Davos’s address drew thunderous applause. The players, blood boiling with adrenaline, joined the spectators outside the pitch in belting out the Hymn of Hades. Once the anthem faded, the teams made their hasty exits, and the rugby tournament officially commenced.

According to the new tournament regulations, the eight participating teams were divided into Groups A and B. Last year’s champion and runner-up, Thurii and Amendolara, were designated as seeded teams and placed in separate groups, while the remaining teams drew lots to determine their placement.

Group A ultimately consisted of Thurii, Nerulum, Crimisa, and Grumentum. Group B included Amendolara, Laos, Castellum, and Aprustum.

The two groups would compete in a single round-robin format. A win earned one point, a loss zero, with no draws permitted; teams with tied scores would be ranked based on their head-to-head record. The top two teams from each group would advance to the knockout stage to determine the final champion.

To ensure a spectacular opening, Davos specifically selected Thurii vs. Nerulum as the inaugural match—a clash of near-equal strength guaranteed to seize the audience’s attention.

When the Thurii and Nerulum squads marched back onto the field, the stadium erupted. The majority of the spectators were Thurians, naturally cheering for their home team, while the Lucanians roared their support for Nerulum. Amidst the din, two names were chanted most frequently: Tagertinos and Lizaru. One was a running back of immense physique and raw power; the other, agile and fleet-footed. Both were the celebrated scorers of their respective teams.

In the stands, Bagulos watched with burning envy. He shouted at the top of his lungs, punching the air and stomping his feet, completely abandoning the grave dignity expected of a Senate statesman. Had he not recently been appointed the Chief Administrator of Grumentum—burdened with heavy duties and left with no time to train—he would never have resigned himself to being a mere spectator.

Beside him, Axistes noticed his agitation and teased, “You are the Chief Administrator of Grumentum now; you ought to be supporting the Grumentum team. Nerulum is your city’s main rival for a spot in the knockout round. You should be hoping they lose.”

Bagulos glared at him, then actually fell into a conflicted silence.

The referee blew the whistle, and the match officially began.

Despite Theonia’s rugby matches having already gained fame throughout Magna Graecia, the people of Croton—a powerhouse of athletics—had previously dismissed them with disdain. Yet, as the game unfolded, the distinguished Croton guests found themselves captivated by the ferocious collisions and intense confrontations. Even Ascamas, the Croton general and naval commander who had been mocking the event earlier, ceased his ridicule.

The rigorous organization, the rational rules, and the unique nature of this ball game—unmatched in this era—combined with the heart-pounding action on the field, shook the general, who in his youth had represented Croton multiple times in the four great Pan-Hellenic games.

“I never imagined rugby was a sport like this!” Ascamas exclaimed in admiration. “It is far more intriguing than that stone-tossing game the Spartans play by themselves. Very interesting indeed. It is well-suited for us Crotoniates!”

“Why is that?” someone beside him asked.

“Look. There are many men on the field, and while it appears chaotic, it fundamentally boils down to two actions: attacking and blocking the attack,” Ascamas analyzed with reasoned confidence, pointing at the field. “To achieve these ends, the participating players must possess immense strength and blistering speed, and they must fear no collision. These are precisely the traits Croton athletes excel in!”

Ascamas’s haughty declaration elicited nods of agreement from the surrounding Crotoniates. Croton’s athletes had long dominated wrestling and boxing; they possessed abundant experience in training for strength and explosive power.

“When we return, we must persuade the Assembly to let Crotoniates begin practicing rugby. Next year, we shall participate in this tournament and defeat these Theonian teams!” Ascamas swept his gaze over the cheering Theonian crowd, a hidden fire of anger burning in his eyes.

Just then, Tagertinos of Team Thurii hugged the ball and charged through for a touchdown. The stadium thundered with applause, making Ascamas’s heart itch with competitive desire.

“Lord Ascamas is right! We will participate next year and crush the Theonians!” several Crotoniates chimed in, united by a shared animosity. To be surpassed by the Theonians felt stifling to these proud men; like Ascamas, they yearned to reclaim their dignity on the field and prove the superiority of Croton.

Listening to his companions’ discussion, Lysias frowned. His mind was not entirely captured by the game; instead, he was pondering deeper issues.

Greece had four great traditional games and the Mediterranean-renowned Panathenaic Games. Athletes from the city-states of Magna Graecia participated enthusiastically—far more actively than their counterparts in the coastal cities of Asia Minor—and consistently performed with distinction at every Olympiad. Yet, Magna Graecia itself lacked an influential sporting event. The sports-loving Crotoniates had once attempted to host games solely for the Italian city-states, but the endeavor had failed. Croton lacked sufficient influence to garner recognition, and long-standing conflicts of interest between city-states prevented any consensus. It remained a lingering regret for the people of Croton.

Now, however, Theonia’s rugby tournament—though merely a single sporting event—had encompassed so many cities of Magna Graecia and appeared to be attracting even more… Lysias could faintly discern the silhouette of a regional Pan-Hellenic festival taking shape.

Was this a coincidence? Or was it Theonia’s deliberate design?

Lysias gazed at the back of Davos in the front row. Through their interactions over the past two days, this seemingly mild-mannered young Archon had given him an impression of unfathomable depth. In just a few short months, Theonia had not only stabilized the situation in the newly occupied Aprustum and Crimisa but was rumored to have recently seized a major city in the Lucanian region—Grumentum.

Meanwhile, the Assembly of Croton was still arguing endlessly over whether the original inhabitants of the newly incorporated Aprustum should receive full citizenship, and how to redistribute the land in the Croton plain ravaged by war.

Initially, Lysias had hoped to weather this difficult period and then lead Croton’s resurgence. But after increasing contact with Theonia, comparing the rapidly developing league against a stagnant Croton, Lysias was on the verge of losing faith. If this continues, Croton will be left far behind in the dust of Theonia.

He was anxious, yet helpless. The democratic system of Croton had always been this way. He had studied why Theonia’s governance was so efficient, but realized those methods were impossible to implement in Croton. Sometimes, he found himself thinking: Perhaps joining the South Italian League was the only thing Croton did right.

Hearing the boasts of Ascamas and the others, Lysias laughed internally at their naivety. Even if Croton sends a team next year, so what if they defeat Theonia? Win or lose, Theonia is the ultimate victor.

***

On the third day, while the rugby tournament continued in full swing, the envoy from Elea, Kanios, was granted an audience with Davos.

The young Archon received him with great warmth. Having gained a deeper understanding of the Theonian League over the past two days, Kanios set aside his initial reserve and stiffness, engaging in a friendly conversation.

Davos listened attentively as Kanios described the predicament Elea currently faced, and in turn, gathered intelligence from Kanios regarding the Campania region and the Samnites. The conversation flowed pleasantly, and the conclusion came naturally: a treaty of alliance was reached. Elea formally joined the Theonian League.

After signing the alliance agreement, the string that had been pulled taut in the depths of Kanios’s heart finally relaxed. Davos gave a solemn promise: should any power dare to invade Elea, Theonia would immediately dispatch troops to aid its ally and repel the enemy.

At the same time, Davos subtly implied that when Theonia eventually took action in the Lucanian region, he hoped Elea would actively cooperate.

Kanios agreed without hesitation. He realized with joy that the nightmare which had plagued Elea for decades finally had a hope of resolution. The feeling of having a powerful force at one’s back was truly reassuring.

As Kanios walked out of the reception hall, his mood remained buoyant. Then, he saw a man walking toward him, smiling and waving.

Why is Cipros here?

Kanios returned the greeting, but a seed of suspicion took root in his mind.

***

“My Lord, since we have already allied with Elea, do we still need to speak with the envoys from Pyxous, Potentia, and Garaguso?” Aristocrates asked curiously.

“What is your view?” Davos watched Kanios’s retreating figure, feeling quite relaxed. Elea’s entry into the alliance felt like another step closer to the goal of unifying Lucania.

“I think… we should seize the opportunity while Pyxous and Potentia are weakened, and while they are yet unaware that Elea has joined us. If we launch a sudden attack, we could easily capture either of their territories!” Having followed Davos for so long, Aristocrates had learned something of the art of maximizing gain with minimal casualties.

But Davos shook his head gently, disagreeing. “Your tactic of a surprise attack is indeed sound. But it is not suitable to implement at this time.”

“Why, My Lord?” Aristocrates asked urgently, unconvinced.

“Yesterday, when Bagulos and Axistes came to report on the situation in Grumentum, you were there and heard it. The situation in Grumentum is not optimistic. Conflicts break out frequently between the tribes, and several times they have nearly escalated into small-scale battles…”

Davos’s expression remained calm as he continued, “Grumentum is different from Nerulum. It lies in the center of the Lucanian region, with numerous tribes of complex origins, surrounded by enemies. To stabilize Grumentum and its surrounding areas, Bagulos and the others will need to toil for at least a year or two before those Lucanians truly identify with us and accept our governance. If we rashly attack other regions now and an accident occurs, the turmoil in Grumentum could very likely repeat the tragedy of Thurii…”