Zombie Elimination

"This hatchet doesn't work well with Spitter Zombies, huh…" 

Shane contemplated the hatchet's limitations against Spitter Zombies, acknowledging the significant 20 percent decrease in damage. 

'I guess Spitter is stronger than Runner Zombies…'

The implications of this drawback weighed heavily on his mind since it meant that he had to get a stronger weapon. He felt that the Zombie Wave would have these Spitter Zombies, so he had to find a solution. 

As he mulled over the potential threats posed by the Spitter Zombies, Shane couldn't help but look around…

"I hope I won't be encountering them yet…" He mused, silently hoping that he had enough time to prepare before they lurk in his estate.

Anyway, Shane turned his attention to his remaining Item Upgrade Crystal, as he deliberated on its best application. 

Ultimately, he settled on enhancing his revolver, recognizing the need to bolster his arsenal to help him eliminate the remaining threat around his estate... 

Then, after confirming again that there were no zombies around, he initiated the upgrade process, carefully positioning the crystal beside his revolver and patiently awaiting the transformation.

After a brief interval, the crystal emitted a soft, ethereal green glow, its radiant luminescence permeating the air. 

Then, the transformative energy enveloped the revolver, causing the metal to shimmer with a beautiful radiance as the upgrade took effect. 

Shane observed the spectacle with anticipation and soon, he got the notification he needed. 

[ Upgrade Successful ] 

[ Common Revolver has been upgraded to Uncommon Revolver. ] 

[ Item Description is now available on the specific item. ]

Without wasting any time, Shane checked the description of the item. 

[ Revolver (Uncommon): A six-shot handgun that fires powerful .357 Magnum rounds. It has a long barrel and a wooden grip, and can penetrate multiple zombies with a single bullet. It is accurate and reliable, but has a slow reload time and a high recoil. It can kill a zombie with a headshot, but requires good aim and steady hands.

Effects: +25% damage against Crawler and Walker Zombies. ] 

"Looks good…" Shane muttered after seeing the bonus damage of the revolver.

Since he doesn't have decent marksmanship, the +25% in damage would be a great help, especially if he couldn't hit his target's head.

After placing the revolver back in his holster, he then checked the Zombie Cores he had collected. He decided not to check the items for a while since he knew they weren't usable items yet. 

After all, when he checked, they were grayed out in the Inventory System. 

'Let's see why it's not usable…' Shane silently thought as he pulled out the item from the Inventory.

[ Zombie Core: A rare and mysterious item that contains the essence of a zombie. It is a faint glowing orb that pulsates with malicious energy, and can be used to enhance weapons or armor with zombie-like attributes. It can also be used to create powerful traps or explosives that can attract a horde of zombies to unsuspecting enemies. It is highly sought after by Survivors and Scavengers, but also very dangerous to handle. 

Requirements: Level 10 ] 

"As expected…" Shane muttered as he returned the item to his Inventory. Then, he checked the Spirit Enhancement Bottle this time. 

[ Spirit Enhancement Bottle: A rare and valuable item that contains a blue liquid infused with pure spirit energy. A Survivor can consume it to permanently increase their Spirit, which affects their mental abilities, resistance to the zombie virus, and skill usage. ] 

Requirements: None ] 

At this time, he decided not to consume this potion since he still had 100/100 in his Spirit Attribute. Furthermore, he doesn't feel comfortable drinking a blue liquid yet. It might also mess his stomach, so he'd rather try it once he deals with all the zombies in the surroundings.

Soon, Shane finalized his preparations, steeling himself for the imminent battle.

With his upgraded weapons ready, he felt more confident facing three or more zombies at once. 

"Ahh…"

As he moved to see the location of the zombie, Shane was taken aback by the sight that greeted him. The remaining zombies had already breached the estate's perimeter, their presence now dispersed across the vicinity.

It was also at this time that Cloud warned him. 

[ Six zombies detected. ]

'They're all spread out now. This could work in my favor.' Shane thought as he checked the positions of the Zombies. 

After a moment of contemplation, he cautiously approached the nearest Walker Zombie near the church.

After reaching about 5 meters away from the zombie, it suddenly perked up at the sound of his footsteps and snarled menacingly.

It emitted a guttural, incomprehensible growl as it lurched towards him, its outstretched arms poised to ensnare him in a deadly embrace.

Despite its threat, Shane's 15 Agility Points endowed him with superior speed, allowing him to swiftly dispatch the low-tier zombie with a deft swing of his hatchet.

True to its rare quality, the hatchet effortlessly cleaved through the undead foe without faltering.

[ You have eliminated a Walker Zombie. ] 

'Whoa~ That feels good… It didn't get stuck to its skull at all.' Shane thought as he also felt less bothered about the zombie's corpse lying in front of him. Now that he knew what the Spirit does, it appears that his 100 Spirit Points weren't just decorations in his attribute panels.

As he considered looting the zombie, the abrupt sound of approaching footsteps drew Shane's attention. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Shane pivoted to confront the oncoming Runner Zombie!

'When did you—'

In a swift maneuver, Shane narrowly evaded the creature's lunge. However, he was still hit on his left shoulder!

Shane endured the pain as he swung his hatchet at the Runner Zombie, but it only cut its arm! It wasn't enough to kill or immobilize the zombie...

The Runner Zombie snarled and pounced at Shane once again! It didn't feel any pain or get tired at all!

"Die!" Shane shouted as he mustered his strength for another strike.

This would probably be the end of his life if he had a long or heavy weapon.

However, he had a sharp and light axe. 

The hatchet's lightness came in handy!

Shane could recover quickly after each swing, and this time, he was able to slash again, severing the zombie's lower jaw!

He didn't hit the skull, but he gained enough space to continue with his attack. 

He then kicked the zombie to the ground and finished it off with one final chop of his hatchet.

[ You have eliminated a Runner Zombie. ]