The next day
"Yawn… My neck is so stiff. Sleeping on the ground is so difficult. I wish I had a mattress."
But hey, at least I got some sleep.
And if I was correct about how SP recovers...
'Status'
[Name: Lucian Edelhart]
Level: 2
HP: 10/10
SP: 5/5
Stamina: 5/5
Skills held:
- Quickstep
EXP: 0/100
Attributes:
Vigor: 2
Focus: 1
Endurance: 1
Strength: 1
Dexterity: 1
]
"Phew, looks like it really did replenish overnight."
Although having to sleep to recover my SP isn't ideal.
Fortunately for me, there is a simple solution to this problem.
All I have to do is increase my Focus stat.
It would increase my total capacity and, hence, the total number of times I can use my skills.
However, I should delay doing that until later.
My current priority is Vigor.
My body is way too frail and malnourished.
I don't want to die from a trip just after receiving a system.
If I remember correctly, the system has an exponential progression by a factor of two.
In simpler words, each point invested causes the individual stat's value to double.
The same principle also applies to XP. Every time I level up, the XP required for the next level doubles.
So, if I were to focus all my stat points into Strength, for example, I would become a glass cannon, or if I put all my points into Vigor, then I would become a tank, etc…
But it comes at a cost.
Both Strength and Dexterity use Endurance, so while ten points invested into Strength would make me extremely strong, with no Endurance I would only last for a second before becoming extremely exhausted.
Therefore, a balanced stat allocation is extremely important.
Currently, I'm increasing Vigor by another point, which would double it to two.
Anyways, it's time for me to gain more XP.
However, at the moment I was about to set off, a grumble echoed from my stomach.
"…"
On second thought, my main priority right now is finding food.
***
Commercial District - Underground City
Most places in the Underground City reek of sewage, but in the Shopping District, it was much more well-kept than one would imagine.
The paths were lined with countless barrels of red wine, while stores and pubs operated here like you would expect any normal business to.
Driven by intense hunger, I found myself walking through the Shopping District looking for the perfect spot to find something to eat.
And eventually, something caught my ear.
"Fresh bread! Come get your bread straight out of the oven!"
There was a lively baker with rolled-up sleeves and a white cloth wrapped around his head.
It seemed this was his normal morning routine, yelling loudly and trying to attract customers.
A small queue had already begun to form inside the bakery.
People waited to grab the food, murmuring amongst each other.
"This looks like a good spot."
And so, there I was, queuing up, waiting to eat with my mouth salivating at the scent of the freshly toasted bread.
When I had first entered, there were already some people eating around the tables inside the bakery.
On the left, by the door, was a fatty with one whole basket to himself. I couldn't believe it.
There are children starving out here, and he has a whole basket of bread for himself.
What a glutton.
"Maybe I should steal from that fat baldy to teach him a lesson?"
No, it's too risky.
I should stick with my original plan.
I took a deep breath.
My plan is simple.
I can only use Quickstep a total of five times, so I'll have to use it sparingly.
When the baker is distracted by a customer, I'll snatch a piece of bread off the counter and dash out of there using my Quickstep.
Simple, right?
Now all I need to do is wait.
Before me was a frail lady who handed him a few copper coins.
"Could I get five loaves of bread, please?"
"Sure thing!"
The baker went to the back of the shop to fill a basket with bread.
"Here's my chance!"
I sprinted out from behind the lady and ran towards the bread on display at the counter.
Once I snatched the bread, I dashed to open the door and activate my skill.
'Quickstep!'
"Huh? Why didn't anything happen?"
I thought I went unnoticed, but I overlooked one simple fact.
I'm in a store in the Underground City. It's only natural that the baker was wary of thieves.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Once the bread was secured, I should've activated Quickstep and escaped easily. That was the plan…
"Haha! Caught another one, boss!"
The fat bald guy who was eating earlier boasted in a dopey voice about catching me whilst lifting me up with ease, leaving my legs dangling in the air.
"Let me go, you fatty!"
"—That little thief! Burt, teach him a lesson!"
"Please let me go! I'm just a hungry kid!"
"Hey, kid… Do you think you can steal my bread, then call me fat and get away with it?!"
He balled up his fist, threatening to punch me.
Shit! If a guy that big hits me, I'm cooked.
I thrashed around, but it's no use. This big guy is too strong.
I yelled 'Quickstep' again in my mind, but nothing was happening.
Come on! Why isn't it working?!
My last resort was to use Quickstep again, but with my legs above the ground, the skill doesn't seem to activate.
As I was thrashing, I noticed my legs could reach his belly.
Wait… If I used him as a stepping platform and activated Quickstep simultaneously, maybe it would work.
I placed my legs on him, and at that same moment, I called out Quickstep in my mind.
Woosh!
The force generated by my skill launched him out the door and right into a wine barrel outside.
Broken shards of wood clattered onto the stone floor outside, along with the man, who lay sprawled out, drenched in red wine and out cold.
"!!!"
"How is that scrawny kid so strong?!"
With no time to spare, I sprinted out of there, securing my loaf first, of course.
'Quickstep!'
As I dashed forward, I noticed the stares of shocked onlookers.
To be honest, I'm just as shocked as them. I didn't realize Quickstep could be used offensively like that.
I continued towards a junction which forked into two paths.
If I use Quickstep here, he won't know whether I went left or right.
After deciding to make a left turn, I hid in a dark alley and could make out the faint noise of the baker searching for me.
"Did that scrawny kid really defeat Burt so easily?!"
***
A couple of minutes later
"Phew… I managed to escape from his line of sight just in time."
I scarfed down the bread ravenously and then sat down with a partially filled stomach.
"Blegh! That was disgusting! The bread was stale after being on display for so long and drenched in red wine with dirt all over it."
Not filling at all.
Trying to steal again from the Shopping District is too much of a hassle. Wouldn't it be easier to just be an upstanding citizen and purchase legitimately?
While rattling my money pouch, I realized why this was not a possibility.
Although… There is another option.
That is to steal someone else's money.
The easiest way to make money right now, though, would be pickpocketing, especially with my small stature combined with Quickstep.
Additionally, the next skill I am to unlock would also aid in this.
Soon, I would unlock the Backstab ability.
In fact, I'm closer than I thought. When I defeated the big guy, although I was too distracted to realize it at the time, I actually gained fifty XP for knocking him out.
It looks like incapacitating humans also gives me XP.
So, if I just kill five more rats, I'll be able to level up once again and then unlock Backstab.
In the game, Backstab was used to get behind an enemy in a fraction of a second and strike them, so it would be perfect.
In theory, I could use Backstab to get behind my target only. But instead of attacking them, I would steal their money.
With those thoughts in mind, I set out for the gutters, looking for more rats in order to unlock my next ability.
***
Squeek!
A rat squirmed and let out its final few breaths.
[+10 XP]
"Quickstep really makes this job a whole lot easier, although these rats are still putrid."
[Ding!]
[Level 3 Unlocked!]
+1 Stat Point
+1 Skill
[Select one skill from the list below]
Finally! Level 3 has been unlocked!
Hmm, out of all of these skills, the most useful ones are probably between Backstab, After Image, and First Strike.
But what's the point of After Image when pickpocketing?
And with my puny strength, there's no point in a "First Strike."
I'm better off sticking with what I know will work, leaving no better option than Backstab.
And thus, I selected Backstab, using my finger to press the buttons on the translucent panel.
At the same time, I also increased my Vigor by an extra point, increasing my HP.
Now that I've unlocked my new ability, I should look for someone with a lot of money to pickpocket.
And I know just the right area...
***
In the Underground, there are large organized crime groups everywhere.
And with organized crime comes money. A lot of money.
Gangsters hold crucial chokepoints on the travel routes to the surface.
These routes to the surface are heavily controlled, monitored, and taxed by them.
Merchants from the surface hire these gangsters as security, monopolizing the routes for themselves whilst they make their way back up to the surface to sell goods.
Due to the nature of the Underground, this means hauling horse-drawn carriages up precarious trails along the steep walls.
And currently, I'm on my way to one of the outer districts where all of this takes place.
My goal was to wait outside the pub many of these gangsters visit after a long day of work.
They have a reputation for getting drunk and terrorizing everyone around here.
And let's just say these guys are very trigger-happy.
One wrong move and they won't hesitate to shoot.
But even then, they make for perfect victims of pickpocketing.
I'm still hesitant to actually go through with this.
But with full pockets and a gun to steal?
There's no way I can pass on that.
Logically thinking, even if they do shoot, their aim would be way off. The gun technology here is nowhere near as advanced as in my previous life, not to mention the effect alcohol has on their aim.
Just in case, I bought a rusty knife for a few coins off a kid on my way here.
If anything goes wrong, I'll use my Backstab ability.
Unfortunately, Backstab consumes two SP on each use, so I'll have to be conservative with Quickstep when escaping.
Currently, I was sitting on the side of the street on the way out of the bar like a beggar.
With my constitution, no one would doubt me.
Eventually, I heard a particularly loud group coming towards me, and they sounded like gangsters.
"Ptuh! Get out the way, you dirty kid."
"Haha! Look at how he fell, boss! Is he still even alive?"
"Looks like he's half dead. I hate these stinking brats on the streets."
Shit, that hurt!
I was keeping my head down with my eyes closed, trying to look as pitiful as possible, waiting for them to enter the bar.
But suddenly, one of them spat on me and kicked me, shoving me onto the floor.
And as much as I wanted to use my Backstab ability and attack them, I held back.
It's important I don't react at all. The only way to get close would be to let their guard down.
So instead of saying anything, I pitifully fell to the floor with my face down and a half-dead expression.
So I let them humiliate me temporarily.
When they eventually entered the bar, I wiped the dust off my face.
"Just you guys wait. All your money will be mine..."