The café hummed with activity, but Alan barely noticed the noise around him. His mind buzzed with the energy of the match he’d just won. The adrenaline still coursed through his veins, yet his focus was singular. His victory had triggered something—a ripple that extended beyond the game.
A faint glow flickered in his peripheral vision. The system was back.
A holographic pack materialized in the air before him, shimmering in hues of red, gold, and purple. It rotated slowly, like a prize waiting to be claimed. The sight was mesmerizing, the kind of visual that made his heart pound with anticipation.
System Notification:
"Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the Rookie Gift Pack.”
Alan leaned forward, his hands tightening into fists. His chest heaved as excitement flooded him. This was the next step—something more than just skill and knowledge. This was a tool, a key to unlocking his true potential.
“A gift pack?” Alan muttered under his breath. The glowing object reminded him of loot boxes from games he used to grind endlessly. The thought brought a smirk to his face. “Alright, system. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
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The interface pulsed, responding to his intention. With a flick of his finger, the pack began to open. Light spilled out in cascading beams, and with it came three large, gold-framed cards. They hovered in mid-air, their surfaces gleaming with brilliance.
Caps (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97
Showmaker (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97
Zeka (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97
Alan stared, his breath catching in his throat. These weren’t just names. They were legendary players who would go on to define mid-lane greatness. He felt the gravity of the moment settle over him like a heavy mantle.
The system chimed softly.
System Notification:
“Select your growth template. This will form the foundation of your potential. Further customization is available through other rewards.”
Alan blinked at the prompt. His mind raced. Caps, Showmaker, and Zeka. Each name carried its own legacy that shaped the competitive scene in ways that would be remembered for decades. The question wasn’t just which template he wanted. It was who he wanted to be.
“This system,” Alan whispered, his voice trembling. “It’s not just giving me tools. It’s giving me a legacy.”
The cards hovered before him, shimmering with faint auras of their own. He began to evaluate them, his thoughts spiraling through memories of future matches, moments that hadn’t even happened yet.
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Zeka was the first to catch his attention. The young prodigy’s raw mechanical skill practically radiated from the card. Alan remembered Zeka’s meteoric rise, his fearless playstyle, and the unforgettable performance in the 2022 World Championship finals. He’d clutched out a victory against Faker himself, solidifying his name in history.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
But Zeka’s career, while dazzling, lacked longevity. His creativity and flair came with inconsistency, and with Alan's future knowledge only reaching 2025 he couldn't be sure about Zeka's overall ability. Alan shook his head, muttering under his breath. “Too risky. I need more than raw mechanics.”
With a swipe, he dismissed Zeka’s card. That left two titans.
Alan turned his attention to Caps. The face of Western League of Legends. Caps was a player who refused to be boxed in—someone who could carry on any champion, adapt to any meta, and inspire his team to rally around him. Alan had watched countless highlight reels of Caps’ daring outplays, his resilience in the face of pressure, and his boundless energy that lifted entire squads to victory.
Then there was Showmaker, the tactical genius. Alan admired his cerebral approach to the game. Showmaker didn’t just play mid-lane—he controlled the map, dictating the flow of every match. His dominance with Damwon Gaming had crushed some of the strongest teams in the world. Alan knew Showmaker’s mastery wasn’t just mechanics. It was decision-making, strategy, and an unshakable calm under pressure.
Alan frowned, torn between the two. Showmaker’s precision was unmatched, but something about his legacy felt distant, almost clinical. Alan needed to be more than just a perfect player. He needed to inspire. He needed to lead.
Caps’ card glowed faintly, as if responding to his thoughts. Alan felt a flicker of excitement as his decision crystallized.
"Choosing a template is only the beginning,” the system prompted, as if reading his mind. “You will grow stronger than the template’s limits as your mastery increases."
Alan exhaled slowly, his fingers hovering over the interface. The answer was clear. Caps wasn’t just a player—he was a force of nature. A player who could adapt, inspire, and dominate. Caps’ fearless style matched Alan’s vision for himself: a mid-laner who could do it all.
Alan grinned as he made his selection.
“Choose the growth template: Caps.”
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The system pulsed with approval.
“Ding: Growth template selected. Caps has been integrated as your foundation.”
Alan felt a rush of energy course through him. His system’s interface shimmered, revealing new stats and abilities. He scrolled through the glowing numbers, trying to absorb the information.
Name: Alan Zhong
Age: 18
Role: Mid Lane
Overall Rating: 39
Template: Caps
Below that, a detailed breakdown of his skills and attributes appeared. Hard skills, soft skills, potential badges—it was like peering into a blueprint of his future self. Alan’s fingers twitched as he read through the descriptions, the possibilities lighting a fire inside him.
A second prompt appeared.
“Would you like to accelerate the integration of the Caps template for 1,000 points?”
Alan raised an eyebrow. The system had just handed him those points, and now it wanted them back? He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. Trust the process, he thought. Every step so far had been worth it.
“Accelerate integration,” Alan said aloud.
The screen shimmered, and Alan’s points dropped to zero. The system’s interface surged with energy, and a sharp clarity washed over him. His reaction time quickened, his instincts sharpened. He looked to his updated system panel.
Overall Rating: 45
Alan felt ready to win.
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As the glow faded, Alan leaned back in his chair, letting the weight of the moment sink in. The faint buzz of the system lingered in his mind like a promise.
“Yo, Alan, you still with us?” Balls’ voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “You’ve been quiet.”
Alan smirked, his fingers brushing the keyboard. “I’m better than good.”
He glanced at the interface one last time, feeling the pulse of possibility.
“Let’s win this whole thing.”