"So you mean Amazon-senpai actually failed the exam?"
After parting ways with Amazon and Fuji Kiseki, Barbatos couldn't hide her surprise.
Yet she didn't doubt Seiun Sky's analysis.
After all, when Seiun Sky broke things down, she was rarely wrong.
The reason Barbatos hadn't considered this angle was because, for her and her close friends, this exam had been almost laughably simple.
Whether it was herself, El Condor Pasa, or Grass Wonder.
Or even Seiun Sky, who had finished the paper earlier than her and promptly fallen asleep.
Didn't that just prove how easy the exam was?
However, she had overlooked one thing: the people she naturally paid attention to were all top students.
If she shifted her focus to Special Week, who hadn't taken the exam yet, or Twin Turbo, who wasn't even in the same class, the perspective might be quite different.
It wasn't that she thought Special Week or Twin Turbo were dumb.
She just felt their intelligence might not shine particularly brightly when it came to exams.
She could look into it later to confirm. If it were true, it could be perfect material for some pre-race trash talk.
Yeah, words spoken before a match could always rattle the opponent's mind a little, one way or another.
A simple post-meal stroll was over.
Arriving at the training grounds, Barbatos and Seiun Sky faced each other, going through warm-ups and stretches.
Only after finishing their warm-up did the two begin running on the track.
This was the Tracen Academy training field, the one used by the most Uma Musume. They hadn't gone to any private facility to train.
For their current training regimen, there was nothing secretive about it. Even if a passing legend happened to catch a glimpse, it wouldn't matter.
The gap between her and those legendary Uma Musume...
Unless she resorted to cheating, it wasn't something practice alone could bridge.
Their figures lapped the track at a steady pace. By the time Barbatos was sweating and showing signs of fatigue, Seiun Sky's breathing remained even and calm.
'This is the future Kikuka Sho champion, alright,' Barbatos couldn't help but think to herself.
Even though Seiun Sky usually seemed pretty laid-back, once she set her mind to something, she was dead serious.
Three laps.
Four.
Five.
After who knows how many laps, Barbatos came to a halt, panting heavily.
When it came to stamina, the gap between her and Seiun Sky was just as vast.
That was why some Uma Musume were naturally suited for long distances, while others could only reign supreme in sprints and mile races.
Even running with the same weighted gear, Seiun Sky was a whole tier above her in endurance.
As she stopped to rest, Seiun Sky's running figure gradually faded into the distance, showing no intention of stopping.
'She's getting serious too.'
'Suddenly I feel a bit fired up myself...'
'...Or maybe I should take it easy for now.'
Feeling her body's protest, she didn't force herself to keep running. Instead, she silently watched Seiun Sky's retreating back, trying to steady her ragged breaths.
Just then, "If you're preparing for the Winter Dream Cup, this level of training won't be enough, you know."
The voice sounded somewhat childish, like a kindergarten kid's.
Yet, oddly enough, it carried more of a big-sister authority than Amazon's.
Turning her head, she could only see a pair of horse ears.
Looking down, Barbatos said, "Tamamo-senpai, you're not here to scout intel for Oguri Cap-senpai, are you?"
"Scout intel?"
"With your current level, would I even need to help Oguri scout?"
As Tamamo Cross spoke, her little fangs showed. Barbatos knew she was a senior, and what she said was probably true.
But it felt incredibly taunting.
Plus, Tamamo Cross in her school uniform and Tamamo Cross in her Winning Outfit with her Zone activated were like two completely different people!
It was a perceptual gap.
Perhaps in her own era, people only knew Tamamo Cross in her Winning Outfit! Only the undisputed number one in Japan at that time!
"So, what did you want to say, Tamamo-senpai?"
"I think you probably need a training partner."
"Seiun Sky is strong. She'd likely be a top contender even in my generation. But you two aren't the same type of Uma Musume."
The White Lightning, with a finish like a flash, using a closer's running style to surpass all others.
That was very similar to Barbatos's situation.
Both were closers, both types known for incredibly powerful final kicks.
"A training partner?"
"But I remember, Tamamo-senpai, you retired due to poor physical condition."
"A relay race is one thing, but if you train with me..."
Barbatos left the sentence hanging, but Tamamo Cross would surely understand. After the former number one in Japan saw her physical abilities decline, the only thing maintaining her regal demeanor was that lightning-fast Zone of hers.
Without activating her Zone, Tamamo Cross definitely wouldn't be Barbatos's match.
Even with the Zone active, the current Barbatos might not necessarily lose.
The gap between her now and during the relay race wasn't just about buying new equipment and champions. Her physical attributes had improved, albeit slowly, through weighted training.
"You're not scared, are you?"
"Scared? Any Uma Musume I've beaten once can never beat me again."
Once she overtook someone, who could possibly overtake her back?
At that moment, Seiun Sky, having completed another lap, walked over. Hearing Barbatos and Tamamo Cross's conversation, she seemed lost in thought.
She and Barbatos really weren't the same type of Uma Musume.
In a race like the Winter Dream Cup, Barbatos's current training was helpful, but essentially, the Dream Cup was a middle-distance race.
For Barbatos, middle-distance races were rare, but not entirely unfamiliar.
Stamina wouldn't be a huge issue. Having Tamamo-senpai as a running partner at this point would indeed be a good choice.
As for why Tamamo Cross, being Oguri Cap's close friend, would help Barbatos...
Probably because Barbatos was the junior who had managed to beat her.
"If you're running against Tamamo-senpai, you'll probably need to change locations," Seiun Sky suggested.
If Barbatos were to race Tamamo Cross, she'd likely need to go all out, or push right to the edge of injury or her limits.
That meant they needed to prevent any potential information gathering.
Even though most opponents in the Winter Dream Cup probably didn't need scouting, they still had to stay vigilant.
In the end, following Tamamo Cross's lead, Barbatos and the others arrived at a private estate.
"Well, well, Barbatos. Long time no see."
With starry eyes, Obey Your Master greeted them from within the grounds.
--+--
T/N: 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.