Jade kept her eyes fixed on McQueen as she steadily drew closer.
"McQueen, race me."
McQueen's reaction was a beat too slow. "Now?"
"That's right."
Jade's expression was dead serious, her body trembling slightly as if in anticipation of the coming race.
But McQueen's next words poured cold water on her excitement.
"I'm truly sorry, but my physical condition isn't very good. Even though I'm working hard on rehabilitation, I haven't reached competitive form yet."
Jade was stunned. She hadn't known about McQueen's periostitis.
"Is it serious?" Jade asked tentatively.
"It's basically a 'fatal wound.' I've always been lucky, though. Heaven seems willing to give me one more chance."
"Then, after you've recovered..." Jade began, intending to say they should race immediately once McQueen was healed. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught Kousei looking at McQueen with an indescribable expression. Perhaps because McQueen's attention was entirely on Jade, she hadn't noticed Kousei's gaze.
The sight made Jade swallow the rest of her words. McQueen's condition was terrible, and Kousei was in no better shape. They might both have only one chance left. If they were to race again, that final race would undoubtedly be dedicated to each other.
There's an old saying in the Eastern Lands: A gentleman does not take what others hold dear.
Although Jade desperately wanted to race McQueen, she knew McQueen would never agree to it.
"Then forget it. What a shame," Jade muttered, turning to leave. Her abrupt departure surprised McQueen slightly.
"I thought she'd throw a bit of a tantrum. I didn't expect her to be so straightforward."
Kousei was also taken aback. "The Jade I know would have thrown a tantrum."
Still, both Kousei and McQueen could tell Jade was unhappy. Now, only Sweep remained. Leo mentioned a location where she claimed to have seen magic, and the Little Witch immediately cast aside her current mood, her excitement soaring.
Leo felt utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically. She'd rather run the Kikuka Sho twice than look after these two.
"Yo, everyone's here," Black Bullet said casually, strolling over with her hands in her pockets.
Kousei and Leo glanced at her and said in unison, "You look awfully relaxed."
"You two look so miserable. I guess you're not having as easy a time as I am," Black Bullet replied with complete nonchalance.
"Is Palmer's training going well?" McQueen asked first.
"Oh, it's going great, really great. Speedstar and Palmer are an incredible match. Palmer is truly a Mejiro—even though she says discouraging things like, 'I'm nowhere near McQueen's level,' she's actually incredibly competitive. She's different from any Mejiro we've seen before. Don't be too surprised when you see her race."
So far, Palmer's training seemed to be the smoothest. That wasn't entirely unexpected; the Mejiros had always been reliable.
"Has Palmer decided which race she'll enter?" Kousei asked.
"She has. Palmer is aiming for the Takarazuka Memorial."
The Takarazuka Memorial?! McQueen was startled but kept her expression neutral.
Black Bullet continued, "Palmer keeps saying the Takarazuka Memorial is important and that she won't yield this race to anyone."
As she spoke, Black Bullet deliberately glanced at McQueen, who glared back fiercely. Black Bullet's grin nearly split her face, but knowing McQueen was thin-skinned, she refrained from teasing her further.
"What about Sweep?" Kousei asked next.
Leo, looking as if she'd just recovered from a shock, replied, "The Witch seems to want the Autumn Tenno Sho."
"The Autumn Tenno Sho?" Kousei was surprised. "I thought Sweep would be more likely to enter the Queen's Cup."
Leo didn't seem to understand either. "She won't say why, just that it has to be the Autumn Tenno Sho," she said. "Having a goal is a good thing. The reason doesn't matter—as long as she's willing to give it her all, that's enough."
Bakushin's Sakura Legion had already conquered most of the G1 races outside the Classic Races. On the surface, the situation seemed to favor the Resistance. Yet Acting Chairman Kashimoto had made no move; neither the Student Council nor Speed had joined the conflict.
Leo was always the one who worried most, and she hadn't rested properly in days. If they lost even a single race, they would lose everything.
The pressure was immense.
"I don't know if we can beat Acting Chairman Kashimoto in our current state," Leo said, her voice heavy with worry.
The Student Council was filled with long-established monsters. Though past their prime, their seasoned experience made them formidable. They had already faced Air Groove and Narita Brian, but the most terrifying part was that the Emperor herself would undoubtedly compete this time.
Aside from Palmer, Leo was deeply concerned about Rice Shower and Sweep.
"We've been talking about them this whole time," McQueen said, trying to change the subject. "How are the two of you preparing?"
"We don't really have anything to worry about," Black Bullet said, looking as if she had it all figured out. "Acting Chairman Kashimoto knows she has little chance of winning against us, so she probably won't bother putting much effort into targeting us."
Come to think of it, she was right. They were all from the same generation and had become titans in the Umamusume World. With both strength and honor to their names, they were now an integral part of the Veteran Horse Front. The term "Supernova" was a distant memory for them.
"What about Rice Shower? Has she decided which race she'll enter?" Leo asked, turning to Kousei.
"I don't know. We haven't talked about it. Her gate technique training isn't progressing, and she's already frantic with worry. How could I possibly bring it up at a time like this?"
The others exchanged glances.
"Why not ask Bourbon for help?" Black Bullet suggested.
Leo nodded in agreement. "Bourbon and Rice Shower share a deep bond, and Rice Shower's inner turmoil started because of her. The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. When it comes to matters of the heart, Bourbon is far better suited to help than you are."
Kousei realized how foolish she'd been. How could she possibly compare to Bourbon in this regard? It was true—when people panicked, they often overlooked the simplest solutions.
"But the fact that you can't run is indeed tricky. It's probably hard to convey things precisely with words alone. I wonder if Rice Shower will be ready in time?" Leo always prepared for the worst.
"It's alright. I've already made some headway on the parallel running issue. For now, let's focus on resolving Rice Shower's inner turmoil." Since Kousei had taken responsibility, there was no need for the others to worry.
As they were discussing, a voice called out.
"Kousei-senpai!" Contrail rushed over, her face beaming with anticipation, clearly hoping Kousei would ask what was going on. It seemed something wonderful had happened.
Seeing her so ecstatic, Kousei couldn't help but ask, "What is it, Contrail? You look so happy."
"Hehe—" Contrail danced with excitement. "Listen to this, Kousei-senpai! The Central Committee is apparently choosing me as the new spokesperson! I'm going to succeed President Rudolf and take on the role of 'Commander-in-Chief'!"
The smile on Kousei's face froze instantly. As they exchanged glances, the group's mood plummeted to rock bottom.