Standing tall on the track, Inari One raised her hand high to declare victory.
Thunderous cheers echoed throughout Oi Racecourse as the crowd roared her name with passionate excitement.
Inari One slowly lowered her hand. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath.
She clenched and opened her hand a few times in front of her chest, and finally, clenched it tightly.
The shimmering gleam of True Self Mode still hadn't faded from her eyes. The overwhelming power that surged within her was still howling in her body.
No race in the past had ever felt as... simple as this one.
Yes—simple.
It was a strange sense of certainty.
Inari One knew clearly—right from the start—that she was going to win!
"All thanks to Trainer..."
A certain figure flashed in her mind—Kuroha.
Even though that guy often smacked her head with his notebook...
"Hehe..."
Inari One scratched her head and giggled.
"Guess I should stop grumbling behind Trainer's back from now on."
She wiped the mix of sweat and rain from her brow, waved at the rivals who had also become classmates, then trotted back into the athlete's tunnel.
Kuroha was already waiting at the entrance.
"Trainer~ I won!"
Waving and running toward him, Inari One bounced over excitedly and—quite naturally—lowered her head.
"You, seriously..."
Kuroha gave a helpless smile as Inari One nearly slammed her soaking-wet head into his chest.
He draped a towel over her head, gently drying her hair, then gave her soft cheeks a light squeeze.
"Alright, go take a shower and get changed. We've still gotta watch your victory live performance."
Wrapped in her towel, Inari One peeked out with a bright grin. "Don't worry, Trainer. I'm really good at dancing!"
"Well then, I'll be looking forward to it."
...
The Winner's Stage exploded with cheers.
Inari One's crisp voice rang out with the music, echoing through the entire venue.
Up on the stage, the petite and adorable girl danced with boundless energy to the beat, her youthful charm captivating everyone.
Down in the audience, Kuroha and Fujimasa March waved glowsticks in sync with Inari One, cheering her on.
The lively, heartwarming performance soon ended—but Kuroha's real joy came afterward, when he stepped out of the host office.
15 million yen!
Even after 20% went to Inari One's account, and taxes were deducted, there was still nearly ten million yen left!
"Once March's Haneda Cup wraps up at the end of the month, I probably won't have to stress over money again."
"Tracen Academy's about to go on break. For summer training camp, if I don't go with the school's plan and arrange it myself, I'll need a car."
"I also need to prepare equipment and athletic gear for the camp. If we've got the funds, the training location should be somewhere really nice, too."
"As for lodging..."
Kuroha paused for a moment, slipped his phone into his pocket, and walked toward the two approaching girls—Fujimasa March and Inari One.
Man... those horse girls only need to run. But the trainer behind them? We've got a lot to think about.
...
It had been a while since the Tennōshō (Spring) race.
After experiencing firsthand the effectiveness of Kuroha's training, Inari One had cut down on her slacking quite a bit.
With the support of her True Self Mode, she could complete training plans pretty effectively even without Kuroha watching over her directly.
Now, both horse girls in the team had become self-disciplined.
Which meant—Kuroha could finally breathe a little and focus on reviewing for the Central Trainer License Exam.
At the moment, two adorable little girls were in front of him, doing single-leg hop training.
"Teiō, don't try to jump farther or faster. This training is meant to strengthen lower body coordination and landing control. It's not about speed!"
Kuroha didn't even look up. Just from his peripheral vision, he could gauge how they were doing.
"McQueen, give Teiō a little smack on the butt for me."
"Eh? No, I don't want to... Kyaa!"
Slap!
A crisp sound rang out as Teiō, holding her backside, looked at her friend with a betrayed pout.
Mejiro McQueen just turned away and giggled before calmly continuing her assigned training.
Without having entered True Blooming yet, they couldn't handle anything too intense or complicated.
So just like Kuroha had said earlier, their training remained focused on cultivating fundamental physical abilities.
About an hour or so each day—just enough to cover the time between the end of school and sunset for both Teiō and McQueen.
Kuroha exhaled and closed his notebook full of scrawled formulas and notes.
If the exam this year didn't differ too much from previous years, he had the confidence to pass.
But Kuroha wasn't the type to rely on luck.
Anything unfamiliar? Review it over and over. Drill it until it's second nature.
Past exams, mock exams—he did them all.
Recent news about Uma Musume? Memorize it.
Relevant policies? Memorize those too.
Everything—jammed straight into his skull.
That was the confidence born from surviving the brutal gauntlet of Japan's standardized exam system in not one, but two lifetimes.
Now that today's study session was over, Kuroha turned his gaze back to the two little girls diligently following his training program.
Well, except for the hyperactive Teiō...
Without going through True Blooming and proper training, it was hard to notice the terrifying potential within this little girl.
Teiō was born with incredible flexibility.
That talent not only let her keep the Central Tracen Academy record for seated forward bend stretches—it also gave rise to her explosively powerful "Teiō Step" finishing bursts.
As long as she had the stamina to unleash it, almost no one could catch her in the final leg of a race!
But when one door opens, another closes.
Her flexibility gave her unmatched speed at the end—but also meant she had to endure far greater recoil forces than other Uma Musume.
As mentioned before, most injuries in horse girls come from their own bodies.
Each all-out race placed a massive burden on Teiō's legs.
Add in the fact that her Central Tracen trainer was... well, third-rate...
With no proper post-race recovery plans, it was only natural that Teiō kept suffering fractures, one after another.
Her miraculous comeback as "Tokai Teiō, the Miracle Revival" was pulled off entirely by her own natural talent.
But hey—don't ask why she needed a miracle in the first place.
Now that Kuroha recalled what Obey Your Master had said before... that all the grass tracks in this island nation were "high-speed racecourses."
Thinking back on it now—they really ought to rename them "high-speed horse-killing tracks."
(End of Chapter)
That's why Kuroha knew—Tokai Teiō didn't lack speed.
What she truly lacked was a body that could fully support that talent. One that was tougher, more durable, and able to sustain peak performance for longer.
And of course, meticulous post-race care and support. That too was a decisive factor in success.
So before Tokai Teiō had fully found her stride—before undergoing her True Blooming transformation—Kuroha had always focused her training around improving her body's flexibility and the durability of her legs.
"If only we had more professional equipment…"
Watching the two little girls hop back and forth with full focus, Kuroha couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
In this world of Uma Musume, not even a basic wristband heart rate monitor existed. It honestly stretched the limits of his patience.
Having lived in this world for years, Kuroha had long found its scientific development… baffling.
Five or six years ago, this place still felt stuck in the 1980s. Pagers were cutting-edge tech, and public phone booths were the main mode of communication.
But in just a few short years, technology had exploded at a staggering pace—leaping across generational divides straight into the equivalent of the 2010s from his past life.
Five years of progress that had taken thirty years in his previous world. The speed was dizzying, leaving traditionalists struggling to keep up.
Kuroha had seen it many times—those self-proclaimed trendsetters who'd just learned to send emails on smartphones, proudly acting like they were tech-savvy elites.
Truly, out of touch.
The sheer disconnect often gave him the uncanny sense of living in some kind of surreal fantasy.
Even now, this world's tech hadn't caught up to the peak of his previous life's. The rapid growth had left many systems and optimizations lacking polish.
This forced Kuroha to rely heavily on old-school, precise manual observation when training his girls.
Fortunately, he had a secret weapon: Body and Breath Perception.
With this ability, he could monitor his girls' heart rate, breathing patterns, and other vital stats in real time—a unique power that gave him an edge no machine could replicate.
That was why he insisted Tokai Teiō and Mejiro McQueen never train out of his sight.
If anything ever went wrong, he'd catch it before it became a problem.
...
Before long, Fujimasa March and Inari One had wrapped up their training for the day and were walking back, wiping away sweat.
"Here!"
Kuroha met them halfway and handed over two water bottles, smiling. "Good work."
"Mm~"
March took the bottle, cheeks still flushed from exertion, and leaned against Kuroha, sipping gently.
Inari One, on the other hand, downed two big gulps and then let out a satisfied ahh like she'd just chugged a cold soda.
The three of them leaned against the rail of the training field, watching the two little girls still finishing their training tasks.
Inari One watched Tokai Teiō with interest. "Didn't notice it before, but that little runt who rammed into me the other day might actually have some talent!"
With her current experience and standing, she was developing a sharp eye. And this time, she could clearly tell—Tokai Teiō was the same type of horse girl as herself.
"Well, if Trainer picked her, she's bound to have something special we can't see yet."
Fujimasa March nodded, but her gaze was fixed instead on Mejiro McQueen.
She could sense it—that this well-bred lady had qualities similar to her own. But stronger.
If Kuroha heard what March was thinking, he would've affirmed her instincts.
McQueen and March were both top-class Front Runners, but McQueen had perfectly inherited the Mejiro family's powerful bloodline—her stamina talent was flawless.
March, on the other hand, didn't come from such a prestigious lineage. She had started as just another local horse girl, more suited to short to medium distances. Long distances pushed beyond her natural aptitude.
Of the five horse girls in Kuroha's current—and future—team:
Fujimasa March, Inari One, Obey Your Master, Tokai Teiō, and Mejiro McQueen...
Fujimasa March had the lowest innate talent.
But in stark contrast to that, she had the strongest learning ability, insight, and drive.
In just two months, she had mastered all of Kuroha's current skills, even leveling her personal unique skill up to Level 3, on par with Inari One.
And she had fully stepped into the realm of the Domain.
Especially after receiving Kuroha's "reward," she no longer felt any inferiority toward horse girls more naturally gifted than herself.
...
Kuroha clapped his hands toward the two girls finishing their exercises.
"Alright, you two did great! Come on over!"
The two little girls quickly trotted over to him, breathing lightly but far from exhausted.
After all, the training Kuroha had designed for them was low-intensity but high-frequency. Even when working on their stride cadence, a single set never exceeded 20 meters.
With their natural Uma Musume physiques and top-tier talent, they recovered quickly.
Sometimes, that little girl with a crescent moon atop her head would even shout:
"Trainer, can't we increase the difficulty? I'm not even feeling tired!"
And the usual result?
Mejiro McQueen would earn herself a guilt-free opportunity to smack her hyperactive friend on the butt.
(End of Chapter)
"Trainer, are we really having a dinner party today?"
Tokai Teiō tugged on Kuroha's hand, her tiny body only reaching up to his waist.
Kuroha gently pinched her cheek with a smile.
"Yep. I even added honey into the sauce for my special carrot pan-fried meat today~"
"Yay!" The little girl threw her arms up in celebration.
This dinner had been planned a few days in advance. After all, Teiō and Mejiro McQueen had joined this little family for over ten days now.
Besides their daily one-hour training in the afternoon, building relationships was important too.
The Mejiro family had also sent a car to pick up the two girls afterward.
Strangely enough, the Mejiro family didn't seem to object to Kuroha training McQueen at all. In fact, they had even offered some assistance.
This was rather odd.
The only explanation that made sense was—they didn't take Kuroha seriously.
Most of their attention was probably on McQueen's elder sister: Mejiro Ardan.
Due to health issues, Ardan had delayed her debut until last month—March 27th. Now, she was preparing for the G2 stakes race Mainichi Hai, with her sights set on one of the Classic Triple Crown races: the Japanese Derby!
With all the press coverage and family expectations surrounding Ardan, the younger McQueen—still in elementary division and not yet True Bloomed—had yet to gain any significant attention.
Naturally, they didn't know what Kuroha knew—that the Mejiro family's long-held dream of conquering the Tennōshō would one day be fulfilled by Mejiro McQueen herself.
"?"
The elegant, slightly airheaded purple-haired girl tilted her head, sensing that her trainer had just looked at her.
...
Kuroha and his four horse girls—two older, two younger—returned to the dorm.
He had the girls settle in while he went to prepare dinner.
Most of the ingredients had already been prepped over an hour ago, since he no longer had to personally monitor Fujimasa March and Inari One during training.
That freed up a lot more of his time.
Tokai Teiō, excited as always, climbed onto her chair and noticed a newspaper on the table.
Judging by the date, it was from yesterday.
She picked it up curiously and read the headlines.
[Five Wins in a Row! The Revived Tamamo Cross Aims for the Spring Tennōshō!]
[Kasamatsu's Oguri Cap Transfers to Central and Wins Back-to-Back G3 Stakes—but Can't Compete in the Classic Triple Crown?!]
Photos of Tamamo Cross and Oguri Cap crossing the finish line were printed prominently on the page.
"The Classic Triple Crown...!"
Stars sparkled in Teiō's eyes as she held the newspaper, gazing at the bold letters in admiration.
Beside her, Inari One tilted her head. "Hey, March—this Oguri Cap girl's from your old stomping grounds, right?"
Fujimasa March rested her cheek on her hand and sighed. "Yeah... Oguri's my friend."
"She transferred into Central halfway through the season and missed the registration window for the Classic Triple Crown. I asked Trainer about it—he said there's no way to fix it..."
Mejiro McQueen, ever the refined young lady, nodded. "That's just how Central's system has always worked. They won't make exceptions for a single horse girl."
"Oh~"
Inari One relaxed back, clearly unimpressed. "You Central types sure have a lot of rules."
"Our South Kanto Triple Crown runs during the same season, and March was still able to register even after transferring."
Tokai Teiō laid the newspaper flat on the table, muttering excitedly to herself. "G2... G3... so many races... Hmm! Tokai Teiō-sama is gonna conquer them all!"
"Then I'll finally be able to surpass the President... Hehe... surpass the President..."
The naturally overconfident little girl was already fantasizing about overtaking Symboli Rudolf.
...
Before long, Kuroha's special nutrition-focused dinner was served.
The dishes were colorful, aromatic, and visually irresistible—each plate more tempting than the last. The four girls were practically drooling.
"Go wash your hands! You're all dirty!" Kuroha called from the kitchen while taking off his apron.
Soon after, the five of them sat down at the table.
Following the tradition, Kuroha clapped his hands together with the girls and said, "Itadakimasu!" before digging in.
Teiō eagerly picked up the promised honey-glazed carrot meat, blew on it a few times, then stuffed it into her mouth in one bite.
Juice burst from the tender meat as she squealed in delight, clutching her cheeks. "So good!!"
Kuroha chuckled at her exaggerated reaction and added more pieces into her bowl. "If you like it, eat more."
"Trainer, you're the best!" Her little horse ears perked up straight, twitching adorably.
Watching his four horse girls enjoy dinner with such happy faces, Kuroha couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart.
After all this time in this world… he was finally settling in.
...
Bellies full, the girls sprawled on the sofa with satisfied smiles and round tummies.
Kuroha shook his head and helped Fujimasa March clear the table.
No point calling Inari One over—she'd just make a mess. As for Teiō and McQueen…
They were too short to reach the sink anyway, barely taller than the stove. So he let them rest.
As he washed dishes, Kuroha glanced at the round-bellied March beside him.
Sometimes, he really did wonder—how do horse girls even fit so much food in those tiny stomachs?
"Trainer~"
It wasn't a flirtatious tone—more of a soft, playful one.
Fujimasa March's face was slightly flushed.
"Huh? Oh—sorry!" Kuroha realized he'd been staring at her belly and scratched his head awkwardly.
March giggled softly. After a full meal, her thoughts began to wander. She looked at her handsome, focused trainer—and a bold idea suddenly popped into her mind.
She leaned closer and whispered:
"T-Trainer, do you… maybe want to touch it? I-I mean, if you… kiss me… then I'll... I'll let you…"
Her voice trailed off into a mosquito's whisper, and halfway through, her sanity returned.
Suddenly aware of what she'd just said, her face went crimson as she turned away and covered it with both hands.
"I—What the heck am I even saying?!!"
She completely froze.
What was wrong with her?! Was she possessed?! That was so indecent!
"Trainer won't get mad… right?"
She slowly turned to sneak a peek—only to see Kuroha staring at her in stunned silence.
"T-Trainer, I... just now..." March stammered.
Kuroha looked at her flustered face and chuckled. Drying his hands, he reached over and gently cupped her cheek, stroking it softly.
"It's fine."
Come to think of it, ever since she confessed to him after the Keihin Cup, they'd barely gone on five dates.
Partly because he'd recruited Inari One right after, and between planning the girls' training and prepping for the Central license exam, he'd been swamped.
"March, come here."
He pulled the silver-haired, red-eyed beauty into his arms and gently lowered his head.
"Mm!"
March's eyes widened slightly as her whole body melted into his embrace—but her wagging tail showed just how ecstatic she was inside.
A few moments later, Kuroha pulled away and looked down at her with a wry smile. "You stuck your tongue out…"
"Mmm… I thought… that was the right thing to do!" she mumbled bashfully, but with surprising confidence—for the sake of her future happiness!
"You really are something else…"
Kuroha gently pinched her cheek—but gave her one little condition.
"If you win the Haneda Cup… then it's all yours."
Haneda Cup?!
That name echoed in March's mind like a thunderclap, her eyes blazing with silver fire.
(End of Chapter)
It had been several days since the group dinner, and in that time, both Fujimasa March and Inari One had made solid progress in their training. Today, Kuroha had finally finished preparing the application materials for the Central Trainer License.
After giving some instructions to the two horse girls, Kuroha made his way alone to the Central URA Association.
The URA building in Tokyo stood tall and solemn. The marble floors reflected the faint light streaming in from the windows.
Clutching a neatly compiled stack of documents, Kuroha walked straight to the service window, ready to submit his application for the Central Trainer Exam.
Though technology had advanced rapidly in recent years, the Central Tracen Association still insisted on handling applications with traditional paperwork.
After going through a series of tedious steps, signatures, and stamps, Kuroha finally completed the complicated procedure. He submitted the documents at the window and let out a long breath, resting for a moment in the lobby.
He wore a well-fitted formal uniform, and his youthful face stood out strikingly in the otherwise serious atmosphere.
While he was taking a break, a familiar and somewhat weary voice called out behind him:
"Yo, kid. Here to take care of business?"
Kuroha turned around and saw an older but still spirited face—it was Kitahara Jou.
The trainer of Oguri Cap, his eyes were marked by the passage of time, but they still held a sharp gleam.
Kuroha's heart stirred. He hadn't expected to run into him here. This was only the second time they'd met since that Pegasus Stakes where Oguri Cap had competed.
"Kitahara-senpai, you remember me," Kuroha said with a slight bow and a smile. "I'm here to submit my application for the Central Trainer Exam."
Kitahara Jou raised an eyebrow at that, scanning Kuroha from head to toe. A complicated expression flickered in his eyes.
"Hasn't been long since I last saw you, and now you're already applying to go Central... Time really waits for no one."
He sighed with a tinge of emotion.
Back when he had finally qualified to apply for the Central Trainer Exam, he was already 26. By the time he passed, he was pushing 30.
And now, this kid—who trained Fujimasa March—wasn't even 19 and already eligible. What a genius.
Seeing the fatigue on Kitahara's face, Kuroha grew curious.
"And you, Kitahara-san? What brings you here today?"
The old man's eyes briefly darkened, his gaze drifting toward the tightly shut office door at the end of the hall. He sighed again.
"I'm here for one last attempt," he said hoarsely, leaning on his cane, emanating a quiet steadiness.
"One last attempt?" Kuroha repeated, confused—until a flash of insight struck.
"Is it about Oguri Cap's Classic Series?"
The Satsuki Sho was just around the corner, and yet no news had come out about Oguri Cap's participation in the Classic Triple Crown.
And Kitahara Jou was already semi-retired, with only Oguri Cap left in his team. It wasn't hard to guess.
"Kuroha, you should understand better than most… what the Classic Series means to a horse girl."
Kitahara's gaze drifted into the distance, as if he could see a girl running far, far away.
"It's their one and only chance in life. If there's even the slightest possibility… I can't just stand by and watch her miss it."
His face remained calm, but the white-knuckled grip on his cane betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
But soon, he sighed once more.
"Unfortunately, even if I throw away my pride, the Central Association folks won't listen to a word I say."
Kuroha's heart sank. He knew Oguri Cap's situation well. In racing history, it had always been a story that left people full of regret.
Even when the "Emperor" Symboli Rudolf had stepped in, it hadn't been enough to sway the stubborn old men of the URA Central Association.
In the original manga, Kitahara Jou had always played the part of a calm observer—never interfering in such matters.
But now, it was clear the old man had tried. He had fought, in his own way. And failed.
Kitahara lightly tapped the floor with his cane, adjusting his sunglasses to hide the tired sorrow in his eyes.
He turned to Kuroha with a faint, kind smile. "Since you're already here, how about taking a tour of Central Tracen Academy with me?"
"Who knows? Maybe you'll pass on your first try and end up training here."
Looking at this old man—worn down but still dignified—Kuroha hesitated briefly. Then he nodded.
"All right. I'll take you up on that."
...
With Kitahara leading the way, Kuroha had no trouble entering Central Tracen Academy.
It was class time, and the campus was quiet.
As they passed one of the academic buildings, Kuroha's eyes landed on a familiar figure.
A refined, mature woman with a gentle face walked quickly down the corridor, eyes fixed on the tablet in her hands. She wore a tightly-wrapped skirt and a green hat that concealed much of her head.
Tazuna?
That distinctive outfit immediately rang a bell in Kuroha's mind.
The woman once affectionately nicknamed the "Green Devil" by players in his previous life's game—some lore buffs even speculated she was a "phantom horse girl" from the ancient era—Overwhelming.
Overwhelming: Ten races, ten wins. Seven national records broken. In one 1200-meter race, she left the runner-up trailing behind by an absurd margin. An undefeated double crown winner.
Yet this legendary horse girl had been forced into retirement only two weeks after the Derby due to tetanus and resulting complications. Her career ended before it could ever truly begin.
In the game, during the fourth event of Tazuna's support card, she had a panic attack over delayed medicine for an injured horse girl.
"This academy… not every child here gets to chase their dreams to the end."
"They stake their whole lives on being able to run. If the day comes when they can't feel the wind again…"
"How desperate must that feel?"
She was one of those who could no longer run. Could no longer chase her dreams.
And so she passed those dreams onto the next generation, watching over them as they chased what she no longer could.
With that realization, Kuroha stared a bit longer at her hat and the area behind her, wondering if he might catch a glimpse of horse ears or a tail.
But the hat and skirt were wrapped so tightly, there was no way to tell whether she truly was a horse girl.
(End of Chapter)
Kuroha walked alongside Kitahara Jou through the academy grounds, chatting as they went, exchanging insights on training.
As a veteran trainer, Kitahara had a deep and distinct understanding of Uma Musume. While some of his views felt overly rigid or one-dimensional to Kuroha, there was still much to be gained from the conversation.
In particular, Kitahara's real-world experience leading numerous Uma Musume into graded stakes was a goldmine of practical knowledge—something Kuroha sorely needed.
Kuroha also shared some of the common training oversights he'd observed while researching how trainers operated in Tokyo. Hearing this, Kitahara couldn't help but glance at him repeatedly, eventually chuckling, "I really am getting old."
All the while, Kuroha took careful note of the Central Tracen Academy's layout and its facilities.
As expected, despite both Central and Oi Tracen being in Tokyo, the difference in scale and sophistication was obvious.
The facilities here weren't just greater in number—they were more advanced, more refined. Even the number of tracks was more than double those at Oi.
This was, without question, the premier academy for all Uma Musume.
Eventually, the two arrived at Kitahara Jou's trainer office.
The room wasn't large, but it was lined with trophies, documents, and data all related to Uma Musume. It was simple, neat, and carried an air of discipline.
Kuroha stepped over to the trophy shelf. Aside from the numerous G3 and G2 trophies, he saw several G1s placed on the very top.
"Kitahara-senpai, you had quite the glorious career," Kuroha remarked with admiration.
Kitahara slowly made his way to his seat and sat down. He shook his head lightly.
"All in the past now. Besides…"
His thoughts trailed off to old teammates—horse girls whose dreams were broken after repeated losses, who walked away from racing altogether. His expression dimmed.
"What glory is there in that…"
Noticing the change in his mood, Kuroha didn't press the issue. He responded gently, "You're being too modest, senpai."
Then he sat down opposite him.
Kitahara took out his tea set and began brewing tea.
"How's life at Oi Academy treating you?" he asked casually.
Kuroha thought for a moment, then smiled. "Better than expected."
"Fujimasa March won her first graded stakes, and our team gained another member. Plus..."
He glanced up with a playful tone, "Compared to Kasamatsu, I can finally afford running shoes now."
"Hah! If the trainers hears that, they'd cough blood. Those idiots only saved up a few hundred thousand yen after years of training."
"But... right, a graded stakes win. It was the Keihin Cup, wasn't it?"
Though a bit old-fashioned, Kitahara still kept up with the news—mostly through newspapers.
"Yeah, that's right," Kuroha nodded.
"Impressive..." Kitahara murmured. Whether he meant Fujimasa March or Kuroha himself, it was unclear.
He carefully scooped some tea leaves—his brewing technique leaned more toward the Eastern style than Tokyo's usual formal method.
Soon, he poured out the tea and slid a cup toward Kuroha.
Kuroha took a sip. The taste was average—clearly Kitahara wasn't aiming for perfection here.
Then, Kuroha noticed a stack of papers on the table. One page had a line clearly circled.
"G3 Graded Stakes – Kyoto Daily Broadcasting Special Cup?"
Kitahara didn't try to hide it. He simply passed the materials to Kuroha.
"Since the Classic Triple Crown is no longer an option, we've got to set our sights elsewhere."
"That girl's talent is the strongest I've seen in my life. I refuse to let her go unrecognized."
When talking about Oguri Cap, even Kitahara Jou—an instructor with over 30 years of experience—couldn't help but speak with sincere admiration.
"Even the 'Emperor'—if they were in the same generation—might not be able to keep Oguri Cap down."
Though his tone stayed composed, his eyes sparkled with pride and unwavering belief.
Kuroha said nothing to refute it.
If it were based on stats and running ability alone, Oguri Cap really could rival Symboli Rudolf.
But Kuroha knew something crucial: Before the Classic Series even began, Symboli Rudolf had already entered the first stage of the Domain—True Self Mode.
And during the Japanese Derby, she would ascend further to the second stage—Blazing Heart Mode.
That meant Oguri Cap was at least six months behind in terms of Domain awakening. If she challenged Rudolf now, she'd be crushed without a trace.
The Domain's transformation wasn't something raw stats could overcome.
"I plan to have her challenge the Autumn Tenno Sho," Kitahara finally revealed.
Oh? A direct clash with Tamamo Cross? That's a bold move.
Kuroha raised an eyebrow in his mind.
Still, this wasn't the original story. At this point, Tamamo Cross had yet to win the Spring Tenno Sho or defeat Akiitsu Teio in the Takarazuka Kinen. She wasn't yet titled "Strongest Active Uma Musume."
So Kitahara hadn't yet considered backing Oguri Cap away from her.
"The Autumn Tenno Sho, huh?"
Kuroha murmured. Then nodded slightly. "Given the current climate, it's not a bad idea."
"Current climate?" Kitahara caught the implication, topping off Kuroha's tea. "You've got something else in mind?"
"Not quite... just a thought."
Kuroha waved his hand, then opened a news article on his phone and handed it to Kitahara.
"What's your opinion on... Tamamo Cross?"
The headline read:
[Tamamo Cross Wins G2 Hanshin Daishoten – Five Consecutive Victories!]
"Tamamo Cross?"
Kitahara read through the headline with a thoughtful look before offering a calm, objective assessment.
"A very strong Central horse girl."
It was true. With five straight wins and three graded victories, she definitely qualified as "strong."
That streak of white lightning was already beginning to illuminate the world of horse racing—though most people didn't understand what it meant.
Kuroha put away his phone and asked softly:
"You haven't seen any of Tamamo Cross's races yet, have you?"
"...I haven't," Kitahara admitted honestly.
"Have you heard of the term—Domain?"
Kuroha's tone was casual, but the effect was immediate. Behind the sunglasses, Kitahara's pupils shrank.
The room fell silent. Only birdsong filtered in through the window.
Kuroha waited patiently, not rushing him.
Eventually, Kitahara's expression relaxed, but the furrow in his brow remained deeper than before.
Kuroha knew the message had gotten through.
Oguri Cap was friends with Fujimasa March, and Kitahara had taught him many things. He still harbored some personal concern.
Even if today's warning wouldn't change much—
The gap between Domains was something even a veteran like Kitahara couldn't erase.
"It's getting late, Kitahara-san."
Kuroha stood up and broke the silence.
"Thank you for your hospitality and guidance today. I've learned a lot."
Kitahara nodded and escorted him to the door.
Just before they parted, the old man gave Kuroha a long, complicated look. He seemed like he wanted to say something...
But in the end, he only sighed and shook his head in silence.
(End of Chapter)