Dream Weaver instinctively began pondering how she could win when facing multiple Uma Musume of Triple Crown caliber.
Basing her thoughts on two legendary figures from her memory—who would certainly have achieved Triple Crown honors had she not existed—she imagined what it would be like to confront multiple opponents like Orfevre and Narita Brian at once.
This would definitely not be a so-called fair race.
Dream Weaver felt that, with her current physical condition and Zone, there was simply no possibility of breaking through such a siege unscathed.
The only method she could think of to tear through the vast net woven by the European Racing Association was to ignite the Kindling Flame.
By activating Kindling Flame and linking the skills Pilgrimage of Pain and Nirvana, Dream Weaver would reach her strongest state yet.
In that form, breaking through a blockade of multiple Triple Crown-level Uma Musume wouldn't be impossible.
But the problem was, Kindling Flame consumed the body's vitality. Overusing it would undoubtedly make her subsequent races more difficult.
After the Japanese Derby came the Kikuka Sho. And by then, having defeated so many Triple Crown-level rivals, she would surely face even greater suppression.
Dream Weaver had to devise a way to preserve her full strength while still breaking through the encirclement.
As she frowned in deep thought, Niiyama, standing beside her, silently observed Dream Weaver's expression.
Seeing the troubled look on Dream Weaver's face, she sighed inwardly.
'As expected. Even for a talent like Dream Weaver, facing multiple Triple Crown-level Uma Musume at this stage is simply too difficult.'
It never crossed her mind that Dream Weaver actually had the potential to defeat them all. Her current struggle was merely about how to preserve her full power for the Kikuka Sho.
But even if Dream Weaver said this aloud, no one would likely believe her.
After all, she was still a rookie Uma Musume.
Even though she had won the Satsuki Sho and was considered the strongest of her generation, it seemed unthinkable that she could break through a coordinated blockade of multiple Triple Crown-caliber opponents.
"The training environment, philosophy, facilities—the European racing world surpasses the rest in every aspect."
"But those aren't the real reasons they stand above everyone else."
Niiyama suddenly spoke up, watching Dream Weaver who was still looking down, lost in thought.
Hearing this, Dream Weaver lifted her head to look at her.
A sharp, cold red wind suddenly swept across the rooftop, violently whipping up her waterfall-like brown hair. The strands danced wildly in the gusts.
Yet Niiyama remained perfectly composed. She didn't even bother to brush away the hair falling across her eyes, merely narrowing her amber-hued eyes slightly as she gazed into the distant sky and murmured softly.
"You've awakened your Zone, haven't you?"
"Then you should also know just how difficult it is to awaken a Zone relying solely on your own power."
"To reach that realm, you not only need a powerful rival who can push an Uma Musume to her absolute limits, but the Uma Musume herself must possess an extremely strong will and ambition."
"The timid cannot survive on a battlefield like a slaughterhouse. Only an Uma Musume with a heart of iron can, tempered in the fires of war and thorns, erupt with a brilliance that shines even brighter."
At this point, Niiyama said with a tone of disbelief, "So how on earth did you awaken your Zone? Given your strength, there couldn't possibly have been an opponent before who pushed you to your limit."
Dream Weaver instinctively averted her gaze upon hearing this.
She certainly couldn't explain what she had truly experienced before.
Niiyama didn't press further. She gave Dream Weaver a curious look and said, "Never mind. Let's not dwell on your circumstances."
She cleared her throat lightly and continued with the previous topic.
"For Triple Crown contenders from various regions, they are already the strongest Uma Musume in their home territories. Before advancing further to Europe, it's very difficult for them to encounter opponents stronger than themselves."
"So their progress in awakening their Zones tends to be much slower."
"Moreover, many become content after seizing a Triple Crown, content to rest on their laurels and enjoy the glory. That makes awakening a Zone even more unlikely."
"However..."
Niiyama's tone shifted, becoming serious and earnest.
"The situation in Europe is completely different. You've spent time with Mr. C.B. and the others, so you should know about her past, right?"
Dream Weaver nodded. She was aware of the cycle of training and competition Mr. C.B. had gone through in the training camp back then.
"Triple Crown contenders usually train in camps established by Europe within their home regions. Due to their innate talent, they generally win far more often than they lose."
"And those rare losses usually only happen when they first enter the camp and haven't yet adapted. Once they acclimate to the environment, there are essentially no rivals left within the camp for these seeded Triple Crown talents."
Here, Niiyama seemed somewhat wistful. She sighed softly and said in a low voice,
"That's why Mr. C.B.'s record of total victory was so astonishing. She seemed to need no adaptation period at all to fully express her talent."
"If she hadn't insisted on withdrawing back then, her abilities would be far greater than they are now."
Niiyama felt it was a pity that Mr. C.B. had wasted her gift.
After all, the window for an Uma Musume to improve is very brief. Falling behind one step often means falling behind at every step.
But she quickly caught herself, realizing she had digressed again. She offered Dream Weaver an apologetic smile before saying,
"My apologies. Perhaps it's been too long since I've spoken with anyone about these matters. I got a bit carried away."
By now, Dream Weaver had sensed that this Uma Musume before her was no ordinary figure. She was certainly not just a regular trainer as she claimed.
And from the connections between these topics, Dream Weaver had already pieced together what Niiyama was trying to convey.
"So... the true reason European racing stands above the world is their cultivation of Zones?"
Niiyama blinked, seemingly surprised that Dream Weaver had voiced it before she could.
For some reason, a relieved smile touched her lips before she replied.
"Yes. Because Europe gathers the world's strongest Uma Musume. Their local training camps are overflowing with geniuses."
"Training, competition, elimination—in this cycle, countless immensely talented Uma Musume are filtered out. Only those with the most steadfast wills can stand until the end."
"And due to the nature of the camps, they are exposed from the very start to many powerful rivals on their own level. Under the pressure of 'advance or be left behind,' they are forced to squeeze out every ounce of their potential."
"Powerful opponents, wills of iron—stimulated by such an environment, the likelihood of Zone awakening naturally increases manyfold."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.