After grasping the formula for victory, Dream Weaver no longer fretted over how to defeat Tokai Teio. Instead, she began to explore her own limits.
Or perhaps, the limits of the skill called Concentration.
One rewind.
Two rewinds.
Gradually, Dream Weaver was able to memorize the movement patterns of every Uma Musume, even marking which patches of grass would sink from too much rain and which would give her the best footing.
Through these repeated attempts, even without using the Potential Stimulant, the gap between her and Tokai Teio was steadily closing.
From not even seeing her figure at the beginning, to trailing by six or seven lengths in the second attempt.
By the time Dream Weaver finally paused again, leaning against the entrance tunnel in thought, the gap had narrowed to just a single length.
For Dream Weaver now, whether she used the Potential Activator on speed or stamina, victory was within reach.
But before using the potion, there were still a few things she needed to verify.
Previously, she hadn't had the time or energy to explore the system. Now, with victory almost certain, she finally remembered to do so.
Dream Weaver first silently summoned the shop in her mind, once again seeing that screen wrapped in chains. When she tried tapping it with her finger, the mechanical voice echoed in her ears:
[The shop will unlock after the initial task is completed.]
'Just as I thought,' Dream Weaver nodded slightly. She'd had a hunch when she first saw the chains.
The system needed to maintain the difficulty of the initial task. Unlocking the shop too early would make Uma Musume rely on items instinctively.
So… the note on the Potential Stimulant wasn't just a joke, but a hidden warning too?
After checking the shop, Dream Weaver called up her status panel.
--+--
[Uma Musume Training System — Status]
Character: Dream Weaver
Speed: E+ [Debut Level]
Stamina: E+ [Debut Level]
Power: E [Entry Level]
Guts: D [Rising Star Level]
Wit: E+ [Debut Level]
Track Affinity: Turf A, Dirt C
Zone: None
Skill: Concentration (Blue)
[Effect: A ability honed from the mental strength accumulated through two lifetimes under pressure. Allows for easier focus on the racecourse, occasionally perceiving subtle changes on the track.]
Tokyo… (Generating)
--+--
'My feeling was right!' Dream Weaver narrowed her eyes, staring at the subtle changes on the panel.
Her memory hadn't been good enough initially to track every Uma Musume's movement—and anyway, remembering which patch of grass was better to step on was just too exaggerated.
'Is this what they mean by "training is a pretend race, and racing is real training"?'
Looking at the updated panel, an idea suddenly occurred to her.
Recalling the system's response when she touched the shop earlier, Dream Weaver directly asked the system: "Can the attributes and skills improved during the task be carried over to reality?"
The mechanical voice sounded again the next second:
[Skills gained during any task can be brought back to reality. Attributes depend on the task type. Attributes improved in this task can be carried over.]
Dream Weaver didn't dwell on task types but focused on her earlier idea.
If the attributes improved in this task could be brought back, could she treat this race as an endless training ground, max out all her stats, and only then complete the task?
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
She looked at the empty entrance tunnel, glanced at the rain outside the entrance, and sighed softly.
Each rewind, including the entrance time, only lasted a few minutes. Suppressing her loneliness in such an environment, relying on these fleeting minutes to grind her attributes—when victory was already within reach, yet having to give up the win every time…
Even if she could do it, the person who returned to reality wouldn't be herself anymore.
Dream Weaver shook her head. She still had things she must accomplish. Her pursuit of strength was for her mother's sake. If her mother woke from her sickbed and the person she saw wasn't her, then none of it would matter.
Just then, that already tiresome line echoed in her ears again.
'Time to enter again, huh?'
"System, use the Potential Activator. Raise my stamina to D-rank."
After giving the system her final instruction, Dream Weaver tied her ribbon and stepped into the rain.
The cool droplets fell on her face. She sniffed the scent of wet earth, held out her hand to catch the rain, and felt a sense of nostalgia, like playing in the water as a child.
Even though she'd stepped into this rain countless times, it felt like she was noticing it properly for the first time. With victory assured, Dream Weaver could finally let go of all the complicated thoughts weighing on her mind. She closed her eyes, standing still and waiting quietly until the call to take positions sounded before she began to move.
Entering the starting gate, settling into position, she committed every Uma Musume's trajectory to memory.
With the bang of the starter pistol, thirteen Uma Musume burst from the gates.
Adjusting, confirming, Dream Weaver quietly fell in behind the pack, following her memory's guidance, placing every step perfectly.
The two-hundred-meter straight flashed by. Entering the curve, Dream Weaver even shifted her steps at a dangerously sharp angle, her body leaning as if crushed by gravity, seeming on the verge of being thrown off any second.
But with every step she took, the ground responded firmly and powerfully. If anyone had been watching Dream Weaver closely, they would have noticed something indescribably strange about her compared to the other Uma Musume.
It was as if everyone was struggling through deep snow when suddenly, someone walked past expressionless, moving as if on solid ground—as if the snow didn't exist for her.
But before the commentator could spot this oddity, Dream Weaver accelerated the instant she cleared the curve, streaking past several Uma Musume like lightning.
The orderly pack seemed to sense something, uneasily adjusting their paths, but Dream Weaver, as if foreseeing it all, darted through the gaps between them.
Only then did the slow-to-react commentator exclaim:
"It's number thirteen, Dream Weaver! Incredible speed! She's sliced through the pack like there's no resistance at all!"
Her body felt light. Even accelerating earlier than before, she wasn't tired at all.
Dream Weaver fixed her intense gaze ahead, on that towering white crescent that had always been out of reach.
She picked up speed again. With D-rank stamina, she could maintain this sprint until the end. As Tokai Teio drew closer, Dream Weaver could even sense the shock emanating from that petite figure ahead.
Soon, Dream Weaver pulled alongside Tokai Teio. With a hundred meters to the finish, they pushed each other, red and white streaks of light racing so brilliantly it seemed to pierce through the rain.
When the two figures crossed the finish line together, everyone wondered:
Who, exactly, had won?
Their confusion didn't last long. Soon, the giant screen displayed two lines:
First Place: Dream Weaver
Second Place: Tokai Teio
Dream Weaver turned to look at Tokai Teio, panting heavily beside her. She'd never seen her so disheveled before—she'd really pushed her to the limit.
Dream Weaver opened her mouth to say something, but Tokai Teio's figure was already blurring.
'Is it over?'
She simply closed her eyes, quietly waiting for the system's summary.
[Stage Task Two Completed]
[Rewards Distributed]
When she opened her eyes again, she was back in the empty athlete's tunnel. Dream Weaver silently watched the red clock ticking away, then called up the task panel in her mind.
--+--
[Initial Task: Debut Race]
I. Main Objective
Win the debut race by a dominant margin.
Rewards: 3000 SP + Stage Ticket ×1
--+--
Staring at the words "absolute margin" on the task panel, Dream Weaver mulled over the meaning of "absolute," then murmured to herself:
"System, use the Potential Stimulant. Boost my speed and intelligence."
Without waiting for the commentator to call her name, Dream Weaver tied her ribbon and stepped back into the rain.
'Then let me confirm what truly counts as absolute.'
--+--
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.