Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 614 Yearning for the World
Even after the grand winner's performance ended, the air backstage still retained the lingering warmth of the excitement and commotion.

Exhaustion washed over him like waves, but after removing his makeup, Northern Black Horse still smiled as he bid farewell to the other racehorses who were performing with him, and thanked the busy staff members before picking up his things and heading towards the exit.

As soon as I stepped out of the passage, I saw the waiting figure at a glance.

Yasui Makoto stood there, with the sparse lights outside the venue behind him.

He looked at her, his tone calm and steady:

"Thank you for your hard work. The final straight line and the stage were both excellent."

"Yes, trainer! I did it!"

The Northern Black Steed's smile immediately blossomed, and all his fatigue seemed to be somewhat relieved by his heartfelt joy.

She looked around and couldn't help but ask:
"Where are Hayako-senpai and Yamato-senpai? And Alime and Haruki-fumi too..."

"The Golden Ship crew had been clamoring for a victory celebration right away," Yasui Makoto explained.
"However, Suko, Yamato, and I all feel that for you, recovery is the most important thing. The celebration banquet can be held tomorrow."

"Three consecutive G1 games over three months, the intensity is too great. You may feel okay now, but your body has actually reached its limit."

"Soko and Yamato saw these things very clearly in the data, so they went to the recovery center ahead of time to make preparations."

Northern Black Horse nodded in agreement. After the forced mental strength dissipated, a deep sense of fatigue truly enveloped him.

"Yeah... when I crossed the finish line, I really felt like all my strength was about to be drained. I'm actually... really tired right now."

She rubbed her slightly sore arms, but her smile remained bright:
"But I'm really happy!"
"Because... we won! And we achieved the triple crown in the autumn!"

Yasui Makoto looked at her quietly, then suddenly asked:
"So...you had a lot of fun running today?"

Northern Black Horse was stunned for a moment, not understanding why the trainer had to ask again after he had just said it.

But she still affirmed without hesitation and with great joy:
"Yes! I'm so, so, so happy! I've never run such a fun race before!"

"That……"

Following her lead, Yasui Makoto naturally continued:
"If you were to arrange the remaining race schedule, where would you like to go?"

Northern Black Horse was taken aback, a look of confusion on his face:

"...Haven't these always been the trainers'...haven't these always been your decisions, A-Zhen?"

Yasui Makoto smiled slightly:
"So I'm just asking for your thoughts, which is... setting aside all arrangements and considerations, what kind of competition do you want?"

He then changed the subject, reminding him:
"Besides, didn't we agree before that we would have a good talk after the Arima Memorial?"

"Now... how about we start by talking about this idea? What do you think?"

Seeing the obvious surprise on Kita Genko's face, Yasui Makoto smiled again and naturally pointed in a certain direction outside the venue:
"Perfect timing! Suzi and the others should be ready by now. Shall we talk as we walk?"

Northern Black Horse knew that the post-race recovery arrangements were in a nearby exclusive facility, and that the racecourse would provide a shuttle bus to take them there.

She nodded and followed Yasui Makoto into the private passage.

Outside the passageway, the tranquility of night gently enveloped everything, a stark contrast to the bustling noise inside the venue not long ago. A cool evening breeze swept by, carrying away the lingering heat.

In the distance, on the huge posters plastered on both sides of the street, her sprinting figure and the eye-catching words "Autumn Triple Crown" and "Arima Memorial" were still clear under the illumination of the streetlights and neon lights, silently telling the story of the intensity and glory of this day.

Colorful flags fluttered gently in the breeze, like the lingering echoes of a celebration.

Standing half a step behind Yasui Makoto, Kita Genkoto began to think seriously:
"What kind of competition do I want... well, it's hard to say right now."

"Because based on previous data, we should still be running G1 tracks like Tianchun and Tianqiu, right? But..."

She paused, her voice carrying a natural longing:

"I actually... really want to go overseas."

“Overseas?” Yasui Makoto turned his head to look at her.

"Uh-huh!"

Northern Black Horse nodded vigorously, and then began to talk:
"It's what Shining and the others told me before. They invited me to travel overseas, and I also want to go and see it."

"Shine said that places like St. Anita Park or Churchill Park are particularly spacious, and the feeling of running there is completely different from the grass in Japan."

She also said that the California sunshine and sea breeze are super comfortable, and after the game we can go eat a super-sized burger!
"And then there's Frost's Descent. She mentioned Belmont Park in New York, saying that the straight path there is very long, and that the maple leaves there turn as red as fire in autumn!"
"And Empress Rong!"
She said the Ascot racecourse in England is particularly impressive, with its golden railings and green grass... it's like an old aristocratic manor!

"And then there's Newmarket, which she says is the birthplace of the Shining Series. Running there feels like stepping into history with every step!"

"They also said that the Longchamp Stadium in France is particularly beautiful, right next to the Bois de Boulogne, where you can see the Eiffel Tower!"
"Oh right, she also mentioned the Capanella stadium in Italy, saying it's near Milan and you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Alps from all around!"
"She said the Mediterranean breeze is warm, carrying the scent of olive trees and vineyards, and feels completely different from the sea breeze in Japan!"

Her eyes sparkled as she recounted the exotic stadiums and cities she had heard about from others.

Then, she took a breath, her eyes shining even brighter:
"And... Shining and the others are really strong!"

"No matter how you look at it, they must have been a little unfamiliar with the venue and climate when they came to Japan for the competition, right? Even so, they performed so well!"

"In that case, I also want to go to their home field and compete against them when they are at their best!"
"Just thinking about it makes me think it's an incredibly intense and amazing competition!"

"Of course, I'll definitely have a lot of fun running around!"

She spoke at length with great enthusiasm, then suddenly realized that Yasui Makoto hadn't said a word, just listened quietly. She quickly stopped talking and, somewhat embarrassed, tried to make amends:

"Ah, I was just thinking casually, just...daydreaming. It should...definitely be you, Ah Zhen, who should decide."

"You have so many things to consider every day, your judgment is the most professional!"

Yasui Makoto had been listening with a smile, his gaze fixed on Kita Genko's face, which was unusually lively with excitement.

However, as her words flowed out, describing the stadiums, sunshine, sea breeze, and even the aroma of food in those distant countries, the smile on his lips unconsciously pursed.

All that she said:
The sunshine of Saint Anita, the muddy ground of Churchill Garden, the long straight road of Belmont, the golden railings of Ascot, the distant view of the Eiffel Tower in Longchamp, the silhouette of the Alps in Capanelle, and even those subtle sensations about the touch of the sea breeze, the aroma of bread, and the color of maple leaves...

He actually... just found out.

(End of this chapter)