Super Creek's treatment went smoother than anyone expected.
With Kuroha adjusting a precisely diluted Panacea to her condition each day, the leg injury that should've required at least three months of rest was nearly healed in just one week.
Now, at the Mejiro training grounds—
Arms folded, Kuroha watched from trackside, calm but intent.
Not far away, Fumino, eyes wide with disbelief, accompanied Super Creek through cautious, step-by-step adaptation tests. Watching her charge move as nimbly as ever, she grew so emotional her eyes reddened.
At Kuroha's side stood his team's "Domain trio," shoulder to shoulder.
"Inari One, you see that?"
Obey Your Master smiled softly. "Your Spring Tenno Sho just gained a rival out of thin air. Nervous yet?"
"Tch."
Inari One cocked her head, hands laced behind her head with a huff. "At her level? Beating me is ten thousand years too early!"
Fujimasa March only smiled gently, saying nothing as she watched her teammates banter.
"Hey, Inari."
Kuroha turned to the brimming-with-confidence girl and smiled. "This will be your first G1 in Central. Can you take it perfectly?"
Inari's casual air vanished at once. She spun to face him, her expression blazing with absolute certainty.
"Leave it to me, Trainer! Anyone who stands in my way—gets crushed to dust!"
Vmm—!
The instant the words fell, a surging presence exploded from her small frame. In her Edo girl's eyes, red tracers flared like molten streaks, refined to an edge that seemed to burn away everything.
An invisible pressure, full of destruction and conquest, rolled out and made the air itself feel thick and hot.
A short distance away, Super Creek—jogging an easy adaptation lap—pulled up at almost the same moment. Sensing something, she turned and looked straight toward Inari. A slight furrow touched her gentle blue eyes.
In Super Creek's pupils, red currents rampaged around the tiny horse-girl's silhouette—an uncanny sight she'd never witnessed since debut.
"Do… main…"
She murmured inwardly. After the beyond-reason bursts from Tamamo Cross, Dicta Striker, and Oguri Cap, she'd sought out seniors at the academy for answers.
The word they gave her was—Domain.
But one thing she didn't understand: before, she couldn't see these intangible streams—only feel an inexplicable, heavy aura. So why could she see them now?
Clever as she was, the answer came quickly.
"Do I… also have the aptitude to step to the gate of Domain?"
Locking eyes with Inari, the girl understood something.
Crack!
Almost by reflex, the crimson tracers raging from Inari's body found an outlet the instant Super Creek's enlightened gaze met hers—collapsing into a sharp beam in the direction of its source.
Inari slowly turned. Those pale-green eyes, like living flame, fixed unerringly on Super Creek in the distance.
The air seemed to stop.
Across nearly half the training field, two girls' gazes collided—hard and bright.
One was fire—domineering, overwhelming.
The other was water—calm, unfathomable.
"Interesting…"
Inari's lips curled into a wild, taunting grin.
Super Creek, facing a presence that felt ready to swallow her whole, didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled—gentle as always.
But deep in those blue eyes, a brand-new flame took light—fighting spirit, brighter than ever.
I'm not inferior to Oguri Cap or Tamamo Cross!
I'm strong—and I can become even stronger!
I'll defeat everyone and prove myself!!!
In that wordless clash, the heart that had lain quiet during injury began to pound again—alive.
"Creek? What's wrong?"
Fumino couldn't make sense of what she felt. Super Creek's body had gone taut in an instant, and the surrounding air seemed to turn heavy and sticky, pressing on her chest.
"I'm fine, Trainer."
Super Creek blinked back to herself and waved quickly. "I feel better than I ever have~"
Fumino checked the data and nodded despite herself.
"Actually… your recovery speed is beyond belief. You're already in condition where you could race right now!"
"Mm."
Super Creek smiled, then glanced Inari's way, a bit hesitant. "Trainer, which race am I entering next?"
"Huh? A race?"
Fumino paused, thinking it over. "Before spring, I originally planned the Spring Tenno Sho… but then you got hurt…"
"Even though you're healed now, I still feel a month of rest before racing would be best…"
Super Creek listened quietly, then smiled and answered softly:
"Let's do the Spring Tenno Sho."
Fumino frowned. "There's only a little over half a month until post time."
"Half a month… is enough."
Super Creek's tone turned firm. "I can feel it—my body is lighter than ever, even stronger than before I got hurt!"
"Half a month… is enough!"
Fumino fell silent for a moment, expression serious—then sighed.
"Once we're back, we'll do a full hospital work-up. If the next few days of training show no issues, then we'll talk entry."
The girl nodded at once. "Got it, Trainer~"
On the other side, Kuroha had been watching it all, the corner of his mouth lifting just a touch.
In his Body and Breath Perception, Inari's violent, unrestrained red was meeting—for the first time—a tranquil yet vast azure that seemed to have just awakened from slumber.
In her Senior Year, Super Creek's physique was already complete. With the top-tier talent of an Eternal Big Three, strong baseline qualities, and crystal-clear conviction and goals—the gate of Domain was now open to her.
All she needed was a gentle push… and she would grasp a power that defines an era.
The new stage had already, quietly, drawn its curtain.
Now—just wait for the Spring Tenno Sho in half a month!
(End of Chapter)
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