"Oh? A new Trainer, hahahaha, it looks like a new challenger is about to be born on the stage of the Conqueror~"
T.M.Opera O also spoke to Wada in a very exaggerated, performative manner, while the slightly timid Uma Musume beside her kept her ears almost constantly droopy, and whispered to Wada:
"Opera O means… she's really looking forward to competing on the same stage as the Uma Musume you train… like that."
"Um, I'm sorry, Opera O's way of speaking is just like that, it's a little hard to understand."
"—It's fine, I understand." Wada said gently to this slightly timid but extremely well-built Uma Musume. Although he didn't know this Uma Musume's name, he didn't mind.
His core objective this time was only T.M.Opera O. Everything else could be temporarily cast aside.
"I am still looking for my trainee Uma Musume, and while I may still be a bit inexperienced, I believe my skill level among Trainers is first-class, and I won't hold any Uma Musume back."
Having said this, Wada mustered his courage and extended his invitation to T.M.Opera O, his best partner, the strongest Overlord who had once led him to grow.
"T.M.Opera O, would you be my 담당 Uma Musume? I have enough confidence and ability to make you a legend that is not inferior to—no, that surpasses 'The Emperor'!"
"Sur, surpass the Emperor?"
However, Wada's grand declaration not only startled the timid Uma Musume nearby, but even T.M. Opera O, who was somewhat self-aware, paused for a moment, watching the young trainer who had met her less than ten minutes ago, listening to his confident and hopeful gaze, and a slight pang of pain unconsciously shot through her chest.
"How strange… this feeling… why do I get feeling?
Even though it was just words of a seemingly arrogant and confidently young trainer, why did I feel so comfortable?
Moreover, my first reaction wasn't to question it, but feel like that he might actually be able to do it."
"—Air Groove, did you hear that? What Trainer Wada just said."
Outside the training room, Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove, who had their ears practically pressed against the door while ignoring the surprised glances of the passing Uma Musume.
Symboli Rudolf, instead, looked at Air Groove with interest and said:
"It seems our assessment of Trainer Wada was too one-sided. We thought he was a conservative Trainer. Now, it seems he's even more radical than Trainer Ikezoe."
"…I, on the other hand, think he's a bit too arrogant." Air Groove, however, had a different opinion than Symboli Rudolf.
Especially since Wada had just met T.M. Opera O and immediately made a grand declaration about "surpassing the Emperor," which made Air Groove slightly discount her previous assessment of him.
It's good for a Trainer to have goals, and even better to have grand and clear goals, but to say such confident words upon a first meeting is a bit too arrogant and irrational.
"I, on the other hand, think he's not arrogant, but more confident." Symboli Rudolf, however, smiled faintly and continued to press her ear against the door to listen:
"I'm more curious now about the source of Trainer Wada's confidence. Is it his own ability? Is he the type who excels more in actual races? Or is it…"
Or did he discover some potential from T.M.Opera O? Symboli Rudolf didn't say this aloud, because even she,
[The Emperor] couldn't see the potential of all Uma Musume.
The potential of Uma Musume varies; some are early bloomers, some late bloomers, some are good at short distances, some at long distances—even the "Emperor" cannot discern these things at a glance. It takes countless trainers and Uma Musume to conduct countless explorations and studies to finally know what method suits them and what their potential range is.
At least, the current Symboli Rudolf couldn't see too much potential in T.M.Opera O, who had just finished her debut race not long ago.
But perhaps… this young Trainer could?
"—You two, haven't you listened long enough? It's time for me to go in."
And at this moment, a sudden, somewhat cold female voice interrupted
Air Groove and Symboli Rudolf's eavesdropping. The two legendary Uma Musume simultaneously turned their heads, only to meet a tall, bespectacled and somewhat sharp-looking career woman.
"Trainer…" X2
"Alright, since you two have no objections, it's my turn to speak now." The career woman ignored Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove's slightly apologetic expressions, and pushed open the training room door.
"Trainer Wada, although it is Tracen Academy's tradition that I, as a senior Trainer, should not compete with a newcomer for a trainee Uma Musume, I must step forward now."
"T.M.Opera O is my Team's trainee Uma Musume. If you insist on taking T.M.Opera O from my Team, you must have the eloquence or strength to convince me."
The career woman entered the training room and walked directly in front of Wada, who had turned around, her eyes almost glaring at Wada, and she said word by word.
However, before Wada could speak,
T.M.Opera O immediately reacted, let out a burst of laughter, and stood in front of Wada, saying to the aggressive career woman:
"Hahaha, Trainer, please don't be so intimidating. A new hero has extended an invitation to me, the Conquer. Do not ruin such a beautiful scene, lest you are wrinkle your beautiful face~"
"T.M. Opera O… you stand aside for now. I need to talk to Mr. Wada."
Even this career woman couldn't really get angry at T.M. Opera O's behavior and, in a relatively gentle tone, asked T.M. Opera O not to interfere in the matter for now.
"Let me introduce myself, my name is Tojou Hana, and I am the Trainer of Tracen Academy's strongest Team, 'Rigil' (Alpha Centauri)."
Tojou Hana's height was almost on par with Wada, and her rather agressive pressene indicated the pride in this woman's heart matched her extraordinary strength.
"I know you, Wada Ryuji, one of the three new Trainers who joined Tracen Academy this time, and also the third-place finisher in the written exam, right?"
"…Nice to meet you, Senior Tojo, please take care of me."
Wada glanced at T.M.Opera O, who was now standing to the side, and saw
T.M. Opera O, uncharacteristically, giving him an apologetic smile.
He then understood. It seemed T.M.Opera O hadn't had the chance to tell Wada that she already had a Trainer.
However, this didn't make a difference to Wada; he had already prepared himself mentally for this. Moreover, he was determined to snatch T.M. Opera O from someone else, even if it meant fighting for her.
And so far, although Miss Tojo Hana seemed aggressive, it hadn't escalated to the level of "snatching."
"Since it's our first meeting, as a senior, I should normally pay for a welcome for newcomers, but I cannot pretend I didn't hear your grand declaration just now."
After a simple handshake with Wada, Tojo Hana stated her purpose very clearly:
"Excuse me, Trainer Wada, if you didn't know that T.M.Opera O is my Team's Uma Musume, I can let bygones be bygones. We'll pretend this never happened, and we'll still maintain a mutually beneficial relationship as senior and junior."
"But if you knew that T.M.Opera O was an Uma Musume in my Team, and you came to poach her while I, her Trainer, was absent, then I will treat you, my junior, as a competitor."
At this point, Tojou Hana frowned slightly, and her whole demeanor became a bit more fierce. One could tell at a glance that she was a trainer with a rather bad temper and very demanding.
However, she was the Trainer of the strongest Team. Generally speaking, in any field, the higher a person's skill, the greater their temper, because their extreme confidence in their area of expertise makes them dislike others contradicting their opinions, especially those they consider "outsiders."
And at this moment, in Tojou Hana's eyes, Wada was that "outsider."
Although Wada ranked third in the written exam and was one of the three Trainers directly appointed by URA to Tracen, in the eyes of a veteran Trainer like Tojou Hana, Wada was still an outsider.
And now this newcomer comes to poach someone from her Team on their first meeting, how could Tojo Hana tolerate it? Doesn't she have a reputation to uphold?
"—Senior, I genuinely didn't know beforehand that T.M.Opera O already had a Trainer. Please forgive me for that."
However, compared to Tojo Hana, Wada seemed very humble and respectful of his senior, but before Tojou Hana's expression could soften slightly, Wada's words took a sharp turn and he immediately said:
"But even if I had known beforehand, I still would have come. I still want T.M.Opera O to be my Uma Musume trainee, and I am also confident."
"What is the source of your confidence than? Your arrogance?" Tojo Hana's brows furrowed even deeper, and she continued to ask.
To this, Wada's answer remained calm, yet it revealed a determination that even surprised Tojou Hana, as he said:
"No, it's my confidence in T.M.Opera O."
"…"
Wada's answer silenced Tojo Hana for a moment, and Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove, who were nearby, also witnessed for the first time someone daring to speak to their Trainer like this.
Their own Trainer was usually respected wherever she went; throughout Tracen Academy, no one dared to openly confront Tojo Hana except for Okino T, who was suspected to be her Trainer's old flame.
And now, this second person has appeared.
This is probably what they call a newborn calf not fearing a tiger, right?
As for T.M.Opera O, she had long been stunned by Wada's words, her pink eyes radiating a profound shock as she looked at Wada, her heart a mix of emotions, unable to speak.
And it was unknown how long this silence lasted.
Finally, Tojou Hana's expression in front of Wada slowly began to calm down, and she said faintly to Wada:
"Wada Ryuji, right?"
"—You and I, let's go to a quieter place to talk. We'll discuss this matter thoroughly. I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer."
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I'm a newbie translator and wanted to add more uma fics for more people to read. if there are any errors, multiple of the same text or sentence, let me know.
The original story is: 训过实马的我们穿越了怎么还要训赛马娘? and belongs to: 许氏子谦