Kitasan Black led the newly met Almond Eye toward the training track, her heart beating with quiet excitement. She placed a hand gently over her chest, drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves, and turned around with a warm, radiant smile.
"Almond Eye, do you know how to warm up properly?"
Almond Eye…?
The young Uma Musume, who had been quietly observing her senior, blinked in mild surprise at the friendly address.
"…Yes. The seniors back home taught me."
As expected, Almond Eye also came from quite the distinguished family. Kitasan Black gave a knowing nod to herself.
Back in the classroom corridor earlier, she had only asked Almond Eye a few questions about running and had not inquired about her background. Even so, she had vaguely sensed that the younger girl's refined demeanor carried similarities to the Satono sisters, hinting at an excellent upbringing.
Now that her suspicions were confirmed, Kitasan Black recalled the usual teachings of Trainer Yasui Makoto, along with the distinct training styles she had observed from Satono Crown and Duramente. She pointed toward the wide track ahead with confidence.
"Then let's begin with a proper warm-up. I'll get a few things organized over here."
"Okay."
Without any hesitation, Almond Eye nodded and began stretching right there on the spot while keeping a watchful eye on her senior. Once she felt sufficiently loosened up, she adjusted her breathing and broke into a light jog toward the track.
Even after reaching the oval, her gaze remained fixed on Kitasan Black.
From a young age, she had been taught to uphold her family's honor primarily through short-distance races. The training and guidance she received had always focused on distances between 1000 and 1800 meters. At first, she hadn't fully understood what the Twinkle Series was all about and had simply followed her family's arrangements.
But as she grew older and watched more long-distance races and thrilling contests unfold on the track, an irrepressible longing had begun to bloom deep within her heart.
She wanted to break free from her family's expectations and limitations. She dreamed of showcasing her true potential on bigger stages and over longer distances.
She had tried to express this desire to her parents and family members, but her words were met with stern rejection. After a couple of attempts, she stopped bringing it up altogether.
After all, just as a race that could not be won was meaningless, a conversation that could not change the outcome was equally pointless.
She had decided to find her own way to surpass the 1800-meter barrier.
It was for this very reason that she had coincidentally come across videos of Kitasan Black's races. Out of genuine curiosity, she had subtly asked her family about this particular senior.
The answers she received left her astonished.
Before her debut, many people had written this senpai off, claiming she would only ever be suited for short distances. Yet after her debut, three magnificent middle-distance victories had completely shattered that perception.
Learning all of this had left Almond Eye wondering how she could possibly get in touch with this remarkable senior and ask for advice on how to break through external expectations and distance limitations.
She never imagined she would meet her so serendipitously at this very event.
The race they were preparing for was the Satsuki Sho, a 2000-meter contest… exactly the kind of distance she had always dreamed of challenging.
So… how exactly would this senpai guide her?
Lost in these thoughts and questions, Almond Eye finished her warm-up and trotted back toward Kitasan Black, a hint of impatience hidden beneath her calm exterior.
"Senpai, I've finished warming up."
Her tone remained steady and composed, showing no outward sign of her eager anticipation. However, the corner of her eye unconsciously drifted toward Kitasan Black's feet and hands.
During the warm-up she had noticed her senior pulling numerous notebooks from her backpack. Some were small enough to fit in one palm, while others were as thick as textbooks or workbooks. Most showed clear signs of frequent use, their pages worn and well-thumbed, while a few looked completely brand new.
Alongside the notebooks were a tablet computer and a stopwatch.
This must be Senpai's careful preparation for guiding me, Almond Eye thought.
"Mmm! That was an excellent warm-up, Almond Eye. It looks like your usual training is very diligent."
Kitasan Black held a tablet in one hand and a small notebook in the other. She offered warm praise before glancing down at her notes.
"So, next… let's start with a 1000-meter run. Just run it the way you're used to, okay?"
At the mention of 1000 meters, Almond Eye's brow furrowed slightly without her realizing it.
Short-distance races typically ranged from 1000 to 1400 meters, while mile races covered 1401 to 1800 meters. Those numbers had been drilled into her ears every single day since childhood.
Still, she quickly smoothed her expression, nodded calmly, and turned toward the track.
"Shall we begin now, Senpai?"
"Yes! Right away. I'll set the stopwatch."
Kitasan Black picked up the stopwatch hanging around her neck, made a quick adjustment, then raised her hand with spirited enthusiasm.
"Alright then, listen to my countdown. Three… two… one!"
A powerful gust seemed to whip past as Almond Eye exploded forward like an arrow released from a bow. The explosive start and blistering speed left Kitasan Black momentarily stunned.
What incredible acceleration… and that burst of speed! She's so fast!
After the initial shock passed, Kitasan Black quickly refocused. Her eyes stayed locked on Almond Eye's figure as she clicked the stopwatch at each distance marker.
From the slow jogging warm-up until now, Kitasan Black had been faithfully imitating the training methods she had learned from Trainer Yasui Makoto. She had carefully recorded every important point, every discussion, and every insight into her notebooks. Whenever she returned to the dormitory, she would recopy them neatly and review them during her free time.
For this special event she had even purchased several brand-new notebooks. Using her old notes as reference, she had created a detailed guide on how to teach younger students how to run.
The key points of that guide were neatly summarized in the small notebook she now held.
What they were doing right now was the very first item on that list. She needed to accurately assess Almond Eye's current baseline condition… exactly as Trainer Yasui Makoto had once done for her.
When Almond Eye completed the 1000 meters, Kitasan Black performed a quick calculation using the data in her notebook and felt another wave of surprise wash over her.
Almond Eye was clearly still in the midst of her growth phase. Her arms and legs were still slender, and she only reached up to Kitasan Black's chest in height. Yet in that 1000-meter run she had maintained a staggering pace of nearly fifteen meters per second.
That was almost the level of an Uma Musume who had already entered full maturity.
Even after Kitasan Black herself had fully matured, her early training results had only barely exceeded fifteen meters per second.
In terms of raw speed, this little junior's talent might actually surpass her own.
Beyond that, Kitasan Black also noted how strong Almond Eye's stamina appeared to be.
As she continued arranging the next set of tests, various thoughts raced through Kitasan Black's mind.
In that case, Almond Eye's sprint ability should be quite outstanding. Maybe she could run from further back and then unleash a powerful finishing sprint…
No. Trainer always said that mastering the perfect timing for a late sprint requires plenty of experience. Almond Eye hasn't even debuted in a real race yet, so she can't afford to start too far behind.
Then what about a front-running position? But that style demands tremendous stamina. Could Almond Eye handle it at her current stage?
She couldn't start too far back, nor could she rely on a mid-pack or chasing style just yet. A pure front-running escape would also test her endurance heavily…
Could it be that I should have her try running an escape style like I do…?
Ugh… deciding on a racing style is so difficult. Is being a trainer really this challenging?
No! I can't think that way!
Kita-chan, Kita-chan, pull yourself together! It's rare for Almond Eye to trust you this much, and you even promised Trainer Yasui Makoto that you would do a good job. You can't get discouraged now!
Hmm… I need to observe Almond Eye's condition a little more carefully first…
That's it!
After wrestling between uncertainty and excitement for a few moments, Kitasan Black's eyes suddenly sparkled with inspiration. She waved enthusiastically at Almond Eye, who had just finished her latest test run on the track.
"Hey, Almond Eye! I have an idea! Come run with me now!"
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