Within Tracen Academy:
McQueen was somewhat surprised after reading the content about Oguri Cap.
She saw that Oguri's NRA schedule at Kasamatsu Racecourse was very tight, yet she still gained 20kg. Oguri Cap really didn't neglect herself when it came to nutrition.
McQueen felt that even if she endured such a racing schedule, she wouldn't gain 20kg, she might even lose weight.
'Ahem.'
She suddenly brushed her hair back and stood with her hands on her hips beautifully, gaining a bit of confidence. Her weight gain wasn't that fast, right?
Tamamo Cross was stunned by the log entries and immediately complained:
"How is that possible? The conclusion that racing leads to fatigue and loss of appetite wouldn't exist for her... She might get tired, but how could this girl ever lose her appetite?!"
Tamamo grew angrier as she spoke, patting the blank-faced Oguri Cap beside her. She continued in her Kansai dialect:
"I just had breakfast with her. This girl ate three grilled fish, two steaks, three carrots, and a bowl of fried rice this morning. And yet, how long has it been? She just said she's feeling hungry again!"
"I only had a bowl of noodles and half an apple this morning!"
Tamamo Cross was out of breath after her rant. She had never seen anyone like this. S
ince meeting Oguri Cap, she hadn't stopped being impressed. She couldn't understand why this girl could eat more than anyone else and get hungry faster than anyone else.
Her stomach was truly a bottomless pit.
'Can't do anything right, but leaves nothing on the plate.'
"Tama, let's have lunch together later."
Oguri Cap issued the invitation again. Tamamo Cross was her "meal buddy." What else could Tamamo do?
Despite the complaining, she went with Oguri every time. She figured she'd eat a few more bites herself, maybe she could grow a bit taller.
"Oh my, if you're hungry, you can come find me."
Super Creek was very enthusiastic. While Oguri Cap was a full-blown foodie, Super Creek was a full-blown "motherly" figure.
Not only could she make delicious food for Oguri, but she could also help balance her diet. Who wouldn't love that?
Oguri Cap knew Super Creek was very kind and often took care of her. She was grateful, but she planned to help out in return— she wouldn't just eat for free.
However, Oguri Cap found it a bit strange why Super Creek always liked to smile and say "There, there" while reaching out to pat her head.
She didn't quite understand, but she knew Super Creek was indeed very gentle.
Inari One also smiled. Since coming to Tracen, she had also tasted delicious food. Her determination was to race well, earn money, and give some to her master and her siblings.
She was also nervous and wondered how many races could she win on the Central stage?
If she encountered a crucial "win-or-lose" situation or a high-end race like a G1, could she stay as calm as Oguri Cap?
She actually admired Oguri Cap for being so composed even in JRA graded stakes. Inari was the type to get nervous, so in this regard, she wanted to learn from Oguri.
Rice Shower said, "By the way, March Tosho at Kasamatsu was also very impressive. Was her dream also Central?"
Ikuno Dictus pushed up her glasses: "I don't know, but one thing is certain: The strength of the NRA compared to the JRA is not on the same level..."
"A genius at the top of the NRA might not even reach the threshold of the JRA. I've looked at March Tosho's data. She might have wanted to come to Central, but her records and abilities might not have been enough to support that goal."
"After all, not everyone is like Oguri Cap or Inari One."
Hearing this, Matikane Tannhauser lowered her head and said gratefully:
"Someone like me is very lucky to have come to Tracen Academy. This place is indeed full of geniuses and monsters who can completely swallow your self-confidence without even trying. A plain person like me can only work desperately hard just to barely keep up with everyone."
Ikuno Dictus replied, "Tannhauser-san, don't say that. Any Uma Musume who can get into Tracen can't be called 'plain.' 'Excellent" would be a better description."
"But to win a graded stakes like a G3, G2, or especially a G1, being 'excellent' isn't enough. Only the geniuses among geniuses can stand at the top."
"I believe that one day, all of us in Canopus will be able to do it too."
Matikane Tannhauser nodded: "Right! I'll do my best and won't lose to everyone in Tracen."
Twin Turbo was very confident, putting her hands on her hips: "Hahaha! Tannhauser-san, those powerful monsters you mentioned must be me!"
Daitaku Helios laughed, feeling very happy: "That's the confidence! Turbo, we're both super smart and super fast, right? Then together, we must be the "Genius Escapist Duo!"
Mejiro Palmer felt something was off and said, "Huh? You and Turbo are the 'Genius Escapist Duo'? Then what about me..."
Gold Ship, sensing some fun, decided to fan the flames:
"Oh? Daitaku Helios, Mejiro Palmer... are you two fake friends?"
Daitaku Helios panicked: "Ah, Palmer, don't mind that! I just spoke too fast. You and I have an eternal friendship!"
Mejiro Palmer: "But you clearly just said you and Twin Turbo were the duo! You didn't mention my name at all! You don't have me in your heart!"
Daitaku Helios: "I... I... you have to believe me!"
Nice Nature: "Helios's words are just like that romance anime I watched yesterday. The male lead found another girl, and when the female lead found out, he explained, 'She's just my sister'."
Daitaku Helios: "Hey, Nature, what are you talking about?!"
Helios was stunned. She really didn't mean it.
'Everyone, stop talking, you just want to see me die, don't you?'
Mejiro Palmer: "Hmph, since you look sincere, I'll forgive you this once. Don't let it happen again."
Daitaku Helios: "Palmer, you're the best!"
Twin Turbo: "That's right, the three of us are the strongest!"
Nice Nature grinned: "Turbo is very confident. Like this, you might actually get some good results."
Twin Turbo beamed: "Wow, Nature, really? Thank you!"
Matikane Tannhauser: "Heehee, okay, let's work hard together! Ei! Ei! Mun!"
At this time, T.M. Opera O was also reading very carefully. She saw the choices Koichi Oguri made for Oguri Cap.
To let her reach Central, he truly gave up much of his own profit.
If she could go to the real horse world, she would love to meet this chivalrous man. She had great admiration for Koichi Oguri. His feelings for Oguri Cap were truly sincere.
Opera O also recalled that Trainer Mizuki's log mentioned that after Oguri Cap reached Central, her third owner would make her run too many races, causing her to be exhausted.
If it had been Koichi Oguri, he wouldn't have done that.
She was also curious about what would happen next, and she knew one thing: Oguri Cap wouldn't be able to run the Classic Triple Crown because she arrived in Central too late and lacked enough prize money.
It was because she missed the Triple Crown that countless Japanese fans became extremely dissatisfied, leading the JRA to change the rules later. This allowed the later T.M. Opera O to qualify for the Satsuki-sho, beginning the legend of the Overlord.
"Regardless, I must keep reading. Oh, I can turn Senior Oguri Cap's story into her own exclusive opera and invite her to watch it. I've been wondering what kind of gift to give her to show my gratitude."
"But if I make an opera, what should I call it?"
Opera O began talking to herself. Whenever opera was mentioned, she was instantly energized.
"Um... how about 'Cinderella Gray'?"
Neo Universe suddenly spoke up in her cute way.
She usually didn't talk much to others. In the game lore, she is a racehorse who traveled through time and space to see her trainer again and express her gratitude.
Neo Universe, the time-traveler, suggested the name "Cinderella Gray."
She didn't know why she suddenly thought of it— perhaps it was overlapping memories from another time, or just a sudden spark of inspiration— but she felt it was the right name.
"Awawawawawa!"
Opera O was shocked and let out a series of high-pitched, surprised cries. She thought the name was perfect, as if it were custom-made for Senior Oguri Cap.
"Universe-san, incredible! Absolutely incredible!"
Opera O immediately stood up and clapped joyfully. She was extremely satisfied with the name "Cinderella Gray."
With a name like that, she had to make an opera at least 5 hours— no, 10 hours— long.
She would call upon Doto, Narita Top Road, and Admire Vega to give the best performance for Oguri Cap senpai.
Opera O was ready to drop a 10-hour opera. If Oguri Cap actually agreed to watch it, she'd be stunlocked for the rest of the day.
Meanwhile, Oguri Cap saw everything Koichi Oguri had done for her.
She etched Koichi Oguri's name into her heart:
"It seems I am lucky. Whether in the real horse world or the Tracen world, everyone has sacrificed so much to bring me to Central."
"It's just a pity that, for now, I have no way to repay them."
As Oguri Cap spoke, for some reason, the corners of her eyes began to sting.
Seeing everything Koichi Oguri had done and remembering everything Kitahara had done for her... without a doubt, these two were the most important benefactors of her life.
Even a thousand words of gratitude would not be enough.
Oguri Cap placed her hand over her heart. Keeping Koichi Oguri and Kitahara in that sacred space, she whispered:
"Don't worry. Because my heart is a bit stronger than the average person's, I will remember the kindness of you both even more deeply."
Oguri Cap then looked up. She was indeed an Uma Musume from the local circuits, she knew better than anyone the insurmountable gap that existed between the JRA and NRA.
She was a genius in the NRA, but in the world of the JRA, facing so many peerless talents, she might truly find it difficult to take another step forward.
But that didn't matter. Carrying the dreams of those two men, she would never take a step back, regardless of the stage.
Yes, a G3 victory was not enough. There was the G2, the G1, and even consecutive G1 titles— leading all the way to the world stage!
At this thought, Oguri Cap grew excited. Once again, her body trembled with anticipation, and her eyes became sharp and piercing.
At that moment, Symboli Rudolf, who had been resting with her eyes closed, frowned.
She opened her sharp eyes and looked toward Oguri Cap. After a moment of shock, she confirmed one thing.
She understood. It wasn't an illusion. Around Oguri Cap, a terrifying, destructive aura was surging upward. The sharpness in her gaze, her trembling frame, her pounding heart— all of it expressed that she had crossed into a new realm...
"From now on, the rumor that gray horses can't run fast will never be heard again... Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Inari One, Super Creek— just what kind of heights have you all reached?"
At this moment, Rudolf began to watch with absolute seriousness.
Meanwhile, everyone else was equally astonished by Tamamo Cross's transformation.
"Tamamo, what happened to you? It's like you suddenly became a different person. You started off unable to win even conditional races, struggled on the dirt, and were almost sent to steeplechase, then suddenly you start crushing everyone!"
Gold City was the one speaking. She was actually a contemporary of Tamamo Cross, but City's difficult temperament had made his career quite a struggle.
In his life, he never beat Sakura Star O, nor did he beat Tamamo Cross. He was a perpetual runner-up.
He did win a G1 title— the Hanshin 3-Year-Old Stakes— but his form faltered later.
He really did go to jump racing, but the real horse was very aloof, during jump training, he wouldn't act with the other horses, standing out immensely.
Cygames Games' setting of her as a famous model who doesn't quite look like a typical Tracen student took this into consideration.
Gold Ship added, "Impressive indeed. Tama, our gray horse community needs talents like you."
Just a Way nodded: "Little Tama is so amazing, I love it! Same goes for Oguri Cap."
Tamamo Cross, losing herself in the praise, began to feel lightheaded with pride.
"Hahaha! How about it? Seen the power of the White Lightning now? Without a bit of skill, how could I be called the White Lightning?"
Tama was now full of motivation, almost wanting to do a victory pose.
However, Tamamo Cross knew it wasn't enough. Her victories were only at the conditional level. She still had to win the upcoming races.
But Tama was happy because she knew she would achieve consecutive victories in the Spring and Autumn Tenno Sho— the first in history to do so.
Standing with her hands on her hips, she really wanted to tell her ranch owner in the real horse world: If you need any help, just say the word. I, Tamamo Cross, will do everything I can. We'll work together and definitely pay off those debts!
Who would have thought she'd be so incredible?
Tamamo Cross was also very grateful to Trainer Obara. But she felt fine— she could participate in more races!
Please, schedule her for more! She had money to earn!
Oguri Cap said, "Tama, to run that fast while eating so little... as expected of you."
Tamamo Cross put her hands on her hips and said in her cute Kansai accent: "That doesn't sound like a compliment, but thanks anyways, Oguri."
Actually, everyone was quite happy seeing this. However, when they saw the content regarding Sakura Star O that followed, their expressions turned to disbelief.
Gold City was stunned. "Sakura Star O... what happened to her?"
Gold City often sought out Sakura Star O for photo shoots or advice. She had to admit that whether it was in photos or while running, Sakura Star O was incredibly dashing.
She even felt a bit envious because no matter how hard she ran, she was always just a little bit behind her.
To an extent, Sakura Star O was her goal, her friend, and her rival.
But such a dashing Star O suffered so much pain later, eventually dying.
'From 450kg in 1987 to only 250kg... and then the dislocated fractures.'
Gold City felt her heart skip a beat. Such a thing must never happen.
Gold City immediately said, "Sakura Star O, did you see that? You can't run so frequently anymore. You must rest first and then have a full examination."
Sakura Star O's tone remained leisurely: "Gold City, it's fine. The G1 races I participate in are my life's pursuit. For that, I can accept some sacrifices."
Gold City was fuming. She immediately said to Gold Ship, "Gold Ship, this guy has lost her mind. She's not in her right state of mind and can't be allowed to run. Help me tie her up right now."
Sakura Star O panicked. "Whoa, whoa! I was joking! I was afraid you guys would be sad, so I was trying to lighten the mood! I won't do it! I won't!"
However, Gold Ship had already tied Sakura Star O up in a complex knot. This was her specialty.
After finishing, Gold Ship gave a thumbs up.
"The people of the Sakura family really are all idiots."
Yaeno Muteki rubbed her head, feeling exhausted.
"It seems so... Wait, not at all!"
Sakura Chiyono O suddenly realized something was wrong. Wasn't that an insult directed at her too?
Sakura Star O, now tied up, shouted: "Who called me an idiot just now? You've got guts! Let's settle this on the track!"
Gold City said mercilessly, "Still want to run? Gold Ship, gag her too."
The crowd was speechless.
Twin Turbo trembled, thinking that the angry Gold City was terrifying. Even gagging Sakura Star O...
'That's brutal.'
But Gold City felt it wasn't enough. She knew Sakura Star O too well, she was a massive idiot. If she didn't give her a real lesson, she wouldn't stay still.
Racehorses of the Sakura family were all the same when it came to being stubborn idiots.
Mejiro Durren said, "Oh? My 'younger brother' McQueen? This is the real horse world, right? In our world, it should be my 'younger sister' McQueen."
"It doesn't matter. My foolish little sister, carrying my fury toward you, I will continue to grow stronger and surpass you."
"There's no point in staying for this lesson. I'm going to train."
"See ya!"
Good grief, Mejiro Durren was quite the drama queen herself.
Her class-skipping would later be discovered, and Tracen's Sweeping Gang would gain a new member.
At this time, everyone continued reading.
[Returning to the G2 Naruo Kinen on December 6, 1987. Sakura Star O did not participate in this race, but the 1st and 2nd favorites were very famous horses of the time.]
[The 1st favorite was Gold City, who had taken 2nd place in both the Satsuki-sho and the Kikuka-sho in 1987.]
[The 2nd favorite was the 1986 Kikuka-sho winner, Mejiro Durren.]
[The 3rd favorite was Tamamo Cross. He had performed excellently in conditional races, but facing Gold City, who was active on the Classic line— especially a Gold City who finished only half a length behind the strongest horse of 1987, Sakura Star O, in the Kikuka-sho— it was obvious the latter was more favored.]
[However, once this G2 Naruo Kinen began, everyone's perceptions were completely overturned.]
[When the gates opened, all the horses scrambled to rush out.]
[But this time, Tamamo Cross, ridden again by Jockey Minai, had a slow start and was forced to stay at the very back, adopting a End Closer strategy.]
[As he passed the final turn, he was only in 9th place out of 13 horses. Just as people thought Tamamo Cross might not make it, a shocking scene occurred.]
[In the final 300-meter straight of the G2 Naruo Kinen, Tamamo Cross found a gap among the five horses blocking the way ahead.]
[He accelerated from the innermost rail like a bolt of lightning, surging to the front in an instant. By the time people realized what was happening, he had already won by 6 lengths over the second-place horse, Meisho Eikan.]
[Gold City, on the other hand, finished only sixth, suffering a crushing defeat.]
[The spectators and commentators went wild. The incredible late-kcik shown by Tamamo Cross conquered everyone. He proved that his conditional race records were no fluke.]
[7 lengths, 8 lengths, 6 lengths... and even more terrifyingly, Tamamo Cross's camp judged that he would only get stronger. No one knew where his limit was.]
[In this race, Tamamo Cross both broke records and won everyone's hearts.]
[However, Gold City's defeat was unexpected. Someone later analyzed the reason: after Sakura Star O fell in 1987, Gold City entered the Senior circuit in 1988.]
[As his old rival was no longer competing due to injury, he entered a slump, completely losing his will to fight and falling into a depression.]
[Thus, some judged that if Sakura Star O had still been there, Gold City might have achieved much better results.]
[What a touching bond.]
[Oh right, almost forgot Mejiro Durren— his performance was even worse, finishing tenth.]
Back in Tracen Academy:
"Oh? City, I didn't realize that without me, you'd lose the motivation to run. Don't worry, this time I'll definitely stay by your side."
Sakura Star O spoke with deep emotion.
"Hey, don't say things like that!"
Gold City's face turned bright red. Seeing the touched expressions of the surrounding Uma Musume, she was too embarrassed to speak.
'Trainer Mizuki, what on earth are you writing?'
She did care about her friends' situations, but having it written out like that felt so awkward.
"City, you really love your friends. It's so good to be your roommate. I'll never blame you for leaving me alone in the room again."
Tosen Jordan said while sobbing.
"Leaving you alone... why does this sound weirder and weirder..."
Gold City handed Tosen Jordan a tissue. She was indeed gentle.
'Does Jordan mean she's lonely when I'm not around?'
She decided she should probably return to the dorms earlier from now on.
"Yeah, City is so nice. Is this what a true bond between rivals is?"
Everyone was buzzing with discussion.
Gold City was exhausted. What was she supposed to do? Whether she spoke or stayed silent, it felt like she was just making things worse. She chose silence.
Tamamo Cross was delighted. She won a G2!
'Ehehe! That's what you call skill!'
The group continued reading.
[After this G2 Naruo Kinen, many looked forward to Tamamo Cross participating in the year-end Arima Kinen. Nikkan Sports reporter Ryuhei Kajiyama even went directly to Trainer Obara to request Tamamo Cross's entry.]
[They desperately wanted to see a showdown between the strongest horse of 1987, Sakura Star O, and Tamamo Cross.]
[However, seeing Tamamo Cross's lack of appetite and somewhat thin physique, Trainer Obara once again resolutely chose to skip the race, selecting the G3 Nippon Sho Kimpai on January 6, 1988, as his next race instead.]
[Tamamo Cross's progress was, one might say, one steady step at a time.]
[On January 6, 1988, in the first G3 of the year, the Nippon Sho Kimpai, Tamamo Cross— the 1st favorite at 2.2 odds— replicated his tactic from the 1987 G2 Naruo Kinen.]
[He stayed at the back at the start, used a gap between five horses during the final sprint to accelerate from the inner rail, and won by 3 lengths.]
[The audience was shocked by his "threading the needle" running style. Jockey Minai commented: "Unbelievable. At the fourth turn, I thought we were done for."]
[At this time, newspaper editor Akito Tsujitani used the "White Lightning" title of C.B. Cross to praise Tamamo Cross as "Lightning 2."]
[Tamamo Cross's next race was the G2 Hanshin Daishoten on March 13, 1988. He was again the 1st favorite at 1.7 odds, with Mejiro Durren as the 2nd favorite.]
[Once the race began, led by Meisho Eikan and Dyna Carpenter, the pace of the entire pack was quite slow.]
[Tamamo Cross, unable to hold back, stayed in 3rd place toward the front of the 7-horse pack. Entering the final straight, he began to run neck-and-neck with the second-place Dyna Carpenter.]
[Then, a scene that shocked everyone occurred.]
[Tamamo Cross and Dyna Carpenter crossed the line at the exact same time. After a long photo finish review, they achieved an extremely rare "Dead Heat" for first place.]
[You must know that in the JRA, judging a tie for first is extremely strict, but such a coincidence actually happened.]
[By March 13, 1988, Tamamo Cross had already achieved impressive results. Meanwhile, on March 1, 1988, Oguri Cap had just established himself in Central. What kind of future would they have, and where would they meet?]
[Also, at this point, what kind of results had Inari One and Super Creek achieved?]
[First, let's talk about Super Creek.]
[As described before, in 1986, Super Creek was bought by Makoto Kura for the low price of 8.1 million yen— just 100,000 yen over the auction's starting bid— and then raised.]
[In 1987, Super Creek reached his 3-year-old year, and his racing career officially began.]
[Super Creek first entered Hakodate Racecourse, scheduled to debut that summer. However, he soon suffered from severe diarrhea, forcing his debut to be delayed until December 5.]
[He participated in a 3-year-old Debut race at Hanshin, ridden by Seiki Tabara.]
[In this debut, Super Creek took 2nd. He then participated in another 3-year-old race on the 26th and successfully snatched the championship.]
[Currently, we can see that whether it was Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, or Super Creek, they all lost their very first race.]
[I guess the first step is always the hardest.]
[After Super Creek's debut, Jockey Seiki Tabara commented: "This horse might achieve great things in the future."]
[In 1988, Super Creek continued his campaign. On January 5, in the Fukujuso Tokubetsu, he was the 1st favorite but only finished 4th, losing to a horse named 'Meiner Frische'.]
[On February 14, 1988, in the G3 Kisaragi Sho, he switched to Jockey Katsumi Minai but only finished 3rd, losing again to Meiner Frische.]
[On March 19, 1988, Super Creek participated in the OP race, the Sumire Sho. At this moment, a fated encounter was born.]
[His jockey was changed to a rookie who would go on to break JRA records repeatedly in the future, the genius Yutaka Take.]
[After switching to Yutaka Take on March 19, 1988, Super Creek walked hand-in-hand with him from that race all the way to his retirement. They partnered together consistently until his final battle.]
[Under Yutaka Take, Super Creek finally secured his first victory since his debut, marking his first championship in an OP-level race.]
[Next, Super Creek planned to participate in the Tokyo Derby. But at that moment, an accident occurred. While preparing for the G2 Aoba Sho prep race, Super Creek suffered a fracture in his left leg.]
[Consequently, he missed the Derby and had to enter a long period of recovery.]
[So, any player who has trained Super Creek in the URA scenario of "Uma Musume: Pretty Derby" knows that during the turn for the Tokyo Derby, her mood becomes very poor. Simultaneously, she gains a debuff, "Under the Weather."]
[All of Super Creek's training failure rates increase by +5%.]
[Super Creek's debuff lasts until after the Derby. Upon winning the Kikuka-sho, she gains a buff, "Shining Brightly."]
[When I first trained Super Creek back then, I thought I had messed up a step somewhere. I was totally floored.]
[Speaking of which, it reminds me of when I first started the game as a newbie. In the URA scenario, I couldn't even reach an A rank evaluation. Especially when I was stuck at B+, my heart hurt so much I couldn't breathe.]
[I'd just scream: Damn you, Devs!]
[That was until my roommate told me there was a 3-star exchange ticket and told me to pick Oguri Cap.]
[After getting Oguri Cap, I realized the game had changed. She can run on any track, sprint at any distance. Getting an A-rank became easy, and I never had to waste another alarm clock.]
[For a newbie who hasn't spent money yet, if you don't pick Oguri Cap, how are you supposed to survive?]
[But in all fairness, Super Creek is still very strong. Her Support Card is even better, being the "God among Gods" of Stamina cards. Anyone else might joke with you, but Swinging Maestro does not play around. It's truly powerful.]
[But then again, the alarm clocks many people saved in the early game thanks to Oguri Cap... they couldn't keep them in the end anyway. They were all taken by Treve.]
[Treve says: "Trainer-san, you're here to give me more alarm clocks again?"]
Back in Tracen Academy:
"Everyone's timelines seem to be intersecting now, all around March 1988. It looks like many exciting stories will happen in 1988. I can't wait!" Twin Turbo exclaimed.
"Ni-shi-shi! What was Teio-sama doing back then? The 1993 Arima Kinen— I was the champion there! That's only five years later." Tokai Teio stood with her hands on her hips, curious about what she was doing at that time.
Was she in kindergarten? Even in kindergarten, she must have been the fastest runner.
However, Teio didn't know yet that at that time, she hadn't even been born. The Teio Step had yet to grace the world.
"And Nature, in 1993, you were third," Tokai Teio said, turning to Nice Nature.
"I remember!" Nice Nature replied.
She didn't even have the energy to complain, it was hard to forget when she finished third in almost every Arima Kinen she ran.
"Hehe, 1991 was me, Dai Yusaku! By the way, will I get to race against Oguri Cap?" Dai Yusaku was delighted.
Even though she only had that one famous victory, a win was a win, and she won against Mejiro McQueen!
Mayano Top Gun: "It feels like it's not just the timelines of Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Tamamo Cross connecting, everyone's time seems to be linking up. 1994 belongs to Narita Brian's era, and around 1995, it's me."
Zenno Rob Roy nodded: "I suddenly have the feeling of the entire JRA historical scroll unfolding before my eyes. Fragmented stories, once pieced together, form a complete history. Everyone Trainer Mizuki mentioned appears on their respective parts of the canvas."
Daiwa Scarlet spoke from the heart: "Yes, thinking of it that way is quite overwhelming. Generation after generation, everyone passes the torch and keeps running, decades passing like a single day."
Orfevre: "Oh? So after reading all this, can you actually remember it all?"
Hishi Amazon nodded: "I can't remember everything, but I can remember quite a bit. I can recall things with just a little prompt. You can't?"
Orfevre: "Hmph. I don't care about such things."
Orfevre spoke tough, but she was sweating internally.
She really couldn't remember clearly, only a few powerful horses like Frankel, Sea the Stars, Treve, and Solemia caught her eye.
Oh, and Kenichi Ikezoe. She remembered him very well.
Tamamo Cross said: "C.B. Cross! I remember her! My family was very poor, and she often brought food for my younger siblings!"
Oguri Cap: "Now, Tama, you've become someone just as strong as her."
However, Oguri Cap found one thing very strange. She knew the real horse world's game adaptation was faster, but what did "3-star exchange ticket" mean?
And was their game over there actually called Uma Musume! Pretty Derby?
She rubbed her head, a bit confused.
'How did they come up with that name?'
And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't understand why Trainer Mizuki always cursed at the devs.
Narita Taishin said: "Looking at it this way, Oguri Cap must be a 'God-tier' character for Free-to-Play players in the real-world game. She's a very useful choice for beginners. By choosing you, they can clear the URA scenario Trainer Mizuki mentioned with a higher rank."
Winning Ticket was excited: "Is there a character for me in the exchange? I must be a super strong character too, right? One that helps beginners overcome difficulties?"
Narita Taishin said helplessly: "How should I know? I haven't played that 'Pretty Derby game. Actually, I think that name sounds a bit cheesy."
Winning Ticket pouted: "I don't care, Taishin! If you ever get to play, you have to choose me for your team! Because I'm a Derby horse! I'd choose you guys too."
Narita Taishin smirked: "That depends on how strong your stats are."
Of course, Taishin was just teasing, if she actually had the game, she'd definitely pick Winning Ticket.
After all, they were BNW.
Rice Shower said shyly: "I wonder if I'm easy to train?"
Mayano Top Gun: "Maya must be super easy to train! Because I'm happy every day and don't have many debuffs. Hehe!"
Tokai Teio posed: "Me too! Me too!"
Good grief... these three are, in a sense, the bosses of the URA scenario. Anyone who has spent time in the prison that is Umamusume: Pretty Derby knows how infamously hard they are to train.
Wonder Acute didn't know much about games, so she asked curiously: "What does free-to-play mean?"
Narita Taishin explained: "Oh, it means people who don't spend money on games. Those who do are called 'Whales'."
Wonder Acute: "I see. How can you tell the difference? Which one is better? I want to try some games young people play."
Narita Taishin explained patiently: "It's easy to tell. Usually, when a game updates— especially when a new powerful character comes out and the meta changes— the ones who look smug, unbothered, and just enjoy themselves are the free-to-play players."
"The ones who start sweating and get red-faced are the real spenders."
"I'm a spender. Sometimes I can't beat a level, so I have no choice but to pay. Then, a few days after I pay, the version updates and I have to pay again to stay strong. That's when I get red-faced."
Taishin actually had a history of whale-ing in games.
Kitasan Black said with a smile: "I don't play games much, but sometimes I enter lotteries. If I don't win, I feel frustrated and keep going... before I know it, all my money is gone. I always regret it afterward."
Actually, Kitasan Black wasn't the only one with this habit, King Halo was the same. While King Halo didn't do lotteries, she loved raffles.
Once she got hooked, she wouldn't stop until every penny in her wallet was gone.
Equinox, having both a gambling father and a gambling grandfather, might also be a natural at gacha, even if her addiction wasn't that strong yet.
However, Equinox also saw Super Creek mentioned as a Support Card. She wondered if she would also be put into the URA scenario by players?
'Would I be made into a Support Card'
She didn't quite understand what a Support Card was yet, but she hoped hers would be powerful.
At this time, Super Creek felt a bit embarrassed after seeing the content about herself. Seeing her "diarrhea" written out like that was a bit unladylike.
Her face turned bright red. She had taken care of children since she was young and always maintained a gentle image, she didn't want the little ones to dislike her!
In reality, the little Uma Musume at Super Creek's daycare didn't care about her getting sick, instead, they were very worried.
Love is mutual, and the meticulous gentleness she gave them was something even their own parents couldn't always match.
Many of them had never been gently patted on the head or patiently encouraged by their parents.
Seeing Super Creek's embarrassment, everyone crowded around to ask if she was okay. Feeling their warmth, she finally sighed in relief, she wasn't hated!
She was happy and decided to cook even more delicious food for everyone.
Super Creek also saw Yutaka Take mentioned. 'So that's how they met! My first OP race victory was on March 19, 1988, and he was there...'
However, she couldn't help but laugh at her "Debuffs" and "Buffs."
She thought to herself that if she were to design her own character, it should be a limited-edition one that players could get for free, and ideally very strong.
It was a pity she couldn't talk to Trainer Mizuki about the log.
As for the "Alarm Clocks" mentioned in the diary, they couldn't understand it at all. They just assumed that they were just game items and stopped thinking.
At this point, everyone continued reading, especially Inari One. She desperately wanted to know what she was doing in March 1988.
Mizuki's log continued:
[Next, let's talk about Inari One, the last of the "Three Heisei Giants." Just as Tamamo Cross was hailed as the "Secret Weapon of Kansai," Inari One could be called the "Secret Weapon of Ohi."]
[He was registered as a local horse in January 1987.]
[Afterward, Inari One won race after race in the local circuits. Although he skipped the first two legs of the Southern Kanto Triple Crown, he won the final leg, the Tokyo Okan Sho, in the autumn, securing his first major victory.]
[By the end of the year, he took the newly established Tokyowan Cup, amassing an eight-race winning streak.]
[Inari One was like the T.M. Opera O of the NRA. To go undefeated for a whole year in such races is truly not easy.]
[However, Inari One didn't head straight to the JRA Central circuit, he continued to compete in the NRA.]
[In March 1988, he participated in Ohi's Kim Pai. This was his first time facing a heavy track, and he was the undisputed 1st favorite.]
[But he was a disappointment. Whether it was the track conditions or poor form after the new year, Inari One was at a disadvantage from the start and ended up losing in 3rd place, tasting defeat for the first time.]
[In his next race, the Teio Sho in April 1988, rain again turned the track heavy, and Inari One lost again, finishing 7th.]
[In the Kanto Hai in August 1988, the track was still heavy, and he lost again, finishing 5th.]
[In November 1988, he narrowly lost the Tokyo Kinen, finishing 3rd.]
[At the end of November 1988, Inari One was selected as an invited horse for the All Japan Thoroughbred Cup, his first expedition to Kasamatsu Racecourse, where he finished 2nd.]
[Inari One experienced massive ups and downs. He started with an 8-race win streak, followed by 5 consecutive losses in 1988.]
[However, despite the numerous failures, his rankings were steadily climbing.]
[Seeing his progress, Inari One's camp made a pivotal decision: They would enter him into the year-end Tokyo Daishoten.]
[Furthermore, his team announced before the race: If Inari One won this Tokyo Daishoten, they would cancel his local registration and head to JRA Central. If he lost, he would continue racing at Ohi.]
[Inari One stood at the crossroads of fate, just like Tamamo Cross had in 1987 when one race decided his life or death.]
[The same losing streaks, the same unprecedented new challenges.]
[The difference was: If Tamamo Cross won, he stayed on turf, if he lost, she went to steeplechase. If Inari One won, he went to Central, if he lost, he stayed in Ohi.]
[With such similar experiences, it's no wonder people group Inari One and Tamamo Cross together. It's not just because they come from Kanto and Kansai, but because their fates are so strikingly similar.]
[Soon, the end of November 1988 arrived. Inari One stood at the intersection of destiny. As if by divine arrangement, after a year of losing, he won his first and only major race of the year at the Tokyo Daishoten.]
[Finally, with a record of 9 wins in 14 starts, Inari One moved to a higher stage— JRA Central Racing.]
[On January 10, 1989, Inari One cancelled his local registration and transferred to the Miho Training Center.]
[With Inari One's transfer to Central, a historic moment finally arrived: the "Three Giants of Heisei" were all assembled.]
[So, in the luxurious lineup of Tamamo Cross and the Three Giants: Tamamo Cross made his name first, then Oguri Cap stepped in on March 1, 1988, Super Creek teamed up with Yutaka Take to take his first graded stakes, and Inari One was the last, with his Central honors beginning in 1989.]