Strike Witches:Volume1 Chapter1

As she increased her altitude to 3000 feet, Anabuki Tomoko felt grateful for being born a witch. Staring down at the vast scenery below her only strengthened those feelings.

The Fuso Empire…… Britannia in the west, and Fuso in the east, were both known by similar names. One look at the landscape below was all that was needed to know why Fuso had journeyed out of its borders so quickly. In the valleys between the mountainous region, numerous villages and towns were nestled closely together.

“This country is cramped, isn’t it.”

Tomoko said to herself.

However…… to compare the crampness of that land with the openness of this sky!

Wrapped up in the embrace of the blue sky which seemed to stretch endlessly, it felt like it was a completely different world. Tomoko, the Ki-27 she had grown accustomed to on her legs, spoke out to her familiar which had united into her own body.

“Konbei, I wonder what Takeko will try today.”

“Hmm, that’s right……”

The familiar’s voice appeared in her head.

As a miko, a witch of the Orient, she had chosen a fox for her familiar.

The signs of that could be seen in the light brown triangular ears she had, and the tufted tail which flapped in the wind. Covered in a soft fur, the ears and the tail gave the girl’s slender, disciplined body a decidedly feminine look.

Her long black hair reached to her waist, and a white headband was tied around her head, where the stern features of a warrior maiden from a country at war were stretched tight.

Below her skirt, shimmering whitely with a soft radiance, was the ‘Ki-27’.

It was a Striker unit which was adopted by the Rikugun (Ground Forces) as the Kyuunana-shiki (Type-97) Fighter Leg. With the rising trend in producing high-speed units, its top speed would never amount to much, though……

“With her superior speed, Takeko Shou-i (2nd Lieutenant) will try to gain the initiative over ojou-sama by using a height advantage and repeatedly diving and climbing, won’t she.”

“That would be the normal way of thinking, yes,” Tomoko replied absently.

Her friend Katoh Takeko would be using the newly adopted Ki-43…… designated the “Isshikisen” (Type-1 Fighter). Equipped with a 1000 spellpower ‘Ma-25’, it would have a nearly 30 km/h advantage over Tomoko’s Ki-27.

“……Well then, let’s see if it ends up like a typical dogfight.”

The new Type-1 had speed, but in a dogfight, nothing could beat the Type-97. That was how much confidence Tomoko had in her favorite machine.

She unsheathed the sword she always had at her side. It was a family heirloom passed down through the generations, a noted ‘Bizen Osafune’ sword forged as a military katana. The sword glowed with a pale light as it absorbed Tomoko’s magic.

“Wawawa, you’re not going to use the gun-camera? Are you really planning on surpassing Tomoe-Gozen?”

Konbei was asking about the gun-camera slung across Tomoko’s back, which was there in place of a 7.7 mm machine gun.

“Well…… I’m sure Takeko also wants to find out which Striker will end up superior in a real ‘dogfight’.”

Tomoko replied with a smile. It was a warm smile, but at the same time it was also exuded a sense of challenge. At Akeno Hikougakkou (Akeno Flight Academy), where Tomoko was stationed as a test pilot, that charming smile was the cause of the many noisy cries of ‘Onee-sama!’ by female cadets at the academy.

To the west, a small black spot could be seen in the distance.

There was no doubt that it was Katoh Takeko’s Ki-43, which had taken off earlier. The challenge to this mock battle was issued just like that. This was going to go differently from the anti-ship warfare ‘matches’ that had been held.

As Tomoko approached, the black spot gradually formed into the shape of a mechanized air infantrywoman, her Striker shining with a metallic glint.

Facing each other head on, the two increased their pace, like two fencers eager to close the distance between them.

They approached closer and closer––––––––

At a relative speed of nearly 600 km/h, the two passed by each other in but an instant. The Ki-43 zoomed past Tomoko’s side like an arrow released form a bow. The bare duralumin frame of the compact Striker matched well with Takeko’s slim physique.

Takeko’s smile could be seen behind her short, black hair. The next instant, Takeko’s shrill voice came through the radio receiver.

“I may be in a new model, but I won’t be holding back, Tomoko.”

Tomoko raised her voice as well.

“Exactly what I wanted. I’ll show you that nothing can beat the Type-97 in a dogfight.”

Looking behind her, Tomoko watched as Takeko pulled the Ki-43 into a sharp climb, just as she had expected.

It was a bold ascent, just like that of a powerful bird of prey, a nickname Takeko was often referred to as.

“Exactly what I’d expect from you, ‘Hayabusa (Falcon)’.”

She most likely wanted to put pressure on Tomoko by increasing her altitude. Not letting her do that, Tomoko began her own climb a moment later. Like two intertwining dragons, their paths crisscrossed as they shot upwards into the sky.

Tomoko’s engine began to give out with a loud whine first. Compared to Takeko’s Ki-43, the Ma-27b magic engine, with only 80% the engine power, was insufficient for such a steep climb. Takeko stopped her own ascent, and flipped around. She dived.

Tomoko glanced behind herself. Takeko’s Ki-43 did another flip, as if to say that she had been waiting. She had managed to get perfectly on Tomoko’s tail. Using her superior speed, Takeko began closing the distance between them.

“How’s that? Look at the speed of the Type-1! It’s on a whole other level from the 97!”

Takeko’s voice came in from the headphones of the radio.

Following close on Tomoko’s rear, Takeko headed towards the long white streamer trailing from Tomoko’s waist, and flashed her drawn sword. It seemed that Takeko was indeed intent on not using a gun-camera.

Tomoko smiled, not disappointed.

There were two ways to decide who would win or lose in this match.

The first was to use the gun-camera to photograph the opponent. Once the required number of centered shots had been made, that would count as ‘kill’.

The other method…… Use a sword, general issue equipment for all Fuso Empire ground troops, to cut off the streamer that each of them had attached to their waist. It had been decided that that would count as victory, even without using the gun-camera.

Takeko did not have her gun-camera ready…… in other words, she was also aiming for the second victory condition.

Tomoko licked her lips lightly. The two of them were 17, and had been rivals ever since they entered the Akeno Flight Academy in the same training cadre. Two years ago during the Neuroi invasion of Fuso, what was more likely a reconnaissance mission, the two had competed in everything from number of enemies downed to promotions, during a small skirmish known as the ‘Fuso Sea Incident’.

They were the most competitive of rivals, but the second they landed from the air, they would become the best of friends, who would share all their worries and joys and sadnesses with each other.

And because of that, neither could stand to fall behind the other.

This mock battle, which was also serving as the debut of the newly adopted Ki-43, was being closely observed by high-ranking officers from the Rikugun, and top officials from the government of the Fuso Empire. Even visitors from the Kaigun (Naval Forces) had come to watch.

All of them only had one thing on their mind…… Could the world’s best fighter, the Ki-27, win against the newly adopted Ki-43?

As ‘witches’, both Tomoko and Takeko were about as skilled.

So, in other words…… it was a contest between the merits of the two Strikers. Not only was Takeko’s and Tomoko’s own pride resting on this battle, the very identity of each of their preferred machines was on the line. For two different reasons, this was a match that could not be lost.

Takeko took advantage of her speed, and narrowed the gap between the two Strikers.

The instant they were nearly close enough to hear each other’s breathing……

“I’ve got you now!”

Takeko’s naked blade sang through the air towards the streamer hanging behind Tomoko.

“Not so easily!”

Tomoko slipped to the side, and dodged Takeko’s attack.

“Kuh!”

Takeko swung her sword again. Tomoko dexterously twisted here and there as if she were dancing, keeping her streamer just of out reach of Takeko’s blade.

“Dammit, you’ve got some talent at running away!”

Takeko’s irritated voice buzzed from the headphones.

“Come on now, what’s wrong! New model! If you keep that up, they might decide to just throw the adoption plans into the cellar, you know!”

Tomoko shouted out to Takeko, tauntingly.

“Now you’ve made me angry!”

Takeko drew her sword back.

It was a master fencer’s stance.

In that stance, she charged towards Tomoko.

Musoushinden-ryuu, Sora-no-Tachi. (Unrivaled Pantheon style, Sword of the Heavens)

An instantaneous stroke with a katana, cleaving one’s opponent in two……

During the Fuso Sea Incident…… Takeko had taken down two Neuroi craft with that secret sword technique.

Shiiing!

The bare blade flashed!

However, Tomoko was no longer there. Even her streamer had disappeared from Takeko’s view.

“Ugh!”

Takeko grunted, and spun upward.

Tomoko was there.

With a complex movement of both legs, Tomoko flipped around in a somersault to face Takeko’s rear.

At the same time as that somersault, the sword in her hand glinted.

“Kuh!”

With no time to escape, the streamer trailing behind Takeko was cut through.

“‘Tsubame-gaeshi.’” (Turning Swallow)

Using that maneuver, Tomoko had become the ace of the Fuso Sea Incident.