Chapter 222

Chapter 222

"Yo ho ho——" The skeletal sailors on the deck seemed emboldened, letting out hoarse roars and waving their weapons.

The sails of the "Undead" suddenly turned pitch black, and the ghostly mist around the hull grew denser, pouring into the vessel like fuel, propelling it like an arrow shot from a bow toward the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship. The sound of the hull slicing through the water was like the roar of a beast, especially clear in the thick fog.

Seeing this, the captain of the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship immediately roared back: "All hands prepare! Fire the cannons! Stop them! Don't let them get close!"

The cannon ports on both sides of the pirate ship instantly lit up with red soul fire. "Boom—boom—" Several black-flame cannonballs fired from the guns, hurtling toward the "Undead." The shells left red trails through the fog, accompanied by ear-piercing screeches—a terrifying sight.

These cannonballs were saturated with evil energy, enough to blow an ordinary warship to pieces if they hit.

But Hill Bird wasn't fazed. He swung his cutlass, unleashing a black wave of ghostly energy that spread into a massive net, instantly snaring all the incoming cannonballs. "Bang—bang—" A series of violent explosions echoed within the black energy wave, but the shockwaves were sealed inside, causing zero damage to the "Undead."

When the black energy wave faded, only wisps of black smoke lingered on the sea, quickly swallowed by the fog.

"Is that all you've got? Pathetic!" Hill Bird laughed heartily, spun the wheel, and adjusted course, aiming the "Undead"'s bow dead-on at the side of the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship—the hull's weakest spot. The "Undead" picked up speed, the ghostly mist around it turning into razor-sharp currents that sliced through the sea, leaving a long white wake behind.

Evan drifted on the surface, stunned by the bizarre, violent spectacle unfolding before him. He never thought he'd see a ghost ship duel.

In the thick fog, the two pitch-black ghost ships approached each other like ferocious beasts, the air seemed to ignite, crackling with tension and bloodlust. He could feel the two ships' ghostly energies clashing, churning the sea into a violent storm that made his body tremble uncontrollably.

He clutched the mouse plushie, curling into a ball to make himself as small as possible. Right now, he was like a tiny boat caught between two raging ghost ships, one wrong move and he'd be torn apart. He didn't dare make a sound, barely breathed, terrified of being spotted by either side.

On the water, the pearl divers and fishermen who'd been struggling were now scared out of their minds. They swam frantically toward Moon Island, thrashing wildly, desperate to escape this ghost-haunted sea. Some, paralyzed by fear, moved stiffly, repeatedly slammed underwater by waves, choking on salty seawater. Their terrified shouts rose and fell in the fog but were quickly drowned out by the "Pirate Song" and the roar of the ships.

The two burly supernaturals carrying the treasure map had also stopped their approach toward the pirate ship. Their wooden boat was sturdy enough, weaving through the waves, but their earlier greed had turned to sheer terror. They stared at the two ghost ships closing in through the fog, their eyes wide with dread. One of them swallowed hard and said, his voice shaking: "They're insane... all insane... Forget the treasure, let's get out of here! It's too late if we don't!"

The other nodded, clutching the parchment map, and used his short blade to slash through the waves blocking their way, urging: "Quick! Row the other way! Get as far from these monsters as possible!"

Without a second thought, they swung the boat around and rowed away from the battle, carving a sharp arc on the water before disappearing into the fog.

The "Undead" and the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship grew closer, less than a hundred meters apart. The skeletal sailors on deck readied for battle, raising their weapons—the soul fire in their eye sockets blazing brighter, as if they couldn't wait to rip each other apart.

The Black Tooth captain roared again: "All hands, standby! Prepare to repel boarders! Archers, loose arrows!"

The skeletal archers on the pirate ship raised their longbows and nocked bone arrows wreathed in black flames. "Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—" Dozens of bone arrows shot out like black meteors, streaking toward the "Undead," leaving black trails in the fog with sharp whistles, aimed at the deck and the skeleton crew of the "Undead."

But those arrows couldn't so much as scratch the "Undead."

Hill Bird sneered and casually raised a hand—a black ghostly shield materialized in front of the hull. The bone arrows clinked against the shield and bounced off, splashing into the sea where their flames died instantly.

"Pathetic! Give it up, you losers!" Hill Bird's laughter grew crazed, his grip on the helm firm, the green soul fires in his eyes burning with murderous light.

The "Undead" sped up, its bow timbers groaning under the strain, as if about to fall apart, but it held together, and slammed headlong into the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship.

"Boom——!"

A deafening explosion boomed through the fog, as if the sky itself were caving in, making Evan's ears ring and his vision blur. The moment they collided, splinters flew everywhere, black ghostly mist billowed out like ink spilled in water, instantly expanding.

The side of the Black Tooth ghost ship caved in, leaving a massive gash. The wood at the breach splintered instantly, throwing skeletal sailors off balance. Those nearest the impact were pulverized, their bones scattered and soul fires snuffed out.

The "Undead" also suffered considerable impact, shaking slightly, with some damage to the bow's wooden structure and broken ropes swinging by the side.

But Hill Bird didn't give a damn. He laughed, let go of the wheel, and vaulted from his deck onto the Black Tooth ghost ship. His cutlass swung like the scythe of Death itself, taking apart several skeletons with each blow.

"Crack! Crack!" Bones shattered across the deck. One by one, Black Tooth skeletons fell to Hill Bird's blade—heads lopped off, bodies cleaved in half, bones clattering across the planks. Hill Bird rampaged like a tiger among sheep, charging through the enemy ship, unstoppable.

Seeing this, the captain of the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship became furious. He charged at Hill Bird, swinging his massive axe, roaring: "Hill Bird! Die! I'll avenge Black Tooth!" The axe, wreathed in red soul fire, swung like a burning meteor toward Hill Bird's skull, the air sizzling in its path.

Hill Bird sneered, sidestepping nimbly, easily dodging the axe.

The axe struck the deck, gouging a huge chunk out of the hard ebony wood, sending splinters flying. Before the Black Tooth captain could react, Hill Bird's cutlass was already slashing like lightning toward his neck.

"Crack!"

A crisp bone-breaking sound. The Black Tooth captain's skull was severed, rolling onto the deck, the red soul fire in its eye sockets snuffed out, dissipating into black smoke in the fog. The headless body swayed and collapsed into a pile of bones.

With the enemy captain dead, Hill Bird grew even more frenzied, hacking through the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship. More and more skeletons were slain, the hull damage worsening, and the ship began to sink. Seawater poured into the hold, the deck flooding deeper, and some skeletons lost their footing on the tilting deck, sliding into the sea, swallowed by the water.

Evan floated on the sea, watching the brutal clash through the thinning fog. He could clearly see the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship slowly sinking, listing at nearly forty-five degrees. The battle on deck was nearly over; the "Undead"'s skeleton crew held absolute advantage, mopping up the remaining Black Tooth skeletons.

Hill Bird stood on the sinking ship, head tilted back, laughing wildly—a laugh filled with victory and bloodlust: "Hahahaha! Black Tooth's remnants, this is what you get for betraying me! This sea will always be my domain!" His laugh echoed through the fog, carrying a chilling madness that made the air even colder.

Just then, Evan felt a sudden, urgent wave of spiritual energy from the butterfly plushie at his waist. His heart tightened, and he immediately checked the view from the butterfly plushie's spiritual link.

In the distance, through the fog, several warships bearing the royal flag of the Sala Empire appeared. Their hulls were sturdy, lined with cannons, approaching at high speed. The sound of their hulls cutting through the water grew clearer—the royal patrol had broken through the fog and was about to arrive.

Evan's heart did not relax; instead, he grew more worried. Though the patrol was here to deal with pirates, they would not show mercy to a ghost ship like the "Undead." Moreover, he was near the battlefield; if discovered, he might be mistaken for a pirate ally and attacked.

In such chaos, no one would listen to his explanation.

What worried him more was that Hill Bird and the "Undead" clearly had more than just the Black Tooth Pirates' ghost ship as their target. From Hill Bird's laughter, Evan could sense a thirst for slaughter and a desire to control these waters.

Once the Black Tooth Pirates were dealt with, the "Undead" might turn its attention to Moon Island, or pursue the fleeing pearl divers and fishermen. Then, even if he avoided the patrol's attack, he might not escape the "Undead"'s pursuit.

The fog remained thick, the "Pirate Song" still echoed, but now filled with triumphant fervor. Evan hugged the mouse plushie tightly, feeling the slight vibration from the propeller. One thought occupied his mind: he must leave quickly, find a safe place to hide, and wait for the fog to lift and the royal patrol to arrive.

He didn't hesitate. He mentally commanded the mouse plushie's propeller to spin.

"Whirr——" The propeller spun rapidly again, creating a strong current that propelled Evan away from the battlefield of the two ghost ships. In the thick fog, his figure quickly disappeared into the dense mist, leaving only the sounds of fierce battle and Hill Bird's roaring laughter echoing behind.