Quantum Leap - Vol. 9 Robyn Hode Takes On The World

C008 Who The f**k Is CUTIE PIE ?!?!?

"Realising that some people knew me, they do not wish to party or band with me through their adventures and I am stuck being a solo 99% of the time."

"Come, let me take a look at this sword. This is the sword given by your granny and it belonged to your late father I reckon?" I looked at the ragged edge of both sides of the blade and was thinking if she had used this to chop wood or something.

She nodded her head and acknowledges that this sword was used by her father. Even as this was a dull sword, it had a tapered blade means the hilt is thick and wide as the guard and it slimmed down right till the tip. The edge of the guard was curled up slightly and if one places it in front of the face, it looked like a part of the face, nose and eyes.

"I do not have any other equipment with me and I used this sword as an axe to chop the apple trees to get to their apples, leaf and also the silkworms. I do not own a pickaxe so I used this sword to strike at the rocks to gather stones and flints, and also to gather iron ores and coal. I tried at the silver ones but I have to hammer them at least 40 to 50 times to get the silver ores. Eh...are you alright...?!?"

I was simply shocked until I was sort of fall over on my sides while sitting up and my hands and fingers were twitching uncontrollably and I was really having fits at the moment I heard she used her sword as an axe and pickaxe...!!!

This is not an ABUSE...this is a MURDER of her own personal weapon...!!! My whole body had fallen into a spasm and was wondering how she survived all along in the wild, fending off and grinding with such a f*****g PATHETIC weapon...Huu...Huu...Huu...

I felt like giving this sword a final resting place 6 feet underground and chant some prayers that it would not haunt the owner that last used it....huu...huu...huu...!!

After I had regained my composure, I sat up and told her that I would like to spend some minutes in silence as I would like to pray for the sword's life. I instructed her to go to the fireplace and help her granny to stir the gruel or to stoke the fireplace.

She nodded and after she left I sighed a mighty relief off my heavy chest and looked at the blade in ny hand. "Let's try my Intermediate Blacksmithing, shall we? I hope even if this sword is dead, I hope it could be revived in the Realm of Mind.

I meditated and went into the Realm of Mind and straight went to take a piece of Refined Steel plate and enters the Blacksmith Room. I visualised a big ass anvil, furnace, 30-pound hammer and an automated bellow and started the furnace up. The bed of coals turned white-hot and I threw the piece of Refined Steel in.

I also placed her father's sword inside the furnace and both the Refined Steel and the sword fused and became on without prior hammering it. I brought it out from the furnace and placed it in the anvil. Looking at the flames and the white-hot bed of coals, I slowly breathed in and every strike of the hammer was followed by a short burst of breath that coordinated with the heat and the hammering to fuse.

5...

15...

50...

100...

150...

300....

After 300 times of hammering and fusing the Refined Steel plate into the sword, I dipped it into the bucket of cold water and " Ssssssshhhhhhhh ffrreeeeeetttttttttt..." the red hot metal sizzled and whistled in the cold water.

I removed the sword from the cold water and noticed that the fusion had been a success. I went over to the grinding stone and put it to full speed as I sat down in front of the grinder and proceeded to blade wash it.

The moment the blade hits the grinding stone, it made a lot of screeching sounds and sparks flew like a foundry. I smoothened the blade first and washed the surfaces on both sides. Then I sharpened the side of the edges on one side and continues on the other.

To make the edges as sharp as a katana, there are one circular grinding stones that were upright and there's two of them side by side with just a few millimetres apart. I placed the sword in between the two grinding stones and while spinning it fast, I made a sawing like motion on it and moved the blade up and down on it.

"Sshhwwwiiinnnggggg.....ssshhwwwiiiiinnnnngggg..." The blade moved effortlessly over the dual circular sharpening stones and I slowly let the grinder to idle and stop. I removed the blade and felt the edges with my thumb and or made a sound like "Thwuuunnnggg...Thwuuunnnggg...Thwuuunnnggg..." and it felt sturdier, harder in composition and the sword is now REVIVED...!!

"Time to return it to the rightful owner. I would pass her some money to topup and get herself an iron axe and pickaxe so she would not MURDER her sword once more." I slowly meditated off and return to the real world.

When I opened up my eyes I was stunned that Matilda was trying to sniff me if I am breathing or not and when I cleared my throat, and she was taken aback by surprise as well and her lips suddenly brushed against mine.

"I thought you were asleep...!!!" she exclaimed and threw a right hook towards me which I just raised my left hand and blocked it and twirled my and around her and pin it down on the ground all with my eyes closed...!

"How did you..." her words were left hanging as I told her simply, "Don't disturb me when I'm meditating. Even with my eyes closed, I can sense all attacks in all directions very well. Here...take your sword back. I've already revived it."

"I will pass you some coins for you to but yourself an axe and a pickaxe. Never ever you use your sword against any rock or tree again, you understand me? Swear upon this sword that you will avenge your father's unjustly demise. From today onwards, your sword would be known as Vendetta."

I handed her sword and it felt slightly heavier than mine and definitely heavier than before by another 200-250 gramme. She took it and withdraw the sword and was shocked at the revelation of its sheer beauty and sharpness. she raised it to her face in a knights salute and pledge, " I swear upon Vendetta that I will avenge ny father's death in the hands of those murderers."

Suddenly within the handle of the sword's handle, she could hear a faint thunderous roar...and a male voice calling out, "Thunder...Thunder...Thunder...Thundercats... hoo...!!!"

Oh...she had just pressed a small button on the handle of the blade that activates the triumphant call of Thundercats-Sword of Omens, the anime series in the '90s.

Hahahahah...

=*=

"Granny look, Robyn repaired Father's sword and made it newer than before and it looks dangerously sharp too." Matilda held the sword and let a leaf gently fell on it and it slices apart. "Wow...it looks super brand new and the sharpness is very unique. it's as if I don't have to physically strike someone, just the swoosh wind can actually cause damage."

"Cutie pie, stop daydreaming and put your sword aside before you hurt someone as old as me. You should know not to play with sharp objects especially during dinner time." the elder instructed Matilda to keep her sword aside as she is of poor eyesight and might lean on the sword and be sliced into half without realising it.

"Child, could you help to bring in those bowls near the prep table outside at the side of the house? Thank you, dear..." she thanked me as I went to fetch 3 large wooden bowls and 3 wooden spoons to have our dinner afterwards.

"I thought I have time to practice archery today, but tomorrow would be a chance I hope. Do you wish to grind some more tomorrow, Matilda?" I offered as she laid the sword across her lap and 'fingered' the middle bezel part of the blade. I could almost hear the sword moaning and reaching its climax. Hahahahahaha.

"Ya...ya...ya...Tomorrow we grind together ok? I can't wait to try the new rebirth of this sword...VENDETTA...HAHAHAHA...COME TASTE MY VENGEANCE...hahahahaha...Ommpphhfff..."

The elder stuffed a piece of grilled bread that she reheated and into Matilda's mouth to prevent her from spouting too much nonsense during dinner time.

"Keep your toys away cutie pie, there's time for you to play with them tomorrow." The elder had scooped some gruel and places them on the large bowls before handing each to us. It was a fairly large bowl than yesterday, so it would be able to have a single enormous serving. "You seemed to learn fast, child. Good...! At least you won't ask for seconds with this bowl. Furthermore, I cooked more than enough for the three of us."

I extended my hands to retrieve the large bowl of gruel and we sat there in the open and ate silently. Matilda was happy with the new improvements done on her sword that she can't help but hold on to it the whole time. She was like a little girl who had received a new doll to play with. Hahaha.

"This gruel taste fantastic, granny. it had bits of meat, onions, garlic, chives, cabbage, cauliflower, ginger...a little bit here and there makes an awesome meal, granny...! Nom...Nom...Nom...Nom...Nom..."

I too enjoyed the simple meal that was prepared by elder this time. I guess a little kindness and a little jingle of coins goes a long way.

"What are your plans for tomorrow, child? Are you going to grind for more monsters tomorrow with Matilda? I overheard that you wanted to practice your archery? How about you start tonight after supper? I could give you a tip or two..."

Hearing the elder's willingness to help me with archery...I agreed on the spot. "This is an opportunity I can't miss at all. Yes, Elder. I'd be ready after supper..." I said to the elder as we ate the hot steaming gruel after blowing the steam off using our breaths.

"Ok, I'm that case, I would want to see your stances when you hold your bow and arrow. There are a few stances of holding them and shooting and not many archers were and to run and deploy their arrow at the same time."

"Run while shooting their arrows? Won't it mean that instead of a moving target, the archer is the moving shooter, am I right, Elder? If archers shoot and run at the same time, then the archer would be holding to more than 1 arrow in his hand or placing it across his mouth like so..."

I demonstrated by placing the wooden spoon handle across my lips. At most the archer can have one arrow on the bow and another on his mouth like that. "But does this move actually hinder the archer from shooting perfectly into his intended target?"

"Breathing control, posture and handling of the bow is important. You are shooting from a short bow so it is much easier and convenient. If you are using a longbow, the advantage you got is the distance where the arrow can travel. But using a short bow, your effective range would be 250-300 feet. Longbow could reach up to 500 feet with no problems at all."

"Wahhh...Granny...you knew so much about bows and arrows. Why didn't you teach me before?"

"Hush, cutie pie. It's rude to interrupt when the adults were talking. I didn't teach you archery because your father is not one. You inherited this sword due to his untimely demise. Your father is the only son I've got and he is now beneath some rubble after being killed by the Sheriff's men."