Honestly...
Garden Gale hadn't expected that after meeting the unlock requirements for [Sky-High Teio Step], the skill wouldn't activate immediately—instead, she'd been granted a Reincarnation count.
So it wanted her to learn it herself?
…Sure.
You're the system. You make the rules. Here's a big thumbs-up for you.
She shrugged helplessly, striking the classic pose of an old-school web novel protagonist. The next instant, the laziness drained from her eyes, little by little. When she looked up again, something sharp flickered in her pupils—a hunter's focus.
If she had to learn it,
Then she'd learn it properly.
...
Reincarnation.
To explain the term again—
When she entered the consciousness space, Garden Gale could become the target Umamusume and learn from her directly—her running form, her control of detail, every nuance. Within Reincarnation, the insight ran deeper than observation ever could… because she truly became someone else. She became another Umamusume.
Ah…
Just thinking about it stirred a trace of nostalgia.
That petite frame of Tokai Teio's, brimming with incomparable explosiveness and genius-level instinct.
She was ready.
Her blood was already starting to boil.
She waited as the Reincarnation loaded the consciousness space.
[Loading… 1%… 3%… 67%… 99%]
[Load Complete]
[Reincarnation Target]: Tokai Teio
[Reincarnation Skill]: Sky-High Teio Step
—[Please Select Reincarnation Instance.]
…Huh?
Garden Gale froze.
Please Select Reincarnation Instance? That hadn't existed before, right…? No, it hadn't. Last time, she'd been dropped straight into Tokai Teio's daily life—first as an observer, then into simulation, gradually growing stronger through that process.
So what was this "instance"?
Like those MMORPG dungeon instances? The kind where you party up and fight a boss?
Two options appeared before her.
—[Instance One]: A Genius's Journey Begins at Her Feet — Japan Derby
—[Instance Two]: Miraculous Revival — Arima Kinen
Garden Gale's gaze sharpened instantly.
She didn't fully understand what "instance mode" meant.
But these two race names...
Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Umamusume knew what level these races represented.
The first was the Japan Derby—one of the Eight Major Races, part of the Classic Triple Crown. The pinnacle. The highest competitive tier. And in Japan, the Derby carried special weight—perhaps because of its regional pride, perhaps because its 2400 meters embodied the royal road of middle-distance racing.
In any case, there was such a thing as a "Derby-winning Umamusume."
But no one ever said "Satsuki-winning Umamusume" or "Kikuka Sho-winning Umamusume."
The second race was even grander.
—The year-end Arima Kinen.
Because of its unique format, this G1 carried arguably the highest prestige of the entire season. There was no question about it. The Arima Kinen was decided by fan vote—only the most popular Umamusume earned the right to run. It was a stage that gave back to the fans. In other words, the strongest winners, those with the biggest fanbases, were the ones most likely to appear there.
Still.
As Garden Gale stared at the two names,
A faint sense of foreboding crept into her heart.
Before she could even ponder—
The Selas System made the choice for her.
[Instance Two Not Unlocked.]
[Automatically Selecting Instance One…]
[A Genius's Journey Begins at Her Feet — Japan Derby.]
[Beginning Simulation.]
The world spun violently.
...
By the time Garden Gale came to,
She was already standing on grass.
The turf stretched green and free around her. The roar of the crowd thundered almost violently against her ears. Tension, pressure, the weight of glory—they tangled together in this arena of competition.
What the hell?
Still dazed, she glanced around.
Something felt off about her perspective… like she'd suddenly become shorter. Then she moved slightly—her body responded with astonishing lightness, coiled with the explosive power to launch skyward at any moment.
Could it be...
She clenched her fist.
She had become Tokai Teio.
And she was about to run in the next race.
The Derby?
So "instance mode" meant simulating a race and having her win it to comprehend the skill?
That was… pretty creative.
…Okay, maybe not that creative.
And the Selas System just threw her straight into the Japan Derby like that? Hah. Then wouldn't she just win easily?
No one noticed her trembling fingertips.
The fighting spirit she'd mustered began to thin. She could only cling to absurd thoughts to dull the nerves. When insecurity hit rock bottom, arrogance was the only shield she had left.
Because—for Garden Gale, who had never run a G-grade race before, this was overwhelming.
Jumping straight into the fiercest G1. A packed racecourse. The roar of the crowd sounded like it could split the heavens—like rolling thunder upon thunder.
"Tokai Teio—!!"
"You have to win the Derby! Follow the Emperor's will—claim the Triple Crown again! Beat them! I believe in you!!"
"If it's Teio, everything will be fine, right?!"
This wasn't her first race with spectators.
Her debut race. The Wakagoma Stakes. There had been audiences there.
But compared to the Japan Derby, those crowds were nothing.
The sheer number of people—let alone the feral intensity of their cheers—
Standing there, Garden Gale felt goosebumps ripple across her skin. Her face flushed bright red—not from shyness, but from fear.
So many people were expecting something from her…
Run.
That was the only comfort she could give herself.
Once she started running, she would focus. Once the race began, everything else would fade. As long as she could run, she'd be fine.
She exhaled slowly, steadying her breathing.
At the same time—
Her gate number was called.
Garden Gale walked into the starting gate with firm resolve, settling into her starting stance. Just like she'd said—once she ran, she'd be fine. She always managed to focus once the race began.
Even if her scalp still tingled with nerves.
The race was about to begin.
In the next instant—
The starting gates flew open.
Garden Gale seized the moment, launching forward with her flawless, reliable start to secure early advantage.
However—
In just a blink—
While she didn't make a mistake.
Her start gained her nothing.
Instead, she was instantly boxed in, hemmed on all sides—pushed back into disadvantage.
"..."
Her pupils shrank.
…They're actually strong!!??
Her proud starting dash—was completely crushed.
---
T/N: oof sorry girl but uhh this is the JAPAN FUCKING DERBY and not an open race :sob:
like imagine admire vega's in the wakagoma as your opponent but actually stronger than that and thats the bare minimum prob for every uma here
HIIII SO I DID MESS UP THE UPDATES A BIT! SO WITH THIS YOU SHOULD BE CORRECT NOW??? i doubled 72 and 73 i think, and i missed chapter 75 so you should go back to check it anyway it should be fixed now