Hana Tojo sat in the dim glow of her monitor, replaying the footage of the Satsuki Sho.
On paper, Narita Brian had won. She had secured the title of Satsuki Sho Girl—a crowning achievement that a horse girl has only one shot at in her entire life. Yet, as Tojo watched the screen, a bitter taste lingered in her mouth. It felt like a defeat.
The post-race footage told the real story. Brian was visibly spent, her body heaving from the exertion of giving her absolute all. Laurel, on the other hand, had certainly pushed herself, but it didn't look like a true "all-out" sprint. It looked like a "measured" maximum—as if she had been holding something back, even in the heat of a Triple Crown race.
"I can't believe it... He actually used a Classic race as a sacrificial pawn."
Brian's earlier intuition had been right. Tojo had dismissed the idea, thinking it impossible, but the reality was staring her in the face. From any logical standpoint, the move was madness. Tojo couldn't help but wonder: if Laurel had actually tried to win, would the title be hers right now?
A steaming cup of coffee was set down on her desk, breaking her train of thought.
"Thinking too much is bad for the health, Hana-san. Here, have a cup of my 'Fortune Coffee.'"
Tojo looked up. "Fortune...?"
"The flavor changes every day, so I can't guarantee the quality," the trainer known as Rampage replied with a shrug. "If it tastes good, you're having a lucky day."
"A bit of a dubious pitch, but I'll take it... Oh, it's quite bold. Delicious, actually."
"Then you've got 'Good Luck' today. Hmm... as for mine, the acidity is a bit weak."
Rampage's coffee was excellent. It was technically her private stock, but she often brewed enough to share. The richness and bitterness were sharp today, but strangely, that was exactly what Tojo needed.
"Is Laurel's performance in the Satsuki Sho bothering you that much?" Rampage asked.
"It's not just 'bothering' me. To be honest, I find it incomprehensible," Tojo admitted. "To use the Satsuki Sho—the first leg of the Triple Crown—solely for the sake of her own growth... it's unheard of."
"Quite the expensive set of experience points, isn't it?"
Tojo nodded grimly. Through this race, Laurel had gained a near-perfect understanding of Brian's current ceiling. If you factored in Trainer Minamisaka's analytical mind, they likely knew exactly how much Brian could still grow. They were reverse-engineering the Japanese Derby—calculating exactly what it would take to win the second leg.
For Team Rigil, the answer was simple: make Brian strong enough to transcend those calculations. But the execution was anything but simple.
"I can't afford to push her recklessly," Tojo sighed. "Brian is incredible, but that power puts an immense strain on her body. If I try to force a growth spurt now, the risk of injury skyrockets. It's a delicate balance."
Hana Tojo was a practitioner of "Management Theory." She believed in perfection through calculated menus, scheduled rest, and the steady accumulation of technique. It was a philosophy that had yielded overwhelming results—until now. Facing an opponent who defied her logic, she felt her foundation trembling. She wanted to give Brian an undefeated Triple Crown, but to do that, they had to beat Laurel. And to beat this version of Laurel, Brian's current self wasn't enough.
The dilemma was agonizing: risk a career-ending injury for the sake of growth, or stay safe and face a calculated defeat.
(The Derby... the race to decide the best in Japan,) Tojo thought.
For most, simply standing on that track is an honor. Winning it is the pinnacle of a career. But Laurel wasn't obsessed with the prestige. To her, it seemed the Derby—a 2,400-meter test of greatness—was nothing more than a convenient practice run for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. That was the terrifying part.
"I can help with the training duels if you like," Rampage offered. "I'd like to see Brian pull off that undefeated Triple Crown myself."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
As Tojo watched Rampage walk away, she wondered what the other side was thinking.
Team Canopus Clubroom
"I think the Derby is an excellent stage," Sakura Laurel was saying, her eyes bright as she spoke with Minamisaka. "The distance is exactly what we need."
Even here, the sentiment was the same. The most prestigious race in Japan was merely a stepping stone on the path to the Arc.
Rampage, who had dropped by the clubroom, spoke up. "Hey, Mina-chan... don't tell me you're seriously planning to have Laurel take the Arc during her Classic year?"
Minamisaka adjusted his glasses. "Depending on the Derby results, it's a possibility we'll consider."
"I knew it..." Rampage groaned.
While some horse girls had challenged and won the Arc during their 3-year-old season, doing so from a Japanese training base was incredibly risky. Rampage knew this firsthand—her own challenge had been during her Senior years, and it had required nearly a year of living abroad to adapt to the climate and turf.
"You're sharp," Minamisaka noted.
"I figured it out because you're treating the Derby like a platform," Rampage said. "It made me wonder if you were planning to skip the Kikkasho entirely."
"Ideally, we would wait until her Senior year," Minamisaka clarified. "With her current growth curve, a Classic-year challenge might be premature."
"I agree," Laurel added thoughtfully. "I couldn't close that half-length gap in the Satsuki Sho. Winning the Arc as a Classic-class girl would be difficult at this level."
Laurel's growth was progressing exactly as planned—the Satsuki Sho had confirmed that. Now, the Derby would be used to test her "next phase" of conditioning. While Minamisaka was prepared to let her enter the Arc if she swept the Derby, Laurel herself seemed focused on a different goal. She knew she couldn't beat Brian as she was now. Therefore, she would use Brian as "nourishment."
"Brian-san's stride is the ideal form for a horse girl," Laurel explained. "By experiencing it at such close range, I can incorporate elements of it into my own form. That was the primary reason for pushing her so hard in the last race."
"Essentially," Minamisaka added, "she's cherry-picking the best parts of Rampage-san's full-body drive and Brian-chan's power."
"You two are a terrifying duo," Rampage muttered.
As an ally, Minamisaka was incredibly reassuring. But as an opponent? He was chilling. Rampage realized with a start that Tojo wasn't just fighting a talented horse girl—she was fighting Minamisaka's cold, calculated vision. And eventually, her own student, Maya, would have to face this version of Laurel too.
"That said," Minamisaka continued, "we are entering to win. Make no mistake about that."
"Of course," Laurel smiled. "Though I know how hard that will be. Brian-chan really is strong."
Having run alongside her at a G1 pace, Laurel had a renewed respect for Brian's strength. That strength made her a worthy subject of study—an indispensable rival. Laurel needed Brian to stay strong... so that Laurel could become even stronger.
"Well then," Rampage said, stepping forward. "Want to try using me as 'nourishment' too?"
"I would love to! Running with you would be the perfect reference for the Arc."
"Good grief," Rampage laughed. "I finally understand why Hana-san is so scared of you, Mina-chan."
From start to finish, Laurel's eyes were fixed on the world stage. Watching her, Rampage felt a sudden, stubborn urge to see her on that track in France. If she could help get her there, she would—and so, Rampage decided to begin teaching Laurel the secrets of her own full-body running style.
"I've already reached out to Montjeu's camp as well," Minamisaka added calmly. "They said they'd be more than happy to give her some pointers."
"Man... Hana-san is going to have a massive headache when she hears this."
The truth was, Trainer Minamisaka was the most terrifying kind of person to have as an enemy.
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