Kyoto.
Although Minamizaka hadn't planned on joining Barbatos and the others for the meal, as a trainer, he was professionally trained and had a strong work ethic.
Before heading out to grab a bite with Ms. Toujou from Rigil, he intended to first drop Barbatos and the girls off at their destination.
As for how they'd get back to Tracen Academy after dinner, or whether they'd just check into a hotel near Tokyo Racecourse—that wasn't something he, as their trainer, needed to worry about.
Uma Musume who had participated in their debut race were like adults who had finally gotten their ID cards.
They were considered capable of making their own judgments.
On that point, he didn't need to worry about Barbatos and the others. He just needed to confirm whether they were returning to the academy or heading to Tokyo, and where to meet up with them tomorrow.
The van slowly started up.
Toujou Hana sat in the passenger seat.
Since Kyoto Racecourse wasn't far from Tracen Academy, neither she nor Maruzensky had driven their own cars.
So, taking Minamizaka's van was quite convenient.
In the back seats, El Condor Pasa sat next to Grass Wonder, looking a bit gloomy, chin in her hand as she gazed out the window.
"But they're both G2-level races, aren't they…"
She didn't finish her sentence, but Grass Wonder and the others heard and understood what she meant.
After losing the relay marathon to Inari One last time, El Condor Pasa had intensified her training, only to realize that the opponents in her G2 race were nowhere near the level of those Barbatos faced in her G2.
Grass Wonder raised a hand to cover her smile, chuckling softly, "You can't look at it like that."
"Among the opponents B-chan faced back then, there was an Uma Musume willing to stake her entire career just to win a G1."
"Setting her aside, it was essentially no different from the Daily Hai Junior Stakes."
Tacit Accord had once participated in the Takarazuka Kinen and placed 5th—in a sense, there was absolutely no doubt that Understanding Friend was a G1-level Uma Musume.
"After all, we only took part in the Junior Stakes,"
Barbatos, sitting behind El Condor Pasa, leaned forward, propping her hands on the headrest of El Condor Pasa's seat. "The prestige just isn't on the same level as a true G2."
"Just win a few more races, and by next year you'll be facing much stronger opponents."
"Guess you're right."
El Condor Pasa was naturally confident and optimistic; just a few words from her friends quickly lifted her spirits. She'd really just been venting a little.
She clenched her fist, about to declare that she wouldn't lose to anyone from now on, when she heard Barbatos add from behind, "Gotta rack up as many wins as you can now, because once the Oka Sho rolls around next year, you might be on a losing streak."
"?"
"?!!"
The implication behind Barbatos's words was clear: once the Oka Sho came, El Condor Pasa would keep losing.
As for why—El Condor Pasa realized instantly. The Oka Sho was the race where she and Barbatos had agreed to settle things.
Starting already? The trash talk phase!
Uma Musume racing against Barbatos always seemed to have issues at the starting gate. Some were slow out, others crashed into the gates trying a "gate-charge."
While no one knew exactly what Barbatos said inside the starting gate, netizens widely believed it was trash talk.
Barbatos was a master of pinpointing people's insecurities—a trash talk virtuoso!
Thinking of this, a slight smile tugged at El Condor Pasa's lips. Now this felt right.
She summoned the imposing aura worthy of a prodigy, a Phantom Bird, and turned to meet Barbatos's gaze with full intensity.
Maruzensky smiled faintly, almost picturing sparks flying between their locked stares, the air thick with rivalry. How nice it must be to have a worthy opponent.
Unlike her own era, when she couldn't even compete in G1 races, and there wasn't a single rival who could push her to unleash her Zone. That must be the loneliness of being invincible.
She really envied El Condor Pasa and the others, belonging to this generation.
Next should be El Condor Pasa's turn to talk back. With a touch of anticipation, she waited for El Condor Pasa's counterattack.
Then she heard El Condor Pasa confidently shout two words:
"Reverse card!"
"Reverse card!"
"Reverse card denied!"
"Counterplay!"
"Hey, what even is 'Counterplay'?!"
"It means your 'Reverse card denied' has no effect now!"
Ah, this!
Maruzensky's jaw went slack. This scene was nothing like what she'd imagined. Shouldn't this be a clash of auras, a battle of wills, trying to psychologically overwhelm the other and plant the seeds of defeat?
Could it be... times have changed?
Is this how young people are these days?
The van carried Maruzensky's mature bewilderment all the way to the destination King Halo had provided.
They soon arrived, spotting Urara and Special Week waiting at the entrance.
Once Barbatos and the others had all gotten out, Minamizaka and Toujou Hana drove off.
Looking at the scale of this beef bowl restaurant, Barbatos felt it didn't quite match what she'd imagined. It wasn't that the place was too upscale, beyond her wildest dreams.
Rather, this place was... not what you'd call upscale.
It was the ordinary kind, the type affordable for your average office worker or student.
She'd kind of hoped to see what a high-end restaurant looked like.
She could guess why King Halo had brought them to a normal place. If they went somewhere too fancy, this group of Uma Musume, who'd never been, might end up feeling a bit awkward.
Like when the bill came, if she wanted to pay with LINE Pay, maybe they'd only accept black card payments or something.
Even though that was pretty unlikely, the analogy felt fitting.
Just as Barbatos suspected, King Halo had indeed considered this.
Mainly because last time she ate here with McQueen and the others, she'd felt a bit out of place herself. So, if they went to a fancy restaurant, everyone might not be able to relax.
Besides, the beef bowls at this place were pretty good.
Last time she'd eaten so much she barely tasted it properly. This time, a regular bowl would be just right.
As the group gathered and stepped into the beef bowl shop, the TV screen inside was replaying El Condor Pasa's Daily Hai Junior Stakes from earlier. Office workers eating here watched the race while waiting for their orders.
Right, Kyoto Racecourse was close by, but not every office worker had Saturdays off.
"E-El Condor Pasa!"
Someone shouted, making the other customers turn in confusion.
Of course they knew the Uma Musume on TV was El Condor Pasa. No need to get so excited. How unsophisticated.
"El Condor Pasa! Barbatos!"
Barbatos: "..."
A sudden feeling of impending doom washed over her. Her right hand, usually used for signing autographs, twitched.
She remembered last time in Tokyo, after a race, when she was shopping in Marunouchi with Seiun Sky—they got mobbed for half an hour. Just thinking about it made her head hurt.
This time, she hadn't brought a baseball cap, and got recognized immediately. What to do?
Seeing Barbatos, El Condor Pasa, and the others, the customers' faces lit up with excitement. Anyone who watched race replays here was bound to be a fan of Uma Musume.
"El Condor Pasa, I'm your fan!"
"You must have won today's race, right?"
"Barbatos, your last race was amazing! You have to win this one too!"
"Yeah, yeah! Tomorrow's Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes happens during my day off, I can camp by the computer to watch the live stream and cheer you on!"
"Hey, isn't that King Halo? Second favorite for tomorrow's Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes."
"Hey, King Halo! You gotta do your best too!"
The customers greeted them like old friends, until one last figure entered the restaurant. Their breath hitched, as if a wolf had just stepped into a flock of sheep.
The legendary Uma Musume—Maruzensky. A living legend like her actually ate here?
A scene similar to the one in Tokyo's Marunouchi unfolded.
The only difference was, the customers here didn't swarm around Barbatos and the others.
They stayed in their seats, offering their compliments and cheers.
This let Barbatos relax a little, remembering they were in Kyoto now. Kyoto's Uma Musume fans tended to be more reserved, not like the star-struck, autograph-chasing fans elsewhere.
Maruzensky, especially, demonstrated a legendary Uma Musume's skill in handling fans, responding to the few customers who approached her with practiced ease.
Barbatos and the others followed her example, mimicking her style.
Then they chose a spot with several empty seats and sat down. "As expected of Maruzensky-senpai, such a mature way of handling things,"
Barbatos praised sincerely, thinking she might ask Maruzensky for advice later—like how to escape a crowd of fans asking for autographs outside of Kyoto.
Little did she know, beneath Maruzensky's slightly stiff smile, that mature heart felt as if pierced by a sharp blade.
'Boo hoo, your big sister here isn't mature at all, I'm still so young, I'm begging you, please stop calling me mature!'
All she wanted was to join Barbatos and the others for the meal, to better observe the manners of the younger generation and seem less mature herself.
But her innate instincts made her appear impossibly composed and grown-up.
It hurt, it really hurt!
Meanwhile, Special Week beside Maruzensky watched with a faint blush, a feeling of admiration stirring in her heart. This version of Maruzensky-senpai was so cool!
Of course, this was completely different from how she felt about Silence Suzuka.
Only when Maruzensky's gaze shifted her way did Special Week fluster, hurriedly picking up the menu on the table to look busy.
"Large, regular, small..."
Special Week scanned the menu, didn't hesitate, and was about to order a large.
Just then, the restaurant's owner came over and kindly reminded, "There's also a secret menu item: the King Size bowl."
"King Size bowl!"
Special Week's eyes lit up. "Then I'll have the King Size bowl!"
The others weren't surprised; they'd witnessed Special Week's appetite back on the first day of school when they ate together.
But King Halo couldn't sit still. "I-I'll have the King Size bowl too!"
As a king, how could she lose to Special Week when it came to eating?
Hearing this, Special Week immediately gave King Halo a thumbs-up—a sign of recognition from one connoisseur to another.
Barbatos: "..."
Urara, King Halo's roommate, was momentarily stunned.
Grass Wonder, quicker on the uptake, was the first to react and intervene. "You have a race tomorrow! Do you want to end up like Oguri Cap, unable to compete at the last minute?"
The third leg of the relay race during the academy's cultural festival was supposed to be run by the legendary Uma Musume, Oguri Cap.
But the day before the relay, Oguri Cap had challenged Taiki Shuttle and Special Week to an eating contest at the festival.
Even though Oguri Cap ultimately won against Taiki Shuttle and Special Week, she ate so much she couldn't actually run the race.
If King Halo tried to challenge Special Week to an eating contest now, she'd definitely have to miss tomorrow's Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes.
As King Halo's former roommate, Grass Wonder had a pretty good idea of her appetite.
It was just... normal, for an Uma Musume.
King Halo's mouth fell open slightly as she realized it. Sometimes, being too focused on maintaining a 'kingly' demeanor led to situations like this.
"Then, I'll have a medium bowl, please."
"I'll also have a medium bowl."
Barbatos told the shop owner. There was no shame in having a smaller appetite than Special Week.
Winning on the track was what mattered. Of course, Special Week was no pushover on the track either. There's a saying among Uma Musume: 'A well-fed Uma Musume never lacks for spirit.'
The rest of the group, including Maruzensky, all ordered medium bowls of beef bowl as well.
Aside from outliers like Special Week and Oguri Cap, ordinary Uma Musume still needed to control their diet to avoid weight gain, which would ultimately slow them down.
"Then I'll order the King's Large Bowl on behalf of Halo-chan!" Urara declared with overflowing energy, turning to Special Week. "Let's settle this, Spe-chan!"
Special Week's competitive spirit ignited instantly. "When it comes to eating, I'm pretty confident."
So far, she'd only ever lost to Oguri Cap.
But next time, she wouldn't lose to Oguri Cap again. She already had her sights set on the year-end 'Stomach Memorial'.
Having found her match in Oguri Cap, they'd already exchanged LINE info, planning to face off again at the 'Stomach Kinen'. Next year's Derby Eating Contest was something to look forward to as well!
"We will be victorious! Let Spe-chan witness the running form of the King's roommate!"
King Halo issued another royal proclamation.
The atmosphere around them instantly heated up. When the King's Large Bowls were brought out, El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder immediately started playing the roles of commentators and judges.
This drew sidelong glances from many of the other customers. Could eating beef bowl really be this exciting?
Ten minutes later...
Urara, though still full of spirit, now also had a stomach full to bursting. The King's Large Bowl on the table still had a little left. "Ughh... I can't…"
King Halo looked on worriedly, handing Urara some hot soup and patting her back to help her settle her stomach.
In contrast, Special Week, having finished her King's Large Bowl, looked completely unfazed.
"Owner, another bowl, please!"
Grass Wonder, playing the commentator, announced, "The winner of this Grand Prix King's Large Bowl showdown is Special Week!"
Maruzensky watched it all, thinking that this gathering was a bit different from what she had imagined.
'Next time I go out to eat with Rudolf and Tazuna, maybe we could do something like this? It might make me seem younger.'
'Yes, challenging Rudolf to see who can eat more, faster.'
'Given our understanding of 'The Zone', we could probably even apply its principles to eating.'
'The Zone' was essentially an Uma Musume entering a state of hyper-focus, something that existed in other fields and even among human athletes.
It was like when someone solving a math problem forgets their surroundings and the passage of time, throwing themselves into it completely.
That was also a form of 'Zone', just that the Uma Musume's version was more special.
After witnessing the contest between Urara and King Halo, Barbatos and the others finally started eating their medium beef bowls.
All they could say was, it was no wonder this place left an impression on a young lady like King Halo. Even though the beef bowl was a bit cold by now, its outstanding flavor was still undeniable.
After everyone finished their meal, El Condor Pasa stood up and proposed enthusiastically, "B-chan, how about we have a contest too!"
Even though they'd already agreed to settle things at the Oka Sho next March, there was still a fair bit of time until then.
Right now, she was feeling a bit impatient and itchy for a challenge.
Grass Wonder smiled and gently pulled on El Condor Pasa's sleeve, reminding her, "B-chan has a race tomorrow, you know."
"Yeah, I know. And our real match is meant for the Oka Sho," El Condor Pasa said matter-of-factly. "But before that, we could compete in something else!"
"Something else?"
Hearing this, Barbatos glanced at the completely stuffed Urara, and at Special Week who had just polished off three King's Large Bowls.
She was sure El Condor Pasa didn't mean an eating contest. If they did that, it would definitely affect her race tomorrow.
"B-chan, let's have a wrestling match!"
Because she felt her own race today hadn't been fully satisfying, El Condor Pasa had originally wanted to invite Urara for some wrestling practice, but Urara was clearly in no state for that now.
So she decided to ask Barbatos instead.
Grass Wonder's eyes narrowed slightly as she thought to herself, 'Isn't that even less suitable than running?'
First King Halo wants an eating contest before a race, now El Condor Pasa wants to wrestle with Barbatos the day before her race. It all felt a bit strange.
Barbatos blinked, feeling the weight of this 'challenge from a fellow warrior'.
According to her original plan, she wasn't going to wrestle El Condor Pasa before she purchased the 'Sett' ability.
As for whether wrestling the day before a race was a good idea... she didn't really mind.
Even if she made a mistake and got hurt while wrestling, she could just use [Heal] to fix herself up. As long as she didn't overeat, it wouldn't affect the next day's race.
After all, [Heal] couldn't help digest an overfull stomach.
And if El Condor Pasa was inviting her, she probably had the skill to ensure nothing serious happened.
"Alright. But let's not make it a full competition. We'll stop when we've made our point."
"I'd like to get a feel for wrestling too."
Barbatos agreed directly. This was a good opportunity to test out her equipment.
The equipment bought from the shop, like [Dead Man's Plate] or [Youmuu's Ghostblade], primarily served to increase her running speed, helping her win more races and become Japan's top Uma Musume.
But these items didn't just increase movement speed.
They also increased armor, health, attack damage, lethality... a whole series of stats.
Armor and health were easy enough to understand. But what did attack damage and lethality correspond to in reality?
To test that, she needed someone to provide feedback. Wrestling with El Condor Pasa seemed like a good choice.
--+--
The next day.
Tokyo Racecourse.
El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder, and Maruzensky sat in Rigil's exclusive spectator seats. After the group meal, they had all headed to Tokyo together.
They arrived just in time to watch Barbatos's race.
Even though the Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes had been upgraded to a G2 race, the entrants remained the same. Logically, the competition level here should definitely be lower than yesterday's Daily Hai Junior Stakes.
In other words, there wasn't much need to watch it.
But this race featured King Halo. The contest between King Halo and Barbatos was an interesting point of view.
It promised to be a fierce competition.
Down on the track, the Uma Musume were entering the starting gates one by one.
When El Condor Pasa spotted Barbatos, she felt a slight, dull ache in her left arm, where a faint bruise remained.
A souvenir from their wrestling match in the hotel room yesterday.
During their match, she'd been careful not to hurt Barbatos, but she discovered that Barbatos was surprisingly resilient, and the grip strength she used when grappling was painfully strong.
In terms of pure wrestling technique, Barbatos was definitely a beginner, but other aspects of her felt incredibly powerful.
El Condor Pasa felt she'd gained another rival in the world of wrestling.
"Who should we cheer for?" Grass Wonder asked.
They were both classmates they got along with well. Cheering for either one felt a little unfair.
El Condor Pasa thought for two seconds, then said seriously, "Let's just cheer for both."
Cheering for both of them, leaving the victory to their own abilities – that seemed perfectly fair.
Meanwhile, Seiun Sky and Urara hadn't gone to Rigil's exclusive seats.
This time, they had other members of Team Canopus with them. Bringing everyone to Rigil's seats would be like a dove occupying a magpie's nest. But sooner or later, their Team Canopus would have its own exclusive spectator seats!
--+--
On the track.
The lights above the starting gates flashed, and the gates sprang open.
As she started, Barbatos saw King Halo burst forth immediately, taking the lead and securing the front-running position.
'Is she planning to build a lead to counter my late speed?'
'Not a chance!'
Barbatos gave King Halo the respect she deserved. She abandoned her usual deep-closer strategy and positioned herself in the middle of the pack.
She wouldn't let King Halo build an insurmountable lead. The passives from [Dead Man's Plate] and [Youmuu's Ghostblade] stacked up, forming red, streamer-like trails behind her. Barbatos's steps became noticeably lighter and quicker.
Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps closed in from beside her.
Thump!
The red streamers vanished instantly. The out-of-combat movement speed bonus was gone.
Barbatos staggered sideways from the contact.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.