May 4, 2012.
New York, Midtown Manhattan, the penthouse of the Frieza Tower.
The view here was once incredible, enough to overlook most of New York's bustling cityscape. Of course, that was about ten minutes ago.
Now, outside the window, a "blockbuster" was playing out, something even Hollywood couldn't pull off with all its special effects.
A massive space-time wormhole hung over the top of Stark Tower like a ruptured abscess. Countless Chitauri grunt soldiers on flying speeder bikes swarmed out like flies, bombarding the city.
Frieza stood before the huge floor-to-ceiling window, one hand in the pocket of his ridiculously expensive, Italian custom-tailored suit, the other holding a glass of red wine.
His dazzling blond hair looked particularly striking, illuminated by the explosions outside. Combined with a handsome face that would make any Hollywood leading man jealous, he looked like a wealthy young lord right out of a comic book.
"Tsk, these Chitauri ships are really cheaply made. Compared to the ones in the movies, these are the bootleg Wish version versus the real deal."
Watching the constant fire and explosions outside the window, Frieza took a sip of his wine. His eyes held not fear, but a trace of playful amusement, like he was watching a show.
He even felt like laughing a little.
As a transmigrator who knew the entire Marvel plot, this kind of scene was just small potatoes.
He'd lucked out in the reincarnation lottery this time. Though his name sounded a bit like that Cosmic Emperor, he was a genuine Earthling—the son of a humble farmer, actually.
When he first transmigrated, he dreamed of getting instant superpowers just by sunbathing, like Superman.
Unfortunately, reality slapped him across the face.
This was Marvel. Poor folks got their powers from mutations; rich folks relied on tech. He neither got bit by a radioactive spider nor had the brains to mess with high-tech armor.
No steel body, no super-cash powers—so what was he supposed to do?
Nothing but sweat!
Luckily, he had the entire timeline of the Marvel Universe stored in his brain.
He remembered how Tony Stark, after getting back from the cave, went bonkers and shut down his weapons division, tanking Stark Industries' stock price.
That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
So, he hocked everything he had, even mortgaged his dad's farm, and went all-in on that dip.
You know the rest of the script: Tony shouted, "I AM IRON MAN," and the stock shot up like a rocket.
He easily snagged his first fortune that way.
Once he had the money, things got simple.
Over the past few years, he'd made a killing in New York real estate, specifically picking up properties in areas that looked insignificant in the plot but would explode in value later.
In just a few short years, the name Frieza had become a gold standard in the New York property market.
"Go on, blow it all up."
Frieza smirked as he watched Thor, the guy with the hammer, busy swatting a giant Leviathan beast toward the other side of the city.
Saving the world was hard work, so he was happy to leave it to the Avengers superheroes.
All he needed to do was sit in his office, sip red wine, and wait to make another killing on the post-war reconstruction, then maybe enjoy an evening with a blonde supermodel to soothe his "frightened soul."
This was the life a transmigrator should have!
However.
The next second, his smile froze on his face.
BOOM!
With a tremendous roar, the Hulk, acting like a giant, raging bulldozer, grabbed a Chitauri soldier and smashed him straight into a skyscraper.
That building... wait a minute, wasn't that the commercial center I just acquired?!
The wine glass in Frieza's hand wobbled.
Before he could finish mourning the loss, a massive laser beam descended from the sky and cut the luxury hotel right next door clean in half.
That was his five-star hotel! He just cut the ribbon last week!
"Are you kidding me?!"
Frieza couldn't help but curse, his image as an elegant young lord instantly shattering.
This wasn't how the script went!
This wasn't in the movie! Weren't all these buildings just supposed to be background props? Why are they all collapsing?!
Then, something even more devastating happened.
A Leviathan beast crashed, its gigantic body falling like a mountain of flesh, utterly crushing the shining gold skyscraper in the distance.
That was the Gold Tower!
He had a major stake in the casino inside that building!
"I'm done for..."
The wine glass in Frieza's hand clattered to the ground. The crimson liquid spilled onto the expensive carpet, mirroring the way his heart was currently bleeding.
Every property he owned—the malls, the hotels, the casinos...
They were all practically smoking ruins.
A quick estimate showed that at least 70% of his assets had been reduced to rubble in this attack.
This wasn't the Battle of New York; this was a surgical strike directly on his portfolio!
Forget being a real estate tycoon; tomorrow, the bank would be calling in his debts, and he'd probably be sleeping under a bridge!
Hard work for years, only to be back where he started in a single day.
Worse than where he started, actually. At least then he had a farm. Now, what did he have besides debt?
"Damn Chitauri! Damn Avengers!"
A nameless rage shot straight up from his heart to his head.
Cutting a man's path to wealth is like murdering his parents!
These scumbags just wiped out all his money! How was he supposed to get the girls? How was he supposed to enjoy life?!
Just as Frieza was so furious he wanted to jump out the window and fight those alien pests himself, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
[Ding! Detecting extreme anger from the Host. The Great Villain System is activating...]
[Binding successful!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have received a Newbie Gift Pack: The Great Emperor Frieza Template (First Form)!]
A System?
Frieza was stunned for a moment, then his eyes erupted with a frantic, joyous light.
He knew it!
How could a transmigrator not have a cheat system?! Sure, it was two decades late, but better late than never!
Frieza?
The Cosmic Emperor? The original planet-exploding real estate developer?
"Claim it! Claim it right now!" Frieza roared in his mind.
WHOOSH!
A terrifying, indescribable power instantly flooded his limbs and torso.
There was no painful transformation process, only pure, raw strength, as if he had been born this noble, this powerful.
Frieza—no, he should now be called the true Cosmic Emperor.
He slowly closed his eyes, savoring the surging Ki within his body.
When he opened them again, a chilling crimson flash crossed the depths of his blue pupils.
His previously handsome features now held an indescribable, elegant malevolence and coldness.
[Current Template: Frieza (First Form)]
[Power Level: 530,000]
[Skills: Death Beam, Psycho-Kinesis, Death Ball, Cosmic Survival...]
[Advancement Method: Collect 'Fear Points' and perform actions befitting Frieza to unlock Second Form, Third Form... all the way to Black Frieza!]
530,000 Power Level!
Frieza curved his lips into a cruel, elegant smile as he looked at the number.
In the Dragon Ball universe, with all the gods and immortals flying around, 530,000 might only be a mid-level boss.
But this was the MCU! The Marvel Cinematic Universe!
In the old-school Dragon Ball setting, a power level of a few hundred could destroy the moon, and 10,000 could blow up the Earth.
What did a power level of 530,000 mean here?
If this were the comic book Marvel, with its constant multiverse-level deities, he'd probably have to keep his head down.
But the "scrubs" in this movie universe?
It was a dimensional stomp!
Aside from the constantly mumbling, bald-headed Ancient One, who might be a little tricky, who else was anything to worry about?
The Hulk?
Nothing more than a savage brute who only knows how to smash things. Could he even withstand a single Death Beam?
Thor?
The God of Hammers, who hasn't even fully awakened yet? He probably wouldn't even catch Frieza's exhaust fumes.
And that big purple grape, Thanos?
Even without the Infinity Gauntlet, Frieza could rub that purple head into the pavement!
Frieza walked to the broken window, letting the gale-force winds mess up his blonde hair.
He looked down at the swaggering Chitauri airships and the culprits who had just bankrupted him by destroying his assets.
He smiled.
A smile that was utterly cold and supremely arrogant.
"Well, since I can't be a New York real estate mogul anymore..."
Frieza extended a single finger, and a dazzling, purplish-red point of light began to condense at the tip.
"Then I'll begrudgingly take up the Great Emperor Frieza's old line of work."
"The title of 'Cosmic Real Estate Developer' sounds much more satisfying than 'New York's Richest Man.'"
"Oh ho ho ho..."