Chapter 315: Only One Year Left—I’ll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [259] [100 STONES]

So... how had things ended up like this?

A question for you.

When you think of the seaside—summer seaside, at that—what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Back in her old world, it might have been crowds so dense they bordered on ridiculous, packed beaches, and the occasional beautiful sight you only stumbled across like striking gold.

But in this world, things changed rather a lot.

Especially when the reason for coming to the beach was Tracen’s longstanding annual event: the special summer program known as summer training camp.

First, second, and last of all, Tracen was not lacking in funds. And where did that show itself?

Everywhere, really. But for a situation like this, one example was the simplest and most direct:

So that the students could form teams and carry out summer training camp, Tracen had simply thrown money at the problem and rented out an entire beach as the venue!!

An entire stretch of beach near Tokyo. And this wasn’t even a one-off—it was just one of many times Tracen had done exactly that...!

So at this point, it was only natural that someone might wonder: what did any of this have to do with Gotham Song?

A whole lot, actually...!

Sigh. So why had things turned out like this? Where, exactly, had things gone subtly but catastrophically wrong?

Wearing a white old-school school swimsuit and floating in the cool seawater with the help of a swim ring, Gotham Song pondered that question deeply.

First of all, yes, swimming in the sea really was a nice experience. But not nearly nice enough to get Gotham Song out of the house on its own.

And the reason for that was simple.

She couldn’t swim.

Didn’t that sound strange? She was already in the ocean, and yet she was still clinging to a swim ring. It was about as weird as looking at fried chicken and saying, "No, no, fried chicken won’t do. I need the other kind of chicken."

But the root problem wasn’t that fried chicken tasted bad. It was that it was too greasy, and some people simply refused to eat it—

Was Gotham Song hugging the swim ring because she wanted to? Please. Of course not. The reason was much simpler than that.

Gotham Song just couldn’t swim!

She’d been a total sinker in her previous life, and after coming to this world, when had she ever had time to learn?

Give her a break. Back when she was still Ruka, she’d had no time at all. And after taking on a new identity...

Well, funny story. Last year, she’d also been notified that she was supposed to attend summer training camp, but...

She didn’t go!

Actually, she hadn’t planned to attend this year either.

But in the end, she’d been persuaded by a reason she simply couldn’t refuse.

That reason being...

"Since you’re a member of the Student Council, Song-san, while it wouldn’t be appropriate to burden you with anything too practical, something simple like leading a group at summer training camp shouldn’t be a problem for you, correct?"

Every time Gotham Song thought of Symboli Rudolf saying that with that not-quite-smile on her face, her teeth started itching with anger.

The Student Council naturally had to take responsibility for summer training camp operations, and the clearest sign of that was this: Student Council members usually served as "lead Umamusume," taking charge of certain girls with difficult personalities—or, to put it more bluntly, girls who just didn’t fit in—and bringing them along to summer training camp.

In truth, summer training camp did have a free-grouping system.

There were simply too many Umamusume at Tracen. Every single summer camp involved hundreds, sometimes over a thousand participants, so the more common and long-established format was this:

Veteran Umamusume with enough strength and experience would act as group leaders, and the others would apply to join their teams, creating a kind of veterans-leading-newcomers structure that helped more and more young girls grow.

That was how summer training camp was supposed to work.

The problem was that there were just too many Umamusume. If group formation were left completely free, there would always be some girls who failed to get into any group at all. And they couldn’t very well leave those kids sitting on the beach all by themselves.

So for the Umamusume who didn’t end up joining a team, Tracen’s Student Council would forcibly sort them into groups and assign Student Council members to serve as their lead Umamusume.

And this year’s summer training camp...

There seemed to be an unusually large number of Umamusume who hadn’t managed to form free groups. So many that even with Symboli Rudolf personally dragging in Mr. C.B. and Katsuragi Ace, and the entire Student Council mobilizing for summer camp, there was still a sizeable gap.

And because of that, Gotham Song had been abruptly drafted into the operation and turned into part of summer training camp.

What kind of bolt-from-the-blue disaster was this?

Ah, this was probably what people meant when they said that when you were unlucky, even drinking water could get stuck in your teeth.

And then there was the matter of how to describe the group she’d been assigned...

No, seriously—why are all of you here?

First, Gotham Song would like to clarify one thing: she was not the sort of Umamusume who threw unreasonable tantrums.

But!

Almond Eye, Gentildonna, Verxina, Kitasan Black, and Satono Diamond—wasn’t it just a little too deliberate, a little too targeted, for all five of you to end up in my group?!

Oh, and among them, Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond had even already attended summer training camp once before. This was their second time coming to train themselves in preparation for their senior-year campaigns.

And I’m only in my first senior year myself!!!

Gotham Song could only feel that it was unfair. Extremely unfair.

Symboli Rudolf probably hadn’t been thinking along those lines at all, but Gotham Song still couldn’t help feeling that...

That queen of bad jokes had planned this from the start. Joining the Student Council really was the worst, absolute worst, worst decision she had ever made in her life!

Gotham Song felt that things simply couldn’t get any worse than this.

Symboli Rudolf, you set me up!!!

Wasn’t I supposed to just be a name on the roster when I joined the Student Council? Even a figurehead had to work now, did she?!

Gotham Song was furious—transcendently furious.

And in the midst of that transcendent fury, she was angry for a bit.

What else was she supposed to do?

In truth, she could have refused at the beginning. But once she found out exactly who it was that hadn’t managed to get themselves a summer camp group, all she could do was pinch her nose and give up on spending a cool, comfortable summer at Mejiro Manor.

Fine, fine. The ocean was pretty cool too. It was just the part where she had to cling to a swim ring that was a little annoying.

Watching Satono Diamond swim effortlessly beside her—so effortlessly that she could even spare the attention to cast dangerous little looks her way—Gotham Song finally understood what people meant by a stomachache.

Clearly, the young lady of the Satono family did not merely know how to swim. She was a full-blown expert, the kind who could keep pace with Gotham Song while only half paying attention.

Looking at it that way, maybe it was Gotham Song who was the junior here, and Satono Diamond who ought to be the lead Umamusume of this group.

There were just too many Umamusume here who didn’t feel like juniors at all...!

And yet, whether in height or in presence, Gotham Song couldn’t deny one cruel fact:

She really did look more like the little one.

Ugh, realizing such a brutally cruel truth for herself was eight parts, no, nine parts sheer suffering...!!!

Helpless, Gotham Song could only slap a huge spray of water into the air.

"You innately evil Satono Diamond, eat this Splash Attack!!!"

Obviously, that sort of attack wasn’t going to do any meaningful damage. Satono Diamond merely looked at Gotham Song with a smile that could practically be called indulgent, then flicked water back at her in retaliation. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

At a time like this, the only comfort to be found was that she still called her onee-chan, at least.

Ah, Gotham Song, Gotham Song, you can’t go soft just because she calls you onee-chan!!!

"Then I’ll be returning fire now, onee-chan."

Heh. Onee-chan.

Gotham Song knew she probably looked absolutely pathetic right now, but whatever. Being able to fool around with Satono Diamond like this once in a while, with no suspicion or wariness between them, was honestly not a bad experience.

Enough talk. Take this!

Their frolicking in the sea did not go unnoticed.

But Gotham Song’s defeat very nearly became public knowledge.

Water on its own didn’t do much damage. A splash of cold seawater could at most catch someone off guard.

But!

Once Gotham Song had launched the first attack, Satono Diamond—far more skilled in the water—had proceeded to one-sidedly drench her so thoroughly that not a single patch of her remained dry. And after Gotham Song staggered back ashore and dropped to her knees in sincere defeat...

Water, at least in her eyes right now, had become the most dangerous substance in the world.

Children, water is poisonous!!!

Especially Satono Diamond’s water.

Damn it. The fault in this battle lies not with me—absolutely not with me—but with... with... the swim ring! Yes, that’s it! That has to be it!

Then why were you carrying a swim ring?

Was that even the question?

Then let me ask you this: if I can’t swim, why wouldn’t I bring a swim ring?

Then let me ask you this: are you even an Umamusume?

Answer me!

In a rare turn of events, Gotham Song fell into a state of self-doubt.

Or rather, a state of running from reality.

This was something neither her former illness nor Mejiro Ramonu had managed to do to her.

And yet Satono Diamond and a swim ring had accomplished it with ease.

Ahh, Satono Diamond and the swim ring are invincible. They brought Gotham Song to her knees without effort.

...Wait a second. If you put it that way, then which one was actually stronger—Satono Diamond or the swim ring?

Gotham Song’s train of thought was now charging madly off the rails. She didn’t even realize that just moments ago she’d been insisting the swim ring was the true culprit behind her defeat.

"She’s broken, isn’t she."

"She’s broken."

Gentildonna and Verxina knelt down beside Gotham Song, gaining front-row seats to the pitiable sight of what was arguably the strongest Umamusume in the world questioning her entire life.

In a certain sense, did this count as Gotham Song’s first complete defeat?

It was the swim ring and Satono Diamond’s doing!!

But how ought one describe Gentildonna and Verxina’s feelings at that moment?

Our Trainer-sama really is adorable. Will this embarrassment steel her resolve and drive her to throw herself into training until she conquers the ocean too?

That was Gentildonna, who firmly believed Gotham Song was the strongest.

Song-san really does have struggles of her own... but she’ll definitely overcome this setback in no time. It’s Song-san, after all.

That was Verxina, who likewise believed in her idol with all her heart.

Believe.

Believing in Song needed no reason.

Though compared to all that, there was even one total oddball in this bizarre little team who wasn’t on the same wavelength at all.

Kitasan Black was still out in the sea happily playing around by herself.

As for Satono Diamond, the very girl who had defeated Gotham Song?

She was also right there beside Gotham Song, on the opposite side from Gentildonna and Verxina, and she was even holding that swim ring—which, in a certain sense, was on its way to becoming the most famous swim ring in the world—while wearing an expression that said she hadn’t done a single thing.

Certainly not because she wanted to see what sort of expression onee-chan would make, and then thoroughly enjoy humiliating her.

Certainly nothing like that was happening.

Hehe.

Satono Diamond felt like her brain was trembling.

She was excited. She was delirious. All of a sudden, she desperately wanted to step on Gotham Song and savor that adorable expression the other girl would show to her and her alone.

Unfortunately, it seemed she didn’t get the chance.

Because while the three girls were crossing gazes like swords, Gotham Song suddenly sprang back to her feet under Almond Eye’s slightly worried stare.

True, Gotham Song was the shortest of all the Umamusume present.

But compared with everyone else—some kneeling, some sitting, and one still cavorting in the sea at literal sea level—Gotham Song suddenly looked as tall and imposing as Mount Everest.

"No matter how I think about it, I’m still not over this!!!"

Gotham Song shouted at full volume, even waving her fists around to emphasize both her authority and her anger.

Satono Diamond, however, showed no fear at all and merely kept smiling.

Well, of course. Onee-chan really was the type who hated losing. Thinking about it, that made perfect sense. She was an Umamusume who simply did not lose.

Watching from farther off, Almond Eye couldn’t help feeling that the whole thing was ridiculous.

Was this really the kind of rhythm a normal summer training camp was supposed to have...?

...Actually, maybe it was.

Still, there was something almost artistically brainless about it, the sort of beauty you’d never imagine unless you’d actually attended summer training camp yourself.

And this was only the beginning.

Because under Almond Eye’s gaze, with her ears flicking lightly, Gotham Song drew herself up and loudly issued her declaration of war.

"The next time! The next beach battle!"

"There is absolutely no way I’m losing to you, Satono Diamond."

"You’d better start trembling in preparation for your defeat."

What was with that soft, squishy way of responding? There was no way it carried even the slightest hint of intimidation.

Almond Eye’s mouth twitched. She could even see Satono Diamond’s shoulders trembling.

Trembling with delight...!!

"Then I shall look forward to it, onee-chan’s revenge!"

Whether Gotham Song truly hadn’t noticed or was only pretending not to, at any rate, when she heard Satono Diamond answer like that, she puffed herself up and wore a thoroughly smug expression.

Seeing that, Almond Eye could only sigh helplessly.

What, exactly, was their summer training camp going to turn into?

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