Pegasus? Actually, I'm a Doctor!

The unscrupulous young doctor held back the words "We look forward to seeing you again" and quickly stopped himself.

After all, today's treatment was finally complete. Tokai Teio was already on the verge of a full recovery, so why would she need to come back to his infirmary?

What respectable person went back to see a doctor for no reason?

If Tokai Teio came back next time, it would probably mean history was repeating itself and she'd broken a bone for the third time.

After closing the door and sitting back down, Lin Anran folded his hands on the desk and couldn't help mulling things over.

"When will my next big spender show up...?"

He couldn't really count on Tokai Teio breaking another bone, could he? He couldn't keep picking the same sheep for wool.

Though this unscrupulous young doctor was greedy, he did have a conscience. At the very least, he wouldn't hope or expect Tokai Teio to get injured soon.

His grand plan to make money would have to wait until another big spender showed up—someone who could win GI Races—or... if all else failed, he could compete himself! He could go win a GI race!

Besides—

If Tokai Teio broke a bone again before he'd won the Triple Crown of Transformation or improved his skills to Intermediate Healing Ability... wouldn't that be a disaster?

He didn't have any healing ability yet. That would be like having money right in front of him and being unable to take it!

So he had no choice but to transform into Platinum and work overtime, competing in Experienced Battles...

"Honestly, if only Big Red, Dahlia, Route, and Bully had a little more talent—enough to debut and win a GII or GIII race—I wouldn't have bothered coming to Japan."

"Too bad they're not talented enough. Even Big Red, whom Bully, Dahlia, and Route all recognize as the strongest in dirt Training Races, can lose her Debut Race!"

"They're clearly so far behind Japan's Tokai Teio, Daiwa Scarlet, and the others. On one side, there are monsters who can win GI Races; on the other, there are nobodies who probably can't even win a GIII. The gap is just too big!"

"So I can just humor these nobodies without worrying that I'll become the strongest or that they'll really do anything to me."

After a sigh, Lin Anran muttered to himself one last time.

"I haven't really had a chance to get familiar with Tracen. I'll transform into Platinum and take a look around on the open day tomorrow. It's not like Tracen can actually eat me, right?"

The next day!

At the entrance to Tracen Academy, dozens of Uma Musume waited for outside visitors to arrive. Each wore a badge around her neck identifying her as a "guide."

The petite Tokai Teio was among them.

This small open day was for active and retired Uma Musume. Since it had been organized in a hurry, not many visitors had come.

Before long, Tokai Teio spotted the person she'd been waiting for.

She was a white-haired girl, a little taller than Tokai Teio, and a young newcomer who'd debuted just over a week ago.

The girl, a languid young woman known as Platinum, looked as if she'd only just woken up. She walked over on long, pale, powerful legs.

It was worth noting that many of the temporary guides around Tokai Teio noticed Platinum at once, too.

"Hey, is that Platinum, the one who beat Daiwa Scarlet and then won a Dominant Victory in an Experienced Battle Big Escape?"

"Other than Senior Oguri Cap, I've hardly heard of any monsters from outside Tracen. What a mysterious Dark Horse."

"So she really isn't an Uma Musume from Tracen Academy?"

Tokai Teio waved to Platinum in greeting and jogged over to stand beside Miss Heavenly Horse.

"Hello, Platinum. I'm your guide."

"If you have any questions about Tracen Academy, just ask me."

The petite upperclassman greeted her enthusiastically. The languid Miss Heavenly Horse nodded.

"I've heard a lot about you... Sorry for the trouble."

Then Platinum followed her guide onto campus.

Not long afterward, they passed by a training ground.

As if she'd spotted something, Platinum suddenly stopped.

Two Uma Musume were training there: Daiwa Scarlet and...

Agnes Tachyon?

The super-strong rival she had to watch out for most in the Triple Crown of Transformation—Agnes Tachyon?!

23. Want to Run a Training Race? I'll Hold Back

It was the super-strong rival she had to watch out for most in the Triple Crown of Transformation—Agnes Tachyon?!

The calm expression on Platinum's face and her placid eyes shifted for an instant, turning cold and icy, as if she were fixing her sights on the top name on her assassination list.

That was exactly what she was doing.

For Platinum, who should have held the Platinum Grand Seat in the assassin organization Mugyuu Alliance and worked full-time, overtime, assassinating enemies, this world was a wonderful place!

It wasn't just that she could slack off and get off work early. Even the nature and workload of her job were comfortable. The only part she found a little unpleasant was working overtime at the winner's stage after races.

But no matter what, she still had to do her job properly.

And in this Triple Crown of Transformation, unless something unexpected happened, the opponent she had to watch out for most—or, rather, the strongest name on her assassination list—was the Agnes Tachyon standing right in front of her!

In Platinum's view, Daiwa Scarlet and Agnes Tachyon were training on the same turf track.

At last—

Before long, Tokai Teio noticed that Platinum had stopped beside her, and she stopped, too. The two of them were quickly noticed by Daiwa Scarlet and Agnes Tachyon on the training ground.

The red-haired, curvaceous honor student immediately stopped, gently resting a hand on her chest as she caught her breath. Her sharp gaze fixed on Platinum without hesitation.

"Hey, Platinum?!"

"Y-You came to visit Tracen?"

Daiwa Scarlet was the first to speak. Though her words were phrased as a question, her tone was certain.

After all, ever since she'd lost her Debut Race just over a week ago...

When she returned to Tracen Academy, Daiwa Scarlet immediately started searching for information about Platinum.

When it came to competitiveness, Daiwa Scarlet was no less determined than any other Uma Musume, including superstars like Tokai Teio and Symboli Rudolf!

Even as the runner-up, having lost to just one opponent was something she absolutely couldn't accept. She would only allow herself to take first place!

Since she'd lost to Platinum, she had to learn from the experience, get to know her opponent, and then take her revenge!

So Daiwa Scarlet had wanted to learn about that mysterious, dazzling rival, but unfortunately, she'd found nothing.

She couldn't find a single scrap of information about this mysterious Dark Horse. She didn't know what class Platinum was in or which trainer's team she belonged to.

But two or three days earlier, Platinum had taken part in a major stakes race and scored a Dominant Victory so overwhelming that it had made history—an astonishing upset by a newcomer!

Her name had spread far and wide in an instant!

Even within Tracen Academy, the name Heavenly Horse Platinum had become widely known. Yet no one had ever said that she was a classmate or roommate. Reporters had also begun investigating, but they'd come up empty-handed.

So Platinum clearly wasn't a student at Tracen Academy. She was only visiting, and that alone was enough to prove how terrifying her potential was!

Across all of Japan, there wasn't a school that surpassed Tracen Academy. There wasn't even one that could rival it or come close.

Could Platinum really have come from outside Japan, trained somewhere else that could better develop her leg strength and power, and then come to Japan to compete?

That alone proved just how frightening Platinum's potential was. Despite being far behind Daiwa Scarlet in training resources, training environment, Training Race opponents, trainer quality, and every other aspect, she'd still beaten her by a huge margin!

Once Platinum joined Tracen Academy, she'd probably become even stronger!

No one would doubt it if someone called her a monster with the potential to stand alongside Agnes Tachyon, Symboli Rudolf, and Maruzensky.

"Oh? The Heavenly Horse from outside Tracen?"

Agnes Tachyon stopped training, too. Her eyes turned toward Platinum with keen interest.

But what made both Tokai Teio and Platinum pause was that Agnes Tachyon lowered her head and began examining Platinum's legs.

"I watched your Debut Race and that stakes race. It's a shame the videos weren't filmed from every angle. I missed a few important moments."

"But—!"

"You're already extraordinary. That explosive power and strength... You're not just better than the new debuts. You've already surpassed nearly all the Uma Musume in their Classic Year, and you could take on the GI-winning older champions at their peak."

After stating her research findings, Agnes Tachyon smiled, the corners of her mouth lifting. She narrowed her eyes slightly and looked up at Platinum again.

"You... You're so exceptional you've surpassed the very species of Uma Musume!"

Agnes Tachyon's words plunged the entire training ground into complete silence.

Daiwa Scarlet, who knew Agnes Tachyon well and idolized her as a senior, was utterly dumbfounded.

She...

What had she just heard?!

Senior Tachyon thought Platinum's explosive power and strength had nearly surpassed every senior from the Classic Year, and that she could go toe-to-toe with the champions at the very top of GI Races?

How was that possible?!

Daiwa Scarlet couldn't understand it, and she was deeply shaken.

If anyone else had said that, she would never have believed it. But this was Agnes Tachyon!

Daiwa Scarlet was absolutely certain that a senior as exceptional as Tachyon—whether in potential, ability, or personality—would never lie. She wouldn't go out of her way to praise or flatter a junior, either. She only spoke the truth.

Agnes Tachyon, the most promising Uma Musume of her generation, widely expected to become Japan's strongest one day, had such high praise for Platinum, who'd debuted less than two weeks ago?!

Didn't that mean taking revenge on Platinum in next year's Classic races would be incredibly difficult?

Meanwhile, Tokai Teio stood frozen beside Platinum.

At Tracen Academy, Agnes Tachyon was a household name—not just because of her terrifying talent and strength, but also because of her hobby.

Namely, research!

Research into the upper limits of Uma Musume's speed had always ranked among Agnes Tachyon's top interests. So she constantly kept an eye on promising Uma Musume with astonishing Final Bursts.

Combined with her keen eye, ability, and love of research, Agnes Tachyon was no less capable of judging Uma Musume than retired racers with years of experience, even though she was still in her Classic Year.

So Agnes Tachyon's words were highly credible.

"Huh? She's that amazing?"

Tokai Teio, who'd only just returned from a broken bone and a period of recovery, blinked blankly, feeling more than a little unsettled.

First there was Mejiro McQueen, who'd beaten her and dominated the long-distance races. Then there was the peerless monster Agnes Tachyon, who'd reigned supreme and shaken the middle-distance circuit. And now a super-rookie had appeared—someone who'd debuted less than two weeks ago and could already match GI Uma Musume?

"Of course, you've raced too few times, so my estimate is bound to be off."

"So, for more accurate data... I'd like to see your true potential and ability. Would you be interested in a Training Race?"

Agnes Tachyon held out a hand to the white-haired girl, whose expression remained calm and unruffled.

"Don't worry—"

"I'll hold back appropriately."

24. Platinum: No Way

Meanwhile, in the student council office at Tracen Academy.

Some of the student council members were busy with other things, while others had disappeared completely. As a result, only Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove were still handling official business.

The current student council president, Symboli Rudolf, looked up at the clock every few minutes as she worked through the paperwork, as if she were waiting for something.

She was quite interested in the mysterious Dark Horse—or, rather, Heavenly Horse—known as Platinum.

Symboli Rudolf, whose goal was to nurture the next generation, had always hoped to see a Japanese Uma Musume truly reach the world-class level with her own eyes!