The sound of war drums faded, replaced by the deep, resonant blare of bullhorns.
The Blue Team players, in a loose formation, began their own frenzied dance. Their movents were wild and unrestrained, at tis accompanied by sharp cries of "Ah! Ah!"—primitive, savage, and stirring the blood of all who watched.
When the horns finally ceased and both teams lined up, bowing solemnly to the audience, the cheers inside the arena thundered without end.
Teos was utterly captivated by this novel, never-before-seen opening ceremony, so much so that he did not even hear Dikpolis’s words clearly.
"Teos, which team do you want to win?"
"The Blue Team!" Teos answered without hesitation, his eyes still drawn by the primal ferocity of their war dance.
"You actually want the Lucanians to win?!" Dikpolis was surprised.
"The Blue Team is from Niritum?!" Teos suddenly realized, no wonder their dance was so different.
"There’s a notice with match information posted at the arena entrance. You didn’t look?" Dikpolis said with emphasis. "I’m supporting Andolara! Plenty of its citizens are from Crete—including so of my friends (he ant the soldiers from the 1st Legion’s 7th Battalion)."
At that mont, the players turned to face the VIP stands. Amid the deafening roar of the crowd, Teos saw a figure rise from the honored seats.
"That’s Davos, the sole lifelong Archon of the Dionian League!" Dikpolis spoke with both reverence and a trace of envy.
Teos felt the sa. He too had a strong urge to one day et this legendary man, favored by the gods, face to face.
Davos raised his right hand and gave a downward wave.
The sharp blasts of brass horns rang out—the match had begun.
"Lord Davos, even more people ca to watch this afternoon than in the morning," Mariji reported excitedly. "According to the guards at the gates, many are foreign rchants. It seems your plan—to use these grand athletic contests to draw wealthy n from surrounding city-states to Thurii—can definitely succeed!"
lsis was equally thrilled: "I just walked around outside the arena. The beer, fruit water, and dried fruits are nearly sold out! Even sun hats and linen cushions are selling fast!"
"It’s mainly because rugby is simply too fascinating!" said Kunogolata, the governor of Thurii and one of the chief organizers of the tournant. Following Davos’s instructions, he had overseen preparations across organization, publicity, security, and the gas themselves. To see the sport he helped promote explode with such popularity filled him with delight. "Lord Davos, I think rugby matches should be held regularly—and with ticket sales, just like the theater."
"Would the ticket money go to the state treasury?" lsis asked quickly.
"Of course. But a portion must go toward paying the players and compensating those who are injured, to encourage more citizens to join in. The rest will be used to build more arenas—in Andolara, in Niritum... Kunogolata, Cornelius, Mariji, Alexius, lsis—you five will form a Rugby Committee. Work out how best to expand this sport, how to attract more foreigners to watch, and create a detailed plan to implent quickly. In ti, once the sport spreads throughout Magna Graecia, we can hold a Great Magna Graecian Rugby Gas, inviting city-states across the region to send teams!"
Davos’s words electrified them. In Greece, four great gas held enormous prestige: the Olympic Gas in Elis, the oldest and most sacred, in honor of Zeus, with Olympia’s temple being a holy site (one of the Seven Wonders); the Isthmian Gas at Corinth, honoring Poseidon; the Pythian Gas at Delphi, honoring Apollo; and the Nean Gas at Argos, also for Zeus. Athens, too, held the Panathenaic Festival for Athena, blending athletics with music, poetry, and drama. Whenever such festivals took place, all of Greece’s notables gathered, and the host city basked in glory.
If rugby developed as Davos envisioned, then hosting a grand Pan-Magna Graecian Rugby Festival in honor of Hades would not only raise the Dionian League’s prestige but also immortalize the nas of its founders and win divine favor.
As he saw their eyes glaze and their breathing quicken, Davos guessed their thoughts—and his own mind soared. In his past life, Roman gladiatorial gas had dominated the diterranean. But his Dionian League had no need for such bloody, cruel, inhumane spectacles. They could still entertain the masses, stir martial spirit, and do it better. Besides rugby, perhaps... basketball? No, too hard to craft proper balls with current skills... Football, maybe. He would ask the leatherworker Tolicas to try making one...
"Score! A touchdown! Tegtinos did it!" cried Amintas and Martonis, toasting each other with excitent as they watched.
"Go get another jar of beer," Amintas ordered his servant.
"Master, the beer outside is sold out. There’s none left."
"What?!" Amintas turned indignantly. "Lord Davos, your beer is excellent, but you brew far too little!"
Davos gave a wry smile. It seed his brewery would need expansion. That thought reminded him of another matter.
"Gentlen!" he said loudly. "You may have heard—my wife recently purchased the marshland with hot springs north of Thurii."
Burcos nodded first. As agricultural officer, he himself had handled the transaction. At the ti, he even advised Cristoya against it: the area sward with mosquitoes, its land was useless for farming or building, apart from a few pools of hot spring water. A waste of money, he had said.
"I intend to build a great public bathhouse there," Davos continued, "to attract rchants from Magna Graecia and our own citizens to bathe and relax. But it will require draining and filling marshes, redirecting the Tino River, building pools... a large investnt. Who among you is willing to join ?"
Bathing?! Greeks of this age lacked the fondness for hot baths that Romans of later tis would enjoy. Their habits were simpler—when dirty, they rubbed olive oil over their bodies, scraped it off with a tool, and rinsed. Many senators wavered at the idea.
But Mariji, who had tasted the luxuries of Persia, shouted first: "I will! I’ll invest!" He knew well Davos’s business genius—from Cristoya’s bank, to restaurants, to breweries.
"I will too!" lsis added eagerly.
"I’ll put in so as well," said Kunogolata, followed by Cornelius.
"We’re in too!" declared Silos, Martonis, Amintas, Antonius, Alexius—forr rcenary leaders who trusted Davos blindly.
A few Thurian senators, like Burcos and Anxitanos, contributed small sums in support. But others, such as Polyxenus and Enanilus, made it clear they doubted the venture.
Ironically, senators from Andolara like Scombras and Stronboli, who had also doubted, chose to back Davos simply because the Thurians did not.
Vespa knew nothing of comrce, but as a weak minority in the Senate, he understood his survival ant following Davos.
What began as Davos’s business proposal—to tie senators’ interests to his own and raise funds—ended as a revelation of where each senator’s loyalties truly lay.
On the field, Teos could not look away. The match was dazzling, far beyond his imagination.
At first, he thought this rugby resembled a Spartan stone-ball tossing ga, but now he knew it was incomparable.
Though Dikpolis supported Andolara’s Red Team, Teos found himself deep down yearning for Niritum’s Blue Team to win. Yet the score was already 3–0, with Niritum trailing.
Teos grew anxious, silently cheering them on.
Now it was Blue Team’s turn to attack. But the Red Team played with greater unity and tactical sense. They cut off passing routes, cornered the ball carrier near the sideline, and two defenders closed in. With no room to escape, the Blue player hurled the ball backward just before being tackled.
The quarterback reacted quickly, catching it on the run. Imdiately, two Red players sward him.
"Damn!" Teos cried.
But the Blue quarterback leapt forward, using his powerful fra to smash aside a charging Red defender, then launched the ball with all his strength—
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