In the middle of the field, both sides struggled to push forward. Antonios’s team finally managed to secure the rugby, which was standing on the ground.
The ball was passed back through the legs to Oliver, who imdiately launched it toward the left to the big man, Taigetinos.
As Taigetinos caught the ball, he spun around, dodging the opponent trying to tackle him, and charged forward with the ball in hand.
Another opponent lunged at him from the front-left.
Xenotimos quickly blocked the tackle.
Taigetinos, a strong and burly man, beca unstoppable once he picked up speed. Even when opponents grabbed him twice, he used his sheer montum to break free.
As he crossed two markers in the opposing half, Epitenes, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t contain himself and shouted anxiously.
Just then, a player from the opposing team chased from behind at full speed. Leaping into the air with arms outstretched, he accurately and forcefully grabbed Taigetinos’s legs.
Taigetinos fell hard to the ground like a collapsing mountain, but he clutched the ball tightly to his chest and did not lose it.
The players from Epitenes’s team rushed up, patting the Lucanian player on the back with excitent. Although the Lucanian didn’t understand the Greek cheers, he could sense their joy and goodwill.
Grinning widely, he joined in the celebration.
The Lucanians on Antonios’s team suddenly gasped in surprise.
"What are they saying?" Antonios asked Bagul.
"They’re shouting that man’s na—Litom." Bagul pointed at the Lucanian player on the field. "He’s a famous warrior and an excellent hunter from our tribe!"
Antonius nodded thoughtfully.
Drakos ran over to check on Taigetinos and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
Taigetinos struggled to his feet, took a few steps, and indicated that he was fine.
Because rugby was highly physical and prone to causing injuries, and the conditions in Andolara didn’t allow for custom protective gear for every soldier, Juleios had strictly prohibited dangerous actions like collisions, punches, or kicks.
Only tackles, grabs, pulls, and blocks were allowed.
Violators would be banned from participating in gas.
As a result, the soldiers were cautious during play, and Juleios had stationed doctors on the sidelines, ready for ergencies.
"Great! Great! Well done! We’ve advanced so far—just one more push to score this point!" Olivers clapped his hands vigorously, encouraging his teammates while laying out new tactics.
The ga resud. Oliver received the ball and passed it to Taigetinos.
Taigetinos ran a few steps with the ball before two opponents rushed toward him. He quickly passed the ball back to Oliver.
Olivers, protected by his teammates, threw the ball to Taigetinos again.
The big man swiftly returned the ball to Oliver.
For the third ti, Olive feigned a pass to Taigetinos.
As the opponents focused their attention on him, Olivers suddenly twisted his body and, with a flick of his wrist, hurled the ball with all his strength toward the right.
Just as he did, he was tackled to the ground by an opponent.
To the sound of gasps from the players on the field, the rugby flew 20 ters through the air. Just as it seed it might cross the end line, a player from Antonius’s team dashed forward, jumped high, and managed to deflect the ball.
However, the ball was moving too fast, and he failed to catch it.
Landing on the ground, he leaped again but still couldn’t secure the ball. By then, an opponent had reached him and tackled him.
Amidst loud groans of disappointnt from the soldiers watching on the sidelines, Antonius’s team lost their offensive opportunity.
The Lucanian slaves on the sidelines shouted loudly.
"What are they saying?" Antonios asked curiously.
"They’re saying, ’If it were us, we could’ve caught that ball!’" Bagule explained. "We Lucanians grew up navigating forests and hunting, often climbing and leaping.
When it cos to jumping, other races might not compare to us!"
Antonius nodded and said, "Now it’s our turn to defend. All five of you, get in."
Bagule was montarily stunned but then grew excited.
After watching for a while, he found the ga highly enjoyable and thrilling. He had long wanted to join in.
"And one more thing," Antonios added with a hint of aning, "I suggest you encourage your people to learn Greek when you return. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to communicate during gas."
...
As dusk fell, over 800 Lucanian slaves anxiously awaited at the worksite.
So began to grow restless and started arguing with the soldiers overseeing them.
At that mont, the 40 slaves returned, chatting and laughing.
"Hey! Are you all okay?!" The tribesn rushed forward with concern.
"Don’t worry, we’re fine!" Bagule reassured them, his face glowing with barely contained excitent.
"Ah, the Greeks’ invention of this rugby ga is so much fun! You didn’t see it—during the final match, Bagule leaped into the air, caught the ball, dodged two opponents, and charged through to score, securing the championship for his team!"
"It’s not ’charging through,’ it’s a touchdown!" Bagule corrected.
"If my team had better coordination, we’d have beaten you and made it to the finals!" Litom retorted, unwilling to accept defeat.
"Brother, you have to understand—your lack of coordination is because you don’t speak the sa language! If you want to beat next ti, you’d better learn Greek!" Bagul admonished him.
Litom thought for a mont and nodded seriously.
The other waiting slaves, puzzled by their chatter, asked, "What ga? What competition? Championship?"
The returning slaves began enthusiastically recounting their experience at the Andolara training camp. The waiting slaves, initially curious, gradually beca intrigued by the ga. Many resolved to work harder at the construction site to be chosen next ti and participate in what sounded like an exciting ga.
From that day on, the progress of various projects in Andolara accelerated significantly.
For the older Lucanian citizens, however, it was destined to be a sleepless night.
For example, Arsinis couldn’t forget how his parents had been killed by Lucanians.
Yet, during the ga, when his Lucanian teammates repeatedly blocked opponents to help him score a touchdown, he couldn’t help but embrace them in excitent, montarily forgetting his hatred.
But upon returning ho and reflecting, his heart was filled with deep conflict.
This was the charm of modern team sports from Juleios’ past life.
When individuals are imrsed in a collective effort and achieve victory through unity, past grievances and conflicts are often swept away by the joy of victory.
This was precisely why Juleios insisted on integrating five Lucanian slaves into each team.
The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Juleios was preparing to inspect the carpenters’ progress on building a waterwheel when Asistes rushed in.
"What happened?!" Juleios imdiately asked.
"Konogorata... Konogorata has been expelled from Thurii. He’s now leading his family and clansn toward Andolara!" Asistes said, panting heavily.
"What?!" Juleios was shocked.
It turned out that after the alliance agreent was signed, Konogorata had proposed a new trade plan to replenish the depleted state treasury.
To prepare, he ordered an investigation into Thurii’s financial situation.
While the investigation was underway, rumors began spreading in Thurii:
"Kunogorata was the one who rushed the decision to battle the Lucanians. At the ti, both Phrynis and the rcenary leader opposed it strongly. Even the hero who saved Thurii, Juleios, had submitted a more feasible battle plan, but konogorata rejected it. Under his pressure, the veteran general Phrynis was forced into battle. The premature retreat led to the collapse of the central phalanx, and Phrynis died heroically..."
With the help of those fanning the flas, the rumor quickly spread throughout the city. Since parts of it were true, grieving families of the fallen sought to confirm the details.
Selectively believing the factual elents, they turned their suppressed sorrow, once soothed by Juleios’ victory, into rage.
Kunogorata beca their perfect scapegoat.
The anger boiled over, and the citizens gathered, shouting slogans like: "Kunogorata, step down!" and "Punish Kunogorata!" They surrounded the city hall.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Kunogorata quietly slipped out of the hall’s back door and returned ho.
But soon after, angry citizens surrounded his residence.
Kunogorata urgently ordered his household and slaves to fortify the defenses to prevent the mob from breaking in. Standing inside the courtyard walls, he tried to address the crowd, explaining his actions.
As the standoff continued, soone shouted, "Don’t forget! It was Kunogorata who, after retreating to the city, ordered the gates to be closed, leaving fleeing citizens to die outside at the hands of the Lucanians!"
This reminder struck a chord, and many recalled Kunogorata’s panicked cries at the ti: "Close the gates!" While this decision had saved the city’s residents during the ergency, the furious crowd now focused only on the image of their loved ones slaughtered like lambs outside the walls.
Their feelings of helplessness and rage turned entirely toward the "culprit."
The situation escalated. The crowd attempted to storm Kunogorata’s residence, while those inside resisted desperately. The mob even brought battering rams and eventually smashed through the gates.
Countless enraged citizens poured into the courtyard. Kunogorata narrowly escaped death by feigning it, with loyal slaves shielding him.
That day, the mob ransacked his ho like bandits. One of his sons was killed, a daughter was assaulted, and many family mbers and slaves were injured. Most of his family’s possessions were looted.
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