After checking in at the academy, Kuroha brought his luggage back to his dorm room.
As a trainer, he was granted a private room of his own.
'Perfect. I've got some time. Let's take a closer look at this system.'
After arranging his bedding and stretching out a bit, Kuroha lay down and casually opened his system panel.
The system itself was quite simple, with only four functions: the Host Status Panel, Uma Musume Team Panel, Achievement Panel, and Shop Panel.
The Status Panel simply displayed Kuroha's own attributes. The Team Panel, on the other hand, was still blank—he hadn't recruited any Uma Musume yet.
The Achievement Panel rewarded him for accomplishing major feats, such as the Classic Triple Crown, Triple Tiara, or a sweep of the Tenno Sho Spring and Autumn. There were also regional honors like the South Kanto Triple Crown or North Japan Triple Crown. And, of course, a few... strange and unusual achievements.
The Shop Panel was just a humble skill shop. That said, he'd been given 500 initial PT points—enough to exchange for a few practical skills.
"Most provincial races are run on dirt tracks. Turf tracks are mostly found at Central Racecourses. Still, I can't focus solely on dirt. These 500 PT should go toward basic and versatile skills."
Kuroha mumbled to himself while browsing the system interface.
"Huh? What's 'Turf Aptitude' and 'Dirt Aptitude'? That's a weird way to label things…"
The skill shop contained not only standard abilities but also several obscure ones he'd never heard of before. The one disappointment was the lack of unique skills from named Uma Musume.
"A shame… If it had those, I'd totally want to be Super Christmas King."
After pondering for a while, he listed a few desirable skills, deciding to hold off on purchasing them until he could snag a Uma Musume for his team and tailor his picks to her needs.
"Time for a walk. I should scout out my future workplace while I'm at it!"
Too excited to sleep, Kuroha sprang up, threw on his shoes, and headed out for a light jog.
...
Moonlight cascaded down as a lone figure streaked across the training ground, where silence should've reigned at this hour.
"I'm getting used to this movement. Is it just my imagination, or does my body feel so much lighter?"
The grey-haired girl gradually slowed to a stop, muttering to herself.
Her trainer wasn't present tonight, so there was no data to prove if she'd truly improved.
"Central…"
Fujimasa March exhaled a long breath.
She'd once thought her talent was solid. From childhood, no one could outrun her. Even after undergoing formalization, she remained the fastest among her peers at the academy.
But…
Oguri Cap shattered the invisible "well" that had confined her world. She was just a "frog," and Oguri Cap had shown her the vast sky beyond.
That's when she understood—she was weak.
Ever since Oguri Cap left, Fujimasa March had been training harder than ever.
But the chains of talent and natural limits felt like unbreakable shackles, trapping her in this provincial prison.
No matter how hard she trained, she could never match the jaw-dropping finishing burst Oguri Cap had displayed during the Golden Youth Stakes.
Was she willing to accept that?
Every day since bidding Oguri Cap farewell, Fujimasa March had asked herself that question.
To an Uma Musume, running was life itself. And now, she had to admit—watching Oguri Cap's distant back, even when her body still had fuel, even when her legs weren't yet tired—
She couldn't catch up.
That was the cruel, towering wall called talent.
"Huff… huff…"
Breathing hard to recover, Fujimasa March's equine ears suddenly twitched. She looked up toward the walkway overlooking the training ground.
A young man was jogging past.
Recalling the sensations from her earlier run, she impulsively called out, "Trainer-san, please wait!"
...
"..."
Kuroha, caught off guard by Fujimasa March's call, was soon led to the training grounds where he watched her run another lap. He could only sigh in resignation.
But he had nothing better to do anyway. Besides, the Uma Musume had asked for guidance—it was a good opportunity to test his training methods before taking on a team of his own.
Even provincial Uma Musume like Fujimasa March could easily clock 100 meters in just over 6 seconds—far beyond any national athlete from his previous life.
"Trainer Kuroha, is there anything wrong with my running form?"
Though she knew Kuroha wasn't officially her trainer, she still felt a twinge of guilt for asking him to supervise her training. But ever since his helpful advice earlier that afternoon, she'd held a quiet respect for him.
Kuroha's eyes glinted with the light of [Body and Breath Insight]. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Well… at least you're not making the same mistake as this afternoon."
There were still many flaws, but the fact that she had corrected her habit and applied it in real running after just a few hours—that showed promise.
Just then, a system notification popped up:
[Uma Musume Recorded: Fujimasa March (Temporary)]
[Fujimasa March]
[Track Aptitude: Turf C / Dirt B]
[Distance Aptitude: Sprint B / Mile B / Middle Distance C / Long Distance F]
[Tactic Aptitude: Front-runner B / Leader A / Mid-pack C / Closer D]
[Unique Skill: None]
[Skills: Firm Ground, Rainy Weather, Wait and See]
[Speed: 264 / Stamina: 252 / Power: 211 / Gut: 203 / Wit: 254]
Temporary Uma Musume?
Kuroha blinked at the status window displaying Fujimasa March's stats.
As expected—weak.
In terms of the game from his previous life, these stats would be fine for a debut race. But Fujimasa March had already run nearly ten races and was well into her Classic year.
Oguri Cap would be eligible to challenge for the Satsuki Sho of the Classic Triple Crown in just a few months—though she might not qualify.
Based on the current timeline, Fujimasa March was already far behind her Central counterparts in raw talent.
But more crucially—her formalization was already a third of the way through.
Formalization—a concept unique to Uma Musume.
Before undergoing formalization, Uma Musume remained in a small, childlike form, capable only of basic learning. Physical training at that stage barely improved health, let alone racing ability.
But once formalized, their bodies would undergo a rapid growth spurt, transforming into teenage form. From there, they'd remain in that state.
In that form—blessed by the Three Goddesses—their physical stats would skyrocket for the duration of the process.
Typically, formalization lasted around three years. But in rare cases, emotional or physical triggers could accelerate the process. Some Uma Musume even completed it during their Classic year.
Once formalization ended, however, the divine blessing faded. After enjoying a brief peak, their stats would gradually decline over the next 1 to 3 years—dropping to about 80-90% of their peak form.
That was why some girls exploded in the Classic year only to vanish just as quickly.
So yes, Kuroha was shocked. Historically, Fujimasa March was considered a strong runner in the provinces. But based on her current attributes, which were only in the low 200s even after a third of her formalization… her peak might barely hit the 700s.
"Trainer-san? Trainer Kuroha!"
Fujimasa March's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He looked at her worried face and chuckled.
"It's nothing. Just thinking through some things."
"Well, we've got time. Let's take it step by step. First up—your running posture!"
Kuroha decided to use Fujimasa March to put his theories to the test. It was only a few hours, after all.
Under the moonlight, the girl began running again under the boy's guidance—awkward at first, but gradually growing smoother.
Her figure stretched forward beneath the streetlamps, casting a long, determined shadow.
(End of Chapter)
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