"Let me share my thoughts on the current generation's prodigies and the criteria for judging them."
"Right now, in my eyes, there's one and a half talents who can be called true prodigies. The one is Silence Suzuka after changing her running style and transferring to Spica. The half is Grass Wonder from Rigil, undefeated in her early races but currently sidelined by injury."
"Silence Suzuka was never weak, but she couldn't be called a prodigy before. Now that she's adopted a front-running style and secured consecutive G-series wins, earning the title 'Fugitive from Another Dimension', she truly deserves to be called a prodigy."
"As for Grass Wonder, until she recovers and returns to achieve corresponding results, she only counts as half. Round it off and she doesn't make the list."
"This brings me to my standards for judging prodigies."
"Any Uma Musume who can participate in and win a G2-level race within half a year of her debut is a true daughter of heaven—a genuine current-era prodigy!"
"If an Uma Musume debuting in September can't win a G2 within six months, she'll likely miss the classic races and many G1 events like the Tenno Sho, thus falling short of the prodigy title."
"Of course, there are late bloomers. Those who achieve three consecutive G-series wins and secure a G1 championship can also be called current-era prodigies!"
"Barbatos, El Condor Pasa, Seiun Sky—they've all demonstrated overwhelming strength in preliminary races. But whether they qualify as prodigies remains to be seen with time."
In the spectator stands, Minamizaka finished reading this newly received push notification on his phone.
Objectively speaking, he found the trending topic reasonable and largely unproblematic.
As a trainer at Central Tracen Academy, he naturally understood the significance of a G2 victory. Tracen was where all of Japan's elite Uma Musume gathered.
Yet even within Tracen, how many could boast a G1 victory, let alone a G2?
Winning a G2-level race within six months of debut? Uma Musume capable of such feats could only be described as "prodigies."
Subjectively, if this trending topic gained public recognition, Barbatos would shed her title of "Generation's Protagonist."
Regardless of how Barbatos felt about it, Minamizaka was somewhat pleased with this development.
When someone is pushed too high and praised excessively, they can easily lose themselves and collapse after experiencing failure.
--+--
King Halo, having just finished her running practice, picked up her phone and saw the trending topic.
"Current-era Prodigy—this title might as well have been made for a king."
Her eyes lit up. Though winning a G2 within six months was required, she was King Halo!
"A king is one who overcomes adversity. Both the Prodigy and Protagonist titles—I'll claim them all, as is my right!"
"Guess I'll practice a bit longer then."
--+--
Toujou Hana stood with arms crossed, watching El Condor Pasa practicing right after her race.
"Win a G2 within six months? That's nothing for El Condor Pasa. Her goal is to be number one in the world."
But... Grass Wonder.
Her leg injury would heal with time, but the psychological trauma was the real headache.
"I believe you won't be defeated by something like this."
--+--
"That's amazing! Suzuka was recognized as a current-era prodigy!"
Special Week and the rest of Team Spica were cheering about the news.
Beside them, Okino sighed helplessly. There was no need to care about such things—sports relied on ability, not others' evaluations.
Besides, if anyone should be concerned, isn't it Special Week?
He believed Special Week was a rough diamond, yet she wasn't even mentioned in this trending topic.
"Ahem, Special Week, before becoming Japan's number one Uma Musume..."
"Let's set a smaller goal for now!"
--+--
Barbatos also saw the trending topic.
As for being called a current-era prodigy or the generation's protagonist, she thought it was quite nice to run without the "protagonist" label. That thing was basically a debuff, just like the "invincible" debuff.
As for winning G2 races, she wouldn't deliberately chase the prodigy title, but if the opportunity arose, she'd fight with all her might for victory.
Her goal was to win December's G1, then defeat a legend in the Winter Dream Cup!
How could she possibly fall at a G2-level race?
Well, it's not a flag if you don't say it out loud. Just thinking it in her heart shouldn't count as a flag, right?
Though compared to voicing flags, surely nobody would be foolish enough to not only say their flags out loud but also write them down and post them on the wall?
Scrolling through the comments under the trending topic, she saw many voices of agreement, clearly favoring "current-era prodigy" over "generation's protagonist."
But with so many likes and reposts so quickly, Barbatos briefly wondered, "Did they hire a clickfarm?"
After some agreeing comments, she saw one that asked: "Who's White Lightning?"
At first glance, it seemed like sarcasm—as if saying "Who's this White Lightning daring to challenge my Oguri Cap?!"
But Barbatos thought they might genuinely not know who "White Lightning" was. Because she didn't know either.
No matter how glorious an Uma Musume's past achievements, no matter how many records she broke or how formidable her running style was—
Human forgetfulness works this way. What people remember is always, essentially, only the one standing at the peak.
This is part of the meaning behind Tracen Academy's motto: "Eclipse First, The Rest Nowhere."
She switched to the search page, ready to look up what kind of Uma Musume this "White Lightning" was, capable of defeating Oguri Cap.
Night had fallen. As Nakayama Racecourse was enveloped in darkness, Barbatos—usually sleep-deprived—felt her spirits lift.
It was strange—dead tired during the day, yet feeling capable again at night.
The Winner's Stage lights suddenly illuminated, interrupting Barbatos's search. Seiun Sky stood on stage in her performance outfit, with the second and third-place Uma Musume flanking her on either side.
Seiun Sky had also chosen not to perform solo, instead sharing the stage with the other winners.
Barbatos, who usually ignored the Winner's Stage during live broadcasts, this time set aside her phone and turned her attention to the stage.
Seiun Sky was performing the same dance many Uma Musume did—the one Tokai Teio taught at karaoke.
But for some reason, Barbatos didn't find it as boring as before. Maybe because Seiun Sky was just better at it.
Under the lights, Seiun Sky held her microphone, her gaze sweeping across the crowd.
Her eyes met Barbatos's, who was watching the performance with unusual seriousness.
--+--
T/N: Yo the tension between the two is lowkey crazy
--+--
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.