[Hey, wake up. It's your turn to save the world.]
Huh? Who's there? Save the world? What am I, Superman?
No, who'd prank me like this so early in the morning? Can't you let people sleep?
Squirming, feeling the cold creep over me as I crawled… Okay, maybe that's a bit exaggerated. In reality, I was pressed against something chilly—soft limbs against icy metal bars—in a cramped space, gradually growing confused as consciousness returned.
Wait a minute. Wasn't I supposed to be sleeping comfortably in my own warm bed? Where did these cold bars come from?
So, I was sleepwalking while half-asleep?
That's not funny!
My eyes shot open, and suddenly, the whole world snapped into sharp clarity.
Everything before me was in shades of gray and white, but I immediately recognized this as a massive racetrack.
The kind of place you'd rarely ever step foot in your entire life, let alone hundreds of years.
I'm not a college student. I don't need annual medical check-ups.
Strange. Why were there so many people in the stands? Is this some sort of event?
Hold on. If this really is a race venue, why am I here?
With everyone watching me, this had to be a racetrack, right?
A sense of dread crept into my heart. But before I could dwell further, a bizarre panel suddenly appeared before my eyes.
[You're awake? The operation was successful.]
Okay, this is either a dream or I've transmigrated—but if this were reality, would a dream feel this vivid?
Even the sensation of wind blowing gently over my fingertips felt too real. If this is just a dream, there wouldn't be any reason to wake up.
"So, I've transmigrated?"
Hmm, a girl's voice. Guess I don't need further confirmation.
Don't bother hoping otherwise.
[Bingo! Now it's your turn to be an Uma Musume. Have you thought of a name yet?]
I don't even know what I look like yet. How would I know what my name should be?
Besides, isn't the name the least important part right now?
[Tch, boring. Anyway, just as you suspected, you hit the jackpot while taking a nap at your office desk on the eighteenth floor. And incidentally, you were the only one who died.]
[Now, here you are, about to debut as an Uma Musume. Aren't I thoughtful? Not only did I take care of your identity, I also fast-forwarded you directly to your debut race!]
So I was the only casualty in the whole office, huh? And I wasn't even sitting by the window... Oh right, the guy who did sit there took leave today. Tsk.
I've lost interest in mocking this bizarre "eighteenth-floor jackpot" scenario. After all, compared to transmigration, an eighteenth-floor incident is nothing.
Even falling from the thirty-sixth floor wouldn't shock me now.
"In other words, I'm now an Uma Musume, fully registered, and I'm about to make my debut?"
Hmm. If that's the case, maybe it's not so bad. With that many spectators, who knows—I might even be the fan favorite.
Still...
"So, what's the catch?"
[The catch? Well, there's good news and bad news. Which one first?]
"Good news first, obviously. What, do I get some kind of system cheat?"
[Bingo again! You're pretty sharp. You get an unlimited stat-point system. The longer you stay in this world, the more points you gain.]
Hmm, that does sound great. With a system like this, becoming a legendary Uma Musume should be a breeze.
Classic novel protagonist setup, isn't it?
So then, what's the bad news?
[The bad news is—you'll die in exactly one year.]
"I knew it."
Even though I'd mentally prepared myself, hearing it still gave me a peculiar, uneasy feeling.
Infinite points, but only one year to use them. And a classic isekai into the Uma Musume world with certain death looming.
Ugh, what a twisted setup. If this were a novel, would readers already be looking forward to the bloodbath?
"So, can I extend my life by completing system quests?"
Unlimited Lifespan: +1 Second System, Activate!
There's no reason to despair. If it's a system, earning lifespan extensions should be easy. I'll just complete quests diligently, and the rest is up to the system to handle.
[No, no, no. How do I put it?]
[When I say one year, I mean exactly one year, got it?]
"What do you mean?"
[I mean the system won't extend your life.]
…?
[Oh, fine. Let me be clearer: after one year, you'll definitely die. Want to back out of the debut race now? You could still use the remaining time-stop to escape from the track.]
Escape the debut race…? Remaining time-stop?
Ah, so I'm currently inside the starting gate. And the greyed-out world outside is due to the system's time-stop.
This really is some shocking news.
Only one year left to live, and oddly enough, no method to extend it. Just thinking about it feels hopeless…
"Well then, system, how talented am I as an Uma Musume?"
[Absolutely top-tier. Even among protagonists in novels, you'd be elite-level without cheats. Plus, I've thoughtfully included plenty of practice experience already.]
[Though, personally, you weren't very athletic before, right?]
True, I wasn't good at sports before. But now, that hardly matters.
At the very least, crushing my debut race should be no problem, right?
My fingertips traced gently upward along a clear jawline, finding a faint curve at the corner of my lips.
What a pity there wasn't a mirror nearby—I would've loved to see just how dazzling my smile must be right now.
Only a year left to live, huh…
If I'm destined to be a fleeting existence, vanishing like foam on the water, wouldn't it be laughable to quietly disappear into some forgotten corner?
[Wow, someone's in a good mood. So, what's your decision? Hide like a turtle, or cancel the time-stop?]
The answer's obvious.
With only a year left, as an Uma Musume, is there any other path to fame more fitting than racing?
Back when I was just an ordinary person, living a dull, meaningless life was fine.
But now, after transmigrating with a system, hiding in obscurity with my short lifespan?
Don't make me laugh.
"I have points to allocate today, right?"
[Yup.]
[Check-in successful. 10 free attribute points obtained.]
[Attribute categories match those in the Uma Musume game, you know the drill.]
"Put all ten points into speed, and cancel the time-stop in one minute."
My words might be brave, but I still needed a moment to steel myself. Still, my goal was already set.
No matter what, I'll become a Triple Crown winner, a legendary Uma Musume, and vanish like a blazing meteor, exploding spectacularly on the track—
Then surely, I'll leave a mark in the history of Uma Musume forever.
Why not take this path?
Taking one last glance at the name displayed on the system panel, this little filly solidified her determination.
[Twilight Song—points successfully allocated!]
A fleeting flower blooming briefly, huh? Cruel and merciless indeed…
"The race is about to begin! All Uma Musume have entered the gates. Let's get ready…"
"Three."
"Two."
"One... Gates open! The race begins!"