The other side.
In another city-state of Sparta, far away from Greece.
At this moment, outside the city-state of Sparta, the Spartan King Leonidas was slowly walking towards a place.
"Is this the warrior you found?"
King Leonidas of Sparta glanced at the more than a thousand hand-picked Spartans standing before him.
And the centurion of King Leonidas of Sparta simply nodded: "Yes, my king."
"In all of Sparta, there are no more brave and skilled soldiers than these."
King Leonidas of Sparta nodded and looked at the faces of the soldiers.
Every Spartan warrior here held his head high, as if accepting the inspection of their king.
Their eyes were wide open, as if they could pick up the two-meter-long spear at any time and start fighting immediately.
"I've been told that you are the strongest soldiers in Sparta!"
"Are you the strongest soldiers?"
As soon as the Spartan King Leonidas spoke, the more than a thousand people in front of him made a terrifying chorus that seemed to shake the earth.
"Oooooh! Oooooh! Oooooh!"
They shouted together, telling their king that they were the pride of Sparta.
The Spartan king Leonidas smiled, raising the corners of his mouth.
"My fellow Spartans! Warriors!"
"We gather here today to select a special team!"
"The mission is extremely dangerous, there is no return!"
"But it is moments like this that prove our worth and honor as Spartans!"
After King Leonidas of Sparta finished speaking, the warriors in front of him raised their heads higher and their chests swelled even more.
Apparently, they weren't afraid of it.
Because Spartan warriors believed that being able to die in battle was the highest honor of being a Spartan warrior.
Especially as a Spartan warrior, he died fighting against foreign enemies.
For them, this honor will be remembered forever.
"Now, I'm going to start selecting fighters!"
"If you have any of the following conditions, please step forward!"
"Those who have no children and at least one living sibling between the ages of 25 and 40!"
Dozens of soldiers immediately took a step forward in unison.
Most of the remaining people silently took a half step back. Although there was a hint of regret on their faces, no one showed any dissatisfaction or complaint.
King Leonidas of Sparta nodded in satisfaction.
"Now, warriors without children at home, take one step forward!"
More than twenty soldiers stepped forward. Most of them were young, but their eyes were equally determined.
The Spartan King Leonidas' gaze lingered on the group for a moment before continuing to issue orders.
"Even if you have children in your family, anyone under the age of seven should step back!"
Some soldiers retreated as ordered, with complicated expressions on their faces.
There is regret for not being able to go on the expedition with the king, and there is also concern for his young children.
While the Spartans took pride in fighting, they would not lightly abandon their family responsibilities.
The screening is still ongoing.
"If you have multiple children in your family and your eldest son is over 18 years old, please step forward!"
This time, nearly a hundred soldiers stepped forward.
Their ages range widely, but they have one thing in common.
That is, their family bloodline already has a reliable heir who can go to the battlefield without any worries.
King Leonidas of Sparta looked around at these qualified warriors, and his eyes began to change.
He knew very well that these soldiers would never have the chance to return to the city-state of Sparta.
They would die at Thermopylae.
Because the Spartan Parliament needed time to investigate, and even if they knew that what the Spartan King Leonidas said was true, they still needed time to prepare.
In other words, no matter what, the Spartan King Leonidas and his three hundred soldiers will hold their ground at Thermopylae.
Only in this way could they buy Sparta and the rest of the Greek federation valuable time to prepare for battle.
So, he just looked at these soldiers solemnly and fiercely.
The Spartan king Leonidas respected them, but at the same time, he also made sure that there was no fear in the hearts of these soldiers.
So, the Spartan king Leonidas began to march. He looked at the soldiers here one by one, and finally, he realized that all the soldiers were ready to die in battle.
So, he spoke.
"Spartan warriors!"
"I want to tell you that this time, our mission is extremely special!"
"We will face enemies that are several times, a hundred times, a thousand times, or even ten thousand times stronger than us!"
"There's a good chance we'll never be able to return to Spartan soil!"
"So, if you have elderly parents who need support, please step back!"
"If your wife is still young and can't handle the family responsibilities alone, step back!"
After hearing the words of Leonidas, the king of Sparta, more than a dozen soldiers retreated reluctantly.
Some of them even gritted their teeth as they retreated, feeling ashamed and regretful for not being able to follow the king.
One of the tall warriors' lips moved silently as he retreated.
"The King... The King!"
"Please let me follow you!"
Leonidas, the Spartan king, simply came to his side and looked him in the eyes.
When the gaze of King Leonidas of Sparta focused on him, the warrior continued to hold his head high.
"Your mother needs someone to take care of her."
"I can't choose you, kid."
The tall warrior suddenly began to tremble all over, as if he had been struck by an electric current.
His lips twitched slightly, but he simply raised his voice with all his strength.
"Yes! King!"
The Spartan King Leonidas patted him on the shoulder. At this moment, those warriors who remained in place and met the requirements began to become more and more excited.
Their breathing became faster and faster, and they seemed to be able to see this glory coming to them soon.
King Leonidas of Sparta continued to raise his voice.
"Spartans!"
"Now, there are only 350 fighters left!"
"And I only need three hundred people!"
Then, King Leonidas of Sparta walked up to the warriors and scanned each one's eyes one by one.
"Those who were not selected today were not because of lack of ability, but because of fate!"
"Thermopylae needs three hundred warriors, not three hundred and one or three hundred and fifty!"
"Today! There is no absolute fairness, only choices!"
The remaining warriors swallowed hard and continued with their current actions.
"Yes! King!"
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