CHAPTER 33: CH 33:

"What do you mean this broth costs three coppers alone?! Have you even seen what it looks like - just water. Ugh, don’t even ask me how it tasted. It was shit. Literally shit!"

The angry ramblings of a middle aged man with angry eyes and an almost red face, permeated the tranquility of the inn. Customers turned towards the reception table to look at the commotion, where the receptionist looked like he was already having a bad morning.

"Sir, it has meat in it, so obviously it shall be costly." The young man behind the desk tried reasoning with the fuming man.

David sat at a nearby table, watching the altercation.

’Honestly, the breakfast isn’t half bad for a run down place.’ Shaking his head, he went back to his meal.

The group of competitors he had encountered last night had left the inn early morning.

’They even had a carriage for the journey.’

Finishing his meal, they too set out on their path. On their way, they encountered other contestants as well. And just as he been expecting, each of them were armed as well.

"What is your choice of weapon?" David asked suddenly.

To which she replied, "Stick sword."

David raised an eyebrow, hearing the weird names for the first time. He tried thinking intensely as he understood what she meant.

"Do you mean a thin sword?"

The nameless girl nodded vigorously as David confirmed that she probably meant a jian, which also happened to be thin in its breadth.

’I don’t think we can find a weapon of that texture anywhere here.’ David concluded as his eyes took in the different types of weapons the other contestants were carrying. Not too surprisingly to him, most of them were armed with swords.

’I am no expert in these things but the swords they are carrying shall only be a hindrance to their stances. Everyone has a suitable fit of weapon for themselves. And one thing I can say for certain is that most of them are actually struggling to carry their overweighing swords.’

A grin split his face as he realised he could defeat most of them if it came to that. But soon enough, his face turned grim. ’Ehh...even I can’t carry those swords...I generally prefer the lighter builds. And these are not my types...I be damned!’

Just as the Sihapi guarding the gate to the Southern Capital had adviced him, he had been intending to steal a weapon in the early stages to advance in the contest.