Season 3: Chapter 238. Strategic Weapon (3)
"Aaaahhh!"
With a scream, OrangeKing raised his arms and spread his elbows out.
"It's here! The Crane Wing Formation!!!"
— OMG
— Wow
— OrangeKing lol
— It’s not just for show, but really built for battle
— Insane
— This is it!
"This! This is really happening?!"
"When they lured them back, I couldn't believe my eyes!"
The commentators and audience were in awe when the Crane Wing Formation appeared.
"Wowwww!"
Every Korean spectator knew this formation.
"Fire the cannons! Wipe them out!!"
Once the battle started, OrangeKing jumped and became one with the audience.
— LMAO
— Commentary is losing it lol
— LOL
— Oh my God
Surprisingly, even something more thrilling was about to happen.
"!"
***
The Crane Wing Formation obviously looked like a crane spreading its wings as massive ships lined up side by side, forming a crescent shape to encircle the enemy. However, it didn't look elegant or poetic at all to those facing it.
"A fortress... on the sea... a fortress..."
They described it as a fortress on the sea. High, thick, and heavy stone walls suddenly emerged on the sea with black cannons appearing behind them.
Clang...!
"Faster! Go faster!!"
Japan had to ram at least one ship. Otherwise, it would be a massacre. However, the Joseon cannons already fired and the crane wings began moving.
Every time the cannons fired, Joseon's formation moved back by one ship length. With white waves crashing, the Sekibunes turned into debris and flew through the air.
Boom──!
Even as they tried to close in, the number of Sekibunes dwindled with each cannon shot and Joseon's formation kept retreating.
"We must reach them! Hold on!"
Now, the charge was driven by madness.
Boom!
With one side of the ship blown off, the Sekibunes still charged forward. They had nowhere left to retreat and thought they could at least reach one ship.
"They will stop soon! Endure!"
The cannons stopped firing and reloaded. However, all the Joseon ships simultaneously turned halfway.
"!?"
The Japanese soldiers were stunned.
"All at once!?"
Even if flat-bottomed ships could easily turn, turning on the spot required more effort. There was no function to select all the ships and turn them in place. Otherwise, they'd end up circling a central ship like a dance. Each ship had to be turned individually.
Swoosh!
Joseon’s ships seemed to turn almost simultaneously. Then, the cannons started firing again.
"They're firing again!"
Boom!
Several Sekibunes sank with rising sprays of water, but not all of them were destroyed. Some were about to reach their target.
"Prepare for impact!"
Swoosh!
Two Sekibunes managed to catch up to the Panokseons. They were so close that the Panokseon cannons couldn't target them anymore for fear of hitting their own ships.
"Go!"
The Japanese soldiers braced for impact, holding onto anything they could. It seemed like they would ram into a Panokseon, but—
"!?"
They didn't hit a Panokseon. The Panokseons suddenly moved aside, revealing a giant dragon's head with fire in its mouth and cold iron armor on its back.
"Oh..."
The Sekibunes crashed into this ship instead.
***
Three minutes earlier.
"Right now, a proper naval battle is happening. Both sides are rapidly replenishing their ships!"
"Joseon’s last resource is being spent on...!!"
[Turtle Ship]
In the final stages of a naval showdown with each side continuously replenishing their main ships, Joseon's last ship to join the fleet was the turtle ship.
"It's a turtle ship! The turtle ship is joining the battlefield!"
While the Sekibunes charged, the turtle ship also headed toward them. The Panokseons agilely moved aside to make way.
"The turtle ship is joining the battle at the perfect time!"
Without losing speed, the turtle ship plunged into the middle of the Sekibunes.
Swoosh...!
This massive, monstrous, and unbeatable ship finally appeared before the Japanese ships and collided with them.
Boom!!!
"Wowwww!"
The crowd erupted as the turtle ship rammed and pierced through the Sekibunes.
"A successful ram!?"
While the Sekibunes had a strong ram, they couldn't withstand the turtle ship's weight. It was a more expensive ship and would win a frontal collision unless the Sekibune hit its side.
"The turtle ship has pierced through the Sekibune! Now..."
Inside the ship, a bright red glow began to burn.
"The sea fish are saying, 'Chef? Today, we want it well-done!!'"
Whoosh!
Fierce flames burst from within the ship, enveloping it entirely.
— LMAO well-done
— Fish feast today
— Grilled pirates lol
The Sekibunes approaching from behind met the same fate.
Boom!
Bang!
The turtle ship either rammed them or the Panokseon cannons blew them up. The dozen Sekibunes couldn't even sink one Joseon ship and ended up at the bottom of the sea. However, their charge hadn’t entirely been in vain.
"Meanwhile, the Atakebunes have closed the distance!"
The Sekibunes distracted Joseon, allowing the Atakebunes to close in. The Atakebunes had frontal cannons capable of firing as they approached.
"Fire!"
Boom!
The cannons struck the ends of Joseon's Panokseon wings.
Crash!
A portion of the Panokseons blew apart and water began to fill the hull.
"They hit a Panokseon! Joseon has to be careful!"
Cannons fell into the sea and soldiers inside moved the remaining cannons to the other side.
"The Panokseons are firing back!"
Boom!
Bang!
Two Atakebunes were hit with their upper decks blown off.
"This is a fierce battle! Neither side can retreat!"
The ships drew closer with Japanese archers readying their fire arrows.
"They're within the archers’ range! This is..."
At this moment, small ships quickly emerged from behind the Panokseons.
"Joseon’s fire ships are coming out!"
These fire ships had been waiting for this range. The small fire ships could easily get damaged by a single cannon shot, but they were fast and powerful in close combat due to having numerous archers.
Whoosh!
Hundreds of flaming arrows flew out.
"Japan is changing their cannon targets!"
The Atakebunes quickly targeted the approaching fireships.
"They're quick to respond and not easy to handle!"
Boom!
Several fire ships were destroyed and many Joseon soldiers fell into the sea, but the Atakebunes didn't escape unscathed either.
Whoosh!
"They're on fire!"
The flaming arrows from the fire ships took effect. Several Atakebunes began to burn simultaneously.
And—
"The turtle ship!"
Boom!
The turtle ship rammed into the Atakebune from behind the fire ships. Its iron-plated dragon head tore through the ship’s planks.
"It pierced them again!"
Whoosh!
The dragon's mouth spewed fire, causing an Atakebune to explode and its debris scattered everywhere.
The Japanese counterattack followed.
Bang!
The turtle ship's side was blasted apart and the rowers inside fell into the sea.
"The turtle ship is in danger too!"
Rumble...
The turtle ship slowly sank.
"Meanwhile, Joseon’s formation has changed!"
While the turtle ship and fire ships distracted Japan, Joseon's Panokseons formed a new pattern and began circling the Atakebunes.
"Is this a ring-around-the-rosie?"
— LMAO
— No way
— Mocking them?
"This is for a side battle!"
"Huh!?"
Japanese ships were equipped for frontal combat. They handled the fire ships and turtle ship quicker than expected, but they struggled on their sides with fewer cannons there and less maneuverability.
"Japanese ships are like two-wheeled bikes! They need time to turn!"
They found themselves facing Joseon’s Panokseons side-to-side.
"Joseon is like a tricycle! They have an advantage in side battles!"
"They're circling around to fight on the side!?"
"Yes! The Panokseons are opening fire!"
The Panokseons fired in succession as they moved in a circle.
Splash!
Waves rose with each cannon shot and the Atakebunes' upper decks turned to dust.
"Wowwwww!"
The crowd’s cheers matched the cannon fire.
The Panokseons fired repeatedly and efficiently.
"I'll call it the ring-around-the-rosie bombardment! Insane! Japan can't keep up!"
The Atakebunes tried to follow, but struggled with their slower turning. They were forced to fire their limited side cannons.
"Japan is panicking! This movement...!"
Ideally, Japan needed to push through even while taking some hits to get out of range and circle back to chase. However, Ringo's concentration seemed to wane.
"Is Ringo losing focus!?"
"The naval battle has been going on for a while! It's understandable! Civil Empire commanders aren't used to this!"
Both commanders looked considerably stressed on the screens.
— Ringo's face lol
— OMG
— Is Best Yi Sun-Shin okay???
— Why does our side look more exhausted?
— Why so much sweat?
— Best Yi Sun-Shin looks like she took a dip in the sea lol
It wasn’t just Ringo. Sa-Rang also didn't look good. Her skin appeared pale, her eyes twitched, and her hair was matted with sweat. She tightly pressed her lips together and widened her eyes. Despite her condition, Joseon was nearing a great victory in this naval battle.
Boom!
Bang!
The Panokseon cannons hit their marks, sinking several Atakebunes into debris. More Joseon ships arrived.
"A turtle ship! And another Panokseon!"
A turtle ship and another Panokseon joined the battle with more ships being constructed. Joseon's gold had been depleted after making these the last ships, but—
"Japan isn’t replenishing their ships!?"
The once overwhelming reinforcements coming from Japan had stopped.
"Oh...!"
OrangeKing realized why Ringo's concentration had lapsed.
"Japan’s main base is in chaos! Where are the workers!?"
Almond was still alive, killing workers and preventing Japan from producing more ships due to a wood shortage.
— Japan’s main base?! Oh no...
— "Nuclear launch detected"
— That was Pearl Harbor, not Myeongnyang~
— Michael Bay ending incoming~
— How many workers did he kill?
— Nuclear launch detected!