Originally, Yasui Makoto hadn't intended to say too much. He'd planned to simply glance through Kitasan Black's investigative notes, praise her effort briefly, and leave it at that.
But now, seeing her enthusiasm and genuine concern, he decided to be more open.
Besides, the notebook wasn't exactly professional, but every line was earnest and meticulous, clearly imitating his own style from regular training sessions. This showed that Kitasan Black was attentive not just for this investigation, but throughout all her training.
Indeed, her observations did hold some merit.
Each Uma Musume reached honkaku-ka—full competitive maturity—at a slightly different time, though usually within a few years after age ten. For human girls, this period coincided precisely with adolescence, and Uma Musume underwent similar psychological shifts.
At this age, not only would they notice physical changes, but their increasingly mature perceptions would reshape how they understood the world around them.
For example, Kitasan becoming aware of the pressures faced by trainers could very well be an expression of such psychological growth.
Within the industry, these psychological aspects could easily become a substantial field of study. Yet, no trainers had truly mastered applying psychological insights effectively into training and racing strategies—not even the most renowned trainers.
Indeed, Yasui had encountered several stories, both rumored and personally observed, of trainers failing to notice subtle psychological shifts in their Uma Musume, causing misunderstandings, harming training effectiveness, and sometimes leading to broken partnerships.
Realizing this early on, Yasui had been consciously exploring how to integrate psychological guidance into his methods.
Luckily, his own black-haired girl was exceptionally thoughtful and understanding. Not needing to worry about major conflicts, perhaps he could explore Uma Musume psychology alongside her, slowly deepening his understanding of these girls' inner worlds.
"So you only spotted me by accident..."
The blush gradually fading from her face, Kitasan glanced curiously toward the fence.
"So, does that mean the machine can be used now?"
"The drone has always worked, but there are still some unresolved issues. Right now, we can only use it for fixed-position filming," Yasui explained briefly. Feeling that enough time had been spent on distractions, he straightened, becoming serious again.
"But for the moment, that's sufficient. Let's continue as planned. The two of you will now do six sets of positioning practice."
At his instruction, Kitasan Black and Vodka immediately straightened their postures. Without further words, they briskly jogged to the starting line.
With Yasui's clear call, two figures quickly began sprinting across the training field, one leading decisively while the other closely followed.
Positioning practice was routine for all runners—especially important for Uma Musume adopting a front-runner strategy.
For Kitasan, who was gradually mastering the front-runner style, quickly securing the lead position at the start was vital.
In races, all runners burst from starting gates with equal widths. But depending on the number of competitors, the strategy for positioning changed significantly, particularly for front-runners.
If assigned an inside gate, one had to shift outward slightly to avoid being boxed in early by runners cutting inward. Conversely, an outside gate required quickly angling inward at a higher initial speed, not only to claim first place but also to secure the best inside track.
In theory, central gates were optimal. Runners starting from there merely needed to sprint straight forward, as the first bend typically appeared about 200 meters after the gate, leaving plenty of time for adjustments.
Similar considerations applied to later stages like cornering, cruising, and final sprints, each demanding specialized positioning strategies. All such practices required customization based on each Uma Musume's strengths and race-specific conditions.
What Kitasan practiced right now was precisely initial positioning after the gate. Each training set included four repetitions, each 400 meters, simulating different gate positions.
The six sets included three horizontal scenarios—inside, central, and outside gates—and two vertical variations: starting side-by-side, or separated by distance.
The latter scenario was specifically designed for targeted tactical races. If a strong opponent emerged, detailed tactical plans and specific positioning strategies became essential.
After completing the six sets:
"Good job. Take a short break."
Yasui approached, handing energy drinks to both Uma Musume with a gentle smile.
"You did well, Kita-chan. And thank you too, Vodka."
Taking the drink excitedly, ears twitching energetically, Kitasan Black nodded happily.
"Yes! Thank you, Trainer!"
Vodka took a big gulp from her drink and laughed lightly.
"Hey, no need to thank me, Yasui! Like I said before, getting to run in this familiar place again is already a treat for me."
Turning toward Kitasan, Vodka nodded approvingly.
"Kita-chan, your performance was really impressive just now—far beyond what you'd expect from a rookie who debuted barely two months ago."
"Eh? Really?" Kitasan's eyes widened joyfully. Then she hesitated, embarrassed. "You're not just trying to comfort me, right, Vodka-senpai?"
"Come on, am I really the comforting type?" Vodka shook her head, smiling wryly but speaking earnestly.
"Honestly, Kita-chan, if we'd been in the same generation, besides Daiwa Scarlet, you'd probably be the opponent I'd worry about most."
"But that said, you don't need to consciously imitate her. I'll be straightforward with you—when it comes to raw talent, you're not quite on Daiwa's level. She's the type who, at first glance, is obviously formidable. Speed, power, stamina—she visibly excels in every area. Especially her racing instincts."
Vodka chuckled lightly as if recalling something amusing yet puzzling.
"That girl is a totally different person on and off the racetrack. Off-track, she's an outstanding student—patient, meticulous, and extremely smart. But during races, believe it or not… Daiwa doesn't think at all."
Kitasan froze in disbelief.
"Doesn't think at all…? Is that really possible? Daiwa-senpai not thinking…then how does she run so well?"
"It's all instinct, didn't I say?" Vodka shrugged helplessly. "Everything you've shown me so far—in training and in races—I can clearly recognize and understand."
"Your positioning skills, acceleration timing, cornering techniques…they all come from your rigorous training, and some are obviously inspired by Daiwa. But Daiwa herself doesn't operate like that."
"Even though you've run alongside her, she probably didn't fully show you her true style from back then. Once you actually see it, you'll understand. The way she handles the front-runner strategy is something most people can't comprehend—even counterintuitive at times."
Kitasan Black still felt utterly lost by this explanation, but before she could think too deeply, Vodka turned toward Yasui.
"Still, Kita-chan, your fundamentals for front-running are solid enough now. You don't need to worry too much about that right away. Right, Yasui?""