Liberty Island wasn't lying. She truly possessed the natural-born talent to aim for the Triple Crown.
Even setting aside the cold, hard data on paper, Dream Weaver could feel it bone-deep just by watching her figure racing across the training grounds.
That unparalleled confidence, a posture that seemed woven into the very fabric of the track, was the hallmark of a Triple Crown winner.
It was a sight Dream Weaver had witnessed time and time again in one legendary Uma Musume after another.
Of course, she had seen that same aura in the likes of T.M. Opera O and Tokai Teio—champions who hadn't claimed the Triple Crown themselves but reigned supreme nonetheless.
Seeing that familiar spark yet again, Dream Weaver understood something clearly.
Even if this Uma Musume named Liberty Island was still a bit green, she was destined to become a powerhouse who would dominate the turf.
As long as Liberty Island stayed healthy and her training remained on track, it wouldn't even matter if Hishi Miracle continued to loaf around.
Liberty Island alone possessed enough sheer gravity to carry Dream Weaver through the primary mission of this scripted world.
With the hope of clearing her goals finally in sight, Dream Weaver knew exactly what she had to do: pour everything into moving forward.
She had taught herself the theory, handled the early upbringing of a young King Halo, and even spent time mimicking the professional flair of Chizuru Haibara. Yet, Dream Weaver still felt it wasn't enough.
To complete her mission and do justice to Liberty Island's genius, she had to refine her knowledge and forge a path of training that was uniquely her own.
As an Uma Musume—and a battle-hardened veteran who had sprinted through countless races—every theory Dream Weaver developed had to be rooted in her own visceral understanding of the track.
Because of this, she leaned away from the rigid, by-the-book methods of traditional trainers. She preferred to let her students experience the reality of the race firsthand.
Using the unique advantage only she possessed, she began to temper Liberty Island and Hishi Miracle by unleashing her own overwhelming pressure and "Zone."
However, the girls hadn't even debuted yet. Even a sliver of her true competitive aura was a bit too much for them to handle.
Despite Dream Weaver's best efforts to suppress her power, the weight of it still left the two of them gasping for air.
Hishi Miracle aside, Liberty Island was actually quite thrilled by it; the idea of standing on the same track as her idol was something she hadn't dared to dream of.
But while the girl was willing, Dream Weaver knew better.
Post-training recovery was paramount, and even with Agnes Tachyon's assistance, there was no room for error. If she miscalculated the intensity of her pressure during a mock race just once, Hishi Miracle and Liberty Island could suffer irreversible injuries.
This was exactly why the virtual immersion device she had been nudging Sugar Lights to finish was so vital. In a virtual world, they could hold mock races without the risk of physical accidents.
A month later, the brilliant Sugar Lights delivered on her word. The group gathered in the clubroom, surrounding a massive piece of equipment with wide-eyed wonder.
"Isn't this design a bit too sci-fi?" Hishi Miracle whispered, staring at the silver, streamlined pod.
"I mean, it's a virtual immersion device! That's the kind of stuff you only see in light novels. Are we supposed to say 'Link Start' or something when we go in?"
Dream Weaver, who had been nodding in approval at Sugar Lights' scientific prowess, let out a soft chuckle.
"If you're looking for 'sci-fi,' you should have started marveling back when ST-2 showed up," she said, pointing toward the mechanical Uma Musume currently recharging in the corner.
Perhaps due to the data Dream Weaver had fed it—and the repeated mock races against Liberty Island and Hishi Miracle—ST-2's movements were now far more fluid than when Dream Weaver first saw her.
With such a masterpiece already standing before her, Dream Weaver had ceased to doubt Dr. Sugar Lights' capabilities.
She wouldn't even be surprised if the girl pulled a giant humanoid robot out of her pocket next.
Noticing Dream Weaver's playful, suggestive wink, Sugar Lights could only offer a wry smile, scratching her head in embarrassment.
"Even I can't build something like a Gundam," she admitted. "After all, I'm just one person."
Hishi Miracle's head whipped around, looking at Sugar Lights in pure shock. "Wait, that's the issue?!"
From the way Sugar Lights spoke, it sounded as if she really could build a giant robot if she just had enough staff.
Hishi Miracle glanced around the room. Beyond Sugar Lights and her ahead-of-the-curve tech, every Uma Musume here was extraordinary in her own right.
Agnes Tachyon, currently performing the final calibrations, usually focused on chemicals and physical enhancement, but that didn't mean she lacked other scientific talents.
Without her help, the immersion device would never have been finished so quickly.
Not to mention, Tachyon had specially formulated various tonics for Hishi Miracle and Liberty Island. These concoctions boosted their growth and recovery speeds significantly without sacrificing their future health.
Without those recovery potions, Hishi Miracle was certain she wouldn't have survived these past few days of "hell training."
Then there was Liberty Island, currently touching the immersion pod.
After a month of training together, Hishi Miracle had truly learned what it meant to be a "prodigy."
Whether it was speed or power—or even endurance, Hishi Miracle's supposed specialty—Liberty Island had crushed her in every category without mercy.
And finally, there was Dream Weaver. Hishi Miracle felt no introduction was needed; there wasn't an Uma Musume at Tracen—or in the world, for that matter—who didn't know that name.
Spending every day with these legends made Hishi Miracle feel like she was living in a dream.
Sometimes she felt like the cliché protagonist of a light novel who accidentally stumbles into a mysterious circle—a plain girl who is useless compared to those around her, yet somehow gets scouted by a benefactor and joins a world where she doesn't belong.
But novels have to follow a certain logic where the protagonist eventually finds their spark.
Reality isn't always so kind. It was entirely possible she would spend her whole life unable to truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
Hishi Miracle looked down, her expression darkening. She had long ago accepted her own mediocrity and just wanted to live a quiet, easy life, yet a rare spark of frustration now flickered in her heart.
Just then, Agnes Tachyon's head popped out from behind the device, her oversized sleeves waving conspicuously.
"Alright! Final checks are complete. Who wants to be the first to give it a whirl?"
"Me! I want to try!"
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, the girl who had never held high expectations for herself actually stepped forward.
Perhaps it was just a momentary impulse born of that lingering frustration—maybe once the feeling faded, she'd go back to her usual, lazy self.
But in this moment, Hishi Miracle's desire to move forward was real.
At least for this split second, she refused to be left behind.
--+--
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.