The school looked exactly like the game world—a cheerful, bustling scene. Even if Kaito weren't there, the Uma Musume would still go about their routines according to system logic.
Kaito didn't want to be just a camera lens. He wanted to blend in. But no matter how "real" they appeared, the fact that they couldn't react to him made everything feel hollow.
In the past, he'd even risked running outside completely naked, trying to grab their attention. Nothing worked—they simply ignored him, operating as usual.
Even when he tackled a few students to the ground and forced himself into contact, they got up afterward as if nothing had happened. At most, they wobbled a bit on their feet.
The more assertive Uma Musume would clamp around him, refusing to let him go. Doing so would increase their affection points by five to seven.
Through trial and error, Kaito had mapped out ways to raise affection. Greeting them—one point every five days. Stroking their heads—one point after three times. Helping a troubled Uma Musume—two points per act. Each point had a daily cap; repetition in a short time didn't work.
Interactions were limited, and affection growth was slow and methodical… until Kaito discovered a simpler, more direct approach: touch the right spots. Excite them, and their affection skyrocketed. The more excited they got, the faster the points climbed.
Of course, in the game world, affection points didn't really matter. High points wouldn't unlock special dialogues, nor would the Uma Musume react to the player differently.
Here, though… Kaito could feel it.
A zero-affection Uma Musume merely bowed or ignored him. Ten points—they'd greet him. Twenty—they'd approach proactively.
And Tokai Teio, at full one-hundred affection, had been holding his hand since they left the school, pouting and glancing at other curious Uma Musume like a little dog guarding her favorite treat.
"Trainer Kaito, are we going out?" she asked.
At the plaza in front of the main building, Kaito spotted a familiar figure—a green-haired Uma Musume standing as if she were the guardian of Tracen itself. Shuka Tezuka. Graceful, elegant, and undeniably powerful. In the past, everyone had guessed her true form, and now Kaito could confirm it: she was real.
Her OL outfit constrained her curves, but Kaito had measured firsthand—Shuka Tezuka's real body was even more striking than it appeared.
Seeing Kaito, she approached slowly. Sunlight glinted off the black stockings hugging her thighs, highlighting smooth, pale skin beneath. Kaito didn't know her exact age—probably in her twenties, like him—but her body seemed preserved like a girl in her teens.
"I'm heading out to buy a horseshoe for Teio," Kaito said, subtly observing Shuka's expression.
"Safe travels, Trainer Kaito. If you need any help, just call on me," she said, her expression just as composed as before.
Odd… she had full affection, yet she behaved differently than Teio.
"Let's go, Trainer."
Tokai Teio tugged on his hand. Though small enough for Kaito to lift with ease, her strength was terrifying. There was no way to resist; he was being dragged along. In the game world, he dragged Teio. Here, she dragged him. The tables had turned.
As Kaito left, Shuka Tezuka clutched her chest, cheeks flushed. Her heart raced, and her tongue nervously traced her lips.
Stepping outside the school grounds, Kaito felt like a country bumpkin seeing a city for the first time. For three months, he'd been trapped, blocked by invisible walls. He'd tried everything—pressing against the barrier, tracing its edges, squeezing objects against it, even attempting bugs and glitches he knew—but nothing worked.
Now, he was finally in the outside world—the place he had previously only viewed as a static backdrop. He was ecstatic.
"Trainer?" Tokai Teio called, noticing his unhinged expression.
In the past, he'd hesitate at the school gates, afraid to venture out. Now, seeing him practically bouncing with excitement, she couldn't help but smile. Her Trainer acted like a child—terrified to step outside, yet ecstatic once he did.
Since morning, Teio had felt the same way: he was like a delicious dessert, tempting and sweet. She wanted to hug him, touch him, maybe even nibble him a little.
"Teio… where are we going?"
Kaito followed her, soaking in the sights of the city. No maps. No stupid air walls. No "Come back later to explore this area" nonsense. He hated those walls.
"Of course, we're going to the Uma Musume sporting goods store," Teio said, tugging his hand. "But first, we need this!" She pointed to a yellow food cart in the park labeled Honey Special Drink—written in Japanese.
For some reason, Kaito could read it. His mind automatically translated text and dialogue, making communication effortless.
In short: total barrier-free conversation.
If he'd gone into translation work, he'd probably top every sales chart. Too bad he couldn't.
Did he even have money? Could he buy the honey drink outright? That would be embarrassing.
Kaito imagined a robbery: storming a bank with a group of Uma Musume, smashing things, grabbing the cash, then dispersing with superhuman strength and living a life of luxury. Daydreams could wait until bedtime.
He patted his pockets, pulled out his wallet, and opened it. A few crisp man-yen bills were inside.
He actually had money!
In the game world, the Chairman handed him his salary every month, but he never found the payment, nor a paycheck envelope. Kaito had long suspected the Chairman was pocketing it, teasing him by giving him money with nowhere to spend it.
Now, the salary had crossed time and space. Lesson learned: next time, let Ayase Akikawa play with him instead.
"Here."
"Trainer, this is too much…"
"No worries, keep the extra."
Generous on the surface. In reality, without shops to spend it, the money was almost useless. Without earning it, Kaito's life had lost much of its meaning. He'd already "speedrun" life. And the game world had lost one exploited player.
"Trainer, remember to keep some change handy. This one's on me!" Teio pointed to a super-sized cup.
"Shall we share it?"
"Of course! The super-sized cup is the best value!" Teio sipped first, then handed it to him, eyes sparkling as Kaito took the straw between his lips.
Kaito wasn't the shy boy he once was. Teio might not remember, but they'd shared drinks mouth-to-mouth multiple times. Even though she couldn't fully process it, her body instinctively responded, swallowing what he fed her.
"Pretty good, right, Trainer?" she asked.
"Yeah." Kaito took a sip of the thick, sticky honey water. Only canned drinks existed in Tracen, and this was his first time trying this one. Sweet, viscous, clinging to the throat. He felt Teio must like this kind of drink.
Soon, they arrived at the sporting goods store.