Dylan of Dirt - Arc of the Beetle - Book 1 [LitRPG Progression Satire]
60 Chapters
Author:Matthew-McKay
Status:ongoing
Synopsis
An Accidental Hero. A New World. A Reckless Amount of Deaths.
This is a self-depreciating, snarky, irreverent, emotional story about an average, lovable idiot who is on a journey to become one of the most over powered entities in the multiverse (or Dylanverse as it's more commonly known).
*Jedi mind trick wave of the hand* This isn't the wish fulfillment, self insert story you are looking for... (Come back in a few books. Dylan might be bad ass enough for you then.) He's gotta earn it first!
Still here? Cool, roll the blurb!
"Dylan was having a normal day—well, as normal as life gets when you’ve been socially isolated by Uber Eats and Amazon Prime. One unfortunate step off a curb later, Dylan finds himself in a strange fantasy world with no phone, no pants, and an endless stream of WTF moments. From bloodthirsty dragons to time-manipulating artifacts, Dylan’s new reality is equal parts confusing and lethal.
Dying might be temporary, but survival is anything but simple when fate hands you magic powers and you accidentally skip the tutorial.
Resets, resets everywhere. Thirty-five lives. No clue what they’re meant for. And with every new death, the stakes rise—as does the body count.
Between shirtless elves, dragon sorcerers, and a mysterious rogue with too many pockets, Dylan’s going to need more than snark and stubbornness to navigate his way through a world that doesn’t play fair. Can he figure out his newfound powers before he runs out of second chances?
Follow Dylan as he makes friends, mistakes, and learns how to become an adventurer."
What to expect:
- 2-3k word chapters, 3 rotating POVs (70%+ MC), no cliffhangers on POV swaps.- Unique progression system: magic abilities, ranks, contracts, quests, lootboxes, and much more.- Slow-burn, slice-of-life storytelling, and comedy throughout.- Chapter schedule: 4 chapters weekly through January.- Bonus: Jump 30 chapters ahead on Patreon.
A perfectly imperfect protagonist stumbles into an intergalactic fantasy world where magic, adventurer ranks, and lootboxes shape reality. With slow-burn character development, layered progression, and humor that thrives in the chaos, this slice-of-life comedy explores what happens when an average guy skips the tutorial and has to figure things out—one reset (and side quest) at a time. No harems, no POV cliffhangers, just honest growth and a sprinkle of romance... (eventually).
Tags
Table of Contents
- 1Chapter 1 - Cupcakes and Chaos2024-11-13
- 2Chapter 2 - No Pants, No Pulse, No Problem2024-11-13
- 3Chapter 3 - Elevator Pitches and Death Wishes2024-11-13
- 4Chapter 4 - Resetting Expectations2024-11-13
- 5Chapter 5 - One Does Not Simply Stop Dying2024-11-13
- 6Chapter 6 - Dragon Slaying for Dummies2024-11-13
- 7Chapter 7 - Raise and Hand if You Hate this Plan2024-11-13
- 8Chapter 8 - Lost in Translation2024-11-13
- 9Chapter 9 - Pants Are for Everyone2024-11-13
- 10Chapter 10 - Nothing's Free2024-11-13
- 11Chapter 11 - The Darkness Never Bothered Me Anyway2024-11-13
- 12Chapter 12 - What in the Flak?2024-11-13
- 13Chapter 13 - Murdered Twice and Still Kickin'2024-11-14
- 14Chapter 14 - All I Wanted Was a Mating Cupcake2024-11-15
- 15Chapter 15 - There Are Worse Things than Death2024-11-16
- 16Chapter 16 - Because It's Dull and It'll Hurt More2024-11-19
- 17Chapter 17 - What's the Bucket For?2024-11-19
- 18Chapter 18 - Accidentally Kicking the Bucket2024-11-20
- 19Chapter 19 - The Y'rell Incident2024-11-21
- 20Chapter 20 - Where Does It All Go?2024-11-22
- 21Chapter 21 - Do You Have an Appointment?2024-11-25
- 22Chapter 22 - The Dirt on Earth2024-11-26
- 23Chapter 23 - Why Is It Red?2024-11-27
- 24Chapter 24 - Dorian's New Door2024-11-28
- 25Chapter 25 - Mana-Tea: Addictive, Yet Satisfying2024-11-29
- 26Chapter 26 - Dylan of Dirt2024-12-02
- 27Chapter 27 - A Smile Left Behind2024-12-03
- 28Chapter 28 - Calculated Carnage2024-12-04
- 29Chapter 29 - Vera's Revenge2024-12-05
- 30Chapter 30 - Running on Borrowed Time2024-12-06
- 31Chapter 31 - It Only Costs an Arm and a Leg2024-12-07
- 32Chapter 32 - Nothing Beats Getting into Charles' Pants2024-12-09
- 33Chapter 33 - On the House but Off with the Pants2024-12-10
- 34Chapter 34 - So Say We All...2024-12-11
- 35Chapter 35 - Tactical Tackle-hug2024-12-13
- 36Chapter 36 - Meat, Magic, and Misunderstandings2024-12-13
- 37Chapter 37 - The Potion Predicament2024-12-14
- 38Chapter 38 - Severed Hands and the Cost of a Verse2024-12-15
- 39Chapter 39 - Laughter, Jail, and Judgement Day2024-12-17
- 40Chapter 40 - Murder, Mayhem, and Mounts: The People vs. Charles2024-12-17
- 41Chapter 41 - Monster Eulogies and Tailored Apologies2024-12-18
- 42Chapter 42 - A League of His Own2024-12-19
- 43Chapter 43 - The Fellowship of the Abs2024-12-20
- 44Chapter 44 - Dead Man Dyeing2024-12-21
- 45Chapter 45 - Ready Player Dylan2024-12-22
- 46Chapter 46 - Flak to the Future2024-12-23
- 47Chapter 47 - Heartstopper2024-12-24
- 48Chapter 48 - Don't Fear the Reaper-Round2024-12-25
- 49Chapter 49 - Thunderstruck2024-12-26
- 50Chapter 50 - Read 'Em and Weep2024-12-27
- 51Chapter 51 - Rocky Roads and Family Codes2024-12-28
- 52Chapter 52 - A Rock Solid Plan2024-12-30
- 53Chapter 53 - Glyph Up, Buttercup2024-12-31
- 54Chapter 54 - Hit Me With Your Best Shot2025-01-01
- 55Chapter 55 - The Call of the Dark Side2025-01-02
- 56Chapter 56 - The Price of Righteousness2025-01-03
- 57Chapter 57 - Tough Love: Terms and Conditions Apply2025-01-06
- 58Chapter 58 - Echoes of the Heart2025-01-07
- 59Chapter 59 - No Rest for the Rugged Elf2025-01-08
- 60Chapter 60 - An Offer You Can't Refuse2025-01-09