[Arena Construction Complete]
[Identifying Subjects]
[Initiating Opponent Matching —]
With a weightless flash of teleportation, Mejiro McQueen and the others appeared in the arena beneath an open blue sky.
What had moments before been a field of grass and empty sky was now stitched together with cascading data, architecture rendering in at impossible speed. In the span of a blink, the venue was complete.
At the same time, in worlds across the multiverse, a voice that came from nowhere and a virtual notification window appeared before multiple uma musume.
...
In Mejiro McQueen's world —
[Tokai Teio], in the middle of training, heard the voice. A window appeared in front of her and she stared in open-mouthed surprise. This world had its share of unscientific phenomena, but experiencing one directly was a first for her.
[Do you wish to participate in this race?]
The countdown on the window ticked down.
"...The Three Goddesses?"
The next moment, [Tokai Teio] gave in to the pull in her chest and made her choice.
...
In Gold Ship's world —
[Agness Tachyon], in the middle of researching skill factors, received the same invitation.
"If this lets me witness a higher, faster world, I have no reason to refuse. As for the consequences — I have no particular problem with them. Every experiment carries risk."
Besides, she had already pried a few things out of the Demon King about parallel worlds. She had been studying them for some time. Her only regret had been lacking a direct opportunity to witness another world firsthand. Now that the chance was here, why on earth would she say no?
Risk? She knew better than to expect gain without cost.
She couldn't wait.
...
In Tokai Teio's world —
[Symboli Rudolf] and [Air Groove] were handling Student Council work when they heard the voice. They glanced at each other, cautious — and then Rudolf, the Emperor, made her decision.
If the Three Goddesses themselves were extending an invitation, there was no reason to decline.
"Let me see it for myself — a race that transcends worlds!"
[Symboli Rudolf] reclaimed the mindset of her Emperor days and accepted the invitation as a challenger. Beside her, the Empress watched the Emperor's decision and made her own.
...
In Rice Shower's world —
Mihono Bourbon accepted the invitation without a word.
...
In Kitasan Black's world —
Satono Diamond, in the middle of changing clothes, stared at the window that had appeared in front of her. Nervous. But she followed her heart. If participating in this race would let her glimpse a higher realm, she had only one possible answer — yes.
She wanted to become stronger. Strong enough to one day race beside that person.
...
The same invitation appeared in front of quite a few other uma musume.
Spectator invitations went out as well.
The residents of the native world, having been through similar system events before, barely hesitated — in fact, most of them scrambled to accept. In the other worlds, some thought carefully about the risks first, but most accepted without a second thought.
After all, that voice was unmistakably a Goddess's. What was there to deliberate?
Nothing.
A few seconds after Kitasan Black and her senpai entered the arena, countless meteors rained down from above, resolving into spectators who filled the stands — and a number of slightly dazed competitors landed on the grass.
The scene caught the senpai off guard for a moment, but it wasn't their first time dealing with the System's dramatics. Mejiro McQueen and the others were mentally prepared for this kind of thing.
"Oooh, I got a spot! Good thing I was quick on the draw!"
"Let's see who my opponents are this time!"
Excited cheers rose from the stands. Hundreds of thousands of voices layered into a chaotic roar louder than a marketplace, sprinkled with the occasional unidentifiable shriek.
"Damn it, I was too slow! I didn't get a participant slot!"
Among those who had received invitations but missed the participation window, one uma musume pounded the ground in frustration.
The countdown had been a full minute, but in reality the sixteen participant slots had filled up in less than five seconds. The slow ones were kicking themselves.
...
In the front row of the spectator stands —
A young P in his mid-twenties and a slightly younger, late-teens P exchanged a glance. The realization hit both of them at the same time: the other was a version of himself from a parallel world.
Tojo Hana eyed the two IDs hanging around their necks, puzzled. She didn't recognize this trainer from Tracen Academy. If there had been a colleague whose entire name was nothing but the letter 'P,' she would definitely have remembered.
Sitting near her, this version of Nishizaki Ryu was even stranger. He looked nothing like the Nishizaki Ryu she knew. Her Nishizaki Ryu would never have dressed like a successful professional.
This Nishizaki Ryu was, in fact, a world-class trainer — the trainer of the world-conquering Demon King, Gold Ship. Taking on that role had forced Nishizaki Ryu to abandon his slovenly habits, learn how to present himself properly, and rebuild his trainer skills from the ground up. His whole bearing put the other worlds' Nishizaki Ryus to shame.
Off to the side, a quiet nobody of a trainer sat in silence — Kitasan Black's own trainer.
...
"Welcome, everyone, to today's grand stage! I'm Ms. Musashi, our special guest commentator!"
"Hi there. I'm Mr. Kojiro, also here as a special guest."
"Meow!"
"This isn't officially a Strongest Series cross-dimensional tournament, but our competitors today all come from different dimensions — you may even see multiple versions of the same racer running side by side!"
"Makes you wonder what kinds of sparks will fly in a race like this."
"Let's meet the contestants."
The boisterous crowd quieted down once the commentators started speaking. On the giant screen beside the stands, close-up camera feeds of each competitor appeared.
The runners had settled down as well, cracking their knuckles and stretching out, ready to prove themselves.
...
"Number 16, from I-dimension World 1: [Tokai Teio]."
[Tokai Teio] had been staring at the McQueen across the field from her. The sound of her name snapped her attention back. She waved to the crowd. She was still trying to work out whether this McQueen was the one she knew — but the race was about to start, and she needed to focus.
"Number 15, from I-dimension World 1: [Oguri Cap]."
[Oguri Cap] was busy staring at her racing outfit, wondering when it had swapped itself out — and more urgently, where the roasted chicken leg she'd been holding a moment ago had gone.
"Number 14, from I-dimension World 0: [Mejiro McQueen]."
She'd snapped up her slot with lightning reflexes — and was already regretting it. Looking at the familiar faces in this lineup, sweat rolled down [Mejiro McQueen]'s temple. The race hadn't even started and she was already calculating the terms of her defeat. Racing against these monsters? There was no world in which she won. And one of them was her idealized [self]. She had less than no chance.
In the stands, [Mejiro McQueen]'s teammates grinned openly at her misfortune. The sting of not winning a slot themselves had just evaporated.
"Go get 'em, McQueen!" they called down, right as three or four other [Mejiro McQueen]s turned their heads to look.
"Number 13, from I-dimension World 2: Gold Ship — wait, this competitor is..."
Ms. Musashi glanced down at the profile panel for the runner and went visibly pale.
Huh?
Is it really okay to have a racer of that level mixed in here?
She remembered the blank-card team's lineup from the Strongest Series cross-dimensional tournament clearly. Every single one of those racers was top-tier world-class.
Demon King Ship snorted. She had no idea what the System was playing at — tossing this collection of third-rate no-names in with her caliber of racer was frankly insulting. This kind of trash couldn't even function as pacers.
"Number 12, from I-dimension World 4: [Mihono Bourbon]."
This racer's eyes were fixed on Rice Shower's back. Hearing her name called, she stepped into the gate without hesitation. Whether or not this was the Rice Shower she knew, she had only one thing to do.
Give it everything.
"Number 11, from I-dimension World 1: [Venus Paques]."
This [Venus Paques] was still weighing whether to go say hello to McQueen.
"Number 10, from I-dimension World 2: [Agness Tachyon]."
"So the Demon King really is here. Not that it surprises me."
The Demon King's pet scientist eyed the competition with open curiosity. How did she recognize Gold Ship at a glance? The Demon King's aura was unmistakable, that was how.
"Number 9, from I-dimension World 3: [Symboli Rudolf]."
"Number 8, from I-dimension World 3: [Air Groove]."
The Emperor-and-Empress duo, fixed on Tokai Teio. They had been wondering what exactly the Teio kid had taken the day off for.
Turned out she was off having fun without them.
Tokai Teio caught their gaze and turned with a smile, giving them a wave.
She hadn't really wanted to trample the Student Council president, and she certainly hadn't planned to challenge her directly. But if the president had signed up for this herself — well, nothing to be done for it.
"Number 7, from I-dimension World 3: Tokai Teio!"
Another familiar name — Ms. Musashi's voice actually trembled a little.
All of the blank-team racers are here?
She checked the other competitors' profile panels briefly and felt an involuntary pang of pity.
Still — this tournament guaranteed a participation reward to everyone, win or lose. Looking at it from that angle, maybe these extras were actually the lucky ones.
When her name was called, Tokai Teio raised a hand to the sky. The sun overhead flared brighter.
More than a few people in the stands stared, dumbfounded. Since when did uma musume command supernatural forces?
"Number 6, from I-dimension World 1: Mejiro McQueen!"
Mejiro McQueen, in her white racing outfit, flipped her hair back with a graceful sweep and walked coolly into her starting gate.
When the announcer said World 1, [Tokai Teio] and [Venus Paques] both perked up.
So it really was the McQueen they knew.
"McQueen, I can't believe we get to race together again!"
[Tokai Teio] thought to herself that she absolutely had to show McQueen every ounce of her training.
"I get to race with McQueen! This is the best!"
[Venus Paques] laughed out loud in sheer delight.
At that moment, their mental picture of McQueen was still the McQueen from before — they had no idea how many times she had updated her build since clearing Story Mode.
"Number 5, from I-dimension World 4: Rice Shower!"
Rice Shower had already merged with the [Overlord]. The pressure rolling off her was enough to raise goosebumps across the field. A natural predator to uma musume.
[Mihono Bourbon] froze for a heartbeat, then a faint, subtle smile crossed her usually expressionless face.
It really was her [Hero].
"Number 4, from I-dimension World 5: [Satono Diamond]."
The young lady of the Satomi household was frozen in place, staring blankly at the figure in front of her.
Kitasan-senpai?
How — why was she here?
No. If Satono Diamond had received the invitation, then of course there was no reason Kitasan-senpai wouldn't have received it.
But I just lost to her!
[Satono Diamond] walked into the gate on trembling legs, looking for all the world like a condemned prisoner heading to the gallows.
"Number 3, from I-dimension World 5: [Duramente]!"
Only recently back from her injury, [Duramente] could already feel her whole body lighting up. Simple girl that she was, she wanted nothing more than to clash with stronger opponents!
"Number 2, from I-dimension World 5: Kitasan Black!"
The figure wreathed in ominous pressure stepped into the gate.
The moment Kitasan Black entered the gate, the previously clear sky clouded over. Dark thunderheads rolled in — like the warning before a storm.
"Number 1, from I-dimension World 5: [Satono Crown]."
[Satono Crown]'s face had turned the color of ash.
She should never have agreed to this just because [Duramente] was going. She'd been excited for the race, at first. The moment she saw Kitasan Black, every ounce of fighting spirit had drained out of her.
Meanwhile, up in the stands, [Takao Shuneichi] let out a long breath of relief.
The three Cap Sisters had been watching the Arc de Triomphe broadcast together at the cafeteria when all three of them had received the invitations simultaneously. [Takao Shuneichi] had hesitated and missed her chance.
She had been disappointed at first.
Now she was just grateful she'd dodged a bullet.
...
"And that completes our lineup."
"Next, your popularity rankings."
"Popularity third: Mejiro McQueen. Despite her third-place popularity, this racer's strength is a match for anyone in first — she took first place in a previous Strongest Series cross-dimensional tournament!"
"Popularity second: Rice Shower. Her stat panel shows her to be an enormously powerful racer."
"Popularity first: Gold Ship. Impeccable strength, flawless record — the undisputed protagonist!"
The popularity rankings in the System tournaments worked differently from the ones in the canon worlds. They were calculated from the visible stat panels. Strip away the effect of skills and judge only the raw stat values and skill ratings, and this was the order that fell out.
Inherited skill panels didn't show on a character card, and neither did Fusion skills. So Gold Ship, the grind-queen of the group, had the highest displayed stats and skill count. Below her was Rice Shower, whose stats had been pushed past the cap via Fusion. Mejiro McQueen's card looked inferior to both of theirs on paper.
As for Tokai Teio — it had been a while since she'd trained. Her cards were stuck on an older version. And Kitasan Black's card had literally no skills on it at all. Every skill she used was copied through her talent.
So the popularity rankings, from the System's perspective, were technically correct. They just weren't a measure of actual strength. Every one of them knew that perfectly well.
Even Demon King Ship, despite landing at number one in popularity, wasn't gloating. She knew she was the challenger here.
"Little Kita-chan might be exciting to watch today, but really — my biggest rival in this race is you, McQueen! Let's go wild! Hahaha!"
The second she stepped into race mode, Demon King Ship was in her element.
"Today's venue: the Tokyo Racecourse. 2400 meters, good turf, running left-hand!"
"And there's the starting bell."
The lights above the starting gates began to flash. The countdown ticked.
A few heartbeats later, the green light flashed on. The gates sprang open.
...
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