A More Dignified Death

Another crewman nearby saw the attack coming, but his arm felt as heavy as lead. By the time he raised his hand, the skeleton's long blade had already struck his shoulder.

"What's going on... Why am I so sleepy..."

"My arms and legs have no strength..."

More and more pirates noticed something was wrong. In a fight to the death, a moment's hesitation could be fatal, let alone this relentless drowsiness and weakness.

Lucas soon noticed it too.

His men's performance today was absurd. They were veterans who had fought at sea for years. In a real close-quarters fight, a bunch of skeletons should never have left them so helpless. Some even began stumbling after only a few steps.

Lucas grabbed a crewman who had just fallen back and barked, "What's wrong with you? Are your legs so weak you can't even hold a blade?!"

The pirate was drenched in sweat and deathly pale. When Lucas seized his collar, he nearly dropped to his knees.

"C-Captain... I think we've been poisoned..."

He panted, struggling to raise his trembling hand.

"No strength anywhere. My head feels heavy too... A lot of us are like this..."

Lucas's face darkened.

Poisoned... Almost at once, everything that had happened tonight clicked into place.

First, those people had disguised themselves as Karl Claude to get aboard and stall for time. Their accomplices had released the Test Subjects, sabotaged the Cannon Bay, and poisoned the crew's food and drink. Meanwhile, a Ghost Ship prepared in advance had arrived right on cue to back them up...

Fine. Very fine. They had laid one trap after another for him.

Lucas slowly released his grip. The pirate's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the deck.

In this battle, the skeletons charging aboard the Nautilus needed no extra boost