This advance chapter release is all thanks to fisstar for gifting 21 power stones individually up to this point.
I currently have more than 5 advance chapters backlogged, so I will up the required power stone that for every 300 power stones accumulated for the week, I will also post an advance chapter corresponding to the complete amount in the week's end.
So gift more Power Stones to advance the chapter schedule. Thank you very much for your support and enjoy the chapter!
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Word Count: 3914
Morning air clung lightly to the streets of Fuchu, cool enough to sting the lungs but gentle enough to invite movement. The city had barely shaken off its sleep when two umamusume jogged side by side along the quiet road, their synchronized footsteps tapping softly against the pavement.
One was unmistakable, even in a tracksuit. Kitasan Black's short black hair swayed behind her, her expression relaxed, almost cheerful, as if this early-morning run was nothing more than a stroll. Beside her ran a younger brown-haired umamusume, her stride measured, posture precise.
"Um… thank you for letting me run with you today, Kita-senpai," Diamente said after a moment, slightly breathless but smiling. "I know our training schedules don't usually line up."
Kitasan laughed lightly, waving a hand as if brushing the thought away. "It's totally fine! I've actually been wanting to do this for a while. We're always running at the same place, but never together, you know?"
Diamente nodded. "Different regimens, different goals. But this kind of run works well for me too. Stamina training doesn't always have to be strict."
"Right?" Kitasan grinned. Then, after glancing down at Diamente's shoes, she tilted her head. "Oh, speaking of training… are you really okay with those?"
"The weighted hooves?" Diamente asked, lifting one foot slightly mid-jog as if to show them off. "Yes. They're about three times heavier than the usual lightweight set."
"That still sounds rough…" Kitasan muttered, impressed despite herself.
"It strengthens my legs naturally," Diamente explained calmly. "If I keep this up before my maturation period begins, my baseline resilience should be much higher when it does."
Kitasan let out a low whistle. "You really think that far ahead, huh."
Diamente smiled but didn't answer right away.
Kitasan found herself glancing at her junior again, something thoughtful crossing her face.
She'd known Diamente was smart. Everyone did. But running beside her like this, listening to her talk so naturally about long-term physical development… it was hard not to feel impressed all over again.
Before Kitasan could sink any deeper into her thoughts, the scenery began to change. The quiet residential stretch gave way to a familiar bustle as the two entered the shopping district. Metal shutters rattled open, shop signs flickered to life, and the smell of fresh produce drifted through the air.
"Oh—Kita-chan!" someone called out.
Kitasan's ears perked up instantly. "Ah! Good morning!"
One greeting became two, then three. Shop owners and early shoppers alike waved at her, smiling warmly as she jogged past, and Kitasan slowed her pace to return every greeting with equal enthusiasm.
"Morning!"
"Good luck with your training today!"
"Congrats on your last race!"
"Thank you!" Kitasan replied brightly, bowing her head slightly as she jogged.
Diamente slowed to a walk, watching from a short distance with quiet amusement.
A sudden clatter broke through the chatter. Near the corner of the street, a small delivery truck was parked awkwardly by the curb. A middle-aged man stood behind it, struggling to lift a heavy box of fruit from the truck bed, his face tightening with effort.
Kitasan noticed immediately. She slowed to a stop, turning toward Diamente. "Ah—"
"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Diamente said at once, already stepping off the path. "We can take a short break as well, senpai."
"Are you sure?" Kitasan asked.
"Yes." Diamente smiled. "Please."
Kitasan nodded and stopped completely, stretching her arms as Diamente jogged over to the truck.
"Excuse me," Diamente said politely. "May I help you with that?"
The man blinked, surprised. "Oh—ah, yes! Of course, of course!" He laughed awkwardly. "These weekends are always the worst. End of the month crowds means a lot of these to unpack, you know?"
Together, they lifted the box with ease.
As they worked, the man glanced past Diamente and froze when he noticed Kitasan standing nearby. His expression lit up instantly.
"Wait… Kita-chan?!"
Kitasan waved cheerfully. "Good morning, Uncle!"
"Well I'll be—!" He laughed loudly. "Didn't expect to see you out here this early! Thanks for sending help my way as usual."
"As usual?" Diamente echoed lightly.
"Yes!" The man chuckled. "She's helped me plenty of times before. She's actually quite a strong kid, that one."
"Hahaha," Kitasan rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "I just do what I can."
The man nodded toward Diamente. "Is she your junior?"
"Yes," Kitasan replied proudly. "She's from the same team as mine. She's from Tracen's Elementary Division."
"Elementary?" His eyes widened. "That's incredible…"
Word traveled fast. Once people realized Kitasan was there, more familiar faces approached, greeting her warmly. Elderly couples, shopkeepers, delivery workers—each had a word, a smile, a quick congratulations.
Kitasan returned every greeting without missing a beat.
Diamente stepped back once the boxes were unloaded, taking a seat nearby to rest. She watched quietly, hands folded in her lap, a soft smile forming on her lips.
'So this is it,' she thought.
Not just talent. Not just results.
She had seen stars before. Exceptional ones. But this—this was something different.
Behind Kitasan Black's future stardom was a simple, earnest kindness. A way of living that made people want to cheer for her long before she ever reached the finish line.
When the work was finally done, the man pressed a small bag into my hands. "Take these fresh fruits. On the house."
"Ah—are you sure?" Diamente asked.
"Of course, you have my gratitude for helping out, young lass!" the man replied as he then gave another plastic bag of fresh fruits to Kitasan.
"Eh? But I hadn't helped you out earlier, Uncle?" Kitasan asked.
"No worries about that. Consider it my thanks for always helping us out and also as good luck for your Triple Crown races!"
Others followed suit, small gifts passed along with laughter and well-wishes until Kitasan was left holding far more than she could reasonably carry.
Diamente stood. "I can help you bring those back, Kita-senpai."
"Really?" Kitasan's face brightened. "Thank you. And… um, thank you for earlier too. For the Spring Stakes and everything up to this point."
Diamente shook her head gently. "There's nothing to thank me for, senpai. I just happen to have a very kind and respectable senpai to look up to."
Kitasan blinked, then laughed. "You're really something, Diamente."
They boarded the bus together a short while later, bags in hand, the fare paid without hesitation by Kitasan.
As the bus pulled away from the district, the two umamusume sat side by side, tired but smiling—carrying with them the quiet warmth of a morning well spent.
After they arrived at Tracen Academy, Diamente and Kitasan had barely stepped back into the club room when they realized something was off.
Everyone was gathered around the central table.
Not casually, either. Chairs were pulled close, bodies leaned in, voices hushed in that particular way people got when they were staring at something important—or fabulous.
Trainer Okino was there too, seated at his desk but clearly part of the huddle, watching the group with an amused smile.
"Kita-chan! You're here" Teio greeted her cheerfully.
That was enough for Trainer Okino to stand. He adjusted his posture, smile widening just a little as he spoke.
"Perfect timing, Kita-chan. The G1 racing outfit we ordered a while back just arrived."
The words landed instantly.
"You can try it on after you clean up," he continued. "Training's postponed this morning anyway since we'll be having a meeting today."
Kitasan's eyes lit up. "R-Really? I can wear it already?"
"Of course," Trainer Okino nodded. "Go ahead."
Then his gaze shifted to Diamente. "Same goes for you, kid."
Diamente rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "You're treating this like some kind of event."
"It is an event," he replied lightly. "Anyway, I'll grab something from the trainer's office, so you guys take your time."
With that, he left the room, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with anticipation.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
After bathing, Diamente returned in her usual Tracen Academy uniform, composed as ever. Kitasan, on the other hand, emerged wearing her official G1 racing outfit.
The reaction was immediate.
For a moment, the room simply… stopped.
The outfit suited her far better than anyone had imagined. The colors of red, orange, white, and black were lively without being excessive, bold yet warm, carrying a festive air that matched Kitasan's presence perfectly. It was as if the design itself amplified the brightness she naturally carried.
"Whoa…" Vodka muttered.
When Trainer Okino returned, he paused mid-step.
"Well," he said, smiling openly now, "that fits you perfectly. It really does feel like everytime you run that you made it look like your festival."
Kitasan's cheeks flushed. "Y-You think so?"
She turned quickly. "Teio-senpai! What do you think?"
Tokai Teio grinned, hands on her hips. "It's great, Kita-chan. Seriously. You'll do amazing with racing the Triple Crown races in that."
That did it.
Kitasan practically sparkled. "Thank you, Trainer-san!"
Diamente watched quietly from the side.
'Of course it suits her,' she thought. 'The Three Goddesses wouldn't allow anything less than that.'
For a fleeting moment, her thoughts drifted—what her own G1 racing outfit might look like one day, how it would feel to stand on that same stage. The image barely formed before she shook it away.
'Yeah, no. It's too early,' she reminded herself calmly. 'Let's focus on the present first.'
Once everyone settled down, Kitasan remained in her racing outfit as the morning meeting began.
"Trainer-san," Silence Suzuka tilted her head slightly. "What's today's meeting about?"
"Well," Trainer Okino folded his arms. "We'll be focusing on upping Kita-chan's speed, her control over it, and continuing stamina training. All of it is really vital for the upcoming Satsuki Sho."
Special Week raised a hand. "Does that mean the training she's been doing with Gold Ship and the others won't be continued?"
"No, but it'll be lessened for now," Trainer Okino replied.
Special Week looked apologetic. "Sorry, Kita-chan… I wanted to help more, but our thesis won't be finished until just before summer training."
Kitasan waved it off quickly. "It's okay, Spe-senpai! That's an important period for your studies so don't worry about me."
Trainer Okino cleared his throat, gently reining them in. "The reason for this training adjustment ties directly to a race plan Diamente-chan developed for the Satsuki Sho from last month, actually."
All eyes turned towards her.
Expecting her responss, Diamente stood from her seat and started talking.
"Since Kita-senpai is a frontrunner with strong stamina," she began evenly, "it would be optimal for her to control the rhythm of the entire race—without the others realizing it."
"As an example though," she glanced around the room. "Her Spring Stakes race is a good example. During the first and second corners of the race, she pressured the leading racer, Takeden Tiger."
That image resurfaced vividly in everyone's minds as some watched the footage of the race awhile back.
"The leading umamusume panicked and accelerated to try and escape Kita-senpai's marking," Diamente continued. "That caused the rest of the field to speed up prematurely in order to catch the two of them."
A pause.
"As a result, most of them burned through their stamina long before the final spurt."
Silence filled the room, the weight of the explanation sinking in.
"Kita-senpai's first attempt was already quite effective," Diamente added. "But a two-length lead won't be enough going forward since everyone else is growing too and others might have already caught on to this tactic."
Trainer Okino nodded. "That's why the plan for Satsuki Sho is an early-spurt tactic from the front, like a Great Escape tactic. Kita-chan will race as a frontrunner, using precise speed control through miniscule changes in acceleration and deceleration to dictate the pace of the race. By the time the final spurt arrives, the others won't have enough stamina left to answer her final spurt."
"So," he looked around. "Any questions?"
Diamente expected some of them to have any question, but none questioned her.
Instead, there were looks of admiration and excitement.
With just two weeks left until the Satsuki Sho, the upcoming training would be tight, unforgiving even. But now, everyone could feel it.
The direction for Kita-chan's race was clear.
And the race ahead was already shaping up to something special from the moment a young umamusume had meddled in this timeline.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
Meanwhile, on the far side of Tracen Academy…
The turf track trembled beneath steady, powerful strides.
A red-haired umamusume in her tracksuit led the run, posture firm, breathing controlled, her pace unwavering. Win Variation cut through the air with practiced confidence, her racing history tracing its roots all the way back to Orfevre's shadow.
"Good, Shion-chan! That's it—don't yield your position!"
The voice echoed clearly across the track.
Just behind her, matching every step, was an ashen-haired umamusume whose strides remained low and her presence alone seemed to defy time. No matter the era, no matter the competition, her condition remained immaculate.
That was Oguri Cap.
The umamusume who loved running so deeply that she had become Kitahara's go-to senior umamusume, his former trainee, whenever parallel runs were needed. Today included.
"Oguri-chan's right there!" the man called out. "Hold your line!"
Kitahara Jō stood near the edge of the track, stopwatch in hand. Now in his fifties, he bore an unmistakable resemblance to a younger version of his late uncle, Ginjirou Musaka—same shades, same confident stance, the same commanding calm.
"All right," he shouted, voice sharp with intent.
"Both of you—your last spurts! Now!"
The two umamusume immediately surged ahead.
Despite the years behind her, Oguri Cap still had it in her.
Her stride lengthened, power flooding back into her legs as she overtook Win Variation just before the line, finishing at half a length ahead.
The moment the run ended, Kitahara's voice softened. "Good work, Shion-chan. You've improved a lot."
Before either could respond, a familiar figure hurried toward them.
A brown-haired umamusume in a gray office outfit, Belno Light, had arrived with towels and water tumblers in hand.
"You guys do your cooldown exercises first, Oguri-chan, Shion-chan," she reminded them firmly. "No skipping them."
Kitahara watched with a smile as his protégés talked quietly among themselves, laughter mixing with the sound of their controlled breathing.
After they were done with their cooldowns, the four of them returned to the club room.
Inside, the atmosphere was… mixed.
Believe and Buena Vista were buried in textbooks, and heads close together as if they're focused to the point of silence.
Nearby, King Kamehameha—the dark-skinned and relaxed umamusume who's playing with her phone—and Daiwa Major, whose recognizable black cap pulled low, lounged idly, doing their best impression of productive athletes.
Everyone looked up as the door opened, with greetings exchanged, and their smiles shared.
"Alright," Kitahara clapped his hands once. "There's something I need to say. Everyone, listen up."
The room slowly settled.
Once they were seated properly, Kitahara spoke plainly.
"After Shion-chan's retirement race at the Spring Tenno Shō," he said, "I have decided that I won't be recruiting any more umamusume and I will be stepping down as a Central trainer."
The reaction was immediate.
King Kamehameha stiffened. Daiwa Major's eyes widened. Believe and Buena Vista looked up sharply from their books.
Oguri Cap, however, was quiet.
After a moment, she spoke. "What will you do next, Kitahara-san?"
She paused. "Are you going back to Kasamatsu?"
Kitahara nodded. "That's the plan. I've accepted an offer to become the principal of Kasamatsu Tracen, which is why I'm retiring from being a Central trainer."
The weight of that answer settled heavily.
"So…" Daiwa Major hesitated, glancing at Belno Light. "Does that mean Belno-senpai becomes our Team Polaris's head trainer?"
"That's not the case there, Major-chan," Belno Light shook her head.
"I talked to Kitahara-san about this a week ago," she said calmly. "And I've decided not to take over Team Polaris."
Everyone turned toward her.
"Believe-chan and Buena-chan will be graduating early as you guys have already known," she continued. "That puts us below the minimum number required to maintain a team in this school. If that happens, Team Polaris will have to be disbanded."
Silence permeated the room after this.
Then, before anyone could fully react—
"But there is another option though."
Everyone then looked at her with an expectant look on their faces.
Belno Light straightened. "I'm planning to join Team Spica as a sub-trainer after the team disbands. Anyone who wants to can come with me as I'll be forming a sub-team under their team instead."
Believe and Buena Vista exchanged glances. Neither of them objected—Buena Vista planned to graduate in October, and Believe would be leaving after the Spring Tenno Shō regardless.
"Team Spica, huh," Daiwa Major's expression slowly brightened. "Vodka-chan's there so I'm in."
"Yes," King Kamehameha nodded. "That doesn't sound bad."
Win Variation fidgeted slightly, shy despite knowing them all for years. "…I'll think about it."
Kitahara smiled. "If you want to join Belno-chan, just tell her. She'll handle the transfer paperwork after Spring Tenno Shō."
He paused, looking at each of them in turn.
"No matter what you choose," he added, "don't forget that you all shined in your own ways during your racing careers under this team."
Daiwa Major snorted. "That was way too cheesy and sappy at the same time, Trainer-san."
"Hey!" Kitahara shot back instantly. "I'm just trying to lighten up the atmosphere!"
Laughter broke out, tension easing at last.
As the room settled once more, Kitahara turned his attention back to Win Variation.
"All right," he said, tone shifting. "Let's talk about your Spring Tenno Shō."
The future was uncertain—but for now, the race ahead still mattered to them the most.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
The gym was quieter than usual.
Even on a Sunday, Tracen Academy's facilities never truly slept. A handful of machines hummed softly, the scent of rubber and metal lingering in the air.
Diamente was already mid-session.
Her boots struck the step machine in steady rhythm, mechanical beeps marking each ascent. Sweat clung lightly to her skin as she glanced at the floating interface beside her vision.
====================
[Attribute Window]
SPD: 95 / G+ / 10%
STA: 98 / G+ / 0%
PWR: 104 / F / 20%
GUT: 90 / G+ / 0%
WIT: 185 / F+ / 10%
PTS: 351
[Skills]
Unique Skill: ??? (Unawakened - Inactive)
Domain: (None)
[Ground Aptitude]
Turf: C > B
Dirt: D
[Distance Aptitude]
Sprint: F
Mile: D
Medium: C
Long: D
[Running Aptitude]
Frontrunner: F
Pace Chaser: D
Late Surge: C
End Closer: C
[Legacy]
Sire Legacy:
Stay Gold's Spark (★★★ Speed / ★★★ End Closer)
- Modern Racing Ancestor, Sunday Silence (★★ Stamina / ★★★ Dirt)
- Northerner's Daughter, Golden Sash (★ Speed / ★★ Medium Aptitude)
Dame Legacy:
Yamanin Sucre's Spark: (★★ Power / ★★ Medium Aptitude)
- Miracle Horse, Tokai Teio (★★★ Power / ★★★ Late-Surger)
- Yamanin's Lady, Yamanin Jewelry (★ Guts / ★ Turf Aptitude)
====================
Her current stats after 4 months of her own optimized training.
They hadn't changed much.
The numbers stared back at her—slight increases here and there, almost insulting in how small they were. Nearly four months since she first obtained the system, and this was all she had to show for it.
"I'm still expecting an increase of all stats being triple digits by now…but this is still not enough," she muttered to herself.
Especially with skill points.
The growth was there, technically, but it felt glacial. Too slow to match the pace that she wants. In short, it was too slow to satisfy her.
Diamente exhaled sharply, fingers tightening.
With a deliberate motion, she reached out and increased the machine's speed—fifty percent higher.
The change hit immediately.
Her legs tensed as the steps accelerated beneath her, the added strain amplified by the heavier hooves built into her shoes. Each step demanded more control, more power, more balance.
Good.
Her eyes sharpened, determination burning quietly within them.
If the progress wouldn't come easily—then she'd force it one step at a time.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
Time slipped forward.
Only one day remained before the gate raffle program and the live press conference that would announce the final fifteen participants of the Satsuki Shō.
Inside the trainer's room, Air Groove stood with her arms folded, eyes locked onto the screen.
The Spring Stakes replayed once more.
"…Real Steel is a good rival for Duramente," she muttered. "But that's not who worries me."
Her gaze followed a familiar black figure on the screen.
Kitasan Black.
The black-haired umamusume from Team Spica that had risen quickly—two wins, one from her debut, followed by an open race, and now a G2 victory for her third one. Each race spaced almost exactly a month apart.
'A late bloomer…' Air Groove thought. But not a fragile one.
As someone who had claimed two G1 victories herself—including the Japanese Oaks—and countless graded races beyond that, Air Groove understood race tactics intimately. She knew how victories were born, and how dreams were crushed for those beyond the Top 3.
Kitasan Black being only the fifth favorite meant little since underdogs had won races before quite closely.
But winning like this—with such a commanding lead, maintaining speed against a racer who had already bested her younger cousin—
That was different and also dangerous.
She let out a slow breath as the replay continued.
Her eyes immediately narrowed.
Takeden Tiger, the early leader, glanced back again and again. Panic flickered across her face. Behind her, calm and unwavering, Kitasan Black ran close—too close.
She was conserving her stamina through exploiting the slipstream of an umamusume ahead of her.
"This is a common tactic," Air Groove said quietly.
But her eyes widened slightly.
"…Though Special Week did use this in her win at the Japanese Derby."
The realization didn't fully land yet—but something tugged at her mind.
She watched further.
The second straight.
The pace suddenly increased.
The third corner.
More acceleration. It was too much.
Air Groove's breath caught.
"…I see."
Everything snapped into place.
Kitasan Black pressured the lead from the very start, tightening the pace without overtaking. The rhythm of the race was forced faster than it should have been.
Then came the shifts—subtle speed changes on the second straight, the decisive pass over Takeden Tiger before the final spurt.
The rest of the field burned their stamina chasing phantoms.
Meanwhile, Kitasan Black is shielded from drag which means that her energy is conserved. The timing is really perfect there.
"It all checks out," Air Groove murmured as her jaw tightened.
"…Why did I only realize this now?"
She stood abruptly, shutting off the monitor with the remote.
The room fell silent.
As she strode out of her office, resolve hardening with every step, she muttered under her breath—
"Duramente has to know this."
This wasn't just another rival.
"And we need a counterattack from this tactic. Immediately."
This year's Satsuki Shō would not be a simple race.
==============================
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