Awakening!

[ Certain Phase 4 stuff like TVA, Kang etc won't be in this FanFiction ]

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PAIN!

A tidal wave of agony crashed through Maxim's body, pulling him from the depths of unconsciousness into a world of unbearable torment.

Every inch of his skin screamed with pain, muscles twitching involuntarily as his body trembled. Blood oozed from countless wounds that slowly began to heal.

His eyes fluttered open to the familiar sight of dim, flickering lights, illuminating the cold, metal walls of his prison. The stench of iron and sweat hung heavy in the air, and he tasted blood on his lips.

Where am I?

The thought drifted to the forefront of his mind, oddly detached, as if it didn't belong to him. A second later, the memories hit, slamming into his brain like a freight train.

HYDRA!

He was in a Hydra facility, deep underground, kidnapped, tortured, and brutally trained to become a SuperSoldier. He was Maxim Novikov, the unfortunate 18 year old Russian mutant cursed with a power that had made him a target.

His gift, or his curse, depending on how he looked at it, was a superior regenerative healing factor. His body mended itself over and over, healing wounds, broken bones, and torn muscles, though never quickly enough to spare him from the suffering.

Not only did his so called gift grant him superior regeneration, but it also made him virtually immune to things such as poisons, viruses, diseases and drugging.

He had awakened this ability in an attack that left his parents brutally murdered, but he managed to constantly regenerate from the attacker's stabs, and managed to kill them, saving his little 7 year old Sister Katerina.

Unfortunately, that put him on Hydra's watch list, and he was swiftly kidnapped, taken to this facility.

However, the more pressing issue was regarding his memories. His memories were there, fragmented and hazy from the constant abuse. He knew who he was, or who Maxim had been.

However, there was something else, something foreign. An awareness. A life lived in another world. A world of movies, comic books, and video games.

Alex!

The name rang out in his mind, a lifeline amidst the chaos. "I was Alex...in my past life, but now I'm Maxim? Did I just awaken my memories?"

Maxim's brain had been jumbled from all of the abuse, but as his mind slowly got more and more clear, he fully remembered.

He had been Alex once, an ordinary guy from another world, where Hydra didn't exist, where superheroes were fiction. Tony Stark, Captain America, they were all just movie and comic characters.

The last thing Alex remembered was a truck, the blinding light before the crash, the sharp pain, and then… nothing. Now he was in this broken, bloody body, a prisoner in the a marvel world primarily based around the MCU, but with Mutants.

As he was adjusting to his situation, the metallic clank of heavy boots echoed down the corridor, pulling Maxim from his thoughts. The sound grew louder, closer, until it stopped outside the reinforced door of his cell.

Three Hydra guards entered, the emblem of the serpent adorned their uniforms. One of them carried a tray with a simple meal, bread, a chunk of meat, and a cup of water.

"Time to eat, freak," one of the guards growled, his voice dripping with contempt. He tossed the tray onto the floor, the contents spilling slightly.

The guard's tone made it clear this was less about nourishment and more about prolonging the torment, "You need to be in decent shape for the next round of training."

Maxim said nothing, his gaze fixed on the tray. His stomach churned with hunger, but the thought of eating under these conditions made him feel sick, especially after inheriting his past lives memory.

"Look at him. Barely holding on," another guard sneered, kicking Maxim in the side. The impact sent a jolt of pain through his already battered ribs, but Maxim bit down hard, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out, "I don't get why they keep you alive, monster. There's much better options for Super Soldier's who aren't freaks."

The third guard crouched down, bringing face level with Maxim's, "You're an asset," he whispered, voice low and menacing,"That healing of yours is valuable. But don't think for a second that makes you special. You're just another tool for Hydra."

Maxim's just tried to ignore the guards and their taunts, not wanting to give them any satisfaction.

Satisfied with their taunts, the guards straightened up. One of them kicked the tray closer to Maxim, food spilling further onto the filthy floor, "Eat up, freak.," he said with a cruel chuckle.

They turned and left the cell, the door slamming shut behind them with a heavy thud that echoed in the small space.

Maxim waited, listening to the receding footsteps until silence returned. His entire body screamed in protest as he shifted, reaching for the spilled food. He forced himself to eat, each bite like ash in his mouth, but he knew he needed the strength.

The bread was stale, the meat cold and tough, but he chewed mechanically, swallowing down the bile that rose in his throat.

As he ate, Maxim's mind continued to race, struggling to reconcile the two lives within him. Alex, the ordinary guy from a world where all of this was fiction, and Maxim, the tortured mutant trapped in this nightmare.

He clenched his fists, blood and dirt smearing on his hands. He finished the meager meal and pushed the tray away. His body still ached, and his mind still reeled, but there was a fire in his heart now, burning bright and hot.

Hydra had taken everything from him, but they hadn't broken him. Not yet. And as long as he could hold onto that, he knew there was still hope.

As if on cue, a sudden electronic hum filled his ears.

[ Congratulations, you have awakened the 'Video Game Template System!' ]

[ Video Game Template System allows Host to draw character templates from Video Games, inheriting those characters positive traits, such as skills and abilities. None of the negative traits will be inherited. ]

Maxim blinked in confusion as he saw the holographic screen appearing in front of him. System? From what he remembered, System's were extremely useful things commonly called 'Golden Fingers' in Alex's life.

Usually, their goal was to provide the System bearer with a better life, leading to Maxim to get a bit excited.

[ System choosing Game...Game Chosen: VALORANT ]

"Valorant?" Maxim muttered, thinking to himself. According to Alex's memories, Valorant was a tactical shooter, fast paced, high stakes, with characters who had abilities due to a unique material, Radianite.

[ Select your Agent: ]

[ Omen ]

[ Fade ]

[ Sage ]

[ Chamber ]

[ Iso ]

The names of the agents appeared, hanging in the air in front of him. Each one represented a unique set of abilities, powers that could be used in a tactical situation.

Maxim thought, pulling from Alex's memories. The Agents of Valorant usually fell into 3 different sections:

Radiants - Radiants are individuals impacted by radianite in such a way that grants them hypernatural abilities. Their powers vary in type and form, with some appearing more elemental, while others take on more abstract or otherworldly appearances.

Radianite Technology - These are Agents who use Technology powered by Radianite in combat.

Artifacts - These are Agents who use Mysterious Artifacts with immense power in combat.

With all the various Agents available to choose, Maxim silently thought for a while, staring at the names hovering before him. He had been through hell, his body and mind torn apart and stitched back together countless times.

He needed power, something that would give him an edge in this deadly world. His eyes lingered on one name in particular: Omen.

According to Alex's memories, Omen was a highly skilled and experienced Assassin before becoming Omen, which would give Maxim high level combat skills.

With a lack of emotion, Omen was a wraith-like presence, using darkness and fear to manipulate the battlefield. With abilities to teleport through the shadows, blind enemies with fear and smoke off locations with pure dark energy.

Omen was a perfect fit for Maxim. He not only needed to escape from this base, but hide away from Hydra, and potentially Shield, as since Hydra infiltrated Shield, they can also send them after him.

Maxim's heart pounded in his chest as he whispered, "Omen."

The moment the word left his lips, the holographic screen blinked out of existence, replaced by a wave of cold darkness that seemed to seep into his very bones.

For a brief moment, he panicked, the familiar pain flaring up in his mind, but this was different. This wasn't agony, it was a raw, untamed power surging through him, reshaping him from the inside out.

His vision blurred, and then the world around him shifted. The cold, metallic cell faded into a shadowy abyss, and he felt his body becoming weightless, like he was dissolving into the darkness itself.

It was weird, he felt weightless, yet he also felt his body strengthening. As a Radiant, Omen had typical qualities such as Enhanced Physical Capabilities, and when combined with Maxim's Superior Regenerative Capabilities, it made him a serious threat.

At this moment, Maxim could feel the shadows wrapping around him, almost as if they were a part of him. A flood of new instincts and abilities poured into his mind.

He understood, without needing to be told, how to bend the shadows to his will, how to disappear and reappear at will.

The cell around him flickered back into focus, but it was no longer the same place. The darkness in the corners seemed to beckon to him, promising escape, revenge, freedom.

Maxim took a deep breath, feeling the darkness pulse in time with his heartbeat. Hydra had thought they could break him, but they had no idea what they had unleashed. The fire in his heart burned hotter, fed now by this new power coursing through his veins.

They would learn what true fear was. He would make sure of it.

With a thought, he reached out to the shadows around him. They responded immediately, wrapping around his body like a second skin. The dim light in the cell seemed to waver as if afraid to touch him. Maxim felt a wicked grin tugging at his lips.

Hydra had created a monster, and now, they would pay.

He was no longer just Maxim Novikov, the tortured mutant. He was Omen, a wraith of vengeance, and he would bring the darkness down upon those who had wronged him.

"Alright, Hydra," he muttered, his voice rough but filled with newfound determination, "Let's see what happens when you mess with someone who knows how the game works."