The day after, the "Shahbaz Furnace" workshop had transformed into a full-fledged war production machine.
Every day, dozens of spearheads and hundreds of arrowheads emerged from the sand molds.
But Kourosh knew that spears and bows were not enough for the final victory.
The ultimate fate of the war would be decided in the dust of the battlefield and in hand-to-hand combat.
His infantry, to achieve a decisive victory, needed a weapon that was deadly and efficient in the dense formation of the phalanx.
He once again summoned Arash and Garshasp to his presence.
This time, he unrolled a scroll on which a detailed design of a short, wide sword was drawn.
A sword about 60 centimeters long, with a double-edged blade and a sharp point.
Arash, seeing the design, frowned.
"My lord, this sword is very short. The long Median swords have a greater reach on the battlefield."
Kourosh replied calmly:
"The long sword is for the lone warrior, Arash."
"But in the shield wall of the phalanx, where soldiers fight shoulder to shoulder, a long sword is cumbersome."
"This short blade is designed for swift and lethal strikes in a tight space. This sword is for killing, not for show."
He then presented the second design: a small, round shield, with a diameter of less than half a meter.
Garshasp said in disbelief:
"My lord, this shield? It doesn't even fully cover a man's chest!"
Kourosh replied, "This shield is not for defending against arrows, master. For that, we have the large shield wall."
"This is an offensive weapon."
He explained how the center and edges of this small shield (a buckler) would be made of cast iron.
"Our soldier holds this shield with his left hand."
"With its iron edge, he can deflect the enemy's sword blow."
"And with its heavy center, he can strike the opponent's face or chest and daze him."
"Then, with his free right hand, he finishes the job with the short sword."
Arash, his eyes shining with excitement, thought about this deadly combination.
He imagined how a Persian soldier could break the opponent's defense with the small shield and deliver a fatal blow with the short sword.
"This... this is a dance of death, my lord. a swift and merciless attack."
Kourosh nodded.
"Exactly. The combination of this short sword and small shield will turn the Persian infantry into an incredibly deadly force in hand-to-hand combat."
"The Medes are accustomed to their long swords and large shields. They will be caught off guard by the speed and efficiency of this combination."
The production of the first prototypes began immediately.
Garshasp and his blacksmiths cast the first short blades and buckler shields.
A few days later, on the training ground, Arash and ten of his best soldiers conducted the first practical test.
Half of them were equipped with Median weapons and the other half with the new Persian combination.
The result was astonishing.
The Persian soldiers, using the small shields, easily closed in on their opponents, parried their blows, and with the short swords, attacked them from angles the Median soldiers did not expect.
Bagpat, who was watching with excitement, shouted:
"Look! They can't get close! Their long swords are useless at this range!"
Arash himself personally faced one of his strongest soldiers.
With a swift move, he deflected his opponent's sword blow with his buckler.
He struck his face with the center of the shield.
And before the soldier could regain his balance, he placed the tip of his short sword on his chest.
A silence full of admiration filled the field.
The extraordinary efficiency of this combination was proven.
Kourosh, who was witnessing this victory from afar, turned to Bagpat and said:
"Behold, now our infantry is not just a defensive wall, but a killing machine."
He then ordered the mass production of the short swords and buckler shields.
He knew that these weapons, in the chaos of close-quarters combat, would be his army's trump card.