Reborn as an Extra Chapter 527: Dharheim, The City of Treasures. Part-2.

After disembarking from the vessel, Rio traversed the port area until he reached the final exit.

A gargantuan tunnel stretched before him, plunging further into the depths of the earth.

’The scale is immense, and the walls are adorned with such costly ores... it makes sense why the demand for minerals is so high in this country. They use them as common decorations...’

In the same way that humans are drawn to diamonds and fine jewelry, dwarves possess a deep love for rare metals and ores, utilizing them to embellish their surroundings.

Rio noted several dwarves sporting bracelets and lockets crafted from rare materials—the kind typically reserved for forging high-tier weapons for awakeners.

’Interesting... those accessories... they function as artifacts. It looks like they are made from a specialized alloy of mithril and other rare metals...’

’The jewelry is enhancing their physical well-being and vitality by accelerating recovery and life force...’

As he navigated the dense crowd, Rio’s instincts as a master thief took over, and he "borrowed" one of the items effortlessly.

He channeled his sword intent to probe the jewelry’s properties before slipping it back onto the elderly dwarf it belonged to.

The old dwarf remained completely oblivious to the fact that a stranger had been walking right beside him, let alone that his property had been stolen.

He didn't even notice the items had been returned to his person.

’Wait... I think I’ve moved past the rank of a "professional thief"... maybe I should start calling myself a "legendary thief" at this point?’

While entertaining these strange thoughts, Rio continued his descent into the subterranean city.

Upon emerging from the wide tunnel, he encountered a massive pedestal near the city’s primary gate, topped with a heavy slab of solid mithril.

The inscriptions carved into the slab read:

Directly beneath that cheerful greeting, another message had been etched into the stone, written in a font even more aggressive and bold than the first.

Seeing those specific words, Rio felt a sudden burst of laughter welling up inside. To avoid drawing attention, he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound.

"Pfffttt.... They truly despise him here; they even put up their most precious wines as a bounty reward! That is absolutely wild..."

Dwarves are legendary for their heavy drinking, yet they remain incredibly fit and muscular. There is a common global joke that a dwarf’s body is composed of ninety percent wine and ten percent pure testosterone!

Even a dwarven infant likely possesses more testosterone than a fully grown man; they are practically born with defined muscles!

’I’m glad I didn’t have Link tag along, or we would have been in a world of trouble the moment we hit the docks...’

Shaking his head to clear the giggles, Rio slipped past the guards and entered the city without a single person noticing his arrival.

The city of Dharheim was known as the City of Treasures, a title Rio found appropriate the second he stepped inside.

’Are they seriously using rare ore as a damn street lamp!? This is madness! Just how much wealth does this city hold!’

’Fleisten’ is a rare glowing ore usually found in S-rank dungeons or higher.

It occasionally appears in regions with an incredibly high concentration of light elementals.

The dwarven continent is home to hundreds of active volcanoes and vast light elemental deposits, which leads to the formation of this 'Fleisten' ore.

Extraction is a nightmare because the ore is highly radioactive and emits constant mental attacks that can scramble a person's mind.

While it is usually sought after to create powerful psychic-type weapons or artifacts, here it was being used for basic street lighting!

To achieve this, one would need a sophisticated containment vessel to block the harmful radiation and mental interference.

And that meant they needed even rarer ores just to build the boxes for the lamps.

’You could literally snatch one street lamp, sell it back in the human empire, and have enough gold to buy a private mansion!’

Rio finally understood why two S-rankers were stationed here. This city was a literal goldmine—even the street lights were worth a fortune.

It was no surprise that thieves were a constant concern.

’Ahem... I need to control my kleptomaniac urges! I can't steal these, or I’ll be too embarrassed to ever look Lia in the eye!’

Using his sword intent to stabilize his mind, Rio pulled his hand away from a lamp and shoved it back into his pocket.

’Phew... habits are dangerous; I almost swiped it without thinking...’

Wiping cold sweat from his brow, Rio headed toward some unique architecture in the distance.

Small businesses were carved directly into the cavern walls at the city's perimeter; dwarves were busy eating lunch or browsing for goods.

Rio selected a shop at the highest elevation and took a seat.

"The view of the whole city is perfect from here... this is a great find..."

Rio produced his tea set and began brewing a cup. The owner of the establishment didn't even realize Rio was sitting there, enjoying the scenery for free.

As the shopkeeper focused on other patrons, Rio pulled out the confidential files Ashtel had provided and began studying them over his tea.

’Hmm, I see. This city is a vital trade hub for the entire dwarven nation. No wonder the security is so tight; even ten S-rankers would struggle to take this place...’

’They have permanent space-stabilizing artifacts, two S-rankers on site, high-output energy weapons, and hundreds of A-rankers on patrol...’

’This isn't just a city; it’s an impregnable fortress...’

Rio took a sip of tea and turned the page. The report mentioned several hidden underwater outposts near the port, ensuring that reinforcements could arrive within minutes of an attack.

Furthermore, a massive military installation sat right above them on the surface.

Leaving Dharheim required traveling through a huge upward tunnel, with a military base situated just a few kilometers from the exit.

In short, the city was so well-protected that even S-rank invaders would likely meet their end here.

’It’s more formidable than a fortress; I doubt an invasion is even possible...’

Rio shook his head and moved to the next page.

It detailed local specialties and provided dossiers on the resident S-rankers.

’Why on earth is this so specific!? Why do they know that one of the S-rankers is having an affair behind his wife’s back!?’

’Where does this bizarre intel even come from!?’

Rio rolled his eyes as he scanned the documents.

It seemed as though Ashtel held a personal grudge against every influential dwarf in the kingdom, as he had included a strange, snide remark at the end of every profile.

One note regarding an elderly member of the dwarven parliament read:

’Wait... what the hell...’

Reading the comment made Rio feel deeply uneasy.

’Even men aren't safe these days. What is wrong with this world... maybe I should have brought my wife along to keep me safe...’

Rio sighed as he continued through the files; the deeper he went, the weirder the revelations became.

Fortunately, his abilities kept both him and the documents hidden from public view.

After spending thirty minutes absorbing the information, Rio used his sword intent to shred the papers into nothingness.

He stood up and took in the breathtaking sight.

The entire metropolis glowed under the 'Fleisten' lamps, and the sound of hundreds of forges echoed through the underground space.

Luckily, modern technology kept the smoke and fumes in check, otherwise, the air pollution would have made the cavern unlivable.

Rio spotted dozens of taverns, most of which were packed to capacity.

’The place is incredible.... but man, this city is way too crowded...’