Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 451 Treat me as your strongest opponent
"Is that even a question?", "Xiao Bei, you're really strong!", "This competition isn't just about the two of you..."

Even as the preparations for the competition drew near, these words continued to echo in the mind of the Northern Black Horse.

She had never heard such words before; in her mind, these were the kinds of things she should be saying.

However, upon hearing this from Gao Shangjunyi and seeing the thunderous roar and the crown of Satomi, no one refuted it; in fact, their expressions revealed agreement and fighting spirit.

She couldn't help but feel the same trepidation she had when she first stepped into the competition before and after her debut.

Am I... really that strong, strong enough that Gao Shang-chan and the others have to face me together...?
However, unlike before, she didn't get anxious about it or keep it to herself. Instead, she listened attentively to Yasui Makoto's explanation of the final straight line.

"...The Takarazuka Memorial Finale is the longest in the right-hand circuit," Yasui Makoto said, pointing to the track diagram on the whiteboard, his voice as steady as ever.
"474 meters, the good thing is that the slope is relatively gentle."

"After entering the final bend, the remaining 600 meters mark a continuous, slow downhill section in the middle of the straight, before connecting to the steep slope before the finish line."

"The elevation difference of this uphill slope is only 1.8 meters, and the slope is 1.5%."

"That means once you start accelerating from the third bend, you don't need to conserve any energy and can go all the way to the end in one go."

"But the most noteworthy aspect is the impact of rainy days."

Hearing Yasui Makoto change the subject, Kita Genko thought for a moment and then said thoughtfully:

"So, I need to... accelerate a little earlier on the third turn?"

With an appreciative smile, Yasui Makoto nodded and said:
"That's right.

"Rainy weather will increase the slippage coefficient of horseshoes, so you need to allow more space for adjustment."

"How much in advance exactly... in theory there is only less than a second of opportunity, and that depends on you to seize it."

"Yes! I'm fine!" Beibu Xuanju nodded vigorously, very seriously.

After discussing some details and confirming that nothing had been overlooked, Yasui Makoto packed up the training materials.

Northern Black Horse also came over to help tidy up. A little further away, Xingmu, who had been listening attentively, went to help organize the horseshoes and the final garments.

Yasui Makoto hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and asked softly:
"Xiao Bei, are you... something on your mind?"

The hand that was picking up a stack of documents paused, and Beifang Xuanju looked over in surprise:
"Huh...? Trainer... how did you figure that out?"

"It really is……"

Equally surprised, Yasui Makoto pondered for a moment:

"I wouldn't say I figured it out, but rather... a feeling? An intuition?"

"In short, it was just inexplicable; I suddenly felt like you had something on your mind."

Quite abruptly, Beifang Xuanju had a vague feeling that Yasui Zhen... seemed to be more and more in sync with him at this moment.

She drifted into a daze, a warm feeling welling up inside her.

This tacit understanding was not uncommon in their past interactions. Whether it was teamwork during training or tactical discussions before a match, they were increasingly able to reach a consensus without even realizing it.

Especially during our recent training together, this consensus now seems to have reached a deeper level.

After a moment of distraction, Beibu Xuanju pursed his lips.

After recounting the previous conversation, she took a deep breath and slowly said:
"I don't know if I'm wrong, but it feels like Gao Shang-chan and the others... all regard me as their strongest opponent."

"But I always feel that I... haven't reached that level yet."

"And this... should also be considered a kind of expectation, a somewhat heavy expectation, I'm thinking..."

"I'm afraid... I won't be able to meet those expectations."

As she spoke, a hint of hesitation and worry crept into her voice, and her eyes dimmed slightly.

But in an instant, she perked up. "However!"

She suddenly clenched her fist with renewed fighting spirit:

"It's precisely because I'm afraid of not being able to respond that I have to work even harder!"
"Haven't I always run here like this?"
"Oh no, I ran here with you, trainer!"

She looked at Yasui Makoto, smiled gently, and then changed the subject:
"After all, the trainers are now training and running with me, so of course we've come this far together."

"Moreover, it's not just about not letting everyone or the trainers down this Takarazuka memorial; we must win."

"I've never beaten a trainer before, but I'll definitely beat you someday!"

Yasui was somewhat speechless.

When he heard Beibu Xuanju's hesitation, all he could think about was how to comfort him.

He understands that feeling. When he faces important competitions and the expectations of his supporters, no matter how much he tries to comfort himself, the pressure and self-doubt still linger. There's nothing he can do about it.

However, before he could speak, the Northern Black Steed had already come out on its own.

Even in her words just now, there was a subtle hint that she was trying to comfort him.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, walked over, and gently patted the Northern Black Steed on the shoulder:

“Xiao Bei, you… are definitely not the naive newcomer you used to be.”

After expressing his feelings, he changed the subject:
"Okay, you want to beat me? I'm waiting for you."

"However, you still need to focus on preparing for the Takarazuka Memorial."

"By the way, the competition is approaching, so go to the outside of the underpass early, someone wants to see you."

Northern Genko was completely surprised. She thought Yasui Makoto would talk to her about the confusion and doubt she had just expressed, as she usually did, but she didn't expect him to suddenly mention that someone wanted to see her.

She opened her mouth, wanting to ask who it was, but swallowed the words back.

She felt that since Yasui Makoto hadn't said it directly, perhaps he had his reasons.

So she nodded vigorously and said:

"Okay! I understand, trainer!"

Seeing that Kita Genko had agreed, Yasui Makoto smiled and nodded. After checking the competition equipment with Akime, the two left the preparation room together.

Alone in the room, Kita Genko, as promised, diligently conducted the final checks before the race.

She paid attention to every detail, from the tightness of the horseshoes to the comfort of the winning suit.

After completing all the checks and reviewing the competition instructions, she felt that it was almost time. Following Yasui Makoto's instructions, she left the preparation room and headed towards the underground passage.

Filled with curiosity, wondering who would want to see her at this time, she reached the exit of the underground passage and a familiar figure came into view.

"Emperor... Emperor Senior?"

With wide eyes, the Northern Black Steed looked at the Eastern Sea Emperor before him in disbelief.

She never expected that the person Yasui Makoto mentioned wanting to see would actually be her longtime idol.

"Oh ho~ Xiao Bei, you look very energetic."

With an expression quite different from his serious, solemn, and somewhat authoritative demeanor at work, the Emperor of the East Sea greeted everyone with a playful smile, his hands behind his head, and he hopped over with a slight skip.

"What? You're so surprised to see me?"

(End of this chapter)