Still bathed in the afterglow of thunderous cheers, Eternal Meteor waved casually as she entered the competitor's tunnel—back straight, chin high, looking like she owned the world.
She took two steps.
Then sat down hard, clutching her ankle.
"…Didn't feel a thing while I was running," she hissed. "The second I stop, it hurts like hell."
She tried to rub it—just a light touch—and immediately sucked in a sharp breath.
X didn't miss the chance to kick her while she was down.
"Liked accelerating, huh? Liked turning it into a huge-margin win? Feeling good now?"
"It didn't hurt at the time, okay?" she snapped back.
She knew she'd messed up.
She also refused to lose the argument.
Palming the floor, she forced herself up, intending to limp toward the winner's stage prep room.
X kept drilling.
"Can you even sing songs in this world? In Japanese? Because I'm not translating for you."
"I…" Eternal Meteor scrubbed at her head until her hair fluffed up like a sponge cake. "Worst case, I'll do a solo. I already made a huge margin—stage will be just me anyway."
She limped forward.
X laughed.
"Yeah yeah. But prepare yourself. You're about to get scolded."
"…?"
And then she heard it—rapid, furious footsteps.
A familiar tri-colored horse girl appeared in front of her.
Rudolf Doesn't Even Let Her Talk
"Yo, President—were you shocked by my amazing performance—"
She didn't get to finish.
Symboli Rudolf didn't answer. She didn't even acknowledge the swagger.
She stepped in, scooped Eternal Meteor up at the waist like she weighed nothing, and deliberately supported both of her feet with one hand—then turned and ran straight for the medical room.
Eternal Meteor wanted to protest, to act tough—
but when she raised her head, she saw Rudolf's face.
Dark. Quiet. Furious.
Eternal Meteor instantly swallowed every word.
She stayed silent the whole way.
Medical Room: The Calm After the Storm
In the clinic, Eternal Meteor looked over her shoulder at the four figures standing behind her, all silent.
For some reason, it felt less like a checkup and more like she was about to be carried off for burial.
Her ears flattened. She shrank in on herself and turned back quickly.
The doctor crouched in front of her and began pressing different points around the ankle.
"Does this hurt?"
"A little."
"This?"
"No."
"…Then here?"
The moment the doctor pressed down, Eternal Meteor's brows pinched sharply.
"That one—yes. That really hurts!"
The doctor let out a long breath, stood up, and pulled an ice pack wrapped in gauze from the cold cabinet, placing it on the table. With other racers waiting to be checked, the doctor stepped out.
"Good news," the doctor said on the way out. "Just a mild strain. Bones and ligaments look fine. No training for ten days. Ice it for now."
The four behind her visibly relaxed.
Gold Ship Escapes Like a Pro
"Well, if she's fine, then Gold Ship and the trainer are leaving," Gold Ship declared. "The yakisoba stand isn't sold out yet."
She sensed the atmosphere was turning dangerous and immediately grabbed Trainer Nishizaki by the collar and fled. On the way out, she even kindly closed the door tight behind them.
An expert in tactical retreat.
Rudolf's Anger Finally Shows
Rudolf stepped forward, took the ice pack, crouched, and began icing Eternal Meteor's ankle herself.
Then she looked up.
And stared straight into Eternal Meteor's eyes.
At first, Eternal Meteor could hold the gaze.
Then, slowly, she lost.
Her head lowered.
Rudolf kept staring.
The silence wasn't gentle—it was pressure.
Seeing Rudolf genuinely angry, Maruzensky came over and tried to smooth things out.
"Kiddo, you really scared me—and Rudolf too. Don't do that again, alright?"
Eternal Meteor didn't accept the comfort. She muttered, stubborn and small:
"But if I don't do that… I can't win…"
That was the match to the fuse.
"Winning matters," Rudolf said, voice rising. "I know that better than anyone. When you're on the track, you chase victory without thinking. But if you're hurting yourself on purpose for victory—what about your future?!"
"Future?"
That word changed everything.
Eternal Meteor stopped being scared.
She raised her head and met Rudolf's eyes directly.
"Yes. You got lucky this time—just a strain. Next time? Even in a normal race, one fall can break bones. And you weren't racing normally—you were pushing the limit. If you fall like that… what happens to your future? Your whole life after this? A wheelchair?"
Eternal Meteor's ears pinned back.
Anger surged up so hard it made her throat hurt.
She wanted to scream, You don't understand anything.
But she also knew Rudolf was worried for her.
And Rudolf had no idea about the five-year countdown.
So Eternal Meteor did the only thing she could do without betraying the truth.
She inhaled, again and again, trying to crush the anger down.
It didn't work.
The more she tried, the bigger the bitterness became.
She refused to lash out at someone who'd helped her so much.
So instead—ignoring the pain—she gritted her teeth and stood.
She turned her back.
Walked to the door.
"I'm sorry," she said, voice tight. "Next time I'll try to avoid it. I'm going to prepare for the winner's stage."
Then she shoved the door open and left.
The moment she was outside—
tears slid down uncontrollably.
She bit her lip hard enough to keep herself from making a sound, swaying as she hurried toward the stage area.
Inside, Rudolf stared at the door still wobbling on its hinges.
She looked lost.
"Maruzensky… did I say something wrong?"
Maruzensky snapped back, blunt and urgent:
"That doesn't matter right now! Didn't you hear what she said? She's going to drag herself onto the winner's stage in that condition. We need to stop her—now!"
And she ran.
A Crying Meteor in a Back Alley
Maruzensky searched along the path to the stage like she'd tear the whole venue apart. She looked so hard she practically wanted to check inside trash bins.
"Where did she go…?"
Then, passing a narrow alley, she heard it—
a weak, restrained sob, someone trying desperately to keep the sound small.
Maruzensky softened her steps and approached.
And there she was.
Eternal Meteor sat against the wall, knees hugged to her chest, face buried in her legs—curling inward like an abandoned pet, trying to feel safe by making herself smaller.
Maruzensky crouched in front of her and gently stroked the top of her head.
"It's okay. Cry. You'll feel better if you let it out. I checked—there's no one nearby."
That single sentence shattered the wall Eternal Meteor had built.
Everything she'd been suppressing—humiliation, anger, fear, loneliness—burst out, and the crying grew louder and uncontrollable.
Two Minutes Later: The Mask Returns
And then—almost frighteningly fast—Eternal Meteor cleaned herself up.
She lifted her head and gave Maruzensky a huge smile.
"I'm fine. And honestly, this was my fault. President was just worried about me."
Maruzensky stared at that smile.
And felt a sudden ache in her chest.
She pulled out a tissue and handed it over.
"Doesn't matter. Wipe your face first—you're a total mess."
Eternal Meteor sniffed, slowly stood.
"Thanks, Maruzensky. Please apologize to the President for me later. I'm going to get ready for the winner's stage."
"Wait—your ankle isn't healed!"
Maruzensky stood too, catching her arm to support her.
Eternal Meteor shook her head.
"Relax. I'm not going to force it. I can move it now—look."
She balanced on one leg and rotated the injured ankle carefully.
Maruzensky watched her face—no grimace, no twitch of pain.
So she loosened her grip.
Then a thought hit Maruzensky.
"By the way… how did you even know my name? I don't remember introducing myself."
Eternal Meteor took a few steps, then looked back and winked with her right eye.
"I'm your fan, you know—Maruzen Big Sis~."
She smiled, turned away, and headed toward the stage.
Maruzensky stood there, fingers touching her cheek, staring after her.
"…Did I just get flirted with?"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 50)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 50)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 50)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 54)
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