A few moments later, it was P.E. class. Dylan, wearing his gym jersey, was sitting on the edge of the basketball court with Ellie, Lena, Maya, and Amy, who were all in their school uniforms, not having changed into their gym clothes. Dylan checked his wristwatch to estimate the time for his quest and looked at Brandon's profile on the holographic screen.
[Quest activated: Auto quest mode? [yes] [no]]
Dylan smiled, then he pressed YES, and a holographic screen immediately reappeared in front of his face.
[Auto mode...commencing.] [Quest countdown: 00:00:14:59]
Dylan stood up, then turned to look at Ellie, Lena, Maya, and Amy, who were sitting side-by-side.
"I'm going to buy drinks for all of us," Dylan said.
"Okay, come back quick," Ellie replied.
"Get me a coffee, please. I didn't have one this morning," Lena added.
"Anything for me," Amy added.
"Want me to come with you?" Maya asked.
"No need, I'll go by myself. Bye, be right back," Dylan answered.
Dylan turned and walked towards the exit of the gym building. As soon as he was outside, he rubbed his face and disguised himself as the middle-aged principal named Oliver, who was actually in his office. With a quickened pace, he walked towards the storage room behind the school. He used his search area skill; his entire vision became like a 3D computer diagram. He saw two red dots walking towards the storage room from the other side of the building, still a bit far away.
Dylan sped up his run and entered the storage room first, then hid inside the only locker cabinet in the room. He continued to watch the two red dots getting closer from the other side of the gym building and finally entering. Then he used his ray vision to see the conditions outside the locker. He could see Brandon, the 28-year-old male teacher, handsome, well-built, and with slicked-back hair, standing in the middle of the storage room.
In front of him stood a girl with shoulder-length black hair, wearing her full uniform, a look of frightened resignation on her face, turning her head away because she didn't want to look at Brandon in front of her. Dylan prepared his smartphone to record video before a voice was heard from the front.
"Hey, why are you just standing there? Hurry up and take off your uniform. I don't have much time, or do you want me to spread this video on social media?" Brandon asked, showing the screen of his smartphone.
"O-okay," Heather replied resignedly.
Heather started to unbutton her shirt and then removed her underwear from under her skirt. Brandon watched her with a cynical, victorious smile. Then he unbuckled his belt and lowered his pants. After that, he put his hands on Heather's shoulders. But just as Brandon leaned in to kiss the terrified Heather, "Crash!" the locker door suddenly swung open hard.
"Hey!"
Brandon immediately turned around, his eyes instantly wide as he saw Oliver, the principal, standing behind him. Heather quickly buttoned up her shirt and grabbed her underwear from the floor, then immediately ran behind Oliver.
Brandon hastily pulled up his pants, and then his face went pale when he saw the smartphone in Oliver's hand, which was still recording everything.
"T-this isn't what you think, Mr. Oliver," Brandon stammered.
"Oh yeah? Then explain what's happening here, because, to me, everything is exactly as I think it is," Oliver replied.
Brandon didn't answer; instead, he tried to grab the smartphone in Oliver's hand and attack him. Immediately, "Thwack!" Oliver shifted, and his knee slammed into Brandon's chest, knocking Brandon down unconscious. Then Oliver took Brandon's smartphone, then turned to look at Heather.
"You're Heather, right? Tell me what happened here, don't be afraid," Oliver said.
Heather immediately told her story. It turned out the reason Brandon was threatening Heather was that she happened to work at a hotel as a room service attendant to pay for her education and daily needs. Brandon came to the hotel with a 12th-grade student from another school and was spotted by Heather.
He immediately dragged Heather into the room, then stripped her and recorded her. After that, he used the video as leverage to threaten Heather and had already carried out his demands twice on her. After telling her story, Heather started to sob while Oliver held her shoulder.
"CATS, send all the videos, Heather's voice recording, and the data about Brandon to Oliver... now," Dylan said.
[Okay, sir.]
Dylan, disguised as Oliver, looked at his watch. About ten minutes later, "Slam!" the storage room door opened. The real Oliver and several teachers rushed in with panicked faces. Heather, who saw the real Oliver open the door, was startled and turned to look at the Oliver next to her. The Oliver next to her had already vanished, and "Thud," Heather immediately collapsed in fear.
Dylan, leaning against the wall in his vanished state, watched Oliver help Heather and a couple of male teachers restrain Brandon. Heather told Oliver everything again with her trembling voice and Oliver listened carefully. Dylan glanced at Oliver's hand, which was holding a smartphone with a message still open.
After that, he casually walked out of the wide-open storage room door. In the corridor, he reappeared and changed back into his original form, then stood in front of the vending machine.
[Auto mode...finished.]
[Quest completed]
[Reward $5,000 received.]
[Reward 330 skill xp.]
[Skill 1000 face level 2 > 1000 face level 3]
[Skill Ray vision level 1 > Ray vision level 2]
[Skill Search area level 1 > Search area level 2]
[Skill Invisibility level 4 > Invisibility level 5 (max).]
[Upgrade skill Invisibility using 150 poin: 10...20...30...40...50...60...70...100 completed]
[Skill Invisibility >> Vanished level 1.]
[Total skill poin: 100 + 90 – 150 = 40]
[Status open]
=============================================
Name: Dylan James.
Skill point: 40 skill xp.
=========================
Con skill:
Active skill:
- 1000 face level 3 (0/90)
- Hypnosis level 1 (0/30)
- Search area level 2 (0/60)
Passive skill:
- Smooth talker (max)
- Quick thinking (max)
- Manipulation (max)
=====================
Thief skill:
Active skill:
- Pickpocket level 3 (0/90)
- Flash step level 4 (0/120)
- NEW Vanish level 1 (0/30)
- Pick lock level 2 (0/60)
- Smoke bomb level 3 (0/90)
- Disarm surveillance and alarm level 2 (0/60)
- Ray vision level 2 (0/60)
Passive skill:
- Martial arts mastery (max).
- Hacking (max)
===============================================
Dylan smiled, then reached into his pocket for coins and put them into the machine. "Clunk... clunk... clunk," several cans of drinks came out below. He bent down to grab them, then hugged all the cans while walking towards the gym building and whistling casually.
Not long after, he saw two police officers walking in, heading towards the back of the gym building. One of them was a middle-aged man wearing plain clothes with a badge, like a detective.
"Hmm... looks like the police were called earlier, then. They got here fast," Dylan said in his head.
[That's right, sir. Before going to the storage room, Oliver asked someone to call the police.]
"Hehe... good. So skills can be upgraded, huh? I just found that out," Dylan replied in his head.
[Of course, sir. Your new Vanish skill will leave absolutely no trace on the ground, unlike Invisibility, which leaves a footprint and still gives off a faint presence.]
"Wow... that makes it even cooler, then... nice," Dylan replied.
[Absolutely correct, sir.]
"Ding," a notification came in on Dylan's smartphone. He looked at it, and his balance had increased again. Then he continued on his way, whistling and entering the gym building.