To say that Japan was imploding would be an understatement.
In the span of two days, Team Kitahara had delivered a scenario that seemed too beautiful to be true. A victory in both the [Japanese Derby] and the [Japanese Oaks]; a feat that would've easily placed Kitahara and his trainees in the history books.
But that wasn't the only thing.
It was the way their victories had been achieved.
Oguri Cap had shown them the true excitement of a Great Chase, showing that she could explode from the last place all the way to the lead. Her power was undeniable, and her speed terrifying. Later on, the news also picked up how the Tokyo Racecourse staff had been terrified by the deep gorges Oguri's steps had left behind, further showing the sheer strength behind her legs.
And just two days later, Blossom Star delivered an amazing performance of her own. She'd blown forward with her usual Great Escape, but during the final moments of the race, she'd surged forward with such speeds that many thought they'd been hallucinating. A showing that fully highlighted her seemingly unending stamina, allowing her to surge forward during the final straight in a 2400m race.
Of course, there was even more.
While Oguri Cap and Blossom Star's victories had been incredible, it'd also highlighted a few other umamusume who'd ran alongside them.
Dicta Striker with her unstoppable forward momentum, allowing her to hold the lead for most of the [Japanese Derby]. Yaeno Muteki with her stalwart persistence, allowing her to take the lead from Dicta during the final straight before Oguri overtook her. Sakura Chiyono O and her baffling stamina she'd displayed fully by mimicking Star's Great Escape.
And that wasn't even getting into Belno Light and Mejiro Ardan, who'd had their confrontation just a couple weeks back. Two technical runners, their tactics pitted against one another in the [Aoba Sho]!
Before they knew it, a number of incredible umamusume had stepped onto the scene. The drought that Japan had experienced a few years back seemed almost like a dream compared to now. A true miracle that resparked the previously stale racing-scene.
And so, this generation of umamusume received a new name…!
"The Generation of Miracles." I read out, before I scoffed. "Ugh, that's so chuuni. Couldn't they have come up with something better?" It certainly didn't help that the name reminded me of a certain basketball anime I'd watched in my previous life.
"Really? I don't think it's that bad." Belno commented, peering over my shoulder to read the newspaper I was holding.
I shook my head. "Well, at least one of us likes it." I said as I ate another apple slice.
A day had gone by since the [Japanese Oaks], and I was spending my time relaxing in the clubroom. It was early afternoon right now, and since I was still on my mandatory rest, all I could do was chill on the couch like I usually did.
Kitahara was also in the clubroom, but he was sitting by his desk, his face as pale as death as he mechanically went through a massive stack of papers. Summer was approaching, and since he didn't want any interruptions to appear during our summer break, all he could do was hunker down and get to work.
Oguri Cap was…somewhere. I didn't actually know where she was; last I heard, she and Musaka were heading to Shibuya for some reason. Musaka was fairly tight-lipped about it all, so I didn't bother asking further.
"By the way, Belno."
"...? What is it, Star-san?"
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Are you taller?"
Belno blinked. "Am I?"
I hummed. I was fairly sure she was. I hadn't really noticed it before, since I was completely focused on the [Japanese Oaks]. But now that it was over, I couldn't help but realize that something about Belno was a little different than what I remembered.
It wasn't as if she'd shot up like a bamboo shoot or something. Instead, it almost seemed as if she'd grown a little. Some of her baby fat on her face had slimmed slightly, making her seem more mature than before. Her hair also seemed a little longer, though it wasn't anything too major.
"It's the Second Blooming." Kitahara then said, his voice as listless perfectly matching his pale expression. "Concentrated training fosters advanced growth, which probably caused the changes you noticed." He stopped writing for a moment as he turned towards us. "Though it's a little weird that it only happened now."
I blinked as I cupped my chin. Second Blooming, huh? So I guess the sudden growth Kitasan Black went through was actually real. As for why it only started recently,
I couldn't be too sure, but I assumed it had something to do with Belno awakening her Unique Skill during the [Aoba Sho]. It was at that moment that Belno truly absorbed the Three Goddesses' blessing. I wouldn't be surprised by this mythical energy caused this secondary growth.
…wait.
"Are you saying I also experienced this?"
Kitahara raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? Did you not notice?"
"Huh? Wha?" I quickly looked down at myself. I didn't notice anything different. My chestnut hair was just the same as before, and it wasn't as if my body had changed in any significant way. "Did I really?"
"Star-san, you're taller than Oguri now." Belno said, looking somewhat concerned. "How did you not notice?"
…
Oh my goddess, she was right.
I dropped the newspaper in shock, and I stared emptily at my hands. I…didn't notice at all. Now that I think about it, when Oguri and I first met, she'd been slightly taller than me. Yet now, whenever I patted her head, I didn't need to reach up at all.
When did this happen? I still remembered being shorter than Oguri all throughout our time in Kasamatsu. Did I start growing taller the moment we got into Tracen Central Academy?
What the hell? Was this place just an incubation center or something?
"H-How about Oguri?" I asked, barely managing to not sound like I was on the verge of a panic attack. "Did she have her Second Blooming as well?"
Kitahara blinked, before he hummed. "I'm…not sure, actually." He narrowed his eyes as he hummed. "Roppei-san thinks she had an early Second Blooming, way back before our team formed." He frowned slightly. "Said that since she ran so much, she experienced her growth way earlier than others."
"...huh."
That's interesting. I suppose I didn't need to worry about Oguri suddenly growing taller than me or something.
"Also, you done with your homework, Kitahara?"
He let out a manic laugh as he gestured at the massive stack of papers on the desk. "As if! I swear more just keeps spawning when I'm not looking." He sighed as he slouched. "Aah, I just want to be done…"
"You can do it, Kitahara~" I said with a cheeky grin.
He returned an unamused glare. "Why don't you try doing some of it, huh?"
I snorted. "This is this, and that is that."
"Oi."
Belno giggled. "I can help out a little, Kitahara-san."
I sighed as I shook my head. "Aiya~, you're too kind, Belno." I playfully glared at Kitahara. "You can't just help him every time, you know? Can't let our Demon King turn into a bum."
Kitahara winced. "Come on now, stop calling me that already…" I just grinned. And he eventually returned a small laugh as he stood up. "Alright, I've had enough of this!" He grinned as he tipped his cap down. "That's enough homework for now. I need to eat something!"
I shrugged as I stood up. "Some lunch sounds good." I turned back to Belno. "Wanna join?"
Belno smiled. "Of course!"
And so with the three of us in agreement, we left the clubroom and headed for the cafeteria.
…
Meanwhile, in the heart of Shibuya,
"Am I…doing this right?" Oguri Cap muttered, frowning slightly as she tried her hardest not to tear through the godzilla costume she'd put on. This was the third costume she'd worn today, and she was working extra hard to keep her movements to a minimum.
Musaka just waved his hand. "Y'er doing fine. They prepared a slightly stronger suit this time."
"Ooh."
She still wasn't entirely sure why she was here, nor why she was dressed like this. Musaka told her it had something to do with a commercial, apparently? Though she wasn't sure why they wanted to dress her as godzilla.
She liked it though. Dressing as a monster made her feel powerful!
Seeing Oguri's satisfied expression, Musaka hummed. He could tell that Oguri still wasn't quite sure why she was here, and it was better that way. She didn't need to know the ins and outs of this whole endeavour. Better to leave all this boring junk to someone like him.
It started fairly simple; Oguri Cap was the Beast of Kasamatsu, and so it was inevitable that a few upstarts would begin asking for her to act in commercials. The only problem was that Oguri was entirely incapable of acting, which was why he'd always rejected their offers no matter the price they were willing to pay.
Until now, that was. Because someone finally got it through their damn skulls and asked for Oguri to star in a food commercial. And to make it better, they even got the idea to dress her up as godzilla.
The publicity aside, their employers had paid him quite a good sum of money. Enough to pay for the upcoming summer.
He scoffed softly.
That damn fool better be grateful that he was going out of his way for this. Or else he'd throw him into a dumpster.