She'd broken into graded races twice in a row.
Seized victory with staggering, jaw-dropping power.
An unknown contender—unregistered, untraceable by any system.
A monster among monsters, a titan among the strong.
Like thunder flashing across the night sky, she arrived with a roar—
Her exploits shook the entire world of the Uma Musume.
That figure cloaked in black became a lingering nightmare no one could shake. People dreaded the thought of her showing up on their turf and snatching the title right from under their noses.
"Have we really hit a dead end?"
Staring at the flood of news headlines splashed across the board, the Central Committee Chairman offered a faint, bitter smile.
This time, they had lost.
Despite laying out tight security, the other side had still slipped through the cracks.
They'd even hired a detective to track her movements.
But after inspecting the scene, the detective concluded, "Judging by the hoofprints entering the starting gate and the traces left in the passageway, I can only draw one conclusion."
He pointed at the metal plate beside the gate, then moved to the mirror in the riders' lounge, tapped the glass, removed it, and felt the wall behind.
Confirming it was solid, he nodded.
"Based on the evidence at the scene, that competitor vanished right here. As for the method… there's no clear proof."
The official in charge had followed her closely into the room. The straight corridor left no room for mistaken identity.
Yet once inside, she had inexplicably disappeared.
The only exit was a ventilation shaft in the ceiling, but given its size, not even a baby could've squeezed through—let alone a full-grown Uma Musume.
Next came the walls.
Obviously, this wasn't some ninja hideout. The sturdy walls were built to withstand earthquakes, with no hidden doors or passages.
Unless the official was lying, the detective couldn't fathom how she'd escaped.
Could she really have vanished into the mirror, just like the traces on the floor and table suggested?
That defied all logic.
Other staff members also swore they saw the black Uma Musume enter the lounge.
But why had they fallen behind during the pursuit, even though they started together? That raised suspicions.
They claimed something invisible tripped them up, leaving them unable to move. Testimony that sounded like a ghost story was hard to swallow.
So the detective proposed two theories.
First, someone among the staff was her accomplice—helping her enter the venue, creating chaos in the crowd, fabricating testimony and evidence to cover her escape.
Second, the black Uma Musume was a ghost, capable of passing through mirrors and unleashing paranormal phenomena.
As for which theory was more plausible, that was up to the Chairman to decide.
So without a second thought, the Central Committee Chairman fired the Tokyo Racecourse manager and his entire team. The inflammatory commentator got a six-month unpaid vacation.
For now, Central had pinned the blame on the racecourse management.
To the media, they declared that the whole incident resulted from the manager deceiving Central, willfully sabotaging the race.
Central, committed to upholding race integrity, had reassigned the manager and vowed to ensure a fair competitive environment, preventing any future unauthorized entries.
Tokyo Racecourse was now under new management.
This strategy partly shifted responsibility away from Central, keeping the Twinkle Series from a credibility crisis and avoiding a media firestorm.
All of this was based on the Chairman's trust in the detective's reasoning. She believed that by purging the staff, she could stop the mysterious Uma Musume from reappearing.
Yet, in a corner of her heart, she felt things wouldn't be that simple.
This was probably just a temporary fix.
If the other party kept showing up at races, changing managers wouldn't help. Only by finding and identifying her could this truly end.
She rubbed her throbbing forehead and let out a long sigh.
In the end, they were back where they started.
Just who was that person?
They'd used every method, scoured Central's records, but found no matching information. Based on descriptions from competitors and spectators near the track, they'd sketched a rough likeness:
Long black hair, bangs, golden eyes.
Only one person matched that description:
A student in the senior division of Tracen Academy—
Manhattan Cafe.
But after checking race records, Central hesitated.
In her debut race, she finished third.
In the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho, she came in fourth.
In the Azarea Sho, she placed a dismal eleventh.
Currently, she was focused on training, not competing.
Even if her recent training results were decent, the gap between her and the black Uma Musume on the track was vast.
Could it really be her?
Faced with the evidence, the Central Committee Chairman would never believe they were the same person.
Besides, when the black Uma Musume appeared on the track, Manhattan Cafe was in the stands—witnessed by classmates and other spectators, even caught on camera.
Anyone with half a brain would know it couldn't be her.
Once again, the investigation had reached a dead end.
Just as the Chairman was stewing in frustration, a steady knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," she said, reluctant.
Anyone reporting at this hour brought either bad news or worse news.
"Pardon the intrusion, Madam Chairman."
The reply came in a clear, bright female voice.
A tall, poised figure, with a beautiful, resolute face and a calm, commanding presence. The girl bowed and stepped inside.
"Symboli Rudolf, thank you for your hard work."
Seeing who it was, the Chairman managed a faint smile despite her exhaustion.
During the previous incident, it was largely thanks to Rudolf facing the press and diverting public attention that they'd managed to keep things under control.
Moreover, Rudolf wasn't even a Central employee—she had no obligation to share their burden. So Central owed her a major favor.
Knowing they might need Rudolf's help again in the future, they made sure to treat her with utmost respect.
"What brings you here, Symboli Rudolf?"
The Chairman set aside the documents she'd been reviewing.
"Yes," Rudolf nodded. "I assume Central is still urgently discussing how to deal with that black Uma Musume."
The Chairman's eyes widened slightly.
"Don't tell me you have a lead?"
"I wouldn't call it a lead. But I believe I've figured out how to handle her."
"Oh?"
The Chairman made a surprised sound. "Do tell."
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T/N: New Uma Musume fic up!
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.