Umamusume's days are numbered

Platinum trembled as she felt the tremors in her brain. In that life-or-death moment, she felt a renewed appreciation for life and longed to live a few more days.

"Ahhhhh, President! Ahhhhh! Murder is illegal! Ahhhhhh..." Platinum's head was shaken by Rudolph's symbol, and even his words were slurred.

Oh no, I'm a refugee now, and the police won't help me.

This allows Rudolf to do whatever he wants!

In short, I regret it; I really regret not running away earlier.

Just as Platinum felt like Rudolph was about to crush his head, Rudolph released his grip.

"Well, you're not wrong. Committing a bad deed doesn't make you a bad person, but bad deeds don't disappear."

With a sigh, Rudolf symbolically did not withdraw his palm.

"That's why we can't let you run away. You have to honestly apologize for the terrible things you've done. If you just run away because you feel guilty, you'll live with this regret for the rest of your life."

On the contrary, Rudolf symbolizes placing his palm in front of platinum.

"This is an invitation."

"Platinum, my story is finished. Would you like to tell your story?"

Episode 15: Nirvana and Rebirth

An invitation.

Rudolf has finished expressing his thoughts, and now it's Platinum's turn to tell his.

So, what is Platinum thinking? Is she prepared to tell everything, or will she remain stubborn and simply succumb to despair?

Two emotions were constantly tearing at Bai Jin's soul. She was still missing that final straw that could make all the difference.

"Rudolph symbolism—before that, can you answer one of my questions?"

Platinum looked at the hand symbolizing Rudolf extended in front of him and said softly.

"Please ask, I will answer anything you know."

"What do you think a person is made of?"

Ah this.

Rudolf winked, thinking to himself, "Something's not right. Weren't we supposed to be having a heart-to-heart talk? How did it turn into an exploration of human ontology?"

What's going on in kids' heads these days? When I was that age, all I did was eat, sleep, run, and think about competitions. How come you're all different?

I thought you were Asuka, but it turns out you're Shinji Ikari?

Rudolf symbolized that he was about to answer, but then paused.

To reiterate, in the short time Rudolf symbolized his contact with Platinum, she could tell that he was an awkward, sensitive, and gloomy child.

It's not surprising that a child like this thinks more than the average person.

A young girl at this stage of life is still developing her personality and values, and does not have enough experience to bear the burden of thinking more than the average person, which is why she feels confused.

It may seem ridiculous to me, but it's very important to Platinum.

Rudolf nodded with a symbolic sense of certainty, feeling as if he was born to be a teacher.

"To be honest, I don't know," Rudolf replied, his answer symbolizing honesty.

"I might be able to offer you an answer by quoting the thoughts of philosophers, presenting them to you in a dazzling array. But that would be preaching, not the answer you're looking for, would it?"

"In my limited understanding, what is the difference between us and other beasts and birds?"

Rudolf pointed to the sparrows chirping by the park: "Compared to them, we are smarter. We have emotions and life goals. This is probably what is called a soul."

"So my answer is: a body, a soul, and a meaning that runs through life. That is a person."

"Even though the body was destroyed, and the existence of a person ended, you only consider it a third of the time?" Platinum looked in the direction Rudolf was pointing, where sparrows in the trees were chirping day and night.

"Even if the body is full of pain, as long as the soul that longs to run is still there, as long as the unwavering goal is still there, then it can be reborn like a phoenix. Isn't that what Uma Musume is all about?"

Rudolph symbolizes a smile spreading across her face. In front of her, it seems not to be a dimly lit park, nor a densely packed steel forest, but a vast racetrack.

It is a never-ending, never-ending, infinite racetrack. If you wish, by extending the trail of this racetrack, you will run to the side of the sun.

At that moment, Platinum felt a strange tremor. Her teeth chattered slightly; she even felt her soul tremble. Following the path indicated by Rudolf's symbol, she saw endless, boundless things. It was a vast road where space and time stretched infinitely. Platinum saw ancient Greek warriors running, Homo sapiens galloping across the grasslands, cheetahs running, dinosaurs chasing each other, and arthropods leaping.

From now until the very beginning of life, when life stepped from the ocean onto land, when life evolved limbs called legs—

The concept of running was born.

That is an instinct passed down in genes for hundreds of thousands, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of years.

As long as one can still run, then one's existence as a living being is not meaningless.

As long as I can still run...

Running isn't about chasing, or rather, it's more than just chasing. It's because...

"I understand. Thank you."

Platinum stood with his hands behind his back in front of Rudolf's symbol.

Then, she gave Rudolf a slight, reserved, shy, yet determined smile, her lips pursed.

"I'm sorry, President. I still can't tell you."

"But this is not your problem. I am very satisfied with your answer, extremely satisfied."

"Thank you, President. I won't ask that question again. I already have the standard answer."

Even if life is only one day, one hour, or one minute left.

As long as I can keep running.

That would be worthwhile.

"I want to run. I want to keep running, I want to run faster and faster, and I want to run more and more races."

I will never again think about being weak and left to fend for myself.

"I want to become a racehorse girl. I will become a racehorse girl that everyone can't take their eyes off."

It is said that Cao Cao's beloved horse was named Jueying, and even his shadow could not keep up with her pace.

I will go faster and faster. Over the next three years, I will try to continue running on this evolutionary path that has existed for tens of millions of years.

"I want to run faster than my shadow."

Even disease cannot catch up with my body.

"I want to run faster than time."

I want to imprint the moment I run into everyone's mind, so that it will be unforgettable for a lifetime.

"I want to run faster than the light."

Let me give it a try: the three elements that make up a person—body, soul, and the meaning of existence.

After the body is destroyed, let me try to see how far a person can go with the remaining two elements.

"President, please remember my name—" Facing the Rudolph symbol, Platinum put her left hand on her waist, made a peace sign with the other hand, and smiled brightly, "My name is Hinterlea, I am Platinum."

"One day, everyone will remember my name. One day, when someone mentions platinum, they won't think of some precious metal, but of me!"

Do you want to die in the street like a rat, hiding and lurking?

Or do you want to be like fireworks, brief yet dazzling?

Standing on this path of life, Platinum Transyl has taken its first steps.

Platinum's imposing presence also intimidated Rudolph's symbolism. She could sense that the child before her was significantly different from the other racehorses.

That's the difference between belief and determination. They're not even in the same league when compared.

Rudolf symbolized that he didn't know what Platinum was thinking after hearing his words, but she knew very well.

A phoenix, reborn from the ashes, was born.

Episode 16: The Race and Shamelessness

Looking at the revitalized Platinum, Rudolf gave a slight, gratifying smile.

Perhaps there are many things that Platinum cannot or does not want to say. But Rudolf's symbolism is not necessarily that of a voyeur who must dissect the thoughts of others.

Now that she has figured it out herself and is willing to continue to work hard on the field, that's enough for Rudolf.

“Well then—” Rudolf clapped his hands in a symbolic gesture toward Platinum, “welcome to Treson Academy.”

Unexpectedly, Bai Jin's expression froze.

platinum:"?"

Rudolf symbolizes: "?"

The two of them stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Um... let me confirm this first." Rudolf pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, feeling that he had experienced more reversals in one day than in a month. "You want to continue living as a horse girl in this country, right?"

"If you want to become a racehorse girl, you can't do without Treson Academy. As you can see, only Treson Academy can provide the most comprehensive basic education, the best facilities and teaching staff. The nation's top trainers are all here, and there are even preferential spots for Treson Academy trainees when registering for races."

"If one day you step onto the G1 stage, the racehorse outfit you wear will be made by the top tailors contacted by Treson Academy. It's almost impossible for you to leave Treson Academy and become a racehorse girl in this country."

Upon hearing Rudolf's words, Platinum stared wide-eyed at Rudolf, trembling as he looked at him.

"This...this...isn't this a monopoly? What's the point of antitrust law then?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Treson Academy is probably like an agricultural cooperative." Rudolf couldn't help but find it a little funny.

"Don't use the farmers' association analogy! It makes me even more uneasy!"

The agricultural cooperatives in this country... those who know, know.

It is so heinous that it is outrageous.

"So? After listening to what I said, have you changed your mind?" Rudolph was trying to persuade Platinum to become a student of Treson Academy.

She's like a player who wants to complete their Pokédex and has encountered their last rare Pokémon; there's absolutely no way she'd let Platinum go.

"From another perspective, once you become a student at Treson Academy, you can enjoy all of those rights. You just need to focus on training and winning."

“Impossible.” Platinum pushed away Rudolf’s outstretched hand.

If you ask if Rudolph is tempted by the platinum he's talking about, the answer is definitely yes. For one thing, the students at Treson Academy can focus entirely on their training, leaving everything else to the trainers and other staff. But these platinum members have to figure everything out themselves.

That's a huge difference!

However, Platinum couldn't join Treson Academy. The main reason was Soul Dissolution Syndrome. If she went to a dormitory, her roommates would inevitably catch it from her during the long period of communal living.

Of course, in the first stage, I took suppressive medication, so I'm almost completely infective. But what if there's a chance? That one in ten thousand probability is too much for me to gamble on. I need to at least try my best to minimize the chances of others getting infected. Besides, if I take medication every day, my roommates will inevitably notice.

So Platinum's original plan was to find a way to get a fake identity, rent a studio apartment, or go to the Shaolin Temple in the deep mountains to train. He would run when there were competitions and go back to sleep when there were no competitions, minimizing social interaction as much as possible. The point was to focus on the single life storyline and not the romantic one.

And Platinum didn't just give up like that.

[Complete the Yayoi Prize (1/0)] (Winning the prize will earn you a three-star rating) (100 carrots reward + unlock the level 2 shop interface)

This is one of the achievements in Platinum's useless and extremely stingy system.

In other words, if you win the Yayoi Prize and get a three-star rating, you can unlock the second-level interface of the shop.

The items sold in the Tier 1 store are already the limit of what Platinum can imagine, hear about, and see.

From the smallest deck of cards to remedies and inhibitors for soul dissolution syndrome, and even Tiger tanks, it encompasses everything.

What kind of goods will be sold in the level 2 stores?

Could it be... a product that doesn't exist yet but will appear in the future?

Or perhaps... [goods that this world doesn't have, but other worlds are full of].

Regardless of the possibility, there is a chance that a drug that can truly cure Soul Dissolution syndrome could be found in a level 2 shop.

Of course, the possibility is very small. But it's not impossible. That's enough for Platinum to strive for.

Therefore, Platinum doesn't want to experience campus life. She wants to prepare for the Yayoi Prize with all her might. She is determined to win the Yayoi Prize.