The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 706: Volume Twenty: Wolf in the Mediterranean - Thirteen: Makeup Entrance

Chapter 706: Volume Twenty: Wolf in the Mediterranean Chapter Thirteen: Makeup Entrance

After the sixth day, the Olympia competition began to focus on several of the most eye-catching events. Besides the marathon, which can be considered a strong point for the Corinthians, horse racing is the advantage of the Iberians, while chariot racing and gladiatorial combat have always been the super strengths of the Spartans. For many years, it seems no one has been able to shake their dominance in these two events. However, this time, it appears that the situation has changed.

An emerging force, the team from Piraeus City-State, presented direct challengers to the Spartans in both chariot racing and gladiatorial combat. When that expressionless, cold-looking man drove the Mysterious Iron Chariot, pulled by a Horse as black as a Ghost, into the Grand Arena, he immediately captured the attention of all spectators.

Although there were still countless people hoping that this mysterious man was just a pillow with embroidered patterns, relying on appearance for hype, the cruel reality quickly shattered their dreams. The Mysterious Iron Chariot swept through the entire field with thunderous momentum. A Corinthian Chariot attempting to block the Mysterious Iron Chariot to help its teammate win was even directly hit by a javelin thrown by the racer on the Mysterious Iron Chariot, breaking the carriage pole, resulting in the Corinthian racer dying on the spot in the arena.

Although such incidents are not uncommon in chariot racing, breaking a thick carriage pole with just one javelin requires such formidable Power that it sent a chill down the spine of all racers. The only ones who could compete with the Piraeus’ Mysterious Iron Chariot were two Spartan chariots. While they deliberately avoided a direct confrontation with the Mysterious Iron Chariot, they always maintained a reasonable distance and conserved their Power, ready to sprint at any moment.

"Slupig, where did this guy come from? The origins of his Mysterious Iron Chariot are really mysterious. I’ve never heard of Piraeus having such exquisite and luxurious Items. If they had, those showy and boastful Piraeus people would definitely not keep it a secret. There’s something fishy about this." A man in a robe adorned with brilliant gold trim spoke with an indignant yet anxious expression, "Those damn Piraeus people, what do they want to do? Do they really want to challenge our Spartan status at the Olympia festivities?"

"Father, haven’t you always hoped that all countries and cities in the Southern Mediterranean Region would take the Olympia festivities seriously? Their sending their best athletes to compete is proof of their regard for these events that we host, which is a good thing. The Piraeus people have experienced rapid economic development in the past few years. Perhaps they have acquired the financial strength to cultivate and attract foreign talents. This could incite other countries and cities to strive for superiority in this arena, which is also beneficial for raising the level of the next Olympia festival. Otherwise, it would always be just us Spartans and Corinthians playing the main roles, which would indeed be too lonely." The distinguished man sitting next to the elder in luxurious clothing looked majestic and spirited, with a Crystal clear knight spear beside him, obviously no ordinary item, his lips revealing a proud demeanor taht showed he was not concerned about his father’s worries.

"Slupig, don’t underestimate our allies. If it was only a single outstanding performance in one event, I wouldn’t be so alarmed, but their performance is simply too excellent. Look at the guy driving the Mysterious Iron Chariot. I dare say that the entire Southern Mediterranean could not find two workshops that have the manufacturing level of this one chariot. Where did the Piraeus people get such a thing from? And the charioteer, his sharp thrust earlier, directly shattered the Ironwood carriage pole of the Corinthians; isn’t that Power alone enough to alarm us? And look at their performance in the gladiatorial contest Yesterday, where they actually had three men beat the Iberian Kingdom and Severo Kingdom athletes, advancing to the next round. This would have been unimaginable before, but now it’s happening before us. Isn’t this enough to prove that there’s a problem?"

The elder in luxurious clothing was much more cautious than his son, considering broader and deeper issues. Although his son was a disciple of Martial Saint Aristotle, unquestionable in Martial arts, he was still too naive in politics. The air exuded by Piraeus people not only overwhelmed other countries and City-states but directly threatened the Spartan’s position within the Corinth City-state Alliance. "Seapower to Corinth, land Power to Sparta." This balance of power has been maintained in the Southern Mediterranean Region for many years. The Iberians have always attempted to shake the stability of their kingdom but never succeeded. Now, with the Barbarians’ relentless attacks, they had to stoop to pleading for help, but they did not expect the Piraeus, driven by shipping and trade, to suddenly display their Power. This was indeed hard for him to accept.

The words of the elder in luxurious clothing made the proud and handsome man’s expression become much more solemn as he pondered the deeper meanings of his father’s words. Piraeus and Sparta didn’t have any particular entanglements of interest, on the contrary, due to Piraeus’s falling out with the Dwarves’ Kingdom of Severo over the desecration of the Giganthia Temple, they were often in need of assistance from the Kingdom of Sparta. In the Corinth City-state Alliance, aside from Corinth, Sparta was the most influential, and Piraeus had always had a bad relationship with Corinth due to competitive reasons. Corinth certainly wouldn’t offend the two Elf cities in the alliance that had close relations with the Severo Kingdom on account of Piraeus. This made Piraeus incapable of putting significant pressure on the Severo Kingdom regarding the long-standing issue, especially as both sides were a considerable distance apart. It was neither realistic nor possible for Piraeus to provoke a war with Severo Kingdom over this issue.

The Piraeus people had always hoped for a decent opportunity to step down, but for some reason, the stubborn Dwarves were unwilling to compromise, and members of the alliance, including Sparta and Corinth, also seemed to have little interest in mediating the conflict between the two parties. This only intensified the Piraeus people’s sense of being undervalued within the alliance.

"But father, what’s the point of the Piraeus people acting this way? To overpower Corinth, to undermine Corinthian prestige and influence among the coastal city-states, and to replace Corinth as the dominator of Corinthia Bay? Or to demonstrate to us Spartans and other nation-cities that their power on land is not to be underestimated?"

The thoughtful expression on Slupig’s face pleased the elder in ornate clothing, as his son had not become completely submerged in individual power. Wisdom was the key to guiding a kingdom towards prosperity, while individual power was, after all, just an icing on the cake.

"We cannot yet be certain, but if the Piraeus people really just wanted to expand their influence and improve their image, they have already done so. Look at the genuine respect and amazement that the representatives around us are showing towards the Piraeus people. I’m afraid that this Olympia festival has essentially turned into a stage performance for the Piraeus people, who have come prepared and are now reaping the most benefits. However, I am concerned that they may have more schemes up their sleeves," said the elder in ornate clothing with some worry.

"Father, what else do you think they could do? Does this man named Uma really want to challenge Miss Helena? If so, he is courting death. Miss Helena has been guided by our Master, and even I do not dare to underestimate the edge of her Green River Sword Qi. I can confidently say that even Miss Helena’s own Master, Miss Klepper, may not match Miss Helena’s mastery of Sword Qi. I have full confidence in Miss Helena. As for those few Piraeus competitors who managed to squeak into the rematch, let’s see if they can get past the next round. They shouldn’t think that just because they have reached the realm of externalizing Fighting Qi, they can do whatever they want. If necessary, I think Kaiserlon might give them a good lesson. If I’m in a bad mood, I’m quite willing to give them a profound teaching."

Believing that his father might be overestimating the opponent, Slupig’s pride began to seep through again. With Helena, who had been instructed by his own Master, and the heavenly horses of Divine Mount Olympus as their support, the figure shrouded in darkness in front of them, although strong, would not be able to hope to overturn the glory that had belonged to Spartans for so many years. In a sporting event that concerned the dignity of the entire kingdom, Slupig absolutely could not tolerate other country and city racers’ names being engraved upon the laurel crown of eternal Spartan glory.

As the Spartan king and his son watched with conflicted feelings, Komer and Xerob, along with their group, sat unobtrusively in the stands, watching the scene unfold before them. The competition had reached its climax; two snow-white horses, leading a Silver-Chariot, alternately clung closely to the lead of the Black Iron Chariot. It was clear that the Black Iron Chariot, which had not given any opportunities, was still in full control of the situation, maintaining its lead. As the race grew shorter, other city-states’ racers had been left far behind, leaving only three chariots still fiercely vying for the lead.

The two Silver Chariots featuring the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sparta began to exert force, and the racers’ hands moved toward the javelins inserted behind the chariot’s side panels. These were the standard weapons of racers, and according to regulations, throwing javelins at each other during the race was permitted. Though attacking racers directly was not advocated, if a javelin happened to hit a racer causing injury or death during the high-speed competition, it would not be considered a foul.

(To be continued. For more on how the story unfolds, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM. There are more Chapters, support the author, support authorized reading!)