Umamusume's days are numbered

Platinum is truly baffled.

"Is it possible... you missed something?" Manhattan Coffee helped Platinum sort through the clues, while also working on his hands. Seeing Alice sitting motionless at the table, Manhattan Coffee instinctively raised his cup to Alice's lips, "Sweetie, open your mouth, ah—"

After all, there are no other exits from the Kuridong dormitory, and most of the racehorse girls go in and out of the main gate every day, which is quite a large flow of people during peak hours.

"Impossible!" Platinum slammed his hand on the table, his face full of resentment. "With my eyes, there's absolutely no way I could have missed it!"

"Even if I were blind, I couldn't possibly not see the new universe passing by me."

Bai Jin was telling the truth. Not only was she physically strong, but her eyesight was also exceptional. In old terms, it was like the eyes of an eagle. With a single glance, she could easily distinguish anything within her field of vision, even the male and female of flies twenty meters away.

“I’ve been thinking about this all morning and I think there are two possibilities,” Platinum continued. Manhattan Coffee nodded to indicate that she was listening, and then reached out her other hand to pinch Alice’s lips, her mind multitasking.

"The first possibility is that Xinyuzhou didn't go back to the dorm all night; she just went out and had fun."

“Impossible…” Manhattan Coffee retorted, “Fujikishi checks the number of students in each dormitory before going to bed. And if you want to run away, you’ll have to get past Surugawa Tesuna.”

Surugawa Tessuna, the demon with the green figure. Although she always has a smiling face, no student has ever been able to escape her clutches.

“Another possibility is that the new universe woke up even earlier than me.” Platinum picked up another leaf of vegetable and put it in her mouth, mumbling, “Although she looks like she’s always half asleep, she’s actually a total pervert!”

Platinum became furious at the thought of this possibility.

Someone's rolling in it, right?

That would be challenging my authority as a spokesperson for anti-scrolling!

This time, Manhattan Coffee didn't directly refute her. Instead, it pried open Alice's mouth, poured a full cup of black coffee into her mouth, and then tightly covered Alice's mouth, completely ignoring Alice's painful whimpers and lifting her throat to ensure that every drop of liquid went into Alice's stomach.

After doing all this, Manhattan Coffee gently placed the teacup on the table, poured a full cup, and then continued speaking.

"It's not impossible... but getting up that early for morning exercise would be counterproductive..."

"I still believe you missed it."

After speaking, Manhattan Coffee blew on the steaming cup of bitter coffee and raised it to Alice once more, his eyes full of tenderness: "Alice, come on."

Alice, her hand trembling, stretched out her palm: "I...I can't take it anymore...Please let me go, I admit my mistake..."

“Didn’t you want to push the limits of Uma Musume? This is a limit too.” Manhattan Coffee completely ignored Alice’s pleas and relentlessly pushed the teacup toward her. “Or have you changed your mind?”

Platinum, watching from the side, broke out in a cold sweat. Sure enough, there's always someone who can subdue another; he'd never seen Alice in such a disheveled state before.

Let's treat Manhattan Coffee with more respect from now on; it's another character who seems gentle on the surface but is ruthless inside...

Just as Alice let out another painful whimper, Platinum felt a gentle pat on her shoulder.

Platinum's hair stood on end instantly. He jumped up from his seat, grabbed his tail, and turned to dodge backward. If he hadn't managed to control himself, he might have been kicked.

"Who? Who suddenly touched me?"

Where Platinum had been standing, now stood a ghostly, ethereal girl. Her hair was a brilliant golden color with deep blue highlights, and her eyes were a deep, azure blue—she was none other than New Universe, who had been at the center of the conversation.

The New Universe withdrew its outstretched hand, appearing somewhat saddened: "Sad... The New Universe only wanted to connect with Cornflower... to want INTI..."

"Haha, New Universe classmate." Platinum was flustered and couldn't even control his expression. After all, he had just been talking about him behind his back, and now he had been caught red-handed.

Didn't you hear me? She didn't hear me, did she?

"This...is...that..."

Just as Platinum was racking her brains for an explanation, the new universe spoke up again.

"Cornflower wants to understand the new universe... it can directly communicate with the new universe via CMIN..."

"There's no need to speculate like this..."

“But…NEVM…”

Although the new universe's words were still difficult to understand, the eyes that looked at Platinum were filled with sincerity.

"The new universe never refuses the cornflower's request."

Episode 142 【GATE】

"The new universe never refuses the cornflower's request."

Seeing the flustered Platinum, New Universe merely rolled its eyes.

"Cornflower wants to know... the form in which the new universe exists."

"The cornflower wants to know...why it...didn't observe the new universe."

"The cornflower didn't see the new universe in the morning... because the new universe... definitely didn't pass through the dormitory door."

"The new universe is... a direct journey to... the teaching building."

"Overcoming all obstacles to reach the finish line."

Direct travel? What does "direct travel" mean? Platinum's explanation of the new universe is only half-understood; his main point is to say he understands it.

Does this mean omitting the entire process and directly completing the action of going from the dormitory to the teaching building?

The same ability as King Crimson...? New Universe, you're a Stand user too?

Platinum's thinking is indeed very chaotic right now. Up to this point, the new universe has exhibited all sorts of anomalies...

Even his parallel universe self wrote this in his diary: The new universe is the one that will snipe at his victory in the Yayoi Prize.

And... I will lose. Platinum will lose to the new universe.

Although Platinum doesn't believe that things that have happened in other worlds will necessarily happen in this world, it is still a bad omen.

At this point, Platinum is certain that the new universe possesses various unique characteristics. After all, other elf girls have superpowers, so it's not unreasonable for the new universe to have them too.

But none of that matters... The fact that the New Universe is bringing this up now... doesn't that mean the New Universe overheard Platinum and the others' conversation?

Discussing her behind his number one enemy's back, only to find out that his number one enemy had been listening in on the whole thing... This is not only tragic, but also embarrassing.

Platinum is in a very difficult situation right now and wants to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Destroy it! Today I wish for a meteorite to fall from the sky and blow Trayson College to smithereens, or for a Flash to appear and start a new universe.

If this continues, I have no idea what kind of expression I'll have to face the new universe!

Seeing the embarrassed Platinum, Manhattan Coffee sighed softly and poured all the coffee in his hand into Alisako's mouth. Then he reached out and patted Alisako's stomach, which, now full of coffee, immediately rippled like water, a beautiful sight to behold.

"I...I'm going to throw up..." Alice covered her mouth and bent over. Manhattan Coffee, standing behind Platinum, pulled her over.

"Is there anything else...?" Manhattan Coffee, like a protective mother hen, shielded Platinum and Alice behind her, subtly shifting her position to block the New Universe's view.

The azure eyes of the New Universe were forced to shift from Platinum to Manhattan Coffee. Unusually, there was almost no change in expression. The usually nonchalant New Universe, staring at Manhattan Coffee, actually narrowed its eyes.

"...a formidable rival...in every sense of the word...ZDAL..."

Although Manhattan Coffee looked delicate and weak, it was by no means lacking in momentum, and it looked back defiantly.

For a moment, their gazes seemed to meet in mid-air, sparking intense flames.

Finally, New Universe glanced at Platinum, who was covering his cheek behind Manhattan Coffee, and took a step back.

My gaze returned to Manhattan Coffee's face. For some reason, New Universe crossed his arms, and a hint of smugness could be seen in his otherwise calm expression.

The girl's calm face, combined with this action, looked somewhat comical, yet also adorably naive.

"Cornflower...we'll...connect and link up again later..."

"There's still a long time... I'm patient..."

Still speaking in words only he could understand, New Universe paused again, as if trying to organize his thoughts and figure out how to speak.

Sure enough, what the new universe said next was much clearer than what had just been said.

"Cornflower, don't worry."

"My [GATE] and yours are not included in the Yayoi Prize."

"Do you understand what I mean?" New Universe tilted his head and looked at Platinum, as if afraid that Platinum still wouldn't understand, and explained again.

"The new universe will not participate in the Yayoi Prize."

"In contrast, the new universe will choose to participate in the Spring Tournament. The new universe will obtain... the KEY... the key to the Satsuki Prize from there."

"In this way... cornflower will get what it wants, right?"

Platinum was shaken to his core in that instant, looking up at the new universe in disbelief.

What did she just say? What she wanted to get from the Yayoi Prize?

Of course, the Yayoi Prize is very important to him. Extremely important, because only by winning this match can he unlock the level 2 shop, and only then will there be any hope of curing the Soul Dissolution Syndrome.

But I have never told this to anyone!

How did the new universe know about its desire to win the Yayoi Prize?

What exactly is her new universe...?

The new universe gazed tenderly at Platinum with those eyes. Platinum felt once again—those eyes of the new universe were so much like… the radiant Earth.

It was a vast sense of expansiveness that encompassed all living things.

"On the day of the competition, the new universe will come to cheer for Cornflower."

"In contrast...the fact that cornflowers can come to the audience to cheer for the new universe...the new universe will also be very happy."

Without saying anything more, New Universe simply nodded and left the cafeteria.

Platinum felt a sense of absurdity. The new universe had appeared on its own, and was spouting a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense to itself.

Not only did it fail to answer my questions, it actually made me more confused.

Just then, Manhattan Coffee patted Platinum on the shoulder: "Are you alright?"

Platinum shook his head, suddenly realizing something.

Although I dislike physical contact, I usually don't have a severe reaction.

Just like when Manhattan Coffee patted me on the shoulder, nothing really happened.

But when the new universe patted him on the shoulder... he had a huge reaction.

Now Platinum understands why. It's because he anticipated all contact with others. He saw both Manhattan Cafe and Alice with his own eyes. Even those he didn't see, his hearing was incredibly sharp; nothing could escape his notice.

The reason he was frightened by the new universe was that he had no idea that such a being existed behind him before the new universe touched him.

Silent and still, like a real ghost.

Episode 143 Pre-match Anxiety

Platinum was laid out on the bed in a starfish shape, with the blankets kicked away.

It's one thing for Alice to sleep in her own bed, but she doesn't even make the bed afterward. When Platinum comes back to the dorm, all she sees is a crumpled, tangled bed sheet.

Today, Alice was severely punished by Manhattan Coffee and, unusually, didn't show up at the training ground this afternoon. What games Alice and Manhattan Coffee were playing was none of Platinum's business; she only knew that today she could finally slack off.

Heh heh, after finishing the training that Nishizaki Ryu had assigned, he immediately went back to his dormitory, not staying at the racetrack for even a second longer.

I have a terminal illness that makes me want to die whenever I see a racetrack.

Of course... that was the original plan...

As a result, Platinum, without Alice's constant nagging, voluntarily added extra training sessions, running until she was breathless before stopping. Looking back, even Platinum herself felt that she had acted incomprehensibly.

Because at that time, all I could think about was "what to do about the Yayoi Prize".

Platinum had never worried about a small Yayoi Award. He thought his skill level was higher than Rudolf's (in his opinion), so how could he not win? It was a piece of cake.

However, the appearance of the new universe and that diary disrupted Platinum's thoughts.

My parallel universe self... lost to the new universe.

Although the diary entry states that the loss was due to poor physical condition and underestimating the opponent, who knows if the parallel universe version of myself was forcing myself to write that?

It's like when you fight Tyson, and Tyson punches you so hard you spin 3600 degrees in the air, spitting blood, and when you land, you still grin with your broken teeth and say, "You're not so great either, you couldn't kill me with one punch."

The most striking thing is her stubbornness. And believe it or not, based on Platinum's understanding of herself... she's absolutely capable of doing something like this.

This stirred a faint unease and anxiety in Platinum's heart. Although the New Universe had told him they would participate in the Spring Tournament, and the East Blue Emperor had chosen the Wakaba Tournament, theoretically there shouldn't be any strong opponents at the Yayoi Prize...

Who knows? Who knows?