In the rear of the Town of Murmurs, the Hunters' Camp wasn't as engulfed in the flames of war as the town itself, but the oppressive atmosphere brought by the Black Tide was omnipresent.
Patrolling gladiators wore solemn expressions, and the air was thick with the smell of disinfectants and blood.
Avidia had just finished assisting with a round of defensive fortifications on the camp's perimeter. His short blonde hair was soaked with sweat, and a trace of exhaustion lingered between his brows, yet he still maintained the upright posture of a proud gladiator.
He chose to stay behind in the rear not out of cowardice, but to follow Augusta's strategic deployment—ensuring the main camp was absolutely secure was equally crucial.
Although he inwardly desired to compete fairly and squarely with Augusta while fighting the Divine King in the Town of Murmurs to prove who was more qualified to be crowned Hero King, he still fulfilled his duties with astonishing self-discipline.
However, there were always those unwilling to see this peace maintained.
Two middle-aged noblemen with vastly different temperaments found him.
One was the arrogant-looking Falco; the other was Herculous, who wore a slick smile and tried to mediate the atmosphere.
They were both once gladiators born from the arena and the battlefield, but now they had become mouthpieces for the Senate.
"Avidia," Falco cut straight to the chase, his tone carrying undisguised nitpicking. "Guarding the backyard for Governor Augusta so diligently? How truly touching."
The hand Avidia was using to wipe the sweat from his forehead paused slightly. His blue eyes looked at the newcomers, and his tone was perfectly calm: "Lord Falco, Lord Herculous, the safety of the camp concerns the foundation of the frontline. It is not some trivial matter. May I ask what advice you two have come to offer?"
Falco sneered. He stepped forward and lowered his voice a bit, though his words became even more grating: "Advice? Avidia, forgive my bluntness, but you probably still don't understand your current situation!"
Avidia frowned slightly: "Oh? Why don't you speak more plainly, My Lord."
"Hmph!" Falco snorted coldly. "The Senate's patience is far less generous than you imagine! The Town of Murmurs is the true stage, the place where heroes make their name!"
"That should have been the arena where you shine brilliantly! Yet you willingly cower here, handling these inconsequential chores for that woman? Your performance is far from outstanding!"
He took another step closer, his tone taking on a threat: "If you cannot produce outstanding achievements comparable to past legends once again, the Senate... might have to re-evaluate who is truly worth supporting to become the real Hero King!"
Without waiting for Avidia to respond, Falco lowered his voice even further, carrying a trace of sinister coldness: "Moreover, merely performing outstandingly is not enough. That woman Augusta, relying on the backing of that arrogant and conceited foreigner, is pushing forward those tradition-destroying reforms. Her lust for power grows day by day."
"The Senate needs you in the rear... to create some 'little troubles' for her at the right times."
The smile on Herculous's face next to him remained unchanged, but his eyes were full of profound meaning.
Falco continued: "For example, delaying material dispatches for a brief moment, ignoring some of her priority requests in personnel deployment, or... when she suffers a setback on the frontline, letting some 'dissenting voices' ring out in the camp."
"Very simple, isn't it? As long as she appears to be making faulty decisions and showing poor command, her authority will naturally collapse. The Senate will remember your contributions and fully support you to replace her."
Avidia's face instantly darkened. He hadn't expected the other party to make such a despicable request.
He suddenly straightened his posture, flames of anger burning in his golden eyes. His voice was resolute and decisive, carrying an unquestionable sense of justice: "Watch your words, Lord Falco!"
"I thirst for the glory of the Hero King! I thirst to defeat Augusta on a fair battlefield to prove myself!"
"But my, Avidia's, glory is fought for with real swords and spears in the arena, not earned by playing underhanded tricks behind someone's back at the expense of the lives of frontline warriors!"
His gaze was like a torch, sweeping over Falco and Herculous with immense confidence and a trace of haughtiness: "You want someone more obedient and docile than me, yet who still has sufficient qualifications and power to be competent for the position of a quasi-king? Hmph, I'm afraid that won't be any easier than finding a golden needle in the ocean!"
He took a step forward, his aura oppressive: "If I were you, at this moment when the Black Tide army is bearing down on the border and the survival of the Seven Hills hangs in the balance, I would choose to shut up and put away these laughable thoughts!"
"Don't forget, if the Seven Hills ceases to exist, all your Senate's ambitions and calculations will ultimately be nothing but illusions!"
Driven pale by his imposing manner and blunt words, Falco's breathing grew rapid, as if he still wanted to retort.
But Avidia didn't give him the chance, continuing sonorously and forcefully: "Allow me to remind you, back when I crossed the Bottom of Manes four times, the first time was forced by circumstances to save my companions, and the subsequent times were to fulfill my duty as a gladiator to protect the Seven Hills! That was loyalty and achievement forged with blood and fire!"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with anger: "If you, the noble lords of the Senate, treat the loyalty and glory I practice with my life and conviction as an ugly puppet show on an arena stage for your amusement, to be manipulated at will?"
"Then, this dirty cooperative relationship truly needs to be thoroughly re-evaluated immediately!"
"You... how dare you..." Falco trembled all over with anger, pointing a finger at Avidia. His face turned from pale to red. Suddenly, he let out a painful groan, staggered, and clutched his forehead. His eyes became unfocused and cloudy for a split second.
Herculous's expression changed slightly beside him, and he hurriedly stepped forward to support him: "Falco! What's wrong?!"
Avidia also frowned, carefully observing Falco's condition. As an experienced warrior, he immediately made a judgment: "...He probably accidentally came into contact with a Corroded Statue during his movements earlier. Looking at his agitated and abnormal behavior just now, his consciousness has very likely been slightly corrupted by the Black Tide."
In the corner of the camp, the Directional Anchor device responsible for monitoring the environment emitted a steady faint glow, indicating no large-scale Black Tide fluctuations in the vicinity for the time being.
Avidia glanced at the device and said to Herculous: "The Directional Anchor is almost properly set up; it can temporarily stabilize this area. Lord Herculous, please find a place to settle Falco first."
His gaze fell upon the groaning Falco again, a trace of complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Despite despising the man's character, his gladiator's sense of honor and respect for human life prevented him from sitting idly by.
"...This place isn't too far from the entrance to the Bottom of Manes," Avidia said in a deep voice. "I remember that the essence of the 'Wake-Truth Grass' that grows deep within the Bottom of Manes once helped me and my comrades regain our sanity from a similar Black Tide corruption in the past."
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