As they passed a large bank near the restaurant, Maya suddenly stopped.
"Hey, babe, I'm just going to grab some cash real quick since we're here. The bank will close soon," Maya said.
"Okay, I'll wait here," Dylan replied.
Maya ran inside. Dylan waited, watching her go in, when suddenly, "Bwuuung," a hologram screen popped up right in his face.
=================================================
Quest: Stop the bank robbery and catch the culprits.
Target: Six masked robbers.
Location: The bank right in front of you.
Time limit: Happening now.
======================================
Rec skill: Flash step, invisibility, pickpocket, smoke bomb.
======================================
Reward:
- $10,000
- 240 skill xp points
- New Skill: Disarm surveillance and alarm level 1.
- New Skill: Hypnosis level 1.
========================================
Auto quest mode? [yes] [no]
=================================================
"Huh," Dylan gasped after reading it. Suddenly, "Skreeech," a van screeched to a stop behind him. Five masked guys carrying guns ran inside. One of them shoved Dylan, pointed a gun at him, and forced Dylan—who had his hands up—to go inside.
"Hey, CATS, just hit 'yes' automatically! My hands are up; I can't press the screen," Dylan thought to his system.
[Understood, sir.]
[Auto mode confirm... commencing]
Dylan went inside. Immediately, "Everyone put your hands up, now!" one of the five yelled, waving his machine gun around. "BAM!" Two of the five immediately jumped two security guards who were trying to pull guns from their holsters and cuffed them. Dylan instantly vanished, confusing the guy who'd dragged him in, but the guy quickly pointed his gun forward anyway.
The customers, employees, and tellers behind the counter raised their hands, not daring to scream. The robbers immediately went in and told all the customers to lie down, then went to the tellers and demanded they empty their cash drawers. One masked guy threatened the bank manager to open the vault in the back. Dylan froze. He saw Maya lying down among the other customers.
Casually, he slipped out, opening the door slowly and sliding through. He walked up to the van waiting out front, its back door open, and climbed inside. He saw a masked guy sitting in the driver's seat, looking tense, staring at the bank door. Using his Pickpocket skill, he snagged the car keys, and then, "BAM!" With one hit, he knocked the guy out. After that, he used the driver's smartphone to call the police and write a note.
Once he was done, Dylan used his Flash Step skill to rush back into the bank. He saw three masked guys walking around, grabbing bags, jewelry, watches, and cash from the customers, including Maya. The guy searching Maya looked like he was about to touch her, so "Ptooey!" Maya spat in his face.
The guy immediately pointed his gun at Maya. Dylan instantly rushed over using his Flash step skill and then used his Pickpocket skill to grab the gun's magazine, and grabbed the man's arm hard to keep him from shooting, all without showing himself.
The man, surprised and confused, instantly backed away, leaving Maya, who continued to glare at him. After that, Dylan casually followed the other guys and used his Pickpocket skill to grab their gun magazines. Then he followed the manager, who was being dragged by another masked man.
"Open it now, or I shoot," the masked man threatened.
"Y-yes," the manager stammered, trying to open the vault with shaking hands.
When the vault opened, "BOMB!" Dylan used his Smoke Bomb skill, grabbed the masked man's magazine, and "WHUMP!" kicked the guy right into the vault before closing the door on him. The manager, seeing all this, was completely bewildered. Then, "Clatter!" Dylan dropped all the magazines he'd stolen from the masked guys, along with the note he'd written in the van, right in front of him.
Thick smoke immediately poured out of the vault, spreading to the outside, shocking and scaring the men out there. Suddenly, "Hey! They're disarmed! Attack them!" the manager yelled. The male customers, staff, and security guards immediately rushed the four men, who tried to shoot but only heard, "Click... click... click!" Finally, "BAM!" The men, staff, and security guards subdued all four robbers. Dylan casually walked out and reappeared.
Not long after, "Woo-woo!" four police cars showed up. The cops immediately jumped out and rushed inside; a couple of them went to check the van out front. Dylan watched the other customers and Maya running out as thick smoke poured from inside. Maya immediately jumped and hugged him. A signal in Dylan's head announced the quest was complete.
[Auto mode... finished]
[Quest completed.]
[Reward $10,000 received.]
[Reward 240 skill xp points received.]
[Reward New skill: Disarm surveillance and alarm level 1 received.]
[Reward New skill: Hypnosis level 1 received.]
[Pickpocket level 2 > Pickpocket level 3]
[Smoke Bomb level 1 > Smoke Bomb level 2]
[Opening status]
===============================================
Name: Dylan James.
Skill point: 10 skill xp.
=============================
Con skill:
Active skill:
- 1000 face level 2 (0/60)
- NEW Hypnosis level 1 (0/30)
Passive skill:
- Smooth talker (max)
- Quick thinking (max)
- Manipulation (max)
=====================
Thief skill:
Active skill:
- Pickpocket level 3 (0/90)
- Flash step level 3 (60/90)
- Invisibility level 3 (60/90)
- Pick lock level 1 (0/30)
- Smoke bomb level 2 (30/60)
- NEW Disarm surveillance and alarm level 1 (0/30)
Passive skill:
Martial arts mastery (max).
===============================================
"Ding." A notification popped up on Dylan's smartphone. He checked it immediately and saw that the reward money had been transferred to his account. Then he looked at Maya in his arms.
"You're okay, right?" Dylan asked.
"I'm fine, but it was close," Maya answered.
"The important thing is that you're okay... I hope the baby is not too stressed by this," Dylan said.
"Yeah, thanks for helping me back there," Maya said.
"JOLT!" Dylan was instantly completely shocked. He released the hug and stared at Maya.
"W-what do you mean?" Dylan asked.
Before Maya could answer, the police came out, arresting the robbers, including the one in the van, and brought the manager out, along with all the magazines Dylan had collected and placed in front of him.
"So you're saying someone attacked the robbers, took all their gun magazines, and locked their leader in the vault?" the police officer asked.
"That's right, Officer. He dropped this paper right along with the magazines in front of me, and then suddenly there was thick smoke, and the whole bank filled up with it... I read the note and yelled the directions," the manager said, handing over the paper Dylan had deliberately left.
"Hmm... so you yelled because you followed the instructions on this paper? And what does this cat symbol mean?" the officer asked.
"I don't know, sir," the manager replied.
"Alright, let's go to the station. I need your full statement," the police officer said.
"Yes, Officer," the manager replied.
Maya suddenly leaned in close to Dylan, pulling him down a little so she could stand on her toes and whisper in his ear.
"It was you who helped me back there, wasn't it? You're the one who stopped those robbers, right? Even if you were invisible, I know your scent, so I knew it was your work, hehe," Maya whispered.
"Hah!" Dylan was completely shocked by Maya's whisper. He tensed up immediately and started sweating heavily.
"Ugh... don't tell anyone," Dylan stammered, as that was all he could manage.
"Okay, it's our little secret. I love you," Maya said, immediately moving forward to hug and kiss Dylan.
[Congrats, sir. You got a victory kiss from Maya, your wife, who knows your identity. Please be careful next time.]
"Shut up, you! You're the one who made me move... automatically... you bastard," Dylan thought to his system.