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Back at Central Tracen Academy.
It was only early August—one month of vacation left. So Kuroha didn't enforce strict training hours like during the term. He wanted his girls to use this last stretch to reset mind and body and let the lessons from the trip truly settle.
What surprised him was that even without any orders, every morning when he reached the track, those familiar figures were already there—no letup, even more focused than during the semester, grinding for the autumn meets.
At the Mejiro family's private grounds, a steep custom uphill course—built to toughen lungs and legs.
Kuroha stood at the summit, coaching McQueen.
Tap-tap-tap—
The violet figure attacked the slope again and again. Sweat soaked her bangs, clinging to a smooth brow. Her breath ran quick, but her footwork never lost its rhythm.
"McQueen, mind the cadence!" Kuroha's voice carried clearly. "Uphill isn't about brute force. Feel the feedback underfoot. Turn each push into upward momentum, not just raw forward shove. Yes—like that! Keep the core—don't let your form warp!"
This was special training for the skill Highlander.
Since coming to Central, their results had been so strong that Kuroha rarely lacked PT to spend, so he'd redeemed a bunch of universal skills like Highlander to round out everyone's toolkits for any course scenario.
For McQueen—aiming to rule the medium/long scene and someday challenge the Tenno Sho (Spring)—Highlander was essentially compulsory.
After another summit push, McQueen braced her hands on her knees, drawing deep breaths. She was exhausted, but her eyes blazed.
Kuroha nodded, satisfied. Their hike—where he'd pushed McQueen to the edge up several famous peaks—had paid off. Barely three days back into training and she'd already grasped Highlander to a working level. It wasn't yet etched into muscle memory, but she could now invoke the technique deliberately.
"Great work, McQueen. Take five," Kuroha said, passing her a bottle.
"It's all thanks to you, Trainer," she replied, sipping. A few drops slid down her swanlike neck—elegant, tempting.
Kuroha smiled, jotted down the splits, then popped open McQueen's status panel.
[McQueen]
[Surface Aptitude: Turf A / Dirt E]
[Distance Aptitude: Short G / Mile F / Medium A / Long S]
[Strategy Aptitude: Front Runner A / Pace Chaser A / Mid Pack D / End Closer F]
[Unique: The Duty of Dignity Calls Lv2] [Domain: Awakening]
[Skills: Prudent Positioning, Focus, Wet Conditions –, Corner Adept, Hydrate, Spring Runner ◯, Stamina to Spare, Keeping the Lead, Highlander, Long Straightaways …
[Speed: 434 / Stamina: 521 / Power: 418 / Guts: 402 / Wit: 563]
Absurd numbers—hard to believe she hadn't even debuted.
Not only had she hit Long S on distance, her Front Runner aptitude had risen from B to A. She was already shaping unique technique; The Duty of Dignity Calls at Lv2 meant that, technically speaking, McQueen was now a seasoned racer.
But the most important line looked unassuming:
[Domain: Awakening]
That month-long East journey had shoved McQueen—who'd been one step from her "True Self" state—right through the door into a new era.
So, for the remaining vacation block, besides polishing her course-tech adaptability, Kuroha also needed to teach her the right way to use Domain.
Closing the panel, Kuroha said to the lightly panting girl, "McQueen, your debut date's set—September 13, after the break. Hanshin Racecourse, turf 2000m, Rookie Shining Debut."
In the original timeline, McQueen debuted at 1700m mile—totally mismatched to her distance aptitude. She still won on an F aptitude, but Kuroha wasn't going to make that rookie mistake. And since rookie races don't offer long distance, he filed her debut at 2000m instead.
McQueen's breath caught. Her violet eyes lit with a shine even brighter than after training. She straightened; the looseness of fatigue tightened into excitement and fighting will.
"September 13… Hanshin Racecourse…" she murmured, carving the date and place into her heart.
This wasn't just a race. It was McQueen's first resounding announcement to all of Central.
"Yes, Trainer!" Her nod came crisp and clear. "I'm ready!"
"Good." Kuroha nodded lightly. "Debut is just the start—I mainly want to discuss your follow-ups."
Everyone else's entries were already locked, training on rails; the only one he really needed to plan now was the yet-to-debut McQueen. Her debut win was a given. After that, he'd tentatively slotted the Classic Year Triple.
"For rookies, there are only four G1s." Kuroha stepped to her side and explained softly. "Hanshin Rookie Uma Musume Stakes and the Asahi Hai Futurity are mile. The All-Japan Rookie Yushun is dirt—that clashes with your kit. So for you, the choice is—"
"G1, Turf 2000m—Hopeful Stakes."
He paused, a meme flashing through his mind—
"Eval: E. Two starts, one win. Target missed. Trainer, must we run Hopeful S?"
He shook it off. "Shouldn't come to that… Anyway, besides that essential G1, the only other mid-distance graded this year is the Kyoto Rookie Stakes in November. So this autumn you only need to run three races. If you want, I can add some OP class events."
McQueen thought briefly and shook her head. "Your plan is thorough. No objections."
Her fixation on the Twinkle series lived in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and other long races. Beyond long distance, she didn't crave much. So among the pile of adaptation skills Kuroha poured out, she'd focused on the three for mid/long turf.
"Perfect." Kuroha, pleased by her approval, pointed toward the starting mark with a smile. "Group four—on the clock!"
"Ah—yes!"
Flustered by the sudden call, the violet-haired girl scampered back to the start.
Watching her trot down, Kuroha chuckled, then glanced toward the other side, where five seasoned runners—Fujimasa March, Inari One, and the rest of the older-year squad—were grinding through their sets.
McQueen's rookie debut would be an autumn interlude. Her full radiance hadn't yet arrived.
This era, right now, belonged to them.
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