"Saeko, has the outbreak already begun in your world? Do you feel endangered? If you ever want to leave that world, I can pull you out anytime." Kevin Cross immediately spoke up after seeing what Saeko Busujima had just said.
"I'd like to wait a bit longer. Besides, you know me having a horde of the undead for me to cut down? It's... exhilarating." Saeko responded with a slight thrill in her voice.
"I see. Alright, then. If you ever need anything whether it's rescuing people or a shortage of supplies just contact me," Kevin said.
"Thank you, Guildmaster. Mmh-Kevin." Saeko corrected herself, switching from the formal title to his name.
"No need to thank me. We're all part of the same family here." Kevin waved it off with a grin.
"The undead have already breached the school grounds. Time for some slaughter er, rescue." Saeko gave a chuckle.
"Alright, go on."
Even though Saeko's world was extremely dangerous by normal standards, she herself was no ordinary woman. Not only was she powerful, but that bloodthirsty streak of hers made her thrive in combat. As long as she didn't push herself too far, there wasn't much cause for worry.
Still, Saeko's situation got Kevin thinking.
First and foremost, he needed money. That's right Kevin Cross was starting to feel the pressure of finances.
Just like Saeko needed food, clothing, and weapons none of which were free money was essential. Supplies cost resources, and resources meant cash flow.
But beyond basic logistics, there was an even more critical problem: the undead virus. If he wanted to truly help these worlds, he'd need a cure. That required not just money, but brains brilliant ones. People with knowledge, talent, and expertise.
And at the moment, Kevin had neither.
Saeko hadn't asked for much yet, but Kevin knew that day was coming. Whether she said it aloud or not, someone had to be thinking ahead.
The group chat was still small, but even now there were emergencies like Saeko's. It was only a matter of time before more members brought similar crises. Kevin had to be ready to help not just with words, but with real solutions.
Maybe, eventually, someone would join the chat with enough genius to crack these problems. But until then, Kevin had to think bigger.
"So, what I need now is money and smart people," Kevin muttered to himself. And that's when a name popped into his head: Tony Stark.
First, Tony Stark was rich.
Second, Tony Stark was brilliant. If anyone could engineer a cure for the undead virus, it might be him.
Sure, there were other scientific minds in that world Dr. Bruce Banner, for one but Banner didn't have Stark's wealth. And wealth mattered.
But reaching out to Tony Stark out of the blue? That felt... risky.
Then Kevin remembered something he'd recently obtained from the world of Naruto. He opened his palm, revealing a single eyeball.
Kotoamatsukami. Could it be used to manipulate Tony Stark? Probably if this world wasn't some bizarre, comic-book-logic version of the Marvel universe.
Still, Kevin hesitated.
Tony Stark was a major figure in this world a core pillar of the Avengers, a leader, a celebrity. In the comics, he might've been a second-tier hero. But ever since the movies? Stark had become the guy. Trying to tamper with him might draw unwanted attention.
What if someone noticed? Like a certain bald sorcerer from Kamar-Taj.
Kevin had been in this universe for a while now, and that monk hadn't come knocking yet. Was it because the group chat's tech was advanced enough to mask his presence? Or was it simply because he hadn't made any waves yet?
Fanfiction tended to depict the Ancient One as benevolent toward protagonists, but this wasn't a fanfiction. This was real at least to him.
And the truth was, he didn't know whether he'd already been exposed, or whether using Kotoamatsukami on Stark would instantly land him on the Ancient One's hit list.
"Ugh. It always comes down to power. I don't have enough, so I'm stuck playing it safe. Stark would've been the perfect target," Kevin muttered, staring at the eye in his palm and shaking his head.
But who else was better?
Kevin racked his brain, trying to think of alternatives. But having never read the Marvel comics, he only remembered characters from the films. There was Ant-Man and that older scientist, Hank Pym, who was brilliant too. But could Kevin really use a mind-control jutsu on that old guy?
Ant-Man's team was crucial for the whole time-travel plan to collect the Infinity Stones. Even Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man, played a huge role. And besides, Pym didn't have money. Not like Stark.
He went over several names, but each time, he hit the same two roadblocks: not smart enough, or not rich enough. Those who had both were too important to risk manipulating.
"Forget the money part for now," Kevin finally decided. "I can travel to different worlds, and there'll be more and more of them in the future. Resources and supplies won't be an issue. For now, I need someone brilliant. Someone who knows viruses."
Even if Saeko hadn't asked, Kevin had already made up his mind.
He needed an expert in virology.
And then, he found his target.
Samuel Sterns.
The Incredible Hulk's "Mr. Blue" the scientist with a freakishly intelligent mind. He had cloned Bruce Banner's blood multiple times, and even developed a serum to suppress the Hulk transformation. It was only temporary, sure but still more than Banner himself had ever achieved.
In the comics, he even turned into a villain known as The Leader a gamma-powered genius with a massive brain and an even bigger ego.