Chapter 3: The Woman on Lucas's back

Magellan observed Lucas, comfortably immersed in boiling water, his interest piqued by the bizarre display.

"Bring up the heat and see how long he can hold out," Magellan instructed. The temperature within the massive cauldron began to rapidly rise.

The water used for baptizing prisoners was no ordinary water. 

It possessed the unique property of remaining in a liquid state even at temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees. 

The heat increased, climbing to 100 degrees, 200 degrees, and then 300 degrees.

"He's still fine?" 

The jailer's eyes widened, his eyelids fluttering wildly. 

He had expected Lucas to scream in agony, yet the prisoner remained inexplicably unharmed.

"No matter how high the temperature rises, Lucas still looks like he's taking a comfortable bath." 

the jailer muttered in disbelief.

"The Navy Bounty Department made an error in judgment. This is a dangerous guy, and his strength is definitely not worth 30 million beli." 

Magellan remarked, his brow furrowing. He gestured for the temperature to be stabilized.

"Okay, no need to raise the temperature. Take him out and escort him to the third level." 

Magellan instructed.

The expressions of the jailers around him grew serious. 

The third level, known as Starvation Hell, was typically reserved for criminals with bounties exceeding 500 million beli. 

Lucas, with a bounty of only 30 million beli, should have been placed on the second level. 

However, Magellan's directive led them to make an exception and transfer him to the more severe third level.

A jailer hesitated to voice his concern but ultimately remained silent. 

Lucas's performance had demonstrated that he was indeed a dangerous criminal, and perhaps the Marine's assessment of his bounty was in error.

"The third level?" 

Lucas opened his eyes and overheard Magellan's decision. 

The third level, infamous for its brutal conditions, subjected prisoners to extreme deprivation of food and water in addition to scorching heat from below. 

But for Lucas, these conditions were inconsequential, thanks to Sadako's physique.

The jailers retrieved Lucas from the cauldron, examined their torture instruments once more, and then escorted him to the dreaded third level.

As Lucas approached the third level, Vice Admiral Momonga stepped out of an elevator and approached Magellan.

"Magellan, keep an eye on this man named Lucas, don't know why he mentioned of ghosts." Momonga requested with a hint of concern, not concealing his unease.

"Hmm... a ghost?" Magellan was taken aback by the sudden mention of the term.

"Why are you bringing this up?" Magellan wondered, puzzled by Momonga's request.

Magellan's gaze drifted toward Lucas, who was being escorted away. 

At that moment, a strange darkness enveloped Lucas's body, and clinging to him was a woman shrouded in black aura. 

She wore a white dress, and her face was hidden by long black hair.

Magellan's heart raced as he observed this eerie sight. 

The woman, as if sensing his presence, parted her hair, revealing her face. 

Her eyes, devoid of life and filled with an ominous emptiness, locked onto Magellan's soul.

The two of them stared at each other, and Magellan involuntarily stepped back. 

The woman's eyes were chilling and hollow, unlike any human's eyes. They resembled the gaze of a corpse, yet she somehow raised her head and met Magellan's gaze.

However, when Magellan blinked and looked back at Lucas, the woman was nowhere to be seen. 

It appeared that everything he had witnessed was an illusion, a figment of his imagination.

"A hallucination?" 

Magellan questioned, uncertainty filling his voice.

"What are you talking about?" 

Vice Admiral Momonga, noticing Magellan's perplexity, turned to him with suspicion.

Magellan hesitated for a moment, then glanced toward the passage where Lucas had disappeared.

"Just a moment ago, it seemed like there was a woman on Lucas's back..."

Vice Admiral Momonga paused, processing Magellan's words. "Saw what?" he inquired, his brow furrowing.

Magellan's eyes twitched slightly as he attempted to explain, "Just then, it seemed like there was a woman on the back of that Lucas..."

Vice Admiral Momonga's expression remained unreadable as he contemplated the implications of Magellan's words.

Thank you BlackGoku222 for the initial MTL

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