This advance chapter release is all thanks to from Sans_Skeleton_8480 for gifting 6 power stones up to this point.
Now that I have more than 8 advance chapter backlogged, I will up the required power stone for the week from 5 to 20 power stones per user for an advance chapter, and for every 20 power stones accumulated for the week, I will also post an advance chapter corresponding to the complete amount in the week's end.
As for the advance chapters, I will release them once I'm done with them since I only have 5 advance chapters currently in the final editing while next 2 chapters after that are currently being written, so my plan would be to post one chapter a day unless it's a scheduled chapter where it's going to be two chapters a day.
So gift more Power Stones to advance the chapter schedule. Thank you very much for your support and enjoy the chapter!
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A few days passed, yet Diamente still found herself quietly wrestling with Kitasan Black's unexpected offer. The thought lingered at the back of her mind like a tiny weight—never heavy enough to crush her, but always just noticeable enough to distract her.
During lunch, she sat with Rey de Oro and Lucky Lilac, accompanying them as usual. Rey de Oro had just been telling a story when she turned toward Diamente.
"By the way, Diamente-chan," Rey de Oro said, tilting her head with her usual gentle grace. "Are you still okay with accompanying Almond Eye and Daring Tact to the arcade after class?"
But Diamente didn't respond.
Not even a blink.
Her eyes were unfocused—fixed somewhere far beyond the cafeteria wall.
Rey de Oro and Lucky Lilac exchanged glances.
Then—
Clap!
Lucky Lilac clapped her hands once, loud enough to snap Diamente back into reality.
"Oi, what's on yer mind?" Lucky Lilac asked, narrowing her eyes with blunt concern. "Ya've been kinda airy lately. Light-headed too."
Diamente jolted slightly before straightening her posture, waving her hands halfway in front of her.
"Ah—no, no, it's nothing… nothing bad. Just… something's been on my mind recently."
Rey de Oro leaned in with interest. "Something? What kind?"
Diamente hesitated before asking, "Um… you two know that I've been going to the gym after class almost every day, right?"
Lucky Lilac let out a tired sigh. "It'd be a failure of me as one of yer' class reps if I didn't know that. Ya march straight there after the last bell."
Diamente gave a small nod.
"Well… it seems there's a team that's trying to recruit me. And I… don't really know what I should do about it."
Both Rey de Oro and Lucky Lilac froze.
"You were scouted?" Rey de Oro asked, eyes sparkling. "By which team!? Team Rigil? Zenith? Ascella!?"
"Well…" Diamente scratched her cheek shyly. "It's…Team Spica."
The reaction was immediate. Rey de Oro stiffened, surprised. Lucky Lilac slammed her chopsticks on the table, leaned forward, and asked in full Kansai bluntness:
"…Ya didn't get kidnapped by a sack, right?"
Diamente waved her right hand frantically. "N-No! Definitely not! A senior from their team—she's about to debut—just happened to see me at the gym and… asked. They probably just saw something in me."
Lucky Lilac let out a long sigh of relief.
"Good grief… I was 'bout to march over there. But still—watch yerself. My Gold Ship-nee's from Spica. And honestly? It wouldn't surprise me if she's already plottin' somethin' like that."
Rey de Oro tilted her head. "Wait… all the rumors about Team Spica are actually real?"
Lucky Lilac crossed her arms. "With all the nonsense Gold Ship-nee spouts? There's always some truth buried in it. Sadly, that team's chaos is real."
Diamente laughed nervously. "It's alright. If it happens… I'll deal with it when I get there."
She then blinked, suddenly remembering something.
"Ah—Rei-chan, what were you saying earlier about Almond Eye-san and Daring Tact-san?"
Rey de Oro smiled brightly again. "I was asking if you're still okay with going to the arcade after class with them. You told us earlier you were free today and since they asked me personally, I'm just asking for your confirmation."
Diamente nodded. "Of course. The more the merrier."
With that settled, the three returned to their lunch—discussing games, schoolwork, and tomorrow's plans with renewed enthusiasm. Yet deep inside Diamente's thoughts, Kitasan Black's offer still lingered… waiting to be answered.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
The arcade nearest to the academy was lively as always, bright lights and cheerful noises blending into an energetic atmosphere.
While Almond Eye and Lucky Lilac were already locked in a fierce claw machine competition—each determined to prove they could win the most prizes with the same allowance—Diamente wandered deeper inside.
Her eyes sparkled the moment she spotted a particular machine.
A familiar circular rhythm game cabinet sat near the back wall: maimai ORANGE. It wasn't the newest version she used to play in her previous life, but the sight alone made nostalgia ripple through her.
Before she discovered horse racing, this machine used to be her sanctuary after school.
Diamente dropped a few coins into the slot, pulled over a small stool so she could reach the upper buttons, and hopped on top. The machine glowed to life as she navigated through the menu with practiced ease.
Choosing a simple warm-up song, she started tapping and sliding along the familiar layout.
The moment she hit her first HOLD note and she let the button go prematurely, she blinked. "Oh… right. Maimai ORANGE still uses full holds… not like the deluxe versions."
Still, the muscle memory was there. Her small hands moved with steady confidence until the final note flashed.
The result screen popped up. It was a nearly flawless score.
Meanwhile, Daring Tact blinked and realized something important.
"Rei-chan… Have you seen Diamente-chan?"
Rey de Oro looked around. "She said that she'd explore around for a bit. She must've wandered off."
Lucky Lilac groaned dramatically while clutching her empty wallet. "Ugh… and here I was thinkin' this would be an easy win. Ai-chan's claw machine skills are too strong…"
"I won~," Almond Eye declared proudly, hugging her mountain of stuffed prizes. "A graceful victory, hehe~"
Rey de Oro clapped her hands once. "Alright, everyone. Let's find Diamente-chan before we lose her completely."
The four circled around the arcade until Daring Tact suddenly pointed ahead. "Ah! Over there!"
A small crowd had formed in front of a maimai machine, and the one standing on the stool was Diamente.
Her arms blurred as her hands hit the buttons in precise rhythms, sliding smoothly across the blue slider notes. The glowing chart indicated MASTER difficulty, one of the hardest in the game.
Rey de Oro's jaw dropped while Lucky Lilac froze mid-step. Meanwhile, Daring Tact's eyes widened and Almond Eye leaned forward, hugging the plushies that she won a little tightly, while her pupils narrowed with competitive spark.
After the final note struck.
ALL PERFECT!
A moment of silence emanated, then applause erupted behind Diamente.
She jumped slightly and turned around. Rey de Oro, Daring Tact, Lucky Lilac, and Almond Eye stood there clapping enthusiastically. Almond Eye's beautiful cross-pupiled blue eyes held something extra—a glint of rivalry, as if she had just witnessed a worthy opponent.
She then smiled upon seeing her friends. "Are you done with your little battle?" Diamente teased lightly.
"Yup," Daring Tact smiled. "Ai-chan won, as usual."
"Hehe~ I won beautifully," Almond Eye repeated with absolute confidence.
Diamente grabbed a small towel from her bag and wiped the sweat around her neck. "Then shall we get snacks outside? My treat."
"Agreed!"
"Sure."
"Food time!"
"Let's go!" The four reacted enthusiastically.
The group stepped out of the arcade together, chatting noisily about what sweets they wanted to buy from the nearby snack store.
Not far behind, a tall ashen-haired umamusume peeked from the corner of a Purikura booth. She wore a face mask, oversized sunglasses, and held two enormous taiko drumsticks like weapons.
The moment the coast cleared, she pulled down her mask and removed the shades.
It was with mischievous rosewood-colored eyes and a smirk that spelled trouble.
"Oho… that kid's got some real skills. Reflexes, rhythm, concentration…" She twirled the drumsticks dangerously.
"I've found a potential new member for Team Spica." Gold Ship chuckled darkly to herself as she then pulled out a two-way radio from who knows where.
"Gorushin to home base, a new prospect has arrived… I'm initiating contact using creative method No. 12: surprise abduction. Target has been locked on."
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
As the afternoon sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, Diamente and the others made their way back to Tracen Academy, paper-wrapped crepes in hand. The sweet scent of cream and fruit lingered in the air as Lucky Lilac enthusiastically praised the taste, her expression bright and satisfied. Rey de Oro nodded along, while Daring Tact quietly enjoyed hers with a small smile.
Almond Eye, walking beside Diamente, turned her head slightly, her cross-pupiled blue eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"How did you play that rhythm game with such perfect precision?" she asked. "It didn't look like something you'd only tried once."
Diamente blinked, then smiled faintly.
"I played it before I entered Tracen," she replied. "But today was the first time I touched it again in a long while."
Daring Tact tilted her head. "Didn't it feel rusty? You looked like you were already at your best."
"I think I adjusted pretty quickly," Diamente answered. "I've been going to the school gym almost every day for the past week. After the first song, my body just… remembered."
Rey de Oro perked up. "Then what about the first song you played? How hard was it?"
"It was a couple of levels below," Diamente said casually. "Still got an SSS-rating, though. Just one step below an All Perfect."
Lucky Lilac immediately shot her an incredulous look.
"Oi, now you're just braggin', aren't ya?"
Diamente raised both hands defensively, laughter creeping into her voice. "I mean, you could call it reaction training. Anyone could do it if they practiced enough."
"That's not humility, y'know," Lucky Lilac replied flatly. "That's humble-braggin'."
The group burst into laughter, their voices blending with the late afternoon bustle around them as they continued toward the academy gates.
Once they arrived back at Tracen, the group naturally began to split. Rey de Oro, Lucky Lilac, Almond Eye, and Daring Tact headed toward their respective dorms, still chatting animatedly. Diamente waved them off, deciding to head toward the school gym for a light workout, given that she had nothing else planned for the evening.
On her way, she passed by the outdoor recruitment board.
She slowed.
Pinned prominently among the notices was a familiar poster—Team Spica's recruitment ad.
The image was as absurd as ever: upper bodies buried deep in mud, only the lower halves of the team visible, frozen mid-chaos.
Diamente stared at it for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
At the same time, elsewhere along Tracen's perimeter, Gentildonna was jogging at a steady pace, her breathing calm and controlled. Her eyes sharpened as she noticed a suspicious figure ahead—one who, in her view, had failed spectacularly at disguising herself.
Gold Ship was tiptoeing forward, lugging an oversized sack over her shoulder.
Behind her were two familiar figures wearing university uniforms that looked suspiciously similar to their high school ones: Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka, both clearly involved in whatever ill-advised plan was unfolding.
Back at the recruitment board, the sky had dimmed slightly, the sunlight now tinged with orange. Diamente sensed movement at the edge of her vision and turned.
Standing before her was a tall, ashen-haired umamusume wearing sunglasses and a face mask.
Her right eyebrow twitched.
Behind Gold Ship, two more umamusumes stood in similar getups.
"…Gold Ship-senpai," Diamente said slowly. "What do you need?"
Gold Ship struck a dramatic pose and loudly called out to her accomplices.
"Scarlet! Vodka! Let's go!"
For a brief moment, Diamente felt an odd sense of déjà vu—as if she were reliving a scene she had once watched in another life. Only this time, she wasn't an observer who watched Special Week getting kidnapped.
She was now the target, the one getting kidnapped.
Before Gold Ship could say another word, a hand came down firmly on her shoulder.
Gold Ship froze as a low, calm voice spoke from behind her.
"My, what do you think you're doing to a poor elementary division student?" Gentildonna's grip tightened, just enough to make the message unmistakable.
Gold Ship laughed nervously. "Well—recruitment? I saw her skills at the arcade earlier and thought—"
The pressure increased.
"You invite someone properly," Gentildonna said evenly. "And even then, it's their choice whether they entertain you or not, isn't that right, Gold Ship?"
Her gaze shifted to Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka.
The two immediately removed their sunglasses and masks.
"She's right," Scarlet said, crossing her arms. "You didn't tell me that she's actually from the Elementary Division, Gold Ship."
Vodka nodded in agreement, surprisingly quick to side with Gentildonna.
Throughout it all, Diamente remained silent, watching the exchange with wide, attentive eyes.
In the end, after several moments of Gentildonna's unyielding grip, Gold Ship finally relented.
"Okay, okay! I yield!" she yelped, pulling free and straightening herself. She turned back to Diamente, suddenly far more restrained. "So, uh… wanna join Team Spica?"
Diamente paused, then gave a polite nod.
"I'll think about it," she said. "But I might visit your clubroom when I have a free day."
That was apparently enough.
"Yosh~!!! Our task just failed successfully! Ikuzo, minna~!"
Gold Ship immediately bolted, fleeing down the path with Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka nodding at the two of us before following Gold Ship close behind, their voices fading into the distance.
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