Chapter 2: Awakening in the Gutter
"Hhuu... hu... hu..."
Leo gasped for air, his chest heaving as the cold air hit his lungs. His eyes snapped open, and reality slowly crept in.
"So it was real... I'm actually in the goddamn Marvel multiverse," he muttered, staring at the cracked sky above the narrow alley.
As the realization settled in, a sudden, unbearable pain surged through his skull. "AAAAAGHHH!" he screamed, clutching his head as a torrent of memories exploded in his mind. It felt like his brain would burst.
Then, gradually, the pain dulled, and the memories became clearer—Leo's memories.
Seventeen years of an orphan's life. A boy who had no one. No family. No support. Just a system that barely held him together until he snapped. A rebellious streak had driven him to run away from his foster home. He wanted freedom, independence, maybe even some dignity.
But the world was cruel.
With no skills, no money, and no plan, survival turned into desperation. One cold night, he crossed paths with a few low-level gangsters—thugs looking to make easy money. They beat him half to death, searching his pockets. When they found nothing, they beat him some more... until everything went dark.
And that was the end—for that Leo.
Now, Lakshman—Lucky, reincarnated—had taken over. Same body, different soul.
He took a few deep breaths as the emotional weight settled. "So this is me now," he said quietly.
Leo—now Lucky—sat up and looked around. He was in a filthy dumpster alley, the stench of rot and waste surrounding him. His clothes were torn, his stomach growling in protest, and his body ached all over.
"Okay... first things first," he muttered to himself, brushing grime off his hands. "I need to clean up. Eat something. Get proper rest. Then... I'll plan my revenge. Sweet and slow."
He stood up, shaky at first, but steadier with each breath. The weight of his new life pressed down on him, but so did the fire of purpose. He was alive, in the Marvel Universe of all places, with powers that had yet to awaken... and a whole future to reshape.
But before all that—he needed to survive the night.
End of Chapter 2
_