Starting from Ainz Ooal Gown, simultaneously traveling through time

late at night.

The tavern was still brightly lit and bustling with people.

It was filled with the hustle and bustle and relaxation of workers after finishing their day's work.

Toronto the dwarf, holding a barrel almost half the size of his body, took a big gulp of Inberia's specialty milk wine.

He then roared out an ancient dwarf ballad in his rough, hoarse voice.

The singing wasn't exactly melodious, but it was full of passion, prompting many regulars in the tavern to bang on the table and join in, creating a lively atmosphere.

"That was great! That was really great!" Toronto's face was flushed, and there was foam on the tips of his beard.

"This Inberia liqueur has a strong aftereffect, quite potent! It's powerful!"

Beside him, the hairy warrior Dazhuang was also drinking heartily, in a rough manner.

Meanwhile, the rainbow-eyed Freyr appeared much more refined, sipping his drink from a wooden cup, remaining sober, and helplessly watching his two companions who were gradually getting carried away.

Just then, the tavern door was pushed open, and the long-armed Dort slipped in.

His sharp eyes swept across the noisy hall, quickly pinpointing the location of his team members, and he nimbly squeezed through the crowd.

"Drinking?" Dort raised an eyebrow, looking at the dwarf and hairy warrior whose faces were flushed.

"Don't drink yourself into a stupor. If you're late for assembly tomorrow, the captain will definitely give you a lecture again."

Freer raised his glass, which was still more than half full, and said calmly, "Don't worry, I'm not the one who's drunk; it's mainly these two heavy drinkers who are putting on a show."

Da Zhuang waved his hand dismissively, his tongue slightly tied but his tone firm: "N-nothing! I can hold my liquor, I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!"

Toronto, swaying his head and with bleary eyes, chimed in, "That's right! Dwarfs' livers are made for brewing and drinking! Come on, Dort brothers, sit down and drink with us!"

Dort didn't take the drink. Instead, he leaned close to Toronto's ear, lowered his voice, and said in a volume only the two of them could hear, "Didn't you keep saying you wanted to take a closer look at the new longswords those guards were carrying?"

"I've got the stuff... but if you drink any more, your eyes will get blurry and you won't be able to see clearly."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing most of Toronto's drunkenness.

His cloudy eyes immediately cleared, and he gripped Dort's arm tightly, the dwarf's amazing grip making him grin.

"Really? Where is it?" Toronto's voice was low and filled with urgency.

"Why don't you come with me and you'll find out?" Dort pulled his hand back, gesturing for him to follow.

"Let's go! Right now!" Toronto immediately jumped off the bar stool.

His short, stocky body unleashed a power disproportionate to his size, practically dragging the tall, thin Dora out of the tavern.

The scene resembled an impatient child dragging along an unwilling adult.

Freer and Dazhuang exchanged a puzzled look.

"What are they muttering about?" the elf asked.

The soldier burped, unconcerned: "What else could it be? Either they've found better liquor, or they've gotten their hands on some new and exciting weapon. For that old guy in Toronto, those are the only two things that can make him run faster than a horse."

Freer thought about it and agreed that it made sense, so he didn't pursue the matter further.

Since they're all teammates anyway, Dortmund might be a bit dishonest, but they wouldn't really harm Toronto.

..............................

The cool moonlight shone on the cobblestone path of an empty alley.

Dort sneakily led Toronto to this place, looked around to make sure no one was there, and then pulled out a long, rectangular object wrapped in rags from a corner full of junk.

The tattered cloth was pulled back, revealing a longsword with a sheath.

Toronto's eyes lit up instantly, as if miners had discovered the purest gemstone vein.

He carefully took the sword, weighed it in his hand, and then asked impatiently, "How did you get your hands on this? This isn't some beer mug from a tavern!"

Dort shrugged, looking completely nonchalant: "Borrowed, what else could I have done? I just extended my reach a little bit when the soldiers were off guard during their shift change."

"You stole it?!" Toronto gasped, his brows furrowing.

"Are you crazy? This is crucial equipment for the fortress garrison! What if it traces back to our squad?"

"Don't worry, my hands and feet are perfectly clean." Dort proudly shook his fingers, which were longer and more nimble than most people's.

"Even if they find out it's missing, they won't be able to trace it back to us. When I borrowed it, not even a night owl was disturbed."

As a seasoned thief, he was very confident in his skills.

Toronto, well aware of his companion's skill and audacity, couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath: "You... your hands are really 'long'!"

He was determined to force Dortmund to return the Sword God without anyone noticing after watching it, and he absolutely could not cause trouble for the captain and the team.

But now... the sword is in my hand.

The dwarven craftsmen's curiosity about the unknown weapon technology completely outweighed their worries.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the sword in his hand.

He first examined the scabbard—a very ordinary leather scabbard, obviously mass-produced later, with no special features, which he ignored.

His attention was entirely focused on the sword itself.

The sword was drawn, and the cold moonlight flowed across its straight blade.

The sword has a classic design: a cross-shaped guard, a straight, slender blade with a blood groove, and a round counterweight.

But Toronto immediately noticed something unusual.

"This...this is made in one piece?"

He ran his stubby fingers over the blade and guard, over the joint of the hilt, which was perfectly smooth without any trace of joining.

"Its parts weren't made separately and then assembled; they came out of the mold, already complete!"

Dort leaned closer curiously: "One-piece molding? Like casting a bronze statue? Can you make a good sword like that?"

"Normally not!" Toronto said definitively, his brow furrowing even more.

"This casting method (Toronto actually prefers to call it 'casting' rather than 'forging') is highly efficient and suitable for mass production of ordinary weapons with uniform shapes."

"But creating a masterpiece that possesses magical properties, is both durable and sharp, is virtually impossible!"

"The internal structure of the material is not dense enough to support complex enchanted runes, and it also lacks the toughness and spirituality that comes from being forged through countless trials."

He carefully examined the material of the sword again, tapping it with his knuckles, listening to the echo, and even sniffing the metallic surface.

"This material is exceptionally hard, better than most metals I've ever seen, but it doesn't seem to be one of those legendary magical metals that possess powerful magic... Of course, it's also possible that I'm just old and blind, and lack experience."

The dwarf had a rare moment of doubt about his own professional judgment.

Then, he was drawn to the unique texture on the sword, which resembled layers of waves or flowing water.

These patterns are not engraved, but are deeply embedded inside the metal, appearing and disappearing as the angle of light changes.

"This pattern..."

Toronto fell into deep thought, trying to recall the knowledge he had gained from the ancient dwarf texts and his travels.

"I think I've heard of this peculiar pattern before..."

Toronto racked his brains and finally managed to find the key points from the corner of his memory.

"Far to the northwest, there is said to be a human kingdom where artisans can forge swords with similar dazzling patterns, and with unparalleled sharpness, known as... Damascus steel?"

Toronto repeatedly compared what he had heard with what he saw before him.

"Could this be the legendary Damascus steel?"