"Why are you sitting on my lap, Teio?"
"Because there's no free seat! DuH!!"
"There was, until you put all of your food and drink on it."
"What? You want to carry all of that? I won't be able to see the race!!"
The day of McQueen and Suzuka's race has come. Since there are two races today, the young man split the team into 2 to accompany the racers. Haru and Goldship are watching Suzuka's race while Teio and he are watching McQueen's.
This split wasn't something he did on a whim. Teio also wants to win the Triple Crown. Heck, she wants to be an Undefeated Triple Crown, a title one can only get if you remain undefeated until you claim your Triple Crown. A ridiculously hard task in his old world, and an even harder task here.
This is why he has Teio watch McQueen's race since she will be running in a long-distance race. The genius brain of the Monarch will surely learn a few things from McQueen's race and improve her long-distance aptitude. The last race to win the Triple Crown is a long-distance race after all.
As for the young man, he is here to supervise McQueen. He had confidence in her winning a medium-distance race, but not so much in a long-distance race. Especially the graded race. He is here to learn what McQueen will need to be a top contender in a G1 long-distance race.
Usually, he would be worried about leaving Haru with Goldship, so that's why he has her mother come with her. King Halo would absolutely take care of Haru Urara from Goldship's evilness. This way, Haru Urara will be kept pure even when the Evil Lord Goldship is there with her.
"Sllurrrrppp…"
The young man had booked 2 seats for them, but Teio decided to use her seat as a storage for food and drinks, and sit on the young man's lap instead. The young man could protest, but he decides against it since she would most likely throw a tantrum and cause a scene.
"Trainer! Trainer!! That's McQueen!!"
"I know. Keep your eyes on her, Teio."
The young man was about to invite Tachyon too, but she is currently under detained by the Academy. The investigators didn't tell the young man why she was being investigated, but the young man knows Tachyon very well. He just shrugged it off and assumed it was because of one of her many wrongdoings. What surprised him was Manhattan Cafe. She was also being investigated for the same case. The young man had always assumed that Cafe was just a normal girl, stuck with the mad scientist. He never thought that she was as mad as the scientist herself.
The young man remembered when he woke up after being beaten up by his trainees. He was super confused as to why he was surrounded by the guards instead of his trainees. He is even more confused when he sees the state outside the wall. Craters, burnt grounds, cracks, and smoldering dirt. He thought that he was in the middle of a warzone.
I should ask Tachyon once she is out.
"The runners are entering their gates!!!"
"Let's hope they'll give their all for this race!!"
16 Umas strode into their gateways in different moods. Some are nervous, some are tense, and some are confident. Thankfully, McQueen's mood is Great. Hell!! Her mood is Excellent! A state that the young man had never seen before. McQueen had been in that mood ever since he woke up. Does it have to do with beating him up? Does McQueen enjoy causing pain to her trainer?
What a sadistic, noble young lady…
"Everyone is in!! And let us wait for the start!!"
Even though this was just a grade 3 race, the atmosphere didn't fall behind with a grade 1 race. The young man can hear the onlookers holding in their breath, preparing themselves for when the gates are opened.
…
…
*BAAAAM*
After what feels like millennia, the gates are finally burst open and out come the Umas. Their feet kick the ground and propel themselves forward. Some are more powerful than others, as those Umas slowly gain more ground compared to the rest.
"And they're off!!"
"Not a single second, and they are already Umas that lead the pack!!"
"Let us see if these front-runners have what it takes to sustain themselves in this three-thousand-meter race!!"
Perfect! A barrier for me to take advantage of Slipstream.
McQueen quickly takes cover behind the front runners from the windstream. She can instantly feel her body become easier to propel forward. The only problem now is that she is inside the course. The racers behind her would quickly catch up next to her once the front runners enter their cruise speed, locking her in the inside.
There's no need to worry during the early and mid-race. The problem will be during the late race. If this keeps going on, McQueen will be locked behind front-runners that are running out of stamina. A skill that helps her navigate between the racers should be beneficial.
The young man rested his chin on top of Teio's head as he was completely engrossed in the race. He doesn't even realize that Teio had wrapped herself in his arms and was snuggling into his chest. Him putting his chin on her head only helps Teio be more wrapped in his body.
Mmmmhhh!! This feels perfect!! It's just like the Umalator, but I'm still not a Monarch, yet. But trainer can only hug me if he has his limbs, but if he has his limbs, he won't be dependent on me. Mmmh!! I don't know what to choose!!! Is there a way to have him be dependent on me while having his limbs? Prez probably knows!! I should ask her!!
"They're entering the first turn!!"
"It seems that no one is making their moves yet!!"
"Understandably, they're keeping their stamina for the important last turn!!"
"Tch!"
McQueen has to be content with running slower as the front-runners are slowing down, too. She feels frustrated knowing very well she could be at the front now if she weren't locked inside.
This is infuriating.
McQueen slows down even more. The Uma next to her notices the space and fills in the blank space. She thinks that she has just taken a better position, but McQueen wanted this to happen. When that Uma moves sideways to fill in the void, McQueen moves diagonally to steal her spot.
What?! What is she doing?! Why is she taking the outer position?!
The Uma was confused as to what McQueen had in mind. Everyone knows that the inside is the best position in a race. A lesser distance to run, and you only need to worry about people overtaking you from one side. It's basically a winning strategy. A Mejiro like McQueen should've known that fact.
"Now onto the second straight!!"
"It seems there was a barter of position between the number seven and the number ten!!"
Hmm? Isn't this too quick to be taking the outside position, McQueen? She had just proc her stamina recovery skill, but she wouldn't need to do that so early if she were running on the inside. I guess she understands my concern as well.
*Ping*
Oh come on… Rushed? Seriously?
"Trainer, McQueen seems to be in a bad mood."
"Sigh… Yeah…"
"Well, we did learn how to turn faster and better from you. I guess McQueen doesn't like that she has to slow down with the rest of the pack."
"Mmhhhhh… I haven't taken into account your girls' temper."
"Hey!! I'm not a moody girl, alright?!"
"Yeah… Yeah… Go back to drinking your hachimi before I drink all of them."
The young man patted the little amber brown-haired Uma's head. He didn't even realize he had done that. It had been drilled into his mind that it had become an idle animation for him.
The second straight happened with nothing noteworthy happening. The runners are still in their positions and enter the second turn. On the third straight do the racers begin to make their moves.
"The late surgers are moving in!! They're preparing themselves for the last turn!!"
"The runners are all clumping into one giant group!! Any move will trigger a chain reaction to all the racers!!"
"Keep your eyes open, folks!! We're about to enter the last turn!!"
It is now or never!
McQueen activates the Corner Adept and Corner Acceleration skill after the apex of the last turn, bringing her to the front of the pack. Not only that, her unique skill also proc, which gives her determination to put more distance between her and the now exhausted front runners.
"Number seven has taken the lead!! Number seven is increasing the dis–"
"Wait!! The number one is surging forward, and closing the distance!! Number seven is still alone in the front!! Number one is coming!!"
"Number three is keeping up with number one!! Number three overtook number one!!"
"Number seven is losing her lead!! Three lengths!! What this?! Number one overtook number three again!! What an intense battle!!"
"Number seven is still leading!! Still leading!! Two lengths!! Two lengths!! ONE LENGTH!! SHE IS LEADING WITH ONE LENGTH!!! AND!!!!!!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
"NUMBER SEVEN WON BY A HEAD FROM NUMBER ONE!!!"
"Pant… Pant… Pant… Pant… Won by a head, huh?"