WebNovels

Chapter 5 - The Awakening

Scene: Alexander Stem's Room — Midnight

The room was cold. Sterile. Modern. Everything screamed luxury, but the kind that felt empty, as if no one really lived here—just occupied it.

I sat on the edge of the sleek leather bed, rubbing my temples, the phantom ache of pain still burning in my leg. The medical dressing wrapped around it wasn't comforting. The hospital memory was still fresh: the beeping machines, the blurry faces, the overdose.

But I wasn't Alexander Stem. At least, not originally. That man… he was gone.

This body, these surroundings, this name… it wasn't mine. It was given to me the moment I died and opened my eyes in another world.

And now I needed answers.

I limped toward the black glass desk. A sleek laptop sat there, folded shut like a sleeping animal. No fingerprint lock. No password prompt. I opened it, and it booted instantly. It felt almost… too easy.

I opened a search engine

Search: "Alexander Stem"

I braced myself. And then I saw it.

Name: Alexander Stem

Citizenship: United States

Occupation: Classified

Father: Martin Stem – Political Leader / International Business

Net Worth: Estimated $12 Billion

My heart skipped. Billionaire? Political elite? What kind of body did I just fall into?

Before I could process that, another headline flashed across the side screen, catching my eye:

BREAKING: Tony Stark's "ericho missile

" kills over 1 million in conflict. U.S. wins war. Controversy continues. Hero or monster?

I froze.

Tony Stark.

wasn't he a fiction character . That wasn't some cosplay article. That was news. Real. Live.

I fumbled back into the timeline. The year in the corner of the screen glared at me: 2005.

My stomach twisted.

2005.

That was before Iron Man Mark I, before the Avengers, before aliens and gods, before everything.

"This is the Marvel Universe."

The realization slammed into me like a hammer. The movies. The comics. The jokes. The multiverse theory.

I was really in it.

I began piecing together more news from the archives, digging deep into recent reports.

"Young Heir of Stem Empire Hospitalized After Drug Overdose Incident"

The article read:

"Alexander Stem, son of Martin Stem, was admitted to Saint Haven Private Medical Center after what sources call a severe breakdown. Allegedly involved alcohol and prescription medication. Witnesses mentioned a possible self-inflicted injury — a broken bottle, deep leg wounds. Officials report that he's stable and recovering. The family has requested privacy."

That explained the pain. The injury. The hospital.

And the final piece clicked.

"So the real Alexander died. And I took his place. Transmigration… of the soul."

No one in this world would know. No one suspected. Even his father hadn't looked too deeply.

I was living someone else's life—a powerful one. But one that came with its own shadows

His father must have buried the worst parts using his influence — scrubbing public shame off the record.

He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.

"So… that's how the old me went out."

Now he was in the body. New soul, old name.

And the world outside was about to change.

And I was just a man in 2005.

But not for long.

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