124 5.13 Visualitions Of Blacksmithing And Forging! (1/2)
It was like as if two of us were having a treasure hunt. The pile of weapons stacked from being a small collection on the ground until it became a small hill. I beckoned to Hiko-sama to stop as I need to assess some of the weapon's grade as well as its durability.
Hiko-sama had knowledge in katana so he helped me to choose the ones with enhanced hardness and threw away the common blades. He also chose the ones that had nicer handguards that could attribute to the quality of the katana. After going through the pile, he manages to find 5 katana and 3 handguards of different design and make.
He explained that these 5 katana if combined, would be made into a more complex weapon and best suited for me. As for me, I had only found a sabre, some pike blades and several daggers. These I intend to smelt and turn them into another katana.
”Not a bad collection we got here, Sensei. I would make use of the katana that you had found to make into one katana, while these pieces of metal that I collected would be made into another one.”
”Smelting them is one thing, forging would be the next order and then blade washing once it had been completed. I guess I could make use of someone's help to make the scabbard.”
”You intend to make use of a blacksmith's anvil, furnace and bellows as well as to make your own katana?”
”Wait and see, Sensei. I had a surprise for you. Actually, I can make them here and now but it's better I get to someplace where the aura doesn't permeate death or a demon's presence.”
”Oh OK, as you wished, Himura. I would like to see how you are going to do all these.”
Hiko-sama shrugged his shoulders and spreads his arms. I beckoned him to carry the rest of the katana while I carried the other parts of weapons with me as we walked back to the northern gate.
Seems the trip getting back to the northern gate was much shorter and faster when the time we head out from there. Maybe it was the joy to bring back these weapons home or maybe its because I had discovered another method to use the Kamehameha and also for Hiko-sama that was continually surprised by what I could do. I wonder what will happen to Hiko-sama if I were to tell him that I was from the future!
He must be off running stark naked after he jumped out of his clothes and skin! Haa... Haa... Haa... I wonder if that could really happen in reality but in anime or manga, I am sure it could be done!
We reached the northern gate and the sentry was surprised that we carried weapons back with us. They were thinking that we were intending to siege the village or something. When we presented our pass back to them and said the password, we headed back in but before the sentries counted the number of weapons with us.
”What do you intend to do with all these weapons? Some were chipped and these are just the parts of a weapon.” one of the sentry pointed to my pile of junk that I had in my arms.
”Oh, we are going to smelt these down and forge it into something else. Such a waste to leave these things lying around. Might as well we recycle them and turn into everyday items.”
”Oh, that. Are you going to sell those after you forge them?” asked another sentry.
”Nah, I don't think anyone would want to buy these newly forged items. Those are for our everyday use,” explained Hiko-sama as he sauntered inside the village.
”See you again soon, we may need to make frequent trips as well,” I said as I walked behind Hiko-sama carrying those parts of weapons in my hands.
”It seems that it is going to rain tonight. I heard thunder earlier, so better hurry home then.” said one of the sentry as he bade us farewell.
Little did he knew that the thunderous sound he heard in the sky was the cause of the two Kamehameha clashing together. We walked back to our home and reached within 15 minutes of walking.
The moment we reached home, we dumped all the parts out in the yard and Hiko-sama brought in the 5 katana with him inside and places them in the corner of the living room.
”Well, that's it for today and for now. So are you going to forge them tonight or you going to forge them in the morning?”
”I'd rest for the remaining hours, Sensei, and do it tomorrow then. I need to do something first and see if it could be done.”.. I explained as I retired to my room. I removed the kimono and hakama I was wearing and replaced it with the yakata I had worn earlier.
I sat down in the middle of my small bedroom and meditated for some time and summoned the skills that I had discovered within this body of mine.
True enough, the skills of blacksmithing came forth in my memories as the original person was pumping the bellows and adding ores to the furnace. When it was red hot, he places it on the anvil and used a 30-pound hammer to strike.
Sparks flew magnificently as every strike was perfect and hit the ore directly. He needed no tongs to adjust the red hot ore on the anvil as it danced upon the hits and he added a new piece of ore and struck both at the same time.
What I had envisioned was how this original person had managed to perform blacksmithing right from using the pig iron.
Next, I searched his memory bank and found the art of smelting. After heating up the furnace, he dropped a few pieces of metal that came from broken shovels, goes and other farming tools in them.
The intense heat immediately melted those iron and turned them into liquid and then he simply poured them into moulds in the shape of spades, rakes and other farming tools.
Seems smelting is an easier approach but these can only be made into non-weapons. However, as for weapons, they need to be forged from pig irons first then hammered down on the anvil.
Since I am able to use the art of visualisation which I had acquired from the teachings of the Benevolent Monk before, I decided to visual a coal furnace and bellows first.
I sat cross-legged and meditated as I try to visualise a coal furnace and a pair of bellows which I visualised it as an enormous one that could heat up the furnace and heat up the pig irons. Before I could make pig irons, I have to smelt pieces of metal first and mould them into the shape of a large ingot. Then I began to think of improvisations.
Since a katana is a long piece of blade 3 to 4 feet in length but with my small frame, I think a 3-foot katana would best suit me. Any longer I would be dragging the katana on the ground!
I should make a mould of 3 feet in length with a shallow depth that should look like a katana blade. I soon visualise the mould as well as the furnace, blower, anvil and the 30-pound hammer. After all, had been done, I switched off my visualisation mode from my mind and got off my meditation.
It seems the visualisation had been a success and I was soaking through as though I had done some smelting or forging, but somehow visualising those items did work up some effort. I had decided to smelt those pieces of weapons to make my first katana.
I loosened up my yakata and was lying down on the tatami mat with the Takamura underneath my head. The Kodachi which I had used had been hung at one of the walls which had 2 nails supporting it.
”Good... It seems that I would soon have a collection of weapons here. I wonder if I could make some kunai or shuriken also for throwing like a ninja. With a mixed range of weapons, at least no one would anticipate ranged and close quarters combat.” I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep after tonight's experiences that both Hiko-sama and I had undergone.
Just as I was about to doze off, I heard the rooster crow in the distance. Damn the rooster! I don't even have 5 minutes of sleep and you jolly well crowed to wake the whole village up! It's still dark outside and sunrise would only come in about an hour or so! Damn you rooster...! Let me sleep some more...!
”Urgh... I hate it when this happens. Sense, can we sleep some more? I just finished meditating and I'm sure gonna be groggy after this.” I spoke up and hearing no answer from the next room and a soft snoring sound came from it, I believed Hiko-sama was fast asleep and totally ignorant about the rooster's morning crow.