"Yep. We're both grays monster, so I can't let you hog all the spotlight." Tamamo Cross's competitive spirit flared in her eyes.
It had been two and a half years since their last gray monster matchup. For Oguri Cap, there was something genuinely exciting about finally being able to race against Tama-chan again. "Tama-chan..." Oguri Cap spread her arms wide to go in for a hug.
But Tamamo Cross shoved her away, hands pressing against her chest. "Back off! My strength hasn't dropped one bit. If you get careless, I'll show you what Shiroi Inazuma really looks like. Heh heh."
"Wahahahaha! Oguri Cap, I'm racing too! I'm your opponent as well!" Inari One's laugh boomed from the side, loud and unrestrained as she announced her participation.
Like Oguri Cap, Inari One had fought her way from the local circuits to the central stage, so naturally, she was no pushover. She'd grown up in Oi, where all three GI races were on dirt, the kind of brutal racing that forged tough competitors.
Just like the Tokai Derby from Oguri Cap's hometown, those races were the biggest dream for Oi Uma Musume. That made her an uma musume with A-rank adaptability on both turf and dirt, with her greatest pride being her raw power.
When it came to pure strength, she wasn't inferior to Oguri Cap at all. If anything, she relished the comparison.
Super Creek watched them all looking so happy, their positive energy infectious, and couldn't bring herself to interrupt. She smiled, her eyes crinkling warmly. "Then I'll join too, maybe. That way we can all appear on the same track again."
After Super Creek said this, she glanced down at her feet, her expression flickering for just a moment before she smiled again with narrowed eyes.
Her leg injury wasn't incurable. It's just that after so many years and so many accumulated injuries, even if it could heal, her trainer Fumino Nase might not agree to let her race again. The risk might be too high.
"Well, obviously! With just us, getting racing qualifications should be easy, right?" Tamamo Cross was extremely confident about this race, her chin tilting up.
Did retiring necessarily mean your abilities declined? Not at all! Tamamo Cross was confident she wouldn't lose to any uma musume. Her goal was still number one, same as it had always been.
With the Three Heisei and Tamamo Cross joining… this Dream Cup is about to get seriously intense. Every top-tier Uma Musume in one race… this wasn't going to be easy.
When Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, and the others went back to training, Hayato moved closer to Super Creek. "Creek, how's your leg injury? Are you sure you can recover your condition before the Dream Cup?"
"Thank you for your concern, Hayato Trainer." Super Creek's voice carried genuine gratitude. "It's gotten much better."
She was genuinely grateful for Hayato's care and the attention to detail he showed.
She'd injured her leg last year. It was suspensory ligament inflammation, an extremely difficult injury to heal. Even if it healed, she wouldn't be able to run at full strength anymore. The damage was permanent to some degree.
"Hayato Trainer seems a bit different from the rumors." Super Creek's tone was thoughtful.
"Rumors? What rumors?" Hayato's eyebrows rose.
Super Creek spoke softly, a playful smile in her voice. "Everyone says you're a strict trainer who pushes your Uma Musume through impossible training, leaving them soaked in sweat and completely drained."
"Hm?" Hayato suddenly remembered that this month's magazine had already been published. Sure enough, that eccentric reporter… I can already feel my blood pressure rising. Why do I even let her tag along?
"Hayato trainer indeed leaves them exhausted and sweaty, but this training method is actually quite relaxed." Super Creek looked at the training uma musume with a hint of envy in her expression. "It's so much better than what I went through back in the day."
"Is that a compliment?" Hayato asked, genuinely uncertain.
"Huh? Of course I'm praising you!" Super Creek blinked in surprise. "Achieving maximum results with minimal effort, that's the best kind of training. That's the ideal."
"Thanks."
His chat with Super Creek proved surprisingly beneficial. Just talking with her had somehow increased his Wits stat, the notification flashing briefly in his vision.
His wits were already hard to raise these days. Reading books and playing chess didn't work anymore, the gains were too marginal. But he never expected a casual conversation could have this effect.
I should probably spend more time around these veteran Uma Musume. Learn from them, pick up their insights, and see the race from their perspective.
Hayato didn't know about others, but top-tier trainers could definitely help raise his Wits level effectively, too.
----
Time flew by quickly, each day blending into the next. Silence Suzuka's trial race, the Tulip Sho, soon arrived.
"Next up on the track… the third favorite, number 4, Silence Suzuka!"
Silence Suzuka stepped onto the stage, calm as if nothing could shake her. Her expression didn't give anything away, not a flicker of doubt, not a hint of excitement.
This was her when she got serious. Every step was deliberate, every motion smooth and precise, like a dancer who had practiced a thousand times.
She'd won her last two races, and her most recent victory had been by seven lengths. People didn't need words to see it, confidence radiated from the way she carried herself, quiet but impossible to miss.
Picking up her jacket, Silence Suzuka pulled aside the red curtain to leave, but froze when she spotted a certain proud figure standing in the corridor.
"Next up is this uma musume, second favorite, number 3, Air Groove."
Air Groove
Stamina: 88/100 Good Mood
Speed: 270
Stamina: 230
Power: 282
Guts: 225
Wits: 250
Track Aptitude: Turf A, Dirt G
Distance Aptitude: Sprint C, Mile B, Medium A, Long E
Running Style Aptitude: Front Runner D, Pace-Chaser A, Late-Surger A, End-Closer G
Skill 1: Accelerating Pace (Normal/Gold) - Speed slightly increases when passing opponents in the mid-race.
Skill 2: Preferred Position (Normal/Blue) - Becomes slightly less prone to fatigue during mid-race when running in front positions.
Skill 3: Steadfast (Normal/Gold) - If overtaken on the final turn, becomes slightly easier to catch back up. Medium distance.
Silent Suzuka
91/100 Excellent Mood
Speed: 300+93
Stamina: 170+6
Power: 165+9
Guts: 222+30
Wits: 200+35
Track Aptitude: Turf A, Dirt G
Distance Aptitude: Sprint D, Mile A, Medium A, Long E
Running Style Aptitude: Front Runner A, Pace-Chaser D, Late-Surger E, End-Closer G
This is the attribute of Silent Suzuka after a month of training.
'They were neck and neck, with hardly any difference between them. The only thing setting them apart was their skills.' Hayato muttered softly when he saw the difference in status between the two.