Chapter 2 - Earth-616

Marvel has always been the universe I've loved the most since I was a kid, and suddenly the memories that invaded my mind told me I was in one of those universes.

I grew up collecting Marvel comics, watching all the movies and participating in the fan forums. I also read most of the most famous fanfics from every corner of the Internet. So when I came back from the flood of memories, the excitement began to take hold of me, drowning out most of the fears that might arise in the mind of a normal person.

I immediately took aim at the living room window of this strange apartment I was in. I got up from the sofa. The sounds of the city were muffled by this dusty window. My heart was beating like a drum as I approached the window and raised it. The typical din of a big city invaded the apartment: sirens, horns, voices and the sound of car engines. No doubt it was New York.

I had also lived my past life in New York, so I was so used to all this noise that I could easily distinguish it. I knew my memories weren't lying to me when I saw a certain building in the distance and recognized it. It was a huge skyscraper.

"The Baxter Building..." I recognized it, and my lips curved into a smile.

Where in some universes there was the iconic Avengers Tower, in the universe I was in, there was the Baxter Building with a big 4 lit up where an A should be.

"Home of the Fantastic Four. Which means... I really am in Marvel!!!"

[More specifically, you're on Earth-616 of the Marvel Multiverse.]

"616? So I'm in the main comic book universe?"

[Yes. The Earth-616 is known as the catalyst universe for several dangerous multiversal events. Use caution when operating in this world."]

"Caution? You're right... Now that the initial euphoria has worn off, I see what you mean."

Marvel's universes could be wonderfully complex, exciting, and fun, but they definitely weren't safe, especially for ordinary people like me.

"But first of all, why am I in this body that looks so much like mine? If this was a transmigration, I shouldn't have a beard and be a little thinner..."

It was then that more images began to flash through my mind, almost as if my mind or something larger was trying to answer my questions. I already knew that they were fragments of memories.

This time I saw myself in a dark bar, drowning my sorrows in glasses of cheap whiskey. I also saw myself arguing with my parents more than once, as if it was a recurring event. Anger was all over my face as I slammed the door and left the house, vowing never to return. Soon after, I found myself lying on the torn sofa in that apartment, surrounded by empty bottles and cigarette ashes. The crumbling apartment around me reflected my inner state - a life wasted on addictions and bad choices.

I was Lucas Hayes, first and last name. In other words, there was more than one version of me.

Perhaps the idea of parallel realities was difficult in this world as well, but it was easy for me to accept and believe.

In this universe, my variant didn't get sick, but something worse happened. This version of me was consumed by alcohol and drug addiction at an early age, and he dropped out of high school, cut ties with his family, and isolated himself in a small apartment in the worst part of New York.

To make a long story short, after a year of drug abuse, the original Lucas Hayes of this universe died, and moments after his heart stopped, his heart started beating again. But with my soul possessing it. That's how I ended up in this body, living the life of an alternate version of myself that existed in one of Marvel's universes.

"An addict, huh? At least that explains the nausea I'm feeling." I said to myself, falling to my knees after this avalanche of memories.

I clung to the nearby sofa and forced myself to stand up. My head was still throbbing, but at least I had an explanation for my current situation.

In a way, having a history in the 616 Universe was exciting because not only did I have my memories as a comic book fan who loved the Marvel Universe, but I could also access, albeit involuntarily, the memories of Lucas Hayes who lived in this world.

It was hard to take it all in and still be sane, but none of it could be worse than spending months in a hospital bed until I died.

Before I could even begin to think about my next steps, or rather my first steps as a transmogrified person, someone started banging on my apartment door, almost ripping the hinges off.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Instinctively, I took a step toward the door, but a memory burst into my mind.

The Lucas of this universe had gotten involved with the wrong people, dangerous people. In order to maintain his addictions, he had accumulated debts with many people who shouldn't even be breathing the same air.

"Shit..." I whispered to myself and took a few steps back. "I can't open it or they'll kill me. They're definitely going to kill me. I owe 70,000 dollars..."

The knocking on the door stopped for a moment, but from behind it came a deep, cold voice.

"I know you're in there, Hayes! The landlord told us you arrived at dawn and haven't left since. There's no point in hiding, because if you don't open this door now, I'm going to break it down and finish you off, anyway!"

I knew that I was in a critical situation. I couldn't let despair get the better of me. Gasping for breath, I ran into the apartment's small kitchen, hoping to find something I could use to defend myself. I hurriedly opened the drawers, looking for a knife, but all I found was disposable plastic cutlery.

"This is useless! Think, think... should I take a bottle and break it? No, I'd have to go for the jugular vein to kill it, and it would have to be a big guy. I wouldn't stand a chance."

"You don't want to open it, do you? I'll open it for you!" The aggressive collector said as he put an ear to the door and heard sounds coming from inside the apartment.

Then came the first kick at the door to break it down, but it wouldn't just open.

Suddenly I remembered the system. In stories like this, people usually win by using the system, right?

"System, can I get any skills?"

[At the moment, the only way to acquire skills is through quests. However, there is a way for you to get a skill shop for 15,000 card points. Do you want that?"]

"Yes!"

[Sorry, the transaction failed due to... Insufficient Balance.]

"What's my balance?!"

[Card Points balance: 1,500.]

"That's it?! I'm going to die now!"

BAM! The debt collector gave another kick.

"I know. System, you said I can travel to other universes, right? Get me out of here!"

[There are currently six hundred and seventy million possible destinations, but you don't have enough points to access most of them. The universes available with your current point total are...]

"It doesn't matter, system. Just take me to the cheapest universe, where I have the best chance to survive!"

[Your requirements match Earth-65 perfectly. Do you wish to confirm your choice?]

With my heart still pounding in my chest, I thought that no matter how bad the chosen universe was, I would still have a chance to try something, whereas if I stayed in this apartment, I'd only be beaten to death.

"Let's see if this really works... Sure, you can check."

When I confirmed the selection, a countdown started on the interface.

[Interdimensional Travel will begin in 10 seconds...]

"Isn't it instant?!"

As the countdown slowed, I heard the sound of metal scraping against wood. The man outside couldn't open the door with any force, so he was trying to force it open with some kind of tool.

I held my breath and hid in a corner, desperately hoping that the system would get me out before the door collapsed.

[5... 4... 3...]

The sound of splintering wood made me clench my fists. If there was no time, I would have to fight, no matter how weak I still was. It was better to die fighting.

[2... 1...]

The door finally opened, and the collector entered. However, I was no longer there.