In truth, Rudolf wasn't the only one who had sensed something off about Eclipse.
Years earlier, after Symboli Speed had gradually grown close to Kitahara, even though certain forces had placed powerful distortions on people's perceptions—
Those distortions eventually eroded, worn away by Eclipse's blatant abnormalities and long-term proximity, until Symboli Speed caught a glimpse of something beneath the surface.
But unlike Rudolf, Symboli Speed was the head of the Symboli family—an older head at that—and she was privy to certain hidden truths about the world. She understood the importance of restraining her curiosity.
Moreover, as family head, she had responsibilities to uphold. Thus, despite frequent interactions and clear suspicions about Eclipse's identity, Symboli Speed never dug deeper, nor did she intend to.
Rudolf, however, was different.
She was young, not burdened with the mantle of the Symboli family head. Though she carried certain responsibilities, none were heavy enough to stop her from asking questions.
Especially after learning Kitahara was her assigned Trainer, Rudolf became even more concerned about Eclipse, who always lingered around him. Gradually, the mental filter distorting her awareness weakened, until at last it shattered.
She understood that perhaps turning a blind eye to this obviously suspicious existence might be wiser.
Yet, whether out of concern for Kitahara, or out of duty as Student Council President, responsible for the safety of all students at the Academy, Rudolf felt compelled to confront the matter directly.
But surprisingly, after Rudolf expressed her suspicions openly, Eclipse showed virtually no reaction.
In fact, she appeared not to have heard at all, her head tilted upwards, silently gazing at the academy motto displayed in the Student Council room, quiet as a statue.
"Um…"
Rudolf began to lose her composure.
"Eclipse-san, did you hear what I just said?"
"I did," Eclipse replied softly, withdrawing her gaze to meet Rudolf's eyes.
"But unfortunately, I'm not the 'legend' you're looking for."
Before Rudolf could question further, Eclipse continued speaking, her eyes drifting beyond Rudolf toward the window, as if talking calmly to herself.
"You're partially correct. Historically, there was indeed a legendary Umamusume named 'Eclipse.' It was her legacy that gave rise to the phrase, 'When one leads, all others fade.'"
"But I am not her. That legendary Umamusume named Eclipse died hundreds of years ago."
With an utterly calm voice, Eclipse spoke an extraordinary truth.
"…What?"
The sheer weight of this revelation stunned Rudolf into visible shock.
The original Eclipse had died centuries ago? Then who was standing right in front of her now?
Seeing the doubt in Rudolf's eyes, Eclipse calmly explained:
"It's simple logic. No matter how legendary, an Umamusume is still an Umamusume—her lifespan is finite. The documents you read are at least two hundred years old, far beyond the lifespan of any Umamusume. How could she still be alive?"
"That…"
After a moment's thought, Rudolf had to acknowledge Eclipse's reasoning.
But if that were true, another question arose.
If the Eclipse standing here was not the one she'd researched, then what explained all the oddities she had uncovered? And who exactly was this Eclipse before her now?
Rudolf's head spun with confusion.
Fortunately, she didn't remain puzzled for long, as Eclipse soon spoke again, answering her unspoken questions.
"There are some things I can't tell you. Even knowing about them would pose harm to you and those around you. So those secrets will remain hidden."
"However, certain details—like my origins and my purpose—I can share. But understand this clearly: even knowing this much means you can never return to ignorance."
"So, let me confirm this with you one final time."
"Symboli Rudolf, are you certain you want to continue down this path?"
At her last words, Eclipse's expression turned unusually solemn. Her gaze fixed intently upon Rudolf, and from her modest frame emerged an aura of authority she had never displayed before.
She was serious.
Rudolf quickly realized the gravity of Eclipse's question, but—
She nodded without hesitation.
"Tell me everything you can. If there's anything I can do to help, I'll give it my all."
She trusted Kitahara, and by extension, Eclipse. Even if they might end up at odds in some respects, she had no doubts about Eclipse's character.
Seeing her agree so decisively, Eclipse gave Rudolf a slightly surprised glance, then promptly began her explanation.
"Very well. Since you've made your choice, I only hope you don't regret it."
After a brief pause, Eclipse's demeanor reverted to her usual calm, emotionless tone as she started to speak.
"First, a proper introduction. My name is Eclipse. While I am not the historical legend named 'Eclipse,' we are connected."
"To put it plainly, I was created using the historical Eclipse at her peak as a foundation. Numerous enhancements and additional components were integrated, resulting in the 'product' standing before you."
"As for my creator—or rather, my creators—they are the three fools your academy worships."
"Commonly known as the Three Goddesses."
"…What?"
Rudolf felt a fresh wave of confusion.
Though prepared for shocking revelations after Eclipse's previous words, she had not anticipated a casual mention of the Three Goddesses, and it momentarily rattled her perception of reality.
Almost everyone in this world worshipped the Three Goddesses, and miracles attributed to them occasionally occurred. Yet many, including Rudolf, held some measure of skepticism, since no one had ever witnessed their true forms. Over time, even miracles could be questioned—were they simply man-made or natural phenomena?
Rudolf herself believed, of course—but her faith was less pure, tinged with doubt.
Yet now, Eclipse had casually declared herself a creation of those very goddesses, severely shaking Rudolf's worldview.
Before Rudolf could fully process this shock, Eclipse spoke again.
"I've revealed my identity to you. And you're not the only one aware—Chairwoman Akikawa already possesses some knowledge. If you doubt me, you can confirm it with her."
"But be warned, only the Chairwoman knows. Neither Hayakawa-san nor that new acting representative have any idea."
"As for my purpose, it's quite simple. My mission is to find a certain being, kill her, and then take her place. That's my reason for existence."
Kill someone…
It took Rudolf some time to digest the weight of Eclipse's words.
After absorbing the shock, Rudolf raised her head uncertainly.
"So, Eclipse-san, who exactly do you need to kill? Is it the Umamusume hunters, or perhaps the Black Market behind them?"
"No, neither," Eclipse shook her head lightly. "Those people are merely pawns on the board. The one I must kill is the mastermind behind them—the true 'player' controlling everything."
There was someone even beyond the Black Market?
Rudolf frowned.
"Then Eclipse-san, do you know the identity of this 'player'? And wouldn't the Three Goddesses intervene?"
"I do. But she's not human," Eclipse replied calmly.
"As for those three fools, they're restricted, unable to handle this matter themselves. That's why they created me—to resolve it in their stead."
Even the Three Goddesses couldn't handle it, and…
"Not human?"
Rudolf keenly seized upon that detail.
"Then is it an Umamusume?"
"No," Eclipse said simply, eyes steady and voice unwavering, "she's not an Umamusume either."
"Then what is she?"
"A god," Eclipse replied calmly, holding Rudolf's gaze. "A young deity born from the same origin as those three fools, though she's yet to reach maturity."
...What?
Rudolf was utterly lost.
Before talking to Eclipse, she'd thought the worst-case scenario might be some restless Umamusume family secretly dabbling in forbidden experiments or shady practices.
Mass cognitive distortions were certainly outrageous—but in all her years at Tracen, Rudolf had encountered plenty of bizarre Umamusume already. Closer to home were those troublemakers under Trainer Kitahara; further afield was that alien-uma oddball who'd vanished long ago and still hadn't returned. Compared to those examples, Eclipse's perception-altering abilities didn't seem too extreme.
At worst, Rudolf had anticipated some sinister organization performing cruel experiments on Umamusume, creating a monstrous entity like Eclipse. She'd considered that guess already absurdly far-fetched.
Yet clearly, her imagination wasn't wild enough.
This wasn't mere family politics or a secretive group threatening society—it was something far beyond Rudolf's comprehension, a true war between gods.
It took her a good long moment before she could accept that Eclipse wasn't joking and gradually process the magnitude of the revelation.
"Eclipse-san, could you tell me why you must...kill this 'Fourth Goddess'?"
Despite the disbelief still lingering in her heart, Rudolf decided to follow Eclipse's reasoning for now.
Eclipse gave her an odd look. "Didn't I just explain? The Black Market, Umamusume Hunting, all those troubling incidents you've encountered...every one of them is her doing. She's the one pulling the strings from behind. Isn't that reason enough?"
Rudolf fell silent.
She'd gotten so caught up in the shock of the Fourth Goddess's existence that she'd completely overlooked Eclipse's earlier points...
Even though Rudolf sensed things couldn't be that simple, Eclipse clearly didn't want to elaborate, so she wisely refrained from pressing further.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, Rudolf shifted to another important question.
"Does Trainer Kitahara know about this?"
"No." Eclipse's reply was blunt. After a slight pause, she continued, "It's not that I don't want him to know, it's that I can't let him know. Even everything I've told you today must remain secret from him."
"...Can you tell me why?"
"Yes." Eclipse nodded lightly. "To put it simply, he was never meant to enter this chessboard. But one day, he stumbled into the game and single-handedly seized control of every piece on both sides."
"Killing a god isn't as simple as finding her body and destroying it; it must follow certain rules."
"The chessboard I mentioned exists precisely for this reason. Only by winning the game first can you reach her true self and deal actual damage."
"But now, with all the pieces in his hands, victory naturally hinges upon him."
"Then why not just tell him directly, and let him help you win?" Rudolf asked, puzzled.
"If it were that easy, I would've told him long ago," Eclipse sighed softly, a strange emotion flickering in her eyes.
"This isn't a real chess match. Victory doesn't come from merely capturing all the opponent's pieces."
"If that were the case, he would have already won."
After all, he hadn't just captured every piece—he'd practically defeated the players themselves.
Rudolf's confusion deepened.
"If victory isn't decided by capturing pieces, then what exactly determines the outcome?"
At this question, Eclipse lowered her eyes, gazing quietly at the illusory emptiness at her chest. After a moment of silence, she raised her head again.
"It's love."
She looked out the window at the moon, her voice complicated and distant.
"The world is the board, human hearts are the pieces, and love is the wager."
"The stakes are the future of this world."
...
Kitahara walked silently through a quiet, unfamiliar forest, his expression puzzled.
Lost in thought about Eclipse, he'd momentarily lost track of his surroundings. When he came to his senses, he found himself in a dense woodland that felt oddly familiar, yet seemed like it wasn't part of Tracen.
Does a place like this really exist on campus? After over a year here, surely I haven't managed to get lost at the academy...
Thinking that, Kitahara pulled out his phone to check his location. However, no matter how many times he pressed the screen, it wouldn't turn on.
Out of battery? But it had almost seventy percent when he left the student council room...
After fiddling a bit longer and confirming the phone was completely dead, he sighed and put it away.
Well, let's just head back then. He hadn't walked far; retracing his steps shouldn't take long at all—
He froze.
Because when he turned around, it wasn't the path he remembered that greeted him, but a sea of pure-white flowers bathing in brilliant sunlight.
Whirling around again, Kitahara found even the forest he'd just seen had disappeared completely, replaced entirely by endless fields of delicate white blossoms stretching from his feet to the distant horizon.
Am I dreaming…?
Startled, Kitahara reached up to pinch his cheek, trying to confirm whether or not he was awake.
Before his fingers touched his face, another hand emerged from among the blossoms beside him, gently grasping his wrist.
"This isn't a dream, but neither is it reality."
Kitahara flinched—not from the voice, but from the sensation on his arm. The touch felt surreal, ethereal, yet undeniably real.
Turning his head, he found himself face to face with a familiar figure he hadn't seen in a very long time.
"You're..."
"I don't have a name," the pure-white Umamusume said gently. "You can call me whatever you'd like."
She stood at his side, holding his arm, looking up at him intently.
After a brief pause, she rose on her tiptoes and pressed a soft, tender kiss onto him.
"It's been a while, Kitahara."
She smiled warmly, eyes shining openly with affection, her voice as soft and airy as a drifting cloud.
"Welcome to my Domain."
---
T/N: HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH ALL THIS INFO DUMP WHAT THE HELL
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