[Today is the Fan Appreciation Day. I didn't expect so many people to show up.]
[Hokko Tarumae told me that people from Tomakomai are coming because I'm an honorary ambassador for the city. They are so grateful they brought a ton of local specialties.]
[Admire Vega came to Spica and made us sandwiches again. She thanked me for the medicine last time, her legs are doing much better.]
[Narita Top Road also came to thank me. It turns out she's been closely watching Admire Vega's condition. Everyone is visiting each other, and without realizing it, I've made so many friends at Tracen.]
[Actually, the biggest surprise was seeing Mejiro Ardan and Invincible. Invincible actually came all the way from China! The little kid has blue hair just like her mom.]
[Mejiro Ardan also met with Mejiro Ramonu. The sisters can finally run together.]
[When Ardan's contemporaries saw her, they burst into tears and hugged her. Even Ardan was moved. After her injury, she spent so much time in the hospital. She's waited a long, long time for this moment of reunion.]
[She really worked hard.]
[Though, it was a bit awkward. When I saw Invincible, I was so shocked that I blurted out, "Isn't this our Good Son Invincible?" Everyone froze, asking who "Good Son" was and where.]
[In an instant, Invincible was surrounded by chants of "Good Son." She almost went berserk and tried to fight me.]
[I'd better find a safe place to finish this log before she accidentally kills me.]
[Oh, and the most ridiculous thing today: I bumped into Sounds of Earth. That girl is full of smooth talk, pretending to play the violin and telling everyone they should "compose a masterpiece together." Her cringe-factor is top-tier.]
[Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond have officially hit their growth spurts. Teio was happy at first and wanted to see how tall Kitasan had gotten. The next second, Teio turned into a walking meme.]
[She thought Kitasan just grew a little, not that she'd be half a head taller than her. Teio is now depressed. Kitasan is massive.]
[Teio-chan, you're only 150cm, and Kitasan is already 162cm. Why do this to yourself? Look at McQueen and Suzuka— they have self-awareness. They would never go compare with Satono Diamond.]
[I was curious about Kitasan's growth spurt and asked her what it felt like.]
[Kitasan was a bit dazed. She said she just woke up one day, found she was taller and stronger, and thought she was dreaming until her mom told her it was her maturation.]
[She said she's not used to being this tall yet and keeps bumping her head on things, but fortunately, her head is hard.]
[She even claimed that with her current strength, she could jump up a whole floor or knock out a bull with one punch. Good lord, Kitasan is as energetic as ever.]
At this point, Silence Suzuka and Mejiro McQueen felt personally attacked.
Suzuka pretended not to understand, thinking, 'Trainer Mizuki, what do you mean? Dia-chan and I are about the same height, what is there to compare?'
Kitasan Black was embarrassed to see herself mentioned. She really wasn't used to her new height, whenever people stared at her, she felt like a giant awkward action figure. She kept bumping her head, but as she said, she has a very thick skull.
However, she met her match today. While walking, she collided head-on with a girl named Duramente. The impact left Kitasan dizzy— it was the first time she'd ever felt a headache— while Duramente didn't budge at all.
Kitasan realized this girl was her contemporary and felt she was amazing, but vowed she'd win if they ever raced.
[I also saw Titleholder, Liberty Island, Equinox, and Panthalassa.]
[Equinox and Kitasan were drinking beer together— non-alcoholic, of course. But they drank in the exact same way, looking like a carbon copy of each other. Seeing a six-year-old child and a sixteen-year-old girl drinking with the energy of middle-aged salarymen was a bizarre sight.]
[Duramente seemed to be at Tracen for the first time. I didn't expect to see her goose-stepping around. Is she nervous?]
[She wasn't looking where she was going and crashed into Matikane Tannhauser. Another head-to-head collision. Duramente was a statue, while Tannhauser got a nosebleed. Duramente got so nervous she forgot how to walk.]
[She carried Tannhauser to the infirmary. She has an icy aura and high-cold blue eyes, but she's actually very kind.]
"Wow, I saw that Duramente today!" Titleholder's eyes sparkled.
"She knocked Kitasan Black down with her head, then gave Matikane Tannhauser a nosebleed. Who is she? I thought my head was hard, but she's on another level!"
"I saw her too, but she's a bit scary," the young Liberty Island chimed in. "I still like Kitasan Black. She's gentle and lets me sit on her arm. I feel so safe with her."
Poor Duramente, if she knew her "daughter" preferred Kitasan, she'd probably go goose-step around the track in sadness.
(T/N: "Goose-stepping" is the stiff, high-leg marching thing that some militararies do. Think Nazi Germany or North Korea. Goose-stepping was also something the real-horse Duramente would do, and this is reflected in the anime.)
"Speaking of the infirmary, I saw Twin Turbo-san zooming past," Panthalassa said excitedly. She loved that "burst" energy that Twin Turbo gave off.
"I know! Duramente-san and Kitasan-san are contemporaries. I wonder who would win in a race...?"
"Kitasan-san, do your best!" Equinox cheered with a smug expression, already waving the Kitasan flag.
"Just wait, our era is coming!" Titleholder declared.
"Equinox, Liberty Island, Panthalassa— you're all good runners, but you won't be a match for Titleholder!"
In reality, Titleholder's victory in the 2021 Kikuka Sho— winning by a miracle five length lead— reminded many of Seiun Sky.
Fittingly, his jockey, Takeshi Yokoyama, is the son of Seiun Sky's jockey, Norihiro Yokoyama.
It was a victory dedicated to his late sire, Duramente, who missed the Kikuka Sho due to injury.
"Sorry, Titleholder, I'm taking those words and giving them right back. I, Liberty Island, am the strongest!"
The "siblings" started bickering.
Back to the scene, Duramente was blushing.
'Was my goose-stepping really that obvious? I thought no one noticed! Is that what she thinks of me?'
The log continued.
[By the way, I also saw Mejiro Ramonu. What should Invincible call her? Aunt? Great-aunt?]
[Ramonu actually dotes on Invincible quite a bit.]
[I wanted to go say hi, but then I saw Agnes Digital. Good god, she nearly scared me to death.]
[She was hiding in a corner, watching Teio, Kitasan, and Equinox play with a face full of bliss, muttering, "The love... the ship... I'm ascending..."]
[I'm totally speechless. Agnes Digital, get a grip! Shipping everyone and everything will only lead to your downfall!]
[At least ship me too!]
[After we finished the official segment, the group discussed whether we should organize a game to increase interaction with the fans. I suggested playing Truth or Dare.]
[Equinox was the first to get hyped. "What kind of game is that?" she asked.]
[It's actually quite simple. Everyone sits in a circle, and I place a spinner in the middle. The pointer selects two Uma Musume who then play Rock-Paper-Scissors. The winner gets to ask the loser a question. It can be sharp, but it can't cross the line.]
[If you can't answer, you have to choose "Dare." The winner decides the dare, which also has to be reasonable— anything from doing a folk dance to singing the Mambo.]
[In an instant, everyone was interested. Twin Turbo even declared she wanted to see "everyone else cry."]
[Soon, I was in the middle of all the Uma Musume, spinning the pointer. Everyone was super nervous.]
[They really are quite cute— someone like Buena Vista was clinging to Special Week's arm, looking terrified. Special Week's tail was wagging like crazy. Her emotions are always written all over her face.]
[The result of the first round was Tokai Teio vs. Nice Nature. They had to play Rock-Paper-Scissors.]
[Amidst the cheers, Nice Nature and Tokai Teio stepped into the center. I gave the signal, and they started the "trash talk."]
[Teio put on a cold expression. "Neicha-san, Teio is going to throw Rock, so you'd better be careful."]
[This smug little brat was playing psychological warfare right from the start.]
[Nice Nature stayed calm. "Then I'll throw Paper."]
[For a moment, their auras exploded. The visual effects were maxed out. Everyone was stunned— it's just Rock-Paper-Scissors, why are these two taking it so seriously?!]
[The final result: Nice Nature threw Rock, and Tokai Teio threw Scissors.]
[Tokai Teio cried. She thought Nature-san was being literal, but Nature predicted her prediction and threw Rock.]
[Nature-san was overjoyed! She beat Tokai Teio, and her motivation was as high as it could be.]
[The question Nature asked was extremely sharp.]
[She said: "Teio, you've come to Spica now, but Mejiro McQueen used to be the ace of Spica. Do you have any intentions of replacing her?"]
[I was stunned. Nice Nature, you really are a cunning racer, that question was way too sharp!]
[McQueen was very nervous, obviously thinking, 'Teio wouldn't, right?']
[However, Teio said she wouldn't steal McQueen's ace position. Just as McQueen started to feel happy, Teio added: "Because being the ace of Spica has no perks. You have to go out and recruit people every day, and you have to taste-test the yakisoba Gold Ship makes."
["I don't want that. If I'm going to be an ace, I'll be the Number One Ace of Tracen."]
[McQueen went from being moved to having her smile freeze. She felt she'd wasted her emotions. Then she realized Teio was right— being the ace of Spica really is a miserable job.]
[The sharp questions kept coming. One of the funniest was Mejiro Ramonu vs. Sirius Symboli. Ramonu won and asked Sirius: "Who is the strongest Uma Musume in your heart?"]
[Sirius Symboli's face turned green. She refused to say a word. In her heart, she definitely believes the strongest is Symboli Rudolf, but she would never admit it out loud.]
[She chose "Dare" instead. Ramonu made her go to the side and do a folk dance until the game ended.]
[Sirius looked like she wanted to kill Ramonu with her eyes, but she was clearly being toyed with. She just can't win against that bad woman.]
[I have to say, Sirius Symboli's dancing was quite smooth. Her waist moved perfectly, but since she was doing it through gritted teeth, I don't think she expected Ramonu to be so ruthless.]
[Everyone was having a blast. Some of the punishments were quite interesting.]
[For example, Mejiro Ryan chose a dare and ended up having her hairstyle changed— it actually looked great.]
[Zenno Rob Roy also chose a dare. She was asked to take off her glasses and put on colored contacts. She transformed into a petite beauty instantly. I couldn't help but ask, "Who are you, beautiful stranger?"]
[The best one was Admire Vega and Narita Top Road. Ayabe asked Top Road: "Have you really cried after losing a race before?"]
[Top Road's face turned bright red. She chose a dare and ended up holding hands with Sirius Symboli, joining the folk dance.]
[I was dying of laughter. Honestly, Top Road's dancing was a bit clumsy, but the way her waist swayed had a unique charm, especially with her girlish shyness. It was great.]
[Everyone is still playing, so I have time to write a bit more in the log.]
[Today, I'm writing the story of the Overlord of the Century's End!]
[His name is T.M. Opera O!]
[His career consisted of 7 G1 titles, creating countless legends and successfully carrying his "beloved son" Ryuji Wada to the top.]
[By his own strength, he won the Satsuki Sho, the Spring Tenno Sho, the Takarazuka Kinen, the Autumn Tenno Sho, the Japan Cup, and the Arima Kinen. He achieved the world-shaking feat of an undefeated 8-race season, including the "Autumn Triple Crown" and a grand slam of 5 G1 titles in one year.]
[He started from humble beginnings but drew the encirclement of the top racers. A desperate 1-vs-15 situation— any other horse would have despaired.]
[But before T.M. Opera O, all he saw was an infinitely extending Path of the Conqueror.]
[After reading the whole story of Opera O, I was deeply moved.]
[I even found some "Easter eggs." For instance, Rudolf's jockey, Yukio Okabe, had a near-obsessive love for "Luna." This guy actually wrote fanfiction about Rudolf by hand. I was stunned.]
[I'm thinking that if Yukio Okabe wrote a diary like mine, the content would probably be R-18.]
[I truly admire him, he's on another level.]
At this point, a group of people was left completely stunned. T.M. Opera O was incredibly invigorated.
"Ha~~~ Hahaha~~!"
She laughed loudly.
"As expected, the play of the Conqueror has begun! 7 G1s? But that means I lost the Japanese Derby and the Kikuka Sho... who took those two titles?"
"Also, there are only 6 G1s listed by name here, which means I won one of them twice. Which one? The Spring Tenno Sho?"
Opera O was excited, but she was also concerned— it seemed her strength wasn't enough during her Classic year. She resolved to work even harder.
Furthermore, she saw Ryuji Wada's name again. Previously, Trainer Mizuki wrote that Wada was her "son," but now it seemed he was her partner.
"We must be the best partners, Wada-san."
Opera O felt this way, but she also felt a sense of self-reproach.
'Sorry, Wada, it seems I wasn't strong enough in the Classics. I need to get even stronger so I don't hold you back...'
If Ryuji Wada were to travel here and hear this, he'd probably kneel and beg Opera O to stop blaming herself. Seeing something like that would hurt more than being killed.
Opera O's losses in the Derby and Kikuka Sho were because Wada hadn't learned to be a "qualified deadweight" yet.
In the Derby, he accelerated too early, and although Opera O took a brief lead, he was eventually overtaken by Admire Vega and finished third, watching Yutaka Take win back-to-back Derbies.
Winning the Derby is the ultimate glory for a jockey. Ryuji Wada was working hard for that goal, and if he had learned to be a deadweight sooner, Opera O would have likely won it for him.
"A-wa-wa-wa-wa..."
Meisho Doto was stunned. She saw T.M. Opera O's championship record and thought she was amazing. Being someone close to Opera O, she felt proud by association.
But then she realized something was wrong.
'Wait, I'm in the same generation as Opera O, aren't I? If she's the "Overlord of the Century's End" and won so many titles... what about me?'
"Am... Am I just a 'Weakling of the Century's End'?"
Doto was terrified. She felt embarrassed to even face a Trainer.
'A useless person like me... aren't I just holding someone back? Uwaa, I'm sorry, my future Trainer-san. I'm so sorry for being so weak.'
The real horses Meisho Doto and T.M. Opera O had a good relationship, but Doto would get angry whenever he heard Opera O's name. This was because his handlers would sigh every time Opera O was mentioned, leading Doto to believe "Opera O" was a bad word.
In Symboli Rudolf's office:
"7 G1s? Very good. T.M. Opera O... it seems Tracen is getting stronger and stronger."
"But, Yukio Okabe... is he my partner? What... exactly did he do? What kind of person is he?"
Rudolf was dazed. She knew now that every Uma Musume has a partner— similar to a Trainer— and she had been curious about hers. Now she knew: Yukio Okabe.
In reality, Yukio Okabe loved Rudolf with obsessive depth. In the 2001 Takarazuka Kinen, perhaps to ensure Rudolf's 7-G1 record wasn't surpassed by Opera O, he "boxed in" Opera O.
While he didn't commit a foul, it was a move that frustrated Opera O's fans. If Rudolf knew, she certainly wouldn't have approved, she would have wanted the younger generation to surpass her.
But would Okabe care? No. As the ultimate "twisted fan" of Rudolf, he would do anything to protect Rudolf's legacy. Even if Rudolf scolded him for it, he'd probably enjoy it for days.
Okabe was one of the first to write Uma Musume fanfiction. His piece, "Rudolf's Back," is a legendary classic.
Elsewhere, Mikki Rocket saw Opera O's name and was awestruck.
"That's Opera O! In my heart, she's the strongest Uma Musume. The Overlord of the Century's End is so cool!"
"Okay, Mikki Rocket has to work hard too. I want to be an Overlord too!"
"Ahem... a 'Rocket' is a type of Overlord among vehicles, right?" Mikki Rocket was overjoyed. She knew her senior was incredible.
'Can I win a G1 like her?'
"Right! I'll make up for Senior Opera O's regrets. I'll take the Japanese Derby and the Kikuka Sho— then we'll be 'Combined Triple Crown' Uma Musume!"
Mikki Rocket wanted to fix Opera O's regrets, but she didn't realize that the races she was destined to "make up for" might not be those two.
Meanwhile, Narita Top Road and Admire Vega couldn't believe it.
Top Road: "Wh... What!? But Opera O and I are of the same generation! Does that mean... I really lost everything to her?"
Top Road refused to accept this, but the facts were the facts.
On the Tracen track:
Haa... Haa... Sweat dripped down Admire Vega's face. She still had a straight to run. Knowing Opera O won so many races, how could she be satisfied? She decided to train harder.
"Opera O... we must settle this." Ayabe's eyes sharpened. She surged forward, the track seemingly trembling under her fury.
Mizuki's log continued to update.
[T.M. Opera O and the 'Emperor' Symboli Rudolf were born on the same day of the same month at Kishu Farm in Urakawa, Hokkaido. The years were different, of course.]
[T.M. Opera O belongs to the Sadler's Wells line. At first, he wasn't highly regarded.]
[Horses of the Sadler's Wells line generally possess a mix of power and speed, excelling on the soft turf of Europe. They fetch good prices there.]
[But in Japan, the Sadler's Wells line wasn't considered strong— one might even say they were ignored. Even in 2023 in Japan, the line doesn't fetch high prices. Clearly, the strength Opera O displayed was an exception to the rule.]
[Or perhaps it's not considered strong because of how much Japanese Racing Fans downplay Opera O's achievments?]
In the US:
"Whoa! My name finally got mentioned! 'Horses of the Sadler's Wells line'... isn't my name Sadler's Wells?" Sadler's Wells was dazed.
"Whoa! Your name finally got mentioned! 'Horses of the Sadler's Wells line'... isn't your name Sadler's Wells?" Seabiscuit repeated like a parrot.
"Hmph, Seabiscuit, stop mocking me! Tell me, does this mean I'm super strong?"
Sadler's Wells was happy. She wondered if the "Sadler's Wells line" was like the Gold family. That would mean Opera O was on her team.
She immediately started cheering for Opera O.
"I don't know, but Big Sis Sadler's strength is definitely top-tier, no doubt," Seabiscuit said, happily giving her compliments.
"Oh, stop. I saw the part where it said the Sadler's Wells line isn't strong in Japan at all. Since when did you learn to flatter me?"
"But... I... well... I really like it! Keep it coming! Praise me more!"
"Secretariat praises everyone since she's a flirt. It's no fun coming from her. It has to be you. Remember, only praise me from now on, no one else." Sadler's Wells giggled, waiting for more praise.
It turns out she was just as confident and narcissistic as the rest.
At Tracen Academy, Panthalassa said:
"President Rudolf and Opera O were both born on March 13th and both won 7 G1s. That's too cool! When I go home, I'm telling my mom to change my birthday to March 13th so I can become super strong too!"
Liberty Island said: "You can't change that. It's based on the moment you were born."
Equinox added: "Speaking of which, Kitasan Black and Satono Crown were also born on the same day and month— March 10th."
Indeed, Kitasan Black and Satono Crown are essentially childhood friends. They faced each other 8 times throughout their careers— far more than the 2 times Kitasan faced Satono Diamond— with victories and losses shared between them.
In the real horse world, both were born on March 10, 2012.
Mizuki's log continued to update.
[Just ten days after his birth, T.M. Opera O was spotted by an owner named Masatsugu Takezono. This businessman, who once knew absolutely nothing about the racing world, decided to enter the sport after glimpsing the gallant figure of his childhood friend— former jockey and current trainer Ichizo Iwamoto— atop a horse.]
[Thus, he decided to become a private owner.]
[Being a total novice, he managed to take T.M. Opera O home at an auction for the incredibly low price of 10.5 million yen, with absolutely no one competing against him.]
[After acquiring T.M. Opera O, owner Masatsugu Takezono, trainer Ichizo Iwamoto, and the budding young jockey Ryuji Wada formed a "makeshift team" with very little experience.]
[Essentially, Opera O's team was considered one of the least promising groups at the time.]
[Compared to the "Vice-Overlord of the Century's End," Meisho Doto— whose price was even lower at 5 million yen— Doto was at least sent to the Ritto stables for cultivation.]
[But no one expected that these two horses would almost monopolize the first and second place spots in the races at the end of the century.]
[As the saying goes: Opera O first, Doto second.]
[If T.M. Opera O was the Overlord of the Century's End, then Meisho Doto truly earned the Vice-Overlord title, earning five consecutive G1 runner-up finishes.]
[Because of this, Meisho Doto was also dubbed the "Silver Medal Collector."]
At this moment, everyone was left staring in disbelief.
At Tracen's Team Canopus:
"Whoa, so Doto is actually that amazing? If it weren't for Opera O, she would have had five consecutive wins! She would have been the Overlord of the Century's End!"
Twin Turbo was stunned. The usually weak-looking Doto was actually that strong?
"But... I feel like this is too tragic for Doto. Always being second... that's just too hard to take," Matikane Tannhauser remarked.
"Sigh, what can I say? I wanted to comfort Doto at first, but then I remembered I'm always in third. The words of comfort just got stuck in my throat," Nice Nature felt drained.
She felt bad for Doto, but then realized she's been stuck in third lately— if she comforted Doto, who would comfort her?
"I feel like I'm always in fourth," Tannhauser added seriously.
"I'm always at the back of the pack," Turbo recalled her own record.
For a moment, the atmosphere in Canopus turned heavy.
In hindsight, they shouldn't be comforting anyone, they needed comfort themselves.
"Hey everyone, don't give up! Let's work hard!"
At that moment, Kitasan Black walked in. Having overheard them, she cheered them on with a sunny smile.
While in the Uma Musume Season 3 anime Kitasan often felt depressed and needed Nice Nature's guidance, here she was bright and cheerful, guiding them instead.
She declared that one must have faith and strive for the championship.
She directly triggered her Support Card line: "Harikitte Ikkou!"
(T/N: Harikitte Ikkou roughly translates to "Let's give it our all with plenty of spirit!")
Actually, this version of Kitasan Black is the "normal" one. She is a genius of hard work. She endured brutal training that normal people couldn't stand.
This involved running three 1,000-meter slopes with a 32-meter elevation drop in a single session, whereas most horses can only handle the intensity of one.
Countless horses in the JRA couldn't handle that kind of training even once, but Kitasan's whole life consisted of this devilish training without interruption— a true "Iron Horse."
In the real world, Kitasan Black's daughter with Sweep Tosho, the highly anticipated "Piedra de Luna," was later put through similar training by groom Hisashi Shimizu.
However, he clearly didn't realize that not every horse is named Kitasan Black. The filly Piedra de Luna quickly suffered severe fractures and was unable to continue racing at age 3, becoming a broodmare instead.
In the Cygames project, there's an Easter egg regarding Kitasan Black and Sweep Tosho. When Kitasan is exhausted, Sweep Tosho casts a spell to relieve her fatigue, the incantation is "Piedra de Luna"— the name of their daughter.
Sweep Tosho clearly loves her precious daughter dearly.
"Kitasan Black-san, sorry about that. We actually needed your guidance," Nice Nature said, feeling better.
"Hehe, that's the spirit! Even if you fail time and again, you have to keep working hard and charge toward your own stage." Kitasan gave a shy smile.
"So cool, Kitasan!" Tannhauser nodded. She still couldn't move much, she had bumped heads with Duramente earlier and was still recovering, fearing another nosebleed.
"Um... are you okay now?" At this moment, Duramente walked in.
Kitasan Black and Duramente locked eyes— Kitasan had encountered "The Sledgehammer" again.
Elsewhere:
"Eh? I'm not a weakling, but a Vice-Conqueror?"
Meisho Doto was stunned. She had been slumped over the table in depression, her distinctive long white bangs drooping, but seeing herself described as the "Vice-Overlord" made her bolt upright.
Her cat-like mouth perked up.
'If I was second, then if I worked hard, maybe... just maybe... there was a tiny chance... I could beat Opera O-san, right?'
Her inner voice got weaker as she finished the thought, but at least she had found some confidence.
"Ha~~~ Hahaha~~~ Doto, keep up with my pace! Together, we shall make the light of the century's end shine across the entire racing era! We must leave our hoofprints behind!"
Opera O was overjoyed. But she wasn't arrogant, her real-life counterpart worked so hard, how could she bring shame to her?
She would perform the final dance on the Overlord's stage perfectly.
She wanted to keep reading. The story of her and Wada continued. She was also curious why Wada was called her "son" when he was her partner.
She wanted to apologize to him for her lack of strength in the Classic year.
Again, Wada would literally kneel and beg her to stop apologizing if he heard this. If Opera O appeared in his dreams at night and said, "Sorry, Wada, if only I were stronger, I could have led you out of the encirclement..." Wada would actually slap himself.
In the UK, Frankel was also reading the story. Now known as the World Horse of the Year, she wanted to face strong opponents— especially since Trainer Mizuki mentioned another 140-point horse.
'Who could it be?'
However, Frankel now had a group of junior Uma Musume who saw her as their idol, including one named Alpinista.
In reality, Alpinista is Frankel's daughter— his pride and joy. On October 2, 2022, Alpinista won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, becoming Frankel's first offspring to do so.
If Frankel met Sea The Stars now, he could say: "Uncle Stars, my family has an Arc winner now. How about you?"
The log continued.
[On August 15, 1998, T.M. Opera O entered his debut race as the overwhelming favorite but lost, finishing second. After the race, an injury was discovered, and he rested until the following year.]
[His debut was rough. It wasn't until February 6, 1999, that he finally took first place in his third Maiden Race, successfully starting his career.]
[Because of these results, owner Takezono and trainer Iwamoto didn't have high expectations for him. They thought he would just earn a little pocket change in Open races, and thus, they missed the registration deadline for the Classic races.]
[However, after Opera O consecutively won the "Yukiyaigiku Sho" (OP) and the G3 Mainichi Hai, trainer Iwamoto realized something was very wrong— Opera O was far stronger than he had imagined.]
[But owner Takezono didn't agree. He didn't want him to run the Satsuki Sho, preferring to focus on the Japanese Derby. Trainer Iwamoto, full of anticipation, was willing to pay the 2 million yen late-registration fee out of his own pocket just to see him compete in the Satsuki Sho.]
[And at that moment, Oguri Cap's trainer, Tsutomu Setoguchi, suddenly appeared. He strongly supported the late registration for the Satsuki Sho.]
[This was because Oguri Cap had suffered a similar regret. Coming from the regional circuit, he missed the registration for the JRA Classics, leaving him unable to compete— a lasting regret for countless fans in the JRA's heart.]
[Many even believe that the absence of Oguri Cap from the Classics wasn't just his regret, but a massive loss for the entire JRA.]
[Because of Oguri Cap, the JRA established the late-registration system for Classic races for the first time.]
[It can be said that T.M. Opera O and Kitasan Black were direct beneficiaries of the "Oguri Cap System." Here, I can only shout: Glory to the Cult of Oguri!]
[Without Oguri Cap, Opera O could never have begun his "Overlord's Path," and his feat of world domination would have been impossible.]
At Tracen:
"A-wa-wa-wa-wa..."
Opera O, imitating Meisho Doto's tone, was stunned. She hadn't realized that the key figures who opened her path were her trainer and Oguri Cap's team.
She was deeply moved. Declaring herself a follower and fan of Oguri Cap, she said:
"Ha~~~ Hahaha! Glory to the Cult of Oguri! Forgive my previous rudeness, Oguri Cap-san. A new Oguri fan has arrived!"
Coincidentally, Oguri Cap was right next to her. Since it was Fan Appreciation Day, everyone was gathered together.
"Was Setoguchi my partner? So my real-life counterpart couldn't run the Classics... then I'll work hard to fill that regret for her, and for everyone in the real world."
Oguri Cap clenched her fist, her whole being vibrating with excitement. She didn't think she was that amazing, "regret of the entire JRA" sounded a bit exaggerated to her.
"Oguri Cap-san, do you have any regrets?" Opera O asked gently.
"Hmm... the Triple Crown races are held at Nakayama, Kyoto, and Tokyo. If I can't participate, I won't be able to eat the local delicacies there."
Oguri Cap was dead serious. Of course, she felt the competitive regret in her heart, but it was the runner-up regret to the food.
"Hahaha! When the time comes, I'll treat you! How about it?" Opera O waved her hand confidently.
If Mizuki was here, she'd surely yell "Stop! Opera O! There is hell ahead!"
"Really?" Oguri Cap's eyes widened. She was happy— not just because of the food, but because Opera O could fulfill her dream.
If everyone could live without regrets, she felt she had made a contribution. She gave a faint, gentle smile.
The log continued.
[In April 1999, T.M. Opera O successfully entered the Satsuki Sho. On the final straight, he showed the Japanese racing world his incredible closing speed for the first time. As the 5th favorite, he defeated strong rivals like Admire Vega and Narita Top Road to claim his first G1 title.]
[In the real horse world, Admire Vega watched the situation carefully and began his sprint after the third corner. Narita Top Road, as if locking onto Ayabe, chased him down and overtook him after Ayabe made a tactical error.]
[But just as Top Road charged toward the finish line, a scene no one expected occurred: The Overlord of the Century's End, T.M. Opera O, caught up and bypassed the full-speed Top Road with a miraculous outside sprint, winning the Satsuki Sho.]
[The loading bar for "Narita Top Road the Crybaby" has reached 50%.]
[After the race, jockey Ryuji Wada high-spiritedly declared that in the upcoming Japanese Derby, he had the confidence not to lose to any rival in terms of riding skill.]
In the US:
"Now that feels right." Secretariat.
"It seems this jockey Wada is very powerful. So why call him Opera O's son?" Secretariat wondered.
As for Sadler's Wells, she said happily:
"Incredible! Opera O! That is the strength of us Sadler's Wells! Seabiscuit, Flightline— do you think her strength comes from her ancestor's traits? Am I perhaps Opera O's ancestor?"
Seabiscuit groaned.
"Hey, how is that possible? Opera O is the same age as you. You're in America and she's in Japan. There's no way you're her ancestor. You're just taking advantage of her. And you've got a lot of nerve talking about 'ancestor's traits'."
Seabiscuit couldn't hold back. She figured even if Sadler's Wells were an ancestor, a normal senior would see their bloodline flourishing and say, "See? That's my kid, the student has surpassed the master."
But Sadler's Wells was different, her first reaction to her "kid's" success was to claim it was a reversion to her traits— basically praising herself. Shameless.
Back at Tracen:
Admire Vega was extremely unwilling, but she had no time for regret. She just wanted to see who won the Japanese Derby and the Kikuka Sho next. She assumed it must be her.
After all, though she felt a bit bad about it, she saw that Narita Top Road's "crybaby progress" was already at 50%.
That meant Top Road likely lost the next one too, and probably cried quite hard.
So, the odds of her winning the Japanese Derby are actually quite high.
Admire Vega is indeed very sharp. However, Narita Top Road insists that there's no need to analyze it so thoroughly— she's definitely not going to cry.
"Ugh... Trainer Mizuki, you're so mean! Why call me a 'crybaby'? I won't cry!" Top Road's face was already flushed crimson.
She was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear, was she about to face a "social death" in front of the whole world? She decided right then and there: She had to win the race and show everyone her smile.
Little did Top Road know, she's the type who cries even louder when she wins.
The log continued.
[However, Ryuji Wada celebrated a bit too early. He arrived at the Japanese Derby brimming with confidence. After the race started, he surged forward with T.M. Opera O. But because the young Wada lacked experience, he soon made a fatal mistake: He ordered Opera O to accelerate far too early.]
[This caused him to lose speed at the end of the straight, where he was overtaken by Admire Vega and Narita Top Road, finishing a disappointing third. He could only watch as Yutaka Take achieved back-to-back Derby victories.]
[Then, in the Kikuka Sho, Wada overcorrected. He gave the command to accelerate much too late, resulting in Opera O failing to catch up to Narita Top Road and settling for second place.]
[As for Narita Top Road, through both failure and success, she achieved a "back-to-back achievement" of bawling her eyes out after the races.]
[Ryuji Wada was completely stunned. He wondered what was going on— was his riding skill not as great as he thought? He was only 22 at the time and had no idea what to do.]
[Unlike Yutaka Take, he had no background or powerful connections in the JRA. If he were replaced, his career would likely be over. No owner would choose him again.]
[And exactly what Wada feared happened: Owner Takezono was furious after seeing the races and wanted to replace Wada on the spot.]
[Fortunately, Ichizo Iwamoto stepped in. He remembered his younger self, having gone through the exact same thing when he was nearly replaced until his trainer protected him. Iwamoto stood his ground and finally managed to keep Wada on the horse.]
[Wada was incredibly anxious and desperate to prove himself. But in the subsequent Kyoto Daishoten, because he was too focused on the struggling Special Week, he once again accelerated too late and finished third.]
[That race was the worst performance of Special Week's career, finishing 7th— the only time in his life he fell out of the top five.]
[To let Wada experience the feeling of winning again, Iwamoto chose a G2 3600m Stayers Stakes for Opera O. Even though he was overworked, he still managed a solid second-place finish.]
[Then came the Arima Kinen 20 days later. The owner wanted Opera O to enter. Iwamoto and Wada didn't feel they could refuse. However, due to the continuous long-distance races, Opera O was severely lacking in stamina and ultimately lost, finishing third.]
[Grass Wonder defeated Special Week by a mere 4cm to take the Arima Kinen crown.]
[Achievement unlocked: "Today's Spe-chan is no match for me."]
[The "General of Lake Akan," Stay Gold, played the supporting role again, taking an excellent 10th place. To him, the championship isn't important, biting other horses' tails is much more fun.]
[Truly the Steppping Stone of the Century's End.]
Inside Tracen, the logs had stirred up a massive storm.
In the Spica room:
"I... I finished seventh, and then I lost to Grass... Uwaaa, 4 centimeters! How? I was only 4cm away from the championship!"
Special Week turned into "Special Weep."
Losing a race like that is heart-wrenching. She promised her mother she'd be the best Uma Musume, but did she fail?
She shook her head. She must have many more races. Trainer Mizuki said she only fell out of the top five once in her career, so there must be championships ahead.
She had to keep going, she couldn't give up yet.
When Grass Wonder saw this, she was deeply moved. She won... and she won against Spe-chan. But she wondered about that "achievement."
"Today's Spe-chan is no match for me..." Grass Wonder suddenly felt like those were words she would actually say. She decided to celebrate today— she was overjoyed.
However, she also noticed that the jockey named Ryuji Wada was in a very dangerous spot. She immediately looked at herself, she couldn't just be happy, or she'd get complacent and something bad would happen. Being over-confident erodes the will. She had to fire herself up!
Ryuji Wada would have never expected that his story would actually motivate Grass Wonder.
"Grass's aura is terrifying," El Condor Pasa shivered. Even Mambo was spooked. As a hawk, he knew clearly that this was a woman he shouldn't mess with.
Elsewhere:
"Waaa! I'm not a crybaby! I don't care, I'm NOT!" Narita Top Road was very, very happy to see she won the Kikuka Sho, but she insisted she wouldn't cry.
Now everyone knew her nickname. Her face was flushed with shame, she almost regretted being born. She was the enthusiastic Class President! She was supposed to lead by example, but now everyone knew she cried when she won and cried when she lost.
How could she face anyone?
'Uwaaa, I might as well just run headfirst into a wall and hope I forget about it!'
Top Road was dying inside, but in reality, no one cared. They were just happy for her. Because she helped everyone so much, they all shared in her joy. To her, that nickname just meant Mizuki was too mean— a pure villain.
In another part of Tracen: Stay Gold was losing it.
"Where is Mizuki?! Calling me the 'General of Lake Akan' and a 'Stepping Stone of the Century's End' again! Where are you? Come out!"
Stay Gold was on the verge of a breakdown.
'Trainer Mizuki, your vision is too narrow! In the Stay Gold family, we don't call it 'supporting', we call it 'enjoying the race,' do you understand?!'
She was in a state of powerless rage, but the people around her couldn't hold back their laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Stay Gold glared at Gentildonna.
"I just remembered something funny," Gentildonna coughed.
"That 'funny thing' wouldn't happen to be me finishing 10th and being a supporting character again, would it?" Stay Gold stared her down.
"Yes..." Gentildonna nodded.
"And what are you laughing at?" Stay Gold turned to Orfevre.
"I also remembered something funny," Orfevre said.
"All of you are forgetting that I won a G1 Race! And a foreign one, too! You should stop mocking me and start admiring me!"
"I have also won a G1 race. 7 of them."
Stay Gold collapsed hearing this.
Naturally, the most surprised was T.M. Opera O.
"Wada... it seems both you and I were in too much of a hurry. But it doesn't matter. Every chapter needs a prelude."
"You must have improved so much later on, which is why we were able to take so many championships."
Opera O smiled gently. She was always like this— born with high emotional intelligence. It was truly touching.
However, Admire Vega noticed the key point. "Opera-san actually ran that many races in one year? What were they thinking? And this Wada guy... he's so bad."
Ayabe's comment cut straight to the bone. As they say, lies don't hurt, but the truth is a sharp blade. She had voiced the reality of the situation.
The log continued.
[At this point, Opera O's Classic year ended. Although he only took one G1, his overall performance throughout the year earned him the title of "Best Three-Year-Old Colt."]
[After Opera O entered his Senior year, the owner, Takezono, remarked that since they'd won the Best Colt award, they should work hard the following year and try not to lose a single race.]
[In reality, Takezono's words were just meant as encouragement, but he likely didn't expect his words to become a prophecy.]
[Meanwhile, Ryuji Wada was on the edge of a cliff. He had even prepared himself to be replaced. He was utterly despondent, he had no resources, and unlike "Jockey Royalty" like Yutaka Take, he didn't have a jockey father.
[If he were replaced after these results, he would likely lose his chance to be a jockey forever.]
[However, Wada didn't realize that while he didn't have a jockey father, he had another "father" looking out for him— the Overlord of the Century's End: T.M. Opera O!]
[It was as if Opera O sensed Wada's emotions— that if he lost one more race, he'd have no more chances. One more loss, and Wada was gone. In the entire year of 2000, T.M. Opera O achieved an uprecedented record.]
[Ryuji Wada finally learned to be a "tool." Remembering his previous failures where Opera O lost due to his incorrect riding, he suddenly had an epiphany: From then on, he wouldn't make any tactical decisions. He would just let Opera O run his own race.]
[And thus, Opera O created a miracle.]
["My son, when I arrive, I give you G1 titles. When I leave, you will have enough glory to survive in the JRA and win your own G1 titles."]
[Wada, hurry up and say: "Thank you, Opera O!"]
A crowd of people was stunned.
In Tracen's Spica room:
"TLDR: Opera O carried the whole thing. Wada really did become Opera O's son." Hokko Tarumae was shocked. She'd been surfing the web lately and learned quite a few internet terms.
"Thank you for the TLDR." Tokai Teio was also staring in awe.
She had been wondering how Wada would respond— surely he would train intensely? She expected something hot-blooded, but she didn't expect this bombshell. Wada's "method" was simply to stop making decisions and rely entirely on Opera O.
"Seriously, after running for so many years, this is the first time I've seen something like this. If you'd told me this before, I'd think you were joking, but here it is."
"I finally understand why. No wonder they call Wada her son." Vodka was also wide-eyed.
In the President's Office:
"Hmm. Without a Trainer's guidance, it's usually devastating for a racer. T.M. Opera O... just what kind of monster is she?" Rudolf let out a smile of admiration.
"The rest of the story is quite interesting. Trainer Mizuki also wrote that after Opera O retired, Wada was able to remain a jockey and eventually proved himself by winning G1s on his own. I want to know what Wada felt at that moment." Air Groove smiled.
"He said he learned a lot from Opera O. I think he worked tirelessly afterward. Maybe he'll help Opera O win the Derby and Kikuka Sho she missed through his future trainees." Narita Brian added.
Everyone continued reading.
[In the year 2000, T.M. Opera O began a continuous explosion. Starting with the Kyoto Kinen, he secured a long-awaited victory, followed by a three-race winning streak in graded stakes, including the Hanshin Daishoten and the Spring Tenno Sho.]
[Opera O then entered the Takarazuka Kinen and defeated Grass Wonder, securing his fourth win of the year. He followed it up with a fifth victory in the Kyoto Daishoten.]
[Then, Opera O arrived at the Autumn Tenno Sho. The opponent standing before him was no longer a specific horse, but the 12-year curse where the first favorite of the Autumn Tenno Sho could not win.]
[Silence Suzuka had even suffered his career-ending injury in this very race.]
[But T.M. Opera O broke the curse, becoming the first horse in history to win G1 titles at all four of the JRA's major racecourses. As mentioned before, Orfevre would later achieve this feat as well.]
[But Opera O's history was still being written. He faced the second leg of the Autumn Triple Crown, the Japan Cup. As a Senior horse, he faced the first challenge from the new generation: Air Shakur and Agnes Flight.]
[Yet Opera O won by a narrow margin again using his closing speed, securing his fourth G1 of the year and his seventh graded stakes win. After this race, Shakur and Flight's poor performance led that generation to be considered the weakest at the time.]
[At this moment, Opera O's brilliance outshone every other horse. He was one Arima Kinen away from an undefeated year and becoming the first "Autumn Triple Crown" winner.]
[But then, an accident happened. The day before the final race of the year, the Arima Kinen, the usually gentle Opera O suddenly threw a tantrum in his stall, thrashing about and injuring his left eye.]
[Everyone was worried, but fortunately, the injury didn't prevent him from racing.]
[The 2000 Arima Kinen began at the end of the year.]
[Countless people didn't realize yet that this specific Arima Kinen would be etched into the history books forever.]
[At the time, Opera O was undefeated with seven wins that year. This meant he had become the enemy of every other horse. At the suggestion of several jockeys, everyone collectively decided to stop the myth of the undefeated year. They decided to "box in" Opera O.]
[So, after the Arima Kinen started, in order to leave Opera O no openings, over a dozen horses moved as one to surround him. The horses in front formed a solid wall, completely blocking his path.]
[Just like that, T.M. Opera O had no chance to break out and take the lead.]
[Ryuji Wada hadn't expected this. He was frantic, but the path forward had completely vanished. If things continued this way, the legend of the undefeated year would be shattered, and the title of "Overlord of the Century's End" would be in name only.]
"Boxing in? What exactly is going on?" Symboli Rudolf was momentarily stunned. She never imagined such an unreasonable tactic would be used.
While she couldn't fathom what the jockeys in the real horse world were thinking, she could guarantee one thing: Such an event would never happen at Tracen.
Meanwhile, in Ireland:
Sea The Stars was as sharp as ever. She said calmly:
"It seems Opera O's victory involved many conflicting interests among the jockeys."
"Hahaha, fascinating! Truly fascinating! A pack of wolves attacking in unison is meaningless if they cannot withstand a true lion."
"T.M. Opera O, the Overlord of the Century's End— no matter how this race ends, you truly deserve that title!"
Sea The Stars was growing excited. She desperately wanted to see if Opera O would overturn this desperate situation. Would she risk life and limb, or charge head-on through the hardship?
Back at Tracen:
Meisho Doto was staring at the screen, paralyzed. If it were her, she would have definitely given up. "Wh... what can be done? Opera O, there's no path to get out!"
"Using such a trick... it's just too much."
T.M. Opera O watched the log, her gaze firm. She laughed loudly:
"Doto, do not say that. Do not say they surrounded me, say rather that this was a declaration of war against me, the Overlord!"
"Regardless, everyone here is a fated rival to my future hegemony, an opponent of my destiny. And I... will surely win!"
"No matter what, we shall present the greatest Opera of the Century's End. Don't you agree?"
Hearing this, Meisho Doto was momentarily dazed. Opera O had clearly been treated unfairly, yet she didn't complain or make excuses. Instead, she claimed it was her declaration of war against those horses.
'Is this the sheer charisma of a Conqueror?'
"Opera O-san... I believe it will surely be the greatest opera." Doto's voice was thick with emotion.
"Ha~~~ Hahaha!" Opera O looked at the log.
'Come, Wada! Let us present this Opera belonging to the Overlord of the Century's End together!'
The log continued.
[At this moment, Wada's heart was wavering. He didn't know what to do. The Arima Kinen was nearing its end, and Opera O had already passed the final curve. With only 300 meters of the straight remaining, everything seemed set in stone. However, at the very moment despair seemed certain, the chance for Opera O to defy fate appeared.]
[At that instant, through a coincidence of Meisho Doto sprinting and Narita Top Road losing speed, the pack yielded a fleeting gap— a hole in the "box" just wide enough for one horse.]
[Opera O immediately sliced through that gap and, relying on his powerful closing speed, sprinted all the way. Accelerating in the final moments, he overtook Meisho Doto to win by a nose.]
[A miracle occurred! The spectators in the stands erupted in endless cheers. Opera O successfully broke through the encirclement, officially achieving the unprecedented Autumn Triple Crown. Ryuji Wada remains the only Japanese jockey to have won the Autumn Triple Crown to this day.]
[With his undefeated status that year, T.M. Opera O was hailed as the Overlord of the Century's End!]
[In truth, the 2000 Arima Kinen was also the retirement race for King Halo, the designated "supporting actor" of the Golden Generation.]
[Yet King Halo maintained his pride. He disdained participating in the boxing-in of Opera O, choosing instead to engage in an honorable closing-speed duel with the Conqueror on the final straight, chasing until the very last moment with the fastest sprint speed in the field.]
[Though he ultimately lost to Opera O, he lost with his head held high.]
[Starting in 2001, Opera O won his second Spring Tenno Sho. Previously, only the legendary horse the "Emperor" Symboli Rudolf had achieved this feat. With this, Opera O reached 7 G1s.]
[But by this time, Opera O had burned out everything. He later participated in the Takarazuka Kinen. Facing a situation where a win would break the "Seven Crown" barrier created by the Emperor, Rudolf's main jockey, Yukio Okabe, blocked the outside of Opera O, personally sealing off the possibility of him surpassing the Emperor.]
[In that race, Meisho Doto took his first career G1 victory. Although the result was slightly controversial, he deserved that crown.]
[Afterward, Opera O participated in the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen again, finishing second in both. After the 2001 Arima Kinen, the era was handed over.]
[Actually, you can see here that Yukio Okabe is a true Rudolf fan. The "fanfiction" he wrote about Rudolf is still circulating and is deeply loved by everyone. I wonder what Rudolf would say if she knew Okabe went to such lengths for her?]
At Tracen Academy:
"Yukio Okabe... did you also participate in the encirclement of Opera O? If you were my jockey, you should know that I do not need such 'honor.' On the contrary, it is better if an Uma Musume surpasses me."
Symboli Rudolf was silent for a long time. In her heart, she did not approve of Okabe's actions, yet she could see that Okabe truly loved her beyond measure. She only wished she could meet him.
She wished she could tell him not to do those things. Seeing someone surpass her was what she wanted most.
Additionally, Rudolf was curious.
'What exactly is this "fanfiction"? If it's circulating so widely, do people in the real horse world enjoy reading such things?'
"If I could go to the real horse world, I'd really like to see the Uma Musume fanfiction they write."
Rudolf, you really can't look at those. Every fan who reads them "dies" from the intensity. She'd probably turn beet-red and scream "Pervert!"
However, Okabe would probably be thrilled to be scolded, saying, "Rudolf, scold me more, I love it."
Elsewhere:
King Halo was completely stunned. She declared that the word "encirclement" would never exist in her dictionary, she must win honorably. However, as she read further, she realized something was wrong.
'What does "designated supporting actor of the Golden Generation" mean?!'
She froze instantly.
'You're the supporting character! Your whole family are supporting characters!'
"Ugh... this must be fake." King Halo sat in her chair, looking pitiful. The Uma Musume around her looked at each other, not daring to call out to her, until someone finally brought food to comfort her.
Just then, King Halo received a call from her mother.
"Hello, King Halo. You saw it, didn't you? You might not be suited for running. It's cruel, experts are everywhere, and you are just a supporting actor." Her mother's voice was cold.
"Mother, what are you saying? I won't give up! I can work even harder! I will do what the real horse couldn't!"
King Halo was incredibly aggrieved, thinking her mother would continue to blame her like she always did.
"Is that so? It seems you're still spirited. Then I don't need to comfort you."
"Eh?"
"I thought you couldn't accept failure... because I was like that back then. The prouder you are, the more it hurts when you fail. But you seem different from me. You have something I didn't."
"Forget it, I've said too much. Go run, King Halo. But let me warn you, it is cruel. If you can't outrun them, come back and take over the family business. It's for your own good."
King Halo immediately replied:
"Honestly, Mother! I won't give up, you know? Though I don't quite understand your logic, thank you, Mother."
"Hmph. Why say 'thank you' between mother and daughter? I'm hanging up."
Afterward, King Halo was resurrected.
"O~~ Hohohoho~~!"
She raised a hand and let out her signature laugh.
"King Halo, what did your mother say to you?"
"Hmm? My mother said if I don't run well, she'll make me go home and inherit the family business."
The other young Uma Musume were stunned.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo:
Mikki Rocket watched and sighed. Her heart was racing. Opera O was just too powerful. She didn't know yet that she was about to appear in the log as well...
(T/N: Just a heads up, a lot of the chapters going forward are going to be upwards of 9,000 words long after editing, and because of that, I won't be posting two chapters a day like I have been anymore.)