"Ha… ha… ha… S-Sis, you're insanely fast…"
"Still a top-tier senior, kid. Not rusty enough to lose to a junior yet."
The Sacred Hoof Festival was over, and life at Tressen Academy had settled back into its usual rhythm. The Uma Musume kept running, as always. Among them, Rampage was keeping pace with her teammate Rice. Rice, a standout junior, ran with remarkable skill, but even her sharp edge couldn't quite match Rampage's seasoned prowess.
"Impressive as always, Rampage-san," Rice said.
"You weren't half bad yourself, Rice. That intensity—your 'Rice Switch,' as Turbo calls it—is no joke. It's gotta be tough for others to handle."
Taking a drink from Minamisaka, Rampage shared her analysis of Rice's run. The Rice Switch was literal: a mental flip that unleashed Rice's hidden ferocity, channeling all her focus into the race, shutting out everything else. In that moment, Rice transformed into something else entirely. Running alongside her, Rampage felt its ferocity firsthand.
"It's like a sudden, murderous aura right beside you. You can't help but notice it. The pressure's unreal."
"But you didn't even flinch, Rampage-san."
"I've been to hell and back. That kinda thing doesn't faze me anymore."
Rice fell silent. Her Rice Switch was meant to overwhelm opponents, sapping their strength. But Rampage, with her vast experience, was immune. If she'd unleashed her own domain, Rice might've been the one struggling to keep up.
"Don't sell yourself short, though. Tanhoyza's been killing it too."
"Yes, Tanhoyza-san's making great progress."
"Uooooh! I won't lose!" Tanhoyza's voice roared.
"Same here!" Ikuno replied.
On the turf ahead, Tanhoyza and Ikuno dashed in tandem. Ikuno set a blistering pace, but Tanhoyza kept up, using what Turbo called the "Machitan Form" to match Ikuno's speed. It balanced Rampage's running style, Ikuno's relentless pace, and her own stamina.
"That Machitan Form's leveling up," Rampage noted.
"Yes, she's adjusting it to the situation," Rice replied.
"Her weaknesses are fading fast. Scary stuff—she's becoming someone you don't wanna race against."
The Machitan Form's strength was its balance, drawing from the team's collective skills. It excelled in adaptability but lacked specialization, making it vulnerable to teams like Spica, who honed individual strengths. Tanhoyza was countering this by selectively enhancing specific abilities to suit the race, like leaning on her stamina and borrowing Rampage's stride and Ikuno's pacing against Ikuno's high speed.
"Uoooooh!" Tanhoyza shouted.
"Keep up with Turbo!" Ikuno called.
"Yesss!"
"Don't slack, or I'll pass you!"
"Yesss!"
Turbo, newly equipped with the Shinzan Iron (1.5x boost), was fired up, training hard for the Autumn Flower Stakes, the final tiara. Nature, aiming for the Chrysanthemum Stakes, and the entire Canopus team were equally driven. Rampage was no exception.
"So, Kabu-chan, what'd you think of my run?"
"Uh, subjective opinion's fine, right?" Kaburayaoh, nicknamed Kabu-chan, had come specifically to watch Rampage's run. Known as the "mad escape horse," her perspective was intriguing.
"Your form's flawless, and your technique backs it up. Things are so advanced now compared to my era… that's my honest take."
"Hah, coming from you, that's a confidence boost."
"All that's left is to push harder. Escape, single-mindedly."
With near-perfect form and technique, only physical and mental endurance remained to refine. Kaburayaoh's advice was simple but profound: keep enhancing, keep pushing.
"Figured it'd come to that…"
"Oh, wait, one more thing," Kaburayaoh added.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Something my trainer told me before the Derby. Not encouragement or comfort—just the truth."
"What's that?"
"My strengths are lung capacity and clutch tenacity. The latter's probably off, but…"
"Lung capacity, huh?"
Kaburayaoh was said to have a heart stronger than one in ten thousand, paired with exceptionally sturdy legs—key to her legendary escapes. For Rampage, lung capacity was the missing piece.
"Shin-san told me to run with a mask on… guess that was spot-on."
"Probably. Your stamina's near perfect, so that's what I'd focus on. I wouldn't even be winded at that level."
"Even after I escaped 2000 meters against Rice?"
"Still wouldn't be winded."
"Hey, Minami-chan, you hear this? She's all calm but saying some savage stuff!"
"N-not savage…" Minamisaka stammered, laughing nervously.
It was brutal truth. Stronger lungs meant greater endurance, and Kaburayaoh's words underscored her freakish capacity. Rampage thought she had stamina, but compared to Kaburayaoh, she had work to do.
"Guess I gotta push harder. I'll train 'til you're shocked, Kabu-chan."
"I'm already plenty shocked…"
"Even more!"
"M-more? I-I don't know what'll happen to me!"
With that, Rampage donned the Shinzan Iron and mask, heading for the hill. She'd trained in mountains during camp; a mere hill wouldn't break her. The Emperor's Cup loomed, and as a Mejiro Uma Musume, she had to shine, even against McQueen and Ryan.
"I won't lose."
With that singular resolve, she charged up the hill, each heavy step echoing her determination. She was the challenger, ready to outpace them all.
"Was my advice even helpful?" Kaburayaoh asked.
"It was perfect," Minamisaka replied. "It'll push Rampage further. She'll spark Canopus, and their growth will fuel her in return. That's our team's cycle."
"What a wonderful team," Kaburayaoh said softly.
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