Tokyo News Agency.
The place was still bustling with journalists hard at work. Minamino Haruna slumped into her chair as if all the strength had been drained from her body. Just moments ago, she had submitted her report on Barbatos's injury to her superiors, and it had been published almost immediately.
Click counts were already climbing at a staggering rate.
For a reporter, this was undoubtedly a good thing—releasing news of Barbatos's injury right after the hype from her defeat in the Dream Cup.
It maximized the spotlight on Barbatos while also riding the coattails of other legends' popularity. A truly foolproof win.
But after the story went out, her first reaction wasn't joy over the inevitable buzz. Instead, she felt a wave of relief.
The pressure of being the only one who knew such news had been overwhelming—the fact that Barbatos might not be able to run many more races.
The undefeated genius, about to fall.
The Dream Cup wasn't counted among regular competitions, so in conventional terms, Barbatos remained an undefeated Uma Musume. That much was undeniable.
Perhaps in the near future, she would choose one final race with her unbeaten record and draw a brilliant close to her career.
Maybe that farewell race would even be against El Condor Pasa in the Oka Sho.
With a soft sigh, she rose from her seat, bid her colleagues farewell, and prepared to welcome the new year.
"The Oka Sho… it fills me with both anticipation and dread."
--+--
Elsewhere, people following Uma Musume news were scrolling through updates about the Dream Cup, still heatedly discussing the event that had just concluded today.
They talked about the Emperor, about the legends, about that lone sheep among the wolves—the only non-legend, Barbatos.
And soon enough, they came across this latest update about Barbatos.
For a moment, emotions swirled wildly.
In other sports, if a competitor's injury was revealed right after a loss, it might be seen as a cover-up—an excuse for the defeat.
But for Uma Musume, such a scenario was almost unthinkable.
In a case like Barbatos's, not only would records be kept in the racecourse medical office, but there was simply no way to fake it.
Especially since Barbatos's injury didn't affect her performance in races; it impacted her racing career as a whole, not the outcome of the Winter Dream Cup.
So, a loss was just a loss.
But Barbatos might not be able to run many more races?
For a moment, fans of Barbatos felt a tightness in their chests.
It was like receiving a double blow out of nowhere. How could things turn out like this?
--+--
Tracen Academy.
El Condor Pasa lay in bed, the mask she usually wore now set aside.
Scenes from the Dream Cup still played in her mind—the race between Barbatos and the legends.
As an Uma Musume of the same generation, she didn't pity Barbatos for losing. Instead, she put herself in the race, wondering if she could have performed better than Barbatos.
Her goal had never been the Dream Cup, nor did she pay much attention to Triple Crown-level events.
Her aim had always been the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France. She wanted to defeat Montjeu there and become the world's number one Uma Musume.
But after watching today's race, if the legends represented Japan's pinnacle, and the Emperor stood among the world's very best, then…
'Can I really win the Arc in my current state?'
Such doubts echoed in her mind.
Normally, wearing her mask, she would've confidently declared she could win without a doubt. But without it, a sliver of uncertainty crept in.
In the dimly lit dorm room, Grass Wonder held her phone, its glow casting light on her face as a replay of the Dream Cup played on the screen.
Once her leg injury fully healed, she would enter that race too, competing on the same track as Barbatos and her seniors.
Just then, a news notification popped up.
About to swipe it away, Grass Wonder paused at the headline and tapped instead.
After a long moment, her narrowed eyes opened wide.
Her expression shifted from shock to confusion. As someone who spent every day with Barbatos as a classmate, she hadn't known about this at all.
Barbatos and the others must have kept it quiet.
"El-chan…"
She called out softly. As El Condor Pasa's roommate, she could guess that she was still awake.
"Barbatos might not be able to run many more races."
"Huh?"
El Condor Pasa sat up in a daze, only understanding after reading the digital headline from Tokyo News on the push notification.
"How could this be…"
Though she and Barbatos had never competed in the same race, in her heart, she had long seen Barbatos as her rival—a driving force behind her own efforts.
And now, according to the report, Barbatos might not be able to participate in many races due to injury?
She couldn't quite accept it.
The Oka Sho was in April. After that, the G1 races included the Spring Tenno Sho, the NHK Mile Cup, the Victoria Mile, the Kashiwa Kinen, the Japanese Oaks, the Yasuda Kinen, the Takarazuka Kinen, the Tenno Sho, and more…
If the report was true, the only races where she and Barbatos were certain to meet were the Oka Sho and the Japanese Oaks.
After the first year of debut races, there were simply too many G1 events to participate in during the second year.
Aside from the Spring Tenno Sho, a 3200-meter marathon Barbatos would surely skip, Barbatos could likely enter any of the others—even dirt G1s.
That meant her rival Barbatos might retire soon…
"Grass~"
El Condor Pasa took a light breath, picked up the mask from her bedside, and put it on.
Her previously soft, hesitant tone instantly transformed into one brimming with confidence. "After tomorrow's New Year shrine visit, I want to start preparing for the Oka Sho right away."
"No matter how many races Barbatos has left, I'll defeat her in the Oka Sho."
"And then!"
"I'll win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe!"
"And finally, defeat the President, and win the Winter Dream Cup!"
No matter what happened to Barbatos, giving her all in a race was the greatest respect she could show a friend and rival.
From now on, she would train harder than ever before.
If possible, she'd seek out the seniors in her team. She would train alongside them, pushing herself to her limits!
By the time the Oka Sho came, she would face Barbatos in her strongest form!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.