In the end, I never did find out how Rudolf and C.B.'s whole thing ended. I mean, Maruzensky told me that they'd finally made some progress for the first time in years, but that basically meant nothing to an outsider like me. Still, Maruzensky looked quite hopeful when she talked about them, so I assumed things at least went well enough to warrant some hope.
That little venture aside, everything else remained as normal. The summer camp went on just as usual—I returned to torturi-, training Fujimasa March and Inari One, before going out to explore Okinawa together with Oguri once that day's training had wound down.
And before I knew it, a whole month had gone by since summer camp began.
"Time!" Kitahara shouted just as I ran across the finish line, spraying sand across the beach with each gallop I made.
I drove my foot into the sand to slow myself down, and I turned to him. "So? How is it?"
Kitahara grinned, looking both awed and terrified. "Your body's really something else…" He whispered, as he glanced at the stopwatch in his hands. "You haven't slowed down at all."
I smiled slightly. "That's just how it is." I said, knowing full well that it was my System that was doing the heavy lifting. It was based on the game, after all. There wasn't a stat-decrease mechanic for going too long without training—or else the already luck-based game would've become even more grindy.
[Name: Blossom Star
Track Affinity: [Dirt: A] | [Turf: A]
Running Affinity: [End: F] | [Late: F] | [Pace: C] | [Front: A]
Distance Affinity: [Sprint: E] | [Mile: C] | [Medium: A] | [Long: A]
Speed: 1200 (SS+; Legend) *[Limit Break Required]
Stamina: 1200 (SS+; Legend) *[Limit Break Required]
Power: 1200 (SS+; Legend) *[Limit Break Required]
Guts: 945 (A+; Top Class)
Wits: 855 (A; Top Class)
Skills: {Unique: Starlit Crown Lv. 4}, {Competitive Spirit ◎}, {In Body and Mind}, {Front Runner Savvy ◎}, {Leading Charge}, {Standard Distance ◎}, {Professor of Curvature}, {Playtime's Over!}, {Mold Breaker}, {Prepared to Die}, {Lion's Roar}, {Tyrant's Advance}, {Attack Stance}, {Leap Premonition}, {Steady Advance}
Domain: -
SP: 812]
I sighed slightly.
This was the real reason why I didn't bother training throughout this summer camp. My Speed, Stamina, and Power had all reached their current maximum, and I couldn't train Guts effectively without making it seem like I was trying to kill myself.
The thing I truly needed right now was to race. I still wasn't sure if catching up to that phantom would truly unlock my Domain, but it was the best guess I had at this point. The moment I unlocked my Domain, my Limits should be broken, and my Attributes could advance into the UG-rank and above.
I wonder what'd happen once this System was no longer mine.
…That wasn't important.
"By the way, where's Oguri and Belno?" I asked, taking a quick glance around to see if those two were anywhere close. "I haven't seen them this entire day."
Kitahara shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't seen them either." I raised an eyebrow as I stared at him, and he quickly raised his hands. "I really don't. I'm not plotting anything!"
"You know that just makes you sound more suspicious, right?" I said, now deeply suspicious if I was deliberately being left out.
He sighed, a helpless smile on his face. "I really don't know." He said again as he sighed. "They just said that they'll be busy today and left. They didn't even tell me when they'll be back."
I hummed as I narrowed my eyes, before I humphed. "Fine. Keep your secrets, o' Demon King."
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."
I restrained the urge to grin. By this point, I was fairly sure that he really didn't know anything. And it wasn't as if I was all that torn up about it—I'd known those two long enough to know that they were probably planning to surprise me or something. I just wondered what exactly they were planning to do.
Well, that aside,
"How's your license coming along, by the way?" I asked as I wiped away the few beads of sweat on my forehead. "Your Finals' are happening in late December, right?"
He nodded, frowning thoughtfully as he idly dug his foot into the sand. "Yeah, pretty much." He smiled faintly, looking somewhat unsure. "Still kinda crazy that I'll be graduating in just two years."
"Well, the Director thinks you're doing well enough already, and it isn't like the URA exists anymore." I gave his shoulder an encouraging slap. "Don't doubt yourself, Kitahara." I grinned. "You deserve to be a Central Trainer. You've worked hard enough, and I'm sure the Director thinks so as well."
That was another accidental side-effect I hadn't considered when I caused the URA's downfall. I mean, I'd only done it so that Obey Your Master could seamless transition into racing here in Japan, but the URA's dismantling also meant that there was nothing else barring Kitahara from officially becoming a Trainer again.
And besides, it was mostly just formality. Kitahara had been our team's trainer from the moment we stepped into Tracen Central Academy. He more than deserved his place here, and Director Akikawa probably just wanted to make him an official trainer to save herself from any potential hassles in the future.
"Not that it really means much." He eventually said. "We're going abroad anyways, and America isn't as strict when it comes to this kind of thing." He then smiled as he patted my head. "I can't thank you enough, Star. You're the reason why this is happening in the first place."
I huffed. "Aiya~, it ain't anything special." I said, my tail swaying slightly. "Just felt like doing some anarchy back then."
"Sure, sure."
Still, he wasn't wrong. It wasn't as if we were going to be bound to any specific Tracen during the time we'd spend in America. And I had a feeling that anyone that even dared to attempt to obstruct us would be faced with a serious 'talk' from Secretariat. And that was a fate no one wanted to face.
"Alright, enough talking." He tipped his cap down as he held up his stopwatch. "Ready for another go?"
I smirked as I gave an exaggerated bow. "Whatever you command, o' Demon King." I heard him snort as I walked back to the line I'd drawn across the sand.
I gave my shoulders a quick roll, and taking a deep breath, I took my stance. My knees bent low, I leaned forward as I placed the tips of my fingers onto the sand, and my cleats dug a trench across the beach as my legs extended far behind me. The muscles in my legs tensed, coiled to spring at any moment.
He grinned. "You ready?"
"Ready." I said, my breaths light as I cleared all thoughts from my head. And as I did so, the world seemed to grow a little faint, and my ears twitched slightly as a phantom umamusume appeared to my left, this time taking the shape of Inari One.
Kitahara held his breath for a moment, before his finger dropped down onto the stopwatch. "Go!"
{Tyrant's Advance} activated, and power flooded my legs as I lunged forward.
.
.
.
AN: Apologies for the late upload. Yesterday ended up being strangely busy, and I had to push this one back by a bit. The two daily chapters for today will be coming out as normal though.