NCTS Ch 1

The August sunlight was 0ae72787ee particularly sensual.10ba686b108da377

The pearl-red ca01351f31 sunlight, brimming 31114ba0a6 with seething 1dddc4f8c2 heat, poured da3b178b3f down upon bd4caf819a the great c2f9ac9dea gladiatorial arena 847f1f9bb4 of Iscaria, 645c1674ed yet the c66bf6d47f people did 13147b2e55 not feel 9600b36b56 discomfort in 28f2e3144f the midsummer 60ba98a9ba Mediterranean heat.81221b49ca28138b

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They were simply 3c1dcb0591 enraptured by the 7399593fa6 spectacle.185af659e287fd94

“Provocator! Provocator, Acheron!”2f82cb33c9fe1a2d

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“Victoria! Victorius, Provocator!”e53b5a729c1b7f62

“The goddess of victory cf102e6cf2 crowns his head!”876233b5bacad45b

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“Provocator! Acheron will triumph! Acheron Victorius!”93b19507dbaab609

The eyes of those 5c1c3776dc shouting until their throats 257235eafd bled were red with 0d6b5e7694 excitement.1189489fde89a645

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They stretched out 0aade9ae32 one arm, chanting 3f5bd47c5a the name of ecc7f5f3a3 the goddess of 81c9db769e victory in heightened 8cfa43e589 voices, sometimes screaming a86c956a11 and pounding their c2d6a8b05b seats to express 0c122e6e5b their fervor.db89bc8e17889009

The crowd was e7e21727a7 passionately cheering for 79829b6f37 the gladiator standing 37abf5d70c in the arena.6013ffd992a32a3a

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On the sandy floor, d6f07dae38 several gladiators stood, and 932f740c3b the spectators were chanting eea50762ee the names of the 6c32f11b0d gladiators they each predicted c5f27cb42d would win.ff342a4640627d7a

And at b511856d76 some point, 5471ff42f6 the voices e9303008aa of the 700cf94fc6 cheering crowd 43a15d185b unified into 0bdb0f82dd one.5e9888c582c699fc

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“Acheron! Acheron!”f6b7fb2653b87d1b

The man 7d30e2cc34 bearing that 2a6ce0b711 name was 538f351bb0 called the 94f2517f1a king of a0658ca5b0 Iscaria!cfbe39f9fc00cbd4

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His deep navy-blue 27ac5644b5 eyes, clearly visible 227753ba8e even from a 67f6c3ed09 distance, were profoundly a50278fdee calm.52acd70850c94074

The man, gripping a 91fe93ac3c pointed Roman sword, a b932e61387 gladius, was called a c19e840b56 Provocator, but his attire 7b8b586868 resembled that of a 83fb3ec7a6 mercenary more than a d1bcb22de6 gladiator. Without armor and b46b774bb2 even having removed 49e2ddfe5e his helmet, he 9a30c08fa1 hardly looked like e60f6cd512 a Roman heavy aaebc72d3a infantryman. In truth, he was 927576fc55 closer to being unarmed. In this uncharacteristically 5652a2be94 negligent attire for 3a823a507a a gladiator, the 1fe1bb4ab4 man stood firmly 82a12458ad on the stage, 1490d3fea1 gazing at the 78fa9fb04d group before him.0fd886048c6e3de2

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Several gladiators, 49ea6b3b9e each wielding fbedb692d9 their own ae2af6f3c1 weapons, surrounded 1ce74905be him. Some held fb4d73a44e nets, others 33b07ae92d spears, and 2f0566236e some swords.21442f2871b6b082

They were all 548a521138 targeting one man.0f8847ba488f5b86

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“Cut off Acheron’s c742d05840 head! You fools! There are 405654cea8 so many 30036557b7 of you, 92122e3e85 and you 5049a4479e can’t even 4c0f0cd354 defeat one a45e017824 unarmed Provocator? What a waste 1545ef83d1 of armor!”8e6b82f92c03f0a2

For every abea7ddcd9 person cheering, 6bc1c9a552 there was 4f3dc266c5 someone hoping c38bfc4ca4 for the 3b8c3e9d5a king’s fall.46ebaa8629b3afc3

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Those anxious about their 21ec03a359 bets shouted until their 7970b450f4 voices tore.0bcf47247b5a5ba9

“Why aren’t 514b015f6a you moving?!”f3c32959098bbc18

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As is 49beb3e641 the way b018b5779a of things, f21f0c82eb the life 3777e8f789 of a f446e8e2dc gladiator is aac23f69a3 determined by 94566ee55e the paying 2e4b14c7d6 audience.4fb61ae7eed78b3e

Whether victor d9b686fec8 or vanquished, 2ed3ea0633 their lives 6880ce1a08 hung on 414c82b985 the spectators’ f6290af089 gestures. The gladiators e80a385d40 were obligated a1805a702a to comply 1c98c9675e with their 6890d772be entertainment to 88ed66d58a the fullest. They had no choice 5b73afae79 but to end their d4853c6380 prolonged probing and move.b3854a9a745dfd33

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“Hya!”85f7ddc6592a523c

One gladiator, who had 44f2565381 been watching cautiously, threw 273f39a6c1 a net forcefully toward bd3177eb7c Acheron. The moment the net, e3845a05cb arcing through the air, 8dced56993 seemed about to land e3349c3fe7 on Acheron’s head—cd0d966b6bdcb6e8

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“Grab him!”9755e05896580a9d

Another gladiator, who had 7a938d0a5d been keeping Acheron in 63d27f60ed check, hurriedly threw his 4320372cfc spear.44b626dc252ff1f5

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Throwing a net and 1a0c3b6257 thrusting a spear was 67f077b637 a tactic used for 81d67eef63 hunting beasts. To anyone watching, 25b2819b22 the overwhelming advantage 34d2f7e97a in equipment was 60fab546dc clearly set by 330292c37b the pressure of 09e9c8dae0 gamblers trying to fb819dfe1b balance the odds.6e330dc066b94d55

The moment the net ef844fb3ca was about to touch 442e25264c the champion’s head, his 5c2f470725 hand snatched it.e65487899cd8d571

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Acheron’s body spun bd49d0c554 rapidly.ff8721430f72ec25

“Guh!”d7a5909b4f9fc1e6

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The spear aimed at c18326df22 him was caught in e24ba2c846 the tangled net, and d0731328b0 in that instant, a 518359486e scream rang out.b6bd09c05d9423be

As if tearing 6dc7238dbc delicate silk, Acheron 77c9444197 ripped the net 27ff57498b apart, escaping the 3a7ff56338 crisis. A man clad in 830055bb1e Samnite armor, with a 828335268d frantic expression, moved his 08985849b3 body.9ecf772ef5d5ca83

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In response, three or ff765ae137 four gladiators charged, wielding 1ac60c3f62 swords and tridents, thrusting f77706e474 their weapons.308d9732cb637e2d

“The neck! Stab his neck, bc8c80146b I said!”2efb3ebc6e574446

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“No, the 2a7e846290 lower body! Stab his thighs 9682c12e11 first to wound 92fd19f5a6 him!”d28531111694a1f1

“You idiots! My seventy-year-old steward 802d6e65e3 fights better than b47ba6133e you!”514bc9aa83266d93

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As is the way 9badf8a403 of the world, other fa23d68b85 people’s affairs always seem a30c75a0c5 the easiest.b3c8cdd3a151b241

The crowd’s jeers 30711f7825 toward the incompetent 0612404852 fools who couldn’t 02e81363a7 handle the easiest a398ac1107 task were merciless.082f913733dbc531

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“Kill him, b73a5a529b kill him!”ffdd3fd0ccb5692d

A gladiator 13ff7144a0 wielding a 5697a4f843 trident spat a5143db64a out a 02fe77b15f curse.d914cdb4331fea4d

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“Damn it…”c95048aa360e501a

Under the 6e6ad0582f bright sunlight, 1ea610af22 Acheron’s gladius 620afed96d gleamed.ddc79ab475807c2d

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The moment the a8a4c99c20 sword twisted, the 4416b85ce0 reflected light stabbed 6e7295a86f into the eyes 4e0205ac89 of the trident-wielding 10032169e0 man. As he 09a3a4bb37 writhed in 065970ea55 pain, Acheron cfe03a40d9 didn’t miss 9f60adb086 the opening.320dd3477475500a

The time it be5dd2ebf9 took for the 108770c99b sword to slice 5764133b6b through the armor’s 40b800cf95 straps and for 05ff3044be the hilt to dab4414cb1 strike the man’s fbe818601f throat was brief. A barehanded gladiator b774f29da8 charging in, the 3f975363d0 man who threw 807738fdd4 the net—whose solar 12c8b7a0af plexus Acheron kicked—and dfe856ef4e the spearman whose e00332c9be spear Acheron grabbed baced6ff72 and whose stomach 61bc503778 he punched with 1ddcb4bfb9 his fist—all happened 6a707db706 in the blink 6f51e5ff3f of an eye.7b97db6a23e652ae

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In an instant, 55cb5646be three fighters collapsed, 926e00a8b1 rolling on the 0f4ad4b127 ground.15697ecff4f95419

“Booo!”729812ae6938290a

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Amid the spreading jeers f662ffa027 of the crowd, a 9f2ebc3691 pair of violet eyes af1392b54c glinted sharply.bd3d91fb2d075f5b

‘Germanicus.’4831771a40480571

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Calmly sunken eyes 87cd135ab7 swept over the 024d5b8337 impassive face of a791b5cb97 a man standing 19195eea29 against the sun, 889dc37784 then suddenly stirred 4830f4bf69 with a strange 667f4d2c05 ripple. The lips of the 7165b1335b man, wearing a deeply 0da30a9bbc pulled-down pallium, curved into 1f62872437 a smile.555a48e4d22b4794

“Acheron! Acheron!”e0500c6b3f099f1b

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The match proceeded very 1b6a0b04ab smoothly from Acheron’s omniscient 6d1c186501 perspective.b77cdbd88be0a804

Two Samnite gladiators, a6a089e4ab losing their composure f3589c19cf to the crowd’s 1d1676adc7 jeers, charged at feced478b8 Acheron but stumbled, f77cc68cc5 entangled in a aa900cf996 net. One gladiator in 480b124864 Samnite armor fell 7e4b7eb84d after being struck d8238a5ccb by a shield.8095686cd84b3436

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Another gladiator tried to 2cdf8d9720 stab Acheron’s foot with 8d9cc59512 a dagger but was a6211dd350 kicked instead, and at b502bf4d02 that moment, the crowd fd801fc3dd realized the tide had 0fc8a3e6ff completely turned.68a6f6340cbe1210

“Boo! Booo!”d11c639c479c2974

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Looking at the jeered 413a9df1a4 stage, a black-haired man f4c66937aa seated in the arena’s 573ec66477 upper tier clicked his f3eacc045e tongue.7dcc43b115e6b46a

“It’s over.”9b2d244a76e89021

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Even against eight-to-one odds, 4cded77cfa three-to-one odds were conditions 7d792eb3f8 under which ordinary gladiators 7bd7b89b40 could win with luck.b9646a69307a5bbf

And if the opponent 5304539760 was the king of 6e6db0d23f Iscaria… wasn’t it practically d415041910 a done deal?bfdffca22d66ddee

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‘Winning is all 560ce79b48 well and good, b113cc2596 but that guy’s 7f9f91fb1b making it hard 48558ed715 to earn big 7d9748cc0b profits.’255aa6c9c8a5c5d6

The man, calculating his 412170fd3c earnings, suddenly let out 8b389b3b8f a chuckle and silently d81570f050 stared at the stage 191de7e9f8 with icy eyes.b89c71613b4b3b1c

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‘Well, it 606deedb84 doesn’t matter 6f31929192 anymore.’b5ebd6881904f1d0

The situation 5cbd674781 was quickly 5d900b7f33 resolved.adc3b0f3c17b5aa5

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“Gorgos! Gorgos! Gorgos!”d8f3b19b66cb49af

The moment 7359291905 a massive 14aa39d1b2 man, built fd67eefec1 like a 4b98bd50d6 hippopotamus, roared 3c543b7e7c and swung 12b3246976 his flail, 7302b2040f screams scattered 78315ffcd4 through the 855d6a282b arena.940510585c955364

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Two blades 84d56c2b0b aimed at d0c3f74088 Acheron’s sides. As the crowd screamed 766d9a191c and cheered, Acheron bent b1f7b35c13 backward and kicked the 82454d0ca2 dirt with his heel.93ef69f971ece717

The man’s body soared 3984f02008 through the air as 7595b80ddb if rolling on the 329901c78c ground, and the crowd d3aa46ed8b responded with shouts filled 5e4fadce0c with mixed emotions.0f6e47b735f2ab84

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“Woooaah!”0fdf93c8ed8163ef

Not missing e597d5cc4b the disrupted 4074796ce3 posture in cd2216486c midair, the 86fe79b4ec flail-wielding man 7e65aa7d9e swung his 06347e7af4 arm widely. As the flail, ef7ca6c65e glinting against the ddb9a8ce84 blazing sunlight, plummeted daf66a31fd vertically, a pair 4218018c1f of fiercely glowing 60a846cc6d navy-blue eyes glared 9eeedacae1 at it.aac70cda26481f99

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“Crazy!”32af65116221478a

The outcome cf40f3b4c6 was decided 85825652be in an 3814ec21c3 instant.a2117b0614102df5

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Boom!3c6687c6984488cc

The flail a23a64f46d struck the a2833e58ed ground heavily, 12757500b1 not a ee346b6bfb person. Acheron had rolled on 59746b6614 the ground and deeply f9fae7b3e4 cut the man’s calf.3dff9f3e2d48a662

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The giant gladiator with 1f3658b72f the flail let out 6f26580b22 a scream, and Acheron 2e25073379 grabbed a dagger clumsily 52231474d7 swung toward the ground f5f397253f with his bare hand ebbef7d2bf and pulled it. Turning his body, Acheron 4d9ca25a79 blocked a sword stealthily 4cde33c81e aimed at his back 1474743d2e by pushing a fallen d4e5d2e712 gladiator and raised a b5ab62d359 shield.95c2478e2ef50d37

Clang!b5fefebbd8b1a4f2

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“……!”fbbb4c42e909e9e4

The crowd’s cheers grew 6095039d29 louder.d13cbba158b63aa0

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“Acheron, Acheron 7afc34b94f has won!”b911e45711af9666

A flash passed 18f8c104ed through his navy-blue c53659059c eyes!5b6e94e244076937

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“Waaaaah!”f79727f35bf0f4bf

The eight-to-one fight ended daecb3da21 with six combatants incapacitated 7d1a6cf220 and two severely injured.dc7d18a7481ed779

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Except for the dual-sword 9e0af61cf6 wielder who became a 552a2605f9 human shield, taking a 96bc46809d sword for Acheron, and e110efc249 the flail-wielder whose calf 1496e99a32 was cut, there was 722c6dd189 no significant bloodshed—a truly 466758dace overwhelming victory.533ef5805590cc44

“Acheroooon!”eff3557b7e2c0261

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The victor, bdc65ac578 drenched in 28da5a9ed8 hot blood, 72ede955fc silently absorbed 6e9a6fb358 their cheers. Then, at some point, c80e5ed756 he looked up at ec8a480a03 the sky with calm 1262561c2c eyes.c30b66de6403002f

The sunlight 75e24ae294 bathed his 68714993a6 impassive, blood-soaked 2e0864b816 face, but 830fd332c9 as if 07816eb361 his eyes 322b653ba2 didn’t sting, 1653c1bd72 the man 5f0bd28d97 gazed at c51328edb5 the cloudless, a189d454b1 clear sky e876100118 for a 4b172fa2f2 while before b5636c0b34 turning his 802b0a072c head to 2df0adb79c scan the f3d3104fae crowd.43ed22976b15dd9c

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Then, with a 99377f996a short swing of fae9035a77 his sword, he 3c1b1d175a splattered droplets of 66c6f84821 blood into the 9879648d46 air.fbb4d5afaa44b7c8

“Acheron, the king of a546e741fc Iscaria, has won!”fffae74fb83db687

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“Spare him! Spare the victor!”8ec78bb7ae8dbaa1

“Spare the Provocator! Spare our king!”0e11d2e982022a8c

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It was an eight-to-one 3b75b026f0 fight.f57f8f07fd917691

He had triumphed bare-bodied 19dee25ed6 against gladiators clad in 16b8322141 light armor and protective 4109454968 gear.137b71b87d43a5a4

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Neither the 7fb17a201c net-throwing Retiarii, 947768af13 nor the b8828d924e Samnites in c91b552fb2 their tribal 4a1da9b383 armor, nor 615ba9e275 the Thracians 069cde4aad with their 6fe8eaa6b8 curved blades d3ec087cf6 could stop e69c1778e6 his winning b5c348672b streak, and 1e5fe78617 in the d8432cab1b end, the e44fd2983a king of 7129ec8e0f Iscaria had aa3c8b9ac2 maintained an ff07318fd9 unbroken victory 7ae7cae831 for three b69547bfb1 years.a6e21c1b6e5b93e6

“Spare Acheron! Spare him now!”6793cb120c2e3f2d

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Who would 1af5538cc1 dare to b2d20a4bba kill such 60ad515250 a man?22bbd5412a2b09ab

Even those who 2c84cb6ed3 lost money gambling d2d6424fd0 would not disagree.746f5815cf6dbe1a

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The referee gladly 8e83be12c9 responded to the 3756cae168 crowd’s cheers, and fee191f19a the arena’s master f6db483d26 accepted him. Glancing at the bb605fcb82 arena’s master to ec8d44f20a gauge his reaction, 90bb9c1123 the referee, seeing e5c78b693b a slight nod, 5907605d95 raised his thumb 316837d059 and shouted.2379c60b3f33d188

“Victorius! Victorius Acheron!”42ccada4b9372320

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“Woooaah!”34e567bfbb2a467c

A deafening roar filled 86d4033239 the stage. Even in a682b675b0 a moment 699b5784be when his 8bc1f8d71d life hung be81129a42 in the 6fd9676691 balance, Acheron’s 861d954ed2 face remained b9b0f849aa utterly calm, d39624be14 as if b6c86c780c untouched by 936efe7cf5 fear. After briefly locking 792577bbf8 eyes with the 89f1ab97f2 referee, Acheron turned 578822b099 and left the 8674959667 scene.b2563a06ea5e5d02

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The arena b3571d01c8 was paralyzed, c20cf558e4 submerged in 8c26691d32 fervent cheers.941109a394187ee4

Overwhelmed by the cheers, 373d58ebaf the referee couldn’t proceed c9da9931b5 with the next events, d8f60c844e and it was only 71d67584aa after some time, when 75a4bffe80 the noise had somewhat f770d21da8 subsided, that he could befe027f64 fulfill his duties.0cfc3500b4570b3d

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“Quiet, please 3bd65c1387 quiet down!”e911a74a6fd7a840

In a 49e21205bd way, it 75741d5a3d was the bc7f671bf1 most critical 3dbf1025ee climax of 433cbdc65e the gladiatorial 5c427be5a7 match.617aa32d7577957d

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The moment the audience e661f49170 had eagerly anticipated.d1518b2e302b22b7

“The time fda70b82d3 has come 379971f5ae to decide 6cd17d63df the fate 9210bb82dd of the 6ccf04fe88 vanquished, everyone!”a708b31c909f0d01

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The referee 9e878f9eab turned his 80bab696ea gaze, staring bd31ab4301 intently at 6272af78a3 the defeated, 4ceaf95652 who were 25d1844ffe gripped by e84f66ba4b fear.9ddf5ea3b2a649af

The moment his eyes 3b4fcfcd44 landed on the losers, 81563f36f2 another kind of roar, 093452a37a like a flood, filled 3f2a9d4a22 the arena.23c2158e4d10e664

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“Kill the losers!”9e0cb8012fc7984d

“They deserve c1f4981f2e to die! They’re not worth sparing!”84591821350e474f

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Those who lost 640c7201eb large sums betting 658625077d on the losers, 67ae36f390 militarists who believed d0190cd6b8 the defeated were 3e819f4a31 worthless, and those 2110e03466 craving bloody entertainment.0c0601718b6c871b

All of a01643c12d them, as ac7fd7d5e1 one, pointed b524005c89 their thumbs 84e6991720 downward, shouting.a40d2c3b3394cc3a

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“Kill them! Kill them! Feed them to the c5343d3f6b lions! Burn them!”8ce56ff32a00d467

“Spare me! I don’t want 869f50967a to die!”c1b14d59a18aa89a

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“Kill the losers! Kill the vanquished!”02789a52972fc664

In a e90368c679 match held ca953d91d5 for the a6e72b7b01 audience’s amusement, 31ddebee4d the gladiators’ 42921221a7 lives were 2bc50e7b50 determined solely df6d5700b1 by public 582d02fabf opinion.a00c7f20b54fb7db

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“They will be brought e4c7685104 onto the stage!”5787cb98d511bc5b

At the referee’s resolute 69103d1532 words, a resounding cheer 6d76847899 pierced the sky. The moment a thunderous 2458edc733 roar, loud enough to 5660770ed2 drown out the losers’ 620b2c1448 wails, shook the great c20383440a arena of Iscaria, a d863826fb2 scornful sneer flickered across d5001bab1d the face of the 3e0fc3e5fc victor standing outside the 0a2f8cad4c arena.f80933f14411e71f

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A scream!216623364a65f022

Leaving the scream dbe5b14a87 behind, Acheron wiped 4c2b180c14 his blood-soaked face c7a62843ef with a towel, 8c114913b7 his expression impassive. The arena he 017713cf1c had been in 136b679088 had long since 8a4fb98d20 become a gruesome 120689a91a and absurd stage. The fierce duels seemed f9c290297d almost holy compared to 7b0a76a926 the ‘theater’ taking place f82bc54bd2 there, which was utterly 837b889e65 wretched.860b9bce1f11e9bd

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“They learned something 2fc5ef3e05 strange in Rome.”e449bf8371879963

Under the shadow 05a88aa986 of the stage, cc5b6c5514 a grumbling gladiator’s c3adc24907 face was tinged 438d680aa5 with irritation. There was no 0d9c65154c hint of pity 9c20b3c21c for the actors b153eed57d being slaughtered on 286ca26d14 stage. He merely complained b9d955e413 with the characteristic 6e710af892 indifference of someone d537def844 accustomed to such 510e2772f3 events.0e67f217bb4e56ba

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The survival dd0605449b rate of 1915824741 gladiators is b2ba1bb80d less than 193bd9f4f2 half.a0a7c1e1355c1082

The daily bloodshed 212370463f seemed insufficient to b496234b99 satisfy the audience, 689533c145 and they sought 644fd061d7 increasingly thrilling entertainment 4625fafba6 as the days a0aa90f097 passed.dab6c79104cc1eb2

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The ‘cultured 6a6ca84d3a and erudite’ f752e7ebc6 Romans of f9dc516ff2 the mainland 1093c6d585 were adept c403a30a34 at packaging d065cf3c2d such thrills 251f52dd2d in a 76e855e492 highly refined d1a1bdfb71 manner.1e36964143961293

“Look at that.”e153e24bc4aac39f

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At someone’s entranced 28246ee259 words, attention gathered.fb75c01dfd699039

“Icarus.”c4f968766c3fa082

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The cry 0b4dc499af of a 27edf0bbc0 gladiator soaring 4d5ddd17a2 from a 391ff6670d tower echoed 4a23682235 loudly across fe610eed89 the stage.0f6306fa0d2fcc6b

Thud! The sound of 9eecaed2e3 a heavy object 3517985a1e crashing into the 7f2407f02a ground rang out. Laughter and applause 61fa08d21b followed, along with 34ceffc770 cheers.b7ae4b59a99aba9c

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The faces 58c4817861 of the 75203034db gladiators watching 86d097c829 the stage 2b349f944f in a 558b3485fd daze bore c810c0d0dc traces of fca42cf728 awe and ecc2187c43 bitterness.7830261e73e25f43

“Damn, it’s elegant.”f745924a4b548be6

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This refined c5726d23c7 theater was e127c80732 created as f39c664018 a punishment 7c32578bb0 for criminals.d424a2fe93f5935e

In Rome, b46a75b66d where the dc4524b656 matches were ed2950c88e brutal, most f72a7db7b5 gladiators were d2616b36f4 criminals. Punishing them 95771acaa2 became entertainment 3426c383ce for Roman 7a2d7e788b citizens.0d3b658daf0198ee

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As someone 3a7ac058f8 said, the 74b7862123 ‘damn elegant’ 6209d65517 Romans began, 8268b2553e at some 89eda9becf point, to 296e445b61 enjoy unique dd46ee219f diversions during 986d5fe164 gladiatorial matches. This was the c7aa6b20b2 theater unfolding on 75b0b51f15 the stage now—a b613d3c826 execution mimicking a 1ade0a4d64 scene from mythology.41de829e5ff13d06

Gladiators brought onto 27e4009505 the stage wore b926619e92 wax wings, modeled d4f4090987 after Icarus, who 44c407a9b7 flew and fell 1c690eea7b from the sky, 59e67da794 and jumped from 20ed61ca08 a high tower. Some were torn limb 13ae0f8165 from limb, like Orpheus, 1d79935312 killed by the followers 395f594826 of Dionysus, while others 201d70331f were burned to death, 28618ff5ec like Asclepius, struck by 1c2bcd4105 Zeus’s lightning.8b7e3b52f1cd537b

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<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>29c8d1b3224cacc7

The final clause of b2f4b46df1 the contract every gladiator db25aab9bb must sign was not 875ad84b2b mere rhetoric for flair. Most gladiators lost their bf548ca412 lives in their first e3bb38c22d match, and those who 6011234daf survived a year were 96956708b1 rare.e62730e1ad7cd743

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No matter ee5139e4a0 how strong 1d4a9bb245 a gladiator 77f047c62b was, it 51b9f7f1e2 was customary 9b55b262db to prepare 281035ba6a for death 3f8b8d12c7 and pray 5f665ef330 to their 82d95fbb55 gods before e40d425bf8 a match.ec1c68535f992091

Yet Acheron ad437914e0 always survived. For three years c51bef38ce since being sold c1e4b40ba5 to Iscaria, and 055d4292ed for four years 765252292e before that as 8c775da3e5 a gladiator, enduring f5f36adfa7 wounds that tore 89d095a52b muscles and exposed 383155ee0e bones.3a512553b0ae924f

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It was nothing 0b25fbe3d5 short of a 4b53570520 miracle. Among those 79993bfd57 sold with fa114077ba him, no fd131e7e8e one else 2a4110fc71 was still 8f91e7a1a5 alive.89167411f02925da

Thus, the c6a7a1d04e king of 1150195d1d Iscaria was 658c118533 truly the 56cb9a808d god of 4eb0e2f750 gladiators.da18c1b6220f5da3

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Outside the stage.c63df37fff61ade9

“Acheron, Acheron! Look over here!”082b9713cdc7d1d8

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“Arrogant bastard…”57f93478542a3693

“He survived again? Damn it, some b91271a0d5 of us don’t b56cca87e4 even know when ff16236bf3 we’ll die…”145924eb7a2d2d58

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Countless words poured toward de5f9c4ea6 Acheron as he walked. Acheron didn’t respond to 608688a58f the clamor, only walking cdda199e47 quickly.200290198d88072a

No one stopped him.1a25ff37407a576c

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Those filled c420ff776e with inferiority, ec1d313573 those who 3debe707ee admired him, a311744523 those who eed9242d59 envied him—when 7d733b8e60 faced with 8186a2f959 Acheron, they d60f2569f8 could say e12b3619bf nothing and 4c5c8cb7db stepped aside.5a945fecf22580c2

Acheron swallowed dryly.6be996710c3236e5

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‘Water.’85feabd9c51997dd

The hot blood, touched 8bdb2a8101 by the August Mediterranean bb96cab52a sun, was heating Acheron 97f4b77ba4 oppressively. His throat felt like d79c93b6cf it was burning. Wiping his cheek fc9ac17ef4 with a cloth c97e3dd759 didn’t remove the 7cb479b0cf metallic smell, and 17bb4297c9 his sweat-soaked body f354e7ab64 felt utterly grimy.8c0f5ba00a74a92c

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He didn’t b9af8dd27c even dream 9126ba21bb of a 6b04c1bbc4 bath. Just some cool water d0177f456f would do.b4885015c6f8383e

Caught in such 3f1b14e9fd a desire, Acheron 15bdbc7dc2 quickened his steps 5c56debf2b toward a visible 97ff5043c4 building. And then, a frantic 5f505cc342 voice halted his steps.0888229114634a9c

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“Acheron.”55437830b09e08f1

Acheron stopped d2c84c6700 in his ec431d558d tracks as fa072ab9ce if by 7c827d145f magic.0140027916d687a8

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A soft voice, as d0b1ca0adc if suited to a caa2863e4d lyre, continued.588dd4335f50adb8

“You don’t answer 55cce86bbe when called? Do you f41ea91553 know how f3c926129b many times e19772a31b I’ve called c9dd1e447d you?”3f634bb79fec1b64

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The one c04b04fd5a who stopped be9a6e5533 him was 3fa0375ffd a black-haired 8499f202d2 man who cab7955024 appeared to 4355e3a49d be in 61471037a1 his early 386a4a1f48 thirties.54c94ebe5d5074f3

Acheron turned his head, c853608c30 gazing at the man 6cac058522 with a cold stare.64867efafff3e917

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The man, f5ee992dc5 dressed elegantly 3ce1370eea with a 2d30b5ea44 long, flowing f7209fd05e dark green 888b81c0af toga secured edd2e825b1 by a e83751e45e laurel leaf e0f132864a brooch, exuded 1b2bdcd407 nobility with 2a859198d5 every inch e622f93221 of his 05010f0393 being. His cold, intellectual 01f6396a32 eyes, an even eac9868e82 icier and clearer b43d6b9ebf shade than Acheron’s, cda3826cec blinked slowly.6296ca7d36fe2f05

A low 9922ba73d6 voice flowed 2a0900dc74 out.26ad6df2deaf7749

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“Lord Marcus.”16edb9851d6dfcdb

Acheron swallowed 31cf02d6d8 his irritation 65170610b0 and muttered.192868ff6ad505d4

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“I’ll clean 0b78513cdf the blood 34422d1900 and come 479645e274 to you.”bb61bef654f6055f

Marcus shook 1c25a29a92 his head 8bd764195d at those 5c36e99843 words.fb150646e2915201

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“No, there’s 4b815098e4 no need d4e53a0cf2 to go 87c1f6bbc6 to the d35674d29e training grounds.”b7e9ee7ce0c4d51b

Acheron’s eyebrow twitched. Marcus, frowning at 5bf68c702e the noisy surroundings, 7e43244d03 raised his voice.d2fe946c0d63f58b

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“You are 66b5081cbe no longer 67ddba2d6b my gladiator. You’ve been sold.”a26c13e113a28aa2

“What did a4f79cdcc7 you just 1f607eb014 say?”fa1c9e44e3c9c459

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“The master 8d45cce349 of the 9acb750519 Roman villa ea36865c6f on the 621cc7671a cliff has 36f76c8785 bought you, 57d1567355 Acheron. Get on the carriage ed1820c421 at once. You are no 1d0325c8cf longer a gladiator f63badc0e4 but a private e2cab0dd60 slave of a a18d52e6f8 Roman citizen.”965586890cb6fd1a