The next morning, after officially contracting Seiun Sky as his Uma the previous day, Hayato had devised a detailed plan. The first step was to have Seiun run an 800-meter lap to gauge her baseline speed.
At the pre-arranged training field, Hayato arrived first, scanning the area to check the conditions. Soon, he saw the blue-haired Uma walking towards him Seiun Sky.
"Gooood moooorning, Traineeeer~"
Seiun's voice was drawn-out and lazy, making Hayato walk over and pinch both of her cheeks, pulling them left and right.
"Don't be such a whiner... Honestly, you're something else."
"Waaahhh, stooop, my cheeks are streeetching!"
Her muffled, almost incomprehensible protests came out as her legs wiggled slightly, like she was helpless. Once Hayato was satisfied, he let go. Seiun rubbed her cheeks and glared at him half-heartedly, though the corners of her mouth seemed to be quirking into a strange, almost-smile.
"Alright, Seiun. This time, I need to see how fast you can run to get better data for scheduling your training. So, run one lap around this track 800 meters."
"Okaaayyy~ Got it, Trainer!"
Seiun immediately agreed and was about to start running when
Bonk!
"Eek!?!"
"Don't you normally warm up first?"
"Well, you didn't say anything, Traineeer!"
"And how is that my fault!? Go warm up properly. Let me know when you're done."
"Fiiine~"
Seiun made a half-hearted, sulky face before jogging off to start stretching at various spots on the field. Hayato watched her from behind, his thoughts running.
'Uma have at least three times the physical strength of a normal person. Their minimum running speed is around 60 km/h... But that's also why their injuries can be much more severe than a normal human's.'
Realizing this, he took out a notepad and began writing something. The wind whistled past his ears as the small figure of Seiun stretched diligently in the distance. Soon, she jogged back to him, slightly out of breath with a light sheen of sweat on her hairline, indicating she was properly warmed up.
"Trainer, I'm all warmed up."
Hearing this, Hayato snapped out of his thoughts and spoke to Seiun.
"Alright then, get ready. As soon as you see my signal, you can start running, Seiun."
With that, Hayato walked to the 800-meter mark and raised his hand as a signal to get ready. Seeing this, Seiun immediately assumed her starting stance. A few moments later, Hayato swung his hand down the signal to start!
With the signal given, Seiun burst forward. Though this was just a test and not her regular training, her usual lazy, self-assured demeanor completely vanished, replaced by intense focus. And finally
Beep!
The moment Hayato saw Seiun cross the line where he was standing, he pressed the stop button on his stopwatch and immediately looked at her time.
'53.1 seconds, huh? A satisfactory time, but not the best. And Seiun herself doesn't seem too tired, probably because she didn't go all out... Of course, if she went all out, where would she get the energy to train later? So, her consistent speed was about 15 meters per second, I guess?'
Hayato glanced at Seiun, calculating her approximate speed while she wasn't pushing her limits. Seiun walked towards him and asked,
"So, how was it~? Told you I'm not that good~"
Hayato, who had felt a spark of hope since it was a very fast time in his book for an 800-meter run, felt a bit deflated upon hearing her words. Will we even make it? But in the end, he started calculating what to do next, also opening his system for assistance.
[Trainer System]
[Name: Hayato Aisawa]
[Position: Rookie Trainer]
[Contracted Uma: Seiun Sky]
[PT: 260]
[Additional: Skill Shop, Items, Healing Items, Trainer Skills]
[Name: Seiun Sky]
[Track Preference: Turf A / Dirt G]
[Distance: Short G / Mile C / Medium A / Long A]
[Running Style: Front A / Pace B / Late D / End E]
[Stats: Spd 289 / Sta 310 / Pow 260 / Guts 196 / Wit 239]
'Speed and stamina are decent. Explosive power and running strength are a bit weak, and her guts are even lower. Intelligence? Well, if I remember correctly from the series, she's quite smart. Hmm... Let's take a look at her skills.'
[Name: Seiun Sky]
[Unique Skills: None]
[Skills: Front Runner Savvy O, Tail Held High, Fast-Paced, Deep Breaths]
'She really is suited to be a front-runner, huh? But she only has skills that give her an advantage from the start to the middle of the race, with none to help with the final push... Wait, she doesn't have a Unique Skill yet?'
Hayato was a little surprised. Normally, starting from the game, almost every Uma has a special skill from the get-go... But he couldn't compare the game to real life, could he?
"Alright, Seiun. From what I've seen, you're not lacking much. Your real weakness seems to be your explosive power and running strength; they're just not sufficient yet. So today, we're going to build power in your legs."
Hayato said this with a villainous grin, like a villain executing a well-laid evil plan, causing Seiun to startle slightly and break out in a fresh cold sweat.
"Uh... Trainer... You don't have to make that face, do you?"
Hayato didn't reply. He simply turned slowly and pointed behind him... pointing at the resistance training equipment he had secretly prepared since yesterday. Ankle weights, resistance bands, a 3-level box jump set, and posts for resistance sprint training with a sled.
"Is that... uh... Trainer... that's the kind of stuff national team sprinters use, right...?"
Hayato raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. But aren't Uma three times stronger than humans? You're even more suited for it."
Seiun stood frozen in shock. Did she get a trainer or a demon!?? Her previously playful tone vanished completely, replaced by a trembling voice almost instantly.
"W-w-wait a minute, Trainer... Today is still our first day of training, right...?"
"It is. But it's also the first day I need to start toughening you up."
With that, Hayato walked over, picked up a pair of 20kg ankle weights, and carried them over to Seiun as casually as if he were bringing her a pair of pretty bracelets.
"Lift your left leg."
"Waaahhhhhhhh!" But despite her cry, Seiun obediently lifted her leg.
Click—clunk
The weights locked snugly onto her ankles. Combined, they added 40kg. Once everything was set, Seiun stood there like a foal being groomed, feeling utterly awkward. Her legs were stiff, her face was tense, and her tail swished nervously, not daring to flick anywhere. Hayato walked around to her front with a slight smile a smile that instantly told Seiun she was going to die in the next few minutes.
"Alright, let's start the training session."
After saying this, he immediately led Seiun to begin training. Of course, there were plenty of reluctant grunts and moans from her, not because it was uncomfortable, but because Seiun had never done anything like this before.
Box Jumps
"Ten reps per set. Three sets."
At Hayato's words, Seiun, looking at the height of the box, could only stand there with her mouth agape.
"Trainer... that box is half my height!?!"
"Try jumping first. I need to see your current maximum jump height. I'll handle the rest."
Hearing this, Seiun could only sigh softly before starting to do as her trainer said. As time passed, the box height was adjusted to a level she found challenging a height that required her to exert most of the power in her legs to clear.
Thump! Thump! Thump! The sounds echoed across the field. Seiun's whole body trembled, her breath came in pants, but she continued because Hayato's watchful gaze wasn't the kind that allowed for easy quitting. Plus, if she stopped, she'd definitely get a karate chop on the head. She wanted no part of that.
After completing three sets, Seiun got a 15-minute break along with plain water that Hayato handed her. Seeing this, Seiun quickly grabbed the water and drank thirstily, forcing Hayato to warn her not to drink too fast or she might choke, which Seiun reluctantly complied with.
Resistance Sprints
"Sprint forward with all your might until the sled rope is taut. Then maintain that speed for ten seconds before resting."
"Whaaaat!?"
"You're an Uma, aren't you? Just give it your all. Once you're done, you'll get a 20-minute break."
As soon as the sprints started, the sound of the rope tightening Skkkrt! immediately made Seiun falter. She stumbled several times, her feet digging marks into the ground.
"Ugh... Hiiiiya!!"
She gritted her teeth until her cheeks turned red. The muscles in her hips and thighs were clearly visible due to the immense resistance, far beyond what a normal person could endure.
Weighted Leg Raises
"Left leg ten, right leg ten. Four sets."
"Trainer... I'm not a robot... Waaahhhh"
But Seiun did them anyway. Her legs shook so much she could barely hold herself up, almost crying from the training that seemed excessive for the first day. But every time her strength failed, Hayato would reach out and pat her shoulder lightly. That touch felt like a command:
"Get up. Keep going. You can do it."
And she forced herself to continue every time...
Over two hours passed. Seiun was sprawled out on the grass, panting so hard her chest heaved rapidly. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking. Her body was flushed red from overexertion. Hayato's figure walked over and crouched beside her. He used a towel to wipe away her sweat and gently dabbed her head, speaking in a calm voice.
"That's enough for today. Any more and your legs will really break down."
Seiun, almost completely spent, still mustered enough strength to give a weak thumbs-up.
"...Trainer... my legs aren't mine anymore... You can have them... Waaah..."
"Good. That means you pushed yourself to the limit you should have."
"What kind of consolation is that?!"
After training until she was barely recognizable, Hayato looked at the sky, which was beginning to turn orange-red with the evening. The wind blowing across the training field grew progressively cooler, until he let out a soft sigh. He decided that if he let Seiun walk back on her own, she'd probably face-plant again for sure.
"...Alright, get up. Let's go to the infirmary."
"Ha... Hayato Trainer... I can't walk... I'm dying... My legs won't respond..."
"I can see that."
Before Seiun could even complain properly, he scooped her up in a princess carry. Seiun jolted, almost shouting, but she had no energy left, only able to squirm weakly like a wet kitten.
"W-wait! You don't have to carry me!"
"Can you even walk? I saw you just now; you could barely stand without collapsing."
"W-well... that's true... But this is embarr—"
"Talk too much, and I'll drop you."
That sentence shut her up immediately. The blue horse tail twitched slightly from an embarrassment she probably wasn't even aware of herself. Hayato carried her like that all the way to the infirmary building, before carefully laying her down on a bed. The moment her back touched the soft mattress, Seiun let out a sigh as if her soul were leaving her body.
Hayato fetched a set of muscle pain relief ointment and warm water, setting them aside. He then pulled a chair up next to Seiun's bed and reached out to gently grasp her ankle.
"Ow!? C-careful!"
"Well, you're in pain, aren't you? It'll fade. This medicine will make you feel better after a while."
He applied the ointment to her legs, working from her mid-calves up to her thighs. The warmth of his hands and the rhythmic pressure made the blue-haired Uma tense up, her ears standing straight up. Seiun bit her lip tightly, trying to hold back any sound. But when his rubbing moved up to the inner part of her thighs, an area particularly sensitive for Uma, her whole body jolted, her tail lashing out and wrinkling the bedsheet.
"Eep—!?"
Hayato paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow as if he didn't quite understand why Seiun had made that sound.
"Does it hurt a lot here?"
"N-no, it's not that! It's just... Mmmmmm...!"
She quickly buried her face in the pillow, desperately muffling any sound that threatened to escape. *Seriously, just applying medicine is making me this flustered!?* Hayato let out a soft sigh before speaking in his usual calm tone.
"If it hurts too much, you should tell me... so I don't apply unnecessary pressure..."
Seiun lightly pounded the pillow, burying her face deeper until her flushed cheeks were completely hidden. Seiun's back rose and fell with her embarrassed breathing. Seeing no response, Hayato placed his hands on her thighs again, his touch firm enough to soothe the muscles but gentle. He began massaging the areas where she was most fatigued. The moment he started applying pressure, Seiun jolted again.
"...Ah—"
She immediately bit into the pillow, barely stifling the sound. Her ears drooped helplessly. Hayato's hands moved skillfully, tracing along the muscle lines, massaging from her calves up to her thighs, her hip bones, and the muscles that had been tense all day. Seiun's body slowly relaxed. Her toes twitched slightly with the acupressure. Suppressed, panting breaths escaped through the pillow.
"That's it... Just relax. You pushed your legs way beyond their limits several times today."
Hayato's voice was even, but it held a gentleness that made Seiun blush even harder.
"Trainer... Waaah..."
"Does it hurt?"
"K-kind of... but... it's... like... Mmmmmm... You can keep going..."
The last words were so soft they were almost inaudible, but he heard them clearly. Hayato allowed a slight smile to touch the corner of his mouth before continuing the massage attentively, slowly turning her pain and stiffness into warmth and comfort. Nearly twenty minutes passed before Seiun's body grew completely still, leaving only the sound of her slow, steady breathing.
"Did she fall asleep...?"
Hayato tilted his head to look at Seiun. Sure enough, she was fast asleep, face pressed into the pillow, cheeks red, her tail still like a kitten that had exhausted itself from playing.
"...Honestly, you're really something, Seiun."
He stood up, covered her with a blanket gently, and looked at her sleeping face once more the face that was so intense during races now looked innocent and almost comical. He couldn't just leave her sleeping in the infirmary, so he picked Seiun up once more, carried her to the Uma dorm, and asked someone who seemed to know Seiun to help her get to her room to sleep properly. Then, he walked to the trainer bus stop, boarded the bus heading towards the trainers' quarters to prepare for the next steps. Meanwhile, he glanced at the status window.
[Name: Seiun Sky]
[Track Preference: Turf A / Dirt G]
[Distance: Short G / Mile C / Medium A / Long A]
[Running Style: Front A / Pace B / Late D / End E]
[Stats: Spd 290 / Sta 315 / Pow 271 / Guts 216 / Wit 243]
'The stat increases aren't like in the game, huh? But to get this much in just one day... I guess there shouldn't be any problems with her debut race next week. The goal is to increase her speed, leg power, and guts.'
He couldn't help but smile at the thought. Seeing his contracted Uma completely exhausted was, in its own way, a point of pride.
(End of Chapter)