“After reviewing the photo finish, the winner of today’s race is Number 1, Natsume Reiko!
I repeat, the winner is Number 1, Natsume Reiko!” With the announcement over the speakers, the winner was finally revealed.
Nice Nature stood half-bent over, hands braced against her thighs.
Her entire body trembled.
Only by maintaining that posture could she keep herself from collapsing onto the ground.
Her stamina had reached its absolute limit.
The final time was actually slower than some of her training results.
Yet she had never felt this exhausted before.
She had squeezed everything dry.
Willpower.
Stamina.
Everything.
If she hadn’t remembered she was still on the racetrack, she would’ve preferred simply collapsing onto the turf without caring about her appearance.
Even after all that…
I still lost?
Can an ordinary nobody never win…
No matter how far she pushes herself?
Forcing herself upright, Nice Nature raised her head and searched the track for the runner who had taken first place.
But…
She couldn’t find her.
The green turf contained no sign of the winning Uma Musume.
It was almost as though she had disappeared from Nice Nature’s field of vision.
No.
There she was.
Nice Nature looked toward the exit tunnel.
A figure was slowly walking through it while supporting herself against the wall.
Long chestnut hair swayed behind her.
There was no mistaking her.
Natsume Reiko.
But from the way she moved…
She looked utterly exhausted too.
Wait.
I’m not exactly doing much better.
Every muscle in Nice Nature’s body was screaming for rest.
But there was still the Winning Live afterward…
At this rate, maybe third place would have to perform without them.
“I guess I’ll tell Trainer.
Sorry for letting him down, though…” Nice Nature murmured.
“Still…
“Natsume Reiko really is terrifying.” She began slowly leaving the track too.
Her Trainer was already approaching from nearby.
She managed only a few steps before starting to sway.
The Trainer hurried forward and supported her.
“Seriously, Nature.
You went too far this time.
Losing is losing.
You didn’t need to push yourself this hard.
What if you’d hurt yourself?” “I’m fine, Trainer.
It’s mostly muscle soreness.
Give me a few days of rest and I’ll recover.
Though…
sorry.
I probably won’t be able to train for the next few days.” Nice Nature had a decent understanding of her body and gave him a strained smile.
“That’s fine.
Nature, you gave it everything you had.” “But even giving everything wasn’t enough for first.” Tracen Academy’s motto— One horse leads, ten thousand are eclipsed.
People remembered first place.
Nobody remembered second.
That was an eternal truth.
Suffering the first defeat of her life in her debut race…
Really did leave a bitter taste.
“Trainer.
From now on, could you prepare a proper training program for me?” “Of course, no problem…
Huh?” The male Trainer supporting Nice Nature immediately froze.
As the Trainer of Team Canopus, his usual job was helping his members reserve facilities and register for races.
He was basically an emotionless race-registration machine.
None of the members ever let him interfere with their actual training.
No.
Technically, he did create training programs.
The girls just never followed them.
So Nice Nature’s words completely shattered his established expectations.
“Seriously, Trainer.
What kind of person do you think I am?
I’m not an idiot like Twin Turbo.
I can admit when I’ve made a mistake!” She gave a helpless smile.
“What choice do I have?
“I lost to Natsume Reiko.” Losing her debut race had been within the realm of possibility.
But that didn’t make it any less bitter.
Of course it hurt.
Who in the world enjoyed losing?
Natsume Reiko…
Nice Nature could tell that the other girl’s gate technique and running posture had serious flaws.
She moved like an Uma Musume who had only recently learned how to run.
In both speed and endurance, Nice Nature should have been superior.
Yet she’d still lost.
Was that strange aura really something an Uma Musume could possess?
It felt like she had been born as a demon whose sole purpose was taking first place on the racetrack.
A way of racing like that…
Could leave serious psychological scars on other Uma Musume.
“Um, Nature.
We should probably skip the Winning Live.
In your condition…” The Trainer began as they entered the tunnel.
“Then I’ll trouble you to tell the staff.
I probably can’t participate this time.
And while you’re at it…
“Could you ask how Natsume Reiko is doing?” “Sure.” After bringing Nice Nature into the preparation room and making sure she was seated, the Trainer left to speak with the event staff.
Nice Nature remained alone inside.
Twin Turbo, Ikuno Dictus, and Matikanetannhauser didn’t come after all.
Seriously.
They promised they’d watch my race.
Suddenly, the door flew open.
Twin Turbo’s tiny figure appeared in the doorway.
And with her came an exaggerated shout.
“Nature!
Look what I brought!” She held a plastic cup in her hands.
A closer look revealed that it was a honey drink.
“For me?” “Of course!
Today was your debut race!” Twin Turbo answered happily.
“You didn’t accidentally buy your favorite flavor instead of mine again, did you?” Nice Nature asked automatically.
Twin Turbo never had bad intentions.
The problem was that she had a history of buying the wrong thing.
It wouldn’t be the first time.
Twin Turbo puffed out her chest and struck it loudly.
“Nature, trust me this time!
Iron Lady was there!
There’s no way I could mess it up!” “So in the end it was because Dictus helped you?” Nice Nature accepted the drink.
“Thanks, Turbo.” She took a sip.
Mm.
Exactly the sweetness she liked.
Ikuno Dictus asked with concern, “You’re okay, right, Nature?” “I’m fine.
I just lost one race.
I’ll win it back next time.” As she spoke, Natsume Reiko came to mind.
Chestnut hair still seemed to drift before her eyes.
That Uma Musume…
Was completely different from her.
Like the difference between a whale and a shark.
They might look similar at first glance…
But the paths they walked were fundamentally different.
“As long as you’re all right.” Ikuno Dictus sighed in relief.
“When I saw how the other Uma Musume were reacting during the race, I got worried.
I wondered whether some of them might lose the courage to ever race again.” She had watched the entire race.
That Uma Musume named Natsume Reiko…
Had worn the calmest expression while doing the most terrifying things imaginable.
Everyone else ran in pursuit of victory.
They tried to become faster.
To endure longer.
To seize first place.
But Natsume Reiko’s strategy was different.
As long as all of you are slower than me, then I’m the fastest.
That wasn’t merely a contest of physical endurance.
It was also a contest of will.
An Uma Musume whose resolve wasn’t strong enough might not merely lose this race.
She could carry the shadow of that defeat through the rest of her life.
It was like racing against a Demon King.
A creature that destroyed everything belonging to others.
“Dictus, that won’t happen.” Nice Nature spoke quietly.
“A real Uma Musume won’t submit because of one defeat.
In every race, there can only be one winner.
Everyone else loses.
“Not everyone can become a legend like the President.
“And even the President has lost before, hasn’t she?” She continued: “Past victories and defeats aren’t what matter.
“What matters…
“Is the next race.” The room fell completely silent.
Only then did Nice Nature realize she’d just delivered an unusually long sermon.
Embarrassed, she said, “I was just saying what came to mind.
Stop looking at me like that.” “You scared me!” Twin Turbo scratched the back of her head.
“For a second I thought Ikuno had possessed you!
You suddenly got so serious.
Does one debut race really change someone that much?
I didn’t feel anything special after mine.” Ikuno Dictus immediately replied, “You still dare mention your debut race?
You exhausted yourself so badly that you collapsed onto the turf right after the finish!
I was terrified you’d fall before crossing the line!” “That’s nothing to worry about!
If you’re going to run, then run with everything you’ve got!
Run so fast that second place doesn’t even get a chance!
If I’m fast enough, nobody can catch me!” Twin Turbo put her hands on her hips proudly.
“And then you run out of stamina and slow down near the end, giving everyone a chance to pass you.” “Then I’ll just build a bigger lead at the start!
If five lengths isn’t enough, I’ll make it ten!
If ten isn’t enough, I’ll make it twenty!” “Are you an idiot?
Who can open a twenty-length lead in a real race?!
Even ten is extremely rare!” Ikuno Dictus sighed at Twin Turbo’s ridiculous idea.
Sipping her drink, Nice Nature watched her friends bicker.
A smile naturally formed on her face.
The door opened again.
Their Trainer walked in.
“Oh, everyone’s here.
Perfect.
We can all head back together later.
Nature, I’ve already spoken with the staff.
We can leave whenever you’re ready.” “What?!
Nature, you’re not going to the Winning Live?” Only then did the other three realize the situation.
Nice Nature smiled.
“I’m just a little tired.” “No way, Nature!
Last time I was so exhausted I was lying on the ground and I still joined the Winning Live.
How can you—” Before Twin Turbo could finish, Ikuno Dictus stopped her.
Twin Turbo’s debut and Nice Nature’s debut were completely different races.
“Trainer, what about Natsume Reiko?” “Her?” The Trainer looked surprised.
“According to the staff, Natsume Reiko’s Trainer sent them a message saying she wasn’t feeling well and had already left.
Apparently, it gave the event coordinator quite a headache.” “I see…” Nice Nature remembered that lone figure slowly walking away with one hand against the wall.
For some reason…
She suddenly felt that Natsume Reiko must be a very lonely person.
The Covenant of Flame Demon [Ss3 268 Chapter ] Uma Musume: Wait—you want me to pop my Christmas Hat Ultimate?
[Ss2 387 Chapter ] Honkai star rail:Invincible From the Moment I Started Playing as Jing Yuan [Ss2 321 Chapter ] The Problem Child Starts from Gensokyo [ 311 Chapter ] FGO: Handcrafted Lostbelt, the Strongest is the Real History [ 190 Chapter ] Honkai World: Kiana Doesn’t Need Redemption [ 297 Chapter ] Astral Courtyard: One View from the Trailblazing Department!
[ 207 Chapter ] Chat Group: My Character Card Refreshes Every Month [ 195 Chapter ] American Comics: Armed with a Villainous Superhero Template.
[ 139 Chapter ] Great.
Now we’re definitely screwed!
[Ss4 123 Chapter ] Crossover: It All Begins with the Invasion of a Crimson Lord [ 139 Chapter ] My Youthful Struggle with the Uma Musume Can’t Possibly Go Wrong [ 126 Chapter ] At Tracen, I’m an Expert at Doing Time [ 120 Chapter ] Honkai Star Rail: Starting the Simulation by Planting a Credit Tree [ 106 Chapter ] A Dimensional Journey Adrift with the Current [ 109 Chapter ] I’m a Trainer, and an Uma Musume Too!
[ 108 Chapter ]