Reload.
Note: German for "Fire!"
Feuer!
What's the matter?
The game's still on.
Reload.
You've gotta run if you want the money!
Come on, come on!
Your "marksmanship" has improved.
Hunting is the pastime of the nobility, is it not?
I say, Hosslow.
Don't you think this is a wonderful era?
Noblemen and commoners,
the haves and the have-nots.
The gap between the rich and the poor is this evident.
This is a truly wonderful era!
Sorry...
I'm sorry, Mer-kun.
I couldn't protect you.
You liked sausages, right?
Mer-kun, you can't go around biting people.
So, you got demoted.
That's so cruel.
You're no longer a Corporal, but just a Courier First Class.
Eat this and cheer up, okay?
He's pretty late...
Isn't he just lost?
He did look kind of dumb.
He's late!
How dare he be late the first day after being transferred here!
Now there, LT!
You can't pull your sword out inside the facility!
Let go of me!
What shall we do, Captain Hunks?
I-I think he might just be lost or something.
Leave them be.
What's so funny?!
But don't you think it'd better if I did something?
Wait, wait.
You don't have to do anything.
Calm down!
N-No!
Well, I've just been told that I could get new clothing if I came here.
No, no!
This is an army facility.
We can't let anyone in without proper permission.
Permission? Oh, here...
Randel Oland...
Corporal?
"You are hereby assigned to Imperial Army S.S.III effective today."
Captain Hunks, I made some tea for you.
Thanks.
Umm, I just realized that...
...when the new Corporal comes in today,
I'm going to become his superior, right?
Don't you have Mercury as your subordinate already?
The fact that Mer-kun and I are friends comes before the fact that he's my underling.
Okay, I see that,
but where did your friend go now?
Mer-kun was right here just now...
Oh, no!
If he goes to bite another person, then he's really going to be thrown out this time!
Mer-kun!
Hey!
Where are you?!
Eh?
Section III is one building the other way?
Run!
Get out of the way!
Let us recite now...
...regarding the proper manner in which we need to portray ourselves!
All men, repeat after me!
"We are..."
We... whoa!!
Not "whoa"... "are"!
Don't stretch out the sound in weird places!
Generally speaking, you guys have been-
Good day.
Whoa!
I have brought Corporal Oland.
Well, our LT is a very straight and stubborn person,
so don't get too excited.
You won't get promoted even if you work hard.
Section III is like the gathering place for people with nowhere to go.
Most of our tasks are either filing documents or inspection trips.
Our lives are pretty safe, but we won't get any chances for glory either.
They call us "the peaceful and easy-going Imperial S.S. III".
Peaceful... and... easy-going...
Well, sometimes we get some Swiss cheese action like last time.
I... actually like that...
...that it's peaceful and such...
Hey, hey, let the LT be the only hot-blooded person, please.
Let's take it easy.
But you sure are tall.
You're my subordinate starting today,
you got that, big guy? Subordinate!
That sounds pretty good.
All men aboard!
He seems like a nice person.
It's almost as if he's not a soldier.
Yeah.
You don't "smell" like a soldier,
but, your combat capabilities are very abnormal, quite frankly.
So basically, that Wol...
...Wolkinson?
Viscount Wolkins' territory.
Our mission this time is to give administrative education to the feudal lord there, right?
What, is he evading taxes?
No, Section III received a petition saying the public peace there has been disturbed.
Hmm, and who sent it?
Well, we don't know the name of the sender.
Heck, so we just need to do some preaching to this feudal lord that's gone too far, right?
Piece of cake, man!
Oreld, don't be so relaxed already!
I'm feeling chills on the back of my neck.
"Something" is always going to happen when I feel this.
What a lifeless town.
It's like this pretty much everywhere.
No one has food or jobs or anything.
There's just plenty of rubble and free time.
That doesn't seem like the only thing...
A funeral procession?
That's weird.
You think so?
Dead bodies aren't that rare.
Besides, how many people do you think died from that war-
Fool!
It's a post-war time right now.
Our country's security has not fallen to a degree...
...that it's normal for three people to die at the same time.
I wonder what happened then.
It's a game.
They lost the game.
That bastard of a feudal lord...
Stop, old man.
He's nobility.
We can't go against him.
What the hell is this?
It's cooked rare!
M-Master...
B-But that's what you instructed me to do yesterday...
...that you wanted your steak rare and bloody...
F-Forgive me.
I'll prepare a new one right away!
Oh yeah, come to think...
I haven't fed the pets lately!
It's okay.
Go ahead and eat.
Get the Viscount out here now!
Where is he?!
W-Wait!
The master is dining right now!
Here?
He's in here, right?
Get up, you bastard!
We are the Imperial Army S.S. III Pumpkin Scissors platoon!
Section III?
Pump?
I've heard your doings from the citizens!
Scoundrels like you...
Ah, those people...
Your very own citizens...
...that you were supposed to protect...
Please calm down, LT.
We ask of you, Viscount!
You make your citizens "targets" and chase them around in a tank...
We heard you indulge yourself in that kind of delinquency.
Is this the truth?
Delinquency?
Don't be saying such impolite things.
That's... what shall I call it...
...it's like a game!
How dare you!
You're saying this is a game where you fire at people who can't resist?!
That's right!
They use their own lives as chips.
If they manage to survive from the tank, they make a fortune.
For these commoners that I have chosen as 'targets',
I have prepared enough gold for them to live out the rest of their entire lives.
Of course,
no target has been able to survive this game.
Just because...
Just because you were born a noble,
you use people as if they were chess pieces?
Don't get too conceited, you small dictator in your own little world!
That's a great expression you have there.
What?!
Hosslow here was a former tank soldier in the army.
He knows of several interesting stories.
I have heard this story from other tank soldiers,
that there is a propaganda unit set up so that the military can use the national budget more easily.
A cheery unit which, by undertaking this excuse for an act of "war relief" in front of commoners,
appeases the dissatisfaction and complaints they have towards their country...
That's the true purpose of the Imperial Army S.S. III Pumpkin Scissors.
What's the name of your act today? Administrative education?
It sure is pretty hard to grab the hearts of the citizens, eh?!
You filthy snob who's feeding off the post-war situation...
Viscount Wolkins!
We regard you as a war aggravator...
...and will proceed to remove you from this territory!
I played along your act thinking it was one...
Enough...
Become my targets.
Why does the peaceful and easy-going Section III end up in trouble like this?
You're right.
It's a great view, isn't it, Ms. Second Lieutenant!
That's a first-class seat for you to see the entire field of the game.
Hey, you monkeys!
I'll give you only five minutes.
Run as far as you want!
Well, let's not waste his kindness...
Hey, Oreld!
If all three of us stick together, we're going to be an easy bull's eye.
Why don't we do what we can with these?
You idiot.
As if crappy bullets like that would work against a tank.
That rich kid knows this, and that's why he didn't disarm us.
Right.
Soldiers, eh?
Finally, some prey worth hunting down.
In situations like this,
the best thing to do is to run away.
Ta-da.
They don't call you "stockade escape artist" for nothing, huh?
All right, big guy.
Let's start with you.
No, you first, Sergeant Major.
I don't plan on dying,
but I don't plan on letting others die either.
You are my first subordinate, after all.
I see.
It was you people...
...who sent out the petition.
But I don't understand.
Why do you not point your guns at the Viscount?
He... he's a noble!
We commoners can't point the gun at him.
You can't because he's a noble?
You won't pull the trigger?
I've heard of this story among tank soldiers.
If you see foot soldiers carrying a blue steel lantern, don't think they are your allies.
But you must not turn them into enemies, either.
That lantern is a reactor that will light up the bearer's soul-
That's enough.
What kind of fairy tale is that?
Preposterous!
No one can challenge nobles... challenge me!
This is that sort of era.
Corporal.
About what the Viscount said earlier,
Section III is still the army,
but we don't choose how we are born,
whether it's organizations or people.
Is that lantern from your former unit?
Ah, what was its name?
901-ATT...
My name is Alice L. Malvin,
the third daughter of the Malvin family,
one of the Thirteen Appointed Families.
You're a princess from the nobility?
See?
A commoner can point a gun at a noble.
Now then,
which target should I start aiming at?
What's all this about?
It doesn't matter if it's just a bullet,
fire for your own honor!
LT!
Damn then...
I'll punish them when I get back!
Okay.
Now! Disperse!
Corporal!
That idiot!
Nobles...
Commoners...
Imperial Army S.S. III...
901... Anti-Tank Trooper...
That was the unit I came from.
That's right...
It's not how we are born that matters.
What matters...
...is how we live!
Did you see that?
I got him with one shot!
"They will come forth along with the blue will o' the wisps..."
That fairy tale again?
How did it go?
Reload.
Hurry and reload!
He's coming!
Feuer!
I got him this time!
Reload!
Hurry and reload!
What the hell is he?
A creature from legend?
Hey Hosslow... what is he?
Even if their eyes are scorched...
Even if their arms are writhing...
They will never stop marching ahead...
Guided by the will o' the wisp...
They will force their way and shoot at point-blank distance.
The footsteps that have thrown away life...
The trigger that brings death...
They're the fairy tale on the battle field...
The 901-Anti Tank Trooper...
The soldiers that disregard their own lives...
Gespenst JÃ¤ger!
Reload...
Right, I need to reload...
No, it's useless.
I can't hit him no matter how many rounds I fire.
Because...
Because up until now...
I've only been able to shoot people that were running away.
Okay, I get it!
You win the game.
Hey, hey... hey!
You win! You win the game!
It's over!
Okay?
Don't shoot me, yo...
I'm a human... not a target...
Corporal!
Are you okay?
Don't worry!
I'm going to save you now!
I won't let you die!
You used your back to protect me?
No...
Sorry...
You guys think you've won?!
What's gonna happen after beating me?
Will less people die from hunger?
Will epidemics disappear?
Huh?!
You guys are just-
We all know...
Shut up, you idiot!
Ruptured left eardrum...
Part of the left trapezius ripped...
Three of your lower ribs are broken...
Abrasions on your back...
...among other injuries...
I can't believe you can end up with so many injuries...
I don't mind bearing injuries from combat.
But if the world isn't going to change...
The world?!
You can actually see that far when you're that tall?
You're no different than the Viscount then.
This was written to everyone in Section III.
"We give you our humblest gratitude for the other day."
"After that, we asked for vacation,"
"and decided that we'd try our best back in our hometown."
"Of course, as to how we're going to live,"
"or how we can become happy,"
"no one knows yet."
"But, the honor that the LT reminded us of..."
"...and that something you all protected for us..."
"We will believe in that and proudly..."
"...take steps forward--as much as we can."
Don't look too far ahead.
Just look at what's in front.
It'll be there...
...the meaning to our battle.
Yes, sir.
The long war has corrupted society...
...and has spread many evils throughout.
However, there is a unit that exists to fight against these war damages.
The unit's name is Imperial Army S.S. III Pumpkin Scissors!
Mer-kun, the lieutenant seems a bit odd.
It's like she doesn't have any energy in her.
I wonder if she ate breakfast before coming here.
Next time, "For That is a Precious Thing".
Come get us if you're not scared!