Crossing and the Arrival of the System

Manhattan, New York.

The warm spring sun cast its golden rays upon the towering skyscrapers of the bustling metropolis. The streets pulsed with life as people hurried to their destinations—business professionals in tailored suits, street vendors calling out their daily specials, and tourists snapping photos of the grand cityscape. In the midst of the vibrant chaos, Nathaniel "Nate" Locke sat alone on a weathered wooden bench in Central Park, lost in thought.

Nate was a software engineer, a graduate of MIT, and had been in the field for nearly three years. His salary was substantial, his future seemingly bright. Yet, despite all his achievements, he found himself drowning in a familiar sense of isolation. The endless grind of work, the monotony of routine—it had all left him feeling hollow.

That was why he turned to gaming.

As a hardcore fan of strategy RPGs, he had invested thousands of dollars into his favorite mobile game, Legends of the Summoned, a gacha-based fantasy adventure. The thrill of rolling for rare characters and assembling a powerful roster had become his escape from reality. Just moments ago, he had spent over $7,000 on an in-game banner event, desperately hoping for an ultra-rare summon.

"Finally! After so many pulls!" he muttered, staring at his phone screen as the words Super Rare 5-Star Summon Obtained! flashed in golden letters. A wave of excitement rushed through him, momentarily washing away his stress.

In the game's group chat, congratulatory messages flooded in:

"Congrats on the summon!"

"Lucky pull! You should drop a red envelope!"

"Damn, that's half your paycheck, Nate. Hope it was worth it!"

Nate sighed. His fingers hovered over the screen as guilt gnawed at him. Was he truly happy? He had spent an absurd amount of money chasing digital illusions, and for what? The momentary high would fade soon enough, and the cycle would repeat.

Before he could dwell further, a sudden wave of dizziness struck him like a freight train. The world around him blurred, his vision darkened, and his ears buzzed with an unnatural hum. Panic surged through his veins.

Then—everything went black.

When Nate came to, his body felt strangely weightless. His senses gradually returned, and he realized he was no longer in Central Park. Instead, he stood in the middle of a bustling street, surrounded by the towering structures of New York City. Yet something was off.

The people around him weren't just ordinary pedestrians. He recognized some of their faces from television, from newspapers, from comic books—

"No way…" he whispered in disbelief as his gaze snapped to a massive screen broadcasting a live Senate hearing.

The camera zoomed in on a man with a signature goatee and sharp, intelligent eyes—

Tony Stark.

Nate's stomach twisted. The pieces clicked together in an instant. This wasn't his New York. He wasn't in his world anymore.

He had somehow crossed into the Marvel Universe.

His breath hitched. This was a world teeming with gods, mutants, enhanced beings, and cosmic horrors that could erase existence with a snap of their fingers. The realization sent shivers down his spine. This place was dangerous—far more perilous than anything he had ever imagined.

And then, just as his mind spiraled into panic, a soft, mechanical voice rang in his head:

"Welcome, Master. The Summoner System has been activated."

Nate froze.

A translucent, dark-blue interface materialized before him, its design sleek and futuristic. A series of labeled buttons hovered in his vision:

Summoning Center

Dungeon Center

Personal Status

Follower Management

Inventory

His heart pounded. This was just like Legends of the Summoned. But how? Was this some kind of isekai scenario? Did he get reincarnated with a cheat system?

Nate took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. Whatever was happening, freaking out wouldn't help. He needed to understand his situation.

"System, introduce yourself," he commanded.

Silence.

"Activate tutorial."

No response.

Frowning, he tapped on Personal Status. A holographic model of himself appeared, displaying detailed information:

Name: Nathaniel Locke

Level: 1

Magic Power: 10

Nate scrolled through his inventory—completely empty. His Dungeon Center had a single option labeled "Enter Dungeon," which he dared not touch for now. Lastly, he opened the Summoning Center. A glowing summoning circle appeared, along with two options:

Basic Summon

Premium Summon

His pulse quickened. This was his chance. If the system worked like the game, he could summon powerful allies—beings capable of standing against the dangers of this world.

"Let's start with a basic summon."

He pressed the button, and the magic circle lit up. A series of glowing orbs shot out, revealing the results:

$1,000 Cash

$500 Cash

Giant Teddy Bear x1

Pineapple Bread x2

Coffee Pudding x4

Summon: Gale Spirit

Nate's brows furrowed. Most of the items were mundane, but the last one caught his attention. A small, ethereal card hovered before him, depicting swirling winds. The moment he touched it, knowledge flooded his mind:

[Gale Spirit: A summonable wind entity capable of creating strong gusts and controlling air currents. Limited duration.]

Nate clenched his fist. This was real. He wasn't hallucinating.

His gaze shifted to Premium Summon. The button shimmered, waiting to be pressed. Unlike basic summons, this one required a special resource—Summoning Stones. He had ten.

"Novice summons always have the best luck. Let's go!"

He pressed the button, and golden light erupted from the magic circle. A celestial hum filled the air, and then—

Ding! Congratulations! You have summoned a 5-Star Super Rare Follower: Charles Xavier.

Nate's eyes widened in shock. Professor X?!

But before he could celebrate, another notification flashed:

"Follower has declined the summon. You have ten minutes to retrieve them before the summoning fails."

His stomach dropped. What?!

His first major summon, and it was already going wrong? Panic surged through him. If he lost this chance, who knew if he'd ever get another opportunity like this?

Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he braced himself. He had ten minutes to figure this out—ten minutes to convince one of the most powerful telepaths in existence to join him.

And so, his journey in the Marvel Universe truly began.