First Task

In the days following his exhilarating rooftop escapade, Miles found himself increasingly absorbed by the Dice System. He spent hours navigating its interfaces, each click bringing up new panels that detailed more about the mysterious system.

It was during one of these deep dives into the system's layers that he stumbled upon a particularly intriguing section: the locked characters.

The screen was filled with the silhouettes of characters, each shaded out, with names that resonated with any comic book fan. But what caught his attention weren't just the names—it was the criteria needed to unlock them.

**<(Siren) 0 40 Likeability:>**

**<(Solomon 0 50 Grundy) Likeability:>**

**<(Booster 0 100 Gold) Likeability:>**

...(see more)

"Likeability, huh?" Miles mused aloud. "Guess it's not just what you know, but who likes you."

He scrolled through more names, each with increasingly higher Likeability requirements. Some of his favorite characters were on the list, names like Green Arrow and The Flash, but with steep requirements that seemed daunting.

"Great, so I either become Mr. Popular with the superhero crowd, or I'm stuck rolling for Catwoman reflexes forever," he joked to himself, though the task seemed anything but humorous.

His exploration was interrupted by a notification that popped up with a soft ping:

**[Task: Save a damsel in distress]**

**< Task Status: Incomplete (ineligible for rewards)>**

Miles sat up straighter. "A task? Like a quest?" he chuckled, feeling like he was living in one of those role-playing games he used to mock. "Alright, Dice System. Let's see if you're more helpful than those dating apps were."

Curiosity piqued, Miles clicked on the task for more details. The description was vague, with no specific location or time. Just an open-ended mission to save someone in distress.

"Vague much?" he quipped. "And where am I supposed to find a damsel in distress? Wait by the side of the road with a sign that says 'Damsel Detector'?"

Determined to complete the task, Miles planned his approach. The next day, he packed a small bag with essentials—water, snacks, and a first aid kit (just in case)—and headed towards the busier parts of the city, reasoning that more people might increase his chances of encountering someone in need.

He wandered around, feeling a bit foolish. His eyes scanned the crowds, looking for any signs of distress, but all he saw were busy shoppers, tourists taking selfies, and street performers drawing crowds.

Hours passed with no success. Discouraged, he sat on a bench, watching a mime perform. The mime, noticing Miles's intent gaze, decided to incorporate him into the performance, mimicking his slumped posture and exaggerated sighs.

The crowd around them laughed, and Miles couldn't help but smile. "At least someone's having a good day," he said to the mime, who responded with a silent, theatrical bow.

Just as he was about to call it a day, a scream pierced the air. It was coming from a nearby alley. Miles's heart raced as he sprinted towards the sound, the Dice System's task flashing in his mind.

In the alley, he found a young woman cornered by a large man who was yelling and gesturing aggressively. Without hesitating, Miles shouted, "Hey! Leave her alone!"

The man turned, surprised and angry. "Mind your own business, kid!"

Miles felt a surge of adrenaline. "I think threatening someone is everyone's business," he retorted, feeling braver than he felt.

The situation escalated quickly, and Miles knew he had to defuse it. Remembering his brief stint as Catwoman, he feigned a confident stance. "You don't want to do this," he warned, his voice steadier than he felt.

"Cut!"

A yell suddenly rang out from the sides drawing Miles attention.

A couple of people with cameras and a man with a jacket that had the inscription 'Director' appeared out of nowhere.

"Who is this unwanted self righteous heroic brat ruining the take?!"

It turned out that this was a movie set and Miles hadn't noticed their presence earlier due to his one singular goal of saving a damsel in distress.

"Ohh hehe, sorry," Miles chuckled in embarrassment as he slowly back away from the scene while everyone shot him annoying glances including the young woman he thought was in trouble.

"So much for saving a damsel in distress," Miles muttered while letting out a sigh.

This was Cleveland, a city too close to Metropolis so it wasn't any surprise that crime rates were very less which also factored in finding a damsel in distress to save.

Only villains with superpowers would want to oppose someone like superman except they're just dumb.

"Damn you superman!" Miles partly blamed superman for his current predicament.

"Maybe I should reveal your identity as Clark Kent hehe but no, even though I have Lex Luther Character, I'm not looking to play the villain. Having fame, money and all the beautiful ladies to myself wouldn't be bad though."

...

In the bustling halls of Avalon University, amidst the perpetual whirl of academic life, Miles Brown found himself in a relatively easy course load, a stark contrast to some of his peers who were drowning in their demanding schedules. One such class, an experimental science course, paired students randomly for projects, and that day, Miles was partnered with Lara Kings, a girl known for her sharp intellect and distinctive glasses that framed her thoughtful eyes.

As they set up their equipment, Lara sighed, her fingers tapping nervously on the lab table. "I'm swamped with other assignments. This course is eating up all my spare time," she lamented, looking over her schedule crammed with back-to-back classes and overlapping deadlines.

Miles, whose schedule was lighter, felt a twinge of sympathy. "That sounds brutal. Maybe I can help you out after classes?" he offered, a spontaneous idea popping into his mind.

Lara paused, peering at him through her glasses with a mix of surprise and skepticism. "Really? You'd do that? I mean, it's a lot, and some of these assignments are pretty intense."

"Sure," Miles said with a confident smile, though internally he was calculating whether he could actually manage to be of any assistance. "I've got some time, and two heads are better than one, right?"

Grateful yet still slightly doubtful, Lara agreed, and they set a time to meet later at her dorm. As Miles left the class, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he might have just over-promised.

After finishing his shift at the part-time job at the superstore—where the most complex task was often just managing to not fall asleep at the register—he headed straight for his dorm room. There, he pulled out the dice, the tool that had begun to change his life in ways he hadn't imagined. "Alright, let's make this count," he murmured, giving the dice a shake and tossing it on his bed, hoping for a boost in brainpower.

The dice clattered to a stop, showing the number 1.

**< Gorilla Grodd Intelligence Has Been Activated >**

A rush of clarity and heightened awareness washed over him. Suddenly, the world seemed sharper, every detail crisp and clear. "This should do the trick," Miles chuckled, grabbing his backpack and heading to Lara's dorm.

Upon arriving, he found Lara surrounded by books and papers, a look of utter exhaustion on her face. "Ready to knock out some of these assignments?" he asked, pulling up a chair next to her.

As they dived into the work, Lara quickly noticed something different. Miles was not just helping; he was leading, explaining complex chemical equations and theories with the ease of a seasoned professor. They flew through assignment after assignment, his fingers a blur on her laptop as he typed up answers and solutions.

"How are you doing this?" Lara asked, her eyes wide with amazement as she watched him solve a particularly tough problem in physics.

Miles grinned, enjoying the moment. "Let's just say I have a good tutor," he joked, not wanting to reveal his secret.

In what seemed like no time, they had completed a daunting pile of work. Lara looked at the clock and then at the stack of completed assignments with disbelief. "I can't believe it. You just saved my semester," she breathed, her relief palpable.

In her gratitude, Lara stepped forward and hugged Miles tightly. The warmth of her body pressed against his and the soft scent of her shampoo caught him slightly off-guard. As she thanked him, he couldn't help but hold her a moment longer than necessary, her presence stirring a mixture of feelings and old habits.

'Damn her titties are huge... Guess one wouldn't notice due to how she dresses and that thin waist,' Miles member was starting to react when notifications appeared in his line of sight.

**< Lara Likeability Has Increased by +30 >**

**< Task Completed: Save a damsel in distress >**

**< Reward: +10 points >**

**< Hidden Task Complete: Attain up to twenty likeability with said damsel >**

**< Reward: +10 attractiveness >**

'Looks like there may be hope for me yet hehe,' Miles grinned internally upon seeing the notifications.

Lara finally stepped back, her cheeks flushed with a mix of exertion and shyness. "Thank you, Miles. Really, I don't know how to thank you enough."

"No problem, Lara. Just happy to help," Miles replied, packing up his things, his mind racing with the implications of what just happened. Not only had he managed to help Lara, but he had also advanced in the Dice System and he would definitely follow up more with her in the future since he had her number.

They added each other on social media and Miles decided to leave. As much as he wanted to engage more and possibly try to get up her skirts, he also needed to properly check out his rewards.

As he walked back to his dorm, Miles couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity and wonder of it all. From struggling with his own assignments in his previous life to becoming a superheroic tutor in another universe, life had taken a turn for the surreal.

"Guess I'm not just a comic book hero," he mused, "I'm also Avalon's nerdiest knight in shining armor."