The training to seize the honor of the South Kanto Triple Crown had begun in full swing.
Three intense training sessions per week, interspersed with core strength and endurance training, and one day reserved as a rest day.
March's schedule was arranged down to the minute.
But the girl had no complaints whatsoever.
Running, winning, and glory were seemingly engraved into every Uma Musume's soul — she even wanted to sneak in extra training on her day off, only to be caught and stopped by Kuroha.
"You're even more intense than me…"
In the trainer's room, Kuroha sighed as he massaged Fujimasa March.
The girl no longer hid under the covers like she used to, but she still let out... indescribable sounds whenever he pressed around her waist.
Today was the end of February — there were still 20 days until the Keihin Cup. Plenty of time.
And March's condition was excellent, filling Kuroha with confidence.
"Trainer~"
March's slightly coquettish voice rang out.
"What is it?" Kuroha asked.
"I saw in the papers that Oguri Cap is running in a race soon."
Kuroha thought for a moment and replied, "Ah, that'd be the G3 Pegasus Special Stakes on March 6, right?"
He paused, then asked:
"Do you want to go watch?"
"I do!"
"Then let's go. It is Oguri Cap's first Central race, after all — definitely worth seeing."
At those words, March suddenly became bashful, murmuring, "I want to go with you, Trainer…"
Seeing this, Kuroha sighed with a hint of helplessness and patted her on the head. "Alright, alright. Even if you didn't say it, I'd have gone with you anyway."
Hearing that, March beamed, humming a little tune as she enjoyed her massage.
Riiing—
Kuroha's eternally unchanging ringtone rang out.
Click.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Yuzuhara-senpai? What's the matter?"
"…Got it. See you at the training grounds then."
Lying on the bed, March turned her head slightly and asked, "Was that Inari One's trainer?"
Kuroha hung up the call and nodded. "Yeah, and I think I know what she wants. Let's finish the rest of your session first."
With that, Massage activated once again.
…
Not long after, the two arrived at the training grounds.
It was already 9:00 PM.
But the late hour didn't stop several Uma Musume from continuing their efforts under the floodlights.
Local tracks weren't like the Central ones — their scheduling was more relaxed, and many races were even held at night.
That's why Kuroha had made sure to include nighttime activity training in March's program.
"Yuzuhara-senpai."
In an open section of the track, Tatsuko Yuzuhara was still wearing her traditional kimono, with four Uma Musume beside her — including Inari One.
Seeing Kuroha, Tatsuko said a few words to the girls, then walked to the side and beckoned him over.
Kuroha gave a few quiet instructions to March and walked over alone.
"Good evening, Trainer Kuroha."
Tatsuko Yuzuhara's face bore a trace of dignity. Though she had aged a bit, it was easy to imagine she'd been a beauty in her youth.
"Good evening," Kuroha replied, then cut to the point. "Is this about Inari One?"
After his interaction with Inari One the other day, Kuroha had run into Tatsuko by chance and mentioned his concerns.
It seemed that after a few days of observation, she had indeed noticed something was wrong.
"Yes. I never expected that girl to be so poorly suited for heavy tracks."
Tatsuko nodded with a soft sigh.
Inari One's first eight races had all taken place on normal tracks.
During training, thanks to her naturally high stats and explosive power, she could even outperform other Uma Musume on muddy tracks.
So her poor compatibility with heavy tracks was hard to notice.
It wasn't until Kuroha pointed it out that Tatsuko conducted a specific test.
The test was simple: run 2,000 meters at a standard cruising pace, then attempt a final sprint.
Inari One completely fizzled out. Forget sprinting — she was gasping for air after just the run.
"I've also been watching your training sessions lately."
Tatsuko's voice lowered slightly. "That Uma Musume of yours, Fujimasa March, has exceptional aptitude for heavy tracks. Her body coordination and sprinting ability are downright incredible."
"That only proves how outstanding your training methods are, Trainer Kuroha."
Kuroha was caught off guard by the praise but quickly calmed himself and said seriously, "So what did you call me here for, Senpai?"
"Your target must be the South Kanto Triple Crown," Tatsuko nodded before continuing.
"Inari One is already in her Senior Horse Year — she can't participate in the Classic races and thus isn't your rival. So, I'd like to formally request group running training with you."
"Group running training?"
Kuroha blinked at the term.
It wasn't unfamiliar to trainers.
Uma Musume were born with strong competitive instincts. Training alongside others could activate those instincts, triggering a kind of invisible competition.
As long as it didn't become too intense, this kind of competition generally accelerated growth in a positive way.
Of course, it couldn't be overused — otherwise, Uma Musume would subconsciously grow too accustomed to it, diminishing its effectiveness.
"Inari One's personality and strength make her a good match for March in joint training…" Kuroha thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.
And group running had another purpose beyond stimulating competitiveness.
Kuroha looked toward the other three Uma Musume Tatsuko had brought.
Each radiated a battle-hardened aura — even without using Body and Spirit Insight, Kuroha could sense their strength.
The second purpose of group training: race simulation.
By having multiple Uma Musume run together, you could mimic real race tempos.
Letting front runners experience being blocked during the start or overtaken in the final phase.
Letting Late Surgers and End Closers feel the frustration of being boxed in by the pace chasers — the feeling of being completely sealed off.
Tokyo races had far more intense tempos than local races like Kasamatsu.
Kuroha had considered this type of training before but gave up since he was just a rookie trainer.
Yet now, Tatsuko Yuzuhara was offering three of her elite Uma Musume to help simulate race conditions — the reason behind it was clear.
"Sigh…"
Holding his head, Kuroha muttered with exasperation, "With such a generous offer from you, Senpai, how could I possibly refuse?"
Kuroha knew full well — this was an exchange of benefits.
Tatsuko was offering her full support to help Fujimasa March adapt to Oi's racing tempo and competitive intensity, while Kuroha would help Inari One adjust to heavy track conditions.
(End of Chapter)
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