Marvel: A Man with a System

[David's POV]

I stared at the water tank in front of me.

After receiving the old David's memories, I remembered something important—after taking the hush money, he had stashed some of his belongings, wrapped in a waterproof cover. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was caution, I don't know.

I reached in, my fingers brushing against plastic. Gripping it firmly, I pulled out a small black bag. Water dripped onto the floor as I held it in my hand. I didn't open it. 

I examined it from the outside of the transparent cover. Inside, I could see some tightly rolled-up papers, a phone—maybe a burner—and what looked like bank ATM cards.

Now I know where his bank cards had been.

I sighed, shoving the items into my inventory. This only confirmed what I already knew—the old David might have accepted the money, but he didn't have the balls to use it because of his cowardice and his guilt.

I'd have to go through his notes later. 

--

--

[Two Days Later]

Life continued as usual. Or at least, that's how it had to look.

I woke up. Went to work. Completed my daily system missions. Packed my things little by little.

Completing the last 2 days missions had gradually increased my stats. And the difference was very little noticeable. My body was still weak, but my endurance had improved.

The dull aches in my shoulder and neck were still there, but much more manageable. Slight increase in stamina but not by much but i could tell the difference.

The system wasn't making me superhuman overnight, but it was working.

I had asked Joe the day before for recommendations on low-rent apartments nearby. Joe had given me a few addresses, all within a reasonable distance of the diner.

Joe scratched his chin. "Got a few places in mind. Some decent, some… well, let's just say they'll put hair on your chest. Won't be as good as your old place, but they'll do."

I huffed a small laugh. "that's ok. I'll take decent."

He grabbed a notepad from under the counter and scribbled down a few addresses. "These are some low-rent spots I know of. A couple of them got vacancies." He handed me the list. "You owe me for this, kid."

I chucked and replied; "Yeah, drinks on me this Sunday." and I took the paper, glancing at the names. Some were within the distance of the diner—good.

"Appreciate it," I said, slipping the note into my pocket.

Later that evening, I called my landlord.

"You're leaving?" The old man sounded genuinely sad. "Sigh. You were always a quiet tenant, but after your accident, I figured you might want a fresh start."

I gave a nonchalant response, keeping it short. I told him I'd be gone in two days and that I'd leave the keys with the neighbor as instructed.

The call ended without issues.

--

--

[Next Day]

Just as he woke up he head the system notification and a pop up screen appeared before his eyes

Ding!

A system notification popped up.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Monthly Lottery Draw Available!

[You have one free lottery draw available. Would you like to use it now?]

[Y/N]

I exhaled. The last time I got a lottery draw, I pulled a random pistol.

What would I get this time?

"System, can I draw my rewards later?" I asked mentally.

[Yes Host, You can draw you lottery cards at you preference. You can also stack up to three draws.]

"Nice, Then I will draw the lottery after moving to the new place." I replied.

[Yes Host.]

The screen disappeared. 

After that I Received my morning mission

[Daily Quest Issued!]

The system notification vanished, and almost immediately, another screen popped up.

[Daily Quest Issued!]

[Quest: Physical Conditioning

Stretching -5 minutes

Push-ups 0/30

Sit-ups (3 sets, 15 reps each)

Squats (3 sets, 12 reps each)

Jogging in place - 10 minutes

Reward: +2 Strength, 10 System Points.]

I exhaled through my nose. Small, consistent improvements. Nothing overwhelming, but over time, it would add up.

I rolled my shoulders and got to work. Finally, I finished with jogging in place for five minutes. My stamina wasn't great, and I could feel my breathing get heavier after a couple of minutes. But compared to a few days ago, I was doing better.

When I finished, I wiped the sweat from my forehead, breathing deeply.

Ding!

[Daily Quest Completed!]

[Strength +2, 10 System Points added.]

I exhaled, satisfied. Small progress—but progress nonetheless.

With that done, I headed to the kitchen and quickly made myself breakfast—nothing fancy, just some toast and eggs. While eating, I glanced at the note Joe had given me, listing the available rental places.

It was time to check them out.

[Later That Day]

I visited a few places, but most of them were either in terrible condition or too expensive for what they offered.

Then I found one.

It was an old apartment building, not the best-looking place, but it seemed decent. The unit I checked out was on the third floor, near the stairs. A single-bedroom apartment, a bit cramped—but it was manageable.

The landlord was an older woman in her late 50s. She eyed me critically as I inquired about the place, her arms crossed.

"You looking to rent long-term or short-term?" she asked.

"Long-term, if possible."I replied

She nodded slowly but didn't seem convinced yet. "Why are you moving?"

I had already thought of a response. "I work nearby at Ivan's Diner, so I was looking for a place closer to my job." I hesitated for a second before adding, "Also… I was in a coma for a while. During the invasion."

Her expression softened slightly. "Coma?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Got caught in the attack. Spent months in the hospital. Just trying to get back on my feet now."

Her posture relaxed a little, but she still had her doubts.

"I have rules," she said firmly. "No loud noise, no parties, and rent is paid only in cash. No delays. Understood?"

Cash-only?

I hesitated. That was suspicious—but at the same time, it worked in my favor. No trace of me renting here. No records. Just an agreement between me and her.

"Understood," I finally said.

She studied me for a few more seconds before sighing. "Alright. Rent is due at the start of each month. Deposit upfront. If you break anything, you fix it yourself."

I nodded. "That's fine. Could I have the keys now?"

The landlord eyed me for a moment before finally sighing. "Fine. Since you've paid, I'll give you the keys now. When are you moving in?"

"In a day or two," I answered. "Just need to pack up my things."

She nodded and handed me the key. "Third floor, apartment 3B. Make sure you don't cause any trouble."

I took the key, gave her a polite nod, and headed upstairs.

[Apartment 3B]

I unlocked the door and stepped inside, taking in my new home.

It was a small, one-bedroom apartment, the kind of place you'd expect a nurse, a struggling artist, or a college student to live in. Functional, but without much luxury.

The living room was modest—just a worn-out couch and a coffee table, with a small TV mounted on the wall, probably left by the last tenant. A single window provided a view of the alley below, with an old radiator beneath it. The walls were painted a dull beige, a little faded but still intact.

The kitchen was tiny but had the basics—a stove, a fridge, and a few cabinets with mismatched handles. The counter space was barely enough to prepare a meal, but it would do.

The bathroom was just big enough to turn around in. A shower with a sliding glass door, a small sink, and a mirror cabinet. No bathtub, but I wasn't picky.

Then, there was the bedroom.

I walked in and let out a breath.

It wasn't much—just a small bed pushed up against the wall, a rickety wooden nightstand, and a narrow closet with sliding doors. A ceiling fan spun lazily above, making a faint clicking noise. The walls were bare, except for some old hooks where someone had probably hung posters before.

It felt... temporary. But that was fine. I wasn't planning on staying here forever.

I closed the door behind me and sat on the bed, taking out my phone for a moment before shaking my head.

Time to unload my stuff. I reached into my inventory and pulled out the important things I had stored.

Glancing at the room, my eyes landed on a couple of boxes stacked near the door. They were my mother's things.

I stood there for a moment, staring at them. My fingers itched to open them, but I held back.

Not now.

With a sigh, I slid the boxes under the bed. Out of sight, out of mind.

Just as I finished unloading my things, a familiar notification popped up.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[Side Mission Completed][Objective: Stay away from a bugged house.]Time Limit: 1 week – Mission Completed ]

[Rewards:

-50 SP

-1 Random Lottery Card]

[Rewards have been stored in Inventory.]

--

--

I shook off my thoughts and grabbed some fresh clothes. My search for an apartment had stretched into the evening, meaning I didn't have time to return to my old place before work.

So, I quickly changed into a clean shirt and jeans, ran my fingers through my hair, and grabbed my jacket.

As I locked the apartment door behind me and headed downstairs. For now, I had to keep up appearances. Just another day. Just another shift.

--

--

I pushed open the door to the Diner, the familiar scent of grease and coffee hitting me instantly. The place was moderately busy, as expected during the evening rush.

Joe glanced up from behind the counter. "Hey, kid. Find a place?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for the recommendations."

He smirked. "Told you I knew a few spots. You pick one of the decent ones, or are you living in a death trap?"

"Somewhere in between," I said, chuckling.

Joe barked out a laugh. "Well, good luck with that. Rent's a pain in the ass, but at least you won't have some crazy landlord breathing down your neck."

I didn't comment. She wasn't crazy, but she was nosy.

The rest of my shift was uneventful. Serving tables, cleaning up, keeping my head down. 

At the end of the night, I grabbed a quick dinner from a nearby takeout joint before heading back to my new apartment.

--

--

I locked the door behind me and double-checked the locks in my new apartment as it was already late, a he had to clean up his new apartment too. 

He was very cautions in the night he practically ran to his new apartment building.

It wasn't paranoia. It was just good sense, especially in Hell's Kitchen that too in Marvel.

Even though I had combat skills and a pistol, I wasn't stupid enough to test my luck out there at night.

I placed the food on the table, kicked off my shoes, and stretched. Finally, some peace.

But I wasn't done yet. I opened the system.

[Lottery]

A familiar blue screen appeared in front of me.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[You have 3 lottery draws available. Would you like to use them now?]

[Y/N]

I selected [Yes], and Picked three cards from the 9 cards displayed in front of me.

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE RECEIVED:

- Parkour Mastery

- Knuckle Dusters (Hidden Knives)

- Hacking Mastery (Expert)]

When I saw the Parkour Mastery card I immediately clicked on it to acquire it. I felt a rush of knowledge flood my brain—techniques, foot placements, momentum control.

I was a Useful skill. Very useful skill.

The second was reward revealed knuckle dusters. I brought it out it was a pair of black metal. I flexed my fingers. A solid backup weapon. Discreet, effective. On the side, I noticed small retractable blades.

Now for the last card. I was extremely surprised. I blinked. Hacking?

Even in my past life it was dream job but he didn't have the skills Not something I had planned on, but considering where I was, this could be invaluable later on.

aI let out a slow breath, closing the system.

Three rewards. All of them useful in their own way.

Tomorrow, I'd deal with my old apartment and move in properly. But for now…

Cleaning time.

He needed to clean his new apartment and he had a long night to do that.

To Be Continued....

[STATUS]

Name: David Arthur Brown

Age: 23

Race: Human

Strength: 9

Agility: 10

Intelligence: 12

SP: 0

Skills : Hand-to-Hand Combat (Master), Parkour Mastery, Hacking Mastery (Expert)

Inventory: Glock 17 (5 Mags, Leg Holster), $800 Cash]