This year's Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes had reached an unprecedented level of hype, and a large part of that was thanks to what Rudolf had pulled off in the Japan Cup not long ago.
That one race had completely detonated the emotions of racing fans online. Add in the overwhelming media coverage, and Rudolf's record was suddenly everywhere—plastered across streets, all over the place, impossible to miss. Some people had even already started writing online biographical posts about Rudolf like she was a historical celebrity.
After a barrage like that, it was not just racing fans who got drawn in. Even people outside the scene who normally paid no attention to it had been swept up too. The whole racing world was livelier than ever, filled with a mood of our Umamusume have finally risen! At this point, Kagura could hear people talking about Rudolf almost anytime she walked down the street.
And with all that massive attention behind it, the race to decide Japan's strongest rookie Umamusume naturally drew a great deal of focus as well. Everyone had placed enormous expectations on the new generation coming after Rudolf. Among the runners in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Kagura—dubbed "the Second Coming of Mejiro Ramonu"—did not actually have that many wins to her name, and there were plenty of Umamusume with more graded wins than her. But when it came to actual performance in previous races, she was by far the one who caught the eye the most.
Kagura could feel that for herself when she went to Hanshin Racecourse to inspect the course. On a shopping street near the racecourse, she even ran into two armchair experts outside an electronics shop. She did not go over to see what exactly they were watching on their phones, but from what she overheard, they were watching footage of her previous races and giving analyses that sounded suspiciously professional.
"I'm telling you, there's no way Inari Kagura loses this one. Go compare Scrum Dyna's pace in her earlier races to Inari Kagura's pace. They're not even in the same class. And even if Scrum Dyna somehow manages to hold off Inari Kagura's acceleration, Inari Kagura's got that monster stamina—she can swing way out wide and still force the overtake!"
"Hard to say. Inari Kagura still hasn't hit honkaku yet, and a GI isn't a GII. A disadvantage like not having reached honkaku isn't so easy to make up for. Nobody who makes it to the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes is a simple opponent. Compared to that, I'm still leaning more toward Scrum Dyna, with her higher win count and more mature style."
"How about we make a bet? I'm betting Inari Kagura wins, for sure. You got the guts to bet on Scrum Dyna winning? Loser shaves their head!"
"Fine by me! Bring it on! I'm telling you, I'm gonna win!"
After their round of analysis, the two armchair experts fist-bumped with tremendous conviction.
Uh... no, don't bet something as important as your hair!
After finishing her course inspection, Kagura stood there inside the electronics store listening in, with several dark lines practically sliding down her face. She used to enjoy listening to armchair experts talk because it was funny—but now that she had become the target of the analysis herself, she found it impossible to laugh.
To be honest, the armchair-expert thing was secondary.
What really scared her was this: if she won this time, with the media already this worked up, what if they hit her with another giant wave of promotion afterward? And then what if some painfully edgy announcer or media outlet slapped her with some ridiculous chuunibyou nickname—something like "The Empire's Ruthless Tiger!" or "Tokyo's Strongest Legend! Supreme Pure One! Innocent Ding Ichiro!" If that happened, she genuinely was not sure she could keep it together. Because she knew exactly how terrifyingly fast those kinds of things would spread under the current level of hype.
——My father once said this to me: "If you wish to wear the crown, you must bear its weight. Every king who stands at the top of an era has to face that. Best to steady your heart and listen to the praise of those who follow you~"
The message that appeared on Kagura's phone screen looked half like Eclipse was gloating and half like she was trying to comfort her.
Putting all that online-noise nonsense aside for now, Kagura had successfully completed today's outing to inspect the course. By the time she was done, it was nearly noon. Since Hanshin Racecourse was so far away, she figured there was no way she would be back at Tracen anytime soon, so she found a ramen shop near the racecourse and decided to settle lunch there.
"...According to astronomers' observations, a partial eclipse should be visible in some regions a few days from now. Viewers who are interested may want to note the locations listed after the host's next announcement..."
"Boss, one tonkotsu ramen, please! Extra scallions!"
Kagura walked into the ramen shop, found a seat, and gave the owner her usual order. The old shopkeeper, who looked well on in years already, immediately answered with an energetic "Oi!" before turning around and heading off to prepare it. With nothing much else to do, Kagura sat there scrolling through her phone while listening to the weather and other TV broadcasts playing in the shop.
Yeah, having earmuffs really is a lot more comfortable. The boss's voice was so loud just now, and it didn't even make me dizzy.
Kagura absentmindedly raised a hand and touched the ear that was already covered by the earmuff. She genuinely thought the thing was incredibly practical.
She had specifically gone out and bought a blue-black pair today. Her ears were sensitive, and more than once at the racecourse the audience's cheers had rattled her badly. This time, with the kind of heat the race was already building, Kagura knew there was no way around it—she absolutely had to buy them.
Because she had come early, the lunchtime rush of office workers had not started yet, so there were not many people in the shop. As a result, the ramen she ordered arrived very quickly. The owner had been absurdly generous with the scallions—at first glance, Kagura thought he had set a potted plant down in front of her. She did not often use the word lush to describe food, but this bowl really deserved it.
"Miss—your ramen's ready! Please enjoy!"
"Wow... thank you~"
Kagura smiled and nodded to the owner, then quietly pressed her hands together and murmured, "Time to eat," before picking up her chopsticks.
"Hm... Miss, are you perhaps... the one about to run in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes... 'the Second Coming of Mejiro Ramonu,' Kagura-san?"
"Mmh?"
With a mouthful of scallions still in her mouth, Kagura heard the elderly man actually say the nickname netizens had given her and looked up at him in surprise. Then she nodded and swallowed the heap of scallions.
The old shopkeeper laughed heartily. Only after Kagura confirmed it did he continue.
"To be honest, my whole family's a fan of yours, Kagura-san. We've all been following your races. When we heard you were coming here to race this time, the whole family started discussing whether we should go camp out in front of Hanshin Racecourse early just to grab a good spot."
"Ahaha~ Thank you for your support. But you really shouldn't do the whole overnight camping thing~ You still need to rest properly!"
"Haha! Kagura-san really is just as gentle as she looks! My little ones have been going on every day about, 'Wow! Since it's a G1, does that mean we'll get to see Kagura-san's Race Outfit? I can't wait!' They've been buzzing nonstop for days, all fired up!"
"Eh..."
Kagura's hand froze slightly in the middle of picking up noodles. It was only when the old man reminded her that she suddenly remembered—
In G1 races, runners were supposed to compete in their own Race Outfits.
Oh no. I completely forgot about that! There are only a few days left before the race! I don't even have a Race Outfit!
Because Tojo trusted Kagura so much in everyday matters, Kagura herself had failed to remember, and Tojo had forgotten to remind her too. It was only now, after hearing someone mention it, that Kagura suddenly recalled such a thing existed.
She knew Race Outfits for Umamusume had to be custom-made by specialists. Maybe because they seemed to have some sort of mysterious physics-defying function, they were expensive—but not so expensive that Kagura could not afford one. She had plenty in savings, after all.
But all of that was beside the point right now.
The real problem was that even the fastest turnaround for a custom Umamusume Race Outfit was a full week, and there were fewer than three days left before the race. Where on earth was she supposed to get one now?
...
This is bad, Eclipse-san! I forgot to prepare a Race Outfit!
——Ha! I knew you'd do this. You always remember everyone else's business perfectly, but when it comes to your own, you keep dropping things here and there. That's why I already prepared a backup plan for you~
Then I beg you, save me!
——Don't panic. When you get back today, open your wardrobe and take a look. The path to salvation lies within.
Huh?
---
T/N: IS IT THE MIKO OUTIFT?
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