The white void pulsed faintly as soft motes of light gathered before Diamente, coalescing into a familiar interface she had only seen in dreams — or rather, in Umamusume: Pretty Derby itself.
Lines of text and numbers arranged themselves in midair, forming a transparent panel. Her name, physical attributes, stats, aptitudes — everything mirrored the format of the game she once knew.
[Initializing Basic Stat Interface…]
The interface settled into place, displaying her parameters with eerie precision:
[Attribute Window]
SPD: 74 / G+ / 10%
STA: 78 / G+ / 0%
PWR: 82 / G+ / 20%
GUT: 70 / G+ / 0%
WIT: 164 / F+ / 10%
PTS: 0
[Skills]
Unique Skill: ??? (Unawakened - Inactive)
Domain: (None)
[Ground Aptitude]
Turf: C
Dirt: D
[Distance Aptitude]
Sprint: F
Mile: D
Medium: C
Long: D
[Running Aptitude]
Frontrunner: F
Pace Chaser: D
Late Surge: C
End Closer: C
Additional panels flickered to life below, showing the familiar Skills, Turf, Dirt, and distance ratings — followed by another set of glowing icons labeled "Sparks."
"So even Sparks exist here…" Diamente muttered, her eyes darting across the floating values.
Two golden sigils shimmered beside her name — one shaped like a small but gallant-looking stallion, the other like a gentle mare with their corresponding all-familiar names.
"Stay Gold… and Yamanin Sucre…?" she thought to herself, as someone who knows their things.
She reached out and touched the icons. Each chimed softly, unveiling inherited legacies:
Sire Legacy:
Stay Gold's Spark (★★★ Speed / ★★★ End Closer)
- Modern Racing Ancestor, Sunday Silence (★★ Stamina / ★★★ Dirt)
- Northerner's Daughter, Golden Sash (★ Speed / ★★ Medium Aptitude)
Dame Legacy:
Yamanin Sucre's Spark: (★★ Power / ★★ Medium Aptitude)
- Miracle Horse, Tokai Teio (★★★ Power / ★★★ Late-Surger)
- Yamanin's Lady, Yamanin Jewelry (★ Guts / ★ Turf Aptitude)
Her breath caught. Even in the game, combinations like these were near impossible — the kind of miracle builds only seen after hundreds of career runs, or through absurd luck.
"These Legacy Sparks… they're monstrous," she murmured, disbelief lacing her voice.
"Heck… To even quantify Sunday Silence in game, it's so broken."
A soft chuckle broke the silence.
Godolphin Barb, the goddess cloaked in white, stood beside her. The folds of her robe swayed gently, her eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.
"It seems you understand what you are seeing better than most would," Barb said. "Then I shall skip the fundamentals of your world's old 'game system.' Instead, I will teach you what lies beyond it."
With a graceful sweep of her hand, a new tab materialized. Unlike the others, it gleamed in a deep cerulean hue — calm yet mysterious, like the surface of a tranquil lake.
"This," she continued, "is the Skill Store, something that does not exist in your former world's game."
Diamente blinked, curiosity overcoming her awe. "A Skill Store? You mean I can actually purchase skills? Like, buy the skill directly and use it immediately?"
"Yes and also no," the goddess replied with a faint smile.
"You may indeed exchange your accumulated Skill Points for the abilities you desire," Barb explained. "However, if those Skill Points originate from training directly related to that skill, the System will deduct a portion of your daily skill point earnings to fill the experience bar for each skill instead."
Diamente's analytical mind went to work instantly. "So, basically… I can't just grind and brute-force my training from this point on since I still need to train properly for the system to recognize genuine growth, much like the Skill Hint system, right?"
"Precisely," Barb said, her tone soft yet approving. "The balance exists for your own sake to ensure your safe growth as both an umamusume and as a soul inhabiting such a vessel."
Diamente nodded quietly, studying the pulsing blue window before her. It wasn't just data. She could feel its presence bound to her body, her effort, her will.
"So no shortcuts, huh…" she murmured.
"Even in a world like this, I still have to work for it."
"That, my child," the goddess said gently, "is what it means to run as an Umamusume."
Diamente let Barb's words sink in, her expression calm yet thoughtful. The information was vast — systems, skills, Sparks, balance — all things she instinctively understood. But one question lingered in her mind.
"Kami-sama… does this system include some kind of countdown? Like, a timer before maturation starts?" she asked. "I need to keep track of how much time I have before things… evolve."
The goddess's serene smile returned, but there was a faint hint of mystery in her eyes.
"Maturation does not fall under my domain," Barb replied gently. "That responsibility lies with Darley-chan."
Diamente's brows lifted slightly. "Darley… Arabian?"
"Indeed," Barb nodded.
For a moment, surprise flickered across Diamente's face before she sighed softly and shrugged. "That makes sense. In the game, Darley Arabian symbolized individuality and bravery. So I guess she'd have full control over how my future development unfolds."
The girl crossed her arms, glancing back at her stat window before it slowly faded away into soft light.
"In that case," she said, her tone steady and resolute, "I'll just use whatever time I have to prepare properly. Unknown or not, it's still time worth spending right."
Barb's eyes warmed at her words. "You truly are knowledgeable, dear child. Far more than most umamusume I have seen."
Diamente waved her hand modestly. "I only know what I know. I'm not exactly an expert… I just tend to overfocus when it comes to horse racing, that's all."
A quiet laugh escaped Barb. "A healthy obsession, in your case."
Her voice softened, a tone of finality settling in. "It seems everything I needed to explain has been said. Once you return to your world, only a single second will have passed."
Diamente tilted her head slightly. "That fast, huh?"
"Indeed," Barb said. "Though your soul can bear such information, remember that your vessel is still that of a child. Condensing this much data into a developing mind will sting a little."
Diamente smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "I've seen worse, Kami-sama. I'll handle it just fine."
Barb's expression turned gentle, almost motherly. "Then I shall hold you to that confidence. May your second life bring you joy, Diamente."
"Thank you," Diamente replied with a small, grateful smile. "For everything. I'll make sure to live this life to the fullest — I swear it."
Light began to envelop her vision. The white void dissolved into darkness, and then—
Blink.
She was back in her bathroom, standing before the mirror.
Only a single second had passed.
A faint sting bloomed inside her head, radiating sharply before fading after a few seconds. She exhaled, steadying herself against the sink.
"Whew… yeah, that did sting," she muttered.
Then realization struck — she hadn't even asked how to open the system window again. But as soon as she thought about it, the translucent interface instantly reappeared before her eyes, glowing faintly like a reflection only she could see.
"So… it responds to thought, huh," she said quietly.
Her reflection shimmered faintly in the glass, overlaid with numbers, icons, and options — the very tools she would use to shape her destiny.
Her heart raced with excitement, her mind already racing ahead — strategies, routines, plans. But as the initial thrill faded, her expression hardened into quiet determination.
"I'll need to build proper training and meal plans," she murmured. "Rudolf-nee, the Symboli family… everyone who's shown me kindness — I'll repay it all… I'll make it count."
She clenched her fists, eyes blazing with resolve.
"I'll make the most of what I have. That's my quiet promise… to them and to myself."
The system window pulsed softly, as if acknowledging her vow.
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