"Because you want to be a better trainer? What does that have anything to do with putting Teio and McQueen against each other?"
Everyone around the table has the same question as Air Shakur. For all they know, a trainer gets better from learning and reading and stuff. This is the first time any of them has heard that clashing your trainees will make one a better trainer.
"Tell me, Shakur, what do you do if a method is successful?"
"I will keep using it, duh! If it's successful, then keeping using it will bring more successes, no?"
"You are correct, and what would you learn from repeating the same action over and over?"
"Huh?"
Shakur's words are trapped in her throat. The question from the young adult trainer forces her to rack her logical brain, only to find nothing as an answer.
What would I learn from repeating the same thing over and over again?
"Let me rephrase that question. If you are trapped in a maze with a map to the exit. Would you explore each nook and cranny of the maze if you keep following the map each time?"
"No…"
"And will you realize that there might be a better and shorter path if you keep going down the same way?"
"No… But if we are going by your first analogy. If I know something works, I wouldn't just mindlessly repeat it. I will find out more about it."
*Sllluurrrppp*
"Correct. That's what most people would do. But that is exactly how you get yourself tunnel vision?"
"..."
The young man sprinkled some salt into his ramen before mixing the bowl with his chopsticks. After every grain of salt dissolved into the broth, the young man casually slurped another batch of noodles.
"Chomp… Chomp… Mmh… Tell me, Air Shakur. How many programming languages do you normally use?"
"I know ten, but I mostly use three."
"And why is that?"
"Because those three do their tasks properly."
"And how deep into the other seven have you researched?"
"...not that much."
"You found success and preference toward one language. That pushes you to learn more about that language while ignoring the others. You dug into the seventh level of knowledge to find what you want, but how do you know that the other language might hold the same solution on their third level?"
"I wouldn't know…"
"That's the problem with continuous success. The light of success blinds you to the faint sparkle of potential. And that sparkle can only truly be seen in the darkness of defeat."
Do Japanese people always talk in poetry? Is that why they are so obsessed with Haiku?
"I have learnt more about how to improve Suzuka's stats after her one defeat than all her wins. Not only did she improve more than before, but I also learned and tested new training methods to fill in the gap in her skill. I became a better trainer."
"So you will force one of your trainees to experience defeat just so you can be a better trainer? You're a real piece of work."
"I know, right? I should be put in an art museum. Ah!! Since you are here, Shaka. Can you be my assistant trainer while Tachyon is training for Kikuka Sho?"
"Your team's dynamic is… interesting. It's entirely illogical how your team can still stay together with you at the helm?"
"It's because they love me. Besides, they already know what kind of man I am. If they don't like me, they can just leave. There are plenty of strong umamusumes for me to seduce. I only need crazy bastards who won't be satisfied until they become the best in the world."
The young man's words lit a fire in the hearts of the umamusumes. Even the tame umamusume still wishes to be the fastest in the world. Those desires are much stronger in racing umamusumes. Their mouths salivate not from the ramen, but from the prospect of being the best.
"Let me use your body for my purpose, Shaka. Or something bad might happen to Fine Motion."
"Eh? Me?"
"What are you planning? She has her own bodyguards, you know?"
"I have something that her bodyguards could not protect her from!! This!!"
The young man flipped his phone at Air Shakur and Fine Motion. On the screen was a picture of Fine Motion in very sultry underwear.
"What do you think the public would think if I spread this?"
"Not much. That's clearly an AI picture, and do you know how many AI pictures of Tracen Student being naked? That Blonde Supermodel has thousands of her naked AI pictures being created each day."
"I could never ego-search again…" Gold City cried.
"Besides, it's easy to know that's not Fine Motion."
"And how would that be?"
"Her breasts are not that big."
*STAB*
"She is also not that mature. Her underwear is all childish, like a little girl."
*STAB*
"And her stomach should have more fat from all the ramen she ate."
*STAB*
"Sniffle… Sniffle… That's me… That is me… Sniffle…"
Fine Motion's body quivers in mental pain. Her ramen gets saltier not from the table salt, but from the tears flowing down her cheeks.
"You have done more damage than I could ever hope to do, Shakur. Don't worry, Fine. I still find you hot. I would still love to blackmail and fuck you."
"Thank you, Trainer Igo Heita."
"Japanese people have weird ways of complimenting people."
"He is an anomaly even amongst living beings, Folkqueen. Don't put him amongst Japanese people."
"Well, you are weird too, Gold City."
"Fuck you!!"
"Air Shakur, become my assistant."
"No. I still love my sanity."
"So you consider it a punishment, huh? Alright then!! Fine!! Do you want to punish Air Shakur?"
"Huh?"
"She has insulted you straight to your face!! Don't you think she deserves punishment for her heresy?!"
"Eh?! Yes…?"
"Good!! All you need to do is send me pictures of you in your underwear!! I'll use it to blackmail Air Shakur into serving me!! I need you, Fine!!"
"Ah!! Okay!!"
"Don't get hypnotized by him, you idiot!!"
Xxx-XxX
"So that's how you both can spend two seasons in Japan without spending that much money? By staying at Gold City's apartment."
"City slept in my house while she visited New Zealand. It's pretty common practice, Trainer Igo Heita."
After the chaotic ramen dinner, the young man drove Gold City, Ellerslie Pride, Folkqueen, Fine Motion, and Air Shakur in his car. Since Fine and Air Shakur will be going back to Tracen Academy with him, the young man dropped the trio of beauties off at Shichi's apartment.
"He has no friend, Ellerslie. He would never know how it feels to have a friend."
"Gold City."
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to spread AI pictures of us having sex."
"Instead of AI pictures, how about we make real ones, huh?"
"..."
*Vrrooooomm*
"COWARD!!!"
The young man silently drove away from the apartment building. Gold City had expected him to do so, which is why she had her insult prepared.
"Humph!!"
"For someone who acts like a pervert, he sure is more saintly compared to you, Miss Sweetheart."
"You know what kind of girl I am, Ellerslie."
"Yeah…"