After escaping from the training room, Mizuno sneaked down one of Tracen Academy's secluded paths. As he recalled the two Uma's displeased glares, lingering dread crept over him.
Admittedly, his escape earlier had been incredibly cool—he'd even thrown in one of his top-10 anime exit lines, ending with a casual "Ja ne~" like some badass protagonist straight out of Naruto.
Yet, truthfully, he hadn't really considered the consequences of tricking Rudolf and Air Groove—both superior to him in physical strength and authority within Tracen.
He could only pray they wouldn't stay too angry. At least, he hoped they'd refrain from instantly "handling" him the next time they met…
"Haa…" Mizuno sighed dejectedly.
He was still completely isolated in this world, lacking not only a safe haven but even a trustworthy teammate he could rely on. It truly was…
"Wait! No!" Mizuno suddenly halted mid-step, struck by a sudden realization.
Didn't I already have an ally?
"That's right! Where's Fortune?!"
Mizuno finally remembered that there was still a sickly Goddess of Fortune lying helplessly on a sofa, inside a room whose lights flickered randomly from low Hope Energy!
They'd clearly discussed it before. Fortune had fallen into a forced coma because the negative emotions from those ten affected Uma had increased the academy's bad-luck concentration. Therefore, if Mizuno solved at least one Uma's emotional problem, Fortune would probably revive.
Several days ago, Mizuno had successfully helped Air Groove overcome her emotional troubles, significantly reducing the school's misfortune levels. By now, Fortune should've woken up and checked in with him!
Yet days had passed, and Fortune hadn't made a peep?
[Mizuno]:Hey, Fortune, are you alive?
[Mizuno]: Fortune? LUCK?!
[Mizuno]: Dammit, was just solving one Uma's issue not enough? Do I really have to help even more of them before she wakes up?
Just as Mizuno assumed Fortune's lack of response meant she was still battling for revival, the goddess suddenly answered:
[Fortune]:Hmm? What's up?
[Fortune]:Yaaawn… Just woke up…
[Mizuno]: ?
Not "just woke up from a coma," nor "just revived from near death," but "just woke up"—as though she'd been enjoying a leisurely afternoon nap?
[Mizuno]: Fortune, when exactly did you revive?
[Fortune]: Umm… a few days ago, actually…
[Mizuno]: ?!
Revived days ago?! Then why hadn't she responded until now?
[Mizuno]: Did you know President Rudolf and Air Groove trapped me in the training room just now?
[Fortune]: Yeah, I saw.
[Mizuno]: HAA?!
[Mizuno]: So you just watched me get bullied while you casually slept?
[Fortune]:NO, NO! Mizuno-dono, you misunderstood me!
[Mizuno]: Misunderstood how exactly?
[Fortune]:I was sleeping with my eyes closed, so technically I didn't watch…
[Mizuno]: Are you seriously playing word games with me now? 😡
[Fortune]:Mizuno-dono, calm down! Honestly, you were never in real danger! They didn't genuinely want to Uma Pyoi you, just teasing you a bit! It wouldn't have made a difference if I'd stepped in or not.
[Mizuno]: Really?
[Fortune]:Totally! Truer than true pearls!
[Mizuno]: Fine, I'll trust you just this once. But please explain clearly why, if you woke up several days ago, you waited until now—when I specifically called you—to appear?
[Fortune]:Umm… I wanted to rest a few more days… and maybe slack off a bit…
[Mizuno]: ?!
[Mizuno]: Misfortune's about to come out of seclusion, and you—her sworn rival—were seriously still thinking about slacking off?!
[Mizuno]: Have you collected enough Hope Energy or not?! 😡😡😡
[Fortune]:Sumimasen!!!
Under Mizuno's furious questioning, Fortune instantly slid into an apology with lightning speed, promising repeatedly that she wouldn't dare slack off ever again.
Though Fortune was an extremely unreliable ally—often unreachable or on the brink of disappearance—she was still an ally who could provide some assistance. At least Mizuno wasn't completely alone facing future challenges anymore.
[Fortune]:Misfortune will regain her full power in two months. To defeat her, Mizuno-dono, you need your Uma to win at least one G1 race before then. Can you manage it?
"Well…" Mizuno lowered his head, deep in thought.
Currently, among his three Uma, only Haru Urara had successfully won her debut race a month ago. She could enter G3 or G2 races now, accumulating fans to qualify for a G1 race.
Yet Mizuno felt that with Urara's current strength, winning a G1 within three months was unrealistic.
As for Rice Shower and Tokai Teio—while their talent and stats exceeded Urara's, making them genuine G1 contenders—he'd only recently started training them, and neither had debuted yet.
To even have a chance at G1, both Rice Shower and Teio would first need to win their debut races…
"Alright, I've decided!" Mizuno clapped his hands resolutely, formulating a clear plan in his mind:
Next weekend, Rice Shower and Tokai Teio will both debut!
...
Elsewhere…
"One-two, one-two…" Rudolf and Air Groove were forced into an awkward, tight embrace, whispering chants in sync, slowly inching their way out of Team TAC's training room toward Tachyon's lab.
They'd begun regretting not asking Tachyon for an antidote alongside the Want-a-Hug Potion. Now, unable to separate themselves from each other, they had no choice but to awkwardly revisit Tachyon in this humiliating position.
Who would've guessed Trainer Mizuno—usually so meek—would suddenly grow bold enough to steal the potions from them and trick them into drinking it?!
Along the way, the sight of President Rudolf and Vice President Air Groove tightly hugging each other attracted countless curious stares from passing Uma students, quickly gathering an eager audience who whispered excitedly among themselves:
"Wait… Isn't that President Rudolf and Vice President Air Groove? Why are they walking together like that, holding each other so tightly?"
"Practicing a dance, maybe? Though it looks kinda intimate, doesn't it…?"
"No way, could they really be in that kind of relationship?! Shocking! Tracen's student council leaders secretly in love?! Aaah—I ship it!!!"
"Dammit…" Rudolf and Air Groove endured the stares of their fellow Uma, embarrassment overwhelming them as their toes curled in shame. If only they had paper bags to cover their blushing faces, hiding their identities from recognition…
Both silently swore that after getting the antidote from Tachyon, freeing themselves from this humiliating predicament, they would severely punish Trainer Mizuno. Today's disgrace had to be repaid a hundredfold!
After a grueling, torturously slow journey, Rudolf and Air Groove finally arrived outside Tachyon's lab.
"Tachyon?" Rudolf knocked on the door, but no response came. The door remained firmly locked.
Peering through the window glass, they found the lab spotlessly clean and entirely empty—as though its owner had abandoned the place permanently, off somewhere else plotting her next big scheme, unlikely to return anytime soon.
"Where the heck did she go?!"