More Loot

"Crawler, Walker, and Runner Zombies… I guess they're the low-tier zombies, huh." Shane muttered to himself after seeing the description of the weapon. 

Then, he gripped the hatchet tightly and made a few swings.

Whoosh~ Whoosh~

As he swung the hatchet a few times, he noted that despite its same weight, the weapon now appeared more menacing with its new black hue.

"Alright... Let's head to the crash site." 

Shane murmured as he started approaching the location where the remnants of the burning aircraft still smoldered. The flames showed no signs of dwindling, which seemed quite amazing.

"Cloud, can you confirm that there are no other zombies around aside from those three?" 

[ Scanning the surroundings... ] [ Scan complete. ] [ Three zombies detected. ]

"Great... So we're not missing anything. Let's do this." Shane said as he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Somehow, he felt more confident facing the undead. 

Well, aside from his upgraded weapon, he recognized the substantial increase in his strength and speed.

There was no doubt that the five-point boost in his attributes was a huge factor. 

After a few moments, Shane already imagined how he would kill the zombies, and soon, he charged toward one of them, prepared to kill it in one quick movement.

The three zombies seemed to be serfs or perhaps farmers in the village because of how they dressed. As soon as they heard Shane's footsteps, they immediately looked at him and started growling!

Shane didn't stop as he moved without hesitation… Soon, he closed in on the first zombie. With a decisive strike, he aimed for the zombie's head, his hatchet cleaving through the air with lethal intent. 

Bam!

The impact was swift and decisive, the blade finding its mark as the hatchet struck the head of the zombie.

[ You have eliminated a Walker Zombie. ]

The first zombie crumpled to the ground, its threat was neutralized with a single, well-timed strike!

'I knew it… Since they reacted slowly, these zombies were the classic ones!'

Without pausing, Shane pivoted to engage the second zombie, his movements were fluid, perhaps thanks to the 15 Agility Points that he had. 

Again, he targeted the zombie's head, his hatchet flashing in the dim light as it descended with his full force!

Bam!

The strike was successful and hit the zombie's head. He even got the same notification from the system.

However, the zombie didn't collapse. A problem occurred!

Shane's hatchet was stuck in the skull of the second Walker Zombie he had eliminated. He had no choice but to let go of his hatchet since he could already hear the third zombie behind him!

Grrghh!

As expected, as Shane turned his attention to the last zombie, he realized the urgency of the situation. With a swift movement, he drew his revolver, his hands steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

Taking careful aim, he fired a precise shot from a 1-meter distance!

Because it was close, the bullet found its mark with deadly accuracy. The final Walker Zombie slumped to the ground, its threat was extinguished in a single, decisive moment.

[ You have eliminated a Walker Zombie. ]

Shane sighed in relief as he surveyed the scene. The battle may not be too intense if seen from a different perspective, but it felt too exhausting for him. 

As he caught his breath, a sense of triumph welled within him. 

"Ahh… I can't relax now."

The gunshot must've alerted the zombies in the vicinity, so he had to move quickly!

He immediately touched one of the zombies and triggered the system.

[ Do you want to retrieve the loot? ] 

"Yes."

[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ] 

[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 100mL Walker Zombie Blood, 500mL water, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ] 

Shane smiled as he saw the loot he obtained. Aside from the type of blood that had changed, everything remained the same. 

Then, he repeated the same process to the two other zombies.

[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ] 

[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 100mL Walker Zombie Blood, 500mL water, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ] 

…

[ You have earned 5 Experience Points. ] 

[ Loots obtained: 1 Item Upgrade Crystal, 1 Zombie Core, 100mL Walker Zombie Blood, 500mL water, 1 Spirit Enhancement Bottle ]

"Awesome…" Shane silently celebrated as he checked his Inventory. 

[ Inventory: Memory Spherex25, 3 Item Upgrade Crystals, 4 Zombie Cores, 300mL Walker Zombie Blood, 2L water, 4 Spirit Enhancement Bottles ] 

After confirming that there were still no Zombies within his 30-meter radius, he started the upgrade process again.

He set his Uncommon Hatchet on the ground and placed one of the Item Upgrade Crystals on top of it.

'I wonder what kind of upgrade will happen this time.' Shane mused.

However, as he waited for the upgrade process, a notification from the system appeared instead of the previous glow effect of the crystal and the item.

[ Insufficient number of Item Upgrade Crystal. ] 

[ Hint: Uncommon Rank Items require 2 Item Upgrade Crystals to advance. ] 

'That made sense…' Shane thought as he didn't hesitate to pull out another Item Upgrade Crystal and continue with the Upgrade.

He would be facing another group of zombies, and he wanted his battle to become easier and safer.

As soon as he fulfilled the requirements, the same glowing process and integration of the crystal to the item occurred. 

The hatchet remained color black, but it seemed a bit more lustrous. 

Then, Shane viewed the item description. 

[ Hatchet ( Rare ): A sleek and sharp axe that can slice through anything with ease. It is made of a rare metal that never dulls or rusts, and has a comfortable grip and a balanced weight. It can kill a crawler and walker zombie with a single swing, and can also be thrown with great accuracy and force. It is also useful for crafting and survival purposes, such as making fire or building shelters.

Effects: +20% damage against Crawler and Walker Zombies, +10% damage against Runner Zombies, -20% damage against Spitter Zombies ]