It was a foreign sensation.
Just as the voice of the Three Goddesses reappeared in his mind, the fierce competition, the tense atmosphere, the oppressive racecourse—everything around him froze in place.
Wada didn't know if time had truly stopped, or if it was that his senses had been frozen.
But right as this bizarre situation was happening, a familiar voice slowly echoed in Wada's mind.
{{Wada Ryuji, this time, are you truly willing to fight alongside her? To grasp at this Miracle and do something for her with your own ability?}}
"Is that... is that you, Byer?!"
Wada immediately realized the source of the voice, his expression instantly changing to one of delight, and he couldn't help but joyfully exclaim,
"I knew it! I wasn't going crazy, you really do exist!"
"Three Goddesses, I beg of you, I want to help T.M. Opera O now! Even if it'll only make a minuscule amount of difference, I want to be of assistance to her!"
{{Yes, you can, Wada Ryuji. But we must make something clear to you again.}}
Byer's disembodied voice echoed in Wada's mind,
{{Though you have achieved a Miracle, you are not guaranteed to reach the ending you desire.}}
{{Our Miracles open up every possible ending to their receiver. But ultimately, whether one can ultimately sever the inevitable future they wish to change depends entirely on the one who wields it.}}
{{So, do you have the determination and strength to do that? Are you sure you can help her? And if the ending you got was still unsatisfactory, can you truly bear it all?}}
Byer's words were clearly said to give an easy way out for Wada if he truly wasn't up to the task.
Being in full control of one's own fate was both liberating and terrifying at the same time.
If Wada didn't accept this offer, and T.M. Opera O lost, he could come up with a million excuses like "It was fated anyways, we couldn't have done anything," and take comfort in that.
But if he accepted this offer, and T.M. Opera O still lost? ...Wada would probably throw himself off a cliff at that point.
Wada fell silent at Byer's question.
In this frozen time, his gaze involuntarily turned to the race.
At this moment, all the Uma Musume who were fiercely competing on the track had also stopped.
Wada could clearly see that in front of all of them, Symboli Rudolf, who seemed capable of leading from start to finish, exuded an incredibly strong presence, as if she was unbeatable.
Behind Symboli Rudolf, T.M. Opera O used Symboli Rudolf as a shield to block the wind pressure in order to temporarily keep up with her.
Her expression was very serious, devoid of her usual confidence that borderlined on arrogance.
This was the fear and unease that had tangled her being after that clash of Aura just now, making her steps waver.
If her state continued, T.M. Opera O couldn't possibly win... unless... unless he could fight with her.
Only he had the ability to calm T.M. Opera O's current panic and soothe her back to her usual self.
As for everything else... he could only leave it to T.M. Opera O.
"...I am a mediocre piece of human wastage. Perhaps it's impossible for me to become a Jockey or Trainer worthy of T.M. Opera O, no matter how many lives later."
"But, to T.M. Opera O, I can maybe be of some use, for example... when she needs to be comforted."
Finally, Wada made up his mind and responded to the Three Goddesses' voice, saying each word clearly:
{Let me fight alongside T.M. Opera O — please.}
{{...Since that is the case, then grasp this Miracle well, young Trainer.}}
Byer replied to Wada Ryuji in a gentle tone, and the next moment, Wada could only feel his consciousness suddenly blur as everything before his eyes instantly became indistinct like a liquid.
Then, the world returned to normal.
Time had resumed flowing, and no one noticed what had just transpired, seemingly not even Wada Ryuji who was currently standing in place.
But where was Wada Ryuji?
No, not his physical body, but 'HIM'. His self, his very essence, his soul?
...
Wada opened his 'eyes' after a long time.
First, he felt a familiar bumpy sensation under his 'body,' and when he started to come to his senses, he found that in front of him was a familiar racetrack.
Not just that, the surrounding scenery was rapidly blurring, and the wind blowing on him was also incredibly sharp!
""They're about to pass the first corner! T.M. Opera O, ridden by Wada Ryuji, is still close behind Symboli Rudolf!""
""After that collision just now, T.M. Opera O seems to have temporarily backed down against Symboli Rudolf, and is now conserving his strength!""
That voice... and 'his?' Not 'her?!'
Just then, Wada fully woke up.
He quickly lowered his head, only to find the familiar fur and face of a horse.
Undoubtedly, this was the real T.M. Opera O!
Looking around, Wada realized that none of the beings around him were Uma Musume, but real horses instead!
And that wasn't even the biggest surprise; with the exception of the turf they were galloping on, the world around them was the exact same starry night which he had been in during his first meeting with the Three Goddesses.
It went the same for his 'body' as well, with him just being an undefined cluster of thoughts.
All of this, together with the commentator's voice, quickly made Wada realize that the race he was currently taking part in was a reflection of the race that was currently happening!
And if this was a reflection of the real race, could it be a two-way reflection, where anything he does in this world affects the other side as well?!
Could this be the 'Miracle' the Three Goddesses had granted him? The ability to communicate with T.M. Opera O while she was running through entering this so-called 'Mind World'?
Wada didn't know, but his professional sense as a Jockey quickly brought him back to his senses.
Facing the somewhat restless T.M. Opera O beneath him, Wada immediately threw away all useless thoughts.
Then, with his 'legs' that didn't 'tremble' at all, he gently kicked T.M. Opera O's body, allowing her to finally calm down.
Horses are very smart creatures; they can sense their rider's emotions, whether they be positive or negative, thereby affecting their own performance.
Therefore, to make a horse calm down, the rider has to be calm themselves. As long as Wada wasn't afraid, T.M. Opera O also wouldn't be afraid.
*It's okay to slow down a bit. There's no need to keep up with Symboli Rudolf at everything.*
*Just maintain your pace, stay behind Symboli Rudolf— you... we, are not the type to be easily scared by a single Uma Musume, even if that Uma Musume is the Emperor.*
Just as Wada 'said' this in his 'Mind World,' those words seemed to have directly transmitted into T.M. Opera O's heart.
After that, T.M. Opera O indeed began to slowly reduce her pace, recovering her rhythm, causing the gap between her and Symboli Rudolf to slightly widen.
Despite losing ground, her rhythm had already begun recovering, her steps became steady, and the fear in her heart began to dispel.
The simple reason behind all of this was because she had trusted the person on her 'back'; as long as he wasn't afraid, then she herself won't fear anything either.
"T.M. OPERA O HAS SLOWED DOWN! I REPEAT! T.M. OPERA O HAS SLOWED DOWN!"
"As the pack rounded the first corner, the gap between T.M. Opera O and Symboli Rudolf has widened for the first time!"
"Did something startle T.M. Opera O?! Though they have all successfully rounded the first corner, T.M. Opera O's drop in speed is worrying!"
"Although she is still maintaining the second position, can she even catch up to Symboli Rudolf anymore????!!!!!"
'T.M. Opera O slowed down?!'
As the news from the commentator reached Symboli Rudolf's ears, an incredulous look appeared on her face as she subconsciously turned her head, only to find that T.M. Opera O was indeed no longer within her line of sight.
With the exception of a freak incident, Symboli Rudolf could only think of two possibilities:
Either, one, their earlier clash of Auras made T.M. Opera O give up on challenging her, and so is now slowing down to signal surrender— Symboli Rudolf had encountered such situations before.
Although Symboli Rudolf felt that T.M. Opera O's chances of winning were slim, she also didn't think T.M. Opera O was such a fragile Uma Musume who would be defeated by a single loss.
If she was truly of such a character, then Symboli Rudolf could only say that she truly misjudged her.
Thus, there was only one possibility remaining...
'T.M. Opera O is trying to do something?'
Symboli Rudolf didn't know, but right then, she felt a very strange feeling from her Aura.
Although her Aura could easily suppress every Uma Musume currently running including T.M. Opera O, she inexplicably felt that there was a gap in her Aura.
It was as if the floodgates had opened, and smack dab right in the middle was a concrete pillar, stubbornly resisting the impact of the water, standing firm like a 'gap.'
Symboli Rudolf had rarely felt such a sensation before.
Discounting foreign Uma Musume, even the few who could resist her Aura, such as Sirius Symboli, Mr. C.B., Air Groove, and Narita Brian, would still be somewhat affected.
They were akin to a sturdy boat, able to push against the incoming waves, yet still damaged by it.
But the feeling this gap gave her was that of untouchability, even to Symboli Rudolf.
'Just what have you planned?'
Symboli Rudolf couldn't quite understand what T.M. Opera O was doing, but there was no doubt that she was becoming even more excited.
"T.M. Opera O, I truly underestimated you... You are indeed worthy of me giving my all!"
"So let us ditch all the useless courtesy and have a nice one-on-one duel! Let's see if you can keep standing firm before the Emperor's might!"
Symboli Rudolf, now even more excited, had a truly terrifying grin etched onto her face.
The Uma Musume part of her was thoroughly ignited, and Symboli Rudolf instantly raised her Aura to its highest intensity.
It was also at that moment that around Symboli Rudolf's body, a circle of 'lightning' began to expand! Raising her oppressiveness and dominance over the racecourse to a whole another level!
Indeed, it was a 'Zone.'
Immediately, all the Uma Musume on the turf felt an unbearable chill assault their brains, causing disorientation and irrationality to begin bubbling up within them.
Yet, under such conditions, T.M. Opera O's steps remained as stable as before, not stopping in the slightest.
Because at this moment, T.M. Opera O felt it.
Though her body was racing, her heart had felt a familiar person's voice, and she had now fully entrusted her judgment to this familiar voice.
"I am sorry, Emperor, but I can't accept that request— because as I have told you, I am not fighting alone."
"Our strengths combined far surpass anything you can imagine. No one, not even you, can shake our determination."
"Come on, you're the Emperor, right? Can you handle the both of us by yourself?"
At this moment, many Uma Musume began noticing that the phantom condensed around T.M. Opera O seemed to... have an extra figure?
A confident and resolute smile reappeared on T.M. Opera O's face.
It was time... Emperor, can you handle the power of the two of us?!
-----+-----
Wada: Let her up, let her up.
*Jumping sfx*
T.M. Opera O: Fight back Rudolf, fight back!
-----+-----
If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.