Chapter XXXXIII: The Other Way for Victory

Ooarai's Wilderness

Perimeter of Ooarai City

Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Azusa constantly have her eyes peeled for everything as her company rolled through this terrain. This is the same place where the first battle of Ooarai took place, a friendly match against St. Gloriana. The result of the match isn't something that Azusa proud of, since Rabbit Team abandoned their tank very early in the game. That's one flawed that Azusa swore never to repeat.

Her company moved in chevron formation, with the medium tanks protecting the light tanks in the middle of the formation. Ogin has advised her to put the lighter Stuarts in the flank, but Azusa dismissed the advise. Finding Anglerfish Team is not something she concerned right now.

"What is you actually fear, Azusa?" asked Ayumi.

"Yes, you seems to refuse the possibility to broaden our search for Taichou's tank," said Yuuki.

"I can't," said Azusa, "I can't let Isobe-senpai beat us."

"Well, doesn't she will beat us if you're keeping this formation tight?" asked Ayumi, "we can't cover more ground by this way."

"That's not what I fear in mind," said Azusa.

Suddenly, an M3 Stuart of Team Unagi darting across their company and quickly fire on the formation. The shot missed, but create a little confusion in the company. Anteater Team and Shark Team rain shot on Team Pelican's, but the nimble Stuart quickly move away for cover.

"Permission to chase her!" said Miyu of TeamGiraffe.

"Dismissed, you stay here on the formation!" said Azusa, "Nekota-senpai, scout the way for more bogeys! Ogin-senpai, watch the back of the formation and scan the area."

"Roger that!" said both Nekonya and Ogin.

Anteater Team's Chi-Nu quickly darted ahead, while the other continued to move in careful way.

"How long to the forest?" asked Azusa.

"Few hundred metres," said Yuuki.

"We'll go there, this area is too open," said Azusa.

"What is actually in your mind?" asked Ayumi.

"Both me and Isobe-senpai knew that it would be very hard for each of us to fight Taichou," said Azusa, "what I fear is that if Isobe-senpai realised that her company is a little bit stronger than us then instead of chasing for Taichou, she could just simply turned her attention to destroy us."

"What!? Is that possible?" asked Yuuki.

"You remember what we learned in America? Catching and holding all the flagpoints are not the only way for victory," said Azusa, "if you eliminate your enemy, then you'll as well as winning."

The Chi-Nu chase the Stuart to a corner, when suddenly they saw Leopon Team's Porsche Tiger has been waiting. Caught by surprise, Momoga quickly turned the Chi-Nu, as Leopon's 88mm shell flown very near to them. Had Momoga's late by fraction of second, they could be the first casualty of this game.

"Move! Move!" said Nekonya, "it's the Leopon's Porsche Tiger!"

Azusa's formation quickly maneuvered to escape the Porsche Tiger, since none of their tanks are equipped to safely kill the beast. Panzer IIIs of Pelican Team and Grasshopper Team also appeared and start attacking the group. A gunfight broke in the place, and despite the smaller number, this detachment of Noriko has the terrain cover, plus the deterrent factor of Porsche Tiger.

"Tachikawa-san, you're missed the shot on Anteater Team," said Noriko to Satomi Tachikawa of Leopon Team.

"Yes, I'm so sorry," said Satomi, "won't happened again."

"Just keep pressing on them. Your presence alone is enough to deter them."

"Understood."

Noriko hauled a deep breath.

"Rabbit-chan is not an easy opponent, you know?" said Erwin.

"But it's better to fight them than chasing Taichou," said Noriko, "at least we're exhausted all options for victory."

"Winning is tough, hence it's sweet."

"Just be prepared. Time to gave them a surprise punch."

"I won't fail you, you know?"

Duck Team's Type-95 stepping back, while at the same time, Hippo Team's StuG III moving forward to the ledge overlooking the skirmish between Azusa's company and Leopon Team's detachment. Despite the numerical superiority, Azusa still took a careful approach on not letting her company chase the enemy, since the entire detachment consist of fast tanks, which could lead them into trap. Unfortunately, this is not something that hasn't been predicted by Noriko.

"Pick your target, Monza!" said Erwin.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," said Saemonza, "who shall be the lucky number one?"

But the target is obvious. There was only one tank in Azusa's company which is big, slow, and relatively weak to the other: Shark Team's Mark IV. While the Mark IV still mightily rains fire on the incoming detachment, they didn't realized the danger that lies from above.

"BLAMMM!"

StuG III's 75mm flown, and undeniably hit the Mark IV, white-flagged it instantly. Azusa stunned to see her senpais got eliminated at once. No, this is not the shot from Leopon Team's Porsche Tiger, there must be...

"Karina, incoming!" Azusa yelled quickly.

Karina Sakaguchi quickly put the reverse gear and hit the floor. An explosion fell very close to them, in their previous position. No more doubt, someone fired from above to their position. Azusa then ordered her company to fall back, away from the shell range of Hippo Team. She could see the shadow of Hippo Team's StuG III on one of the ledges, but it's too far and too high to shoot them. While Azusa's company falling back, the Leopon Team's detachment quickly rush to them. Shells was fired upon, but none seems to be in danger for Azusa's company.

"They're missed big times," said Ayumi.

"Or maybe not miss," said Azusa, "I think they're herding us to the trap."

"We don't see the rest of the enemy yet," said Yuuki.

"Let's not wait till we saw them," said Azusa, "Taichou once said, that when you're about to be pinned by hammer to anvil, go with the hammer, since the anvil would be too resilient to fight, therefore, let's kill the Porsche Tiger."

Everyone seems surprised to hear that.

"And how are we going to do that, exactly?" asked Yuuki.

"This Leopon Team is different from Nakajima-senpai's Leopon Team," said Azusa, "they're not quite used to the real battle situation yet. We could use that to our advantage."

"Alright, what shall we do?" asked Ayumi.

"Do you remember how Bellwall disabled our Porsche Tiger?" asked Azusa, "they're using Panzer IIs, even weaker than the tanks in our rank right now."

"I get it!" said Karina, "but how about the Porsche Tiger's escorts?"

"Nekota-senpai, do you copy?" asked Azusa to the radio.

"Right, you wanted us to deal with the escorts, nyaa~?" said Nekonya.

"Onegaishimasu!" said Azusa.

"Alrighty," said Nekonya.

"Kouhais, can I called you Mizusaka and Takanami for short?" asked Azusa.

"Yes, Senpai!" said both Mizuho Arisaka and Manami Takamura.

"Alright, listen to me for this is very important," said Azusa, "Taichou has put you both here, meaning that she's confident in your abilities to support our cause. Now, if any of you feel that you won't be able to try to live up that expectations, please say it now. I won't be mad, I just wanted to know, for what we're about to face next would require a hundred and ten percents of your commitments. Speak now, or forever silent."

Both Mizusaka and Takanami silent, but a fire of determination can be seen in their eyes.

"Alright, it doesn't matter what you did or what you were, once we go in the tank, we fight, and we fight to kill," said Azusa, "if you grab the trigger, or clutch the shell, you're a Rabbit Team."

"Understood, Senpai!" said both of the kouhai.

"Thank you. Do what I told you properly. It doesn't have to be perfect, but at least you've given your best of the abilities."

The company suddenly dispersed and Anteater Team's Chi-Nu quickly engaging the Panzer IIIs and M3 Stuarts. Despite lacking in numbers, the sheer experience of the Anteater Team able to create confusion among the enemies. Aya fired a shot and quickly white-flagged Team Unagi's Stuart.

However the main spotlight lies in Leopon Team's Porsche Tiger. The rest of the Azusa's company, dispersed and engaging the Porsche Tiger from multiple direction, that confused Satomi Tachikawa on what to shoot first. Giraffe Team and Macaque Team quickly bumped the Porsche Tiger from the right side, while Tanuki Team, Catfish Team, and Snowcrab Team bumped from the left side, effectively put the Porsche Tiger dead in the water. All the tanks raised their gun, blocking the Porsche Tiger to turn their deadly 88mm gun.

Rabbit Team's M3 Lee showed up from behind the Porsche Tiger, and rain the engine block with both 37mm and 75mm shells, white-flagged it instantly. They quickly dispersed as the rest of Noriko's company appeared from behind. The plan was to pin down Azusa's company between Leopon Team's detachment and the rest of Noriko's company. However, with the Leopon Team's detachment got broken, the trap is no longer useful.

"Forgive us!" said Satomi Tachikawa.

"You need to practice more, Tachikawa-chan," said Noriko.

"They're moving to the forest," said Pazomi, "so what shall we do?"

"Call Hippo Team, we can't trap them in forest, so we have to chase them guerrilla styles," said Noriko, "but this is going to be the ugly battle."

Noriko then lead her company, chasing Azusa's company into the forest. Here, there's no tactical advantage. The dense forest and small room for movement would only means that the battle would be done mostly in close range, and like Noriko said, is going to get ugly. Not to mention that Anglerfish Team's Panzer IV also lies hidden somewhere in the forest, which means that Noriko now has another thing to worry about: finding and catching Anglerfish Team, and preparing to fight Azusa's company which now larger than hers by a tank.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest...

"That's a great maneuver from Azusa-chan," said Hanna.

"Yeah, she's grown quite fast," said Yukari.

"As I expected for her to be," said Miho, "but she has no choice but to grow and step up as fast as she can."

Everyone then listened carefully to Miho.

"We're in our senior year now, and after this terms, we will be graduated, leaving Ooarai's senshado team behind. Not just us, but Isobe-san as well. Meaning after we're gone, Sawa-san would find herself alone to be one of the few senpais in the team.

Sure, we still have Pazomi, Gomoyo, Momoga, or the rest of Duck Team, but the generation of those whose fighting to the championship has mostly gone. Even I won't be there to lead or guide the team. So at that time, Sawa-san has to work alone, and this would be her hardest endeavor ever. To bear the burden of the entire Ooarai Senshado alone on her shoulder. If she's not start growing up now, there won't be anymore chance, and she won't be ready when the time required her to step up. And this is something that's inevitable."

"But, Nishizumi-dono, haven't we prepared the base for that yet as of now?" asked Yukari.

"Mm-hm, but that's as far that we could do," said Miho, "in the end, it was Sawa-san who must decide in which way she'll be taking Ooarai, as well as establishing foundation for further Ooarai's improvement in senshado."

Miho smiled.

"You know, the second monarch usually not as famous as the first one, but it's in their hand the fate of the kingdom lies, for if they can't establish the system made by the founder as well as eliminating any flaws in it, then the kingdom won't last very long," said Miho, "I have set course and foundation to the Ooarai, but it will be Sawa-san where the fate be decided."

"She did good, in my opinion," said Saori.

"Yeah, she remembers what you did when we fought South Korea, also how she handles the Porsche Tiger is superb," said Hanna.

"It's just the beginning," said Miho, "but her skills will be put on test in this stage of match. There's reason why Isobe-san became the vice-commander as she is. She's not an easy opponents, even with Sawa-san's abilities."

All the Anglerfish Team member silent. Mako went back to the driving cube and started the engine. Meanwhile, in other places in the forest, Azusa and Noriko stand on their tanks, traversing the forest terrain, preparing to meet on an ugly battle.