Chapter 140.
Thursday brought the highly anticipated Japan Cup gate draw. Despite the URA Association sinking a fortune into early promotions this year, the draw itself remained a closed-door affair, with the results simply emailed to the public like always.
"They could have at least budgeted for a live broadcast ceremony."
Shuta Ann grumbled to his fellow trainers in the faculty office that morning.
"The URA has never held one before. If they made an exception this year, they'd be expected to fund it every year."
Minamizaka reasoned smoothly.
"So they keep holding it. It's the Japan Cup! A live draw is the bare minimum for a race of this prestige."
Nishizaki Ryu complained.
Tojo Hana leaned against her desk.
"With six overseas Uma Musumes entered this year, maybe the URA felt Tokai Teio's sheer deterrence wasn't enough to carry the hype alone."
"Isn't this just padding for the URA's year-end performance review?" Shuta Ann scoffed. "If the international runners hadn't shown up, their fiscal report would have looked embarrassing."
"The first-place prize money was bumped to 300 million yen this year, so it's no surprise the overseas runners took the bait." Nishizaki noted. "Plus, there's the bonus system, right?"
Minamizaka looked at Shuta Ann.
"That bonus... out of all the Central Trainers, Ann-san is the only one eligible to trigger it this year, isn't he?"
"Exactly. If a domestic Uma Musume wins a designated lead-up race and goes on to win the Japan Cup, she claims a two-million-dollar bonus. That bonus alone is higher than the grand prize of most domestic races." Nishizaki said, shaking his head in awe. "And Miss Tokai Teio is the only one who qualifies."
"It's a shame they don't stack. We won two of the designated listed races." Shuta Ann sighed dramatically. "That's 250 million yen left on the table."
Kitahara laughed, clapping his friend on the back.
"The URA would definitely accuse you of being greedy, Ann-san."
Later that afternoon, Shuta Ann and Tokai Teio sat alone in the Team Sadalsuud clubroom, waiting for the draw results to hit their inbox.
"What kind of gate are you hoping for, Ann?"
Teio asked, lounging comfortably in her lover's lap.
The young man rested his chin near her shoulder, his gaze dropping momentarily before refocusing on the monitor.
"Somewhere near the middle. I really don't want an outside draw; you know how punishing the far outside lanes can be on Tokyo's 2400-meter turf."
"I actually kind of miss that feeling." Teio purred, narrowing her eyes with a lazy, confident smile. "Launching from the outermost gate, tearing across the field to snatch the inside rail, and dictating the pace from the front—It's been over a year, but if I close my eyes, I can still perfectly recall my Japanese Derby run."
"Once in a lifetime is enough for a stunt like that." Shuta Ann muttered, kissing the top of her head. "I absolutely do not want to watch you do it a second time."
"Hehe, I don't think the URA Association cares what you want."
Teio giggled.
At exactly two o'clock, the URA email chimed. Shuta Ann kept one arm wrapped around Teio as he pulled the email onto the room's main projector.
"Gate 1 is User Friendly. She's definitely going to stick to a leading tactic now." Shuta Ann analyzed instantly. "Especially if Yesterday World draws an outside gate."
"Gate 2 is Ikuno Dictus. She won't try to duel User Friendly for the front, right?" Teio blinked. "Though you never know."
"You never know, especially with Mejiro McQueen sitting right there in Gate 4." the young man agreed. "McQueen might push the pace. If Ikuno Dictus doesn't want to get boxed in the middle, her instinct will be to charge forward. But if Minamizaka orders her to hold back, we won't have to worry about her early positioning."
"I really hope she holds back. It would make it much easier for me to snatch the prime leading spot."
Teio stated matter-of-factly, even though she hadn't seen her own number yet.
Shuta Ann kept scrolling. Teio's name was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, hey... no way." The young man's expression darkened. "URA, you aren't seriously doing this to us again, are you?"
Teio, however, was entirely unfazed. She simply watched the screen, mentally charting the positions of her rivals and calculating their likely tactical adaptations.
Yesterday World is in Gate 6. She'll likely contest the lead with User Friendly. Factoring in track adaptability and raw skill, they'll probably engage in a fierce dogfight. The opening pace is going to be blistering, Teio deduced silently.
"Ha..."
Shuta Ann let out a heavy, exhausted sigh.
Good news: Tokai Teio was not in the absolute worst gate on the final line. Bad news: She was on the second-to-last line.
"Teio, you drew Gate 14. Nice Nature is outside you in 15."
Shuta Ann announced, his voice tight.
Teio stood up, turning to pat her lover affectionately on the shoulder.
"It's fine! Gate 14 is a breeze compared to Gate 18, isn't it?"
"The Tokyo turf won't be fast on Sunday." Shuta Ann said, meeting her gaze as his mind shifted gears into tactical overdrive. "You need to push forward as aggressively as possible out of the gate. We are aiming for fourth place."
"Mhm!"
Teio nodded vigorously.
"Given these gates, the opening pace is going to be standard to fast. You'll need to break your rhythm within the first 1000 meters—a massive acceleration out of the gate to secure your spot, followed by an immediate deceleration into a cruising pace. You have to find the perfect balance so you don't spook Yesterday World and User Friendly into speeding up."
"Ann, don't worry about that." Teio leaned in close, her blue eyes locking onto his with unshakable conviction. "I absolutely will not make a mistake. And that promise I made a few days ago? I am going to fulfill it."
"Because I am Teio!"
The Triple Crown Uma Musume declared, her voice radiating absolute, regal confidence.
"And I will do everything in my power to support you." S
huta Ann promised. Looking at the brilliant girl standing inches away from him.
Teio narrowed her eyes, melting into the embrace. This was exactly what she had been waiting for.
—
Sunday arrived. Shuta Ann escorted Kurofune and Admire Vega into the VIP Box at Tokyo Racecourse.
"We still have such a long way to go before our debut."
Kurofune murmured, pressing her hands against the glass as she stared out at the lavishly decorated stadium.
"When will I finally be the main character down there?"
"Don't rush it. Your time will come." Shuta Ann said gently, flicking her forehead. "Your Maturation phase hasn't started yet. Even if I forced you onto the turf now, you would just be burning out your own future. Be patient. Teio had to wait even longer than you."
"The Maturation phase is a blessing bestowed by the Three Goddesses." the young man explained quietly. "Until that bloom begins, it simply means they don't believe your body is ready for the track."
Admire Vega, standing quietly to the side, gave a silent nod.
Shuta Ann glanced at her. Ever since he had acquired the inexplicable ability to perceive supernatural phenomena—like Manhattan Cafe's shadowy "friend"—he had been searching for a way to communicate with Admire Vega's twin sister.
Previously, he had assumed Ayabe's grueling, self-punishing work ethic was purely a psychological trauma response. But now, he suspected that her sister's spirit might literally still be tethered to her side. If he could earn Ayabe's permission to bridge that gap and reach a consensus with her sister, Shuta was confident he could finally free Ayabe from her agonizing guilt.
But first, I need her permission. And getting Ayabe to open up about that is going to be incredibly difficult.
He thought, having already discarded a dozen different approaches.
Shuta grabbed a can of sparkling water from the mini-fridge.
"I'm going to visit some of the overseas trainers. If you two want to explore the stadium, go ahead. You don't need to lock the door."
Knowing that the foreign trainers preferred socializing on the terrace rather than hiding in their Boxes, Shuta headed straight there.
As soon as he stepped outside, he became the center of attention.
"Oh! Shuta!" Freedman called out, striding over to wrap his friend in a boisterous hug. "So glad to see you today!"
"I just hope you can maintain that good mood after the race is over."
Shuta Ann laughed, clapping the Australian trainer on the shoulder.
Cummings, the trainer for Lets Elope, had never formally met Shuta, but as Freedman's associate, he quickly stepped up to introduce himself.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cummings."
Shuta Ann said, shaking his hand firmly. After exchanging pleasantries with the rest of the international delegation, Shuta leaned against the railing next to Freedman.
"Seriously though, is Team Sadalsuud truly not considering an Australian campaign next year?" Freedman asked, swirling his drink. "A lot of our races have significantly boosted their prize pools, you know."
"We're definitely taking on the challenge." Shuta Ann admitted freely. "My team plans to conquer the Melbourne Cup next year. In the spring, Teio might run the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but I can't guarantee it. She really doesn't like entering races that her senior stablemates have already won."
"I can respect that." Freedman shrugged. "But the Melbourne Cup... surely Tokai Teio isn't running that? An ultra-long-distance 3200-meter race doesn't fit her profile at all."
"You guessed it. It won't be Teio." Shuta Ann grinned sharply. "I'm sending this year's Classic Double Crown winner, Rice Shower."
"Now that, I am looking forward to." Freedman smiled genuinely. "The Melbourne Cup is a brutal test of endurance. It won't be an easy challenge."
"I know it won't be easy. But it is Australia's most prestigious race. Having an Uma Musume perfectly suited for the distance and not attempting to conquer it would be a tragedy."
Shuta Ann said, his expression turning dead serious.
Despite the cloudless, brilliantly clear Tokyo sky, the stadium's electronic scoreboard glared with a harsh reality:
TRACK CONDITION: HEAVY.
When the afternoon rolled around and the heavy track designation remained, the domestic trainers began to sweat.
"Isn't a heavy track a massive advantage for the European runners?!" Minamizaka grumbled in the stands. "How is the Japan Cup turf this wrecked?! We aren't in Hokkaido!"
Having foreseen this exact track degradation during his Dream World simulations, Shuta Ann wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Teio has been prepped for this since the gates were drawn on Thursday, he thought calmly. Gate 14 is wide, but with Nice Nature shielding her on the outside, she has a perfect line.
Down in the competitor's lounge, Tokai Teio was similarly unbothered by the muddy turf reports.
"Ann predicted it perfectly." she murmured, leaning back into the plush leather sofa with a satisfied smile. "Two hours left. I can't wait to get out there and win this."
Whether it was her vanquished rivals from the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, her friends from Tracen, or the new challengers from the Southern Hemisphere, Teio was prepared to bury them all.
"The specialized heavy-track horseshoes are equipped. And to avoid looking muddy at the finish line— the Phoenix-themed winner's uniform is ready." she mused, adjusting her collar. "Everything is perfect."
Across the room, Naturalism stared at the track report and let out a quiet, defeated sigh.
Typically, a heavy track was a godsend for overseas runners. But considering the final boss of this year's Japan Cup was Tokai Teio—the same monster who had effortlessly dismantled the European elite in the deep, punishing mud of Longchamp Racecourse—a heavy track was an absolute nightmare.
If only the sun would dry it out faster.
Naturalism prayed silently.
User Friendly, on the other hand, was ecstatic.
"This is perfect! A heavy track!" the British runner grinned, rubbing her hands together. "I am absolutely getting my revenge on Tokai Teio in the mud!"
Despite having been utterly crushed by Teio twice before, two months of recovery had apparently erased the oppressive, suffocating terror Teio had instilled in her. Or, at the very least, she was trying incredibly hard not to remember it