Rewari Kingdom , Cannon factory , morning of 6th March 1557.

  Finally, the day of the most awaited weapon exhibition arrived. The delegates reached the cannon factory testing ground and were stationed in their scheduled tents with all the comforts that could be provided. Their escort armies were stationed outside the designated testing area, while the royal guards of Rewari managed the local security.

  Amidst the bustling ndscape inside the grand tent, Aditya was the center of attention. He wore custom-designed attire of silk kurta decorated with Persian-inspired embroidery paired with well-adorned trousers. The jeweled turban for head and intricately embroidered mojri for footwear, complemented his look, earning him admiration and appreciation.

  Upon arrival, every delegate sought to greet him with their finest gifts, aiming to persuade him into preferential deals. Unique gems, perfumes, weapons like swords or daggers adorned with exquisite art, and religious items such as intricately carved idols and sacred texts were among the most common offerings.

  Among the numerous gifts, three were the most notable to him. The Portuguese maps, detailing the South Indian coastline and the extent of their respective regional influence, were invaluable for his pnned expedition against the Dutch. He was surprised by how detailed and well-informed they were.

  The idol of Lord Jagannath made of pure sandalwood from the Gajapati kingdom, along with an open invitation from their ruler to visit their nds, promised future alliances and opportunities.

  Lastly, twenty well-trained support elephants from Rewari, offered as a gesture for saving their kingdom, would greatly aid his logistics efforts.

  Despite all the gifts and greetings, Aditya was in a sour mood. He struggled to manage, having hardly slept the previous night due to his discussions with Mathew, which left him mentally and physically tired. However, the presence of his butler, Hari Singh, ensured that everything was managed seamlessly, allowing him to maintain his composure.

  As the formal proceedings concluded, the delegates and their entourages moved to the testing ground, with Aditya once again at the center. The ground itself was an impressive expanse, meticulously prepared for the event. Markings for dummy targets were clearly visible, each one set at varying distances to demonstrate the range and accuracy of the new weapons.

  Along one side of the ground, well-arranged carts stood in orderly rows, each one den with weapons wrapped in white cloth. The anticipation was palpable; everyone knew what y beneath the wraps, but seeing the weapons in action was a different thrill altogether.

  Amidst the thick murmur of excited conversations, all eyes fell upon Colonel Nilesh and his crew as they prepared for the demonstration. The colonel, cd in his distinctive military attire, exuded confidence as he moved among his men, who readied the weapons for the demonstrations.

  First came the repeating crossbows. After unveiling the cart, Colonel Nilesh presented an exact replica of the Chinese repeating crossbow. "Esteemed, Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the repeating crossbow," he announced. "It features a magazine capable of holding 9 bolts for rapid fire."

  With precision, he loaded and fired nine bolts in rapid succession, each striking the target dummy at a distance of 50 meters. The guests watched in fascination as the crossbow executed fwless shots without pause.

  But Colonel Nilesh wasn't finished. Reloading the magazine, he decred, "Now, let's test its range and effectiveness." Taking careful aim, he fired a bolt that hit dead center at 100 meters, followed by another strike at 150 meters, slightly off-center but still hitting the dummy. Finally, he aimed for 200 meters; the bolt flew impressively through the air, narrowly missing the dummy but nding close enough to showcase the crossbow's remarkable range.

  He added, "Its ease of use allows even a commoner to be trained and proficient within a week."

  The guests responded with quiet murmurs of admiration, clearly impressed by the crossbow's capabilities and potential for easy adaptability.

  Next, Colonel Nilesh unveiled the Lantern Shield. "This masterpiece is the Lantern Shield," he decred, as he demonstrated its unique feature: a built-in ntern that could pass light through small openings. "This shield not only protects but also serves as a formidable tool for maintaining order in the realm of darkness."

  He eborated on its features, showcasing how the ntern could illuminate dark areas, making it an effective tool for night patrols and operations. "Its recent success in quelling rebellions highlights its practical utility," he expined. "Paired with ranged crossbowmen, it becomes an essential asset in regional w enforcement."

  The guests, captivated by the shield's remarkable significance and practical applications, exchanged murmurs of admiration and curiosity. However, the most shocked among them was the Portuguese envoy, who instantly recognized it as Italian technology but kept his doubts to himself.

  Next, the cart bearing the rocket artillery was unveiled and positioned carefully. Colonel Nilesh stood beside it with pride, "This invention," he announced, "is the rocket artillery. It's the very weapon that has changed the course of war. With this in your arsenal, the enemy won't dare to assemble in formation."

  He continued, his voice full of conviction, "However, if they come too close, within 300 meters, its use can become hazardous. The rockets ck any guiding system and are prone to misdirection upon misunch, potentially causing friendly fire incidents."

  The crew demonstrated the setup, showcasing the hollow pipe stands with adjustable axles for angle management.

  "Each rocket," Nilesh continued as he gestured to the iron casing, "measures 60 centimeters in length, with a long bamboo tail and a fixed bde as its arrowhead, making it 5 meters in total. The bamboo tail provides stabilization and increased range, while the bde adds another lethal factor, causing chaos in enemy ranks upon impact."

  He pointed to the uncher, expining while the gunner of the crew lit it off, "As you can see here, it's exposed on the rear side. The fuse is lit here, and off it goes!" The rocket shot skyward, exploding impressively at the 400-meter mark. The onlookers gasped in awe at the dispy of power.

  Nilesh adjusted the angle, focusing on a target 700 meters away. "Now watch closely," he said, as another rocket streaked towards the target but narrowly missed the new mark. However, the target got impacted with a thunderous bst. "Even at extended ranges, the impact is formidable."

  They adjusted once more to the maximum targeting the farthest fg with an estimate of 1.5 kilometers. "Let's see if it can target that fg which is estimated at 1500 meters," Nilesh expined, tension palpable. The rocket soared but strayed from the intended direction, still crossing over the fg and dropping beyond, demonstrating its range and potential against dense enemy formations.

  As the smoke cleared, excitement buzzed among the crowd. "Incredible!" someone excimed.

  "Imagine facing these in battle," another added, eyes fixed on the distant impact site.

  Next, the cart carrying the Hwacha, known here as Pinaka, was unveiled and wheeled into position. The crew swiftly loaded the arrows, and Colonel Nilesh, brimming with pride, began his expnation.

  "This miraculous weapon is called Pinaka," he announced. "It's designed to unleash a barrage of 100 arrows upon the enemy, overwhelming them with sheer volume and precision. Now, I will show you its range and impact."

  As the fuses were lit, Nilesh grabbed the safe handles of the cart, directing its barrage towards the dummies clustered in the designated area. Once ignited, the Pinaka unched a deadly rain of arrows.

  The target dummies from 300 meters to 500 meters were skewered with the continuous barrage. Even at 800 meters, it was still able to reach its mark, though the formation became less dense, turning into a line pattern of projection until the cart was empty.

  "This is incredible!" Vishwa Gajapati murmured.

  "Look at the range and precision!" Tejpal Singh of Amber excimed.

  "We must get this weapon, no matter the cost," Vishal Rai of Garhwal kingdom decred.

  "This weapon is one of a kind," King of Rewari, Rao Todar Mal added.

  Portuguese envoy Diego was shocked. He had been unconscious during the rocket bsts and had missed witnessing their devastating spectacle at the wall's breach. Now, seeing it with his own eyes, he was beyond impressed. "The rocket was good, but this controlled wide-area range uncher is truly remarkable," he commented. "With Pinaka at hand, enemies won't even know what hit them."

  The demonstration left the crowd in awe, and they continued to discuss the potential of such a powerful weapon.

  Seeing the desired effect, Colonel Nilesh addressed the assembly again, "Esteemed dies and gentlemen, as much as I would like to continue, this concludes our demonstration. For further discussion, I urge you to please proceed with the rest of the event. Our prince Aditya will take over from here." He ended with a light bow, clutching his fist to his heart.

  Aditya nodded in acceptance as he stepped onto the stage, escaping the pestering requests from the crowd where he had gathered.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, before we continue with the proceedings, I have an important announcement to make."

  Everyone turned serious as they focused their curious eyes on the prince addressing them.

  ******************************

  //A/N - For consistency, the term Pinaka will be used instead of Hwacha from here.