He also knew how Snipers were, having trained as one for some time.
If their position was ever exposed, even if they were at an advantage, they had to change position.
"I didn't think even NPCS go by this rule," he muttered, his hand brushing through his hair in quiet contemplation.
If he did not know the sniper's position, things would get more dangerous.
"Should I go outside?" He muttered, weighing his choices.
The safe zone will start shrinking soon, considering he was on the outskirts of the map.
He gripped his sword tighter.
With slow, cautious steps, he walked through the almost broken door.
'If you are ever a sniper's target, ensure to never stay in one place.'
The words echoed through his mind like thunder. The words of his sniping instructor unknowingly surfaced in his mind.
The slow steps changed almost instantly. He pushed forward, running faster in a zigzag manner.
But even though he was running wildly, there was one thing he made sure he maintained, running behind buildings near him as shelter.
Eldrin looked back at where he had started running from.
The place had long disappeared into the horizon.
Even he did not know when he got into the open, a field of withered leaves and a dry lake.
A sigh escaped his lips. He did not feel too much strain due to his stamina training.
"I hope I lost him," he muttered.
[The safe zone is shrinking]
Just then, the screen flashed in his face, blaring with a red hue.
In a corner of his eye, a map which had never existed suddenly appeared, showing his position relative to the safe zone.
"At least I am in," he muttered, walking forward slowly. He thought of the safe zone alert again.
"I have spent 10 minutes here without killing anyone."
He did not dwell too much on the thought; it was only a fleeting one.
The requirements for passing never stated a specific kill count; it only asked him to survive till the end.
Clang.
The metallic ring of steel clashing suddenly swept through the air.
It was coming from the left, just behind an elevated floor in the ruined farm.
Without thinking twice, Eldrin burst forward, towards the source.
He was itching for a fight, one he had not managed to get from the academy in his final year.
He soon reached there, two NPCS, one short and stout with a sword. The other was taller, with striking black hair and a double glaive.
"That looks cool," Eldrin could not help but glaze the glaive.
He did not move forward, though. He watched, waiting for them to either wear each other out or one of them to die.
The swordsman swung forward, his sword tearing through the air with a sharp whistle.
The glaive user did not wait. His hand pushed forward, blocking the sword strike with one end of the glaive.
Without even waiting, he withdrew his glaive, swinging forward with the other end.
The swordsman jumped back without a shred of reluctance, creating a gap between themselves.
Again, they bolted for each other, dust rising in their wake.
Steel kissed steel in a loud metallic chime.
Both warriors did not falter. They withdrew, striking again with increased momentum.
The wind groaned under the force of their clash.
The glaive user jumped backwards, narrowly dodging a slash aimed for his chest.
His glaive tore forward with strength, tearing through the swordsman's hand.
Blood splurted to the floor like a pool. The swordsman's eyes boiled red with pain.
Before the agony could settle in completely, the glaive struck again, cutting through his neck with a clean slash.
The head fell to the floor with a loud thump, dust rising from the impact.
The glaive user's chest rose up and down as he had just finished a marathon.
He sat on the bare floor in exhaustion.
Like fabric being torn with scissors, flesh tore as a silver line streaked through the air, decapitating the glaive user's neck with ease.
Eldrin smiled as the body fell. "My first kill, finally."
He picked the glaive and sword up, storing them in his inventory.
He did not wait there; he turned again, his sight already fixed on the deeper part of the map.
[The safe zone will shrink in 3 minutes]
Eldrin looked into the map, marking his position.
"I am outside," he muttered.
He bolted forward again, his shoe pounding against the barren land.
"No wonder the school uniform was made with black linen," he muttered.
With the things he had done, it was enough for his body to be covered in dirt, but due to the linen's color and durability, it still looked normal.
Soon, a ruined watchtower came into sight. The farmland had long disappeared into the distance.
Several noises erupted in that direction, each one a testament to the battle ongoing there.
"That place seems a little fun," he muttered, increasing his pace further.
Boom.
The sand suddenly erupted in a burst.
Dust rose, covering the source.
Eldrin furrowed his brows, stopping in his tracks in an instant.
His eyes squinted and widened at quick intervals as he tried to pierce the veil.
But even though he watched, he stayed far, monitoring from a relatively safe distance.
The suspense did not last long; from the haze, a figure shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Bulky and savage with a hammer that threatened to destroy Eldrin in a single strike.
Eldrin reacted immediately, sidestepping with calm footwork.
Before the hammer could even change course, Eldrin had already widened the gap between them, jumping back with feline agility.
The hammer crashed into the earth below, sending a slight tremor through the earth.
The NPC looked up, eyes hollow.
Eldrin brandished his sword, a smile playing on his lips.
"Catching your opponent off guard and still not killing them immediately, such poor skills," he said.
The NPC did not reply, and Eldrin did not need a reply.
As if in mutual agreement, they shot forward from their position.