Karibuchi Takami was dispatched from Fusou
Best Wishes in Battle
to the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing, the Brave Witches.
But during a Neuroi attack on the fleet, she was wounded.
Her sister, Hikari, volunteered to go in her place.
If you want to fight, you have to get stronger.
Episode 3 "The 502nd Joint Fighter Wing"
Orussia Empire Petersburg 502nd Joint Fighter Wing Base
Sub-lieutenant Karibuchi Takami's younger sister from Fusou
is joining us in her stead.
I'm Karibuchi Hikari.
I'll do my best in my sister's place.
I'm Gundula Rall, the commander of the 502nd.
My rank is flight leader.
I am Flight Lieutenant Aleksandra Ivanovna Pokryshkin.
Flying Officer Waltrud Krupinski.
Will you call me "Countess"?
Countess? Are you really important?
Feel free to ignore her jokes.
That's terrible, Sensei.
Sensei?
I'm Flight Sergeant Edytha Rossmann.
I'm the wing's instructor.
Georgette Lemare. I'm a pilot officer.
Shimohara Sadako. I'm a pilot officer.
Hey, it's your turn, Kanno.
I don't care.
Um, next to me is Pilot Officer Kanno Naoe.
I'm Flight Sergeant Nikka Edvardine Katajainen.
Call me "Nipa."
Okay, introductions are finished.
Let's eat.
Hey, Karibuchi-san.
Can I call you Hikari-chan?
Huh?
She's asleep...
The little kitty must be really tired.
What's so funny?
A core?
I'm sure I saw a core...
What was that?
Good morning, Sis.
I'll do my best, okay?
Okay!
It's gotten pretty cold.
Has it?
I shouldn't have asked a Suomisian.
Huh?
Someone's running up ahead.
It's Karibuchi-san.
Let's pass her.
Good morning!
Morning!
Training?
Yes.
You're slow, Nipa!
What's your problem? Jeez.
Karibuchi-san's following us.
A beginner can't keep up with our pace.
Karibuchi?
Yes.
I can't go on...
Damn it!
Hey! You!
I refuse to accept it!
You can't take Takami's place!
She and I were going to destroy the Neuroi nest!
But because you were weak...
You're right.
It's my fault.
It happened to my sister because I was weak.
But I'll work hard and get stronger!
If working hard were all it took to get stronger, it'd be easy!
Right now, we need someone ready to fight.
We won't know until we try!
Hey, you two.
No fighting.
We're all comrades.
We are not!
The weak put others in danger, too.
If you want to befriend someone, go back to Fusou already!
Kanno!
I-I'm sorry.
She can be really mean, but she isn't a bad person.
It's like... In her own way, she's struggling hard.
I know.
If only I were stronger...
By the way, Karibuchi-san, are you a marathon runner or something?
No.
I just used to run to bring my dad his lunch.
Lunch?
Yes.
That's funny.
You fell asleep while eating yesterday, right?
It's almost breakfast time. Let's go back.
Um, Nipa-san...
Thank you for saying that we're comrades.
Let's go.
It seems she has a lot of basic stamina.
You eat a lot.
I need to eat a lot and get strong.
Is the taste to your liking?
It's delicious.
Did you make it, Shimohara-san?
Yes.
There's a cooking crew,
but I like to cook.
These penny buns go well with the butter, don't they?
Nipa-san picked them in Shuvalov Park.
Maybe we'll have chanterelles or truffles next time.
Truffles...
But if you break another Unit, I'll forbid you from mushroom hunting.
That isn't fair!
Um, are there seconds?
Yes, there's plenty.
Girls who eat a lot are cute.
Cute?
Right now, we're looking at our former primary targets,
Neuroi nests Anna and Vzsily.
There's also the new nest in the White Sea...
Another bad spot....
Very well, we will name the new nest "Grigori."
The area affected by Neuroi emerging from Grigori is expanding rapidly.
It threatens to cut off our supply lines.
If our supply lines are cut, we will be forced to withdraw from this base.
Well, that sucks.
This is pretty dire news, huh?
That means we need to neutralize Grigori at once.
Um...
Is it possible to defeat a Neuroi nest?
You were told that the 501st wiped out the Gallia nest.
But how?
Supposedly, it's top secret.
Damn it.
But if the 501st can do it, so can we.
I'll crush it.
That's the spirit, Kanno.
Karibuchi...
Y-Yes!
You start training this afternoon.
Until then, have someone show you around the base.
Yes, ma'am!
Ah...
Georgette-san, can you do it?
U-Um, I have something to do.
I see.
Nipa-san, then.
Sure.
All right.
Everyone, follow the duty schedule.
What a view!
This is the area's tallest building.
What a big town!
Before the Neuroi came, two million people lived in Petersburg.
That many?
But everyone has evacuated now, except the soldiers needed to maintain this base.
This is a front-line base against the Neuroi.
A huge town like this...
It's Kanno.
Kanno-san...
She must have been really upset that Karibuchi-san outran her...
Never mind.
You shouldn't try to copy her.
Rossmann-sensei has instructed us all to avoid overwork.
The 501st Joint Fighter Wing Strike Witches The first joint fighter wing to be put together. Wing Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke was their commander, and they were stationed in Britannia. Though there were a few changes in the beginning, in the end, there were 11 members. They were the first to attack a Neuroi nest, and after they recovered Gallia, they disbanded. (As of October, 1944)}
Chidori
Chidori, I'm about to start training.
Let's do our best together!
I'll do my best, too!
Chidori
Is that how she'd talk?
What are you doing?
U-Um, my sister told me to listen to my Unit's voice.
You seem to have a lot of endurance.
You have completed basic and intermediate training.
Your grades are F-rank.
This document is useless.
Put on your Unit.
Yes!
Start engine.
Magical power mixture at 9:1.
Keep RPMs at 1,500.
Right!
Your base and peak RPMs are 1,000 apart.
Focus more on training.
This is terrible.
Increase them to 2,000.
Yes!
This is Fusou's latest model.
2,000 hp and a top speed of 600 km/h.
Its operational distance is in the 2,000-kilometer class.
I can't wait to see how it flies.
Take off!
I thought she increased them to 2,000.
She isn't accelerating well.
Go to an altitude of 300, and do a lap around the base's exterior.
Then pass over the runway airspace at top speed.
Yes!
Is Fusou's new Unit defective?
It isn't the machine's fault.
She simply lacks the requisite magical power.
That's fine.
Come back.
Already?
That's right.
I've seen enough.
Yes.
Try spinning it at full power.
Yes!
I knew it.
You don't reach the magical power this Unit requires.
That's strange...
I was able to fly with it.
You weren't.
It was letting you fly.
This is Takami's new Unit, right?
An amateur can't control it.
I'll use it.
No!
Chidori belongs to my sister and me.
What the hell is Chidori?
Shut up!
We'll issue orders later regarding assignment for the new Unit.
I'm sure she can't use it.
We don't know that!
What are you talking about?
You can't even spin the engine!
That's...
I have to get stronger.
Takami isn't here, and there's a new nest.
In this situation, an amateur like her will just be a handicap!
Squadron Leader Rall will make that decision.
Damn it!
So, how did it go?
Right now, she isn't ready for combat.
It would be best to send her back immediately.
I agree.
This base doesn't have room for a novice.
It's unfortunate.
They were probably after the Fusou supplies.
Um!
I saw a Neuroi core in the last fight!
What?
If that's true,
it explains how you survived the Neuroi for five minutes.
If she's the sister of Sub-lieutenant Karibuchi, the one with magic eyes, it's possible.
Interesting.
Sensei, take a look.
Roger.
Emergency sortie!
Chidori
The enemy is a single medium-size.
It's heading toward us from Grigori, at an altitude of 3,000 meters.
Its speed is 300 km/h.
Fifteen minutes until arrival.
Flying Officer Krupinski will be my wingman.
Kanno and Nipa will take the front.
Shimohara and Georgette will stand by here.
Hikari-san, you launch, too.
Yes, ma'am!
Why her?
It's part of her training.
I authorize it.
Roger...
Obey my orders, and do not leave the second position for any reason.
Yes, ma'am!
Enemy sighted!
All Witches, charge!
Roger!
Hikari-san, can you see the core?
Well? Can you?
Can't you?
I can't...
I see.
That's enough.
Fall back.
Yes.
Watch out!
Karibuchi-san!
Run, fool!
Kanno-san!
Are you trying to get killed?
You should have listened!
Nipa!
Roger!
Take this!
Kanno-san!
Thank you for saving me.
I didn't save you.
I just don't want the new Unit destroyed.
Kanno-san and Nipa-san,
search the area for more enemies.
Everyone else, head back.
Roger.
It seems what you saw wasn't a core, was it?
Chidori
Hey, Chidori...
I know what I saw was a core.
But why was I able to see it?
Well?
Unfortunately...
I see.
Sergeant Karibuchi Hikari.
Yes, ma'am!
Commander Rall, Flight Sergeant Nikka collapsed again.
The cause was a locust swarm getting into her coolant unit again.
What?
She has the worst luck.
Where's the recovery team?
They say it's hard to pinpoint her crash point.
And it will take time to locate her from the ground.
She probably won't make it in time for dinner.
I'll go help her.
Even if you go...
Very well.
I permit it.
Thank you!
Pilot Officer Kanno is currently above Lake Ladoga.
Go with her.
Yes, ma'am!
Was that a good idea?
There's no harm in letting her take home some memories.
Get the paperwork ready to send her back to Fusou.
Yes, ma'am.
Lake Ladoga
You again?
What are you doing here?
I'll look for Nipa-san, too.
You'll slow me down.
I'm better off on my own.
No fighting.
We're all comrades.
We're comrades.
I have to help her.
She should be around here.
She should build a fire or something, at least.
Nipa-san!
Where are you?
Oh, no... My eyes are getting blurry.
Nipa-san!
She has lots of stamina, even if that's all she has.
Nipa-san!
I found her!
You did?
Nipa!
Nipa-san!
Hey, Nipa, are you okay?
She's fine.
She's alive.
Good... You worried me.
Wh-What?
Nothing.
Oh... Kanno.
What do you mean by, "Oh... Kanno"?
I was worried about you.
I'm glad you're safe!
You were late, so I fell asleep.
I broke another one.
There's kneeling waiting for me at home, huh?
Kneeling?
Just come on.
Let's return before it gets late.
I'm hungry.
Let's hurry.
Right!
Kanno, below us!
What?
Neuroi!
Damn it!
Where did they come from?
The nest is nearby.
It might be a new attack wave.
I'm the only one who can fight, huh?
You take care of Nipa!
Hey, Kanno!
You go home!
Kanno-san!
She's so high....
At least ten thousand meters.
There isn't enough air up there!
Damn it!
The engine!
Damn it!
At this height, the Unit won't listen to me!
I can't breathe, either!
This is bad.
The Neuroi is stopping Kanno from coming back down!
Damn it all! Work! Work!
Nipa-san...
Where are you going, Karibuchi-san?
I'm going to save her!
Carrying me, you won't be able to!
But I'm going, anyway!
Let's get rid of my Unit.
That'll make it a lot lighter!
No!
I won't let you!
If I can just distract it for one second...
Kanno!
You guys!
Now!
Tsurugi Issen!
You did it!
I see one pair of wing lights!
One?
I can see them!
All three are there!
Good.
Everyone's safe.
Yes! We're here!
Good grief...
I'm hungry, aren't you?
They fell.
All three of you, kneel!
What are you looking at?
It's so amazing that you punched a Neuroi!
You can't have it.
I didn't ask that.
I've used this to defeat all kinds of Neuroi.
I won't give it to anyone.
Anyway, Kanno, don't you have something to say to Hikari?
Well, it appears you have stamina and guts.
Really?
Is that all?
Shut up!
That's all she has!
I refuse to accept her.
After she saved you, you don't need to say that!
What?!
What?
No fighting!
Pilot Officer Kanno to the command room!
You three worked together to shoot it down?
Maybe.
But I'm sure I would have won without her!
I see.
In the end, she was useful.
Yeah...
But I would have beaten it without her.
Sensei, you can have her for a week.
Yes, ma'am.
To Be Continued
On a tough battlefield,
if you lack the power to fight,
you and those around you will be sad.
I don't want anyone else to experience that sadness.
Next time on Brave Witches: If You Want to Fight, Get Stronger!
Episode 4 "If You Want to Fight, Get Stronger!"