Author note: The korean words from the previous chapter are from google translate, so i'm sorry if there is alot of error.

{April/2/2022}

(Rama IX military base: Thailand)

0600 hours

Rama IX military base is a large and newly build military base in the northern outskirts of Bangkok named after the late king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej. This military base was build by the combined effort of the nation that make up the Pacific Defence Coalition in order to housed their troops and equipment before being sent to the frontline.

The giant military base covered land half the size of Singapore and it housed over 900.000 military personel from more than a dozen nation different nation. Its also host multiple airbase for the coalition airforce and hundreds of garage for its tanks and armored vehicle.

Because of the base importance to the coalition, it was heavily protected. The base perimeter was surrounded by barbed wires, motion sensors, watch towers, dozens of check point, hundreds of machine gun nest and thousands of landmines to protect it from ground attack.

And to protect itself from airstrike, there are multiple radar sites around the base to warned its defender of an incoming air attack. Fighter jets are at the ready 24/7 to fly and repel any attackers. SAM system and AA guns such as Phalanx CIWS and Oerlikon Skyshield are place on strategic position to shoot down any hostile aircraft.

The point is, the coalition are not taking any chances.

As the morning sun grace the military base with it's presence. The base itself have been buzzing with activity long before the sun has risen. Platoon leader would wake their men up before sunrise for a P.T excercise, logistical soldiers are up all night managing newly arrived equipment and vehicle. Fighter jets, bombers and UAV's would made take off to go on a reconnaissance or an air raid while many more would land and most importantly fresh troops would arrived at the base on a daily basis.

Even though almost everybody is wide awake by this point, for one such woman, her day has just began. Miho Nishizumi was still asleep at her bunk bed, usually she would be up by this point, but last night she and her fellow tank commander attended a meeting that lasted until midnight and it was exhausting for her.

Slowly her eyes began to twitch as her body began to wake up, and suddenly her eyes shot wide open, she then immidietly got off her bed and panically grab her uniform which was hanging of her bunk and trying to put it on. Yet she stopped when she realized that she didn't need to hurry as she have nothing on her schedule for today as today was sunday.

Miho was conteplating whether she should continue her sleep or not but immidietly brush of the idea as if she was needed or if there's an emergency, it would be easier to deal with it if she was awake.

And the other reason is, she's always wake up early because of the habit implanted in her mind when she was in Kuromorimine as that school started way earlier than other school in Japan so Miho always wake up early, with some exception when she was late by a few minutes when she was super tired.

After she calmed herself down, she grab her uniform and a towels and made her way out of the barracks toward the communal shower room. On her way out she notice that Mako was still asleep on her bed. Miho just smile and as she exited the barrack, she walk passed Riko A.K.A Erwin and her crew playing a board game, She exchanged a few words with her before exiting the barrack.

When she was outside, she was greeted by the pleasant smell of the morning air being mixed with exhaust coming from helicopter that kept flying over the base. She then made her way to the communal shower area.

The barrack complex she was staying at was housing men and women who's a member of the 17th tank battalion, so most of the soldiers staying here are either a tanker or mechanics who maintain the tanks.

On her way there she walk passed through the male barracks, there she could hear alot of commotion going on inside of it. She was curious what was the male soldiers were up to to made such a huge commotion, but from what she heard from one of her men, Jiro had told her, its usually about women and their girlfriend/wife back home. Yet she kinda doubt his answer as her other men, Kaito says that male soldiers are usually just goofing off in their barracks.

And speaking of the devil, outside of the barracks was Jiro. he didn't have his uniform on, only his undershirt, he was leaning against the barracks while smoking a cigarette with a frustrated look plastered on his face.

Worry for her fellow tankers well being, Miho decide to ask what was up. "Hey Jiro." she called out.

Hearing his name, Jiro glance at Miho and waved at her. "What's up Nishizumi?"

"Please Jiro, it already told you to just call me Miho." She ask him.

Jiro sheepishly rub his neck. "Yeah right, sorry about that, force of habit."

Miho nodded in understanding. "Anyway Jiro, what are you doing here?"

"Oh you know just relaxing and trying to evade troubles. Ichiro just made a remark on Kenichi's sister and suffice to say he wasn't to happy about that."

"So that explain the commotion." Miho muttered to herself.

"So yeah i'm trying to escape all that."

"Why didn't you intervined?" Miho ask him.

"Hey, they were Kaito's crew, it's not my fault they didn't get along."

"But as a superior officer, it was your job to keep the peace Jiro." Miho chided.

This made Jiro sigh. "I know that Miho, but trust me when those two are fighting, it is best to leave them alone. I still have hard time believing that Kaito could restrain those two from killing each other." He remarks.

Miho only shake her head. "Well okay then. Anyway, are you okay Jiro?"

Jiro seemed puzzled by her question. "Why would i not be okay?"

"Well i saw you looking a bit frustrated earlier so i think something is wrong." Miho said.

At this Jiro face turn sour. "Oh that, it wasn't really a big deal, i'll get over it in a minute."

"You sure?" said Miho, still not convince.

"I'm sure Miho."

"Okay i'll leave be then. I'm going to take a shower. See you around Jiro." Miho said before heading for the shower room.

"yeah, see you around Nishizumi." Jiro said to her before she was out of sight.

Miho then finally arrived at the communal shower, she made her way inside of the female section. There she passed by two familliar faces who's just finish taking a shower.

"Good morning Hana, Saori." She greet her friend.

"Good morning Miporin." Saori responded using Miho's nickname.

"Morning to you too Miho. How's your day?" Hana ask.

"i just woke up, still a little bit tired from last night meeting." She informed them.

"what was the meeting all about anyway?" Saori asked.

"It was mostly update on what's happening on the frontline. want to keep us updated so we'll know what to expect when we got sent out there." She told them.

"So what did you learn?" Hana ask.

"A few days before we arrived, a company of 230 chinese soldiers crossed the Thailand western border." Miho said.

Both Hana and Saori let out a gasp, surprise at the news. "What!? how come we haven't heard of this yet?" Saori said astounded. "I thought a news like this would be headline around the world, yet none of us seem to know."

"it was because they were quickly crushed by the combined effort of Thailand and Malaysian soldiers and they manage to take around fifty four of them prisoner, including their company commander." Miho explained before continue. "And turns out that company commander was acting of his own without approval from his superior officer. And beside with all the thing going on around the world right now i doubt a small incursion like this would make a headline." She finished.

Hana and Saori seemed to understand.

"The point is, the condition on the frontline could change at any moment, so we need to prepare for anything."

"Okay we understand." Saori said. "anyway with that out of the way, do you have any more meeting you need to attend?" Saori ask.

Miho shook her head. "No, my schedule is free for today."

Saori face lit up in excitement. "Great, than maybe you could join us to explore Bangkok for a bit, me and Hana already ask his permision yesterday." She suggested.

Hana agree with her. "Yeah, i want to try Tom yum. Kaito said it taste good."

Miho consider her offer. "I would like to join you guys, but i need to ask permision from captain Kanagawa first."

"No problem miporin, just come to us when you get his permision. Me and Hana are gonna head back to the barrack for now." Saori said.

"I will Saori, but when you return to the barrack will you please wake Mako up."

"i will Miporin, see you later." Saori wave her hand before headin back to their barrack with Hana.

Miho then step into the communal shower room. Inside where dozens famale soldiers like her who's taking a shower as well, all of whom are naked, though Miho payed no attention to it as it was normal when your part of the military. She exchange a couple hello's with some of them before taking a vacant spot.

She then took of her clothes and turn on the shower where she was hit with warm water washing off any waste on her body. She turn the shower off briefly to apply soap to her body, she make sure to scrubbed every part of her body so she will left this shower room completly clean.

She then turn on the shower again to wash off the soap on her body, once she was clean she turn off the shower and began wrap herself in towel before heading to the dry area where she dry herself and put on her JGSDF uniform.

She only spent three minutes showering, althought she wanted to spend more time there because it was relaxing, she can't spend more than three minutes so it will not cause a long queue.

She then grab all her beloning and return to her barrack. Once she reach it she found Saori try her best to wake Mako up while Hana watch the whole scene in amusement while eating some snacks.

Miho then put her dirty clothes and towel on the side of her bunk when she was peninded of something. She then reach for her foot locker where she kept her phone. She open it and grab her phone to check for any notification. To her dissapointment, there isn't any.

"Maho hasn't called you yet?" Hana ask softly.

Miho sigh and shook her head. "No, she hasn't. I thought she would give me a call by now."

"When was the last time you two talk." Hana ask.

"Febuary 20th, just when she arrived in Seoul. After that we haven't talked yet."

"Well then why don't you call her?" Hana ask.

Miho shook her head. "i can't. If i'm the one who call her, there is a chance that she might be in a firefight and getting distracted. So she's the one who need to call me." Miho told Hana, feeling sad that she hasn't talk to her sister in along time as she missed her dearly. Miho want to speak to her sister one more time before she herself was sent to the frontline where it would be difficult to call each other.

Seeing her friend in such state, Hana put her hand on Miho shoulder and give her a comforting smile. "I'm sure that Maho is just busy right now. As soon as she gets the chance she'll give you a call." Hana told her with a comforting tone.

The word seem to have its effect, as Miho return Hana smile. "Thanks Hana."

"You're welcome Miho. Now are you gonna join me and Saori to town?"

"I haven't ask permission from Lt. kanagawa yet, but if i was permitted, then yes."

"okay then, we're not in a hurry anyway as Saori over there are still trying to wake Mako up." Hana said while gesturing to Saori still struggling to wake Mako up.

"Mako! Come on, wake up already! it's almost 06.30AM, you don't want to yelled at you again, are you!?" Saori try depreately to wake up her friend.

"Eh, Lieutenant are busy today so he won't have time to yell at anyone." Mako lazily said before dozing off again.

Saori rubbed her face in frustration. "Hey, can you guys help me over here?" Saori turned to her other friend for help.

"She hasn't wake up yet?" Miho ask.

Saori sigh. "No"

"Maybe we should bring our Type-74 here and fire a blank round. That wake her up one time didn't it." Miho said, jokingly, recalling her time back in Oarai when she, Hana and Yukari drove to Mako's house with their Panzer 4 and fire a blank round to wake her up.

Hana shook her head in amusement. "I don't think it will work, as i'm pretty sure we will be court martial as soon as we took that thing out without permission." Hana remark.

"But that gives me an idea." Miho said as she put her hand on her chin to think. "maybe we could use something as loud as a tank cannon to wake her up."

"That's a good idea Miho, the question is what do we use?" Hana said.

"Well we couldn't use our gun, it will cause a commosion." Saori said.

"What about an air horn?" Miho suggested.

"Well let's see, it produce a loud noice enough to wake Mako up but not to loud to be mistaken for a gunfire. So yeah we can use it." Saori concluded.

"But where do we get an airhorn?" Hana ask.

"I think i know where to get it." Miho said. "Wait here for a minute." She told her friend bfore leaving the barrack.

A few minutes later she came back with an airhorn on her hand.

"Where did you get that?" Saori ask.

"I got it from the male barracks. Apperently Kaito was right that male soldiers love to goof off." Miho said.

Saori eyes seem to widen a bit hearing that and open her mouth to ask question. "And no Saori, i don't go in there myself, i ask Jiro if there's one on his barracks." Saori quickly shut her mouth.

With that out off the way, Miho handed the airhorn over to Saori who put it closely to Mako's ear. And then. "HOOOONK."

"AHH" Mako immidietly jump out of her bed and fall to the floor.

Miho, Hana and Saori giggle seing their sleepy friend surprise face beeing woken up in such a way. even Erwin and her crew who's just minding their own business got a chcukle after seeing that.

Mako began to recover from her shock and slowly getting up from the floor and stared at her friends. "What was that for?"

"For waking up late. Now grab your clothe and take a shower!" Miho stated.

"Why? it's only 06.30 am." Mako whined.

Miho wasn't to please hearing her answer. "Mako!" Miho said in a tone that made Mako wince. "Now!" Miho said, indicating she was serious.

Mako immidietly stand on her feet, seeing how serious her friend/superior are. Without saying a word, she grab her uniform and towel and leave the barrack heading straight to the shower room.

With Mako finally in the process of taking a shower, Miho went back to her own back went to grab something from her foot locker. When she got what she need, she rise up and turn around to find Hana and Saori staring at her.

"What?" Miho asked, confused why they were staring at her.

Both Hana and Saori start to nervously rub their neck. "Well, we're still trying to get used to your new assertive self." Saori said.

Miho shrugged at her comment. "Well, if you're commanding a tank in the army then you need to be assertive." Miho said. "And beside, Mako needed it, she need to get used to life in the army sooner then later or else she will face a hard time when we're finally sent to the frontline."

Both Saori and Hana were quite surprise at their friend words, but understand that Mako need to kick her habit of sleeping off in the morning.

"You two still planing on going to town soon right?" Miho asked, which her friend nooded.

"well then, i should see Lieutenant first to ask his permission. I'll meet you guys here after i was done." Miho said to her friends. Miho then waved at Hana and Saori and headed outside the barracks the second time of the day.

When she was outside of the barracks, she began to make her way to Lt. Kanagawa office just a few meters from her barracks. On her way there, she saw one of her men, Kaito on his way walking toward his barracks, so Miho decide to have a quick chat with him before heading toward her captain office.

"Hey Kaito." She called out.

"Oh, hey Miho where are you going?" He asked, not caring that he call Miho by her first name as she was the one who requested it.

"I'm heading for the captain office. What about you?"

"Heading back to the barracks, just spent a few minutes weight lifting." he told her.

"Always try to stay fit huh." Miho remark.

"well of course, we need to stay fit if were going to fight a prolong battle." He said.

"Well you're right. oh yeah i just remember something, Jiro said Ichiro and Kenichi got into a fight again." She inform him.

A frustrated sigh left Kaito's mouth. "Got those two can't just get along didn't they." he remark. "What's the problem this time?"

"Jiro said it was because Ichiro made a remark on Kenichi sister."

"Okay, thanks for the information, i'll make sure those two apolegize to each other before they kill the other one."

"well then good luck Kaito." Miho said. "Oh yeah i remember something. Earlier i saw Jiro looking a little frustrated, why is that?" Miho ask curiously.

"Oh that. yesterday he try to flirt with a female soldier from the Thai army only to find out that the woman he was flirting with was a dude." He said with a chuckle.

Miho let out a stifle laugh hearing it. "Well then i'll should be on my way. Good luck on restraining your men Kaito." Miho teased before leaving him.

She then reach Captain Kanagawa office, she enter the office and saw Lt. Kanagawa was working on some paperwork. Miho politely ask his permission to leave the base for a while and to her joy, the captain agree.

She thank him and immidietly return to her barracks. She found Saori, Hana and freshly showered Mako already standing outside of the barracks waiting for her.

"So did you get his permission?" Saori ask.

"Yup." Miho answered, much to the satisfaction of Saori and Hana.

"So where are we going?" Miho ask her friend.

"Ooh, i knew a place where they serve the best street food Thailand have to offer. It's only a ten minutes walk from here." Saori gleefuly informed.

"Sounds good to me, i'm kinda bored with the food they served here." Hana remark.

"Okay then, lets go." Miho exclaim.

"Hai!" her friend yelled out.

Soon, the four of them leave the base and made their way toward Bangkok for much needed girls trip to escape the hectic life in the army for a while.

After all, this might be the last time they do something like this

Just a hundred meters away from the barracks of the 17th tank battalion was another barracks complex belonging to the JSDF. This barracks are home to the 32nd infantry regiment, part of the JGSDF 1st Division.

Life as an infantrymen are very different compare to those of a tanker, since they didn't have the luxury of being inside of a fast, armored and heavily armed vehicle where they could moved fast and blasting everything on their way while also protected by enemy fire.

Instead, all they got was their leg to move, their rifle to shoot and their helmet and vest for protection. Infantry are one of the most dangerous job on the battlefield yet one of the most important one as well since they are needed to secure captured area, provide cover for the armored force from being flank and many others.

Because of this an infantryman need to train constantly so their skill didn't get dull when they face the enemy.

That is what the men and women of the 1st company of the 32nd infantry regiment are doing long before sunrise. Even though they just arrive at this base yesterday, the commanding officer of the 1st company wasn't going to let his men skill get dull.

So after the men and women of the 1st company getting acquainted with their barracks, they were called for an exercise. first they do a physical training for an hour, after that they headed for the shooting range and honed their marksmanship there for hours.

After that they rest for half an hour before heading for a building that was design for training close quater combat. There the men and women of the company are split into their own squad, each squad will take turn clearing the building from any hostile, which in this case was dozens of dummies hidden inside the building.

Squad of soldiers will be task to shoot any dummies they came across inside the building while the other squad watch through screen that was connected to multiple cameras inside the building to analize their comrades success and failure.

They did this for hours, over and over again and by the time it was over, it was almost midnight. As a result, most of them sleep like a log a didn't plan to wake up in the morning, considering the fact that the next day is monday and most off them are on leave anyway so they take as much rest as they could.

Though for one particular squad, that was not the case.

"UNO games!" A male soldier said calmly.

"No way! you're cheating!" A female soldiers accused.

"And why is that Naomi-san?" The male soldier challenge, with a calm expression on his face.

"Because Tomita you win with only a single move." Naomi pointed out.

Tomita raise his hand in defense. "Hey it's not my fault that my cards all have the same numbers." He shot back.

"Then you must be pick the card yourself." Naomi accussed again.

"Hey how is that my fault, Yukari is the one who shuffle the cards." Tomita point out.

Now Naomi change her attention to a girl sitting next to her. "Yukari, did you intentionaly gave Tomita cards with the same numbers?" Naomi ask her, eyes narrowed.

"No. why would i do that?" Yukari said.

Naomi shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because you just want him to win." she said.

"And why would you think she want Tomita to win Naomi?" Another male soldier who's also playing commented.

"Well Kurata it's because, uhh, umm, ahh forget it." Naomi said in a defeated tone.

Her teammate chuckle at her behavior. "Is your card really that bad?" Yukari ask.

"Nope."

"Did you have a 4+?" Kurata ask.

"If i did i won't tell you." Naomi said.

"She's definetly have a 4+." Tomita declared.

"Yeah she definetly did, come on Naomi, let me see it." yukari begged.

"No way." Naomi said while pulling her card as far away from Yukari.

Yukari let out a huff. "Fine then." She said. But then as Naomi bring her hand back, Yukari lunge at her and swiftly grab the deck of card out off Naomi's hand.

"Hey!" Naomi protested, but it was futile as Yukari already seen her card. Though she had the last laugh as Yukari excited face turn into dissapointment as she didn't see the card she was looking for on Naomi's card.

"Told you i didn't have one." Naomi said as she retrive her cards back. "Did you always like this when you're playing with your friends.?" Naomi ask.

"Well yeah, sometimes." Yukari said as a sigh left her mouth, as she hasn't seen Miho, Saori, Hana or Mako since she left for ranger training instead of joining them for the tank battalion. She didn't really want to join the ranger since she wanted to serve in the JSDF with her friends in the tank battalion because she love her friends and because she love tanks.

But she ended up joining the rangers anyway because she was sent there by her superior officer who's a stubborn man so there's no arguing with him, though she did recieve alot of encouragement from her parents and friends who told her it will be okay.

So she went through ranger training course, which she pass and was put to service with the 32nd infantry regiment. Unlike rangers in the US army where they are their own unit, the JGSDF has adopted a policy to improve the level of the whole forces by distributing rangers to each units.

When she start her service, she found out that Naomi was also serving as a ranger as a sniper and she was put on a same squad as her, much to Yukari's delight, knowing that she will be working with someone she already knew.

Naomi, like Yukari was a senshado athlete in highshcool. She was a part of Saunders university high school team. There, she was in command of a Sherman fireflies, although quite often she also taken the role of a gunner, and a good one at that, so good in fact that alot of people consider her to be one of the best tank gunner in senshado history, thanks to her skill of hitting an enemy tank from great distance.

This is a contributing reason for her to join the ranger. Like many young Japanese, when Naomi heard that Japan is at war with China and north korea, she was quick to enlist in the JGSDF. And when she graduated basic training, her superior officer who knows of her exploit in senshado, sent her to join the ranger course, which she pass with flying color, espacially in marksmanship, paving her own way to become a real sniper.

At first Yukari only talk to Naomi when she first settle in with her squad, but over time she started socializing with the other squad member.

"Alright, now's my turn." Kurata declared. He then pull out one of his card and put a green 0 on the bunk they use as a table.

"Oh come on!" both Yukari and Naomi groaned out.

"I actually have a good card this time." yukari whined as she give her card to Naomi, who already gave her card to Kurata.

"Do you have to use zero this early?" Naomi ask, annoyed.

Kurata shrug. "Hey it's my card, i can use it however i want." he said smugly.

Takeo Kurata was a tall young man the same age as Yukari, with black hair and eyes. He join the JSDF after graduating highschool, the reason was he didn't like how demanding Japanese collage and work environment is. So he join the JSDF which according to him was less demanding since it all you have to do is pass basic training, getting assign to your unit, stay fit and be ready to defend your country at any time, with the occasional paperwork. And thanks to the work nature of the JSDF, Kurata could focus more on his hobby, that is anime and stuff like that.

At the time he decide to join the JSDF, kurata thinks is a no brainer, since Japan is not at war with any nation at the time. Kurata actually never consider of joining the ranger before, the reason he join the ranger was because one of his cousin who's an accountant and a holder of a masters degree told Kurata that the reason he join the army is because he's incompetent.

Kurata was tired of his cousin antics and decide to prove him wrong by joining the rangers program, which he pass. That effectively shut his cousin up, much to his satisfaction. He later learn his cousin actually fake his masters and was fired from his job and decide to become a Hikikomori.

"Alright, let's see, A ha!" Yukari exclaim as she pulled out a double eight, one green, one red. "Your turn Naomi."

Naomi scan her card for a moment before pulling out a red three.

"You know you could've made Kurata skip his turn right?" Tomita pointed out.

"I know, i just saving it for later." Naomi said.

"Fine then." Tomita reply.

Akira Tomita was a well build man in his late twenties. He has a black hair with a brown eye color. He is one of the older member of the squad and the more experience one as he had been deployed oversees to Somalia on a UN Peacekeeping mission in 2019.

Tomita also a very skilled soldier, earning his ranger badge early in his career and then an airborne badge shortly after that. He is known to be calm under preasure and not easily scared.

Kurata stare at his card for a while before deciding to change the card color to yellow by producing a three of said color.

"Your turn Yukari." Kurata said.

Yukari then scan her cards and notice a 2+, and as it happend, it was also yellow. She then remember that her original cards, which now is in Naomi's hand was a pair of two 4+ and she also remember that Naomi's original cards doesn't have any plus in them.

Without any hesitation, she put her 2+ on the bed/table.

Seeing Yukari using a plus card made Naomi smile maliciously as she pulled out the two 4+ cards that she have.

Kurata didn't say anything for a moment as he just stared at the deck of card infront of him. "You've got to be kidding me!" kurata exclaim, not believing his luck.

Naomi and Yukari got a good chuckle at his reaction. "That's for making me giving up my card." yukari smiled triumphantly at her payback. "Now come on, grab your cards, from the looks of it you need ten." Yukari said gleefuly.

Grumbling sligtly, Kurata begrudgingly grab additional cards one by one. But as he grab the fifth card he stop, as the card he grab from the stack wasn't an UNO card, but a Joker.

"Um, why there's a joker here?" Kurata ask his teammate.

"Huh, must be gotten mixed up with Kuribayashi's card when we were playing poker yesterday." Tomita commented. He then turn his head towards the said women and call her. "Hey Kuribayashi!"

The said women was cleaning her rifle while sitting on her bunk bed across the room from them. "What?" She reply.

"One of your card got mixed up with Kurata's UNO." Tomita explain.

Kuribayashi put down her rifle beside her, got up from her bed and made her way towards the group to retrieve her card. "So that's where that thing had gone." Kuribayashi commented as she retrieve her card. "I've been looking everywhere for this thing." She commented before leaving back to her bed.

"Hey where's my thank you?" Kurata ask playfully.

Kuribayashi rolled her eyes. "You won't get one. it's because of you i almost lose this card becuase of you." She said while pointing finger at him before sitting back at her bunk bed and continue to clean her rifle.

Kurata gave her a playfull pout, which made Kuribayashi rolled her eyes again.

Shino Kuribayashi. An average height woman with a brown hair and eyes. She is known to be a very skilled soldiers with an expertice in martial art, bayonet fighting and close quater combat. She is a very dedicated soldiers of the JSDF as when she signed up before the war, she do it to serve her country and not just for the academic benefit like other soldiers did before the war.

Despite her excelent reputation among her superior for being a skilled and dedicated soldiers, her comrades knew her for being hot headed and somewhat short tempered girl with a low patience level. Even though she exceled in room clearing training, if she was involve in a mock battle using paintball or airsoft gun, she often got her team 'killed' because of her low patience, though luckily her patience have improve over time.

"Drop the pout Kurata, You made yourself look like a baby." Tomita chided.

"Fine, your turn Yukari."

They went on to play for a couple more minutes and it ended up with Kurata losing. Then they play a few more games before they got bored and decide to just chat about random things.

"So Naomi, Yukari, you both are senshado athlete in high school right?" Kurata stated.

Both women nod.

"So why do you guys join the ranger instead of the armored units? Since you guys are former senshado athlete you guys could easily become an officer already." Kurata ask, curious of what was their reason.

Naomi was the first one to answer. "Well i was initially assign to the western tank army unit as a gunner for the Type 10. But i decide to sign up as a ranger since my brother parents say that i will be more useful here than spending most of my time inside a metal coffin." Naomi said.

"metal coffin?" Yukari questioned, feeling weirded out that a fellow tank lover talk about tank in such negative manner.

"Well yeah, if you think about it, in the last decade tank have becoming the hunted instead of the hunter." Naomi stated. "If you recall, back in 2017, the Turkish army lost 8 Leopard 2 tanks to ISIS anti-tank weapon and in 2022, Russia lost hundreds of tanks in a matter of weeks to the Ukrainian anti-tank infantryman." Naomi stated her reason.

"So yeah, as much as i hate to admit it, calling tank a metal coffin this days is kinda justified." Naomi said.

"Wait, you said you were originally assign to the western tank army unit?" Tomita ask.

"That's what i said."

"You know that the western tank army unit were deploy to south korea, right?" Tomita said while raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah. What's your point?" Naomi said.

"Well if you're so concern about tank being inferior to infantry than you don't need to worry about that if you stay on your original unit. Because as far as we concern the biggest threat for you, aside from other tanks is the RPG, and that's if the north korean have any, considering how under equip they are. We all know the only reason they manage to enter Seoul in the first place is because both the american and South korean are more focus on threat from China." Tomita stated.

"I already thought of that before i join the ranger. The other reason i join the ranger, aside from the reason i say earlier because i wanted to experience new thing really." Naomi explained.

"Fair enough." Tomita said. "What about your friends?" He ask again.

"My old crews from saunders are also in the military, some in tank unit, some are in the logistic."

"What about Kay and Alisa?" Yukari ask.

"Last i heard Kay become a fighter pilot, while Alisa was a weapon specialist on an attack helicopter."

"Wow, almost everyone you know join the JSDF huh." Yukari remark.

"You could say that." Naomi respond.

"So what about you Yukari?" Kurata ask. "What made you join the ranger?"

Yukari gave him a sheepish smile while scratcing her neck. "Well, my drill sargeant ordered me to join the ranger school after i graduated bootcamp. apperently i was the best i my class so she thought i would be good fit in the ranger. Though i was reluctant at first." Yukari told him

"Reluctant about what?" A new voice ask.

The four turn around to see that the voice belong to their commanding officer, Yoji Itami. A tall man in his early thirties with brown eyes and black hair. He just enter the barracks from what presummably getting chewed out by his own commanding officer for being for being a slacker, which is nothing new by this point.

Itami join the JSDF almost the same reason as Kurata, which explain why those two get along pretty well despite the age and rank gap. Itami was widely known as a slacker after graduating from officer training in second to last place, he was spared from the last place only because the guy who score above him got injured during training, sparing Itami from the last place in the process.

Despite this he was proven to be a compentent leader and a capable soldier, if he wanted to. On a normal day he was a slacker with poor work ethic.

"Oh hey lieutenant, Yukari was telling us why she was reluctant on joining the ranger." kurata explained.

Yukari shot Kurata a glare for telling Itami about that when he could dismiss it for something else as Yukari fear that Itami would be angry at her and would probably told scold her by saying if she didn't want to become a ranger, it's better that she shouldn't join in the first place.

Yet when she turn around to face her commanding officer, fully expecting a look of dissapointment coming from him. Instead she got none of that, Itami didn't look dissapointed, instead he look curious.

"And why is that Yukari-san?" Itami ask as he sat down on a nearby bed.

A little surprise and also glad that her superior didn't blew up at her, Yukari continue her story. "Like i said to Kurata earlier, my drill sargeant sent me to join the ranger school because i excelled at basic training and he thought i will be a good fit with the rangers. The thing is i wanted to be assign to a tank unit, the reason was i like everything about tanks and i was a senshado athlete in high school so i thought it will be a good fit."

"Also all of my friends and some of my old teammates who join the army were assign to a tank unit but i'm the only one who became a ranger. Me and my friend used to crewed the same tank, both in high school and in university, that's the reason i was reluctant to join the ranger, because i wanted to serve on the same unit as my friends." Yukari finished.

"So what made you accept that you gonna join the ranger?" Itami ask.

"Well my friends and my parent encourage me saying that it will be okay and we will try to keep in contact before our deployment, though i haven't been able to contact them since i join the ranger school." Yukari said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Well Yukari i gotta say, from what i've heard you're pretty lucky to have friends like them." Itami remark, which made Yukari smile. "Though i want to ask, which unit your friends are assign to?" The lieutenant ask. "Maybe by any chance they're barracks were nearby, you could say hi to them."

Hearing there's a chance that she might be able to see her friends again, Yukari immidietly answer her superior question. "The 17th tank battalion."

"Well your in luck then. Their barracks is only a hundred meters from here." He informed her with a smile. "We actually went past their barracks yesterday. You probably to tired to notice it."

Yukari eyes lit up in excitement after hearing that, but she manage to retain her composure. "Sir, permission to leave this barracks to see my friends sir." Yukari ask professionally.

"Permission granted. Just don't go to long." Itami said.

Yukari can't contain her excitement immidietly thank her superior. She then stand up, snap a salute at Itami and rushed out off the barracks, much to her squadmate amusement.

Yukari was practically running toward the barrack exit in excitement a the thought af reuniting with her friends. Unfortunatally, Yukari didn't see that there's a middle age man and a woman entering the barracks as she was trying to get out. With Yukari current speed, a crash is inavitable.

"OW!" both women groaned out.

"Hey, you girls okay?" Ask the middle age man ask in concern.

"Yeah, we're fine Kuwahara-san" Yukari said to the middle age man while rubbing her forehead. She then turn her attention to the woman she just accidentally hit. "I'm sorry Mari-san, i didn't see you there. But i'm in a hurry so see you later." Yukari said bashfully before running off into the distance.

"Wait Yukari, where are you going?" Mari called out to her, but Yukari was already out of distance.

Mari then turn toward her squad for answer. "What's going on?"

Mari Kurokawa, a woman in her early twenties with a blue eyes and black hair tied into a ponytail. She have a tall stature that was above avarage for a Japanese woman. Mari was a close childhood friend of Kuribayashi since the both of them gone to the same school ever since middle school and her reason of joining the JSDF was identical to Kuribayashi, that she wanted to serve her country.

If Kuribayashi have a specialty in close quater combat, Mari have her own specialty on medical treatment. On her first unit, Mari was assign as a combat medic, but when she decide to follow her friend footstep of joining the ranger, she was reassign as a rifleman, though on combat training she was often put on reserve due to her medical training making her a valuable soldier on the battlefield despite of her not being a combat medic since she join the ranger.

"Yukari was heading for the tankers barracks. Apperently her friends from highschool serve in th 17th tank battalion." Itami answer. "Don't worry about it, she already have my permission."

"You think that's a good idea?" Kuwahara ask.

Itami shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Yukari is a responsible girl and beside, we have nothing to do today." Itami said.

"Alright then, fair enough." Kuwahara said. He then walk toward his bed, and lay down to take a nap.

Sergeant major Soichiro Kuwahara, a well built man in his fifties, making him the oldest member of the squad and the most experience. He join the JSDF when he was on his mid twenties. He was consider to be a veteran within the JSDF with more than twenty years of experience.

During his time in the JSDF, he was deployed outside of Japan a few times for humanitarian and peacekeeping mission. A few example of his deployment are: Humanitarian effort in Aceh after the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami, United nation stabilazation mission in Haiti in 2010, Operation ocean shield in 2012 and many more. Kuwahara are also one of the few member of the JSDF who saw combat prior to the war during the reconstruction effort of Iraq in 2016.

Needless to say, he was very respected among the JSDF.

Yukari was now outside of the base and walking towards the street food place where her friends were eating at. When Yukari arrived at the tanker barracks, she didn't find Miho, Hana, Saori or Mako much to her dissapointment. But she did meet her other old friend, Riko Matsumoto or Erwin as she's more commonly known alongside her crew playing a board game inside of their barracks.

Yukari went to greet them and needless to say, Erwin and her crew are happy to see her. Yukari went on to chat with Erwin and her crew for a couple minutes. They talk mostly about each other experience, Yukari ask them what it feels like operating a Type 74 while Erwin and her crew ask Yukari how's her life as a ranger is.

After a few minute of chatting Yukari ask Erwin where Miho and the rest of her friends were which Erwin told her that Miho and the others are heading to town to have a eat out on a street food place near the base.

Yukari thank her and went on her merry way to look for her friends, but not before telling Erwin that they should've hangout after the war is over, which Erwin and her crew happily agreed.

Now Yukari was on a street on the outskirts of Bangkok that was connected to the coalition base. Before the war, this street was practcally empty. But after China invaded Thailand and the coalition base was establish there, alot of street fendors open up shop near the coalition base in hope of getting a quick fortune by selling food to soldiers who are sick of military ration.

As the base grew larger, so does the population of the street fendors there. After a month, this street become a place for soldiers on leave to hangout to escape their army live for a while.

Just like what Miho and the others have done.

Right now Yukari was looking for the place where her friend have decide to eat out. According to Erwin, she need to look for a food place that have a Japanese writing on it's sign since the vendors speak Japanese and doing this to particularly attract Japanese soldiers.

Yukari already searching for this place for about fifteen minutes with no luck, much to her frustration since she thought that a place in a foreign country filled foreigners with a large Japanese concentration would be very easy to find.

But as she continue to search for this place, suddenly she heard a distinct murmurs on her ears. When she listen closely she recognized it as Japanese, so she followed it. She followed the voice until she found a street food place that was packed with Japanese soldiers and when she checked the sign, it have a Japanese writing on it. This is the place.

The street food place was made of a food cart and two tables near it with benches on either side. Every customer of this street vendor is a Japanese soldiers, mostly officers though there are some enlisted men among them. Yukari scanned through the dozens of soldiers there and found a few familiar faces.

Her friends.

Yukari smiled widely when she saw them, it has been months since she last saw them and now all of them are just a few meters away from her. The four of them are seated on a small table seperated from the rest of the food stall with only four chair surrounding a small table. giving them more privacy while enjoying their meal.

Yukari then decide she's gonna made her presence known to them.

Over at the table, Miho was eating a green curry that she had order and she have to admit that Thai food is really good. Her friend also shared her sentiment, Hana was eating a Tom yum while both Saori and Mako was eating a Pad thai. For a moment none of them speak to each other as they are enjoying their respective meal.

Then Miho notice someone was walking toward them and she was rather familiar. it's when the person was close their table when Miho recognized who that person is.

"Yukari?"

Saori, Hana and Mako was confused at first why Miho would mention there friend name out of the blue, but then they turn there head where Miho was looking and saw Yukari was walking toward them.

"Yukari?!" They all exclaimed.

"Hey guys! Long time no see!" Yukari said cheerfully. "Can i sit there." Yukari said while gesturing to their table.

All of them nodded. "Of course." Miho said.

Yukari then grab an unused stool and place it between Miho and Saori and sit on it. "Hey guys, long time no see huh." Yukari say again.

"Yeah, you could say that." Saori said.

"We haven't see you since you went to ranger school." Hana remarked. "When was that again?"

"January." Yukari said.

"Damn that long huh." Miho remarked.

'Yeah i know, ranger training is pretty long, not to mention were assign to different units." Yukari said. "So what do i miss? i heard you guys was assign to the Type 74." Yukari said excitedly.

"Yeah we did. I'm not gonna lie, we were pretty dissapointed knowing we got assign to an older tank." Miho told her, which Saori, Hana and Mako nodded.

Yukari chuckled hearing this. "Yeah i could imagine. Especially when the newer one have bigger gun and an autoloader." Yukari said, referring to the Type 90 and the Type 10.

Saori shrugged at this. "Heh, the autoloader is overrated. i could load fresh round faster then those robots." Saori boast proudly. "Though the 105mm shell is alot heavier than the 75mm, that's for sure."

Yukari raised an eyebrow at Saori's statement. "Really?" She said doubtfully. "Then why you always taken the role of radio operator if you're such a good loader huh?" Yukari teased her friend.

Saori glared at her. "Because i have a passion for radio."

"More like i was a better loader than you."

Saori turn her glare into a pout. "Hey when you become so mean."

Yukari, felling a little guilty stop her teasing, stood up and bow in apology at Saori. "Sorry about that, i guess being in the ranger changed me a little." Yukari said before sit down again.

"Is that so?" Hana ask which Yukari nodded. "So what's life like in with the rangers?"

Yukari took a deep breath before answering. "Well the training was very gruelling. The physical excersise is more intense. For navigation training we were drop in the middle of a forrest and was told to get from point A to B using compass and maps with a time limits and if we fail the course or late we have to do it all over again. We also spent alot of time in the shooting range and i mean ALOT. There are others that i wanted to tell you guys but it will take to long if i explain everything."

"Wow, those rumor about the ranger course being an absolute hell wasn't exaggerating." Hana remarked.

Yukari shrugged. "of course it is. due to the nature of our mission, only the best could become a ranger."

"So you're saying that you're the best?" Mako inquire.

Realizing that she sounds boastfull, Yukari shepishly scratch her hair in embaressment. "Well you could say that."

"Well enough of that. So Yukari how's life with your squad? Must be hard being the only female there huh." Miho ask.

"Actually no. My squad was a rare one because the gender ratio there are 50/50." Yukari told them.

This caught her friends by surprise since as far as they know the rangers are made up of mostly men while women are a very small minority that you could count how many women in the rangers with your finger. That's why Miho asumed that Yukari was the only woman in her squad So it was quite a shock to them to learn that half of Yukari squad was also a woman.

"For real?" Saori ask.

"Yeah for real." Yukari confirm. "Also do you guys remember Naomi? You know the Vice-commander from Saunders?"

All of them nodded.

"Well she's actually one of my squadmate."

They did not see that coming. except Mako who's just listening. "Really? Did she recruited too?" Miho ask.

Yukari shook her head. "No, She volunteered. She says she wanted to experience something new and beside, she have the skill to become a ranger."

"Well if you think about it, it wasn't really surprising considering Naomi was an ace gunner back at Saunders." Mako said.

"Hmm, now that you mention it, it is." Hana remarked.

"Well that's enough about me. What about you guys?" Yukari ask excitedly as she wanted to learn in detail what it was like to operate a modern tank.

Her excitement was apparent on her face, making her friends giggle at her giddiness. "Well what do you want to know first?" Miho ask her.

Yukari ponder for a second of what she's gonna ask her friend before settling on one subject. "Which one is more skillfull? Male or female tankers?"

Her question caught them a little of guard since they thought Yukari question is about the tank in general and not the tanker but they answered it nonetheless. "Well i gonna say is pretty much equal in terms of skill." Hana answer.

"Really? How do you know?" Yukari ask. She's not gonna lie that she expected them to say that female tanker is better because most female tanker in the military have a previous expirience in senshado. Making them more experience than their male counter part.

"Well we found out about it during our match?" Saori added.

"Match? Like senshado match?" Yukari ask again.

Miho nodded. "Yeah. Turns out the JSDF also use the same type of ammunition used in senshado match on their tanks since the 90's. Different tank battalion would go against each other on a senshado style match to keep tanker skills sharp incase on an armed conflict." Miho informed her.

Yukari arbsorbed her words in amazement as she didn't know about this, which is kinda ironic when she think about it since she know almost every fact about tank. "Wow, how could i never knew about this?"

"We don't blame you. We also only learned about this when we were assign to our unit." Hana told her. "The JSDF weren't to open about it and even if it did it won't get much attention anyway considering senshado is a thing."

Yukari seem to understand the reason. "yeah that make sense." She then let a sigh left her mouth. "But damn i wish i was with you guys. You know like when we're in highschool or in collage? We were destroying it back then." Yukari said with nostalgia apperent on her voice.

Her words made her friends feel nostalgic aswell. They think of the time when they're still in Oarai and turn that school senshado team from something nobody knows about to a national sensation and a team that was feared on the senshado world.

Back then they with the rest of Oarai senshado team would fought as hard as they could on every single tournament they participated in to bring victory for Oarai and with Miho as their commander, they are succeded on winning many match against a superior enemy, both in number and type of tank. Even after they graduate highschool Oarai continue to be feared as the new generation of tankers who were inspired by them carried on the torch and bring more victories for Oarai.

Yet now when they are force to fought a real war they were force to be seperated from one of their friend because their commader decide to put one of them with the rangers instead of tankers.

"Yeah we also wish you were with us Yukari. We want you to fight alongside us inside a tank." Miho told her.

Yukari was touched by her words, she feel a single drop of tear escape her eye, though she manage to hide it. "Thank you Miho, i really want that to happen to. But you know what they say, life isn't fair." Yukari said sadly.

After that Yukari decide to bring the mood up by asking them about something she was curious about. "So what's senshado match with modern tanks feels like?" She ask.

This time Mako was the one who answer. "It's boring." She said flatly.

At first Yukari thought this is just Mako being Mako but then she notice the other seem to agree with her. "What i thought you guys will be excited about it. I know i will." Yukari said, confused.

"Yeah actually our first expirience is pretty enjoyable. But then we realize that evey single match feels the same." Saori told her.

"What why?"

"Well considering you got all the modern equipment such as the infrared sight, auto lock and laser range finder, there are no need to aim carefully. It's pretty much who shoot first win." Hana said.

"And considering that there are only three type of tanks use by the JSDF. The intense feeling of guessing what tanks the enemy used is pretty much gone since you know what tanks they'll be using based on their unit and because we face the same tanks over and over again it became boring really fast." Miho clarafied.

Yukari was silent for a moment, absorbing her friends words before speaking. "Well i can't say that i wasn't dissapointed but hey you guys will face new tanks soon enough." Yukari said, trying to bring the mood up.

"Hell yeah we were. We're gonna kick the Chinese ass!" Saori exclaimed passionetly, Which made her friends chuckle at her behaivior.

After that they continue to talk for hours about their past in Oarai and in collage. They talk until midday when Yukari receive a text meassage from Itami to come back to the base. Yukari then say goodbye to her friends but before she leave, she and her friends share a group hug.

After that Yukari went back to base to answer her superior call. But she walk back there with a happy feeling that she have seen her friends again.

A/N: Yukari squadmate are not my OC. I 'borrowed' them from another military themed anime called GATE. I because i like that anime as well i decide to make a few character as Yukari squadmate since i thought they all are a good match. (Side note: Only two out off six character i borrowed from gate are actually a ranger, the rest are ordinary soldiers but i decide to make them become a ranger in this story.

A/N 2: I just found out that the JSDF use numbers to dessignated a company and not letters or codename like in the west so when i wrote when Nishi say her company was Fox company it was innacurate because it was suppose to be a number, not a name but i'll leave it here because it will take to long to edit.