“But it is also unavoidable.”

The idea of using numerical superiority to tie down the Imperial fleet and then beat them into submission was not a bad one. However, there was a limit to how many ships could be pushed forward to bog down the enemy. No matter how chaotic the melee became, a minimum level of command and control had to be maintained. And one had to recognize that if they succeeded in pinning the enemy, they could employ the classic and standard military tactic of ‘hammer and anvil.’

“They must have grown complacent, thinking it’s difficult to use the ‘hammer and anvil’ at sea, or rather, that besides our Imperial fleet, no one is skilled enough to pull off such a crazy stunt…”

Reflecting on his own assumptions, Son Il-won smacked his lips as he looked at the map. “Tsk. The one Turtle Assault Ship I set aside just in case is going to have some fun.”

The initial draft of the plan was to move the Florentine fleet, the escort fleet, and the supply convoy to Genoa to avoid unnecessary losses. However, after receiving Hyang’s critique, Son Il-won revised the plan, adding one Turtle Assault Ship to accompany them.

“What? You mean we’re supposed to sit back and enjoy the scenery on a Turtle Assault Ship instead of fighting the battle we were ordered to fight?”

‘There isn’t a single sane man among the captains of the Turtle Assault Ships.’

As if to prove the saying circulating in the Imperial Navy, the captains of the Turtle Assault Ships had vehemently protested when they heard the plan. However, as the saying ‘rank is law’ implied, they had no choice but to follow Son Il-won’s orders. The captain and crew of the Turtle Assault Ship, chosen by lottery, had to set sail for Genoa, grumbling openly.

But now, they had been entrusted with the most important mission. Son Il-won could clearly picture the jubilant faces of the captain and crew as they received their new orders.

“Alright! Enough with the regrets! His Majesty simply acted as His Majesty always does! In that case, I have to earn my keep! I can’t have the sound of his tongue-clicking echoing across the nation!”

Steeling himself, Son Il-won summoned his staff officers.

***

As time passed, people began to flock to Corsica and the Tuscan Archipelago.

-The Imperial fleet and the European fleets are going to have a showdown!

-They say it’s on a larger scale than any naval battle ever seen or heard of!

As such rumors spread, people flocked to witness the ‘naval battle that will go down in history.’ Hyang could only manage a bitter smile when he received the report. “Rumors travel fast in this era, too…”

The French fleet, having passed through Gibraltar into the Mediterranean, headed for Barcelona, while the Spanish fleet headed for Naples. While resting and refitting as they awaited the Venetian and Habsburg fleets, many sailors disembarked and flocked to the taverns of Naples. There, drunk on alcohol, they boasted that they were ‘going to have a showdown with the Imperial fleet!’ and word even began to leak that they would be heading north for this purpose. The rumors that started in the taverns spread rapidly in all directions.

Reports of this soon reached the commanders of the allied fleet. They could only offer wry smiles.

“Booze and bragging are inseparable from sailors.”

“Isn’t this what we expected? Let’s just be glad it’s only happening now!”

The other admirals nodded at the words of the newly arrived Venetian admiral. As Julius Caesar had once said, the die had been cast. The sailors knew it, which was likely why they had opened their previously sealed lips. They were trying to give themselves courage by talking and boasting. The admirals understood the hearts of their crews, so they took no special measures to stop the rumors from spreading.

“The most important secrets haven’t been revealed…”

“We set sail in two or three days anyway…”

However, the Italians were more fond of talking than expected, and the speed at which rumors spread on land was far faster than a ship sailing at full speed. The rumors soon reached the ears of the socialites and dilettantes. Unlike the north, which had already seen fierce fighting and where small-scale battles still occurred intermittently, central and southern Italy had remained relatively peaceful, with only a standoff. Now, the socialites of these regions began to stir.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I can’t miss it!”

“You’re going to a battlefield to watch a war? Are you insane?”

“It’s a naval battle, a naval battle!”

“Ah!”

Unlike a land battle, where getting too close carried a high risk of being caught in the fighting, this was a naval battle. As long as one did not go out to sea on a boat, there was no chance of getting swept up in the fighting and suffering needlessly.

“Even now, if you just grease a few palms and pass the inspection, you can go north! We can’t miss an opportunity like this, can we?”

“You’re right! Let’s go!”

Socialites from central and southern Italy, and even from as far as Venice, flocked to Grosseto, south of Florence, the Tuscan Archipelago, and Corsica.

“The sailors said they were going north! That means the naval battle will happen near Corsica! It’s the only place!”

Among those who gathered was a large number of painters. “This is a great naval battle that will go down in history. I will make my name with a painting that captures it with my utmost skill!”

And so, the ‘historic naval battle’ was set to take place, having suddenly turned into a ‘circus.’

***

The first to arrive on the battlefield was the combined Spanish-Venetian-Habsburg fleet.

“This is unexpected. If they heard the rumors, they should have already made their move.”

“Perhaps they got scared and are hiding after hearing about our grand fleet?”

At the Habsburg admiral’s words, the other admirals fixed their gazes on him. Seeing the utter seriousness on his face, they all had the same thought.

‘What is this fool saying?’

‘After all that talk, he still underestimates the Imperial fleet?’

“Ahem! Ahem!” The Venetian admiral cleared his throat to draw their attention and got back to the matter at hand. “Now! Let’s not miss the fortunate opportunity we’ve been given! Livorno is only about 25 leagues[1] from here. Even the slowest ship can make it in half a day. We mustn’t waste this golden time; we must form up quickly.”

The other admirals adopted serious expressions and assessed the situation. After a sober meeting, the allied fleet began to deploy its ships. As the warships moved to their assigned positions, several sailors suddenly pointed to the sky and began to shout.

“Captain! The sky! The sky! Look at the sky!”

“Hm?”

The captains, who squinted up at the sky at their crews’ shouts, froze solid. High in the northern sky, a tiny flying vehicle was moving, a trail of black smoke trailing behind it like a tail. After staring blankly at the Empire’s self-powered flying vehicle, the captains quickly came to their senses and ordered their men.

“Signalman! Inform the command ship! ‘Enemy sighted! In the sky!'”

“Yes, sir!”

At the captain’s order, a signalman climbed to the highest point of the stern and waved his signal flags toward the command ship.

“They say the Empire’s signal lamps can transmit entire sentences, but all we can manage are a few words… Tsk.”

The captain clicked his tongue with a look of disappointment, then looked up again at the distant flying vehicle and muttered, “At any rate, they say all the weirdest things are made in the ‘Land of Flowers’…”

***

Having spotted the allied fleet, the self-powered flying vehicle immediately turned its nose and returned to Livorno. Upon sighting Livorno’s signal tower, the vehicle hastily operated its light-based communicator to transmit a summarized report. The moment the vehicle touched the ground, its commander submitted the document prepared onboard to the command headquarters. After reviewing the report with his staff, Son Il-won announced his decision.

“If we sortie now, we’ll have to fight a night battle. I don’t think that’s a good idea. We will advance at dawn tomorrow.”

“Our force is small and the enemy is numerous. Wouldn’t a night battle be more advantageous, sir?”

Son Il-won shook his head at his senior staff officer’s suggestion. “It’s nice to think that way, but remember that to defeat a large force with a small one, you must be in constant motion. If even one of our warships gets bogged down in the middle of the enemy formation, our situation will become difficult.”

“Ah! My thinking was shortsighted, sir.”

“Not at all. If these were our Imperial waters, it would have been a good plan. But these are unfamiliar seas. We cannot fight a night battle based on only a few months of observation.”

Having pointed out the problem with his officer’s suggestion, Son Il-won returned to the main point. “The operation begins at dawn tomorrow. First…”

***

The next morning.

The moment the sun rose, the Imperial fleet left the port of Livorno and headed straight for Corsica.

“The Empire is on the move!”

“Uooooh!”

“Get up! Get up!”

The spectators sleeping on the high hills of Corsica bolted from their tents at the news and headed for higher ground. Upon reaching a high place with a good view of the sea, they let out gasps of admiration at the sight of the distant Imperial fleet passing by.

“Incredible, truly incredible!”

“Are those ships at the very front, spewing smoke, the rumored ironclads?”

“Looks like it.”

“Ironclads… so they do float, huh?”

Amidst such chatter, those with some military knowledge had a different conversation.

“Looking at the Imperial fleet’s formation, it’s a single line, while the allied fleet is in a dense formation… Is this a battle of spear versus shield?”

“Rumor has it that the Imperial Navy prefers a single-point breakthrough tactic. It seems those rumors are true.”

If one were to look at the two formations from the sky at that moment, it was a confrontation between a ‘modified line formation’ and a ‘dense formation with a reinforced center.’ At the head of the Imperial fleet, advancing toward the enemy line, were two Turtle Assault Ships. Their placement was a bit unusual; it was not a typical line formation. The trailing Turtle Assault Ship was positioned not directly behind the lead ship, but diagonally to its right. This was to make use of the bow-mounted main cannon. They couldn’t let the most powerful cannon on the ship go to waste.

Behind the two Turtle Assault Ships, the Challenger-class warships followed in a line formation. Viewed from above, it resembled a harpoon, and so Admiral Son Il-won had named it the ‘Harpoon Formation.’

The formation of the allied fleet facing them was as follows: the Venetian fleet, with its five core galleasses arranged in a pentagon, was positioned in the center, supported from behind by the Habsburg fleet. To their left and right, the Spanish fleets were arrayed. In between the Venetian and Habsburg fleets, hired pirate ships filled the gaps. The Spanish fleets on the flanks were arranged to provide a thicker defense for the central Venetian and Habsburg fleets, while the outermost flank ships were spread out in a long snake formation[2]. This was to ensure that if the approaching Imperial fleet tried to pass by their flank, it would be caught in the long line and unable to increase speed.

Viewed from above, it looked like a great whale facing north, blocking the way. The battle to determine whether the harpoon would stop the whale, or the whale would be caught by the harpoon, was about to begin.