Chapter 51 (Dealing with a Bully [Part 8]) – More Upgrades

Yup, I'm going down this path. I'm going full stealth build for this mission. It's time to pickpocket myself a phone.

Now that I think about it, this is actually my first time buying passive skills. When I buy perks, nothing happens. No fanfare, no sensation, just a quiet upgrade that exists somewhere in the background. Body enhancements are the opposite extreme, I’m forced to endure intense physical sensations until the upgrade concludes. So what happens when I get passive skills?

Well... time to find out! I click on the "Novice Sneak" passive skill and hit purchase.

Purchase Upgrade?

Passive Skill: Novice Sneak

Do you wish to obtain this passive skill? The upgrade may take up to one minute to complete.

(Note: The user may feel some dizziness during the upgrade and may get a headache after the upgrade concludes)

[Yes] [No]

Oh, I see.

I love how user-friendly my system is.

But (and this is really bugging me now that I'm thinking about it), my system hasn't really been talking to me lately. When I first got this thing, it was all encouragement and emoji reactions. Then it transitioned to mostly emojis. And now? Radio silence.

Whatever, these really aren't the things I should be focusing on right now. I sit down on my bed, getting comfortable.

Then, I click [Yes] and wait.

A strange tingling sensation spreads through my entire body, like someone's running a very weak electrical current through me. It's not painful, it’s just... weird. Like that feeling when your foot falls asleep, except it's everywhere and feels… somehow pleasant.

Then, after a moment, my brain gets absolutely flooded with information.

It feels like I'm studying, but someone hit the fast-forward button. It's... incredibly strange, almost indescribable. I don't think I've ever felt the process of learning quite so intensely before. Information, memories, and understanding are just getting implanted directly into my brain like someone's doing a data transfer straight into my neurons. I feel like I'm watching instructional videos at 100x speed, except I'm somehow absorbing and remembering everything with perfect clarity.

The knowledge comes in waves.

First, I learn about the importance of stillness. People see movement before they see shapes. Our eyes are naturally drawn to anything that moves. A motionless person can stand right in someone's line of sight and be overlooked, but the slightest twitch will draw attention like a magnet.

Then comes information about shadows and lighting. People's eyes adjust to ambient light and struggle with contrast. A person standing in deep shadow becomes nearly invisible to someone looking from a brightly lit area. I learn about timing movements with changes in light: I should move when a cloud passes over the sun, when someone turns on a lamp, or when headlights sweep across a room.

Next, I learn about sound. I need to pay attention to what I'm wearing, some materials make loud rustling noises that'll give me away faster than shouting "HEY I'M SNEAKING HERE." The surfaces I step on matter too. Gravel is the enemy. Wooden floors have sweet spots between the joists that don't creak. Carpets are your friend.

I also learn about using my environment. Background noise can disguise footsteps (people talking, traffic outside, music playing). Also, it’s smart to wait for someone to be momentarily distracted before taking action. A cough, a phone ringing, a door closing, these are opportunities.

Then comes a pivotal, almost perspective-shifting lesson: sometimes, I have to learn when not to hide.

Sometimes, trying to move unnoticed is MORE suspicious than just walking normally. There are times when moving openly and acting like I belong will make people question me less than if I'm skulking around like I'm doing something wrong.

It's psychology, people expect certain behaviors in certain contexts, and matching those expectations makes you invisible in plain sight. I need to understand what people expect to see in any given environment. How people in that space move, talk, and behave. I need to notice what makes people stand out, and then avoid doing those things. Body language is crucial: can't move too quickly or too slowly. Shouldn't stare at people directly. If I want to gather information, I should use peripheral vision or look for reflective surfaces like windows and mirrors.

Finally, I need a cover story. I should have a purpose for being wherever I am: Am I looking for someone? Passing through? Waiting for something? Basically, I need to look like I belong, match the energy of the environment, and have a discernible and logical reason to be there.

The torrent of information finally stops, and I'm immediately hit with a wave of dizziness that makes my room tilt sideways. Okay, that's... yeah, that's not great. I place a hand on my bed to steady myself, suddenly very grateful I had the foresight to sit down before doing this.

No headache though, thankfully.

I wait for the dizzy spell to pass, taking slow, steady breaths. After a few minutes, the world stops spinning and I feel... fine, actually. Completely normal, except now I apparently know how to sneak around like I've been doing it for years. Wild.

Well... might as well try to obtain the pickpocketing skill as well, I suppose.

I pull up the system shop again and click on the Novice Pickpocket skill, wondering if the system will even let me learn two skills in such quick succession. Maybe there's a cooldown period? A "please wait 24 hours before downloading more questionable skills into your brain" message?

Instead, I get a warning:

[Warning] The user is trying to purchase two skills in quick succession.

…

Adverse effects will be mitigated due to high intelligence.

Oh, neat. Apparently, having a high intelligence score means my brain can handle rapid-fire knowledge downloads better than the average person.

Purchase Upgrade?

Passive Skill: Novice Pickpocket

Do you wish to obtain this passive skill? The upgrade may take up to one minute to complete.

(Note: The user may feel some dizziness during the upgrade and may get a headache after the upgrade concludes)

[Yes] [No]

Yesss, give me that influx of information, now!

I click [Yes] enthusiastically. This feeling of quick improvement is actually quite addicting. Yeah, maybe I’m a bit too eager about learning to become a petty thief. But hey, it's for a good cause.

The tingly feeling returns immediately, that weird electric sensation spreading through my body. And then, here comes the knowledge tsunami again.

The information floods in, and the first thing I learn is actually surprising: dexterity is NOT the most important part of being a good pickpocket. Instead, it's mainly about reading people and having good timing. Dexterity comes last, almost as an afterthought. I would've thought quick hands were everything, but apparently, I'd be wrong.

Before I even attempt to pickpocket someone, I need to ask myself questions: Where is the item I'm trying to get? Front pocket, back pocket, jacket, bag? Is the person distracted? Is the environment providing me any cover? Like crowds, noise, chaos? I need to recognize when my mark isn't focusing on themselves. Maybe they're talking and invested in a conversation, or they're angry that something isn't working out, or they're focusing on a loud sound or sudden movement.

Here's the crucial part: no amount of dexterity allows a thief to effectively disguise their movement from an attentive target. None. You could have the fastest hands in the world, but if someone's paying attention to their pockets, you're getting caught.

So how do trained pickpockets do it? They rely on misdirection and selling a story. Their target either needs to be distracted enough to not notice a touch, or the thief has to subtly give them a reason to believe that the touch is nothing to worry about.

Distraction is timing the theft right when all their focus is on something else: a sudden loud noise, an interesting sight, someone calling their name. And storytelling is robbing them the moment they get jostled by a random passerby, so they think the movement near their pocket is just a result of the collision. "Oh, someone bumped into me" is a complete thought that closes the loop in their mind, no suspicion generated.

I also need to understand which areas of the body people notice touch most easily. These zones differ based on clothing thickness, someone's posture, and where their attention is currently focused. A light touch on the shoulder might go unnoticed if they're wearing a thick jacket, but that same touch on bare skin would be immediately obvious. I need to avoid zones that people will notice, which means reading their clothing, their stance, their awareness level, and all in real-time.

The information dump continues with techniques: using the edge of my hand instead of fingertips for initial contact, because it feels less distinct. Applying pressure gradually rather than all at once. Following the natural movement of fabric and gravity instead of fighting against it. Creating a rhythm with my movements that matches the target's own motion.

And then there's the psychological aspect: confidence is everything. Hesitation gets you caught. Second-guessing gets you caught. Looking guilty gets you caught. A successful pickpocket moves with the absolute certainty that what they're doing is completely normal and allowed, because that confidence makes them invisible.

Finally, mercifully, the information stops overwhelming me, and I'm immediately struck with another wave of dizziness. And... yup, there's the headache. It's not overbearing, just a dull ache that I feel on my forehead, like my brain is mildly annoyed at me for forcing it to process so much information in such a short time. Ugh... it's kind of gross. I rub my forehead, trying to massage away the ache.

Ding! Your Intelligence has increased by 1

Well, that’s nice. A consolation prize for my mild cognitive discomfort. I'll take it.

I stand up slowly, testing my balance, and I'm relieved to find that the dizziness is already fading. The headache lingers, but it's manageable. Time to put these skills to the test!

I grab a jacket from my wardrobe and drape it over my desk chair. I put my phone into the left pocket, making sure it's seated all the way down, then take a step back.

Okay. Let's do this.

I practice bumping into the chair and slipping my hand in, grabbing my phone before pulling away. The first attempt is... not great. I'm too hesitant, too slow, and my hand catches on the pocket opening in a way that would definitely alert anyone paying attention.

But something weird happens on the second attempt. It feels... somewhat natural?

I've obviously never done this before in my life, but my hands seem to know what to do. It's like the knowledge I just downloaded came with muscle memory attached. I reach my hand close to the pocket, not plunging into it immediately, but gliding along the fabric first. I let the fabric give way naturally under my fingers, not forcing anything. I keep my movement smooth and slow: no jerking, no tugging, nothing that would pull the jacket or create resistance.

I can feel the phone in the pocket, the smooth edge against my fingertips, and then I lift it up and away. I follow the same direction the jacket would normally shift if someone were moving, up and slightly out. The phone slides free like I'm performing a magic trick.

And just like that, I've effortlessly stolen from my own jacket.

Nice.

I put the phone back and do it again. And again. And again.

Adam Gray

Age: 18 | Height: 5'2"

Dick Size: 3.5 inches (flaccid), 5 inches (erect)

Current Occupation

Student

Part-time worker at the Midnight Café

Inventory

Minor Shop Voucher [Appearance]

Evolution Points: 33 → 13

Attributes

Body Enhancements

Active Skills

Passive Skills

Perks