Wakizaka's Humiliation
The shoreline was stained red with waves crashing in. The cleanup of corpses was nearly done.
The Yiho Army lads were buzzing with excitement, stripping armor off the Japanese soldiers and rifling through their pouches for hidden silver coins or talismans—any spoils they could grab.
"Boss! This one's got gold teeth! Can I yank 'em out?"
Choi Ga pried open a corpse's mouth and yelled.
"Ease up. Robbing the dead of their teeth'll give you nightmares."
I clicked my tongue and gazed out at the sea. Dozens of Japanese ships were burning and sinking, though a few had somehow slipped away. Of course, Admiral Yi Sun-sin's panokseon battleships were in hot pursuit, so they wouldn't get far.
Still, something felt off. Empty.
"Na Dae-yong, that Japanese flagship from earlier—did it sink?"
Na Dae-yong tilted his head at my question.
"Not sure. The turtle ship rammed it good, half-sank the bastard... but I think I saw someone switch to a small boat and bolt during the chaos."
Then his odds of survival were high.
Wakizaka Yasuharu. Hero of the Battle of Okpo, fierce admiral of the Japanese navy. If history played out, he'd abandon ship, flee to a nearby uninhabited island, scrape by on seaweed for ten days, escape, and live on to invade again during the Jeongyu Revolt.
Can't let him walk. He'll be a pain later.
Killing him here wouldn't derail history much, but breaking his spirit was necessary. And above all, that armor he wore caught my eye. Flashy gold plating. Sell that, and it'd fetch sacks of rice.
"Choi Ga. Snag us a boat."
"Huh? What for? Going fishing?"
"Yeah. Hooking a big one."
I pointed to a distant speck of an island.
"Gotta catch that rat hiding out there."
Hwado—Flower Island. A tiny uninhabited rock near Hansando, overgrown with brush, its shores ringed by jagged rocks. Barren as hell.
We boarded a captured Japanese warship, a sekibune, and approached the island.
"Boss, you sure the Japanese commander's really here? Maybe he drowned."
"Trust my gut. Guy's tough as nails. He'll be crawling around like a bug."
We hit the beach and started searching right away. The island wasn't big, but plenty of hiding spots: rock crevices, caves, thickets.
"Fan out and hunt. Signal if you spot any human traces."
I slung Mi-suk over my shoulder and prowled the coast. Waves smashed white against the rocks. Gulls cried in the peaceful scene. But my eyes scanned sharp as a hawk's.
After a while, fresh wet footprints gleamed on a dry rock.
"Bingo."
Still damp—close by.
I tracked them carefully. They led under a seaside cliff to a small cave eroded by the waves.
Dim cave mouth. A stifled groan echoed from inside.
"Who's there."
I chucked a pebble in. Something inside jolted in panic.
"Come on out. Got a guest."
Silence. Then a man staggered from the shadows.
He was a wreck. Soaked hair hanging limp, hollow eyes, salt-crusted lips pale and cracked. But the armor gleamed on.
Gold helmet, red-laced plates. Wakizaka Yasuharu.
One hand gripped a sword, but it trembled bad. Exhaustion and terror had eaten him hollow.
"Y-you... who the hell are you..."
His voice rasped.
"Who? Your debt collector."
I smacked Mi-suk against my palm.
"Slaughtered 50,000 of our troops at Okpo, right? Time to pay up."
Wakizaka's eyes bulged.
"Joseon dog... survivors?"
"Nah, wasn't there. Came all this way to bag you instead."
I stepped closer.
"Drop the sword. You look half-dead—don't play tough."
"Shut your mouth! I'm Wakizaka Yasuharu! Think I'll kneel to scum like you?!"
He mustered a final yell, samurai pride his only fuel.
"Hyah!"
He lunged, swinging wild. Slow. Pathetically slow. His spent body couldn't manage a real strike.
I didn't dodge. Just flicked Mi-suk out.
Clang!
My club smacked his blade. Metal screamed against wood. The sword flew from his grip, clattering to the ground.
"Ah..."
He stared dumbly at his empty hand. Hollow defeat. A lifetime's swordsmanship neutered by a stick—he couldn't process it.
"Told you. Drop it."
I grabbed his collar and hoisted him up.
"Lightweight. Shoulda eaten more."
"K-kill me... a warrior's honor..."
"Honor? Hilarious."
I slammed him to the sand.
Thud!
Soft beach, no broken bones, but the jolt had to hurt. He curled up, coughing.
"Real honorable hiding out munching seaweed? If you knew honor, you'd have cut your gut."
I started untying his armor straps.
"Hand this over. You don't deserve it."
"Wh-what are you doing! Don't touch me!"
He thrashed, but couldn't budge me. Off came the helmet, the plates, even the silk underlayer—stripped bare.
Moments later, the mighty Wakizaka Yasuharu sprawled on the sand in nothing but white fundoshi underwear.
"Uwaaaah! Kill me! Just kill me!"
Face crimson with shame, he bellowed. Stripping him beat a beheading for insult.
"Why kill you? Got work for the living."
I hurled a slimy wad of seaweed from the rocks at his face.
Splat.
Strands draped him. Salt and fish reek filled the air.
"Eat up. No seaweed soup on your birthday—get it now."
"Guh... grrr..."
He clutched it, shaking with rage and tears.
"Remember. Joseon ain't yours to invade. Yi Sun-sin's on the sea. I'm on land."
I scooped up the armor and sword—heavy haul.
"Thanks for the loot. I'll put it to good use."
"Your... name... I'll... repay this..."
He ground his teeth.
"Kim Deok-ryeong of Damyang. Come find me if you're mad. Always welcome."
I walked out without looking back.
A beastly wail chased me. Loser's cry. Trauma etched for life.
Outside, Choi Ga and the Yiho Army waited. They cheered at the glittering armor in my hands.
"Whoa! Boss! What's that? Gold armor?"
"Yeah. That Japanese commander's. Looks pricey, huh?"
"Jackpot! Sell that, we can throw beef feasts for the kids ten times over!"
"Right. Let's go gorge on meat."
We boarded the boat. Watching the receding island, I mused.
Wakizaka would survive. Tough bastard would escape back to Japan, vow revenge through gritted teeth.
Fine by me. If he came raging back, I'd show him real hell. This humiliation was enough for now.
"Seo Baek-seol'll love this."
I stroked the armor.
The boat reached port. Na Dae-yong waited.
"Back, boss? Looking pleased—score something good?"
"Let a dying big fish go, kept the scales."
I held up the gold helmet. Na Dae-yong's eyes widened.
"Damn... solid gold plating? Impressive."
"This for army funds. Sword's yours."
I handed over Wakizaka's famed blade. Na Dae-yong drew it, whistled.
"Sharp as hell. Melt it for arrowheads—penetration'll be killer."
Melting a legendary sword into arrow tips. Wakizaka would faint.
"Good. Business here done."
I eyed the Yiho Army. Exhausted but high on victory. No time to stop.
"Pull out. Back to Damyang."
"Got it! All troops—return to Damyang!"
We hitched captured wagons and marched. Loaded with rice, weapons, gold armor.
Steps light. Sea victory sealed, enemy pride crushed, fat bonus bagged.
But a weight lingered in my chest. War was just starting. Seo Baek-seol would leap for joy in Damyang, but how long till peace shattered?
No time to slack.
I glanced north.
Our column marched toward Damyang, sun at our backs.