Chapter 96 - Last Will

[JNST War Room - Aboard the JSS Hakugei]

(Everyone then entered the war room and sat down to get ready for the meeting.)

"What do you have in store for us Taichou?" Hajime asked

"A month from now the 18th International Tournament will begin!"

"Will it be the usual single elimination rounds?" Akane asked

"Or will it be a round robin type of elimination?" Barley asked

"One of you got it right! And the winner is Akane! The International Tournament will start with Sudden Death Elimination Rounds!"

"OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" everyone reacted

"For more details please open up the files we placed on the desks. You should each have one so read it carefully!" Erika said

[18TH INTERNATIONAL TANKERY TOURNAMENT]

Host: International Tankery Association or I.T.A

Location: Semisphere - Sahara Desert, Africa

Mode: Sudden Death Elimination Rounds

[Teams Participating]

-Japan

-China

-South Korea

-Australia

-Italy

-Finland

-Bulgaria

-Romania

-Hungary

-Germany

-Russia

-United Kingdom

-France

-United States

-Canada

-Brazil

Rules:

[Vehicles and Equipment]

-All Teams can field a maximum of 50 tanks only.

-All Teams can field light, medium, heavy tanks only.

-All teams can field open top vehicles as long as there is carbon coating to protect the crew

-All teams must bring their own tanks and vehicles. The I.T.A will provide the ammunition and gas for them.

-Rocket Launcher Type vehicles/units are only limited to five per team.

-Handheld Anti-Tank Rifles are allowed to be used but only one per team.

-Handheld Rocket Launcher Type weapons are not allowed to be used

-Handheld Weapons of any kind are not allowed to be used

[Rules of Engagement]

-Tank-To-Tank Combat

-Hand-To-Hand Combat

[Time Limit]

-Elimination Round matches will have a time limit of 2 Hours.

[Game Modes]

-The Game Mode for all Sudden Death Elimination Rounds will be Flag Tank Battle

[Prohibited Conduct]

-Inflicting serious or life threatening injuries to others

-Using main weapons of tanks directly against other tankers

-Endangering your own life by any means for whatever reason

-Using handheld weapons of any kind not approved by the I.T.A

-Using electrical gadgets such as cellphones and smartphones during the match

[Consequences]

-Disqualification

[In Case of Emergency]

-Teams are given a red flare gun to use in case of emergencies only.

-There will be 1,000 surveillance drones flying all over the battlefield to film and record everything that happens during the matches.

-Do not think about trying to cheat because we will know. We will be observing everything.

(After reading the rules and guidelines for the tournament everyone had mixed feelings and reactions about it. Some were excited while others where confused and others were worried about some of the details)

"This is well thought out, I'm impressed." Shiho said

"This is the international tournament after all. They made sure that everything will be safe and fun for all."

"This is going to be fun!" Sakuraba said

"Semisphere? What the heck is that?!" Katyusha asked

"It's the I.T.A's newest creation, you all are familiar with the D.O.M.E right? The one in the middle of our ship."

"Is it safe to assume it's going to be like that?" Klara asked

"Yes but bigger and wider! It's designed to host 2,000 tanks at once!"

"Two thousand?! If I remember correctly our D.O.M.E can only host 50 right?" Pekoe asked

"Yes, so you can all imagine how big this place is. Like really BIG AF!"

"So that's why the location says Sahara Desert, it's probably the only location where they could've built such a large battlefield.." Assam said

"The Sahara is just an empty desert right? So how the hell are they giving that big of a stadium the necessary power it needs?" Sencha asked

"I heard that a very very rich man gave the I.T.A a huge amount of money to start the construction three years ago. Then after a year the same man sponsored a ton of solar power farms around the Sahara Desert which generates enough power for the Semisphere!"

"Wow, that guy must be so rich!" Nina reacted

"Not to mention a nice guy!" Alina smiled

"We will now show you our command structure for this war!"

[Commander]

-Kaede

[Vice Commander]

-Shiori

[Platoon Leaders]

-Kay

-Darjeeling

-Katyusha

-Anchovy

-Nishi

-Mika

[Gero's Team]

-Erika

-Miho

-Maho

(As everyone saw the list of the chain of command all of them were happy and satisfied. After spending three years with each other training together they know that they can trust each other with the roles they are given)

"Thank you for choosing me to be the commander! I, Yamato Kaede, will do my utmost best in leading our team to victory!" Kaede said

"We'll be counting on you commander!" Kay said

"Show us how the Yamato Heir wins tournaments!" Shizuka said

"I'm on the same team as Eririn, onii-chan and onee-chan! I'm so happy!" Miho said

"Me too!" Maho smiled

"Yoroshiku!" Erika smiled

"Alright! We have one month to go! We'll reach Africa in two weeks! Everyone rest well tonight because it will be hellish training again tomorrow! Dismissed!" Erika shouted

"Otsukaresama Deshita!" everyone replied

[RYOBU War Room - Aboard the JSS Hakugei]

(After the meeting with the team Gero had another meeting with his RYOBU team. They met up at a secret war room inside the Hakugei. It had a meeting room, an armory, and a shooting range for them to practice. Tsuneo, Shiho and Chouno was there as well for a very important occasion which was the official elisment of Gero's team to the Japanese Special Forces Group or SFGp under the command of Major Tsuneo)

"Now that you all have finished college you are now officially part of SFGp! Congratulations!" Chouno said

"Thank you very much!" Gero's team saluted

"Let me remind you all that this is only until Pandora has been eliminated completely. It's up to you if you want to continue your career as a soldier or not. Got that?"

"HAI!" everyone saluted

[Private First Class]

-Naomi

-Takashi

-Kal

-Alisa

-Klara

-Assam

-Ono

(Nana and Sakurai was also promoted and Erika was given the rank of First Lieutenant for being Gero's second-in-command)

[Sergeant First Class]

-Sakurai

[Sergeant]

-Nana

[First Lieutenant]

-Erika

"Congratulations everyone! You all deserved it!"

"Thank you young master!" Nana and Sakurai bowed

"Who knew that the ragtag team that my son formed would grow up to amazing men and women like you? Congratulations!" Shiho smiled

"Thank you very much Shiho-sama!" everyone saluted

"Now that you all are officially part of the team and you all now are fine adults I think it's time for me to give you these.."

(Gero then handed his team each with a Heckler & Koch 45 USP Tactical pistol. This time it was a real pistol and not a tranquilizer)

"This will be our standard issue pistol. I take it, you know how to use one now?" Tsuneo asked

"Yes sir!" they answered

"Keep this on you at all times and use it to protect yourself at all times. I trust you all to make sound judgment and reasonable decisions."

"Aren't you going to give one to Erika-san?" Takashi asked

"Don't worry I already have one." Erika smiled

"Thank you Gero, I promise you I will use this wisely.." Kal said

"I know you will!"

(Gero then opened the gun cage inside the armory showing different kinds of weapons for them to use)

"This is the Heckler & Koch HK416 Assault Rifle. Shoots 5.56x45mm. Light & Deadly. This will be the standard issue rifle for the boys when we have a mission."

"Nice!" Takashi smiled

"They look awesome!" Kal said

"Next is the Heckler & Koch MP7 Submachine Gun. Shoots 4.6x30mm armor piercing rounds. Much lighter & smaller but just as deadly. This is for Alisa and Assam so that you can pair it with your movements!"

"We used this when we went to Germany right?" Alisa asked

"Yes, except it's the real deal this time!"

"It's cute so I'm happy about it!" Assam smiled

"Finally for our two best markswomen! The Heckler & Koch HK417 Marksman Rifle. Shoots 7.62x51mm. Powerful, accurate, and quiet! This is for you Naomi and Klara!"

"Spasiba! Not fooling around are we?" Klara smiled

"Victory is around the corner so no time for fooling around right Taichou?" Naomi asked

"Indeed!"

"Look at you guys looking all badass with guns! Lt. Sanada should've seen this!" Sakurai chuckled

"Where is Sanada-senpai anyways? Is he with Kaito-senpai and Shun-senpai?" Takashi asked

"They're already in Africa doing some recon for us. Just take a picture and send it to them."

"Recon for what? Wasn't Africa already liberated from Pandora?" Ono asked

"Pandora is gone but there's still a decent amount of hostile forces. You can never be too careful."

"Since we're here I might as well ask how did you manage all of this? The ship, the train, the houses, how?" Kal asked

"Remember when we went to Germany three years ago? We were able to get valuable intel from Devil's Mountain right?"

"Yes I remember, it was too much to process everything that night so we had to pack it up in a hard drive!" Alisa said

"Upon further processing we were able to acquire an estimated Five Billion dollars from that mountain alone.."

"FIVE BILLION DOLLARS?!" his team reacted

"Yep! A chunk of that money went to the recreation of Devil's Mountain into a better place. Then another chunk was invested into the JSS Hakugei."

"Using the enemy's resources for our benefits huh?" Assam smiled

"Yes. Then you recall the two Pandora High Table members we managed to capture in Korea?"

"What about them?" Naomi asked

"They were Pandora's Financial Handlers. That's the reason why they risked a lot to bring them across the border."

"Want to know how deep Pandora's pockets were?" Erika smiled

"Twenty!"

"Twenty Billion?!" his team reacted again

"No no no..trillion!"

(All of them then went silent because they didn't know how much money was fourteen trillion and how would it look like)

"To make it easier for you all to get a good idea of how big it is, with Fourteen Trillion dollars you can invest in billions of solar panels that can power 25-30% of our world's electricity!"

"Wait..don't tell me that the very very rich guy you were talking about earlier was.." Kal said

"It's not me! Well at least not on paper.."

"So the Semisphere was also made from Pandora's money?" Ono asked

"Yeah. The money was invested in it. A portion of the money was donated to the families of the casualties of Pandora, distributed to every military organization that fought against Pandora, and donated to our Japanese government. Then the remaining money will be used in creating a special prison for the Pandora prisoners we have taken." Erika said

"This is amazing! Knowing that what we did in Germany has led to so many great things!" Klara smiled

"I know right? It feels great being able to help a lot of people!" Alisa said

"I understand your reasoning behind the distribution of the money but you could've left some of that money for us, you know maybe just a little bit wouldn't hurt!" Takashi jokes

"Don't worry I already did. When Pandora has been wiped clean off this planet. All of you will be receiving a big pay so you can count on it!"

"ALRIGHT! WOOOHOOO!" his team celebrated

"You think I'd forget about you all? I always take care of those under my command!"

"I never doubted you, not even for a second!" Takashi said

"We'll follow you anywhere Taichou!" Naomi said

"Even to hell?"

"Without any hesitation captain.." Kal said

"I'm happy to hear that! Well then let's end this meeting here and get some rest. In one month we will all be experiencing the International scene. I'm counting on you guys to guide the rest of the team."

"Leave it to us sir!" Assam said

"Very well! Dismissed!"

"Otsukaresama Deshita!" everyone bowed

[D.O.M.E Training Field - Aboard the JSS Hakugei]

(It is currently 6AM in the morning and is the first day of JNST's training in order to prepare them for the upcoming tournament. They have now assembled on the training grounds of the D.O.M.E where Gero was in front of all them to introduce the new tanks they will be using)

"Good morning everyone! Did you all sleep well?"

"Yes sir!" everyone answered

"Outstanding! This will be our schedule for today! This morning will be tank practice! Then we'll have Hand-To-Hand combat in the afternoon! Then in the evening there will be a lecture on strategies in the field!"

"Gero-san! Where's Erika-san? She was with us up until we entered the dome but she suddenly went somewhere and still hasn't come back!" Sheska asked

"Miho-san and Maho-san are also not here!" Yukari said

"That's because they're here behind me! My comrades, I'm pleased to show you our uniform for this tournament! Ta-dah!"

(Erika, Miho and Maho then came out of the room behind him wearing their JNST uniforms. It had a red shirt and matching skirt, along with a white jacket and side cap with a matching red trim. The red sun "Hinomaru" on the Japanese flag is displayed on the front of the cap)

"IT'S SO COOOOL!"

"AND ALSO CUUUTE!"

"How do the uniforms feel?"

"It's light and comfortable!" Miho said

"The fabric is smooth and gentle on the skin!" Erika said

"The sun is up and yet I don't feel hot in this uniform! It's amazing onii-sama!" Maho smiled

"I'm glad you girls like it! And now here is the men's uniform!"

(Gero's crew came out as well wearing the same uniform and same design but instead of a skirt they have white slacks pants)

"This is what we are going to wear during the entire tournament!"

"They look cool and all but getting dirt, mud, and oil all over it is so going to hurt!" Emi reacted

"Fear not, for this uniform is made from very special fibers and cotton that makes sure that any stain can be washed off very easily! Observe!"

(All of a sudden a mixture of paint, mud, and dirt wear poured all over Gero's crew covering them from head to toe. Then after a few seconds clean water was poured all over them again and like magic the stains was washed away as if they were never there)

"OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!" everyone reacted

"See? Amazing right?!"

"But we're still wet though.." Ono complained

"Yeah well I said stain proof and not waterproof. After washing your uniform, dry yourself then change into a new one. So make sure to bring two sets of uniforms for the tournament and an extra pair of socks alright?"

"Yes sir!" everyone answered

"The girls also should wear either shorts or tights because as you can see the skirt is a little short!" Erika said

"Yeah..that too..or if you're uncomfortable with wearing a skirt then you may wear the same white slacks just like ours!"

"Come on Bakatora..don't you want to see us wear sexy tights?" Erika teased

"Ehem..a-anyways onto the next agenda! Our tanks!"

(The team now walked towards five big warehouses where their brand new tanks are stored. They approached first Warehouse #1 and everybody was excited to see the new tanks. Gero pressed the button at the side of the warehouse entrance and the doors slowly opened automatically.)

"Ladies and gents, I present to you the light tank that we will be using for this tournament! This is the Type 98 Ke-Ni B Light Tank!"

(The team saw eight small and short tanks with a sloped welded superstructure at the front and was much lower than other light tanks)

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" everyone reacted in joy

"It's cute!"

"Very cool!"

"Now originally, this tank was meant for a crew of three only but we've made some modifications to the turret and it can now fit a crew of four! It's main gun is the Type 1 37mm Tank Gun which puts its Armor Penetration at 25 mm (0.98 in) at 1,000 m (1,100 yd) with a Muzzle velocity of 800 m/s (2,600 ft/s) so you must hit your targets at the side or rear armor!"

[Warehouse #1 - Type 98 Ke-Ni B Light Tank]

Dimensions: 4.11 x 2.12 x 1.82 meters

Weight: 7.2 Tonnes

Power: 130 hp

Maximum Speed: 55 km/h

Crew: 3-4

Hull Armor

Front: 26mm

Side: 12mm

Rear: 12mm

Roof: 10mm

Turret Armor

Front: 16mm

Side: 12mm

Rear: 10mm

Roof: 9mm

Armaments

1x Type 1 37mm Tank Gun

"What made you choose this as our light tank senpai?" Kenji asked

"Great question! As you can see, this tank's feature is its suspension! It uses the Christie suspension which some of you may be familiar with!"

"Oh we are very familiar with it alright!" Mikko said with a smile

"Because of this, its speed reaches 55 km/h! This tank is the fastest tank in the Imperial Army during WWII!"

"Wow! Now this is my kind of tank!" Rosehip said in joy

"It definitely is! The ones that will have the luxury of riding these beauties into battle will be the following!"

[Light Tank Platoon]

-Mika

-Pepperoni

-Alice

-Shizuka

-Rosehip

-Noriko

-Tojo

-Marie

"Mi-chan will be the platoon leader with Alice-chan to support her!"

"I won't let you down Ro-chan!" Mika smiled

"I'll do my best, nii-chan!" Alice smiled

"I have complete faith in you! On to the next warehouse we go!"

(The team now walked towards Warehouse #2 and Gero opened the doors revealing their next set of new tanks. When they entered the warehouse they saw two types of medium tanks)

"Everyone, say hello to the Type 4 Chi-To and Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium Tanks!"

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" everyone reacted again

[Warehouse #2 - Type 4 Chi-To Medium Tank]

Dimensions: 6.42 x 2.87 x 2.87 meters

Weight: 30 Tonnes

Power: 400 hp

Maximum Speed: 45 km/h

Crew: 5

Hull Armor

Front: 75mm

Side: 35mm

Rear: 35mm

Roof: 20mm

Turret Armor

Front: 75mm

Side: 50mm

Rear: 50mm

Roof: 20mm

Armaments

1x Type 5 75mm Cannon

[Warehouse #2 - Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium Tank]

Dimensions: 7.3 x 3.05 x 3.05 meters

Weight: 37 Tonnes

Power: 550 hp

Maximum Speed: 45 km/h

Crew: 5

Hull Armor

Front: 75mm

Side: 35mm

Rear: 35mm

Roof: 20mm

Turret Armor

Front: 75mm

Side: 50mm

Rear: 50mm

Roof: 20mm

Armaments

1x Type 5 75mm Cannon

1x Type 1 37mm Anti-Tank Gun

"Both have the Type 5 75mm Cannon as its main armament which has a muzzle velocity of 850 meters per second (2,800 ft/s) that gives it an armor penetration of 75 mm (3.0 in) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)."

"What about the small cannon at the front of the Chi-Ri?" Emi asked

"That would be the Type 1 37mm Anti-Tank Gun, it has the capability to fire smoke shells so that the loader doesn't need to constantly switch between AP and Smoke shells during battle." Erika answered

"We will be using the Chi-To for the Elimination Rounds and the Quarter Finals. Then for the Semi-Finals and Finals, we will be using the Chi-Ri!"

"Why did you decide to do it that way? We could just field the better tank which is the Chi-Ri or we could field both tanks. Is there a reason to split it up?" Jajka asked

"Yes, by doing it this way, we can take our opponent at the Semi-Finals by surprise by having them believe that we will field the Chi-To again. Having a second cannon might give us the advantage we need to win."

"I see you still like playing mind games, thank you for answering my question." Jajka smiled

"You're welcome! These are the following that will ride these tanks!"

[Medium Tank Platoon]

-Shiori

-Nishi

-Haruto

-Leopon Team

-Sudou

-Koume

-Kaede

-Anchovy

-Barley

-Alisa

-Sencha

-Carpaccio

-Darjeeling

-Katyusha

-Akane

-Jajka

-Klara

-Takayuki

-Kay

-Toshi

-Shinji

-Emi

-Hippo Team

-Asparagus

(The team now walked towards Warehouse #3 and Gero opened the doors again and revealed their third set of new tanks. When they entered the warehouse they saw a tank with a similar hull as the Chi-Ri but definitely had a bigger turret and gun and it resembles a very big and heavy tank from Kuromorimine)

"I'm excited to present to you all our main tank destroyers for this competition! The Type 5 Ho-Ri II Tank Destroyer!"

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" everyone reacted again

"Personally I call it the Japanese-"

"JAGDTIGER!" Sakuraba suddenly shouted cutting off Gero

"Of course you would be the one to shout first." Erika laughed

"S-Sorry.."

"Ahaha, it's alright Sakuraba, but you are right about that! The Japanese Jagdtiger!"

[Warehouse #3 - Type 5 Ho-Ri II Tank Destroyer]

Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 3.04 meters

Weight: 40 Tonnes

Power: 550 hp

Maximum Speed: 40 km/h

Crew: 6

Hull Armor

Front: 75mm

Side: 35mm

Rear: 35mm

Roof: 20mm

Superstructure Armor

Front: 225mm

Side: 75mm

Rear: 35mm

Top: 35mm

Armaments

1x Type 5 105mm High Velocity Gun

1x Type 1 37mm Anti-Tank Gun

"This big guy uses the Type 5 105mm High Velocity Gun and fires a 17.7 kg (39 lbs) armor-piercing projectile at 910 m/s (3,000 ft/s), resulting in an armor penetration of 200 mm (7.9 in) at 1,000 m (1,093 yds) which sounds like music to the ears of you long range tank hunters!"

"It definitely does.." Jouko smiled

"It also has a raised "hump" on its roof so the gun could depress to its full 10 degrees. Then if you look closer, located to the right of the "hump" is a rangefinder. This tank needs a crew of six to operate since two loaders are required because the tank shell is heavy AF!"

"If I remember correctly, didn't this tank have an auto-loader feature?" Yukari asked

"You are absolutely right, Yukari-san! Unfortunately auto-loaders are not allowed in this tournament or in any kind of tournament for that matter. Therefore we had to remove the auto-loader for this tank to be approved by the I.T.A!"

"Ohh I understand now!"

"Please tell me the reason why you haven't called my name is because this is my tank?" Takashi said

"Damn right you are! These are the following that will be part of our Tank Destroyer Platoon!"

[Tank Destroyer Platoon]

-Jouko

-Sakuraba

-Kal

-Takashi

-Naomi

-Nina & Alina

-Nonna

-Kenji

"Why am I part of this Gero-senpai? There are others better than me." Kenji said

"I put you there because I have confidence in your marksmanship. I trust you Kenji, so don't doubt yourself!"

"Thank you very much senpai! I'll do my very best!" Kenji saluted

"I know you will! Alright, on to the next warehouse we go!"

(The team now walked towards Warehouse #4 and before Gero opened the doors, he gave a big smile to Erika and his sisters. He pressed the button and when they entered there were only three tanks inside. But those three tanks were very familiar to Maho, Miho and Erika.)

"Onii-chan..these are.." Miho said

"That's right, the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E with the tank numbers #217 and #212. These are your personal tanks from Kuromorimine with a new paint job!"

[Warehouse # 4 - Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E Heavy Tank]

Dimensions: 6.316 x 3.56 x 3 meters

Weight: 57 Tonnes

Power: 690 hp

Maximum Speed: 45.4 km/h

Crew: 5

Hull Armor

Front: 102mm

Side: 82mm

Rear: 82mm

Roof: 26mm

Turret Armor

Front: 100mm

Side: 82mm

Rear: 82mm

Roof: 40mm

Armaments

1x 8.8cm KwK 36 Cannon

"I thought we left it back in Japan.." Maho said

"I had them brought here yesterday. I thought that it would make you both happy if you were to fight in the international tournament with these."

"You are right, it makes me so happy! Thank you very much onii-sama!" Maho smiled with a blush

"Me too!" Miho smiled as well

"What about the last one?" Erika asked

"That one is yours, my love, my gift to you, Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E with the tank number #131. You like it?"

"Like it? I absolutely love it! I've always wanted to ride one of these but never got the chance back then during the Kuromorimine days!"

"Then I'm happy! You three will be with me as a Four-Tank Team!"

[Heavy Tank Platoon]

-Gero

-Erika

-Miho

-Maho

"Now for the last warehouse! The tanks in here will only be used in the Finals as our Trump Card! The reason for that is because the tanks in here will definitely catch our opponents off guard and can even turn the tide of the battle in our favor! That's how amazing these tanks are!"

(Gero then opened the warehouse doors and showed everybody their Trump Card Tanks. This time the team didn't give the usual reaction and were silent for a few seconds upon seeing the tanks.)

"Wow, these look so cool!" Sango said

"Now I understand why these will turn the tide of the battle!" Shizuka said

"Trump Card? More like an UNO Reverse card! From losing the fight to winning it!" Alisa reacted

"Where the heck did you find these beauties?" Caesar asked

"Found it buried under Japan's history, hidden but not forgotten!"

"So, who gets to drive these and be the heroes in the finals?" Asparagus asked

"Nobody but our comrades from Chi-Ha-Tan Academy over there!"

(Gero pointed at the direction of Fukuda and the other girls from Chi-Ha-Tan and they suddenly got nervous)

"Ehhh?! You mean us, Gero-dono?!" Fukuda reacted

"Yes I mean you! You are the ones most familiar with these tanks! You all know the ins and outs of these and all you need is more training to master this one!"

"B-But, isn't this too big of a responsibility for us?" Tamada asked

"Listen here girls, if Gero-dono chose you for this, then he is confident that you can handle this kind of responsibility, no matter how big it is!" Nishi said

"Nishi is right! Believe in Darling!" Kay said

"V-Very well, we accept this role in the finals and pledge to do our utmost best! We will believe in you all!" Fukuda saluted

"That's the spirit! Everybody on this team believes in you guys as well!"

[Warehouse # 5 - Classified]

Dimensions: Classified

Weight: Classified

Power: 170 hp

Maximum Speed: Classified

Crew: 4

Hull Armor

Front: Classified

Side: Classified

Rear: 20mm

Roof: 12mm

Turret Armor

Front: Classified

Side: Classified

Rear: 25mm

Roof: 10mm

Armaments

-Classified

-Classified

[Classified Tank Platoon]

-Fukuda

-Ikeda

-Tamada

-Hamada

-Hosomi

-Nagura

"Since you will be using these at the Finals, you'll be part of the Medium Tank Platoon in the meantime during the Elimination Rounds up to the Semi Finals!"

"Understood!" Fukuda answered

"Okay before we start practicing, I have one last thing to show you! As you all can remember from the rules, we are allowed to bring one anti-tank rifle to use in the tournament. If it's alright with you all, I will be the one to wield this said anti-tank rifle!"

"No arguments here!" Assam said

"You're clearly the best one for the job so it's all yours!" Sencha said

"Thank you very much! This is the Japanese anti-tank rifle, the Type 97 Automatic Cannon! It fires a 20mm round at 790 m/s with a firing range of 2,000 meters!"

"OOOOOOHHHHHH!" everyone reacted

"This is the first time I've seen this weapon!" Shinji reacted

"It was not widely deployed in the south pacific since the tanks of the allies were too heavily armored by the time! But we can still use this during the tournament! It can still penetrate the armors of light tanks and destroy the tracks of medium to heavy tanks!"

"Don't tell me you're going to wield that while on a tank?!" Akane reacted

"You know I will! It's just my style!"

"It's the heaviest anti-tank gun during WWII! Won't you break your back doing that?!" Haruto asked

"I'll be fine! Look!"

(Gero then lifted the anti tank rifle and aimed it at the firing range without the bipod. His arms and legs were shaking a little but he still managed)

"OOOOOOHHHHH!" everyone reacted

"This was provided by the I.T.A themselves and they were able to lessen the original weight of this weapon! Now then, everyone board your tanks and join your platoons! Get used to your brand new partners and start practicing!"

"Yes sir!"

(As the team was practicing with their new tanks, Gero headed up the observation tower to observe everyone. After a couple of minutes he was joined by Shiho, Chiyo and Mai as observers)

"Hi Gero-chan! How's training?" Chiyo asked

"Everyone's having fun! This will be a first time experience for all of us since we've never done Senshado outside of Japan. Even Kin can't contain his excitement!"

"This will be his first Senshado experience right?" Mai asked

"Yes. I'll do everything in my power to make this a memorable tournament for him. I'll make sure of that."

"You really care so much for that boy even though he's not really your brother huh?" Mai asked

"Kin just experienced hell since he was held captive by Pandora. He has only started to enjoy being a kid and is getting used to living life normally."

"That's why you're here Gero-chan. You're here to lead this team so that they'd have a fun and memorable experience! I know you'll find a way to make it work!" Chiyo said

"Yes Chiyo-sama, I'll do everything I can for them."

"Don't worry about them too much alright? This team has been trained to the bone by us for three years. They may not look like it but they know how to fight and take care of themselves." Shiho said

"I know. I already knew that the moment I saw them. They all have stronger auras and presence compared to when I left Japan."

"Actually they might've gotten too strong from what we expected. I'd say each crew can hold their own against a trained soldier with experience." Mai said

"Seriously?!"

"They've even had Ki Training! If you use your Hunter's Domain on them they won't freeze from fear. They'll have full body function under pressure." Shiho said

"What about Murderous Impulse?"

"Some of them won't freeze and some will. Murderous Impulse is concentrated killing intent so the pressure is a lot worse than Hunter's Domain." Mai said

"The best part is that they can now detect if killing intent is directed at them. Meaning they won't ever get caught off guard unless it's a Shimada they're up against or special forces.." Chiyo smiled

"That's just plain scary..I said teach them not to turn them into super soldiers. Now I feel bad for whoever picks a fight with them. They're are going to end up in stretchers, that's for sure!"

"Especially those two over there, Darjeeling-chan and Kay-chan. If anyone lets their guard down and underestimates them, they'll be in a serious world of pain!" Chiyo said

"That's why I adore them so much. Strong and Beautiful."

"You really plan on doing what you told us earlier?" Shiho asked

"Yes. Do you disapprove?"

"No. There is nothing wrong in wanting women to be happy!"

"I swear on my life that I will make their lives the happiest that they will ever have!"

"We know you will!" Mai smiled

"I'm already excited to have grandchildren!" Chiyo blushed

"I'm just surprised that Erika-kun approved of this.." Shiho said

"She's the one that started it.."

"Eh?" the three reacted

(After some time has passed the team has finished their morning practicing with their new tanks. After having lunch they were now ready to move on to their afternoon training again)

"Alright, gather up! Are you all finished eating?! Did you guys eat properly?!"

"YES!" everyone answered

"Good, good! Well I hope you're ready for more practice!"

"YES WE ARE!"

"Outstanding!"

"Taichou, I have remembered a fatal flaw in our plans!" Hajime suddenly said

"Seriously?! What is it!?"

"We still don't have a tank.."

"Ah..."

"Ah..." everyone also reacted

(There was a long silence after what Hajime said until somebody arrived to save the day)

"Everyone! I'd like to have your attention please!" Tsuneo shouted

"Otou-sama?!" Maho reacted

"Otou-san?!" Miho reacted

"That's Shiho-sama's husband right?" Mauko asked

"Yeah.." Sango said

"What is it Otou-chan?!"

"My son! I have what you and your crew need!" Tsuneo shouted again

(Gero was unsure what his father meant but he just followed him towards a garage. The whole team was there with him since they were also curious about what was inside the garage. The garage doors slowly opened in front of everyone revealing what was inside)

[JNST Tank Garage - Aboard the JSS Hakugei]

"Shin-san told me that the day would come when you'll be needing this, and that time is now my son.." Tsuneo said

"Shin..? Chief Matsumoto?" Ono asked

"Look! Inside the garage!" Ken pointed

*CUE OST: "Chichi no Kage"

(The sunlight entered the dark garage showing the silhouette of a tank. Tsuneo turned on the lights and beheld a white tank in front of all of them. It was shiny brand new and it had the Hinomaru logo on the side of the turret. It's tank number was #231)

"A White Tiger.."

(Gero and his crew walked towards the tank still speechless when all of a sudden Chief Matsumoto's voice played inside the garage speakers. Everyone could hear it and they were all surprised it was his Last Will)

"Young master.."

"Jiji..?"

"If you are listening to this recording then that means that you have finally decided to take on the world. It also means that I am not by your side anymore. For that I apologize. I would've wanted nothing more than to see you and your crew go above and beyond from where you are now."

(Gero and his crew started to tear up as they listened to the voice of Chief Matsumoto. They thought they would never ever hear his voice again and yet here it was giving them strength. Those that knew Chief matsumoto started to cry as well along with them)

"Ono-kun, Ken-kun, and Hajime-kun, thank you for being friends with the young master. Thank you for being there for him through the tough times. Thank you for doing Senshado with him. Please look out for each other as always and if ever you find another person to be part of your crew as the gunner, please say hi for me."

"Matsumoto-san.." Ono cried

"Chief..Matsumoto.." Hajime cried

"You hear that Kin..? Chief says hi to you!" Ken said as he cried

"Chief? I don't understand! Why are you all crying..? Stop..you're going to make me cry too!" Kin said as he started to get teary eyes as well

(They cried to their heart's content because they have been holding it all for three years. They shed tears as they listened to Chief Matsumoto's last will and wishes for them)

"Young master, even if I am no longer there to watch over you personally, do not be afraid, for I will always be watching you from where I am now. Please accept this White Tiger that is in front of you now. It may just be one tank among the thousands of tanks out there and one tank may not mean anything. But I know that if there is someone that can make a difference, it would be you. Remember that I will always be in your heart and I will love you always, my son."

"Otou-san..otou-san..I love you..so much..thank you...thank you so much..for everything..please rest in peace now.."

(It was at this moment that the White Tiger crew can finally move on from the tragic death of Chief Matsumoto and continue with their lives without any more regrets)

Coming Up Next : Chapter 97 - Yin & Yang

Author's Note :

Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter! We finally got a look at the new tanks that the JNST will be using for the International Tournament! There's also the classified tanks that have not yet been shown and will only be shown during the finals so stay tuned!

Gero and his crew were also given a new White Tiger tank by Chief Matsumuto! Even though he has already died he was still able to give them some strength! The tank numbers on Gero and Erika's tanks are actually real as well! Tiger #151 is the last functional Tiger tank to this day and it was the one used in the movie Fury! Tiger #231 is known as the Invincible Tiger that was struck 252 times with guns with different kinds of calibers but still didn't get destroyed. The perfect tank for the White Tiger Crew!

I'll be uploading pictures on the Facebook page so check it out! I will also be posting there a video I uploaded on my YouTube channel that I had just created for this story so please watch, like and subscribe for future uploads!