Even by the appearance circle of the Golden Youth Cup on January 10, Kitahara still hadn't seen Shibasaki.
But he did see Fujimasa March stepping onto the track.
Just one look, and he could tell that this horse girl had undergone "devil training" with Shibasaki.
Fujimasa March on the appearance circle seemed like a completely different horse girl. Every inch of her exuded a coldness utterly unlike a month ago.
That coldness seemed to originate from the deepest layers of ice formed over millions of years — a chill that could make one's marrow tremble. Anyone who approached, whether human or horse girl, would seem to freeze to ice shards.
And indeed, almost no horse girl dared come near March during the circle, and very few even dared to meet her gaze.
Except for Oguri Cap.
Oguri Cap, just like when they met a month ago, radiated a genuine, heartfelt smile and chatted cheerfully with March.
Only in these moments did March's ice-like demeanor melt, revealing her usual gentle smile, tinged with a hint of crisp clarity.
…Insane, Shibasaki… and March…
Lowering his binoculars, Kitahara felt a slight ache in his jaw.
He wasn't worried that Kokurihata would lose to this transformed March.
He was worried about March's health.
"Devil training" wasn't inherently complex — it was simply multiplying normal training intensity by several times, or even dozens of times.
For example, Oguri Cap's previous 40kg weight load could be increased to 100kg or more. Sprint training parachutes could go from two to three, four, or five.
Rest intervals were shortened, repetitions increased, training sessions lengthened, and nutritional supplements increased.
This pushed the horse girl to her absolute physical limits — or even beyond — in every dimension. This was "devil training."
But Kitahara was extremely conservative, even opposed, to this method.
Yes, it could lead to explosive short-term improvement, fully unlocking potential. Rice Shower's two Tenno Sho Spring victories proved that.
The problem was that even normal training causes physical damage, requiring proper nutrition and rest to recover. "Devil training" caused far more severe damage — essentially amounting to harm.
Evidence came from the real-life horse Rice Shower.
On June 4, 1995, due to an earthquake, the 36th Takarazuka Kinen wasn't held at Hanshin Racecourse as usual, but at Kyoto Racecourse instead.
Kyoto Racecourse was Rice Shower's home turf. His three most famous G1 wins — the Kikuka Sho and two Tenno Sho Spring races — all happened there. Everyone expected him to shine once again.
But that day ended in tragedy.
At the third turn, Rice Shower lost control of his body and fell heavily.
Bones pierced muscle. Cheers turned into cries.
Dislocation and comminuted fractures left Rice Shower unable to reach the clinic — he was euthanized on the track.
The jockey at the time, Hitoshi Matoba, a usually quiet man, could not contain his grief:
"Rice Shower cannot die! Let me see him one more time!"
"I don't believe it! Impossible!"
"Where's the doctor? Who's the doctor?"
For Maoba, Rice Shower had been a companion and partner for five years. Together, they had won three G1 races. He had considered Rice Shower indispensable. They had even agreed that after this race, they'd retire safely together.
He never imagined that on the very stage meant for Rice Shower's brilliance, such tragedy would occur. That the name "Rice Shower," which meant happiness, could be stained with irony and tragedy.
In the original story, as a horse girl, Rice Shower did not die. She even "blessed" her successors, assisting Trainer to complete training and win the Tenno Sho Spring.
But Kitahara always felt that perhaps if the original horse had avoided that "devil training," it might never have happened.
He also believed that if he ever trained Rice Shower, he would never use such methods.
In short, fully understanding the extreme physical damage caused by such training, Kitahara was deeply concerned about Fujimasa March.
"…Kitahara-san, w-what's wrong? Your face… it looks so scary…"
Suddenly, Shinshinkouhi whispered, worried.
Startled, Kitahara turned to see both Light and Miyamura Kyoko looking at him with concern.
Subconsciously touching his face, he realized his facial muscles were tense, even aching around his temples, jaw, and neck.
…Better not tell them what I'm worried about, or they'll panic. But…
After a pause, Kitahara looked at Kyoko.
"Kyoko, you installed detection instruments in the stadium for this race, right?"
He kept his tone as calm as possible while rubbing his face, casually explaining:
"I just got a little nervous thinking about how many opponents Oguri Cap has."
Kyoko hesitated.
"It's already arranged. Thanks to Kitahara-san coordinating with the Kasamatsu Board, similar equipment to what we used during training has been installed on the track."
She carefully examined him and, finding nothing unusual, finally relaxed.
"After the race, I'll collect the data from the instruments."
…Good. If Fujimasa March doesn't show any issues, they can monitor her condition via data.
Feeling reassured, Kitahara was about to refocus on the race when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"So you're here, Kitahara. I knew you'd be watching from here."
It was Shibasaki, who had "disappeared" for a month. Since Kitahara always watched races from this spot, it was no surprise that Shibasaki found him here.
Kitahara turned, observing his colleague quietly.
…Mentally, he looks fine. But…
Those dark circles are intense — looks like he pushed himself hard during March's training…
But how's March's health…
Concerned, Kitahara wanted to ask Shibasaki, but just then, the commentator's voice started.
(End of chapter)