Despite having sharp bones as a weapon, the bulwark zombie was too dumb to use it. Hence, it only used its gigantic hand to smack the nearest Axel.
It successfully swung its arm, but then, it was surprised the human in front of it was unharmed. It glanced on its right arm and was enraged it was severed.
It roared at the top of its lungs and searched every nook and crook in its vicinity, but only barely caught the shadow of the human, who disappeared again.
It was about to follow the human when its eyes landed on the confused state Axel, so it tried to attack it once again with its left arm.
However, the same thing happened.
Its left arm was completely severed, especially on the elbow part. Just above the protruding sharp bones.
Hence, both of his right arm and left arm with sharp bones were now lying on the floor, spilling green blood everywhere.
It roared and tried to search for the human once again. However, since it failed, it was again distracted by the helpless Axel.
It leaned forward and tried to bite Axel, but then suddenly discovered it kneeled to the ground. It tried to stand up, but its left knee was completely severed.
It was befuddled. It scrutinized its body and was enraged to find out it only has a single limb left.
It tried to stand up with one knee, but it only fell forward when it could not control the remaining knee… as it was severed, too.
It roared at the top of its lungs, completely enraged. Even if it has intelligence, it would be hard to predict the human's next strike.
After all, Eric used Crescent Fang Barrage, also known as Moonlit Twin Strikes.
Despite both of the knives becoming dull after the first collision of its armor, Eric utilized every muscle fiber to generate a hundred twenty percent of his strength that was multiplied many fold by the Last Stand Resilience effects.
Furthermore, it all came down to technique, conveying that his Dual-Knife Technique reached the peak. He used the sharp part and the point part, treating the joint part of the Bulwark Zombie like a tofu.
With the Crescent Fang Barrage Technique, perfect for dueling as it prevents the opponent from regaining their balance through a continuous, high-speed assault, where each knife alternates in rapid succession, the Bulwark Zombie loses all of its limbs.
Axel, who was in a confused state, finally regained his consciousness and was terrified to see the Bulwark Zombie an inch away from him, attempting to bite him.
He hastily turned around and scurried away on all fours.
"Since it is already immobile, should you not have finished it?" Eric's voice echoed behind, surprising him.
He turned around and spotted Eric, with bloodshot eyes while puffing, standing above the neck of the Bulwark Zombie.
He glanced at the Bulwark Zombie and noticed its body was convulsing until its movements slowly halted.
"I-It's dead?" Axel was stunned. "H-How? I thought we were a-about to die?!"
Eric rolled his eyes and controlled the inside of his body, leaving from the near-death state. His bloodshot eyes retracted, the Last Stand Resilience effect disappeared, leaving him in a weary state.
He fell to his knees, panting, while trying to maintain his consciousness.
"B-Bro! Are you okay?!" Axel hastily arrived in front of him, checking his condition.
"Y-You!" Axel was stunned. "What happened to you? You have overexerted yourself. You were dying!"
Eric shook his head and said slowly, "Y-You… Overreacting…"
"I am not. Look at you!" Axel grabbed Eric's left arm, but Eric did not budge.
Eric was puffing, and then suddenly held his breath and said, "Let me take a rest for a while, you should help others enter the house ASAP. Walk further and you will see a pink gate. Tell them my name."
He panted.
"How about you, then?"
"I…I…" Eric grinned while panting.
He did not continue explaining as he stared at the nape of the zombie and said, "I have to get the Evolution Crystal."
Axel glanced at the nape of the zombie and was in a daze. He then recalled Andrew saying that Eric obtained a crystal inside the brain of the zombie.
He scrutinized Eric and knew he was completely disabled. Hence, he grabbed the knife from him and said, "Leave it to me."
Eric gave him the knife, and Axel asked, "Which part?"
"Just above the nape."
Axel nodded and gulped. He felt revolted but he knew he had to do it. He slowly cut above the nape and he met some obstacles. He gritted his teeth and tried to push the knife but to no avail.
"The skull is so hard."
Eric suddenly smashed his hand at the top of the knife, caving in.
"W-What? What if you break the crystal?"
Eric shook his head. "It doesn't matter."
In fact, he knew how durable the Evolution Crystal was, and it was only a grey crystal from a zombie. What was more on the second mortal stage zombie?
The skull was broken and they successfully opened a slit. Axel sighed in relief, but Eric's following words disgusted him.
"Open it."
"What?"
"Open it."
"Bleurgh."
Axel managed to swallow what he was about to vomit as he opened the slit. Eric fearlessly pushed his fingers inside through the flesh and sharp fragments of the skull.
He suddenly pulled out his hand filled with viscous green blood.
Axel wanted to vomit but he managed to restrain himself.
He curiously stared at Eric's hand, as the latter opened it, revealing a gleaming red crystal.
"It's a bit larger." Eric mumbled. His eyes sparkled in excitement. "This is, at least, four times more purer and three times bigger than the grey crystal."
At the same time, the system's voice echoed inside his mind.
{Congratulations for completing your first mission!
You have been rewarded with the Evolution Crystal-Powered Water Purifier blueprint.
The blueprint is being injected into your mind…
Congratulations, you have learned the Evolution Crystal-Powered Water Purifier blueprint!}
Eric's eyes shone when the blueprint appeared on his mind. He finally knew where to use the red Evolution Crystal.