Chapter 5: Miraculous HP.
Kitano's gaze lingered on Dance Steps 2023, the black deer-haired colt that had stolen his attention moments ago. Ogawa Jō, sensing the shift, let out a quiet sigh before his face brightened with practiced enthusiasm. "Let me show you another one," he said, gesturing toward a different colt grazing nearby.
"This is Flax2023. His sire is Creator II from the States, and his dam, Casino Shuttle, won the G2 Peter Pan Stakes on American dirt. A solid choice for dirt tracks."
Kitano turned to the colt, his eyes narrowing as the system panel flickered to life in his mind.
[Flax2023 (Unnamed)]
[Male] [Ashima]
[Distance Suitability: ?]
[Race Suitability: ?]
[Foot Quality: ?]
[Growth Type: ?]
[Aura: ?] [Personality: ?]
[Speed: ?] [Stamina: ?]
[Winning Attribute: ?]
[Instantaneous Power: ?]
[Strength: ?] [Health: ?]
[Wisdom: ?] [Sentiment: ?]
[Flexibility: ?]
The colt tilted its head, studying Kitano with dark, curious eyes. Kitano lowered his gaze, his mind churning. A month ago, he'd been a complete novice in horse racing, but weeks of late-night reading and veterinary expertise had nudged his [Pedigree Knowledge] from an E- to a respectable C+. He could now parse the lineage of Japan's top stallions, though he still felt like an outsider peering into a world that didn't fully trust him.
He hesitated, his fingers brushing the edge of his jacket. Two [Detector] uses remained, but Flax2023 didn't stand out. Its gait was steady but unremarkable, its frame solid but not striking. Kitano doubted his own judgment—his [Inspiration] stat was still a pitiful E. Could he trust his instincts when they'd failed him before?
"And Flax2023 has a rare coat, consistent for three generations!" Ogawa Jō added, his voice eager, sensing Kitano's indecision.
Kitano nodded absently, about to ask to see the other foals when something tugged at his sleeve. He glanced down to find Flax2023's upper lip curled, nibbling gently at the fabric. The colt's expression looked almost mocking, though Kitano knew better. It was the Flehmen Response—a horse's way of parsing unfamiliar scents, curling its lip to send odors to the vomeronasal organ. Not a smile, but curiosity. Still, the sight made him pause, a faint spark of connection flickering in his chest.
He patted Flax2023's lip, wiping the faint trace of saliva on the railing with a calm hand. Opening the system panel, he activated the [Detector] again, almost on impulse.
[Flax2023 (Unnamed)]
[Male] [Ashima]
[Distance Suitability: ?]
[Race Suitability: ?]
[Foot Quality: ?] [Growth Type: ?]
[Aura: ?] [Personality: ?]
[Speed: ?] [Stamina: ?]
[Winning Attribute: ?]
[Instantaneous Power: ?]
[Strength: ?] [Health: ?]
[Wisdom: A-]
[Sentiment: ?] [Flexibility: ?]
Kitano's breath caught. An A- in [Wisdom]. The system described it as a measure of a horse's ability to understand a rider's cues, even to make split-second judgments during a race. A horse this intelligent could be a partner, not just a purchase. He glanced at Flax2023, who was still watching him with those curious black eyes.
"What's your asking price for this colt?" Kitano asked, his voice steady.
Ogawa Jō rubbed his hands together, a smile spreading across his face. "Eight hundred thousand yen. How's that sound?"
Kitano repeated the number under his breath. "Eight hundred thousand." For a local racehorse, it was steep. He paused, then asked, "Can I see the pedigree?"
"Of course!" Ogawa fumbled with his briefcase, pulling out an A4 sheet and handing it to Kitano with a flourish.
Kitano's eyes scanned the paper, and a quiet "Oh?" escaped him. Flax2023's pedigree was clean—no inbreeding within four generations, a rarity in Japan's racing world. The term "3×4" floated to mind, a shorthand for when the same horse appeared in the third and fourth generations of a pedigree. Inbreeding was common, even encouraged for its supposed "explosive" results, but it came with risks. A pedigree like this—free of duplicates—was ideal, though impractical for smaller ranches like Nishiken, which couldn't afford the cost of such selective breeding.
"It's a rare combination," Kitano said, setting the sheet down. "No inbreeding at all."
Ogawa Jō nodded, his enthusiasm tempered by caution. "Flax2023's dam and sire trace back to Sunday Serenity," he said, assuming Kitano was swayed by the allure of "miracle bloodlines" like so many new owners.
Kitano's lips twitched. Sunday Serenity was a titan in Japanese racing pedigrees, a name that loomed large—too large, sometimes. His own family's struggles were tangled up in that legacy, though he didn't hold it against the horses. "I'm a veterinarian," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "I know a bit about genetics. No need to oversell it."
Ogawa Katsu, who'd been watching with his arms crossed, let out a short laugh. His scowl softened, and Kitano caught a flicker of relief in his eyes. Maybe Katsu had misjudged him. Maybe he wasn't just another dreamer doomed to fail.
"Eight hundred thousand is a stretch," Kitano said, handing the pedigree back. Ogawa Jō's face tightened, the paper crumpling slightly in his grip. "But I'll take it."
The Ogawa family's faces lit up—Jō's smile wide and genuine, Katsu's grudging but present, Kana's quiet but curious. For a fledgling ranch like Nishiken, selling a foal at that price was no small victory.
Kitano opened the system panel one last time, using his final [Detector] charge on Flax2023.
[Growth Type: Late Bloomer]
He closed the panel, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Late bloomers didn't peak until their fourth year, a risky bet for a novice owner. The million yen worth of [Detectors] was gone, and with it, any certainty of success. Across the railing, Flax2023 nudged his hand, warm and curious, oblivious to the gamble Kitano had just made.
He didn't back out. Maybe it was the colt's quiet intelligence, or the faint rapport he felt in that fleeting moment. Maybe it was the reckless hope of a man who'd already bet everything on a dream.
Whatever it was, Kitano stroked Flax2023's head, his heart steady despite the odds. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he needed to be.
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