Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 448 Forcing a move ahead might lead to defeat.

While Xingmu and Wang Ziding were debating whether they had washed their hands in the restroom, Yasui Makoto had already spread out various training materials at the desk outside and was discussing the strategy and tactics for the match with Beifang Genko.

"If nothing unexpected happens, this is how the runaway situation will be tomorrow," Yasui Makoto said succinctly, pointing to a list on the table.

"You, who came in first place in the voting, followed by Bright Sunshine and Clear Sky, then Lofty Ambitions, Dongbao Lone Wolf, Noble and Elegant, Thunderous Roar..."

"And there's also the Clever Maze, the Victory Stone, and the One and Only in the World..."

"There are many familiar names."

Looking at the list just like Yasui Makoto, Kita Genko nodded and said in a deep voice:
"Moreover, most of them had participated in previous intensive training at heavy-duty facilities, so..."

She paused:

"I am familiar with them, and they... are also familiar with me."

A hint of admiration flashed across Yasui's face.

He didn't know what other trainers' coaching styles were, but he believed his own style was increasingly defined as "fighting side-by-side with the racehorses completely."

This teamwork is not just about working together for the same competition, but also includes preparing together since last year and training together recently.

In this style, he clearly found that Northern Black Horse's thinking was becoming more and more in sync with his own, and he was also able to anticipate what his racehorse girl wanted to say.

For example, right now, he wants to remind everyone that familiarity with your opponent is a double-edged sword. It can be used to design strategies and tactics against them, but it can also be used against you by them.

Without him needing to remind him, the Northern Black Horse realized this on its own.

“That’s right, so our preparation strategy this time should include turning the tables on them.” Yasui Makoto continued, praising him in his heart.

"Playing along with their scheme?"

Having just been secretly praised by Yasui Makoto, before he could even hold out for a second, the thoughtful look on Kita Genko's face turned into blankness.

After asking a question in return, she scratched her head and asked somewhat awkwardly:

"What do you mean by 'playing along'... trainer?"

Seeing the expression on Kita Genko's face, Yasui Makoto chuckled, then put away his smile and picked up the tablet from the table.

He pulled up a 3D diagram of the Hanshin Arena track and began to draw the track:

"That means your opponents in this race will most likely target your slow escape technique, which is your best running style."

"For example, exiting the gate."

"The Takarazuka Memorial uses the inner passage, but the gate is located in the outer passage."

"This arrangement will result in an unusually long straight line after exiting the gate."

As he spoke, he drew a long straight line at the intersection of the two concentric pear-shaped tracks:

"520 meters, a full 520 meters, that's your race distance after you leave the gate."

"This schedule..."

Instead of stating a conclusion directly as usual, he looked at the Northern Black Steed:

"Xiao Bei, what are you thinking about?"

Still looking bewildered, Beibu Xuanju kept staring at the track diagram.

She frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, then looked at Yasui Makoto and tentatively asked:
"This straight line... I might have to compete with the gate at the start, just like before?"

Seeing that Yasui Makoto didn't reply after she finished speaking, but only looked at her encouragingly, she perked up and continued:
"Because it is easy to form a team echelon in a straight line, waiting until the team is long before taking position and cutting into the inside will definitely waste a lot of time."

"Moreover, the first bend after the opening is on a slope. If you get stuck here when positioning and cutting in, you'll waste even more time."

"So, I..."

Just as she was about to give a conclusion, a thought struck her.

Since her debut, she is about to run her tenth official match, while she has already run no less than a hundred training matches outside of competitions.

The earliest rivals she could still see, such as those from before and after her debut, are now rarely seen, except for her seniors. Some of them chose different race schedules due to their abilities and adaptability, or switched to running mud track events.

Some, due to the same ability, left the central arena with various feelings, moved to local arenas, or simply withdrew from the Shining Series in disappointment.

She had unknowingly experienced a great deal of this cruel reality.

But more important than all of that, what she was really thinking about at the moment, and what she had initially considered, was:
The opponents who survive the test of time, and the familiarity between oneself and others.

So if she could make that judgment, so could her opponents.

The same methods she can think of are also the same methods her opponents can use.

Moreover, her opponents would likely also anticipate her thinking of these things.

Then, based on all of this, various tactics are designed in a targeted manner.

"So if, as before, the competition starts as soon as the gates open," her thoughts began to unfold, and she involuntarily frowned in deep thought:
"People like Naruto-chan, Takasho-chan... as well as Ryou-nii, Mei-kun-senpai, Toho-senpai, they should all be able to think of them."

"In this case……"

She looked at Yasui Makoto and said:

"Getting ahead...that's probably going to be difficult, so...I'll have to use the skills I've practiced over this period of time."

She felt that Yasui Makoto must have thought the same thing.

Since the start of the pursuit training, she has been repeatedly defeated by Yasui Makoto, a professional "player".

At first, I just thought my trainer was really good and I was happy about it.

But as she lost more and more, she gradually became aware of a sense of powerlessness and the difficulty of encountering strong opponents in the competition.

Looking back on the chase training these past few days, she felt resentful every time Yasui Makoto caught up with her.

She questioned herself repeatedly in her mind, even though she had tried her best and improved her speed and skills, she just couldn't beat him.

This constant sense of frustration frustrated her greatly.

This frustration, like a spark, ignited the resentment and stubbornness deep within her.

She secretly vowed that she would find a way to defeat Yasui Makoto in the subsequent training.

"Ah Zhen, you wait, I will definitely catch you and escape from you. Then, the opponents in the competition will be even easier to handle!"

Even with this thought in mind, she understood that it would be a long time before it could be realized.

The immediate priority is to use the skills honed during pursuit training to deal with the Takarazuka Memorial in front of us.

After waiting a while, seeing that the Northern Black Horse had not made any further progress, Yasui Makoto understood that the guidance was almost complete, and then nodded and said:

"What you said is correct. With the chasing and confrontation techniques you have now mastered, you can use less physical strength to complete the familiar skills of positioning, cutting in, and accelerating."

"But have you considered another perspective?"

"The other one..." Beibu Xuanju paused, then hurriedly asked:

"W-What angle? I think I've... figured it out, right?"

It doesn't point out that while Kita Genko is already thinking enough about horse racing, it's not enough for the trainers.

Yasui Makoto simply operated the tablet again, zooming in on the early straight lines while bringing up a series of match data:

"I'm talking about the overall perspective."

"Have you ever considered that if you simply use new techniques to take the lead like before, you might be playing right into your opponents' hands, leading to more situations where they force you into position and press you forward than before?"

"This will result in an opening sequence that is faster than in most previous tournaments."

"It's also beyond your usual pace."

(End of this chapter)