As the Entrance Exam officially began, one race after another unfolded before Urara's turn.
Each trial burned with intensity, where blood was boiled, sweat poured, and some even broke into tears.
Every candidate had given everything they had.
Fighting for their own streak of victories.
For their monumental performance.
And a single chance to belong here, to stand within the grounds of this prestigious academy.
To become one of them.
Meanwhile...
Up in the stands, binoculars were raised.
Numerous judgmental eyes traced every movement on the track.
Trainers scribbled notes.
Discussions sparked quietly among them.
Even among some of the parents, there were their own assessments.
But Urara's father...
He wasn't analyzing.
He was simply…
Amazed.
Each runner carried speed, agility, and tenacity far beyond anything he had ever witnessed.
At least...
In person.
Especially when compared to the small races Urara used to run back home.
This was entirely different.
The track here was wide, grand, and overwhelming. With itself stretching endlessly.
And it was clear that this stage operated on a level far beyond anything they had known.
The candidates, the crowds, the audiences, the tracks.
As Urara's father glanced to his side casually out of excitement.
There stood a man, holding a pair of binoculars of his own.
Eyes locked onto the track.
Tongue slightly sticking out in concentration.
Casually, Urara's father leaned over and asked, "So, which one's yours?"
And he groaned softly.
"…Hmm… I'm still picking," he murmured.
"They all look pretty good for their age."
Urara's father then blinked, "…W—What…?" completely thrown off by his response...
...
...
Meanwhile...
It was almost Urara's turn.
Her bracket, Bracket C, had been called to prepare.
Candidates began gathering near the entrance, inside a tunnel.
Lining up.
Waiting for the previous race to conclude.
And...
...This was it.
Their final moments before stepping onto the field. Competing to earn themselves a satisfactory evaluation.
There, some began to tighten their shoelaces.
Some stretched their arms, legs, and backs, loosening every muscle.
Others jogged lightly in place, warming their bodies.
Each was preparing in their own way.
And then...
There was Urara.
Casually strolling without a care in the world.
She made her way toward the front, toward Mary.
Who somehow quietly stood at the very front of the line.
Gazing out through the tunnel—
Toward the track beyond.
As Urara approached, stopping right beside her, Mary asked.
"Are you nervous....?
"Urara..." while remaining looking ahead.
Meanwhile, Urara excitedly shook her head.
"Not really…!"
Then she grinned, pumping her fists lightly.
"In fact—I'm excited!"
"…Is that so?" Mary murmured, slightly taken aback.
Then, a faintly confident smirk formed.
"Then… I wish you all the best, Urara."
"Because I'll be the one crushing you in this race."
She added as she stepped forward.
"Not if I do it first!" and Urara shot back immediately, grinning just as brightly.
"…We'll see, Urara," she added.
With that, Mary didn't look back.
She simply advanced.
Step after step...
And soon—
She disappeared beyond the tunnel.
Assimilating out into the bright light that connected the tunnel with the field.
Meanwhile—
Urara remained where she stood.
"…Alright!" she declared, clenching her fists.
"It's time to show the world the power of Urara!"
Her eyes now sparkled with determination.
"Today's the day I bring home good news!"
"And together with Mary-chan!"
She then raised her fist high.
"Let's go, go, GO!"
With that—
Urara quickly turned toward the tunnel's exit and dashed forward, her usual grin never fading.
If anything... She was more excited than ever.
As the light ahead grew brighter with every step.
A blinding glow spilled into the tunnel.
One step.
Two.
Three...
And....
She stepped through.
Right into the open field.
A turf track, to be precise.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Whoa~! It's huge!"
She spun around in awe.
And it truly was.
The track stretched endlessly, far beyond anything she had ever seen.
It was at least three times the size of the small course back home.
With her mind dazed, Urara began bouncing around the field, unable to stay still.
She crouched down, brushing her hand across the neatly trimmed grass.
Then she dashed toward the fence, running her fingers along its smooth surface.
Taking it all in like a child in a brand-new world.
Then...
Urara spotted them.
Her parents.
Up in the stands.
Her face lit up instantly as she waved both hands energetically.
"DAD! MOM!"
And her father immediately stood up, joining in.
"URARA! GIVE THEM HELL!" he shouted back at the top of his lungs.
But unbeknownst to their over-the-top energy, nearby spectators immediately flinched, turning to stare at him.
Meanwhile—
Other candidates, too, began emerging from the tunnel.
Passing by Urara slowly.
Giving her confused looks as they walked by.
"What...'s she doing…?"
"Is she serious right now…?"
And then, amongst them...
Another figure stepped out.
King Halo.
Following the masses in the front, advancing toward their assigned starting point by the starting gates.
However, her journey was quickly cut short by that loud pink creature.
She jolted by her shout as she veered her gaze toward her, looking directly at Urara, who was making a scene, lightheartedly.
"DAD! LOOK AT ME! THIS FIELD IS HUGE!" Urara shouted, waving brightly down at the field.
"I KNOW, RIGHT?!" her father shouted back, waving brightly up at the stands.
"I CAN'T WAIT TO RUN ON IT!"
"AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU RUN ON IT!"
"What is she doing…?" King muttered under her breath, visibly taken aback.
Meanwhile, around them, the crowd's patience began to wear thin.
Murmurs grew louder, and glances turned all around.
And yet—
Both of them remained completely unaware.
Before the two could continue their shouting matches.
Urara's mother stepped in.
She grabbed her husband's ear and twisted it.
And her father reacted instantly.
"Honey… this is not the time… please behave…" Urara's mother whispered through a strained smile.
"Ye—YES! Ho—honey…!" he yelped, wincing in pain as he was forced back into his seat.
Meanwhile...
On the field, King Halo remained.
Still processing what she had just witnessed.
"…Unbelievable…" she muttered.
For a moment, she considered stepping in, stopping that loud, pink nuisance from turning the entire field into a circus.
But—
She hesitated.
What if others saw her getting involved?
What if they saw her associating with that?
What would they think?
Her reputation, her image...
Everything she upheld would be questioned.
"…Tch."
She clicked her tongue.
"…Ignore it."
And so she turned.
Taking a step away from them.
Then another...
...And another.
But—
She stopped.
Her foot froze mid-step.
A sigh then escaped her lips.
"…Honestly…"
Before she could think any further, she turned back.
And marched straight toward Urara.
Before she even realized it herself, she had already grabbed Urara by the arm.
And began dragging her away.
"Wha—? Wait! I'm not done yet!" Urara protested, her heels scraping across the field as she was pulled along.
"Pull yourself together, Urara!" King snapped, clearly irritated.
"But I'm still talking!"
"You can do that after the race!" King shot back.
Meanwhile...
Far from the commotion, stood Mary.
She had been watching silently, and her lips gaped slightly as she did.
"…Urara… made a new friend?" she whispered in disbelief.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"…Well… it is Urara after all," she murmured.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised…"
She then turned back away.
However...
The scene behind her only grew louder.
King was now struggling to drag Urara while Urara began resisting.
A literal chaotic tug-of-war was happening in the middle of the field.
"Geez! Stop struggling already!" King snapped, clearly losing her composure.
"Then let me go!" Urara shot back, pushing against her with all her might.
They went back and forth—
Each pulling and pushing.
Dragging and resisting.
Completely unaware that their warm-up time was slipping away every second.
And before they knew it...
They had nearly spent all of their warm-up period.
Then, after one final, heated struggle...
The two were finally forced back toward the starting gates.
And both were breathing heavily.
Completely exhausted.
Meanwhile, Urara staggered a little before ultimately collapsing flat onto the grass.
"Uwaah…!" she gasped as she dropped.
Beside her, King Halo was panting, too.
"...Geez...!" she muttered in exasperation, "Why do I even bother it!"
Meanwhile...
The other candidates had been watching the entire exchange, too.
Thoroughly distracted and forgot about their warm-up as their eyes, too, locked on the absurd tug-of-war unfolding before them.
And they were completely speechless about it.
Especially such churlish behavior occurring in this very respected soil.
However, Mary.
She had only glanced for a moment.
Then turned her focus back to herself, continuing her stretches and others.
Unbothered.
Unsurprised.
After all...
This was just… Urara being Urara.
It was nothing new to her.
Largely because they shared the same class for years before this.
But once the ruckus was settled down.
Eventually—
The candidates snapped back to reality.
And they resumed their preparations.
Light jumps.
High knees.
Stretching.
Shaking off the tension.
Until—
A wave of gasps swept across the field.
And all candidates turned.
"Is that—?!"
"No way—!!!"
"Why would they be here?!"
"That means… someone important is racing today!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Even while still catching their breath, both King and Urara immediately reacted to their massive responses.
As King turned sharply toward the direction everyone was staring, while Urara pushed herself up from the grass, eyes darting around the direction everyone focused.
And there...
They saw her.
Someone who wasn't supposed to be here.
Someone's arrival without proper notice.
The Emperor, herself.
Alongside her vice presidents—
The Empress and the Monster.
Symboli Rudolf.
With Air Groove and Narita Brian at her side.
Arrived at the stand, and they stood at the back of the spectator stands.
Seemingly quietly observed something, or perhaps, someone.
Yet despite their subtle arrival, their presence alone commanded the entire field.
And King Halo's eyes, too, widened.
"Wh—what?! W—why are they here—?!" she gasped, unable to hide her shock.
Meanwhile—
Urara reacted in a completely different way.
"Whoa! Students from the school came to watch too?!"
Her eyes sparkled.
"I've gotta do my best!" she cheered.
At the same time—
Mary's breath caught too.
"…No way…" she whispered under her breath, "The... the Emperor, herself?"
Unbeknownst to everyone—
The Director and Tazuna were also present at the race.
Except they weren't as brightly as the trio presented.
Instead, they simply blended into the crowd. Hiding amongst the audiences.
Watching silently at that specific candidate too.
Even the Trainers began to stir.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"If she's here… that means there's a gold mine among them!" one of them whispered.
"She wouldn't show up unless someone extraordinary is racing!"
"I need to keep my eyes open…"
And now... The tension thickened.
Because...
This had become no longer just an exam.
But something far greater.
After all, the trio wouldn't presented themselves in such a case otherwise.
In the meantime, Brian sighed.
"…So?" she muttered, eyes closed, arms crossed in clear annoyance.
"Why am I here, Prez?"
"To watch the race, of course," Rudolf replied calmly.
Brian's eyes snapped open.
"…Watch the race?" her voice rose.
"Watch the Entrance Exam trial race?"
She then turned sharply toward Rudolf, clearly displeased.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I'd rather train until my bones break than sit here watching a race that offer me nothing in exchange."
"Calm down, Brian," Rudolf said with a soft smile.
"This isn't just any Entrance Exam."
Her gaze shifted toward the track.
"In fact... this will be a race of a lifetime."
Brian scoffed, face-palming.
"Yeah, right... At the Entrance Exam trial race."
But Rudolf continued.
"Well... It may help you in ways you don't expect."
"So…Open your mind a little."
"Maybe you could observe something beyond the world we're used to."
"The world of dominance."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Air Groove let out a tired sigh.
"Stop teasing her, Prez."
"You know we're here for a reason," she continued.
"To evaluate a particular candidate."
Brian frowned.
"…Evaluate… a candidate?"
Air Groove then nodded, continuing.
"Yes… As a matter of fact, it is the one with the worst performance."
"Worst performance...???" Brian was genuinely taken aback.
"Yes, that's right," Rudolf nodded.
"We're here to see just how… rough this candidate might turn out to be."
Brian frowned deeper.
"And how exactly is that supposed to help me?" she asked, clearly unimpressed.
Rudolf only smiled.
"Just trust me."
"Everything will happen… like a glorious spring."
"And you definitely don't want to miss it."
"What—?!"
Before Brian could respond, a whistle was blown.
It's sound piercing through the air.
Then—
*kssshhh*
A broadcast was played across the entire field.
"Attention, candidates. Please proceed to your designated positions immediately. The racing trial is about to begin."
It repeated once more.
"Attention, candidates. Please proceed to your designated positions immediately. The racing trial is about to begin."
And candidates immediately snapped out of their still shaken thoughts and started moving.
One by one.
They entered toward their assigned gates.
Yet—
Their unknown invitation had sent many in the stands weighing heavily.
Some began to swallow nervously.
Some clenched their fists tighter anxiously.
And doubts crept in all over the candidates.
What is she doing here?!
What if I fail in front of her…?
What if I'm judged more harshly…?
At the same time, that pink little figure remained completely unaffected.
Or perhaps... Completely unaware of who they are.
As she casually pushed herself up from the grass.
Dusted herself off.
And began walking toward her gate, too.
Humming and almost skipping.
As if this were just another ordinary day.
Meanwhile, back in the stands, Rudolf realized, blinking in confusion.
"…Did that girl just crawl back up from the ground?"
And right before they could add anything further. The gates of all candidates closed simultaneously.
And this was it...
The beginning of the Entrance Exam trial race.