[Sorry For only 1 chapter this is chapter has 9k words 😭]
From his perspective, the situation with Oguri Cap was easy to fix. If she was being looked down on or mocked by her classmates, then as a Uma Musume, all she needed to do was win a race — ideally one where she could face the other girl directly — and that would settle everything.
Conflicts between Uma Musume didn't need to be resolved by quarreling. Winning on the track was enough.
And he believed Oguri Cap wouldn't lose.
As for the little bit of insult he himself had received, as a man with the mind of someone in his fifties, how could he seriously hold a grudge against a teenage girl in both body and mind?
So instead, it was better to talk about something pleasant and ease the tense atmosphere in the office.
Kitahara's calculation worked well. As soon as he offered his congratulations, the others were momentarily stunned, then turned toward Tamamo Cross and Komiyama, eyes lighting up with delight.
"That's right. After coming back from Kasamatsu, besides the Naruo Kinen, Tama-chan also entered a Kyoto allowance race and a G3 Kyoto Kimpai," someone said.
As if guessing Kitahara's intention, Super Creek was the first to chime in: "In the Kyoto allowance race, Tama-chan won by seven lengths! In the Kyoto Kimpai, though the margin wasn't as wide, she still took it by three lengths."
"Nowadays, whether inside or outside the Academy, everyone's saying Tama-chan is currently the strongest active Uma Musume."
The others praised her similarly, while Tamamo Cross herself seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Ah, it's really thanks to Komiyama and Uncle Kitahara," she said, scratching her head and rubbing her nose, blushing as she added, "and everyone, too."
"If you all hadn't helped me work through my psychological issues together, even if I could win, I wouldn't have won so beautifully!"
The group praised her a while longer. When the mood had settled into something warmer, Kitahara smiled and brought the topic back.
"That's how it should be. If there's conflict among you Uma Musumes, let your legs, your feet, and your results do the talking."
Amid slightly stunned looks, Kitahara turned toward the equally dazed Oguri Cap.
"Just win the race, right? Especially one where the racehorse girl who provoked you is also participating."
"Show her you won't — and could never — leave Central with your tail between your legs. As for me…"
Seeing Oguri Cap lost in thought and the others gradually regaining their fighting spirit, Kitahara suddenly felt like joking.
"I'm even less likely to do that," he said.
"Because I don't have a tail."
Kitahara thought his joke was pretty funny. But everyone else in the office shivered.
"…Uh, Uncle Kitahara, how come it feels like you're turning into President Rudolf…"
Tamamo Cross folded her arms, looking cold. "Didn't know you liked telling cold jokes, too…"
Cold joke? Oh right — Symboli Rudolf did have a "likes bad puns" trait…
But hey, his wasn't cold at all! It was obviously hilarious, wasn't it?
A bit puzzled, Kitahara didn't bother to explain. Instead, he thought about it — since everyone from the team was here, this was the perfect time to make some arrangements.
He first looked at the two who had mostly been observing: Hayakawa Tazuna and Gold City
"Miss Hayakawa, I heard from the Director that you'll be assisting my team moving forward. I want to thank you in advance."
Tazuna blinked, then smiled warmly and nodded.
"No need to be so formal, Mr. Kitahara. We're pretty familiar with each other by now."
Resting one hand against her cheek in her usual thoughtful gesture, she said, "Actually, Mr. Kitahara, your team happens to be the exact kind of project Director Akikawa had been trying to promote."
"She spent years studying abroad and knows that internationally, team-based training is the mainstream."
"She originally planned to promote that model as soon as she came back, but the Association and Board rejected it, saying it went against tradition."
"Most trainers are used to working solo. Few are willing to spend the time forming teams, let alone share their training methods with others."
"So both she and I really believe in you." She winked at Kitahara with a smile.
"I see. I'm very grateful, truly."
Kitahara bowed slightly. "Now, about the team registration process — as I recall, URA has some specific procedures, so…"
Before Kitahara could finish, Tazuna shot her hand up as if answering a quiz question.
"Ah, that's actually why I'm here waiting for you!"
She balled her fists and shook them slightly in front of her chest, like she was cheering someone on. "URA's team application process is a bit complicated. Not many people apply, so staff are limited, and certain steps can take a lot of time."
"But Mr. Kitahara — everyone — don't worry."
"Director Akikawa already anticipated all this and arranged for me to assist you. One key task is making sure your team can be established smoothly."
"So what I need to confirm with you today is — what will your team's name be?"
"Once that's decided, the rest will go smoothly."
…A team name, huh. They hadn't thought about that yet…
Kitahara froze briefly, about to think, when suddenly an excited voice broke out.
"Oh! Naming time? How about 'Donuts'?"
Completely forgetting her earlier anger, Oguri Cap's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I recently discovered donuts are super tasty! If we name the team that, maybe we'll get to eat a lot of donuts from now on!"
…Wait. No, no. A good, proper team name — and Oguri Cap, you…
Kitahara could only smile wryly, not even getting a word in before several other excited voices joined in.
"Huh? It can be our favorite food? Then I want 'Soy Sauce Udon,' is that okay?"
"Eh?! No way, Tama-chan, you don't even like soy sauce udon! Last time we offered you soy sauce you pouted…"
"Meh, that's just a little thing. I tried it again after coming back and it's actually pretty good~ What about you, Inari? You like soy sauce udon too, right? Shouldn't we just call ourselves 'Soy Sauce Udon Team'?"
"No way, my favorite is inari sushi. Let's go with 'Inari Sushi' instead."
Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, and Inari One kept pitching food names. Eventually, even Super Creek and Belno Light couldn't resist joining in.
"Uh, if it's allowed, I think 'Curry Rice' sounds nice. Sounds filling."
"Fried Rice works too, right? Easy to remember."
As the racehorse girls chirped excitedly about food, Kitahara finally couldn't take it anymore.
"…You girls… hold it right there!"
He waved a hand helplessly at them. "Oguri Cap, how can all you think of is food? If we pick those names, people who know us will understand we're a team, but anyone else will think we're running a restaurant!"
"Huh?"
Oguri Cap paused, scratching her head. "A restaurant… doesn't sound so bad though? Maybe after I retire, I could open one. Then I could make whatever I want to eat. Sounds pretty nice and happy."
Tamamo Cross's eyes lit up.
"I'm in! If you open a restaurant, you better bring me along. I eat a lot — ah, I mean, I'll help!"
"I can join too! I can make all the inari sushi— cough cough, I mean, I'm really good at making inari sushi!" Inari quickly offered.
"I-I can really make curry rice…" Super Creek said, glancing shyly at Kitahara before raising her hand.
"I can really make fried rice too," Belno Light added, hand raised.
…No. That's not what I meant, sigh…
Kitahara rubbed his temples, giving up on communicating with this "Extremely Hungry Squad." Catching sight of Komiyama, Kyoko, and Taro Yuzuhara chuckling secretly, he sighed and turned toward Tazuna, who was covering her mouth to hide a smile.
"…Sorry for the scene, Miss Shutsukawa."
Sighing, he shrugged helplessly. "The team name, let's just…"
He was going to say they should choose later, but then a thought struck him.
"Let's go with 'Eternity (Eisei).' Our team's name will be Eternity."
"Eternity? That's a lovely name."
Smiling,Tazuna pressed her palms together and tilted her head. "Alright then, I'll get started on the paperwork. Just wait for my update. If I need any documents from you, I'll reach out right away."
Indeed,Tazuna had come specifically for the team application. With the name decided, she left the office immediately to start the process.
It seemed the team matter was finally settled.
Nodding to himself, Kitahara was just about to ask Gold City — who had been watching with amused interest — something when the girls started voicing regret.
"…Can't be Donuts, huh? Such a pity… Mmm, speaking of donuts, I'm getting hungry."
"Then let's go eat. I'm hungry too."
"Does the Central cafeteria have inari sushi? If so, is it free like at the Oi cafeteria?"
"It does! Tracen Academy's cafeteria is all free. Let's go then—"
"Wait, wait, you guys… Mr. Kitahara probably still has something to say…"
…Sigh. I don't even want to say anything anymore…
If anything, he thought, maybe "Extremely Hungry" really would have been the more accurate team name…
Though he sighed inwardly, Kitahara didn't just give up. Instead, he turned to Golden City.
Before he could speak, Gold City smiled and nodded.
"Alright. Looks like I don't have to worry much about your side anymore."
Then, catching Kitahara's surprised look, she yawned and stretched.
"Yaaaawn~ Honestly, I was worried. You and Oguri Cap's group just arrived, unfamiliar with the place. You don't have Uncle Musaka's level of experience yet, and you're forming a team — I figured you'd run into a lot of trouble."
"But now, I see I underestimated you. You're already an excellent trainer — and even an excellent leader."
She pointed at Kitahara. "Honestly, I think you're doing even better than Uncle Musaka in that regard."
"So now I can support you with peace of mind."
"You'll be arranging upcoming races for Oguri Cap and the others, right? If you need partners for joint runs, just tell me — I'll reach out to a few friends for you."
With that, she casually waved and headed for the door.
"Hey, A-Jou (Gold City), can I ask — those friends of yours, who are they roughly?"
Kitahara looked eager.
Gold City wasn't like Oguri Cap and the others; she was an experienced veteran, and naturally her friends were skilled Uma Musume. Those would make much better training partners than just practicing among themselves.
Oguri Cap's group were indeed highly talented, but experience wasn't something even talent could replace. For example, some racing techniques could be figured out after just one real race — but if someone experienced pointed them out beforehand, they'd learn much faster.
"Oh, just a few girls I usually hang out with. We shop together, eat out sometimes."
Gold City stopped walking and spoke casually:
"I'm good at hairstyling, makeup, tail and mane care, you know. I've helped them out a few times, so they kinda owe me. Running together won't be an issue."
"As for who they are, let's see…" She thought a moment, counting on her fingers:
"Katsuragi Ace, Dyna Cosmos, Fresh Voice, Mejiro Durren, let's start with those. If that's not enough, just tell me. I've got plenty of close Uma Musume friends."
Enough? It was way more than enough.
Only now did Kitahara realize he had underestimated Gold City's "connections."
Katsuragi Ace — Japan champion.
Dyna Cosmos — Satsuki Sho champion.
Fresh Voice — Yasuda Kinen champion.
Mejiro Durren — Arima Kinen champion
Simply put, every single one of them was a G1-level racehorse girl — top-tier, with at least a year or two of racing experience. If they could train together, they'd surely give Oguri Cap's team a massive boost.
Kitahara's heart was stunned for a moment. He thought it over and said quietly, "…Thank you, A-Jou. If there's anything you ever need — I mean, anything I can help with — please just ask. I'll definitely…"
"No need for the speeches."
Gold City waved a hand casually and headed out the door again. "Just keep at it. Don't let Uncle Musaka down."
Moved, Kitahara didn't quite know how to express his thanks. Gold City's words reminded him:
Yes — talk was cheap. With both his uncle and Gold City placing such trust in him, the only way to repay it was with even better results.
Taking a deep breath, Kitahara turned toward his team in the office.
"Alright. Since everyone's here, let's go over our upcoming training and racing plans."
At once, the racehorse girls — who had been chatting about dinner — and Komiyama and the others shifted their attention back, faces gradually turning serious.
"First, an announcement: in a couple of days, a new Uma Musume will join us — Mejiro Ardan from the Mejiro family."
After a brief pause, Kitahara looked at Super Creek, then at Oguri Cap. "She's your classmate. Oguri Cap hasn't met her yet; Super Creek should know her well."
"Yes. Ardan often invited me for afternoon tea before."
Super Creek nodded, then her expression grew worried. "She's a bit like me — her health hasn't been great. Sometimes she had to take time off to recuperate at home…"
Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Wait — is she joining us because she heard you cured me, Mr. Kitahara?"
Kitahara nodded, not elaborating further.
"That's pretty much it."
"And since you brought it up, let me address this for everyone — especially Kyoko," he said, turning toward her.
"Ardan's condition is similar to Super Creek's — weak legs. We already have experience in this area, so overall planning shouldn't be an issue."
"But every Horse girl is different. Exactly how to arrange treatment and training will need your careful attention, Kyoko."
"Leave it to me, Brother Kitahara."
Kyoko Miyamura nodded firmly. "I'll give it everything. Now that I'm in Tokyo, I can coordinate directly with the doctors."
"Good. I trust you."
Kitahara smiled. "Also, the Mejiro family will assign their own medical team to help. You should coordinate with them, too."
"Really?"
Kyoko's eyes lit up. "The Mejiro medical team is highly praised by my teacher. If I can work closely with them, Ardan will definitely be okay."
Kitahara nodded with a smile, then turned back to Super Creek.
"Now, about your schedule."
"Though we've already set your Triple Crown route, your first priority is to pass your debut race."
"I've entered you into a Hanshin debut race one week from now — January 18th. The timing seems tight, but you've never stopped training in Kasamatsu. You're well-prepared and have a high chance of winning."
"Also, during this period before the race, talk often with Tama-chan. She knows that track best."
"Okay, I'll do my best."
"Leave it to me!" Tamamo Cross thumped her chest proudly. "Hanshin was where I rose up! I won't let Super Creek lose!"
Super Creek and Tamamo Cross both nodded, promising confidently. Kitahara smiled, reminding them again:
"You really must win. Like you said, Super Creek — Ardan's situation is a lot like yours. If you win, it'll be a huge encouragement to her, which will help her recovery and training."
"I think medicine has some theory supporting this," he said, glancing at Kyoko Miyamura.
"Correct," Kyoko nodded. "Actually, for many mild illnesses, doctors prescribe nutritional supplements rather than medicine — yet they still work well. That's the placebo effect."
"In other words, Super Creek's victory will definitely lift Ardan's spirits and aid her healing."
"Mm. Then not just Super Creek…"
Kitahara turned toward Tamamo Cross seriously. "Tama-chan, you have races coming up too, right? If teammates keep winning, it'll encourage Ardan even more."
"Don't worry, Uncle!"
Tamamo Cross patted her chest again with a confident grin.
"My fan count's just shy of G1 eligibility. Komiyama said entering another G2 or G3 right after Kyoto Kimpai would be too much pressure. So my next race is an OP-level Fujimori allowance race — late February. Plenty of training time. My odds are great!"
Komiyama nodded, equally confident.
"I've already researched the competitors. They're weaker overall than Tama-chan. Still, specific training, strategy, and analysis will need input from you, Senior, and from Yashihara, too."
"No problem."
Kitahara nodded, then looked at Taro Yusuhara. "Yusuhara?" He expected the same regarding Inari One's schedule.
After a moment's thought, Taro Yashihara finally spoke.
"Inari's case needs some explanation first."
"Since I just returned from overseas, under URA regulations I count as a 'foreign trainer' or something similar."
"That status means I can't take the usual Central trainer exam yet. I have to wait for the special tests in February and July
— two rounds."
"In other words, I can't officially join the team until the second half of the year."
He sighed a bit, walking to Inari One's side and patting her head.
Which she promptly slapped away.
"Hey! Arou! I've told you a million times — stop patting my head like when I was a kid!"
She pouted. "I swear it's because you guys keep patting my head that I've never grown taller."
The whole office laughed, while Taro Yusuhara withdrew his hand helplessly.
"Alright, alright… Anyway," he said, turning to Kitahara:
"Thanks to Miss Tazuna's help, I'm currently joining the team as a trainee from Oi Academy. Inari's transfer to Central is also being processed with her help — it should be approved soon."
"So my idea is, we'll keep training together as usual."
"But until I transfer to Central, Inari will be under your name, Kitahara. Her race results will count under you as well."
Kitahara fell silent, staring at Yusuhara first — seeing the man's serious expression, no hint of a joke — then at Inari One.
The girl's expression was complicated, but she said nothing, clearly already aware of this arrangement.
What's this nonsense? Inari One is your protégé. Her results are yours. How can they be credited to me? I can't accept that.
For a moment, Kitahara wanted to refuse outright. He was about to speak when he caught a flicker of quiet resignation in Yashihara's eyes.
"…Wait. Is this also a URA regulation?" he asked in a low voice after a pause.
"Hm? You didn't know, Kitahara?"
That flicker of resignation vanished; Yashihara looked surprised. "Uma Musume can't compete without a trainer. And the local/central levels have to match."
"I'm not in Central yet, and Inari's too good to wait. Of course she should come to Central first — under your name."
"Isn't that—"
His eyes shifted. Realization dawned. "Ah. You were worried about me, weren't you?"
"Yes. I can't accept this."
Kitahara's voice was quiet but firm.
He couldn't accept Yusuhara's choice.
He admitted he was selfish. For example, back in October — even earlier — he could easily have had Oguri Cap and Belno Light noticed by Central sooner, moved earlier.
But because of his selfishness, they'd stayed in Kasamatsu for another half-year, only now arriving at the Central Academy.
But he wasn't just selfish for himself. He was selfish for others — or rather, selfish for his team.
He didn't want someone's rightful achievements given away — even to himself. And putting himself in their shoes, he wanted Yusuhara to receive the honor he deserved.
Yusuhara laughed softly, though it carried a touch of helplessness.
"Honestly, I don't love it either. But this isn't just about me. More importantly, this is clearly the better choice for Inari."
"I can't let my own stubbornness hold her back."
At that, Inari One finally couldn't hold back.
"Arou, I—"
But she got only one word out before Taro Yusuhara's expression hardened, voice dropping low:
"Inari. Don't forget what Mother said before we left — that you'd listen to me. And you agreed, didn't you?"
"But…"
Inari clearly wanted to argue, but under Yashihara's gaze, she bit her lip, lowered her head, and said nothing more.
Kitahara fell silent again. When he spoke next, it was as if he'd forgotten the previous topic, moving straight ahead.
"Then, Yusuhara, you've arranged races for Inari too, right?"
He hadn't forgotten. But he knew Yashihara's current situation mirrored his own from the original timeline — just an ordinary trainer, accomplished but not enough to make URA bend any rules.
He could talk to someone like Akikawa Yayoi, a big shot — but the director was obviously busy lately, and Kitahara had just accepted a favor from her. Asking now would feel like overstepping.
So, they hadn't won enough yet. Not enough to make URA notice, not enough to make URA willing to change the rules for them.
Therefore — they had to win. Keep winning. Not for vanity, but to claim what they were owed. To ensure that everyone in this team, every Uma Musume, received fair treatment.
Hearing Kitahara's question, Taro Yusuhara froze, then smiled with a mix of relief and emotion.
"Yes. February 16th, Kyoto track, OP-class race — the Saibou Stakes."
"Inari One just arrived at Central, and before that her fan count wasn't enough, so she couldn't participate in G-grade races yet. I plan to have her start by preparing at the OP-grade level."
"Then according to what we just discussed, I'll leave her registration this time to you, Kitahara."
Kitahara silently nodded, turning to look at the very first racehorse girl under his charge.
"Oguri Cap, you've already confirmed you're going down the Classic Triple Crown route, so prepare accordingly."
"This path isn't like the races in Kasamatsu. Every single battle requires enough fans, including the prep race for the Satsuki Shō."
"We haven't yet decided whether you'll be running the Yayoi Shō, the Spring Stakes, or the Wakaba Stakes, but no matter which one, you'll need to run one race beforehand to gather fans."
"So I'm going to ask a bit more from you—before the March prep races start, run one in February as well."
After a brief thought, he remembered a suitable race.
"February 18, the Sprites Stakes, OP-grade, 1600 meters, turf. Except for the turf part, everything else you're familiar with. How about we treat it as a trial run now that you've entered Central?"
Oguri Cap didn't hesitate.
"Alright, no problem."
Once the next races for the team's horse girls were decided, the newly established "Eisei Team" quickly started making targeted arrangements.
That's when the importance of everyone doing their part really showed—everything proceeded in an orderly, well-coordinated way.
All the girls had races lined up, first and foremost Super Creek's debut. That let them prioritize, focusing training around Creek while the others adjusted their own training to sync with hers. Naturally, their preparations were still tailored to their own upcoming races.
This setup started to feel a bit like "Friendship Training" from the games.
In the games, "Friendship Training" requires setting up "Support Cards" before starting the "raising" phase, with a max of six—meaning at most six horse girls or friends can assist training.
But in this real world, if Super Creek was the one being "raised," then everyone else in the team could count as her "Support Cards"—four "Friend Cards" like Kitahara and the others, plus four "Support Cards" like Oguri Cap, making eight total "Friendship Trainings."
And if you counted Gold City's help—and the other horse girls who came to train thanks to Gold City's connections—then there were even more.
This real-life "Friendship Training" didn't rely on RNG like the game—it happened every day, regularly. And with the teamwork, trust, and friendships built back in Kasamatsu, every day's "Friendship Training" worked like those rare rainbow-circle training sessions that boosted the most "stats."
In a way, this world really did have "stats"—all the data Kitahara's team had been collecting.
Backed by solid theory, and with Miyamura Kyōko constantly maintaining and updating the medical equipment, they could collect data in real time, sort it on schedule every day, and literally watch Creek and Oguri Cap's numbers change.
The numbers themselves didn't look dramatic—only increasing by 0.something or 0.0 something each day, sometimes stagnating or even dropping slightly—but statistically, overall growth was steady, the upward trend clear. They could say with confidence: their "stats" were steadily improving.
The results had everyone smiling—and then, something else happened that made the whole team even happier.
"Sorry about this, Ardan."
Looking apologetically at the elegant young lady from the Mejiro family beside him, Kitahara sighed. "We've been so busy training lately, we never got around to properly preparing a welcome ceremony for you, but…"
He gave a wry smile, pointing at the door ahead. "So we'll have to welcome you in a bit of a hurry, right here in my office."
Mejiro Ardan's recovery period had ended. After a joint consultation between the Mejiro family medical team and Miyamura Kyōko, they confirmed she could start basic training.
This meant Kitahara's "Eisei Team" was now fully assembled—everything could finally proceed step by step.
Faced with Kitahara's apology, Mejiro Ardan smiled gracefully.
"Please don't say that, Chief Kitahara."
She addressed him by his most formal current title: Chief Trainer of Eisei Team.
"If I had disrupted normal training because of my situation, I'd be the one who should feel sorry and troubled."
"Being given even this little welcome is already more than I'd dared to hope for."
"Please don't apologize—it's I who should thank everyone for your warmth."
Ah… as expected of a noble family's Uma Musume—so poised, so proper.
Nodding quietly to himself, Kitahara smiled and reached for the doorknob.
"Alright, then I won't be polite about it. With the little time we had, most of the effort went into food."
"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I bought a bit of everything—you can take a look…"
Kitahara's voice froze—so did his face.
"Hey! Oguri Cap, that's cheating—sneaking off to eat noodles by yourself! I want some too! I specifically picked out that soy-sauce udon!"
"Slurp, slurp—"
"I can't just sit here and watch this, Oguri! You're just taking advantage of us being shorter, huh? Get down here!"
"Slurp, slurp—"
"Argh! So unfair! Inari, grab Oguri!"
"Got it!"
"Hey, hey, cut it out—you're going to cause an accident… Creek, help me calm them down…"
"Huh? I'm cooking—what's… ah! Oguri, what are you doing up there? And Tama, Inari, stop clinging to her—you'll fall!"
"What's going on… hey, hey, you three, stop that! Yuzuhara, Kyōko, help me here!"
Chaos filled the office.
The decorations were neat—colorful streamers and hanging lamps from the ceiling.
A banner beneath the chandelier read in bold white on red: "Welcome Mejiro Ardan to Eisei Team."
In the center, desks had been pushed together into a seven-to-eight meter table, piled high with carrot dishes, corn dishes, bananas stacked in bunches, waffles, donuts, cookies, plus udon, ramen, fried dumplings, sushi—everything imaginable.
But the people and horse girls around the table were a mess.
Oguri Cap stood on a chair, balancing on one leg, the other dangling, holding a big bowl of udon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, slurping furiously.
Tamamo Cross clung to Oguri's dangling leg like a charm on a tree, climbing up and gnashing her teeth at Oguri.
Inari One stood below, steadying the chair with one hand and grabbing Oguri's ankle with the other, teeth bared in frustration.
Belno Light, Super Creek, and Komiyama circled anxiously, hands half-extended but too afraid of getting kicked to move closer.
What the hell is this?!
Weren't we supposed to be welcoming Mejiro Ardan?!
Why are you fighting?!
Oguri Cap, what the hell?!
And Tama, Inari—you too?!
Kitahara used every ounce of willpower not to shout and just instinctively turned, forcing a stiff smile.
"Sorry about this, Ardan, this is…"
"Pfft—"
Before Kitahara could finish, Mejiro Ardan covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"Heh… how nice."
Kitahara blinked.
"'How nice'…?"
Then gave a wry smile. "Sorry you had to see this… I'll go scold them and—"
"No need, Chief Kitahara."
Ardan smiled radiantly, lifting her chin slightly.
"It's kind of fun seeing usually cool Oguri and gentle Creek like this."
"I'm honestly glad to join such an interesting team—truly, Chief Kitahara."
While she chatted with Kitahara, Oguri finally noticed the commotion at the door.
"Slurp, slurp—slurp!"
She inhaled the rest of the noodles like a hamster stuffing its cheeks, bowl and chopsticks in hand, with Tamamo on one leg and Inari on the other, hopping down to the floor.
Then she whipped the bowl and chopsticks behind her back, chewed, swallowed—
"...Sorry, Kitahara, I got too hungry, couldn't resist…"
The jump startled everyone, especially Tamamo and Inari, who felt the world spin in a blur.
Thankfully, as top-tier horse girls, they both instinctively let go and hopped back to land steadily.
"Oi! Oguri! That was way too dangerous—you scared me!"
"Argh! Oguri, what's wrong with you?!"
After yelling, they both realized what Oguri had said, looked at the door, froze, then raised their arms in perfect sync and pointed at Oguri.
"Uncle Kitahara, it wasn't us—it was all Oguri!" ×2
…You two really are Oguri Cap's best partners in crime…
While Kitahara sat speechless, Creek and the others finally caught on—embarrassed looks turned to awkward smiles, especially after noticing Mejiro Ardan at Kitahara's side.
Yet Ardan behaved as if nothing were amiss, smiling politely, bowing slightly.
"Hello everyone, I am Mejiro Ardan. It's an honor to join you and become a member of Eisei Team."
Then, her eyes softened with a nostalgic look.
"You all seem very close. It reminds me of…"
"Ah, that's right—back home, when my little sisters fought over snacks, it looked just like this."
"Especially McQueen—whenever she grabbed dessert, she'd take off running, and the others would chase her like mad."
"But none of them could ever catch McQueen, so they'd come back crying and complain to me or Ramonu-nee."
"Very amusing, hehe."
…So Mejiro McQueen's long-distance stamina was trained chasing desserts—or running away with them?
Kitahara was even more speechless, but he noticed Ardan's words had the desired effect—the others, though still a bit embarrassed, began smiling knowingly.
Especially Creek, who knew Ardan best, now smiled brightly as she approached.
"Was that the elementary-division McQueen? I'd never have guessed that kid loved sweets so much."
Ardan met her warmly, holding both of Creek's hands.
"Yes—she just keeps up the family dignity, so she's too shy to show it outside… ah, and if you see McQueen, please don't mention this—she'll die of embarrassment."
After a pause, she tilted her head, "Hmm… and if someone slips up, don't say it was me, please."
This got the whole room laughing—even Kitahara couldn't help but chuckle.
"I really have to thank you on behalf of McQueen for being such a good sister," he said, half amused, half exasperated, shaking his head. "What kind of sister reveals her little sister's dark past like that…"
As he said this, his eyes slid toward Oguri, Tama, and Inari—not to scold them, but because Ardan's cheerful handling of the situation had turned the awkward welcome into a fun one, so there was no need to harp on it.
Still, he had to say something—it had been a bit much.
"Hey, Oguri—you had plenty to eat at lunch, right? And isn't it still before your fasting time is up? How are you hungry already?"
Calling the time between meals "fasting" was one of Oguri's quirks—by now the team was used to it, and they understood Kitahara was just teasing.
Oguri and the others relaxed instantly.
"Mm… I did eat a lot at lunch, I could've kept fasting a while longer."
Putting her bowl and chopsticks down, Oguri scratched her head sheepishly, then fished a fist-sized plastic bottle from her pocket.
"But after I took this, I suddenly felt hungry."
Closest to her, Tama and Inari leaned in—Tama snatched the bottle.
"Eh? What's this?"
"Let me see too!"
Inari, too slow, puffed her cheeks and circled Tama to read the label.
"Eh? Isn't this that digestion pill Oguri endorses? I thought the ad wasn't shot yet, so it wasn't on sale?"
That caught everyone's attention.
Oguri's endorsement deals—or rather, the team's business ventures managed via Konan Tomomi—were usually discussed mainly between Kitahara, Komiyama, Yuzuhara, and Kyōko.
Running businesses took talent and resources. Most of Kitahara's and Komiyama's income came from prize money and salaries—enough overall, but not much for investments.
Typically, Uma Musume who didn't manage finances gave their spare winnings to the Academy, which had its own financial team to invest on their behalf.
Since Kitahara's approach was more forward-thinking, he and Komiyama discussed pooling winnings into "Kawawan Enterprises." Everyone agreed.
This made all of Eisei Team shareholders, so of course earnings, endorsements, and ventures were regularly reported—and Oguri and the others knew some of it.
"Ah, right—Oguri's digestion pill isn't on the market yet. So where did this come from?"
Hearing Inari's question, Kitahara frowned—he remembered Konan saying that medical approval would take a little more time before official release.
"Here's the thing."
Miyamura Kyōko smiled, explaining. "The product already passed medical testing, agency approval, brand registration—basically, it's ready for market."
"But since Oguri and the others were busy racing, there was no rush to launch the ad campaign. Today, Rakushō Pharma finalized the decision and just hadn't informed Konan yet."
"But they did inform my teacher and gifted us some samples—safe to use right away."
"Perfect timing, too—Ardan's upcoming training is mostly eating more and eating well, and this digestion pill is just what we need."
Kitahara finally understood—his eyes swept over Ardan thoughtfully.
…Hmm, balanced figure—eating more shouldn't add too much weight, and with digestion pills, even less to worry about.
"Alright then. Despite the little hiccup earlier, the guest of honor for this welcome party is here, so…"
Before Ardan could notice his look, Kitahara smiled and announced:
"I'm not much for speeches. Let's welcome Mejiro Ardan to the team—dig in!"
"Yeah—let's eat!" ×4
With Mejiro Ardan aboard, the team's training and daily life grew even richer.
Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, and Inari One had already run plenty of races with different tracks, tactics, and styles—just their chatter kept things lively every day. Add Creek and Ardan, whose similar situations and fragile legs gave them much to bond over, and there was never a dull moment.
Belo Light no longer trained like the others but, as the team's "chief tech," spent loads of time adjusting their gear, merging classwork with hands-on learning, gaining experience while helping everyone practice.
Not just in training—even in meals and downtime after drills, the horse girls often stuck together.
One day, in Central Tracen Academy's cafeteria—
"Chief Kitahara really is amazing—of course, Komiyama-nee, Yuzuhara-nii, and Kyōko-nee too."
With her small appetite, Ardan finished first, gently rubbing her thighs, smiling at the others devouring their food. "In just a few days, I can already feel my legs getting stronger. Soon, I'll be ready for real training."
These days she focused on rehab—mostly indoor equipment for upper-body balance to recover overall fitness, plus heavy nutrition.
"And it's not just normal rehab—the other training's interesting, too."
Her curious eyes drifted between Oguri and the others.
"Weight training I understand—some trainers used lead shoes to boost power, but we have custom weights now, much better."
"Parachute sprints are fun, too. I haven't felt the sprint boost myself yet, but watching you fly with parachutes every time is still entertaining."
Eisei Team kept its Kasamatsu habits: regular weight and parachute sprint drills.
The first was routine, barely noticeable in their training gear. The second turned heads everywhere.
Rumors spread in Central Tracen: "New Eisei Team members can fly." Many horse girls came to watch on breaks—some even tried it.
"Mmmff, that's 'cause Kitahara taught us all this."
Cheeks puffed full, Oguri somehow managed to talk, then swallowed and grinned.
"I always feel like Kitahara's brain works differently from others'. I mean, I know I can't outthink him, but sometimes, yeah, a lot of people just can't keep up."
"Yeah, Komiyama thinks so too," Tamamo Cross said, munching on fried rice, puzzled. "And we both wonder where all Kitahara's ideas come from."
"Training stuff, fine. But Belno light says he even understands business, and some tech too. What is going on in that head?"
Inari One nodded along.
"It's not just you guys. Yashihara and I wonder the same. He even said sometimes Kitahara talks about foreign stuff like he's actually been abroad or studied overseas — but he's been stuck in Kasamatsu this whole time, hasn't gone anywhere."
"Who knows," Super Creek smiled serenely. "Either way, Mr. Kitahara being this amazing, and us training with him — that's a good thing, isn't it?"
"That's true." ×3.
Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, and Inari One nodded deeply in agreement and went back to their eating with full focus.
Seeing that, Super Creek smiled knowingly, then looked at Mejiro Ardan, who also smiled.
"Don't worry, Ardan. I was just like you — weak legs, lots of time lost to illness and inflammation. But now, with Mr. Kitahara and everyone's help, I'm about to run my debut race."
"This debut race — I'm definitely going to win it beautifully!"
She clenched her fist, full of confidence.
"…That's wonderful."
Almost unconsciously, Ardan touched her thigh again, smiling. "I remember you used to always take time off sick — well, so did I. Our classmates even called us the 'sickly combo.'"
"That really happened?"
Super Creek blinked, then laughed. "Well, now we can show them we're not sickly anymore."
And with that came a new idea.
She had already received Kitahara's suggestion: since her circumstances were similar to Ardan's, and they'd gotten along well before, she should chat more with Ardan, encourage her.
Mr. Kitahara really is thoughtful.
Secretly impressed, Super Creek thought, then her eyes lit up.
"Oh, Ardan, let me tell you something funny."
Under Ardan's curious gaze, she smiled, pointing at the girls around the table.
"Our team could honestly be called the 'Sickly Combo' — or maybe the 'Sickly Squad.'"
"Hm? Why do you say that?" Ardan asked, puzzled.
"Look, never mind you and me. You know my situation — besides stomach pain and inflammation, I had some congenital foot issues as a kid."
Smiling with a touch of nostalgia, Super Creek pointed at Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross.
"Oguri and Tama were even worse. Oguri couldn't even stand for years after birth. That's why she always says being able to stand, run, and even achieve such great results now is a miracle."
"Tama's similar. Her family was poor — bad food, bad housing. And she even had psychological trauma from being trampled in a race. But now she's fine, a great racehorse girl."
Then, under Ardan's surprised gaze, she pointed at Brand-New Shining.
"Shining never really got sick, but when she first ran alongside Oguri, she even fainted from exhaustion once. Look at her now — a fine trainee racehorse girl."
"…Hey, hey, you can't just expose me like that, Creek," Brand-New Shining, who had been quietly eating, turned red at suddenly being roasted.
"It's just a funny story — don't be mad, Light."
Pressing her hands together apologetically, Creek tilted her head playfully, then smiled back at Mejiro Ardan.
"So you see, except for Inari, none of us had it easy. The fact we've achieved what we have wasn't smooth sailing. Ardan, you…"
She reached out, gently holding Ardan's hand on her thigh, her voice soft.
"You need to have confidence. You will become an outstanding Uma Musume — worthy of your family's glory."
After sharing her own story and her heart, Super Creek became even more determined to win her debut. To ensure it, after training that day, she approached Kitahara.
"You want to increase your odds of winning?"
Kitahara was a little surprised, then smiled wryly. "But Komiyama and the others and I have been analyzing your opponents' data. This might sound cocky, but honestly — unless you botch the start badly or something equally serious happens, you can't lose this race."
This wasn't an exaggeration. After Kasamatsu's careful rehab and training, Super Creek's physical stats were completely above average debut-level racehorse girls.
More importantly, her regular training partners were top-class girls like Oguri Cap — any of their practice races were practically low-tier official races in intensity. If they felt like it and Kitahara wasn't watching, they'd even secretly ramp up to G-grade race intensity.
They could do it — and often did.
Kitahara knew; Kyoko's medical monitors near the track would reveal the spikes in speed. But the data also showed that with intentional training, they had learned to control their limits, never recklessly pushing beyond what they could handle. So Kitahara let it slide.
For all these reasons, Super Creek was essentially already at G-grade racing ability — only lacking experience.
"…But I'm still worried I might lose."
Creek bit her lip. "It's not that I'm timid. I'm thinking — Ardan's situation is a lot like mine. If I win my debut, it'll boost her confidence and make her rehab and training smoother."
"On the other hand, if I happen to lose, it might hit her hard."
"Mr. Kitahara, I understand Ardan's personality and mindset. Being born into the Mejiro family is her pride, but also a burden. She believes she must carry that responsibility, never tarnish the Mejiro name."
"So sometimes, she might be too sensitive — care too much about everything."
Kitahara froze for a moment, then thought deeply, nodding in agreement.
"You're very thoughtful, Creek. Thank you."
She was right. In another world, even long after debuting, Mejiro Ardan was plagued by "glass legs." But, determined not to disgrace the Mejiro name, she chose to run even at the cost of her future career.
In that world, Ardan knew the gap between herself and Oguri, Tamamo, Creek — and that her legs were fragile. Even so, she decided to leave her figure in the world's memory, no matter the cost.
Like Icarus chasing the sun, burning his wings without regret.
In this world, by chance becoming Mejiro Ardan's trainer, Kitahara naturally wouldn't let her follow that path. And indeed, he was already working to change it.
By using Super Creek's training plan as reference, he'd make sure Ardan's body was strong enough before racing — no surprises.
But still, they needed to ease her heart.
"The Mejiro name is both an honor and a burden. Mishandled, it'll weigh on her mindset."
Kitahara pondered. "Like Tamamo Cross before — if something unexpected happens, Ardan might, just as you said, care too much, leading to psychological issues."
"In other words, we must prevent that."
Super Creek nodded solemnly.
"That's why I said — I must win this debut."
"Mr. Kitahara, I need more odds in my favor."
Kitahara thought for a bit more.
"Boosting your odds isn't hard. In fact, I already have a way."
He smiled. "You remember what I suggested that first time you went to the pool?"
"Have you mastered it?"
When he said this, he couldn't help a wry smile inside.
That tactic sounded simple:
Let Creek seize the lane early, accelerate midrace, then trigger an early final sprint — subtly pulling all opponents into her rhythm, making them run mid-distance/one-mile races at long-distance speeds.
Sounds simple; executing it was not. Every step — from the start, to acceleration, to the early sprint — had to be flawless. Any mistake would waste stamina and fail to seize rhythm.
But if successful, Creek would basically have a guaranteed win — practically impossible to lose.
Not just because she was a 3000m Kikuka Sho champion, a generational long-distance queen — but also because in the other timeline, she had used this very tactic to beat Oguri and Inari.
And that was without her Domain activated, while Oguri had hers.
This tactic deserved to be called top-tier among top-tier.
Kitahara had originally planned to let Creek showcase it in a G-grade race later, so he hadn't brought it up.
After all, tactics could be countered — this one, for example, if opponents knew in advance, they could simply block her midrace, and the plan would collapse. So saving it for high-level events would make it a trump card.
But — G-grade events weren't as important as ensuring Ardan saw someone in a similar situation succeed, giving her confidence for her own journey.
As long as Creek could win — and win easily — Ardan would realize she could do the same.
So yes, using this tactic in a debut was overkill — but so what? Tactics only grow stronger through use.
Quickly deciding, Kitahara looked at Super Creek.
"If you've got it mastered, then use it this time. Overkill? Sure — or call it a dimensionality-reduction strike. Either way, do it."
Creek's eyes widened — then she nodded hard, determined.
"Mm! I've mostly got it down. When I ran with Oguri and Golden City senpai recently, I tested it a few times. I didn't tell them, but they said I was performing better than before."
Kitahara nodded. He already knew — Kyoko's data confirmed it. That's why he allowed it now.
"Then, next attempt — we'll test it in live combat," Kitahara smiled.
"Got it!"
She nodded firmly — then suddenly blinked. "Oh, Mr. Kitahara, does this tactic have a name?"
"A name?"
Kitahara paused — then, an idea struck, and he smiled.
"Let's call it… 'The Swinging Maestro.'"
As Super Creek's debut drew near, Kitahara felt more relaxed.
That tactic of hers was outrageous in a way.
She understood endurance and pacing so well — a total natural genius.
Oguri and the others already knew about it. Kitahara and Creek hadn't hidden it, and promised that once Creek mastered it, she'd teach it to them as well.
But even knowing the tactic's essence, Oguri and the others would sometimes slip into her rhythm if they weren't careful.
As a result, Super Creek's training results had clearly improved. Compared to the stats of the opponents in her debut race, she could absolutely be described as having the power to crush them.
Poor rivals of Super Creek… running into such a monster…
If they lose and end up crying, what do I do? Won't that be awkward? I'd even have to go comfort them…
What a headache…
I'll just deal with it when the time comes.
With those tangled thoughts brushed aside, Kitahara didn't think about such trivial matters anymore and focused back on the training.
According to the original plan, in just a few more days it would be Super Creek's debut race. Everything was going smoothly. As long as they kept following the plan step by step, there was no question about their chances of winning.
Time quickly jumped ahead to January 18th — the day of Super Creek's debut race.
The whole team gathered in the prep room to cheer her on. Whether it was Kitahara and the other trainers or Oguri Cap and the other horse girls, everyone was filled with confidence that Super Creek would win the race.
Before this day, they had already taken Super Creek to Hanshin Racecourse for a test run.
The results were delightful. Compared with the rival data the team had previously collected, Super Creek's finish time beat the others by one to two seconds.
One or two seconds might not sound like much, but at horse girl speeds, that meant a lead of twenty to thirty meters — more than ten lengths.
More importantly, this was just her training result. She hadn't even used the "Arc Artist" strategy yet. In a real race, it was easy to imagine just how big her advantage could become.
As everyone took turns cheering her on, Super Creek thanked them one by one, then turned to Kitahara with a very serious look.
"Mr. Kitahara, I should have a big advantage in this race. Could I try timing it right and change my running style to a front-runner ? If I do that, I might win by an even bigger margin."
At those words, everyone froze. Only Kitahara glanced thoughtfully at the stunned Mejiro Ardan nearby and roughly guessed what Super Creek was thinking.
She probably wanted to take the victory in the most dazzling way possible.
If "Swinging Maestro" were successfully applied, then in this debut race, with about 600 meters to go before the finish line, the other competitors would probably already be losing steam, while Creek, still brimming with stamina, could accelerate all the way to the end. Even if she didn't technically run a front-runner's race, visually it would practically look the same.
But…
He glanced again at Mejiro Ardan, worry creeping in.
If Creek could win her debut, then Ardan, who was in a similar situation, would definitely gain the confidence needed to complete her rehabilitation training.
But if Creek's win was too brilliant, Ardan might instead feel overwhelming pressure.
That would be counterproductive.
After thinking for a moment, Kitahara shook his head.
"Better not. If you can pull off the strategy smoothly, even without running as a front-runner, it'll look like one anyway."
He tried to give her a subtle reminder, pretending to joke: "But if you win too dramatically, it won't just upset your opponents — Oguri and the others might start feeling pressured too."
Creek blinked, and Oguri and the others showed faint looks of agreement.
"Mmm, that's true. Creek's kind of running style is a pain to deal with. Even if you know about it, it's not easy to counter. During training matches, it's easy to fall for it without noticing."
"Yeah. Mainly Creek's stamina is just too good. To deal with that strategy, other than learning it yourself, the only way is probably to focus on developing your own strengths, right? Like my overtaking ability, or Oguri and Inari's late-speed bursts."
"That's true, but speaking of which, I'm kind of curious. Oguri, how on earth do you train? We're always training together, but your strength always seems to grow faster."
"Really? Maybe because I eat more than you?"
"That's no reason at all!" ×2
Because of Oguri and the others' little back-and-forth, everyone chuckled softly. Then Kitahara clapped his hands to gather their attention.
"Alright, it's almost time to line up. Let's go wait in the stands. Creek, it's all up to you now."
After another round of encouragement, everyone left the prep room and headed along the corridor toward the spectator stands.
At that moment, Mejiro Ardan, who had been smiling silently all this time, suddenly showed a surprised look, then stopped and apologized.
"Ah, sorry. I left something in the prep room. Let me go grab it. You all go ahead to the stands. I'll be there soon."
After a polite bow, she quickly turned and retraced her steps.
Everyone else was a bit surprised, but after a distant "Don't be long!" they didn't think much of it. Only Kitahara froze.
This girl… did she notice what Creek and I were thinking? Or did Creek tell her earlier?
But if she did tell her, why didn't she show any reaction until now…
Kitahara was momentarily stunned, unable to make sense of it. Finally, still puzzled, he followed the others to the stands.
Meanwhile, Mejiro Ardan knocked on the prep room door.
"Huh? Ardan? What's wrong? Did you leave something here?"
When the door opened, Super Creek looked surprised, then quickly thought of what Ardan might have been told about earlier by Kitahara and the others.
However, Ardan hadn't forgotten anything.
"You want to change your running style to front-runner, and you trained so hard this time, even came up with that brilliant tactic… it's because of me, isn't it?"
The moment she spoke, Creek froze.
With a gentle smile, seeing Creek's surprised expression, Ardan knew she had guessed right.
"I'm really grateful to you — and to Chief Kitahara, and everyone else who's been thinking of me."
She said with emotion, "Before I came to the Eisei team, I even asked Ramonu-nee how I could get everyone to accept me."
"In the end, Ramonu said I didn't have to do anything."
"At the time, I didn't understand what she meant, but now I do."
Looking gratefully at Super Creek, Ardan said softly, "It meant that I didn't need to try to do anything special — everyone here would sincerely, warmly find ways to accept me and help me."
"I hope I'm not being conceited, but I think many of the things everyone's done, especially your efforts for your debut, Creek, were all in hopes that I'd gain the confidence to finish rehab and make a beautiful debut just like you, right?"
By now, Creek wasn't surprised anymore. She simply looked firmly at Ardan.
"Mm! You guessed right. Whether it's me, Mr. Kitahara, Oguri, or the others, we all hope you can be happy here, progress smoothly, and show the world — without any burdens — who you are, and the proud name of the Mejiro family."
"The Mejiro family name, huh… that can wait."
Ardan's smile grew even gentler. She walked over, took Creek's hand, and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Since you want me to be happy, smooth, and burden-free when I show myself to the world…"
"Then what about you, Creek?"
"Maybe Mr. Kitahara tried to stop you, but what I want to say is…"
"Give it everything you've got, Creek. Let me see what kind of brilliance you can unleash after lying in wait in the Eisei team for so long."
"And then…"
"I definitely won't lose to you."
When Ardan had briefly left earlier, Kitahara had felt something odd. But since it didn't seem like a big issue, he hadn't paid special attention.
Especially when he saw her calm expression in the stands, he worried even less.
But as soon as Creek's debut race began, he quickly realized not only had he been wrong — he had been completely wrong.
"Start!"
"All the horse girls have made a clean start — we can see… eh eh eh?! Wh-what's happening?!"
"A horse girl is using a front-runner strategy?! What's going on?! According to the pre-race data, no one in this field specialized in that style!"
"That front-runner is… Super Creek?!"
The stands exploded. The already lively cheers now turned into an earth-shaking roar.
It was easy to imagine why. Among all kinds of races, front-running and end-closing were always the most visually explosive, the most thrilling styles to watch.
Just imagine: on the same track, one lone runner far ahead of the entire field — truly "leading the charge," carving the race in two by sheer ability alone: "my race" and "the race of everyone behind me."
A scene like that, like splitting the world into two different dimensions, made blood boil. It was irresistible.
Especially when a front-runner widened the gap to the point that even the camera lens couldn't fit the entire pack — what showed on the big screen would be a distant view with "one tiny dot" ahead of "a cluster of tiny dots," a scene bursting with drama and visual impact. There was no way the audience wouldn't go wild.
End-closing had the same magic — trailing far behind, then suddenly surging forward, overtaking and overtaking again, every pass sending the crowd's adrenaline soaring, making them feel as if they were on the track alongside the horse girls. That kind of thrill was simply addictive.
More importantly, very few horse girls could truly master front-running or end-closing and win.
[My Goat Mayano Top Gun could]
Both styles required long-distance bursts of speed and acceleration, demanding extremely high physical ability. Without that, you couldn't produce the heart-shaking visual spectacle. That alone made many horse girls shy away from even attempting them.
Technique was just as crucial.
Front-running required exceptional breakaway skill, outstanding sense of rhythm, and the ability to read the race as a whole — you had to burst ahead at the start, conserve energy mid-race, then unleash it at precisely the right moment in the final stretch.
End-closing, besides also needing breakaway skill, rhythm, and race sense, demanded absurd levels of strength, because winning from the back almost inevitably meant collisions with other horse girls and fighting for speed on the uphill and downhill stretches at the end — without enough power, you simply couldn't catch up.
Because the visual impact was explosive and true masters were rare, the crowd's thunderous cheers were inevitable.
Meanwhile, Kitahara's group was in chaos.
"Huh? What the heck? When did Creek train for a front-runner style?!" Oguri Cap exclaimed first.
"Though it's surprising, I kinda feel Creek might handle some chasing too," Tamamo Cross mused. "Might have something to do with that strategy. To use that tactic properly, your opening actually kinda resembles a front-runner's burst."
(End of chapter)