Chapter 1257: 14. Competition

“......Are you sure?”

Hamreign stared into Muen's eyes, somewhat suspicious because of his praise.

“Would I lie to Miss Dragon?”

Muen didn't even blink: “I'm the companion who understands you best, aren't I? So whether it's frightening or not, I still have at least some right to speak on the matter.”

“......Is that so?”

Hamreign lightly nodded and, without hesitating any further, directly walked toward the registration area.

She had already agreed to this “exchange,” so naturally she would not give up easily. Besides, her companion had already assured her.

—Trust was also one of the important bonds between companions.

......

“For a dignified calamity to always hesitate at times like this......aren't you a little too gentle?”

Watching Miss Dragon's back, Muen sighed softly. After turning his head and looking around the entire venue, he also walked in a certain direction."

“I really wish you'd be this gentle with me too......”

......

Registration went very smoothly. The competition was organized by the Adventurers' Association, and most of the participants were adventurers as well. Since many adventurers liked using aliases, registration merely involved casually writing something down, and identities were barely verified at all.

The name “Hamreign” that Hamreign gave only made the person responsible for registration look at her one extra time, without saying anything..

These past few days, the people claiming to be “Muen Campbell” could already form a line from one end of the street to the other.

“Your number is five. The competition is about to begin, so please go up onstage.”

“Thank you.”

After thanking them using human etiquette, Hamreign directly went onto the stage and took her assigned position. There were many spectators around, all of them extremely excited, which made her slightly uncomfortable......and at the same time, nostalgic.

The last time she had been surrounded by so many people without any malice had already been eight hundred years ago.

“Mm? There are actually women participating in this competition?”

While she was thinking, the light suddenly dimmed. A huge shadow loomed over Hamreign, followed by a disdainful laugh:

“Are young people these days becoming more and more ignorant of their own limits? Even a frail, tiny woman like you dares to come challenge this? You're just asking to humiliate yourself.”

Hamreign glanced sideways. It was a man so obese that he resembled a mountain of flesh, all the fat on his body trembling with every step he took. He seemed quite famous, because as he passed by, the expressions of the surrounding contestants changed slightly.

“It's Big!”

“He actually came too!”

“The former three-time champion is participating again this time?”

“It's over. Looks like there's no suspense about the result this time either. This guy can devour three whole cows raw. As long as you're still human, who could possibly out-eat him?”

The people around them discussed excitedly, while Big raised his head and thoroughly enjoyed the attention.

“Woman, I advise you to withdraw now. The battlefield of big eaters belongs to beasts. Someone like you, who barely has any flesh on her body, will only become a joke here.”

“Thank you for the warning.”

Hamreign coldly replied, then closed her eyes, clearly signaling that she did not wish to be disturbed.

“Hmph, you don't know what's good for you. Ridiculous woman. Don't tell me you came here just to freeload a meal? That's practically blasphemy against the Path of Great Eating!”

Big snorted coldly, extremely contemptuous of someone who possessed no spirit of great eating whatsoever.

In his eyes, Hamreign ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) currently looked like nothing more than an ordinary woman. With her build, she would probably already be stuffed after eating two pieces of pastry.

Someone like that would only ruin his mood.

“Forget it. I'll casually take the title of four-time champion and then head to the next battlefield. I remember there's another competition in the southern part of the city. Looks like I won't be lacking a late-night snack today.”

The fat all over Big's body trembled as he began taking deep breaths, adjusting himself into his best condition.

“The competition——begins!”

Along with the referee's whistle, Big's eyes widened. Without the slightest hesitation, he grabbed the food in front of him and stuffed it into his mouth.

The first course consisted of all kinds of breads and pastries. This was the organizers' strategy. Generally speaking, eating these things required drinking large amounts of water, and drinking water would occupy space in the stomach. Many inexperienced people would already fall at this stage and retreat in miserable defeat.

But for him, a three-time champion, this small obstacle was hardly worth mentioning. He forcefully worked his swallowing muscles. That muscle, specially trained by him, was like a snake swallowing prey. No matter how large or dry the bread and pastries were, he could swallow them directly!

“Wow——”

“So amazing!”

The cheers of the surrounding crowd made Big increasingly excited. He had completely entered his state, no longer caring about his appearance while eating, like a pure beast.

The staple-food stage was about to end, and next came the true highlight, the meat. Big's fighting spirit surged as though he could already see the crown of four-time champion waving at him......

“The meat is gone. Please bring more, faster.”

......Hm?

Those somewhat incomprehensible words suddenly sounded beside Big's ear, causing him to unconsciously stop moving and turn his head to the side.

Then......he froze.

“H......how is that possible?”

Beside him, that frail woman, that ordinary frail woman he had looked down upon, was elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief. Compared to his own complete mess, the area in front of her was perfectly clean, without the slightest trace of a “battle.” But the neatly stacked plates had already risen higher than he was.

This was no longer the level of eating an entire cow.

This was eating an entire him!

Only then did Big realize that all those cries of amazement had actually been directed entirely at this woman. Faced with such a shocking achievement, nobody was even paying attention to how the other contestants were doing anymore.

“S-Sorry.”

It was the first time the serving speed had failed to keep up with someone's eating speed, and the staff were equally flustered, hurriedly bringing over more food.

Hamreign merely raised the plate lightly and touched it to her lips. The cooked meat on it, larger than her head, instantly disappeared. Only her jade-white teeth moved slightly, seemingly chewing.

“Cheating!”

Big suddenly widened his eyes: “This is cheating!”

How could such a way of eating exist in this world? He had never even heard of it.

And an ordinary woman being able to eat this much was absolutely abnormal as well. This had to be fake. This woman was actually cheating so openly and brazenly. She was simply far too arrogant!

Big interrupted the competition, and the audience below gradually became noisy as well, whispering among themselves. After all, Hamreign's method of eating truly did not conform to common sense. The food disappeared instantly, as though entering a bottomless black hole, inexplicably making people feel somewhat afraid.

“......”

Hamreign said nothing. She merely lowered her eyes, silently placed the plate down, and stopped moving.

“Referee! This person is cheating, please disqualify her! And......check what kind of damn thing she actually is, to think that......”

“Big.”

At the judges' table, an elderly man with a sign reading “Daigby Branch President of the Adventurers' Association” placed before him intertwined his hands beneath his chin and suddenly spoke in a deep voice:

“You actually doubt another person's Path of Great Eating. Is this the breadth of heart possessed by a three-time champion?”

“Eh?”

Big froze, seemingly not expecting that the one being criticized would actually be himself:

“Branch President, she......”

“Let me ask you. Is she eating food normally?”

“This......yes.”

“Has she wasted any food?”

“This......no.”

“Then let me ask you again. During the process of eating, has she interfered with anyone else?”

“......No.”

“Since she is eating, has wasted no food, and has not interfered with anyone else......then tell me, which rule has she violated?”

“But......the way she eats really doesn't look human......”

“Doesn't look human......do our rules specify how one must eat?”

The Branch President's thick white beard trembled as he declared loudly:

“The so-called Path of Great Eating is fundamentally about how to eat more and eat faster. Why should one be concerned about the method? If we really want to talk about it, doesn't your beast-like method of eating also look completely unlike that of a human? Can a normal person swallow so many pastries in one breath without drinking water? Ask anyone around here if they can do it.”

“Absolutely impossible.”

A certain blond passerby spoke with complete seriousness: “If it were me, I'd already have choked to death a hundred times.”

“What? I......”

Big trembled, his face instantly turning pale.

“Big.”

The Branch President shook his head with the regret of an elderly senior: “I'm far too disappointed in you. I never expected you to be so narrow-minded! If you can't even tolerate another person's path, do you truly deserve to be a three-time champion?”

“I......I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry!”

Big finally could not bear it anymore and dropped to his knees in shame: “I was too narrow-minded!”

“It isn't entirely your fault. Even I have never seen anyone cultivate the art of eating to such a level. This lady......is truly extraordinary!”

The Branch President stood up and applauded enthusiastically. Bright light from who knew where shone down upon him, illuminating his elderly face with incomparable sincerity.

“Congratulations. You are already the undisputed winner. May I shake your hand now?”

Clap clap clap!

Led by the Branch President, everyone began applauding enthusiastically. That tiny bit of suspicion and fear from moments earlier had long since vanished beneath the fervent atmosphere.

A certain blond passerby clapped especially hard, as though the one who had won was not the girl onstage, but him.

“Sorry.”

Hamreign glanced at him and gently shook her head: “I do not casually make physical contact with human males.”

“I-Is that so?” The Branch President's expression stiffened.

“Can I choose my prize now?”

“Of......of course.”

“Thank you.”

Hamreign stood up, walked past the Branch President, and among the many valuable prizes, picked up the dragon-shaped doll that had existed merely as a consolation prize.

She did not even look at the other things. Only when passing beside Big did she think for a moment, stop, turn around, and say to him:

“You're not bad.”

“Eh?”

“Among all the humans I've ever seen, you eat the most.”

“......”

Big's eyes widened, and light once again bloomed within his previously dim gaze.

“I......may I follow you? Can I learn that astonishing method of eating from you?” he suddenly asked eagerly.

“No.”

Hamreign froze slightly, seemingly not expecting anyone to say such a thing, but she still shook her head: “You can't learn it.”

“I can't learn it......because my current level is still insufficient, right? I understand. I'll work even harder and continue refining my Path of Great Eating. One day, I'll make you acknowledge me!”

Big solemnly slapped his chest, the fat all over his body rippling like waves.

This was his determination. One day, he would catch up......

“Although I don't know what this Path of Great Eating is......”

Hamreign gave him a strange look:

“But I think you should lose weight. Otherwise, judging by your current physical condition, you probably won't live past forty......”

“......Eh?”

“By the way, how old are you now?”

“Th......thirty-nine.”

“......Do your best.”

Hamreign said pityingly: “Although I don't understand how quickly you humans can lose weight......there should still be enough time.”

“......”

Before his Path of Great Eating could reach an even higher level, it had already reached the end of the road. Big stood frozen in place, unable to say a word......only his heart shattered all over the ground.