Cheating My Way Through Marvel and Beyond

A super soldier casually donating blood and turning someone into another super soldier?

Jack would've called bullshit on that back on Earth.

But this was the Marvel world—where a radioactive spider bite could give you abs and super strength instead of a hospital bill and a funeral. And hey, he had a cheat system too, so anything was possible.

"Well, at least I finally have something to protect myself with," Jack mused.

Just to test things out, he found a quiet street, crouched down, and casually lifted one side of a parked pickup truck with one hand. It wasn't even that heavy. The damn thing felt like a filled grocery bag.

Isaiah, on the other hand, looked downright guilty about the whole situation.

After making Jack swear on whatever he believed in that he wouldn't flaunt his powers like a jackass, the old man packed him up and sent him on his way with red-rimmed eyes.

Jack knew what that meant.

Isaiah was gonna disappear.

The moment Jack walked out of his basement, the old man would pack up and move to another secret hideout. The system had modified their relationship, but Isaiah's genuine care was real. Jack made a mental note to repay him someday.

For now, he had more pressing concerns.

Like the system's first mission.

Because the system had just handed him his first mission.

[Main Mission: Get Tony Stark's Attention]

Objective: Successfully make Tony Stark remember your name to set up future missions.

PS: Even with the system, you still need to latch onto the rich if you want to climb the ladder, newbie.

Jack sighed. "So, I'm still stuck playing sidechick to the billionaires, huh?"

That was easier said than done.

Tony Stark wasn't just some businessman. He was a genius, a billionaire, and the most arrogant playboy in the country. Getting close to him without setting off alarm bells was going to be a nightmare.

Using his new strength to make an impression was a no-go. The last thing Jack wanted was to end up like Isaiah—hunted and experimented on by the government.

No, he had to play this smart. He had two days before his internship started at Stark Industries. That gave him some time to think.

With that in mind, Jack booked a flight and left the East Coast, heading straight for Los Angeles.

Intern Life at Stark Industries

Jack booked a flight from the East Coast to Los Angeles, where Stark Industries' main headquarters was located.

His internship position? Laboratory assistant.

Which was just a fancy way of saying "corporate errand boy."

Jack spent his days copying documents, running coffee, and occasionally washing out beakers like some glorified high school chemistry student.

Not exactly the thrilling superhero start he imagined.

But the pay was decent, the work was easy, and hey, at least he wasn't getting shot at. Yet.

Two months passed, and he still hadn't even caught a glimpse of Tony Stark.

Meanwhile, the real villain of Iron Man, Obadiah Stane, had popped into the lab a few times, but Jack had only seen him from a distance.

"This isn't working," Jack muttered to himself as he stirred his coffee in the break room. "At this rate, Iron Man's gonna have grandkids before I finish this damn mission."

As he grumbled to himself, a middle-aged scientist with a receding hairline and a white lab coat strolled in, holding his own cup of coffee.

"Jack, my boy!" The man, Dr. Rex, clapped Jack on the back. "Why the long face? Girl trouble? Or did someone steal your lunch from the fridge again?"

Jack smirked. "I dunno, Doc. You ever feel like you're stuck doing all the hard work while someone else gets all the glory?"

Dr. Rex laughed. "Welcome to science, kid. But cheer up! I've got some good news."

Jack raised a brow. "Good news? Please tell me the janitor finally fixed the bathroom on our floor. I swear, after what I saw in there last time, I had to question if humans are really the smartest species on this planet."

Dr. Rex snorted. "No, no—better than that. Your internship is almost up, right?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, three months next week. Why?"

Dr. Rex leaned in conspiratorially. "Because when interns finish their trial period, Tony Stark himself comes down to do the final evaluation."

Jack blinked. "Wait. You're telling me Tony Freaking Stark interviews every new full-time hire?"

Dr. Rex smirked. "Of course! It's a company tradition. Every intern spends three months rotating through departments, then they get a final interview before their job placement is decided. And guess who decides where they go?"

Jack grinned. "Let me guess. A certain billionaire genius playboy philanthropist?"

"Bingo." Dr. Rex gave him a thumbs-up. "So if you want to get noticed, that's your shot!"

Jack suppressed the urge to fist-pump.

This was it.

The golden—no, platinum opportunity to complete his mission.

Now, he just had to figure out how to make Tony Stark remember his name… without looking like an idiot.

A week later, the big day arrived.

Jack was told to report directly to the top floor—Tony Stark's personal workspace.

Only a select few people had access to this level, including Obadiah, Pepper, and Stark's inner circle.

Being called up here meant one thing: he was finally going to meet Iron Man himself.

After getting past security, Jack found himself in a small conference room with about a dozen other interns.

One by one, Pepper Potts walked in, calling names.

Jack waited, watching as the interns disappeared one by one into the lion's den.

Then, finally—

"Jack… MrThrustalot?"

Pepper furrowed her brows slightly as she looked at his name.

Jack fought back a smirk. "That's me! But you can call me Jack. MrThrustalot is a mouthful."

A few of the other interns snickered.

Pepper gave him a long, unreadable look before sighing. "Right. Come with me. Mr. Stark is waiting for you."

Jack followed her with a grin, his mind already racing with ideas.

Tony Stark was about to remember his name—whether he liked it or not.