It had been a month since Special Week's last race against King Halo, and now Special Week was once again standing on the starting line of a debut race. This time, she finally didn't suffer that catastrophic slow start like in her previous outing. After a month of intensive training, combined with the lingering regret from her crushing defeat, Special Week had completely transformed — going from a clueless rookie into a proper, professional uma musume. She finally looked the part.
And because the other competitors were already wary of the strength Special Week had displayed in her previous debut race, their morale was suppressed by her presence before the race even began. The result was that as the field entered the middle stage of the track, Special Week broke smoothly out of the pack and activated her Flash skill — Shooting Star — pulling decisively ahead of the rest of the field. She successfully completed her debut!
"Congratulations to Special Week on completing her debut race! Now let's interview the racer."
Special Week had barely finished cooling down when she found herself surrounded by reporters and cameras. Far from being annoyed by the attention, she was actually thrilled — because this meant something to her.
"I've finally become a real uma musume! Mom, I promise I'll become Japan's top uma musume!"
Nishizaki Ryu clapped her on the back, grinning. "Go on. Declare your dream to all of Japan, to the entire world. Tell everyone loud and clear — the future top uma musume of Japan has arrived! You're already used to people laughing at you, right? So let them laugh for now. Then prove yourself with your races later!"
"Trainer..."
Special Week looked at Nishizaki Ryu, deeply moved. Her trainer truly didn't laugh at her dream. He genuinely believed she could achieve it, and he was willing to stand by her side every step of the way. She had to repay that trust. So she stepped forward bravely to face the cameras and declared at full volume:
"Whether it's an interview or anything else — bring it all on!"
The reporters, watching this fiery, spirited girl, sensed they had real headline material on their hands. The cameras flashed in a frenzy. The next day, Special Week's interview made it to print under the headline:
"Future Top Uma Musume of Japan Issues Bold Declaration: Whoever the Opponents Are, Bring Them All On!"
Reporter A: Special Week, could you tell us your goal?
Special Week: To become the top uma musume of Japan!
Reporter B: What an inspiring dream! So your future challenge route will be the Classic Triple Crown, the Japan Cup, and the Arima Kinen, right? Are you confident you can win them all?
Special Week: ... (didn't quite catch that). Oh, of course!
Reporter C: What about your views on rivals from your generation, like Silence Suzuka and King Halo? I recall you lost to King Halo in your first debut race, right? Are you confident you can defeat her if you meet again?
Special Week: King Halo is a very strong uma musume, and Silence Suzuka is the goal I look up to. But to become Japan's top uma musume, I'll keep challenging them — no matter what!
Although the headline was over the top, the interview itself turned out to be surprisingly serious and substantial. Thanks to it, Special Week — a previously unknown country girl — became known to the public as a Central-debut uma musume. Plenty of people now remembered the little girl whose dream was to be Japan's top uma musume.
Some held expectations for her. Some were indifferent. Some sneered. But regardless, Special Week had taken her first step. And the curtain on this Golden Generation was only just beginning to rise.
...
In the library, King Halo was reading the magazine. When she got to the part where Special Week vowed to keep challenging her, a soft smile bloomed on her face. Compared to children who saw a hopeless situation and immediately gave up climbing higher, she did prefer this kind — children who threw themselves forward with sheer momentum. And really, wasn't she just as foolish a dreamer herself? After all, the mountains looming in front of her were nothing compared to the pressure Special Week was now facing.
"Then catch up with everything you've got, Special Week."
King Halo closed her smile and looked silently at the cover photo of Special Week from the post-race interview. She knew that, from this moment on, this Special Week was no longer the "Special Dummy" of her earlier impression. There was real ambition burning in this girl's eyes. The flame was still small for now — but if she kept it burning, one day it would become a blaze.
That said — being optimistic about her was one thing. King Halo had no intention of holding back against Special Week in any race. She would never simply hand over her victory, not even in races she didn't care about. She didn't care about this world's competitions or the so-called glory of being an uma musume. But there was one thing carved into the depths of her soul that she would never yield on:
Victory.
Everything else could go. But victory was absolute.
I will not lose.
...
In the blink of an eye, nearly a year had passed since King Halo arrived in Japan. At the end of the year, the Hopeful Stakes opened on schedule. This was one of the races King Halo's [Completion Conditions] required her to run. There were no opponents she was particularly looking forward to in this one, but to fulfill the objective she still entered the race — a GI race that only debut-year runners could enter.
Although she had only run a single debut race so far, unlike her original template who had run plenty of lower-tier races over her first two years, even that original template had enjoyed enormous popularity in those early years. So this King Halo, who had made such a brilliant showing in her debut, was naturally not going to be any less popular.
She entered as the fan-favorite number one!
And she wore an elegantly designed racing outfit. Unlike the original template's racing outfit, the one given to King Halo had a look somewhat reminiscent of the in-game [Bridal] skin — though not as gaudy as the [Wedding Dress]. It blended that bridal aesthetic with a military-uniform style, making her look like a sovereign about to lead troops into battle.
This racing outfit had been delivered to Tracen Academy via international air courier. King Halo's mother — a top-tier fashion designer — had personally designed this gala outfit for her beloved daughter. From the design itself, anyone could see what the mother now hoped for her daughter's future. Originally, she hadn't really cared whether King Halo could fulfill the family's hopes of inheriting her father's glory. But after seeing King Halo's performance, this proud, tsundere mother had begun to wish, deep down, to see her daughter truly inherit that throne. Otherwise, she would never have designed an outfit like this.
"A sovereign's gala?"
The first time King Halo had laid eyes on this racing outfit, she had been deeply satisfied. Yes, it carried her mother's unspoken hopes. Most people facing such expectations would feel crushed under the weight — after all, that throne was the throne of the Champion of both sides of the Atlantic, and uma musume from Europe and America were already considered world-class to begin with. The conclusion was inescapable: her mother wanted her to become the strongest in the world.
But — that was something she was going to achieve anyway. So why not accept her mother's wish?
"Mother, your heart — I've received it loud and clear!"
...
Up in the spectator section, Special Week stared at the noble, dashing figure on the appearance stage and couldn't suppress her envy:
"That's so nice — the racing outfit! I want a gorgeous racing outfit like that too!"
Her hopeful gaze made Nishizaki Ryu's scalp prickle. What kind of family did King Halo come from? Could a broke, washed-up trainer like him possibly compete with that? That fully handmade outfit, made from the finest materials — even if he sold himself, he couldn't afford it!
"Uh, what really matters about a racing outfit is the heart of the people who made it. Generally, family members are involved in the design — that's the whole point. So it's not the outward appearance that matters, Special Week. You'll have your own racing outfit one day too. And I can guarantee — the heart poured into your outfit will be every bit as great as anyone else's!"
Nishizaki Ryu silently congratulated himself on his quick wits. Turns out my smooth talk hasn't rusted at all.
Special Week didn't doubt him. By now, her impression of Nishizaki Ryu had improved considerably. Back when she first arrived at Tracen Academy and announced her dream, no one was outright malicious — but everyone laughed in disbelief. That hurt her even more than open mockery. It was at that low point — after she had been cut from Team Rigil's selection — that Gold Ship had dragged her into Team Spica.
There, Nishizaki Ryu had told her: "You're an incredible kid, and as a senior trainer I'm willing to stake my word on it! You're going to be my uma musume — I won't let any other trainer take you. So just stop second-guessing yourself, follow me, and we'll achieve your dream together!"
Of course, at the time she'd only agreed to join Team Spica because Silence Suzuka was already there. But after the failure of her first debut race, after a month of intense training, after winning her second debut race — through all of that, her view of this trainer had changed.
Sure, his face looked sleazy and his eyes always seemed to be leering — at first glance he came off as a complete leg-groping creep. But on this one point Special Week could vouch for him: her trainer was, without a doubt, a good trainer. Because he was the one person who truly believed in her.
So now she didn't think Nishizaki Ryu was just covering for a guilty conscience. Instead, she felt his words made perfect sense. A racing outfit shouldn't be judged by which one looked prettier or which one cost more — that was shallow. A racing outfit was a garment full of someone's heart. Only by running a race worthy of those expectations could an uma musume truly do justice to the people who designed and made her outfit.
"I'll really look forward to my racing outfit, Trainer!"
Special Week said it with full conviction.
Feeling the weight of her resolve, Nishizaki Ryu felt a stab of guilt — but he forced himself to keep up the act. "I'm looking forward to the day Spe-chan wears her outfit too. And I think that day is coming very soon!"
"Mm!"
Special Week nodded, beaming.
Behind them, the rest of Team Spica — Gold Ship, Vodka, and Daiwa Scarlet — were watching the trainer-and-Special Week interaction with eyes glittering in a distinctly dangerous way. What is up with these two lately? When did the affection meter spike like this? Since when did Nishizaki Ryu learn how to act cool? You're a real loser on the inside, you bastard — what are you putting on a show for in front of that airhead?!
The killing intent radiating from the three of them rolled toward him in waves.
Cold sweat dripped down Nishizaki Ryu's back. Come on, sisters. I'm sweating bullets here.
Only Silence Suzuka, sensing the carnage-realm atmosphere, just tilted her head and looked at the trainer in pure confusion. She didn't understand why, in mid-December weather, the trainer was wearing so few layers and yet sweating so heavily.
Anxious for the race to start so the killing intent behind him would have something else to focus on, Nishizaki Ryu forced himself to calm down. He had heard that uma musume were creatures with strong territorial instincts — but before Special Week joined the team, his current girls had never displayed this side of themselves before.
After all, unlike trainers who pledged their entire career to a single contracted uma musume, Nishizaki Ryu treated his entire team like his own daughters. Gold Ship was a daughter and a buddy at the same time. He had genuinely never thought he might have to worry about this sort of crisis. But now, he realized he might need to be careful.
Even though I really, really don't believe I have that much charm myself.
...
While Nishizaki Ryu suffered through the silent torture of waves of killing intent, the appearance-stage segment finally ended, and the racers entered the actual race grounds.
The commentator and the host took their positions.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to this year's year-end debut-year class Grand Prix — the GI Hopeful Stakes! There are quite a few outstanding rookies on display this year. Let's jump right into it!"
"First up, our fan-favorite number three: Royal Rose. With half her bloodline from a prestigious British family, she's a true prodigy. Since her debut race, she's claimed two G3 wins and one G2 win — an excellent record. We can't wait to see her perform today."
A petite uma musume with red hair appeared on the big screen. Royal Rose was warming up in front of the gates. Her physique looked compact, lacking the build to suggest power, but her doll-like face carried something else entirely — a will forged of steel, tempered by grueling training.
Before transferring to Japan, she had trained at an uma musume camp in France. France was a world-renowned holy ground for uma musume training, home to the very best resources on the planet. Many world-class uma musume had passed through French training camps for intensive specialized training. And it wasn't just a sacred ground for uma musume — it was also a place trainers traveled to study.
So Royal Rose's strength absolutely could not be underestimated.
"Our fan-favorite number two: Blue Harmony. Word is she became an uma musume to serve as the spokesperson for her family's bar, which you can see reflected in her bartender-themed racing outfit — it even bears the bar's official emblem. Although her two races after her debut both ended in third place, and she lost to Royal Rose at the Sapporo Nisai Cup, just recently she claimed her very first win since debuting — the GI Asahi Cup!"
A tall uma musume — about 1.70 meters, with short black hair and the look of a princely heartthrob — walked up to Royal Rose in her bartender-style outfit. "Royal Rose, this is the second time we've met in a race. You're as beautiful as ever. After the race, would you join me for dinner? I know a nice, quiet restaurant nearby."
Royal Rose: "..."
What is wrong with this woman?
The race is about to start. What kind of nonsense are you talking?!
"Sure. But you'll have to beat me first."
"Of course. I'll show you exactly what I'm capable of!"
Blue Harmony's fighting spirit surged. If this were the in-game system, she'd absolutely be in Best Condition right now.
"And finally, today's main attraction — our fan-favorite number one: King Halo, of a top European-American legacy family. Her background needs no further introduction from me. Although this is her first race since her debut, and she's jumping straight into a GI level event against rivals as strong as Royal Rose and Blue Harmony, King Halo looks remarkably calm. Will she show us, today, the strength expected of our number-one fan favorite?"
"Right, with the introductions of our top picks complete, the race-start signal is beginning to flash. Thank you to the staff who served us on the field — please exit the track safely. From here on, the field belongs to today's protagonists."
Once the gates were confirmed properly secured, the staff member quickly retreated. Less than two seconds after he left, the indicator light above the gates flipped to green. The automatic gates snapped open with a sharp clack, and the racers shot forward like a volley of arrows toward the track.
The surprise was that Blue Harmony — tall enough to stand out among the field — turned out to be a speed-specialist front-runner. With a relaxed smile, a flash of light streaked in front of her, and at the very opening of the race she activated her Flash skill without hesitation. With the technique's special effect blazing around her, she charged out of the pack to take the lead, blazing with fighting spirit. For the sake of her post-race date, she had surpassed her old self — this was the strongest moment of her teenage life!
Meanwhile, the petite Royal Rose held a stern expression as she hung back in the rear of the pack, keeping company with King Halo. Both had chosen the chaser running style. Although Royal Rose looked physically similar to Nishino Flower or Haru Urara, in the world of uma musume, small-framed runners often had a curious gap-moe trait: despite being naturally gifted with speed, they often chose tactics that involved running from the back.
The reason came down to harsh practicality. Their speed was plenty fast, but stamina was the problem. A small frame meant their stamina depleted more steeply during a race, and running as a front-runner became hellishly difficult — their stamina simply couldn't keep up with the demands.
There were exceptions, of course. Haru Urara, for instance, had the stamina, but her speed simply couldn't keep up — so she had no choice but to run as a chaser. Not every small-framed uma musume had the weak-stamina problem, but Royal Rose clearly wasn't an exception to the rule.
King Halo's eyes swept over her.
She immediately saw Royal Rose's stats:
Speed: 1100 Stamina: 400 Power: 900 Guts: 600 Wisdom: 1000
These stats were genuinely strong for the debut-year class — even in this world, that held true. Even Special Week, the supposed protagonist, didn't have stats that exceeded Royal Rose's by much. But that stamina was simply not going to cut it. The stronger the opponents, the more brutal the race intensity, and the higher the demand on a runner's stamina.
A 400 stamina in this race amounted to running with your ankles in shackles.
As for Blue Harmony, her stats were extremely well-balanced. Aside from her wisdom, all her stats sat between 900 and 1000. And her wisdom was actually quite high — sitting at 1100, making her, surprisingly, a wisdom-type runner who matched her princely outward image. Though seriously — sending a date invitation to your opponent right before the race started was way too funny to be normal.
King Halo respected every racer's reasons for running. But — surely this girl wasn't here purely as a breeding pursuit, right? Running the Hopeful Stakes immediately after the Asahi Cup, just to win a date with Royal Rose? If so, that was a bit much.
"As expected, the fastest off the line is Blue Harmony — the only front-runner in this race. She's claimed the lead position with apparent ease. Then we have the number five entry... (omitted)... fan-favorite number one King Halo is currently here, with Royal Rose just slightly behind her. Both look extremely composed, waiting for their moment to strike."
Watching King Halo's positioning, Special Week tilted her head, puzzled. "Why is Halo-chan running so far back? In her last race she was right up at the front, wasn't she?"
Nishizaki Ryu answered with a serious look. "That means she's taking this race seriously. Back at the Academy's simulated races, King Halo's most-used running style is actually the chaser style. There are also analysts who believe her Flash skill has activation requirements — that it can only reach maximum effect when she's pursuing from the rear of the pack. Her last race against you... she probably wasn't even fighting at full strength."
Special Week was rocked. No way. The King Halo from last time — who was already that strong — wasn't even going all out?
Meanwhile, Seiun Sky — out shopping with Nishino Flower — was watching the live broadcast on her phone. Her mood was souring fast, and she started grinding her teeth. Nishino Flower glared at her, displeased.
I came out shopping with you to cheer you up, and you're staring at another girl racing? Fine, fine. I am officially mad now!
Despite that thought, Nishino Flower's body honestly leaned closer in to watch the race together with Seiun Sky.
After all, she couldn't suppress her own urge to watch either. Since they were even now, all was forgiven.
The race rolled on.
Blue Harmony felt as if she had inexhaustible energy today. Even after entering the middle stage of the race, she didn't slow at all — instead, she let out an exhilarated laugh and pushed into an even more violent acceleration mode.
"Royal Rose, that dinner — you're definitely treating me to it tonight!"
Up in the spectator section, Blue Harmony's trainer was clenching her fists in excitement. Blue Harmony was in unbelievable form today. Her trainer had originally worried that the gap between the Asahi Cup and this race might not be enough for Blue Harmony to fully recover. But it now seemed there was nothing to worry about — today's Blue Harmony was a different beast entirely!
...
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