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Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

Jack stared with Li Ling in disbelief at the massive floating fortress. Dwarfing even the biggest atake-bune, the immense vessel looked like a replica of daimyo Mori’s Mizujiro castle that stood watch over the Kurushima Straits. Its wooden sides were raised into defensive battlements and there were two open fighting towers, one in the bow and one in the stern. An entire army appeared to line the ramparts and cannon thrust out of every porthole. It even boasted a three-storey keep in the centre, complete with whitewashed walls and graceful curved roofs of green tile, on top of which sat a large golden shell. With its three massive sails dominating the skyline, the command ship was like a leviathan of the deep: colossal, terrifying and invincible.

‘How will we ever defeat that?’ whispered Li Ling to Jack.

Jack had no idea. He just prayed Tatsumaki did. Otherwise they were all destined for a watery grave.

52

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Fire Ships

The stretch of water between the two opposing fleets glistened brightly in the morning sun. A lone albatross dived into a wave and snatched a fish from the sea. In the distance, the low resonating tone of a horagai trumpet sounded. A moment later, the water exploded in a plume of white foam, the idyllic scene shattered by the concussion of cannon fire from the Nihon Maru and its fleet. Then trails of smoke scorched the sky as daejon fire arrows rained down in retaliation.

Jack steadied himself against a beam as the Koketsu was rocked by a blast landing off their port bow. Sea spray shot through the open portholes, drenching and chilling the gun crews.

‘They missed!’ cried Li Ling in delight.

‘First one’s always short, remember?’ said Jack, and Li Ling’s grin vanished.

Tatsumaki shouted commands and the oarsmen strained to the fevered beat of the drummer. The Koketsu spun on its axis, its broadside pivoting towards the approaching enemy ships.

‘FIRE!’ she yelled.

The deck shook with cannon bursts, ten in quick succession. Gun carriages recoiled and the crews immediately set to work reloading. As the sulphurous smoke cleared, Jack saw the iron shot and daejon arrows bombard the samurai fleet. Many fell short into the sea, but a few struck their targets first time. The starboard side of a seki-bune was ripped asunder by a daejon fire arrow, while a kobaya of samurai troops was holed and rapidly sank beneath the waves.

The Wind Demons cheered, then Jack’s ears rang again as they unleashed a second round of shots. A retaliating barrage from the Sea Samurai followed and there was a deafening thunk as a cannonball bounced off the armoured roof.

‘That must have left some dent!’ cried Li Ling, who’d clapped her hands to her ears against the noise.