Reward system check... no errors?
This is really the reward I needed most back when I was that unscrupulous doctor, before my transformation?
Enhanced pelvis, waist, and a slight boost to my endurance?!
This!!
A look of utter confusion and bewilderment remained on the girl Platinum's exquisite face.
If she could choose, she'd much rather have her doctor-self obtain Uncle Młynar's ultimate move, True Gold Slash, or even just his physical prowess!
What use was this endurance boost and these weird reinforcements? Would they ever really come in handy?
"Hopefully, the next reward will be a bit more normal."
"And the rewards might be related to Kuranta characters or the Nearl family... now that's interesting."
Miss Pegasus couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation. Would she be able to draw some familiar, powerful characters later? What could she get from them?!
Was there hope for her original body to become close to, or even rival, the physicality of a Uma Musume?
When that time came, would it make the unscrupulous doctor fearless against malpractice threats?!
"Whether the system's detected rewards are truly useful should become clear soon enough."
"But for now... time to properly prepare for the Japan Derby, which is only a few short days away!"
As her thoughts turned to the next race, the silver-white maiden, feeling genuinely interested for the first time, lowered her gaze slightly, shifting it from the system panel to the slender case she had just placed on the table.
Inside was her bow, part of her victory uniform, blessed and certified by the Three Goddesses.
In the upcoming Japan Derby, she would carry this bow and its quiver onto the highest stage of classic racing for a duel.
Platinum opened the case. Her lively amber eyes locked onto the bow that brought her a sense of security, and her pale, soft hand began to gently caress it.
It was like a warrior who hadn't set foot on the battlefield for a long time, polishing her sharp sword in preparation for the next difficult fight.
For this Platinum, the highest rank of the Armorless Union, the bow was her finest weapon.
"Rare for me to get this excited..."
"Let's see what the arrow effects will look like after surpassing the other Uma Musume!"
Even though she'd already run three races before this, it was only now...
Only now, carrying her bow onto the track for the Japan Derby, did she truly begin to feel a slight interest in the competition, starting to see it as a battle!
After withdrawing her gaze from the bow, Platinum picked up her phone, about to put it away, when she suddenly saw a news alert urgently pushed by the URA.
That seemingly simple, plain news flash caused a flicker of surprise to cross Platinum's calm face.
[Due to weather changes, it has been confirmed that on the day of the Japan Derby, four days from now, there will be continuous, heavy rain!]
[A rare heavy track, the Japan Derby in a downpour... is coming!!]
[Platinum, Jungle Pocket, Kurofune—who can overcome the terrifying heavy track? Let's wait and see!]
"It's going to rain on race day?"
But even heavy rain, even a heavy track... wouldn't stop a Pegasus's advance!
"Agnes Tachyon's rival, Jungle Pocket? The foreign powerhouse Kurofune?"
"Bring it on!"
And within the Pegasus lady's memories...
She couldn't help but recall something very peculiar.
Right now, with her honing progress at 15%, she had already unlocked her Aura and Uma Musume skills but hadn't used them yet.
During the previous Oaks, Platinum believed Mejiro Dober, gathering strength behind her, was incredibly powerful and had definitely only released a portion of her Aura, so she remained vigilant.
But until the very end, Platinum never felt the Aura from behind intensify, never saw Mejiro Dober activate a skill and dash up beside her.
So—
The confused Pegasus lady instinctively turned her head, looking back at Mejiro Dober behind her in a 'moon-gazing' posture.
Because of this, even now, Platinum still didn't know just how strong her own Aura was, or what skills she could actually command.
And the soon-to-come Japan Derby would become her best stage!
After finishing her thoughts, Platinum grabbed her bow and in an instant, refined it!
...
In the next moment, the unscrupulous young male doctor ended his transformation.
"Huh??"
After reverting, Lin Anran gently touched his abs, his first sensation being the significant changes to his body.
His body had unquestionably grown stronger in certain aspects, though the direction of this strengthening seemed rather useless.
Lin Anran couldn't help but ponder.
"I'm not some ordinary doctor; I'm a doctor specializing in treating Uma Musume."
"The little fillies in this world are so pure and innocent, to the point where even scamming them out of their gold coins makes me feel a twinge of guilt."
"So, there's simply no such thing as malpractice threats here."
Since it's this safe, why did the system, after repeated checks, insist on giving these rewards?
But if he couldn't figure it out, there was no need to dwell on it.
The rewards were here now... getting stronger was always good!
Even though Lin Anran, before transmigrating, loved skipping cutscenes...
"I hope I can unlock the medical skills soon to complete the treatment for my big spender, Agnes! She'll definitely be incredibly moved then... and voluntarily give me her gold coins!"
"Or, later, after winning races, drawing rewards from Uncle Młynar or other Nearls would work too."
"Gua, I'm a Młynar fanboy through and through!"
The unscrupulous doctor believed there would always be genius Uma Musume getting injured.
Once Lin Anran successfully completed the Irregular Triple Crown and improved his medical skills, he would never lack little fillies willingly paying for recovery treatments and giving him their gold coins!
But before that, he first had to win the most difficult, world-renowned classic race—the Japan Derby!
--+--
As the entire nation of Japan, from top to bottom, began waiting with bated expectation...
A few short days passed in the blink of an eye!
It was now less than half an hour until the opening of the Japan Derby.
And in front of the racecourse hosting the Japan Derby! A curtain of rain persisted, a heavy downpour continuously falling.
Yet, even under the influence of the torrential rain, the spectators' passion and anticipation were not dampened in the slightest.
The crowd was massive, densely packed; many fans and spectators had started queuing hours ago, and even now, just before opening, there were still so many people!
The number of attending spectators had reached an exaggerated level far surpassing previous years, sufficient to show just how extraordinary this Japan Derby was.
"Even though Agnes Tachyon isn't here... thankfully, we still have Platinum! This Derby is absolutely still worth watching!"
"Jungle Pocket and Kurofune are monsters too. The chaotic three-way fight, plus it's a rare heavy track—it's definitely going to be unpredictable."
"Even if we can't see Agnes Tachyon challenge the Undefeated Triple Crown, watching the Pegasus Platinum compete for the Irregular Triple Crown is just as worthwhile!"
"Platinum is indeed strong, but she's only had a week's rest before challenging a 2400-meter G1 race. There's no way she can succeed."
"Looking across Japan, no Uma Musume has ever won two G1s in a single week; not even the strongest, Symboli Rudolf, could do it!"
Among the numerous heated discussions, most focused on Platinum, followed by mentions of Jungle Pocket and Kurofune.
And on the other side of the entrance queue—
Agnes Tachyon, clad in a white overcoat—someone who shouldn't have been here—gazed with an unruffled expression at the figure before her.
Having already announced her withdrawal, merely a spectator at the Japan Derby, Agnes Tachyon had just arrived when she was intercepted by a certain acquaintance, a past rival.
Standing before Agnes Tachyon was a bay-furred girl with sharp eyes filled with resentment.
Her name was... Jungle Pocket!
During the Satsuki Sho, Jungle Pocket was recognized as the only genius who might defeat Agnes Tachyon. The commentators at the time, mentioning all the Uma Musume in the race, said it was "Agnes Tachyon, Jungle Pocket, and the others...!"
Jungle Pocket's talent and strength were evident.
But with Agnes Tachyon absent, increasing her own chances of winning the Japan Derby, Jungle Pocket felt no joy whatsoever.
On the contrary, she was filled with resentment over the lack of that strong rival, the lost chance for revenge!
"Tachyon, I will prove it in this Derby..."
"That the strongest of this generation will be me!"
Facing Jungle Pocket's resentful words, Agnes Tachyon responded with an almost cold, calm tone to her former challenger.
"Ultimately, winning or losing the race means nothing to me."
The so-called race was just part of her research curriculum.
It seemed this monster already dubbed the Phantom Triple Crown winner didn't care much about the Japan Derby.
But no one could see that beneath the sleeves of her large white overcoat, this mad Uma Musume scientist subconsciously clenched her fists, her sharp nails digging into her palms until they were red and swollen, yet she never loosened her grip.
If it were possible...
Agnes Tachyon didn't want to be just an observer, an experimenter; she wanted to personally continue galloping on the track, but she would never admit it easily!
"You have no chance to defeat me now, but luckily for you..."
"You've encountered Platinum."
Before leaving, Agnes Tachyon voiced her perspective.
"No need to regret being unable to get revenge."
"Defeating that pegasus is equivalent to defeating me, without a doubt!"
Want to prove you're the strongest? Then you must defeat Platinum!
"Alright!"
After hearing Agnes Tachyon's words, Jungle Pocket's mind flashed back to the footage she'd seen of the Oaks, to that terrifying opponent who looked back over her shoulder.
"If the opponent is Platinum, it might be tricky..."
And Jungle Pocket admitted that was no enemy to be taken lightly. But fortunately, the current track was heavy, a special condition difficult for Uma Musume lacking stamina to overcome!
At this moment, she absolutely possessed a not-insignificant chance of victory.
"Will you lose?"
Agnes Tachyon chuckled lightly, pressing further.
In the next instant, the bay girl's expression turned fierce, like a beast catching the scent of prey. She gritted her teeth and answered viciously.
"I will win!!"
A declaration of victory before setting foot on the race, on the heavy track!
--+--
Some time later.
Inside the racecourse, it was packed to capacity!
The entire stadium, holding over a hundred thousand spectators, continuously erupted with cheers.
"Miss Platinum, for you I became a wolfman, for you I've been driven mad, for you I wear thick disguises, for you I changed my heart! Can we meet again???"
"Jungle Pocket, don't lose to a mere Oaks champion!!"
"Jungle Pocket, you must defeat Platinum to prove [Jungle Pocket > Platinum]!"
"Gah, Platinum, we revere you!"
Among the spectators were also many active and retired Uma Musume, who couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Seeing such strong competitors fight up close is worth the ticket price even if I die!"
And in a front-row seat somewhere!
Two incredibly petite young filly Uma Musume, their eyes sparkling with anticipation, held support signs in their arms.
[Pegasus Platinum]
[Irregular Triple Crown Platinum]
From Satono Diamond to Kitasan Black, this pair of petite fillies had come to cheer for Platinum.
Even though they had immense faith in Platinum's strength, Satono Diamond, after tilting her head up and looking down at the damp state of the grass below, couldn't help but grow worried.
"It's raining, and it's not just an ordinary [Firm] track."
"It's a truly fearsome [Heavy] track!"
"It's so unfair! Miss Platinum is competing with a bunch of debuffs—no rest between tough races, only a month since her debut, and she runs into a heavy track that severely tests stamina and power!"
If it had rained a day or two before the race, the grass might not have been completely soaked, just slightly damp—a yielding track.
But this rain showed no sign of stopping even as the opening ceremony approached!
This would likely be the most vicious, most testing GI race of the year in terms of track conditions!
"Wah... it's so unfair, Miss Platinum is so unlucky."
Worried fans of the pegasus like Satono Diamond and North Symbol were not few.
From the stands to the general buzz outside, the wind was gradually shifting!
The change in environment brought no small impact.
Japanese tracks are known as... ['high-speed tracks'], more firm than those in Europe and America.
To describe it, Japanese tracks require ['Power C, Speed A'] stats, while European/American tracks need ['Power A, Speed A']! This is one reason why many Japanese Uma Musume perform poorly overseas.
But a heavy track increases the demand for power significantly. Many Uma Musume who don't train strength much or lack stamina will see their performance greatly affected, becoming as weak as if they were running on European grass.
Can Platinum overcome the terrifying heavy track?
--+--
Inside the racecourse, the competitors' preparation area.
Nearly twenty Uma Musume were inside, yet the one with the highest popularity, the most anticipated pegasus, was missing.
"There are only two minutes until the opening and heading to the starting gates."
"Could it be... she's chosen to withdraw because of the heavy track?"
"After all, Platinum's gate position and the heavy track conditions are both unfavorable for her."
Even Jungle Pocket inside the prep area couldn't help but express surprise.
The foreign Uma Musume Kurofune nearby was equally puzzled.
A few seconds later, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the prep area.
Along with the voice of a URA staff member.
"Sorry, Miss Platinum, because your full victory uniform is a little... unprecedented!"
"So the inspection took a bit longer. Please understand."
"There will be no more review procedures for future races. Please prepare to enter the gates as the first favorite now!"
The voice carried through the corridor to the ears of these sharp-eared Uma Musume in the prep area.
Victory uniform? Unprecedented? Needed review?
Instantly, they all turned their heads curiously, awaiting the arrival of the mysterious pegasus.
Even the powerful, wild bay girl Jungle Pocket, fierce as a beast, looked over.
In the next second, Jungle Pocket's expression froze, and she couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
The pegasus lady, clad in a white victory uniform, walked calmly to the front of them. The quiver and bow on her back were impossible to miss, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"Why is an Uma Musume carrying a bow and arrows onto the field?"
"Wah... why doesn't my victory uniform even have a small weapon? The pegasus is too favored by the Three Goddesses!"
"So cool! I've never seen a victory uniform like this, no wonder the review took so long."
Platinum calmly scanned the room, looking at each competitor's face, her gaze lingering a moment longer on Forest Deep.
She began a mutual stare-down with her strongest opponent in the Japan Derby.
The cold, unfeeling Platinum of the Armorless Union couldn't wait to try out her bow, her quiver effects; she was very interested in her [new skin] and [special effects]!
Even the heavy track, even the numerous strong rivals, didn't make Platinum feel the slightest worry or fear!
After just a moment of eye contact, Jungle Pocket felt tremendous pressure, slightly grinning and clenching her fists.
'Just from her stance, you can tell this person is ridiculously strong!'
'But... I absolutely cannot lose. I must defeat Platinum, prove that I am the strongest, surpassing both Platinum and Agnes Tachyon!!'
Then, Platinum smiled faintly and stepped forward, heading towards the entrance.
"Ladies, I'll take my leave first."
--+--
On the racecourse!
[Next to appear... is the pegasus Platinum, aiming for the Irregular Triple Crown, a feat said to surpass the undefeated Triple Crown! Hailed as one who defies common sense!!]
[The favorite! The first pick, Platinum! On this historically rare heavy track for the Japan Derby, can she display her usual formidable strength?]
[Let's wait and see, anticipate the figure of the soaring pegasus!]
As the commentator's excited announcement rang out!
Finally—!
Platinum, she arrived!
Even as the heavy rain continued to fall!
Clad in her victory uniform, Platinum appeared calmly with her bow on her back. The large screen zoomed in on her image.
In an instant...
The entire stadium, with its over a hundred thousand spectators, erupted into boiling excitement! Countless people had never even heard of, let alone seen, an Uma Musume carrying such a large weapon!
Even the young lady Satono Diamond's eyes shone, utterly astonished.
The first and only Uma Musume in Japan Derby history to carry a bow and arrows onto the track had arrived.
And Platinum serenely located her outside gate, strolling forward, allowing the raindrops to continuously fall and dampen her fair skin, exhibiting a unique beauty.
In the fierce wind and rain, she was like an assassin strolling through city streets! Sauntering casually through the dangerous central zone!
In the eyes of many, the current Platinum was probably...
['A teenager, just debuted, afraid of a heavy track?']
Miss Pegasus smiled slightly and murmured softly.
"...It's just a bit of rain."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.