"Senpai~ You're so slow!" Twilight Cloud complained. McQueen had suddenly insisted on taking a photo, causing a slight delay.
"Sorry," Kousei apologized.
Twilight Cloud shot McQueen a teasing, subtle glance. "McQueen, you know it's wrong to try and get a head start."
"What head start?! I was here first! And I've known Kousei longer!" McQueen retorted frantically. But when she saw the knowing smile on Twilight Cloud's face, she instantly realized she'd been played.
"Forget it. I can't be bothered with you." McQueen turned away with a flick of her body, refusing to get drawn into it further.
"Hehe~" Twilight Cloud gloated. "This is why I say Young Ladies are the most fun to tease."
"McQueen is a lot of fun," Kousei replied with complete seriousness.
Twilight Cloud shook her head with a smile. "Senpai, you really need to learn to read between the lines."
Kousei didn't grasp the hidden meaning in Twilight Cloud's words. They were already late, and she didn't want to waste any more time. McQueen leaned against a tree, not joining Kousei as she approached the group. Looking at the people gathered before her, Kousei felt a surge of happiness.
Before her stood the protagonists of this all-out war: the rebels, led by Leo Durban. Kousei's gaze fell upon a small, delicate figure—like a fragile orchid—who was also cautiously observing her.
"It's been a long time, Rice Shower," Kousei said, her happiness genuine.
After the Black Incident, Kousei had been deeply worried about Rice Shower. At the time, she was participating in the NAU and couldn't enter Tracen Academy due to her status. Seeing Rice Shower disappear from the URA had left a heavy weight in her heart.
Seeing her here in the team... my feelings must have reached her after all.
"It's been a long time, Kousei," Rice Shower replied with a shy smile, just as Kousei remembered.
Leo Durban and Black Bullet stepped forward.
"You have absolutely no sense of danger," Leo said, as serious and proper as ever.
"Speaking of which, this is our first time meeting, isn't it?" Kousei remarked. Though they were considered part of the same generation, she had never actually met the hero who had challenged Teio.
"Thank you for speaking up for me back then." No matter how much time passed, Kousei would never forget Leo Durban's righteous words.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I spoke up for you because I believed you. I couldn't stand the sight of those people's faces either. It had nothing to do with you."
"Oh? I thought McQueen was the only tsundere around here," Black Bullet teased.
The jab instantly shattered Leo Durban's composure. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she could no longer maintain her serious demeanor.
"Bullet!" Leo Durban lunged at Black Bullet, claws metaphorically out.
Black Bullet reacted swiftly, ducking behind Kousei. "Phew! That was a close one."
Peeking out from behind Kousei, Black Bullet stuck her tongue out at Leo. With Kousei as a human shield, Leo Durban was powerless to do anything.
Academy life... this peace is so precious, Kousei thought wistfully.
If I hadn't been expelled, would I be enjoying a normal high school life like this? She shook her head. As long as the Thorough Management Education Program existed, such a life would remain an impossible dream.
Kousei had brought Twilight Cloud and the others to Tracen Academy for a reason far more significant than simply being exchange students.
Every single one of them, including Kousei herself, was a world-class competitor.
Eradicating the Thorough Management Education Program couldn't be done by outsiders; it was an internal struggle within the academy. Therefore, Kousei and her group's mission was to coach the other Umamusume, excluding Leo and Bullet.
They would provide meticulous support, from parallel running drills to race strategy, covering all four racing styles and both turf and dirt tracks—a world of infinite possibilities.
This was a dream team, an unparalleled training lineup that would be impossible to assemble at this stage.
"Whoa—" Palmer seemed a little nervous. "Having world-class competitors as my training partners... isn't that a bit too extravagant?"
"It's fine. Speedstar's an idiot," Cloud said with a perfectly straight face.
"Hey! I'm right here!" Speedstar protested loudly. The two were always bickering.
Palmer glanced furtively at McQueen, who appeared completely unconcerned, seemingly paying no attention to their conversation. Palmer felt awkward. She had defied her family to run away and compete, and though she cared deeply about McQueen, she didn't know how to approach her.
"Don't worry," Kousei said, noticing Palmer's unease. "McQueen cares about you. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come."
Realizing her feelings were written all over her face, Palmer laughed sheepishly. "I guess it was obvious, huh?"
Kousei glanced from Palmer to McQueen and sighed inwardly. This family is so difficult.
"By the way," Twilight Cloud suddenly asked, "our goal is to take down the Student Council and Kashimoto Riko, right?"
"That's right. Is there a problem?" Kousei replied.
Twilight Cloud pretended to ponder. "Symboli Rudolf is the Student Council President, isn't she? How many years has she been in that position?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances. None of them had ever considered that question.
Kousei's brow furrowed as she realized the implications. "Rudolf was already President when I was young. Now I'm about to retire, and she's still the President."
The Central Umamusume began to think, too. For as long as any of them could remember, Rudolf had always been the Student Council President. Twilight Cloud looked around, utterly speechless.
"Have none of you ever thought about this?"
"The President is the President. Isn't that just how it is?"
The Central Umamusume all wore expressions that said this was perfectly natural. The foreigners finally grasped the true extent of Symboli Rudolf's influence within Central.
"Enough with the chatter! Can we start already?!" the Little Witch huffed, clearly impatient.
The others on the team exchanged glances, finding it incredible that Sweep was proactively asking to train. Kousei hadn't interacted much with Sweep, so she knew little about her personality.
She found Sweep staring intently at her, eyes blazing.
"What is it?" Kousei asked, completely bewildered.
"I want to train with you!"
The group was even more stunned by Sweep's direct request.
"Why me?"
Sweep began gesturing wildly. "I want to learn that! The thing that goes whoosh and bursts into flames!"
Kousei finally understood.
"That's not magic, you know. Only Umamusume can see it."
"Not... magic?" Sweep's shoulders slumped. "How can that be? I thought I'd finally found it... Now how am I supposed to make her smile?"
Sweep had the heart of a child, and her disappointment was written all over her face. As Kousei considered what to say to console her, Black Bullet signaled that she needn't worry.
"Um... Sweep!" Rice Shower clenched her fists and came to Sweep's side. "Even though that wasn't magic, I believe you can do it!"
"Huh?" Sweep tilted her head.
"Let's do it together! Let's find the magic that makes people smile!" Rice Shower encouraged Sweep in her own way.
"You believe in magic too?" Sweep's mood instantly brightened.
"If it can make someone smile, then it's magic, right?"
Sweep nodded excitedly and raised her staff.
"Alright! Let's go train!"
Rice Shower had effortlessly lifted Sweep's spirits. Palmer clapped beside them, making Rice Shower's face flush red.
Kousei chuckled at her own needless worry. Rice Shower had indeed grown much stronger.
The Umamusume were paired up based on their individual strengths and running styles. Kousei was assigned to train with the very master who had introduced her to the Gate Technique—Rice Shower.
"Let's go, Rice."
"Mm."
Rice Shower steeled herself, her expression solemn as blue flames ignited in her eyes.
Mark—
The mark was branded. An bone-chilling cold rose from the soles of Kousei's feet. The small, flower-like shadow moved like a cloaked assassin, utterly unpredictable.
"Stalker Specialist"—a title Rice Shower had earned even before her debut. But...
Kousei's expression suddenly shifted, flames burning fiercely in her pupils.
"Ah!" Caught off guard by the abrupt change, Rice Shower jumped in fright.
In an instant, a red mist rose. Rustling sounds pierced through the fog, reaching her ears directly. Rice Shower collapsed to the ground, her face filled with terror. A pair of blood-red snake eyes slowly materialized in the haze, their forked tongues flicking incessantly.
Kousei unleashed her aura without restraint, spreading it like a virus across the training track. The other Umamusume who sensed it turned their heads, their hearts pounding uncontrollably. They saw it—
A colossal, deadly [Monster] lurking beneath the blue sky.