First Target

'Sia, is this game actually real, or am I just imagining things?'

[Of course, Ethan, this game is as real as reality. You must participate in this battle royal if you don't wish to die.]

"Haaa..." Ethan sighed. He'd expected this. But he couldn't help but doubt it. If he told anyone this, he would be crazy.

'Do I have to kill the players or can I just incapacitate them?' Ethan questioned Sia.

[The other players must be killed. You'll earn coins based on your contribution to their deaths.]

'So everyone must die.' Ethan ruminated inwardly. It was kill or be killed.

'Can you tell me how to win.' Ethan asked Sia with some hope.

[Unfortunately, I cannot give you any strategies. I can only assist you in menial ways and can help you navigate the system.]

Ethan wasn't that disappointed. Having Sia give him the way to win would have been too easy. 

'Then how am I meant to find other players?' Ethan thought with an annoyed tone.

[You can buy the Basic Tracking Compass.]

Sia automatically opened the system shop, showing an image of a compass that cost 250 coins.

---

Basic Tracking Compass:

Gives the location to the nearest player and the direction from the user. Doesn't work on those with Level 1 Anti-Tracking.

Cost: 250 Coins.

---

Ethan could afford the compass. But he wanted to know what Anit-Tracking was.

---

Skill: Anti-Tracking

Level 1: Prevents Basic Tracking Compass from locating individuals with this skill. Individuals with this skill also detect the use of the Greater Tracking Compass targeting them.

Cost: 2000 Coins.

 ----

He couldn't afford it. That means nobody could also afford it. With no other way of locating another player, he bought the basic tracking compass.

A small compass appeared in the inventory of his system. Clicking on it, the compass suddenly appeared in his hand. 

"It's real?" Ethan exclaimed out loud. He could feel the cold, metal surface of the compass. He was a physical object. The system had just created mass out of nothing. It was real.

His rational side finally accepted the system was real. The death game was real. If he wanted to survive, he had to kill people. Ethan couldn't understand what it truly meant to kill someone. He couldn't comprehend it. He only knew it was a crime.

As a result, he shoved the thought off his mind. He'd cross that bridge when got to it. He turned his focus back to the compass.

'How do I use it?'

[Ethan, if you want to use it, just crush it while thinking to activate it.] 

Thankfully his system answered the question. Doing as Sia said, Ethan crushed the compass while thinking of activating it. The compass disappeared into particles as a notification appeared on the system.

Clicking it opened a sidebar that read: {Tracking nearest target}

When he pressed the button next to the message, a red arrow appeared in the real world.

Ethan figured it was pointing in the direction of this target. Grabbing the map on his phone, he drew a line to predict his target's location.

The arrow was crossing over the CBD. Based on the time and location, Ethan believed the most likely place where his target could be.

He didn't believe the target would be any further away since the compass would probably track another closer target. Considering there were 50,000 participants, approximately 40 of them would be in his city.

'Should I follow it? Then I'd have to take the day off from school. Then again, school doesn't matter if my life is on the line. Plus what's one day off?'

Convincing himself this was the right plan, he set off in casual clothes towards the city. Since it was nearly winter and chilly outside, he put on a scarf and beanie. It worked out well for him since he also didn't want to be seen. He made a wrap and put it inside his spare bag.

Ethan didn't know how long it would take, so he brought some food. Taking the metro, he arrived in the city. The familiar towering buildings loomed over him, as he went in search of the target.

Seeing the arrow constantly change directions confirmed his hunch. His target was in the city.

Though using an arrow to search for someone was annoying as it was hard to navigate the city roads, Ethan eventually found the building where his target was working.

Ethan circled around the building to confirm his suspicions. After waiting outside for half an hour, he realised that his target wouldn't leave until later in the day.

He spent the rest of the day, walking around the city, and checking out the functions of his system. He also tried to create some strategies on ways to kill his target.

As a result, he bought a pack of knives from various stores. Ethan felt some pain in his chest as he watched his bank balance drop.

While he was sitting around the building his target was working at, he suddenly saw the arrow move.

Following the arrow, he quickly tried to identify his target. It was hard with the crowds of people around, but Ethan eventually found his target.

It was a man in his early 30s with a plain face and messy hair. He was wearing a suit, and holding a briefcase. The black rings under his eyes made it clear he was suffering from a lack of sleep.

He was just a regular office worker trying to get by in life. Yet, Ethan found it strange. The man was acting as if he wasn't participating in the death game. He was going on with life, without any changes.

At first, Ethan suspected that the man wasn't his target. Then it quickly became clear to him. Ethan's target didn't believe the giant shadow that was in his dream. He was just seeing things.

'Either that or I have gone insane.' Ethan mused.

Following the man, he soon entered the subway, presumably to go home. Despite the massive crowds, Ethan had a close eye on him.

Ethan followed the office worker to the platform, waiting for the train. Seeing this, Ethan realised that this was his opportunity.

He could get rid of the players of the game. It was such an easy opportunity.

But could Ethan actually go through with it?