When Barbatos left the backstage area and returned to the spectator stands, the crowd around her had grown considerably. Still, as it was only a rookie race, the number of attendees wasn't overwhelming.
"Isn't that…?"
"Yeah, it's her!"
Many spectators began whispering among themselves the moment they spotted Barbatos.
With no major G-series races happening in September, the buzz around El Condor Pasa and Barbatos had been soaring—almost as if the two popular Uma Musume were about to clash in some G1 championship.
Plenty of fans had come simply to cheer for their favorite runners, never expecting to see Barbatos in the crowd. Wasn't her race scheduled for tomorrow?
As it stood, tickets for the rookie races featuring either El Condor Pasa or Barbatos were selling remarkably well—on par with, or in some cases even better than, certain G1 preliminary events.
So why was she here today? Was she scouting potential rivals she might face in future rookie races?
Just then, the final competing Uma Musume made her entrance.
"Next up, entering the track, is the number seven favorite."
"Lane three, number three—Seiun Sky!"
Wearing a tracksuit, Seiun Sky stepped onto the track without a trace of nerves, shrugging off her jacket with ease. Her demeanor stood in stark contrast to Special Week, who'd been visibly stiff during her own debut.
Up in the stands, Minamizaka's eyes lit up. He could sense something different about Seiun Sky today. She still looked as laid-back as ever, but there was a new layer of focus about her.
Was it her natural competitive spirit? Or had Barbatos's backstage visit given her a boost?
Meanwhile, the commentator and race caller addressed the audience, both on-site and watching remotely.
"This will be Seiun Sky's very first race—her debut. In my opinion, she's the one to watch in today's lineup."
The race caller chuckled beside him.
"Now, now, a commentator shouldn't let personal bias show. We have to stay fair and impartial."
"But since you brought it up—why do you think Seiun Sky deserves the most attention?"
"Have you checked the trending lists lately? What's the hottest topic right now?" the commentator asked.
"Of course I have. Right now, everyone's talking about the 'main characters of the generation'—Barbatos and El Condor Pasa!"
"Exactly. And today, after El Condor Pasa dominated her rookie race by over fifteen lengths, the hype shot up even more. I'd say most fans are already looking ahead to Barbatos's race tomorrow."
"Entering another rookie race so soon after her debut—many are saying both of these rising stars are pushing the pace hard."
"But what does that have to do with Seiun Sky? Does she have Barbatos's level of popularity? Or is she also a member of Rigil?"
"Neither,"the commentator replied, shaking his head with a smile.
"What many might not realize is that Seiun Sky belongs to Team Canopus."
"Before Seiun Sky's debut, Canopus had only one active racer—Barbatos herself."
"Ah, I see. So it's only natural to keep an eye on Seiun Sky's performance today."
Unlike Rigil—Japan's top team, packed with legendary Uma Musume and prodigies of this era—Canopus had only recently gained attention thanks to Barbatos.
Having one star in a team didn't automatically mean every member was a genius. The commentators were simply using this angle to stir up excitement, not claiming that every Canopus runner would be the next Barbatos.
Even within Rigil, talent varied greatly.
As the commentators continued their lively exchange, supporters and skeptics alike in the audience looked on with interest. Maybe Seiun Sky really would become the center of attention in this race.
--+--
"Main characters of the generation?"
"What a load of nonsense!"
Inside the race committee meeting room, several elderly council members couldn't hold back their frustration.
"Since when is a 'main character' decided after one or two rookie races? That's a title for history to judge!"
"Barbatos? El Condor Pasa? They're barely more than foals—just starting out!"
"How can they be called the main characters of a generation?"
"Do they even deserve it? Are they worthy?"
"Put them on the track against Silence Suzuka, or any of the seasoned runners in G2 or G1 races—could they even keep up?"
The council members weren't attacking the two Uma Musume personally. Their anger was directed at the online hype machine.
They had devoted their lives to horse racing, working diligently within the committee for decades. Now, in their later years, they struggled to keep up with the times—only learning about the "main characters" buzz after seeing El Condor Pasa's race and pre-event interviews.
At the head of the table, Chairman Ikari—a middle-aged man still wearing his sunglasses—rested his chin on his interlaced fingers, remaining silent.
His female secretary spoke carefully, "The 'main characters' label is purely an online narrative. It has never been officially recognized by our committee."
"That said, ticket sales for races involving the two have been extremely strong, and merchandise like figurines is already hitting the market. Overall, the impact on the industry has been positive."
Thud.
The table trembled slightly under a frustrated slam.
"Sales? Since when are we merchants? Since when do we care about sales?"
"What we should care about is integrity! The spirit of sports! This isn't about who has more fans, who sells more tickets, or whose merch is hotter!"
"If we let sales dictate everything, what's the point of having us old folks here? Let's just hand our seats over to businesspeople!"
The secretary opened her mouth to respond, but Chairman Ikari raised a hand to stop her.
"I will take steps to suppress this narrative. It's true that it's distorting certain values."
He knew that after Barbatos's rise, some were deliberately building fanbases even before their debut races.
The "main characters" title could easily be exploited.
Younger staff like his secretary might not grasp the risks, but as the council members said—these young runners weren't ready to carry that title yet.
It was time to deploy the committee's hidden network of influential social media accounts.
After all, only a stand can defeat a stand.
And only one wave of public opinion can wash away another.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.