In the end, Mizuno Sora stepped out of the taxi. As soon as both feet were firmly planted on the ground, the vehicle vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed.
Why does this feel like I just rode Bus 44 at midnight and ended up in the underworld...? Mizuno quipped silently.
But it wasn't far off—Tracen Academy, with the highest density of Uma Musume in all Japan, was essentially hell itself, filled with creatures ready to devour him whole.
Taking a deep breath, hands tucked casually in his pockets, Mizuno approached Hayakawa Tazuna at the gate. "Hello."
"Eh?!" Tazuna, who had been welcoming people with her gentle, practiced smile, jumped in surprise at Mizuno's sudden appearance.
"Eh, eh, eh?" She blinked, utterly bewildered. How had someone appeared right before her eyes without her noticing?
As a professional receptionist, Tazuna could normally sense anyone approaching the gate within a ten-meter radius. Yet this person had managed to get within a single meter before she even noticed. She'd only realized their presence when they spoke.
Not to mention, how could she fail to notice someone dressed so oddly? It was as if they had popped into existence out of thin air.
So strange.
Yet, her professional demeanor swiftly took over. Regaining her warm smile, she said politely, "Hello, may I ask what brings you to Tracen Academy? Currently, the school is open only to Uma Musume and trainers. If you're a fan looking to visit, please wait for the fan events in a few months."
Mizuno handed her the ID card from his pocket. "I'm a new trainer."
Tazuna examined the ID briefly before returning it, bowing slightly in apology. "Oh, Mizuno Sora-san! I apologize for not noticing you earlier."
Mizuno waved dismissively. "No worries."
Tazuna looked him over curiously, intrigued by his strange attire. She sniffed discreetly, noticing Mizuno had no scent at all—not even a faint one. He was even more odorless than fresh air.
But it was impossible for a person to have no scent. Even after thorough washing, humans still had their own subtle smell. Humans might not detect it, but an Uma Musume certainly would.
Otherwise, why couldn't trainers just hide underwater instead of being tracked down and dragged back by Uma Musume?
Tazuna realized that if she couldn't smell Mizuno, there could only be one explanation.
"Is your outfit designed to conceal scent?" she asked.
Mizuno had no intention of revealing his secret, so he shrugged casually. "Yeah, I'm kind of a chūnibyō—I love hiding myself away. The clothes are custom-made."
Tazuna laughed softly. "That's actually a pretty handy outfit. If other trainers had something similar, maybe fewer of them would disappear... Ah, please forget I said anything strange."
She maintained her warm, professional smile as if her slip-up was trivial.
Mizuno: "..."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Tazuna gestured politely. "Mizuno-san, please wait over there. A few other trainers haven't arrived yet. It might be good to get acquainted with the group waiting there."
Following her direction, Mizuno saw about ten men and women chatting eagerly, clearly fellow new trainers.
He nodded. "Alright."
Keeping his hands in his pockets, Mizuno walked over. The group was already deep in animated conversation.
Building good relationships with colleagues was essential in any workplace. As a complete stranger in this world, Mizuno knew that if he ever got dragged off by an Uma Musume, having friends to call for help could literally save his life.
But just as Mizuno prepared to introduce himself, his words got stuck in his throat due to a sudden shout from a male trainer sporting an impressive afro hairstyle.
"Looking for your older brother?" the afro-haired trainer exclaimed dramatically, gripping a smaller trainer by the shoulders. "You're saying you became a trainer at Tracen not for fame or fortune—but to find your brother?!"
This explosive revelation stopped Mizuno in his tracks. Silently, he stepped aside to listen from a distance.
"That's right." The smaller trainer nodded solemnly.
"My older brother, Kaneshiro Taito, was once a trainer here at Tracen. He had an Uma Musume partner whose racing record wasn't outstanding but decent enough. Plus, Tracen pays male trainers very well—even without significant wins, the salary's still generous."
"He and his partner were close. He even brought her home during New Year's. She was a lovely, gentle Uma Musume. They were always stuck together. Honestly, if my brother hadn't already been engaged, everyone would've thought they were dating."
The smaller trainer frowned deeply. "But two years ago, he vanished without a trace—his partner Uma Musume disappeared along with him."
Mizuno's heart tightened.
Has that poor older brother already ended up in someone's basement...?
The trainer continued, "No matter how hard we searched, we found nothing. Even Chairwoman Akikawa of Tracen Academy couldn't explain their disappearance."
"To enter Tracen, you must be a trainer. So I became one myself—to personally investigate and find some clues."
Kaneshiro Takeru's eyes shone resolutely. "I, Kaneshiro Takeru, swear that I won't return home until I find my brother!"
The sincerity in Kaneshiro's speech moved the gathered trainers.
"You'll definitely succeed," said a female trainer encouragingly.
A male trainer chimed in, "I hope you find your brother soon and reunite."
Kaneshiro Takeru nodded gratefully. "Thank you for your support!"
Mizuno, listening quietly nearby: "..."
Reunite…? Reunited in the basement, you mean?
The conversation soon shifted to other topics, completely oblivious to Mizuno's presence.
This Doctor's Outfit really was incredible at suppressing his presence. Unless Mizuno deliberately spoke up, no one noticed him at all.
Apparently, to be acknowledged, he'd have to make the first move.
But just as Mizuno was about to introduce himself, an older trainer suddenly zoomed around a corner on an electric wheelchair, legs encased in plaster casts, his face pale and exhausted.
"Stay away from me!" the old trainer shouted desperately, mashing the accelerator on his wheelchair.
No matter how quickly he pressed the button, the wheelchair had reached its top speed. It was probably going at about sixty kilometers per hour—fast for a wheelchair but a casual stroll for an Uma Musume.
Just then, an Uma Musume dashed from around the same corner, effortlessly catching up and stopping the wheelchair dead in its tracks.
"Togawa-san, finally caught you." The Uma Musume gripped the wheelchair firmly.
"Uwah!" Togawa cried out, flailing helplessly, sweat pouring down his forehead.
Unable to escape, he shakily asked, "Welcome Drink-san, what do you want from me?"
Welcome Drink smiled sweetly, eyes darkening dangerously. "Togawa-san, please tell me, where is my trainer?"
Togawa sweated buckets. "I-I don't know where Washuin went..."
Welcome Drink crushed the wheelchair's handle, her gaze becoming dangerously dark.
"You're his best friend. You definitely know."
Togawa nervously glanced away. "I really don't..."
"If you don't tell me, I'll hand you over to Yuki-chan…" Welcome Drink threatened.
"Yuki?!" Togawa shook with terror. "Alright! I'll talk!"
He pointed shakily at a nearby trash bin. "Washuin's hiding right there!"
With a loud bang, someone sprang from the bin. "Togawa, you traitor!"
Welcome Drink's eyes immediately sparkled, filled with pink hearts as she saw Washuin.
"Ara, thank you, Togawa-san." She released Togawa's wheelchair and waved toward the corner. "Yuki-chan, you can come out now."
Another Uma Musume swiftly appeared. Upon seeing her, Togawa froze in dread.
"Y-Yuki!" Before Togawa could flee, Yuki caught him in a single swift movement.
"Trainer-san, let's continue our… training~"
Without waiting for protest, Yuki lifted Togawa and wheelchair, swiftly carrying him off, his screams trailing away miserably.
Nearby, Washuin met a similar fate as Welcome Drink dragged him off, leaving only anguished cries echoing behind.
Turning, Tazuna smiled warmly at the new trainers. "Those two trainers really have wonderful relationships with their Uma Musume, don't they?"
A female trainer sighed dreamily, "So true. They're really close."
A male trainer nodded eagerly. "I hope my future relationship with my Uma Musume will be just like theirs."
"..." Silently, Mizuno distanced himself from the crowd.
Forget making friends—I'm better off alone!