Chapter 50: Explosive-Class Closing Kick
After noticing Kitasan Black's unusual behavior, the three people in the office exchanged puzzled glances, all seeing the same confusion in each other's eyes.
But soon, Makoto Yasui's eyes lit up.
"Vice President, could you raise the drone's altitude a bit...? Yes, just like that."
The view on the screen suddenly widened, and the three of them simultaneously saw what the black-haired girl was staring at from within the bushes—her gaze was fixed directly on the track field.
On the field, aside from a few students loitering around, some were using the break between classes to train.
"So that's what this is..." Makoto murmured to himself and chuckled, "Looks like she's really concerned about her next race..."
He was pretty sure he had guessed correctly.
That look on his Umamusume's face—it was like she was sneaking a peek at something.
And when he followed her line of sight, he saw that some of the Umamusume training on the field happened to be her future opponents in the upcoming Spring Stakes.
Makoto had already looked into those opponents himself, though by plan, he hadn't yet reached the stage of analyzing them together with Kitasan Black.
He hadn't expected the black-haired girl to suddenly take such an interest and begin secretly doing her own scouting.
Just as he was debating whether to go out and remind her, something on the field caught his eye, and his gaze sharpened.
"Kita-chan's next race... the Spring Stakes? So that's what this is all about."
Teio caught on too and couldn't help but smile.
"Well, that kind of enthusiasm is praiseworthy, I guess... but the sneaky approach?"
McQueen suddenly let out a chuckle.
"Doesn't this remind you of yourself back in the day, Teio? Before your Arima Kinen—"
"Stop! Stop right there!"
With arms crossed and moving faster than she did in the Arima Kinen, Teio blocked McQueen in a panic, her tone agitated.
"Didn't we agree not to talk about that?! If you keep going, I'll tell everyone about your recent wei—mmph mmph mmph—!"
"Aha ha ha~ The weather's so nice today, isn't it? By the way, Yasui-san, you didn't hear anything just now, right?"
Clearly flustered, McQueen tried to change the subject while sneaking a guilty glance toward Makoto. She blinked, a little confused.
"What's wrong, Yasui-san?"
But Makoto hadn't paid attention to the exchange between the two Umamusume.
His eyes were still locked on one particular figure on the screen.
Hearing McQueen's question, he shook his head without hiding anything, then pointed at the screen.
"Nothing much. That Umamusume just caught my attention."
Hearing that, not only McQueen but Teio also leaned in curiously.
As they peered at the tablet screen, the two of them spoke in unison:
"Duramente?"
Then, Teio turned to Makoto with interest.
"You know her, Yasui-san? I thought after you joined the Academy... you hadn't had any interactions with her?"
"I haven't," Makoto replied with a shake of his head. Then he smiled faintly.
"She's the type of Umamusume who comes from a prestigious family. Trainers don't need to seek her out—she has more than enough lining up to train her."
"I'm not famous, and I don't have much experience. Even if I approached her, she probably wouldn't pay me any mind."
"And besides, when I first arrived in Tokyo, I heard she had already signed a contract with another trainer early on. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to interfere."
"My interest in her is purely because she's incredibly strong."
"Especially her closing kick, it's probably the best among her generation."
Teio nodded.
"That much is true. I've also noticed her finishing splits."
"33.7, 33.7, 34.1, 33.7."
"If I'm not mistaken, those were her final three-furlong times in her first four races."
"That kind of late-stage kick… honestly, with that level of finishing power alone, she could already rank among the best of her generation," Teio said, arms crossed, her tone mixed with awe and analysis.
"But what's even more impressive is how consistent she's been. That kind of stability isn't something you see often."
McQueen nodded along.
"If she can bring that performance out again in the upcoming races, there's no doubt she'll become a Umamusume the whole nation talks about."
"…However," McQueen trailed off as if remembering something. "If I recall correctly, Kitasan's next race is the Spring Stakes, right? Duramente doesn't have a match race scheduled in March. So unless I'm mistaken, you shouldn't have to worry about her."
Makoto gave a soft chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as he nodded.
"I suppose it's not really worry in the strictest sense," he admitted, "but Kitasan has entered the Classic Triple Crown. That means she'll be running in the Satsuki Shō in April."
He paused, glancing once again at the girl's focused figure on the monitor.
"And unfortunately for me, in terms of the type she struggles against… she has the most trouble dealing with strong closers."
He didn't need to say more. Both Teio and McQueen immediately understood.
"So naturally, I've been keeping a close eye on all her potential matchups—not just Duramente, but every threat she might encounter," Makoto continued.
The two veteran Umamusume exchanged glances, then smiled—an expression of both admiration and reassurance.
"You really are something else, Yasui-san," McQueen said warmly. "Most people wouldn't go to such lengths unless they were already in the finals or had a serious title on the line."
"Exactly," Teio agreed. "It sounds like training Kita-chan must be a breeze if you're always this meticulous."
Makoto gave a modest shrug, not taking the compliment too seriously. Then Teio leaned in a little, her voice slightly teasing but curious.
"So, since you already know her weakness... I assume you've got some kind of plan to deal with it?"
Makoto's gaze wandered again to the black-haired girl on the screen, now caught in mid-stride, her form compact and efficient.
"I wouldn't say I have a perfect countermeasure yet," he said after a beat. "But yes—I started thinking about it quite a while ago."
He turned back to them.
"You two have known Kitasan longer than I have. And given your own backgrounds, I'm sure you've noticed it by now—she's a late bloomer, isn't she?"
Teio gave a knowing nod.
"Right. I've asked a few doctors about her physique before. They all said the same thing—her muscle mass and density are way above average. Her skeletal frame is also broader than most."
"That sort of body is robust, stronger than most others," McQueen added thoughtfully. "But it also means her coordination takes longer to develop. She needs more time to learn how to handle her own strength properly."
"Exactly," Teio agreed, folding her arms. "And even once that control kicks in, mastering the techniques to fully exploit her potential on the track takes even longer."
She hesitated for a moment, then spoke again.
"Actually… she's been on the radar of a few trainers since a while back. But they never found an effective way to help her grow into her own body. At least—not until recently."
McQueen seemed to catch her meaning.
"You're talking about that training method, aren't you?"
Teio nodded.
"The only theoretical approach anyone thought might work is the 'Three-Hill Sprint' method developed by Trainer Shimizu."
She glanced toward Makoto, a faint smile on her lips.
"I actually considered asking him to help with Kitasan. I even spoke to him briefly about it. But after I heard you were training her… I changed my mind."
Makoto kept his expression neutral, though inwardly he let out a sigh.
He had read about the Three-Hill method.
It was infamous among trainers—brutal, borderline reckless.
Hellish would be the polite way to describe it.
Three rounds of 1000-meter hill sprints. On a slope with a 32-meter elevation difference.
For reference, that's like sprinting up and down the equivalent of a ten-story building.
Three times.
And that wasn't a one-time challenge either—it was the standard training regimen, required every session, no exceptions.
Not even professional athletes in their prime could handle that sort of punishment for long without risking long-term damage.
Makoto had done the math, reviewed the data, and even tested Kitasan's limits.
And sure, based on her body composition, she might be able to endure it.
But that didn't mean he would ever consider putting her through it.
Not when he had better, safer, and smarter ways.
"She's been working on her strength since the very first day I started training her," he finally said aloud, keeping his voice calm and factual.
"That sort of progress doesn't show up right away, especially not on the surface, but it's already been in motion."
He didn't comment on the Three-Hill method. No need to stir controversy.
Instead, he shifted the topic slightly.
"On top of that, she's already practiced the fundamentals of front running strategy alongside Daiwa-san."
"Next, with Vodka-san's help, she'll be training to deal with opponents who excel at late-stage bursts. As far as I'm concerned, that'll be more than enough for now."
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