Since Tachyon had mysteriously disappeared on some business trip, President Rudolf and Air Groove were unable to obtain an antidote for the Want-a-Hug Potion. Trapped in an embarrassing embrace, they found it too inconvenient (and humiliating) to seek out Mizuno for revenge, fearing another wave of curious junior Uma would surround them, enthusiastically shipping them again. Thus, Mizuno narrowly escaped their wrath—for now.
Mizuno returned to his original training routine, actively coaching his team's Uma on the academy's track rather than hiding in his dorm room. Regarding accommodations, he exchanged some Honey Drink with Mejiro McQueen for a bit of cash and secretly rented a hotel room outside the academy grounds. Aside from the occasional "Oysters, oysters~" murmurs drifting in from the neighboring room (disturbing his sleep only slightly), Mizuno finally secured a safe, comfortable temporary base.
Free from immediate worries, Mizuno spent the entire week rigorously preparing Rice Shower and Tokai Teio for their debut races—strengthening their weaknesses and enhancing their natural talents.
His plan was simple: Rice Shower would debut on Saturday, and Tokai Teio on Sunday. By scheduling their debuts on separate days, he avoided an awkward scenario in which teammates would sabotage each other's first race.
...
Training flew by, and soon enough, Rice Shower's debut arrived.
A short-distance, 1000m turf race, clockwise, sunny conditions, with a total of nine competitors.
Currently, on the introduction stage, the host energetically presented each Uma to the eager audience:
"First contestant—!"
"Second contestant—!"
"Third contestant—!"
"And now, the sixth contestant, Number Six—Rice Shower!"
Under enthusiastic applause, a petite, shy Uma with blue roses peered nervously from behind the curtain. After cautiously observing the crowd for a moment, she summoned her courage and stepped forward.
Seeing Rice Shower, the audience immediately began whispering:
"Dark, gloomy clothes… Looks kinda like an assassin, huh?"
"She's so tiny and fragile-looking. Can she really run fast?"
"Not sure… Honestly, I don't expect much."
"Rice Shower-sama! Please let me be your dog!"
"Gu…" Rice Shower's already weak confidence collapsed further under the weight of hundreds of curious stares and bizarrely enthusiastic declarations from certain fans.
"Uuu…" Rice Shower squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment, clasping her hands anxiously to her chest, desperately wishing she could immediately vanish from the stage and hide.
At that exact moment, a familiar voice suddenly called out from below the stage:
"Rice Shower, you can do it!"
Though the shout was faint, buried within the noise of the bustling crowd like a tiny grain of sand in the ocean, it resonated in Rice Shower's ears as clearly as a temple bell ringing at dawn.
"Onii-sama!" Rice Shower's ears instantly perked up, and she eagerly turned toward the source.
"Believe in yourself, Rice Shower!" Mizuno yelled at the top of his lungs from the audience area.
Beside him stood Haru Urara, Tokai Teio, King Halo, and Mejiro McQueen—her beloved teammates from Team TAC, all enthusiastically cheering her on as well.
"Rice-Rice! You're the cutest!"
"Rice Shower-san, do your best!"
"Everyone…" Rice Shower felt tears pricking her eyes, heart swelling warmly.
Onii-sama and everyone else were watching over her, believing in her wholeheartedly. She had to become confident now and bravely face whatever came her way.
At the very least… she couldn't let down those who trusted and supported her!
Determinedly, Rice Shower slapped her cheeks, raised her tiny right fist in encouragement, and called out softly:
"Ganbatte, Rice Shower! Oh~!"
"Pff—!" The audience below immediately melted from her adorable display:
"Uwaaa! She's way too cute!"
"Ambulance! I need an ambulance here!"
"Friend, do me a favor… This is my bank card. Please give it to my roommate's son. Tell him there's actually nothing in the account, and I'll have to repay him next life…"
And it wasn't just the audience experiencing Rice Shower's devastating cuteness for the first time—even a certain someone who'd witnessed it countless times already succumbed without exception.
"Gwah—!"
"Trainer-san! Are you okay?!" The Uma around Mizuno quickly caught him as he collapsed limply, hurriedly patting him down for injuries.
Mizuno shook his head weakly, indicating he was fine, before raising a trembling thumb:
"Rice Shower, so cute…"
...
An hour later, guided by the race staff, the Uma entered their gates, readying themselves to race.
At this moment, all the Uma felt energized and optimistic, each fantasizing about their imminent victory—and, of course, the celebratory date with their trainer afterward.
"I must get that date!" Fierce flames burned in each Uma's eyes.
For this dream, they'd run with every ounce of strength!
Yet, their dreams were quickly shattered by reality.
Barely thirty seconds after the race began—at only halfway through the course—a tiny, seemingly weak, blue-rose Uma exploded forward with an astonishing burst of speed, instantly surpassing the pack and swiftly putting considerable distance between herself and the others.
Rice Shower's powerful sprint, coupled with the faint, ominous aura surrounding her, filled her opponents with profound despair and helplessness.
"Two lengths! Three lengths! Four lengths! Rice Shower now leads by four lengths over second place!" the announcer shouted excitedly.
Having undergone Mizuno's meticulous training, expert massage treatments, and nourishing medicinal meals, Rice Shower's current ability far exceeded that of any ordinary debuting Uma.
In gaming terms, while other competitors were barely at an E-level, Rice Shower had already reached a solid C-rank. It was like an adult bullying children.
"Oysters…" Panting helplessly, the other Uma could only stare as Rice Shower's back disappeared beyond the finish line.
"She crosses the line!" The announcer leapt to his feet. "Rice Shower wins by an incredible five lengths! A completely unsurprising victory!"
"What?!" The stunned crowd stood up in shock.
"She's way too strong!"
"I misjudged her! She looked so soft and adorable, I thought she'd run slow—but she won by five lengths!"
"Woof woof woof—!"
Everyone cheered wildly for Rice Shower's incredible strength. They even speculated that if she entered a G1 race right now, she might easily secure a top-three finish.
"Haa… Haa…" Rice Shower slowed gradually after passing the finish line, placing her hands gently on her chest, steadying her breath.
Turning to the audience stands, she instantly spotted Mizuno, hidden deep within the crowded mass.
"Onii-sama!" Rice Shower happily waved her small hand.
"Yes!" Mizuno warmly waved back.
Though pleased with her dominant victory, Mizuno's mind lingered on a puzzling thought.
Is Rice Shower's perception… a bit too sharp?
Before the race, she'd specifically asked Mizuno not to wear his yellow T-head disguise—which boosted his presence—because she wanted to clearly see Onii-sama's face. Naturally, Mizuno couldn't refuse, and so he hadn't worn it, making his presence practically nonexistent.
Normally, someone searching for him would have to stare carefully for several minutes or compare with a photograph. Yet Rice Shower had effortlessly pinpointed him with just a casual glance—her observation skills were terrifyingly precise.
However, this wasn't a bad thing, so Mizuno didn't dwell on it long. More importantly, he marveled at Rice Shower's rapid growth—dominating her debut race by five lengths!
Although her opponents had only been fellow rookies, it was clear Rice Shower was already strong enough to easily win G3 races. With another month of training, she might genuinely contend for victory in an average-level G1 race!
Mizuno then glanced down at Tokai Teio beside him. She was clinging tightly to his arm, secretly twining her tail affectionately around his leg…
If Rice Shower was a genius, then Tokai Teio was truly a genius among geniuses. According to yesterday's test results, Teio currently exceeded even Rice Shower's abilities.
Therefore, Mizuno couldn't help but wonder:
How many lengths would Tokai Teio win by in tomorrow's race…?