On her first day at school, aside from checking in at her classroom for the first period, Kitasan Black skipped all the remaining classes. As for so-called disciplinary action, she couldn't care less. The senpais' experience had taught her that no matter how outrageous her behavior, as long as she could register as an uma musume and win races, all of that would be written off. That was the rule of Tracen Academy.
In the world of athletic competition, strength was the pass to everything. This was a paradise for the strong!
And she, Kitasan Black, though a despicable cheater, was undoubtedly an absolute powerhouse!
Using the senpais' experience, she obtained a list of trainers.
Those highly-ranked trainers weren't even in her consideration.
She locked onto a trainer who had just joined, was currently doing odd jobs, and had no one under contract. Kitasan Black noted down their phone number and called to arrange a meeting.
That's right—Kitasan Black was looking for the kind of background trainer who didn't even have a name or portrait in the game.
Kitasan Black's search for a trainer went extremely smoothly.
When the trainer she found learned that an uma musume was willing to sign with her, she was so happy she nearly cried. This wasn't an exaggeration at all. After all, every student who could test into Central Tracen Academy was a local genius with their own pride—how could they possibly just casually sign with any trainer?
Even in the game's individual uma musume storylines, when the player sometimes took on the role of a low-ranking trainer, they still had to take the initiative, using exceptional social skills and a sincere heart to earn the uma musume's agreement. And in the main storyline, it went without saying—trainers were either geniuses like Trainer P or came from prestigious backgrounds.
And trainer salaries weren't actually as high as people imagined. A trainer's base salary might not even be higher than a convenience store clerk's. This was why many low-level trainers needed to work multiple part-time jobs on the side just to make ends meet—because the bulk of a trainer's income came from race commissions.
For a trainer to truly earn their first pot of gold, they needed to sign with an uma musume.
As for how to split the prize money, that was for the uma musume and trainer to negotiate themselves. But there were limits—a trainer couldn't trick an uma musume into being their workhorse. The URA wouldn't approve such contracts. Of course, if a trainer wanted to be the uma musume's workhorse themselves, the association wouldn't interfere.
Take a certain Okino, for example. When it came to prize money distribution in his contracts with uma musume, his share was very low. That was why even though he was Spica's only trainer, he was still broke.
The prize money split Kitasan Black signed with her trainer was 80-20. Her original bottom line had been taking sixty percent, but the trainer had humbly said she only needed twenty percent. Naturally, Kitasan Black had no objections to that.
"Phew, well then, please take care of me from now on."
"So, Trainer, please register me for a debut race immediately."
Kitasan Black looked at the trainer whose face had relaxed into a relieved smile after getting the contract, and made her first request.
"So soon?"
"Trainer, you just need to do as I say. I'll naturally bring you victory and prize money."
Hearing Kitasan Black say this, the trainer felt she was being a bit hasty, but knowing her own position well, she did as instructed.
...
"Although it's started to drizzle, it can't dampen the passion on-site. A new round of the newcomer competition race is about to unfold here at Tokyo Racecourse. Today's commentary will be handled by yours truly, Akasaka. This race is a 2000-meter middle-distance event. Of the eleven competitors gathered here, who will successfully break through and take their first step on the road to glory? Let's look forward to it!"
The competitors walked onto the track wearing numbered athletic uniforms.
Kitasan Black entered as the third-favorite.
Although she was a local genius, every competitor who dared to sign up for this debut race had something going for them. Combined with her shallow credentials, even with her genius status adding points, her popularity only reached third place.
The first and second favorites ahead of her were both promising newcomers who had run in local races.
"Now entering is today's third-favorite, a new student who just enrolled at Central Tracen Academy this year. Surprisingly, this newcomer chose to register for the debut race directly without running a single practice match. Is this a reckless decision or the confidence of someone with real ability? We're certainly looking forward to seeing how this competitor performs."
The commentator didn't mention Kitasan Black's genius reputation from elementary school, because there was no need to. Just mentioning Central Tracen Academy was enough to know this competitor was definitely a genius. By comparison, the fact that she'd registered for her debut race without any training or practice matches was more worth discussing.
Kitasan Black walked into the starting gate without much preparation.
Her trainer stood in the spectator stands holding an umbrella, nervously watching in Kitasan Black's direction.
Come on, do your best.
She actually didn't know Kitasan Black's true strength.
After all, despite Kitasan Black having made a name as a genius, that reputation hadn't spread very far due to her background.
Her elementary school had even intentionally kept her hidden.
So while the trainer knew that anyone who could test into Central Tracen Academy couldn't be weak, she had no idea exactly how strong Kitasan Black was.
Adding to that, Kitasan Black hadn't run a single practice match, so her track record was completely blank. If not for someone as weak as herself being her trainer, any other trainer would never have agreed to let Kitasan Black debut at this time.
But for a trainer like her who couldn't even find an uma musume to sign with, things were different.
Now that she finally had an uma musume willing to sign with her, she would do her best to satisfy all of the uma musume's requests.
At that moment, another competitor's trainer nearby mocked loudly: "Hey hey, registering for a debut race without any training? Supposedly she's some local genius, but this brat probably hasn't even mastered any skills yet, right? Even if it's just a debut race, this is still an official competition. Her trainer is way too irresponsible."
So what if she's a Central Tracen Academy student?
Did they really think this was still elementary school sports day?
Aside from certain geniuses with family secret techniques who might have mastered skills in elementary school, most uma musume only started learning skills when they entered middle school.
This kid called Kitasan Black definitely hadn't mastered any skills yet!
That's what many of the competitors' trainers thought.
Kitasan Black's trainer heard the discussion around her and lowered her head nervously.
She knew doing this was wrong too.
After all, she had gotten into Central Tracen Academy as a trainer through her own ability.
But she had no choice—Kitasan Black had threatened her with an attitude that said if she didn't obey, she wouldn't mind finding a more obedient trainer instead. What else could she do but agree?
The trainers continued mocking Kitasan Black and her trainer.
But on the track, the participating competitors felt completely different.
Sensing the aura emanating from Gate 6, quite a few competitors couldn't help but want to tuck their tails.
Some competitors even stood frozen in place, needing staff to push them before they'd enter their gates.
Though Kitasan Black was only the third-favorite, the moment all the competitors felt that presence, they all thought she was the strongest competitor in this race—the greatest opponent they had to defeat.
Did they really think someone like this hadn't mastered any skills?
What a joke. If someone told them she'd already opened her domain, they'd believe it!
But even facing such a powerful opponent, they couldn't back down here.
After all, the debut race mechanism was different from regular races. There was no placing system—only the true first-place finisher could successfully debut and earn the qualification to compete in Graded Stakes races. Even second place was a crushing defeat.
So in a sense, the competitive intensity of the debut race was no less than the highest-level races, because this was the one race where no competitor could afford to lose. Lose, and they could only go back to running low-level local races.
Almost simultaneously, all the competitors unanimously decided to team up against Kitasan Black first.
Because just feeling the aura emanating from her gate, none of them had any confidence they could beat her.
(We have to work together. This one is definitely a freak!)
This was what all the competitors were thinking.
"All competitors have entered the gates. Ready to go. Countdown starting—"
The indicator light on the gate flashed.
The gates opened!
"All eleven competitors have started! No one's fallen behind!"
Just as the commentator was celebrating that no one had a slow start, a black shadow suddenly burst from the pack in an instant, like a flash of light. Before anyone could react, she had already charged to the front of the formation.
The competitors who had drawn favorable positions hadn't even had time to respond.
Before the gates opened, they'd been thinking about surrounding and blocking the number six competitor, but the race had barely started and that person had already shot through the formation like a meteor to take the lead. How were they supposed to stop someone like this?!
"Incredible! Competitor #6 has taken the leading position with terrifying speed right at the race's start!"
The commentator watched the distance being pulled apart in an instant and felt his heartbeat skip half a beat before his blood surged!
This competitor had something special.
The trainers who had just been mocking Kitasan Black stared with shocked, wide-open eyes.
"Impossible! That speed, those fundamentals—is she a monster?!"
It was as if all the other competitors were just decorations.
She was displaying strength on a completely different level from everyone else!
One trainer realized something and said in disbelief: "She didn't even use a skill!"
Many competitors had used skills at the start to secure favorable positions, but there was no skill effect visible on Kitasan Black. That was just ordinary running.
Thinking about this, the other competitors' trainers couldn't stay calm.
This performance could only mean one thing—she was far stronger than they had imagined!
But hadn't she just entered middle school?
Why had a monster of this caliber been so unknown before?!
If they'd known earlier what kind of monster she was, they would never have let their contracted uma musume compete in this debut race.
"Is that really the Kita-chan I know?"
Kobayashi Reki, who had come as promised to watch Kitasan Black's debut race, couldn't help rubbing her eyes.
She had never known her childhood friend was such an amazing person. After all, Kitasan Black was normally someone so lazy she found even walking to be a bother. But the Kitasan Black in this race was impossibly strong!
Kitasan Black's trainer was also dumbfounded.
She had thought Kitasan Black was probably fairly strong, but this performance wasn't just "fairly strong"—it was absurdly powerful.
For a moment, she felt the surreal sensation of being hit on the head by a golden pie falling from the sky.
Because even in her dreams, she had never dared imagine she could sign an uma musume of this caliber.
Meanwhile, in the race, the distance between Kitasan Black and the other competitors continued to grow.
Even without using skills, her leading position never wavered—as if she had built a fortress wall!
The close-up camera captured Kitasan Black's face, showing no strain whatsoever. Her cold expression was as relaxed as if she were just taking a stroll.
Behind her, the other competitors activated skills trying to catch up.
But it was as if an iron wall blocked them from behind. That four to five-length gap wouldn't shrink at all. Once their skills' duration ended, they could only watch helplessly as the distance continued to grow.
It was overwhelming strength and despair!
(What is that? That speed, that power—what the hell is she?!)
The first-favorite's expression twisted as she watched the figure ahead.
She had already used even the advanced skill she'd planned to save for later. So why couldn't she catch up?!
Perfect breathing rhythm!
Focused spirit!
Strong, powerful footsteps!
The running form and pace Kitasan Black displayed was the ideal type that shouldn't exist in reality!
Though not as dreamlike as McQueen's running style, nor as elegant as Teio's, it could even be described as unremarkable—yet this very running style was solid to the point of being flawless!
It gave off a beauty of strength, like steel!
And most terrifying of all, whether speed, explosive power, or stamina, everything was at monster level!
It wasn't just a gap in stats, but something more fundamental.
Just as McQueen had once evaluated, Kitasan Black was an undisputed genius.
In terms of talent, she even surpassed Tokai Teio, who already stood at the pinnacle of ability.
The ability to perfectly imitate, plus a body with perfect balance.
These weren't things bestowed by her senpais—they were Kitasan Black's own talents.
Even if Kitasan Black herself wasn't aware, that terrifying gift would still manifest on its own.
This was why Kitasan Black's running style gave people a feeling similar to the Demon King's. But at least the Demon King used interference skills to affect others. Kitasan Black, however, made everyone suffocate with nothing more than her fortress-like front-running.
And this wasn't even her full strength!
By the middle stage of the race, the gap between Kitasan Black and second place had already reached nine lengths.
"Strong! So strong! Who could possibly defeat such a powerful Kitasan Black?!"
The commentator had stopped bothering to comment on the other competitors by now, because it was completely meaningless.
A nine-length gap from second place by the middle stage—even if Kitasan Black slowed down in the final stage, there'd be no catching up.
Not to mention Kitasan Black was still running away!
The gap was still growing!
What an amazing breakaway!
This was complete domination!
"The gap is still widening! The final turn is just ahead! Will this be an earth-shattering, overwhelming victory?!"
The commentator was now completely certain that Kitasan Black would win this race. His only question now was whether Kitasan Black could maintain her lead all the way and not even give second place a chance to cross the finish line!
Could any uma musume really do such a thing?
No—historically, there had been uma musume who accomplished this!
But such a thing hadn't happened in modern times for a very long time.
Entering the final turn, at that instant, a flash of light finally appeared at Kitasan Black's feet for the first time.
Seeing that seven-colored radiance, the other competitors who had already grown numb now felt true despair. She had even mastered a Flash-tier skill?!
The spectator stands had gone silent. Everyone's mouth went dry.
They had never expected to see something like this in a debut race.
The rainbow seven-colored flash spread beneath her feet. For an instant, a dreamlike white figure seemed to appear over Kitasan Black.
[Stake It All on Being the Strongest (Flash)]
The dreamlike running style was recreated. That flash capable of soaring to the heavens was displayed in this world for the first time.
Those who thought Kitasan Black would slow down in the final stage were horrified to discover that she wasn't slowing down at all—her speed was still climbing without limit!
"!"
The commentator didn't even know how to continue.
Or rather, his blood was surging now. His whole body was trembling. Even his mouth was quivering.
Rounding the turn, the final straightaway was simply too short for Kitasan Black with her skill activated.
Without slowing down at all, Kitasan Black crossed the finish line in an accelerating sprint.
And at that moment, the competitors behind her weren't even visible.
"Crossed the line!"
"Invincible front-running! What stunning footwork! Kitasan Black has shown us the power of an absolute monarch!"
The commentator hurriedly checked the track record.
"At this very moment, Kitasan Black has massively broken this track's record!"
Normally, when uma musume broke time records, it was within a range of a few seconds.
But Kitasan Black had broken the record by a full twenty-plus seconds.
And it was obvious that Kitasan Black hadn't even gone all out.
The commentator thought the upcoming Classic races would be worth watching. Without a monster like the Tyrant or Daiwa Scarlet appearing, he simply didn't think anyone could compete with Kitasan Black.
And even those former champions hadn't shown such an overwhelming gap in their debut races.
Kitasan Black stopped running.
You could see she had barely sweated, hadn't even caught her breath once.
That cold expression seemed to say this was merely the beginning!
Let it begin. Let me destroy everything!
Dark clouds gathered in the sky. Thunder rumbled—as if heralding a terrifying storm about to descend upon this world!
...
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