At the same time that Cinderella Gray's popularity was spreading across major forums and social platforms like wildfire, Sakuraba's name also, unsurprisingly, entered the public eye and was gilded with a dazzling halo.
In the manga, the calm, selfless "patron-trainer" who gave everything for Oguri Cap's growth deeply moved readers with his infectious presence.
Although the work clearly stated that it was not entirely adapted from real events, the artistic portrayal and richly developed story made many readers subconsciously project that perfection onto the real-life model.
"Sakuraba-san must be that reliable in real life too!"
"To support a regional Umamusume without caring about cost like that—he's not just a talent-spotter, he's an angel investor!"
"The manga moved me so much. If an investor like that really exists, he's truly a blessing for Umamusume!"
"So Cinderella Gray's success wasn't a coincidence. It's because behind her stood someone like Sakuraba-san, with vision and the willingness to give everything!"
Comments like these began appearing frequently in posts discussing Cinderella Gray.
Some people even opened dedicated threads, combining the manga's plot with known fragments from reality—such as Sakuraba's investment in Kasamatsu and his support for Oguri Cap's move to the Central circuit—to paint a picture of the "real-life Sakuraba."
Wise, low-key, patient, and devoted. A steadfast guardian standing behind an Umamusume's dream.
The trend only grew stronger. The name "Sakuraba" gradually changed from the label of an investor into a symbol carrying readers' beautiful imagination and emotional projection.
The "real-life Sakuraba-san" inexplicably gained a massive amount of goodwill and admiration from casual readers, and even some of his earlier investments were reinterpreted as proof of deep foresight and a uniquely sharp eye.
Inside the dormitory at Nishikino Academy, Sakuraba scrolled through the forum posts praising him and the beautiful fantasies about his real self that had spun off from them. He only felt his chest tighten and his vision go dark.
"Dutiful? Selfless? Angel investor?"
"Where the hell are they seeing any of that?!"
Were manga fans really this good at fantasizing?
He had clearly only wanted to lose money. Every action he took had been meant to throw funds down the drain.
He invested in Kasamatsu because he thought a regional academy had no future. He supported Oguri Cap's move to Central because he thought she would not be able to survive in a place full of strong opponents...
So how, in the eyes of netizens, had all of that become "strategic planning" and "long-term investment"?
Looking at those remarks filled with sincere admiration, Sakuraba felt as if he were being pricked by countless invisible needles.
He wanted to shout, "That's not it! I wasn't thinking that at all! I just wanted to lose money!"
But what could he say?
Come out and deny the manga's portrayal?
Clarify that he actually had bad intentions?
Not only would no one believe him, they would probably take it as another sign of humility and low-profile modesty, making the image of the perfect investor even more firmly established.
The feeling of being forcibly put on a pedestal and made to carry praise that did not belong to him left Sakuraba utterly exhausted.
He slumped in his chair, stared at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh. "What even is this... I just wanted to lose a little money in peace. How did even my reputation get hijacked...?"
...
At the same time, Oguri Cap, currently at Tracen Academy, also noticed the direction things were taking online.
During a break from training, she briefly browsed the forums on her phone. Seeing the screen filled with love and anticipation for Cinderella Gray, along with many comments praising and admiring Sakuraba, a faint, satisfied smile rippled through her calm, focused eyes.
She was not good at complicated online interaction, nor did she really understand those in-depth discussions about marketing strategy or character portrayal.
But she understood the most important point.
Everyone liked this story very much.
And because of this story, everyone seemed to have formed a lot of good impressions of Sakuraba, thinking he was impressive and worthy of respect.
In Oguri Cap's simple and straightforward understanding, Sakuraba had helped her and given her the chance to come to Central and pursue a higher dream.
Sakuraba was special.
So Sakuraba being praised and liked by everyone was a good thing.
As for whether those compliments completely matched reality, or whether Sakuraba himself might feel embarrassed and troubled...
Oguri Cap did not think that deeply.
She was simply happy that Sakuraba was being recognized by so many people.
In fact, it made her even happier than being praised herself.
So she did not enthusiastically join the discussions like some fans, nor did she deliberately speak up for Sakuraba.
She only quietly read those positive comments, felt warm inside, then put away her phone and returned her focus to the training before her.
"Sakuraba is being praised by everyone."
During a break in training, she looked into the distance and murmured softly to herself.
The corners of Oguri Cap's mouth curved slightly. Clearly, she was in quite a good mood.
Using her own fame to win praise for Sakuraba...
She was very happy about that.
What she did not know was that the very patron being praised by countless people was currently drowning in the anguish of reputational damage caused by praise, silently screaming at the air in his dormitory, forming a sharp and absurd contrast with her good mood.
As Cinderella Gray's reputation and popularity continued to ferment, the name Sakuraba spread not only among ordinary readers and Umamusume fans, but gradually entered the sight of more Umamusume as well.
The almost deified image of a patron who discovered talent from the manga intertwined with the real-world rumors that he had recognized Oguri Cap's talent and supported her without seeking reward, quietly stirring ripples among the Umamusume.
...
In corners of training grounds, in dormitory chats, and even during brief rests between races, similar quiet discussions could occasionally be heard.
"Hey, did you read Cinderella Gray? That Sakuraba-san in it... I heard in real life, he's the one who discovered and supported Oguri Cap's move to Central."
"I read it... It was so good. If... I mean, if I could meet an investor like Sakuraba-san too..."
"I heard his eye is really sharp, and he's genuinely willing to put in resources."
"Oguri Cap's conditions back in Kasamatsu might've been prettied up in the manga, but the improvements must have been real."
"An Umamusume from the regional circuit... So it really is possible to get that far. It's not just talent and hard work. Opportunity and investment matter too..."
A subtle longing and expectation quietly began sprouting in the hearts of some Umamusume.
Especially those who were also from the regional circuit and struggling desperately, or those who were already at Central but felt lost about the road ahead and lacked enough support.
If... I could be invested in and noticed by Sakuraba-san too...
Would I also... have more possibilities, like Oguri Cap?
At the very least, I could get more professional support and a more stable training environment, right...?
Once thoughts like these arose, they became difficult to suppress.
In their hearts, Sakuraba gradually became synonymous with "opportunity," "hope," and "reliable support."
To those lost regional Umamusume, Sakuraba was like a lighthouse on the shore, illuminating the path forward through the fog.
And so, some Umamusume with more active minds and stronger initiative were no longer satisfied with hearsay and the manga's dramatization. They decided to learn more about this mysterious investor themselves.
The investigation did not go smoothly at first.
Sakuraba himself kept a low profile, and there was very little public information on him.
But the Umamusume had their own channels and methods—trainer networks, information exchanges between academies, and even piecing together fragments from niche financial and racing forums.
Soon, a clue they had previously overlooked surfaced.
Sakuraba's investment was not limited to supporting Oguri Cap as an individual. He seemed to have deeper ties with a certain regional academy.
"Nishikino Academy... Have you heard of it?"
"Isn't it a regional academy? A pretty famous one."
"But I found some vague information. Sakuraba-san seems to have continued investing in that academy, and the amount isn't small. The direction is special too..."
"Special? Special how?"
"He's actually investing in overseas Umamusume at that academy, and those overseas Umamusume have achieved results because of it! Even the American Triple Crown Umamusume is a student at Nishikino Academy!"
"What?! Sakuraba-san belongs to us in Japan! How can outsiders enjoy Sakuraba-san's special treatment? Damn it!"
This discovery made some Umamusume even more curious, while also allowing them to see another possibility.
Go directly to Central to find Sakuraba-san?
His whereabouts were uncertain, and he obviously would not casually meet unfamiliar Umamusume.
But what about going to the academy he had invested in and paid attention to?
Since Sakuraba was willing to invest even in foreign Umamusume, then if they, as Japanese Umamusume, went to Nishikino, Sakuraba surely would not treat them badly.
"If Sakuraba-san really values Nishikino Academy that much, he must go there often, right? Or at least, he can immediately grasp the academy's movements..."
"And if his purpose in investing in academies is to find or cultivate promising Umamusume... then entering that academy means entering his field of vision, doesn't it?"
"Even if we can't directly receive his investment, being trained at an academy he pays attention to might indirectly give us better resources... Or at least bring us one step closer to an opportunity?"
The logic was simple and direct, yet extremely tempting.
Especially for those Umamusume who longed to break through their current situation, urgently needed resources, or desperately wanted to be seen.
And so, a silent undercurrent of transfers began to stir.
...
At first, it may only have been one or two bold Umamusume, or those in special circumstances, submitting applications to enroll in or transfer to the relatively closed-off Nishikino Academy through formal or informal channels.
Nishikino Academy was somewhat caught off guard at first.
For a remote regional academy to suddenly receive enrollment inquiries from other areas, and even occasionally from Umamusume in the Central circuit, was far too unusual.
But after verifying that the applicants were qualified and strongly willing, the academy had no reason to reject the addition of high-quality students. After all, this was also something a regional academy longed for as it developed.
As news spread that the first batch of "trailblazers" had successfully transferred to Nishikino, more Umamusume who had been watching from the sidelines made up their minds.
"I heard so-and-so really went to Nishikino..."
"Apparently the training conditions really have improved. They still can't compare to Central, but they're much better than the rumors made them sound. And the curriculum is a little different too..."
"Most importantly, there are rumors that Sakuraba-san went to Nishikino for an inspection recently... although he didn't appear publicly."
Whether the rumors were true or false was hard to tell, but they were enough to fan the flames.
Going to Nishikino Academy seemed to have become a potential shortcut to approaching that legendary talent-spotter.
And so, over the next few weeks, the staff at Nishikino Academy's administrative office were surprised to discover that consultation and application emails were quietly increasing. Among them were quite a few Umamusume with rather good qualifications.
Principal Nishikino looked at the campus that had suddenly become somewhat livelier, and at the occasional searching gazes in the eyes of those new faces—gazes that were not entirely there for training—and felt both delighted and faintly confused and uneasy.
He could roughly guess that the source of this small wave might be related to Sakuraba, but he could not grasp the specific reason.
All he could do was work hard to absorb this fresh blood, do his best to provide a good training environment, and secretly pray in his heart.
Sakuraba-san, what kind of grand game have you laid out this time?
Why has this already started poaching Tracen Academy's students...
I-is this really okay...?
And Sakuraba, the originator of it all, still had no idea that the manga born from his goal of losing money and the series of accidental operations that followed had sparked such a strange chain reaction among the Umamusume.
At the same time that Nishikino Academy quietly welcomed a batch of new faces, this unusual "transfer undercurrent" did not completely escape the eyes of Tracen Academy.
As the highest hall of Japanese Umamusume education, Tracen Academy not only possessed top-tier facilities and instructors, but also a complete student management and information network.
Major personnel changes at regional academies, especially movements involving promising or already emerging Umamusume, usually drew attention within a certain range.
And recently, the number of names flowing toward Nishikino Academy, a regional academy, seemed a little too high.
At first, it might only have been the personal choices of individual students. But when inquiries and actual transfer cases began to appear on a certain scale, and were even mixed with a few prospects who had originally drawn considerable attention at Tracen Academy, the academy administration could no longer treat it as coincidence.
Symboli Rudolf sat upright in the student council office. Afternoon sunlight passed through the window lattice, casting clear patches of light over the materials spread before her.
Line after line of reports concerning new student enrollment data, analyses of transfer intentions, and Nishikino Academy's recent movements all confirmed a trend she was unwilling to admit, but had to face.
Tracen Academy, this long-standing pyramid, was facing an unprecedented challenge from a regional academy—one rooted in "attractiveness."
The name Sakuraba, together with the image of the "perfect talent-spotter" shaped by Cinderella Gray, had detonated like a bomb, creating a shock far beyond expectations.
This was no longer as simple as a successful investment or a manga going explosively viral. It was beginning to shake the foundation of some Umamusume's fixed belief that "Central is the pinnacle."
We can't wait any longer.
Symboli Rudolf closed the report, and a sharp light flashed through her amethyst-like eyes.
The "orthodox showdown" advocated by Chairwoman Akikawa was certainly a fair and proper method. But against an opponent like Sakuraba, who did not play by common sense and could always stir up waves in unexpected ways, merely responding passively would not be enough.
Central needed a banner. An Umamusume who could gather people's hearts, represent the spirit of Central, and possess enough strength and potential to crush Nishikino's representative head-on on the racetrack.
She needed a "symbol," someone who could show everyone that choosing Tracen Academy meant choosing the firmest guarantee on the path to becoming the strongest.
Several names quickly flashed through her mind.
Yaeno Muteki, Super Creek...
They were unquestionably outstanding. They were the pride of Central.
But Symboli Rudolf's intuition told her that to oppose Sakuraba's ability to discover and boost Umamusume as if he could turn stone into gold, she needed an individual with greater potential, more possibility, and perhaps... someone who was a variable in themselves.
Her gaze fell on another document. It contained information on an Umamusume who had recently begun distinguishing herself in regional races, one with a unique style and rapid progress.
More importantly, this Umamusume seemed to harbor an intense competitive awareness toward Oguri Cap, and after Cinderella Gray sparked heated discussion, attention on her had also quietly risen.
"Perhaps... it's worth trying."
Symboli Rudolf made her decision.
She picked up the internal phone and gave several concise instructions. Not long afterward, someone knocked on the door to the student council office.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a petite figure with a distinctive, lively air entered.
She wore Tracen Academy's uniform. The most eye-catching thing was the fox mask covering part of her face: a white base, red markings, and sly, mysterious brows and eyes outlined upon it.
It was Inari One.
"President Rudolf, you wanted to see me?"
Inari One's voice came through the mask, carrying a slightly casual, upward lilt, but her eyes looked seriously at the student council president behind the desk.
"Have a seat, Inari One."
Symboli Rudolf gestured for her to sit in the chair across from her, calmly observing this rather unique Umamusume.
She knew something of Inari One's strength and potential.
She had also heard a little about how, as another Umamusume from the regional circuit, Inari One watched Oguri Cap with a faintly competitive gaze.
More importantly, after her reconnaissance on the release day of Cinderella Gray, Inari One seemed to have developed a deeper interest in things related to Sakuraba as well.
"I asked you here today because there is an important matter I want to discuss with you."
Symboli Rudolf got straight to the point, her tone solemn.
"It concerns Tracen Academy's current situation, and... our direction from here on."
Inari One listened quietly. Beneath the mask, her eyes flickered slightly, as if weighing the student council president's intentions.
Symboli Rudolf did not spend much time on preamble. She directly summarized some of the serious data and the challenge posed by Nishikino Academy. Of course, she omitted information that was too internal, focusing instead on the test Tracen Academy faced in terms of its reputation and cohesion as the strongest.
"That is the situation."
Symboli Rudolf leaned forward slightly, her gaze burning as it locked onto Inari One.
"Externally, we have an emerging force like Nishikino challenging us by riding this momentum. Internally, we also need to raise morale and gather our core together again."
"Tracen Academy needs an Umamusume who can stand forward and carry this banner."
She paused, every word clear and forceful.
"Inari One, I believe you possess that potential."
"You have outstanding talent and a tenacious will."
Inari One's fingers moved slightly on her knees, but she did not interrupt.
"So," Symboli Rudolf continued, her voice slowing while carrying even greater weight, "I would like to formally invite you to become Tracen Academy's representative for the coming period. Or, to put it another way... the one who carries our banner."
The air fell quiet for a moment.
Inari One did not answer immediately. She seemed to sink into brief thought. The fox mask hid most of her expression, leaving only those exposed eyes, where a complicated, unreadable light shifted.
To become Tracen Academy's standard-bearer...
That meant her name, her image, and her results would no longer represent only herself. They would be tightly bound to the signboard of Tracen Academy.
She would become the academy's face as it confronted external challenges, the focus that gathered people's hearts internally, and the point where the gazes of everyone watching this "Central versus regional" struggle converged.
Pressure?
Of course.
But along with it came an unprecedented stage, the possibility of the entire academy's resources gathering behind her, and... the chance to stand at the very center of the spotlight, to challenge and prove herself.
In her mind, Oguri Cap's figure surfaced unbidden.
That gray Umamusume who was always calm and focused, yet unleashed astonishing strength on the racetrack.
That existence who, together with the "patron" Sakuraba behind her, had been lifted onto a pedestal by one manga, drawing countless gazes and longing.
If... if she became Central's "standard-bearer"...
"In other words," Inari One finally spoke, a trace of hard-to-detect excitement in her voice, "my name will represent Central?"
"You may understand it that way," Symboli Rudolf said with a nod.
"Then..."
Beneath the mask, Inari One's lips curved into a clear arc, her smile carrying an eager sharpness.
"I'll also have the chance... under everyone's gaze, fair and square, to 'overwhelm' Oguri Cap?"
She used a subtle word.
Overwhelm.
It referred to victory or defeat on the racetrack, yet it also seemed to imply some deeper contest.
Symboli Rudolf looked at her deeply, but did not pursue the full meaning behind that word. She only answered affirmatively.
"As Central's representative, defeating any powerful opponent on the racetrack—especially an iconic Umamusume like Oguri Cap—is naturally your responsibility, and also your glory."
"...Glory."
Inari One repeated the word softly, the light in her eyes growing brighter and brighter.
She remembered the crowds lining up to buy the manga, the praise for Oguri Cap and Sakuraba on the forums, and the feeling she had sensed when reading Cinderella Gray—the meticulous craftsmanship and the overwhelming expectation pouring from the pages...
Becoming Central's banner, standing on that highest stage, challenging Oguri Cap, who had been lifted up by the crowd, and even the mysterious Sakuraba behind her...
Did that not sound very interesting?
"Sure." Inari One raised her head, her voice crisp and filled with undisguised fighting spirit, along with a trace of slyness.
"I'll take that deal."
No matter how Inari One thought about it, this cooperation was a profit.
She had no reason to refuse.
She stood and gave Symboli Rudolf a brilliant smile.
"President, let me be the one to carry that banner!"
"I'll show everyone that Tracen Academy's signboard isn't so easy to outshine."
"Oguri Cap, Nishikino Academy... I'll give them a proper welcome!"
Symboli Rudolf looked at the Umamusume before her, who had suddenly become fired up as if she had found a clear goal, and felt slightly reassured.
At the very least, for the position of representative, she had found someone with strength, sufficient motivation, and enough topicality.
"Very good."
Symboli Rudolf also rose and extended her hand.
"Then I look forward to your performance, Inari One. The glory of Tracen Academy needs you to defend it, and to expand it."
Their hands met in the air.
A silent war surrounding the name of "the strongest," one concerning the reputation and future direction of two academies, officially entered a new stage as the Umamusume wearing a fox mask accepted the banner.
And Sakuraba, at the center of the storm, remained entirely unaware that the chain reaction he had triggered on his road to losing money had already pushed a new challenger full of fighting spirit onto center stage, aiming directly at him and the Umamusume he had invested in.
Though honestly, even if Sakuraba knew, he probably would not mind.
He would most likely be excited by Inari One's rise.
Someone was willing to stop Oguri Cap from eating up prize money on the racetrack.
That meant she was helping him lose money!
A good person!
She was a good person!
---
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