The next day, at the appointed time, Manhattan Cafe arrived at the training field and spotted from a distance a girl waving at her, a grass-shaped hair clip pinned in her hair.
She recalled the name her 'friend' had called her…
"Green Grass-senpai."
Approaching the girl, Manhattan Cafe gave a somewhat reserved nod in greeting.
Although her 'friend' had described their appearances, seeing them in person still made it difficult for Cafe to recognize them immediately.
Was training together with three people a bit too much?
But it was too late for regrets now.
Last night, she had spent a wonderfully delightful evening with her friend. After reading that book from cover to cover, Cafe found herself savoring its dreamlike, kaleidoscopic storyline.
Sharing all her feelings with her 'friend' and receiving her approval made every single moment feel incredibly joyful.
So much so that she had completely forgotten about today's important training.
"Cafe, did you sleep well last night?"
Green Grass, who had faint dark circles under her eyes, greeted her.
She hugged herself tightly, wearing an expression of utter bliss.
"As for me, just thinking about being able to train with my junior today got me so excited I couldn't sleep at all."
"Eh…"
Was that so?
As someone meeting Green Grass for the first time, Cafe found herself completely unprepared for such a remark.
Hadn't she just met her 'friend' yesterday? Why did the two of them act like long-lost sisters—and incredibly close ones at that?
"That won't do, Green Grass. If we're going to train with our cute junior, we have to be in our best spirits."
A handsome, sharp-looking girl with chic brown short hair and a training outfit offered a gentle smile.
"But it's true, just as Green Grass said—if you don't sleep well, your condition the next day will suffer. Especially for girls your age, staying up late is really bad for your skin."
"Both appearance and health are equally important for a lovely girl."
Such flattering words made Manhattan Cafe rather uncomfortable.
It was settled—this type was the kind she got along with least!
Forcing a stiff smile, Cafe subtly averted her gaze.
She didn't want to be rude in front of her seniors, but she had no idea how to handle personalities like theirs.
Maybe the trainer thought they were fully qualified to take on the responsibility of joint training, but when it came to unavoidable interactions outside of training… how was she supposed to deal with that?
"Cafe."
A girl with gold and red ear accessories and medium-length dark brown hair stretched her joints and spoke to her.
"Whether it's joint training or an actual race, don't expect us to go easy on you just because you're a junior. That would be irresponsible to you and to the trainer who asked us to help. So during training, you must take it seriously too."
"Y-Yes!" Manhattan Cafe replied.
It seemed Tosho Boy was much more serious and strict than the other two seniors.
"I'll also do my best to improve during training…"
Manhattan Cafe clenched her fist, quietly steeling her resolve.
Lately, she had been spending more time with her 'friend,' but Cafe had never neglected her training. To get even closer to her 'friend,' every night she mustered all her strength, inching bit by bit toward that dark silhouette.
"Good. Remember—on the track, there are no family, no friends, no siblings. All that stands before you is the finish line you must reach and the rivals you must face!"
Tosho Boy declared sternly.
An almost tangible fighting spirit radiated from her, and an intense pressure prickled at Manhattan Cafe's nerves.
So this was what it meant to be a senior who had won graded races.
Their aura… was truly extraordinary.
"Feels so familiar, like we're back on the track in those days."
Ten Point walked closer, a nostalgic look in her eyes.
"Even though so much time has passed, it feels like it was just yesterday," Green Grass also sighed.
"Our era may be over, but don't look down on us just because we're retired Uma Musume, Cafe."
The three of them reminded her together, shedding their earlier casual attitudes and putting on serious expressions.
Even Green Grass-senpai clenched her small fists, looking determined and confident.
"I would never… look down on any of you seniors…"
Manhattan Cafe nodded.
As their trainer called out to them from not far away, they hurried over to listen to the rules.
On the other side of the field, a girl in Tracen Academy's uniform, her black hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a hat and sunglasses and holding a pair of binoculars, sat on the grass, watching the situation from afar.
"With this level of disguise, even Agnes Tachyon wouldn't recognize me, right?"
Sunday Serenity sought confirmation from Sunday Silence.
"Don't worry, it's thorough enough. Honestly, even without the hat, just the sunglasses and ponytail completely change your look."
"That's good…"
She hadn't expected the clothes she bought yesterday to come in handy so soon.
After changing in Cafe's room, Sunday Serenity had also come to the track.
She wanted to learn what was special about their running methods.
To win a graded race, aside from physical fitness, they must have mastery over reading the race, adjusting stride on slopes, and—most importantly—
"Focus."
Sunday Silence said.
"Those who win graded races undoubtedly know how to harness focus. Whether it's a gesture, a marker, or even an unconscious habit while running."
"Any man-made condition that helps you concentrate is valid."
Extreme focus allows one to enter a selfless state, and at that point, the abilities hidden within the body burst forth without reservation.
The Zone.
That's what people called it.
An Uma Musume who enters a highly focused state unlocks her Zone. Her muscle strength, blood flow—everything approaches the body's limits, unleashing her full potential.
Sunday Serenity had never entered the Zone, but Sunday Silence told her:
The moment you step onto the track, it's as if you become running itself. Your body feels distant; every movement, every thought flows naturally, like clouds and water.
In other words, Sunday Silence was always in a highly focused state, always in the Zone.
The world in her eyes was entirely different from Sunday Serenity's; her running realm was on a completely different level.
In the mysterious space, Sunday Serenity had also tried hyper-focusing.
She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate so hard that even her sense of hearing began to fade as her focus intensified.
But then it seemed someone poked her cheek, bothering her repeatedly until the attempt failed.
Clearly, Sunday Silence wouldn't do such a thing, so there was only one explanation—she still couldn't achieve that level of concentration.
She kept imagining some presence around her, harassing her.
But when she opened her eyes, Sunday Serenity saw nothing.
It really must have been her own distracted mind.
"But that's not all," Sunday Silence spoke again.
"Aside from the body, there's another part—the longer the distance, the more intensely it's consumed."
A soft hand touched Sunday Serenity's forehead, a finger gently pressing between her eyebrows.
In long-distance races, the brain is the part that suffers the most severe consumption.
So severe it can make someone faint.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.