Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 512 I... don't think you can do it.
So when he heard the good opera's evaluation of Kita Genko and Apricot Eye, Miki Rocket was filled with envy and anticipation.

Not every racehorse girl can become a legend, but there are quite a few predecessors who have earned such a title.

However, no matter what others say, in Miki Rocket's heart, the great opera predecessor will always be the most legendary one.

It was after witnessing the other person's incredibly impressive performance that she decided to become a horse racer and has worked her way up to where she is today.

She is familiar with all the competitions and reports about her idol from her debut to her retirement, and knows very well that her idol is seen by many as being overly enthusiastic and has an amazing career, but is also very strict in training, and may even get injured because of it.

For example, in their debut battle, the senior contestant entered the competition with overwhelming popularity but lost in second place. After the competition, an injury was discovered, which was due to overly rigorous training.

Such training did not come from trainers, but rather from good opera itself.

Because of this understanding, when she saw her senior looking at her, her heart pounded even harder. She hoped to hear praise, but she was also afraid that he would point out her mistakes, or even criticize or blame her.

However, upon hearing the unexpected question and seeing the sharp, eagle-like gaze, she was jolted as if struck by lightning.

"me……"

She stammered twice, then realized that the gaze directed at her was becoming increasingly sharp and authoritative. Involuntarily, she shrank her neck, lowered her head, and took a step back.

Before she could take a second step back, she suddenly felt something pressing against her from behind.

Surprised, I looked in the direction of the force and met a pair of encouraging red eyes.

She instantly realized that what was blocking her from behind was the arm of the Northern Black Horse.

Her heart pounded even harder in her chest, and suddenly she found the courage to look sharply at the opera and shout back:
"That's right! I've already made a promise with Senior Xiao Bei to follow in your footsteps, and then... surpass you!"

In an instant, the courageous and determined sound of the Miqi rocket echoed in the sea breeze.

After she finished shouting, she started to breathe slightly, as if she had just run another 2000 meters.

"Ha! Hahaha—quite a spirit!"

A hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes, and he clapped and nodded with a smile, praising the opera.

However, the next second, she took a step towards the Miqi Rocket, her expression and gaze once again becoming stern and sharp:

"But if it's only to that extent, to be honest, I... don't think you can do it."

These sudden, harsh words struck like a bolt from the blue, freezing the Miqi Rocket in place.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Northern Genko, Apricot Eye, Yamato Akaki, and Vodka were also stunned by this dramatic scene, exchanging bewildered glances.

For a moment, the entire beach fell into a deathly silence, with only the sea breeze still blowing gently, as if telling the story of the shock of this accident.

half an hour...

"Wait, wait a minute..."

Staring wide-eyed, the Northern Black Steed took a step forward:
"Senior...aren't you being a bit too strict? Miki-chan...her performance just now was fine, right?"

"Uh... I think so too."

As if reminded by the Northern Black Horse, Yamato Akaki suddenly snapped back to reality, his eyes flashing with recollection and contemplation, and quickly said:

"In terms of technique, there are still many things that Miki needs to pay attention to, such as dealing with the rhythm of leading racehorses and pressing for position..."

"But Xiao Bei's leadership skills are quite outstanding, and it's definitely not something that can be easily handled in one go."

"And we're still in training camp, so we have plenty of time to adjust."

"Yes, I agree with Yamato's opinion."

Vodka also pondered for a moment and said:
"I'm not good at leading the way, but judging from the timing of the sprint, Miqi's ability is quite good."

"Of course, the beach is quite different from the race track. Perhaps we can see it more clearly if we run it on a different track... I mean, we'll wait until the training day."

"By the way, I remember Yamato said that today is the day off for Kobe and the others, right?"
"Let's not rush to talk about training and competitions. We... no, you guys take care of the opera seniors and me and explore Atami City. We're already looking forward to it."

"You agree, right, Yamato?" Realizing Vodka was trying to change the subject, Yamato Akaki nodded repeatedly in perfect unison.
"So, here's the thing... Oh right, since we're on the beach, how about we play beach volleyball? We need six people, two in a row, how about that?"

No one responded; at that moment, the air on the beach seemed to freeze.

Sensing this subtle sense of unease, the Northern Black Horse hesitated.

She didn't understand why Good Opera would say that, and wanted to ask, but was worried about Miki Rocket's mood. She also wanted to follow Yamato Akaki and Vodka's suggestion to divert everyone's attention.

Just as she was about to speak, Miqi Rocket, who had been keeping his head down and clenching his fists, suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with both confusion and stubbornness.

She looked straight at the opera, her voice trembling noticeably, yet also carrying a hint of determination:

"Senior, I want to know...why?"

In the eyes of a good opera singer, a fleeting look of admiration crossed his face once more.

Instead of immediately answering Miki Rocket's question, she turned to look at Yamato Akari and Vodka:

"Thank you for your kindness, but I know this child, which is why I said that."

She paused, then her gaze met that of the Miqi Rocket:

The reason I said that is actually very simple.

"It's good to have dreams. If you don't even dare to think about them, there's no point in stepping onto the field. I'm actually very happy that you can express your dreams."

"But Miqi, do you really think that simply imitating me... will help you achieve your dreams?"

Yamato Akari and Vodka looked at each other simultaneously, a look of sudden realization quickly appearing in their eyes:
"Indeed, seeking wonders..."

"The way Miqi was running just now..."

At the same time, the image of running just now, as well as the scene of Miki Rocket training that he had seen during the training camp, flashed through his mind, and Kita Genko instantly realized what was happening.

She studied a large number of competition videos with Yasui Makoto, including some good operas.

A good opera singer has a very obvious characteristic: once she has secured a lead, especially when crossing the finish line, she will always conserve her energy.

Specifically, this means that the winning advantage is often only one horse length, hence the saying "always one horse length ahead".

This running style has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it can create room for competition in the very short distance before crossing the finish line, while the disadvantage is obvious: it is too easy to be overtaken.

In addition, whether it's the handling of positioning or the control of rhythm, many of the Miki Rocket's running styles show traces of imitation of good opera.

This situation is not easy to notice without someone pointing it out, but now that it's been pointed out, it's... too obvious.

"So, Miqi, you should understand now, right?"

The sound of fine opera rose again, majestic and sharp yet with an indescribable composure:

"In the art world, mere imitation will never create works that truly move people."

"The same applies to competitions. If you blindly imitate others, you... will forget why you are running in the first place."

"Besides, my running style... isn't a foolproof winning formula, is it?"

Yamato Akari and Vodka nodded unconsciously, knowing full well that the good opera was true.

Almond-shaped eyes, which had already looked helpless, lowered their heads and remained silent, their tails swaying slightly uneasily.

Miki Rocket was completely stunned. Her shoulders shrugged slightly as she stared at Good Opera, her mouth slightly open, but she didn't make a sound.

Just then, Beibu Genko suddenly took a step forward, much to the surprise of the opera singer.

Her crimson eyes were fixed firmly on the opera; she took a deep breath, her tone carrying an undeniable seriousness:

No...that's not right.

“Great opera senior, I think… you’re wrong.”

(End of this chapter)