Umamusume's days are numbered

Ibuki Kagura did not respond to the carp leaping over the dragon gate, but instead looked the carp up and down a few times, and suddenly made a surprised expression.

"Ah, so it's Ah Li. I heard Bai Jin mention you in the lounge yesterday."

"Platinum is really something... haha, he even came to chat with me before the competition."

Ibuki Kagura smiled slightly, raising her hand to cover her chuckling lips: "In the end, she won so beautifully... I have nothing more to say, I can only take this opportunity to wish her well."

The carp leaping over the dragon gate remained expressionless, but his fingers behind his back were already clenched tightly together.

She knew that Ibuki Kagura was indirectly criticizing her—you, who works in logistics, have to go to another teaching building to see Bai Jin, while I am now Bai Jin's classmate and can see her every day and every class!

Is it too early for you to be thinking about seniority-based promotion?

"Hehe... quick-witted." A smile spread across Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate's face.

“Likewise…” Ibuki Maki Kagura sneered.

The two men were like samurai engaged in a duel, slowly circling around a center point, drawing their swords and having them blocked, then repeating the same actions.

Holding his breath and concentrating, he drew his sword once more!

Both Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and Ibuki Mai Kagura opened their lips at the same time, about to utter harsh words.

Just then, the doors to the teaching building opened again. Almost instinctively, feeling guilty, Ibuki Kagura immediately hid behind the shoe locker, not caring about maintaining her composure.

...Wait, why am I hiding? Just as she realized what was happening, Ibuki Kagura discovered that Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate had somehow gotten up and was hiding next to her, the two of them crouching together behind the shoe cabinet.

"You..." Ibuki Maikaku was about to say something when Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate quickly covered Ibuki Maikaku's mouth and pointed outwards.

Ibuki Kagura peeked outside and saw a figure in pure white strolling leisurely toward the shoe cabinet. That languid demeanor—who else could it be but Shirogane?

Ibuki Kagura immediately panicked, turned around and growled in a low voice at Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate: "Look what you've done!"

"Now neither of us managed to deliver it!"

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate chuckled, giving Ibuki Maikaku a mocking look, completely unperturbed.

"What's the rush? Are you worried about not being able to deliver the chocolates?"

"you···"

Platinum stood by the shoe cabinet, opened the door, paused for a moment, and then sighed listlessly.

"I thought everything in anime was real... Turns out it's not like that, putting chocolates in the shoe cabinet on Valentine's Day..."

No, no, it is! It just got carried away by a cockroach!

Ibuki Mai Kagura's heart broke as she listened, her eyes bloodshot as she turned and stared intently at the carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, still unhurried and unhurried, his smile widening, and even a hint of pity appearing on his face as he looks at Ibuki Mai Kagura.

"Hehe... Let me teach you a lesson."

With that, the carp leaped over the dragon gate and walked straight out. Ibuki Kagura quickly grabbed it. But the carp was incredibly strong! Ibuki Kagura couldn't hold it back at all.

Finally, seeing that Ibuki Mai Kagura was about to be pulled out of the shoe cabinet along with the carp leaping over the dragon gate, she had no choice but to let go of her hands and shrink back behind the shoe cabinet.

Li Yuelongmen patted the wrinkles in her skirt that had been pulled out, and walked out gracefully.

Good morning, Platinum.

Seeing the carp leap out of the dragon gate, Bai Jin quickly closed the shoe cabinet and stammered, "Ah Li, you're here."

Oh no, did the carp leaping over the dragon gate hear what I just said?

That's so embarrassing!

Bai Jin broke out in a cold sweat watching the carp leap over the dragon gate, especially since the carp maintained that mysterious smile while looking at her, giving her the feeling that her secret had been discovered.

"...What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Platinum couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate maintained that mysterious smile, then suddenly brought his hand, which had been behind his back, to the front.

Ta-da! Here's the chocolate you wanted!

The carp leaping over the dragon gate was holding a heart-shaped chocolate she had prepared.

"Really?" Platinum stammered, looking at the chocolate in Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate's hand, her words barely coherent.

On one hand, she felt shy, certain that her words had been overheard by the carp leaping over the dragon gate; on the other hand, she was at a loss, realizing that the carp had actually given her chocolate.

"You fucking..." Ibuki Maikaku, hiding behind the shoe cabinet, almost popped her eyes out, but she really didn't have the confidence to jump out now.

As we all know, characters cannot act while in CG scenes, and Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and Platinum are currently in this state.

Moreover... Platinum actually seems to be quite familiar with that carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Huh? No, I'm Bai Jin's classmate for a semester. Who are you?

After glancing at the school uniform on Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, Ibuki Mai Kagura understood.

That despicable person... definitely used his position as a support horse girl to forcefully get close to Platinum, and then took advantage of her!

That kind of thing... you fucking can't do that!

He glanced discreetly behind him, and chuckled to himself as he thought about the carp leaping over the dragon gate.

You're too green to mess with me. Let's talk about it in the next life.

Taking advantage of the current romantic atmosphere, Li Yuelongmen pressed his advantage: "Actually, I originally wanted to put it in your shoe cabinet... but I didn't expect you to arrive so early."

"This chocolate... I made it myself. I specially asked my sister to mail it from Hong Kong using Venezuelan cocoa beans. I tried grinding the cocoa into powder and filtering it myself... It might be a little bitter, and the taste isn't quite right. Please don't mind."

A little tip for achieving love's ultimate goal: Always express your efforts, especially to those who are slow to understand. It's not about showing off how much you've given; if it's true love, no amount of sacrifice matters. The goal is to let the other person know just how much you care.

Some people are so dense; they just don't realize it unless you say it out loud.

"This is...too precious." Platinum took the chocolate from Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, gently stroking it with a complicated expression.

"This is way too expensive! Are you kidding me?" Ibuki Kagura thought so too. Compared to the chocolate in her hand, Ibuki Kagura felt less confident.

"Ibuki Kagura, calm down! Aren't you just a kind of handmade chocolate too? Standing on the shoulders of giants isn't a bad thing!" Ibuki Kagura shouted inwardly.

Episode 157 Call Me Sister

If before, Ibuki Maikaku only regarded the carp leaping over the dragon gate as one of her many suitors and competitors, now, the danger of the carp leaping over the dragon gate in her mind has risen several levels.

There's nothing to be afraid of when it comes to competitors. I used to be surrounded by all sorts of people, and I could see right through them.

Sigh, although I'm not qualified to say this now.

But the story of the carp leaping over the dragon gate is different... The story of the carp leaping over the dragon gate is a heavyweight woman who is determined to lure the snake onto the stick and deeply embodies the spirit of perseverance that can move mountains!

Ibuki Kagura had no doubt that if Platinum were to jokingly confess to Koi Leaping Dragon Gate right now, Koi Leaping Dragon Gate would immediately carry her and run straight to the hotel closest to the school without any hesitation.

Guh... Ibuki Maki Kagura hid behind the shoe cabinet, her jealousy fueling her rage, and she almost chipped through the metal cabinet.

You bastard, I could kill you a thousand times and it still wouldn't be enough!

However, Ibuki Maikaku really didn't dare to jump out right now. Because... she thought of the way Platinum looked at her earlier, and the scene where Platinum skipped over her and talked directly to Excellent Quality.

She was genuinely afraid that if she jumped over the gate, Platinum would say to her, "Who are you?" and she would be utterly defeated by the carp leaping over the dragon gate, never to be able to hold her head up again.

That's right... Ibuki Maikaku now understands that what she feels is just a crush, while the other person, Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, has a real relationship with her.

I thought everyone was just bragging, but you're telling me that what you're bragging about is all true?

Then why did you sneak in and put the chocolate in this morning?!

Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate smiled seductively at Platinum, glancing back casually as if blushing. In that instant, Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate's expression changed completely, the upward curve of her lips a cruel mockery of Ibuki Maikaku.

That smile truly contained deep malice and utter mockery.

Little brat...who are you playing with?

You got up early to put the chocolate in the shoe cabinet because you felt embarrassed, but I came over early in the morning just to play a little game like an old married couple.

Also, we need to get rid of mosquitoes like you that keep buzzing around.

Seeing you guys jumping up and down in a panic, yet looking utterly helpless... that's the greatest joy of being a victor!

Just as the carp was enjoying the joy of victory after leaping over the dragon gate, Platinum spoke again.

"What a precious gift... I'm sorry, I only found out it was White Day this morning, and I didn't have time to prepare properly..."

"so···"

Platinum placed her handbag in front of her chest, lowered her head, and reached into the bag as if to take something out.

The carp leaping over the dragon gate instantly shrank to the size of a pinhead.

Could it be... could it be that?!

Ibuki Maki and Kagura left fingerprints on the cabinet legs as they gripped them.

Could it be... could it be that?!

Fantastic! ...

No, no, no, no! Ibuki Maikaku was on the verge of tears.

It's pretty obvious, isn't it? In a situation like this, it's definitely that one that's taken out!

Chocolate!

This is the only one, this is not enough! Ibuki Maki and Kagura were so anxious they were almost crying.

If the carp that leaps over the dragon gate were to receive this chocolate... it would be practically a declaration of sovereignty.

By using chocolate to command the feudal lords, the carp leaps over the dragon gate and will obtain supreme power!

I can't even imagine what will happen after that long, black, lecherous cockroach gets its hands on the chocolate!

At this critical moment, Ibuki Kagura saw memories flashing by like a revolving lantern. They were conversations between her trainer and herself.

—Ibuki Maki Kagura, one day you will encounter an opponent so powerful that you cannot defeat them. A monster awaits you before you.

—But you must understand that the gap between you can be huge or it can be very small. There is no truly hopeless situation in the world.

—When you feel like you've run out of options, try letting go of all your fears and charging forward.

———The chances of survival are just a hair's breadth away.

Trainer, I understand. So you had foreseen this day would come.

I understand!

If Ibuki Maikaku's trainers knew that she interpreted her words this way, I wonder what they would think. These words were clearly intended for when facing the Emperor of the East Blue.

In any case, at least right now, Ibuki Maikaku is full of power and courage.

We must interrupt Platinum's process of getting the chocolate! If the long-haired black cockroach gets the chocolate, the world will be destroyed!

I, Ibuki Maki Kagura, will be a brave warrior who steps forward!

"---platinum!"

Just as Platinum was about to take the chocolate out of her bag, Ibuki Maikaku emerged from behind the shoe cabinet.

...How come there's another one? Platinum was immediately startled.

How many people are hiding behind the shoe cabinet? Could there be others?

"Um, uh... that..." Shirogane awkwardly tried to call out Ibuki Maikaku's name, but was even more embarrassed to find that although the classmate in front of her looked familiar, she just couldn't remember her name.

Seeing that the other person was obviously very familiar with him, Platinum was so embarrassed that he wanted to crawl into the ground.

Ibuki Maikaku didn't care about these things. She understood that she was far behind those who had achieved great success, and if she wanted to catch up, she had to find another way.

Platinum... no.

Ibuki Mai Kagura paused.

First, the name needs to be changed. It needs to be memorable.

Because Platinum's name sounds like a nickname, everyone has addressed her by her full name until now. She herself has not objected.

In situations like this, creating a nickname for the other person might actually cause resentment. Therefore, the only thing you should change is your own unique and personal nickname.

In a mere millisecond, Ibuki Kagura's mind raced, going through almost every memory she had from birth to the present.

Come on, my brain! What kind of nickname is most suitable for Platinum, and in this situation, can prevent Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate from joining in? It's a nickname that belongs only between the two of us.