Anyone who's watched Mr. C.B.'s races knows one thing for sure—she loves chasing from behind. Practically every race of hers featured a breathtaking comeback from way in the back.
"Haha, those commentators always overanalyze it, coming up with all sorts of fancy theories. Actually, there's no complicated reason at all—I just suck at starting fast, so I can't run my favorite front-running style."
At the starting line, as they warmed up, Mr. C.B. casually chatted with Kagura about running strategies. Kagura knew Mr. C.B. mainly ran as a chaser, but she never expected it was due to such a reason.
But Kagura deeply understood what Mr. C.B. was describing—after all, she herself hadn't fully solved her habit of late starts. Trying to claw her way back into the lead after a poor start was an exhausting waste of stamina. Kagura only dared to do it because she had exceptional endurance. If it were any other young Uma Musume attempting such a reckless strategy, they'd probably run out of gas well before the final corner.
Still, Kagura was feeling a bit uncertain today. She'd never run the full 2400 meters before, so she didn't know her exact stamina limits. While she believed she probably wouldn't hit the wall mid-race, there was no way to be sure without actually running it.
"…Are you two ready?"
During Kagura's brief contemplation, Trainer Tojo had already finished announcing the track conditions and raised her hand, ready to signal the start. She double-checked with both Uma Musume, who nodded back, then turned around. A few seconds later, she swiftly swung her arm down:
"Start!"
Trainer Tojo, initially excited to see what surprises these two might show, was stunned right from the outset—both Uma Musume spectacularly blew the start together!
Of course, she wasn't the only one baffled. The most confused person on the track right now was Mr. C.B. herself. She vaguely remembered Kagura was supposed to be a front-runner—but was this suffocating start really something a front-runner would do?!
"Aren't you supposed to be a runaway type?!"
As Kagura ran, she heard Mr. C.B.'s puzzled voice beside her. She helplessly shook her head while maintaining her pace, indicating that this was indeed her chronic issue. Although practicing archery lately had improved her focus and somewhat lessened the problem, it couldn't be entirely cured overnight.
"Good grief… Kagura-chan and Mr. C.B.-senpai are both having trouble with their starts… But if both had a bad start, doesn't it mean neither actually had one?"
Rudolf Ojou-sama, already finished training and standing beside Trainer Tojo to rest, observed the bizarre scene unfolding at the start.
Yet, contrary to Rudolf's expectations, this time Kagura didn't recklessly sprint to reclaim the lead like she usually did after a late start. Given the unfamiliar distance, Kagura discarded her usual runaway strategy and simply followed closely behind Mr. C.B. Originally expecting to chase a front-runner, Mr. C.B. suddenly found herself unwillingly thrust into that role.
Despite things not going as planned, Mr. C.B. dutifully maintained a competitive pace up front. She could feel Kagura's breathing very close behind, staying tightly within three or four horse-lengths. This alone proved Kagura's natural speed was extraordinarily high—especially impressive considering she hadn't reached maturation yet.
Yet even the greatest talent couldn't fully bridge the enormous gap between a young Uma Musume and a legendary Triple Crown winner. With Kagura unsure about the 2400-meter distance, she dared not accelerate rashly. Though she closely tailed Mr. C.B. initially, after rounding the second corner and entering the mid-stretch, Kagura suddenly found herself trailing by more than three horse-lengths.
Yeah, catching up to Mr. C.B.-senpai really is too much for me right now…
Kagura slightly increased her pace, attempting to stick with the accelerating Mr. C.B., but the skill difference was undeniable. All she could do was stabilize the gap and prevent it from widening further.
Meanwhile, Mr. C.B. was finally experiencing life as a front-runner—and honestly, it felt strange. She'd expected to chase Kagura, who was supposed to be running ahead. Now being in front wasn't nearly as comfortable as she'd imagined; that uneasy feeling of not seeing her opponent behind her felt oddly unnatural.
Yet, despite the unfamiliar feeling, Mr. C.B.'s rich racing experience enabled her to perfectly time her acceleration for the final stretch. As they reached the second half, Kagura desperately chased after Mr. C.B., already pushing herself at her usual runaway speed. But Mr. C.B.'s strength was just that superior—on the straight leading into the final corner, both of them began accelerating furiously. Kagura, reassured she had enough stamina remaining, gave everything she had, reaching the highest speed she could currently manage—yet all she could do was keep the gap from widening significantly.
Exiting the final corner onto the homestretch, Mr. C.B. sharply increased her pace once more, determined to decisively shake Kagura off. But at this moment, Kagura unleashed an explosive final sprint of her own, matching Mr. C.B.'s acceleration almost exactly. Mr. C.B. couldn't feel herself pulling away at all. Although Kagura did fall slightly further behind objectively, the increase was minuscule—proof that Kagura's top-end speed on the final stretch was already astonishingly close to her own.
Even though I didn't get to see Kagura-chan running daitō like I hoped… this junior really is every bit as surprising as Rudolf said!
As she raced, Mr. C.B.'s lips curled up into a slight smile. It had been a while since she'd felt such thrilling pressure—one tiny slip-up, and she'd be overtaken. She genuinely hadn't encountered a worthy challenger for quite some time, and Kagura was the first in ages who could give her this feeling.
"Finish!! Mr. C.B. crosses the finish line first, two lengths ahead!"
Trainer Tojo quickly announced their results. Rudolf Ojou-sama, quietly observing from the sidelines, looked calm, as if this outcome was exactly what she'd anticipated.
"Kagura-chan~ Let's run another lap! Next lap, senpai will teach you exactly how to tackle the Triple Crown!"
"Have mercy, Senpai… Are you seriously addicted to bullying rookies now?!"
"I just want to give my genius kouhai some valuable advice—come on, Kagura-chan, trust me!"
…
Kagura really is a freakish genius… Facing Mr. C.B.-senpai—a Triple Crown winner—she's still able to finish only two lengths behind, even though she hasn't reached maturation yet…?
Watching Mr. C.B. at the finish line hugging Kagura and pestering her to run daitō for another lap, seemingly determined to drag Kagura back onto the track, Rudolf Ojou-sama and Trainer Tojo both silently thought to themselves.