"Heh, a trainer?"
Golden Crown Eagle scoffed. "Your trainer has no experience cultivating a Zone Umamusume, does she? How could she possibly know the power of a Zone Umamusume?"
"Besides, even if she knew the power of a Zone Umamusume, would she know how to help you break through to the Zone level?"
"Our Trainer certainly knows," Tokai Teio said.
"That's right," Mejiro McQueen nodded in agreement. "And she doesn't necessarily believe that an Umamusume without a Zone is weaker than one with one."
"Then it seems necessary to let you know the power of Zones." Golden Crown Eagle chuckled, tossing a coin in her hand, and smiled at Mejiro McQueen.
"Shall we have a race? The strongest long-distance Umamusume in Active Duty, the young lady of the Mejiro family—surely she wouldn't refuse a challenge, would she?"
"I'm ready to go at anytime!"
Mejiro McQueen stared intently at Golden Crown Eagle, her face showing no panic or fear.
"Fine, I'm magnanimous. Even if you lose, I won't mind teaching you how to unlock your Zone."
"No need. I don't want to know." Mejiro McQueen extended her hand in refusal.
"Speaking of which, you seem determined to teach others about Zones..." Tokai Teio said softly. Then her eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Could it be that you taught Rice Shower-san about higher-level Zones?"
Golden Crown Eagle was startled upon hearing this. "How does she know?!"
Just as Golden Crown Eagle was about to nod in agreement, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
Golden Crown Eagle turned around and saw the robotic Mihono Bourbon, and beside her, Sakura Baimu, with her black hair and casual suit.
Golden Crown Eagle's eyes narrowed upon seeing Sakura Baimu, her heart skipping a beat.
So similar!
Far too similar!
Sakura Baimu looked exactly like the Umamusume, her opponent from last night.
"Could it be...?"
Just as Golden Crown Eagle was filled with doubt, she heard Sakura Baimu look her up and down with the surprised gaze of someone seeing her for the first time, then ask curiously.
"And who is this young lady?"
"I don't know her. She came over to teach McQueen and me how to activate our Zones," Tokai Teio replied.
Golden Crown Eagle looked at Sakura Baimu's genuine expression and her inquiring question.
Then her gaze shifted to the top of Sakura Baimu's head and the back of her waist.
"No tail or ears, and her hair is black."
These characteristics easily indicated that the other person was not an Umamusume, but a human.
"She does look somewhat like one..."
Golden Crown Eagle was puzzled, but ultimately could only attribute it all to coincidence.
"I just saw that Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen haven't mastered their Zones yet, so I wanted to come and help them," Golden Crown Eagle said with a friendly smile to Sakura Baimu.
Beside Sakura Baimu, Mihono Bourbon stared at Golden Crown Eagle for a moment, then leaned close to Sakura Baimu's ear and whispered.
"I can sense that her Zone is incredibly powerful, even more powerful than Rice Shower's."
Sakura Baimu already knew this. She nodded slightly and replied with a smile.
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss, but that's unnecessary."
Clearly, Sakura Baimu's refusal did not deter Golden Crown Eagle's ambitions.
Having witnessed the strength of Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, she felt it necessary to hinder their breakthrough in their Zones. So she chuckled at Sakura Baimu.
"If your trainee Umamusume were to volunteer to learn from me, that wouldn't be your problem, would it?"
"Of course, it's their prerogative to do what they want," Sakura Baimu replied with a similar chuckle.
"However, I don't think they'd want to learn from you."
"That's because they haven't yet witnessed the power of a Zone."
Golden Crown Eagle sneered, then continued.
"I want to compete against Mejiro McQueen, and she's agreed."
"That's wonderful. I'd be happy to oblige too," Sakura Baimu smiled.
Seeing Sakura Baimu's ecstatic expression, Golden Crown Eagle felt increasingly convinced that this trainer was a fool.
And it wasn't just Sakura Baimu.
All the Umamusumes under her command seemed rather dim-witted.
Having won against an Umamusume by sheer luck, they considered themselves invincible.
They lacked the urgent need to unlock their own Zones that the American Umamusumes possessed.
Golden Crown Eagle didn't want to waste any more words. She believed the match result would change Mejiro McQueen's mind, so she left TCB.
The TCB Umamusumes watched coldly as Golden Crown Eagle departed.
"Trainer-san! I suspect she's the one who taught Rice Shower about higher-level Zones!" Tokai Teio spoke.
"What?!"
Mihono Bourbon had already suspected something, and hearing Tokai Teio say this, she couldn't help but feel shocked.
"I'll ask Rice Shower tonight, then I'll know," Sakura Baimu waved her hand. "McQueen, good luck with your preparations. You have another match later. She's the strongest American Active Umamusume and not on the same level as Cattleya."
"She's currently maintaining her winning streak in bounty matches; she's an exceptionally strong Umamusume."
"I'll give it my all," Mejiro McQueen nodded emphatically.
Mihono Bourbon watched for a while, mentally calculating that her rest time was over and she should go back to Kuronuma to continue training.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and turned to Smart Falcon.
"I watched your match. You run really fast, GG."
Mihono Bourbon finished speaking and left expressionlessly.
Hearing Mihono Bourbon's words, Smart Falcon was struck dumb.
How did even Mihono Bourbon know that nickname?!
Smart Falcon immediately realized what was going on, puffing out her cheeks and glaring angrily at Sakura Baimu.
Sakura Baimu, meanwhile, wore an expression of suppressed laughter and silently looked away.
However, Sakura Baimu didn't hold it in for long before finally bursting into laughter.
"Hahahaha, GG, don't you think it's especially funny when Bourbon calls you GG in that robotic, serious tone? Hahahaha…
Sakura Baimu's mood instantly went from Good to Great.
Smart Falcon, on the other hand, plummeted from Good to Awful.
"Seriously, seriously! It's Falco, Falco told you not to call Falco that! Now even Miss Bourbon remembers it—what is Falco supposed to do?!"
Smart Falcon stomped her foot angrily, white steam rising from her head.
She felt that staying next to Sakura Baimu was going to drive her crazy sooner or later.
Just as the TCB members were laughing uncontrollably at Smart Falcon's sullen expression, they finally heard Sakura Bakushin O's voice coming from the radio again.
"Wow! Another American Umamusume has emerged to challenge Mejiro McQueen!"
"The next match features the strongest long-distance Umamusume—Mejiro McQueen—against the strongest US active-duty Umamusume—Golden Crown Eagle!"