"That should be enough. If we keep running, the Trainer will start nagging again."
Yurei rested nearby, sipping a sports drink.
"Her stamina is incredible," Yurei remarked, watching Kousei.
Kousei was always the first to arrive at the training track each day, practically from dawn till dusk. Her extraordinary endurance, rigorous self-discipline, and voracious appetite had forged her into a remarkably sturdy and robust Umamusume.
As an Umamusume still in her growth phase, Kousei's height and weight were already exceptional. Few others could match her size. Compared to the optimal racing weight for most Umamusume, Kousei's physique seemed decidedly ill-suited for sprinting.
Yet Reiko showed no inclination to make Kousei slim down.
Yurei narrowed her eyes. "She's practically a monster."
Muscular, towering, and brimming with power.
When an athlete of this scale moved, it was less like running and more like a full-scale assault.
Yurei glanced at Reiko, who was recording data nearby. Is this a physical revolution? Is it her growth potential and adaptability that you're after?
"Thinking about Kousei?"
Yurei startled, caught off guard by the sudden voice.
"Since you're here, you should at least say hello properly, Trainer," Yurei said, glaring at Genbao with puffed-out cheeks.
"Sorry~ I saw you were lost in thought and couldn't resist teasing you a little."
"Ah! You really did it on purpose!"
Genbao sat down next to Yurei, their faces close enough to feel each other's breath.
"So, Master Trainer, did you find any useful information?"
"Nothing much on Kousei, but I did stumble upon something interesting."
Yurei knew her trainer well; what he called "interesting" was rarely good news.
"You've seen that report that's been flying around everywhere, right?"
"The propagator of the Gray Legend?" Genbao nodded. "The legend forged by Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross. But as far as I know, the third chapter of the Gray Legend should belong to Mejiro McQueen. The Young Lady from an elite family, who swept through her races unopposed, winning battle after battle with terrifying dominance. After her consecutive Tenno Sho victories two years ago, she firmly established herself as the Strongest Long-Distance Runner in History.
Mejiro McQueen's fame has spread throughout the world. You can't avoid hearing about her, even if you wanted to. But there's one thing I find particularly curious."
Throughout Mejiro McQueen's career, culminating in her Spring Tenno Sho victory, one Umamusume's records had been erased. From McQueen's debut race to her crowning moment, this Umamusume had always been by her side. Yet, immediately afterward, she vanished without a trace.
Rumor had it that on the day of the Spring Tenno Sho, someone who shouldn't have been there appeared at the racetrack.
"Someone who shouldn't have been there?"
"The nineteenth entrant in the race. Moreover, records from other events have also been wiped clean—the disastrous Takarazuka Kinen and the glorious Japan Cup. It's bizarre, utterly bizarre. In the latter case, even the entire race record was wiped clean."
Yurei had heard whispers about the Takarazuka Kinen—after all, its impact had been devastating. It was the day the fleeting brilliance of Agnes Tachyon faded forever.
"This is far too deliberate. It doesn't seem like something Kousei would do; she's a pure Umamusume. So it must be her management team pulling the strings. What exactly is that reporter trying to achieve by building her up like this?"
Genbao's gaze fixed on Aoi, who was snapping photos of Kousei on the training track.
"If Central wants to conceal the incident, and assuming Kousei is the Umamusume at its center, then Central's actions would benefit Kousei, who wants a fresh start. But that reporter seems determined to link Kousei to the past.
So, whether intentional or not, someone will inevitably connect Kousei to the incident. Sooner or later, the concealed past will be exposed. Can that really be considered a good thing?" Genbao struggled to comprehend.
"Perhaps it is?" Yurei murmured, her gaze drifting away. "Maybe it's meant to draw attention to certain individuals. Besides, those with a clear conscience need no defense."
Genbao pondered, "Is someone plotting something within Central?"
"How is Mejiro McQueen doing now?" Yurei asked.
"After Mejiro Ryan, she also won the Takarazuka Kinen and recently conquered the Autumn Tenno Sho, achieving a Spring-Autumn double crown. To put it bluntly, this generation is entirely dominated by Mejiro McQueen. She's inherited Tamamo Cross's legacy and now reigns as the strongest active Umamusume."
"One dominant force amidst many strong contenders..."
After many years, the White Lightning once again roared through Central's skies.
"Where's Tokai Teio? Aren't they the Twins?"
"That was just a nickname from before her debut. Tokai Teio vanished from public view after the Classic Year, and since joining the Student Council, there hasn't been a single report of her leaving. Now, Heaven and Earth have long been separated. No one compares them anymore."
Yurei gazed at Kousei with a hint of regret. "Just a year has passed, yet everything has changed. Is the tide of time truly unstoppable?"
She seemed to be speaking both to the person before her and to herself.
"I'm not sure if Kousei was the mastermind behind that incident back then. But she's so pure—to the point of being dangerous."
Yurei smiled, a trace of delight in her voice. "Yes, I know. From the moment the gate opens to the finish line, that eternal instant is the only time Kousei shows no mercy.
When she steps onto the track, she gives it her all. She pours her heart into every race. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Don't push yourself too hard."
Yurei bristled slightly. "Don't be such a wet blanket, Trainer. You'll never become a first-rate trainer with that attitude."
Genbao's eyes clouded with sadness. "I don't care about becoming a first-rate trainer. All I care about is you."
"What did you say?"
"Don't lose, my responsibility."
Yurei immediately perked up, brimming with energy. "Watch me! For Rukomachi! I'll beat Kousei!"
For... Rukomachi, of course.