Standing behind his counter, the dwarf refused to touch Mjoldr with his bare hands.

Recognizing the potent danger radiating from the crimson blade, he pulled a sturdy wrapped tool from his belt to safely test the razor-sharp edge without risking a lost finger.

Next, he retrieved a silver tuning fork, striking it against a nearby anvil before holding the vibrating instrument close to the steel to read its resonance frequency.

Shing!

The high-pitched sound shifted strangely as it neared the axe, dropping into a low, rumbling vibration that rattled the wooden cups on the table.

Finally, a small, clear crystal came out of his pocket to check the magical density.

What he discovered during the brief examination seemed to confuse him on a deeply professional level.

He frowned, running a calloused hand through his braided beard.

"This steel shouldn’t exist," the smith muttered, adjusting his spectacles while peering closely at the swirling red surface.

"The grain structure is wrong for iron or any known alloy I’ve ever worked with. It looks like the metal actually grew organically rather than being forged in a proper fire. And whatever is trapped inside it, that bear heart you mentioned earlier, it’s still alive in there. It’s not beating, but it’s certainly not dead either."

Kane crossed his arms, leaning comfortably against the stall while filing the observation away.

"And the other thing?"

Putting his tools down on the counter, the dwarf let out a long breath.

"The second energy inside this blade is very old. We are talking older than this entire empire, maybe older than the elves themselves. I cannot tell you exactly what it is, but I can tell you it is getting stronger every day. Whatever process started when this weapon was first made is simply not finished yet."

[Mjoldr: Evolution in progress]

[Current state: Stage 1 - Soul Brand active]

[Evolution trigger: Significant combat against a divine-blooded opponent]

[Next stage: Classified until trigger achieved]

[Note: The dwarf is correct. The weapon is still becoming.]

Kane looked at his axe for a long moment, watching the red aura pulse quietly in the light.

The system rarely offered such poetic descriptions, which meant the stakes were much higher than usual.

’Which means the upcoming semifinal against the prince is not just a stepping stone to the championship. Aelrindor carries a royal divine bloodline, and he channels divine energy into his weapon. That fight is not just about winning the tournament anymore. It is about what Mjoldr turns into when it finally hits something that actually matches its true nature.’

Reaching into his pouch, Kane pulled out a generous handful of gold coins and placed them on the counter.

The dwarf immediately shook his head and tried to push the money back across the wood, insisting he didn’t actually fix or sharpen anything.

Kane stopped the man’s hand, pressing the shiny coins firmly into his palm.

"You told me something worth knowing," Kane smiled, securing the axe back onto his shoulder.

"That’s always worth paying for."

As Kane turned to leave the bustling stall, the dwarf called out after him.

"Come back after you fight the golden prince. I want to see what that thing looks like when it is finally finished."

Kane offered a confident nod and walked back into the lively market.

Weaving his way through the diverse crowd of merchants and traveling dignitaries, he decided to pull up his full status screen privately.

It was the very first time he bothered to do a comprehensive review since the Sylvandar tournament began weeks ago.

[Name: Kane]

[Stage: Warbrand - Peak]

[Level: 34]

[Strength: 214]

[Vitality: 179]

[Agility: 94]

[Dexterity: 78]

[Intelligence: 41]

[Wisdom: 38]

[Charisma: 148]

[Dominance: 64]

[Gold Coins: 4,247]

[Active Skills: Berserker Rage Lv2, Bloodlust, Conquest Bond, Harem Bond, Inspect Lv2, Allocation Lv2]

[Passive Skills: Body Enhancement, Primal Seed, Afterglow, Primal Resonance, Battle Mate - Kessa]

[Weapon Bond: Mjoldr - Soul Brand active - Evolution pending]

[Sovereign’s Brand: Active - Aldara intel integration ongoing]

[Quest Active: The Tournament - Semifinal pending]

[Quest Active: Claim Five Elven Wives 1/5]

[Quest Active: Thread of Fate - Seer alliance active]

[Quest Active: Map the Unmapped - 3 of 7 pressure points identified]

’Level thirty-four,’ Kane mused, analyzing the glowing numbers with a highly critical eye while strolling past a colorful spice tent that smelled faintly of cinnamon and roasted peppers.

’Prince Aelrindor has to be level fifty-eight at a minimum based on his recent performance against Rutheus. That means I’m looking at a twenty-four level gap.’

In a traditional game setting, fighting a boss twenty-four levels higher was practically a death sentence.

The stat differences usually made it impossible to deal meaningful damage while guaranteeing the player died in a single hit.

But reality offered unique tactical advantages that rigid game mechanics usually ignored.

Especially, only his status showed 34, while everything about him screamed at least 50.

’Mjoldr’s Soul Brand on his divine blood is my primary equalizer,’ Kane calculated, mentally mapping out the arena floor.

’I can use Allocation to dump extra points into my Agility just to counter his Starfall spear technique. If I can match his speed long enough to shatter his defenses, my two hundred and fourteen Strength will hit like a battering ram. Once I survive the opening barrage, Berserker Rage will serve as the perfect closer when my health drops and my adrenaline spikes.’

Despite having a solid tactical plan, a lingering sense of uncertainty nagged at the back of his mind.

He liked being in total control of his fights, dictating the pace and punishing his opponent’s mistakes.

Walking back toward the Guest District, he considered the magical density of the capital and how it might affect the impending clash.

The elven empire possessed resources he couldn’t fully quantify yet, making every step a risk.

’But the weapon is still becoming,’ Kane reminded himself, pausing near a stone fountain to watch the water.

’If fighting the prince actually triggers its evolution mid-fight...’

An evolution could grant him overwhelming power, instantly shifting the tides of the match in his favor.