The day of the debut race arrived as scheduled at the Tracen Academy exclusive racecourse.
The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, and the stands were packed with faculty, students, and fans who had heard the news, creating a heated atmosphere.
Behind the starting gate, Myriad Dreams stood clad in her blue numbered jersey.
Her unique demeanor— somewhat lazy yet harboring a hidden sharpness— made her stand out like a sore thumb among the other Uma Musume.
The commentator began introducing the Uma Musume one by one as they arrived.
"Next to take the stage is another rookie from Spica, the transfer student from Saitama Prefecture, Myriad Dreams!"
As soon as the introduction finished, two Uma Musume nearby couldn't help but sneer.
"Hehehe. I can't believe an Uma Musume from the countryside is in such a rush to enter a debut race. Is she just eager to join the Losers Bracket'?"
"If you ask me, she won't even make it past the failure stage, she'll probably just retire and go running back to her mommy~"
Myriad Dreams didn't care at all.
She didn't even bother to spare them a glance, only letting the corner of her mouth curl into a nearly imperceptible, mocking arc.
This complete disregard felt more stifling to those Uma Musume than any verbal retort.
"Into the gates!" the official's voice rang out.
Myriad Dreams composed her mind and stepped into the starting box.
She lowered her head, focusing all her attention on the run that was about to begin. Her strategy was "End Closer".
It required biding her time and a sudden explosion of speed.
Bang!
The gates snapped open!
The Uma Musume launched instantly, shooting onto the track like arrows from a bow.
The competition to seize the inner lane and gain the initiative was intense from the very start, with hooves thundering and dust flying.
Those few rude Uma Musume used their decent stats to push into the front, attempting to establish an early advantage.
Myriad Dreams, however, moved like a ghost.
Her start was unhurried and steady, precisely controlling her rhythm as she allowed herself to settle firmly at the very back of the pack.
Her running form possessed a strange sense of relaxation, as if she weren't competing but merely taking a stroll, yet every stride contained immense power.
"The contestant Myriad Dreams has chosen a rear position at the start! Is it a tactic? Or is she unable to keep up with the fierce competition up front?" the commentator questioned.
In the stands, Okino stood with his arms crossed, his gaze focused.
Yaeno Muteki kept her eyes glued to that figure at the very back, her gaze filled with confidence.
Halfway through the race, they entered the middle leg.
The Uma Musume in the lead group began to show signs of fatigue due to their initial sprint, and their speed started to drop.
The mid-pack girls took the opportunity to push forward, making the battle for position reach a fever pitch.
Physical collisions and ragged breathing intertwined as their stamina drained rapidly in the high-speed confrontation.
However, Myriad Dreams remained at the tail of the group, maintaining a near-perfect, energy-saving running style.
She glided smoothly along the outside of the track. With every corner, her body's lean and her footwork transitions were textbook-precise.
The trajectory of her hooves traced the most optimal curves, reducing her energy consumption to the absolute minimum.
Her acceleration and deceleration were as smooth as silk, every movement served a single purpose, efficiency.
"Astounding running form! Myriad Dreams' rhythm control and economy are superb! It's as if she's accumulating power, waiting for her moment!"
The commentator's voice began to take on a tone of wonder.
The final corner approached, and the bell for the final sprint rang!
The Uma Musume ahead were at their wit's end, their steps growing heavy.
At that exact moment, Myriad Dreams' half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open, a sharp light bursting from her amber pupils!
"This should do it."
The accumulated power exploded in an instant.
Her body pressed low like a cheetah, and her powerful hind hooves generated terrifying propulsion.
She transformed into a streak of blue lightning, launching a thunderous offensive from the outside track!
"Here she comes! Myriad Dreams! On the outside! An incredible late-stretch kick! Her speed is increasing too fast!"
"Block her!" The Uma Musume who had mocked her the loudest earlier tried in a panic to change lanes and cut her off.
But it was too late. Myriad Dreams' acceleration was on a completely different level, bolstered by the optimal route and anticipation provided by the system.
Like a gale of wind, she swept through the seemingly unusable space on the outer track, effortlessly tearing through her opponents' defensive lines.
Her overtaking maneuvers were clean and decisive, carrying an unquestionable dominance.
One, two, three...
On the final straight, Myriad Dreams staged a breathtaking comeback. Every opponent she passed was a silent, factual rebuttal to every word of contempt uttered before the race.
As she swept past those Uma Musume from other teams— girls who had been raised in the Central training centers since childhood— with absolute dominance, the expressions on their faces were enough to make them regret their previous worlds.
"Crossing the line! Myriad Dreams, in a league of her own, is the first to bolt past the finish!"
She even had the luxury of adjusting her breathing in the final few strides, looking back calmly at the field behind her.
The gap displayed on the electronic screen was staggering.
Eight lengths.
"Champion! Myriad Dreams! The rookie from Saitama Prefecture belonging to Team Spica! With an overwhelming victory, she has announced her arrival!"
The commentator's voice grew hoarse with excitement as the entire stadium erupted into deafening cheers.
Myriad Dreams slowed down gradually, steadily regulating her breath.
Compared to the panting Uma Musume around her who could barely stand, she was only lightly sweating, appearing completely composed.
She accepted the crowd's cheers, but her gaze was already fixed on the brightly lit Winner's Stage.
The Uma Musume who had mocked her before the race were now overshadowed, retreating silently to the side.
However, just as Myriad Dreams was preparing to leave, she was blocked by several Uma Musume: Gold Ship, Daiwa Scarlet, Vodka, and Special Week.
Gold Ship spoke first.
"Mm-hmm, escaping the Winning LIVE right at your debut? It's certainly the style of the Gold family. But to get you to join the team, I have to stop you!"
"Is that so? I won't be caught without a fight."
Myriad Dreams tried to bolt but was blocked, she had no choice but to engage in a contest of strength with them.
Myriad Dreams possessed Gold Ship's inheritance factors, and having practiced her breathing method for years, she was actually slightly stronger than Gold Ship in terms of raw power.
But just as she was about to break through and succeed, Special Week lunged from behind and hugged Myriad Dreams tightly.
"I'm sorry, Myriad Dreams-san! To make sure you join, I have to do this!"
"Eh! Wait!!"
Ultimately, two hands were no match for eight.
Myriad Dreams was hoisted up and dragged onto the stage by the group.
"Heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho"
Once on stage, having no foundation in dancing, Myriad Dreams was left at a total loss.
She simply stood there, stiff as a board, until the performance ended.