[9k words]
With the invitation to meet the "Transcendence Team"—or rather, the banquet arranged by Masato Kurokawa—Kitahara couldn't help but divert some of his attention to the corners of the venue during the "Moe Monsters" press conference that followed.
Still, the enthusiasm of the entire event was so high that he gained a clear understanding of the project's next steps.
Masato Kurokawa was right—the Nishijin Company placed great importance on this project. Not only had they invited major media outlets to attend, but they had also prepared extensive presentation content and special commemorative merchandise tied to "Moe Monsters" as gifts for attendees.
These items had not been revealed in advance; in fact, the whole project had been kept largely confidential. Apart from Masato Kurokawa, Kitahara, and a handful of insiders on both sides, almost no one knew the specifics beforehand.
Because of that, when the host announced the official start of the project presentation and handed out the commemorative merchandise, everyone who received the gifts was utterly delighted.
Kitahara could clearly sense the excitement of the others—after all, even he, the proposer of this project, was surprised when he opened his own gift.
The gift was a complete merchandise set: five scaled-down figures of the project's key monster mascots—Capzilla, Tamamo Ghidorah, Inari-don, Super Mosura, and Mejiro Mesura—along with a deluxe gilded illustration print, a metallic commemorative badge, and other small items.
Just from looking at fanart and his own sketches, Kitahara had always thought these monster designs were incredibly cute. But holding Nishijin's finely crafted versions in his hands now, he instantly found them irresistible.
…Just this set alone would easily sell for tens of thousands of yen, maybe even more—and even then, it'd probably be impossible to buy. After all, this is a limited commemorative edition…
Fiddling with the chubby little "Capzilla," Kitahara chuckled at its adorable, goofy expression.
And with figures like these, it was obvious none of the attendees would be willing to give theirs away.
If even the project's creator was shocked, the reactions of the others went without saying. The rest of the Eisei Team forgot they were at a press event, surrounded by reporters taking photos and video, and started loudly squealing with joy.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! It really is Godzilla that I get to play! Kitahara, you actually remembered me saying I wanted this—amazing!"
Clutching her Capzilla like someone afraid it might be snatched away, Oguri Cap was overjoyed. Then, unable to hold back, she began proudly showing it off to her teammates.
"Tamamo, Inari! You too, Creek, Ardan! Look, this is me! Isn't it awesome? Godzilla is the strongest, right?!"
She lifted up her "Capzilla" figure and pointed it at Tamamo Cross and the others, imitating Godzilla's roar.
"Rooaaar——!"
"Alright, Tamamo, you've already been knocked down by my atomic breath!"
Like kids playing house, Oguri held the figure up in front of her face, muffling her voice as she pretended to be a monster.
"Surrender! You have no chance of winning!"
Tamamo Cross and the others, who had been chuckling over their own figures, refused to lose at roleplay and shot back immediately.
"Hah? As if I'd lose that easily! I'm King Ghidorah—no, I'm Tamamo Ghidorah! And look at my design, clearly I'm based on Kaiser Ghidorah! Your Capzilla is just the first generation—no match for me!"
"Exactly! My Inari-don isn't weak either. Don't get cocky, Capzilla!"
"Um… should I join in too? But Mosura doesn't really like fighting…"
"If you don't like fighting, Bay—oh, I mean Super Mosura—then let's just watch from the sidelines. If the battle comes near us, we can fly away."
"Right! And look at Ardan—er, Mejiro Mesura—she looks like a spirit, and she can fly too. So let's just all take off."
"Huh? Wait, that's right—Inari-don can fly, Ghidorah can fly… ha ha ha, that means only Capzilla can't fly!"
"Hahaha, see, Capzilla, you're no match for us—you can't even fly!"
"Damn it, how can this be… wait, I can do this…"
"Hey, hey! Capzilla, that's cheating! Why are you suddenly flying like us?!"
"Rawrr, Capzilla can fire atomic breath downward at the ground, using the recoil to propel himself into the sky! No wait, I shouldn't be speaking, I should just—beep beep beep beep—"
…Oguri Cap, I can't help but feel like your intelligence is always allocated to the strangest things…
Watching the horse girls fooling around with their figurines like children, Kitahara couldn't help but laugh and sigh.
You remember the concept of recoil at times like this, yet in school physics class, you always struggle so much you need Creek and Ardan to tutor you, Oguri…
After laughing to himself, Kitahara glanced around, wondering if the press conference should continue.
And sure enough, not just Oguri's group but the entire hall had been caught up in childlike glee—everyone was busy chatting about the figurines, recreating famous Godzilla movie scenes, and joking with each other.
Even Komiyama, Yuzuhara, and Kyoko were over at the staff table, negotiating with hopeful looks, trying to get extra sets to bring back as gifts for their fellow trainers or seniors who also liked horse girls—like Trainer Sanno, Ryuko Yuzuhara, or Ren Kokubo.
Even the reporters seemed to have forgotten their interviews for the moment, excitedly comparing the gifts with each other.
In the corner, even Nanse Fumino's Transcendence Team was caught up in it.
"Woooah! I didn't expect Oguri Cap and the others to have such cute versions—amazing!"
The straightforward Bamboo Memory stroked the figures over and over, marveling at them.
"I always thought they were really serious and focused types. Didn't think they could be this adorable."
"Serious? Focused?"
Holding Oguri's figure, Dicta Striker smirked. "Come on, how did you ever get such a ridiculous impression?"
Bamboo blinked in confusion.
"Huh? Isn't it true? Like Oguri—she's always training, rushing into class all dusty in the mornings, clearly straight from practice. And she doesn't talk much to others, so she seems kind of cold."
"Tamamo Cross and Inari One are the same—always focused on training, not much for chatting."
"Super Creek and Ardan do talk with others, but they're… well, too mature. Especially Ardan—she's every bit the Mejiro family lady. Just being around her feels intimidating. So honestly, I've barely ever spoken to them…"
"Oh, I see. No wonder you think that way."
Dicta Striker gripped the Oguri figure, gaze fixed on the silver-haired, tall, smiling horse girl on stage, her lips curling silently.
"The truth is, they're all really simple-minded. Creek and Ardan aside—they are more mature—but the other three? They're not cold, just kind of airheaded and not good at socializing."
"And besides that—"
She seemed about to add more when Sakura Chiyono O, smiling, jumped in.
"That's right. I spent a few days with Oguri and the others before, and they're really easy to get along with. Very cute horse girls."
She held up her Super Creek "Super Mosura" figure, eyes sparkling.
"But they're also incredibly strong opponents. We'll be facing them soon on the track—I can't wait!"
"…Yeah, that's true."
Dicta Striker looked from Chiyono O to the figure in her hands, then back at her own Oguri figure, lips curving again.
"Very strong opponents indeed. So, Omoide wasn't exactly wrong. Facing opponents like these…"
"…we have to give it everything."
The usually silent Yaeno Muteki suddenly spoke in a firm voice.
In her hands was the figure of Mejiro Ardan—the last of the Eisei Team horse girls set to compete in the Classic Triple Crown.
"My most anticipated rival is Tamamo Cross, followed by Oguri Cap.
But Mejiro Ardan's debut was magnificent—she too is a formidable opponent."
She suddenly flipped her hand, revealing a white envelope.
On the front, the bold words "Letter of Challenge" were written with force and precision, just like the horse girl's current expression.
"At the banquet later, I will personally hand this letter to Mejiro Ardan. And also…"
Her eyes swept over Dicta Striker, Sakura Chiyono O, and Bamboo Memory's strange expressions, then to her trainer Tadayoshi Dino, and finally to the stoic Fumino Nanse and the expressionless Tadashi Konai. She gave a small nod.
"Thank you all for tolerating my selfishness."
Fumino Nanse parted her lips, about to speak, but before she could, her trainer Tadayoshi Dino suddenly bellowed.
"YEAAAAAH!!! That's the spirit! That's how it should be—formal, powerful!!"
The outburst startled everyone in the Transcendence Team. If not for the already noisy hall, Dino's roar might have shocked the entire venue into silence.
"As rivals, we must issue challenges openly and honorably!!
No need for worry, Yaeno—we'll all support you with everything we have!!!"
Still dazed, the rest of the team hadn't even processed what happened before Yaeno Muteki, though also startled, quickly straightened up.
"Master is absolutely right! I will not let anyone down! Ha!!"
With a spirited shout, she puffed out her chest and threw a sudden straight punch into the air.
Now the others began to react.
"…If we're going all out, then our nutrition must be perfect…"
Like a black iron tower, Tadashi Konai muttered, then lapsed into silence.
"…Everyone, please quiet down. You're disturbing others."
Their chief trainer Fumino Nanse finally spoke, voice calm but her hand covering a troubled face.
"Whatever you have to say, save it for after the press conference. There will be chances to speak to your opponents then."
Sure enough, Dino and Yaeno's shouting had drawn startled looks from those nearby, and others farther away had also begun to glance over.
Fortunately, the venue was large, with plenty of participants, and the host quickly announced the next segment, drawing everyone's focus back to the stage—including the Transcendence Team.
The host, a star from a Nishijin variety show, was highly skilled. After the initial chaos caused by distributing gifts, he smoothly regained control, turning the mood with witty, talk-show-like banter that had everyone laughing while the conference continued seamlessly.
The press conference itself was straightforward: after introducing the background of the "Moe Monsters" project, they announced the timeline of its development.
The process was similar to most film and media projects—selection of partners, advertising firms, merchandise producers, contracts, promotional methods—everything followed established industry patterns.
Thanks to this organization, the conference proceeded smoothly, ending with the standard interview session.
Beforehand, Kitahara had considered that horse girls like Oguri Cap weren't great with interviews, so he'd arranged with Tomomi Konan that a professional spokesperson would handle that part. Clearly, she'd coordinated with Masato Kurokawa, because at the end, the president himself stood up, declared the press conference concluded, and directed any interviews to the spokesperson, while announcing the following banquet.
The banquet for conference attendees was held in a large second-floor hall, while Kitahara's group was led by Masato Kurokawa straight to the top floor of the Nishijin Film Building.
Nanse Fumino's Transcendence Team was already there—already eating, in fact.
It was a buffet-style banquet. Clearly, Masato Kurokawa had learned from Tomomi Konan about the horse girls' huge appetites, because not only was there a wide variety of dishes, but the portions were enormous.
Even so, when he actually saw Oguri Cap and the others eat in person, President Kurokawa was still utterly shocked.
"…Uh, with all due respect, Chief Kitahara, although I already knew beforehand that Oguri Cap and the others have big appetites…"
With an incredulous expression, Masato Kurokawa forced a wry smile and pointed toward the banquet hall."But this amount… isn't it a bit too much?"
Kitahara was also watching his horse girls, so naturally, he saw it too: led by Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Inari One, Super Creek, and Mejiro Ardan had all realized this was a buffet, and each cheerfully carried a tray the size of a pot lid, piled higher than their own torsos with food. Only Shiny Bright seemed to have a relatively "normal" appetite, merely carrying one heaping tray. Soon after, they all gathered in a corner, laughing and chatting happily as they dug in.
He didn't mind. As the head trainer of the Eisei Team, scenes like this were part of everyday life—nothing surprising at all.
Not only him, but Komiyama, Yuzuhara, and Kyoko Miyamura also looked utterly unfazed. They picked a bit of food themselves and gathered together for small talk.
Kitahara's main concern was the reactions from both sides when they noticed each other.
Hmm… no big surprises? Aside from a little shock at first sight, both Oguri Cap's group and Komiyama's group seemed to treat the arrival of the Transcendence Team as nothing more than an unexpected coincidence…
Noticing that both teams, after their initial surprise, exchanged familiar greetings, Kitahara quietly reflected.
Was it because, like me, they'd already taken note of the other side during the press conference earlier? Or perhaps they just didn't care, thinking if anything happened, their head trainer would take care of it…
As he thought this through, he saw Oguri Cap and the others greeting Sakura Chiyono O, Dicta Striker, Bamboo Memory, and Yaeno Muteki before gradually grouping together to eat. Komiyama's side showed similar behavior, so Kitahara felt relieved.
Alright then. If something really does happen, it's up to me to handle it first.
After mulling it over, Kitahara finally remembered that Masato Kurokawa had asked him something earlier—but he couldn't recall what exactly. Looking a bit apologetic, he turned to him.
"Ah, sorry. I was too distracted just now. President Kurokawa, what did you say?"
Kurokawa chuckled."I was just surprised by Oguri Cap's appetite. I'd heard about it before, but seeing it in person is just too much—it's shocking."
He paused, then added with another smile
:"Also, this isn't really a formal occasion. If you don't mind, I think it's fine if we call each other by name, no need to be so stiff."
Sensing Kurokawa wanted to come across as approachable, Kitahara pondered briefly, then didn't stand on ceremony.
"Well then, since you're a few years my senior, I won't be polite—Brother Kurokawa."
After changing the form of address, he did indeed feel much more at ease and couldn't help but laugh.
"As for Oguri Cap's appetite… to be honest, when I first saw it back in Kasamatsu, I was really shocked too. But once you see it enough times, you get used to it."
He glanced toward Oguri Cap in the banquet hall, cheeks stuffed full while her friends laughed at her, and smiled knowingly.
"Besides, I once deliberately took Oguri Cap for a medical exam. It was analyzed personally by the renowned Dr. Ren Kokubo."
"He said Oguri Cap's digestive system contains a very rare enzyme for horse girls, which explains why her appetite is unusually strong."
"Later, when Tamamo Cross and the others were checked too, it turned out Tamamo's digestion and cardiopulmonary system were nearly the same as Oguri's. That made it easier to understand."
"As for Creek and the rest…" Kitahara gestured with a laugh.
"Since Dr. Kokubo was very interested in Oguri's digestive enzymes, he developed a special digestive supplement based on it. It boosts appetite and digestion. So you could say, in the Eisei Team, the horse girls aren't just big eaters—each one is even more of a big eater than the last."
"Look at their plates now. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were competing in a food-eating contest." He finished with a joke, pointing toward Oguri Cap and the others.
"I see. Well, if there's no strain on their stomachs, eating more isn't a bad thing. Of course, Brother Kitahara, as their trainer, you'd know this better than I."
With a word of praise, Kurokawa's expression turned intrigued.
"Speaking of that supplement, I've heard of it too. President Konan mentioned it—something developed by Kawawan Enterprises and Rakushou Pharmaceuticals together, marketed under the 'Oguri Cap' brand."
"Is that supplement something we humans can take too?"
Kitahara froze, then smiled wryly.
"Brother Kurokawa, humans and horse girls don't share the same physiology. They may look similar to us, but their digestive systems, cardiopulmonary organs, even senses like hearing and smell, are all different."
"Medicines made for them aren't safe for us. For example, if we took that supplement, our digestion might suddenly outpace our nutritional intake, possibly causing malnutrition."
Seeing Kurokawa's embarrassed laugh, Kitahara paused, then cracked another joke.
"Besides, even horse girls can't overeat. No matter how good that supplement is, if they take too much, they'll still turn into… um, fat ponies—cough, cough—I mean, they'll still gain weight."
"I see. As expected, talking to an outstanding trainer like you reveals fun little details we'd never find in reports."
Thanks to Kitahara's lighthearted tone, Kurokawa relaxed again. But then, as he looked toward Oguri Cap's group, his expression shifted.
"Looks like my kouhai here couldn't wait any longer."
"Huh?" Kitahara blinked, following Kurokawa's gaze—and immediately spotted Fumino Nise approaching with a drink in hand.
"Good evening, Sepai, Chief Kitahara."
Noticing both their eyes on her, Fumino paused briefly, bowed slightly, then walked closer. With her free hand, she pulled an envelope from inside her jacket and held it out.
"Chief Kitahara, please."
Both Kitahara and Kurokawa were momentarily taken aback. Glancing at the envelope, they saw the words 'Letter of Challenge' written boldly on the front.
"…Kouhai, didn't we agree tonight was just for a casual meet-and-greet? This challenge letter…"
Kurokawa showed a helpless smile, worried the atmosphere might suddenly turn tense. He half-raised his hand, as if to brush the letter aside, speaking gently:
"Perhaps this can wait for another time—"
"It's fine, Senpai."
With a casual flip of her hand, Fumino stubbornly pressed the envelope toward Kitahara, speaking calmly:
"I don't think Chief Kitahara would refuse this challenge."
"Since Sakura Chiyono O and Super Creek will run in the Wakaba Stakes, Dicta Striker and Oguri Cap will run in the Yayoi Sho, and now Mejiro Ardan has officially debuted, she'll likely enter the Spring Stakes as well."
"Yaeno Muteki is already registered for the Spring Stakes. This is just her way of making things official—writing this letter and asking me to deliver it to Chief Kitahara for Ardan."
"Even without this letter, the two of them would meet in the Spring Stakes anyway."
…So the real reason she wanted Kurokawa to arrange this meeting was actually at Yaeno Muteki's request.
Staring at the envelope, Kitahara pondered silently.
That's exactly her style. This horse girl has a distinctly old-fashioned character. It's no surprise she'd write such a challenge letter.
As for bringing her whole team along—clearly, she wanted this letter to turn into a formal declaration of rivalry between the two teams. That was likely Trainer Nise's intention.
"…I understand. I'll pass this challenge letter on to Ardan."
Taking the envelope, Kitahara didn't open it. He slipped it into his jacket and nodded solemnly.
"Although Ardan hasn't seen it yet, she will accept."
"Trainer Naise, you can tell Yaeno Muteki: they'll face each other in the Spring Stakes."
This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. The Eisei Team had already agreed internally: if Mejiro Ardan debuted smoothly, then their lineup would be set—Super Creek and Sakura Chiyono O in the Wakaba Stakes, Oguri Cap and Dicta Striker in the Yayoi Sho, and Mejiro Ardan against Yaeno Muteki in the Spring Stakes. That plan had been in place even before Ardan's debut. Now that she'd debuted successfully, there was no reason to change it.
It was already early March. The Satsuki Sho would take place on the third weekend of April, and the trial races were in March. That gave Oguri Cap's group plenty of prep time, with enough margin after their trial races to prepare for the Satsuki Sho itself.
"Alright."
With just that brief reply, Fumino gave a slight nod, then looked toward Kurokawa with a hint of apology.
"Sorry, Senpai. The arrangement with the challenge letter was a bit reckless. Please forgive me."
"Oh, come now. You've already done it—what's the point of apologizing now? And really, do you see your senpai as someone so unreasonable?"
Kurokawa looked completely at ease, far removed from the corporate setting. He exaggerated a troubled face, then broke into a laugh.
"Besides, I'd say I just witnessed a bit of history."
His tone grew thoughtful."I remember when I was a child, my mother once took me to a UAA banquet."
"At that banquet, my uncle—ah, this kouhai's father," he glanced at Kitahara in explanation, "was named Trainer of the Year. And the Rookie of the Year trainer was…"
His eyes fixed firmly on Kitahara."…your uncle, Musaka Ginjiro."
Both Kitahara and Fumino froze. Being younger than Kurokawa, neither had been aware. By his account, that must have been over ten years ago, when Ginjirou first joined the Central Academy.
"I still remember how, like you, he came from Kasamatsu to the Central circuit, dazzling everyone with incredible results right away. At that banquet, he was even more popular than the well-established Trainer Naise."
"Perhaps it was out of a desire to challenge a senpai, or maybe the reporters egged him on—but just like now, one side handed the other a challenge letter that night."
Kurokawa's gaze wandered between Kitahara and Fumino before settling on Kitahara's jacket, where the letter now rested.
"The difference is, back then it was Trainer Musaka handing a challenge letter to Trainer Naise—and the trainers themselves, not their horses, who would face off."
"This time, it's my Kouhai giving you a challenge letter, Brother Kitahara. And nominally, it's a contest between horse girls, not between trainers."
"Tell me, isn't this a historical coincidence? Haven't I just witnessed history repeat itself?"
Almost involuntarily, Kitahara and Fumino locked eyes. Both carried an unmistakable spark of fighting spirit.
No matter what Kurokawa said, they both knew: as the trainers and leaders of their teams, they could never be mere bystanders.
"…Trainer Musaka—my father often praised him. As a Junior I deeply admire him as well."
When Kurokawa finished speaking, Fumino immediately raised her drink in a toast.
"The only one who could stand against my father, whose abilities were legendary enough to be called fairy magic—'The Fairy Godfather,' Musaka Ginjiro. Next to the 'Magician,' my father, he is the trainer I most want to surpass."
"But before surpassing my father and Trainer Musaka, Chief Kitahara—I want to surpass you."
"Though your time since coming from Kasamatsu has been short, with the runaway brilliance of Super Creek, the crushing strength of Inari One, the easy victories of Tamamo Cross and Oguri Cap, and the elegant debut of Mejiro Ardan—you, Chief Kitahara, are… no."
She shook her head slightly, staring firmly at him."You are already the most dazzling newcomer in URA history, surpassing even your predecessors, Chief Kitahara."
…So this is what she means by "Transcendence."
Surpass her father. Surpass his uncle. And now—surpass me.
That was the very reason her team existed.
Quietly meeting the cool but fiery gaze of Fumino, Kitahara raised his own drink.
"You flatter me, Trainer Naise. I—"
For a moment, he considered replying humbly, as always. But glancing instinctively toward Oguri Cap, he suddenly realized: there was no need for humility anymore.
Because he was no longer an obscure provincial trainer from Kasamatsu. Too many people were watching him now—Oguri Cap and the others, Komiyama, Yuzuhara, Miyamura—all striving with him toward the same dream.
What he needed to do now wasn't to be modest, but to acknowledge it.
"I will give it everything I have. The Eisei Team will fight the Transcendence Team with all we've got—this year, in the Classic Triple Crown."
"Good."
Once again, Fumino replied simply, raising her drink higher. With fiery eyes but a calm face, she downed it in one go as though it were alcohol.
Meanwhile, the horse girls paid no mind to their trainers' exchange. Their world seemed like a parallel dimension as they happily devoured food and chattered about the day's press conference.
"Oguri, Oguri! And Creek! How did you come up with those adorable plushies, and that hilarious four-panel comic? It's so much fun!"
Having met at Kasamatsu before, Sakura Chiyono O was clearly closer with Oguri and her friends. She sparkled with excitement as she pressed them with questions.
"Was it your own idea? I noticed Ardan's part of the drawings seemed based on your blindfold training from a while back, right? That was amazing! How did you think of it?!"
Oguri's blindfold training hadn't been hidden from others. For about a month, aside from Ardan, the rest of the Eisei horse girls went about daily life, classes, and even light training while blindfolded. Naturally, it drew lots of attention and questions, and soon everyone knew it was special training.
"Mm? Mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm."
With her mouth full, Oguri looked thoughtful, then gave a muffled serious-sounding reply.
Of course, nobody could understand. Sakura Chiyono O looked baffled. Bamboo Memory scratched her head in confusion.
"Uh… what is Oguri saying…?" she asked helplessly.
"Eh? Oh, she means we don't know either. All those ideas were Kitahara's."
Still eating but with less food in her mouth, Tamamo Cross casually translated for them with a smile."Well, I can't say those were the exact words, but knowing Oguri, that's definitely what she meant."
"Wait—hold on. How did you even understand Oguri's mumbling, Tamamo-Senpai?"
Bamboo Memory, who respected Tamamo and Inari as more experienced, was completely puzzled.
"Is this some kind of encrypted speech?"
"Not really."
This time Inari laughed as she explained."We've spent so much time with Oguri, and she's always like this when eating. We've gotten used to it."
"Yeah, if we keep eating together like this, maybe even train together, you'll learn to understand her too."
Creek added with a grin, then glanced at Oguri's empty plate."Hey Oguri, your plate's empty. Want me to grab some more for you?"
"Mmm—chew, chew, swallow—no need, Creek, I'll get it myself."
Quickly swallowing, Oguri smiled, picked up her big empty plate, and headed for the buffet table.
"Do you girls want more too? I can bring some back for you."
"No, no, you just take care of yourself…" ×4.
The other four Eisei horse girls all responded at once with wry smiles. Mejiro Ardan in particular added softly:
"Sigh… I've seen it so many times already, yet I'm still amazed by Oguri's appetite."
"…A formidable opponent beyond imagination."
At that moment, Yaeno Muteki, who had been silently eating while keeping Oguri's team in her peripheral vision, suddenly spoke.
"With such an appetite, she's truly hard to surpass. My training is still not enough."
"Yaeno, you don't need such a competitive spirit about this of all things…" ×3.
This time it was the Transcendence Team's turn to groan.
After their complaints, Dicta Striker silently watched Oguri walking away with her empty plate. Then she stood up.
"Well, I may not challenge her in eating, but I'm still not full. I'll get more food too."
Taking her long-empty plate, she walked straight toward Oguri.
"Hm, feels like I'm only 70% full… so I'll take some of this, this, and this… Oh, but Kitahara said not to eat too much at night, so I'll skip that one. I'll get some fruit instead."
Muttering to herself, Oguri piled food onto her plate until it was full again, finally turning to the fruit section.
"But why is it okay to eat lots of fruit at night, when other foods aren't…?"
As she wondered aloud, a casual voice answered from beside her:
"Because fruit has very little calories or protein. For example, that apple you're about to take—100 grams has only 61 kcal, 0.2 g of protein, and 16.2 g of carbs. No matter how much you eat, you won't exceed your intake. At most, you'll just feel bloated from too much water."
"But with the way you eat, I bet you've never even known what it feels like to be full, have you?"
Startled, Oguri Cap turned her head and saw a horse girl with a hood and earrings. She froze for a moment, then brightened.
"Dido, it's you! You're amazing, you know so much."
"It's Dicta Striker! We've been in the same class for over a month now—are you still messing up people's names?"
Grabbing at the ear without the earring in frustration, Dido Archer glared, then sighed in resignation.
"And anyway, the data is only stuck in my head because my trainer nags me every day. But stuff like 'fruit is better at night'? We learned that in both biology and home economics class, remember?"
"Oh, really? Sorry, Did… Dicta. I always get sleepy in class. Before exams, it's Creek and Ardan who tutor me so I can scrape by."
Oguri scratched her head, embarrassed.
"Yeah, we know. You sit behind Yaeno—she told us already. Sometimes she even hears you muttering in your sleep about what you had for lunch."
Again tugging at her ear, Dicta Strikerr's expression gradually grew serious.
"So… how's your preparation for the Yayoi Sho?"
"The Yayoi Sho?" Oguri blinked. "That's the next race I'm entering…"
"I'll be entering it too."
Dicta Striker spread out her hand, raising two fingers, her lips curling.
"March. Nakayama Racecourse. Grade 2. Turf, 2000 meters, right-handed…"
"One of the key prep races for the Satsuki Sho. The Yayoi Sho—a race we'll both be running in."
"…Oh."
Her voice was calm, but Oguri's aura visibly surged upward.
"That's right. I'll be racing alongside you in the Yayoi Sho, Dicta."
"You're strong, I can feel it."
"Kitahara also said that what you're best at… just happens to be the same as me."
"The finishing kick."
"That's right. The rest of my abilities are only so-so, but when it comes to the finishing burst, that's where I'm most confident."
Looking straight at Oguri, Dicta's grin grew sharper.
"Even against you—even against the so-called 'Gray Monster'—I'm confident I won't lose in the finishing kick."
"So? Want to settle it then? See if the Gray Monster's legs are scarier… or if this Chestnut Bullet has the stronger kick?"
Her own presence flared, pupils narrowing, eyes shooting out like bullets.
"Maybe your perfect record—13 wins from 13 starts—will come to an end at the Yayoi Sho!"
"An end, huh…"
Locking eyes with Dido without backing down, Oguri suddenly smiled.
"…Why are you smiling?"
Dicta frowned, puzzled. "You don't believe me?"
"I don't know."
Oguri shook her head seriously. Her smile grew brighter as she glanced at her teammates.
"It's just… back when I was in Kasamatsu, I was mediocre at most things—only my finishing burst was strong."
"But now, it's different. With Tamamo, Inari, Creek, and Ardan… with Kitahara, Komiyama, Yuzuhara, Kyoko, and Light supporting me… maybe I've gotten stronger in other ways too."
She turned back to Dicta.
"So, if you're only planning to challenge me in the finishing kick… then I think I'll still win."
"…I see."
Dicta's pupils shrank as memories of the Eisei Team's brilliance so far flashed through her mind. But her grin only widened.
"Then this isn't just about the two of us anymore…"
Just like Oguri, she turned to look at her teammates.
"…It's about all of us horse girls. The battle for the Classic Triple Crown."
Meanwhile, over at the banquet tables, the rest of their teammates had also turned to the subject of the Triple Crown.
"Hey, what's taking Dicta so long? …Huh? She's talking with Oguri?"
Bamboo Memory was the first to notice, and she stood up without thinking.
"I'll go check—"
But Yaeno Muteki stopped her with a firm hand.
"No."
She cut her off with a single word. Then, after staring at Oguri's direction for a while, Yaeno slowly shifted her gaze to Mejiro Ardan.
"They're talking about the Yayoi Sho."
At those words, the mood turned heavy. The horse girls who had been chatting cheerfully went stiff, their smiles freezing—especially Ardan, Creek, and Sakura Chiyono O, whose laughter quickly faded away.
"…Yes. Oguri wouldn't bring it up herself. But Dicta would."
Ardan met Yaeno's eyes.
"So, Yaeno… do you want to talk with me too?"
Her smile returned, eyes narrowing into crescent shapes—so much so that her dazzling amethyst irises were hidden away.
"For example… about the Spring Stakes?"
"Since I've already made my debut, naturally my next race is the same one you'll be in—the Spring Stakes."
"As expected. You'll be entering the Spring Stakes, Mejiro."
Yaeno slowly extended her hand. "There's much I want to say. But…"
She stopped, waiting. Only when Ardan finally placed her hand in hers did she continue.
"…let's say it all on the track. That's my answer."
"Good. I'll talk with you to my heart's content—at the Spring Stakes."
The two radiated a sharp, competitive tension. Meanwhile, Creek and Chiyono O—set to face each other as well—exchanged bitter smiles.
"Oh dear, the banquet's suddenly turned into this…"
"Honestly. We only came to eat a little after handing over challenge letters. How did it end up like this?"
They both sighed, then blinked in surprise at saying almost the same thing. After a brief silence, they chuckled.
"…Well then, see you on the track, Chiyono O."
"Y-yes. Please look after me in the Wakaba Stakes, Creek."
Once again they spoke in unison, and this time they broke into knowing smiles.
"…Argh, you two are making me itch for a race now…"
Tamamo Cross puffed her cheeks in frustration. Then suddenly, her eyes lit up as she turned excitedly to Inari One and Bamboo.
"Hey, hey—you two! Why don't we each go ask our trainers if we can join a race too? Wouldn't that be super fun?!"
Inari and Bamboo had been watching the others with envy. Hearing this, their faces lit up.
"Yeah! That'd be great, I—"
"Me too!" Bamboo cheered, only to falter after a moment, face clouding.
"Ahh… but no, my debut results were terrible. Fifth once, second once, only succeeded the third time. Then lost three in a row afterward…"
She gave a wry smile to Tamamo and Inari. "Compared to you two seniors, my record is just too poor."
"And besides, I'm still in my Classic year. I probably can't even enter the same races you can. So it'd be tough to run together."
"Huh? Really? Then… yeah, maybe it won't work."
Tamamo tilted her head, disappointed, before another thought struck her.
"Oh no… I probably can't run with you either, Inari! My next races should be G1 or G2, but you don't qualify yet, right?"
"Yeah. I just came up from the local circuit. My results aren't on Oguri's level yet. So my next race will probably be G3, or maybe just an open class. I don't have enough fans for G2."
Sighing, Inari looked enviously at Creek, Ardan, Chiyono O, and Yaeno—but then her eyes firmed.
"…Doesn't matter. We'll definitely meet on the track one day. No regrets."
"Tamamo, Bamboo—this time, let's just cheer for them. Let's look forward to the amazing races they'll give us!"
The banquet was full of challenges and promises between the Eisei and Transcendence teams, but overall the atmosphere stayed lighthearted—especially with Masato Kurokawa, the host, deliberately keeping things cheerful.
But the next day, during training, it was clear—at least on Kitahara's side—that the mood had shifted, becoming sharper and more fired up than before.
"This year's Classic Triple Crown prep races are drawing more attention than ever before."
Before training began, Kitahara spent longer than usual giving instructions.
"Even without official confirmation, the press reports from yesterday's conference and the Transcendence Team's event have framed this as a battle between two teams."
"Since this is the first time in URA history that two teams are entering the Classics, the Association, the Board, everyone is taking it extremely seriously."
"In fact, the URA Association has already decided to synchronize the Wakaba Stakes, Spring Stakes, and Yayoi Sho—all to be held on the same day. Clearly, the higher-ups see this as a team battle."
Glancing toward the Academy's Board office, Kitahara sighed.
"In short: according to Chairwoman Akikawa, all Satsuki Sho prep races will be run on March 22."
He looked at Oguri, Bay, and Ardan in turn, then spoke slowly.
"Yayoi Sho. March 22. Nakayama. Turf, 2000m, right-handed."
"Spring Stakes. March 22. Nakayama. Turf, 1800m, right-handed."
"Wakaba Stakes. March 22. Hanshin. Turf, 2000m, right-handed."
"So we'll split into two training groups accordingly."
"Oguri, Creek—you'll both run middle distances, though on different tracks. You'll join Tamamo for pace work. Anyone else can join if they wish."
"Komiyama will handle the Middle Distance Group."
"Ardan—your Spring Stakes course is similar to your debut. You'll continue as before, paired with Inari. That'll be the Mile Group."
"Yuzuhara will handle that group."
"As for me, Kyoko, and Light—we'll rotate like usual between the two groups. Data analysis and daily meetings continue as always."
Once Kitahara finished, Komiyama and Yuzuhara each led their groups to separate training fields. The Academy grounds were large enough to accommodate everyone.
Kitahara, however, stayed behind—with one horse girl: Maruzensky.
"So, Maruzensky. I think it's time you shared the things we should keep in mind for these races."
That morning at the dorms, she had asked him for this chance. Since Oguri and the others were starting on the Classic path, she wanted to explain some key points—but only to him, not the others yet. Kitahara had agreed, patiently waiting until now.
"Thanks for waiting, Kitahara. You must've been impatient. Sorry to trouble you."
Having spent a while with Kitahara and the Eisei Team now, Maruzensky began in a light tone, but her expression soon turned serious.
"What I want to say is tied to what you just mentioned."
She explained carefully.
"The Association and the Board taking the Classics so seriously? Part of that is because of us—me, CB, and Rudolf. We submitted recommendations. Specifically, that the Eisei and Transcendence horse girls should face each other on the same track as much as possible."
Kitahara blinked in surprise. "You three recommended that? Then…"
He was about to ask more when realization struck.
"…Is this because of Domains?"
It seemed the most likely reason. After all, Maruzensky and CB had been assigned to the teams specifically to help their horse girls grasp Domains. Only something that important would justify the Academy Council's three powerhouses involving themselves and making recommendations to URA.
"You're right. Remember what I said before? That each of our Domains has a unique activation condition?"
Maruzensky's tone grew firm.
"I think you recall that, Kitahara."
"What I haven't told you yet is this—if you want to trigger this condition, it must happen in a race of sufficiently high intensity. Whether it was the circumstances Rudolf and I experienced at that moment, or the data recorded so far by the Eisei team, both prove that the instant our physical indicators spiked sharply was precisely during a high-intensity race."
"I've already confirmed this over and over with the data you all gave me, and I've discussed it repeatedly with Rudolf, CB, and Ramonu. At this point, I'm almost certain of it."
Kita wasn't surprised by this statement.
In fact, even before Maruzensky mentioned the concept of "Domains," he had already thought of checking Kyouko's medical equipment logs against the various stats recorded during Oguri Cap's races.
That line of thinking had indeed yielded results.
During that practice race at Kasamatsu with Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Super Creek, and Inari One, Tamamo Cross's physical indicators spiked significantly in the final sprint. That was when the Eisei team first considered the idea of a "Domain."
Later, when Oguri Cap ran her last race against Fujimasa March before heading to the Central Academy, the related data also showed that Teio had definitely stepped into a Domain for a certain period of time. This had even been discussed with her trainer, Shibazaki.
Both of those races very clearly matched Maruzensky's definition of "high-intensity."
From those two races and Maruzensky's explanation of the "trigger condition," Kitahara even speculated that this world's so-called "Domain"—the other blessing from the Three Goddesses beyond "true form"—was probably the manifestation of what parallel worlds called an "Innate Skill" or even "Destiny."
But even with such a clear hypothesis, he still couldn't fully confirm or dig deeper into the real truth.
Because there were only two races that supported this idea, and the data was simply not enough.
Thinking of this, Kitahara turned to Maruzensky and thought:
"So, Maruzensky, you mean that each of the races in this year's Classic Triple Crown will be of sufficient intensity to give Eisei's Oguri Cap and her teammates—as well as Beyond's Sakura Chiyono O and others—the chance to fully grasp a Domain before the Japan Cup this year."
Maruzensky smiled warmly.
"You really do get it."
Then, with a sigh of emotion, she turned her head toward a certain direction outside the training field. After a brief silence, her tone suddenly shifted.
"You must also realize that the Twinkle of these past few years has actually been going downhill…"
"Downhill?"
Kita was a little taken aback by her sudden remark. But when he followed her gaze and saw she was looking at the Student Council office, he immediately began to understand.
…Indeed, the current generation's brilliance had begun only after Oguri Cap and her peers debuted, dazzling in all sorts of races. Most of these star horse girls happened to come from Eisei or Beyond, Naze Fumino's team.
Before that, you'd have to trace back to Symboli Rudolf's generation to find Japanese horse girls who truly shone.
Earlier still, it would be Maruzensky's own generation. Yet because she was a "transferred horse girl," she hadn't had the chance to clash spectacularly with Ten Point, Tokai Boy, or . So in a sense, her whole era was slightly inferior to Rudolf, CB, and Katsuragi Ace's generation.
Now, Maruzensky sighed again and continued:
"Simply put, ever since Rudolf stepped back from the front lines to become Student Council President at the Central Tracen Academy, Japan's entire Twinkle Series has felt like it's had a giant hole left behind. On the surface, the races still look lively, but in truth they're just afterglow from the brilliance Rudolf and the others left behind. If you look closely, you can only feel a kind of emptiness."
"Even though the Association, the Council, and all the organizers have tried various ways to make recent races as exciting as before… sigh."
She exhaled and shook her head.
"But a horse girl superstar as unparalleled and extraordinary as Rudo? How could such a one appear so easily?"
"Rudolf… of course, that includes me and CB too. We all knew this, but we couldn't help feeling anxious. To discover horse girls with exceptional talent, every year we spent a lot of time traveling across Japan's training grounds and academies, searching for such prodigies."
"We also worked hard to consult with Director Akikawa, pushing the URA Association to revise rules to benefit local horse girls and trainers."
At this, Maruzensky turned to Kitahara and smiled.
"And it turns out those efforts weren't wasted. Local horse girls truly had outstanding talent that almost went unnoticed. Your team's Oguri Cap and Inari One, as well as Fujimasa March from the same Kasamatsu track as Oguri Cap, are all gifted local horse girls. And Oguri and Inari's performances after coming to Central have lived up to their talent, showing magnificent races."
"Director Akikawa also successfully pushed those reforms through the Association. From now on, I expect more and more outstanding horse girls will be discovered."
Kitahara was surprised. He hadn't realized that the three Student Council giants had also been actively supporting Yayoi Akikawa's reforms, just like himself. Even more surprising, the Council had noticed Fujimasa March.
But then, thinking it over, he felt it made sense.
Because of his foreknowledge, Oguri Cap was now far stronger than in the parallel world. Naturally, many horse girls connected to her had grown stronger too—Tamamo Cross had touched the Domain earlier, Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan had debuted earlier and avoided the "fragile leg" issue. So it was only natural that March, who had also accessed the Domain, would draw Central Academy's attention.
Even so, Maruzensky gave another sigh.
"The only pity is, we contacted March and her trainer Shibazaki, hoping they'd develop here at Central, but they refused."
Her gaze toward Kita turned slightly strange. "They said they wanted to be like you, Mr. Kitahara—working hard on their own, eventually coming to Central together, and they didn't want to be separated."
"In a way, that's your influence. After discussing it among ourselves, we felt perhaps if we gave them some time, they might bring the horse girl world a surprise like Eisei did. So we didn't push them further."
"Of course, another major reason is that Central already has both your Eisei and Naise's teams."
"After all, the urgent task now is making sure Oguri Cap, Sakura Chiyono O, and the other Central horse girls can master Domains as soon as possible."
"In the end, it still comes down to two main points."
"First, just as you said, this year's Classic Triple Crown will be the fiercest in recent years. Under those conditions, Oguri Cap and the others are very likely to awaken their Domains. Chiaki and I will assist you and Naisee by analyzing race data and helping tailor the training and adjustments."
"The second point…"
Here, the legendary hall-of-fame horse girl suddenly smiled with a meaningful edge, her whole aura shifting into something loftier and sharper than ever before.
"I will personally take part more often in Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Mejiro Ardan's joint training runs."
"And unlike the casual pace of past joint runs, from now on I'll bring out the full power of a Domain-level horse girl."
Her gaze turned so intense that for a moment, Kita even felt the urge to avert his eyes.
"Don't underestimate this old retiree. If you don't give everything you've got in these joint runs… you might not even see my back."
There was no exaggeration in her words.
From Eisei's current data and his own analysis, Kita divided horse girls' use of Domains into three levels.
Those who had just brushed against a Domain could be called "Entry Level." In this state, a horse girl might unleash Domain power in a race, exploding with unimaginable potential for a few seconds, seizing an instant advantage that could even turn into victory. Tamamo Cross in that practice race, and Teio in the Golden Youth Cup, both fit this category.
The next step up was "Mastery Level." Tamamo Cross in her first Japan Cup, Oguri Cap before her second Japan Cup, Tony Bianca during the Japan Cup, and Dicta Striker in the Arima Kinen with them—these all belonged here.
At this level, horse girls could choose whether to enter a Domain. The duration also increased greatly: if Entry Level lasted only about 5 seconds, Mastery could extend it to 10.
But neither Entry nor Mastery could truly be called "Domain Level."
Because under those two levels, Domains weren't really divine blessings from the Three Goddesses. Using them still placed heavy strain on the body, requiring longer recovery afterwards. Without proper care, accumulated fatigue would eventually become permanent damage.
There was also the limitation of effect—these Domains were like timed skills in a mobile game. Especially Entry Level, where even triggering it was uncertain—like praying for a skill proc or hoping your "innate skill" ultimate would finally activate.
Only true Domain-level horse girls could be said to have received this divine gift. That was Kita's final conclusion.
But data on legendary Domain horse girls like Maruzensky was scarce, since their era lacked today's advanced measuring tools. So Kita couldn't be sure what exactly that state was like.
Still, from Maruzensky's own description, a Domain-level horse girl could perfectly control her body under any circumstances—even in the most intense race.
In other words, at that level, there was no bodily strain or risk. Even after their true-form stage ended, they could still run freely.
Beyond that, Kitahara suspected that a Domain-level horse girl's Domain state might be permanent—like a constant attribute buff. As long as her base fitness was sufficient, she'd hold an overwhelming advantage over others.
And this speculation was soon confirmed in the following joint trainings.
"…Honestly, this is the first time I've seen the three of you so exhausted after a run."
That day, Kitahara was in charge of the "middle-distance group." Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Tamamo Cross were now completely worn out—leaning on their knees, clutching their waists, gasping for air.
"Maruzensky-senpai… haa… too… too fast…"
Oguri Cap, rarely this out of breath, leaned on her knees, head down, sweat pouring off her face in heavy drops that pooled at her chin and dripped onto the grass. The blades beneath her were already soaked with her sweat.
Super Creek, also drenched and bent over, stubbornly tilted her head up to look at Kita.
"I… haa… I still want to run with Maruzensky-senpai… one more time…" She wiped sweat from her temples with the back of her hand.
…Hey now, I get that you're frustrated, but you really should be resting…
Kitahara had barely started to smile wryly when another breathless yet fiery voice burst out.
"Haa… I do too! Haa… let me run again!"
Hands on her hips, Tamamo Cross glared brightly at the side. "Maruzensky-senpai… haa! You've still got energy, right?! Let's… haa… go another round?!"
Maruzensky stood beside them. Though she was also catching her breath, she looked far more relaxed.
"Whew—don't be so hasty."
Exhaling deeply, she smiled in satisfaction. "You've already done excellently today, no need to rush."
"There's still more than half a month until the March 22nd race. I'll be joining your joint runs every day until then—and always at this intensity. If you want to run with me again, you'll have plenty of chances."
With a smile of reassurance, she waved to Kita before heading toward another training field.
"I'm off to Ardan's group. I'll leave this side to you, Kita. I'll be back this afternoon."
"Right. Thank you, Maruzensky."
Kitahara bowed gratefully at her departing figure, filled with emotion.
…So this is the strength of a true Domain-level horse girl? Compared to Oguri and the others, she's on a whole other dimension…
After these past few days of joint training, he now fully understood just how overwhelming Domain horse girls were.
Even without looking at data, you could see it with the naked eye. Whether running with Oguri's middle-distance group or Ardan's mile group, Maruzensky displayed crushing superiority.
Every joint run turned into her leading as if she were a front-runner—even though she wasn't naturally suited for it. Her pace was simply too fast. She even pushed races into full "Front Runner" pace.
Only at the very end could Oguri close the gap with her monstrous finishing speed, or Creek edge closer with her "Swinging Maestro" tactic. Otherwise, they and Tamamo Cross could do nothing but stare at Maruzensky's back, unable to narrow the distance.
Kyouko's data confirmed it even more clearly.
Maruzensky's individual stats weren't absurd. Her speed, stamina, and strength were only about 4–8% higher than Oguri's group.
But the key was that this higher baseline was maintained all throughout the race—and when it came time for cornering or final sprints, she too could spike her stats like the others.
That meant at cruising pace, she was faster by fractions of a second each meter. That alone built up to a massive lead by the end—and she could still unleash bursts on top of that.
In these conditions, Kitahara was convinced: horse girls like Maruzensky treated the Domain like a permanent true-form buff. Even retired, even with lighter daily training, her numbers were still ahead of Oguri's team.
Add her vast race experience on top of her stat edge, and it was no wonder she crushed Oguri and the others in joint runs.
Realizing this, Kita wasn't discouraged that Oguri's group hadn't beaten her once. Instead, he felt full of hope.
…Domains are this strong. Once Oguri and the others fully master them, they'll transform completely.
Maybe the international, especially Western, horse girls all had Domain-level power—but if our team kept building step by step, plus the boost of Domains, who's to say we can't compete with them?
Kitahara's heart swelled with confidence. He turned to encourage Oguri, Creek, and Tamamo not to dwell on their struggles, to remind them of their limitless future.
But as soon as he looked, he froze.
Because the three of them had already caught their breath and were huddled together, whispering curiously.
"Hm, there's something strange…"
Oguri tapped her chin with a rare thoughtful look. "If Maruzensky-senpai is that strong, in a G1 race she wouldn't have any rivals, right?"
"And we've also met Rudolf-senpai and CB-senpai—they seem just as strong as her. There must be many others like them."
"So why haven't we heard of them racing these past years?"
"Eh? That's rare, Oguri, you're actually thinking so deeply. But yeah, I've wondered about that too."
Tamamo Cross also pressed her chin and tilted her head. "Even though true form has its limits, after it ends we'd risk injury if we keep running. But senpais like Maruzensky shouldn't need to worry about that, right?"
Super Creek chimed in.
"Mr. Kitahara said so, remember? It's because of the Domain's protection. For a horse girl like Maruzensky who has fully mastered it, even after true form ends, she doesn't have to worry about injuries and can keep running freely."
"So that makes it even stranger, doesn't it?"
"They clearly could still run, yet they didn't. It seems they all retired after their true form ended. Why is that…?"
"Oh, right! Mr. Kitahara must know the answer!"
Her face lit up as she turned toward him. Oguri and Tamamo also looked over, eyes wide with expectation.
(End of Chapter)