The night was deep and still.
On the training slope behind the Tracen Academy, nothing remained but the cold moonlight and a solitary figure drenched in sweat.
Silver Charm charged toward the top of the slope again and again.
Her breathing had long since grown ragged, and her lungs felt as if they were on fire, each breath bringing a sharp, stinging pain.
Her custom-made high-end racing shoes had already had their soles worn through by the coarse dirt, the edges fraying to reveal the worn padding inside.
Even more shocking were her feet. Through the damaged uppers of her shoes, one could see burst blisters and streaks of blood mixed with dirt.
Every step she took was accompanied by a piercing, bone-deep ache.
But she did not stop.
Replaying over and over in her mind was the moment she crossed the finish line that afternoon.
It wasn't her who passed the line first, but that blue figure, pulling away with a massive lead of six whole lengths!
Six lengths!
That number felt like a red-hot branding iron seared into her heart.
She was Silver Charm, since her debut, even in defeat, she had never been gapped by more than a single length!
That sense of powerlessness, watching her opponent's back grow smaller and smaller, unable to close the distance by even half a step no matter how hard she pushed herself... it was harder to endure than the failure itself.
"Ugh...!" After another all-out sprint, a wave of exhaustion submerged her.
Her legs buckled, and she could no longer support herself. She collapsed to one knee, hands pressing into the scorching dirt, panting violently.
Sweat dripped from the tips of her silver hair, leaving dark splatters in the dust.
A powerful sense of frustration gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake.
"Still... not enough... I'm not working hard enough..." She gritted her teeth, her voice fragmented by exhaustion and sobs.
She tried to numb herself with pain, using fatigue to mask the sense of humiliation.
Pushing down with her hands, her nails nearly digging into the soil, she struggled to stand again to continue this near-suicidal training.
"Enough!"
A cool, female voice carrying an unquestionable authority suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of the night.
Silver Charm snapped her head up and looked toward the sound.
Under the moonlight, a figure leaned against the railing beside the slope. She had neat, dark-brown short hair, an athletic build, and eyes as sharp as a hawk. She stood with her arms crossed, frowning as she watched the kneeling Silver Charm.
Her appearance had been without warning, as if she had been watching there for a long time.
"Citation -senpai...?" Silver Charm called out the name in astonishment.
This was a powerful Uma Musume who had trained with her during her debut and given her much guidance, though they had grown distant as they competed in different circuits.
She was known for her analytical mind that bordered on cold and her impeccable performance on the track.
Citation stepped forward with steady paces.
She stopped in front of Silver Charm, looking down at the girl's disheveled state. Her gaze swept over the ruined shoes and blood-stained feet.
There was no pity in her eyes, only a trace of stern disapproval.
"Having just endured a high-intensity race like the Kentucky Derby, instead of performing scientific recovery immediately, you run out here to do limit-training that exceeds your body's load..."
Citation's voice was icy, much like the moonlight.
"Silver Charm, are you wallowing in self-despair, or have you actually gone mad?"
Silver Charm opened her mouth to argue, to say she was just frustrated and wanted to get stronger, but all her words felt pale and weak under Citation's all-seeing gaze.
She lowered her head dejectedly, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Seeing her like this, Citation's stern tone softened just a fraction.
"Is losing to that Japanese Uma Musume that hard for you to accept?"
"...Six lengths..." Silver Charm murmured, her voice full of bitterness. "I've never... lost that badly before..."
"So you punish yourself like this?" Citation crouched down, meeting Silver Charm's eyes at an equal level.
"Do you think wearing out your shoes and running until you bleed can bridge a six-length gap? Foolish!"
Her words lashed against Silver Charm's heart like a whip.
"That Myriad Dreams didn't beat you with brute force, and certainly not with 'effort' as brainless as this."
Citation spoke each word deliberately, her gaze piercing.
"She won because of that incredible zone burst at the end, she won by interfering with your mind. The moment you were affected by her domain, the scales of victory had already tipped."
"You're out here torturing your physical body now— will that stop her zone from affecting you next time?"
Silver Charm froze, looking up at Citation blankly.
Citation stood up and brushed the dust off her hands. "If you're truly frustrated, then go rest properly!"
Having said her piece, Citation stopped looking at her and turned to leave.
But before taking a step, she paused, glanced back over her shoulder, and left one final remark:
"If you want true revenge, self-abuse isn't enough, Silver Charm."
Watching Citation's silhouette disappear into the night, Silver Charm remained kneeling there in a daze.
Citation's words were like cold water splashed on her face, waking her from the quagmire of self-pity and blind impulse.
She looked down at her bloody feet, then looked toward the direction where Myriad Dreams had claimed victory that afternoon.
The original confusion and pain in her eyes were gradually replaced by a deeper, calmer flame.
Yes, blood and pain solved nothing. What she needed was a more powerful strength and a will that could shatter Myriad Dreams' zone.