Time flew by.
It had already been three days since Fujimasa March claimed victory in the Tokyo Derby.
During those three days, the girl had used her "reward" as an excuse to stay in Kuroha's dorm and refused to leave.
Coincidentally, these days also happened to be part of the customary post-race vacation Kuroha always gave them, so he simply let her be.
Morning.
Kuroha's biological clock woke him right on time.
He slowly opened his eyes, still a little groggy, and habitually pulled his hand away from a certain warm, soft place.
Moving carefully so as not to wake her, he got out of bed, tucked the blanket snugly over Fujimasa March, and headed to the bathroom to wash up.
"Zha-la-la————"
The sound of running water filled the bathroom. Cold water splashed against his face, chasing away the last remnants of sleep.
He stared into the mirror.
His black hair was slightly messy, his eyes still carrying that faint haze of someone just awake, but his spirit was in full form.
"G1-level physical fitness" — the system hadn't lied to him.
The corners of Kuroha's mouth lifted unconsciously.
In the past two days, Fujimasa March's willful presence had added a lively warmth to what was usually a quiet, empty dorm.
After brushing his teeth, he wiped his face dry and tiptoed back into the room.
Morning sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains.
Fujimasa March was still curled up in the blanket, her breathing even, a suspicious blush lingering on her cheeks.
Last night, she had refused to admit defeat and clung to him until three in the morning.
It was unlikely she'd be waking up any time soon today.
Kuroha lingered for a moment, his gaze softening as it swept over the tips of her short silver hair. Then he quietly went to the kitchen.
The fridge didn't have much left. He took out eggs and bread, deciding to make a simple breakfast.
While preparing it, he opened the system panel.
[Fujimasa March]
Track Aptitude: Turf C, Dirt A
Distance Aptitude: Short B, Mile B, Medium A, Long F
Running Style Aptitude: Front Runner A, Pace Chaser A, Late Surger C, End Closer D
Unique Skill: Ode of the Wind Lv.4
Domain: Silver Radiance!!!
Skills: Good Track Condition, Rainy Days, Wait-and-See, Professor of Curvature, Focus, Bad Track, Positioning Sense
Speed: 814 | Stamina: 823 | Power: 746 | Gut: 801 | Wit: 822
"What a terrifying jump in stats… so this is the power of a Domain?" Kuroha murmured as he cracked the eggs with practiced ease.
Just like Inari One, awakening the second stage of her Domain had boosted Fujimasa March's stats by nearly 100 points.
Her numbers now were comparable to the Oguri Cap he had seen during the Japanese Derby — a true stat monster.
It wasn't just her stats and Domain that had changed.
Originally, her aptitude for Front Runner was only B. But after the Tokyo Derby, it had automatically risen to A.
This realization made Kuroha nod in understanding.
Apparently, even without system skill books, certain conditions could still improve aptitudes.
In the future, the two-time champion — Mejiro Bourbon — had seemingly achieved something similar by relentlessly pushing her physical limits to improve her unsuitable distance aptitude.
Satisfied after reviewing her panel, Kuroha closed it and opened the system shop.
Since Fujimasa March's Tokyo Derby win, he'd earned a generous reward of PT points, plus the 100 PT he'd been saving, and yesterday's winnings from Inari One's Million Stone Prize.
Yes — yesterday, Kuroha had also entered Inari One into a race.
Against competitors whose stats barely reached the 700s, Inari One — whose Speed and Stamina both broke into the 1000s, and had a Domain — was like a tiger in a flock of sheep.
It was basically a Baby Cup.
With those two wins combined, Kuroha's PT reserves were now plentiful enough for a shopping spree.
He browsed the shop.
First up — the newly added item [Body-Strengthening Medicine].
He could skip that for now.
After all, a certain gray-haired beauty had "volunteered" for testing the past two nights and been repeatedly defeated, proving to Kuroha that his "G1-level physical fitness" was absolutely legitimate.
No need to waste precious points for now.
Instead, he bought two things:
[Panacea] — when paired with Body and Breath Perception, it could cure any illness in a Uma Musume. Whether he needed it now or not, it was a must-have.
[Long Distance Aptitude] — Fujimasa March would inevitably face long-distance G1 races after entering the Central circuit. Leaving her with F-level Long aptitude was far too crippling.
Even though the long-distance challenge was still far off, this was a critical investment.
His other two future representatives — Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen — would also greatly benefit from it.
Reaching S-level aptitude through training alone was a massive time sink, so integrating long-distance prep into their basic athletic training was essential.
With only 50 PT remaining, Kuroha closed the shop.
The eggs were ready, the edges perfectly golden. He flipped them smoothly, the aroma filling the kitchen.
After plating breakfast, he heard the soft creak of the bedroom door.
Fujimasa March shuffled out, rubbing her sleepy eyes, a few strands of hair sticking up. She was wearing one of Kuroha's shirts, hastily thrown on, the collar open and slightly disheveled.
Her small silver ears twitched adorably.
"Mmm… Trainer~"
Gone was the sharp, commanding aura she showed in public. Instead, she looked like a kitten, mumbling sleepily as she waddled over to him.
Kuroha chuckled, pulled out a chair for her, and ruffled her hair.
"If I didn't wake you, the sun would be burning your backside by now. You stayed up way too late last night — feeling it now, huh?"
She pouted but sat down obediently, her eyes glued to the eggs.
Warm sunlight brushed her hair with a golden edge. Kuroha smiled faintly, poured her a cup of hot milk, and slid it over.
After breakfast, Kuroha sat on the couch scrolling through the news on his phone, while Fujimasa March lay on his lap, drifting back to sleep.
[G2 New Zealand Trophy won! Central Heavy Prize 4-win streak! The gray monster is unstoppable!]
["White Lightning" vs "Mid-Distance Queen" — the Arima Memorial showdown begins!]
It was all Central racing news.
A few days ago, Oguri Cap had crushed another Central Heavy Prize with a devastating seven-length victory.
Even G2-level competitors were no match.
The second headline hyped the upcoming 67th Takarazuka Kinen —
Tamamo Cross, known as the strongest active long-distance Uma Musume, would face Teio, the reigning mid-distance champion.
If Tamamo Cross won, she'd prove her dominance across both middle and long-distance racing, earning the title of Current Strongest.
If Tokai Teio triumphed, her crown as the Mid-Distance Queen would be undisputed.
Kuroha's gaze lingered on the words "Takarazuka Kinen."
This match would undoubtedly be the month's biggest spotlight event.
As for local race coverage… there was almost none.
The Tokyo Derby from two days ago had been buried under Oguri Cap and Takarazuka headlines, with only a few minor articles congratulating the winner.
"This era really is… a little quiet." Kuroha thought.
Before Oguri Cap's complete rise, public enthusiasm for Uma Musume racing was far lower than it would be in the future.
On his lap, Fujimasa March let out a sleepy hum and snuggled in deeper, her silver hair brushing against his palm.
Kuroha's fingers gently combed through her hair as his thoughts drifted — summer training camp prep, Central debut plans, laying the groundwork for future G1 races…
Each step needed careful planning.
Click!
The sound of a key turning came from the front door.
Kuroha turned to see a brown-haired, twin-tailed Uma Musume peeking in — Inari One.
Yesterday, after taking the Million Stone Prize with him, she'd been given the day off.
Looked like she'd just woken up and decided to drop by.
(End of Chapter)
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