Although he had been assigned to ride in the Kikuka Sho in the Dream World, Shuta An found his attention drifting far more toward Oguri Cap—both during the day and in the world of dreams. Because the races in those dreams always took place after their counterparts in reality, he could not use them to double-check his daytime race plans. That helplessness clung to him like a weight. Yet recently, when he woke from those dreams, the attribute viewer's rewards were no longer limited to Oguri Cap's affection.
For example, on October 23rd—the week before the Autumn Tenno Sho—Shuta An woke to an unexpected reward.
"Skill: 'Concentration.' Effect: Improves gate efficiency."
"Good lord—" Shuta An tapped his temple. "This feels more suited for Front Runner-type Uma Musume. Oguri probably won't need it much."
Even so, later that morning, while no one was around, he still gave the skill to the gray-haired Uma Musume.
"Maybe it'll help somehow," he muttered in his mind.
Besides, skill-type rewards could be used repeatedly. There was still a week left before the Autumn Tenno Sho began, and no new updates had appeared that day. Not even the media paid attention to the day's training data.
"This Wednesday, Oguri delivered excellent times in her chase training: 6F 82.3 – 67.1 – 51.7 – 37.6 – 11.7. Her condition looks great, so I'll let her relax a bit on Sunday."
As for next Wednesday's final pre-race chase session, Shuta An did not intend for Oguri Cap to deliver the same blistering times she had produced this week. Recently, many Trainers at Central Tracen Academy pushed their Uma Musume to record the flashiest stopwatch times in the final chase before a race, believing it kept them in the peak "hot" condition.
But Shuta An held a different view.
"The week before the French Derby, I kept Oguri's training intensity identical to the previous week. Thinking back—if she hadn't crushed her opponents through sheer guts and fighting spirit at the end, we would've lost. For someone like Oguri, who can maintain her form for a long time, maybe the best approach is to aim for peak data one week before, and then ease off during race week, reducing muscle fatigue."
He decided to treat this Autumn Tenno Sho as an experiment.
"Let's see how Oguri performs on Tokyo Racecourse's turf after adjusting her training. I hope we can get a result that makes everyone in Sadalsuud proud."
———
In the Student Council office of Central Tracen Academy, Symboli Rudolf was working behind her desk despite it being Sunday, fulfilling her duties with unwavering focus.
"Next week is the Autumn Tenno Sho, right?" Maruzensky asked from the sofa as she flipped through a newspaper. "Rudolf-chan, you're going to attend? Last year you buried yourself in overtime to avoid the Symboli's family, but this year you have to go, right?"
"I will go," Symboli Rudolf replied without looking up.
"Oh?" Maruzensky raised an eyebrow. "Then Material will be delighted."
"I'm not going for her." Symboli Rudolf set her pen down and looked straight at Maruzensky. "I'm going to fulfill my duty as Student Council President. Don't misunderstand."
Maruzensky let out an awkward laugh. "Well— that's just like you, Rudolf-chan."
But inside, her heart tightened in bitterness.
"For her goals, Rudolf-chan is too cold to Material. Can't she spare even a minute for her?"
In Maruzensky's eyes, if she were in Symboli Rudolf's position, she would shower Material with affection the way Tokai Teio did. But she couldn't—Material always treated her with the same chill she directed at everyone else.
"To her, only Rudolf-chan is special—"
She failed to notice that the hand Symboli Rudolf used to hold her pen was trembling ever so slightly.
"I cannot take care of Material," the "Emperor" repeated to herself within her own heart. "What I seek is the happiness of all Uma Musume in the academy—not merely Material's satisfaction. I have many duties. I cannot spend my time solely on her."
"I'm sorry."
With that thought, Symboli Rudolf turned toward the window. She imagined Material still training hard on the grounds for next Sunday's Autumn Tenno Sho.
To someone who had sworn to "make all Uma Musume in the Academy happy," she believed she could only ask Material to endure a little longer.
"I will make it up to you someday," she vowed silently. "After all— she's my cousin."
———
Just as Symboli Rudolf imagined, Material was indeed seated on a bench by the training grounds. She had just finished a set of lap training, wiping the sweat from her brow as she tried to steady her breathing before taking a drink.
"Even after all this— my numbers still can't catch up to Oguri Cap's…" she murmured, bitterness and conflict clouding her expression.
Though Oguri Cap pitied her, Material saw both Oguri Cap and Tokai Teio as enemies—rivals who stole Symboli Rudolf's attention away from her.
"Tokai Teio is still a child, so I'll ignore her for now. But Oguri Cap—the French Two Crowns…" Material clenched her towel. "If I can finish ahead of her in the Autumn Tenno Sho— will my cousin finally look at me?"
As a close relative of Symboli Rudolf, she knew full well about Symboli Rudolf's attempt to recruit Oguri Cap last year.
"Yet I got into this academy through my own hard work," she pouted, irritation rising. "And Oguri Cap received a special invitation from my cousin."
"So in her eyes—Oguri Cap is more talented than me?" Water squeezed from the soaked towel in her grip, dripping like pearls onto the dusty ground. Material abruptly stood from the bench and set the towel down.
(I am kinda confused with some setting in Uma Musume. In Uma Musume: NTR Movie—Ayabe—Admire Vega did not have Trainer, right? She pushes herself too hard without anyone controlling her training intensity, and this Material also did it like that. It is possible to race without Trainer?)
"No. I need to run another set. I have to keep improving before the Autumn Tenno Sho."
"I must—absolutely must—defeat Oguri Cap!"
With that single thought burning inside her, Material returned to the training grounds.
———
October 27th, Thursday.
Unlike most Twinkle Series races, the Autumn Tenno Sho announced its final entry list and gate positions on this day. Teams, media, and fans alike fixed their attention on the URA Association's official website, waiting eagerly for the gate draw results.
"Ann, do you have any thoughts on Oguri's gate position?" Berno Light asked over breakfast, watching her lover with curiosity.
"As long as it's not the outermost lane, we're fine," Shuta Ann replied calmly. "Historically, the outermost gate has the lowest winning rate. I have no intention of making Oguri challenge fate—I just want her to secure a steady victory."
"What about you, Oguri?" Berno Light turned toward the Gray Uma Musume, who was earnestly chewing her breakfast.
Oguri Cap paused, lifting her head. "I don't really mind—but if I could choose, I want to be to the right of Tamamo Cross."
"So a position slightly farther out than Miss Tamamo Cross," Berno Light nodded. "That would make it easier to mark her. A sensible choice."
"Tamamo Cross told me during summer break that she has some kind of 'secret weapon' to defeat me," Oguri continued. "I can't imagine what it is, but if I stay close enough, no matter what she tries, I can react."
"I can't figure it out either," Shuta Ann confessed when Berno Light glanced at him. "I have no idea what kind of legitimate weapon Tamamo Cross could have prepared."
"Even Ann can't guess?" Berno Light sighed softly, unease rising in her chest.
Shuta Ann truly had no clue what Tamamo Cross meant by "secret weapon." But he was certain of one thing: as long as Oguri executed the race plan perfectly, no ordinary trick would be enough to topple her.
"So once the gate positions come out at 2 PM, let's start planning," he reminded Oguri Cap.
"Mmhmm," Oguri replied, still chewing the pastry she had just bitten into.
———
At exactly 2:15 PM, the URA Association released the entry list. Shuta Ann refreshed the page immediately and clicked. The very first name on the list—the first on the first line—was all too familiar.
"Oguri Cap."
"Well now," Shuta Ann turned to the Gray Uma Musume beside him. "Didn't expect you to get gate number 1."
"The innermost lane—that's a bit stressful," Oguri Cap murmured, lips pursing. "If I try to take the lead, I won't be able to mark Tamamo Cross. I'll get boxed in diagonally by horses from the outer lanes."
"That's right," Shuta Ann agreed. "Gate 1 means we need to use a stronger start and more aggressive positioning. How aggressive depends on who's in gates 2 through 5."
He continued down the list.
"Gate 2 is Paris' Benbe. Good for us—she uses a End and Late strategy. She won't fight Oguri for position."
"Gate 3 is Running Free. She can go either Front or stay in Mid position, but from this gate she'll definitely consider Leading (Pace-Chaser) position. So Oguri, you must run ahead of Free Runner. You cannot fall behind. Do you know why?"
Oguri blinked blankly and shook her head. "I don't know—I thought following behind her would be fine."
"No, that's not going to work." Shuta Ann wagged his finger lightly. "Free Runner's ability isn't on your level. If you trail behind her—especially from gate 1—by the time you hit the final straight, you'll be trapped between her slowing pace and the pressure from the outer lanes. I don't need to explain what happens then, right?"
"True…" Oguri Cap closed her eyes as the scene formed vividly in her mind. She couldn't help but admit Shuta Ann's logic was sound.
"Gate 4 is Bold Northman, a pure Late-surger runner. Just like Paris' Benbe, she won't affect our initial positioning."
"Gate 5 is Dyna Actress, also a Late-surger runner. She won't apply early pressure either."
"Okay…" Oguri murmured, unable to find anything more to say at the moment.
"Next are Road Royal and Tamamo Cross." With the crucial inner gates examined, Shuta Ann finally moved to their two most dangerous rivals.
First came Tamamo Cross.
"Tamamo Cross is in gate 9. Middle position. She can choose to push forward or lag behind," Shuta Ann said, licking his lips thoughtfully. "But I'm betting she'll go forward. Material and Sirius Symboli are beside her—Material will definitely run as Late-surger because she's still chasing Rudolf, and Sirius Symboli has used pace-chaser tactics in every race since returning to Japan. If Tamamo Cross stays behind, she'll get sandwiched."
Next was Road Royal—assigned to gate 12.
"Unlucky for Road Royal," Shuta Ann muttered. "She's an Escape-type who must take the lead, yet she's stuck on the outer side. The horses around her—Tosho Summit and Kailas Amon—are also forward types. She'll have no choice but to charge hard out of the gate."
"Then she'll have to slow down mid-race to recover stamina. Otherwise, she won't survive Oguri's and my final-stage burst."
"Exactly." Shuta Ann let a faint smile rise.
"Road Royal will definitely use tricks to slow the pace. But—"
The young man turned to Oguri Cap, gently covering her hand with his.
"That slow pace won't trouble you. Tokyo's final straight is long. Once you pull away from the pack, Road Royal won't be able to keep up."
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