Umamusume, But I Have a Danmaku Loan System! [3]

[So, did anyone actually understand what happened during that race? Because I didn’t. Why did Gentildonna suddenly start moving so stiffly?]

[Is Silver Blizzard a jujutsu sorcerer?]

[Unlimited Void! That was Unlimited Void!]

Could Silver Blizzard use Unlimited Void?

Of course not.

She possessed no cursed energy and could not perform a Domain Expansion, so naturally, she could not use Unlimited Void.

In a certain sense, however, the technique she had used during the race operated on a principle quite similar to Unlimited Void.

In sumo, there was a technique called nekodamashi—a surprise tactic in which one clapped in front of an opponent’s face to make them close their eyes.

Human consciousness operated in waves. The closer a wave’s amplitude came to its peak, the more sensitive a person became to outside stimuli. If the strongest possible sound struck at the exact moment their consciousness was most sensitive, the result would be more than a brief fright. Their nerves would temporarily seize up, leaving their body unable to move—

Unlimited Void overwhelmed an opponent’s brain with an extreme quantity of information, while nekodamashi used sound waves to disrupt the opponent’s mind and prevent them from thinking clearly. The processes differed, but the results were similar.

During the race, Silver Blizzard had used nekodamashi to make Gentildonna briefly lose awareness.

Of course, nekodamashi was not a technique just anyone could use successfully.

Two basic conditions had to be met.

The first was that the opponent had to be in a state of extreme concentration.

The second was that the opponent had to be highly skilled. Otherwise, the pressure Silver Blizzard exerted on the track would not make them sense danger, and they would not remain intensely focused.

There was also one final—and most important—factor.

Timing.

Nekodamashi was most effective when used just as the wave of a person’s consciousness approached its peak. Seizing that exact instant was crucial.

And as it happened, Silver Blizzard was exceptionally good at doing precisely that.

Her talent for racing could only be described as average, but when it came to sensing other people’s emotions, she possessed a gift all her own. In daily life, she habitually observed people’s movements and expressions, then recorded them in a small notebook. Her keen powers of observation had given her an extraordinary sensitivity to emotion.

That also meant Silver Blizzard could always seize the optimal moment to use nekodamashi.

If anyone else had a thirty-percent chance of succeeding with nekodamashi, Silver Blizzard’s success rate was ninety percent!

Her exceptionally reliable nekodamashi was a trump card all her own.

Only in her hands could the technique produce an effect resembling Unlimited Void. Even if someone else managed to use it, their version would never be as powerful as hers.

It was also the source of her confidence in the promise she had made with Orfevre.

Silver Blizzard was absolutely certain that even if Orfevre stood before her, she could use nekodamashi to leave her stunned for several seconds.

The stats granted by the Loan System had also played a crucial role in this debut race.

Without the Loan System, Silver Blizzard could not have stood on the track at all. Even setting that aside, her natural physical abilities would never have put Gentildonna under that much pressure.

Without sufficient pressure, even if Silver Blizzard had used nekodamashi, she could not have won.

She was quite satisfied with the stats she had borrowed, but her feelings upon winning the race were somewhat complicated.

The instant she crossed the finish line and claimed victory in her debut race, every asset in Silver Blizzard’s name vanished.

Fortunately, she did not have a habit of spending money she had not yet earned. Otherwise, she would have been left with zero savings and a pile of debt on top of it.

That would have been unbearable.

Even so, Silver Blizzard’s current situation was far from comfortable.

The rent on the place she had leased in Tokyo would be due soon.

Where was she supposed to find the money to pay it now?

I’m doomed!

Am I going to end up homeless because I won the race?

Gaaah—!

While Silver Blizzard stood near the finish line, both delighted and troubled, the spectators along the track erupted in astonishment.

“G-Gentildonna actually lost?! Seriously? I’m not dreaming, am I?”

“Whoa, who exactly is this Silver Blizzard? How have I never heard her name before?”

“Gentildonna must have been off her game!”

“My god, what an unbelievable upset!”

The spectators who had come for Gentildonna exclaimed in disbelief.

That was hardly surprising. In their eyes, Gentildonna should have won this race with ease. Silver Blizzard’s performance had completely overturned their expectations.

What was this? Some unknown Umamusume had appeared out of nowhere and told the racer they had spent all that time praising to step aside?

Was this really happening?

Compared to the spectators’ doubts, the danmaku surrounding Silver Blizzard were far more jubilant.

[Yes! Now that was a race! Even the legendary Gentildonna had to step aside for Blizzard!]

[In other words, this is Silver Blizzard’s victory!]

[This anime is trash. How can the protagonist beat Gentildonna when her legs are injured? There’s no logic to this at all!]

[Beautiful, powerful, and tragic is the ultimate build! Blizzard, my wife, I’ll support you for life—!]

Just as Silver Blizzard had hoped, the danmaku’s attention returned to her after she won her debut race.

Some comments complained about how unreasonable it was for Silver Blizzard to defeat Gentildonna, but most of the danmaku did not care about such minor details.

To them, Silver Blizzard was the viewpoint character of the anime, so seeing her win was inherently satisfying.

Naturally, they were happier than anyone to see her victorious.

Yet there was one person even happier about Silver Blizzard’s victory than the danmaku.

Gentildonna.

Although she had only finished second in her debut race, the loss did not leave a bitter taste.

She had performed at her usual level and prepared thoroughly before the race.

And despite all that, she had still lost to Silver Blizzard, an unexpected challenger who had appeared out of nowhere.

Rather than angering her, the result delighted her.

Gentildonna’s instincts had already warned her before the race that Silver Blizzard might not be ordinary. Even so, she had never expected Silver Blizzard to bring her such a tremendous surprise during the race itself.

Gentildonna was proud, but she also knew how to accept defeat. When a powerful opponent demonstrated their strength and defeated her, she felt no frustration. Instead, a flame of challenge ignited within her.

“I never expected this generation to hold another ‘surprise’ like you in addition to Orfevre.”

Gentildonna looked toward the pink-haired Umamusume standing near the finish line with her head lowered as she caught her breath. A fascinated gleam flashed through Gentildonna’s burgundy eyes.

A single defeat could never break her.

Losing her debut race was merely a touch of seasoning in her life.

She should have regretted failing to begin her career with a victory. Instead, most of what filled her heart was curiosity about Silver Blizzard.

According to Gentildonna’s original career plan, she would win her debut race without incident, continue competing, accumulate enough honors, and then challenge Orfevre, the reigning Triple Crown champion.

But this unexpected development had thrown her plans into disarray.

Orfevre, the Triple Crown champion, might be a delicious main course, but Silver Blizzard, who had just defeated her, was an equally appetizing little dessert.

Gentildonna was thrilled by Silver Blizzard’s strength!

“That was a good race.”

Gentildonna approached Silver Blizzard and held out her hand without hesitation.

“Silver Blizzard, was it? I’ll remember your name. I hope we meet again on the track someday~”

The moment Gentildonna extended her hand and spoke as though she had already acknowledged Silver Blizzard, the danmaku before her erupted once more.

Gentildonna was a beautiful Umamusume herself. Unlike Silver Blizzard’s exquisitely doll-like beauty, Gentildonna’s appearance and presence carried the same sense of nobility and elegance as her name.

Who did not like a pretty girl?

[Oh my, Gentildonna has a charm of her own~]

[She came straight over to talk to Blizzard after losing? Looks like Gentildonna already thinks pretty highly of her!]

[Oh my, I think I prefer Gentildonna to Blizzard after all~]

When Silver Blizzard saw that final comment, her eyes narrowed slightly. As she looked back at Gentildonna, an unfriendly light flickered in her pink irises.

Gentildonna had merely come over and spoken a few casual words, yet the danmaku were already showing signs of deserting her.

Well, well.

Did they care more about Gentildonna than her victory?

That would not do.

For the sake of taking out better loans in the future, she could not allow their attention to drift away from her so easily.

So what she ought to do now was…

SMACK!

A crisp sound rang out.

Gentildonna stared blankly at the back of her reddening hand.

Her hand… had been slapped away?

Gentildonna looked at Silver Blizzard in disbelief and met those crystalline, pink-diamond eyes.

Yet all she saw within them was chilling indifference.

“You hope we’ll meet again on the track…?” Silver Blizzard tilted her head slightly, her emotionless gaze resting casually on Gentildonna. “I have no interest in racing you again.”

In every sense.

Someone like you, who steals their attention, should stay far away from me.

“What noble bloodline? What promising supernova?”

“You’re nothing but small fry who couldn’t beat me in a debut race. What makes you think you deserve to stand on the same track as me and share my fans’ attention?”

Silver Blizzard’s words seemed less directed at Gentildonna than at the danmaku watching their conversation.

Her meaning was perfectly clear.

The danmaku had praised Gentildonna to the heavens, but now she was merely someone Silver Blizzard had defeated in her debut race!

Nothing more than small fry!

Silver Blizzard was the one who deserved to monopolize their attention!

“Urgh…!”

The smile on Gentildonna’s face stiffened the moment she heard those words.

What was wrong with this girl?

She was like a hedgehog—nothing but spikes. Why did every word out of her mouth have to be so infuriating?

How irritating.

What did she mean by, “small fry”?!

She had merely gotten lucky and won one debut race, yet she was already pushing her luck like this!

“You really do say the most amusing things, Silver Blizzard-san. I hope that the next time we meet on the track, you’ll still be able to act this composed.”

“You’d better make sure you don’t lose to me~”

Gentildonna practically forced those final words through clenched teeth.

She could only imagine how red her face must have been by then.

A girl’s face did not always turn red out of shyness, after all.

Yet Silver Blizzard showed no concern whatsoever in the face of Gentildonna’s threat.

In truth, she did not care what Gentildonna thought.

To Silver Blizzard, the most important thing was meeting Orfevre again at the summit. After that came the danmaku’s attention.

Gentildonna?

I barely know her.

Think whatever you like.

Why would I show any kindness to some thieving cat trying to steal the danmaku’s attention?!

“I really don’t want to meet you on the track again. Sharing a racetrack with you would only cheapen me.”

“You just don’t know when to stop, do you?! You won one little race. What are you so smug about?”

“A win is a win. Are you really such a sore loser?”

“You!”

Gentildonna felt that if this conversation continued, she might actually pass out from rage right there on the track. She gave a cold snort, turned around, and walked away.

What part of Silver Blizzard was supposed to be a “dessert”?

She was a poisoned culinary abomination!

Absolutely infuriating!

“Let’s never meet again, bastard.”

After angrily throwing out those words, Gentildonna turned and left.

“Never again.”

Watching Gentildonna depart, Silver Blizzard smiled with satisfaction.

Good riddance!

Now no one will compete with me for popularity!

A decisive victory for Blizzard!

I finally hissed Gentildonna away!

Silver Blizzard assumed that after the debut race, she and Gentildonna would never have anything to do with each other again.

…

Two days later…

Outside a dormitory apartment near Central Tracen Academy, Silver Blizzard stood before the room she was about to move into. When she saw Gentildonna open the door for her, she fell silent.

“Why are you here?!” they shouted in unison.

Their flustered cries sent the sparrows outside the window fleeing in panic, leaving only an awkward silence between them.

Live together with her? Absolutely not—!

In perfect harmony, the same thought appeared in both girls’ minds.

T/N: OOOOOH

This is a fan translation of 赛马娘，但我有弹幕贷款系统！by 整活的猫 Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!