Is it aliens? Demons? Alternate dimensions? Black holes are rippling into existence around the globe, and Lee Castillo’s panic attacks are back. Just this morning, he’d been practicing how to tell his ex-best friend and flatmate Axel that he was potentially thinking about maybe moving out sometime soon or something. And then the world as everyone knew it ended. ~System Loaded. Dungeons Active~ Now, Axel's personality has flipped on its head, all comms are down, and there's a foreign desire compelling Lee to enter the Dungeons despite his overwhelmingly lacklustre system stats. As he delves into the secrets of the Dungeons alongside his growing party, Lee must confront both his past and future to divine what he truly wants. What to expect: -Set in 2022, Brisbane, Australia -First-person perspective with an introspective MC -Features diverse, queer cast -Relationships are a main driving force of the story, romance included -Silly and inane conversations with the occasional mature and sensitive topic -LitRPG element is light and used as a platform to explore characters -Slow progression and system mechanics explained as story unfolds -As of 24/02/25, chapter parts of 2,000-4,000 words will be released bi-weekly (Mon/Thurs) [Act I has been published and is purchasable on multiple platforms. I am not stubbing this because it goes against my personal beliefs. The edited version has been polished up, and it just reads far better; 4-stars on Goodreads.] ACT II: Most people will say the urge to enter the Gates was unbearable. It started as an intrusive thought before evolving into an itch. In the early days, millions would step through these Gates into the Dungeons to stop the compulsion. Few would return. Around the globe, groups started to form, in opposition, in support, in ignorance, of what was taking place.  The Event has begun. A divine reward pits humanity against itself. Survival is all but impossible. Lee and his party, Just Friends, have cleared their first Dungeon, providing much needed answers but provoking further questions. What they learned has made them very aware of one thing: it was now time to grind like never before. Crossposted to Inkitt, AO3, & ScribbleHub.