Three years had passed.
In the URA Finals, Mejiro McQueen gritted her teeth as she looked at the time on the timer.
She lost.
She was frustrated.
But this was reality.
At the beginning of this simulation training, she had indeed gotten an incredibly wonderful start through high-intensity training, and even achieved the Undefeated Triple Crown.
But by the third year, her condition began to decline rapidly.
Only then did she discover that her body had been ruined by the previous high-intensity training, and her stats were plummeting.
In this third year, she spent most of her time treating her injuries.
However, her body didn't get better. Instead, with each race, her condition worsened.
Fortunately, she could still run.
But unfortunately, her stats had dropped from all S in the second year to A, and her Stamina and Power had fallen even further to B.
Therefore, she lost all three races in her third year.
And in the most important URA competition, although she barely made it to the finals, she didn't even place in the top three.
[This simulation training has ended]
A synthesized computer voice rang in Mejiro McQueen's ear. The next moment, her consciousness blurred, and she returned to the real world.
Staring at the computer screen in front of her, she was in a daze. The sudden change left her feeling a bit disoriented.
However, she quickly calmed her emotions.
Three years of high-intensity training, the demanding race schedule, and the torment of her injuries had made her stronger.
Even if she was the only one in that world, those three years of time were real.
She clicked on the character card for the completed training.
[Mejiro McQueen
Speed A, Stamina B+, Power B+, Guts A+, Wits S
Domain: Not Awakened
Skills: Betting on the Title of "The Strongest" (Flash), Escape Artist (Gold), Positive Thinking (Gold), Adept (Gold), Arc Professor (Gold), Concentration (White), Sprint (White), Front Runner (White)...]
"If this were the game, this character would probably be considered trash," Mejiro McQueen said calmly.
But after these three years of simulation training, she was very clear about the difference between the game and reality.
Although the simulation training looked a lot like the game, it was ultimately based on reality.
The stats in the game had long since broken past SS, with the highest being stacked up to UB.
In the URA finals, the champion, with only one stat reaching SS, could break the record for the 1000m dash, finishing in under 45 seconds.
If stats were raised to UB, she couldn't even imagine what kind of "species" that horse girl would be.
She estimated that in reality, a horse girl who could raise all stats to the SS level was probably the true ceiling.
If that limit was broken, she felt it would no longer be a horse girl, but a fantasy species like a unicorn.
Based on the records from the anime, there probably weren't many real-world horse girls whose stats could even reach the S level.
After all, Silence Suzuka's fastest speed was only 1000m/57 seconds, which was incomparable to that robot Seiun Sky from the URA finals.
Afterward, Mejiro McQueen went back to sleep.
Although she inherited the trained character card's stats and all the negative injury buffs were removed upon returning to reality, the mental fatigue had accumulated and carried over. She needed a good sleep to recover.
She slept very soundly this time. Ever since being injured in training mode,
her sleep quality had been very poor, and she would wake up from the pain every night.
But now, she was free from the pain.
After waking up, she took a shower, and Mejiro McQueen brought a cup of instant coffee to her computer.
Taking a satisfying sip of the cheap instant coffee, Mejiro McQueen clicked on [Races].
[Do you want to use "Mejiro McQueen" to participate in this race?]
Setting the cup down, Mejiro McQueen decisively chose yes.
The next second, she was transported to a racecourse.
Her appearance out of thin air didn't attract anyone's attention.
Mejiro McQueen looked at the horse girls around her.
Unlike in the simulation training, the horse girls here didn't look like robots.
She even saw 'Mejiro McQueen' in her black racing uniform.
However, perhaps because the system's ability was still in effect, her presence, as a whole person, hadn't been noticed by anyone.
Mejiro McQueen looked up at the information on the large broadcast screen.
'The Kikuka Sho?' (Chrysanthemum Prize)
She was shocked!
Mejiro McQueen looked back at 'Mejiro McQueen'.
The system isn't trying to stir up trouble, is it? Is it asking me to snipe her?
If that's really the case, she's going to cry after the race, isn't she?
'Uh, maybe, this isn't actual reality?'
Shaking her head, she walked towards the starting gate.
Although it felt strange, since she was already participating, she had no intention of losing.
She had tasted defeat more than enough times in the simulation training.
She would absolutely win. For her, only victory held value.
As for what impact 'Mejiro McQueen's' loss would have, she couldn't care less.
If it were the her from three years ago, she might have hesitated due to her feelings for a "2D character."
But for the her of today, such things held no value!
Right now, she only wanted to win. As long as she stepped onto the track, her goal was always the same: to take first place!
"All horse girls are in the gates."
With the sound of the gates closing, the red and green countdown lights flashed.
Three, two, one!
3000 meters, the Kikuka Sho, the race begins.
The moment the gates opened, Mejiro McQueen shot out like an arrow.
A light flashed in those purple eyes.
[Concentration], [Positive Thinking]...
Skills activated!
Through the special training and races in the simulation, she had long mastered the activation conditions and timing for her skills.
It was just like the "SEED mode" from a certain mecha anime.
When she first learned a skill, she only got the "seed," and whether it activated was all situational.
But just as Kira Yamato later learned to actively control his SEED, she could now actively control her skills.
"All the horse girls are off to a start! Taking the lead is Number 3—?"
The commentator's voice suddenly caught.
A moment later, he shouted in shock: "What is going on? I'm seeing two Mejiro McQueen contestants on the track!"
At this point, everyone else seemed to notice the anomaly. Everyone who had subconsciously ignored Mejiro McQueen now reacted.
Mejiro McQueen could feel the various gazes from her opponents behind her.
However, she paid them no mind at all.
Before the first corner, her acceleration would not stop.
"Number 3! Mejiro McQueen! She is pulling away from the others! So fast! Is she planning to use a Great Escape strategy!"
Watching the figure breaking through the air in front, the participating horse girls were all a bit stunned.
They didn't have time to wonder why there were two Mejiro McQueens.
Watching the figure up ahead, they wondered, had Number 3 truly gone insane?
Using a Great Escape strategy in a 3000-meter long-distance race?
Her stamina would be exhausted before she even reached the final leg, right? Could this irrational running style really be that of the intelligent Mejiro McQueen?
"Number 11! The fan favorite, Mejiro McQueen, is currently in third place."
'Mejiro McQueen's' eyes were fixed on the white figure in front.
This 'self' who had suddenly appeared had completely disrupted her pace!
Who on earth was that?
Why did she look just like her, and why was she wearing an alternate-color version of her own racing uniform?
At this time, Mejiro McQueen was already ten horse lengths ahead of second place, reaching the first corner first.
Her speed finally began to drop.
The runners behind her saw this and began to increase their speed.
However, this was, after all, a 3000-meter long-distance race.
No one participating in the Kikuka Sho was weak. Naturally, they wouldn't be affected by her rhythm or chase her blindly.
After the first corner, the distance between second place and Mejiro McQueen had closed to four horse lengths.
The upcoming middle leg was Mejiro McQueen's weak point.
She hadn't learned many mid-leg skills.
In truth, she could have learned many skills during the simulation training. She wasn't limited to her character's innate skill pool; that pool just made it easier to learn those specific skills.
In reality, the Tracen Academy library had a complete list of skills available for her to learn.
But the problem was time.
Learning skills in the simulation wasn't
like buying them with skill points in the game; she had to comprehend them bit by bit on her own.
In this simulation, she'd had, in total, only about two years. The third year saw no progress at all.
So, her skillset indeed had a serious gap.
But—
That didn't mean her mid-leg was truly weaker than these horse girls!
These real-world horse girls had stats that were a bit weaker than she had initially estimated. In terms of stats, she wasn't at a disadvantage!
And, though she was puzzled, she felt that these horse girls... didn't seem to have mastered many skills?
"The race has come to the final corner! Still in the lead is Number 3!"
"However, the runners behind her are closing in! Can Number 3 maintain her lead?"
"Number 3's stamina looks a little worrying."
Just as the commentator's voice fell.
Mejiro McQueen suddenly charged into the corner and began to accelerate, the white slipstream churning up again!
She had been saving her gold corner speed skill precisely for this moment.
Boosted by the skill, she instantly pulled away from the runners behind her and passed through the final corner at an astonishing speed.
The runners behind her began to panic. The original Mejiro McQueen, in particular, began an all-out chase.
They had no idea that after the final corner, the leading Mejiro McQueen was about to hit another burst!
Flash Skill, activate!
Unlike the game's Unique Skill, this skill, which had now become a "Flash Skill," was very strong.
The air around Mejiro McQueen began to churn.
Her body began to leave afterimages, and a brilliant, colorful light spread from beneath her feet.
A rainbow-like light flashed past!
Everyone just felt as if something had flashed before their eyes, and suddenly, they saw that Meji...ro McQueen had opened up a massive lead on the runners behind her.
"Number 3 is on the final straight! This is astounding! Number 3 has shaken off all her opponents in an instant!"
Fervent cheers erupted from the audience.
Although no one knew who this Mejiro McQueen was or how she had passed the approval process to participate in this major race.
At this moment, they were all conquered by the sight of this horse girl running.
In the premium spectator box, Symboli Rudolf couldn't help but stand up. She looked at the figure on the track with a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.