Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement

After studying diligently through lunchtime, Mizuno's trainer skills advanced another step.

Each time he revisited the second half of [From Getting Started as a Trainer! (Basement Ending)], he felt the urge to recommend it to others again.

The writing was simply too good! He felt a profound connection with its mysterious author, as if they were like-minded brothers separated at birth. Others might find the content obscure, but for Mizuno, every sentence resonated clearly.

Mizuno had asked the system for the author's identity, but the sneaky system played dead and refused to answer. Left with no other choice, he could only keep reading and silently pray the poor fellow eventually managed to escape the basement.

As for lunch, Mizuno quickly downed a few mouthfuls of his homemade S-Rank Honey Special Drink, easily solving the hunger problem.

Thus, afternoon arrived.

Since Tracen Academy scheduled academics in the morning and athletics in the afternoon, the training grounds gradually grew crowded compared to the quiet morning hours.

Several veteran trainers brought their assigned Uma Musume to practice long jumps at the sandpit.

Clearly, they also understood the benefit of long jumps for increasing speed and had wisely secured the area in advance.

"Well, this complicates things," Mizuno scratched his head awkwardly.

He'd originally planned to have Urara continue long jump training this afternoon, but the space was now occupied. Observing the "first-come, first-served" rule, he had no right to reclaim it, given he'd spent his time reading rather than reserving a spot.

With the training ground occupied, his planned training routine was no longer viable.

What now? It wasn't as if he could just whip up a custom speed-training device from thin air.

[Well, actually, you could.]

Mizuno raised an eyebrow.

Huh? What do you mean?

[The author actually wrote another book, teaching precisely how to build training equipment]

What book?

[Training Equipment: From Building Treadmills to Children's Toys.]

"..." Mizuno was momentarily speechless.

Truly, this author was a versatile genius—but alas, he was also undoubtedly doomed to be captured by Uma Musume.

"Let me have a look." Mizuno took out [Training Equipment: From Building Treadmills to Children's Toys], only to discover it was taller than ten advanced math textbooks stacked together.

The book's content, however, aligned perfectly with Mizuno's taste: clear, detailed hand-drawn diagrams guiding readers step-by-step on assembling various contraptions.

The earlier pages were perfectly sensible: treadmills, push-pull bars, massagers, even battery-powered toy cars!

Things took a strange turn later.

Crib mobiles, whack-a-mole machines, toy UFOs, fishing rods—all strictly children's toys.

Clearly, this poor author must've ended up with a house full of wives and kids (tragic).

After skimming through, Mizuno reluctantly closed the book.

Sure, there were clear instructions for building practical equipment like treadmills, but he still needed materials. As a trainer on only his second day, he had nothing valuable except the clothes he wore.

Selling his S-Rank Honey Special Drink wasn't feasible either; it would drain his precious time, and once customers got addicted, they'd hunt him down relentlessly, wasting even more time.

Sighing, he resigned himself to quickly revising the afternoon training plan.

Rubbing his aching head—caused by skipping his nap—he began pondering a new strategy.

While deep in thought, Urara arrived promptly as agreed.

However, Urara wasn't alone. Another Uma Musume accompanied her:

King Halo.

"Urara-chan, where's your trainer? I don't see him anywhere," King Halo said doubtfully.

"Trainer-san is a super-awesome ninja! He's using invisibility right now. You can't spot him unless you look closely!" Urara answered confidently.

"Ninja? Invisibility?" King Halo's expression turned skeptical. "Urara-chan, are you sure you aren't being tricked?"

"No way! Trainer-san would never lie to me! I trust Trainer-san completely!" Urara insisted firmly.

"But didn't you two just meet this morning?"

"Nope! We met last night!"

"Last night?!" King Halo's eyes widened in alarm, and she anxiously grabbed Urara's shoulders.

"Urara-chan, he didn't do anything strange, did he?!"

"Eh? What do you mean?" Urara blinked innocently.

"Like convincing you to take off your clothes, or trying to touch you…"

Urara tilted her head, puzzled. "Nope, nothing like that!"

"Oh, thank goodness..." King Halo sighed in relief.

"I heard some trainers are perverts. You're so cute, Urara-chan, you have to be careful not to get tricked."

"But… but… Trainer-san is so gentle, he couldn't possibly be a pervert…"

"You must always be cautious. If he ever tries anything weird, call the police right away—or tell me! I'll rush over to protect you," King Halo warned seriously.

"Okay…"

As the two Uma Musume talked, Mizuno—who'd been quietly meditating just a meter ahead—opened his eyes and stared at them wordlessly.

I feel like someone's badmouthing me.

[It's not a feeling—it's reality.]

...

Mizuno quietly observed the wavy-haired brunette Uma Musume beside Urara, quickly recognizing her identity.

Oh, it's Urara's roommate and self-appointed motherly figure, King Halo.

Honestly, Mizuno didn't mind being painted as a cautionary tale. If it helped Urara stay vigilant and safe, he considered it a contribution on his part.

In fact, since he needed to keep a safe distance from all Uma Musume anyway, King Halo's protective advice was actually doing him a favor.

Well said, King Halo.

"Good afternoon." Mizuno greeted them calmly.

"Eeek—!" King Halo jumped, startled by Mizuno's sudden appearance. Her side-ponytail shot straight upward in fright as she stared at him in shock.

Who is this?! How did he suddenly appear?! Suspicious person?!

Unlike King Halo's fright, Urara was overjoyed.

"Ah, Trainer-san! You were here all along!" Urara's face brightened happily. "See, King-chan? I told you Trainer-san could turn invisible~!"

"That's actually real?!" King Halo struggled to believe what she'd witnessed.

Yet, reluctant as she was, King Halo had no choice but to admit the black-clad man really could turn invisible.

Even worse, he'd obviously been sitting there for a while—so he'd probably heard every word she'd said about him.

Ugh, how embarrassing. Should I apologize? King Halo debated internally.

Though she knew an apology was appropriate, King Halo's pride stubbornly prevented the words from escaping. Instead, they transformed into the dignified laughter of a proud noblewoman:

"Ohohohohoho—!" King Halo laughed elegantly.

"Be grateful. You just witnessed the rare sight of [King's Panic], something others dream of seeing. So we're even now."

Mizuno: "…"