Mizuki's log continued.
[On January 13, 2002, T.M. Opera O and Meisho Doto retired together at Kyoto Racecourse. The short-tempered Meisho Doto didn't even look up, quickly running one lap around the course before taking his final bow. Meanwhile, the clever and gentle Opera O circled the entire track slowly, as if greeting the audience.]
[The Overlord's stage thus drew to a close. A total of 26 starts, 14 wins, 6 seconds, and 3 thirds. Three 4th-5th place finishes. A 100% in the money rate— the highest number of races among any horse with a 100% rate.]
At Tracen:
"A-wa-wa-wa! 'Short-tempered Meisho Doto'? Opera O-san, is there some misunderstanding?"
Doto tripped and fell as she spoke.
'We're both Meisho Doto, why are you so tough, like some gang leader?!'
In reality, Meisho Doto was indeed a bit irritable, but he was quite gentle toward humans. He loved being photographed, whenever someone came to take a picture, he would get very close. Thus, many photos of the real Doto are extreme close-ups.
Fans captioned them with: "Got any more carrots? Give me some?" His irritability wasn't like Tamamo Cross's. The real Tamamo Cross was very fierce to humans and once bit off a person's finger.
Opera O laughed: "Ha~~~ Hahaha! Perhaps on that retirement day, we were performing an opera. Hearing you say that gives me inspiration: 'I Was Reincarnated as a Short-Tempered Overlord and Ruled Tracen!' What do you think of such an opera, Doto?"
"If the day of our retirement truly comes, we can perform it at the ceremony!"
Doto was terrified. If that day really came, she'd be so nervous she'd forget every single line out of fear.
Doto said: "Speaking of which, Opera O, can I join your training in the future? I want to follow you... No, if possible, I... I want to run with the goal of surpassing you..."
"No, no! Sorry, Opera O! I shouldn't have such delusions. Uwaaa, please forget what I said!"
However, hearing this, Opera O said with great surprise: "Ha~~~ Hahaha! Doto, please repeat that! It seems you finally understand what my favorite kind of scene is."
"Indeed! You, as a general, wish to point your blade at me, the Overlord? Come! Try to defeat me! A solo opera is truly quite dull, after all."
Meisho Doto was stunned. She didn't expect Opera O to say that.
"Okay!" Doto put her hands on her hips, perking up once more. Her "cat mouth" curled upward.
She would work hard to be the one who motivated Opera O— and to be a Meisho Doto who could actually win a championship.
Maybe, perhaps, possibly... she could actually... actually win against Opera O...?
At that moment, Wonder Acute watched the scene.
"Has the story of Ryuji Wada and T.M. Opera O come to an end? It's truly moving... Wait, Ryuji Wada seems to have one more G1, shouldn't he? Did he actually manage to prove himself through his own hard work...?"
"If he did, then congratulations to him. I wonder what kind of person he is?
Wonder Acute let out a soft chuckle.
However, she might not actually want to know what kind of person Ryuji Wada was. When Wada dealt with the real-life Wonder Acute, he was truly merciless.
During a simple dirt race, the young Wada suddenly entered a "fighting spirit injection" mode and whipped Wonder Acute 46 times— so much so that one side of his body actually turned white from the intensity.
In the Tracen campus:
Haru Urara was wide-eyed:
"Wow, 26 starts, 14 wins, 6 seconds, and 3 thirds... that's incredible! Opera O-san always says her light is dazzling, does becoming dazzling make you strong?"
"I get it! When I go back, I'll shine a flashlight on myself so I can sparkle too. Doesn't Kitasan have lanterns? I'll grab a few to hang up. Urara will definitely become strong and debut successfully!"
Urara was being led astray by Kitasan. It turned out that when Kitasan Black came to Tracen, she brought her collection of festival lanterns, which flickered with a red glow.
Satono Diamond thought they looked quite pretty, unaware that she would be spending every night accompanied by red lanterns in the future.
In another lab:
Agnes Tachyon laughed:
"Hahahaha, amazing! Opera O, your body is truly magnificent. If I could have you as a research subject, I'd be willing to have Cafe drink my tea every day and feed me every meal."
Manhattan Cafe was stunned. It seemed Tachyon had also been influenced by Trainer Mizuki, she was talking nonsense all day.
Feeding her was fine, but drinking that tea was out of the question— Cafe was strictly a coffee person.
However, Tachyon made another dangerous remark:
"Say, Cafe, I read some books that said if you want to invite someone, you should cater to their tastes. If I fashioned the examination table into a Victorian stage, do you think Opera O would voluntarily hop on for my experiments?"
Cafe took a sip of her coffee and replied:
"So that's why you scattered coffee beans all over the lab table yesterday and kept asking me to look?"
Tachyon just laughed, spinning her hands in circles. "Speaking of which, Cafe, did you notice? I remember Trainer Mizuki said that the generation following Opera O would be us. Could it be one of us who ends Opera O's era?"
Cafe paused. "I don't know. Trainer Mizuki didn't say. But actually, I want to know more about who my 'friend' really is."
In Tracen, Manhattan Cafe's setting was different from the other Umas. She could see things others couldn't, traced strange patterns with her fingertips, and was often found alone by the walls.
But she wasn't actually alone... a "friend" seemed to be with her constantly. Her favorite thing was drinking coffee, though drinking too much at once gave her a stomachache, so she sipped it slowly.
The friend Cafe saw was often theorized to be Sunday Silence.
"I do believe what you say, but unfortunately, I can't see your 'friend.' Otherwise, I'd love to study it too," Tachyon said with a grin.
Usually, when Cafe talked about the shadow, people didn't believe her, causing her to withdraw. But Tachyon not only believed her but wanted to research it.
As expected of Agnes Tachyon.
In a house in Tokyo:
"Did Opera O retire just like that? She was so amazing."
Mikki Rocket watched with great interest. She planned to memorize this entire log— especially the part where Opera O fought 15 racers alone. She wanted to learn from that.
She also wanted to make up for the regrets of Opera O's Japanese Derby and Kikuka Sho.
And while it wasn't the Derby or the Kikuka Sho, Mikki Rocket did indeed do it. Together with Ryuji Wada, she overcame the challenge sent by fate.
Mizuki's log continued.
[After Opera O retired, the next generation included Jungle Pocket, Agnes Tachyon, Agnes Digital, and Manhattan Cafe.]
[These guys were all strong, though some were shrouded in tragedy.]
[Notably, Manhattan Cafe defeated Opera O in the Arima Kinen. This race was hailed as the "Handover of Eras." Cafe also achieved a feat that, until then, only Symboli Rudolf had accomplished:]
[The long-distance Triple Crown: The Kikuka Sho, Arima Kinen, and Spring Tenno Sho consecutively.]
[Many famous horses came within a hair's breadth of this achievement, including Biwa Hayahide, Kitasan Black, and Deep Impact. Speaking of which, this was the only time Deep Impact ever finished second, aside from the disqualification in the Arc.]
[Deep Impact: Either 1st or 2nd. Truly world-class!]
[Yutaka Take even remarked that when he rode Deep Impact, it felt like he was flying. Only in that year's Arima Kinen did it feel like he was just running.]
[Years later, Mirco Demuro said the horse he most wanted to ride was Deep Impact. He even snuck past staff while Deep Impact was out at pasture and just started running with him, fulfilling his wish through sheer willpower.]
[After fulfilling that wish, Demuro said his remaining regret was not getting to ride T.M. Opera O.]
[Demuro was truly a character. The "one-knee bow" that Eishin Flash does after a win comes from his real-life post-race celebration. Demuro was a showman, and because he constantly did a "plane takeoff" pose while crossing the finish line, he was fined multiple times by the JRA.]
[His response? "I'm sorry, I'll do it again next time."]
Inside Team Canopus:
"Eh? I won at least two G1s?" Kitasan Black's face turned into an expression of pure shock. She was currently with Nice Nature preparing props and posters for tomorrow's Fan Appreciation Day.
Many posters were safety campaigns arranged by President Rudolf: "Prevent Injuries," "Beware of Scams," etc.
After all, in the real Tracen, many Uma Musume are quite simple-minded. Rudolf often did preventative work, warning them to stay away from pool halls and arcades.
Sirius Symboli felt Rudolf was targeting her, being the "Pool Queen," but she didn't interfere, and plenty of girls followed her anyway.
Kitasan was pleasantly surprised.
"I... lost to Kitasan Black?"
Duramente was there too. She knew she and Kitasan were from the same generation. If Kitasan won, it meant her own defeat. She etched the name "Kitasan Black" into her mind.
"Duramente-san, those are just the records of the real horses. Let's work hard together!" Kitasan wasn't arrogant. She still believed she could beat Duramente.
However, she didn't know that she would never defeat Duramente in her life, and had Duramente participated in the Kikuka Sho, the outcome of their rivalry might have remained undecided.
Over with the BNW trio:
"Hayahide, I didn't expect you to win two! That means you beat me and Ticket twice. Looks like I need to work even harder."
"By the way, you'd better watch out. Even I feel frustrated, I can only imagine how annoying Winning Ticket will be when she finds out," Narita Taishin grumbled.
But she saw the silver lining: once Ticket realized she lost to Hayahide, she'd pester Taishin to train, giving Taishin the chance to change that outcome.
Taishin didn't know that her real-life counterpart, after being diagnosed with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, chose to run in the Kikuka Sho to protect his pride as the Satsuki Sho winner, only to suffer a crushing 17th-place defeat.
In the game, this is referenced by the "Don't Say It" event before the Kikuka Sho that drops her mood and gives her the "Practice Poor" debuff. Thus, Taishin's URA training is notoriously difficult.
Biwa Hayahide was happy at first, but then she got scared by Taishin's reminder. She decided it might be best to find a place to hide for a while.
She also knew that while 2 G1s were great, it wasn't enough to beat Narita Brian. She wanted to know which race she lost.
She would eventually find out that her defeat came in the 1993 Arima Kinen. That race is listed by the JRA as one of the greatest of all time, and the story of the racer that beat Biwa Hayahide is legendary. There are only a few stories like it in all of horse racing's history.
Actually, during the Great Depression in 1938 America, there was a similar miracle horse: Seabiscuit. Born small with faulty knees, he became a symbol of hope.
It was a story of three broken men— a millionaire who lost his son, a down-and-out trainer, and a stubborn one-eyed jockey— and of course, an underdog horse.
In his 6th year, Seabiscuit suffered a severe ligament injury and was told he could never race again. His jockey, Red Pollard, also suffered a severe leg injury. But they returned for a final dance at the Santa Anita Handicap.
Using a steel brace on his leg, Red and Seabiscuit fell far behind early on. But when a friend pulled up alongside them— activating Seabiscuit's instinct to race anything next to him— the "Iron Horse" surged forward, breaking the world record and shocking the nation.
"Long-distance Triple Crown?"
Manhattan Cafe was stunned. She didn't realize she was that strong. She attributed it to the guidance of her shadow and her future Trainer.
The log continued.
[However, the story of T.M. Opera O didn't end with his retirement. Ryuji Wada swore that he would win a G1 title on his own merit so he could stand tall when he went to see Opera O again.]
[But he didn't realize how high the difficulty of that dream was. The reason was simple: because people believed he had been "carried" by Opera O, he couldn't get good resources.]
[In the JRA, without a "jockey bloodline," his paths to better horses were limited. He could only ride average horses. Japanese netizens even used him as a "power level unit": If a horse could carry Wada to a win, it was a great horse, if not, it was just average.]
[Wada endured immense pressure. He had no powerful connections, but he had faith. He wanted to prove he wasn't Opera O's "deadweight," but his partner.]
[For 17 years, he never gave up on any horse he rode until their retirement. He saw his own shadow in every average horse.]
[He worked tirelessly, but for 17 years, despite becoming a first-class rider, he couldn't secure a G1 win. Even when T.M. Opera O died suddenly of heart failure on May 17, 2018, he still hadn't won.]
[What a profound regret...]
[Yet, a month later at the Takarazuka Kinen, the 42-year-old Wada finally won his first G1 with Mikki Rocket. He wept on the field, saying: "Opera O gave me a push from behind. For years, I told myself I had to win a G1 to see him with pride. Now, I finally can."]
[In that race, Wada performed a divine ride. He and Mikki Rocket hugged the inner rail from gate 4— the same gate number Opera O had when he was boxed in and lost his final Takarazuka Kinen. They held off the Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Werther, as if Opera O had descended again.]
[Wada threw his arms up in a tearful shout. Fans later captioned that photo: "Pops, I finally made it!!"]
Inside Tracen:
Meisho Doto sobbed: "Opera O-san, how could this be? You died after only 17 years? Uwaaa..."
T.M. Opera O replied: "It's alright! It can be changed, can't it? Doto, why are you crying?"
Opera O panicked, not knowing how to comfort her.
"Because it's too moving! To think there was such a story between you and Jockey Wada. He worked alone for 17 years just to face you with pride. I... I can't stop crying."
Doto leaned into Opera O's embrace, her tears flowing freely.
Opera O sighed with emotion: "Wada, whether you won a G1 or not, your spirit of constant effort inspires me. You were never a 'burden.' In my heart, win or lose, you were a great jockey— my partner."
"Seventeen years of effort... not many can do that."
T.M. Opera O was deeply moved. If Ryuji Wada were truly a selfish man, he could have claimed all the credit for himself after winning the 2018 Takarazuka Kinen. After all, he had performed a world-class ride and proven his own mettle.
Instead, he said that Opera O had given him a push from behind. This was proof that he had been carrying gratitude in his heart all those years. At that moment, his emotions were finally released, manifesting as tears— tears that were surely sweet, washing away the bitterness accumulated over nearly two decades.
The spirited 25-year-old youth had finally, at the age of 42, stood tall in the JRA.
Opera O spoke softly:
"Wada... this time, I saw your hard work."
She decided to give it her all, perhaps she could earn rewards to extend a horse's lifespan, so that Wada might actually meet Opera O again after winning a GI.
Beside her, Narita Top Road had already turned into a "crybaby.jpg." She found it so touching that she kept reading and reading— until she hit that last line:
[Pops! I finally made it!!!]
She couldn't help it, she snorted, forcing the tears she had worked so hard to shed right back into her eyes.
Top Road huffed, thinking, 'Trainer Mizuki, what is wrong with you? You're such a mood-killer! I was just about to start bawling and you drop a line like that. Besides, shouldn't it be [Mom! I made it!]? That would be more accurate.'
Still, Top Road was happy, it was the best possible conclusion. However, she tilted her head, feeling like something was missing.
'Wait, we forgot Mikki Rocket!'
Thinking about it, Wada didn't mention Mikki Rocket once in that moment.
She imagined the real-life Mikki Rocket in 2018, head raised toward the TV screen watching Wada's interview, thinking: 'Wada-san, what about me?'
Opera O was also stunned. 'Right, what about Mikki Rocket? We can't let her feel neglected.'
But she figured it was fine, knowing Wada, he would surely thank Mikki later.
Over at Spica:
Special Week was already crying.
"Uwaaa, so touching! I need to eat a bowl of carrots to calm my nerves."
Silence Suzuka noted, "Spe-chan, you've already eaten a lot."
Special Week sobbed, "I'm a lifelong fan of Opera O-san and Wada-san now! Wait, besides Wada, I should probably fan-girl over my own jockey too, or it wouldn't be fair."
Special Week really wanted to know who her jockey was. (It was the old man, Yutaka Take.)
Vodka added: "Indeed, it's a story of a bond that transcends the relationship between rider and horse. It's a shame it couldn't have happened two months earlier, but regardless, let's raise a glass to Wada. He finally achieved his dream."
Daiwa Scarlet nodded, turning away to secretly wipe her eyes. She couldn't let Vodka see her crying, if someone was going to cry first, it had to be Vodka. She wouldn't lose.
In a residence in Tokyo:
"I... I won? I have the same jockey as Opera O?!"
Mikki Rocket was overjoyed. She smiled, then started running around happily, jumping three feet into the air. She was genuinely ecstatic.
"Hahaha, Wada-san, we're amazing!"
"I want to go find Opera O right now. Maybe if I learn from her, I can run even faster! I'm so happy!"
Mikki Rocket was bouncing around her home— it was like a pre-screening of her 2018 Takarazuka Kinen victory animation: A crying Ryuji Wada and a Mikki Rocket who was flying with joy.
She didn't even notice that Wada hadn't mentioned her, she was just happy for him and Opera O.
Mizuki's log continued.
[The story of T.M. Opera O and Ryuji Wada will always be a cornerstone of the bond between man and horse on the Japanese turf. Ryuji Wada was Opera O's primary jockey for his entire life, and Opera O was the first horse Wada rode who possessed G1 talent.]
[Wada always believed he was the one holding Opera O back. He felt his riding level cost him at least one G1. He even stated that if there were a time machine, he would go back to 1999 and win the Japanese Derby and Kikuka Sho with him.]
[After Opera O retired, his strength was often underestimated due to the early retirement of the 1998 "Golden Generation," the perceived lack of strength in the 2000 Classic generation, and his lack of "visual impact" from winning by massive margins.]
[However, his strength was gradually recognized over time, and his reputation improved until he was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.]
[The only regret is that he lost the Takarazuka Kinen that year. As a member of the Sadler's Wells line with an excellent affinity for European turf, he never got the chance to showcase his grace on European grass.]
[That's about it for now. I'll take my "Great Son Invincible" out for a nice meal tonight. Tomorrow is Fan Appreciation Day.]
[Spe-chan and the others have prepared a lot to welcome newcomers— tug-of-war, snack giveaways, and considering the crowds, they even set up safety and anti-fraud reminders. Very thorough.]
[I wonder what kind of reward I'll get today?]
After Mizuki finished writing, she uploaded the log. A notification chimed in her mind.
[Log uploaded successfully.]
[Reward granted — Bone Injury Healing Talisman x5. Usage: Can directly heal a fracture. Note: The user cannot participate in the next race immediately after healing, but it effectively alleviates pain.]
Mizuki held the talismans, feeling relieved. She knew Tokai Teio would suffer four fractures, each one agonizing. While this wouldn't let her race immediately, it would ease her suffering and allow her to continue training.
From that perspective, it was an excellent reward.
Night had fallen. Since Invincible didn't have a dorm room yet, Mizuki brought her back with her.
"Wow, Trainer Mizuki, is this your house?"
Tsuyoshi looked around, eyes wide. The facilities were great, and she was instantly envious— there was even a game console.
They played late into the night. This time, Mizuki crushed them all. She beat Mejiro Ardan so consistently for three hours straight that her hands were actually shaking. Ardan was fuming.
She thought, 'Mizuki writes "dear sister" this and "little sister" that in her diary, but when it comes to actual gaming, she shows her sister no mercy at all!'
"Hmph, I'm done!"
Ardan was dying of saltiness. She had told her not to hold back before they started, but who knew she'd lose until her hands shook? Mizuki's combos never faltered, her damage calculations were frame-perfect.
Once, Ardan saw her health drop to critical and thought she was finally letting her win. Instead, Mizuki grumbled "missed a move" and then proceeded to win without getting touched for the next five rounds.
Ardan realized she was just a punching bag for stress relief. She bit her lip in annoyance.
'Fine, you missed a move, but why take it out on me?!'
Mizuki stretched and laughed. "That was actually pretty fun."
Ardan pursed her lips. "Fun? Haha... yes, I'm so happy."
Invincible had also been crushed, but she had fallen asleep leaning against Ardan. She had wanted revenge, but sleep won out.
She looked peaceful in Ardan's arms. Ardan had tried to avenge her "great son," only to be bullied herself.
The moral: Git gud.
"Alright, it's late," Mizuki said.
"There's the festival tomorrow. Ardan, take the other kids to sleep at Mejiro McQueen's dorm. I've already cleared it with her. Any later and the dorms will lock— you'll have to sleep here with me."
"Eh?" Ardan's reaction was a beat slow. When she realized the time, her face flushed red.
She had been so tilted by the games she'd completely lost track of time. She was grateful for the reminder.
As the moonlight climbed the branches, Mizuki helped pick up Invincible. Uma Musume are surprisingly heavy.
Worried about Ardan's delicate legs, Mizuki carried Invincible on her back. She had previously received a strength-boosting reward, so she could manage.
"Man, this brat is heavy," Mizuki complained heartlessly.
"Thank you," Ardan whispered. She walked beside Mizuki, supporting her as they headed to McQueen's room. Under the moon, the three walked together.
Mizuki grumbled about the weight, while Ardan looked elegant and gentle in the starlight. Invincible mumbled in her sleep about running, she really wanted to race.
The next morning, Fan Appreciation Day officially began. The Tracen plaza was a sea of people— elderly, children, and young Uma Musume gathered for the opening ceremony. In the center, a huge scaffolding held several 200-inch screens so fans could see the different activity zones.
Zone 1: Tug-of-War. A traditional event: The Golden Generation vs. The Century's End generation.
Zone 2: Obstacle Course. A race with three stages, including a "Death Drawbridge" and wind resistance challenges. Winners get hot spring vouchers.
Zone 3: Truth or Dare. The segment Mizuki suggested yesterday.
Zone 4: Podium. Where Rudolf gives speeches about Tracen's future, surrounded by the safety posters they made.
At the Tug-of-War area:
"Opera O, our team of five won't lose! We have Seiun Sky, King Halo, Grass Wonder, and El Condor Pasa!"
Special Week shouted a challenge. She wasn't actually good at trash talk, but Seiun Sky had egged her into it.
"Ha~~ Hahaha! The championship belongs to us, obviously! Sadly, you'll have to settle for second!" Opera O's laughter echoed, and the air was thick with competitive tension.
"What about our race?!" Equinox, Titleholder, Liberty Island, and Panthalassa were stacked on top of each other. They wanted to enter the obstacle course, but it was restricted to debuted Uma Musume.
Titleholder had an idea: the four of them would stack up under one large coat to enter.
Absolute geniuses.
Equinox agreed immediately, claiming the "head" position. They tried to sign up, but Nice Nature saw through them instantly. Even though there were safety pads under the bridge, it was still dangerous for kids.
"Nature-sensei!!" the four cried in unison, hugging her legs.
"Hey, that's cheating! And why are you calling me 'sensei'?!" Nature blushed but held her ground. If she let them through, it would be chaos.
However, Duramente started her challenge just then. She was goose-stepping toward the check-in, but didn't notice Titleholder and Liberty Island underfoot. She tripped and fell. In that split second of distraction, the four little ones bolted past!
Equinox, Panthalassa, Titleholder, and Liberty Island began the course. What was supposed to be a solo race became a four-person chaos.
They all looked like the "chibi" versions from the Tanuki animations, charging forward.
(T/N: Just google "Tanuki Rudolf" to get an idea of what they look like according to the author. It's cute.)
"I'm going to clear every stage! I'll definitely win!" Titleholder ran incredibly fast.
"No way, I'm the winner!" Panthalassa blasted forward.
"Don't argue! If we get caught, it's over!" Equinox urged them to hurry.
"Exactly!" Liberty Island's short legs moved like a blur.
Their "heist" was being broadcast live. Inari One, acting as the host, was stunned but kept the commentary going:
"We have... uh... four unexpected participants! Can they show their full power? Let's see! Panthalassa is in first, Titleholder second, Equinox third, and Liberty Island is currently fourth!"
"Next up is the first major hurdle: The Death Drawbridge! There's a 3-meter gap on a swaying incline. Can they make the jump? Due to their age, I've just been notified we are shortening the gap to 3 meters and lowering the incline!"
Panthalassa, Equinox, and the others stared solemnly at the drawbridge.
To everyone's shock, Panthalassa was the first to leap. Her power was astonishing, she cleared the gap and landed in one smooth motion— a feat far beyond that of an ordinary young Uma Musume.
Following her, Equinox, Titleholder, and Liberty Island all successfully crossed.
The spectators were stunned.
"These little ones... they're clearly not normal."
"Yeah, if they grow up well, they might become stars in the future."
"I hope to see one... a racer who can make all of Japan, or even the whole world, tremble."
"Hahaha, you're dreaming big! But I hope for it too."
Back on the obstacle course, the four little ones were still sprinting, but their stamina was flagging. Ahead lay the Wind Resistance Track.
They had cleared the bridge with speed, but facing this powerful headwind, their expressions instantly turned to horror as they were nearly blown away.
"Oh... oh no..." Liberty Island was the first to lose her footing, swept off the track by the gale.
"Hey! Liberty!" Titleholder reached out to grab her, but she couldn't keep her balance either and was blown away. Next, Panthalassa and Equinox suffered the same fate.
It was a classic chain reaction of failure.
As Liberty Island and Titleholder plummeted toward the ground, they felt a sickening weightlessness. They thought they were finished, Liberty Island was even on the verge of tears.
In the next second, a streak of black light flashed before them.
Duramente caught them both, pulling them into her arms. Her expression remained icy, her blue eyes calm and aloof, maintaining her "do not approach" aura, and yet her movements were incredibly gentle.
Looking at Duramente's face, Liberty Island and Titleholder felt their hearts race.
'Duramente is so cool!'
"Are you alright?" Duramente asked as she set them down.
"Mhm..." The two nodded in unison, their faces flushing red, too nervous to speak.
Equinox and Panthalassa were saved by Kitasan Black, though Kitasan's landing wasn't nearly as graceful. After catching them, she hit the ground back-first with a loud thud, looking quite pathetic and groaning in pain.
However, Equinox and Panthalassa were safe and sound in her arms.
Watching from the sidelines, Nice Nature was floored.
"Duramente... that's incredible. To reach that kind of speed in an instant... it's unbelievable. When those two flew off the track, she and I moved at the same time, but she was clearly faster..."
Nature was shocked. While explosive power doesn't dictate the final result of a race, Duramente's terrifying speed made her eyes tremble. She knew she couldn't match it.
She began to pay close attention to this girl, Duramente was definitely more than meets the eye.
Kitasan Black was also stunned.
"That girl... she caught two people and still looks completely composed, like it was nothing."
Kitasan gulped as she climbed to her feet, breaking into a cold sweat. She and Duramente had dashed out at the same time, but Duramente was faster. Even if Kitasan didn't want to admit it, it was the truth.
Moreover, Duramente's landing was effortless, while Kitasan's was desperate. She had never seen an Uma Musume like Duramente— not even Satono Diamond had shown that kind of burst.
'Did I... did I really beat her twice? In the Arima Kinen, Spring Tenno Sho, and Kikuka Sho?'
Kitasan was a bit dazed, but she quickly reasoned that perhaps Duramente was a short-distance or mile specialist, whereas her own victories were in long distances. She shook off the doubt, she wasn't one to get depressed easily.
Kitasan felt her excitement grow. She knew of the existence of giants like Frankel, Treve, and Orfevre. To ask her to give up easily? Impossible. Before her debut, she would become even stronger.
Elsewhere, the crowd gathered at the final stage of Tracen. This stage was for official announcements and safety news.
"Everyone, safety must be our priority! For example, Equinox, Panthalassa, Titleholder, and Liberty Island just now— if you don't follow the rules, you risk injury, which severely impacts your racing career."
Air Groove gave the four little ones a stern public scolding.
"Furthermore, as managers, we must prevent such incidents and ensure no one exploits loopholes that could lead to serious accidents. Let me give some examples..."
Air Groove's lecture was practical. For a country girl like Special Week, it was a warning against being scammed, for fans, it was about protecting information.
King Halo said, "Haru Urara, you need to listen closely. You believe everything people tell you."
Urara replied, "Mhm! King-san, I'll listen! Thank you for the reminder, you're so kind to me."
King Halo blushed slightly, then smiled confidently and asked: "Well then, Urara, let me ask you: if someone told you I'd been kidnapped and needed 5 million yen for ransom, what would you do?"
Urara became incredibly anxious. "I'd immediately get the money to save you, King-san! But Urara doesn't win much money from races, so I don't have much... I'd have to ask everyone to lend me some! I wonder if they would?"
Seiun Sky chimed in,
"Wow, Urara-san... it looks like you're exactly the kind of 'at-risk target' Air Groove was talking about. Don't you even suspect it's a lie?"
King Halo nodded and said sternly, "That's right, Urara! You work hard for your prize money, you can't let scammers take it. You need to be smarter. You should check on me first— I might be perfectly fine in the dorms."
Urara looked down dejectedly. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, King-san. I was just so scared bad people would hurt you that my first thought was to find money to save you. Urara is so silly. I'm sorry."
Seeing Urara's sad face, King Halo's guilt skyrocketed.
She panicked: "Wait! You're not silly at all, Urara-san! Thank you for caring so much. It's okay, I won't get caught. And if bad people ever catch you, I'll definitely come save you too!"
"Really?" Urara beamed. "Oh, and I have good news! I got second in my debut race today! I tried really, really hard. If I run well next time, maybe I'll debut in first! Then I can keep running at Tracen!"
King Halo nodded. "O-hohoho! You can do it! I'll come watch your next race. Besides, Trainer Mizuki said she'd write about you soon, right? Maybe we'll see some good news there."
"Mhm!" Urara was full of energy.
Tap Dance City added, "Anti-fraud, huh? We definitely need to watch out for that."
Narita Taishin spoke up irritably: "Honestly, Tap Dance City, you have some nerve saying that. Look at the video link you sent my phone last night. The title was 'This Uma Musume Does Something Insane and Demonic Late at Night!'"
"I clicked it, and it was just a video of you doing a tap dance to music. It had nothing to do with the title! I was so mad!"
Tap Dance City burst out laughing. "What does it matter? Wasn't my dancing good?"
Taishin huffed. The dancing was good, but the comments on the video were all "I've been baited."
'Just how many people had she sent that to?'
Tap Dance City laughed again. "It means I'm a success! In the future, you can search for my dance videos yourself— that way, you're a willing victim. Also, I'll be performing this dance at the Newcomer Arts Festival, so make sure to come support me!"
Kitasan Black walked over and smiled. "January 30th, right? That's exactly Satono Diamond's birthday! We can celebrate it there."
Diamond was moved.
"Kitasan, you remembered my birthday after all!"
The girls chatted happily.
Elsewhere, Mizuki had spent a relaxing day. She saw many new Uma Musume, including one who lacked any fighting spirit and was napping soundly. Her friend nearby called her Contrail.
Mizuki thought, 'Contrail... why does that sound so familiar? Is she a strong horse in the real world?'
She was small with a refined face, looking very similar to Deep Impact, just with an added touch of laziness. She was currently muttering that she would one day surpass even Orfevre and Deep Impact.
Despite her laziness, she seemed quite ambitious.
"Young friend, you have a striking appearance. Why are you sleeping here?" Mizuki approached to see how cheeky she really was.
"Hey, Mizuki-san, that's a pretty old-fashioned pick-up line. Lots of trainers have greeted me like that. A girl like me won't fall for that," Contrail said cheekily, sticking her tongue out at Mizuki.
"Oh? You're that confident? You said you'd beat Deep Impact... I just saw Deep Impact over there. I could go tell her someone considers her a rival," Mizuki said with a smile.
"Ahem! Mizuki-san, you must have misheard! Deep Impact-senpai... she's the one I admire most! I just said I wanted to make her my goal!"
Contrail panicked instantly, pretending ignorance to charm her way out of trouble. In her heart, she deeply respected Deep Impact, she had just been talking big and didn't expect to be overheard.
She immediately regretted her big mouth. Mizuki laughed internally. This kid folded so fast— no wonder people liked to tease her.
"I heard it loud and clear. Stop lying. Come on, let's get to know each other. When you officially join Tracen, consider Team Spica."
Mizuki handed her a business card.
"Then you can't tell anyone what I said today," Contrail said solemnly.
"No problem."
As night fell, the Fan Appreciation Day came to a successful close. Rudolf arranged a feast. The Tracen cafeteria was packed with food for fans and young Uma Musume.
However, the chopsticks of Equinox, Panthalassa, Almond Eye, Contrail, Titleholder, and Liberty Island all froze in mid-air. They stared in shock at a corner of the cafeteria where Oguri Cap was sitting.
Every one of them was speechless. 'Oguri Cap-senpai... her stomach is a bottomless pit.'
She was inhaling food at a rate they couldn't comprehend.
Equinox tried to imitate her. Within five minutes, she was lying on the floor with a bulging stomach, unable to move.
Rudolf smiled gently. "Everyone, eat more. Only by eating your fill can you be healthy enough to hunger for better results on the racetrack.
Tokai Teio shuddered instantly. "Uh... President, are you doing your dad jokes again? I don't even know how to react."
Sirius Symboli caught on and laughed mockingly. "Hahaha! Rudolf, your jokes are as awkward as ever!"
Narita Brian agreed: "It is a bit awkward."
Air Groove simply covered her face and shook her head in silence.
However, Nice Nature was trying to hold back her laughter, finally letting out a giggle.
"Haha! So that's how it is. Eat and you can 'hunger for results'— that's actually pretty witty, hahaha!"
Tokai Teio was at a loss for words. 'Neicha-san, for real? You can actually laugh at that?'
Air Groove and Narita Brian watched Nice Nature clutch her stomach in laughter, their faces blank. Three question marks practically floated above their heads.
'What is wrong with this girl? Is she actually finding this funny?'
Invincible was also laughing heartily. It took her a moment to catch the pun, but once she did, she found it quite droll.
As time ticked by, the night grew deep. Eventually, it was time for Invincible to bid farewell to Mejiro Ardan, Yaeno Muteki, and Sakura Chiyono O.
She had already bought her plane ticket home, but she vowed never to forget the experiences of these past few days and invited them all to visit China during the Lunar New Year.
Mizuki agreed. If she could find the time, she'd love to take the girls to China. It's her home, after all.
"Ardan-san, Trainer Mizuki, and everyone... until we meet again. I'm heading back to China."
Invincible stood at the airport gate, waving goodbye. Looking out over Japan, she felt a twinge of sadness.
'I wonder when the next time I come here will be...?'
Ardan was also sad. "Invincible, come back and visit often."
Invincible smiled.
"I've gained so much this trip. I got my Racing Outfit, ran a few races, and realized the gap between me and all of you. If I have a race in the future, I'll definitely wear the outfit you all gave me."
Mizuki added, "Invincible-chan, remember to visit Hong Kong! Look for Golden Sixty and Werther. If all else fails, go to Ireland and find Sea the Stars. She's incredibly smart, she should be able to help you figure something out."
Invincible nodded. She wanted to see Hong Kong and, if possible, find Sea the Stars.
"Goodbye, everyone! Trainer Mizuki, if I enter any races, I'm putting your name down as my trainer. Remember to give me some guidance then!"
"Mhm, no problem," Mizuki waved.
Though reluctant, they watched Invincible depart. With modern travel being so convenient, they were sure to meet again once Invincible had made a name for herself.
After returning, Mizuki washed up and prepared to write in her log.
[Today's Fan Appreciation Day was a huge success. Everyone got a chance to relax. Training is usually so intense that this kind of break is beneficial for everyone.]
[To be honest, I originally planned to write about Haru Urara today— her story is incredibly inspiring. But after seeing Invincible off, I decided to first write about a horse purchased by a Chinese owner.]
[Truthfully, it's only because there are so few races in China in the real world. Otherwise, given Mrs. Ling Tsui's breeding of Urban Sea and Sea the Stars, China might have already birthed many strong horses, and Invincible would have countless races to run.]
[If Frankel is the horse that fully realized his potential, who is the horse most likely to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him?]
[Without a doubt, Sea the Stars is one of them.]
[He possesses the talent to be a top-tier global Horse King.]
[Indeed, when the real-life Sea the Stars achieved his peak results, his physical maturation wasn't even finished. He was a late bloomer, and if he had continued to run, he likely would have reached a 140 rating like Frankel, standing at the pinnacle of the world.]
[Sea the Stars had a career of 9 starts and 8 wins. He is the pride of Chinese owners. His only loss was his debut, where a lack of experience led to him being boxed in, resulting in a 4th-place finish. He won every single race after that.]
[Being perhaps the smartest horse in history, after that first failure, he never let such a situation happen again for the rest of his career. Every time, he found his opening in advance.]
[One could say Sea the Stars was born an all-rounder with body, wisdom, power, and fighting spirit. According to his trainer's memoirs, things that took ordinary horses days to learn, Sea the Stars mastered in just 15 minutes.]
[In 2009, he entered the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Unsurprisingly, he was the first favorite. During the race, he took the lead and suppressed all other horses to claim the summit of the Arc.]
[The Arc de Triomphe— a world-class prize that Japanese racing hasn't been able to grasp in a lifetime— was like picking something out of a pocket for a perfect horse like Sea the Stars.]
[This is the majesty of a world-class powerhouse. People hailed him as a "once-in-a-lifetime" horse, no one could be better than him.]
[In 2009, Buena Vista, a mare from the Special Week line, considered entering the Arc. Ultimately, she chose to withdraw. This was a wise move, as if Buena Vista had competed, her chances of defeating Sea the Stars were close to zero percent.]
Inside Tracen, a massive wave of shock erupted.
In Team Spica, Special Week was floored. She didn't expect that while China didn't have many races, a horse owned by a Chinese owner could reach such heights so quickly.
Spe-chan couldn't help but want to race with the Chinese Uma Musume now.
She was also amazed by Sea the Stars' intelligence. Mastered in 15 minutes what takes others 3 days? Is that what a true genius is?
"It sounds like even Seiun Sky-san isn't that smart..."
Special Week realized that if she and Sea the Stars took an exam, even if she were given several extra hours, Sea the Stars would still crush her.
And to have the potential for a 140 rating... she was utterly stunned.
But then, Spe-chan saw the mention of "Buena Vista." She dazed out for a moment.
'The "Special Week line"? What does that mean? Do I have a family too?'
She knew Buena Vista often came to play with her and was very clingy, and she adored her, but she didn't understand the "line" part.
Her CPU was fried. She wasn't the brightest to begin with, and now she was totally lost. But she kept reading to see just how strong Sea the Stars was.
Elsewhere, Buena Vista was equally shocked.
"I couldn't win at all? I refuse to believe it!"
She was furious, her fists clenched. She wasn't weak at all— why say she couldn't beat Sea the Stars? She wasn't having it.
She decided she was going to look up Sea the Stars' info immediately, she wanted to hunt her down on the track.
'2009 Arc de Triomphe, right? I'm going. No matter what, I'm going.'
However, she was also curious about being called a "Special Week line" horse. When she looked in the mirror, she found that she did look quite a bit like Special Week.
In America, Seabiscuit saw the log:
"Heaven help us, another 140? These girls are too strong. Hey, Flightline, what are you doing? Get that lawnmower away from me, I'm scared!"
In reality, Seabiscuit's jockey was injured because a lawnmower malfunctioned, spooking the horses and causing him to be thrown and dragged by his leg, resulting in a fracture.
Flightline replied, "It seems there's more than one 140. Sea the Stars, huh? Another name on the 'must-defeat' list."
"But is that really possible? Learning in 15 minutes what takes others 3 days? If I had that kind of ability, my training speed would be on another level. That girl is an absolute genius in learning."
Flightline had to admit her admiration. If she had that intellect, she'd feel confident even against Frankel, as her training efficiency would skyrocket.
Sadler's Wells also marveled. Just how smart is this girl? 15 minutes? It sounded like a fairy tale.
Inside Tracen, Sirius Symboli grit her teeth. She had campaigned abroad and knew firsthand how strong foreign Uma Musume were, and her own results overseas hadn't been great.
Now she saw Sea the Stars. But she wouldn't back down.
'Rudolf, the storm is coming. Faced with the challenge of the world's top horses, what will you do? If you don't step it up, Tracen is going to be left far behind.'
Meanwhile, in Ireland, Sea the Stars wasn't surprised at all. It was as if she had expected this.
Being so intelligent, she naturally knew her own potential, though she was extremely displeased about the mention of her debut loss. While born and trained in Ireland, she felt a strong affinity for China since her mother was Chinese.
If there had been races in China, she would have gone long ago to dominate in them.
Sea the Stars chuckled at the thought. She had met Invincible a while back and planned to mentor her one day, teaching her some of her own techniques.
In Britain, Galileo took silent note of the name "Sea the Stars." She felt a strange connection, even though they weren't of the same era.
"Sea the Stars... I feel like I've heard that name. Why is it so familiar? I want to go meet her right now."
This was natural, as Sea the Stars and Galileo were half-siblings out of the same mother, Urban Sea. Galileo had long dominated the European sire market, but Sea the Stars was the one who would eventually challenge that dominance.
As of now, only Sea the Stars remained composed. The rest of the world was in a state of shock following the exposure of her name. They wanted to know what kind of horse could achieve such greatness. They wanted to see her track records.
They would soon be stunned, Sea the Stars' achievements were far beyond their imagination.
Mizuki's log continued.