Gifu Prefecture, Hashima District, Kasamatsu Tracen Academy — Trainer Office.
Pushing open the slightly peeling paint of the office door, Jo Kitahara immediately noticed three people gathered around a desk.
On the desk lay a stack of lists. The three were: a sharp-looking young man in a suit, a burly middle-aged man with a crew cut, and a young woman with faint freckles across her nose.
They were clearly arguing about something, and the focus was obviously on that stack of lists.
"I'm saying it first! I've already got my eye on this Uma Musume. She's my number one target—don't even think about stealing her from me!" The middle-aged man's squinted eyes showed a determined, unyielding gaze.
"Hah?! You feel the same way?!" The freckled woman reacted intensely."There's no way I'll let you have her! I've been watching her even before she enrolled!" Her veins bulged on her forehead, fists swinging as if ready for battle.
In contrast, the man in the suit didn't look as aggressive, but when he spoke, his tone carried authority and finality.
"I think we all have the same thoughts."
"'Fujimasa March' is the academy's only special recruit this year. In terms of speed, stamina, strength, and race experience, she's easily one of the best in recent years…"
"That's obvious. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so persistent," the middle-aged man eagerly interrupted."So this time, I absolutely have to—Eh? Jo, you're here?" He suddenly noticed Jo Kitahara at the office door, and the topic shifted.
Not only did the topic change, but the middle-aged man's tense demeanor also softened into casual friendliness.
"Hahaha, what a rare sight, Jo," he laughed."It's vacation now. What's a lazy guy like you doing at the academy? Don't tell me you've decided not to be a trainer and came here to quit? Hahaha!"
Prompted by his words, the other two finally noticed Jo standing at the door and greeted him in turn.
"Good afternoon, Jo.""How's your vacation, Jo?"
All three, like Jo, were trainers at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy—they were colleagues.
However, only Jo truly knew that he was no longer the "Jo" they used to know.
His mind—or rather, his soul—now belonged to a traveler from another world.
And this world was a parallel universe based on the games and anime he had experienced before traveling.
The world of "Uma Musume."
In this world, there are no horses. Instead, there exists a unique species called Uma Musume, blessed by the three goddesses.
Uma Musume are exclusively female, possessing human-like bodies and the physical traits of racehorses.
At full sprint, they can reach speeds of 60 km/h. Seeing an Uma Musume faster than a car on the street is not unusual.
Like racehorses in the other world, they are simple in character, obsessed with running, and highly competitive.
Because of this, specialized academies for Uma Musume exist—the very Tracen Academy where Jo and his colleagues work.
Trainers like Jo undergo professional training and certification to educate and guide the Uma Musume.
With his foresight advantage, Jo had already adapted to this world and understood exactly what his colleagues were arguing about.
A trainer's success was tied to the performance of the Uma Musume they trained—the better their students, the better the trainer's standing.
The subject of the current argument was, of course, "Fujimasa March," described by the suited man as the academy's most outstanding Uma Musume in recent years.
But Jo wasn't here to compete for Fujimasa March.
He knew that while she was indeed exceptional, there was another Uma Musume—possibly even more extraordinary.
"Since my junior, Gen-san, hasn't quit, how could I, a senior, just walk away?"
Knowing the carefree nature of the middle-aged man, Jo replied with a teasing smile:"My vacation has been great, perhaps the best one yet. Thanks for asking."
After exchanging light-hearted greetings with his colleagues, Jo walked straight to the desk and picked up the lists.
Seeing this, his colleagues instinctively tensed.
"So you came for her too, Jo! But you're late—we've already picked our candidates! Remember seniority!" the middle-aged man warned.
"I never thought Jo, usually so lazy, would be so active this semester. You're after Fujimasa March too, huh? But—" the suited man began carefully, only to be interrupted by the freckled woman.
"Hey! Even if you're a senior, you can't just claim someone for yourself!" she exclaimed.
Jo didn't intend to explain, but seeing their overreaction, he sighed lightly.
"Relax, alright?"
Ignoring their gazes, he returned each list to the desk while searching for the name he truly wanted.
"Indeed, like you, I want to secure an Uma Musume early for my team—but my choice isn't necessarily the same as yours."
"Even so, Fujimasa March is outstanding—who knows what you'll pick…" the middle-aged man started, then froze.
He saw Jo casually set a list aside, and when he read the name, his eyes widened in shock.
"Wait, Jo! Are you saying your target isn't Fujimasa March?"
The suited man and the freckled woman were equally surprised. They had seen Jo put the list back—and the name on it.
It was "Fujimasa March."
Yet Jo, having looked at the list, deliberately set it aside. Everyone understood—he wasn't interested in this "famous" Uma Musume.
"Jo, what's going on? Are you just wandering around the academy today?""How can a senior like you ignore such an excellent Uma Musume?"
Previously worried that Jo might "steal" their candidate, his colleagues now felt annoyed at his apparent indifference.
By now, Jo had already found the name he truly desired.
"No, it's not a matter of disinterest."
With a satisfied smile, he stared at the list and replied softly:
"Fujimasa March is an excellent Uma Musume. Whatever happens, her name will echo through Kasamatsu."
"But…"
He waved the list toward his colleagues with a grin.
"My appetite is big. One Kasamatsu isn't enough for me. I want not just Kasamatsu—I want the whole world."
"Since none of you value this one, then she belongs to me."
The name written in pencil on the list, pale and inconspicuous, was:
"Oguri Cap."