Somewhere in Tokyo.
"I never imagined Mayano Top Gun and Narita Brian would clash to such an extent at the Hanshin Daishoten."
"Two racers running neck-and-neck, a battle between the New Era and the Old Era... it truly sets my blood on fire! This soul-stirring story would be perfect if paired with one of my violin pieces, hahahaha!"
Sounds of Earth was incredibly excited as she watched, immediately wanting to play a piece. However, she realized her violin was currently in for repairs.
But that didn't stop her. She performed an "air violin" solo, treating the empty space as her instrument. She slowly played the surging melody in her heart, closing her eyes and becoming completely intoxicated by the music.
Nothing could stop her performance.
"Mama, what is that big sister doing?" A little Uma Musume watched Sounds of Earth's strange movements, tilting her head in confusion.
"Hurry, let's go. Remember, you must stay away from strange adults like that, okay?" The child's mother immediately pulled her away, convinced that Sounds of Earth had some sort of mental ailment.
It seemed her reputation was going to suffer.
In the Tokyo countryside.
"Narita Brian... she's that cold-looking Vice President of Tracen who speaks quite sensibly, right? She's always chewing on a twig. As expected of the Vice President, she's so strong. Pulling nine lengths ahead of third place with Top Gun and winning that Duel of the Century... that's incredible!"
"They've carved their names into history. I'm so jealous, I want to run a legendary, historical race too."
The little Liberty Island spoke while recalling Narita Brian. At first, she thought Brian was cold, but after getting to know her, she realized Brian was actually quite gentle and liked to praise others.
Liberty had been praised for having strong, explosive muscles once and had been happy for a long time afterward.
"A legendary match? Panthalassa wants one too!" Panthalassa said excitedly.
She had no idea that in the 2022 Autumn Tenno Sho, she would indeed perform a historical Great Escape that would be etched into the records, pulling ahead by hundreds of meters.
The horse that chased after Panthalassa would only make that Autumn Tenno Sho even more legendary.
"Speaking of which, Titleholder and I often run neck-and-neck and cross the line together. I bet I'd win if we had a race like that," Liberty Island said.
"No, I'd win! My head is a bit bigger than yours. It'd cross the finish line first," Titleholder huffed.
"Equinox, you tell us— who wins?!" Liberty Island and Titleholder both turned their heads indignantly toward Equinox and spoke in unison.
"Hey, that question is like asking who I'd save first if you both fell into the water. No matter what I say, I lose. I'm not answering," Equinox waved them off.
She then turned to Panthalassa: "By the way, Panthalassa, if I fell into the water, would you eat a carrot or an apple first?"
"Probably the carrot. Wait, can't I eat them both at once?" Panthalassa pondered for a long time before answering.
Equinox felt a bit of a sting. In Panthalassa's eyes, she wasn't even worth as much as a single carrot.
"Why do you keep teasing her?" Liberty Island sighed. She knew Panthalassa just hadn't reacted yet, if there were real danger, she'd definitely step up.
At Amanohashidate.
"I didn't expect such a fierce battle. So, in the end, I was the victor? I can't imagine what the scene was like that day, but I can't let myself get complacent."
Narita Brian hadn't expected such a race. She also noticed a key point: 'Had I been underestimated before that?'
Brian shook her head, deciding not to overthink it, and instead acknowledged Top Gun's strength. Seeing so many powerful Uma Musume in the future eras made her genuinely happy.
She was now curious about the Uma Musume who, 26 years later, would duplicate Top Gun's feat of winning G1s using all four styles. Narita Brian even considered the possibility that this girl might surpass Top Gun and win more than 4 G1s.
This thought brought her comfort, and made her wonder how close would they be to the world stage 26 years from now?
"Wait... according to Trainer Mizuki's log, Top Gun should lose the following Spring Tenno Sho. She said before that the only one to achieve the 'Long Distance Triple Crown' (the Kikuka Sho, Arima Kinen, and Spring Tenno Sho) after President Rudolf was Manhattan Cafe in 2002. Top Gun probably ran the Spring Tenno Sho but ultimately failed."
"Then who was the champion of that Spring Tenno Sho? And how did I perform?" Narita Brian continued reading.
Mizuki's log continued:
[After the Hanshin Daishoten, Mayano Top Gun immediately entered the Spring Tenno Sho on April 21, 1996.]
[However, this 113th edition of the Spring Tenno Sho gathered powerhouses from several eras. There was the 1994 King, Narita Brian, the rising star Mayano Top Gun, seeking the Long Distance Triple Crown, and Sakura Laurel, who debuted in '94 but had been plagued by injuries and was just making his comeback.]
[The injury Sakura Laurel suffered was a fracture of the third metacarpal in both front legs. For a horse, a fracture of this level basically means losing the ability to compete. It means the legs can no longer support the body's weight, there is a massive risk of death, and they're often left in extreme pain.]
[But Sakura Laurel overcame the pain and returned to the track. No one believed he could win. The favorites were Narita Brian and Mayano Top Gun.]
[The race began. Top Gun and Brian surged out together. Top Gun took the lead, with Brian following closely. In the middle of the race, Brian accelerated to close in on Top Gun. By the final sprint, they were side-by-side, and Brian used his momentum to surge ahead, overtaking Top Gun once again.]
[Just as everyone thought Narita Brian was about to be fully resurrected, a scene that shocked everyone occurred. Having survived severe fractures in both legs and just returned from recovery, Sakura Laurell, brimming with fighting spirit, swung to the outside and began to push. Step by step, he closed the gap with Narita Brian.]
[The hundred thousand spectators erupted. With every stride, the distance between him and Narita Brian shrank. His hooves carried him at high speed, erasing the lead quickly. He got faster, and faster still.]
[In the final 100 meters, Sakura Laurel completed a miraculous overtake and crossed the finish line first.]
[The finish stunned everyone. The commentator, filled with passion and disbelief, shouted: "It's Sakura again! Sakura is in full bloom at Kyoto Racecourse once more! The Sakura blooms here! Sakura Laurel!"]
[Sakura Laurel allowed the glory of the Sakura family to bloom at Kyoto in a way that refused to bow to fate. His spirit moved countless people.]
At this moment, countless people in Tracen Academy were stunned. Some Uma Musume were moved to tears.
"Uuuu... how could Sakura Laurel's legs suffer such a big injury? Both legs at the same time... and she still won! You are truly amazing, Laurel-san!"
Special Week had already shifted into "Special Crying Mode," sobbing uncontrollably. Next to her was Silence Suzuka, who read the newest diary entry with awe.
Having experienced injuries herself, she knew the physical and mental torture involved.
She understood the fear of staying home, watching others run, and worrying about permanent damage or never being able to win again.
"Suzuka-san, let's go find Sakura Laurel," Spe-chan said.
"Yeah... I hope she doesn't get hurt," Silence Suzuka added softly.
As they set off, they found Fine Motion also bawling her eyes out, moved by the story.
Meanwhile, with Twin Turbo:
"Both legs hurt... Turbo can't even imagine it! Doesn't that mean you'd have to be in a wheelchair?" Turbo's imagination took a dark turn.
"Phew... at least it can be avoided now," Nice Nature let out a sigh of relief. Just reading about that injury terrified her.
According to the log, she herself ran for seven years, she wondered how many championships she actually won.
"Neicha-san, after we finish the dishes, let's go find Sakura Laurel too! Her story is so moving!" Matikane Tannhauser said.
"Okay," Nature nodded.
However, as Tannhauser tried to speed up the dishwashing, she slipped and fell head-over-heels. As she dizzily opened her eyes, she saw a black spider crawling right in front of her face.
"AAAAHHHHH!!!!"
She let out a screech— spiders were one of greatest fears. She jumped up so fast she slammed right into Twin Turbo. Both of them hit the floor with stars in their eyes, and Tannhauser even got a nosebleed.
"Hey! Are you guys okay?! Turbo! Tannhauser!" Nature was dumbfounded.
Forget Sakura Laurel for a second— she had to get these two to the infirmary first to stop the bleeding. Team Canopus was falling apart.
Elsewhere:
"Hey everyone, you're all being too enthusiastic! I'm fine, really. It was just a minor injury!"
Sakura Laurel was actually very moved. She had been trembling when she first read about the injury, but seeing her victory filled her with a mixture of emotions. She hadn't let down the expectations of her supporters or her own long-term persistence.
Winning the Spring Tenno Sho and letting the Sakuras Bloom at Kyoto was enough for her.
"Laurel, regardless, you must pay attention to your rest. You need a full check-up when we get back," Symboli Rudolf told her.
She was horrified to realize Laurel had been training through minor injuries. She wouldn't allow her to train until she was 100% recovered.
"That's right, Sakura Laurel-san! You can't train with injuries, or you'll never beat Teio-sama!" Tokai Teio added, having just arrived.
Laurel smiled.
"Alright, if you all say so. But Teio, does that mean once I'm healed, I'll have a chance to beat you?"
Teio put her hands on her hips and laughed. "Nishishi! Tokai Teio is invincible! You have no chance with injuries, and you have no chance without them either!"
"Hmph, you're a bit too confident, Teio," Laurel teased.
"Anyway, Laurel, when you're better, I'll teach you the Teio Step! Teio-sama's body has always been great, probably thanks to the Teio Step. Oh, and you have to eat lots of honey!"
Teio shared her "expertise" while performing a cute Teio Step. She didn't know that her own story of pain was coming soon.
Back at Tracen Academy.
A cool and handsome Uma Musume named Shinzan had returned after a few days of leave. The academy was quiet since so many were away.
"Ah, the young juniors really should cherish their bodies," Shinzan smiled. Her overall level was even more terrifying than Phantom Horses like Hayakawa Tazuna or Maruzensky.
Why? Because Tazuna and Maruzensky were legendary, to the point where their strength was almost mythological, but Shinzan was a True God of the JRA.
Shinzan was the second Triple Crown winner in JRA history. In 19 starts, he won 15 races and never finished below 4th. He won 5 out of 5 G1 starts.
You have to understand that in the 20th century, there weren't as many G1s as today. There were only the "8 Major Classics." Two were for fillies, and Shinzan won 5 of the remaining ones. Under the rules of the time, he was like a God.
In his era, every time you won a major race, your "handicap" weight increased. The more you won, the heavier you became. If you won a Triple Crown, the extra weight was absurd. It was nearly 50% more than other horses.
The owner of the first Triple Crown horse retired him immediately because the weight was too dangerous.
But Shinzan was a monster from the ancient era. Under those maximum-weight rules, he won five crowns. He was the God among Gods.
There are stories of Shinzan standing up on his hind legs and even walking. He was incredibly intelligent and powerful. His nickname was the "Horse of the Gods."
While Stay Gold (the father of the Gold family) could walk about 10 steps on his hind legs with a jockey, riders claimed Shinzan once walked for 50 meters on two legs before they even realized what was happening.
For decades, the JRA slogan was "Surpass Shinzan," until he was finally eclipsed in the G1 era by the majesty of Symboli Rudolf.
Yet, strictly speaking, no horse has truly surpassed him in every category— longevity, records, offspring, or health. He lived to be 35, an astonishing age for a racehorse.
"Still, for her to win a G1 after a major injury... that's something even I can learn from. Sakura Laurel, come train your physical strength with me later. With enough power, you can crush anything."
Shinzan spoke with a smile, but internally she was pained. She was extremely clever and had planned to slack off a bit and arrive at school late, but as a result, they had all gone to Amanohashidate to play.
Had she known earlier, she definitely would have come running first thing in the morning.
Meanwhile, at Amanohashidate:
"Waaaah, this is so moving! Laurel, I, Sakura Bakushin O, will be just like you and create even more glory for the Sakura clan! Bakushin! Bakushin!"
Sakura Bakushin O couldn't hold back her tears and immediately entered her "Bakushin" state.
"Bakushin-san, it's late at night, and you're pushing yourself again," Fine Motion said cutely.
"Sigh, are all the members of the Sakura family idiots? Still running at this hour," Gold City grumbled, but her words seemed to be a fact recognized by everyone.
However, Sakura Bakushin O didn't hear a word, she just shouted "Bakushin!" and began her charge.
"Hahaha, Bakushin-san, wait for me! I'm coming too! After hearing such a hot-blooded story, how can I stop now?" Bamboo Memory dashed out as well.
She even prepared her Aotake-fumi— a health tool made of a bamboo stalk split in half. Users step on it to stimulate acupoints, relieving muscle fatigue and preventing cold feet.
Bamboo Memory used it often, but most other Uma Musume avoided it because it was quite painful.
Gold City became curious and wanted to try the bamboo stepper. She hooked her leg, reached down to take off her shoes, and once her feet were bare, she cautiously stepped on it with one foot, then the other.
"Sss..."
In an instant, a sharp pain radiated from the soles of her feet throughout her entire body. Her fair, pretty face contorted in pain, and her body, tail, and ears all began to shiver.
"Ow, ow, ow..." Gold City hadn't expected it to hurt that much. She gritted her teeth and endured it for a while until it felt slightly better.
She decided she'd never play with this thing again, but to her surprise, the muscles in her legs actually felt relieved.
Stamina +5, Obtained Status: [Practice Perfect.]
At that moment, Mizuki's log continued:
[In July 1996, Top Gun entered the Takarazuka Kinen. It is worth mentioning that the Takarazuka Kinen that year was held as a reconstruction support race for the Great Hanshin Earthquake of the previous year.]
[The earthquake was severe, tearing the earth apart in an instant. Many strong horses avoided the race at the time, so Top Gun claimed this G1 victory without suspense.]
[Horses truly bring hope and dreams to people in disasters. Mayano Top Gun was named after Mount Maya in Kobe. His victory gave countless Kobe disaster victims courage and confidence, they believed they could overcome the disaster just as Top Gun had.]
[One could say this Takarazuka Kinen transcended the original meaning of a race.]
[After the autumn season, Top Gun first entered the Sankei Sho All Comers. Despite split popularity with the second favorite, Sakura Laurel, he suffered a crushing defeat, finishing 4th.]
[Top Gun later entered the Autumn Tenno Sho and the year-end Arima Kinen, finishing 2nd and 7th respectively. He won no more titles that year.]
[Furthermore, with his failure at the Arima Kinen, he had faced Sakura Laurel three times that year and lost every single time.]
[Top Gun's jockey, Seiki Tabara, was incredibly anxious. He spent the entire year contemplating how to ride Mayano Top Gun to achieve better results and get revenge on Sakura Laurel.]
[In 1997, the Hanshin Daishoten was approaching. After a year of reflection and training, Tabara made a decision that surprised everyone: He planned to change all of Top Gun's previous tactics.]
[He intended for him to compete as an End Closer. No longer would he lead the pace, he would start at the very back of the pack and engage in a life-or-death struggle on the final straight.]
[It was through this decision that Top Gun's ultimate style was born.]
[After the gates opened at the Hanshin Daishoten, he immediately pulled Top Gun back. Breaking his usual routine of rushing out, he kept him at the very tail of the pack. When the spectators noticed, they let out cries of disbelief.]
[But the strength Top Gun displayed eventually dispelled all doubts. Starting from the third corner, he began a fierce pursuit. By the exit of the fourth corner, he was completely ahead of the field and maintained his dominant position, winning in a total blowout.]
[After the win, Tabara felt much more at ease and set his sights on the Spring Tenno Sho, determined to take the Spring Shield.]
[However, many spectators still believed that if Top Gun wanted to win the Spring Tenno Sho and get revenge on Sakura Laurel, he had to return to his old leading style. Even within Top Gun's camp, there was disagreement about running him as an End Closer.]
[Under these conditions with almost no supporters, Tabara stuck to his guns. To prevent outside noise from interfering, he even acted like he was half-sick all the time in hopes that he could cultivate the ability to make split-second decisions subconsciously to win the race with Top Gun.]
[One can only say that the jockey Tabara was almost identical to Top Gun in personality: willful and talented. Had he lost, he undoubtedly would have been held accountable by the owners, but he dared to pursue change.]
[When the Spring Tenno Sho began, he continued the End Closer tactic, staying in the rear of the pack until the final phase. At the exit of the final bend, he unleashed an incredible burst of speed. Within the final 200 meters, he overtook Sakura Laurel and Marvelous Sunday, who were fighting for the lead.]
[While everyone was glued to the screens watching Laurel and Marvelous, thinking the winner would be one of the two, Mayano Top Gun suddenly appeared on the right side of the screen. His acceleration was so powerful that in the narrow aspect ratio of the TV broadcast at the time, it looked as if he had suddenly charged into the frame from off-camera. To everyone's surprise, he ended up taking 1st place.]
[The result left everyone speechless. He finished in 3:14.4, shattering the previous record of 3:17.0 set by Rice Shower. In fact, a total of nine horses in that race broke the old record.]
[However, the 1997 Spring Tenno Sho is also known as the most brutal battle in the history of the Spring Shield. A total of six horses, including Mayano Top Gun, Sakura Laurel, and Marvelous Sunday, were forced into retirement after the race due to leg injuries from overexertion.]
[Top Gun gave a magnificent curtain-call performance at the cost of his own career, setting a record for an era.]
[After developing tendonitis, Top Gun retired to the Yushun Stallion Station in Hokkaido to enjoy his later years.]
[One can say Top Gun's career had no regrets. It had highlights, championships, and he lived a peaceful life. I hope her days at Tracen are happy.]
[Actually, she seems to be happy all the time. If anything, she's a bit too noisy. Her motivation is always maxed out when playing around, which has been a complete pain in the ass for Air Groove and the others.]
[That's all for tonight. Wait, is it time for the point settlement and blind box opening? Dammit, this System tricked me into spending all of my points!]
[At least I can go and laugh at the girls who have bad luck. I bet Taishin will get tissues from her blind box.]
The log ended there, but many Uma Musume were left with shocked expressions.
At Amanohashidate:
"Signal received. Not only did Rice-san win, but she broke the record? I feel my mood improving," Mihono Bourbon said softly.
She was known as the "Cyborg," and she always measured things with numbers, pursuing her goals expressionlessly like an inorganic object.
Was she a heartless machine? Not really.
She had received strict training since childhood and had few chances to speak with others, which formed her current personality.
She was actually extremely simple, as a child, her father told her that her tail would be taken away if it thundered, so she was always cautious on rainy days.
Bourbon had a great relationship with Rice Shower. She wasn't good at chatting, but she communicated well with Rice and felt comfortable around her. When Rice asked what she wanted for her birthday, she just said she wanted to sunbathe with Rice.
She was a simple girl.
The real horse's career record was 7 wins in 8 starts, his only defeat came at the hands of the "Black Assassin" Rice Shower. She was also the one who said the famous line to Rice: "Rice Shower is not a villain, but a hero."
"Rice really... won? And broke the record?" Rice Shower had known she won the Spring Tenno Sho, but she hadn't known she broke the record. Confirming it now made her very happy.
She had moved past the trauma of being called a "villain" and was much stronger now.
Rice was indeed very cute. Even though she was hearing this for the second time, she was still incredibly shy. Seeing her name and the record mention made her cheeks feel hot, as if baked by the sun.
She covered her face, too embarrassed to be seen.
But as she read on, the bad news arrived— six horses retired due to injury. It seemed training together was the way to go, health really is the most important thing.
Unbeknownst to Bourbon and Rice, Agnes Digital was peeking out from behind a tree.
"Hehe... Rice Shower and Mihono Bourbon... their relationship really is good. Look at that height difference! Is this the legendary 'height gap moe'?"
"So cute... hehe... I need to look a few more times. So much happiness."
Agnes Digital had a look of pure satisfaction, her cheeks flushed and drool escaping her mouth as she secretly shipped them.
She was a bit eccentric, but she kept her distance from her favorite Uma Musume. She was a true fan of every Uma Musume.
In another part of Amanohashidate, two others were reacting.
"This is great, Marvelous Sunday! We really are in sync, retiring with injuries together! And you even got to play with Maya. We're so amazing!"
After seeing the news, Top Gun was actually incredibly excited, without a hint of sadness. She was a pure chaos-bringer. In her eyes, retiring meant she didn't have to race anymore— which meant she could play forever!
After working hard for so many years, she could finally enjoy herself. What a treat.
"Marvelous! Simply Marvelous! And we can bring Sakura Laurel-chan too. I wonder who the other three horses were, they can join our Sunday Celebration!"
Marvelous Sunday laughed loudly, already researching how to hold her "Sunday Celebration."
Elsewhere:
"That girl Top Gun... to think she could break the record like that after changing her style. An improvement of 2.6 seconds is equivalent to over a dozen lengths. The pace of that race was fast, but her growth speed was absolutely terrifying," Narita Brian remarked.
She wanted to see how far Top Gun could have gone if she had continued as an End Closer. If this approach had been nurtured from the start, would she have achieved even more?
Brian also noticed that she didn't appear in the later races herself.
'Did I eventually retire too? I wonder if I achieved a Beautiful End?'
In reality, Narita Brian was the epitome of a "genius cursed by heaven." A superstar of the 20th century, his light faded due to lingering injuries. But his achievements were already brilliant: 12 wins in 21 starts, a Triple Crown winner. He reached a level most horses could never touch.
Soon after Mizuki finished writing, everyone headed to the game center to exchange their points for blind boxes. It was a fun process filled with uncertainty.
They stood before various blind box machines with the following rules:
[Notice: Game Blind Box Exchange Open. Exchange with points. Three tiers: Common (100 pts), Advanced (500 pts), Epic (1000 pts).]
[Prizes include: Uma Musume plushies, Hot Spring tickets, Carrot Rider belts, Dessert vouchers, Idol novels, Shonen manga, Game consoles, etc. Please scan your account to view your balance.]
Everyone was excited. They had played games all day, and it hadn't been for nothing. Each person was limited to three boxes per day, which suited their point balances perfectly.
"By the way, we should give the stuff we get to the Chairwoman, right? She paid for today, and these are supposed to be prizes for the New Student Performance on January 30th," Daitaku Helios noted. She wanted the prizes too, but she knew the rules.
"Hahaha! Don't worry about it! How about this: For every three you open, just pick one to give to me. I've already bought plenty, so I don't need that many," Chairwoman Yayoi Akikawa said dismissively.
The Uma Musume were overjoyed and immediately started the activity.
Special Week was eager and stepped up first. She had played for a long time today and expected a high score. To her disbelief, her balance was... 35 points.
It turned out the "General" was truly terrible at games. How could she earn points if she never won?
Seeing this, Buena Vista said it was okay, she had 565 points and could give 265 to Spe-chan.
Special Week cried again: "How can I accept this? You're so good to me, Vista-san!"
Buena Vista smiled: "This is my secondary gold card. Here, go have some fun."
"Yay! I can open boxes too!" Spe-chan was thrilled.
This General was actually being pampered by her daughter. How outrageous.
The blind boxes were displayed on computer screens. Once a prize was "rolled," they would exchange it with the owner. The probabilities were guaranteed and wouldn't be stealthily altered.
A golden light flashed on her screen, revealing three prizes: A toy axe, a high-quality horseshoe, and a carrot. Her luck was decent.
She gave the horseshoe to Chairwoman Akikawa as it was her best item. For the New Student stage, it would make a great gift.
Indeed, even though the Chairwoman said she only wanted one, everyone by default gave her their best item. Uma Musume are simple and always think of others.
Noticing that Buena Vista seemed interested in the toy axe, Special Week gave her the big axe. Spe-chan then happily ate her carrot.
As for Tokai Teio, her luck wasn't as good as Spe-chan's. She only got a Mejiro McQueen plushie. But Teio was still happy, the McQueen plushie was cute, and she could sleep with it in her bed.
Winning Ticket wanted to roll too, but she was truly bad at games. After a whole day, she only had 100 points. Too embarrassed to say anything, she secretly spent her 100 points and got a mediocre result.
However, at Mizuki's prodding, Ticket set her sights on Narita Taishin. She found the blind boxes addictive and wanted to keep playing.
She approached Taishin, claiming she could help her pull, since she had pulled a character in one roll earlier in the day.
Taishin hesitated: "Ticket, is your luck really that good? I have 700 points— that's one Advanced box and two Commons. You won't pull all junk, will you?"
"Taishin, what are you saying? Don't you know my luck by now?" Winning Ticket bragged as a crowd gathered.
Ticket began her operation, but the result left her stunned: Three consecutive "trash-tier" pulls. It was a huge blow to her.
Taishin covered her face, she realized it wasn't a player issue— her account was just cursed. A wave of laughter filled the room.
Mizuki had actually managed to rack up 1,600 points after all the games she played. Basketball gave her the most by far.
But just like in the real world, her gacha pulls were cursed. The best item she got was a carrot, which was quickly eaten by Special Week.
Soon, everyone was heading home, fully satisfied. It had been a wonderful day.
Chairwoman Akikawa mentioned that if they did this again, she'd arrange for overnight stays so they could chat all night. She had already moved up the date for the Summer Festival location but would need to think more about where to hold the training camp after summer ends.
As they boarded the bus, unlike when they arrived, they were all carrying various goods. Mejiro Dober was super happy.
She loved shonen and shoujo manga and had grabbed quite a few.
Aston Machan took several wigs and props. She could use them for her videos!
She was due for an update and planned to ask Trainer Mizuki for more advice.
Mizuki only had the "Step-Mejiro" idea left in her repertoire, so she needed to brainstorm.
The owner of the Amanohashidate center was very thoughtful. He set off fireworks as they left.
Since Amanohashidate is a forest, they were set off in a designated safety zone.
He had a permit, so there were no issues.
As the Uma Musume left, they watched the brilliant fireworks blooming in the night sky.
"So beautiful," Mejiro Ardan looked up, a smile on her face as she watched the brilliance.
Haru Urara also looked up. Seeing the fireworks, a string in her heart seemed to be touched.
She was optimistic and didn't mind her failures, but thinking about how she hadn't brought a single victory to the people who believed in her made her feel a bit apologetic.
She was a young girl too, and even with a will of iron, there were moments of loneliness.
But in this moment, seeing the fireworks and remembering everyone's comfort, the hardships of the journey seemed to vanish. She shed a few tears again— but these were tears of joy. She had finally returned to her happy self.
Not just Haru Urara, but Admire Vega, Narita Top Road, T.M. Opera O, Meisho Doto, Hishi Miracle, Sakura Laurel, Copano Rickey, Hokko Tarumae, and others— they all looked toward the sky, their hearts deeply moved.
They all had moments of confusion or hesitation, but the instant they saw the fireworks, they smiled. No matter what, they knew the path they persisted in was the right one.
Before them lay the road to the pinnacle of Japan, a road spent chasing the legendary racers of the world.
"Let's go," Fuji Kiseki said softly, patting Haru Urara's head.
"Mm!" Urara, full of energy, broke into a run and hopped onto the bus.
"Ooh~ ho ho ho! Urara-san, you're the first one on the bus!" King Halo laughed.
"Eh? Is Urara first place?" Urara was delighted.
"That's right, that's right!" Tokai Teio chuckled, wearing a slightly smug expression.
Nice Nature boarded with Matikane Tannhauser and Twin Turbo. Turbo had been hit so hard by Tannhauser earlier that she'd lost a few seconds of memory. Waking up in the infirmary, she was utterly confused, convinced she'd experienced a paranormal event.
This experience was enough to give Nice Nature plenty of ideas on how to mess with her later.
"Maruzensky-san, are you sure you won't get motion sickness? You should really use a patch," Sakura Chiyono O said with a worried face.
"I'll be fine! I was a little sick on the way here, but now that I've experienced it, I'll be fine this time!" Maruzensky put her hands on her hips, her stubbornness truly legendary.
...
The night grew deep as the bus started up. As they drove toward Tracen Academy, some Uma Musume began to doze off. The journey took about an hour, just like the ride there.
Most of them forgot how they even got back to their dorms, they only remembered fuzzily washing up before falling into a peaceful sleep. It had been a truly happy day.
When Mizuki returned, she collapsed onto her bed. Training would start again tomorrow, and Special Week had races coming up. She looked at her points. Back to zero.
Her days of cheating at games are behind her.
'But that's not really a bad thing, is it?' she thought.
Time flew, and soon the sun rose in the east.
As a Trainer, she didn't have classes, so she planned to grab breakfast and organize today's schedule. She wasn't in a rush. There are training methods for race days and methods for daily routines, so one must be flexible.
She planned to write the log during the morning and help Aston Machan and Hokko Tarumae brainstorm video ideas in the afternoon. She needed to pick some suitable content for Machan.
However, once she stepped outside, she saw many dazed Uma Musume who had overslept. Yesterday's sleep had been too sweet. Others had stayed up chatting and hadn't slept well at all.
Then there was the special case: "Auntie" Maruzensky. She'd insisted on being stubborn and ended up nauseous the whole way back.
Chiyono O had tried to find a motion sickness patch, only to realize they were all out.
Maruzensky was basically out of commission today.
"Haha, Maruzensky, those dark circles under your eyes are bigger than a panda's!" Tanino Gimlet couldn't help but laugh when she saw her.
"Hmph, you're laughing at me? Look at yourself! Your hair is a mess. With that eyepatch, you look exactly like a pirate," Maruzensky retorted, nearly laughing herself at the apt description.
"Gold City, did you not sleep well either? You're yawning constantly," Chiyono O asked curiously.
"City? It's not just today, she can't get up any day. By the way, City, did you put on the wrong shoes? Why is one black and one white?" Tosen Jordan depending on context, likely Jordan here asked.
She actually thought it might be a fashion statement, since it looked quite good on her.
"Eh? Wait...?!" Gold City jumped.
It wasn't fashion, she was just so groggy she'd grabbed the wrong pair.
She immediately sprinted back at 100 meters per second to change. As a supermodel, she had an image to maintain.
Once back in her room, she finally finished changing. But then she realized...
'Wait, why did I change both feet? Doesn't that mean they're still mismatched, just differently?'
"Ugh... waking up early makes you stupid," Gold City muttered to herself, showing her vulnerable side. She truly hated mornings.
When Mizuki arrived at the cafeteria, she sat with the members of Spica.
The winter morning air in the cafeteria was warm and smelled delicious. Special Week was devouring her food.
Mihono Bourbon was also a big eater. Neo Universe sat down next to Bourbon. This was a sight to behold:
Bourbon, the "Cyborg," and Neo Universe, who doesn't speak "human."
One was receiving signals, the other was transmitting brainwaves about lunar barriers. They engaged in an "encrypted conversation" where both were talking past each other yet seemingly understanding everything.
The surrounding Uma Musume were completely lost, their brains overloading trying to figure out why these two couldn't just speak normally.
Of course, the true god of the cafeteria was Oguri Cap. She sat down and immediately stood back up. Mizuki thought she'd forgotten her chopsticks, but no, she had just finished eating and was going back for another tray.
Mizuki's breakfast was a single Taiyaki, that was enough for her.
Hokko Tarumae said happily, "Trainer Mizuki, development in Tomakomai is going great lately! Thanks to you, many people are visiting. But Tomakomai Port is still a bit remote. If we want to keep people there, we'll need something to keep people in Tomakomai."
Mizuki replied, "Yes, for a place to have a steady flow of people, commercial development is necessary. But don't rush Tomakomai. As you said, everyone there has great craftsmanship. We just need to integrate those and run events to retain customers."
"Once the traffic grows, we can set up landmarks and attract more investment."
She'd learned this by consulting Satono Diamond and Satono Crown. "Dia-chan" was incredibly strong in logic and business, and while Crown often made mistakes in the heat of the moment, her commercial vision was excellent.
It's important to ask for advice rather than being arrogant and isolated. The "Umapyoi" experience yesterday had humbled Mizuki a little.
Tarumae nodded happily. She knew the plan. Tomakomai's infrastructure is all fine, and it even has a port. If there's a lot of foot traffic, building a large warehouse at the port could store many resources.
If they do build a large warehouse, she'd make sure it would be named after Trainer Mizuki.
She also showed her a photo. Mizuki was surprised to see that standees of her and Tarumae had actually been placed at the entrance of every shop. Some people were already taking photos with them, saying they might become very famous in the future.
Mizuki didn't mind. The standees looked good. her various projects were all progressing steadily. Spica's training was going well, Aston Machan's fanbase was growing by the day, and Tomakomai was getting a ton of attention on it.
The next step was the China racing circuit. The first step is always the hardest, and she wasn't sure how to start.
She'd talk with the Director later and see if she had any ideas.
Special Week asked, "Trainer, what's today's training? I want to prepare."
Mizuki replied, "Today is team training. But Uma Musume don't have many true team races, so I don't want you to work in sync. On the contrary, I want you to find ways to disrupt each other's rhythm while stabilizing your own."
"In a race, if you get caught up in someone else's pace, you might only perform at 80% capacity. So, the key to today's training is based on that."
"I'll teach you the specific techniques this afternoon."
Special Week nodded. This was a first for her. Usually, team training was about cooperation. She was curious to see what this "disruption" training would look like.
She also realized that Trainer Mizuki would soon be celebrating the Chinese New Year. The Chairwoman was planning an event. Also, Valentine's Day was coming up.
She'd never sent a gift before, a flash of nervousness crossed her face. She'd have to ask McQueen and the others later what kind of things would make Mizuki happy.
After Spe-chan and the others went to class, Mizuki returned to Spica's office. She thought about what to write today.
Last night, she'd seen another amazing real-life horse record. It was the most famous horse sired by Black Tide, Kitasan Black!
Mizuki had looked into Kitasan Black before. Her real-life counterpart was connected to many powerful horses, like Duramente, Satono Diamond, Satono Crown, Cheval Grand, and Vivlos. Their stories were brilliant, a legend that carried over into the next generation.
Horses like Duramente were also tragic— often called the "Tokai Teio who never got a comeback."
However, Duramente's offspring were much stronger than Teio's. As Duramente says in the Cygames plot, she wants to prove the value of her bloodline in races, and in the real world, he clearly did.
Mizuki began her log:
[Yesterday was very fun. On the way back, 'Auntie' Maruzensky once again chose to be stubborn and fight her way through without a motion sickness patch. Unsurprisingly, she was down for the count instantly. Are people always this headstrong? Sometimes you know it won't work, but you want to try anyway. At least I wasn't the only one getting embarrased on the trip.]
[On the way back, some of the girls were talking in their sleep. Hishi Miracle was the most ridiculous, muttering: 'Don't hit me, don't hit me... if you hit my friend, can you skip me?']
[She really understands the concept of "better my friend than me." I don't know what she was dreaming about, but it was probably that fighting game she played all day.]
Inside Tracen, everyone began reading the log.
In a classroom:
"Geez, Hishi Miracle, you sell out your teammates way too fast! Have some backbone!" Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi complained.
"Oh dear, dreams are always the opposite of reality! That means I'll protect you in real life," Miracle said instantly, her logic being quite extreme.
Mizuki's log continued:
[The real-life counterpart I'm writing about today is related to festivals. She is a helpful girl full of passion, and her idol is Tokai Teio. She has one of the best physiques in Tracen and an incredible son.]
[She is the genius hard-worker who represents the Festival— the horse with a total of 7 G1s, a name that set a generation's blood on fire: Kitasan Black!]
[Kitasan Black was born on March 10 in Hidaka, Hokkaido. Because his bloodline suggested sprint-distance aptitude, he wasn't highly regarded at first. Many passed on buying him.]
[Then, the famous Japanese singer Saburo Kitajima appeared. After observing him, he bought him from the breeder for 3.5 million yen, simply because "his eyes and face are as handsome as mine." From then on, a legend began.]
[As a side note, Kitasan Black's low early evaluation was largely due to the sprint-leaning bloodline, since the JRA doesn't emphasize short distances much. Even today, there are only two major turf sprint G1s: the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and the Sprinters Stakes.]
[Also, Kitasan Black's good friend, Satono Diamond, sold for a staggering 230 million yen at the 2013 auction. In other words, one "Dia" is worth about 65.7 "Kitas". If that exchange were real, Dia-chan would be overjoyed.]
[They'll end up as roommates at Tracen in the future. I can't wait to see their shenaningans.]
Inside Tracen:
"What? 7 G1s? Kita-chan is that strong?" Tokai Teio was startled, but a smile quickly broke out.
She put her hands on her hips. 'As expected of Kita-chan! She'd fulfilled her promise.'
Teio was genuinely happy for her, feeling no pressure because she believed that as Kita-chan's idol, she would surely win even more.
Her goal was to surpass Symboli Rudolf, so she felt she needed to reach double digits.
She really wanted to see the look on Kita-chan's face right now.
"Oh my gosh... 7 G1s. That's incredible. Kita-chan really is strong. Trainer Mizuki specifically mentioned her strong physique, it seems her potential has no limit. I wonder who among her contemporaries could beat her?"
"She must be the most outstanding one," Special Week said. Even with just the Kikuka Sho and Spring Tenno Sho, Kitasan was already amazing. To think those were just the beginning of her legend.
The story of Kitasan Black made Special Week eager to read more. She knew that behind those honors lay immense effort. Kitasan was someone who gave her all and never backed down.
Vodka: "Impressive. 7 G1s... we basically watched Kita-chan grow up. I feel a strange sense of accomplishment."
Daiwa Scarlet huffed: "Hmph, why are you emphasizing 7 G1s? Are you secretly praising yourself? Just you wait, I'll get more G1 titles than that."
Vodka hadn't thought of that and blushed.
"Hey, don't overthink it! I'm not praising myself like that. But I am great. I'll build statues of myself all over the world for people to worship."
Scarlet turned away, not wanting to deal with her ego, but she was curious:
"I never expected the gap between Kita-chan and Dia-chan to be so large. One for 230 million, the other for 3.5 million. At that price, I'd believe it if you said Kita-chan was a 'buy-one-get-one-free' bonus for Dia-chan."
McQueen couldn't stop herself from butting in: "Ahem, let's not put it that way. Maybe people just misunderstood, perhaps Kita-chan was just a late bloomer."
Meanwhile, at Canopus:
"Kita-chan... she really is terrifying. Even more terrifying than I imagined."
Nice Nature was stunned as she read. She suddenly recalled that day, the moment Kitasan Black and Duramente surged forward together. To think Kitasan Black eventually won 7 G1s?
'How did she run like that? How was she trained? She's truly dazzling.'
However, Nature didn't know that she was Kitasan Black's true teacher in the future...
Somewhere in Tokyo:
"Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond... they're roommates. That's so nice... is this what they call 'mutual pining'? I'm tired of saying how jealous I am."
Cheval Grand was a socially withdrawn girl. She usually wore a hat and avoided eye contact with everyone. She had previously plucked up the courage to attend the Tracen Fan Appreciation Festival, where she met the cheerful Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond.
It was thanks to Kitasan's care that she didn't feel too awkward.
She had noticed Kitasan Black back then, but her heart was still full of self-doubt, worry, and fear. She had two sisters— Verxina and Vivlos— who were both excellent, while she felt she was the only one who couldn't handle various situations.
But deep down, she wanted to be noticed. She wanted to shine just as brightly as Kitasan Black.
She gritted her teeth, finally making up her mind to break out of her shell. She had to take this crucial first step. If she couldn't overcome this, how could she ever be like that Uma Musume named Heart's Cry?
It was only after watching Heart's Cry's Arima Kinen that she felt the desire to win.
She took a deep breath, deciding not to be afraid of anyone she saw today.
"Oh, isn't this Cheval Grand?" Suddenly, a classmate walked over.
Cheval Grand's ears trembled in fear, and she immediately bolted away, shouting shyly with a red face: "You... you... you have the wrong person!"
As expected of a socially anxious person, she ran incredibly fast. Her first instinct was still to escape.
However, Cheval Grand had amazing stamina. She wasn't even winded after her sprint. Crouching down in a corner, she wanted to see the rest of the log.
She realized that Kitasan Black actually won 7 G1s. Since she and Kitasan were from the same generation, her heart wavered.
'Will I keep losing to her in the future?'
She shook her head, telling herself it was okay. Even if Kitasan had 7 G1s, she could still seize a victory. She almost started a cycle of emotional self-exhaustion again, but now she just wanted to keep reading.
Cheval pursed her lips, looking nervous yet very cute with her twitching ears.
Elsewhere:
"7 G1s. Kitasan Black, you have proven the value of your bloodline."
Duramente looked at the diary entry, her expression like that of a grim warrior. Her aura became exceptionally powerful— so much so that some nearby Uma Musume felt a sense of dread.
In reality, it was subconscious, she just wanted victory. She, too, would prove that her bloodline was even stronger than Kitasan Black's.
She didn't believe Kitasan Black was invincible. The blood flowing in her veins was boiling, she wished she could find Kitasan and have a match right now.
In fact, if Duramente were to face Kitasan Black right now, her win rate would be extremely high, she might only lose to Kitasan in long-distance races.
She watched silently, not yet knowing that throughout her life, she would remain an insurmountable barrier for Kitasan Black. She would be the majestic peak named Duramente that was nigh-impossible to scale.
In the Tokyo countryside:
"Wow! Kitasan Black-san, 7 G1s! Amazing, amazing! She must have become a huge star. She'll surely get so many invitations!"
Equinox was incredibly happy, thinking she could tag along for more food and drinks. Of course, the "invitations" she meant were for festivals where they could drink beer together. That would be super fun.
"I wonder how many championships Duramente-san has," Liberty Island added. She still remembered the day she was saved by Duramente, her heart had gone thump-thump, thinking Duramente was just too cool.
In another part of the Tokyo countryside:
"Eh?!!!!!"
When Kitasan Black saw her 7 G1 record, she let out a shocked scream. Her pupils dilated, and her cup slipped from her hand, shattering on the ground. She was a walking emoji of shock, her mind a blur of emotions.
She was so excited she didn't know whether to cheer or scream, she was simply stunned in place.
Once she finally snapped out of it, she became completely ecstatic. She started doing happy little steps and rushed over to hug Dia-chan.
"Did you see? Did you see, Dia-chan?! I have 7 G1s! I did it! Teio's goal is the Undefeated Triple Crown— do you think I can do it? Which 7 championships will they be?"
"Besides the Kikuka Sho, there's the Spring Tenno Sho. Could there be a Japan Cup? And the Arima Kinen? Hahaha! Waaaah, I'm so happy, Dia-chan!!!!!" Kita-chan was letting out little Uma Musume shrieks, genuinely thrilled to her core.
"If it's you, Kita-chan, you can definitely get them all— whether it's the Triple Crown or the G1 victories!" Dia-chan was also very happy.
Since she debuted a year after Kita-chan, she looked forward to whether she could keep up with Kita-chan's pace and make McQueen-senpai proud. She also wondered if she would see information about herself in Kitasan's real-life data.
'Had the Satono family finally broken the curse?'
Mizuki's log continued:
[As for Saburo Kitajima, he had been a horse owner for over forty years without a single G1-winning horse. So, his initial expectations for Kitasan Black weren't high. Winning just one G1 would be enough.]
[He later sent Kitasan Black to the stable of the famous trainer Hisashi Shimizu.]
[Shimizu put Kitasan Black through the grueling 'Triple Slope' training. Kitisan had to run a 1000-meter slope with a 32-meter elevation gain three times in a single session.]
[To be honest, most horses can only handle this intensity once, but this controversial training regimen accompanied Kitasan Black— who was practically an 'Iron Horse'— throughout his entire racing career.]
[Kitisan's daughter, named Piedra de Luna, was also trained by Hisashi Shimizu. She suffered a severe fracture shortly after starting this training. At age 3, she was unable to continue racing and had to retire as a broodmare.]
[On January 31, 2015, in a Tokyo Newcomer race, Kitasan Black (the third favorite) stayed in the rear of the pack under Hiroki Goto. In the final straight, he unleashed a final 3-furlong sprint of 34.2s to win by 1 1/4 lengths.]
[Subsequently, Hiroshi Kitamura became Kitasan Black's main jockey. Using Front Runner and Pace Chaser tactics, he won the February 22nd 5-Million Class and the Fuji TV Spring Stakes (G2), achieving a three-race winning streak. However, this would be the only three-race winning streak of Kitasan Black's career.]
Inside Tracen, countless Uma Musume watched this.
Sweep Tosho was stunned. "Hisashi Shimizu... I hate that guy! Why did he have to boss de Luna-chan around?"
In real life, Sweep Tosho was Piedra de Luna's mother. In Tracen, Piedra de Luna was one of Sweep Tosho's biggest admirers, along with Kitasan Black.
Piedra de Luna wanted to learn magic from Sweep Tosho because her legs weren't great and she couldn't run fast, so she wanted to ride a magic broom to experience the feeling of speeding just once.
However, Sweep Tosho wasn't with Piedra de Luna right now, as Piedra de Luna hadn't yet reached her maturation. In fact, with her legs, she could never pass the entrance exam for Tracen Academy to become a racing Uma Musume.
Sweep Tosho first met her at the Tracen Fan Appreciation Festival. Back then, Piedra de Luna was timid, afraid to run with other young Uma Musume, and hiding in a corner crying.
Sweep Tosho told her she had magic and encouraged her to work hard, promising that she would heal her legs in the future or use a magic broom to let her win first place.
Sweep Tosho had vowed that one day she would run the show at Tracen and that "Witches would rule the world," so everyone would race on brooms. She told Piedra de Luna not to give up and to find her at Tracen later.
Piedra de Luna finally stopped crying and became an admirer. Sweep Tosho, the "Little Witch," had her own fan now, which made her feel responsible.
Sweep Tosho was very protective of the girl who admired her, so she was furious to see what Shimizu had done to the real-life horse. She swore if she ever saw Hisashi Shimizu, she'd give him a good whack with her broom.
Near a festival in the Tokyo countryside:
Kita-chan and Dia-chan wanted to share this news. Kita-chan also wanted to tell her father that he was a singer, just like the real horse's owner. She cutely looked in the mirror since her owner said her eyes were handsome.
She spent a while observing herself, though she couldn't really tell if she was "handsome" or not.
"Uuuu..." While she was thinking, she heard crying. Turning around, she saw the little girl Piedra de Luna.
Kita-chan immediately stepped forward and gently patted her head. She hadn't read the latest log entry yet.
"What's wrong, de Luna-chan? Who bullied you?"
Piedra de Luna said, "Trainer Mizuki said in the log that even my real-life counterpart couldn't race anymore. Just like me, she got a serious injury and could never run again."
"But at least I have the magic Senior Sweep Tosho taught me and the broom she gave me. The other me might never experience the feeling of running again, uuuu..." Piedra de Luna said sadly.
Kita-chan finally saw the log and felt sad as well.
"...It's okay, Piedra de Luna. You can still work hard. You have the chance to save her."
Piedra de Luna sniffled. "Really? But... I still need Senior Sweep Tosho's help. I'm not a proper witch yet. I've never even experienced running, how can I win?"
Kita-chan had an idea. She crouched down and said, "Piedra de Luna, quick, hop on! Let me take you to experience it. If you train hard, one day you'll be able to run at this speed too."
Piedra de Luna climbed onto Kita-chan's shoulders.
"Alright, hold on tight! Kitasan Black, moving out!!!"
Kita-chan sprinted with Piedra de Luna on her back. Piedra de Luna gripped her shoulders tight, eyes wide.
'So this is what running feels like? It's so fast, so wonderful!'
She felt that Kita-chan was just as good as Sweep Tosho. While Kitasan was a bit more boisterous, she made her feel safe. Tears welled up in Piedra de Luna's eyes, and she vowed she would work hard to recover.
"Piedra de Luna, try shouting!" Kita-chan smiled.
Piedra de Luna blushed and shrunk back, too shy to shout. But with the wind rushing past, she found courage from somewhere.
She gathered her strength and shouted into the gale. Her voice wasn't loud and was quickly carried away by the wind, but she actually felt happier.
Kita-chan smiled and joined her in shouting. She wanted to go faster, fast enough to make Piedra de Luna forget her injuries and embrace hope for tomorrow.
Satano Diamond watched them with a smile, waiting patiently.
Mizuki's log continued:
[After Kitasan Black won three in a row, the team confidently set their sights on the Satsuki Sho on April 19, 2015. It was the first leg of the Classic Tripe Crown. The favorite was Satono Crown, born on the exact same day as Kitasan Black. The second favorite was Real Steel, while Kitasan Black took 4th popularity.]
[However, the outcome of this Satsuki Sho shocked everyone.]
[The favorite, Satono Crown, sank to 6th place. The second favorite, Real Steel, lived up to his popularity and took 2nd. Kitasan Black gave it his all and managed to snag 3rd place.]
[As for the winner, it was the 3rd favorite who charged from the outside with a terrifying final 3-furlong sprint of 33.9s— the opponent Kitasan Black would never defeat in his entire life: Duramente!]
In an instant, the entire Tracen Academy was plunged into shock. Just when they thought the 7-G1 winner Kitasan Black would take the victory, the name Duramente appeared before them.
Nice Nature swallowed hard. She wasn't surprised. She still remembered the explosive speed Duramente showed that day.
'A final sprint of 33.9s? How terrifying.'
Everyone wanted to keep reading. The story that followed would shock them even more.
Whether it was Kitasan Black surpassing herself, Satono Diamond breaking the family curse, Duramente's inheritance of noble blood, or Cheval Grand's once-in-a-lifetime final sprint— these were all breathtaking and legendary moments.