Havoc reigned among the Sea Samurai ships as they sought to avoid the floating bombs. The fleet had to break formation, the ships opening themselves up to the lethal cannon attacks of the Wind Demons. Most of the kobaya and seki-bune vessels proved manoeuvrable enough, but the atake-bune were slower and more cumbersome. One found itself too close as the first fire ship exploded. A whole section of its starboard side was set ablaze. Flames fanned out, spreading over oars, up rigging and across sails until the whole ship was an inferno.

The Wind Demons gave a mighty cheer at the initial devastating success of Tatsumaki’s tactic. The next fire ship detonated, taking out a kobaya lost in the smoke and confusion. But the three following bombs were too far from their targets to cause any serious damage. The last fire ship, however, was on a direct course for the Nihon Maru.

Jack and the Wind Demons watched with bated breath as the burning boat edged ever nearer the daimyo’s command ship.

Then, at the last moment, a kobaya surged out of nowhere, its crew rowing furiously. They collided with the fire ship, knocking it off course. They continued to propel the blazing explosives away from the Nihon Maru. Just as they reached a safe distance, a ball of flame engulfed the kobaya and its crew.

This time, no one on-board the Koketsu cheered; the Wind Demons honourable enough to recognize the samurai crew’s extraordinary courage and sacrifice to save their lord.

Then the pounding of the cannon resumed. By the time the Sea Samurai had managed to regroup into their attack formations, at least ten of their ships had been crippled or sunk.

But their advance was ultimately unstoppable and the Sea Samurai fleet ploughed into the Wind Demons like a tidal wave.

53

Smoke Bombs

Jack braced himself as the Koketsu rammed an atake-bune. The impact was like a charging bull hitting a brick wall. There was a horrendous crunch of wood and the Koketsu shuddered to a bone-jarring halt. Jack had barely found his feet, when Tatsumaki gave the order to ‘retreat and turn’. The oarsmen, well versed in hit-and-run assaults, leant upon their oars and wrenched the Koketsu’s battering ram free.

Watching the seawater rush into the atake-bune’s hull, Jack recalled the terrifying escape he and his friends had been forced to make from Captain Arashi’s bilge prison. He now wondered how they’d ever survived.

As the Koketsu withdrew, the Sea Samurai blasted away with muskets, the shot clattering like hail upon the armoured roof, but otherwise doing little damage. As soon as they were in position, the Wind Demon gunners unleashed a broadside volley of cannonballs. The already weakened hull of the atake-bune crumbled under the blistering barrage. The ship heeled violently before sinking beneath the waves.