Verxina was depressed—or rather, she felt she ought to be depressed.
How could she not be?
As the eldest daughter, the big sister her younger siblings admired, Verxina felt that her Umamusume career might not necessarily remain undefeated, but surely she should always give her all to strive for that perfect record.
Not only for herself, not only for her fans, but also as repayment to her mother and younger sisters, who'd always supported her and given her everything she ever wanted.
As Verxina—the daughter of Halwa Sweet, elder sister of Vivlos and Cheval Grand, the only active Umamusume of her generation in the family—it was her duty to face every opponent with everything she had, staking her entire being to claim victory.
That's how it was supposed to be.
In fact, since her rookie year, she had held that momentum unwaveringly. She'd debuted as an unstoppable force—not just undefeated in her debut race, but throughout her entire rookie season.
Back then, every trainer, analyst, and news outlet covering Umamusume had sung her praises. At that time, there was only one verdict for Verxina:
A genius of the age—a supernova born from nowhere!
Shouldn't her Umamusume career continue as smoothly as that?
Step by step, she'd ascend to greater stages, defeat stronger rivals, and win over countless fans…
Or perhaps, like some legendary tale, she'd eventually meet a destined rival who could deliver a decisive blow, shaping her legend?
Yet having such a rival would've been a good thing. Verxina never believed she'd crumble into depression or lose herself in confusion—not just because her heart was strong, but because she had enough confidence and determination to bounce back. For every opponent who handed her defeat, she'd always respond with dazzling victories, crushing them utterly in return!
That's how it should've gone.
But somehow, things subtly went awry.
The media's tone—commentators, articles, external voices—never changed toward her. She remained that promising, powerful supernova in the eyes of fans and spectators.
But why was such extravagant praise heaped upon an Umamusume who, despite her talent, hadn't claimed a single jewel of the Triple Tiara, who hadn't even won a single G1 race in her classic year?
Simple—it was, in a sense, faintly mocking.
Because Verxina was called "the genius of this generation."
Yet who were her rivals?
Almond Eye: a prodigious talent born once in a century, a filly destined for legend.
Gentildonna: a terrifying monster who surpassed her own limits, trampling legends underfoot—a king-slayer.
These two fillies, who had delivered her crushing defeats, were praised in even more dazzling terms.
The implications were clear enough:
Verxina might've been a genius of her era, a contender for greatness—but Almond Eye was the kind of talent who'd shine in any age, a legendary-level Umamusume.
And Gentildonna?
Gentildonna was something even more frightening—a monster who'd overcome her flaws, surpassing even Almond Eye's brilliance.
It wasn't an excuse; it was reality. It wasn't that Verxina wasn't strong enough, but rather her opponents were simply too formidable, making her defeats understandable… right?
But even if that was true, wasn't the fact of her defeat still undeniable?
Hadn't she lost to Almond Eye and Gentildonna?
Yes, that was the indisputable truth.
Bearing the expectations and encouragement of her family, the dreams of those who surrounded her, the youthful dreams she'd once nurtured—to become a legendary Umamusume...
She'd chosen this path with so many hopes—only to meet a reality like this.
How could Verxina possibly not be upset?
Yet, how to describe her current mood?
She knew she should feel devastated, tormented, guilty—and then rise again with burning resolve. Yet these emotions, which seemed so natural, never appeared.
In fact, her heart felt heavy but not broken; weighed down, yet not shattered.
Such a strangely bewildering feeling. Shouldn't she have collapsed, wept bitterly, then rallied herself to return to the track?
Stories were always written that way. If it were realistic, maybe she'd suffer another defeat, or in fairy-tale terms, maybe she'd suddenly shout about friendship, bonds, hope, and justice—and blast past Almond Eye and Gentildonna in one miraculous surge…
Wasn't that how the plot was supposed to go?
Jogging slowly down her familiar path, Verxina's mood remained complicated and burdensome. Her emotions were tangled, and though she desperately wanted to calm herself and return to her usual state, she simply couldn't find a thread to pull.
The morning sun was comfortably warm. Cheval Grand should be awake by now, probably finishing her morning routine and preparing for training. Her younger sister was luckier: as her debut approached, she likely wouldn't face monstrous talents like Almond Eye or Gentildonna. After all, such once-in-a-generation legends couldn't appear two years running.
As an elder sister, Verxina felt genuinely happy for Cheval Grand—but admittedly, she also felt a twinge of envy. Such complex feelings…
Vivlos, meanwhile, had gotten up unusually early today. Normally, doors at home were rarely closed at night, and when Verxina—the earliest riser—finished washing up, she'd noticed Vivlos's bed empty. Given Vivlos's usual habit of sleeping in, it was certainly strange.
But she'd brushed it off, telling herself Vivlos was an Umamusume too, protected by the Three Goddesses. Surely she was safe, probably off doing something important to her. As an elder sister, Verxina had always tried her best to be dependable.
The familiar scenery drifted slowly behind her. Verxina had lost count of how many mornings she'd run this path—since long before her debut, she'd kept this routine, unchanged even when her mood was bleakest.
Thank goodness for habit, helping me hang on. Thank you for always being here.
The quiet, lonely trail remained unchanged. She'd initially chosen this place precisely because it was quiet, with no one to disturb her training. Even now, after becoming famous, it remained the same.
Perhaps it would always stay this way?
Verxina hoped so, because familiar surroundings were comforting. Slowly advancing through this silent, familiar solitude, she suddenly noticed something peculiar.
Footsteps—from behind her?
Verxina's dark-blue ears twitched gently. She doubted herself, since this was the first time in years she'd heard clear, steady steps behind her.
Could it be a younger filly training here too?
To think someone else chose the same lonely path as me…
Could it be—I'm becoming someone's senpai now?
A surge of hope and excitement rose within her heart—the strongest she'd felt in a long time. Curious and expectant, she turned back, wanting to see who this kouhai sharing her daily training ground was.
Then she saw—under sunlight scattered through leafy branches, silver hair dancing lightly, the figure running easily behind her with a soft, relaxed smile…
My idol?!
I'm the kouhai here?!
The realization was so shocking Verxina felt foolish for ever imagining otherwise. After the initial shock, a huge question suddenly filled her mind:
Why in the world is Song-sama here?!
Though to be precise, Gotham Song wasn't Verxina's very first Umamusume idol—that had been Twilight Song, whom she'd glimpsed briefly in childhood. But as she matured and learned more, her admiration shifted. When Gotham Song burst onto the scene, Verxina had finally found her true favorite Umamusume.
Her adoration for Gotham Song was impossible to fully describe. But to illustrate just how deeply she admired her, consider this: every single day, Verxina rewatched Gotham Song's Winner's Concert at the Japan Cup.
Yes—Verxina was a fervent, single-minded fan, even if she never showed it openly.
But if anyone asked, she'd never hold back—her fiery devotion would spill out uncontrollably.
So here came the ultimate question:
When your idol suddenly appears behind you during your routine training on the usually deserted path, what's your reaction?
One: scream, twist around awkwardly, fling yourself forward and…
Two: stand stunned, confused, then blissfully faint with joy…
Three…
Challenge your idol to a showdown?
Verxina found each scenario tempting. Yet somehow, after confirming Gotham Song's dark-blue running shoes beneath that delicate dress, a blazing desire to compete rose fiercely in her chest.
Song-sama, I'm your biggest fan. So—
If you can, blast past me here, where no one else is watching!
I won't just roll over, though—I'll fight with all my pride, giving everything I've got to surpass you!
Thus, under Gotham Song's quietly amused gaze, Verxina turned forward—and shot off like a rocket.
Chasing behind, Gotham Song blinked, somewhat surprised by Verxina's immediate, determined response.
Is this… a challenge?
Interesting. Ah, Verxina—now I'm curious what made you accelerate so fiercely when I caught up.
Gotham Song licked her lips lightly, revealing a cruel, delighted smile.
She hadn't forgotten her proper role on the track—or how she should respond when challenged.
I'm Augustus, brat. Aren't you overstepping your bounds?
You'd better brace yourself now that you've made your move.
Gotham Song knew exactly what had inspired Verxina's sudden surge of speed. But precisely because she understood her kouhai's feelings, she refused to make this easy.
I'll definitely bring back your familiar big sister to little Vivlos—but first, maybe I'll have to knock her down and straighten her out thoroughly.
Laughing softly to herself, Gotham Song finally sped up, closing in rapidly on Verxina.
Time to discipline this disrespectful kouhai~
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T/N: SHE BE LICKING HER LIPS AND DOIGNA N EVIL SMILE NOW??? HELLL NAHHH SHES ACC THE VILLIAN