"I DON'T KNOOOWWW!!!"
A blast of a scream, loud as an explosion, echoed through the vicinity. The practice track reverberated with the sound, so loud that Lady and Dyna, who were mid-run, halted their steps in shock. They rushed over to Rampage, who was slumped over, clutching his head in utter exhaustion. It was only natural they'd panic, wondering what terrible problem had occurred.
"W-what happened!?"
"And what kind of a scream was that? I think the ground shook!"
Even for Umamusume, whose cardiopulmonary functions are strengthened by racing and winning concerts, few could generate a voice this powerful. The surrounding SP detail tensed, preparing for an emergency, only to be reassured by a wryly smiling Eric that everything was fine.
"'How does one end up holding a meeting with the top three figures in the United States? For crying out loud, you're engaging in more diplomacy than the government is!' …Is what they said. How the hell am I supposed to know that?! ZACCHEN NAKORAAAA!!!"
Hearing the context of the shout, Lady, Dyna, and everyone nearby instantly understood the reason. Just the other day, Rampage, to help Eric save face, held a discussion with three people—and they turned out to be an absolutely ludicrous lineup. Eric had called them his boss, yes, but no one could have predicted they were the BIG 3 of the United States. The President, the FBI Director, and the CIA Director, all gathered together—it was an insane situation that genuinely made Rampage feel like he was losing his mind.
The FBI Director was somewhat understandable. (No, rationally, it wasn't understandable at all, but he could force himself to swallow it.) Minamizaka was former FBI, and Unbridled was the Director's daughter, so there was a thread of connection. But where did the President and the CIA chief come from? For those three to convene, it should have been a national emergency or a scheduled periodic event. Yet, they adjusted their schedules to meet him in private? His head was seriously boiling.
"I didn't arrange any of this, you hear me!? All I wanted to do was help Eric save face! Yeah, he's a boss, a BIG BOSS! But not this combination! Why, why did the President ask me for an autograph? Why did the CIA Director want a handshake? Why did the FBI Director ask for a three-shot photo with Rudd-san?! And now the Japanese government is telling me to cut it out?! What am I supposed to do, ZACCHEN NAKORAAA!!!"
Rampage had previously met the Emperor, the Emir of Dubai, and the King of Ireland—the heads of state—but he had always managed to prepare himself mentally. Dubai might have been the sole exception, but the Emir's eyes were those of a pure fan, and he was alone, which made it marginally tolerable.
"Do you understand? The top three in the US, acting like complete, overexcited Umamusume fan-dads! I just don't know how to handle it anymore…"
"That sounds incredibly tough."
"Even if they said it was private…"
The President had even lightly complained that he'd been asking Minamizaka since last year to bring Rampage to America. The dignified figure seen on the news was nowhere to be found; he was just another middle-aged Umamusume fan. That made him even harder to deal with.
"But the fact that you're not blaming Eric is really typical of you, Rampage-san."
"Of course, it's not Eric's fault. Considering his position, he couldn't refuse, so the only person to blame is the one who brought the proposal in the first place."
"For a guy labeled 'reckless,' you're surprisingly rational, truly."
In any case, he needed to forget this quickly. The Breeders' Cup Classic was approaching, so he decided to focus on training.
"In times like these—nothing beats blowing off steam with an intense training session." "We'll join you." "Let's clear our heads."
In front of the two girls, Rampage began to fasten the iron shoes onto his hoofs. Lady and Dyna looked on with expressions that said, 'Wait, you actually use those?' It might have been the first time he had put on the specialized horseshoes in front of them.
"Um, are you seriously going to run in those? Wait, you can run in those, otherwise you wouldn't wear them, right?"
"Not 'can run,' but 'was eventually made able to run in them.' My trainer is a sadist, seriously."
"A former FBI agent… I guess when you put it like that, I'm strangely inclined to agree."
"I found himmmm!!"
Just as Rampage was about to start his run, a shout that was nearly as loud as his own echoed out. This time, the SP detail began preparing to move, some reaching inside their jackets. But Rampage merely looked over, already accustomed to the voice. After all, this was the third time it had happened. The source of the voice approached, with noticeably heavy footsteps.
"I found you, Rampage! This time, I'm going to beat you!"
"Why are you always so loud? Can't you put that energy to better use?"
"Woah, you can speak German!?" "Easily."
Rampage had deliberately used German, hoping to see a confused look, but Stahl Armecoa was surprised when he was answered fluently with perfect pronunciation. However, she quickly recomposed herself.
"Hmph, but this time, you're finished. Because, because!"
She proudly lifted her leg and showed her shoe. It looked like a normal horseshoe was attached, but Rampage immediately recognized what it was.
"How did you get your hands on that?"
"Hmph! My trainer negotiated with yours!"
"Which means… could it be?"
"Yes, that's the Shinzan Iron."
The Shinzan Iron is a horseshoe already used by some elite Umamusume in Japan's Central Racing Association. Anyone who heard Rampage used it to train would want it, but it isn't easy to acquire. That's because the Shinzan Iron is an exclusive item, manufactured only by state-certified craftsmen, and is generally not distributed overseas. That's why Armecoa's trainer had to negotiate directly with Minamizaka to obtain it.
"This is the root of your power! Which means, since I'm training with the exact same thing, I won't lose to you anymore!"
"Care to test that theory?"
"Ha! Don't be scared when you see me run!"
Armecoa immediately began preparing, while Lady and Dyna watched with a small amount of concern.
"Is she going to be alright?" "No problem. From the sound of that weight, it's probably two or three times the normal weight. I don't know how long she's been using it, but it's impressive… though she's jumping the gun if she thinks that's enough to surpass me." "Even that number is already on a different dimension to me…"
"Go ahead, I'll humor you. How many times heavier is yours?"
"This? This is the original weight, pal. Yours is the lightweight version used for daily life."
"...Huh? This heavy one is for daily use… and lightweight…?"
"By the way, the original weight is ten times the lightweight version."
"—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! APOLOGIZE TO ME FOR CELEBRATING AFTER ALL THE EFFORT I PUT INTO MASTERING THIS WEIGHT, YOU JERK!!!"
"Shinzan-senpai, he's calling you out!"
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