For a period after that, Gold Legend continuously tried to master this peculiar state, and she did not disappoint her talent, quickly becoming proficient in this ability.
"However, I don't recommend using this ability as a regular skill. It's like trading stamina for speed and strength. It's good as a trump card, but giving up your biggest advantage is not advisable."
The Trainer advised Gold Legend after learning about this skill.
"Mm, I know, it's just..."
Gold Legend, of course, knew the side effects of this skill. The first time she used it, just a few seconds made her pant, showing how terrifying the side effect was. One must know that she didn't even pant after running 2400 meters in a training race. If it were other Uma Musume, something serious might have happened.
"I feel like this isn't the true form of this skill."
After several days of practice, Gold Legend could now activate this skill at will, and the duration had also increased significantly. Because of this, she also felt the strangeness of this skill.
"It feels like stepping on the gas with insufficient fuel, which is very uncomfortable."
Similar to incomplete combustion, it was used but not fully, and the awkward, neither-here-nor-there feeling made Gold Legend even more irritable. Her rough attitude during daily training even made Gold Ship a little apprehensive.
"You can't go on like this. Should I give you some time off to rest properly?"
The Trainer, feeling the strange atmosphere within the team, approached Gold Legend.
"Look, agonizing over this isn't helping, and even you can't handle this skill. Just relax and adjust your state these next two days."
...What's the date today?"
"Ah? Let me see, the 11th."
"I understand, I'll rest well." Gold Legend remembered her promise with Oguri Cap and agreed to the Trainer's request.
"By the way, Trainer, are you free the day after tomorrow?"
"The day after tomorrow? It's my day off, no plans. Why?"
"Come watch the race with me! You have no right to refuse!"
Gold Legend simply booked the Trainer's day off and left, leaving the Trainer dumbfounded at his lost day of rest.
...The day after tomorrow, oh, Yasuda Kinen?"
The Trainer seemed to have remembered something... The next day, Gold Legend took advantage of her long-awaited day off to wander around all day. Although in her previous life as a shut-in, she disliked going out, since she had transmigrated, she decided to visit Tokyo with the mindset of'since I'm already here, it'd be a waste not to go.' She then went to Akihabara, Tokyo Tower, and Tokyo Skytree, all the famous Tokyo landmarks, and toured them. Although she spent a lot of money (mostly on transportation), she finally managed to calm her mind.
Then came the 13th, at Tokyo Racecourse, turf, 1600m, Yasuda Kinen.
Arriving outside the racecourse with her Trainer, Gold Legend curiously looked around.
"Why do you look like you've never seen the world before?" the experienced Trainer asked with a helpless expression.
"By universal rationality, this is indeed my first time here." Gold Legend didn't hide her curiosity, even in her current situation, still acting like a proper Country Bumpkin.
...Forget it, just wander around here. I'll go buy tickets." The Trainer chose to let her be, and went to buy tickets on his own. He trusted Gold Legend, in every sense of the word.
"Osu!" Gold Legend replied and headed towards the snack stalls.
A while later, the Trainer returned and saw Gold Legend with both hands full of snacks.
...Are you relaxing too much?"
"It's fine, this won't affect my figure, at least not mine." Gold Legend, with her cheeks puffed out from eating, articulated her words surprisingly clearly.
"McQueen would cry... Never mind, let's go, it's time to enter." The Trainer waved, leading Gold Legend into the racecourse.
He now understood how to deal with Gold Legend; just don't pay too much attention to her. At least she was obedient in training, wasn't she? Then there was nothing to complain about.
"Now, we're just in time for the parade." The Trainer led Gold Legend to the parade stage.
The parade stage is where participating Uma Musume are introduced. The commentator introduces the contestants for the current race to the audience, including their names, popularity, race numbers, and positions, mainly to help fans recognize the Uma Musume and leave a deeper impression.
"First in popularity is undoubtedly Oguri Cap, right?" Gold Legend said with a calm tone, but judging by her ears and tail, she was very excited.
"Next up is this one!" The commentator's voice also rang out appropriately. "Number nine, Oguri Cap, unmatched in popularity!"
Oguri Cap walked onto the stage following the introduction, earning cheers from the entire audience.
"She's truly handsome." Gold Legend looked at Oguri Cap in her winning uniform and couldn't help but comment.
"You actually praise others, that's rare, but Oguri Cap is indeed very cool, worthy of being a national idol!" The Trainer was also a bit excited due to the atmosphere.
"National Idol?"
"Don't you know? Oguri Cap received many votes in the last popularity poll. If she wins this race, she will become the most popular Uma Musume in Japan." The Trainer excitedly explained.
"That's really impressive." Gold Legend, who didn't understand these things, praised without much sincerity. She was just there to see Oguri Cap.
"You really are..." The Trainer shook his head, then seemed to sense something. "Hmm, I smell a potential stock! Legend, this is your ticket, I'll go ahead."
The Trainer handed the ticket to Gold Legend and then hurried away like an Ark Royal.
...
Looking at the ticket in her hand, then at the vanished Trainer, Gold Legend sighed, then thought of something.
"Speaking of which, in the anime, you can go backstage to see the contestants, right?"
Thinking of it, Gold Legend followed the signs... "While it's technically possible, it's restricted to participating contestants, their Trainers, and their teams. Anyone else who messes around will be detained for harassing the contestants."
She successfully met Oguri Cap, and was then informed of the above rules by Oguri Cap's teammate.
"Uh..."
"It's okay, Belno, Legend didn't mean to." Oguri Cap stepped forward to help Legend out of the predicament.
"Let me introduce you, this is Belno Light, my good friend and supporter. Belno, this is Gold Legend, a good friend I met at Tracen." Oguri Cap introduced them.
"Are you that very special Uma Musume?" Belno Light asked with some curiosity.
"If you don't know any other Uma Musume from the Gold Family." Gold Legend said jokingly.
"You're quite interesting. Well, that's that. Oguri, you too, take care of your body. The Trainer said your condition hasn't fully recovered."
"Mm, I know."
Belno Light rambled a few more instructions, then left the preparation room.
"So, Legend, what did you want to see me about?" Oguri Cap asked.
"Can't I come see you for no reason? Alright, I just came to see you." Gold Legend was also a bit embarrassed. Casually barging backstage just to see a contestant for no reason was indeed a bit strange.
"No, thank you, I'm very happy." Oguri Cap rarely showed such a gentle smile.
...As long as you don't mind." Gold Legend, captivated, blushed slightly.
"Alright, I won't bother you anymore, I should go too. Good luck with the race!" To cover her shyness and awkwardness, Gold Legend hastily gave a thumbs-up and prepared to leave.
"What's this gesture?" Oguri Cap asked, curious about Gold Legend's action.
"Oh, this? I learned it from a show back home. It's a gesture given to someone who can satisfy and accomplish anything. Aren't you running to respond to everyone's support? Go for it, I believe you can do it."
Gold Legend smiled, gave another Kuuga-style thumbs-up, and then hurried away.
...Mm, I will definitely be able to do it."
Oguri Cap looked at Gold Legend's retreating back and smiled gently again... The race had no twists and turns. Bamboo Memory, mentioned as an opponent, didn't cause any trouble for Oguri Cap. Oguri Cap successfully ascended to the top of Japan's Uma Musume popularity, becoming a true national idol.
After the race, Gold Legend didn't go to see Oguri Cap again. She sat in the spectator stands, recalling Oguri Cap's run.
"What a beautiful run." She genuinely praised. Then she remembered the anomaly that appeared on Oguri Cap during the final sprint.
"Was it a hallucination? If not, then what was it?" She thought quietly.
"Oh, Legend, I'm back." The Trainer's voice brought Gold Legend back to reality.
Gold Legend turned to look, and the Trainer, with a shoe print on his face and two streams of nosebleed, greeted her.
"Did you go perving again and get kicked by an Uma Musume?" Gold Legend put on a deadpan expression.
"A Trainer's business, how can it be called perving?" The Trainer waved his hand and asked again, "The race is over, what do you say? Want to see the Winner's Stage?"
Although Oguri Cap's dance was very appealing, however... "Maybe next time. This race has been very fruitful for me, I need to go back and organize my thoughts."
Gold Legend reluctantly refused the suggestion.
"You gained something? That's good, not a wasted trip." The Trainer didn't ask further.
Just as the two were about to leave, two security guards stopped them.
"Excuse me, miss, we just saw you trespassing backstage on surveillance. For safety reasons, please come with us."
"You actually did something like that?" The Trainer looked at Gold Legend in shock.
"And you, sir, we just received a report that you harassed an Uma Musume and startled her. Please come with us as well."
...
The Trainer gave a confident smile.
"Can I request a defense?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Then the Trainer and Gold Legend were detained together.
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