« Commander Erika! YOUR RIGHT! »
Black.
That's what she saw.
Panzers bearing a color of death. The Black Knights.
With their thunderous salvo, all four tanks were instantly knocked out.
Soon, Erika was targeted by one of them. She could felt it was really aiming at her from the beginning, with its deadly silver eyes.
"Erika-chan!"
"?!"
When she could only brace for the worse, the whole tank suddenly made a hard turn, causing the whole crew to lean hard to one side. Erika saw her driver, the black-haired Italian who was passion about the speed was stomping hard on the pedal as both of her hands were clutching hard on two levers, pushing them with all of her strength.
With Cadenza was quick on her feet, the side of Panzer IV's turret was scratched by the projectile. However, it also scraped the moving Panzer III's frontal cheek behind them.
« Sangou! » One of the voices called out.
« W-who hit me…again? »
« Don't worry girl. You're still alive and kicking. » said a tank commander along with a laugh.
"Hold on! We are getting out of here." Cadenza said, shifting the gear hastily.
"Do not engage. Keep moving! Move away from their range!" Erika gave the command.
The remaining tanks soon did, maneuvering around the disabled allied tanks under the intense fire.
« Why did we choose the light tank for?! » A voice screamed out of panic.
« No! This tank speed actually has saved us from being dragged down in the mud back there. If we chose a Panther, we would be out of the game already! »
While the main group was making their way out, a dark-blue-colored Panther intercepted their retreating path and opened fire.
"Incoming!" Erika shouted out the warning.
The projectile was overshot as it was flying high above, did not hit any target. Erika and Cadenza couldn't help but noticed it was the same tank that didn't score a kill during the flanking.
"That Panther's gunner...Heh!" Cadenza made a laugh, hinting that she knew who behind the gun was. "(That high-born attention whore, I can smell you from here)."
...
...
"Come on, puttana. Time to penetrate you with my shell!" Yumiko, the gunner said out with bloodlust.
"...please aim at it properly this time, Yumiko-san." said the tank commander.
"She's really one happy trigger." Commented the loader.
"It's coming in fast." The commander said, observing the fast approaching Panzer IV F2.
"That's one hell of a driver." The driver commented.
Second by second, the distance between them was shortening.
"Wait…wait…"
"And fire!" Yumiko said, firing the gun.
The timing was bad.
"Oh my god, you missed…" said the radio operator.
The Panzer soon came to a full stop with its main armament was pointing directly at the Panther's turret ring, the most vulnerable point of all in the tank.
"Thank you Yumiko. You've done a great job."
With the sarcastic line has delivered, the commander, the loader, the radio operator and the driver put both of their hands over their ears as they wait for the inevitable outcome. Save for the gunner who was redden in furious.
"Oh that massive racist cun—"
With a loudest boom was made, a little white flag popped out with smoke coming out from the defeated tank.
…
…
After assessing another Panther has been knocked out, Karen let out a long sigh.
"I'm starting to regret of giving Cadenza to Erika. I should have gave up Yumiko instead."
The crew only shared one facial expression: Eeehhhh…
…
…
"Bello (Beautiful) Kai. Bello!" The driver congratulated the gunner for the first kill she had made. "That's your first kill right there. How does it feel?"
"Whoa…" The red-haired blushed with a few sweat drops, experiencing such a…foreign feeling. "That's really…something…"
"Thank you Candeza." Erika said.
"For what?"
Finding the driver was rather oblivious, Erika decided not to say it now.
"…Nothing."
She didn't wait for an order. She moved with her own mind. That's what every driver should do.
The self-celebration was soon cut short when the ground was exploded right nearby.
"They are onto us!" Leila called out.
"Ah damn. We're surrounded." Cadenza said, trying to reverse.
…
…
« Lock onto that leading Panzer, gunner. »
« This is Rogue 3. We on i— » That was the last sentence which Jagdpanzer couldn't finish it because of a shell made a direct hit on its rear, rendering a game over for the tank.
Suddenly, multiple of metallic banging like drum beats taken the Tiger II's crew by surprised as the sound was deafening their ears.
« What the hell?! »
« Our seven o'clock! Enemy reinforcement! »
« Damn. Where the hell they come from?! »
…
…
"It's our rear guard!" Sheska exclaimed.
"Nice timing to show up, Mauko." Cadenza said.
"Erika-chan, everyone is ready. On your call."
"…" Erika's hand reached to a mike which connected to the loud speaker and had it before her mouth.
'So assuming we managed to push through Karen's defend line. What then?'
/ / /
"In a way, we should be expecting some sort of trap ahead, waiting for us to come in and stumble upon." Erika answered Mauko-senpai's question. "Karen-senpai would use the terrain to against us."
"A trickster, she is." Cadenza said.
"Our best option is to split up our force." Erika said. "Our rear guard can stand by and act accordingly to the situation."
"Act accordingly…" Mauko muttered.
"Sounds good. We don't have to put our force into a hundred percent." Geshiko said. "Even if we got taken out, the remaining tanks could muster a counter-attack from the rear."
The others nodded, agreeing with the idea.
Just before a dismiss order was given, Erika looked over to the scenery and said out something that capture the attention.
"This whole scenery is somehow reminding me of the Battle of Kursk."
"The largest tank battle…" Koume said.
"You know…to me, those Panthers looked a bit similar to T34 by the distance." said Ritaiko.
"So we treat them like Pravda…?" asked Koume.
"Of course. After all, we have a score to settle them with, right?"
The conversation soon joined in from the others.
"And the most powerful tank they have on hand?" A pony-tailed girl asked.
"Königstiger. But we can treat it like KV-1 or IS-2." said a member.
"It is indeed a true threat to our force."
"And how many rounds do you think we have to put at it?" The Stug IV's gunner asked, grimacing to the idea of facing it head on.
"I think we need none of it." Mauko's words certainly had surprised many.
"Mauko?"
"That shape, it's oddly reminding me of the Maus."
"…"
"…"
"And we are inside a Hetz—I mean, Stug."
The Stug IV's crew soon opened their eyes wide when they realized Mauko's reckless idea.
"But given that Tiger's hull…It isn't big enough for Panzer II or 35(t) to climb on."
"No, we don't need to copy the whole thing. Just change it up a little bit."
"So it's same same, but different, but still the same." Cadenza said.
"Sounds tempting…but those Panthers wouldn't sit there around like a bunch of statues." Sangou said.
"Easy. We just need to distract them."
"You forgot what kind of tanks we have here." Sangou continued. "Even if we concentrate our fire. They'd knock us out one by one like gallery shooting."
Everyone began to make their own wild idea, bring the heat to the planning tactic.
"…Do you guys remember that infamous Chihatan style back in the first round?"
A question came from Erika brought the whole noisy atmosphere to a silence.
"…"
"…"
"No…no way…"
"Well, you are all Japanese…so that's the way it should be." Cadenza said.
The oversea student immediately earned herself a few cold hard stares in Japanese…
"It's decided then. We shall charge at the heart of the enemy's formation!" Mauko spoke out.
"Charge?! Forward?! As the rear guards?!"
"Hah! But we are the rear guard."
The members found the idea was too crazy, yet it's something worth to try.
"They are big but they're stupidly big that they wouldn't change direction!"
"Hit the target when you fire, let your defenses be of iron, and advance in perfect order." Erika spoke out a quote, gaining everyone's attention.
"That is the Nishizumi Style."
/ / /
Or in a way, it supposed to be...
Despite with a formed grin, there was a faint redness appeared on Erika's face.
Inhaled…she did.
And she…
Let.
It.
Go.
"KUROMORIMINE. BANZAAIIII! ! !"
The voice from the top of her lungs shook everyone's nerves as well as the spectators'.
Following the one's war cry, the respond was even more tremendous that literally moved the earth.
««« KUROMORIMINE BANZZZZZAAAAAIIIIIIII ! ! ! ! ! ! »»»
The rogue tanks were simply stunned by the spirit of Kuromorimine lead by Erika.
"…holy…" Hawisa could muttered the word at this point while Karen on the other hand, she was grinning wide.
The horde of metal beasts charged into the opposing side at full throttle.
« They are closing in! »
« Oh shit! Fi-fire! Fire at will! »
The Tiger II and Panthers fired their volley, only managed to scrape off the paint.
« Damn! Those tanks are too fast and nimble! »
« Get close to them! » One of Rheinlands called out. « Don't let them use their gun! »
« Ute! Ute! Ute! Concentrate fire! Give them one big headache with our 20mm! »
By her words, all armaments opened fire. The heavy prideful tanks of Kuromorimine somehow got turned into punching bags by ruthless and merciless strikes.
« Feuer!"
"Driver! Take us in!" Erika said. "Gunner! Fire on my command. We're taking them out right here!"
The Kuromorimine's flag tank soon joined in the fray.
The fight was no longer about exchanging shells with shells. It was a full blown out between David vs Goliath in one such barbaric and primitive fighting, like raging sea smashed onto rocks that caused them to crack in pieces. This was what the Kuromorimine girls were doing it at the moment.
« Ram at it! »
They charged. They rammed straight into those heavy tanks frontally for all they care that referee system was promptly kicked in upon impact.
Two Panzer IIs collided into a Panther, while still firing auto-cannon. Even though with obvious outcome that it didn't do any damage at all to the Panther, but it did one hell of damage to every girl's hearing sense.
« Stop. Shooting. At. Us! »
Panzer 35(t) appeared from the side, and parked comfortable right next to the Panther.
« They are parking right next to us! »
The Panther's gunner rotated the gun, only to find embarrassed that the gun barrel was over it.
« Shit! Our gun is too long! »
A first-year tank commander stood up from the cupola and said out loud in a mocking voice.
"What's wrong, senpais?" The commander of Pz. 35(t) asked. "Getting a bit difficult with your excessive fat over there?"
A hatch was opened, revealing a brute-looking sailor.
"Why you…Get out of that tank and I will show who is fatty!"
"Ooh! Scary! Scary!"
"Get back here!"
« They're over there. Right! »
« No, left! »
« Right! »
The Panther's commander found it was too difficult which direction to move when there're two light tanks moving around them in a circle.
« Stop circling around us! »
The events on the battle lead the students and sailors on the plaza completely went wild with cheers and laughter.
...
...
"Hahaha…" A soft laugh was heard, gaining Shiho's attention.
"Maho, are you…laughing?"
"I'm sorry mother. It's just that…Erika and the girls…I think they are having…fun with the Sensha-do."
"…"
While the mechanics and other Sensha-do members were enjoying, the novice noticed the Chief was standing there silently.
"Chief? Are you alright?" asked the novice.
"...I'm just mentally calculating how many nights and coffee we need to have to fix all these jack shits up. Those girls really wrecked them all…"
"Ah…"
Hearing it, the whole mechanic crew's shifted from their pink-ish faces to dark blue. The reality was always too cruel.
"It's official. I will move back to the mainland and fix automobile with men driving only. Girls on tanks are way too scary…" He said with a face of 200% done.
...
...
"Forget the shooting! Crush them over with our steel!" Obama, the tank commander of Tiger II ordered.
The heaviest one rolled its tracks, effortlessly pushing a disabled 35(t) which had rammed into out of the way.
"Here comes the big one! You're ready, Mauko?" asked the driver.
"Readied as you ever be. Gun it, driver!" Mauko said.
With that, the driver grinned wide as she shifted the gear and pressed hard on the pedal.
The Stug IV charged at the Tiger II gallantly in the same manner like Ooarai's Hetzer did to the Maus back in the final. However, there was a minor change. Instead of frontally charged straight at the hull, the Assault Gun only charged onto on one side of Tiger II's track which had the other track to climb on its tank body.
« Wha—what is going on? Why we are tipping over to our left?! » The Tiger II's loader was panic.
It's the whole crazy move conducted by Mauko's Stug IV, just need to do it at one side of the Tiger II, tipping off its balance. At the same time, when the Stug IV's 75mm barrel was right beneath Tiger II, its muzzle was close to the track at point-blank range.
"Fire!"
The projectile tore straight through the track, rendering the mighty beast unable to move.
"NOW!" Mauko called out to her allied. "Ram at it like a bulldozer!"
Soon Geshiko's Panzer II and a wild Panzer 35(t) appeared and together, they rammed right into the vulnerable side of Tiger II violently like bulls.
"Ohshit-ohshit-ohshit! WWAAHHH! !—"
Tiger II finally lost its balance and fell over to one side, exposing its belly.
The Stug IV and 35(t) fired at one concentrated point. Soon, a *pop* sound was heard.
« Tiger II is immobilized! »
« Oi what the hell?! That's cheating! » Tiger II's gunner cried out.
…
…
The spectators were stunned at first but they soon roared out with uncontrolled cheer as the ecstatic feeling was filling up inside their heart and mind.
"What the hell was that?! That was so cool!"
"So awesome!"
"They really just did the whole thing! It wasn't a stage, right?!"
It was beyond, this was truly something they had never saw at any Sensha-do match ever.
"…Yes!"
A sudden exclaiming caused many eyes turned to the long-haired woman dressed in black jodhpurs.
Even though she still stood there calmly and motionless as she was, but many (to their disbelief) thought that they have just saw her did a fist pump.
…
…
"Ok...they're using the top tier tank of all and somehow got bested by Panzer II and Panzer 35(t)? Where is the logic in this?" Kai and the others was amazed.
Now we truly understood why Kuromorimine has lost.
Not only from the fact that we use the heavy tanks.
We're over-reliant on the Nishizumi sisters too much.
We only move when there's an order.
At this moment, everyone is fighting with their own thought and will.
It's the same. The same reason why Ooarai has won.
…
…
« Yeah! We did it! » Geshiko said.
« Two shots at the same like. It's like a double pen...ok, I stop there... »
"Hahaha. Did you see that? Did you see that?" Mauko was overjoyed. "I didn't choose the Stug life. The Stug life chose me, motherf—"
Immediately, the Stug IV was taken out by a distance shot. Geshiko and the allied tank commander turned and saw a black Panther proceeded firing another shot, then another, knocking them all out under 1 minute.
« Rheinland 9 is out of operational. »
« Rheinland 5 is immobilized! »
« Rheinland 2 is out, sorry Erika... »
"Damn, it's that sniping black Panther again." Kai said.
"It's Karen behind the gun, no doubt." Cadenza revealed the fact that didn't surprise Erika much since she got a hunch as well.
"I have her in my sight. Order, Commander." Kai said, finger on the trigger.
"Hold your fire, Kai." Cadenza said. "Let me take you in closer. Up close and personal."
"…Can you do it?" Kai asked.
"The wet mud here should help with the drifting."
"Dri-drifting…?" Leila was puzzled by the word.
"…Are we really doing that Ooarai's thing?" Sheska asked, realizing her intention.
"Have you practice those moves before?" Kai inquired.
"I have done it with Panzer II. So it should be no different. Besides, I have done the calculation."
"Oh Gott..." Leila groaned, seeing this was a very bad idea.
"Cadenza." Erika suddenly spoke up, gaining everyone attention.
"…"
"Floor it."
And this day was the happiest day Cadenza ever had.
"Ja!"
The Panzer IV's engine noise was roared up to eleven as it charged at the head of enemy.
Karen-senpai. Despite what you have done, I still respect you. You have invited me into your world, taking a huge risk that I would blow a bubble.
You are my opponent, but behind you and everyone else. It will be her. Vice-Commander Miho.
There will be a day that I shall walk with her side by side.
I will be her equal! That is why…
I shall not be beaten by you, Karen-senpai!
Unbeknown to many. The unmoved half-track which was used as distraction, the sound speaker equipped on it was continued in function with Ode an die Freude (ode to joy) was playing in the background, granting the whole battle scene was reaching to its climax.
"It's coming toward us!" Taiga reported.
"That move…is rather similar…don't tell me!" Hawisa quickly recognized the panzer's move. "That's Ooarai last desperate move! Pivot the tank, Taiga!"
The two-colored Panzer IV once made hit the mud, Cadenza skillfully stopped one track as the other continued to roll.
"Flank speed! !" The driver shouted out as she stomped the pedal.
"We are not driving a…" The radio operator soon saw what's outside the vision block that they began to…set sail. "We are really drifting!"
With the momentum and…physic in play, the Panzer IV F2 had succeeded in the maneuver of drifting in one curved line.
However, before they could get behind the Panther, the muddy part which Cadenza had used for the move was…coming up short.
Soon the crew began to feel to the rocky part as the speed was dropped dramatically and unbeknown to their awareness, there was a certain thing that would ruin their day.
A rock.
Yup, it was a rock. A big rock. Big enough to damage the wheels and tracks upon the impact as it made the tank…tipping over to one side.
"Oh-oh! We are tipping! We are tipping over!" Leila cried out.
"The risk I took was calculated...but man, am I bad at math."
"Really? Really?!"
The loader braced herself as she held the little creature onto her like it was her baby. The commander was grimaced and muttered at one point: I'm regretted my decision.
The gunner, however…she was continued on her function as a gunner.
Despite the whole gravity was doing to their tank and their whole body circulation, Kai's amber eye steadily locked on the target like a true hawk. For she was a master of it. She had trained herself long back in the childhood when she was at the back of the car. No matter what happened. No matter how bad the road was. No matter how sharp turning the corner was.
Eyes forward. To the screen.
Hands placed steadily on the button.
For she never. Suffer. Motion sickness. Ever.
"Requiescat in Pace. (Rest in peace.)" Kai spoke out the one-liner.
"N-Nani!?" Cadenza spat out in surprised.
Trigger was pulled. The gun fire as the case ejected from the breach.
The shell launched and hit directly at the rear of Panther.
All was done while the Panzer IV was still in the motion of falling over to one side.
It was then, Ode an die Freude song has come to an end as well as the battle when all remaining rogue tanks were disabled with a little white flag popped out on top.
"We…did it?" Sheska asked.
"We did it!" Leila exclaimed. "We won! We saved Kuromorimine!"
"But somehow we are flipped over to one side…" Erika commented. "This is rather weird for the heroine's ending."
"Yeah, yeah. No need to thanks me." Cadenza waved her hand. "But hey, at least the referee system didn't activate…"
A comical pop up sound was heard.
"Non importa (Never mind)."
"Well done Kai. You have just saved the day." Erika congratulated the one who earned the credit.
"…"
"…You ok, Kai?" Leila asked.
"I am touching myself tonight! WOO!"
"She is very happy about it..." Sheska said, patting gently on Dave's head.
Seeing everyone was alright, Erika slowly made her way to the turret's side hatch.
…
…
"Well, that was completely unexpected..." Karen scratched the back of her head, finding the whole maneuvering of Panzer IV took a strange turn and still managed to get them in the end.
"Everyone alright?" She turned to her crew.
"...I'm ok." Taiga replied.
"Yeah, we are fine…" Hawisa said.
"What about you, boss?" asked Shiko.
"I...I don't feel so good."
"..."
"..."
"Not gonna be a spoiler or anything, but...yeah...not cool." Hawisa found it was unamused.
"It's a good thing we've watched that movie before some asshole spoiled it on the internet." Shiko said.
"To be honest, I haven't watch it. And somehow I already got the gist of it." Taiga said.
"Ah...the thing I do for love." Karen sighed.
Then, there was a light knocking above. The auburn-haired soon opened the hatch, seeing the long light haired with icy blue eyes bearing a strong aura as a new Commander of Sensha-do.
Erika put up a hand for Karen to take it, so she did.
With the two stood on top of the turret, despite there's a different in height, the ponytailed auburn-haired couldn't help but feel she was defeated….in a sense of charisma and beauty to the light blond-haired with icy blue eyes. However, it was fine.
Smiling, Karen removed the rubber bang, letting her hair down like it was before.
"You have defeated me fair and square, well done. Kommandant." She bowed down to the victor.
"So…it's over? No more trick?"
Karen pulled out a USB flash drive from the pocket and handed it to Erika.
"No more trick. You have protected….and saved Kuromorimine, Erika."
Erika let out a brief sigh, relieving for such worst-case scenario didn't happen.
"Tell me. If you failed at that flanking move and got taken out by me. What would you do?"
Wordlessly, Erika pointed her finger to a distant hill there's where a number of silhouettes.
Karen used her binoculars to check, only to find 3 powerful Tiger Is were standing by.
"Oi…that's cheating." Karen turned to Erika.
The two only looked each other in silence.
"…"
"…"
"Heh!"
"Hah!"
Together, they shared the heartfelt laughter.
…
…
There was no need for announcement as the crowds were clapping. The applauses and whistles were louder and louder by the second till it came to a full volume of cheering for Erika's victory.
"Thank you, Erika." Maho said softly.
"..." Shiho silently agreed with her daughter with a nod.
...
...
"Karen-senpai is defeated…" The rogue student said.
"So...I guess this rebellion is...failed?" Alisa said.
"Not quite yet." The little one said. "I'm going to ruin that victory mood."
Her words only made the two Saunders spies puzzled and...scared of what sort of trick under her sleeve.
"So sorry about this, Erika-senpai." Lotte plugged a flash drive into the laptop. "But I think it is best that she needs to know it too."
~0~
Afterward, the Morals Disciplinary Committee reinforcement arrived.
Luckily for the enforcers, the after-match situation was resolved peacefully, having the rogue students and delinquent sailors quietly came out along with Erika's troops.
It wasn't long for them to arrive back to the main sheds where the Headmistress and her elder daughter were waiting for them.
The leader of the rebels and the new Commander presented themselves before the Nishizumis.
"…That was the most…unpleasant display of all to the Nishizumi Style." Shiho said in an unpleasant tone toward Erika.
"…"
"...But I cannot say it wasn't…thrilling." A faint smile was formed across the face, surprising Erika with her rarely expression.
"Well done, Commander Itsumi. You are…a radical one."
With a glance behind Shiho, Erika noticed Maho was smiling and gave an approving nod, which promptly made Erika blushed…but it was brief when Shiho shifted her eyes to the one standing right next to, the one who dared to challenge the Nishizumi and intended to bring…unbalance to the Kuromorimine.
"Karen Nakahashi…"
The fierce gaze and a certain dark aura coming Shiho Nishizumi caused everyone unconsciously held their breath.
At this moment, Karen could only viewed herself that she was a…something has been put on silver platter...in a literal sense, not a metaphor one.
"Okay...you can cook me, skin me, boil me, fried me, stir-fried me or anything you want, just...you know? Leave my friends out of this...?"
"Give me your hand."
Karen immediately obeyed.
Oh God.
Is she going to perform a Nishizumi Style to break every finger bone of my hand? Or she would go:
Omae wa mo shindeiru.
NANI!?
And Karen died in such a gory way. Oooh, Gory Gory What a Helluva Way to Die~ Gory Gory What a Helluva Way to Die~
OH-MAI-GAWD-OH-MAI-GAWD-OH-MAI-GAWD!
She felt a certain cold, deadly touch on her hand.
OH-NO-NO-NO-NO! Please let this be quick! Jesus! Buddha! Allah! SAVE MEEEEEE!
At this point on, Karen only shut her eye closes and await the imminent judgment when Shiho's hand raised high like an axe.
Soon, the sharpness of pain that imprinted on every nerve and bone that she would remembered the rest of her life…
"BUUUA-WWWGGGAAHHHHH! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !"
...Was what Karen would have scream out, however...
"...Ah…ey?"
The pain somehow wasn't that terrible at all.
Karen opened her eyes as she noticed a sense of heat and a bit of numbness was coming from the back of her hand.
She began to register this properly…
The divine punishment that she had received from Shiho Nishizumi, the Headmistress and the master of Nishizumi Style, was...a slap on the wrist?
"Don't ever use that tone in front of me again, young woman. You hear me?"
"..."
"Your answer?"
"Y-Yes, Headmistress! I'm so sorry for my previous action!"
Karen bowed her head down perfectly in a 90 degree angle. The rogue students stood afar heaved sigh of relief, somehow saw the storm has passed away.
"Ah...just when I thought I would smell the blood." said Elena, drawing odd looks from everyone nearby.
"…" The new Commander shook her head, thinking her heart would pop out if Karen-senpai let out such distress cry that would have imprinted on the back of her mind.
Just before Shiho could have say something, a certain group appeared on field. They're faculty members. It's no strange why they would show up here after this whole event.
"Madam Nishizumi. M-may we ask what had happened here?"
Karen frowned as others were nervous and blank-mind, rather didn't know what to do. If the teachers learned what had happened here then the punishment would be harsher than the one Shiho delivered…
"…There's no reason to be alarmed, everyone. This is merely a special drill conducted by my students with its code name...Valkyrie."
What Shiho said was rather surprising to the involved parties.
"Forgive our ignorance madam, but we heard someone tried to…suicide?"
"That's a…call sign for this group here…Suicide Squad."
Karen and a few immediately put a hand over their mouth, snickering.
"Even though I don't agree with such…grimy name. But it's the girls' decision."
"A Sensha-do special drill?"
"What has transpired here...the students of Sensha-do has demonstrated the weakness of...Nishizumi Style. They proved this Kuromorimine's strategy was rigid and inflexible, leading its demise. What we did here is to change that."
"The Sensha-do members are not alone in this. I gave my thanks to the Moral Discipline Commitee and a group of volunteer sailors who participated the battle, to see how it went wrong. Usually a third party would give a much more insight from their outside perspective."
Smiles were formed among the said sailors, although the other party didn't feel it on the same page, but they accepted it regardless.
"And...how did it go?"
"A few implement of changes need to be considered, however, Erika Itsumi and her team did well. She came up to whole grand new strategy. Despite not what Kuromorimine usually would go with, but it came from the true spirit of Nishizumi Style."
Shiho's words brought many young faces to smile or grin as Erika simply blushed hard.
"That will be all."
"Yes yes! Of course, of course. Madam. We will be on our way."
"Damn…that was something." Karen said softly. "Headmistress, you gave me a new perspective at you now."
Shiho gave Karen a dagger look at first before she turned to every student who participate the…battle.
"Everyone…thank you for your work."
"""THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK!"""
Everyone, including the rogue students were smiling with a sense of secure. Erika, on the other hand, was dwelling in her own thought…
No…not quite yet.
'Kuromorimine is still…dreaming in its own glory past. I think it's time to wake it up.'
'I'm going to wage a full throttle of Blitzkrieg.'
'We won't lose next time. It's a promise!'
'Promise has been made. So it should be kept.'
"It's time to wake it up…"
Erika quickly made her way to the Panzer III and asked the commander.
"Sorry. Can you turned on the speaker?"
"…uhm. Alright."
"And make sure it goes on open channel as well."
"Understood…"
Before the crowd was dismissed or a decision was made of how to deal with Karen and her group. The ringing sound in the air was heard.
« Eh-hem! Ah...Testing-testing. One. Two. Testing. »
Erika's echoing voice soon gained everyone's attention. Her crew, her companions, her recent enemies, the mechanics, the teachers, and of course, the Nishizumis. Not just them but also hundreds pair of eyes were looking at her through the projection screen and monitors.
Erika's heart was beating fast when she had become the center of attention as she was standing on top of Panzer's III's turret.
Be still my heart…Be still.
She inhaled slowly.
« We lost. »
It was...unexpected. When hearing such words, eyes opened wide as faces turned to each other, hoping that they heard it's wrong.
Confused, baffled voices began to sound, to Erika's prediction. She continued.
« We lost. » Erika repeated. « The 62nd Tournament and the 63rd. We lost twice in a row. »
« Of course when you lost like that, there's bound something or someone to get blamed for… »
« Like…Miho Nishizumi. »
It was a name that many rather not dare to speak of openly. It really surprised everyone, especially to the Nishizumis but both remained silent as they let her continued.
« I think you all know about it already. You all know about me. But I'm the same as you. »
« However, at this point, I have no right to judge whether her action was wrong or right…but there's one thing I'd dare to say this. What she did, it was for Sensha-do! Not for Nishizumi Style. Not for Kuromorimine. But because it was her own Sensha-do! Miho's own Sensha-do! »
Erika's words brought the whole crowd to the rowdy state.
« Some…many said that she is not worthy in Kuromomine. »
« But were we too? Are we worthy to Kuromorimine? »
« Did you come to Kuromorimine just because 'I feel like it so I think I would give it a try'? No. Did you come to Kuromorimine because they are the champions, because it has the Nishizumi Style? »
« Maybe that's the very first reason you will say. But then you all realized that there's more to it. You came here because you respect it. You respect Sensha-do. More than everyone, with heart and mind. »
« You have worked harder than anyone. Not just us alone, but the mechanics here who have spent many sleepless nights in order to maintain our tanks' engine, keep them well-oiled, up and running. »
"Yeah!" A few exclaims were made, agreeing with her.
"You tell them, girl!"
The atmosphere began to shift to something more positive.
« There's more than just love for Sensha-do. What we do here. What we are doing here. We're searching the truth for ourselves! »
Murmurs of content were heard.
« I respect and love Sensha-do! This is a sole reason why I have joined Kuromorimine. »
« And of course, the Nishizumi Style is something we all look forward to. We're all wanting to become worthy to it. And yet, we failed…But that's fine! Because that is Sensha-do! That just show how the struggle is real! Without it then that is not a Sensha-do and that is not Kuromorimine! »
"Yeah!" "That's right!"
More and more exclaims were made positively.
« Where we are standing. This is Kuromorimine! »
« We strive for strength! »
«We are the peak of all those who do the Sensha-do! »
« And we are all perseverant, because it's worth it! Because this. Is. Kuromormine! »
« For WE. ARE. KUROMORIMINE! »
It was a moment of absent of voices. The ground which filled by hundreds of people, yet there was not a single word. All they could heard was the sound of a wind came from the sea, and a few faint noises made by little animals.
The sun was continued to shine on the person standing on the tank.
"We will follow you, boss…No. BIG BOSS!" Karen called out the title that soon earned the following chanting from her friends.
"Big boss! Big Boss! Big Boss!"
"Lead us to the victory. Commander Erika!" Kai shouted out.
"Commander…Commander Erika."
"Commander Erika! Commander Erika!"
"Vittoria agli Kuromorimine! (Victory to the Kuromorimine!)" Cadenza said out loud.
"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika."
"Für das Kuromorimine! (For the Kuromorimine!)" Sheska and Leila said together.
"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika."
One by one. Koume, Ritaiko, Geshiko, Mauko, Sangou, Obama, even Abe joined together. The students, the enforcers, the sailors and the mechanics chanted out the name.
"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika!"
With the name was being chanted harmoniously, Erika felt like she was being stripped naked for some reason…but these people, they were not mocking her…they're calling out to her…
"…"
So it would be polite to respond to those callings in a certain way…with her own way.
"…!"
The raised fist in the air instantly earned thunderous roars as hundreds of raised fists joined along with hers. Not just on Kuromorimine's school ground but the whole Kuromorimine school carrier, they all chanted out the name with clapping and fist pumps.
"Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika!"
"Kuromorimine Banzai! Kuromorimine Banzai! Kuromorimine Banzai!"
"Victory to the Kuromorimine!"
"Für das Kuromorimine!"
"Watch out, world! Kuromorimine has come back and stronger than before!"
Maho and Shiho simply smiled at a new heroine of Kuromorimine.
"Still thinking of going back to mainland?" The novice asked the fellow mechanic who intended to resign.
"Meeh…I have some time to think over…"
Amidst in such spirited atmosphere, the auburn-haired couldn't help but noticed something was…wrong…
"…did I forget something…?" Karen massaged, searching her memory to find a specific thing…she soon found it. And it was not good. Not good at all.
"Oh no…"
Without a warning, the projection screen showing the live feed of Erika shifted to a new scene. It was a certain shot from a phone device, showing someone is standing on a stand. With the person's incredible appearance along with resounding speech everyone had heard. There was no mistake about it.
That person was the same Erika Itsumi. Although there was a certain…different comparing to the one at the present, the one on stage appeared to be…drunk.
« HELLO EVERYONE! MY NAME IS ERIKA ITSUMI. I'M THE VICE…NAH, NOT VICE-COMMANDER ANYMORE. LET ME TELL YOU ALL SOMETHING. YESTERDAY, OUR BELOVED IRON LADY, SHIHO NISHIZUMI HAD APPOINTED ME AS A NEW COMMANDER OF KUROMORIMINE. »
« OOOOOHHH! » The noise came from the audience in the background.
...
...
"Eh? Really?"
"Iron lady? Erika-san is calling the Headmistress as….Iron Lady?"
"Is she…drunk?"
"I don't think so but…"
"Ho-ho! There is it again!"
While the regular students were a bit confused, the sailors, on the other hand, were as rowdy as they were, hinting that they knew something.
"Oh my! Karen. You are so cruel."
"Better record this one for good!"
"Ah...senpais? May I ask what's going on?" A first-year student asked.
"Pay attention to this one good, kouhais. This is one of a life time. Also, take out your phone to record it. Who knows when the original film might disappear."
And so, the attention shifted back to the giant screen as every phone device was held high in their hand.
...
...
« I MEAN HAVING THE TITLE COMMANDER IS GOOD AND ALL. BUT PEOPLE KEEP CALLING COMMANDER NISHIZUMI FOR SO LONG. SO WHAT IF SOMEONE COMES TOO ME AND SAYS: OH HEY COMMANDER NISHI—OH NO, I MEAN, COMMANDER ITSUMI! »
Erika imitated the hand salute.
Some cackles were heard in the background.
« SO IN AVOID TO DO SO, PLEASE. CALL ME COMMANDER ERIKA INSTEAD. »
« Commander Erika. Commander Erika! »
One of Erika's eye lips was twitching, finding this was too unbelievable. How and when did she do without her own knowledge? No wait...it was that night...she was inside that bar.
« YA KNOW? COMMANDER NISHIZUMI ALWAYS SOUNDED GOOD AND FORMAL. THAT APPLIED TO THE SAME AS HER YOUNGER SISTER TOO, MIHO. EVERYONE BACK AT OOARAI CALLED HER LAST NAME LIKE WE DID HERE. »
« HELL! MAYBE I WANTED TO BE CALLED JUST LIKE THEM. BUT TOO BAD, I'M NOT RELATED… »
Laughter soon followed.
« SO MAYBE THERE WAS ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION. I SIMPLY CAME UP TO HER AND SAID THIS… »
Oh no...Oh no!
Erika's face went blue, only to find that piece of lost memory finally returned…
Of all the time. Why do I have to remember it now! ? !
"Stop the video! Stop the video!" Karen frantically called to the saboteur team over the phone.
Among the bewildered crowd, there were a few faces turned red as they knew what's coming up next.
"Be strong, Erika…" Koume said, clasping both of her hands together.
"You know, there is one thing that we have lied to you girls." Cadenza and Kai spoke to Sheska and Leila.
"Of what…"
« TO BE HONEST, I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THIS FOR SO LONG… » Erika behind the screen drew a breath of air.
The one looking at herself was having her brain on the verge of mental breakdown.
OH NO! NONONONONONONONONO! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!
""She got a pretty damn good voice."" The two said at the same time.
« Commander Nishizumi, no…Maho Nishizumi-san. SUKI DESU! TSUKIATTE KUDASAAAIIIII! ! (I LIKE YOU. PLEASE GO OUT WITH MEEEE! !) »
"Hiii…GGGGYYYYYYYYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! ! ! !"
That was what Erika had screamed from the top of her lungs. Then again, that was only the volume of screaming mentally as her mind was drifted into the void of black hole...with Milky Way and Stars.
« JUST KIDDING! NOW TIME TO LET Y'ALL HEAR MY AWESOME SINGING VOICE. HIT IT DEE-JAY! »
…However, that part was never played because of a pause icon has appeared, stopping the clip right after Erika's...confession.
Immediately after Erika's boldly confession, various gasps and 'kya!' went uncontrollably in the air from the spectators. Many faces went red and huge grins were formed hard as they knew it beforehand.
"You idiot! Play the video. Play the video!" Karen shouted out.
…
…
"…nope! This is where the fun begins."
With that, the evil Lotte hanged up the phone.
Then, a loud knocking came from the door along with a powerfully voice of authority.
"Open the door!"
"Oh shit! What do we do?" Alisa said, turning to the Saboteur team.
To the Saunders girls' surprised, the Saboteur team already moved to the window, having a rope strapped onto their climbing belt.
"Wh-where are our gears?" Alisa asked.
"Don't have one. You guys on your own now, Auf Wiedersehen!" Lotte gave the two spies with her two-finger salute before she rappelled down.
"…" Both Alisa and Helmet-chan could only stare at the opened window wordlessly.
"That son of a—"
A hard banging on the door continued, bringing the intense stress to the two.
"OPEN UP!"
"Hiiee!"
It would be a long day for those two Saunders girls to get out of this school carrier.
…
…
The paused clip shifted back to the live feed, showing the main character of the show.
"Ah Scheiße…" Karen cursed.
Then came the moment of absent of voices once more…
Please tell me this is just a dream…
At this point, Erika had covered her redden face with both of her hands. Her face was blushed as red as the color of her uniform shirt. She wanted to dig a hole and put her head in there….but…with a sense of curiousity…she wants to know...She wants to know how Maho would react to this.
Wordlessly, Erika turned her head, seeing the Nishizumi mother who predictably showing off her severe frowning face, however, there was…a hint of redness appeared on her both cheeks.
"…"
Erika finally turned to the one who she had confessed her feeling. Face to face.
For the first time, no one, like never before, they would have such a pure opportunity to see Maho's such one expression.
It was priceless.
No word could able to describe it elegantly… Like a burning love slowly melt away the one's stoic face and icy heart...
It was safe to say that at this point, Maho was like a normal female student who had received the love confession for the very first time.
"Erika…I…"
"Commander Nishizumi…"
"…"
"…"
All spectators silently watched with 'Doki-doki' hard in their chest, shifting their eyes from left to right and back repeatedly while the state of Erika's childhood friend who suffered a color failure was entirely ignored (except the first-year German loader who aided her from not falling flat on the ground).
"I…" Maho began, making Erika drew her breath.
All swallowed hard their saliva unconsciously, gluing to the moment.
"…I'm sorry." She bowed down.
…Okay, that sorry was bearing a few meanings. To Maho, who rather experienced this for the first time so her meaning was this: I'm sorry, for not noticing your feeling. This is too sudden so maybe...and she got stuck at that part.
To the others, who was savvy on the subject (or rather, they thought they would be) so…it was translated into this: I'm sorry…like I'm sorry, so...friend, maybe?
"Aww..."
"Oh no!"
"Erika-senpai..."
Many faces was sad and disappointed by the outcome.
"Everyone." A third-year sailor stood up as she placed her cap onto the chest with tears in her eyes. "A moment of silence for our fallen sister…"
And so they did.
Offering their sincere silence to a fallen sister.
"…"
From the red to purple, like a fruit has been ripe for too long. Erika turned her sour face to the one who solely responsible that had turned her life upside down and possibly ruined it at this point.
"…uhm…oops?"
If not thanks to the intervention of everyone else, there would be one dead report in Kuromorimine School spawned on the internet.
After one such event of proving herself as a new worthy Commander of Sensha-do. With her rousing speech that moved and excited the heart of every man and woman, and yet her ending was a tragic, bitter end when her confession could not capture the loved one.
A silver lining after all of this? Erika has got herself a fan club (larger than Maho's).
Oh right. She also earned herself a title as well: Erika the Radical.
…
*thumbed-up to the bandaged Karen who did the same initially before she gave the finger*
Thank you Karen. You are an awesome girl, everyone will (not) miss you.
And that's it, everyone. Thank you so much for your time of reading this. The story of Erika the Radical now is finished. It's such an amazing journey and sadly that I shall lay my pen to rest...*seeing Karen gestured her finger pointing down*
What? You want me to keep scrolling down?
But there is no...what the?
"Soo they're salt and sugar?" Leila asked the question concerning about the things in a particular photo which had Erika in it.
"Uh-huh. Looks a bit imitated, isn't it?" The bandaged Karen said, smiling.
"And the needles?" Erika asked.
"Stole a few from the infirmary. Fresh and unused one. Put them away safely."
"...How exactly did you put on that face?" Maho asked.
"What face?"
"The one back in the office. Before me and my mother?"
"You forgot what I do in my extracurricular activity?"
"…"
"I'm in the drama club." Karen answered. "Always love to become an actress one day."
"Yeah, sitting on a sofa." Cadenza said, smirking. "In front of a camera with four or five black dudes standing behind you—"
A loud smash sounded off by Shiko's large hand interacted with Cadenza's head.
"Ouch!"
"Rude." Shiko said.
"Sorry…"
"...So you didn't put anything into my drink?"
"No, of course not! You was drunk by the atmosphere, girl." Karen said. "After that so-called confession, you partied as hard as everyone."
Hearing it, Erika could only blushed hard.
"B-but how did I come to forget that easily?"
"It's because you happened to fell on stage, by that one dancing move. It got you…BAM! Pretty hard on the surface." Once Cadenza revealed it, it didn't bring that much of a good mood.
"Anything else you're hiding from us?" Leila asked with a dark face.
"No...?"
Thank you for that, Cadenza. Really.
Erika made a sarcastic thought before she noticed Karen was looking at her.
"Sorry…I think you would do...well…mischievous to me…"
"Uh-huh, go ahead and think of me as an alpha bitch in school, Erika-chan."
"S-sorry…"
"But still…I don't deny it."
"Eh?"
"When you were sleeping, your face is…adorable."
While Karen was speaking, she made an approach to Erika who realized the distance between them was getting shorter and shorter.
Her face…is rather close…too close, in fact.
"This is all your fault, Erika-chan."
"What do you mea—"
Karen's lips pressed onto Erika's. It was a soft touch yet so warm and…moist.
Once again, Erika's mind went big bang.
Of all the time Erika has been through...well, this one was a winner...
"...O-me-de-tou (Congratulation)." Lotte said it in Japanese.
"I-I don't think it's a correct way to put it like that..." Taiga said.
"Mein Beileid (My condolence)." Hawisa said.
"..." Shiko remained silent but there's a pinkish-red color appeared on her face.
"Mamma Mia." Cadenza said.
"Love is in the air." Kai said.
"No...no fair! I wanted to kiss Erika-chan too!" Leila said it out loud.
"This is getting out of hand. Now there're two of them." Yumiko said.
"It's not actually…it's teamwork right? Teamwork is well…team work!" The flustered Sheska didn't know what she was saying anymore.
Dave, the red squirrel only titled his head, finding these creatures' action and voices were too strange to him.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Maho quickly slapped on Karen's shoulder with some force, pulling her away from Erika.
"Easy there. Just opening up her mind here, former Commander."
"…"
"What's with that face..." Karen suddenly gasped as she realized the one thing. "Ohmygosh! Don't tell me, you actually jeal—"
That was Karen's famous last words before she got decked by the Nishizumi Style.
While the entire group was rowdy up from keeping Maho who was about to commit a murder, they left the light blond-haired to deal her own affair on spot.
Gently, Erika's fingers reached to her lips.
Even though Karen-senpai just did it…
Why in my mind, why do I keep thinking of her?
Me: What the…? I didn't write this! Who put that up there!?
Inner me: What? Isn't every author's fetish love to have their own OC x a character in the series?
Me: But that is not what I intend to—
*Window get destroyed by multiple objects*
*Me see [Erika x Miho] grenade. [Erika x Maho] grenade. [Erika X OCs] grenades.*
Oh sh—
*BOOM!*
*Me protected by Karen's roman shield*
Me: Wait, something is written on here.
[ Erika x Harem! ] [Erika the Radical – SEASON 2! !]
Me: Well…
…
…
I just gonna leave it here.
I mean. What the worst thing could happen if I don't continue the story, right?
*cues smiling Elena appeared behind with a flammenwerfer*
…
Erika the Radical will return!
