After the American Triple Crown, I finally allowed myself a bit of rest. My muscles were still sore, my lungs still burning from that final burst, but the thrill of Domain still lingered in my veins. For the first time in months, I let myself breathe, stretch, and just… exist.
I checked the system screen to review stats, skill triggers, and upcoming race schedules. That's when I froze.
Hiyakawa Tazuna.
She was on the screen. And I blinked.
Hold up. She was a horse girl?
I had seen her name in passing before, some mentions online, but I had no idea. The screen showed her stats, her past races, her skills, and a glowing portrait of her in a racing uniform. She looked small but intense, like she had been made for speed and precision.
My mind scrambled. How did I miss this? Hiyakawa Tazuna, undefeated triple crown, crippled leg in the original history, now appearing here as a real competitor for Run 2? And she looked… dangerous.
The system chimed, reminding me of the next race. Tokino Murino. Another G1 equivalent. Another chance to test Domain, to push past Marzensky's previous limits, to see how far I could go. But now there was Hiyakawa Tazuna in the mix.
I leaned back, running a hand through my hair. This was going to be interesting. I had trained, I had rested, I had refined every skill again. But seeing her here made me realize how little I actually knew about the field. NPCs, other legendary horse girls, their stats, their strategies, they could all be surprises.
And I was ready.
But wow. Hiyakawa Tazuna. I was going to have to watch her closely.
She might be small. She might look fragile. But this girl was not someone to underestimate.
I straightened in my seat, fingers hovering over the system panel. Tokino Murino was next. And for the first time in this run, I felt that familiar thrill of a real challenge waiting just beyond the starting gate.
This was going to be fun.