The school scenery was no different from the game world—a picture of harmony. Even if Luo Cheng weren't there, the horse girls would go about their business according to system logic.
But Luo Cheng didn't want to be a mere observer. He wanted to belong. No matter how real they seemed, if they couldn't react to him, they were fake in his eyes.
Back then, Luo Cheng had even gone so far as to run outside naked just to get their attention, but they had simply ignored him and continued their routines. Even when he had tackled several students to the ground and "forced his output" on them, they had gotten up afterward as if nothing had happened. At most, they were a bit unsteady on their feet. Some of the more "driven" ones would pin him down and refuse to let him go. Afterward, their affection would rise by five to seven points.
Luo Cheng had discovered only a few ways to raise affection: a greeting (one point every five days), a head pat (one point for every three), or helping a horse girl in trouble (two points per instance). There was a daily cap on these gains, and they couldn't be repeated in a short period.
Interactions were scarce, and affection-grinding was limited. However, Luo Cheng later discovered a much more direct and crude method: touching certain areas to make them "excited." The higher the excitement, the more affection he gained.
Of course, in the game world, the level of affection didn't really matter. They acted the same regardless; high affection didn't unlock special dialogue or reactions.
But here, Luo Cheng could see the difference. A horse girl with zero affection merely gave a simple nod or ignored him entirely. One with ten points would greet him, and at twenty, she would take the initiative to approach him.
As for Tokai Teio, with her maxed-out affection, she had been clutching Luo Cheng's hand from the start, pouting and glaring at any horse girl who dared approach, looking exactly like a puppy guarding its food.
"Trainer Luo Cheng, are you going out?"
As they reached the plaza in front of the school building, Luo Cheng encountered a green-clad figure standing at the gate like a guardian of Tracen. It was the horse girl with the graceful silhouette, Hayakawa Tazuna. People used to speculate if she was actually a horse girl; this time, Luo Cheng was certain she was. Her office attire restricted her figure, but the real Tazuna was much more "explosive" than she looked—Luo Cheng had measured her personally.
Seeing him, Tazuna walked over slowly. Her legs, encased in black stockings, traced a tempting curve, shimmering beautifully in the sunlight, with hints of her pale skin visible through the fabric. Luo Cheng didn't know her exact age; she looked to be in her twenties, around the same as him. But her body was maintained as perfectly as a teenage girl's—tender as could be.
"Going to buy some horseshoes for Teio," Luo Cheng replied, watching her expression.
"I wish you a safe journey, Trainer Luo Cheng. If you need my help, feel free to call me anytime."
Her expression was the same as always. Strange. Isn't her affection maxed out too? Why is she so different from Teio?
"Let's go, Trainer!"
Tokai Teio tugged his hand. Her body, small enough for him to lift and carry, erupted with terrifying strength. Luo Cheng couldn't resist and was dragged along.
In that other world, he had dragged Teio. In this one, Teio dragged him. How the tables had turned.
Once Luo Cheng had left, Hayakawa Tazuna hugged herself, a faint flush appearing on her face. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her pink tongue instinctively licked her lips.
Once outside the school, Luo Cheng gasped like a country bumpkin seeing the big city for the first time. For three whole months, he had been stopped at the gate by an invisible wall. He had tried everything: backing into it, walking along the perimeter, sliding against the ground, using objects to wedge himself through... he had tried every "clipping" glitch he knew, but he could never breach that transparent barrier.
Now that he was finally in the "outside world" that had once been nothing but a background texture, he was on a total high! He practically felt like drilling into his own temples from the excitement.
"Trainer?" Teio called out, seeing his erratic expression.
Previously, her Trainer would always stop at the gate, never daring to go out. Now that they were finally outside, he was this excited? She recalled that her Trainer had come to Tracen alone and hadn't explored the area before joining the school. Maybe he has no idea what Tokyo is like?
The thought made Teio giggle. Her Trainer was like a big kid, afraid of the outside but bursting with joy once he was in it. He was so cute! She wanted to hug him, nuzzle him, lick him, and... well, everything. She had felt this way since morning—her Trainer looked as tempting as a sweet treat.
"Teio, where are we going?"
Since it was his first time out, Luo Cheng decided to follow her lead. He marveled at the "open world"—no map limits, no stupid invisible walls, and definitely no "Let's explore the area ahead of us later!"
Invisible walls can go to hell. He hated those things.
"To the Uma Musume sporting goods store, of course." Teio pulled him along. "But before that, let's get that!" She pointed to a yellow food truck in the park.
It said "Honey Specialty Drink" in Japanese.
Upon arriving here, Luo Cheng found he could somehow read Japanese. His brain had a built-in translator, automatically converting text and speech into a language he understood and vice versa. In short, there was no communication barrier. If he became a translator, he'd probably be the best in the business and make a fortune. Too bad he couldn't.
Wait, did he even have money? Was he going to have to "five-finger discount" a honey drink? That would be pathetic. His fantasy of a heist involved leading a group of horse girls into a bank, smashing everything, and then scattering with their superhuman speed to live a life of luxury.
I'll save the daydreams for when I'm asleep.
He patted his pockets and pulled out a wallet. Inside were several ten-thousand-yen bills. He actually had money! In the game world, the Chairwoman told him every month that he'd been paid, but he could never find the money. He had suspected she was embezzling it, bullying him because he had nowhere to spend it. So, every payday, he'd treat the Chairwoman like a little kitten, making her "pay" him back with her body.
Turns out the money was here! The Chairwoman was sending his salary across dimensions. He had misjudged her; next time, he'd let her have her way with him.
"Here."
"Trainer, this is way too much."
"It's fine. Keep the change." He was feeling generous. Why would he need money anyway? The other side didn't even have shops; money was worth less than scrap paper there. Without the need to earn a living, his life had lost half its meaning—he had already "speedrun" his way to the end. And this world was now missing one more corporate slave.
"Trainer, you need to remember to carry small change. This one's on me!" Teio ordered a "Super Large" cup.
"Are we sharing?"
"Yeah, the Super Large is the best deal!" Teio took a sip and handed it to him, watching eagerly as he bit the straw.
Luo Cheng was no longer the innocent youth he once was. Teio might not remember, but he had shared drinks with her many times. The "Game Teio" couldn't think, but she still had basic physiological reflexes. When he fed her something, she'd instinctively swallow. She even knew what to chew and what not to.
"How is it, Trainer? Isn't it great?"
"Yeah." Tracen only had canned drinks, and only a few flavors at that. This was Luo Cheng's first time having a honey drink, and it was good. This one was extra thick, feeling syrupy in his throat. It seemed Teio really liked these thick, sweet things.
Soon, they arrived at the sporting goods store.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Uma Musume: Inside the Game (40 Chapters – Ongoing)
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