While everyone else was out on the hot springs trip, Mejiro McQueen stayed behind at Tracen Academy.
If it were before she had mastered her domain (Zone), she might have had some interest in training with her seniors. But now, she no longer had any interest in that sort of thing, because she didn't believe those seniors were stronger than her.
And compared to a stressful training camp, she felt being alone was far more comfortable and a better way to relax.
A can of black coffee in the morning, then two laps at the training grounds to warm up. After that, her time was spent in the library. Aside from meals and rest, Mejiro McQueen was immersed in a sea of books almost all day.
However, she no longer read in pursuit of "skill fragments." She had given up on self-learning skills in "Story Mode."
It was just too difficult. It was better to just wait until the Story Mode ended and learn them in "Training Mode."
Speaking of which, she was also very curious what her starting stats would be if she re-entered "Training Mode" now.
Although the system copied the game's template, its core was ultimately different. So, she was genuinely curious: could she inherit her current stats and enter "Training Mode"?
'If I could enter "Training Mode" again in my current state, I would definitely go back and win every race I ever lost.' Mejiro McQueen had a deep impression of her painful memories from "Training Mode."
She remembered those three years even more clearly than her nearly thirty years as a human.
After all, the reason she was able to persevere alone in "Training Mode" back then was because she wanted to become stronger, to keep winning. But the defeats she suffered later on caused her immense pain.
Mejiro McQueen closed the book in her hand. Seeing that it was about time, she prepared to leave the library. She paid no mind to the line of sight from the corner.
That small, dark-haired horse girl was there, as always, just secretly observing her. Although that horse girl thought her peeking hadn't been noticed, with McQueen's perception, she had known Rice Shower was watching her from the beginning. But seeing as Rice Shower was just looking and not doing anything else, she let it be.
As for her making contact with Rice Shower? Forget it. She really wasn't interested in the game of "making friends."
The ones in her team were already enough of a handful.
A Gold Ship who loves to cause trouble, a Tokai Teio with an overly strong competitive streak, and a Narita Brian and Silence Suzuka who were bent on becoming her disciples. She didn't know if horse girls had some misunderstanding of "friendship," but facing this much trouble, she didn't want any more.
But speaking of which, she didn't sense the aura of ZONE on Rice Shower. This meant that at this stage, Rice Shower was still just an ordinary horse girl. The Kikuka Sho was starting soon. If Rice Shower's strength was only at this level, it shouldn't be enough to "kill" Mihono Bourbon's Triple Crown.
Don't be fooled by Mihono Bourbon being a horse girl with no special skills. After several chance encounters at the training grounds, McQueen felt Bourbon's stats had already risen to a level close to her own, and she was even stronger in "Power." That girl's talent must be focused on her body and on training. The rate of improvement was a bit frightening.
As for Rice Shower's stats, McQueen estimated her average was at most between B and B+. The gap with Mihono Bourbon was obvious. If she couldn't enter ZONE, Rice Shower could not possibly kill Bourbon's Triple Crown.
Mejiro McQueen thought for a moment, then stopped.
She had never been bothered to pay attention to other people's lives.
If not for the lingering emotions and memories from her human life making her pay a little more attention, with her personality, she wouldn't have even glanced at these two horse girls who had nothing to do with her.
Back at the dorm.
Mejiro McQueen took out her tablet to check the news.
She found nothing worthy of her attention.
As for the news about a certain foreign horse girl winning the Arc de Triomphe, in her eyes, it was a foregone conclusion. She hadn't decided if she wanted to run the Arc anyway, so it had nothing to do with her.
Read the news, catch up on anime. After a period of leisure, take a bath, go to sleep. Mejiro McQueen was already used to this healthy routine.
And just as Mejiro McQueen was falling asleep at 9 PM...
The Sirius members, far away in Kansai, were just dragging their exhausted bodies into the hot springs to relax. Tokai Teio was regretting it. She thought this was a vacation, not a real training camp. And the trainer was so inconsiderate! They had just arrived, and he didn't even give them a day to relax. The training started immediately. Although the trainer explained that the hot springs here had a miraculous effect after training, so they shouldn't waste time, the sooner they trained, the better... Teio still felt the trainer's arrangement was too cruel.
And why did McQueen get to rest, while they had to be here for special training? Tokai Teio thought indignantly. She suspected the trainer must have told McQueen about the training plan long ago, which is why that girl escaped. She always knew the trainer was biased towards McQueen!
'Just you wait, McQueen! Even though I'm annoyed, while you're relaxing, the great Teio is
constantly improving!'
Only by thinking this could Tokai Teio console herself.
...
Mejiro McQueen, who had entered dreamland, quickly regained consciousness.
This familiar bodily sensation let her know her current situation.
She glanced at the morning scenery outside the window.
Mejiro McQueen couldn't help but think.
'I've crossed over to this world again.'
To be honest, she didn't understand this at all. She had no idea why she kept crossing into this world's 'McQueen'.
And at this moment, the 'McQueen' who had also woken up was floating behind, looking at her 'self' with a complicated expression.
Lately, she had been dreaming every night, seeing the 'self' from another world. It was a life similar to hers, yet completely different.
From childhood, the two had nothing in common. Aside from having the same body and appearance, she felt they were two different people.
The other Mejiro McQueen had shown an unhuman-like maturity as a child, and she was full of passion for the racetrack. That passion was far more ardent than any normal horse girl's. At least, 'McQueen' couldn't understand why that McQueen had that emotion. And that McQueen worked so hard. She was clearly a genius, but her level of effort made 'McQueen' blush with shame.
As a child, that Mejiro McQueen sought out the Mejiro family's trainer on her own, demanding he create the highest-intensity training plan for her.
Not only that, but she also rationally found the Mejiro family's doctor, asking them to monitor her body at all times.
This was not something a normal filly could think of. At first, the adults in the Mejiro family just thought this "Young Lady" was playing.
But when the training truly began...
When they saw Mejiro McQueen perfectly complete her training goals time and time again, and then state that the intensity still wasn't enough, the adults finally realized something. Then, 'McQueen' watched as, from that moment on, that Mejiro McQueen became the focus of the Mejiro family's attention.
Even Grandmother met with her in private many times. Although her grandmother was also very good to her, the comparison made it clear: Grandmother was different when facing that Mejiro McQueen.
But 'McQueen' could also understand.
Because that Mejiro McQueen was just too abnormal.
She didn't just become strong when she grew up.
She had, from a young age, displayed strength and a mentality that no normal filly should have. It was as if she were a natural-born king, a great figure destined to stand at the top. So it was completely natural for the Mejiro family over there to place more importance on her.
After that, 'McQueen' watched that McQueen grow up, watched her unearth her "special skills" one by one in training when she was still very young. She didn't know that this was just McQueen "re-awakening," regaining her memories of the skills. She just thought that McQueen was a monster, to think she had figured out those powerful techniques all by herself as a child.
And she also knew, from watching...
That McQueen's goal wasn't something as small as "upholding the Mejiro family's honor." Her goal had always been the apex of all horse girls!
She wanted to be the strongest! She wanted undefeated victory!
This intense desire for victory even extended to other things. Whether it was studies or performances, McQueen always demanded she be the best. While it wasn't an absolute "must be number one" like with running, she also wouldn't accept being "bad" at anything.
Once she decid-
ed to step into a field, McQueen's minimum requirement for herself was to at least reach the "first-class" level.
When 'McQueen' saw that McQueen was still unsatisfied with herself after achieving all that, she started to sweat.
And she discovered that McQueen was extremely harsh on herself.
For example, that McQueen didn't actually like the taste of black coffee. At least, she saw that the first time McQueen tried it, her face twisted in bitterness. But even though she hated the taste, she still made black coffee her favorite drink.
Furthermore, she was extremely careful with her diet. She never overate. How much she ate and what she ate at every meal was almost strictly regulated.
Even at Mejiro family tea parties, she would at most drink a few cups of tea. She truly wouldn't even look at those exquisite cookies and cakes.
'McQueen' didn't know how she did it.
And it wasn't something she started as an adult. She had been doing it since her first tea party as a child.
She thought of her own first time trying cookies, and how she had been hopelessly addicted to sweets ever since. She couldn't help but cover her face in shame.
Even now, she couldn't resist the temptation of sweets. Every time she said she would cut back, she'd end up giving in.
Damn it, that girl really isn't me!
'McQueen' clearly felt the difference between them. That kind of "perfect superhuman" monster... if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't believe such a person could exist.
But when she saw that McQueen arrive at Tracen Academy, and in her first debut race, crush her opponents with absolute strength to take a massive victory... 'McQueen' couldn't help but be captivated by that dazzling
performance.
So now, seeing that Mejiro McQueen "arrive" in her body again, 'McQueen's' feelings were incredibly complex. At first, she thought McQueen was her second personality. But after experiencing those hyper-realistic dreams, she now understood. That was the Mejiro McQueen from another world. The "Strongest," who had never lost since her debut.
...
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