As the day of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe drew nearer, Myriad Dreams arrived in France alongside her trainer, Okino, and Yaeno Muteki, who accompanied her as a "special assistant" and "guardian."
However, due to the large number of entries for the Arc de Triomphe, and despite her fierce track record, Myriad Dreams's short time since debut meant her world ranking sat only at 103rd.
She had to pass through a preparatory race, the Prix Niel, to earn enough points to secure her spot in the main event.
This race happened to be held at the Paris Longchamp Racecourse as well, on the same 2,400-meter turf track as the Arc de Triomphe.
For Myriad Dreams, this was undoubtedly a perfect rehearsal and opportunity to adapt.
On the day of the race, the atmosphere at Longchamp was lively. Although it didn't command the global attention of the Arc de Triomphe itself, it still gathered many skilled competitors.
Standing before the familiar starting gate, Myriad Dreams took a deep breath of the slightly damp French air, feeling the soft turf beneath her feet— a texture completely different from both Japan and America.
'Just treat this as a drill before the official race.' she thought.
Her eyes swept over her opponents. Finding no familiar faces that required special vigilance, she relaxed slightly.
Her primary goal was to adapt to the track, perform steadily, and ensure her qualification.
However, she didn't know that in a VIP viewing room with an excellent vantage point, a pair of sharp, focused eyes was locked onto her figure through the glass.
It was Sagamix.
She had just taken first place in the previous Prix Vermeille, firmly securing her own spot in the Arc de Triomphe.
At this moment, she had no need to worry about qualifying, all her attention was focused on this rising star from the East. The one with a soaring reputation but shallow seniority.
"Finally, I can observe her with my own eyes..." Sagamix whispered to herself.
She held an exquisite notebook, and beside her sat a tablet in operation, displaying Myriad Dreams's basic data and race footage.
She didn't focus on the win or loss like a common spectator. Instead, she poured all her energy into dissecting every detail of Myriad Dreams.
The gates opened!
Myriad Dreams's start was steady as always.
Following the system's guidance, she didn't rush to fight for a position, instead habitually letting herself sink to the middle-rear of the pack like a patient lurker.
Her running form seemed to require some fine-tuning on the soft turf. Her first few steps were slightly cautious, but soon, her exceptional adaptability kicked in, and her stride became progressively fluid and stable.
"Starting position choice... typical late-closer strategy," Sagamix recorded quickly in her notebook.
"Initial adaptation speed to the turf... very strong. Stronger than expected."
Halfway through the race, Myriad Dreams began to gradually accelerate and overtake from the outside lane, following the optimal path calculated by the system.
Her movements still appeared textbook-perfect, every burst of speed and every lane change seemed efficient and economical.
"Route selection is extremely precise, there is almost no wasted movement."
Sagamix knit her brows slightly. "This level of efficiency... she doesn't seem like an Uma Musume, more like a precision instrument. Is it some kind of talent, or the result of extremely rigorous training?"
Her gaze followed the blue figure tightly, not letting a single detail escape.
She observed Myriad Dreams's breathing rhythm, the amplitude of her arm swings, and her body's tilt angle during the turns, trying to find even the smallest habit or flaw that could be exploited.
On the final straight, Myriad Dreams had easily moved up into the top three.
Without using any Zone power or activating any skills, relying purely on her basic strength and perfect form, she eased past the leading opponent with plenty of room to spare.
She took the victory in the Prix Niel by half a length, successfully securing her ticket to the Arc de Triomphe.
Crossing the finish line, Myriad Dreams panted slightly, a satisfied smile on her face.
This victory was expected, but more importantly, she felt she had finally adapted to this legendary turf.
Back in the VIP room, Sagamix closed her notebook, her gaze incredibly solemn.
"As expected... her reputation is well-deserved," she summarized to the air. "Her basic strength is terrifyingly solid, her adaptability is superb, and her running efficiency is extremely high..."
"Moreover, she was clearly holding back. She didn't use that troublesome illusion Zone at all, and she likely has even more power in reserve."
She looked at the frozen image on the screen of Myriad Dreams's calm yet confident face as she crossed the line.
"Against such an opponent, I cannot afford even the slightest carelessness."
Sagamix took a deep breath.
"It seems my tactical plan needs further adjustment and refinement before the Arc de Triomphe. I must find a way to break her 'perfect' running style and deal with that unknown Zone."
This Prix Niel was a smooth rehearsal and warm-up for Myriad Dreams, but for Sagamix, it was a precious intelligence-gathering mission that made her recognize the true threat level of Myriad Dreams more clearly than ever.