Piltover – Corin Workshop
Attic.
Duke was pacing back and forth across the attic floor, fists clenched and eyes gleaming with excitement. He had just drawn the Tony Stark (Iron Man) template from the Roleplay System.
And honestly? Piltover's tech geniuses could go eat dust.
Hextech might have the advantage of native energy resources and unmatched innovation…
But Tony Stark?
He was The Man Cursed by Knowledge.
Founding member of the Avengers. Founder of the Illuminati. A cornerstone of the entire Marvel universe.
Marvel's cinematic revival started with Iron Man, a single movie that redefined the franchise. That's how iconic and powerful he is.
In the Marvel universe, Tony was such a top-tier scientist and inventor that he could handcraft anti-Phoenix armor just to counter the Phoenix Force. The guy cracked the skies with a single blast and helped launch the whole Phoenix saga.
He could create armors to deal with any situation, Hulkbuster, Thorbuster, you name it. And the Thorbuster suit didn't even use his Arc Reactor; it ran on mystical energy!
There's even a multiverse where Iron Man became the Sorcerer Supreme.
What does that tell you?
It tells you Tony Stark isn't just overpowered, he's self-modded overpowered.
Let's not forget the Mark series of suits from the movies. The Bleeding Edge armor, made from nanotech, could go toe-to-toe with Thanos, even when Thanos had several Infinity Stones.
And don't even get started on the custom Infinity Gauntlet he built for Endgame. The man reverse-engineered godhood.
Now, Piltover might be the most technologically advanced city-state in all of Runeterra, but Duke had confidence. With Tony's blueprint in his head, he believed he could outclass even Hextech, Chemtech, or Clockwork Tech, hell, maybe even fuse all three into something that was uniquely his.
"Open personal panel," he said.
The initial wave of adrenaline had passed, and Duke forced himself to settle down. Sitting at his desk, a glowing interface flickered to life before his eyes.
The system displayed his personal status screen:
[Host: Duke]
Wealth: 0
Character Template: Iron Man – Tony Stark (Fusion Rate: 1%)
Title: The Man Cursed by Knowledge
Talent – Cursed by Knowledge: You are endlessly pursued by knowledge. You can learn any craft, skill, or science without limitation.
Your brain continually expands, capable of absorbing limitless new information.
Abilities:
Clockwork Tech (Beginner)
Mark Series Blueprints (Sealed)
Anti-Hero Armor Blueprints (Sealed)
Artificial Intelligence (Sealed)
Energy Systems (Sealed)
…
Staring at the long list of greyed-out abilities, Duke twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Sure, Iron Man was all about high-tech... but like the old saying goes: rich people build tech, poor people mutate.
In his case, aside from a basic understanding of Clockwork Technology inherited from the body's original owner, everything else was locked behind a seal.
And the fusion rate? A pitiful 1%. Probably the default factory setting.
And to unlock it all?
Simple: Money.
His current "Wealth" value was key. As long as he had enough system-recognized currency, he could unseal anything.
The system's Gacha Pool was also tied to wealth. With enough funds, he could draw new templates, obtain new blueprints, and unlock fresh abilities. The possibilities were limitless.
In short:
"Happiness comes from spending money. If you're broke? Screw off."
"Open Gacha Pool."
Duke whispered the command in his heart. A flash of light later, a mystical pool of dark golden mist appeared before him. Inside, dozens of glowing spheres floated in and out of view.
Peering closer, he saw familiar silhouettes within the spheres:
Spider-Man. Captain America. Batman. Superman. The Terminator. Wonder Woman. Optimus Prime. Bumblebee. Ghost Rider...
Not just character templates, there were also legendary skills and schematics floating in the mist:
Sorcerer Supreme's Grimoire
Hellbat Armor Blueprint
Autobot Schematics
Extremis Virus Formula
Kryptonian Tech Blueprints
Doomsday Breeding Protocol
Demonic Power Source
Super Soldier Serum
Vibranium
Bacchus Gene Enhancement...
Each sphere shimmered in the golden mist, waiting for Duke's hand to draw their fate.
"Pftt!"
Duke wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. Then, reality struck, his "Wealth" value was still stuck at zero.
He rushed to his desk and grabbed what savings the original Duke had left:
Two Gold Seas, five Silver Wheels, and some scattered Copper Rings.
In Piltover's currency:
1 Gold Sea = 100 Silver Wheels = 10,000 Copper Rings.
Even pooled together, it wasn't enough to rent a halfway decent room, let alone afford independent living.
Clutching the coins, Duke muttered "Recharge" in his heart.
In the blink of an eye, the Wealth counter on his panel changed:
[Wealth: 25]
[Beginner Protection: Active] – Temporary exchange rate: 1 Gold = 10 Wealth]
[Valid for first 3 top-ups only. Afterward, the exchange rate becomes 10 Gold = 1 Wealth.]
"Damn… the original owner was flat broke!"
"But hey, at least the beginner bonus gives me a discount."
He threw the remaining coins onto the desk and collapsed into his chair with a deep sigh. All of his money combined couldn't even afford a single low-tier pull from the Gacha Pool.
There were three tiers of draws:
100, 1,000, and 10,000 Wealth.
"As expected, happiness is paywalled. And if you're broke, the system tells you to get lost!"
Resting his right arm beneath his head, Duke stared at the coins scattered across the table. He idly pushed them around with his left hand.
The system didn't actually absorb the physical coins, it left them behind as tokens. But something within them had clearly been extracted, something invisible. Duke had no idea what, and frankly, he didn't have the energy to care.
"I need more money. More wealth. Otherwise… I'm just another bottom-feeder."
As that thought consumed him, a knock came at the door. A crisp voice called out from the hallway:
"Duke, we've got visitors. Father says he needs your help."
Rising from the desk, Duke quickly swept the coins into the drawer and adjusted his clothes. He raised his voice to reply:
"Coming, Orianna!"