To Kitahara's ears, Sunday Silence's last sentence carried quite the meaning of a flag, as Easy Goer was not an opponent to be defeated easily.
However, Sunday Silence must have been very clear about this in her "eyes." Since she said so, there was nothing more Kitahara could say to dissuade her.
If he talked any further, he might end up "spoiling" the result of next year's American Triple Crown.
Moreover, Sunday Silence had no intention of continuing the conversation. After "setting the flag," she casually called out behind her.
"Hey, old man, are you still not done taking your fast-acting heart pills?"
"...How many times have I told you, you haven't angered me to that extent yet!"
With a resentful complaint, Ginjiro Musaka's wrinkled face quickly appeared on the screen. Sunday Silence also waved to Kitahara, mouthed a "byebye," and turned away from the screen, off to do who knows what.
"Sigh, this worrywart child..."
Holding his phone, Musaka shook his head and complained, then glared at Kitahara, "Exactly like you, stinky brat, back in the day! You're going to be the death of this old man!"
'...Wait, I'm not the one who angered you this time. Why are you taking it out on me?'
Kitahara felt somewhat innocent and was about to defend himself, but his uncle's expression immediately turned serious.
"Alright, what I wanted to say is what Sunday Silence just told you."
His expression on the video was very solemn, and his tone was too. "The ability to see an Uma Musume's talent, I know you might not entirely believe it; after all, it is a bit unbelievable."
"I was very surprised at first too, but the child quickly proved it to me."
"Like the junior she just mentioned, I specifically went to meet her. The child is named El Condor Pasa, and just as Silence said, she is an extremely talented Uma Musume."
"I also tried to persuade her parents, but the situation here in America is indeed different from Japan. They don't interfere much with their children's choices, so we can only go with the flow on this."
"In any case, you must take what Silence said to heart. You need to work even harder on the training for Oguri Cap and the others going forward."
"Especially Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan."
A solemn, almost heavy expression appeared on Giichiro Rokuhira's wrinkled face.
"After all, their next race is known as the number one race in Japan, the Japanese Derby."
Hearing this, Kitahara dropped any thoughts of defense. Like his uncle, his expression gradually became serious.
"I understand, Uncle." This time, he didn't call him "Uncle Roppei" jokingly.
"Mmm, I know you will understand."
Ginjiro Musaka nodded emphatically. "Give them a Japanese Derby without regrets."
"For Uma Musume, it's not always possible to run when they want to run, or to race when they want to race."
'...It's not possible to run when they want to run, or to race when they want to race...?'
'What is Uncle getting at...?'
Hesitating for a moment, Kitahara couldn't help but wonder if his uncle was thinking of some regrettable incident, which prompted this sentiment.
Because of this hesitation, Kitahara was slightly silent. Ginjiro Musaka took this silence as an acknowledgment and nodded.
"Since you've made up your mind, go prepare well. Silence also needs to train."
"I will consider bringing her back to watch the Japanese Derby."
'You're coming back to watch the Japanese Derby, Uncle...?'
Kitahara was quite surprised and wondered if this arrangement would affect Sunday Silence's training.
However, Ginjiro Musaka hung up the video call right after speaking, so he had to suppress the thought and plan to ask later.
The conversation didn't last too short, and the gains were significant.
The biggest gain was naturally Sunday Silence's discovery through her special ability. That power, clearly from the Three Goddesses, was tantamount to confirming from a fundamental perspective that his subsequent training arrangements were sound.
From the time he encountered the realm until now, especially after personally witnessing the power of the world's deities before the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), he completely accepted this setting.
This didn't mean he started believing in theology, but rather that he discovered that the theology of this world could be corroborated by science.
The process of blooming could already be judged by analyzing the Uma Musume's development, and now the realm could also be analyzed in the same way. Thus, by having more contact with Sunday Silence, her "eye technique" could also likely be analyzed.
Under such a premise, being able to perform multi-angle verification was, by all accounts, an extremely favorable discovery.
Next, as his uncle said, was to prepare for the Japanese Derby with all his might.
Secretly invigorated, Kitahara quickly looked at the mother-daughter pair, Aiko and Special Week.
They were watching the post-race interviews for the Tenno Sho (Spring) while he was on the phone.
Seeing this, he didn't rush to call them away. Instead, he watched the interviews with them and waited for the Winning Live performance.
As a G1 race, and the oldest one, the winner's stage for the Tenno Sho (Spring) was naturally grand.
The backdrop of the vast stage was initially a murky gray, as if the deep winter had not yet passed.
In an instant, like the spring breeze sweeping across the land, a gentle, bright yellow light slowly descended, illuminating the three figures in the center of the stage.
The one in the center, with silver-gray hair and a red, blue, and white colored racing uniform, was Tamamo Cross. To her left and right were the second and third place winners of the Tenno Sho (Spring), Inari One and Running Free.
Accompanied by the casting of the bright yellow light, the three Uma Musume took their positions—one in front, one on the left, and one on the right. Lights, flashing like spring thunder, also flared up behind them.
The entire stage brightened, and the figures of more than ten Uma Musume who participated in this year's Tenno Sho (Spring) became visible.
Behind their uniformly raised arm poses, on the ten-meter-high canopy, lights converged into the shape of cherry blossoms and slowly drifted down.
[I feel bad for other Umas, imagine loosing a race then have to dance a few minutes later]
The cherry blossoms flanking the canopy were like a curtain, and in the center of the curtain was Tamamo Cross, who slowly raised her arm and pointed her index finger forward.
Grinning and showing her signature little canines, a song with a slight Kansai accent came from her mouth. The lyrics were full of passion and enthusiasm.
"Single-mindedly sprinting forward on the chosen path, I am determined to stand at the stage's pinnacle, running forward with all my might."
The song title: Next Frontier.
The stage that only Uma Musume who aim for the pinnacle and sprint towards it single-mindedly can reach: Next Frontier, the Future Frontier, opens only for the tireless champion. That is the meaning of this song.
Similar to the series of races, the Winning Live of the Sparkling Star Series also has a corresponding series of songs, and the songs used differ by the category of the race.
What was currently displayed on the television screen was the exclusive winner's song for the Spring and Autumn Tenno Sho and the Arima Kinen.
Gazing at the stage, which looked as if cherry blossoms were scattering, and watching the Uma Musume on stage brimming with youthful vitality, Kitahara couldn't help but smile and wave his hand, just like Oguri Cap and the others beside him who were tapping the rhythm with their support light sticks.
Kitahara had a very deep impression of the song Next Frontier.
Because to unlock the winner's stage song in the game, one had to win the corresponding race, and the 3200m Tenno Sho (Spring) in the early stages of the game required very high stamina to win, which was a considerable challenge when first starting the game.
Especially since he really liked using Oguri Cap, he was basically using her for training throughout the early game.
And in Oguri Cap's Tenno Sho (Spring), there was bound to be a Tamamo Cross whose attributes and skills were maxed out, which made attempting to unlock Next Frontier through winning the Tenno Sho (Spring) even more difficult.
He didn't know how long it took other players to achieve this, but he certainly failed to win the Tenno Sho (Spring) and unlock the song with Oguri Cap across more than a dozen consecutive training runs.
In his opinion, the victories in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen were fundamentally different from the Tenno Sho (Spring). Faced with such a "huge" threshold, the song achieved after a difficult victory seemed all the more precious.
"The loud horn is blaring, playing with overflowing passion. Embracing it tightly, then releasing it again, shedding all hesitation."
The winner's song, lasting about three minutes, was neither too long nor too short, and Tamamo Cross's distinctive voice quickly reached the near end of the song.
Listening to the lyrics full of anticipation and aggression, Kitahara couldn't help but think of another song.
Winning the Soul.
The exclusive winner's stage song for the Classic Triple Crown, and the song that left the deepest impression on him, especially after watching the first episode of the second season of the anime.
The content of that episode was Tokai Teio winning the Japanese Derby, and the ending song was precisely this anthem symbolizing the supreme glory of Uma Musume.
Every time Kitahara revisited it, he couldn't help but feel his emotions fluctuate when this song appeared.
Especially when the climax of "Sprinting in the present, I cannot stop" arrived, and the words "Episode 1, Tokai Teio" appeared on the screen.
Because, following such a climax episode and such passionate lyrics, came the devastating news of a fracture and the permanent regret of missing the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger).
The shock brought by this bad news and the disappointment caused by the regret, even knowing the subsequent twists and turns and the "miraculous revival" at the final Arima Kinen, could not be avoided or compensated for.
"Sprinting in the present, I cannot stop... Because I still have goals yet to be achieved, I must take another step, bravely surpassing... Even the tears I tightly embrace, from there, the story starts anew, continuing endlessly..."
Suddenly recalling this winner's song for the Classic Triple Crown, and the emotional impact he had felt, he couldn't help but murmur the lyrics of the climax part.
'Cannot stop...'
'All Uma Musume must step onto the track harboring such a dream, right...?'
Thinking this, he subconsciously looked beside him.
The Winning Live on the television had just ended, and his voice fell into the ears of Oguri Cap and Special Week next to him.
"Eh? That line Uncle Kitahara said sounds like lyrics..." Little Special Week noticed immediately.
"Mmm, they are the lyrics from Winning the Soul."
As an Uma Musume who participated in this year's Satsuki Sho, Oguri Cap had performed this very song at her last Winning Live. She also heard Kitahara's whisper and smiled, affirming Special Week's guess, then looked at Kitahara with confusion.
"Why are you suddenly saying that, Kitahara?"
"Ah, it just suddenly came to mind..."
Hearing the conversation beside him, Kitahara snapped back to attention. He paused for a moment and then smiled.
"I just suddenly felt that the lyrics of that song are quite good."
"They are good, but..."
Oguri Cap watched Kitahara with some confusion for a bit, then suddenly smiled. "Are you thinking about the Japanese Derby?"
"Don't worry, I heard from Tama-chan and the others."
"It seems there's a saying that to win the Japanese Derby, you must be very lucky."
"Being able to come all the way from Kasamatsu to the Central and not having lost any race until now is already enough to prove how lucky I am."
"If the Japanese Derby needs luck, I certainly won't be lacking it."
"So, Kitahara, you can be completely at ease."
Gazing at his Uma Musume's confident smile, remembering the track she never set foot on in the other dimension, and thinking that she had already won one Triple Crown race in this world, Kitahara couldn't help but think of another line of lyric from Winning the Soul.
'...If luck is sometimes necessary, then I will lead the melody of destiny to my side...'
Smiling in return, he nodded, his gaze filled with determination. "You are definitely that kind of Uma Musume."
After watching the entire Winning Live, it was getting quite late.
Kitahara's group stayed another night at the onsen (hot spring) inn, and the next day, they packed up their affairs and set off to return to Tokyo. Special Week and her mother naturally came along.
Before leaving Hokkaido, he received good news from the Tracen Academy there.
Opera O's father's business trip location coincidentally happened to be Tokyo. After the school contacted the father and daughter, they learned that the father's plan was to process Opera O's transfer application while on his business trip.
This made Kitahara extremely delighted. As long as Opera O was in Tokyo, it would be easy to contact her, especially since Special Week was also transferring schools.
Upon further inquiry, he learned that Opera O was transferring to a public elementary school for Uma Musume in Tokyo. He discussed it with Aiko and decided to have Special Week also transfer to that elementary school.
This way, whenever he went to the elementary school to find Special Week, meeting Opera O along the way would be a logical and natural progression.
With this matter settled, Kitahara felt relieved.
After settling Special Week and her mother and instructing the little one to frequently communicate with "a classmate in school who looks very keen on performing," the daily routine re-entered the training phase.
What was different from before was that the training now included the "wind tunnel facility" as a necessary part of the process.
In the days Kitahara and Oguri Cap were away in Hokkaido, Belno Light and Kyoko Miyamura, with the assistance of others, had already installed the entire set of equipment, utilizing a warehouse next to the Central Tracen Academy as the location.
On this day, after the Eisei Team members finished their morning practice, they all gathered in this warehouse, surrounding five "tubes" about ten meters long and more than a meter in radius.
One end of the "tubes," far from the warehouse door, was a "large box" about three or four meters square, with its top touching the ceiling. The surface of the "large box" was made of black hard sponge, so what was inside was invisible.
Extending from the "large box" toward the warehouse door was the main body of the "tube." Most of the main body was made of light-blue, several-inches-thick glass, allowing a general view of the interior from the outside.
Inside the glass body, the bottom was a structure similar to a treadmill. Unlike a treadmill, the "running belt" here was thicker, and the surface was rougher. Viewed from the side, the texture of the "running belt" was noticeably softer.
This "special treadmill" also had structures like handrails, as well as an operating panel and display screen, although the buttons on the panel and screen were significantly fewer.
The bottom edge of the "special treadmill" also had data cables of various colors, which extended outward along the glass wall and connected to various instruments installed on it.
The data cables from the instruments followed the glass wall straight to the other end of the "tube," which faced the "large box." This end was hollow, allowing direct entry into the "tube." On the side, there was a piece of equipment about half the height of a person.
This equipment was clearly a computer, but unlike the computers used for general home or office purposes, it had more display screens, and more peripheral devices besides the keyboard and mouse.
Gathered around these five pieces of equipment, the team's Uma Musume were mostly looking at them curiously, while trainers like Kitahara were listening to the introductions from Belno Light and Kyoko Miyamura, and simultaneously writing and drawing on their portable clipboards.
"Although Mr. Kitahara said not to worry about the cost and just buy whatever was suitable, still..."
Belno light was the first to speak.
Compared to Kyoko Miyamura, she was clearer about the price and characteristics of this equipment. Precisely because of this, this Uma Musume, who was actually quite wealthy, had a pained expression.
"These pieces of equipment are simply too expensive. I feel uneasy not explaining it..."
Her mouth twitched. She said this, perhaps to relieve others or herself, then gave a wry smile and continued:
"Currently, there are no wind tunnel facilities specially made for us Uma Musume. The ones available on the market are all used for high subsonic, transonic, or supersonic speed testing."
"In other words, other than those for aerospace, there was no suitable equipment, so these were all custom-made."
She gestured toward the "large box" in the inner part of the warehouse, then pointed to the various instruments on the glass body, and then pointed to the "special treadmill" inside and the computer, whose structure was more complex than usual. Her mouth twitched again.
"Specialized fans, specialized laser speed measurement equipment, specialized speed test running track, specialized analyzers... In short, everything is specialized."
"Although, compared to the football-field-sized equipment used to test aircraft, these smaller models don't require large-capacity fans and save a lot on wear and tear, but... they are really expensive, Mr. Kitahara..."
She finally looked at Kitahara with a distressed expression.
"...Why don't I remember you being so much of a money-lover, Light?"
Kitahara slightly stopped his note-taking and gave a helpless smile. "This equipment is indeed very expensive. One unit costs tens of millions of yen, and just starting it up is a considerable expense. But as long as they can bring improvement to Oguri Cap and the others, this is nothing."
In his view, money is only called money when it is spent; otherwise, it is just paper. The same goes for other resources. He was completely accepting of expensive training equipment and any means that could improve the training level.
However, judging by the situation, even after personally inspecting the market, Shining Brightly was still somewhat unable to accept this matter.
It wasn't just her. Besides Kyoko Miyamura, who was calm because she understood the situation of the five "tubes" in front of her, Komiyama and Tawara also showed the same pained expression as Belno Light.
Oguri Cap and the others were initially somewhat confused, but Mejiro Ardan, who had some understanding of economics, quickly reacted.
"According to what Light and Mr. Kitahara said... Hiss—does that mean every time we use this equipment, it costs as much as running around Harajuku and eating half the food on the street?"
Even Ardan, who came from a prestigious family like Mejiro, gasped. Hearing her very common analogy for the Eisei Team, a crowd of Uma Musume quickly gasped in pain as well.
For a moment, the sound of "Hiss—" rose and fell in the warehouse.
"...If you keep gasping like that, it's going to get cold in here, alright?"
Kitahara had originally intended to crack a joke to lighten the atmosphere, but seeing the other members with even colder expressions, he felt a bit awkward and abandoned the idea of further explaining his thoughts.
He originally wanted to explain his economic philosophy to everyone, but after a thought, he felt that his mindset stemmed somewhat from his past experience in business management, and perhaps only "colleagues" like Masato Kurokawa could immediately agree.
For an Uma Musume team like Eternal, perhaps any explanation wouldn't hold much meaning or necessity. Proving through practice that the resources spent on this equipment were worthwhile should be more effective.
"Alright, alright, stop feeling the pain."
Kitahara persuaded them casually and pointed at Shining Brightly, then gestured toward the nearest "tube."
"The decision is you, Light."
"Go on, get in and run, let Oguri Cap and the others understand how to use this equipment."
"Kyoko, I'll trouble you with the specific operation." He then looked at Kyoko Miyamura.
"Eh? Who? Me...?"
"Yes, okay."
Belno Light pointed at herself in surprise, while Kyoko Miyamura nodded without hesitation.
"Otherwise?"
Kitahara retorted as a matter of course and nodded, "You have indeed transitioned to a technical research trainee, but don't forget that before that, you were also an Uma Musume."
"And you personally selected this equipment, suggested many of the internal programs to the manufacturer, and even designed some of them yourself."
"Knowing so much about it, you should definitely be the one to demonstrate."
"This... I... but... it's so expensive... what if I break it..."
Stuttering, Belno Light looked utterly reluctant.
"I said... sigh, never mind. Then you wait aside, you'll be the next one to demonstrate."
Sighing, Kitahara decided not to delay any longer. He casually handed his clipboard to Tawara beside him and took off his jacket, handing it over too.
"I'll demonstrate it."
As trainers, basic physical fitness was essential. Including Kitahara, the trainers of the Eisei Team did morning practice every day, just like the Uma Musume.
The intensity of the morning practice naturally couldn't compare to the Uma Musume's, but a simple demonstration inside the "wind tunnel facility" was no problem.
He had learned about the entire set of equipment through specially designed manuals and knew that the demonstration part would not be too complicated.
So, under the stunned gaze of the team members, he walked toward the "tube" in front of him, going straight through the opening at the end and onto the "track."
'...Hmm, it feels similar to a turf track. The money wasn't wasted.'
Stepping onto the specially custom-made "track," he lifted and stepped his feet back and forth, feeling the sensation transmitted from the soles of his feet. He nodded inwardly.
The racetracks in Japan currently mostly used a grass species called "Equine," developed locally, characterized by fast growth and strong cushioning.
Due to its fast growth, the track can have turf available all year round, and races won't be too affected.
Conversely, the grass grown on these racetracks is almost always new, annual grass. The grass on the turf is not only short but also has low density and tends to clump.
This results in the track becoming dry and hard when the weather is good, and turf flying around when the weather is poor.
Japanese racetracks are often jokingly called "very hard high-speed tracks," commonly known as "cement ground with grass planted," precisely because of the characteristics of the Equine grass species, not because it's genuinely cement laid with grass.
And as time goes on, the grass species iterate, and the drainage system gets better and better, this situation will continue to specialize.
It was impossible to lay real turf inside the wind tunnel facility. Fortunately, Belno Light's tech tree included some knowledge points related to "Materials Science." While it was impossible to manufacture a "running belt" exactly mimicking real turf, it was no problem to present specific requirements to the manufacturer.
With such a custom-made running belt, the feel during training and the resulting effect would be extremely close to the actual race situation. The differences could be corrected through relevant programs, and the result could be treated as an error margin.
"I'm ready. If you're ready too, Kyoko, we can start."
After checking the condition of the running belt, Kitahara turned his head, nodded toward Kyoko Miyamura, who had walked over to the analyzer, and then immediately added a supplement.
"When testing the 'dynamic data' later, remember not to adjust the speed too high; keep it at human standards."
His intention was to crack a joke to ease the atmosphere because he saw that the other members next to Kyoko were still somewhat disoriented, their expressions still one of surprise.
But this joke, like before, didn't work. Kyoko even tilted her head in confusion, not understanding.
"Of course, it's at human standards. At the speed of Oguri Cap and the others, Mr. Kitahara would be flung out."
Kyoko Miyamura was just stating a fact, but Oguri Cap and the others, after a momentary pause, burst into laughter.
"Being flung out... sounds very interesting."
Nodding, Oguri Cap stood near the exit of the wind tunnel facility and spread her arms. "Then I'll stand here. If Kitahara accidentally gets flung out, I'll catch him."
"Eh? That really sounds interesting. Then I'll come over and catch him too."
Tamamo Cross's eyes lit up, and with an expression that enjoyed watching a spectacle, she stood next to Oguri Cap, also spreading her arms.
Subsequently, Inari One, Ardan, and Super Creek all had intrigued expressions and followed Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross's example.
'...Hey, wait a minute, this isn't right, is it? Why do I feel like you're all just hoping I get flung out?!'
Kitahara couldn't help but want to complain, but this thought was quickly interrupted by the whooshing sound of the wind.
A continuous wind came from the other end of the "tube." The wind speed was not very high, and the sound was not particularly loud. Facing this level of wind, he could completely hear the external voices.
"Alright, the few of you, stop fooling around."
Waving her hand at Oguri Cap and the others, Kyoko Miyamura said somewhat seriously, "This is training time. The few of you, and also Brother Taro, Komiyama, and Light, all come and look at the screen here."
Hearing this, his peripheral vision showed the team members walking over to the analyzer as instructed by Kyoko. Kitahara also quickly turned his head, facing the direction of the fan directly.
The 'static' data testing had already begun.
In the professional field, the wind tunnel is one of the main pieces of equipment for aerodynamic experiments, and most related experiments can be conducted in various types of wind tunnels.
The principle is to use a power device to drive a controllable airflow in a specially designed pipe, passing it over the experimental object to simulate the object's movement in the air under different conditions.
By measuring the aerodynamic force on the experimental object, the flow phenomena on and around its surface can be observed.
When the experimental object is static, the analyzer controls the power device to generate different air conditions, allowing corresponding data to be collected.
When it comes to the dynamic part, meaning when the experimental object starts running on the track, dynamic data can also be collected.
By comparing data from different conditions, it is entirely possible to obtain the analysis results of a formal race in a non-formal competition setting.
This means that the Eisei Team could indirectly obtain a massive amount of "race data" using the wind tunnel facility.
Through Kyoko Miyamura's continuous efforts, the team had already compiled a large amount of physical fitness data. By analyzing this data, there was a corresponding set of files for the values of fundamental abilities like stamina, strength, and speed, and real-time data from every race had always been recorded.
By combining this existing data with the wind tunnel facility's "race data," it was completely possible to create a competition model for every single Uma Musume.
Reaching that level, the Eisei Team's training standard would develop to an extremely leading level in this area. It would not be an exaggeration to say that no other trainer or Uma Musume in all of Japan could compare.
This was the root cause of why Kitahara was willing to spend a fortune to improve the training conditions.
Under Kyoko Miyamura's adjustment, the airflow inside the wind tunnel facility had already undergone several changes, and corresponding data, charts, and models also appeared on the analyzer's screen, displayed to Oguri Cap and the others.
"You don't need to worry too much about the specific data analysis, Oguri and the rest of you."
Pointing to the content on the screen, Kyoko Miyamura explained with a smile, "Brother Taro, Komiyama, you don't need to rush to take notes now. All the relevant points of attention are in the manual, which you should have read. For now, just observe my operation."
"When you train Oguri and the others later, you must be familiar with these operations."
"The most important thing is to ensure that the condition of the equipment's 'test section' is as required in the manual before each training session, for example, details like ensuring there are no foreign objects and that the training subject is standing properly on the track."
Pointing to the glass body part of the "tube," she emphasized, "The 'test section' is the central component of the wind tunnel facility. Airflow field simulation entirely relies on this section to collect data."
"If the preparation is not done as required, whether it causes a problem with the equipment or leads to inaccurate data collection, it will be a big hassle."
"Once this part is done, the next step is operating the airflow generated by the fan. This can all be done through the analyzer. There's no need to enter the equipment to operate anything."
She then pointed to the various external devices on the analyzer.
"The principle of this equipment is to organize the experimental results into similarity numbers for practical situations based on analogy theory. By controlling these external devices, the airflow quality within the 'test section' can satisfy most of the situations Oguri and the others encounter on the racetrack."
"Things like the uniformity of the airflow, the stability of parameters changing over time, and the turbulence level during their actual races can all be simulated in real-time."
"This way, the most critical airflow state and the training subject can both be easily controlled."
"The flow parameters can also be independently varied through operation."
"Both dynamic and static data can be measured accurately."
"There is a humidity meter inside the fan, and the running belt can be replaced with corresponding models for firm, non-firm, heavy, or yielding ground based on the humidity, which means the influence of atmospheric environment changes can basically all be designed for."
"And for the data aspect, measurements for force, pressure, heat transfer, dynamic modeling, flow visualization, and so on all have corresponding programs. We have Brightly to thank for this."
She looked at Belno Light and smiled, "The equipment on the market is completely unsuitable for Uma Musume. Previously, wind tunnel simulation data was calculated and converted from aerospace models, and the error was quite significant."
"Brightly, based on the situation of Oguri and the others, put a lot of effort into designing specialized program codes, which allowed us to successfully use this equipment to analyze relevant data."
Upon hearing this, the other gazes were directed at Shining Brightly with admiration, which made this Uma Musume feel a little shy.
"Hehe, this is nothing, really. I did design and create some of the programs, but most were designed with the help of my teachers and classmates."
She nodded vigorously. "I promised them that I would find time to properly thank them later."
"So, I should say thanks to them. I actually didn't do much..."
Scratching her head with a simple smile, her expression suddenly shifted.
"Oh, right, we can ask Mr. Kitahara to come down now."
She quickly approached the wind tunnel entrance and gave a thumbs up. "Mr. Kitahara's condition is quite different from ours. A simple demonstration is enough. I'm fine now."
"It's indeed as Mr. Kitahara said, I'm an Uma Musume after all, and I'm very familiar with this equipment."
"So, if I demonstrate it, the effect will definitely be better."
Hearing this, Kyoko Miyamura nodded and quickly stopped the equipment.
During the demonstration, the wind speed inside the "test section" was not very high. Kitahara heard the conversation outside, and soon after the airflow inside completely returned to calm and the running belt stopped moving, he stepped out of the equipment.
"How was it? Did you all get a sense of it?"
This question was directed at Taro and Komiyama. As trainers who would be using the equipment in front of them, they needed to master its use.
"The specific operation doesn't feel very complicated... but let's let Light go up and try, Senpai."
Komiyama responded thoughtfully, then quickly smiled. "Tama-chan and the others probably also want to see what it's like for an Uma Musume to use this kind of equipment."
Hearing this, Tamamo Cross, Oguri Cap, and the others all nodded with curious expressions. Oguri Cap even smiled after nodding:
"I feel like Kitahara always comes up with these interesting training methods."
"If other Uma Musume found out, they probably wouldn't be able to resist trying it out."
"...This is not 'playing,' Oguri Cap."
Kitahara shook his head with a wry smile and said seriously, "For a long time to come, perhaps even until you retire, this training will serve as an extremely important auxiliary method. You must take it seriously."
"You have indeed achieved excellent results so far, but that's not enough. At least, it's not enough compared to your potential."
"Things like your stamina potential, Oguri Cap, Ardan and Super Creek's domain mastery, Tama-chan's physical enhancement, and Inari's temperament—while we can't completely rely on this single method, long-term use will certainly make the entire training process twice as effective with half the effort."
"I will arrange for more technologically advanced training methods later, so you must not only be satisfied with the current training conditions and strength status but also be prepared to accept all sorts of new training methods."
Saying this, he turned to look inside the wind tunnel facility. Seeing that Belno Light had already stood on the track, he spoke without reservation, stating the attitude he had originally wanted to express.
"At that level, the equipment needed to be installed will be far beyond the current level."
"To put it bluntly, the equipment then will be even more expensive."
"If you worry about the cost every time, it's actually a waste of time."
"As long as the money spent is valuable, then the money is not wasted. Moreover, only money that is spent is called money; money that is not spent is just a number or just paper. I hope you can accept this point as soon as possible."
This speech was somewhat difficult for Uma Musume like Oguri Cap, who focused solely on racing, to immediately digest.
However, Taro, Komiyama, and Kyoko, who had worked with Kitahara for a long time, immediately understood and showed expressions of agreement.
Light, who had initially been feeling the pain over the cost, also seemed to grasp something. She nodded involuntarily.
"I think... I understand a little..."
She murmured, then nodded more emphatically. "I understand, Mr. Kitahara. I was indeed overthinking it before."
"As long as Oguri and the others can have greater strength and more outstanding performance, everything we put in will be worthwhile."
"I understand this now!"
"Start the equipment! I am completely ready!"
Seeing her raise her hands in excitement, everyone burst into laughter, and Kyoko also smiled and started the equipment.
This time, she did not continue the explanation. This task was naturally taken over by Kitahara.
Compared to Kyoko's explanation of the equipment details, operation, and precautions, what he discussed was about the training aspect.
"This set of equipment is not only for data analysis; simulating an actual race is even more crucial."
Signaling Kyoko to change some parameters of the equipment, Kitahara pointed to some indicators on the screen and explained:
"Airflow quality, slope, temperature, humidity, and even sun exposure—all these environmental variables present in formal races can be simulated by this equipment."
"This means that when conducting this training, you can entirely treat it as a formal race."
He paused here and made a brief addition.
"Of course, in a formal race, you will have other opponents. Environmental factors also include track implementation conditions, the state of the audience stands, etc. These could theoretically be simulated too, for example, with VR equipment or something."
"However, the current technology is a bit premature for that. I will slowly figure out a way to resolve it later. For now, training under these current conditions will suffice."
After a brief supplement, he quickly moved on to some specific data.
"Based on your normal pace during the start, cruising, cornering, and sprinting in a race, many data points have clear average values."
"For example, in terms of energy consumption to overcome wind resistance at cruising pace, it's generally 32.3% for short distances, 28.1% for a mile, 26.5% for middle distances, and 22.9% for long distances."
"Simply put, for you, who can run at 60 kilometers per hour, a considerable portion of your energy consumption during a race is spent fighting wind resistance."
"However, compared to humans, you have a special circumstance."
Saying this, he tugged at his clothing.
"The racing uniform (Kesshōfuku)."
"The racing uniform you wear in G1 races is a very special existence."
"The material of this clothing is no different from any other clothing, but under the blessing of the Three Goddesses, when you wear the racing uniform, wind resistance and other energy consumption will be less than in non-G1 races."
"You have all participated in G1 races, so you should have some experience with this."
The Uma Musume standing outside the wind tunnel subconsciously nodded, each lost in thought.
"Oh, that feeling is actually real."
Oguri Cap scratched her head. "I thought it was an illusion. It felt like the Satsuki Sho was a bit less strenuous than previous races... but no one else told me this, and the Three Goddesses didn't mention it, so I thought it was an illusion."
"How could it be an illusion, Oguri? Do you pay attention in class?"
Having just run the Tenno Sho (Spring), Tamamo Cross was even clearer about the changes brought by the racing uniform. "I feel this is quite obvious, right? And the teachers have said this!"
"Eh? Did the teachers say that...?"
Scratching her head again, Oguri Cap's voice instantly became quieter. "Then... maybe I was dozing off at the time...?"
"...You, I really don't know what to say to you."
Inari One showed a helpless expression, but then became confused. "But, if everyone is wearing the racing uniform, it shouldn't have much impact on the race, right?"
"Yeah, if only one person wore the racing uniform, it could be counted as an advantage, but if everyone wears it..."
Super Creek also raised a similar question, while Ardan looked at Kitahara. "Mr. Kitahara specifically mentioned the racing uniform, so you must have training arrangements related to it, right?"
Patiently waiting for the Uma Musume to express their confusion, Kitahara smiled and nodded.
"That's right, I do have arrangements, or rather, you need to understand a certain way of thinking."
"A way of thinking?" The five Uma Musume questioned in unison.
"It is true that Uma Musume participating in G1 races will wear the racing uniform, and it's also true, as Oguri Cap wondered, that the impact of the racing uniform on physical abilities is actually difficult to feel intuitively."
Kitahara explained, "But this does not mean that the racing uniform has absolutely no effect on you."
"G1 races are the fewest in number in the Twinkle Series, and correspondingly, your experience wearing the racing uniform is also minimal."
"In this situation, you will unconsciously use the habits from other races to run the G1."
"But if you can get used to using a more precise method in daily training to control the difference between G1 races and non-G1 races, then compared to your opponents on the track, you will have a certain advantage before the race."
"This advantage, reflected in the results, might only seem like a few tenths of a second."
"But isn't the victory or defeat in your races, the difference between first and second place, often just those few tenths of a second?"
The Uma Musume present were all the most elite of the current generation. Kitahara didn't need to explain further; they already understood the key.
"That's right! If I could have adapted to the racing uniform before this Tenno Sho (Spring), maybe I could have completely beaten Tama-chan!"
Inari One, who had just missed the championship in the Tenno Sho (Spring), instantly couldn't help herself. She clenched her fists and said with great reluctance:
"It was just a little bit, just a little bit of stamina... If I could have adapted to the effect of the racing uniform beforehand, I would have saved more stamina when overtaking on the far outside."
"With that stamina, I could have completely caught up to Tama-chan in the end!"
"Well, while I admit you spent more stamina on the outside lane maneuver, still..."
Tamamo Cross nodded in agreement with Inari One's words, then tilted her head and spread her hands. "Inari, did you forget? If you can adapt to the effect of the racing uniform, how could I not adapt?"
"In that case, the stamina consumption for both of us would still be about the same. The one who won the Tenno Sho (Spring) is still me, you know."
"...Darn it, you Tama-chan..."
Knowing Tamamo Cross was right, the reluctance on her face quickly turned into exasperation. Inari One grabbed her hair, quickly pointed at the other, "I don't care! Next time at the Tenno Sho (Spring), we'll settle the score again!"
"Ah, no, in the upcoming races this year, I will definitely keep a close eye on you. Don't think you can escape so easily next time, Tama-chan!"
The bickering between the two short Uma Musume was already a custom for the Eternal Team. Seeing them act as usual, everyone couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, don't rush to make a challenge; first, remember what I said."
After a moment of laughter, Kitahara quickly returned to seriousness.
"Tama-chan and Inari's words just hit upon the most crucial point."
"That is, you will definitely be the Uma Musume who can first grasp the subtle effects of the racing uniform through training."
"It's not just the racing uniform's impact on wind resistance."
"Similarly, uphill and downhill, different temperatures and humidity, different degrees of sun exposure, including different wind speed conditions, and different track conditions—energy consumption will change to a certain extent because of the racing uniform."
"And it's a change that most Uma Musume can only vaguely feel, but one that we can use for training."
"And it's not just the effect of the racing uniform."
"Your state each day, the improvement after each training session, how to make extremely precise adjustments later, and how to gradually open up tenths of a second gaps against your opponents—we can master all these changes and effects entirely through training."
Stretching out his hand and tightly clenching it, Kitahara said deeply:
"A mere few tenths of a second gap might indeed not seem obvious, and it can easily be consumed in an actual race by specific situations like cornering, switching positions, or adjusting running styles."
"But once such gaps accumulate, you will eventually leave your opponents further and further behind."
"So far behind that they won't be able to catch up even after mastering the same training methods, or even for a long time afterward."
(End of chapter)