The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

Just as Xiu Xingmeng was struggling with her decision, the system's mechanical notification sounded again.

"Please select the attributes to inherit back to the real world."

Although her tone remained icy and devoid of emotion, Xiu Xingmeng inexplicably sensed a hint of urging in it.

Putting aside her worries for the moment, Xiu Xingmeng looked at the panel and spoke to the system.

"I choose to inherit the spirit and speed."

As the root attribute with the highest overall value, its choice is naturally beyond question.

Xiu Xingmeng chose speed because of the reward she received when she completed the second stage of the mission.

That tool that could simultaneously accelerate the training of endurance and strength might not have been very useful back then, but it would be extremely useful now. Xiu Xingmeng can use that tool to reach her limit even faster.

There aren't many convenient tools available for speed-up.

After considering all these factors, Xiu Xingmeng chose Root and Speed ​​as the attributes she wanted to inherit.

After she finished speaking, the system panel flashed but there was no change. It seems that the changes felt from the inherited attributes can only be experienced after returning to reality.

Just as Xiu Xingmeng was about to use the Skill Awakening Scroll to improve her concentration, the system issued another notification sound.

"Entering the future of the script world."

Before Xiu Xingmeng could even process the meaning of those words, her vision went black and she lost consciousness once more.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Phantom Horse Girl

Some say it was a golden age that produced many legendary racehorse girls with exceptional talent.

Whether it's the special week where they defended their dignity in the Japan Cup, or the holy halo of finally going all out to become G1 Racehorse Girls, they will all become legends recorded in history.

Not to mention the one who debuted only a year later than them, yet achieved an unprecedented year-round undefeated record, becoming the reigning champion of opera at the end of the century.

Those who loved Uma Musume Pretty Derby and witnessed it firsthand will probably never forget this generation.

But besides these racehorse girls destined to be remembered in history, there is another special racehorse girl in this generation.

She possesses the same bloodline as the Holy King's Aura, and before the Holy King's Aura awakened, she had already borne the glory of a first-class figure. Since her debut, she has never been defeated, and powerful female warriors of the same era, such as Orihime and Naritaji, have always been suppressed by her.

And then there's the legendary Satsuki Sho, which decisively defeated the late-century Hayao Miyazaki in an unprecedented confrontation.

This racehorse girl will surely write more glorious chapters for herself in the future.

That's what all the viewers thought back then.

As if the heavens were jealous of her talent, this racehorse girl suddenly announced that she was hospitalized due to injury after the Satsuki Sho, and suspended her activities. The audience waited anxiously, hoping that this racehorse girl would be able to return to the track one day.

But all that everyone waited for was a pale and lifeless eulogy.

Saima Niang Xiuxingmeng died due to severe injuries and illness.

Xiu Xingmeng clenched her fist in confusion as she reopened her eyes, feeling a sense of unreality.

Through her translucent hand, Xiu Xingmeng could even see the sky on the other side.

"A ghost...?"

She muttered to herself with some confusion, Xiu Xingmeng really couldn't understand why the system would make her return to this world in this form after the script mission was over.

“A-Meng…”

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind Xiu Xingmeng. She turned around instinctively, and a familiar golden figure appeared before her eyes.

It was Narita Road. Her appearance was no different from Xiu Xingmeng's memory, except that her expression was a little lonely.

"Can you see me?"

Xiu Xingmeng was pleasantly surprised. Although she didn't know why, she felt that it was a good thing to be able to say goodbye to her friend.

But Narita-ro acted as if he hadn't heard, and walked straight through Hideyuki's body.

"Eh?"

Only then did Xiu Xingmeng realize to observe her surroundings. Beneath the leaves fluttering in the wind, the cicadas chirped restlessly. Amidst their chirping, rows of stones were neatly arranged like buildings. This was a cemetery.

As for Narita Road, it was naturally being addressed to the inscription on the tombstone, "Embroidered Star Dream."

"Wow——"

When Narita arrived at the tombstone, she moved her lips but couldn't utter a single word; tears streamed down her face like a spring.

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Xiu Xingmeng suddenly remembered a conversation she had with Narita Lu. At that time, she asked Narita Lu what he would do if he lost G1, and Narita Lu's answer was that he would cry.

"Are you a little kid?"

Looking at the sobbing Narita, Xiu Xingmeng smiled helplessly and responded to her with the same words once again.

Extending her semi-transparent hands, Xiu Xingmeng slowly and steadily stroked Naritaji's head and whispered.

"But she's still so gentle."

After an unknown amount of time, Narita, exhausted from crying, closed her eyes beside the tombstone, her head tilted slightly as if leaning on something.

"Tap tap tap."

The sun had slowly set, and the afterglow of the sunset cast fluttering shadows on the leaves and the tombstone. Just as Xiu Xingmeng was worrying about how to wake Cheng Tianlu so that she wouldn't catch a cold, a sound of footsteps came from afar.

Looking up, Xiu Xingmeng discovered that the person who came was none other than the woman he admired, Zhi Ji.

Arriving at the tombstone, Orihime, who had been admiring him, looked at Naritaji and sighed softly. After helping her up, she prepared to leave.

But she hadn't walked more than a few steps when she suddenly turned around. Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously looked to both sides, thinking there were still people nearby.

Ai Mu opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn't say anything for a long time, as if she felt that she was not qualified to say those words.

It was only then that Xiu Xingmeng realized from the look in Zhi Ji's eyes that she had been staring at the tombstone, not at herself who had become a ghost.

"We will come to see you again."

Finally, after swallowing her previous words, all that Orihime could say was this bland and indifferent remark.

As a friend, Narita can freely vent his grief, but what identity will Aimo Orihime have when she stands before the tombstone?

Even though she once saw a resemblance between herself and Xiu Xingmeng because of their similarities, in reality, their only interaction was during the competition.

Throughout the entire process, Ai Mu Zhi Ji never revealed her feelings to Xiu Xing Meng.

So now, having no status whatsoever, she naturally has no right to utter the words hidden in her heart.

Watching the two figures gradually disappear into the distance, Xiu Xingmeng silently waved her hand. Although she knew that her farewell could not be conveyed to the other person, she still wanted to do so.

After Narita and Orihime left, the cemetery returned to its usual quiet state.

Bored, Xiu Xingmeng wanted to wander around to kill time, but found that her activity space seemed to be only about fifty meters away from the tombstone.

"It's not an ordinary ghost."

"Is this a bound spirit?"

Xiu Xingmeng joked about herself, even though no one would respond to her anymore.

In the end, she returned to her spot, looked at the small tombstone in front of her, and muttered to herself while resting her cheek on her hand.

"If there is anything more bizarre in the world than attending one's own funeral."

"Then you must have seen your own tombstone with your own eyes."

As Xiu Xingmeng spoke, she poked at the black and white photo, but all she could see was her finger going through the stone tablet and into it.

Before we knew it, even the setting sun had fallen below the horizon, and the bright, cool moon slowly rose.

"How much longer am I supposed to stay here?"

Bored, Xiu Xingmeng counted the leaves on the leaves above her head and muttered to herself. She didn't even dare to count too fast, as that would be too extravagant.

"Long wait!"

As if in response to Xiu Xingmeng's words, a familiar, high-pitched voice came from afar.

Xiu Xingmeng glanced at the person who had come and saw that it was indeed a fine opera.

Unlike Narita and Orihime, this guy brought a bunch of miscellaneous things with him.

"I still really don't understand what you're thinking."

Watching the wonderful opera, Xiu Xingmeng suddenly laughed.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Nemesis is a Nemesis

The moonlight poured down like water over the silent cemetery, casting a silver outline on each tombstone.

Xiu Xingmeng sat on her own tombstone, her translucent legs gently swaying. She rested her chin on her hand and watched as the opera was set up with that messy pile of things.

After a flurry of activity, Hao Opera finally laid out the carpet, took out a bottle labeled "Plum Wine" and a pair of wine glasses, poured the wine, and then addressed the audience.

"The saying that those who can discuss heroes over wine are all true kings is also recorded in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms!"

"Are you even an adult yet, and you're already drinking?"

Sitting on her own tombstone, Xiu Xingmeng said helplessly, but she soon noticed that the character for "wine" on the bottle was written crookedly and was obviously added later with a black marker.

"You even changed someone else's product name, are you a naughty child?"

Of course, a good opera wouldn't hear Xiu Xingmeng's ramblings, she said while sipping her plum juice, feigning appreciation.

"Naritaji, who admires Orihime, is so powerful that he could be called a hero."

After asking the question, she immediately adopted a serious expression and lowered her voice to answer it herself.

"No, no, that's just ordinary G1 level talent. Strong players can manage, but heroes are still far from it!"

As she spoke, she mimicked the gestures from the TV series.

"The raging torrent of a famous general, the earth-shattering outburst at the Takarazuka Memorial, can he be called a hero?"

"The raging waves are too weak; they have the ability but lack the will to win. This is unacceptable!"

"Forest Treasure Trove, winning the derby and defeating the overlord within a year, can one be called a hero?"

"The wish for the Forest Treasure Cave has been fulfilled, but after the Emperor's Spring Appreciation was defeated by Manchester City at the Tea House, his spirits have faded and he no longer has the look of a champion. No, no!"

Good opera is a dialogue with itself, sometimes frowning and asking questions, sometimes laughing heartily. The moonlight casts a long shadow of her, as if this empty and deserted night has become a stage that belongs only to her.

"Then, which hero in the world can do it?"

Her voice suddenly lowered, and she raised her wine glass, staring intently ahead with her deep purple eyes.

"It's just you and me."

The plum juice splashed into the air, landing on Xiu Xingmeng's calf but simply passing right through it.

After saying this, Good Opera remained silent for a long time. Her eyes were lowered, and her once vibrant horse ears fell listlessly on her head. Her short, orange-red hair, which shone like the sun, appeared somewhat lonely under the moonlight.

Xiu Xingmeng had never seen such a wonderful opera.

In her memory, a good opera singer is full of vigor and confidence, and can still smile freely even when facing great pressure, as if she is a true overlord who cannot be defeated by anything.

However, the one sitting in front of Xiu Xingmeng now is not some overlord.

She's just a girl.

After a long while, Good Opera finally spoke again, but her voice had become hoarse for some reason.

"At the Arima Memorial Ritual, I finally understood the last thing you said to me."

"No victory is ever a given."

"I didn't understand back then, so I lost to you who had a stronger will."

"but……"

She suddenly bit her lower lip, and Xiu Xingmeng could see her shoulders trembling slightly.

"I understand what you're saying, but why can't I stand beside you under the same sky anymore?"

The opera singer's voice was intermittent, seemingly containing a hint of sob, but with her head bowed, Xiu Xingmeng couldn't see her expression and therefore couldn't discern it.

"Run with me again..."

"It's just a matter of winning or losing once..."

"That shouldn't be the end between us."

She rested her head against the stone tablet, as if resting it against Xiu Xingmeng's chest.

"Only you are qualified to be the Overlord's nemesis."