone knowing I was here when this all happened.

It'd put me on certain people's watch lists and until I settled myself properly into this world, I didn't want anyone knowing what I could do.

'How are the nanomachines being powered?' I asked the communication interface curiously, pulling the few billion nanomachines I'd sent out back into my body now that they'd wiped every bit of evidence out and done the job I'd given them.

[Your heart and cardiovascular system have been converted into a very complex and very powerful bio-reactor. The nanites in your body absorb and store this energy and use it when needed. Granted, the nanites are exceptionally efficient and don't waste a drop of the energy used,] the interface replied in the same monotonous voice.

Narrowing my eyes, I brought a hand to my chest and felt my heart thumping away, '...And are there any risks to having a bio-reactor as a heart?' I asked, allowing myself to feel a little worried.

[No. If anything, it is much more reliable than a normal human heart. Cardiac Arrests are a thing of the past for you now, sir,] it said what I guessed was a joke - though it fell flat due to it's robotic tone - [The only difference is that your diet will be slightly different from now on. Specific chemicals will need to be digested on a bi-annually schedule for the bio-reactor to be able to produce the energy which it does. Other than that, you may eat whatever you want even if it serves no purpose.]

My internal conversation came to an end as I heard footsteps about twenty meters away.

22.38 meters, to be exact.

...It was utterly insane that my hearing and spatial awareness was that advanced just because of nanomachines but I'm not gonna complain about it.

I used the hardened bone claws now at the ends of my fingers and began climbing up the wall next to me. The exertion was barely even there - and even that was just my mind telling me I was using the muscles needed for this action. I wasn't getting tired at all and I felt like I barely weighed a thing. Which I guess, relative to my new physical strength, I did weigh little to nothing.

Thoughts aside, I got to the ceiling and dug my claws into that as well, maneuvering myself above the entrance I could hear the Chitauri coming towards. How did I know they were Chitauri? Easy: they just didn't sound like humans. They moved differently, they breathed differently, their heartbeat was slower and stronger than the average human's--how I knew all this, I don't know. I just knew it.

It was like my nanomachines were allowing me to use my knowledge to larger effect.

The first Chitauri entered the hotel lobby, flanked by six others - three on each side. They each spoke to one another in quiet clicks and hisses, their voices sounding like those stereotypical voices you'd put on when trying to sound like a snake person. Except they weren't speaking any language known and it sounded more like actual snakes communicating in tongues with one another.

Each of the Chitauri had their advanced rifles raised, pointed at different parts of the lobby. Any corpse that didn't seem dead enough got another shot - they were systematically clearing out buildings, it would seem.

My memories told me that an explosion took place in this building, so I guess these squads were going in after they dropped explosives in set areas to clear up what was left alive.

I sensed around for any more squads but found nothing, so I dropped down behind the squad.

The nanites in my body changed my legs temporarily, allowing them to absorb the impact fully and causing my landing to be completely silent. It was an odd skill to have but definitely a useful one.

I walked up behind the nearest two and dispatched them with swift and impossibly strong slashes with my hands. Their heads came clean off and they dropped toward the ground. Before they could even hit the ground, I dashed forward and cut through the rest of them. They couldn't even react to my movements before they died.

Rising feelings of disgust and sickness rose up inside of me but it was quickly suppressed and dealt with by the nanomachines inside me.

I gave a sigh of relief; I'd hate to have to get used to this the normal way.

'Interface, besides enhancing my physical abilities, what else can I do with the energy produced by the reactor in my chest?'

[You can convert the energy into heat and use it for offensive purposes. Or you can coat your body in a bio-electric field that can heighten the protection already given by the nanomachines hardening your body - this bio-field also gives you the ability to fly.]

My eyebrows raised in surprised before I smirked under the bone mask, 'Then produce this bio-field and let's get to flying!'

[Aye aye, sir,] came the reply before I felt the power flooding my body get projected outward until it covered my body in a faint red light. It contrasted rather sinisterly with the blackened color of my body under the nanomachines hardening. Suddenly, I felt like gravity just...didn't mean anything to me anymore.

With a concentrate effort, I slowly began to rise into the air, levitating a foot or so off the ground.

It took some mental effort to fly but said effort was getting less and less taxing by the second as my body regulated the energy usage to be more and more efficient.

I levitated out of the building's front entrance - because why walk when I can levitate? - and then took to the skies. Flying higher and faster took more concentration but I was reveling in the ability to fly. It was a type of freedom I'd never thought I'd be able to experience.

I realized I was adapting much too quickly to my current situation but I couldn't care less right now.

Part of me knew I'd have to deal with the worries and anxieties of having left my family behind in another world but for now, I just enjoyed the sensation of flying upward into the sky.

Then I looked over New York.

The city was practically ablaze, with multiple sections of city blocks crumbled to the ground or on fire. It was miles more graphic than the movies portrayed it to be. I could fly down and begin helping people, but that's an inefficient use of my time--Hey now, don't get me wrong. I'm not just gonna abandon New York. I'm gonna save it.

But going from place to place, saving groups at a time? That would take far too much time.

'Interface, do I need to breath?' I asked, looking along the skyline for a specific building.

The answer came soon enough - instantly, in fact - [Yes, but the nanomachines inside you can sustain your biology for hours at a time with even a single breath. It will not be a comfortable experience regardless, however, sir.]

I guessed as much. Holding your breath in a vacuum was the worst thing you could do, actually. The vacuum outside would try and pull the air inside you...out of you. Meaning your lungs would expand, it'd be incredibly painful, and that's not even getting into how the very oxygen in your blood would expand always, being just as painful.

Let's not even mention how the surface of your eyes and tongue will boil regardless of what you do.

But I was willing to bet I could experience space and be just about fine with my current physical powers. Both the bio-field and the hardening brought on by the nanomachines should make my body much, much harder to be effected by a vacuum.

It'll probably feel uncomfortable but that's about it. Just to be sure, I decided to ask the interface, 'So I can survive in space, yes?'

[Of course, sir. It won't be particularly nice experience. The nanomachines will do their best to reduce the symptoms of being in a vacuum but they can't completely erase them.]

Figures.

I shrugged, finally seeing the thing I was looking for: Stark Tower. And the machine currently placed on top of it and sending a pillar of electric blue light straight up into the sky where it opened a portal a half a kilometer across.

Out of said portal came giant Leviathans - armored behemoths that somehow flew through the air, moving more like whales than birds, even with their massive fins/wings.

Besides each Leviathan there were Chitauri flying on flying chariots, some of which were carrying large platforms which each held a dozen or so Chitauri soldiers. However, I ignored whatever was coming out of the portal and shot toward it at the max speed I could currently manage. Safe to say I broke the sound barrier quite easily as I rocketed through the air like a blur of speed.

It didn't take long for me to arrive at the portal and whatever weapons were fired at me by the odd Chitauri that spotted me just harmlessly collided with the red bio-field surrounding me without doing any damage. I barely even felt any impact from the attacks.

In the end, I flew through a few Chitauri chariots and entered the portal, meeting a Leviathan on the other end.

I flew right through it.

...Thank God all that gore was blocked by the bio-field otherwise I'd probably have to suppress the urge to throw up again. Even without the gore and blood covering me, the feeling of flying through another creature still left me feeling somewhat nauseous.

My idle thoughts soon got on their way and left my head as my gaze landed on the Chitauri Command Ship.

It was kind of a majestic sight.

But I didn't let such thoughts hold me for long as I sped toward the ship.