Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 471: In the Market For a Sword

Three days passed. Oli finally moved and exited the bath. But he went right back after more than an hour of stuffing his face and stomach.

Yeter was amazed at how easy it was for Oli to cultivate and acclimate. Oli’s body was no longer shivering in the icy water and he was moving in the water as if it wasn’t there. Apart from making sure his head was above water before Oli returned to cultivate, Oli paid little to no attention to the bath that was giving Yeter and Trenk a much harder time.

At most, Yeter could last most of the day in the water, but he was left trembling from the cold afterward. And Trenk could barely last more than half a day. Trantor and Freele were lasting about the same amount of time as Yeter, but they were always in the other bath or in their room so they weren’t seen often. Fulkar could last nearly two whole days in the ice baths before he’d take a day to train in the outside courtyard.

Oli was the only one practically living in the ice baths. And though it seemed impossible, Oli’s body was acclimating far quicker than even Fulkar’s, who wielded ice.

This continued for a whole moon. And Oli never once slept in his bed. But Oli finally got up and exited the bathhouse with a pleasant grin on his face. He relaxed on one of the sofas in the great room, catching everyone’s eye as they passed by.

“How’d it go?”

Nodding to Zelsh who was sitting in a recliner, Oli answered, “I broke through.”

.....

“Congrats, on both your breakthrough and your acclimation to the temperature,” Zelsh gave a light clap. “But don’t think you’re done yet. You’ve still got one and a half moons till the first round. Keep up the ice bath training and you’ll be better suited for the qualifier.”

“I plan to. But I felt like I deserved a breather...” Oli sighed, somehow finding the cold air pleasant, at least compared to the temperature of the ice bath.

“In that case, why not join Fulkar on his outing?”

Surprised, Oli smiled and asked, “What outing?”

“Remember how you chipped his sword? That happened because of your unique defenses and how beaten up that sword was from all his training. He had long planned to get a new one in Avalanche City, where ice type weapons and items are common and easy to find,” explained Zelsh. “Why not join him and see the city? It’d make for the perfect break and let you test your luck in the market. Oh, and if you two decide to visit the auction house, make sure to wear masks and cloaks to keep your identities hidden.”

“Auction house? ... Why hide our faces?” asked Oli, wanting more clarification.

“Why else than to protect yourselves?” Zelsh scoffed, “If you buy something that attracts the wrong eye, then it’s best to remain hidden and escape while unknown. Or do you disagree?”

Oli nodded and slowly got up. “Should I go ask Fulkar when-”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Fulkar chimed in as he entered from the dining hall. “And I agree with the cloak and mask idea too.”

“Great! Then take these.” Two masks and two matching grey cloaks appeared on a coffee table. “With the hoods up, no one will be able to tell who you are. Leave here as you are now and put these on in an alley while no one’s around. Then you should be fine to buy whatever you want so long as you don’t cause too much trouble.”

“Thanks, Master Zelsh,” Oli bowed his head while storing the items.

Fulkar also stored them in his own void ring, smiling softly. “Thank you. I deeply appreciate all this help, Master Zelsh.”

“Nah, no need to thank me. Now get going while it’s early, or you’ll miss all of the best deals!”

Together, Oli and Fulkar left the dilapidated inn and passed through a nearby alley to adorn their disguises. Now they could speak and act with more confidence, but only within their limits.

They walked for half an hour until they were in the center of the city. Stalls and stores spanned everywhere the eye could see. After a few minutes of trying to understand the various sections of the market, they soon found someone to ask for directions. That led them to the section known as the east market, or the smith market.

There, they found blacksmiths, artisans, armorsmiths, and weaponsmiths. If it was a shop that dealt with forged or altered metalworks, it was found in the east market.

Fulkar and Oli entered the first weapon shop they passed. They stayed together while browsing the wares and quickly attracted the attention of a shop attendant.

“How can I help you?” asked the man, showing a stern grin to match his calloused hands.

Fulkar replied, “I’m searching for a peak-elder ice type sword. If it has wind essence as well, that’d be good but not necessary.”

“Hmm... What style of blade?”

In response, Fulkar retrieved his chipped sword. “Something like this, a lightweight, one-handed broadsword.”

“Okay, okay... Are you wanting to put an order in? Or are you in a hurry?” the man asked as his stern gaze melted after seeing Fulkar’s damaged sword.

“I’m not in a hurry, but we’re new to the city so we want to check the market before putting in a custom order,” Oli stated, getting a nod from the man. “Do you have anything in stock that’s available now?”

But the man shook his head. “Sorry, but I’m all out of peak-elder blades in that style. I usually only make a couple a month, not including custom orders. You can try your luck with other shops and might find one. But if you’re after the best weapon you can get, the auction house will be your best bet aside from a custom order.”

Seeing the man’s solemn but sincere expression, Oli and Fulkar were a little surprised. Fulkar looked back at the man and asked, “Why do you say that?”