As the figure drew closer, her features came into focus—gray hair, Kasamatsu's training uniform, a bit shorter than Shuta An but tall for an Uma Musume. Dust clung to her clothes, and her hair was disheveled, yet her stride—
"Amazing," Shuta An breathed. "Her form's rough, but that bounce—such elasticity in every step…"
He closed his eyes briefly. "The aura of talent practically radiates off her."
When the sound of her footsteps grew near, Shuta An opened his eyes, smiling as he called out, "Good morning—Ouch!"
"Good morning!" she replied brightly—and immediately crashed into his arm before dashing past, racing straight through the gate.
"Ah—ow, ow, ow…" Shuta An winced, rubbing his shoulder. But his pain vanished the next second when something flickered before his eyes.
Basic Attribute Check
He frowned, reading the glowing text.
Name undisclosed. Height: 167 cm. Measurements: B82–W57–H82.
The rest—track type, distance adaptability, preferred strategy, skills—were all marked with asterisks.
"Well, that's disappointing," he muttered. "Guess it really is just a basic stat viewer."
Still, the sudden display proved that the mysterious voice from that morning hadn't been an illusion.
Pushing himself up, he brushed off the dust and grinned. "Even without full data, that running gait says it all—she's the one I've been waiting for."
Was she the Fujimasa March Kitahara mentioned? If so, then he had to act quickly.
Without hesitation, Shuta An hurried to his office to confirm her identity.
Kasamatsu's facilities might be shabby, but its enrollment records were neatly kept. Thanks to his sharp memory, he quickly matched her face to a name on the list.
"Oguri Cap?" he murmured, exhaling softly. "So she's not Fujimasa March. Good—that means everyone else's eyes are on the wrong girl."
Clenching his fist, he made up his mind. "While they're distracted, I'll recruit Oguri Cap myself. My future at Central depends on her."
Without wasting a moment, Shuta An shut the roster, left the office, and disappeared down the hall. None of his colleagues looked up; after months of half-hearted work, they were used to him coming and going without explanation.
But this time, his purpose was clear.
Tomorrow—or perhaps even later today—he would meet Oguri Cap face-to-face. And when he did, he would make sure she became his Umamusume.
For Shuta An, this was no longer about mere ambition. It was the first step toward reclaiming his name—and proving that true talent, once found, could run anywhere.
When Shuta An arrived at the classroom door where Oguri Cap was studying, anticipation stirred in his chest. It did not surprise him to find the class's Trainer already speaking from the podium.
"She's giving a basic introduction to common knowledge," he observed after reading her lips. "Then I'll just wait here until it's over."
He leaned casually against the wall opposite the door, letting his thoughts drift.
"Most of the regional races are held on dirt tracks, with only Morioka arranging turf events. First, let's assume Oguri Cap has good dirt adaptability. If her dirt adaptability proves insufficient, then we'll have to find a way to try the turf races in Morioka."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So, if Oguri Cap joins my team, how should I plan her races? First, I need to take her to the hospital to confirm her Identification, Condition etc, then to Nagoya to attempt a capability test and determine her current level."
A pause. He immediately dismissed his own idea. "No, I can't go to Nagoya. If Oguri Cap's talent is as exceptional as her run before, the local Trainers there will definitely try to poach her, and I might not be able to keep her."
For Shuta An, Oguri Cap represented his first opportunity to move beyond Kasamatsu and toward Central. He could not allow his efforts to fail midway before they even began.
When the Trainer in the classroom finally concluded her long lecture, Shuta An straightened. The sound of the opening door drew him back to reality.
"Time to go say hello to Oguri Cap." He shook his head, rubbed his cheeks lightly, and tidied his sideburns before stepping forward, ready to enter.
As soon as Shuta An walked into the room, he spotted Oguri Cap—who appeared to have just awakened from a dream.
"She fell asleep in class? That senior's lecture really was hypnotic." He chuckled inwardly.
Having found his target, Shuta An did not hesitate; he walked straight toward her.
For the Uma Musume in the classroom, Trainers were hardly a rare sight. After all, once enrolled, any Uma Musume qualified to stand on the racetrack would soon be assigned one.
Yet Shuta An's presence drew attention nonetheless.
"So handsome…" Norn Ace sighed inwardly. "If all the Trainers at Kasamatsu were this good, life would be wonderful."
Meanwhile, Berno Light—seated beside Oguri Cap—watched the young, striking Trainer approach, her heart pounding. Could it be that he's taken a liking to me and wants to recruit me? But how do Trainers even see our talent as Uma Musume?
Things, however, did not go as she hoped.
Shuta An stopped not before Berno Light but in front of Oguri Cap's desk.
"Oguri Cap, right?" he began. "Good afternoon."
"?" Oguri Cap looked up, studying the young man before her with evident confusion.
"My name is Shuta An, and I currently work at this Tracen Academy as a—"
Before he could finish, Oguri Cap's stomach growled audibly. "Grumble—."
"I'm going to the cafeteria," she interrupted matter-of-factly, rising to leave.
Shuta An could not let the opportunity slip away.
"I can't just let Oguri Cap walk off like that!" His mind raced for a way to stop the gray-haired Racehorse Girl he had already set his sights on. "What if another Trainer invites her on the way? That would be disastrous!"
He had spent half a year at Kasamatsu, and only now had he glimpsed real hope of advancing to Central.
'As long as I can recruit Oguri Cap into my team as soon as possible, it won't matter what it costs me!'
He turned sharply toward her retreating back and called out, "If you're willing to hear me out, Oguri Cap—how about I treat you to lunch?"
"Hmm?" Hearing his sudden offer, Oguri Cap stopped in her tracks.
She turned her head silently, blinking. Though she said nothing, Shuta An could read the question in her eyes: Is that true?
"I'm a Trainer here—I wouldn't lie," he assured, patting his chest. "Don't worry, Oguri Cap. I'll treat you to lunch at a family restaurant outside the school."
"The school cafeteria is fine," she replied simply. "Going out's too much trouble."
"Miss Oguri Cap, you're new here, so you probably don't know," he said, raising an eyebrow. "The cafeteria at Tracen Academy is free—and here in Kasamatsu, it's buffet-style."
"So if I'm treating you, it can't be on campus," he added with a faint smile.
"Then let's talk at the cafeteria," Oguri Cap said, her eyes lighting up at the mention of buffet. She immediately resumed walking.
Shuta An sighed in relief and quickly followed.
By the time he entered the cafeteria, Oguri Cap had already stacked a plate of fried potato cakes nearly half her height and filled a large bowl of rice. She had chosen a table and was about to begin eating.
"Oh my god." Shuta An's pupils contracted. "That appetite… she eats as much as five Umamusume combined!"
He refrained from approaching right away and instead checked his wallet. "Let's see if I brought my Visa card. If not, I'll have to go back later—otherwise, I might only be able to pay with my face tonight."
After confirming the card was safely tucked inside, he exhaled in relief, collected his meal, and sat down beside Oguri Cap.
She glanced briefly at him, then returned to her food.
Watching her devour the potato cakes with remarkable speed, Shuta An's mouth twitched. "It's fine to eat more slowly. Even though Kasamatsu is a rural area, we've never had issues with food supply."
"I'm already eating slowly," Oguri Cap mumbled between bites. "What do you want with me?"
"I just introduced myself, didn't I?" Shuta An gave a helpless smile. "I'm a Trainer here at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy, and this time—"
"What's a Trainer?" Oguri Cap interrupted, tilting her head in genuine confusion.
Berno Light, sitting nearby, quickly filled the silence. "A Trainer is someone who supervises and guides us Umamusume! We need a Trainer to participate in races!"
"Perfect timing." Shuta An couldn't help casting her a grateful glance.
"I see," Oguri Cap said thoughtfully. "So, you want to be my Trainer?"
"That's right." Shuta An hadn't expected her to be so direct, but he answered immediately, "I think you have the potential to become an excellent Umamusume, so I hope you'll join my team."
At the invitation, Oguri Cap nodded without hesitation. "Then—"
"Oguri Cap, don't agree so quickly!" Berno Light interjected again. "He's very handsome, sure—but looks alone aren't enough. As Umamusume, we need Trainers who can bring out our strengths. How about we visit a few other teams this afternoon and compare them first?"
Berno Light's interruption wasn't without reason. Partly out of goodwill—having already considered Oguri Cap a close friend—she wanted to protect her from possible missteps. But partly, it was because she sensed that the young Trainer beside Oguri Cap seemed to harbor motives yet unspoken.
"Since this young lady doubts me so much," Shuta An said evenly, glancing at Berno Light before turning back to Oguri Cap, "I'll introduce myself again. My name is Shuta An. I majored in Training at West Coast Tracen Academy in the United States. After graduation, I stayed there as an intern Trainer. Later, due to disagreements over training methods, I resigned and came to Japan. Because I'm relatively young, the URA Association has yet to grant me an appointment at Central Tracen Academy. With the help of the Student Council President—the 'Emperor'—I came to Kasamatsu in search of an Uma Musume who could prove my ability."
His gaze met Oguri Cap's directly, the intensity in his eyes impossible to hide. "I'm convinced that you're the Umamusume worthy of my training. Only I can fully draw out your talent."
"My… talent?" Oguri Cap's eyes dimmed, to his surprise. "What talent do I have? My knees were fragile when I was little."
"Childhood is childhood," Shuta An said firmly. "The fact that you're here now proves that past injuries no longer matter."
He clenched his fist with conviction. "Trust me—I'll make you the star Umamusume of the Tokai region!"
Berno Light, halfway through his explanation, had frozen in astonishment. 'Is it true? The Trainer of an American Classic Race Uma Musume, here in Kasamatsu?'
Meanwhile, Oguri Cap's emotions stirred. "Can I really do it?"
"Of course," Shuta An swore, raising his right hand solemnly. "I'll make Oguri Cap the most brilliant Umamusume in the regional series!"
"Then I'll join." Oguri Cap nodded firmly. "Please take care of me, Trainer."
"From now on, just call me Shuta-san or An-san," he said with an easy smile. Having persuaded her, he felt lighter than he had in months.
"Then Shuta-san will keep his promise and take me to dinner outside the school tonight, right?" Oguri Cap asked immediately.
Shuta An glanced at the mountain of potato cakes she had already consumed. His wallet winced in sympathy, but he still answered, "Of course. No problem. We'll meet at the school gate after class."
"Thank you, Trainer."
With that, Oguri Cap stood and returned to the serving counter. "Another bowl!"
The cafeteria auntie silently closed the window.
Shuta An offered a silent prayer for the family restaurant that would soon bear the cost of his promise.