Meanwhile, Mizuno—slung over Gold Ship's shoulder—had already led Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka far from Misfortune's location at the Three Goddesses Plaza, sprinting full speed toward their destination.
"Stop running!"
"Gah!" Mizuno glanced back to see the two Uma Musume less than thirty meters behind them. Cold sweat broke out instantly as he turned to yell,
"Broshi! Can't you go any faster?!"
"I'm already running! This is my top speed!" Gold Ship gasped between ragged breaths, her white suit completely soaked in sweat.
Her long cloak flapped violently in the wind, repeatedly smacking Mizuno in the face.
Normally, a fitted suit would restrict movement and make sprinting impossible. But Gold Ship was an Uma Musume—her strides remained long and powerful, the fabric stretching flawlessly without a single tear.
Mizuno couldn't help but marvel at the species' absurd athleticism. Whether in dresses or heels, Uma Musume could still dash like professional sprinters.
"Mizuno-dono... if you don't promise me a reward, I can't keep running..." Gold Ship panted, her pace faltering.
"Fine! I'll Uma-Pyoi you later, okay?!"
"Roger! Energy restored!" Gold Ship grit her teeth, eyes shut tight, and charged forward again—though her speed didn't actually change. She'd already been at full throttle; her words were just playful banter to lighten the chase's tension.
"Hang in there, Broshi! We cannot get caught now!" Mizuno urged, glancing nervously at Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka closing the gap to twenty meters. "At least... not until we reach that place..."
They weren't running aimlessly. Mizuno was deliberately leading the chase toward a specific location—somewhere remote, with no bystanders, and ideally saturated with Hope Energy strong enough to deter Misfortune from approaching.
And such a place did exist near the Academy.
The storage shed behind Tracen Academy.
That accursed warehouse Mizuno had sworn never to enter again.
Not only was it perfectly secluded, but every Uma Musume who'd once visited that shed had gotten exactly what she wanted from Mizuno—usually something like inhaling his scent thoroughly. Its Hope Energy density was probably the highest in the entire Academy. A perfect safe zone.
The problem was... the place was cursed. Every time Mizuno set foot there, his identity somehow got exposed.
But this was no time for superstition. If it meant protecting Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka from Misfortune, he'd gladly risk it—even if it meant getting trapped in that gloomy, fate-cursed room again.
Just as Mizuno steeled himself, he realized the girls were now barely ten meters behind. At this rate, they'd catch him in seconds.
He could clearly see their determined faces—the burning desire to strip him bare practically shining in their eyes.
"Ehh?!" Mizuno yelped.
How were they catching up this fast?! They hadn't even reached the foothills yet, and the two Uma Musume were practically breathing down his neck!
"Um… could you not chase me so close?" Mizuno clasped his hands together in pitiful prayer. If they caught him now, he'd fail to lead them to safety!
"No way!" Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka shouted in unison.
Even without proof, Mizuno's panicked reactions had convinced them—this suspicious man in black had to be the Mysterious Gentleman!
"We'll only let you go if you tell us the truth!" Daiwa Scarlet demanded. "Are you or aren't you the Mysterious Gentleman?!"
"Uh… I don't think I am…" Mizuno fidgeted, twiddling his fingers guiltily.
"?" Their gazes sharpened dangerously.
"Okay, fine! I am!" Mizuno blurted, giving up. "I'm the one you've been looking for all this time!"
But instead of stopping, the girls only got more excited and sped up.
Fantastic. Now they were ninety-nine percent sure.
"Gah! Didn't you say you'd stop chasing once I admitted it?!" Mizuno cried.
"Not yet!" Vodka yelled back. "You still have to say which you are—a gentleman or a knight-errant!"
Given his refined manners and that earlier foot massage, Vodka was convinced he was a gentleman.
"..." Daiwa Scarlet thought the same but refused to concede out loud.
"I'm not a gentleman," Mizuno replied flatly.
"Then you're a knight-errant!" Daiwa Scarlet's eyes lit up. After all, he'd bravely faced down evil for their sake.
"I'm not that either…"
"Huh? Then what are you?" both girls demanded.
"Uh... neither, actually," Mizuno admitted, scratching his head awkwardly.
"We don't believe you! ×2!" they shouted, glaring with the fierce determination of prosecutors.
If Mizuno wouldn't confess properly, they'd make him.
"Gulp… Then what if I say I'm both?" he offered weakly.
"..." Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka exchanged looks, then fixed their stares back on him.
"Then take off your clothes and let us confirm it ourselves!"
"Gah! How did this loop back to stripping again?!" Mizuno groaned.
They were only five meters away now—seconds from tackling him. Even with Gold Ship's help, they'd outnumber him two-to-one. Once they yanked down his hood, it'd all be over.
Mizuno had no time left. He had to negotiate.
"Fine! I'll prove it—but first..." He pointed toward their destination ahead. "You have to follow me somewhere private."
"Huh? Why?"
Why did revealing his face require privacy? It sounded exactly like those shady TV dramas where girls got tricked by sketchy bosses in dark corners…
"Let me be honest," Mizuno said with a grave sigh. "My constitution is special. It affects Uma Musume negatively—badly. That's why I wear this outfit. If I have to show myself, it needs to be somewhere hidden."
"I see…" The two girls nodded, surprised by the serious explanation.
It made sense—after all, the first time they'd witnessed his "Declaration of Independence," the sensation had been overwhelming. Their memories were hazy, but the impression lingered.
Now it all added up. He wasn't hiding himself out of vanity—he was protecting them.
"..." Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka hesitated briefly, then nodded in agreement.
"Fine. We'll trust you."
And honestly, the idea of seeing the Mysterious Gentleman's true face alone with him in a secluded place sounded… thrilling.
"You must keep your promise~" they chimed, slowing their pursuit.
"Thank goodness…" Mizuno sighed in relief. Negotiation successful. Any longer, and he might've lost more than his hood.
...
Three minutes later, they arrived.
"..." Facing the familiar, run-down storage shed, Mizuno shivered as old memories flooded back.
When he turned, Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were staring at him with sparkling, expectant eyes.
"Are you taking it off now?" Vodka tugged at his sleeve.
"If you're shy, we can help," Daiwa Scarlet offered, hand already reaching for his zipper.
"No! Wait until we're inside!" Mizuno yelped, jumping back in alarm.
From now on, he decided, this cursed warehouse would be known as Falling Mizuno Slope—a place where he was destined to lose something vital every single time.
"Broshi, guard the roof," Mizuno ordered.
"O-kay~!" Gold Ship chirped, vaulting effortlessly onto the roof.
"Come with me…" Mizuno opened the door and stepped inside, the two excited Uma Musume following closely behind.
Once they were in, Mizuno turned to face them seriously.
"You absolutely, definitely, absolutely must keep your eyes closed!"