**Chapter 30: The Bid That Stole the Show**
"Ocean Fleet 2024, sired by Kobayashi Ricky, who took home the G1 February Stakes two years running, and…"
The auctioneer's voice was steady, almost too calm, as she stretched out the moment. Around the room, horse owners flicked curious glances toward the aisle entrance. Something was off.
"Heh, that one's been a handful since it was a foal!" chuckled an older man seated a few rows back, his voice carrying a knowing warmth.
Kitano, flipping through the pedigree chart in his booklet, felt his earlier restlessness settle. The To-Rai Hei system's 3x4 bloodline was a rare gem—way out of reach for small-time owners like him, who usually stuck to bargain-bin horses. Pedigree might not carry the weight it used to, but it still turned heads.
"Starting bid, six million yen. Anyone for six million?" the auctioneer called, her tone upbeat but routine.
Kitano looked up. Normally, a horse going unsold on the first day was rare, especially at this price point. Like the others, his eyes drifted to the entrance.
The reason for the murmurs became clear fast.
"Is that… a mule?" someone whispered.
"It's tiny. Is that even okay?" another voice added.
"Wasn't last year's Kobayashi Ricky foal small too?" a third chimed in.
The room buzzed with hushed chatter. Compared to the sleek yearlings paraded earlier at the Select Sale, Ocean Fleet 2024—born in early March—was barely bigger than a fresh foal. Maybe smaller. Whispers of stunted growth or illness rippled through the crowd.
And then there was the horse's behavior. Even with the staff's gentle coaxing, Ocean Fleet's back stayed stiff, its tail tucked tight. Timid didn't begin to cover it. This wasn't just a horse with a bad attitude—this was a bundle of nerves that screamed trouble.
"Six million yen? Anyone for six million?" the auctioneer pressed, her voice cutting through the awkward silence that had settled over the room.
"This thing's no racehorse," Ogawa Masaru muttered, voicing what most were thinking.
The Ocean Fleet tugged against the reins, resisting the staff without so much as a pinned ear. To the seasoned owners, that was a red flag—no fight, no spirit.
"What do you think, Dad?" Masaru asked, already convinced the horse was a lost cause but curious about his father's take.
Ogawa Take shook his head. "Short body, short legs, weak hindquarters, and way too tense. It's a pity."
He paused, then added, "Though its loins look decently strong, at least."
Masaru nodded, unconvinced. A horse this small would struggle to race, let alone become a broodmare.
"It's like a mini Ren-chan," Ogawa Kanna said, barely looking up from her sparkly nails. She'd already written the horse off, her casual tone masking a clear verdict: no racing, no breeding, no future. She kept her cool, as always.
Across the room, Kitano rubbed his temples, exhausted. He'd spent the entire Select Sale sizing up horses, mentally grading each one to hone his "Horse Judging."
Outside the market, you didn't get chances to study so many horses up close. But after hundreds, he was drained. This would be his last one today.
Stretching, he focused on Ocean Fleet 2024. "Smooth coat, solid nutrition, clean hooves, no cracks. Fetlock and hoof stance look natural, no bone issues. Shoulders are thin, hindquarters and loins a bit sunken, muscles tense, flexibility subpar."
In his mind, a rating flashed: [Horse Judging: C+ → B-].
No thrill, no rush—just a pounding headache. He hadn't bid once, but he'd poured more energy into this sale than anyone.
"Six million yen! To-Rai Hei and Gold Rush bloodline, only six million!" the auctioneer called, her voice tinged with desperation.
Would anyone bite? A horse this skittish wouldn't even make a good riding pony.
Just to be sure, Kitano activated his Detector skill on the Ocean Fleet, standing a short distance away. His tired eyes widened.
**Ocean Fleet 2024 (Unnamed)**
**Mare, Age 2**
**Kurige**
**Distance Aptitude: ?**
**Track Aptitude: ?**
**Running Style: ?**
**Growth Type: ?**
**Temperament: ?**
**Personality: ?**
**Speed: ?**
**Stamina: ?**
**Guts: ?**
**Instantaneous Power: ?**
**Power: ?**
**Health: S-**
**Intelligence: ?**
**Mental Strength: ?**
**Flexibility: ?**
An S-rank stat. His first ever.
"Its dam won the Kawaramachi Stakes in 2013," the auctioneer added, her voice softening. "Six million yen?"
She sighed, ready to move on. "Well, then—"
"Hey!" Kitano's voice cut through the room.
Every head turned. Even the big spenders who'd snapped up the priciest horses didn't pull this kind of attention.
"Six million yen!" the auctioneer rallied. "Any other bids? Six point five?"
"Kitano, you nuts?" Masaru hissed, tugging his sleeve.
"Maybe," Kitano said, fighting to keep his face steady.
He ran the Detector again, twice.
[Speed: D+]
[Personality: Timid, Aloof]
"No way this thing's a racehorse, sympathy or not," Masaru said, glancing between Kitano and the horse.
"You're right," Kitano admitted, closing the Detector panel with a sigh.
"But I want to try anyway."
Kanna looked up from her nails, smirking. "Weird guy."
"Six million yen to bid seventy-nine! Sold!" The gavel cracked, sealing the deal.
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