WiseTL

Ophis Wants Silence [45]

“As for the investigation into the Priestess Court… from a distance, we did detect traces suggesting some kind of ritual was performed there, but without approaching directly, we can’t confirm the details. Should we advance or notify the priestesses first? I await your decision, my King.”

“Mm.”

While listening to Siduri’s report, Ophis continued tracing runes inside the temple with fingers dipped in Phantasmal Species blood, giving a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Ophis Wants Silence [44]

“Merlin, what were you thinking earlier? I may not fully understand, but surely you anticipated that saying such things would provoke King Ophis’s displeasure?”

As the three Servants stepped out of the temple, Jeanne immediately pressed her question, brows drawn tight.

“Hmm, seems the saint is quite strict, huh?”

Merlin met Jeanne’s stern look with his usual carelessness, as though nothing in the world could trouble him.

“Merlin!”

Jeanne could onl...

Ophis Wants Silence [43]

[…Your emotions are pretty unstable right now.]

“...”

Ophis didn't answer.

She knew it herself—her emotions had already fluctuated enough to risk clouding her judgment.

After all, she'd only lived a little over a century, and those hundred-odd years had been spent entirely in the Dimensional Gap, where nothing existed. Someone like her, ordinarily indifferent to everything, might seem composed at a glance, but when forc...

Ophis Wants Silence [42]

“A weapon, huh…? An incredibly fitting description, King Ophis.”

Merlin’s usual smile didn’t waver. From start to finish, no one could tell what he was actually thinking.

“Um… King Ophis, aside from Lady Enkidu, there’s another matter I haven’t had the chance to report…”

“Hm? …Ah, Siduri, relay the earlier orders first. Also, Ishtar’s behavior was strange—investigate through the Priestess Court.”

“…Understood. As you command.”

Ophis Wants Silence [41]

“Oh? So Miss Jeanne has met that Enkidu, huh?”

After Jeanne finished recounting their brief encounter, Merlin clapped his hands together, clearly intrigued.

“Yes. Based on the soldiers' reports afterward, the opponent’s appearance matches that of ‘Enkidu.’”

“Then, Miss Jeanne! Do you believe that Enkidu is the real one?”

“Ah, well, I’ve never met the original Lady Enkidu, so I can’t really say.”

Faced with Siduri suddenly leaning in clos...

Naruto: Freeloading is Great! 2 [40]

“Ladies and gentlemen, each person here surely has a very, very important question they wish to ask one of us. Therefore, to avoid the tragedy we just experienced, and also to prevent our minds from spiraling into chaos once again… I hereby announce: The Hoshino Residence Roundtable Conference is now—”

Hoshino, sitting at the head of the dining table, spoke solemnly. But before he could finish, Naruto raised a hand and interrupted.

“Wait! I still don’t fully understand...

Naruto: Freeloading is Great! 2 [39]

A bizarre scene. Absolutely no idea how things devolved into this.

Just as Hoshino was preparing to team up with Sakura-bro and chase off the SasuNaru duo, someone else rushed into the room from outside.

“What nonsense are you talking about, ‘lover’? I can’t just pretend I didn’t hear that—because Hoshino’s lover is me!”

“Eh??” ×4

It wasn’t just Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura-bro who were stunned by Hinata’s words; Hoshino himself was equally dumbf...

Naruto: Freeloading is Great! 2 [38]

“Ohoho, so this is where my darling lives now.”

Hidden at the corner of a residential building, Sakura-bro laughed triumphantly.

Sasuke and Naruto wanted to stop Hoshino from degenerating, but of course, he was the first to disagree.

If it weren’t for the fact he couldn’t defeat Walking Wallet, he would have already snatched that withdrawal form and handed it over to Iruka.

But it was fine. As long as he joined forces with Hoshino, everything would go smoothly....

Naruto: Freeloading is Great! 2 [37]

A small apartment, simply decorated.

The kitchen, toilet, bathroom, and living room each had clearly separated areas, and most importantly, there were two bedrooms.

Compared to this new home, their previous cheap rental place was basically a garbage dump.

Normally, moving was a huge hassle because furniture was heavy.

But for Hoshino and Naruto, each carrying nothing more than a medium-sized backpack, the move was effortlessly completed...

“All our possessions ...

Naruto: Freeloading is Great! 2 [36]

Knocked unconscious by an Uchiha’s glare, knocked out by the Hyūga clan, scared unconscious by the Hokage’s man, knocked out by Kakashi, then electrocuted unconscious by Kakashi again... In half a day's time, Hoshino had fainted a total of five times.

How terribly long... How could so many things happen when even one full day hadn’t passed yet?

Was this the difference between having a busy day and a lazy one?

Already exhausted in both body and spirit, Hoshino stubborn...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [258]

The next day, Trainer Mizuno arrived at a secret Tracen Academy facility hidden deep in the city outskirts.

Amid a thick, green forest rose towering concrete walls, easily over ten meters high, enclosing a vast compound. Beneath those walls, Umas in Tracen uniforms patrolled with sharp eyes, guarding the gates and keeping intruders out.

Officially, Tracen called this place a “special training camp.” In truth, it was the “Special Education Facility”—a disciplinary center ...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [257]

“One... one week?!”

Mizuno stared at Agnes Tachyon and Tanino Gimlet, utterly dumbfounded.

One week?! That wasn’t a deadline—it was a death sentence! He hadn’t even seen Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka yet, let alone analyzed their mental state. Observation alone would take days—by the time he figured anything out, it’d be too late!

“Could you at least give me more time? Maybe a month...?” he pleaded.

“No way!” Gimlet cut him off, arms crossed an...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [256]

Who knows how long had passed before Trainer Mizuno’s consciousness finally clawed its way back from a feverish nightmare—one where he was endlessly Uma Pyoi’d by two horse girls under flashing disco lights.

When his mind finally surfaced, his whole body felt like it had been wrung dry.

“Where... is this?”

Blinking against the dim light, Mizuno found himself in a cramped concrete room, his wrists and ankles lashed tight with coarse hemp rope. His back leaned agains...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [255]

“Temporary Butler-san, how does this one look?”

Stepping out of the fitting room, Mejiro McQueen approached Mizuno and gave a graceful twirl.

She wore a sky-blue ballroom gown, the sleeveless cut revealing her smooth white shoulders. The flowing, translucent skirt shimmered like a stream of starlight, faintly tracing the outline of her long legs. Compared to her earlier casual outfit, this one exuded the poise and elegance of a true noble lady.

“Hmm...” Mizuno studie...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [254]

“Oh, right, temporary butler-san...” After handing her handbag to Trainer Mizuno, Mejiro McQueen seemed to recall something.

“Half an hour ago, when you called me, it showed an unknown number. Did you change your phone?”

“Ah, that...” Mizuno slung her handbag over his shoulder and replied honestly, “I accidentally broke my phone, so I can’t contact anyone right now. The call earlier—I just borrowed a stranger’s phone.”

“Oh? You can’t contact anyone....

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [253]

“A temporary butler?” Mizuno blinked in surprise. He’d only planned to trade a few Honey Drinks for some quick cash—he hadn’t expected McQueen to hit him with a full-blown job offer.

He started to lift his head, then froze. From this angle, looking up would give him a very improper view. Awkwardly, he shuffled backward before rising, then crouched again so he was eye level with McQueen.

Now the two of them were squatting close together, whispering like they were...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [252]

After fleeing the mountains and forests, Mizuno finally managed to flag down a passing car. He emptied his pockets, scraped together just enough for the fare, and begged the driver to take him back to the city.

Standing on the sidewalk of a bustling shopping street, he stared blankly at a mobile phone store nearby. Reaching into his empty pockets, he felt a wave of unease.

People say money can’t buy everything—but without money, you can’t buy anything.

Right now, Mizun...

Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [251]

“Eh?” El Condor Pasa blinked, completely lost as her dad rambled on.

If that earlier line—“from now on, the three of us are family”—had been weird but still kind of understandable, this whole “for the sake of the family, we need lots of kids” thing was on a whole other level of nonsense.

Was this that old-fashioned pressure to get married young?

But she was still in middle school! Wasn’t that, like, way too early for talk about marriage?!<...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [224]

“Is that so, Donna-san? This time, I won’t lose to you.”

“Let’s wait until you manage to beat me even once before saying that, Almond Eye-san. I don’t do loans for championships—and you wouldn’t want your victory to come that way, would you?”

So then… why exactly had things turned out like this?

Gotham Song looked at the two Uma Musume before her, locked in a fiery stare so close their eyes all but sparked. For a moment, she didn’t know what reaction to...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [223]

Beneath her knees was the clear sensation of soft soil and grass.

Alright, truthfully it wasn't actually that soft. Although it wasn't obvious at first glance, when both knees pressed down slowly due to the weight of the girl lying on her lap, Gotham Song could still distinctly feel the hard feedback coming from beneath the grass.

Facing such a situation, Gotham Song could only sigh helplessly. How should she put it?

Back when she occasionally trained in Europe—especially ...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [222]

Acting swiftly was always Gotham Song's best virtue.

Well, occasionally there were moments when she'd hesitate and back down—but how to put it? Those weren’t because she didn’t want to act; rather, they were instinctive self-restraints triggered by the sense that doing so would genuinely put her life in danger.

In any case, faced with such a peaceful decision, Gotham Song naturally had no reason to hesitate. She quickly sought out Almond Eye, whom she'd seen only yesterday, ...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [221]

The Wolfpack strategy… So, URA is seriously thinking of giving Almond Eye a supporting player on the track, someone to face all the other challenges, just to let Almond Eye clinch more first-place finishes…?

This is absurdity pushed beyond all limits…!

For the first time ever, Gotham Song experienced the feeling of being so furious she could almost laugh.

Even back then, when she first learned just how far URA had debased Twilight Song’s reputation, she hadn’t reac...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [220]

Since she was seeking external help, the person she chose would naturally need to have a deep understanding of the URA.

They’d also need a solid grasp of the local situation in Japan. Among Gotham Song’s social network, who would fit these criteria best?

Of course, her first thought was naturally her elder sister, Mejiro Ramonu. Unfortunately, though Gotham Song immediately went to check her sister’s status, she quickly learned that Ramonu wasn’t even at home.

Accord...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [219]

Almond Eye was obviously fighting all alone—or rather, the entire racing atmosphere in Japan actually encouraged Uma Musume to fight alone.

After ending the call with Secretariat, Gotham Song immediately returned to Mejiro Manor, went straight to her room, and began collecting all the relevant information.

Indeed, she’d always simply combined the basics she'd learned from textbooks and what she’d been taught by Dancing Brave, then applied her own race experience to help the ...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [218]

Of course, getting back on one’s feet wasn’t such a simple or easy thing, but at the very least, Gotham Song once again saw the spark of hope return to Almond Eye’s previously half-dead eyes.

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel that Almond Eye’s current smile seemed to harbor a hint of bad intentions… Was it just her imagination?

Gotham Song couldn’t figure it out, and Almond Eye wasn’t planning to give her any time to ponder it, either—now that she'd regained her sp...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [217]

How should she describe this?

As an Uma Musume racer, what could be the most awkward situation imaginable in one’s professional life?

Was it carrying off your defeated opponent from the racecourse, forced to endure whatever vengeance she might unleash upon you later that night, completely unable to resist—or perhaps losing the race yourself and then being embraced and whisked away privately by your own opponent to be comforted?

Both scenarios sounded terribly embarrassin...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [216]

As expected, Gotham Song could already picture tomorrow’s newspaper headlines.

Miss Gentildonna dominates completely, Almond Eye utterly defenseless?!

Well, headlines like that were bound to appear. Even if they didn’t, Gotham Song wouldn’t take responsibility for it—after all, it wasn’t like she was the one editing such sensational things.

But still, the fierce battle at the end of the race moments ago… really was something.

Gotham Song still vivi...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [215]

Completely backed into a corner.

Even though Gentildonna hadn’t given any direct signal, Almond Eye clearly realized her disadvantage from the moment Gentildonna accelerated.

The Uma Musume now racing in front of her was graceful, fierce, without even a shred of hesitation. Even the wind stirred violently around her galloping figure.

Almond Eye gritted her teeth. The current situation had an eerie sense of familiarity, didn’t it? It was exactly like the previous race at ...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [214]

Japanese Oaks.

As the afternoon sun shone warmly upon the historic Tokyo Racecourse, all the spectators fell into a deep state of anticipation—after all, they'd gathered here precisely to see the Uma Musume they admired.

Of course, the most passionate among these spectators weren’t even in the stands at this moment; they had long gathered on either side of the path, eagerly waiting for their favorite Uma Musume to appear before them, stepping proudly onto the stage.

Natu...

Only One Year Left—I'll Become a Legendary Uma Musume! 2 [213]

So… just why did things turn out like this?

When Gotham Song woke up in Gentildonna’s arms the next morning, she still hadn’t fully processed everything. She kept replaying yesterday’s events—especially the details from last night—but after pondering for a long while without finding any good explanation, all she could do was let out a long, helpless sigh.

How could she describe her current feelings?

It was like her own child had finally grown up—that sort of st...