X

Out in an open field three referees stood waiting with the teams participating in today's match, Kuromorimine standing on side, Maho and Erika, waiting silent with the top commanders of Saunders, Kay and George, just arriving.

"The match between Kuromormine Girls Academy and Saunders Girls High school shall commence. Both team bow," Kanon instructed.

Three of the four commanders did as told bowing their heads to one another, except George, who refused leaving the others puzzled and the Kuromorimine commanders feeling insulted.

"I only bow my head to god," George told them.

The response making Erika nearly growl.

\Spectators/

A loud bang thundered all throughout as the starting gun shot the red flare and the crowd erupted in cheers for the games to begin.

"No turning back now," Yukari commented still clutching her gift.

"I'm rooting for you, Maho," Miho said aloud focusing much on the screen.

While on a more secluded hill with a clear view of the field Darjeeling and Orange looked on emotionally cold for once they never felt such anger towards one person before.

"Are you sure interfering was the right thing to do?" Orange asked sitting by her superior's side.

"A violent young man like that shouldn't be participating in this tournament, Orange," Darjeeling told her as she stirred her tea.

"So it was you," Looking behind them the two St. Gloriana students found the familiar face of Daulton approaching them.

"Mr. Daulton, came to watch the match," Darjeeling said welcomingly taking a small sip from her tea.

"While you're here enjoying your picnic I have the Federation breathing down my neck," Daulton brought up trying to restrain his anger, "Anything this guy gets caught doing I get the suits on my ass."

"Daulton you're getting all worked up, why not have a cup it'll ease your nerves," she offered, but suddenly she felt a firm grasp take the back of her seat, and was face-to-face with Dulton.

"You don't seem to understand the situation I'm in," he went on, "I'm basically George's guardian. If this keeps up I might find myself in LEGAL trouble," at that moment Darjeeling saw another familiar sight, Daulton's angry face, something she hasn't seen the first time she met him, "Listen to me. Whatever he's planning don't going ratting to the Federation, tell me. I'll handle it it."

With that Daulton goes and leaves.

\On The Field/

The tanks of Kuromorimine shredded across the beautiful green fields in tight formation and just like George had anticipated they were cutting right through the forest between them and Saunders however they were nowhere to be found so they remained in the cover of the trees.

"Can you believe the disrespect that boy showed in front of the referees?" Erika ranted, but her words went ignored.

"Sangou!" Maho called out over the radio.

"Yes Commander!" the commander of the Panzer III spoke waiting for orders.

"Have you found the Saunders' position?"

"I have," she confirmed, "They have taken position on top of the hill north of you."

"Do they really think having the high ground will help them," Erika scoffed at the information.

"Well done, Sangou, keep- ."

"Wait!" the Panzer III commander cuts her off, "They pulling away!"

"What!" Erika exclaimed before switching over to a mocking chuckle, "They have to be moronic or something to give up their position. Right, Commander... Commander?"

"Something's not right," Maho pondered, "Sangou are you sure they are evacuating the hill?"

"They are, but wait I see one tank staying behind," Sangou reported looking through her binoculars to identify the target, "It's the M8."

While on top of the hill George looked through the scope of his turret spotting the Panzer III down below.

"There's the nosey scout," George noted about his remaining crew, "Load."

The co-driver now had her position reduced to a simple loader and George now manning three roles of radio operator, gunner, and commander, that was something that the girls on his team thought concerning believing that he was spreading himself thin.

"But, Commander, that Panzer is well out of range for our gun," the loader informed.

"Did I freak'n stutter!" George shouted at her, "Your job's not to think, your jobs to load, now load."

Not wanting to anger him further the girl loaded the round in.

"READY!"

And right on cue George fired without hesitation, what sounded like thunder striking the round was lobbed across the sky which felt like forever until there was a faint explosion from the distance as the round found its mark landing right on the Panzer III. The crew of the Panzer III felt their whole tank rock rattling them inside like beads in a maracas and the sound of their engine dying out being followed by the pop of the tiny hatch for their tiny white flag. Everyone was dumbfounded by the shot made that shouldn't be possible for the tiny tank, but George proved he should not be scoffed at, but it was a feat he was not satisfied with.

"We've been knocked out!" Sangou reported.

"What!" Erika exclaimed, "She was well out of his range."

"That should get their attention," George said aloud to himself until he received a call over the radio.

"George, why are we abandoning the high ground?" Kay asked in concern.

"Because I told you to!" George shouted as if he trying to shout it into her ear, "Is the flag tank in position?"

"Um... George?" Alisa called out sounding worried, "Can I be in a less open spot?"

"What, you scared?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Well too bad, I'm about to kick the hornets' nest," George remarked before cutting off, "Load APCBC shell."

"APCBC? but didn't General Lesley McNair said these things shouldn't be used against other tanks?" the loader brought up in concern.

"General McNair is FREAK'N idiot," George told her harshly, "Now load the shell!"

Without questioning any further the girl loaded the requested shell into the chamber locking it in place while George scoped out his next target spotting a panther just barely hiding under a tree. Without warning George fired a second shot the round arching across the sky reaching over to the tree line obliterating the branches and smashing down on the Panther below knocking it out.

"He's got another!"

"The problem is not the gun. It's the round, if you use the right ammunition you can take anything," George stated to himself.

Seeing that the tiny M8 was able to take out their panther Erika grew even frustrated.

"Commander! we should charge and take the hill," Erika advised, "He may have the accuracy, but he can't stop all of us from advancing."

"... Alright," Maho decided, "All tanks advance forward, we are going to take the hill."

With that every tank on the Kuromorimine team had their engines roaring with the German tanks rushing out to race up the hill.

"Now they're biting," George said, "But before we regroup, just for giggles."

George shot out a third round with no real purpose other than to laugh as the the round landed on a Elefant as it just revealed itself from the brush.

\X/

While back on the stands Miho and her friends watch in a mixture of shock and amazement to the screen.

"The M8 took out three of Kuromorimine's tanks alone," Miho stated aloud.

"Mr. Stuart has quite the eagle eye," Hana commented in amazement of Geroge's skill in marksmanship.

"But that won't matter, once your sister takes the hill Saunders will be pummeled," Yukari noted to Miho.

\X/

Climbing up the hill Maho lead the way for her team, George fell back leaving the hill for Kuromorimine to claim, once they reached the top Maho and Erika spotted the Saunders' line looking strong down below.

"It's like they're setting themselves up for failure," Erika mocked, but scoped Saunders' left flank she found it looking weak with their flag tank taking control of it, "I spotted the enemy's flag tank, all tanks charge at the Saunders' left flank."

"Wait! no, Erika- ."

But it was too late, the majority of Maho's teammates all eagerly charged down the hill firing off shots as they rolled on down, the Saunders returned fire the rounds slamming down the dirt or striking some of the tanks coming at them. However at least two of them were knocked out with three of Saunders taken hits, but the numbers didn't matter if the flag tank was hit which Erika planned to do. Alisa watched nervously as Erika lead her tanks closer to her almost feeling like they were gonna encircle her.

"George, they're getting to close," Naomi notified before firing off a shot of her own.

"Hold... " George reminded.

"They're all aiming at me!" Alisa exclaimed.

"Hold... " he repeated.

"GEORGE!" Kay shouted seeing that the two lines were about to smash into each other.

"CHARGE!" George roared out loud, "Surround the flank now!"

The girls did as ordered and launched forward like a tentacle wrapping its arm around the attacking force, in a shocking turn Erika found herself completely surrounded by Shermans, tanks that charged alongside her were soon being picked off, but Erika believed she can just find the flag tank she can still win this however she didn't know that Alisa has already fled behind the line, and Erika had her track blown out.

"No!" she cried out futilely as the treads became undone. Looking behind Erika spotted the M8 with its barrel steaming, "Turn the turret around!"

The turret of the Tiger II gradually rotated swinging its massive barrel around while George popped out of his turret to taunt Erika.

"Take your time, I'll be right here waiting for you."

Even when Erika was about to line up the shot George had the driver move slowly away from the Tiger's crosshairs just barely then George started to fire off his coaxial gun to rub it in even further each bullet bouncing off the armor with the satisfying pings that sound like a bell ringing. Erika wasn't even the flag tank, that was Maho, but George focused all his attention on her, he was just rubbing it in for her arrogance.

"What is he even doing!" Erika shouted within her tank, "Why doesn't he get it over with!"

Aiming down the scope George lined the crosshairs along the haul of the Tiger II George caught up to the front of the tank while its turret was just now pointing back towards the hill, there George finally put an end to the humiliation hitting the Tiger right between its turret and its haul. Inside Erika felt her tank rock and her engine going silent which triggered the flag to shoot out, eliminating Maho's Vice-Commander from the match.

\X/

As Maho watched the disaster unfold back at the stands Miho and her friends were completely shock at Erika's elimination.

"She just threw most of her tanks away," Saori exclaimed in disbelief.

"Now Kuromorimine's defiantly outnumbered," Yukari stated the obvious.

"Look! now they're circling the hill," Hana spoke out as the giant screen displayed Saunders' movement.

"Maho's completely surrounded and the worst possible place," Miho added, "I'm not sure she can make it out of this one."

"But maybe she can manage to slip pass like we did," Saori commented thinking back to their first tournament together.

"Maho isn't as unpredictable as us though," Mako brought up.

"We are quite unorthodox," Hana agreed.

And they all returned their focus on the screen.

\X/

She had nowhere to go, Shermans had the whole hill completely cut off, whatever German guns that Maho had left could easily reach the Saunders' line, she assumes that they will keep their distance, and just starve out her and her remaining teammates, but that's not what happened. In matches like these it doesn't matter how many tanks the team has, but the flag tank is all that matters. However Maho is surrounded and Saunders' flag tank is well safe away from the battle as George ordered all tanks to charge at Maho.

Kuromorimine fired off in all direction explosions erupting the hill like it was trying to turn it into a volcano, Maho's tanks knocked out a few others, but just like in the scenario Germany found itself late in the war. Quality tank on the defensive, but so few in number against the relentless onslaught of the enemy as George chipped away at her forces, they fought ferociously trading fire in such close range like tangled up barb-wire. It was like they trying to split the hill in half or at least set it on fire.

George was picking off one tank after the other even though he spotted Maho several times before, he planned to leave her for last, Maho sees George coming in, and somehow this boy's tank made her enraged.

"Load in a shell!" Maho demanded as her loader slid in the round into the chamber, "FIRE!"

Her Tiger shot right at George the round ripping through the air only for the M8 to hit the breaks to a full stop letting the round to just barely scratch the paint on the turret's side and striking the Sherman that was rolling up from behind, Maho choked. Kay fired off a shot landing right on Maho's side, the turret now unable to to rotate, Naomi followed second tearing right into the many wheels immobilizing the tiger. It struck Maho like a brick, in the last few seconds Maho realized it was over as the M8 trained its gun, and fired off the winning blow.

\X/

"Kuromorimine's flag tank has been rendered inoperable," the announcer called out over the horn to a shocked crowd.

"Maho's team... he just annihilated them," Miho spoke as if she awoke from a nightmare.

"That set back only seems to reveal how much of tactician Mr. Stuart is. And a ruthless one at that," Darjeeling commented practically feeling shaken.

At what's supposed to be a simple viewing at the comfort of her sweet home the head of Nishizumi household, Shiho, was left speechless as her daughter was swiftly defeated and screen flashing off.

\X/

On the battlefield the girls were now departing from their tanks and leaving for the recovery crew to claim them, Maho pulled herself out of her Tiger with three stacks of smoke coming off her tank, she looked over to the devastation that was left behind. Scanning the landscape Maho found George leaving his tank and just slowly walking among the tanks he looked to be reveling in the destruction that he orchestrated.

It might as well be his masterpiece.

"Commander!" Erika cried out snapping Maho out of her thought, "This is all my fault, I charged in reckless, and cost us the match."

"... " Maho however didn't have anything to say, she felt so defeated.

"Kay!" Naomi called out walking towards her captain as she looked over her teammates leaving the field, "Kay, where's George?"

"I just saw him leaving his tank," Kay told her.

Walking off Naomi strolled among the inoperable tanks, the smoke and burning flames which assault her eyes, but after a while she eventually found George, she would like to walk up and give him a pat on the back because he has proven to be such a capable tanker. But how Naomi found him reminded her how much of a different person he is while playing Sensha-Do, callous and spiteful he's actions were. He was seen kneeling down over a fire caused by the chaotic exchange of tank shells, he was just hovering over it like a moth.

His expression was none of joy, anger, or sadness, he looked like he was lost in himself as he waved his fingers above the flicking lights of the fire.

"Uh... hey, George," Naomi decided to end his session walking over to his side.

"Sorry, I was... thinking... that's all," George gave his, "Something the matter?"

"Oh nothing's the matter, I just want to congratulate you."

"It ain't over yet," George correct wanting Naomi to hold off on her compliment.

Turning back George and Naomi spotted Maho and Erika starring back at them.

"Should we say something?" Naomi suggested.

"... Perhaps, but if they start trash talking I'm gonna throw hands," George figured slowly approached, "Still want a piece of me?"

"You may have won this battle, but you should tread carefully," Maho warned.

"Ha! I get it because we're on tanks," George remarked, "And I heard you have no sense of humor."

"Is this just a joke to you!" Erika exclaims.

"Well that charge hilarious backfired," George mocked.

"Then these match are nothing of importance to you, but simply trivial," Maho gave her thoughts.

"You got a problem with that?" George challenged leaving Naomi lost for words in the atmosphere George was creating.

"You're not man... you're a monster," Erika criticized his behavior on the field.

"Then may god have mercy on my enemies. Because I won't," George quoted with his arms raised in a grand gesture.

As Naomi witnessed George she realized he wasn't the type person that played the game with his heart, but rather his hatred towards all who dare stand in his way. All who dared, doubt, or even out right challenges him that same boy becomes a monster on treads leaving a carnage of steel and fire.

"That's enough George!" Daulton shouted arriving to the field with the recovery crew, but what was surprising that George suddenly starts to back down, "Look at what you did here, someone could've gotten hurt."

"... I-it's just a game," George stuttered, the change in his tune was just scary as he now sounded like a boy who was in trouble, however Daulton got right up to his face with a furious glare.

"So was mine," he hissed as if he tried to hammer those exact words into George's mind, the scars on the side of his head almost look like they were burning.

Even though the scars were on his face they serve more of a reminder to the girls rather than Daulton as the games they play are very much dangerous. Daulton slowly backed away turning to leave a frighten George, Naomi sometimes forgets how intimidating Daulton can be, now figuring out who to fear the most, but before Daulton disappears George spoke up.

"Peter!" he cried out for him timidly as Daulton turned back to face him, "... I'm sorry... about what I said about your brother... I didn't know."

The girls we're left puzzled at the sudden apology unrelating to their current problem however Daulton just blinked a single time looking down to the soil beneath him before continuing to walk off with no response soon George did the same going the opposite direction.

"Well that served no purpose," Erika thought aloud.

"Did it?" Naomi said otherwise.