"You want to apply for use of the track?"
"Yes."
After school, Kitasan Black came to the Student Council and submitted an application to use the track. Compared with letting the Overlord obtain a professional identity in this world and then dueling in an official race, it would be far more convenient and much easier to directly apply for the academy's track and hold a simulated-standard race.
After pondering for a while, the Student Council approved Kitasan Black's application. If an ordinary student applied, it naturally would not have been so easy to pass. At the very least, they would have had to ask clearly why the other party wanted to use the track. But Kitasan Black was, after all, currently the strongest person in the academy.
"Fill this out."
The President took a form from a drawer.
The track distance, the usage time, and so on. After filling out the form, Kitasan Black completed the application. Next, she only needed to go back and tell the Overlord the news.
The duel's time was thus set.
Soon, the day of the duel arrived.
No one knew where the news had leaked from. Kitasan Black had originally deliberately chosen the evening, when students were leaving school, to hold the duel in order to minimize the impact. But now, just as the race was about to begin, the number of students around the track was unusually lively.
"Begin."
The Overlord still looked completely unmoved. Calm and steady, she stepped forward to the gate before the track. Her expression looked incomparably confident, as if winning this race were merely the inevitable result for her. She was not worried at all about the possibility of losing.
The curious gazes around them could not affect her in the slightest.
Kitasan Black withdrew her gaze from the "audience," then looked at the clearly renovated track and the two gates. She understood that this was absolutely the academy higher-ups' doing. In that case, the reason the news had leaked was also clear. The academy seemed to think their race was an excellent observational lesson. How thoughtful.
"Troublesome."
Kitasan Black thought.
Now, if she lost, it would look very bad.
Originally, if there had been no audience, then even if she lost, it was not as if she could not accept it. After all, her opponent was simply that strong, and she had always had a high probability of losing. But now, with so many people watching the race, if she suffered a crushing defeat, everything she had worked hard to build in this world would run into problems. The most direct issue was that it would affect her retirement life!
"Looks like I really can't lose now."
Kitasan Black nodded and also stepped forward to the gate.
The Overlord sensed her opponent's fighting spirit rise.
A trace of approval appeared in those cold eyes.
Good. This was exactly how it should be.
Only you, giving everything you have, are worth crushing.
While the two participants were still preparing, among the audience, many people were curious about the identity of that umamusume from another school.
"Strange. I couldn't find any information about this umamusume on the Umamusume Committee's international website. Could she actually not be a professional runner?"
One student found it hard to believe.
Not being a professional runner was not particularly rare.
But someone who was not a professional runner daring to duel Kitasan Black, the strongest in this world, and Kitasan Black even agreeing to that duel... that was strange. After all, Kitasan Black was famous for being cold.
"Come to think of it, doesn't this outside-school student look a lot like Rice Shower? They're almost like twin sisters."
"Now that you mention it, that does seem true."
In truth, it was easy to overlook that point if one observed carefully, because even if their appearances were the same, their hairstyles and postures were different. The Overlord's presence far exceeded Rice Shower's, making it difficult for people to suspect any relationship between them. The difference was simply too great.
This world's Rice Shower, standing in the crowd, did not take this discussion to heart. She knew clearly that she and the Overlord had nothing to do with each other, and she felt this umamusume called Overlord was dangerous.
"This is truly..."
Symboli Rudolf looked at the Overlord's nearly material aura, her expression turning serious. She immediately sensed that it was the aura of a domain. However, it was her first time seeing such a powerful domain. In terms of presence, it was practically unmatched under heaven.
Even Kitasan Black's aura was considerably inferior.
Although aura could not represent strength, an umamusume with this kind of presence could absolutely not be weak.
"This may be troublesome."
Symboli Rudolf thought.
Originally, they had believed Kitasan Black would definitely win, which was why they publicly released news of this duel. First, Kitasan Black's race would make excellent teaching material. Second, it could expand Kitasan Black's influence. Although Kitasan Black herself was unwilling to become a Student Council officer, that did not affect Symboli Rudolf making some arrangements for it.
Because she could not possibly let a talent like Kitasan Black go.
But now...
She could not judge who would win this race.
Whether Kitasan Black or that outside-school umamusume, both of their strengths had already far surpassed her own.
Air Groove, standing beside her, noticed Symboli Rudolf's tension.
Because of that, she could not help growing nervous as well.
She looked at Kitasan Black standing before the gate.
Unlike Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove had not awakened a domain and could not sense the Overlord's terrifying aura. But through Kitasan Black's serious expression, Air Groove also discovered something different. Kitasan Black like this was something she almost never saw. The last time she had seen it was during the Goddess Cup, and back then, Kitasan Black had not even entered the top three of the final. In other words, was this opponent also at that level?
What exactly is that umamusume called Overlord...
Air Groove vaguely had a guess.
She was absolutely not just an outside-school student.
The opponents who had raced Kitasan Black felt it even more directly. This was completely different from when they had raced her. When facing their challenges, Kitasan Black always looked indifferent and confident, never paying much attention to opponents like them. But Kitasan Black's attitude toward that opponent today was completely different. That was the expression of someone seriously treating her opponent as a powerful enemy.
"How rare. That Kitasan is actually showing an expression like this."
Cheval Grand was somewhat surprised. Over the course of this year, she had countless times tried to make Kitasan Black notice her, this classmate and rival (self-proclaimed), but she had failed until the year's races ended.
And now that outside-school student had accomplished it from the very start.
Verxina, standing at her side, smiled and said, "It seems we will be able to watch a good show. Kitasan Black's performance proves that opponent is an umamusume of that level. This is truly exciting."
"But Kita-chan won't lose, right?"
Vivlos felt such a thing would still be difficult to happen.
After all, Kitasan Black's strength was truly powerful.
Cheval Grand answered firmly, "Of course she won't. That girl absolutely cannot lose to some opponent of unknown origin!"
Although she was very displeased with Kitasan Black's arrogant attitude, Cheval Grand did not like hearing anyone question Kitasan Black's strength, because she felt she understood that girl's strength best.
Elsewhere, Gentildonna asked Orfevre, "Orfe, what do you think of this race?"
"Hmph."
Orfevre did not answer.
Gentildonna knew the answer to that question herself.
She had not truly wanted to hear Orfevre's answer either. She continued on her own:
"That umamusume called Overlord should have come from somewhere else. With the kind of aura she carries, there is absolutely no way she has experienced only a few races."
Orfevre remained silent.
But she also agreed with Gentildonna's view.
This Overlord... was an umamusume from another world.
And one with extremely powerful strength. Although she had not appeared during the Goddess Cup, Orfevre believed that this umamusume called Overlord definitely possessed the strength of a Goddess Cup finalist.
"Don't you want to say something, Orfe? Don't you want to know why Kitasan Black knows this umamusume? Aren't you curious about races in other places?"
Gentildonna's eyes flickered.
Hearing this, Orfevre could not help frowning.
This person. That line of thought was somewhat dangerous.
But... if asked whether she was curious, that would definitely be false.
The Goddess Cup had let her see how vast the world was.
It had also made her realize how narrow her own view had been.
If she had not clearly known that it was the domain of gods, a realm she could not touch, she would certainly have had many thoughts.
Orfevre was not confident enough to set foot in the realm of gods.
But Gentildonna seemed to be losing her head a little.
Ignoring Gentildonna, Orfevre felt the other girl was indulging in fantasy.
Even if the Overlord was an umamusume from another world, even if Kitasan Black truly could contact another world, so what? In the end, these things had nothing to do with them. After all, they were merely losers.
Kitasan Black had no reason or need to explain anything to them.
Rather than considering unrealistic things like that...
It would be better to use this chance to investigate Kitasan Black's full strength.
Orfevre's eyes grew serious.
Compared with future matters, what she wanted most right now was to defeat Kitasan Black. After all, this was the first time she had wanted so badly to defeat an opponent, and also the first time she felt an opponent might be impossible to defeat.
That made her excited, and her blood heated up.
Kitasan Black and the Overlord did not know or care about the audience's discussions and thoughts. At this moment, each of them held only the other in her heart.
This was a one-on-one duel, different from a normal race. Some skills could not display their maximum effect, and the rhythm of the race would be harder to control. However, the advantage of leading also became greater. As long as she focused on that point...!
Kitasan Black thought through this race. After a period of special training, and after being forced by McQueen-senpai to learn a great deal of theory, she was no longer the rookie who only ran by talent and instinct. She had now learned to calculate, analyze, and observe.
Although she was still far from reaching McQueen-senpai or King Halo's level, her strength had indeed become greater than before.
And on that foundation...
Kitasan Black took a deep breath.
All that remained was to believe in herself.
Believe that her effort would not betray her. Believe that the accumulation of her usual training would bring good results in the race.
Believe that she would win!
A deep-purple aura erupted.
The flame of ZONE had already ignited in Kitasan Black's left eye.
Interesting. Has your strength grown again? As expected of the most talented existence among them. Even now that I have absorbed Tokai Teio and Gold Ship's powers, I can still feel pressure. This talent is truly delightful. If not for the flaw in your personality, you would certainly be an extremely troublesome person.
But the result of this race had already been decided.
The Overlord's golden eyes shone. Her pitch-black aura shook the air, easily suppressing Kitasan Black's current pressure. The more power she plundered, the stronger her domain became. Her [Fusion] was a growth-type domain.
Yes.
As the strongest domain, it was also growth-type.
And she, who possessed this power, was the one who should stand above all dimensions as the strongest. That had been destined from the moment she was born.
The preparation time ended.
It was time for the participants to enter the gates.
Although her aura had been suppressed by the Overlord, Kitasan Black did not show the slightest timidity. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and entered the gate. The suppression of her domain's aura would not affect her strength. In the end, this was nothing more than a contest of mentality. As long as she did not take it to heart, she would not be affected by aura.
The power of Flow was the best answer.
The Overlord also entered the gate.
When the audience saw this scene, they stopped speaking. The two gates seemed to be flickering with different lights. That powerful aura made awe rise in their hearts despite themselves.
It's about to begin.
The countdown began.
The instant the countdown reached zero, the gates opened, and two black shadows instantly charged from the starting point onto the track. Almost as they left the gates, the radiance of high-level skills appeared on both runners.
The sound of their galloping footsteps swept past like a fierce wind.
I will seize the initiative!
At the start of the race, Kitasan Black did not hesitate to go all out. She knew very well that the Overlord was a runner skilled at chasing. Even so, she absolutely would not give the lead to the Overlord for the sake of some so-called countermeasure. Everyone had a position they were good at. Even if her aptitude reached the top level, even if she could imitate other umamusume's running styles, the habits and experience she had accumulated through years of training and racing would still make differences between her styles. Against this opponent, she had to give everything.
At this moment, Kitasan Black remembered what McQueen-senpai had told her before.
"Kitasan, the essence of your Mimicry is not actually imitation. It is a learning ability. You simply treated that ability as Mimicry. What you need to do next is take that ability one step further, or rather, bring out its original form. Do not merely imitate. Learn. Surpass..."
For that purpose, Kitasan Black had been forced by McQueen-senpai to study. According to McQueen-senpai, if this talent of hers had been placed in King Halo, it would absolutely have become terrifying. Even if Kitasan Black could not reach King Halo's level, she still had to increase her knowledge. At the very least, she had to learn how to break down and create skills.
Now was the chance to verify her progress.
At Kitasan Black's right eye, an orange-yellow flame appeared. The Overlord, following behind, immediately sensed that aura.
This girl...
The Overlord's expression turned serious.
Why are there two different auras?
...
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