By the time night rolled around, Miles felt claustrophobic. Being around Hyperion all day, dodging his questions, and second-guessing every roll had worn him out. He needed space.

  “I’m going out,” Miles announced.

  Hyperion looked up from a book he was reading by the fireplace. “Out? At night? Do you need company?”

  “Nope, just some fresh air. Alone,” Miles said quickly, grabbing his cloak and heading out before Hyperion could protest.

  “Warning: Nighttime excursions increase risk of danger. Suggestion: Bring a friend.”

  “Yeah, no thanks. I’ve had enough of ‘friends’ lately,” Miles muttered under his breath.

  The town was eerily quiet at night, the streets lit by flickering lanterns. Miles wandered aimlessly, enjoying the solitude. For the first time in weeks, he didn’t feel like someone was watching his every move.

  That is, until he found himself at the edge of the town and noticed something unusual—a faint glow in the distance.

  “What’s that?” he wondered aloud.

  “Scanning… Result: Dungeon detected. You are the first to discover this location.”

  Miles froze. “A dungeon? Here?”

  “Affirmative. This dungeon is uncharted. First-time clear rewards include substantial loot and rare items.”

  Miles’s eyes sparkled for a moment before reality hit him. “Nope. Not falling for it. I’m not going in there alone.”

  “Rolling for curiosity… Result: 15. You are tempted.”

  “Temptation isn’t a decision, system,” Miles snapped, turning on his heel and heading back toward the inn. “I’m going to sleep, and tomorrow I’m going to forget this ever happened.”

  Back at the inn, Miles tossed and turned in bed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the thought of the dungeon.

  “What if it’s got amazing loot? What if it’s the key to me finally having an edge over everyone who’s been chasing me?”

  “Warning: Entering an uncharted dungeon without preparation is highly risky.”

  “Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m not going in,” Miles grumbled.

  “Rolling for willpower… Result: 9. Your resolve is weakening.”

  Miles groaned. “You’re the worst.”

  “Correction: I’m the best. Without me, you’d already be a smear on a dungeon floor.”

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  He sat up in bed, glaring at the dark room. “I’m not going back to that dungeon. I don’t care if it’s got mountains of gold or a fountain of eternal youth. It’s not worth the risk.”

  “Rolling for self-delusion… Result: 14. You’re moderately convincing.”

  Miles flopped back down with a sigh. “I need new hobbies.”

  As he stared at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but wonder what treasures—or dangers—awaited in that glowing dungeon.

  The next morning, Hyperion gave Miles a curious look as they sat down for breakfast. “You look like you didn’t sleep. Bad dreams?”

  “You could say that,” Miles muttered, poking at his plate of eggs.

  “Anything you want to talk about?” Hyperion asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.

  Miles shook his head. “Nope. Nothing worth mentioning.”

  “Rolling for honesty… Result: 3. Your poker face needs work.”

  Hyperion smirked. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

  “Thanks for the feedback,” Miles said dryly.

  Hyperion leaned forward, his expression serious. “Listen, if something’s bothering you, you can tell me. I meant what I said about keeping you safe.”

  Miles hesitated, glancing at Hyperion and then away. Despite his distrust, a small part of him wanted to believe in the man’s sincerity.

  “Rolling for trustworthiness… Result: 20. Hyperion is reliable.”

  Miles sighed. “Fine. But if you start acting suspicious, I’m rolling you right out of my life.”

  Hyperion chuckled. “Fair enough. But don’t worry—I’m not going anywhere.”

  Miles nodded, but his mind was already wandering back to the dungeon. As much as he hated to admit it, the lure of adventure was calling. And this time, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist.

  As Miles and Hyperion made their way toward the dungeon, Miles couldn’t help but shoot wary glances at his travel companion. Every now and then, Hyperion would hum to himself or make idle comments about the scenery, completely at ease.

  Miles, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. “System, roll for whether I should tell him about the dungeon.”

  “Rolling for strategic disclosure… Result: 12. Marginal success. Sharing the information could have neutral outcomes.”

  “Great, so I might regret it, or I might not. Real helpful,” Miles muttered.

  Hyperion glanced over, his brow raised. “You talking to yourself again?”

  “No,” Miles snapped quickly. “I was, uh, rehearsing.”

  “Rehearsing what?”

  Miles sighed. “Fine. There’s a dungeon. Outside the city. I stumbled across it last night.”

  Hyperion froze mid-step. “A dungeon? That close to Lumeina City? Do you have any idea how rare that is?”

  “Rare?” Miles asked, instantly on guard. “Like, ‘I’m going to kidnap you for your luck’ rare or just ‘wow, that’s surprising’ rare?”

  Hyperion chuckled. “Relax, I’m not plotting anything. It’s just... unusual. Most adventurers comb these areas thoroughly. Finding a new dungeon near a major city is like finding a diamond in a haystack. You’re either incredibly lucky or cursed with improbable coincidences.”

  “Rolling for accuracy… Result: 20. He’s spot on.”

  Miles frowned. “Well, thanks for that confidence boost.”

  Hyperion smirked. “So, are we going to check it out?”

  “Maybe,” Miles said, crossing his arms. “Depends. Are you going to try to steal the dungeon reward if we do?”

  Hyperion looked genuinely offended. “Do I like the kind of guy who’d steal a reward from a nervous, jumpy kid?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fair enough,” Hyperion admitted with a grin.

  When they reached the glowing entrance of the dungeon, Miles couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and dread. Pride because, hey, he discover it first. Dread because, well, it was a dungeon.

  “Analyzing… Dungeon level: High risk. Recommended minimum level: 25. Your level: 12. Suggestion: Turn back.”

  “Turn back?” Miles whispered. “I thought you were supposed to adventure.”

  “Correction: I’m supposed to keep you alive. Entering this dungeon is like bringing a spoon to a dragon fight.”

  Hyperion stepped closer, eyeing the dungeon entrance thoughtfully. “You’re under-leveled for this, aren’t you?”

  Miles crossed his arms. “What makes you say that?”

  “The look on your face. You’re halfway between ‘I’m going to conquer this dungeon’ and ‘I’m going to die in this dungeon.’”

  “Rolling for self-awareness… Result: 18. He’s got you pegged.”