Girls und panzer: Carolus rex the emperor of steel

As always, both teams are placed face to face, but this time we are up against Kuromorimine, so the tension is in the air, as Maho has a Tiger H1 and a King Tiger at her disposal, as well as Panthers and a Jagdtiger...

They surely have a Maus too. If it enters the battlefield, we're more than screwed.

Erik: Let's have a good match.

I extend my hand towards Maho for a handshake, but she just stares at it for a moment.

Maho watches my extended hand for a few seconds before finally taking it. She leans slightly towards me and whispers in a barely audible voice:

Maho: If you perform well... I'll give you a reward similar to Blue Division's.

My expression turns serious instantly, but with a playful hint. I squeeze Maho's hand slightly and reply in the same tone:

Erik: So be it.

Just as I finish speaking, I feel an intense gaze piercing my back. Erika Itsumi, arms crossed and a slight scowl on her face, has her sights on me. She doesn't say a word, but her eyes say it all.

Looks like she's going to come after me the moment I let my guard down...

On the other hand, my team, having witnessed the brief exchange, exchange glances and smirk knowingly. Freya lets out a soft chuckle as she adjusts her vest, Astrid mutters something about "main character charisma," and Gudrun simply shakes her head with a smile. Without wasting more time, everyone heads to their respective tanks, ready for battle.

PANZER VOR! — the commentator shouts as the match begins.

As soon as we roll out, shells start raining down on us, so we begin zigzagging toward our positions. I had already predicted that they'd use the same tactics.

It's another urban map, but this one has wider streets and more open fields.

We take the alleys like before, and I send the light tanks to harass and lure the German tanks into our ambush points, but instead, the German tanks completely ignore them and keep advancing as if nothing happened.

Erik: Damn it, I saw this coming, but I didn't think it'd be this bad.

This time, light tanks will be useless, so I call them back for another use.

Since the German tanks are tougher and riskier to fight, I decide to use the T-34-85s to take down the Panthers.

Gudrun: Commander, at least one heavy tank is covering each squad.

Erik: Wait for them to pass a little and fire at their sides. Tigers may be tough from the front or when angled, but their sides are weak. Use the light tanks as cover and buy yourself some time.

Gudrun: Understood.

This time, I don't have an angle to see the battlefield, so I have to rely solely on my team's reports.

Astrid: Commander, reporting: The Maus is coming, I repeat, the Maus is coming.

Erik: Oh no...

I order everyone to fall back and leave a few Strv m/38s to keep reporting the situation.

Meanwhile, in the stands.

As the gigantic Maus appears on the battlefield, the crowd in the stands murmurs in awe. The event's cameras focus on the monstrous tank, highlighting its imposing armor and slow but menacing advance.

Mika tilts her hat slightly forward, partially covering her face as she calmly plucks the strings of her kantele.

Mika: Well, the colossus awakens. —Her tone is relaxed, but there's an analytical glint in her eyes—. I wonder what melody we'll play when it falls.

Darjeeling elegantly sips her tea, her expression serene.

Darjeeling: As Napoleon said, "God is on the side with the most cannons." Although in this case, it might be on the side of the biggest one.

Miho clenches her fists in concern as she watches the broadcast.

Miho: Maus... —she whispers, old memories of Kuromorimine surfacing.

Mako, beside her, yawns.

Mako: The Maus is slow. He'll surely find a way to go around it.

Saori, however, is focused on something else entirely.

Saori: But did you see how Maho whispered to him before the match? How shameless!

Hana: Saori-chan, focus!

Meanwhile, Yukari is in her own world.

Yukari: A Maus! A real Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus in action! This is incredible!

Her hands tremble with excitement as she grabs Saori's arm and shakes her vigorously.

Yukari: Saori-san, Saori-san! Did you know that only two prototypes were built and that this monster weighs 188 tons? Its frontal armor is 200 mm thick, and it has a 128 mm gun alongside a KwK 44 75 mm cannon!

Saori, dizzy from the shaking, can only groan.

Saori: Y-Yeah, Yukari-chan... we already know...

Hana smiles slightly, used to her friend's enthusiasm, while Mako sighs.

Hana: Yes, yes... but it's also slow and hard to maneuver. If Erik finds a weak spot, he can take it down.

But Yukari is still lost in her excitement, gripping the edge of the screen with pure admiration.

Yukari: I'd give anything to see it up close! Or better yet, climb inside it! I wonder how they're operating it! They must be using Porsche's electric transmission system!

Miho, who had been silent until now, glances at Yukari with an amused smile before refocusing on the battle.

Miho: Erik will figure it out. If anyone can take down a Maus with strategy, it's him.

Yukari nods rapidly, snapping back to reality.

Yukari: Yes! He'll definitely do something amazing! I can't wait to see how he stops it!

In Anzio's section, Anchovy leans forward, elbows on her knees, watching with excitement.

Anchovy: Ahh! That monster is insane! If we had one of those, we'd be unstoppable in Anzio!

Pepperoni and Carpaccio look at her incredulously.

Pepperoni: Yeah, sure, and we'd totally have the fuel to run it, right? —she jokes.

Carpaccio: No matter how big it is, if it's attacked correctly, it will fall. —she says calmly.

Back on the battlefield.

Erik and his team need to find a solution fast... before the Maus crushes them.

The only viable tactic is the one Miho used in the anime, but with a light tank, that would be suicidal, not to mention that it needs to be a tank destroyer to serve as a ramp. However, we must first take down the other tanks.

Erik: Form teams of four light tanks and one medium. The lights will hit and run while the mediums provide fire support.

I do this mainly to buy time for reloads.

Erik: We're moving too.

I lightly kick Ingrid to signal her to advance.

Meanwhile, in Kuromorimine's POV.

The girls from Kuromorimine are overconfident, certain of an easy victory since their tanks are vastly superior to Carolus Rex's.

From inside her tank, Erika Itsumi observes Carolus Rex's formation with a smirk.

Erika: Pfft... They're already retreating before we've even fired. How pathetic.

Arms crossed, she watches as Carolus Rex's light and medium tanks start moving according to Erik's strategy. From her perspective, it looks like a desperate attempt to avoid direct combat.

Erika: Honestly, what were they expecting? They have nothing that can even compare to our firepower.

But her mockery is interrupted when Maho gives her a stern look.

Maho: Don't let your guard down, Erika.

Maho's voice is calm but firm, making Erika frown.

Erika: But Commander, even you see it, don't you? They have no chance. Look at what we have on the field: a Tiger H1, two King Tigers, and even the Maus. Not to mention all the Panthers and Jagdtigers covering us.

The other girls of Kuromorimine nod, sharing the same feeling of confidence. One of them smirks smugly.

Erika: With this lineup, what can those light tanks do? They're like mosquitoes.

Another one chuckles softly.

Erika: All they're doing is running around aimlessly. It looks like they've already accepted defeat and are just prolonging their suffering.

Maho sighs slightly. She understands the power of their lineup but also knows that her team's mentality is a double-edged sword. Underestimating the enemy is a fatal mistake in Sensha-dō.

But then, a rain of shells begins to land from both sides, throwing Kuromorimine into confusion.

Koume: Three Panthers and two Jagdtigers are down!

Erika panics upon realizing that in a single barrage, five tanks were immobilized in a coordinated attack.

Erika: WHAT!? Quick, counterattack!!

Maho: Don't! We must retreat!!

And as they turn their turrets, the light tanks charge forward, taking advantage of the slow turret rotation to ram into the remaining tanks, destroying their tracks to prevent movement and using them as shields against the Maus.

Due to the distraction with the light tanks, a Sav m/43 fires at the Maus from behind, though in the end, the shot bounces off.

"Ugh, damn it."

I order the Centurions and T-34-85s to come out of hiding and have Yrsa fire at the Tiger II, knocking it out of action.

Maho then speaks to Erika over the radio.

Maho: I told you not to underestimate them!!

Maho's Tiger begins targeting the medium tanks first, destroying them with a single shot and even taking out the squad leaders first to break the chain of command, ordering the Panthers to do the same.

The chaos of the battle is projected on the giant screens, showing Kuromorimine in complete disarray. Carolus Rex's coordinated shots have had a devastating impact in mere seconds, taking down three Panthers and two Jagdtigers in a surprise attack.

Miho Nishizumi covers her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide as she watches the battle unfold.

Miho: I-Incredible…!

Beside her, the Oarai student council also shows mixed reactions.

Anzu: What the hell just happened?!—dropping the bag of chips she was eating.

Momo, in her usual alarmed tone, adjusts her glasses while trying to process the situation.

Momo: T-This is insane…! Not only did they successfully ambush, but they're also using the immobilized tanks as cover against the Maus!

Yuzu, with a nervous smile, nods.

Yuzu: It looks like they're leading their team with a very aggressive strategy… but even so, facing the Maus is still a huge problem.

Miho frowns.

Miho: Yes… their plan is impressive, but they still have to deal with my sister. Maho knows how to adapt, and if they don't neutralize the Maus soon, the situation could become unsustainable for them.

The girls of Oarai shiver when they see Maho Nishizumi systematically eliminating the squad leaders of Carolus Rex with her Tiger H1, dismantling their organization within minutes.

Meanwhile, in the Pravda section, Katyusha stands with her arms crossed, watching with a smug smile.

Katyusha: Hahaha! That's what happens when they underestimate Erik!

Nonna, standing beside her, maintains her calm expression but nods.

Nonna: It was an excellent move. He took advantage of Kuromorimine's weakness—their tendency to rely too much on armor and firepower instead of mobility and dynamic tactics.

But then, the situation changes as Maho counterattacks with surgical precision. Katyusha frowns as she sees Kuromorimine begin to regain control of the battle with their sheer firepower.

Katyusha: Tch… damn Maho. She just can't sit still and lose, huh?

Nonna glances at her.

Nonna: Are you worried, Katyusha?

The small Pravda commander puffs her cheeks in frustration.

Katyusha: Of course not! But if Erik loses after all that, I'm going to scold him!

Klara and Nonna exchange knowing looks. Even though Katyusha tries to hide it, she's more worried about Erik than she wants to admit.

Erik: Yrsa, shoot at the Maus's cannon.

Yrsa: Yeees~ —dragging the word.

Maho and Erika are taking down the rest of my team, but the most dangerous threat is the Maus, which is already aiming at us.

Erik: FIRE!!!

The sound of the shot echoes in slow motion, sending the shell straight into the Maus's gun barrel, blowing it off completely and rendering it unable to fire, while a light tank manages to destroy its secondary gun.

Miho leans forward, her eyes wide open, unable to believe what just happened.

Miho: H-He… he blew off the Maus's cannon…!

Her breathing quickens. The Maus, Kuromorimine's unstoppable beast, is now just a massive hunk of steel, unable to shoot.

Saori, beside her, waves her hands in the air.

Saori: That was insane! Did they really shoot the cannon and destroy it?!

Katyusha: HAHAHAHAHA! HE DID IT!

Katyusha jumps from her seat, raising her arms in pure satisfaction.

Katyusha: That's the way, Erik! Show them what you can do!

Nonna, beside her, smiles slightly.

Nonna: A perfect shot. Now the Maus is nothing more than a useless metal wall.

Klara, arms crossed, watches in admiration before Katyusha turns to Nonna with a smug grin.

Katyusha: See? I told you Erik wouldn't lose so easily!

Nonna looks at her gently.

Nonna: I never said otherwise.

Katyusha crosses her arms again with a proud expression, but deep down, she's more excited than she wants to admit.

Erika grips the controls tightly when she hears the radio report.

Erika: Repeat that! What happened to the Maus?!

One of Kuromorimine's operators responds in a tense voice.

Emma Hida: T-The Maus unit has lost both cannons… it's completely unable to fire!

For a moment, silence fills Erika's cabin. Her face turns red with fury and disbelief.

Erika: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?! It's a Maus! It can't be destroyed that easily!

She glares in the direction of the massive tank, but there it is… immobile, like a toothless mountain.

Her jaw tightens, her knuckles turning white from gripping the controls too hard.

Erika: That… DAMN…!

She slams the interior wall of her tank in frustration.

Erika: How the hell did they do that?! How can that bastard Erik be so annoying?!

She breathes heavily, trying to calm herself, but her pride is shattered. Not only are they losing tanks, but their most powerful weapon has been reduced to nothing more than an obstacle on the battlefield.

She bites her lip.

Erika: It doesn't matter… we haven't lost yet.

Erika glares at Erik's Centurion with bloodshot eyes, then orders her driver to charge at him.

Erika: Take him down, even if it's the last thing you do! Erik must fall!

Maho: Erika, no!!

A tank duel begins, where one might think the winner would be Erika's King Tiger, but the Centurion's shot is already loaded.

Erik: Fire!!!

Yrsa fires another shell, striking the horizontal turret traverse mechanism, forcing Erika's King Tiger to rotate its entire hull to aim properly.

The Centurion begins circling around the King Tiger, and Erika tries to make her tank turn as well, but then she realizes a terrible mistake—she hadn't paid attention to where she was moving. Now, a disabled Strv m/38 is right next to her, blocking her from pivoting in place, slowing her turn even more.

With the next shell loaded, Yrsa fires at the side of the King Tiger, putting it out of action. But just then, Maho's Tiger fires directly at Erik's Centurion, knocking it out as well. The white flag rises over Erik's Centurion, signaling Carolus Rex's defeat.

Extra:

Yukari's eyes shine with excitement as she watches the scene unfold. Every detail of the battle has her completely captivated.

Yukari: This is amazing! Erik is outmaneuvering Erika with tactical brilliance!

When she sees the Centurion's shot hit the King Tiger and disable it, she grabs Saori's shoulders and shakes her friend in excitement.

Yukari: He did it, he did it!

But in that very moment, Maho's Tiger fires and knocks Erik's Centurion out.

Yukari: Ahhhhhh! Noooooo!

Yukari collapses onto her seat, completely stunned.

Yukari: They were so close!

She watches the replay on the screen and then turns to Miho.

Yukari: Miho-dono! Did you see that? That was an amazing battle!

Her enthusiasm remains intact, despite Carolus Rex's defeat. The fight was so thrilling that, to her, it was absolutely worth it.

Miho watches the screen, her eyes widening as she sees Erika's King Tiger go down. But her expression quickly changes when she sees Maho's Tiger fire at Erik's Centurion.

Miho: Ah…

Her heart feels strange, as if the excitement of the battle has swept her away without her realizing it. It was an incredibly close fight, but her sister once again proved her skill.

She sighs, a mix of relief and tension filling her chest.

Yukari: That was a battle worthy of a final…

She truly believes that Erik and his team achieved something remarkable. Carolus Rex fought with a major disadvantage, yet they almost won.

"If Maho's shot had missed…" Miho thinks, but she shakes her head.

Anzu, with her usual relaxed expression, chews on a sweet as she watches the screen.

Anzu: Heh, what a guy… he almost pulled it off.

She elbows Yuzu with a grin.

Anzu: If he had more cover, he might've won.

Yuzu: It's not just about cover, Anzu… Maho simply knew how to seize the opportunity.

Though she tries to sound neutral, there's a small glimmer of admiration in her eyes. Carolus Rex fought incredibly well, even against Kuromorimine's superiority.

The little commander of Pravda crosses her arms with a pout as she watches Erik's Centurion fall.

Katyusha: Tsk! They almost had it!

She glances at Nonna and Klara, clearly frustrated.

Nonna: Kuromorimine was lucky Maho was there! Erik and his team were way better than Erika!

Nonna smirks slightly.

Klara: Был хороший бой, не так ли, Катюша? It was a good fight, don't you think, Katyusha?

Katyusha: Damn it, speak Spanish!! (insert own language here)

But Klara simply smiles playfully.

Katyusha puffs out her cheeks, still annoyed, but then lets out a huff.

Katyusha: Bah! I don't care! Either way, Erik will face us sooner or later. And when that happens… I'll make him surrender to Pravda!

Her eyes shine with determination, though it's clear she has some admiration for Carolus Rex's battle.

Mika watches the scene with a slight smile as she plays a calm melody on her kantele.

Mika: Hmm… interesting.

Aki: Aah, they lost.

Her gaze lingers on the image of Erik stepping down from his Centurion after the battle.

Mikko: They took big risks, but they managed to put Kuromorimine in a tough spot. That's not something just anyone can do.

Mika keeps playing her instrument, showing no strong emotions, but her eyes glimmer with interest.

Mika: I wonder what kind of melody they'll play next time…

She leans back in her seat, savoring the moment and mentally recording every move Erik made on the battlefield.

Kay, with her usual energy, suddenly jumps out of her seat.

Kay: WOOOOOOW!!

Her excitement is genuine, regardless of Erik's loss.

Kay: That was an amazing fight!

She gives Naomi a friendly slap on the back, almost making her spill her drink.

Kay: Did you see that, Naomi?! Erik almost won!

Naomi, though calmer, nods with a smile.

Naomi: Yeah, that was a great battle…

Kay crosses her arms and grins.

Kay: But Erik put up a fight! Not just anyone can do that against Kuromorimine.

Her enthusiasm doesn't fade—in fact, she seems even more interested in Erik than before.

Elle watches the battle with her usual calculating expression, but one of her eyebrows rises slightly when she sees Erik's Centurion knock out Erika's King Tiger.

Elle: Hoh… interesting.

When Maho's Tiger fires and takes Erik out, Elle sighs and crosses her arms.

Elle: In the end, Maho's experience made the difference.

She glances around and sees her fellow Blue Division members murmuring among themselves, clearly surprised.

Her tone remains neutral, but in her mind, she's already analyzing Carolus Rex's performance. They may have lost, but they proved that their strategy could put even Kuromorimine in a tough spot.

"This guy is going to be a problem in the future," Elle thinks with a slight smirk.

The commander of St. Gloriana smiles gracefully, delicately holding a cup of tea.

Darjeeling: "Greatness is not measured by the number of victories, but by the courage with which one faces defeat."

Assam, beside her, raises an eyebrow.

Assam: Is that quote yours, Darjeeling?

The Brit lets out a light chuckle.

Darjeeling: No, but I think it suits our dear Erik quite well.

She brings the cup to her lips and takes a sip.

Darjeeling: He has fallen today, but somehow… I feel this won't be the last time we hear his name in a duel against Kuromorimine.

Her smile widens slightly.

Darjeeling: It will be interesting to see how he rises after this defeat.

The Viking Fisheries girls cheer loudly when Erik destroys Erika's King Tiger.

—YES, THAT'S IT, ERIK-SAMA!!

But when Maho's Tiger takes down Erik's Centurion, their expressions change instantly.

—NOOOOOOOO!!

They grab their heads, unable to believe what just happened.

One of them, nearly in tears, exclaims:

—Erik-sama was so close!

Another girl sighs and crosses her arms.

—This isn't over! Next time, Kuromorimine will fall!

Despite the defeat, the team's morale remains high. If they managed to push Kuromorimine this far, it means Carolus Rex has a bright future ahead.

And thus, the first match of the tournament semifinals comes to an end, with the defeat of Carolus Rex.