Evening.
A small, black-haired Uma Musume dragging a suitcase arrived at Tracen Academy. Looking at the school after hours had ended, Rice Shower—late on her very first day—let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm late after all."
She'd set out at dawn.
But on the way, she'd encountered one traffic incident after another.
It was as if some inexplicable force was trying to prevent her from coming to school.
Like her original counterpart, she too had inherited that unfortunate luck.
And this misfortune even spread to those around her, which made socializing a major problem.
But Rice Shower refused to be defeated by this bad luck. She hadn't forgotten her goal—
She wanted to become an Uma Musume who could bring smiles to everyone!
She too wanted to shine brilliantly in races like McQueen-neesan and the others, making all the spectators smile at her victories.
For that, she had to work harder and become stronger. Otherwise...
Thinking of that figure who hadn't appeared in a long time, fear of that shadow still lingered in Rice Shower's heart.
"I absolutely, absolutely can't let her come out again!"
This wasn't Training Mode. She didn't dare imagine what terrifying things would happen if she let her dark personality loose in the real world.
So she had to race on her own. She had to win through her own strength!
"Rice Shower can do this. Let's go, yeah!"
After encouraging herself the way her mother had taught her, Rice Shower dragged her suitcase into Tracen Academy.
After handing her admission letter to the gatekeeper, the elderly guard let her through.
Thanks to possessing the previous three's memories, entering Tracen Academy for the first time didn't feel particularly unfamiliar or frightening.
Instead, she felt a sense of comfort, like returning to a familiar place.
"Miho Dormitory... Rice Shower remembers it's this way."
Without needing to check the map she'd prepared, that familiar feeling emerged the moment she truly entered Tracen Academy.
Rice Shower genuinely felt like she'd come home.
After Rice Shower's figure disappeared into the distance.
The elderly gatekeeper watched the small, dark Uma Musume dragging her heavy suitcase. His slightly narrowed eyes suddenly opened wide.
"Was that my imagination just now?"
As a retired veteran trainer, the gatekeeper had sensed a hidden dominance within Rice Shower—a dominance like endless darkness that even startled him.
"That can't be possible..."
That aura was far too powerful. It didn't seem like something that timid child could possess.
The gatekeeper decided he must have been seeing things.
"Age really is catching up to me. My eyesight is declining, and now I'm even seeing illusions."
The gatekeeper closed his eyes again but filed this away in his mind.
While he thought it was most likely an illusion, what if it wasn't?
He might be old, but he wasn't senile yet.
Still, that aura was unlike anything he'd seen in his life—even stronger than those "monsters." It really must have been his imagination.
He hadn't received any advance notice either. If there was a notable new student enrolling, the higher-ups would have specifically asked him to take a look.
Like that child called "Mihono Bourbon" not long ago.
The higher-ups had apparently confirmed that child had the potential to challenge the Classic Triple Crown.
After observing her, he too felt her qualities were excellent. Plus, that child had a fine pair of eyes—she probably really did have a chance at the Triple Crown achievement.
Still unaware that she'd startled the gatekeeper, Rice Shower arrived at the dormitory.
The instant she pushed open the door and stepped inside, a loud voice made her jump.
"Welcome to Miho Dormitory! You must be the new resident moving in today? Though you're quite late, and you didn't check in with your class today either."
Miho Dormitory's dorm manager, Hishi Amazon, stood at the entrance. As the dormitory administrator, Hishi Amazon had already received notice that Rice Shower would be moving in today.
Hearing what Hishi Amazon said, Rice Shower hastily apologized in a nervous tone. "I-I'm sorry."
While the truth was her unfortunate constitution—a force majeure—she had indeed caused trouble for everyone. Rice Shower felt she should apologize.
"Well, it doesn't look like you did it on purpose. Did something happen on the way?"
"Ah... yes..."
Rice Shower recounted everything that had happened to her that day.
Hishi Amazon's originally calm expression had, by the time Rice Shower reached the halfway point, transformed into slack-jawed astonishment.
If Rice Shower hadn't seemed so genuine, Hishi Amazon would have suspected she was making up stories.
"Uh, if what you're saying is true, you have my sympathies."
"Th-Thank you. But it's okay! Rice Shower is used to it. I'll work hard to overcome it!"
That's not really something effort can fix, is it?
Looking at Rice Shower's earnest face, Hishi Amazon ultimately kept that retort to herself.
Better not to crush this little one's confidence.
"You probably haven't eaten today, have you?"
From Rice Shower's account, she'd experienced a series of misfortunes today—missing trains and flights, buses breaking down, traffic light malfunctions, and more. She seemed to have spent the entire day just trying to get here.
Later, though Rice Shower had decided to run to school herself, she kept encountering construction zones blocking her path and hitting red light after red light, preventing any increase in her travel speed.
So Hishi Amazon seriously doubted whether Rice Shower had eaten properly today.
"I... I brought rice balls when I left."
Rice Shower turned and pulled a bento box from a bag sitting on top of her suitcase.
Judging by the box's size, it should have contained quite a lot originally, but only two rice balls remained—meaning Rice Shower hadn't gone hungry despite all her misfortunes.
Speaking of which, she had her stat panel to thank. Otherwise, Rice Shower couldn't have sensed bird droppings falling from above in time, nor dodged attacks from stray cats and dogs.
Rice Shower's unfortunate constitution differed somewhat from her original counterpart's.
Her misfortune couldn't truly harm herself, but in exchange, its effects on those around her had become more severe.
Her original counterpart's misfortune was more self-directed.
"Then let me show you to your room first. Your luggage has already been moved in ahead of time."
"Yes... thank you."
"No need to be so formal. Just treat this place like your own home. As long as you follow curfew, relax the rest of the time. Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I?"
Hishi Amazon suddenly strode ahead, stopped, and struck a pose with one hand on her hip.
"My name is Hishi Amazon. I'm the dormitory manager of Miho Dormitory. If you'd like, you can call me Big Sis from now on."
"Yes, Big Sis! My name is Rice Shower. Please take care of me from now on!"
"Hahaha! Good! Unlike your timid appearance, you catch on quick, Rice Shower."
Hishi Amazon seemed quite pleased at being called Big Sis.
They arrived at the double room.
After Hishi Amazon knocked and received permission from inside, she opened the door. Rice Shower could now see the room's interior and the roommate she'd be living with for a long time.
"Zenno Rob Roy, this is your new roommate, Rice Shower."
"Rice Shower, this is Zenno Rob Roy."
"As roommates, you two need to get along well, understood?"
Hishi Amazon addressed both of them. The two looked at each other, then both nodded to show they understood.
"Yes, Rice Shower will get along well with Zenno Rob Roy-san."
"Mm, same here."
"Good."
Hishi Amazon looked at the pile of cardboard boxes.
"Then let's help Rice Shower unpack."
"Um... I can do it myself..."
"Don't be silly. With this much luggage, by the time you finish unpacking on your own, the cafeteria will be long closed. Those two rice balls you have left aren't enough for dinner."
"Uu... Thank you, Big Sis."
"That's better. Zenno Rob Roy, come help out too."
Hearing Hishi Amazon's request, Zenno Rob Roy set down her picture book and came over to help.
Rice Shower thanked her as well. Zenno Rob Roy nodded and replied that it was no trouble.
With three people working, Rice Shower's luggage was quickly organized.
Hishi Amazon stacked the cardboard boxes and carried them out, telling Zenno Rob Roy to show Rice Shower around the school before heading to the cafeteria.
"Shall we go?"
"Mm."
The two small Uma Musume left the dormitory. After touring the main facilities, they headed to the cafeteria.
That's when Rice Shower discovered that all the Miho Dormitory students had gathered there.
Under Hishi Amazon's direction, the dormitory students had organized a welcome party for Rice Shower in the cafeteria.
Rice Shower didn't know how to describe these feelings, but she felt she had genuinely come to love this place.
Not because of those three's memories, but from her own emotions.
Even when Rice Shower's unfortunate constitution later caused some trouble for everyone, no one distanced themselves from her because of it.
This helped Rice Shower integrate into campus life even faster.
...
Some time passed after Rice Shower enrolled, and soon it was the day of the campus selection race.
Selection races were mock competitions where Uma Musume without trainers could showcase themselves to attract trainers. Many Uma Musume and trainers completed their contracts through these events.
"Rice Shower! I'm here to cheer for you!"
Urara, also wearing training clothes, ran up to Rice Shower, who was taking deep breaths.
"Urara, thank you."
Rice Shower clutched her hands to her chest. The instant she raised her head, a deep, dark blue flame seemed to flash through her eyes for just a moment.
Urara blinked in confusion.
"Rice Shower?"
What she'd just seen wasn't her imagination, was it?
Just then, the broadcast called Rice Shower's name. Rice Shower walked toward the track.
"Rice Shower definitely won't let down your support!"
Leaving this declaration behind.
Rice Shower walked onto the training ground's track like a warrior stepping onto a battlefield.
Urara scratched the back of her head.
Somehow, isn't Rice Shower taking this too seriously?
The instant Rice Shower stepped onto the track, the Uma Musume in front of her suddenly felt like she was being watched by a predator. She tensed and turned to look at Rice Shower behind her.
What's with this girl?
This aura...
She was clearly just an ordinary student. How could she have this kind of presence?
Although Rice Shower had been at Tracen Academy for a while now.
Her written exam scores were average, and she hadn't shown any remarkable performance in skill training. Currently, she was just an unknown nobody who hadn't attracted anyone's attention.
Even the Uma Musume in her own dormitory hadn't seen Rice Shower's hidden strength.
After all, Rice Shower's appearance and personality were too deceptive.
Combined with the fact that she truly wasn't a genius when it came to learning ability, it was natural for her to be overlooked before an official competition.
But today's selection race would change all of that.
The selection race track was only 1600 meters—originally a distance Rice Shower wasn't suited for. But that was before Training Mode.
Though using that power hadn't been her intention, she had indeed become stronger through it in Training Mode.
"On your marks... 3, 2, 1, GO!"
The instant the whistle blew.
All the competitors in this selection race shot forward from the starting line.
Rice Shower's start wasn't impressive.
Even with skills, due to proficiency issues, Rice Shower couldn't achieve a perfect start like McQueen or Teio.
She basically couldn't use any skills besides green skills at the start, because forcing herself to use unfamiliar skills would only distract her.
The skills she had truly mastered were very few.
Just one gold and one inherent (not counting basic skills).
These were the results of her hard training since arriving in this world.
So her running style would be extremely focused, similar to McQueen's approach.
But with one key difference—Rice Shower's focus was locked onto her opponents!
"Found it. The breakthrough point is here!"
As the race entered the middle phase, Rice Shower fixed her gaze on a figure ahead. In an instant, a pitch-black aura released from her body.
The Uma Musume Rice Shower had targeted instantly paled.
The massive oppressive feeling from behind made her unconsciously quicken her pace.
Meanwhile, off the track.
Mihono Bourbon, who had just finished her own selection race, felt drawn by some kind of force at that moment. She noticed Rice Shower's movements, and her expression grew sharp.
Rice Shower wasn't hiding herself.
So quite a few people outside the track noticed her performance.
Trainer A couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. "That child... Rice Shower, was it? She's strong."
The elderly gatekeeper was also watching this selection race. When he saw the aura that burst from Rice Shower, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.
It seemed he'd discovered a promising talent that even the higher-ups hadn't noticed.
Though her running style was still somewhat stiff, and she seemed to lack confidence.
But that aura—stronger than even those "monsters"—meant this child's future achievements would definitely not be low.
Though Mihono Bourbon's selection race just now had appeared stronger on the surface—
"If those two actually faced each other, the outcome would be hard to predict."
The elderly gatekeeper cracked a smile.
...
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