A few days later...
The day of the Entrance Exam was finally here.
And once again, a lone figure appeared in the morning mist, running across the track by herself.
Preparing herself one last time for the upcoming decisive, monumental moment...
It was Mary Jane.
Her steps were still heavy from the injury, yet she persisted.
Step after step.
Stride after stride.
She forced herself forward while her breathing grew heavier with each second.
Until—
She crossed her self-assigned lap again.
And immediately dropped, hands braced against her knees, gasping for air.
For a moment, she stayed there.
Trying to calm herself.
Then she swiftly lifted her stopwatch out of her pocket.
Pressed it.
Stopping the time.
Her eyes flicked over the numbers, and her expression immediately dropped.
"I… I got slower…" she murmured.
"Damn it…!"
There, she straightened her posture again.
Already planning to push through one more lap.
Just one more time, she would say.
Trying to reach her former record.
However, right as she was twisting into her starting stance—
Suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through her ankle.
"It hurts…!" she hissed, dropping to her knees.
Then, she stayed there for a moment.
Draw in a few slow, steady breaths, trying to dull the throbbing ache.
With that, she quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle.
Painkillers.
Her hand quivered as she held on to it.
"I… I can't stop…"
"Not now... not ever..."
"Not when I need to be perfect…"
Her grip tightened around it.
"Not when father is expecting me…"
"Not when..."
"...when I can't afford to fall behind…"
"To..."
"...lose..."
She then raised the bottle slightly.
Ready to pop a few pills out of it.
"I…"
"I…"
But she hesitated.
And her gaze lingered on the bottle, uncertain.
How much longer could she keep relying on this?
How much more could her body take before something gave out completely?
How much further could she push before she is completely deteriorated?
So, her hand trembled.
Her teeth gritted.
And yet—
She couldn't bring herself to decide.
She couldn't bring herself to take any more of it.
Even if it was her father's order... A 'gift' he would call.
She simply couldn't—
Until—
A sound broke through the stillness.
It was a laugh.
It was light and carefree.
A child's voice that was derived from a family jogging nearby.
Mary turned.
She watched while the bottle was still resting in her hand.
Trembling.
It was a little girl, her hands clasped against her parents.
The girl bounced with each step, skipping like someone she knew.
Frolicking.
"…Urara…" Mary murmured.
Her eyes lingered for a moment longer.
Then—
"…Right."
Her head dipped slightly.
"She's waiting for me too…"
She looked back at the bottle.
At the front label.
Hesitating once more.
"Urara..."
"I..."
She paused.
Then—
Without any further delay.
She exhaled, already twisting the cap open.
Popped a few pills right onto her palm.
Downed as she pressed them into her mouth.
Swallowing.
"I can do this…" she muttered, her head lowering.
Then, more firmly—
"No…"
Her fingers curled tightly.
"I have to do this..."
She then rose from her knees, staggering for a little.
And pressed her wounded foot onto the floor.
Testing it, straining it.
And the pain was indeed dissipated.
With that—
She exhaled in relief.
And stepped forward.
Then...
After a moment of twisting back into her starting stance.
She broke into a run once more.
And just like that—
She disappeared into the morning mist like before.
Running.
Chasing.
Fighting.
Surviving...
…
…
…
The sun rose high above the tracks of Tracen Academy.
And footsteps thundered across the field.
A pack of Umamusume surged forward, racing at full speed—
—but one figure stood far ahead of the rest.
Haru Urara.
She accelerated effortlessly.
One meter.
Two.
Five.
The gap widened with every stride.
No one could reach her.
No one could catch her.
She ran as if the wind itself carried her.
A spectacle.
A miracle unfolding before everyone's eyes.
Leaving them behind without a second glance.
"What… is that speed…?"
"She's in a completely different league…"
"She's... she's fast!"
And whispers rippled through the candidates.
Then—
With one final burst—
*KABOOM*
The floor was immediately torn apart.
Dirt and dust misted the air.
And Urara surged through the final stretch with monumental speed.
Leaving the rest were nowhere to be seen.
Then—
With a few more steps—
And there she went.
Urara crossed the finish line.
Earning her first clear, decisive victory.
A truly one-sided race, some would declare.
"Haru Urara has won the Entrance Exam!" the broadcaster cheered.
And the crowd joined in.
Roaring, applauding.
Trainers, too, rushed forward, pushing past one another, trying to scout her for their teams.
And there she stood—
Haru Urara.
Hands on her hips.
A proud, almost smug grin spread across her face.
"Hehe~ Easy!"
Until—
A pair of footsteps approached.
Mary.
Calm as ever.
She stopped in front of Urara and extended her hand.
"I knew I was wrong about you, Urara," she said quietly.
"I knew you were stronger than I thought."
A faint smile then touched her lips.
"Let's be friends," she added.
Urara's eyes sparkled instantly.
Without hesitation, she grabbed her hand.
"Of course!" she bubbled while eagerly shaking Mary's hand.
But then—
When the world seemed to have a good end.
The sky dimmed.
The crowd gasped, "Huh, what's happening?" gathering in confusion.
Gray clouds swallowed the sunlight.
Winds swirled across the field.
And a chilling sensation merged with the atmosphere.
And suddenly—
A massive clock monster came crashing down from the sky.
*BOOM!*
The ground shook violently.
Screams erupted everywhere.
"What is that?!"
"Run—!"
"Oh no! It's the Clock Monster!"
The towering creature loomed over the academy, lashing out a monstrous screech.
Amid the chaos—
Urara stepped forward.
Completely unfazed.
"Urara will handle this!"
She pulled out a watch and struck a pose.
"Transforming!"
And she pressed it.
A beam of light suddenly descended from the sky.
And from within it—
A massive mech appeared.
Landed with a thunderous impact.
Urara then leapt forward—
Straight into the cockpit.
"Pick someone your own size!" she declared.
A glowing blade formed in her mech's hand.
The crowd quickly re-gathered from the panic upon spotting her.
Gushing from afar.
"Is that, Urara?!"
"She's here to save us!"
"We're saved!"
"All praise Urara!"
Then—
Urara charged forward, retaliating against the monster.
Attacking the monster with her glowing blade.
"Hiyaaa!"
*WOOSH!*
*SLASH!*
*SLICE!*
The Clock Monster's arm was severed cleanly.
It let out a distorted roar.
Stumbling from afar.
Then, as Urara was about to finish it off, it unleashed a wave of deafening ringing.
"Ring—!"
Everyone dropped, clutching their ears.
Even Urara staggered inside the cockpit—
"Argh!!! It's painful!"
But then—
Her eyes locked onto something.
"…There!"
On top of the monster's head...
A button.
Without hesitation, she launched forward.
Her mech surged ahead, fist drawn back.
"Take this!"
*BAM!*
She slammed into it.
The ringing stopped instantly.
And the monster froze.
It became vulnerable.
Then, Urara quickly leaped a few miles back, balancing herself.
Energy gathered at her mech's chest—
Swirling.
Condensing.
Brighter and brighter—
Until it formed a single, blinding point.
"Urara Beam!"
She declared as she fired.
And...
*BOOOOM!*
The beam pierced straight through the monster's core—
Blasting it apart.
The giant clock shattered and collapsed.
Exploded into pieces.
For a brief moment...
Silence.
Then—
Cheers erupted once more.
"Urara! Urara! Urara!"
Urara popped out of her mech, waving proudly.
"Hehe~!"
She basked in the applause—
Smiling.
Shining brighter than ever.
But then—
The cheers began to fade.
The voices grew distant.
Blurry.
Distorted.
Until—
"I WIN!"
Urara shot upright in bed.
Her hands raised triumphantly.
There, her eyes were wide.
"…Huh?"
Reality slowly came back into focus.
Standing beside her—
Her mother.
Arms crossed.
Sighing deeply.
"Haru Urara… do you know what time it is?"
Urara blinked.
Still half in her dream.
"What…? But… I just won…"
Another blink.
Then—
Reality hit.
She turned her head slowly.
Toward the alarm clock beside her.
Shattered.
Completely destroyed.
Cracked from the force of her dramatic sleep victory.
"…Ah."
Her mother sighed again.
"Get changed. Now. You're going to be late."
"Your mother's right," her father added, already dressed, though still yawning. "We need to go before you get disqualified."
Urara blinked again.
Still dazed, but she obliged.
"…Okay…"
She slid out of bed and followed her mother toward the bathroom.
Dragging her feet the entire way.
The entrance exam began at 8:30 AM.
But now... it was already 8.00 AM.
And the travel would take another half an hour.
So...
Within minutes, she was dressed.
Then immediately—
She was pulled and dragged by her mom out of the hotel.
Escorting directly to the school in a rush.
"Wait—! I'm still sleepy—!" Urara protested.
"No time!"
Candidates were supposed to arrive early.
To warm up.
To prepare.
Yet this little pink critter overslept almost all that spare time.
Leaving no room for delay.
And so—
They ran.
Straight toward Tracen Academy...
No breakfast, no greeting.
No more dilly-dallying.
Just straight to the exam...
If a miracle were to allow them...