No wonder she gave off that overwhelming aura of strength yesterday.
Two-time graded winner—how could she not be strong?
Now a graded-race veteran was stepping back into the newbie village to bully some rookies…
...
The next morning.
Garden Gale couldn't help dwelling on these depressing thoughts again. She sighed deeply, then tried to hold it back halfway through—she really couldn't keep psyching herself out like this! But then, how could she possibly beat a graded stakes champion? The girl had clearly come down to the OP-level races just to bully rookies like her.
Who cares anymore…
She exhaled the sigh completely.
And immediately regretted it.
Wait a second—sure, her opponent was dropping down to stomp on newcomers, but Garden Gale herself was basically cheating, wasn't she? She had a freaking system! Couldn't the [elas system, a literal cheat, beat one measly graded-level racer? It's not like she was facing monsters like the Emperor: Symboli Rudolf or the Cinderella Gray: Oguri Cap.
Didn't I say I wanted to change?
Yet here I am, feeling sorry for myself at the first sign of a tough opponent? Absolutely not okay!
Biting her lip, Garden Gale clenched her fists in renewed determination. Sitting by the classroom window, she stared resolutely toward the training grounds in the distance, her passion reignited.
Meanwhile, the classroom lecture droned on and on.
Yes, Umamusume had regular classes—whether Junior or Senior Division, theoretical knowledge was mandatory. Only by balancing theory with practical training could one truly stand at the peak.
Unfortunately…
Today's lecture was a bit too…
Well.
It was titled: [Maximizing Speed in the Final 3-Furlong Spurt—A Detailed Breakdown].
Actually, just seeing that title had piqued Garden Gale's interest. She really did want to learn how to sprint faster, to master a final spurt powerful enough to surpass anyone. Skills like [Sky-High Teio Step] and [Road to Glory · Iron Will] likely relied on exactly this sort of knowledge, and she certainly hadn't mastered those yet.
But barely ten minutes into the lecture, Garden Gale was already nodding off.
Not because she wasn't paying attention—quite the opposite.
She'd tried too hard.
She watched as the sharply-dressed lecturer on stage meticulously broke down every muscle and tendon with relentless precision. It was hardcore stuff, dissecting every last biomechanical detail—exactly how to sprint, and precisely which muscles to engage. Midway, Garden Gale glanced around and found all her classmates utterly engrossed, while she alone was struggling desperately to stay awake.
What even was a soleus muscle?
Wasn't sole supposed to be a type of fish? How was that related to sprinting? Well, okay, it probably was, but still—
…Ugh.
Her head felt ready to explode.
Garden Gale resigned herself to blankly gazing out the window.
Not that the lecturer minded much. It wasn't her first time teaching this class, nor her first time hearing Garden Gale's name. Talented students like her always came with a quirk or two. As long as they managed themselves properly—and especially if they could still deliver race wins—the teachers typically turned a blind eye.
And Garden Gale had indeed proven herself by winning her debut race.
So, the lecturer had no intention of intervening—
Until the star student quietly slipped out her phone beneath the desk. The lecturer raised an eyebrow.
...
With a hint of guilt, Garden Gale lay her head on the desk, feigning sleep. In reality, she stealthily took out her phone, wanting something—anything—to pass the time.
Wait, no!
That wasn't it at all—
She wasn't killing time. She was seeking another way to improve herself! If she wanted to beat her graded-level rival, she absolutely had to keep pushing forward.
She swiftly opened [Umastagram].
Several red notifications immediately popped up.
[Your profile verification is complete.]
[Your Tracen Academy Student Certification is complete.]
Nice.
Garden Gale nodded, satisfied. She opened her profile and was startled to find she already had a few dozen followers.
She hadn't even posted anything yet—how had people found her already?
Confused, she quickly picked a mysterious-looking silhouette from her gallery and started composing her first post.
Time to create her online persona.
Hmm…
Speaking of which, she still needed a username, didn't she?
She paused.
Since it was a fake persona, using her real name wouldn't do—everyone would instantly know who she was. But a random alias nobody recognized wouldn't help either. She needed a unique handle, something memorable…
Her mind raced.
How about…Running Hero?
…Nope.
Way too cheesy. Plus, wasn't that dangerously close to plagiarism?
Garden Gale cringed internally and desperately wracked her brain for a better option.
Maybe Aizen? After all, she was planning to take the throne at the top someday—just like his illusions…
Ugh, never mind, that was even worse.
Naming was hard.
As she searched frantically for inspiration, her thoughts drifted to Tokai Teio. Even without a debut race, Teio already had over thirty thousand followers—more than Admire Vega, even.
Incredible.
Garden Gale's expression twisted into a sour grimace.
…Everyone else had tons of followers, yet somehow she was struggling before she even started. Did people just not like her?
Feeling impulsive, she tapped open the messaging interface.
She hesitated briefly, then typed:
…That looks way too much like a spam bot!!
Panicking, Garden Gale quickly switched back to her profile settings, and without a second thought, entered the first thing that popped into her mind:
[Ruined King]
The Ruined King—eternal and unbroken!
…Wait, wasn't that name embarrassingly edgy?
Before she could reconsider—
…
"Garden-san."
Finally, the lecturer's patience snapped. She couldn't pretend not to notice anymore. Watching the girl blatantly playing with her phone, utterly ignoring classroom decorum, she called her name sharply:
"Why don't you explain to the class how to maximize speed in the final 3-furlong spurt?"
Garden Gale raised her head in confusion.
Wait…was there someone else in class named Garden?
---
T/N: hmmm idk can you tell me? im not sure if theres someone in your class named Garden...
4 chaps meeting this weeks quota, i was toooo lazy and slept allllllllll week sorgee
bonus chaps
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