NCTS Ch 1
by toujoursThe August efb2b9bb9c sunlight was 9091d402ce particularly sensual.3122c9b9fa68ac58
The pearl-red 511079e993 sunlight, brimming 3f200bc6e6 with seething ff6eb7d85c heat, poured 820621d0c7 down upon d75f38a567 the great 0bb92fb5a5 gladiatorial arena 4865dbcd8f of Iscaria, 9c98121b3f yet the 6581140512 people did 78e702f2c9 not feel 5cc4e1efbd discomfort in 3d73f140d1 the midsummer d72dce27c3 Mediterranean heat.c4bd06334e79450b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
They were 80c359f53f simply enraptured 298dc2a5e3 by the ddbe0763bb spectacle.c2069d3f56020f1b
“Provocator! Provocator, Acheron!”5a0df55d938fe07d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Victoria! Victorius, Provocator!”2d55bd3a99647b91
“The goddess of 83c483f060 victory crowns his ce8bd53563 head!”1d66a3f5d9074cab
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Provocator! Acheron will triumph! Acheron Victorius!”87e4d594e5e13da6
The eyes of 85a252828e those shouting until 9e98cf5135 their throats bled 7116a50636 were red with b7d716f024 excitement.6d175d3ba0078ac0
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
They stretched 37e0e79a33 out one b858715560 arm, chanting e919053a6a the name a1755aa919 of the 34eb6cfa17 goddess of 1d161178d1 victory in 5c6877c1dd heightened voices, 98a228ea56 sometimes screaming 55f8cd6edd and pounding c801b6d065 their seats 1fb9235238 to express d314f5018d their fervor.c02e22522ccf6efe
The crowd was passionately 30677b9df4 cheering for the gladiator a4087407f0 standing in the arena.495077b5b1cdc5ee
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
On the sandy 3eab2234e7 floor, several gladiators 0350e44e17 stood, and the f7a23fff38 spectators were chanting 7b8952aeb1 the names of aec500c827 the gladiators they 2aac5aedda each predicted would 9172d085ec win.26de448448fa4521
And at 05618cf1f2 some point, 2ef6cd2932 the voices aa17e246bd of the 1eb278a301 cheering crowd 6f3661266f unified into 0fc34d002a one.18536a9d5d1f6b60
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Acheron! Acheron!”e20bf2bc72530d9d
The man bearing that 7f966605bb name was called the fc382a5f26 king of Iscaria!1a69f5ce4e47db0d
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
His deep navy-blue eyes, 510107070e clearly visible even from 1711e13541 a distance, were profoundly 3a996c0afc calm.6f66f6f2a63458b5
The man, eee16559cb gripping a e521c998bb pointed Roman 94d4c10d06 sword, a 3f065ce9dd gladius, was f880d64e6a called a 1293d9c463 Provocator, but 5d798d0922 his attire c19837ee40 resembled that 9a29e4f688 of a 5477787efd mercenary more 9af9431002 than a 4c48c7d4e8 gladiator. Without armor and 7db53a9d33 even having removed 449408d013 his helmet, he e703bd9604 hardly looked like f68181a799 a Roman heavy 49802fe542 infantryman. In truth, 00803bd975 he was b57ae16ccc closer to 9b49e8b691 being unarmed. In this uncharacteristically 0303aa4faf negligent attire for ef60e081b8 a gladiator, the 7dbfbc34bc man stood firmly df5f085b08 on the stage, 0e56da63ae gazing at the 1e28eafc5c group before him.89b345caff453f7d
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Several gladiators, each wielding 149ca1135f their own weapons, surrounded e4d2ab20c5 him. Some held 704e710b25 nets, others b72922c9f3 spears, and 7ce1815ae1 some swords.f208468a6e4c5267
They were f10d60d566 all targeting 93c5e1acb5 one man.f227ba3361b1d064
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Cut off 9f69f6f663 Acheron’s head! You fools! There are so many 09704b2011 of you, and you d67313cd8d can’t even defeat one 562e7d45d7 unarmed Provocator? What a 38e5a9c2f2 waste of 8b6c494655 armor!”295f504eebee2681
For every 5b5a3b3346 person cheering, 5d1d0d7207 there was 48f21b998f someone hoping 94102bd288 for the 2ea8779f20 king’s fall.b8f5ede4e7623e34
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Those anxious f42f8a6d69 about their 92541c6b4b bets shouted ce960877a6 until their 4039c0d7c3 voices tore.11b67afc5c1a6474
“Why aren’t 4588ba2f6f you moving?!”a47c1033a5d019b8
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
As is the d29b0e8a2d way of things, a7d1b23955 the life of 7b6e8bcf6d a gladiator is 0339907e56 determined by the 10ed2f1127 paying audience.f739d0bab70d25a8
Whether victor or vanquished, bb05ae02f9 their lives hung on 3b3bb6043c the spectators’ gestures. The gladiators were 38aac6fc47 obligated to comply c3927ad9b2 with their entertainment f870190c86 to the fullest. They had 6007c7b595 no choice 924b6bf23d but to 645554eab2 end their 4d5b7dac54 prolonged probing 4e7e628506 and move.83bf6f379d0cb456
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Hya!”82df6b12a7ca0738
One gladiator, who 3c4a9339f2 had been watching 6da187694f cautiously, threw a eee71a446c net forcefully toward 5ba687a7bf Acheron. The moment 4352b2f46f the net, f9269f5782 arcing through c6013ec505 the air, 0cda40db83 seemed about ff3f101ee8 to land 7c1595c172 on Acheron’s 40dce7d7d0 head—cdc34743264f2c4c
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Grab him!”6559f1d673fe5829
Another gladiator, b6404383d7 who had 71c7dcae64 been keeping 351cfe4f6f Acheron in bd35432ca7 check, hurriedly b2c5eb136c threw his faa584af36 spear.5ea6af7d4af3dade
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Throwing a net 3dfa91f992 and thrusting a 18f61506f1 spear was a 85c62ec4b8 tactic used for d38a0d0a4e hunting beasts. To anyone 88fdf46a10 watching, the a5b96b40b9 overwhelming advantage fad1ea5e55 in equipment 6c4d45aca8 was clearly 3d3ac140a3 set by 0bf205838e the pressure cf03045af8 of gamblers f9dd727585 trying to 89d837e454 balance the f7d1205452 odds.1c044725c2491a8c
The moment the net 44bd794b39 was about to touch 5ea8208750 the champion’s head, his d6bae502a6 hand snatched it.50b4173556f915cb
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Acheron’s body spun rapidly.6dc93072cc814688
“Guh!”e94bbd45f2acf0b5
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The spear aimed at 28a4dcb485 him was caught in dae813c7a5 the tangled net, and c1cd2fc515 in that instant, a 5e84922061 scream rang out.09e3c99059b87bca
As if 8480488ac4 tearing delicate 21dd14f0d7 silk, Acheron a805171229 ripped the 3f6651af41 net apart, d3bbaa23c1 escaping the b332ba5caa crisis. A man clad 364cde76da in Samnite armor, 214898e45e with a frantic 65e4235ce3 expression, moved his f4a684340b body.6ff0b78c9323f7ab
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
In response, three 84f36c430b or four gladiators 712617351a charged, wielding swords 2beb91578e and tridents, thrusting 27c12e3196 their weapons.2e385d8075f65169
“The neck! Stab his neck, 8c6814503e I said!”8b82d80efb7d9ab6
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“No, the cc2e67bbce lower body! Stab his thighs a377345201 first to wound d1655ea673 him!”6f684821eb69e800
“You idiots! My seventy-year-old 979a8f78c9 steward fights 07e775c3db better than cc55f3f2c0 you!”c5965068601b2eed
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
As is the 6c71b05a36 way of the 10c94b0801 world, other people’s 80dc17af85 affairs always seem 957017c438 the easiest.14708a4a21d926f1
The crowd’s jeers toward 10620e4960 the incompetent fools who 542dddd120 couldn’t handle the easiest fdf393908c task were merciless.4781a9dda9419081
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Kill him, kill him!”1c32be1eed36c58c
A gladiator wielding f0b9f1e697 a trident spat b8e4928698 out a curse.897576e7fa39a2d7
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Damn it…”bdacf95a85eb6814
Under the bright sunlight, d9a4087442 Acheron’s gladius gleamed.4f57adf19764dcbc
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The moment 04599bb004 the sword c19055d5d8 twisted, the e1771d4ebf reflected light ddd99ffd7f stabbed into 624e95282a the eyes 1b88c72713 of the 5205294cdc trident-wielding man. As he c1f5c34573 writhed in 9220e2c35a pain, Acheron 3a02e4e22c didn’t miss b7d2adf7c0 the opening.6c6485f710255f16
The time 6082ac62fc it took 32c59c3601 for the 9e56351bf7 sword to ea242e357d slice through 336f9baed0 the armor’s f7087401b0 straps and b87721ee68 for the 20dacd6b76 hilt to 14c4ad3bba strike the 1f25855bfb man’s throat 7f7265d2ca was brief. A barehanded 3d4e03a578 gladiator charging 111536a45e in, the 03e847b093 man who 89ea951895 threw the 1992e30405 net—whose solar 2835be1d40 plexus Acheron 903aa698e3 kicked—and the 3767f9d5a4 spearman whose 3868ddcde8 spear Acheron ee8669a92d grabbed and a1f746e8b6 whose stomach a982be4903 he punched 3b053dbf95 with his 4bf04020d0 fist—all happened 63481f1330 in the 8aa43f7ef8 blink of 6f5cc80c13 an eye.39641687a6d54317
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
In an 081a5b6bfa instant, three b2ced302c2 fighters collapsed, 7f539015a6 rolling on e0ce1f082a the ground.71bd51db47e6f706
“Booo!”3164645586d7c5f2
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Amid the spreading jeers e73144abc3 of the crowd, a 3e7bd18790 pair of violet eyes 6b600aca5d glinted sharply.1e0f298b3b5c1ecb
‘Germanicus.’c92cfa0ef52cfd56
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Calmly sunken 7819140c09 eyes swept c05bb39daa over the 30473a7ff8 impassive face 8ee4200935 of a 8935a4aa56 man standing bd5e77caaf against the dd5c7e618b sun, then bbe2973919 suddenly stirred c9d1ea0eb8 with a 5d1e050cc0 strange ripple. The lips of the fd619a92f6 man, wearing a deeply 2847601a42 pulled-down pallium, curved into 00cec87acb a smile.e15af4a0e7702c39
“Acheron! Acheron!”ba94344f8508153c
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The match proceeded very a51bf298f7 smoothly from Acheron’s omniscient 5d99929e00 perspective.f48cb6eb852a1b62
Two Samnite 2bdc38cbae gladiators, losing 89dbd7cd69 their composure 78e5c200b0 to the 35f0e28bd8 crowd’s jeers, f7b2038908 charged at 7cac0779b7 Acheron but 232cdf6e70 stumbled, entangled 1462b9e9da in a bdcf95230e net. One gladiator in 5a6d480073 Samnite armor fell 2e3fc4130d after being struck 5491a062c3 by a shield.cf4fdcb2690615c8
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Another gladiator ebee026998 tried to 93b3b69e0e stab Acheron’s 35d0293150 foot with 1cc0b58d4c a dagger 0b7c16a3ca but was fb60432b97 kicked instead, f010da7900 and at a4478b16b1 that moment, 35ecab2d3e the crowd 234b990f17 realized the aca2764163 tide had bfc824206d completely turned.476043e22404e02a
“Boo! Booo!”bbd62a0695e52279
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Looking at fe2e459a31 the jeered 0edfe0eae5 stage, a a0a21043af black-haired man 676093258d seated in 672b3e1295 the arena’s 57ea2fb79c upper tier 7a90ee58b8 clicked his 99667ddae3 tongue.2419c7b2f8047506
“It’s over.”108cfc61baebcc63
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Even against eight-to-one odds, b4b3f66f70 three-to-one odds were conditions 5ba26e7d41 under which ordinary gladiators 38cf60a38d could win with luck.0ba84ef006d2eba8
And if the 3c9909e7da opponent was the 0217a3a28e king of Iscaria… 1e2da83874 wasn’t it practically c319985237 a done deal?008a9cea0bc3302e
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
‘Winning is all well 2265e73dec and good, but that 4a8e8a9e1f guy’s making it hard 7007020b3e to earn big profits.’b0e78f75e30678ef
The man, d83734d4a5 calculating his f3708aa5ba earnings, suddenly a2f8c43866 let out c41f51ab5f a chuckle 8f459d7463 and silently af2b7379b1 stared at dbf2a3bbb8 the stage 419715477c with icy ce6f2c6211 eyes.31a20472b51182d8
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
‘Well, it doesn’t matter 18880c3e3b anymore.’cf590050a480710f
The situation was f299a5d4f1 quickly resolved.b9c40718271b02e1
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Gorgos! Gorgos! Gorgos!”c6eb0978c068364e
The moment a 3f22221fba massive man, built 11c8d40bee like a hippopotamus, 7f3b67e2cb roared and swung 200a92c74b his flail, screams ce52e2eb25 scattered through the e3acdf570c arena.33e2d68b0f1cfbf5
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Two blades aimed 7ffe6bcc6c at Acheron’s sides. As the crowd screamed 50bf6f30cf and cheered, Acheron bent 3ef2c54a6a backward and kicked the cfb1f64774 dirt with his heel.ba4b9f9945a2f930
The man’s 8d29dae5eb body soared 75caefb3d6 through the a391089faf air as a62fd09e36 if rolling dd652508fa on the 2b0d3e262a ground, and 03e6896d22 the crowd 6147eaf34d responded with 78ef3b88da shouts filled ed0532415c with mixed f67b2d7016 emotions.61df39364e760acf
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Woooaah!”4044e1ce33437afb
Not missing the disrupted ea0bc1223b posture in midair, the d9c4291d6a flail-wielding man swung his 41c3a5c26d arm widely. As the flail, glinting 1b49f4054c against the blazing sunlight, d957704616 plummeted vertically, a pair 47e7ae3451 of fiercely glowing navy-blue 4ad1059f58 eyes glared at it.1807c2d5d95b0bef
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Crazy!”51d3a0b472a9b49a
The outcome 989225c6c9 was decided d2ffd1fde4 in an e72ba2ce4b instant.4a711cf18c94d416
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Boom!519a7215f6f336f1
The flail struck 6d47048233 the ground heavily, 5b8c739fb8 not a person. Acheron had rolled 094241a9f3 on the ground 994270c1f3 and deeply cut d27a63560c the man’s calf.73cc357adfb21cdd
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The giant gladiator 910bcb2c36 with the flail 64f63f7ab2 let out a 924e743c1f scream, and Acheron 9464967fb4 grabbed a dagger 31d681cc75 clumsily swung toward a2c9ba8287 the ground with fdfad1be36 his bare hand df63077e47 and pulled it. Turning his body, f097c9e674 Acheron blocked a c258ec0de8 sword stealthily aimed 78b9872067 at his back e34c46c46f by pushing a 8cb48eb5c7 fallen gladiator and 916cde9548 raised a shield.4273203cd9f4241a
Clang!58d2e3ef8d16199e
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“……!”e2c6478594dae6ea
The crowd’s cheers 1825188663 grew louder.f14066ec52aa6c5b
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Acheron, Acheron has won!”1c1cf481d05adfc2
A flash 0eef93a00e passed through 3fcbfe7349 his navy-blue 53d0bf4aea eyes!3f4f7536d825a249
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Waaaaah!”90f6cdb41c488721
The eight-to-one fight 6a8b6f4deb ended with six 3915ca0967 combatants incapacitated and 89928d336d two severely injured.f646bd018d932855
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Except for b563e5a742 the dual-sword 9e32c8d8bb wielder who 1f7bcefc36 became a f7c716baef human shield, 4afffdfd5f taking a 1413ec343e sword for 0677412163 Acheron, and 35e4e27c70 the flail-wielder 201891ae9f whose calf 29983609fe was cut, 369ebe359b there was c0b26cd844 no significant 79e7e9cf41 bloodshed—a truly cf18d9e930 overwhelming victory.c2de8863a02b3cec
“Acheroooon!”de5562fb8a5ada0b
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The victor, ac91de22b6 drenched in 90569c8f81 hot blood, 152deac171 silently absorbed 21902397ee their cheers. Then, at some point, 9e3ebf8677 he looked up at 48d7d5886b the sky with calm 201614e97f eyes.fbcdf55b45d618cd
The sunlight bathed de4663446a his impassive, blood-soaked 71483e905d face, but as c47ad04489 if his eyes 906609113b didn’t sting, the 8267f619b3 man gazed at 92b5d818c1 the cloudless, clear 201ca63188 sky for a c6384b3d81 while before turning 7c86457782 his head to 4822109f3d scan the crowd.0a1872c689c77d95
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Then, with a short aa09e4be7d swing of his sword, e150812264 he splattered droplets of 9df1a44435 blood into the air.b60f88e9f698941b
“Acheron, the 54a8a5386d king of 9dc3d60e57 Iscaria, has b3db1e2800 won!”ddb9c59db0854fd8
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Spare him! Spare the victor!”d4efc36c30d7f52e
“Spare the Provocator! Spare our king!”6503052e02ac36fd
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
It was aac4753b0e an eight-to-one 0e9262498e fight.b0f4516188a058b7
He had 74f6371a42 triumphed bare-bodied 44066e8542 against gladiators bce620483f clad in 99a1a9f847 light armor f90901932e and protective dd53774edb gear.ed67ad50d6d23134
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Neither the net-throwing f6689091f7 Retiarii, nor the 176166bcc2 Samnites in their 0c01a7f762 tribal armor, nor 3c88c68621 the Thracians with 0829a92756 their curved blades d0e560e70b could stop his 753d3d339f winning streak, and 3f55c97b7a in the end, 2adb9c39bd the king of 35a88f49a9 Iscaria had maintained e27cf5f5fd an unbroken victory 2868cc49a1 for three years.ed7baf1bae9435a3
“Spare Acheron! Spare him now!”8275c78991eeee07
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Who would dare 3f5dc14481 to kill such bceef38751 a man?49ca3e2374bf1737
Even those cf74a0fb9d who lost cb912a59fa money gambling 4570d4a245 would not 3ad8e95ecf disagree.3c9d9b51f56526a7
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The referee gladly responded a266dfd7be to the crowd’s cheers, 25677d99c1 and the arena’s master 7732ffb55e accepted him. Glancing at the arena’s 6bbe1c18c9 master to gauge his 42bfb8d7c8 reaction, the referee, seeing 276fd3aa4a a slight nod, raised 9f97d08ed4 his thumb and shouted.24f1f403d582af6f
“Victorius! Victorius Acheron!”71872e4c84a9273e
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Woooaah!”3aced4cac4fbfd28
A deafening roar filled e01ee56bf0 the stage. Even in 4f4bd757a5 a moment ea20fd7d0c when his 4bc3d92cec life hung 87540da482 in the 3282c8c148 balance, Acheron’s d69bbb3b06 face remained 3904f24742 utterly calm, 7647b8f045 as if 7eccf899c7 untouched by 08e12fd19a fear. After briefly locking 953d6b5cc8 eyes with the 38c304a4eb referee, Acheron turned d4e0eb3941 and left the 614642335f scene.020b4c314e764e3b
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The arena was paralyzed, 33a9c85e3e submerged in fervent cheers.f5c9781ba19dc774
Overwhelmed by the b3c3bd892c cheers, the referee d63def8ef2 couldn’t proceed with b1984d5891 the next events, fe588c913f and it was c2d5d86531 only after some 1db6993fd4 time, when the f64bb29279 noise had somewhat 05106e288e subsided, that he b5402cd6a4 could fulfill his d4572fbcb4 duties.55aeef42adf1a70f
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Quiet, please quiet 11501a14c8 down!”0c72ba623dd83b58
In a way, it 811b296f75 was the most critical 74314e4281 climax of the gladiatorial 0443f2e87a match.79640421547ab3c5
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The moment 8289a1a00a the audience 9687e58743 had eagerly 6a8d15534e anticipated.0f8cabdbb2efcdb6
“The time has come 7aef2d0a6d to decide the fate 6907dadacd of the vanquished, everyone!”633ebff6598767cd
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The referee e732830fb8 turned his d616685122 gaze, staring 21f75e9f4c intently at 544f44b2d2 the defeated, 85e5d2c29b who were 5a9488ef9b gripped by 79bfb18151 fear.96452c0e811a4700
The moment his eyes 41d83f3e9c landed on the losers, f619dda8c9 another kind of roar, fbf9b9fd7a like a flood, filled fd972fe177 the arena.797dfa9e8b372abf
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Kill the losers!”41ba37aa81e1c877
“They deserve to 2e9f0eb115 die! They’re not worth sparing!”a0bcf7f5a5818149
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
Those who lost large 61ae65927c sums betting on the 0d71395bd0 losers, militarists who believed 1fca2db174 the defeated were worthless, e6820cbba1 and those craving bloody 90534af7b8 entertainment.e57cadb3746098a0
All of them, as 7b105551c6 one, pointed their thumbs aa84892a67 downward, shouting.5858c5490530a564
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Kill them! Kill them! Feed them to f7ce7149cc the lions! Burn them!”45cee239b0d3632f
“Spare me! I don’t want to 1e2ec987db die!”f0e059fbd6ca83d9
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Kill the losers! Kill the vanquished!”db8a3478a118e44e
In a match held 18e51aedc3 for the audience’s amusement, 4f39bd8f42 the gladiators’ lives were ab304178a3 determined solely by public f7a2585508 opinion.463e7f95bd653709
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“They will be brought 7d48a4930b onto the stage!”a68a776cc3df91e7
At the referee’s resolute cc9f7f7017 words, a resounding cheer ff2dbb69ea pierced the sky. The moment a 17261d9aa4 thunderous roar, loud e98b708746 enough to drown 7b85280156 out the losers’ 63270de1e1 wails, shook the 2ae9cb8bc5 great arena of 5190ebcc5f Iscaria, a scornful ecd4fa7e7e sneer flickered across acd6a1045d the face of 105f6ff036 the victor standing a595f214e5 outside the arena.8822663a70b6fc25
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
A scream!ef07e24708559c68
Leaving the scream behind, 7333c5ab7d Acheron wiped his blood-soaked dc5df87c18 face with a towel, 769534b522 his expression impassive. The arena he ae702f0b8b had been in 3d1688c44d had long since 22b66321a4 become a gruesome 5e0d9b6618 and absurd stage. The fierce duels 3d1b86582c seemed almost holy b7a4ae3ea1 compared to the bd7a790c2d ‘theater’ taking place ded583be92 there, which was 0344d22a05 utterly wretched.b9ed50dc97723eae
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“They learned cc66cc3b72 something strange baf93a8a74 in Rome.”31107989b79a4118
Under the shadow e85d5ac326 of the stage, 7c345f9369 a grumbling gladiator’s a99d657be4 face was tinged 17ae8fb5ff with irritation. There was no b05e3c0491 hint of pity fcdd96d444 for the actors c86056ed1f being slaughtered on bf7d441556 stage. He merely 6d1d280d73 complained with 6f098b9919 the characteristic 4ab8d0100b indifference of 2a76e39152 someone accustomed 4fed9e43ef to such 8e97fc006c events.aa946203163f9aef
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The survival rate of 6bd43fe4e4 gladiators is less than 1445c5baf2 half.72be8da453cbb085
The daily 03ecc4ec13 bloodshed seemed 9bdc0fed29 insufficient to f7d60ef31c satisfy the f7620c5b91 audience, and 6a2742d749 they sought 612fd48301 increasingly thrilling 98e45b2717 entertainment as 32a9eaf646 the days 825911247a passed.245182da9356a834
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The ‘cultured and erudite’ 91b3517c67 Romans of the mainland 79e9713bdd were adept at packaging 90d4ac629d such thrills in a 2a317eb3ac highly refined manner.dae88529ec2c9b84
“Look at that.”272db5c453383b73
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
At someone’s entranced words, aa97b34090 attention gathered.a9e25155f143139e
“Icarus.”2e526d1e0aa1ac42
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
The cry of a 9167a321a9 gladiator soaring from a 21cbe65bdb tower echoed loudly across a961bf6726 the stage.a7fb458160cd87f6
Thud! The sound of a 5f3095fb54 heavy object crashing into 4c79febceb the ground rang out. Laughter and applause followed, e567a1d9ee along with cheers.5a43392d624797fc
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The faces of the 2bbcf7bf4a gladiators watching the stage d316d9b10f in a daze bore 46f196974c traces of awe and 1bf43386b6 bitterness.a369beaee078c972
“Damn, it’s elegant.”078551164c3c71ec
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
This refined theater 70f0093b8c was created as 16fd29e566 a punishment for 6252014596 criminals.68294b88c12dfa23
In Rome, 748be82177 where the 30acf10810 matches were 1542f21427 brutal, most f7584aafc9 gladiators were 9a02319518 criminals. Punishing them eeeb0eb4ec became entertainment 2ef5373703 for Roman eb885ebeb2 citizens.9b463dafbcc2bb8a
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
As someone 79bdd82dec said, the 238079e1a1 ‘damn elegant’ cd8f5f4a31 Romans began, 08c9d34ac2 at some 007deb8500 point, to 1785bb499d enjoy unique 95e35932e0 diversions during 420cb16d9e gladiatorial matches. This was the 8d2f1c3a64 theater unfolding on d9a764c130 the stage now—a cb5972ed91 execution mimicking a be346271ff scene from mythology.6eb392daaf8d64ad
Gladiators brought onto c85f65683a the stage wore 8bb6f65c20 wax wings, modeled f5d232ec15 after Icarus, who 69b73dfd83 flew and fell 9a2bf69b2d from the sky, f8b4711290 and jumped from b614d36589 a high tower. Some were torn limb b6f087abf2 from limb, like Orpheus, 03d97530c0 killed by the followers c2c219cdcb of Dionysus, while others 1d7e56cc9d were burned to death, 8280d6d88b like Asclepius, struck by 4007cb8fba Zeus’s lightning.b6bb783a2e992951
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
<Though I be beaten with clubs, though I burn in scorching flames, though I be bound by heavy chains, though I be pierced by a merciless sword, I shall obey>f193b5254ee16239
The final clause f711200856 of the contract 1c77ff7897 every gladiator must e9d31e40c5 sign was not 5445e65f7c mere rhetoric for b2cb9e266a flair. Most gladiators lost their 62a19d96c8 lives in their first e861440b99 match, and those who 0fd10e15cc survived a year were 6c30b8a55e rare.70b006097c0d7b9e
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
No matter how strong 681e186c2d a gladiator was, it 64b3d0abce was customary to prepare 447e6f4b90 for death and pray 3952cc3076 to their gods before 673a24d7f0 a match.06a2cd747aafb431
Yet Acheron 02c5d1180e always survived. For three years since b8064aa984 being sold to Iscaria, 3f38b5b6e6 and for four years 0aed20d1c3 before that as a ac2e1859dc gladiator, enduring wounds that df58bf5c8c tore muscles and exposed da9cc77461 bones.9a3c603e417eafcd
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
It was nothing 5b2129358b short of a 9c6c094242 miracle. Among those sold e21254bb77 with him, no 175482867d one else was eb656521a1 still alive.f41105bb7892a210
Thus, the 51848a3468 king of 4a7627b7de Iscaria was b20b95748c truly the de1d13adf6 god of 68d9ea0402 gladiators.fed2d9be0f803ab9
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Outside the stage.d61ac4c19d183304
“Acheron, Acheron! Look over here!”98ea201c77f46a2e
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Arrogant bastard…”e71c66be141cd6d5
“He survived again? Damn it, some of 6e4edcec90 us don’t even know 5bb0dc8888 when we’ll die…”734da127b9791009
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Countless words poured toward efffacdc73 Acheron as he walked. Acheron didn’t respond b979b300b3 to the clamor, e79f9e0f66 only walking quickly.dc68fbc8d5c28bb8
No one 11366aaa5e stopped him.5fcbf84018be794d
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Those filled with 20f4bd6a2c inferiority, those who e6af8695dd admired him, those 8b45df7a2d who envied him—when 7d43a0554c faced with Acheron, c462bd1560 they could say abe1f063db nothing and stepped d38eda5db5 aside.1289a8cd0e7e94b0
Acheron swallowed dryly.7663fe6b802a0636
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
‘Water.’3d8e73314e740c83
The hot blood, 2bc4ed0272 touched by the 53aee72114 August Mediterranean sun, 7b6108b2c9 was heating Acheron 268a5772b4 oppressively. His throat felt edd1e04152 like it was 73bdc02c76 burning. Wiping his cheek with 1888579ebe a cloth didn’t remove 4fd7793b4d the metallic smell, and d005e2ec6b his sweat-soaked body felt 48de62ebeb utterly grimy.c729ea504458cf32
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
He didn’t 72ea8edb7a even dream e73398b5d0 of a d2cab20b55 bath. Just some 28b4c7ce56 cool water 645bad99f0 would do.ee1a9da9621b8034
Caught in such 908a388c2f a desire, Acheron b431e42683 quickened his steps 81afbf9e98 toward a visible 99b3204f32 building. And then, 61c1db3c29 a frantic b75471a6b3 voice halted 8e54aa1538 his steps.63e1d1d12655ef9f
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Acheron.”a22034af2aeacbe5
Acheron stopped in bb05effe18 his tracks as e4e9b96d17 if by magic.a1e8e5bf3f0d4afa
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
A soft voice, 117aadb28d as if suited 9d3ac51075 to a lyre, 103be34f59 continued.c088b55d5e4a385b
“You don’t answer when dfac5d72ad called? Do you know how df14768117 many times I’ve called 20d3be82d4 you?”22beb29a9702b554
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The one 748b5aca29 who stopped 7459766cd1 him was ca674ccc44 a black-haired 8a8bc00f7f man who 047110a8ad appeared to 7972bf7715 be in f0131f7d95 his early 96acf377fd thirties.0116efe136686790
Acheron turned 95914efdd4 his head, e9533a4983 gazing at efd9b81ed9 the man 130c7a1478 with a 3b90c16956 cold stare.6d3db943bd916c04
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
The man, dressed elegantly 1d25215dbe with a long, flowing c955637f97 dark green toga secured 4bf49bd24d by a laurel leaf 32dfae5abb brooch, exuded nobility with 2c81519914 every inch of his 9f5058afd8 being. His cold, intellectual d1c41b0585 eyes, an even 05a67b894a icier and clearer 6368b8e8a4 shade than Acheron’s, 8d443dc859 blinked slowly.0d8b7f0ab719b0f8
A low be17345667 voice flowed a0fdc1bc2e out.a9d1cc48e5b66c62
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Lord Marcus.”1fc28d43d1895f40
Acheron swallowed his irritation d2ebb19439 and muttered.eecd05b12322f19a
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“I’ll clean 77ea38370b the blood 8d73187fa8 and come 7b2558d3e5 to you.”46f088a2126a3352
Marcus shook his head 9f9f37b0d9 at those words.9eb11eaf52e34d4b
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“No, there’s no 6f52937514 need to go 84c6a3315d to the training 162c297638 grounds.”bcbea92e5974659f
Acheron’s eyebrow twitched. Marcus, frowning at 07fbd194b6 the noisy surroundings, 51ad0223a0 raised his voice.b98fe9ceeea51c81
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“You are no 56f835b53a longer my gladiator. You’ve been sold.”4f9d373aea69fec0
“What did 57d08b985e you just 7539341c68 say?”d8c9014290909a4d
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“The master a0ceafefe6 of the 83958cb754 Roman villa e657785fad on the 51171a3cad cliff has 8e0554a6be bought you, f8d570f88a Acheron. Get on the 000db2248d carriage at once. You are no 8ab9305f63 longer a gladiator 3e223fdacd but a private a203d2b621 slave of a 89525e1f23 Roman citizen.”de534be18b2196d1