"Come in."
Kiryuuin Aoi called to the figure waiting in the open doorway.
A girl with long, straight brown hair, dressed in the school uniform, walked over to Kiryuuin's side and faced the class below the lectern.
"This is the new student transferring into our class today." Kiryuuin gestured toward her. "Go ahead and introduce yourself."
She then turned to the blackboard and wrote the girl's name on it.
"I'm Special Week. I'll be joining this class starting today. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Special Week said, her voice a little stiff.
Don't ask why someone who had passed the entrance exam was being treated as a transfer student. She hadn't known in advance either!
At first, she had assumed Tracen Academy's internal elementary division had already filled most of this year's places, which was why the remaining applicants had been put through such a brutal elimination exam.
But now they were telling her that wasn't true at all?
There wasn't even a new class this year. There weren't enough places simply because too many students from previous years had been held back?
Huh?
Why did Tracen Academy have so many repeat students?!
Some of them had apparently been here for years already. At this rate, even ordinary couples would have time to meet, marry, and send their children to school while these girls were still enrolled.
Was this hell... an academic hell? Once you entered, were you trapped on a world line where graduation could never be reached?
Special Week's imagination ran wild.
Ten years later...
Still a high school student, Symboli Rudolf sat in her familiar Student Council seat. Facing a pale, trembling freshman, she declared solemnly, "Young umamusume, you once said that an umamusume at Tracen Academy has no need for academic credentials!"
That absolutely could not be allowed!
And why would Symboli Rudolf still look so young? Had she already discovered the secret of eternal youth?
Special Week flushed with embarrassment.
Why did her imagination have to be so vivid?!
"Special Week, you can take that seat over there." Kiryuuin-sensei's voice pulled her out of the little drama playing in her head. She looked toward the desk her teacher had indicated.
The back row, beside the window.
Special Week's eyes widened slightly.
That seat...
The king's seat?
Despite the crowded classroom, no one else seemed to have noticed that perfect spot. It was as though the desk had appeared there solely to await the arrival of the "protagonist." She could almost hear destiny calling.
*Even though my reincarnation should already have changed the future, the position of this seat seems to be foreshadowing something.*
Special Week pulled out the chair and sat upon her "throne."
A soft breeze drifted in through the window.
She took a deep breath.
*This place was practically made for me!*
"All right. Class hasn't started yet, but don't get too carried away while you're having fun. And remember: absolutely no running in the hallways. It's against school rules!"
Once Kiryuuin-sensei left, the previously quiet classroom grew lively again.
A crowd of students gathered around Special Week.
"Special Week, where's your hometown?"
"What's your favorite food?"
"What TV shows do you like?"
"Have you decided which club you're joining?"
"The Cooking Research Club is recruiting right now! Members get to eat regional specialties for free, and on weekends we all go out looking for good food."
...
"If you're joining a club, an athletics club would be better, wouldn't it? I recommend the Diving Club!"
"Special Week, please add me on Twitter and UU! If you don't mind, could you follow my account too? Please!"
"Me too!"
"..."
At first, Special Week managed to maintain a polite smile. It did not take long for that smile to strain, however, and beneath the desk her hand had already curled into a fist.
*They're so annoying~*
But she had to endure it.
After all, who knew how many years they might be stuck together?
She could only hope it wasn't genuinely impossible to graduate from Tracen Academy.
She didn't even know how they had persuaded her to take out her phone, much less how she had added so many contacts while her mind was blank.
"Why is Special Week's Twitter page empty?"
"Oh, it really is."
"Could it be that Special Week doesn't know how to use a phone?"
That probably wasn't it.
Special Week fell silent.
"..."
Because of her previous life, she would never put private information online unless it was necessary for work.
Besides her mother, nearly all her contacts were uncles who worked at the ranch. They all lived close by, so they hardly needed messaging apps to keep in touch.
As for her former classmates?
Hmm. She could not remember a single face.
----
"Wow, the new student is really popular."
Haru Urara suddenly appeared. As one of Tracen Academy's mascots, she had rushed over to meet the new student as soon as she heard that someone had transferred into the class next door.
"Morning, Urara~" Seiun Sky, sprawled across her desk, opened one eye and lazily greeted her acquaintance.
Urara came to Seiun Sky's desk, and the two looked toward Special Week, who was buried beneath layers of classmates.
"Popular characters sure have it rough."
Just watching the scene was frightening enough for Seiun Sky.
"It looks so nice. I want to be friends with the new student too."
Urara clenched her hands against her chest as she watched the girls exchanging contact information with Special Week. She wanted to get to know her as well.
"Then why don't you go over?"
"Can I?"
"Even if you ask me..."
Urara clearly wanted to go, but looking at her like that wouldn't make Seiun Sky any more capable of helping. She helplessly lowered her head onto her desk again.
"I have decided!"
A loud cry rang out nearby.
Hm?
Seiun Sky and Urara turned in confusion.
El Condor Pasa charged toward Special Week's desk.
"Excuse me!"
El forced her way into the crowd. The students she nudged aside felt an irresistible strength seize control of them, and the looks they gave her immediately changed.
This girl was an expert!
The instant they sensed her overwhelming strength, the surrounding students unconsciously opened a path for her. The scene resembled wild beasts fighting over territory.
Special Week watched thoughtfully. Her vacant expression sharpened, and the atmosphere around her changed in an instant.
They might look like beautiful girls, but they were still umamusume—monsters capable of going berserk at any moment.
Most of them might not be famous yet, but admission to Tracen Academy meant none of them could be weak. And this girl was in the same year and class as her, which meant...
*She looks dangerous!*
Special Week finally reacted, breaking into a cold sweat.
She had nearly been fooled into believing they were ordinary high school girls. An umamusume's appearance was far too deceptive; you couldn't see her true nature until you met her on the track! Deceivers deserved to die! Huh? She was an umamusume too? In that case, never mind. Special Week generously forgave them.
Even so, she had been much too careless.
She had actually relaxed in such a dangerous place.
*Stay sharp, me! They're trying to corrupt your spirit with friendship, beauty, and food, rob you of your will to fight, and then slaughter you in a race!*
Special Week bitterly lamented her lack of self-control and reflected upon her mistakes. From now on, she would have to remain twice as vigilant!
"Hello, new student! I am El Condor Pasa, from America! I transferred here before you did! I watched your race, and it was wonderful! Special Week, that final kick of yours was incredible! I used to think the umamusume in this country were weak, but after seeing you race, I changed my mind."
"Because you were so strong!" El exclaimed sincerely. "Even in America, I never met an umamusume with a finishing kick like yours. I acknowledge you, new student. Let us become rivals!"
What was she saying?
Special Week couldn't understand her at all.
What did she mean by saying Special Week was strong, so she acknowledged her?
And...
What had she just said?
She wanted to become rivals?
Heh. Hahaha. Hahahahahaha!
*Are you looking down on me?*
Did El think she could defeat her so easily that she could casually offer to become her rival?
How condescending.
*I'll kill you!*
Killing intent flared in Special Week's eyes.
The surrounding students recoiled. She looked completely different from a moment ago, her entire body radiating terrifying pressure.
"You... want to become my rival?"
"Is that no good?"
El looked alarmed.
She had no idea how she had angered the new student. Special Week had just been making friends—rivals—with everyone else, hadn't she?
"No..."
Special Week smiled.
"If that's what you want, then let's become rivals, El Condor Pasa."
Her smile was terrifying.
The surrounding students quietly vanished.
If they didn't leave now, they might get dragged into the crossfire!
El forced a smile. "Hey..."
Special Week spoke calmly. "I saw on the notice board that the major teams are holding recruitment trials at the training grounds after school. You don't have a team yet, do you?"
"Not yet. I'm considering taking Rigil's selection trial. If I join a team, I think it should be the strongest one. Have you decided which team you want to join? If not, why don't you come watch Rigil's selection with us after school?"
"Good idea."
Special Week's lips were smiling, but her eyes remained cold.
"In that case..."
"Why don't we settle which of us is stronger while we're there?"
"Huh?"
El didn't understand.
"I'm sorry. My Japanese may not be very good. Could you repeat that?"
"I said that since we're going to be rivals, we should fight each other. We can use the selection race to decide who's stronger!"
Special Week's eyes were perfectly calm.
*Why are you still hesitating? Did you think 'rival' was a word you could throw around casually? No, you couldn't be that sort of coward. You're El Condor Pasa—a strong runner like me. That's why I have to step on the accelerator! Let's tear each other apart!*
"..."
El froze.
Huh? Was this... right?
Was this the kind of "rival"—friend—she had wanted?
This couldn't be right!
But Special Week was clearly serious!
"Spe, I am very strong."
*I know.*
"Even against you, I will not lose."
*We'll see about that.*
"If you're only saying this on impulse and might regret it—"
"Enough!" Special Week cut her off impatiently. "Are you racing me or not? You were the one who challenged me, yet now you're making excuses! Or would you rather duel me in an official race? If that's what you want, then name the battlefield!"
"?"
El was dumbfounded.
How had she become the one hesitating?
*Special Week, you—! Is your head filled with nothing but yourself?!*
"I'm getting angry now! If that's what you mean, then fine. After school, neither of us is allowed to run away!"
This selfish Spe needed to be thoroughly corrected!
El decided she would race Special Week and knock some sense into her.
"Then I'll see you at the training grounds after school!"
"Hmph!"
El stormed away, filled with anger.
She could not understand how the situation had developed this way.
"El..."
"Who is it? I'm not in the mood right now, class rep!"
"You were bullying the new student just now, weren't you?"
Grass Wonder smiled sweetly at El.
Anyone could tell from her demeanor that she was in a terrible mood.
"I wasn't! Let me explain!"
"Mm. I'm listening, El."
"I only wanted to be friends with Spe!"
"You only wanted to make friends, yet you caused such a commotion and arranged a race with her after school?"
Hahaha!
Why did hearing that hurt so much?
Grass Wonder's smile grew darker.
"I'm telling the truth! And Spe was the one who proposed the race, not me. Class rep, calm down!"
"I am calm. So, El, do you have any other explanation? If not, I can announce your death sentence now~"
Grass had only watched Spe from afar. How was it fair that El had not merely spoken to her, but had already become her rival?
That could not be forgiven.
Absolutely not.
"NO! I don't understand!"
El had no idea what she had done.
Why?
First Spe, and now the class representative.
She did not understand what either of them was thinking.
"...All right. I'll forgive you this time."
Grass Wonder suddenly returned to normal.
Saved.
El sighed in relief at having escaped with her life.
The class representative had been terrifying. So terrifying, in fact, that El failed to notice the unusual blush on Grass Wonder's face.
"What came over me just now?"
Grass returned to her seat.
That had been too strange.
Why had she felt that way?
"Jealousy?"
"Was I jealous of El?"
Grass understood perfectly well.
She had been captivated by Spe at first sight. That was why watching Spe chat with everyone else made her uneasy, and why seeing Spe and El become rivals had provoked such intense emotion. It all came from her desire to make Spe hers.
Could she permit herself to feel such a thing?
No. She probably couldn't.
And Spe likely wouldn't appreciate it either.
Grass secretly glanced at Special Week. When she saw the girl staring intently out the window, she became mesmerized for a moment.
"N-no, Grass Wonder. She's your classmate, and you're the class representative. You can't have those kinds of desires about another student!"
*I have to correct myself!*
Grass fought to regain her composure.
But...
"I've already stared once. Looking a little longer won't make a difference, will it?"
"..."
A chill ran down Special Week's back.
*That gaze!*
Was there another expert hidden in this classroom?
Who could it be? With pressure like that, she might prove an even more dangerous opponent than El if they met in a race!
El's running was fundamentally orthodox.
But the owner of this gaze...
That had to be it.
Special Week's expression turned solemn.
*She's a blocker!*
And a highly skilled one at that.
Among every kind of umamusume, Special Week feared blockers most. When you met one in a race, you often lost without even knowing how.
"Could it be her?"
Special Week glanced at the names of the girls in class. Blockers were rare to begin with, and once she limited the possibilities to this classroom, there was only one likely candidate.
"Grass Wonder."
As far as Special Week remembered, Grass Wonder had not originally been a true blocker.
But if she had already chosen a target, things might be different.
"We haven't even spoken, yet she's already locked onto me, just as she did in the original story. So this is what they call fate. Even if I don't step forward, destiny will come looking for me."
How troublesome.
And yet...
She was already growing excited.
She was so happy.
She knew she shouldn't think this way, but she couldn't suppress it.
*I want to defeat her!*
The stronger her opponents were, the more their brilliance could make her stronger. She had never been able to resist it. Her hunting instincts cried out for the kill, and her awakened hunger only made her thirstier.
"Not yet..."
*Hold it back!*
Special Week's face suddenly went pale.
[Wildness]
It was one of the abilities she had uncovered.
The ability was extremely dangerous—so dangerous it could even alter her personality. Yet she had not abandoned it, and there was a reason for that.
It was genuinely powerful.
Powerful enough to let her step directly into the realm of a ZONE-class umamusume!
It was the secret trump card she had kept hidden.
...
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