The Central Powers and the Allied Nations were fierce rivals, so when the students of Oleander were greeted at the Imperial German Military Academy with a ceremony of honor complete with a marching band, it was strange to say the least. Beatrice, in her heart, was distrustful towards the Germans, so she didn't like the treatment. However, Jack appreciated it to an extent. To him, it showed good sportsmanship.
The Imperial German Military Academy was located in the outskirts of Berlin. Their campus was larger than Oleander's, and although the facilities were a bit older, they were no less nice. Following standard practice, they had set up an entire stadium for the events. In total, there were eight academies present. With twenty students each, the competitors numbered one hundred sixty.
However, while Jack and Yuki were still set up to face Prince Adrian, the rules this year had actually been changed, instead switching to double-elimination tournament, meaning that even if they lost in the first round to Prince Adrian, they'd still be able to keep competing until their second loss. The tank competition was to take place over several days, spanning the duration of the Tournament.
After the opening ceremony had concluded, Jack and Yuki were immediately directed towards a garage near the stadium where the Tadasu Mk. II had been left. Yuki's eyes lit up after finally being able to see it again. She fervently examined it, making sure there hadn't been any mishaps during its trip.
"How does it look?"
"Great. Not even a scratch."
"Is it ready for the Tournament?" The tank competition was scheduled to start in two hours, so there was a bit more time to prepare.
"Almost. There's only a couple of things I need to change."
"All right, do you need any help?"
"I should be okay."
"All right then. I'm going to step out for a bit." Jack promptly left. He wasn't just going for a walk, though. He had a target in mind: Prince Adrian. He had watched the prince's performance at last year's Tournament, and to say the least, it was immaculate. However, even though beating such an opponent would be extremely difficult, it's far from impossible, and the biggest edge Jack could get right now is information. Things like what tank he would be using, his personality, and his preferred tactics are all integral pieces of intel that could turn the tide. In addition to Prince Adrian himself, Jack was keen on learning more about his partner, Elias Ratingen. He was their other opponent, and while Jack dug up as much as he could, all that was discovered was that Elias was from a lesser noble family and that they had become friends at the German Imperial Military Academy.
However, Jack fortunately didn't have to search for long. As he walked through the rows of garages, he saw him.
"Ah, you must be Jack Richter, right?"
"Yeah. And you're Prince Adrian?"
"Indeed, but please don't bother with any formalities. I'm just an ordinary student here."
This meeting wasn't an accident. Prince Adrian must've had the same plan as him. It was to be expected honestly.
"I haven't heard much about you. Rumor goes that you're only a novice, yet you managed to beat Bleu and Rouge Jumeau."
"That rumor's wrong. I'm not really a novice. 'Beginner' would be more accurate."
Adrian laughed. "I see. Well, I look forward to our match either way."
"As do I."
It was tough to get a read on Adrian. It was clear by his presence and demeanor that he was of noble birth, but he was still down to Earth. Opponents who are arrogant or prideful, while perhaps being strong, always lacked the humility to acknowledge and fix their own flaws thus leaving critical weaknesses open. It was becoming clear that Prince Adrian's superpower wasn't his noble birth, natural talent, or hard work, but strangely enough his modesty.
"Another thing I heard is that your tank is a custom-made Japanese model." He was probing for information on the tank now.
"Custom-made isn't accurate. It's technically a prototype. But how about we cut the formalities? I'll show you our tank if you show me mine."
Adrian chuckled and replied, "All right."
"Good. Come with me."
Adrian followed Jack back to the garage. They entered to the surprise of Yuki.
"Hey,
***
Jack and Yuki were waiting in the Tadasu Mk. II. The tank competition was just beginning and their match against Prince Adrian and Elias Ratingen was to be the opener. The arena was designed to mimic a battlefield. There were some hills, pits, a trench, and a few buildings. Each team started on opposite ends of the field. The goal was to disable or incapacitate the enemy's tank. Alternatively, victory could be achieved through forcing the other team to surrender or by having a less damaged tank after the time limit. While limits and rules were in place, the tank competition was effectively open combat not unlike what would be seen on the battlefield. This is why the competition was so dangerous, but also why it was the most popular event at the Tournament.
In particular, competitors needed to keep in mind the health of their tank because while they were given time for repairs, if their tank became too damaged, it would kneecap them in future matches.