Alex Ray wasn't particularly surprised that the Card Master template didn't match anyone.
While Twisted Fate—the so-called Card Master—might not seem all that powerful at first glance, Alex remembered clearly: he was connected to fate itself.
And anything tied to fate is never simple.
So it made sense that no one among his current circle was compatible.
What was surprising was that for the first time, more than one person had an 80% compatibility with a single template card. Even more shocking, someone was compatible with two different cards.
That complicated things.
After all, a person could only receive one template—meaning it would determine their future growth and final limit.
Alex couldn't afford to screw this up.
Both Tony Stark and Stephen Strange had the potential to become gods, eventually. Not easily—but it wasn't out of reach.
Originally, Alex had planned to give the [Mechanical Pioneer: Viktor] card to Tony. He suspected Viktor might also be a demigod—or at least on the verge of becoming one. The guy had literally abandoned his body to pursue evolution, and even invented Blitzcrank in the process.
Alex remembered Viktor's iconic line: "Join the glorious evolution!"
That alone said everything about the guy's path—sacrificing humanity to reach the divine.
Alex didn't know how the system categorized these templates, or whether Viktor's demigod status was "pending," but his instincts told him that Viktor's template had godlike potential.
And if there was anyone on Earth who could make that work, it was Tony Stark.
But there was a catch. Viktor's path demanded abandoning one's body. That ran against the very core of who Tony was.
Tony's identity—his legend—was built on being a man who challenged gods with a mortal body. He didn't ascend by giving up his humanity, but by maximizing it.
That was exactly what made Iron Man iconic.
If Tony followed Viktor's path, would that fundamental brilliance be lost?
Strange faced a similar dilemma—but in his case, it was more of a blessing than a curse.
"Man, Strange is seriously lucky," Alex muttered. "Two compatible templates—and both are crazy powerful."
[Time Assassin: Zed] and [Rune Mage: Ryze] were both miles beyond most anime-inspired templates like Deadman, Fire Mage, or Ocean Walker. Ryze's template even bordered on demigod territory.
Alex could understand why Strange matched with Ekko. The Time Stone alone explained that connection.
But something about that pairing didn't sit right.
Sure, Ekko was technically a mage—but he leaned more toward assassin than caster. And if there was one thing Alex knew about his universe's Doctor Strange, it was that the man was terrified of death.
He always sent out clones. His real body rarely showed up.
The thought of making that Strange into an assassin felt... off.
On the other hand, [Rune Mage: Ryze] was perfect. Both were spellcasters, and Ryze's deep well of arcane knowledge and portal-based escape magic made him a natural match.
Still, part of Alex couldn't help but wonder what a fearful Strange would look like as a time-slicing assassin.
As for the surprise compatibility between Kingpin and Frieza's template, Alex was caught off guard for a second. But then again...
If Kingpin hadn't turned toward protecting Alex, he could've become someone as dark and ruthless as Frieza.
Hell, maybe it was just the bald head throwing off the comparison.
But deep down, Alex knew that Kingpin's mastery of manipulation, insatiable ambition, and drive for absolute power made him the ideal host for Frieza's dark potential.
He could already imagine it—Kingpin, infused with Frieza's might, shaking the foundations of the world.
And if Kingpin also succeeded in obtaining the Golden Serum and consuming the Shining Fruit? He'd be an unstoppable force. God on Earth.
What Alex didn't know was that Kingpin was still quietly pursuing the serum.
Golden Serum + Frieza Template + Shining Fruit.
It was a recipe for omnipotence.
The last major decision was Wanda.
She matched two cards: [Dark Sovereign: Syndra] and [Storm's Fury: Janna], the latter being a literal god template.
On paper, Janna was the better choice. She was a god, and her wind-based divine powers fit Wanda's chaos magic thematically.
But something inside Alex told him that Syndra's dark magic was a better fit for Wanda's needs, even if it wasn't as powerful on paper.
Call it instinct. Call it intuition. Whatever it was, he trusted it.
And so, he chose Syndra for Wanda.
Now, only the Mechanical Pioneer card remained.
Alex called Tony Stark and Doctor Octavius for a short conversation.
He didn't reveal the existence of the template cards—he simply posed a question:
"If you had the chance to become a god… but it meant giving up your body… would you take it?"
Both men gave very different answers.
In the end, Alex gave the [Mechanical Pioneer: Viktor] card to Dr. Otto Octavius.
Tony's response sealed that decision:
"First of all, I'm a human. And I want to become a god as a human."
That one line reminded Alex why Tony Stark was who he was.
And he prayed silently that, someday, a template card worthy of Tony's spirit would appear.
"System," Alex said in his mind, "Begin template integration."
The names flowed through his mind like a mantra:
Ben Grimm – Malphite the Lava Monster
Wanda Maximoff – Dark Sovereign Syndra
Wilson Fisk – Frieza
Dr. Otto Octavius – Mechanical Pioneer Viktor
Frank Castle – Lucian
Stephen Strange – Rune Mage Ryze
As the final name echoed in his consciousness, the template cards responded like they had been waiting all along.
One by one, they dissolved into radiant motes of light—each one taking flight in a blazing arc through the sky, drawn toward its intended recipient.
Each light was a symbol.
A fragment of power.
A new legend about to begin.
When the last trace of light vanished into the night, Alex stepped onto the balcony of his Hell's Kitchen stronghold.
He raised his arms toward the heavens, the wind brushing against his coat, eyes full of fire and pride.
"I declare," he whispered to the sky, "the Hell's Kitchen League of Legends division... is officially established."
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
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