[Mid-Campaign Mission Reward: Advanced Healing Ability, Unlock New Kuranta Character (One-Time Only)]
[Note: A maximum of two Kuranta characters can be unlocked. One will challenge turf courses, the other dirt courses.]
When Platinum read this, she froze for a moment.
First came the stunned silence, then, as it sank in, she fully grasped the situation.
So that's how it is?
'Doctor, it's not time to rest yet…'
Wait, no—shouldn't it be… 'Platinum, it's not time to rest yet'?
I'll behave, please spare me!
The sharp-witted assassin girl understood immediately!
The good news was that this "mid-campaign" included the Kikuka Sho, Japan Cup, Arima Kinen, Spring Tenno Sho, and finally the Takarazuka Kinen—all still held in Japan. No need to go through the hassle of traveling abroad like this time.
The bad news was that… this was only the mid-campaign. There was likely a "final campaign" waiting after this!
Gah— no time off? I don't want that!
The Kikuka Sho: the final leg of the Classics series, a grueling long-distance race.
The Japan Cup and Arima Kinen went without saying—super events where you face off against elite older horses, widely recognized as among the most prestigious G1 races in Japan.
The Spring Tenno Sho was the long-distance G1 that tested endurance to the极限, the very race where Mejiro McQueen earned her title as the undisputed queen of long distance.
It's safe to say these first four G1s were incredibly prestigious, ranking among the very best in all of Japan's G1 races.
But the final race of this mid-campaign was the Takarazuka Kinen? The Takarazuka, whose presence paled next to the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen?
In Japan, the Takarazuka Kinen held one special value: winning it meant...
—You directly earned the right to challenge the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the world's premier turf race held in Europe!
Platinum could already picture it: the system's final campaign would probably involve her winning the Takarazuka Kinen to secure that ticket, then heading off to challenge the Arc.
Hah, me?
But regardless, that was all far in the future. Right now, instead of speculating about some final campaign, she needed to focus on the imminent [Mid-Campaign].
[Mid-Campaign: Kikuka Sho — Japan Cup — Arima Kinen — Spring Tenno Sho — Takarazuka Kinen]
So even after this Epsom Derby, I have to keep working overtime? Go back to Japan for the Kikuka Sho?
Manhattan Cafe, I'm coming back!
She thought she could finally slack off and take it easy, but now she had to work overtime again? And the reward was a permanent advanced healing ability?
Just the intermediate healing ability had been enough to heal Tokai Teio's fracture. That advanced version would probably turn that certain black-hearted young doctor into a true miracle worker, no longer worrying about incurable catastrophic injuries, right?
Moreover, for a perfectionist and meta-gamer like her, since she could add points and improve, she absolutely couldn't pass this up!
But this 'one-time-only' new Kuranta character… does it mean I can transform into other Kuranta-type horse girls in the future?
One challenges turf, the other challenges dirt?
So that means—Kings shall not meet? Each aiming to dominate their respective surface?
Who would she transform into?
If she remembered correctly, there were quite a few Kuranta characters, right?
Just the Nearl family alone had Radiant Knight Nearl, Młynar, Whislash… and there were plenty more.
Would that turn her into a super workhorse? One moment transforming to run on turf, facing off against Cafe, Tachyon, Galileo, and the like.
The next moment turning into some other Kuranta character, maybe heading to dirt to face off against Ruffian, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, or who knows what?
Ugh, looks like more overtime is in my future…
In the end, Platinum couldn't be bothered to overthink it. It was next year's problem at the earliest. For now, she had more overtime to do.
Platinum needed to win five more Japanese G1s before she could claim her reward.
In short, she faced a long stretch of overtime! Unlocking new transformations was far off, still a long way to go.
For now, she needed to prepare properly for the upcoming battle in the Kikuka Sho, to figure out how to face the terrifying Manhattan Cafe!
Big escape, activate!
As Platinum finished her thoughts…
The official reporter for the Epsom Derby posed the second interview question.
[So, Miss Platinum, it's said that Galileo's younger sister, Sea The Stars, is even more terrifyingly talented. In past interviews, Galileo stated her sister's talent far surpasses her own.]
[Will you face Sea The Stars in the future?]
When this second question was asked…
Platinum froze completely.
…Huh?
'Seriously? Little Sea… I mean, more talented than a world-class runner like Galileo?'
Miss Platinum appeared calm and composed on the surface, but inside, she was panicking.
Elder sister Galileo, won her debut by fourteen lengths, talent far inferior to little sister.
Little sister Sea The Stars, finished fourth in her debut, talent far superior to elder sister.
Platinum couldn't make heads or tails of it.
'I mean, Little Sea, if you're really that amazing, how could you possibly finish fourth in your debut, just like Secretariat?'
'Geh, Little Sea, are you and Secretariat teaming up to mess with me?'
You naturally wicked little foal of the Sea family, I'll just…
What kind of "game matchmaking system" is this? Isn't it a bit ridiculous?
Forget it, doesn't matter, I'll surpass them all!
Just surpassed the big sister? Surpassing the little sister too is fine!
I'll surpass them both! Might as well spare neither!
After steeling herself for a moment, Platinum finally spoke.
Her tone was icy and aloof, the response of an assassin.
"I accept challenges from anyone! But consider this a final warning delivered in advance."
"—Walk away now, and no one gets hurt."
Platinum's upcoming mission schedule consisted of Japan's most weighty races.
In the short term, she wouldn't be meeting any Little Sea.
Barring unexpected events, that would probably be after the Takarazuka Kinen.
Before that, she needed to prepare to face Manhattan Cafe and Agnes Tachyon!
Immediately after, the reporter asked a new question.
"Then, you…"
--+--
Backstage at the current Winner's Stage, the audience seats were packed.
Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black were watching the large screen on stage.
The screen was showing Platinum's ongoing interview.
"Miss Platinum is so cool!"
"Yeah, she's practically the epitome of a once-in-a-lifetime Uma Musume!"
Unlike other active horse girls who wanted to come but couldn't find the time, these two, not yet in full training, could come freely!
As the petite young fillys marveled…
Around them, the voices of other European spectators continuously rose.
"In all this time, this is the first Solo Dance I've seen at the Epsom Derby."
"The previous Epsom Derby record was Shergar's ten-length victory, right? It stood until today, when Platinum broke it."
"Has Japan ever produced a world-class Uma Musume before? Has their URA or Tracen Academy's training level improved? How did they suddenly produce a monster who can even defeat Galileo?"
"This is truly 'famous in one battle, known throughout the world', isn't it?"
"Gah, I can't accept a European horse girl losing to some country bumpkin horse girl! I hope next year's Sea The Stars can defeat Platinum."
"Who would have thought even someone as strong as Galileo couldn't stand on the stage as a dance partner? Just how exceptional do you have to be to share a dance with Platinum?!"
The shockwaves from Platinum's victory at the Epsom Derby, achieving the Irregular Triple Crown, were only just beginning to spread!
And this time, the reach was no longer confined to Japan—the name 'Pegasus' was truly resounding far and wide!
--+--
Two hours later.
Due to the time difference, it wasn't daytime in Japan.
Even though it was night, news of the Epsom Derby spread throughout Japan in an extremely short time.
At the current URA office building, light shone from one particular conference room.
Inside, nearly half of the URA's members were present, their faces flushed with excitement, feeling exhilaration by the results of the English Derby.
"Without a doubt, this is world-class!"
"Now perhaps Symboli Rudolf will be surpassed by Platinum!"
"The Irregular Triple Crown… to think it was actually achieved?"
The reason only half were present was because the other half had taken leave to attend the English Derby in person…
"Quiet! Quiet!"
"The next major focus of discussion is—the Kikuka Sho."
One of the members, trying to contain his excitement, called for calm before stating the meeting's main agenda.
"Jungle Pocket is expected to enter the Japan Cup, Kurofune is considering mile or even dirt races, Agnes Tachyon's injury is almost certainly incurable…"
"And Platinum, she just achieved the Irregular Triple Crown. It's highly unlikely she'll run the Kikuka Sho; she doesn't need it to validate her Irregular Triple Crown."
"The upcoming Kikuka Sho might be the most deserted, least noticed Classic G1 in years. So, can we get Platinum to run the Kikuka Sho to boost its popularity?"
Then, everyone gradually calmed down and began discussing.
After a short while…
One member offered an answer.
"Don't Triple Crown events like the Autumn Triple Crown have special additional prize money? But the Irregular Triple Crown never had any before, right?"
"Then draft a proposal tonight, announce it tomorrow—"
"For Japanese classic races, accumulating a Mixed Triple Crown will come with a hefty, sky-high monetary reward."
Obviously, this was a proposal specifically modified to award bonus money to that Pegasus.
For the URA, as long as Platinum was willing to run the Kikuka Sho, the impact would far exceed the value of the Triple Crown prize money. It would be worth it.
While continuously promoting Platinum's overseas Irregular Triple Crown achievement, she could also win three domestic Japanese classic G1s, and they'd throw in a large sum of money to entice her to compete.
Platinum just needed to run the races; the URA had to consider everything else!
Irregular Triple Crown?
Make it an Irregular Quadruple Crown!
"I second the motion. I think it will work."
"I second it. Creating a [Japanese Irregular Triple Crown Prize Money Clause] specifically for Platinum is very reasonable. She deserves it."
"Ditto. This clause will probably be called the [Platinum Clause] by the outside world, won't it?"
"Then it's settled. Platinum is now Japan's most valuable horse girl!"
The URA's little Pegasus?
No, after winning the Epsom Derby and achieving the Irregular Triple Crown, Platinum had been promoted from beloved daughter, little Pegasus, to…
—The Queen!!
They were even discussing creating a custom [Platinum Clause] just to give her money, all in the hopes she'd enter the Kikuka Sho!
"She really is… an unprecedented Uma Musume!"
--+--
Meanwhile, at Tracen Academy.
Agnes Tachyon was sitting in her lab, but unlike usual, she wasn't conducting any experiments or research.
Beside her, the expressionless Uma Musume, Manhattan Cafe, was also there. Both were looking down at their respective phones.
And they were watching the same recently concluded race.
"The view count… is huge."
"The Pegasus has flown into the world in one leap."
Even the usually taciturn Manhattan Cafe couldn't help but remark on the current view count.
Just on Japanese networks, in merely two hours, the view count for that English Derby had already approached ten million.
You have to understand, a regular Japanese G1 might have a view count in the millions after several months; overseas G1s generally get hundreds of thousands of views, with only a few famous international G1s in Japan possibly breaking one million.
One could imagine, in a country with a population of around a hundred million, given a bit more time, the view count for this English Derby would likely be in the tens of millions. This was going to become a super famous race known throughout the entire nation!
As a race unfamiliar to most Japanese racing fans—the Epsom Derby—known only for its great prestige and extreme difficulty, usually felt distant. For it to reach such an exaggerated level, there was only one possibility.
That is… a Japanese Uma Musume had achieved an unprecedented result in that foreign G1!
Below the video, comments were pouring in at a terrifying rate of dozens per second, setting a new record for recent years on Japanese network horse girl race videos.
[Platinum! Platinum! She actually achieved the Irregular Triple Crown!]
[And to think it was achieved through a world-class race like the Epsom Derby. This is practically a peerless achievement, right?]
[The Pegasus… was she always this strong??]
[We still don't know how the horse girl from the debut race didn't lose by a huge margin…]
[Without a doubt, this is the crystallization of modern Japanese Uma Musume! Compared to the Emperor, the Pegasus is the true symbol of Japanese Uma Musume!]
[Ah, it's a shame we won't see my two idols, won't see a "Tachyon vs. Platinum" match. That would definitely be an epic battle for the history books.]
Platinum was now famous throughout Japan, a household name!
In just over a month since her debut, her fame kept spreading. Now, it was probably enough to rival those retired Hall of Fame senior horse girls of the past!
If it was Platinum, matching the Emperor's seven G1 wins, or even surpassing them, wasn't out of the question!
Manhattan Cafe couldn't help but think, pondering Platinum's future race choices.
The Irregular Triple Crown… Platinum has completely finished and secured it now, right?
Around the time of the Kikuka Sho, there was the [Japan Cup], Japan's only open international G1 middle-distance race.
Usually, new generation horse girls based their choice on their own "long-distance aptitude."
Those with decent stamina, who still had a chance of winning the Kikuka Sho, would only choose the Kikuka Sho.
Those with truly poor long-distance aptitude would reluctantly choose to switch to the Japan Cup, which was very close in timing, or the Autumn Tenno Sho, which was even earlier.
For example, current runners like Jungle Pocket and Kurofune clearly weren't strong in long distance and might choose to skip the Kikuka Sho for other shorter races.
A certain Undefeated Triple Crown Emperor, Miss Symboli Rudolf, after winning the Kikuka Sho to achieve the Triple Crown, had her "undefeated" streak ended in the Japan Cup soon after, serving as a warning and a cautionary tale for future junior horse girls.
So, the usual default was choosing either the middle-distance Autumn Tenno Sho or Japan Cup, or the long-distance Kikuka Sho.
As for Platinum—
Obviously, she was an outlier and couldn't be compared to any past example.
Platinum is different. She can't possibly lack long-distance aptitude, but… she has no need to challenge the Kikuka Sho, right? The Irregular Triple Crown was already achieved.
The Kikuka Sho holds no meaning for her beyond a large prize purse. It definitely can't compare to challenging the more influential Japan Cup!
This was the major conclusion Manhattan Cafe reached after deep thought.
Having achieved the Irregular Triple Crown, if Platinum wanted to climb higher, the races worthy of her attention should be the Japan Cup, Arima Kinen, Spring Tenno Sho—the top events across various distances.
Since the default was choosing between the Japan Cup and Kikuka Sho, then…
So, I probably don't need to worry about encountering that Pegasus in the Kikuka Sho?
Manhattan Cafe couldn't help but feel slightly relieved.
All along, even though she wasn't very famous and kept a low profile, she always had her own drive and determination as a horse girl.
That's why, before this, even knowing her chances against Tachyon were minuscule, she still had the courage to challenge her.
Even after losing, she had no regrets.
But only when facing Platinum, who had achieved the Irregular Triple Crown and defeated Galileo by a huge margin, did Manhattan Cafe, estimating Platinum's low likelihood of entering the Kikuka Sho, feel something close to relief for the first time…
If Platinum wasn't an opponent, Manhattan Cafe had full confidence.
But if Platinum was there… her confidence would take a significant hit, she'd become apprehensive, but she definitely wouldn't reach the point of despair!
After all, Manhattan Cafe's greatest strength was long distance. She had some confidence in her steadily improving stamina lately, even if… the opponent was Platinum.
No need to worry. Even if Platinum comes, I'm not afraid.
Besides, she'll most likely choose the Japan Cup.
As for taking both the Kikuka Sho and Japan Cup? The Emperor's precedent was there, so it should be… impossible, right?
And beside Cafe…
The crazy horse girl scientist in the white coat, Agnes Tachyon, was looking down at her phone video when she heard a notification sound.
After the mad scientist tapped to check it.
The next second, her pupils constricted!
[Dr. Lin: Tachyon, I'm coming to treat you tomorrow.]
"Huh?"
Wasn't her issue an incurable illness?
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.