Luck of the Dice (A Former Dungeon-Master's LITRPG)

Miles staggered through the dimly lit passage, his legs pounding with every step. Behind him, the buzzing of the swarm echoed faintly, the bees seeming less aggressive now but still too close for comfort. His heart was still racing from the encounter, but his mind was already moving onto the next problem: finding somewhere safe to hide and recover.

The honey's restorative properties had kept him alive, but he knew that it wouldn't last forever. As he stumbled around another corner, the system chimed softly in his mind.

Quest Update: Find a Safe Space

Objective: Locate a secure location to evade the swarm.

Reward: +50 EXP, Temporary Buff – Focus +1

"Safe space? Sure, because I haven't been doing that this entire time," he muttered sarcastically, glancing around the endless stone walls.

Up ahead, the passage split into three separate tunnels, each equally dark and uninviting. Miles paused, weighing his options.

Roll for Perception.

He reached for his dice, his hands trembling slightly as he tossed them onto the ground. They spun and landed with a satisfying clatter: 5 and 6.

Critical Success: Hidden Room Detected.

Almost immediately, a faint outline of a door shimmered into view along the wall of the middle tunnel. It was faint, almost ethereal, but it was unmistakably there. Miles blinked in surprise and quickly approached it. The system provided another prompt:

Roll to Open Secret Room.

"Alright, here goes nothing," he said, tossing the dice once more.

They landed on a 4 and a 5.

Success: Secret Room Unlocked.

With a low rumble, the faint outline solidified into a physical door. The ancient stone creaked as it swung inward, revealing a dark, cavernous room lit by an unnatural golden glow. Miles wasted no time, slipping inside and shutting the door behind him. The buzzing of the bees faded into silence, leaving him in a strange, almost oppressive stillness.

As Miles turned to take in his surroundings, his eyes widened in awe—and dread. The room was larger than he expected, the walls covered in intricate carvings that seemed to pulse faintly with golden light. At the center of the room stood a massive three-headed dog, its muscular form sprawled out before a small stone pedestal. On the pedestal was a small box, no larger than a jewelry case, glowing faintly with a soft, golden light.

Miles froze, his breath catching in his throat. The dog's three heads were alert, each one seemingly aware of his presence despite its closed eyes. The creature's chest rose and fell rhythmically, its snores echoing softly in the chamber.

New Quest: Retrieve the Box

Objective: Obtain the box without waking the guardian.

Reward: +300 EXP, +1 Rare Item

"Of course," Miles whispered, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Why would it ever be easy?"

He considered his options carefully. The system hadn't given him any details about the creature's stats, but it was clear that this thing was no ordinary dog. He reached for his dice again.

Roll for Combat.

The dice clattered to the floor, and Miles held his breath as the numbers landed: 3 and 4.

Failure: Combat Not Advised. Enemy Stats Exceed Player Capabilities.

"Great," Miles muttered. The system flashed another message, almost mocking in its tone:

Hint: Use Your Head. The Tools in Your Possession Hold the Answer.

Miles frowned, his eyes darting to his inventory. He didn't have much—a few healing honeydrops, some dried rations, his sword, and his dice. None of it screamed "solution" to him. But then, another prompt appeared:

Hint: The Guardian Falls Into a 4-Hour Deep Sleep After Consuming Something Sweet.

His eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. The honey! The guardian liked sweet things, and the honeydrop he had received earlier wasn't just a lifesaver—it was the key to getting past this beast.

Miles reached into his pouch and pulled out the glowing honeydrop, the golden substance still radiating warmth. He approached the guardian cautiously, his heart pounding with every step.

The three-headed dog stirred slightly as he neared, one of its massive paws twitching. Miles froze, holding his breath.

"Easy, boy… or boys?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

He stopped just out of reach and gently placed the honeydrop on the ground. The rich, sweet scent wafted through the air, and almost immediately, the dog's three noses twitched. One of the heads lifted slightly, its glowing red eyes blinking open as it sniffed the air.

For a moment, Miles thought he was done for. The massive creature's jaws opened slightly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. But instead of attacking, the guardian slowly leaned forward, its heads sniffing curiously at the honeydrop.

One of the heads nudged the honeydrop with its nose before lapping it up with a long, slimy tongue. The other two heads soon followed suit, devouring the honey with surprising gentleness.

As the creature finished the treat, it let out a low, satisfied rumble and settled back down. Within moments, its breathing slowed, and its heads drooped, the creature falling into a deep, tranquil sleep.

Miles let out a shaky breath, his knees almost buckling from relief.

"Thank you, dice gods," he whispered, stepping around the slumbering beast.

Now that the guardian was dealt with, Miles approached the pedestal. The box was small but intricately designed, covered in runes similar to the ones he had seen throughout the dungeon. It pulsed faintly, as if alive, and when he touched it, a warm sensation spread through his fingers.

Item Acquired: Rune Box

Description: A mysterious artifact containing a powerful rune. Its purpose is unknown.

Miles slipped the box into his inventory, the system chiming softly in acknowledgment.

Quest Complete: Retrieve the Box

Reward: +300 EXP, +1 Rare Item

Level Up!

Miles Jorden: Level 4 → Level 5

New Stats:

HP: 120/120 Stamina: 15/15 Strength: +2 Luck: +1

"Alright," Miles said, rolling his shoulders as the system's notifications faded. "Now to get out of here before anything else wakes up."

He glanced back at the sleeping guardian, its three heads snoring softly. A part of him almost felt guilty for tricking it, but then he remembered how easily it could have torn him apart if he had tried to fight.

As he turned to leave, the runes on the walls began to glow brighter, and the faint hum of energy filled the room.

"Uh-oh," Miles muttered, quickening his pace toward the exit.

The system chimed again, its voice calm yet urgent:

Warning: The Rune Box Has Activated a Dungeon Event. Prepare for Additional Challenges.

"Because of course it did," Miles groaned.

With no time to waste, he sprinted back toward the secret door, the sound of distant rumbling growing louder behind him. The dungeon was changing again, and Miles had a sinking feeling that his luck was about to be tested once more.