America.
Inside a training facility.
A tall, proud girl with a vibrant red mane paused her training, standing in the rest area and looking up at the live broadcast playing on the large screen.
It was the [Long Distance G1 Goodwood Cup]—a race that had captured the attention of the European Uma Musume racing world, and even the American dirt-track racing scene!
After watching the race, a flicker of surprise crossed Secretariat's expression.
"What incredible power. Her body is so comprehensively powerful she could dominate any type of race."
"No wonder she earned the title of [Pegasus] even before Nearl did."
"What a waste that she doesn't come to race on the dirt."
Unlike the average spectators marveling at Platinum's exceptional stamina, Secretariat was focused on the terrifying raw strength and absurd adaptability that allowed Platinum to handle the innermost, heaviest part of the course.
With power like that, even in America's dirt G1 races, Platinum would undoubtedly deliver an outstanding performance!
In Secretariat's view, though European turf was soft, she herself could handle it with ease—a confidence born of absolute strength and stats. The Pegasus, Platinum, could surely do the same in reverse.
In contrast, very few regular European turf Uma Musume could successfully transition to American dirt tracks.
Even the legendary European middle-distance Uma Musume, Dancing Brave, suffered a major defeat during her American campaign, and that was only on American turf, not even the core dirt tracks!
Therefore, the American Uma Musume world, which advocated [Survival of the Fittest] and didn't particularly care about overseas campaigns, often paid little mind to foreign races, even European ones.
But Secretariat, the current strongest dirt-track Uma Musume in America, was certain: if Platinum came to challenge the American circuit, she would demonstrate incredibly formidable strength.
In fact, Platinum's ability might even place her within the top twenty in dirt-track history, making her eligible to compete in the Dream Cup!
"But Platinum… her next target is the turf mile G1, the Queen Anne Stakes."
"So, she won't be considering a trip to the American dirt. A real shame."
"Besides, even if she did come, there wouldn't be enough time in such a short period to climb into the [American Historical TOP20] rankings. She'd have no chance of qualifying."
"Such a pity, to miss the chance to compete against such a uniquely gifted individual."
Secretariat narrowed her eyes slightly. Her impressive frame trembled faintly, like a warrior's shiver—a mix of combativeness and immense self-confidence.
But there was also a tinge of regret.
Secretariat, possessing both a strong possessive streak and an intense desire to win, wanted to defeat every exceptional Uma Musume she encountered!
Soon, however, she lowered her head slightly, glanced away, and picked up her phone from nearby.
"Whatever, no use dwelling on regrets."
"Even if I can't face the Turf Pegasus, isn't there a Pegasus right here on the dirt?"
"Nearl might not be any worse than Platinum."
Unlocking her phone, she opened her contacts.
Her eyes landed on—[Dr. Lin].
Now that Platinum's Goodwood Cup was over, then…
But the next second, Secretariat resisted the impulse to send a text or make a call.
Even she knew—who would fly all the way over there, watch a race for a few minutes, and then immediately fly back?
Even for the more physically resilient Uma Musume, that could be a bit uncomfortable, let alone for an ordinary person like Dr. Lin, who rarely traveled such distances.
So, she couldn't push him.
At least for a day or two, she shouldn't.
Secretariat's desire to win and possessiveness were strong, but she wasn't so far gone as to demand Dr. Lin revolve entirely around her, never leaving her side for a second.
What if pestering him just annoyed him?
This [Dr. Lin Anran Cup] wasn't over yet. No opening the champagne at halftime.
So, Secretariat instead sent a text asking for his specific return date.
"Dr. Lin probably took some extra time off to sightsee around Europe anyway."
"I'll check if he's back in a couple of days."
What Secretariat, having made her decision, didn't know was…
Lin Anran was already in America!
--+--
Beachside Villa, Living Room.
Besides the black-haired young man, Lin Anran, there were two other girls.
The girl who looked somewhat petite and cute, Ruffian, couldn't help but wear an excited grin.
Meanwhile, Flightline, who appeared somewhat sickly and bookish, stopped flipping through her book.
"Dr. Lin, is your room all sorted?" Flightline asked, placing the literature book on her lap.
To Flightline, no book—not even a race she valued—could compare in importance to Dr. Lin.
Priorities. What mattered most.
These, Flightline had always kept perfectly clear.
Books? The shelves at her home were densely packed with thousands of them, practically a small library. Even reading one book every three days, she had enough for over a decade.
Besides, reading was something she could do anytime; there was no rush. She'd already read countless books anyway.
As for races, Flightline had won more than enough. She was already ranked among the [Legends], eligible for the Dream Cup!
But Dr. Lin… he was the "prize" eyed covetously by who knew how many Uma Musume. Even the strongest, Secretariat, was quite interested in him.
It was precisely this sense of crisis that had driven Flightline to form an [Alliance].
So the moment Lin Anran emerged from his room, Flightline's gaze immediately snapped to him.
"No, it's Secretariat. She sent a text." Lin Anran raised his phone and handed it towards Flightline.
When Lin Anran had first seen Secretariat's query, he initially planned to reply…
[Lin Anran: Out sightseeing, back soon.]
But before sending it, he realized something was off.
Given the dedicated, caring image of the excellent Uma Musume doctor he had cultivated… such a vague reply would seem too perfunctory. Not giving a specific, accurate time would seem like he was neglecting the many American fillies under his care.
To lose track of time precisely after going to Europe to watch Platinum's race… it would seem visibly suspicious.
After all, the Pegasus Platinum had achieved numerous record-breaking victories during this period.
While this race, securing her [Long Distance GOAT] status, was important… long distance was ultimately a less popular division. It held no advantage over the short-distance The Everest in Australia.
In fact, in terms of fame, influence, and many other aspects, the [The Everest]—with prize money high enough to rank among the world's top five—was arguably above the Goodwood Cup.
The Goodwood Cup, though Kyprios and Stradivarius were exceptional… their [Clash of the Titans] had already happened in the previous long-distance G1, greatly reducing the novelty for audiences.
The Everest, however, was a top-tier spectacle in the world of short-distance racing, held in Australia, where few outsiders had ever managed to win.
Not only did Platinum win on her campaign there, but her opponents were also the two most popular and glorious Empresses of all Australia. She shocked and conquered the entire nation.
As for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, needless to say, it was one of the very few world-class races even the American dirt-track Uma Musume would specifically follow and acknowledge. Her opponent there was Sea the Stars from the Sea Family.
So, among the three major races that cemented Platinum's [GOAT] status, the Arc was undoubtedly the highest, while the Goodwood Cup was probably on par with The Everest, or perhaps slightly inferior.
Among Platinum's many races, to disappear for so long precisely for this not-quite-most-important Goodwood Cup…
It would naturally be a rather obvious flaw, a loophole.
Therefore, the scheming young doctor chose to pass the buck to Flightline.
As for Ruffian… that little one looked simple and a bit dopey, completely unlike her fierce, dominant racing self. It'd be an achievement if she didn't mess things up.
[Secretariat: When are you coming back?]
As Flightline saw the message clearly on Lin Anran's phone, her pupils constricted sharply.
Beside her, Ruffian tilted her head and peeked over.
They both quickly understood that this seemingly simple question was dangerous for Lin Anran, who wasn't actually in Europe. He needed to give a precise, specific time to maintain his image as the earnest Dr. Lin.
But if he just said two days, three days…
Would that be enough?
Such a short time… how could it possibly be enough for two eager, thirsty (for various reasons) fillies to share?
The seemingly delicate but clever girl leaned back against the sofa, closed her eyes, and thought.
After just half a minute, she reopened them.
"The crisis stems from Dr. Lin needing to return to America."
"Then… wouldn't it be fine if we just reassured Big Red?"
The next second, Flightline's cool gaze turned towards Ruffian.
"Your time to sacrifice has come, [Ally]."
"???"
This sudden turn made Ruffian blink her eyes dumbly.
"Huh? Me?"
"I have no problem 'sacrificing' myself to Dr. Lin, but not for Big Red, right? I don't want…"
"What are you imagining?" Flightline was so exasperated she almost laughed. She reached out and flicked Ruffian's forehead, making the imaginative little foreign filly cover her head.
"Just reply to Big Red saying two or three days. When the time comes, Dr. Lin can return to the clinic for half a day, take a photo, and post it in the group chat."
"Then, for the next week, while we take turns accompanying Dr. Lin, the other one will go train with Big Red, or have practice races. If you notice she wants Dr. Lin for a check-up, report it immediately."
"Change the original plan of switching every day to switching every three days. That should be fine."
If it was one day, then a cycle of four or six days would definitely alert Secretariat.
But changing it so that for the first three days, she would be with Dr. Lin, and the next three days, Ruffian would be with him, repeating the cycle… would be much safer! In the short term, there was absolutely no chance of exposure!
In Flightline's view, the only real risk was…
During this summer training camp, lasting ten days to a half-month.
As an ordinary human, could Dr. Lin's body handle it?
In Flightline's estimation, even she—whose physical fitness was considered slightly inferior among the top-tier G1 monsters—was a notch above ordinary, lower-level Graded Stakes Uma Musume, and leagues beyond regular Uma Musume.
And the most average, regular Uma Musume were naturally at least three times stronger than a human.
Her own body might not match Secretariat's or Sham's, but surely it was stronger than little Dr. Lin's?
Impossible!
Surely horseplay wasn't such an ominous thing?
Therefore, Flightline dismissed that infinitesimally small possibility outright, convinced it was utterly impossible. Instead, Dr. Lin's health was what needed proper care and attention.
Rumors said that in some Uma Musume hospitals, there were cases of seemingly gentle, harmless young Uma Musume accidentally landing their human lovers in the hospital with pelvic injuries from their… exuberance.
Other than that, their plan was foolproof!
There was no way her own frail body would be the one ending up with pelvic injuries from horseplay with the human Dr. Lin, right?
Flightline wouldn't even dream of such a thing!
"I see… Reasonable." Ruffian, hearing this, nodded in agreement with Flightline's plan.
This petite filly also absolutely didn't think anything could go wrong.
Heh heh heh!
Dr. Lin, finally they could savor his minty freshness in detail!
'Even with my recent injury, I'm definitely much stronger than an ordinary human.'
'When the time comes, and I've… played until Dr. Lin begs for mercy, I must remember to be in control!'
The advantage is ours!
--+--
Europe.
A girl named Frankel sat in the rest room.
Having finished her training, she was using a towel to wipe her forehead.
This perfect Mile Empress, the supreme crystallization of three hundred years of British breeding, wasn't just about raw talent.
She also poured immense effort and sweat into her training.
For the upcoming mile G1, the Queen Anne Stakes, she had to prepare with all her might, ready to display an unprecedented level of performance to welcome that Pegasus!
Beside her was a tall, curvaceous, and mature blonde beauty, quietly reading a novel.
It was a detective novel, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This blonde beauty wasn't some peer of Frankel's, but rather… an esteemed senior she looked up to!
The Mile Legend · Brigadier Gerard!
This blonde beauty, who had named herself after the protagonist from Conan Doyle's stories, was the legendary [Brigadier Gerard].
To this day, her fame had surpassed that of the fictional character, making her a world-renowned legend.
Even Frankel, who had surpassed her, still held immense respect and admiration for Brigadier Gerard.
Historically, before the current generation… for over a century or two, it was always a case of [Kings Never Meet].
Legends and legends never crossed paths, always rare and often separated by different eras.
Except for Brigadier Gerard. She encountered a presence named Mill Reef and defeated her in a mile race.
After that, Mill Reef avoided mile races, focusing instead on middle distances, where she became a middle-distance legend.
Brigadier Gerard swept the mile division undefeated, becoming the Mile Legend.
The two legends shone brightly, and Brigadier Gerard, in a way… was the first legend to have defeated another legend.
However, since Mill Reef at that time was neither at her peak nor specializing in the mile, the race, while hugely talked about, wasn't considered a true [Clash of Legends].
After dominating the mile, Brigadier Gerard proactively stepped up in distance, challenging and winning the middle-distance 2400m G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, proving her prowess.
After similarly sweeping the mile division, Frankel had originally planned to follow in her idol's footsteps and challenge middle-distance G1s as well.
In Frankel's original plan, before the [Queen Anne Stakes] even began, she could gradually shift her training focus, moving half of her mile-specific work to middle-distance preparation.
But now…
The news of the Pegasus Platinum's participation had made her completely abandon any thought of preparing for middle distances.
What was challenging some middling middle-distance G1, replicating Senior Brigadier Gerard's feat… compared to defeating Platinum?!
Of course, it couldn't compare!!
"Senior Brigadier Gerard, my training is finished," Frankel greeted her senior.
Hearing this, Brigadier Gerard set down her detective novel and smiled at the incredibly young Mile Queen.
"Senior Brigadier Gerard, may I ask you a question?"
"Oh? I presume the question is… 'Between me and Platinum, who has the better chance of winning?'" The sharp-witted, Conan Doyle-loving Brigadier Gerard asked with keen interest.
Frankel nodded.
"Correct."
Brigadier Gerard hummed thoughtfully for a few seconds.
"If it's heavy ground, Platinum's chances are definitely no less than sixty percent."
"Even though I'm from the Sea Family?" the perfect Mile Queen retorted.
The talented fillies of the Sea Family had often been assumed to handle heavy ground well due to their bloodline.
Brigadier Gerard responded bluntly.
"Sea Family? Even if you had Urban Sea herself's level of heavy ground adaptability, it would probably only put you on par with Platinum."
The Sea Family?
Not even Urban Sea herself at her peak could beat Platinum on heavy ground!
The insight and judgment of Brigadier Gerard were formidable.
After all, she was a Mile Legend who had defeated the future Middle-Distance Legend, Mill Reef, on her home turf.
And in a way…
Wasn't the upcoming clash between Frankel and Platinum a [Deluxe · MAX Pro · Upgraded Version] of her own showdown with Mill Reef?
Back then, neither Brigadier Gerard nor Mill Reef were at their peak; they hadn't reached their legendary heights yet.
But Frankel and Platinum were both legends, and they were going to face off in a mile race!
This wasn't a replication; it was a surpassing!
That's why even Brigadier Gerard, usually uninterested in the outside scene, was fascinated, eager to witness this truly unprecedented Clash of Mile Legends.
"Heavy ground favors Platinum, that's certainly true," Frankel recalled the recently concluded long-distance Goodwood Cup and nodded.
That fearsome adaptability, capable of flying on the inner rail, and over a long distance… only a monster with maxed-out stats across the board could possibly achieve that.
That level of adaptability probably wasn't inferior to the Sea Family founder, Urban Sea, who famously pulled off an upset win in the Arc on desperately heavy ground, was it?
She's practically on the same level as our "ancestor" in heavy ground handling, so it's no surprise she defeated the Sea Family descendant, Stradivarius.
"What about good ground, Senior Brigadier Gerard?" Frankel's eyes fixed on her idol senior as she pressed for an answer.
The rest room fell silent for a short while before a response came.
"I… don't know."
Even with her vast experience, Brigadier Gerard finally closed her book and shook her head.
After all, she was the "washed-up veteran," the "retired senior" whom Frankel had surpassed.
As for Platinum, the whole world believed she could defeat anyone, and that naturally included Frankel.
One could say that even if Brigadier Gerard returned to her peak to compete in this Queen Anne Stakes, she could only be the [Third Favorite], the third seat among the top contenders.
As the third favorite, how could she accurately judge between the first and second?
"Not just me, even the middle-distance specialist Mill Reef can't see through Platinum's true strength, let alone estimate how much of her ability she can maintain when dropping back to a mile."
"But no matter what, Platinum's chances can't be lower than thirty, maybe forty percent, right?"
"Be prepared, little Fran. Your opponent… is a [Myth] potentially surpassing Eclipse, one for the history books!"
"One might even say, blasphemously…"
The blonde beauty took a deep breath. Under Frankel's intense gaze, she let out a long, slow exhale.
Then, she spoke.
"It's as if… a Fourth Goddess has appeared after the [Three Goddesses]… shining, powerful."
"Little Fran, try your best to defeat her!"
--+--
America.
Beachside Villa. Night had fallen!!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.