The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

"Wow, that's amazing, a genius or something..."

Xiu Xingmeng counted the clouds in the sky, as if talking to herself.

"What is this? Self-praise?"

Upon hearing this, Narita, who was standing next to him, muttered something in dissatisfaction.

"I was just praising you."

"What is someone who messed up so badly in their debut battle talking about?"

Upon hearing this, Xiu Xingmeng chuckled softly, surprised that Cheng Tianlu would say such a thing.

Are they really called geniuses by geniuses? Perhaps that's true for them.

He silently named the item in his mind and pretended to take out a pair of black-rimmed glasses from his pocket.

[Potential Detection Glasses]

[Introduction: The black-rimmed glasses look ordinary, but somehow they can see the potential that Uma Musume can possess.]

Note: "Combat power... no, I mean, potential is only E-rank trash!" — A spiky horse girl with strange mechanical glasses.

After taking it out, Xiu Xingmeng handed it to Cheng Tianlu, saying in a pretentious manner.

"Then you should come and confirm my combat strength and all that."

Narita took the glasses with suspicion, put them on, blinked, and said with a hint of helplessness.

"Don't take things in anime seriously."

"You still took him up to see it, didn't you?"

Upon hearing Narita's words, Xiu Xingmeng chuckled and took off her glasses.

Through the potential detection glasses, Xiu Xingmeng saw a semi-transparent blue panel appear beside the enraged Narita Road.

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Narita Road

Potential ceiling: A+ (Legendary Racehorse Girl)

Introduction: A racehorse girl with exceptional talent; barring any unforeseen circumstances, she's guaranteed victory in G1.

Xiu Xingmeng was not surprised by this result.

Then, she shifted her gaze to her hand, where another blue, semi-transparent panel appeared in her glasses.

Uma Pretty Derby: Dream of the Stars

Potential ceiling: B-rank (Elite Racehorse Girl)

Introduction: A racehorse girl with some talent; if she trains hard and reaches her potential, she might be able to win the G2 race.

Xiu Xingmeng was not surprised by this result at all.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Overlord of the End of the Century

The more she trained, the more she felt her limits. With her precocious traits and the support of various training tools, her attributes surpassed those of many racehorse girls who were far more talented than herself.

To many, having such a significant lead in ability is proof of Xiu Xingmeng's extraordinary talent, but only she knows that this lead is over.

But how can this level of skill be enough to complete the main quest?

Xiu Xingmeng searched the entire store but couldn't find an item that could break through the limit. In the end, she put all her hopes on the reward of the second stage mission.

Xiu Xingmeng didn't know if the tool called the Gravity Adjustment Horseshoe was actually useful, but she had no other choice.

【Horse Girl Raising System - Scenario Panel】

Character: Celestial Weave

Speed: B [Elite] [Locked]

Endurance: B [Elite] [Locked]

Strength: C [Senior Level]

Character: B [Elite] [Locked]

Intelligence: D+ [New Star Rating]

Adaptable to: Grassland (A) and Muddy (C)

Domain: Unawakened

Skills: Concentration (Blue), Tokyo Swift (Purple)

Xiu Xingmeng sat on the familiar lawn, staring at the panel in front of her.

She faced Narita Road and Orihime again in the Yayoi Sho race a few days earlier. Although it rained that day, the location was Nakayama Racecourse, which could not trigger the full Tokyo Swift effect. Without the full boost, Hideki Hoshino ultimately won the championship by a margin of only two horse lengths.

The reward that he had almost exhausted all his efforts to obtain was of little use to Xiu Xingmeng.

Gravity Adjustable Horseshoe

[Durability: 50/50]

[Introduction: A pair of horseshoes forged using a special process can have its weight subtly adjusted, which can significantly enhance the training effect of endurance and strength.]

Note: "Damn gravity!" — From a certain horse girl who loves giant robots.

This item can enhance the training effect of two attributes at the same time without any side effects. Its effect is undeniably strong. Items with similar effects would cost at least 5000 SP points in the store.

Unfortunately, for Xiuxingmeng, whose potential is locked, this item can only enhance the effect of strength training.

Thinking of this, Xiu Xingmeng couldn't help but sigh.

I've already completed two phases of the mission, but why do I feel like I'm getting further and further away from the main quest?

Is the G1 tournament the insurmountable barrier for a racehorse girl like me, destined to end here?

But she can't lose. For other racehorse girls, no matter how once-in-a-lifetime or how precious, they can ultimately afford to lose.

But for Xiu Xingmeng, this was her only hope.

"Why does he look so dejected, given that he's a formidable rival in 'Legend of the Last Overlord'?"

Just then, a loud and confident voice rang out behind Xiu Xingmeng.

Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously looked up and saw a horse racing girl with short orange-red hair who looked somewhat like a tomboy.

She also leaned down, staring intently at Xiu Xingmeng with her purple eyes.

Their faces were very close, and the scorching air generated by their breath was trapped in the small space. The temperature gradually rose, and for a moment, Xiu Xingmeng had the illusion of being burned as if she were looking directly at the sun.

Subconsciously, she asked that question.

"you are?"

Upon hearing Xiu Xingmeng's question, the horse girl immediately straightened up, put her hand on her chest, and burst into laughter.

"Hahahahahaha!"

"Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll mercifully tell you! I am the strongest and most beautiful 'Overlord' opera!"

As Hao Geju suddenly began performing an improvisational drama, Xiu Xingmeng's previous illusion of being burned gradually disappeared. She couldn't help but complain as she watched Hao Geju still laughing heartily.

"Northern O God Fist, you."

Unexpectedly, I chuckled after hearing the opera.

"Because I'm the overlord of the end of the century!"

"Shouldn't that overlord be called O-O?"

"Hum~"

Good Opera waved his finger and said with a disdainful look.

"How can someone who merely conquers the world through violence and achieves hegemony outshine me, who is aiming to claim the classic triple crown!"

"They're clearly still using other people's references."

The opera's unfounded confidence left Xiu Xingmeng speechless, and she unusually launched into a relentless critique.

Who would have thought that Good Opera's confidence far exceeded Xiu Xingmeng's imagination? Faced with such a precise attack on her weakness, she didn't show the slightest embarrassment, but instead pointed to the sky with one finger and laughed loudly.

"So be honored, O! I will make the name of the End-of-the-Century Overlord resound throughout the world!"

Xiu Xingmeng conceded defeat. She had never seen such a confident racehorse girl, as if any words or opera could be interpreted as praise for her.

As Xiu Xingmeng was already feeling lost, she no longer had the energy to argue with the opera, so she simply lay down on the lawn.

"Oh? So you want to admire the tyrant's powerful legs?"

Unlike Naritaji, who is quite shy, Good Opera did not back down after the misunderstanding; instead, he even squatted down to approach Xiuxingmeng.

Looking at the pale thighs that almost blocked out the sky, Xiu Xingmeng twitched her lips speechlessly, then rolled around on the lawn and buried her face in the grass, saying in a muffled voice.

"It smells like sweat all over the place, who would want to go see it?"

"Really? I thought you'd be interested in your rival's abilities."

Good Opera tilted its head, then simply sat in the seat that Xiu Xingmeng had previously occupied, and poked her with its finger.

"What formidable rival? I don't even know who you are."

Xiu Xingmeng's face was buried in the grass, and her voice was so low that it was almost inaudible.

"I am good opera, the last king of the century."

Thinking that his previous explanation was not detailed enough, the opera singer repeated himself, and even poked Xiu Xingmeng's head to remind her to make sure she understood.

Feeling the touch on her head, Xiu Xingmeng turned her head irritably, her ponytail sweeping towards the opera.

"I know your name—"

"Isn't that okay?"

"What do you mean 'okay'? I've never considered anyone a formidable rival."

"Hmph, you think you can take everyone seriously? No wonder you're my formidable rival, you're really confident."

When this overconfident guy called her confident, Xiu Xingmeng was speechless for a moment, and simply lay down in the grass as if she couldn't hear him.

"But everyone secretly regards you as their strongest rival."

After a moment of silence, Xiu Xingmeng asked hesitantly in a low voice.

"What do you mean by 'everyone'?"

"Of course, it's everyone who's going to participate in the Classic Triple Crown."

"Can someone like me become a formidable rival to a genius?"

"What do you mean, 'someone like you'? Aren't you the most brilliant genius of this era?"

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Challenge

"What's the meaning?"

Perhaps Xiu Xingmeng's voice was too soft, because Good Opera did not answer her question, but instead looked up at the sky and spoke to itself.

"You've achieved a magnificent three-game winning streak with your debut race, the Hankyu Cup, and the Yayoi Prize. You're the envy of every horse girl in this era."

"In everyone's hearts, someone as brilliant as you will surely step onto the stage of the classic triple crown and compete for the legendary achievement of an undefeated triple crown."

"That's why you deserve to be called the formidable rival of the overlord at the end of the last century."

Hearing this, Xiu Xingmeng silently sat up and spoke to the opera singer beside her, whose expression was somewhat obscured by the sunlight.

"Have you investigated me?"

"That's called a telepathic connection between arch-enemies."

Good Opera turned to Xiu Xingmeng and smiled. Most of her face shone brightly in the sunlight, and her short orange-red hair seemed to truly shine like the sun.

“Apart from your debut match, I was present at both the Hankyu Cup and the Yayoi Prize.”

"Naritaji and Orihime are both good opponents, but only you are qualified to be the formidable rival of the Overlord."

"Besides, my best result right now is only G3 Daily Cup, you could even say I'm chasing after you! Hahahaha!"

Xiu Xingmeng's view of good opera is that its behavior of not hiding its weaknesses is as dazzling as the sun. Such strong and intense confidence makes her unconsciously want to avoid looking at it.

"Maybe I'm not as strong as you think, and I may have even reached my limit."

Is there a limit to how much a horse girl can do?