"That's right! Evil Trainer! No matter what you've done to Opera O, or what strange concoction you've had her drink, we will bring you to justice now, desu!"
On the other side, Taiki Shuttle, an Uma Musume with yellow hair dressed in a training uniform, also spoke menacingly to Wada, pulling out a revolver she carried and pointing it at Wada, her face beaming with a threatening, transactional expression, saying:
"Heh heh, if you confess honestly now, I might still forgive you. But if you remain so stubborn, then I'll have no choice but to let you experience the power of American Iai!"
"Where did you get that revolver?! It's dangerous, put it away!"
It was the first time Wada had ever been threatened with a gun, and he immediately felt the pressure mount. He didn't know the Uma Musume in front of him was Taiki Shuttle. But even if he did, this mysterious revolver was enough to make him nervous—this could really kill someone!
Do you even have a gun permit to carry a gun in Japan?! This is Japan, not America! The US forces in Japan aren't in Tokyo!
"Heh heh, although I also think it might be a bit reckless, for Opera O, I won't fall behind!" Another Uma Musume girl wearing a mask, named El Condor Pasa, spoke to Wada in the exact same accent as Taiki Shuttle, proving her identity as an Uma Musume with American blood:
"Now, confess and be leniently treated; resist and be severely punished. Mr. Wada, quickly hand over the antidote! That way, Opera O can return to normal! Otherwise, we'll have no choice but to send you to Tracen's basement for interrogation, desu!"
"What kind of dangerous organization is Tracen Academy?! Why does it have a basement?! How many things haven't been disclosed to us in advance?!"
However, under the coercion of the two Uma Musume and one strong woman, Wada, Imanami, and Ikezoe all felt immense pressure. Tojo Hana looked like just a woman, but her grip strength was truly astonishing; she had a lot of hidden power.
Perhaps it was due to some martial arts she had learned previously? The three weren't sure, but so far, the combat power of the two sides was completely disproportionate. Facing the two Uma Musume who were closing in, they didn't know what to do for a moment.
Fortunately, at this moment, their Uma Musume finally arrived in time.
"Trainer (Old Man)?!" X4
The commotion here immediately attracted the attention of the three men's Uma Musume. The four in charge Uma Musume almost simultaneously abandoned their training and rushed towards their Trainer, like a howling gust of wind!
"Bang!"
"Ouch!" Tojo Hana also winced in pain, feeling a strong gust of wind hit her, and her arm was struck with a heavy force. She instinctively released Wada's collar and retreated.
Behind Tojo Hana, El Condor Pasa and Taiki Shuttle immediately supported their Trainer. The three looked and saw Meisho Doto, whose physique was no less than El Condor Pasa and Taiki Shuttle, spreading her arms like a protective hen, her face flushed with a mix of what seemed like embarrassment or anger, stammering:
"Don't, don't bully Trainer!"
Doto showed an unprecedented hint of anger, her horse ears on her head directly flattened back, symbolizing Doto's truly fluctuating emotions at this moment. She stared intently at Taiki Shuttle and El Condor Pasa, yet she showed no sign of fear.
"Um… Doto? Ugh?!"
However, Taiki Shuttle, who had a good relationship with Doto among the three, tried to step forward to communicate, but as soon as she approached, Doto glared at her, scaring her into hiding behind Tojo Hana.
"An angry Doto-san… I've never seen her like this… but she really feels so scary…" "Hey! What are you guys doing to our Trainer?!" Gold Ship and Mejiro McQueen also immediately protected Imanami, with Gold Ship being the first to step forward and shout:
"Do you want to fight? Gold Ship-sama isn't afraid of you! You little foals, I'll kick you all out of the track!"
"Hehe, you can't bully Karen-chan's Trainer, or Karen-chan will get angry too."
However, Curren Chan, who was protecting Ikezoe on the side, still had a smiling expression on her face, but everyone noticed her slightly flattened ears. Curren Chan raised her phone, seemingly recording live, and said:
"So, it's best for everyone to get along harmoniously, otherwise Karen-chan might accidentally post the video on the platform, and then, everyone might encounter a little trouble~"
"Oh, by the way, Karen-chan's follower count on the platform is now close to 4 million, so you'd better think carefully~"
"…"
This little girl was the scariest. For a moment, everyone felt a different kind of fear towards the smiling Curren Chan, and they all calmed down. They couldn't take such a risk.
"Well, um, Trainer, perhaps it's better to ask for clarification first, instead of being so hasty, okay?"
"Yes, yes. Trainer is too impatient. It's always best to clarify everything."
Tojo Hana: "…"
"You were even more anxious than me back then, and now you're putting all the blame on me?" Tojo Hana looked at the two Uma Musume beside her who had actively responded to her call and come along, now looking so timid, and suddenly had an urge to give them extra training.
"Phew…" But Tojo Hana also truly calmed down. She then looked back at Wada and asked, word by word:
"Wada, Opera O's recent emotional changes, are they because of you?"
"To be honest… I don't know." Wada also patted Doto's shoulder, allowing the girl to relax her guard a bit. Then, with a subtle smile, he asked, "You mentioned Opera O's changes… what exactly are you referring to?"
"…Recently, I've been having Opera O reinforce her Sashi running style for the Mainichi Hai, to ensure an infallible victory." Tojo Hana, seeing that Wada seemed genuinely unaware, said calmly after a moment of silence:
"But ever since you met Opera O some time ago, her condition has been poor. She's distracted during training, goes to bed late every day, wakes up late, and simply can't be woken up—according to Opera O's roommate, Biwa Hayahide, Opera O has been talking in her sleep during this period, but what exactly she's saying is unknown."
"Most importantly, Opera O is becoming less and less obedient to my commands! I tell her to reinforce her Sashi running style, but a few minutes after I leave, I come back to find Opera O running in the Senko style!"
At this point, Tojo Hana's expression was a mix of anger and frustration. Clearly, she had discussed this issue with Opera O more than once during this period, but if it hadn't been completely fruitless, she wouldn't have taken her anger out on Wada.
"…It sounds like it doesn't have much to do with Trainer Wada, does it?"
Mejiro McQueen also felt a bit strange at this moment and couldn't help but ask, "If Opera O's condition isn't good, shouldn't she go to the hospital? Why come to Trainer Wada?"
"I…" Tojo Hana opened her mouth at this moment but didn't know where to begin.
What could she say? That she could tell Wada and Opera O had an unusual relationship? Who else could affect Opera O's performance besides him? Had Agnes Tachyon's lab drugs leaked out again?
But Tojo Hana couldn't produce any conclusive evidence at this moment. Just as Doto felt that Tojo Hana was unfairly blaming her Trainer and was about to angrily retort, Wada, however, stepped forward and said:
"…Trainer Tojo, although I don't know much about what you're saying."
"But if Opera O is having problems with her condition, I'd be willing to talk to her… I wonder if you could let me see her?"
However, when Wada proactively made this suggestion, Tojo Hana pondered for a moment, and after exchanging glances with El Condor Pasa and Taiki Shuttle beside her, she sighed helplessly and said:
"…Alright, but you're not allowed to say anything unnecessary."
"Understood." Wada nodded silently, but just as he was about to leave, Doto gently grabbed Wada's sleeve and said timidly:
"Trainer… be careful, I'll wait for you to come back."
"Mm, Doto, train well, I should be back very soon." Wada also stroked Doto's head, soothing her emotions, and then, under Doto's anxious gaze, he left with Tojo Hana and the others… And that departure, no one expected it to last until nightfall. All the training had already ended, but Doto still lingered in the track area, waiting for her Trainer to return.
However, it seemed too much time had passed, and the exhausted Doto found a bench to lie down and rest—previously, Imanami and the others had all urged Doto to go back, but Doto insisted on waiting here for Wada to return.
And after an unknown amount of time, finally, Doto, who was resting on the wooden bench, was gently picked up by a figure. The movement was so gentle that it didn't wake Doto; instead, it made her sleep more comfortably.
"This is really troublesome… I didn't expect Opera O to be so difficult to persuade at times."
Wada, who had just returned, also muttered to himself. This trip of his had been quite time-consuming. Opera O, whose mind was in a mess, wanted to avoid Wada as soon as she saw him, and she was very uncooperative with Wada's work. It dragged on until now; only after Opera O fell asleep could Wada return.
And looking at Meisho Doto, who was foolishly waiting for him to return in the same spot, Wada didn't know what to say. Imanami and Ikezoe had already greeted him, otherwise, he would have thought Doto had already gone back to her dorm.
"Sleep well, Doto, our challenge is coming soon."
"Hmph…"
However, as if hearing Wada's voice, a faint smile appeared on Doto's face, and her hand gripped Wada's clothes as she softly spoke in her sleep:
"Trainer… huff huff…"