Using Comic Book Knowledge

Miles sat back in his chair, the soft glow of his laptop screen casting shadows around his dimly lit dorm room. He had been delving deep into the mechanics of the Dice System, and with each discovery, the potential it held seemed to expand exponentially. After his recent foray into helping Lara and the boost it had given him, he was more determined than ever to understand and harness this newfound power.

On his screen, the Points section of the system was opened. It was a revelation to see how the points he accumulated could be spent. Each ability and its cost were listed clearly, and some of the options were straight out of the heroic fantasies he'd entertained since childhood.

**< Martian Manhunter Shapeshifting - 200 points >**

**< Zeus Thunderbolt - 250 points >**

**< Cheetah Agility - 70 points >**

**< Bane Heightened Physical Strength - 50 points >**

Miles whistled softly. "Man, shapeshifting would be cool. But I guess I'm not quite there yet," he mused, noting that he only had 10 points so far. The road to becoming a powerhouse was long and filled with challenges.

As he scrolled through the options, a side panel caught his eye, detailing his personal stats:

**Name: Miles Brown**

**Superhero name: Nil**

**Strength: 5**

**Speed: 3**

**Attractiveness: 12**

**Intelligence: 6**

**[ Points accumulated: 10 ]**

He chuckled at the zero next to 'Superhero name.' "Nil, huh? Might as well be 'Nill Nada.'" He made a mental note to come up with something that didn't sound like a supervillain accountant.

Further down were stats that he couldn't influence directly through points:

**Abilities: 3**

**Characters: 3**

**World Likeability: 0**

**Popularity: 0**

He leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So I can't just buy my way into popularity and likeability. Got to earn it the old-fashioned way, huh?"

The realization that he needed to actually meet and interact with characters to increase his likeability was daunting but also a bit exciting. It was like a video game, but the stakes were real, and the characters were icons he had grown up admiring.

"Alright, Miles, think. How do you get Superman to like you? Bake him a kryptonite-free cake?" he joked to himself, trying to lighten the mood.

His thoughts drifted to the possibilities of meeting superheroes. Joining the Justice League seemed like a long shot—more like a pipe dream at this stage. But perhaps there were smaller, more achievable steps he could take to inch closer to that goal.

The next day, Miles decided to visit the local library. As he walked through the towering shelves, he overheard two students talking animatedly about a recent rescue operation that had taken place downtown.

"Yeah, I heard Flash was there! He saved like, twenty people in ten seconds!" one of the students said, his eyes wide with excitement.

Miles perked up as an idea came to mind.

"Maybe I could try hanging around spots where these superheroes would appear. I've read ton of comic books, I could use that to my advantage,"

Miles murmured his newly formed plan. It wasn't flawless, but it played to his strengths—a deep, albeit theoretical, knowledge of superhero tactics gleaned from years of devouring comic books.

"If I can predict where they'll be, maybe I can be useful... or at least not totally in the way," he chuckled to himself, adjusting his glasses with a newfound determination.

Over the next few days, Miles buried himself in a mix of contemporary hero analysis and historical crime patterns of the city. He cross-referenced this with notable events and villain activities from his favorite comic story arcs. Each piece of information was a potential clue, building a map in his mind of where and when he might encounter the real-life versions of his childhood idols.

In between study sessions, Miles focused on accumulating points through the Dice System by completing mundane yet strangely satisfying tasks.

The first task came unexpectedly as he left the library late one evening. An elderly woman stood hesitantly at the edge of a busy crosswalk, clutching a bag of groceries and eyeing the traffic with apprehension. Miles approached her with a friendly smile. "Need a hand getting across?" he offered.

"Oh, would you, dear? These cars don't seem to notice little old me anymore," she replied, her voice shaking slightly with a mix of fear and frustration.

"Of course, they'll notice us now. I'm quite noticeable," Miles joked, puffing his chest out slightly as they stepped into the crosswalk. True to his word, the cars stopped, and they reached the other side safely.

"Thank you, young man. You must be one of those superheroes in disguise, I reckon," the granny chuckled, patting his arm.

"Something like that," Miles grinned, watching the notification pop up in his vision:

**< Task Completed: Help a granny cross the road >**

**< Rewards: +10 points >**

"Have a apple," The granny handed him a fruit.

A few days later, while returning from his part-time job, he noticed a young woman struggling to shove a bulky sofa through her apartment door. Offering his help, Miles found himself amidst an impromptu workout session maneuvering furniture.

"Are you sure you haven't done this before? You're like, freakishly good at Tetris with furniture!" the woman laughed, wiping sweat from her brow as they finally positioned the last chair.

"Years of gaming finally paying off," Miles joked, flexing his arms jokingly before the familiar chime of the Dice System rang in his ears.

**< Task Completed: Help a young lady move her furniture >**

**< Rewards: +10 points >**

"Here is some compensation," She handed Miles a $20 bill.

"Don't mind if I do," Miles accepted with a smirk.

Unlike other heroes who helped and didn't accept any rewards, Miles wasn't interested in acting that way. He wouldn't mind making a living from helping people or if the compensations could be given in a different way.

With each task, his confidence grew, but the real challenge loomed ahead. The mass prison breakout he had read about was due to occur in a week, a chaotic and dangerous event that would undoubtedly draw superheroes to the scene.

Using the library's resources, Miles mapped out the location of the prison and the likely paths of escape, planning to be in the vicinity under the guise of coincidence.

As the day of the breakout approached, Miles felt a mix of excitement and dread. He prepared a backpack with essentials—water, snacks, a basic first aid kit, and an old pair of binoculars.

"Just in case I need a better view... or a quick escape," he muttered to himself, checking his points one last time. He had accumulated enough for a minor upgrade, but he decided to save them for now, focusing instead on the potential for increasing his likeability with the heroes.