Uma Musume: To The Top!!

While storms were gathering across the world, on the rooftop of a school building at France Tracen Academy, a beautiful, dark-skinned girl with short hair sat at the edge.

Her long, slender legs dangled in the air, swaying gently as she stared blankly at the clouds on the horizon, lost in thought.

"You certainly made me search everywhere."

A cool voice suddenly came from behind her.

With a metallic creak, the rooftop's iron door was thrown open.

Dancing Brave strode directly toward the dark-skinned girl.

"Why aren't you at the training grounds?"

Stopping beside her, Dancing Brave narrowed her eyes. There was a stern edge to her voice.

"Your condition has been steadily improving ever since the Irish Champion Stakes. This is precisely when you should maintain your momentum and push even harder."

"But what have you been doing? You finish your morning exercises, train for three hours in the afternoon, and then disappear. You're spending more and more time resting every day."

"Tell me why!"

Dancing Brave could not understand Suave Dancer's leisurely attitude at all.

If the academy doctor had not examined Suave several times and confirmed that the high-intensity race had left her with no lingering complications, Dancing Brave would have suspected that her junior had suffered some hidden injury that was now causing her condition to deteriorate.

"Uh..."

Suave's swinging legs gradually came to a stop, and embarrassment appeared on her face.

How was she supposed to explain that her improvement had nothing to do with training and everything to do with the bottle of medicine McQueen's Trainer had poured down her throat?

With her current physical capabilities, what meaningful improvement could she possibly achieve through only a few more days of training?

"Ahem. Well... it's a little complicated, Brave-nee!"

Suave coughed twice and attempted to bluff her way through the conversation.

"No matter how relentlessly I train over the next few days, I won't make any substantial improvements."

"That's why I think moderate training is enough, as long as I maintain my current condition."

"I'd rather use this time to restore myself physically and mentally so I can face the Arc at full strength."

"..."

Dancing Brave did not respond.

She simply stared silently at Suave for a long while.

Only when cold sweat was about to form on Suave's forehead did Dancing Brave finally sigh.

"Are you confident?"

"...Honestly? No."

Suave scratched her head helplessly and answered truthfully.

"McQueen and I are nearly equal in physical capability, but she's far ahead of me in both her command of her [Domain] and her running technique."

"My only remaining advantage is my familiarity with the Arc's course, but even that probably won't help much. From what I know about McQueen, French tracks suit her extremely well."

"She beat me by two lengths over the Irish Champion Stakes' 2,000 meters. This time, we'll be racing over 2,400... I truly can't promise anything."

"..."

Dancing Brave fell silent.

She placed one hand on the rooftop wall and gazed toward the distant horizon.

After a long while, she finally spoke.

"Many people have come to France recently."

"Secretariat and Celebris from the Americas. Ellerslie Pride from Oceania. Lightning from Africa. Symboli Rudolf from Asia... Even the horse girls who won the Arc throughout Europe's history have gathered here."

"Do you know who they crossed thousands of miles to see?"

Suave had been listening with great interest as Dancing Brave recited one famous name after another. Caught off guard by the sudden question, she froze.

Looking at Dancing Brave's unprecedentedly serious expression, Suave hesitantly pointed at herself.

"They came for me... and McQueen?"

"Yes."

Dancing Brave nodded.

"Throughout recorded horse girl history, you are the first two bearers of [Worlds] to exist in the same era—and you are about to confront each other directly on the same track!"

"That..." Suave looked completely bewildered. "Is it really that extraordinary?"

As a young horse girl who was still actively racing, she could not fully understand why merely gaining an evenly matched rival had caused so many legendary seniors—each of whom had already achieved everything there was to achieve—to mobilize on such an enormous scale.

Seeing Suave's blank expression, Dancing Brave shook her head and laughed.

"Never mind. There's no point explaining this when you clearly don't understand how we feel."

"Still, I can't say whether your situation should be considered fortunate or unfortunate."

She turned and walked toward the stairwell, leaving Suave with one final reminder.

"In any case, Suave, as long as you understand what's at stake, that's enough."

"You only need to know that ten days from now, the eyes of the entire world will be focused upon both of you."

"When that happens... don't start sobbing again after losing like you did last time."

"I wasn't crying!"

Suave puffed out her cheeks and shouted indignantly.

Watching Dancing Brave depart, she gradually fell silent.

A moment later, she turned her gaze toward the distant sky once more, and a faint smile curved her lips.

"Heh. The attention of the entire world, huh?"

As the girl's light yet resolute voice echoed across the rooftop, an illusory crimson-gold [World] abruptly unfolded!

It floated silently above Suave's head, enveloping the surrounding area for nearly a kilometer in dazzling streams of radiant light!

"Then let them watch carefully... as our footsteps transcend this entire era!"

...

Meanwhile, at an estate outside Paris—

"Why did all of you come? I distinctly remember inviting only March, Inari, and a few of the others..."

Kuroha stared speechlessly at the enormous delegation of friends and supporters from Central Tracen.

At the estate's entrance, one beautiful young horse girl after another was orderly climbing out of the cars sent to collect them from the airport.

The retired members of Chasing Light were all present: Fujimasa March, Inari One, Obey Your Master, Sakura Chiyono O, Mejiro Ardan, and Oguri Cap.

Even active young horse girls such as Tokai Teio, Mihono Bourbon, and Rice Shower had come along.

Under Fumino's leadership, they had traveled all the way to France specifically to cheer for Mejiro McQueen in her final battle.

Silence Suzuka, Narita Brian, and the two young newcomers had remained in Japan.

None of them had entered their prime yet, and their studies in the elementary division made them unsuitable for extended international travel. They had therefore been left in Aoi's care.

Kuroha had more or less expected those people to come.

However, another group was present that he had never anticipated.

Beside the other line of cars, a crescent-shaped forelock resembling Teio's fluttered gently in the breeze.

Symboli Rudolf, Central Tracen's student council president, was personally unloading luggage from a car's trunk.

Beside her stood Mr. C.B., Tamamo Cross, Super Creek, Sirius Symboli, and even Katsuragi Ace, whom Kuroha had only met a handful of times.

Another five or six legendary horse girls renowned throughout Central Tracen had accompanied them as well.

"Why shouldn't we come?"

Sirius was wearing an exceptionally dashing suit. Hearing Kuroha's remark, she arched an eyebrow.

"For a battle of the century on this scale, of course we have to be there in person to support McQueen as her seniors."

"If you don't welcome us, Trainer Kuroha, you can consider me an uninvited guest. I'll take my luggage and find a hotel!"

"That won't be necessary."

Watching Sirius dramatically pretend to run away, Kuroha waved his hand and laughed.

"I'm merely a little surprised."

"Besides, thank you all—and especially Luna—for making room in your busy schedules to come support us."

"I can show you around later so you can familiarize yourselves with the estate."

Sirius had only been joking. She was about to approach Kuroha and chat when one particular word immediately caught her attention.

"Oho~ Luna?"

She repeated the name, then turned and directed a peculiar look at Rudolf in the distance.

The next moment, a heavy backpack flew through the air and landed squarely in Sirius's arms.

"Stop standing around and come help unload the luggage."

Rudolf's voice followed.

"Oh, right..."

After briefly freezing, Sirius turned and hurried back toward the trunk with the luggage.

What she failed to notice was Rudolf pretending to busy herself behind the open trunk of another car.

A faint blush had quietly spread across the student council president's translucent earlobes.

Just then, an elegant figure gracefully approached.

Mejiro Ramonu surveyed the crowd and asked in confusion, "Where is McQueen? Why didn't she come with you, Trainer Kuroha?"

"She's training with Folkqueen and the others. I thought only March and a few more girls were coming, so I didn't ask McQueen to meet you."

As Kuroha explained with a smile, he rolled up his sleeves and joined everyone in unloading the luggage.

The horse girls quickly removed every bag from the cars. With physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary humans, each girl effortlessly carried several large suitcases toward the estate's villas.

"Kuro-kun, did we disturb you by suddenly bringing so many people?"

Along the way, Rudolf quietly moved closer and lowered her voice.

At some point, the way she addressed Kuroha had gradually changed.

Originally, she had maintained a certain distance by calling him "Trainer Kuroha." Eventually, she had begun addressing him directly by name.

Now, she had naturally adopted the same affectionate nickname used by Maruzensky and the others.

Kuroha did not find it strange. He merely smiled and shook his head.

"Don't worry. I'm delighted that all of you came so far to watch McQueen's race."

"However..."

As he spoke, Kuroha turned his gaze toward a particular corner of the group.

A petite girl with a crescent-shaped forelock was suspiciously hiding behind Fujimasa March, doing her utmost to diminish her presence.

"Teio, stop hiding and come here."

Tokai Teio, who had been happily admiring the scenery, immediately shuddered.

"...March-senpai."

She pouted pitifully and gently tugged at Fujimasa March's clothes, pleading for help.

Unfortunately for her, the silver-haired horse girl merely exchanged a brief look with Kuroha. A smile filled with mutual understanding appeared in her eyes.

Without mercy, March seized Teio by the scruff of her neck, sealing her fate.

"Teio, behave yourself."

Since marrying at the beginning of the year, Fujimasa March's appearance had remained as stunningly beautiful as ever, but her aura was completely different from when she had been an active racer.

Her silky silver-white hair was now neatly tied into a high ponytail.

Her clothes had also shifted away from her former girlish style toward that of a mature, capable woman.

The overall effect made her appear exceptionally gallant and commanding.

As Chasing Light's longest-serving senior, she had practically watched Tokai Teio grow up.

When March spoke, Teio naturally did not dare disobey.

"Okay..."

Tokai Teio answered with a miserable expression.

In terms of physical ability alone, she had already surpassed everyone on Chasing Light except Mejiro McQueen and Sunday Silence.

Yet she could not summon the slightest desire to resist by force. She could only sway helplessly as March escorted her before Kuroha.

Kuroha looked at the petite girl following beside him with her head lowered.

He helplessly tapped her head with the bag in his hand.

"Go on, explain yourself. Why did you come too? Have you decided the Kikuka Sho back home no longer matters?"

Tokai Teio covered her head and stuck out her tongue.

"Of course not! This year's Kikuka Sho isn't until November 3. Even if I return after watching McQueen's race, I'll still have almost twenty days to prepare!"

"You little idiot..."

Kuroha could not help laughing at her overly naive calculations.

Given Tokai Teio's absolute dominance in Japan, even if her condition declined by twenty or thirty percent, none of Central's other Classic-generation horse girls could possibly defeat her.

Nevertheless, Kuroha deliberately hardened his expression and sternly lectured her.

"Did you account for the time difference, difficulty acclimating to the local environment, maintaining your athletic condition, the physical exhaustion caused by long-distance travel, and the side effects of switching between two completely different diets?"

"Never mind the possibility of developing other subtle, long-term acclimatization problems."

Hearing that long list of complicated terms, Tokai Teio did not panic in the slightest.

Instead, she affectionately wrapped both arms around Kuroha's waist and rubbed her cheek against him.

"Hee-hee. The Trainer is going back with me once the race is over anyway!"

"When that happens, you'll definitely have a way to solve everything, won't you?"

"...Honestly, you."

Faced with the girl's absolute trust in him, Kuroha could no longer maintain his stern expression.

He could only sigh helplessly.

Elsewhere in the procession, Super Creek followed closely behind Fumino.

"Trainer, why did I have to come too?"

Fumino turned and glanced at her.

The first thing that entered her field of vision was Creek's remarkably curvy figure, which strained even her coat.

Only afterward did she notice the gentle, puzzled expression on Creek's face.

"What? Didn't you want to watch this race in person?"

"I did!"

Super Creek answered without hesitation.

As a horse girl—especially an elite horse girl who had successfully mastered a [Domain]—there was no possibility that she would pass up the chance to personally witness a legendary race destined to enter history.

However...

Super Creek uneasily looked at the companions surrounding her.

"I feel a little out of place walking with everyone."

The members of Chasing Light who had once competed alongside her were all monsters with extraordinary strength and dazzling records.

Even the other legends from Central who had come to support McQueen had several G1 victories apiece.

By comparison, she...

Creek looked down at herself, pouted, and quietly muttered, "I feel like I haven't accomplished anything..."

Fumino stared at her speechlessly.

"How are you out of place? Aren't you a member of Chasing Light too?"

A question mark practically appeared above Super Creek's head.

"Eh? Who is? Me?"

The bewildered girl pointed at the tip of her own nose.

Fumino nodded as though it were obvious.

"I'm now Chasing Light's assistant Trainer. Since you're my trainee, you naturally transferred to Chasing Light along with me."

"The paperwork was completed a long time ago."

Fumino suddenly paused.

"...Did I never tell you about that?"

"You most certainly did not, Trainer..."

Super Creek puffed out her cheeks and stared resentfully at Fumino.

"Hm? Uh... haha. I suppose I've been so busy with work lately that I accidentally forgot to mention it..."

After hearing Creek's complaint, the beautiful purple-haired woman also realized that something was wrong and laughed awkwardly.

...

It did not take long for the enormous procession to reach the estate's parking area.

Under the guidance of the estate staff, everyone headed toward their assigned villas.

Nearly every member of Chasing Light had come on this trip, and they had been joined by Central Tracen's cheering delegation.

A single villa clearly could not accommodate everyone.

That left them facing one exceptionally important question:

Who would stay in the same villa as the Trainer tonight?

At Inari One's suggestion, everyone decided to settle the matter through rock-paper-scissors.

The final victors were Fumino, Super Creek, Fujimasa March, and Sakura Chiyono O. The four of them earned the privilege of staying in Kuroha's villa.

Inari One, Obey Your Master, Mejiro Ardan, Tokai Teio, Mihono Bourbon, Rice Shower, and the others were regrettably defeated and assigned to the neighboring villa.

After a short rest, everyone finished unpacking their belongings.

Kuroha then reorganized the group and led them toward the training grounds.

(End of Chapter)

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