Chapter 45: The challenge has been launched.
Tokyo, April 4th, 12:00 pm
Hilda was having lunch in the cafeteria with her collaborators: Himmler, Göring, Goebbels, Salò and Mako, who had attracted her sympathies thanks to her intellect.
"Geez, it's stifling heat outside ... And yet the summer hasn't started yet!" Salò exclaimed, sweating.
"That's because humidity is higher in Japan." Himmler explained.
"I can't wait to go back to Europe, I'm tired of this dirty nation!" Göring said, earning a glance from Hilda.
"Moderate the terms! Japan is a land rich in history, spirituality and culture!"
"I only know that since I set foot here I have only had trouble! First those two spies, then the fight at the theater ... "
"That you triggered! But then how did you think of going to see a show for babies?"
"If I don't watch a show, I can't judge it."
"Well, you and the others could at least have avoided going crazy like that!"
"I'm sorry, mein führer, but that show was shameless! I wonder that Miho is really a fan of that crap."
"Speaking of Miho,s he's giving a press conference."
Having said that, Himmler gave her smartphone to Hilda, who looked at it. Miho was on the screen, standing in front of a bunch of microphones; at her side stood Maho, her sister and captain of Kuromorimine, Katyusha, captain of Pravda and Kay, captain of Saunders. Some flashes indicated the presence of a crowd of journalists.
"Surely she will now launch her challenge." Said the blonde, smiling sinister.
Miho was tense and sweating. She carefully watched the group of reporters, both Japanese and foreign, without saying a word. At some point he took courage and started talking:
"I called you here today to give you a very important announcement."
"What is it about?" One of those present asked her.
"I intend to challenge Schwarze Sonne in an annihilation match." She said.
That announcement caused a bewilderment of puzzlement, followed by a series of questions.
"How do you plan to win with just 9 tanks? The Black Sun has hundreds! "
"Is this a revenge for the torture suffered by Yukari Akiyama?"
"Did you know it's a challenge lost at the start?"
"We will not be alone in this match, all the other schools will support us, with the exception of Gregor, Waffle, Yogurt, Kebab and Tatenashi."
"How come they agreed to help you?"
"I managed to convince them. Furthermore Saunders, Pravda and Kuromorimine were with us from the beginning."
"For what reason?"
To answer was Kay, who came forward.
" Because a deputy commander of mine, as well as a dear friend, lies in a coma in a hospital bed. Maybe he will never wake up again. I intend to avenge it, sportily speaking."
"But the culprits were turned over to the police a few days ago."
"In addition, the two girls were carrying out an espionage operation on board the school ship."
"This does not justify the brutal torture to which they have been subjected. I also hold the entire school responsible for what happened."
"She knows it was us." Himmler said.
"What do you care? It has no evidence against us!" Göring reassured her.
"The challenge has been launched ... Hopefully Hilda will accept it." Momo said.
"She will accept it, you will see ..." Anzu said.
"But will we be able to defeat her?" Yuzu wondered, worried.
"Obvious that!" The bespectacled replied.
"Let me hear!" Said the redhead.
"Where will the match take place?"
"We'd rather wait for Hilda's response before making the place public." Miho said.
"How many tanks will you use?"
"Again, it's premature to talk about it. If Hilda accepts my challenge I will make this and other details public."
"Do you think you can beat her?"
"We will try. Of course, Ooarai alone would have no chance, but all the schools joined together yes. They have already proven this in the past."
"Are you referring to the match against the university team?"
"Exact."
"Which schools will fight alongside you?"
"I repeat: all except Gregor, Yogurt, Waffle, Kebab and Tatenashi."
"Are you going to participate too?" Chiyo asked.
"Yes, mother. Miho is my friend, helping her is a duty." Her daughter replied.
The woman smiled.
"Of course fate is bizarre sometimes ... A Nishizumi and a Shimada fighting together!" Comment.
"In case our challenge is accepted we hope that the match will be fair and clean, as the spirit of sensha-do wants." That said, Miho left the room, followed closely by her colleagues / friends and sister, while the reporters tried to ask her other questions.
"The challenge has been launched, we hope Hilda will accept." Maho said.
"She will accept, you will see ... She is not the type to hold back." Said her sister.
"If she accept that, then what will we do?" Katyusha asked.
"We will leave for the valley of the tanks, and once there we will begin training for the battle."
"I understand."
"Why isn't Nonna with you?" Kay asked.
"She stayed in Pravda to run the school in my absence." The blonde answered her.
"Ah, I understand ... Strange, I thought you were always together."
"Usually it is."
"Miho ..."
"What is it, sister?"
"Do you really think you can trust other schools?"
Miho stopped, turning to her and staring doubtfully at her.
"I should not?"
"Even if they guaranteed us support, they could withdraw it at any moment, perhaps instigated by Hilda, who could try to bribe the captains."
"And for what purpose?"
"Stay neutral in the match if we are lucky; move to her side if we are not. "
"Do you have any suspicions?"
"The only ones we can seriously trust are Saunders, St. Gloriana, Anzio, Pravda, Chi-Ha-Tan and Jatkosota."
"What about unreliable schools?"
"Bonple, who detests both us kuro and Pravda; Bellwall; Maginot and BC Freedom; maybe a few more."
"Why should BC Freedom or Maginot betray us?"
"Simple, Katyusha ... Those two schools can't see each other. If, unfortunately, their students were to trigger a fight, one of the two would slip away from our coalition, perhaps allying themselves with the Black Sun in spite of it. "
"In fact there is a risk ..." Kay gave her support.
Miho snorted.
"Look, let's not bandage our heads before we broke it. For now we have their support. "
"Exactly, for now."
Miho did not reply, hoping in her heart that her sister's fears were unfounded. The smallest crack in the fragile coalition she created would have crumbled everything, generating division and demoralizing the students.
