"I don't wanna~"
Platinum's voice carried a hint of laziness, but the refusal in her tone was unmistakable.
The moment her response left her lips, the entire venue fell into stunned silence again.
This time, even the ever-calm and confident Agnes Tachyon—who had been sure of victory—showed a flicker of subtle change in her expression.
No?
Rejecting her training match invitation?
Why…?
In the minds of nearly every Uma Musume, the more exceptional a racer was, the more it meant they were hardworking, talented, and fiercely competitive.
So for someone like Platinum—a monstrously gifted, terrifyingly strong horse girl—it was only natural to assume she underwent unimaginably grueling training behind the scenes.
But training often hit bottlenecks or slowed down.
And as a horse girl not from Tracen Academy, Platinum would have a hard time finding active G1 champions to spar with.
By Agnes Tachyon's initial assessment, Platinum should have had zero reason to refuse…
So why did this Pegasus girl shake her head without a single shred of hesitation?
Even Agnes Tachyon, who held a keen interest in Platinum, was momentarily taken aback.
Don't tell me… Platinum's the type who just doesn't care about races, training, or getting stronger at all?!
If that were really the case, then that might be even more absurd than the likes of the all-conquering Frankel, the freakishly gifted Enable, or the once-in-a-lifetime perfect racer Sea the Stars!
Sure, those European monsters—just like the American ones—had either just debuted or hadn't even stepped onto the track yet, but their talent was impossible to miss!
In Agnes Tachyon's eyes, only a complete fool with zero observational skills could overlook it. As a "scientist" dedicated to studying the potential of horse girls, she could spot genius from a mile away!
"So you refuse…"
"Because you're not interested?"
Agnes Tachyon quickly regained her composure, not letting her surprise show, and calmly pressed further.
The white-haired girl nodded without hesitation.
It's not like I can just say training matches don't pay and I don't wanna work overtime for free, right?
Not interested… Yeah, that's a solid excuse!
After Platinum's nod, Agnes Tachyon signaled her understanding—but the intensity in her gaze only grew hotter.
After all, she herself wasn't a horse girl who prioritized races above all else. To her, they were just a means to further her research, a way to test her theories.
Could it be… that there's finally another "outlier" like me?
And for an outlier to display that kind of strength…
That means—
My initial assessment might've been off. Maybe I even underestimated Platinum.
If this Pegasus girl ever decided to go all out, to train seriously with everything she had… she might just have a real shot at becoming a world-class champion!
Just as Agnes Tachyon was about to ask another question—
Tokai Teio, standing nearby, suddenly turned and started waving enthusiastically at a certain mature senior horse girl approaching in the distance.
"President! Over here!"
Student Council President Symboli Rudolf had arrived in a hurry!
As soon as Rudolf got close, she heard Teio recounting the whole situation—Platinum refusing the training match.
After listening, Rudolf let out a small sigh of relief.
She'd been worried she'd arrive too late, only to find Platinum and Agnes Tachyon already locked in a one-on-one duel.
Most horse girls would jump at the chance for a training match.
But Rudolf knew better—Platinum wasn't looking to play the role of a junior! She wanted to be the one to defeat Agnes Tachyon and claim the Irregular Triple Crown!
If this training match happened and Platinum lost, the psychological impact could be huge. Facing Agnes Tachyon in the Japan Derby afterward might fill her with fear! A loss now could crush her momentum.
Right now, Platinum was still far too young, and she'd just fought a hard-won graded race two days ago. Her body was exhausted.
Against a well-rested, battle-hardened veteran like Agnes Tachyon? Her chances of winning were slim.
Refusing the training match… That's for the best.
If they were going to clash, it had to be at the Japan Derby three weeks later!
"By the way…"
"Why would you hold back in a training match, Agnes Tachyon?"
The lazy Pegasus girl might not care about sparring, but she was curious about Agnes Tachyon's earlier remark.
Agnes Tachyon had praised her physique, yet spoke as if victory was assured.
Where does that confidence even come from?
"I'll explain."
"First, condition. While Agnes Tachyon also recently raced in the Satsuki Sho, she's had slightly more time to recover than you—who just finished a tough race two days ago."
Rudolf chuckled, her gaze settling on the petite Platinum, who had finally stepped foot in Tracen Academy.
"Second, when comparing the strength of horse girls, aside from condition, we look at three key factors: physique, technique, and presence—also known as Heart, Skill, Body."
"Body—your physical attributes. Raw power, speed, stamina. In this area, Agnes Tachyon might not be that much stronger than you. She might even be slightly worse."
"Skill—experience, stride, race sense. For veteran older horses, the difference is minimal. But right now, you're still far too green."
"Heart—the most important, and where the gap is widest. Presence."
"As you know, horse girls undergo a unique Awakening Period—a compressed version of human adolescence, cramming years of growth into mere months."
"Beyond physical maturation, it unlocks something new—Aura!"
Rudolf's explanation had Platinum's ears perking up, listening intently.
"Typically, once a horse girl is mostly through her Awakening, relentless training and hard-fought races temper their aura. Eventually, they can manifest unique racing skills, giving them a slight edge."
"And those who master their aura to the extreme… can wield the legendary—Zone! Activating it multiplies the number of skills they can use, creating an overwhelming advantage."
"Horse girls who attain the Zone are either on the cusp of world-class or already there. In all of Japan, you could count the number who've reached it on one hand."
"Legends like Symboli Rudolf —me—, Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, El Condor Pasa…"
"And Agnes Tachyon has already reached it. In fact, she grasped it faster than any of us seniors. That's what makes her terrifying."
Rudolf finally paused, studying Platinum's reaction.
But to her relief, the Pegasus girl didn't look the least bit intimidated.
Heart, Skill, Body—at the end of the day, it was just physique, experience, and aura. And the only area where Platinum, as a super rookie, could match Agnes Tachyon was raw physicality.
On paper, it was a battle between a stat monster and an all-rounder with both stats and mechanics!
Could Platinum really overcome Agnes Tachyon's overwhelming advantage with nothing but her body?!
--+--
Meanwhile, a certain Pegasus girl was busy staring at her system screen.
[Current Awakening Progress: 5%]
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.