Chapter 80 — The First Blade
S.C. 1510 — Mid December
Foosha Forest — Furnace Clearing
The furnace was still warm—breathing out soft waves of heat like a tired dragon that had worked overtime.
Ren stood in front of it, holding the small ingot of KEA Prototype 0.3.
It gleamed faintly, almost shyly, under the morning sun.
Not iron.
Not steel.
Something in between.
Something new.
Zemo sprawled in the grass nearby, snoozing with one eye open—just enough to monitor Ren and pretend he wasn't invested.
Ren tapped the ingot lightly.
TING!
A beautiful sound.
Clean. Crisp.
Almost musical.
Ren grinned.
"You're ready to become something useful."
Zemo lifted his head just enough to judge the enthusiasm.
Then put it down again.
Ren ignored him. Today was important.
His old iron knife had become so dull it now bent more than it cut. Yesterday, it failed to cut a vine and nearly made Ren punch a tree out of frustration.
He needed something better.
So today…
He would forge his first real blade.
---
Heating the Metal
Ren fed the furnace:
normal charcoal
one small piece of yesterday's accidental-super-charcoal
careful bellows airflow
The flame responded instantly.
FWOOOOSH—
A focused burn like a flame with ambition.
Zemo rolled away from the heat with a dramatic sigh.
Ren lifted the metal with tongs and slid it into the heart of the furnace.
Within minutes, the ingot glowed red—
alive, waiting.
Ren nodded.
"It's ready."
---
Forging — or, Ren vs. Future Alloy
He placed the glowing metal on his flat stone anvil.
Took a deep breath.
Lifted the hammer.
CLANG!
Ren expected the metal to flatten easily.
It did not.
It hit back.
"OW—!"
Zemo's eyes shot open.
Ren stared at the metal like it insulted his mother.
"…So that's how you want to play."
He hammered harder.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
The metal vibrated with a clear ring each time.
It resisted.
It pushed back.
It refused to flatten neatly like normal iron.
Zemo watched like he was enjoying a live performance:
"Human Struggles Against Rock."
Ren reheated the metal.
Hammered again.
And again.
Slowly—
oh-so-slowly—
the metal began to stretch into a blade shape.
Hours passed.
Ren's arms trembled.
Sweat dripped down his face.
But the metal finally surrendered.
Zemo yawned loudly as if bored.
Ren puffed.
"Easy for you to say. You didn't fight metallic stubbornness."
Zemo tilted his head smugly.
---
Quenching — The Dramatic Moment
Ren heated the blade one last time until it glowed orange.
He grabbed his clay pot of forest-seed oil.
"Please don't explode," he whispered.
He lowered the blade.
SSSSSHHHH—!!
Steam shot up like an angry spirit escaping.
Zemo leapt behind a tree.
The blade cooled, the glow fading into a deep, sleek gray.
Ren lifted it.
And froze.
"…You're… beautiful."
It shimmered faintly, edges darker than the center.
Not flashy.
Not magical.
But undeniably special.
---
Sharpening — The Final Touch
Ren sat on the clearing floor with a river stone and started grinding the edge.
Slow strokes.
Precise movements.
Zemo slowly approached and sniffed curiously.
Ren shooed him away before he could chew the blade.
"You're not allowed near the edge. Not after what you did to my last wooden spoon."
Zemo did not deny the accusation.
An hour later, Ren tested the knife on a vine.
SHIK—
Clean cut.
Satisfying cut.
Beautiful cut.
Zemo's tail wagged once. Approval.
---
The Handle — A Blade Needs a Home
Ren carved a handle from a strong branch, sanded it, wrapped the grip with thin vine fibers, and secured it with resin.
He fitted the blade in.
Click.
Perfect.
Balanced.
Comfortable.
Ren tossed it lightly in his hand and caught it.
"…This is exactly right."
Zemo nudged Ren's leg as if claiming partial credit.
"You watched me work, that doesn't count."
Zemo barked back indignantly.
---
Testing — Ren Can't Resist
Ren spotted a thick branch and gave a quick swing.
SHNK!
The branch fell cleanly.
Ren stared.
"…Okay. You're definitely better than iron."
Zemo circled the cut branch in awe.
Ren looked at the knife, pride swelling.
This wasn't just a blade.
This was:
the first tool he forged from a new metal
proof his experiments were real
a step toward his future
a symbol of progress
Quiet progress.
Hidden progress.
But progress all the same.
Ren whispered:
"This is my first real blade… and the first step toward everything I need to build."
Zemo barked softly, head nudging Ren's hand.
Ren smiled.
"Come on, let's go. We have a lot more to craft."
Boy and fox walked back toward the shed—
Ren's first KEA-based knife glinting proudly in his hand.
---
End of Chapter 80