*Swooosh*
"And that's another miss, Missy."
"What?! How does this thing even work?!?"
Among the many stalls that decorate the Fan Fest in Tracen Academy, one of them was a target shooting stall that offered Uma Musume dolls as prizes. The old man behind the counter was giggling happily at the frustrated Uma, who kept missing her shots. The Uma with long, bright brown hair wasn't wearing a racewear, nor was she wearing a Tracen's uniform, which meant she wasn't a Tracen student.
"One more!! I want one more shot!!"
"Sure, missy. Here."
On her head is a white headband that is decorated with a massive white ribbon. Her tail sways angrily as she takes another wooden rifle from the old man.
"I'll hit with this one!! For sure!!"
She aims the rifle, putting it on almost the same level as her face, before pulling the trigger. The cork bullet flows from the end of the rifle and misses its target.
"What!!? Again!! There must be some kind of cheating going on here!!"
"Missy, you watch other people get their prizes. You just suck at this."
"What?! No way!! I have won before, so I'll win it again!!"
"Old man, one rifle and a bullet, please."
While the girl was throwing a huff, a certain young man walked up to the stall and placed some money on the counter. The Uma quickly turned her head to see who the challenger was.
A Tracen trainer…
She can immediately deduce that he was a trainer from Tracen since he was wearing the badge. It was a badge of honor. A badge many wish they could put on their outfits. A Tracen Trainer is the highest goal of every trainer in Japan, and the uma is now standing beside one.
The Uma freeze. The number of people carrying the badge of honor she has met until now can be counted on one hand. She had met hundreds of local-level trainers before, as she was pretty active in local-level races, and all of them always said just how much of a monster the central trainers are. Each year, the number of accepted trainer always fluctuate. Sometimes they take 100 or more, and sometimes they take NONE.
"Here you go, young man."
"Thanks. What's the rule?"
"The rule? You never play this game before? Look. The only way to win is to have the cork bullet tip over the doll. That's it."
"As long as the cork is the one that touches it as it falls, I'll win, right?"
"I guess… yes…?"
"Got it."
The young man grabs the rifle from the old man, inspects it in his hands, and then holds it firmly. The weird thing is that he wasn't holding it like how many would hold a rifle, he was holding it like he was holding a staff with the bullet end pointed toward the ground.
What is he doing? Does he not know how to hold a rifle?
The young man takes several steps back before taking a stance. The stance wasn't something people assume when they're about to shoot a rifle. It's more like a stance of a pitcher in a baseball match.
"GAE BOLG!!!"
*SWWOOOOOMMMPPPP*
And the rifle soared through the sky like a red spear. No one knows where it'll hit as it zig-zags through the air, leaving a trail of red energy in its wake.
*BOOM*
The rifle slams straight into the stall, hitting one of the dolls on display while leaving everything intact.
"Bullseye!! Alright, old man. Give me the McQueen doll."
"Uh… Uh… Sure…"
"Thank you~~"
The young man happily takes the McQueen doll and walks away as if what he had done was something ordinary.
I have to know who he is!!
"Wait!! Missy!! You haven't shot one down yet!!!"
The young Uma threw away the rifle in her hands to catch the red-haired man. She doesn't know why, but his weirdness compels her to run and chase after him. As if something divine is telling her that she'll regret it if she doesn't reserve him.
"She had only just won her first G-one, and now they already have a doll of her. They move quickly, huh… Everything is as it should be, even the underwear. They really pay attention to detail."
"You!! The red-haired central trainer over there!!"
"Hmmm?"
"Please tell me your name!!"
"My name? Are you with the Yakuza? Haven't we finished our deal?"
"What?! No!! I'm just a normal Uma Musume!! Please tell me your name!!"
"I'm Igo Heita. What of it?"
"Igo Heita… Do you already have a trainee?"
"I have a team."
A team?! Entering Central alone can be considered a monster, but this person has his own team!! Then he must be a monster amongst monsters!
"I'm Almond Eye!! Can you reserve a spot for me as a trainee?"
"..."
The young man's eyes widen when he hears the name. How can he not? Almond Eye was a beast of a horse in his previous life. The Uma in front of him does fit the image of her in-game, but he thought those were just superficial similarities. It's just that he had not expected to meet her so early.
How do I know that this is the real Almond Eye? For all I know, she might just share the same name and several characteristics. Her current stats don't support her claim either, but those might come after she enters Tracen. How should I approach this…
As usual, of course!!
"I do not reserve a position in my team, little girl. I invite those with potential and drive to improve. I will not promise you a spot, but I will invite you once you prove yourself. Enter Tracen and run, only then can an Uma shine."
"Mhh!! Of course!!"
This is it!! He is the trainer I've been looking for!! The perfect Central Trainer!! Someone who will guide me to the top!!
"Oh my~~ Isn't it my lovely little brother?"