Chapter 151: Training Camp
Mid-July, in western Tokyo, Mount Mito, Okutama Town.
At the foot of the mountain, Kitasan Black jumped off the tour bus. The instant she landed, a wave of heat and dazzling sunlight struck her face, making her squint as she looked around the station in front of her.
The wooden signpost looked quite old, with its paint peeling off around the edges.
The words "Mitosan Trailhead Station" were still clearly visible, and the polished surface suggested it was regularly maintained.
There weren't many people at the station, yet the place buzzed with liveliness—almost everyone looked like a tourist.
But the bags they carried weren't typical travel luggage. Some were as wide as half a door, others so tall they nearly touched the ceiling—all seemingly filled with some kind of specialized equipment.
Behind the station, between two overlapping mountains, was what looked like a great cleft struck open by a giant axe. The exposed rock face showed bluish-gray textures, while clouds and mist coiled lazily around the peaks.
Following the ridgeline downward, a winding mountain road rose sharply less than a hundred meters away. The asphalt shimmered under the summer sun, giving off distorted mirages that made it look like your feet might melt the moment you stepped on it.
Cicadas sang in waves from afar, and the air carried a mix of scents—pine resin, grass and leaves, the faint tang of rotting fruit, and moss.
"Strange… this should be the right place, but where's Trainer…?"
Muttering in confusion, Kitasan Black patted her pocket and took out her phone.
Just as she finished typing the message "Trainer, I'm here", an incoming call popped up.
Her face brightened for a second, but upon seeing the caller ID, a mix of amusement and exasperation crossed her features.
"Hello, Grandpa—"
She had barely gotten the words out before an anxious voice came through the receiver.
"Kita-chan? You made it? Was there traffic on the way? I told you, we could've just chartered a private jet—really, you should've listened—"
"Grandpa, I'm already here!"
Laughing as she cut him off, Kitasan Black glanced casually toward the nearest mountain road and hurriedly added,
"You saw Trainer's training camp schedule too, didn't you? It's not like we're going deep into the wilderness or anything. There's no need for a private jet, honestly…"
"Well then… what about Makoto-san? Have you met up with him yet? Are you together?" came her grandfather's concerned question.
"Trainer, um…"
Hesitating a bit, Kitasan Black lowered her voice.
"He's helping me carry the luggage. I brought a lot of bananas, drinks, and snacks—he's loading them into the car right now."
"You shouldn't trouble Makoto-san like that!"
Her grandfather immediately scolded her. "I told you to bring some assistants along! Even if you don't need looking after, they could at least help Makoto-san. Honestly, this child…"
Sighing in mild despair at her grandfather's overprotective tone, Kitasan Black was about to decide whether to keep up the little lie when her eyes suddenly lit up.
A small truck was driving down the mountain road behind the station. She didn't recognize the driver, but sitting in the passenger seat—exactly as described in her "story"—was none other than Makoto himself.
"Don't worry, Grandpa—Trainer already—"
She almost slipped and said "already got here", but quickly caught herself.
"—already finished helping me carry everything. He's talking with the driver right now—should I hand him the phone?"
He really is talking with the driver right now, so technically she's not lying this time.
Watching from afar as Makoto turned his head toward the driver and gestured in her direction, Kitasan Black thought to herself with a secret smile.
"That won't be necessary," her grandfather replied, relieved. "I trust Makoto-san to handle things. Just make sure you go help him out—don't let him do everything for you."
"Go on now, and once you've settled in, call Grandpa again, all right?"
"Got it! I will! I'll video call you later!"
After giving several reassurances, Kitasan Black finally hung up on Saburo Kitajima's call, let out a deep sigh of relief, and hurried toward the small truck, her arms and back loaded with bags of various sizes.
"Trainer!"
Even before she reached the truck, she waved excitedly—then quickly pouted in mock complaint.
"You're so slow! I've been waiting here forever…"
Her mild grumbling didn't even reach the truck's cabin. As soon as Makoto motioned for the driver to stop beside the girl, he stepped down and immediately noticed the enormous backpack she was carrying.
It stood well over a meter tall, the flap barely able to close. From the bananas poking out of the sides, it was obvious what the bag contained.
In fact, it might only contain bananas.
"…I know you like bananas, but this is a bit much, don't you think?"
Unable to resist, Makoto commented dryly, a faint amusement in his tone. "What, are you worried the monkeys will steal them?"
"Of course not—wait, huh?"
Her reflexive reply froze halfway out, and a flush crept rapidly up her cheeks.
"H-how did Trainer know about that…? No—what are you even talking about? I have no idea what you mean by getting my bananas stolen by monkeys!"
Watching the pink spread across her face, Makoto couldn't help smiling inwardly.
He must've heard it from Tokai Teio or maybe just by chance.
When Kitasan Black was little, she once went camping in the mountains, only for a troop of monkeys to snatch the bananas she brought. The small, spirited girl even climbed a tree to chase after them.
It was through such casual stories that Makoto learned how much she enjoyed the mountains. So, after some discussion, he decided to hold the summer training camp here at Mount Mito.
For a racehorse girl, the summer camp was part of training. Their next major goal was the Kikuka-shō—a 3,000-meter long-distance race where endurance was the key factor. That was the skill they needed to hone most.
Mount Mito was ideal: close enough to Tokyo, just a few hours by car.
A ten-kilometer mountain road, rocky gorges, the lakeside path and shimmering surface of Lake Okutama, and the Unkaisō hot spring inn halfway up the slope—all perfect locations for endurance training.
Even better, many of Tokyo's extreme sports teams often trained here. Facilities and open spaces were readily available, needing only a reservation in advance.
All in all, it was the perfect site for a training camp.
"I heard there are a lot of monkeys around Mount Mito," Makoto said, pretending not to know about her embarrassing childhood story as he looked toward the peaks. "I thought you'd already know that, Kita.
"If not, that's fine. Now you do. Just make sure to protect your bananas—don't let the monkeys get them again."
"They absolutely won't!"
Clutching her backpack behind her as though shielding it, Kitasan Black's ears and tail perked sharply.
"I'm not the same as before— cough, cough! I mean, I can run fast and climb high now! Even if a monkey did steal one, I'd chase it down and take it back!"
"I was only joking. There aren't that many monkeys near the inn anyway…"
Makoto chuckled, then shifted topics, gesturing toward the truck they'd arrived in.
"Alright, unload your luggage and put it in the back. Also—do you see those two mountain bikes over there?"
At first, Kitasan Black obediently bent down to gather her bags. But when she caught the second half of his sentence, she blinked in surprise.
"Bikes? Don't tell me we're riding those up the mountain?"
"Yes, but not exactly."
With that, Makoto walked to the truck bed and lifted one of the mountain bikes down.
Then, to her astonishment, he slung the entire thing over his shoulder, turned to face her stunned expression, and smiled.
"We'll only ride them during the second half of the climb. For the first half…"
He adjusted the strap on his shoulder and said calmly,
"…we'll be carrying them up the mountain.
"You and I, together."
<+>
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