Chapter 2: The Warehouse Gambit
Luke slumped against the rusted wall of a derelict warehouse by the docks, the briny tang of the sea mixing with the faint char of old fires. His stolen soda was flat, tasting like regret and cheap sweetener, but he gripped the can tightly, its cold metal grounding him. His muscles ached from the alley fight, a dull throb reminding him of his new, fragile humanity. Alive, and it's already exhausting. He tilted his head back, letting the damp air cool his face, and popped the can's tab, the fizz a small defiance against the silence. The System hummed in his mind, a faint anchor in Starling's chaos.
[SYSTEM: STAMINA RECOVERY RATE: 30% OF NORMAL.]
He closed his eyes, probing the System's interface, its six faces glowing: magic, archery, gadgeteering, empathy, flight, regeneration. One roll a day, no stacking. Ghost form's my ace, but it won't stop Slade. He imagined healing from fatal wounds, soaring over Merlyn's traps, or crafting tech to rival Felicity's. Master these, and I'm a legend. But stamina and Soul Points tethered him, a leash he felt in his bones. He tossed the empty can toward a trash pile, missing by a foot, and muttered, "Great shot, hero." His sneakers scuffed the floor as he stood, stretching, his back popping like bubble wrap.
A rotary phone on the wall—grimy, ancient, impossibly functional—rang, its shrill tone slicing through the quiet. Luke smirked, the absurdity a welcome distraction, and crossed the creaking floor, his steps echoing in the cavernous space. He lifted the receiver with mock formality, leaning against the wall. "Luke's Warehouse of Dramatic Entrances. How may I direct your call?"
"Felicity Smoak," came the reply, bright and rapid, like a computer booting up. "My laptop flagged your energy signature as 'Seriously Not Normal.' That light show in the alley? The vanishing act? I'm tracking you. Stay put. I'm the nice one, I swear."
"Nice is a low bar in Starling," Luke shot back, his eyes scanning the warehouse's junk pile—rusted pipes, a cracked server unit, a tangle of wires. Time to impress the tech genius. With no new roll until midnight, he relied on ghost form, phasing through the wall to scout the docks. The air was heavy with salt, the city's pulse faint but restless. No Oliver, no arrows—just the glint of wet rooftops under moonlight.
[SYSTEM: GHOST FORM ACTIVE: SCOUTING MODE. SOUL POINTS DRAIN: LOW.]
He returned to the warehouse, his spectral form flickering as he materialized, the effort tugging at his core. Can't overdo it. The clock ticked past midnight, the System pinging with a fresh roll, a spark of hope in the gloom.
[SYSTEM: DAILY ROLL ACTIVATED: ROCKET GADGETEER (FACE 4)]
[SYSTEM: POWER ACTIVATED: INGENUITY/CRAFTING. STAMINA DRAIN: MODERATE]
A surge of clarity hit, his hands moving with unnatural precision. He grabbed the server unit, wires, and a cracked battery, his fingers dancing as he crafted a thumb-sized EMP device, its surface gleaming faintly. Rocket Raccoon would nod approvingly. "Felicity, incoming gift. Brace your servers," he said into the phone, his voice steadier than he felt.
He activated the EMP, the air shimmering blue with a soft clack. Felicity's voice crackled through, tinged with awe. "Did you just boost my decryption key with trash? That's… elegant. Gadget glow-up for sure."
[SYSTEM: MASTERY UPDATE: ROCKET GADGETEER +10%]
[SYSTEM: EVOLUTION POINTS GAINED: +5 EP]
Luke leaned against a crate, feeling Felicity's excitement through the line, laced with a thread of fear—Oliver's shadow, no doubt. His soda can lay crumpled nearby, a reminder of his earlier miss. Focus, Luke. "You're killing it, Felicity," he said, softening his tone. "But you're worried about the brooding archer. Tell him I'm Team Arrow material."
[SYSTEM: MANTIS EMPATHY ACTIVATED: EMOTIONAL SENSING. STAMINA DRAIN: LOW.]
[SYSTEM: EMPATHY SUCCESS: FELICITY'S TENSION REDUCES. +5 EP.]
"How'd you—? Never mind." Felicity's tone shifted, all business. "That manifest you dropped? It ties to Isabel Rochev's shell company. I'm sending coordinates for a meet. No more portaling—Oliver's got a perimeter up."
The EMP sparked and died, a lesson in shoddy materials. [SYSTEM: DEVICE FAILURE. INTELLIGENCE +3 (MATERIAL SCIENCE).]
Luke followed the coordinates, leaping across rooftops with Falcon Flight's grace, the wind tugging at his jacket. The city's skyline was a jagged silhouette, the air sharp with the promise of rain. [SYSTEM: FALCON FLIGHT ACTIVATED (PERMANENT UTILITY). STAMINA DRAIN: LOW.]
A figure leaned against a water tower, her white Canary suit gleaming faintly, blonde hair catching the moonlight. Sara Lance's blue eyes sparkled with mischief, her posture relaxed but deadly, a faint scent of jasmine and leather cutting through the damp air. "Nice save in the alley," she said, her voice a teasing lilt. "Oliver says you're complicated."
"Protagonist with too many plot points," Luke replied, grinning despite his aching body, his heart racing at her proximity. "You're the Canary. Word is, you're… stabby."
"Only when it's called for." Sara stepped closer, her presence magnetic, her smile sharp. "You evaded my scout three blocks back. Fast mover."
"Anti-stalking measures," Luke said, brushing imaginary dust off his jacket, a nervous tic. "Thinking of a 'Do Not Follow' tattoo."
Sara smirked, closing the distance, her boots scuffing the rooftop. "First guy to try a flying pickup line who actually flies. Is it working?"
"Not not working," Luke teased, his pulse quickening. Her smile faltered, a shadow of guilt crossing her face. His empathy caught it, raw and heavy. [SYSTEM: EMPATHY READ: SARA LANCE. CORE EMOTION: GUILT (HIGH).]
"Guilt's overrated," he said lightly, leaning against the water tower, the metal cold against his back. "Trade it for coffee when the vigilante life takes a break?"
"Maybe." Sara's tone softened, her eyes searching his, a flicker of warmth breaking through. "But first, Oliver wants to know if you're a liability."
She led him through dank tunnels to the Arrowcave, its air thick with sweat and metal polish, the faint hum of computers a constant undercurrent. John Diggle stood by a training mat, his broad frame a quiet storm, his dark eyes assessing as he cleaned a knife, the blade glinting. "I'm Diggle," he rumbled, his voice steady as granite, his presence solid yet warm, like a man who'd seen too much but still cared. "Oliver wants to see if you're just a parlor trick."
Luke rubbed his neck, sarcasm masking his nerves as he tossed his jacket aside, the fabric landing in a heap. Spar with a tank? Fantastic. "Hit me, Dig. Just don't mess up my face."
Diggle's jab was lightning-fast, snapping Luke's head back, pain exploding across his jaw. [SYSTEM: STATUS WARNING: NO REGENERATION UNTIL MIDNIGHT.] Luke threw a clumsy counter, blocked easily, his arm stinging. "Magic nerd, not MMA champ!" he snapped, spitting a bit of blood, the coppery taste sharp.
He spotted an opening, grabbing a metal washer from the floor. Hawkeye's instinct took over, his throw perfect, striking Diggle's knee with a sharp ping. The big man dropped briefly, surprised.
"Geometry, buddy," Luke panted, wiping sweat from his brow, his chest heaving.
[SYSTEM: MASTERY UPDATE: HAWKEYE ARCHERY +8%]
[SYSTEM: STAT UPDATE: AGILITY +2. DEBUFF: STAMINA -1 (EXCESSIVE STRESS).]
Diggle nodded, a flicker of respect in his eyes. "Unnatural eye."
Oliver emerged from the shadows, his green hood casting his face in menace, his leather creaking as he moved. "You held your own," he said, his voice low, cutting through the cave's hum. "What are you?"
"The guy who found Isabel's Mirakuru source in an hour," Luke said, sliding the manifest across a table, the paper scraping against the metal. "You need a magic-tech weirdo who can take a punch. I've got data; you've got muscle. Team up?"
Oliver's gaze lingered on the manifest, his jaw tight, a silent alliance forming. Luke's body screamed for rest, his muscles heavy with exhaustion, but the night wasn't done. He brushed sweat from his eyes, the salty sting grounding him. Midnight's hours away, and Isabel's not waiting. Let's move.
To supporting Me in Pateron .
Love [ Arrowverse: Dice System ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Arrowverse: Dice System ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [Grimm, Teen Wolf ,blacklist,Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!