Chapter 61: A Gauntlet of GladiatorsIt took only a few quick conversations for Quintus to work his way into the research teams and training schedule at the Colosseum. After all, there was no one to countermand his orders. Although that wasn’t the only reason they were followed. The Legionnaires in charge of managing the place were eager to have their Primus Pilus volunteer to help with their experimentation. And to watch the show that would certainly ensue.Soon, Quintus found himself standing at one end of the arena, his spear held at the ready. In the audience sat hundreds of Legionnaires who had been lucky enough to be on leave during the event—and perhaps a few that he suspected were shirking their duties.Despite the quantity of men, they barely filled a small fraction of the available seating. The amphitheater still looked positively empty from his vantage point. Perhaps one day, their numbers would swell to the point that even this structure couldn’t contain them all. But today was not that day.The air around the arena seemed to shimmer for a moment as an invisible barrier settled into place, locking him inside. He settled into a defensive stance. From everything they’d seen so far, the challenges put forth by the arena seemed to scale to both the number and strength of those who stepped inside. With the exception of the kraken incident, of course. That had apparently been a monster that took up residence in the place when it was underwater.The challenges set before them were almost always less dangerous than they first appeared. They’d only lost a few Legionnaires sent in to fight. Non-legionnaires died and were defeated at a much higher rate, though. Still, there was no telling what it might send against an individual combatant like (...)