The phone vibrated on the table, causing him to open his eyes with some annoyance. He had barely slept last night and wasn't feeling quite right. Stretching out his arm to pick up the phone, he glanced at the notification that appeared for a moment. It wasn't a call, it was a message.
Hayate sat on the edge of the bed as he looked at the phone. He didn't look at the sender right away. He knew who the number on the screen belonged to even though he didn't have it saved: his landlord, who had sent him a single message.
[Hey, this month is up. Rent ¥45,000 urgently].
Just seeing the number was enough to make his chest feel like it had been hit with a dull thud. He clenched his teeth in annoyance as he breathed to calm himself down. This was a problem he was already familiar with.
He counted the money, doing it with the mechanics of someone who does it every day, coins separated into piles, bills folded, each one separated so that if he lost count, he wouldn't have to start from scratch. He looked for a place to put it and placed everything on the desk while counting it out loud in a low voice.
-500, 800, 850, 900, 950...
-1,000, 2,010, 5,020...
6,220 yen in total. It wasn't enough for the 45,000. He was still far from being able to ask to pay part now and the rest later.
He sighed as he sat down heavily in the chair, rubbing his forehead as he thought about what options he had at that moment.
If he couldn't get into Tracen, there were still other ways to keep moving and earn money, not all of them clean, honorable, or easy, but not all of them impossible either.
"maybe he could apply to other schools, although the enrollment period had already ended at most of them. He could try to enroll as a late student, but his grades weren't the best for that either..." sighing deeply, he almost collapsed as he analyzed his options. If he couldn't secure a place at a school to run and earn money, he would have to take on simpler jobs.
After a quick shower, he left with his backpack on his shoulder, wearing simple casual clothes. He didn't really know where to start looking, but he made sure to at least try to look presentable.
_____________________
He walked through streets he knew by heart, past various storefronts and cafes, and an old sign for a convenience store that had been hanging there for so long that he forgot when it had been put up. He had to navigate through the crowds of people coming and going in order to move forward.
First stop, a neighborhood café.
It had a glass door and a sticky floor, along with the aroma of reheated coffee. Hayate asked about job openings, and they took his information with automatic politeness.
"We'll call you," said the woman behind the counter. "But right now we're fully staffed."
They didn't ask him for money or his story, just some paperwork. He bowed his head slightly and nodded in understanding, took out the piece of paper where he had written his name and number, and put it in his pocket. He didn't really expect them to call.
He kept walking for a while, watching the cars go by and the occasional one rushing to pick up their loved ones. As he watched, he asked around at different businesses. The convenience store where he had once worked during the summers didn't have any openings either.
"We've filled all the shifts," said the manager without looking up.
The municipal gym, where he thought he might find something related to his physical condition, looked at his file and shook his head gently.
"Sorry, we prefer to hire staff with training experience, besides..." added the receptionist, in a voice that tried to be friendly but didn't quite succeed, "we don't usually accept people who don't have insurance or formal registration."
With each sentence, Hayate wanted to let out a deep sigh, but he just listened and nodded as he had done at the other businesses. "I understand, sorry to bother you."
With each rejection, his pocket felt lighter. Not because of the weight of the money, but because of the sum of small "no's."
He wandered aimlessly down a minor avenue. He stopped at a traffic light, and while waiting for the few cars passing by to stop, his eyes wandered to a pole covered with flyers.
Most were concert announcements, language course posters, or beauty salon promotions asking you to buy or call a specific number, but one caught his attention among them all.
It wasn't pretty, to be honest, nor did it seek to attract attention with bright colors, and it was quite direct.
IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
STRENGTH AND DISCRETION
NO PAPERWORK, NO QUESTIONS 👍
The paper was thicker than the others, the ink was faded from age, and at the bottom was an address and hours of operation, along with a number for anyone who wanted to come in.
He tore it off without thinking because the light changed and he had to cross the street.
He folded it four times and put it in his backpack.
He walked until evening, looking for different businesses where, when he asked about job openings, he only got similar answers. With a sigh, he looked at the time, realizing how late it was and how the sun was beginning to set. The signs lit up, the yellow lights of the shops took over, and the trash on some corners began to smell different.
Taking it out of his backpack, he looked at the flyer in his hand again when there was almost no one left on the street.
"I still can't find anywhere to work, even part-time or full-time," he sighed again, thinking of his mother, of the dishes he hadn't wanted to leave half-done, of the landlord who wouldn't wait forever to collect his rent as soon as he saw him back.
He looked at the flyer again, this time at the address it gave. He realized it wasn't in a busy area, but rather somewhere more remote than usual, on a side street that few people walked down unless they had a clear reason to or lived nearby.
He decided to go and see it. If something was calling him, he'd rather see it with his own eyes than leave empty-handed.
_____________________
"Is it really here?" Hayate asked himself, checking the address again for the third time. The street was dirty with trash bags that no one had picked up in a while, and the few streetlights shone with yellowish light. Added to that, it was nighttime, and only the street and its surroundings were visible.
The smell was noticeable. For an uma, the nuances were broader: old sweat, iron, a trace of alcohol, and something burnt. Walking where the flyer said, he entered an alley where, almost at the end, he could see an old, somewhat rusty metal door, half open with noises coming from inside.
He approached silently, pushing the door open and entering while looking around. He squinted a little as he got used to the light, and when he did, he stood still for a moment.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. a ring made of wood and beams with several ropes worn from continuous use, an audience of both humans and umamusume (although mostly humans) crowded around without formal bleachers but with quite a few seats. The lights were spotlights brought in at the last minute, while the sound of the place was punches, muffled screams, and music from several speakers placed around the large room.
Inside the ring, two figures collided chest to chest. It wasn't elegant; they fought with pure force, two umamusume fighting each other.
The first umamusume received a blow that knocked her back a few feet, before recovering and throwing a punch at the second one's face, which she managed to block, although the force of the blow made her stagger back for a moment. The first umamusume took advantage of this to lunge at her and deliver another blow to her chest, sending her over the ropes and to the ground, where she did not get up as she was unconscious.
(I had forgotten how strong umas are compared to normal humans. I have that strength too, don't I? Although I've never put it to the test), thought Hayate, looking at the unconscious uma.
There was loud applause from the audience, both positive and negative comments, some supporting the victorious umamusume who smiled at her win, while others lamented the loss of the other. Hayate even swore he heard someone complain that they lost the last 1,500 yen ($10) they bet on the loser.
People on the sidelines watched with a mixture of curiosity, calculation, and amusement. Some patted their pockets to make sure they still had money to bet, while others hung their heads because they had not made a profit from this fight.
He stopped at the edge. Some noticed his arrival but didn't pay much attention, focusing again on the ring where another pair of umamusumes were climbing up to fight. It was what he had been waiting for as he watched the previous two being treated.
The first Umamusume received a blow that knocked her back a few feet, before recovering and throwing a punch at the second one's face, which she managed to block, although the force of the blow caused her to stagger back for a moment. The first umamusume took advantage of this to lunge at her and deliver another blow to her chest, sending her over the ropes and to the ground, where she did not get up as she was knocked unconscious.
(I had forgotten how strong umas are compared to normal humans. I have that strength too, don't I? Although I've never put it to the test), thought Hayate, looking at the unconscious uma.
There was loud applause from the audience, both positive and negative comments, some supporting the victorious Umamusume who smiled at her win, while others lamented the loss of the other. Hayate even swore he heard someone complain that they lost the last 1,500 yen ($10) they bet on the loser.
People on the sidelines watched with a mixture of curiosity, calculation, and amusement. Some patted their pockets to make sure they still had money to bet, while others hung their heads because they had not made a profit from this fight.
He stopped at the edge. Some noticed his arrival but didn't pay much attention, focusing again on the ring where another pair of Umamusumes were climbing up to fight. It was what he had been waiting for as he watched the previous two being treated.
His ears moved from side to side, picking up voices, his eyes darting back and forth as he watched them concentrate, controlling their breathing, as they came at each other, the way their energy compacted into a fist, the way they bent their knees to take the impact and return it.
He felt a slight respect for them as he stepped back a little when one of them almost collided with the ropes on his side, although he had a smile on his face, standing up straight as he struck a pose and lunged at the other, who responded in kind. He looked around, noticing that most eyes were completely focused on the fight.
When someone approached Hayate, he was alert for a moment before calming down. It was an older man in a gray T-shirt, with weathered hands, a calm gaze, and a voice that showed emotion.
"First time here?" asked the man, looking Hayate up and down, analyzing him.
Hayate nodded in response to the question. "Yes, is it that obvious?" he said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Ho ho ho, I recognize most of the people who come through here, young man. If you're interested, we need more people, but don't glorify this. There are still dangers," said the man, pointing to the ring where both fighters had been knocked back by a powerful blow.
"You could get injured, lose some teeth, you might be out of the public eye for a while, and if you bleed too much, I'll charge you for the trouble," he continued, emphasizing the last point. Hayate already knew why he was saying it.
"We pay after the fight and ask no questions."
The man said they would accept him if he decided to do it. He laid out the rules and the costs. Hayate listened and looked around again, watching as a guy helped his partner put bandages on her arms and fists, seeing the uma who, between rounds, clenched her jaw and breathed like someone paying the bar tab after a night out with friends, seeing that Umamusume from the first encounter wiping the blood off herself with a towel.
"Don't accept the first fight if you don't want to," added the man. "You can train, get used to the canvas, you can fight for minimum pay, or you can also watch and bet on those who go up there, winning or losing money with the latter."
"I understand, thank you for the offer, I'll think about it before I decide," said Hayate with a slight bow to the man.
"Don't worry, the offer still stands for when you return, if you do, just make sure you decide correctly." - The man smiled and said goodbye when Hayate nodded and turned to leave, walking out of the alleyway, taking a deep breath after what had happened and sighing. He returned home, holding his breath. On the one hand, he still had the ring in mind, the curiosity of that place; on the other, the advice of the same man.
As he returned, he continued looking for work until the city began to doze off. Nothing. He showed up at places where people looked at him and looked for excuses to end up rejecting him anyway. With his thoughts scattered, he returned home to lie down on his bed. Although it took him a while to fall asleep, he managed to do so, earlier than the day before.
_____________________
The street was still empty, so Hayate just kept going straight until he entered that door. He looked around. There were more people, more strange voices among the sound of blows.
"So you're back, a little faster than I expected, young man," he heard from the side, which made him jump and cover himself until he realized it was the same man from yesterday.
"Yes, I... I considered many options, and I decided to accept your offer," said Hayate, lying somewhat, as he didn't have many other options.
"Wonderful! I hope you like the place, but before that, please come with me so we can take your measurements," said the man, pointing to the back and walking slowly. Hayate looked at him curiously.
"Measurements?"
"Of course, did you think you could just go up there and fight anyone you come across?"
Hayate was silent for a moment because he really thought that would be the case.
"I see. Don't worry, that only happens in fights without rules, and here we are more... permissive. We'll just record your height and weight," said the man, pointing to a separate room where there was a scale, a stadiometer, and other devices that Hayate didn't know what they were for.
"Please take off your shoes and step on the scale to be measured," said the man, sitting down to one side while Hayate took off his shoes, letting them fall with a thud on the horseshoes. As he stepped on the scale, another person entered the room, specifically a purple-haired Umamusume who looked at him for a moment before looking at the man.
"Is he joining too?" she said in a somewhat disappointed voice.
"Ah, who is she?" asked Hayate, confused by what the woman said.
"Don't discourage him, Nene. We just need his weight and height," said the man.
"Fine, Kanzaki," with a sigh directed at the man, the woman now recognized as Nene approached Hayate to look at him for a moment before checking the weight on the scale, then had him stand on the stadiometer to measure his height.
"Weight, height without ears," Nene murmured as she wrote the results in a notebook, then gave him a provisional number.
A voice spoke in his ear as he was putting his shoes back on, about to leave.
"Kid, keep in mind that if you take it, it's not for fun. We pay for rounds, we pay for endurance, and most importantly, we pay to win. so if you plan to fight, aim to win. And with that out of the way, let me introduce myself. I'm Kanzaki Jirō (神崎 次郎). The person who registered you earlier was Kisaragi Nene (如月 寧々), our trusted doctor. Might I know your name, young man?" said Kanzaki, switching from a serious tone to his usual smile as he extended his hand.
Hayate pondered his response for a brief moment. He could say no, that he would look for another alternative, that he could earn money in a safer way than by working exhausting shifts in stores at dawn, but the answers he had received during the day had taught him something: the world doesn't always offer second chances. Sometimes the first is the only one.
He looked at Kanzaki's outstretched hand and reached out to shake it. "Hayate Kurogane, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kanzaki," he said, his voice steady as he looked him in the eye.
"My pleasure, young Hayate. I hope you don't regret this decision later, but I also hope you achieve great things here," Kanzaki smiled, releasing his handshake as he handed him a small plastic square with the number 137 on it and a roll of bandages.
"This is your final warning," Kanzaki said once more. "If you destroy yourself, you'll have to pay the price. The number is your fighter number. It's easier to manage them all that way, easy for others to remember and look up."
Hayate nodded with a slight smile, looking at both objects as he put them in his backpack and stood up. With a final thank you to Kanzaki, he left the alley.
He walked back home with the feeling that something in him had changed. It wasn't big, much less triumphant, just the certainty that he had made a decision that would force him to pay some kind of price in the future.
The landlord's message remained unanswered, while the crumpled flyer with its fold was tucked away in his backpack.
Before going to sleep, he looked at his reflection, seeing his face again. He had a determined look, or so he thought as he lay down to fall asleep again.
Although he had not managed to get into Tracen nor could he race on the main tracks, he was determined to achieve his goal one way or another.