Race venue.
The girl who had just finished running the [Osaka Hai (GI)] walked out of the gate holding her prize. It was obvious that she was in an excellent mood.
Unlike the medals she had won in the past, which always felt heavy in her hands, she had never realized that the weight of a medal could feel so light.
"That was an easy win."
There was surprise in [Mejiro McQueen]'s eyes.
Although she had vaguely sensed it before today's race began, it was only after the race started that she realized how simple a race of this level had become for her. Opponents she had once viewed as powerful rivals now seemed no more than that. She could win easily with less than twenty percent of her strength.
Was this the power she now possessed?
She could no longer meet an opponent.
Perhaps she was already the strongest in the world.
After all, she had grown much stronger during the previous event. In this world, very few umamusume had remained in that event for long. True, a certain [Teio] kept shouting that she had only been unlucky back then, but it was a fact that she had failed to remain in the event competition. Having lost that opportunity to grow stronger, she had now fallen far behind the companions who had once stood beside her.
"Without question, I have already won."
[Mejiro McQueen] lifted her head with confidence.
Surely she could reward herself by going to buy desserts now?
And tomorrow, she would go watch a baseball game.
Yes. She no longer had to work hard.
She could enjoy a wonderful life.
After all, she was already invincible in this world. Though she still wanted to run together with the other version of herself, that would no longer be a professional race. So she no longer needed to drive herself so hard.
She entered the station.
The passersby waiting for the train up ahead were excitedly discussing the earlier race and its runners. From the limited-edition race-event plushies attached to their bags, it was clear that they had just finished watching the race. [Mejiro McQueen] pretended not to care, but in truth, the moment she heard her own name, she secretly perked up and quietly eavesdropped on what others were saying about her.
"As expected of [McQueen]. She's beautiful, cute, and strong. She doesn't have quite the same stunning aura as the McQueen from the other world, but it doesn't feel like she's losing either. Barring anything unexpected, she should be the strongest now, right? Today's race was too easy for her!"
"You think so too? Same here. After all, [McQueen] made it into the final during that previous event. Even if luck was involved, performing that well in an event like that proves [McQueen] herself is strong."
Exactly.
Even if luck was involved, my strength is genuine!
[Mejiro McQueen] nodded inwardly.
She would not be discouraged by that way of putting it.
Especially when the person saying such things was that [Tokai Teio]. Even if they were companions from the same team, she had to make that girl admit it. They were no longer on the same level!
Just look. Even the eyes of the audience are this clear.
[Teio], how can you have the nerve to say it was because of luck?
My strength is the real thing, desuwa.
"She's preparing to challenge the Spring Triple Crown now, right? Her progress has been huge. I still remember how she missed the Classic Triple Crown back then because she fell ill during the racing season. Is she going to reclaim the honor of the Triple Crown now? I wonder if she'll succeed."
"She definitely will."
"Yeah. But I heard [Tokai Teio] will also participate in this Tenno Sho. Is there some deeper meaning behind their Trainer doing that? And can the current [Tokai Teio] really still compete on the same stage as [McQueen]? It feels a little difficult."
Hah?
Isn't it only because I took pity on that child that I agreed to let her race? How could I possibly lose to a child?
[Mejiro McQueen] imagined that scene. Though she strictly controlled her expression and kept herself from smiling, her tail behind her could not help swaying. She already could not wait to see that arrogant little brat show her a loser's expression.
"Not sure. I don't follow Trainers that closely."
"True. After seeing a higher world, I realized that our past common sense has been overturned. The existence of Trainers doesn't seem as important anymore, especially before umamusume so powerful they seem like a different kind of creature. Trainers feel far too small."
"Sigh. We probably won't be able to watch races like that again. I really hope the Three Goddesses show more miracles. And didn't there used to be cases of umamusume from other worlds crossing over? I wish an umamusume like that would appear right now!"
Races with that much tension were addictive.
They were like big-budget films filled with special effects.
After enjoying something that exquisite, returning to these backward races felt slightly unsatisfying.
They could understand it rationally, but emotionally, they were not satisfied.
Hearing this, [Mejiro McQueen] also fell into thought.
So that was why the popularity of recent races felt like it had dropped so much. It turned out that the previous event had drained everyone's enthusiasm, or perhaps the intensity of their current races could no longer satisfy an audience whose horizons had been raised. That was why spectators were now less willing to come to races in person. The audience no longer had that old feeling of fighting through hardship just to grab a ticket and attend live.
But...
It should recover quickly, right? The intensity of races would improve as the era developed. Even if their generation could not do it, their juniors would become stronger.
[Mejiro McQueen] could see that clearly.
But for some reason, there was unwillingness in her heart.
Why wait until later?
Why could it not be now?
Why could she not be the one to lead this world?
With that question in mind, [Mejiro McQueen] boarded the arriving train with a heavy heart.
On a seat beside the door, a high-school girl was watching a regional race livestream on her phone. [Mejiro McQueen] had only glimpsed the screen by chance because of her sharp eyesight. She was about to turn and look for a seat when her expression suddenly froze. Only then did she realize whom she had seen in that image.
"Excuse me, may I bother you for a moment?"
[Mejiro McQueen] stepped forward and spoke to the high-school girl.
Under the girl's nervous yet worshipful gaze, she asked for the channel of that race livestream. It was Saga Tracen's official channel.
"This is the livestream channel, right?"
When she opened it, sure enough, it was a live feed of a certain race venue.
It was obvious that the person filming was not using professional equipment. They were probably recording with a phone. The phone's camera seemed quite good, but the footage was still nowhere near as clear as official URA recordings. Regional races did not have many professional livestream channels to begin with. Most regional races only had radio broadcast resources.
That was the difference between regional races and Central races.
"Seriously? This is a regional race?"
"What's that umamusume's name? Why do I hear the commentator calling her the mysterious runner?"
"Where's the streamer? You're broadcasting a race, so come explain!"
The comments were filled with shock and questions.
And [Mejiro McQueen], who was watching the race, was also confused.
She was not entirely sure.
But that runner...
Was that Rice Shower?
"How can that be? That's impossible."
The Rice Shower of their world could not possibly go participate in a regional race.
And even if it were a Rice Shower from another world, there was no reason for her to ignore Central races and run in a regional race instead.
Besides, why call her a mysterious runner?
What exactly was going on?
"Let me see just what kind of sacred being you are."
While [Mejiro McQueen] thought this, at the Saga race venue, in the premium viewing seats, Symboli Rudolf was watching the race together with an Association administrator. After tracking the runner for so many days, they had finally spotted her through street surveillance cameras and learned in advance that she intended to intrude into this race.
"Is everything ready?"
"Yes. We have personnel stationed at every intersection, and equipment has been deployed through the emergency route. She definitely won't get away today."
"Then we move once the race ends."
Symboli Rudolf's expression was serious.
This malicious incident had to be resolved as soon as possible.
Although they did not know what method this person was using, this mysterious umamusume truly was using some special method to steal the power of other runners through races. The nature of this matter was far too vile.
If it were only intrusion into races, they would not be this nervous.
Symboli Rudolf looked down at the race and thought, If not for that, I would truly want to bring such talent into the academy.
At that moment, in the race, the mysterious runner, like a black storm, had already begun her slaughter. Starting from last place, a terrifying black hole began devouring everything ahead. The runners caught by that gravitational pull showed frightened expressions. They could clearly feel their strength weakening, and the fatigue accumulated during the race erupted at that very moment.
"What is this power?"
Don't come over here!
Feeling that aura appear, the emotions of all the participating runners were stirred.
"Damn it, don't screw with me, monster!"
"I don't want to be caught by that terrifying thing!"
"I concede! I concede!"
"Ugh, someone stop this thing already!"
"This isn't an ordinary race anymore!"
Thud thud thud thud!
"It has begun! The mysterious runner has started moving, but will it really be like the urban legend says? Will the mysterious runner devour everything from the losers in the race? All right, the officials are not stepping in, so this thrilling race continues. We can see that the other runners are all very tense right now!"
The commentator felt nervous and uneasy, but also somewhat excited, as if he were touching something forbidden.
Still, he had professionalism.
His commentary did not stop there.
"We can see that after the mysterious runner caught up to the main pack, her powerful momentum did not weaken. In the blink of an eye, she has overtaken most of her opponents. I think that if she had not been delayed at the start, the mysterious runner's strength would have allowed her to occupy a strong forward position. Right now, ahead of the mysterious runner is number 5, Emerald Ring. This prodigy of Saga is in danger!"
Emerald Ring, wearing the same sportswear as the other runners, glanced back at that monster. Her emerald-green eyes, like gemstones, were trembling. Although she did not show the same panicked expression as the runners beside her, her heart was not calm. After all, the monster behind her was exerting an unprecedented pressure. Even Central professional runners did not have such a powerful aura. She had only felt this kind of presence before during that previous event, from the umamusume standing at the summit of countless dimensions.
It was too frightening!
Why had such a monster appeared in their world?
Why had she encountered this monster during a race?
Why had she entered this race at all?
Regret, fear, anger...
A faint white light flashed over Emerald Ring. She used her strongest power and began fleeing with all her strength from the monster behind her.
Faster. Faster. As long as I reach the finish line, I'll be safe!
"Ah!"
A runner behind her seemed to scream.
All the hair on Emerald Ring's body stood on end.
But in the blink of an eye, it seemed only Emerald Ring and that monster were left on the field.
"Currently in the lead is number 5, Emerald Ring. She is running desperately to escape. This record has already surpassed her previous performance, but there are still 500 meters to the finish. Can she maintain this position successfully? The mysterious runner has now struck down the rest of the runners. We can see that the runners she overtook are all losing the strength to run. This is the rumored power!"
Symboli Rudolf watched this scene.
"Although I had already guessed it, it is actually true. After seeing it with my own eyes, I am even more certain now."
And once she confirmed that fact, all that remained in her heart was shock and fear.
She even found herself uncertain how to handle what came next.
But the most urgent matter right now was to capture her first.
The administrator beside her watched the race and could not help asking carefully, "Do we really not need to stop the race?"
"It's already too late."
Symboli Rudolf shook her head.
They had not terminated the race at the beginning. Now it was too late.
Down in the race, Emerald Ring ultimately failed to hold on for even another 100 meters.
When the mysterious runner, covered from head to toe in a pitch-black aura, caught up from behind, Emerald Ring felt as if her heart had stopped. The other party's footsteps were not loud. Instead, she ran with a heavy stride, almost as if she were gliding. Yet seeing it with her own eyes, Emerald Ring felt a powerful explosive tension in that running form. The most unforgettable thing of all was those golden eyes burning like flames. That gaze was so rational and cold.
Emerald Ring even felt that the other girl did not regard her as an opponent.
And when she felt the fatigue erupting in her body, she had no choice but to admit that she truly was not enough to be the other girl's opponent.
"Across the line!"
The commentator could not help shouting as he watched that domineering figure.
He felt sorry for the other participants.
But he had to admit that this mysterious umamusume's running style stirred his heart. That unrestrained, tyrannical feeling was exactly what this world now lacked. He felt as if he had returned to the first time he saw what lay beyond this world.
He watched that figure run toward the outside of the venue.
From the bottom of his heart, he wished she would escape this time.
As the Overlord rushed toward the exit, she ran into the ambush Symboli Rudolf and the others had prepared. Looking at the equipment in their hands, glowing with a faint light, she almost admired the decisiveness of the Association's higher-ups. Still, she was confident those were not live firearms. At most, they would be tranquilizer guns.
Faced with the ambush, the Overlord did not retreat or slow down. Since she had done such a thing, she was not afraid to face such a scene.
"Stop!"
The leader of the team only had time to shout that one word. The next instant, he saw that figure already rushing up to him, and he instinctively raised the muzzle of his gun. But even that reaction was too slow.
The Overlord had already driven her fist straight upward. Though this was a sports world, the strength of an umamusume was no joke.
Amid a chaotic burst of gunfire, leaving a mess behind her, the Overlord broke through.
It took less than ten seconds.
By the time Symboli Rudolf and the others arrived at the scene, the Overlord had already left the race venue and reached the area near the shopping street.
At this point, the Overlord's stats had reached around 800.
Regional umamusume could no longer satisfy the standard she needed for devouring. She glanced at the Twinkle Series advertisement playing on the screens of an electronics store.
Compared to the security standards of regional races, Central race venues were much stricter.
After all, at regional race venues, one could find chances to sneak in even without buying a ticket. There were not many spectators who came to watch regional races in person to begin with, so the staff's attitude toward their work was even more careless. Central races, however, were different. It was very difficult to sneak into those occasions.
While the Overlord was thinking, a shadow suddenly covered her.
She reacted instantly.
She turned to look at the newcomer.
"Heh heh. What an interesting development. When I heard Rice Shower say that you had vanished, I wondered if something like this might have happened. I didn't expect my hunch to be dead on."
The white-haired Demon King was staring at her.
The Overlord felt that this was not good.
Although she did not want to admit it, right now she did not have the strength to resist these people.
"No need to be so guarded. Unlike those others, you and I have things in common. Besides, you don't really think you can hide under McQueen's eyes and mine, do you? If I hadn't held back that useless girl for you, she would have caught you long ago. Her strength is nothing special, but even I have to admit her brain works rather well."
"...Then state your purpose."
The Overlord did not consider herself part of their group.
"Hmph. Hearing you speak to me like that with that face really feels a bit strange. But I like that attitude. Then let me first explain our positions. First, that McQueen. Heh heh, don't get so tense."
"You later arrivals all seem to think McQueen is a good person, but McQueen is not actually that friendly. I may view her as a hero, but I never said McQueen was a positive heroic figure. Her attitude toward this incident is that she does not intend to interfere. After all, the world you are harming is not hers."
When the Overlord first heard White McQueen's name, she had grown a little tense. The current Mejiro McQueen was simply too strong. Ultimate ZONE, plus the power of the Three Phantom Gods. Before the Overlord grew up, there was absolutely no way for her to clash head-on with the current Mejiro McQueen.
After hearing the Demon King's explanation, she did indeed relax.
So Mejiro McQueen did not intend to meddle.
That was good.
"However, although Mejiro McQueen does not intend to interfere with your actions, your Rice Shower is very eager to bring you back. That useless girl also thinks your methods are too reckless and plans to catch you and educate you properly. Kitasan doesn't really want to get involved, but she has no backbone, so that useless girl called her over to help. As for Halo-chan, she intends to observe for now. And I do approve of her obsession with becoming stronger."
The Overlord summarized this information.
Then she looked at the Demon King.
The other party had explained everyone else's position and thoughts.
But she had not yet explained her own.
"Don't look at me like that. The fact that I'm telling you this means I'm not your enemy right now. Relax. I came this time intending to help you. You must be quite troubled right now. As an undocumented person with no identity in this world, even entering races means you can only run off to regional races and sneak in as an intruder."
As the Demon King spoke, she snapped her fingers.
Several black-suited, sunglass-wearing umamusume walked out from the side.
One umamusume held a tray. On it was an official household registration document already stamped in advance, along with a Central-affiliated professional umamusume license. A phone rested on top of them.
"..."
Seeing this, the Overlord understood the Demon King's attitude.
But she was truly surprised.
When had the Demon King established operations in this world?
Although they had always had permission to enter this world, in her memories, aside from Tokai Teio, the others rarely seemed to come here. This world was too backward for them, and they had no interest in entering.
The reason she had not been found immediately this time was also that Tokai Teio did not come here much anymore, and Rice Shower's group had not immediately imagined that she would develop herself in this world.
But Mejiro McQueen's system permissions were different.
From the very beginning, the Overlord had known she could not hide from McQueen.
She simply had not expected McQueen to have no intention of managing the matter.
And the Demon King had other ideas.
She could understand the Demon King's deeper intention.
Did she want to use the Overlord to find a path toward becoming stronger?
After all, the current Mejiro McQueen was so strong it inspired despair.
Although Demon King Gold Ship and King Halo had not shown anything after the final, they were surely under great pressure in their hearts.
And now that the Overlord had appeared, the power she displayed...
Perhaps it had allowed them to see new hope.
The Overlord's expression did not change.
She stepped forward on her own and accepted this gift.
Demon King Gold Ship smiled.
But the Overlord's thoughts remained hidden deep within.
...
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