Bad news.
Very bad news.
The instant Li Ze saw Symboli Rudolf like that, she knew exactly what was about to happen.
And because she understood it…
Her heart filled with bitterness.
What the hell was this?
What kind of max-level player came down to bully a Level 1 newbie?
What was even the point of this dimensional massacre?
Why not just lie down and accept defeat immediately?
“Hello, Natsume Reiko.
I’m Symboli Rudolf, Student Council President of Tracen Academy.
This is Vice President Air Groove.” “Greetings, Senior Emperor.” After exchanging polite greetings, Li Ze asked the question that mattered most to her.
“Am I going to be evaluated by racing against you, Senior Emperor?” “Yes.” Rudolf’s answer struck like a heavyweight punch.
Li Ze nearly saw stars.
There was a saying in the martial world: Beat the junior and the senior comes out.
But this was ridiculous.
This wasn’t merely bullying someone weaker.
It was like sending Linghu Chong down the mountain before he even learned the Nine Swords of Dugu, then immediately making him duel Dongfang Bubai.
Wasn’t the number one martial artist in the world bullying a newcomer a little too much?
“I don’t require you to win.” Symboli Rudolf explained.
“I’ll control my speed during the race.
You should attack me with everything you have.
Use your aura.
I want to see how far your aura can go.” Whether it was the transfer-student evaluation or the auditing-student evaluation, victory was never the actual standard.
The standard was deliberately vague.
An Uma Musume and an ordinary horse girl were completely different.
The word race said everything.
A racing Uma Musume existed to compete.
And to surpass other horse girls.
In Rudolf’s view, an Uma Musume could be less skilled than others.
She could lose.
But the fire in her eyes could never be extinguished.
The entire world could abandon an Uma Musume.
The one person who could never abandon her…
Was herself.
Of course…
Natsume Reiko wasn’t actually a racing Uma Musume.
Symboli Rudolf had realized that at first glance.
Her current state was closer to a naturally athletic horse girl than a trained racing Uma Musume.
If it had been anyone else, Rudolf wouldn’t have personally stepped onto the track.
She would’ve selected a student to race them, watched the applicant’s performance, and coldly marked them as failed.
But Natsume Reiko’s talent…
Was too extraordinary.
There were many geniuses among Uma Musume.
Anyone capable of distinguishing herself on the racetrack was already a genius.
But most of those gifted girls—including the Emperor herself—possessed talent primarily in physical ability.
Natsume Reiko was different.
Her talent manifested through that bizarre aura.
And Symboli Rudolf wanted to experience it personally.
“Natsume Reiko, warm up.
We’ll begin shortly.
I assume you don’t want to drag this out.” “Understood, Senior Emperor.” Li Ze understood the principle of dying early and reincarnating early.
The “aura” Rudolf mentioned was clearly her system skills.
During her debut race, she’d seen darkness spreading from her body across the turf.
It forced the Uma Musume behind her to submit.
It wrapped around Nice Nature like chains and restricted her performance.
The problem was…
Could those skills restrict the Emperor?
Even Nice Nature had managed to evade one.
Could Li Ze’s “tendrils” even catch Symboli Rudolf?
Uncertain situations with low odds of success had always been excellent tools for destroying confidence.
And Symboli Rudolf’s evaluation method was extremely subjective.
Li Ze disliked subjectivity.
Subjective scoring meant high variance.
That came with advantages and disadvantages.
Good luck could produce a high score.
Bad luck produced a low one.
It was just like essay grading in language exams.
Major examinations were one thing—several teachers cross-graded essays to stabilize scores.
But ordinary mock exams?
One teacher decided everything.
If your unconventional essay happened to offend that particular teacher’s preferences…
Enjoy your low score.
Li Ze had personally experienced that once.
His Chinese-language score had hit an all-time low, prompting the teacher to speak with him privately.
Only then did they discover the essay was the issue.
Because of personal preference, the teacher had deducted at least ten points.
In examinations…
One point could defeat a thousand people.
Never mind ten.
But things had already reached this stage.
All he could do was bite the bullet and continue.
Li Ze began warming up nearby.
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio circled around Symboli Rudolf, happily chattering away.
Even though she was curious about Natsume Reiko, Teio obviously preferred being near Rudolf.
“Just use everything you have.” Tazuna approached Li Ze and reminded her quietly.
She understood Rudolf’s true intentions.
The Emperor wanted to determine exactly how far Natsume Reiko’s talent extended.
In truth, no matter how Reiko performed, she would receive auditing-student status.
Whether this talent was overwhelmingly powerful didn’t matter.
The fact that it existed…
Was enough.
“I know.
But the pressure is still there.” Li Ze smiled faintly.
“Maybe once I’m actually running, it won’t matter anymore.” Everyone knew the scariest part of getting an injection was before the needle entered.
When the doctor swabbed your skin with antiseptic.
Once the needle actually pierced you, it often wasn’t nearly as terrifying.
Racing was similar.
Once you were on the track…
Life and death were in heaven’s hands.
All you could do was give everything.
“A competition-type athlete?” Tazuna nodded thoughtfully.
“I see.
Then perform well.
After the race, I’ll treat you to a feast.” “Okay!” Li Ze never refused free food.
After Tazuna walked away, Tokai Teio came over.
“Reiko, I’m so jealous!
You get to race the President!” “What’s there to envy?” Li Ze smiled calmly.
“This is a race I cannot win.” The smile looked carefree.
Who could know the bitterness inside?
Symboli Rudolf was literally a Hall-of-Fame-level legend.
“No!
Win or lose, I’d be happy just running with the President!
You know, ever since she became Student Council President, she still trains every day, but she hasn’t actually raced anyone in a long time.” “Really?” So the old monster chose today to bully a newbie?
There was no turning back after the bow was drawn.
At this point, Li Ze didn’t know what else to say.
Fine.
Let’s do it.
Eventually, warm-up ended.
Li Ze and Symboli Rudolf stood side by side on the turf.
“Natsume Reiko, are you ready?” Rudolf looked at the woman beside her, who stood roughly the same height.
Despite Reiko being her junior, their heights were nearly identical.
Age-wise, Rudolf was still several years older.
So calling her a junior was perfectly reasonable.
“I’m ready, Senior Emperor.” “Do you have any questions?
About this race, perhaps.
For example, why I personally chose to compete.” Li Ze tilted her head and thought for a moment.
Isn’t it simply because you wanted to?
But saying that aloud probably wasn’t appropriate.
So she redirected the topic.
“Nothing important.
If I had to ask something…
“Why do you call this the transfer-student system?
Wouldn’t ‘special admission’ be more accurate?” “That’s probably a historical legacy.” Symboli Rudolf hadn’t expected that question.
She actually found it amusing.
“Are both of you ready?” Tazuna, temporarily serving as referee, asked.
“Ready!” “Ready!” “Very well.
Today’s course is turf, two thousand meters.
Weather: clear.
Track condition: good.” “Course introduction complete.
Beginning the countdown.” “Three.” Tazuna sounded completely comfortable running private races like this.
Just from her calm tone…
It was obvious she’d done it before.
“Two.” Time to run.
Li Ze was strangely calm now.
The pressure she’d felt earlier while facing Symboli Rudolf had disappeared.
She inhaled deeply.
Her mind recalled the feeling from her previous race.
Before entering a race and after entering one…
She practically became two different people.
When had her desire to win become so strong?
There seemed to be no answer.
“One.” Maybe…
This race would provide one.
Li Ze emptied her mind.
Every stray thought disappeared.
“Start!” Two figures shot from the starting line like arrows released from a bow!
[ END 401 Chapter ] Chainsaw Man: The Covenant of Flame Demon [Ss3 268 Chapter ] The Problem Child Starts from Gensokyo [ 311 Chapter ] Honkai star rail:Invincible From the Moment I Started Playing as Jing Yuan [Ss2 342 Chapter ] FGO: Handcrafted Lostbelt, the Strongest is the Real History [ 198 Chapter ] Honkai World: Kiana Doesn’t Need Redemption [ 318 Chapter ] Astral Courtyard: One View from the Trailblazing Department!
[ 207 Chapter ] Chat Group: My Character Card Refreshes Every Month [ 216 Chapter ] American Comics: Armed with a Villainous Superhero Template.
[ 160 Chapter ] Great.
Now we’re definitely screwed!
[Ss4 144 Chapter ] Crossover: It All Begins with the Invasion of a Crimson Lord [ 160 Chapter ] My Youthful Struggle with the Uma Musume Can’t Possibly Go Wrong [ 146 Chapter ] At Tracen, I’m an Expert at Doing Time [ 141 Chapter ] I’m a Trainer, and an Uma Musume Too!
[ 129 Chapter ] Honkai Star Rail: Starting the Simulation by Planting a Credit Tree [ 106 Chapter ] A Dimensional Journey Adrift with the Current [ 130 Chapter ] Uma Musume:Trapped in the Game [ 112 Chapter ] I Really Don’t Want to Date a Gaming-Addicted Girl Anymore!
[ 106 Chapter ]