BanUma 188-205 (Patreon)

Second. Last is dropping abit later.

Chapter 188: Curren Loses

“The Dirt track is different from the Turf track. The Turf track has a 2-meter elevation change at the final climb, but the Dirt track has a 2.5-meter elevation change.”

“And it’s not just the elevation change that’s different; the length and gradient are also different, so you can’t run the Turf climb the same way.”

“Dia-chan and Kita-chan mentioned before that Curren got first place in the 1200-meter race during a simulation at Tracen Academy.”

“But that was a simulation. In a real race, pace, stamina management, the opponent Umamusumes’ tactics, the pressure from the audience and fans, and the track itself will all influence the result.”

“In a real race, you either need to be far superior to other Umamusumes, or make it so that it's impossible to be completely unaffected by them.”

“Otherwise, why has Narita Brian been the only Shadow Roll Monster all these years?”

Kitasan Black, Satono Diamond, and Smart Falcon understood Sakura Baimu’s explanation.

“Does Curren still have a chance?” Smart Falcon asked immediately.

“The deciding factor is no longer Curren, but the Umamusume behind her. The excessively fast pace during the race put more pressure on Curren on the uphill, and she couldn't pick up speed anymore.”

--

Inside the arena, many fans who had come to support Curren Chan were filled with worry after seeing her lose speed on the uphill before the finish line.

“Curren! Come on! Don't let her get overtaken!”

“Curren, come on!!”

Many of Curren Chan's fans cheered desperately for her, hoping their voices would become her strength.

However, they hadn't anticipated that their cheers, once they reached Curren Chan's ears on the track, would only create more psychological pressure for her.

Curren Chan listened to the cheers from the stands to her right, her heart filled with anxiety.

However, her legs felt like lead, and she simply couldn't accelerate any further up the Dirt hill.

Not only that, Curren Chan's lungs were feeling increasingly strained, to the point that even breathing felt like it was tearing at her lungs with pain.

It was burning, like being on fire.

"What's wrong? Curren has practiced so many times, why is it so painful this time?"

"Curren can't lose! Losing isn't cute, it'll disappoint the fans!"

Ignoring the pressure in her chest and abdomen, Curren Chan sprinted toward the top of the 200-meter hill before the finish line.

"Just a little more! Once I get over this hill, Curren can keep going!"

The hill that had previously blocked her view began to descend rapidly, and finally, the finish line appeared beyond it.

Overjoyed, Curren Chan felt a surge of happiness.

This hill was finally over.

But at that very moment, another figure suddenly appeared in Curren Chan's field of vision.

"She's catching up! Saint Laurent's catching up!"

"Curren Chan was overtaken by Saint Laurent just as she was about to reach the top of the hill!"

"Saint Laurent is now running alongside Curren Chan, and their strides meet at the top of the hill together!"

"The last 200 meters!"

Curren Chan looked at Saint Laurent appearing on her right, her sense of urgency rising even higher.

"Curren's about to be overtaken! No! Absolutely not! That's not cute."

"The hill is over, Curren can speed up!"

Curren Chan strained her leg muscles, but her speed didn't increase.

"Why? Why can't I speed up anymore? Curren still has energy!"

Realizing that she couldn't speed up anymore, Curren Chan's heart instantly filled with panic.

"She's overtaken! Saint Laurent has passed Curren Chan!"

"Curren Chan couldn't maintain her pace after reaching the top of the hill!"

"The gap between her and Saint Laurent is widening little by little!"

"The last 100 meters!"

"Moonwalker has moved into third place. She's three Lengths behind Curren Chan. Does she have a chance to overtake her?"

"Saint Laurent, across the finish line—!"

"An absolute dark horse—Saint Laurent! She only ranked 10th out of 12 Umamusumes, yet she defeated Curren Chan by a mere 1.5 Lengths!"

"Curren Chan came in second, two Lengths behind Moonwalker..."

...

The cheers for Saint Laurent echoed throughout the Tokyo Racecourse.

The fans who had come for Curren Chan fell silent as she stood frozen at the finish line.

"Trainer-san..."

"Onee-sama..."

The TCB Umamusumes, though not particularly familiar with Curren Chan, felt a pang of sympathy upon seeing her so dejected.

None of the TCB Umamusumes currently standing here had lost their debut race.

Even Umamusumes whose debut performances were lackluster, like Smart Falcon, won their debut match.

But this one...

Curren Chan, who joined the team but didn't come to practice.

Although the Tokyo Racecourse was noisy, not a single sound reached Curren Chan's ears.

She stared blankly at the scoreboard, her eyes unfocused.

"Lost... Curren lost..."

"The most important debut match... Curren lost..."

Curren Chan murmured these two sentences repeatedly, suddenly feeling as if the whole world had turned gray.

But her state of mind didn't last long.

Although Curren Chan was devastated by losing her debut match, she knew she was still standing on the track.

"There are still many fans watching Curren."

"Curren can't show this ugly side to her fans..."

Curren Chan thought to herself, the confusion on her face instantly vanishing, replaced by her usual sunny smile.

She jogged to the audience seats and smiled at the fans cheering for her.

"Hehehe~? So many fans have come to cheer for Curren. Curren is really—happy?"

"Curren made a mistake in her debut competition this time. Can everyone please not be disappointed in Curren? (Tears welling up)"

"Although Curren is a little reluctant to have everyone post photos from this competition on Umasta, if you absolutely must, please don't forget to include '#CurrenChan'~"

--

Just a side note, Curren Chan's debut competition in real life was a runner-up finish.

--

Chapter 189: You Have to Win It Back for Me

"..."

The TCB members, along with Sakura Baimu, all gazed at Curren Chan in the arena, who was beaming at her fans.

No one present was stupid; they could all see that Curren Chan was putting on a brave face to reassure her fans and prevent them from worrying about her.

"Curren is so strong..." Smart Falcon, watching Curren Chan's demeanor, couldn't help but feel admiration at that moment.

She always put her fans first.

Even if she was in a bad mood, she would never let her fans be affected.

This is what a qualified idol should do.

TCB's Umamusumes initially felt it was strange that Curren Chan hadn't trained with the team after joining.

However, since Sakura Baimu didn't seem to mind, they naturally had no objections.

No one doubted that if Curren Chan had trained with TCB this week, the outcome would have been different.

Now that Curren Chan has achieved this result, it's hard to say she bears no responsibility.

But now, after seeing Curren Chan, who, despite being number one in popularity and the center of attention, quickly shed her negative emotions and showed her fans her usual adorable smile, the TCB Umamusumes couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

This newcomer Umamusume is truly mentally strong.

--

After the competition, it was time for the Winning Live performance.

Although Curren Chan lost the competition, she still made it into the top three and was required to perform at the Winning Live.

And she was the center, responsible for singing.

It's safe to say she truly lives up to her reputation as a social media influencer Umamusume with 3 million followers.

Even with such a huge emotional blow,

Curren Chan still delivered an outstanding Winning Live performance.

If the TCB audience hadn't witnessed Curren Chan's dazed expression after crossing the finish line, they might have genuinely thought that Curren Chan didn't care about the result at all.

The Winning Live performance successfully concluded.

Although the result was somewhat disappointing,

Curren Chan's excellent performance still received unanimous praise from her fans.

“Trainer-san, the Winning Live is over, we... wait, where’s Trainer-san?”

Tokai Teio was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized that Sakura Baimu had disappeared.

Hearing Tokai Teio's voice, the Umamusume members looked over. After failing to find Sakura Baimu, Mejiro McQueen spoke.

"She's probably going to find Curren Chan."

"That makes sense. She was too conspicuous after the race. Now she can have some time without anyone around to talk to." Tokai Teio nodded, agreeing with McQueen's assessment.

--

At the same time, Curren Chan, having changed out of her costume and back into her own clothes, emerged from the dressing room.

Her expression remained warm, without a trace of gloom on her face.

But as everyone suspected,

Curren Chan was indeed quite affected by what had happened.

Upon emerging from the dressing room, Curren Chan suddenly noticed a tall figure leaning against the doorway.

This person was none other than Sakura Baimu, the TCB trainer.

"It's Onee-chan! Are you here to check on Curren? Curren looks so happy!" Curren Chan smiled at Sakura Baimu with a delighted expression. "But it's okay, Curren doesn't care. Even though we lost this time, Curren will definitely win the next competition!"

"Anyway, she's probably here to comfort Curren," Curren Chan thought to herself.

However, she would never let Sakura Baimu comfort her.

After all, in Curren Chan's eyes, Sakura Baimu, who unconditionally granted her every request, should be her fan.

And she would never be comforted by her own fan.

However, this time, Curren Chan's judgment was wrong.

Sakura Baimu spoke in a flat, emotionless tone:

"You're the only Umamusume in TCB who lost her debut race."

Curren Chan was surprised; she truly hadn't expected Sakura Baimu to say something like that at this moment.

No.

Curren Chan hadn't even considered it.

That Sakura Baimu, who had come to her at this time, would offer words other than comfort.

Sakura Baimu's words, which struck at her sore spot, startled Curren Chan, but Curren Chan's reaction was quick.

"I'm sorry. Curren will do her best next time? Curren will definitely win the next competition, so please don't blame me"

Curren Chan finished speaking and looked at Sakura Baimu with pitiful eyes, looking incredibly endearing.

Anyone seeing Curren Chan like this would probably soften and wouldn't have the heart to continue blaming her, instead turning to comfort her.

However, Sakura Baimu was clearly not on the same page as Curren Chan and continued speaking:

"Although I don't understand why you don't want me to train you, I won't force you if you don't want to train with me. I won't ask why you insist on running Dirt when you're not suited for it."

"But if you join my team, your performance will affect the entire team's situation."

“The main reason you lost this time was because you haven’t participated in a formal race. The tight pace affected your energy management, causing excessive pressure on your heart on the uphill section before the finish line, ultimately leading to your defeat.”

“Pace management, sufficient stamina, and Dirt uphill running techniques—if you could have mastered even one of these three things, you wouldn’t have lost."

“You didn’t acknowledge me as your trainer, which is my own problem. I have no right to lecture you. Of course, I don’t want another Umamusume who failed in her debut race to appear on my team.”

Sakura Baimu pulled out a bound booklet and handing it to Curren Chan, whose expression was slightly bewildered.

“This is a strategy guide for the Tokyo sprint Dirt race. Take a look if you’re interested; if not, burn it. Don’t show it to outsiders.”

“I’m not speaking to you as your trainer right now, but as the TCB team leader, giving you advice. You don’t need to feel burdened.”

“Choosing a trainer is a sacred matter for an Umamusume. I'm not trying to force you into my service; after all, we don't know each other very well.”

“Finding the best compatible trainer is something we should both be happy about. I look forward to you finding one you like.”

Sakura Baimu said, forcefully shoving the strategy guide into Curren Chan's hands.

Before leaving, Sakura Baimu tossed Curren Chan one last sentence:

“However, before you leave, you have to win back the matches you lost.”

---

Chapter 190: Sakura Baimu's Guide

After speaking, Sakura Baimu left the dressing room without waiting for Curren Chan's reply.

Leaving Curren Chan standing there, looking slightly bewildered.

Curren Chan glanced down at the guidebook in her hand; it was clearly not something elaborately bound.

It was just a bunch of A4 papers bound together.

The cover was also very simple, with a few large characters:

【Tokyo Racecourse Short-Distance Dirt Track Guide】

It was all computer-printed, with no author, no signature, nothing at all.

Curren Chan knew that her family must already be waiting for her outside Tokyo Racecourse.

But she couldn't suppress her curiosity and immediately opened the guidebook Sakura Baimu had handed her.

The guidebook felt quite heavy in her hand.

Curren Chan had initially thought it was just another bloated, low-quality book designed to rip people off.

These kinds of books are common in Japanese bookstores.

It's not that the content is entirely useless, but its reference value is really limited.

For Umamusume students at Central Tracen Academy, this kind of guidebook designed to fool beginners is less useful than a pile of blank paper.

However, Curren Chan was stunned after just casually flipping through the guide Sakura Baimu had given her.

Because she saw that the guide was incredibly detailed.

The page she opened discussed the rhythm distribution that Umamusume following the "Leading" strategy should pay attention to throughout the entire race.

It's just a single running strategy, yet this page listed several ways to deal with Chaser and Leader Umamusumes.

After reading one page, she found practically no fluff.

Every sentence went straight to the core of racing.

It was absolutely packed with valuable information.

A hint of disbelief flashed in Curren Chan's purple eyes.

“Since this page contains information related to Chasers, then the methods for Leading, Closers, and overall running techniques should also be described.”

She turned two more pages.

As expected, the guide did indeed include instructions on pacing when using the Closer running style.

Curren Chan felt the weight of the guide in her hands, knowing it contained quite a lot of pages.

A thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Could this entire book be this detailed?"

Curren Chan had never seen a book like this before.

It was as if a trainer's entire understanding of racing had been extracted, stripped of unnecessary details, and printed into a booklet.

Curren Chan immediately flipped to the last page.

"Sure enough, every page is basically filled with information..."

The guide was very extensive; she probably wouldn't be able to read it all without spending a considerable amount of time.

So Curren Chan only skimmed through it.

She was extremely curious about just how detailed this guide was.

While quickly flipping through the entire book again, her eyes rapidly scanned the contents.

Suddenly, Curren Chan's eyes lit up, and she stopped flipping through the book.

She quickly turned through the guide page by page.

A short while later, she found the page that had been troubling her.

After carefully reading the contents, Curren Chan was so surprised that she even covered her mouth with her hand.

The guide described the uphill running techniques for the final 2.5-meter elevation change on the Dirt track at Tokyo Racecourse.

It detailed several climbing methods.

These methods were labeled and ranked according to the stress on the heart and the degree of speed loss.

Each climbing method was further explained in detail, from pre-climb preparation and speed adjustment to footwork and body posture during the climb.

It was written in great detail.

As Curren Chan looked at the descriptions, her feet unconsciously began adjusting their footwork in accordance with the methods described.

Simple and easy to understand.

"How did she get her hands on this? Curren could understand, but this..."

"Unless someone was sent to experiment on the steep slopes hundreds, even thousands of times, how could something this detailed be created?"

"TCB doesn't have any logistics Umamusumes, so where did Ms. Sakura get it from?"

"This kind of record and ranking of the degree of deceleration and the magnitude of cardiac stress could only come from the hands of an Umamusume."

It had to be an Umamusume.

After all, only by personally experimenting with every method of climbing could one truly understand the cardiac stress and the extent of deceleration caused by each method.

This kind of thing can't be done with the help of a second Umamusume, because every Umamusume's physical condition is different.

Only when all feedback comes from the personal experience of the same Umamusume can such an accurate ranking be made.

“Could it be Falcon? No, impossible. She just participated in her second Turf-to-Dirt competition not long ago; there's no way she could have come up with something this detailed.”

“But in Curren’s memory, besides Falcon, there aren’t any other Dirt Umamusumes in TCB! A Turf-adapted Umamusume definitely couldn’t achieve this level of performance.”

“Wait, there aren’t even any Umamusumes in TCB who can run short distances.”

“Could it be that Ms. Sakura hired another Umamusume to create this guide for her? But all the top-performing Dirt Umamusumes in Tracen Academy are at Rigil; how could she possibly borrow them for such a massive experiment?”

Even if Sakura Baimu did know a Dirt-capable Umamusume,

Umamusumes aren’t robots; they get tired too.

How could such a huge amount of work be done in less than ten days or two weeks?

“No, no, no. TCB doesn't have any Umamusumes running sprint races, so who is this strategy guide for? Senior Falcon? I've never seen Senior Falcon run sprint races.”

Curren Chan had checked Smart Falcon's race record yesterday; it was mostly concentrated in mile and middle-distance races.

She hadn't run a single sprint race.

“Was it specifically prepared for Curren? But how could it have been completed in such a short time…”

“Such a valuable strategy guide would be treasured by any team, right? Did she just hand it over to Curren so easily?”

Even someone as intelligent as Curren Chan was deeply confused and shocked at this moment.

---

Chapter 191: Curren Chan's Puzzlement

A moment later, in a stretched limousine.

Curren Chan's mother was constantly comforting her in the back seat.

"Curren, don't be sad about losing this time. Second place is still a great result. You'll definitely debut successfully in the next debut race, even if you don't win."

"Curren, your performance at Winning Live was outstanding. Curren, you're naturally suited for Turf racing. Achieving such a result in a Dirt sprint is already very impressive."

"In the race just now, Curren, you were in the lead until the very finish line, which shows that your strength is still superior to the other Umamusumes."

...

Curren Chan closed the strategy booklet in her hand, slowly raised her head, and gave her mother a sweet and lovely smile.

“Mom, Curren isn’t sad. Curren will definitely win the next debut competition.”

After saying this, Curren Chan saw the relief on her mother’s face and gently leaned her head back against the soft seat.

She looked at the night view rushing past the window and her own reflection in the glass, recalling what Sakura Baimu had just told her.

Curren Chan had always thought Sakura Baimu was a fan.

She thought that Sakura Baimu had come backstage after her debut defeat to comfort her, like everyone else.

But instead, Sakura Baimu spoke words devoid of emotion.

The content had absolutely nothing to do with comfort.

The discussion was entirely about the competition.

This was completely unexpected for Curren Chan.

But more than words of comfort, what Sakura Baimu said about the competition was what Curren Chan truly wanted to hear.

In reality, before hearing Sakura Baimu's words, Curren Chan hadn't considered her a trainer.

Even though TCB had stopped accepting new members, Sakura Baimu readily agreed to let her join because she requested it.

Not only was there no audition, she even readily agreed to Curren Chan's request to participate in today's Dirt short-distance debut race and her absence from training.

This attitude struck Curren Chan as truly strange.

She looked exactly like those fans who, after being "talked to" by her, became completely obedient to her.

She didn't seem like a trainer at all.

However, Sakura Baimu's post-match remarks made Curren Chan realize that Sakura Baimu didn't seem to be a fan.

Not only that, Sakura Baimu had acted like a perfect trainer just now.

This was a complete contrast to her initial impression.

Although Curren Chan still didn't quite understand why Sakura Baimu had been so agreeable at first, and had agreed to all her requests without question.

Curren Chan now understood that Sakura Baimu hadn't fulfilled her duties as a trainer because she realized that Curren Chan didn't actually consider her to be her trainer.

As Sakura Baimu said, she and Curren Chan weren't familiar with each other.

There was absolutely no connection between them.

Aside from Sakura Baimu recognizing her as the "Selfie Angel" from Umasta upon their first meeting, there was no deeper connection between them.

But...

For someone she barely knew, Sakura Baimu spoke words that resonated deeply with her.

"Choosing a trainer is a sacred matter for an Umamusume. I'm not trying to force you into my service; after all, we don't know each other well."

"Finding the best trainer is something we should both be happy about. I look forward to you finding one you like."

Of all the things Sakura Baimu had just said to Curren Chan, only these two sentences truly touched her heart.

“She... she knew that an Umamusume's selection of a trainer was a sacred matter, and that compatibility existed between Umamusumes and trainers... that's why she didn't force Curren to train with her.”

“Because when Curren first met Ms. Sakura, she didn't accept her as her trainer…”

Curren Chan didn't even have time to consider how Sakura Baimu had sensed her disapproval of her, despite her self-proclaimed perfect performance.

At this moment, Curren Chan was more concerned with Sakura Baimu's tolerance of her willful demands.

Joining a team doesn't equate to establishing a trainer-Umamusume relationship.

However, almost everyone assumed that joining a team meant accepting the trainer's guidance.

Curren Chan considered this.

What if she were the trainer, and an Umamusume, after joining the team, avoided all training because she didn't approve of her?

What if she just used her as a tool to qualify for the Twinkle Series?

She would definitely be very unhappy.

"No, no trainer could accept that..."

Curren Chan considered these things, and her panic and guilt began to grow stronger.

"Curren thought she was a fan, so she unconditionally agreed to all of Curren's requests... It turns out Ms. Sakura understood everything and had been tolerating Curren's capriciousness all along..."

"Not only that, she even made this strategy guide for Curren..."

"TCB's team doesn't have any Umamusumes in short-distance races, let alone an Umamusume who's going to participate in a short-distance Dirt race at Tokyo Racecourse."

Therefore, Curren Chan deduced that this guide had been prepared solely for her.

There was no other possibility.

After a quick glance, Curren Chan knew this guide would have taken considerable effort.

Sakura Baimu couldn't possibly have created it by herself.

It would have required an Umamusume skilled enough to adapt to Dirt courses to conduct hundreds, even thousands, of experiments on the steep inclines to create such a detailed guide.

Regardless of the cost Sakura Baimu incurred to persuade an Umamusume to undertake such arduous work, the experimentation with various climbing techniques alone must have caused that Umamusume considerable hardship.

And this guide, created through such immense effort and workload, was prepared solely for her, an Umamusume who merely wanted to qualify for the Twinkle Series through team membership but had no intention of training with her.

Furthermore, Sakura Baimu simply entrusted this guide to her without much thought.

“Ms. Sakura clearly sensed that Curren didn’t approve of her, so why does she trust Curren so much?”

Curren Chan was utterly perplexed.

She didn’t understand why Sakura Baimu would do all this for her.

---

Chapter 192: Curren Chan's Determination

Curren Chan couldn't even imagine it.

After learning that Sakura Baimu didn't approve of her, what kind of mood was she in when she created such a detailed strategy guide for her?

She couldn't even imagine it.

When Sakura Baimu handed this strategy guide to an Umamusume who didn't approve of her, what kind of mood was she in when she said, "I also hope you can find a trainer you like"?

Curren Chan simply couldn't bear to think about it anymore.

The more she thought about it, the more intense her guilt and remorse became.

Although Sakura Baimu had said that she wasn't familiar with her and that she shouldn't feel burdened by such things.

But...

"How could Curren not feel burdened?!"

"Especially after Curren found out that Ms. Sakura did so much for Curren, an Umamusume who doesn't even acknowledge her..."

Curren Chan suddenly felt a stinging sensation in her eyes, her heart aching as if it were being squeezed.

She kept saying she couldn't do anything to betray her fans.

But based on preconceived misunderstandings, she hurt those who truly cared about her.

Curren Chan's mother had been quietly watching the smiling Curren Chan.

But suddenly, she noticed her daughter's mood seemed to plummet.

Startled, she quickly asked:

"Curren, what's wrong?"

"Mom, take me to the academy."

"So late? What for?"

"Training."

--

The next morning, Admire Vega, still a little groggy while sitting up in bed, was suddenly jolted awake by the sound of the door opening.

"Good morning, Ayabe-chan~?"

"Morning."

She looked up and saw Curren Chan walking in, dressed in sportswear.

Unlike her usual glamorous self, Curren Chan was covered in mud from head to toe, even on her face.

Admire Vega knew Curren Chan had lost her debut competition yesterday. Seeing Curren Chan return this morning covered in mud, she knew she must have trained all night, heartbroken over the loss.

Admire Vega wasn't the type to comfort people, although she also felt sorry for Curren Chan's loss.

Their personalities were one as cold as ice and the other as passionate as fire.

But in reality, both of them were the type who didn't show their negative emotions.

Having spent considerable time with Curren Chan, Admire Vega had managed to sense some of Curren Chan's true emotions.

She had initially thought that beneath Curren Chan's sweet and charming smile lay a hidden sense of resentment and regret.

However, when Admire Vega truly observed Curren Chan as she entered the dormitory and began rummaging through her clothes,

she was surprised to find that, despite a night of training, Curren Chan showed no signs of fatigue.

In fact, her face was radiant with excitement.

Her bright purple eyes sparkled with excitement.

She didn't look like someone who had just lost her debut competition.

She looked as happy and excited as someone who had broken a record.

Curren Chan's excellent condition somewhat surprised Admire Vega.

Just then, Curren Chan turned around and saw the surprised look on Admire Vega's face.

"Ayabe-chan, what's wrong? Why are you looking at Curren like that?"

"I'm a little curious why you're so happy."

"Curren practiced all night at the academy's track, learned a new uphill running technique, and found it very effective!"

"Uphill running technique? That last high hill at Tokyo Racecourse?"

"That's right, but it's from the Dirt track."

"The Dirt track? Who did you learn it from?" Admire Vega was surprised again.

"Ms. Sakura gave me the guide. Curren learned it from her."

"Ms. Sakura? I heard you haven't been training with her these past few days?"

"That's right."

Curren Chan said, then took her change of clothes and went into the bathroom to shower.

Meanwhile, Admire Vega, in the dormitory, looked completely bewildered, not understanding what was going on.

--

In the morning, during the break between classes, Curren Chan went to Sakura Baimu's office. She knocked gently, and after receiving a response from Sakura Baimu inside, she pushed the door open and went in.

Then she saw Sakura Baimu sitting at her desk, propping her head up with one arm and looking at her with a lazy expression.

"Onee-chan, Curren didn't disturb your rest, did she?" Curren Chan asked sweetly.

Curren Chan had come in the morning to ask Sakura Baimu to re-register her for the debut competition she hadn't won.

“I was just about to look for you. I’ve already registered you for your next race; it’s still the 1400-meter Dirt race in Tokyo again, next week.”

Sakura Baimu covered her mouth with her hand and yawned, then glanced at Curren Chan and spoke.

Curren Chan had come specifically for this, but she hadn’t expected Sakura Baimu to have already registered her for next week’s race.

“As expected... even without talking to Curren, Ms. Sakura already knows what Curren wants..."

Curren Chan thought to herself, realizing that Sakura Baimu’s compatibility with her as a trainer was incredibly high.

Completely different from her initial preconceived notions.

“Onee-chan really understands Curren. Curren is so happy~?” Curren Chan crossed her arms and smiled happily.

“Alright, just train hard on your own. A week of training with the guide I gave you should be fine.”

“Okay. Curren thanks Onee-chan! That guide is really detailed~”

Curren Chan thanked Sakura Baimu and then gently pushed open the door to leave Sakura Baimu's office.

Sakura Baimu didn't ask her to come and train with the TCB Umamusumes that afternoon, which left Curren Chan slightly disappointed. However, she hadn't originally planned to train with Sakura Baimu anyway.

Before yesterday, it was because Curren Chan didn't consider Sakura Baimu her trainer and therefore didn't plan to train together.

But after yesterday's Winning Live, her conversation with Sakura Baimu, and seeing the guide Sakura Baimu gave her...

Curren Chan now felt that she wasn't qualified to train with Sakura Baimu.

She broke TCB's unbroken record of never losing a debut match, tarnishing Sakura Baimu's team's reputation.

Therefore, she must rely on her own efforts to win the debut match she hadn't yet won.

Only then would Curren Chan feel worthy of training alongside the other TCB Umamusumes.

If, despite relying on the strategies meticulously prepared for her by Sakura Baimu, she still lost the match, then she would have no face to remain in TCB.

She would then voluntarily apply to withdraw from TCB.

The above was all decided by Curren Chan last night on her way back to Tracen Academy after Winning Live.

However, after training all night following the strategy guide given to her by Sakura Baimu, Curren Chan's mindset changed once again.

Now, she was confident that she could win the undefeated debut match a week later.

Even though she was not an Umamusume adaptable to Dirt.

--

Chapter 193: Unsuccessful Debut Match

A week passed quickly, and the day of Curren Chan's unsuccessful debut race finally arrived.

On this day, Sakura Baimu, as usual, brought her TCB Umamusume group to Tokyo Racecourse to watch the race.

Aside from seeing Curren Chan once in her office the day after she gave her the strategy guide,

Sakura Baimu hadn't seen her since.

Even the TCB Umamusumes were the same.

They hadn't seen her since either.

Of course, Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, who were in the same grade as Curren Chan, occasionally saw her during school.

"Trainer-san, has Curren come to train with you lately?" Satono Diamond asked Sakura Baimu.

"No."

"So she's been training by herself?" Kitasan Black asked.

“That's probably it.”

“Actually, Falco has always had a question: what exactly happened to make Curren so reluctant to train with us?”

“Who knows? She probably just wants a spot in the Twinkle Series and doesn't intend for Trainer-san to be her trainer,” Mejiro McQueen said casually.

“That's going too far! How can she do that!” Smart Falco suddenly felt indignant upon hearing this.

This was treating Trainer-san like a tool!

“She hasn't come to train with us, and she didn't even come to say hello after the last match. So why are we here to watch her match today?”

“Rice thinks Ms. Curren might be embarrassed to train with us. After all, she lost the last match, and onee-sama even gave her a strategy guide. She's probably working hard on herself, right?”

“Rice is truly amazing; much smarter than GG.” Sakura Baimu ruffled Rice Shower's hair and praised her.

Rice Shower was delighted when Sakura Baimu patted her head, her face slightly flushed as she happily accepted it.

"And don't always think so badly of others. No one says that joining a team means you have to train with them, right? I'm not Curren's trainer. It's perfectly fine for her to use our team to qualify for the competition."

“You’re not her trainer, yet you’re going to such lengths to prepare strategies for her? Facing a rookie who hasn’t even debuted yet, your strategies are probably more detailed than the ones Teio and I used for Takarazuka Kinen last time, right?” Mejiro McQueen said.

“After all, as the team leader, I don’t want her to lose,” Sakura Baimu laughed.

“That’s the only thing I can praise about you,” Mejiro McQueen sighed softly.

"I really hope you stay this way. If you were less prone to acting out, would you be so unpopular at the academy?”

“Hey, McQueen, how can you talk like that? Have I been too nice to you and spoiled you?”

“Hmph.”

Mejiro McQueen snorted and turned her head away.

"It's your business if you act like a pushover, but if Curren Chan actually wins her debut race using your strategy and then doesn't show any appreciation, don't blame me for disliking her."

Mejiro McQueen thought to herself, staring at Curren Chan silently preparing at the starting gate.

--

"Tokyo Racecourse, with a light drizzle."

"All Umamusumes are now in the starting gate."

"Which Umamusume will win today's race and debut? Let's wait and see."

"1400 Meters, Dirt, Short Distance, Undefeated Debut."

"Race, now—"

"Start!"

As the commentator's voice fell, the starting gate opened, and all 16 Umamusumes surged forward.

"Oops! Curren Chan, who was soaring ahead on track 8, stumbled at the gate!"

"Running in the lead is Gate 8, track 16, Curren Chan!"

"Curren Chan is still leading. Her speed is good; she's about four Lengths ahead of second-place Ryuzaki Arisa."

'Curren Chan's speed is even faster than in her last debut race. I'm a little worried she might slip up again like last time.'

"Curren, do your best—!"

"Curren, you're the cutest, do your best!"

This time, despite Curren Chan's unsuccessful debut race, there were still quite a few fans present.

Clearly, Curren Chan's previous debut race loss didn't disappoint her fans.

On the contrary, the fans were particularly impressed by Curren Chan's ability to quickly recover after losing her debut race, regaining her usual composure and waving and joking with them.

Many of Curren Chan's fans who came to watch this match had also watched her debut competition a week ago.

They remembered how Curren Chan had previously lost significant speed on uphill sections due to her overly fast opening pace.

Now, seeing Curren Chan not slowing down at all, and even going faster than before, they couldn't help but feel worried.

"Is Curren okay? She seems to be running even faster this time than last time."

"Is it because she's still resentful after losing last time and is eager to widen the gap in the early stages?"

"That won't do. She might lose even more speed on the high climb in the final stretch!"

--

"Curren Chan has stepped onto the final straight. Shigure Hatsuharu is about five Lengths behind her."

"Now she faces a 2.5-meter elevation change before the finish line."

"A week ago, Curren Chan suffered a serious loss of speed on that climb. How will she fare this time?"

"Curren Chan hasn't slowed down!"

"Curren Chan has stepped onto the climb first!"

More than two-thirds of the spectators were focused on the gray-haired Umamusume running at the front.

Curren Chan's speed in the first 900 meters of the race had amazed everyone.

This Umamusume possessed speed exceeding that of her peers in short-distance races.

She could be described as an extremely talented short-distance Umamusume.

If Curren Chan could conquer this hill,

she could very well break the Tokyo Racecourse Dirt 1400 Meter record.

Everyone was curious about Curren Chan, who fell short here last time.

How would she fare this time?

Of course, most spectators, having noticed Curren Chan's even faster pace at the start compared to a week ago, had already given up hope for her successful debut.

A week was extremely limited in terms of stamina improvement.

Curren Chan's only chance of winning was to change her pace distribution, saving more energy for the hill in the final stretch.

Or to build a larger lead in the early and middle stages.

But Curren Chan was noticeably faster this time than before, yet she hadn't managed to pull away significantly from the other Umamusumes.

Therefore, it was practically a foregone conclusion that Curren Chan would lose speed again on the uphill section and be overtaken by the other Umamusumes.

Just as the audience was beginning to dread seeing Curren Chan's pained expression from losing speed again, with some averting their gazes and others closing their eyes, the commentator suddenly exclaimed in surprise:

"Curren Chan changed her running style, she's so fast! Curren Chan's speed loss isn't too severe!"

---

Chapter 194: Trainer-san Must Have Been Raising Other Umamusumes!

Upon hearing the commentator's shout, the audience all turned sharply to look at Curren Chan up the slope.

They saw Curren Chan, who had been running with a normal forward-leaning posture, lower her upper body angle, leaning even further down.

At the same time, her already relatively short strides began to quicken.

The speed of her alternating foot strikes also increased.

This increased foot-strike frequency effectively distributed the pressure on her heart and lungs from the steep incline with each stride.

It also reduced the energy expenditure of each stride, resulting in better power distribution.

The lowered body position facilitated the power generation of her legs and feet, offsetting some of the power loss caused by the angle.

The decrease in speed was still present, but not drastic.

Far from a complete loss of speed.

The pressure on her heart and lungs was still there.

But it didn't have a significant impact on Curren Chan at this moment.

After a moment of stunned silence, the fans erupted in cheers as enthusiastic as when Curren Chan debuted last week.

"I thought Curren would change her pace this time, saving her energy for the steep climb!"

"Yeah, I always thought Curren could only find her way to victory through rhythm, since there's no way she could improve her stamina in just one week. And I never expected climbing skills to appear in a debut!"

"When I saw Curren's speed in the opening and middle stages, my heart sank. I thought this time the result might be even worse than last time, but it turns out Curren already has a way to conquer the steep climb!"

"Truly, Curren is so adorable, so talented! She's definitely different from her fellow Umamusumes!"

And it wasn't just Curren Chan's fans.

Even some spectators who didn't know Curren Chan before were fascinated when they saw her display such a unique climbing style on a course she hadn't won.

Their eyes lit up with admiration.

This Umamusume is truly extraordinary!

---

On the other side of the stands, where the TCB Umamusumes were located.

After seeing Curren Chan change her stride on the steep incline, they realized that this must be the technique described in the guide Sakura Baimu had given her.

The newly joined Umamusumes were doing alright.

However, Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, who had been with Sakura Baimu the longest, both had their expressions change.

Because it was the first time they had ever seen this climbing technique.

This technique wasn't mentioned in the strategies Sakura Baimu had given them.

“Hey, McQueen, where did the trainer get this climbing technique? I don't think I've ever seen it before.”

“Teiō, you think so too? The gradient of the Dirt course is completely different from the Turf. The climbing methods she prepared for us before are completely useless. So where did she get this running style?”

“In our team, the only Umamusume who can run on Dirt is Falcon-senpai, right? Let me ask.”

Tokai Teio spoke, then walked over to Smart Falcon, who was staring intently at Curren Chan's climbing technique on the track, and gently poked her waist with her finger.

“Falcon-senpai, did you develop Curren Chan’s climbing method?”

“Huh? No, not Falco. Falco hasn’t participated in a Dirt race at Tokyo Racecourse.”

“Did Trainer-san ask you to help with the experiments?”

“No, Falco has never seen this running method before. Falco was even planning to learn from Curren…”

Smart Falcon was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized something was wrong. Startled, she quickly looked at Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.

“Yeah, where did Trainer-san get this climbing method from?”

“This is definitely a running method that only an Umamusume could develop through personal experimentation. Since it wasn’t Falcon-senpai, I’ll go ask Rice.”

A moment later, Rice Shower also approached, looking bewildered.

“It wasn’t Rice. Onee-sama didn’t ask Rice to research Dirt’s high ground.”

“It couldn’t be Kita-chan or Dia-chan, could it?” Tokai Teio asked.

“Definitely not.”

Mejiro McQueen glanced at Sakura Baimu, who was watching the race, then turned and whispered, “I’ve suspected it for a long time. Trainer-san is keeping other Umamusumes hidden on the side. I’ll go call Dia-chan and Kita-chan over too. Let’s discuss it together.”

A moment later, Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond also joined in.

Both were quite surprised by Mejiro McQueen's words.

They both said they had never seen such a method of climbing before.

“Not only Curren Chan this time, but also the Takarazuka Kinen strategy, and the strategy Trainer-san gave me for defeating Golden Crown Eagle—none of these could have been created by just a human trainer.”

“Absolutely! It absolutely could only have been done with an Umamusume's help!” Mejiro McQueen spoke decisively.

“Speaking of which, wasn't Golden Crown Eagle sent to the hospital? And then the next day, Trainer-san brought McQueen the strategy for defeating Golden Crown Eagle,” Tokai Teio said.

“Falco remembers Trainer-san saying that she guessed the Umamusume who sent Golden Crown Eagle to the hospital must be a handsome, beautiful, incredibly righteous, and invincible Umamusume!”

“She definitely knows the Umamusume who sent Golden Crown Eagle to the hospital! Or rather, Trainer-san probably sent that Umamusume to send Golden Crown Eagle to the hospital!” Mejiro McQueen said.

“Huh? Onee-sama actually did so much for Rice…?” Rice Shower exclaimed in surprise.

“Alright, let’s summarize the conditions.”

Tokai Teio adopted a detective’s air, and after confirming that Sakura Baimu wasn’t paying attention, she whispered to her teammates.

“Assuming our team’s strategies, and the previous Golden Crown Eagle incident, all came from the same Umamusume.”

“Then this Umamusume must simultaneously be proficient in both Dirt and Turf running styles, be stronger than Golden Crown Eagle, and have a very close relationship with Trainer-san.”

“McQueen, do you have any clues?” Tokai Teio looked at Mejiro McQueen.

“Of all the Umamusumes I know, only one person meets all of these criteria,” Mejiro McQueen said seriously.

“It seems you and I are thinking of the same person,” Tokai Teio nodded earnestly. “It can only be her; there’s no one else.”

“You mean…?” The remaining four Umamusumes were all very curious.

“Oguri-senpai!”

---

Chapter 195: #CurrenChan #SuccessfulDebut

"What an excellent climbing technique!"

"Curren Chan's expression is noticeably different from her debut race!"

"Not only is her climbing speed much faster, but judging from her expression, she seems much less stressed!"

"Shigure Hatsuharu is right behind her on the hill, and she's lost a significant amount of speed!"

"Following Shigure Hatsuharu on the hill is Ryuzaki Arisa, and she, along with the other Umamusumes behind her, is also experiencing varying degrees of slowdown."

"Curren Chan's climbing speed is significantly faster than the other Umamusumes!"

"300 Meters cleared!"

"Curren Chan has built a lead of more than 6 Lengths over Shigure Hatsuharu!"

Except for Curren Chan, all the Umamusumes who reached the hill inevitably experienced a significant slowdown.

While the Umamusumes in their debut races vary in ability, having not yet received much formal training, they were all affected to varying degrees by the hill before the finish line.

At this point, it's not really about technique.

It's about stamina.

A Umamusume with ample stamina is less affected by the steepness.

They can mitigate the slowdown by expending more energy.

But a Umamusume with insufficient stamina will soon face a complete loss of speed.

No Umamusume would specifically practice climbing techniques for their debut race.

Techniques are usually reserved for crucial mid-to-late stages of competition, used to close the gap in details.

But...

Precisely because the other Umamusumes lacked uphill running techniques, Curren Chan stood out among the group.

Not only were her posture and gait significantly different from the other Umamusumes, but her confident expression and considerably faster speed made her the center of attention.

'Such excellent climbing technique!'

'Curren Chan has reached the top!'

"Two hundred Meters left!"

"Curren Chan's performance is vastly different from a week ago. This time, she's like an active-duty Umamusume who's participated in countless races!"

"She's showing extraordinary experience and skill!"

"Curren Chan, leading the pack! No one can catch her!"

"Curren Chan! The absolute star of this race! The absolute focus!"

"Curren Chan, now with a huge lead—"

"Crossing the finish line!"

"This is an absolute crushing victory of skill!"

"Curren Chan not only maintained her advantage on the climb, but she also widened the gap between herself and the other Umamusumes!"

At this moment, Curren Chan's fans, as well as many spectators who were amazed by her performance, gave her a thunderous round of applause and cheers for her successful debut.

"Record broken! Curren Chan has broken the record for the Tokyo Racecourse Dirt 1400 Meters Debut."

"The record has been reduced by 0.21 seconds!"

As the scoreboard displayed "Record," it meant that Curren Chan had broken the record for the Tokyo 1400 Meters Dirt debut.

"Congratulations to Curren Chan on her successful debut!"

"She didn't stumble in the same place as last time; instead, she created a new miracle!"

"Curren Chan, let's look forward to her future performances in sprint races!"

With the commentator's shouts, Curren Chan's fans cheered once again, as if celebrating a festival.

Standing behind the finish line, Curren Chan's chest heaved slightly. Her diamond-like purple eyes were fixed intently on the scoreboard, and she felt an overwhelming sense of astonishment as she looked at the record she had broken.

She had no doubt about winning her debut race.

Curren Chan even somewhat hoped that she could cross the finish line by a large margin.

However, as for breaking records...

Curren Chan hadn't even considered it.

Although she had broken the freshman record for the Dirt 1200 Meters at Tracen Academy, Curren Chan herself understood the difference between simulation and official competition.

Furthermore, she's an Umamusume who's adapted to Turf, so Dirt isn't exactly easy for her.

She chose Dirt simply to show her fans that she could also achieve good results in Dirt races.

Successfully debuting was enough.

"Curren... she broke the record..."

Curren Chan was still somewhat dazed.

She fully understood that her successful debut was thanks to Sakura Baimu's strategies.

But breaking the record was utterly astonishing.

"Curren just changed the pace of the race and learned some climbing techniques, and she achieved such an outstanding result..."

With a sigh of relief, Curren turned and looked towards where the TCB members and Umamusumes had been.

She saw Sakura Baimu, as expected, also watching her.

And upon seeing her looking, Sakura Baimu gave her a thumbs-up.

Then, Sakura Baimu patted the Umamusume beside her and led them away from the Tokyo Racecourse.

Curren Chan, touched, ran with a joyful smile to the fans who were clapping and cheering for her, striking a happy pose for a photo.

“Everyone~ Don’t forget to add ‘#CurrenChan’ when you post it!”

---

On the way back, Smart Falcon fiddled with her phone, then exclaimed.

“Curren posted on Umasta!”

She held up her phone to everyone.

In the photo, Curren Chan, dressed in her stage outfit, is taking a selfie at the Tokyo Racecourse, with two fingers touching her lips.

The photo is tagged with:

[#CurrenChan #SuccessfulDebut #RecordBreaking #SoHappy]

"As expected, she didn't thank Trainer-san~" Mejiro McQueen remarked casually.

---

The next day, at noon.

Inside the Tracen Academy cafeteria.

Mejiro McQueen was having lunch with Tokai Teio.

"McQueen, you're eating so little! Are you on a diet?"

Tokai Teio asked, looking at the meager amount of vegetable salad on Mejiro McQueen's plate.

"No! I'm just not hungry today!" Mejiro McQueen's expression changed slightly, but she managed to maintain her composure.

"This fried pork cutlet is so delicious~" Tokai Teio deliberately put on a look of enjoyment in front of Mejiro McQueen.

"Aaaaaah!"

Annoyed by Tokai Teio's expression, McQueen forked a huge chunk of salad and stuffed it into her mouth.

But just then, a large glass of honey drink and a large cup of cream parfait were suddenly placed on the table in front of Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.

Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen were both startled and looked to the side.

There stood Curren Chan, whom they had just met yesterday, who had successfully debuted after a less-than-victorious debut.

"Teiō-senpai, McQueen-senpai, this is a small gift Curren prepared for you two. We hope you'll accept it with a smile~"

Chapter 196: #Please continue to guide me from now on♪

"Huh? Why are you giving me a gift?" Tokai Teio asked, puzzled.

"Curren knows you two came to Tokyo Racecourse to cheer Curren on, but Curren didn't greet you, so Curren came today to express her gratitude~?"

Curren Chan put on a very sweet and cute expression as she spoke to Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.

Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen exchanged a glance, both understanding what Curren Chan meant.

It seems she's trying to get closer to the group after her successful debut.

"We're all in the same group, Curren Chan. You don't need to give us anything," Mejiro McQueen politely declined.

“Huh—? Rice-senpai, Falcon-senpai, and Dia-chan and Kita-chan have already accepted. Curren isn't trying to curry favor; Curren just wants to express her gratitude and apologize for neglecting the seniors during the competition!”

“Huh? Everyone accepted?” Tokai Teio asked, somewhat surprised.

“Yes!!” Curren Chan nodded emphatically.

“Well… alright then, since everyone accepted, there's nothing we can do about it~”

Mejiro McQueen spoke, pulling the cream parfait in front of her.

“After all, Curren Chan already bought it. We can't waste food~”

“McQueen-senpai is so thrifty! If you can, please call Curren Curren~”

“Y-yes, I know~”

Mejiro McQueen replied, her gaze already glued to the cream parfait.

"Hehehe? Curren's so happy"

--

On the other side of the cafeteria, Rice Shower, who was having lunch with Mihono Bourbon, suddenly received a picture book from Curren Chan and was momentarily at a loss.

"Eh...? Why is this for Rice? Rice can't accept it..."

"Rice-senpai, this is a thank-you gift for coming to the competition to cheer for Curren~"

"A thank-you gift? No need. Rice was just with onee-sama..."

"Teio-senpai and McQueen-senpai have already accepted it Curren hopes Rice-senpai will also accept Curren's gift"

"Eh? Teio-san and McQueen-san accepted it too? Then... Rice too..."

--

After lunch, the TCB Umamusumes met up at the cafeteria entrance.

“Curren just came to see Rice and gave Rice a picture book…”

“She gave me a honey drink.”

“A cream parfait.”

“Huh? Falco got one too…”

“…”

“…”

The Umamusumes discussed among themselves and realized that, just as Curren Chan had said, they had all received gifts from her.

They walked towards the TCB activity room, discussing the day's events.

“Judging from Curren’s expression, she seems to want to get along with us, right?” Tokai Teio said.

“Definitely. She hasn’t come to train with us, but Trainer-san still taught her how to climb hills and gave her competition strategies. She’s definitely tempted to train with us now,” Mejiro McQueen said.

“As expected of onee-sama, she has such a strong personal charm…”

“Rice, you’re too naive. She must have liked Curren a long time ago, which is why she accepted her application to join the team from the start,” Mejiro McQueen said.

“But Rice felt that Curren didn’t seem to like onee-sama very much at first, so Rice thinks it was what onee-sama did for Curren later that changed her mind.”

“That makes sense~”

“By the way, McQueen, weren’t you unhappy before because Trainer-san prepared a Dirt strategy for Curren? So, are you starting to accept her now?” Tokai Teio asked with a smile.

“What do you mean I’m unhappy because Trainer-san prepared a Dirt strategy for her? I’m unhappy because she clearly doesn’t approve of Trainer-san, but she still accepted her strategy.”

“Eh—?” Tokai Teio drawled. “So, McQueen, what’s your opinion of Curren now?”

“No opinion at all~ I just don’t dislike her. What happens next depends on her behavior. The key isn’t how she treats you and me, but how she should thank Trainer-san.”

“That’s true.”

“Trainer~~san! We’re here~~!”

Kitasan Black shouted, pushing open the training room door, only to find Sakura Baimu wasn’t inside.

“Trainer-san isn’t here? That’s strange.”

Tokai Teio also went in, looking around with a surprised expression.

“Ah—!”

Just then, Smart Falcon, who had been staring at her phone, suddenly shouted, instantly drawing the attention of her teammates.

"Falcon-senpai, what's wrong?"

"Come look at this!"

Smart Falcon held up her phone, her face filled with shock.

--

Sakura Baimu was called to the school rooftop by Curren Chan.

There, she found Curren Chan, her hands clasped in front of her dress, waiting quietly for her.

Curren Chan was standing on the edge of the rooftop, her eyes fixed on the distant racetrack and tall buildings, lost in thought.

Sakura Baimu couldn't see Curren Chan's expression.

The only thing she could notice was the gray ponytail behind Curren Chan that was constantly swinging nervously.

Sakura Baimu walked towards Curren Chan.

Curren Chan turned around upon hearing the noise, her face lighting up with delight upon seeing Sakura Baimu.

“Onee-chan, you’re here? Do you know why Curren asked Onee-chan to come over?”

Curren Chan deliberately feigned shyness, a faint blush spreading across her porcelain cheeks, looking every bit the lovesick girl.

“I won’t hold your past actions against you. The TCB Umamusumes are all good kids. You can start training with us from today onward.”

Sakura Baimu knew Curren Chan’s personality well and smiled at her.

“As expected, Onee-chan understands Curren~”

Curren Chan said, slowly walking towards Sakura Baimu.

“Although Curren knows Onee-chan doesn’t mind what happened before, Curren can’t help but care.”

Having reached Sakura Baimu, Curren didn’t stop there. She continued walking forward until she was almost pressed against her.

“Curren did something very wrong to Onee-chan, so all the mistakes that follow should be blamed on Curren, right?”

Curren Chan said, then stood on tiptoe, reached out, and wrapped her arms around Sakura Baimu’s neck, gently closing her eyes and bringing her face close.

“Wow, is she serious?”

Sakura Baimu was momentarily shocked when Curren Chan's cute and charming face suddenly loomed large in her field of vision. Her composure crumbled, and her azure eyes widened.

Just as Sakura Baimu was about to push Curren Chan away, she heard a "click," saw a flash of white light, and the girl covered her mouth with a giggle, gently withdrawing her hand from Sakura Baimu's neck.

"Click, and send."

A photo of Curren Chan with her arm around a slightly flustered Sakura Baimu's neck was uploaded to Curren Chan's Umasta.

Several tags were also attached.

【#With Curren's trainer #Please continue to guide me from now on? #Onee-chan #Cute Curren Chan】

--

Chapter 197: Curren, What a Terrifying Child

The TCB members, all Umamusumes, stared in astonishment at the photo on Smart Falcon's phone: Curren Chan with her arm around Sakura Baimu's neck, the two looking quite intimate.

"When was this posted?" Tokai Teio exclaimed.

"Just now, a minute ago. Falco followed Curren, so I got a notification when she posted something."

"Judging from the background, it's on the school rooftop, right?" Satono Diamond stared at Smart Falcon's screen, immediately recognizing the location of the photo.

"Curren looks really happy," Kitasan Black said, her crimson eyes wide with surprise.

"So, she gave us gifts just to distract us so she could go find Trainer-san?"

Mejiro McQueen was also incredulous; it was like they'd been tricked by Curren Chan.

“Rice doesn’t think so. Curren probably still wants to get along with us. Look at this photo of her and onee-sama; she clearly accepts onee-sama as her trainer.”

“But she didn’t tell us she was going to see Trainer-san!”

Mejiro McQueen exclaimed loudly, feeling that things had changed too quickly and that it was still a little hard to accept.

“Look at Trainer-san’s expression; she’s clearly a bit shocked, which means she didn’t expect this situation either.”

“Speaking of which, if Curren only wants Trainer-san to be her trainer, why did she specifically go to the rooftop?” Tokai Teio was also puzzled.

“Rice heard that people usually only choose rooftops when confessing their feelings, right? Because they don’t want others to see them, they choose a place like a rooftop where no one is usually around.” Rice Shower blushed and muttered in a soft voice.

"So, if she just wanted Trainer-san to be her trainer, why did she specifically choose the rooftop?!"

The TCB Umamusumes shook their heads at Mejiro McQueen's bewildered shout, equally confused.

"She'll probably be back soon. Let's wait here," Tokai Teio said, walking straight to a chair and sitting down.

The TCB Umamusumes had no other choice but to sit down and wait for Sakura Baimu to return.

"Curren, what a scary kid."

Smart Falcon took back her phone, staring intently at the photo of Curren Chan's happy smile. The same thought popped into her head again.

--

The rooftop was only a ten-minute walk from the TCB activity room.

However, Sakura Baimu, held back by Curren Chan with various excuses, finally arrived at the activity room door after more than half an hour.

Sakura Baimu reached for the doorknob, opened the door, and went inside.

She was immediately startled by the thick, resentful atmosphere that suddenly erupted from inside the activity room.

The TCB Umamusumes had assumed Sakura Baimu would return soon.

They hadn't expected to wait in the activity room for over half an hour.

Seeing the resentful looks on her trainees' faces, Sakura Baimu was about to say something when she suddenly felt a soft touch on her left arm.

Curren Chan, who had been obediently following Sakura Baimu, immediately pressed herself against her as Sakura Baimu entered the activity room.

She naturally linked her right arm with Sakura Baimu's, her petite frame pressed tightly against her.

Curren Chan wore a happy and blissful expression, smiling and waving to the group of Umamusumes in the activity room.

"Hello everyone From today onward, Curren is also Onee-chan's Umamusume?"

The TCB Umamusumes stared in disbelief at Curren Chan, who was clinging to Sakura Baimu's arm like a lover.

Immediately after realizing what was happening, they all turned their gazes to Sakura Baimu.

Sakura Baimu hadn't expected that Curren Chan, who had been so obedient the whole way, would launch a surprise attack as she entered.

She quickly pulled her arm away from Curren Chan's grasp.

Just as Sakura Baimu was about to speak, she heard Curren Chan's regretful voice again.

“Eh~~ Onee-chan was being carried by Curren the whole way back, so how come she shook her off as soon as they got back?”

Curren Chan tapped her chin with her delicate finger, looking both resentful and confused.

Stare—

Sakura Baimu felt the piercing gazes from the other Umamusumes in the activity room, her lips twitching involuntarily. She quickly said,

“Curren was just joking. Anyway, that's it. Curren will be officially training with us starting today.”

“Nice to meet you all~?”

Curren Chan bowed to the Umamusumes in the activity room, smiling sweetly.

“Welcome.”

“Hello, Curren.”

“Hello, Curren-kun.”

The Umamusumes in the TCB activity room, although very bothered by Curren Chan and Sakura Baimu's overly intimate behavior just now...

However, they had all received favors from Curren Chan, and they didn't harbor much ill will towards her.

So they still greeted Curren Chan politely.

“Curren, please go and sit down. I'll briefly explain what's going on next.”

“Okay, on-ee-chan~?”

Curren Chan replied cheerfully, then looked around the activity room and finally chose to sit next to Rice Shower, who looked the most well-behaved and quiet.

“Hello, Rice-senpai.”

“Ah! Hello, Curren-kun.” Rice Shower felt very uncomfortable with Curren Chan's enthusiasm.

“Onee-chan is very kind, isn't she~”

“Yes, onee-sama is very nice to Rice…”

Curren Chan exchanged a few quiet words with Rice Shower, then turned her gaze back to Sakura Baimu.

"Although Curren had already joined TCB, she will officially begin training with us starting today."

"Also, congratulations to Curren on her successful debut! She has exceptional talent in short-distance races. From today onward, our TCB team is complete with Umamusumes across all distances. Our next goal is to surpass Rigil and become the number one team in Tracen Academy!"

"Surpass Rigil!" the Umamusumes shouted in unison.

"In August, Rice Shower made a successful comeback, GG won the big prize match, and Curren debuted smoothly."

"So, for the last match in August, it's just you left, Kita-chan!"

"Leave it to me~~~!"

Kitasan Black answered loudly in a spirited voice, pounding her chest with her little fist and looking incredibly confident.

----

Chapter 198: So What Exactly Did You Guys Do?!

"This is Kita-chan's first major tournament, the G3-level Niigata Junior Stakes, a 1600-meter turf race held in Niigata Prefecture, just like GG."

"Kita-chan is participating in a major tournament so soon?" Curren Chan was incredibly surprised after hearing Sakura Baimu's words.

Yesterday, she was still basking in the glory of her victory in her undefeated debut match.

And today, Kitasan Black, her peer in the TCB team, was already participating in a major tournament.

This disparity couldn't help but surprise Curren Chan.

Recalling Sakura Baimu's words, "None of TCB's Umamusumes have ever lost their debut match,"

Curren Chan's sense of urgency suddenly surged.

Just then, a gentle knock sounded in the TCB activity room, and Junkawa Tazuna, the chairman's secretary in a green uniform, entered carrying a newspaper.

"Ms. Sakura, the information on Kita-chan's opponents and track numbers is out," Junkawa Tazuna said, handing the newspaper to Sakura Baimu.

"Thank you, Ms. Junkawa."

Sakura Baimu said with a smile, noticing that Junkawa Tazuna was also holding another newspaper.

"Who is Ms. Junkawa's other newspaper for? Is there another Umamusume from the academy participating in the Niigata Junior Stakes?"

"Yes, Rigil's new Umamusume, Duramente, will also be participating in this year's Niigata Junior Stakes. I'll take this newspaper to Ms. Tojo."

Junkawa Tazuna said with a gentle smile, then prepared to leave.

Still in shock, Sakura Baimu rushed to the door and opened it for Junkawa Tazuna before she could.

"Ms. Junkawa, please."

"Thank you, Ms. Sakura."

Junkawa Tazuna was already used to Sakura Baimu's strange behavior.

She didn't understand why Sakura Baimu always looked so panicked whenever she tried to open the door.

After seeing Junkawa Tazuna off, the TCB Umamusumes finally began to discuss.

“Duramente, isn’t that the Rigil newbie who beat Pluto Academy’s active-duty Umamusume in the friendly match?” Tokai Teio recalled.

“That’s right. She’s the Umamusume from the class next to mine and Kita-chan’s.”

“Curren also remembers her; she seems to have lost in her debut competition, just like Curren.”

“I watched her match against Pluto Academy. She has an exceptional talent for controlling the pace of the game and seizing opportunities. Although I don’t know how she lost in her debut competition, it won’t be easy for Kita-chan to beat her,” Mejiro McQueen analyzed.

“Kita-chan, did you hear that? Just do your best. Logically, your current strength should surpass that of many of your peers in the Umamusume class, but you still need to be careful of this Duramente. Don't underestimate her.” Sakura Baimu gently advised Kitasan Black.

“I understand~~~!”

Kitasan Black pounded her chest with her little fist again, signaling Sakura Baimu to relax.

“Alright, that's about all for today. Any questions?” Sakura Baimu asked.

“Onee-chan, when will Curren's next match be scheduled?” Curren Chan asked with a smile.

Seeing that her peer Kitasan Black had already been scheduled for a high-reward match, she felt both envious and pressured.

She had only won her debut match without actually placing first, which wasn't considered a remarkable achievement anywhere.

Not to mention that her peers Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond had both crossed the finish line with record-breaking times by a wide margin.

Their record-breaking performances were measured in seconds.

They were far superior to her.

“As for you, we don’t have any races scheduled for August. You haven’t trained with us, and your stamina is a bit lacking. Your earliest race won’t be until September. I’ll arrange your races for the rest of the year tonight,” Sakura Baimu said.

“Then, does Curren have a chance to participate in high-stakes races this year?” Curren Chan asked expectantly.

“It depends on your training. If it goes well, I can register you for the big prize event in November.”

“Understood, thanks, Onee-chan~” Curren Chan replied sweetly.

“Alright, any other questions?” Sakura Baimu continued.

“I wanted to ask, Trainer-san, what were you doing that kept us waiting in the activity room for so long?”

Mejiro McQueen suddenly spoke up, asking a question completely unrelated to the competition.

“Curren contacted me privately, wanting me to be her trainer,” Sakura Baimu said with a smile.

“Just for that? It took half an hour?”

Mejiro McQueen raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with Sakura Baimu's answer.

“Curren sent you a photo with her on Umasta more than half an hour ago. You'd already agreed to be her trainer then, right? We waited for you for over half an hour before you came back. It's less than a ten-minute walk from the school rooftop, isn't it?”

“Curren asked me a lot of questions on the way, so I walked a little slower.”

Sakura Baimu spoke the truth, but at this point, she understood why Curren Chan had deliberately slowed her down.

Sure enough, as soon as Sakura Baimu finished speaking, Curren Chan added with a smile:

“Onee-chan wasn't lying to McQueen-senpai. Curren was just keeping Onee-chan company, so it took some time~”

As Curren Chan spoke, a faint blush rose to her fair cheeks, and her tone became increasingly shy.

She repeated what she had said to Sakura Baimu, but in a different way, to her TCB teammates.

"Curren misunderstood Onee-chan before and did many things that wronged her. So, Curren-chan wanted to make up for those mistakes, so she had Onee-chan vent all the frustration Curren had caused on her~"

TCB Umamusumes: "??????"

Sakura Baimu: "?????????"

Everyone in the activity room, including Sakura Baimu, stared at Curren Chan's flushed face with expressions of utter disbelief after hearing her words.

The TCB Umamusumes were stunned by Curren Chan's words, their hearts pounding.

Mejiro McQueen was utterly shocked; Curren Chan's bluntness made her cheeks flush, and her voice involuntarily rose a few decibels.

"So what exactly did you guys do?!?"

Seeing the previously harmonious atmosphere of TCB disrupted by Curren Chan's two sentences, Sakura twitched slightly at the corner of her eye.

Seeing the Umamusumes blushing because of Curren Chan's ambiguous words, she couldn't hold back any longer and finally interrupted her.

"Curren, do you have to talk like that?"

"What does Onee-chan mean?" Curren Chan winked playfully at Sakura Baimu, feigning ignorance.

Seeing Curren Chan feigning ignorance, Sakura Baimu chuckled and walked up to her, patting her on the shoulder.

"Come on, Curren, let's go train."

---

Chapter 199: Curren Is... Out of Strength...

Curren Chan, observing Sakura Baimu's gentle smile, sensed something was amiss.

Although she hadn't interacted with Sakura Baimu extensively, she had already felt Sakura Baimu's immense personal charm as a trainer in just two brief encounters.

Therefore, Curren Chan knew that Sakura Baimu would definitely tolerate her little whims.

After all, domeone like Sakura Baimu, who had gone to such great lengths and made such sacrifices to create strategies for someone like herself who didn't initially approve of her, and then confidently entrusted them to her trainer, meant that the Umamusumes under her command must be quite happy.

They had no worries about suffering any injustice from Sakura Baimu.

"Onee-chan would never bear to see such a lovely Curren suffer," Curren Chan thought with a small, delighted thrill.

--

An hour later, Curren Chan realized she had misjudged Sakura Baimu again.

“Move! Don’t stop! Do you think you can compete in the bounty race this year like this?”

Sakura Baimu shouted through a large yellow megaphone at Curren Chan, who was kneeling on the turf, panting heavily.

“Onee-chan... ha... Curren is... huff... out of strength…”

Beads of sweat streamed down Curren Chan’s delicate face, dripping onto the grass.

Her chest heaved, and her voice lacked its previous sweetness.

Curren Chan felt she didn’t even have the strength to stand up.

But when she looked at her teammates on the track, she was horrified to find that none of them were in such a state.

Including her classmates Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond.

"No way?! Is Curren's stamina really that much worse than Kita-chan's and Dia-chan's? Why don't they look that tired?"

Curren Chan was shocked. Realizing the gap between herself and Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, a strong sense of urgency surged within her once more.

"Indeed, as Onee-chan said, Curren can't participate in the bounty race in this state..."

Curren Chan gritted her teeth and struggled to her feet.

She looked at the blue wristband she was wearing, a sense of unease creeping over her.

"What is this wristband? It doesn't feel heavy at all, so why is Curren's stamina depleting so quickly?"

Previously, Curren Chan hadn't trained with Sakura Baimu, mainly because she didn't approve of Baimu as a trainer.

But there was another reason.

Curren Chan had broken the freshman record on the Tracen Academy 1200-Meter dirt course.

Plus, Curren Chan was a very self-disciplined Umamusume.

She usually disciplined herself very strictly.

Therefore, Curren Chan had always believed that even without a trainer, as long as she strictly disciplined herself every day, she could achieve similar results.

Now, Curren Chan discovered that under Sakura Baimu's training, she was already too exhausted to walk after just one hour.

Only then did she finally realize the intensity of her training; compared to the intensity Sakura Baimu had specified, it was worlds apart.

"In the same amount of time, Curren's training results are probably more than twice as bad as Onee-chan's!!"

Curren Chan thought to herself, but at the same time, a new question arose:

"Curren is already this exhausted; she probably won't be able to continue training until she's fully recovered, right? What should she do with the rest of the time?"

As Curren Chan pondered this, she noticed Sakura Baimu walking toward her.

"Tired?"

"Yes, Curren is really at her limit."

Curren Chan answered breathlessly. "Onee-chan, is today's training over? Curren has absolutely no energy left."

"Hmph." Sakura Baimu's lips curled into a smile. "The TCB Umamusumes all train at the same time. You'll have to train with them until evening too."

"But, Curren has no energy left~"

"That's easy."

Sakura Baimu smiled, took out a small paper cup and a large box of aoboshi (green juice), and poured Curren Chan a full cup.

"Drink this, then continue training."

"Huh? So soon?"

Curren Chan took the aoboshi, her expression freezing upon hearing Sakura Baimu's words.

"Drink it first," Sakura Baimu urged.

Curren Chan had her doubts, but she obediently took a small sip of the green juice.

But the moment the juice entered her mouth, Curren Chan's eyes narrowed sharply as she felt the taste on her tongue, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

Curren Chan instinctively wanted to spit out the green juice.

However, due to her long-standing self-consciousness about her appearance, Curren Chan quickly rejected the idea.

"Curren can't spit it out. Curren won't be cute if she does..."

Since she couldn't spit it out, she could only swallow it.

Curren Chan covered her mouth, her delicate brows furrowed, and with a swallow, she forced down the green juice.

"Onee-chan... this is... too... too awful! Curren suspects... it's gone bad?"

Curren Chan's face paled slightly, but she still forced a smile and asked Sakura Baimu.

“No, this is the taste. You have to drink the whole cup.”

“Eh—?”

Curren Chan froze again, her cute little face instantly turning pitiful, a mist welling up in her purple eyes. She looked at Sakura Baimu with a fearful tone and spoke.

“Onee-chan, are you angry because of what happened with Curren before?”

“How could I be? I have a very good temper.”

Sakura Baimu smiled. “Drink it. You’ll know once you drink it. If you want to participate in the G1 Tournament this year, you have to overcome these things.”

“What does participating in the G1 Tournament have to do with drinking this…”

Curren Chan stared at Sakura Baimu with teary eyes for a while, and only after realizing that Sakura Baimu was unmoved did she finally give up.

She picked up the green juice, closed her eyes, and drank it all in one gulp.

The moment she swallowed the green juice, Curren Chan’s little face turned even paler.

Seeing her like this, Sakura Baimu smiled with satisfaction.

Sakura Baimu then handed Curren Chan a cupcake, saying with a smile,

"Eat this."

Curren Chan took the cupcake, and just like when she drank the green juice, she closed her eyes tightly and took a bite.

Immediately afterward, Curren Chan's eyes snapped open.

----

Chapter 200: My Stamina... Has Recovered!

Curren Chan looked at the cupcake in her hand with some surprise, then quickly devoured it.

"Onee-chan! This cupcake is so delicious! This is the first time Curren has ever had such a delicious cake!"

Curren Chan exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Sakura Baimu.

She had eaten many delicious things throughout her life, but this cupcake was a completely new experience.

It was simply incredibly delicious!

Not only that, but her taste buds, which had been ravaged by the green juice, were revitalized by the cupcake.

"Now you can continue training."

Sakura Baimu watched Curren Chan's face contort after drinking the green juice and then saw her delighted expression after eating the cupcake. She felt a sense of satisfaction herself.

"But in such a short time, Curren hasn't..."

Curren Chan's words trailed off as if someone had pressed pause.

Then, a look of utter shock washed over Curren Chan's adorable face once more.

"Her stamina... recovered! Curren doesn't seem tired anymore?!"

Curren Chan found it utterly unbelievable.

She jumped up and down a few times, discovering that her stamina had indeed returned to its pre-training state.

"No, it's not just that! Curren feels like she just had a good night's sleep, her whole body radiating a sense of exhilaration! Her strength and stamina seem endless!"

Curren Chan's face was filled with astonishment, her heart pounding with amazement at this miraculous change within her.

"This is the secret to how TCB's Umamusume can persevere through such intense training," Sakura Baimu said, gently patting Curren Chan's shoulder.

"Now, you can continue your training."

"Yes, yes! Curren understands!"

Curren Chan was overjoyed to learn such a huge secret.

"If that's really the case, then Curren can definitely persevere through such intense training! If I keep going like this, I can achieve several times the training results of other Umamusumes!"

Although Curren Chan already knew that Sakura Baimu was an excellent trainer, now that she truly realized the terrifying speed at which she would improve her skills through TCB's training, she couldn't help but feel immense joy.

This internet celebrity Umamusume who always hid her true emotions behind a cute and sweet smile, finally, at this moment, forgot her usual mask completely, revealing her most genuine emotions to Sakura Baimu.

---

Several hours later, today's training finally ended. Sakura Baimu, along with Rice Shower, said goodbye to the other Umamusumes and left Tracen Academy.

All the TCB Umamusumes, except for Rice Shower, lived in the Ritto Dormitory.

"Onee-sama, Rice can go back by herself! Before Rice was under Onee-sama's tutelage, she always went back alone. Rice doesn't want to trouble Onee-sama..."

Rice Shower had lost count of how many times she had politely declined Sakura Baimu's offer to walk her back to the dormitory.

It wasn't that she disliked Sakura Baimu; on the contrary, she was very fond of Sakura Baimu and didn't want to cause her any trouble.

Sakura Baimu's behavior made Rice Shower feel somewhat embarrassed.

"It's alright, it's alright. I don't have anything to do anyway, Rice, so don't mind it. After all, I still enjoy being with you girls."

Sakura Baimu smiled at Rice Shower as usual and insisted on walking her back to her dormitory.

Rice Shower nodded slightly, accepting Sakura Baimu's words.

The two chatted as they walked toward Miho Dormitory.

As they neared the entrance to Miho Dormitory, Rice Shower lowered her head and whispered,

"Onee-sama must have been worried Rice would be lonely walking home alone. That's why she insisted on walking me home. Rice knows Onee-sama's house isn't in the same direction as Miho Dormitory..."

"Why does it have to be that I'm worried Rice will be lonely, so I had to walk you home? Can't I just want to spend more time with Rice?"

Sakura Baimu chuckled softly at Rice Shower, patting her head as her cheeks flushed again at her words.

"Onee-sama has done so much for Rice. Rice doesn't know how to repay Onee-sama..."

"Then help Teio and McQueen master Aura, and then win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in early November to repay me."

"Yeah! Rice will do her best!"

Rice Shower nodded emphatically, vowing to win the competition.

"Bye-bye, get some rest."

Sakura Baimu greeted Rice Shower and Hishi Amazon, the head of Miho Dormitory who had come to greet her, before leaving Miho Dormitory and heading home.

---

Meanwhile, the six Umamusumes living in Ritto Dormitory were walking toward the dormitory in a large group.

Today, Curren Chan was joining them.

Although Curren Chan was incredibly exhausted, she still put on an energetic act and ran ahead of the group for a selfie.

In this selfie, Curren Chan's smiling face took up half the frame.

Behind Curren Chan's small face, her teammates could also be seen chatting among themselves.

"#EndOfTrainingDay #WithCurrensTeammates #TiredButHappyDay #TCBIsTheBest #CuteCurrenChan"

"Upload photo, send!"

Curren Chan said, uploading the selfie to Umasta.

Watching Curren Chan, who, despite being exhausted, still insisted on taking selfies for her fans while presenting herself in the best possible light, Smart Falcon couldn't help but think.

"Falco has quite a few fans now. Shouldn't she post some selfies too?"

"No, not like Curren's. Otherwise, Falco would just be imitating her, wouldn't she? Falco needs her own style... her own style..."

Smart Falcon thought for a long time and finally decided to have Eishin Flash record a song for her when she got back to the dormitory.

"Hey, I was saying..."

Tokai Teio, who had been whispering with Mejiro McQueen, suddenly spoke up, drawing the attention of all the TCB Umamusume members.

"Aren't you all curious? How exactly did Trainer-san come up with all those guides?"

"Huh? Didn't we already conclude that Oguri-senpai was helping Trainer-san?" Satono Diamond asked, puzzled.

"But we can't be sure it was really Oguri-senpai, right? Given Trainer-san's financial situation, how many times could she possibly ask Oguri-senpai for help?"

---

Chapter 201: Tokai Teio's Deduction

Curren Chan who had been happily scrolling through her Umasta comments turned around in surprise after hearing Tokai Teio's words.

"Teio-senpai, what are you talking about?"

"Curren, when you made your debut race at Tokyo Racecourse, the way you climbed the hill at the end was taught to you by Trainer-san, right?" Tokai Teio asked.

"That's right. Strictly speaking, it's the stride recorded in Onee-chan's guide for Curren."

"That stride wasn't created by Falco-senpai, nor by Rice, nor by any of the Umamusumes present."

"Actually, Curren was also surprised when she first saw the guide about climbing hills. Curren remembers that there wasn't an Umamusume who ran dirt sprints at Tokyo Racecourse in TCB, so she was a little curious about how Trainer-san came up with that stride..."

Curren Chan said, looking at Tokai Teio with some confusion.

"Could it be that Teio-senpai and McQueen-senpai don't know where Onee-chan got that stride from?"

"We don't know."

"They don't know either."

Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen both denied it.

"Huh? Then what is it...?" Curren Chan was momentarily taken aback.

"It's not just the strategy guide Trainer-san gave Curren. Before that, there were the strategies we worked on with McQueen for the Takarazuka Kinen, the Tokyo Racecourse strategy, and even earlier. Trainer-san always managed to create incredibly detailed strategies for us before races."

"And those strategies clearly required the help of an Umamusume to create; Trainer-san couldn't have done it alone," Tokai Teio said.

"So we're curious. Who exactly did Trainer-san use to create such detailed strategies for us? Behind every detailed strategy Trainer-san creates for us, there must be an Umamusume working silently behind the scenes," Mejiro McQueen said softly, narrowing her eyes.

"By the way, Miss McQueen, aren't you going to the Japan Cup in November? Didn't we previously deduce that the Umamusume behind Trainer-san is the same Umamusume who sent Golden Crown Eagle to the hospital? Why don't you ask Golden Crown Eagle about it then?" Satono Diamond suggested.

"Um..." Mejiro McQueen hesitated. "I have a very bad impression of Golden Crown Eagle. She not only hurt Rice but also many other Umamusumes at Tracen Academy."

"I even announced to her on the day she left Tracen Academy that I would definitely beat her in the Japan Cup."

"Under these circumstances, I feel it will be very difficult for me to get the truth out of Golden Crown Eagle."

"Even if Golden Crown Eagle were willing to tell me, how could an American Umamusume possibly know all the Japanese Umamusumes?"

Mejiro McQueen shook her head.

"So I feel the chances of getting the Umamusume's true identity out of Golden Crown Eagle are not very high."

"Then what should we do? Falco is also very curious..." Smart Falcon interjected.

"I wonder if Detective Teio has any ideas?" Mejiro McQueen looked at Tokai Teio, who was deep in thought.

"There is a way," Tokai Teio said. "As everyone knows, Trainer-san always provides strategies for new races."

"Yes, yes," all the Umamusume members nodded in unison.

"And so far, apart from Curren's debut race, the races Trainer-san has provided strategies for us have all been G1-level events."

"Is that so? Besides Curren, all the strategies Onee-chan has provided were for G1-level events?"

Curren Chan was utterly astonished.

She was truly receiving special treatment from Sakura Baimu.

"Basically, that's how it is," Mejiro McQueen said.

"So, whenever someone participates in a new G1 race, Trainer-san will definitely devise a strategy again. Then we can see which Umamusume Trainer-san asked for help," Tokai Teio snapped her fingers and said.

"A new G1... besides Teio's tournament in the US, the TCB G1 races this year include Teio and me in the Autumn Tenno Sho in October, Rice in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in November, and the Arima Kinen at the end of the year," Mejiro McQueen said.

"None of those will work. The Autumn Tenno Sho is held at Tokyo Racecourse, and Trainer-san already gave us the strategy. Rice's Queen Elizabeth II Cup is at Kyoto Racecourse, which Rice knows intimately," Tokai Teio countered. "As for the Arima Kinen, McQueen and I raced there last year, so there's no way we'd get any new strategies."

"Huh? Does that mean we have no chance of discovering the Umamusume behind Trainer-san?" Satono Diamond asked, somewhat disappointed.

"No!"

Tokai Teio exclaimed, then pointed.

"There's still a chance! It's with you—Falco-senpai!"

"Huh? Why Falco?"

Smart Falcon, suddenly pointed at by the great detective Tokai Teio, became somewhat flustered.

"Trainer-san originally promised Falcon-senpai that she would get her a G1 victory within half a year, right?"

"That's right, but Falco doesn't know which race Trainer-san will have her participate in yet..."

"That's easy. Let me deduce it!" Tokai Teio pulled out her phone and started checking the year-end race schedule.

"Falco-senpai will definitely be participating in a dirt race. There aren't many G1 dirt races in Japan to begin with, and even fewer are being held this year..."

"This year, the only G1 dirt races being held are the JBC Dirt series, Tokyo Daishōten, and the Champions Cup."

"The first two are held at Oi Racecourse, and the last one is at Chukyo Racecourse."

"And so far, no TCB Umamusume has participated in a dirt race at either Oi Racecourse or Chukyo Racecourse!"

Tokai Teio clapped her hands together, finally reaching a conclusion.

"So, Trainer-san will definitely have that Umamusume help design the strategy for Falco-senpai! Then we'll know who the Umamusume behind the trainer is!"

"Wow! As expected of Teio-san!!"

Kitasan Black's eyes lit up, incredibly excited by Tokai Teio's brilliant reasoning.

"Hehe." Tokai Teio chuckled.

"Since she could beat Golden Crown Eagle, she can't be some nobody! I'm also very curious which Umamusume Trainer-san has such a close relationship with without us knowing."

Mejiro McQueen said, her purple eyes narrowing slightly.

---

Chapter 202: Niigata Junior Stakes

Finally, the TCB held its final race of August.

The Niigata Junior Stakes, a G3-level race, was held at Niigata Racecourse.

A 1600-meter turf mile race.

This was Kitasan Black's first major prize race, and she was also the first of the three new Umamusume recruits to the TCB to participate in a major prize race.

Sakura Baimu brought Kitasan Black to Niigata Racecourse in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, early in the morning.

As Sakura Baimu watched the Umamusumes emerge from the display stands, she suddenly noticed a familiar figure.

It was Rigil's team leader, Tracen Academy's true top trainer, Hana Tojo.

Before Tokai Teio won the Triple Crown, two of Tracen Academy's three Triple Crown Umamusumes had been trained by Hana Tojo.

"Hey, Tojo-nee, I didn't expect you to be here too."

Sakura Baimu walked up and greeted Tojo Hana.

"Sakura, I knew I'd see you here."

The cool and beautiful trainer, Tojo Hana, dressed in a gray suit and wearing glasses, wasn't too surprised to see Sakura Baimu and greeted her softly.

"I really didn't expect that we'd meet so far away, and at a G3-level race at that," Sakura Baimu said with a smile.

"I'm a little surprised too."

"Now entering the arena is Gate 8, Number 11, Duramente."

While Sakura Baimu and Tojo Hana were chatting, it was finally Rigil's turn to enter the arena with Duramente.

Sakura Baimu calculated the order of the performances and determined that Duramente had earned the third-highest popularity rating.

"She seems very confident," Sakura Baimu remarked with a smile, watching Duramente gracefully toss her tracksuit aside on the platform.

"Yes, she's a very smart kid," Tojo Hana said calmly, her expression unchanged.

"I watched Duramente's race against Pluto Academy, and I found her timing and rhythm control to be exceptional. Moreover, among the rookie Umamusumes in her cohort, her skill level is definitely among the top."

"That's right, that's her strength."

"But I heard she lost her debut race. What happened?"

"Duramente was a bit too nervous in her debut race, which caused her to make a mistake at the start. Despite being the most popular contestant, she only came in second place."

"I see..."

Sakura Baimu nodded slightly.

After Duramente came the second most popular contestant, Golden Rabbit, a cute and well-behaved Umamusume with short gray hair.

"Finally, the most popular contestant in the race, Gate 1, Number 1, Kitasan Black."

"Kitasan Black has crossed the finish line by a large margin in both of her debut races. A true Umamusume!"

As the commentator introduced her, Kitasan Black, with her short black hair and a bright, confident smile, walked out from backstage.

Even those who didn't know Kitasan Black would immediately recognize her as an energetic and cheerful Umamusume.

Kitasan Black's optimism and sincerity were evident in every aspect of her personality, and her positive energy easily infected those around her.

"How about Kita-chan from my team? Not bad, right?" Sakura Baimu said with a smile.

"She's really good, both in terms of skill and personality." Looking at Kitasan Black, Tojo Hana felt her mood brighten considerably.

She turned to Sakura Baimu beside her and replied with a smile.

"But I don't think Duramente will lose."

--

After the demonstration, the competitors completed their pre-race preparations and checks on the turf track before entering the gates one by one.

"Niigata Racecourse is shrouded in gloom; all the racers have now entered the gates."

"In this race, apart from the second most popular Golden Rabbit, all the racers are participating in a high-stakes race for the first time."

"Which racer will emerge victorious?"

"Niigata Junior Stakes, 1600m Mile Race."

"The race, now—"

"Start!"

The announcer's voice fell, and the gates sprang open.

The Umamusumes burst forth from the gates.

"A good start. It's clear that all the Umamusumes participating in this year's Niigata Junior Stakes are incredibly strong."

"Leading at the very front is Kitasan Black from Gate 1, Track 1!"

"She likes to use her superhuman speed to create a huge gap between herself and her opponents in the opening and middle stages; among all the rookie Umamusumes, she undoubtedly possesses the strength to rise above them all."

"Four Lengths behind Kitasan Black is Manchester City Times at Gate 6, Track 8."

"Then, about one Length behind her is the second most popular runner, Golden Rabbit."

...

"In 11th place is Duramente, and behind her is Thousand Nights."

"Should she use the Chaser style in a mile race?" Sakura Baimu wasn't paying attention to Kitasan Black, but rather focused on Duramente, who was second to last.

In shorter races, using a later pace is definitely more difficult than using a closer to the front.

After all, mile races don't offer Umamusumes as much overtaking time as middle-distance or long-distance races.

Therefore, for both the Chaser and an Umamusume using the Closer style, choosing the right time to accelerate and overtake is crucial.

For Umamusumes like Kitasan Black, who use a leading style, the need for precise timing and rhythm control is relatively less.

Sakura Baimu had witnessed Duramente's race against Pluto Academy. Duramente was the only newcomer from Tracen Academy to accept Pluto Academy's active-duty Umamusume 1v1 challenge.

Importantly, she won.

A month earlier, Duramente had already mastered the climbing techniques of Daiki Shuttle, Japan's strongest short-distance Umamusume on the Rigil team.

She even entered her opponent's slipstream in the final stages, conserving energy while finding an opportunity to overtake and secure the victory.

This control of timing and rhythm is something many Umamusumes who have been enrolled for a while lack.

Therefore, Sakura Baimu did not become complacent because Duramente chose a Chaser style in the mile race.

After all, this Umamusume was trained by the very person beside her, Tracen Academy's top trainer.

"As expected of a leading Umamusume who can create such a large lead in the early and middle stages, Kitasan Black has already built a 7-Length gap over the second-place Umamusume."

"Kitasan Black is the first to enter the third turn!"

--

Chapter 203: Clash of Raw Power and Tactics

"I know what you're trying to say. It's a bit strange that Duramente chose the Chaser style for a mile race, but Niigata Racecourse is different from other racecourses; this is a rare mile race where the start is unfavorable," Tojo Hana said calmly.

"Of course I know that, but I don't think Kita-chan will be overtaken on the rough section starting from the fourth turn."

Sakura Baimu replied with a smile, her timer still ticking away.

After a short distance of over 200 Meters, the Umamusumes encountered an uphill section with a straight-line distance of over 300 Meters and an elevation difference of 2 Meters.

The uphill slope wasn't particularly steep, and Sakura Baimu didn't provide Kitasan Black with any special strategy.

For this type of uphill, you can just run it like you would on flat ground.

The crest of this slope is just before the third bend.

Kitasan Black was the first Umamusume to enter the third bend and therefore the first to reach the crest.

And the moment Kitasan Black reached the crest, Sakura Baimu pressed her timer again.

【0.34.6】

Sakura Baimu chuckled softly, a sound that drew Tojo Hana's attention.

After glancing at the numbers on the timer in Sakura Baimu's hand, Hana's eyes behind her glasses widened slightly.

"There aren't many times when you can surprise Ms. Tojo," Sakura Baimu teased, noticing Tojo Hana's expression.

"No wonder. So that's why you were so confident about letting Kitasan Black lead at Niigata Racecourse," Tojo Hana remarked.

"The 1600-meter mile race at Niigata Racecourse has a hilltop right after the start of the race, 600 Meters from the starting line."

"Generally, a rookie Umamusume who can reach the top in 35 seconds is considered very fast. If she can finish in under 34 seconds, that means she possesses the upper-level ability of a high-level Umamusume."

"Kitasan Black has only been a rookie for a little over two months, and to achieve such a time is truly astonishing."

"With speed like that, Kitasan Black doesn't need to worry about tactics. She could probably sweep through a series of rookie Umamusumes simply by running away."

Tojo Hana first sighed, then her tone changed as she looked up at Sakura Baimu.

"However, Sakura, don't think you can let Kitasan Black win so easily. While Duramente's raw skill isn't as good as Kitasan Black's, her victory against Pluto Academy's active-duty Umamusume wasn't solely due to raw skill."

"The difference in raw skill can be completely bridged with technique and strategy."

"Tojo-nee is right." Sakura Baimu nodded, refocusing her attention on the arena.

While Sakura Baimu would create detailed strategies for her Umamusumes before each G1 tournament, she wasn't one to delve too deeply into technique.

She believed that technique was merely an embellishment to raw skill.

It was good to have, but not indispensable.

The most tactically astute Umamusume that Sakura Baimu had encountered so far was undoubtedly Obey Your Master, who defeated Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross at the Japan Cup.

But what was the use of that?

Obey Your Master recently raced against Oguri Cap again and ultimately lost.

It was like the strategy for sprint races at Tokyo Racecourse that Sakura Baimu taught Curren Chan.

Simply put, it was about using technique to compensate for a lack of physical strength.

If Curren Chan truly possessed superior physical attributes, she could have easily withstood the pressure and slowdown from the steep inclines.

Of course, Curren Chan's performance in her debut race, before her actual victory, was very impressive after learning these techniques.

But this was still due to Curren Chan's inherent talent in sprint races.

It wasn't that Curren Chan's raw ability was so weak that she couldn't win, and that she only managed to secure a victory through technique.

"The Umamusumes behind are also entering the third corner one after another."

"Kitasan Black maintains her lead, and her speed further increases on the downhill."

"Duramente is currently in ninth place."

"Kitasan Black is already nine Lengths ahead of the second-place Golden Rabbit."

"She is about to enter the final corner."

"Golden Rabbit and Manchester City Times are both accelerating!"

"Kitasan Black is the first to enter the final corner."

Kitasan Black entered the fourth turn first, and the Umamusumes behind her gradually accelerated.

Her wide-open leading style was extremely effective at making the pursuing Umamusumes anxious, causing them to unconsciously pick up speed.

Once this happened, Umamusumes who originally had the potential to finish in the top three could easily become fatigued due to the excessive pace and lose speed toward the end.

This could ultimately lead to a crushing defeat.

However, it was clear that the Umamusumes participating in this prize race were significantly stronger than those in Kitasan Black's previous debut races and OP-level events.

Even though they had fallen far behind Kitasan Black in the middle stages, they hadn't given up their determination to win.

Although Kitasan Black was already nine Lengths ahead of the second-place Golden Rabbit, Sakura Baimu didn't expect this race to be as smooth as the previous ones.

Because, starting from the fourth turn, the section of track became the rugged terrain mentioned in Sakura Baimu's conversation with Tojo Hana.

The initial section at the fourth turn was downhill.

However, a series of sharp uphill climbs followed quickly.

After the uphill climbs, there was another downhill section.

The changing gradients along the turns significantly impacted the Umamusume who was leading the race.

This was because the leading Umamusume needed to simultaneously monitor the gradient changes and the turns.

Furthermore, Kitasan Black, being on the innermost track (Number 1), experienced even stronger centripetal forces when turning.

This was undoubtedly a test for Kitasan Black.

Sure enough, Kitasan Black's expression subtly changed when facing the rapidly changing, rugged track.

Her speed was slightly affected, and she was noticeably less smooth than before.

But it was at this moment that the commentator's loud voice rang out.

"Duramente is accelerating! Duramente chose to accelerate at the fourth turn!"

"She's fast! She's already caught up to fourth place!"

"Now, about one Length ahead of her is Manchester City Times."

"Manchester City Times is clearly affected by the drastically changing gradient of the track and can't maintain her speed!"

"Duramente has overtaken her!!"

----

Chapter 204: I'm Going to Win This Competition

Duramente didn't choose to accelerate at the third corner.

Instead, she chose to accelerate at the fourth and final corner.

Many Umamusumes shared this idea.

However, none of them possessed Duramente's control over the race pace.

Like her, no other Umamusume accelerated only at the final corner.

Except for Duramente.

The drastically changing terrain disrupted their rhythm.

Golden Rabbit and Manchester City Times, both Umamusumes, started accelerating at the third turn, thus closing some of the gap with Kitasan Black.

Unfortunately, even Kitasan Black, who was in the lead, was affected.

Golden Rabbit and Manchester City Times were also somewhat overwhelmed by the rugged terrain.

This typical segmented terrain of steep-slow-steep wasn't limited to just the fourth turn.

From the fourth turn until about 300 meters before the final straight, there were three downhill sections and two uphill sections.

Basically, the gradient changed drastically every 100 meters.

"Golden Rabbit is about 8 Lengths behind Kitasan Black."

"Duramente is 3 Lengths behind her."

"Will Golden Rabbit be overtaken?"

"Will the Umamusume, the only runner in a second major prize race, be overtaken by Duramente on these sharp and uneven corners?"

"2 Lengths, 1 Length!"

"Duramente has caught up with Golden Rabbit! Duramente has caught up with Golden Rabbit on the final corner!"

"She's overtaken her!"

"Duramente has overtaken seven Umamusumes at the final corner!"

"The Niigata Racecourse's uneven corners are like flat ground for Duramente."

"What incredible control! Duramente is amazing!"

"Duramente is starting to close the gap with Kitasan Black!"

Duramente pulled off a seven-runner overtake at the final corner.

For an Umamusume who had opted for the Pace Chaser strategy, this was nothing new.

But for the Niigata Junior Stakes, a competition limited to junior-level Umamusumes,

this was something that had never happened before.

The rugged section starting from the fourth turn of the Niigata Racecourse was a considerable challenge even for Umamusumes who had debuted over a year ago.

Maintaining speed was difficult enough, let alone accelerating and overtaking.

But...

Duramente did it.

She, as an Umamusume who had debuted less than a year earlier, delivered this astonishing performance in the G3-level Niigata Junior Stakes.

The commentators, announcers, and even the audience gasped in amazement.

Kitasan Black, who was in the lead, was struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing course.

However, her exceptional skill meant that even though her speed was affected, she wasn't slow.

But Kitasan Black wasn't alone on the track.

The commentator's exclamations of surprise ignited the crowd's excitement, but they also had a significant impact on Kitasan Black's mental state.

Especially when the commentator mentioned that Duramente had overtaken seven runners on those unpredictable corners.

And then when she heard that Duramente was closing in on her.

Anxiety welled up within her.

"This race truly lives up to its reputation for high-stakes competition. The difficulty is completely different from any race I've participated in before. The opponents are so much stronger."

In previous races, Kitasan Black would have already pulled far ahead, leaving her opponents far behind.

"There's a downhill ahead. I need to speed up. I can't let them catch up."

Kitasan Black thought to herself, quickening her pace.

"Kitasan Black has reached the final straight, and she's starting to accelerate."

However, Kitasan Black's acceleration lasted less than a hundred Meters before a sudden, sharp uphill section made her chest feel heavy.

With her pace severely affected, she had to slow down again.

"This racetrack has so many hills! I can't accelerate like this..."

Kitasan Black grew increasingly anxious, adjusting her rhythm once more.

She glanced behind her, and suddenly her heart skipped a beat.

She discovered that Duramente was now only about five lengths away.

---

On the other side of the Niigata Racecourse, Sakura Baimu naturally also noticed Kitasan Black's unusual behavior.

Her smile vanished the moment she saw the anxiety on Kitasan Black's face and her increasingly unsteady steps.

"Oh no, Kita-chan's rhythm is off."

Duramente's ability to control her rhythm was simply extraordinary.

Just then, Sakura Baimu heard Rigil's team leader, Tojo Hana's voice.

"Kitasan Black's strength is undeniable, even stronger than Duramente's. She's finished both of her races by a large margin, never having tasted defeat."

"Because of this, Kitasan Black is overconfident in her abilities, leading her to overlook the other Umamusumes. In other races, Kitasan Black's reckless runaway style could easily win by a large margin."

"However, at Niigata Racecourse, on that unpredictable section known as the 'most difficult to escape,' the Umamusumes running ahead are at a significant disadvantage."

"If Duramente and Kitasan Black were each to run this race alone, the final result would undoubtedly be Kitasan Black recording the shorter time."

"But unfortunately, this is a race. Kitasan Black chose to lead, so she has to bear the overwhelming disadvantage that the rugged terrain brings to the leading Umamusume."

Sakura Baimu listened to Tojo Hana's words, biting her lower lip slightly, and spoke in a deep voice.

"No. Even if this is the 'most difficult' track, all Umamusumes have to go through this kind of section."

"The biggest reason for Kita-chan's problem is that Duramente was able to easily overcome the uneven sections and quickly close the gap with her."

"Truly worthy of being trained by Tracen Academy's top trainer, Ms. Tojo. I really didn't expect Duramente to be able to do this."

Sakura Baimu praised her.

"Confidence is a good thing, but sometimes it can be an obstacle to victory. Because Duramente failed in her debut match, she'll approach the rest of the competition with 120% seriousness."

Tojo Hana spoke softly, turning her gaze back to Sakura Baimu, a smile appearing for the first time on her cool and mature face.

"Sakura, it seems I'm going to win this match between Rigil and TCB."

---

Chapter 205: The Inescapable Historical Trajectory

Sakura Baimu remained silent upon hearing this.

Although there were still over 500 Meters left before the finish line, Duramente hadn't yet overtaken Kitasan Black.

Logically, the outcome was still uncertain.

However, neither Tojo Hana nor Sakura Baimu herself...

As trainers, their overall perspective was quite accurate.

Sakura Baimu knew in her heart that Kitasan Black's chances of winning were slim.

But as Kitasan Black's trainer, she couldn't declare Kitasan Black's defeat before the race was fully decided.

As a trainer, Sakura Baimu had to wholeheartedly believe in her Umamusume's victory.

Even if the hope was slim, she couldn't utter the word defeat.

---

"Last 400 meters!"

"Kitasan Black doesn't seem to be accelerating on this downhill section."

"Duramente is close behind, the gap is getting smaller and smaller, only about 3 Lengths."

"Kitasan Black, can you still accelerate?"

Kitasan Black felt she still had some energy left, but she was starting to feel reluctant to accelerate further.

"The downhill is over, and it looks like there's a straight after that... If I accelerate now, I'll have to adjust my pace again on the straight."

"This track is so difficult. Why doesn't Duramente seem to be affected much?"

Kitasan Black glanced at Duramente getting closer and closer behind her, and the sense of urgency in her heart grew stronger.

Finally, Kitasan Black reached a flat section.

"Last 300 meters!"

"The gap between Duramente and Kitasan Black is less than 3 Lengths."

"I need to speed up. It'll be dangerous if I don't."

Kitasan Black thought to herself, her blood-red eyes narrowing as she quickened her pace again.

But just as she accelerated, a sudden panic gripped her.

The tightness in her chest that she had felt immediately after accelerating uphill at the final bend inexplicably surged into her mind.

A strong sense of resistance and repulsion arose within Kitasan Black.

The speed she had just gained was forcibly reduced again.

"Ha... ha..."

After breathing heavily, Kitasan Black realized with a start that she hadn't actually reached the uphill after accelerating.

The incredibly real feeling she had just experienced stemmed entirely from the memory of having to slow down twice at the final corner.

Duramente's presence dramatically increased Kitasan Black's sense of urgency.

The two failed attempts to accelerate had also begun to instill a subconscious fear of speed in Kitasan Black.

"She's caught up! Duramente has caught up with Kitasan Black!"

"For some reason, Kitasan Black's acceleration suddenly stopped, and her speed dropped back down."

When Kitasan Black recovered from that momentary daze, the sudden appearance of Duramente beside her,

and the broadcaster's high-pitched voice made Kitasan Black's heart plummet.

"She's caught up?"

Kitasan Black stared at Duramente beside her, feeling as though the scene before her was unreal.

As she attempted her fourth acceleration, she suddenly felt her legs, like rusted gears, unable to gain any further speed.

A sense of impending defeat gripped Kitasan Black, her heart pounding in her chest, a clear indication that she had reached her limit.

"Your stamina is indeed abundant; at your normal speed, I need to accelerate to catch up."

"However, it's precisely because you're unfamiliar with the Niigata Racecourse and don't know how to manage your pace on those unpredictable slopes that I've managed to exhaust your confidence and stamina through this back-and-forth."

Duramente, having caught up with Kitasan Black, glanced at the panicked figure beside her, then turned her gaze back to the front.

She stomped heavily on the ground, accelerating dramatically.

"She's overtaken her! Duramente has overtaken Kitasan Black!"

"Half a Length! One Length!"

"Duramente has taken the lead completely!"

"Duramente, her speed shows no sign of slowing down! The gap between her and Kitasan Black continues to widen!"

"Across the finish line!"

"Duramente has defeated Kitasan Black by 1.5 lengths! She's won!"

"Duramente put on an outstanding run through the final corner, defeating seven opponents in a row! And on the final straight before the finish line, she overtook Kitasan Black! Ending Kitasan Black's winning streak!"

"Kitasan Black is in second place, leading Golden Rabbit by 3 lengths!"

...

Duramente, having crossed the finish line, happily waved to Tojo Hana.

Kitasan Black, however, stood frozen in place, seemingly lost in thought.

Since her debut, she had won her first two competitions by a large margin.

Unexpectedly, in her third competition, she lost to Duramente, a fellow student from the same year.

She lost to TCB's target—Rigil's Umamusume.

---

"What a coincidence..." Sakura Baimu muttered to herself, her face expressionless as she watched Kitasan Black on the track.

"What do you mean?" Tojo Hana asked, puzzled.

"Nothing..."

Sakura Baimu wanted Kitasan Black to avoid Duramente, her arch-rival whom she had never defeated in her past life. She had already decided to send Kitasan Black to the Triple Tiara race.

Unexpectedly, by sheer coincidence, Kitasan Black met Duramente again in a G3 race held at Niigata Racecourse, which is not one of the four major racecourses, and lost to her.

"Tojo-nee, by the way, are you planning to have Duramente participate in next year's Triple Crown tournament?"

"Of course! It's a once-in-a-lifetime tournament for Umamusumes, so of course we'll participate," Tojo Hana said. "However, Rigil has two new Umamusumes this year for the Classic Triple Crown and Triple Tiara tournaments, and Rigil is planning to register them for both."

After saying that, before Sakura Baimu could speak, Tojo Hana chuckled.

"I know that your team also has several new Umamusumes, Sakura. We'll definitely meet again in next year's Triple Crown tournament."

"Yeah."

Sakura Baimu nodded.

She took several deep breaths to dispel the frustration in her chest.

The defeat of her own protégé was even more painful for Sakura Baimu than a personal loss.

Although Sakura Baimu had never actually lost.

It was already obvious who would compete in the Classic Triple Crown and who would compete in the Triple Tiara between Rigil's Satono Crown and Duramente.

But at this moment, Sakura Baimu changed her mind again.

The Classic Triple Crown...

Kitasan Black would have to participate in it.