Nishizumi Residence

"Hmph. Thank goodness."

Continuation had lost against Saunders. The loss was expected, but what wasn't expected was just how close it had been. Shiho wanted to see Continuation lose, not wishing to fight that new ace of theirs that could jeopardize their winning streak. With Continuation's loss by eight milliseconds, victory was more or less assured. Up next, Kuromorimine would fight the victors. Knowing them, they wouldn't stand much of a chance, so it was basically a free ticket to the Finals. St. Gloriana would be against Pravda, but knowing Pravda's new prowess inherent in its new commander, Katyusha, it was likely they would win, but one couldn't safely assume. If Pravda would win, though, the Finals would be the culmination of a decades-long rivalry.

Gazing at the wall of certificates displaying the placements of Kuromorimine at every tournament she had participated in as a student of the school, and as well now being its Headmaster. Each certificate was lined with either silver or gold, mostly gold. The silver linings were to be seen more frequently in the earlier years, but the further you went down the years, the more evident Kuromorimine's dominion over the sport became as they switched places with Pravda and St. Gloriana before, at last, the winning streak began. Nine certificates lined the wall, and at the very end of the college of certificates, a blank spot sat there, outlined by gold trimmings, with the words "TENTH CONSECUTIVE WIN" engraved on a plaque down below.

Pravda and Kuromorimine had been rivals for much of Sensha-do, exchanging championships every tournament until Kuromorimine started their winning streak. After that, Pravda mostly ended up as the runner-up, with even that position in contest. Sometimes, it was St. Gloriana, on one tournament, it was Saunders. This year, though, Pravda would try to ruin the winning streak. Shiho was certain St. Gloriana would lose, and for all of Katyusha's prowess, she couldn't really stand against the might of the Nishizumi Style. No matter how many tanks she threw at them, or how often they tried to flank, armor and discipline would win the day. Nothing was going to ruin this winning streak under Shiho's watch.

"Yes, what is it?"

"A package from Shimada-san, Mistress."

What does that prankster have for me, I wonder.

Opening the gift, Shiho found a book inside, accompanied by a letter from Chiyo. Kikuyo slowly departed as Shiho opened the letter, where in its contents Chiyo outlined what the book was, and why she was shipping it to Shiho.

Hello, my dearest rival. I hope you're doing well.

You may be wondering what on earth this book is, so I'll give a quick rundown.

This is called a Bible, sent to me by a cousin not too long ago. I was asked by her to read it, but I wasn't comfortable with its contents so I simply laid it as an ornamental piece on the table. Soon it was taking up too much space so I decided to just ship it to you for you to deal with it. Do what you'd like, read it, I don't really care. It's yours now, I guess.

- Your most hated rival, Chiyo Shimada

P.S. I hope you lose the Finals :)

"Of course you have to... ugh."

Opening this Bible after tossing aside the letter and its box, curious as to what exactly made Chiyo "uncomfortable" with it, Shiho just barely got past the first line when she slammed it shut and tossed it aside in disdain, angered at its contents. It dared claim that there was a single Creator of the Heaven and Earth? There weren't many gods or deities that helped in its creation? Absurdity is what it was to Shiho, and she would have none of it.

Picking it up with disdain, she stood up, rushed to the trash can, and threw the disgusting book into the pile of rubbish already inside, an action she wished Chiyo would've done with it instead of sending what she considered these pieces of scrap to her, not wishing to read its contents ever again. Walking back to her seat, she continued watching the reports of that day's battles.

Little did she know, at that moment, her youngest daughter was watching, and seeing how she had treated it, secretly developed a curiosity in that particular book.

Sneaking out of her room after the others had fallen asleep, Miho sneaked to the trash bin containing the Bible, rummaged through, and gently picked it up from the piles of waste inside. Sneaking back into her room, she placed it behind one of the many Boko dolls inside, so as to not allow her mother to spot it easily. After that, she went to sleep, hoping that nothing much would amount from it, hoping to read it the next day.

Day of the 62nd Tournament Finals

"Miho, are you ready?"

"Yes, Onee-chan, give me a minute!"

For the past two weeks, Miho had secretly been reading a book that she had grabbed from a trash can in the family's home. Nobody but her knew about her doings, and she wanted to keep it that way. She knew full well that if her mother found out, she would be as good as disowned. Having examined its contents, Miho's interest was on the Book of John, as something seemed to be attracting her to this particular book. Curiously reading through the verses as much as she could when she was left alone in her room, she had managed to read up to Chapter 15, just before the Finals match against longtime rival of Kuromorimine, Pravda Girls' High School, the match that could get Kuromorimine its coveted tenth consecutive win.

Much had been building up to this match, years of hard fighting against capable schools, a streak forged by a successive line of masterful commanders all the way down to the present day. The 62nd National High School Tournament was about to end, and if everything went as planned, it would end with Kuromorimine breaking a Sensha-do record. Pravda had lost again and again to Kuromorimine, and everyone was confident that this match would be no different. Another win to add to the achievement wall, and perhaps a special trophy from Director Kodama in recognition of this unprecedented feat. It was something every student in Kuromorimine coveted to death, and each tanker was willing to fight tooth and nail to get that tenth win. They had come so far, and they didn't want to fumble the ball at this crucial moment.

Yet, the day prior to the match against Pravda, one verse of John 15 caught Miho's attention, specifically, at the 13th verse.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Miho had initially interpreted it as sacrificing herself to save another tank in potential danger, a tank that could possibly win them the match, only to realize that her tank would be the flag tank for the match, meaning that would be an option you could throw out the window. But, there was something that seemed to be telling her that this verse would soon mean a lot to her, and it would be important very soon, but she didn't quite grasp it yet. And there wasn't much time to really grasp it, as tomorrow, the Finals would take place, a match that would decide whether Kuromorimine would get the tenth consecutive win, or if Pravda would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, somehow. Everyone was expecting a Kuromorimine victory, so spirits in the school were high.

Looking towards her clock, it showed that it was eleven in the evening. Way past her bedtime, and given the magnitude of the event tomorrow, Miho would need all the sleep she'd get. Quickly placing the Bible in its usual hiding spot, she brushed, changed, and drifted off to sleep, hoping, as with hundreds of other students with her, that victory would come tomorrow. Surely, there would be nothing that could defeat them. Victory would come, and it would be Kuromorimine's victory to savor.

Cheers, cries of disappointment, then cheers again could be heard across the stands as the battle raged on in the battlefields of the Finals match. Katyusha had given Kuromorimine as little room to maneuver as she could, exploiting any weaknesses she could, doing as much damage as possible. However, as time wore on, it was becoming evident that she was slowly losing the battle. Finally, with few options left, Katyusha was forced to order a withdrawal across a steep cliff, where a rushing river was at its foot. But, even before reaching the cliff, many of her tanks had been knocked out, and those behind her were knocked out as well, leaving her as the rearmost tank, exposed to enemy fire, and with the possibility of being knocked out at any moment, causing defeat.

Kuromorimine was vigorous in its attacks, not allowing any rest for their opponents, using the Nishizumi Style of superior armor and discipline to gradually wear down Pravda's tanks. Balanced at first, they had soon gained the upper hand, and forced Katyusha to a costly withdrawal that lost her more than half of her tanks in their retreat. Normally, Kuromorimine would be vigorous and dedicated, but prevously, they hadn't been as vigorous and dedicated as they were now. It was as if each tank was screaming for that tenth win, and the crowd could feel it. Kuromorimine fans were jumping up and down, yelling at their favorites to give Katyusha the good old treatment, while Pravda's fans were egging their favorites to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. It was only due to both schools' disciplinary guards that no fighting took place between anybody.

Away from the stands, in a more isolated area, Jouko and the rest of Continuation were watching the battle. Initially, they had been at the stands, but as things got too rowdy for their liking, they had transferred to a nearby hill where the screen was still visible, their spots quickly being filled. Through it all, Jouko was jotting down notes, analyzing the tactics used by both sides with help from her friends and other teammates, pointing out each pro and con in said tactics. What couldn't be argued against were the results. Kuromorimine was winning. It was obvious. The more time passed, the more clearer it was. Pravda was cornered, and soon, Kuromorimine had caught up with their prey, organized in a column to maneuver through the steep cliff. All that was left to do was to kill the flag tank, and the tenth consecutive win was as good as theirs.

Yet, something unexpected happened. Not only was it unexpected, but it was horrifying.

The Panzer III, the tank right in front of the flag tank commanded by none other than Miho Nishizumi, the team's Vice-Commander and younger sister of Commander Maho Nishizumi, suddenly fell off the cliff as a tank shell burst in front of it, apparently disorienting the driver and in a panic attack, causing the tank to drive off the cliff, and start to sink into the rushing waters below, its weight too much for the tank to remain buoyant. The crew was as good as lost, there was little hope of getting out of a situation like that, and nobody on both teams had the guts to jump in and try to save as many as they could.

Nobody, that is, except Miho.

"KOUME! NO!"

The Panzer III drove off as a shell distracted the driver, plummeting into the frosty, rushing waters below. Koume had been Miho's main source of personality ever since she had joined Kuromorimine. The school was nothing but a cold, disciplinarian school, seemingly devoid of personality. But Koume was the warm, lovable friend that Miho was lucky to have, and seeing her sink so helplessly into the water was a disheartening sight. In front of her was Pravda's flag tank, completely exposed, and just asking to get shot. It had just fired, meaning Miho had the perfect kill. Yet, was it worth it than going in to save her friends? She wanted the tenth victory as much as anybody, but would it be worth winning that tenth win in exchange for losing arguably the closest friend she ever had outside of Maho?

Then, the words of John 15:13 came back to her.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

"Koume, I'm coming for you!"

With seconds to choose, Miho, goaded on by this same verse she had read the previous night, abandoned her flag tank, jumped into the water, and swam with all the strength she had towards the Panzer III, pulling open the hatch with all her might, and dragging the unconscious body of Koume and another member of her crew who was right next to her, dragging them to the nearest shore where they were safe, performing CPR on them with what little energy she had left. Koume's mouth discharged much water as Miho pushed her chest several times, emptying the filled lungs of the young student. The same happened with her teammate, and soon, both were awake after Miho breathed into the mouths of each of them, refilling their lungs with oxygen.

"Miho... wh..."

"Koume! I can't wait long, I must go back!"

"Miho, wait!~"

Wishing to go back for the others, Miho tried again, intent on saving the lives of the other crew members in the sunken Panzer III. But she hadn't reached halfway to the tank when she began to black out, her strength having left her after spending so much of it dragging Koume and what she assumed to be her radio operator out of the tank and performing CPR on them. Swimming back to shore, Miho, dragged onto the rocks by the two saved girls, dropped on the ground beside Koume, and fainted from the loss of energy, unaware of the results of the tournament, and not knowing whether the others in the tank had survived, or if they had shared the fate Koume and the radio operator would've had it not been for Miho's actions.

The crowds were silenced even after the announcement, save for a few cheers from overexcited fans that were heard here or there. For the first time in many people's lives, they had seen Sensha-do participants in real danger. Seeing Miho jump into the water, sacrificing her flag tank in favor of saving real lives, many had cheered her on, supporting her, hoping that she had succeeded. Seeing her try again after saving two teammates, dread once again returned on the crowd when she emerged without anybody, her strength drained, her energy gone. On the cliffs, students from both teams had dismounted their tanks after the knockout to see what was going on, bearing witness to the rescue attempt by this daughter of the Nishizumi Style.

As the feed cut, everyone departed, mostly in silence, some weeping over the emotional stress of seeing such events unfold. Continuation was likewise silenced, all unable to utter a word, shocked at witnessing potential fatalities in a Sensha-do match. Jouko, especially, was surprised at this selfless act. Miho had lived up to the verse of John 15:13, potentially sacrificing her life in order for her friends to continue living. What was uncertain was the fates of the two other crew members of the Panzer III. Had they lived or died? They hadn't been seen being rescued after Miho saved who appeared to be Koume and another crew member, and many feared that they had both drowned in the rushing water.

Back at the carrier, Jouko locked herself in her room to think and meditate. The day had been a hard one to sit through. Seeing how easily the Panzer III fell into the water, helplessly sinking until Miho stepped in, it was powerful to re-imagine again and again. Jouko prayed that the two other crew members had survived the ordeal, that somehow, in some way, they had been rescued in time to be revived. But if Koume was barely alive when she was rescued, then the others were definitely dead. It was a dreadful, yet almost certain thought. If they were both dead, then they would've been the first fatalities in Sensha-do history, something that would haunt the Federation for the rest of its life.

She had heard of Sensha-do as a "safe sport", but this incident was strongly questioning that. If it was truly a safe sport, why did two girls possibly die of drowning on a battlefield that had such a dangerous section to it? Why was the battlefield even selected? Why didn't other tankers help Miho in saving their comrades, aside from shock? Why, why, why? No doubt, this would cause a media firestorm across Japan, and the world.

But at the same time, it ignited something in Jouko. A desire to meet this Miho Nishizumi. There were many questions to be asked, so much information to be gained, and things to confirm. Meeting Miho would be a priority for Jouko, though it would be easier said than done. But there was one thing she needed to tend to.

During the latter half of the 62nd Tournament, Jouko, determined not to make any mistakes in a match again, wrote several special rules in her notebook to present to her classmates in order to help them with their Sensha-do careers, as well as to hopefully improve the quality of Continuation.

Rule One: Never engage in prolonged conflict with the enemy.
This was the cause of her previous defeat, spending too much time fighting Naomi's Firefly which prevented her from assisting her allies in time. Sure, Kay's sacrifice was unlucky, but had she instead gone straight for the flag tank, they would've made it to the Semifinals. Alas, none can change the events of the past, but one can prevent the past from repeating itself by taking action to do so, and better to do that rather than nothing.

Rule Two: To know well the terrain results in a likely victory.
In the match against Saunders, this had put her at an advantage given she had spent much of her childhood in forests, and this helped her in maneuvering through thick woods and out into the full sunlight, but her disobedience of Rule One caused her team's defeat, being too late to save her team's flag tank.

Rule Three: Where there's a good tank team, there's many imperfections.
Jouko's team was the star of Continuation, but there was still much to be improved on, and more to learn of. They were far from perfect, and they knew it well. That was why they vigorously practiced, to improve their skill, to come up with better technique and better proficiency, to be better and strive for perfection which, although it would never be achieved, was a goal worth improving for.

Rule Four: It's best to work together, and to work individually.
Some commanders had their own preferences, and it would be hard to really work together effectively, which was why Jouko preferred more independence among her teammates, though to remain coordinated and effective as a team. Like she had done in the match with Koala Forest, she used her own style to deal damage against the Koala tanks, luring the remaining opponents to her team, circling around while distracted and taking out the flag tank from behind.

Rule Five: Friendship breeds victory.
Sensha-do wasn't just about forming a perfect, ideal woman, it was also about making friends, supporting each other, and building on each other's strengths to form an unstoppable force, a long-lasting, immovable community. It was thanks to the supportive community of Continuation that Jouko was able to regain her confidence after the Saunders match.

Originally, it was to be five rules, but following the Finals of the 62nd Tournament, Jouko added a special sixth rule to the list.

Rule Six: John 15:13
This was a special rule in case the school would end up in a similar situation as Kuromorimine did in the finals. Victory in Sensha-do doesn't matter if you're losing real lives in what is a supposedly safe sport where nobody is said to die and that it's safe to partake in.

Jouko spent the next hours devoted to Bible reading, hoping to calm her mind with reassurances, and after she was finished with a session, turned to prayer. Having gone the whole day without food, she went to sleep on an empty stomach, her emotions doing away with any appetite.

"Miho... I'll admit it, I should've jumped in with you."

"Onee-chan, but-"

"All of them would've made it out if I-"

"Don't blame yourself, Onee-chan!"

"Why shouldn't I? I could've helped, and... I..."

"You were in shock, you were surprised, I know."

"Just, forgive me... I don't know if those two can forgive me."

"Onee-chan, stop! It's not your fault!"

"Whose fault is it, then? Pravda's for shooting that round that caused them to fall off?"

"No. It's the Federation's fault."

"Okaa-san?!"

"Beside me, Maho."

Maho moved to sit to the left of Shiho as the latter took over her eldest daughter's cushion, and directly faced Miho.

"Miho, I should commend you for your actions, but at the same time, you showed weakness."

"Okaa-san-"

"Silence. Your actions cost us the victory hundreds of students at this school desired so much. Ten years, Miho. TEN YEARS."

"I understand-"

"No, you don't. You never will. You don't know how many hours of practice, how many buckets of sweat, how many repair sessions we had go to through leading up to this match. Now that we've lost, it's all in vain. That tenth win is lost, all because of you."

"What was I supposed to do, let them die?!"

"Sometimes, sacrifices are necessary to obtain victory."

"But Okaa-san-"

"DO NOT QUESTION ME, MIHO."

The cold, stern words of Shiho shut Miho's mouth, as she began to slowly retract in intimidation, curving to a bow of shame.

"This is not to happen again. Weakness is not tolerated in the Nishizumi Style. You know this VERY WELL, Miho.

This was your time to prove to the world that you are, indeed, a skilled tank commander, the time to be the one who would get Kuromorimine that long-desired win. It was your tank that had the clear shot. You could've just fired, THEN saved the tank crew while winning us the match at the same time. But no, you let your emotions get in the way of your duty, of your conscience."

"Koume was barely alive by the time I saved her! If I had shot before, she would be dead-"

"Like I said. Sacrifices are sometimes necessary."

"I won't be able to live with-"

"Miho, perhaps it was unwise to make you the flag tank. Perhaps... it was unwise to make you join Sensha-do in the first place."

"Okaa-san! I- Onee-chan..."

Maho simply sat there, head bowed, seemingly oblivious to what was going on.

"Enough of this. Miho, if you want, you may transfer out of Kuromorimine. Perhaps this school will be better off with a less weak-minded commander on its roster. Now, Maho and I must be on official business. Do what you want here, for I doubt you'll be here for much longer."

Miho simply sat on her cushion, completely devastated by the conversation. A short glance at Maho displayed her sister's affection, but unwillingness to help, knowing the consequences of standing against her mother. After hearing the door close, Kikuyo walked over to find Miho unable to get up, wiping her tear-filled eyes as she let out heartfelt sobs of grief and anguish. Tears welling in her eyes, Kikuyo embraced her suitor's daughter, comforting her as best she could. After Miho was able to regain a sense of self-control, she helped her walk back to her room, where she left her alone to hopefully deal with her grief.

Inside, Miho buried herself in her Boko dolls, hoping for any solace to find, finding none. Her hand suddenly touched that hidden Bible kept under one of the large Boko dolls. Shakily holding it, she began flipping through the pages to find any source of comfort, anything that could give her mind peace in this most troubling time. The verses she landed on? The Beatitudes of Matthew 5.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the Sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you...

Many of these beatitudes were related to Miho's case, but instead of feeling blessings, she was being mistreated like this. Each passing line filled her with more anger and hatred. Blessings? What blessings was she getting now? Was being dogged on for saving lives "blessing"? First, that verse of "greater love" had caused all of this, now it was saying that she was blessed for, all of the things mentioned in those verses? In that case, her mother was right to throw that book in the trash. With her sadness transformed to anger, Miho threw the book on the floor with all her might, causing it to crash in a chorus of crackling paper. Collapsing to the ground, she curled up, and cried, and cried, and cried.

"You're a traitor, I tell you! A traitor!"

"A traitor for saving the lives of your sisters in arms! A traitor for doing my best to save-"

"SHUT UP! IT WAS BECAUSE OF YOU WE LOST THAT TENTH WIN!"

"WOULD IT HAVE BEEN WORTH IT IF THEY ALL DIED?! I HAD TO DO THE RIGHT THING!"

"'THE RIGHT THING'? HAH! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? DO THOSE LIVES MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? WHAT KIND OF A GIRL ARE YOU?!"

Erika was silenced by this. Miho had thought that she had delivered a killing blow to Erika's argument, that she had made her find reason, that she had seen that Miho had done the right thing. Alas, it was not to be the moment she opened her mouth again, her voice much calmer than before, though the words remaining bitter, and heartless.

"I am a determined girl. I am a loyal girl. I am a girl who wants to see victory at any cost. No matter what happens, the only thing that will matter in the end... is VICTORY. Now THAT's the type of girl I am, Miho. And for you?

You're soft. You're weak. You care more for side quests than the main quest. You don't care about victory as long as you do what you wrongfully call, 'the right thing'. There is no 'right thing' unless that right thing is something that gives us VICTORY. We stop for nothing and nobody. We advance no matter the circumstances.

That is what the Nishizumi Style is like, isn't it, Miho?"

"IT'S VICE-COMMANDER MI-"

A hard slap sent Miho tumbling onto the floor, writhing in pain, her hands clutching her cheek, throbbing in pain. Having tried to restrain her tears beforehand, now, she couldn't put it up any longer. As she lay sprawling on the floor, Miho began to cry, letting out audible sobs that only fueled Erika's rage.

"Crying now, huh?"

"P...please... uff!"

"Is this a daughter of the... NISHIZUMI Style? You... CAN'T take a slap without sobbing like a STUPID baby? How weak ARE you?!"

As Erika spoke, she kicked Miho around like a ball, furious at how much of a wimp her supposed Vice-Commander was being right in front of her. There seemed to be no bounds to her hatred. This was out in the open, and many students had gathered around, anxiously bearing witness to this sudden exchange, incapacitated by fear.

"GET UP AND FACE ME, MIHO! ARE YOU SCARED?!"

"Er-Erika-s..s-san... umph!"

"STOP MUTTERING AND GET UP! FACE ME LIKE A REAL NISHIZUMI! COME ON!"

"H...help... me... uf!"

"GET UP! GET UP AND FIGHT! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU-"

"ERIKA ITSUMI! STOP AT ONCE!"

Erika suddenly stopped her abuse, completely freezing like a statue. She knew that voice, and knew very well who it belonged to. Straightening herself up, she snapped to attention and saluted Maho, who didn't bother to return it, helping Miho get back up, carrying her younger sister to a place of respite as she gave Erika the dirtiest stare she would ever see in her life. Erika could barely bring herself to utter a single word.

Once Maho had laid her sister on a nearby bench with the help of some other students, she walked up to Erika, and stared her down with cold eyes. After a tense few seconds, Maho opened her mouth to speak.

"Erika Itsumi, it is only due to my Mother's high thinking of you that I do not, at this very moment, EXPEL you from this team. What do you think this will achieve?"

"C-C...Commander... I-"

"No. This is something that I should not have to deal with, let alone hear a jot or tittle about.

Explain your actions, before I give you similar treatment."

Erika was shaking all over from fear. She couldn't bear to open her mouth, but seeing Maho getting her fist ready to smash into her face, she let everything out in a quick breath.

"MIHOWASWEAKSOIHADTOGIVEHERALESSON!"

"Be more able to be heard. I can... humph, barely understand you."

"Ow!~ Okay! Okay! Miho was just..."

"Just what?"

"Argh! She was... a traitor! She gave up that victory in favor of something that doesn't matter!"

Another punch met Erika in the gut.

"'Something that doesn't matter', eh?"

"It's the Nishizumi Style! Nothing must stand in the way of victory! YOU SAID IT YOURSELF!"

This made Maho freeze. She was acting hypocritical doing this. As the heiress to the Nishizumi Style, she was supposed to be the proponent of her beliefs, not one who questioned it. That was why she had been forced to keep silent when Shiho was berating Miho. That was why she didn't offer much defense when Miho received heavy criticism from many of the traditionalists in Kuromorimine. She didn't have much of a choice.

"I... stand corrected... thank you, Erika..."

"I'm sorry for my conduct today, Commander. I will assure you this will not happen again."

"I cannot let this go unpunished. You will receive a week's suspension from the team for this behavior. If it happens again, that will be a month. After that, you are evicted. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Commander!"

"Now go rest, as for me, I'll look after Miho."

As Erika left, she could be seen flashing a dirty look to a barely conscious Miho. She had gotten a bloody nose from the hard slap she received, and blood was dripping from her mouth due to the blunt force she had received from the kicks. She was in a sorry state, and needed immediate medical attention. Several students, seeing the state Miho was in, had called ambulances to attend to her aid. Not long after Erika had left, one had arrived to extract Miho, who was curled up from the pain and from the defensive measure against Erika's kicks. Placed on a stretcher, she was put inside the ambulance. Before they left, however, Maho ordered the crew to keep this incident a secret, repeating that order to the rest of the team, threatening eviction if the news got out.

As Miho was driven to hospital, Maho retreated to her room, and refused to exit it for the rest of the day.

"Today's hot topic is Panzerfahren.

As many of you have seen, the unfortunate incident of the 62nd National Sensha-do Tournament has sadly cost the lives of two girls who were trapped in a Panzer III as it sank. Were it not for the actions of Kuromorimine Vice-Commander Miho Nishizumi, it is certain all five of the crew would have been lost in the sinking of their tank. Unsurprisingly, there has been much hot debate among Sensha-do fans regarding the results of the match. Though most agree that Miho-san's actions are commendable, some Nishizumi diehards have criticized her for perceived weakness. We have recently managed to interview several key figures of the match, such as Katyusha of Pravda, and Erika Itsumi of Kuromorimine."

The screen now shifts to Katyusha's interview.

"I was surprised to see the Panzer III drop into the river, and I wanted to help, but seeing Miho do it, and with my shot ready, I decided to take care of the flag tank first. I do express regret I didn't jump in to help, and it is truly a tragedy that two girls have died."

"Whose fault do you think it is?"

"I'd say it's the fault of the one who assigned the battlefield. That ridge was too risky, and concerns have been proven correct."

"Have you gotten in contact with Miho-san over the past few days?"

"Radio silence, I think her privacy should be respected due to the recent events."

"What about Maho-san? Have you any information from her?"

"I think it's best to stay away from the Nishizumi family for now, to allow them privacy and recover from this."

The screen now displayed Erika Itsumi, who would've become Vice Commander of Kuromorimine hadn't it been for Shiho's decision to give Miho the position rather than her. It was a decision that caused a deep jealousy to develop towards Miho, a jealousy founded on favoritism and familial bias. But, seeing the actions of Miho during the 62nd Tournament, it further fueled her hatred, seeing her as a traitor who preferred friends over the overall school. But on advice of Maho, she had to keep these opinions to herself for the sake of PR integrity.

"What are your thoughts on the Finals match?"

"Well... I'd... say it was... disappointing..."

"Do you have anything to say regarding the incident with the Panzer III?"

"I... don't want to talk... about it... It's affected a lot of us."

"Do you have any contact with Miho-san? Many people have been concerned over her well-being after she hasn't appeared in public for so long."

"I... want to respect her privacy."

The screen turned to Ami Chono, JGSDF Captain and a leading figure in Sensha-do.

"I'm just appalled at how we got ignored when we objected to this map. I place the blame on Director Daisuke for his persistence on using this battlefield. I'm truly ashamed that such an avoidable incident happened anyways. I hope that measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents from happening again. Regarding the Nishizumis, and the families of those involved, I'd like to request all to respect their privacies. They are currently undergoing tough times, so we don't want to add to their stress."

The screen turned back to the reporter as she finished up the news report on the incident.

"Earlier today, Director Daisuke of the Sensha-do Federation has released a statement apologizing for the tragic events of the Finals, saying that he agrees to pay full compensation for the deaths incurred during the Finals, and offers the parents of both killed the Federation's most sincere condolences. In addition, it was announced that due to the dangerous terrain of the Finals battlefield, more care will be taken to finding safer, less dangerous battlefields for tanks to fight on, in order that events like this will not happen again. In addition, he has also announced his resignation, appointing Shinchiro Kodama to take his place.

We here at NHK News also offer our most sincere condolences to the families of those killed in the incident. May you find peace and we hope you will be able to cope with this terrible loss. Rest in piece to Aiko Himesu, 15, and Sora Himetada, 16. May your memory be never forgotten by those to come.

That is all for today, good night to all our distinguished viewers."

Turning the television off, Chiyo sank into her seat, devastated by the news. Normally, she was completely composed, it was nigh impossible for her to cry. Here, though, it was a devastating, heavy pile of news to deal with. A match held on a battlefield she vigorously opposed using had caused the deaths of two girls, five if it hadn't been for Miho. It had been so avoidable, yet without any other opposition aside from Ami, her efforts were unsuccessful. Daisuke was firm in his decision, and it had been his undoing. Offering his resignation, Director Kodama took over. Chiyo trusted Kodama, having known him for quite a long while. She was confident that under his direction, the Federation wouldn't have to see a tragedy like this again.

She thought of that Bible she sent to Shiho. What had become of it? Knowing her, it was probably in the trash, or disposed of in another way. But there was still that chance she kept it somewhere to read later. It was unlikely, but Chiyo's interest in the Bible had come back. She would try to give it another shot, but before that, she needed to buy a new one, given the one gifted by her cousin was probably getting incinerated. She wanted to see what that book had to say, to see if it had anything that could give comfort in a situation like this. But it was late at night, Alice was already snoring, thankfully, and the stores were already closed. She would either have to buy online or go to the nearest bookstore to buy one. Resolving to buy one the next day, she got ready for bed, shaken by the events of the past week.

"A swift recovery, Nishizumi-san!"

"H..huh?"

"It's been just a few days, yet you seem to be much better now!"

"Really? Can I..."

"Yes, it seems you will be okay by tomorrow. We'll discharge you in two days!"

"T-thank you..."

"Don't mention it! I'll inform your family that you are doing alright now."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Shiho and Maho appeared at her bedside, their faces stoic and lifeless as usual, though Maho contained a hint of relief.

"I see you've improved. The question is, what now."

"O-Okaa-san... I... want to..."

"Yes?"

"Switch... schools..."

Shiho's face barely changed, aside from the slight narrowing of her eyebrows, which indicated that she was obviously unhappy.

"No wonder Erika calls you a traitor."

Shiho turned and walked out of the room, followed by Maho, who bore a more concerned face this time. Miho laid back, and placed her sheets over her, unwilling to look at life again.

Returning home with Shiho, Maho took a glimpse of the wall of certificates. The gold trimmings had been removed, the plaque gone, and a simple frame containing a silver-lined piece of paper that read "KUROMORIMINE", and below that, in smaller letters, "RUNNERS-UP, 62ND NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENSHA-DO TOURNAMENT". The win streak was broken.

Inside Ooarai's Student Council office, three figures were looking out the window, admiring the distant seas that surrounded the carrier. Anzu, the Council President, the upbeat, though short of stature figure, Momo, the tall, seemingly cold, yet the most emotional of them, and Yuzu, the sweet assistant who you could rely on as a stress reliever.

The reveries were interrupted when the phone suddenly rang. Anzu, energetic as ever, rushed to the phone, picked it up, and greeted the person on the other side.

"Yep! Oh... Headmaster Nishizumi... uh huh... I see..."

"What is it, Prez-"

"Hold it, I'm still talking here! Yeah? Wow."

"Prez, you gotta-"

"Momo-chan, let her finish."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU-"

"Okay, gotcha, bye!

Alrighty, we got a transfer student next year!"

"WHO! TELL US, PREZ!"

"Miho Nishizumi's coming to town."

Jouko couldn't believe her eyes. Miho was transferring from Kuromorimine to Ooarai Girls' Academy, a no-name school that used to have a solid Sensha-do team, but dropped it over a decade ago. She could imagine that the fallout from the incident would be terrible, but she never imagined it would be THIS terrible for her to leave. She was supposed to be a daughter of Shiho Nishizumi, the coldest woman on the planet. Yet, she was this soft? What exactly had gone down to influence her to just ditch Kuromorimine for this random school in Ibaraki, aside from her failure to save all of the Panzer III crew? Her three friends were also looking on, having wanted to stay updated on the situation with Miho.

"Yikes! I knew it was bad, but THIS bad?"

"Kuromorimine's the 'hotbed' of coldness. Personality is something that does not belong in that school's vocabulary."

"I know! You could say it's a reboot of Nazi Germany, minus the ideology. Besides, their team's based off of the Wehrmacht, so that too."

"I feel so bad for Miss Miho, I hope things will look up for her in this new school."

"I hope so, too. But why? I'd get it was bad, but to leave this soon draws suspicions."

"Yeah, usually someone could try to live with it at first, then after that fails either they try something new, or, you know."

"Lofstrom, don't be so dark about it!"

"Just stating the facts."

"Well, thankfully she didn't go down the dark path. Speaking of which, you mentioned Ooarai used to have a solid tank force. What happened to it?"

"From the information I gathered, Ooarai's tank roster used to be comprised of around twenty tanks, mixed in origin, from American tanks, to British, to German, French, any kind of tank you can think of they had. They did fairly well in tournaments, but when budget constraints hit, half of those twenty tanks were sold off to pay debts, the rest mothballed and placed wherever."

"Interesting. Perhaps with Miho's arrival they might try to start it again, who knows."

"Well what we do know is that Kuromorimine lost a good commander. I'm sure this might cause a chain reaction."

"Indeed. Speaking of chain reactions, I wonder how things will go now with Rumi gone, not like I don't like her, I'm just saying!"

"Mika's WAY different from Rumi. She's more into ambushes and sneak attacks, all that stuff."

"Not to mention she's mostly in our league, meaning we might have more influence over the team than before."

"Well, that means we can expand this new style of ours, and get Continuation on a good roll again."

"Yep! Speaking of which, classes are in an hour, so we'd better get ready. See ya later, Jouko!"

"Alright, meet after lunch?"

"Yep."

"Alright."

"See you all then."

As the three friends left, Jouko was left alone to ponder the events of the past week. Miho's transfer to Ooarai so soon was cause for concern regarding her wellbeing. Was there something to it, or was the stress too much to bear? She was, after all, Vice-Commander when the incident happened. There was so much that needed to be answered. Resolving to meet Miho as soon as possible, she began to pour over information about Ooarai, about its history, its culture, and its livelihood.

It seemed to be a friendly, open school, with a warm atmosphere and many nice students. But more information revealed a secret hidden in the school's carrier: a region known as the Johannesburg of Ooarai, a lawless, delinquent, unpredictable region of the carrier that housed some of the school's worst students who had no rules to abide by. One could imagine the horrid conditions there. But it was known by few, save for those in the highest positions. If Miho was only exposed to the "open" areas of the school, hopefully, she would be fine.

A dive into Ooarai's history revealed a very reputed Sensha-do team. In fact, they had won a tournament, the 48th, beating the giants of Saunders, St. Gloriana, Pravda, and Kuromorimine during that tournament. It disappeared after the 55th Tournament, however, as financial loss due to a combination of mismanagement of the budget and corrupt backdoor activities caused the school budget to drain, and as a result the Sensha-do team was shut down and, as mentioned by Frisell earlier, half their 20-strong tank force was sold off for scrap and the rest mothballed to various locations across the carrier.

Now, Miho was transferring to that school, where she, alongside nearly all of its students, was unaware of its near closure. The school had run out of funds, and MEXT was set to close it down. Miho's world would again be ruined, and unless a miracle happened, there was no stopping the school's shutdown. Everything seemed to be going south for Miho, but a verse came into Jouko's mind at that moment: Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

While Miho may not see it now, all that was happening to her, it would all be resolved in the end. It was a promise Jouko kept vigorously in her heart as she yearned to know more of Miho.

The ringing of the school bell interrupted her thoughts. Quickly packing up her necessary utilities into her backpack, Jouko bolted out of her room and rushed to the classrooms for the start of classes.

Author's Note: A very dark chapter, but one that I feel is necessary to really drive the story. I'm sorry if it was a bit hard to read, but not everything is sunshine and rainbows in life. So far, I'm liking how the story is going, though there can be some issues that need fixing, and I've been spending some time at school brainstorming possible ideas for future chapters. The storyline will roughly remain the same, but you can expect the more minute details to be switched around in favor of a better story. I'll be taking things more slowly for this fanfic to avoid getting writer's block like I did with that Irish fanfic over a month ago.

Thanks for reading so far, I hope it has been a great read up to now.