"Hey Brian, heading out for training this late?"
Her roommate with wine-red bangs covering one eye called out to Narita Brian.
"Just going for a walk."
"Hmph, so you've finally sensed Mercury's call from Mount Olympus too?" She chuckled, adjusting the eyepatch over her right eye before stretching a hand forward. "Well then, give it your all, Brian. Strive to become the ideal version of yourself."
Nodding silently, Narita Brian left the room.
Ever since her leg injury had taken a strange turn, she rarely went out for runs at night. It wasn't because she wanted to rest or had grown lazy—she knew the training field at night belonged to someone else.
During the day, she moved through the academy unnoticed, but once night fell, the entire pitch-black world became her domain.
Narita Brian didn't want to appear in her arena in this state.
In her prime—yes, that's how she'd like to think of it—she wanted to meet her on the battlefield at her very best.
And she expected her opponent to face her with equal intensity.
That was the only way two inherently wild souls like them could confront each other.
After a brief greeting with Fuji Kiseki, Narita Brian left the dorm.
The night training ground was empty. Even those who trained on their own at night usually returned before the dormitory curfew.
By deliberately choosing this time, Brian ensured no one would be around.
But that was exactly what she wanted.
The fewer people there were, the more likely she was to appear.
As if defying the natural order, she often did things ordinary people found incomprehensible.
Like participating in races.
While most competitors sought the glory of victory, she callously cast that honor aside and resolutely walked away from the track.
To anyone, it was baffling.
She destroyed the meaning of the race, snatched away the winner's throne that everyone cherished, and showed them that what they valued was worthless.
Arrogance and hubris—two utterly undesirable traits—were embodied in her to the fullest.
And because of this, she was despised. The spectators wished she would vanish, be permanently erased from the world of Uma Musume, never to set foot on a track again.
The central authorities loathed her to the core, desperately searching for any trace of her.
Whether people had seen her or not, almost everyone had heard of her disgraceful behavior.
It was as if her very existence was a mistake.
But… was that really true?
Narita Brian clenched her fist.
She saw it—she felt it.
Her opponent didn't step onto the track seeking victory.
She entered that world to pursue someone.
Just like me…
Suddenly, the surrounding sounds faded, and a figure dashed past Narita Brian's eyes.
'Sis—wait for me!'
From the time she was a clueless child, she had strained to chase after that figure.
'Sis, can't you keep up anymore?'
Until now.
The one who had always led the way was now panting behind her.
Yet even so, that person continued to gaze fixedly into the far distance.
Narita Brian understood—she knew all too well.
In that black Uma Musume's eyes, she saw the reflection of a figure running far ahead.
That was why she struggled and chased so desperately.
To her, the finish line no longer mattered. Victory or defeat had lost all meaning.
She only wanted to run alongside that person, to revel in… the sheer joy of racing.
You and I are the same, aren't we?
Whirling around, Brian found the black figure already standing behind her in the center of the empty training ground.
Golden eyes shone like stars, and a wild, untamed smile graced her snow-white face.
It was a far cry from the girl she saw during the day. At night, this black-clad maiden radiated a heart-pounding intensity.
There was no point asking how she had appeared—whether through some supernatural ability or the terrifying skill she displayed on the track, vanishing into the crowd. She had ways of reaching Narita Brian without a sound.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
The black-clad girl spoke as if she had known all along that Narita Brian would be waiting for her.
And she was right.
The lingering look Brian had given before leaving was meant to convey what she couldn't say earlier, when Green Grass stopped her.
Her declaration of war.
Gazing at the girl radiating such fearsome energy, Narita Brian couldn't help but nod.
"As I thought, this version of you suits you far better than Green Grass ever could."
No need to hold back—unleash your desires, let emotion command your body, and strip away all complexity until only instinct remains.
Yes, just like this.
Your untamed, defiant nature captivates me.
"Green Grass… seems you hold quite a grudge against her."
"She doesn't suit you," Narita Brian stated bluntly, folding her arms.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
Sunday Silence had said something similar—that overly refined techniques could hinder the body's natural performance. Narita Brian's unrestrained, fully unleashed running style was far more suited to who she was now.
"Perhaps you're right. Green Grass-senpai may not be the right fit for me, but her unwavering dedication is something I deeply respect."
Unaffected by others' opinions, unbound by her own limitations, Green Grass had climbed step by step, learning from each experience to reach where she was today.
That relentless pursuit of her goal was something the girl truly admired.
She saw it clearly—the will shining like gold within Green Grass.
And will is supreme.
Narita Brian shook her head, refuting the girl's words.
"What does it matter if she's worthy of respect? She doesn't suit you—not in body, not in spirit. That won't change just because of some noble intention."
Brian stepped closer, her feet quietly sinking into the grass. An aura no less intense than the girl's erupted from her.
For the first time in a long while, the two stood face to face—two raging flames colliding, sparks flying brighter than ever.
"Can you feel it?"
Their emotions intertwined, fueling each other.
It was utterly exhilarating.
Narita Brian pressed a hand to her chest and confessed, "I'm a better match for you than Green Grass… no, better than anyone else."
We are both beasts of the same kind.
The girl stayed silent.
"I'll be competing in the [Kikuka Shō] next. Even if I don't say it, you already know." Narita Brian laid out her purpose for being here. "You'll be there too. When that time comes, I want a showdown with no holds barred."
Just like that [Japanese Derby].
Cast everything aside, expend yourself recklessly, and let desire consume you completely.
"Whether you agree or not, I'll be waiting on that track."
With that, Narita Brian turned and walked back toward the dorm.
Her goal had been accomplished.
Now, it was up to the girl to respond.
As Narita Brian's figure vanished into the night, the girl stood still, gazing up at the sky.
...A showdown with no holds barred?
To her, those words felt impossibly distant.
If she cast everything aside, she'd be just an ordinary girl with nothing special about her.
No lineage, no background, no exceptional talent.
The only thing she had over others was that unshakable determination—the willingness to devote her very life to her ideal.
Regardless of right or wrong, good or evil.
She took a step forward, her hooves crunching softly into the soil.
It didn't matter.
To her, "the mask" was part of her truth.
She had no objection to giving Narita Brian the wild duel she wanted.
"Berserker… let's meet again at the [Kikuka Shō]."
With that, the girl quietly vanished from the training ground.
The wind whispered softly through the silence.
"'She doesn't suit you,' 'I'm a better match for you than Green Grass,' 'That won't change just because of some noble intention,' 'Kikuka Shō,' 'I'll be waiting on that track for you'… Whoa."
A voice suddenly broke the stillness of the grassy field.
"No wonder I, the great Gold Ship, was picking up those Astra waves! So this explosive news was what they were trying to convey!"
A gray-haired girl, who had unknowingly fallen asleep on the training field and woken to find night had fallen, jerked her head up.
From the fragments of conversation she'd overheard, her genius brain quickly pieced together the context of the exchange between the two on the field.
"Green Grass and Narita Brian are both pursuing Manhattan Cafe, and Narita Brian wants to use the [Kikuka Shō] championship as a mating ritual! Haha! Is this the legendary Tracen love triangle? Woo-hoo~"
She absolutely had to spread this glorious news to everyone!
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T/N: Bro theres no way this is just causal
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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.