Tao was sitting in the back with closed eyes and a calm face almost sagely in manner, but in reality he was half asleep due to the boring  and lengthy preamble regarding the contest. "Yeah, yeah, god... cherry tree...new home... make a sword, the one it chooses wins." were his drifting mental notes as he pictured what materials he'd be using. The design itself wasn't an issue as he'd know what he'd do once he got the materials in hand. He was on autopilot as he got up from the chair with a burlap sack in hand which was used as a blanket. He briskly walked to the materials tables, emphasis on briskly as he didn't want to provoke someone to run and grab something he wanted. He smiled as he saw a very effete looking man eying the ingot of black metal of which they were almost out. He immediately grabbed the remaining amount of black steel and put it in the sack before putting a good amount of iron and some trivial amounts of the mithril and gold which were to be used later.

He pitied those who wanted the leftovers of the black steel that was took by that man. He turned to him as he continued to smile as his plan began to hatch the very moment he said, "Hey loser, wanna take a break and help with me with my lunch? I'll give you my permission to forge at my place if you want. I don't care what you make or you seein' what I make." He closed his eyes and pictured an area where there was some peach trees and smiled.  Even in a competition there's no reason one can't make a friend or two in the midst of it. "So Whaddaya say?" he said to the guy again.