Samurai: The disciplined warrior class of Feudal Japan known for their skill in Bushido and Kendo...

(A samurai slashes twice into an opponent before decapitating the man.)

vs.

Roman Centurion: The brutal battlefield commander who marched on the front lines as the Roman Empire conquered most of the known ancient western world.

(A Centurion tackles a Gallic warrior to the ground with his scutum before stabbing him in the throat with his gladius.)

WHO IS DEADLIEST?

To find out, we've assembled a team of world class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21st century science, we'll see what happens when two warriors go toe to toe.

No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is...THE DEADLIEST WARRIOR!

During their last battles both warriors were soundly defeated by their respective opponents...

(The samurai is stabbed beneath his clavicle by the Knight's broadsword and is forced to his knees before collapsing face first into the dirt.)

...but now, each warrior will be given a chance for redemption and will face off in a one-on-one confrontation.

(The wounded Centurion is finished off when the Mongol brings his flanged mace down on top of his helmeted head, crushing his skull and sending blood running from his ears, eyes and mouth.)

Here in our elite fight club we have gathered doctors, medical scientists and weapons experts to test out the lethal arsenals wielded by each of our combatants to determine who would win a fight between two warriors who never met in a face to face duel:

Samurai

Circa: 1550 A.D.

Height: 5' 3"

Weight: 135 lbs.

Armor:

Kabuto

Do-maru

Roman Centurion

Circa: 120 A.D.

Height: 5' 8"

Weight: 170 lbs.

Armor:

Lorica Segmentata

Galea

Iron Greaves

Scutum

"The last time we saw both these warriors, things weren't looking very good for either of them," Geoff started, "but now things will be different. One of them will be given the chance to avenge his loss in a different battle."

"These two men were among the most well-trained and disciplined of their respective eras. It's definitely going to be an interesting match up to watch," Mack seconded.

"The Samurai is an intelligent, calculative warrior who is very well fed and trained daily and in various conditions. The Centurion was also very physically fit and well-trained, needing to be both in order to rise to his rank in the first place. They were the best of the best," Dr. Dorian concluded.

"As always, we need to review their weapons data first," Geoff spoke.

The Samurai came into battle with an assortment of sharp, steel weaponry that sliced through all who opposed him:

Short Range: Katana

Mid-Range: Naginata

Long Range: Yumi

Special Weapon: Wakizashi

Likewise, the brutal Roman conqueror came equipped with his own deadly cache of steel weaponry that painted the European continent red with the blood of his enemies for centuries:

Short Range: Gladius

Mid-Range: Pilum

Long Range: Plumbata

Special Weapon: Dolabra

For short range combat both warriors came into battle with influential blades that helped shaped the course of combat on their respective continents for centuries to come, the katana for the Samurai and the gladius for the Centurion.

The panel starts out by reviewing the tape of each weapon in action and offers their insights.

"This decision will be more difficult than I inspected because I normally thought of the katana to be a slashing weapon, yet I was impressed by its ability to puncture the Knight's steel breastplate. I'm giving it to the katana on this one," Geoff started.

"While I saw what the katana was able to do, I'm going to have to disagree," Dr. Dorian countered, "The samurai's armor possesses more weaker points than the Centurion's, plus the Samurai will have the scutum to get around. Edge Centurion."

The tiebreaker fell down to Mack.

"I have to side with the good doctor on this one. The gladius is a weapon designed mainly for stabbing and the Samurai's armor has more weaker points. I also look at how the sword is when paired with the scutum. Edge Centurion."

In short range weapons, the Roman Centurion takes the edge with the gladius.

Both warriors possessed deadly mid-range weapons to keep their foes at a distance. It will be the Samurai's naginata going up against the Centurion's pilum.

In the fight club Hank stood with the naginata ready whereas Jerry had the pilum.

"We want to see what your mid-range weapons will do against a different kind of armor. To help us out we once again bring out the attack bot, this one outfitted in the Centurion's lorica segmentata. Hank, you will go first," Geoff spoke.

Hank nodded and got into position.

"Hank, are you ready?"

"Let's do this," he replied.

"Release the attack bot!"

The attack bot came charging forth and Hank waited for his inanimate adversary to draw closer before stepping out and swinging the naginata into its covered chest, resulting in a jarring 'clang' that left a huge dent in the surface.

Dr. Dorian made his way over to assess the damage, "Your naginata failed to penetrate the surface and further more, I'm not even detecting enough blunt force trauma to break a rib."

"Well we're going to see if the pilum can do any better. You're up next Jerry," Geoff called out.

Jerry nodded and got into position.

"Jerry, are you ready?"

The weapons tester replied with an enthusiastic shout.

"Release the attack bot!"

An attack bot outfitted in the samurai's do-maru came charging at Jerry, who shot the pilum out and stabbed it into the armored surface. With the bot brought to a halt, Jerry pulled the spear out and ran back a few paces before flinging the pilum towards the bot, the Roman spear becoming lodged in the Japanese armor.

Dr. Dorian walked over and pulled out the pilum before assessing the damage, "I am seeing thanks to the pyramidal head you managed to achieve penetration with each blow, but not much. For the most part these are just merely flesh wounds that will hurt an enemy, but not kill him."

Both mid-range weapons have shown off their capabilities, but where do our panelists stand?

"I was thinking this would be a close, if not even match up, but in the end the pilum managed to accomplish more, therefore it gets my edge," Geoff started.

"Even if it didn't accomplish as much as we would have liked it to, it still did more than expected therefore I also give the pilum my edge," Dr. Dorian seconded.

"The pilum has more flexibility as it can be used as both a spear for up close combat and a projectile for ranged combat, edge pilum," Mack concluded.

In mid-range weapons, the Roman Centurion takes the edge with the pilum.

When the battle went to a distance both warriors were equipped with trusty projectiles, the Samurai's yumi versus the Roman Centurion's plumbata weighted dart.

The panelists review the tapes of both weapons in action and once again they arrive at an easy conclusion.

"Yumi all the way" Geoff started, "It has the accuracy and the range."

"My guess would be that the yumi would struggle with the armored portions of the Centurion's body, but it would have the superior accuracy to hit the unarmored portions for either a kill or a debilitating injury, edge yumi," Dr. Dorian seconded.

"The plumbata no doubt would struggle against the Samurai's armor, and as Doc pointed out no doubt the yumi would too, but it has the range and the accuracy for great killing potential, edge yumi," Mack concluded.

In long range weapons, the Samurai takes the edge with the yumi.

For special weapons both warriors came equipped with deadly back up if all else failed, the Samurai's wakizashi sidearm against the Centurion's improvised dolabra.

Once again the panelists view the tapes of both weapons in action and come to their conclusion.

"I have to go with the dolabra on this one," Geoff started, "It has that double-sided attack for twice the killing potential and at 2 and a half feet long it offers a longer reach. It would easily penetrate the samurai's armor, edge dolabra."

"I disagree," Dr. Dorian countered, "The dolabra is an improvised weapon whereas the wakizashi was meant for battle and furthermore, it could be used simultaneously with the katana, edge wakizashi."

The tiebreaker would fall down to Mack once again.

"While no doubt the dolabra is a skull splitting nightmare for an opponent, the wakizashi has speed and the element of surprise on its side. The samurai could easily strike the unarmored portions of the Centurion's body for a series of quick, precise kills, edge Samurai."

In special weapons, the Samurai takes the edge with the wakizashi.

Coming up, two defeated warriors are resurrected for one final battle, but only one of them will have a chance at redemption and the right to be called 'The Deadliest Warrior.'

XXXXXXXXXX

(A/N: Each warrior's X-factors will remain the same as they were in their respective first battles.)

Our scientists and weapons experts are done testing the results and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. To ensure the battle won't be decided by a single lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.

Who will prevail in a battle between two polar opposites?

West

(A Roman Centurion leads his men into battle against a group of wary defenders.)

vs. East

(A group of Samurai have their yumis drawn and fire from a ridge upon an advancing horde.)

Brute Force

(A Centurion mercilessly impales a Gallic warrior with his pilum while another Roman warrior hacks his barbarian adversary to death with a dolabra.)

vs. Speed and Precision

(A Samurai stands with his katana and wakizashi drawn at the same time, parrying the blows of a naginata-wielding opponent before finding holes in his defense and slicing into him with both swords.)

Aggressive Expansionist

(A Centurion stabs a man to death with his gladius.)

vs. Proud Defender

(A group of Samurai stand atop a hill looking down upon their rivals with their hands on their swords pommels, ready for action.)

"In the end there can be only one. Let's find out," Mack said throwing the switch.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Roman Centurion arrives in the new land, in the middle of a scouting mission he hopes will probe the area for weaknesses and lead to an easy victory and with it, the further expansion of the Roman Empire.

He emerges from the forest and finds himself in an open field where he jabs both of his pilum into the ground as a Samurai appears from the opposite side with a naginata and yumi in hand.

The Japanese warrior sizes up his strangely dressed challenger before letting out a battle cry and raising the yumi, firing an arrow that hits the Roman commander in his helmet, temporarily dazing the hardened veteran. Angered, the Centurion reaches for a pilum only to find another arrow flying in his direction, caught by his scutum.

Undaunted, the Centurion reaches onto his belt and pulls out a plumbata and chucks it at his opponent, who barely dodges it before quickly pulling out another one and flinging it harder, catching the smaller warrior in his chest. Fortunately for his do-maru, the Samurai is unharmed.

With a battle cry the Centurion reaches for a pilum and hurls it towards his opponent, who again barely dodges as the spear is sent flying into a nearby tree. Grabbing the other pilum he charges head on.

The Samurai sees his enemy coming and draws the naginata, raising it to parry an attempted stab from the Centurion's pilum. He manages to shove the Roman warrior backward and goes for a swing, but it is intercepted by the commander's scutum.

The Centurion charges forth with his scutum in front of him, but the Samurai dodges and swings the naginata, striking him in the back. The blow is enough to stun the Roman warrior, yet he is otherwise unharmed thanks to his lorica segmentata.

Recovering from the blow, the Centurion spins around and raises the scutum in time to block another blow from the Samurai's naginata and he again attempts to shoot the pilum out, but is blocked by the Japanese warrior. The Samurai has him caught and twists the naginata in an effort to force the pilum from the Roman's hands, but the Centurion again shoots his scutum out and knocks the smaller man back a few steps before stabbing the pilum into his side.

The pilum barely manages to penetrate the do-maru and only cause a flesh wound beneath and the Samurai kicks him away before pulling the spear out and stepping on it, breaking it in half. The Centurion quickly draws his gladius and attempts to stab his opponent, but the Samurai again raises his naginata to parry the blow and again kicks him backward, but his foot is blocked by the Roman's scutum.

The Centurion again charges forth and strikes the Samurai hard enough to knock the naginata from his hands before pushing him all the way to a bridge and then kicking him into the ditch below.

Forcing himself back to his feet the Samurai draws both his swords simultaneously and waits for the Centurion to descend the hill. The Roman warrior is not intimidated and circles his opponent with his gladius and one hand and scutum in the other. He waits for the Samurai to make the first move, managing to block the blow from his katana with the scutum while the strike from the man's wakizashi bounces off his armor, leaving only a small dent.

It is the Centurion's turn to attack and he swings his sword outward, but it is deflected by the Samurai's wakizashi. He next attempts a stab, but is again struck in the back, only to be saved by his steel armor. His luck doesn't last for long as the Japanese warrior finally manages to land a slash in his arm holding his scutum, forcing him to drop it. In spite of the pain the Centurion refuses to give up and draws his dolabra, holding both weapons protectively in front of him.

The Samurai lunges again, but the Centurion slashes into his arm and forces him to drop the katana, leaving him with only the sidearm in hand. With his opponent wounded the Roman warrior swings his dolabra at him, but the Samurai moves out of the way and the pickaxe becomes stuck in a tree.

Shooting his blade downward he manages to strike an unprotected portion of the Centurion's legs, slicing into his hamstrings and forcing him to his knees. With his opponent at his mercy, he thrusts it into a spot just beneath the Roman's neck, a geyser of blood erupting from the wound.

The Samurai sees his opponent is dead pulls a cloth out to wipe the blood away. Victorious, he sheaths the sword and slowly limps away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Winner: Samurai

Samurai:

Katana: 177

Naginata: 131

Yumi: 134

Wakizashi: 162

Total: 604

Roman Centurion:

Gladius: 134

Pilum: 144

Plumbata: 4

Dolabra: 114

Total: 396

In a relatively lopsided match up, the Samurai prevailed in a majority of the match ups over the Roman Centurion, the killer commander's pilum being the only weapon able to score more kills in one category. The Samurai had the deadliest weapon overall with his katana, scoring kills in numbering in the 100's in all categories.

"While the Centurion was the more professional soldier hardened by his intensive training alone, he was meant to fight in large battles with the rest of his legion, not in single combat. The Samurai on the other hand was capable of fighting effectively either by himself or as part of a group of Samurai. Also, the Samurai trained from an earlier age and was trained in various forms of combat," Geoff concluded.

(The victorious Samurai bows before his daimyo, presenting the defeated Centurion's gladius as a gift.)

XXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Thus concludes Pt. 2 of Back for Blood. Tune in for the conclusion as two deadly generals go head to head.