The next morning.
Mejiro Training Center.
As the sun rose, golden light spilled across the meticulously maintained track, making the morning dew sparkle like crystal.
Kuroha stood just outside the course with his arms folded, his gaze resting with quiet satisfaction on the scene not far away.
Over there, Aoi Kiryuin was holding a stopwatch and a clipboard, crouched low as she carefully observed a chestnut-haired young Umamusume running through basic drills.
It was Silent Suzuka, the girl they had just brought back yesterday.
Considering Suzuka's still-developing physique, as well as that jaw-dropping Front Runner style she would one day unleash, Kuroha had revised her training plan overnight.
Using Tokai Teio's old foundational athletic-development template as the core, he made precise adjustments tailored to Suzuka's current condition and her habitual power output.
Today marked the first official step for the future "Runner Who Escapes Dimensions."
"Watch your arm swing, Suzuka. Don't rush to speed up. Feel the rhythm of your breathing first!"
Aoi's voice was crisp and firm.
Suzuka didn't talk much, but her execution was flawless. She immediately adjusted her posture as instructed.
Watching that, Kuroha gave a small nod.
"At Oguri's current level, she can already handle responsibilities on her own."
Just as his thoughts drifted, the corner of his eye caught movement at the training ground's main gate. Two familiar figures were walking in under the morning light.
They were Oguri Cap and Berno Light.
"Oguri, Light, good morning."
Berno lifted a hand, brimming with energy. Her smile was infectious.
"Ku— Trainer, good morning."
Oguri paused for a fraction of a second, then corrected how she addressed Kuroha.
It was only the omission of his name, but the meaning behind it was completely different.
"Mm. Sounds like everything went smoothly on Ginjirou-senpai's side."
Yesterday afternoon, after Ginjirou Musaka finished talking Oguri through it, he had promptly called to report the results.
He also made it clear the transfer paperwork would be approved within the next few days, telling Kuroha not to worry about procedure and to start Oguri's training immediately.
"Then, even if the transfer isn't officially complete yet…"
Kuroha looked at the ash-gray-haired girl in front of him. Her posture was sharp, her eyes clear. He nodded in satisfaction, then extended his right hand, solemn and formal.
"O guri, welcome to Chasing Light. From today onward, I'm your Trainer."
Oguri stared blankly at the hand hovering in front of her.
A few seconds passed. Then the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
"Yeah. Please take care of me, Trainer!"
Their hands clasped. The warmth in their palms carried trust from one to the other, and then they let go.
After establishing the working partnership with Oguri, Kuroha turned back toward the track and spoke to Aoi and the resting Suzuka, emphasizing a few points to watch for. Once he confirmed their progress was on track, he strode back over.
"Come with me, Oguri. Your training ground isn't here."
"Hm? Oh."
Oguri rolled the name around in her mouth, half-understanding, and nodded.
"So they're my former teammates?"
Maybe because she considered today her real first day in the new team, Oguri could clearly feel the difference as she walked through Chasing Light's training grounds.
Since Ginjirou was in a semi-retired state, most of the Umamusume under him were retired seniors.
Everyone had been kind, but there was still something missing. The edge of the racetrack.
But here was different.
Leaving aside the current members like Fujimasa March.
Whether it was Kuroha, the diligent and responsible Aoi, or even the tiny figure who had only just joined, everyone carried an atmosphere of vigor and forward momentum.
It stirred a long-forgotten excitement in Oguri.
"By the way, Oguri's transfer procedures are being handled by Ginjirou-senpai, so there shouldn't be any issues. What about you, Light?"
As he walked, Kuroha turned his head toward Berno on the outside.
"Ah? M-me? Me?"
Suddenly being called out, Berno became flustered. Her fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of hair.
"Kuroha-san, do you really want to take me into the team? Um… I actually…"
Unlike Oguri, who was an active racing Umamusume, Berno wasn't training as a competitor.
She had enrolled at Central Tracen Academy as an "employee trainee."
After graduation, her plan was to become a staff member at the academy.
So she could stay by Oguri's side.
Because of that, her ceiling and her future position were oriented higher. She was heading toward being top-tier support staff in practical instruction. Meanwhile, Berno leaned more toward execution and care-taking.
"Of course I do."
Hearing Berno's doubt, Kuroha just smiled, unconcerned.
"Light, you're an excellent Umamusume too. If there's a chance, I naturally want you to join."
In truth, as the team's number of Umamusume gradually increased, relying only on Mejiro Training Center's original staff to assist Aoi was already becoming too much.
Adding specialized personnel was necessary.
"R-really…?"
Berno blushed at Kuroha's praise. The cute short-haired Umamusume scratched her head shyly and murmured in a small voice.
"Then… I'll submit an application to the academy these next few days…"
As they spoke, the three rounded a building and arrived beside a smaller track set farther away, slightly tucked off to the side.
As a top-class facility, Mejiro Training Center maintained multiple different courses for training.
And the track in front of them had a dark, heavy tone. Even the texture looked thick and weighty.
This was originally meant to be used once Tokai Teio entered her Classic Year and began aiming for higher goals.
Who would've thought Teio wouldn't get to use it first, and it would end up in Oguri's hands instead.
Reaching the edge of the track, Kuroha hadn't even started explaining when the action-first Oguri had already stepped onto it on her own.
As a "monster" raised in Kasamatsu, who had fought and clawed her way up through the local circuit, Oguri was naturally a top-tier Umamusume capable on both turf and dirt.
In theory, a Umamusume who can answer any challenge should have a certain "anywhere is fine" adaptability.
But the instant she stepped onto it, her expression changed.
"Something's weird…"
Oguri's long legs shifted slightly. She rubbed the ground hard with the sole of her shoe. Confusion rose in her clear eyes.
"What's wrong, Oguri?" Berno asked, puzzled. "Does it feel bad?"
Oguri shook her head. She pressed down again, hard, on the soft yet heavy sand beneath her, then turned to Kuroha and stated with certainty.
"Trainer, this track is different from Kasamatsu's. And it's different from Central's dirt too."
"Sharp eye."
A hint of approval appeared on Kuroha's face.
He walked over at an unhurried pace and crouched, explaining to the two Umamusume whose curiosity was now obvious.
"You should understand that next, my plan for you, Oguri, is an overseas campaign."
"And for overseas races, even if we temporarily ignore external factors like climate, diet, and jet lag, there is one most basic yet most deadly difficulty."
Kuroha scooped up a handful of sand and soil, squeezed it firmly, then opened his hand and let the dark grains pour down like drifting sand.
"For example, dirt tracks."
"On this far-eastern island nation, whether local or Central, dirt tracks are basically built around marine sand."
"Marine sand has finer grains, fast drainage, and moderate hardness. That means the dirt tracks here, like the turf at Central, are high-speed tracks in the global sense."
"But overseas dirt tracks can be completely different."
"For example, in Hakuro Country, where dirt racing is the mainstream, their dirt is based around mountain sand and clay."
"This material becomes extremely hard when dry, creating heavy impact on a Umamusume's legs. And once it gets wet, it becomes intensely muddy and thick."
Kuroha pointed at the track beneath their feet.
"This kind of track consumes stamina brutally. It's what people call a 'power-type' track. Add to that the large amount of dust kicked up while running, and the strong, contact-heavy racing style unique to that country's circuits…"
He looked at Oguri, who had gone a little blank, and his voice lowered.
"If a Umamusume like you, Oguri, who's used to the light, airy tempo of domestic racing, goes there and runs their track directly, you'll lose more than half your strength before you even begin. You could even get injured."
Oguri froze after hearing it all. She looked down at the ground, as if imagining how difficult it would be to run across the ocean.
Beside her, Berno's eyes turned thoughtful. She pulled out a small notebook, as if wanting to write it down.
Kuroha smiled and pointed to this specialized track.
"That's why this different course was built specifically to imitate Hakuro's dirt composition. To increase that heavy, resistant feel, I had to put in quite a bit of work."
"And opposite this dirt course, there's also a specialized turf course."
Kuroha looked at Oguri, whose eyes were burning with renewed fighting spirit, and smiled.
"These two tracks will be your training grounds for the coming period. Ready, Oguri?"
(End of Chapter)
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