Articles flooded in, all celebrating Rampage's Japan Cup victory. The two publishers granted interviews stood out, their momentum unmatched. Unlike others, they hadn't just hyped her but offered grounded critiques—comparing Rampage's skill to foreign Uma Musume, factoring in the grueling week-long turnaround from the Queen Elizabeth Cup, and assessing her realistically.
"The Turf's Tyrant Conquers Japan Cup! World Record Crowns Her a Benevolent Ruler!"
"First Since Symboli Rudolf! Undefeated Triple Tiara Triumphs!"
Rampage favored them not for blind support but for their clear-eyed analysis. The rejected publishers, exposed as her detractors, squirmed. They'd fixated on Oguri Cap and Yaeno Muteki, dismissing Rampage as overconfident, doomed to fail.
"Never saw this coming…"
She defied expectations, outrunning Oguri Cap, Yaeno Muteki, and even Best Routine's final gambit for a commanding lead. No one could call it a fluke. And then—
"If Rampage lacks experience, what does that make Rudolf…?"
Minamisaka, her trainer, threw their own words back at them during the interview rejections. Symboli Rudolf faced the Japan Cup with eight races under her belt; Rampage had thirteen, eleven of them graded stakes, five G1s—all victories. Their articles, they realized with a chill, insulted the Emperor himself.
"Like I've been left in the dust…"
Some reporters saw it now: in the Classic division, Rampage's "inexperience" held no water. But admitting defeat as journalists? They picked up their pens, writing for whoever would still read.
"Big Sis, you okay?"
"Yo, Rice! I'm good."
"You sure look it."
Rampage was at the Mejiro family's sanatorium, the Japan Cup's toll heavier than expected. Beyond the post-race interview, she'd taken none—by order of Mejiro Asama and Trainer Minamisaka. Recovery first; interviews could wait. She was confined to the sanatorium, and there she was, swimming in the pool as Rice and Nature visited.
"Mejiro's got it good… This place beats Tressen Academy's facilities."
"Sis, isn't the pool cold?"
"Nah, it's a hot spring pool. Feels amazing and doubles as light exercise. Perfect, right?"
Towel on her head, she floated, utterly relaxed. Was this really the Uma Musume who'd smashed a world record? To Rice and Nature, this was just Rampage being Rampage—reassuringly so.
"How's Tressen Academy holding up?"
"Total chaos, obviously. A world record? No way they'd stay quiet," Nature said.
The academy was flooded with calls—though Minamisaka had declared Rampage off-limits for interviews during recovery, keeping the press at bay. The real noise came from the Uma Musume.
"Canopus is swarmed with new girls. We went from 'solid mid-tier' to this," Nature said.
"Yeah, Rice got confused, thought some were heading to Rigil's team," Rice added.
"Oops… Sorry for the mess," Rampage grinned.
A world record wasn't just a race or course record—it was a global battle against Uma Musume history. Only true skill could achieve it. Canopus, already home to an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, was now drowning in new applicants.
"Whatever, they were noisy already. What about TV? News is hyping a year-end Triple Crown showdown."
"Dunno how that'll go," Rampage said, her tone vague.
Minamisaka had asked about her post-Japan Cup schedule, left blank intentionally. "What do you want, Rampage-san?"
"Tough call… I wanna race. It's my last shot to run with Oguri-san, and Ryan's there too. Ultimate stage, right? Can't lie, I'm tempted. But…" She trailed off, seeing Minamisaka's grim expression—not disagreement, but opposition. As her trainer, he refused to let her race the Arima Kinen.
"Is my leg hurt?"
"The doctor ran thorough tests. No injuries, no signs of one."
"Then why?"
"You're too worn out."
Her world-record run was a masterpiece—Monshny's technique, Maruzensky's heart, Katsuragi Ace's skill, all converging in the Japan Cup. Minamisaka was moved, but the cost was clear: Rampage's body was more spent than she realized.
"You won't recover fully by next month. You could race, but you'd never beat Oguri Cap or Ryan. And worst case…" He hesitated. "It could lead to injury."
Last year's Japan Cup left Oguri with tendinitis. Minamisaka, shaken by that news, knew such risks came with all-out runs. His mantra: Safety is the true victory. The Japan Cup would be her final race this year.
"No way around it?"
"I'm your trainer. It's my duty to protect you. You've shown us countless dreams. I want to see more—next year, and beyond, with you and Canopus."
His desperate expression, like a man terrified of losing something precious, left Rampage no choice. She couldn't defy him.
"When you put it like that, I can't push it… Alright, Minami-chan. My Classic ends with the Japan Cup."
Floating in the pool, she gazed at the sky. She'd run her heart out this year. Now, it was time to rest.
"That's fair. Pushing too hard and getting injured would suck," Nature said.
"Yeah, Rice doesn't want that. It's a good call," Rice agreed.
"I trust Minami-chan's judgment," Rampage added.
She'd had her say, and she was at peace with it, relaxing at the sanatorium.
"Oguri-san said this place feels like Hawaii, where she went with Belluna."
"Senior went to Hawaii with Belluna-senpai?" Rice asked.
"Nah, it's like a Japanese Hawaii."
"Japan… but Hawaii?" Rice tilted her head.
"Dunno, Oguri wasn't sure either."
It was a Hawaii-themed amusement facility, per Trainer Rokuhira, used for recovery and training. Rampage was doing the same in the pool, with permission for light exercise.
"Why don't you two join me?"
"But we didn't bring swimsuits…" Nature hesitated.
"And we're not Mejiro Uma Musume…" Rice added.
"No biggie. Oguri chilled here too."
In the end, Nature and Rice gave in, soaking up the Mejiro sanatorium's delights.
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