Chapter 5: Turmoil
No one expected the chaotic gladiatorial competition to reach the finals without any Spartan contestants. Two of Aristotle the Warrior Saint’s disciples were disqualified one and withdrew voluntarily the other. Though the reasons for withdrawal were unclear, rumors had already spread wildly throughout Athens. Although Prince Thrupig defeated the Pireaus contestant, he was severely injured in a counterattack by his opponent just before defeat—this version seemed the most plausible and easiest for people to accept. Even so, the Spartans were still saddened by losing their chance to compete in the finals.
The other Spartan contestant was not surprised to be defeated by the Iberian fighter. The finals were held ahead of schedule between the Pireaus and Iberian contestants. The Spartans’ strange behavior made many nations wonder if they had some ulterior motive. Only the Spartans themselves knew the truth; in such a competition, even if they had ambitions, they would never sacrifice the supreme honor of Olympia’s birthplace for them.
The gladiatorial competition dealt an unprecedented blow to the Spartan Kingdom. It was bad enough that Kaiselen and his opponent were ruled to have violated the rules, but now Thrupig was also forced to withdraw. Though outsiders did not know the full details, it was easy to imagine that there must have been irresistible reasons behind it.
The furious Spartan king, Cyrus, paced back and forth in his palace like an enraged lion. He could not tolerate such a situation—it was a bold challenge to the Spartan Kingdom’s long-held ambition to become the strongest power in the southern lands. Yet he could think of no proper way to respond.
Thrupig’s face was pale. The diamond arrow embedded in his body had been removed, but its effects had not yet faded. The intense numbness and mental magic made him realize that his opponent had deliberately targeted him. The Pireaus man must have anticipated a fight with him all along. Victory always favored those who were prepared, and he had been too complacent in this battle.
The paralyzing drug on the spear has been confirmed to be a special substance derived from the northern Greenland forests. It can cause complete paralysis in the body. Although its intensity is not very high—for a normal person, it merely causes a feeling of weakness—it can be fatal for a competitor about to go into battle. Thanks to Slurpig’s efforts to eliminate it, most of this drug has been removed, but it has not been completely eradicated. What worries Slurpig even more is that this drug seems to have some special connection with the mental magic attached to the spear. If this drug is not removed, the power of the mental magic will remain in his body, releasing regularly and keeping him in a state of semi-daze.
Slurpig doesn’t know how to deal with this strange sensation. Several magicians invited by his father to diagnose and treat the issue have all said they are powerless. Mental magic is one of the most mysterious and obscure forms of magic. Even in the northern regions where magic is prevalent, there are only a few magicians who practice it. The magicians his father invited were either dark magic practitioners or element magic practitioners, and they knew very little about mental magic. As for mental magic combined with drugs, it was unheard of.
Seeing his father both angry and worried, Slurpig himself wasn’t too concerned. The magicians had told him that no matter what kind of magic is cast, its effect has a limited duration—ranging from a few minutes to a few hours, with the longest lasting no more than a few days. In general, it never exceeds a week. This means that the other party deliberately aimed to prevent him from participating in the next round, and they indeed succeeded.
“Father, don’t worry too much. I can sense that although their mental magic is stubborn, its power isn’t strong. It’s just that I won’t be able to serve the kingdom for these few days. It seems the people of Piraeus are determined to win this time. We underestimated their resolve and courage.” Slurpig tried to adjust his emotions. “It’s a pity my master is traveling and cannot be contacted. Otherwise, such a minor problem would be a trivial task for him.”
“They’re all useless. They came here full of arrogance, yet they can’t even eliminate the effect of a simple mental magic. What use are these magicians? I originally planned to form a court mage group with them. Hmph, seeing their behavior, I’ve lost all interest.”
Cyrus’s disdain was evident; he had never been very interested in magic. However, as the barbarians grew more active in the north and their attacks became more intense, magic proved to be their most powerful weapon. Through conversations with envoys from the Kingdom of Iberia, Cyrus learned that Iberia intended to form a court of magi to counter the increasingly fierce barbarian attacks, which also stirred his own thoughts. If Iberia had such things, Sparta surely could too—Sparta must not fall behind anyone in these areas. Before he could even form this idea, his beloved son suffered an attack using mental magic through hidden weapons, and the magi summoned to help were utterly helpless. This made Cyrus both worried and fearful of magic.
“Father, it’s not their fault. The ways of magic are unfathomable, and its varieties and origins are far more complex than those of martial arts. It seems we in Sparta have neglected to understand this aspect in the past. As far as I know, mental magic is extremely rare and uncommon. Even in regions where northern magic is prevalent, few people practice such a high-risk form of magic. I just can’t imagine how the people of Piraeus obtained hidden weapons infused with this magic,” Slupig said objectively.
“It is said that the people of Piraeus have the support of those dark cultists. They probably exchanged official recognition of their dark beliefs for the full support of those dark forces,” Cyrus said, his mood gradually calming down. His son’s firm tone relieved him, and his thoughts cleared. As long as his son was unharmed, everything could be resolved. As for Sparta’s damaged reputation, they could find a way to make amends later.
“The establishment of a court mage corps is now urgent. The Iberians must have sensed the power of this magic to be so interested. I think this gladiatorial competition has actually broken some existing taboos, which will likely bring about changes. Kaiseren also used the magical undead he had sealed within the Soul-Forging Sword. Although he forced their release using martial power, the Soul-Forging Sword is essentially a magical artifact. In fact, he was using magic in violation of rules, which is why he was punished. Both of them employed magical power in their battles, and the sheer strength displayed shocked the representatives of various nations and city-states present. I believe many of them will consider how to recruit mages to compensate for their lack of military strength upon returning. The Trojans and Carthaginians will likely be even more eager, which poses a huge challenge to us as well. Dark beliefs are also quite prevalent in our Sparta Kingdom, though we know little about them. They seem very conservative and unwilling to deal with the royal government, mostly spreading their teachings among the people. We might as well try to contact them through some channels to see if we can gain their support.”
Although Vladkov’s displayed strength was still inferior to Slupig’s, it made Slupig realize the approaching crisis. The opponent who tied with Kaiseren may have used some tricks, but his skill level was likely comparable to Slupig’s own. As for the other competitor from Piraeus, his strength was clearly inferior, yet the fact that Piraeus was able to send three such skilled fighters to the Olympic Games was astonishing.
What worried Slupig the most was that these people not only possessed excellent martial skills but also had some degree of expertise in magic. This proved that they might have originally been knights. It’s urgent to figure out under what conditions the people of Piraeus obtained the support of these dark forces. Otherwise, Piraeus is still manageable, as it is a maritime city-state with few conflicts of interest with the Sparta Kingdom. But if nations like the Iberian Kingdom or the Trojans and Carthaginians also received support from dark forces, that would be bad news for Sparta.
“Well, it seems we need to find a way to outpace the Trojans and Carthaginians. The people of Piraeus can do it, so surely we can try as well. The Dark Sect is popular among the lower and middle classes in our south, but it hasn’t won over the support of the nobility. I believe they must also have expectations in this regard.” A hint of coldness and hesitation appeared on Cyrus’s face before it turned resolute. “Of course, if they refuse to show gratitude, we can also use their Light Church, which is in a difficult situation, to help us. But this will bring some negative consequences, and we need to plan carefully before taking action.”
“Father, you’re right. If we openly support the Light Church, it will cause chaos in the kingdom. We must be cautious, otherwise it will cost us more than it’s worth.” Thrupig had clearly considered this as well. “Also, I want to change my original plan. It seems the contestants from Piraeus are highly skilled in magic. Helena doesn’t need to challenge that competitor from Piraeus anymore. Since we’ve already lost the gladiatorial contests, even winning in horse racing won’t restore much of our honor. A loss would be fatal to the prestige of our kingdom. I think it’s better to maintain this sense of mystery and keep our Spartans’ superiority in this sport.”