[Sorry guys, my mom had a small surgery yesterday. Its quite hectic and uploading the new chapters didn't come to mind. Here is yesterday chapter and for today's chapter should be finished later]
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On Wednesday, Tokai Teio returned once again to Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo to continue joint trainingwith Oguri Cap.
For Oguri Cap, an elite Uma Musume in her own right, the sessions had become rather interesting. Even though she had been overtaken by Tokai Teio during last week's drills, her evaluation of the younger filly had only risen. Teio's rhythm, control, and natural drive were unmistakable.
"The Trainer values her quite a bit too," Oguri Cap murmured to herself. Because her morning had already been spent filming a chase video, Shuta An had reduced her afternoon workload—giving her time to quietly observe Tokai Teio.
Meanwhile, Teio, ever perceptive, noticed the subtle shift. "Oguri Cap-senpai seems more attentive today and friendlier than on Sunday," she thought aloud. "Did the Trainer say something to her?"
While Berno Light handled the stopwatch duties, Shuta An stood by the rail, phone in hand, scrolling through the latest updates.
"The Yayoi Sho entries are unchanged," he noted. "Now we just wait for the gate positions to be announced this afternoon."
His mind replayed the morning's chase footage. Sakura Chiyono O and Dicta Striker had both performed steadily—no sudden changes or surprises. "Once the gate draw is out tomorrow, I can finalize the race plan with Oguri," he thought.
Training wrapped up before noon. When Berno Light handed her a towel, Tokai Teio wiped the sweat from her brow and walked over to the Trainer.
"Trainer! I'll come to watch Sunday's race!"
"By yourself? Or with Miss Symboli Rudolf and the others?" Shuta An asked without thinking.
"I'll come alone. The President and everyone else have their own schedules," Teio replied brightly.
Shuta An nodded. "Then let's meet at the Tokyo Racecourse entrance when the time comes. You'll be cheering for Oguri too, right?"
"Ehh~" Teio puffed her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied.
"What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled. Oguri Cap, standing nearby, leaned closer too—her ears twitching curiously.
"I'm part of the team too," Teio complained. "You use nicknames for everyone else, but when it comes to me—"
Shuta An paused. So that's it, he realized. She feels left out. He couldn't tell her the real reason—that her earlier defiance had made him cautious. Still, he decided to make amends.
"Then, Miss Teio?" he tested the new address.
Teio puffed up even more, adorably pouting.
"Alright then, Teio?" he corrected himself again.
Her eyes immediately brightened. "Hi~!" she sang, her voice soft and melodic. "Trainer!"
At that exact moment, Shuta An sensed a faint "killing intent" coming from behind him. Oguri Cap's glare was sharp enough to slice the air—but it wasn't aimed at him. It was directed squarely at the cheerful Tokai Teio in front.
Teio, however, remained blissfully unconcerned. She wouldn't be around the team every day, and she was confident Oguri Cap's hostility would fade soon enough.
That afternoon, the gate draw results were posted. Shuta An checked the announcement and raised an eyebrow.
"Gate 1 that's a bit inconvenient."
It wasn't the best draw. From the inside stall, Oguri Cap risked being boxed in unless she fought aggressively for position early. Sakura Chiyono O had drawn gate 7, Dicta Striker gate 8. The two strongest rivals would be side by side. (Damn, that is frequently happen in game. When my umamusume – classic year- got inner gate 1-3 they would get boxed easily)
"That's convenient," Shuta An mused. "Easier to mark them both."
Of course, in practice, he wouldn't have Oguri mark both simultaneously. "Focus on Sakura Chiyono O," he thought, "while avoiding Dicta Striker's pressure."
Reviewing Sakura Chiyono O's race history, including her G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes win, he noticed a pattern—she usually maintained second position through the final turn before making her move. With front-runner tactic in this lineup, a thought formed.
"She might try lead the pack this time."
If Sakura Chiyono O attempted a front-running tactic for the first time, her pace could become uncertain—too fast or too slow. Either scenario would affect Oguri Cap's strategy.
That evening, after dinner, Shuta An called Oguri Cap to his room. He turned his laptop toward her, data and race footage displayed on the screen.
"Our goal is the same as always: victory," he began. "And you already know who the key opponents are."
He scrolled to a video still. "From tomorrow, study Dicta Striker's acceleration patterns. Notice her preparation movements before she makes her final dash."
Then came the main instruction: "For this Yayoi Sho, don't rush for the lead after the break."
Oguri Cap blinked in surprise. "You don't want me to take the front? Even with an inside draw?"
"Exactly because it's an inside draw," he said calmly. "You'll take a back position—stay roughly level with Dicta Striker, maybe slightly ahead. But the real key is this: if Sakura Chiyono O leads and sets a slow pace—anything above sixty-one seconds for the first thousand meters—start accelerating before the final turn. Make your move the instant you enter the straight."
"So you're guarding against a slow lead," Oguri summarized.
"Right," Shuta An nodded. "If she tries front-running, it'll be her first attempt, so she'll likely be cautious."
Oguri thought for a moment. "Then it'll come down to a battle of pure acceleration between Dicta Striker and me."
"In that department, you're superior," Shuta An said with quiet confidence. "Oguri, trust in yourself. You've grown a lot these past months, even without racing."
Oguri Cap smiled, her silver hair glinting in the lamplight. "I'll win. This race is necessary—for us and for our goal."
"Exactly," Shuta An said. "Win the Yayoi Sho, and let the Central fans remember your name. From there, we'll keep etching it deeper into their hearts—race by race."
March 6th, Sunday — dawn broke softly over Tokyo, shrouding the city in a pale morning mist. Long before the streets awakened, Shuta An and his small team had already departed from Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo. Their destination: Tokyo Racecourse, where the long-awaited Yayoi Sho would soon be held.
After escorting Oguri Cap through the special passage reserved for Uma Musume participants, Shuta An led Berno Light to the main entrance to wait for Tokai Teio's arrival.
"Trainer looks very confident," Berno Light said after a moment of silence, glancing up at the young man beside her.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Shuta An replied easily. "Don't you also believe in Oguri?"
"I do," Berno admitted. "But… this is her first time running on the Tokyo Racecourse turf. I'm worried she might not adapt to it." Her voice grew faint near the end, her ears drooping slightly.
"That won't happen." Shuta An placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Oguri has already run at Chukyo, and its turf is very similar to Tokyo's. You don't need to worry about something that won't happen."
Then, with a small grin, he added, "Instead of worrying, why not help me figure out where to hold the post-race celebration party?"
"The celebration party?" Berno Light shot him a look of disbelief. "You're already planning the celebration before the race has even started" She sighed, pulling out her phone. "Fine, I'll check nearby restaurants."
At the same time, Tokai Teio had just stepped off the train at Tokyo Racecourse Station.
"Hmm, did I come too early?" she wondered aloud as she checked her phone. "I'll message the Trainer and ask which entrance we're meeting at."
But before she could type, she noticed two familiar figures in the distance — a young man standing calmly with a soft smile and a chestnut-haired Horse Girl scrolling through her phone.
Even though Oguri Cap's debut in the Central circuit had drawn enormous attention, the media had barely mentioned the man who trained her. Most of the spotlight was fixed entirely on the "Gray Uma Musume from Kasamatsu," the one carrying the weight of old doubts: 'Can a local horse really compete with the Central elites?'
Everyone was waiting to see if the so-called Cinderella from Kasamatsu could truly step onto the pumpkin carriage called "Yayoi Sho."
At this moment, among all those gathered at Tokyo Racecourse, there were only two people whose confidence in Oguri Cap was absolute — Shuta An and Tokai Teio.
Shuta An's conviction came from careful observation, from data and preparation. Tokai Teio's faith, however, came from instinct — from watching Oguri Cap train and sensing in her a brilliance comparable to the legendary seniors of Tracen's Student Council.
"It's a shame Oguri-senpai can't join the Classic races," Teio thought as she walked. "She'd definitely be one of the top contenders." Then she smiled faintly. "Still, I'm glad I followed the Kaichou's path and joined Central Tracen. Otherwise, I might never have met them."
"Where's Oguri-senpai?" Teio asked as soon as she reached them, scanning the area.
"She's already gone in," Shuta An explained. "We were waiting here for you, Teio, before heading in ourselves."
"Ah~ so I'm late." Her ears drooped again. "I even asked the dorm leader to open the door early."
"It's not like you won't see her again," Berno Light said with a huff. "Cheer up! We'll be celebrating together after the Yayoi Sho anyway."
"Mm! I'll cheer for Oguri-senpai with all my might!" Teio's face lit up, her energy infectious enough that even Berno Light found herself nodding approvingly.
Shuta An smiled quietly at the exchange. After letting them chat for a bit, he spoke: "Let's head to the VIP area."
"Mm!" Teio responded with bright eyes, clasping her hands. "Then I'll leave it to you, Trainer!"
That day, the Twinkle Series hosted three major races — but none drew as much attention as the Yayoi Sho. By the time the first ten minor races ended, the trio had finished a quick lunch at the racecourse cafeteria and returned to the VIP seats.
"Ah! Oguri-senpai's over there!" Tokai Teio suddenly pointed toward the paddock. "At the exit of the underground passage! It's the display time, right?"
"That's right," Shuta An confirmed, glancing toward the trackside monitor showing the paddock feed.
Just as Teio said, Oguri Cap — wearing her gym uniform and the number 1 pinned proudly on her chest — stood waiting at the passage exit.
After a short pause, a staff member's cue reached her. Oguri Cap lifted her chin and stepped forward, walking with composure toward the display stage. But as she reached the first step, she hesitated.
"…Is she nervous?" Shuta An murmured, frowning slightly.
Yet the hesitation lasted only a moment. Oguri Cap inhaled deeply, steadied her breath, and ascended the steps. Her gray hair caught the light, shimmering faintly as she scanned the stands — until her gaze found the man in the VIP section.
Shuta An raised a hand in greeting. The instant she spotted him, her expression softened. A faint smile bloomed across her lips as she waved back, before turning toward the next segment of the display.
"She looks calm now," the live commentator remarked over the broadcast. "At first she seemed tense, but that composure we just saw speaks for itself. The local star from Kasamatsu appears ready for her first Central challenge."
"Of course she is," Shuta An muttered under his breath, his voice low enough that only Berno Light and Tokai Teio could hear. "Everything we've done these past two weeks was for this moment."
His eyes narrowed slightly, filled with a quiet determination.
"The declaration we made back at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy — 'We'll defeat Central' — we're going to make it real today."