05 Work Hard, Girl!

"Brrp~~~"

In a KFC restaurant somewhere in New York, Kagura Hitomi had just demolished an entire table full of food — burgers, fries, cola, chicken wings, and more.

She leaned back contentedly in her chair, patting her slightly rounded belly.

"Ahhh, I'm so full, so good..."

A satisfied smile spread across her face.

After all, food is essential, right?

Now that she'd turned into the "human-like girl Kagura Hitomi," her appetite seemed to have grown quite a bit. It seemed like the energy consumption of an automaton was much higher than that of a regular human body.

"Wow! Look, Aunt May! That girl eats so much!"

A little boy's voice came from a nearby table.

Pfft! What's wrong with being a foodie? Being a foodie is adorable!

Kagura Hitomi blushed, shaking her eyebrows in embarrassment while silently complaining.

"Be polite, Peter," came the voice of an older man.

"Sorry, Uncle," the boy replied.

Hmm, good manners...

Wait. No way... Could it be?

Kagura Hitomi turned her head to look, sensing something. At a table nearby, there was a couple with a child.

Is that... the future Spider-Man, Peter Parker's family?

Well, it's still 2008, so Spider-Man's story hasn't even begun yet. Right now, Peter Parker is just a regular little boy.

...

After finishing her meal, Kagura Hitomi could finally sit down and think about what to do next.

The holographic UI "Infinite Concept Skills System" had shown a prompt: "Witness the rise of a superhero."

But that was just a way to earn QP points and unlock new skills. It wasn't compulsory, and there was no time limit. There would be no punishment if she didn't follow it, just as the initial instructions had said. How she used her new life was entirely up to her.

Speaking of which, this "system" was surprisingly generous—nothing like those weird and tricky systems that sometimes come with frustrating and unfair setups.

Could this be the legendary "Parent System"?

Since she got to decide her own life's purpose... Well, why not just eat and wait for death?

Kagura Hitomi chuckled to herself.

If this were a world like one of those peaceful everyday stories, sure, she could just do that. But this is the Marvel universe.

What's in the Marvel world?

Alien armies falling from the sky, gods who can shoot lightning, a purple alien who can snap his fingers and erase half the universe...

While Kagura Hitomi didn't follow the "With great power comes great responsibility" philosophy, she still considered herself a good person. After all, she didn't mind sacrificing her life to save a child, even if she ended up getting run over by a truck...

If she had the ability to help others, why not?

She'd make the most of it.

As someone with powers, even as a superhero, meeting the iconic characters of the Marvel Universe and going on adventures with them, fighting evil, and overcoming challenges sounded like an incredible life.

Besides...

Kagura Hitomi flicked her silver hair, turning to look out the window as she reminisced about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"If I can, I want everyone to have a happy ending!"

It was 2008.

The beginning of it all.

Tony Stark hadn't become Iron Man yet, and Captain America was still in the ice.

Theoretically, the first member of the "Avengers" was the Hulk, who had just rampaged through New York and then disappeared.

Whether it was witnessing the rise of superheroes or changing their fates, Kagura Hitomi still had plenty of time.

"Mm, then it's decided!"

She stretched lazily. "Now that I've set my life goal, there's still so much to prepare..."

She rested her chin on her hand, looking thoughtfully at the table.

First, she needed to figure out her identity and source of income.

Currently, Kagura Hitomi was an "undocumented" person in New York, without any identification, and her income came from hacking into the accounts of criminals.

Not a sustainable plan.

Her gaze drifted to a building in the distance, and an advertisement caught her attention.

"Stark Industries hiring administrative assistants?"

"Welcome recent college graduates?"

"Open recruitment?"

Kagura Hitomi's golden eyes suddenly sharpened with clarity.

Wait, witness the rise of a superhero? It's still 2008, right?

Hehe!

Tony Stark, it's you!

If she could land a job at Stark Industries, it would solve her income problem and help her reach her short-term goals.

Perfect! A win-win situation!

Kagura Hitomi nodded decisively. "Alright, then! From today, I'm infiltrating Stark Industries!"

"Waitress! I'm ready to pay!"

...

—Three hours later, Stark Industries HR Department, Queens Office, New York

The office was spacious, with a simple yet refined décor. The floors and furniture were made of fine wood.

Kagura Hitomi sat upright in her chair, wearing a newly purchased slim-fit Western-style suit.

In front of her was a large office desk.

Sitting across from her was an unnamed lady—likely the HR representative responsible for recruitment at Stark Industries.

Off to the side, there was a well-dressed, slightly overweight man.

Happy Hogan.

This was one of Tony Stark's "bodyguards," and he would eventually become the head of security at Stark Industries... but why was he here to supervise the hiring of an administrative assistant?

Was Tony Stark really this casual about things?

No, wait—thinking about it more carefully, maybe this position is more important than it seems.

Maybe she'd frequently interact with Tony Stark himself.

"Are you here for the administrative assistant position?" The interviewer asked.

"Yes, I'd like this job. I believe I can adapt to and excel at it," Kagura Hitomi responded confidently.

The interviewer eyed her suspiciously.

Her silver hair, pale skin, and strikingly beautiful face were hard to ignore, even under the most critical of gazes.

The tight uniform jacket revealed her chest, and her short skirt was enough to make anyone's mind wander.

Her figure was undeniably good...

"Are you here to... sell yourself?"

"Meow???" Kagura Hitomi tilted her head, confused.

"Cough, cough, nothing, nothing... Where's your resume?"

The interviewer straightened up and continued, "You know, we care a lot about the resumes of our candidates."

"Got it," Kagura Hitomi nodded, handing over her resume.

Born in Shanghai.

She skipped through compulsory education and entered high school at 12.

She passed the SAT and was accepted into MIT.

Two years later, she graduated with degrees in Economics and Engineering.

By chance, she caught the attention of a Japanese professor (now deceased), who took her into Tokyo University's master's program.

At 17, she had seven master's degrees and two doctorates?

The interviewer frowned and then looked at her in disbelief.

Kagura Hitomi's hands tightened around her skirt. Something didn't feel right...

This resume was clearly fabricated.

Using her hacking ability, she had altered the relevant databases and "inserted" herself into the world's social system.

But...

Maybe I overdid it?

Although she'd intentionally chosen deceased or retired "professors" as references, if they decided to investigate deeply, there could still be a flaw.

"You... are pretty impressive," the interviewer said coldly. "Why haven't we heard of you before?"

She gave a quick glance to Happy Hogan.

Happy Hogan immediately began making a phone call.

Kagura Hitomi's anxiety skyrocketed.

Crap! Did I mess up?

"Well... um..." Kagura Hitomi swallowed nervously. "I was too focused on my studies to pay attention to things outside, so..."

"I see..."

The interviewer didn't push further. "Let's continue the interview. I'll ask you a few questions now. Please answer them well."

"Mm..."