France, a training base near the Longchamp Racecourse.
The curtains in the video analysis room were half-drawn, leaving the room in dim light.
Only the glow from the large screen reflected off the face of Sagamix— an Uma Musume with long, gray hair and eyes as focused as a researcher's.
She was repeatedly watching the race footage of Myriad Dreams's American Dirt Triple Crown, her fingertips rapidly recording key data on a tablet.
The door pushed open, and Monjeu walked in, her presence carrying a natural air of authority.
"Still studying that Japanese rising star?" she asked, her voice sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
Sagamix didn't look away, only nodding slightly with professional caution.
"I have to take her seriously, Montjeu. A Japanese Uma Musume sweeping the American Dirt Triple Crown is unprecedented. Moreover, the one who achieved this is a rookie who debuted less than a year ago."
She switched the screen to Myriad Dreams's final sprint at the Belmont Stakes, pointing at a racing line precise to the centimeter.
"Look at her race tempo, her positioning, her timing for the sprint... every step looks like it's been optimized by a supercomputer."
"It's terrifyingly stable. You can barely find a technical flaw. These simply don't look like the race stats of a novice."
She pulled up several post-race feedback records from opponents, her expression turning even more solemn.
"The most troublesome part is her Zone. Every opponent who faced her head-on in the final straight reported similar sensory interference— visual distortions, or even seeing curves that didn't exist."
"Although individual descriptions vary, the core remains consistent: her Zone ability is to create hallucinations."
Sagamix finally turned to Montjeu, her eyes filled with unprecedented vigilance.
"An illusion-type Zone... this is rare and extremely difficult to guard against in all known Zone classifications."
"It doesn't directly buff her own stats, instead, it sabotages the opponent's decision-making. In a competition at the level of the Arc de Triomphe, even a split-second misjudgment is enough to throw away the race."
She concluded in a low voice:
"This is a very dangerous opponent. Behind her perfect tactical execution lies a trump card that disturbs the mind. I must analyze her Zone mechanics as much as possible and find a countermeasure before she steps onto the Longchamp track."
Montjeu walked to the screen and stared at the frozen image of Myriad Dreams. Her usual pride softened slightly, replaced by the respect due to a strong rival.
She patted Sagamix on the shoulder, her tone firm:
"She is indeed a challenger that cannot be underestimated... however, I always believe in your analytical skills, Sagamix."
Montjeu's lips curled into a smile—the battle-hungry smile of a champion.
"Uncovering the mystery of this 'Illusionist' on our home turf and defeating her is the best way to showcase the glory of France. Go ahead and study her, Sagamix."
"I will cooperate fully so that you can prepare a welcome she'll never forget at the Arc de Triomphe."
The two top French Uma Musume turned their gazes back to the screen, the air thick with the tension of an approaching storm.
The name Myriad Dreams had already been marked as the highest threat in their hearts.
...
On the other side, at Japan's Tracen Academy:
"A-choo!!"
Myriad Dreams suddenly sneezed. She rubbed her nose, looking quite puzzled.
"Who's talking about me?"
However, being the lighthearted person she was, Myriad Dreams soon turned back to her research on her Zone.
After all, nothing was more urgent than this right now.