"Is there something you came here for this time? And why do you..."
Nice Nature hesitated. She really wanted to ask why Mejiro McQueen was appearing in this world in her main body. Before, hadn't she only been able to cross over by possessing [Mejiro McQueen]? But it was hard to ask such a question directly. Especially with that Demon King appearing now, asking this would be like suspecting Mejiro McQueen of possessing the power to travel freely between worlds.
"Yes. For certain reasons, I can now travel freely between our two worlds. The reason I came here this time is actually to observe the other traveler." Mejiro McQueen didn't intend to hide the fact that she could travel between worlds.
After all, there was nothing to hide. Even if people knew, there was nothing they could do to her. However, the fact that Gold Ship was her split clone was a secret she had to guard with her life.
Though, honestly speaking, she didn't know if that Gold Ship was still her clone or not.
She couldn't see a shadow of herself in that guy at all.
"Is that so."
Nice Nature hadn't expected Mejiro McQueen to tell her this. She didn't know what to say for a moment. Their relationship wasn't close enough to exchange this kind of information, was it? What should she do? Should she continue the conversation along this topic? But this felt like someone's secret. Would it really be safe to keep talking? This was a topic about world travel, after all! And being able to travel freely sounded incredibly powerful.
Although she looked calm on the surface, Nice Nature was actually starting to get nervous.
Mejiro McQueen sensed her issue and said softly, "If you have things to do, I won't disturb you. Please do not reveal my presence here to anyone. Thank you."
"Mm-hm."
Nice Nature nodded in agreement. She only breathed a sigh of relief after walking a distance away, but at the same time, she felt a bit regretful. She actually wanted to chat with that Mejiro McQueen a bit longer. After all, Mejiro McQueen was indeed her ideal horse girl. She believed that anyone who had seen Mejiro McQueen race couldn't help but be attracted to that dazzling running style.
"There should be chances in the future, right?"
Nice Nature thought about what Mejiro McQueen had just said.
Since she could already travel freely between worlds, there would surely be opportunities to meet again.
Mejiro McQueen didn't know what Nice Nature was thinking.
Nor did she know the impact she had on this world.
Mejiro McQueen never felt her running style was particularly beautiful; she simply hungered for victory.
In comparison, Gold Ship's "gating skill" running style seemed much more flashy and gimmicky to her. Not only was the special effect color dark and intense, but the range was also exaggeratedly large. If one didn't know better, they'd think this was a battle between espers.
'Let me observe a bit longer, Gold Ship. What exactly is going on with you?'
Murmuring in her heart, Mejiro McQueen planned to observe for a while longer.
What she was worried about now was...
Either Gold Ship had been possessed, or she had damaged her brain during the story mode.
Otherwise, how could a guy who inherited her will and memories turn into a massive "Gate Horse" (Debuffer)?
Moreover, she couldn't figure out the reason Gold Ship learned gating skills.
After all, the difficulty of the world in story mode was linked to this world. Based on the stats she had trained for Gold Ship's character card, she could perfectly clear the story mode without using gating skills. So why did Gold Ship learn them?
And in Mejiro McQueen's eyes, Gold Ship learning gating skills was clearly a deviation from the right path. The fact that her Domain was purely for gating gave McQueen a massive headache. It felt like she had trained a strong card, only for it to become weaker after awakening and evolving.
She really wanted to ask Gold Ship:
What is the use of an all-gating Domain besides crushing noobs?
'I thought her Domain would be an upgraded version of Gold Ship (Eye)'s Special Technique, but I didn't expect...'
Mejiro McQueen sighed again.
If she had just learned a new gating skill, that would be fine. But it had to be her Zone. Once awakened, that thing couldn't be changed. And looking at Gold Ship, she didn't seem like Tokai Teio (Eye) back then, which meant it was impossible for her to change the Zone's effect.
'It seems I'll have to look to the next character for a teammate for the upcoming [Events].'
According to the system manual, clearing the story mode was just the beginning.
To unlock more functions, system users like them had to pass various [Events] and then unlock the [Grand Masters/Team Stadium] function. In the [Events], they might encounter strong opponents from the orthodox Uma Musume game worldlines. Those runners would be existences who had passed through training careers and mastered skills just like them.
Although she was confident in winning single races, the problem was that there were 3v3 and 5v5 team modes later. No matter how strong she was, she couldn't run a team mode alone. But now, her designated teammate had become weaker.
Although using a Gate Horse to protect the Ace runner was a valid strategy in the game's Champions Meeting, the problem was that in reality, Gate Horses might not be able to display enough strength in races of the same level. At least, Mejiro McQueen herself felt the intensity of Gate Horses was too low.
Even leaving aside her own Domain (which granted immunity), in reality, as long as one's willpower was strong enough, they could be immune to the mood interference of gating skills. As for the stamina impact, it could be countered by using stamina recovery skills.
Don't look at how easily Gold Ship crushed the Protagonist Team of this world just now; the reason it was so easy was that the runners of this world were still too weak compared to them.
Furthermore, gating skills had a "hit rate" mechanic. Single-target gating skills were one thing, but for wide-range gating skills like Gold Ship's... she could already imagine the "Miss" signal popping up over the opponent the moment Gold Ship activated her skill in a race. That would be terrible.
And in reality, this kind of wide-range gating skill didn't distinguish between friend and foe. If Gold Ship's skill missed the opponent but hit their own teammate instead... that would truly be a hell of a joke.
Leaving aside the issue of possession, Mejiro McQueen felt that this "account" of Gold Ship was already "bricked" (ruined).
Of all things to train, you chose Gating?
Did she actually think that just because the overseas runners in this world praised the power of "Bewitching," that gating skills were the king's road of racing in reality? The reason this world thought so was that aside from gating skills, they could only access the power of the Zone. In that situation, gating skills, which had no side effects on the user and could interfere with the opponent, were naturally more useful.
But their future opponents would be enhanced versions pulled by the system from the game worldlines. In front of opponents with similar stats who also mastered skills, what determined victory or defeat was skill composition and the effect of the Zone.
At this moment, Demon King Ship didn't know that she, who often looked down on others, was now being thoroughly looked down upon by Mejiro McQueen.
...
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