Chapter Thirteen: The Arrival of a New Force

By the sixth day of the Olympic Games, attention had focused on the most eye-catching events. While the marathon was considered the Corinthians’ strong suit, horse racing was the Ibéricians’ domain, and both chariot racing and gladiatorial combat had always been Sparta’s superpowers—seemingly unchallenged for years. Yet, this time, the balance seemed to be shifting.

The newly emerging city-state of Piraeus sent strong competitors who directly challenged the Spartans in both chariot racing and gladiatorial combat. When that expressionless, cold-looking man appeared in the arena atop a chariot pulled by a pitch-black, ghostly horse, he immediately captured everyone’s attention.

Though many still hoped this enigmatic figure was nothing more than a showman relying on his appearance, harsh reality shattered their dreams soon after. The iron chariot swept across the track with terrifying speed. A Corinthian chariot attempting to block it to help its driver win was shattered by the spear thrown by the rider on the iron chariot, killing the Corinthian driver on the spot.

Although such incidents were not uncommon in chariot racing, breaking a thick chariot shaft with just a spear required immense strength, sending chills down every competitor’s spine. The only ones capable of competing with Piraeus’ iron chariot were two Spartan chariots. Though they deliberately avoided direct confrontation, they maintained a steady distance, gathering strength and ready to launch a charge at any moment.

“Slupig, where did this guy come from? His iron chariot is utterly strange. I’ve never heard of Piraeus having such exquisite and luxurious items. If they did, those showy Piraeusians would surely flaunt them instead of hiding them. There must be something suspicious here,” said an elder dressed in a splendid robe with gold trim, his face filled with anger and anxiety. “Those damned Piraeusians—what do they want? Do they really intend to challenge Sparta’s dominance at the Olympic Games?”

“Father, haven’t you always hoped that all the nations and cities in our Southern Mediterranean region would place importance on the Olympic Games? The fact that they can send their best competitors proves how much they value such events hosted by us, which is a good thing. Piraeus has seen rapid economic development in recent years; perhaps they now have the financial strength to train and attract talent from elsewhere. That’s also good, as it can inspire competitiveness among other nations and cities and help improve the standard of the next Olympic Games. Otherwise, it would be too monotonous if only we Spartans and Corinthians played the leading roles.” The tall, striking man sitting beside the elegantly dressed elder exuded confidence and pride. The gleaming knight’s spear beside him was clearly not an ordinary weapon, and the arrogance in his expression showed that he didn’t care about his father’s concerns.

“Slupig, don’t underestimate our allies. If they excelled in just one area, I wouldn’t be so alarmed, but their performance is truly outstanding. Look at this guy driving the black iron war chariot—just this one chariot, I dare say there are no more than two workshops in the entire Southern Mediterranean with such manufacturing skills. Where did the people of Piraeus get this? And look at the driver—his fierce strike shattered the Corinthian’s iron-wood chariot pole. Isn’t such strength enough to alert us? Then consider their performance in yesterday’s gladiatorial contests—three of them defeated competitors from the Iberian Kingdom and the Sevillo Kingdom and made it to the knockout round. This was unimaginable before, yet it’s happening right before our eyes. Isn’t this enough to prove something?”

The dignified elder was much more cautious than his own son, considering issues on a broader and deeper scale. Although his son was a disciple of the martial sage Aristotle and was excellent in martial arts, he was still too inexperienced in politics. The momentum shown by the people of Piraeus not only overwhelmed other nations and city-states but also directly threatened Sparta’s position within the League of Corinthian City-States. “Corinth at sea, Sparta on land” — this had been the balance of power in the southern regions for many years. The Iberians had long tried to undermine Sparta’s position but never succeeded. Now, with the savage attacks by the barbarians, they were forced to grovel and beg for Sparta’s help. Yet they never expected the people of Piraeus, whose economy relied on shipping and trade, to suddenly display such strength — it was indeed hard for them to accept.

The dignified elder’s words made the proud and handsome man’s expression sober up considerably, prompting him to reflect on the deeper meaning in his father’s words. Piraeus and Sparta had no special interests at stake. On the contrary, due to their conflict with the dwarf kingdom of Sevilo over the desecration of the temple of Jigantia, they actually relied on Sparta in many ways. After all, within the League of Corinthian City-States, Sparta was the most influential force alongside Corinth. Piraeus, however, had always had tense relations with Corinth due to competition. Corinth would never risk alienating the two elf cities in the league that were closely tied to Sevilo. As a result, Piraeus lacked the ability to exert significant pressure on Sevilo. This situation had persisted for a long time, as the two sides were quite far apart. It was neither practical nor possible for Piraeus to start a war with Sevilo over this matter.

The people of Piraeus had always hoped to find a dignified way to step down, but the stubborn dwarfs, for some reason, refused to compromise. Even the league members, including Sparta and Corinth, seemed uninterested in mediating the conflict. This made the people of Piraeus feel increasingly dismissed within the league.

“But Father, what’s the point of the people of Piraeus acting like this? To overwhelm Corinth, undermine its prestige and influence among the coastal city-states, and take its place as the ruler of the Gulf of Corinthia? Or to show us Spartans and other nations that their strength on land cannot be underestimated?”

The thoughtful expression on Slupig’s face pleased the elder in fine robes greatly. His son had not become entirely obsessed with individual strength; wisdom was the key to leading a kingdom to prosperity, while individual strength was merely a supplementary factor.

“We can’t be sure yet, but if the people of Piraeus truly only wanted to expand their influence and improve their reputation, they’ve already achieved that. Looking at the sincere respect and admiration shown by the representatives around us toward them, it seems this Olympic event has turned into a stage solely for the people of Piraeus. They, who came prepared, are now the biggest beneficiaries. But I’m worried they may have other ulterior motives,” said the elder with concern.

“Father, what else do you think they could do? Could this guy named Umma really dare challenge Miss Helena? If so, he’s seeking his own destruction. Miss Helena has received guidance from her master, and even I wouldn’t dare underestimate the power of her Sword Qi. I’m confident that even Miss Helena’s master, Miss Kleiper, might not match her skill in sword Qi. I have full trust in Miss Helena. As for those fighters from Piraeus who luckily made it to the semifinals, we’ll see how they fare next. Don’t think just because they’ve reached a level where they can control their combat energy, they can do as they please. If necessary, I think Kaiseren might be able to teach them a lesson. If I’m in a bad mood, I’d also be happy to give them a memorable lesson.”

Thinking his father might be overestimating the opponents, Slupig’s arrogant expression reappeared. With Helena, who had received guidance from his master, and the celestial horses of Mount Olympus as her backing in the racing events, this figure shrouded in darkness was strong, but he didn’t believe they could challenge the glory that had long belonged to Sparta. In sports that were crucial to the dignity of the entire kingdom, he would never tolerate other nations or cities’ athletes having their names inscribed on Sparta’s ever-glorious crown.

While the Spartan king and his son watched with some tension as the black iron chariots raced across the track, firmly in control of the situation, Komer, Xuhuo, and their group sat quietly in the stands, observing the scene from a distance. The race had reached its climax—two pure white racehorses pulling silver chariots alternately tried to overtake the leading black iron chariots. Clearly, the black iron chariots, which had never been given a chance, still held a firm grip on the situation and maintained their lead. As the race progressed, drivers from other city-states were left far behind, with only three chariots still competing fiercely. The two silver chariots adorned with the Spartan kingdom’s flag began to exert more force, and the drivers reached for the javelins placed behind the chariot panels—standard weapons for racers. According to the rules, it was allowed to throw javelins at each other during the race. Although direct attacks on the drivers themselves were not permitted, if a javelin struck a driver and caused injury, it was not considered a violation.