“To celebrate the arrival of the new student—cheers!”
“Cheers!” Around Black Knight, countless people raised their cups filled with drinks and clinked them together under Black Knight’s expressionless gaze, making a clattering sound.
Although the venue looked plain, Black Knight understood what everyone wanted to express.
She really was a bit shocked that this academy welcomed her so warmly.
Especially seeing the old principal and Feiyuan-sensei drinking so heartily, she felt it was a little hard to imagine just how badly these two had wanted a student before.
After that, she glanced at the so-called secret recipe from the old director in front of her—
It was a strange dish: sticky rice topped with brown sauce, with a carrot stuck on top.
No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like someone had put a carrot together with the soil around its roots onto a plate.
…No matter how you looked at it, it was weird.
This was the legendary secret recipe?
Why did just looking at it kill her appetite?
“Hmm… hmm?” Just as Black Knight was wondering how to take a bite, a song suddenly came from the wall-mounted TV nearby.
She turned to look and found that the TV was playing footage of several Umamusume singing and dancing on a stage—a complete idol opera scene.
But to be fair, the dancing was quite good, and the Umamusume’s voices were lovely.
Compared to some idols she’d seen on TV before, they were far better.
As expected of 2D.
“But… wait, aren’t these…” Soon, Black Knight noticed something was off.
These Umamusume…
seemed to be the same ones she’d seen at that racetrack earlier!
But weren’t these racing competitors?
How did they suddenly end up singing and dancing on stage?
Could what she’d seen earlier have actually been an “internal competition” within a team?
It wasn’t impossible.
But if it was that kind of “internal competition,” why were so many people watching?
Couldn’t they settle it privately?
“Eh? Black Knight-san, do you like the Winner’s Stage?” On the other side, Miss Feiyuan-sensei suddenly noticed Black Knight had been staring blankly at the TV, not even touching the food in front of her.
The way she focused on the TV made Miss Feiyuan-sensei immediately note something in her mental notebook—Black Knight-san really likes performances on the Winner’s Stage.
“What’s that?” Black Knight was confused.
Winner’s Stage…
why did that sound like something was off?
“Anyone who places in the top three of a race gets to go up on the Winner’s Stage and become super dazzling!” Miss Feiyuan-sensei grinned and waved her hands, as if recalling her own glory days.
Back then, she’d sung and danced on that stage.
The feeling of being the center of attention was truly mesmerizing.
“…Top three, go on stage…” Black Knight’s expression gradually darkened, as if she’d heard something terrible.
“That’s right! As long as you finish in the top three, you get to go on the Winner’s Stage! How about it, isn’t that great? I’ve been up there before~”
Miss Feiyuan-sensei didn’t notice that Black Knight’s face had turned almost as dark as her hair.
She was still lost in memories of her youth, savoring the shining moment after stepping onto the Winner’s Stage.
Black Knight: “…”
No way, no way, no way?!
Wasn’t this world supposed to be a competitive 2D girl world?
Why did this weird setting suddenly appear?!
Winning a race doesn’t mean going to the podium to receive an award but performing on stage—what kind of humiliating play was that?!
Why was this happening?
It was supposed to be a competitive world—how did it suddenly become an idol drama?!
How was she supposed to have the courage to aim for the championship now?!
Sure, she did have a skill called [Master Step], but that was for sprinting and weaving, not for bouncing around on stage!
No, that wouldn’t be good.
It might earn her a massive amount of emotion points, but it felt like this alt account would be ruined.
Or maybe, after reaching the finish line, she could just run away.
As long as she didn’t go on that stage, she wouldn’t have to bounce around in front of everyone with endless shame, right?
Yeah, decided.
From now on, whenever this happens, she’d just run!
And she’d run with the buffs she’d scammed during [Final Duel]—in that state, escaping would definitely work, right?
“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to dance, Black Knight-san! Have confidence!” Seeing Black Knight looking thoughtful, Feiyuan-sensei patted her shoulder, signaling that she could leave everything to her.
But judging by how nervous this kid looked, she must have social anxiety, right?
Well then, as her teacher, she’d definitely help her fix that!
And make her the brightest star on the Winner’s Stage!
After all, this little knight had a great foundation.
With just a slight change to that cold exterior, she’d surely become refined iron reflecting the brightest light.
Maybe she’d give her a nickname—Shining Knight.
Whatever Miss Feiyuan-sensei was thinking had little to do with Black Knight at this point.
Performing on stage—impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
It was too embarrassing!
She couldn’t do it!
I pulled Black Knight for racing, not for a crowd to watch her bounce around!
Hmm?
But maybe this could actually collect emotion points.
As long as I don’t go on stage, others will have all sorts of emotions, and with emotions I get emotion points, and with emotion points I can keep pulling and making alt accounts.
Yeah, decided.
From now on, I’ll try to keep the alts from performing too.
That way everyone will have tons of resentment, and I’ll get tons of emotion points without the shame play.
Win-win!
“…I understand.” Having made her plans, Black Knight stopped watching TV and tried to spear the carrot with her fork, then took a bite.
For some reason, the carrot tasted quite sweet—like it had a lot of sugar added.
As expected, Umamusume taste buds really were different from humans’.
……
After a decent dinner and a night’s sleep in this world, the next day Black Knight finally arrived at the training grounds of Sukegahara Academy.
On the dirt track, a crowd of elderly people had already gathered to watch.
Although Feiyuan-sensei had said Black Knight might have social anxiety, the old folks insisted they’d just watch from a distance and not bother her.
Helpless, Feiyuan-sensei could only let them watch.
After all, she couldn’t just chase them away.
Black Knight was still wearing her own clothes.
After all, this academy hadn’t had students in a long time, so there were no uniforms available on short notice.
Her clothing wasn’t forced to change.
“Today, let’s test your various aspects first! That way we can tailor training to your weaknesses.” Feiyuan-sensei held a notebook, looking serious as she pointed forward.
“Let’s start with a 1000-meter run and see your ability!”
“Mm…” Black Knight nodded.
She might not be able to beat Tyrant-level opponents, but 1000 meters was no problem.
After all, dirt and grass made no difference to her.
As long as she had legs, she could run!
“Go—” With a gust of wind, Black Knight shot out like a suddenly drawn blade, carving a black arc through Feiyuan-sensei’s vision, racing toward the 1000-meter finish at unbelievable speed.
“This child… this speed… is she really an Umamusume with hardly any training?”
Regardless of anything else, at least after seeing that speed, Miss Feiyuan-sensei immediately felt something was wrong with this world.
You’re telling me this speed is a new student?
Even I in my prime wasn’t this fast!
This is definitely more than a level above my old self!
Feiyuan-sensei even momentarily thought the person present wasn’t a new student but a powerful Umamusume she’d only seen on TV.
A thousand meters wasn’t long for Black Knight.
Unfortunately, without any opponents, none of her skills triggered, so she ran the whole distance as a complete blank slate.
Without that surge of power when overtaking opponents, it felt like something was missing—Black Knight thought, then quickly returned to Feiyuan-sensei.
But…
why did her emotion points suddenly go up again?
This was almost enough for a pull.
What did she even do?
“Teacher…” Black Knight stood before Feiyuan-sensei again, her cold voice pulling Feiyuan-sensei’s wandering thoughts back.
“Uh… ahem, ahem. Your condition… is really excellent…” Feiyuan-sensei looked at Black Knight, then at the stopwatch she’d forgotten to press, silently lamenting the strength of today’s youth and her own aging.
“At this rate… you might be able to enter a debut race soon.” Feiyuan-sensei looked at Black Knight, then at the plans in her notebook…
She really was too old, unable to keep up with the times.
And kids these days were this strong?
No wonder recent races had become even more intense.
If this continued…
who knew if the future would be what the Celestial Empire called the legendary golden age of Umamusume?
An era where countless prodigies competed.
That kind of era…
she really wanted to see it.
While Feiyuan-sensei’s mind was racing, Black Knight watched her clarity points finally slowly rise to 1000, enough for a single pull.
She didn’t understand why her emotion points kept rising, but having emotion points was definitely good.
As for Little Light Ball’s money…
Next time for sure~
Thinking this, Black Knight opened the system menu, selected the gacha interface again, and looked up.
She immediately saw the rate-up characters in this banner.
They were the BOSS-tier Holy Apocalypse, the UR-tier Redstone Wyvern, and the SSR-tier Barrier Colossus…
None of that mattered.
What mattered was Redstone Wyvern!
Redstone Wyvern!
A super powerful character that could cling behind the BOSS-tier Tyrant!
It was on rate-up!
Heaven was helping her!
Please let me pull Redstone Wyvern!
Jesus, Buddha!
Black Knight pressed her palms together in prayer again, then tapped the [Pull Once] button.
Whoosh— In an instant, purple light burst from the system, like Laozi riding an ox, bringing infinite purple from the east, shining upon Black Knight.
Character obtained—Little Kangbai-chan, Rarity—SR.
Black Knight: “…?”
Where’s my single-pull BOSS luck?
Did Little Light Ball eat it?
And where’s my Redstone Wyvern?
How did it become Little Kangbai-chan?