The training room hummed with the clank of weights as Rampage powered through her routine. A visitor's voice cut through the rhythm.
"Hey, there you are!"
"Teio? What's up?"
"Sorry, am I interrupting?"
"Nah, I was just chilling," Rampage said, setting down a barbell with a resounding thud. "Well… kinda."
Despite the obvious intensity of her workout, Rampage brushed it off, and Teio, grateful for the warm reception, offered her favorite drink—Hachimi, a honey-infused beverage, one for each of them.
"I've never tried this stuff," Rampage admitted, eyeing the bottle.
"What!? You're missing out!" Teio urged. "Drink it, drink it! It's amazing!"
"Alright, since you went to the trouble, I'll give it a shot."
Hachimi was Teio's obsession, but Rampage had balked at the price tag—1,500 yen for a single bottle could buy a whole lot more. Still, if Teio was splurging on something this fancy, she must have a reason. Rampage resolved to hear her out.
"So, what's the deal? You've never come looking for me before."
"I've got a question," Teio said, her tone shifting.
"Shoot."
"Are you running in the Japan Cup this year?"
Teio's eyes gleamed with a challenger's fire—sharp, unyielding, the gaze of someone ready to take Rampage down.
"Why're you asking? You planning to race it?"
"Yup. I'm going to win the Kikuka Sho and become an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume. Then I was thinking about my next move."
"Shouldn't you be focused on actually winning the Kikuka Sho first? Nature's running too, y'know—she tied you in the Derby."
"I know. I'm dead-set on settling things with her."
Teio's confidence, declaring victory over a formidable rival like Nature, was impressive. Even within Canopus, the Kikuka Sho promised to be no easy fight.
"So, you're chasing your dear chairman's legacy with the Japan Cup?" Rampage teased.
"At first, yeah," Teio admitted. "But now? I want to race you."
To face Rampage—the Uma Musume who'd surpassed even Rudolf, the undefeated nine-crown legend—was a burning desire. Teio wanted to feel the strength of the one who'd outshone her idol, to test herself and see if she could win. The urge to challenge Rampage was undeniable.
"Rampage, I swear to you," Teio said, her voice fierce. "I'll become an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, and then I'm coming for you."
"That's some bold talk, Teio," Rampage replied, a grin spreading. "You're getting me fired up."
"Will you take me on?"
Teio was dead serious, ready to fight and win. Her raw, unfiltered challenge—unlike Flora's or Ikuno's—sparked a thrill in Rampage. That pure, blazing spirit made her blood race.
"Teio, just so you know, I'm planning an overseas tour next year."
"Overseas!?" Teio's eyes widened. "The Arc de Triomphe!?"
"Maybe," Rampage said with a smirk. "This year's all about building up to that. So if you want a shot at me, this year's your best bet."
"So… you'll race me?"
Rampage's quiet laugh said it all.
"Here's the thing—I'm still deciding between the Japan Cup and the Champions Cup. If you want a guaranteed showdown, go for the Arima Kinen. Coming off the Kikuka Sho, the Japan Cup might not give you enough time to prep."
"The Arima Kinen…" Teio echoed. "That's where we'll face off, right?"
"I'll make sure of it. Missed it last year, so I'm itching to run this time."
Teio murmured the words to herself, letting them sink in, carving them into her resolve.
"Got it. Not the Japan Cup—the Arima. Even if I don't get the Triple Crown, I have to race you."
"That's the spirit," Rampage said. "I'm in."
The Emperor accepted the Dictator's challenge. A year-end clash with the next generation's best, brimming with romance—what could be better?
"Hey, what's your race schedule look like?" Teio asked.
"Teio Sho, then Sapporo Kinen, Tenno Sho (Autumn), Elizabeth Hai, and either the Japan Cup or Champions Cup."
"Whoa, seriously? That's a brutal lineup!"
The stretch from the Tenno Sho to the Elizabeth Hai and then the Japan Cup or Champions Cup was grueling, yet Rampage planned it with ease. What kind of Uma Musume was she?
"Oh, Teio, you free after this?"
"Yup, I'm good."
"Wanna—"
"'Ohakonharochao~!'"
"Your memory's world record, the Tyrant Dictator, undefeated tiara, when the magma in my heart awakens, I kick the earth and rise! It's Rampage!"
"Your memory's Teio Step, invincible Teio, undefeated dual crown! With the soul I grabbed at birth, I'll make it shine! It's Tokai Teio!"
"'All you out there—been racking up good deeds?'"
Rampage's streaming channel had been on hiatus, but with Teio as a guest—fresh off her Derby tie with Nature—she was the perfect draw.
"All you out there, you know who we've got today! The one who crossed the Derby finish line neck-and-neck with our Nature, the undefeated Emperor, Tokai Teio! The future Triple Crown Uma Musume's here, so don't forget to take a mental screenshot!"
Teio's brain nearly short-circuited. Rampage had flipped from regal champion to hyped-up net idol in a heartbeat. The switch was too smooth. Still, as a fan of the stream, Teio knew the vibe and rolled with it.
"Today, we're hitting Teio with all sorts of questions and answering yours too!" Rampage announced.
"Yay!" Teio cheered.
"First up, Teio—how do you chug that crazy Hachimi stuff like it's nothing?"
Rampage, of all people, fired the first shot.
"What, you didn't like my firm, rich, extra-honey Hachimi?"
"What is this, a ramen shop order? It's basically straight honey! Took me ten minutes to drink!"
"Pfft!? You think that bitter, nasty Royal Vita Juice is tastier!?"
"Green juice is delicious!"
"I DON'T GET YOU!"
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