Watching the screen go dark, Kuroha didn't think much of it and instead went to the entryway to put on his shoes.
"Chiyo-O-chan… Sakura Chiyono O, huh?"
He repeated the name Maruzensky had just mentioned. If he remembered correctly, the only "Chiyo-O" that Maruzensky would be talking about was indeed Sakura Chiyono O.
But at this time of day, shouldn't Sakura Chiyono O be preparing for the Derby? What was she doing coming to see him instead?
Walking along the tree-lined path of the academy, Kuroha recalled the unyielding cherry-blossom-colored figure he had seen during the Satsuki Sho.
That overwhelming will to win had directly driven her body into an over-True Blooming state.
Right now, she should be in the process of adapting to her sudden, heightened physical abilities.
Over-True Blooming was not a good thing.
Just yesterday, after the Haneda Cup, Seiran Nichirin had ended up in the hospital.
According to the doctors, she would need at least four months—possibly more—of recovery time.
From Kuroha's perspective—
If Sakura Chiyono O couldn't fully adapt to and resolve the side effects of over-True Blooming before the Derby, and went into a G1-level race like that…
Once the race was over, she'd just become the second Seiran Nichirin.
While he was thinking, he reached the school gate.
Maruzensky was punctual—when she said five minutes, she meant it.
Not long after he arrived, the roar of an engine came from the distance.
The sound grew louder, like a beast drawing near, tearing through the calm of the afternoon.
A dazzling red Ferrari shot past the main road outside Ōi Tracen Academy's gate like lightning.
The tires screeched against the pavement, a sharp sound cutting through the air.
Bang!
The car door flew open, and a stunning onee-san leapt out first, her chestnut-red hair fluttering in the wind.
Today, Maruzensky wore a white floral dress, the hem swaying lightly with her steps, outlining her soft curves. Her long, slender legs gleamed pale and flawless in the sunlight.
"Kuroha-trainer~ It's been a while."
She took off her sunglasses and hooked them on her neckline, revealing her trademark radiant smile.
"…Didn't we just meet yesterday?" Kuroha muttered helplessly.
Clack!
At that moment, the other car door opened, and a cherry-haired girl practically scrambled out of the passenger seat on all fours.
Her shoulder-length hair stuck messily to her sweat-dampened forehead, her little face pale as paper. She gripped the car door frame with both hands, breathing heavily, as if she'd just survived some terrible ordeal.
Kuroha, Maruzensky: "…"
Kuroha glanced at Sakura Chiyono O's pitiful state, then shot Maruzensky a look that said: What exactly did you do to this girl?
The chestnut-red-haired onee-san looked a bit embarrassed, gave a half-hearted laugh, then turned back to support her wobbly junior. "Chiyo-O-chan, hang in there!"
Sakura Chiyono O let out a weak whimper and forced a smile that looked worse than crying. Her adorable horse ears drooped lifelessly, and her whole body looked like a frost-bitten cherry blossom.
I… am never riding in Maruzensky-senpai's car again…
The girl made a very important life decision.
...
Ōi Tracen Academy – Kuroha's Trainer Room
"So you're saying… you feel something's off about Chiyo-O-chan?"
Kuroha looked at the two sitting across from him, his expression a little odd.
Was this the intuition of a top-tier Uma Musume? To be able to sense something was wrong with Sakura Chiyono O purely by instinct… impressive.
"Mmm… yeah, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Maruzensky stroked the cherry-haired girl's soft head fondly as she spoke.
Chiyo-O had closed her eyes shyly, letting her senpai do as she pleased. But upon hearing those words, she responded with puzzlement.
"But I've been feeling great lately! My speed is more stable, and my stamina is better than ever!"
Kuroha didn't answer right away—his eyes flashed as the power of Body and Breath Perception activated in his gaze.
After a moment, he closed his eyes and sighed.
"This… isn't good."
His verdict confirmed Maruzensky's hunch, then he looked directly at the cherry-haired girl.
"I saw your race in the Satsuki Sho. At the final stretch, you went into over-True Blooming," he said plainly, pointing out the source of her change.
"Over… True Blooming?" Sakura Chiyono O repeated the unfamiliar term, looking lost.
Kuroha understood—after all, in the trainer community, over-True Blooming was still only a theoretical concept.
Some scholars had tried to explain why, for certain Uma Musume, the blessing of the Three Goddesses didn't last three years—sometimes not even two.
Over-True Blooming was the term coined for this abnormal state.
Maruzensky, however, clearly knew the meaning of the term. Her gentle expression vanished, replaced by concern as she looked at Sakura Chiyono O.
Kuroha hesitated, then decided to use an easy-to-understand analogy:
"If the Three Goddesses' blessing in your body is like a jar of sugar… normally, you use it sparingly when cooking, and it lasts you a long time, letting you savor its sweetness over the years.
Over-True Blooming is like dumping the whole jar in at once.
Sure, you get a burst of sweetness, but you can't even taste the food anymore, and you might cause all kinds of problems—like a sugar shock."
He tapped her shoulder lightly.
"The power from over-True Blooming has indeed made you stronger for now, but it's untamed. It's constantly pushing your limits and eating away at your foundation.
It's like overclocking an engine—it might roar on the outside, but inside, the parts are screaming."
Through his perception, Kuroha could tell her physical stats had jumped drastically since the Satsuki Sho—by over a hundred points in every attribute.
In comparison, Fujimasa March had experienced multiple bursts of growth, but those came from long-term, gradual training—or from the awakening of her Domain, which was far more natural.
Sakura Chiyono O's leap, however, had been an instant, forceful evolution—nearly a 500-point jump in just a few minutes, driven by sheer willpower.
It would be a miracle if there were no side effects.
"Eh?! But… but I feel great!"
She looked panicked, her voice gradually trailing off as she realized something felt off even as she said it.
"That's just the surface, Chiyo-O."
Kuroha's tone softened, but his words were firm.
"Your body is lying to you. You're trading away your future potential for present power.
Over-True Blooming isn't a blessing—it's a dangerous burden.
Until you've completely adapted to this sudden growth, every run, every burst of speed is deepening the damage to your body."
The girl clenched her fists unconsciously, her knuckles turning white.
"Right now, your 'good condition' is probably at the cost of coordination and fine control over your power. Forcing yourself to handle speed and strength beyond your control will make your running rough and your stride stiff.
In a low-intensity race, you might hide it—but in the Derby, any loss of control could cause irreversible harm."
This, perhaps, was why she had been out for nearly a year after the Derby in her original history.
Maruzensky's hand tightened gently on Chiyo-O's head, her expression now serious.
"Kuroha-trainer, your advice?"
"My suggestion is…" Kuroha looked her in the eyes.
"…Withdraw from the Derby."
"No!"
Before Maruzensky could speak, Sakura Chiyono O burst out.
"I don't want to quit the Derby—I can still run!
I… I want to win!"
For the first time since arriving here, the cherry-haired girl expressed her true feelings so strongly.
Her light-blue eyes shone with a conviction that could move anyone.
"Japan Derby…"
Maruzensky stared at her junior, almost rising to her feet, then gave a warm, gentle smile.
Kuroha met Sakura Chiyono O's gaze in silence for a few seconds.
"You want to run the Derby?"
"Yes!"
"And you won't give up no matter what?"
"Yes!"
Her small fists clenched tight, her eyes unwavering.
Kuroha looked at her, then at Maruzensky—who, at that moment, clasped her hands together behind the girl's back in a please, I'm begging you gesture, even winking at him.
Kuroha felt a twitch in his brow.
(Old lady trying to act cute? …Wait, no—in this era she's not old, she's genuinely young…)
Sigh.
Fine. Considering she and Symboli Rudolf had helped him with the Mejiro family issue, he'd play along.
"…If you want to run the Derby…"
He drew out the words.
"Then right now—take off your jacket and lie down on the bed."
My [Massage] skill is absolutely unmatched!
The girl blinked, tilted her head… and then, belatedly, let out an adorable shriek:
"Ehhh—?!?!"
(End of Chapter)
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