On this wonderful day,
when all of you are ready to graduate, the Empire...
...has great expectations for all of you.
With your youthful vigor, we hope you will be able to break open this long-fought war...
...and grasp victory with your hands.
We expect nothing but your best-
C-Commandant!
Commandant...
We're in the middle of a ceremony here.
The emperor...
The emperor has...
...signed a ceasefire!
Ceasefire!
It's a notification of the ceasefire!
"A few days ago, the Empire"
"signed a ceasefire treaty with the Republic of Frost."
"As a consequence, the state of national emergency has been lifted,"
"and all subjects of the Empire should immediately prepare for"
"the rebuilding of the Empire."
" -- From the Imperial Commander-in-Chief"
Wait!
Why did this happen all of a sudden?
Ceasefire? How come?
Cease... fire?
Just like that...
Then...
Why didn't it... happen earlier?
A long war took place.
The "blood calls out for blood" war with the Republic...
...left many deep scars throughout the lands of the Empire.
Three years after the ceasefire, the "Thin Ice Treaty",
...starvation...
...epidemics...
...and soldiers turning into bandits...
This...
...was another war known as "war damages".
Shit... a tank...
I think you'd call this...
...a bandit's fortress rather than a dam.
You're right.
Okay, this should be good.
Mr. Four-Eyes sure seems to be calm.
Our mission is to investigate and report,
not to lay siege to the dam.
Prepare for castle siege!
Crush them!
"Crush them"?
We're dealing with tanks here!
They bring disorder to society!
Slay-evil-immediately!
Anyway, shouldn't we head over to investigate the damage?
Wait for me!
Okay!
Large asparagus salad, here you go.
If you're looking for a job, sorry.
No one can afford to hire you around here.
That's some impressive food gobbling.
Is that enough for you?
And here I was, thinking we'd have better food to eat after the war was over.
See that place over there?
That dam.
Since the war, this place hasn't changed much because of them.
The bad guys just keep on gathering over there.
A tank squad called Grauwolf bummed over to this place a year ago.
They made the dam their fort and began raiding.
We wanted to kick them out,
but against a tank, we can't do anything...
Another bowl, please.
You're my kind of guy!
You can have all the green leaves you want!
Excuse us!
Umm, LT...
We're doing an undercover investigation,
so it's better if we do this in a more clandestine manner...
That's absurd!
Honorable soldiers acting in secret? Nonsense!
A soldier should always-
You guys soldiers from the capital?
Ah, pleased to meet you.
We are from State Section III of the Imperial Army-
What is happening?
A shell...
...from a 65mm tank cannon.
They're here...
Sorry, Mr. Mayor...
I couldn't hear you over the cannon noise.
I'm not lying.
We don't have any more provisions left in this village to spare.
I didn't say "spare us";
I said "GIVE US"!
Should we give him another shot, lieutenant?
How many times do I have to say this until you get it?
Call me "Wolf"!
Wolf? What a joke!
You're just an ape from the mountains!
We're the Imperial Army S.S. III Pumpkin Scissors platoon!
We regard you as a war aggravator and will proceed to remove you from the village!
Pumpkin Scissors?
I've heard of them before.
They're a unit founded in the capital whose purpose is to provide war relief efforts.
Relief?
Ready a K-3 round.
We'll meet again, Pumpkin Scissors!
What? A blank shot?
That scared the hell out of us...
They ran away!
Halt-
There, there, LT.
Calm down a bit.
Yes, especially now that they've retreated!
A blank?!
You can only go so far when insulting someone-
Is it raining or something?
No, not really.
That's unusual.
For this to happen twice in the same day-
To take on a tank like that...
...that's not something a normal person should be doing.
What'll we do?
Their reinforcements from the capital might be headed here as early as tomorrow.
No one's coming.
There's no way they'd send reinforcements.
That's strange...
They have one tank and at least thirty soldiers...
How has a big gang like this gone unnoticed all this time?
Hunks, I've heard!
You sent your men to that dam?!
Stekkin, prepare some tea for the head of Section I.
Yes, sir.
Pull your investigation team out of there right now!
Don't touch Grauwolf!
Sorry, this is the only thing I can offer.
Ah, it's okay.
Given the times, we know.
You look pretty cute.
Hey, you guys are pretty good!
You know...
...I thought you guys were just a public-relations gang for the big wigs,
but you guys sure surprised me!
Ah, thanks...
Those bandits ran away just after seeing you guys!
War relief unit...
I am 2nd Lieutenant Alice L. Malvin.
What is your name?
Randel... Oland...
You're a war veteran, right?
So I was right.
What's your rank?
Corporal.
Do not worry.
I'm not looking at you as if you were one of those bandits.
Your eyes look a lot like Piro's.
Piro?
The horse I care for at home.
I wanted to see your eyes to be sure.
I had a cold chill on the back of my neck when I walked past you earlier.
There's always something unusual when I experience that.
I felt it when Piro was born...
...and also when I was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.
That must mean it's something good.
Not always.
I felt it when my grandfather passed away...
...the same with Piro's parents.
Bad things happen more often.
However, I'm pleased.
It seems meeting you was a fortuitous fate for me, Corporal.
Ah, yes, yes, what kind of unit were you in, Corporal?
Mistress!
What's going on?!
I don't know!
Everyone suddenly-
The doctor!
Get the doctor!
A volatile tactical chemical agent...
Kirsche-3.
What?!
A K-3 chemical round.
It was that blank they fired?!
Grauwolf is just a common name given to them.
Their official name is 903-CTT.
CTT?
Short for Chemical Tactics Troop.
Kirsche-3 was already ready for operational use?
Excuse me, what's Kirsche-3?
A tactical poison that disperses in the air.
It has no effect on people with strong immune systems,
but for those that don't...
...they will have trouble staying conscious and will experience fevers within five or six hours.
Their bodies will cease to function properly...
...and will die if they don't receive the vaccine within twenty hours.
Right?
Right.
It's a weapon that violates the International Treaty.
However, the Empire has created a number of these units.
The "Invisible 9"...
So it wasn't just a rumor, eh?
903 was Krankheit JÃ¤ger,
otherwise known as "the medics who scatter the ashes of death".
It was a forbidden move the Empire took;
their existence must not be known to the public.
So, in other words,
"903 does not exist" and "we can't send reinforcements to a dam with nothing there".
A damn village is a small price to pay for this!
Oh my god, no, Mer-kun!
You can't bite heads lightly!
You call this biting lightly?!
I can feel it going into my skull!
There's only one doctor so...
But this village is far better off than others because, at least, we have one.
Oh yeah, the vaccine!
What?
If they used a tactical poison, they must possess the vaccine.
Hey, uhh, careful with what you say.
If Lieutenant Spearhead hears this-
I heard it!
Prepare for castle siege!
That's reckless!
You'll die in vain!
When you see people suffering...
When you see evil greedily preying upon others...
...do you not feel anything?
Do you really not feel anything?
Corporal, aren't you the one that is hiding your true feelings and letting them waste away?
Does anyone have a map of the dam?
And bring us some light!
Lamps, torches, bring everything there is!
When I first heard it...
...I felt my heart skip a beat.
War relief...
The problem is still that tank...
Indeed...
I'll take care of the tank.
Corporal...
This dam is one that consists of multiple reservoirs, right?
Their positions are located in the area between the first and second dams.
If you can discharge the water from the first dam and flood that whole area...
The tank won't be able to move because of all the mud!
Yeah.
"To take on a tank is not something a normal person should be doing."
I remember someone saying that, right?
Yes, not a normal person.
I haven't asked for your unit's name, yet.
901-ATT.
Come on, we don't have time.
Wolf!
Reinforcements from the capital are here!
What?
You're kidding me.
There're a lot of 'em.
They're bluffing.
You guys go take care of 'em.
Yes, sir.
They didn't desert the village?
Great... why is the easygoing S.S. III doing something like this?
You're the one who came up with this idea, Oreld.
C'mon, c'mon, what's the matter?!
We'll make Swiss cheese out of ya!
Hey, don't you think our cover is blown?
Even if it's blown, it's not like they can let themselves split up their manpower any more.
This is what you call tactics.
But, man, Machs...
What?
The other group might've gotten it easy...
How is it?
It's useless.
It's impossible with tools like this.
Step back please.
Lieutenant, you go secure the vaccine.
I'll take care... of the floodgate...
Will you be all right by yourself?
H-Hey... Corporal!
Go... already...
O-Okay... Be careful...
That blue light isn't leaving my eyes...
So cold... and dusky...
...like a will o' the wisp...
He... might've been... some monstrous person...
He did it?
W-What happened?!
The gate...
The water's flooding over here...
They're trying to limit our mobility, huh?
This is fun...
Get the tank ready.
We can still move right now.
Roger!
I can't believe I'm acting like a burglar...
Let's see, the vaccine...
Damn it!
This is like dog paddling...
On top of that, this visibility...
One false move and we'll fall down the dam...
What's that...
What's the matter?
I think I see a ghost or something...
A night blue lantern light?!
Ready a strong acid round!
He'll melt down to his bones if he gets hit by this!
Hurry up!
I'm sorry!
He disappeared...
Find him!
Damn it, where'd he go?
Damn, visibility sucks!
Fall back!
Don't let him come near us!
Y-Yes, sir!
W-What the hell is he?!
"They will come forth along with the blue will o' the wisps..."
The 901 Anti-Tank Troopers...
Then he's a Gespenst JÃ¤ger?!
Yeah, he's one of us...
The troopers that disregard their own lives!
Damn it, we're stuck!
Hurry!
Y-Yes, sir!
Eat this!
You think you can block that with just a coat?
...what the...
Stop... s-s-stop!
They usually stop, don't they?
Calm down!
Let go!
You monster, let go!
A point-blank shot without any regard for self-preservation...
A battle style just like what they say, eh, 901?
What's the matter? Shoot me already!
Ah, I see...
Shoot me and the vaccine falls with me, too!
Come on, shoot me!
Shoot me, shoot me, shoot back at me!
You're supposed to be on our side.
What's the point in working your ass off for them?
War relief... dream on!
Damn girl!
I haven't... asked your name yet...
I'm Lieutenant Wolmav...
No... we don't have names...
Call me... Wolf...
Wolf got defeated...
Shit!
Run!
Hey! Hold it!
Th-Thank God!
No more!
I'm not doing this anymore!
S.S. III isn't easygoing at all!
That's an awful scald you have.
Are you all right?
Yeah.
I'm used to it.
I don't know what you're musing about,
but the sun's about to rise.
Shape up already! Come on!
Ah...
You saved the villagers.
It's only a small part of the whole picture,
but this is the war relief that you've accomplished.
But, really, your outfit sure is horrible.
All right! I'll get you a new outfit!
Mer-kun, they say a new Corporal is coming today!
I'll finally have an underling!
I wonder what kind of person he is!
Come to me already, my underling!
Next time, "War Relief Unit"!
Come get us if you're not scared!