Bonus — I Am an Uma Musume. My Name Is Still…

I’m an Uma Musume.

Uma Musume run.

So that day, I was running too.

"Ha, ha, ha… just a little more!"

Because I’d done something I wasn’t used to, my legs were starting to lose their margin. I could probably maintain this pace, but I didn’t think I had any room left for another burst of speed. Even so, I was going to win. If the Uma Musume running ahead of me faded, I should be able to pass her even at this speed.

…For some reason, I was running together with seventeen other Uma Musume at a colorless Nakayama Racecourse.

The Satsuki Sho—the first step of the Classic Triple Crown.

A battle I absolutely could not lose, with one of my dreams on the line.

That day, I was running in a race that important.

There was something I’d realized after running in the Wakaba Stakes, held on the same course as the Satsuki Sho.

Two thousand meters feels surprisingly short once you actually run it.

With my legs… in an open race it would be one thing, but at the highest level of domestic competition—a G1—I didn’t think it was possible for me to sweep past everyone with a single late surge.

So I’d run toward the front, stay there, and from around the third corner, make a decisive move for the lead…

You could call it a textbook tactic, but that was the race plan I’d put together.

And with that, everything should’ve gone fine. I should’ve taken first place, just like always.

…Or so it was supposed to.

That day’s race didn’t go well.

Not because Nature was putting pressure on me. My condition was perfect.

And yet, for some reason… I constantly felt like I wasn’t running properly.

There was no logic to it. Just a vague, unpleasant premonition, and an odd sensation—as if my legs still had too much left in them.

The moment the Uma Musume in the lead started descending the slope, I finally understood.

She was controlling the pace.

Like me, she’d always won by relying on her raw specs.

Or rather, for people like us, that’s what’s normal.

We have powerful abilities as Uma Musume, so we use that strength to fight fair and square, head-on—and win.

…That’s what I believed.

But it seemed she was different.

In an outrageously forceful way, she’d seized our Satsuki Sho, lifted it up, and placed it squarely in the palm of her hand.

The instant I understood that, I burst forward.

At this rate, I’d end up with the same gap as in that mock race.

…But it’s fine. I still have more than enough chance to win.

The speed she showed at the start was clearly that of a final sprint.

Which meant she couldn’t have that much stamina left.

Then I’d… close the distance with a long sprint, and pass her at the final corner!

"Alright… here I go!"

A long, grinding sprint aimed straight ahead is my specialty.

…Granted, I’d never done a sprint as long as a thousand meters like this before.

Even so, it’s not something I can’t do.

I’ll absolutely run her down!

I entered the third corner. About ten lengths behind.

The final corner. I’d closed it to six lengths.

I can do this.

Just a little more acceleration—get within two lengths behind her… and make her turn around.

According to my trainer, she’s weak to pressure from behind.

If you get within about two lengths, she’ll glance back, overreact, and lose her composure.

She went out at that pace in the first half—there’s no way she has any room left for another sprint.

If I make her break, she’ll definitely fade.

And if I pass her then, it’s my win.

It’s fine. Absolutely fine. I can win.

…So why does my chest feel so uneasy?

Five lengths… four… three.

I’ve got her. I can close it all the way in this final corner.

"The Satsuki Sho is mine!"

And then, at last, I reached her.

Two lengths behind her back—close enough to make her panic, close enough to force her to turn around.

Not to brag, but my pressure is something else. I am, after all, the Invincible Emperor. There’s no way she wouldn’t notice me.

…And yet.

She doesn’t turn around.

She just keeps running, as if nothing at all is happening.

Something’s wrong. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

Why won’t she… even look at me?!

"Teio-chan."

For some reason, even amid the thunderous roar of hooves pounding the turf, I heard those words.

Quiet, clear—and yet unbearably heavy.

"I don’t have any weaknesses anymore."

I thought, This is bad.

A gut feeling with no logic behind it. But I knew, without a doubt.

This is bad. I need to run faster—much, much faster!

If I don’t, then I…!

"Goodbye."

Her back exploded forward.

The gray light she carried flared even brighter, and in the instant I found myself captivated by it, she was already far, far away.

…A sprint.

She ran like that in the opening stages, and then still unleashed a sprint no different from her usual one?

How can she do that?

Does she have bottomless stamina?

Or did she save her legs somewhere along the way?

No—don’t think about it now.

I force my legs to turn faster. I kick the turf as if springing off it.

Right now, all I have to do is run forward!

There’s no way I’m going to lose.

I’ve been winning this whole time.

The only time I ever lost after giving it my all was that mock race—and even then, it was because Nature dragged me down.

I won’t lose. I’ll win—I’ll win!

That’s how it’s supposed to be…!

"Why—why?!"

I can’t reach her. I can’t close in. She’s pulling away.

Strength drains from my legs. My breathing turns ragged. My form falls apart.

…The gap between us keeps widening.

I’m… going to lose?

And then—

"Hoshino Wilm crosses the line in first! A commanding victory by eight lengths!"

All I could do was watch the scene unfold.

…No, that’s not right.

All I can do is watch that star-like, glittering gray from behind.

Forever.

---

"Whoa—ugh!"

When I came to, I was clutching my head.

Ow… that hurts. Did I hit something?

"Oww… what was that about…?"

I looked around—and this wasn’t a colorless racecourse.

This is… my room at the Ritto dorm. I’m on my bed?

…Ah. Right. It was a dream.

Man, what a dream to have. That really scared me.

I never want to see something like that again if I can help it.

So what happened… I must’ve jumped up and smashed my head straight into the board hanging on the wall.

What an unlucky morning. Of all things, dreaming about losing the Satsuki Sho.

When I’m supposed to win the Triple Crown…

"…Ah. Right."

As I put the board back up, something caught my eye.

Two sheets of paper—my declared goals.

"Become an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume."

"Surpass Kaicho."

One of them—the first—had been scribbled out, crushed beyond recognition.

I can’t win the Triple Crown anymore.

What I just saw wasn’t just a dream. It’s something that actually happened.

The Satsuki Sho… was taken by her.

By Snake-chan.

---

"Teio. You okay?"

"Trainer?"

The trainer suddenly called out to me.

Okay? What does that mean?

I don’t feel sick, and nothing hurts…

"Your legs stopped. You’re not fully focused, are you?"

"My legs? …Ah."

Right—I was in the middle of a run.

I’d spaced out and come to a full stop.

…Huh. What was I even thinking about?

"…Teio. Let’s call it a day."

"N-No! I can’t! If I don’t train, then at the Derby—!"

"I know what you’re trying to say.

There’s a little over a month until the Japan Derby. To beat Hoshino Wilm, you think you need more training than ever, right?"

"Yeah! I have to work harder, or I’ll—"

I don’t want to lose again.

I don’t want to go through that again.

I was supposed to win.

I was supposed to win in front of a hundred thousand people and bask in those cheers.

Instead, I lost by eight lengths—and all that was directed at me were cold voices.

No… that’s not it.

The hardest part wasn’t that.

"…What a shame."

The fact that her eyes never once looked at me.

"Teio. …Teio!"

"Huh—ah, yeah. What?"

"…No. This isn’t good, Teio. If you force yourself to train like this, you could end up in a serious accident."

"Th-That’s not true! Please, Trainer—I’ll do my best!"

"Teio… please understand."

"I don’t want to! I don’t want to! If this keeps up, then I—!"

I knew I was panicking.

I knew, logically, that this wasn’t good.

But even so, I had to push myself harder.

Otherwise, I couldn’t beat her.

…Snake-chan wouldn’t even acknowledge me.

I wouldn’t even be allowed to stand on the same stage as her.

And then—

"Teio!"

A slightly angry voice—different from my trainer’s—called out.

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

There was no way I could mistake that voice.

"Kaicho…"

Standing there was the person I admired most.

The student council president of Tracen Academy, the undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume herself—Symboli Rudolf.

A little while ago, back when Kaicho was still active in the Twinkle Series, she had won the Derby following the Satsuki Sho, raising two fingers with an easy, confident smile.

Back then, I was just a kid—and that coolness… the way she stood proudly, basking in the cheers of countless people—I admired it with all my heart.

From that moment on, my goal became Kaicho.

That’s why I followed in her footsteps, enrolled at Central Tracen Academy, and registered for the Twinkle Series.

…Later, after meeting my trainer, that admiration turned into a desire not just to chase her, but to beat her.

Even now, Kaicho—and the legend of her undefeated Triple Crown—remained the most dazzling, sparkling dream I had.

That very Kaicho was now looking at me with an unusually furrowed brow.

…I knew, on some level, that I wasn’t behaving well.

That made things awkward, and I ended up looking away from her.

"Teio, I told you before—don’t cause your trainer too much trouble."

"…Ugh, but—"

"I understand how you feel. It’s not as though I was undefeated my entire life, either. I do understand the shock of defeat… of a crushing loss.

However, that is precisely when you must renew your resolve and walk forward in step with your trainer.

He’s saying this because he’s thinking about you. And as an Uma Musume under contract with him, you must stand by his side as well.

…Am I wrong?"

"Ugh… you’re not wrong, but…"

"Now, now, Rudolf. Teio has feelings too—you shouldn’t just brush those aside."

Kaicho always takes the trainer’s side when something happens.

Honestly, I was a little jealous of how strong a bond she’d built with him.

My trainer used to be Kaicho’s trainer back when she was active in the Twinkle Series.

Apparently, when she transferred to the Dream Trophy League, various things happened—she joined a team, and their trainer contract was dissolved…

Even so, Kaicho still comes to see him from time to time, and they still talk about training.

Even without a contract, the trust they built over all those years didn’t seem to waver.

…That kind of relationship is nice. I couldn’t help but admire it.

Originally, I was the one who approached him about a contract.

I thought that if he’d trained Kaicho, maybe he could guide me toward her path as well—so I made my move.

And, honestly, his ability really was impressive.

He understands how I feel and builds my training around that, raising me in a solid, reliable way.

I do trust him. I really do. I believe he won’t lead me wrong.

But when he shows off that relationship with Kaicho like this… yeah, it’s kind of annoying.

It’s not like I mind him being close with other people.

But when my contracted trainer and the person I admire most are that close… it makes my chest feel tight and irritated.

He’s my trainer. And she’s my Kaicho.

On top of that, after losing the Satsuki Sho, I wasn’t exactly in a state where I could calmly listen to Kaicho’s words.

"But—but! I have to train more…!"

"Your trainer said the same thing, but pushing further would only waste time. You should take a break and refresh yourself first."

"No! While I’m doing that, she’s just going to get even faster!"

"…Good grief. This is troublesome."

Kaicho folded her arms with a wry smile.

Ugh, she’s cool.

She’s cool—but that didn’t mean I was going to fall for it!

While I puffed out my cheeks, the trainer stepped closer to Kaicho and whispered something to her.

"Rudolf, if you don’t mind…"

"Hm? …I see. Heh, you really are as rough with your Uma Musume as ever."

"Can I count on you?"

"Have I ever refused one of your requests?"

Watching how well those two got along just made me feel even more unsettled.

If he’s my trainer, I wish he’d look at me instead of Kaicho.

And Kaicho could stand to look at me more, too.

…Why does nobody look at me?

"What are you two talking about?!"

"Oh, nothing important.

…By the way, Teio. You’ve grown since then, haven’t you? How about another mock race?"

"Wha—?! A race with you, Kaicho?! Is that really okay?!"

Kaicho is the student council president, and she always looks busy.

On top of that, the glory of being an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume still felt a little out of reach.

Even if I wanted a mock race, she wasn’t someone you could casually challenge.

…My Triple Crown dream is gone, but my dream of surpassing Kaicho was still alive.

If that’s all I have left, then I’ll make it come true.

"This time, I’ll win, Kaicho!"

"Good. Come at me seriously, Teio.

…This time, I’ll face you at full strength."

Gulp.

Kaicho’s full strength.

For the first time, I’ll get to experience it firsthand…!

"By the way, Trainer, how does next weekend look for you? I happened to get two movie tickets, and I was hoping you might join me."

"Next weekend, huh… alright. I’ll clear my schedule. Thank you, Rudolf."

"Hey—! Don’t start having fun together when I’m all fired up over here!"

---

A few days later, the day of the mock race arrived.

The participants were me, Kaicho, and seven other Uma Musume.

They were girls who’d heard about the sudden mock race and asked to join.

…Snake-chan wasn’t among them.

Instead—well, not that it’s a replacement, exactly…

"Teio, let’s have a good run today."

"Nature… you’re joining too?"

"Yeah. My trainer said there’s no way I could pass up a chance to run against the president herself."

"…I see."

One of my fellow Uma Musume from the same generation was there.

Nice Nature.

She’s an Uma Musume with an easygoing demeanor, mainly specializing in late charges.

Her record so far stood at two wins out of four races. It’s not like she’s known as an especially strong Uma Musume.

Her finishing kick is sharp compared to others, sure—but there’s no question that mine is better.

And yet, that day—

"No. I’ll be the one who wins. …Nature aside, there’s no reason you should lose to the current you."

Snake-chan had flatly declared that Nature was stronger than me.

Nature’s legs are ordinary—unlike hers. They’re not overwhelmingly powerful.

Which means there’s no way I should lose.

In fact, I’d beaten Nature by two lengths at the Wakaba Stakes.

…There’s no way I should lose. And yet—

Those words wouldn’t leave my head.

…From her perspective, what’s the difference between me and Nature?

"And one more thing, Teio."

"…Huh? What is it?"

"You’d be better off staying further back today."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because otherwise, you won’t be able to stop the Emperor’s… advance. Something like that."

"…………Ah. Yeah."

Come to think of it, Nature does have a similar kind of intuition to Kaicho’s.

She can say things like that so casually right before a race.

In its own way, that might be Nature’s real threat.

…But stopping Kaicho? Why?

I was about to ask when my trainer announced the start of the mock race.

With no choice, we cut the conversation short and lined up at the start.

Hmm… what was Nature trying to tell me?

---

Now, the mock race begins.

I usually don’t get extremely detailed race plans from my trainer.

At most, it’s something like where to start my sprint and how long to keep it up.

I’ve got good race sense, and it’s better for me to make decisions on the fly rather than locking myself into a plan beforehand.

So the question now is whether I trust what Nature told me.

Kaicho will probably come in with her usual late charge.

According to Nature, I should stay further back—meaning around the middle of the pack for me.

I’m not especially good at late charges. For a moment, I wondered if Nature was trying to throw me off on purpose.

But she’s not that kind of girl.

…And more importantly, I don’t think her target today is me.

Nature is the type who goes all out to neutralize the strongest opponent she sees.

That mock race before—where she pushed me into overexerting myself and drove Snake-chan into a frenzy—was the same.

According to my trainer, wearing me down was just a bonus. Her real goal was to force Snake-chan into overextending herself.

If that’s the case, then this time too… Nature probably thinks it’s dangerous for anyone to run ahead of Kaicho, because that would only let Kaicho build momentum.

So what should I do? Go for a late charge this time?

…No. That won’t work. My late charge won’t be enough to contend with Kaicho.

If I want to understand Kaicho’s full strength, I have to go in from the front.

Just as I settled on my strategy, my trainer dropped the flag he was holding.

"Hah!"

"Now!"

"—!"

As expected, Kaicho burst out with a flawless start, with Nature and me right behind her.

Of course, none of us are front-runners by nature, so we quickly settled into our own paces and let ourselves fall back with the flow of the race.

Nature and Kaicho moved into the middle of the pack, while I held a forward position.

This time, there’s one front-runner and two pressers—including me.

That leaves six late chargers or deep closers.

That’s an extreme imbalance. Maybe Nature told the others the same thing she told me.

Well, the fewer Uma Musume using the same strategy as me, the better.

That way, I won’t get boxed in and stuck in the pack.

From that perspective, this setup is pretty lucky.

I edge slightly ahead of the other presser and run hard along the inside rail.

Alright. I’ll keep this position, then launch my sprint in the final stretch.

Fortunately, the front-runner isn’t pushing the pace too hard.

At this rate, I should be able to make it through without trouble.

…Up until the late stage, it was an ordinary race.

Nature and the others didn’t make any sudden moves, and I didn’t make any mistakes either.

If I’m being generous, everything was going perfectly.

If I’m not—this felt like the eerie calm before a storm.

And then, that silence was shattered without warning.

From behind, an overwhelming pressure crashes into me.

This feeling—there’s no mistake… it’s Kaicho!

I respond immediately, launching into my sprint.

The sprint I couldn’t fully unleash at the Satsuki Sho.

I’ll brag a little—I’m confident she won’t catch me that easily.

It’s fine. Even against Kaicho, with this…!

In that instant—

The world I was looking at is overwritten.

---

It’s like the scenery of a palace from some distant country.

"There is no path before me."

An Uma Musume strides through it alone.

Even amid such opulence, her presence is overwhelming—she truly is an emperor.

"Therefore, I advance—undaunted, relentless!"

Crackle—crackle. Lightning spills from her entire body.

With a single sweep of her hand, a dazzling bolt scorches the floor spreading out before her.

And just like that, a single line of passage is carved open.

This is the path the emperor walks—

The path of domination.

"I carve my own way!"

---

"W-What is this?!"

I can clearly see the lane in front of me, and yet an impossible vision is overlapping it.

…But somehow, I understand.

This world is what Kaicho wanted to show.

This is Kaicho’s true, serious strength.

There’s no mistake—this is where Kaicho starts to surge—

A shiver runs through me.

An overwhelming pressure freezes my body, nearly throwing off my balance, and instinctively, I give way.

Something tears past my side at an unbelievable speed.

…It’s Kaicho.

For just an instant, I catch her eyes—and they look like they’re flashing with white lightning.

The moment we were side by side lasted no longer than a blink.

Kaicho… didn’t even spare me a glance as she thundered far ahead.

"…"

…It can’t be helped.

Losing to Kaicho can’t be helped.

I still can’t reach her—or Snake-chan.

…But someday, I will.

So for now, at least let me take second—!

"Now… now’s the moment!"

A voice comes from behind me.

There’s no panic in it. No despair.

Only joy—and a deep sense of fulfillment.

Nature’s voice.

She’s already come this far.

…But I won’t let her pass.

I don’t want to lose anymore—ever again…!

That’s what I thought.

And yet—

"I can finally see it… my very own world!"

---

The world falls into darkness.

A pitch-black void with nowhere to cling to.

Within it, there is a single star.

A shining star. A distant star.

…A gray star.

From it, a single path of light stretches outward.

No—this path isn’t coming from the star.

This is the road that leads to it.

The road she runs to seize that star for herself.

"I won’t settle for just being shown a dream!!"

She shouts, charging straight toward the star.

---

W-Wait, this is the same as Kaicho’s?!

How can Nature use something like this?!

I don’t even fully understand it myself yet…!

Kaicho’s world and Nature’s world spread outward from each of them, clashing as they try to devour one another.

…Nature’s world isn’t as refined as Kaicho’s. It isn’t perfect. Maybe it hasn’t fully evolved yet.

And yet, it holds its ground—

Fighting Kaicho on equal footing.

"Haaaaaaaah!!"

Nature’s scream rings out.

A desperate cry so fierce it feels like she’s burning through her very life.

And then Nature pulls up alongside me—and almost immediately… passes me.

Without even sparing me a glance.

Kaicho glances back for just an instant, looking not at me, but at Nature…

Her lips soften into the faintest smile, and she drives her legs even harder.

That sight crosses the final line in my heart.

…Why?

Why is it that I’m here too—just like Kaicho, like Nature… like Snake-chan—and yet—

I’m an Uma Musume too!

So why does no one look at me?!

I’m right here! I’m running right here!

And yet they all just run past like I’m not even there!

What—am I not worth dealing with? Am I not even in their field of vision?!

Don’t mess with me! I’m an Uma Musume too!

I want to win this race just as badly!!

I pour every last ounce of strength into my legs.

"…I will!"

This is my all-out sprint—full throttle, heart and soul, holding nothing back.

Even so, I might still lose this race.

My opponents are Kaicho—and Nature, who can fight her on equal terms.

With my legs in this condition, I might never catch up.

I might be doomed to stare at their backs forever…

…As if.

I refuse—absolutely refuse—to accept that!!

I’ll win. I will win!

I’ll cross the finish line first—faster than anyone!!

『I wanted to race Tokai Teio.
I wanted to face the finest Uma Musume—one who could overwhelm me with her full heart and soul.
…What a shame.』

Those cold words from that day flash back into my mind.

Watch me, Hoshino Wilm.

No—look at me, Kaicho. Nature. Hoshino Wilm!

This race, and the next one too—I’m the one who’ll win!!

"I am Tokai Teiooooooo!!"

Crack.

Just like that, my vision shatters.

And beyond it—

Blue sky.

A beautiful, boundless blue sky stretching endlessly overhead.

…Ah. What an incredible world this is.

In this sky, I feel like I could go anywhere.

The world spreading out from me crashes head-on with Nature’s.

They grind against each other, scraping and tearing as each tries to expand its own domain—

And then, through the fragments of that shattered world, Nature’s heart reaches me.

『I want to win! I want to win too!
I’ll prove it to Trainer—prove that the Uma Musume you chose grew into someone truly strong!!
So I won’t lose! I don’t care if you’re an emperor or a king—I won’t lose!!』

This is the true nature of an Uma Musume who yearns for victory.

A raging, burning fighting instinct.

As if my soul resonates with it, the fire in my own heart surges higher.

Win. I want to win—this race! The Uma Musume beside me! The goal waiting far ahead!!

This is it. This feeling.

The thing I was missing back then.

The thing I need to reach her.

With this—

I won’t lose anymore!!

"…!"

"So you’ve come!"

Nature—and Kaicho ahead of us—both turn their eyes toward me.

At last, they recognize that I’m here.

That I’m a rival—a threat.

I don’t have time to savor it.

Because I’m going to beat them both!

Like I’m flying through the blue sky, I race across the turf.

Higher. Faster. Farther—pushing onward with everything these legs have!

"I’m going to wiiiiiin!!"

"Tch—damn it, not yet!!"

Grinding our worlds against each other, we surge forward—forward!!

Nature’s world is pitch-black, like the dead of night.
Mine is a blue sky, bright as midday.

The two worlds are complete opposites—utterly incompatible.

And then there’s Kaicho, far ahead of us.

We’re all Uma Musume.
Rivals running the same race.
And only one of us can win.

So—so—so!

The one who wins… is meeeee!!

"Don’t forget that feeling, you two.
And someday, on the stage of dreams, let’s contend for supremacy again."

The order at the finish line was Kaicho, then me, then Nature.

Kaicho won by seven lengths.

I beat Nature by three.

---

"Teio! Are you okay?!"

My Trainer comes running over from a distance.

…Well, yeah. Anyone would be worried.

Me bracing my hands on my knees, shoulders heaving—it’s not like me at all.

Not even back at the Satsuki Sho had I ever been this exhausted.

But right now, this exhaustion feels good.

I’ve finally stood on the same stage as Kaicho, as Nature—and Snake-chan… Hoshino Wilm.

This fatigue is proof of that.

…Still.

It’s frustrating.

So frustrating.

Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating!!

It hurts that I couldn’t win.
It hurts that I still didn’t come close to Kaicho at all.
That frustration burns straight from the bottom of my heart!!

But that’s exactly why.

Because I have this feeling… I can win.

Even against her—the one beyond that gray light, with speed from another dimension!

I lift my head just enough to answer my Trainer.

"Haa… huff… I-I’m fine…
Sorry—and thank you, Trainer… I’m okay now."

"…I see. You saw it, didn’t you."

"Yeah! …Do you think I can beat Wilm now…?"

"Of course. Everything is finally in place.
…We’re going to win the Derby, Teio."

"Y-Yeah! I’m counting on you for the final training menu… Trainer!"

I’ll grant your wish this time—for real.

Tokai Teio, the finest Uma Musume you spoke of, will face you head-on.

And then I’ll snap that proud nose of yours clean in half!

"I’ll be waiting at the Derby… Wilm!"