During her final two days of training for the Japanese Derby, Kitasan Black occasionally thought back to that strange dream and gradually started feeling the feverish anticipation surrounding the race.
It was a strange thing indeed.
As a top-tier G1 among G1 races and one uniquely important within the Classic Triple Crown, with the Derby fast approaching, it was no exaggeration to say all eyes were fixed upon it.
Even when strolling through town on her days off, she could see screens big and small—at intersections, on towering buildings—all broadcasting about the Derby:
Memorable highlights from past races; interviews with Derby-winning Uma Musume; and endless analysis and expert commentary.
The upcoming participants, especially, were heavily featured.
And among them, as someone who'd won four consecutive races and already held the Satsuki Sho title, Kitasan herself was the main focus.
—[Dominant first step! Can Kitasan Black recreate the undefeated Triple Crown legend?]
—[Expert Roundtable: Data-driven analysis of Kitasan Black over 2400 meters]
—[Fanartsensation 'Festival Girl' tops charts: Derby Kitasan sparks creative boom…]
Such reports were everywhere.
This was where it got strange.
She was obviously at the very center of this whirlwind of attention, yet oddly enough, didn't feel anything special.
It wasn't that she didn't care—after all, being in the spotlight was exciting.
But aside from that, nothing much changed. Day after day, just like before the Satsuki Sho or any earlier race, she still trained when she needed to and rested when required.
Because of that dream, she inadvertently noticed a point she'd previously overlooked amid the excitement:
If I win the Japanese Derby, wouldn't that mean... I'd be just like Teio-senpai?
Realizing this, she quickly understood it wasn't that she hadn't noticed before, but rather she'd deliberately chosen to ignore it.
She'd seen so many famous races, witnessed many firsthand, and had already set foot onto the actual racing stage herself.
By now, she more or less understood that victory and dreams were not something achieved merely by thinking about them.
She was working hard, but so were others.
It had been a long time since she last hung out with Satono Crown.
Every time she called, texted, or asked Satono Diamond about Crown-chan, she was always training.
Duramente too—every morning, soon after she herself arrived at the track, Duramente's figure would inevitably appear, already hard at work.
Even on evenings and rest days, occasionally passing by the track, she could still see others training.
Cheval Grand, Satono Rasen, Musee Allen, and all the others she'd competed against were exactly the same.
Occasionally comparing herself, she sometimes even wondered if she wasn't trying hard enough and should squeeze in extra self-training.
Of course, having been explicitly warned against overtraining by Yasui Makoto, that was merely wishful thinking.
In short, everyone was working desperately toward their dreams and victories—she had no reason to imagine "what if."
Rather than daydreaming, better to spend every moment training hard, resting properly—this was the only path to victory.
Holding onto that thought, she completed her final two days of training exactly as planned.
Afternoon, May 31st, Tokyo Racecourse, Kitasan Black's prep room.
Just as before previous races, Yasui Makoto stood beside a notably larger whiteboard, pointing to diagrams of the track, rows of instructions, and numbers as he spoke seriously:
"…To summarize, the strategy for this race can be described as 'remain unchanged in the face of all changes.'"
"Deep Impact's advice was crucial, and Special Week and Vodka both agreed wholeheartedly."
"The Japanese Derby is too important; it wouldn't be unusual for competitors to try new approaches, tactics, or running styles."
"Excluding you, there are 17 other entrants. Trying to predict and counter every surprise tactic isn't realistic."
"So let me emphasize once more: Remain unchanged in the face of all changes. No matter how your opponents run, never forget your own rhythm."
Kitasan Black listened earnestly, carefully jotting down every stroke of "remain unchanged in the face of all changes" in her little notebook. Pressing her carrot-shaped pen against her chin, she thought for a moment.
"Then…doesn't that mean running like Deep Impact-senpai during the practice race?"
Recalling Deep Impact's earlier performance, Yasui Makoto nodded slowly:
"You could…say that."
But then he added:
"However, there's a difference."
"Deep Impact's strength dominated her generation to an extraordinary degree. Many conventional methods simply didn't apply to her."
"For example, in the recent practice race—did you notice, or did she ever mention, feeling the uncontrollable urge to accelerate during races?"
Kitasan thought briefly. "Hm... Wait, yes! Senpai did say something like that."
"That's exactly it."
Yasui explained, "I watched some interviews with her Trainer. Your senpai has a fierce spirit and extraordinary drive, a running urge far surpassing normal, whether in training or in races."
"So she often receives instructions to control her speed. Only during the recent practice race could she truly run freely."
"I'm mentioning this to clarify—your thinking is correct, but…"
He paused briefly.
"You can't imitate her running style directly, because your current strength isn't enough yet."
Hearing Makoto's hesitation and understanding his careful effort to avoid hurting her pride, Kitasan felt a small warmth in her heart, but also found it entirely natural.
"Don't worry, Trainer, I didn't mean it like that."
She comforted him in turn. "I thought the same thing you did—I won't be influenced by opponents. I know exactly what my rhythm is."
Yasui nodded with quiet pride. Compared to when she first debuted, this Uma Musume had truly matured.
After briefly reflecting, he quickly returned to pre-race instructions.
"But strategy aside, we still have to prepare for specific scenarios."
"Besides standard gate exits, corners, and straights, the biggest unknowns of the Japanese Derby are the slopes."
"Especially the incline before the final straight."
"Other slopes aren't urgent—you've already mastered techniques to handle those."
"For the final straight... Let's assume you haven't taken the lead yet."
Speaking as he wrote instructions on the board with a different colored marker, Makoto gave detailed explanations.
As always, Kitasan Black listened closely, noting down each detail carefully.
Their strategy session lasted until nearly 3 PM.
After that was the parade ring appearance. Packing his things quickly, Makoto accompanied Kitasan, already dressed in her Racing Outfit, out toward the underground passage.
Intending to part ways at the entrance, before they even reached it, a neat row of Uma Musume led by Tokai Teio smiled warmly and waved toward them.
"One, two, three—Do your best, Kita-chan!"
Having spotted her senpai earlier, Kitasan rushed over excitedly, filled with joy.
"Senpai… you all…"
Overwhelmed and stumbling over words for a moment, she suddenly bowed deeply, her voice trembling slightly:
"Thank you—really, thank you all so much. In this race… I promise I'll do my absolute best and won't let any of you down!"